FG under pressure to reclaim Bakassi

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61717

Yuguda's brother in-law kidnapped •P.16

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Jonathan at UN Summit, pledges to uphold rule of law •P.6

LAUNCH —From left: Mr. Tunde Kaitell, Marketing Communications, Globacom; Mrs. Titilayo Ebinisi, Head of Glo World and Mr. Nonso Diobi, Glo Ambassador, at the launch of Glo Made4Life Promo in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

14 DAYS TO APPEAL DEADLINE:

FG under pressure to reclaim Bakassi

BY SONI DANIEL, ASSIST. EDITOR

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•Promises to look into ICJ ruling again Report •The Bakassi sovereignty and int'l politics Special on Pgs.36&37

BUJA— AS the deadline for the review of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, ruling on Bakassi closes in, the Federal Government appears to have come under intense pressure from Continues on page 5

We trivialise our problems because we have never been •P.17 ‘there'

Method for choosing option in US Army stability operations(3) •P.19

Mr & Mrs

PROTEST

—The Islamic Movement of Nigeria in a protest against the controversial anti-Islam film, along the Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway, Tudun-Wada, Kaduna, yesterday. Photos:Olu Ajayi.

Bi-Courtney resumes work on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway •P.9

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 3

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

FG under pressure to reclaim Bakassi Continues from Page 1 groups and organisations to reconsider its earlier position not to appeal the verdict.

Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, had foreclosed any hope of reclaiming Bakassi, on the grounds that government was not ready to contest the ICJ verdict, which handed over the oil-rich peninsula to Cameroun in 2002.

However, Vanguard investigations reveal that Adoke has come under intense pressure from interested groups and individuals from Cross River State and other parts of Nigeria to reconsider the government’s stance on Bakassi.

The chief law officer of the federation was said to have been confronted with what a source described as ‘incontrovertible new information on Bakassi’ that has jolted the government.

The information, it was gathered, is causing unease within the government circles, putting Adoke on the spot to address the issue he had earlier dismissed as foreclosed.

According to the source, who is very familiar with the Bakassi issue, the people of Cross River State are optimistic that the new information would move

the AGF into action before the deadline expires.

It was learnt that some top-ranking political and traditional rulers from the state, who were uncomfortable with Adoke’s declaration that the Bakassi matter had been closed, approached another influential minister close to President Goodluck Jonathan and furnished him with the new information on Bakassi.

Vanguard reliably gathered that after listening to the Cross River State delegation, the minister, called Adoke to take a second look at the government decision not to seek a review of the Bakassi ruling.

The source said: “Well, we do not know what will happen between now and October 10, but he (the Justice Minister) said that he was going to look into our case again and see if there was anything that could be done about it.

“The AGF wants to take a look at the 1913 Treaty, which the ICJ used in deciding the Bakassi case, which we have discovered to have been forged; it may surprise the world to discover that the so-called treaty was never signed by any of the parties, as claimed by Cameroun.

“While we are expect-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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RESIDENT Woodrow Wilson stated: "You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

The things that most deserve our gratitude we just take for granted. Without air we cannot live for more than a minute or two. Every day we are breathing in and breathing out, but do we ever feel grateful to the air? If we do not drink water, we cannot survive. Even our body is composed to a large extent of water. But do we give any value to water? Every morning when we open our eyes, we see the sun’s blessings offering us light and life-energy, which is essential to living need. But are we grateful to the sun? — Chinmoy.

T

O live from a place of gratitude would mean that we give sincere thanks for everything that we have experienced, saw, felt, heard or did in a day. Albert Schweitzer, sums this aptly: “Thus we have each of us cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. If we had before us those who have thus been a blessing to us, and could tell them how it came about, they would be amazed to learn what passed over from their life to ours.

ant that something can be done by the AGF and the Presidency to change the situation, we will not give up on Bakassi because we believe that despite the ICJ ruling ceding it to Cameroun, the issue has just begun. “Whether this government does something about it or not, our resolve to reclaim Bakassi remains as strong as it has been in the last 121 years”.

The AGF could not be reached on whether there could be a change of position by the Federal Government based on the ‘new evidence’.

Adoke was said to have travelled out of the country when Vanguard

called his office.

But a few days ago, Information Minister, Labaran Maku castigated those calling for a review of the ICJ judgment, saying that the matter had been laid to rest.

Maku said: “It is surprising that this issue is coming up again; this case was in the International Court of Justice for long and after years of legal arguments by both Nigeria and Cameroon, a judgment was passed in favour of Cameroon. Nigeria, in respect to the ICJ judgment, came out and signed an agreement that it had honoured the judgment.

“Nigeria and Cameroon are neighbours and have a good standing relationship.

The two countries have been living together and will continue to live together forever. They have been peaceful with each other for long. It is

not at this time that they should begin to have problem over issues that should have been amicably resolved. So, I think Nigeria’s position is still in conformity with the outcome of the International Court of Justice”.

CAN, Catholic Archbishop condemn Bauchi suicide attack

BY SAM EYOBOKA & OLAYINKA LATONA

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AGOS—THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Metropolitan See, have joined other well meaning Nigerians to condemn the latest act of terrorism at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Bauchi State, which killed five persons and left several others injured, describing it as barbaric and unacceptable.

CAN, in a statement signed by the National Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake said the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria, received “ with shock the bomb explosion at the St. John’s Catholic Cathedral in Bauchi which killed four people when an explosives-packed car reportedly rammed into the line of worshippers waiting to be screened before entering the church.

“CAN commiserates with the families of victims of the bomb explosion, the leadership of the church in Bauchi State and the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) over this dastardly act. It prays that the Almighty God will continue to defend His Church, people and multiply the lots of Christianity in Nigeria."

CAN noted that the relaunching of violence

against Christians and their churches at a time when many Nigerians felt such insurgency had ebbed is instructive, noting “coming on the heels of last week’s attack in Bauchi where some gunmen killed nine Christians and injured five, CAN condemns these deadly attacks.

“We blame these attacks, targeted at Christians in Bauchi, on the shadowy aloofness of the state government which has failed to take precautionary measures and compliment the efforts of Christians in the state. As it is, the state government seems to be unfazed by the calamities happening to Christians. It is sad that after several attacks on Christians in the state, we are still unable to put our fingers on the government’s ability to secure the lives, property of Christians and their churches”.

The statement added that while CAN believes that Christians and wellmeaning Muslims should continue to work together for the attainment of peace in the land, it is convinced that Muslim leaders in the North can end this orgy of violence and bloodletting by fishing out elements in their midst whose intention is to give their religion a bad name.

“From what we see

from these planned attacks on Christians, churches, Islamic clerics and traditional rulers who are not in support of their nefarious activities, government institutions and properties of privately run business concerns, the economy of the region may be plundered beyond redemption,” the statement added.

In his reaction, the new Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Diocese, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, expressed shock at the renewed attack targeted at innocent worshippers who were at their respective worship centres to reverence their God. “For some time now we have thought that things are getting to normalcy

but it erupted again. It is very very sad. It is completely unthinkable for people to go after somebody you have never seen or had any dealings with before.

That brings us to the clamour for national dialogue to address the very fundamental issues of nationhood,” he stated.

The archbishop kept asking; ‘ what do they want? What do they want? The government said they were dialoguing, what is the outcome of the dialogue?’ He was of the opinion that the current political arrangement is extremely expensive and lopsided that it will be difficult for the nation to achieve any meaningful progress.

Muslims protest anti-Islam movie in Kaduna

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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ADUNA – THOU SANDS of Muslims, yesterday, thronged the Nnamdi Azikwe Eastern by-pass of Kaduna town in a peaceful demonstration against a movie said to have blasphemed Islam.

The protesters who dragged the flags of the United States and that of Israel, on the ground, were chanting “Death to America!, “death to Israel”, and moved from the Sheik Dahiru Bauch

House, Askolayi, down to Sheik Gumi Market, in Tudun Wada part of Kaduna, covering about 4km.

Meanwhile, the Muslim umbrella body in Nigeria, the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) held a Press Conference in Kaduna, yesterday, and warned against comments that would threaten the sovereignty of the Nigerian state, while joining in attacking the said movie.

6—Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—IN his first high level meeting in New York, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured the international community of his administration’s “unwavering commitment” to upholding the rule of law and implementing pledges made by Nigeria to the international community.

Addressing the plenary session of the United Nations on the Rule of Law, President Jonathan emphasised the imperative for the rule of law to be further strengthened at national and international levels to ensure equity and fairness for all people.

According to him, the rule of law at international level must be based on the principles of the United Nations which were further reaffirmed in the 2005 World Summit Document.

President Jonathan said: “Nigeria subscribes to the view that it is only an international system based on the rule of law that can guarantee protection of the rights of individuals and the interests of the less powerful in the global arena.

“The principle of equality of States remains an important element in the promotion of the rule of law at the international level.

The international community should therefore discourage any semblance of selective observance and enforcement of international law.

ICJ and promotion of world peace “Nigeria recognizes the important role of the International Court of Justice and other international tribunals in the peaceful resolution of international disputes. The work of the ICJ and other international criminal tribunals has contributed to the promotion of world peace and security as well as ending impunity around the globe by holding accountable, those responsible for grave violations of international and humanitarian law" .

The president stressed that “Member States should, therefore, continue to provide support for these international adjudicatory mechanisms to enable them discharge their respective mandates".

President Jonathan told the global gathering that Nigeria’s return to Constitutionalism and Democratic governance in 1999 has provided the enabling environment for enhanced observance of

Jonathan at UN summit, pledges to uphold rule of law democratic tenets and protection of individual rights and fundamental freedoms.

Nigeria has domesticated international laws He said: “Equality before the law and access to justice are cherished values that are enshrined in our Constitution. Government has also consistently demonstrated strong political will to fulfill its international obligations through the domestication of relevant international instruments and recommended practices such as the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 to promote open government; the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, to give impetus to the global fight against terrorism, terrorist financing and economic crimes.”

He said his administration recognized the nexus between the Rule of Law and Democracy and the primacy of the rule of law as a prerequisite for the promotion and protection of

democracy, good governance and sustainable development and therefore envisions the promotion of the rule of law at the international level as a vital means of strengthening cooperation and promoting enduring peace and security among nations

Judiciary as bastion of Nigerian democracy The president promised that his administration will continue to encourage the Nigerian judiciary to play a pivotal role in the advancement and

elaboration of the rights of Nigerians through effective oversight over the actions of the executive and legislature.

The session which was opened by the Secretary of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, was also addressed by the President of the Security Council, the

President of the International Court of Justice, the Head of the United Nations Commission for Human Rights the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and other participating Heads of State and Government.

FEDERATION ACCOUNTS ALLOCATION COMMITTEE MEETING—From left: Commissioners for Finance, Tokunbo Abiru, Lagos State; Albert Akpan Bassey, Akwa Ibom State; Mohammed Bawa, Niger State and Godson Nnadi of Enugu State during the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee Meeting in Abuja, weekend.

N84m scam: Bankole faces fresh trial ...moves to avert re-arraignment by EFCC

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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B U J A — EMBAT TLED former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, yesterday, moved to avert his possible re-arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over an amended 16-count criminal charge bordering on contract inflation and abuse of office.

It would be recalled that the anti-graft agency had on June 7, 2011, docked the ex-speaker before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on allegation that he connived with some persons at large to defraud the Federal Government to the tune of N894million.

EFCC, through its prosecuting counsel, Mr Festus Keyamo, alleged that Bankole rigged bid for

the purchase of three units of Mercedes Benz S-600 cars, two units of Range Rover vehicles (without bullet proofs) and 400 units of DSTV systems, by refusing to follow procedures prescribed for public procurements in Sections 17 to 56 of the Public Procurement Act No.14 of 2007.

It insisted that the action constituted an offence contrary to Section 58(4) (e) of the Public Procurement Act, No.14 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58(5) of the same Act. EFCC further told the trial court that some of the illicit contracts through which monies were pilfered by the accused person, included the purchase of 400 units of 40inch Samsung (LNS. 341) television sets, 800 units of Desktop Computers (HP Compaq dc 5700), 100 units of Sharp Digital Copier 5316, 400 units of HP

LaserJet 2600N, among others.

Nevertheless, though hearing had already commenced in the matter with so many evidences adduced and witnesses called to testify before the trial court, however, the criminal proceeding is set to commence de-novo (afresh) following the sudden transfer of the judge presiding over the case.

Investigations by Vanguard revealed that the trial judge, Justice Donatus Okorowo, has been ordered to proceed on transfer to Taraba State, though no reason was given for his ouster from the Abuja Division.

Basically, whenever a trial judge hands-off a criminal case, such matter is reassigned to a new judge who must commence the trial afresh by taking a fresh plea from the accused person.

Meanwhile, perturbed by the development, Bankole wrote to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, yesterday, begging him to allow the transferred judge to continue presiding over his trial, saying it would ensure that his trial does not suffer undue delay.

Bankole, through his lead counsel, Chief Wale Akonni, SAN, forwarded the letter to the High Court CJ, following the refusal of the transferred trial Judge to sit over the case.

The matter was originally adjourned for continuation of trial yesterday with the court billed to record the oral testimony of the 3rd prosecution witness.

One of the court clerks who spoke to Vanguard on grounds of anonymity, noted that though the entire week was ab-initio dedicated to the trial, owing to the transfer of presiding Justice Okorowo, the case

would be put on hold pending the response of the CJ to the former Speaker’s request.

The court had on the last adjourned date, concluded the cross examination of the 2nd prosecution witness, Mr. Adeboye Adeniyi, an investigative officer with the EFCC who tendered letters of agreements that the House of Representatives under Bankole’s leadership, entered with some companies that allegedly took part in the alleged illicit contract deal.

It would be recalled that a lead investigator with the agency, Mr Ibrahim Ahmed who earlier testified before the court, narrated how fake companies were allegedly awarded contracts during the period Bankole held sway at the House of Reps.

The witness said spirited efforts by the agency to trace the benefiting companies proved abortive as they were non-existent.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 —7

Eight month pregnant woman killed over alleged theft in Ebonyi

zAs assailant cuts-off another woman's hand in Imo

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA &

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PETER OKUTU

BAKALIKI—AN eight-month-old pregnant woman, Mrs. Grace Nwangwu, was weekend, killed in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State while she was reportedly trying to steal some food crops in a farm near her house at midnight.

The woman was alleged to be sleeping on the same bed with her husband, Mgbebu till midnight when she left to ease herself outside but reportedly went to farm at Igbudu Community to harvest some food crops and was killed by her assailant.

In a neighbouring Imo State, one Madam Rose Chibuike was also said to have narrowly escaped being beheaded by an attacker along a lonely road at Umezeala, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state by a machete-wielding man.

Vanguard investigations revealed that Madam Chibuike, who runs a pepper-soup joint in Umuezeala, is a native of Ikperejere, Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of the state.

However, narrating how his pregnant wife was murdered, the deceased’s husband, Mr. Nwangwu said: “My wife got up around 12 midnight and left the house. She said she was going to ease herself. As

she did not come back after some time, I became panicky and went looking for her but to no avail.

For the fact that she was nearing delivery, I increased my search for my wife.

"I took a short cut and it paid off. The footpath shortened my search as I suddenly met the lifeless corpse of my wife, lying face down on the ground with the pregnancy. ’’When I saw the lifeless body of my wife I raised an alarm which attracted other villagers to the scene; who then alerted the police before we made a random search for her killer. In the process, I learnt that

the villagers traced spills of blood to a nearby cassava farm where it was suspected that the woman met her waterloo."

However, when the deceased body which was lying face down was later turned, a deep wound was discovered around her abdomen as the body was still oozing out blood.’’

Contacted, Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Sylvester Igbo, confirmed the story, adding that investigation had commenced to ascertain the circumstances behind the murder.

Also narrating her or-

deal to journalists from her hospital bed, Madam Chibuike who espcaped from her assailant said: “There is every reason to believe that my attacker wanted to behead me on that lonely road.”

According to the lucky woman, she instinctively raised her left hand in self defence when she realised that her life was in danger, adding that her attacker ended up cutting off her hand.

She said that she was returning from her landlord’s house when she was ambushed on the lonely road by the man who she identified as her customer and a native of Umunakanu (names withheld).

NUGU—ENUGU State Government, yesterday, commenced the demolition of the state secretariat complex amid controversies over the award of the N13.6 billion contract.

As early as 7am bulldozers belonging to Arab Contractors Construction Company were moved into the Secretariat complex and the contractors began to pull down the buildings housing some state ministries.

Among the buildings being demolished on the first day of the exercise were those of ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry and Justice.

MUAHIA—ABIA State Governor, Thoredore Orji, has called on the National Assembly to resolve the controversy over poor budget implementation with the Executive, noting that the issue was capable of harming the polity.

He also noted that failure to resolve the crisis now, can exacerbate the current tension created by insecurity in most northern states.

Orji said this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Public Communication, Mr. Ben Onyechere.

He said: ‘’The altercation over implementation of the instruments of budgets between the presidency and National Assembly can be said to be avoidable, because it will exacerbate the current tension created by

DONATION: From left: HRH Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha (left); Akpe-Olodi of Onitsha, Chief Chulo Asika and Mr. Michael Ehimadu, Globacom's Divisional Director, South East during the donation of sponsorship cheque for the 2012 Ofala festival by Globacom in Onitsha, weekend.

This is even as the Mountain of Fire Ministry has dragged Governor Sullivan Chime to court over his directive to Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency, ECTDA, to demolish its regional headquarters located along Zik Avenue, Uwani, Enugu.

In a suit filed by its c o u n s e l , Ikeazor Akaraiwe, and supported by a 16-parag r a p h affidavit deposed to by Pastor Kennedy Udogaranya, the church sought among other reliefs: an interlocutory injunction restraining Governor Chime, by himself, assigns or agents

from demolishing the church building as stated by the Governor and alter ego of the defendant/respondent on Monday September 17, 2012 when he visited the said building.

However, at the state secretarait, efforts by the contractors to move their bulldozers into the Ministry of Works was rebuffed by some officials of the Ministry of Works who said that the building was yet to be evacuated.

Engineers from the construction company were heard discussing with the Commissioner for Works Goddy Madueke on telephone on the need to grant them access to the building.

Officials of the state government declined to com-

ment on the project when contacted weekend but a top official of one of the ministries revealed that the N13.6 billion contract was awarded to Arab Contractors.

HE AGOS—LEADING Igbo pressure group and an affiliate of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, has joined former Abia State Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu in criticizing Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa KwanKwaso, over his comments that the South-East geo-political zone does not deserve an additional state and that Deputy Senate President, who heads the National Assembly Constitution amendment committee, had a hidden agenda on the issue.

IYM President, Evange-

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list Elliot Uko, who said it was disturbing that such comments could come from a governor, asked Kwankwaso to apologise to the South-East.

He said: “Such jaundiced and wicked comments, though quite unfortunate, serve as a confirmation that the same section of Nigeria who’s military wing muddled up Nigeria and foisted an unkind structure on the country, are not only unrepentant and unapologetic, but are also surprisingly committed to the disintegration of Nigeria as their refusal to correct the deliberate imbalance would lead to an early end of the Nigerian experiment.”

PFN builds N100m hospital in Awka

BY VINCENT UJU-

MADU WKA—THE Anambra State branch of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria,

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Imo govt assures land owners of compensation Rochas Okorocha’s adWERRI—IMO State Government said, weekend, it would carry the customary landowners along in land administration and compensations due to original land owners.

State Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Mr. Uche Nwosu, who disclosed this said the practice, which he described as Rochanomics culture, was the reason Governor

insecurity in parts of the northern states and as such we must be careful not to create unnecessary distractions from our focus which is to provide and upgrade the living standards of our people while shunning measures that will increase political volatility. ‘’The president is a human being who has shown good will enough to depict his palatability and amenability to the doctrines of democracy such that the legislature can now take advantage of the open doors originally existing between the two of them to resolve issues such as implementation of the budgets without fanning the embers of primordial cleavages .The important thing now is to promote and protect the factors that project national unity because no one knows it all.’’

Kalu, Igbo youths tackle Kwankwaso over state creation

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zAs church sues Chime over demolition of hqtrs

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U

BY CLIFFORD NDUJI-

Enugu begins demolition of secretariat complex

BY TONY EDIKE

NASS, Jonathan face-off can harm the polity —Gov Orji

ministration paid a compensatory sum of 8.5 million to Umunwanlo families in Ezi Irete, Owerri West Local Government Area in respect of part of Nworie-North layout.

The director of lands, Mr. Basil Ogwunga had disclosed that the first compensatory sum was paid through Mr. Cyprian Metu, an Umunwanlo citizen, who was their attorney at the time of payment of that compensation in 1999.

PFN, has established an ultra modern specialist hospital in Awka which gulped N100 million.

The hospital christened, Jesus Our Physician Specialist Hospital, is equipped with the state of the art facilities in all major specialist areas of medicine with specialist doctors in various fields manning them. The hospital is an affiliate of some international health institutions.

Anambra State chairman of PFN, Bishop David Eberechukwu, told newsmen in Awka that Pentecostal churches in the state were persuaded to work as a team in setting up the hospital with a view to providing first class health care delivery in the state.

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

CHIEF GABRIEL IGBINEDION MARKS 78TH BIRTHDAY

Court martial jails navy rating 10 yrs for throwing baby into Lagoon

BY EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS—THE General Court Martial convened by the Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy to try one of its ratings, Ordinary Seaman Moses Joseph, for allegedly throwing a threemonth-old baby into a lagoon in Apapa area of Lagos seven months ago, has passed its judgment, with a 10-year jail term slammed on the rating.

Joseph, was reported to have stormed his girlfriend’s apartment in the densely populated Ajegunle area of Lagos in the company of six other persons, kidnapped the

baby from her mother, Glory and threw her into the Lagoon.

The nine-member court martial convened by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda, found the accused guilty of the three count charges of kidnapping, murder and misconduct.

However, a statement issued yesterday by the Western Naval Command and signed by its Information Officer, Lieutenant Commander Jerry Omodara, explained that a case of murder could not be established against the accused, thereby necessitating the court to

amend the charge to that of manslaughter, as an alternative charge to murder under the Second Schedule of the Armed Forces Act. The rating according to Omodara, “ was subsequently, found guilty on count one, which is kidnapping and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

He was also found guilty on count two, manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years and two years imprisonment for misconduct on count three".

The sentences are to run concurrently. The sentences are however, subject to confirmation by the Naval Headquarters.

Chief Gabriel Igbinedion being ushered into the church premises for his 78th birthday thanksgiving at St. Gabriel The Archangel Catholic Church, Benin-City. Pix: Barnabas Uzosike.

Health workers strike: Patients recount ordeal

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE, CHIOMA OBINNA & CHARITY UGWANYI AGOS—EIGHT days after health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, embarked on indefinite strike, patients have continued to tell harrowing tales of their experiences arising from non-availability of essential health services in Federal public health institutions nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour has invited the leadership of JOHESU to a meeting in Abuja today.

At most Federal Specialist and Teaching hospitals visited yesterday in Lagos, patients clamoured for quick

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resolution of the crisis as they voiced out their frustration to access routine checkups and treatments.

At some of the hospitals skeletal services were offered by senior management staff and medical doctors. It was also gathered that the hospitals are now recruiting locum staff, (casual staff) to fill in the gap created by the absence of workers.

Some patients who spoke to Vanguard, at the Federal Medical Centre EbuteMetta, appealed to the warring parties to sheath their swords and embrace dialogue.

A pregnant woman who simply identified herself as Mrs. Adenekan decried the continued strike and urged government to address the

problem.

“We are tired of one strike after the other. For how long will this continue? The other time it was doctors now we are told it is the health workers. I believe it is time the government attends to their problems.

Many patients are suffering,” she said angrily.

A woman at the outpatient department, Mrs. Atinuke Onasanya, confirmed that only few of those registered were being attended to at the FMC. Atinuke who claimed to have arrived the hospital as early as 8:00 AM was not able to see the doctor even as at 12:00noon when our reporter sighted her on the long waiting queue of patients.

Ondo: Jonathan assures on free, fair poll zAs Sambo heads PDP campaign team

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA—AHEAD of the October 20 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured the electorate that it will be one man, one vote, just as he promised that the poll will be free and fair.

Speaking at the inauguration of the National Campaign Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the Ondo election, President Jonathan who was represented by Vice President Mohammed

Namadi Sambo, urged members and stakeholders of the party to ensure that they delivered their wards and local governments.

Meanwhile, former President and exChairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Senate President David Mark, Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Governor of Rivers State and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, among others who are members of the campaign committee

shunned the inauguration.

Sambo who inaugurated the committee that he chairs, however promised to deliver the state to the PDP. Speaking earlier, the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur however, boasted that the party will win the state convincingly because according to him, the State is a PDP one, just as he regretted that the party lost out.

He said: "Ondo State is a PDP state, and a very important one to our great party. It was, therefore, a matter of distress to us when we lost it, not through the polls but through a judicial process".

From left: Chief Igbinedion, Chief Adekunle Ojora and Lady Cherry Igbinedion.

Senate queries N470m allocation to NDDC

BY INALEGWU SHAIBU

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BUJA—SENATE Committee on Niger Delta yesterday queried the allocation of N256 million and N214 million to the Chairman and Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The NDDC presented a budget estimate of N250.857 billion for the year 2012, to the Committee for scrutiny, out of which N470 million has been provided for the running of the offices of the Chairman and the Managing Director. The total amount approved for running both offices in 2011 was N133 million.

The Committee received the budget with indignations, as the Chairman, Senator James Manager described the late budget submission as a bad tradition that must be stopped for development to take place in the oil rich

region.

Manager said: “The attitude of NDDC coming late with their budget estimate is wrong. I don’t know when they will get it right. I sincerely believed that this was a transformation; we thought this team was a corrective regime that should endeavour to break from this bad tradition. I do not know of any government agency that does not have 2012 budget.

“As for budget implementation, NDDC is not a good example. It is not about awarding projects; it is about awarding and paying the money for the projects when completed.

The budget for 2013 should be presented to the Senate

by January 2013. It is the expectation that this is done not just for the interest of the senate by for the people of the Niger Delta.”

Managing Director of the commission, Dr. Christian

Oboh who said the budget of N249.84 billion for the year 2012 was based on projected revenue of N250.86 billion, however explained that the rise in allocation to his office and that of the Chairman was to cater for so many new projects.

He said: “You know that many of our brothers and sisters always come to our offices regularly and we will need to take care of them.”

Reacting to the huge allocation, a member of the committee, Senator Hope Uzodima, demanded to know why the huge allocations were given to the offices while the projects on actual development received lower sums.

He asked why the commission slashed N105 million allocated to the Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries in the 2011 budget to N67 million in the 2012 budget.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 9

Saudi Arabia detains 400 Nigerian female Hajj pilgrims

L

OCAL media report from Saudi Arabia had it that the Saudis requested each female pilgrim to provide her muharram – the approved male companion accompanying her on her trip, usually a husband, father or brother and that those that couldn’t produce any, were detained.

Mr. Olusegun K. Ahmadu (middle), the Chairman, Project Implementation Committee on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with Engr. Gbenga Babalola, the Project Adviser (Yolas Consultant), and Piero Adami,Borini Prono site agent, working at Km 32 on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway yesterday.

Striking teachers paralyse activities in Lagos schools MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

A

S SCHOOLS in Lagos State resume for new academic session yesterday, activities in the state public schools were, however, paralysed, following the indefinite strike embarked upon by members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Lagos Chapter over the non-payment of the 27.5 per cent Teachers Salary Scale, (TSS).

The Union had earlier warned the state government to pay the new increase which is in line with TSS before yesterday.

Visit by Vanguard to some of the public schools as early as 7:00 showed over 60 per cent compliance by the teachers, as many of them deserted the

schools.

Notable among the schools were: Zion African Primary school, Alagba, Agege, Aganju Aka Primary and Secondary Schools, Ojo, Sabo Oniba Primary School, Ojo, among others.

However, those that defied the Union's order, did not open the classrooms but sat under trees chatting to while away the time.

The teachers also turned back pupils who resumed for school, saying, “didn’t you hear that teachers are on strike. Go home until you are told to resume.”

The teachers further told the pupils to inform their colleagues of the latest development.

A pupil of Aganju Aka Primary School, Ojo, said: “We were informed by one of our teachers

Lagos petrol stations lament low supply

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

L

AGOS — SCARCITY of petrol persisted in Lagos yesterday as filling stations complain of low supply of the product.

Many stations were shut to customers and long queues were seen in stations that were selling.

Some operators, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that they were not getting enough supply to meet the demand of customers.

Mr Babatunde Olowu, the Station Manager at Total Filling Station in Lawanson, said he had been waiting for his

supply since Saturday.

“The supply is very poor; what I ordered for since last Saturday will come today.

“And I cannot categorically say that I will see the truck today because of the nature of the problem Lagos is experiencing now, “ he said.

Meantime, 13 ships are said to be waiting to discharge petroleum products at the various oil terminals within the Lagos ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA. has said, even as the Apapa Area 1 Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, said it collected a total of N23.4 billion revenue in August.

that we should go home.

And resume when we are told to do so.”

Vanguard gathered that some of the pupils left for their respective homes. However, some of them were sighted playing football on the streets in their school uniforms.

The authorities further threatened to deport the

pilgrims to Nigeria. The pilgrims arrived Jeddah in two separate Max Air flights Sunday afternoon. One of the planes, conveyed pilgrims from Jigawa State while the second conveyed pilgrims from Sokoto State.

The nearly 400 women were only allowed to be supplied with water and food by the Saudis after strenuous efforts by the Nigerian Consul in Jeddah and a Minister of State for For-

eign Affairs.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad, who is the Amirul Hajj, has condemned the action of the Saudi authorities, describing it as “an insult to Nigeria and to this country’s millions of Muslims. ”The Sultan said, “They never raised this issue and never demanded that the female pilgrims must have a muharram."

Lagos Assembly grants Governor's N80bn bond request conditional approval

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

T

HE LAGOS State House of Assembly, yesterday, gave approval in principle to the request of Governor Babatunde Fashola for budget re ordering to enable him augment the state’s bond issuance from N50 billion to N80 billion.

The budget reordering makes provision for World Bank

Development Policy Operations, DPOs, from N30billion to be reordered to bond issue.

However, the House similarly, requested that it should be furnished with the debt profile of the state (both foreign and local) including outstanding liabilities before it eventually accedes to the governor’s request.

The House, while considering the recommendation of the

Committee on Budget as presented by the Chairman, Hon. Mudashir Obasa, approved that the DPO of N30 billion be included in the Year 2012 appropriation law, thereby increasing the total bond issue to N80billion while the budget size remains N491 billion.

The House approved the re-ordering of Year 2012 budget of the House of Assembly.

Bi-Courtney commences reconstruction of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

BY EMEKA MAMAH

T

HE CONCESSionaire of the

L a g o s - I b a d a n expressway, Bi-Courtney Highway Services Ltd, has commenced major reconstruction on the 106 kilometre highway, starting from four critical portions on the road.

The company said yesterday that it also engaged two top contractors, Messrs.

Borino Prono Construction Company and CCC Construction

Nigeria Ltd to embark on the reconstruction.

Spokesman, Dipo Kehinde said that, “The reconstruction exercise will go on simultaneously in four critical portions of the road,” adding, however, that the work might impact on smooth traffic flow on the road.

According to Kehinde, Bi-Courtney, however, had taken ‘’the precautionary measures of engaging traffic control officers to direct traffic during

construction hours. We urge motorists to drive with care, observe the rules, and obey traffic signs.

We are working with all stakeholders, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE, the Nigeria Police Force, tanker owners and other road users, to minimize the impact of this exercise on

m o t o r i s t s . ’’Bi-Courtney commends the commitment and the vision of Mr. President to infrastructure development through Public Private Partnership, PPP. This vision, being strongly promoted by the Federal Ministry of Works is worthy of support. And we assure Nigerians that the Federal Government and our company is committed to this allimportant road project.”

How we kidnapped, murdered Ikorodu bizman – Suspects

BY EVELYN USMAN

E

MOTION RAN high yesterday at the Lagos State Police C o m m a n d headquarters, Ikeja, following a startling revelation by three kidnappers of how they kidnapped a popular businessman in Ikorodu area of Lagos and killed him.

The arrested suspects, said to have been responsible for serial kidnaps in Ikorodu, were discovered to be

members of Aiye confraternity.

They reportedly stormed their victim’s home at about 9p.m., on August 31, 2012, while he was driving into his compound in the company of his wife.

They allegedly dispossessed them of jewelries, laptop, phones, among others valuables.

Not done, the trio of Ogbuesor Sadiq, Abdulwahab Mutairu and Adeinola Lanre reportedly forced their

victim, Akinsanjo Johnson Akinlade into his Sports Utility Van with number plate KRD 480 AE to an unknown destination from where they put a call across to his apprehensive wife, demanding for a ransom of N200,000.

Parading the suspects before newsmen, the C o m m a n d ’ s spokesperson, Ngozi Braide said, “ when they demanded for ransom from Mrs. Akinlade, she insisted on speaking to her husband in order to

get directive as to where to source for money. At this juncture, the kidnappers stopped all communications.”

The case, she said, was reported at the Ipakodo Police Division from where it was transferred to the State Intelligence Bureau for investigation, during which one of the suspects, Sadiq Ogbusor was arrested in Auchi Edo State.

Sadiq, she said, led operatives to the arrest of other gang members

10—Vanguard,

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

2012

L-R: Mr. Adeola Raji, DPO, Anthony Police Station, Anthony Village, Lagos; Vice President, Sir Jachike Nwankwo; President, Solomon Alao, of Oke Alo Estate Residents Association, during the presentation of a van to the Nigerian Police Force.

Ekiti PDP accuses ACN of intolerance

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO EKITI - The P e o p l e s Democratic Party, Ekiti State has accused the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, government in the state of intolerance, denouncing the rate at which posters of ACN members are being defaced in the state.

The party equally condemned the state owned media

establishments for allegedly censoring the news stories and views from opposition parties in the state thereby depriving them of adequate publicity.

The party made allusion to how the posters of the former Governor Ayodele Fayose pasted in Ado Ekiti prior to a ceremony held in his honour in Afao Ekiti on Sunday over his re admission into PDP were defaced with black paint.

LP accuses ACN of spending N200m on weapons .It's total falsehood – ACN

T

HE RULING Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State yesterday said it has uncovered moves by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to unleash maximum terror on Ondo State and turn it into a theatre of war ahead of the October 20 gubernatorial election.”

LP’s Director of Publicity, Mr. Koye Odogiyan in a statement in Akure yesterday alleged that the opposition party had procured N200m worth of arms and ammunition with which various attacks are intended to be unleashed on the state to prevent a conducive atmosphere for the election.

Calling on the law enforcement agents to as a matter of urgency investigate the activities of the party and its agents who are planning to unleash terror on the state, the Labour Party also hinted at a strategic meeting where details of the plan were discussed.

But in a swift reaction, The Akeredolu Campaign Organisation, ACO, through its Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy, Idowu Ajanaku said the accusation is "a total falsehood which is in tandem with the character of the drowning LP. “It is also a fact that it is the LP who has been unleashing violent attacks on members of the opposition parties in the state. We believe that the LP is only trying to practise elementary subversive techniques.

“It is the LP thugs that attacked the Chieftains of ACN during Late Adebayo Adefarati memorial lecture in Akure, they attacked Akeredolu convoy after the State primaries, they attacked him during campaign in Okeluse; they have attacked our members in Akure during wards meeting in Lafe, Ijoka Area of Akure and at Oka Akoko.

Mr. Jean-Christoph Tranchepain, MD,Bollore Africa Logistics Nigeria Ltd (centre), cutting the tape to declare open the Ecobank Maritime Centre, at the Ecobank, Apapa, Lagos, yesterday, while Mr. Jibri Aku, MD, (right) and Mrs. Foluke Aboderin,ED, Corporate Banking, both of Ecobank Nigeria, look on. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Mimiko sacks 3 aides over alleged information leakage

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE — AHEAD of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State, the state governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has sacked three of his Special Assistants namely Messrs. Adesoji Ojomo, Chris Anota and Kayode Agunloye.

A statement by the I n f o r m a t i o n Commissioner Kayode Akinmade said their sack followed reports of dereliction of duty by the sacked aides and their negative acts as they affect activities of government.

Akinmade in the statement said; “There have been various reports concerning the activities of the sacked aides which negate the principle of the Dr. Olusegun Mimiko’s administration.

“There have been reports of the activities of the aides which cast aspersions on the

government and portray it in bad light, hence their dismissals.

Akinmade continuing on the sacked government officials said “The sacked aides who operated in their capacities as Special Assistants to Mr. Governor were dismissed for dereliction of duty, absconding and engaging in acts that cast aspersions on the government as well as portray it in bad light.”

The Commissioner added that their dismissal takes immediate effect.

But findings by Vanguard showed that the sacked Special Assistants have been leaking government information to the opposition parties.

Sources added that the government has been on the trail of the sacked government officials for months before using the axe on them.

Also, they were alleged to have held series of meetings with the

opposition political parties and were paid as moles in the ruling government.

Meantime, at least, N10 billion is to be expended on 33 Mega Primary Schools to be constructed across the 18 council areas of the

state.

The state government equally denied allegation by the opposition parties in the state that it charges fees for admission into the Mega Schools which number will rise to 33 by October this year.

....Chides Agagu over probe comment

T

HE OLUSEGUN Mimiko Campaign Organisation, MCO, yesterday berated the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Agagu over his snide comments in the media and the allegation that he was on the verge of being probed by the state government.

Agagu had alleged that the state government was about probing his activities as governor. He had also boasted that his administration was the best thing that has ever happened to the state.

But the MCO lambasted the exgovernor, saying he should be in jail and ought not parade himself as a man of integrity.

According to the Director, Publicity and media Relations of MCO, Mr .Kolawole Olabisi, the tenure of Agagu in Ondo State was hallmarked by high level profligacy, deliberate and brazen heist of the people’s commonwealth, and spate of abandoned projects and financial c o m m i t m e n t s deliberately made to constrain the Mimiko government.

S-West PDP urges compliance with policy on former members

T

HE PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-West has urged the party organs in the six states of the zone to ensure compliance with the directive of the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur on the 30 days grace for the registration of former members of the party that are willing to return

to its fold.

The party, however, said the directive was only for former members not members, who have not left the party, adding that; “The registration should be done in the party’s old registers in the wards.”

Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kayode Babade, who made this call in a

release issued today, said no state chapter of the party should issue new registers for the exercise, adding that “the clarification has become necessary to avoid misconception.”

The PDP National Chairman last week issued an ultimatum to all aggrieved members and those who left the party but are interested

in coming back to do so within 30 days.

Directing strict compliance with the directive, the South-West PDP said with total reconciliation of all aggrieved members and those who left the party, it was confident that very soon, the party would begin to sing the slogan of PDP, one family, once again.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—11

We can't afford to scrap N'Assembly—Ndoma-Egba

BY INALEGWU SHAIBU

A

FLOOD: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (middle), during his visit to flood-ravaged communities of Udaba, Ekperi, Osomhegbe, Udochi, Agenebode and Ilushi.

7 Edo communities submerged as River Niger overflows bank …Oshiomhole doles out N100m to flood victims

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—NO fewer than seven communities in Etsako-Central Local Government Area of Edo State were, weekend, submerged as the River Niger overflowed its bank, displacing the inhabitants and destroying crops and livestock.

The affected communities are Udaba, Ekperi, Usugbenu, Anegbete, Imiegba and Agenebode.

Meanwhile, the state governor, Mr. Aams Oshiomhole, has released N100 million for the provision of relief materials to victims of the flood.

Oshiomhole assured that the state government would liaise with the Federal Government to find a long-term solution

to the flood to avoid a reoccurrence. The governor, who visited the displaced persons and the flooded communities, said the natural disaster caused by the overflowing of the River Niger had led to loss of property worth billions of naira in the state.

He said: “What has happened is an act of God and no one can challenge the will of God. In

other parts of the country, we have heard of the loss of lives, but so far, we have not recorded any death. Let us pray that the river goes back to its boundary.

“As a government, we will try as much as possible to reduce the hardship suffered by the people by providing relief materials. What we cannot change, we will bear.

President Goodluck

15 Delta host communities reject and others, divestment of OML 34 spectively after an emergency stakeBY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—FIFTEEN oil producing communities, under the aegis of Association of Federated Oil Mining License, OML 34 Host Communities, in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, weekend, vowed to resist the divest-

ment from the oil bloc in their land by Shell Petroleum Development Company.

In a statement by Presidents-General of UmoloOlomu, Eruemukohwarien, Effurun-Otor, Erhiphihor, Mr. Benjamin Ebite, Joseph Avwunugharogo, Owofio, Moses Amrefere re-

Tension in Bayelsa over alleged NDDC neglect ous flow stations but have

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

E N A G O A — THERE was tension, weekend, at Egbemo-Angalabiri Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as Coalition of Swamp/Coastal Communities staged a peaceful protest to persuade President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the board of Niger Delta Develop-

Jonathan and the Federal Government are concerned about this calamity.”

Oshiomhole, who flew in a helicopter and also rode in a canoe to get to the affected communities to see for himself the extent of damage done by the flood, admonished the victims to remain faithful that the calamity would soon be over to enable them return to their father land.

ment Commission, NDDC, over alleged incompetence.

The protesters also handed President Jonathan a seven-day ultimatum to sack the board of the commission.

The placard wielding protesters from the 18 coastal communities, who stormed Egbemo-Angalabiri in speed boats, claimed that they produce over 668,000 barrels of crude daily from the vari-

no project to show for it.

Some of the placards read, “NDDC must go,” “Enough is enough.”

Leading the protest, Mr. Lambert Odudu, Chairman of the Coalition, said: “The communities are protesting the deliberate marginalization of our people. We produce 668,000 barrels daily which amount to onethird of the country production yet there are no NDDC projects on ground in our communities."

holders’ meeting, the host communities said they were not consulted before the purported sale of the OML. They said: “It is an aberration for a facility in our domain to be handed over to a new owner without our consent. Any attempt to force the new operator on us without resolving the contentious issues shall be resisted by any lawful means necessary.”

They said they would head to the court if the issues bordering on the host communities were not satisfactorily resolved.

It was gathered that Shell invited the host communities for a meeting, last week, but they rebuffed the company, saying Shell and the new operators should meet with them in Otor-Udu Town Hall today with “concrete answers as a pre-condition for entry of any new operator.”

B U JA — S E N AT E Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, yesterday, said Nigeria cannot afford to scrap the National Assembly to reduce high cost of governance.

Senator Ndoma-Egba, who spoke at an event on the viability of state police, organised by National Institute of Legislative Studies, in Abuja, argued that the 2012 National Assembly budget was N150 billion, representing three per cent of national budget, while more than that amount was uncovered by the Senate as subsidy payments to fraudulent petroleum marketers.

Ndoma-Egba also maintained that legislators were not on jumbo pay, arguing that the N150 billion includes salaries and emolument for the National Assembly Service Commission, as well as capital and recurrent expenditures of the legislators.

He further argued that scrapping the Senate would deny minority groups in Nigeria the right of representation.

He said: “A former Senator and former governor is canvassing the scrapping of the Senate. If the worry of Nigerians is cost, the total budget of the National Assembly is N150 billion. That N150 billion, includes my salary, which they say is jumbo. My salary is no different from a Ministers’ salary or a Supreme Court Justice’s salary. Theirs is not jumbo, but mine is

jumbo.

“The N150 billion includes the salaries of members of the House of Representatives, it includes the salaries and emoluments of the bureaucracy, the staff. It includes the salaries and allowances of our legislative aides. It also include the National Assembly Service Commission, both recurrent and capital.

“It includes the capital budget of the National Assembly. It includes the budget of the institute. We pay our subscription to inter-parliamentary bodies from that money. Everything about the legislature is on the N150 billion.

N150 billion is less than ten per cent of what we are trying to establish as what was paid for an opaque fuel subsidy regime. It is only a fraction of what we are investigating in relation to pension.

“N150 billion is about three per cent of the national budget. So if the argument is cost, three per cent cannot be a problem.

The argument, therefore, cannot be reducing the cost of governance, because the entire budget of the National Assembly is what you have paid to one fuel importer in one very opaque transition.

“Secondly, why do we have bicameral legislature? All over the world, where you have large population, heterogeneous people, diversity of culture, you usually have two chambers because the lower chamber of the House of Representatives usually represent on the basis of population."

S-South govts urged to set up state emergency management agencies

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HAR COURT—TO effectively manage disasters of all kinds, governments in the South-South states have been enjoined to set up state emergency management agencies.

South-South Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Emenike Umesi, who made the appeal, weekend, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said there was an urgent need for Rivers, Bayelsa and other states in the region to set up the agency. He said governments in the region should not wait

for disaster predictions before they come up with concrete plans on how to effectively tackle disaster situations, adding that the region was on the coastal plain of the country, so there was need to have emergency respondent measures on ground.

Umesi appealed to those living close to rivers in the region to be vigilant, adding that SEMA would help achieve results in times of disaster.

He said most areas in the region were prone to flood problems, stressing that a system should be worked out to take care of owners of farms affected by flood disasters.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Boko Haram sponsored by election losers —Oritsejafor

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

VISIT: Mr. Chinedum Orji, Coordinator, Ochendo Youth Foundation (left) with HRM Eze Chiavoghilefu, after a chieftaincy tittle of Enyi-oha Osisioma was confered on Orji during a courtesy visit to the royal father.

Abductors kill driver, abduct boss' kids

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—ARMED MEN, suspected to be kidnappers, yesterday, shot dead the driver of a Benin-based businessman, Juande Iyamu, after abducting the two children of the deceased's boss in Benin, Edo State.

The driver, whose name was yet to be ascertained at press time, was said to be driving the abducted children to school, when the armed men accosted them, immediately after they left their residence at Iguose area of Benin.

The suspected kidnappers were said to have shot sporadically before escaping. Residents of the area, who rushed out of their houses to see what was happening,

had to rush back upon sighting the kidnappers with their guns. They, however, rushed to the scene after the kidnappers had left to assist the shot driver, but it was too late, as he was already dead.

Eye witness account said the driver might have tried to resist the armed men, which led to him being killed. He was shot at close range.

Mr. Iyamu, who is the proprietor of Yawe Water, was visibly shocked

Delta NUT strike'll end soon —Commissioner

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—DELTA State Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education, Prof.

Patrick Muoboghare, has said that the ongoing strike by Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, in the state will be called off soon.

Muoboghare, who fielded questions from newsmen in Ughelli, expressed the state gov-

ernment’s willingness to address the contentious 27.5 per cent Teachers Peculiar Allowance, reiterating that the strike will end in a few days.

He said that only qualified teachers, who had registered with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, would be paid the allowance, adding: “We had a very fruitful meeting with NUT on Thursday and by today, we will

Okada operators drag Delta govt to court

BY EMMA AMAIZE & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

ARRI—COM MERCIAL motorcycle operators, commonly called Okada, in Effurun, Delta State, have asked a state High Court sitting in Effurun to restrain the state government and its agents from banning or stopping them from using motorcycles as a means of transportation and livelihood in Effurun, Warri and Asaba, after September 30, 2012.

when newsmen visited his residence as he declined comment on the sad incident.

Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Anthony Airhuoyo, when contacted, said he was yet to be briefed by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, at Ekiadolor police division.

The state government had banned Okada in the state, effective October 1.

Applicants in the suit are Mr. Ufuoma Awiniki, Richard Mragbozo and Felix, while respondents are the Governor of the state, Commissioner for Transport, Attorney General of the state and the state Commissioner of Police.

The motorcyclists are praying the court for, among others, a declaration that the administrative directive by government to the police, to ar-

rest, detain and charge them to court after September 31, or any other time, is unconstitutional.

Their counsel, Mr. Ahweyevu Mukoro, is contending that the Delta State Government recently proposed a ban on operations of commercial motorcycles in Effurun, Warri and Asaba, from October 1, arguing that the directive, which singled out members from Effurun, Warri and Asaba communities for ban, contraveneed the applicants’ rights to freedom from discrimination.

have another meeting.”

He said efforts were on to separate qualified teachers from quacks in the state, noting that “there are certain regulations which must be implemented.

“The strike was embarked upon because there was a communication gap between the state government and NUT. They do not understand us. If they did, they would not have gone on strike.”

On the ongoing West African Examinations Council, WAEC, Private Candidates examination in the state, Muoboghare alleged that WAEC officials and supervisors had not been too careful in the implementation of the rule against the use of mobile phones in examination halls.

He said: “Centres we wouldn’t ordinarily have recommended were being used for the examination, particularly private schools.”

He charged WAEC official to be more careful in choosing centres for examinations.

ALABAR—PRESI DENT of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has denied claims in some quarters that poverty was responsible for the emergence of Boko Haram, noting that on the contrary, it was the aggrieved persons who lost in their electoral bid that created the monster.

CAN President, yesterday, at the opening of a six-day meeting of the Niger Delta Christian Leaders Forum in Calabar, Cross River State, said sponsors of the Islamist sect want to divide Nigeria along religious line.

He maintained that Boko Haram was a fundamentalist Islamic religious group created and sponsored by selfish politicians, who want to create political space for themselves and in the

vent of failure to achieve that, resort to dividing Nigeria along religious line.

He said: “Boko Haram is fueled by extreme religious ideology and not poverty because they have not come out to tell us that they are killing people because they are poor or hungry.”

Oritsejafor said the claim that Boko Haram was a creation of poverty was a blatant lie by those sponsoring the organisation or its apologists just to mislead Nigerians and the world.

“The leader of Boko Harm is from a very wealthy family background and even that young man who wanted to blow up an American airline, his father was a retired Permanent Secretary and one of the richest men in Nigeria. The claim that the fundamentalist group was created by poverty is a false claim by its sponsors and apologists,” he said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 13

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—15

NSPMC staff arrested with fake N.9m

BY ALBERT AKPOR

L FUNDRAISING: From left— Mr. Azu Nwagbogu, Director, The LagosPhoto; Mr. Wahel Ammar, Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat; Zainab Ashadu, Public Relations Officer, LagosPhoto, and Ebi Atawodi, Head, High Value Events and Sponsorships, Etisalat, during the LagosPhoto fundraising dinner in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Club donates to toddler hit by robbers' bullet

O

NE year old Taiwo Ibrahim, who was hit by a stray bullet during the penultimate Sunday’s robbery attack in Lagos, has received N100,000 donation from Lions Club District 404B. She was shot in front of their 12 Diya Street, Gbagada home.

The club made the donation when District Governor, Mrs. Stella Agbogun, weekend, led a delegation on a visit to Ibrahim at the Intensive Care Unit of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, IdiAraba.

She said: “We read in the newspaper that N500,000 will be needed to treat him.

That is why we are making this donation of N100,000.

We decided to come around to make known our intent, a move influenced by our theme for the year: Hope for the Nigerian Child.

Acting Head of Department, Nursing Section, LUTH, Mrs. Chinyere Emetu, said: “We appreciate Lions Club that has come to the aid of little Taiwo, who has been here for the past three days and we are very

grateful.

“Here we care and the money they have come to give will go a long way in contributing to the treatment he is receiving in the hospital.”

AGOS—POLICE in La gos have arrested a staff of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC, for allegedly being in possession of fake N900,000 (nine hundred thousand naira) in N1,000 denomination.

The suspect, who identified himself as Osakpolo Igbinosa from Edo State, said the fake naira notes were not actually printed by him but were the ones that were yet to reach the final stage of printing by NSPMC where he works as a material security officer.

He said he had been perpetrating the criminal act since 2010 until he was re-

cently arrested by crack detectives attached to ‘Area N’ Command Headquarters Ijede in Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos.

According to him, he had gone to a nearby bureau de change operator to have the money exchanged for American Dollars, when the Hausa operator raised an alarm and alerted the police.

Igbinosa said: “The notes are not fake per se. But the difference is that they have not reached the final state of production and so there are no serial numbers on them.

“I did not print them contrary to what I am hearing.

These notes are genuine ones and were printed by my company, but I stole them because I needed to offset some debt.”

Lagos State Police Pubic Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, told newsmen that the suspect was arrested on September 19 at 4pm.

She said: “One Abdulraham Abdullahi of Benson Plaza Ikorodu alerted policemen attached to Shagamu road that one Osakpolor Igbinosa of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company located on Victoria Island with staff number MSC./ 4503 transacted a business of exchange of fake N900,000 for three thousand US Dollars.

“The suspect was promptly arrested and during interrogation, he confessed to being a security man attached to the NSPMC and that he stole the money from the office.”

LA condemns Tambuwal's impeachment plot

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pressure group, Legislative Alliance, LA, has condemned the alleged plot to impeach the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. AminuTambuwal, describing the moves as ill-

timed and ill-advised.

The group, in a statement by its President, Bashir Musa, said the plot was a revenge act by some people in government to get back at the leadership of the House

of Representatives for demanding performance on the 2012 budget.

It urged members of the House not to be distracted, but to remain vigilant, adding “this is

only the beginning of many of such plots aimed at weakening the cohesion in the House of Representatives and its resolve to fight corruption anywhere it exists in government.”

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Yuguda's in-law kidnapped

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BIRTHDAY: Mrs. Tobi Odunaiya (middle) flanked by friends at her 61st birthday celebration, weekend.

Expert advises on neonatal deaths

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN—A professor of Paediatrics, Professor Olugbenga Mokuolu, has said that “low cost but appropriate technologies and care strategies are important panacea for reducing neonatal deaths in Nigeria.”

Some of these, according to him, include “the recycle incubation technique, use of oxygen concentrators, and fabricated radiant, among others.”

Mokuolu, who said this while delivering the 114th inaugural lecture of the

University of Ilorin, said “government should facilitate the scale up of some of these technologies and make them available at secondary and primary health care levels as a means of further improving access to quality health care.”

He reiterated that breast feeding remained central to the survival of the babies hence promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding must be reinvigorated through active promotion of the 10 steps to successful breastfeeding and periodic recertification of babyfriendly hospital initiative.

Al-Hikmah Varsity students get sponsorship

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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L O R I N — S TA K E HOLDERS Forum of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin in Kwara State, comprising parents and guardians, has taken up the sponsorship of nine students of the institution, who lost their sponsors.

Chairman of the forum, Mr. Kola Ibrahim, said this at the university’s fourth stakeholders’ forum preparatory to the convocation next week.

He said the forum purchasedtwocoastalbusesforthe studentsatthecostofN10millionandalsoconstructedabefitting clinic to take adequate careofthegrowing students.

AUCHI—GUNMEN, yesterday, in Bauchi kidnapped the former Chairman of Bauchi State Fertiliser Distribution Committee, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, who is also an in-law to Governor Isa Yugada of Bauchi State.

Garba Dahiru, a close friend to the victim, told newsmen that Abubakar was kidnapped at 5am on his way to the mosque for morning prayers.

Dahiru said: “He, along with his son and nephew, were heading to the mosque when some gunmen attacked them and took him away in their car.

“When he raised alarm, his aide tried to come to his rescue but was shot.

The security man died instantly.”

He said the kidnappers were about six in number and that no contact had been established with them since the incident

JTF raids Boko Haram bomb factory, arrests 156 suspects

BY UMAR YUSUF

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OLA—THE Joint Task Force, JTF, has raided a bomb factory operated by the suspected Boko Haram members in Mubi, the commercial nerve centre of Adamawa State, and arrested no fewer than 156 members of the sect, including six females and five children.

One of the suspects was killed during the operation.

Among items recovered from the raid, code named Operation Restore Sanity, were ready-to-use improvised explosive devices, chemicals, over 500 daggers, 9 AK-47 assault rifles, locally made pistols, rocket launchers, among other arms and ammunition.

Addressing newsmen after inspecting the compound, where the raid took place, Commander of the 23rd Armoured Brigade, Yola, Brigadier-General John Nwaoga, hinted that the operation was sequel to the recent clandestine activities and destruction of telecoms masts in Mubi.

Brigadier-General

Nwaoga, who was accompanied by Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Godfrey Okeke, and the State Director of State Security Service, SSS, said the raid had helped the military intelligence to unravel the mystery behind the protracted wave of shooting and bomb attacks in Mubi Town.

Nwaoga said: “Based on intelligence report, a team of JTF isolated the area, cordoned it and made sure that innocent and law-abid-

ing citizens were not hurt.”

He, however, said the operation was “sweeping” and assured that those arrested would be thoroughly screened to isolate innocent ones. He said a member of the group was gunned down during a gun duel with JTF. Nwaoga lamented what he described as ‘non-cooperative attitude’ of people to the fight against terrorism and called on traditional rulers, village heads, and

residents to report to security agents suspicious activities and individuals residing in their midst.

He said: “By availing us with useful information concerning unknown faces and suspicious movements in their midst, we assure that we will act rapidly and efficiently.”

He commended the state government for the 24-hour curfew, which enabled JTF to carry the operation successfully.

Jonathan tasks NIM on corruption

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, called on members of the Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, to join the Federal Government in the fight against corruption.

He equally implored them to engage in youth development in the interest of the nation.

President Jonathan, who

spoke while declaring open the 2012 Annual National Management Conference of NIM in Abuja, said his administration would continue to fight corruption and other social vices until the country achieved desired results.

He commended the institute for its efforts made in the past in the area of youth development and empowerment, particularly in the training of over 250,000 youths and urged them not

to relent.

Represented by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Sali, President said: “To set this country on the path of greatness and prosperity, complete elimination of all forms of corrupt practices must be in the front burner and our collective consciousness always.

“You will agree with me that greatness is the reward of great leadership. This is our motivation.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

occurred.

Umar Abubakar, member representing Darazo/ Ganjuwa Federal Constituency and elder brother to the victim, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Bauchi.

Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Ladan, also confirmed the incident, saying one person had been arrested and was helping the police with relevant information.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

Do you support FG on N5,000 note?

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T is good to try new things. But person ally, I don’t buy the idea of introducing N5,000 notes. What if someone misplaces such money with the present state of our economy, where minimum wage is N18,000? The pain will be too much.— Ms Dike Chidinma, Student.

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ONEY spent on printing the said N5,000 notes is wasted. It is outrageous because we should be talking about improving the lives of the masses, especially persons with disability. Now, N5,000 note has become part of our problem.—Engr. Vitus Nwanafo, Social Entrepreneur.

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OOKING at it from a balanced perspec tive, it makes for business confidence because it will be portable for those who carry large amount of money. It may as well strengthen inflation.

However, our sentiment is a factor to be reckoned with in this matter.— Mr. Daniel Onwe, Lawyer.

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NFLATION is one thing that we are afraid of and I urge the National Assembly to invoke the power conferred on them by the people in dismissing the N5,000 note ideology. Sanusi should not bank on the grey areas of the Constitution. I am okay with what we have.— Mr. Stanley Olisa, Student.

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BN earlier ex plained that the proposed N5,000 note was not for everybody but for those who transact business in millions or billions. Then it is clear that its positive effect may not get to the ordinary Nigerian who does business in bits.— Mr. Okie Darlington, Student.

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HE proposed N5,000 note is not disability-friendly and it is anti-people. It will make the rich and the powerful to have more money in their hands or pockets, thus successfully widening the gap between the rich and the poor.— Mrs. Beyioku Adedoyin, Businesswoman.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—17

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hen we got to Maidug uri, yes the same Maiduguri where blood flows today, I fell in love with the city. Its canopy of lush green trees took my breath away. Maiduguri can easily compete as one of the most beautiful cities in Nigeria. Maiduguri probably has more green than Lagos! And you will probably eat more variety of fishes in Maiduguri than in Port Harcourt! And so I was gushing to a publisher of a national daily that I would take my family on holiday to Maiduguri. He was surprised, perhaps shocked. “Why would you take your family on holiday there? I thought the whole place is desert” he retorted. I screamed: “Hell no! You see how little we know about our country? And yet everyday we want to editorialise about places we hardly know and people we hardly understand”.

His Grace, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, used to tell me with a painful disbelief: “Pini, when I read some articles in our

We trivialise our problems because we have never been ‘there'

•The late Ken Saro Wiwa

newspapers, I wonder if we are talking about Vietnam”. Of course Bishop Kuka was right.

Until he gave me insight into the politics of the North and until I read his fantastic book on religion, politics and power in the North, every crisis in the North was a religious crisis. It is still so to many of us now. I must confess that the North is very complex and complicated. But the truth is that we hardly make the effort to know ourselves! We don’t even want to know!

What Ken Saro-Wiwa told Oluwajuyitan rings resonant even today! We trivialise our problems because we have NEVER been “there” and we do not know “there”. Since the day that publisher said to me that he thought Maiduguri is all desert, I started thinking that perhaps, the best thing the National Orientation Agency can do for this country is to organise exchange tours for Nigerians from primary school to leaders to go to oth-

er parts of the country to see for themselves the problems of other Nigerians as well as appreciate their values and qualities.

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EADING Dr. Jide Olu wajuyitan’s column in The Nation newspaper of September 13, 2012 aroused again in me an idea I have been nursing for a long time now. Dr Oluwajuyitan, in an article titled: “Edwin Clark’s blind fury”(The Nation, September 13, 2012) recounted his exchange with the late Ken Saro Wiwa years back. He said he had on August 28, 1990, in another article titled: “Saro Wiwa’s Misplaced Aggression”, written that “the problem of the Niger Delta was as much that of the elite of the area, including those who became administrator of Bonny and later Federal Commissioner in their twenties”.

That was a barely veiled broadside on Ken and the innuendo was not lost on him. A few days later, said Oluwajuyitan, Ken stopped by his office and said to him: “Jide you trivialize the Niger Delta problem because you have never been there”.

Between 1999 and 2001, I was part of a team of resource persons for Sweden-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, I-IDEA that toured the six geo-political zones in this country in a dissemination workshop to sensitize Nigerians about the report of a democracy assessment we conducted under the auspices of I-IDEA.

preciate the misery, poverty and anguish caused by the devastation of life and means to sustain it in the Niger Delta because of oil exploration.

They will appreciate that the 13 percent derivation cannot make a dent on the problem of the region and that the demands of the region is not just out of greed. Another trivialisation of the Niger Delta problem is the stupid tale told by some Nigerians that it was after some Niger Delta youths attended Daniel Kanu’s Abacha rally that they saw what the wealth from their backyard has done in Abuja and got incensed to militancy! Such tale trivialises the problem of Niger Delta as a long festering wound. For sure there was no Abuja when Isaac Boro and his comrades revolted in the Niger Delta! Abuja was nothing when Ken Saro Wiwa began the agitation for which he was judicially murdered!

In return, the Southern Governors who may see nothing but avarice in the agitation by the North for more revenue should be taken on a tour of the North to see vast agricultural land under the ravages of desertification and flooding and the attendant poverty in the place. The agitation by the North may be wrongly framed and wrongly timed,

We are so disconnected from the realities of one another; we are too comfortable in our enclaves that we do not know when fellow Nigerians are hurting; thus we are constantly trivializing our problems, because we have never been there

That way, we can really truthfully mouth the cliché, unity in diversity. You may say the National Youth Service is already doing that. But evidence is that that is not enough, especially when posting can be fixed the Nigerian way. It is more important that those who take decisions about this country understand the country!

It will be nice to take the Northern States Governors Forum on a tour of the Niger Delta to ap-

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and using Boko Haram terrorism to leverage the demand may be addle- headed, but there is a need for us to appreciate the level of poverty in the North. I am not aware that the Nigerian Governors Forum, as a group, has visited the affected states of the North since the Boko Haram menace! Yet they all sit together as leaders of the same country, but obviously in denial of the division among them!

Both Northern and Southern

Governors should be conducted on a tour of the South East to appreciate the de-industrialization of the zone since the end of the civil war through a deliberate Federal Government policy of Federal absence in the zone.

They need to see the loss of agricultural land to erosion and the poverty in the land that has made funerals at weekends as the only growth industry in the zone.

They will appreciate why people of the area are immigrants in their own country and why imported crimes like drug running, advance fee fraud and kidnapping have found home amongst people hitherto reputed for hard work and industry.

All the Governors need to go to the Middle Belt to behold the problems of a region with a preponderance of retired military and paramilitary population with little land space to accommodate farming and cattle grazing for which the region has become a killing field!

Then all the Governors should also visit Lagos, Ogun and Oyo to appreciate the burden and stress internal migration and attendant urban explosion has placed on life and infrastructures there, so that when the areas demand special attention, they would understand.

After the Governors, similar tours should be organised for senators, members of House of Representatives and state legislators. Instead of spending taxpayers’ money junketing abroad during their break, it would pay the nation better dividends if they spent that money towards understanding the country they pretend to lead!

If a publisher of a national newspaper thinks that Maiduguri is all desert, then you can wonder how much the editors and reporters know about this country and the peculiar pains of its peoples. If you asked most editors where Nkalagu is, they would not know! That is why the ignorance we proudly display on the pages of newspapers sound like tales from Vietnam! That is why rumour has overtaken the news! The point I am making is that we are so disconnected from the realities of one another; we are too comfortable in our enclaves that we do not know when fellow Nigerians are hurting.

Thus we are constantly trivializing our problems, because we have never been there!

OPINION

BY KOLE SHETTIMA

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HAVE three inter-related historical and contemporary concerns. The first is our colonial and immediate post-independence experience with Native Authority Police established, for example, in Northern Region. The Police were instruments of reactionary local despots. Anyone who disagreed with those in control of the police could be banished in the land. Opposition political parties found it extremely difficult to operate. Permits for holding political rallies were denied. The police became synonymous with the state and vice versa. Individual liberties and rights were trampled upon. All forms of trumped up charges were brought against individuals for no other reason but for belonging to different political parties.

The second related point is the experience

State Police or state social security

of state electoral commissions. Most Nigerians initially supported the idea of State Electoral Independent Commission, SIEC. However, the Justice Uwais Commission reported an overwhelming support for scrapping of SIEC. This opinion came from every corner of this country and irrespective of political parties. What has changed with few years of our electoral experience? It is the reality that it is almost impossible for opposition political parties to win any local elections because of state governments control of the SIECs. Of course there are exceptions and they are few and in-between. The position of Nigerians is instructive because the Uwais report was an aftermath of the shambolic elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission. One would

have expected Nigerians to have called for the abrogation of INEC. However, the opposite was the position of Nigerians-that even local elections should be conducted by INEC. If we combine the power of policing with that of conducting elections, one can only imagine the type of elections that will be conducted, and the fate of individual freedoms, liberties and rights. Given the state of insecurity occasioned by ethnic and religious violence it is not exaggeration to say that minority ethnic and religious groups will feel very unsafe to be protected by a police that is dominated by majority ethnic and religious groups. For example, will Christians feel safe to be protected in a police barrack which is

dominated by Muslims and vice versa. In fact, minority groups will not even dare to seek for protection in offices and barracks of the police.

Even now there are allegations of security agents taking side during ethnic and religious conflicts.

A third reason is financial implications. Let me acknowledge that many state governments do support police formations in their jurisdictions. Without state governments' support, most police formations would have been worst than they are now. It is safe to say that it is the support of the states and the N20 extortion on our roads that enable the police to provide even the current level of service.

However, setting up state police has very important financial implications which many states cannot afford. *Mr. Onyibe wrote from Abuja.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 T is annoying to suggest that the most important issue in Nigeria’s politics is who becomes President in 2015. Unfortunately, it is true that the only issue defining Nigeria’s politics is the succession agenda — and it runs through all tiers of government and all the political parties.

The next general elections may be 30 months away, but politicians know only tion.

When it fails, as is the case with most of elections and they have imposed the election mentality on Nigerians. Promises its decisions, it turns on ordinary Nigerimade during campaigns just a year ago are ans accusing them of supporting the opforgotten. Every attention is on farming out position. Such accusation confuses Nigerians when they are lending their support power in 2015.

Nigerians should worry, and they do, to a government policy.

An example is the removal of fuel subsiabout their existence being tied to elections dy.

Government after the elections dedoused in enticing slogans that are just ployed its resources on a campaign that words. Nigerians have been reduced to statistics in the democratic disputes for pow- stated that removal of fuel subsidy would deal with the oil sector cabal which it said er.

Our governments are largely uncaring. was the beneficiary of the subsidy. The They fail to create hope, a minimal ingre- thrust of government’s campaign was that dient for survival. Government policies gains from subsidy removal would be used paint a bleak future. Government’s pen- to develop the country, a trite argument chant for insisting that not even the peo- that was at least 20 years old.

Protests last January in Lagos saw Nigeple matter, in its decisions, is a major deficit for the Goodluck Jonathan administra- rians demanding transparency in the sub-

I

Wanted — Hope, at least

sidy regime. The House of Representatives subsidy probe indicted many organisations. More protesters, in Abuja and Lagos in April and June, demanded prosecution of those the House report indicted. The police dispersed them yet they protected another rally at the National Assembly that wanted the probe report thrown away, a view government shares.

Nigerians are poor and getting poorer.

Government’s ineptitude on policies that could free resources to re-generate the economy is creating new poverty levels.

There are no better grounds for hopelessness than when people are poor and burdened with leaders who point them to more dreary future.

Government should provide hope beyond fanciful pictures of projects it intends to execute; intentions and pictures do nothing for the people.

Talks about the 2015 elections may be distractions to the President, but they re-affirm the selfishness of the Nigerian politician, who believes power is everything and must be obtained by all means and at all costs — including the people, if necessary.

OPINION Continued from yesterday

Garlands for Madam First Lady

BY MAGNUS ONYIBE

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HE has been ‘ walking the talk’ because under her watch, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, has recorded the highest number of women holding some of the most strategic portfolios ranging from Finance, Petroleum, Education, Aviation, Housing, Communications, Environment and, of course, Women Affairs. Additionally, women are also junior ministers in Defence,the Federal Capital Territory and Foreign Affairs, bringing the total number to 11 female ministers.

The First Lady, Patience Jonathan, does not claim to speak English language like the Queen of England because it is not her mother tongue and she does not pretend to posses the wisdom of Socrates because she was just a school teacher before divine forces propelled her husband to the dizzying heights of Aso Rock where as a good housewife she keeps our President company, but what both her friends and foes can not deny is that she is passionate about the cause of women and proud of her humble beginning.Like every reasonable man and woman, l believe the foregoing lofty ideals are enough to earn garlands for Madam First Lady.

Yes, some Nigerians may be offended by her recent elevation to the rank of Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State civil service, arguing that she does not merit it. Again, it would appear that she has been a victim of poor communication because people are not taking into cognisance the fact that the First Lady was a school teacher in Rivers State from where she

transferred her service to Bayelsa State about 14 years ago when her husband was elected Deputy Governor, then Governor, later Vice President and now President.

Frankly, it is not impossible for a teacher to attain the rank of Permanent Secretary in 14 years but Patience Jonathan's rise has not been properly documented and articulated hence the public odium it attracted.Being on sabbatical, leave of absence or on secondment is not an anathema in the civil service of our country, so allegations that she has not been at her duty post as a teacher are untenable because as the wife of a Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice President and President in these past 14 years, Madam First Lady has been rendering more strategic service to this nation than as a school teacher.Let's face it, do her critics prefer President Jonathan to suffer the loneliness of a ‘bachelor ’ in Aso Rock to the companionship of a dotting wife? At this critical time of Constitution review by the National Assembly,NASS,the controversies thrown up by her civil service job as opposed to public service duties should be resolved through the creation of well defined constitutional roles for our first ladies.If that happens,Patience Jonathan would have been the catalyst for another landmark accomplishment for the fairer sex in Nigeria.

Strikingly,when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to the presidency of USA (1933-1945), Eleanor, his wife, was reluctant in assuming the role of first lady but she proved herself to be a good innovator when she became the first activist-first lady by

calling press conferences and keeping the public up to date on government policies, in particular, "the new deal”. She is also on record to have persuaded her husband to create the National Youth Administration, NYA, which provided financial aid to students and job training to young men and women amongst other great accomplishments.So First Lady, Patience Jonathan is in good company when she proposed that 35 percent of public and civil service jobs should be reserved for women for which l became a victim when my political party barred me from contesting for the House of Representatives seat for Ika federal constituency in Delta State because it was occupied by a lady whom it was alleged the First Lady had instructed the party machinery to ‘deliver ’. The rest they say is history but as our dear energetic First Lady battles exhaustion related illness in a German hospital, she deserves our sympathy not jeers, more so as she is about to make history again if and when the charismatic Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi makes good his promise to introduce the controversial N5,000 currency notes into the Nigerian financial system with Nigerian heroines-Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Gambo Sawaba as mascot, emblem or symbol on the new currency.

Concluded

•Mr Onyibe, a former broadcaster and commissioner, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER 25, 2012— 19

, Continued from last week

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HE Vanguard of Monday July 30, 2012 carries an alarm on its front page titled: “State of insecurity: Nigeria must not break up OBJ, IBB warn”.

According to the story as titled above: “Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida have made a joint appeal for peace in the land, saying that the daily loss of innocent lives in the country was unbearable burden that could inevitably shatter the fabrics of the nation’s existence.

The appeal contained in a joint statement issued by the former leaders, yesterday, noted with regret what they described as the increasing cynicism clouding the thinking of many Nigerians who are hounded by fear, frustration and the failure of government across all levels to protect them” (Vanguard Monday July 30, 2012, P. 1-5) The Vanguard, Thursday August 2, 2012 reports the concerns of

the Senate President, David Mark in the story titled "Security Challenge is tolerable--Mark".

Senate President, David Mark, yesterday, reiterated that the state of insecurity in Nigeria, where members of the Boko Haram Islamist sect engaged in massive killing and destruction of property was becoming worrisome and intolerable. Mark who charged security operatives to strengthen their strategies and brace up and address the security challenge facing the country, …"It is your collective efforts that would guarantee the security of the nation. Once we can achieve security in the country, there would be peace and when there is peace, there will be progress and development. We need peaceful coexistence. We need the cooperation of all”.

These two quoted stories show what it means to treat the effect as the cause. Insecurity in Nigeria is the effect of the weakening of the capacity of government to assure the order of society. It is the growing incapacity of government to exercise domination and effect the pacification of criminal,

,

insurgent and bandit groupings that are exploited by antigovernment interests.

Government in Nigeria as an adaptation of the colonial government when it is functioning effectively is an institution of domination, pacification and control. When government is under attack from all agents of disorder, the social fabric is not only weakened, a condition of anarchy increasingly replaces the condition of order and the agents of disorder have an ever increasing liberty to pursue their own private ends. This increasing liberty for the privatisation of the public space is what the leaders quoted described as insecurity.

The policy option needed now is not that presently pursued by the Inspector General in Plateau.

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he story in the Vanguard thus titled is illustrative of the problem of treating effects as the cause. We quote the story at length to make the point. The story was titled thus: “Plateau: IG orders AIG, CP to nip crises in the bud… Seeks new strategies to curb menace".

Following the frequent crises in

Transformation of the transport sector

BY INNOCENT EBIRIM

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HEN the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris A. Umar, was appointed in July 2011, he made it very clear that President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda would be the major anchor of the transport sector. He, therefore, pledged to promote intermodalism of the sector, restoration of railways, maritime safety and security, enhancement of water transportation, completion of existing projects and human capital development in the transport sector.

True to his pledge, there are many transformation indices that are witnessed in the transport sector. The railway sector which was comatose for many years is now revived and restored for the benefit of the masses with over 3,000 kilometres of rail lines being rehabilitated across the country.

The Lagos – Ibadan – Ilorin passenger train services kicked off last year. There are intercity passenger train services in MinnaKaduna route, Kaduna-Kano route and Kano-Nguru route while intra-city service is operational in Lagos, Kaduna and Kano states. There are excursion and freight train services in some parts of South West while arrangements for the kick-off of such nation-wide services have been concluded.

With the rehabilitation of Akeri bridge in Niger State, the Lagos-Kano train service will soon commence while rehabilitation works have commenced for the restoration of Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail service.

The Lagos-Kano train service would have taken off by now if not for the sudden upset of a pillar of the Jangane rail bridge in

Niger State which is receiving accelerated rehabilitation by the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Nigeria Railway Corporation. The Nigerian Railway Act of 1955 which hitherto restricted the ownership and operation of train services to the Federal Government is now being amended for local, state governments and private sector participation in the ownership and operation of the train services.

Feasibility studies for high speed rail line from Lagos to Abuja, and to open up some other routes on PPP arrangement are in process while new rail corridors to be developed will criss-cross the six-geopolitical zones. There will be the procurement of modern coaches to ply these new rail lines as a modernization strategy. The Minister of Transport has in many public fora expressed optimism that when the speed trains which, for example, will ply Lagos-Abuja route in four hours begins operation, the railway transportation will compete favourably with air transportation in the country.

In the area of in-land water transportation, the lower River Niger from Baro in Niger State to Warri in Delta State with 572km covering many states has been successfully completed with necessary infrastructure such as buoys, navigational aids installed and most maintenance dredging equally completed, thereby making the channel open and accessible for vessels to convey their cargo through the dredged water ways. The Onitsha Port was commissioned by the President on August 30 while other ports and jetties to enhance inland water transportation are nearing completion. The process for the dredging of the River Benue is about to

,

Method for choosing option in US Army stability operations(3)

When government is under attack from agents of disorder, a condition of anarchy increasingly replaces the condition of order

Jos, Plateau State and its potential of creating a bigger security challenge for the nation, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has issued a two weeks order to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 4 Makurdi, Mr. Michael Zuokumor and the Commissioner of Police, Plateau State. Speaking during a meeting with senior police officers in Abuja yesterday, the IG said, we are daily confronted by numerous acts of crimes and criminality and must endeavour to curb these crimes to the barest minimum. The skirmishes and bombings in some parts of the country are still there. The Jos crisis is a problem that must be solved. He added: “Just recently, many people lost their lives in Barkin Ladi and Riyom, including a serving Senator and a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly. But this violence that has pervaded the Plateau for several years must come to an end… I must reiterate our commitment to the ongoing security arrangements and other efforts aimed at restoring peace in Plateau State. The Plateau State Command and police personnel deployed on special duties to the troubled parts of the state must gear up to the challenge of security in the state and see that normalcy is restored as soon as possible”. The IG charged: “I now direct the Assistant Inspector General of Police in-charge of Zone 4 command, AIG Michael Zuokumor and the Commissioner of Police, Plateau State, Mr. Emmauel Ayeni to immediately commence efforts targeted at reconstructing and evolving effective security strategies to address the security challenges in Plateau State”.

To describe the above as mission impossible is to state the obvious. But the pathos in the urgency of the IG's directives is

Port reforms carried out by President Goodluck’s administration have generated tremendous improvement in the sector with the achievements of 24hours port operations

,

begin to expand in-land water transportation in the country. Similarly, the dredging of the Orashi River to link the Oguta Lake to Degema in River State and the Atlantic Ocean is on-going.

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he Port reforms carried out by President Goodluck’s administration has generated tremendous improvement in the sector with the achievements of 24hours port operations, especially in the Lagos ports; reduction of government agencies operating in the ports from 14 to seven thereby minimising delays, costs and corruption; removal of over time containers and improvement of traffic on Port access roads. There is intermodal initiative through the development of in-land container depots in Abia, Borno, Katsina, Oyo, Kano states under Build, Own, Operate and Transfer arrangement with the private sector. The Federal Government is to develope deep sea ports under PPP in Lekki, Ibaka in Akwa Ibom, Olokola and Badagry.

The President, Minister of Transport and DG NIMASA have been carrying out sensitization campaigns against the oil theft economic sabotage through the media. The Federal Government is using

palpable- The IG has been given the mission impossible. He in return must pass the baton down the line. The fact is this: the Police is part of the failing structure of government; it is this failure that has opened the flood gates for forces of anarchy to take “the laws” into their own hands. What is to be addressed is the bringing “order to chaos” as the FM 3-07 of the US Army Stability Operations Field Manual so accurately states.

G

overnment is failing to contain society as it did during the heyday of colonialism.

World War 2 saw the weakening of colonial empires and their capacity to contain their imperial holdings. Their withdrawal from the burden of empire was both strategic and tactical. Strategic because new political relations that preserved the old economic order were fashioned to effect the new political order between former colonies and former colonial masters- a political order that transferred the burdens of the imperial state to the new post-colonial governments who have been slow to appreciate the fact that a colonial government is secured by a strong state.

Without the security provided by a strong post-colonial state, the post-colonial government charged with the responsibilities of domination and pacification of the colonially structured society would either have to sub-contract its defence and security needs to its former colonial masters, this time buying and paying for such service or live to find itself in Nigeria’s present security predicaments.

Concluded

NIMASA, NAVAL and private sector security platforms to fight this economic crime. An anti-piracy bill to give legal teeth to this fight is in the offing.

While the Cabotage and In-Land Shipping Act is being amended at the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Transport in collaboration with NIMASA is processing the release of Cabotage Vessels Financing Fund which stands at about $140 million for eight screened indigenous shipping operators to empower indigenous ship owners to operate effectively in the maritime industry.

Human resource development is equally receiving serious attention in the last one year. Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology Zaria is collaborating with ABU Zaria for professional training of transport stake holders. NIMASA is to establish an Institute for Maritime Studies in the University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State and IBB University Lapai, Niger State. The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, CRFFN, is collaborating with some tertiary institutions in the country for professional training of its members in line with international best practices.

The Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron which has been in human capacity development for the maritime industry is undergoing upgrading and transformation as a degree awarding institution.

The Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme, NSDP, moderated by NIMASA is programmed to train cadets for skillful and professional manpower to operate in the maritime sector. Presently, there are about 247 cadet trainees from different states in the country undergoing professional maritime training in UK, Egypt, India under the programme.

•Mr. Ebirim is the Media Assistant to the Minister of Transport.

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 21

Prince Bill-Harry, President, Federation of South-South Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga and Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike during the just ended Oil and Gas Trade and Investment Forum 2012 held in Onne, Port Harcourt.

Stockbroker s, Oteh on war path over police deployment in SEC NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

ROUBLE is brewing between the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, over the deployment of police team to the commission by the Director-General, Ms Arunma Oteh.

The reason behind the deployment would form the main thrust of the Capital Market Committee’s meeting holding today, Tuesday, 29th September, 2012, at the commission’s Lagos office, the President, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, ASHON, Mr Emeka Madubuike, told Vanguard.

While the ASHON boss admitted that the SEC could engage the police, he said that allowing them to reside permanently in the commission was unacceptable.

He said, “Primarily, what we intend to do is to engage the SEC to know why and what purpose the deployment will serve. I think we are

173.10

+4.50

2,528.00

+9.00

20.06

+0.15

111.37

+1.34

93.08

+0.66

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

154.78 251.7342 201.0128 166.0908 1.9795 0.2867 237.9479 24.5459 41.2725 26.9562 239.2125

155.28 252.5474 201.6621 166.6273 1.9859 0.2967 238.7165 24.6257 41.4058 27.0433 239.9852

155.78 253.3606 202.3115 167.1639 1.9923 0.3067 239.4852 24.7054 41.5391 27.1304 240.758

CBN Exchange rate as at 24/09/2012

going to do that engagement when we meet on Tuesday for the CMC meeting.

“We just need to get additional information on that so that we won’t be jumping the gun. SEC actually can fight fraud, SEC can collaborate with the police without necessarily involving them in the manner they are doing.”

He observed that whatever

explanation she provides at the meeting would determine the position the ASHON would take on the matter.

Corroborating his view, the immediate past President of ASHON, Alhaji Rasheed Yussuff, said that SEC would be required to explain the modus operandi of the police in the capital market.

He noted that already, they have procedures and processes of settling

disputes arising from transactions in the market, saying that an aggrieved investors is required to go through the NSE, and then the SEC in an instant where he is not satisfied with judgment given by the NSE. “At what point are they going to invite the police to make arrest if they actually want to use them to check fraud in the market. Will they just bring in the police to make arrest immediately an investors lays compliant?

“Normally, an investor is supposed to approach the Nigerian Stock Exchange if there is any report to make; if he is not satisfied, the case can be referred to the SEC, and then the Investment and Securities Tribunal, IST. So, SEC actually still needs to do more explanation on this,” he said.

Also speaking, Garba kurfi, Managing Director/CEO APT Investment and Fund Limited, said that the initiative could demoralise investors, both local and foreign, due to the battered image of the police.

“A foreign investor will not like to come here and start going through the rigours of adjudication. Capital market cases are settled through arbitration.

In most cases, when a foreign investors is coming to your market and it is the police that will adjudicate their case, they will make a rethink. They will first think of the time it will take to get judgment. I definitely think we need to get more explanation,” he enthused.

He continued, “capital market is a special market. If there is any fraud, it is easy to trace and know who is involved. So, for me, capital market is such a place where you cannot perpetrate evil and get away with it no matter how smart you are. We have various records kept by Registrars, brokers, Central Securities and Clearing System, CSCS and even SEC. So for me, I don’t think this is necessary.”

Group to partner FIRS on e-tax collection

By GODFREY BIVBERE

(ANLCA) is set to partner with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in an effort to promote electronic payment of all collectable

A INDIAFRICA: Nine entrepreneurs to compete for $10,000 grant SSOCIATION of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

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INE finalists from five countries will be presenting their business proposals to nine business experts from Africa and India, as well contest for $10,000 grant in the finals of the INDIAFRICA Business Venture Competition.

The competition, put together by Idea Works in partnership with Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Lagos Business School and the Indian School of Business, is titled, “Entrepreneurial Solutions to Address Developmental Challenges” In a statement made available to Vanguard by the Lagos Business School (LBS), “Nine teams from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and India will be contesting for a $10,000 grant at the finals of the first ‘INDIAFRICA Business Venture Competition finals and award ceremony’ holding in Lagos.

“At the competition, each team will be presenting a business plan addressing the theme to a grand jury of nine

business experts from Africa and India.”

LBS revealed that the competition which begin in July 2012, aims to sensitize the industry in India and Africa about opportunities that exist for collaboration by identifying promising young entrepreneurs belonging to the two geographies and offering them opportunities for growth and collaboration.

INDIAFRICA is a youth outreach initiative, launched in August, 2011 at Lagos Business School.

Members of the jury include: Dr Enase Okonedo, Dean, Lagos Business School; Ini Onuk, CEO Thistle Praxis Consulting; Lazarus A. Angbazo, President and CEO, GE (East, West & Central Africa); Niyi Yusuf, Country Managing Director, Accenture Nigeria; Vivian Ani, Advisor, Enterprise Development Centre; Jahman Anikulapo, Editor, Sunday Guardian; Anoop Ratnaker Rao, COO, Naandi Foundation, India; Karthik Chandrasekhar, CEO, Accelerator, India; and Aruna Reddy, Associate Director, Wadhwani Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Indian School of Business.

taxes.

Disclosing this in Lagos at a sensitization programme organised for clearing agents on the use of Tax Identification Number (TIN), National President of the ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said that this is necessary to curb the problem of touts who pose as intermediaries to extort money from unsuspecting public.

Shittu explained that they would commence negotiations with the management of FIRS to work out the modalities for using the association’s bi-metrics identity smart card for the payment of their taxes from the comfort of their office.

He noted that the card can also be used for payment of all duties and levies in the cause of clearing their consignments from the port. He, however, frowned at the attitude of most of the security agencies in the port whom he said encourage touting for personal benefit.

According to him, “Somebody who is a tout is more popular in the port than the man who owns a license. That man is more popular because he is the one that can afford to take risk.”

In the past, he pointed out, ANLCA was the only association operating in the port and because they could not checkmate the activities of officers who were “short-changing the system,” some office got together and encouraged splinter groups which in turn has led to the monster of touting now witnessed at the port.

The ANLCA boss explained that four registered splinter groups and fifteen other unregistered groups have since sprang.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Shareholders approve FBN Holdco, seek listing of FBN Registrar

By PETER EGWUATU

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HAREHOLDERS of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, yesterday, approved the holding company (HoldCo) structure for the bank, just as they expressed excitement over the benefits they would derive from the new structure of the bank.

The shareholders equally advised the Board of First Bank to ensure that its subsidiary, First Registrar Limited is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Speaking at the Court Ordered Meeting, on Monday, Group Managing Director/ CEO, First Bank Nigeria Plc, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, said, “ In line with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s regulations, which require the separation of commercial banking business from other financial services businesses, First Bank is adopting a HoldCo structure.”

He expressed satisfaction over the approval by shareholders for the holding company, while assuring them that the bank will not embark on any share reconstruction as the same number of shares they have with the bank will be maintained.

According to him, under the new structure, existing shareholders of First Bank would be migrated to FBN Holdings via a share-for-share exchange between the shareholders of First Bank and FBN Holdings. Also, First Bank’s share-

holdings in each of the HoldCo subsidiaries and the associated investments will be transferred to FBN Holdings while First Bank’s shareholdings in each of the Investment Banking & Asset Management (IBAM) subsidiaries

will be transferred to FBN Capital Limited, which in turn will be owned by FBN Holdings.

While explaining the benefits of the HoldCo structure, Onasanya, noted that the overall strategy was to cre-

From left: Deacon Gamaliel Onasode,Chairman, Board of Trusttees of the Investor Protection Fund (IPF); Mr Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Mr Chike Nwanze, Council Member NSE at the inauguration of the Board of Trusttees of the IPF by the NSE, in Lagos. Photo by Biodun Ogunleye

Royal Exchange restructures, declares 4 kobo dividend

By RITA OBODOECHINA

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OYAL Exchange Plc said it is undertaking a reviewing of its products, structures, and channels to meet the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM’s requirement on the provision of the Market Development and Restructuring Initiatives (MDRI).

The chairman of the company, Mr. Kenneth Ezenwani Odogwu who said this during the company’s 43rd Annual General Meeting held in Lagos, stated that the industry needs to review its product, distribution channels and structure to complement the efforts of NAICOM towards the implementation of the provision of the MDRI, to address the problem of low insurance penetration as a percentage of GDP. He said, “We are realigning our business model to enable it harness the numerous activities created by various reforms in the domestic economy and those presented by the advocacy of the regulatory authorities (NAICOM, CBN, and SEC)” The realignment will also provide the necessary frame work to tap into the synergy provided by the group structure” He added that the board of

directors has declared a 4 kobo dividend per 50 kobo ordinary share to its members for the financial year ended December 2011.

The Chairman noted that the repositioning of the company is now completed but the inability to meet some performance expectations within the specific time frame has necessitated a review and fine tuning of the restructuring process.

However he said, the group achieved a profit before tax and exceptional item of N105.64 million from its operations while an exceptional item of N855.84 million increased the profit before tax to N961.48 million.

According to him, the company achieved gross earnings of N5.24 billion, while that of the preceding year was N3.29 billion, giving the company an increase of 59 per cent.

This he said, translated into net income before overhead expenses of N2.37 billion, as against N1.85 billion in 2010, which is an increase of 28 per cent.

Odogwu stated that the company’s investment income increased marginally to N280.42 million from N254.36 million in 2010, adding that the slow recovery of the capital market

and the relatively low rates that prevailed in the money market in the first three quarters of the year restricted the company to maximize investment returns from its quoted equities and cash portfolios.

He noted that the company’s management expenses was N1.86 billion against N1.79 billion recorded in 2010 showing a marginal increase of 3.8 per cent. This was due to the-

implementation of stringent cost control measures aimed at minimizing operating cost without impacting negatively on productivity.

He said, “The performance of our subsidiaries showed significant improvement except that of Royal Exchange Prudential Life Plc which posted a loss of N240 million. been put in place to turn around the company”

ate an operating model that would profitably grow the bank’s presence in the market for commercial banking and non-banking financial services in order to achieve the aspiration to be the dominant financial services group in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, said , “ Shareholders are excited because the arrangement the bank has put in place is devoid of complexities usually known as share reconstruction.

“We are excited about the development because we are going to get value as everything we have would be transferred to the holding company. There will be no manipulation as a result reconstruction that usually leads to fractional shares.”

In the same vein, Chairman, Proactive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PROSAN), Mr. Oderinde Taiwo, said, “The arrangement where all existing shares of First Bank would be transferred entirely to the Holdco in the name of the beneficial owners is good, while the same number of units and percentage would be held in the new entity, is commendable. But what we are not sure of its arrangement is the First Registrar. We would like to partake in the ownership of First Registrar because it had performed well in its function and contributed to the bottom line of the bank.”

Mr. Boniface Okezie, who also spoke the mind of shareholders said, “The Board of First Bank should ensure that shareholders are not shortchanged and should be carried along, otherwise, we resist every attempt in the court We would like First Registrar to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) because the company had performed excellently well .

Access Bank divests from Intercontinental Homes

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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CCESS Bank Plc said that it has off-loaded 51.8 per cent of its holdings in Intercontinental Homes Savings and Loan Plc, in keeping with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive on commercial banking.

The Bank said in notice filed with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, that out of the five companies that expressed interest in investing in the company, Interrec Limited emerged the preferred bidder.

In a notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, the bank stated that Interrec was chosen after careful evaluation of the

bids, while also citing those that expressed interest to include United Mortgage Limited (Mortgage Bankers), Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Coop Savings and loans Limited, SunTrust Savings and Loans Limited and Interrec Limited.

The statement said, “The divestment process commenced with the receipt of Expressions of Interest from the listed prospective investors who expressed their interest in acquiring 51.88 per cent equity stake of Access Bank Plc. in Intercontinental Homes Savings & Loans Plc

“Upon conclusion of the due diligence exercise Request for Proposals (RFP’s) were forwarded to the prospective bidders. Consequently, only the bidders – Interrec Limited and United Mortgage Limited submitted their Financial Bids before the close of business on May 7, 2012 by 6pm.”

The statement further explained, “In line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Revised Banking Model, the Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc (‘the Bank’ or ‘Access Bank’) resolved to apply for an International Commercial Banking license from the CBN.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 23

Lawmakers, CSOs partner on budget, World Bank devt funds

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE Lagos State House of Assembly has expressed its readiness to involve the public in capital project execution and budget implementation process in its latest drive to entrench accountability and efficiency in the system.

The House Committees on Finance and Business which have already declared their readiness to spearhead this drive said the Civil Society Community in the state would now work in partnership with the legislature to observe key

processes involved in budget formulation and implementation in recognition of its oversight functions.

Hon Adefunmilayo Tejuoso chairman house committee on finance while receiving a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) led by Barrister Ayo Adebusoye

From left: Bisi Bright, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Livewell Initative, Dr. Femi Olugbile, Permanent Secretary Lagos state Ministry of Health representing commissioner of Health, Dr. Jide Idris and Mr. Yinka Shorungbe, Head, Mobile Banking Stanbic IBTC Bank, During the 5th Anniversary of Livewell Initative and launch of Easy-Health, Powerd by Stanbic IBTC Mobile Money in Lagos. Photo by Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

National Coordinator of Lagos state Civil Society Partnership (LACSOP) and Obanusi Felix state team leader of State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI) during a courtesy visit in her office, expressed her committee members commitment to collaborate with CSO’s in order to deliver efficient services to the citizens.

Tejuoso who earlier frowned at the uncoordinated posture of CSO’s in the state said with the proposal for close partnership initiated by LACSOP a platform under which key Civil Society Organisations in Lagos state operate will go a long way to harmonise the relationship between the government and the people.

She said the new working relationship will further enable both parties track the numerous World Bank grants meant for development of critical sectors of the economy and ensure the funds are judiciously utilised.

According to her the tripartite proposition of LACSOP which will include the Media was affably designed to produce the desired result as the public will be adequately acquainted with governance.

Access Bank records N26bn half-year profit

By MICHAEL EBOH

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CCESS Bank Plc has re corded a profit after tax of N26.13 billion in its half year 2012 financial performance, driven by the completion of its post-merger integration, months after the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank.

According to a statement by the bank, signed by Mr. Olusegun Fafore, Team Lead, Media Relations, the bank’s after-tax profit grew by 225 per cent from N8.08 billion recorded in its audited results for the half year ended, June 30, 2011.

Also, the bank’s profit before tax grew by 143 per cent to N30.07 billion in half-year 2012, from N12.37 billion recorded in the same period in 2011.

The bank recorded gross earnings of N108.7 billion, up by 103 per cent from N53.65 recorded in half-year 2011.

Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc, assured shareholders of the bank improved returns on their investment for the 2012 financial year.

He said, “I am pleased to announce that Access Bank has delivered very strong audited results for the first half of 2012

whilst also completing our post merger integration with remarkable success.

“We are now firmly established as a top tier Nigerian Bank. Leveraging on our sustainability

driven business philosophy, robust capital position and the quality of our workforce, I am confident that we will continue to deliver strong returns for our investors in 2012.”

Continuing, Fafore disclosed that the bank’s performance has been described by analysts as a valid testament to its financial strength and capacity for sustainable growth.

Financial knowledge, critical in fight against corruption — Akindipe

By MICHAEL EBOH

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R. Sanmi Akindipe, Chief Executive Officer, SetGroup Nigeria Limited, has emphasized the need for sound knowledge of money management principles, saying that financial education is the key to financial stability, wealth building and critical in the fight against corruption.

Speaking at a forum heralding its forthcoming Christian Financial Seminar, Akindipe, who is also a financial consultant in money and capital market issues, said, “Money without financial intelligence is money soon gone.”

Financial intelligence, according to him, involves

the ability to manage money judiciously and ability to make good investment decisions among others.

He blamed the high rate of corruption, stealing and crimes on lack of poor money management skills and lack of financial intelligence.

According to him, the high rate of poverty in Nigeria can only be solved by financial intelligence and not by making money available to people.

He said financial intelligence, which involves mastering the workings of money, will go a long in helping people overcome the problem of dwindling income, poverty and also ensure the increased inflow of funds over a long period of time.

He said, “Financial Illiteracy has created a situation whereby people with fat salary end up

borrowing. Poor money management skill has also been the major factor responsible for the prevalence of corruption and stealing.”

He disclosed that one of the best money management skills is living under one’s means.

He said the forthcoming seminar, scheduled to hold in Lagos, October 6, will teach people ethical money management principles and help them achieve financial freedom using decent means.

He further stated that the seminar which is free, provided the intended participants register at its w e b s i t e , www.financialpeaceministries.com, is designed to help individuals develop their personal financial freedom plan, overcome poverty and become wealth magnets.

B-R-I-E-F-S EU experts to speak on cashless policy

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R. Wiebe Ruttenberg, Head of the European Union (EU) Central Bank Market Integration Division and Director General Payments and Market Infrastructure, European Central Bank are expected to visit Nigeria next month to speak on the current cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), at a conference in Lagos.

A statement said both officials would be speaking alongside other international experts at a conference is being organised by De Novo (a strategy brand and media firm) and Legal Reach, a UK law firm.

The two-day programme, sponsored mainly by the CBN, focuses on the move to move away from the dominance of the current cash-based system by adopting alternative payment channels. This is in line with the country’s Vision 2020:20 Strategy as well as the central bank’s ambition of enthroning a world-class payment s y s t e m .

Slated for October 8 and 9 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, the conference is expected to bring together experts in the global payments industry, who would provide insight and present key developments from other jurisdictions, to benchmark the way forward.

Solarin lecture to focus on dynamics of information

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ENATOR Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, will lead other particpants to the Seventh Tai Solarin National Memorial Lecture scheduled to hold in Lagos, where information dynamics will be the focal point.

The lecture, scheduled to hold, September 27, titled “The Dynamics of Information: Embracing the Present to Cope with the Future,” is to be delivered by a Professor of Library and Information Science, Professor Zakari Mohammed, FNIM, University Librarian, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Academics, Professionals, Captains of Industries, Staff and Students from secondary and tertiary institutions are expected to grace the occasion,whioh will hold on at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Lagos.

24 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

21 oil companies risk collapse as CBN forecloses further credit … Companies still owe over N513.34bn CLARANWACHUKWUAND KUNLE KALEJAIYE

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O fewer than 20 oil companies are under threats of liquidation as the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, forecloses further credit facilities to them.

This followed last week release by CBN of a new debtor list by companies and organizations in excess of N5billion.

The 21 companies combined are indebted to the financial institution to the tune of over N513.34billion, which were obtained as loans from various banks to run their operations.

The CBN had earlier released a circular, prohibiting credit facilities to debtors of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, which the financial services regulator said was in continuation of its efforts “to strengthen financial stability and entrenching a culture of financial discipline.”

In view of the high level of indebtedness, the CBN banned banks “from approving or disbursing any new credit facilities to all persons and organizations in this list with effect from the date of this circular, until full liquidation of agreed indebtedness to AMCON.” The regulator also warned banks that failure to adhere to the rule would attract a penalty worth 100 percent of the principal and interest outstanding in the account of the customer.

Although some of the debts listed against the oil companies are litigations, while others classified under various states such as performing, restricted, ongoing negotiation and a host of others s listed below:Early reactions by analysts indicate that some of these companies may never recover from the damage this measure would have on their continued operations.

BRIEF BPE postpones bids opening for DISCOs

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HE Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE has announced the postponement of the opening of financial bids for the distribution companies, DISCOs, unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, earlier scheduled to hold on October 10 in Abuja.

However, the opening of the financial bids of investors for the generation companies, GENCOs, whose technical proposals met the benchmark, will hold today in Abuja, as scheduled.

In a statement made available to Vanguard, the Bureau said the postponement became necessary in order to give bidders the required 15 working days to procure and submit their post-qualification security in accordance with the provisions of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the sale of the DISCOs Accordingly the BPE fixed a new date of Tuesday, October 16th for the opening of the financial bids of investors for the distribution companies whose technical proposals met the benchmark.

In addition the Bureau also noted that “The shift in date is made necessary by the time lost from the postponement of the last meeting of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) from September 13, 2012 to September 18, 2012.”

It added that the BPE states that all other dates in the timeline for the privatisation of the successor companies remain unchanged.

The postponement of the opening of the bids, offer more opportunities for the 54 companies, like Vigeo Power, which was shortlisted for the next round to re-strategise to acquire some of the unbundled assets.

Stakeholders task govt on subsidy management •Insist on no increase in petroleum pump prices

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

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TAKEHOLDERS in the nation’s downstream petroleum sector have suggested numerous ways through which the Federal Government can address the current challenges facing the sector, especially with regard to the subsidy management.

No matter what decision government eventually takes regarding the subsidy regime, they maintained that pump price increases should not be one of

C M Y K

them. “Government must not allow any further rise in the pump price of fuel.”

The stakeholders, who spoke at a Roundtable on Fuel Subsidy Regime, on Friday in Lagos, argued that the first step in resolving the crisis is to unbundle the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and turn it into a public quoted company.

The Lagos Zonal Chairman, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSN, Rev. Folorunso

Oginni, advised that “Government must rehabilitate the existing refineries, drive competition through the Organised Private Sector, OPS, for the building of at least six new refineries within 30 months with combined refining capacities of one million barrels of crude oil per day.”

Oginni, who spoke on, “Fuel Subsidy Regime: Highlighting the Facts, Discarding the Fiction and Pointing the Way Forward,” also called on government to “Allocate crude to the refineries at

special rates (not export dependent prices).

Monitor the local refineries to ensure that output equals the quantity of crude allocated to forestall diversion.”

For the Civil Society Organisation, CSOs, government must focus on reducing fraud and corruption in the subsidy mechanism. In their own presentation on “The what, the when, the how,” the CSOs argued that there was the need for process reform with a view to strengthening the system, saying that it was scandalous that Nigeria will

spend in excess of N2.19trillion in the 2012 fiscal year.

They also said that government should draw up a roadmap towards deregulation that will take care of all the technical and political elements, while also supporting efficient redistributive mechanisms.Basing his arguments from the perspectives of history in a paper entitled, Fuel Subsidy in Nigeria: Historical Pesrpective and Current Issues,” the Principal Partner, Nextier Advisory, Mr Farouk Mohammed, urged government to introduce competition.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—25

DStv Mobile unveils new iDrifta, Walka 7 STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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UILDING on the ongoing success of the Drifta, Drifta USB and Walka, DStv Mobile, DSTV Mobile has announced the launch of the iDrifta and Walka 7 in addition to its range of devices.

“The iDrifta is a plug and play mobile DVB-H receiver specifically designed for Apple mobile devices,” says

Mayo Okunola, General Manager of DStv Mobile Nigeria. “It is portable and lightweight, and will allow users with Apple devices to enjoy all of the great entertainment they’ve come to expect from DStv Mobile.”

Compatible with the iPod 4 th generation, iPhone 4/4S and iPad 1/ 2/3, the iDrifta is simple and intuitive to use.

“After plugging it into your iOS device, the iDrifta device redirects

the user directly to the DStv Mobile application on the apple store and the user only needs to download it for free to start watching their

f a v o u r i t e programmes.” explains Okunola.

“This means that viewers with Apple mobile devices can

now access our full range of channels anywhere, anytime – from Sound City all the way through to SuperSport 3N.”

L’Oreal engages 3,000 hairstylists, launches new product

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’Oreal Central West Africa, courtesy Dark and Lovely beauty range has engaged over 3,000 hairstylists and dressers across south west zone of Nigeria.

The event witnessed

the unveiling of the new Dark and Lovely AntiBreakage range, which offers 10 times less breakage to hair.

The 3500 hair professionals were drawn from all the major trade associations within

Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states. And then new Anti-breakage range of products includes the complete Relaxer kit, the strengthening oil moisturizer, the nourishing hair butter, and the healing treatment.

The 111year old signature of the L’Oreal Group dedicated to Afro beauty - “SoftSheen Carson” has discovered from its institute that African hair is the most vulnerable of all and the most prone to breakage. Research shows that the natural surface of Afro hair bears the most numerous weak points because its cuticles do not perfectly overlap as a result of its twisted shapes.However, the good news for consumers from the African descent is that L’Oreal; well renowned scientists have created the perfect solution to fight breakage for Afro hair. The natural cement of the hair is the ceramide and the scientists have created s synthetic version to replenish these weak points said Mrs. Severine FadairoLemon, Marketing Director, LOREAL Central/West Africa Consequently, The Dark and Lovely Antibreakage range has been scientifically proven that it is the only range of products that puts back the ceramide lost to guarantee up to 10 times less breakage.

Promo: Dufil to reward consumers with N40m, gifts

BY BUKOLA ABDULWAHAB

For seven weeks, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie instant noodles said it give 40 consumers N40 miillion in a just launched national consumer promotion tagged the Indomie Super Millionaire promo,as it promises gift items Speaking during the media briefing in Lagos, Mr. Deepak Singhal, Managing Director, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, said, “there will be a prize of NI million naira each for 40 winners; 40 IPAD, 40 Air conditioners, 40 Fridges, 40 Laptops, 40 TV Sets, 1000 Mixers/ Grinders, 1000 Fans and lots of other prizes.

Singhal explained that for consumers to participate and win any of the gift prizes during the promo, they must buy a promo carton of Indomie noodles Super Pack 120g variant, check and send text at a code; 20050 and get a confirmation text with no incurred charges.

Each carton of the Indomie Super Pack will contain a wrapper and consumers can redeem their prizes by retaining the wrapper and confirmation code pending when the lucky winners would be televised on a weekly draw.

He added that “Indomie enjoys a dominant acceptance across the country thanks to our numerous consumers.

The Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Dr. S.A.A. Oyefusi (middle) flanked by the Managing Director/CEO, Sweet Sensation, Mrs. Kehinde Kamson during a courtesy visit of top management staff of Sweet Sensation to the royal father to commemorate the opening of Sweet Sensation outlet in Ikorodu.

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

BRIEF

H

ISTORY was made in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry on Thursday when Cameron Offshore Systems Nigeria unveiled the first made in Nigeria Subsea Christmas Tree at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone.

The event marked a major achievement in the drive for Nigerian Content implementation, as the Christmas tree was designed in Nigeria. The frames fabricated at Globestar Yard in Warri, while critical value add activities such as radiography, painting, production of anodes were also procured from within Nigeria.

Above all, the tree which was manufactured for Total Usan’s subsea development project offshore Nigeria, was assembled and tested at Cameron Base Onne.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, described the Christmas tree as belonging to the top of technology ecosystem, adding that the accomplishment was a statement for the maturing of the Nigerian supply chain.

He remarked that the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act had started to achieve Federal Government’s aspiration of transforming the Oil and Gas sector from an importer of over 95 per cent of the industry needs a few years ago to one that manufactures inputs used in the industry and other sectors of the national economy.

Nwapa also noted that the industry which used to create millions of jobs in foreign economies had begun to generate jobs for Nigerians through the development of facilities incountry where work are being executed while indigenes of host communities were becoming active participants in the activities of the industry, thereby creating growth in knowledge, wealth and general wellbeing.

He commended Intels Nigeria Limited-the management of the Onne Oil and Gas Free

Nigeria targets 52 mtpa of LNG

N

•Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Engr.

Andrew Yakubu with Mr. Sheng-Chung Lin, Chairman of the Board CPC Corporation, Taiwan, Chinese Taipei at the LNG Producer-Consumer Conference.

Nigerian Content: Cameron manufactures 1st subsea Xmas tree Zone for the support it lent to the assembling of the Subsea Christmas Tree, noting that huge investments in infrastructure and facilities are being made in the zone to support the growth of work load the industry must place in Nigeria under the Nigerian Content Act. He expressed hope that new jobs will justify the investments and provide the impetus to replicate similar facilities in other parts of the country.

The Executive Secretary also reported that the Equipment Components Manufacturing Initiative which the Board started to implement recently was

receiving positive support from the industry.

He said, “In the next 3-5 years, Nigeria will have over 25 globally recognised Original Equipment Manufacturers making their equipment or major components here, either directly or using their Nigerian representatives.”

“From this segment alone, it is estimated that over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs can be created with a new industrial complex emerging from the exercise.

“Over 30 per cent of total procurement costs for manufactured equipment and spares will be spent in Nigeria.”

Nwapa further explained that the Board’s implementation efforts will be targeted towards ensuring the training of Nigerians to the highest international standards, supporting companies that set up facilities in Nigeria, working with the Nigerian Content Support Fund to drive down fund costs to local entrepreneurs and feeding work into the local industry being created.

In his remarks, Cameron’s, Nigerian Content Director, Mr. Sunny Nwankwo listed some of the key achievements recorded on the Tree build programme.

NETCO wins Chevron’s Utonana contract … to expend 14,423 man-hours

E

BYYEMIEADEOYE

NGINEERINGgineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has won the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) for the upgrade of Chevron Nigeria’s Utonana facilities. The company is positioned to expend a minimum of 14,423 manhours on the project with 100 percent Nigerian content.

This is coming on the heels of the company’s successful completion of its Environmental Man-

agement System’s (EMS) audit in order to ensure compliance and conformity to international standards of operation.

The DED project Manager Mr. Lukman Ayinde, told Vanguard exclusively that Chevron’s intent is to carryoutrefurbishmentandreplacementworksonUtonanaOilProduction Facilities in order to restore the integrity of the flow station.

The main objective is to enhance production through the field’s economic life and the project would be carried out by NETCO for a period of 4 months, adding that success would be based on

safe completion, accurate projects deliverables, completion on schedule, strict adherence to approved cost and man-hours.

A project Technical Kick-Off meeting was held in order to align the NETCO project team with the client’s expectations and also finalise the Master Derivable Register (MDR), review and freeze scope of work, the importance of Incident and injury free amidst other important factors.

Chevron emphasized the need for NETCO to deliver the project safely, timely and within budget, adding that site-visit is key on this

project so as to avoid a rework. It, however noted that a zero re-work is attainable, while stressing the importance of training of personnel viz-a-viz meeting NCDMB training requirements.

Ayinde expressed NETCO management’s appreciation for Chevron’s support by awarding the project to the company even as he emphasized the importance of having a lesson-learnt session at the beginning of the project.

He also assured on his company’s readiness to meet Chevron’s expectations.

IGERIA’s immense gas resources got global attention in Tokyo, Japan, last week at the maiden edition of the LNG Producers –Consumers Conference organised by the Japanese Government to create a mutually beneficial forum for the world’s major producers and consumers/importers of liquefied natural gas.

Addressing the forum, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, said that although Nigeria entered the LNG market a bit late, the country has overtime emerged a reliable supplier in the global liquefied natural gas market.

Presenting a paper titled: “Prospects of LNG Supply from Nigeria and NNPC LNG Sales Strategy,” the NNPC boss disclosed that as at the last count, Nigeria holds the record for the fastest growing LNG production capacity in the world.

“From a modest two train base LNG project of 8 million tons per annum (mtpa) in 1999 to the current six operating train capacity of 22 mtpa. In 2011, the six trains exported about 22 mtpa of LNG representing about 10% of world production. Other major LNG projects (Brass & OK LNG) are in different stages of development. Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Brass LNG project comprising two trains of 10 mtpa is planned for first quarter, 2013,” Yakubu said.

Overall target He noted that the overall target is to immediately take FID on the Brass LNG’s 10mtpa project which will be closely followed by FID on the NLNG’s 7th train of 7.8mtpa, and thereafter OKLNG. “On completion of these LNG projects Nigeria’s LNG production capacity will be over 52 mtpa,” he said.

The GMD also announced the activationofanewLNGSalesStrategy for upcoming LNG projects withthefollowingbasiccomponents namely; to capture & retain high value LNG markets globally including Asia Pacific markets like Japan and Participate in the downstream segment of the LNG value chain “Historically, Nigeria’s marketing effort was geared towards meeting the demand in the Atlantic Basin. However, the changing market conditions in the Atlantic Basin have compelled a broadening of our sales strategy to include the competitive Asia market,” he said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—27

BRIEF Bayelsa community gives Shell 14 day ultimatum

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA YENAGOA: INDIGENES of Foutorogbene I, II, and III communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have threatened to cripple Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, operations in the area if the company failed to compensate the families of the five kids who reportedly lost their lives in the aftermath of the May 27, 2012 oil spill from its Beneside facility which devastated the community.

The natives who issued a 14 day ultimatum to the management of the Anglo-Dutch oil giant are angry over the alleged insensitivity of the company several months after they lost their kids after drinking from the polluted waters.

The Youth Chairmen from the communities, Mr. Preye Warri (Foutorogbene 1), Comrade Emmanuel Ebis (Foutorogbene 2) and Emmanuel Jebbi (Foutorogbene 3) in a statement warned Shell of imminent dangers if the issue was not settled speedily.

The statement read in part, “As people we will not tolerate this kind of attitude from Shell, the best option for them, is to come and indemnify the deceased kids families and affected persons of the spill in our communities for peace to reign between the communities and shell. And this option is only open for 14 days, but if they refuse to do what is good for them. Possibly we will resort to violence as we will not fold our hands while seeing our kids dieing like animals.

“We will automatically stop their boats from plying our waterways and we demand their workers withdraw from the area with an immediate effect as we will not guarantee the safety of Shell oil workers in our territory.”

According to the communities, “We view the visit of SPDC officials to our communities as worthless, full of insensitivity and embarrassment to the entire communities and families of the deceased kids as they were left to die. We consider it valueless and animistic, as host communities.

The incident happened over five months ago. What were they waiting for? They waited until the flooding from the recent rains has ravaged our communities and washed the oil in the water surface and cover the weeds, grasses and the entire land level.”

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

T

HE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, promised to support the management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC to restore pumping of products into the System 2B pipeline. This is to ensure adequate distribution of petroleum products across the country, especially in the South Western part of the country, System 2B is the pipeline that carries petroleum products from the Atlas Cove to the South Western part of the country. The pipeline was recently vandalised by men of the underworld which resulted in scarcity of petroleum products in the country.

IPMAN, South Western Zone which comprises six depots within the western region made the commitment in a joint communiqués after its zonal meeting last week in Lagos The South-West Zonal Chairman, Mr. Olumide Ogunmade in the joint communiqués also condemned the killing of PPMC officials trying to repair the damaged, adding that such sabotage of the socioeconomic development of the country should be stopped.

He said that the ongoing product rationalisation within the South-West depots was as a result of the vandalized pipeline at Arepo. “We commiserate with the management of NNPC/PPMC on the attack of their staffs at Arepo in the cause of repairing vandalised pipeline and whose whereabouts are

Pipelines vandalism: IPMAN to support NNPC/PPMC on repairs •Condemns killing of NNPC officials

• L-R: Managing Director/CEO Bank of Industry, Ms. Evelyn Oputu; Acting Minister of Power, Architect Darius Ishaku; and Permanent Secretary, Federal Minister of Power, Dr. Dere Awosika during the Minister’s meeting with the BOI’s MD at the Bank’s headquarter in Lagos.

unknown till now. We pray the Almighty God will keep them safe.

“We promise to support the management of NNPC/PPMC in whatever way it will take in restoring System 2B pipeline in the shortest possible period,” he said.

Ogunmade also used the opportunity to appeal to Federal Government not to surrender to vandals but to ensure that System 2B pipeline is repaired, in view

of the adverse effect of not having the pipeline functioning which has resulted in scarcity of products nationwide.

He also appealed to government to put stringent measures in place that will address issues relating to pipeline vandalism holistically and to curb the incessant menace. “Strong mechanism should be put in place to checkmate activities of pipeline vandals within

NNPC pipeline network. We also urged the National Assembly to put in place laws that will ensure that vandals are punished.”

IPMAN further sought the support of host communities long the NNPC Right of Way to cooperate with the PPMC management to ensure that pipelines are protected. Such communities include Magboro, Magbon, Arepo, Ogere, Ijedodo, Isawo, Ogolonto in Ikorodu and a host of others.

NCDMB advances content development with EGTL

C

HEVRON Nigeria Limited, CNL, said last week it has added significant value to the development of capacity among Local Community Contractors and Nigeria Companies in support of the Nigerian Content Lawthrough the Escravos-Gas-toLiquids project (EGTL).

CNL’s Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Andrew Fawthrop, made the statement during the visit of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, with members of his team to the EGTL project site. This visit was aimed at assessing the Nigerian Content impact of the project.

Andrew explained that EGTL has made huge contributions to the economy of

Delta State and helped in the revitalization of the Warri Port, making it the second busiest port in the country at the peak period of the project.

“The project has utilized over 3,500 hundred suppliers and contractors from the local communities and has engaged more than 14,000 skilled and unskilled Nigerian workers, of which over 60% are from the local communities. When the project is fully operational, it will employ nearly 500 persons, mostly Nigerians,” he said.

Oversight function Nwapa, thanked CNL management for the opportunity to visit the project site saying his team came to carry out their oversight function. He

added that the board was not only a regulator, but a partner in delivering value and advised Local Community Contractors to re-invest the funds from EGTL contracts to their communities and to take their newly acquired skills/ competence to a higher level.

The Project Manager, Tomba Resources Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Malik Jubril, who spoke on behalf of the Local Community Contractors, expressed gratitude to CNL. He said: “Thanks to the EGTL project and its engagement of local community contractors, my company now has a staff of over 60 and 350 contract staff on its pay roll.”

It would be observed that EGTL has awarded sub-contracts worth over $2billion to local community contractors and also sent 234 Nigerians

on a 30-month training program in South Africa at the Synthetic Fuel Facilities of Sasol.

EGTL has trained more than 7,000 Nigerians in Technical Skill Crafts, Plant Operation and Maintenance, Business and Project Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Shield Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) Processes.

EGTL has entered into several plant construction equipment lease agreements with community contractors resulting in the ownership of over 500 sophisticated plant construction equipment, among other local content achievements.

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BRIEF

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

R

ESEARCHERS have created a new material that could solve some of the problems holding back projects to combat global warming by capturing and burying carbon emitted from power stations.

The material, made from aluminium nitrate salt, cheap organic materials and water, is non-toxic and requires less energy to strip out the carbon when it becomes saturated, the scientists said.

Carbon capture has not yet been proven on a commercial scale and pilot projects have been hindered by concerns that the ammonia-based materials, or amines, used to absorb carbon can themselves produce toxic emissions.

They are also expensive and need large amounts of heat to boil out the carbon so it can be taken away and stored.

The researchers say their new absorber, dubbed NOTT300, could overcome all these problems.

Zero heating input “I feel this can been viewed as a revolution to a certain degree,” Sihai Yang from Nottingham University, who worked on the project, told Reuters.

“It is non-toxic, and zero heating input is required for the regeneration. There is promising potential to overcome the traditional amine material on both environmental and economic grounds.”

Timmy Ramirez-Cuesta, who worked on the project at the ISIS research centre at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, said the new material could

Total tasks communities on human capital development

BY JIMITOTAONOYUME

P

•L-R: His Royal Highness, Olu of Mushin, Oba Fatai Ayinla Aileru receiving a 3kg O-Gas cylinder from Mr. Yomi Awobokun, CEO, Oando Marketing PLC during the launch of Secondary Distribution Point to deepen the reach of cooking gas for low income households, in Mushin Lagos.

Boost for carbon capture from new non-toxic absorber simplify carbon capture by using interchangeable filters.

“When the material is saturated, the exhaust gases are diverted to the second container where the process continues,” he said.”The full container is disconnected from the system and the CO2 is removed using a vacuum and collected. The regenerated container can then be reconnected and used repeatedly.”

The team, which also included scientists from the University of Oxford and Peking University in China, say the new material captured close to 100 percent of the carbon

dioxide in experiments using a cocktail of gases.

Although the rate could be lower in the “dynamic conditions” of a real power station, it should still be over 90 percent, which is a key test for the viability of an absorber.

The material can pick up harmful gases, including sulphur dioxide, in a mixture, allowing others like hydrogen, methane, nitrogen and oxygen to pass through.

It does, however, absorb water vapour and the researchers are doing further work to overcome the problem, which could reduce

its performance with CO2.

Martin Schroeder at Nottingham, who led the research, said NOTT-300 could also be put to use in gas purification. Natural gas often contains 10 percent of carbon dioxide impurity which needs to be removed before it can be used.

The scientists said they are working with companies in the carbon capture business on commercialising the new material.

Reuters reported that the research was published in the journal Nature Chemistry.

CSR: firm builds police station

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ALABAR: North West Petroleum Oil and Gas Company has donated a well equipped building to the Nigeria Police, Cross River State Command, with the necessary communication gadgets and Toyota Hilux van as well as donating to the Destiny Child Centre, a motherless babies home established by Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke.

The donation of the building with the necessary communication facilities, three motor cycles, a generating set and 10 pieces of walkie-talkie at Ikot Omin community in Calabar Municipal Council according to the company was part of its corporate social responsibilities, CSR, and a way

to tackle security challenges in the area.

Speaking at the commissioning of the station at Ikot Omin, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, of the company, Mrs Winifred Akpani, said she was moved to partner with the police authorities in a bid to curb security challenges within its operational base.

According to Akpani, “We built and equipped the police station to protect the lives and property in the community as well as safeguard the adjoining St Augustine Primary School, which we had earlier adopted.

“We decided to choose building a police station because we discovered that Ikot Omin community is quite far away from the eagle of our security

operatives and that it takes about an hour drive to get to nearby police station to incident a case or for them to intervene during emergency.

“No business will thrive in an environment where security is not guaranteed as investors will be not attracted to such community. Thus, the urgent need to partner with the police as part of our corporate social responsibility.”

She called on the community to cooperate with the police to sustain their efforts as well as protect the facilities to serve the community better, saying “if we are encouraged we would like do more in other areas.”

Receiving keys to the vehicles, communication gadgets and the building, Inspector General of Police, Mohammed

Abubakar, said presently the Police were engaging private and corporate bodies on how to improve community policing as that is one of the ways of checking crimes.

Abubakar, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police of

ORT HARCOURT: TO address challenges of poverty in the Niger Delta Total E & P has said it would give more attention to human capital and entrepreneurial development.

Speaking while commissioning an SME development network centre at Obite, Egi arts/cultural development centre also at Obite and Egi technical workshop at Erema, the Deputy Managing Director, Mr Denis Berthelot, said the firm in the last few years had been emphasizing on the need for a shift from infrastructure to human capital and entrepreneurship development.

He said communities would develop more through conscious involvement of the people in economic development projects and programmes. He added that the projects would stimulate enterprise development activities in the area. He enjoined the people to make use of the opportunities created by the project effectively.

Earlier, the President General, Egi Peoples Assembly, Chief Oris Onyiri, had assured that the community would continue to create the needed atmosphere for the oil giant to operate.

He further enjoined the firm to assist to grow Egi language and culture, adding that they should be taught alongside French language in the area.

Zone 6, Ibrahim Mukhtar, called on the community to help the police with information to expose the bad elements in their midst because police cannot work in an isolation.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 29

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Polling in the name of peace, one man, one vote

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

I

F the words and assurances of the governorship candidates and leaders of their various parties were anything go by, the October 20 election in Ondo State will be peaceful and credible.

After complaints here and there, the stakeholders at a sensitisation workshop held in Akure, weekend, resolved to abide by the rules, shun violent language in their campaigns and help to make the polls peaceful, free and fair because the welfare of Ondo citizenry is paramount.

Among those who gave this pledge at the forum organized by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, is Ondo State Governor and flagbearer of the Labour Party, LP, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, and Mr. Saka Lawal, the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who represented the standard bearer, Chief Alex Olusola Oke. The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu put up a brief appearance and left before it was his turn to speak. However, the party’s views were expressed

by Senator James Kolawole, the National Vice Chairman (SouthWest).

Indeed, the workshop was attended by executives and candidates of the 13 political parties contesting the Ondo State 2012 gubernatorial election viz: LP, ACN, PDP, Allied Congress

*Mimiko

*Jega Political Parties, Hajia Amina Zakari; Dr. Hakeem BabaAhmed (keynote speaker), DGDUNDP, Dr. Mourtada Deme, and Robina Namusisi the Country Director, International Republican Institute (IRI).

Governor Olusegun Mimiko who was the special guest of honour said free and fair election would strengthen the nation’s democracy and should not be

,

Prof Attahiru Jega urged all contestants and shareholders to adhere to the rules of the game and observe strictly the 2010 Political Parties Code of Conduct, by shunning anti-democratic practices such as intimidation of aspirants so as to create enabling conditions for citizens to vote freely for their leaders

,

Party of Nigeria (ACPN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), African Political System (APS), Better Nigeria Peoples Party (BNPP), Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), LP), National Conscience Party (NCP), National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP, People for Democratic Change (PDC), and Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) and representatives of the Civil Society Organisations and the Media.

Chaired by Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd), other speakers at the parley included Senator Ben Obi, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, who was represented by the Commissioner-in charge of

compromised. He added that leadership should be accountable to the people and not to any election rigger or political god fathers anywhere.

The governor appealed to INEC not only to be an unbiased arbiter but also should be “evidently seen as clean in the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State”.

Mr Saka Lawal, who represented Oke, condemned the state government’s denial of air time on Ondo public electronic media to the opposition. He also decried alleged series of attacks unleashed on PDP members by LP’s thugs during their campaigns. He said, “We in the PDP are not violent but the sitting government has not learnt from us”, insisting that free and fair

election was not possible in the kind of atmosphere being created by the LP-led government.

Senator Kolawole of the ACN said there was no alternative to credible election in Ondo because the citizenry are sophisticated.

Insisting that the consequences of not conducting credible polls would be grievous, he said the ACN as a peaceful party would not tolerate and promote any form of violence and urged the rival parties to do same.

Speaker after speaker at the forum toed the same path.

Akinrinade stressed that when an election is not free and fair, democracy is eroded because bad and unwanted leaders are foisted on the people. He also stated emphatically that political killings and violence are not only antithetical to democracy but also satanic.

The Convener, Ben Ndi Obi, stated that the objective was to come up with far-reaching recommendations to ensure free and fair elections in Ondo.

Prof Attahiru Jega urged all contestants and shareholders to adhere to the rules of the game and observe strictly the 2010 Political Parties Code of Conduct, by shunning anti-democratic practices such as intimidation of aspirants so as to create enabling conditions for citizens to vote freely for their leaders. He stated that INEC was truly independent and not being interfered with from any quarters.

The Keynote Speaker, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stated that the Ondo State governorship election would be a test case in the march of our nation, Nigeria to free and fair elections. He

reminded participants that electoral contests and free and fair elections were simply a matter of establishing trust between the people and governed and that this trust was a sine qua non for true democracy and for national development.

In the end, the stakeholders agreed on modalities that would yield peaceful and acceptable polls, if pursued.

Parties, candidates’ commitment key to credible polls – Jega When the office of the Special

Adviser to the President on Inter Party Affairs organized a similar workshop towards the July 14th Governorship election that held in Edo State, all Stakeholders were pleased with the positive outcome and subsequent confidence building mechanism that resulted from the workshop.· The Commission accords this workshop special interest as part of our collective commitment to minimize tension in Ondo State and facilitate the conduct of credible elections. It is my hope Continues on page 31

How to make polls unique – Stakeholders Participants believe in the sanctity of Nigeria as a nation. The participants reaffirmed that Nigeria is greater than individuals and transcends any political party. It was therefore resolved that the country and the welfare of the people should be the first consideration of all. *The will of the electorate will as expressed in the Ondo Gubernatorial Election must be respected by political parties and other relevant stakeholders. *Political parties, politicians and all stakeholders should strive to promote free and fair elections. Consequently there must be mutual respect and tolerance among political parties for a conducive electoral process. *Unbiased electoral process leading to free and fair elections is a sine qua non for credible and free election; so the will of the people must be respected. Consequently, INEC should eschew bias in its operations so as to provide a level playing field for all parties. Similarly, the police and security forces should not be partisan during elections, whilst ensuring that order prevails. *All gubernatorial candidates should pay leading role in providing a conducive atmosphere for free elections where the votes of the electorate count; Political parties should enlighten their supporters on the need to shun electoral malpractices and destruction of lives and properties. *The use of violent language and physical intimidation must be avoided and discouraged by all political parties *The Media must playa profound role in the gubernatorial election through adequate and accurate coverage and avoid provocative reporting

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—31

How to make election credible, unique – Stakeholders by all.

I firmly believe that we can, as a country, realize our cherished goal of conducting peaceful elections once we all commit to civil conduct both in our actions and choice of words. After all, we are all working to serve the same citizens irrespective of party affiliation. We can, indeed, take comfort that our Electoral Laws already have provisions against violent conduct and the use of violent language. Additionally, the Political Parties Code of Conduct 2010 commits all political parties to peaceful conduct at all times before, during and after elections.I must, however, emphasize that more than the law it is the personal commitment of political parties and candidates that can create the kind of peaceful atmosphere for the conduct of free, fair and

,

Continued from page 30

that workshops like this will begin to reorient not just contestants and political parties but also the electorate towards the culture of tolerance, constructive engagement, and fair contest in which electoral outcomes are openly seen as fair and accepted as such by all. It is also my hope that through such kinds of fora, we would have reinforced a commitment and adherence to the observance of the rules of the game, by shunning antidemocratic practices such as the intimidation of opponents, and by creating conditions that enable citizens to freely choose their leaders. As a Commission constitutionally mandated to conduct elections, we are most concerned, as we are sure all well-meaning Nigerians are, when the electoral environment is over-heated by aggressive language, threats, and other forms of intimidation before during and after elections. These do not augur well for all contestants, the voters as well as the political and electoral systems at large. Such an atmosphere also generates, and inevitably creates situations that not only lead to threats to life and property, but could also impact negatively on the credibility of the election. I, therefore, urge all participants at this workshop to rededicate themselves to peaceful conduct in the forthcoming October 20th Governorship elections in Ondo State in particular, and in subsequent elections across the country in general.

It is our hope as a Commission that, as we build confidence among stakeholders, we can begin to deepen the culture of tolerance in the political and electoral processes in Nigeria.

We can then look forward to situations when violence and intimidation of the electorate will be firmly put behind us, and where electoral outcomes are not just free, but are freely accepted

*Akeredolu choose their leaders relying on their own judgment. However, these may not be possible in a

It is our hope as a Commission that, as we build confidence among stakeholders, we can begin to deepen the culture of tolerance in the political and electoral processes in Nigeria

credible elections that we all desire as a nation.

We must ensure victory no longer goes to the best cheat – Akinrinade People of my generation cannot forget the stiff, uncompromising attitude, backed by physical demonstration of limitless violence with which the people of this state stood against’ cheating, demonstrated by electioneering heist in the recent past.

Obviously, election is the most critical and decisive aspect of democracy just as it forms part of its beauty. While election is a nightmare to non-performing politicians, it is a time of great expectation to the people as it affords them the opportunity to

13 men, who want to rule Ondo Rahman Olusegun Mimiko – LP Oladipo Bolade Lawrence – NCP Abukanlu James Olusola – NSDP Victor Oluwafemi Adetusin – PDC Alex Olusola Oke – PDP Omoreggha Kris – PPA Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu – ACN Adeoti Stephen Taiye – ACPN Adeyemi Bolarinwa- – ANPP Oladimeji Tokunboh Adegoroye – APS Olaasegiri Gbenga Festus – BNPP Omoyele Afolabi Olorunwa – CAP Ehinlawo Olusoji – CPC

,

system of incredible electoral process where free and fair election is a mirage, and where victory goes to the best cheat.

When election is not free and fair, people’s faith and confidence In the system are eroded, bad and unwanted leaders are sanctimoniously and ignominiously selected, democracy dividend are denied, crisis of unimaginable proportions with its concomitant violence are enthroned, development is distorted and lives lost. Political killings are not only antithetical to democracy; they are also satanic and contrary to the principle of the ‘General Good’.

This time around, Ondo State and her people cannot afford to play into the waiting hands of the anarchy that result from manipulated elections. Who are the victims at the end of the day?

Election must be a true reflection of the people’s collective wish.

All democrats must stand up to salute President Goodluck Jonathan when he unequivocally pledged his commitment to the principle of one man one vote and an electoral system in which every vote counts. I cannot remember when any of our leaders gave such a pledge and stood by it.

It is therefore in this same spirit that the good people of Ondo

State should now justly demonstrate, as they have always wanted, the right democratic attitude by embracing this new wind of change in our democratic process. You should do well to vote right and adopt the sportsman’s creed of vigorous but fair competition, tolerance; avoidance of violence and all forms of malpractices, manipulation, and at the end of it all, protect and defend your votes according to the laws of the land.

I have always listened to my friends talk about freedom or independence of the electoral umpire. They levy charges of tampering with the activities of INEC, especially by whomever the President is and his party: Over the years, there is ample evidence that the charges may not be that frivolous. But now,” I have two consolations. First, is the guarantee offered by the President before the Edo State gubernatorial election.

Job to oversee elections He stuck by his gun and his party lost. He offered no regrets and congratulated the winner.

Second, when Professor Atahiru Jega was given the job to oversee elections, he was already accomplished and revered by his peers. He was not looking for a job and livelihood. He did not require a constitution or law to push him to do the right thing.

He had lived on the turf of rectitude all his life. He knew that there is always a path of honour for anyone unless he has something other than truth on his mind. I know he will not hesitate to jump before being pushed to tarnish his hard earned reputation. I want to bet that if the combatants play by the rules, the people of Ondo will gladly

and gaily give us a very clean and admirable election come October. May I also bet that the umpire will not allow the rules to be bent even by the agencies posted to assist him.

Edo experience is challenge to Ondo electorate – Saba-Ahmed This forum, as I understand it, plans to capture that illusive and rare value of trust. Trust that politicians can rely on INEC to conduct the forthcoming elections in a manner that they can accept the results as genuinely reflecting the will of the people of Ondo State. Trust that political parties and contestants will play by the same rules, and will respect the electorate by giving them enough room to exercise free choice. Trust of the people of this state that both INEC and politicians will allow their will to prevail; to remove fear from the entire exercise; and respect outcomes as the voices of the people; trust that this election will serve as a benchmark for a nation eager to establish the possibility that we can elect leaders freely and openly, and the heavens do not need to fall in the process. Above all, trust that our democracy has a future as the only avenue by through which we can grow and develop as a nation of free, enterprising and peaceful people.

Every election is important, and the one we will hold in this State a few days from today is particularly significant. It will hold against the background of the Edo State elections which itself is being held up as a new benchmark for many reasons.

Massive quarrels In spite of massive quarrels over the deployment I of large numbers of military personnel a few days to the elections and a build-up akin to preparations for war by political parties, we had an election involving a large number of voters under a peaceful atmosphere.

In spite of accusations and suspicions that the elections would be rigged, we had one’ of the least-disputed elections in our history. In spite of logistic challenges and the manifestation of stubborn organizational problems, polling, counting and collating were not threatened to a point where they compromised the quality of the outcomes.

On the whole, we can safely claim that the gubernatorial elections in Edo State have set a new standard for the nation. This ought to be cause for celebration, but it is vital that the nation knows exactly what it is celebrating.’ We have skeptics who will insist that the Edo elections represented a victory for a vigilant and stubborn citizenry which raised its voice at every suspected move by the electoral body. They will say that demands for demilitarizing the process in Edo State was what removed the possibility that fear and intimidation were to become decisive in determining outcomes of the elections.

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012—33

ALLEGED SMOKING:

Genevieve Nnaji caught in the act!

Genevieve

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

I

F the rumour making the rounds is anything to be lieve, then, top actress, Genevieve Nnaji, has joined the

league of female smokers in the Nigerian movie industry.

Probably she’d succeeded at ‘keeping it a secret’ and had everyone ‘fooled’ that she’s been a good girl, Genny as fondly called by her fans was

allegedly caught smoking by a top Nollywood director and producer, Charles Novia.

In an excerpt from his memoirs titled “Nollywood Till November ”, Charles shares his shocking experience when he unexpectedly bumped into the actress while she was busy puffing the smoke from her cigarette into the air.

Excerpt from the Nollywood Till November below: “Our mutual professional respect for each other developed the more. I remember on the third day of

Ohaneze Ndigbo backs Mako Ranko’s album Launch

SK Rootman brings Greece flavour to Naija

H

E left the shores of the country more than a decade ago in search of a musical direction. Now, he has found it and he is back to present it to Nigerians.

Athens, Greece based Nigerian reggae music star, SK Rootman is currently on vacation in the country. He is also using the period to seek for acceptance for his music. “I am in Nigeria on vacation and also to use the visit to showcase my music to my people that I have been representing all these years in faraway Athens so that they will know that I have flown the Nigerian flag really high,” the small frame, eclectic singer said in an interview last week.

SK Rootman shook Greece to her foundation when he made history as the first Nigerian to set up the Dancehall Massive concert in 2005. He was instantly dubbed the Dancehall

King of Athens. He had performed shows at the biggest clubs and concert venues in Athens such as Magna Bootycall, All African Festival, Unceo, Mama Africa, Athens and most African Embassies. SK Rootman had played alongside artistes such as Max Romeo, Capleton, Akon, One Drop Forward, Tuface, Olu Maintain, Dnafo Drivers, Dispero, Zulu Zulu, African China, and Kefee among many others when they came to Athens.

He has one single and a complete album with Itune Stores.

The complete album was released under Sony, Greece.

SK Rootman and friend

recording, one night while shooting at a clinic in Victoria Garden City Extension, I came out for a bit of fresh air while the technical people were setting up for the next scene.

Genevieve Nnaji Is A Smoker I saw Genevieve in a dark corner of the building, smoking a cigarette. ‘Whoops! You caught me’, she said, laughing. ‘You smoke?’ I asked, a bit surprised.

‘Now and then. It relaxes me ’ she said.”

With the gist already going viral, fans are indeed worried as to why their role model, Gene, would involve herself in such an act.

All efforts to get her response to the gist proved abortive as she was unavailable as at press time.

Ranko

I

T is time for jollification for lovers of melodious and message-laden music, as that gifted singer, Mako Ranko, returns with yet another masterpiece. This time, the young and talented musician is back with a new song titled Piagbuo Ndi Irom.

This new work, as usual, is a six-tracker recorded at Faithful Studio and the songs include; Osawo Akarakam, I Will Worship My God, Chinekem Biko, Ojiwe Ego Ka Nmori, Suchra Muzom and the title track Piagbuo Ndi Irom.

Interestingly, listening to this new work would readily transport listeners to new heights of spiritual realms and praises to God is bound to be on the increase, courte-

sy of Mako Ranko, who prides himself in delivering motivational songs and praising God to the high heavens.

And now that he has pushed out his new work, which is a follow-up to the fairly successful album Ebube Chukwu Buwe Agha, all is now set to officially launch this new work come Saturday, September 29th , and at the classy Cynergy Suites and Nite Club, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

The town is expected to witness a musical explosion as the crème de la crème of the society and several top-notch businessmen and women are expected to grace the occasion.

Among those expected at the event organized by John Mako Music are Special guest of honour, Barrister John Abang; Prince Charles Esieigbe Samuel Igbo, Dr. Kenneth Imarenezor, Barrister Emmanuel Omahiomor, and ably supported by other equally important personalities like Chief Paul Eze, Ifeanyi Chris Ibe, Emeka Ekagha, Chief Ogbuefi (Chairman Ohaneze Ndigbo) and others.

Speaking to the press, the obviously elated Mako Ranko reiterated that the event, which would be anchored by MC Obanla A1, promises to be fun-filled and memorable.

I

f You Settle For Less

You’ve Settled For Mess...Change Is Constant..focus and do your thing - Weird MC. Irony of life: Lawyers: Hopes you get into trouble Doctors: Hopes you fall ill Undertakers: Wants you dead Only the thief wishes you well - Basket Mouth I’m learning not expect much from people....were all human so we mess up at some point. Expect nothing;Hurt Less;Trust God – Lami Plane don land!

Nairobi Kenya,here I cum! Omo,I order hot coffee for lounge cum drink finish...the kain mess wey commot?Suckerway! #I bone o...Im chilln in d B u s i n e s s C l a s s Lounge&sum Indians walk up to me&we tak pics. Nxt thing,d Dad says he wants me 2marry his 14yr old daughter!

- Denrele No matter how long a bird lives in a cage, it will always want to escape.

- Jude Okoye The greatest self-sub is when u are feeling on top of d world with things others felt on top of d world with 2yrs ago – Ali Baba There is no short cut to weight loss - proper diet and exercise...

-Rita Dominic Weird ppl weird frndz weird gossipz weird starez weird envy weirdsmilez*TROUBLE nt*It’z a weird world*2B Weirdly warned iz 2b weirdly armed* ...

-Tonto Dike To my fans who’ve been worried n sending c o u n t l e s s messages,THANKS.Ure D reason i even respond.Nothing 2 worry about,I n my family are fine...

-Omotola Jalade

34 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

2012, showtime for Daimler — Andreas

BY THEODORE OPARA

W

ORLD renowned auto maker Daimler, has described the year, 2012 as a showtime for the company.

Andreas Renchler, member, Daimler AG Board of Management, responsible for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses gave reasons why the year is referred to as such while welcoming journalists and customers to the 2012 International Commercial Vehicle (IAA) press evening at their stand in Hanover, Germany recently.

“We invested heavily in new technology platforms. We prepared the launch of new brands in growth markets. We laid the foundation for new product generations. In short: Everyone at Daimler has been working overtime to get our strategic project on the road” Andreas

said.

According to him, the evening was a proof point that all these projects were ready to roll.

Though the Daimler topshot noted that there abound challenges in different markets but noted that their goal is to overcome every challenges.

“To sum things up: Of course it’s not all sunshine. But it’s far from being all rain. So again, we have every reason for confidence,” he said.

Promising that Daimler will balance the weaker markets with the strong ones, having done very well in some market and not too good in some, the Daimler representative assure that “what goes down will come up again.”

For example, he said in Western Europe, important political questions should be decided in the not too distant future, while financial markets and investors

•Mercedes Benz Actros, king of the road will regain their trust too. And in Brazil, Russia, India and China, the economies will keep growing, freight volume will stay on the rise and major infrastructure projects will support the market.

To this end, he said the motto for this year ’s International Commercial vehicle show “Driving the future” holds several very motivating fact as commercial vehicles drive the f u t u r e .

Secondly Daimler global industry has what it takes to drive ahead and thirdly Daimler ’s in the pole position in that

race. Stressing the importance of commercial vehicle to day runs, the Daimler topshot say that though planes, ships and trains exists, but commercial vehicles carry the lion’s share as 70 per cent of the world’s transportation volume travels on the road.

“Think about it: From production materials to construction goods, from medical supplies to chocolate bars and from school kids to job commuters: Buses, trucks and vans carry just about everything and everyone you need to build a future in the first place,” he said.

Continuing he said “until every production plant, every super market, and every consumer’s home has its very own harbor,

airport or train station, truck will always have one major advantage: They get the freight where it’s needed and when it is needed. So you don’t need to be a genius to figure out that commercial vehicles will be needed even more in the coming years.”

He noted that research has shown that road freight transport will more than tripple worldwide by 2050 and demand for medium and heavy duty trucks alone should increase by 40 per cent to almost four million units in 2020.

Despite this, he said the challenges are growing. For instance rising prices diesel, emission regulations are not making life any easier.

Our vision is to take auto business to next level — Elizade MD

T

HE Managing Director, Elizade Nigeria Limited, foremost Toyota distributor in Nigeria, Mr. Ademola AdeOjo has said that the company’s corporate vision is to take the automobile business to the next level in Nigeria.

Mr. Ademola Ade-Ojo who was speaking at the fleet managers forum organised by the company recently at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos said they hope to achieve this through continuous improvement of their operations and innovative thinking.

The managing director who stated that they were improving their presence in the market place in order to get closer to their customers wherever they may be in the country disclosed that apart from their twelve outlets across the country, plans are on to construction additional state-of-theart 3S facilities in Akure, Asaba, and Uyo to upscale their services in these locations.

In addition to this, Mr. Ade Ojo noted that plans were also on to set up workshops in Enugu and Umuahia to further boost their presence in the eastern part of the country while plans were still on to expand their operating base in Lagos by the instrumentality of satellite workshop partnership arrangement with Oando and any other oil marketing company interested in the arrangement.

He told the customers that every effort

by Elizade was geared towards customers satisfaction.

“The reason we are doing all these is to ensure satisfaction of our customers. You are dare to us. Your satisfaction is our comfort.

We pray that you corporate and collaborate with us through mutual trust to achieve this “he said. Adding that an inevitable kernel to build a long-lasting friendship is mutual trust, sincerity of purpose and understanding.

Explaining that the fleet managers forum was on annual interactive session between the company and its customers to discuss their problems and proffer solutions, the Managing Director hinted that the company has strived to keep the customers closer with its arrays of aftersales services which include: *Keeping a partnership with Oando Marketing Limited, which affords them to use their Lube bay or Petrol Stations as Service Points for Elizade Satellite Workshop operations; *Deploying our Mobile Workshop to meeting the preventive maintenance service needs at our customers’ locations to a pre-appointment arrangement; *Elizade Early Bird Service, which enables our customer to service their vehicles before resumption of work in the

Continues on page 35

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 35

Evoque winning new converts for Range Rover L

AND Rover’s new sensations, the Range Rover Evoque is winning more souls for the brands. These are young executives who sees the bigger Range Rover models as too large or cannot afford them.

Dr. Cosmas Maduka, President and Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Group disclosed this during the opening of their new showroom in Lekki, Lagos.

“The Evoque is giving us the opportunity to get young men and women into the revered Range Rover family” he said. It should be recalled that Coscharis Motors recently appointed Gennevive Nnaji, a leading Nollywood actress as Range Rover Evoque ambassador by giving her a brand new Range Rover Evoque Coupe. The revered actress, though a Range Rover fan prides the Evoque like a jewel, according to a source. The Evoque has been described as the most exciting vehicle in a generation. Bold and sophisticated in design with clever technology that innovates, relevant and initiative to use.

It features powerful and economical four cylinder engines that deliver amazing power and handling. An allnew state-of-the-art, turbocharged for cylinder Si4 petrol engine in the Evoque line up delivers six-cylinder performance and feel with four cylinder economy.

Though the smallest and most compact Range Rover ever, the Evoque boasts the ultimate Range Rover luxury, combining an enhanced exterior with beautiful alloy wheels and premium bright finish details. expression as part of personal journey.” This probably must Premium bright have informed the new market for finish details Range Rover in the Evoque.

The design of the Evoque did Luxury has been raised to its not take away the off-road bar in the Evoque, just like the capability of the car. It conquers big Range Rover models. Using terrains like its big brother sleek quality materials, Range Rover the big Range Rover and Land blended the best of colour Rover Discovery 4 while at the combinations inside the same time at home on paved Evoque, thereby creating a roads. unique identity for the car.

State-of-the-art technology Land Rover describes luxury starts and end with the baby details of the Range Rover as Range Rover. A high definition, thus: a creative use of the latest eight-inch colour touch-screen materials complementing welcomes you as you step into traditional materials. Offer the car. Others include Bluetooth more colour and flair. Offering for both hand free connection with more opportunity for individual a compatible mobile phone to the

Kia posts 7.4% global sales growth

K

vehicle’s in-built phone system and audio streaming for enjoyment of personal music from portable Bluetooth device via audio system. Essential connectivity for iPod, MP3, and memory sticks is also provided via direct imputes.

The car can be enhanced with ambient LED mood lighting. This can be configure to suit personal tastes with choice of five colours and a variety of brightness settings.

A typical Ranger Rover in compact form, the Evoque optimises performance, capability and safety in all on and off road conditions. It employs innovative technologies such as Terrain Response to conquer all roads. The Terrain response adapts Range Rover Evoque’s engine, transmission and electronic system to maximise driveability, comfort and traction.

This technology has different settings including general driving, grass, gravel, mud and sand.

Others cutting-edge technologies of the Evoque include the Land Rover patented Hill Descent Control, Gradient Release Control, and Hill Hold as well as Dynamic Stability Control.

IA Motors Corporation has announced its global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles for August 2012, recording a total of 212,405 units sold. This figure represents a year-onyear increase of 7.4%.

In August, Kia posted strong year-on-year sales increases of 22.8% in North America (57,710 units sold); 22.2% in Europe* (41,006 units sold); 2.3% in general markets* (43,790 units sold) ; and 0.2% in China (37,821 units sold). Meanwhile, August sales in Kia’s home market of Korea decreased by 12.4% (32,708 units sold) year-on-year.

Cumulatively through the first eight months of 2012, Kia’s global sales have increased by 11.1% year-on-year to reach 1,788,054 units. Europe, North America and China have experienced the highest cumulative gains to date in 2012 of 24.8% (377,427 units sold),

17.1% (441,472 units sold), and 12.3% (309,471 units sold), respectively.

Kia’s best selling model in overseas markets for the month of August was the B-segment Rio (known as ‘K2’ in China) with 36,427 units sold. The Sportage compact CUV was the second best seller with 28,988 units delivered, while the C-segment Cerato (known as ‘Forte’ in some markets), D-segment Optima sedan and Sorento mid-size CUV followed with 27,946; 23,553; and 19,134 units sold, respectively.

Tae-Hyun (Thomas) Oh, Executive Vice President & COO of Kia Motors Corporation, said, “We are pleased to have posted continued sales growth in August, especially in North America, where Kia Motors America has reached 24 months of consecutive sales records.

Europe has also performed particularly well thanks to European produced models like cee’d and Sportage. We believe our participation at this month’s Paris Motor Show will positively enhance our growing momentum for the Kia brand in the region.”

Our vision is to take auto business to next level — Elizade MD Continues from page 34 morning between the hours of 06.30am-08.00am. *Elizade Over-Night Service (ONS), which affords utility vehicles to be brought to our premises and attended to overnight and collected the following morning; *Week-End Service (WES) apart from opening to customers on Saturdays, our Week-End Service affords fleet owners the opportunity of accessing our services on a large scale through booking for fleet maintenance; *Diagnostic Services (DS)

available to their customers at pocket friendly rates with stateof-the-art tools and equipment designed for the purpose, among others. *Warranty Repairs which are undertaking at no cost to the customer provided all conditions attendant to claims are met; *Emergency Recovery Services (ERS) to all our customers in virtually all our locations nationwide at pocket-friendly rates; and *Aftermarket Installations – our team of experts does this without damage to your vehicle as it is the case outside our system.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

WHEN Prof. Walter Ofonagoro told the audience at the 12th brainstorming that the April 1893 boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon at the Rio Del Rey estuary was suppressed at the International Court of Justice to achieve a dubious aim of giving out Bakassi peninsula as war booty to Cameroon, not a few persons were convinced.

But in this detailed expose on the Bakassi question, the Ivy League Scholar and Professor Emeritus at the Columbia University explores his knowledge of European History and Africa’s experience from colonialism to the age of globalisation where the strong continues to prey on the weak.

The central issue is the sovereign right of Bakassi people which is at the mercy of forces beyond the control of the people whose home is the subject on international political intrigues and perfidy. Vanguard newspaper obtained the exclusive copy of Professor Ofonagoro’s paper entitled: Bakassi Sovereignty and the Legal Defence in the Nigeria/Cameroon Boundary Dispute.

At the International Court of Justice, the Hague, March 28, 1994 –October 10, 2002, which we hereby present to our readers as part of our contribution to the search for justice in the Bakassi peninsula saga

I

N the Beginning: A great deal has been written about the judgment of the International Court of Justice, delivered on October 2, 2002, in the boundary and territorial dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon over the Bakassi Peninsula of Nigeria. In that dispute, Cameroon instituted legal action against Nigeria at the ICJ on March 28, 1994, claiming ownership of Bakassi Peninsula on the following grounds: 1.The Anglo-German Agreement of March 11, 1913, relating to the settlement of their frontier between Yola and the Sea and the Regulation of Navigation on the Cross River.

2. The Anglo-German

Agreement of April 12, 1913 regarding the boundary of Nigeria and Cameroon from Yola to the Sea. 3. The Yaoundé II Declaration of 4 April, 1971, following that of Yaoundé I of August 14, 1970.

4. The Lagos Declaration of June 21, 1971.

5. The Kano Declaration of September 1, 1974, delimiting a 4-kilometre buffer corridor, i.e. 2 kilometers on either side of the line joining Fairway landing bouy to bouys No. 1, 2 and 3 of the Calabar Channel.

6. The Maroua Declaration of 1 June, 1975, which extends the course of the Boundary from point 12 to point G. The Grounds of Complaint were as follows: Memorandum

Prof. Walter Ofonagoro...Bakassi is in Nigeria

Map of Bakassi peninsula in April 1926

Courtesy: Walter Ofonagoro

of “facts” 1. That in 1884, Germany concluded agreement with Douala chiefs of the Cameroonian Coast that enabled them to annex the hinterland in conformity with the hinterland doctrine which was then recognized as a mode of acquisition of territory, provided in various legal instruments including the Final Act of Berlin Conference of 26 June, 1885.

claim to Articles 18 to 20 of the Anglo-German Agreement of March 11, 1913, and that these clauses delimited the frontiers between Cameroon and Nigeria between 1913 and the end of the first World War; and these were never called into question.

Conclusions of the Berlin conference

4. That after the first World War, pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, and then of the UN Charter, Cameroons were placed successively under the mandate and trusteeship systems, the mandatory powers and thereafter, the administering authorities being both France and the United Kingdom.

5. That these two regimes embodied international recognition of the frontier between Cameroon and Nigeria, and Cameroonian Sovereignty over Bakassi Peninsula.

6. That Cameroonian title to the Peninsula was confirmed by the results of plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations on February 11 and 12, 1961, on the occasion of which the nationals of former Southern Cameroons chose to be incorporated into Cameroons.

7.That upon independence, and in conformity with the rules of international law, applicable to state succession in relation to treaties, Cameroon and Nigeria were bound by prior agreements relating to their frontier.

7(a) Moreover, that both of them subscribed to the principle of respect for frontiers inherited from colonization laid down in point 2 of AGH (Res 16 (1) of the Organization of African Unity,

Acting in conformity with the conclusions of the Berlin Conference, the German government of the day concluded with the colonial powers established in neighbouring territories, agreements aiming at a precise delimitation of the areas subject to their sovereignty. A large number of Agreements were thus concluded between Great Britain and Germany in relation to their respective possessions of Cameroon and Nigeria including the Agreements of London of March 11, 1913 and of Obokum of April 12, 1913, by which the frontier was delimited between Cameroon and Nigeria from Yola to the sea, which regulated navigation on the Cross River.

2.“That the Anglo-German Agreement of March 11, 1913 “which superseded all previous texts, provides in connection with the area now in dispute, that the frontier runs along the Thalweg of the Akwa Yafe River (Article 18), and that “should the lower course of the Akwa Yafe so change its mouth as to transfer it to the Rio del Rey, it is agreed that the Area now known as the Bakassi Peninsula shall remain German territory” (Article 20).

3. Cameroon narrowed her

Treaty of Versailes

adopted at Cairo on July 21, 1964, which “solemnly declares that all member states pledge themselves to respect the frontiers existing on their achievement of national independence”.

8. That Nigeria frequently disputes the frontier occasioning a number of border incidents; and that diplomatic negotiations entered into by the two states for the purpose of arriving at a peaceful solution to these disagreements finally led to the adoption of the Maroua Declaration signed by the Nigerian Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, and his Cameroonian counterpart, Ahmadu Ahidjo, which determined the boundary of the two countries thus confirming Cameroon’s title to the Bakassi Peninsula (see Chart 3433 annexed to that Declaration).

The validity of this legal instrument has unfortunately been called into question by Nigeria.

9. That for the first time since both countries acceded to independence, Nigeria in 1992, published an official map locating Bakassi in its territory.

And that Cameroon lodged protests on that occasion. That on December 21, 1993, Nigeria committed aggression by invading Bakassi which is a portion of Cameroonian territory, which it immediately proclaimed to be incorporated into the Federated States of Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

10.That on February 28, 1994, Cameroon reported this matter to Continues on page 37

,

The Bakassi sovereignty and international politics

For the first time since both countries acceded to independence, Nigeria in 1992, published an official map locating Bakassi in its territory, and Cameroon lodged protests on that occasion

,

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 37 Bakassi but claimed that “at least until 1968 (paragraphs 101-103), Nigeria exercised peaceful possession of Bakassi Peninsula and Cameroon acquiesced in this status quo, and that “at no time did Cameroon exercise peaceful possession of Bakassi” (NC.M 10.129-10-131). Nigeria further explained that even if the original title (to Bakassi) cannot be proved, the effective possession of Nigeria after independence confirmed the original title which subsisted as a consequence of non-implementation of the 1913 Treaty in Bakassi Region; and that even if the original title cannot be proved, the effective possession of Nigeria is to be found in Acts manifesting a continuous peaceful display of sovereignty over the territory, although the sovereignty must be continuous.

Gen. Yakubu Gowon

The Bakassi sovereignty and international politics Continues from page 36 Cameroon reported this matter to the Conflict Management and Resolution Committee of the OAU, and also requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. And that by a letter dated March 4, 1994, to the United Nations Security Council (S/1994/228), the Federal Republic of Nigeria confirmed its claim to Bakassi.

Compulsory jursidiction 11.That both Cameroon and Nigeria have accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in conformity with Article 36 of its Statute, without any reservation.

12. Cameroon supported its claim to Bakassi by Reference to Nigerian law No. 126 of 1954 (the Nigerian Constitution Order in Council 1954, Supplement to Nigeria Gazette No. 53, Vol. 41 of September 30, 1954, Part B) and by producing Nigerian official and post-colonial maps, including official maps of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, sent

by Diplomatic Note No. 570 of March 27, 1962, from the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Relations with the Commonwealth to the Embassy of Cameroon at Lagos, describing the exact course of the frontiers between the two countries at the level of Bakassi.

13. That Cameroons claims prior effective occupation of Bakassi going back to the 15th Century.

14. That The Guardian of Thursday, March 22, 1992, quoted Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Okoi Arikpo who said: “That the Anglo-German treaty of 1913, clearly established that the disputed area (Bakassi) was on the territory of Cameroon, even though it was entirely occupied

by Nigeria.” Cameroon then asked for Nigeria to be expelled from Bakassi, and be forced to pay reparations, and other sanctions by the Court . I have tried to summarize Cameroon’s claims in these few paragraphs.

Nigeria’s response: Nigeria

accepted that all Cameroon’s claims were valid, except the claim to Bakassi Peninsula and the claim for reparations and sanctions. Nigeria’s counter memorandum anchored her claims to Bakassi on four grounds.

The legal situation at the time of Independence: That the Nigerian title to Bakassi was originally a title vested in the kings and chiefs of Old Calabar. That the original title of Old Calabar was not affected by the AngloGerman Treaty of March 11, 1913, and was eventually absorbed in the emerging entity of Nigeria. By the time of independence in 1960, the original title to Bakassi vested in Nigeria, as the successor to Old Calabar. This claim is anchored on the claim that the Treaty of Protection between Great Britain, and the king and chief of old Calabar, 1884, did not entitle the British monarch to alienate the territory of the Efik kingdom, without the approval of the Efik king and chiefs as landowners.

The four bases of Nigeria’s Title 1.Long occupation by Nigeria and by Nigerian nationals constituting an historical consolidation of title and confirming the original title of the kings and chiefs of old Calabar which title vested in Nigeria at the time of independence in 1960.

2. Effective administration by Nigeria, acting as sovereign, and an absence of protest by Cameroon.

3. Manifestation of sovereignty

by Nigeria together with the acquiescence by Cameroon in Nigeria’s sovereignty over Bakassi.

4. Recognition of Nigerian sovereignty by Cameroon.

Nigeria further asserted that these four bases of claim apply both individually and jointly. In the view of the Nigerian government, each of these bases of title would be sufficient on its own, to prove the claim. Nigeria then went on to compile a huge submission on Nigeria’s ownership

To be continued

Tafawa Balewa

,

Ahmadu Ahidjo, of Cameroun

Nigeria has been in charge of Bakassi since 1913 in terms of providing public administration, educational facilities, all health, local government and other infrastructure

of Bakassi, going back to time boundary at the Rio del Rey was immemorial, and demonstrated the international boundary. She that Nigeria has been in charge acknowledged that that boundof Bakassi since 1913 in terms of ary proceeded from the Rio del providing public administration, Rey to the head-waters of that riveducational facilities, all health, er thence with a northern extenlocal government and other in- sion to Akwa Yafe, two kilomefrastructure, and that Nigeria’s tres north-east of Archibong military presence in Bakassi was Creek (NC.M 10.8), but neglectfor the purpose of maintaining ed to state that this was the origpublic order, and that “the man- inal international boundary, makifestation of sovereign authority ing its way inland, from the sea may take the form of exercise of at Cape Bakassi, to the interior military jurisdiction, as part of a through Rio del Rey, Archibong generalized system for maintain- Creek and Akwa Yafe River. So far as Nigeria’s defence team was ing public order”.

Nigeria also explained that it concerned, the Treaty of April 14, has always had a military pres- 1893, was useful as an “adminence on the Bakassi Peninsula; istrative arrangement”, and a that the Isaac Boro military camp means of defining Bakassi Penhas been situated near West insula.

Sovereignty: Nigeria accepted Atabong since Nigerian Civil War, and that Nigerian Navy has Cameroonian sovereignty over a base at Jamestown, from where regular patrols are sent out to patrol the creeks and shores of Bakassi Peninsula. Nigeria further stated that she had a port at Bakassi, the Rio Del Rey Port, but failed to explain its significance in terms of legal title to Bakassi.

In Paragraph 10-107 of her Response, Nigeria states that: “The settlement and Port Rio Del Rey, has long been established near the head of the waterway, on the left bank of the Rio Del Rey River. On September 29, 1960, (prior to Nigeria’s accession to independence) the Rio del Rey Port Declaration Order was made under powers conferred by legislation, in particular, the ports Act, 1954 as amended.”

Rio Del Rey Boundary Although Nigeria mentioned that both countries had “a median line boundary at Rio del Rey”, she failed to proceed further to Map of existing Nigerian and Equatorial Guinean oil concessions demonstrate that that in relation to Cameroun's claim line Courtesy: Walter Ofonagoro

,

38— Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

BY LEKE ADESERI, South West Regional Editor

T

HE Lagos State government may have finally found a solution to the difficulty associated with Okada riders operating in the city. The government has acquired a substantial number of power motorcycles to assist in local patrols and traffic enforcement.

Due to its remarkably quiet drive-train, the vehicles are the perfect motorcycles for patrolling in urban areas. According to a reliable government source who craves anonymity, “The special motorcycles will allow officers to patrol more places, more often.

Riding a police motorcycle requires a very special skill set because the officer needs to be alert and keep the public safe, while simultaneously scanning the area for criminal activity and non compliance with traffic regulations.”

Vanguard’s investigation showed that the motorcycles were built from the ground up using Zero Motorcycles’ proprietary pack and aircraft grade alloy frame, so that they can achieve industry leading power-to-weight ratio that increases range and maneuverability. They are said to have a range of up to 200km. Each model combines state-of-the-art technology with an ultra-light frame design to make them agile and fast where it counts.

Instant acceleration

Okada menace: Police power-b Military policemen to the resc

Characterized by instant acceleration and lightweight design the product allows riders to take on anything from city streets to off-road trails. The bikes come fully equipped with Helmet, Gloves, Kneepads, Body armour/Jacket and Riding boots.

Most of the commercial motor cyclists behave as if they are above the law, flouting nearly all laid down sections of the Traffic law that regulate their operation.

Also to achieve total compliance with the new law, the state is said to have experimented with the use of Military police officers.

According to our source, “If the collaboration finally works out, these tough men will be deployed to flashpoints and notorious areas to ensure order is maintained on the roads.” It will be recalled that in an interesting twist to the controversies surrounding the introduction of the new Lagos Military policemen ...also deployed Photo: Leke Adeseri traffic laws, the motorcycle riders in the state have dragged the state government to court. declaration that “The Major Highways in Lagos listed in The commercial motorcyclists, also known as Okada Items 1-11 and other parts of Schedule II of the Lagos operators - under the aegis of All Nigerians Autobike State Road Traffic Law No. 4 of 2012 are Federal Roads Commercial Owners and Workers Association, within the meaning of the Federal Highways Act, cap ANACOWA - filed the suit before an Ikeja High Court in F13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

Lagos. In their pleas, among other things, the commercial They also urged the court to declare section 3(1) of the motorcyclists asked for a declaration that the defendants law which prohibits the riding, driving or propelling of a have no power whatsoever to make any law to regulate cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on the Major traffic on any of the Federal Roads. They sought a Highways in Lagos, as unconstitutional.

Why drivers scramble

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

C

HIEF Executive Officer of the Lagos State Drivers Institute, LASDRI, Mr. Ayodeji Oyedokun, has justified the scramble for retraining and recertification of professional drivers at the Oshodi centre, saying “the drivers should be blamed because all the while, they were just adamant about coming to the centre.”

It would be recalled that the drivers storm the Oshodi centre of the institute as early as 2:00 a.m to get retrained, as stipulated in the new traffic law.

Oyedokun who spoke to Vanguard in an exclusive interview said: “Most time before we get here in the morning, the 75 persons required for that day’s training would already have been on the queue waiting for the retraining to commence. And once the number for the day is achieved, we commence the training immediately.”

He added: “The training commences with the

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012— 39

Protest in Lawanson over return of NURTW chairman

Protesters in Lawanson

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

R

Policemen on power bikes recently donated byLagos State government Photo: Olasunkanmi Akoni

bikes, cue

ESIDENTS and traders in Lawanson area of Lagos State, weekend, took to the streets to protest against the return of a former chairman of the Lagos chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Mr. Rafiu Olohunwa, to Lawanson as the branch chairman.

The placard carrying protesters went round the streets in the area, demanding urgent intervention of the State Government and the state chapter of the NURTW to prevent Olohunwa’s return to the area.

Vanguard gathered that Olohunwa was until last March the chairman of Lawanson branch before he was removed after a violent clash between members of his faction and those of M C Oluomo, where several people lost their lives.

Sources also told Vanguard that Olohunwa has been appealing to several power brokers in the state to assist him reclaim Lawanson.

for retraining at LASDRI — Institute’s boss eye testing and biometric capturing process.

After that, we lecture the drivers. All these are done in a day. When we discovered that the biometric capturing exercise was delaying the retraining process, we increased the number of personnel who capture the data to four.”

“What is happening is that we are retraining 75 professional drivers in each of the five locations in the state. But the problem is that apart from Oshodi that operates at full capacity, other centres are operating below par. And the reason for this is that large number of drivers coming to Oshodi is because most of the drivers operating within the state, do so within Ikeja axis so, many decide to get their re-certification at Oshodi, the centre for Ikeja residents.

“This has made many who come to Oshodi centre to face challenges in getting retrained.

This is due to the fact that the number of drivers that turn up in the morning are beyond the capacity of the equipment that

we have at the centre at present. But since we noticed this, we have since begun to turn some drivers back; urge them to make good use of the facilities at the other centres. Sometimes we turn some drivers back because they may either not have genuine driver’s licence or they are not properly dressed.”

The Chief Executive Officer stated that the mandatory retraining of professional drivers in the state has been in existence since 2007 when the institute was established.

Oyedokun, however, added: “Since the signing of the law, the number of professional drivers who have came for retraining and re-certification in the institute has doubled. We have witnessed tremendous increase in enrolment. Since the creation of the institute in 2007, we have trained 20,000 drivers. But with the new traffic law, I believe that we will have more drivers to train.”

Some residents and traders who spoke to Vanguard during the last protest expressed their displeasure over Olohunwa’s attempt to return to the branch as chairman, an office they said he held for over five years before relinquishing it last March.

Mr. Babatunde William, a community leader who also spoke to Vanguard, accused Olohunwa of high-handedness, which he said had left residents in fear.

Narrating the community’s ordeal during Olohunwa’s tenure, William

said: “He was never a resident of this area and he is not a bus driver, but when he became the NURTW chairman in Lawanson, which was after the 2007 election, he resorted into harassing and intimidating residents of the area and those he passive’s as his enemies.

“We don’t want a return of such days. The past six month since he was removed has been very peaceful for us. We call on the State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and the chairman of NURTW Lagos chapter, Tajudeen Agbede, to intervene and stop him.”

When Vanguard contacted Olohunwa for comments, his deputy, Alao Olayiwola who spoke on his behalf described the allegations as an orchestrated plot to blackmail his boss.

Olayiwola also said his boss is a good man who does not engage in violence, adding: “those people you saw protesting against Olohunwa are only trying to blackmail him, every thing they told you were all lies, Olohuwa is not like that he is a good man.”

How Lagos street soccer touched our lives, by players

F

OR the past four years, many players have featured in the yearly Lagos Street Soccer Championship, some of whom have made it to Europe while others are in the national team or club-sides.

Some of the members of the victorious 2011 team, including, Lawal Akapo of Apapa, have revealed that the tourney has empowered them to earn a living.

Skipper Azeez Ajadi said their travel to Dubai after winning the trophy last season exposed him to world class facilities and as well changed his views about turning professional.

He said: “It has been great since we won the championship, especially with our trip to Dubai where we played with a foreign team and also visited some of the top clubs in the Dubai. It is the dream of every footballer to travel, and going to Dubai was an eye-opener to me.

“Apart from this, I have been able to start a small business with the

money I got from the competition. I now have my own business, which now helps me to support my family.”

Speaking in the same vein, Azeez Alawiye, said that the championship has been a blessing to him. He noted: “I never knew that I would be able to start a business on my own. My love for football has continued to grow and my dream of starting something became a reality after we won the season four of the MTN Lagos Street Soccer.

“In Dubai, I was able to see my idol, Diego Maradona, who was coaching a club. The travel also taught me to work hard so that I can move up in the game.”

Members of the Lagos street soccer team

40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 41

CONHESS 10: Health services down as Ministry, health workers flex muscles

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

I

N the last week, the Federal health sector has been in crisis following alleged failure of the Federal Ministry of Health to adhere to honour a tripartite agreement over the controversial skipping issue of the Consolidated Health Salary Scale, CONHESS 10.

Today, most Federal government hospitals and parastatals under the Ministry of Health are under lock and key. The few that are open are only offering skeletal services. Patients are being discharged following inability of the hospitals to provide services.

Efforts to resolve the lingering dispute since 2010, have been deadlocked. The main issue in contention is the skipping of CONHESS 10 - which means jumping from grade level 9 to 11 in the civil service.

Things began falling apart following complaints about various issues pertaining to the welfare of the health workers and implementation of the CONHESS to the letter.

The Federal Ministry of Health was said to have issued a circular with reference number; C.5516/VOL.1/117 dated 29th August, 2012 to Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Teaching Hospitals, Specialists hospitals/Federal \Medical Centres in which the resolution reached at the tripartite meeting held in the office of the Minister of Labour and Productivity on July 16th 2012 was given wrong interpretation.

Federal health workers embarked on strike following issuance of a counter circular on the non-skipping of CONHESS 10 and refusal of the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu to withdraw the circular, even after an Industrial Court order that the status quo should remain pending the determination of the case.

• Healthcare services at most Federal government hospitals have been paralysed in the wake of the face-off between the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal health workers.

Since then, health services in Federal government hospital have been grounded. Patients have been sent home, many more denied crucial health services.

While the striking workers are saying the status quo ante in the resolution was the position existing before the declaration of trade dispute on the matter, that is, the skipping of CONHESS 10 would continue to apply pending the determination of the matter by the National Industrial Court, the Federal Ministry of Health is denying initiating any circular.

In the various reports, both workers and the Ministry of health have maintained their positions. Neither seems ready to shift ground. Meanwhile innocent patients are bearing the brunt of the dispute.

Innocent Nigerians have continued to bear the brunt of the effects of breakdown of agreements. In all, the crisis has worsened the country’s health indices. Countless lives have been

lost..

The health system has virtually shut down. Revenue running into billions has gone down the drain among other unforseen threats.

Unfortunately, hope of resolving the crisis is still not in sight as the Minister of Health, has said he has no power to withdraw the controversial circular.

According to Chukwu, the circular was not issued by his Ministry. His words: “There is no reason for skipping, even from the word skipping; you could see there is something wrong. Why must we be so fixated with skip-

FG, Gates Foundation sign MoU on health

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

A

S part of efforts to strengthen partnerships in funding support for health programmes in Nigeria, the Federal Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for appointment

MDG 5: LARI study shows way forward for Nigeria

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

N

IGERIA’s march towards attainment of the targets of the Millennium Development Goal 5 has been boosted following recommendations of a new study tagged the Landscape Analysis of Routine Immunisation in Nigeria, LARI,study on barriers and potential interventions for the nation’s routine immunisation system Conducted by the International Vaccine Access Centre, IVAC, the just released

report emphasises that tackling basic barriers to routine immunisation such as cold chain, transport, and funding, can have a positive impact on increasing access to vaccines and reducing infant and child mortality in the country.

According the study was which was a collaboration between IVAC, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and Solina Health, qualities such as leadership, ownership, and accountability at state and local levels are crucial to success of immunisation in the

ping? Why must we skip? The word alone suggests that something is wrong and something is illegal.

“The strike is not based on the truth. Most workers have not even justified their pay. Why must a Director and a Deputy Director receive the same salary?

The differentiation should not only be on the titles but also on the salary scale. There is no way anybody can change my mind on this. There is no going back.

There is no reason for anybody to jump any level. Vacancy should be created for people to get to that CONHESS 15 but I

can’t see how you will skip and things will work out.”

In another breath, the Minister appealed to striking workers to go back to work, adding that though the skipping happened in the past but there is the need to correct these illegalities. “Let us see how we can move the health sector forward. Let us not be fixated about these issues. It is completely wrong,” he added.

But the Chairman .Lagos State Medical and Health Workers Union, Federal Area Council, Comrade Ibe Stephen Nwokenta replies that unless the circular is withdrawn workers will not return to work.

In a swift reaction to the position of the Minister, Nwokenta maintained that skipping policy has to be sustained, stating that the obnoxious circular that has thrown the health care delivery in into crisis has to be withdrawn by the minister of health.

“If government says no going back, then, we are not going back too. What we are fighting is the interest of the masses and to alleviate their past sufferings. If the government maintains its position on no skipping, then, it implies that the masses will continue to suffer.

“Our position remains that skipping must continue. We will not call off this strike until the Minister himself withdraws that obnoxious circular. The Minister also benefited from this system.

Now, he wants to withdraw it.

Why is it now that he wants to withdraw it?”

country.

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the GAVI Alliance, the LARI study, also noted that stakeholders should consider impact and feasibility in order to prioritise interventions appropriately for their context, while civil society organizations also have an important role to play, serving both to support government and ensure accountability.

In a commentary, Dr. Chizoba Wonodi, Lead, Nigeria Country

Continues on Page 42

of a Country Representative in the country. The Nigerian would be the third African staff member of the Foundation to be appointed this year, after the first two appointed from Ethiopia and South Africa.

The MOU, which was jointly signed in Abuja by the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman and the Gates Foundation's Director for Africa, Laurie Lee, enables the Gates Foundation to appoint its representative in Nigeria and establish a presence in Abuja.

Speaking on the occasion, Lee described the occasion as a fantastic opportunity for the Gates Foundation to work closely with the Government of Nigeria and other partners to make some real gains in health and extreme poverty. "We want to see children, mothers and farmers in particular in Nigeria given the opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives," he noted.

Noting that Nigeria is an important focus country for the Gates Foundation, which currently provides more than USD $400 million in funding to

• Mr. Bill Gates help eradicate polio, to support small farmers increase food production, and to empower women to seek healthcare during pregnancy and through improved access to contraceptives across the nation, Lee said such grants are part of the Gates Foundation's overall work to expand access to childhood vaccines, improved agricultural tools and strategies, maternal and child health programmes, financial services for the poor, safe water and sanitation, and other effective, low-cost

Continues on Page 42

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Cancer and sleep S INCE we have determined how a weakened immune system can lead to the promotion of disease, the connection between sleep, or the lack thereof, should not be difficult to understand. There are actually several factors involved in sleep that may in fact be linked to cancer risk, severity and survival. It has long been accepted as fact that our bodies need a minimum of nine and a half hours of uninterrupted sleep in order to regenerate effectively; the type of sleep we get is as important as the number of hours we sleep. One interesting study shows that in order for our body to actually rejuvenate, we need to sleep in total darkness.

Researchers determined that women who were totally blind had a 36 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared with woman who could see. It further revealed women who became blind earlier in life (before 65) had a forty-nine percent lower risk of developing breast cancer. This strong correlation is thought to be linked to the sleep hormone, melatonin. This hormone is naturally released by the pineal gland when we sleep. When it becomes dark, the pineal gland is triggered to release melatonin, which helps us to become drowsy. Melatonin is an antioxidant, which fights free radicals. It is also known to slow estrogen production, a key factor in breast cancer risk. Simply, when you don’t get enough sleep, your body is unable to produce as much melatonin and as such, unable to effi ciently fight cancer.

The other hormone closely linked to sleep and cancer is cortisol. Many of us know cortisol as a “stress” hormone that is naturally released during times of anxiety. The media has revealed the presence of excess cortisol as the reason why adult men and women experience excess belly fat. While these facts may be true, more

importantly as it relates to cancer, cortisol regulates the immune system and as such, the release of natural killer cells known to attack and ward off cancerous cells.

Cortisol levels naturally peak after we sleep, usually at dawn, and then decline throughout the day. This is evidenced by studies that show night shift workers typically experience higher rates of breast cancer. People who wake up several times during the night may also experience impaired cortisol production. Th e bad news is that the two things we cannot live with-

Julia Oyefunke Fortune

The Cancer

FIGHTER

juliafortune@hotmail.com

out -food and sleep- seem to be the very things that are triggering the growing number of cancer cases worldwide. The good news in all of this is that cancer can be overcome! In most cases, it is a matter of reversing the imbalance by correcting the lifestyle conditions that led to the de-

velopment of the cancer in the first place, while simultaneously attacking the cancerous cells. It can often be difficult to determine the exact cause of the cancer however, and the more cancer there is, the more serious the situation and the harder it will be to stop it in its tracks.

LARI study shows way forward for Nigeria Continued from Page 41 Programmes, IVAC, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the move is part of an ongoing effort by the Fedral government to increase access to vaccines and reduce child mortality in the country. “LARI was undertaken at the request of Nigerian authorities, and because the study relies very much on consultations with key stakeholders in the Nigerian routine immunisation and health services, the results represent Nigerian solutions for Nigerian-identified problems,” she remarked.

“We are confident that the LARI study will help Nigerian leaders to turn the commitments made at the 1st National Vaccine Summit into plans and action with measurable impacts for Nigeria's children and communities.

A white paper on the study notes key strengths in the country ’s routine immunization system to include strong support by high-level policy makers and technocrats at the federal level, specifically from the NPHCDA and the Ministry of Health; a federal budget line for immunisations and a record of success with polio eradication in most

FG, Gates Foundation sign MoU Continued from Page 41 innovations.

The Gates Foundation has over 100 active grants in Nigeria with partner organisations thateither working in the country or conducting research, development, or implementation activities designed to benefit Nigeria. Examples of the Gates Foundation's efforts to build

effective partnerships in Nigeria is its funding support for the eradication of polio though partnerships with the WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International, and the World Bank. The Foundation is equally committed to helping execute the National Polio Eradication Emergency Plan, and improving care of newborns and pregnant women in the community in northeast Nigeria.

states of the federation.

According to the white paper, the routine immunisation programme “has also demonstrated the ability to disseminate pro-immunisation messages and increase demand for vaccines.”

The Report describes the external context for routine immunization as “generally positive”, although the system is facing potential threats from a shrinking programme landscape, an unstable global economy, and the prioritization of polio eradication efforts over routine immunisation. But it favours the strong global support for routine immunization, a favourable political climate in-country, moderate to high vaccine demand, and the potential to piggy-back on polio eradication efforts.

Among the recommendations to address the barriers are technical support of newly formed State Primary Health Care Development Agencies, increased provision of cold chain equipment and vehicles, and demandside interventions where appropriate.”

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

G

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Books like Erotic Massage, Sex Secrets and Marathon Sex will teach both of you enough to have a satisfying love life – Uche Thank you for the Enzyte erection enhancer. My

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A good example is the Sasha Grey Masturbator and Pipe Dream’s Extreme Masturbator. Love dolls on the other hand are life size blow up dolls that you can inflate and deflate after usage. Asian Dream Love Doll and Deserving Derby Love Doll are good examples – Uche My penis is short and I have only satisfied my wife once in 14years of marriage and even to do that, I had to take Viagra for erection. Since then that Viagra did not work for me again and my wife has been complaining of my weakness in bed – Augustine Austin to enlarge your penis, use a combination of Max Size Supplement and Potent Developer Penis Pump. Max Size is also an erection enhancer and will give you strong erections to perform for hours.

Also use a vibrator during intercourse. A lot of men don’t know this but a vibrator is a man’s most reliable tool when it comes to satisfying women.

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I guarantee you that she will never complain again. It works like magic – Uche That’s it for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria.

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 43

C M Y K

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 45

Syria, Iran dominate UN parley

BY UDUMA KALU

U

PRISING in Syria , Iran’s nuclear build up and Al Qaeda’s inroads in the Sahel region of west Africa, especially in Mali, and the first decline in years in international aid to help developing countries combat poverty will dominate the UN general assembly meeting which begins today. More than 120 presidents, prime ministers and monarchs meeting this week under heavy security at the U.N. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will step down next year, makes his final speech to the General Assembly on Wednesday. Netanyahu speaks on Thursday.

Germany’s U.N. Ambassador Peter Wittig, the current Security Council president, said “change in the Arab world” will be uppermost in the minds of the leaders — as was the case at last year’s session.

Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi, an Islamist who was sworn in on June 30 after the first

democratic elections in the country’s modern history, will be addressing the 193-member assembly for the first time on Wednesday. So too will Yemen’s President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who took office in February following more than a year of political turmoil and is now trying to steer the country’s transition to

democracy. The Palestinians expect overwhelming support from the assembly for the enhanced U.N. status, which they hope will give broad international legitimacy to the pre-1967 lines as Palestine’s border and grant them access to U.N. agencies and possibly the International Criminal Court.

...As Iran warns of ‘WW III’

I

RAN could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state were preparing to attack it, a senior commander of its elite Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, made the comments to Iran’s staterun Arabic language AlAlam television, according to a report on the network’s website.

“Iran will not start any war but it could launch a pre-emptive attack if it was sure that the enemies are putting the final

touches to attack it,” AlAlam said, paraphrasing the military commander.

Hajizadeh, who heads the Guard’s aerospace division, said any attack on Iranian soil could trigger “World War III.” “We cannot imagine the Zionist regime starting a war without America’s support. Therefore, in case of a war, we will get into a war with both of them and we will certainly get into a conflict with American bases,” he said. ”In that case, unpredictable and unmanageable things would happen and it could turn into a World War III.”

UN aler ts on ne wS ARS-lik e virus alerts new SARS-lik ARS-like

T

HE United Nations health body, which issued a statement through its “global alert and response” system, said tests on the patient, a 49-year-

old Qatari man, confirmed the presence of a new, or novel, coronavirus.

It said the U.K. scientists compared gene sequences of the virus from the

Soldiers find abandoned baby

A

NEWBORN baby girl left abandoned on the side of the road in southern Afghanistan has been discovered by a group of Polish soldiers. The soldiers came upon the baby, who they have named Pola, after

Poland, wrapped in a towel on Wednesday while they were checking a route near their Waghez military base for safety, Defense Ministry spokesman Janusz Walczak told The Associated Press.

Qatari patient with samples of virus sequenced by Dutch scientists from lung tissue of a fatal case earlier this year in a 60-year-old Saudi Arabia national. The two were almost identical, it said.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which includes the common cold and SARS. “Given that this is a novel coronavirus, WHO is currently in the process of obtaining further information to determine the public health implications,” the statement said.

EU cour ys e xtradition of tterroris erroris ts courtt oka okays extradition errorists

T

HE European Court of Human Rights has given its final approval for the extradition of five major terrorism suspects from the UK to the US. The court’s highest judges said they would not re-open the cases of Abu Hamza al-Masri, Babar Ahmad and others.

The decision means that the extradition of the men, wanted for years by the US, is likely to happen within weeks.

Each man said they

would face inhumane treatment in the United

States if they were sent there.

ECO WAS plans troop deplo yment ECOW deployment to Mali

W

EST African nations are plotting strategies for deploying a regional military force to Mali, including a mission into the country’s Islamist-seized north, a regional official said Monday.

The deployment plans are to be submitted to the

United Nations for approval on Wednesday.

Toga Gayewea McIntosh, vice president of the commission for the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States, spoke after Mali and the regional bloc reached a partial agreement over conditions .

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Lekki, a time bomb waiting *Experts seek provision to explode of infrastructure before the axis becomes a slum

T

BY JUDE NJOKU

HE Lekki -Epe corridor in Lagos is unarguably, the fastest growing construction corridor in the Nigeria today. Almost all affluent Nigerians and those in the middle income bracket, want to own properties in this highbrow corridor. The once dreaded swampy neighbourhood became the toast of property investors when Messrs HFP Engineering Limited developed Victoria Garden City, VGC, the flagship luxury estate along the corridor. The success of VGC opened the floodgates for hitherto lethargic investors who now see the area as a haven for real estate investments. The number of estates and new towns springing up in that neighbourhood have already stretched the infrastructures available beyond limits.

A resident of the corridor who simply identified himself as Basil, explained that although the cost of land in the area is hitting the rooftops, the existing infrastructure is nothing to write home about. He noted that roads in the area are usually impassable in the dry season, not to talk of when the rains set in.

Effects of increasing developments Built environment experts have however warned that the upward swing in construction activities in the area, may lead to an environmental catastrophe if urgent steps are not taken to stem or mitigate the effects of the increasing developments.

A Town Planner, Mr Moses Ogunleye described the major challenge facing the corridor as flooding. He noted that apart from the Lekki-Epe toll road which has drainage channels, other inner roads in the neighbourhood are usually flooded at the slightest showers because of the absence of drainage channels.

“In terms of flood, there would be problems. In ranking, we have excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. I would rate the drainage systems in Lekki poor, not even fair. Apart from the main expressway, other connecting roads and streets do not have drainage outlets. So, infrastructure (drainage channel) is the biggest challenge facing the corridor. Even those who live in Lekki Phase 1 know that it is a potential disaster area because of the big challenge of storm water control ,” the former

•VGC, the flagship luxury estate in Lekki Lagos.

Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Town planners, NITP, said.

He noted that people who live in many parts of the Lekki corridor, get trapped for days each time it rained, because it takes the flood water about three days to recede.

Ogunleye whose firm, Beachland organises the annual Lagos Housing Fair, explained that it would be difficult to control the flooding in the neighbourhood because most of the estates in the area are not linked to each other. They are mini-towns or mini-communities which will make flood control difficult, he said.

The settlement expert was however quick to point out that the land use master plan for the Lekki which envisages the Lekki Peninsula as a “Blue-Green”

Environment City in Lagos, if implemented, would take care of the problem. The master plan which was prepared by Messrs Dar al Handersah, Shair and Partners, according to the Beachland boss, made provision for flood control in the highbrow axis.

On the durability of houses in the neighbourhood, Mr Ogunleye posited that there is no cause for alarm. He hinged his optimism on the fact that most property owners in the corridor belong to the high income bracket, hence they ensured that they built solid houses that will withstand any adverse weather conditions. “The building strength is not a problem at all because only wealthy people build in that axis. They usually make use of engineers who advise them to do special foundations like raft or pile

foundations,” he said.

He called on the Government to expedite action on the construction of the proposed coastal road in the area.

Ogunleye’s views were corroborated by an Estate Surveyor and Valuer, Pastor Stephen Jagun, who noted that Lekki is fast turning into a slum.

According to him, the area is a time bomb waiting to explode hence the government should take proactive steps to provide infrastructure in the area.

Jagun who is a former Secretary of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Lagos Branch, regretted that Lekki axis ‘has no infrastructure at all”. Describing the area as a goldmine for government, the former President of the International Facilities Management

HIGH POINTS *Apart from the LekkiEpe Toll Road, inner roads in the corridor do not have drainage channels *The area is usually flooded at the slightest rain and it takes up to three days before the flood water recedes *The traffic snarl in the area compounds the situation *Many people are developing their properties even before infrastructure is provided

Association, IFMA, Nigeria, noted that the state will make more money from the area by providing the enabling infrastructure.

He decried a scenario where people built houses before the infrastructures are put in place.

According to him, there are some areas in Lagos where the state is doing new roads but the level of the roads are higher than the houses because people settled in those areas before the roads were built. “The ideal thing is for the roads to be built so that people can use them as a benchmark when building their houses. The implication of this scenario is that the houses would be flooded when it rains,” he said.

Another Lagos -based Estate Surveyor and Valuer, Mr Kunle Awolaja painted a picture of the traffic problems in the axis, due to the dearth of good roads network. Awolaja who is the General Secretary of the NIESV, stated that it is “either that the government is not proactive enough or estate developers are just eager to make money and leave buyers to suffer the consequences” The right thing to do, according to him, is for people to wait for the government to provide the needed infrastructure before moving in.

Mr Awolaja enjoined the Lagos State Government to enforce the town planning laws as it relates to developments in the Lekki axis.

What To Do When Your Ceiling Fan Wobbles A LITTLE wobble is normal for ceiling fans. However, if it gets too significant, you could have a problem on your hands. The way to deal with this ceiling fan repair is to start by finding out what the source of the wobble might be.

Often, a ceiling fan will start wobbling if it’s been hung from an ordinary electrical box instead of the specialty kind intended for fans.

A fan exerts a lot more force on an electrical box than a light or other ceiling hung fixture, because it moves constantly and has a greater weight. If your fan

becomes very loose, it could fall.

Here’s how to check. *Unscrew and lower the fan’s bracket housing. Check the electrical box for a label telling you that it’s rated for fans. Also, see if it’s fastened securely.

Ideally, your fan should be attacked to a bracket or solid wood block by U-bolts or lag screws. * If you find that the fan isn’t properly supported, or that it has the wrong kind of box, an installation specialist can help you. If you’re experienced with this kind of installation, you can fix it yourself, but otherwise, you

should probably call an expert. *If you can’t figure out what kind of support your fan has from below, you might need to check from above, in the attic. Before you do this, follow steps four through seven. They might fix the issue without the need for extra work. *Check the support bracket by wiggling it. If this doesn’t feel firm, tightening it might fix the problem. * Many fans hang from a drop rod. If yours is one of these, make sure that the ball joint at the top of this rod has been engaged

properly with the fan support bracket. *Check all bolts and screws. If any seem loose, tighten them.

Replace stripped screws and bolts immediately.

• Measure the distance between the blades and the ceiling. If this distance isn’t the same in all cases, you might have a bent or warped fan blade. This problem should be reported to the manufacturer. Many manufacturers offer replacements in these • Source: http://www.ceilingfan-wizard.com

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 47

ENVIRONMENT WATCH

Coastal states, UNDP parley on mitigation of climate change impacts

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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NVIRONMENT experts who met in Lagos last week, have blamed the aggravating impacts of climate change on the coastal and marine environment of coastal states on unplanned and poor land use as well as urbanisation. The experts met at a two-day Climate Change Dialogue organised by the United Nations Development Programme UNDP, in collaboration with Lagos State Government for coastal states in Nigeria. The coastal states which were represented at the dialogue by scientists, administrators, civil society organisations and media practitioners, include Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom.

In a communique issued at the end of the dialogue, the participants posited that the impact of climate change on the coastal areas is increasing their vulnerability in the security of water supplies and risk to existing infrastructure. It has also resulted in adverse health effects, increased threat to ecosystems and coastal development.

Ecosystems and coastal development In order to get out of this serious problem, the dialogue recommended that the concerned eight states should immediately establish a functional network for the sharing of best practices about adaptation options for coastal zone management. The states were likewise urged to undertake in-depth research to determine the vulnerability of their coastal and marine environment to anticipated global warming-induced sea level rise The forum observed that “the effects of climate change-induced sea level rise are transboundary in the nature and will affect the states in different but interlinked ways”.

“It is, therefore, imperative for states to come together in forging a collective response to the crisis of climate change in the coastal region of Nigeria. States should adopt a regional approach to addressing the impact of climate change through a well-established regional cooperation mechanism. To do this effectively, each state should develop action-oriented mitigation and adaptation strategies and activities to address the challenges of sea level riseinduced flooding. State-specific strategies, derived from the relevant sections of the National Climate Change Policy and Response Strategy, should then be integrated into a regional

•Impact of ocean surge in coastal areas strategy and action plan for a coordinated implementation,” the participants advocated.

The states were further advised to build their capacities so

as to enable them have access to global multilateral and bilateral climate change funds that are critical to meet the huge financial resources required to

adopt practical, but costly adaptation initiatives required to respond more effectively to the challenges of sea level rise and other extreme weather events-

induced flooding in the coastal region of Nigeria.

The forum also suggested that regional oceanographic and marine research institutions should be strengthened to undertake evidence-based research and early warning systems should be established to enhance the resilience of the people living in the affected zones.

According to Deputy Country Director, UNDP, Jan Thomas Hiemestra, the dialogue was aimed at sensitising stakeholders in Nigeria’s coastal areas as a proactive strategic preparedness action plan to forestall future negative consequences of abrupt sea level rise. He added that the lessons learnt from the brainstorming were envisaged to become a model for other coastal preparedness action plans in Nigeria.

Lagos State Environment Commissioner, Tunji Bello, lamented that Lagos has in recent times suffered from ocean surge and consequently the degradation of beaches (Alpha and Kuramo) and loss of lives.

Bello added that it is against this background that the Lagos State Government has embarked on a number of projects aimed at building internal resilience to the vagaries of ocean surge and other climate change induced conditions.

Nigeria, 14 others unite to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants

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IGH-level government officials, policymakers, environmental experts and industrial stakeholders from 15 countries converged in Africa for the first time last week, in a bid to identify ways of reducing emissions of shortlived climate pollutants (SLCPs) from the continent.

SLCPs are substances emitted into the atmosphere as a result of human activities which have impacts on climate change and adverse implications for public health and agricultural productivity. Implementing measures to sub-

stantially reduce concentrations of methane, black carbon and tropospheric ozone in the atmosphere would have substantial and immediate health, crop yield and other environmental benefits for Africa. In addition, their reduction, along with reductions in the emissions of many HFCs, would help reduce nearterm warming and climate impacts across Africa and globally over the next few decades. At a global scale it is clear that these actions need to be complemented by deep and rapid cuts in carbon

dioxide emissions if global mean temperature increase over the 21st century is to be held below 2°C. Therefore, addressing SLCPs is not an alternative to CO2 reduction but is very important regarding warming over the next few decades.

Hosted by the Environment Ministries of Ghana and Nigeria with support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, CCAC, the African Climate Policy Centre, ACPC, and the UN Environment Programme UNEP, the three-day event addressed the critical need

Heed early warning and relocate, Mailafia urges flood-prone communities

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NVIRONMENT Minis ter, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia has stated that incidents of recurring flash floods in various parts of the country, particularly in the North which is noted for drought, has underscored the reality of climate change.

The Minister is heading a Federal Government delegation to visit flood affected states, with a view to assessing the extent of flooding and damage for more remedial action. Other members of the committee include the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund

office, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala.

Mrs. Mailafia reiterated the need for citizens, particularly residents of flood-prone areas to heed the early warnings of the Ministry on impending floods, and to promptly evacuate, so that lives will not be lost. She urged Nigerians not to hesitate to evacuate their abodes, when directed to do so by local authorities.

The Minister appealed to residents to refrain from dumping refuse on drainage channels, gutters, and causing blockage of canals which aggravate floods.

She also warned against building

of houses in flood plains, or on river banks which is prohibited

by Town Planning Authorities.

She further called for the stoppage of tree felling, which contribute to environmental degradation.

Mrs. Mailafia appealed to people to embrace and adopt the use of alternative sources of cooking energy such as gas stoves, to preserve the country’s wood lots. She noted that tree felling is positively detrimental to the Federal Government’s Presidential Initiative on Afforestation.

for national actions to address the SLCPs and consequently mitigation of their impacts.

Countries who took part besides the hosts, Ghana and Nigeria, include Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Malawi, Senegal, Togo and Zimbabwe.

Municipal waste management “Addressing the issue of SLCPs, will foster achievement of MDGs and their successors, specifically issues of health, food security, municipal waste management, access to cleaner cooking and energy access.’’ said Ghana Environment Minister Sherry Ayittey. “Action on SLCPs will help Africans to achieve development goals in a sustainable way, for example, by combatting the negative impact of indoor air pollution, especially on women and children’’.

Under the chairmanship of Ms. Bahijjahtu Abubakar of Nigeria and Prof. Youba Sokona of ACPC, participants will explore methods of SLCP reduction for African nations such as promoting best practices and showcasing successful efforts for the reduction of black carbon from cookstoves, oil and gas flaring, and transport, and the reduction of methane emissions from fossil fuel production and from the agricultural and waste sectors.

48 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

East-West highway of pains

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, PORT HARCOURT

•Stranded commuters rain abuses on FG, contractor

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HE rainy season is a period most travellers on the East- West road in the Niger Delta region wish should never be. This is due to the nightmare and bitter experience they go through on the road during the rainy season . For many years now, the road has been in a very deplorable state and the situation becomes worse for travellers whenever the rains set in.

These travellers could be trapped at a particular bad spot for the whole day. The foregoing bitter experience played up again Wednesday and Thursday last week when hundreds of travellers were stranded for two days at the Ahoada West end of the road.

The distraught passengers rained abuses on the Federal Government and Setraco, the construction company handling the expansion of the road. They blamed them for the pain they went through.

One of the passengers who identified himself as Mr. Olumide said he left Omoku, in Rivers State for Lagos that Wednesday and got to the bad spot at about 9am. After several hours at the spot, he said he had to cancel his trip when it dawned on him that there was nothing he could do to wriggle out of the long traffic caused by the bad spot.

“I had to call my wife that I was coming back home, so they could prepare food for me,” he told the Vanguard

East-West Road in the Niger Delta region...begging for reconstruction

hope of meandering through, they had to come back to Port Harcourt. They urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to reduce the pain of travellers on the road.

The stranded commuters said they got to the spot on Wednesday morning and were trapped there the entire day.

We can’t understand why this road is still in this state when the President is from this region; Mr President should reward the electoral support he got from this region by fixing this road urgently

,

Features. He was not alone in the pensive mood.

Hundreds of Edo, Lagos and Delta-bound passengers who could not make it through the bad spot after spending a whole day at the long stretch of vehicular traffic, also cancelled their trips and returned to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

They looked exhausted as they spoke to the VF at one of the motor parks located along the Waterlines area of the state capital. According to them, they slept at a spot on the traffic and when it became very clear that there was no

,

Some said they slept at various hotels in Okogbe and other neighboring villages on Wednesday night. They said they woke very early the following day, being Thursday, to continue the trip only to be trapped again at the same spot for the whole day. Frustrated they had to cancel their trips.

VF was told that two trailers broke down at the bad spot close to the Mbiama bridge.

Describing their experience as very bitter, Mr Charles said it had become a re-occurring one on the road. He said it was really disturbing that the

Federal Government was yet to fix the road.

He said he had been trapped about five different times at several bad spots on the road on many occasions.

A mother of five said she had to come back to Port Harcourt when she could not stand the long wait at the spot with her five children.

She said they were travelling to Edo State ahead of the resumption of their school. According to the lady who simply gave her name as Patience, some of the passengers in the commercial bus she boarded had to disembark to trek several kilometres to board another vehicle at the other end of the road She said she could not do same because of her little children, stressing that the only option was to lose the transport fare they paid and return to Port Harcourt.

FG, SETRACO toying with our patience Some of the passengers criticised President Goodluck Jonathan for not doing much to fix the roads. Another stranded passenger who gave his name as Mr Paul said: “We can’t understand why this road is still in this state when the President is from this

region. The area has Niger Delta Ministry, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. Mr President should reward the electoral support he got from this region by fixing this road urgently”.

Also a female student of the University of Port Harcourt who simply identified herself as Cindy, could not understand why the firm handling the expansion of the road and the Federal Government allowed travellers to go through such a harrowing experience.

Failure of governance Mr.David said the state of the road was a clear indication that governance had failed in the country. “You can see that Setraco and the Federal Government are just toying with our patience in this country. Is the country at war for us to have this kind of ugly situation”? he queried.

Dave stated that it is only a country in crisis that could allow its road to deteriorate at such an alarming rate. "There is no justification for government’s failure to take care of its basic responsibility such as fixing of this road,” he cried.

Some little children who slept on the road on

Wednesday night could not understand why they should.

According to Mrs Vero, her nine-year-old daughter kept asking if President Jonathan is aware that the road is that bad.

Mr Paul said there was also another bad spot before Ahoada when coming from the Warri end of the road. He said the spot, if not taken care of immediately, could cause problems for travellers soon.

He further drew the attention of Setraco to a bad spot in front of the company’s camp on the road and appealed to them to urgently address it before it creates another round of problem for travellers.

Some of the travellers pleaded passionately with government to prevail on the construction company to repair all bad spots as it carries out the expansion of the road.

It would be recalled that about four months ago, a petrol tanker veered off its lane on the East-West road and landed on its back, spilling its content and later burst into flames. About one 190 persons were allegedly consumed in the inferno. The deplorable state of the road was largely blamed for the sad incident.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 49

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 50

Bauchi condemns suicide bombing at St. John’s Catholic Church

BY EMEKA MAMAH & SUZAN EDEH

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DINNER: From left: Outgoing President, Lighthouse Toastmasters Club, Mr. Femi Adeoti; President, Mr. David Ayo, and Vice President, Education, Mr. Temofe Ugbona, during the Charter's presentation and change of guard dinner of the business club, at Best Western Hotel, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE: From left: Senator Anthony Adefuye with guest preacher, Monsignor Sam Ehotikpo, at his 68th birthday thanksgiving service at St. Dennis Catholic Church, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos.

AUCHI—BAUCHI State Government has condemned last Sunday’s suicide bomb attack at St. John’s Catholic Church which claimed three lives including the suicide bomber with about 44 others including two policemen, seriously injured, promising that the perpetrators would be fished out.

This is even as the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has expressed shock over the bombing and advised the perpertrators to embrace the offer of dialogue by the Federal Government.

Those injured during the attack are said to be receiving treatment at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, ATBUTH, in Bauchi.

The state government described the attack as "barbaric, condemnable and an act of terrorism which governments at various levels in the country were fighting hard to eradicate."

The government spoke through the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Isa Yuguda, Mr. Michael

Adeyemi, yesterday.

In a statement, Adeyemi said: "After an emergency security council meeting, the state government condoled with the families of all those who lost their loved ones in the barbaric act praying God to give them all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss and

4, 770 pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia

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ANO—A total of 4, 770 intending pilgrims have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia from the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano for this year ’s hajj.

Alhaji Umar Bala, the Kano Zonal Coordinator of the National Hajj Commission, NAHCON, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kano on Sunday.

He said the intending pilgrims were transported to the Holy Land in nine flights by the three airlines that had been contracted for the this

W

ARRI—IJAW Youth Council, IYC, Western Zone, has raised an alarm over alleged plan by Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, to throw 1,703 workers, classified as contract staff, into the unemployment market, in utter disregard to the Local Content Act. The group, which threw its weight behind KOMBOT, a body of unemployed graduates from Gbaramatu and Egbema kingdoms in Delta State that gave CNL a sevenday ultimatum to provide them with jobs, last week, said the company would face disruption of its operations if it treated the demand with levity. The seven-day ultimatum by KOMBOT expires today.

It said, in a statement jointly signed by the Secretary and Information Officer, Friday Itigbi and Oweikeye Endoro re-

spectively, IYC said it was aware of two letters

by Chevron, dated, May 5 and August 14, 2012, and signed by F. O. Imafidon.

IYC said the letter, addressed to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and NAPIMS, sought ap-

proval for the workers to be sacked.

It said 95 per cent of those to be sacked were from the host communities, even as 98 per cent of the permanent staff of the company were not from Niger Delta.

While advising Chevron to ensure the suste-

nance of the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta by acceding to the demands of KOMBOT, it asserted that the company ’s negative attitude towards employment of Niger Deltans, especially Ijaw, had generated crisis in the region in the past.

year’s hajj operation in the zone.

He said: “The three airlines are Kabo, Max and Meridian. They have been contracted to transport pilgrims for Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi States.”

He said Max Air has made five flights for intending pilgrims from Kano and Jigawa while Kabo and Meridian airlines have made two flights each for Jigawa and Kano.

“With this development Max Air has so far airlifted 2, 650 intending pilgrims while Kabo and Meridian airlines have transported a total of 2, 120," he said.

Akpabio appeals for love, unity among ethnic groups

IYC raises alarm over alleged plan U to sack 1,703 workers

BY EMMA AMAIZE

asked them to take solace in God the giver and taker of life.

“There is no way we will allow criminals and terrorists to continue to live among us and continue to terrorise innocent people even in their places of worship. We must join hands to stop these heinous acts."

YO—GOVERNOR Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has appealed to indigenes of the state to unite and love themselves for the progress of the state.

He made the appeal in Uyo on Sunday at a special inter-denominational service to mark the silver jubilee of the creation of state.

He said: "Love and unity must prevail among the ethnic groups of the state. A good leader must be ready to carry every-

body along, irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliations."

Akpabio advised those seeking to rule the state not to discriminate as this was against the will of God. “I want to enjoin those who are interested in leadership that the Government House would not accommodate ethnic b i g o t r y .

“If you are coming here you must not discriminate or else you would not last," he added.

Resolve Kogi, Anambra oil dispute, Madam Gloria Mamah passes on PPA urges FG RS. Gloria grand and four great

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BUJA—THE Na tional Secretary, Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, Mr. Peter Ameh, yesterday called on the Federal Government to resolve the oil dispute between Kogi and Anambra states in the interest of peace.

Ameh, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja, said Elf Oil Company visited the area in 1976 to verify the presence of oil in the state.

He commended the Deputy Governor of Kogi State Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, who doubles as the chairman of the state Boundary Commission, SBC, for writing to the National Boundary Commission, NBC, responsible for boundary matters.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to allow the NBC to look into the matter and resolve it between the two states peacefully.

He said: “The Federal Government should find

a lasting solution to the disputed oil areas because it is what binds the people together and their means of livelihood.

“We the people of Kogi believe that the OPL 195 and the OPL 916 belong to the people of Kogi and not Anambra as earlier pronounced by the government.”

He said one of the disputed oil wells was actually located in Igbaji area of Kogi and not in Anambra.

M

Mamah of Imufu Enugu-Ezike, Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State is dead, aged 86.

She was a community leader and devout Christian.

A statement by her son and Deputy News Editor,Vanguard Newspaper, Emeka Mamah, said funeral rites will start on October 19, with a wake keep at her family home and end on October 21.

She is survived by her children, in-laws, 19

grand children including Mrs. Caroline Omeh, Mrs. Alice Ossai, Thomas and Cordelia Nwali, Hon Pius Mamah, I. K and Mercy Eke, Mrs Edith Nwali, George Agbedo, Emma Adonu as well as Ifeanyi and Emeka Ossai among others.

Late Mrs Gloria Mamah

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 51

52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

AYC: Flying Eagles, Amajita ‘beat war drums’ S

OUTH Africa Under20 coach, Solly Luvhengo has told his Nigerian counterpart, John Obuh to prepare for the final fight as the two teams clash in the second leg qualifier of the African Youth Championships October 7 in Ilorin.

“The return leg in Nigeria will be very difficult, but we will fight.

The Flying Eagles are a good team but we will fight them. We just need to score in Nigeria and the pressure will be back on Nigeria. That is our target,” he said Obuh admitted that the match will not be an easy one, but said that his team was equal to the task.

“It won’t be an easy game in Ilorin (Nigeria) against a good and fast South African team, but we will qualify.

“These days, there isn’t such a thing as home advantage because a good team can play anywhere and win.

Football has changed and so we can’t relax to ensure we finish off the job in Ilorin,” he said.

M

O N D A Y Emoghavwe, the President, Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, has predicted that the country would win more medals at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Emoghavwe made the prediction while reacting to the honour bestowed on the athletes who won Gold at the 2012 London Paralympic Games by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the gesture was a departure from what happened in the past.

“The disabled sports

“The National team will be leaving for outside of Accra on September 30, 2012 for eleven days training before the duel with Nigeria.

“This is to keep the players focused on our mission to upset the Super Eagles. We want to

T

CELEBRATION.....Olarenwaju Kayode of Nigeria celebrates his goal with John Obuh during the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2011. (Photo by Getty Images)

blend the foreign and local based players for the sole purpose of winning,” said the LFA president.

Besides, the Liberians are sending an advance party of officials to Calabar to provide valuable information that can help their team have an upper hand against the Eagles.

Flamingoes Continues from BP “I know that my girls will win today’s match against Azerbaijan. I’m not putting them under any form of pressure as to how many goals they will score but I know we will win convincingly” he said.

Similarly, Captain of t h e t e a m , Victoria Aidelomon joined the coach to say that the team was looking excitedly towards the match as they are ready to erase any form of doubt the game against Canada might have caused.

“We are really looking forward to the match

has never had it so good and the non-recognition of disabled athletes by Nigeria’s past leaders was enough to dampen one’s spirit towards participating in sports in the country,” he said.

Emoghavwe said that following Mr President’s gesture the committee would have no option than to surpass the London achievements in the 2016 games.

“To whom much is given, much is expected.

“I remember vividly when a former president said we should come and receive a golden handshake, when our counterpart in China we performed better than, were given $10 million, and a house each."

NPL orders clubs to Soccerex in Lagos the Premier League

Lone Star Continues from BP

President, NSC rewards tonic for 2016 Paralympics — Emoghavwe

against the hosts. We intend to use this match to make a strong statement that we are strong contenders for this year’s title. Any doubt Nigerians might have had after our game against Canada would surely be laid to rest after that match” said Victoria.

Match commissioner for the match is Sun Wen (China) while center referee is Arellano Alondra(Mexico), assisted by Perello Shirly(Honduras) and Santos Mady(Honduras).

The match kicks off by 5pm Azerbiajan time and 1pm Nigeria time.

NFF: Eagles not paid win bonuses for draws

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HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have denied that the country’s team received full win bonuses for recent away draws.

“There is no truth in the story that we paid the team full bonus for matches they drew because in the first place, we do not have the money to even do so,” said NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire.

“The team therefore received what was due as bonuses based on the results they recorded.”

Olympic gold medalist Continues from BP Winning it while five weeks pregnant.

That’s what American beach volleyball c h a m p K e r r i Wa l s h Jennings did during the London Olympics.

She revealed on the “Today ” show that she and her husband Casey Jennings are expecting their third child. With a due date of April 9, Walsh Jennings was five weeks pregnant when winning another gold medal with longtime partner Misty May-Treanor.

Walsh Jennings said she was “moody and touchy ” during the

Olympics, which is odd for the normally happygo-lucky athlete, and her period was late.

Those symptoms could be attributed to the stress every athlete encounters when at the Olympics. However, May-Treanor figured it out before Walsh Jennings did, telling her partner, “You’re probably pregnant.”

Beach volleyball requires athletes to throw themselves all over the court, but Walsh Jennings said the pregnancy didn’t make her hold anything back on the court. She told the “Today ” show, “I gave everything I had.”

HE management of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has mandated all the Premier League Clubs to send a participant each to the 2012 Soccerex event scheduled for Thursday, September 27, 2012 at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos between 2.00pm -4.00pm.

In a letter signed by Sunday Obaseki on behalf of the Acting Executive Secretary, Tunji Babalola, and sent to the Chairmen of all

clubs, the NPL directed that each participant is expected to come along with his club’s autographed jersey for display at the event stressing that the clubs stand to gain enormously from same.

The NPL noted that the Soccerex event is the first of its kind in Nigeria, hence, the need for all the Premier League clubs to avail themselves of the viable economic and s p o n s o r s h i p opportunities that the event offers.

78 caps Continues from BP side just hours before he was due to begin an FA hearing into the saga with Anton Ferdinand.

This could be seen as slightly childish — but clearly his anger with the FA runs deep.

It is a shame, though, that Terry ’s international career has ended in this way. At Euro 2012, he was outstanding for his country.

It was easy to ridicule England in Poland and Ukraine but defensively, Hodgson’s side were as good as any other.

In Moldova a couple of weeks ago, Terry was superb and carried a below-par Joleon Lescott.

That was until Terry

picked up an ankle injury.

With England cruising towards victory, Hodgson wanted him to leave the pitch with 20 minutes to go, even though it would have left the team down to 10 men. Yet being the bloody-minded, stubborn character he is, Terry refused.

Instead, he hobbled along until a couple of minutes from time when he could continue no longer. That will be remembered as his final England performance.

After the match in Moldova, Roy Hodgson called him “a gladiator” although this latest FA charge is clearly a battle Terry feels he will not win.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 53

54 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 — 55

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

Paul Bassey Page 47 78 caps but no tears for JT

J

Lone Star camp in Ghana for Eagles •send advance party to Calabar

BY BEN EFE

T

HE Lone Star of Liberia are to resume camp in Accra, Ghana this weekend ahead of their October 13 make or mar Nations Cup qualifier against Nigeria’s Super Eagles

in Calabar.

Liberia Football Association boss, Musa Bility disclosed yesterday that 27 players will hit Accra and prepare with all “seriousness”, with the aim of causing an upset at the U.J Esuene Stadium, a venue where

the Eagles had won all their matches so far.

With 11 days remaining for the crucial winner takes it all game, Liberia, according to Mr. Bility, will leave no stone unturned to get the result that will see them playing in their third Nations Cup. Continues on Page 52

ON COURSE.....Chidinma Edeji of Nigeria goes for the ball during the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup match against Canada on September 22.

(Photo by Getty Images)

Flamingoes 'll whitewash Azerbaijan — Coach Dedevbo C OACH of Flamin goes, Peter Dedevbo has said that his girls are not under any form of pressure as they take on hosts, Azerbaijan today

in their second match of the FIFA U-17 female World Cup. Dedevbo, who reiterated that the match is a must-win for his team

OHN Terry picked up 78 caps for England over nine years.

But as he announced his international retirement last night, there were few tears.

Certainly not from the many fans who have grown to dislike a player who, nevertheless, remains his country’s best defender by a distance.

Some people still love Terry. Many people hate him.

Yet you cannot ignore the fact that on the evening Terry called time on playing for England, he was still a crucial member of Roy Hodgson’s firstteam.

The Chelsea centreback, 31, chose to turn his back on the national

Continues on Page 52

and that they will win convincingly, said that the three points at stake was the most important thing for his girls.

Continues on Page 52

Olympics gold medalist was five weeks pregnant

W

•Keshi

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

HAT’s more im pressive than winning a third-straight Olympic gold medal?

Continues on Page 52 YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

Today’s Women’s W/Cup fixtures Colombia Nigeria France USA

v v v v

ACROSS 1 Succulent (6) 5 Alive (6) 8 Nice (8) 9 Auction (4) 10 Donkey (3) 12 Seat (5) 15 Insect (3) 17 Child (3) 18 Elderly (3) 19 Meadow (3) 20 Unfastened (5) 21 Fitting (3) 22 Tavern (3) 23 Silence (3) 24 Gain (3) 26 Abrupt (5) 29 Stretch (3) 33 Secure (4) 34 Permission (8) 35 Rely (6) 36 Grow (6)

Canada Azerbaijan N/Korea Gambia

10am 1pm 10am 1pm

•Terry

DOWN 2 Map-book (5) 3 Rip (4) 4 Begin (5) 5 Housey-housey (5) 6 Huge (4) 7 Material (5) 10 Permit (5) 11 Blemish (5) 12 Feat (5) 13 Command (5) 14 Deposit (5) 15 Saying (5) 16 Name (5) 25 Angry (5) 27 Relaxed (5) 28 Because (5) 30 Recognised (5) 31 Yield (4) 32 Pace (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Pair 4, Nip 6, Sack 8, Warned 9, Column 10, Elk 12, Stalk 14, Debit 15, Eider 18, Grotto 20, Ironed 24, Named 26, Asked 28, Poked 30, Set 32, Covert 33, Erotic 34, Test 35, Mum 36, Seem.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Abaft 3, Ringlet 4, Nude 5, Pick 6, Salve 7, Combine 11, Lie 12, Sag 13, Kit 16, Don 17, Rim 19, Restore 21, Rep 22, Odorous 23, Dud 25, Ape 27, Erect 29, Elite 30, Stem 31, Team.

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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