Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday, April 19, 2012

Vol. 8 No. 20 Thursday, April 19, 2012 Jimadal Ula 28, 1433 AH N150

WWW.PEOPLESDAILY-ONLINE.COM

PAGE 3

Subsidy probe: NNPC,PPPRA, others indicted

I N S I D E

EFCC to try Iboriafter UK jail term

Senate backsmilitary actionagainst Boko Haram

Senate sets July2013 for newConstitution

Governors notagainst SWF— Aliyu

>>PAGE 3 >>PAGE 3 >>PAGE 5>>PAGE 2

Oronsaye report:Labour warnsagainst mass sack

>>PAGE 6

To refund N1.06trReps ask Jonathan

to overhaul oilcorporation

Suit against Jonathan: PDP seeks out-of-court settlement

A chieftain of the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP),Mr. Cyriacus Njoku has

withdrawn the suit he filed beforean Abuja High Court seeking to

stop President Goodluck Jonathanfrom contesting the 2015presidential election.

This is coming as someconcerned Northerners includingNiger state governor, Dr. MuazuBabangida Aliyu vowed to stop

President Jonathan fromcontesting the 2015 presidentialelection through constitutionalmeans by seeking to be joined inthe suit now withdrawn.

The group known asCommittee of Concerned

Northern Professionals,Academics and Businessmen(CCNPPAB) consists of notableNortherners like the Jigawa stategovernor, Alhaji Sule Lamido andthe former Attorney General ofthe Federation and Minister of

Justice, Professor AwwaluYadudu.

Njoku through his counsel,Osuagwu Ugochukwu informedthe court that his decision towithdraw the suit followed the

Contd on Page 2

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L-R: General Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria(NUTGTWN), Comrade Isa Aremu, Kaduna state Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, and newly electedNUTGTWN President, Comrade Oladele Hunsu, during a visit by the NUTGTWN executives to thegovernor, at the Government House, yesterday in Kaduna. Photo: NAN

The House of Representativesad-hoc committee onmanagement of fuel

subsidy in the country hasindicted the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC),the Petroleum Products Pricingand Regulatory Commission(PPPRC). and some oil marketersas well as other companies.

It has also recommended thatthe NNPC, PPPRA, as well as theother indicted oil firms shouldrefund to government coffers thesum of N1,067,040,456,171.31.

The ad-hoc committee chairedby Rep Farouk Lawan furtherrecommended the generaloverhaul of the management ofthe NNPC even as itrecommended that its accounts

be audited to ascertain itssolvency level.

The committee in the reportlaid before the House plenaryyesterday stated that the amountwas sequel to several violations ofextant laws by the players in thenation's oil sector.

According to the reports,NNPC is to refund the sum ofN310,414,963,613 on Kerosenesubsidy;N285,098,000,000 forpayment made to itself PPPRAabove recommendation andN108,648,000,000 it rewardeditself as self discount.

All the marketers investigatedat the public hearing are to refundthe sum of N8,664,352,554;companies that refused to appearbefore the committee are to refundN41,936,140,005.31 while the

By Lawrence Olaoye

Again, US warns of attacks on Abuja hotelsas FG decries doomsday comments

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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Earth 26-27

Update 28-29

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

Contd from Page 1

Subsidy probe: NNPC, PPPRA, others indictedPPPRA is expected to refund thesum ofN312,279,000,000 asexcess payment to itself.

The reports stated: “The NNPCshould refund to the FederationAccount the sum ofN310,414,963,613 paid to itillegally as subsidy for kerosenecontrary to the PresidentialDirective of July 29th, 2009withdrawing subsidy on theproduct.”

Apart from the mandate torefund funds, “the committeerecommends that the NNPCshould be unbundled to make itsoperations more efficient andtransparent and this we believecan also be achieved through thepassage of a well drafted andcomprehensive PetroleumIndustry Bill (PIB). The

committee therefore urges thespeedy drafting and submissionof the bill to the NationalAssembly.”

The report stated further“that the House do direct for theauditing of the NNPC todetermine its solvency. This is asa result of plethora of claims ofindebtedness and demands forpayments by NNPC's debtors ,which if not well handled, will notonly affect the entire economy ofNigeria but also the supply anddistribution of petroleumproducts

"The House should direct theNNPC to stop any form ofdeductions not captured inAppropriation Act beforeremittance to the FederationAccount, and the Corporationshould submit its transaction to

PAGE 2

Suit against Jonathan: PDP seeks out-of-court settlementrequest by the leadership of thePDP in Zuba where he isregistered, for an out of courtsettlement.

Ugochukwu told the court thatthe Plaintiff, being a member ofthe ruling party, PDP has beenapproached by some members ofthe party in Zuba to withdraw thesuit so as to explore an in-housesettlement.

“For that reason, we areasking for a very shortadjournment to explore the out ofcourt settlement options,”Ugochukwu told the court, addingalso that President Jonathan,being the 1st Respondent in thesuit has been informed of the

development,for which he hasshown interest.

PDP and the IndependentNational Electoral Commission(INEC) who are second and thirdRespondents in the suit did notobject to the Plaintiff'sapplication for out of courtsettlement.

Consequently, the trial Judge,Justice Mudashiru Oniyangigranted the Plaintiff's applicationand struck out the suit.

The court adjourned till May30, 2015 for report of the out ofcourt settlement at the instanceof the Plaintiff.

President Jonathan hadearlier told the Court, thatthough he is currently in his

Contd from Page 1 first term of four years in office,he has not announced anyinterest in contesting for his seatin 2015.

Njoku, in the suit he filedbefore the court on March 20,2012 asked the court to stopPresident Jonathan fromcontesting the presidentialelections in 2015 on the groundsthat he is already in his secondterm in office.

He claimed that Jonathan isrunning a second term in officeand could not be a candidate in2015, adding also that thePresident cannot swear to an Oathof Office thrice in the light ofSection 137(1) (b) of the 1999Constitution.

The applicant wants the courtto determine, “Whether Section135(2) of the Constitution whichspecifies a period of four years inoffice for the President is onlyavailable or applicable to a personelected on the basis of an actualelection or includes one in whicha person assumes the position ofPresident by operation of law asin the case of Dr. GoodluckJonathan.”

He had in August 2010attempted to stop PDP fromallowing Jonathan to participatein the PDP presidential primariesof January 2011.

But the Chief Judge of the FCTHigh Court, Justice Lawal Gumidismissed the zoning suit.

the operational guidelines of theSubsidy scheme

"NNPC Retail, IndependentPetroleum Marketers Associationof Nigeria (IPMAN) and Major OilMarketers Association of Nigeria(MOMAN) should be the outletsfor the distribution of kerosene toensure availability and afforda-bility of the product to Nigerians.

"The NNPC should also refundto the Federation Account the sumof N285.098 billion being overdeduction as against PPPRAapprovals for 2011. The relevantanti-corruption agency shouldfurther investigate theCorporation for deductions for theyears 2009 and 2010

"As postulated earlier in thisreport, data provided by NNPCand CBN tends to suggest that for2009, 2010 and 2011, NNPC

deducted subsidy payments fromtwo different accounts. It is therecommendation of thiscommittee that relevant anti-corruption agencies conductthorough investigation into thismatter and where it is establishedthat double withdrawals weremade, the extra amounts shouldbe paid to the treasury and thoseinvolved prosecuted.

The report also recommendthat “the management and Boardof the NNPC should be completelyoverhauled.”

“Under the PSF scheme,importers especially NNPC shouldbe mandated to patronizeNigerian Flagged Vessels providedthey produce the standard safetyand sea-worthiness certificates intune with international bestpractice,” the report stated.

Operatives of the JointMilitary Taskforce (JTF),in Borno state yesterday

evening, killed three suspectedarmed robbers, who disguised asmembers of the Boko Haram sectin Auno village along theM a i d u g u r i - D a m a t u r uhighway.

This came a day after asimilar incident where the JTF

gunned down four gunmen,comprising three armed robbersand a member of the BokoHaram sect, while 13 othermembers of the sect werearrested.

Spokesman of the JTF, Lt.Col. Sagir Musa, in a statementissued to newsmen in Maiduguri,the Borno state capital, said theincident occurred when a five-man gang of robbery suspectsbarricaded the highway,robbing several motorists.

According to Lt. Col. Musa,the hoodlums turned theoperation to look like the onebeing carried out by the BokoHaram terrorists.

He explained that the JTFhad received an intelligencereport that some men suspectedto be members of the sect hadblocked the higway, saying ateam of soldiers, acting on the tipoff were immediately deployedto the scene and engaged thegunmen in a gun duel.

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru,Maiduguri

JTF kills 3 robbery suspects in Maiduguri"Following a tip off, the

personnel of the task force hadhurriedly arrived in the spot, onsighting our men, the gunmenfired sporadic shots at theirdirection, leading to a shootout",the spokesman declared.

He pointed out that duringthe gun battle, three of thecriminals were shot dead on thespot, while others escaped to thenearby bush, saying nocasualty recorded from the sideof the JTF.

The Economic and FinancialCrimes Commission (EFCC),yesterday in Abuja, said the

convicted former Deta stategovernor, Mr. James Ibori whowas sentenced to a 13-year jailterm by the Southwark CrownCourt in London will still facetrial after completion of his jailterm.

According to the actingspokesperson of EFCC, WilsonUwujaren, "Once again, his fatehas proven that there is no safehaven abroad for politicallyexposed persons who looted statefunds entrusted in their care.

"The Commission expectsIbori to serve his term in the UKand return to Nigeria to faceother criminal charges pendingin courts, arising from his eight-year rule of Delta state.

"The EFCC wishes to restatethe fact that the offence forwhich Ibori was jailed in Londonis only a fraction of the array ofcriminal infractions committedby the former governor.

"The Commission remainscommitted in its determinationto bring Ibori and other allegedcorrupt politically exposedpersons and corporate titans tobook in Nigeria, no matter howlong it takes.

"The Commission welcomesthe conviction which is the icingon a tortuous investigative andlegal odyssey for all actorsinvolved in the Ibori saga.

"It is reassuring that today'ssentencing of Ibori was based onthe foundation of the case builtby the EFCC in 2007 whichunfortunately was thrown outby the Federal High court, Asabafor lack of merit.

"The same fate has latelybefallen other EFCC cases,notably the Erastus Akingbola,Ndudi Elumelu, Dimeji Bankoleand Gbenga Daniel matters.

"They were all thrown out bythe courts purely on technical

grounds without considerationof the substantive issues.

"The fact that a case whichsupposedly lacked merit inNigeria could fetch a 13 year jailterm in the UK after a landmarkguilty plea, brings to fore theneed for a reassessment of thenation's justice delivery process.We must strengthen our judicialinstitutions if we are to make anyheadway in the anti-graftefforts.

"More interesting to theCommission in the Iboriconviction, is the opportunity forthe repatriation of the array ofproperties and assets amassedoverseas by the convict".

By Lambert Tyem

We'll still try Ibori after UK jail term - EFCC

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 PAGE 3

Women on queue at the free cervical cancer screening centre, yesterday in Numan, Adamawa state. Photo: NAN

The Senate yesterday rosefrom a stormy session andpassed a resolution

mandating President GoodluckJonathan to recognise that thosebehind the terrorist attacks by thedreaded Boko Haram sect havedeclared war on the nation and assuch should respond with allinstruments of power at the

disposal of government.This followed the adoption of a

motion by Senator MohammedSaleh (CPC Kaduna) and 10 otherswho drew the attention of theSenate to the recent attacks inKaduna and other northern states.

Senate's position is coming fewweeks after the military highcommands directed that thesecurity formations shouldconsider themselves to be at war

with the Boko Haram sect.Senators unanimously backed

the motion with many of theminsisting that it would be criminalto negotiate with the insurgents asrecommended by some quarters.

The lawmakers also called forfull scale overhaul of the nation'ssecurity agencies for effectiveresult.

Presenting the motion, Salehnoted that terrorist attacks

By Richard Ihediwa

Senate backs militaryaction against Boko Haram

continue unabated nationwidedespite the assurance of thesecurity agencies of being on top ofthe situation and would soon defeatterrorist.

Deputy Senate President IkeEkweremadu, who presided overthe session, said the authoritiesmust stand up and end the securityproblems in the country which hesaid was threatening the corporateexistence of the nation.

The United States warned itscitizens in Nigeria yesterdaythat Boko Haram might be

planning attacks on Abuja, thecapital territory

"The U.S. Embassy has receivedinformation that Boko Harammay be planning attacks in Abuja,Nigeria, including against hotelsfrequently visited by Westerners,"read a message on the embassy'swebsite.

"The Nigerian government isaware of the threat and is activelyimplementing security measures,"

the message added.US authorities issued a similar

warning in November, namingthe Hilton, Sheraton and NiconLuxury hotels as possible BokoHaram targets in Abuja, but laterretracted the alert.

Meanwhile, the FederalGovernment yesterday warnedthe embassy and other missions inthe country to stop rushing to presswith such panicky information.

The Minister of Information,Labaran Maku told State HouseCorrespondents after yesterday'sFederal Executive Council (FEC)meeting, that the governmentwould have preferred a situation

wherebythe foreign missions in the

country will call the attention ofNigerian authorities to anysecurity threat they notice ratherthan make statements that raiseunnecessary dust in the polity.

Maku said: "I must say that oursecurity agencies have over thelast year increased their capacityto respond to some of the threatsparticularly within this city andseveral other cities.

"And I believe that a lot ofwork is being done. And we alsoknow that when the issue cameup last year, our securityagencies reassured the nation of

our preparedness to safeguardall our public places especiallythe hotels.

"So, I will continue to appeal toall the foreign agencies working inour country to align more with oursecurity agencies rather than oftenrunning to make statements thatcan create undue panic among thepublic and am not sure thatsecurity comes from suchmeasures."

The minister also urged themedia to avoid sensationalisingsuch reports since, he said, they arecapable of frustrating progressbeing made to end terrorism in thecountry.

US warns of Boko Haram attacks on Abuja

A prosecution witness in theon-going trial of Engr.Samuel Ibi Gekpe and six

other senior officials of RuralElectrification Agency (REA),yesterday, told an Abuja HighCourt how politicians hijacked thelist of contractors originally pre-qualified by the publicprocurement committee of theagency and substituted it withtheir companies.

Other accused persons arraigned

along with Gekpe by the Economicand Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), are Dr. Abdullahi Aliyu,Simon Kirdi Nanle, Engr. LawrenceKayode Orekoya, AbdulsamadGarba Jahun and Barrister KayodeOyedeji. When the matter came upyesterday, the witness, Mr. IbrahimAhmed, an AssistantSuperintendent of Police attachedto the Commission, saidinvestigations into the alleged fraudrevealed a lot of abuses inprocurement processes whichculminated in the award of

contracts to only 18 in the pre-qualified list out of 113 companiesthat eventually benefited from thegrid extension contract.

He said all the companies in thegrid extension contracts werediscovered to have only one officialaddress and their contract letterssigned by one Miss Uduak.

It was further disclosed thatnone of the pre-qualified companiesbenefited from the solar- basedsystem contracts which werefinally awarded to 45 companiesbelonging to some officials of the

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin agency and members of theNational Assembly.

"When we asked Engr. SamuelGekpe and Kayode Oyedeji whowere the Managing Director and

secretary of the agencyrespectively why this was so, theytold us that some of the contractorswere recommended from NationalAssembly and that a list was givento them from the Ministry ofPower," Ahmed said.

The court was further told howthe accused persons hurriedlyprepared a Certificate of No

Objection, which formed the basisfor a memo seeking for approvalfor the contract from the ministerof state for power.

The six accused persons, allsenior officials of REA were allegedto have sometimes in December2008, as public servants and officerswho were entrusted with moneyand properties of the agency,agreed among themselves tobreach such trust by fraudulentlyawarding contracts to companiesmanaged by them. Trial in thematter continues today.

N5.2bn REA scam: Witness accuses politicians of hijacking process

Senate setsJuly 2013for newConstitution

The Senate has assuredthat the nation wouldhave another amended

constitution that would furtherreflect the wishes andaspiration of Nigerians byJuly, 2013.

Deputy Senate PresidentIke Ekweremadu, who is alsothe chairman of the SenateCommittee on ConstitutionReview, stated thisyesterday while addressingnewsmen at the end of themeeting of the committee atthe National Assemblyyesterday.

If the next round ofamendment sails through, thenation would have had the1999 Constitution altered thethird time to further reflect theinterests of the people.

Ekweremadu said hiscommittee had at the meetingresolved to engage in very wideconsultations withstakeholders and the Nigerianpublic so as to enrich thediscourse in the exercise and toensure that the amendmentswere truly reflective of theoverall views of the people onthe issues to be raised.

He said the committee wasstill open to receivememoranda from the publicand would treat all of them onmerit adding that criticalstakeholders such as theGovernors'Forum, state housesof assembly, traditional rulersand labour fronts would beallowed to make inputs

The Deputy SenatePresident also did not disclosethe budget for the currentexercise, as according to him,the National Assembly was yetto allocate funds from therecently passed 2012 budgetfor various activities of thelegislature.

The last amendment gulpeda total of N1 billion, with theSenate and the House ofRepresentatives getting N500million apiece.

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem,with agency report

By Richard Ihediwa

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012PAGE 4

Gunmen suspected to bearmed robbers, killed oneperson and injured two

people in Gololo village ofGamawa local government areaof Bauchi state.

Our correspondentsgathered from the residents ofthe area, that the robbersattacked the village around 10o’clock last night in twomotorcycles and began house tohouse search, collecting hugeamounts of money and othervaluables.

He added that unknown to

Robbers kill 1,injure 2 in Bauchi

them; the vigilante in the areasaw them and cut the tyres oftheir motor cycles.

When the residents of the areashouted thieves, the bandits shotindiscriminately which led tothe killing of one person and twosustained injuries, before theyfled into the bush and abandonedtheir motor cycles.

He confirmed that therobbers had collected over onemillion naira from the personthey shot to death and theycollected 700,000 from oneperson they beat to a coma, andunknown to the vigilantes, therobbers had a car that followed

them to the town which theyused to escape.

Security operativescomprising soldiers and mobilepolicemen pursued the banditsinto the bush but no arrest wasmade, and the security men, incollaboration with vigilantes arestill searching for the bandits inneighboring villages.

While confirming theincident, Police Public RelationsOfficer, ASP Hassan MohammedAuyo, said police are stillpursuing the robbers inside thebushes in the area and they havesince commenced investigationinto the robbery incident.

The Federal Governmenthas begun the process ofestablishing a central

data base to avoid duplicationsin the establishment of datacenters by governmentagencies and parastatals.

Minister of Information,Labaran Maku, who briefedState House Correspondentsafter yesterday's FederalExecutive Council (FEC)meeting presided over by VicePresident Namadi Sambo,stated that the proposed database system is expected toprovide a single data base forall government agencies toreduce cost of governance.

"Currently, we have a data

base that is maintained by theFederal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) Independent NationalElectoral Commission (INEC)the Federal Inland RevenueService (FIRS) NationalIdentity ManagementCommission (NIMC) etc, and wealso have banks keeping theirown data base for their clientsacross the country, now this isnot supposed to be so, we need acoordination such that thenation can develop one database and different agencies cansubscribe to it."

According to Maku, the database will serve as a 'One stopshop" for informationgathering that would serve allthe agencies and privateinstitutions.

FG to adopt centraldata base for MDAs

Plateau councilor’s assassination:Tension heightens

Tension mounted inBarkin Ladi localgovernment area of

Plateau state, as unknowngunmen invaded Sho villageof the LGA and killed asupervisory councilor,Ibrahim Dachollom Pam.

The deceased was said tohave been shot on his abdomenbehind his house when hecame out of his house to goround his compound at about7.30 pm Tuesday night.

The Transition Committeechairman of the localgovernment, Emmanuel

Loman, expressed regrets thatdespite the declaration of astate of emergency in his localgovernment council by thePresidency, there are silentkillings of his people.

According to him, theattackers are enemies of thelocality and wondered why theBarkin Ladi people continue tobe killed on their farm landsand their homes.

He called on the SpecialTask Force Commander to riseup to the occasion by providingadequate protection for thepeople or else the essence ofdeclaring a state of emergencyin the locality will be defeated.

From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

A former director withAfribank Nigeria Plc,Chinedu Onyia, yesterday

prayed the Federal High Courtsitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, to quasha criminal charge preferredagainst him by the Economicand Financial CrimesCommission (EFCC).

Onyia, in a motion againstthe charge, is insisting thatthere is nothing on the face of thecharge upon which he couldstand trial, adding that the EFCCfailed to provide crediblematerial to link him with thecommission of the alleged crime.

The former MD is standingtrial alongside former ManagingDirector of the bank, SebastianAdigwe; a stockbroker, PeterOlolo and his company, FalconSecurities Limited; formerChairman of Afribank, OsaOsunde and two directors of thebank - Henry Arogundade andIsa Zailani.

The accused persons arestanding trial over alleged abuse

of office, banking malpracticesand money laundering to thetune of N55 billion.

According to the charges,Adigwe was said to haveconspired with the bankdirectors to grant several loanwithout adequate security.

Some of the companies thatallegedly benefited from the“reckless” loan included LarixCompany Limited, SuleticalNigeria Limited, BroworksNigeria Limited, AlsmithsNigeria Limited, RehobothAssets Limited and FalconSecurities Limited.

The accused were said tohave failed to take all reasonablesteps to ensure that the books ofaccounts of Afribank as at May31, 2009, gave a true and fairview of the state of affairs of thebank as required by Sections 24(1), 24 (2) of the Banks and OtherFinancial Institutions Act.

Cap. B3, Laws of theFederation by understating theloan portfolio of the bank.

Specifically, Adigwe wassaid to have perpetrated shares

Money laundering: Former Afribankdirector wants court to quash chargeFrom Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos scam by creating a misleading

appearance of active tradingin the shares of Afribank on theNigeria Stock Exchange(NSE).

He was accused of doingthat by approving N2 billioncredit facilities to AlsmithsNigeria Limited to purchaselarge volume of Afribank’sshares, an offence contrary toSection 105 (1) (a) of theInvestment and Securities Act,2007 and punishable underSection 115 (a) of the same Act.

When the matter came up onWednesday before Justice JohnTsoho, Onyia’s lawyer, KolaObafemi urged the court toquash the charge against hisclient, and also discountenancethe additional proof of evidencefiled by the EFCC.

Responding, EFCC’s lawyer,K.U.K Ekwueme urged the courtto dismiss the two applicationsfiled by Onyia, adding that theman had in his statement to theanti-graft agency, admittedsigning on to the approval ofcredit facilities in the case.

Some applicants checking adverts at the Central Post Office, yesterday in Kaduna. Photo: NAN

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Buildings collapse: NSEblames quack engineers

The Kaduna branch of theNigerian Society ofEngineers (NSE), has

traced the rampant cases ofbuildings collapsing in thecountry to quack engineers,who supervise and executeconstruction projects across thecountry.

The Chairman, Kadunabranch of NSE, Abdul Audu,who stated this yesterday inKaduna at a lecture tagged“Total Quality Management:The Role of ProfessionalEngineers in AchievingSustainable Development inNigeria,” which was organisedby the Association ofProfessional Women Engineersin Nigeria (APWEN).

According to him, “Atypical example is the case ofone of the houses that collapsedin Port-Harcourt where it wasdiscovered that the supervisoris a pharmacist, who is being

referred to as an engineer.”He suggested that, in order

to check the trend, governmentshould appoint professionalsinto key positions in theregulatory and constructionsectors.

According to him, “we aremore than worried that thosethat are supposed to manengineering positions in thecountry are being short-changed.

Also speaking, the APWENnational president, Mrs.Olayinka Abdul, who also spokeat the programme, urged theFederal Government to giveindigenous engineers thechance to prove their worth,arguing that Nigerianengineers are often better thantheir foreign counterparts.

She said, “We havediscovered that there has beena gap between the policymakers and the engineers andnow we are looking at how tobridge it,” she stated.

From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem


Governors not againstSovereign Wealth Fund - Aliyu

The Universal BasicEducation Commission(UBEC), yesterday, said it

received N177billion asmatching grant in the last sevenyears for the states and FederalCapital Territory for thedevelopment of primaryeducation in the country.

Out of this figure, N142.700billion was disbursed to the statesand the FCT represents 80.67%of the allocation, a statement bythe Public Relations Officer of the

commission, Mr. David Apeh hassaid.

N34.204 billion is still un-accessed, the statement quotedthe Executive Secretary of theCommission, Dr. Ahmed Modibboin his speech at the 5th QuarterlyMeeting of UBEC Managementwith executive chairmen of StateUniversal Basic Education Boardsholding in Umuahia, Abia state.

Modibbo also announced thatthe commission has receivedN218,131,826.68 for each of the36 states and FCT as the firstquarter allocation for this year,

but that each of the states couldonly access the money onpayment of theirN218,131,826.68 and "meetother conditions".

Modibbo lamented theinability of many states to paytheir counterpart funds whichhas resulted in the un-accessedfunds.

"Matching grantdisbursement performanceranking, based on access ofmatching funds, shows that onlyten states are on the topperforming list, 17 are on the

performing list, 8 are on theaverage performing list while twostates are on the non-performinglist.

"As a result of thisunsatisfactory development, awhopping sum of N34.204 billionremained un-accessed as at 16thApril, 2012.

"It is more worrisome whenthese states that are not accessingtheir matching grants have a lotof challenges in theimplementation of basiceducation", the executivesecretary lamented.

The Governor of Nigerstate, Dr. Mu'azuBabangida Aliyu, said

yesterday that the NigerianGovernors Forum does notoppose the Sovereign WealthFund but trying to ensure itwas properly constitutedagainst abuse.

He made this known atGovernment House, Minna,when he received participantsof the Senior Executive Course34 of the National Institute forPolicy and Strategic Studies(NIPSS), Kuru, who were on a

study tour of the state.Governor Aliyu said the

governors were only againstthe Excess Crude Accountwhich was unconstitutionaland illegal; adding that theSovereign Wealth Fund, whichshould have been in place over30 years ago, had worked incountries like Saudi Arabia andOman, and could be made towork properly in this country.

He harped on the need forall the states to re-strategise onways to improve theirinternally Generated revenue(IGR) or have themselves toblame in many years to come.

Governor Aliyu stated thatNigeria would not bediscouraged by the presentsecurity challenges and wouldcontinue to do everythingpossible to surmount theproblem.

According to him, thecountry's intelligence networkmust understand and uncoverthose franchising in the nameof Boko Haram.

He stressed thatgovernment, at all levels mustfight poverty as the mostpotent way of addressing thesecurity challenges addingthat special attention must be

paid on agriculture andeducation as the foundation forsustainable economicdevelopment.

The governor expressedhappiness that NIPSS hadcontinued to churn outindividuals whose experience,knowledge, managerial andadministrative dexterity havecontinued to assist the countryin its policy direction andstrategic planning.

The leader of delegation andDirector General of theInstitute, Prof. TijjaniMohammed Bande, disclosedthat they were in the state on astudy tour to establish howdiversification of the states'economies could lead tosustainable economicdevelopment of the country asa whole.

Prof. Bande noted thatagriculture and power werecentral to economicdevelopment that couldguarantee peace and securityof the country. Heacknowledged that Niger Statewas richly endowed in theseareas, hence the decision tovisit the state by theparticipants.

The Director General saidinspite of the great effort atfighting poverty, a lot still needto be done and urgedgovernment to ensure thatcritical issues in the areas ofeconomic development wereaddressed.

Meanwhile, Governor Aliyualso received 29 indigenes of thestate who recently graduated asOrdinary Seaman (OS) fromthe Nigeria Navy TrainingSchool, Onne, Port Harcourt,who paid him a thank you visit.

The House of Representativesyesterday mandate itscommittee on Capital Market

and institutions to investigate thehigh volume of unclaimeddividends in quoted companies inNigeria which are graduallymounting up to N40 billion asrevealed by the Security andExchange Commission (SEC), andreport to the House within fourweeks for legislative input.

Unclaimed dividends of N149million were recorded for 2010 aswell as N148 million for 2011.

The motion which was read byHon. Akpan Micah Umoh, notedthat it has become a deliberatesharp practice or manipulation byquoted company to have theircheques delayed in order togenerate a pool of unclaimeddividends, adding that even withthe low patronage of post offices,mails are still being delivered byNIPOST in a matter of weeks or amonth to any part of the country.

He said even in Abuja wherehead offices of most quotedcompanies are, dividend chequestake over six month or even moreand arrive months after theyexpired causing banks to rejectthem thus becoming unclaimeddividends.

Umoh observed that in the lastfive years, Nigerian investors fromall works of life were caught upwith the hype of buying shares butruined by the collapse of the stockmarket over the last four years andadding that effort must be put inplace to salvage whatever is left ofthe confidence of players in thesector.

Reps to probeunclaimeddividends inquoted companiesBy Umar Mohammed Puma

Kano state government hasempowered 44,000 womenthrough its various

empowerment programmes in thestate since the inception of thegovernment in May 2011.

The Secretary to the StateGovernment, Suleman Bichi whorepresented Governor Rabiu MusaKwankwaso at the graduationceremony of the second batch offemale students of Kano PoultryInstitute in Makoda, yesterday,disclosed this while addressing thegraduating students.

Bichi said the women wereselected from all the 44 localgovernments in the state, trainedand empowered in different ways.

Bichi cautioned thebeneficiaries not to waste the ampleopportunity; saying that Kanoprovides a big market for poultrybusiness because of the populationand high rate of egg consumption.

In the same vein, the stateCommissioner for AgricultureHajiya Baraka Sani whileaddressing the 200 women advisedthem to see the privilege as a rareone and make judicious use of it.

She revealed that each amongthe women would be given 50layers and 10 broilers with feedsbut that would be strictlymonitored by the monitoring andevaluation unit of the Ministry.

Kano empowers44,000 womenFrom Edwin Olofu, Kano

‘UBEC received N177bn for primary school devt in 7 years’By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

The chairperson of theInternational Federation ofWomen Lawyers (FIDA),

Abia state chapter, Mrs. UzoamakaUche-Ikonne, has raised alarmover the rising cases of rape andother sexual assaults in the state.

Uche-Ikonne told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN)yesterday in Umuahia that about50 percent of reported matters atthe FIDA clinic in Umuahia werecases of rape and sexual assault,

especially on under-aged girls.“Most of the sexual offences are

against girls below 13 years andsuch act is viewed before the lawas defilement which attractssevere punishment uponconviction.''

Uche-Ikonnesaid that as a bodyfighting for the rights andprotection of women and children,FIDA was beginning to get worriedon the frequency at which sexualassaults were reported in the area.

She called on relevantgovernment agencies to be moreresponsive to their duties and forparents to be more careful aboutwhom their young girls associatewith.

The FIDA chairperson saidpreliminary investigations by thebody showed that some of theperpetrators were people living withHIV/AIDS.

“Some of the perpetrators

commit the act because of theerroneous belief that if they sleepwith an under-aged girl, theinfection will be cured.

“Uche-Ikonne advised parentsand victims of sexual assaults toreport such crime to FIDA forprompt medical and legal actions,adding that ``concealment ofdefilement and rape cases ongrounds of stigma is now old-fashionbecause the danger inherent in suchcover ups are enormous''. (NAN)

Rising cases of sexual assaults in Abia worries FIDA

L-R: Head of Service, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SenatorAnyim Pius Anyim, and Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, during the Federal ExecutiveCouncil (FEC) meeting, at the State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

From Iliya Garba, Minna


The leadership of theNigerian LabourCongress is rooting for

dialogue to avert probablesocial and labour crises thatthe Stephen OronsayePresidential Committee reportmay throw up. The OronsayePresidential Committee on therationalisation of FederalGovernment parastatals,commissions and agencies hadin its report, recommendedreduction of the 263 statutorycommissions to 161 andscrapping of 38 agencies.

Oronsaye report: Labour warns against mass sackBy Abdulwahab Isa

Executive Director Corporate Services, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Hon. LolaAbiola-Edewor (middle), answering questions from journalists after the Risk Based Audit workshopfor the staff of Internal Audit of the corporation, yesterday in Abuja.

Controversytrails relocationof Jigawa traders

Controversy is trailing theeffort of the Jigawa stategovernment to relocate 1200

traders from the Dutse CentralMarket to its new site at the easternbye-pass.

Trouble started when the DutseCapital Development Authouritywas accused of having allocatedmany of the lock-up shops providedfor the former occupants of thecentral market to cronies of topgovernment officials in theauthority.

Investigations conducted by ourreporter indicated that some traderswere denied allocations of the shopsdespite falling within the legitimatepersons to benefit from the action.

Some traders interviewed at theformer central market said theywere marginalised as the allocationof shops were being politicised bysome top government functionaries.

When contacted the Director,Adminstration and Finance in theDCDA, Alhaji Baita Salihi said tothe best of his knowledge, all formeroccupants of the central marketwere being allocated shops at thenewly provided site.

The director said before thedirective by the state governmentinstructing the DCDA to hand-overthe market to the Ministry ofCommerce, the Authourity hadtaken a census of the occupants ofthe central market and was theprerogative of the same ministryto take charge of the allocationexercise.

Meanwhile, the Commissionerfor Commerce and Industries,Hajiya Hauwa Lawan, said therewere some irregularities in theexercise but would not talk to thepress until she reported to thegovernor.

She however invited theSarkin Kasuwa (head of themarket) to explain the proceduresfor shop allocations to the press inher office.

The Sarkin Kasuwa, AlhajiAdamu Garba said those makinginsinuations were the ungratefulfew that naturally would not seeanything positive in the exercise.

He said, all relocated personswere adequately compensated withshops at the new site while squatterswere still being considered for theallocation of temporary shops stillunder construction.

Delayed salary:Oyo workersaccuse Ajimobi ofpunishment

Both civil and public workersunder the employ of the Oyostate government yesterday

described the delay in payment ofMarch salary as a deliberatepunishment by Governor AbiolaAjimobi.

The workers, who converged atthe state secretariat of the NigeriaLabour Congress (NLC) Agodi,Ibadan, recalled that, governmenthad vowed to punish workers whoparticipated in the just suspendedthree weeks strike.

One of the angry workers, Mr.Niyi Akinsola who spoke withnewsmen said that the governmenthas no excuse to delay in paying itsworkforce.

It would be recalled that, thestate chapter of Nigeria LabourCongress (NLC) last weeksuspended its three weeks oldindustrial action to demandN18,000 minimum wage forworkers at all levels.

But in a swift reaction, thegovernment debunked thestatement saying negotiation on anew wage table was ongoing.

The state commissioner forFinance, Mr Zachius Adelabuexpressed optimism that bytomorrow, workers would be alertedof new developments.

He added that, the wage crisisbetween the state government andlabour union would soon be over.

Meanwhile, the speaker of Oyostate House of Assembly, Hon.Monsurat Sunmonu has appealedto labour leaders to accept the oldwage table for March payment whilenegotiations for the minimum wageincrease continued.

Ibori: ‘Nigeriajudiciary shouldbe ashamed’The recent trial and

sentence of former Deltastate governor Mr. James

Ibori over money laundering at aUnited Kingdom court hascontinued to generate reactionswith the Jigawa state Nigeria BarAssociation (NBA) chairman,Barrister Hussaini Garungabas,calling it a slap to the country'sjudicial system.

Barrister Garingabas whospoke to the newsmen yesterday,said the judgement has furtherexposed some of the country'sinadequacies in terms of sincerityin handling such issues.

"I hope Nigerian authoritieshave learnt something from Ibori's

sentence. The good thing is thatthere is the hereafter.The fact thatIbori was earlier acquitted inNigeria and subsequentlyconvicted and sentenced in the UKcourts goes to show you how thejudicial process can be easilymanipulated and compromisedhere in Nigeria."

He pointed out that thejudgement has established theinsinuations that either the factsto establish Ibori's guilt weredeliberately withheld by theprosecuting authorities or the trialsystem was skewed to favour Ibori.

Continuing, the former NBAchairman said the operators of ourjudicial system should be ashamedadding that more prominentNigerians who have stolen

Nigerian money, are yet to bebrought to book because theNigerian system does not take thefight against corruption seriously.

Garungabas who spoke just asa British court sentenced theformer Delta State governor,James Ibori to 13 years inprison for his involvement in a$250 million(N35.5 billion)fraud of state funds Tuesday,said, "Ibori is not alone in thiskind of avarice and greed. Heis only unlucky to be caught ina country where the fightagainst corruption is dishonest.Here in Nigeria there are athousand and one Iboris but as longas they play according to therules,they remain not only free butheroes.

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

Illegaldetention:Lagos govtcarpets courtruling

Lagos State Solicitor-General and PermanentSecretary in the

Ministry of Justice, Mr LawalPedro (SAN), yesterday, saidthe court ruling which blamedthe state government for theillegal detention of the Nigeriennationale, Mr. Mamman Keitais unfair.

Pedro in a statement issuedin reaction to the ruling, said"the applicat ion that wascons idered by thehonourable court today ,Apr i l 18 , 2012 was ourappl icat ion to s tay theexecut ion o f the judgmentdel ivered by the court onDecember 16 , 2011 .

"As you may be aware ,the Lagos State Governmentwas found respons ib le forthe actions and omissions ofthe Police, a federal agency,which the State has nocontrol over", the AG said.

The NLC in a formalreaction yesterday by itsacting national president,Comrade Joe Ajaero drewgovernment's attention to theconsequence of implementingthe recommendations of theOronsaye committee.

The organised labourrecalled that its request at theinauguration of the committeeto be included in the committeewas ignored by government. Itpremised its request on thedesire to protectoverwhelming number ofworkers in the said parastatalsand agencies that would

be affected.Nevertheless, NLC assured

workers that they will not beabandoned, and "that Congresswill do all that it can to protecttheir interests, job securityand family life". Goingfurther, it said "NLC believesthat there is need for reductionin cost of governance. Wehowever believe thatparastatals and agencies likethe FRSC and EFCC whichhave records of success shouldnot necessarily be scrapped ormerged".

The NLC leadership alsosaid that where compelling

reasons and facts are given,"Congress will not necessarilyoppose the merger or scrappingof certain parastatals andagencies.

But since job loss may beinevitable in a few cases,Congress demands that specialfocus be placed on the socialand labour implications. Weknow that each worker catersfor a minimum of six personsand that each job loss mayautomatically translate toeight

Nigerians being pushedfurther down the povertyline".

PAGE 7PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

L-R: Niger State governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, chatting with Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri,during the seminar on Good Governance and post Fuel Subsidy Appraisal by NOA, on Tuesday in Minna, Niger state.

Worried by the gridlocksway at the Lagos ports,occasioned by the over-

bureaucratisation of operations,the House of Representativesyesterday mandated the

Committee on Customs andExcise to invite the ComptrollerGeneral of Customs and otherrelevant authorities to furnishthe committee with update ofoperations and services at theports including practicalmeasures being implemented to

Ports congestion: Reps to summon Customs bossavoid unnecessary delay in theclearance procedures whichaccording to the House, mustnot be allowed to continue in theports as it is not helpful to therealisation of the transformationagenda of this administrationand inimical to the sustenance

By Umar Mohammed Puma of a healthy democracy.This motion was filed by Hon.

Patrick Ikhariale who noted thatthe sea ports of any nation arethe economic gateway to theoutside world from the point ofview of international trade, andprovide the basis for measuring

the efficiency and performanceof domestic economic activitiesand socio-economic cohesion inthe nation.

Rep Ikhariale said the Apapaand Tin Can Island ports are themajor sea ports in Nigeriadesigned to facilitate andpromote sustainable economicand industrial growth of thenation by providing gatewaythrough which goods andservices are brought into thecountry. He also noted that 80%of goods and services consumedin Nigeria are imported,including petroleum products,which availability depends onthe efficiency of the proceduresand operations in the ports.

He submitted that over 44vessels carrying petroleumproducts have allegedly beenlying at the Lagos ports forseveral weeks, while cities likeAbuja are hit with acute fuelscarcity due to the gridlocksituation at the ports.

First Lady calls for institunalisation of vaccine summit

Worried by the highindices of childrendying in Africa from

diseases which could have beenprevented by routineimmunisation, wife of the President,Mrs. Patience Jonathan, has calledfor the institutionalisation of a bi-annual African Vaccine Summitthat will monitor and facilitate theavailability of safe vaccines on thecontinent.

A statement signed by SaghirMohammed, the AssistantDirector Press at the Ministry ofWomen Affairs, said Mrs. Jonathanwho was represented by theMinister of Women Affairs, HajiyaZainab Maina, made the call onMonday in Abuja at the opening ofthe First National VaccineSummit. She called for theestablishment of a NigerianAlliance for Vaccine Initiative,modelled after the highlysuccessful Global Alliance forVaccine Initiative (GAVI).

According to the statement,Mrs. Jonathan further explainedthat the institutionalisation of a bi-annual African Vaccine Summitwill offer a platform for the regularmonitoring of the Decade of Vaccine,so that by the end of the decade,Africa would have achievedsufficiency in the availability of safevaccines.

She pointed out that over 1million Nigerian children die eachyear, many from conditions thatcould easily be prevented by

vaccination and acknowledged theefforts of the National PrimaryHealth Care Development Agencyand the John Hopkins Universityfor spearheading the summit.

Declaring the summit open,

By Maryam Garba Hassan the Secretary to the Governmentof the Federation, Anyim PiusAnyim, said as the year 2015draws near, Nigeria remainscommitted to achieving theMillennium Development

Goals. “It is proven thatvaccinating our children is themost cost effective path toachieving Goal 4 which is aimedat reducing child mortality rates”,Anyim noted.

Kano state government is tospend the sum of N4.8billion for the completion

of both abandoned and new linkroad projects in the rural areasof the state.

The Commissioner in theMinistry of Rural andCommunity Development,Alhaji Garba Umar Durbunde,disclosed this yesterday in hisoffice while briefing reporters onthe activities of his ministry.

According to him, some ofthe roads to benefit from theproject include Kura-Kubarachi-Madobi road,G w a r z o - T s a u r e - T s a n y a w aroad, Fagwalawa-Zakirai road,Mariri-Dawakin Kudu,K a t a k a r a - L a r a b a - K u n c h i ,Dinyar Madiga-Kogo-Gorondiya-Tsangaya roads.

He also stated that theMinistry has concluded plans torevitalise the long abandonedlocal craft development, addingthat the programme would bebased on enhancing crafts suchas weaving, pottery andblacksmithing.

Garba also hinted that thesum of N390.6 million has beencommitted for rehabilitation ofvehicles, rehabilitation ofvandalised electricity networksin 42 towns, installation of relieftransformers through the RuralElectricity Board.

He also stated that N1.150billion has been allocated for theelectrification of various townsand villages in the state, addingthat new transformers would bepurchased for installation in thecommunities.

The Commissioner also saidthat in order to address thedaunting challenges facing thedrive for adequate water supply

From Edwin Olofu, Kano

A member of Oyo StateHouse of Assembly,Olatoye Temitope,

popularly called ‘Sugar’, wasyesterday arraigned in HighCourt 4, Isabo Abeokuta, overalleged murder said to have beencommitted in 2004.

The accused who was dockedalongside Ajasa Balogun in suitnumber AB/20c/2011, wasalleged to have committed thecrime in December, 3, 2004having reportedly killed oneBukola Okulana at Odeda localgovernment area of Ogun state.

Olatoye later relocated toOyo state, where he contestedelection into the House ofAssembly, and won. The casebeing heard by JusticeOlanrewaju Mabekoje is betweenthe state and the accusedpersons.

The offence is said to becontrary to section 316 (2) andpunishable under sections 319of the Criminal Code (cap 29)the laws of Ogun State ofNigeria, 1978. The state was

Lawmaker arraigned over murderFrom Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji,Abeokuta

represented by Mr. B.A Adebayo,Director of Prosecution, while theaccused were represented by ChiefB. Akintua.

Under cross examination atthe hearing, a witness against theaccused Isikilu Ayinde Ajegunle,told the court and insisted thatthe accused were behind thekilling, and recalled hisstatement with the police when

he went to report, maintainingthat he still stand by that report.

Similarly, a police sergeant,Asunba Joshua, during crossexamination confirmed that oneof the suspects earlier declaredwanted by the police over thealleged crime was apprehendedby him, in the major street ofAbeokuta and taken to the policeheadquarters.

Kano toexpendN4.8bn onrural roads

Governor Mua’azuBabangida Aliyu of Nigerstate has reshuffled his

cabinet. Alhaji MohammedKpotun Abdullahi has been sworn-in as the Commissioner forAgriculture and a member of thestate executive council.

Before his appointment, AlhajiAbdullahi was the ManagingDirector of the state’s AgriculturalDevelopment Project (ADP).

His appointment andswearing-in followed the death ofAlhaji Aminu Yussuf Paiko formerCommissioner for Budget and

Planning.Governor Aliyu also

announced that the Commissionerfor Education, Dr. Peter Sale Sarkihas been moved to the Ministry ofLand and Housing while theformer Commissioner in theMinistry, Alhaji Nuhu Musa wastaken to the newly createdMinistry of Mining and SolidMineral Resources.

Mrs. Susan Gana was takenfrom the Ministry of Agricultureto Education, while theCommissioner for WaterResources, Hajia Hadiza Abdullahiwill now add environment mattersto her responsibilities.

Aliyu reshuffles cabinetFrom Iliya Garba, Minna


4

2 3

1

2

3Over loaded tricycle with emptycans on railway road, yesterday inBauchi. Photo: NAN

L-R: Chairman, House ofRepresentatives Committee onICT, Hon. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau,Director-General NITDA, ProfessorCleopas Angaye, and Alhaji AliyuRabah discussing something ofinterest, during a condolence visitto the family of late ShehuBakauye Gusau, last week inGusau, Zamfara state.

1Members of Hisba, Bauchi state,conveying consignment of liquourconfiscated by the Shariacommission from various outletsfor destruction, yesterday inBauchi. Photo: NAN

4Sand drilling activities in the RiverNiger, yesterday at Onitsha.Photo: NAN

n


Lagos state governor, Mr.Babatunde Fashola hasmandated the

management of Ejigbo localcouncil development area(LCDA), led by Mr. kehindeBamigbetan to obtain N220million loan from the bank toexecute major roadrehabilitation projects in the

area.Bamigbetan made this

known yesterday at the flag-offof the newly approved revenuetariffs and rate card, as part ofmeasures to ensuretransparency, accountabilityas well as efficient and effectivetax regime.

The council boss alsodisclosed that rehabilitationwork has re-commenced on the

Road rehabilitation: Fashola okays N220m loan for Ejigbo LCDA

L-R: Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Malam Yusuf Usman,presenting a publication of "list of declared national monuments" to representative of Minister ofTourism, Culture and National Orientation, Mrs. Olayinka Olatunji, during the 2012 International Day forMonuments and Sites, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos Nigeria National PetroleumCorporation (NNPC) road toJakande Estate Gate, Oke Afaand would be completed withinthe next six months.

Also, as part of efforts tomitigate the effect of heavyrainfall as predicted for thisyear and reduce incidence offlooding, the council incollaboration with the stategovernment had completed the

Nigeria Security and CivilDefence Corps (NSCDC),Ogun State Command

yesterday announced thesealing of six Private GuardCompanies (PGCs) discovered tobe operating illegally in the

state.A statement by the

command Public RelationsOfficer, Kareem Olanrewajumade available to ourcorrespondent in Abeokutaexplained that the illegalcompanies had earlier beennotified in writing.

He said they were operating

Civil Defence seals 6 fakeprivate guard coys From Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji,Abeokuta

dredging of Egbe Bridgedownstream and upstream toallow for free flow of stormwater.

Bamigbetan, who noted thatroads were the major challengeof the council at the moment,stressed that the loan becameexpedient due to lack of adequate

funds in the council.He explained that the council

in the last six months had beenlobbying the state governmentfor the approval, which wasformerly put at N524 millionbefore the governor,subsequently, pruned it down toN220 million.

without official licence asstipulated by the Private GuardCompanies Act. Cap 367 (1990)section 1(a) and (b) of theFederal Republic of Nigeria.

"As part of her core mandateto regulate the activities of dPrivate Guard Companies in thecountry, the Nigeria Security& Civil Defence Corps, Ogun

State Command has sealed upsix (6) PGCs for operatingillegally".

The sealed companiesinclude System Protection andSecurity Services, MegaSecurity Services, MandateSecurity Services, Cross BorderSecurity Limited, EganventsSecurity and HomelandProtective Services Limited.

The statement furtheremphasised that the corps hashowever warned private

individuals and corporateorganisations in the state not toengage the services of the PGCsin any form in undermining thesecurity of the country.

Olanrewaju added that theindustry which has alreadybecome a goldmine was toosensitive to be left unregulatedand as such, every stakeholdermust follow the due process.

Meanwhile, the Corps hasadvised members of the publicespecially corporate organisationsto verify and ascertain theregistration status of the PGCs atthe command's headquarters inOke Mosan, Abeokuta, beforeengaging their services.

Katagum LG staff arraigned over N9m staff salaries

Six staff of the AccountsDepartment in Katagumlocal government area of

Bauchi State were arraigned atChief Magistrate Court numbereight over criminal conspiracyin stealing the March salary ofthe local government staff.

Our correspondent gatheredthat the staff, were accused ofhousebreaking and negligentconduct that led to the stealingof N9, 027, 336, 69 Marchsalaries and allowances of thecouncil workers.

Arraigning the suspectsyesterday, police prosecutor,Inspector Baba Sarki Hussaini,said the case was transferredfrom the Azare Division along

with the suspects to the stateCriminal InvestigationDepartment being staffers ofaccount section of the councilthey collected workers salaries forthe month of March 2012, afterthey made the payment of theday they kept the remainingbalance in the safe inside theoffice".

Baba Sarki told the court that"thereafter they kept the moneyand unknown gunmen took theadvantage of their negligenceand I don't care attitude, stormedthe secretariat broke into theoffice and stole N9,027,336,69both the account staffers and thesecurity guards cannot defendtheir actions contrary to section288 and 196 of the penal code."

The suspects through their

counsel, Barrister PatrickOwoicho, applied for the bail ofthe accused which was opposedby the prosecutor for fear thatthey will tamper with theinvestigation.

The Chief Magistrate, IsaMohammed in his ruling said theonus of proving a criminalallegation lies with theprosecutors as every suspect ispresumed innocent until provenguilty as contained in section36(5) of the 1999 Constitutionand granted the bail applicationof the suspects at the sum ofN200, 000 with a surety in likesum who must be a ward head ofthe suspect's area of residence.

The magistrate adjourned thecase to May 8 for furthermentioning.


Yobe pays hardshipallowance to encourageteachers in remote areas

The Yobe Teaching ServiceBoard has saidthat teachers posted to

remote areas in the statewere paid hardship allowance toencourage them to stay in theirareas of posting.

Alhaji Maijawa Dawayo, theexecutive chairman of the board,made this known in Damaturuyesterday at a news conference.

He said that teachersemployed by the board also enjoyresponsibility allowance asincentive to boost productivityand commitment to duty.

The chairman noted that1,478 teachers were manning 40senior secondary schools in thestate, adding that “there are 373university graduates, 55 HNDholders, 810 NCE holders andothers.

“The board also trained 474

others through in-service topursue degree programmes invarious universities in thecountry”.

Dawayo said that the boardhad introduced manyincentives to promotecommitment and encourageteachers to remain in theprofession.

He pointed out that theboard received 2,000 newapplications for teaching insecondary schools in the state.

“However, 146 of the 496teachers employed on contractwere relieved of theirappointments to sanitise thesystem.

“But the board had to re-engage 29 of the relievedteachers in critical subjects,including English, Mathematicsand Physics”. (NAN)

The Kwara stategovernment hascommended the

contingent to this year's Quranicmemorisation competition heldin Katsina state for their brilliantperformance.

The government in astatement issued by theSecretary to the StateGovernment (SSG), Alhaji IsiakaGold, gave the commendationyesterday while receiving thecommittee in his office.

The statement signed by theChief Press Secretary, AlhajiDauda Nurudeen, quoted the SSGas describing the performance ofthe contingent as a brilliant featwhich has made the state proudof them and would continue tosupport them in winning more

laurels in the future.The state government,

according to him attached greatimportance to the committee'sassignment especially at thistime when youths engaged inanti-social vices and appealed tothe trainers to put in more effortin re-shaping our youths.

Earlier, the state chairman ofthe committee, Alhaji AyinlaAyilara Abdulsalam, said thecommittee was established in1986 with the aim of promotingIslam and training the youth inthe art of memorising the HolyQuran.

Alhaji Abdulsalam, who wasrepresented by Alhaji WoliKamaldeen, expressed thecommittee's appreciation to theKwara state government for thesupport it has been enjoying.

Kwara govt lauds Quraniccompetition contingentFrom Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin


From Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji,Abeokuta

Following the alleged killingof a young man by an officialof the Customs Service in

Oloparun town in Oke-Odan, YewaSouth local government area ofOgun state, palpable tension hasgripped residents of the town andenvirons.

The victim, Lekan Ogunmitiwho was said to be riding a ricketyvehicle, was reported to have beengunned down while custom officerswere said to be pursuing smugglerswho were said to have evadedarrest.

Our correspondent learnt that,as a result of the ugly developmentsome youths chased the customsofficers and beat one of them

mercilessly and equally set threevehicles including one of the Hiluxvehicles of the service ablaze.

However, Ogun state PoliceCommand Public Relations Officer,Muyiwa Adejobi while confirmingthe incident, said, thecommissioner of police in the state,Ikemefuna Okoye was in Oke-Odan to persuade the angry mobwho had blocked all the major

roads.The police image maker

further said that, his boss wouldalso visit the Oloke Odan of Odanto seek his assistance in the matter,while disclosing that, thecommand has taken over thematter and investigate it.

In his own reaction, the PublicRelations Officer of the NigeriaCustoms Service NCS, in Ogun

state, Thike Ngige, described thevictim as a smuggler whoaccording to him attempted toevade arrest before he was shotdead.

Meanwhile, it will be recalledthat few months ago, some peoplewere allegedly killed by the somecustom officers which led to unrestin the area before it was latercalm.

Oke Odan youths protest alleged killing of colleague by Customs

No going back on state ofemergency, FG saysBy Sunday Ejike Benjamin

The Attorney-General of theFederation (AGF) andMinister of Justice, Mr.

Mohammed Bello Adoke, onTuesday, said there is no goingback on the state of emergencyimposed on 15 local governmentareas to contain the Boko-Haraminsurgency in the country.

Addressing the meeting of theBody of Attorneys General inAbuja, Adoke said the decision willonly be reviewed after thesituation normalises urged theBody of Attorneys General, whichcomprise of 36 state Attorneys

General and Commissioners ofJustice to ensure protection ofhuman rights in the cause oftackling the security challenges intheir states.

Apart from considering how toimprove justice administration inthe country, the AGF meetingwith the Body of Attorneys Generalwill, among other things look atsome initiatives like the TerrorismPrevention Act 2011 and theFreedom of Information Act 2011which have crystallised intolegislation.

Other legislative proposals to bediscussed at the meeting,according to the AGF in his address

include, the Almajiri Bill and theAdministration of Criminal JusticeBill, adding also that the draftguidelines for prosecutors proposedby the Federal Ministry of Justicewill be presented to the meeting toelicit comments designed to enrichthe draft before been subjected tostakeholder consultations.

Adoke apologised to the stateAttorneys General for his inabilityto host the meeting since heassumed office as the AGF andMinister of Justice, ascribing it tothe exigencies of office and addedthat the meeting will henceforthbe held quarterly on a rotationalbasis.

“The Body of Attorneys’General has been in slumber fortoo long, now that we have decidedto end the slumber, concertedefforts must be made to keep theBody active”, the AGF noted andcharged the Body to come out withtangible reform benefits in theform of draft legislations, guidelinesad recommendations.

Earlier in his address, theSolicitor General of the Federationand Permanent Secretary, AlhajiAbdullahi Yola, said the body wasconceptualised as a forum for crossfertilisation of ideas in theadministration of justice, vis-à-vischallenges encountered withextant laws, review of obsolete andsubsisting laws and the possibleharmonization of same for efficientadministration of justice across thecountry.

By Albert Akota

The Minister of Labour andProductivity, Chief EmekaWogu, has declared that

recognition and registration oflabour unions is the responsibilityof Ministry of Labour and no otherauthority of government has theauthority to exercise that powerthat has been conferred on theministry.

He added that developmentalapproach to labour related issueis the mantra of theadministration of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan.

Chief Wogu stated this inresponse to issues raised by thePresident of the Nigeria Union ofTeachers (NUT) Comrade MichaelAlogba Olukoya, during a courtesy

call on him at his office.“You mentioned some certain

states that had gone ahead torecognise Academic Staff Union ofSecondary School (ASUSS). I wantto put it categorically clear thatwithin the extant laws, no otherauthority of government has theauthority to exercise that powerthat has been conferred on Ministerof Labour and Productivity”, theminister declared.

“There must be room for bothsides to dialogue and at the end ofthe day, it is win-win. It is not usagainst you or you against us, asthere is no battle. What is at stakeis the welfare of workers and thatof the employers because it is viceversa”, the minister emphasised.

The Minister of Labour andProductivity, Chief EmekaWogu, has charged the

newly elected executives of theNational Union of Textile Garment& Tailoring Workers of Nigeria todischarge their responsibilities inline with extant labour laws.

Chief Wogu stated this in hisoffice while receiving in audiencethe newly elected executivemembers of the National Union ofTextile Garment & TailoringWorkers of Nigeria led by itspresident, Comrade Oladele Hunsuand the secretary general,Comrade Isa Aremu.

“I want to use this opportunityto congratulate you on theconduct of a peaceful election andurge you to discharge your dutiesin line with extant labour laws soas to promote and deepen theprinciple of tripartism”, theminister urged.

Earlier in his remarks ComradeOladele Hunsu expressed theappreciation of the union toPresident Goodluck Jonathanthrough the minister for his effortat ensuring that the largestfactory in Africa is back on streamwhile pleading that further effortsshould be made to industrialiseNigeria and revive othermoribund industries across thecountry.

FG assures union ondevelopmental approachto labour issues

…pledgesto revivemoribundindustries

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Canada and Nigeria haveconcluded plans to sign amemorandum of

understanding establishing a bi-national commission between thetwo countries.

The MoU is scheduled to besigned on Monday in Ottawa,Canadian capital, by the NigerianMinister for Foreign Affairs,Olugbenga Ashiru, on Nigeria’sbehalf, while John Baird will sign

on behalf of Canada.A statement issued yesterday by

the ministry indicated that the MoUis envisaged to elevate Canada-Nigeria relations to a strategic levelof partnership including a widegamut of bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, the reference pointincluded political consultation,economic relations, securitycooperation, and DevelopmentCooperation, in areas of education,health and internationalcooperation.

Nigeria-Canada sign MoU onBi-National Commission From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

The body of a middle-agedstaff of Nigeria PrisonsService, identified as Gabriel

Osegi who could not make his waythrough torrential flood that lastedfor several hours in Benin City, andhis motorcycle were picked up fromthe mud on Tuesday morning inBenin City, Edo state.

Mr. Osegi, a Prisons Assistant1, whose wife is an officer of theNigeria Security and Civil DefenceCorps (NSCDC), was said to beriding on his motorcycle when he

ran into the ravaging flood thatwashed him away.

Eyewitnesses said he waswashed into the roadside gutterwhere he eventually died becausehelp was not within reach.

Controller of Benin CentralPrison, Mr. J. Ewulo whoconfirmed the death of Mr. Osegion phone, said as soon as he receivedthe news, he immediately invitedthe police authority who came toremove the body.

He said the police are alreadyinvestigating the circumstancesthat led to his death.

Rainfall kills prison official in Benin

L-R: Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Ondo state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, formerOgun state governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Mrs. Bola Obasanjo, former President OlusegunObasanjo, and Ogun state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, during the funeral service of Dr.Moses Majekodunmi. Photo: NAN


Lagos health crisis worsens asgovt queries striking doctorsFrom Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Fresh indications emerged onTuesday that doctorsemployed by the Lagos state

government may start anotherround of an indefinite industrialaction within the next one weekfollowing a query issued by thestate government to the entiredoctors who participated in thewarning strike.

The doctors had called-off theirthree-day warning strike few daysago.

It would be recalled that thestate government had earlier

warned the doctors before thestrike that it would withhold theirwages for the period during whichthe strike lasted.

Chairman of the Medical Guildin the state, Dr. OlumuyiwaOdusote who disclosed thisdescribed the action as unfair andunjust, but said that theassociation, (the Medical Guild)would on behalf of their membersrespond to the queries issued by thestate government.

Odusote added that none of thedoctors would be allowed to answerthe query singularly.

The chairman stated that the

guild would summon anemergency congress to decide onthe next line of action, but addedthat the doctors would first andforemost explore the option ofdialogue with the government toresolve the crisis on ground.

He expressed surprise by thestate government’s action notedthat the warning strike wassuspended for negotiation toresume with government.

According to him the stategovernment did not come outstraight with the doctors in thenegotiation on the need for theimplementation of the

Consolidated Medical Salary Scale(CONMESS) which lasted for overa year before they decided toembark on the warning strike.

Meanwhile, in what has beenconstrued as plans by thegovernment to threaten thedoctors or probably sack them, ithas placed an advert to recruit newdoctors.

The Lagos State Health ServiceCommission and the Lagos StateUniversity Teaching Hospital,(LASUTH) came up with theadvert and the government isadvertising the positions of medicalofficers, consultants/specialists.

From Iliya Garba, Minna

As a result of incessantsecurity challenges in thecountry, ministries,

departments and governmentagencies have been advised toembark on security awarenesstraining for their staff towardsprotecting public infrastructure.

Niger state director of the ofState Security Service, Dr.Larry Obiagwu made thisknown in Minna at the openingof a two-day security trainingseminar for staff of the stateMillennium Development Goals(MDG) office.

He told all governmentdepartments and agencies to be

more security conscious in view ofthe current challengesconfronting the nation, addingthat security goes beyond safety oflives, but the protection ofproperties that have costgovernment millions of naira tobuild.

“We commend the state MDGsfor this symbiotic relationship

between the DSS and thembecause it is coming at the righttime in view of the times we arein”.

Dr. Obiagwu emphasized thatthere was need for governmentofficials to take proactive measurein order to engage people withintheir localities, to protectgovernment projects and

infrastructures sited within theirdomain.

In his speech, the DirectorGeneral of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals, in the state,Dr. Joshua Nuhu Bawa disclosedthat the state government isspending a total of N1.3billion thisyear on the MDG’s conditionalgrant scheme.

MDAs should protect public infrastructure - SSS director advises

Governor Rabiu MusaKwankwaso of Kano statehas said that the state

government will build some resortsin the state capital with a view togive families and youths in the stateplaces for resting and otherrecreational activities.

The governor was saying thisto PDP members drawn from the44 local governments in the statewhile addressing them after hereturned from a five-day trip thattook him to Egypt and Dubai.

He said that after close to oneyear in office without a break hedecided to take some days off witha view to get some rest and alsothink of other things to do for thebetterment of the people of Kanostate.

The governor stated that Kanobeing a state capital and acommercial centre needs to havesome resorts and gardens so thatpeople after hectic day’s work couldgo and stretch themselves.

“I saw such places in Egypt andDubai where families go in theirnumbers to have good time andthe youths play all sorts of gamesat the end of which they get better.”

He said, Nigerians are alsohuman beings; as such, they needsimilar activities like these people,that is why Kano state governmentis building such places.

Kano to buildrecreationalfacilitiesFrom Bala Nasir, Kano

Bauchi state governmenthas warned all the localgovernment Hajj officers in

the state to desist from aidingunqualified people in travelling forthe Hajj exercise.

The Chairman of the MuslimPilgrims Welfare Board, AlhajiShehu Adamu Jumba, gave thewarning during a one-daysensitisation workshop for the 2012Hajj preparation in the state.

He warned that any hajjofficer caught assisting orconniving with pregnant womenin their respective localgovernment areas to travel for the2012 pilgrimage will be punished.

He called on the officers toalways remain steadfast in theirofficial assignment, saying thatthey should reject any pressurefrom desperate pregnant womenwho want to travel for the exercise.

Declaring the workshop open,the Special Adviser to the stategovernor on Hajj Affairs, AlhajiSanusi Isa Sarkin Aska, called on theofficers to work towards enhancingthe welfare of their pilgrims.


Bauchi warnsLGA Hajj officials

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

The National President of theNigeria Union of Teachers(NUT), Comrade Michael

Olukoya, has declared that theunion would take up thegovernments of Ekiti, Edo, Ogunand Oyo states over noncompliance to the payment of 27.5percent of allowance to teacherswhich the states have mingled upwith the national minimum wage.

The union leader who stated thisin Ilorin during the orientationworkshop held at Michael Imoudu

National Institutes of Labour, saidthe governors of the affected stateshave been violating the labour laws.

“The first issue borders onmatters of law. I am aware that allthe elected political officers sworeto defend the constitution of thiscountry. Out of all the listed labourunions in this country, there isnone that I know of that is amember of Academic Staff Unionof Secondary Schools.

“We will not hesitate to instructthe unionsd of these states to go onstrike at our next executive councilmeeting if the governors concernedare yet to honour this agreementthen”, the union leader warned.

NUT to battle Oyo, Ekiti, other statesover allowance


The head of MassCommunications Depart-ment of the University of

Maiduguri, Professor Umar Pate,has said unless journalists across thecountry update their knowledge,the much talked about socialresponsibility of the media to thesociety would remain an illusion.

The don made this assertion inBauchi while delivering a lecturetitled ‘‘Press Freedom VersusResponsibility,’’ at the opening

ceremony of the 2012 Press Weekorganised by the state council ofthe Nigerian Union of Journalists(NUJ).

He urged media practitionersto strike a balance between servingtheir masters and the society,where he said press freedom comeswith a lot of responsibilitiesparticularly to society in whichthe press operates.

The professor, who advocatedthat the media should be free fromall forms of censorship, alsocharged journalists on objectivityand fairness in their reportage ofevents so as to unite the country.

Don charges journalists to updateknowledge

L-R: Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, Chief of Health, UNICEF headquarters, New York, Prof. Mickey Chopra,and Manager, Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), UNICEF Nigeria, Boubacar Dieng, during the UNICEF delegates’ visit tothe minister, on Tuesday in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

PAGE 12 PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

Time to stem the systemic collapseIt appears there is no end in sight

yet to the tide in mass failure ofcandidates in Nigeria in the

Secondary School CertificateExamination (SSCE) being conductedperiodically by both the West AfricanExaminations Council (WAEC) andthe National Examinations Council(NECO). Late last month, preciselyon March 28 this year, NECO releasedthe result of the November/December, 2011 SSCE which revealedanother dismal performance bycandidates who sat for theexamination. A breakdown of theresults published on the Council'swebsite showed that about 10 percentor 10,457 of the 104,187 candidateswho sat for the external examinationpassed English Language with creditand above. However, the candidatesrecorded an improved performancein Mathematics, as 41.19 percent gotcredit and above in the subject asagainst the 17.85 percent recorded in2010.

The results in core science subjectsincluding Chemistry, Biology,Further Mathematics andAgricultural Science were also notimpressve. In Physics, according tothe result, 43,504 or 90.05 per centfailed, 24 candidates or 0.05 per centhad credit and above. In Biology, ofthe 97,595 that sat for the paper,8,109 or 7.57 per cent had pass while75,486 or 70.48 per cent failed. Of the44,950 candidates who sat forChemistry, 2,577 or 5.32 per cent hadcredit and above, 3,432 or 7.09 percent had pass while 37,973 or 78.39per cent failed. In Further

“the time to act andstem the tide of this

systemic decline is now,given the transformation

mantra of the presentadministration

EDITEDITEDITEDITEDITORIALORIALORIALORIALORIAL

Mathematics, of the 3,271 that sat forit, 48 or 1.05 per cent had credit andabove, 101 or 2.21 per cent scored passmarks while 3,085 or 67.64 per centfailed.

The last SSCE was the fourthconsecutive time that candidatesrecorded woeful performances in theNECO senior secondary schoolexamination. In September last yearNECO announced that less than 25% ofthe 1,160,561 candidates that sat forthe June/July 2011 SSCE passed at

credit level. This trend of poorperformances is also similar withrespect to candidates sitting for theWAEC SSCE.

It is instructive to note, as we did inthree previous editorials on the massfailures in WAEC and NECO SSCE, thatthe trend is indicative of the malaisethat has afflicted our national life.And year after year, the situation onlygets worse largely because there hasnot been conscientious effort by allthree tiers of our government to tackle

the multifaceted problems thatbedevil our society, more especiallythe education sector, which is mostcritical in our view, since it is thefoundation upon which virtuallyevery other activity depends. Forinstance, we noted in our editorial ofAugust 18, 2011, titled "May/June2011 SSCE results: The sameunpalatable story", that: "...we knowfor a fact that only few of the 36 stategovernments have ever matchedUNESCO's recommended 25 % ofgovernment's annual budgetaryallocations to education. Unless thisis done and the funds are judiciouslyutilised, we will not see anysignificant change in studentperformance in WAEC and NECOexaminations for some time yet.

We made the above assertion in thelast editorial bearing in mind theinadequate and dilapidated physicalinfrastructure, poor quality andinsufficient teaching staff, poorfunding or even lack of it and over allindiscipline in our schools. And to thebest of our knowledge, nothingfundamental has changed betweenlast year and this period in terms ofeverything required to turn-aroundNigeria's education sector. We arehowever of the view that the time toact and stem the tide of this systemicdecline is now, given thetransformation mantra of the presentadministration, and the obviouscraving for change by the averagecitizens arising from massconsciousness brought about by newinformation and communicationtechnologies.

OUR MISSIONOUR MISSIONOUR MISSIONOUR MISSIONOUR MISSION OUR PEOPLEOUR PEOPLEOUR PEOPLEOUR PEOPLEOUR PEOPLECHAIRMAN

MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

ALI M. ALI

GM PUBLICATIONS

ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION

HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

EDITOR, DAILY

AHMED I. SHEKARAU

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND

RICHARD IHEDIWA

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING

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“To be the marketplace of ideas and theleading player in the

industry by putting thepeople first, upholdingthe truth, maintaining

the highestprofessional andethical standards

while delivering valueto our stakeholders”

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DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRUFA’I IBRAHIM


By Ike Willie Nwobu

Ibori: Potrait of a true NigerianThe Nigerian polity and

terrain is on all counts andfronts, very peculiar. The

various happenings which itcontinues to entertain andenlighten both its people and non-citizens alike with, never ceasesto spring up phenomena that willcontinue to keep both the formaland informal fora of discourse agogfor considerable lengths of time.Along with this characteristiccomes its intrinsic ability toredefine and remould certainnotions, to the extent of evenadding Nigerianised words to ourdictionary, along with theirmeanings which are consequentupon the saga that birthed it. Forexample, in the heat of theYar’Ádua impasse when thenation was on auto pilot for morethan four months, people could beheard saying, ‘How dare you goYar’adua on me?’ meaning theperson was incommunicado.When the nation was held toransom in the nascence of 2012on account of the impromptu soarin the price of petroleum productsbecause of the fuel subsidyremoval, we heard words andeven names likeChinenyesubsidy-meaning Godgives subsidy, orChukwuemekasubsidy-meaningGod has given us subsidy, andmany other such instances. Suchis the nature of the Nigerian social

space, and latest developments inthe direction of the soon-to-be-convicted former governor ofDelta State, Chief James OnanefeIbori, are already redefining ourunderstanding of the concept andthe word ‘gentleman’.

From the way events areturning out, a gentleman is nowunderstood to be any one who hasneither been caught norconvicted of a crime. Yes, aneleventh commandment has beenadded to our moral code of ethics:do all you want to, but never becaught, or else you lose yourdignity and relevance. And itseems pretty much that Ibori haslost his gentlemanly status, as heis presently huddled up in someUK prison serving a sentencewhich was shortened because ofhis smart plea of guilt.

The statement of the Asabahigh court judge in 2009 givesready insight into what agentleman really is in Nigeria. Itwas alleged that twenty milliondollars of bribe money was sentcourtesy of James Ibori in favourof Nuhu Ribadu in his days ashelmsman of the anti-graftagency, EFCC. But in thesubmission of the chairmanwhich indicted Ibori, he claimedhe received fifteen million dollarswhich he immediately lodgedwith the Central Bank of Nigeria.This excellent brokerage skills ofthe Senator-cum-courier man,Andy Uba made him still hold on

to his gentleman title even whenthe sender was being draggedfrom court to court for corruptionoffences. Ibori’s mistake was thathe did not notice the collapse ofthe Yar’Adua power blocks whichhe built and strengthened. Hewas just too revellent in thesavour of power and itsexigencies to learn from hiscolleague and former governorwhom his father groomed,strengthened and positioned, tothe extent of falling victim to acrime that was being peddledfreely by the minute, usingrookie money launderers and go-betweens. It may not be far fromthe truth that his presentpredicament is a direct result ofthe same inexperience.

The malaise of the matter isthat there were, and still arenumerous avenues and channelsof investment that could havebeen a better respite for all thatfortune which has been stashedaway in foreign lands, withpermutable possibility ofretrieval, if there will be any atall. Hospitals, housing estates,universities, oil and gas sector,airlines were all begging to beinvested in, thetelecommunication sector, thebanking sector-even forcefulacquisition of banks cannot standup in enormity to your less-than-gentlemanly status now. With allyour experience, one would havethought you would have cashed

in on agriculture and all its innateinvestment potentialities, but no,it was better and safer as housesin Dubai, the United Kingdom andAmerica, fleet of customisedRange Rover jeeps and Bentleys,and of course, on the vanities ofthese ‘woes unto men’.

For the purpose of record andposterity, James Onanefe Ibori isnot the worst criminal in Nigeria,and even in the world. ThatBritish judge that is makinghogwash of our anti-corruptioncampaign, calling it an opera tothe gallery, should rememberthat it has not been too long sincehis country continually raped theBilateral Air Services Agreement(BASA) and ripped off the Nigeriangovernment to the tune of millionsof pound sterling. They can laytheir claims of morality to peoplethat do not know of their spiritualmisfortune of same-sex marriage,to the extent of attempting toextrude that scum down ourpristine African throats, and notto us. We have not forgotten theepisode of the organised freeing ofthe son of Margaret Thatcher whoorganized brigands to topple thegovernment of Equatorial Guinea,at the behest of tele-colonialism,oil money and power. Locally,news is replete of gentlemen whoare fast losing grip on their status-over 300 billion has located somecivil pockets in a pensions racket,in fact one, a permanentsecretary, was caught with two

billion naira cash in his home. Thefuel subsidy story is a story foranother day, with more than 200billion naira stolen. Big stealing isgoing on, and yet there are nothieves. At the right time, thepolitics of Ibori’s conviction willcome into play.

Finally, the British system andinstitution is a very interestingone-find one scapegoat that is wellloaded, to be used as a signal toothers. The loading is to covertheir investigation cost. In theend, Ibori, the Delta stategovernment and the enlargedNigerian populace will be over 50million pounds poorer asoperational cost, to be deductedfrom source. What an excellentfinancial model.

The way to beat the Britishsystem is righteousness andalertness, like in the MatthewAshimolowo case where hisalertness saved him his ministry,his name, and indeed saved theworld the Nigerian brand ofevangelism from the greedy andimperialist claws of Britishscavenging. He nearly lost hisedificial church, which wasincidentally sited on the groundsmeant for use in the Olympics,when his charity commissioncame under severe attack andinvestigation. So to escape is not afoolish act.Ike Willie Nwobu can bereached [email protected]

Crying over depleting excesscrude account is self-deceitWhen the Coordinating

Minister of the Economyand Minister of Finance,

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, last weekblamed the state governor’sdemand for monthly sharing of allaccruals from oil sales andopposition to the establishment ofthe Sovereign Wealth Fund, as thereasons for the depletion of theExcess Crude Account (ECA), shewas merely playing politics withthe issues at the crux of the matterby trying to shift the blame to thestate governors.

No doubt Dr. Okonjo Iwealareally meant well for this country,whether in the area of subsidyremoval or saving for tomorrow butthe problem is that she is not apolitician but pure technocratworking for politicians whosehearts and minds are desperatelywicked conceiving nothing butmischief. So no matter howdetermined she is to pull Nigeriaout from the clutches of corruptpoliticians, the fact remains thatshe takes orders from her bosseswho are part of those that disabledNigeria.

As disclosed by the financeminister, funds from the ECA havebeen shared to the extent that theaccount which had over $20 billionaccumulated savings has beendepleted to barely $3.6 billionwhich cannot take the nation farin the event of a crisis.

Her words: “the ECA and theSovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) arevery important, but we have thestate governors saying no, we willonly allow $1billion. In fact, wemanaged to get that, and now, they

said it is illegal; and so, the countryis not able to save in the ECA andwe have left today in that accountonly about $3.6bn. Every month,because they (the governors) say itis illegal, we have been dippinghands into it (ECA). Instead ofmoving that money into thesovereign wealth account, it isbeing shared until it is almost atthe bottom.

There is no need of shifting theresponsibility of managing ournational earnings to the governors.Most Nigerians would agree thatthe problem is with the centre andthe political party-PDP that’s inpower. We were told how ourforeign reserves and the excesscrude earnings were squandered bythe centre and its party on the lastpresidential election. We haveequally been told how fuel importlicenses were issue as patronage andsubsidy payments doled out evenwithout ascertaining whether theghost importers actually broughtin a single litre of petrol.

Not long ago, and after the 2011presidential election, PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo said he askedhis “brother” why he decided tosquander all the savings in theexcess crude and external reserveaccounts which were meant for therainy days. And this was hisbrother’s answer: “YourExcellency, which other rainy dayare we saving for when we arealready in rainy days.” So there is

no ambiguity about who shouldbe held responsible for depletingthe savings in the external reserveand Excess Crude Accounts asObasanjo clearly and directlyaddressed the real culprit.

Accepting that there was noway her ministry couldaccurately determine how muchpetroleum products are importedand how much are actually soldin Nigeria was a confirmation ofthe fears of the governors that thefederal government cannot betrusted to transparently managewhatever fund that’s set aside forrainy days.

Agreed that fiscal federalismshould not stop the country fromsaving as even the constitutionmandates the federalgovernment to manage theeconomy to the benefit of allNigerians, but if we must save aswe should do, all the stakeholdersshould agree on what to be savedand how to do it so that in thefuture, no one party would wantto take others for granted this isjust the point of contention

What is the rationale behindthe federal government’scontinued deductions fromstates’ monthly allocation tofund a policy- fuel subsidy thatis exclusively its ownprogramme?

Okonjo-Iweala should besurprise herself that as the ministerof finance and the coordinating

minister for the national economyshe does know how much money isspent on subsidy. What the financeministry does, according to theminister “was to get theaccountants to verify what theimporters present as their importsand pay them.”

Of course why won’t thegovernors kick against the federalgovernment’s saving plans if thecentre had decided to be dishonesteven in small things like fuelsubsidy payments. The sum ofN304 billion was deducted fromfederally collected revenuebetween January and Februarythis year instead of a budgetedN148 billion for the two months,representing an additional N74billion monthly. This is money thatwould have gone to the states aspart of their share.

There is nothing wrong ingovernment saving money eitherunder the Sovereign Wealth Fund(SWF) or excess crude account?Nigeria is not the only countrythat has created Sovereign WealthFund (SWF). Other serious- mindedcountries have established thislong ago and we only squanderwithout caring for tomorrow. Oilproducing countries that haveSWF accounts include amongstothers: Kuwait 300 billion(Created in 1953);UAE 627 billion(Created in 1976); Saudi Arabia472.5 billion; Libya 70 billion(Created in 2006); Algeria 56.7

billion (Created in 2000); Brazil8.6 billion (Created in 2009);Nigeria 1billion (Created in 2011).

However, of all the countries,Nigeria is the only one where thecentral government receives somuch but squanders all inconsumption or rather amorallifestyle fueled by corruption andlack of creativity in mobilizingavailable resources to work for thegood of the citizenry.

It is very clear that if we don’thave arguments ofconstitutionality and fiscalfederalism, there would have beenprogress on this issue but until weaddress this aspect of theargument, it would continue to bestatus quo ante and there’s nothinganybody can do about it. Thegovernor’s forum is currentlychallenging the constitutionalityof the Sovereign Wealth Fund inthe court. And until the case isconcluded, it remains illegal andirresponsible of the federalgovernment to do anythingcontrary either with the ECA orthe Sovereign WealthAccount.The governors wouldcontinue to insist the federalgovernment shares everythingthat comes into the federation andexcess crude accounts not becausethe governors are selfish butbecause that’s what theConstitution says.Ifeanyi is a public affairsanalyst

By Ifeanyi Izeze


Promoting the education of theAlmajiri: The Jonathan recipeAvailable statistics show that

there are more than 10million Nigerian children

with no access to formal education.The data also reveal that out of

this number, more than ninemillion are the Almajiri in thenorthern part of Nigeria.

The word Almajiri is coinedfrom the Arabic word Al-Muhajirin,which means a migrant in searchof knowledge or a driftingproponent of Islamic knowledge.

A report of the MinisterialCommittee on MadrasahEducation estimated thepopulation of the Almajiri in theNorth-West geopolitical zone ofNigeria as 4.9 million.

It also said that there wereabout 2.6 million Almajirai (theplural form of Almajiri) in theNorth-East, 1.1 million in theNorth-Central, 809,317 in theSouth-West, 3,827 in the South-East and 18,500 in the South-South.

For many years, the Almajirisyndrome has been a source ofconcern to religious, traditionaland political leaders, particularlyin northern Nigeria.

Observers say that severalattempts by successivegovernments to provide a lastingsolution to the menace of Almajiraihave so far been unsuccessful dueto a number of factors.

However, stakeholders haverepeatedly argued that for Nigeriato achieve the goals of Vision20:2020, Nigeria needs a well-educated and skilled population.

This, perhaps, informs thedecision of President GoodluckJonathan to integrate the Almajirisystem into the country’s formaleducation system.

To strengthen the initiative,Jonathan approved theconstruction of more than 400model Almajiri schools in 18 statesin northern Nigeria.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo

handled the symbolic foundationstone-laying ceremony for theschools’ construction at Gantsa,Jigawa State, in December 2010.

Less than two years after thecommencement of the initiative,the President inaugurated thewell-equipped FederalGovernment-owned Almajiri ModelBoarding School in the Gagi, SokotoState on April 10.

In his speechduring thes c h o o l ’ sinauguration,J o n a t h a nreiterated thedeterminationof hisadministrationto give qualityeducation tothe 9.5 millionA l m a j i r a iroaming thec o u n t r y ’ sstreets.

He said thata majorobjective of thegovernment policy was to take theAlmajirai off the streets so that theycould acquire both Quranic andformal education in a moreconducive setting.

He stressed that provision ofboarding schools for the Almajiraiwas part of his administration’sefforts to provide equal access toeducation for all Nigerianchildren.

Jonathan cited a report of theMinisterial Committee on AlmajiriEducation in 2010, whichrevealed that there were about 9.5million Almajirai in the country.

He noted that out of thenumber, the North-West geo-

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political zone alone accounted foralmost five million Almajirai,representing more than 60 percent of the total population ofAlmajirai in the country.

“The fact that the majority ofthese children do not attendconventional basic educationschools makes the situation quiteworrisome.

“Our administration believes

that the time has come for thenation to build on the moralfoundations of the traditional schoolsystem by providing the Almajiraiwith conventional knowledge andskills that will enable them to fullyrealise their creative andproductive potential,” he said.

The President also directed theMinister of Education, Prof.Ruquyyatu Rufai, to liaise withthe state governments and workout the best approach for providingpurposeful education for the youth.

“The Federal Government haspledged that within the next fouryears, it will construct 100 Almajirischools every year, to bring the

total number of the schools to 400nationwide.

“It is noteworthy that underthis arrangement, the FederalGovernment has so far constructed35 of such model schools.

“States with large populationsof Almajirai will have boardingand day schools.

“Each school will be equippedwith a basic science laboratory, a

computer room,v o c a t i o n a le d u c a t i o nworkshop and alibrary.

“Simi lar ly ,t e x t b o o k saligned to then a t i o n a lc u r r i c u l u mhave beenproduced andteachers will betrained in linewith the nationalpolicy oneducation andthe nationalcurriculum.

“The inauguration of the firstmodel school in Sokoto today is onlya precursor to the inauguration ofother such schools, including theDay School located in Tambuwaltown, which shall commenceshortly,” Jonathan said.

Besides, the President said thatthe Federal Government wasproviding extra support to statesfor the Almajiri education projectvia the Universal Basic EducationCommission (UBEC).

Elucidating the President’sclaims, Rufai said that UBEC wasconstructing 51 Almajiri schools,including boarding and dayschools, across the country.

The Almajiri schools, which arebeing constructed under the UBECintervention project, would laterbe handed over to the StateUniversal Basic Education Boardsto manage.

The minister said that UBECwould also monitor the schools ona continuous basis so as to ensuretheir compliance with theminimum academic standards setfor basic education.

Rufai said that the FederalGovernment would provide fundsfor constructing and equipping themodel schools, adding that it wouldalso provide textbooks for thestudents.

She, nonetheless, said that thestate governments would be fullyresponsible for the schools’management, while constructingadditional Almajiri schools in thelong run to enable the programmeto achieve the desired impact.

The minister said that thecurriculum for Almajiri schoolsshould enable the students to go onwith their education inconventional secondary schoolsand tertiary institutions.

Rufai, nonetheless, noted thatin cases where the students’education terminated at the basiclevel, the curriculum would haveequipped such students withliteracy and conventional skills tobroaden their horizon.

“It will also enable them to beuseful to themselves and the entiresociety at large,” she added.

Shedding more light on theproject, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,the Executive Secretary ofTertiary Education Trust Fund(TETF), said that the FederalGovernment had expended N5

By Sani Adamu

Budget 2012: What’s in it for SMEs? (I)

The 2012 budget, whichruns under the theme“Fiscal consolidation,

inclusive growth and jobcreation” is a departure, but notso much so, from previousbudgets especially as it concernsSmall and Medium ScaleEnterprises (SMEs).

While the thematicinclination shows an apparentbias towards aspects of theeconomy that should beadvantageous to SMEs—jobcreation drives, inclusiveeconomic growth and acommitment to fiscalconsolidation—prevailing factorson the ground leaves a lot ofspace for conjecture. In addition,the theme, though seeminglyfresh, is not much removed fromthat of the preceding year andbelies a lack of special or priorityprovision for SMEs.

Budget OverviewAt N4.749 Trillion, a six per

cent increase from last year’sappropriation ofN4.484 trillion,the budget for 2012 though notindicative of much expansion on

the surface, includes increaseddeficit amid expected fiscalconsolidation. The inherentinconsistency of an increase indeficit within a policy of fiscalconsolidation is open to analysis.

A breakdown of the totalexpenditure as proposedindicates the followingApproximates:

• N398bn (Three Hundredand Ninety Eight Billion) billedfor statutory transfers

• N560bn (Five Hundred andSixty Billion) for debt service

• N2.472tn (Two Trillion,Four Hundred and Seventy-TwoBillion) for recurrent (Non-Debt) expenditure

• In addition, capitalexpenditure increased by 15 percent from last year’sappropriation to approximatelyN1.32tn (One Trillion, ThreeHundred and Thirty-TwoBillion).

Predicated on an estimatedoil production estimate of 2.48million barrels per day;benchmark oil price of US$70/barrel; exchange rate ofNGN155/US$; projected GDPgrowth rate of 7.2 per cent; and

projected inflation rate of 9.5 percent, the budget shows a prudentattempt to cushion any volatilitythat might occur in the course ofthe year. This also shows areasonable attempt to reversethe ill-advised utilisation of aUS$75 per barrel benchmarkused for the 2011 budget. Theprojected GDP growth rate of 7.2per cent is consistent withgrowth levels experienced in theNigeria and other developingeconomies in recent years. The9.5 per cent inflation rate is atbest an optimistic conjecturethat will surely be negated by theremoval of petroleum subsidy.

This budget, which at thetime of writing is still awaitingpassage by the legislative arm ofgovernment, essentiallycontains Nigeria’s income andexpenditure road map for the2012 financial year.

The budget rests on fourmain pillars:

• Macro–economic stability• Structural reforms• Governance and

Institutions and• Investment in priority

sectors

Factors affecting SMEgrowth in Nigeria

SMEs are the engine ofgrowth across the world. That iswhy it is not surprising that inmany developed; countries morethan 98% of all enterprisesbelong to the SME sector. A clearexample can be made withJapan where 80% of the totalindustrial labour force works inthe SME sector. In Germany,and USA the figure is smallerbut at 50 and 46 per centrespectively, still impressive.Only 5 per cent of Nigerianmanufacturing firms can besaid to be large corporations. Theremaining 95 per cent areSMEs. SMEs in Nigeria haveundergone rapid growths,which resulted in local sourcingof raw materials and exportdrive, without which largercorporations would behandicapped.

Despite the large percentageof SMEs involved in theNigerian economy, potentialgrowth in the sector continuesto be suppressed by severalfactors—including, but are notrestricted to:

1. Inhibited access to moneyand the capital markets

2. Poor infrastructuralfacilities

3. High rate of enterprisemortality and shortages ofskilled manpower

a) High rate of enterprisemortality and shortages ofskilled work force

The 2012 budget, like that ofthe year before, contains vagueprovisions for SMEs. At a timeother nations provide specialincome tax incentives for newenterprises, there are no changesto the corporate tax rate and thecompanies’ income tax regimenor is there any new form of taxexemptions for existingenterprises. However, since nostatement was made to thecontrary, it may be safe toassume that the existing pioneertax holiday for new enterprisesand other company incentivesare still in place. In addition,there is provision for tax rebatefor bakeries that attains 40 percent blending of cassava flourwith wheat.Fred can be reached throughfrednwonwu.blogspot.com

By Fred Chiagozie Nwonwu

Continued on page 15


The remaining Iboris in Nigeria: Last chancefor the dead Nigerian judiciary to resurrect

There is just one thingNigerians need withhighest priority; it is ‘kill

corruption’. The fact remainsabout the trouble from theNorth, that those bomb wieldingrestive boys of Boko Haram areonly aggravated about theparadox of our poverty in theface of obvious wealth – theironly deficiency is the ‘how to’ ofaccentuating it. At the start,they began to agitate the polity,and when they saw that itbrought them chance of gainingattention from the governmentto negotiate’, some piouselements thought it wise to killtwo birds at the cast of one stone,and then stood on the wave-making shoulders of the boys toadd up other qualified, selfish,religious demands. The same isthe demand of the Niger-Deltamilitants; they hated how evilcaused underdevelopment oftheir region, only that whendrummer seems to be gainingattention, he raises his shoulderto inspire more. The root ofmilitancy insurgence was as aresult of corruption, just as theyfelt cheated while their littoralcommunity fed the corruptleaders.

Nigeria needs learn wisdomfrom the pupil of the eyes thatlooks upon other things, but yetto self is blind. Somecommentaries from variousquarters are busy flawing theselection of Jim Yong Kin overNgozi Okonjo Iweala, describing

it as political and unfair’, whilethey have totally ignored thefact that their country is yet toaddress the deadly scourge ofcorruption back home. One factwe can trust is that if we providea comprehensive chance to acorrupt-free polity, we will nolonger have to submit to thewarning; ‘FEAR NORTH’. Wecan then go to bed with our twoeyes closed, and Boko Haram orother insurgent sects will notstrike.

Although, Nigerians waitedcuriously to hear a sentencethat will keep Ibori in prison forMethuselah years infarct, ifthere is a way he could be keptaway so that he never returnsto live in the same society withus, we would rejoice all day –but we still can make do with 7years and some months of livingwithout one of our peskycriminals. Half bread, they sayis better than none. Thesentence of Ibori to 7 and halfyears in prison have at leastmade half of our day, if not thegreatest day. The developmenttends to be directing ourattention away fromdemanding infrastructure andemployment, to demanding forthe prosecution of all our ‘big’thieves. Nigerians haddemanded infrastructuraldevelopment, jobs creation,good amenities, network of goodroads, stable electricity,security, free and qualitativeeducation, structuraldevelopment, better standard ofliving from good per capital

income, and in other standarddevelopment indices. However,since these demands onlyamounted to a waste of time,energy and saliva, no provisionsin this wise will stimulate thenow enlightened Nigeriancitizens any longer, notanymore. Nigerian citizens nowgenerate electricity bythemselves, throwing out theneed for the government toprovide electricity; citizensprovide physical security andare already making out ways tobring comfort as far as they canin their little capacities. Assuch, the strides of governmentdriven in the mood to meetthese needs are not greeted byanymore accolades, not eventhe hypes from Okorochas inImo State – sorry, no moregullible here.

The only need, one that unitesNigeria at this time per se, is theneed to convict and jail thievingofficials – just that! Attesting tothis point is the ripples of joy thatwired across the Nigerian terrainfollowing the short sentence Iboribagged in the UK court after hisexpensive long standing trial atthe Southwark Crown Court.Needless to emphasize furtherthat the sentence of Ibori by theUK court splashes muds of insultson the face of the NigerianJudiciary, which had initiallyacquitted Ibori and foundnothing criminal against him, itis important however, especiallyat this time, to revive theNigeria’s Judiciary with hotwater, to take clues from this UK

Court performance and meet upwith the heat. The UK Courtalready taught the NigerianJudiciary how to make a goodprosecution. While there is ahanging tendency that theNigerian Government may soonscrap off the EFCC alongsidefourteen other agencies, it will begood to scrap it off altogether usto set up something else thatworks.

We do not necessarily needthe UK Court to assist in theprosecution of the rest Iboris stillin Nigeria. UK’s trial of ourcriminals will be frightfullyexpensive, just as it cost us somuch for them to investigateIbori. Understandably, it isbetter to spend that much to getjustice rather than allowing thethief win away with all hepurloined, it is however muchbetter to save much money if ouranti-graft drive is working athome – and we would still savemore, if the Nigeriangovernment officials arepunished for siphoning publicfunds. Already, the NigerianJudiciary has lost its reputationand has fallen out of place; theNigerian Judicial system isbroken. This is however an shotat resurrection. If I wereLamorde for one day, just as theEFCC stands the risk of beingscrapped any time, I will onlytake a giant step as if I’d have noother opportunity. Since thetrial of one Ibori has beenproduced a logical outcome, I’djust go after the rest Ibori’s whoare still within reach and tinker

with them.If the Nigerian Judiciary is

serious about redeeming it’stainted image reeking ofextensive corruption stench, allthose whose names werementioned during the trial ofIbori, such as the Obong VictorAttah’s are proper objects toscore the bull. If the NigerianJudiciary would like to restorecitizens’ trust, Gbenga Daniel’scurrent case is a admirable oneto give us deep breathes. If theNigerian Justice system wouldbecome something to be takenseriously, former Governors,including the Lagos Asiwaju‘jagaban’ are landmark casesworth pursuing. If the anti-graftcrusade in Nigeria would betaken seriously, DimejiBankole’s case will end up invictory for Nigerians andPresident Jonathan must beforced to reveal his assets as amatter of urgency.

We just cannot wait anymorefor the rest Iboris to be tried withthe UK court type of seriousness.We just can not wait, and I willhave to borrow OmoyeleSowore’s ringing words duringthe New York episode of theOccupy Nigeria throwing of acrappy town hall meeting to theface of the minister in errand forJonathan; Nigerians are tired ofweak anti-corruption war inNigeria and “we have beentaking it lying down for a longtime… and we are no longergonna wait… no more!”.Segun is a public affairsanalyst.

By Segun O’Law

billion on the construction of 35model Almajiri primary schoolsacross the country.

He said that the money wasspent on building, furnishing andequipping the model schools thatwere located in 18 of the 19northern states.

“The 35 schools — 10 boardingand 25 day schools — were built bythe Fund, apart from the 51schools, currently being put inplace by UBEC,” he said.

Yakubu said that all the schools,including the one in Auchi, EdoState, had state-of-the-art libraries,laboratories, ICT centres andvocational and technical educationworkshops.

The Sultan of Sokoto, AlhajiSa’ad Abubakar III , whocommended Jonathan for hiscommitment towards the growthof education in the country, notedthat the establishment of Almajirimodel schools was apt, desirableand purposeful.

The schools would providesuccour to millions of youths whocould not benefit from theconventional school system, headded.

To add value to theprogramme, the Sultan,nonetheless, suggested theestablishment of more communityschools across the country.

“ We must encourage self-helpprojects and facilitate theestablishment and sustenance ofcommunity schools.

“We must, above all, restorethe culture of Waqf (endowment)to support our educational andreligious institutions,” he said.

Abubakar stressed thateducation was a enterprise thatcould only succeed in a pragmaticway via collective efforts.

Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of SokotoState also hailed the President for“contributing immensely to thedevelopment of the state since hisassumption of office”.

He noted that the Almajiraiconstituted a significantpercentage of the youth’spopulation in the North, addingthat they also “ pose somechallenges for the achievement ofthe targets of the Education for All(EFA) initiative.”

Wamakko, however, said thatthe state government hadestablished a similar school with800 pupils at Tudun Dogo, Dange/Shuni Local Government Area.

He said that his governmenthad also directed the 23 localgovernment councils in the stateto establish similar Almajiri schoolsin their respective domains.

The commendations’ galore forthe Federal Government’sinitiative appears endless and asthe Muslim Media Watch Group,

an NGO, is one of the groups thatlauded the President for promotingthe education of the Almajirai.

Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, thegroup’s National Coordinator,however, appealed to the FederalGovernment to do everythingpossible to provide the Almajiraiwith qualitative education.

Some Islamic scholars have alsocommended Jonathan for takingdecisive steps to address salientissues relating to the education ofthe Almajirai.

One of the scholars, MalamAuwalu Muhammad, stressed thatthe new Federal Government’seducation policy would boost themorale of Qur’anic teachers, whileeasing the burden of educating thegrowing population of the Almajiraiacross the country.

Muhammad said that theprogramme would also enhancethe youths’ access to formaleducation, while raising theliteracy level in northern Nigeria.

“The integration of Almajirischools into formal education bythe Federal Government is awelcome development but theproblem is how to ensure theprogramme’s sustainability.

“This is because governmentschools are even facing somedifficulties such as non-payment ofteachers’ salaries and lack ofequipment.

“It is a good initiative but we

must ensure that these Almajirischools are well-maintained.

“We are also urging thegovernment to put in place amechanism that will ensure theschools’ sustainability, even afterthe end of the currentadministration,” he said.

Muhammad particularlyurged affluent citizens tocontribute toward themaintenance of Almajiri schools intheir respective localities.

Besides, the AlmajiriFoundation of Nigeria is full ofpraises for Jonathan for initiatingthe Almajiri Model School scheme.

Mr Yusuf Hassan, the NationalChairman of the Foundation,described the programme as “anoble idea which the Foundationand all Northerners had beenyearning for”.

He said that the educationprogramme would provide somesuccour to the Almajirai, who werehitherto not adequately takencare of in the society.

“The Almajirai roam aboutdangerously in tattered clothes, inbetween fast-moving vehicles,begging for food and money,”Hassan noted.

He stressed that if theprogramme was sustained andwell-implemented, it wouldcompletely eradicate the menaceof the Almajirai by giving themreligious and formal education

and repositioning them tocontribute more meaningfully tonational development efforts.

To make the programme morefulfilling, Hassan urged all stategovernments to embark on theconstruction of similar Almajirischools in each local governmentarea of their states.

He also urged the private sectorand wealthy individuals tocontribute to the success of thescheme.

However, Alhaji AhmedGulak, Special Adviser to thePresident on Political Matters,said that the initiative was partof the Federal Government’sstrategies aimed at stemming therising wave of insecurity in thecountry.

Noting that the initiative wasthe first of its kind in the last 50years, Gulak said: “Our task is tosee that we live in peace and unity,while ensuring the progress of ourcountry so that all Nigerians canget the dividends of democracy.”

In spite of the widespreadpraises for the initiative, analystsinsist that government mustinitiate and sustain pragmaticplans to educate the youth so as torid the towns and cities of the largearmy of unemployable youths,street urchins, Almajirai and streetbeggars.Sani Adamu works with theNews Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Promoting the education of the Almajiri: The Jonathan recipeContinued from page 14


The Minister of the FederalCapital Territory (FCT),Senator Bala Mohammed

has revealed that over 90 per centof plots of land allocated in theterritory have not been developedby plot owners.

This, he said is due to theabsence of basic infrastructures,just as he also disclosed that sincethe existence of Abuja as thenation’s capital city,“infrastructural development inthe FCT has not been more than25 per cent”.

Senator Mohammed, who

90% of allotted plots notdeveloped, says FCT ministerBy Josephine Ella spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting

at Transcorp Hotels in Abujareiterated the role of the privatesector as the main driver for thenation’s economic growth anddevelopment saying that the FCTadministration was exploring thePublic Private Partnership (PPP)option to provide infrastructurein the territory.

”In our efforts to actualizedividends of the TransformationAgenda in the FCT and thus,positively transform the lives ofresidents of the territory, the FCTAdministration has come up withsound initiative oncomprehensive district

development on the basis ofprivate sector collaboration,” hesaid.

He noted that the forum wasconvened so as to formally informmembers of the Organized PrivateSector and would-be partnersabout the PPP model for districtdevelopment and solicit for theiractive participation.

He lamented that in the past,allottees of Mass Housing landswere made to provide secondaryand tertiary infrastructure butthat it did not yield the desiredobjectives.

According to him, the MassHousing districts of Kafe, Mbora,

Galadimawa, Lokogoma andWumba, though substantiallydeveloped, have remainedwithout necessaryinfrastructures; adding thatother districts suffering the samefate include Mabushi, Kado,Gwarimpa and Durumi.

He emphasised that lack ofsuccesses in those exercises waslargely attributed to alienation ofthe private sector as a major andeffective manager of resources,assuring however that, the FCTadministration was determinedto initiate new order of things andcorrect the past without witch-hunting anybody.

Dear reader, Metrowelcomes humaninterest stories in yourneighbourhood. Pleasecall or send SMS to08065327178 or [email protected] to inform us abouthappenings in yourarea. Share yourexperiences or those ofyour friends andneighbours with fellowreaders.

Tuesday while speaking tonewsmen shortly after the ANPPrally at Gwako Village of theArea Council, saying that he willtake the decampees along in thescheme of things.

He expressed Joy over thecaliber of people that decampedto ANPP in the Area, pointing outthat his leadership will give thenecessary support to thedecampees in order to participatefully in the party’s affair.

He called on the ANPP wardChairmen across theGwagwalada Area council todeem it fit to appoint thedecampees to key positions for theoverall progress of the party.

Earlier, the Chairman of theAll Nigerian people’s party in theFCT, Mrs Abdulmaliki urged thedecampees to join hands withmembers for the betterment ofthe party.

The FCT ANPP Chairman

appealed to the residents ofGwagwalada to vote for ANPP in2013 so that the leadership of theparty will continue with its goodgovernance in the Area.

One of the decampees,Honourable Abubakar JibrinGiri, who was once a speaker ofthe Legislative arm ofGwagwalada Area Council, saidthat he decamped to ANPP so asto contribute his quota to thedevelopment of Area Council.

The Executive Committee(EXCO) of the FederalCapital Territory (FCT)

has given approval for inclusion of Mass Housing sitesand Sectional titles in the scopeof work of the Accelerated AreaCouncils Title Re-IssuanceScheme (AACTRIS) project.

Briefing journalists on thedecision of the Exco, SeniorSpecial Assistant to the FCTMinister on InformationManagement and Strategy,Hajiya Jamila Tangaza said the inclusion was to enableAATRIS project take care of allMass Housing sites, AreaCouncils customary allocationsand sectional titles (Blocks ofFlats) in the Federal CapitalTerritory and be issued withCertificates of Occupancysimultaneously.

She explained that since theentire project of title re-issuanceare similar; the FCTadministration thought it isappropriate to take advantageof the existing technologyplatform, personnel andresources to achieve the tasks.

Furthermore, she explainedthat the project would improvethe Internally GeneratedRevenue (IGR) of the FCTadministration through thecollection of statutory land fees.

She equally, disclosed thatthe EXCO directed that all landuse in the affected areas beharmonized especially theactivities of the AbujaGeographic InformationSystem; Lands; Urban &Regional Planning andDevelopment ControlDepartments to acceleratedevelopment in such areas andfurther reduce friction.

It would be recalled that theFCT EXCO had earlier in April last year, approved the engagement of Messrs E-AngelConsortium on a public privatecollaboration framework for theprocessing of backlog of AreaCouncils Titles.

This involves conversion ofcustomary to statutory toenhance the value of suchproperties and serve ascollateral to access creditfacilities.

FCTA approvesinclusion of masshousing schemein AACTRISproject

1,000 people defect from PDP to ANPP in Gwagwalada

The Chairman ofGwagwalada AreaCouncil in the Federal

Capital Territory, HonourableZakiri Angulu Dobi has disclosedthat about one thousand peoplefrom 4 wards have decampedfrom the peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) to the All NigerianPeoples Party (ANPP) in the area.

Dobi, disclosed this on

A woman peeling yam for frying at Lugbe, yesterday. Photo: Joe Oroye

By Josephine Ella

By Usuman Shuabu

members of the Union to obeythe laid down rules of civilservice at all time.

Comrade Gambo Hussainimade the appeal in aninterview with newsmen onTuesday, saying that hisadministration will nothesitate to provide an enablingenvironment for the civil

servants in the area council inorder to carry out theirprofessional duties effectively.

According to him; “myadministration will try its bestto regularize the workers wagesas well as maintain goodrelationship with themanagement of Area council”.

He said that his leadership

would follow the footstep of hispredecessor , calling onmembers to join hands withhim to move the union forward

Hussaini, however, saidthat the Union was yet toinitiate any policy ofassessment to checkmate theactivities of the Executive armof the Area Council for now.

We will regularise wages, Gwagwalada NULGE chairman

The newly electedChairman of NigeriaUnion of Local

Government Employees inGwagwalada Area council ofFederal Capital Territory,Comrade Abagi GamboHussaini has appealed to

By Usuman Shuabu


1

3

2

The etsu of kwali areacouncil in the federalcapital tertiary, Alhaji

Shaban Aud Niza 2011 hascrowned the chairman of thearea council , HonourableJoseph Shazin as the“Garkuwa” Kwali alongside some personality over theweekend.

Speaking at the occasion,the chairman of GwagwaladaArea council in the FCT,Honourable Zakari AnguluDobi said the chairman ofKwali was honoured with thetraditional title based on hiscontributions towards thedevelopment of Kwali and itsenvirons.

The Gwagwaladachairman commended theetsu of kwali for honouringsome personalities with thetraditional titles in the area,saying that the honour willginger the holders tocontribute their parts to theprogress of traditionalinstitution in kwali.

Dobi, however, advised thetitle holders in kwali to use

Kwali council bossbags traditional title

their positions to maintain peacewith other ethnic groups for theoverall development of kwaliarea council.

In an interview withnewsmen, the chairman of kwaliarea council, honourable JosephShazin who was one of thebeneficiaries of the traditionaltitles said that his leadershipwould continue to contribute tothe traditional institution in thearea.

Shazin used the occasion toinform that his administrationhas executed people’s orientedprojects, noting that theachievement recorded in thecouncil were due to the supportfrom residents.

On his part, the etsu of kwali, Alhaji shaban Audu Niza 2011said that the traditional titleswere bestowed on some personsin order to encourage them tocontribute their quota to thedevelopment of kwali areacouncil.

It would be recalled thatabout five non-indigenes werealso given traditional titlesincluding the personal assistantto the council chairman ofkwali.

1. Men of Abuja Environmental Sanitation Task Force at work alongCity Gate Abuja yesterday.

3. Road accident along Lugbe road, Abuja, recently.

2. Man hwaking sunshade at Area 1, Abuja.

By Usuman Shuabu


Traders in the ApoResettlement Camp andthose of neighbouring

communities like Akpanjiyaand Garki, who have longed fora legitimate marketplace fortheir commodities, can nowheave a sigh of relief with thecommissioning of the NewGarki Fish Market.

Though named Garki FishMarket, the market is expectedto accommodate traders ofother food commodities likeyams, rice, tomatoes, pepper,onion, to mention but a few.

Prior to the opening of themarket, which consist of formaland informal sections withlock-up shops and open stalls,traders in the areas had carriedout their business by the

AMAC unveils New Garki FishMarket for APO residents

roadside, thereby resulting totraffic gridlock thus andendangering the lives of thetraders and other road users.

However, with the eventualcompletion and official openingof the market, it is expectedthat this would become a thingof the past.

While commissioning themarket yesterday, theChairman of Abuja MunicipalArea Council (AMAC), Hon.Micah Jiba said the initiativeis a fulfilment of one out of thenumerous campaign promisesof his administration.

“During our electioneeringcampaign we did promise ourelectorates who voted us intooffice that we will give themthe best. This is part of thedividends of democracy thatwe promised them. Theopening of this market is for the

benefit of residents of the AMACand Abuja residents,” he said.

Represented by the councilsecretary, Alhaji Idris Tanko,Jiba said the effort was toensure that traders who haveconverted road sides andshoulders to market places,have a befitting place tocarryout to their businesses.

Aside averting the dangers

By Josephine Ella

A trader attends to a customer during the ceremonial flag-off of sales in the New Garki Fish market.

AMAC chairman, Micah Jiba

Side view of the informal section of the market

associated with roadsidetrading, he said this wouldrestore sanity to the areas as itis believed that roadsidetraders contribute to thelittering of the streets andtraffic congestion.

The chairman, thereforewarned street traders to utilisethe market, threatening tosanction traders found

“All the marketers who have gottentheir allocations of shops but

refuse to come to the market, weare going to revoke the allocationand give it to those that are willing

to patronise the market

operating by the roadside inthe area henceforth.

According to him, alloteeswho fail to take up their shopsin the market would have itrevoked.

In his word; “Bycommissioning of this markettoday, we expect thateverybody will be bringing hiscommodity to this market forsale. We don’t want to seeanybody selling by the roadsideagain. As from today, anytrader found selling by theroadside will be prosecuted.

“All the marketers whohave gotten their allocations ofshops but refuse to come to themarket, we are going to revokethe allocation and give it tothose that are willing topatronise the market”.

Community leaders ofGarki, who were present at theoccasion, were full ofappreciation to the AMAC

administration overcompletion and opening of themarket facility.

The Chief of Garki, AlhajiUsman Ngakupi noted thatAMAC had spent a lot of moneyfor the project to eventually seethe light of the day.

Ngakupi, who wasrepresented by District Head ofGarki, Mr. Jacob Garkicommended the effort, as heexpressed confidence that theadministration would replicatesimilar gesture in future as theneed arises.

He noted that apart fromApo residents, otherneighbouring communitieswould benefit from the facility,urging traders to quit the roadand use the market.

Traders in the area wereeven more joyous as theydanced in celebration to theopening of the market.

Mrs Lami Jiwa, who spokeon behalf of the marketwomen, assured residents thatall commodities that would besold in the market would bemore affordable than those inother markets.

She therefore, urgedresidents to patronise themarket as she said a trial wouldconvince them.

While appreciating theAMAC for the initiative, shechallenged chairmen of otherarea councils of the territory toemulate such a good gesture.

Jiwa did not forget to adviseher colleagues to relocate totheir rightful place in themarket rather than theroadside, for their own good.

The event featured aceremonial flag-off of sales inthe market with the chairmaninspecting some of thecommodities displayed in themarket for sale such as yams,rice, pepper, tomatoes, ice fish,dry fish and onion amongothers.


Management Tip of the DayKeep your cool when getting feedback

all the power. Accept thisimbalance and be easy onyourself.

Expect to be surprised.You're likely to hear somethingthat you weren't aware of.Perhaps something was abigger deal than you thought,or something you thought was

resolved wasn't.Don't be defensive. Even if

you disagree, hold your tongue.Instead of defending yourself,ask questions. Once you'vecooled down, you can alwaysfollow up.Source: Harvard BusinessReview

INSIDE

No one likes to hear thatthey aren't performingwell. Yet, everyone can

improve. Next time you receiveconstructive feedback, do thesethree things:

Relax. It's understandable tobe nervous during a feedbacksession. The other person holds

BUYING SELLING

CFA 0.2913 0.3113• 203.1211 04.4341£ 246.762 248.3571RIYAL 41.25 41.5167$ 154.7 155.7

CBN 17th Apr, 2012

EXCHANGE RATES

PARALLEL RATES BUYING SELLING

• 210 212£ 254 256RIYAL 40 42$ 158 159

SMEDAN bosslaments lack ofSME plan after independence

- Pg 20

Email: [email protected] Mob: 08033644990

BBBBBUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESS

Flight schedule

LOS-ABJ: 07.15, 11.40, 14.00,16.30, 17.00, 17.20, 18.30

ABJ-LOS: 07.00, 09.30, 10.30,11.15, 16.15, 19.15, 19.35

ABJ-KANO: 18.40

KANO-ABJ: 08.35

ABJ-SOK (MON): 09.35

SOK-ABJ (MON): 11.35

LOS-ABJ: 06.50, 13.30, 19.45

ABU-LOS: 07.30, 13.00, 14.00, 19.00

LOS-ABJ: 07.02, 08.10, 12.06,15.30, 17.10

ABJ-LOS: 07.20, 09.36, 13.05, 14.40

LOS-ABJ: 9.45, 11.45, 2.45

IRS AIRLINES

AIR NIGERIA (MONDAY - SUNDAY)

DANA AIRLINES (MON - SUN)

AEROCONTRACTORS (MON - SUN)

ABJ-SOK (FRI): 10.10

ABJ-SOK (WED/SUN): 11.20

SOK-ABJ (FRI): 12.00

SOK-ABJ (WED/SUN): 13.20

LOS-ABJ (SUN): 12.30

LOS-ABJ (SAT): 16.45

ABU-LOS (SUN): 10.30, 14.30, 19.30

ABU-LOS (SAT): 18.30

ABJ-LOS (SAT/SUN): 13.05, 18.00

LOS-KANO: 08.10

KANO-LOS: 11.25KANO-ABUJA: 11.25

ABUJA-KANO: 10.08

ABJ-LOS: 11.30, 3.45, 4.45

LOS-KANO: 6.15LOS-KANO (SAT/SUN): 16.30KANO-LOS: 07.30KANO-LOS (SUN/SUN): 10.30

S/N BENEFICIARIES SUB-TOTAL (N)

1 FG (52.68%)States (26.72%)L/govt Councils (20.72%)Derivation (13% of Mineralrevenue-oil/gas)Value Added Tax (VAT)& Transfers 620.7 billion

FAAC allocation for the month of March 2012

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Mohammed Maccido, Director General,Budget Office, Mr. Bright Okogu, and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, during the publicpresentation of the 2012 Federal Budget, on Monday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

DMO to issue N290bn bonds in Q2The debt office said late on

Tuesday it would auctionbetween 15-25 billion naira in 3-year paper in April, 30-40 billionnaira worth in 5-year and 10-year bonds each in the samemonth.

In May, the debt office plansto issue between 30-40 billionnaira worth in 5-year and 10-year bonds, respectively, whilein June it would raise between

25-35 billion in 5-year, 7-yearand 10-year paper, respectively.

Nigeria, Africa’s secondbiggest economy, said all were re-openings of those previouslyissued, except for the issue of 25-35 billion naira in 7-year paperin June.

Africa’s biggest crudeexporter issues sovereign bondsmonthly to support the local bondmarket, create a benchmark for

The federal government plansto raise between N210billion and N290 billion

($1.33 billion - $1.84 billion) insovereign bonds ranging between3 and 10 years in the secondquarter of the year, the DebtManagement Office (DMO) said,more than its first quarter debtissuance.

corporate issuance and fund itsbudget deficit.

Nigeria’s secondary bondmarket remained subdued in thelast two weeks as bond holderswaited for the release of the secondquarter auction calendar.

Dealers expect it will serve as astimulus to boost activity in thesecondary market in the comingdays. ($1 = 157.52 naira)(Reuters)

Naira firms against USdollar on NNPC dollar sale

The local currency, thenaira currency rose to itshighest level in five and

half weeks against the U.Sdollar yesterday, after state-owned energy company NNPCsold $400 million to somelenders, which boosted dollarliquidity in the market.

The local currency closedtrading at 157.30 to the dollaron the interbank market,firmer than the 157.50 it closedat on Tuesday.

“The market reacted to theadditional sales of $400 millionby the NNPC to some bankstoday, in addition to its initialsales of same amount onMonday which boosted dollarliquidity and provided supportfor the naira,” one dealer said.

The energy company hadinitially sold about $400

million late on Monday to somelenders, but that had littleimpact on the market becauseof strong demand for thegreenback by importers.

Traders said the nairatraded as low as 157.65 to thedollar, intraday, before theNNPC dollar flow helpedstrengthen the currency.

“Most banks were initiallyholding their positions, notwilling to buy or sell dollars,until the NNPC funds hit themarket and changed thecalculations,” another dealersaid.

Most oil companiesoperating in Africa’s top oilproducer sell dollars at the endof each month to banks toobtain naira for their localobligations, while the NNPCsells its dollar to fund itobligations to government.

A trader said the nairashould trend lower to within157.3 to 157.65 against thedollar in the coming days, asdollar demand from importersincreases.

On the official window, thecentral bank sold $120 millionat 155.75 to the dollar,compared with $150 millionsold at 155.70 to the dollar onMonday. (Reuters)

The Acting Chairman,Federal Inland RevenueService (FIRS) Alhaji

Kabir Mashi has disclosed ofplans to review both CapitalGains Tax (CGT) and StampDuties (SD) Acts to ensure thatthe laws are in conformity withglobal best practices.

Mashi made the disclosureat a workshop onAdministration of CGT, SD andPersonal Income Tax (PIT) foroptimum revenue yield held inAbuja on Wednesday.

He said that the Servicewould also embark on massivesensitization of the public andcreate awareness on bestpractices that would help driveimproved collection of all taxes.

Mashi said there was need for

the FIRS to focus more on CGT,SD and PIT to ensure increaserevenue generation andmaximize revenue potentialsfrom various sources that haveremained untapped.

He stressed the need forCGT, SD and PIT to contributemore to the total tax take inview of the pressing need toimprove revenue accruable togovernment across levels.

“This position musthowever be reversed if we areto meet our targets and ensurethat these taxes begin to makesubstantial contribution tooverall revenue collection’’, hesaid.

The Ag. ExecutiveChairman noted that therealisation of Nigeria’s 2012Budget is dependent on earning

from taxes and that staff shouldbear this in mind at all times.

“In doing this, we must notethat the national budget issubstantially predicated on theability of the FIRS as theprimary revenue generatingagency of the FederalGovernment to meet itsrevenue targets. This willenable Government at all levelsto execute its variousdevelopmental programmesand projects.

“It is in this regard that weneed to intensify our effortstowards optimum revenuecollection. In doing this, wemust bring to the fore, key issuesimpacting our ability tomaximise revenue potentialsfrom various sources that havehitherto remain untapped.There is therefore the need tofocus on these identified areasand bring up ideas, which willenable us optimise revenue inthe areas”.

FIRS to review capital gains tax,stamp duties Acts, -Ag. chairmanBy Tinuade Oredoyin


Nigeria’s bankingcrisis over –AMCON

Managing Director, AssetManagement Companyof Nigeria, AMCON said

Nigeria’s banking crisis wasover and the sector’s earningsshould see a substantialrecovery when results come infor the first quarter of 2012 justas the Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN, has disclosed that thenation’s external reserves roseby 3.63 per cent.

The ability ofinsurers to payclaims is not indoubt – NAICOMboss

Commissioner forInsurance, Mr. FolaDaniel says that the

present day insurancecompanies’ ability to settleclaims is competitive to rankamong the top notch companiesin Africa. Daniel says thenation’s insurance sectorpremium rates are notregulated hence cannot bederegulated.

46 firms at NSEoperate belowlisting standards

The Nigerian StockExchange (NSE) iscurrently hosting about

46 companies that areoperating Below ListingStandards (BLS), investigationhas revealed.BusinessDay further learnt thatthese companies are non-compliant with the post listingrules evidenced in the latesubmission of their financialstatements and unauthorisedpublication.

Foreignairlinesdirected to pay5% fuelsurchage

Senate Committee onAviation on Tuesdaydirected the Nigerian Civil

Aviation Authority (NCAA) tocompute and recover fromforeign airlines operating in thecountry the five percentpassenger fuel surcharge andpay into government coffers.

The directive followedadmission by foreign airlineoperators that they were notpaying the five percent fuelsurcharge as statutorilyrequired from all tickets sold topassengers after claiming thatthey were not aware of any lawmandating them to pay.

COMPANYNEWS

Heaps of oranges at Zuba fruit market, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Nigeria Customs targetsN1.2tr revenue in 2012By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

The Comptroller-General ofCustoms, Alhaji AbdullahiDikko Inde has pledged to

exceed the N800 billion nairarevenue target set for him bythe Federal Government in2 0 1 2 .

Inde in an interview withState House correspondents atthe Presidential Villa

yesterday, said it was atradition in the NCS to surpassgovernment target, addingthat he was looking at a realisticfigure of N 1.2 trillion.

“The target is N800 billionbut I have put my target forwardto N1.2 trillion. I made provisionfor additional N400 billion togenerate for Nigerians so thatthey can be happy,” he said.

On the issue of porous borders

and proliferation of small armsand smugglers, the Customs bosssaid: “We have acquired twohelicopters which we are goingto be using across borders, thePresident has approved thepurchase of 400 units of ToyotaHilux which we acquired.

Also, we have importedalmost 5,000 AK47 assaultrifles. I think with that, we willgive you people a surprise.”

SMEDANboss lamentslack of SMEplan afterindependenceBy Abdulrahman Abdulraheemand Tinu Adedoyin

The Director-General ofSmall and MediumEnterprises Development

Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN),Alhaji Muhammad NadadaUmar has criticized the failureof past leaders to develop a properSME plan

for the country sinceindependence.

Speaking at the first editionof Daily Trust open BusinessForum in Abuja, Umar notedthat all through the years, thecountry had been concentratingon academic work after whichthe graduates would fall

back to white collar jobs.“Every year, the

Universities will graduate aboutfour million people in thecountry with less than 200,000getting jobs because weinherited a culture that onceyou graduate, you get a job. The

colonial masters did not teachus about entrepreneurship skillsand right from then we on ourown did not think of that untilrecently when we commencedsuch exercise,” he said.

He said that part of thesolution to the problem whichhas already started is theinculcation of entrepreneurshiptraining in the schoolcurriculum.

“We want a situation wherea Nigerian will begin to think ofwhat to do to better his lifeindependently withoutdepending on anybody and ifNigerians will begin to thinkthis way, then we will moveforward

because this kind of thinkingwill force one to look for what todo,” he said.

The SMEDAN boss said thatthe mixed priority by peoplethat capital is the mostimportant feature of enterpriseshas led to the collapse of so manybusinesses, adding that capitalshould come last among thethree most critical factors.

“The first among theimportant features is theconcept followed by the capacityand then the last is capital butwhen we consider capital to befirst then it will fail because ifthere is no capacity you can’t

succeed. For instance, wehave so many carpenters andother small businesses but theproblem is that if you are a goodcarpenter, how do you run thatcarpentry as a successfulbusiness without concept and

capacity and that is whyentrepreneurship skills shouldcome,” he said.

He explained that the wayforward was to give requiredattention to facilities that willprovide good atmosphere forsmall businesses to grow, addingthat this should have come some35 to 40 years back.

2012 budget will slow down business growth – OPS

The Organised Private Sector(OPS) has raised concern onthe late passage of the budget

2012 which it says would have a negative impact on the nation’seconomic development and byextension, slow down investmentgrowth.

The Director-General,Nigeria Association of Chambersof Commerce, Industry Mines

and Agriculture, (NACCIMA) Mr.John Isemede, said the delay willhave effect on the general cash flowto the economy.

Isemede suggested thatgovernment should ensureproper implementation of theBudget which he says, it will goa long way to reduce the negativeimpact on the economy.

Also, President of LagosChambers of Commerce andIndustry (LCCI) Mr. Goodie

Ibru, said the FederalGovernment cash flow wasimportant to the private sectorto thrive.

He noted that the chamberwas concerned that budget delayshave become a recurringphenomenon in the country.

He also noted that the publicsector is a major driver ofeconomic activities by virtue ofthe configuration of the economyand resource allocation.

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Jonathan in Germany to canvassforeign investment in renewable energy

On the invitation of GermanChancellor, AngelaMerkel, President

Goodluck Jonathan is expected inBerlin, Germany on Wednesdayat the start of a three-day Statevisit to the country.

The visit is a follow up of theone made to Nigeria by Merkel inJuly last year during which shemet with President Jonathanwho he joined in the German-Nigeria Economic Forum whichhas alternated between the twocountries for several years.

Jonathan’s visit is aimed atenhancing the economiccooperation between bothcountries at a time Nigeria is

seeking to attract investors in allsectors of the economyparticularly the area ofrenewable energy whereGermany has vast experience.

Merkel and Jonathan hademphasized the importance ofboth countries for each other,particularly in the economicperspective and had spoken of theneed for the energy partnership,which has existed for severalyears between the two countries,to be strengthened.

A bilateral Commission hasalready been established todeepen the German-Nigerianrelations with the signing of theunderstanding last December byforeign ministers of bothcountries in Berlin.

According to the Ambassadorof Nigeria to Germany, AbduUsma Abubakar, who spoke toState House correspondents in hisoffice in Berlin on Tuesday , thePresident’s visit to Germanywould cement the bilateralcommission which he said wouldnow target specific andachievable programmes withtime frames.

He spoke of the benefit of therelationship between the twogovernments including therecent overture by the Germangovernment for a grant of about•90million to Nigeria forrenewable energy, manpowertraining, among others, atgovernment to governmentlevel.

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem


FG assures investors on improvement insovereign credit profile and investmentThe Federal Government

has assured investorsthat it would continue to

improve the country’s sovereigncredit profile and investmentgrade ratings.

Dr. Abraham Nwankwo,Director General, DebtManagement Office (DMO)made the statement at theNigeria Non-Deal RoadshowInvestor Presentation in NewYork on Tuesday.

According to him, theimprovement is sequel to thesuccessful implementation ofreforms, and the continuedrobust performance of theNigerian economy.

“Nigeria’s era of progress andprosperity continues, and ismarked by robust, sustainablegrowth, accelerating economicdiversification and strongexternal position,’’ the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) quotedthe Director General as saying.

He said Nigeria’s emergenceas a regional power house wasbeing driven in a very largemeasure by the economic andfinancial sector reforms thathad been at the core of Nigeria’spolicy agenda since 2004.

“A broad programme ofreform and restructuring haveimproved the performance and

outlook of the oil and gas sector, oil and gas are only one part ofNigeria’s improving story.’’

He added that stringent fiscaland debt management policieshad greatly improved Nigeria’sdebt metrics.

On fiscal and debt positions,Nwankwo, said that theinternational reserves positionstabilised in 2011 and hadimproved further in 2012,standing at 35.82 billion dollarsas at April 4 as against the 33.1billion dollars at the end ofDecember 2010.

He said that the requirementfor foreign investors to hold localbonds for at least a year waslifted with effect from July 1,2011 .

The DMO boss revealed thatdespite global price pressures,inflation in Nigeria haddemonstrated a downwardstrend since early 2010.

“Following the resolution ofthe banking sector crisis, theCentral Bank of Nigeria has beenincreasing interest rates in orderto normalise monetaryconditions and keep inflation incheck.

“The increased price levelarising from the recent partialremoval of the subsidy onpetroleum products is expected

to be moderated in the shortterm as the implementation ofplanned economic reformsresolve structural weaknesses.

“It removes supplybottlenecks that remain key riskto inflation in Nigeria. Theinflation rate for February2012, was 11.90 per cent, areduction from the rate of 12.60per cent for January 2012.’’

Also speaking, Mrs Mofoluke

Dosunmu, Executive Director,Finance and Operations, AssetManagement Corporation ofNigeria (AMCON) said thatNigerian economy grew at anaverage of 6.4 per cent between2006 and 2008.

She noted that the growthwas driven primarily by non-oilsector, while the downwardtrend in inflation over the sameperiod was 5.40 per cent in 2008.

Dosumu said that theNigerian banks assets rose byover N1.6 trillion between 2006and 2008, adding that thebanking sector assets as apercentage of Gross DomesticProduct (GDP) increased rapidlyto 60 per cent in 2008.

According to her, the poorrisk management in Nigerianbanks has led to theconcentration of assets incertain risky areas.

She noted that the situationled to the CBN intervention,stressing that the bank acted torestore financial stability in thebanking sector. (NAN)

President,CharteredInstitute ofStockbrokers, Mr.Michael Itegboje(right), speakingbefore Ad-hocCommittee onCapital Marketinvestigating thecollapse of theCapital Market, atthe NationalAssembly,yesterday inAbuja. With himare GeneralSecretary ofAssociation ofStocking Homesof Nigeria, Mr.Akin Akeredolu-Ale (middle), andChairman,Association ofStocking Homesof Nigeria, Mr.MadubuikeEmeka.Photo: MahmudIsa

Shareholders of GreifNigeria on Wednesdayrequested the board of the

company to give them bonusshares and interim dividend forits 2013 annual operationalresults.

They made the request atthe company’s 74th annualgeneral meeting of thecompany in Lagos.

The shareholders said thatthe requests, if accepted, wouldcompensate them for

supporting the company whichhas been in operation for morethan seven decades.

News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that GreifNigeria is a steelmanufacturing companylisted on the Nigerian StockExchange (NSE).

The shareholders said thatthere was need for thecompany to have a defineddividend policy.

One of the shareholders, Mr

Sunday Akinsanya,said thathe was encouraged by thecompany’s performance andprojected stream of income inthe next five years.

He said that the projectionsand anticipated earningsforecast by management andboard projections encouragedthe shareholders to demand foran interim dividend and bonusin 2013.

Mr Timothy Adesiyan, theNational President of the

Shareholders demand bonus, interim dividend from Greif NigeriaNigerian SolidarityShareholders Association, saidthat there was the need for thecompany to assert itself byshoring up their image.

Earlier, Mr Louis Wentzel,Chairman of the company, saidthat the management wouldtarget enhanced profitability in 2012.

He also said that it wouldidentify market opportunities,improved efficiency andreduction in operating costs.

year.The bank's detailed

unaudited first quarter resultsreleased to the Nigerian StockExchange (NSE) yesterdayshowed profit before tax grew byover200% to N16.1 billioncompared to N4.8 billion in thecorresponding period of lastyear. Gross Earnings increasedby 33% to N53.9 billion fromN40.5 billion recordedContributing to growth inbalance sheet were increasedborrowings and deposits, whichgrew by 134% and

14%respectively. With a loan todeposit ratio of 48% and a strongcapital adequacy ratio, the UBAgroup has significant capacityfor credit creation in the comingquarters.

"The financial performanceof the bank in the first quarterof 2012, attests to the resilienceof the group and turnaround inour business performancehaving cleaned up our balancesheet in2011.

The first quarter result is ourbaseline performance and as weenter our business consolidationphase with limited geographicexpansion, our businessnetwork, products and resourceshave been re-engineered foroptimal value extraction for thebenefit of our stakeholders.Overall, we are determined toenhance shareholder value byunlocking existing potentials inthe Bank, leveraging on itshuge resource base and vantagepositioning in Africa, as uniquesources of competitiveadvantage said. PhillipsOduoza, Group ManagingDirector/CEO, UBA Plc.

Commenting on the firstquarter results, the ChiefFinance Officer, Mr. UgoNwaghodoh said; "The firstquarter resultreaffirms UBA'sstrong earnings capacity. Theunderlying fundamentals ofourbusiness remains very strong,and we shall continue tooptimise the balance sheet foreven stronger earnings. Thisyear will also see significantcontributions from our solidexpansive solid Africafranchise."

UBA posts N28.5bn 2011 loss,nets N16bn profit in Q1 2012

NAN reports that thecompany’s 2011 annual reportshowed that its turnoverincreased to N879.49 millionfrom N784.67 million in2010.

Profit after taxation,however, dipped to N38.38million from N43.63 million inthe previous year.

Shareholders also endorseda dividend pay-out of N12.79million or 30k per share.(NAN)

The United Bank for Africahas posted a pre-tax loss ofN28.49 billion in 2011

operations compared to a pre-taxprofit of 3.22 billion naira itrecorded in 2010, the bank saidin a statement.

The loss stemmed fromwrite-offs of bad loans the bankwhich it issued a profit warninglast February has posted a profitof N16 billion in the first quarter(Q1) of 2012, surpassingtheN15.1bn profit forecastannounced earlier on in the

By Abdulwahab isa

PAGE 24 PAGE 25PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

The day “city” floated over Dulali village in BauchiIn what seemed like the

first time in recordedhistory, the nearest in

resemblance to the globalparanormal phenomenon ofunidentified flying objects(UFO), also known as flyingsaucer, was sighted inNigeria.

The place was a bordervillage called Dulali, inLanzai South ward, Darazolocal government of Bauchistate. It was a Monday in thehot dry season of March2011. Saidu Meshai Dulali, apopular hot tea brewer in thevillage, had just finished hismorning prayer at theMosque and was stoking upthe local stove for his day’swork.

Suddenly he becameaware of a pervading brightlight encapsulating theatmosphere, followed by thesudden thought that theheavens were falling on thevillage. And as he stood up tolook at the shimmering sky,he saw the most amazingview of his forty yearsexistence. According to him,“There appeared a wide,large mass of something thatlooked like a cloud fromnowhere and it was flyingslowly over the village just atthe height of an average tree.

“The cloud wastransparent and I sawbeautiful tall buildings insideit, with tarred roads and cars.It was like a flying city. Andfrom it I could hear the soundof machines making noisejust as you would hear atAshaka cement factory.”

If Saidu were the onlywitness of this extraordinaryexperience, it would havebeen impossible to take histestimony as a fact. But we

Some of the villagers during the researchers’ visit

By Greg Odogwu and MukhtarLawal Suleiman

discovered that the ‘flyingcity’ was witnessed by almostall the villagers, hundreds ofthem, the Chief Imam of thesole village Mosque inclusive.Children and adults all sawand corroborated the story.

Dauda Mohammed, afarmer, narrated how he sawit from the open field wherehe went to pick up animplement he had left theprevious day. He said thatwhen he looked up and sawhow the floating object wasmoving slowly round thevillage, he was so surprised,but not scared. He said hesaw the colour of thebuildings inside whatinitially appeared like amoving round and wideshaped massive cloud.

Ibrahim, a boy of aboutten years old, pointed to thetop of a tree and said that theUFO moved into the tree and

came out on the other side butthe tree was not pusheddown.

The above description bythese villagers aptly falls intothe category of the sightingof an unidentified flyingobject, popularly called UFOor flying saucer, aparanormal phenomenon,which is widely known andreported in the Westernworld but not often heard ortalked about in this clime.

Technically, UFO is anunusual apparent anomalyin the sky that is not readilyidentifiable to the observer asany known object. However,in modern popular culturethe term UFO has generallybecome synonymous withalien spacecraft. Someresearchers have arguedthat because these objectsappear to be technologicaland not natural

phenomenon, and are allegedto display flightcharacteristics or haveshapes seemingly unknownto conventional technology,the conclusion is that theymust not be from Earth.

Interestingly, the UFOsighting in Dulali hasrevealed to us as researchersthe influence of religion andsocio-cultural factors to thephenomenon. This is becausewhat ordinarily raises fearand conspiracy theories inthe Western world, where theUFO occurrence ispredominant, was viewed ina positive light over here.

The villagers were of theconsensus that what theywitnessed was actually anact of God, for He alone iscapable of making anythinghappen. According to YauKaugama, a Lanzai wardpolitical leader, who

accompanied us to the Dulalivillage, “We believe it is asign that in time to comesomething great will comeout of that small village.Something like a greatinvention, that will affect thelife of mankind.”

Mallam Shehu Liman isthe Chief Imam of thevillage. He confirmed thegeneral consensus of thevillagers and specificallyaffirmed that, “We believethat maybe Allah used thosesightings to open our eyes tosee how Jinns (spirits) live intheir own world. Allah isgreat, and there is nothingHe cannot do on earth.

“Exactly two weeks afterappearing in our village,that flying object visitedagain at the same exacttime, and stayed in the skyroving around the village foralmost an hour before it wentaway. We are happy becauseit shows we are special

village; other towns aroundwere not even given thatprivilege.”

Asked whether the villagemade a formal complaint orreport to the authorities, theImam said they did not see thenecessity of reporting, as theflying object neither harmednor injured anyone, and theywere all convinced it was apositive visitation.

According towww.thejinn.net , “There areunseen creatures that weshare this Earth with. Theydo not come from otherplanets. They have beencalled many names: Aliens,Spirits, Etherians,Ultraterrestrials, and more.In the Koran they are called theJinn. Information about Jinnreads like a textbookdescription of UFO and otherparanormal phenomena.

“The Jinn are beings withfree will, living on Earth in aworld parallel to mankind. TheArabic word means “toconceal”. They appear to

Hamma, Mukhtar, Greg and Yau Kaugama

Dauda Mohammed pointing to where the UFO hovered

include juvenile prankstersas well as powerful superiorbeings with an agenda we donot understand. They haveinfluenced mankind’sreligious and cultural beliefsfrom antiquity to the present.

“Jinn can create UFOs,h a l l u c i n a t i o n s ,psychokinetic effects, cattlemutilations, crop circles,apparitions and otherparanormal phenomenon.”

Cattle mutilations andcrop circles, as stated in theabove quote, are some of thephysical marks left by UFOsand the beings that ride inthem, generally called aliens.These incidents are alwaysreported in the Westernworld, especially in theUnited States of America andBritain. Crop circles, whichinvolve a sizable patterncreated by the flattening of acrop such as wheat, barley,maize, in a farm field, areparticularly seen in Britain,while cattle mutilations, theapparent killing and

mutilation of cattle underunusual or anomalouscircumstances, were firstreported in the United States.

When we asked thevillagers of Dulali whetherthey saw any living beingsinside the UFO, they were allcertain that no living beingwas seen in that ‘city’. In theWestern world, somewitnesses have described howthe UFO, sometimes asmaller craft, landed in aremote area or farm, andsome creatures came outfrom them. Some witnesseshave even claimed to havebeen abducted by thesebeings and either taken for aride in the craft or taken tothe larger UFO hovering inthe Earth’s orbit or to thehabitat of the alien beings.

When contacted, theChairman of Darazo localgovernment area at the timeof the sighting, Hon. SaboBako Sade, said that he wasaware of the paranormalvisitation at Lanzai and would

UFO hovered on top of these threes Saidu Meshai pointing to where the UFO floated

Chief Imam of Dulali Village, Mallam Shehu Liman praying for the researchers and the villagers

have carried out a thoroughinvestigation but was at thattime of the incident occupiedby the activities ofmarauding armed robberswho were raiding policestations and robbing banks in

his local government area.He insisted that the type

of supernatural occurrencehad never occurred in Darazosince the creation of the area,and had never again beenreported after the Dulali

incidents. He said, “When Iheard the news I first thoughtit was a practical joke, or awild rumour circulated bypeople, because at that timewe were under attack byhoodlums whom we could notascertain whether they wereBoko Haram or just armedrobbers. We were underimmense pressure. But thesupernatural sighting inDulali was a special one, aone-in- a-life timeexperience, even for me as apolitician. I wanted to set upa thorough investigativecommittee on the incidentbut my hands were tied atthat time.”

The American basedMUFON (Mutual UFONetwork), is theorganization thatinvestigates cases of reportedUFO sightings. Being one ofthe oldest and largest UFO-investigative organizationsin the world, it recentlyreleased a paper which statedthat from the year 2011, thesightings of UFOs all over theworld as compiled by it from1969, have witnessed anincrease of up to 67%.Therefore, with the Bauchiincident, it now seems thatNigeria has joined the manyother nations who have seethese strange objects in thesky and only time shallreveal when next and wherethey will be visiting on theseshores.

Greg Odogwu andMukhtar Lawal Suleiman,researchers andproducers of ParanormalNigeria, wrote from SuiteC8, Emab Plaza, Wuse 11,Abuja.

08063601665

“The villagers were of theconsensus that what they

witnessed was actually an actof God, for He alone is capable

of making anything happen


EMERGENCY UPDATEAgency is prepared for LakeNyos’ collapse — officialsome palliative measures in placeto minimise the impact of theimpending disaster on thepeople.

“Anytime you talk in Benueabout disaster management, theyalways think of Lake Nyos; theyalso remind you to do somethingabout it and this is exactly whatwe are doing.

“Our biggest problem now iswhat to do about the communitiesaround the River Benue in theevent of the lake’s collapse becausethere is no network of roads in thearea.

“However, we are discussingwith other stakeholders that haveexpertise in road constructions sothat more pathways and escaperoutes can be constructed for the

The National EmergencyManagement Agency(NEMA) has said that it is

prepared for the imminentcollapse of Lake Nyos and thepotential disaster it poses to Benueand other states in Nigeria.

NEMA’s North-Central ZonalCoordinator, Alhaji AlhassanAliyu, told the News Agency ofNigeria (NAN) in Jos recentlythat experts had predicted thatthe lake, near Nigeria’s borderwith Cameroon, would eventuallycollapse by 2015.

The collapse of lake, which isalso a volcanic dam, would causethe release up to 50 million cubicmetres (1.8 billion cu ft) of waterinto Katsina-Ala River.

“The water will flood Benueand Taraba states and releasemuch carbon dioxide into theatmosphere. NEMA has installedwarning signals in Kashimbila towarn people, about 10 km away,of the possibility of a flood andadvised that they be wary andready for the lake’s collapse if iteventually occurs earlier than the2015 date,” he said.

“The warning signals, a kindof scientific installation coded inseveral languages of thecommunities, inform theresidents about the impendingflood and forewarn everybody toimmediately leave the riverbank,” he explained.

“This alert system enables thepeople, particularly thosedownstream, to get promptinformation so that theirevacuation can be done as quicklyas possible in the event of any floodpassing through thecommunities,” he declared.

Aliyu further noted that thebasement of the lake was nowweak and could collapse anymoment from now, warning thatsouthern states of the country,particularly Cross River, were alsolikely to be flooded.

He advised the states toconstruct buffer dams to holdsuch excess water, stressing thatNEMA, in collaboration withother stakeholders, hadundertaken the technical studyof the lake and the prognosisindicated imminent hazards thatcould trigger major disasters.

Aliyu said that a buffer damwas also being constructed by theFederal Government as aproactive measure to contain theeffects of the lake’s imminentcollapse, adding that “we are nottaking chances.

“The Federal Government isconstructing a buffer dam thatwill serve as a protective measurefor the imminent catastrophe andreduce the impact of the floodingon Benue communities becausethey will experience the worstfloods.”

“Although work on the damwas slow at the beginning, it hasnow been hastened after NEMA’ssensitisation workshop andadvocacy visits where we alertedthose concerned to the imminentthreats,” he said.

The zonal coordinator saidthat NEMA had carried outsensitisation campaigns on thehazards posed by the lake, whileexperts had also alerted the BenueState Government and the peopleto the imminent threats.

Aliyu disclosed that the stategovernment and otherstakeholders had been putting

people.”Aliyu said that NEMA has

engaged the services of the Officeof the Surveyor-General of theFederation, which was currentlyworking on how the escape routescould constructed for thethreatened communities in theevent of the lake’s collapse.

He, nonetheless, concededthat government had alwaysbeen very careful aboutevacuating communities becauseof their attachments to theirlands, noting that in a democraticcountry such as Nigeria, thecitizens always insisted on theirfreedom of choice.

He stressed that thegovernment could only informthe communities about the

consequences of their continuedstay in hazardous areas, addingthat the communities had theliberty to decide whether to leaveor stay.

Aliyu, however, noted that thesimulation exercise, which was animportant aspect of managingany disaster that could crop upfrom the lake’s collapse, had notcommenced as yet.

“The areas the lake’s collapseis likely to cover are very complexand when it collapses, NEMA hasto coordinate all stakeholders thatneed to be mobilised but it is noteasy to coordinate an agency thatis not completely under yourcontrol.

“However, NEMA has verycapable staff undergoing a lot of

simulation work about flood, fireand any other aspect of disaster,particularly our search-and-rescue team,” he said.

NAN reports that Lake Nyos,which contains a large amount ofcarbon dioxide deposits, suddenlyemitted a large cloud of carbondioxide which suffocated anestimated 1,700 people and 3,500livestock in 1986.

However, Aliyu disclosed thata degassing tube whichsiphonedwater from the bottomlayers of water to the top, to allowcarbon dioxide to leak in safequantities, had been installed in2001 to prevent a recurrence.

He, nonetheless, stressed thatadditional tubes were still neededto make the lake safe. (NAN)

NEMA calls for action against impending floods in Nigeria

National EmergencyManagement Agency(NEMA) has called for

concerted action at all levels ofgovernment and sectors of theeconomy for pro-active ways toavert impending flood disastersin the country.

The South-East ZonalCoordinator of the agency, MrAbdullahi Onimode, made thecall at Abagana, Anambra, onTuesday during a sensitisationmeeting on “Flood EarlyWarning and Mitigation” fortraditional rulers.

Onimode explained that thethrust of the meeting was todiscuss the NigerianMeteorological Agency (NIMET)2012 seasonal rainfall

prediction and its socio-economicimplications for the nation.

He disclosed that not less than20 per cent of the populationwould be subjected to the dangerof flooding if nothing was donebefore the occurrence.

“Floods are among the mostdevastating natural disasters inthe world, claiming more livesand causing more propertydamage than any other naturalphenomenon. In Nigeria, at least20 per cent of the population isat risk of impending flooding,”he said.

“With increasing threatsfrom climate change, thefrequency of flooding andintensity of the hazard is certainto be on the increase,” the

coordinator observed,” Onimodeexplained.

Onimode maintained that itwas the responsibility of allstakeholders to intensify riskreduction, mitigation andpreparedness by increasing theirresilience to reducevulnerability to flooding and itsattendant effects.

“Flooding was recorded invirtually all states of thefederation in 2011 but was morecritical in nine states, Anambrainclusive,” he said.

“Therefore, the sensitisationcampaign on risk reduction,mitigation and preparedness isgeared toward strengtheningthe country’s capability, whichis believed, will reduce the

diverse effects of flooding,” thecoordinator pointed out,” headded.

He appealed to the traditionalrulers to go back to theircommunities and educate theirsubjects and generate ideas onhow to tackle the menace.

Onimode also urged them totalk to the people on the need tocultivate the habit of treeplanting as way of checkingflooding and erosion in the area.

Responding on behalf ofothers, the traditional ruler ofOko, Prof. Laz Ekwueme, calledfor encouragement andempowerment of the royalfathers in the fight againstflooding and erosion in thecountry. (NAN)

Kaduna Easterbomb blast:NEMA donatesN4m to victims

The National EmergencyManagement Agency(NEMA) has donated N4

million to the victims of Kadunabomb blasts which occurred onEaster Sunday.

In a statement signed byNEMA Public Relations Officer,Mr Baba Ali, the four hospitalsin the state where the victimsare currently receivingtreatment, would also benefit.

They are Ahmadu BelloUniversity Teaching Hospital(ABUTH), Zaria, 44 ArmyReference Hospital, BarauDikko Specialist Hospital andSt. Gerards Hospital, all inKaduna.

The statement stated thatthe cash donations wouldenable the victims procureessential needs duringtreatment.

“The agency will continueto discharge its responsibilitypromptly and efficiently toassist victims of natural andman-induced disasters,” thestatement added. (NAN)

Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi being briefed on the condition of victims at the Rakiya Hospital during the recent Kadunaexplosion along Junction Road / Sardauna Crescent before Ahmadu Bello Stadium Kaduna.


EMERGENCY UPDATE

Averting lead poison in Nigeria

YOUTHS FORYOUTHS FORYOUTHS FORYOUTHS FORYOUTHS FORPUBLIC SAFETYPUBLIC SAFETYPUBLIC SAFETYPUBLIC SAFETYPUBLIC SAFETY

By Abubakar [email protected]

Lead has been described as anaturally occurring metal, generally found in deposits of

ores containing other elementscommonly used as a solder in homeplumbing systems and in waterservice pipes designed to transportwater from municipal water mainsinto homes. However, theinterference of lead with a variety ofbody processes is poisonous to manyorgans and tissues including theheart, bones, intestines, kidneys, andreproductive and nervous systems;notably among children, causingpotentially permanent learning andbehaviorial disorders, convulsion,paralysis and even death.

In the last few years, manyNigerians, especially the young,have suffered from series of healthchallenges arising from theemergence of lead poison which hasled to the death of hundreds. Forinstance, Zamfara State leadpoisoning epidemic claimed the livesof over 400 children in the year2010; no fewer than 500 personswere admitted in various hospitalsfor lead epidemics; while over 4000children tested positive to toxic leadcontamination in the same state inthe year 2012.

This awful development is notlimited to Nigeria, as over 1000children have been affected withlead epidemic in central Henanprovince, China. Also, occupation isanother factor that exposes adults tolead poison. For example, it has beenestimated by the National Instituteof Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH), that more than 3 millionworkers in the United States arepotentially exposed to lead in theworkplace.

In a study conducted by NEMAin collaboration with internationalstakeholders on epidemics control,it has been reported that lead poisonarises from such human dailyactivities as placing lead objects orfingers in mouth after handling lead,breathing dust that contains lead.Lead can be found in pre-1978 housepaint, solder used in plumbing, dustand chips from deteriorating leadpaint on interior surfaces, old/imported toys or furniture, curtainweights, pottery, porcelain, leadedglass, and hobby materials,contaminated breast milk, amongothers.

In response to tackling thesedeadly epidemic, apart from time-to-time distributions of reliefmaterials to the victims of lead, theNational Emergency ManagementAgency (NEMA) under theleadership of the Director-General,Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi hasestablished a partnership with stategovernments and internationalorganizations by organizing series ofstakeholders’ workshops to helpsensitize the general public on theprevention and mitigation againstthe influence of lead poison.

Following this, in his key noteaddress at the National Workshopon the Mitigation of the Risk of LeadPoisoning Associated with GoldMining and Processing among RuralCommunities in Zamfara State,March 2011, Alhaji Sani-Sidiwarned against the ongoingexcessive and unjust miningactivities among rural communitiesin Nigeria; and the need for theconstant Environmental ImpactAssessment in part of stategovernments. This can be achievedthrough effective environmental

management, land use planningand strict compliance tooccupational safety and industrialregulations, as the society exploitedits natural resources to sustainlivelihoods.

Meanwhile, early diagnosisthrough clinical screeningconducted by medical specialists willhelp to determine the signs andmedical history of the poison. Indeed,the main tool in diagnosing andassessing the severity of leadpoisoning is laboratory analysis ofthe blood lead level. Besides,screening is an important methodin preventive medicine strategies.Screening programs exist to test theblood of children at high risk for leadexposure, such as those who live nearlead-related industries.

Frequent hand washing hasbeen recommended as vital stepsindividuals must embark upon toreduce the blood lead levels ofchildren, also, increasing theirintake of calcium and iron, anddiscouraging them from puttingtheir hands in mouth helps in thisregard.

Households are counseled on theregular practice of running waterin the morning to flush out the mostcontaminated water, or adjustingthe water’s chemistry to preventcorrosion of pipes. Also, use only coldwater from the tap for drinking,cooking, and for making babyformula. It has been argued that hotwater is more likely than cold waterto contain higher amounts of lead;hence, water can avoid leadexposure.

Recommendations have beenmade by health professionals forlowering childhood exposures whichinclude banning the use of leadwhere it is not essential andstrengthening regulations that limitthe amount of lead in soil, water, air,household dust, and products. In thiscase, there is a need for the adequatereview and full implementation ofthe Federal EnvironmentalProtection Agency (FEPA) of 1988in addition to the existingadministrative mandates of theNational Agency for Foods andDrugs Administrative Control(NAFDAC), NationalEnvironmental Standards andRegulation Enforcement Agency(NESREA) and StandardOrganisation of Nigeria (SON) tohelp gain effective control andregulate environment and land useas well as maintaining adequatecheck against local and importedpaints, furniture, and toyscontaining lead.

In the lead-prone environment,individuals are advised to createbarriers between living areas andlead sources; while all sources of leadmust be isolated until the completionof the environmental clean-up. Forthe children living in the zones,parents should create temporarybarriers such as contact paper or ducttape, to cover holes in walls or toblock children’s access to othersources of lead.

Regularly wash children’s handsand toys which can becomecontaminated from household dustor exterior soil. constantly wet-mopfloors and wet-wipe windowcomponents as household dust is amajor source of lead, therefore,parents should wet-mop floors andprevent children from playing onbare soil; if possible, provide themwith sandboxes.

National EmergencyManagement Agency(NEMA) has said that there

are currently more than 10,000Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)in three states of Benue, Plateau andNasarawa states.

NEMA’s North-Central ZonalCoordinator, Alhaji Alhassan Aliyu,told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Jos recently that, “themyriad conflicts in the three crisis-prone areas have left more than10,000 homeless and they are nowin various IDPs camps.”

Aliyu said that 5,840 of the IDPswere currently camped inNasarawa State, while about 3,000from Yobe State were being campedby churches in Plateau.

“After recent attacks, we alsovisited five IDPs camps in NasarawaState and the figure from NasarawaState Emergency Agency (SEMA)is 5,840 persons from clashes withinthe state alone.

“The estimate we have fromPlateau is about 3,000 IDPs, and

they are mostly those who fled fromYobe State,” he said, adding that thefigure of IDPs from Benue State wasstill being compiled,” he explained.

Aliyu also noted that manypeople were killed in two disasters inBenue, adding that these were theclash between herdsmen andfarmers as well as the recent churchcollapse in Vandeikya.

“In the case of Benue, the figureshave remained uncertain becausewe have conflicts which we are stillbattling with. There has also beenan influx of people from Benue andNasarawa into each other’sterritory,” he said, adding thatcamps in Benue were receiving IDPsfrom Nasarawa, while those inNasarawa were receiving IDPs fromBenue.

“We have provided relief itemssuch as rice, beans, corn and otherassorted foods items. We have alsoprovided the IDPs with mattresses,blankets, mats, buckets, mosquitonets and household utensils worthmillions of naira,” he said.

“We don’t have the exactamount of the relief items becausewe have not yet quantified the value;the lifting of materials is still ongoingand we are still awaiting furtherapprovals,” he added.

Aliyu, nonetheless, noted thatNEMA was having some problemswith managing Yobe IDPs quarteredin Plateau as they were not fully incamps.

“NEMA doesn’t want to reckonwith individual IDPs; some peoplejust take five or 10 IDPs into theirhomes but NEMA wants a situationwhere IDPs are located in campswhich could be effectively reachedand managed.

“Again, if the IDPs are insidechurches, mosques or schools wherethey are accessible; that would alsobe good,” he said.

Aliyu, however, said that thePlateau State Government hadcarried out a survey of IDPs fromYobe, while obtaining some supportfrom the NEMA headquarters tohelp the IDPs. (NAN)

NEMA resettles 10,000 IDPsare in 3 North-Central states

The National EmergencyManagement Agency(NEMA) will soon close down

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)camps so as to encourage theoccupants to start living theirnormal lives.

NEMA’s North-Central ZonalCoordinator, Alhaji AlhassanAliyu, who said that IDPs campswere only meant to providetemporary reliefs, noted that, “thecamps are established to providetemporary relief for the IDPs; they

are not permanent havens. Thepeople should always beencouraged to go back to theirrespective homes and start livingtheir normal lives after sometime.”

He said: “Government doesn’tencourage IDPs camps to remainopen for a long period and that iswhy after sometime, these campsare closed down, usually after aboutone month.”

According to him, “even in warsituations and whenever disasterstrikes, everybody is looking for a

refuge and that is why the campsare established mostly by states toprovide a safe haven for the people,with all the security provided.”

Aliyu stressed that themaintenance of IDPs camps in thecountry was quite expensive, as theoccupants were given food, clothingand shelter which could not besustained for a long time.

He particularly noted that theNasarawa governor had to closedown some IDPs camps in Januarythis year because they hadconstituted a very big burden to thestate government.

“Some camps, after awhile, willnot have real IDPs actually. People,from outside usually troop into thesecamps because of the food or reliefmaterials that are being provided.Government cannot continue todeceive itself; it cannot continue toprovide relief over a long period. Wedon’t encourage this because peoplewill take undue advantage of thesituation and abuse it,” he said.

The coordinator said that theBenue government had beendiscouraging IDPs camps and hadbeen encouraging the camps’residents to go back to their normallives, while assuring them ofsecurity.

Aliyu, who said that only fiveIDPs camps currently existed inNasarawa state, added that “thiswill relieve the government theburden of providing relief to manyothers not affected by anycatastrophe and those who will stillbe coming into the camps, even longafter the disaster.”

“No IDPs camp lasts more thana month. None currently exists inPlateau, for instance; they have allbeen closed down, while the IDPs arenow being accommodated byindividual families or churches,” hesaid.

The NEMA official, nonetheless,noted that the latest introductionof bombings into the catalogue ofdisasters and conflicts had put morestrain on NEMA’s resources. Heurged Nigerians to live in peacewith one another. (NAN)

…to close down IDPs camps

The National EmergencyManagement Agency(NEMA) has lamented over

the inability of the PlateauGovernment to establish a StateEmergency Management Agency(SEMA), in spite of the conflictsplaguing the state.

The NEMA Zonal Coordinator,Alhaji Alhassan Aliyu told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) recentlyin Jos, that the situation was“regrettable”.

“Plateau remains the mostsensitive and volatile state in theNorth-Central zone in terms of man-made disasters, but unfortunately,no premium has been placed inestablishing a SEMA to manage thesituation,” he lamented.

“Managing the crises in Plateauhas been very tasking and we havecontinued to pester the stategovernment to establish afunctional SEMA to complement ourefforts,” he added.

“The crises in Plateau are many;farmers clash with pastoralists,herdsmen attacking rural dwellers,while ethnic, religious and politicalconflicts have become commonplace. There are also ecological andnatural disasters like flood,” Aliyuexplained.

‘Since NEMA came on board in1999, it has always advised states tohave their own SEMA. Many states

have established SEMA but Plateauis still lagging behind,” Aliyu said.

The coordinator explained thatthe situation had always sloweddown responses to disasters andmitigation of conflicts.

He called on the stategovernment and the State House ofAssembly to urgently collaborate toestablish the agency, so as tocomplement the efforts of NEMA inthe state.

According to him, the stateagency will be responsible formanaging disasters which are notof serious magnitude and will inviteNEMA when it is beyond its capacityto handle.

The coordinator said the agencyshould also be established in localgovernment areas to handledisasters at the local level.

“SEMA is supposed to respondimmediately to disasters in localcommunities and only invite NEMAwhere such occurrences becomeoverwhelming. If a disaster happensin Benue and the state governmentkeeps waiting for NEMA from theZonal Headquarters in Jos, before werespond, it may be very late,” heobserved.

The coordinator said that theagency had been responding swiftlyto attacks and explosions in the state,through its search and rescue team.(NAN)

NEMA decries absence of StateEmergency Agency in Plateau


Environment ministry critical tonational devt, says new Perm SecBy Mohammed Kandi

The new PermanentSecretary in the FederalMinistry of Environment,

Mrs Ibukun Odusote, has saidthat the sector was critical sectorto the country’s development.

Odusote disclosed this in her

inaugural speech on Monday inAbuja when she met withjournalists covering the ministryon assumption of duty.

She laude journalists for theirobjective reportage of the sector,saying “the media have helped indisseminating information to thepopulace; you made my work

easy when I was in the EcologicalFund Office and I still want youto continue in that direction.”

The new permanentsecretary, who called for thecooperation of journalists toenable the ministry to recordgreater achievements in itsduties, emphasized the need for

the development of humanresources in the sector to enableit to achieve its mandate.

Odusote was re-deployedfrom the Ministry of Power whereshe took over from AlhajiMohammed Bashar, who wastransferred to the Office of theHead of Service.

The Kebbi government hasearmarked N37.6 millionfor the provision of 250

additional boreholes in remote areasof Augie Local Government Area ofthe state.

Alhaji Magaji Bunza, the StateCommissioner for Water Resources,stated this recently in Birnin Kebbi,the Kebbi state capital that 15settlements would benefit from theproject.

He said the project was part ofthe “Water for All” programmeinitiated by the state governmentto ensure adequate supply ofdrinking water to the people of therural area.

“The ministry had also provided6,700 motorised boreholes to ruralareas last year, while 15 earth damswere provided to boost livestockproduction and dry seasonfarming,” he said.

Bunza, called for the cooperationof journalists to enable the ministryto record greater achievements.re-iterated the commitment of thestate government to regular watersupply for human and animalconsumption.

He called on the benefitingcommunities to ensure themaintenance of the facilities,assuring that, “we would continueto provide potable water to ourpeople within our limitedresources.”

Kebbi votesN37.6m forwater project

Anambra State Commissionerfor Environment, Dr MichaelEgbebike, has said that state

government is working hard toensure the proper management ofwaste in the state.

The commissioner told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) recentlyin Onitsha that the government hadremoved waste management fromthe schedule of the state ministry ofenvironment.

He said the government hadcreated a new agency - AnambraState Waste ManagementAuthority (ASWAMA) – to takecharge of waste management.

“I don’t have much control overOnitsha waste or Anambra waste;it is now the responsibility ofASWAMA. The governor gave themthe full mandate to manage waste,”he said.

“Everything pertaining to wastewould be handled by this new wastemanager. We are hoping that hewould handle it properly. All of theseare attempting to give waste theattention it deserves. It’s notprobably easy for a commissioner,who has a lot of other stateresponsibilities, to also give waste theproper attention it deserves,”Egbebike explained.

“But there are a lot of challengesin waste management, which peoplecannot just see, and everything is stillevolving,” he noted.

Egbebike, however, urged theresidents of the state to cooperatewith the new agency by ensuringproper disposal of waste and regularpayment of their sanitation levies.(NAN)

Anambra Govt.plans properwaste mgt, saysCommissioner

The Chairman, SenateCommittee onEnvironment, Sen. Bukola

Saraki, has said in view ofrecurrent flooding of the AsaDam in Kwara state the federalgovernment has approved N6billion for the reconstructionproject of the Dam.

Saraki, who stated this in

Floods: FG approves N6bn for Asa Dam project in Kwaraillorin recently, also stressed thatthe project would check theperennial flooding of Asa Damwhich had affected several partsof Ilorin and its environs.

Saraki, however, said that theproject would be executed in threephases, adding that about N1billion had been released asmobilisation fees to the

contractors for thecommencement of the project.

He said that the project wouldprovide a lasting solution to theage-long menace of the dam’sflooding during rainy seasons.

The Committee Chairman onEnvironment, who representsKwara Central Senatorial Districtin the Senate, bemoaned the loss

of lives and property caused byfloods and erosions in Ilorin in thepast, while pledging that hiscommittee would ensure theprompt completion of the project.

However, Saraki called foradequate funding ofenvironmental projects acrossthe country, saying that thegovernment ought to desist fromtreating ecological problems asemergencies and contingencies.

He stressed the need for thegovernment to take ecologicalissues more seriously, addingthat climate change issues werenow attracting global attentionbecause they could cause seriousecological disasters.

“Ecological Fund is largely usedas intervention funds but some ofthe ecological issues such as floodingand erosion should no longer behandled as mere interventionprogrammes,” he said.

“So, we need to go back to thedrawing board and see how wecan get adequate funding forthese environmental issues thatneed to be addressed on regularbasis,” he added.

“By and large, we areworking with the executive to seehow to go about that. However,it is somewhat difficult becausethe budgetary allocation forenvironment in 2012 is less thanwhat it got in 2011,” Saraki said.(NAN)

Director, Water Quality andSanitation of the FederalMinistry of Water

Resources, Dr Obioha Agada, hassaid that the 12 water qualitylaboratories being built by theministry are to become operationalnext year.

Agada made theannouncement recently in Owerriat a workshop on theimplementation of NigerianStandard for Drinking WaterQuality (NSDWQ), organised bythe ministry.

The director, who wasrepresented by Mr EmmanuelAwe, a staff of the ministry, saidthat the laboratories were locatedat Kano, Gombe, Minna, Enugu,Akure, Lagos, Maiduguri, Sokoto,Makurdi, Umuahia, Asaba andPort Harcourt.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the workshopwas organised for state watercorporations and relatedestablishments in the South Eastand South-South.

He stated that the laboratories,which were being established forwater quality surveillance, wouldensure that the country’s standardfor water quality, launched in2007, was implemented.

He said it was regrettable thatsince the launch of NSDWQ, mostwater producers in the countryhad yet to implement the standardwith the general excuse that theywere not familiar with thedocument.

Agada told the participantsthat the standard containedmaximum allowable limits for 44parameters in drinking water,

assigning institutionalresponsibilities to someestablishments in line with theirstatutory obligations.

In a goodwill message, MrFabara Chukwu from the FederalMinistry of Health, called on alltiers of government to ensure theprovision of safe and quality waterby fully implementing thestandard.

Chukwu said that theministry was willing to cooperatewith stakeholders to ensureeffective implementation of thestandard through monitoring andsurveillance.

He said that the workshop wasimportant because it wouldinculcate in the stakeholders theculture of providing at all timessafe and portable water for thecitizenry. (NAN)

Sanitation: 12 water quality laboratoriesto be ready next year, says Director

A car being washed away by flood


2012 raining seasonand the expected floods

be evacuated and building ofstructures on drainagealignments must stop. This iswhere enlightenment campaigncomes in.

But from all indications,agencies of governmentresponsible for disastersmanagement and preventionhave not showed any seriousnessto tackle these problems of floods

ENVIRENVIRENVIRENVIRENVIRONMENTONMENTONMENTONMENTONMENTWWWWWAAAAATTTTTCHCHCHCHCH

By Ambrose InusaSule, mnes

[email protected] (sms only)

Environmental concerns arealways heightened by amajor crisis. And flooding

because of its relatively rapidonset can capture a great deal ofpublic attention. Over the pastdecades a number of dramaticflood disasters have beendocumented and well publicized.

According to reports, 2010witnessed the worst naturaldisasters in the last decade withflooding as described by scientistsas a disaster of “biblicalproportion”, in view of theArmageddon of flooding across allthe continents of the earth wheremillions of people were displacedand thousands died.

Nigeria has had its own fairshare of the unprecedentedflooding as a major naturaldisaster with huge costscompounded by lost of incomesin farming, mining and tourism.

Like other natural disasters,the intensity and frequency offlood disasters have beenattributed to climate changewhich has continued to disruptweather variations and no doubtaltered the geology of the earth.And virtually, every state in thecountry has been battered byflooding with an untold hardshipon the people and theenvironment.

Recently, the NigeriaMeteorological Agency (NIMET)has been calling on who cares to

listen that Nigerians shouldprepare for more devastatingflood disasters in the monthsahead.

The Lagos State Governmenthas warned residents of the stateto prepare for at least 236 days ofheavy rainfall in 2012, being thetotal period of rain predicted byexperts. 236 days of heavyrainfall out of 365 days in a yearis alarming.

The Nigeria MeteorologicalAgency (NIMET) said that theintensity of the rainfall would belike that of 2011, recording1,279mm of waters withmarginal error of 50mm.

The prediction was arrived atusing the Seasonal RainfallPredictions instrument, whichwas coordinated by the NigeriaMeteorological Agency with otheragencies.

It is expected that governmentshould embark on massiveclearing of drainages, dredging ofprimary and secondarychannels, and lining of manyearth channels should be parts ofefforts by the governments to copewith the rains.

But little can be achievedwithout the collaboration of thepeople as no nation can promisea flood free state, only mitigateit.

People should be told to desistfrom indiscriminate dumping ofrefuse, drains around homes must

building of structures on suchdrainages.

All tiers of governmentagencies responsible for

management. Structures shouldbe put in place to monitor as wellas tackle such disasters wheneverthey occur.

A flooded compound along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Residents of Moro, Edu,Patigi and Kaiama LocalGovernment Areas in

Kwara have been urged to takeproactive measures to minimisedamages from heavy rainfall andflood expected due to a forecast.

The Commissioner forEnvironment and Forestry, Hon.Samuel Bamisaiye, gave thischarge in an interview with theNews Agency of Nigeria (NAN)on Tuesday in Ilorin.

According to him, thewarning becomes necessary inorder to minimise damages thatmay occur as a result of theforecast heavy rainfall and itsattendant flood.

He said that after an alert

from the Federal Ministry ofEnvironment through its FloodEarly Warning System (FEWS),the ministry decided to sensitiseresidents.

Bamisaiye said there was theneed for all buildings andstructures along river banks or onstreams to be evacuated withimmediate effect.

The commissioner explainedthat the flood, according to theforecast, would occur in Jebba and

other adjoining towns to the RiverNiger between now and April 30.

He ordered all residents alongriver banks to vacate the areasand ensure strict compliance asthe ministry would soon

commence the demolition ofillegal structures along the banks.

Bamisaiye advised the generalpublic to clean their drainage andstop the indiscriminate dumpingof refuse into gutters, rivers,

waterways and streams.According to him, this advice

will go a long way to create asustainable, friendly and hazard-free environment in Kwara.(NAN)

Kwara Govt. alertsresidents of heavy rainfall

NEWS

The Founder of Fight AgainstDesert Encroachment(FADE), an NGO on

Environment, Dr NewtonJibunoh, has canvassed for the useof advocacy as a strong tool toadvance actions on ClimateChange.

Jibunoh, who made thesuggestion in an interview withthe News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Lagos yesterday, said:“Advocacy should be done fromthe inverted pyramid style ofbottom up approach to involvethe people at the grassroots andchildren, as they are the mostaffected by hazards of climate

change.”He also underscored the

importance of tree planting to savelands ravaged by naturaldisasters and environmentaldegradation, adding that “thereshould be coordinated efforts by allstakeholders working togetherand championing the cause ofadopting mitigation policies thatwill be effective in all localities toaddress climate change effects.”

“It is also important that localand state governments shouldhave a forum to deliberate onmeasures thatcan be used tomitigate the the effect of climatechange,” he said. (NAN)

Advocacy strong tool to advanceclimate change actions — Jibunoh

Scavengers' search for survival on refuse sites


Official fears US and Britain shared about overObama’s ‘anti-American’ and ‘anti-white’ fatherIn his three years as U.S.

president, Barack Obama hasbeen dogged by claims he is not

patriotic enough.Last year he even had to publish

his birth certificate to silencedoubters who suggested he was notborn an American.

Now it emerges that similarfears were expressed about hisfather, who was categorised withothers as ‘anti-American and anti-white’ when he moved to the UnitedStates in 1959.

Mr Obama Snr had grown up inKenya under British rule andaroused the fears of both colonialofficers and American officialswhen he won a chance to study inHawaii. The officials felt Kenyanstudents were ‘academicallyinferior’ with a ‘bad reputation’ forturning anti-American.

A memo from a British diplomatin Washington to Whitehall –released today by the NationalArchives in West London – sets outtheir concerns about the young

Father and son: The Barack Obamas together, when the US President was just 10 years old

Barack Obama with his mother Ann Dunham

Barack Obama, Sr. in a snapshot from the 1960s

Father: Barack Obama with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia (left) and Sasha (right)

Kenyans.Dated September 1, 1959, it

says: ‘I have discussed with the StateDepartment. They are as disturbedabout these developments as we are.They point out that Kenya studentshave a bad reputation over here forfalling into the wrong hands and forbecoming both anti-American andanti-white.’

In one of the Foreign Office files,the future president’s fatherappears on a list of Kenyan studentsas ‘OBAMA, Barack H’ – theyshared the same name.

At the age of 23, he enrolled atthe University of Hawaii inHonolulu to study economics withclassmates including Ann Dunham,

a 17-year-old white American fromKansas. The couple had a shortmarriage that led to the birth in 1961of the future president, BarackObama II.

Mr Obama Snr was among 100or so Kenyan students brought toAmerica by the African AmericanStudents Foundation.

U.S. and British officials weredeeply suspicious of this outfit,observing that the AASF – thoughbacked by singer Harry Belafonteand actor Sidney Poitier – had linksto a Kenyan nationalist leader.

‘The motives behind thisenterprise, therefore, seem morepolitical than educational,’ warneda letter from the British Embassy

in Washington.It added: ‘The arrival here of

these students, many of them ofindifferent academic calibre andill-prepared for the venture, islikely to give rise to difficultproblems.’

Mr Obama Snr, who died in1982, is not singled out for concernin any of the documents.

After leaving Hawaii he took aPhD in economics at Harvard andlater became a senior economistwith the Kenyan government.

The President was forced torelease a copy of his birth certificateto counter claims he wasn't born inthe U.S.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk


US: Shadowy world ofracial contradictions

America may not witnessanother "trial of thecentury" later this year

when George Zimmerman, awhite-Hispanic American,appears in court to be tried forthe murder of Trayvon Martin,an African American teenager,but the country is surely poisedfor another "O.J. Simpsonmoment" - perhaps even aRodney King moment shouldthe verdict go against theexpectations of the victim'slegion of supporters, who areconvinced the murder wasracially motivated.

That the state prosecutor'sdecision to charge Zimmermangarnered front page news invirtually every nationalnewspaper in the US lastThursday attests to thesignificance that Americansattach to the case, and to itspotentially explosiveconsequences on race relations.

Not withstanding the CivilRights Act of 1964, a landmarkpiece of legislation thatoutlawed all major forms ofdiscrimination against AfricanAmericans, including racialsegregation in schools and theworkplace, American society,sadly, remains polarized alongracial lines. Clearly you canlegislate laws to guide the socialcontract, but you cannotlegislate laws dictating how a

mindset should perceiveobjective reality. A sensibilitythat had taken generations toinsinuate itself into acommunity's soul will takegenerations for that sensibilityto be deflected from itsarchetypal roots.

Consider then, in thisregard, the O.J. Simpsonmoment, when the blackcelebrity athlete was acquittedin 1995, by a predominantlyAfrican American jury, of thecrime of having killed hisestranged wife and her malecompanion, both white.Consider as well the RodneyKing moment, when the "blackeveryman," as he came to beknown, became the victim in apolice brutality case in 1991involving four officers, allwhite, who were video-taped(by a bystander) striking himwith their batons as he laywrithing on the ground,footage of which was aired by

news agencies around theworld. The predominantlywhite jury found three of theaccused not guilty and failed toreach a verdict on the fourth.

And consider equally how ablack jury looked at whateveryone thought wasoverwhelming evidenceagainst Simpson, includingDNA analysis of the socks andthe gloves, yet found him notguilty; and how though a whitejury watched a video of fourwhite Los Angeles police officersbeating the bejesus out ofRodney King, they found threeof the four not guilty of usingexcessive force.

In both trials it was clearthat, like it or not, race was atthe very heart of theseemotionally charged cases. (Thelate Jonnie Cochran, Simpson'sflamboyant defense attorney,said at the time: "Race plays arole in everything in Americaand people need to stop ducking

and dodging away from it.") Andgiven the racial composition ofthe juries and their obverseexperiences with lawenforcement in their respectivecommunities, the verdicts wereboth predictable and inevitable.

What has entered the folklorein American popular culturesince then was not just how thesetrials became emblematic of theseparate worlds the majority ofblacks and whites inhabit inAmerica, but how far apart,how polarized, these worldsremain close to half a centuryafter the Civil Rights Act waspassed by Congress.

What followed the verdicts inboth trials were riots in thestreets. To be sure, in the case ofO.J. Simpson it was a riot ofjubilation by black Americanseverywhere, and despondencyby white Americans at thespectacle of a man who theywere convinced was guilty ofmurder but was now enabled by

black jurors to walk free. In thewake of the Rodney Kingverdict, however, the response,in the form of the 1992 LosAngeles riots, was violent,deadly and tragic all around -widespread looting, assault,arson and murder, with 53people killed, thousands injured,and property damageestimated at roughly one billiondollars.

Now comes, or will sooncome, the Zimmerman trial,with its potential for igniting,to borrow a term from the blacknovelist and essayist JamesBaldwin, "the fire next time."

America obviously is not acountry comprising just blackand white communities, butalso folks who are brown,Semitic, Hispanic, Oriental andothers. But among black andwhite Americans there remainsa divide anchored in theirrespective histories. Damagingimages and assumptions theyform of the "other" insinuatethemselves into the attitudes ofthe most progressive, the mostliberal, the most unbiasedamongst them.

What do African Americansmake of the privileges enjoyedby white Americans, and howdo they relate to thestereotyping - often unconsciousand invisible in this politicallycorrect age - that is thrust uponthem by whites? What do thesewhites know anyhow about howeven the most assimilated,successful and influentialblacks in society yearn for thecomfort of all-blackseparateness? And yes, whobears the burden of history, ofslave ships bringingunfortunate souls fromanother continent to pickcotton, to avert their eyes atthe sight of a white woman, atperil of being lynched?

Do you still shoot a blackteenager today, afteremancipation was proclaimed149 years ago, because "he'swearing a hoodie and he lookssuspicious," and still not expectto trigger the ire of 30 millionAfrican Americans?

Between America as amoral vision, a nation ofnations, as it were, thatcontinues to welcome to itsshores "your poor, your huddledmasses yearning to be free," andAmerica the country ofstrangers living in their ownlittle islands of privacy, thereremains a chasm - a shadowyworld of racial contradictions.

A court of law will in timeadjudicate the case ofZimmerman. It cannot,however, adjudicate how apeople's inner history will propelthem to respond to its judgment.

Culled from Arab News.

Martin Luther King Jr.

ANALYSISBy Fawaz Turki

“What has entered the folklore in American popular culturesince then was not just how these trials became emblematic

of the separate worlds the majority of blacks and whitesinhabit in America, but how far apart, how polarized, these

worlds remain close to half a century after the Civil Rights Actwas passed by Congress.

Barack Obama


Mbeki urges UN tointervene in the Sudans war

ICCprosecutorgoes to Libyaon Gaddafison case

War crimes prosecutor LuisMoreno-Ocampo arrivedin Tripoli on Wednesday

to continue investigating chargesagainst Muammar Gaddafi'sdetained son, Saif al-Islam, soughtfor trial by the InternationalCriminal Court (ICC).

The Hague-based court issuedan arrest warrant for Saif al-Islamlast year, after prosecutors accusedhim and others of involvement inthe killing of protesters during therevolt that eventually toppled hisfather.

However Libya has insisted hewill be tried in his home country,despite having still been unable toprize him out of the hands of themilitia fighters who caught him inthe southern desert in November.Saif al-Islam remains in a secretlocation in the western town ofZintan.

Upon arrival at Tripoli airport,Moreno-Ocampo told reporters: "I'mhere because I am still investigatingcrimes."

Asked whether a potential dealwas being brokered with theLibyan government about tryingSaif al-Islam in Libya under thesupervision of the ICC, he said: "I ama prosecutor at the ICC, I don't makedeals. We apply the law.

"The judges of ICC ordered(Libya) to surrender Saif. TheLibyan government says they willchallenge the admissibility of thecase before the end of April and thenthe judges will decide."

The ICC this month rejectedLibya's request to postpone handingover Saif al-Islam to face war crimescharges. The court ordered Tripolito "comply with its obligations toenforce the warrant of arrest" andsurrender him without delay.Libya has appealed the decision.

A U.N. Security CouncilResolution obliges Libya tocooperate with the court, the ICCsays, and Tripoli's failure to handhim over could result in it beingreported to the Council.

Ahmed al-Jehani, the Libyanlawyer in charge of the case andwho liaises between the Libyangovernment and the ICC, said lastweek the Zintan fighters whocaptured and hold Saif al-Islamwant him tried locally.

Libya has appealed thedecision.

Ahmed al-Jehani, a Libyanlawyer in charge of the case andwho liaises between the Libyangovernment and the ICC, said hewas optimistic Moreno-Ocampo'svisit would help convince judges toallow the North African country totry Saif al-Islam locally.

African Union mediator ThaboMbeki has urged the UnitedNations Security Council to

take action to stop the fightingbetween Sudan and South Sudan,warning that both sides are lockedin a "logic of war" with hardlinersincreasingly in control.

Security Council memberspromised to urgently discuss howto address the crisis, including thepossibility of sanctions, said SusanRice, the US ambassador to the UNand current Security Councilpresident.

Rice briefed reporters onTuesday about former SouthAfrican president Mbeki's closeddiscussion with the council viavideoconference.

Mbeki, along with HaileMenkerios, a special UNrepresentative to Sudan, "describeda disturbing situation in whichboth sides are locked in, and I quote,'a logic of war'," Rice said.

"They stressed that hardlinersare winning the day in both Jubaand Khartoum and urged theSecurity Council to engage withboth governments directly toconvince them to walk back theirpositions."

A border conflict between Sudanand South Sudan escalated whenthe South seized the disputed oiltown of Heglig. Sudan has

responded with fierce aerialbombardment of the town.

The fighting is the bloodiestsince South Sudan broke awayfrom Sudan last July and becamethe world's newest nation. Thecrisis threatens to widen into all-out war.

Rice said Mbeki told the councilthat Khartoum believed SouthSudan was seeking regime changein its northern neighbour "and

South Sudan"s President Salva Kiir (L) and his Sudan counterpartOmar Hassan al-Bashir during the Independence Day ceremony inJuba, July 9, 2011.

Mugabe urges peace ahead of Zimbabwe electionsZimbabwe President Robert

Mugabe yesterday urgedpolitical parties to ensure a

looming general election is peaceful,amid a rise in violence that heblamed on ambitious politiciansstaking claims as candidates.

"It's very sad that we are seeingugly fights in constituenciessponsored by sitting members ofparliament and potentialcandidates," he said at a rally to mark32 years of independence fromBritain.

Critics and opponents sayMugabe hung on to power in a 2008election by rigging polls and allowingindependence war veterans and the

youth brigade of his ruling ZANU-PFto attack opposition candidates.

Addressing the rally, Mugabe, 88years old and Zimbabwe's ruler sinceindependence, also said ZANU-PFwould not back down from a highlycriticised drive to force foreign firmsto surrender majority stakes to locals.

The empowerment plan wasmeant to correct colonial injustices,he said.

Mugabe was forced into a power-sharing deal with long-time foe andnow Prime Minister MorganTsvangirai after the 2008 election,which Western powers said wasmarred by ZANU-PF violence andintimidation.

that if that was the case, then theobjective of Khartoum would alsobe regime change" in the South.

"Frankly, one would hope thatthat is rhetoric and not the objectiveor the purported objective of eitherside," Rice said.

Rice said Security Councilmembers reiterated their demandsthat the South's forces withdrawfrom Heglig and that the Sudanesearmed forces end their

bombardment.She provided no details on the

sanctions the council mightconsider.

The ambassadors of SouthSudan and Sudan each describedtheir countries as the victim.

South Sudan's UN ambassador,Agnes Oswaha, insisted that hercountry "took Heglig out of self-defence and also because the Sudanarmy has been using the area astheir operation base to wage theirattacks on the Republic of SouthSudan".

"We have reiterated our positionover and over calling uponKhartoum to return to thenegotiation table," Oswaha toldreporters after Mbeki's briefing."Our intention is not regimechange."

Sudan's UN ambassador,Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman,said any sanctions the SecurityCouncil discusses should bedirected at South Sudan becauseof its seizure of Heglig.

"We are not an aggressor. Weare the victim," he told TheAssociated Press, adding thatSudan would return to talkswhen the government of SouthSudan "returns to its senses andaccepts a withdrawal".

The fighting has displacedmore than 100,000 people.

Cheick Modibo Diarra,Microsoft Corp's chairmanfor Africa, has been

appointed Mali's interim primeminister, tasked with helping torestore civilian rule to the West

African country after last month'scoup.

The appointment of Diarra, aformer NASA astrophysicist, wasannounced on Tuesday in astatement read out on state

Mali picks Microsoft official as interim PMtelevision.

Earlier on Tuesday, soldiersarrested the head of one of Mali'sbiggest political parties, SoumailaCisse, hours after a former primeminister was detained by militarypersonnel, officials said. Thearrests raised fresh questionsabout whether the military wasstill in control of the nation despitea handover of power to a civilianleader.

The coup leaders who oustedMali's democratically electedpresident last month recentlyhanded over power to an interimcivilian leader, DioncoundaTraore, but the military rulers'leader has also said he will playan important role in Mali'spolitical future.

The European Uniondelegation in Mali issued astatement expressing concern

about the arrests, calling for "anurgent clarification and theirimmediate release".

The West African regional blocECOWAS, the EU and the UnitedStates all want to see the militaryrulers back in their barracks andout of politics as soon as possible.

The latest arrests suggest thatthe military rulers have yet toaccept this.

Cisse was arrested in front ofhis home in Bamako, accordingto Abdoul Malick Diallo, amember of parliament fromCisse's party.

Diallo said that Cisse was hurtduring the arrest but that he couldnot say how serious the injurywas.

Cisse was one of the front-runners for the presidentialelection that was due to take placeon April 29.

Former NASA astrophysicist Cheick Modibo Diarra to help restorecivilian rule as interim PM

Zimbabwe"s President Robert Mugabe looks on during a rally markingZimbabwe"s 32nd independence anniversary celebrations in HarareApril 18, 2012.


US troops in callous pose withAfghan insurgent corpsesAlready tense U.S. and

NATO ties withAfghanistan were dealt

another blow yesterday withphotographs appearing in anAmerican newspaper of U.S.soldiers posing with the maimedbodies of dead Afghan insurgents.

Senior U.S. officials andNATO's top commander in thecountry, U.S. General John Allen,moved quickly to condemn thepictures even before they werepublished by the Los AngelesTimes, which received the photosfrom another soldier.

"The actions of the individualsphotographed do not represent thepolicies of International SecurityAssistance Force or the U.S.Army," Allen said in a statement,adding an investigation into theincident was underway.

The appearance on the LATimes website of some of the 18pictures, taken in 2010, comes ata sensitive time in U.S.-Afghanrelations, following release of avideo in January that showedfour U.S. Marines urinating onAfghan insurgent corpses.

The inadvertent burning ofcopies of the Koran at a majorNATO airbase also triggered aweek of riots that left 30 dead andled to the deaths of six Americans.

And in March a U.S. Armysergeant went on a night-timeshooting rampage in twosouthern Afghan villages, killing17 civilians and promptingAfghan President Hamid Karzaito demand foreign soldiers confinethemselves to major bases.

Taliban insurgents launchedsuicide attacks in Kabul and threeother provinces at the weekend,claiming the assault was launchedin retaliation for all threeincidents.

In one of the pictures aparatrooper posed next to anunofficial patch placed beside abody that read "Zombie Hunter",while in another soldiers posedwith Afghan police holding thesevered legs of an insurgentbombers.

Two soldiers in another frameheld a dead insurgent's hand withthe middle finger raised.

The LA Times said the 82ndAirborne Division soldiers hadbeen at a police station inAfghanistan's Zabol province inFebruary 2010, and revisitedseveral months later. The pictureswere taken on both occasions.

U.S. Defence Secretary LeonPanetta said in a statementreleased by departmentalspokesman George Little thatpublication of the pictures couldprompt further attacks againstsecurity forces ahead.

"The danger is that thismaterial could be used by theenemy to incite violence againstU.S. and Afghan service membersin Afghanistan," Panetta said."U.S. forces in the country aretaking security measures to guardagainst it."

The U.S. Ambassador inAfghanistan Ryan Crocker alsocondemned the photographs,calling the actions of the soldiers

"morally repugnant" and sayingthey "dishonour the sacrifices ofhundreds of thousands of U.S.soldiers and civilians who haveserved with distinction inAfghanistan".

The Times defended the

distribution of the photos, whichU.S. military officials asked theTimes not to publish.

"After careful consideration,we decided that publishing asmall but representativeselection of the photos would

fulfil our obligation to readers toreport vigorously andimpartially on all aspects of theAmerican mission inAfghanistan," Times EditorDavan Maharaj said in thenewspaper's article.

U.S. General John Allen (C), NATO"s commander of foreign troops in Afghanistan, talks withAfghan officials after a ceremony to sign an agreement in Kabul April 8, 2012.

Myanmar"s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends a ceremony at National Leaguefor Democracy party head office in Yangon April 18, 2012.

Suu Kyi to visit Norway, Britain after24 years in Myanmar - party

Iran arrestsmore than 15on espionage

Iran's official news agencysays more than 15 Iranianand foreign nationals have

been arrested for allegedlyspying for Israel, attemptedassassination and sabotage.

The IRNA report says thegroup planned to assassinate anIranian expert as well sabotagethe country's infrastructure. Itadded details to a report releasedearlier this month.

It said the group used Israelidiplomatic missions in Westerncounties to prepare plans.

The expert's field was notidentified. In the past, severalIranian nuclear experts havebeen killed.

The latest report did notelaborate on nationality of theforeign detainees. It claimedIranian intelligence alsouncovered a spy base of IsraeliMossad in a neighboringcountry.

Israel's Foreign Ministryrefused to comment.

Nobel Peace Prize laureateand newly electedlawmaker Aung San Suu

Kyi will travel outside Myanmarfor the first time in 24 years afteraccepting invitations to visitNorway and Britain in June, herparty said yesterday.

Her travel caps months ofdramatic change in Myanmar,including a historic by-election onApril 1 that won her a seat in a

year-old parliament that replacednearly five decades of oppressivemilitary rule.

Her trip will include a visit tothe British city Oxford, where sheattended university in the 1970s,said National League forDemocracy (NLD) partyspokesman Nyan Win.

"But I don't know the exact dateyet," Nyan Win said, adding hedid not know which country she

would visit first. She haspreviously indicated that it wouldbe Norway.

Suu Kyi, 66, was first detainedin 1989, and spent 15 of the next21 years in detention until herrelease from house arrest inNovember 2010. She refused toleave the country during the briefperiods when she was not held byauthorities, for fear of not beingallowed to return.

Al-Qaeda seeksrelease ofprisoners inexchange forabductedSaudi envoy

A suspected militant wantedby the Saudi governmenthas demanded the release

of prisoners from Saudi jails and aransom in exchange for Saudidiplomat Abdullah Al-Khalidi whowas kidnapped by gunmen inYemen on March 28.

The abduction case took a newturn after Mishaal MohammedRasheed Al-Shodoukhi, who wasnamed on a list of fugitive Al-Qaeda militants by the Saudiauthorities in 2009, made aphone call to the Saudi Embassyin Sanaa and demanded therelease of some prisoners.

Major General Mansour Al-Turki, a spokesman of theMinistry of Interior, said inRiyadh yesterday: "The Kingdomis concerned about the safety andsecurity of Al-Khalidi, who stillremains in the hands of hiskidnappers. The case is beingfollowed by the concerneddepartments at the Ministry ofForeign Affairs and we lookforward to obtaining supportfrom our brothers in Yemen tosecure the release of thediplomat".

Al-Khalidi, the Kingdom'sdeputy consul posted in Aden,was kidnapped in the Yemeniport city outside his residence bysome unknown gunmen.

Three weeks since the day ofhis abduction, the Saudi Embassyin Sanaa received a call from Al-Khalidi.

"In the call, Al-Shodoukhi tookresponsibility for kidnapping theSaudi deputy consul," said Ali Al-Hamadan, Saudi Ambassador toYemen, in a statement yesterday.


French election: FormerPresident Chirac says hewon’t vote for SarkozyFormer French president

Jacques Chirac willspurn Nicolas Sarkozy and

vote Socialist in the upcomingelection to choose a new head ofstate, it emerged today.

The snub will come as a hugeblow to Mr Sarkozy, who isalready on course for a

Snubbed: Jacques Chirac has revealed that he will not vote forNicolas Sarkozy at the forthcoming French election

humiliating defeat in thenationwide ballot.

Jean-Luc Barre, a former aideof Mr Chirac's, told Le Parisiennewspaper: 'Jacques Chirac istrue to himself when he says hewill vote for Francois Hollande.

'I visit him frequently - wehave lunch and dinner together.

After four years of discussions, Ibelieve I'm one of those who bestknow how he thinks.'

The election takes place in tworounds - the first on Sunday, andthe second two weeks later, on May6th.

Mr Chirac, who stepped downwhen Mr Sarkozy came to power in2007, was once a mentor to hisfellow conservative.

But they fell out when MrSarkozy showed him disloyalty bybacking another candidate for thepresidency in 1995.

Mr Sarkozy also once made funof Mr Chirac's love of Japaneseculture, including sumo wrestling.

In turn, Mr Chirac last yearmocked Mr Sarkozy as being'irritable, rash, overconfident andallowing for no doubt, least of allregarding himself'.

'We do not share the same visionof France, we do not agree on thebasics,' said Mr Chirac wrote.

Meanwhile, Mr Chirac'smemoirs described FrancoisHollande as a "true statesman"capable of crossing party lines.

Mr Chirac and Mr Hollandeboth have links to the Correzedepartment of central France.

The former president's parentsare from Correze, while the Socialiststarted his political career there.

An Ipsos poll published onMonday had Mr Hollande winningthe second round of the election by12 points.

Swedish culture minister in ‘racist cake’ row

The artist, Makode Aj Linde,said the message of hispiece has been

misunderstood [Image viaYouTube]

Pictures of the Swedishculture minister cutting a cakedesigned like an African tribalwoman has caused widespreadanger and prompted oneorganisation to demand herresignation.

Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth wasinvited to cut the cake, whichdoubled as an art installation, atan event marking the 75th

anniversary of the Swedish ArtistsFederation at Stockholm's modernart museum on Sunday.

The exhibit at the ModernaMuseet was meant to highlightthe issue of female genitalmutilation, and Makode Aj Linde,its Afro-Swedish creator was partof it all with his head built into thecake.

When Adelsohn Liljeroth putthe knife into the cake, hescreamed "No, no!" from inside theinstallation.

A Swedish organisationpromoting the rights of people of

African origin on Tuesdaycalled for the minister to resignfor participating in a "tasteless,racist spectacle".

"According to ModernaMuseet, the cake eating partywas intended to highlight theproblem of female circumcision,but how this is supposed to bedone with a cake depicting aracist caricature of a blackwoman ... is unclear," saidKitimbwa Sabuni, head of theAfrican Swedish NationalAssociation.

Adelsohn Liljerothdescribed the incident as a"bizarre situation".

"I was invited to speak atWorld Art Day about thefreedom of art and the right tobe provocative, and then theyasked me to cut up the cake,"the minister said.

"I had no chance to inspectthe cake beforehand ... If somepeople have been offended, Iapologise. Then it's up to theartist to explain what he meantwith his work."

Linde said the message of hispiece had been misunderstood.

He has for several years usedart to criticise stereotypes ofblack people and said thatfemale genital mutilation as achoice of theme for the cake"was quite natural, as youwould have to cut it up."

"I think the people who haveTasteless: Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth appeared at the art event inStockholm and cut pieces from the controversial black cake.

Norwegian terrorist wantsdeath penalty or acquittal

Norway's prison terms are"pathetic," mass killerterrorist Anders Behring

Breivik declared Wednesday incourt, claiming the death penaltyor a full acquittal were the "onlylogical outcomes" for his massacreof 77 people.

The right-wing terrorist saidhe doesn't fear death and thatmilitant nationalists in Europehave a lot to learn from al-Qaida,including their methods andglorification of martyrdom.

"If I had feared death I wouldnot have dared to carry out thisoperation," he said, referring tohis July 22 attacks - a bombingin downtown Oslo that killedeight people and a shootingmassacre at a youth camp outside

the Norwegian capital that killed69.

Breivik's comments, on the thirdday of his terror trial, came as hewas pressed to give details on theanti-Muslim militant group heclaims to belong to but whichprosecutors say doesn't exist ashe describes. Several unrelatedgroups claim part of that"Knights Templar" name.

The 33-year-old Norwegianacknowledged that his supposedcrusader network is "not anorganization in a conventionalsense" but insisted that it is for real.

"It is not in my interest to shedlight on details that could lead toarrests," he said refusing to commenton the group's alleged othermembers.

UK minister sued for sendingLibyan back to torture

A Libyan militarycommander is suingformer British foreign

minister Jack Straw forallegedly authorising hisillegal transfer to Libya wherehe faced years of torture inMuammar Gaddafi's prisons,a lawyer for the commandersaid on Wednesday.

The action against an allyof former Prime Minister TonyBlair ups the stakes in adebate over Britain's role inhelping the United States tospirit suspected Muslimfighters across borders, oftento face torture or illtreatment.

Lawyers acting for AbdelHakim Belhadj, once a Libyanrebel fighter on the run whowent on to help topple Gaddafiin 2011, say recent evidenceindicates that Strawauthorised British spies toallow Belhadj to be sent backto Libya without due legalprocess, something known asrendition.

"A letter of claim, theprecursor to formal legalproceedings was served,"Belhadj's lawyer, SapnaMalik, told Reuters. "Theallegation is that he made theauthorisation of the rendition

of our client," she said, addingthat the letter had been servedby email.

An aide to Straw, 65, declinedcomment.

Belhadj says he was arrestedin 2004 with his pregnant wifein Malaysia and thentransferred to Thailand whereagents from the U.S. CentralIntelligence Agency took theminto custody and sent them backto Libya to face years of torture.

Now a powerful man inTripoli, Belhadj says the UnitedStates was acting on a tip off fromBritain's Secret IntelligenceService, known as MI6, and thatthe CIA used the British islandof Diego Garcia in the IndianOcean to refuel during theflight.

Belhadj is already suing theBritish government, theintelligence services and SirMark Allen, the former MI6head of counter terrorismoperations.

British ministers havedenied knowledge of sendinganyone to face torture abroadand London police areinvestigating whether Britainillegally sent detainees to Libya,though there has been no firmdenial from the Britishgovernment.

European rights court halts AbuQatada’s deportation to US

Radical cleric Abu Qatadacannot be deported fromBritain yet, the European

Court of Human Rights has said,after an appeal was lodged.

The appeal was lodged just beforethe deadline last night.

This means the deportationprocess cannot begin until a panel ofjudges has decided whether the caseshould go to the Grand Chamber ofthe court.

Home Secretary Theresa Mayacknowledged on Tuesday that theprocess could take months if anappeal were started.

Abu Qatada, 51, who facescharges in Jordan of plotting bombattacks, had been arrested onTuesday and denied bail.

In a statement to the Commonslater, Mrs May said he could beremoved from the UK "in fullcompliance of law".

The last-minute lodging of theappeal by his lawyers was a hugeembarrassment and blow to Mrs May,says BBC correspondent Danny Shaw.

The European Court of HumanRights had blocked Abu Qatada'sdeportation to Jordan in January,saying evidence obtained by torturemight be used against him.

Mrs May travelled to Jordan inMarch for talks with the king andministers on the case of thePalestinian-Jordanian, whomministers have described as"extremely dangerous" and considera threat to UK national security.


The mother who cannot laugh or love: Rare disorder meansshe collapses every time she expresses strong emotion

During an attack Kelly cansee and hear but her bodyis temporarily paralysed

Attacks can last anything from a fewseconds to an hour A woman with arare condition that means shecollapses every time she laughs fearsshe may have passed the rare illnessonto her young son.

Kelly Timson cannot visit acomedy show or even go to the pubwith her friends as every time shelaughs, she collapses in a literal fit ofgiggles.

She suffers from a rareneurological condition calledcataplexy which means her bodygoes into a state of total paralysis inresponse to strong emotions such asamusement, surprise, anger andeven love.

Just gazing in motherlyadmiration at her two young childrenCharlie, five, and Ronnie, two, bringson an attack leaving Kelly totallyunable to move or speak.

Often, she finds herself collapsedin a heap on the floor having injuredherself on the way down and onceshe nearly suffocated after landingface-down on the sofa. She suffers upto 20 cataplexy attacks a day andhas to have her mother or brotheraround her all the time in case shecollapses.

She also suffers from the relatedcondition narcolepsy which meansshe randomly falls asleep throughoutthe day, no matter what she is doing.

Kelly, 25, from Ashford, Kent, said:

Inherited? Kelly Timson has both cataplexy and narcolepsy (right). Her younger son Ronnie is undergoing tests after experiencing a fita few weeks ago

Limits: Kelly can never have abath alone as she could havean attack and drown

Kelly found her attacks got worse after having Ronnie (left) andCharlie

'I've lost count of the number of timesI've fallen asleep face down in mydinner. I can't even go to a restaurantwith my boyfriend in case I nod off atthe table. It's so embarrassing.

'Once I had an attack of cataplexyin the supermarket and then anotherand another. I must have had about20 in a row and I think people musthave thought I was drugged ordrunk. Every time I stood up, Icollapsed again.

'When I have an attack, I can seeand hear but I can't move orcommunicate at all. It can last a fewseconds or it can last for an hour.

'The worst times are when thereis no one around. I might be laid onthe floor, completely paralysed andthe boys will be pulling all the foodout of the cupboards and there'snothing I can do. That's why I don'tlike to be left alone with the boys incase anything happens to me or them.'

Kelly first noticed the narcolepsywhen she was 16 and would fall asleepsuddenly in front of the television orwhile sat on the sofa, even after a longnight's sleep.

Her condition worsened overtime until the point where she neverknew where she might nod off.

Kelly said: 'I would be in the middleof eating my dinner and I would justfall asleep or I would fall asleep in thebath.

'I used to work on a dunkingdoughnuts kiosk as a teenager andonce I fell asleep while I was frothingsome milk for a cappuccino, which isimpressive when you think of thenoise those machines make. I just fellasleep standing up and I was lucky Ididn't burn myself on it.

'Eventually I saw a consultantwho diagnosed me with narcolepsyand gave me some medication.'

Then, at the age of 19, she fellpregnant with Charlie andeverything changed. Suddenly,Kelly would find herself going limpand heavy while she was holding hernew baby. Her head would become

heavy and loll to one side and herarms would flop to her sides.

She said: 'I would have to call tomy mum to come quickly and grabCharlie off me in case I dropped him.

'I would just be looking at himand thinking how much I loved himand then all of a sudden my armswould go floppy.

'I was really worried because Iwas terrified of hurting him.'

Over time, Kelly found herattacks were becoming morefrequent and more severe, causingher to become completely paralysedand unable to speak whenever shehad one. In 2007, she was officiallydiagnosed with cataplexy.

While cataplexy is extremelyrare, 70 per cent of sufferers alsosuffer from narcolepsy. In addition,Kelly also suffers from poor shortterm memory and often forgetswhat she did the previous day.

Kelly said: 'I often panic when I'mgoing into an attack and I'm alwayshurting myself. One time I landedon the sofa on my nose and I couldn'tmove my head in order to breathe.The cushion was pushed up againstmy face and I thought I was going tosuffocate.

'My boyfriend was asleep on thesofa and I couldn't even make a soundto alert him to what had happened.

'It felt like it lasted for agesalthough it was probably less than aminute and then the attack startedto ease off so I was able to move myneck just enough to breathe. Attimes like that the attacks can feellike forever.

'Another time I went down andhit the doctor's desk while I was inthe middle of talking to her. Shedidn't even realise what washappening until it was too late and Ihad smacked my head on the edge.'

Like many epileptics, Kelly needsconstant supervision and cannotdrive or even take a bath on her own.However, she can suffer up to 20attacks a day and is not entitled to

extra support for her condition.Now she is worried she may have

passed the condition onto her sonRonnie, who suffered a fit in asupermarket two weeks ago. He iscurrently awaiting tests to see if hehas inherited either of his mother'srare conditions.

She said: 'I'd hate for Ronnie to

have it as it affects every aspectof my life.

'I'd love to be able to go for adrink and have a laugh withmy friends, but I can't. As soonas someone cracked a joke Iwould be paralysed on mybarstool and it would bemortifying.


‘No one is sure why peopledevelop gallstones,’ says EmerDelaney, of the British DieteticAssociation. ‘However, we knowthey are more common if you areoverweight, pregnant, or takinghigh-dose hormone replacementtherapy, and in those who haverecently lost weight.’

Doctors are also seeing thecondition in much youngerwomen than before, eventeenagers. This may be due tochanges in our diet over the pasttwo generations.

Gallstones are lumps ofcholesterol that form in the gallbladder, ranging in size from finegravel to a golf ball. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped bag thatlies under the liver. It acts as areservoir for bile, a liquidproduced by the liver whichhelps digest food and, inparticular, fat.

When we eat, the gall bladderempties bile through the bile ductinto the intestine.

Bile has three maincomponents: bile salts (that actlike detergent, removing fats),pigments and cholesterol. Crashdieting upsets the balancebetween bile salts and thecholesterol the body produces (asopposed to the cholesterol weconsume), says Simon Bramhall,liver transplant surgeon atQueen Elizabeth Hospital,Birmingham.

‘When bile is supersaturated

From cabbage soup to Atkins,WeightWatchers toSlimming World, I’ve tried

every diet going over the past 30years. But the story was alwaysthe same: having lost a fewpounds I would bask victoriously— only to put the weight straightback on.

So it was a pleasant surprisewhen, about 18 months ago, I lostnearly four stone after becominga vegetarian and giving upalcohol. My weight dropped fromover 14st to around 10st, the firstthree stone disappearing withina couple of months.

I hadn’t planned to lose weightso quickly, but I wasn’tcomplaining. Wearing size 8jeans felt great (I dropped threedress sizes) and I was lapping upthe compliments. My husbandwas stunned, while my 13-year-old son loved that I was able torun around playing cricket withhim.

But ten months afterreaching a stable weight, Idiscovered a disturbing downsideto shedding the pounds.

I’d met a friend in Bristol for apub lunch, and as I drove backdown the M5 to my home onExmoor, my stomach startedgriping. I put it down toindigestion but by 9pm I was inagony: it felt like being in labour,with waves of intense pain. Theroom was spinning. Painkillersdidn’t touch it, and I was gaspingas I struggled to talk on the phoneto NHS Direct.

By the time the emergencydoctor arrived around 11pm I wascurled up on the bed in a foetalposition. I wondered if I hadruptured my appendix. Then thedoctor prodded a point under myribcage on the right-hand sideand I nearly hit the ceiling.

‘It’s your gall bladder,’ he said.‘You’ve got gallstones.’ Anultrasound scan a few days laterconfirmed I had not one but threegallstones, one a centimetreacross.

I was puzzled. I’m now an idealweight for my height and Iexercise nearly every day. Myold diet was never that bad (I justate too much), but my newregime is filled with fruit andveg.

Surely, I thought, gallstonescome from a rich, fatty diet?‘They do,’ said the radiographer.‘But there are other causes. Haveyou lost weight?’

He explained that there can bea direct correlation between rapidweight loss and gallstones. ‘It’s notjust older people either,’ hewarned, telling me his daughter,in her early 20s, developed themafter losing about two stone veryquickly on a well-known diet plan.I was stunned.

To be fair, the information isout there — it’s just not stressed.

People don’t tend to thinkabout gallstones until they causeproblems, yet they are extremelycommon. About one in fourwomen and one in eight men willdevelop gallstones at some stage,according to the British LiverTrust.

And the numbers are rising.Gall bladder removal hasincreased by nearly 34 per centfrom 2004 to 2011, according toNHS statistics. In fact, it’s now themost common elective surgery inthe UK.

Crash dieting dangers: Losing weighttoo quickly gave me gallstones

with cholesterol, it’s more likelyto form crystals which becomestones,’ he says. Skipping mealsmay also stop the gall bladderemptying regularly, making bilemore concentrated.

Combine these factors and youhave the optimum conditions forgallstones to develop. The majorsymptom is abdominal pain, oftentriggered by fatty food.

I’ve been told it was likely tohave been the creamy mushroomrisotto I’d had in Bristol thatcaused my discomfort.

The gall bladder contracts inresponse to the fat and may movea gallstone to block the bile duct,causing inflammation and pain.Some people feel nauseous or havepain between the shoulder blades.

So here’s the tricky part. Inorder to lessen your risk ofgallstones, you should loseweight, but not too quickly.

But how much weight, howfast? Many studies have lookedat the threshold at whichgallstones develop and, accordingto an overview in the journalObesity, anyone losing over 3.3lb(1.5kg) a week is at risk.

The report pinpoints very low-fat diets as a risk factor — we needa certain amount of healthy fatfor our digestion to workproperly.

‘If you do need to lose weight,aim to eat 500 calories fewer perday, combined with regularexercise,’ agrees Emer Delaney.

‘This will help you lose therecommended amount of 1-2lbs(0.5-1kg) per week.’

It’s possible to have gallstonesfor years without symptoms, andit seems mine were forming in the18 months since I began losingweight.

But up to 4 per cent of peoplewith gallstones suffer from biliarycolic, when a stone moves to theneck of the gall bladder. This wasresponsible for my initialexcruciating pain. Furthercomplications can includejaundice, infection of the bileduct, inflammation of thepancreas (pancreatitis) or bowelobstruction.

Once you have had a bout ofbiliary colic, it’s likely to becomea recurring problem and doctorsusually recommend removingthe gall bladder by keyholesurgery (you can live normallywithout a gall bladder — the biledribbles continuously into theintestine, rather than emptyingafter meals.)

There are drugs which candissolve stones, but they don’talways work and, oncetreatment stops, the stones mayform again.

Prevention is obviously betterthan cure. The British LiverTrust points out many of the riskfactors, such as age and gender,

are fixed. Yetothers, such asobesity, smoking,lack of exercise andhigh levels ofcholesterol, can beaddressed withlifestyle changes.

And, if youalready havegallstones, the bestway to keep themquiet is to get yourweight undercontrol and eat abalanced diet,avoiding ‘bad’cholesterol (insaturated fats,fatty meats andfast food).

However, don’tcut out fataltogether: sourcesof ‘healthy’ fatinclude olive oil,avocados, nuts,seeds and oily fishsuch as mackereland tuna. It mayalso be worthupping yourm a g n e s i u mintake. A 2007report in theAmerican Journalo fGastroenterologysuggested that adiet low inmagnesium mayi n c r e a s echolesterol.

Meanwhile, myGP and I agree todisagree for now.He wants me tohave my gallbladder removed,while I am hopingto keep mygallstones quiet bysaying no to risotto.

All surgerycarries risks and I’dlike to avoid it if Ican. Despite thegallstones, I don’tregret losingweight — beingslim and fit feelsfantastic. But it’sw o r t hremembering thatslow and steadyreally is the bestway to do it.

S o u r c e :Dailymail.co.uk

Lesson learned: Jane now eats much morecarefully after she developed gallstonesfrom rapid weightloss

Slow and steady: The best way to lose weight to avoid otherhealth problems (posed by model)


Action Congress ofNigeria, ACN Caucusmembers in the

National Assembly yesterdaysaid the allegation that theOsun state governor, RaufAregbesola was planningsecession from Nigeria was anindication that the rulingPeoples Democratic Party(PDP) lacked understanding ofbasic ideals of federalism.

Senator BabajideOmoworare who read the pressstatement at a press briefing co-signed by all the memberssaid,"it is not alien to federalismanywhere in the world forfederating states to maintainindependent identities vis a visstate flag, anthem, emblems,coat of arms, among others."

He explained that "CrossRiver state is an apt exampleand this is also common in theUnited States of America, USAwhere we borrowed our, federal,presidential and democraticmodel."

The Senator said "it issurprising that rage and questto regain relevance at all costhas deprived the PDP thecapacity to appraise thiswarped logic of theirs, a clear

Osun secession allegation: PDPlacks understanding of federalism,says NASS ACN caucus

understanding of structures andpractices of federalism andgovernance with a view torevamping the lost practicesand cultures ideal to genuinefederalism."

Omoworare further stressedthat "blackmailing the Governorand the Government of the stateof Osun and whipping thereligious sentiments is anexpression of a sinking politicalparty desperate to hold a rootlessstraw to stay afloat."

"As at today at the NationalAssembly, there are twoChristian Senators, fourChristian Hnourable membersand one Moslem Senator and fiveHonourable members, in thestate House of Assembly thereare 18 Christian Honourablemembers and eight memberswhile in the 31 memberExecutive cabinet, there are 19Christians and 12 Moslems andat the local government level,there are 17 Christian localgovernment executivesecretaries and 14 Moslems."

"At the top echelon of ourparty AC N in the state of Osun,the acting Chairman, thesecretary and the treasurerare all Christians, given theabove statistics, it is absenceof deep thinking, cerebral

By Lawrence Olaoye

articulation and soundreasoning that can makeanybody suggestislamisation of the stateunder the prevail ingpolitical dialectic."

"The PDP and theDiretectorate of State

Rauf Aregbesola

Political office holders inthe country have beenenjoined to make

integrity their watchword,while serving the nation.

Dr Michael Olawale-Cole,President and Chairman ofCouncil, Nigerian Institute ofManagement (Chartered) saidthis on Wednesday in Umuahiain an interview withnewsmen.

He said that the only waypoliticians could render selflessservice to the people was tobring integrity to bear in theiractions and policies.

“Nigerians are highlyknowledgeable. What they lackis the will to do what is right,’’he said.

Olawale-Cole said theinstitute had imparted therequisite knowledge andstandard managementtechnique across a wide rangeof professions in the nation’sleaders.

“Unfortunately, it is onething to lead a horse to the riverand another to force it to drink.

“Nigerian leaders havefailed to put into practice allthe management principlesand techniques at theirdisposal, rather they indulgein selfish acts,’’ he said.

Speaking during a courtesycall on Gov. Theodore Orji,Olawale-Cole commended thegovernor for tacklingkidnapping and insecurity inthe state.

He said that the institutehad actively been involved inpublic policy advocacy on“burning and contemporaryissues of national importance.”

The institute, the presidenttold the governor, would focuson power, employment and jobcreation among other issues inits 2012 national budget reportto be presented to the FederalGovernment.

He appealed to the governorto nominate civil servants fromthe state for the institutes’upcoming 2012 Women inManagement and LeadershipConference in Lagos.

He also urged the governorto nominate civil servantsfor the Top ExecutiveLeadership Programme, takingplace in Manchester, England.

In his response, Orji,represented by the Secretaryto the State Government, Prof.Mkpa Agu Mkpa, promisedthat the state would participatein the two trainingprogrammes.

He commended theinstitute for its laudableachievements in its 50 yearsof existence, pointing out thatit had helped in groomingNigerian professionals inmanagement.

Nigerian leadersurged to makeintegrity theirwatchword

The Senate yesterdaypromised that itsCommittee on

Constitutional Amendmentwould complete itsassignment by July, 2013.

The Chairman of theCommittee, Sen. IkeEkweremadu (PDP- Enugu),made the promise yesterday,while briefing journalists atthe end of the committee’smeeting in Abuja.

Ekweremadu said, “Giveand take, our estimation isthat by July 2013 we will beable to conclude another setof constitutionalamendment.

Senate committee on Constitution amendment willcomplete assignment by July 2013 — Chairman

Security Service, DSS shouldnote that historically, theSouth West Region has beenexceptional with our religioustolerance and peaceful co-existence without recourse toreligious enmity, divide orsegregation in our politics."

“We even thought wecould move faster than that,but because we are going tobe engaged with othernational assignment.

“So when we put all thesethings together, we believethat July 2013 would be anappropriate time to deliverthe next set of amendment.”

He urged Nigerians tohave confidence in thedetermination of the Senateto ensure that theamendment would take careof their interests.

“We want again to ask youto trust us to do a good job toamend the constitution, not

the way we want, but the wayNigerians want. Not theissues we want, but the issuesNigerians want,” he said.

Ekweremadu, who also isthe Deputy Senate President,gave the assurance that al lstake holders would be givenopportunity to make theirinputs to the amendmentprocess.

He said, “We are going tomake allowance for the inputby the Executive, Governors’Forum, professional bodies,the Belgore Committee andall other stake holders.

“We are going to allow thepeople of Nigeria, as well tosend in their memoranda sothat those who have opinionon any issue that can help usadvance those opinions.”

He said that the committeewould meet next week toidentify those areas that wereconsidered as “burningissues.’’

Ekweremadu added thatthe Senate would cooperatewith the House ofRepresentatives to ensure thesmooth amendment of theconstitution.

Sen. Ike Ekweremadu

An anti-corruption group,the InternationalNetwork Against

Corruption, has commendedthe Sen. Aloysius Etok-ledcommittee on pension probe forits effective service delivery.

A statement on Wednesdayby the National Coordinator ofthe group, Alhaji Musa

Mohammed, said thecommittee had performedcreditably, adding that itshould disregard campaigns toderail its work.

The group urged PresidentGoodluck Jonathan to look intothe Pension Reform Task Teamfor the allegation of illegaltransfer of N3 billion being the

Group praises Senate committee on pension probepolice pension fund.

“All over the world, pensionis the inalienable right of seniorcitizens who have served theircountry meritoriously in theiryouth.

“We are advocating for alaw that will prescribe stifferpenalty for pension fundsiphoners,’’ it said.


Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyostate says hisadministration will

create an environment wherebasic amenities and a conduciveenvironment will be providedfor business and commercialactivities to thrive.

The governor, who spokeyesterday during anunscheduled visit to theconstruction site of Mokolaoverhead bridge in Ibadan, saidhis administration would doeverything possible to give thestate a facelift.

Ajimobi said hisadministration would change the perception of the state fromone of brigandage and pettytrading to one where peacewould reign and the economy would witness a boom.

He said that he wanted hisadministration to beremembered as one that set astandard in good governancethrough the provision of basicinfrastructure.

Ajimobi noted that his wouldbe the first civilianadministration to construct anoverhead bridge in the state,stressing “we want to be thegovernment of modern OyoState.

“The late Chief ObafemiAwolowo was outstanding as thegovernor of Old Western Region.We too want to be the NumberOne government of a new OyoState.

“I believe that by the timewe do all these (overheadbridges), construct roads, putother infrastructure in placeand improve business andcommercial activities in thestate, there will be a modernOyo state free of thuggery,violence, brigandage and pettytrading that have taken ourpeople to nowhere,’’ he said.

The governor assured thepeople of the state that theoverhead bridge would becompleted on schedule, pointingout that there had been anappreciable progress on theproject.

I’ll give Oyofacelift- Ajimobi

Governor Patrick Yakowaof Kaduna Stateyesterday urged youths to

join the nation’s securityorganisations to restore peace andorder in the state.

Yakowa gave the advice whilereceiving the state indigenesof Batch 20 graduates of the

Yakowa urges youths to joinsecurity agencies on peace mission

Nigerian Navy Basic TrainingSchool Onne, Port Harcourt, whopaid him a courtesy call.

The Governor urged the 35graduates to be dedicated,determined and to work hard intheir various places of assignments.

He said more indigenes wouldbe recruited to participate in the

next batch of the course to enablethe state get more position in thenavy.

Yakowa reiterated thegovernment’s commitmenttowards peace, unity anddevelopment and assured them ofhis support.

Earlier, the leader of the group,

Yakubu Cephas, said the coursestarted in September 2011 andended on April 13.

Cephas appealed to the stategovernment to show more concernand commitment to indigenesstudying various courses outsidethe state to enhance theirperformance.

The Forum for Justice &Human Rights Defence(FJHD) says the

conviction of Chief James Iboriby the London Crown Courtexposes inadequacies in Nigerianjustice system.

The FJHD NationalCoordinator, Mr OghenejaborIkimi, made the remark in astatement issued to the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) in PortHarcourt on Wednesday.

Ikimi, who is also a lawyer,said there was an urgent need toreform the Nigerian justicesystem for proper servicedelivery.

He, however, said that 13years sentence awarded to Ibori,who was the former DeltaGovernor by the court, was a

Ibori: NGO calls for reform innation’s judicial system

Gov. Ibrahim Dankwamboof Gombe state hasadvised the newly-

elected Chairman of Conferenceof Speakers of Nigeria, AlhajiInuwa Garba, to ensure justiceamong its members.

Dankwambo gave the advicein Gombe yesterday whenGarba called on him.

“You should ensure selfless

service in all you are going todo, make sure you work withother people and your decisionshould always be the last.”

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Garba is alsothe Speaker, Gombe state Houseof Assembly.

Dankwambo said theadvice was necessary becauseGarba’s election posed a “newand bigger challenge” on him,stressing that he should notdisappoint the people of the

state.The Governor said if the

Speaker succeeded, the creditwould go to the entire state,adding thatt h e g o v e r n m e n t w o u l dsupport any indigene of thestate who aspired forhigher positions.

Garba promised not to failthe government and people ofthe state.

“Gombe state and theentire country will be proud of

me, all I need is your prayersand continuous support. “

The Speaker had earliertold newsmen that he woulduse his position to addressthe nation’s political andeconomic challenges, to ensurepeace and development.

“I will ensure a purposeful,focused and qualityleadership, I am determined tolook inward and liaise with mycolleagues to ensure that weserve the country deligently.”

Dankwambo urges Conference of Speakers to ensure justice, fairness

The Code of ConductTribunal sitting in Lokoja,has banned two former public

officers in the state from holding publicoffices for one year for failing to declaretheir assets.

Those banned are Sumaila Adamuand Sumaila Shuaibu, SpecialAdvisers to Ofu Local GovernmentChairman in 2007, were bannedfor refusing to declare their assets aftercollecting the bureau’s asset declarationform.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the tribunalordered the ban on Wednesday inLokoja while trying 40 accused personsin Kogi, who contravened varioussections of the Code of Conduct and

Tribunal Act.The accused pleaded guilty to the

charges of non-declaration andsubmission of the forms within 30 daysof issuance.

The offence is punishable under theamended Section 23(2) Cap 56 of theCode of Conduct and Tribunal Act,2004.

Prosecuting Counsel Kyari Ahmedurged the tribunal to give summarytrial on the matter since the accusedhad pleaded guilty to the chargespreferred against them.

The chairman of the tribunal,Justice Danladi Umar in his judgmentsaid that since the accused hadadmitted to committing the offence,there was no need to prolong the matter

and ordered the ban accordingly.NAN reports that the tribunal also

issued a bench warrant on six formercouncillors and three special advisersfrom Mopa-Muro and Dekina LocalGovernments of Kogi for absentingthemselves from the court.

Also at Wednesday’s sitting, thetribunal discharged Abdul Idris andHassan John Ahmed charged with latesubmission of the asset declarationforms.

The duo were supervisorycouncillors in Omala LocalGovernment of Kogi in 2007.

They said that the forms werecompleted and submitted on time, butthe prosecution held that they wereissued the forms on Feb. 23, 2007 andthey submitted on Sept. 5 of the sameyear.

Code of Conduct Tribunal bars 2 from holdingpublic offices in Kogi

L-R: Secretary to Adamawa state Government, Mr Kobis Thimnu, the state Deputy Governor, Mr Bala Ngilari, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) National Vice-Chairman, North East, Alhaji Mohammed Girgiri, and other dignitaries, during the inauguration of Adamawa state PDPexecutive members, yesterday in yOla. Photo: NAN

welcome judgement.Ikimi said Ibori deserved the

sentence since he admittedlooting billions of naira from thestate treasury.

“We say kudos to the LondonCourt for a job well done to thepeople of Delta State andhumanity.

“The above sinister action ofthe erstwhile Governor had nodoubt further pauperised andimpoverished the entire stateand its suffering masses.”

Ikimi expressed the hope thatIbori’s jail sentence would deterother corrupt public office holdersfrom similar crime in Nigeria.

He said public officers shouldensure probity, transparencyand accountability ingovernance or get humiliated.


Kano Assembly calls for removal of top officials in 3 councils

The Kano State House ofAssembly has called forthe removal of interim

management officers incharge of three LocalGovernment Councils in thestate.

This was contained in therecommendations of the reportof the House Committee onLocal Government Councils

and Chieftaincy Affairs,adopted by the House onTuesday in Kano.

Presenting the report, theCommittee Chairman, AlhajiZubairu Mahmoud, listed theaffected officers as those incharge of Ajingi, Dawakin Tofaand Garko Local GovernmentCouncils.

He cited poor relationship

between the local councils andtheir respective communities,improper siting ofdevelopment projects againstthe wish of the people andinflation of contracts as someof the lapses observed by thecommittee.

The chairman said hiscommittee had also identifiedimproper record-keeping and

operation of unauthorisedorders as other lapsesobtainable in all the 44 localcouncils in the state.

Mahmoud, quoted section128 of the 1999 Constitutionto back up the decision takenby his committee against theerring interim managementofficers, urging the StateGovernment to remove them.

not been functional for a longtime, adding that INEC has aresponsibility to withdraw thecertificate of a party that hasno functional office in theFederal Capital Territory.

“Umeh should concernhimself with how to manage acrisis free APGA instead of beingparanoid about an emergingnew party that is yet toparticipate in a general electionin Nigeria.” He said pointingout that Umeh is at liberty toinitiate the changing of thename of APGA and the symbolof the party.

While contesting thealleged attempt by Umeh to

link the rising sun with thedefunct Biafra, which he saidwas never a political party, hesaid the rising sun is auniversal brand, adding thatit is the height of ‘chicaneryand stupidity’ to attempt tomislead the commission intoassigning the rising sun to theIgbo people of the South East astheir exclusive property.

The party further refutedthe allegation that INEC hadearlier rejected theregistration of the party,saying that INEC ratheramended its guidelines forpolitical party registration toinclude that no name or

UPGA registration: Okorie urgesINEC to disregard Umeh’s petitionBy Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The National Chairman ofUnited Peoples GrandAlliance (UPGA),

Chekwas Okorie, has urged theIndependent National ElectoralCommission (INEC), to discardthe petition from the Chairmanof APGA, Victor Umeh,requesting INEC to avoidregistering the UPGA on thegrounds that it has similaracronym with APGA.

In a statement issuedyesterday in Abuja by UPGA,the party said that VictorUmeh should be bothered thattheir National Secretariat has

symbol used before by apolitical party, politicalassociation, alliance, orcooperate body should be usedagain.

Meanwhile, the members ofour National ExecutiveCommittee of the party hasreiterated its readiness to, incompliance with INEC’s letterreference number INEC/DPPM&L/UPGA/428/VOL.1/5dated 30th March, 2012, to beon hand to receive the teamfrom the Commission for thepurpose of inspecting itsNational Secretariat at theDome, Central BusinessDistrict.

A member of the House ofRepresentative, OlumideOsoba, on Tuesday

faulted the 28 per centallocation to capital projects bythe Federal Government in the2012 budget.

He said that the allocationwas inadequate.

Osoba, representingAbeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi Owode FederalConstituency, made theobservation whileinaugurating a health centrehe donated to Apolaja villagein Odeda Local Governmentarea of Ogun.

He said that the allocationwas not only inadequate, butwould slow down thedevelopment of infrastructurein the country.

Osoba said that it would begrossly unfair to think thatthe infrastructure woulddevelop beyond theircurrent state without adequatebudgetary allocations.

“Seventy-two per centgoing to recurrent is too highfor a nation that wants to growits economy; we must find ameans to reduce all these costsand direct the savings intocapital projects,’’ he said.

The lawmaker, however,lauded the FederalGovernment’s initiatives toestablish the Almajiri Schoolsin Sokoto.

He expressed optimism thatthe school would engage schoolaged children, who wouldotherwise, take to crimes.

Osoba urged government tobuild more of such schoolsacross the states in the north.

Speaking on the healthcentre, Osoba said that he hadopted to give back to thecommunity based on theirneeds and not on what he feltor thought was the best forthem.

“I was very moved andtouched with what I saw hereduring my campaign and Ipromised that if elected, I willby God’s grace, make healthcare facility available to thepeople of my constituency.

“Even though I did notreceive any allocations for theprojects, my major aim is tomake my people happy,’’ hesaid.

NAN reports that theprojects included provision ofbore holes and transformers toenhance water supply andelectricity in the constituency.

Budget: Osobafaults lowallocation tocapital projects

A/Ibom Assembly confirms 18 commissioners, 4 special advisersbeen screened by the HouseCommittee on Judiciary,Justice, Human Rights andPublic Petitions.

Ikon said: “accordingly, thelist of commissioners andadvisers sent by the governoris hereby cleared. The Clerk to the House is directed to forwardthe confirmation list to the

governor.”Earlier, the

Majority Leader, MrOkpolupum Ette, moved amotion, accepting the reportof the House’s Committee onJudiciary as presented by itschairman, Mr Ekong Samson.

Those confirmed asc o m m i s s i o n e r s

are Bassey Akpan and DonEtim, Ekpenyong Ntekim andEmmanuel Enoidem and DrBassey Antai.

Others are Eno Akpan,Aniekan Umanah, SunnyAnyang, AdasiU b o l u m , E n o b o n gU w a h , H e l e n A k p a b i oand Comfort Etuk.

The others are ClementBassey, Effiong Abia, AustinM b e h , E u n i c eThomas, Martins Udoinyangand Ita Umoh Udoh.

Those confirmed as specialadvisers are EtidoI n y a n g , S e n a sUkpanah, Godwin Udomand Samuel Frank.

The Akwa Ibom State Houseof Assembly hasconfirmed 18

commissioners and four specialadvisers sent to the house byGov. Godswill Akpabio.

Confirming the nominees onTuesday in Uyo, the Speaker ofthe house, Mr Samuel Ikon, saidthat the nominees had earlier

L-R: Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon. Lasun Yusuf, Senator Babajida Omoworare, and SenatorMudashiru Husain, during a press conference by the ACN Caucus on the purported security report on Osun state, at the National Assembly,yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa


examine this than now: thisinsecurity has affected all sectors ofthe country centering mostly onthe Northern part of Nigeria. “There can be no developmentwithout peace and the search forpeace is the priority of myadministration.

“Peace is not something to bewished for but something youactually worked for. The search forpeace is not a favour to anyone butto oneself. ’’

The governor said that Islampreaches peace and tolerance, notviolence and unwarranted killingof innocent people.

“How can a true Muslim explainthese cold blooded murders in thename of Islam?

“Islam preaches tolerance: anyunderstanding of Islam whichjustifies killing of people iscondemnable.

“Real Islam does not sanctionthe killing of people and destructionof their places of worship.”

Mr Tony Onyima, theManaging Director of The SunNewspapers, organisers of thesummit, said security was a sharedresponsibility and not thepreservation of the security

agencies alone. He said that everyone had a role

to play in combating the insecuritythat had befallen the nation inrecent years.

“As part of our socialresponsibility, we decided to open aconversation aimed at taking adispassionate look at the variousmodes of terrorism: their causativeagents, their social, economic,political and religious vectors andarrive at conclusions.

“The conclusions should help ourcountry speedily and permanentlyto conquer the monster. Ourultimate objective is to make Nigeriasafe for lives and investments. “

The Chairman of the occasion,Mr Mike Okiro, a former InspectorGeneral of Police, said securitychallenge was not peculiar to thecountry alone.

He said the country should beable to surmount the growinginsecurity just as other countries haddone, adding that security was anecessary infrastructure for thedevelopment of modern Nigeria.

“Every effort must be made toensure the security of lives andproperty as well as peace amongNigerians.’’

Gov Shetima calls for improvedstandard of living for poor

Also speaking, Maj.-Gen. SarkinBello of the Office of the NationalSecurity Adviser, called on Nigeriansto assist by forwarding allsuggestions that may lead toovercoming all forms of securitychallenges to the office of theNational Security Adviser.

He said that intelligence mustdrive every security and militaryoperation and that there could beno intelligence withoutinformation.

Chief Olake Adeyemo, theDeputy Governor of Oyo State, saidterrorism was not only a crimeagainst humanity but also a crimeagainst God.

He noted that terrorism affectedboth civilians and military alike andcalled on civilians to provide vitalinformation to security agencies.

In her contribution, MarylynOgar, the Deputy Director(information), State SecurityServices (SSS), decried a situationwhere Nigerians see the securityagencies as solely responsible forsecurity in the country.

She called on the media and thenation at large to assist the securityagencies in whatever way possibleto combat the security challenges.

L-R: Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on Capital Market, Hon. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, members of the Committee, Hon. Yakubu Doga, and Hon. Udoka IniAkpan, during the investigation by Committee into the collapse of the Capital Market, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Gov. Kashim Shetima ofBorno on Tuesday inAbuja called for

improvement in the livingconditions of the poor in order toforestall insecurity and engenderpeace for national development.

Shetima made the call at theopening of an InternationalSecurity Awareness Summit onTerrorism and Other RelatedCrimes tagged “National Security:Our Shared Obligation.”

He said the poor livingcondition of the less-privileged waspart of the reasons “why they aremore susceptible to carrying armsand threatening the peace andsecurity of the nation’’.

Shetima, therefore, called ongovernment officials and thepolitical elites to shun enrichingthemselves alone and takestringent steps to improve theliving conditions of the poor.

“We either make things rightby improving the living standardsof the poor or make ourselves richand the generation of the poor takeup arms and the peace which someof us take for granted disappears intothin air.

“There is no better time to

Ibori's jailterm sentenceis a big lessonfor Nigerianpoliticians,says Lawyer

Mr. Clifford Okoye, anO n i t s h a - b a s e dlawyer, yesterday

said that the 13-year jai lterm slammed on JamesIbori, former Delta Governor,by a London Crown Court,would serve as a bitter lessonfor corrupt polit icians andpublic office holders in thecountry .

Ibori, who was Governorof Delta state between 1999and 2007, was on Tuesdayfound guilty of embezzlingabout $250 million from thetreasury of the Delta stateGovernment.

Part of Ibori 's i l l-gottenproperties, according to theLondon Court, include ahouse in Hampstead, northLondon, for £2.2m, propertyin Shaftesbury, Dorset, for£311,000, a £3.2m mansionin Sandton, nearJohannesburg, South Africa,a f leet of armoured RangeRovers valued at £600,000,£120,000 BentleyContinental GT and aMercedes-Benz Maybach 62bought for 407,000 euroscash, that was shipped directto his mansion in SouthAfr ica .

Okoye told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) inOnitsha that the judgmentswould fire-up judges to takedecisive sentence on anypolit ician or public off iceholder found guilty ofembezzlement of publicfunds.

“I want the judiciary inNigeria to take a cue fromwhat the London CountyCourt has done.

“I also want politicians inNigeria to learn their lessonsfrom what happened toJames Ibori.

“Leaders are elected bythe people to serve them inall honesty.

“From availableinformation and thejudgments of the court, it hasshown that James OnanefeIbori was elected by his peopleand he did not do, he did notexecute properly themandate of his people. And heis paying for it.

“So it is big lesson forpoliticians and public officeholders, those who areentrusted with public fundsto see, to manage and tosuperintend over such fundsjudiciously and judiciary. ' '

It wil l be recalled thatIbori f led Nigeria to evadearrest and prosecution by theEFCC. He was subsequentlyarrested on 13 May 2010 inDubai by Interpol andextradited to London wherehe was tried and sentencedby the London Court.

NAN reports that PresidentGoodluck Jonathan on Fridaysigned into law, the 2012 Budgetwith an aggregate expenditure ofN4.697 trillion, comprisingN1.34 trillion capital expenditureand N3.357 recurrentexpenditure.

``If the recurrent expenditurewill be three times more than thecapital expenditure, where do youthink we are going?

``I do not know of any country

The Natioanal PublicitySecretary of theDemocratic Peoples

Alliance, Mr Sam Onimisi, onTuesday blamed the heavyrecurrent expenditure of theFederal Government on the ghostworker syndrome.

Onimisi told the News Agencyof Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos thatuntil Nigeria eliminated ghostworkers, it would be losing moneyto fraudsters in the public service.

Politicians decry recurrent expenditure burdenthat wants to develop who will usethree-quarters of its budget inpaying salaries.

`` I want to tell you that one-third of the so-called employeesare ghost workers,'' Onimisi said.

Also commenting, the LagosState Chairman of the AfricanDemocratic Congress, Mr GodfreyLemchi, attributed the heavyexpenditure burden to theimplementation of the N18,000minimum wage.

Lemchi urged thegovernment to be prudent andtransparent in theimplementation of the budget.

``Transparency andaccountability determine how fara government goes,'' he said.

The National PublicitySecretary of the Conference ofNigeria Political Parties, Mr OsitaOkechukwu, told NAN that heavyrecurrent expenditure couldretard development.


The Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) yesterday in Abuja said itwas still studying the situation on

whether Kaduna should remain thevenue for the upcoming Nigeria/Rwanda match.

Nigeria are billed to clash withRwanda in the return leg of the 2014World Cup qualifier as well as the 2013Africa Cup of Nations qualifier that isscheduled to between June 15 and June17 in the country.

The NFF had earlier given indicationsthat the match would hold in Kaduna,but security situation in Kaduna in therecent past has led to speculations thatthe NFF may be considering moving thegame to another venue.

“Football is a game that enhancespeace. So, on our part, we are studyingthe situation for now as we are usingthis game of football to bring peace tothis country,’’ he said.

Maigari said nothing had beendecided on the match venue as otherthings were in consideration todetermine the final choice.

“It is my belief and prayer the kind ofsituation we are presently experiencingwill improve for the better. But, as it isnow for us at the NFF, we are still tryingto see how the situation will come up,’’he said.

The Rwanda and Nigeria had playeda goalless draw on Feb. 29 when bothsides met in Kigali in the first leg match.

Kadiri Ikhana

Ejike Uzoenyi, Super Eagles player Sani Ahmed Toro, chairman Roadmap Committee

Super Falcons Head Coach,KadiriIkhana is to earn N750, 000 perweek totally N3m a month,

according to the coach he was officiallyunveiled yesterday at the FIFA GoalProject, National Stadium package B,Abuja.

Ikhana, who signed a four-yearcontract as coach of the Super Falcons,has been given the target of reachingsemi-finals of the FIFA Women WorldCup, retention of the African WomenChampionship trophy for 2012, 2014and the Olympic soccer in Rio Janeiro,Brazil in 2016.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony,Maigari said the football federationbelieves in the qualities of the coach andwas convinced he has the depth andsavvy to deliver on promise.

Maigari said he was not anticipatingany failure from the coach stressing thatthe football federation would avail boththe team and coach necessary logisticsand morale support to meet the set target.

Maigari, who outlined the targetsduring the public presentation of the coachyesterday, the football federation wouldrally necessary support for the teamnoting that it has already made plans forthe team ahead of their qualifies.

“We have a world-class coach in KadiriIkhana and we expect him to sustain ourposition as Africa’s best by winning thenext AWC, qualify Nigeria for the 2015AAG and take Nigeria to within the topthree positions at the next Women’s WorldCup. And I believe Kadiri Ikhana can doit,” Maigari said Ikhana promised to addvalue to the Falcons.

There are strong indications that theNigeria Football Federation (NFF),and the Super Eagles handlers are

working on the possibility of playing thefriendly game against Gabon before theteam travels to Lima, Peru for anotherinternational friendly against thePeruvian national side.

NFF insiders say the game which is atthe request of the Gabonese President AliBongo, has been scheduled for after thegame in Lima, but Nigerian officials wantit before the game against Peru.

The Gabonese have not yet finalisedwith the NFF and Nigerians must bepatient to get the right information onwhen the game will be played abndwhere”, sources close to NFF Scribe, BarrMusa Amadu, said.

Eagles boss, Stephen Keshi on his part,says the two games are important butmust not be played too close to the NationsCup and World Cup qualifiers, whichcommences in the first week on June. Thefear of injuries to his key players and theneed to keep the team tactics away fromthe opponents may have informed Keshi’sposition.

National team Secretary, Dayo EnebiAchor, said only time will tell whetherthe Super Eagles will play against Gabon.“We have to be patient with Gabon FA,because the game is at their request andwe cannot force them to fix a date thatsuits only Nigeria”, he said.

The NFF president, Aminu Maigari,yesterday charges members of thetwo standing and two ad hoc

committees to re-jig footballadministration through innovativeideas which would aid the rebuildingprocess.

The standing committees, which willbe in place until 2014, are the NFFOrganising Committee and the Mediaand Publicity Committee. The othercommittees are those on the Road Mapto Sustainable Development inNigerian Football and the Committee onReconciliation.

Maigari said the executive committeeresolved to set up the committeesbecause it neither possesses monopolyof wisdom nor want to arrogate tothemselves the passion that belongs toall. Instead, he said the committee

wants an all inclusive administrationof the game that allows all stake holdersto contribute meaningfully to thegame.

“This will be through formulation ofpolicies that will guide the respectivesecretariat staff of the NFF and theleague in general organisation,’’Maigari said, adding that members ofthe organising committee should seekmeans of ensuring that the stadia weremade safer and appealing for playersand fans to be attracted to the game.

Maigari also said that since footballwas a media event, the Media andPublicity Committee should ensureadequate publicity to add value to thegame.

“The amazing power of the mediacannot be over emphasised; it isimperative that the Media andPublicity Committee begin to look for

how best to propel our domestic game tothe international audience. We have tofind a way the media will do it in a verybig and compelling manner,’’ Maigarisaid.

Further, he urged the committee onroadmap to set realistic targets that areboth achievable and measurable. Youare to fashion out a comprehensiveroadmap in sustainable development ofNigerian football. You are also to comeup with long-term, short-term andmedium-term developmentprogrammes for a better managementof the game,’’ he said.

Responding, Toro thanked the NFF forthe opportunity to serve and pledge towork assiduously to meet the target.

He appealed for contributions from allfootball stakeholders, saying that allsuggestions and recommendations tomake the job easier would be welcome.

Nigeria/Rwandamatch venue:NFF stillstudying Kadunasituation

Nigeria, Gabon friendly before Peru

Ikhana to earn N3 million monthly,gets W/C semi-final target

Maigari charges fourcommittees to re-jigfootball administrationwith ideas

By Patrick Andrew


John Obuh, Head coach of the FlyingEagles, has regretted the failure ofthe last batch of the Golden Eaglets

to qualify for the Africa championshipand described it as a major setback thenew crop of Flying Eagles he has beencalled upon to groom.

According to the coach had the Eagletsqualified for last year’s fiesta, the bulk ofthe present Flying Eagles would havebeen drawn from them thereby reducingthe burden of having to start afresh tobuild new crop of Flying Eagles players.

Obuh said yesterday at the formalunveiling ceremony of new Super Falconshead coach Kadiri Ikhana that theforthcoming Eight-Nation InvitationalTournament in South Africa would beused to assess the players in new squad.

The tournament in Cape Town isscheduled to hold between May 24 and

June 3, with Nigeria’s Flying Eaglesdefending the title won in the 2010inaugural edition.

Already, some members of the would-be Flying Eagles have begun trainingyesterday even as the coach expects a fullhouse by weekend.

“As it is now the only thing we can do isto make sure that we use everycompetition that we participate in toassess the players to select the ones wewill be able to groom together.

“And that is why we are lookingforward to this South Africa game;probably after about two or three gameswe will be able to asses them very well,”he said. The coach said that he was notexpecting too much from the team fornow, adding that the game would enablethe players to test their ability in acompetitive match.

“When we start raising an entirely newteam like this, the thing that will be onthe technical crews’ mind is the possibilityof getting what you need from the newplayers.

“Once you find out that they have theunderstanding of the game, theircoordination is good, they have thenecessary skills and they are coachable,then you can pick up from there.

“Definitely it would have been better ifwe had at least about eight or 10 thatplayed together in the U- 17 team,” Obuhsaid.

He said the performance of the presentcrop of players in the team during thetrial matches would determine whetherthere would be any addition orsubtraction from the squad.

The coach allayed the fears of clubs thatthe players might not be released to

The NPL have ordered Dolphin toapologise to Kano Pillars over aterrorist threat they were alleged

to have made after a recent league game.“The threat was unfounded as Dolphin

could not substantiate that any member ofPillars made such a threat after they lost 1-0 in Port Harcourt recently,” NPL executivesecretary Tunji Babalola disclosed.

“This is rather unfortunate and wehave therefore asked Dolphin to tender

Obuh rues Golden Eaglets’ failure

maintained; the official dressing roomsin good order coupled with the constantelectricity supply to the sports complexas an added advantage,” he said.

According to him, the South West’sfootball fans are eager to see theirdarling national team again claimingthat the last time the stadium hostedan international engagement was in1 9 9 9 .

Speaking in the same vein, theChairman, Oyo State chapter of NigeriaFootball Supporters Club, Alli Femi,promised that his team would doeverything possible to mobilise peopleto the stadium.

“We will ensure large turnout offootball fans so that appreciable crowd

would be seen watching the Super Eaglesin Ibadan,” Femi said.Steve Olarinoye, the Zonal

Coordinator, South-West Zone 1, ofthe National Sports Commission

(NSC), Ibadan, has revealed thatmanagement of the Obafemi AwolowoStadium, Ibadan, would be willing to hostthe return leg of the Africa Nations Cupqualifier against Rwanda.

The management’s decision followedthe controversy trailing the decision ofthe Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)moving the matches away from theAhmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, due toBoko Haram threat.

Olarinoye said that the former LibertyStadium “has all it takes to host suchinternational matches”.

“The recently re-grassed pitch is well

He said his club had explained to thestate Commissioner for Youths andSports, Dapo Lam-Adesina, the need toconvince Gov. Abiola Ajimobi to bid tohost the matches.

According to him, kudos should begiven to the Ogun State Governmentwhich has, over the years, been hostingdifferent national teams matches in itsvarious stadia.

“We also have good stadium here in OyoState; our Obafemi Awolowo Stadium ismore than capable to host anyinternational match.

According to him, NFA should give theteeming football fans in the state and itsenvirons the chance to watch the nationalteam matches in Ibadan.

World Cup qualifier:Bring Eagles to Ibadan, Olarinoye urges NFFSidney Sam Raheem Lawal

an unreserved apology to Pillars andcoach Kabiru Baleria in this regard.”

Dolphin alleged that Pillars officialBaleria threatened that they will set theterrorist group Boko Haram on them ina reverse fixture after Pillars lost by alate goal in Port Harcourt recently.

Both clubs were ordered to appearbefore the NPL Tuesday to give their ownsides of the story during which Dolphinfailed to prove their case.

Super Eagles Head Coach, StephenKeshi, has revealed he has turnedattention to Spain-based Raheem

Lawal after being shunned by Leverkusenwinger, Sidney Sam, who could play foreither Nigeria or Germany.

Keshi, who had planned to visitGermany to talk to Sam, said he would

now rather allow the Bayer Leverkusenstar to make up his mind on hisinternational future.

“I have called Sam over 15 times andeach time, the phone dovetails into voicemail and I have always left message, butthe player has not responded to any ofmy messages, that to me is shocking andsays a lot about his readiness or otherwiseto play for the Super Eagles,” Keshi said.

Keshi said while he has not given up onthe player, he has for the meantimedecided to look beyond him and try otherwilling Nigerians, even as he hasemployed some scouts to work on Sam,who has capped by Germany at variousage-grade levels.

One of such players, according to Keshi,is Atletico Beleares of Spain midfielderRaheem Lawal, who featured for Nigeriaat the London 2012 Olympics qualifiersin Morocco last year.

“Lawal is young and talented andmany Nigerians who have watched himhave said he will go places in future. Thoseare the type of talents that we are lookingup to in raising a team that Nigeria willbe proud of in the near future,” said theEagles handler.

However, Keshi is undaunted in hisquest to rebuild the national team as hehas set his sights on Atletico Belearesmidfielder, Raheem Lawal.

The 21-year-old Spain-based Lawalturned out for Nigeria’s Under23s at theLondon 2012 Olympic football qualifyingtournament in Morocco where the“Dream Team V” failed to make the cutfor the games.

Keshi says he is willing to give theyoungster a chance in the national team.

“Lawal is young and talented andmany Nigerians who have watched himhave said he will go places in future, those

are the type of talents that we are lookingup to in raising a team that Nigeria willbe proud of in the near future,” Keshi said.

Lawal scored a hat-trick for theNigerian Under23s in their 4-1 victoryover Algeria at the Olympic qualifyingtournament in Morocco in December,2011 .

Keshi turns radar to Spain-basedLawal, as Sidney Sam snubs

Dolphin to apologise over terrorist ‘threat’

honour club assignments, saying thatplaying for their clubs was also goodexposure for them.

“If their coaches are asking for them, Iwill allow them to go and play,” he said.

The other countries expected toparticipate in the tournament includeshost South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, Japan,Argentina, Cameroon and Ghana.

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John Obuh, Head Coach,Flying Eagles


The Local OrganisingCommittee (LOC) for the18th National Sports

Festival in Lagos said onWednesday that it wouldannounce the designer of theMascot for the event next week.

The LOC General Secretary,Dr Kweku Tandoh, disclosed thisto the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Lagos as the entries forthe design of the mascot closed.

Tandoh said the entries wereopen to individuals andcorporate organisations,

especially Lagosians to beinvolved at all levels of thefestival. He said that the winnerwould be rewarded handsomelyby the state government.

“The winner will be pickedbased on the artistunderstanding of the elementsunderlying theme of the NSFwhich an average onlooker willbe able to appreciate.”

Tandoh said the MainOrganising Committee (MOC),the LOC and the 36 states SportsDirectors, Secretaries and the 25

sports federations would inspectfacilities and decide on venues tobe used for each sport betweenApril 19 and April 22.

He said the team would arrivein Lagos for the inspection onThursday, while the inspectionof facilities would take place onFriday and the event rounded upwith a two-day technicalmeeting from Saturday.

Tandoh said several issuesconcerning the sports festivalwould be discussed at themeeting.

“The MOC, LOC, state SportsDirectors, Secretaries and membersof the 25 sports for the festival willhold a technical meeting, inspectfacilities and decide on the venuesfor each sport.”

The National StadiumSurulere, Mobolaji JohnsonSports Centre Yaba, TeslimBalogun Stadium Surulere,University of Lagos Akoka, Yaba;College of Technology, Yaba andOnikan Stadium, are amongvenues lined-up for use at thefestival.

Chief Patrick Ekeji, DG, NSC

AHIP Queens of Kano and theFCT Angels of Abuja willplay in the opening game

when the second phase of the2012 Zenith Bank FemaleBasketball League begins in Ilorinon Saturday.

The league’s second phasecompetition is scheduled to holdfrom today through April 30 atthe gymnasium of theUniversity of Ilorin SportsComplex.

Ten clubs, including defending

champions First Deepwater ofLagos, First Bank of Lagos,Sunshine Angels of Akure, DeltaForce of Asaba and AHIP Giantsare taking part in thecompetition.

The rest are Lagos-basedDolphins and Nigeria Customs,FCT Angels, NigeriaImmigration of Kano andPlateau Rocks of Jos.

In the fixtures sent to theclubs, AHIP will face FCT Angelsin the first game at 8 a.m on

April 20, the Day One of the 11-day competition.

Four other matches have beenslated for the day, with FirstBank facing Immigration at 10a.m and Plateau Rocks againstCustoms at 1 p.m.

In the day’s other matches,First Deepwater will go againstDolphins at 3 p.m, while DeltaForce will meet Sunshine Angelsat 5 p.m.

On subsequent match days,till Day Nine on April 29, five

matches will also be playedbetween 8 a.m and 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, clubsparticipating in the competitionhave been advised to pay alloutstanding transfer andregistration levies to the NigeriaBasketball Federation (NBBF) atthe competition venue.

According to a letter to theclubs by the federation’sSecretary-General, FrancisGbiri, the NBBF will also makearrangements to pay to the clubs

in cash the subsidy for thecompetition.

“This will enable the clubs topay all the outstanding transferand registration levies to thefederation and other teams,” hesaid in the letter.

It would be recalled that theNBBF had earlier planned to holdthe competition in Asaba, butonly shifted it to Ilorin after someprotests against the choice of theDelta State capital.

Kaduna had earlier hosted thefirst phase competition, while thethird and final phase will holdlater in the year in Lagos.

The Lagos State Polytechnic(LASPOTECH) is currentlyleading other institutions

at the ongoing NigerianPolytechnic Games (NIPOGA)holding at the FederalPolytechnic, Ede, Osun.

The winners of medals weredecorated on Wednesday at theGames scheduled to end on April22. LASPOTECH is leading with11 medals, four gold, five silverand two bronze medals ahead ofNuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria,with four gold, one silver andthree bronze medals.

Yaba College of Technology

(YABATECH) is third with threegold, two silver and six bronzemedals, while the hostinstitution is 10th with one gold,three silver and eight bronzemedals.

LASPOTECH won three of itsgold medals in athletics while theother was in taekwondo; BamaliPolytechnic had all its goldmedal in taekwondo.

YABATECH had two of its goldmedals in athletics and the thirdgold in taekwondo, while FederalPolytechnic Ede had its only goldin athletics.

The proceedings at the Games

were put on hold for hoursyesterday following the boycottof matches by the officiatingofficials.

The officials had accused theNIPOGA committee of non-payment of their allowances andhad vowed to suspend allactivities until they were fullypaid. The Deputy Rector, FederalPolytechnic Ede, Mrs AliratBabalola, and the Chairman,Technical Committee ofNIPOGA 2012, Mr IdowuDehinde, later said that the crisishad been resolved.

“The management of the host

institution had met with theleaders of the officiating officersand the issue has been resolved.They wanted full payment oftheir allowances and it has beenpaid, so activities have sinceresumed,” Babalola said.

Dehinde, who corroboratedthe claims of the Deputy Rector,called on all participatinginstitutions to resume for theremaining activities in theGames.

No fewer than 43 institutionsacross the country are takingpart in the two-weekcompetition.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) yesterday in Abujainvited 14 players and four officials to camp in Lagos inpreparation for the 2012 Olympic Games qualifiers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the camp isscheduled to take place at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagosfrom today through April 21.

The camp is holding in place of the cancelled 2011/2012 DSTVPremier Basketball League’s All Stars Weekend Game earlierscheduled for April 20 to April 22.

The players invited include Dike Azuoma, Ohiero Michael, OjoAdeolu and Onyeka Ekpete from Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt, andOnyia Dalington from Ebun Comets.

Usman Abubakar, Yusuf Ibrahim and Matthew Onmonya are fromKano Pillars, while Stanley Gumut from Nigeria Customs of Lagos,andIkyaartor Orseer from Lagos Islanders have also been invited.

Lagos-based Dodan Warriors’ trio of Yahaya Abdulwahab, BukarMohammed and Akita Akpara, as well as Adeniyi Adebayo of UnionBank of Lagos completed the list.

The officials invited are Ayo Bakare of Comets, Ahmed Sani ofPillars, Ayinla Johnson of Union Bank and Dr Samuel Ogbedimu.

According to a letter of invitation sent to the players and officials,as well as their seven clubs, they are expected in camp early onThursday for evening training.

Training and trials for the players will then hold on Friday andSaturday, while the camp is expected to close on Sunday.

NAN reports that the NBBF is preparing a team for the 2012Olympic men’s basketball qualifiers scheduled for Venezuela earlyJuly.

Zenith Bank B’ball League: AHIP, FCT Angels in opening Game clash

NIPOGA: LASPOTECH hauls 11 gold medals

18th NSF Mascot: LOC to unveil winner next week

Babatunde Fasola, Gov.Lagos, hosts of 18th NSF

NBBF invites 14 players to camp for 2012Olympics qualifiers

Nigeria’s basketball male team


Reigning Olympic champion, Jamaican speedster, UsainBolt, says that he is aiming at further lowering his worldmarks in the 100m and 200m at the forthcoming London

2012 Olympic Games.The Jamaican had awed the world with his breathtaking

performance at the Beijing Games four years ago and nowplans a repeat of the Beijing feat. Bolt, who paired currentworld champion in 100m and compatriot Yohan Blakes lastweek to set an astonishing new 4x100m time, said he is workingto meet the expectation of athletics bluffs who long to see asub 9.4 seconds.

“People are looking forward to me running 9.4, 19 seconds,anything that’s amazing,” the 25-year-old Jamaican told theBBC in an interview to mark the 100-day countdown to thestart of the Games in the British capital yesterday. “So, I’mworking as hard as possible so I can go as fast as possible.”

Bolt was one of the main stars of the last Games in Beijingfour years ago, winning gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100mrelay, establishing him as one of the greatest sprinters of alltime.

The sprinter clocked world records of 9.69secs and19.30secs in the 100m and 200m, while the Jamaican team’s37.10secs in the 4x100m was also a new world best. Boltcemented his position in the sporting pantheon by loweringhis own world records to 9.58secs for the 100m and 19.19secsfor the 200m at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

Bolt made a triumphant start to his 2012 season lastSaturday, anchoring his Racers team to 4x100m relay victoryin the UTech Classic in Kingston, Jamaica.

Samsung Diamond Leaguemeeting.

The 10,000m is scheduled forFriday June 1 while the mainmeeting comes next day ,Saturday, June 2 and will nowbe one of the 13 runnerscontesting the three availableKenyan berths for London.

Yego, whose previous nationalmark of 78.34m was set whenwinning the All Africa Games inMaputo last year, had just

returned from a two months’training stint in Finland, thehomeland of javelin throwing.

Athletics Kenya (AK)Secretary General, DavidOkeyo, said they were expectingYego to break the A-qualificationof 82.00m but if that is notpossible, they would stillconsider sending him to London.

World Half Marathontitleholder, Wilson Kiprop didmost of the initial front runningas national coaches, JuliusKirwa and Peter Mathu wavedfrantically on the sidelines forthe pace to be picked up.

Masai, who missed the bronzeat Beijing to Micah Kogo in a deadheat finish heeded the call andtook over at the sixth bringingthe lap pace down to 64 secondswith Kiprop, the 5000mOlympics silver winner EliudKipchoge, African 5000mbronze medallist Mark Kiptoo,and Edinburgh junior WorldCross bronze winner LucasRotich in quick chase.

The speed proved to be toomuch for Josphat Kiprono Menjothe Osaka World Champs eighthfinisher, and Philemon Yator theAfrica 5000m silver winner,who dropped out in successivelaps.

Kipchoge, the two-timeOlympian, then took his turn tostretch the field with three lapsleft through the bell whereRotich then took charge with350 to go before Masai bore downthe homestretch to headKipchoge (28:11.0) and Rotich(28:12.0) on to the podium.

“The race was good for metoday because my injury is nowgone so I have seen that I’m ingood shape so my chances for theOlympics are good. In Beijing, Imissed the bronze medal and if I

get the chance, this time I wantto get something for myself andit feels good to be back,” Masai,the former double African5000m and 10,000m juniorgold winner expressed.

“I have been running 5000min the last two Olympics and forthe third I want to run the10,000m, said Kipchoge the2003 World 5000m champion.“ I hope to be among the threeKenyans and since I have my bestof 26:49 in the distance, I see noharm even if this was my first10K in Kenya,” the Athensbronze and Beijing silvermedallist added.

Kiptoo (28:17.4) formerWorld junior champ and JosphatBett (28:27.6) closed the topfive.

All finishers bar sixth placedKogo (28:31.0) and Daniel Sielein 11th were named in the squadfor the Prefontaine Trial with thepair seeing their Olympicsdream in the event end sincethey had not broken the A-Standard of 27:45.00.

The overcast conditions withhigh humidity proved to be adaunting task for Japan basedrunners including World Crosssenior silver winner, Paul Tanui(28:34.2) and All Africa Games10000m bridesmaid BedanKaroki (28:39.8) who camehome in the seventh and ninthplaces, as Wilson Kiprop(28:46.2) slumped to tenth.

According to Athletics Kenya,the selected team will enjoy athree-day break beforegathering at the High AltitudeTraining Centre in Eldoret tocontinue their preparations forthe Prefontaine Classic.

The 10,000m squad is MosesMasai, Eliud Kipchoge, LucasRotich, Mark Kiptoo, JosphatBett, Paul Tanui, EmmanuelBett, Bedan Karoki, WilsonKiprop, Titus Mbishei, MarkKigen, Geoffrey Kirui, DennisMasai.

In other keynote action,Commonwealth Games 400mgold medallist, Mark Mutai(46.0) edged out World Youthsilver medallist AlphasKishoyian (46.2) in the one lapevent with Boniface Mucherufinishing third (46.5).

A 4x400m relay squad wasalso selected for the Penn Relaysin the United States after theevent: Mark Mutai, AlphasKishoyian, Anderson Mureta,Boniface Mucheru, VincentMumo.

All Africa Games JavelinThrow titleholder, JuliusYego, stunned renowned

10,000m runners who againstall odds at the Kenya men’s10,000m Olympics Pre-Trial inNairobi on Tuesday by clinchinga place in the slot for pre-Olympic trials.

At the meet, the rich field of10,000m runners that includedthe likes of Moses Masai, WilsonKiprop and Eliud Kipchoge were

expected to dominate theheadlines. Instead, it was Yegowho did by setting a newnational record of 79.95m whichis inside the Olympic B-Standard(79.50) for the Games. It was theperformance of the day.

Though Masai in a slow28:10.30 won the race to decidewho’ll be in the line-up for theKenyan 10,000m Olympictrials race which is being held atthe Prefontaine Classic -

London 2012: Javelin throwershocks Masai, Kipchoge, other10,000m runners in pre-trial

Moses Masai Eliud Kipchoge Julius Yego

MEN 10,000m

1. Moses Masai 28:10.32. Eliud Kipchoge 28:11.03. Lucas Rotich 28:12.04. Mark Kiptoo 28:17.45. Josphat Bett 28:27.66. Micha Kogo 28:31.07. Paul Tanui 28:34.28. Emmanuel Bett 28:35.69. Bedan Karoki 28:39.810. Wilson Kiprop 28:46.2

MEN Javelin

1. Julius Yego 79.95 (NR)2. Sammy Keskeny 71.26

MEN 400m

1. Mark Mutai 46.02. Alphas Kishoyian 46.23. Boniface Mucheru 46.54. Julius Koskei 46.7

London 2012: Boltaims at 9.4, 19 secondsin 100m, 200m

Usain Bolt

By Patrick Andrew with agency report



Chelsea held English PremierLeague flag high yesterday bybeating on song and defending

champions of the UEFA ChampionsLeague Barcelona 1-0 in the first leg ofthe semi-final.

And it was the Blues’ talisman andIvory Coast skipper Didier Drogba thatmade all the difference when he poppedup to slam in a Ramireles’s low cross.Leonel Messi had been dislodged anddispossessed of the ball by powerhouseFrank Lampard and launched a run thatfound Drogba who tailored it so well forthe former Liverpool midfielder anddarted smoothly to take advantage ofthe slack defending by the Spanish

players for latch on a true pass forDrogba to tug in.

Before then, Barcelona had beenrampage bombarding the vital area ofthe Blues with reckless abandon but itwas one day that inspirational skipperJohn Terry marshaled his men on dutywith pious attention.

Though and as expected, Barcadominated in virtually all departmentsexcept on the score sheet, Chelsea wererigid in defence if slack in their offensiveapproach even as they worked hard tokill off the delectable midfield displaywhich the defending champions havereputation for.

Even resumption, Barca kept on the

pressure but the sole English team leftin the race soaked up everything whilerelying on counter attacks to attempt tostrike a deadly blow. That never came.

On several occasion the La Ligachampions knocked at the door but theywere rebuffed Terry ensured that sixmatches record of not losing to Barcelonaat Stamford Bridge remainsunbleached.

Next Tuesday at the Noc Camp,Chelsea will face Barcelona to decidewhether they or the Spain team willplay the winner between Real Madridand Bayern Munich.

The German team defeated Real at theAllainz Arena on May 19 for the final.

Kadiri Ikhana, the Head Coach of thesenior national women football team,yesterday pledged to add more value

to the team.Ikhana was appointed on March 28,

2012 by the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) to head the team’s coaching crew.

Speaking at his official unveilingceremony, Ikhana said he would do his bestto ensure that the team also known as theSuper Falcons becomes better than what itused to be.

“I don’t have much to say now because Idon’t want to talk much. However, I wantmy results to speak for me. I can for nowonly promise to add more value to the SuperFalcons by God’s Grace,’’ he said.

The former coach of Kwara UnitedFootball Club of Ilorin further said he was

confident he would meet the terms statedin his appointment’s contract papers.

The coach had been mandated to leadthe team to qualification for the 2012African Women Championship (AWC) andsubsequently the FIFA Women’s World Cupof 2015

“I can assure that I can build a team thatwill qualify for the AWC later in the yearand then the Women’s World Cup in 2015as demanded by the contract,’’ Ikhana said.

Earlier in his speech at the unveilingceremony, the NFF chairman, AminuMaigari, had reiterated the association’ssupport for women football.

He said the unveiling ceremony itself wasa practical demonstration of that as it wasthe first of its kind for a women’s teamcoach.

“NFF is not paying lip service to women’sfootball because this is the first unveilingfor the women’s national team coach. Nowthe whole nation will be convinced of theposition of the present administration, thatit holds women’s football in high esteem,‘’Maigari said.

He explained that the coach was chosenout of many applicants because of hisnumerous achievements both at home andabroad.

Maigari said this was to help the teamretain the name it has made in Africa andglobally.

“ In a bid to retain the records the SuperFalcons have in Africa and globally, theassociation opted for Ikhana because of hispedigree and his achievements both homeand abroad.

“ We believe he can deliver very well,considering the records he had broken as aplayer and a coach. So, he can do it not onlyto the Super Falcons but to women’s footballin general,’’ he said

Maigari however pointed out that In thecoach’s four-year contract, NFF expectedhim to win the AWC title.

“In addition to this, he has to help to makeNigeria one of the best three teams at the2015 Women’s World Cup and help theteam qualify for the next Olympics,’’ hesaid.

The NFF Chairman assured that theassociation would give Ikhana all thenecessary support he would need. ‘We willalso provide for him the enablingenvironment to bring about changes in thewomen football sector generally,’’ he said.

The Assistant Coach of Giwa FC of Jos,Solomon Bala, has commended theNigeria National League (NNL) for

initiating awards for players and teamsperforming well in the league.

Bala told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) yesterday in Jos that thetransparency exhibited so far by the bodyin selecting best players and teams formonthly awards was commendable.

He was speaking on the emergence of theclub’s midfielder, Ibrahim Shuaibu, as bestplayer for the month of March. Themidfielder made history by picking themaiden award for the best player award forthe month of February.

The award for the best player wasinitiated by the NNL to reward outstandingplayers in the second division league in thecountry.

“I want to give kudos to the league body;so far they have been fantastic. I would saythe criteria they use in scoring players isperfect. ‘What they have said about Shuaibuis accurate because he is disciplined, hardworking and he is good at scoring wonderfulgoals. “I am giving them kudos for watchingand paying attention to what is happeningin the league,’’ Bala said.

He said Shuaibu’s winning the awardtwice did not come to the team as a surprisebecause of his determination and hard work.

“We are encouraging other players toemulate the midfielder. ‘He is the kind ofplayer that doesn’t talk on the pitch, nevercomplains when he is given an assignmentand his scoring prowess is legendary.’’

Bala advised Shuaibu to keep up the hardwork and not allow his success to breedarrogance that might kill his career.

Ikhana promises to add value to Super Falcons

Giwa FC coachscores NNLhigh on awards

Nigeria’s failure to record visibleprogress in the administration offootball has been largely because of

the political will to implement therecommendations of the various panels setto proffer solutions to obvious problems.

This was the view of the former SecretaryGeneral of the then Nigeria FootballAssociation, (NFA) now NFF, Alhaji AhmedSani Toro, said had the past boards of the footballfederation chose to use the many wellarticulated reports on football administration,reports and recommendations made by panelsand committees set up by the executivecommittee, they would have discoveredseveral well conceived roadmaps for the

country.Sani Toro, who is the chairman of the

Strategic Roadmap Committee forSustainable Football Development, saidyesterday at the inauguration of thecommittee that he has resolved to monitorand persuade the present board toimplement whatever recommendations thecommittee would come up with.

“I want to quickly tell Nigerians that whatwe have been mandated to do is not altogetherstrange to us, giving the fact that variouscommittees have been set up in the past toameliorate the state of football in Nigeria. “Ican give example of Dominic Oneyacommittee that was set up to reform ourfootball that was never consider as arecommendation or way forward to football

development to Nigeria. Our prayer for thiscommittee recommendation will not go theway of other committees in the past went, thatend up as decorations on the shelves of the NFF.

“My committee will study the past reportswith the view to harmonising them in ourfinal submission because we will monitor ourrecommendations to the latter for theinterest of football development andNigerians who have the game at heart, “hesaid. The former Commissioner for Sports inBauchi state said, the committee wouldinvolved football stakeholders, coaches,referees, players, media, clubs, state footballassociations and sponsors to ensure thecommittee do not left stone unturned tojustify the confidence repose by the NFF.

“We will involve everybody in our report,

I want to use this medium to appeal tomembers of football as well as otherinteresting Nigerians to avail us theirsuggestions and recommendations so thatwe can strive to produce a report that willmake Nigerians proud, “ Toro begged.

The former lawmaker assure Nigeriansto meet with the National Assemblymembers in a view to repeal Decree 101 ofthe NFF status, stressed that the committeewill come up with new bill that will conformwith international best practices, especiallyFIFA standard.

Further, Sani Toro said that thecommittee report will guarantee anenabling environment that will attractsponsors and smooth administrative run offootball in Nigeria.

Poor implementation of committees’ reports our bane, says Sani ToroBy Patrick Andrew and Albert Akota

UEFA Champions League: Chelsea maintainStamford Bridge supremacy over Barcelona

Drogba separatedthe two sidesyesterday

Lionel Messi wasunable to break hisChelsea Jinx


LOSS OF DOCUMENTThis is to notify the General Public the loss of passportissue to MR. CHADI ANTONIE EL GHAZAL with SerialNo. RL0947596 and Combined Expatriate ResidencePermit and ALLIEN SCHEME (CERPAC) Serial No.AO 0939156 issue to him by Nigeria ImmigrationService is declared missing.All effort made to trace the said documents proveabortive.If found, please contact the nearest police station orNigeria Immigration Service.

The NigerianNationwide League,NNWL, has warned

clubs against abandoningmatches in the ongoingseason of face the wrath ofthe law.

This warning followedincreasing incidences ofabandonment the mostrecent being the allegedrefusal of Afijio FC tocomplete their homeagainst Dynamite FC aftergoing down 2-0 before theend of the first half.

The chairman,NNWLAlhaji Muazu AhmedKawu, who disclosed this inAbuja said the secretariatwill hence forth nottolerate abandonment ofmatches adding that thesecretariat has beendirected to deal decisivelywith defaulting clubs.

He said aside from beingbanned from their homegrounds, heavy fines willalso be imposed upon theclubs found to haveabandoned their matches.

“We are completelydisappointed with theattitude of some of theseclubs, because they haveacted in breach of thestatutes. The rules say,you must complete yourmatch and thereafter youlodge your complaintswith the football house, ifany. That is why we havethe Organising andDisciplinary Committee,O&D of the NigeriaFootball Federation (NFF).

“We will no longertolerate indisccipline inthe league, and I am usingthis opportunity to warnall the clubs in the NNWLto desist from indulging inthis ugly fancy. Shouldthey persist, we shall notfail sanction these clubsheavily to deter them,” hesaid.

Afijio FC, which are inthe Group A of theNigerian NationwideLeague Division One(formerly called NigerianAmateur League) alsohave Ilesa West FC,Fountain FC of Ado Ekiti,Bolowotan FC of Ikorodu,Union Bank F.C. ofLagos,FC Ebedei,Olurunda FC, Injectors FCof Ilorin, to contend within the group.

The Nigeria NationwideLeague One, NNWL,which is the third level ofclub football in Nigeria,was recently rebrandedand it has now beendivided into four groups bygeography with eithernine, ten or eleven teamseach, with up to eightteams promoting to theNigeria National Leagueat the end of the season.

Seven football clubshave registered forthe 2012 Kebbi

Challenge Cup.The secretary of the

state F.A, Alhaji UsmanLadan, disclosed this onTuesday in Birnin Kebbi,adding that thechampionship has beendesigned to highlight

available talents as well asensure that the best teamsemerge winners.

Ladan said that thewinners and runners-up ofthe 2011 edition,Nasarawa Utd, of BirninKebbi, and Yelwa Utd., ofYauri, would participate inthe competition.

He listed the other clubs

as Sakaba Links FC,SakabaUtd, Fadama Utd. ofArgungu,Gamji Utd. ofBirnin Kebbi and WhiteEagle FC, of Yauri.

Ladan said that the clubs

had been cautioned againstunruly conduct, while theF.A. would ensure goofofficiating and applicationof football rules “withoutfear or favour”.

The Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has saidthat the inclusion of more home-basedplayers in the Super Eagles was

indicative of the vast improvement of thedomestic league’s standard and quality.

The NPL’s Acting Executive Secretary,Tunji Babalola, while applauding the headCoach of the Eagles, Stephen keshi, for not only

believing in the domestic league and theplayers therefrom, lauded the Eagles’technical crew for giving the players theopportunity to showcase the abundant talentsin the league.

He assured that the league body willendeavour to organise the domestic league insuch a manner that standard and quality willbe its hallmark thereby giving the players theneeded chance to exhibit their talents to the full.

He said that the successful completion of thefirst stanza of the league has given theregulatory body to carry out an appraisal andput in place measures that would furtherimprove the NPL.

“So far so good; the league has been going onfine, it could be better. We will ensure that ourmistakes earlier this season, would not beallowed to happen again and we will fine-tuneour strategies to keep improving.

“If you look at the makeup of the SuperEagles today, the bulk of the players are fromthe domestic league, which I see as a plus forthe NPL’’, Babalola said.

In the area of officiating in the league,Babalola said that the referees had given a good

account of themselves, adding that the awayvictories secured by visiting teams spokevolumes about the improvement.

“In this season, we have had more awayvictories, compared to the past. This meansfairness by match officials,’’ he said.

Babalola urged fans to continue to attendleague matches and not to relent in theirsupport, stressing that they would get goodvalue for their money in the next stanza of theleague.

“I want to assure fans of the intention of theNPL to serve them with exciting andentertaining football in the second stanza,because of the keen competition by clubs vyingfor the title,’’ he said.

The NPL is currently on a one week break, toenable teams to rest and prepare for the secondstanza which kicks off at the various centreson April 21.

The break would also serve as a transferwindow to enable teams to carry out mid-season transfer of players to fortify their squadsbefore the commencement of the second stanza.

The 2011/2012 season of the NPL will endin August.

Nationwideboard warnsa g a i n a s tm a t c habandonment

Home-based players a plus for Super Eagles, says Babalola

Seven clubs register for Kebbi Challenge Cup

No fewer than 16clubs will beparticipating at

the Lagos State FivesAssociation Inter-ClubsChampionships scheduledfor April 19 and April 20at the National Stadium,Lagos.

The association’sChairman, NasiruMohammed, made thisknown to the News Agencyof Nigeria on Monday inLagos.

He said thechampionship was part ofmeasures being put inplace, to keep the athletes

busy in the countdown tothe 18th National SportsFestival scheduled for Nov.27 to Dec. 9 in Lagos.

“This competition will bea unique one because Aprilmarks the 90th year thesport came into existence inNigeria and we want tocelebrate it.

“We are also planning tohonour some notableindividuals, who havebeen of immense support tothe association over theyears,’’ Mohammed said.

He said the NationalStadium was chosenbecause it was the only one

that had fives’ courts in thesouthern part of thecountry.

Mohammed commendedthe state governor,Babatunde Fashola for thechampionships, sayingthat it would go a long wayin developing the sport inthe state.

The championship isbeing facilitated by theOffice of the Senior SpecialAssistant to Gov. Fasholaon Grassroots SportsDevelopment; the Ministryof Youths, Sports and SocialDevelopment and the StateSports Council.

The secretary added:“The clubs that emergefirst and second willrepresent the state in thenational Challenge Cupcompetition.’’

He said that the final ofthe competition wouldhold on May 4.

…16 clubs for Lagos fives inter-clubs tourney

Head coach of the Under-20 NationalTeam, Flying Eagles, John Obuh hasvowed to produce an even better than

Flying Eagles than he did with the squad thatcrashed out in the quarter-finals of the 2011FIFA U-20 World Championship in Colombia.

Obuh, whose 46 invitees arrived in thecamp last weekend, said yesterday at theunveiling of Super Falcons’ Head Coach, KadiriIkhana, that he intends to chisel a squad thatwould readily graduate to the U-23 NationalTeam to seek qualification for the 2016Olympics in Rio Janeiro, Brazil.

The Flying Eagles, who will be defending theAfrican Youth Championship title in Algerianext year, have the African YouthChampionship qualifying date at the end ofJuly, against the winner of the fixture betweenSudan and Tanzania.

Meanwhile, the organizers of the Eight-Nation Invitational Tournament in CapeTown, South Africa have confirmed that theevent will take place between May 24 – June3 this year, with Nigeria’s Flying Eagles as

Cup holders, having won the 2010 inauguralthat also had Brazil and Ghana in attendance.

The eight participating countries, vizchampions Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt,Brazil, Japan, Argentina, Cameroon andGhana are the leading youth football powersof the universe.

Brazil lifted its fifth FIFA U-20 World Cuptitle in Colombia last year, only one less thanArgentina’s record, while Cameroon and Egyptwere also in Colombia as Africa’s flag-bearers.

Argentina won its first world title in 1979 inJapan, defeating Cup holders Soviet Union withthe exquisite skills of Diego Maradona andRamon Diaz. The country also won in 1995,1997 and 2001, 2005 (defeating Nigeria in thefinal in Utrecht) and 2007. But Brazil alsoreached the final in 1991, 1995 and 2009, losingto Portugal, Argentina and Ghana respectively.

While Nigeria have reached the FIFA U-20World Cup finals on two occasions (1989 and2005) and won bronze in 1985, Ghana is theonly African country to have lifted the trophy,in 2009 in Egypt.

Obuh vows to producebetter Flying Eagles

Chigozie Agbim Reuben Gabriel

John Obuh

SPORTS LALALALALATESTTESTTESTTESTTEST

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Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza,Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos,Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: [email protected]: 2141– 6141

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

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Olympics:London begins100-daycountdown to2012 Nigeria as a democracy is

given and it is my firmbelief that the only way for

democracy to strive in a pluralsociety like ours is through theactive participation of everysegment of the society. Putdifferently by way of popularparticipation and constructiveengagement and whenever thesetwo elements are lacking, mutualsuspicion and mistrust take centrestage.

Nigeria is a potpourri ofpluralities – social, economic,religious, cultural, ethnic and evenclimatic. As it is common with allsocial concepts, pluralism has itsmerits as well as demerits. Themeeting of minds from differentbackgrounds, the dazzlingmultiplicity of ideas and of coursethe very eccentric nature of thesolutions, make for great potentialin pluralism.

There are, however, as notedearlier, problems becausepluralistic societies are, by theirvery nature, divided by cleavages,among others. How a nationnegotiates the landmines beneaththose cracks is usually thedifference between progress andregression.

It is appropriate at this point toaddress our minds to the famouswords of the late Sardauna ofSokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello on theneed to recognize our differences andnot pretend that they don’t exist.To recognize them is to respectthem, and to take them intoconsideration when discussingissues that can potentially affect thewhole nation. To recognize them isto be mindful of the various groupsthat live in a nation such as oursand not take any group forgranted. However, it does not meanthat we should dwell on ourdifferences or allow them tojeopardize our progress. But wecannot close our eyes to the fact thatsuch differences do in fact exist andthat we have had problems in thepast when we became insensitiveto these realities.

It is important to recognize thatthese problems are not peculiar toour country. All societies havetheir problems and it is only thefailure to discuss them amicablythat leads to crisis. That is why wemust always create theopportunity to meet and rubminds. In any case, many of theissues that face us as a nation arenot as grievous as they appear.They are mostly problems that arecommon with any developing

democracy and with time andmore efforts many of these problemswill be overcome.

Accordingly, I encouragedialogue because debates anddialogues are the bread ofdemocracy. Indeed, it is no longerdemocracy if people cannotparticipate in the process ofgovernance, if they cannot havetheir way they should at least havetheir say. The stifling of publicopinion leads to the kind ofexplosions that are now dubbed the“Arab Spring.”

Here in Africa, there have beenmore and more debates amongMuslim states over the way theywant to be governed and this hasled to the enthronement of better

democratic arrangements. It is nowclear to the world that the answerto the question: do Muslims wantdemocracy? is ‘Yes.’ But as JohnEsposito and Dalia Mogahed notedin their book, “Who Speaks forIslam,” after a reported data basedanalysis of the point of view of over90 percent of the global Muslimcommunity in 35 countries,Muslims don’t want the wholesaleadoption of Western styleddemocracy that is not adapted tothe peculiarities of their religion.

Yet, if freedom of speech means“allowing all citizens to expresstheir opinions on the political, socialand economic issues of the day,”then an average of 93 percent ofworld Muslims support it. The trueessence of democracy lies on thetripod of good governance,accountability and theparticipation of the people. In thiswise, it is no different from the idealsof a genuine Muslim society.

As elected representatives, weknow very well the value of equalrepresentation, not just of people,but of complexity of opinions aswell.

It was Aristotle who said, “Astate aims at being, as far as it canbe, a plural society composed ofequal and peers.” And because werepresent the various multi-religious and multi-ethnic federalconstituencies, we are foreverconscious of the need to cater for

Speaker Aminu Tambuwal

the needs and aspirations of allthose within the federation. This isengendered by a legal and politicalframework that provides a levelplaying field for all citizens. In ourrole as lawmakers, therefore, weshall continue to ensure that allpeople are treated equallyirrespective of their beliefs or ethno-cultural origins.

I therefore urge all Muslims tocontinue to express their viewsfreely, as guaranteed by thedemocratic system that we nowpractice. As good Muslims andresponsible citizens, however, wemust strive to conduct ourselvespeacefully and respect the views ofothers because this country belongsto all of us equally and we shareequal responsibility towards itssustenance. As a country we muststrive to make dialogue the defaultmeans of resolving conflicts. Thetruth is that without justice thereis no peace and without peace therecan be no progress of any sort.

I therefore appeal to leaders ofall persuasions to be mindful of theway they respond to issues.Sometimes the utterances of manyleaders leave much to be desiredand do fatal damage to the psycheof the followers. In this regard, letme also appeal to all to be mindfulof other people’s feelings and to beas civil as possible in theirdiscussions. As Muslims let us usethis opportunity to enlighten theworld about our capacity forrational discourse, our ability toadvance human progress and ourenduring resolve to engenderpeace.

I urge Muslims to continue torededicate themselves to the greatIslamic values of patience,perseverance and the use of justand legal means to realize theirlegitimate aspirations. In thesetrying times, we all have a duty todo everything in our power toencourage dialogue andunderstanding among Nigeriansand to distinguish between trueMuslims and pretenders who areagents of violence and terrorism.

I am confident that this countryhas enough room to accommodateour diversities, our differences andour socio-cultural and ethno-religious challenges. The more wetalk about about them, the less wewill fight over them.

Tambuwal made theseremarks, as the special guestof honour at “The NigerianMuslims and DemocracyConference,” last Saturday, atthe National Mosque in Abuja.

The Nigerian Muslimand democracy

London Olympicorganisers said there wasnow a real buzz about the

2012 Games as they started the100-day countdown yesterdayby unveiling its 'Inspire ageneration' motto.

The milestone was markedby events in Britain and aroundthe world as London 2012 chiefssaid they were looking in "greatshape" for the final lap beforethe sports extravaganza kicksoff.

"Expectations are high, andwe won't disappoint," saiddouble Olympic gold medallistand London Games chairmanSebastian Coe.

"This is about celebratingthe fact that we are 100 daystoday from the openingceremony -- 100 days today wewill be welcoming the world."

He was speaking at theRoyal Botanic Gardens in Kew,southwest London, where20,000 flowers have beenplanted in the shape and coloursof the five Olympic rings. Theyare visible from planes flyinginto London Heathrow Airport.

The motto, Coe explained,was aimed at London's promisesthat its Games would leave agenuine, lasting legacy.

"It is everything we havebeen saying since we started thisextraordinary journey," hesaid.

"It's the heartbeat, the veryDNA of this organisation and arallying cry for the athletes tocome to the UK to perform attheir very best and inspire theworld."

The milestone was markedby events in Istanbul, Caracas,Miami, Wellington, Berlin,Sarajevo, St. Petersburg, 2014Winter Olympics host Sochi andin the Palestinian Territories.

"I have rarely witnessed thelevel of excitement... amongstthe elite-level competitors thatare going to come and dignifyour Games in 100 days' time,"said Coe.

The 15,000 Olympic andParalympic athletes are"inching their way to thebiggest moment in their lives",he said, adding that Londonwould not let them down.

Coe said he was "veryconfident" that the city was in"great shape" to host theOlympics.

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal

GUEST COLUMNIST

“Here in Africa, there have been moreand more debates among Muslim statesover the way they want to be governedand this has led to the enthronement ofbetter democratic arrangements. It isnow clear to the world that the answer

to the question: do Muslims wantdemocracy? is ‘Yes’

Documents

Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday, April 19, 2012