PRESIDENCY TO NORTHERN ELDERS: Tell Boko Haram to accept dialogue

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61846

PIB fiscal regime still very competitive 6 P.4 • — Committee

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N150

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

IDENTITY CRISIS: INEC disqualifies African Peoples Congress •P.49

PRESIDENCY TO NORTHERN ELDERS:

Tell Boko Haram to accept dialogue

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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•Says N-Delta elders helped Yar'Adua's Amnesty programme •Warns that grandstanding, blackmail won't help the nation

BUJA—THE Presi dency, yesterday, urged Northern leaders to prevail on the Boko Haram Sect to embrace dialogue.

A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said: “There is no need for over-politicization of the demand for Amnesty, or to blackmail the President for taking strong,

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COLUMNISTS:

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Mr & Mrs

SOUR CRUDE—

Zambia's former president Rupiah Banda (left) addresses his supporters while under arrest, yesterday for abuse of authority in connection with Nigerian oil deal. Right: A supporter of Banda arrested by Zambian policemen for misconduct in Lusaka yesterday. Photos: AFP. See story on Page 9.

Gunmen kill policeman, burn police station in Yobe •P.6 C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

NEW HEAD OF SERVICE—President Goodluck Jonathan congratulating the new Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Goni Aji (right) after he took the oath of office at the Aso Chambers, State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

PRESIDENCY TO NORTHERN ELDERS: Tell

Boko Haram to accept dialogue Continues from Page 1

patriotic views that are contrary to those of some of our respected elders.

Such, sometimes is the

nature of statecraft and in many parts of the civilized world, situations like this are handled with equanimity and fur-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

The truth is, we can do great things after we pray, but we cannot do great things until we pray. So keep praying.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

is basically the understanding that W we all are part of the Whole. We are all small rivers moving towards the ocean. I laughed at the

ther deepening of consultation, certainly not acrimonious misunderstanding or open hatred.

"The true expectation is that our respected leaders will go back to the drawing board and increase internal consultation and networking with the aim of reaching out to the leadership of the insurgents and convincing them to do the needful and step out to be counted.”

ISDOM

fact that enlightenment is really our innate birthright, and that small children already live in this mystical unity with the Whole — Dhyan Giten There is an adage that when an ordinary man gains wisdom he becomes a sage but when a sage gains more wisdom he becomes an ordinary man.

In essence, life whispers truth from our heart, if we listen deeply enough. Dhyan Giten, summarises his wonderful experience about enlightenment: One day while taking a walk in nature I experienced a silent explosion of awareness from within and my whole perception of reality changed.

In a single moment, everything had changed, although nothing on the outside had really changed but my way of seeing had changed. I felt one with everything and everyone.

My heart danced with joy together with a feeling of “I am a divine being”. Not that I am the creator of everything, but that I am part of the whole, part of the divine. It felt like coming home, that Existence is my home. I also saw that even if the people that I meet did not understand that they are a part of the Whole, they still are, I felt the waves of Existence in my own heart and being and I felt like a small wave in a great ocean. It gave a taste of the eternal, a taste of the limitless and boundless source of creativity. In just a few moments, I learnt more than during 20 years of learning in the university.

Niger Delta leaders helped Yar'Adua's Amnesty programme The president’s aide recalled that prominent leaders of the Niger Delta such as former Information Minister, Edwin Clark; former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; former Minister for Culture, Alabo Graham Douglas and a few others co-operated fully with the late President Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua by visiting militant camps and per-

suading them to lay down their arms and allow government address their grievances in a civilized manner.

"This was the way and manner a successful amnesty programme was hatched and effected. Many local leaders and stakeholders bought into the government’s amnesty programme. It was carefully planned, properly structured and effectively implemented with co-operation and willing support of elders, stakeholders and well known and nationally acknowledged open leadership of the militants. These include: Asari Dokubo, Boyloaf, Tompolo, Atake Tom, Tamuno George, and Soboma George to mention a few. They were clearly identified and they negotiated openly and transparently with the government.”

He continued: “It is for these reasons that there is need for a great restraint when we advocate for Amnesty for those amongst us, who have actually, through criminality engaged in wanton destruction of innocent lives, public and private property; especially when their

activities are based on ethnic and religious ideologies that actually strike at the foundation of our mutual co-existence. We also need to be mindful that we have other ethnic militias in the country who have remained essentially peaceful, and who may by these calls for amnesty be encouraged to now pursue violence. ”Grandstanding, undue politicization, blackmail and insincerity will not help us as a nation. We are a nation of strongwilled, socio-culturally well-differentiated societies, with long standing historical ties, and we are one people with a clear destiny to lead Africa and the world. We must at times like this show exemplary mutual respect, affinity and cohesion strong enough to lift us together as one strong and united people, out of this quagmire and National misadventure."

The Road to dialogue The issue of dialoguing with the sect

and granting the members amnesty have been on and off.

At a time, the sect declared its readiness to dialogue with the government provided the parley was held in Saudi Arabia. It named prominent Nigerians such as former Head of State, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to represent it in the talks. Buhari later distanced himself from the dialogue.

Recently, a faction of the group declared cease-fire in Maiduguri, Borno State after series of parley with the state government. The move was recanted by another faction and the violence has continued.

Thereafter, there were calls for the government to grant the sect amnesty as was done in the Niger Delta to militants.

During a visit to Yobe and Borno states recently, President Jonathan punctured calls for amnesty for the group saying he could not grant amnesty to ghosts. The president’s stance was flayed in some quarters and recent waves of sustained Boko Haram attacks have been attributed to it.

Price movement: NSE's 10% ceiling for all stocks NKIRUKA NNOROM

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AGOS—THE Ni gerian Stock Exchange, NSE, will extend the 10 per cent ban on share price movement to include other stocks not covered by the market makers by April, said Ade Bajomo, Executive Director, IT and Market Operations, NSE. He made the disclosure while briefing capital market correspondents on recent developments in the market.

Bajomo also disclosed

that supplementary market makers would commence operation on April 2, 2013 after the applications received from 23 interested parties must have been screened and approved for the purpose.

The NSE had in September, 2012, while introducing market making programme, lifted the five per cent ban on share price movement of stocks in the portfolio of market makers top 10 per cent to allow for more activity in the stocks.

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Kidnapped foreigner, a Briton, not American —Police

BY EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — THE Police in Lagos, yesterday, said they had received vital information on the kidnap of a foreign national, in Lagos, weekend.

This is just as it clarified that the abducted man was not an American as claimed but a Briton.

Although the command did not disclose the identity of the abducted Briton, it simply said he was a businessman with an undisclosed business interest in Nigeria.

It was gathered that the Briton was abducted, weekend, in front of his house located in Victoria Island area.

Time was 11p.m.

Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, when contacted on phone said: “The victim is not an American as alleged, but a British businessman whose mission in Nigeria is not yet known. But we have been able to receive some vital information as regards the kidnap case.”

JTF arrests man for kidnapping employer’s daughter

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ORT HARCOURT — A MAN, John Onu, has been arrested by the Joint Task Force, JTF, for kidnapping and receiving ransom on the daughter of his employer in Ubima, Ikwerre area of Rivers State.

The suspect was said to have abducted the victim two weeks ago and kept her in his home only to release her after an undisclosed ransom was paid.

His arrest two days after followed a lead provided by the 11-year-old abducted girl who recognised Onu as the father’s employee.

A family source who simply gave his name as Nnamdi, however, expressed fears that the suspect might have been shot by the team that arrested him.

Nnamdi said: “The army came and took him away, but the family is no longer talking about arrest. Rumour is everywhere in this village that the JTF has wasted him.”

Undergraduate, tri-cycle operator, three others killed in cult war

BY EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — AT least five persons, among them, a final year Nigerian who schools at the North American University Houdegbe, in Benin Republic, have been killed in a renewed cult war in Mushin area of Lagos.

The supremacy tussle also claimed the life of Chairman of Keke NAPEP operators in Ojuelegba, weekend, following the latter’s reported intervention during the fight which led to the undergraduate’s death.

Vanguard gathered that the student identified as Adeolu Otenaike, 26, left Benin Republic on March 18, 2013 to celebrate the purchase of a car with his friends, in the company of five other students.

Eye witnesses said the party was held at Arena, a club located on 39, Jibowu Street, said to be the headquarters and meeting point for suspected members of Black Axe Confraternity.

But trouble, as gathered, started after Adeolu was reportedly accosted by one Taiye, a suspected cultist and members of his gang, while seeing some of his friends off, at about 11.50p.m.

He was reportedly beaten and dragged to Empire area where Chairman of the tri-cycle operators, Lekan Lawal, reportedly intervened by telling the assailants not to kill Adeolu in his domain.

It was gathered that Adeolu was dragged away from the area and reportedly shot in the head and neck. One of his friends simply identified as Chinedu who managed to escape, reportedly sustained injuries.

It was gathered that same day,

four other persons whose identities were given simply as Martins, Olosa, Fadeyi and Adeyemi were killed at different spots also in Mushin.

In an apparent move to conceal their identities, the assailants reportedly killed Lawal at Ibidun Street at about 9.30p.m, Saturday.

Residents of the area, who are currently living in fear, told Vanguard that the area was calm before the cult war.

For instance, a resident disclosed that last Monday, the cultists went on shooting spree around the area, when two persons were hit by stray bullets

while sleeping in their shops.

Police sources told Vanguard that investigation had begun with a view to arresting the suspected cultists. It was gathered that some members of the confraternity had fled the area following police investigation.

The late Adeolu Otenaike.

Gunmen kill policeman, burn police station, telecom masts in Yobe

BY BALA AJIYA & NDAHI MARAMA

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AMATURU —GUNMEN suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect torched the Bara Divisional Police Station, the council secretariat complex and telecom masts of MTN and Globacom, killing a policeman who attempted to protect the station from being set ablaze with Improvised Explosive Devices,

IEDs, and rocket propelled launchers at 1.30 a.m, yesterday.

Bara is a council headquarters of Gulani, 160 kilometres south of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

The gunmen, according to an eyewitness, also snatched three vehicles belonging to the council, including a Toyota Hilux van, and fled towards Buni/Yadi.

He said the gunmen that overpowered the policemen at

the council headquarters, operated for over three hours, before they succeeded in torching the station and telecom masts in the council area.

Speaking on the incident, Yobe State Police Commissioner, Sanusi Rufai, said the gunmen employed rocket propelled launchers, IEDs and petrol bombs in torching the police station and telecom masts, noting that no arrest had been made.

My ordeal in kidnappers' camp, by NTA reporter Says no ransom was paid

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BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE — THE nursing mother and reporter with Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Akure, Ondo State, Mrs Olubunmi Oke, released by his abductors, Saturday, has narrated her three-day ordeal in the camp of the kidnappers.

According to her, “I noticed a car following me at high speed, so I had to increase the speed with which I was driving and I rolled up my glass.

“Very close to Jojein Hotel, Oba-Ile, the road was very bad. So I had to slow down to carefully maneuvre through the potholes. It was at that point that they levelled up with me and I was doublecrossed.

“I asked them what my

offence was. I even offered them my car keys but three of them, armed with guns, dragged me into their car.

One of them got into my car and drove behind us.

“They drove through Owode to FUTA and to Ondo. They told me they were taking me to Delta State but when we got to Ore, they blindfolded me.

“They blindfolded me from Thursday night till Saturday night when I was released. So it was impossible for me to know where I was.

“My housemaid and sixmonth-old baby were in the car with me. They dropped them on the road before driving my car away. They later got home in a public transport. I learnt they later dropped my car at Igbara-

Oke. “At present, the car is with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS. When I was released on Saturday, they gave me my car keys. I hope to get the car during the week.

car I was driving coupled with the way I was dressed (I read news that evening; so I still had my clothes and jewelry on) made them think I was a good catch.

Nobody sent them against me

“The men of the SSS took charge of the situation; the SARS and God’s intervention were also there. So, we did not pay. “ Also, the fact that they got to know that I was a journalist and that the news was everywhere hastened my release.

“My experience in their hands was not palatable. For days, I could only drink water.

I just believe now that I am back home, God is my security.”

“Nobody sent them to me. It was a case of random kidnapping. I just walked into their hands. I do not want to believe anyone sent them to me because when they got me, they were asking me series of questions, ‘Where do you work?’ ‘Who are you?’

“I think that showed clearly that they did not know anything about me. I think the

No ransom was paid

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—7

2 Policemen to die by hanging for killing 2 PDP members in Ekiti

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO EKITI — AN Ado Ekiti High Court has sentenced two policemen to death by hanging for their roles in the killing of two members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over allegation of the defacement of posters of political opponents in Omuo Ekiti about two years ago.

Fracas broke out between the PDP and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, on March 23, 2011 at Kota Junction in Omuo Ekiti over alleged defacement of posters belonging to PDP aspirants in the community, a development that prompted police to be drafted to the scene of the incident which subsequently led to the death of two PDP members.

Miffed by the murder, a PDP chieftain in the town and now state Deputy Chairman, Hon. Femi Bamisile, with a crowd of supporters stormed the government office in Ado Ekiti and accused the state government of complicity in the murder.

The affected police officers are, Mr Ameh Richard and Akinyode Olaiya , they were said to have been found guilty of the murder of two PDP members whose names were given as Kehinde Faluyi and Michael Ipinlaye.

57-year-old nabbed for allegedly defiling girl, 8

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN — A 57-year-old man, Raphael Omada, has been arrested by the Police in Benin for allegedly defiling an eight-year-old girl.

The suspect who was paraded at the State Police Command headquarters by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, yesterday, confessed to the crime, adding that it was the first and only occurrence.

The offence was allegedly committed about two weeks ago at Owan town, in Owan West Local Government Area of the state where Omada, a father of six children, lives with his family.

Narrating his involvement in the crime, Omada, who hails from Nsukka, Enugu State, said on the fateful day, he cashed in on the absence of his wife and children, who were away to the farm, lured the girl into his bedroom and inserted his middle finger into her private part. He, however, denied having sex with her.

The trial judge, Justice Abiodun Adesodun who in his judgement yesterday, disclosed that there were sharp contradictions in the evidence adduced by the accused persons, which he said had made their evidence unreliable.

According to him, there were

contradictions in the confessional statements by the accused persons during their interrogation by the police and the oral testimonies during cross examination in court.

Justice Adesodun noted that the evidence by the prosecution

counsel, Messrs Femi Onipede and Omope Oluwanitemi were overwhelming and convincing enough for him to grant their reliefs.

His words: “The prosecution counsel have proved their case beyond reasonable doubt and the accused persons are hereby sentenced to death by hanging.”

The Education Rights Campaign, ERC, protesting at the corporate headquarters of Vanguard Newspapers, Lagos, yesterday, over the alleged killing of four students of Nasarawa State University by soldiers recently. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Man unleashes rapists on sisters over inheritance No, I wanted to teach them a lesson—Suspect

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — A 40-YEAROLD-MAN has been arrested by men of Ogun Police Command for allegedly hiring two men to rape his two younger sisters in Ijebu-Ososa in Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect was said to have been arrested with the two allegedly paid rapists after they had raped and robbed the two ladies who are 16 and 18 years.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this yesterday, adding that the suspect paid the two alleged rapists N80,000 before they committed the act.

He said: “The two other persons arrested with the 40-year-old man are those who eventually raped and robbed the two sisters aged 18 and 16 years.

“He gave the two suspects N80,000 to harass, molest and threaten his sisters who had disagreed with him over sharing formula of their late parent’s inheritance.

“You can speak with him as he had already confessed to the crime. So it’s a very straight

forward case and we are charging three of them to court tomorrow.“ In his reaction, the suspect said it was true that he hired two persons to deal with his two sisters over their parents’

inheritances.

He said: “I just asked them to threaten my sisters so that they can leave the property for me. I never paid then to rape my sisters as they have done."

Alleged rape at police station: Two charged, remanded

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BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

ENIN —TWO of the suspects alleged to have raped a middle-aged woman, Mrs. Ese Isaiah, while in the custody of the police at Abraka Police Station in Delta State, Messrs. Enamuotor Akpevwe, 21 and Ugbede Obruche, 20, were last week arraigned before an Abraka Magistrate Court on a two-charge of rape and conspiracy.

According to the charge sheet No MAB/25/C/2013 made available to Vanguard in Benin, yesterday, count one simply read: “That you Enamuotor Akpevwe “m” and Ughede Obruche “m” on February 26, 2013, in the night time, at Abraka Police Station, in the Abraka Magisterial District did

conspire with one another to commit felony to wit rape and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap “C’ 21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006” When the case came up for mentioning, the trial Magistrate, Mr. G. D. Epete ordered the suspects to be reminded at the Federal Prisons, Sapele while hearing on the case was fixed for May 3, 2013.

Meantime, Vanguard gathered that the policemen that were on duty on that fateful day are expected to face orderly room trial very soon as ordered by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Benin Zone 5, Alhaji Hamisu Argungun.

Suspected oil thieves kill soldier in Delta

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI— SUSPECTED oil thieves, Sunday night, allegedly shot dead a soldier and confiscated his rifle following a disagreement over protection fee in a riverine community in Delta State.

The incident occurred at Ubakporo, near the open river, a boundary town between Warri South-West Local Government Area and Warri North Local Government Area.

Two youths, Kpesimo (boat driver) and Taye from Abigborodo community, who went on the unauthorized mission with the soldier reportedly escaped with injury.

Kpesimo jumped into the river, while Taye, shot in the buttocks ran into the bush.

As at 12.30 pm, yesterday, armed military personnel were reported to be moving with a tugboat in search of the soldier in the Benin River.

200 level student drowns during Bayelsa LG poll

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA — TRAGEDY struck, Sunday, in the creek of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State as a 200 level student of the state-owned Niger Delta University, was killed in a boat mishap.

The deceased identified simply as Stella, was one of the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission ad-hoc staff for last Saturday local government election in the state.

It was learnt that the deceased, a student of the Department of Political Science, met her untimely death around Famgbe in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.

She alongside other ad-hoc staff were returning from Akassa on the Atlantic fringe in Brass Local Government Area after the poll when tragedy struck.

The boat in which they were travelling was said to have capsized a few minutes to their destination which was the Yenagoa jetty.

While the other occupants of the ill-fated boat, said to have worn their life jackets, survived the accident, the deceased who turned out to be the only casualty was not putting on her own vest when the boat capsized.

Chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Blessing Izagara, confirmed the development.

8—Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE, SUZAN EDEH & CHINENYE OZOR

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IGERIANS have continued to pour encomiums on the late literary giant, Professor Chinue Achebe, who died in Boston, United States of America, USA, last Thursday.

Among those who commiserated with the Achebe family include Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, Dr Uche Azikiwe, wife of the former President of Nigeria and Owelle of Onitsha, late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Ohanaeze, South Africa, former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chris Ngige, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Ohanaeze South Africa, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, UNN, Professor Barth Okolo, Director Institute of Africa Studies, UNN, Prof. Sam Onuigbo and Peter Nwangwu among others.

Orji who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Ugochukwu Emezue said he received the news of Achebe’s death with shock.

Chief Orji said “Ndigbo has lost a literary icon, a legend of all times and a hero whose novels remain a reference point in and outside the country”.

Governor Orji who lamented the exit of Prof. Achebe maintained that he was yet to come to terms with the “sudden demise of the statesman of international repute”.

The governor, however, took consolation that Prof Achebe had “impacted positively on the lives of people through his literary works”.

According to Orji, Prof Achebe would be remembered for always standing up for Ndigbo.

A great loss to Africa —Azikiwe's wife Dr Azikiwe described Achebe’s death as a great loss to the Africa continent, explaining that "his integrity made him symbol of pride for Nigeria and Ndigbo in particular. "I regret that Achebe died without the Nobel laureate award; I demand that the award be given to him posthumously.’’

Also, Senator Ngige said, "Chinualumogu Chinua Achebe, was a literary giant with a special style that captures events in a classical natural way, with the environment being the normal Nigerian rural setting or city.

He was the numero uno amongst his peers in the literary world, having his flagship novel ‘Things fall apart’ ranking one of the most read all over the world, having sold a record 12 million copies and having been translated into more than 50 foreign languages. My senatorial district, Anambra State and Nigeria have lost one of her activist, literary prince, welfarist and worthy ambassador. Ichie Ugonabo’s demise at this point of our nations life, obviously marks a

Achebe: Azikiwe's widow, govs, senators, monarchs, academia, others pay tributes ADC, described Achebe as a man who left a legacy of truth and selflessness.

Nwangwu also stated that Achebe wanted a country that is a level-playing field for all, free from corruption, bribery and nepotism.

“The world lost a pre-eminent writer. His death was carried extensively by every major newspaper in the world, and discussed in virtually every country of the

depletion among the crop of activist writers and poets. Fare thee well, Chinualumogu.’’

The Legal Adviser of Ohanaeze South Africa, Mr. Afan Damian Onwuanyi said the late Chinua Achebe put Nigeria in the literary map of the w o r l d .

Onwuanyi said: “Every Igbo man and Nigerian should be crying for the death of Prof.

Achebe who kept Nigerian flag flying wherever he was until his death and we will not forget him in a hurry. It is unfortunate that we have yet lost another illustrious son after the demise of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and most recently, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.”

A great blow to the literay world—Yuguda Similarly, Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda described the death of Professor Chinua Achebe as "great blow to the literary world".

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ishola Adeyemi, Yuguda said Achebe’s death coming at a time when his elderly advice and counsel were most needed to reshape the literary and cultural aspect of the country was painful.

Yuguda, however, said the late literary guru lived a life of honesty worthy of emulation, pointing out that his name would remain ever green in the annals of history considering that he used his literary prowess to shape the lives of many.

The governor recalled reading Achebe’s books including, "Things Fall Apart," saying that great lessons of life were learnt by those who read such literary works.

“His literary works ranked amongst the best not only in Nigeria and Africa but in the whole world. He was an icon that will be celebrated again and again,” he added.

Chairman of Enugu State

Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Simeon Itodo has described the death of Professor Chinua Achebe as a loss to Africa and the world.

Itodo in his condolence said the late literary giant acquitted himself well in his chosen carrier, adding that his books would continue to make indelible marks in the minds of millions of people yet unborn.

Senator Chukwumerije described the death of Acebe as the end of an era in Nigerian history.

Chukwumerije said: "It is the end of an era of popularity; undiluted truth. Achebe was the greatest thinker produced by Nigeria. The greatest patriot and the greatest dedetribalized, idealistic Nigeria citizen. We lost his intellectual innovations.’’

UNN Vice Chancellor, Prof Okolo, said “I appreciate that at 83 years, Prof Chinua Achebe has paid his dues. For the value UNN has for him, Prof. Achebe was the face of the university’s department of African Studies. Nigeria must advance his belief in excellence and intellectualism.

Prof Achebe believed in merit. We are mourning and have to come to terms with his death before talking of immortalizing him at the university.

Prof. Achebe has concluded his stiffest earthly assignment, what more could he desire on earth.”

The Director Institute of Africa Studies, UNN, Prof. Onuigbo, said the university had "missed one of the pioneer directors of the institute who left indelible footprints on the development of the institute. It is painful that this time when the institute is planning its golden jubilee, the research fellow and former director of the institute has died. The institute will definitely put up something in remembrance of the literal icon.’’

Professor Nwangwu of the African Democratic Congress,

world. Nigeria lost a potent national conscience. The man not only told Nigerian Presidents that they were not doing well, twice he rejected the second highest national honour award to protest bad leadership in Nigeria. Bad and selfish leadership grieved his heart greatly because he loved his nation, and was saddened greatly by the unnecessary suffering of the ordinary citizens of Nigerians".

FG releases N30bn for constituency projects

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

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BUJA—THE Federal Government has released N30 billion for constituency projects for the first quarter of 2013.

The constituency projects have been placed under the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs for proper monitoring, supervision and execution.

Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Taminu Turaki, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen yesterday, said the ministry got presidential approval to take over the constituency projects to ensure that the dividend of democracy gets to Nigerians.

It will be recalled that the disagreement between the Federal Government and National Assembly members over funds budgeted for constituency projects was responsible for delay in signing of 2013 appropriation by

President Goodluck Jonathan.

The constituency projects were hitherto awarded, monitored and supervised by members of the National Assembly in their various constituencies across the country.

The minister, who stated that the ministry has received N30billion of the N100billion budgeted for constituency project this year said they were charged with the task of insuring that projects proposed by the National Assembly are properly monitored.

According to him, “we have the mandate not only to give out the jobs but to monitor implementation and make sure that they are properly implemented because the President is interested in the projects.

Turaki explained that major points of agreement have been reached between the president and the leadership of the National Assembly on the take over.

Vice President Namadi Sambo (middle); former Secretary CAN 19 Northern States, Mr. Seidu Dogo (right); General Ishaya Bakut (2nd right) and Special Adviser to the President, Mr Oronto Douglas (left) during an audience granted a delegation of Southern Kaduna at the State House, Abuja.

Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—9

N15bn pension fund: Presidency yet to order retrieval of money Minister denies tampering with funds

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

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BUJA—INDICA TIONS emerged yesterday that barely a week to the end of the first quarter of the year, the Presidency is yet to order the retrieval of unspent pension fund amounting to N15.3 billion from eight banks in the country in line with its extant financial rule.

The Federal Government’s hold-up is in spite of a recommendation by the deposed chairman of the Pension Refund Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, who incidentally, had earlier pleaded wth the Presidency to delay the mop up by a month to enable him pay some paramilitary officers, who were short changed in the payment of their entitlements.

Findings by Vanguard revealed, however, that the delay notwithstanding, the Ministry of Interior, which supervises CIPPO, has not tampared with the amount in the affeced banks, as alleged by some interested parties last week.

It will be recalled that some interest groups within the government, which were opposed to the excess amount being taken over by the Interior Ministry, had blown the whistle on the fund and alleged that the ministry was putting pressure on the banks to grant them access to the funds.

Vanguard has reported exclusively that one of the bank managers had raised the alarm that there were pressures on his bank to release the money to the ministry, a development the Interior Minister, Abba Moro, denied.

The minister, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ubong Udoh, said at no time did the ministry made any effort to access the money in the eight banks.

Moro explained that none of the officials ever approached any of the bank holding the money to release same to the ministry, knowing that since the year had ended the money had to be returned to the government treasury.

“The Ministry of Interior

had not at any time or place, approached directly or throuh a proxy any bank manager to discuss the issue of releasing the unspent fund to anyone.

“The Minister is a lawabiding official of the present administration, which believes in transparency and accountability and will therefore not encourage what is latently at odds with the tenents of the government,” the spokesman said.

We only changed signature —Interior Ministry Vanguard learnt that what was used as a weapon of attack against the minister and his ministry, was that the permanent secretary, Anastesia Nwabia, who is the accounting officer, merely wrote to the banks to replace Maina’s signature with that of the new CIPPO Director, Olabisi Jaji, who was recently posted from the Ministry of Environment to take over Maina’s duties at CIPPO. A breakdown of the unspent funds still pending in the eight banks shows that Fidelity Bank has the highest amount with N3.8 billion, followed by Skye Bank with N3.1 billion and Unity Bank with N2.8 billion. Ecobank takes the fourth position with N2.6 billion followed by Zenith Bank with N2.4 billion.

Three banks: Access, Diamond and Fin Bank-hold N300 million, N260 million and N90 million respectively.

Maina letter to Presidency The deposed PRRT chairman had on March 11, dispatched a twopage letter to the Presidency asking for immediate steps to mop up the money because of fear it could be tampered with.

In the letter marked PRRT/CHK.ADM/1/16, which Vanguard cited last night, Maina pleaded with the Presidency to direct the Finance Minister to carry out the mopping of the excess funds and return same to the CBN.

Maina said, “before the end of December 2012, CIPPO had liabilities arising from short payment of pensioners’ benefits from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to Customs, Immigration and Prison pensioners.

“These are liabilities involving short payment of severance allowance during the last downsizing exercise between 2005 and 2007. As a result, their pensions were shortchanged.

80 percent of these liability have now been settled. We are in a new budget year and there is enough fund in the budget to pay for the arrears. Now that funds are released through GIFMIS, the remaining liabilities will be settled and request for more funds may be forwarded, if need be, to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy for consideration.

"When the excess money was to be mopped up from banks and return same to the treasury, that was when my issue with the Senate came up and the purpose could not be achieved.

"In view of this development, I wish to request that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy be directed to mop up these funds under Customs, Immigration and Prison Pension Office, CIPPO in some commercial banks".

The letter was promptly copied to the Minister of Finance, the Director of Budget and the Chairman of the ICPC. But as at yesterday, there was no indication the government was in a hurry to act on the letter. The amount, it was gathered, was also not captured in the 2013 budget, having been deemed to have been returned to the treasury in 2012.

From left: Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Uwais; and former Chairman, Public Service Commission, Ambassador Ahmed Algazali, at the Barewa Old Boys Association, BOBA, Abuja branch 2013 leadership Lecture held at the Rock View Hotel, Abuja, weekend.

Zambia arrests former president, Banda over Nigeria's oil deal

BY MICHAEL EBOH, WITH AGENCY REPORT

F

ORMER Zambian president, Mr. Rupiah Banda, was yesterday arrested by the country’s law enforcement agents over allegations of corruption and abuse of office, following a crude oil import deal with Nigeria.

Banda was also alleged to have misappropriated about $11 million during his three-year reign as President of the country.

The country’s authorities accused him of procuring oil which did not benefit the country.

He was said to have imported crude oil from Nigeria, without actual deliveries, despite the fact that the funds were deposited into the bank account of his son.

Banda, who was released from police custody and is due to appear in court today, however, said the moves against him were politically motivated.

He was questioned for close to three hours yesterday after his arrest related to the oil deal before he was released on bail.

Banda denied the charges and his lawyers claimed the arrest was an attempt by current President Michael Sata to silence him.

After his release, Banda

appeared before his supporters and told them to remain calm, reassuring them he would win his case in court.

Earlier this month, parliament lifted Banda’s presidential immunity, clearing the way for him to be prosecuted for several corruption and abuse of office charges.

Banda lost to President Michael Sata in 2011 elections. The new government has been pursuing the corruption investigations against the former leader and his political allies.

Banda, born February 13, 1937, was President of

Zambia from 2008 to 2011.

During the Presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, Banda held important diplomatic posts and was active in politics as a member of the United National Independence Party, UNIP. Years later, he was appointed VicePresident by President Levy Mwanawasa in October 2006, following the latter’s re-election.

He took over Mwanawasa’s presidential responsibilities after Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in June 2008, and following Mwanawasa’s death in August 2008, he became acting President.

10—Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Atuche's absence stalls trial

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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AGOS—THE planned fresh arraignment, yesterday, on forgery offences of former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Mr. Francis Atuche, by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was stalled as he did not turn up in court.

The anti-graft agency has slammed a fresh ninecount charge of forgery against him after he was released from its custody last week.

The charge was filed by the commission before an Ikeja High Court and the case has been assigned to Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo’s court.

Mr. Atuche was charged alongside two officials of Central Shared Services Centre of Keystone Bank Ltd, Joachim Nnosiri and Uguru Onyike.

EFCC said the offence contravened Sections 361 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

No fresh date has been fixed for the arraignment of the defendants.

TASUED

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA— AUTHORITIES of Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijagun, has said the institution has not been de-listed from the state-owned tertiary institutions, explaining that the institution is still being funded and maintained by the Ogun State government.

This was contained in a statement by the registrar of the institution, Femi Kayode, saying reports to the contrary were deliberate attempt to cause disaffection between the institution and the state government as well as mislead the general public on the status of the institution.

The statement said: “Since assumption of office of the current ViceChancellor, she has reiterated that she has not been given the mandate of an undertaker or liquidator to TASUED. “The university under the new leadership enjoys a very productive and supportive relationship with the government."

SWEARING-IN: From left— Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, Head of Service; Mrs. Hellen Deile, new State AuditorGeneral; Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Mr. Hakeem Ogunbambi, new Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Enviroment, at the swearing-in of Mrs Deile and Mr. Ogunbambi in Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

Another suspected terrorists hide out discovered in Lagos

BY EVELYN USMAN

F

RESH facts emerged, yesterday, on the presence of more illegal aliens suspected to be terrorists in Ijora area of Lagos, as information at Vanguard’s disposal revealed that the suspects, who are Malians and Chadians, were occupying a three-storey building owned by a state government.

Last Thursday’s raid by the Department of State Security, DSS, and men of OP Messa, led to the arrest of two suspected terrorists and recovery of arms and explosives in a building on Aromire Street, Ijora.

However, investigations revealed that the three storybuilding alleged to be used by the suspected terrorists is also located on Aromire Street, Ijora, close to the house that was raided last week.

Monarch raises alarm

Lagos monarch, Oba Fatai Oyeyinka Aremu, who spoke when traditional heads of major northern tribes resident in Lagos, led by the Seriki Hausa of Lagos State, Alhaji Sani Kadiri Garuba, visited him in his palace, said it would have been a case of the worse casualties in the history of bombings in the country.

He blamed the government that owns the building for the development.

The monarch said: “You see, this problem comes from the state government that owns that property. If you go to the house in Ijora, you will see all these Malians there.

“They are squatters and we have written to the state government concerned several times without any response.

Ask the Area Commander and the DPO, they will tell you. On our part, we are trying our best.”

Without mincing word, the monarch urged the Seriki Hausa of Lagos to call his people, particularly those in Ijora to order, saying “I am not happy with what happened because your people have been living with us here since. I have been here since 1994 and this kind of thing had never happened.

“We have been taking your people as brothers and sisters.

You don’t have to turn back and do this kind of thing to us. Do something because I am not happy at all. Since that day (last Thursday), I have not been sleeping.

Please, let this stop. I am giving them warning. Ijora is a no-go area for them.

“If they still remain in Ijora, I will flush them out, Insha Allah. They should not use Ijora as a base. Ijora is not a base for criminals. I do not tolerate nonsense. Please, I am giving them warning again, they should leave my domain. My domain is not meant for criminals. I am talking to you (Seriki).

“Please, call your men to order. Lagos is a no go area for bombings. These people referred to as Malians, Nigeriens live with your people. Please, talk to your Serikis.”

Seriki Arewa speaks

Earlier, the Seriki Hausa and Chairman, council of Arewa chiefs in Lagos, explained that the purpose of the visit was to commiserate with Oba Oyeyinka on what he described as a sad incident, and to pledge the solidarity of northerners under

the Arewa councils of chiefs as peace-loving people.

He said: “We will also like to seize this opportunity to emphasise that for intensive security in our nation, we appeal to the Federal Government to do more. Although it is trying its best to check the menace, we urge them to intensify and broaden their security scope, so that this kind of thing will never happen again.

“Lagos is a mini Nigeria and anything that happened to Lagos will affect the whole nation. Finally, I will like to also appeal to other agencies and nationalities with the state to be calm and patient as we continue to live in harmony with each other.”

93 suspects handed over to Immigration

Meantime, a total of 93 illegal aliens were, yesterday, handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service, Alagbon, Ikoyi, for onward prosecution.

The aliens, whose mission in the country could not be ascertained, were mainly Malians, Nigeriens and Chadians.

Their arrest followed a raid by joint security operatives following the discovery of a suspected terrorists’ hideout in Ijora area of Lagos, last Thursday.

Confirming the arrest, spokesman for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Muyiwa Odunubi, said the suspects would be paraded tomorrow by the Command.

He said: “I can confirm to you that we received 93 suspected Boko Haram members, who were handed over to us by the Police and other security agencies.”

Lagos Speaker asks court to strike out case against him

BY INNOCENT ANABA

L

AGOS State House of Assembly, Speaker, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, yesterday, prayed a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, to strike out the charge of money laundering preferred against him.

Ikuforiji’s counsel, at the resumed hearing of the matter, following the absence of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, prosecutor, made the application.

Ikuforiji and is personal assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, are facing a 20count charge on money laundering. They were first arraigned on March 1, 2012.

Reacting to a letter by EFCC counsel, informing the court of his absence, defence counsel said since the trial began, prosecution had treated the case with levity, claiming that several adjournments granted by the court had been at the instance of the prosecution, which had exhibited visible reluctance in the trial.

Trial judge, Justice O. Okeke, in a short ruling, said in the overriding public interest, he was adjourning the matter and ordered for accelerated hearing of the case.

The court consequently, adjourned the case till April 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 for continuation of trial.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—11

Labour, Air Force on warpath over alleged brutalisation of PHCN staff Blackout to hit S-West, Air Force formations nationwide Ibadan EDC's MD petitions NAF, DSS, Osun SSG

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

O

RGANISED labour has threatened to shut down electricity supply in the SouthWest zone and all Nigeria Air force formations across the country by April 2, over alleged brutality and physical torture of workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, at the Ibadan Zone by men of Nigeria Air Force.

Labour issued the ultimatum under the umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE. Already, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Engr. B. Oyesiku, had petitioned the Commandant of Nigeria Air Force, Ipetu-Ijesa, and copied the Director of Department of State Security, DSS, and Secretary to Osun State Government, over the alleged brutalisation of PHCN workers.

NUEE, in a statement by its General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, said members were at work, performing their legitimate duties on March 9, when officers of the Air Force allegedly barged in and unleashed violence on them.

The union claimed that the act was carried out at different work locations at Ipetu-Ijesha and Ilesa town on the same day by the officers attached to Nigeria Air Force, Ipetu- Ijesha, Osun State, allegedly on the orders of their boss.

Statement

The statement read in part: “As we condemn this callous and dastardly act in very strong terms, we emphasise that if by April 2, the Air Force refuses to accept responsibility and apologise for their action, our men will withdraw their services in the SouthWest Zone and all Air Force formations in the country.

“This shall precede a nationwide outage in solidarity of the affected victims, if after 14 days this issue is not peacefully resolved. We cannot continue to suffer this level of violence in the hand of the military when we are in a democratic state.

"By this piece all members of the union are expected to show solidarity.

Petition

Giving details of the attack in the petition, Oyesiku said: “It should be put on record to you that your men, led by one officer

(names withheld) on March 9, 2013 around 11:15am, went to our Ipetu Ijesa Service Centre to arrest our staff, Mr. W. Agboola.

“Thereafter, another officer (name withheld) came down to Ilesa to pick our Otokiti, the Distribution Substation Operator, DSO, on duty at Imo injection substation; proceeded to Ilesa Injection Substation where they beat up all the staff they found in the control room to the extent that the DSO on

duty, Mr. Rafiu Jolayemi was bleeding.

“As if the assaults were not enough, your men went round all our offices until they got to the 132/33KV Ilesa transmission substation, which gives power supply to Ijesa Land complex from the national Grid.

“The system operator on duty there, one Mr. Abiona was also seriously beaten with the sword they came along with. He was made to lie

down on the bare floor and kicked several times with their boots to the extent that he too started to bleed.

“The above scenario has precipitated perpetual darkness in Ipetu-Ijesa since that fateful day till now since our staff ’s safety cannot be guaranteed in the course of performing their duty, especially patrolling the remaining segment of the feeder which takes care of the environs apart from you place.”

INPECTION: From right— Project Manager, Mr. Achan Dal, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, during an inspection of the 105km Ilara-Ijoun-Egua-Oja Odan road project, yesterday.

Renewal Group debunks report of reconciliation with Afenirefe

BY DAPO AKINREFON

A

FENIFERE Renewal Group, ARG, has distanced itself from reports that it was involved at a meeting where members of the group reconciled with Afenifere leaders at Akure in Ondo State.

At a briefing, yesterday in Lagos, national chairman of the group, Mr. Olawale Oshun, said: “Whoever attended and or participated at that meeting did so entirely on their own volition.

"We would like to provide some clarification around recent events where ARG’s name was cited, precisely about a meeting that took place in Akure, where it was reported that some factions of Afenifere re-united.

“We would like to state, and for the avoidance of any

doubts, that our group, ARG, was neither involved nor represented at that meeting.

None of those who attended that meeting could claim to be representing ARG. “ARG recognises the inde-

pendent mindedness of individuals, therefore we concede to individuals, their right and choice of association. ARG is a group with explicit and untainted moral values and stance.”

Osun revamps Ede Water Works

G

OVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has embarked on revamping of Ede Water Works to boost supply of portable water in the state.

The rehabilitation and modernisation of the water works, expected to gulp N2 billion, will be completed in 12 months.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources, Mrs. Tawa Williams, who spoke during a ceremony held in Osogbo to com-

memorate the World Water Day, said the Ede water works constructed about 60 years ago, served 12 local government areas, 160 towns and villages.

When it was working efficiently, it supplied the state’s 70 percent of water need.

Speaking at the event, Williams said at the inception of Aregbesola administration, the capacity of the project had dwindled to 15 percent with major equipment broken down.

Ekiti varsity

V

ICE Chancellor of Ekiti State University, EKSU, Professor Dipo Aina, yesterday, presented to the Governor Kayode Fayemi documents on the establishment of the Institute of Governance as passed by the University Council.

This came as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, advocated for a democratic system that would adequately address the volatile situation of the polity.

Mimiko appoints COS

G

O V E R N O R O l u s e g u n Mimiko of Ondo State has appointed Dr. Kola Ademujimi as the new Chief of Staff.

Mimiko, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Eni Akinsola, said the appointment takes immediate effect.

Kola Ademujimi, a medical doctor and politician from Idanre, returns to a post he vacated a month ago after the dissolution of the last executive council.

Ademujimi is a graduate of the University of Ibadan and has been involved in politics since he left private medical practice and was a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly.

Inauguration

G

OVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State will today inaugurate Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, as the new Chairman of Ogun State Council of Obas in OkeMosan, Abeokuta.

Retreat

I

SLAMIC Brotherhood of Nigeria, ISBON, will hold its yearly retreat in Ogbomosho from March 29 to April 1.

ISBON national Ameer, Justice S. Belgore in a statement issued in Abuja, said all members of the group, their families and friends were invited.

CHANGE OF NAME ONOVO- I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onovo Gertrude Ngozi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okolie Gertrude Ngozi. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

12 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—13

Why we shut down Oredo Gas Plant, by NPDC

Delta LG boss warns against war rumours

T

K

HE Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited, NPDC, has said that it shut down its Oredo Gas Plant, yesterday, for a period of two weeks, to allow for hook up works aimed at increasing its wet gas handling capacity from the current 65 Million Standard Cubic Feet per day (MMscfd) to 100MMscfd.

According to a statement by the Managing Director, Mr. Iyowuna Briggs, the plant , located at OML 111, Ologbo, near Benin City, Edo State, is expected to be re-opened Thursday April 4, 2013.

Imoke tasks women on self-discovery

M

RS. Obioma Liyel-Imoke, wife of the Cross River State governor, has urged women to embark on a self-discovery exercise if they are to make a difference in their nation and ultimately, the world.

Mrs Imoke, in Paris, France, at the Second International Conference on African Women Development, said that embarking on self discovery exercise was key to excelling in life.

NDDC Project Director bags award

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—THE Assistant Director, Project Monitoring, of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in Edo State, Mr. Frederick Ogbeide, has bagged the award of the African Child Role Model, organised by African Child Foundation.

Commending the Foundation for the award, Ogbeide, said he derived joy in the service to humanity.

Hs said: “I believe in the future of Nigeria and that is why I do my best as regards the empowerment of the youths. I appeal to other well meaning Nigerians to do the same."

No crisis between Itsekiri and Ijaw of Warri North

BY DANIEL GUMM

OKO—CHAIRMAN, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, Evangelist Davis Edun, has warned youth leaders and community representatives, to be wary of using inflammatory comments over the recent happening in Benin River, during which some criminals, suspected to be Ijaw youths, intercepted and hijacked a ferry boat carrying fuel.

He said: “The incident had been misrepresented in the media and among the people to suggest that there was a looming crisis between the Ijaw and Itsekiri.”

Edun, in a statement, took exception to the comments credited to an Itsekiri youth leader in the media, wherein he was quoted as saying that ‘the Itsekiri were mobilising to launch a counter-attack to free their brothers and sisters being held hostage by the Ijaw.’

He said: “This kind of statement, is dangerous and inflammatory as it could give wrong signals to mischiefmakers to take undue advantage of an isolated incident of criminality to hatch hidden agenda of causing ethnic disharmony in the area,” noting that there was no cri-

sis between the Itsekiri and Ijaw of Warri North, as claimed in the media.

He noted that although, the action of the alleged sea pirates caused panic among residents in the area, he said that the “prompt intervention of men of Joint Task Force, JTF, quickly helped to bring the situation under control as some gang mem-

bers, who were arrested are currently being investigated by the military.

“Attaching tribal label to criminal acts by few persons is dangerous. People should go about their lawful businesses as the state government, under the Emmenual Uduaghan administration, was doing all it could to en-

AWARD: From right: Mr. Tony Elumelu, Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation; Prof. Michael Potter and Mr. Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investiment, at the Nigeria Fast Growth 50th Award, in Partnership with Tony Elumelu Foundation, held at Eko Hotel, Victorial Island. Photo: Joe Akintola Photo Editor.

PDP sweeps Bayelsa LG polls

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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HE ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has swept Saturday’s local government area elections in Bayelsa State.

The party won the chairmanship seats in the eight councils of the state.

The party's candidate for Ogbia Local Government Area, the council of President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr.

Inaye Abah, was returned unopposed while in Sagbama council, which is Governor Seriake Dickson's local government area, the chairmanship seat was won by Mr. Willie Oyadougha of PDP, who polled 56,737 votes.

In Southern Ijaw council, Chief Remember Ogbe of PDP scored 120,189 votes; in Yenagoa council, Mr Ben Walson scored 111,391 votes; Mr Obed Andy polled 39,557 to clinch Brass council.

Others include Mr. Tobiye Bill,

who scored 59,553 votes to win Ekeremor council; Bio Amina-Elemina scored 57,787 votes to clinch Nembe council, while Gbarainbiri Eselema, also of PDP, polled 19,379 to win Kolokuma-Opokuma council.

Chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Izagara, who declared the results in Yenagoa, urged the elected council chairmen to see their victory at the polls as a call to the service of their people.

EDSIEC assures on free, fair LG polls

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the April 20 local government elections in Edo State, the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, EDSIEC, has assured political parties of the commission's preparedness to conduct free and fair polls.

EDSIEC's Chairman, Mr. Solomon Ogoh, gave the assurance at a training seminar for party agents for the council elections, organised

by International Republic Institute, IRI. Ogoh, represented by Jus-

sure adequate security of lives and property across the state, including the riverine areas.”

Meantime, the official handing-over and swearingin ceremony of the newly elected Community Trust Executive of Omokorugbo Descendants of Ajatiton community will take place on April 30, at Korobe Town Hall, Koko by 10am.

tice David Hayble, said: “Those of us in EDSIEC are representing you. We are not politicians.

That is the first thing the law says, that we should not be politicians; we are not card carrying members of any political party.

“I urge you to go about your normal work, go out and convince your members to come out and vote because it is what we receive that we will announce.

These are facts. Every one of you will know that it will not be as before; it will be straight forward this time around. That is why you have party agents. Party agents must be present at all polling units. So, if you don’t

have a good agent and another party is able to convince your agent, that is not EDSIEC’s problem. You should be able to have a good agent, who will represent you well, as he will sign the papers on your behalf.

“I promise you that by God’s grace, we are out to conduct a good election.”

Earlier, representatives of some political parties at the seminar, namely All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Labour Party; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC and Accord Party, expressed fears that the elections might not be free and fair.

NDDC MD gets kudos over Edo road project

T

HE Community Develop ment Association in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, has commended the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for the work so far done on the Obozogbe NiroAbudu Road project.

The community, when it paid a visit to Edo State representative on the board of NDDC, Mr. Henry Okhuarobo in Benin, noted that there had been tremendous improvement on the project delivered when the current management came on board.

Leader of the community association, Mr. Larry Enobakhare, at the event, said the road was critical to the social and economic development of the council, noting that at no time did youths of the area disrupt activities of NDDC.

14— Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Condolence visit to Government House, Awka, on late Achebe

Mr. Emeka Sibudu, Deputy Gov. of Anambra State, signing late Chinua Achebe's condolence register, at Government House Awka. Photo: Hill Ezeugwu

Barr. Peter Afuba, Anambra State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, signing..., at Government House Awka.

Dr. Uju Okeke, Anambra State Commissioner for Education...

Prof. Stella Okuna, Anambra State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning...

Chidi Ezeoke, Anambra State Head of Service...

From left: Mrs. Vivian Nwandu, Chidi Ezeoke, Prof.

Stella Okuna, during the condolence visit.

NWC anniversary: Tukur, Akpabio differ on governors' poor attendance .They took permission to abstain — Tukur .Governors not aware — Akpabio

BY EMMANUELAZIKEN, ANAYO OKOLI, BEN AGANDE, HENRY UMORU, TINAAKINAM, ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD AND PETER OKUTU

T

HE BOYCOTT of the first year anniversary lunch of the new national executive of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by all but two of the party’s 23 governors, has been linked to persisting misgivings on the administrative style of the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Yesterday, senior party officials from the national secretariat and the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio were in an overdrive to fend off negative imputations on the boycott by the governors of the grand finale of the nationwide reconciliation tour and the first year anniversary of the Tukur executive.

Remarkably, Tukur and Akpabio in their bid to dismiss insinuations of a fresh crisis in the party contradicted one another yesterday.

While Tukur told correspondents in his residence that many of the governors informed him of their abstention from the anniversary lunch, Akpabio after a visit to the presidential villa alleged that

the governors were not informed of the meeting.

Their contradictory claims nonetheless, many of the governors who also had issues with President Goodluck Jonathan, it was learnt, were also divorcing their grievances with Jonathan from their issues with Tukur.

The anniversary couched in the form of the grand finale of the national reconciliation tour of the National Working Committee took place in Abuja with only Akpabio and Governor Ibrahim Wada of Kogi State in attendance.

Five governors, Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Abdulafatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe) were represented at the meeting by their deputies.

The failure of the governors to attend was despite the fact that a number of them were in Abuja at the time or just before the Sunday stakeholders' meeting.

Party apparatchik in their response blamed the low attendance of the governors on the disruption of the communication and failure to personally reach the governors on the meeting.

That was before Tukur at an

interaction with correspondents said the governors informed him of their absence.

Many of the governors contacted, however, gave varying reasons for their failure with almost all of them citing logistical reasons.

However, other sources disclosed deep seated grievances against the Tukur's leadership of the party which the governors alleged had completely disrupted the normal organs of the party.

As one source said yesterday: “The official reason is that we couldn’t make it, but if I must be truthful with you many of the governors are seriously angry with Tukur.

"This is not about Jonathan, but about Tukur style of administration as he has completely rendered all other organs of the party useless in one year,” the source said yesterday, speaking strictly on the condition of anonymity.

Among the organs complained of is the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party which the governors alleged, had been rendered dormant since the advent of the Tukur leadership. The

NEC is the second highest decision making organ of the party, second only to the national convention and is supposed to meet at least once quarterly.

The NEC has, however, met only once since the advent of the Tukur regime.

Repeated efforts by the governors and other stakeholders to have a meeting have been unfruitful.

“How can governors be rejoicing or having a reconciliation meeting with Tukur when the organs of the party have been rendered useless and there is no opportunity to discuss issues of importance with the governors,” the source said as he pointed to the recurring crises in the Adamawa State chapter of the party.

Yesterday, a delegation of the party’s Board of Trustees led by Chief Tony Anenih was locked in a closed door meeting with Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso of Kano State apparently over the rift between Tukur and the governors.

Kwankwanso was one of the 16 governors that neither came nor sent a representative to the Abuja meeting on Sunday.

Anenih was taciturn on his

mission, simply saying, “ we are here to discuss PDP, and the corporate existence of the Nigeria state”.

Speaking with journalists at his Wuse 2 residence, Tukur explained that some of the governors took permission from him to be absent from the programme having participated at the zonal meetings. ‘’Many of the governors were absent from the rally mainly because they were part of the reconciliation meetings in their respective zones, and had made useful contributions during the visit by the National Working Committee members, a reason it was never compelling for them to be in Abuja. They contacted the National Headquarters about their inability to be in Abuja for the rally with stated reasons.”

“We were in the South-east zone and the governors turned out. When we visited the South-south, the Governor Uduaghan, Akpabio and Amaechi came to welcome us and made useful suggestions.

"Indeed, the Rivers State governor spoke to us on behalf of all PDP governors. Bayelsa State governor, I reckoned was busy with a special task, while the same story of

Continues on Page 15

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 —15

Insecurity: US expresses grave concern over wave of bombings, killings

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

ABUJA — UNITED States Ambassador to Nigeria, Terence McCulley, yesterday, met the Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mr. Oguche, on the current security situation in the country.

Vanguard gathered that the U.S. ambassador expressed the concern of his government over the continued spate of terrorists bombings and killings across the country.

Originally, the meeting scheduled for 11.00a.m. in the Minister ’s Conference Room was to be covered by the media, as media houses had been invited but it was gathered that Ambassador McCulley, wary of the interpretation of whatever he would say, requested that the media be barred from covering the discussion.

At the meeting, the ambassador was said to have expressed the concern of his country over the increase in the terrorist attacks and pointed at the Kano bombings and the attempt to bring ethnicity into attacks that took place in Jos and Maiduguri recently.

Urging the security chiefs to do more as their efforts had gone a long way to checkmate the spread of terrorism, the US

ambassador told the Minister and service chiefs that his country was willing to do more by way of providing more training and logistics support to the armed forces to help stem the tide.

A source said the ambassador called for more cooperation among security agencies and the citizenry, stressing that such synergy will help prevent such attacks in future.

From left: Mr. Gbenga Awojuyigbe, General Manager, Osun Water Corporation; Engr.

Tawakalitu Williams, Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources; Elder Abayomi Olufemi, Deputy General Manager, Commercial Services and Engr. Apara Olusegun, Deputy General Manager, Design and Construction, during the Year 2013 World Water Day Press Conference, at Governor’s Office, Osogbo.

How grievances stopped governors from attending Tukur’s anniversary lunch Continued from page 14 success trailed our visit to the north.”

Tukur as such boasted that the PDP would never succumb to blackmail coming from those he described as virulent opponents of the party, who, he said, were bent on painting a picture of a crisis in the party.

However, speaking also about the same time after a visit to the presidential villa, Akpabio, chairman of the PDPGF said the absence of the governors had to do with poor communication as he said that the governors were not aware of the Abuja meeting.

“The PDP lunch was not well publicised. I had a meeting with the PDP publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh. Many governors were not aware of the ceremony.

Metuh mentioned to me if I will be at

the International Conference Centre and I said for what?

And he said for the grand finale of the zonal meeting of the National Chairman and I told him I was not aware of it.”.

Akpabio also disclosed plans by the PDP to bring opposition governors into its fold: “We have set up a tactical committee to also reach out to the “opposition” because we want to be more than what we are,” he said.

Like Tukur, Akpabio also referred to what he described as a concerted attempt by the opposition to exaggerate issues in the ruling party citing the issue surrounding his recent donation of a million naira each to the six PDP chairmen in the South-South geopolitical zone.

However, several of the governors gave varied reasons for their absence at the Abuja

reconciliation talks.

Governor Liyel Imoke speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Ita noted failure to catch a flight back to Abuja after hosting last Saturday’s soccer world cup qualifier between Nigeria and Kenya in Calabar.

“It is not as if we weren’t meant to be there, we were going to be there but we had been in Abuja throughout last week, he said yesterday.

Governors Theodore Orji of Abia State, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara sates, Mukthar Yero of Kaduna State, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State, Martin Elechi of Ebonyi and Sule Lamido in separate reactions through their media aides also cited pressing domestic and foreign engagements for not attending the meeting.

Ogboru Vs Uduaghan: S-Court sets June 21 for ruling

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

ABUJA — The Supreme Court, yesterday, adjourned till June 21 to deliver ruling on a fresh application seeking to sack Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State from office.

The application, which was entered by the governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples party, DPP, in the April 26, 2011, gubernatorial election in the state, Chief Great Ogboru, is seeking to resurrect the verdict of the apex court that declared the appellate court judgment that affirmed Uduaghan’s election as a nullity.

It will be recalled that a fiveman panel of justices of the Supreme Court had on March 2, 2012, faulted the appellate court for its failure to hear and deliver judgment on the

gubernatorial dispute within the 60 days stipulated in section 285 (7) and (8) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The apex court held that the Appeal Court panel erred in law when it deferred reasons behind its judgment till a date outside the legally prescribed period for determination of such matter, stressing that the action rendered the verdict unconstitutional, null and void.

Justice Tanko Mohammed who read the judgment observed that: “Though the trial tribunal gave its verdict on November 11, 2011, the appellate court gave its own judgment on January 5, 2012 and reserved its reasons till January 27. A simple arithmetic shows that the appeal took 72 days which is clearly outside the

stipulated time-frame.

“It is my considered view that there was no valid judgment in the Delta State appeal, accordingly, I declare the judgment of the court below including its reasons as null and void and this appeal is hereby struck out.”.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the apex court to strike out the suit, even after it declared the lower court verdict as a nullity, Ogboru, re-approached the court, asking it to reverse itself.

Arguing through his counsel Dr. Dickson Osuala, Ogboru insisted that the apex court acted wrongly, saying it should have invoked section 22 of the Supreme Court Act and heard his substantive contention against the said election or issued a consequential order remitting the petition back to

governorship election petition tribunal for re-trial.

However, counsels to Uduaghan, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mrs. J.O Adesina, SAN and INEC, Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, opposed the application, saying it was nothing but a mere academic exercise.

'Nigeria remains a transit country for illegal drugs'

BY VICTORIA OJEME

ABUJA— Nigeria still remains a transit country for illicit drugs and lacked epidemiological studies on the extent of drug abuse, the 2012 International Narcotic Control Board, INCB, report has disclosed.

The report also noted that Nigeria had low availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, representative to Nigeria, Ms. Mariam Sissoko, stated this while reviewing the 2012 INCB report in Abuja.

The INCB report is an independent and quasijudicial entity established to monitor the implementation of the international control treaties.

Sissoko commended the Nigerian government in certain areas of drug control, and highlighted the commitment of NDLEA and NAFDAC to ensure compliance with international drug control treaties.

FG declares public holidays ABUJA — The Federal Government has declared Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1, 2013, as public holidays to mark the celebration of Good Friday and Easter Monday respectively.

Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, who

made the declaration on behalf of the government, congratulated all Christians on the occasion and enjoined them to remain committed to the exemplary attributes of love, tolerance and peaceful co-existence which Jesus Christ exhibited during his time on earth.

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—17

O

Chinua Achebe: No need to mourn stands, in dire need of ”. Can anybody fault these two positions well enunciated in his book, The Trouble with Nigeria?

W

e still wonder why our enormous resources have not translated our grandiose but vacuous claim to greatness into reality.

Eminent economists are today no longer so keen to submit that natural resources, no matter how abundant, automatically transform nations into greatness; they now agonise about “ resource curse”. But Achebe was aware of this, years back. He disputed Nigeria’s arrogant claim to greatness

The late Prof. Achebe chose to do with his stories remained a choice outside his control and he would not and will now never join issues with us. The burden is ours and comes with the liberty of individual thoughts!

What set Achebe apart from his peers were his clarity of thought and lucidity of language. He was a resonant voice whenever we needed someone to speak up for us. That was why, as a seer, his pronouncements on our nation were searing. Thus, when he declared that, “The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership”, it rankled our leaders. But nothing has happened to prove him wrong. He was aware of the limitations of the brusque military transformation as pursued by the likes of Murtala Muhammed and warned that, “In the final analysis, a leader ’s no-nonsense reputation might induce a favourable climate but in order to effect lasting change it must be followed up with a radical programme of social and economic re-organisation or at least a well-conceived and consistent agenda of reform which Nigeria stood, and

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NE of the memorable days of my life was, and still is, the day in 1987 when I spent a whole day with the legend himself, Prof. Chinua Achebe and his wife Christy at their home in Umunkanka Street, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. It was not strictly the usual interview. It was more of a conversation during which we forayed into the master story teller ’s study, strolled into the garden at the back of the house, invaded Christy ’s kitchen and chatted over lunch. He spoke about Hopes and Impediments in which he interrogated Conrad, Joyce and racism, which was about to be published. Christy, I first met when she was a Director of Thisweek magazine where I worked.

Ike, his first son later became a friend and frequented my office at Bishop Oluwole, Victoria Island Lagos, where I was editing the Insider Confidential with Mallam Abba Dabo. Ike also brokered my being offered the African editorship of African Commentary, an international scholarly magazine which Achebe was the Chairman/ Publisher with Prof. Barth Nnaji as President and Chief Operating Officer.

Somewhere along the line, my negotiation with Prof. Nnaji broke down. When Chinua Achebe Foundation started the dialogue series, I was contacted by Chidi (who became the youngest ever to be appointed a Medical Director in the US) to interview some notable Nigerians.

Among those I interviewed were Gen. MuhammaduBuhari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, Chief Anthony Enahoro and Gen. Buba Marwa.

Two things Achebe, the teacher, told me at Nsukka remain the prism through which I have observed his literary activities. When I asked him his motivation for Things Fall Apart, he said to me, every generation has a responsibility to tell its own story and that he was simply discharging his own obligation. Then I asked him if he originally set out to write a masterpiece and he said, once you have told your story, it assumes a life of its own; you no longer control what interpretation people give to it or what they do with it. Such was the humility and graciousness of a man who winced at the accolade “father of African literature”! As the fire of controversy raged over what has become his last testament, There Was a Country, Achebe’s words rang loud in my ears.

As a novelist, critic and essayist, Achebe told the stories of his generation and whatever his critics

Achebe’s life work is done. For over 50 years he was the dominant figure in Africa’s literary firmament. The furore about his last story on earth had hardly subsided when he decided to became the topic of discussion.What a man!

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based on material wealth simply because the “seminal absence of intellectual rigour in the political thought” still plagues our country today just because anybody, just anybody with money can become a political leader! We are spending more money than ever, yet, Nigeria has remained “one of the most disorderly nations in the world. It is one of the most corrupt, insensitive, inefficient places under the sun”. This indictment was long before various surveys and

perception indices came to confirm some of these vices. If Achebe had any unfulfilled dream, it is that Nigerian has recalcitrantly remained an unfulfilled dream!

We need not mourn Achebe. He lived out his destiny and discharged his obligation by telling the story of his generation.Achebe made the Igbo story a global story. Things Fall Apart has been translated into over 50 different languages of the world. He left no vacuum. He sired many writers who are today holding out admirably.

The likes of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an offspring of the dusty but literarily fecund Nsukka, Seffi Atta, Ben Okri and a host of the new generation writers are telling the story of their own generation. And with the stories Achebe left us, he cannot die.

One of the things I noticed in the recent noise that greeted his There Was a Country was that many of Achebe’s critics begrudged him of his Igboness. His long standing friend, Biodun Jeyifo’s series on the book dwelt almost exclusively on questing Achebe’s right in asserting his Igboness. Achebe could not have pretended to be anything else but Igbo.

He was a proud one. There is no crime in being who we are, especially in a country that has deliberately and constitutionally fettered its journey to nationhood. The trouble with tribalism in Nigeria is that we want others not to be who they are but to be like us.

We respect no other cultural group but ours. That is why we have been unable to manage our differences (politicians call it diversity), hence competition easily degenerates into conflict. What we should pursue is not ethnic supremacy (mine is a race and your is a tribe) but what Achebe quoted as Mallam Aminu Kano’s established rationale for any politician to seek the people’s mandate: “maintenance of peace in the land” and “establishment or extension of social justice among the citizens”. What injures the other cannot be good for us and what is good for us must be good for the other!

Achebe’s life work is done. For over 50 years he was the dominant figure in Africa’s literary firmament. The furore about his last story on earth had hardly subsided when he decided to became the topic of discussion. What a man! To live and function fully through the crippling effect of his 1990 road accident in Nigeria is a testament to the audacity of will. We, who are not crippled, except by greed and corruption, must, at least, muster the courage to lift ourselves from the morass to change our country. The onus is now ours, not Achebe’s.

OPINION

BY CHRIS ALIGBE

T

HE marks left by women in our nation’s public life from pre-colonial period to today have become indelible in the minds of Nigerians at large, leaving them to believe that Nigeria’s salvation from its present quagmire will depend largely on injecting more women into the public place and commanding heights. This was the sentiment that greeted the elevation of Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar as the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria after 51 years of nationhood. With her elevation in 2012, Hon. AlomaMukhtar came into a judiciary that was begging for deep sober reflection; a judiciary that need to turn the searchlight unto itself as both the Bench and the Bar have left Nigerians with diminished hope of its ability to clean the Augean stable of corruption, malfeasance and untrammeled injustice that have become the bane of our society. Justice Aloma-Mukhtar is heading a judiciary that requires a comprehensive programme of institutional hygiene and cleansing that will espouse the highest standards of justice based on basic principles of equity, fairness and sound judgment, one of a system rather than one of inexplicable formless individualism and status arrogance.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria came into public limelight on November 5, 2012 when she refused to

From Jombo-Ofo stormy start

to

swear in a duly nominated Hon. Justice Jombo-Ofo as a Justice of the Court of Appeal. The CJN’s decision was based on a frivolous petition that Jombo-Ofo was from Anambra but only married to an Abia State indigene and therefore should not take the slot of Abia state not minding her nomination by Abia State government, which she has served meritoriously all her life. Unwittingly, this singular decision denied Jombo-Ofo her constitutional right, and assaulted the sensibility of Nigerians as well as impugned the constitutional right of Abia State Government.

Nigerians of all works of life rose up in unison to condemn the Chief Justice’s action. Everybody, from the Executive to the National Assembly, Human Rights Activists, to Editorial writers all cried blue murder. The deluge of protests was so much that the National Judicial Council, obviously embarrassed, had to provide a face-saving platform by directing the Chief Justice of Nigeria to do the right thing by swearing-in Justice Jombo-Ofo, which she did.

Next public glare of the CJN came with her letter to the President recommending the immediate retirement

Archibong:CJN’s of one Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court, over his handling of the case against Erastus Akingbola, the erstwhile Managing Director of the now liquidated Intercontinental Bank and the PDP case in Ogun State.

The two cases were based on petitions written against Justice Archibong by some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), among others.

The President, in due and commendable respect to the doctrine of separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution, acceded to the request of the CJN and immediately retired Justice Archibong. As expected and as is usual, the retired Justice petitioned the President, asking the President to rescind his retirement, on grounds, among other reasons, that he was not granted rights of fair hearing and that he committed no judicial misconduct or any infraction of the law.

Continues on pg 18

*Mr. Aligbe, a public affairs analyst,wrote from Lagos.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 ONE of the biggest on going frauds in Nigeria is the budget – federal, state, and local governments. Millions of Nigerians pine away over late passage of the budget, but with the budget neither speed nor lack of it profits the larger public.

The budget is made in a way that only the recurrent expenditure – salaries, purchase of office wares, cars and furniture is fully implemented.

AAmazingly, capital expenditure, which involves building infrastructure, which should benefit the public is less than 30 per cent of the budget, and annually, its implementation is under 30 per cent.

Implementation of the capital component of the federal budget has been low. There were no official concerns about the unspent part of budgets until 2008, when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, ordered that over N400 billion of unspent funds be returned to the treasury.

The government celebrated the refund as an indication of financial prudence, but the unspent money was mostly from capital votes, the part of the budget that impacted the lives of ordinary people. Yet the move was better than what happened in the past, when civil

Language Of Budgets servant spent the last quarter of the year in awarding frivolous contracts in order to exhaust the budget.

Budgets have acquired a language entirely theirs to conceal the duplicity of civil servants who have invented new ways, in connivance with the National Assembly to swindle the country. Their favourite item is computers, information technology, stationery and computer consumables. These items are repetitively listed and purchased annually.

Computers are purchased annually with hefty provisions made for maintenance of equipment that is less than two years old. All these are under recurrent expenditure. How much of government operations is computerised?

In the 2009 budget, the Federal Civil Service Commission provided N6.3 million to

purchase computer materials and supplies, N15.25 million for computers and IT equipment maintenance. By 2011, the Commission demanded N28 million for office stationery and computer consumables and N16.78 million for maintenance. The same items got N25.18 million and N21.06 million respectively in 2012. Another N14.18 million is proposed for stationery and computer consumables and N15.77 million for maintenance in the 2013 budget.

The 2009, 2011 and 2012 budgets of these Ministries - Youth and Social Development, Women Affairs, Defence, Finance, Information, Interior, Police Affairs, Aviation, Petroleum Resources, and Niger Delta Affairs - showed they spent about N1.9 billion on computers and N524.86 million to maintain them.

In the 2013 budget, only seven Ministries are proposing to spend N1.57 billion, on stationery, computer consumables; maintenance of office furniture; maintenance of office/IT equipment and other maintenance services.

These duplicities contribute to high cost of governance, but the National Assembly ignores them.

OPINION

BY CHRIS ALIGBE Continued from pg 17

A

LTHOUGH I had followed the Archibong/SANs saga, having watched on the Television, one of the SANs, Daudu, then NBA President, walk out of the court the day in question, I naturally did not bother to extend my attention on the issue.

However, three recent events compelled me to take another, albeit, hard look at the merits and demerits of Justice Archibong’s petition to the President on his retirement.

The first was, as reported in “The Nation” of Friday, March 15 on page 8, that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court (the actual boss of Archibong)- Hon Justice Ibrahim Auta, presiding in a function at the formal retirement of Justice Benedicta Molokwu, claimed, inter alia, “that some Senior lawyers were in the habit of going to any length to frustrate court proceedings once it suits the interest of their clients”. Hon. Auta, further, as reported, “expressed fears that the frequency with which petitions were written against Judges and the way some are eased out of service was capable of eroding the dignity associated with the office of a Judge”.

Coming from Justice Archibong’s boss, his observation can be construed as an oblique reference to the way Archibong

From Jombo-Ofo to Archibong:CJN’s stormy start (2) was retired.

Secondly, if Auta’s observation is oblique, the retiring Justice Benedicta Molokwu of the Federal High Court, in her valedictory speech made a point blank and unmistakable reference to Justice Archibong’s retirement. When she, inter alia, expressed regret that “frivolous petitions were now being filed against Judges, who end up being compulsorily retired, without given right of fair hearing.” She warned that “if the trend was not discouraged, it would place existing Judges in an unsafe position and make it impossible to employ the services of new Judges.”

The third thing that happened was the report in the Guardian of Friday, March 15, 2013, to the effect that “the Bill for an Act to repeal the Criminal Act Procedure of 2004 had scaled second reading.” Among other things, the Bill seeks to limit adjournment of cases to five times with not more than 14 days interval between each adjournment. This will limit allowable adjournment period to 70 days. This will no doubt guarantee quick dispensation of justice. The Bill under reference may be coincidental to Archibong’s complaint that the legal

team of SANs who prosecuted Akingbola’s case in his court on behalf of EFCC, frustrated administration of justice with their incessant requests for amendment for close to three years.

This obviously was what was cited by Justice Archibong to direct the disbandment of the prosecution team of five SANs for a prosecution that was “lacking in diligence and competence.”

What I ask myself is, is three years period not long enough to finish a major case? How long did it take the UK court to decide Ibori’s case? Is the frustration experienced by Archibong for three years not enough justification for his action? Are the actions of the prosecuting team of SANs right, as of right, or because of their SANship and therefore not blamable?

C

oming closer, the positions of Hon. Justices Auta and Molokwu are pointers that within the judiciary itself, particularly the Bench, there are simmering objections, unvoiced protests and unhappiness about the way the NJC is meting out justice to Judges.

Beyond these, in his petition to the President as published in some

national dailies, Archibong denies vehemently of appearing before the three-man panel set up by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to look into petitions against him. This is contrary to the claim in the CJN’s letter to the President in which she requested the retirement of Archibong, where she stated that Archibong “appeared and was heard.”

First, who is telling the truth? CJN or Archibong? I would prefer that it is CJN rather than Archibong, because of the obvious implications the contrary will have for the judiciary and our nation.

More critically, the issue of fundamental right of fair hearing above is at the heart of justice. Fair hearing is an immutable element in good justice delivery.

If, as Archibong claimed, the threeman panel which was set up by the CJN to look into the petitions against him, even without calling him and allowing him face his accusers, recommended only reprimand, other questions that arise are, on what basis did the CJN upgrade it to compulsory retirement?

What principle of justice?

Did the CJN conclude a priori that Archibong is guilty and must be eased out even before setting up the panel?

Continues tomorrow on pg 17

* Mr. Aligbe, a public analyst,wrote from Lagos.

affairs

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013— 19

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ROFESSOR Julius Ihonvbere, the Secretary to Edo State Government, provided an insight that is useful in the appreciation of the challenges confronting the President’s National Security Advisers. It is as C-in-C that a President is intimately involved in national security management through the appointment of his National Security Advisers.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Vice Chancellor of Western Delta University, Oghara, Professor Ihonvbere said inter alia: “My foray into government and politics was to see how to move out of my theory and research in political science and socio-science into the practice of it but you will not believe my experience when I begin to talk about it. Not one of the principles and rules of politics as a game operates in Nigeria. This is like walking blind-folded and inventing the rule by the hour depending on where you find yourself. There is no country in history that has succeeded in that way; you don’t like an organ and you create

another one within that one.

When people begin to operate in that pedestrian politics, you know they are not serious about governance and not interested in going anywhere”.

When my friend finds that Nigerian practice of politics is not an instance of the theory of politics as a game, I do not believe that the conclusion is to write off Nigerian politics. The problem is in Professor Ihonvbere’s assumption that there is generic politics that informs national practices of politics. The fact is that Nigerian practice of politics is Nigerian politics, not a case of the generic.

Nigerian practice of politics can be understood and its culture identified. American politics is both a practice and a field of study. American politicians, the authors of American politics have been studied and have submitted themselves to study without being transformed into theoretical concepts and normative ideals.

From my shelves I pick up these text books on various aspects of politics in America that have become recognised by Americans

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politicians as American politics: *Thomas E. Patterson; The American Democracy (1994 Edition) *L. Earl Shaw and John C. Pierce, Reading on the American Political System. *Judith Gillespie and Stuart Lazarus, America Government: Comparing Political Experience. *Edited by Anthony King: The New American Political System *Aaron Wildavsky and Nelson W. Polshy: The American Government Institutions: A Reader in the Political Process.

T

he foundation of these textbooks on the practice of politics in America are the historian’s studies of American society from its origins as colonial settlements. Oscar Handlin’s two volumes are illustrative of the conscious decision to make life in America subjects of study that the practitioners recognise as faithful mirroring of their practical endeavours. *Oscar Handlin- Readings in American History 1: From Settlement to Reconstruction

Revellers and public funds

BY ERNEST OMOARELOJIE

I

N the name undertaking tours and other ingenious devices, public office holders often steal public coffers empty. It does not matter that for all intents and purposes, the tour has no direct, indirect, immediate or future relevance. It does not matter either if it is at the expense of basic infrastructure for the people. What matters most is what they stand to gain individually or collectively, as we have witnessed in the character of many public office holders.

Though Nigeria and Nigerians have suffered for so long from the malaise, it appears the culture is not about to be retired. A case in point is the round-thecountry good governance tour being undertaken by Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, alongside over 120 others.The absurdity of the whole exercise was recently brought to the fore when Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, told a bewildered audience in Benin City, the state capital, that the Minister sent him a proposal to the effect that the state should bankroll all expense incurred by the group on its cameo trip to the state. The request, according to the Governor, is expected to cover hotel accommodation, feeding, logistics, etc.

Interestingly, Maku and his good governance group has already toured some states of the federation. Beyond his television claims that “the state is working” which is lost as soon as the

camera turns away from him, no other impression is left for the imagination. To imagine that the states affected may have doled out millions of public funds to accommodate, feed and provide logistics for anyone to end up mouthing those vile rhetorics says so much about those in charge in those states. That is, putting it mildly.

Be that as it may, let me point out here that it has been argued elsewhere that nothing can be more wrong than the Federal Government employing its personnel as propagandist for the states.

The states have their own and they have deployed their resources in whatever public relations stunt they want to make their people aware that their elected representatives are doing the jobs for which they were elected. In other words, anyone familiar with governance, vis-avis the way states work, understands that there are numerous channels for relaying to the people what is happening in terms of development projects being put in place. The truth of the matter is that taking advantage of every option available can become a disservice; it is when the process is duplicated more for revelry and particularly, pecuniary benefits as the Maku inspired good governance tour appears to be. The reasons for this conclusion is not far to seek.

Before Maku thought about his good governance concept, Edo, like other states, developed and executed its brand of very effective public relations. It produced copies of booklets with sufficient pictorial evidence of all the projects it executed

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Overhauling the national security management system

The first task of Nigerian intelligentsias is, therefore, to historicise the Nigerian practice of politics as a beginning of the professional study of political practices in Nigeria

(1660-1870, second Edition) *Oscar Handlin- Readings in American History 2; From Reconstruction to the Present; (1870-1970, second edition) The first task of Nigerian intelligentsias is, therefore, to historicise the Nigerian practice of politics as a beginning of the professional study of political practices in Nigeria, beginning with the politics of state formation through which societies are determined and established. Because such is the beginning we must take the observation of Professor Ihonvbere as the fundamental question of Nigerian politics- and that is, why do Nigerian politicians act in apparent defiance and disregard of rules and logic in their political conduct? Why do they extend this behavioural pattern into the realm of the management of national security? The urgency of the question is driven home by the way the tenure of security chiefs have been terminated. ThisDay Newspaper, December 9, 2012 highlights the import of its story thusly: “As Boko Haram Shapes Fate of Security Chiefs”. For the Federal Government, certainly, the rebellion has reached critical mass where something has to be done. But before Nigerians, what largely seems to be done is the frequent change of security chiefs in response to periodic bouts of Boko Haram violence”.

ThisDay drew attention to the termination on June 22, 2012 of the appointment of the late General Andrew Azazi as National Security Adviser and his replacement with Sambo Dansuki; also removed was the Minister of Defence, Haliru Bello. On October 18, 2012 new service chiefs were announced by the Federal Government: Admiral Ibrahim became Chief of Defence Staff; Rear Admiral Dele Ezeoba, Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Air Staff; and

Nigerians have not lost sight of the fact that Maku is on a federal mission; they are aware that the mission cannot be of any more benefit to the states than it is for the Federal Government

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since the advent of the Oshiomhole administration. At every given opportunity, especially during anniversary celebrations, it distributed them freely to the people, more for verifications than anything else. It is a public knowledge that a lot of television air time, including documentaries, newspapers and/or magazine coverages have also been paid for (and they have extensively done their jobs) with a view to taking the said evidences farther to those who have no access to the booklets.

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he essence, directly or otherwise, is to take the message of infrastructural development in the state to the people for assessment as they are the direct beneficiaries of the life changing projects.

Practically, therefore, is there any chance

Ihejirika was kept on as Chief of Army Staff. “Reports said President Goodluck Jonathan had planned a more sweeping overhaul of the services but he had to drop his original plan to avoid sentiments that might create sympathy for Boko Haram”(ThisDay, December 9, 2012). If the removal of security chiefs was to ensure greater level of effectiveness through their replacement, should expected performance of security chiefs not be related to the nature of the insurgency they were addressing?

If this is the case, what is the argument that assures the C-inC that change of Chiefs would result in superior performance?

Answers to these questions cannot be conceptual. For answers we have to go back to the origins of the Nigerian military and security forces, back to the course of the conquest and colonisation and defence of colonial Nigeria. Yes, we have had over half century of the postcolonial existence of the Nigerian Military. Why then go back to the origin of the colonisation of Nigeria to determine the present capability of the Military in Nigeria and the strategic competence of its leadership? We have to go back because militaries begin as the fighting wing of state formation parties.

During the course of state formation, the military conquer, hold the territory and pacify the population and contribute to the policing of subjugated populations. Thus was the origin of the Nigerian military and security forces in colonial Nigeria. At independence the military created to subjugate the populace was now the Military of a populace apparently liberated from colonial rule.

Continues next week

that Maku’s cameo good governance tour can have even a quarter of the impact of the avenues above? The answer is better imagined than said. But but it would have been a disservice to the people of the state if Oshiomhole had agreed to deploy part of their very lean resource to servicing a revelry like the good governance tour.

Indeed, it would have amounted to bad governance on his part. That perhaps explains why he responded uniquely: “Why should I take Edo State tax payers’ money to finance a Federal Government project?

I don’t need Abuja to help me tell Edo people what I am doing in the state...I expect the Federal Government to finance its officials”.

As it is in Edo State, Nigerians, so it is in other states where the people are already aware of what their governments have done or failed to do in terms of good governance, whatever the phrase represents. Thus, the most pertinent question begging for answer is this: Beyond the possibility of reaping substantial financial largesse from all the states toured, what other impact does Maku’s good governance tour intend to have on the people?

Despite being harassed by debilitating challenges, including economic and security, Nigerians have not lost sight of the fact that Maku is a federal subject on a federal mission. They are aware that by every stretch of the imagination, the mission cannot be of any more benefit to the states than it is for the Federal Government that is using it as a publicity stunt for its vaunted transformation agenda. *Mr. Omoarelojie, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

ACHEBE’S LAST KEYNOTE ADDRESS LITERATURE AND ETHNICITY:

Is literature shaped by the cultural contexts of the authors?

Being keynote address presented in Port Harcourt , Rivers State by CHINUA ACHEBE at the 2011 Garden City Literary Festival THNICITY is a somewhat problematic word. The great American anthropologist and poet, Stanley Diamond, used such words as ethnic with complete and disarming respect, unlike most of us. Our use tends to be coloured by guilt, condescension, or just awkwardness because this word and others in its category have suffered from cultural and racial politics and the politics of scholarship.

I looked up the word ethnic in my daughter’s Random House College Dictionary. It had five definitions as follows: 1) pertaining to or characteristic of a people, especially a speech or culture group 2) referring to the origin, classification, characteristics etc. of such groups 3) pertaining to non-Christians 4) belonging to or deriving from the cultural, racial, religious or linguistic traditions of a people or country especially a ‘primitive’ one: ethnic dances 5) U.S. a member of an ethnic group especially one belonging to a minority group that is not part of the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant tradition.

Protestant tradition This is clearly a word loaded with problems. Being the keynote speaker I could not evade drawing attention to this.

Being first has its drawbacks. An Igbo children’s chant says that the child who walks in front is the eye that spots evil spirits, the child in the rear has twisted fingers (I don’t know why!); the middle child is the happy one.

Having spotted this evil spirit I shall simply step aside to the edge of the pathway and let it pass. I shall use ethnicity in the way I know Stanley [Diamond] intended it. I shall use it to mean those elements of history and culture which distinguish one

group of people from their fellows. Put a little differently, ethnicity would comprise all those significant qualities of a people’s character - qualities of mind and behavior which they acquired in their long struggle to domesticate the wilderness and make it their world; their physical and spiritual landscape.

We are talking then about deep, not surface issues; we are not talking about this morning’s gossip but about matters which reach back to the beginnings of a people as a people. We are talking about their earliest memories which they consider important and wish to preserve and so recount in well-chosen, pleasing and memorable language. Finally we are talking also about the beginnings of literature. That is what ethnicity

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•Prof. Chinua Achebe however, small for seven markets or twenty eight days. The reason: this demi-god was going to feast above for one month and all the inhabitants of the world below must, therefore, honour him with starvation, on pain of instant death!

The notion of oral performance as serious literature is still received with suspicion or reluctance in many quarters, or

The notion of oral performance as serious literature is still received with suspicion or reluctance in many quarters, or at best perceived as a form that ended long ago, perhaps in the age of Homer

suggests to me.

Needless to say that these origins did not involve pen and paper or their ancestors of clay and papyrus. We may imagine some ancient poets making fun of those of their guild who were adopting the new-fangled habit of reading from heavy clay tablets intended for royal edicts and land measurements. This may be no idle imagination.

Several years ago I had invited a seventy-year old illiterate minstrel to recite his epic poetry at the University of Nigeria. His story of the exploits of the hero, Emeka Okoye, began, to everyone’s surprise, with paper playing a singularly sinister role.

Paper floating down from the sky one morning carried a commandment from the demigod Enunyilimba prohibiting the eating or drinking of anything,

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at best perceived as a form that ended long ago, perhaps in the age of Homer. But that is far from the truth. The Somali, a pastoral/ nomadic people in the Horn of Africa must be accounted among the world’s most poetic people.

Their life is permeated by the composition and recital of poetry ranging from simple domestic discourse about the superiority of the camel over goats and cows to the intense anti-colonial poetry directed against the British; the Italians and the Ethiopians.

Sayyid Muhammad Abdille Hasan whom the British called the “Mad Mullah” is revered to this day not only because of his twenty-year struggle against three colonial powers, but primarily as the greatest poet in the Somali language. Now this language was first written down as recently as 1972. It is important

that we admit the category of oral literature with respect in this literary festival or else we shall have little to talk about beside already very-well-talked-about matters. For myself I am taking my bearing from oral literature.

During the European Middle Ages a succession of empires rose and fell in the West African grasslands or the Sahel. One of the most remarkable among these empires was Mali as remarkable as its founder, Sundiata. Islam had penetrated into this part of Africa for at least one thousand years and had slowly superseded the indigenous African polytheistic religions.

Polytheistic religions The creation story which I will now tell you quite obviously predates the coming of Islam to Mali: At the beginning there was a huge drop of milk.

Then Doondari came and he created the stone.

Then the stone created iron; The iron created fire; And fire created water; And water created air.

Then Doondari descended the second time.

And took the five elements And he shaped them into man.

But man was proud.

Then Doondari created blindness and blindness defeated man.

But when blindness became too proud, Doondari created sleep, and sleep defeated

blindness; But when sleep became too proud, Doondari created worry, and worry defeated sleep; But when worry became too proud, Doondari created death, and death defeated worry.

But when death became too proud, Doondari descended for the third time, And he came as Gueno, the eternal one And Gueno defeated death.

There are many things one could say about this wonderful story but I will settle for only one – the constant battle the Creator wages, to maintain the integrity of his world in the face of insidious threat from pride. Four times Doondari has to create an agent to defeat pride. And four times it rises and fights again.

And it was man’s pride that began it all.

The Fulani people who made this story before the coming of Allah were obviously concerned about pride. The theology behind the story is not concerned about seven deadly sins, but only one.

In the 1950s after one thousand years of Islam, a young Fulani from Senegal who had received the best education the French could give to a brilliant colonial subject wrote a novel about the plight of his people after their defeat and subjugation by French arms and policies.

To be concluded

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 — 21

Xi begins African tour as policy makers question role C

HINESE President Xi Jinping will set out plans for mining and infrastructure development on a trip to Africa this week, as China seeks to

reassure leaders on the continent who have voiced unease about its trade relations. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Tanzania yesterday

and met President Jakaya Kikwete before the two countries signed 16 economic cooperation agreements worth as much as $16 billion.

From left: Mr. Philip Rand, Managing Director, Allied Energy Plc; Mr. Mickey Lawal, Vice Chairman, CAMAC Nigeria Limited; Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, President and Chairman of Council, Nigeria Institute of Management (Chartered) and Mr. Maurice Lakanu, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, NIM during a courtesy visit of the institute to CAMAC Group. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

FG tasks entrepreneurs on job creation ... Reveals commitment to create enabling environment PETER EGWUATU

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HE Federal Government has urged entrepreneurs to complement government’s effort in creating more jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerians in the country.

Speaking at the Award Night of Nigeria Fast Growth 50 Entrepreneurial Records in Lagos, organised by AllWorld Newtwork in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, (MITI), Mr. Olusegun Aganga, stated that government would back up entrepreneurs who are ready to create more jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerians.

According to him, “Government is committed to creating an enabling environment for businesses to strive.

We will support entrepreneurs as they are the drivers of job creation and eco-

nomic growth. You are the most important sector in any economy. We are celebrating hard work and creativity because you have managed to see opportunity where many see challenges.”

Also speaking, Professor Michael Porter commended the 50 Nigeria Entrepreneurs who had distinguished themselves by creating over 6,500 jobs and making returns of over 100 percent in their businesses.

According to him, “The Federal Government of Nigeria needs to create an enabling environment because there are great potentials in the country.

The system has held the potentials down. Growth does not happen anywhere in the world without the active participation of the private sector.

There must be capacity building for entrepreneurs to raise their profile, as well as making them visible. This Ni-

Techno Oil offers Easter price slash to customers ECHNO Oil Ltd has announced an Mr Eugene Osimiri, announced the T Easter price slash for its Liquefied bonanza while unveiling the Petroleum Gas (LPG) customers in concompany’s Easter Promo Package at a tinuation of the company’s “giving back to society’’ policy.

In a statement the company said that it was doing promotional sales designed to reward the company’s loyal customers. The promo is scheduled to commence today March 26th and end on April 6ths. The LPG Manager of Techno Oil,

ceremony in Lagos on Sunday.

The promo, anchored on the company’s flagship 12.5kg TechnoGas cylinders, is a ‘’humble way of giving back to our customers and to show that we care,’’ Osimiri stated. He said that during the period of the promo, the product would be sold at a ``non resistible discounted price’’.

geria 50 entrepreneurs being celebrated today have potentials to create more jobs if given the right environment. What is affecting the growth of this economy is the system that is being operated. Once the system is corrected, there will be growth because Nigeria has talent and knowledge.

There is nowhere in the world where entrepreneurs can make 100 percent returns on their investment, so these people must be encouraged” In his own remark, Mr.Tony Elumelu, said, “The future and success of Nigeria and Africa depend on the entrepreneurs. There is greater optimism that Nigeria and indeed Africa will be a better place to invest once there is enabling environment.

If these 50 Nigerians being celebrated today can make average returns of over 100 percent and employ 6,600 people in a difficult terrain, then you can see that they will do greater than this once there is a right environment.

He further advised the private sector not to criticise the government but to work with them towards creating enabling environment.

It should be noted that Allworld Network in partnership with Tony Elumelu Foundation announced the winners of the Nigeria Fast Growth 50 (Nigeria 50), a ranking of the 50 of the fast growing private sector (non listed companies in Nigeria.) The Nigeria 50 broke Allworld records, with each company growing at an average 100 percent a year revenues of $9 million USD and as a group they have created 6,600 jobs.

During his eight-day trip Xi, 59, stops in Tanzania, Congo Republic and South Africa, where he’ll sign business cooperation deals and attend a summit of BRICS nations. Trade between Africa and China doubled since 2007 to more than $200 billion and Chinese investment stands at $20 billion, according to Standard Bank Group Ltd. (SBK), Africa’s biggest lender.

While African nations welcome the investment and the job creation that comes with it, leaders from Botswana’s Ian Khama to Nigerian central bank chief Lamido Sanusi are asking whether the relationship has benefited Africa as much as it has China. That’s a shift in tone after officials welcomed China for taking a different strategy from the West by offering investment without demanding poverty alleviation, democratic reforms or anti-corruption measures.

“There’s a belief that since Africa got a raw deal from the colonial West, then the Chinese must be Africa’s best friend,” George Ayittey, a Ghanaian economist and president of the Free Africa Foundation, a Washingtonbased research institute, said in a phone interview. “But the evidence doesn’t show that, and the main criticism is that they are building infrastructure in exchange for Africa’s resources in deals that are structured to favor China.” Xi arrived in Tanzania yesterday and met President Jakaya Kikwete before the two countries signed 16 economic cooperation agreements worth as much as $16 billion, Salvator Rweyemamu, director of presidential communications, said in a phone interview. The country also signed a loan agreement with China Merchants Bank for a planned $10 billion port at Bagamoyo on the Tanzanian coast, he said.

136.10 2,164.00

-2.00

18.17

-0.04

107.50

+0.03

93.80

+1.26

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

2.35

154.76 235.2816 200.4142 163.9928 1.6318 0.2856 231.7002 24.9106 41.266 26.8895 232.7745

155.26 236.0418 201.0617 164.5226 1.6371 0.2956 232.4488 24.9915 41.3994 26.9764 233.5266

SELLING 155.76 236.8019 201.7092 165.0525 1.6423 0.3056 233.1974 25.0724 41.5327 27.0633 234.2786

CBN Exchange rate as at 25/03/2013

22— Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Buy the shares of good companies

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE third principle of profitable investment in shares is to, ‘Invest in Good Companies.’ That is, you should buy the shares of good companies. This automatically means that not all companies, especially those listed on the stock exchange, are good companies in terms of investment.

How do you differentiate the good from the bad ones?

The first index is Performance!

A good company will always perform well in terms of sales or revenue and make profit. It can be quite difficult to know a good company to invest in, especially in the short term, or when the general economic condition is good and favourable for businesses. Only few companies can survive crisis or continue to makes sales and profit in crises. That is why performance over a long period of time differentiates a good company from a bad one. When you want to assess the performance a company for investment purpose, look beyond five years; consider the performance of the company in the last ten years.

The second index of a good company is what the company sells. Basically, the product or service a company sells can be divided into two namely necessity/essential or luxury/non- essential. Companies that sells products that are necessities or essentials, in other words, product and services that people cannot do without; have a better opportunity of making regular sales. For example, the services rendered by banks are essential.

People and businesses including governments would always need the services of banks.

Hence banks would always make money. Similarly there are companies that sell essential commodities such as detergents, soaps, milk, flour, etc. There are high possibilities that such companies would always sell. So before you buy the shares of any company, you need to ask, “What does the company sell.

The third index of a good company is management. Who runs the company, how is the company managed. A company may be selling something that people would always need and buy, but if the company is not well managed, the company may not perform well in the long run.

We said banks offer essential services, but many banks have collapsed while some are still performing well despite the various and many crises in the financial sector. The determining

factor is management, and how the company is managed. In fact most of the companies that failed or collapsed during the global economic crisis did so

due to bad management, and most of the companies that survived, though they are not selling essential goods, did so because of good management. So

always consider who is running the company, how are they running the company.

There are so many companies in Nigeria and on the

Nigeria Stock Exchange that have all these criteria. But the most outstanding is Nestle Plc, and that is why its shares as at at last weekcommand the highest price on the Exchange-N860 per share.

STOCKS IN THE NEWS

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Consult before you invest

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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HAT doctors are to the sick and auto mechanics to an ailing vehicle, are professional advisers, whether a stockbroker, an accountant or an investment banker to a prospective investor.

Making investment decisions without first of all seeking clarification from or consulting any of these people on how and where to invest could be risky. It amounts to taking a plunge into a deep sea without having a second thought.

As hazardous as this practice is, it is very common to investors in Nigeria.

They usually approach the stock market like like other conventional markets.

Commenting on this attitude, Alhaji Rasheed Yussuff, Managing Director/ CEO, Trust Yield Securities Limited, said, “In investing in the stock market, one thing we need to emphasise is that investors need to listen to their advisers because buying shares now at the Exchange is not just a matter of saying, ‘I heard Mr. A say he made money fromthis stock, buy it for me.’ It is a question of seeking advice and I am talking about

capital market operators. We do our research and we advice our clients on what share to buy based on the fundamental of that company.

“What I mean by fundamental is that we tell you about the industry in which that particular company is operating; we tell you about the management and the people that are there and we tell you about their corporate governance policy, how long they have being in business, what experience they have and how they have performed in the past.

We should be able to tell you the general market for their products and therefore, we should be able to say that given the fact that Four Mills for instance, has control of the flour sector and has been operating in the country for some decades and is run by people that have this track record and given the fact that Nigerians, like anyone else will continue to eat bread, I should be able to tell you that given all the fundamentals, investment in the company or any other flour milling company is not a bad one. Therefore, anybody that has what it takes to operate in that sector should succeed because demand for their product will always be there.”

HE board of directors of Berger Paints Nigeria Plc has once again recommended the payment of 70 kobo per share as dividend to its shareholders for 2012 financial year.

This is in line with the company ’s practice of rewarding shareholders annually.

In 2011, the company paid 70 Kobo, which was 60.87 percent of 115 kobo achieved as earnings per share during that period. It paid 30 kobo in 2008, 50 kobo in 2009 and 70 kobo for the financial year ended December 2010, making it six years of unbroken dividend payment.

The register of members, according to the company, would be closed for dividend payment from 22nd to 24th April, 2013, while payment date falls on 21st May, 2013.

The third quarter unaudited financial result for period ended 30th September showed that revenue rose to N1.94 billion, while profit after-tax went up to N115.84 million.

From N6.93 per share at the beginning of the year, the share price has risen to N10.45 as at close of trading on Friday 22nd March, 2013.

From an importer of paint products in 1961, Berger Paints Nigeria has grown to become a manufacturer and marketer of a range of decorative and industrial paints under various product brands.

Since its inception, the company has recorded a commendable number of “industry first”.

It was the first company in Nigeria to introduce textured coating into the country. It was also the first paints manufacturing company to be quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange, the first to be ISO certified, and now upgraded from NIS ISO 9002 to NIS 9001:2000 and the first to hit the N1 billion mark, among others.

For more information, and enquiries about this subject, send email to vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com.

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 — 23

INVESTORS SPEAK

BY WILLIAM JIMOH & AMAKA ABAYOMI

We need sincere regulators- Folorunsho Bamisaye, an investor THE market is growing gradually s o therefore there is the hope that everything will be alright but supposing the regulators are more faithful, sincere and know that they are owing investors so much •Bamisaye than we are getting now, then we will be able to move faster in growth.

This is not to say that the regulators are not trying their best. In fact, I learnt that they are also doing some internal reorganisation by bringing in young workforce aimed also at developing the market.

The way they are doing things now shows that the improvement we are experiencing now will surely be sustained. The only thing I think we all need is trust, be it regulators, investors, the companies and all the other people that are involved in the market because that alone, I think can take us to the next level.

Investors need to be patient- Emmanuel Amao, shareholder I have been dealing in stocks for over 18 years even before I got retired in 2007, and over this period, most of what I have achieved in terms of personal project is from stocks, and that is why I will continue to have confidence in the market.

What have kept me hopping and

•Amao

has given me the courage to even encourage other investors is that; this is a market where you can put your money and know that at anytime you want your money, all you need to do is to see your stockbroker and give a mandate to him to sell and when this is done you can use your money for whatever you want to use it for. So for me I don’t believe that it can not be good or be normal again, it will surely get better it is just a matter of a little time. And for those that share the faith and the hope that it will soon come up, it will surely work for them.

Stock market is like a circle- Moses Oyatoye, a stockbroker

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s an econo mist, I know that the market is like a circle, some times it rises while other times it falls.

•Oyatoye There was a major decline in 2008, but I can tell you that today, the stock market is recovering from that down turn and that is to say, there is hope for investors that the market will be good again.

This is not a problem that perculier to Nigeria, it is a global matter.

Investments take time to yield profitsMoses Imohi , 400L, undergraduate I started trading in shares in 2006 when I bought shares of two quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, but since the economic meltdown, I haven’t heard anything about my shares neither have I received any dividend warrant or bonus.

But despite what became of my shares, I’m still optimistic that the market would bounce back in a couple of years. Investments are meant to yield profits, though sometimes, it takes a great deal of time, so I have taken my shares as part of my life time investments and believe that something fruitful will come out of them.”

My advice to fellow students is that they need proper education and enlightenment about the workings of the stock market, so that they don’t regret venturing into it.”

Investors’ rights under CAMA on New Issues

BY PETER EGWUATU

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HE Companies and Al lied Matters Act (CAMA) provides opportunities for both existing and prospective shareholders of a company to participate in new share issues offered by a company.

When a company wants to raise additional capital to boost its operations, it can issue and sell new shares to the general public. Also, CAMA allows public companies to issue bonus shares to their shareholders. Therefore, it is the right of a shareholder to benefit from such bonus whenever it is declared.

Bonus shares are free shares given to existing shareholders as compensation for their loyalty and support for the business. The bonus shares are paid from the undistributed profit or retained earnings kept by a company over some years of operation.

Any shareholder who is de-

nied bonus shares whenever declared by a company has the right to seek redress in the law courts.

Another type of new issues is Rights issue. Existing shareholders have right to partake in rights issue. Right issues are new shares created by a company and offered for sale only to existing shareholders.

Rights issues are not meant for the general investing public. So an existing shareholder can either exercise his/her rights or trade them at the secondary market when he/she does not feel like partaking in the offering.

For example, if a shareholder currently owns five per cent of the total shares outstanding and the company decides to double the amount of shares issued through rights issue, a shareholder has the option to exercise his/her rights and purchase enough shares to maintain his 5 per cent interest.

If an existing shareholder fails

to partake in the rights issue, the company has the right to distribute it to other shareholders who might have shown interest. So it pays the shareholder to take up his/her Right issue even when he or she does not have money to buy it. What the shareholder needs to do is to seek the assistance of a licensed stockbroker to help him/ her trade the rights at the stock market .

Ordinarily, rights issues are supposed to be issued at a discount. This means that the price at which the offering is made to the existing shareholder should be less than its current market price at the stock.

But in recent times; some companies do not give any discount for rights issue. They have argued that since existing shareholders benefit in bonus shares they should equally patronise and support their companies to raise additional funds and by so doing, ensure their shareholding is not reduced.

COMPLAINTS & INVESTIGATIONS I need update on my Finbank shares I bought 4000 units of Finbank Plc’s shares six yrs ago; I never received dividends or bonus. I need to know the worth of my shares now. (Seyi Ijeh)

Investors’ forum First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc acquired Finbank and all the shares transferred and converted to FCMB shares. The shareholders of Finbank were alloted one share of FCMB for every 48 shares of FinBank. So visit City Securities Registrar Limited (CSRL), the registrar of FCMB for update on your dividend and bonus.

Eurocom Securities, what happened to my Access Bank certificate verification I submitted Access Bank share certificates with 60,000 and 12,000 units through Eurocom Securities Limited Markudi branch for verification since 2008 and the units are yet to be reflected in my CSCS account. I wrote two letters to them in November 2012, and August 16th 2011 and another in February this year. I have even called the Managing Director who kept telling me that they will do something about it, but up till now, I have not heard any reply from them. Please I need your assistance. Let me know why Eurocomm has verified my certificates. (Terwase D Goja)

Investors’ forum If Eurocom Securities refuses to answer your request for the verification of your share certificate, you can report the case to the Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) for peaceful mediation. ASHON is the umbrella body for stockbroking houses. Part of its function is to mediate on issues that affect a stockbroking firm and investors. If that fails, then you can as well write to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for it to investigate and provide appropriate remedy.

How do I invest in shares

I intend investing in shares and I live in Benin/Agbor.

How do I start, especially with a reliable and credible stock broker/firm (Emekwumah Charles)

Investors’ forum You can invest in shares by approaching a registered stockbroker with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Nigerian Stock Exchange. Visit the website of SEC and NSE to view list of registered stockbrokers. The reason you have to do so is to avoid engaging quacks. For more on this check previous editions of Investors forum for the article, Buy a Share, Own a Company.

I want update on my Daar Communications dividend

Please help me find out what is happening to my 5000 units of Daar Communications Plc. I bought the shares in 2007, and no dividend or bonus COMPLAINTS has been given till now.

AND (Okpara Paul) INVESTIGATIONS

Investors’ forum In fact, Daar Communication has not declared any dividend or bonus since you bought the shares. So, your investment is still intact and you are free to sell them if you do not have confidence that the company will declare dividend or bonus in the nearest future.

Do you have any challenge with your investment in the stock market or with any company (stockbroker, Registrar Company etc), write to vanguardinvestorsforum @gmail.com OR send text to 08157550673. We will INVESTIGATE AND REPLY

24— Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Waltersmith plans $40m 5kbpd refinery ... Seeks to acquire new assets

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BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

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NDIGENOUS marginal field operator, Waltersmith Petroleum Oil Limited, is currently musing setting up a 5,000 barrel per day capacity greenfield refinery, to be located in OhajiEgbema, Imo State.

The refinery, which is initially being estimated at $40million, is one of the measures the company is considering to take care of its crude production, in view of the challenges being encountered in evacuating the crude from the fields due to pipeline vandalism.

Unfoldingthe plans in Lagos last week at a press conference in Lagos, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Waltersmith, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa, said that although plans were still at the conception stage, management had gone ahead conduct the technical and commercial reviews of the project.

He explained, “If you know where we allocated we call it like a stranded location. We are the only ones there, we have access to some facilities.

We connect our export through the Trans Niger Pipeline, which is Shell’s pipeline, and once that pipeline is vandalised then we have a problem with export and the vandalism has

From left: Minister for Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke; Group Managing Director, FirstBank Plc, Mr. Bisi Onasanya; Minister of State for Works, Amb. Bashir Yuguda and Minister for Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the Nigeria Summit Conference, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele. continued for some time now.

“I am sure you have heard about the Shell’s report on the vandalism of the Trans Niger Pipeline which we call it “TNP” and because of that we find ourselves shutting down operation for quite some time.

Last year, we lost about 120 days of non production because of the continued vandalism of this pipeline.

And so we have now been forced to begin to think about what else we can do with this crude oil we are producing.

So instead of putting them in the ground or in the tank and waiting for it to be exported,

why don’t we consider the possibility of refining it.

“Now we are therefore considering refining very strongly based on the economy in the market of what we can do with the crude, and before the end of the year, we will seriously take a decision on what we are going to do.

Project viability Against the backdrop of downstream regulation and the issues that have trailed private refining in Nigeria, which make the business unattractive, Isa argued that based on the feasibility the

project was very viable.

He explained that the refinery will be producing and focusing on the deregulated products – automotive gas oil, AGO or diesel, and aviation turbine kerosene, ATK or Jet/ aviation fuel.

He said, “We are still evaluating it, however from a commercial point of view, our focus first isto look at two product streams, essentially jet fuel and AGO which is diesel.Those are the two product streams we are looking at, and we have done that because those two segments of the market are deregulated.”

Total awards Egina FPSO contract to Samsung T

OTAL UpstreamPetroleum Nigeria Limited, in Joint Venturewith the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has awarded a $3.1billion Floating Production,Storage and Offloading , FPSO, vessel contract for Eginadeepwater oil field to South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries, SHI. Samsung Heavy Industries, with its ship building capabilities and track record of achievements emerged the preferred bidder in a highly competitive and transparent bidding conducted bythe National Petroleum Investment Management System,NAPIMS, the

NNPC’s Ogbuigwe heads African refiners

investment arm of the NNPC. The award, which has been approved by the NNPC Group Executive Committee, GEC, headed by the Minister of P e t r o l e u m Resources,MrsDiezani AlisonMadueke,follows a series of controversies regarding the local content value of the contract between Samsumg and a sister Korean firm, HyundaiHeavy Industry, HHI. The multibillion Egina fieldlocated in Oil Mining Lease, OML130 near Akpo Field, is the third deep offshore development projects of the French oil giant in Nigeria with reserve potential of in excess of 550 million

barrels and a peak production of 150,000 barrels per day.

The NNPC/Total JV decided to award the Egina FPSO contract to Samsungafter a comprehensive review of the economics, the track records of the bidders and having met all the local content requirements including 12,000-15000 tonnes incountry fabrication of topsides Besides, as a good corporate citizen Samsung through its capacity building programme had trained many Nigerians youths over the years in South Korea in various aspect of welding, sandblasting, integrity inspection and a host of others with Americancertifications. Also,

plansare underway to train more Niger Delta indigenes in South Korea, under its skill acquisition programme to improve the capacity and competence of Nigerians in 6G welding.

According to sources, Hyundai Heavy Industry HHI bided $3.8billion for the Egina FPSO while Samsung Heavy Industry stuck to $3.1billion for the same facility, a development that gave it the winning edge.

Industry experts commended the French oil giant and NNPC for the transparent manner in which they conducted the bidding process, and their determination to bring the project to reality.

HE African Refiners Association, ARA, has elected the Group Executive Director, Refining and Petro chemicals, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr Anthony Ogbuigwe, as its new President.

Ogbuigwe who until June 2012, was the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, PHRC, Alesa Eleme, Rivers State, replaces Mrs. Anabella Fonseca, Vice President of the Angolan state owned, Sonangol.

The NNPC chief refiner emerged President at the end of ARA’s 8th Annual Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, held between March 18 and 22. The ARA conference is regarded as the most important meeting place for Africas downstream petroleum industry.

In his acceptance speech, the new ARA President outlined four broad objectives of hie administration, including ? Improving the efficiency and reliability of operation of African Refineries ?

Fostering the production, marketing and distribution of high quality petroleum products to drive the anticipated and ongoing high growth of African economies ?

Work with the African Union and regional groups like ECOWAS, SADEC and COMESA to ensure that the AFRI 1 to 5 specifications are adopted and enforced in Africa to protect the health and wellbeing of the continent, it’s people and the environment ?

Growing ARA as a strong Association for sharing of best practices in HSE, reliabilitycentered maintenance, competence and technological development.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—25

Chevron canvasses dialogue, respect for rule of law

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HEVRON Nigeria Limited, CNL, operator of the NNPC/ ChevronJoint Venture has stressed its support and respect for communities in its areas of operation. The company made the clarification in response toa newspaper report credited to a member of the Gbaramatu community in Warri South LocalGovernment Area of Delta State.

The General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), CNL, Mr. DejiHaastrup, said, “CNL has a strong partnership with communities in the areas of its operations.

Wesupport their aspirations and respect the communities’ traditions. We do not interfere in their internalprocesses for selecting their leaders and representatives or in their internal affairs.”

Haastrup said the clarification became necessary in view of reports by some news media alleging that CNL officialswere interfering in the election of representatives for the Egbema-Gbaramatu C e n t r a l DevelopmentCommittee (EGCDC).

Haastrup explained that the EGCDC is one of eight regional community development organizations(Regional D e v e l o p m e n t Committees) established under the Chevronpioneered participatory communityengagement model known as the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU).

In keeping with theprinciples of the GMoU and in line with CNL policy of non interference in the internal affairs ofcommunities, elections into these Regional D e v e l o p m e n t Committees are entirely the affairs of thecommunities concerned. “Each of the communities has a process it has developed for selecting itsleaders and representatives, and CNL recognizes and deals with those so a p p o i n t e d , ” Haastrupexplained.

BY FELIX AYANRUOH

Oil & People

T

HE decision of the Federal High Court Abuja, on March 19, 2013 declaring the policy of deregulation of the petroleum industry downstream sector unconstitutional, illegal, null and void, calls for a prudent and speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The court in its decision ordered the government to desist from deregulation of the downstream sector and fix prices of petroleum products – violation of section 6 of the Petroleum Act, 2004 and the Price Control Act also of 2004.

Under our current laws the downstream petroleum sector remains regulated. This means that all energy providing process including pricing is governed by a regulatory or government body – the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA). The PPPRA is the Nigerian government agency that determines pricing policy of petroleum product; create an information databank through liaison with all relevant agencies to facilitate the making of informed and realistic decisions on pricing policies among others.

As rightly decided by the Abuja high court, not until a new law is passed repealing section 6 of the Petroleum Act or the act in its entirety, the nation’s petroleum industry including the downstream sector remains regulated and not deregulated. Deregulation is the lifting of certain government controls (such as price control) on several aspects of a specific industry, specifically the oil industry. It allows for competition of petroleum product refiners and suppliers to enter the market and offer their petroleum products to consumers.

One of the objectives of the PIB is to deregulate and liberalize the downstream sector - Section 221of the draft bill provides that the pricing of petroleum product in the downstream product sector is deregulated to ensure: (a) A market related pricing; (b) Adequate supply of petroleum product; (c) Removal of economic distortions; and (d) The creation of a fair market value for petroleum product in the Nigerian economy.

The National Assembly should see this case as a clarion call and challenge, coupled with the recent oil subsidy scandal and acute fuel shortages as an example for the need to pass the PIB now. The advantages of

•FELIX AYANRUOH felix.ayanruohlaw@gmail.com

Illegality of downstream deregulation: A case for PIB passing the law will among other things lead to improve and efficient use of scarce economic resources by subjecting decisions to the operations of the forces of demand and supply. This will attract new sellers, buyers and investors into the market, thereby increasing competition, promoting overall higher productivity and, consequently, lowering prices over time. The ultimate effect of this chain of activities is increased gains to consumers.

Furthermore, deregulation will reduce economic waste and lightens social burdens caused by government control, stimulate economic activities, and decrease the cost of doing business drastically. Deregulation promises to be the way

‘ deregulation Furthermore,

will reduce economic waste and lightens social burdens caused by government control, stimulate economic activities, and decrease the cost of doing business drastically

’

forward in expanding opportunities for economic growth and a competitive downstream petroleum sector.

Congruous pricing of petroleum products is one of the preeminent antecedents in attracting private investment into the Nigerian downstream petroleum sector. This is due to the fact that the prices of the petroleum products will be set by independent marketers based on the interaction of supply and demands of the products - independent oil marketers would be free to set their prices. The resultant market price is dependent on these fundamental components of the market – price reduction until the price is right.

With the passage of the PIB, the Aturu decision will become moot by virtue of the provisions of Section 354, which repeals the Petroleum Act and Section 221 discussed above.

26—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

‘Resolution of labour issues’ll hasten electricity reforms’

BY NOEL ONOJA

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INISTER of State for Power, HajiaZainab Ibrahim Kuchi, has said that Federal Government’s commitment to settlement of Severance Benefits of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Staff is informed by the relevance of the exercise to the attainment of the Power Sector Roadmap and the overall realization of the Transformation Agenda of the

administration.

Speaking last week at the inauguration of the Implementation Committee on the Settlement of Severance for PHCN Staff, Kuchi commended the workers as represented by the three Unions in the power sector for being courageous as they have helped the process to become less tedious and seamless.

She gave the assurance that the Federal Government is

committed to bringing the process of privatization of the power sector to conclusion in no distant future with the inauguration of the committee.

She said, “It is ‘a product of proper buy-in by all’, as Government is convinced that efficient power sector performance is underscore by capable work force that can operate at optimal efficiency.

So Government cannot but ally with all stakeholders in

frank and transparent manner as to resolving all human resource oriented matters during this transition.

“Federal Government in line with its previous commitments has sufficient funds to make all full and complete payments to all that are due.”

The committee, which is chaired by the newly appointed Permanent Secretary of Power, Ambassador GodknowsIgali, had representatives from Finance and Labourministries, the Bureau of

Public Enterprises (BPE), Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Pensions Commission (PENCOM), AuditorGeneral and the four labourunions in PHCN and the Consultant – Alexander Forbes.

T

he committee had an eight-point reference and has since swung into action.

The Minister of State for Finance, Dr. YerimaNgawa, in his goodwill message reiterated that government would fulfill its obligations, saying, “We cannot afford to disappoint Nigerians.”

Power: GE commits to skills developmentp

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HE President and CEO of General Electric Nigeria, Mr. Lazarus Angbazo, has identified localisation and skills development in the power sector as key elements to success.

He made the remarks at a workshop during the just-concluded Nigeria Summit in Lagos, last week.

“Nigeria is positioned to be Africa’s bread basket and the biggest economy by the year 2020. There has been a lot of focus and investment by the Federal Government in developing the Power sector in Nigeria and we as the private sector should ask ourselves, what role can we play?

How can we contribute to government’s vision for an improved Power sector?” he noted.

Angbazo said for its part, “GE is playing a significant role in the on-going power sector reforms because Nigeria is a very important market for us, that is why at GE we are committed to filling the huge supply gap in the power sector” “GE’s strategy for Nigeria is hinged on three pillars; first to build infrastructure solutions that are relevant to the local market, localize GE’s capability in terms of personnel, suppliers and expertise.”

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—27

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

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ARGINAL field operator, Niger Delta Exploration and Production has decried the multiple taxes levelled against indigenous operators by the Federal, State and Local Governments, saying that the poses serious threatened their operations.

A Marginal Field is a well that is close to its end of commercial life.

The production rate of the field is usually low.

The Managing Director, Niger Delta Exploration and Production Mr. Layi Fatona, said these multiple taxes have not only rendered marginal filed business unattractive to prospective investors, but also a major challenge confronting marginal field operators in the country.

He told news men in Lagos that there should also be timely agreements between lease holders and government agencies in all marginal filed operation, while also calling for duty waivers and tax holidays to enhance their competition.

“Government should assist indigenous marginal field operators through import duty waivers and tax breaks, and also improved local bank

Marginal field operators decry multiple taxes involvement by reducing rates,” said

I

n spite of the plethora of challenges, Fatona argued that marginal field operators have continued to contribute to the growth of the Nigerian economy, whilst expanding the oil and gas operational frontiers.

He said that indigenous operators contributed about 10 per cent of the nation’s total oil production, with only eight out of the 24 marginal fields brought on stream in the last 10 years of their operations.

He cited, “Poor Technical competence, fluctuating assistance from foreign equity partners and low funding capacity of indigenous players pose serious concern,” as part of the challenges, and urged the Federal Government to promote greater indigenous participation in the petroleum industry through more favourable policies.

He equally noted that Indigenous companies are confronted with legislative, financial, logistical and technical challenges on their first oil or gas production.

Nigeria has proven oil reserves of 37.3 billion barrels, four billion barrels of condensates, 187 trillion cubic feet, TCF, of proven gas reserves, with current average daily production of 2.5 million barrel per day, which he said can be improved if marginal field operations were enhanced.

According to him, “From 19872007, over 53 indigenous companies were awarded licenses to operate leases in the Niger Delta and Anambra Basin, when production from Nigerian indigenous companies stood at about 259,665 bopd.”

Statoil, ExxonMobil in third Tanzania discovery S

TATOIL and co -venturer ExxonMobil are pleased to announce their third high impact discovery in Block 2 offshore Tanzania in a year.

The discovery of 4-6 TCF of natural

gas in place in the Tangawizi1 well brings the total in-place volumes up to 15-17 TCF. “The success in Block 2 is the result of an ambitious and successful drilling campaign.

We have so far completed five wells within 15 months and will continue with further wells later this year.

Recoverable gas volumes in the range of 10-13 TCF brings further robustness to a future decision on a potential LNG project”, says Tim Dodson, executive vice president for exploration in Statoil.

The Tangawizi-1 discovery was made in sandstone of tertiary age. The new discovery is located 10 kilometres from the Zafarani and Lavani discoveries.

It is located in water depth of 2,300 metres and was drilled by the Ocean Rig Poseidon drilling rig.

Statoil and cov e n t u r e r ExxonMobil are also working to mature additional prospects in Block 2 and have recently acquired 3D seismic data in areas of Block 2 so far covered only by 2D seismic.

“I am very satisfied to see C M Y K

how the organisation is able to rapidly follow up on the exploration success both by being able to develop a successful drilling strategy and to plan and complete the drilling operations in a safe and cost-effective manner,” says Dodson.

“The Tangawizi-1 discovery is the venture’s fourth discovery within a year, preceded by two high-impact discoveries with Zafarani-1 and Lavani-1, and a deeper discovery in a separate reservoir with Lavani-2.

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he successful drilling results from Block 2 demonstrate how Statoil’s strategy of focusing on high-impact opportunities is paying off and supports the company ’s ambition of international growth.”

“The Tanzania government is pleased to learn about additional gas resources discovered in Block 2 and remains optimistic on future developments,” said Hon. Prof. Sospeter Muhongo, Minister for Energy and Minerals in Tanzania.

Statoil operates the licence on Block 2 on behalf of Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and has a 65% working interest, with ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania limited holding the remaining 35%. Statoil has been in Tanzania since 2007, when it was awarded the operatorship for Block 2. “

ERHC to commence reconciliation of accounts

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RHC Energy Inc., a publicly traded American company with oil and gas assets in SubSaharan Africa, last week announced the closure of its rights offering.

Accordingly, the company said it will now commence the reconciliation of accountsin line with the Prospectus Supplement filed with the SEC on December 27, 2012 relating to the rights offering, the subscription agent, Corporate Stock Transfer.

The company said in a statement last week that, “Once all accounts have been reconciled, those who exercised subscription rights and those who exercised over-subscription privileges will receive the appropriate number of newly issued shares of ERHC Energy common stock. The reconciliation period is expected to take at least several days.”

ERHC President and CEO, Mr. Peter Ntephe, was quoted as saying, “We very much appreciate the support of all stockholders, but we especially wish to thank those who participated in this rights offering, which represents a major step toward proceeding with exploration and development activities in the Republics of Chad and Kenya.”

ERHC also explained that its rights offering was an initial step in its fund raising strategy, adding that it was already discussing with new investors about raising additional funds through registered direct offerings.

“The amount the Company will seek to raise through these activities will depend on the outcome of the reconciliation of accounts from the rights offering, which is currently underway. As previously disclosed, ERHC is also continuing to work to farm-out a portion of its assets in Kenya, Chad and the São Tomé & Principe Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to spread the risk,” it said.

ERHC has a number of assets in Sub Sahara Africa, including a Production Sharing Contract, PSC, with the Government of the Republic of Kenya

28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—29

30—Vanguard, TUESD AY, MARCH 26, 2013 TUESDA

Tuberculosis, another killer at large in Nigeria

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

I

N 1882, when Dr. Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch announced the discovery of the gram negative bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the bacterial pathogen that causes tuberculosis, the world was agog. But little did anyone know that 131 years after, the dreadful infectious disease would still be ravaging most parts of the world.

Although, Koch’s discovery opened the gate to greater evaluation of the TB pathogen, knowledge of the disease process including its epidemiological characterisation and ultimately, treatment and cure possibilities, today, there is little to celebrate.

Just last week, the World Health Organisation and Global Fund cited a wide spread threat of Multi- Drug Resistant TB(MDR-TB). The alarming data suggest that the scope of MDR-TB is much more vast than previously estimated, requiring a concerted international effort to combat the disease, Although a co-infection with HIV can kill a patient in two weeks, the resources to fight TB are limited — even in Western countries.

In Nigeria, many TB patients still die without access to treatment. The WHO has ranked Nigeria in its 2012 global tuberculosis reports as a nation with a high TB burden, high HIV burden and high MDRTB burden. Of an estimated population of 162 million, 190,000 Nigerians were diagnosed with TB in 2011 at the incidence rate of 118/100,000.

Out of these, 27,000 died, 84,263 new TB cases were reported while 8,787 were retreated on account of relapse, treatment failure or default.

Reports show that Lagos, Kano, Oyo and Benue states have the highest prevalence in descending order whereas Ekiti and Bayelsa states have the least. More pathetic is the fact that the disease is currently affecting the most productive age group (25-34). In 2010 alone, about 36.6 per cent of this age group was affected.

However, despite claims by the Federal government of upgrading treatment centres across the country to curb the menace, there is poor availability of microscopy (smear), culture, drug susceptibility centre and presence of only one national reference laboratory at the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme headquarters in Kaduna.

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Today, Nigeria has no available second line drug susceptibility testing centre which is quite crucial in management of MDR-TB. The high rate of TB in HIV infected persons is up to 26 per cent, a gap in determining the HIV status of 19 per cent of known TB patients and the 3.1 per cent incidence of MDR-TB. Following these startling revelations, stakeholders described the current situation of TB in Nigeria as a license to kill. Funding of TB control activities is another area of poor performance with 71 per cent budget implementation; only 28 percent came from domestic sources and 48 percent from the Global Fund.

A look at the 2013 budget estimates show that whereas there is a marginal increase of two per cent in domestic funding, the contribution from the Global Fund has depreciated to 42 percent, a sign for Nigeria to start looking inwards for other funding options for the fight against TB. In its 23 years of existence, it is still unclear if the Nigerian National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) - implementing agency of the Federal Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Public health - would be able to achieve the goal of 50 per cent reduction in prevalence and death from TB, compared with the 1990 baseline, by 2015.

While the Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) services has revolutionalised TB treatment since it was launched in Nigeria in 1994, and scaled up to the 36 States of the Federation and the Fed-

Medications for patients undergoing treatment for Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis. Inset: Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu. In Nigeria, the DOTS programme has been implemented in all states and local government areas. However, in spite of all the DOTS centres, Nigeria for over 10 years, has remained one of the countries with highest burden of TB in the world. eral Capital Territory (FCT), expectations of eliminating TB as a public health problem by 2050 is still perceived as a tall order at this point in time.

Lamenting the unlikely possibility of Africa achieving the MDG’s goal of halving the 1990 figures by 2015, the WHO identified the chronic poor funding and under developed health systems in the region, calling for a stepping up of action to catch up with efforts in other regions of the world.

President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele urged

government and all to wake up to the reality of the fact that Nigeria has the highest TB disease burden in Africa and 10th largest in the whole world (WHO, 2010).

“The pain of this fact is further aggravated by the realisation that TB is an entirely revertible and easily curable disease if simple public health regulations, hygiene practices and the treatment guidelines are strictly adhered to.”

To change the current situation, it is very important for the Federal Government to make the fight against TB one of its

Centenary anniversary projects by massively investing in TB research activities towards the discovery of the much needed anti-TB vaccine. This they can do by bridging the funding gaps in NTP budgets and instituting endowments to universities and other research institutions/organizations to motivate scientists for the task of discoveries/ breakthroughs in the areas of Zero deaths from TB, faster treatment modalities, a quick, cheap and low technical diagnostic test and TB eradication through mass vaccination.

Akintayo admonishes health care providers:

Stop competition, embrace collaboration

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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IGERIAN healthcare professionals have been called upon to discard the spate of competition, confrontation and distrust in the health sector and embrace the spirit of collaboration, consultation and cooperation among one another in the interest of the health consuming public.

President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo, who gave the remark weekend during his inaugural lecture at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos, lamented there was too much competition, confrontation and distrust in the health sector.

“Professions exist to serve Society, therefore our mission

• Pharm Olumide Akintayo. as pharmacists must address the needs of Society, our duty is to work and ensure that the added value we bring to healthcare and our potentials are taken into account and respected by policy makers and other health profession-

als. We note here that there is a lot of competition, confrontation and distrust in the health sector,” he declared Recognising the position of pharmacists as experts in medicines, he said pharmacists have always been known as an accessible and trusted source of advice and treatment. “Today, our contribution to healthcare is developing in new ways to support patients in their use of medicines and as part of the clinical decision making across the range of ailments.

Further, the PSN President said the situation must give way for collaboration, consultation, cooperation in the interest of the health consuming public.

“We must open our hearts

and minds to allow the team concept to rule our worlds in healthcare delivery. There is no doubt that the cost of fighting against disease and preserving health will continue to increase in spite of constant control and intervention.

There are manifold reasons and benefits for wishing to create a genuine cooperation between pharmacists and other healthcare providers.

Pharmacists will therefore provide leadership to ensure unity among all the stakeholders in healthcare delivery.

Akintayo said in community pharmacy practice, practitioners will be encouraged to begin to exploit opportunities in

Continues on page 32

Vanguard, TUESD AY, MARCH 26, 2013—31 TUESDA

Group denounces increase in rape cases S

BY CHARLYNE IKPE TAKEHOLDERS have decried the growing incidences of rape and child abuse in the society, arguing that the problem has become a major public health concern.

At a seminar tagged: “Addressing Abuse and Preparing for Puberty in Individuals with Special Needs” and organised by The Child Restoration Initiative, CRI, they noted that the problem of rape has caused a lot of problem and rejection in the lives of children, teenagers and their relatives.

In her views, the Founder/President of CRI, Mrs. Nneka Obiagwu lamented the physical, emotional, sexual abuse and the neglect of individuals with special needs in the society regretting that little or nothing is being done to address it.

Noting that the Lagos State Government has been blazing the trail in the area by addressing the rights of persons with disabilities with a key provision on prohibition of cruel and inhumane treatment to peoples with special needs called the Lagos State Special Peoples Law 2011, she stated that the prohibition in the law is a timely response to a widespread pattern of abuse and discrimination of persons with special needs in Nigeria .

The law provides a clearly defined legal avenue through which such human rights violations may be challenged. Obiagwu restated CRI resolve to draw attention to this social malaise with the hope of creating awareness to drive its elimination and keep our children safe. “CRI also recognises that another area of uncertainty and great anxiety for parents is on coping with the upheavals experienced by children with special needs during puberty and is inclined to address this as well in the second segment of the seminar. Noting that most times sexual education is not addressed in children with special needs, “Unfortunately research has shown that individuals with special needs face a greater risk of sexual abuse and are also the most disadvantaged by a lack of appropriate and comprehensive sex education.

From left: Dr. Kemi Odukoya, Public Health Physician & member, Ignite Scientific Committee; Mrs. Abosede Adebowale Ogundipe, Chairperson, Conference Committee; Dr. Yewande Adeshina, SA to the Governor on Public Health and Ms. Fausat Olaide Animashaun, Assistant Director of Nursing Services, Health Service Commission at the 5th Annual Nurses Sci entific Conference, in Lagos.

Pfizer, KF team up against kidney disease

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BY CHARLYNE IKPE

N keeping with the commitment of “ working together for a healthier world”, Pfizer NEAR in collaboration with Kidney Foundation, KF, for

Information, key to reduction of maternal, child deaths — FASHOLA

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

mortality reduction programme. “In past years, we have witnessed various initiatives by the state government to demonstrate its commitment towards ensuring that the process of procreation is joyful and that no woman loses her life while giving birth. All these efforts have no doubt yielded positive results as shown in the progress recorded towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. But we can achieve much more if our people at the grassroots are well informed on what to do when faced with challenging conditions during pregnancy and after delivery,” she said.

Fashola added that while it is the responsibility of IFE of the Lagos State government to provide the Governor, Mrs. needed health facilities and Abimbola Fashola has said that infrastructure, the desired information is the key strategy objective of reducing maternal to reducing maternal and and child deaths will not be child deaths in the state. achieved if pregnant women Fashola who stressed the and nursing mothers do not need for women particularly at patronise and use these the grassroots to be well facilities as a result of lack of informed about pregnancy, awareness or misconception childbirth and after delivery about modern health practices posited that maternal and hence the importance of the child deaths are preventable town hall meeting. only if women at the grassroots She expressed optimism that are well informed. families, communities and She spoke during a town hall leaders in Lagos West 1 meeting with the people of Senatorial District comprising Lagos West 1 Senatorial 18 local governments and lodistrict on maternal and child cal council development areas which is hosting the first town hall meeting in the series of town hall meetings to senatorial districts can work alongside government to bring about positive change.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris stated that the town hall meeting is meant to enlighten the public on efforts being made by government to reduce maternal and child mortality as well From left: Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Wale Ahmed; as open their mind SA to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina; member LSHA, Mrs.Adefunmilayo Tejuosho; Commissioner of Health, Dr. Jide Idirs and to the role they wife of the Governor, Dame Emmanuella Fashola, at a town hall meeting on need to play to enthe maternal and child mortality reduction organised by LSMoH at Oshodi/ sure the success of the programme.

Isolo LGA.

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Africa and other key stake holders on this year’s World Kidney Day, Medical Director, Pfizer NEAR identified high blood pressure and diabetes as important risk factors for the development of chronic kidney disease, adding that if not diagnosed early and properly managed may lead to kidney disease.

Regretting that a lot of people may not be aware of these facts, he said creating awareness with key stake holders on the Day is essential to reduce the affliction of the disease.

Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr. Bose Peters said the Kidney Foundation for Africa seeks ways to curb the effect and issues pertaining to the disease and proffers platforms on medical discourse

of the disease and its management.

Peters said the objective includes creating public awareness and education about the causes, prevention and the gains of early detection of chronic kidney disease, supporting post transplant patients and ultimately building a kidney hospital transplant in Nigeria.

The Day is also aimed at creating awareness among people to maintain the health of their kidneys so that they do not reach a point where they need dialysis or transplant. In the early stages, kidney damage may go unnoticed in the absence of any symptoms.

Simple tests such blood pressure and urine checks can be the first step in prevention of kidney disease.

Donate blood voluntarily, cleric tells Nigerians

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

N

IGERIANS have been advised to imbibe the culture of voluntary blood donation in order to checkmate the no blood syndrome in the various Blood Banks in the country.

Statistics available have shown that not less than eight million units of blood are needed in Nigeria but only 1.6 million units are collected presently.

The World Health Organisation recommendations 10 per cent of a given population should donate blood once a year to meet requirements.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, voluntary blood donation is still less than five per cent.

In a chat with Good Health Weekly during a voluntary blood donation organised by the 7th Day Adventist Church in Partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Serv-

ices, LSBTS, Elder Samuel Babatunde Babalola who stated that the Church decided to include blood donation in its annual church conference holding all over the world stressed the need for Nigerians to change their perception about blood donation.

Babalola said the average life span of blood cells is about 120 days after which the cells die. “We try to educate people on why they should donate blood. And average adult will be able to donate blood about four times a year. Donating blood also puts the bone marrow into functions. We believe that people who cannot donate blood are the nursing mothers or people who have recently been discharged from the hospital, then the elderly people above 65 or people below 17 but between this group 17 and 65 can

Continues on page 32

32—Vanguard, TUESD AY, MARCH 26, 2013 TUESDA

An environmental perspective U NFORTUNATELY, anywhere in the world you might live today, you will be faced with some form of environmental toxin. It is possible to reduce the amount of toxins you are xposed to, but even if you live in an extremely remote area (which the majority of us don’t,) far away from an industrialized city, you are still at risk for pollutants.

Our air and water are full of chemicals and toxins that move to even the most isolated areas. When the wind blows or when the water from our lakes, streams and oceans evaporates and eventually accumulates as rain, these toxins fall back to the earth, contaminating the soil in places well beyond the city from which they came.

Any foods grown in this soil or any animals that eat the grass or feed made from

plants in this soil ultimately become full of toxins. If we then eat these animals, these toxins are also passed on to us.

And it is not only the pollutants in the air and water that are a problem. Everyday products like plastics, non-stick cookware, cosmetics and cleaning products all contain very dangerous chemicals and toxins.

Add to that, the toxins released through radiation, radio towers, cell phones, electrical appliances and even the clothes we wear on a daily basis, and there is literally nowhere you can go to be completely free of environmental pollution.

In theory, a healthy and balanced body is designed to deal with these external toxins. But there are two fundamental problems with this theory. First, as you

A nurse taking blood from a voluntary donor during a voluntary blood donation organised by Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services and Seventh Day Adventist Church, in Lagos.

Julia Oyefunke Fortune

The Cancer

FIGHTER

juliafortune@hotmail.com

know, the majority of people are just not healthy.

Most of us are living in an acidic body, which is, or soon will be, diseased and unable to function properly. Second, the environment now contains any number of chemicals and pollutants that were not present centuries ago. In fact, we have produced more than 80,000 synthetic chemicals, almost eighty percent of which have never even been tested for toxicity

Donate blood Continues from page 31 donate.”

As Christians, there is no point preaching to be our brothers’ keeper when we cannot praticalise it by donating in order to save lives and this is an act of kindness.

On the benefits of voluntary blood donation, he noted that “Road accidents occur in every parts of the country and if they get to the hospital in an emergency department, if the bank blood is empty people are just left to die. Without blood being replaced in our various blood banks, people will continue to die.

Today, not less than 600 people are expected to donate blood today and they will be handed over to the State Blood Transfusion services for emergency cases. By doing this we are extending out of friendship and it’s an act of kindness for us.

in developing organisms.

I believe that we have literally bombarded our bodies with toxins to the point they can no longer keep up. And while statistics show we have managed to reduce the number of some of these toxic substances (at least as overt pollutants to our atmosphere) over the past decade, studies still show no matter where we live, our bodies are still full of countless industrial chemicals, including numerous pesticides that were banned years ago.

The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) conducted a series of studies to determine exactly how many toxic chemicals are found in the average person’s blood. In one study completed in June 2004, researchers tested fourteen Health and Environment Ministers from thirteen European Union countries who volunteered to have their blood tested for 103 specific hazardous man made chemicals.

Stop competition Continues frompage 30 maternal and child mortality, while hospital practice is stabilised.

“The feeling you get is that in Nigeria, we are loosing our sense of destiny. Nigeria is becoming Africa’s greatest contradiction while also the continent’s greatest hope and danger.

My hope is that someday, even in my generation someone will emerge to harness the energy that makes Nigeria a potentially dynamic nation.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

D

EAR Uche, please I need advice. Me and my hus band dated only for two months when he proposed.

I told my pastor and he told me that he is the right one for me.

Two months after marrying him, I got pregnant only to find out that my husband has another wife which he never divorced. I tried to remove the baby and he intervened and arranged for me to be kidnapped for three months. After I was freed, the doctor said it is too late to abort the twins I am carrying. His Yoruba wife also calls me regularly to threaten my life. I don’t know what to do – Grace Dear Grace, your story is a nightmare and your life is in danger. Divorce is your only option. If your husband could kidnap you, I wonder what else he could do to you. Get in touch with your family and the police. You need to leave this marriage but your safety is also a big issue, hence the need to involve the authorities. I am also hoping that you have learned a valuable lesson.

Short term courtships always come with a lot of surprises and the desperation for marriage forces women to make hasty life decisions.

Never be in a hurry to marry somebody you just met, no matter what your pastor or any other person says.

You must date a person for three or more years and get to know him very well before deciding to spend the rest of your life with him. If you had done this, you would have learned about your husband’s first marriage along with his shady personality. Good luck – Uche I ejaculate too soon. At times, I may be half way into insertion and sperm would come and it will take close to twelve hours before I get another erection - Mike Dear Mike, this is definitely a form of erectile dysfunction. It shouldn’t take that long to get an erection. Use Emperor’s Delay Cream for your premature ejaculation and Exploding Thunder supplement for erection on demand. Try and see your doctor as well to find out the cause - Uche Good day sir. I have a problem of dryness especially C M Y K

after the first round and I can’t seem to go for another one. What do I do? Gloria Use a water based lubricant during intercourse and you will be well lubricated for multiple sexual sessions.

Probe Lubricant is perfect for this and cheap as well. And for the energy to have sex several times, take Libigirl Libido Shot or Spanish Fly - Uche My penis is like that of a ten year old. This has become so embarrassing that I need a fast and immediate solution – Fidelis Dear Fidelis, I can recommend a few organ enlargers for you but because of how small you are, don’t expect huge results. Use Max Size enlargement supplement or Potent Developer Pump. With regular use, you will begin to see results within a few months of usage. You should also be using a Penile Extension for the time being. It is an artificial penis and comes in sizes of 6, 7 8 and 10 inches – Uche After years of child birth, my womb has slacked. Please what will fix it? - Mrs Uwakwe A combination of pelvic exercises and a vagina tightening gel will help you. Use the Reverse Tightening Gel and Ben Wa Balls for your pelvic exercises and your womb will gradually contract - Uche Please do you have vibrators that look like a real penis? – Jessica Sure. Ask for Mr Just Right 8 inch vibrator or the X5 7 Inch Vibrating Dong . These are new arrivals and there are many others – Uche My friend that you recommended Exploding Thunder for said I should thank you. His erections are stronger and he is very happy - Max That’s it for today. 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. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—33

How Nigerians find greener pasture in foreign prisons T

HAT Nigerians prefer to live and die in jail in foreign countries rather than living a life of hopelessness as free citizens in their own country is one of the incredulous ironies of the transformation process in the most populous nation on earth.

With unemployment rate at an unprecedented levels, lack of opportunities for young Nigerians to actualise their human capacities, the failure of governance and weak public institutions are factors contributing to young Nigerians voting with their foot to foreign countries.

But Prof. Ayo Ajomo former Director General of Nigerian Institute of Advance Studies was unequivocal in his views that” greed and the unbridled love for money” are the twin factors responsible for a situation where Nigerians now prefer life in jail in foreign lands than freedom in their own land of birth. But others argued that the lack of opportunities for economic advancement, unbriddled corruption among the leadership have left such depth of the frustration among Nigerians that their exit strategy is to get out of the country and face what ever fate awaits them in foreign land.

The Controller General of Nigerian Prison Service, Mr. Zakari Ibrahim was succinct in his presentation at the 13th Brainstorming Session organised by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, where the issue of the plight of Nigerians in foreign prisons took the centre stage,.

Mr. Ibrahim, told the gathering that while Nigerian at home may

be lamenting about the plight of Nigerians languishing in foreign prisons, the truth remains that we may be loosing sleep over the fate of a man suffering from elephantiasis of the scrotum, to the discomfiture of his neighbours’ wife.

Put differently, “ we cannot weep more than the bereaved”.

The Controller General said he has been on travels abroad to monitor Nigerians in foreign prisons and had tried to see the implementation of the NigerianUK Prisoners Exchange treaty, of 2005, only to discover to his amazement that most Nigerians in foreign prisons were reluctant to take the option of being sent back to Nigeria where they could have access to their friends and relations.

Bringing country name to disrepute According to Ibrahim, “First, there is the fear especially among those convicted for drug offences that if they return to Nigeria, they would be tried for bringing the name of the country into disrepute. Secondly, they want to keep away the information that they were ever in jail. He said even some of them that agree to return to Nigeria often change their minds at the last minutes.

The Controller General said while the prisoners may have the right to refuse returning to Nigeria against their consent, the problem of high number of Nigerians in foreign prisons, is a major source of image and identity crisis for Nigeria and its mission abroad.

Ibrahim said most of the prisoners in Europe and America are most reluctant to accept offers to return to Nigeria because of

•A cross section of participants at the brainstorming session in Lagos

the favourable jail conditions.

According to him, some of them are given rehabilitation trainings and paid weekly stipend, which makes them feel more comfortable than their counterparts who are held in Asian and African countries.

Ibrahim told the audience that even though Nigerians in foreign prisons seem not worried about their plight over there, the Nigerian State has a duty to redeem the image of the country.

According to the Controller General of Nigerian prisons, when citizens and students of the countries where these Nigerians are serving their jail terms are conducting any research on Nigeria, these inmates would be used as their source materials and they would form their conclusions about Nigeria based on their contacts with these criminals A member of the House of Representatives Hon. Terab Abdulrahman was rather blunt in his presentation of the paper by the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora where it was revealed that the federal government has not been doing enough to protect the interest of Nigerian citizens at home and abroad. There are over 25,000 Nigerians in foreign prison.

Available stastitics from some of the countries are follows: Brazil 457 China 2,000 Gabon 300 United Kingdom 6,000 India 600 Indonesia 21 Iran 4,000 Togo 900 Spain 300 According to Hon. Abdulrahman, “ we see the seriousness many countries

•Comrade Abba Moro, Minister of Interior attach to the welfare of their citizens, if any of their citizens are arrested for any reason.

India for instance, has a Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, while the Philippines assists its citizens that want to travel abroad to perfect their documentations, study their labour contract that are offered to the Philippines because the country relies on huge remittances from its citizens abroad.

He said these figures are not exhaustive and may not be accurate as some citizens of West African countries that are in possession of Nigerian passport often claim that they are Nigerians, while there are some Nigerians who entered false identity in their travel documents which makes it difficult to ascertain their nationality.

Ambassador T.A.B Shodipe was of the view that the problem

,

BY HUGO ODIOGOR, FOREIGN AFFAIRS EDITOR

In China, majority of the young men from South East who travel to do business are known to over stay their visa requirements and are arrested and thrown into prison. In Guandong, majority of them are known to had died from jumping from high rise buildings in their bid to escape fro hot pursuit on them by Chinese immigration officers.

The Chinese have began to demand that Nigerians coming to their country should deposit money for their deportation. Only recently, the bodies of 33 Nigerians were cremated by Chinese authorities since there was nobody to claim their bodies.

Apart from breaching consular and immigration laws some of these jailed in China are known for defrauding their business partners, coming sexual offences or peddling hard drugs. The story is the same in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia.

Nigerian at home may be lamenting about the plight of Nigerians languishing in foreign prisons, the truth remains that we may be loosing sleep over the fate of a man suffering from elephantiasis of the scrotum, to the discomfiture of his neighbours’ wife

with Nigeria is lack of proper framework to manage migration which is a huge passion among Nigerian. As at today, Nigeria has no operational national policy on migration. The citizens that travel abroad lack basic information on the operating conditions in their countries of destination. Majority of the young Nigerians that migrate to foreign countries, according to Prof. Solomon Akinboye of University of Lagos, are victims of unemployment. Hence young Nigerians are voting with their legs because the conditions in Nigeria does not offer them hope in Nigeria Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) said majority of them who were lured to travel to North Africa, with the hope of crossing to Europe through the Mediterranean end up in jail in Morocco, Libya or Egypt. Others get jailed in the process.

,

The minister of interior Comrade Abba Moro, told the participants that Nigeria has no accurate figure of the number of its citizens in foreign prisons, even when it is known that there are no foreigners in Nigerian jails because, their countries protect them. Abba Moro said, as the Minister responsible for the internal security, the scenario of fellow Nigerians languishing in foreign jails is not only disturbing, but it makes me very uncomfortable.

But Prof Victor Ariole told Vanguard that such a debate is futile because in the first place, the Nigerian constitution did not make provision for the protection of Nigerian citizens while operators of Nigeria’s foreign policy do not know much about the concept of citizenship diplomacy, Prof Ariole advocated for the Guinea option of managing the crisis on hand.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH, 26, 2013 world that catches my fancy. And to crown it all, my children will become international citizens too and have access to the best things of life. At the exchange rate of the Pound to the Naira, it was just a matter of time before I would be one of the rich young babes in town. I started thinking of the businesses I would invest my money into. In fact, I could only thank God for sending Bimbo into my life.

Little did I know that while I was day dreaming in Nigeria about Bimbo, he was having the fun of his life in London. His girlfriend whom he’d told me he had ended their relationship was indeed carrying his pregnancy and living in his house. Meanwhile, he was supposed to have filed my papers and working out how I will join him in London. I did not know a thing about Bimbo’s activities until after he’d had the baby.

You know how stories travel, especially bad ones. That was it. A friend told a friend who told anoth-

Married but living single (8) IT is the dream of every wom an to find her own Prince charming, get married and be called Mrs. It is a dream they have harboured in their hearts since they were little. And when that husband comes in a package wrapped with success, the promise of life abroad and access to the good things of life, many women are likely to throw caution to the winds. Unfortunately for some, reality may sometimes be different from dreams and they find themselves trapped in between two worlds, neither married, nor single. We will be taking the story of three women who are trapped in unions with guys who reside outside the country.

Dear readers, if you or anyone you know of have been through a similar experience, please write in and share with us. We also offer our readers an opportunity to share their problems with other readers whose advise will also be published on this column. this is because this column is not only reader participatory, it is also because we believe in the power of numbers, the more, the merrier.

So, we are anxiously waiting to read from you. Our adress remains, The Human Angle, Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, and our e-mail address: thehumanangle93@yahoo.com Happy reading!

Shade, (43), Civil Servant, was married briefly to a guy she was romantically attracted to. How did she get out of it? Find out in her story: At first, I told him I was in a long term serious relationship but he told me he also was but our meeting had nulified that.

He took me to meet his mum and before I knew it, everyone was singing about Bimbo and how good we were together.

If Bimbo was serious about me, why stay on in a relationship that had little potentials

of going anywhere with Ian? So, I gave in.It was a whirl wind romance.

Bimbo’s mum and the family came to perform the introduction and engagement ceremony exactly four months after we met. Bimbo did not come, his younger brother represented him at the ceremony. Some of my friends who had been against the affair mocked me by insisting that I was married to Bimbo’s younger sister and not him. My case was better than those who were married to photographs was my response.

However, since we had not performed the final church wedding, everyone agreed I would

,

I!

Little did I know that while I was day dreaming in Nigeria about Bimbo, he was having the fun of his life in London, his girlfriend whom he’d told me he had ended their relationship was indeed carrying his pregnancy and living in his house .

H

stay at home until I travel to join Bimbo.

Bimbo’s mum sold clothes and jewelry at Gutter market in Lagos and my mum did not like it because she considered them uneducated and lousy, and while I had a University degree, Bimbo had a certificate from a crash programme from a Technical school. At that time, it did not seem to matter to me as I was sure our livelihood would not depend on what the certificates could do for us.

Since he was doing well already, what did we need a degree for? Besides, would mine be useful where we were going?

Anyway, none of these mattered to me but to go and join Bimbo and live like other Nigerians in England. In my head, I started planning all the things I would be able to do when I get there. How I too will have access to all types of designer spoots. How I will come to Nigeria and everyone will look at me with envy. How I will become a Londoner and be able to travel to any part of the

,

er friend and eventually, I was told.

When I confronted Bimbo, he could not deny it but insisted he had no intention of marrying her and was only keeping her in his house because of the baby. He wanted to sort out things before telling me.

That was how my marriage to Bimbo ended. My parents would hear nothing patching things up with Bimbo and his mother for any reason, even if only to cover my shame and humiliation.

The only thing I could think about at the time was how Ian will have the last laugh after the way I treated him. I was so ashamed that I stayed away from anywhere I could come in contact with people who knew what I’d done. But for my parents, I would have stopped going to the office and lost my job too.

Thank god for good mothers, mine is one. Though the “did I not tell you so” phase was agonising, she ensured that it did not keep me down. With time, word got to Ian and he walked back into my life. My experience still remains the most humbling moments of my life so far and I am greatful to God for it.

Concluded

Friends Searching Males

•Adewale, 23, resident in Lagos, needs a good girl, aged 17-23 for a serious relationship.

08168467563, 08097619938 •Mitchel, 24, resident in Lagos, needs a rich and single lady, aged 16 +for a serious relationship.08160716479, 08162727171 •Marcus, 27, needs a fun loving and generous lady, aged 29-45, for a relationship. 08168612051 •Prince, 20, resident in Delta State, needs a rich lady aged 27-37, who can take care of his needs.

08132919197 •John, 33, handsome, romantic and resident in Enugu, needs a wife material. 07036430149 •Max, 32, handsome, financially ok and resident in Kaduna, needs a busty and fair complexioned lady, aged 18-25, for a relationship.08098550786 •Prince, 40, responsible, loving, caring, understanding and God fearing, needs a virtuous Christian lady, aged 25-35, who is intelligent, God fearing, caring, understanding, tall, beautiful, fair complexioned and employed graduate, for a wife.

C M Y K

08188753880,07063643479 •A guy, 29, needs a bold and beautiful lady, aged 20-30, for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. 08033443347, 08021055310 •Charles needs a lady for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. 08038182305 •Paul, 21, decent, humble, energetic and resident in Lagos, needs a lady, for a relationship.

•Dear readers, please note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests on the Lovezone that may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public.

Also note that we do not run any match-making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with anyone claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk.

Henceforth, only messages sent through the numbers readers want to be contacted on will be published.

This notice is necessary in order to serve you better in our refreshingly different style. To get your requests published, just text it to the code number 33055. For further enquiries, call 08026651636. Cheers!

Get the love you deserve

BY ONOZURE DANIA

A FRIEND of mine once told me that for many years, her love life was a complete disaster as she kept falling for the wrong men. The more difficult the man was, the more she loved him. Worse, still she thought that if she loved him enough then he would turn into the kind of partner she needed, she thought her happily ever after was just around the corner so she just needed to keep trying harder.

The reason she felt this way was because these men did not start out to be difficult from the beginning, instead, they seemed an absolute dream come true.

One of the men she dated in the past called her “precious” and told her that with her, he finally understood what the meaning of “precious” was!

Until, slowly but surely, he started becoming controlling and critical.

He would make fun of her in front of other people, and, because she was so confused and wanting it so much to work, she would laugh it off.

As he became more cruel and distant, she then stepped things up even though she was in total despair; she kept trying to change herself so he could love her more.

She kept blaming herself, thinking “I simply didn’t know how to handle a relationship; she kept at the relationship even though she was feeling increasingly unworthy and unloved.

She allowed it to go on for too long, thinking that if she just tried harder, she would be happy if she could make him happy. But the more she tried, the worse things got.

He kept turning things around on her and saying it was impossible to make her happy. And she started believing him, it was awful that she didn’t like the woman she had become anxious, miserable, obsessed.

Yet she kept saying she loved him and wanted him forever!

She kept thinking of his good qualities while pushing down what she knew in her heart to be true.

No matter how bad things got, she would cling to those few good things in the relationship, even though she was getting crumbs.

As bad as things got, she was terrified to leave him, she started thinking that what of if there was nothing better out there, so she stucked it out and all the while she kept losing herself, she couldn’t relax, she felt lost and weak, she lost faith in love, relationships and in herself.

Something had to change. “Either I had to fix things for good or get out.

But one thing was certain: I had to find myself again”.

After much soul searching, she finally decided to leave him.

But what she did after that was even more important. Instead of moping around and feeling sorry for herself, she started focusing 100% on herself, she made her passions, her commitment, and her well being her number one priority.

She started having fun.

And when she started doing that, something magical happened and that was how she found her husband.

Why? Because a woman who puts herself first and enjoys life is very attractive to men and she will attract the kind of man who also takes care of himself.

08104224385 •Seal, 30, resident in Abuja, needs a lady, aged 35-60, for a relationship.08163243011 •Paul, 28, 6ft tall, handsome, businessman, resident in Lagos, needs a nice looking lady, aged 26-28, for a relationship. 08081159176 •Francis, 29, handsome, sexy, from Delta State, needs a lady, aged 20-39, for a serious relationship. 0813930061 •Michael, 24, a student, resident in Owerri, needs a pretty lady, aged 18-23, for serious relationship.

08030934413 •Magnus, 58, a widower, resident in Edo State, needs a lady 40 +, from any tribe, for a relationship that will lead to marriage.08184072451 •Joe, student, from Delta state, needs a caring lady.

07062352551 •A guy, 28, from Warri, Delta state, needs a pretty, busty and good looking, employed lady, for a relationship. 08078670778 •Edy, 21, needs a girl resident within Enugu, Nsukka or Delta state, for a relationship.

Vanguard Vanguard,, YOUR LUCK TODAY

PISCES; Provided you are willing to co-operate with others things will not go out of hands but exhibition of inordinate ambition can earn you avoidable trouble.

ARIES; Element of luck will assist you. Those of you who are more hard working will have more positive things to show for your efforts. Take care of your health.

TAURUS; Many natives of this Zodiac sign will be excited either because of romantic interest within your working arena or practical advancement at work.

GEMINI; Reason with those you can take as veterans within your base of operation because if you want to force your way without carrying necessary and more experienced people along it would back-fire now or soonest

— 35

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 AQUARIUS; Even if you are tempted to gamble by whoever and/or whatsoever reason you must resist it or else you would be the loser. Being aggressive may help.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Are you doing a good job? Fine! So is the neighbour next door. What about your career, good? There are probably a thousand and one individuals having a good career. What about your business? Not doing badly? So are other people’s businesses

... What else? not doing badly too.

But pause and think: Are you satisfied with your achievement so far? If your answer to the above question is no, then ask yourself what is responsible for

your little success inspite of your great potential? Are you doing routine work? Are you doing just what others are doing? Are you doing just enough to keep you going?

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

You will not get super success if you continue to do routine and ordinary things.

For hyper success, after doing the expected things, as yourself — What else can I do? Do more than is expected of me? Give the extra?

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

CANCER; The more creative you are the better for your cause. However is typical day when too much expectation can bring disappointment. Be more family minded.

LEO; If your priority is financial success you may not be disappointed provided you prepare for a few challenges. For now both your mental energy and physical attributes are enough to win you love not MONEY. Be more receptive.

VIRGO; This is your day when both good luck and your personal efforts will bring you success. Try to be as caring as possible to those within your base.

LIBRA; Although there will be challenges at the end of it all you will have genuine cause to smile. The more secretive you are the better for your cause. This is not the right time to ignore your sex life. Do away with unnecessary argument.

SCORPIO; This is not the right time for you to either gamble with money or take friends for granted. Secret lovers may be in for an exciting day.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS; Success is within your reach, although you will need to seek all important supports of the influential people around you. Be more loving.

CAPRICORN; The more ambitious you are today the better for your cause. And here is a good day to plan for the future but you must do away with whatever can not be placed above board. Yong-at-heart among you may be in for a romantic day.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

When would my time come?

Dear Joshua,

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

I have been following your works in the newspapers for many years and the truth is you are very good. I therefore want your in-depth analysis and tell me both about my inner-self , social life and the time I am likely to have my much desired break-through in life.

Anonymous Nigeria.

Dear Anonymous, What you will find here-under will answer your questions.

Here is a natural SPIRITUAL PERSON, with great capability for HEALLING (talking of real faith healing ministry in the modern Christianity language). Yes! You are aggressive, domineering, captivating and can be rightly called SPIRITUAL MOTHER of many. And like your God you are truly a jealous person who will do everything within your powers to protect those you loved and those who are your faithful disciples.

Although, you are highly intelligent and can achieve your desire along the academic world, the spiritual energy in your inner-self and great emotional personality in you will eventually give in to SPIRITUAL callings as indicated by the Moon and Neptune that conjoined in most powerful and spiritual Scorpio when you were born.

Social life will always bring you attention, good luck, enviable oppositions and possibly fame. The best way for you not to be constant loser in the social world is to always study situation practically and know that your finance will not suffer (if it can not be beneficiary) from the setting before taking responsibility.

As for influential friends you will have them but never always take them for granted.

Sudden SUCCESS will come your way during your 42th year on earth and will serve as a break-through year you can build great foundation of endless success on. But the same 42th year will bring love related challenges you must manage with all maturity or else it will linger till after your 44th year on earth.

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

36— Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Insecurity, spate of

Sanction royal fathers in politics — Rep

kidnapping in S/E worry

construction workers

BY ENYIM ENYIM

O

NITSHA — THE l a w m a k e r representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Afam Ogene, wants the federal and state governments to sanction any traditional ruler that got involved in politics.

Ogene, a governorship aspirant in the scheduled November 16, 2013, gubernatorial poll, said it was high time traditional rulers in the country were made to play their constitutional roles and not the involvement in politics by many of them.

According to him, traditional rulers had and have continued to abandon their roles as stipulated by the code of conduct that they should not participate in politics.

He urged government to investigate and sanction any erring royal father.

UNIZIK wins geo-sciences competition among African universities

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA — THE Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has emerged winners of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Imperial Barrel Award competed by African universities.

The university came first, scoring 79.33 percent, while Helwan University, Egypt and the Federal University of Technology, Akure came second and third respectively.

Eight universities in Nigeria participated in the competition, including Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Lagos; University of Ilorin; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Federal University of Technology, Akure; University of Ibadan and University of Calabar.

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

W

ORKERS IN the nation’s construction industry have expressed serious concern over the increasing cases of kidnapping in the South-East and general insecurity in the country.

Acting under the umbrella From left: Chief Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman, PDP Govof the National Union of Civil ernors' Forum; Captain Idris Wada, Kogi State Governor and Dr. Bamanga Tukur, NationEngineering, Construction, al Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the grand finale of the PDP national recFurniture and Wood Workers, onciliation and consolidation tour, in Abuja.

NUCECFWW, the workers decried the influx of illegal fire arms into the country, which effects had been the bombings, killings and community strifes, .Says govt will soon inform Ogidi people formally among others in the country.

BY VINCENT UJUMADU This came as the state govern- Government, Mr. Oseloka In a communiqué ment said it would soon inform Obaze, Head of Service, Chief issued by immediate WKA — ANAMBRA State Achebe’s people of Ogidi for- Chidi Ezeoke, as well as com- past president-general government, yesterday, mally of the demise of their kins- missioners, special advisers and general secretary of opened a condolence register for man as Igbo tradition demands. and local government chair- the union, Samuel the late literary icon, Prof. ChinThe first set of government of- men.

Adeoye and Babatunde ua Achebe, at the Conference ficials to sign the condolence Deputy Governor, Sibeudu, Liadi, at the end of its Hall of Government House and register in Awka included the said at Government House that 4 th Quadrennial Anambra State liaison offices in deputy governor, Mr. Emeka Si- he gave the directive for the Delegates' Conference, Abuja and Lagos. beudu, Secretary to the State opening of the condolence reg- in Imo State, the ister to offer opportunities to workers warned that Nigerians to pay tribute to a Nigeria was gradually man regarded as one of the fin- descending to a state of est minds the world had known. lawlessness.

According to him, Achebe The communiqué read: contributed greatly towards the “The conference in calls on

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDUseverally pay the applicant the development of the state and session appropriate agencies LAH sum of N25 million for gross nation.

He also said the state gover- charged with the violation of the applicant’s nor, Mr. Peter Obi, was in con- orientation and WERRI — AN Imo State fundamental right to personal stant touch with Achebe fami- enlightenment to reHigh Court has awarded liberty.” double their efforts at a N25 million damages against Justice Okoronkwo also ly.

He added that the state govsteering our youths to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and declared that the arrest and ernment would give details of channel their energies others for gross violation of the physical assault of the applicant National fundamental rights of a Lagos- inside the high court premises in the burial arrangements with towards based lawyer, Mr. Emeka Owerri on January 24, 2012, by the involvement of the people Development by giving up crimes."

Ozoani. armed police officers was “a gross of Ogidi.

Secretary to the State GovernThe court, presided over by violation of the applicant’s Justice Nonye Okoronkwo, fundamental rights to personal ment, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, in ordered the construction giant liberty, not to be subjected to his message said: “We are all to pay the money for violations torture, inhuman and degrading deeply saddened by this tremendous loss of a humble paof the lawyer ’s right to liberty, treatment." dignity of human person and Barrister Ozoani had filed his triot, who though genteel, was NE OF the freedom of movement, application pursuant to Order 11 widely acknowledged as a legforemost quick end in his lifetime. inclusive of medical treatment. of the Fundamental Rights restaurant “Personally, my wife, Ofunne, service Those ordered to pay the Enforcement Procedure, Rules damages alongside the 2009 on October 3, 2012, for the and I were privileged to be con- chains in Nigeria, company jointly and severally enforcement of his fundamental sidered his friend. He was a Tantalizers Plc, is are the Assistant Inspector rights, asking for the sum of N50 role model to us and many oth- rewarding its customers General of Police (AIG) Zone 9 billion as special, general and ers across nationalities and with free meals in a promotion tagged ‘the across continents."

Umuahia, Mr. P.S Njoku specific damages.

25th Customer Promo’. (prosecutor) and Peter B. Shedding more light on Ogunyanwo, DCP Zone 9, the promotion, the Umuahia Advert and Promotions The judge held in his TN IS re-launch eral Manager, Consumer Mar- Manager, Mr. Toluwa judgment: “I agree that in the ing one of its most pat- keting, MTN, stated:“MTN is Oyetayo, revealed that circumstance of this case, the was ronised and youth-centric prod- offering the youth a package winning applicant is entitled to exemplary damage which I ucts, the MTN Pulse, in a bid to that is essentially targeted to instantaneous, adding assess at N25 million against meet consumers’ increased de- s u i t their lifestyle, provides that every 25th customer the respondents jointly and sire for fun, friendship and free- them an opportunity to freely would get whatsoever dom. express themselves and enjoy he/she bought free in all severally.

Speaking at the campaign, lively and endless fun, while Tantalizers' outlets “As indicated above, the nationwide from now respondents shall jointly and kick-off, Kola Oyeyemi, the Gen- socialising in a modern way.” until April 25, 2013.

Achebe: Anambra opens condolence register A

Court awards lawyers N25m damages against Julius Berger, others

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Tantalizers rewards customers

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MTN Pulse for relaunch

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—37

2015: PDP group backs Delta North for governor

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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ATIONAL Leadership of Equity and Justice, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, pressure group in Delta State, has declared its support for the emergence of a Delta Northerner as the next governor of the state in 2015.

Rising from its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Onicha-Ugbo, President of the group, Mr. Amechi Okobah, condemned the unguarded political statements credited to some leaders from some ethnic nationalities in the state, saying the resolve of Anioma people to produce the next governor of Delta State was irreversible.

Okobah said the governance of the state should not be an exclusive preserve of any particular ethnic group, explaining that as equal stakeholders in the Delta project, it had become politically expedient for Delta North to produce the next governor of the state.

Delta House Dep Speaker empowers constituents

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—DEPU TY Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Basil Ganagana, weekend, flagged off his scholarship award/empowerment scheme worth N80 million in Patani, Patani Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking during the ceremony, which had 528 persons as beneficiaries, Ganagana, said the scheme was part of his effort to fight poverty and its attendant evils in the Patani constituency.

He said: “I appeal that those to benefit from this programme should use them judiciously in such a way as to achieve the desired objectives. In the past, when I bought motorcycles to empower my people, some beneficiaries sold them and resorted to begging, thereby putting us in intense pressure to help again."

Insecurity: Reach out to Boko Haram, TUC urges Jonathan

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—FOLLOWING the recent bombings of a bus terminal in Kano State, which claimed over 72 lives, and weekend’s killing of 28 persons in different parts of the North, Trade Union Congress, TUC, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to employ the carrot and stick approach and also build international network to address the insecurity situation in the country.

TUC also wants the President to ensure that he carries out the result of his consultations with Nigerians on his vow to remove the subsidy on petrol, saying that from all indications, Nigerians were already saying no to subsidy removal.

Fielding questions from newsmen in Benin, Edo State, TUC President, Mr. Peter Esele, shortly after receiving the African Role Model TV Show Award from African Child Foundation, said: “I think the carrot and stick approach will work. I believe that the government should also reach out to

those carrying out the attacks, although the President had said that they are ghosts. I think that there are people that can track ghosts and make them be aware of what is happening.

“The buck stops on his table. The President must do everything possible to bring

the insecurity under control.

If he doesn’t, that will not speak well of his presidency. He must find a way and if need be, he must find a ghost tracker, to find a way to get these people to come to the table and talk.

“Our security operatives should wake up to their re-

RIVERS STATE EDUCATION SUMMIT: From right: Prof. Wole Soyinka, Chairman of the occasion; Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Engr. Tele Ikuru, Rivers State Deputy Governor, during the 2013 Rivers State Education Summit, in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

NIMASA to engage oil firms in capacity building

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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IRECTOR General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, has said that the agency was set to engage oil companies operating in the country to contribute to the manpower development needs of the industry.

Akpobolokemi, who hosted President of World Maritime University, Dr. Bjorn Kjerfve,

in Lagos, said his management had concluded plans to engage the oil companies.

He said: “That is the next area we are moving to, engaging the multi-nationals.

They have to pool back part of the money they are making for the common man. We have deliberated on the matter at NIMASA and we are still fine tuning how to bring them on board in the programme, so that it is not only NIMASA that is spending on developing the country’s

manpower, the private sector should also contribute, it is in their interest to do so.”

On the non-prosecution of persons caught stealing crude oil and other petroleum products, the NIMASA boss explained that it was not true that the agency had become weary but that he was aware of efforts being put in place by the Federal Government in this regard.

“Government is doing something about it. We are still working on arresting the oil thieves."

Anioma marks 10yrs of cultural revival

BY IKEDDY ISIGUZO

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CTIVITIES to mark the 10th anniversary of Anioma cultural festival organised

by Organisation for the Advancement of Anioma Culture, OFAAC, will commence, Friday with OFAAC’s directors and members paying the annual visit to Anioma traditional rulers.

The visit to over 70 palaces include those of the Asagba of Asaba, Dein of Agbor, Obi of Mbiri, the Obi of Ubulu–Unor, Obi of Umunede, Obi of Onicha Ugbo, the Oduasa of Utagba Ogbe and Ezemu of Emu, is to get royal blessings for a successful 2013 festival.

sponsibilities. And that includes you and me. Policing is not only about those that are wearing the uniform; it is about you and I, knowing those who are in our communities, what they do and what they stand for and also reporting to the appropriate security agencies of any suspicion we might have.”

Anioma Cultural Festival commenced in April, 2004 when the founders of OFAAC decided to celebrate the culture of the people every year by declaring every Easter Monday as Anioma Cultural Festival and Anioma Day. Since then, Anioma people from the nine local government areas of Delta North, and abroad, have celebrated her rich cultural heritage.

The 2013 edition is special as Anioma people in association with Anioma Congress, the umbrella body, led by the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien and a host of traditional rulers and notable indigenes of Anio-

ma land will celebrate the worthy achievement of their son, Stephen Keshi, the coach of the Super Eagle that just won the African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Keshi is the first Nigerian to win the trophy, which had eluded Nigeria for 19 years, as a player, then as a coach. Also to be honoured is renowned artist, Prof Demas Nwoko for his contributions to Anioma culture.

The award ceremony comes up on Good Friday after a lecture themed, Prospects, Potentials and Place of Anioma in the Geopolitical Evolution of Nigeria. Professor Sam Ukala, a distinguished Anioma scholar, will deliver it.

HOS: Owie commends Jonathan over Goni's appointment

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—FORMER Chief whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan over the appointment of Alhaji Bukar Goni as the new Head of Service of the Federation.

He expressed optimism that Goni, whom he described as an excellent civil servant, will carry on with the ongoing reforms in the civil service, which his predecessor, Dr. Steve Oronsanye started.

He said: “The President made the right decision with the appointment because Alhaji Goni is a guru when it comes to the workings of the civil service. He is a reformist, which is why I can say his appointment came at the right time because his predecessor did well in cleaning up the mess in the civil service and I believe that Goni will continue from there to ensure that we have a vibrant civil service. I pray that God will give him the wisdom and the wherewithal to excel.”

38— Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Fidelis, Noel Anosike's 419 case adjourned

BY INNOCENT ANABA

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From left: Rajan Swaroop, out-going MD/CEO, Airtel Nigeria; Oba Otudeko, Chairman of the occasion and Segun Ogunsanya, MD/CEO, Airtel Nigeria, at the Send-forth organised for Mr. Swaroop, in Lagos, weekend. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

2015: We’ll support Jonathan, says ex-militant leader

BY FESTUS AHON

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AGOS — A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned till May 7, further hearing in the case against Noel and Fidelis Ànosike, being prosecuted for advanced fee fraud (419).

The preliminary objection by the accused, could not hold because the absence of the prosecutor. The accused were yet to be properly arraigned before the court.

Trial judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, had to adjourn the matter.

Counsel to the accuses, at the resumed hearing, yesterday, had informed the court of a pending application, contesting service of the charge on the

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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We are not bothered about PDP criticism but quality job —Edo Govt

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We will embrace dialogue — Ijaw youths

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JAW YOUTHS under auspices of Egbema Voice, weekend, said they will embrace dialogue in resolving the lingering

Boko Haram are not educated enough about their religion —Wole Soyinka

“Boko Haram are not educated enough about their religion to ORT HARCOURT — NOBLE know that some of the greatest laureate, Professor Wole philosophers came from the Soyinka, has lashed at members religion. They have been taught of Boko Haram, saying they have one track line (Monorail) about the limited knowledge of Islamic religion. They need to be rereligion. educated about the religion.

Speaking, yesterday, in Port “All hope is not lost, but the Harcourt, Rivers State, at the situation is desperate, very opening of this year’s Rivers State desperate. The education thing of Education Summit, organised by also is really important. Those who the state government, Professor call themselves Boko Haram, for Soyinka, said poor knowledge of instance, yes, they claim to be the Koran was largely responsible educated; educated to mean books for why Boko Haram should but that is not sufficient, even about despise western education. their religion it is important to He said some of the greatest know that some of the greatest philosophers in history were philosophers came from that Muslims, adding that there was religion; some of the greatest need for members of Boko Haram mathematicians were the pioneers, to be retrained on the content of Moslems, Islamic scholars. the religion.

“So, these killers roaming around saying that they hate western education, they are uneducated; but they think they are educated.

They have been thought on a monorail, one track lane. They need to be reeducated even about their history and culture.

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM state,” but would focus in delivering "So when people talk the best to the people of the state. about the multi-pronged ENIN CITY—FOLLOWING “I am satisfied with the quality of criticisms from Peoples Democratic work so far done. The governor, as approach, yes, I agree Party, PDP, in Edo State, over the on- you all know is in a hurry to deliver and I approve of the attempts being made to going road project on Airport Road, to the people of the state. create the so-called Benin City, the state government, "I am also in a hurry too, but we almajiris schools, which yesterday, said that it will not will not compromise standard and compromise quality in government quality in our road projects; the should be supervised, projects in the state, despite the fact that designs and quality will compare the content and the method of teaching it was in a hurry to deliver the dividends with international standards. should be supervised. of democracy to the people.

Ogie, still on PDP, said: “We are “So, at the same time, State Commissioner for Works, Mr. not bothered with PDP utterances Osarodion Ogie, during a joint tour of because Edo people already know talking about amnesty, the road by officials of the ministry and how they destroyed the state and that as much as you want, the contractor handling the project, said is why the governor is investing so you have to catch those the state government would not be much resources to right the wrongs who are trying to take the heads off, where we distracted with the utterances of PDP, of the past rather than lamenting." are supposed to impact which he described as “dead in the GHELLI—EXMILITANT leader in the Niger Delta region, Mr Kingsley Muturu, yesterday, said ex-militants in the region would support the 2015 presidential ambition of Dr Jonathan Goodluck.

Muturu said; “President Jonathan deserves a second term and we in the Niger Delta, particularly the ex-militants are prepared to back him.

“He has done well as president and this is the first time one of our own is elected as President of the country since Nigeria gained independence in 1960.”

accused, adding that at no time was the amended charge served on the accused, as the lack of service had ousted the jurisdiction of the court.

The accused were alleged to have conspired and obtained N25 million from the Education Trust Fund under false pretence of utilising the money to set up Electronic Library for Daily Times.

They allegedly obtained

knowledge. So, it is a multi-pronged approach.

"When you catch them, you need to re-educate them very seriously. If they refuse to be reeducated, you must punish them. I am not sentimental at all.

"The society must first of all protect itself and the citizens must be thought how to protect their society, to ensure their survival.

“So, let’s not be sentimental. I want to see the head into wish I can put in the material.

I want to be sure that teachers are not being slaughtered for following their vocation.

Those teachers must be protected.

The universities must be reopened, the schools must be re-opened.”

Soyinka chaired the opening session of the summit.

Earlier, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, said the government was set to engage 13,000 teachers to provide the needed manpower to achieve quality education in the state.

He said the newly built modern schools would be managed by private hands for the state Professor Emeritus, Ayo Banjo, who gave the keynote address, called for steps to improve on the quality of education at the primary level, stressing that it was the foundation of education.

leadership tussle in War ri North Local Government Area, Delta State, between the Ijaws and the Itsekiris.

Leader of the group, Chief Wilfred Elebiri on the recent Ijaw and Itsekiri crisis, which led to the abduction by armed Ijaw youths, last Thursday, of some Itekiri traders on board a tug boat on Koko/Benin River, said the youths in Ijaw axis had already written a letter to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, demanding to have a round-table discussion with their Itsekiri counterparts.

The meeting, they said, would help find a lasting solution to the issue of alleged marginalisation of the Ijaw people in Warri North council.

The youths, who said they had prevailed on their brothers in the creeks to sheathe their swords as the issue is being resolved by relevant authorities, said copies of the letter to the governor had also been forwarded to Mr. President and the Chairman of Federal Character Commission.

They said the Federal Government had pledged to wade into the matter with a view to resolving same at a meeting of the Ijaws and the Itsekiris.

Some of the youths, who supported the dialogue, include, National President of Ogbiribiri community in the council, Mr. Ebipade Kari, Mr. Bodewei Ojobor, M r C h u k s Worwei and Mr Steve Ayebor.

Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 —39

AWARD— From left: Mr Waheel Ammar, Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat presenting an award to Mrs Chioma Nebolisa, Tun Communications at the 4th Etisalat Heroes Awards at Oriental Hotel in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

SIGNING—Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (middle), Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr Razaq Atunwa (left) and Deputy Speaker, Muhammed Yisa (right) at the signing of 2013 Appropriation in Ilorin.

DONATION— Comrade Paul Bebenimibo (middle) Secretary, Tompolo Foundation;Dr. Sunday Onomu, Chief Medical Officer, Ogulagha Cottage Hospital and others during handing over of hospital equipment donated by Tompolo Foundation at Ogulagha, Delta State. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire.

FORUM—From left: Aminu Sanni, Manager, Progressive Segment, MTN; Sekou Barry, Chief Marketing Officer, CMO, MTN Guinea; Saidat Mohammed, Senior Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN; Tonye Cole, MD, Sahara Energy Resource Ltd and Joyce Jacob, CEO, Joyce Jacob Beauty, JJB, at the MTN Link Forum held at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

SYNOD—From left: Sir E.A Akintan, past Lay President; Bishop of Lagos Mainland, Rt. Revd. Oladapo Babalola; Rt. Revd. Kehinde Adeyemi, Bishop of Lagos Central; Lay President of the Diocese, Mr Remi Olukoga and Bishop of Ikorodu Diocese, Rt. Revd. Olumuyiwa Odejayi during the 4th synod of Diocese of Lagos Central, at Wesley Methodist Church Nigeria, Ajegunle, Lagos.

DISBURSEMENT—From left: Mrs Tokunbo Ogunsanya, MD, New Canterbury Consult Ltd; Mr Bayo Fatusin, Founder, Bayo Fatusin Foundation; Pastor Johnson Kalejaiye, Guest of Honour and Fr. Gilbert Thesing of St Dominic Church, during the disbursement of loans to Ilaje communities, Bariga by the Bayo Fatusin Foundation.

CHARITY—From left: Lagos State Commandant, FRSC, Nsebong Akpabio; Country Director, RLG Communications Nigeria Ltd, Tosin Ilesanmi, and Chief Operating Officer, Latilo Taiwo, during a charity event in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

EXHIBITION— From left: Emeh Patrick, Sales Account Manager IT, Samsung; Chima Ezenwanne, Product Manager, Samsung Nigeria; Samson John, customer; Ayodele Bamidele, Sales Representative and Okejim Cyriacus, Sales Representative, during the Samsung exhibition fair at Ikeja City Mall in Lagos.

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40—Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Plateau to sponsor 14 bizmen

Daniel pays tribute to Achebe

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ORMER Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has said the death of Professor Chinua Achebe has robbed the country of a fearless critic, patriot, first class academic and an uncommon man of letter who through his writings mirrored the state of the country incisively and effected a connection between our past and present.

In a tribute to Professor Achebe, Daniel described Achebe as a giant in his chosen field and profession. He said the departed elder statesman through the dexterity of his writings and the insight they provided on different facets of our history contributed prodigiously to what has come to be known as Project Nigeria.

Daniel said: “We have lost a renowned literary icon and a pillar in the academic world who through his astuteness in literature won honour and respect for Nigeria. Professor Achebe was a master story teller, chronicler of history, distinguished academic who represented some of our best traditions".

Why varsity is located at Kafin-Hausa —Jigawa govt

BY ALIYU DANGIDA

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UTSE—JIGAWA State government has said that it established the stateowned university at KafinHausa in Hadeja Emirate based on the recommendations of the committee set up by the government, the Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Haruna Wakili has said.

The government was reacting to a statement credited to the Emir of Gumel, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Sani, who reportedly kicked against the establishment of the university.

Sani had advised that instead of establishing the institution, government should have concentrated on upgrading the College of Education at Gumel to a degree-awarding institution.

However, Prof Waliki said that the state government was not operating on emirate basis, adding that Governor Sule Lamido’s administration was operating an administrative system of government and not based on rumour.

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WEDDING—From left: Chief of Staff Government House Minna, Dr Joshua Bawa; State PDP Chairman, Mahmud Enagi; Deputy Governor, Ahmed Ibeto; the groom, DSP Timothy Jamberlang, his bride, Maryann Omameh and father of the bride, Mr Emmanuel Omameh, during the traditional wedding of DSP Jamberlang, ADC to the governor of Niger State in Abuja.

NASS canvasses financial autonomy for state assemblies

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN—THE National As sembly has canvassed financial autonomy for state legislatures.

It stated that broad constitutional provisions on the powers of the legislature should be put into active use to facilitate quality legislation, effective oversight and dynamic representation. This among others were the resolutions at the workshop organized by the National Institute for Legislative Studies, NILS, for National Assembly Committees on Justice, Judiciary and Human Rights with speakers and Attorneys-General of states of the federation in Ilorin.

The lawmakers further resolved that: ”The high turnover of legislators in Nigeria, which is the highest in the world, has a negative impact on its institutional capacity thus affecting the development and deepening of democracy.

“The National Institute for Legislative Studies is advised to deliver programmes that will enhance the democratization of party structures, transparent, fair and objective intra-party elections.

“The Attorneys-General are advised to utilize their powers objectively in performing their constitutional functions.

“The Executive Arm of government is advised to enforce resolutions of the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly to facilitate good governance and harmonious legislature-executive relations.

“While the constitutional provisions on separation of powers were recognized in the workshop, there is need to enhance collaboration among the three arms of government to improve good governance and national

development.

“The Legislature and Executive at both national and state levels should heighten collab-

oration on the budget process while recognizing the extent of constitutional powers of the legislature".

Reps want speech immunity

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN—THE House of Representatives, weekend, clarified that the immunity being canvassed for legislators in the country was not a blanket immunity but against speeches made on the floor of the House.

The spokesman of the House of Representatives, Zakare Mohammed, representing Baruten/Kaiama Constituency told newsmen at a seminar organised by Political Science students, University of Ilorin, that the action became necessary because some countries are

using speeches made by legislators against them in courts of law.

Mohammed pointed out that some legislators in Malawi are undergoing treasonable trial on what was said on the floor of the House, adding that, “we cannot wait until what is happening there gets here”.

He added that, “I think people are getting it very wrong.

We are talking about speech immunity on the floor of the House.

As legislators, we have speech immunity and it is to be protected on what we say on the floor of the House and not to be taken to court on what we say".

2015: Group calls for Northern presidency

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI—A group un der the aegis of Concerned Arewa Patriots, CAP, yesterday, wants the north to produce the president of the country in 2015, saying it would not only solve the current problem of insecurity in the country but would compensate for the truncated tenure of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Addressing newsmen, the National Coordinator of CAP, Alhaji Mayaki Idris said “zoning of the presidency to the north would afford the zone and its leaders an opportunity to ad-

dress the socio-political and security challenges confronting the country.”

The group, however, urged the three political zones in the north to “work together with other zones in the south to realize the truncated tenure of Yar’Adua presidency without resulting to situations that would give rise to suspicion, rancour and insecurity.”

Idris pointed out that since the north had in the past supported other zones in their quest to lead the country, “good conscience demanded that they equally support our noble intentions.”

OS—THE Plateau State Government has said it was committed to funding 14 entrepreneurs at its Technology Incubation Centre in Bukuru, Jos. Prof. Comfort Piwuna, Commissioner for Science and Technology, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday.

Piwuna said the step was to assist the entrepreneurs find sources of finance to expand their projects.

She said in an effort to actualise this, the ministry had registered the entrepreneurs with the National Association of Small-Scale Industrialists, NASSI, to enable them have access to loans.

According to her, NASSI is collaborating with a bank to access between N1 million and N30 million loan for its members to solve the problem of funding that has hampered the activities of industrialists.

The technology incubation centre, Bukuru, remained the pride of the ministry, with 14 entrepreneurs engaged in incubating various ideas and producing products that are proudly made in Plateau.

Co-operative boss laments inadequate use of land

BY ABEL DANIEL

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AFIA—PRESIDENT of Co-operative Federation of Nigeria, Mr Jibrin Bola, yesterday, lamented the inability of past and present leaders to manage the massive arable land for the production of rice and other crops which were still being importing into the country.

Jibrin made this lamentation at the sensitization forum organized for farmers in Nasarawa State by an enzyme company.

According to Jibrin, “in Nigeria we have over 70 per cent of arable land that could be used for mass production of crops like rice, yet Nigeria spends about N1billion every year to import rice that we can produce even at export level if farmers are empowered with modern farm techniques. ”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 — 41

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APGA crisis:

Ikemba would’ve supported Umeh — Emeka Ojukwu jnr •It’s a shame we are in court over my father's will CHIEF Emeka Ojukwu Jnr is the son of late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and a member of Board of Trustess ,BOT, All Progressive Grand Alliance,APGA. In this interview he called on the state governor, Mr. Peter Obi to find a way of working with embattled former Chairman in order to save the party from being consumed by crisis. He also disassociated the party from the recent merger of opposition political parties. Excerpts:

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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HY are you quiet on the crisis in APGA? I am somebody who looks at a situation before speaking on it. And as you know there have been other issues on the family aside apart from the issue with APGA. If you have been reading the news recently, I was voted unanimously to take over my father’s seat in APGA board of trustee. Since then, I have made a lot of statements about my position.

Essentially, I view the so called crisis in APGA as a manufactured crisis meaning that the underlining issue and major thing causing the problem in APGA is succession. Hence the disagreement on who will take over once Gov. Peter Obi leaves office. There are few other issues but that is the major one.

Gburugburu.

We want our voices to be heard. Igbo voices are lost within PDP and if we merge with APC, I believe Igbo voices will still be lost because we don’t have enough delegates.

We only have five states and it is not going to work. It is therefore important for us to open up for alliances where we determine what and what comes to us and what we bring to the table upfront rather than get subsumed by a larger entity in which we will just become minority again.

That is not to say that a merger can never happen but it has to be discussed with the party and with the members of the party.

Do you subscribe to a successor of Gov. Peter Obi from Anambra North Senatorial Zone?

In my personal opinion, a candidate should be able to come from anywhere. It is an open poll but nothing stops an incumbent governor from throwing his support for a particular candidate and if he wants to that for a candidate from the Anambra North senatorial district so be it.

However, to limit the contest only to Anambra North, I

,

Chairman for life

•Ojukwu jnr: The governor should work with Umeh

Not that Chief Victor Umeh is going to be chairman for life, no. Certainly, these things have a life span but there is also a process.

In times like this, the party has a role to play and the governor also has a role to play. What I am saying is that the governor has a say on who should succeed him but the party definitely also has a say.

But in a situation where the question on who succeeds Gov. Obi should be made by him alone, then it negates the ideal for which APGA was formed.

What in your opinion would have been Ikemba's position if he were to be alive?

If he were to be alive, there would be no crisis at all. My father trusted APGA with

Chief Victor Umeh. They had a good working relationship.

In fact, the successes being achieved by Gov. Peter Obi are to a large extent the actions and decisions taken

by Chief Victor Umeh as national chairman of APGA. They are there for you to see from the first election, through the first impeachment process, his coming back from impeachment and to his second tenure. It is only after my father died that this crisis raised its ugly head. It is only when the person who was Umeh’s backbone was no more that these things started cropping up. So you must be able to look at it and see the correlation.

That is why I decided to step up to speak. In the absence of my father, the least I can do is to represent him well. If

my father were here, he will support Umeh.

I am saying that the governor should look for a better way to work with Umeh.

The governor cannot ram a candidate through our throat.

The party is still the party.

What is your position on the merger of political parties to form the All Progressive Congress (APC)?

APGA did not merge with APC. What happened was that Gov. Rochas Okorocha was interested in the merger and he came in with “APGA” because he is an APGA governor, but that was not done with agreement with the party.

Our position always had been that we should maintain our identity as a party. That was the wish of Eze Igbo

be Obi’s successor.

Can you let us in a little into the crisis on Ojukwu’s will?

What was read was as my father ’s will we believe is ingenious and does not reflect the wishes of my father. The entire family has many reasons to believe that. Again, I strongly believe that this is a matter that can be settled privately or in the court. It is not really what can be resolved by talking about it in the public. This should not have played out in the public arena in the first place.

Can we say that you prefer out of court settlement to redeem the image of your late father ?

I am glad you asked that question. Every day you pick up a newspaper and you read the so called Ojukwu’s will feud, it is a blow to my father’s image.

Mundane issues We are talking about a man who sacrificed everything for the love of his people and then we come now to argue what seem mundane issues in the public of the man; things that Eze Igbo Gburugburu never even cared about.

This is why I said we should resolve it quietly, but if we cannot, then in the court.

Ideally, it would have been just privately. I had never wanted to go to court at all, but when the other parties

APGA did not merge with APC. What happened was that Gov. Rochas Okorocha was interested in the merger and he came in with “APGA” because he is an APGA governor

think it is questionable.

Everybody should be free to run. Andy Uba, Ifeanyi Uba and Chris Ngige should be free to run and let the best man win. I had expected that before APGA gives such position, there would be meeting where the chairman, members of NEC or Board of Trustees would issue a communique to show APGA’s position.

Is it true you are supporting the gubernatorial ambition of Ifeanyi Uba? Ifeanyi Uba has not made his decision in terms of which platform he wants to run, but certainly, we are open to that possibility. We have worked with him before.

We have had discussion with other candidates too. We are still considering who will

,

went to court we had to respond. It is unfortunate that it went that way. It brings shame to the name and I am not happy about it.

If you love and respect the man Ojukwu, then you respect his wishes. What we are talking about now in court is not about money as people think. My father gave out most of what he had which made the people to love him.

It is just that there are things that are right and things that are wrong; and a man has to stand for principles and what is right. If there are other ways to resolve this amicably, it will be better because at the end of the day we cannot separate ourselves from each other. We have all been joined together by my father.

44—Vanguard , TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Gunmen raze police station, telecom masts, kill officer in Borno

BY BALA AJIYA AND NDAHI MARAMA

D

BEST STUDENT: Nigeria's Tinuade Okoro, Best Graduating Medical Student in University of Ghana, Legon (middle), receiving her award from the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Sharon Bar-li (left) at the university's convocation, weekend.

AMATURU—GUNMEN suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect, in Yobe State, yesterday torched the Bara Divisional Police Station, council secretariat complex and two telecommunication companies’ masts.

They also killed a policeman who attempted to protect the station from being set ablaze with Improvised Explosive

Devices, IEDs, and rocket-propelled launchers at 1.30am.

Bara is the headquarters of Gulani Local Government Area and 160 kilometres south of Damaturu, the state capital.

The gunmen, according to an eyewitness, also snatched three vehicles including a Toyota Hilux van belonging to the council and fled towards Buni/ Yadi at about 6.30am.

He said the gunmen, who overpowered the policemen at the council headquarters, operated for over three hours, before they succeeded in torching the station and telecommunication masts.

Commenting on the incident, Yobe State Police Commissioner, Sanusi Rufai said that the gunmen used rocket-propelled launchers, IEDs and petrol-bombs, while torching the police station and telecommunication masts at Gulani.

He further disclosed that a police corporal was also killed by the suspects, who slit his throat at his Bara residence at about 5am. Rufai, however, added that no arrests had yet been made.

Creation of new emirates worry Christians

BY SAM EYOBOKA

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HRISTIAN in the 19 states of the North and Abuja, yesterday, lampooned the recent creation of chiefdoms in Nasarawa State, saying the injustice done to Christians in the exercise "cries to high heaven" over Governor Umaru AlMakura’s creation of emirates in predominantly Christian areas.

Chairman, Northern States Christian Elder’s Forum, NOSCEF, Evang.

Matthew Owojaiye, who made this known in a statement, said Christian communities like Akwanga, Nukun and Ngha, by the new creation, are now emirates.

He said: “Since only Muslims can be made emirs, how does the governor intend to subjugate Christians in their own land?”

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26 , 2013 42 — 45

EU ends sanction against Zimbabwe T

HE European Union has suspended sanctions against 81 officials and eight firms in Zimbabwe.

The decision followed a “peaceful, successful and credible” referendum on a new constitution earlier this month, the EU said in a statement.

However, sanctions will remain in force against 10 people - including Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe - and two firms, EU sources sauid The EU imposed sanctions, including a

travel ban, in 2002.

It said it was in response to human rights abuses and political violence under Mr Mugabe’s rule.

Allies of Mr Mugabe have long argued that the sanctions should be unconditionally removed and that they have had a negative impact on Zimbabwe’s economy.

Mr Mugabe, 89, and his rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, 61, have been sharing power since disputed elections marred by violence in

India/Nigeria bilateral tr ade hits $1 7.3b trade $17

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU and PRISCA SAM-DURU

I

NDIA Consul General, Rani Malick has disclosed that India’s trade with Nigeria hits a whooping sum of over $17.3 billion on bilateral trade with Nigeria in the year 2012.

Rani Malick who made the disclosure at the opening of a 3-day exhibition of “Indian Products and Services Exhibition” (IPASE-3), stated that, “Approximately 25 local businesses engaged in India products and services in Nigeria, are among companies and organizations that displayed their goods and services at the India High Commission, Lagos.

The annual event which is in its third series, she said, “is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to promote visibility of Indian products and services in Nigeria adding that, “it also serves as a platform to encourage concerned Nigeria stakeholders, mostly Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (SMEs) to remain committed in their various levels of business capabilities. “ Engaging in such endeavors has enabled our bilateral trade reach

a record of $17.3 billion during India financial year ending on March 31, 2012, noting that, “We are happy to be one of Nigeria’s largest trading partner ”, Malick said.

Malick who pledged that India would not relent in her effort to remain committed to the interest of Nigeria, emphasized that India looks forward to a more progressive partnership in the years ahead.”

Amongst companies that displayed their products were Me-Cure Pharmaceuticals with technology based diagnostic services, Educomp Solutions Nigeria, an education company, Telecommunications Consultants India Limited, Tata Africa Nigeria and many more.

The EU cited Zimbabwe’s recent referendum on a new constitution. approved the new and has been endorsed 2008.

Z i m b a b w e a n s constitution - which by both Mr Mugabe and o v e r w h e l m i n g l y expands civil liberties Mr Tsvangirai - in the 16

March referendum.

Fresh elections are expected to be held some time this year.

The 27-member European Union said it had agreed to “immediately suspend” restrictive measures against 81 individuals and eight entities.

“The EU congratulates the people of Zimbabwe on a peaceful, successful and credible vote to approve a new constitution,” the EU said in a statement, adding that it “ represents a significant step” towards general elections.

Kerr ghanis erryy visits AAghanis ghanistt an unannounced T

HE United States Secretary of State, John Kerry yesterday paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan for talks with President Hamid Karzai, an official said, with both sides hoping to stabilize the country before most

foreign troops leave by the end of 2014.

Kerry and Karzai will discuss a host of issues including Afghan reconciliation, the transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces and Afghanistan’s elections, the official told

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, yesterday.

reporters.

Karzai’s government is trying to open formal negotiations with the Taliban, who have remained resilient in the face of superior NATO firepower in the war now in its 12th year.

Karzai is due to travel to Qatar within days to discuss the peace process and the opening of a (Taliban) office for conducting negotiations.

The trip comes after years of stalled discussions with the United States, Pakistan and the Taliban.

Commenting on Karzai’s trip, the official told reporters: “I wouldn’t want to overplay it but I think that it’s a very positive

sign. It’s another step on a continued path toward... getting to some sort of reconciliation process.

“Nobody is expecting that he will open an office there in a week.

Nobody is expecting that he will be sitting down with Taliban in a week.

This is a long process and this is one more small but positive step in that ... process.”

Tensions between the United States and Afghanistan have heightened in recent years over a range of issues, including civilian casualties during air strikes, night raids and the transfer of prisoners.

CAR: Power-sharing to douse tension I

N a bid to defuse international criticism of Sunday’s coup that killed 13 South African soldiers and plunged the mineral-rich nation into chaos, the leader of rebels in Central African Republic pledged to name a power-sharing government Regional peacekeepers said that leader of the Seleka rebel coalition, self-proclaimed President Michel Djotodia, appealed for their help in restoring order after his

own men joined in a second day of looting in the riverside capital Bangui.

The rebels’ ouster of President Francois Bozize was swiftly condemned by the United Nations and the African Union. But in a sign of pragmatism, the United States, France and regional powerbroker Chad called on the insurgents to respect a January peace deal creating a unity

government.

Some 5,000 Seleka fighters swept into the capital on Sunday after a

lightning offensive in which they fought their way from the far north to the presidential palace in

four days after a the collapse of the power-sharing agreement signed in the Gabonese capital Libreville.

Cyprus defends bail-out deal

T

HE government of Cyprus has defended a 10bn-euro bailout deal to save its banks from collapse, amid warnings the island faces deep recession.

The agreement protects small savers but depositors

with more than 100,000 euros ($130,000; £85,000), many of whom are Russian, face big losses. Laiki Bank - the country’s second largest - will be wound up.

Finance minister, Michael Sarris said Cyprus had avoided a

“disastrous exit from the eurozone”.

President Nicos Anastasiades - who negotiated the deal with the “troika” of the EU, the European Central Bank and the IMF in Brussels - is to address the nation shortly.

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

PIB fiscal regime still very competitive —Committee •••Explains rationale for host community fund

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

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Future investments At every available opportunity international oil companies, IOCs, individually and as a group under the aegis of the Oil Producers Trade Section, OPTS, of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, have continued to criticize the fiscal proposals, describing them as huge disincentives to future investments in the petroleum industry. Even the indigenous marginal field operators, also complained that it would cripple their businesses if passed as proposed, as it would increase costs by almost 50 percent.

However, Membere, also the Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, noted that the new proposals are “predicated on production as opposed to terrain and investment respectively.”

Benefits of new proposals: He identified numerous benefits attached to the new proposals in terms of production and pricing, saying that royalty on production: •Captures the output of a company as opposed to its location •Creates a fair balance between small and big producers operating in the same region •Enables operators to continue to make fair returns during field decline •Lower rates proposed for

•Senate president David Mark •Petroleum minister, Diezani Madueke condensate for Non-Associated Gas, NAG fields •Lower rates also proposed for frontier and ultra deepwater basins.

With regard to price, he maintained that the new fiscal terms are fair to all irrespective of terrain; self adjusting based on the prevailing price of crude at the international market.

Specifically, Membere explained that the new tax regimes provide for the payment of minimum tax where incentives would have made the company liable to National Hydrocarbon Tax, NHT. Though the Corporate Income Tax, CIT, is pegged at 30 percent irrespective of the geographical location of the asset, he argued that the new template “removes all the rigours and intricacies involved in the calculation of NHT.

Production bonuses Furthermore, he said that Production Bonuses are now based on production as opposed to investment (which may not fully capture the essence of capital deployed), adding that this is equally fair to all, as NHT rate is proposed at 50 per cent in the case of onshore/swamp/ shallow offshore, and 25% for deepwater operations.

Global trend: Contrary to insinuations that it is only in Nigeria that the government is seeking higher take from its oil and gas resources, Membere argued that “Nigeria remains one of the most attractive countries in terms of fiscal regimes (Government Take).” He further noted that “Nigeria is not alone in “tightening” of fiscal terms during successive bid rounds or adhoc awards,” and

compared Nigeria’s fiscal proposals with the Angolan bid rounds, where the Government Take at the level of Nigeria’s 2005 Production Sharing Contract, PSC terms.

According to him, “Proposed 2012 PIB actually lowers GT to 70% which is lower than the 76% GT based on current Angolan fiscal terms,” adding that there is a “Marginal increase on percent Government Take (GT) in the JV Operations from 87% to 88% at $80/bbl crude price.”

He said the objective is with a view to achieving a fair balance between government and contractors share as well as to ensure risks do not outweigh reward. Overall, he maintained that the new PIB fiscal policy offered, “A generous Production Allowance, lower royalty rates and tax holidays are incentives designed to attract investments in gas sector.”

Unbundling NNPC: Rather than the outright privatisation of the NNPC, Membere said that the Federal Government decided to set up an asset management company, as a holding company, for some of the corporation’s subsidiaries, to be known as National Asset Management Corporation, NAMCORP. The holding company will include all the assets of the corporation, excluding the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS; and the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC, 30 per cent of which will be given up for private equity to investors.

NAPIMS and NGC will then become separate entities to make up the three National Oil Companies, NOCs, instead of one, as being proposed in the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, currently undergoing scrutiny at the National Assembly. The

development comes even as the Exploration and Production Directorate of the NNPC has put in place measures to address the high cost of operations in the nation’s petroleum industry, one of the bones of contention with the International oil companies, IOCs, in the fiscal regime proposed in the PIB. Clarifying further on the development, Membere, told journalists that the new PIB was not the monster bill, being described by the IOCs. Rationale for decision: He explained that rather, the bill merely seeks to enhance the Federal Government’s take from petroleum resources in a very competitive and unambiguous

,

ESPITE the controversies generated over the fiscal regime, in terms of tax and royalty being proposed in the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, currently undergoing legislative scrutiny at the National Assembly, the technical team that prepared the bill insists that proposals are still very highly competitive.

A presentation at the Editor’s Forum in Lagos, weekend, the Lead team explained that the proposed fiscal framework is derived from a strategic national interest and incentives for attracting sustainable investment in the country. The team led by Mr. Abiye Membere, also argued that the fiscal terms are not only competitive compared to global climes, but also makes Nigeria one of the most attractive centres for oil and gas investments in the world.

refineries, which he said were being priced as peanuts because of their current states. He noted that with the Joint Venture, JV, assets as well as those of the National Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, the value of the refineries would be shored up, once the 30 per cent equity is privatised.

He said the move was meant to “preserve the very profitable JV arrangement that contributes over 82 per cent of the total revenue from petroleum, ring fence so there is no divestment of the National Asset Company in addition to providing opportunities for IJV with the JV partners. Contrary to criticisms, he argued that the fiscal policy framework was “derived from a strategic national interest and incentives for attracting sustainable investment in the region.”

Expatiating further, he said the holding company would require a seed loan for two years to prepare it for self funding, adding that this will also provide private participation as it is simil toar other NOCs like Petrobras of Brazil, Petronas of Malaysia and a host of others; promote cultural change to a fully accountable and commercial company; and provide adequate funding for the NOC. He said all these were part of the presentations made by the National Working and Group Executive Committees of PENGASSAN and NUPENG, with a view to understanding the draft PIB better.

Cost reduction measures: With regard to the cost reduction measures, membere said there was an industry wide

Nigeria remains one of the most attractive countries in terms of fiscal regimes

manner, in line with global trends.

Other objectives of the PIB include: To enhance exploration and exploitation of petroleum resources; to significantly increase DomGas supplies especially for power and industry; create competitive business environment; to establish fiscal framework that is flexible, stable and competitively attractive; to create commercially viable national oil company’; to create efficient regulatory institutions; to engender transparency and accountability; to promote Nigerian content development; to promote and protect Health Safety and Environment He disclosed that the government had to toe this line after considering all the issues involved in the privatisation of the NNPC assets, particularly the

,

standardisation of processes and evaluation mechanism for estimation of drilling and drilling services costs, using a common template across all the IOCs. Part of the standardisation include personnel and common costs, while also benchmarking major projects costs in line with international best practices.

Furthermore, he said the NNPC also intended to rank projects and select proposals in accordance with well established project selection, particularly on life cycle costs, and unit technical cost. Other cost reduction measures include develop synergy among operators by pooling common services and resources to avoid duplication of costs; address security challenges in alliance with security agencies, and reducing management costs induced by lengthy contracting cycles.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—47

By JUDE NJOKU

•Olagoke strret before LMDGP’s intervention

A

S part of efforts to im prove the living standard of residents of blighted communities in Lagos, the Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project LMDGP, has embarked on the construction of network of roads, drainage and health care facilities in 10 slummy neighbourhoods in the state.

Already, the Project has completed 16 standard width (7.3 metres) roads in Agege Local Government Area and Orile Agege Local Council Development Authority LCDA, at the cost of N1,461,699,541.53.

The roads which were built by a local engineering company, Messrs Laralek Ultimate Limited, include Abimbola, Adenle, Ayeni and Church streets. Others are Olusanya, Oremeji, Owo, Salawu and Salimote streets, all in Agege. Also completed at Orile Agege are Arigbanla, Ajiboye, Oguntade, Oyewole and Soretire Streets. LMDGP’s Communications Consultant, Mr. Michael Ilesanmi who led journalists on an inspection of the projects, weekend, explained that LMDGP has also awarded the contracts for the construction of 16 standard roads in Makoko and Ilaje at the cost of N1.6 billion.

Benefitting from roads construction The roads in Makoko include Acts of Apostles Street, Adams Manuel Street, Apollo Street, Church Street and Falodun Street. Also to benefit from the roads construction are Obalowo Street, Oluwatoyin Street, Development Street and Sariyu Street. In Ilaje, streets to benefit for the new roads construction are Alhaji Alimi, Aribade, Oresegun, Olatunji, Araromi, Opeloyeru and Ilaje.

Apart from the construc tion of roads, LMDGP is also investing in the construction of Primary Healthcare Centres, Citizen Mediation Centres and Schools in the two local government areas.

LMDGP, according to Ilesanmi, is a World Bank assisted seven- year special purpose vehicle put in place by the Lagos State Government in 2008 to upgrade 10 blighted communities ( slums) in order to improve liveability in Lagos as a megacity The upgrading sub-projects, he said, were developed in response to the expressed demand of the beneficiaries Agege, OrileAgege, Ajegunle, Amukoko, Badia, Iwaya, Makoko, Ilaje, Bariga and Ijeshatedo/Itire.

•Olagoke Street after LMDGP’s intervention •Olagoke Street after LMDGP’s intervention

LMDGP brings succour to 10 blighted Lagos communities “These slums were selected because a 1995 comprehensive study of living conditions in Lagos identified them as the largest slum areas. The ten cover an area of 760 hectares.

The ten communities expressed needs and priorities that have been packaged into multi-sectoral investment programs: streets, footpaths, foot bridges and walkways;

water supply; drainage; schools; health centers; public sanitation facilities; market stalls; electricity transformers; street lighting; community centers; fish smoking facilities; and box culverts,” he said.

Ilesanmi expects that nearly two million people that live in the ten Project areas will benefit from improved water supply, improved solid waste man-

agement, better sewerage facilities, improved drainage and improved health and living conditions.

The LMDGP Communica tions Consultant disclosed that in designing the projects, stakeholder participation approach was applied. Discussions, he said, were held with local government and state officials to ascertain existing

problems, constraints, and local dev e l o p m e n t priorities. “Surveys of households identified both physical conditions of dwellings and the socioeconomic circumstances of the households within them.

Focus of group discussions with the private sector, officials of the drainage department, and community leaders and extensive consultations with NGOs aggregated the priorities of beneficiaries, and communities’ capacity and willingness to pay for services, which was a critical input in the design methodology and a likely implementation challenge,” Ilesanmi said.

These facts were corroborated by the Chairman of Agege LGA, Alhaji Abdul Kareem Jubreel, the Vice Chairman of Orile Agege LCDA, Mr. Johnson Babatunde and the chairmen of the Community Development Committee CDC, in the two councils, Comrade Toyin Balogun and Deacon Funso Akindoyin. They noted that the LMDGP projects have given a facelift to their communities and reduced flooding whenever it rained.

But like the popular Oliver Twist, they requested for more LMDGP intervention in the area of roads construction, water supply and schools’ upgrade. They pledged to ensure the maintenance of the projects in their areas.

3INVEST to launch REIN at Lagos Property Buyers’ Forum

O

NE of Nigeria’s emerging real es tate investment service companies, Messrs 3Invest Limited, says it has developed Real Estate Investor Network REIN, a revolutionary platform that allows its members to close the funding gap in quality real estate transactions by successfully accessing funding and allowing them to diversify their investment portfolio through investing in income producing commercial real estate yielding competitive returns.

The REIN model, according to the company, is established on the fundamentals of Crowd funding, which is essentially a collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money, usually through the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other

people or organizations. “This concept has been in practice for a number of years and has been effective in many interesting ways both for non-profit cause models such as Kiva and for profitable models such as Kick Starter “REIN takes the strength of this concept and applies it to simplify how we invest in real estate today enabling 3Invest and its partners play an evolutionary role in pioneering this in Nigeria. We enable investors to fund real estate deals and in return they can gain an equity interest in that investment, “3Invest Managing Director, Ruth Obih said in a statement in Lagos.

REIN, according to her, “is consistent with 3Invest’s mission of developing innovative platforms to provide solutions designed to optimize and redefine Nigeria’s real estate industry; as well as provide valuable investment for the country’s Real Estate Market. Our platform will not only provide a superior networking enterprise, but will allow qualified investors to collectively fill funding gaps in quality real estate transactions, ” she said The Network will be lunched on April 18, 2013 at the Property Buyers’ Forum PBF, organised by 3Invest in Lagos.

48 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

UPDC injects luxury N4.5 billion into Cameron Green Estate

•A completed unit at Cameron Green estate

•Completes 1st phase; sets June deadline for 2nd phase

By JUDE NJOKU

R

EAL estate develop ment heavyweight, Messrs UACN Property Development Company, UPDC has completed the construction of the first phase of its Cameron Green, a luxurious estate located in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos. The company has also concluded plans to deliver the second phase of the N4.5 billion estate in the next three months. The model estate which was built on a parcel of land measuring 11,000m2 at No 1-3 Cameron Road, in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos, has redefined the way property development should be done especially in this era of climate change and efforts to mitigate its adverse impacts.

Disclosing these facts during a facility tour of the tastefully finished estate, the Project Manager, Mr. Abdulkareem Mumeen, an Engineer, explained that the first phase of the project comprises units of five-bedroom detached houses with boys quarters and swimming pools.

Mumeen who stood in for the Managing Director, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, explained that Cameron Green is an environment friendly estate that is filled with different kinds of trees and lush vegetation in line with UPDC’s efforts to ensure the environmental sustainability of its estates.

Soft and hard landscapping The Project Manager who disclosed that only about 30 percent of the entire land were built up, further explained that the measure was taken to maximise soft and hard landscaping. The well spaced buildings will also allow free flow of air and the prevention of congestion. One of the most attractive aspects of the development, he said, is the retention of existing mature trees to preserve the original ecosystem and the planting of an additional 115 new trees. “We removed about 30 trees from the site and planted 115 new ones. About 80 percent of the land we have here is devoted to green and roads,” he said.

Other attractive features of the

first phase according to Mumeen, include low flow shower and faucet fixtures to minimise water shortage and large tall windows for good illumination and natural cross ventilation.

He noted that the water to serve the residents of the estate was taken from a very deep aquifer which requires lesser energy treatment to meet the standards set by the World Health Organisation, WHO.

The Cameron Green Project Manager who disclosed that only one unit in the completed phase is still unsold, explained that the drains are buried pipes to avoid the erosion effect of open drainage.

The second phase of Cameron Green consists of two blocks of 28 luxury flats (14 flats per block). The six-floor blocks would be serviced by six lifts (three in each block) made up of two passenger lifts and one

boost lift.

Provision would also be made for 68 car parking spaces. Each resident would be entitled to two lots while the remaining parking spaces would be for visitors.

Eko Atlantic to welcome pioneer residents in 20 months — Developers

for active services. Construction of buildings has already started with the piling before foundations almost completed by some investors. The construction of super structures will start in a month or two from now. It is eighteen months project. In other words, in a question of two years from now, the first set of houses would have been completed and occupied’’. South Energyx boss noted.

Explaining that the city would be developed in six phases, Mr. Frame said phases one to five will comprise mostly residential and commercial areas, the sixth phase will be dedicated to all the utilities in the city such as power generating house, sewage and treatment plant house.

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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HE first set of resi dential buildings at Eko Atlantic City would be occupied in the next 20 months. Eko Atlantic City is a 10 million square meters self sustaining city located beside the popular Lagos Bar Beach along Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Already, some investors in the multi-billion dollar city which was reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean and officially flagged off last month

by President Goodluck Jonathan, have completed piling works awaiting the actual construction which is expected to commence in the next two months.

The Managing Director, South Energy X Nigeria Limited, Mr. David Frame told the visiting President of Republic of Lebanon, Mr. Michel Suleiman, that the company has sand-filled over 50 per cent of the entire city. Similarly, out of a total of eight and half kilometres of sea walls, company has done three and half kilometres’’.

On funding, Mr. Frame said: ‘’All I can say in terms of funding of the project is that we have spent a substantial amount of money. We have paid back the money which was sourced from local banks in Nigeria while investors have purchased almost all the plots of land in phases one and two’’.

O

•Eko Pearl Tower, one of the buildings proposed for Eko Atlantic City According to him, the total number of plots in phase one is 2, 400,000 square metres, while the total number of plots in phase two is about two million square metres. He pointed out that there are only seven plots unsold in phases one. ‘’In terms of infrastruc-

ture in the city, we are generating and distributing power with all the cables underground. We are putting in place water supply and sewage as well as water treatment plant schemes. ‘’ We will have an extension of network of fabroitic cables

ne of the investors who has commenced work at the site is Eko Pearl Nig. Ltd. The company is constructing Eko Pearl which is a 24-storey residential tower located on the habour front of the city.

According to the investor, residents of the luxury tower will enjoy uninterrupted views of the water as they take in the endless breeze from the ocean.

In addition to living in the newest prime area of Lagos, residents, he said, will enjoy first class infrastructure facilities.

The Lebanese President was on tour of Africa with focus on West Africa. According to Frame: “He is here to see what we are doing with regard to the construction of Eko Atlantic City. He is here to celebrate with us for embarking on a project of this magnitude.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—49

CRISIS OF IDENTITY:

INEC disqualifies African Peoples Congress •We must resist undemocratic elements to derail democracy—APC

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & GABRIEL EWEPU

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•Students of Agidingbi Senior Secondary School, Lagos celebrating World Water Day. With them are (L-R): Yomi Onakoya, Communications Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company; Mrs. Gladys Nsaka, Vice Principal; Dayo Omotosho, Ikeja Plant Manager and Ifeoma Okoye, Public Affairs Manager .

334 million people in sub-sahara Africa lack access to clean water — WaterAid •As NBC donates water equipment to Lagos school

By JUDE NJOKU

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O fewer than 334 million people representing 39 percent of the population of sub-Sahara Africa lack access to clean drinking water. Similarly, about 600 million people which is approximately 70 percent region’s population, lack access to sanitation.

Against this backdrop, WaterAid has called on the Nigerian government to support the ambitious target of providing access to water, sanitation and hygiene for all Africans by 2030.

The call came at a time Nigerians joined others across the globe to mark this year’s World Water Day which had ‘International Year of Water Cooperation’ as the theme.

WaterAid Pan_Africa Programme Manager, Mr. Nelson Gomonda, said: “330 million Africans today live without access to clean water, so the road to travel is long, but we can for the first time see the end in sight.

Lack of water and sanitation With more than 1,000 African children under the age of five dying every day from diseases brought about from a lack of water and sanitation, Africans will not accept failure. We have to reach this target.”

WaterAid stressed the need to recognise the framework that replaces the Millennium Development Goals in 2015 to reflect the contribution of water, sanitation and hygiene to other areas of poverty reduction, including health, education, gender equality, economic growth and sustainability.

The Group which enjoined the UN to set a new global target to achieve universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030, also wants the global body to identify ways of accelerating future rates of progress on sanitation if the goal of universal access is to

be met by 2030.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC has expressed its commitment to a sustainable environment through the promotion of programmes that contribute to access to water and water security. To mark the World Water Day, NBC which has water stewardship as a major focus of its corporate social responsibility strategy, partnered with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Federal Ministry of Environment, host communities and select schools to contribute to

access to clean water. The event held simultaneously at five of its locations across Nigeria.

Specifically in Lagos, NBC donated water storage materials to Agidingbi Senior Secondary School, Ikeja and a demonstration of the unique method of purifying water to make it potable. Speaking at the handing over of the equipment to the school, NBC’s Ikeja Plant Manager, Mr. Dayo Omotosho, said that the bottler’s interest in water sustainable schemes extends to the communities where it operates.

P O O R S A N I TAT I O N : Lagos seals off shops at Adeniji Adele

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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OR not keeping their business environment clean and tidy, shops of traders in Adeniji Adele area of Lagos Island will have to remain shut until sanity is brought back to the area. The shops are located at Epe, Omididun, Thomas and Evans Streets. Also, occupants of shops at Sura market in Lagos Island have been told to relocate with immediate effect for encroaching on drainage channels in the market and causing distortion in the flow of water from the channel.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello who gave the orders during the inspection of drainage sites in Adeniji Adele area of Lagos Island, said traders must continually clean where they sell. ‘’Traders are not taking care of their business environment. That is why I said their shops should be shut down. And until they can prove that they can take care of their environment, their shops will remain shut’’, the

Commissioner said.

Mr. Bello urged local government councils in the state to be vigilant about and check the activities of traders in their areas.

Lamenting over the parking of abandoned vehicles on the streets in the areas inspected, Bello said his Ministry will work with the Ministry of Transportation to remove the vehicles from the streets.

Drainage channels inspected include Sura market where the Commissioner observed that the channel had been taken over by illegal structures, Ebute Elefun where proposed LAWMA Yard/ Ebute Elefun Collector Drain is to be constructed and Patey Street where clearing and cleaning of Patey/Zapas collector were seen being carried out by officials of Environment Ministry.

Other sites visited are Adeniji Adele area where outfall/collector channels along Adeniji Adele Street , Epe/Adeniji Adele channel, Omididun/Adeniji Adele channel, Thomas/Adeniji Adele channel and Evans/ Adeniji Adele channel were seen to be begging for attention.

B U J A — T H E Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, rejected the application by the African Peoples Congress, one of the political associations in contention of the acronym, APC, saying that the association breached Section 222 (a) of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended.

African Peoples Congress which pasted its posters all around Abuja had earlier in the day raised the alarm that INEC had plotted to deny them registration with alleged flimsy reasons saying that they would resist any such attempts and would also contest it up to the Supreme Court level, but the Commission’s Director, Public Affairs, Emmanuel Umenger when contacted had denied any such plot.

Umenger, however, later confirmed to Vanguard that the Commission rejected the application from the African peoples Congress for failing to meet the stipulated requirements and that the association had been duly informed.

He said: “The Commission has written to this political association and had stated in very clear terms that they are in breach of section 222 (a) of the constitution with the additional explanations stated in the letter. The Commission also observed that the submission made on form PA 1 does not contain the addresses of the national officers of the political association as stipulated and it means this association has the responsibility to prove, because these are the things the commission has observed and the law says if you do not meet any of these requirements you will not be registered as a political party “The commission has gone ahead to explain in its letter I have on my table. The letter we have sent today was duly signed by the Secretary to the Commission Abdulahi Kaugama and it is self explanatory, the letter is dated 21, 2013 which was signed and collected by one Michael Ogani of APC.” According to INEC’s letter, INEC/DPPM&L/APC/490/V.1/

76, dated March 21, 2013, addressed to “The Chairman, Proposed African People’s Congress,” and with the title Re-Application for Registration as a political party, it stated that African Peoples Congress breached Section 222 (a) of the Nigeria Constitution.

The letter signed by the INEC’s Secretary, Alhaji Abdulahi Kaugama read in parts; “Your application for registration as a political party dated 28th February, 2013 refers. The Commission has observed that your association is in breach of Section 222 (a) of the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which stipulates as follows: “No association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless; the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission;. A close observation of your submitted form PA 1 established that it does not contain the addresses of your national officers as stipulated in the provisions above. Consequently, the commission shall not register the proposed African Peoples Congress (APC) as a political party.”

APC had premonitions of its disqualification by INEC As if it knew the fate that was about to be unleashed on it, the African People’s Congress, APC decided to flood the Federal Capital Territory with its boisterous posters.

Promoters of the new political association spent Sunday night to paste its posters all over the city.

No major point in the FCT was spared. Tree trunks, refuse bins, walls of public and private houses were invaded with the orangeladen posters.

Some residents, who were greeted with the posters on Monday morning as they left their homes for their businesses, were worried that their premises had been defaced with the publicity materials.

The posters were more visible in the Asokoro, Central Business Area, Garki, Maitama and the adjoining districts.

A source close to the party told Vanguard that the promoters had wind of the decision by INEC to reject its registration as a political party.

50—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Why we launched Quick Lane Service Centre — Maduka

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From (r-l) The President KIA Motors Corporation Middle east and Africa Mr. Alex Chung, MD Dana Motors Mr. Jacky Hathiramani, Korean Ambassador – Mr. Choi Jon Hyun and Miroslav Hacek; Ambassador to Slovakia at the launch of Kia Quoris in Lagos recently.

RESIDENT of Cos charis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka has said that their desire to make things easier for vehicle owners in the country, especially Ford owners led to the introduction of Quick Lane Tyre and Auto Centre in Nigeria.

Maduka who spoke recently at the unveiling of the new centre in Yaba, Lagos, said that their target is to set up over fifteen Quick Lane Service Centre in the country within a short time to complement their existing garages.

“Today, what we are launching is the Quick Lane Tyre and Auto Centre package to make life easier for the average Nigerian vehicle owner, especially the

2012 our best year, says Porsche I

N the 2012 financial year, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG achieved record levels in sales, turnover and earnings. At 143,096 vehicles, sales were 22 per cent higher than in the previous year.

Turnover increased by 27 per cent to 13.9 billion euros. The operating result grew by 19 per cent to 2.44 billion euros.

Moreover, the number of employees reached a new peak level, with 17,502 persons at the end of the year. The company also increased the number of trainees - instead of the previous number of 100 young workers, last 125 employees began their training at Porsche.

At the annual press conference of Porsche AG in Stuttgart, Germany, on Friday, Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Executive Board, emphasized that the sports car manufacturer has, despite the weak economy, particularly in Europe, continued to press ahead on the course for growth that it set upon two years ago. “2012 was the most successful year in the history of our company,” Müller said.

“The success that Porsche enjoys in the marketplace can be attributed very largely to our attractive product portfolio. We further enhanced this last year with the addition of

several new, fascinating sports car models”, the Chairman continued.

In Stuttgart, Lutz Meschke, Chief Financial Officer of Porsche AG, highlighted “the healthy cost structure and sustained high level of profitability ” of the company. Accordingly, the operating return on sales amounted to round 18 per cent.

“With our international position and a strict cost management, we remain, as a whole, cautiously optimistic for the current 2013 financial year, and are striving for a result building upon the very high level of the prior year”, the CFO of Porsche AG further added.

Net liquidity in the automotive business –

meaning gross liquidity less financial liabilities excluding financial services – improved from a negative 2.58 billion euros as of December 31, 2011 to a negative 1.87 billion euros as of December 31, 2012. Thus, Porsche AG has once again come one step closer to its medium-term goal of a full reduction in net indebtedness while financing its growth from operating cash flow.

In the 2012 financial year, the model series with the highest growth rate was the 911. The new generation of the sports car icon found such great reception among customers that sales increased by 49 per cent, to 26,203 vehicles. With 77,822 vehicles (up 30 per

cent), the Cayenne series obtained the highest sales. The Boxster series grew by four per cent to 11,740 units. Thereby, the Boxster - introduced in March 2012 - achieved an addition of 66 per cent, to 10,126 vehicles.

1,614 units of the Cayman were sold. The new generation of the Cayman was launched on the market at the beginning of 2013. Sales of the Panamera amounted to 27,331 vehicles.

A review of regional distribution shows the continued importance of the North American market - there, sales increased by 34 per cent, to 39,192 units. In China (including Hong Kong),

growth amounted to 32 per cent, with 33,590 vehicles sold. Moreover, in Germany, the sports car manufacturer gained 16 per cent, to 16,090 vehicles. In Europe (excluding Germany), growth amounted to 8 per cent, to 31,094 units. In the rest of the world, sales climbed by 19 per cent, to 23,130 vehicles.

In the 2012 financial year, production increased by 19 per cent to 151,999 vehicles. This accounted for by 28,419 units for the 911 (up 31 per cent), 83,208 vehicles for the Cayenne (up 34 per cent) and 27,056 vehicles for the Panamera (down 15 per cent). 13,316 units (up 9 per cent) of the Boxster series were produced.

Ford brand,” he said at the Chacom Quick Lane in Yaba. The event was attended by John Earp (FCSD Regional Manager) and David Lawrence – Dealer Operations Manager from South Africa.

According to Dr. Maduka, whose company controls over eight thriving auto brands in the country, the Quick Lane Service Centre offers the customer the same standard he would get in any other world-class service centre in Nigeria at a very short time and lower price.

Said he, “Quick Lane Service is like a top-class restaurant whereby you can have quality meal without going to a Five Star Hotel.

He, however, disclosed that all brands of automobiles will be handled at the centre.

After sales challenges The Coscharis boss whose company is in partnership with the Lagos State Government on the CG-Eko LPP said the idea of Quick Lane came to them as part of their effort to address some of the after-sales challenges communicated to them by their customers through their feedback mechanism.” He noted that their finding, showed that the Ford brand has gained wide acceptance in the Nigerian automobile market, leading to rapid increase in demand for Ford vehicle which has to be marched with adequate after-sales services.

To this end, he said, Coscharis Group has invested a great deal on after-sales facilities by setting up ultramodern service centres, manned by Ford trained and certified technicians in strategic locations across the country. Continuing, he disclosed that Coscharis Motors has come to the understanding, judging by the rate at which the brand is growing, that it cannot provide all the after-sales needs alone, hence, the collaboration with their partners, Ford Corporation of USA, Quick Lane Tyre and Auto Centre, USA and some like-minds in the local auto market like Chacom Motors set up the Nigerian version of the American Quick Lane Service Centre network.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013—51

Hyundai Santa Fe leaps into premium SUV segment AT the 2013 Salon In ternational de l’Auto, Geneva, Switzerland, Hyundai gave a European premiere to New Grand Santa Fe – its long wheelbase premium E-segment SUV. Hyundai has brought New Grand Santa Fe to Europe to meet the demand for the long wheelbase version of the popular model, which will contribute to the company capturing a larger share of the E-segment SUV market in Europe.

New Grand Santa Fe was first seen at the 2012 New York International Show and the European variant benefits from several significant adaptations to the US specification, such as adaptive front lighting, lane departure warning and smart parking assist systems. Furthermore, the ride and handling characteristics have been during the formation of a storm.

New Grand Santa Fe was developed alongside its standard counterpart from the earliest stages, enabling designers to fashion a coherent form that bears a strong family resemblance.

Despite this, there are clear differences between the two. At the front of New Grand Santa Fe, a reshaped front grille sits above restyled fog lamps and a more pronounced bumper.

Pronounced bumper In profile, the rear doors are noticeably longer to accommodate the third row of seats. A new, longer roof panel accentuates the car’s load-carrying capabilities. As a result, the rear quarter glass now follows the contours of the Cpillars more closely.

The overall height, width and length of New Grand Santa Fe have been extended (+10, +5 and +225 mm respectively) due to the enlarged wheelbase (+100 mm), while still retaining New Generation Santa Fe’s dynamic yet sophisticated style. Further differentiation is provided by striking new 18- and 19inch alloy wheels, while re-styled LED lamp clusters frame the swaged beltline. At the rear, separate exhaust pipes, rather than the twin unit on the regular model, finish the aesthetic upgrades.

Thanks to its increased wheelbase, the new Hyundai New Grand

Santa Fe offers more second and third row roominess compared to the standard model, allowing up to seven occupants to

travel in greater comfort.

Head and legroom is improved for both second- and third-row passengers. Second-row

occupants receive 10 mm more headroom and 50 mm increased legroom, while the third row offers

head and legroom increases of 33 and 35 mm respectively.

Cargo capacity, when

the third-row seats are folded flat, has increased to a best-in-class 634 litres.

How chance meeting brought me into car business — Otunba Oladele

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TUNBA Dapo Oladele, CEO, D-Polan Ltd is well known in the Nigerian automobile industry, especially when it comes to sales and maintenance of Toyota brands. A close associate of Elizade Motors, a foremost dealer in Toyota brand, Otunba spoke to Vanguard Motoring on the Nigerian auto industry generally and his relationship with Elizade Motors and Chief Michael Ade Ojo during the last Toyota Nigeria Limited Awards night at the Civic Centre, Lagos.

According to him, his involvement in auto sales and marketing was just by accident 17 years ago when he jettisoned his civil engineering and real estate business for the automobile business.

“I stumbled into the auto business by accident. Having worked in Mobil and a civil engineer by training, a friend met me at a construction site and told me that his company wanted to buy some Toyota cars. He said that they needed a reliable person to do the supply and I told him I could do it because I happen to know Chief Michael Ade Ojo of

Elizade Motors who is a very reliable businessman.

That was how I started representing Elizade Motors in the company by supplying their car needs. “That was how I veered into automobile business selling Toyota cars to many companies through Elizade Motors. So from that time on, I came to know many clients who relied on me for the supply of their vehicles.”

On how he has been able to keep his clients over the years, the high chief said, transparency, hardwork and honesty and the reliability of my source of supply, Elizade Motors were the magic.

“When I get any request from my clients, I deliver without wasting time. This is because my relationship with Ade Ojo is like that of father and son. I don’t have problems delivering except if the stocks are not available in Elizade.

One thing about Ade Ojo is that he likes people who are straight-forward and honest. He doesn’t renege on his words. This is the basic ethics he found in me.

If I give you my word, I don’t renege. I have built trust in my customers over

the years. So I am proud to be associated with Ade Ojo whom I have learnt so much from.

On the qualities that endeared him to the Toyota chairman, the D-Polan boss, who has offices in Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Abuja, said Ade Ojo is very hardworking, shrewd in business and has become an enigma and epitome of excellence in automobile business. His business acumen is impeccable and he is a man you have to be very equipped to do business with in terms of mannerism, objectivity, steadfastness and upright in thinking.

Although, he is not a direct dealer to Toyota Nigeria Limited, Oladele has stuck to sales and maintenance of the Toyota brand and he explained his loyalty to the Toyota brand thus: “Though we had at one time or the other sold other brands like GMC from China and Chrysler brands, there is no other brand like Toyota in the automobile world. Toyota has no equal in fuel efficiency, performance, reliability, user friendly and low maintenance cost.”

On the recap for the development of Nigerian auto industry, generally, Otunba

Otunba Oladele said: “Every country’s economy determines the state of its auto industry and Nigeria is no exception. In the days of financial boom, the bank, readily gave out loans to the people who wish to buy new cars and more people bought brand new cars but today the reverse is the case. The loans are not easily available now and this has made people to rely more on used cars from abroad instead of trouble-free brand new cars. Presently only blue chip companies and very few rich individuals can afford brand new cars.

He lamented that even when banks give out loans, they are on short term basis. “If bank give long term loans and at a reasonable interest rate, more people will buy new cars and the sector will boom,” he noted.

He however, suggested that government should look into the banking sector with view to reducing interest rate. For instance, he said a cleaner or messenger in Europe and America can afford to buy a new car through bank finance which is not possible in this part of the world.

He advised the government to carry out an indepth study on how credit facilities should be harnessed and used for the general good of the people.

On the possibility of thriving local auto assembly plants in the country, the DPolan boss said : “With our population, we are overdue for viable auto plants in the country. What we require is the will to do it. Nigeria market is big enough to support auto assembly plants if we work hard for it and give it the necessary support.

52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

LAGOS: Water, water everywhere; none to drink

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI AND MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO with Agency Reports

Only 10 percent of residents access potable water

“COLD pure water! Fine pure water!” shouts a girl hawking drinking water on the streets of Lagos, a bustling metropolis almost completely surrounded by water.

This shout echoes out in all towns and many villages across Africa’s most populous country and the continent’s largest oil producer. These small cellophane water bags - unlike tap water - are readily available, and come chilled.

Water experts say that they are anything but pure, but that means nothing to the millions of Nigerians who have no access to good, clean water.

Lagos is the unofficial headquarters of the “pure” water industry and has many fans.

“It is neatly presented and easily available.

In Lagos it is much more dangerous to take tap water than pure water,” an enthusiastic customer explains.

Detractors complain, however, that pure water producers - who are meant to drill boreholes and purify the water privately pilfer the water from state water pipes.

Until some years ago, these pipes reached woefully few areas of the city.

But the chief executive officer of the Lagos Water Corporation, Olumuyiwa Coker, says things are slowly improving since he’s come to the helm of the state authority.

“Right now we have 50 per cent coverage.

We expect that in the next 10 years that should increase to between 70per cent-80per cent,” he says.

“What we inherited four or five years ago was really a sector that was virtually comatose.”

Epileptic electricity Lagos’s first potable water supply plant was established at Iju, more than 80 years ago.

Today the city’s population - an estimated 20million - has far outstripped the production capacity of the Iju Waterworks.

So with only half the population having potable water - and that’s when the pumps are working - have state authorities simply being ignoring the problem?

Not more than 10 per cent of Lagos’s resident have no access to potable water A much bigger second plant to boost supply has been built at Adiyan, reputed to be the biggest in Africa.

“This plant was commissioned in 1991 to produce 70million gallons per day,” Production Manager Mustapha Olajide Agiri says.

“Technically there is no problem. Our major constraint is with the power supply, as on average we only get about 16 hours a day.”

Indeed, at both Iju and Adiyan waterworks, it is the epileptic electricity supply from the national energy company that is hampering production and bumping up costs.

They have to resort to diesel generators which, officials say, makes the production

Technically there is no problem. Our major constraint is with the power supply, as on average we only get about 16 hours a day very expensive.

Money matters As far as the public is concerned, however, the main water problem, apart from insufficiency, is its quality.

But the production engineer at Iju Waterworks is adamant that his plant meets international standards.

“It has good stability and a pH of 7.0, which is one of the best in the world.

“The quality of the water we pump is comparable even with Europe,” Ehunmi said.

He explains that the colouring found in tap water in many areas is a result of contamination in the pipes laid by consumers to take the water into their premises.

The UN’s target to halve the number of people without safe drinking water by 2015 is something the Lagos Water Corporation is committed to, Mr Coker

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 — 53

says.

“Essentially what it entails is increasing our infrastructure to probably twice the size it is now by 2015,” he says.

But to do this, the corporation needs resources, which is unlikely to be forthcoming from the state government and other sources of revenue such as the participation with the private sector are being considered, he says.

“We need between $1.8bn to $2bn in the next 10 years to actualise these goals.”

As in so many other sectors, it is the availability of funds that will eventually decide whether or not the people of Lagos beat poverty and get good, safe drinking water in 10 years’ time.

Government both at the Federal and State levels and the Private sector have been at the fore front of providing portable water for the populace.

Nigeria Water and Sanitation Association, NIWASA, is the umbrella body for water Engineers and Sanitation expert in Nigeria.

At a stakeholders forum to sensitize residents of Lagos West Senatorial District, last week, the Technical committee for the development of the water supply and sanitation sector policy for Lagos state, disclosed that only 2.1 million out of about 20 million residents of the state have access to portable water daily. This represents some 10 per cent of the residents.

Terror suspects:

Fear grips Ijora Badia residents Community leaders speak

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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ORTHERNERS who are living in Oyegbemi and Aromire Streets, Ijora Badia area of Lagos State, where two suspected members of Islamic sect, Boko Haram were arrested last week, have started moving out of the area in batches for fear of been caught in the sectarian quagmire.

This fear is even worse as many residents believed that there is likelihood of more members of the sect still hiding in the community.

Specifically, tenants of 24, Oyegbemi Street have deserted the building, following Thursday’s arrest of a Chadian, simply identified as Aminu and his cohort in the house by men of the Operation Messa, Op MESSA and officials of the

Department of State Security, DSS. When Vanguard visited the serene community over the weekend, everything looked normal as there was no presence of security personnel around the building where the suspects were arrested.

Vanguard, however, gathered that the Ojora of Ojora land, Oba Fatai Oyeyinka and the leaders of the Hausa community have since last Friday embarked on series of meetings lasting for hours in the monarch’s palace.

Mallam Mustapha Shuaibu, from one of the northern states said; “We are now living in fear of been evicted from the community because of the act committed by those who were clearly of northern extraction last Thursday.”

According to him, “we all know what is happening in the northern part of the

Monitoring exercise

Production capacity It is worthy of note that the state government, through the Lagos Water Corporation, LWC, has three major water works: Iju, Adiyan and Isasi works and 48 mini schemes scattered across the state. It has also completed the construction of the Ota-Ikosi Water Works that will be commissioned later in the year. When fully in operation, it is expected to increase the total installed water production capacity for the state to 900 million litres per day. These are expected to provide water sufficiently for 8 million residents of the state.

Over 70 per cent of houses in Lagos lack public water supply.

The major source of water is through boreholes and wells while other residents patronise water hawkers, known as “Merua” who sell at exorbitant prices.

Those who cannot afford them trek long distances to fetch water from public taps or get cheaper water vendors.

One of the unwholesome practices is that in some cases desperate residents go for any burst water pipe, no matter the location to get water for their domestic needs. Some of the pipes are located in the gutters, refuse sites among others.

country which the Federal Government is not handling with kid gloves. And if traces of such things are noticed in the Western part of the country where the hosts welcome visitors warmly, when the visitor embarks on an illicit act, the host may be forced to act otherwise.”

Another man of northern extraction, Mr. Abubakar Tanko said; “I have been living in this community since 2003 and we haven’t witnessed any fight between the host and visitors (northerners). And the reason for this was that we have abided by the rules and regulation guiding Lagos State.”

The chairman of Odofin Community Development Area, CDA, Mr. Talubi Adeyemo said; “We are afraid because we don’t know if some members of the sect still reside in the community.”

“There was pandemonium about 8:00 pm last Thursday, on the day of the arrest when one of the transformers serving the community exploded. Many thought the sect had struck. But it took the intervention of the elders in the community to calm the situation.”

Behold Africa’s first diabetes support centre in Lagos L

agos State Government has recorded a giant stride in its efforts to combat diabetes with the donation of the first Diabetes Support Centre in Africa to Ikorodu General Hospital by an international pharmaceutical firm The Support Centre, a collaborative agreement is being implemented through the Public Private Partnership, PPP, involving four partners namely: Ikorodu General Hospital, Novo Nordisk, Sunny Kuku Foundation and Roche Nigeria Limited.

Novo Nordisk, a 90 year old global health care company with headquarters in Denmark, is responsible for the building, furnishing and equipping of the centre built on a parcel of land provided by Ikorodu General Hospital while the other partners are concerned with monitoring stock level as well as training of health care providers at the hospital.

The Diabetes Support Centre, which is a pivotal pilot project, is expected to be optimally utilized by all residents that would go a long way

in helping to break the barrier hitherto encountered by diabetic patients in their efforts to get affordable treatment.

The project is part of Novo Nordisk’s Base of the Pyramid, BOP, programme which has been established to make insulin more accessible to poor populations by offering it at reduced prices, establish treatment facilities closer to patient’s home as well as providing training and education materials for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and patients.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olufemi Olugbile, stated that the unique project is a demonstration of the innovation of Denmark which Nigeria witnessed with the advent of the Global System of Mobile Communication initially dominated by Nokia produced by Denmark.

Adeyemo added “I am yet to shrug-off the incident. The reason is that I know the man and I was able to know him during our weekly sanitation monitoring exercise. Whenever we visit the house, he is always found sitting outside observing his prayers. All we do is to greet him and leave. We didn’t know he had such intention.”

He urged the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola to assist the community by removing the over 200 abandoned vehicles parked in the community, adding “anyone can use it to perpetrate evil.

Mr. Kehinde Obadara, One of the landlords in the community, said; “Since the ugly incident, we have decided that before anyone is allowed to rent any of the accommodation in the community, such person will be mandated to fill a particular form.

“In this form, we will probe the states where he was living before he decided to relocate to the community. And we will assign someone to visit the house to gather necessary facts about him “Aminu relocated to the community two months ago and rented five rooms. If we had investigated him especially the CDA executive, Aminu wouldn’t have been able to secure the house,” Obadara added.

54 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

TODAY’S MATCHES Azerbaijan v Portugal 6pm N. Ireland v Israel 8:45pm France v Spain 9pm Estonia v Andorra 6pm Turkey v Hungary 7:30pm Netherlands v Romania 8:30pm Germany v Kazakhstan 8:45pm R. of Ireland v Austria 8:45pm Ukraine v Moldova 8pm Poland v San Marino 8:45pm Montenegro v England 9pm Serbia v Scotland 8:30pm Belgium v Macedonia 8:45pm Wales v Croatia 8:45pm Armenia v Czech Republic 5pm Denmark v Bulgaria 8:15pm Malta v Italy 8:45pm

England are scared —Montenegro coach

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ontenegro coach Branko Brnovic insists England are “scared” of today ’s World Cup qualifier in Podgorica.

Montenegro lead England by two points in Group H, with both teams having played five of their 10 World Cup qualifying matches for Rio 2014.

“We have [Fiorentina striker] Stevan Jovetic and [Juventus forward] Mirko Vucinic. Maybe England are more scared of this game than we are,” he said.

Brnovic also accused England of preparing excuses should they lose.

Reports suggest Montenegro are prepared to water the pitch in attempt to make conditions difficult.

England were held to a 1-1 draw in Poland in October after the match had been delayed by 24 hours by a torrential downpour.

“I see some statements from England players complaining about the way the pitch will look but as far as know England have always favoured long passes,” the outspoken coach added.

S

Jovetic

Lesco tt bac ks R oone o score Lescott backs Roone ooneyy tto

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ngland defender Joleon Lescott has warned Montenegro that they face a ‘backlash’ from Wayne Rooney in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier.

The Manchester United striker missed the opening two games of Euro 2012 after being sent off in England’s

C M Y K

Del Bosque wants three points in Paris

last trip to Podgorica for aiming a petulant kick at Miodrag Dzudovic.

But Lescott believes the 27-year-old has matured since then, and has backed him to prove it at the City Stadium.

“The backlash could be just that - it could enhance his performance,” Lescott told reporters.

pain head coach Vicente del Bosque wants his side to beat France in their own backyard tonight.

“We will go to France to win. We have to play four more games (and) we must be optimistic.

“Tuesday is a very important match against France, but after that we will play three more games. We’ll see how it goes.”

Por tugal can't af o slip up ortugal affford tto —Ronaldo

C

ristiano Ronaldo has stressed that Portugal cannot afford to slip up again in the remainder of the 2014 World Cup qualification campaign if they are to make it to Brazil next year.

The Seleccao were held to a 3-3 draw by Israel last Friday and currently sit third in Group F with eight points from five games, trailing leaders Russia by four points.

“We have zero room for error from here on,” the Real Madrid star was quoted as saying on the official website of the Portuguese Football Association.

Ronaldo will miss Tuesday’s qualifier against Azerbaijan due to suspension, but he is keen to stay with the team as he feels his presence benefits the Seleccao.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 — 55

AYAC Warri 2013: Don’t make me a liar, Ogba Don’t panic when we begs Team Nigeria play, Obuh tells Nigerians

F

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

T

HE charged atmos phere became emotional at the end of Solomon Ogba’s welcome address yesterday.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria President was at the Excel Hotel, Warri to receive Team Nigeria for the Africa Youth Athletics Championships billed for March 27 to 31. The team arrived from the IAAF High Performance Centre in PortHacourt where they camped for three weeks.

Commodore Amatseye Nesiama, the AFN Technical Director and Amaju Pinnick, the LOC Chairman for the Championships were there to receive and address the athletes too. ’’You are the stars of tomorrow and I want to assure you that if you win here most of you will be in the World Junior Championships. I know that you can make it,’’ Ogba told the 59 athletes who were accompanied by their coaches. Solomon Ordia headed the 15 coaches initially.

Later, Ogba assigned Seigha Porbeni and Brown Ebewele to join them. Ovations interrupted Ogba’s remarks.

He continued: ‘’I know that once you are in the Nigerian colours you are fired up. You have to do your best to win. From today, your allowances will be in dollars. This is the maiden edition, so you must set records.

And being the first edi-

READY TO GO . . . Team Nigeria on arrival for the Africa Youth Athletics Championships ( AYAC), Warri 2013. Photo: Henry Unini tion any victory here is a record. A good performance here can earn you scholarship abroad.

A good performance here can earn you a trip to the World Championship as a junior observer. A good performance here can lead you to the World Junior Championships. Young athletes, the Governor of Delta State will be here to watch you. The Sports Minister will be here for the event. And If President Jonathan cannot make it on the final day I’m sure he will send a representative. Nigerians are behind you and I have told them that you shall win. If you don’t win, that may make me a liar. Do you want to make me a liar?’’

This aspect made them emotional and they responded with a loud ‘’Noooo’’ and followed up with ovation. As usual, Brown Ebewele enlivened the atmosphere at Hotel Excel.

It was similar when

NFF Continues from BP decided to increase it to 2OOO USD winning bonus. So, naturally, one expects an increment as they advance in the competition. It cannot remain the same”, Fresh said without hinting how much the players would get if they win today’s encounter.

The NFF board member assured that the team was in a state of mind to do well. “There

are no injury worries as all the players are fit to do battle.”

He however called on the coach to concentrate on shooting on target.

“Every Nigerian wants to see the Flying Eagles win and win well. It is not good for a team to create twenty chances in a match and score only one or two goals. They must improve in that aspect,” he said.

Amaju Pinnick spoke.

He reminded the athletes that it was only in sports that a Nigerian could place first, second or fourth in the world. ’’The best university in Nigeria is placed 66 in Africa and 6,340 in the world. Our hospitals are not even ranked. But in sports we are there.

Blessing Okagbare was 8th in the final of 100m at the London Olympics. It means that she is the 8th best in the world. So note that you

are the tomorrow and the future of Nigerian sports. Football can fetch us one gold but you can fetch as many as 50 gold medals. Go there and make Nigeria proud. When you do so, you will not regret it,’’ Amaju told the athletes who were then handed over to him with the Nigerian flag as the symbol. Nesiama handed over to AFN President who in turn handed over to the LOC represented

by Pinnick.

LYING Eagles coach, John Obuh has assured Nigerians that the Flying Eagles who will take on Egypt 5.30 p.m.(Nigerian time) in the semi final of the African Youth Championship have improved in all aspects of the game; including goalscoring.

In view of that, he wants Nigerians to be relaxed and wait to welcome the African champions back home with the trophy. “From the first match, you would have noticed that there has been a lot of improvement. I was particularly happy with our performance against Congo in so many ways,” the coach started.

“This is a tournament. The team grows gradually.

Despite the worry about goal-scoring we found the net thrice and the boys kept pressing as if they hadn’t scored yet. That gladdened my heart a lot.”

Obuh said they will approaxh the Egypt match like a cup final”. “We’re here to qualify for the World Cup and to retain our trophy.

We’ve achieved one qualifying for the World Cup in Turkey. It remains to defend our trophy. Tell Nigerians to turn out enmasse to welcome us with the trophy. We are sure to come back with the trophy”, the coach emphasised..

Tiger regains No. I position

W

ITH his threestroke win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida, Tiger Woods has regained the number one ranking in golf. It’s a position he abdicated in October 2010 after a year of troubles due to his failed marriage and

various leg injuries.

Woods won Palmer ’s tournament for a record 8th time. His ascendancy to the number one spot will add to his record number of weeks at the top of the golf world: By the end of this week, he will have spent 624 weeks in the number one position.

Egypt must fall, says F-Eagles

BY JOCAB AJOM, in Algeria

F

LYING Eagles skip per Abduljaleel Ajagun is very upbeat that the Junior Pharaohs of Egypt must fall in today ’s African Youth Championship (AYC) semi final match in Algeria.

Ajagun who bagged the CAF man of the

match against Congo DR on Saturday said their victory over Congo DR showed that they are the best team of the tournament.

“Egypt will not be a problem to us. We have already beaten them at their home and we are going to beat them again on Tuesday.

Though we respect the Egyptians, but we have the players to beat

Athletes assured Nigeria Continues from BP gold silver and bronze.

We have worked hard enough to win,’’ Atuma said. ’’The coaches did a lot of work on us. Training was intense and focused.

Everything was done according to the schedule and we maintained that discipline till now. It means that we are ready for victory. From our se-

lection trials till now we have been working with very serious coaches and we want to get to the tracks and field and take the medals because we have been motivated to do so,’’ Chinyere said said during the reception of the athletes as Excel Hotel. They arrived from IAAF High Performance Training Centre in Port Hacourt.

them again. Our victory over Congo Dr showed that we’re the best team of the tournament”.

Ajagun has been delightful in his appearances for the Flying Eagles and many here refer to him as a future Super Eagles player because of his outstanding performance.

“We may not have start-

ed very well at the beginning against Mali. I am happy that we have qualified for the World Cup in Turkey. Our target is to defend our trophy and I am happy that all the players are in top shape. Without being boastful, I know that we’ll beat Egypt tomorrow”, he said confidently.

Enyeama Continues from BP Calabar, but it was simply one of those days when you can’t explain what really went wrong, we did all the playing and all the possession but they scored a shock goal and made us chase the game. But the promise we will give is that in the return leg we will pay them back with a better result for Nigerians”.

Eanyeama who wore

the captain’s armband on the evening also praised the Super Eagles for their fight back spirit. “Some teams, would have given up in the second half but our players kept fighting and eventually the goal came. I trust that if we had a few more minutes we would have won the game but we have a return leg to play and we would be ready for them.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Nigeria Vs Egypt

NFF dangles Dollars for F-Eagles Today's CAF U-20 Matches

STORIES BY JACOB AJOM in Algeria

T

HE Nigeria Football Federation has promised to improve on the US2000 Dollars winning bonus for the junior national team if they can beat their Egyptian counterparts in today’s semi final clash.

Speaking in Oran yesterday, leader of the

Egypt 5pm Mali 5pm

v

Nigeria

v Ghana

Nigerian delegation to the championship and member of the Executive Committee of the NFF, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh said, “before we came here they used to receive 1OOO USD but the executive committee

Continues on Page 55

TUSSLE......Kenya’s defender Jamal Mohamed (right) battles for the ball with Eagles’ midfielder, Victor Moses, during a match on March 23. It ended 1 – 1. Photo: AFP

Enyeama says Eagles will make up in Kenya D

edition of the Africa Youth Athletics Championship. ’’We will bring back

at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar, last Saturday.

Enyeama, who said the team had an unlucky day despite having better possession of the ball declared that the Eagles will make up for the Calabar flop with a resounding result when both teams meet in the return leg in Nairobi.

“We tried all we could in

Continues on Page 55

Continues on Page 55

EPUTY Super Eagles Skipper, Vincent Enyeama, was full of praises for his teammates after the team pulled off a late equalizer against Kenya

AYAC Warri 2013:Athletes assure Nigeria

A

TUMA Ifeanyi chukwu Andrew is the male captain of the Nigerian team and Chinyere Anwulika leads their girls counter-

•Obuh

part.

The two athletes promised Nigeria shortly after they were received yesterday that they would win the maiden

Egypt must fall, says F-Eagles — P.55 QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

•Enyeama

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Huge (5) 7 Unscathed (6) 9 Owing (3) 10 Offer (3) 12 Room (5) 13 Filth (4) 15 Alcove (5) 17 Beat (6) 19 Gentlewoman (4) 20 Follow (5) 22 Seed (3) 24 Disaster (7) 27 Distant (3) 28 Speechify (5) 31 Opinion (4) 33 Haphazard (6) 35 Depend (5) 37 Yielding (4) 38 Servant (5) 39 Sheep (3) 41 Deed (3) 42 Coma (6) 43 Bed (5)

DOWN 1 Coagulate (6) 2 Pants (6) 3 Sphere (3) 4 Pour (4) 5 Repulse (5) 6 Mishap (8) 8 Prong (4) 11 Depreciate (9) 14 Bump (4) 16 Fashionable (4) 18 Shoal (4) 21 Name (8) 23 Tramp (4) 25 Granary (4) 26 Cupid (4) 29 Sum (6) 30 Respect (6) 32 Cereal (5) 34 Amphibian (4) 36 Irritation (4) 40 Stray (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Asked 5, Import 8, Lucid 10, Gazebo 11, East 14, Attain 15, Defence 18, Eel 19, End 21, Deal 23, Opted 24, Door 27, Ten 29, Nag 31, Rotated 32, Social 34, Edge 35, Eluded 38, Torrid 40, Genus.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Sea 3, Eleven 4, Dub 5, Idea 6, Posted 7, Tunnel 9, Concept 12, Ate 13, Tale 16, Ergo 17, Enter 20, Donated 22, Ache 24, Desert 25, Once 26, Raider 28, Mature 30, Gag 33, Lead 36, Leg 37, Emu

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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