Peoples Daily Newspaper, Friday, May 11, 2012

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Vol. 8 No. 35 Friday, May 11, 2012 Jimadal Akhir 20, 1433 AH N150. . . putting the people first

L-R: Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Nasrul-Lahi-Li-Fathi Society ofNigeria (NASFAT), Alhaji Abdullateef Olawale Olasupo, President of NASFAT, Alhaji Sheriff Yussuf , and Sultanof Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, during NASFAT National Symposium on Islam and PeacefulCo-Existence, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa Contd on Page 2

Jos crisis:Gunmenwipe outfamily of 7

NJC reinstatesJustice Salami

From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

Gunmen set fire to a home in a village,near Jos, the Plateau state capital andshot those who ran outside, to flee the

flames, killing at least seven people andwounding three others, Peoples Daily learntlast night.

The three injured are on admission atVom Christian Hospital. The attackrepresents the latest killings spiraling out ofunrest between communities living aroundthe city of Jos, an area that has seenthousands killed in the last decade in

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Nine months after hissuspension, formerPresident of the Court of

Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami,yesterday, returned to his post.

His recall by the NationalJudicial Council (NJC) followedthe recommendation of a three-member panel led by a justice ofthe Supreme Court, JusticeAloma Muhktar, that Salami be

reinstated immediately.The NJC met yesterday in

Abuja, Peoples Daily learnt. Avote was taken at the meetingwhich favoured Justice Salami.

Ten members voted forSalami’s recall while 8 votedagainst him.

It would be recalled thatJustice Salami was suspended bythe NJC last August on a chargeof insubordination, but a 29-member Judicial Reform

Committee set up by the CJN,Justice Dahiru Musdapher, onOctober 14 recommended hisreinstatement.

A sub-committee of thepanel, which included JusticeMamman Nasir, Justice U. Kalgoand Justice Bola Ajibola, askedthe CJN and the NJC to reinstateSalami.

The committee upheld thedecisions of the sub-committee

Contd on Page 2Former CJN Aloysius Katsina-Alu and Justice Isa Ayo Salami

>> PAGE 2 >> PAGE 3 >> PAGE 4 >> PAGE 5

Hembe, Azuboguto face trial overN44m fraud

Tears asOshiomhole’saide is buried

We are ready todialogue withBoko Haram – VP

We found 20 bombsat BUK in twoweeks – Police

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSNews 2-11

Editorial 12

Op.Ed 13

Letters 14

Opinion 15

Metro 16-17

Business 19-22

S/Exchange 23

S/Report 24

Religion 26

Feature 27

Newsxtra 29

The Peoples Daily wants tohear from you with any news

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CPC dismisses Lado,Danmusa, others,

Page 38

WE WANTTO HEAR

FROM YOU

International 31-34

Strange World 35

Digest 36

Politics 37-40

Sports 41-47

Columnist 48

PAGE 2 PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Hembe, Azubogu to face trial over N44m fraud

NJC reinstates Justice Salami

Jos crisis: Gunmen wipe out family of 7Contd from Page 1

fighting.That violence continues to go

further and further out intorural villages, a potential signthat killings could again rage outof control.

The killings that took placelate Wednesday night happenedin the village of Tahoss, saidMark Lipdo, who runs anadvocacy group known as theStefanos Foundation.

The gunmen, suspected to befrom herdsmen who roam thepasturelands of the plateau,targeted one specific family intheir attack, Lipdo said.

Plateau state PoliceCommand spokesman SamuelDabai said he visited Tahoss andsaw the corpses.

Dabai said police had begun

an investigation into the attack.These are just the latest

killings to target the Riyom localgovernment area, a rural, 800-square kilometres region offarmlands that supply produceslike potatoes, corn and tomatoesto the rest of the nation.

Recent attacks there havekilled at least 18 people beforethe violence Wednesday night.Peoples Daily recalls that lastweek 11 Journalists and fourmembers of the Nigeria Red Crossescaped death by the skin of theirteeth at Kak village wherearmed men shot at them as thejournalists were doing an on-the-spot assessment of the damagedone by the last attack.

Confirming Thursday’sattack, the memberrepresenting Riyom

constituency in the state Houseof Assembly described it as sad,saying it was just not right forpeople to be attacked and killedin their sleep.

According to him, “sevenpeople, including two childrenwere shot dead in the earlyThursday morning attack”.

The lawmaker lamentedthat despite the fact that thelocal government area “is understate of emergency, people arebeing killed on a daily basis”.

He called on securitypersonnel deployed to the areato be proactive and bring theculprits to book.

Governor Jonah Jang’sSpecial Adviser on peacebuilding, Barrister TimothyParlong, said that the stategovernment was doing

“everything to ensure thatpeace returns to the localgovernment”.

He appealed to “my peopleto remain calm and not to takethe law in to their hands asappropriate measures are beingtaken to bring to an end thesenseless killings in thelocality”.

Jos and surrounding townsin Plateau state have been tornapart in recent years byviolence pitting its differentethnic groups against eachother. Human Rights Watchsays at least 1,000 people werekilled in communal clashesaround Jos in 2010.

The violence, thoughfractured across religious lines,often has more to do with localpolitics and economics.

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin &Lawrence Olaoye

Former Chairman of theHouse of RepresentativesCommittee on the Capital

Market, Mr. Herman Hembe is toface criminal trial alongside hisDeputy, Chris Azubogu, forallegedly receiving estacode, butfailing to embark on the foreigntrip or returning the funds to thetreasury.

Ruling on an application bythe Economic and FinancialCrimes Commission, (EFCC),Justice Abubakar Umar of theAbuja High Court granted theanti-graft agency leave toprosecute the two officials oncorruption charges.

EFCC prosecuting lawyer, Mr.Onjekwu Obe, filed an applicationfor leave to prefer a two-countcriminal charge against twomembers of the House ofRepresentatives, under section185 (d) of the Criminal ProcedureCode.

Obe declared: “I hereby applyfor leave to prefer a criminal

charge against the above namedaccused persons. Attachedherewith are the followingdocuments: a copy of the chargein respect of which leave is sought,and a verifying affidavit.

“Others are names andaddresses of the witnesses,statements of the witnesses andthat of the two accused personsand other documentaryevidences.’’

Ruling, Umar granted theapplication and said that from theproof of evidence presented by theEFCC, Hembe and Azubogu are tobe arraigned on Thursday, May1 7 .

According to Justice Umar:“The application to prefer acriminal charge against Hon.Herman Hembe and Hon. ChrisAzubogu has merit,’’.

Addressing journalists outsidethe courtroom, the prosecutionlawyer with the consent given bythe judge, Hembe and Azuboguwould now be arraigned on May17 on a two-count chargebordering on misappropriation of

public funds. He said that theEFCC investigations revealed thatHembe and Azubogu were the twokey actors in the N44 millionfraud allegation rocking theHouse of RepresentativesCommittee on Capital Market andOther Institutions.

The EFCC counsel added thatinvestigations also revealed thatthe two had confessed that theydid not attend the workshop forwhich they collected money fromthe Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC).

Similarly, the House ofRepresentatives yesterdaydisclosed that Hembe and theDirector General of SEC, Ms.Aruma Oteh, would be facing theDisciplinary Committee chairedby Rep Samson Osagie very soon.

Oteh had accused Hembe inthe botched investigation by thedefunct committee that hesolicited N34 million bribe tofinance the probe into the nearcollapse of the Capital Market.

Tambuwal urges US to supportNigerian in corruption fight

By Umar Mohammed PumaThe Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Rt. Hon. AminuWaziri Tambuwal has urged theUnited States government tosupport Nigeria in strengtheningand deepening democratic valuesand to support Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies in fightingcorruption by way of stopping anysuspicious funds flowing into theUnited States.

The Speaker made the requestwhen the United StateAmbassador to Nigeria, Mr.Terrence McCulley paid him acourtesy call in his officeyesterday.

Earlier in his speech, theAmbassador said the US considersNigeria as an important partnerbecause of the role Nigeria playsin the African continent and tostrengthen cordial workingrelationship with the NationalAssembly plays in the entiredemocratic process, as well as todiscuss bilateral relations insecurity, petroleum and oil andgas.

Contd from Page 1

and recommended Salami’sreinstatement.

It is recalled that Salami’ssuspension was recommended toPresident Goodluck Jonathanwho approved it.

The Council also directedSalami to hand over to the mostsenior justice of the Court ofAppeal.

Justice Dalhatu Adamu wasconsequently appointed in anacting capacity as the Presidentof the Court of Appeal pendingwhen the issue would beresolved.

The charge ofinsubordination against Salamiwas based on his alleged refusalto tender an unreserved apologyto the immediate past ChiefJustice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice

Aloysius Katsina-Alu, whom heaccused of attempting to pervertthe course of justice in the Sokotogubernatorial election dispute.

That was after two separatepanels that investigated theallegation turned in reports thatsaid there was no truth inSalami’s allegation against theCJN.

However, Salami stood by hisallegation and went to a FederalHigh Court in Abuja, seeking anorder voiding the findings andconclusions of the NJC on theissue.

He had argued that NJC wasa mere administrative bodywith no powers to examine andmake findings on allegationsmade under oath, pointing outthat it was only a court of lawthat could do what the NJC was

trying to do.Salami therefore asked the

court to nullify the NJC’s action.There was a mild drama

when the court process was firstserved on the NJC and it refusedit on the ground that it wasneither signed nor dated.

The NJC, in a statementissued on August 18, 2011 askedSalami to immediately proceedon an indefinite suspension, witha recommendation to PresidentJonathan to retire him.

The statement was signed bythe council’s Director ofAdministration, Mr. E.I.Odukwu.

Consequently, JusticeDalhatu Adamu was appointedacting President of the appellatecourt.

Meanwhile, Salami’s suitagainst the council and othereminent Jurists over hissuspension is still pending beforea Federal High Court in Abuja.CJN Dahiru Musdapher

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Alleged certificate forgery: CJNsummons judge over petition

Chief Magistrate Hafsat Sosohandling the certificateforgery allegation against

Governor Gabriel Suswam ofBenue state, has been summonedby the Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher,to appear before a complaints andpetitions committee of the FCTJudicial Service Commission andexplain her role in a petition filedby one Alexander Oketa on behalfof his clients, Chidozie Okpabi andthree others.

Similarly, Magistrate Soso hasbeen directed to stop furtherproceedings and hearing in a casefiled by the Inspector General ofPolice (IGP) against ChidozieOkpabi, Governor Suswam versusChidozie Okpabi and three others.

Justice O.O. Goodluck of FCTHigh Court 9 sitting in Zuba ingranting Okpabi’s applicationstated that, "after hearing AlexOketa for the applicant andreading the affidavit of ChidozieOkpabi in support of his application,leave is hereby granted to theapplicant to apply for judicial

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin review of the case of Rt. HonGabriel Suswam v Power Steeringand 3 others case no. CR/50/2010(later changed to IGP v ChidozieOkpabi and 3 others)".

"The Chief Magistrate 2presided over by Hafsat Soso ishereby ordered to transfer the casefile pertaining to, concerning andrelating to the case IGP v 3 othersformerly known as Rt. Hon GabrielSuswam v 3 others. Thirdly, theMagistrate court presided by ChiefMagistrate Hafsat Soso to stopfurther proceedings and hearingof the case pending the hearing and

final determination of thesubstantive suit at the FCT highcourt 9, Zuba. Case adjourned toMay 16, 2012".

The matter, it would be recalledis coming up today, 11th May,2012 before the same magistrate.

The copy of the CJN’s summonsigned by himself and madeavailable to newsmen reads:‘There appears to be so manycomplaints against CM Hafsat Soso.Please investigate and report backto me within three days. Youshould also investigate theallegations on page 1031 of this file".

Four smuggled cars whichinfiltrated the convoy ofOgun state Governor,

Senator Ibikunle Amosun duringhis tour of Ipokia local governmentarea of the state have beenconfiscated by the Nigeria Customs

Service, while one of the offendingdrivers was also arrested.

The smugglers drove about 30fairly used vehicles popularlycalled Tokunbo and forced theirway into the governor’s convoy atAjegunle, a suburb of Idirokoborder town, a development whichalmost caused serious accident inan attempt to escape arrest by

From Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji,Abeokuta

customs.Speaking on the ugly

development yesterday, AreaComptroller, Ogun State Command,Bamidele Akande said his men werestill on the trail of the smugglers whoinfiltrated the governor’s convoywith the view to recover theremaining smuggled vehicles.

He identified the arrested

driver as Omolegbe Toyosi, whoreceived gunshot on the leg and iscurrently on the admission atCustoms’ Staff Clinic in Idiroko.

He said the driver hadallegedly knocked down andseriously injured a customs officeridentified as Adeyemi Fatai withone of the smuggled vehicles thatbroke into the governor’s convoy.

Customs apprehends 4 tokunbo cars in gov’s convoy

New electricitytariff won’tpinch the poor,say govsBy Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

State governors havedefended the increase inelectricity tariffs under the

Multi-Year Tariff Structureproposed by the Nigerian EnergyRegulatory Commission (NERC)which is billed to commence onJune 20, 2012.

The governors who met underthe aegis of the National EconomicCouncil (NEC) presided over byVice President Namadi Sambo inthe Presidential Villa, yesterday,however assured that the increasewould have little negative effectson urban and rural poor whoconsume less electricity.

Briefing State Housecorrespondents after the meeting,Governor Peter Obi of Anambrastate said there was the need to dothe right thing in the power sectoras manufacturers were leavingthe country to neighboringcountries because of the problemof power.

Tears as Oshiomhole’s aide is buriedTears flowed freely when the

casket carrying the body ofthe slain Private Principal

Secretary of the Edo stateGovernor, Comrade OlaitanOyerinde was interred at theparade ground of the NYSCorientation Camp in Ede.

According to Politicsonline, ittook the intervention of the wife ofOlaitan to persuade students underthe auspices of the NationalAssociation of Nigeria Students(NANS) to control their anger atgovernment and security agents

for theirfailure to safeguard lifeand property.

The governor of Osun state,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in an elegydelivered his Head of Service, ElderSegun Akinwusi, at the statefuneral service in Olaitan'shonour, described life of thedeceased as one "free of limitingprejudices that often hamstringmany Nigerians from renderingservice to the people who are not oftheir tribe".

He stressed that Olaitanenlisted freely in any cause that

would improve the lives of thosearound him, deriving great joyfrom being instrumental to theprogress and success of others.

The National President of theNigeria Labour Congress (NLC),Comrade Waheed Omar, in atribute, said the deceased was adependable ally who was not justan appointee in Edo state but theDeputy General Secretary of NLC.

Comrade Femi Falana chidedsecurity agents and governmentfor not rising to the challenge ofensuring the security of its citizens,

describing the threat of SenatorIyiola Omisore to attack the convoyof Aregbesola as a serious casewhich should not be treated withkid-glove.

“Olaitan is a pan-African ofexceptional qualities, who chose apath of justice and progress of hiscountry, the killing of Olaitan hasshown that everybody is no longersave as the spate of insecurity is onthe rise, the situation can be likenedto that of Banana Republic, therecent treat of Omisore should notbe taken lightly is you look at theway Chief Bola Ige was killed afterthe episode of his cap removal atthe Palace of the Oni of Ife,” he said.

Remains of Olaitan Oyerinde, slain principal private secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state, in an open casket shortlybefore his burial yesterday.

Reps toverify MDA’scapitalprojects

The House of Representativesyesterday directed allhousing standing commit-

tees to provide detailed report of allon-going projects of Ministries,Department and Agencies (MDA’s)within their purview inpreparation for the 2013Appropriation Bill.

Moving the motion to thateffect, Deputy House Leader, Hon.Leo Ogor, cited section 82 (1) and(2) which empowers the Presidentto prepare and lay before eachhouse of the National Assembly,an appropriation bill which seek toauthorise the House to approve theConsolidated Revenue Fund of theFederation for recurrent andcapital expenditures for the year.

He noted that the NationalAssembly had appropriatedtrillions of naira to ministries,department and agencies forcapital projects and forinfrastructural development of thenation from 1999 till date with nocommensurate develpment.

Contributing to the debate, Hon.Datti Mohammed (Kaduna) said thebill was timely because, “our budgethas become an annual ritual, overthe years, trillions of naira havebeen appropriated to the (MDA’s) andhas gone through the drain withoutanything to show for it, insteadwhat we are left with is accumulatedabandoned projects. He then urgedthe House to give priority in the2013 budget to abandoned anduncompleted projects.

By Umar Mohammed Puma

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012PAGE 4

L-R: Yobe state Governor, Malam Ibrahim Gaidam, Sokoto state deputy governor, Alhaji MukhtariShagari, and Kaduna state governor, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, during the National Economic Council(NEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye.

NEMA delivers relief materials to Congo Brazzavilleefforts in addressing thehumanitarian challengestriggered by the disaster.

He conveyed the condolence ofPresident Goodluck Jonathan,noting the courage andforthrightness which theCongolese have been able to

handle the situation. .Responding, the Congolese

Minister of Social Affairs andHumanitarian Action, Mrs.Emilienne Raoul thanked theNigerian government for thekind gesture. She conveyed thegoodwill of the Congolese

Labour minister advocates paradigmshift in industrial relations

The Minister of Labour andProductivity, Chief EmekaWogu has disclosed

government’s resolve to pursue amore cordial relationship with thelabour unions in the country.

Chief Wogu made this remarksyesterday at the officialcommissioning ceremony of theNon-Academic Staff Union ofEducational and AssociatedInstitutions (NASU) House, inAbuja.

“Government has consideredthe current industrial relationsprinciples and practice hinged onadversarial relationship that doesnot promote the envisaged peaceand harmony. Accordingly,

Secretary to the Niger stategovernment, Mr. DanielClifford Shashere has said

government would embrace theproposal of the GrowthEnhancement Scheme (GES)because of its attendant benefitsto the farmers and agriculturalproduction in the state.

He made this knownyesterday, while declaring opena workshop on the GES and theuse of Improved Seeds/Seedlingsheld at U.K. Bello Arts Theatre,Minna.

Mr. Shashere further noted

Niger govt to embrace GESproposal on agriculture

By AbdulRahman Abdulraheem

By Albert Akota government has resolved to pursuea paradigm shift from thisadversarial position to a moreflexible win-win relationship intandem with the basic tenet of theTransformation Agenda of Mr.President”, the Minister said.

“Arrangements are on top gearto convene a high-levelstakeholders’ forum to deliberate onthis new focus together,” Wogufurther said.

He added that the social cost ofincessant strikes and lock-outs isincreasingly becoming unbearableto an emerging economy such asours.

The minister commended theexemplary leadership strides ofNASU for the judicious use of uniondues.

Tukur raises alarm over spate of insecurity

Alhaji Bamaga Tukur,national chairman of thePeoples Democratic Party

(PDP), yesterday bemoaned therising wave of insecurity and use ofextreme violence in settling scoresin the country, and called on thePDP led Federal Government andNigerians to embrace dialogue andnegotiation in order to find solutionsto the problem.

Alhaji Tukur disclosed this inYola during a civic receptionorganised by Governor MurtalaNyako of Adamawa state and thestate chapter of the PDP in hishonour as the new nationalchairman of the party.

“We are passing through manychallenges as a nation due to thegrowing spate of insecurity andsectarian violence. These are newchallenges in our polity and wemust come out as one familyirrespective of political partyaffiliation to tackle the problems

From Blessing Tunoh, Yola head on”, he said.He observed that where debate,

peaceful negotiation and dialogueseize to exist, “democracy is doomedand invariably collapses”.

Tukur added that he would usehis wealth of experience to workhand in hand with PresidentGoodluck Jonathan to actualise histransformation agenda and reformprogrammes just as he assuredGovernor Nyako of his readiness towork towards uplifting the party inthe state.

“We are faced with challengingproblems like abject poverty, youthrestiveness, unemployment,corruption, and decline in moralvalues etc” and the only way toovercome all these is by debatingand dialoguing.

In his goodwill message, nationalsecretary of the PDP, OlagunsoyeOyinlola, commended GovernorNyako and the people of Adamawastate for the reception, and assuredTukur that the entire hierarchy ofthe party is solidly behind him.

The Federal Government hasreiterated its readiness tonegotiate with the members

of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna lidDa’awati wal Jihad, popularlyknown as Boko Haram and otheraggrieved groups if only theyceasefire and embrace dialogue.

Vice-President NamadiSambo made this call yesterdayin Abuja, at a nationalsymposium organised by Nasirul-Lahi-Faith Society of Nigeria(NASFAT) with the theme: “Islamand Peaceful Co-Existence in aContemporary Multi-ReligiousSociety.”

He said: “It is clear today thatthe terrorist attacks are clearlyagainst all segments of oursociety, which is uncalled for. Imust seize this opportunity to callon all the groups to ceasefire andcome forward for dialogue.Government is ready to discuss.

“History has proven that evenwars that are fought for decades,at the end, are concluded only bydialogue. I am not aware of anyreligion in the world thatencourages unprovoked andrelentless attack on other people,”he said.

He said President GoodluckJonathan led-administration wasdoing what humanly possible totackle the menace of insecurityoccasioned by the activities of

militant groups across thecountry.

Sambo gave the assurancethat the activities of militantgroups in the country would notjeopardise government’s effort atstimulating Foreign DirectInvestment (FDIs).

“Our desire to propel ForeignDirect Investment cannot bejeopardised. We are thereforeextending our hands of friendshipto our foreign friends withgenuine intentions to come anddo business in Nigeria.

“We assure them that oureffort at tackling this menace isreal and determined. Let me alsoappeal to foreign missions in thecountry to continue to support ourefforts in this direction. Suchgesture will not only beappreciated, but will go a longway in strengthening the cordialrelationship mutually shared byour countries, ” he added.

In the same vein, Gombe stategovernor, Alhaji IbrahimDankwambo has declared that hisadministration is ready todialogue with the religious sect forthe sake of peace in the country.

He made the revelationyesterday when some nationalofficers of the People’s DemocraticParty visited him to sympathisewith the state over the incessantattacks by the sect on north-eastern states, noting that it wouldbe imperative to dialogue to

We are ready to dialogue withBoko Haram, says Sambo

By Lawrence Olaoye guarantee peace and developmentof the state and the zone.

The National OrganisingSecretary of the party, AlhajiAbubakar Mustapha, who led theteam to the two states equallyrestated the call for dialogue withthe sect, to find lasting solution tothe violence threatening peace inthe North.

“The PDP as a party condemnsin totality, violence and terrorismand call on all those whoseresponsibility it is, to take all stepsnecessary to bring this to an end.We believe enough is enough; Wehave been saying that Nigeriadeserves to be among the toptwenty countries by the year2020 and this would be a meredream as long as peace isn’t withus”.

“I also want to assure you thatwe have taken measures to ensurethat we give support to some ofthe victims that lost theirproperty; but those who lost theirlives, it is most unfortunate, livesare irreplaceable. But for thosewho lost their property, we havetaken some remedial actions toensure that they didn’t lose,completely”, he further stated.

In his remarks, Borno stategovernor, Kashim Shettimawarned that the entire Northwould become inhabitable in thenext five years, if nothing wasdone urgently to stem the menaceof Boko Haram.

From Iliya Garba, Minna that the state government wastaking maximum advantage ofthe agricultural transformationagenda of the FederalGovernment, especially alongthe value chain of high cropssuch as Rice, Cotton, Cassava andSoya Beans.

In his remarks, commissionerof agriculture and ruraldevelopment, AlhajiMohammed Kwatu Abdullahidisclosed that the GES is aninitiative of Federal Ministry ofAgriculture, aimed at addressingthe challenges of past system ofinputs and subsidyadministration.

In the spirit of Africanbrotherhood, the NationalEmergency Management

Agency (NEMA), has deliveredrelief materials approved by theFederal Government to thegovernment of the Republic ofCongo to assist the 14, 000

persons displaced by the recentammunition depot explosions inBrazzaville.

Director General of NEMA,Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi, whodelivered the items on behalf of theFederal Government of Nigeria inBrazzaville said the gesture was insolidarity with the Congolesegovernment to support the local

So am I, Dankwambo declares

President, Dennis Sassou Nguessoto Nigeria and promised that therelief would be distributed to theIDPs accordingly.

The items delivered were fooditems, toiletries, beddings,clothings, medicaments andassorted household materials.


Copy Editor of Peoples Daily newspaper, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim (left), presenting copies of thepaper to Abuja Coordinator of Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA), AbdulbasirBakare (middle), during the organisation’s visit to Peoples Media Limited headquarters, yesterday inAbuja. With them is Abuja Team Leader of MICA, Idris Tiamiyu (right). Photo By Justin Imo-Owo

Nigerian youth needreorientation, says Senators

Nigeria will defeat BokoHaram-Army commander

The Commander of 3Brigade of the NigeriaArmy Kano, Brigadier

General Isa Abbah has assuredthat Nigeria will soon overcomethe challenges posed by the BokoHaram insurgency.

The commander who spokewhen he paid a courtesy call onGovernor Sule Lamido at the

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse Government House Dutseyesterday said many countries ofthe world had passed throughmore deadly challenges and cameout of it.

He indicated that thechallenge he met in Kano whenhe took over as 3 Brigadecommander was not easy buthowever under control.

He solicited for the cooperationof all in committing insecurity to

the dustbin of history. He commended Governor

Lamido for the peace Jigawa statehas been

enjoying adding that it was amanifestation of his leadershipstyle.

Responding,Governor SuleLamido said the Boko Haraminsurgency and othersmanifested from bad governancein the past three decades.

other key activities includingcapacity building, training, andgym as well as research libraries.

Tiamiyu noted that theestablishment is to inform thecontemporary Muslims and thatthe launching of endowment fundfor the Islamic centre to be locatedat Lugbe in Abuja would come upon May 26,2012, adding thatMICA is headquartered in Lagos andhas branches in UK, Abuja andKaduna respectively.

"We are looking for N250million from the launching of theIslamic center for Muslims and we

MICA launches N250m Islamic centre in Abujahave acquired a piece of land inlugbe estate, it's about threethousand square meters and wehave secured the approval, "henoted.

Tiamiyu also said that theyhave collaboration withgovernment agencies in the courseof their corporate responsibilities,adding that in the past they hadinvited Road Safety Corps to deliverlectures, Vehicle Inspection Officersand other organizations into theiractivities.

He also maintained that theycarried out spiritual activities such

as Da'awah, and offer free medicalservices as some of their corporatesocial responsibilities across thefederation.

Also speaking, the Coordinator,Abuja Chapter of MICA, AbdulbasitBolaji Bakare praised Peoples Dailyfor its stride within a short time.

"We are here to assure you thatin our own part, we have lookedthrough your regular daily, and wedecided to support your organizationin our capacity and we want you tohelp us to give maximum publicityin what we are trying to do, inshaAllah, come May 26th, 2012.

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos Esuene stressed that thesituation that warranted theestablishment of the institution in1951 we still persistent, and sheurged Nigerians to refrain frombringing down the country but tocriticise constructively.

Senator Esuene howevercommended the efforts of thecentre at moulding minds of thenation's youth, adding that thecentre could do better if the FederalGovernment properly funds it.

She noted that the buildings

were old and should be pulled downand reconstructed.

Also, Senator Kunlere who is amember of Senate Committee ofNational Security and Intelligence,said the current violence andpolitical killings could only beaddressed if the citizens rise as anation to address the issue.

He emphasised that thetraining given to youths at C&LTCwas enough to prevent youthsfrom suicide bombing or armedrobbery by inculcating the spirit

of brotherhood and selfconfidence.

Director General C&LTC,Michael Oladele Fawole saidsince the establishment of theCentre it has made remarkableprogress in improving thequality of courses, the numberof participants andinfrastructure. "However, a lotof grounds still needs to becovered to bring our trainingprogrammes to more Nigerians atthe grassroots", he said.

By Muhammad Nasir

Communityprotests take-over of land,demolition ofbuildings

People of Tirwuncommunity in Bauchilocal government area have

protested the nonpayment ofcompensation for their land forcefullyacquired by the Bauchi stategovernment.

A community leader, AlhajiUmar Faruk who led members of thecommunity and owners of the land tothe secretariat of the Nigerian Unionof Journalist, said they were protestingthe annulment of land titles anddemolition of their buildings by thestate ministry of lands.

He said, "we are over 2000, wepurchased the land in the last fiveyears and we heard that thegovernment intends to acquire theland to build 1000 houses in the area".

According to him, the committeeset up by the community negotiatedwith the government and relevantauthorities and the governmentsent officials of the Ministry ofLands to offer them 50,000 foreach person's land. "Some peopleagreed and collected the moneywhile many others refused tocollect the money because it's toosmall and we asked government toincrease the money to enable us buyanother land or to give us a new landso that we can build our houses".

Umar lamented that withoutnotice, government sent officials ofthe Ministry of Lands and survey todemolish all their structures withoutnotice or prior compensation.

The community leader saidone of his members fellunconscious from shock as aresult and he is still in hospital.

NOA urgeyNigerians toburydifferences

Nigerians have been calledupon to set aside theirdifferences and work

together in order to restore thebattered image of the country.

The Bauchi state Director ofNational Orientation Agencies(NOA) Hajiya Jummai Bello madethe plea during the formallaunching of NOA's transformationslogan "Do the right thing,Transform Nigeria", whilelamenting the moral decadence inthe country.

Bello said that it was timeNigerians came together toadvance the rich but fading valuesystem of its various cultures whichheld the country in unity.

"We feel this is a clarion call.Everybody knows what is good andso we should go back to the good olddays of our value and save ourcountry from decaying," she says.

Bello said the campaign totransform the country cuts acrossall stakeholders from commercialmotorcyclist to tricycle operators,taxi drivers, community andreligious leaders among others.

The Chairman, SenateCommittee on WomenAffairs and Youth

Development, Senator HelenEsuene has said Nigerian youthneed reorientation.

She proposes that stategovernments should partner withthe Federal Government toestablish institutions like theCitizenship and LeadershipTraining Centre (C&LTC) in orderto remould the youth as thepresent seven centres are notenough.

The call was made in Lagosyesterday when Senator Esueneled members of the committee thatincluded Senators BoluwajiKunlere representing Ondo Southand Nenadi Usman, KadunaSouth, on an oversight visit to thecentre at Sea School, Apapa.

From Ahmed Kaigama Bauchi

The Movement for IslamicCulture and Awareness(MICA) has set to establish an

Islamic centre in Abuja primarilydesign for the Muslim Ummahacross Nigeria.

The disclosure was made by thehead, Research, Publicity andPublication (RPP), Idris Tiamiyuyesterday at the headquarters ofPeoples Media limited, Publishers ofPeoples Daily Newspaper, during acourtesy visit noting that theIslamic centre would carry out

Safer mining keyto eradicatinglead poisoning inZamfara

Participants at theinternational Lead Poisoningconference which ended in

Abuja yesterday, have called forthe introduction safer miningactivities as key solution to healthhazards being generated frommining activities in Zamfara state.

Mr. Ivan Gayton, Coordinator,Medecin Sans Frontiere (DoctorsWithout Borders), said this at theclosing ceremony yesterday. Hesaid it is possible for artisanal minersto benefit from mining activitieswithout endangering the lives ofchildren as is being done now.

The Minister of State forHealth, Dr. Mohammed Ali Paterepresented by Abdulsami Nasidi,Project Director Nigeria Centre forDisease Control who presented theoutcome of the conference tonewsmen, said action has beeninitiated by President GoodluckJonathan as he has directed allministries concerned to includefunding that will aid eliminationof this contermination in the 2012budget.

By A’isha Biola Raji


We found 20 bombs at BUKin two weeks, say policeFrom Edwin Olofu, Kano

The Kano state policecommand has revealedthat it discovered 20

improvised explosives device(IEDs) at Bayero University,Kano (BUK) in the last two weeks.

The Commissioner of Police,Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, who made therevelation in Kano yesterday whilespeaking to newsmen, said theanti-bomb squad of the commanddrafted to the institution wascompelled by certain exigencies torevert to “controlled detonation”

in order to avoid fatalities.“After the bomb attack in BUK

April 29th, the command’s bombdisposal unit recovered IEDs, and14 canned IEDs in the university’spremises. Likewise, another bombwas evacuated from the Faculty ofSociology on May 1st, while threebombs were recovered at variouslocations in the university May8th and were successfullydetonated,” he explained.

Idris stated that they realisedit was dangerous for his men andmembers of the public to evacuatesuch explosives from the school,

saying that they were left withthe option of detonating theexplosives.

He tasked the universityauthorities to overhaul theirsecurity system, while calling on theacademic community to be morevigilant as a proactive measure tocheck the new trend.

The commissioner further saidthat “the security officers attachedto the institution have animportant role to play by ensuringthat all persons, carriages, vehiclesand motorcycles entering theuniversity are thoroughly

searched”.He, however, expressed delight

with the high level of cooperationfrom the general public sayingthat their prayers have done somemiracles in the war againstcriminals in the society.

“The good people of Kano statehave answered the call forcooperation, support as well asfurnishing the security agencieswith accurate and timelyinformation that had immenselycontributed to unveiling ofcriminals and their hideout”, Idrissaid.

R-L: Gabonese President Alli Bongo Odinmba, President Goodluck Jonathan, Namibian Prime Minister Nahas Angula, and EthiopianPrime Minister Meles Zenawi, during the opening of 2012 World Economic Forum on Africa, yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Three persons wereyesterday arraigned beforea Katsina Chief Magistrate

Court 111 for allegedly poisoningtwo people before robbing them ofthe sum of N775,000.

The prosecuting police,Sergeant Okolo Usman noted thatthe suspects include, AbdullahiBala, Jamilu Tasi'u, AbdulhamidKafur and one Malam Rayya whois at large.

The prosecutor told the courtthat the suspects on the 24th ofApril 2012 lured their victims,Sani Mu'azu and one other with thepromise that they have cotton tosell to the victims.

He added that when thevictims from Kandarawa villagein Bakori local government areaof Katsina state demanded to seethe cotton, the suspect took themto Kafur town.

Usman further told the courtthat on reaching Kafur the suspectschange the story that the cottonwas in Gwarzo town in Kano stateand therefore demanded thevictims to join them to the town toinspect the cotton.

The prosecutor disclosed thatit was on their way to Gwarzo thatthe suspects offered their victims adrink suspected to have beenpoisoned, which made them tobecome unconscious and thereforeabandoned them before fleeingwith the loot.

Usman therefore told the courtthat by this act, the suspects havecommitted criminal conspiracyand robbery which he said wascontrary to section 97 and 1 (a)(b) of robbery and fire arms specialprovision CAP 398 LFN 1990.

However, the presidingmagistrate, NuruddeenAbdulmumini Jikamshi told theaccused that they were onlybrought to the court formentioning, saying that the courthas no jurisdiction to entertain thecase.

He therefore ordered them tobe remanded in prison custodyuntil the 6th of June 2012.

3 dockedover allegedpoisoning,robberyFrom Lawal Sa’idu Funtua,Katsina

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

The Federal Government hasreiterated its call on allaggrieved groups to

ceasefire and come forward fordialogue.

The Vice President, ArcMohammed Namadi Sambo,made this call yesterday in Abujaat the national symposium,organised by Nasirul-Lahi-FaithSociety of Nigeria (NASFAT),

tagged “Islam and Peaceful Co-Existence in a ContemporaryMulti Religious Society.”

The Vice President, who wasthe Special Guest of Honour at theoccasion, said “government isready to discuss. History hasproven that even wars that arefought for decades, at the end, areonly concluded by dialogue.”

Arc. Sambo commended theorganisers of the symposium,adding that it would help to

educate the public on the Islamicview of peaceful co-existence andthe concept of Jihad.

He stated that to deliver ongovernment’s promise on therevitalisation of the Railwaysystem, government had signedan MoU with General Electric forthe delivery of 200 locomotiveheads and also for the location of alocomotive manufacturing plantin Nigeria, which would also servethe West African sub-region.

Similarly, the Vice Presidentassured that the activities ofmilitant groups would notjeopardize its desire to propelForeign Direct Investment (FDIs).

In his remarks, the Sultan ofSokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III,called on the Muslim Ummah tochampion the principle of peacefulco-existence and education, sayingthat religious leaders should bemindful of their utterances so asnot to overheat the polity.

FG urges militants to embrace dialogue

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Lagos state House of Assembly hasordered the dissolution of theexecutive council of Traders

Association of Aguiyi Ironsi Market, headedby Jonathan Okoli, as a result of recent crisisin the market.

The order which was carried out byMushin Local Government was sequel toadoption of the report presented by theHouse committee on Judiciary andHuman Right and Public Petition to themembers.

It was also ordered to setup aCaretaker/Management Committee forthe trade centre, consisting of three

representatives of the various groups inthe crisis, which will be inauguratedimmediately.

The committee is therefore charged withthe responsibility of maintain peace, and toconduct a free and fair election for newexecutive within 3 months from the date ofinauguration.

The Chairman of the committee, Hon.Sanai Agunbiade, while presenting thereport stressed that persons identified andnamed by parties in the dispute as the arrowheads and ring leaders of the crisis shouldnot be allowed to participate in the JointSanitation Committee, Caretaker/ MarketManagement Committee or stand for anyoffice in the forthcoming election.

Lagos Assembly orders dissolutionof troubled Ironsi market executiveFrom Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, Abeokuta

The medical doctor in Ogun state, TaibaOlusola Otulana, who was recentlykidnapped, has regained her freedom

after spending six days in captivity.It would be recalled that the Nigeria

Medical Association (NMA), Ogun statechapter, had on Wednesday embarked on aprotest over the kidnap of their colleague,who was a Consultant Ophthalmologist atOlabisi Onabanjo University TeachingHospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.

The victim, who doubles as a seniorlecturer at the teaching hospital waskidnapped at gun point along Lagos-Sagamu road, on her way to school. Themotorists who attempted to rescue her wereallegedly shot.

However, she was released onWednesday night, after being blindfolded by

her captors.The chairman, Nigeria Medical

Association (NMA), Adewunmi Alayaki,who spoke with journalists yesterday inAbeokuta, said the kidnapped female doctorwas released at about 8.30pm onWednesday.

He said, the victim did not sustain anyphysical injuries.

The NMA boss said he could not ascertainif any ransom was paid before her release,but was of the opinion that the rallyembarked on by the association, coupledwith media outcry contributed to the urgentrelease of the victim.

“Because like I said if you have an armedrobber visiting you for an hour, the traumawill live with you till the rest of your life, letalone somebody being in the captive forseveral days, you can imagine what wemean,” he stated.

Abducted Ogun medical doctor freed


Power generation fromKainji drops by 38mw

Power generation fromthe Kanji Dam hasdropped by 38

megawatts, Mr. ReubenAkinwumi, its chiefexecutive officer, has said.

He told the News Agencyof Nigeria (NAN) yesterdaythat the drop was caused bythe unending low-level ofwater in the dam intakescheme.

Akinwumi said powergeneration from thedam hovered between 225and 238 megawatts inMarch, but had dropped to200 megawatts from four

turbine units.Akinwumi said that

although the station hadcompleted repairs of the fifthunit, which was meant toboost output, the ongoinglow-level of water at thedam wash i n d e r i n g e f f e c t i v egeneration from thestation.

“We are currentlygenerating about 200megawatts, but we hopethat by the time the waterlevel increases, we aregoing to hit 350megawatts”, he said.

He said that theturnaround maintenanceof the dams was longoverdue, adding that theFederal Government hadpromised to rehabilitate allthe dams in the country.

Akinwumi said that theplant had not beenoverhauled since it wasconstructed 44 years ago.

NAN gathered from asource at the NationalControl Centre in Osogbothat that the country’spower generation was nowaround 3,236.9megawatts. (NAN)

Distorted value system cause ofcorruption in Nigeria – ICPC

Corruption in Nigeriahas been attributed tothe absence of

obedience to moralinjunctions and religiousteachings.

The Zonal head,Independent CorruptPractices and other relatedOffences Commission(ICPC), Mr. OlusegunAdigun, made thedeclaration in Bauchiyesterday while deliveringa paper during asensitisation workshop forNational Anti-CorruptionVolunteers Corps (NAVC)titled: Corruption, ICPC Act

and You.He opined that although

Nigerians are religious,their value orientationleaves much to be desiredhence corruption isbecoming the order of theday among them.

He expressed sadnessthat corruption has led tosocietal degradation,dilapidated infrastructure,unemployment amongother negative effects.

He lamented thatcorruption has causeserious setbacks to thedevelopment of thecountry

Mr. Adigun is in chargeof ICPC Bauchi, Taraba andYobe states, lamented the

shocking corruptionrevelations coming fromthe House of Rep probingactivities of the StockExchange Commission(SEC) and the fuel subsidy.

The ICPC zonal officerwas of the opinion that thecountry’s value system is sobad that many citizens donot question the source ofwealth of their fellowcitizens.

He said: “A majorproblem is our distortedvalue system. Nigeria hasa distorted value system.Somebody is employed foronly six months and we seehim with a bid jeep andnobody questions how hecame about it”.

From Ahmed Kaigama,Bauchi

FG assures Abuja tanker drivers, othersof world class park

In its effort to bringsanity and reducecarnage on Nigeria

roads, the FederalGovernment has promisedpetroleum tanker drivers andtheir counterparts in theroad sector of itscommitment to providingworld class tanker parksacross strategic locations inthe country.

The Minister of State forWorks, Amb, Bashir Yuguda,gave this assurance when

he visited the Tafa Tankerpark along the Abuja/Kaduna road that is beingconstructed by the FederalRoads Maintenance Agency(FERMA) along with theexecutive members of RoadTransport OwnersAssociation of Nigeria(NUPENG), as well as theNational Association of RoadTransport Owners (NARTO).

He sought the supportof NUPENG, NARTO andPetroleum Tanker Drivers(PTD) to collaborate withthe ministry, and the

government of Kaduna stateas well as other stakeholdersin the road sector to curbthe situation.

While fielding questionsfrom journalist immediatelyafter inspecting the old parkin Tafa town, the presidentof NARTO, Alhaji IbrahimKasim Bataiyya, pleaded withthe Federal Government toassist the association andrehabilitate the existing Tafapark to standard, he alsopromised to collaborate withthe ministry in solving theproblem of indiscriminateparking along Nigerianhighways.

By Adeola Tukuru

aNigeria ranks low on gender equality index

The 2012 BritishCouncil Genderreport titled “Gender

in Nigeria Report 2012’launched yesterday in Abuja,has revealed that 6millionNigerian youths go into thelabour market every year butonly 10,000 get employedout of which a quarter arewomen even as womenconstitute 70% of thecountry’s population.

The report which isfunded by UKaid from theDepartment for International

Development (DFID), andproduced by a team ofNigerian researchers furtherrevealed that Nigeria ranks118 out of 134 countries inthe Gender Equality Index,only 15% of Nigerian womenhave bank accounts, 41% ofchildren under five yearsare suffering frommalnutrition and stuntedgrowth and only 3% of girlsenrolled in schoolcompleted secondaryschool this year.

According to theproject manager, RoyChikwem, the report took

into cognisance women inboth the Northern andSouthern part of the countryand highlighted the realitiesof women in the country andmade recommendations onpolicies that can improvetheir lives and help thegovernment in addressingthe challenges.

He said the report willaffect the way policies inrelation to girls and womenare formulated in thecountry as its goal is to havemore than 30 percentrepresentation of women ingovernment.

By Maryam Garba Hassan


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2 3

1

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Trailers parked at Tafa along Kaduna-Abuja federal highway. Photo: NAN

L-R: National President, Associationof Primary School Head Teachers ofNigeria (AOPSHON), Mr. MahmudLawal, Guest Speaker, Alhaji ShuaibAkaaba, and National Secretary of theassociation, Mr Oluwole Adeola,during a leadership and managementworkshop, yesterday in Abuja. Photo:Justin Imo-Owo

1L-R: Lagos state Governor, MrBabatunde Fashola , and Edo stateGovernor, Comrade AdamsOshiomhole, during a condolence visitby ACN governors to their Edocounterpart, on Wednesday over thekilling of his Principal PrivateSecretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerindeand the death, in a motor accident, ofthree journalists attached to the Edostate Government House.

4Members of Anti-Corruption Network, ledby former member ofthe House ofRepresentatives, HonDino Melaye, queuingto sign a registeragainst corruption andelectricity price hike,yesterday at Wuse II, inAbuja. Photo: MahmudIsa


Youth empowerment will be skill-based, says WadaFrom Sam Egwu, Lokoja

The Kogi state governmenthas reiterated itsintention to make its

youth empowermentprogramme, in thisdispensation demand and notsupply driven.

The state governor, Capt

Idris Wada made the disclosurethrough his deputy, Arc. YomiAwoniyi, at a trainingworkshop to acquaint headsand directors of localgovernment in the 21 councilareas of the state on thephilosophy of the presentadministration.

Governor Wada said unlike

in the past when money wasbeing shared to solvetemporary needs, the presentadministration’s efforts wouldbe to empower the youths withskills that would make themgainfully empowered as well ascheck the growing rate ofpoverty and youths restivenessin the state.

The governor reiterated hisadministration’s priority ofmaking education and skillacquisition programmes top onthe agenda, noting, “learninghow to fish was better thanfeeding”.

Wada vowed topermanently stamp outthuggery, violence and other

social vices associated with theyouths in the present daysociety, restating that hisadministration has resolved toimprove agriculture throughfarm settlement programmefor youths who are interestedin farming.


The Lagos state House ofAssembly has ordered thedissolution of the

outdated executive council ofTraders Association of AguiyiIronsi Market headed byJonathan Okoli as a result ofrecent crisis in the market.

The order which wascarried out by Mushin localgovernment was sequel toadoption of the reportpresented by the HouseCommittee on Judiciary andHuman Right and PublicPetitions to the members.

It also ordered the setup of acaretaker managementcommittee for the trade centreconsisting of threerepresentatives each of theJonathan Okoli group,Okechukwu Imoh group,Paramo Ventures and Mushinlocal government to beconstituted and inauguratedimmediately.

The committee when setupis expected to maintain peaceand conduct a free and fairelection of new executivewithin three months from thedate of inauguration.

The chairman of thecommittee, Hon. SanaiAgunbiade while presentingthe report explained that inview of Article 9, Section 1 of

the Constitution of AguiyiIronsi Association upon whichJonathan Okoli was elected,and further to paragraph 9 ofJonathan Okoli’s inauguralspeech of 7th April, 2007,more so that there has been noother election since 2007 uptill date, it was deemed thatOkoli’s regime has ended.

Agunbiade stressed that

persons identified and namedby warring parties in thedispute as the arrow heads andring leaders of the crisis shouldnot be allowed to participate inthe Joint SanitationCommittee, Caretaker/Market ManagementCommittee or stand for anyoffice in the forthcomingelection.

Lagos Assembly orders sacking oftroubled Ironsi market executives

The Presidential visitationpanel to polytechnics andcolleges of education has

commended the FederalPolytechnic Bauchi for itsinfrastructural development

Chairman of the panel, ProfessorGeorge A. Obiozor made thecommendation during its visitationto the Federal Polytechnic inBauchi, saying that he wasimpressed with the level of facilitiesput in place in the polytechnic

According to him, the FederalPolytechnic, Bauchi, “is one of thebest polytechnics in the countryif not the best and it wasconfirmed to me, so this call forcommendation

The chairman told the

polytechnic community that thepanel was there to review theinstitution’s activities from 2004 to2011 notably on issues related tofinancial management,infrastructural and human capitaldevelopment, generaladministration and thepolytechnic’s relationship withother stakeholders such as thestate government, traditionalinstitutions, public agencies andother social stakeholders.

In his remark the Rector, Dr.Shuaibu M. Musa, asks the team tofeel free within the environmentin order for them to carry out theirassignment.

He called on the staff andstudents to make their submissionto the panel freely without fear ofintimidation.

Presidential panel laudsprogress at Fedpoly Bauchi

Lagos warnsOkadariders ontraffic rules

The Lagos state Attorney-General andCommissioner for

Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye haswarned commercialmotorcycle operatorspopularly known as okadariders to always obey trafficrules, or face sanctions.

Ipaye gave this warningwhile reacting to the case filedagainst the state governmentby Okada riders at the FederalHigh Court asking the court torestrain law enforcementagencies from arresting themand to release their seized bikes.

The Attorney-General saidmotorcycles were means oftransportation which must belicensed to operate.

“The okada operators musthave rider’s permit and theirmotorcycles must havecommercial plate numbers. Itis illegal for motorcycleswithout the commercial platenumber to be used for okadabusiness,” he said adding thatthey disobediently take theBRT lane meant for BRT buses,drive against the traffic anddisregard traffic lights.

From Ojebola Matthew, Lagos

The Association ofEnvironmental HealthWorkers, Oyo state

chapter has urged GovernorAbiola Ajimobi to recruit morequalified environmental officerssaying the last recruitmentexercise was conducted 28 yearsago.

The state chairman of theassociation, Mr. Ayoola OlagokeJoseph disclosed this at the 3rdNational Conference of the Guildof Environmental HealthTeachers held at School ofHealth Sciences, UniversityCollege Hospital, Ibadan.

He attributed majorproblems on environment tolack of qualified, and wellequipped manpower, addingthat government was alwayssilent over recruitment ofcompetent hands to the sector.

“Recruitment ofenvironmental officers are statepolicy, Oyo state has abandonedthe exercise since 1984, we arethe last set. I was employed in1983, since then, governmenthas been silent over it. This is thereason for low and unseenperformance of environmentalhealth workers in the state whencompare with Lagos state thatrecruits 500 staff every year,”he said.

In a keynote addressdelivered by Professor MacAraromi titled ‘Challenges toEducation in Nigeria: TheJourney so Far’ called fornational dialogue oncomprehensive factorsmilitating against education.

The Director, Institute ofEducation, University of Ibadanblamed the government for thedeplorable condition ofeducational sector in the countrysince the Second Republic andurged the stakeholders in theeducation sector to converge onissues affecting the system.

In his welcome address, TheNational chairman of the Guildof Environmental HealthTeachers in Nigeria, Alhaji AdoBello called for dynamicacademic structure that wouldnote the myriad health problemsconfronting the nation.

Bello said there was need toupgrade and updateenvironmental teachingfacilities and personnel amidstuncontrolled population growthand current societal change.

28 years after:Environmentofficersdemand morehandsFrom Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

L-R: Head of Department for International Development (DFID), Mr. Richard Montgonery, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development,Hajiya Zainab Maina, CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and Country Director, British Council, Mr. David Higgs, during aconference on gender in Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi


Terror attacks: AYF wantsAliyu out as NSGF chairThe Arewa Youth Forum

(AYF) has asked thechairman of the Northern

States Governors’ Forum, Dr. MuazuBabangida Aliyu, to resign hisposition over the recurrent cases ofterrorist attacks in parts of the north.

AYF in a press statement in

Kaduna, on Wednesday, accusedAliyu, the Niger state governor offailing to use his position to curbthe activities of terrorist groups inthe north.

The statement signed by thegroup’s national president, AlhajiGambo Ibrahim Gujungu,lamented that the current state ofinsecurity has virtually destroyed

the northern economy even as iturged aggrieved groups in the areato embrace peace.

The statement said: “GovernorBabangida Aliyu should resign hisposition as chairman of the NorthernGovernors’ Forum because thenorthern economy has beendestroyed under his watchful eyes.

“The situation in the north has

From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna continued to deteriorate due to theguerilla warfare in parts of theregion and for now, it appears thereis no solution.

“Since the crisis began and ithas continued unabated,hundreds of people have been killedand property lost and the north hasbecome unattractive to investors.

“In a situation where the

governors under the leadership ofBabangida Aliyu continue towatch helplessly as such crisissituation continues to unfold in theregion, the best thing is forGovernor Aliyu to give way to amuch more robust and proactiveperson who can pave the way for agenuine dialogue so that peace canreign in the region”.

The Plateau State HealthCouncil a health policymaking body has decried

the increasing rate of maternaland infant mortality in therural areas of the state sayingthere is an urgent need toemploy the services of qualifiedmidwives in the hinterlands soas to check the trend and meetwith the health related targetsof the Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs).

The Permanent Secretary inthe Ministry of Health, Dr. JacobWongdem, disclosed this at theopening session of a four dayseminar organised for stakeholdersin the health sector. He noted thatthough there is no database toprove his observation, cases of safemotherhood have improved in theurban areas while those in therural areas need promptintervention to curb loss of lives ofpregnant women and new bornbabies.

While discussing a paper withtheme ‘Countdown to 2015Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), Revamping theHealthcare Delivery System inPlateau State’, Wongdem urgedparticipants to look critically athealth issues in the state toascertain areas of improvementand give operational training totheir staff especially in thehinterlands so that the rate ofmaternal and infant mortalitycould be curbed.

Council decrieshigh maternal,infant mortalityrateFrom Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has told the Edo stategovernor, Comrade Adams

Oshiomhole, to look inward for thekillers of his principal secretary,Olaitan Oyerinde, instead ofblaming the opposition for thedastardly act.

The party expressed worry atthe spate of killings and political

violence in Edo state ahead of theJuly 14 governorship elections ina statement made available tonewsmen by its National PublicitySecretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.

He said: “The NWC isparticularly appalled with thedangerous descent to violence andthe resort to baseless accusationsand foul language employed toscore cheap political points.”

“While we sympathise with

By Lawrence Olaoye the government and people of Edostate over the unfortunatemurder of the principal secretaryto the governor, Mr. OlaitanOyerinde, we urge the Edo stategovernor to look beyond hisobsession with wild accusationsagainst his opponents and alsoconsider the possibility of culpritswithin his set up.

“We condemn the attitude ofthe ACN who have chosen to

dishonor the memory of thisgentleman by making his death atool for political campaigns. ThePDP has absolutely nothing to gainfrom the murder of Mr. Oyerindeand it is only the ACN that standsto gain massive sympathy andpublic sentiments in this regard.Let us emphasise here that motiveis always a factor in murder cases.Who stands to gain from thisgruesome murder”?

Look inward for your aide’s killers, PDP tells Oshiomhole

Former President OlusegunObasanjo and former Lagosstate governor, Bola Ahmed

Tinubu have been identified as themost formidable Yoruba mencapable of providing responsibleleadership for the Yoruba nationlike the late Obafemi Awolowo.

The Bishop of Lagos West,Anglican Diocese, RightReverend (Dr.) Peter Adebiyi,made the observation during hissermon at the 25thremembrance and patronalanniversary of the sage, ChiefObafemi Awolowo, held at OurSaviour Anglican Church,

Ikenne-Remo, Ogun state.“Who shall we call upon to lead

the Yoruba nation? Chief OlusegunObasanjo is a formidable leader ofthe Yoruba. Asiwaju Bola Tinubucan also lead the Yoruba nation.You may not agree with me,” headded.

The cleric noted and lamentedthat the Yoruba nation could notagree 25 years after the death ofAwolowo, who the leader ofYorubas is and used the occasion tostress the need for unity among theshades of political groups in therace.

The bishop said the Yorubanation, as the largest ethnic groupin the country, remained veryweak and incoherent. He added

that other regions had beenprofiting from the disunity amongthe Yoruba people because thestrength of the Yoruba lies in unityas was experienced duringAwolowo’s leadership.

The cleric said: “We need oneanother for a true Yoruba nation.We must prepare for anyeventuality that can happen inthis country. Although I do notwish that Nigeria will disintegrate,if this happens and the Yoruba arestill in disarray, then we are donefor.”

Adebiyi also described himselfas a living testimony of thegreatness and foresight of thepolitical leadership of ChiefAwolowo.

Obasanjo, Tinubu fit to lead Yoruba nationFrom Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji,Abeokuta

The Governor of Katisnastate, Alhaji IbrahimShema, has advised film

makers in the country to producequality films to meet internationalstandards.

Shema, who gave the advice atthe closing ceremony of the 2012ZUMA Film Festival held in Abuja,said for the country's films to gainacceptance in the internationalmarket, the quality must improve.

According to him, it isimportant to draw the attention ofthose in the film industry tocontinue to work hard to ensurethat films made in the country getaccess to international market. “I

am certain that with hard work,our films will continue to make thenecessary impact that other filmsare making on our land”, he said.

Shema urged film producers tocontinue to strive hard to sellNigeria’s culture and films aboard,adding that it would indeed educatepeople of how Nigerians live, whatthey do and the effort the countrywas making to develop the industry.

Presenting awards to winnersat the event, Mr. Afolabi Adesanya,Managing Director, Nigerian FilmCorporation, thanked participantswho brought their films for entryin the 2012 ZUMA Festival tomake it a success.

Shema advises film makerson quality films

L-R: NUPENG National Secretary, Comrade Dayyabu Garba, National Vice-President, Kaduna state, Alhaji Tijani Zubairu, NARTODeputy President, Chief Ayoola Sadiku, and the National President, Alhaji Kassim Bafaiya, listening to the Minister of State for Works,Malam Bashir Yuguda, yesterday during the inspection of trailers parked at Tafa along Kaduna-Abuja road. Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 PAGE 11

me to complain on Wednesday thathe had not come out.

“I suspected foul play and wentwith three other members of ourassociation to his house.

“We saw his doors and windowsopened, and on entering hisbedroom, all his electricalappliances were on.

“We saw his dead body. Hishands and legs were tied withcellotape, with wounds on his headand stomach”, he said.

Ololo said members of theassociation did not touch his bodyand decided to report to the police

Nigerian gynaecologistkilled in CameroonA Cameroon-based Nigerian

gynaecologist, Dr. SamuelOgoke, has been found dead

in his home in Garoua, northernCameroon.

Ogoke, 43, hailed from Ahiarain Mbaise local government areaof Imo state.

The Chairman of Imo/AbiaAssociation in Garoua, Mr.Ibeabuchi Ololo, told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) on phonefrom Garoua on Wednesday thatOgoke was allegedly killed in hishouse on May 8.

“Dr Ogoke’s landlady came to

in Garoua.He said the police went to

Ogoke’s house with a doctor whoexamined him and said he had diedof internal bleeding.

“We have taken his body to themortuary and will meet soon todecide when to bring his bodyhome for burial”, he said.

The chairman said the policein Garoua had asked them to comeback for another meeting.

He said Ogoke returned fromNigeria on May 7, where he wentto buy equipment and drugs whichhe supplies to hospitals in Garoua.

“We are still at loss on whathappened to Dr. Ogoke. It is veryunusual because we have not hadthis kind of experience in the past”,Ololo said.

Ogoke, he said, lived in Garouafor more than 15 years, practisingas a gynaecologist andbusinessman.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Ogoke was oftremendous assistance to theDolphins FC of Port Harcourt whenthey played a CAF ChampionsLeague match against Coton Sportsof Garoua on April 8. (NAN)

The chairman of the Bauchistate chapter of the NigeriaLabour Congress (NLC),

Comrade Hashimu Gital, hasdeclared gainful employment asthe panacea to peace in Nigeria.

Gital stated this while speakingwith journalists in Bauchiyesterday. He called ongovernment at all levels in thecountry to create jobs for theteeming unemployed Nigerians,while intensifying efforts aimed atproviding adequate security forthe lives and properties of thepeople.

“Creating jobs will ensure theengagement of our teeming youthswhich will automatically reducethe level of criminal activities inthe country,” the Bauchi NLC bossstated.

He noted that the currentinsecurity in the country was“partially caused by lack of jobs forour teeming youths and thesituation is continually becomingalarming.”

He argued that when more jobsare created for the youth, it wouldkeep them busy and out of crimes.

NLC boss saysemploymentpanacea to peaceFrom Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Prices of tomatoes and pepperhave soared in Yola, amarket survey by the News

Agency of Nigeria (NAN)yesterday said.

NAN reports that a basket oftomatoes that formerly sold for N1,300 per basket now goes for N8,000.

Speaking with NAN, AlhajiAdamu Dan-Wanzam, the statechairman of dry season farmers,attributed the hike in price to shortsupply due to limited harvestwithin the state.

“The annual perishables weproduce here is limited. We nowtravel as far as Sokoto, Katsina, andBenue to buy the commodities.

“Another reason for the sharpincrease in price is that we observedhigh demand from customers”.

He explained a bag of pepperwhich sold for N500 had shut upto N4,000 while a basket oftomatoes jumped from N1,300between N7,500 and N8,000.

Meanwhile, a cross section offood vendors interviewed over thedevelopment, expressed worryover the development, which theysaid could cause confusion betweenthe traders and their customers.

One Madam Kande Ayuba, afood vendor at Jimeta shoppingcomplex, said that to compensatefor the additional on the essentialingredient, she had resorted toreducing the quantity of food whileretaining the price of a plate of food.

She further said that some ofthe food vendors had also resortedto using dried tomatoes and pepperdue to the high cost of the freshones. (NAN)

Prices oftomatoes,pepper soar inYola – Survey

Communities in Kogi statehave been urged to key intothe transformation agenda

of the current administration inthe state.

The state governor, Capt IdrisWada, gave the urge when hereceived in audience, BandaCommunity in Lokoja local

government of the state, who werein his office to sort out issues overthe planned modern trailer park,in the area.

The governor maintained thatadequate compensation wouldcertainly be paid to encouragesacrifices made by thecommunities and owners of land,who partner with the presentadministration.

He revealed that Kogi state isamong the three states to benefitfrom the Modern Trailer Park tobe built by the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC), inconjunction with the stategovernment.

He called on the BandaCommunity to showunderstanding and do all it can toaccommodate the opportunity for

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja the overall benefit of the immediatecommunity and the state.

The park when completed, CaptWada disclosed, will have a megastation, restaurant, lubricant shop,trailer park and other facilities,adding that it is a dream fulfilledfor the people who are dailyinconvenienced by trailers alongthe NATACO area, the gatewayinto the ancient city of Lokoja.

Kogi communities urged to key into transformation agenda

In recognition of hiscontribution to the growth ofsmall and medium scale

enterprises in the country, theDirector General of Small andMedium Scale EnterprisesDevelopment Agency of Nigeria(SMEDAN), Alhaji MohammedNadada Umar, was among specialaward recipients at a dinnerorganised by Nigeria FilmCorporation (NFC) as part of thisyear's annual Zuma Festival.

According to the awardorganisers, the SMEDAN boss washonoured for his outstandingcontribution to the growth of themovie industry as part of his briefto encourage the growth,profitability and continuedexistence of small and mediumscale businesses in the country.

Speaking to reporters after theaward ceremony held in Abuja onWednesday night, AlhajiMohammed thanked the organisersfor the recognition, saying that theentertainment industry needed tomove away from just entertainingpeople to making money.

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

SMEDAN boss wins NFC awardfor SMEs growth

Kebbi state governor, AlhajiUsman Saidu Dakingarihas assured the security

personnel in the state ofcooperation and support with aview to curtailing the incessantsecurity breaches in the country.

He gave this assuranceyesterday when the newly postedCommissioner of Police for Kebbistate, Adisa Bolanta paid him acourtesy visit in Government

House, Birnin-Kebbi.“With the current security

situation in the country police andother security agencies need to beempowered to carry out theirduties effectively”, he said.

In his remark the policecommissioner also promised touphold the professional standardsin service delivery and proactivepolicing in the state. He called forsupport and cooperation from thegeneral public in providing thepolice with relevant informationwith a view to maintaining peace.

From Ahmed Idris, Brinin Kebbi

Kebbi govt to support securityagencies

L-R: Anambra state Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. David MacRae, and Abia state Governor,Chief Theordore Orji, during the 2012 Europe Day celebration, on Wednesday, in Abuja.


Charles Taylor and longarm of the law

About two weeks ago, theInternational Criminal Court forSierra Leone, sitting in The

Hague, Netherlands, found CharlesTaylor, former president of Liberia andalleged mastermind of the civil war inneighbouring Sierra Leone, guilty of allthe 13 charges against him. Thus, after achequered political career which sawhim rise from a warlord to presidentand then to an ex-president in exile, the64-year-old former Liberian strongmanmay live the rest of his life in a Britishjail.

Britain had agreed to take him in, ifconvicted. Now, having been foundguilty on all counts, and he is due to besentenced on May 30, there is already acelebratory mood in Sierra Leone,where the defunct RevolutionaryUnited Front (RUF) which he allegedlycreated, wreaked havoc, the purportedprincipal actor in the carnage is aboutto be brought to justice.

While we sympathise with thevictims, we hasten to ask if the RUF wasthe only culprit in the brutal war inSierra Leone, bearing in mind theinfamous role by the then government-backed traditional hunters called theKamajoors, whose brutalities and otherinhuman methods were no less heinousthan those of the RUF. That the backersof the dreaded Kamajoors are notstanding trial at The Hague means thatonly half the story of the atrocities isknown.

Since Charles Taylor has claimed tobe a victim of big power conspiracy, it isour view that justice would be bestserved if he is allowed to narrate hisactual role in the war.

Even as we acknowledge that the

“Since Taylor left theLiberian political space, the

country has made someprogress; we appeal that his

sentence must take intoaccount that his selflessaction has tremendously

helped to stabilise his countryand even opened the way forneighbouring Sierra Leone

culture of impunity is an Africancankerworm, we wonder aloud why thespecial tribunal seems to address theexcesses of African leaders alone.Plunging Iraq in protracted strife, whichhas claimed hundreds of thousands oflives and still counting, for theunsubstantiated allegation against thetoppled Saddam Hussein’ regime ofpossession weapons of mass destruction,

requires that the authors of the unjustwar be made to answer for their actions.

Unfortunately, it is never possiblewithin the framework of the currentglobal power equation that former USPresident George Bush and erstwhileBritish Prime Minister Tony Blair wouldever be brought to The Hague. Yet, thereis almost a consensus that the excessesand impunities of African leaders in theirtreatment of their citizens need to be

reined in even by extra-territorialjudicial authority as The Haguetribunals.

However, we are worried by one snagin the Taylor saga: an elected LiberianPresident, Taylor abdicated office onthe prodding of African leadership as away of finding a lasting solution to thebitter divisions in his country. He wasseen as a divisive figure and his countrycould have the chance to heal only if heabdicated power and went into exile. Tothe surprise of many, Taylor voluntarilyaccepted to step down and began a lifein exile in Nigeria, as agreed by theAfrican Union leaders. This was rightlyhailed as an African solution to anAfrican problem. In the middle of hisexile, he was grabbed and handed overto The Hague. We fear that this actioncould undermine any future continentalinitiative to political problems in Africa.

Since Taylor left the Liberian politicalspace, the country has made someprogress; we appeal that his sentencemust take into account that his selflessaction has tremendously helped tostabilise his country and even openedthe way for neighbouring Sierra Leone,where his crime is said to have beencommitted, to normalize and launchitself on the path of recovery.

For this, we believe that Taylordeserves a lenient sentence. The rest ofhis life behind the bars would be tooharsh and vindictive. More so, it mightbe interesting to see how an ex-convictformer leader would behave. However,the message of a former strongmanbehind bars will not be lost to his peersstill in office and may even serve as awake-up call for them to modify theirbehaviour for the better.

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EDITEDITEDITEDITEDITORIALORIALORIALORIALORIAL


Francois Hollande, amoderate Socialist, waselected French president on

Sunday narrowly defeating theincumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy, aconservative in a TWO MAN run-off vote put at about 52 to 48percent. Case closed. No fraudclaims, no litigation. I hadprepared the original of thiscommentary few days after the2011 presidential election, but didnot publish it. At that time, I wasin Jos, Plateau state, for themandatory one year NationalYouth Service. Providentially, theissue raised is still relevantthirteen months after.

Democracy is the free andequal right of every person toparticipate in a system ofgovernment, practiced byelecting representatives of thepeople by the majority of thepeople. But the sixteenthpresident of the United States,Abraham Lincoln, felt the abovedefinition was an overdose ofEnglish language. Heconsequently put it simpler bydefining it as “the government ofthe people, by the people and forthe people”. His view which isgenerally accepted has ever sincebeen regarded as the mostaccurate and comprehensive.

Our democracy was restoredover a decade ago, after manyyears of torturous autocratic rule.We heaved sigh of relief havingwitnessed disgusting tyranny atits crest. We stood united knowing

full well that the chance to get outof the hitherto doldrums was here.While hundreds of defenselesscitizens especially journalists andhuman rights crusaders wereassaulted and thrown into thegulag, others became martyrs ofliberty as they paid the supremeprice.

Irrefutably, one of the keyhallmarks in the tenets ofdemocracy is the choice ofexpression and association. In factthis is considered as the singlebiggest gain of a democraticregime. However, the multipartysystem currently practiced in thecountry appears to favor only ahandful to the detriment of astrong and competitive polity.

In the 1999 general elections,three parties namely Alliance forDemocracy (AD), All Peoples’Party (APP as then known) andPeoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)contested. After a keen battle ofwits and vigor, the PDPpresidential candidate GeneralOlusegun Obasanjo was declaredwinner and return electedconsequent upon the defeat ofChief Olu Falae candidate of a jointAD/APP ticket. Even as ayoungster who was yet alegitimate voter, the furore that

surrounded the electioneeringwas noticeable. The candidateswere conspicuous and the generalpublic was abreast of anythingand everything about the polls.

Prior to the advent andeventual registration of newpolitical parties, not a few analystsperceived the idea inessential.Expectedly, the proponents notonly kicked but threatened fireand brimstone. Theirbraggadocio got inordinate by theday. They went further, dubbingcritics “bad belles” and enemiesof progress. It is against thisbackdrop that one is tempted toask: Where are the politicalparties?

During the course of build upto the 2011 elections, most of theparties were as good as not beingin the race. Of the registered fifty-two parties, less than half fieldedcandidates for all the electiveposts. And of the sixteen partiesthat presented candidates for thenumber one seat in the land, lessthan six were serious contenders.Save for the incumbent GoodluckJonathan and a few others thatwere visible, the rest were egoisticbystanders who were either toovague or equivocal. In spite ofthat, they refused to establish a

coalition either by merger oralliance.

In the light of the foregoing, itis apt to say that a wise alternativeto the charade of the opposition atthe last general polls is for us toreturn to a two (or not more thanthree) party system. A situationwhereby parties are unablegarner one percent of votes castedis repugnant. How will theleadership of a party explain theinability of its candidate to securea quadrant of ballots albeit he isfrom that area! The ambition ofsuch aspirant was prima facie, afailed adventure right frominception. For instance, there is aparty where the father is thenational chairman and his son,the national secretary. What cana party like that offer other thanintermittently organize tearevelries?

The PDP has been the rulingparty at the federal level since1999 for we have pampered it. In2011 total votes, it proved itsdominance by getting 58.89 percent, while the Congress forProgressive Change got 31.98 percent, Action Congress of Nigeriagot 5.41 per cent, All NigerianPeople’s Party got 2.40 per cent,and the remaining parties that

Nigerian politics: Aneedless multiparty system

By Wale Odunsi

The adventures of ChiefJames Ibori, the erstwhileGovernor of Delta state

who is now a prisoner, a convictedthief in Her majesty’s prison inthe United Kingdom hasprompted me to recall the life ofDr Micheal Okpara, who was adirect opposite of Chief Ibori.

Dr. Okpara was the Premierof the old Eastern Region ofNigeria which comprised presentday Cross River, Akwa Ibom,Rivers, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo,Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi States.

James Ibori governed Deltastate from 1999 to 2007. Heended up a ruthless andconscienceless thief. What hestole is mind boggling. Hisproperty dotted the world. Justbefore he was arrested in Dubaihe was about to take delivery of aprivate jet worth millions ofdollars. For his thievingescapades in the United Kingdomhe involved his wife, sister andconcubine. I imagine that if hismother was well and alive hewould have involved her too.

Reports have it that he is nowin a Class A prison. Class A prisonsare occupied by hardenedcriminals.

If hardened criminals in theUnited Kingdom are as hardenedas those in Nigeria prisons thenIbori is in trouble. Definitely bythe time he is released he wouldhave undergone sometransformation may be the typethat Apostle Paul experienced on

the road to Damascus when heencountered our Lord JesusChrist.

Doctor Micheal Okparagoverned the nine states whichmade up Eastern Nigeria from1959 to 1966. When the militarycoup of 1966 terminated hisgovernorship on January 16,1966 the only property he ownedwas an old bungalow he had inhis village Umuahia, Abia State.When the Biafra war ended inJanuary 1970 he desired tostudy Economics in an AmericanUniversity but he could not raisethe fees.

In 1974 after he had goneback to brush up his medicalknowledge and was in Edinburghfor his membership examinationhe shared a flat with a foreigner,a West Indian.

The first time I saw DrOkpara was at a political rally inEnugu in the early 1960’s. Whatimpressed me that day was hispronunciation of the wordsimultaneously as in Simon.

The next time I encounteredhim was in 1974. This time itwas on one on one basis. It was inthe city of Edinburgh Scotlandthe United Kingdom. He wasthere to prepare and sit for hismembership examination inmedicine Dr. Okpara hadqualified as a Medical Doctor inthe 1950’s at Yaba Higher Collegebut had gone into politics and hadalmost forgotten everythingabout medicine. When he was thePremier of Eastern Nigeria MaziS.G. Ikoku, a renowned economist

was the leader of opposition. Ikokuused to confuse, dazzle andbamboozle the government sidewith economic jargons. It got to astage where Dr. Okpara could nottake it anymore. He bought bookson Economics and when otherswould be sleeping he would keepawake to swort Economics.Armed with what he was able tolearn he was prepared for Ikoku’sfire. He was able to return fire forfire and there was alwaysthunderous applause from thegovernment side whether he gotit right or not. This kindled hisinterest in Economics.

When the Biafran war endedit was every man to himself. Hefirst went to Ivory Coast and thenfrom there to the United Kingdom.He was hoping to studyEconomics in an AmericanUniversity but he could not affordthe fees nor did he got anysponsors. His younger brotherwas a Medical Student inGermany and his children werestill growing up. He had hopedthat the then British ForeignSecretary would come to his aid.

Dr. Okpara refused to appealto him for help. In his own wordshe felt it was “infradig” to beg LordShepherd for help. Incidentallythis was the same man of whomOkokon Ndem in one his news talkon Radio Biafra had said, “Thisparticular lord cannot be ourshepherd”. This was because of thenot so friendly attitude of theBritish government to Biafra.

When Dr. Okpara wasconfronted with the problem of

which way to go he decided toreturn to medicine. He made hisway to the Dublin University.The first day he stepped into thelecture hall he was lostcompletely. What the lecturerwas saying was all Greek to him.To compound his problems hisclassmates were his children’sage mates. But he wasdetermined to succeed. Heshowed extreme humility,courage and determination. Hesucceeded and relocatedthereafter to Edinburgh for hismembership examination.

We met in Edinburgh thistime on one on one basis. Whenmy colleague Mr. Emma Chieduand I informed him that we weresent to Heriot Watt University,Edinburgh by Golden GuineaBreweries Plc Umuahia for a PostGraduate Diploma in BrewingScience his joy knew no bounds.He said he was always happy tolearn that the establishments heset up were still functioning.

For want of space I shall listsome of these; Calabar CementFactory, Nigeria CementFactory Nkalagu, Niger gasEnugu, Turners Asbestos Enugu,Pepsi Cola Factory Onitsha,Goden Guinea BreweriesUmuahia, Aba Textile Mills,Trans Amadi Industrial ComplexPort Hacourt, Obudu Cattleranch, Presidential Hotels(Enugu and Port Harcourt)Eastern Nigeria DevelopmentCorporation rubber and palmplantations, Cashew Industriesand Ekulu Pottery.

Eastern Nigeria had thelargest number of secondaryschools and they ranked amongthe best. Farm settlements werelocated all over the region.

Of his role in the University ofNigeria project He quoted thescripture. Apostle Paul had saidin (1 Cor 3:6) I have plantedApolos watered. It was Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe who plantedand Dr. Okpara watered His onlysource of watering was the salesfrom Palm produce. The currentGovernment lodge was built byDr. Okpara. Even IndependenceLayout where the Lodge and theHouse of Assembly are locatedwas designed during his regime.

During his stay in Edinburgha time came when his flat matefinished his course and wasabout to relocate. It was gatheredthat he was looking for a flatmate. The thought that theformer Premier of EasternNigeria was looking for someoneto share a flat with wasextremely depressing and I feltvery sad. I did not habour thethought of ever making myselfavailable. How could I haveshared a flat with Mike Powereven in far away Edinburgh Irecall that John the Baptistconfessed that he was not fit tountie the lace of Jesus’s sandals.That was exactly how I felt. Howcould I have watched him clean,cook and wash the dishes. On theother hand if I had decided toserve him my studies wouldhave suffered greatly. In any

Between Ibori and Okpara: Reminiscenceof thievery and honest serviceBy Christopher C. Ulasi

participated got less than one percent each. From the analysis,what we had was a minor contest.I cited the French election becauseit was not a one-horse race like wehad here. It drew massiveattention; it was very intense andunpredictable.

Now that the elections areover, the kindergarten ‘parties’are asleep. Their alarm is set toquarter to next election year,while supposed members are backto normal business. To ensuresanity, the Independent NationalElectoral Commission (INEC)should in the same way it didsome months ago, descend itshammer on more indolentpolitical parties. I hope the jokerswill in earnest throw in the towel.They should seek de-registrationbefore they are humiliated.Failure is the key to success; eachmistake teaches us something.The season of failure is the besttime for sowing the seeds of success.Futile political parties shouldeither take a bow or be forcedlyshown out! Nigeria as a politicallyactive country is too big for clownswho tirelessly wander the politydespite woeful outings in elections.Wale Odunsi can be reachedat [email protected]

Continued on page 15


Lagos doctors mass sack: An act ofinscrutable illegality that will not endure

Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, textmessages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written

contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name anda valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed

to:

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35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja.Email: let [email protected]

SMS: 07037756364

WRITE TO USWe make this public

statement as counsel toall the members of Lagos

State Medical Guild who weresummarily dismissed from theservices of Lagos State on accountof the ongoing dispute between thedoctors and the StateGovernment.

The decision of thegovernment was made in spite ofits awareness of the suit filed bythe doctors at the NationalIndustrial Court seeking an orderof injunction restraining thegovernment from dismissingthem from service. The suit whichcomes up tomorrow at theNational Industrial Court is suitNo. NIC/LA/158/2012 filed on24th April, 2012 against the StateGovernment, Commissioner forHealth, Lagos State HealthCommission and Lagos StateTeaching Hospital. The existenceof the suit was communicated tothe State Government throughthe Attorney General of the State.In the said suit the Medical Doctorsare seeking the following reliefs,namely:

A declaration that the refusalof the defendant to completelyimplement the consolidatedmedical salary (CONMESS) scalein favour of the claimanta s s o c i a t i o nconstitutes aviolent breach ofthe agreementreached betweenthe defendant andthe claimant on thef u l limplementation ofConmess and istherefore unlawful,unconstitutional,null and void andconstitutes unfairlabour practice

A declarationthat the planneddisciplinary actionagainst themembers of the claimants by thepersonnel management board ofthe defendant in respect of the 3days warning strike embarkedupon in pursuit of the fullimplementation of CONMESSagreement between the defendantand the claimant is wrongful,arbitrary, ultra vires the power

of the defendant’s managementboard and is illegal, unlawful andconstitutes an abuse and violationof the claimant’s rights

An order of perpetual

injunction restraining thedefendant from taking anydisciplinary action against anymember of the claimant for takingpart in the 3 day warning strikeorganised by the claimantassociation in pursuit of the fullimplementation of the CONMESSagreement between the Claimant

and the Defendant.As counsel to the doctors we

wrote to the governmentintimating it of the pendency ofthe suit before a court of competent

jurisdiction.T h eregrettableconsequenceof thedecision ofthe stategovernmentis that it hasi l l e g a l l yd i s m i s s e dthe doctorsas theS u p r e m eCourt hasheld in thecase ofOjukwu vGovernor of

Lagos State that a party that isaware that injunctive relief hasbeen sought against him ought torefrain from doing anything tofoist a situation of completehelplessness on the court and thatif he does he acts at his own peril asthe state government has done inthis case. It is unfortunate that the

government which routinelyadvertises its adherence to aprogressive ideology and respectfor the rule of law has taken whatclearly is a reactionary and illegaldecision in violation of the rule oflaw. We urge it to reverse theindefensible and unconstitutionaldecision before the 9th of May2012 when the matter comes upbefore the National IndustrialCourt.

While we do not deny that thegovernment has the power toexercise disciplinary control overits workers, the doctors inclusive,our position is that it cannot do soillegally and in violation of thetenets of constitutionalism andthe rule of law.

We are concerned that thegovernment has taken a panickydecision that cannot endure as theconsequence is that the healthcare system in Lagos will bedamaged irreparably if thedecision is permitted to stand andit will usher in a dangerous era inindustrial relations in thecountry.Bamidele Aturu, Esq. isreachable [email protected]

By Bamidele Aturu

Yar’adua, Nigeria’s fourthdemocratically selectedpresident. Yar’adua, Nigeria’s

most unassuming president.Yar’adua, Nigeria’s most frailpresident. Yar’adua, Nigeria’s mosteducated president. Yar’adua,Nigeria’s only president with leftistideology.

The manner of your exit equalsthe manner of your entrance.Mysterious appearance andmysterious disappearance. StateGovernors Peter Odili, Donald Duke,Sam Egwu, Ahmed Makarfi, evenJerry Gana and Rochas Okorochawere all in the presidential race of2007 and from nowhere youappeared through Obasanjoicabracadabra and became the rulingparty flag bearer. All the presidentialaspirants except Rochas and Jerrywere commandeered to genuflectbefore His Royal Ota majesty andaccept the native intelligence thatbrought you to power. The ensuingpresidential do or die abracadabraraised to power two made you thechoice of the entire Nigerians whileyour Buhari opponent was left toweep the second time.

Yar’adua , the first thing you didas president elect was to denouncethe process that brought you topower while still clinging to thestolen mandate. You were the firstpresident in Nigeria to ever admitthat the road to victory was asfraudulent as fraud itself. Howeverthe Justices of the Supreme Courtby their majority judgment felt thatyou actually had typhoid feverwhen you admitted that the electionwas fraudulent.

Yar’adua you were the firstpresident in Nigeria to declare yourasset. You weren’t materialistic but

your wife Turai was the directopposite of you .During your regimethe praise of Turai was the arrival offavour. Emirs, Igwes, Obas,Professors, High Chiefs, Ex this andEx that all bowed down to HerMajesty Turai before being qualifiedto share in the national cake.

Yar’adua, you weren’t corruptbut during your regime, the newestcabal in the country, the NigeriaGovernors Forum manipulatedyour rule of law mantra and begunthe process of liquidating the foreignreserves which godfather Obasanjoleft behind.

Yar’adua your Seven PointAgenda has been replaced by theTransformational agenda andVision 20; 2020 and Nigerians areanxiously waiting and praying forthe transformation. All those cabalswho held the nation hostage whileyou were sick have been thrown intothe dustbin by your brotherGoodluck and replaced by anotherset of cabal. Your godfather Obasanjohave been frustrated out of the PDPas the Chairman of BOT and theassistant godfather Babangida havebeen sidelined and marginalized bythe same party that he goes aboutthe globe complaining.

Yar’adua you weren’tconfrontational but you could notsuffer fools hanging around yourpolitical space. On your way to Brazilyou gave the military highcommand order that before youfinish your first breakfast in Brazilthey would have wiped off BokoHaram from your Presidency or yousack all of them from the service. Ofcourse before you finished brushingyour teeth to taste the sumptuousala-cart before the breakfast table inBrasilia, the army high commandhave finished wiping off the thenBoko Haram and handed their leader

to the notorious Nigerian police.Yar’adua you weren’t an

economist but you never trusted theeconomic theories of the all knowingwestern economists. They forced youto increase fuel price by ten nairabut immediately their convoy leftthe gates of the state house youhastily reversed yourself andreduced it by five naira to the fury ofthe western economists.

Yar’adua your godfatherObasanjo , just like Shehu your latebrother, never believed in rule of lawbut rule of power and money but youdefied their philosophy andintroduced the rule of law mantrainto the Nigerian polity. You obeyedcourt orders and asked yourMinisters, Ambassadors and Headsof Parastatals to do the same.

Yar’adua why did you leave livethis? The nation you left behind isnow a mess and civil war is looming.Let me intimate you of events thatoccurred in your absence.

The first lady, Patience is stillvery powerful but not as powerful asyour wife. The power Turai oncewielded has been split betweenPatience, Ngozi, Diezani and stella-Oduah.

The 2011 presidential electionwas still fraudulent but not asfraudulent as the one supervised byProfessor Maurice and Dr Abel.

The Governors Forum cabal youcouldn’t checkmate havecheckmated your younger brotherGoodluck. They have collectivelydefecated fuel subsidy, corruptionand Boko Haram on thetransformational agenda yourbrother promised Nigerians.

Yar’adua , while you got the BokoHaram extremists hunted andchased into Chad and Sudan yourGoodluck brother have continued toplay snooker with them until they

now have annexes in his statehouse, national assembly, judiciaryand police force.

Yar;adua you started theamnesty programme for the NigerDelta militants and established aministry for the interest of Nigerdelta but your brother have notbeen able to establish a negotiablelink with the Boko Haram militants.

Yaradua the James Ibori whichyou shielded from prosecution forhelping you with funds for thepresidential election have now beenjailed in Britain for moneylaundering charges.

Yaradua ,the latest is that thefuel subsidy bill which was N384billion naira in 2009, the year youwent to that Saudi hospital wherethey finished you off, by 2011 thesubsidy bill had skyrocketed to N1.7trillion naira and the culprits arewalking freely and threateningBrimstone.

Yaradua, some elder statesmenhave left to join you in that place.Have you met with them. DimOdumegwu Ojukwu, the EzeigboGburugburu died and was giventhe most celebrated burial in thehistory of Africa. From London toZungeru, Lagos to Enugu thousandsgathered to pay homage to the Lionof Biafra. Dr Matthew Mbu andProfessor Sam Aluko also died andwere accorded respects.

Yar’adua, your brotherGoodluck isn’t an economist eitherbut he got so carried away by theeconomic theories of westerncapitalists that he added eightynaira to the same fuel price youremoved five naira.

Yar’adua , the rule of lawmantra have died .Twentyprotesters were killed around thecountry because they gathered tooccupy empty square hitherto

inhabited by beggars and mentallyderanged to complain that they arehungry and need food on their table.

Yar’adua wake up. You haveslept enough! The northernpoliticians wished you death withthe evil permutations that they willuse the zonal formula to ascend yourexalted throne where food isN1billion naira annually. Howeveryour brother Goodluck thoughtthem lessons on silence andsubterfuge and dribbled them topolitical irrelevance. Out offrustration they have sworn to makethe nation ungovernable for yourbrother until he reverts back to thezoning formula and allows them tocomplete your tenure and yourbrother is presently helpless. Heprefers to hide in the villa like goggledSanni and occasionally escape formeetings of African Union.

Yar’adua wake up now beforecivil war starts in Nigeria. Yourtenure remains one year. Moveround your former residence in thevilla and chase away those peoplewining and dining from five pmwhile distracting your brother fromgiving us the needed fresh air.

Yar’adua wake up! You’ve sleptenough! Wake up! Wait! Did I hearthat revered Christian leaders likeArchbishop John Onaiyekan, BishopDavid Oyedepo, Pastor EmmanuelKure and Professor Yusuf Obajeprayed with you days before yourdeath? That’s a problem. If they didthen they must have administeredthe Sacrament of Extreme Unctionto you. This revered Sacrament isadministered only to people at thepoint of death so that the Almightywill receive them unto paradise. Ifthey administered it then Yar’aduayou better stay where you arebecause that place is better thanyour former residence in Aso Villa.

Yar’adua, wake up, Nigeria is boiling! (II)By Obinna Akukwe


Police I.G Abubakar N6.43trillion economic stimulus

Throwing the baby away with the bath water? (I)

When we get theopportunity to writeabout good news on

Nigeria, it must be seized with allcandor and celebrated. The reportsfrom all over the country is thatfinally, roadblocks by police aredying down. Of course, there arestill illegal ones here and there butas a whole, it looks like this one manis about to make a difference thatwe must congratulate him on. Itonly takes one Nigerian to lead andplay his or her part.

There is no reason to repeat thehistory of road blocks in Nigeriathat became family allowance forboth the Police and the Army,tolerated by past military heads ofstate. This policeman wasdetermined to stop it and when weclaimed it was still going on, hestuck to his gun that it must stop.Well, it looks like it is dying out. Wehear reports of illegal road blocksthat were quickly dismantled andarrested by enforcement agents.

Who said we could not changeNigeria, and only God could? Well,even God uses man to accomplishhis mission. Before our people tellsome of us it is too early to celebrate,please forgive me. There is little tocelebrate in Nigeria these days.Give us these few days to hope andpray that there are people out therewilling to do what is right, not justpreaching what is right. So pleaseunderstand that, don’t let ourprayers be in vain.

Wait a minute. You meanPolice road blocks have beenmilking N6.43T from Nigerians?

O kokomiako o! Pleasesomebody, hold me before I faint.Some people will argue that it ismore, others will ridicule it as less.Whatever, that is a lot of gari, riceand beans inside our hungrybellies. No wonder, Nigerians aregetting poorer by the day. Morestudies have to be done to find outif that money is out of 69% ofNigerians that live in poverty.

Nevertheless, the InspectorGeneral of Police has played his role.We must also give credit to thosebrave uncelebrated police officersthat went to Abuja to testify thatthey use the money they collectedat the road blocks to maintain andbuy fuel for their vehicles. Policedid not just get posted to roadblocks, they had to grease superiorofficers to get there and make dailyreturns to these rogues inuniforms.

Well, some of them must be indepression right now while othersare thinking about other ways tomilk Nigerians. Many police chiefshave been defied and have failedto stop road blocks because it was soendemic, no amount of laxative

could purge or kill it as it mutateslike cold virus evading the bestprophylactic available. But for adetermined Police Chief, we thoughtit was going to be the same promisesagain.

There are reports that policehave sharpened their illegaldetention, abuse and beating ofNigerians. If this is as a result ofelimination of road blocks orvictimization as usual from thosedetermined to give police a badname, it must also be sorted out. Ifwe want to turn the Police into aprofessional force as the number ofgraduates amongst them areincreasing, their officers must do itout of dedication to duties.

Nigerians on the streets mustbe able to gain from the N6.43teconomic stimulus. Danfo andokada operators must decreasetheir fares accordingly. That willput gari, tuwo, rice with okazi onthe table. Traders will get morecustomers as products and servicesget cheaper with lowertransportation cost. Even poultryand beef will be cheaper since therewere many complaints fromtransporters from North to Southabout road blocks.

Some people might want to

know who told this writer that thelaw of economics ever worked inNigeria on supply and demand.Some of us do not even believetraders and transporters will passon their savings to the man on thestreets. There are many greedypeople that will just pocket it all.Some may even use the lack of roadblocks to increase fare, food,material prices and create back-road toll blocks. Haba! NotNigerians!

Just a few years ago, Obasanjoordered the destruction of toll gatesand people were happy expectingthat some savings will be passedon. They waited in vain. Indeed,some states and local governmentshave erected their own toll gateson old roads built since the time ofold civilian government based onpromises to build new toll roads.They have now created businessfor back roads toll collectors, intheir private domain.

The story of Nigeria is: asindividuals strive to make adifference, their contributions areeither counterbalanced by othersor evil minds that are supposed tocomplement them, makingprogress unsustainable. This iswhy many people throw up their

hands and give up claiming we areall corrupt. Please, there are decentNigerians out there willing to dothe right thing or change their evilways.

We must remember that theInspector General of Police is alsopart of the corrupt system. Butwhenever one of us gets up andbolts away from a corrupt system,we must congratulate him andencourage him to greater heights.If he can accomplish the ban onroad block that was so ingrained inthe system, he can do more. He hasto step on some powerful toes, someof whom were and are hiscolleagues.

There are too manyunjustifiable detentions andhorrible stories while detainedillegally. Bribes are still changinghands and you can still go to anyPolice station, bribe officers to arrestand punish innocent people. But itnot the reason to abandon a cop,that has risen to the top of hisprofession trying to set a corruptsystem right. Yes, even if he wasbeating his chest, it was not basedon promises but based on result.

This is what we need in Nigeria,accomplishments based on resultnot on promises.

By Farouk Martins Aresa

A Federal High Court in Lagos, Nigeria recently dismissed the corruption charges filed

by country’s anti-graft Agency,the Economic and FinancialCrimes Commission (EFCC)against the former ManagingDirector of Intercontinental Bank,Erastus Akingbola for lack ofdiligent prosecution anddischarged the accused from all thecharges before his Court. In thesame vein, the trial judge, JusticeCharles Archibong sanctioned theprosecuting attorneys led aby fiveSenior Advocates including thePresident of the Nigerian BarAssociation (NBA) and directed theAttorney-General of theFederation and Minister of Justice,Mohammed Adoke, to disbandthem accordingly while describingthem as a drain in the public purse.Other Senior Advocates involved

in the prosecution of the case areEmmanuel Ukala, KonyinsolaAjayi, Kola Awodein, and DamienDodo.

How did this happen?According to reports, the judgehad earlier denied the Defendant’sobjection to the new amendedtwenty-six- count charge againsthim which was filed by the EFCCas far back as that December,2010. The trial judge in his rulingdenying the Defendant’s objectionhad held that the leave of courtwas not required to amend acharge and that the anti-graftagency could amend the chargesagainst the Defendant as it did.The Judge then ordered that theamended charge be read to theDefendant for him to take his plea.However, the prosecuting counselin Court on that day informed theCourt that the prosecution was notready for trial arguing furtherthat a motion for stay of further

proceedings in the matter hadbeen filed as a result of which herequested for continuance for thesole purpose of compiling recordsof an appeal filed by thecommission against an earlierdecision of the trial Judge denyinga motion for recusal filed by theEFCC, hence, did not disqualifyhimself from the case.

As if the judge’s heart was sorepained within him after hearingthe prosecutor’s argument, thejudge rose and went into hischamber to write his ruling on theEFCC’s motion to stay furtherproceedings in the matter pendingappeal. The case took a new anddramatic turn from that pointwhen the trial judge returned tothe Court to deliver his ruling.Then the melodrama beganmoving speedily like a rollercoaster from that point and thewhole wall of defense cametumbling and crashing down like

the wall of Jericho.Delivering his ruling on the

EFCC’s motion the judge stated:“I direct the AGF (Attorney-General of the Federation) todisband, sack and debrief thepresent prosecution team of fiveSANs and their respective firmfor being incompetent in theprosecution of the charges againstthe accused before this court. Idirect the AGF to disband theteam for serious abuse of process.They are a drain in the publicpurse, a fact the AGF should bemindful of now if he was not before.This prosecution team have (sic)chosen to pursue a campaign toscandalize (sic) the court. Thisamounts to serious andprofessional incompetent (soc) onthe prosecution of the accused.This prosecution team or any partof it shall not be given any furtheraudience in this court in relationto the charges against thisaccused either before thispresiding judge or any otherjudge of the Federal High Courtfor the reason I have given in theforegoing. Furthermore, I takejudicial notice that the accused ispresently facing charges beforethe Lagos High Court emanatingfrom his tenure as ManagingDirector and Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Intercontinental BankPlc, the AGF may wish to regaincontrol of this process. This he canof course do at anytime of hischoice. Meanwhile, theprosecution team presentlyemployed indulged in theirprofessional incompetent (sic) tothe extreme, had beenunmindful of the accused rightsfor him to have the case againsthim clearly stated. They have

been dismissive of his right tospeedy trial which in realityshould be a credible procedure.Not to indulge in this extendedcampaign against the presidingjudge, I therefore dismissed (sic)the charges amended orotherwise. For this incompetent(sic) and abusive prosecutionteam, I discharge the accusedaccordingly and leave the AGF toconsider his options”.

It is trite that criminaldefendants enjoy the right to aspeedy trial. Courts look forcertain factors when decidingwhether a defendant’s rights to aspeedy trial have been violated.In Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514(1972), the Supreme Court laiddown a four-part case-by-casebalancing test for determiningwhether the defendant’s speedytrial right has been violated inthe case. The four factors are:Length of delay: a delay of a yearor more from the date on whichthe speedy trial right attacheswas termed “presumptivelyprejudicial,” but the Court hasnever explicitly ruled that anyabsolute time limit applies;reason for the delay: theprosecution may not excessivelydelay the trial for its ownadvantage, but a trial may bedelayed to secure the presence ofan absent witness or otherpractical considerations; timeand manner in which thedefendant has asserted his right:if a defendant agrees to the delaywhen it works to his own benefit,he cannot later claim that he hasbeen unduly delayed and lastly,the degree of prejudice to thedefendant which the delay hascaused.

By Kayode Oladele

case when I was growing updoing domestic chores was notone of my attributes. I was notready to learn how to bedexterous with my left hand atan old age.

He was successful in hismembership examination inEdinburgh and those of us fromthe old Eastern Nigeria and ourfriends threw a party for him. Istill remember how happy he feltand was dancing all over theplace.

When he eventually cameback to Nigeria he had nothingon which to fall back. It was

Chief C.C Onoh whom he hadmade Chairman of Nigerian CoalCorporation who gave him a halfbuilt property along Ogui Road,Enugu. That property wasdisposed of after his death. Hisfamily was engaged inimportation and when theirgoods attracted demurrage, theproperty was sold to settle theindebtedness. In concluding thisreminiscence. I am reminded ofthe words, of the popularAnglican Church Song whichsays that when we have departedthis earth we will only remindedby what we have done.

Now there is Michael Okpara

University at Umuahia. It ranksamong the top FederalUniversities in Nigeria.

Okpara Avenue is one of themajor streets in Enugu. Along itare sixteen different banksincluding Central Bank as wellthe Zonal Headquarters ofPHCN.

Okpara Square is a beautifularena where important eventstake place in Enugu.

Jesus Christ said in Mark8:36: What shall it profit a manif he gains the whole world andloses his own soul.Christopher C. Ulasi lives inTexas, US

...Reminiscence of thievery and honest serviceContinued from page 13


The management of thePower Holding Companyof Nigeria (PHCN)

yesterday revealed thatelectricity consumers in Suleja,an Abuja suburb, owes thecompany the sum of N1.3billion.

The company’s BusinessManager in the area, Mr PopeShima, told newsmen in Sulejathat the debt had adversely

affected the operations of thecompany in power supply to thearea.

Giving a total breakdown of thedebt, he said: “The residentialcustomers owe us N900 million,state and local governments oweus N120 million. Forcommercial consumers, they oweus N115 million, industries is N80 million while governmentparastatals owe us N26 million”.

He pointed out that: “Nobusiness company can deliver

with this high debt profilebecause the company needs toimprove its services to thecustomers. “This amount is forthe already consumed energy;and we need the payment so thatwe can improve services; that iswhy we have been sensitising thepublic on the importance of billsettlement’’.

He called on the customers topay bills promptly, adding thatthe curfew imposed on Suleja andits environs had also drastically

Suleja electricity consumersowe PHCN N1.3b

This is dump site opposite Garki market overflowing with refuse for months. Quite an environmental hazard to people living in the area. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

By Adeola Tukuru

affected revenue generation ofthe company.

Shima solicited for thesupport of traditional andreligious leaders and thevigilante groups to assist insensitising the public on the needto protect PHCN installationagainst vadalisation.

According to him,“vandalism has nearly crippledthe operation of the company inthis zone; the company installsequipment today and in the nextfew days such equipment arestolen or vandalised; how does thecompany render better service?”

‘Ban onpublicsmokingstill in force’

The Federal CapitalTerritory (FCT)administration has

reiterated that the lawprohibiting smoking in publicplaces in the FCT is still in force.

Speaking yesterday at a pre-commemoration eventorganised to enlightensecondary school students on thedanger of smoking, theSecretary, Social DevelopmentSecretariat (SDS) of the FCT, MrsBlessing Onuh said those foundculpable would be arrested.

According to the secretary,who was represented by theChairman, FCT MinisterialCommittee on the ban onsmoking in public places andActing Director of Tourism, SDS,Mr Samuel Tunde Bello, “theFCT authority cannot fold itshands and watch while the lifeof its citizens are put at risk bythose who puff out smoke inpublic places”.

A situation whereby, passivesmokers inhale the smoke puffout by a smoker himself , isdetrimental to the health of theFCT residents, she noted, whileurging residents not to buy orsell cigarettes.

The secretary also urgedsmoking parents to desist fromsending their children to buycigarettes for them and furtherappealed to students to pleadwith their parents, relatives andfriends to quit smoking.

High point of the event, whichhad in attendance, studentsfrom notable public schools suchas Government SecondarySchool (GSS) Karu, GSS Garki,GSS Maitama, GSS Nyanyaamong others, was a dramacompetition by participatingschools, on the danger of tobaccosmoking.

At the end of the dramapresentation, aimed atdiscouraging people fromsmoking, GSS Nyanya emergedoverall winner of thecompetition.

Reacting to the victory, ateacher from GSS Nyanya, Mr.Lucky Anakhaso commendedthe performances of thestudents.

Anakhaso, who alsocommended the secretariat forhosting the event, aimed atcatching them young, notedthat such an event would“discourage young people fromsmoking at their tender age andwhen they eventually grow up”.

The World no Tobacco iscelebrated across the world on 31st of May every year.

Eight persons have beenarraigned before anAbuja Magistrates’ Court

on three counts of joint act, publicnuisance and being in possessionof counterfeit dollars.

They are Joseph Adamu, 32,Uzoma Ajunbu, 27, Michael John,36, Joseph Ibeh, 32, UgochukwuChikudi, 28, Sunday Chinyere,40, Nsikak Matthias, 35, and

Samson Emmanuel, 34.Police Prosecutor, Simon

Emmanuel told the court that thesuspects were arrested on April 24at various locations in Jabi, Kado,Anguwan Cement and Dapevillage, Abuja, by a combinedteam of detectives attached to LifeCamp Police Station.

Emmanuel said the team,acting on information, raided

black spots identified as criminalhideouts in the areas.

He said the accused werecaught in groups at the variouslocations with valuables andcounterfeit dollars they used indefrauding people.

The prosecutor said theoffence is contrary to Sections79, 198 and 439 of the PenalCode.

The accused pleaded notguilty to the charges.

The magistrate, HajiyaSadiya Mayana, granted thembail in the sum of N20,000 eachwith two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be acivil servant on GL 12 or above,she said, adjourning the case toMay 17, 2012 for furtherhearing. (NAN)

Fraudsters arraigned for possessing fake dollars

•••GSS Nyanyawins dramacompetitionBy Josephine Ella

The police on Wednesday,arraigned two menLukeman Garba and Idris

Yunisa before an Upper AreaCourt, Gwagwalada, forallegedly, assaulting a policeofficer

The accused persons werearraigned along with four othersnow at large on a four-countcharge of criminal conspiracy,assault, causing of grievous hurt

and inciting public disturbance.Garba was said to have, on

May 5, rode his motorcyclerecklessly at Abaji Market Square,resulting in an accident involvingthe police officer, James Bashir ofthe Nigeria Police, Abaji division.

The Police Prosecutor, ModupeMusa further informed the courtthat Garba also conspired withYunisa and four others, went toBashir’s house to attack and beat

him up.Garba and Yunisa were also

alleged to have inflicted seriousinjury on one Corporal HelperJediel during their arrest.

“During arrest, the twoaccused persons in the process ofstruggling spoilt the door of thepolice vehicle,’’ she said, pointingout that the offence contravenesSections 267, 114, 149 and 245of the Penal Code.

While the accused personspleaded not guilty to all thecharges, the judge, Mr BabangidaHassan granted them bail in thesum of N200,000 with one suretyeach in like sum.

Hassan said the sureties shouldbe civil servants who ownedlanded properties and must beresidents of the FCT.

He adjourned the case to June13, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

Court docks two for allegedly assaulting policeman


A woman watches as her male companion takes a look at broken-down car at Area10, Garki, Abuja.

This is a living apartment in Abuja’s Garki slum.

Many poor working class families in Abuja rely on fuel wood for cooking .Photos: Justin Imo-OwoRefuse dumped under a bridge in Wuze Zone 4 by destitutes.

A make-shift called “mama put” that is common place in Abuja.

FCT compensationsaga: A tickingtime bomb (I)

It is a fact that theNiger Delta militancy,which threatened the

security of the region andthe Nigerian state as awhole, was an outrightprotest against theimpunity, human rightsviolation and perceivedneglect of the region by theNigerian state.

On the other hand, thestruggle was a directresponse to the sustainedenvironmental hazardsimposed on local Niger Deltacommunities as a result ofthe oil production activitiesof multinational oilcompanies.

Ironically, for severaldecades, the case of the NigerDeltans, appeared to like theNigerian state was ‘killingthe goose that laid thegolden egg’.

Despite the unbearableconsequences of the daily oildrilling and gas flaring, theresidents of the Delta havelittle or nothing to show forthe ‘black gold’ and billionsof dollars of oil revenuepumped from their lands.

While the stupendouswealth derived from theNiger Delta are evident inthe lavish six lane highwaysand skyscrapers in Abujaand Lagos, in return, whatthey get for their sacrifice,are oil spillage which pollutetheir water supplies, killtheir crops, poison theirlungs, disrupt their daily lifeand stunt their children’sdevelopment.

Although the NigerDeltans still have their landsin their hands, and whatthey had been agitating for,basically, compensation fordamaged ecosystems, theindigenous settlers in theFederal Capital Territory(FCT), have lost theirancestral home to thegovernment of Nigeria.

One thing, though, iscommon among the twogroups, the struggle againstinjustice by their ownleaders.

Apart from the NigerDelta militancy, the BokoHaram insurgency is yetanother issue threateningthe existence of theNigerian state.

The Islamicfundamentalists, whosebasis for the coordinatedonslaught targeted atNigerians in the northernparts of the country and theFCT, is also rooted oninjustice by the Nigeriangovernment.

In a country like ours,where what successivegovernments know best, isto feed fat on publicresources, enrichingthemselves, their relativesand close associates, whilethe masses are left to suffer,


Property agent arraigned over land scam

A property agent inAbuja, HassanIbrahim, 42, has been

arraigned before aMagistrate’s Court sitting inKaru, in connection with landscam.

Ibrahim of No 20, AirportRoad, Lugbe, Abuja, wascharged with joint act,criminal breach of trust andcheating.

Police Prosecutor, PascalNjoku told the court that onApril 27,2012, Mr AmosAdisa of Jikwoyi and one

Pastor Obi of AngwangadeJikwoyi Abuja, reported thecase to the police.

Njoku said that sometimein February, the accuseddeceived Adisa and Obi andcollected a land document ofPlot No 302 Kpeyegyi Layoutvalued at N800,000.

The prosecutor said theaccused sold the land forN550,000 and converted themoney to his personal use.

According to theprosecutor, the offencecontravenes Sections 79, 312

and 322 of the Penal Code.The accused, however,

pleaded not guilty to thecharge.

Senior MagistrateNkamdimi Buba grantedhim bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in likesum.

She ordered that one ofthe sureties must be a civilservant on Grade Level 10,adding that his house andoffice must be verified andadjourned the case to June 6,2012 for hearing. (NAN)

The Health andHuman ServicesSecretariat (HHSS) of

the Federal CapitalTerritory Administration(FCTA) has signed aMemorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) witha private organisation,Excellence and FriendsManagement Consult(EFMC) for provision ofcomprehensive HIV/AIDSservices at GwarimpaGeneral Hospital, Abuja.

Aimed at enhancingcollaboration, exchange ofinformation and qualityhealth care services, theHealth Secretar, Dr DemolaOnakomaiya expressedoptimism that the MoUwould enhance the deliveryof quality health careservices to People LivingWith HIV/AIDS(PLWHA) inthe territory.

He advised theorganisation to stay focused

FCTA signs MoU for comprehensive HIV/AIDS services in Gwarimpa hospital

and face the severalchallenges currentlyaffecting PLWHA in Nigeria,urging them “to also join thebattle by increasing youreach out to all pregnantwomen to ensure thatMother to ChildTransmission(MTCT) iseliminated and no singlepregnant woman goes homewithout HIV test and nounborn baby is allowed to beinfected”.

In a remark, theExecutive Director ofExcellence and FriendsManagement Consult, DrObinna Oleribe, commendedthe FCT administration for its commitment to the courseof the less privileged andinfected/affected with HIN/AIDS in the FCT.

He informed theSecretary that REACHproject of the organization,which means Reaching Allwith Care and SupportServices in HIV/AIDS, has inthe past six months,

activated 38 new sites, 26 ofwhich are in FCT includingthree comprehensivecentres.

He said that within thesame period, the project hasalso provided testing andcounseling services to 36, 816people with a yield rate of4.8%.

“4177 pregnant womenwere tested, 3663 peoplereceived preventionmessages that met theminimum package, 92pregnant women were givenprophylaxis to preventmother to child transmissionof HIV, while 30 HIV infectedpeople were commenced onanti-TB medication”, Oleribesaid.

While expressing hopethat the MoU with the hospitalwould impact positively onlives, he disclosed that withthis, REACH would beactivating her fourthcomprehensive site and looksforward to activating GeneralHospital Abaji soon.

many more of such revoltsshould be envisaged infuture.

This is very likely to bethe case in time to comebecause the masses or anygroup at all, which feel it hasbeen marginalised, unfairlytreated and abandoned bythe government, will mostprobably, resort to using thismeans as a tool to registertheir grievances.

Back to the indigenouspeople of the FCT, which is theemphasis in this piece,almost on daily basis, thepages of newspapers arebeing inundated with onereport or the other ofcomplaints by indigenes ofnegligence by the FederalGovernment and injusticebeing meted to them by theFCT administration in theresettlement andcompensation exercise.

The resettlementinitiative of the FCTadministration failedbecause it was fraught withillegalities and as a result, theintended objectives have notbeen achieved.

In the same vein, it is alsoknown that, the indigenesfrom various communitiesthat make Abuja are notsatisfied with the outcome sofar, decades after the exercisewas commenced.

Within a space of threedays, earlier this week,Monday April 7-WednesdayApril 9, precisely, similarcomplaints of injustice werebrought to the fore by 11 indigenous communities inthe FCT.

On Monday, the Garki,Apo, Akpanjiya, Dutse,Chufuyi, Pigba, Kpebi,Guzape and Kurudumacommunities, under theauspices of Joint YouthIndigenous Communities ofApo Resettlement Site,addressed a pressconference, to call theattention of securityagencies, the NationalAssembly, the FCTA and allits relevant departments

and the general public totheir plights.

The group accused theFCT administration of re-allocating plots within theApo resettlement area,meant for resettlement ofthe indigenes to nonindigenes, while, manyindigenes who are entitled tosuch allocations have beendenied their rights ofcompensation andresettlement.

A more worrisomedimension to the agitationsof the indigenes, was theirthreats to resist the FCTadministration and thedevelopers, who haveerected more 20magnificent edifice (somestill under construction), bywhatever means at theirdisposal.

The FCT administrationhas ordered them to vacatethe farm lands, which itmade them to believe wouldbe used for relocation ofindigenes of Apo, Apkanjiyaand Garki, only to be dishingout same to high profiledNigerians, who are nonindigenes.

It is disheartening thatdespite several verbal andwritten appeals to theDepartment of Resettlementand Compensation andletters directed by theassociation to the FCTadministration, it has turneddeaf ears to their complaints.

Again, barely two daysafter this, more than 100 ofthe inhabitants of Gosacommunity, a settlementalong Airport Road, storm anFCT High Court sitting inLugbe over a similarresettlement andcompensation issue.

Similarly, the indigenesare seeking for redress over‘unlawful’ allocation of theircommunity to the NigerianPolice Force to build a mobilepolice barracks anddemolition of their houses bythe FCT administrationwithout due compensationand resettlement.

These recent cases areonly two out of a hundredother cases emanating fromthe resettlement andcompensation issue in theFCT.

It beats the imaginationof many observers that, theFCT administration, whichhas time without number, made Nigerians to believethat it does not embark ondemolition exercises withoutresettling and compensatingthe affected indigenes, would engage in such anunlawful and inhuman action, subjecting innocentcitizens to untold hardship.

ABUJA DIARY

withJosephine Ella

[email protected]

FCT Minister, Sen. BalaMohammed

By Josephine Ella

A woman preparing meal at Federal Housing Estate, in Lugbe, Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

One IbrahimMuhammad, 21,was on Wednesday

sentenced to three months inprison for criminal trespassand theft.

Police Prosecutor, Abdullahi Adamu told aSenior Magistrate’s Courtsitting in Wuse Zone 6 that, on May 8, Gift Friday ofRoconio Plaza, No. 78, AbidjanStreet, Wuse Zone 3, reported

Man, 21, bags three months imprisonment for theftthe case at the Wuse PoliceStation.

Muhammad wasarraigned on a two-countcharge of criminal trespassand theft.

Adamu said the convictentered the complainant’soffice at Roconio Plaza and stoleher Nokia X1 phone, valuedat N8,000, adding that it wasrecovered from him duringpolice investigation,

He said the offencescontravened the provisions ofSections 348 and 287 of thePenal Code.

The convict pleaded guiltyto the charges.

In her ruling, SeniorMagistrate Vera Tom tukuranoted that the convict had nocriminal record, and orderedhim to return the phone to thecomplainant. (NAN)


Management Tip of the DayBuild a better business case

together the people who willbe affected by the outcome ofyour proposal — these may becustomers, frontline workers,or managers in otherdepartments. Ask them tobrainstorm alternatives.

To generate as many ideas

as possible, record everythingwithout judgment ordiscussing pros and cons. Onceyou have a full list, move onto assessing which arefeasible.Source: Harvard BusinessReview

INSIDE

When building a business case, many managers pick an earlysolution and fail to exploreadditional possibilities. Othersfail to consider the status quoas an alternative.

To avoid these traps, bring

BUYING SELLING

CFA 0.2883 0.3083• 200.8036 202.1012£ 249.3332 250.9444RIYAL 41.2623 41.5289$ 154.75 155.75

CBN 9th May, 2012

EXCHANGE RATES

PARALLEL RATES BUYING SELLING

• 210 212£ 250 252RIYAL 40 42$ 156 158

Banks plan restruc-turing ahead ofCBN stress test

- 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

CBN to grant lion’s share ofSME fund to women

The Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) says 60 per cent ofthe proposed small and

medium enterprise fund will bedevoted to women-owned andmanaged businesses.

The CBN Governor, SanusiLamido Sanusi said thisyesterday in Abuja, at thelaunch of the “British CouncilReport on Adolescent Girls andWomen in Nigeria’’.

“The proposal is for 60 percent of the whole fund set up onmacro small and mediumenterprises of that fund to bedevoted to women-owned andmanaged resources,” he said.

“The women will only haveto pay back in single digit interestrate.” He said studies had shownthat women were less likely tomake bad investments than men,noting that women should be ableto access loans.

Sanusi said that the bankingsector was looking at technologyas a way to cut out themiddleman, who deprivedwomen of the money set aside forthem.

“Imagine if a woman canreceive a voucher on her cellphone and take that to her

hospital in order to get treatment,that way the hospital gets paidand no one gets cheated.”

He said that in the past, homeswere like mini factories, thoughwomen were in the home, theyworked just as hard as the menand contributed to the family’sincome.

Sanusi said that Nigerianeeded to change the workculture that indirectly benefitedmen at the expense of women. “Inour work environment, eventhough the work hours are fromnine to five, workers who stay lateget merit,” he said.

“If a man has someone takingcare of things at home, he canwork late, while women mighthave to rush home to preparedinner, help the children withtheir homework and take care ofthe home. He said the workculture being practised now wasunfair to women.

Chairman of the HouseCommittee on Education, Hon.Farouk Lawan attributedwithdrawal of girls from schoolto several reasons.

He said harassment fromteachers, male students andunfavourable conditions in theschools, were some of the reasonswhy girls withdrew from school.

Lawan condemned the issueof families using girls ashousemaids and prevented themfrom getting education toimprove their lives.

The report says Nigeriaexhibits high and worrying levelsof inequality, adding that untilwomen in Nigeria begin tocontribute more to householdcash income, spending at thehousehold level will continue tobe limited.

It says the ability of women toinfluence others are the extent towhich changes in educationpolicy can influence familydecisions about age of marriage.

“Nigeria still has adisproportional share of globalinfant, child and maternaldeaths.

“There is a lack of genderparity in almost all areas ofhuman development, the poorestgirls and women experience theworst outcome.

“Gender violence hasemerged as a cross cutting themethat impacts on women and girlsin their homes and in everysphere of their lives,’’ the reportsaid.

It recommended among otherthings, the promotion of women’slivelihoods, keeping girls inschool, improving women’shealth and reducing maternalmortality.

L-R: Director, Special Duties, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Mr.George Okere; Director-General,Mr. Joseph Odumodu; and Head , Southern Operations, SON, Mr. Bayo Adegun, during a press briefingrecently at Westown hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

By Abdulwahab Isa

Alh. Aliko Dangote said hisconglomerate needed tospend $7.5 billion (about

N1.2 trillion) over the next fouryears to expand operations in arange of sectors.

The disclosure was made byDangote on Thursday on thesidelines of the world EconomicForum, “We are going intosomething big. We are going intomining, petrochemicals, cementand infrastructure, “We need tospend $7.5 billion in the next fouryears. So, definitely, we need alot of concentration.”

Dangote said this changingfocus was one of the reasons hewas looking for a partnership forhis flour business, Dangote FlourMills, with Tiger Brands, SouthAfrica’s biggest consumer foodsmaker.

“We are actually trying tohave a partnership between usand Tiger Brands, and we believethey are much better than us interms of the retail business.”

Banking and companysources have told Reuters TigerBrands was bidding for an 80percent stake in Dangote FlourMills, which makes pasta andflour in Africa’s most populouscountry.

Dangote to spend N1.2 tron expansion ...eyes London

listing by Q3,2013

By Aminu Imam with agencyreport

Buying all or part of DangoteFlour Mills would give the makerof bread, breakfast cereal andenergy drinks a substantialpresence in the Nigerian foodmarket. Dangote said a deal wasabout partnership, not offloadingassets.

In his statement:”We are notselling. If it was to raise money,we would have sold the wholebusiness to them. But no. Whatwe are trying to do is actually tohave them so that we can nowenjoy the downstream of thebusiness.”

Dangote also said yesterdaythat he was aiming to list his $11billion cement company on theLondon stock exchange by thethird quarter of 2013.(Reuters)

Transactions on theNigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) dropped in volume

and value terms yesterday as atotal of 323.36 million sharesworth N2.23 billion were traded in 4,247 deals.

This was against the 483.89million shares valued at N3. 82billion exchanged in 4,657 dealson Wednesday.

The All-Share Index, whichopened at 22,533.72,depreciated further by 22.42points or 0.09 per cent to closeat N22, 511.30.

The market capitalisationalso lost N7 billion or 0.09 percent to close at N7.179 trillionfrom the N7.186 trillionachieved on Wednesday.

The financial service sectorremained the toast of investorsas investors exchanged 263.61million shares worth N1.97billion in 2,592 deals.

The banking sub-sector wasthe most active, accounting for257.98 million shares valued atN1. 97 billion in 2,472 deals.

UBA traded 79.32 millionshares worth N290.12 millionin 441 deals while GTB followedwith 41.47 million shares valuedat N675.89 million exchangedin 426 deals. (NAN)

NSE turnoverdrops by 31.3%


NAMB OsunadoptsBankOne

BankOne, AppZone Group’sfinancial servicesplatform has been

officially adopted by the Osunstate, chapter of the NationalAssociation of MicrofinanceBanks (NAMB) for theharmonisation and seamlessintegration of its members’operations.

FG eyes increaseof broadbandspeed by 2015

The Federal Governmenthas set a target of 50 percent internet speed by

2015, the Minister ofCommunication Technology, Omobola Johnson, has said.

Nigeria ahead ofSouth Africa,Kenya in tourisminvestments

Even though Nigeriaattracted the largestinvestment in hotel

infrastructure on the Africancontinent, ahead of SouthAfrica and Kenya in 2011, thenation has yet to tap fully intoher huge tourism potential, Ndiana Matthew, president,Palm3 Concepts, a leading PanAfrican strategiccommunications firmspecialising in Southern andWestern Africa emergingmarkets, has observed.

Mines & steelsector generatesN1.4 bn revenuein 2011 – Sada

The mines and steel sectorin Nigeria generatedabout N1.4 billion income

revenue in 2011 for the FederalGovernment, according to theMinister of Mines and SteelDevelopment, MusaMuhammed Sada.

DangoteCement newcapacityoperationaland rampingup

Dangote Cement, Nigeria’slargest cement producersays its new capacity is

operational and ramping uptowards higher production,even as Nationwide gas supplyproblems affected margins inthe short term, DevakumarEdwin, Group ExecutiveDirector has revealed.

COMPANYNEWS

Banks plan restructuring ahead of CBN stress test

Nigerian banks havecommenced strategicrestructuring in an effort

to ensure that they measure upwhen the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) conducts its comingevaluation of their viability, missionfulfillment and solvency, otherwiseknown as the ‘stress test’.

The restructuring by the banksis aimed at bringing aboutimprovements in corporategovernance, cost effectiveness andthe streamlining of internalfunctions, for enhanced efficiency.

The impending stress test iscausing tension in the industry,such that some financialinstitutions are embarking onunwholesome activities, like thehasty disposal of some relics ofacquired banks, and merging oftreasury products inherited fromthe acquired banks.

Also, some middle level bankshave commenced negotiations for

the purchase of buildings occupiedby acquired banks, as well as theirInformation Technology (IT) assets,in an effort to ensure that allpayment solutions are functional.

Besides, the poor outing by mostbanks in the last financial year, aswell as the increasing demand bycustomers for sophisticatedproducts and services and theadoption of the InternationalFinancial Reporting Standard(IFRS), which requires fulldisclosures of operations, havethrown the banks into a scramblefor a complete turn around, so as tomove to full profitability andcommence payment of dividends.

The CBN said recently that thefresh stress test, reminiscent of the2009 one, was to prevent a similarcrisis situation which led to the nearcollapse of many of the banks, threeyears ago. A stress test refers to thecomprehensive capital analysis andreview programme that examinesthe ability of the banks to survive afinancial crisis.

Lagos state government hascommenced work on thedevelopment to the Lekki-

Epe International Airport tocomplement the activities of theZone as well as provide alterativeair transport services in the state.

Disclosing this at a ministerialpress briefing in commemorationof the First Year Second Termanniversary of ‘GovernorBabatunde Fashola in Office’, theCommissioner for Commerce andIndustry, Mrs. Olusola SenaponOworu said that the stategovernment has successfullyobtained the site approval for theairport from the Federal Ministryof Aviation and has alsocompleted the master plan on the3,500 hectares of land earmarkedfor the project.

Mrs. Oworu explained that theairport is designed to handleabout 5million passengersannually, with provision for amodular terminal for future

expansion, adding thatpreliminary work on the projecthave commenced, with theclearing of 4.5 km of the accessroad and 9km of perimeterroad. She said that this is infurtherance of its objective tomake the Lekki Free Trade Zonea fully functional investmenthaven.

The Commissioner alsoreiterated that the Lekki FreeZone project is a reality as it hasso far attracted key playersparticularly in the oil and gassector with a greater prospect ofattracting more investors as itsdevelopment progresses,especially with the provision ofpower.

According to her, “A furthertestimony to the development ofthe Zone is the interest expressedby the Federal Governmentthrough the Nigeria NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC) toestablish a pioneer HydrocarbonIndustry Park, which wouldcomprise of a Green Field

Fashola commences work onLekki-Epe international airport

Refinery, Petrochemical,Fertilizer and Power Plant withinthe Zone. The state hasearmarked 1,500 hectares of landfor this purpose, out which 550hectares will be released for thedevelopment of the refinery andpower plant”

“A Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) has beensigned with the NNPC to thiseffect. The refinery is designed tohave a refining capacity ofbetween 200,000 - 300,000barrels of crude oil per day. Whencompleted, it would help to shoreup the domestic refinery capacityand close the prevailing demand- supply gap for petroleumproducts in the country”, shesaid.

Concluding, Mrs. Oworuassured that the stategovernment has madeappreciable progress in some ofthe social challenges that had inthe past encumbered the smoothimplementation of the Lekki-FreeZone Project.

Kingsley Moghalu, CBN deputygovernor, Financial SystemsStability, recently said, “As a follow-up to the last stress test conductedin 2009 at the request of the CBN,plans are underway to conductanother round of assessment oncommercial banks before end of2012 as part of the Financial SectorAssessment Programme under atechnical assistance programmefacility provided by theInternational Monetary Fund andthe World Bank,” Consequently,some of the banks have been laying-off staff in the last few weeks. Thelay- offs in many of the banks,including the nationalised ones, cutacross all cadres.

PeoplesDaily further gatheredthat the development has put thebanks under pressure, to the extentthat profits made by some banks inthe last financial year, was aidedmore by disposal of some assets, adevelopment that requires puttingthe records straight before the nextround of examination by CBN.

The high cost of distributinginternet bandwidth fromsubmarine cables on the

shores across the length andbreadth of the country will soonbecome a thing of the past as thereare indications that the NigerianCommunications Commission(NCC) plans to introduce a cap onfibre transmission costs after asurvey conducted specifically todetermine real cost of deployingfibre is completed.

It has been established that theprice of moving internet capacityfrom Lagos to Abuja is indeed muchhigher than the cost of movingcapacity from Lagos to London.This, according to industryanalysts is due to the dearth oftransmission backbone networkneeded to move bandwidthcapacity.

As a result, Nigeria has one ofthe highest costs of internet accessin the world, at approximately N8,000 to N10, 000 for 5Mbps(Megabits per second) of data.Eugene Juwah, Executive ViceChairman of the NCC said in aninterview, that the commission isalso conducting another study toclearly map out the country’s fibreassets. “The NCC is conducting asurvey to determine the real costof deploying fibre. We are notrunning away from putting a capon fibre transmission cost but wemust have cost- based informationbefore the NCC makes its decision.

NCC steps into reduceinternetservice costsFrom Ojebola Matthew, Lagos

By Muhammad Sada

L-R: Former President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Chief Kayode Naiyeju, Afuntade(i), Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, and CITN President, Mr John Femi Jegede, during the 14thannual conference of the institute, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

By Abdulwahab Isa

PZ CussonsNigeriaadvances ondividend bets

PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc (PZ), aconsumer productsmanufacturer, rose to the

highest in more than three weekson investor bets that it will declarea dividend for its fiscal year, whichends this month, PAC SecuritiesLtd. said.

The stock rose by the daily limitof 5 percent to 23.20 naira onWednesday, the highest since April16 .

“We are expecting that PZ willdeclare a reward in the form ofdividends, so investors are takingposition now,” Eugene Ezenwa,chief operating officer of Lagos-based PAC, said by phone today.“The stock has been trading at aresistance point of about 21 nairafor some time now, but it is tryingto break off from that point as aresult of the expectations,” he said.

The stock could rise as high as25 naira in the next month,depending on the timing of therelease of PZ’s results and corporateaction, he added.

Net income for the nine monthsthrough February fell to 666.9million naira ($352 million), from3.8 billion naira a year earlier, thecompany said April 18.(Source: BusinessWeek)


FIRS to simplify issuanceof tax clearance certificateBy Muhammad Nasir

The Federal Inland RevenueService (FIRS) has promisedto review the process of

issuance of Tax ClearanceCertificate (TCC), so as to make theprocedure simpler and easier toobtain.

The Acting ExecutiveChairman of FIRS, Alhaji KabirMashi, who made this known atthe opening of the inaugural FieldOperations Group RegionalManagement Meeting(FOGRMM) held recently inAsaba, Delta state.

He said that such a reviewwould reduce tax fraud, fast trackpayment of taxes and ease theproblems of delay associated withthe issuance of TCC to taxpayers.

Mashi said that the Servicewould work to achieve simplifiedand ease tax payment processes.

He said “We have to put moreefforts in order to achieve ourset target for the year 2012. Theissuance of Tax ClearanceCertificate (TCC) is a veryimportant aspect of what we do.We have to clear all hurdles on theprocess of issuance of TCC.

“Some taxpayers tend to forgeTCCs because the process of gettingthe Certificate after application isslow. So, they think it is fasterfor them to forge. This in turnreduces the amount of tax revenuethat could have accrued to theFederal Government. In order toincrease tax collection, the processof issuance of TCC has to be faster.We have to make it faster”.

Mashi said the FIRS has startedthe year 2012 in a rightfooting having performed betterin the first quarter of 2012 thanit did in the first quarter of theyear 2011.

“In the first quarter of the year2012, our quarterlygovernment target is N909billion and the Service collectedN1.7 trillion for the same period.This is better than last year’s firstquarter performance of N955billion and 29 percent over andabove government target for theyear.

He urged the management ofthe Service to up the ante, toensure that the progressivehistory of tax revenue collectionby FIRS over the years does notdrop.

Understanding the conceptsof basis period for assessmentof profit to tax (1)

Both taxpayers and taxauthorities are expectedto know their rights of

elections and the basis period ofassessment.

The Basis Period ofAssessment: This is the period inwhich the profit of a business isassessed to tax in a particularyear of assessment or the periodof business activity taken intoconsideration in determiningthe tax liability of a chargeablecompany in the year ofassessment. It’s important forboth taxpayers and taxauthorities to note that basisperiod can be normal orabnormal depending on theprevailing circumstances.

Key concepts in theunderstanding of the basis

period are as follows:1. Accounting Period: This

is the period for which ataxpayer has declared an incomeeither profit or loss. TheAccounting Period is usually 12months.

A Normal accounting yearhas the followingcharacteristics:

(a) It must be 12 months(b)It must be the only

accounting period ending in thatparticular year of assessment

(c)It must commenceimmediately after the end of theprevious accounting periodyear.

2. Assessment Year: This isthe year in which the income ofa tax year will be assessed to tax.It must be on a preceding yearbasis (PYB) for an Actual yearBasis (AYB).

(a)PYB: This is usually asituation where the incomer of apreceding year is taken as a basisfor the current year ofassessment. This process is thenormal situation for the basisperiod and it is a statutoryrecommendation for existingcompanies, except for some selectcompanies in their airlinebusiness, oil and gas sector etc.

(b)PYB: This usuallycorresponds with the 1stJanuary to 31st Decembergovernment fiscal year. It meansthat assessment is based onincome from that particularyear of

assessment. Examples of taxliabilities that will arise onactual year basis are taxationfrom petroleum profit, capitalgains and employees tax(PAYE).

By Muhammad Nasir

T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o ncompanies operating inAbuja are henceforth to

pay levies to the Federal CapitalTerritory Administration(FCTA) for installing telecommasts anywhere, within theterritory.

The Minister of State for theFCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide,revealed this at the weekend,during the inauguration of theMinisterial Committee onRevenue Generation/Collection,and the Regulation and Controlof Outdoor AdvertisementStructure as part of theadministration’s efforts towardsstepping up its InternallyGenerated Revenue (IGR) base.

She said the influx of peopleinto the city had put muchstrain on social amenitiesprovided in the FCT,emphasising that theadministration would notachieve much withoutgenerating more revenue.

Telecom operators to paytax on telecom mastsBy Josephine Ella “Therefore, we need to

increase our IGR dramatically,in order to be able to function andprovide the amenities, servicesand infrastructure needed forthe territory to functionbecause what we are gettingfrom the Federal Government issimply not enough, so we haveto generate more revenue,” sheadded.

The minister said thatrevenue collection should not belimited to advertising structuresonly, but telecommunicationmasts as well.

“If you havetelecommunication mast, thatmeans you are making moneyand you have the ability to pay;we are not targeting the ordinaryNigerian, we are not increasingtheir tax burden,” Akinjide said.

This was as she urged thecommittee to partner with thearea councils of the FCT and theoutdoor advertisers towardsensuring telecom operatorscomply with the resolution bypaying a commensurate tax.

A wholesale review of CapitalGains Tax (CGT) andStamp Duties (SD) Acts to

ensure that the laws are inconformity with global bestpractices, is on the cards, theFederal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) has said.

Acting Executive Chairman ofFIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, who made the disclosure at a workshopon Administration of CGT, SD andPersonal Income Tax (PIT) foroptimum revenue yield held inAbuja, said that the Service wouldalso embark on massivesensitization of the public andcreate awareness on best practicesthat would help drive improvedcollection of all taxes.

Mashi harped on the need forthe FIRS to focus more on CGT, SDand PIT to ensure increase revenuegeneration and maximize revenuepotentials from various sourcesthat have remained untapped. Hestressed the need for CGT, SD andPIT to contribute more to the totaltax take in view of the pressingneed to improve revenueaccruable to government at alllevels.

“This position must however bereversed if we are to meet ourtargets and ensure that these taxesbegin to make substantialcontribution to overall revenuecollection”, he said.

The Ag. Executive Chairmannoted that the realization of

FIRS to review capital gains taxNigeria’s 2012 Budget isdependent on earning from taxes,urging staff of the agency to braceup for the challenges of increasinggovernment’s InternallyGenerated Revenue (IGR).

Mashi said, “It must be notedwith particular respect to CapitalGains Tax, that despite thepreponderance of huge capitalassets disposals in Nigeria andAbuja, in particular which is ourarea of coverage for the tax, it hascontinued to make littlecontribution to the overall taxyield.

“We must therefore commitourselves to reversing this trendnot only for Capital Gains Tax, butalso for Personal Income Tax andStamp Duties.’’ he said, adding that the challenge of growing revenuerequires continuous innovation forthe Service to attain and surpassthe performance target not onlyfor 2012 but on a sustainable basis.

“The challenges of revenueshortfall being experienced at alllevels of government and thepressing need to improve revenueaccruable to government areapparent. This revenue shortfallhas created a gap betweengovernment’s expectations andrevenue available for expenditure.

“In spite of these limitations,which are not restricted to Nigeriaalone, the FIRS has been able toperform creditably well over theyears’’, he noted.

L-R: Chairman House ofRepresentatives, Committee onFinance, Hon. AbdulmuminiJubril with Acting Chairman,Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS), Alhaji Kabiru Mashi,during the House of RepsCommittee on FinanceOversight Function to the FIRSOffice, on Wednesday, inAbuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa


NAFDAC to register patentmedicine stores in Zamfara

NDIC set up financial literacyprogramme in secondary schools

all the items so as not tofall victims of the law.

While commendingthe efforts of the Agency

in its drive, the stateChairman of the PatentMedicine Dealers, MrAugustine Kalu, called

The Zamfara office of NAFDAC plans toregister patent

medicine stores in thestate to regulate the salesand use of drugs.

This wasannounced yesterday inGusau by the Unit Headof the Agency in the state,Mr Bugu Peter, at ameeting with members ofthe state chapter ofNational Association ofPatent and Proprietary.

He said NAFDAC hadconcluded plans to carryout the task, to regulatesales and consumption offoods, drugs and otherrelated commodities tocurtail abuse.

Peter said the Agencywould continue toregulate and control theimportation, exportation,m a n u f a c t u r i n g ,advertising, distribution,sales and use of allcommodities under itsmandate in the country.

H e u r g e dconsumers to be wary of

The Nigerian DepositI n s u r a n c eCorporation (NDIC)

has step up the distributionof the ‘Basic Knowledge onBanking’ booklets to juniorSecondary Schools (JSS) inthe six geo-political zones ofthe country as part ofinitiative to promotefinancial literacy among theyouths.

In a statement issued bythe Corporation yesterday,the NDIC noted that thedistribution has beenexpanded to cover all JuniorSecondary Schools in the 36States of the AFederationand the Federal CapitalTerritory through the ZonalControllers of the NDIC’seight Zonal Offices, whodistribute the bookletsthrough ministries ofeducation in the variousstates, adding that the NDICZonal Offices include Kano,Bauchi, Yola, Illorin, Benin,Enugu and Port Harcourt.

It was noted that theproject was initiated in 2010with seven selected stateswhere the corporationsponsored popular sportscompetitions as part of theNDIC’s contribution to thedevelopment of sports.

He also maintained thatthe major objective ofdistributing the banking to

JSS students is base on theneed to catch them youngin understanding theprinciples and Practice ofbanking. Adding that theNDIC believes that as thestudents read the booklets,their knowledge of basicissues in banking willenable them to makeinformed financial andinvestment when theygrow up.

Bichi said the 19-pagebooklet covers importantissues on basic financialconcepts, includingdefinition of a bank, types offinancial institutions, thereason why depositorsshould keep their money inthe banks, different types ofaccounts, basic informationpeople need in their choice ofbanks to open accounts andother basic banking terms.

on the members tocooperate with theAgency in the dischargeof its responsibilities.

Wal-Martfocuses onexisting Africamarkets

Wal-Mart StoresInc, the world’sbiggest retailer, is

focused on strengthening itsexisting operations in Africaand not immediateexpansion into new marketson the continent, the headof its internationalbusinesses said yesterday.

Wal-Mart, last yearspent $2.4 billion on amajority stake in SouthAfrica’s Massmart, adiscounter with a growingpresence on the continent.

“Massmart is currentlylocated in 12 markets sothat’s our focus. Building ourbusiness in the markets thatwe are currently in is ourprimary focus,” DougMcMillon told Reuters.

“We are excited aboutthe region. We have a long-term view,” he said on thesidelines of the WorldEconomic Forum on Africataking place this week inAddis Ababa.

Massmart has a handfulof stores outside SouthAfrica, giving it a footholdbut not a major presence inmarkets such as Ghana,Nigeria andUganda.(Reuters)

Kalu assured ofits members’ readinessto cooperate with theauthorities. (NAN)

L-R: CBNGovernor, MalamSanusi LamidoSanusi, andNasarawa stateGovernor, AlhajiTanko Al-makura,during the NationalEconomic Council(NEC) meeting,held at the StateHouse, yesterdayin Abuja.Photo: Joe Oroye

By Muhammad Nasir

The National PensionC o m m i s s i o n(PenCom) has

reaffirmed its readiness todeal decisively with firmsthat will fail to comply withthe laws on the pensionscheme

PenCom’s Director-General, PenCom,Muhammad Ahmad, whomade this known in astatement yesterday, notedthat there should be areview of the Penalties andSanctions in the 2004Pension Act, adding that thesanctions in Section 85should be amended becausethey are no longer sufficientagainst infractions.

The PenCom boss saidthe commission is

collaborating with theIndependent CorruptPractices and other RelatedOffences Commission (ICPC)to stop sharp practices andmake defaulters complywith remittance.

He said the commissionwill also continue toorganise workshops withthe anti-corrupt agency toeducate employers on theneed for properdocumentation andremittance.

He noted that work isongoing in developing andimplementing frameworkfor supervision of states andlocal governments as well asstandard operatingprocedures for correctiveactions, withdrawal andsuspension of licence,mergers and acquisitionsand contingency plan.

PenCom reads Riot Act toerring firmsFrom Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

PAGE 25PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

Travelogue: In Niger Republic in search of AishaThe road to Aisha was not

straight. In fact, just anhour before I finally met

her, I almost lost any hope of ourunion. But when I met herfinally, the toil proved to be worthundertaking.

The first difficulty wascaused by my fading memory.Before I could find her I had tofind Tchima Illa Issoufou, the BBCcorrespondent in Maradi whoaired the voice of Aisha in areport on food shortage lastMarch. As I tried to rememberher particulars which Tchimamentioned at the end of thereport, I mistakenly thought shesaid Aisha came from UnguwarHardo outside Damagaran.

So I set out for Damagaran –or Zinder, as the French call it –very early in the morningthrough Bauchi, Dutse, Gumeland then Babura. I crossed theborder at Babban Mutum andreached Damagaran throughMagarya an hour before sunset.The road was not good, I mustsay, though it was far better thanwhat I am used to between Josand Saminaka. The shallowpotholes, though numerous,were filled with sand unlike thecar-swallowing ones we have onsome Nigerian roads.

At Radio Amfani inDamagaran, I was told thatTchima lives in Maradi, notDamagaran. A colleague of herwas able to connect the two of uson phone. I then booked anappointment with her againstthe following morning. And sowithout much waste of time, Iwas out of Zinder chasing the sunon my way to Maradi, thoughthe red star did not take timebefore it disappeared from mysight altogether. The road wasperfect except for the bumps thatare located at every settlementalong the 300 km stretch. By thetime I checked into JangwarzoHotel in Maradi around 9.00pm,I discovered that I have covereda distance of 930km that day.

The following day, as I wasdiscussing with some officials atUniversite de Maradi, Tchimacalled and together we went topick a female friend of hers,Rakiya of Radio Amfani, whowould later prove to be veryuseful in locating Aisha. Tchimawould readily confess that she isnot good with directions,something that her friendRakiya does with fascinatingease. Tchima on her part couldrecall fine details ofconversations and faces with anamazing accuracy, as we will seeshortly. The two makes a perfectcompany for any one in searchof Aisha under the prevailingcircumstance.

Together we left Maradi thatafternoon for Gidan Hardo Isawhich is in Hawan Dawaki ward.We left the Maradi-Zinder roadat Gazaoua (Gazawa) and drove

along the quiet laterite road untilwe reached Hawan Dawaki, atevery point guided by the goodsenses of Rakiya to whom weconceded defeat in anyargument regarding direction.It was in this village that Tchimainterviewed Aisha and herfriends a year ago when theycame in the entourage of thePresident. From there we wereguided to remoter village southeast of the Gazaoua-Maiaduaroad.

At Tuburtu, a person Ithought was old enough to knowHardo Isa said there was nobodywith that name among all theFulani settlements around. Ireturned to the car and told myalready tired co-travellers, “Il ya une probleme”. However, theold man was kind enough todirect us to a settlement wherethe oldest Fulani leader aroundlives. I left Tchima and Rakiyain the car and trekked about akilometre away where I metHardo Jibgau in his hut. Hecounted, and my heart startedracing in despair, all the fivehardos in the area and said therewas only one Hardo Isa.Mentioning Isa immediatelyrekindled the hope of locatingAisha. He described the site forhis son who volunteered to leadus there. After promising Jibgauthat i will look for his sister Rabi,the mother of Hardo Ango atGadan Maiwa in Bauchi statewhere he once lived, we returnedto the car and drove through thenarrow sandy path until wearrived at Hardo Isa quarters.Aisha must be living in one ofthem, we hoped.

The quarters are sparse. Likeother Fulani quarters, they forma group of houses separated fromone another by distances thatcould be as wide as 500 meters.Before we could even pull thebrakes, there was Tchima at herbest: from afar she amazinglyspotted one of the women,Fatouma, that were with Aishathe day she interviewed them.We approached the woman whowas processing some guinea cornin a mortar.

First, the apprehensiveFatouma denied being at the spotof the interview that day. She didnot even go to the event, sheclaimed. Tchima and Rakiyatried hard to describe Aisha to herbut she declined knowing anyonelike that. Aisha did not helpmatters either. She did not giveTchima her actual name duringthe interview. However, as the

women realized that we were notthere to bring any trouble, theyopened up and named Aisha,pointing at her house, some 300meters away. They sent for herand she arrived shortly. Tchimainstantly recognized her. As shesat on an empty mortar toanswer Tchima, the clear voiceof Aisha as it was aired on BBC hitmy ears unmistakably.

Aisha is middle-aged, dark,slim and medium in height. Sheis a guest every journalist wouldlike to host. She is not shy to speakher mind, eloquently andfrankly. Yet, when she spoke toTchima about the food shortagethey were facing last year, shewas kind enough to acknowledgethe effort of government indistributing foodstuff eventhough she was yet to receive anypersonally. What was moreinteresting in that interview washow she kept on entrusting herhope in God, “E. Ana rabawaamma mu Allah bai ciyar damuba tukun”. What a good citizen!And God did not fail her. He didnot wait much after theinterview was aired to answerher prayer as well as that ofothers around her in Gidan HardoIsa.

The following forty minuteswe spent there before we startedour return trip to Maradi wereamong the happiest momentsone could experience in life. It isfascinating to see other peoplehappy, especially whensomething good visits themunexpectedly. A unique blend ofjoy and gratitude remarkablychanged their faces before us andI had to fight hard to suppress thetears their happiness instigatedin my eyes. God is gracious. Verygracious. Whatever little aid wetook to them was from Him. Weremain grateful to Him for theopportunity.

We bade the residents of Gidan000Hardo Isa farewell amidst thejoy that surrounded their homes.You would think Zaytouna, theteenage girl of Aisha, would jumpinto the car out of sheerhappiness. As we drove back toMaradi, the eastern sky hadbetter news for the inhabitantsof that region of the Sahel. Rainsfell just before sunset. And by thetime I went to bed in Maradi, theyhave arrived at the regionalcapital in considerable quantityto make the rest of the nightenjoyably cool for our sleep.

Throughout my visit, I wasdelighted by the developmentand orderliness of Niger. If the

Ghana I saw in 2007 had givenme the hope that Africans canachieve good governancedifferent from what obtains inNigeria, Niger brought thatmessage closer home because ofits proximity and our culturalaffinity. Niger is no longer acountry of hunger andunderdevelopment as the mediaportrays it. Of course, shortage ofrains will contnue to be a problemin the Sahel but the country isincreasingly becoming adept infacing the challenge.

What is more interesting ishow the contrast with Nigeriawould bring out Niger as a truejewel of the Sahel. Right from thefirst village after the BabbanMutum border, one cannot failto discern the difference. “Withtheir opposites, things becomeclear,” said Al-Mutanabbi.

Their primary schools, exceptthose built by communities – andall public buildings for thatmatter – are built to animpeccable standard. The nearesttypes of structures in Nigeria towhich one could compare theofficial primary school buildingsI saw in their villages are thosebuilt here by professionalcompanies like Julius Berger.Even their very large andnumerous agricultural storeshave defied the instable earth andviolent winds of the Sahel. Theystand rigid and intact. Contrastthis with the subhumanstandard classrooms in both ourpublic and private schools, thevandalized and empty stores thatwere mercilessly stripped of theirfittings and roofs by the gluttonyof thieving officials, etc.

The student/teacher ratio issmall in all the schools I visited.I have not seen any classroomholding under shade. The same

children go to school morningand afternoon, includingSaturdays as it used to be herein the 1960s. There aresufficient instructionalmaterials and the standard oflearning is really highcompared to ours. The PrimaryIII children I met at Gurguji,some kilometers away fromMagarya, were reading andwriting composition in French.On the other side of the border,it is not uncommon to findNigerian children in SS III whocannot make a single sentencein English – after 12 years ofseducation.

The comparison is the sameeven on matters of governance.Nigeriennes - commoners andelites alike – that I spoke to areunanimous on one point: that‘doka’ – or rule of law – is thefundamental differencebetween their country andNigeria. Niger is where one cansay nobody is above the law andreadily win a nod. Officials donot engage in the bizarrecorrupt practices that take placein Nigeria with impunity. Theyhave a genuine patriotism fortheir country.

Officials in Niger have directcontact with their people andthey show remarkable concernfor any plight that might visitthem. Officials, including thePresident, convene ‘town hall’meetings even in the remotestareas. In fact, the reason whywe learn about their foodshortage is precisely because thegovernment is concerned aboutthe welfare of its citizens. Thereare millions of Nigerians undersimilar circumstance but I havenever heard of any effort bygovernment to provide food forthem and their livestock. Who

cares in Nigeria if you or yourcow would die of hunger? Eventhe “fuji” or cattle vaccinationsexercises that were common upto the 1960s have completelydisappeared. And when thevaccinations are done in order topatronize a party official, theyare counted as a favour to theherdsmen.

Millions of our children aremalnourished in Nigeria; we losehundreds of thousands of cattleto hunger annually. But theworld does not know about ourhunger for two reasons: one,hunger is the last thing the worldwould expects to exist in a leadingOPEC country and, two, Nigerianofficials are too wicked to give it adamn. By contrast, governmentin Niger knows that itspopulation would take it to taskon any lapse, more so if there werereports of animals dying ofhunger. The government too isresponsive and does not pretendthat it is rich. If a cry would bringassistance from donors, it isready to do it loudly. And it doesnot wait for them. Along the wayto Hawan Dawaki, Rakiyakeenly showed me what theycalled “demi lun”. As the nameapplies, these are half moonbasins which government paysvillagers to dig on vast areas andplant them with droughttolerant grasses. The ones we sawalong the way to Hawan Dawakiwere still not harvested,indicating that the cattle, as we

saw them, will escape thelethal effect of the drought thisyear.

The present government inNiger is particularly doingwell. Throughout the regionsof Zinder and Maradi, there is acommon sight of truckscarrying food and animal feedsto stores and people in thehinterland. A journalist that iscritical of the regime confidedin me that if this dry seasonpasses without significant ofhuman and animal deaths, hewould lead a delegation of hiscolleagues to commend thePresident in Niamey. PresidentMohammed Isoufou is notwaiting for them. He is alreadytrying his best to fulfill hiscampaign promises. Hepromised building 2,500classrooms annuallythroughout his tenure, forexample. In his first year thatjust ended, he has built 2,800.This is remarkable in a countrywith just a population of 15million and which is regardedamong the poorest in Africa. Atthe peak of the recent fuelsubsidy crisis, by contrast, thefederal government in Nigeriapromised to put thousands ofbuses on the roads of Nigerianscities. Nothing came out of thatsimple promise. How muchwould it take to buy a bus in acountry that receives billionsof naira daily as rent from oilcompanies?

air. I remembered the story ofKusroe’s (Persian) messengerwho was shocked to meet thesecond caliph, Umar Bin Al-Khattab, taking a nap under atree in the outskirts of Medina,alone without any guard, whenhis domain had alreadyencompassed the entire Arabia,Syria and Palestine. He said, “Iwish my King will enjoy thesame level of tranquillity!” I alsowish to see President GoodluckJonathan’s campaign train inTilde one day where he will passthe night in a tent at the foot ofthe Shere Hills. Hahahahaha…

As a result of rule of law also,Niger is one fo the democraciesto beat in Africa. Tchima toldme that if there is anymanipulation, it could only takeplace before balloting. But oncethe ballot is cast, nobody canchange the result. Results areannounced instantly at pollingstation and agents are giventheir copies of the return sheets.Every party collates its resultsindependently at its situationroom. Immediately the patternshows the winner that wouldemerge, Tchima assured me,other candidates would call thatcandidate on phone to concededefeat and congratulate him orher. “Shi ke nan,” she said,waiving her hands as we drovetowards the Jibiya border.

That is Niger, with its scantresources and population. Andhere is Nigeria, with over a

hundred billion naira spent onelections, with a PhD as President,with hundred times morepolicemen than those in Niger,with thousands of election officialsthat include numerous professorsand PhDs as returning officers,with thousands of magistratesand justices, and with thousandsof lawyers. Yet, we cannot affordto be honest enough to conduct asingle credible election. What ashame!

The reason is simple. TheQur’an says, “Say, the bad andthe good cannot be equal even ifthe quantity of the bad hasamazed you. So fear God, Ohpeople of talent, such that youcan succeed.”

It was then I realised thestupidity in the idea I put acrossto Aisha back in Gidan Hardo Isathe previous evening. I asked herwhy they would not just crossover to Nigeria where there isenough grass for their cattle andarable land to grow crops. Shesaid they prefer to remain inNiger in spite of the difficulties.“If we leave, to whom do weabandon this place: these huts,this fence, this land? Let our mengo and search for whatever theycould get for us. But here we shallremain.”

More oil is discovered in theSahel. Definitely, Niger will getrich in the next two decades. I toldTchima that I am afraid that thegrip of the state on the affairs ofthe country may become loose.

Throughout my visit, I was delighted by the developmentand orderliness of Niger. If the Ghana I saw in 2007 gaveme hope that Africans can achieve good governance, Nigerbrought that message closer home because of its proximityand our cultural affinity.

She disagreed, averring thatmore resources will becommitted to law enforcementcommensurate with thechallenges. After two days ofdiscussion, I conceded thatNiger will face the challenge ofwealth squarely, given the longexperience it has in French styleof administration and theblessing of learning from thebad experience of its ‘oil rich’southern neighbour.

In the end, I returned homepleased with my union withAisha and her people, and, moreimportantly, with the firsthand knowledge that ournorthern neighbour is not aspoor as we think. It is developingfast; its riches are increasing bythe day; and its people areproud of it. Its people areAfricans too, except that theybelieve in rule of law. With it,their future would certainly bebetter than ours. I cannot helpbut wish them success.

If any of my readers, anystudent of law or any Nigerianofficial wants to breathe the airof rule of law, he or she may notneed to visit far away Europeor America. Niger is close by.That was the prayer of the lateMamman Shata before hisbenefactor, the late Emir ofDaura, Alhaji MuhammaduBashar. Hear him in thefamous LP, Kwana Lafiya MaiDaura:

“In kasar waje ta yi nisaMamman Nan kusa ma kamarnan Nijer

In ga Magarya, jikan AbduKai ni Damagaran, dan SandaSannan sai ka kai ni Maradi

In kwana in gaida SarkiBuzu.”

By sheer coincidence, not bythe design of my pocket - unlikeShata, this was the same routeI took in search of Habiba fewdays ago and forty-one yearsafter I heard that song for thefirst time as a primary schoolchild.

As I bade Tchima farewellat the border and thanked herfor her invaluable help, I wasimmediately greeted on theNigerian side, before I droveinto Katsina, by sights of blownroofs of newly built classrooms,by a large acreage of firewoodbales (not a single piece have Iseen sold by the roadside inNiger), by police and soldierssoliciting for tips even under thecurrent security situation, bybare walls of stores that used toharbour tonnes of fertilizer andother agric inputs, and by apeople each left to his owndevices.

I was definitely back toNigeria, my one and onlycountry, the land of religionwithout faith, of nothing amidstplenty, of poverty amidstwealth, of ignorance amidstknowledge, of impunity amidstlaws, and of dictatorship amidstdemocracy.

The result of theresponsiveness of governmentand its resolve to institute rule oflaw is the prevailing atmosphereof security and peace. Thegovernor of Maradi, SidiMohamed, drives around hiscapital city freely. I saw therichest person in the region,Umaru Laouli Gago, driving inthe city alone in his car. Andwhen night falls, I am sure bothwill go to their houses and sleepquietly. Nigerian governorscannot dare drive around theircapitals without a coterie ofhostile and trigger happysecurity personnel. In fact, mineis reported to have requested hisHouse of Assembly to allow himofficially relocate to Abuja. Itrefused. If he would come totown, it may be once a month orless, since Boko Haram placedhim on its hit list in spite of hisapology. In the Southeast andSouth-south, the rich haveresorted to residing in hotels, forfear of abduction by kidnappersor attack by armed robbers.What worth is our wealth?

Now, there are no go areaseven for the Nigerian president,like Eagle Square that is just akilometre away from Aso Villa,many places in Abuja andsecurity risk states like Borno. Bycontrast, the President of Nigertravels to very remote areas tomeet his people and pass thenight along with his ministersin mobile tents pitched in open

By Aliyu Tilde

Niger-Nigeria border at Birnin Kuta, Katsina state

“The present government in Niger isparticularly doing well. Throughout the

regions of Zinder and Maradi, there is acommon sight of trucks carrying food andanimal feeds to stores and people in thehinterland. A journalist that is critical of the

regime confided in me that if this dryseason passes without significant of

human and animal deaths, he would leada delegation of his colleagues to

commend the President in Niamey


Power drinks: Islam’s verdictAllah says: “O ye who believe!

Intoxicants and gambling,(dedication of) stones, and(divination by) arrows, are anabomination,- of Satan'shandwork: eschew such(abomination), that ye mayprosper. Satan's plan is (but) toexcite enmity and hatred betweenyou, with Intoxicants andgambling, and hinder you from theremembrance of Allah, and fromprayer: will ye not then abstain?”[al-Ma'idah: 90-91]

In the name of Allah, theBeneficent, the Merciful. AllPraise is due to Allah, We

praise Him and we seek help fromHim. We ask forgiveness fromHim. We repent to Him; and weseek refuge in Him from our ownevils and our own bad deeds.Anyone who is guided by Allah,he is indeed guided; and anyonewho has been left astray, will findno one to guide him. I bearwitness that there is no god butAllah, the Only One without anypartner; and I bear witness thatMuhammad, is His servant, andmessenger. May the peace andblessing of Allah be upon His lastand final Apostle, his Household,his companions and all hisfollowers until the end of time.

Today we will try to expose oneof the evil aspects of profiteeringby intoxicating innocentgeneration in capitalism, andmeasured as positive indices ofhealthy economy. I am preciselytalking on the so-called 'powerdrinks' that is everywhere andalmost drunk by every agegroup. Today, unfortunately,power drinks have taken alcoholto every house, school and almostevery public and places ofworship without allowing thevictims to know what they areguzzling! They, mischievouslyconcealed the true contents andingredients of the poisonousdrinks! In the advanced Westernnations, many advocates ofhuman rights and concernorganizations have written tonsof literatures in many magazinesand newspapers, in their effortsto educate the humanity of theirright to know. Unfortunately,forces of destruction have over-powered them. Actually, myobjective is to educate ourMuslim youths and elites on thehealth danger as well as spiritualimplications of power drinks. Thecrux of the matter is that powerdrinks are not only intoxicantsbut are more dangerous thanalcohol as destructive agents. InIslam, all agents of intoxicationare prohibited in big and smallquantity! They are completelyoutlawed and proscribed. TheQur'anic verse aforementioned isvery explicit on its proscription.

Before the advent of Islam,consumption of liquor, just likeother ills and evils of society, wasalso prevalent, and veryprofitable to the Meccan oligarchywho were then the capitalists oftheir time, as well. So, when theApostle of Allah migrated fromMakkah to Madinah he foundthat the people there were alsoindulging in drinking alcohol.

ISLAMISLAMISLAMISLAMISLAMEXPLAINEDEXPLAINEDEXPLAINEDEXPLAINEDEXPLAINED

By Husain ZakariyyaYawale

+234-8052952900 (sms only)[email protected]

The masses were so attracted bythe superficial and deceptivebenefits offered by all sorts ofintoxicants that their mindsbecame oblivious of the harmfuleffects and thee v i l sw a y l a y i n gwithin thesea d d i c t i o n s .manufacturingand trading ofliqour was verylucrative andm o n e y -s p i n n i n gbusiness. Onthe other hand, the socialproblems of the masses weregathering with no permanentsolution in sight.

Power drink of all sorts aredangerous drinks to humanbody. They drain him in bits bybits sending him suddenly to hisgrave. Last year in December, for

packaged, you can picksomething up that has alcohol init and not even know it." Mr.McKenna, an advocate againstconsumption of power drink said,

"It's time to bring an end to thesale of alcoholic energy drinks,""They're marketed to kids byusing fruit flavors that mask thetaste of alcohol, and they havesuch high levels of stimulantsthat people have no idea howinebriated they really are."

potentiating the GABAergicneurotransmitter system. GABA[gamma-aminobutyric acid] isan inhibitory neurotransmitter.When the neurons in the brain

release GABA, itacts to slow downor inhibit otherneural processes.This reducesa n x i e t y ,i n c r e a s e srelaxation whilesedating aperson...Comparedto alcohol,caffeine is on theother end of thespectrum of

psychoactive drugs in that it is astimulant. Caffeine is anantagonist for theneurotransmitter adenosine.Adenosine is an inhibitoryneurotransmitter; so similar toGABA, adenosine can dampen orinhibit other neural processors.

Sugars, Antioxidants,Glucuronolactone, Yerba Mate,Creatine, Acai abery, MilkThristle, L-theanine, inisitol andArtificial Sweetner. Withoutfurther ado, energy drinks arerefered to as caffeinated alcoholicdrinks or "malt beverages" ofwhich virtually when all thesechemicals are "infused" togetherwith 6-12% alcoholic by volume.

Energy drinks sequentiallyand subliminally inculcateaddicts into more dangeroussubstances in no time. Moderatedrinkers become heavy drinkersanyway so why the risk? Islamdoes not encourage one to takerisks unnecessarily becausethere is no inevitability at all fordrinking alcohol in any way andso should be totally prohibitedeven if it takes extra force to doso.

The Prophet of IslamMuhammad (SAW) said:“Anything which intoxicates in alarge quantity is prohibited even ina small quantity.” [Aljami': 5530]He said also, “Alcohol is the motherof all evils and it is the mostshameful of evils.” That was whythe Apostle of Allah in aextraordinary Hadith which wasreported by Anas bin Malik (RD)said: “God’s curse falls on a groupof people who deal with alcohol.The one who distils it, the one forwhom it has been distilled, the onewho drinks it, the one whotransports it, the one to whom ithas been brought, the one whoserves it, the one who sells it, theone who utilizes money from it, theone who buys it and the one whobuys it for someone else.”

Sheikh Qardawi the GrandMufti of Qatar made a terrible slipof the tongue in giving out afatwah of consuming powerdrink on the ground that thealcohol content was not morethan 1/8th of the content; andthat it was too small to getsomeone off! The fatwah is adirect violation of the Shari'ahbased on the authentic Hadith ofthe Rasulullah (SAW) which wesighted above. Another cause ofthe goof was his haste in givingthe fatwah which was devoid offull scale professional research.The crux of the remains, a dropof anything intoxicant is haram;no two ways about it! That is whyIslam does not excuse for a nip ora tot.

According to a reportpublished in the journal Drugand Alcohol Dependence, caffeineabuse along with nausea andvomiting, high blood pressure,tremors, dizziness and numbnessare the main side effects reportedafter drinking these beverages.Many countries including wartorn Chechnya have proscribedenergy drink. The deputyminister of health, RukmanBartiyev, said, "Energy drinksare comparable to beer becausethey were harmful to health."

My sincere advice to mybrothers and sisters who guzzleenergy drink should henceforthstop, repent and ask theforgiveness of Allah. May Allahhave mercy on us in whatremains of our time.

example, the Michigan LiquorControl Commission (MLCC) ofAmerica effectively banned thesale of all alcoholic energy drinksafter in view of several studiesregarding such 'beverages'. TheCommission called the packagingof these products "misleading,"and an attempt to appeal toyounger customers "encouragingexcessive consumption whilemixing alcohol with variousother chemical and herbalstimulants" that are veryinjurious to body.

The MLCC pointed out that atypical alcoholic energy drink is24 ounces (0.7 liters) and has a12 percent alcohol content-compared with a 12-ounce (0.35-liter) can of beer, which normallyhas 4 to 5 percent-plus thecaffeine equivalent of five cups ofcoffee.

A report issued recently byDoug Scoles, executive directorfor the Ohio chapter of MothersAgainst Drunk Driving thatalcohol companies mimicmarketing strategies used to sellnon-alcoholic energy beverages,popular among teenagers. Hesaid, "The way these things are

Today in America andEurope, power drink is wreckingmore havoc than real bearbeverages. Youths haveabandoned their studies and runpubs in their schools. On thehealth side there are moreaccident cases due to theimmediate effect of altering themood of the individuals. In a newstudy of more than 1,000 collegestudents in the US, people whodrank energy beverages 52 ormore times a year were more thantwice as likely as non-users tomeet criteria for alcoholdependence. In addition, such"high-frequency users" weremore likely to get drunk at anearlier age, drink more in onesitting, black out, and/orexperience hangover symptomsthat limited their usual activities,the study showed.

An associate professor ofpsychology at Temple Universityin Philadelphia, Thomas Gouldexplained what happens to thebody when large amounts ofalcohol and caffeine areconsumed simultaneously infollowing words: "Alcohol is asedative. It works in part by

With caffeine, we have a doublenegative in that it inhibits aninhibitory neurotransmitter andthus increase levels of arousaland alertness-but higher dosescan produce nervousness,anxiety and tachycardia."

Energy drink companies arecramming more and moreingredients into their productswithout telling the consumerswhat these ingredientssupposedly do to the their bodies.The following is a list of the mostcommon ingredients and theirbelieved effects on the body.While ingredients such as caffeinehave been widely studied, othershaven't and are using manlyanecdotal evidence asjustification of their use.

According to Kavita M. Babu,MD, Richard James Church, MDand William Lewander, MD. intheir research: "Energy Drinks:The New Eye-Opener ForAdolescents" released by ClinicalPediatric Emergency Medicine.2008, the following ingredientsare found in mostly energydrink: Caffeine, Taurine,Guarana, B Vitamins, Ginseng,Ginkgo Biloba, L-Carnitine,


Tackling climate changeproblems in Nigeria

Climate change has become aglobal concern withharmful effects as seasonal

cycles are disrupted. For example,food production and water supplyare adversely affected by theeffects of climate change.

The impact of climate changeinduces new challenges in theglobal campaign against extremepoverty and diseases, particularlyin developing countries likeNigeria.

Experts predict that in manysub-Saharan African countries,climate change could mean morefrequent drought, floods and waterscarcity.

They fear that the newchallenges will make it difficult toachieve the objectives of theMillennium Development Goals(MDGs), as they somewhatthreaten the progress alreadymade in the fight against extremepoverty and disease

Speaking on climate change,the Minister of Environment,Hajia Hadiza Mailafia, said thatthe Federal Government wasmindful of the adverseconsequences of the phenomenon,adding that it was striving tosensitise the citizens to thedangers of climate change.

The minister made this knownin Abuja at a Ministerial PressBriefing organised to mark firstanniversary of President GoodluckJonathan’s administration.

She said that the ministrywould soon launch a publicawareness campaign on climatechange so as to educate the peopleon their expectations,particularly in the areas ofadaptation and mitigation.

Mailafia announced that agraduate programme on climatechange issues would soon beintroduced in two Nigerianuniversities, under the aegis ofthe German Initiative on the WestAfrican Science Service Centre onClimate Change and AdaptiveLand Use.

According to her, the twoinstitutions which will run theprogramme are FederalUniversity of Technology, Akure,and Federal University ofTechnology, Minna.

The minister also announcedthat the special climate changeunit of the ministry had beenupgraded to a full-fledgeddepartment, as part of efforts tocombat the adverse effects ofclimate change in the country.

Besides, Mailafia said thatNigeria had collaborated withother ECOWAS member states todevelop a West African ClimateChange Adaptation Strategy(WACCAS).

“The development ofnationally appropriate mitigationaction plans via ECOWAS, as wellas the establishment of a specialclimate change trust fund havebeen some of the achievements ofthe ministry,’’ she said.

On the state of the country’sforests, the minister noted thatNigeria’s total forest cover haddepreciated from six per cent in1997 to 10 per cent in 2010.

“The UN Food and AgricultureOrganisation (FAO) hasrecommended that 25 per cent oftotal landmass of a country shouldbe under forest cover,’’ she said.

Mailafia also noted that thenumber of states that wereravaged by desertencroachment had increasedfrom 11 to 13.

She, however, listed the 11states that were seriously affectedby desert encroachment asAdamawa, Kebbi, Kano, Katsina,Jigawa, Bauchi, Borno,Yobe, Zamfara, Gombe and Sokotostates.

She bemoaned the fact thatbetween 50 per cent and 75 percent of Bauchi, Borno, Yobe andGombe states were prone todesertification

“Thirty-five per cent ofAdamawa, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi,Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsinastates are prone to desertification,while 10 per cent to 15 per cent ofthe neighbouring states are alsodesert-prone,’’ she added.

As part of efforts to check thegrowing menace of desertification,Mailafia said that the ministryhad distributed 22 millionassorted seedlings to communitiesunder the Presidential Initiativeon Afforestation.

“These seedlings were alsodistributed to institutions forthe establishment of woodlots andforest reserves, as well as for thegreening of premises,’’ she said.

The minister said that theministry was intensifying effortsvia the Green Wall SaharaInitiative to ensure thepreservation of the environment.

In the area of e-wastemanagement, Mailafiaannounced the ban on the use oftwo-stroke engines in the country.

“A two-stroke engine is aninternal combustion engine thatcompletes the process cycle in onerevolution of the crankshaft.

“The importation of oldvehicles and cars with two-strokeengines into Nigeria is verydangerous to our environmentbecause such vehicles are causingpollution,’’ she added.

Mailafia vowed that herministry would, in concert withthe police and the FRSC, ensurethe people’s compliance with theban on the import of suchvehicles.

“We will even stop the usage ofsuch vehicles in Nigeria becausethe amount of smoke that comesout of them pollutes our entireenvironment,’’ she stressed.

On waste managementprocesses and strategies, theminister announced theestablishment of an integratedwaste management facility inEkiti State, as well as the settingup of scrap metal recycling plantsin Kaduna and Sokoto states.

Mailafia also pledged thegovernment’s commitment toensuring the adequate provisionof waste bins across the country.

“We are looking into ways ofpartnering with private organisations in efforts todistribute these waste bins to allparts of the country because wecannot do it alone.’’

that there were no plans to scrapthe National Oil Spill Detectionand Response Agency (NOSDRA).

She noted that NOSDRA, aparastatal agency of the ministry,certified 1,119 oil-impacted sitesand successfully carried out thecleanup the Bonga oil spill thatoccurred on Dec. 20, 2011.

She also noted that NOSDRAwas also able to control the fireoutbreak at Chevron NigeriaLtd.’s KS Endeavor Drilling rig inFuniwa, Bayelsa, on Jan. 16.

Besides, the minister stressedthat the Department of Erosionand Flood Control of the ministryhad completed 62 projects indifferent locations across thecountry.

Mailafia said that the ministryhad established 13 web-basedFlood Early Warning Systems(FEWS) in Makurdi, Kebbi,Ibadan, Abeokuta, Port-Harcourt,Akure, Minna, Sokoto, Ilorin,Benin, Kebbi and Kaduna.

“The ministry has alsoinstalled two stand-aloneautomated FEWS equipment atOgun-Osun River BasinAuthority,’’ she added.

The minister disclosed that theministry’s Department ofRenewable Energy hadestablished 50 megawatts solarfarms in Kaduna and Katsina toprovide alternative and cleanenergy sources for the people.

All the same, experts havebeen advising the FederalGovernment to give priorityattention to the sensitisation of the

people, particularly farmers, onhow to mitigate the adverseeffects of climate change.

Mr Ademola Akintola, anexpert in agro-climatology,stressed that tangible effortsshould be made to educate smallholder farmers in the northernpart of the country on the need toadjust their planting periods dueto climate change.

Describing the impact ofclimate change on agriculture assevere, Akintola stressed that thephenomenon constituted amajor challenge to global foodproduction.

He said that the consequencesof climate change were moresevere on peasant farmers,reiterating the need to make thatgroup of farmers to see the wisdomin adjusting their farmingprogrammes periodically.

“We are calling ongovernment to intensify its publicawareness campaign to educatemore farmers, so as to enablethem to prepare for the challengesof climate change.

“Adequate sensitisation offarmers will foster the evolutionof a dynamic calendar that willenable farmers to achieve theiroptimal goal of boostingproduction,’’ Akintola said.

Sharing similar sentiments,Mr Ewah Eleri, the ExecutiveDirector, International Centre forEnergy and EnvironmentalDevelopment (ICEED),emphasised that climate changewas generating serious threats toagricultural production.

“As millions of Nigerians areengaged in agriculture, climatechange is, perhaps, the greatestchallenge they face.

“Besides, climate change is adaily challenge facing all thecitizens, as it affects our economyin many ways,’’ he said.

Eleri stressed that thenegative impact of climatechange on agriculture could notbe over-emphasised, as “ 42 percent of our entire GDP is fromagriculture.’’

He, nonetheless, lamentedthat Nigeria had not paid enoughattention to weather changes.

“Climate change is a clearbread-and-butter issue; it is adaily challenge confronting theeveryday life of all Nigerians.

“For instance, we have nearly70 per cent of our workforceengaged in agriculture and justabout one per cent of all our farmsare irrigated.

“What it means is that 99 percent of Nigerian farmers dependtotally on rainfall,’’ Eleri said

Observers are of the view thatthe government should initiatemore pragmatic measures totackle the growing menace ofclimate change.

They say that the citizens,particularly farmers, should beeducated on how to lessen theimpact of the current climaticcondition.

Source: NAN

As regards environmentallaws, Mailafia expressed theministry’s acceptance ofthe Presidential directive that theNational EnvironmentalStandards and RegulationsEnforcement Agency (NESREA)should enforce all environmentallaws.

She, nonetheless, stressed thatNESREA must ensure strictcompliance with environmentalregulations, while enforcing allthe laws relating to theenvironment.

“The safety and healthstandards of Nigerians must notbe compromised; the health ofNigerians must not be equatedwith economic gains.’’

On the EnvironmentalImpact Assessment (EIA) ofprojects, Mailafia said that 34impact mitigation monitoringexercises had been carried out onEIA-approved projects in all thesectors of the economy.

She said that the ministry hadalso carried out a review of theenvironmental audit andcertification of 29 existingfacilities.

The minister said that theenvironmental impactassessment of the facilities ofEtisalat Nigeria Ltd, a telecom service provider, had just beenconcluded, adding that theappraisal and certification of thecommunities chosen for new basestations of the company wouldsoon be carried out.

Nevertheless, Mailafia said

By Martins Abochol

Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Jibril Mailafiya


Fishermen dragging their nets, during Nwonyo Fishing and Cultural Festival, recently in Ibi, Taraba state.

Nwonyo Fishing Festival: Anemerging tourist destinationBy most accounts, the

Nwonyo InternationalFishing and Cultural

Festival, which recently took placein Ibi, a town in Taraba State, aptlysignifies the readiness of the stategovernment to promote tourismas a means of boosting economicactivities in the state.

The two-day event, which tookplace between April 20 and April22, was a rallying point for thepeople of Ibi and its environs, as itdid not only showcase the people’sculture but it also heightenedeconomic activities in thecommunity.

For instance, all the hotels inWukari and Zaki Biam were fullybooked some days leading up tothe fiesta, while restaurants, taxisand motorcyclists, food vendorsand petty traders in theneighbourhood obviouslyexperienced improved patronageand bumper sales.

Observers acknowledge thateven though the Nwonyo festivalis not as well-known as theArgungu International Fishingand Cultural Festival in Kebbi, itcould be nurtured with time andextra commitment to become amajor fishing festival in Nigeriaand Africa at large.

All the same, the grand fishingevent started at the Nwonyo riverin Ibi when Sarkin Ruwa (thecustodian of the river) appeasedthe gods of the river with somerituals and blew the whistle forthe onset of the fishing contest.

The thrills and glamour of theevent reached a crescendo as thefishermen invaded the river withdifferent fishing apparatuses andcanoes, keeping visitors andspectators spellbound for over 50minutes without any captivatingcatch.

The contestants, however,started catching big fishes after adrought that lasted for about onehour and the event soon came toan end with the announcementof the winners.

Hudu Yakubu was declared theoverall winner of the fishingcompetition for a prize catch of afish weighing 280 kg; ShehuUmar came second with a fishweighing 215 kg, while LikitaAboshi came third with a 214-kgfish.

Speaking after his victory,Yakubu said: “This is not my firsttime in the competition; I haveparticipated in previous editionswithout any luck but that did notdeter me.

“This year, I tried again andwith God on my side, I won,’’ hesaid.

Yakubu expressedappreciation to God and theevent’s organizers for the Hiluxvan he won as a prize, concedingthat he never expected to returnhome with a vehicle.

He commended the stategovernment and the corporateorganisations that co-sponsored

the fishing fiesta, urging them todo more to boost the tourismprofile of Taraba.

Gov. Danbaba Suntai, whopresented the prizes to thewinners, however, challenged theState Tourism DevelopmentBoard to initiate pragmatic meansof developing and marketing thestate’s tourism potential.

He enjoined the Board to lookat ways of developing the Nwonyofestival and other tourism eventsin Taraba into becomingveritable revenue earners for thegovernment.

“Four years after the Board’sinception, we have yet to see ablueprint that would turntourism in Taraba State into arevenue generating venture.

“You have just started; that isjust the honest truth,’’ Suntai said,while challenging the Board’smembers to look into ways ofturning things around positively.

“In the next two years, if youcannot change your ways ofhandling the state’s tourismindustry, I will quietly withdrawfrom the sponsorship of theNwonyo Fishing Festival,’’ he,nonetheless, warned.

“If the festival cannot betransformed into a revenue-generating event; then, it will notbe able to add value to the people’slives.’’

However, Alhaji Sa’adAbubakar, the Board’s Chairman,said that over the years, the Boardhad conducted a feasibility studyon tourism sites, tourism-relatedactivities and their acceptability.

All the same, he said thatappreciable progress had beenmade in efforts to develop the

tourism sector.Abubakar said that the Board

has been calling for private sectorparticipation in its tourismdevelopment efforts, citing theinvolvement of MTN and Zaintelecom service providers, as wellas Zenith Bank, among others, inthe sponsorship of the 2012edition of the Nwonyo festival asa major breakthrough.

The guest speaker, Dr JosephRishante, the Dean of TarabaState University’s Faculty ofSocial Sciences, called for a

paradigm shift in the approach totourism development.

“Due to the capital and labourintensive nature of the tourismindustry, there is a need to exploredifferent development strategies,which calls for more creativity,’’he said.

Rishante commended Suntaifor his efforts to develop of avibrant tourism master plan forTaraba, saying that theblueprint, if properly executed,would lift tourism development inthe state from the drawing board

to a practical reality.He stressed that the master

plan would transform the state’stourism events into large-scaleventures which would evenattract tourists from foreigncountries.

Mr Emmanuel Bello, theCommissioner for Information,Culture and Tourism, however,announced that the NwonyoFishing Festival would now be abiennial event so as to give theorganisers ample time to plan forthe fiesta.

He said that the restructuredfestival would particularly makethe experience of the participantsand observers unforgettable andlong-lasting.

Besides, the commissioner saidthat the government wasplanning to construct a fish houseand a holiday resort near the IbiLake to enhance the area’spotential as a tourist destination.

Bello stressed that the projectwould partly stem the currentsituation whereby most of thepeople who attend the Nwonyofestival in Ibi are accommodatedin hotels in neighbouring townssuch as Wukari and Zaki Biam,in Benue state.

“Such scenario has denied theIbi people from getting the fullbenefits of Nwonyo FishingFestival directly,’’ he added.

Observers, nonetheless, saythat pragmatic efforts should beaimed at enhancing the tourismappeal of the fishing festival andsimilar cultural events, as part ofefforts to boost the economicpotential of the tourism sector ofthe national economy.

Source: NAN

By Dorcas Jonah

Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba state


Corruption, scandals andItaly’s other pressing priorities

Is it really possible thateconomic plans can sodetached from every day

life? Put it in a different way: caneconomic rigour and austeritymeasures be the only key tosolving critical situations incountries like Italy, Greece orSpain? Should Euro-elitesinstead force weaker EU nationsinto a deeper restructuring oftheir political structures and ofsome inner social practices?

There may, in fact, beevidence that economic plansalone may not be enough togenerate long lasting growth ifother serious issues are notsimilarly tackled. Other aspectsof national life should bescrutinised too. Italy doesrepresent, again, a key case ofthis European "saga".

The last series of politicalscandals dismantled what wasthe only presumed quality ofSilvio Berlusconi's former andvery close governmental ally,the Northern League - a partyuntil then unscathed bycorruption and misuse of publicmoney record. In the end, theparty proved not to be as"immune" as it claimed to be.

"Electoral reimbursements"made by the Italian state werealready used in an attempt tomake the party's financialinvestments abroad. In truth,parties should not receivefunding from the state. Yet,politicians have been able to(legally) find another way totransfer a huge amount of publicmoney to themselves. Thereseems to be now a lot of evidencethat this public funding topolitical parties was, and is, oftenused for personal purposes - aselectoral reimbursementsusually exceed the current(genuine) expenses of parties.

In a dramatic and somewhatgrotesque assembly of theNorthern League to vindicatetheir lost pride, the leadersdecided to purge their treasurerand the deputy president of theHigher Chamber of the Italianparliament. Other leadingpoliticians resigned from theirpositions in the regionalgovernment of Lombardy forthese corruption relatedscandals, new allegations areout on the powerful president ofthe same region and on the"usual" Berlusconi.

All of this happened while theIMF warned that Italy and Spainwould suffer a deeper recession.On the one hand, commoncitizens are asked (and forced) tocope with the crisis, negativelyinfluencing their lives: cuts inpensions, unemployment and soon. On the other hand, Italianpolitical parties receive, andthen often spend millions ofeuros.

Could this money be

returned to the taxpayers andre-invested by the state? Hasthis huge waste of public fundinghad an impact on the currentpublic debt? It is unclear whatthe position of European elites orthe European Central Bank onthis issue is. Furthermore, theItalian technocraticgovernment seems to not haveany realistic plan to stronglyreduce the overall "costs" of theparty system (the famed costidella politica). This is generatinga risky anti-political resentmentamong people (andentrepreneurs too) who havebeen seriously hit by theeconomic crisis.

Along with the drama thatthese recent events caused in the(already troubled) politicalsystem, and two decades afterthe famous Bribesvilleinvestigation (on corruption,bribes and politics) whichpulverised Italian politics andcreated a vacuum for the rise ofBerlusconi's political adventure,the newest scandal is only areminder of how pressing adecisive - but still fundamentallymissing - action of Mario Monti'sgovernment on politicalcorruption and its costs.

Despite the fact that financial

markets and internationalpolitics seem to focus only onItaly's need for further financialreforms and job marketregulations, one should wonderhow it is possible to encourageany economic growth when therole and influence of politicalparties are so widespread in theeconomic life of the country. Wehad already warned thatnational crises are almost nevergenerated by a single issue -many, for example, believedthat Italy was about to changecompletely after Berlusconi'sdismissal.

While the media tycoonaggravated the "conditions" of asick country, most of theproblems have a long history.Italian newspapers are, in fact,full of stories of managers with alack of expertise, fakecompetitions to recruituniversity professors or stateofficers, tonnes of money lost inimprobable publically-fundedprojects and currentinvestigations in the linksbetween local politicians andcorruption in the national heathsystem.

There is, unfortunately andin many ways, a sort of "socialacceptance" of corruption and

In order to solve the economic crisis, many issues including corruption and mismanagement ofpublic money will need to be addressed, argue authors

ANALYSIS

politicians' privileged status.Yet, all of this still seems to beoverlooked and not takenseriously while it is undoubtedlyone of the reasons stoppingforeign investments in manyareas of Italy.

"High social inequality... thesuffocating presence of organisedcrime... and the wideningeconomic gap... are as present inforeign investors' minds as theconditions of the labour markets."

On April 7, Italy's primeminister Mario Monti, forexample, wrote a letter to theWall Street Journal defendingsome changes to his proposedemployment laws, after the USnewspaper accused the Italiangovernment of surrendering totrade unions.

"Labour reforms are seriousand will be effective," warnedthe political leader. Thisreform of the labour markethas monopolised the discussionon the necessary interventionsto promote Italy's economicgrowth, but, as suggested,equally important issues havenot been part of thegovernment's strategy so far.The widespread corruption inthe public service alone is amajor drawback to development

(and an OCSE representative ina recent hearing in the Italianparliament also highlighted thisissue).

Moreover, the high socialinequality, the disastrous stateof universities, the underfundedR&D national projects andinstitutions, the suffocatingpresence of organised crime insouthern regions and its"investments" in legal businessin Northern Italy and thewidening economic gap betweendifferent areas of the countryare, in fact, as present in foreigninvestors' minds as theconditions of the labour markets.Why are these issues stillmissing in the political agenda?Why don't Euro elites andmarkets force Italy to deal withthese critical features thatstrongly influence Italy'sprecarious economic conditions?

After various cuts in publicspending and the rise of taxesinfluencing all people's lives,there is now a wide call from theItalian public opinion to dealwith the previously mentionedcritical issues and, above all, toact against corruption and theunrestrained influence ofpolitics.

Reforms in this field may bemet with a very high level ofpopularity. It will also showother countries that Italy'selites are capable of self-reforming for the good of thecountry. But will they be able(or willing to) do so?According to public opinion,patience towards parties isgetting thin, and there is aworrying rise of various formsof "anti-politics", which maygenerate a season of socialprotests and unrest.

It is evident that most ofthese critical issues areparticularly problematic toface by the political partiesthat currently sustain thetechnocratic government.This is, in fact, the samepolitical class that has beenineffective for many years.They proved to be unsuccessfuldealing with the nation'sdecline and in formulatingsolutions to create growth.

The key to success lies nowin setting a new agenda forproper reforms with the rightpriorities. After the necessaryemergency interventions toavoid a Greek-style crisis, afurther step is needed -innovation, meritocracy andanti-corruption policies. Theseare among the core causes of thevery large public debt of theItalian state.

Culled from Aljazeera.Andrea Mammone is a

historian at KingstonUniversity, London, andGiuseppe A. Veltri is a socialscientist at the LondonSchool of Economics. Theyare editors of Italy Today.

“After various cuts in public spending and the rise of taxesinfluencing all people's lives, there is now a wide call from

the Italian public opinion to deal with the previouslymentioned critical issues and, above all, to act againstcorruption and the unrestrained influence of politics.


Zimbabwecritical of SAfrica ruling onabuse

Zimbabwe's justice ministerhas denounced a SouthAfrican court ruling that would

allow prosecutions related to allegedtorture under President RobertMugabe.

"The ruling brings the SouthAfrican justice system into disrepute.No specifics have been identified,because they should have laid a blowby blow account of what crime hasbeen committed," Patrick Chinamasatold state media on Wednesday.

The Tuesday ruling could affectZimbabwean refugees, many ofwhom have fled to neighbouringSouth Africa, and governmentofficials, who also sometimes come onbusiness or personal trips.

In a landmark judgement, highcourt judge Hans Fabricius ruled thatauthorities in South Africa can probeand prosecute not only high-levelcrimes committed in neighbouringZimbabwe, but anywhere else in theworld.

National Prosecuting Authorityspokesman Mthunzi Mhaga saidprosecutors will study the ruling anddecide what legal steps to take.

"There may be an appeal,'' saidJames Gathii, co-chairman of theAfrica interest group of the AmericanSociety of International Law. ``But Ithink that more likely than not the[prosecutors] and police will have totake a closer look at the case.''

The case centres on Zimbabweanofficials accused of state-sanctionedtorture against scores of activistsfollowing a raid on the headquartersof the Movement for DemocraticChange in 2007.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangiraiis now the prime minister in a power-sharing government with Mugabe,and his party hailed the decision.

"Torture is a barbaric instrumentof dealing with issues of politics,"spokesman Nelson Chamisa told theAFP news agency. "For that reason itremains our wish that all people ofZimbabwe with injured hearts andtroubled minds are brought torestorative and rehabilitative, asopposed to retributive, justice."

reserves.Citizens have since had to

cope with inflation at nearly 30percent and a rapidly devaluingcurrency in a country where theeconomy is already reeling fromU.S. trade sanctions and the costof renewed conflict with SouthSudan and rebels.

"Hatred for the regime isintensifying now in thecountry," Turabi, the leader ofthe opposition Popular CongressParty told Reuters in a recentinterview in Khartoum.

"The economic crisis hasintensified and this is verydangerous. If the hungry go outin a revolution, they will breakand destroy ... I expect it won'ttake us long now," Turabi said.

Turabi was one of the mostpowerful figures in Sudanesepolitics in the 1980s and 1990sand his comments still attractwidespread attention.

But the Islamist and formerspiritual mentor to Sudan'sPresident Omar Hassan al-Bashir has seen his influencedecline sharply since the twomen fell out.

Sudan's governmentdismissed Turabi's statement,denying the economic situation

Oil will bring downfall ofSudan government: Turabi

was that gloomy."What Turabi says is not based

on reality ... the economicsituation is not as bad as Turabi issaying," said informationministry advisor Rabie Abdelatie,adding the situation was muchworse in the 1980s.

"There was no infrastructure,no oil, no development, noelectricity. There's a bigdifference."

Recent data have painted ableak picture of the Sudaneseeconomy.

The loss of oil revenues has leftthe country with $2.4 billion gapin public finances as well as a tradedeficit of $540 million at the endof this quarter, compared to asurplus of $1.7 billion in the sameperiod last year.

The government has alsoraised custom fees and a socialdevelopment tax by 66 percent.

"The government is completelybroke. If hunger intensifies,people, along with their otherreasons for anger ... we are worriedthat a revolution will come, whichwill lead to chaos," said Turabi,who has in the past called for the"downfall of the regime" througha popular movement instead of amilitary coup.

Sudan and S.Sudan at odds over talks after fightingSouth Sudan said yesterday

it was ready to reopennegotiations "any time" on a

range of disputes with its northernneighbour Sudan after a spasm offighting, but Khartoum said therecould be no such talks unless thetwo sides settled security issues.

The two countries have been atloggerheads over oil, security andfrontier disputes that ignited borderclashes last month and for a whileraised fears of full-blown war in oneof Africa's most significant oilregions.

South Sudan Minister ofCabinet Affairs Deng Alor toldreporters that his country, whichbecame independent from Sudanlast year, was committed tocomplying with a U.N. Security

Sudan's loss of billions ofdollars of oil revenues willbring down the

government as inflation soars,the economy buckles and peoplegrow hungrier, opposition leaderHassan al-Turabi said in an

interview.Oil once accounted for 90

percent of exports, but Sudan'seconomy took a beating whenSouth Sudan gainedindependence in July and tookaway most of the known crude

Islamic opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi of the Popular CongressParty speaks during a news conference at the party headquarters inKhartoum January 5, 2012.

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Mor-gan Tsvangirai's party has wel-comed the South Africancourt's decision

Council resolution last week thatcalled on both countries to negotiatetheir differences peacefully or facesanctions.

"We are ready to go fornegotiations any time ... Iexpect negotiations to resumeany time from now," Alor tolda news conference in the SouthSudanese capital Juba.

The May 2 SecurityCouncil resolution endorsed anAfrican Union plandemanding that Khartoumand Juba cease hostilities,withdraw troops from disputedareas and resume talks withintwo weeks on all outstandingdisputes. It gave them three monthsto resolve the issues under threat ofsanctions.

Mali coup leader who stood aside now wants power backHowever, at a summit last

month, West African leaders saidthey wanted Traore to remain inplace for as long as a year, aproposition that was rejected by thejunta.

Traore was sworn in on April 12but the military, enjoying thesupport of some political parties, hascontinued to flex its muscles,arresting a number of senior civilianand military figures linked to oustedPresident Amadou Toumani Toure.

ECOWAS mediators, currentlyholding talks in Mali, did not makeany public statement.

But a source close to thedelegation said: "It is the choice of theperson who will lead the transitionthat is the problem."

Most of aid-dependent Mali'sdonors have cut non-humanitariansupport since the coup.

The officer who led a militarycoup in Mali in March wantsto take back power when the

term of a caretaker president,appointed under an agreementbrokered by regional mediators,runs out later this month, aides saidyesterday

The military nominally handedover power last month to DioncoundaTraore. Regional bloc ECOWAS,Mali's foreign donors and manypolitical parties want him to stay inoffice to oversee a transition back tocivilian rule even after his 40-daymandate expires on May 21.

Efforts in the capital Bamako toprepare a return to civilian rulehave made little progress and coupleader Captain Amadou Sanogo hascontinued to hold sway.

"Our proposition is that the onlyneutral umpire in this is the army.

Given the situation, only he(Sanago) can run this " BakaryMariko, a spokesman for theCNRDRE body that represents thecoup leaders, said by telephone.

"For now, it is not negotiable."The CNRDRE position was

confirmed by another official closeto Sanogo.

The coup has left the WestAfrican nation diplomaticallyisolated and allowed a mix ofseparatist and Islamist rebels to seizeall the main towns in the desertnorth, sweeping with them fighterslinked to al Qaeda.

The April 6 agreement that sawsoldiers hand power to Traore for aninterim period stipulates that if pollsare not held within 40 days, Sanogoand ECOWAS would togetherdecide on who should lead thetransition back to civilian rule.

Captain Amadou Sanogo, leaderof Mali"s military junta, speaksduring a news conference at hisheadquarters in Kati, outsideBamako March 30, 2012.

Sudan"s President Omar al-Bashir welcomes his South Sudanesecounterpart Salva Kiir during his arrival at Khartoum Airport October8,2011 for his first visit since southern secession to discuss keyunresolved issues, including Abyei and oil, that have underminednorth-south relations.


Russia ‘foils WinterOlympics attackGeorgia, the South Caucasuscountry with which Russia wentto war in 2008.

Abkhazia, which Russiarecognised as an independentnation after the war, is adjacent

Russian authorities saysecurity agencies havefoiled a plot by Muslim

fighters to attack the 2014 WinterOlympics in the Black Sea resortof Sochi, using an arsenal ofweapons including surface-to-airmissiles and a flamethrower.

Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) saidyesterday that special serviceshad confiscated arms,ammunition and explosives in thebreakaway Abkhazia region of

Putin, seen here with Medvedev at right, has an official residence in Sochi, site of the 2014Winter Olympics

Distraught relatives of passenger waited for news about the plane at Jakarta Airport

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, with his Ivorian Counterpart, Alhassan Quattara, duringJonathan's one day official visit to Abidjan, on Wednesday.

to Sochi on the Black Sea coast.The assailants had also

planned attacks in the run-up tothe Winter Games in February2014, it said.

"Russia's FSB [security service]

was able to establish that thefighters planned to move theweapons to Sochi from 2012 to2014 and use them to carry outterrorist acts before and duringthe Olympic Games," NAC said ina statement.

The NAC ascribed the plot tothe Caucasus Emirate, one of theleading groups in an armedcampaign against Russian rule inthe volatile North Caucasus,where Russian troops have foughttwo wars in Chechnya since thecollapse of the Soviet Union in1991.

It suggested that the group'sleader, Doku Umarov, had beenco-operating with Georgianspecial services but did not giveany details to support thisallegation and the NAC reportcould not be independentlyverified.

Russia has often said Georgiamay be plotting furtheraggression following the war, anaccusation Georgia rejects.

NAC said the weaponsincluded Igla and Strela portablesurface-to-air missiles, two anti-tank guided missiles and 36mortar bombs as well as a flamethrower, grenade launchers,explosive devices and anti-tankand anti-personnel mines.

Any security breach couldhurt President Vladimir Putin'sattempts to use the global eventto improve Russia's image.

Anti-Russian Muslim fighterswant to create an Islamic emirateand say they were behind a suicidebombing at Moscow's Domodedovoairport that killed 37 people inJanuary 2011 and twinbombings that killed 40 people onMoscow's metro in 2010.

One Muslim community,Circassians, who were drivenfrom their homes in the NorthCaucasus by Russian soldiers inthe mid-19th century, say theGames are being held on a "massgrave".

They say 1.5 million of theirpredecessors perished as Russianembarked on a mass expulsion oftheir people to try to conquer theCaucasus.

The NAC did not say how theCaucasus Emirate might have gothold of the arms in Abkhazia, butmany could have been availablefollowing the five-day war in2008 between Georgia and Russiaover Abkhazia and South Ossetia,another separatist region.

The International OlympicCommittee has said it is confidentRussia will provide a safe Gamesand Russia is working hard toprevent its image being tarnishedby security problems at an eventsthat will be watched around theworld.

Putin, a sports lover who likesto ski in Sochi and has an officialresidence there, has staked a loton the Olympics, and staging asuccessful Games is a matter ofnational pride.

Russia's 2014 Winter Gameschief, Dmitry Chernyshenko, saidon Sunday Sochi was ready to stepinto the spotlight and underlinedPutin's personal involvement.

Bodies foundat Russian jetcrash site

Rescuers say they havediscovered bodies near thewreckage of a Russian-made

passenger plane that crashed into theslopes of an Indonesian volcano with45 people aboard.

Search and rescue spokesmanGagah Prakoso said his teams reacheda crater on the remote, rugged upperslopes of Mount Salak yesterdayafternoon but had not found anysurvivors.

"We entered the area... and foundthe dead bodies, but we cannot sayabout the number," Prakoso said.

"I cannot say anything about thecondition of the bodies," he said, butadded: "A high speed jet plane hit thecliff, exploded and tore apart."

A helicopter searching themountainous region south of theIndonesian capital found thewreckage of the new Sukhoi Superjet100 which disappeared onWednesday morning, theIndonesian government said.

A Sukoi spokesperson told AlJazeera that those aboard consistedof 33 Indonesians, eight Russians,two Italians, a US citizen and aFrench citizen, including businesspeople, Russian embassy officials andjournalists.

Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen,reporting from Jakarta, said it wasstill unclear what had caused thecrash.

"All we know is that the pilot askedto descend from 10,000 feet to 6,000feet (3,000 to 1,800 metres) just beforethey lost contact, so it is a big questionas to why the pilot was asking todescend in this mountainous area, andwhy did the airport tower in Jakartagrant him permission to descend."

Obama backssame-sexmarriage

US President BarackObama has said hebelieves same-sex couples

should be allowed to get legallymarried.

The remarks on Wednesdaymarked a shift in his position on theissue that is likely to please hispolitical base and upset conservativerivals.

"It is important for me to goahead and affirm that I think samesex couples should be able to getmarried," Obama said in aninterview with ABC News' RobinRoberts.

Obama's comments came daysafter Joe Biden, the US vice-president, and Arne Duncan, theeducation secretary, both madestatements to the press in support ofsame-sex marriages.

Biden said on Sunday he was"absolutely comfortable" withallowing same-sex couples to wed.

Obama says he has concludedthat it is important for him to affirmthat he thinks same-sex couplesshould be able to get married.

"But it's also the Golden Rule, youknow -- treat others the way youwould want to be treated" he said.

He says he came to the conclusionover the course of several years oftalking to family and friends.


Dozens dead in twin Damascus blasts

Two powerful blasts in quicksuccession have killeddozens of people and injured

more than 300 others in the Syriancapital Damascus, according toSyrian officials and state media.

One of yesterday's rush hourexplosions hit the Qazaz

neighbourhood that houses a well-known military intelligenceheadquarters involved in PresidentBashar al-Assad's crackdown on a 14-month uprising.

The interior ministry said at least55 people were killed and 372wounded in the blasts.

Hamas will not go to war for Iran, says Haniyeh

the deadly explosions, but a retiredLebanese army major general,Hisham Jaber, told Al Jazeera athird group may be involved.

"I am not accusing al-Qaeda,but everybody knows there aregroups from al-Qaeda or similaror belong to it or they have thesame objective and belief," he said.

"We do estimate the number ofthose groups, who came fromLibya, Yemen, north Lebanon andIraq, at about 800-1000. These arewell-indoctrinated and welltrained.

Washington condemned theattacks as "reprehensible" whileUN-Arab League envoy KofiAnnan, who brokered the truce,described them as "abhorrent".

Ban Ki-moon, the UNsecretary general, has alsocondemned the deadly attacks.

"The Secretary-Generalreiterates his urgent call on allsides fully to comply with theirobligations to cease armed violencein all its forms," a statement issuedby his office said.

Russia and China, bothsupporters of Assad's embattledregime, called for a stop to theviolence and urged all parties inSyria to co-operate with Annan'speace plan.

An Associated Press reporter at

the scene said medical workers werecollecting human remains from thestreets and that heavily damagedcars and pickup trucks stoodsmoldering in the area after theexplosions.

The outer wall of the nine-storeyheadquarters collapsed, althoughthe structure inside appeared intact.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin,reporting from neighbouringLebanon, said the explosions had beenheard all over the city.

"Damascus residents fromdifferent parts of town all heard theexplosions. People were really shakenby the power of these blasts. Theseattacks - every day - become moreefficient and more deadly."

Fawaz Gerges of the Middle EastCentre at the London School ofEconomics discusses the crisis inSyria

Syrian TV showed dozens ofmangled, burnt and smolderingvehicles, some containingincinerated human remains.

A large crater could be seen inthe road and at least one lorry hadbeen overturned.

One resident, who said he gotwithin 100 metres of one of the blastsbefore being turned back by securityforces, told Reuters news agency hesaw broken glass on the street andwomen crying. Nearby schools hadsent children home for the day.

Major General Robert Mood, chiefof a UN observer mission in Syria,rushed to the site of the blasts shortlyafter they took place to survey thedamage, an AFP correspondentreported.

"This is yet another example ofthe suffering brought upon thepeople of Syria from acts ofviolence," the Norwegian generalsaid as he visited the site of one ofthe blasts.

"We, the world community, arehere with the Syrian people and Icall on everyone within andoutside Syria to help stop thisviolence," he said.

The attacks came a day afterthe general Mood escapedunharmed when a roadside bombexploded as he led a team of UNobservers into the southern flashpoint city of Deraa.

The Syrian Observatory forHuman Rights, a London-basedrights group, has said that almost12,000 people, mostly civilians,have been killed in Syria since therevolt, inspired by Arab Springuprisings, broke out in March lastyear.

About 800 of them have diedsince a UN-backed truce wassupposed to have taken effect onApril 12.

The Islamic movementHamas will not let itself bedragged into a war against

Israel if it attacks the nuclearfacilities of Hamas ally Iran, Gazaleader Ismail Haniyeh saidyesterday.

"Hamas is a Palestinianmovement that acts within thePalestinian arena and it carries outits political and field actions in away that suits the interests of thePalestinian people," he said at hisheadquarters in the enclave.

"Iran did not ask anything fromus and we think Iran is not in needof us," the prime minister of theHamas government told Reutersin an interview.

Israel has repeatedly said itrules out no option in itsdetermination to prevent Iranfrom developing nuclear weapons.Iran says its nuclear programmeis for peaceful purposes.

"The Israeli threats are declaredand they are not in need ofanalysis. But I think such an issuewould have grave consequences onthe entire region," the 48-year-oldHamas leader said. "I cannotpredict the scenarios but a battle ofthis kind would have repercussionsfor the region."

Israel says it would have toreckon with potential attacks fromthe south by Iranian-supportedHamas and from the north by theTehran-backed Hezbollah army inLebanon, if it came to war withIran. Israel says both groups possessstockpiles of rockets supplied by Iranand accuses both of practisingterrorism.

Haniyeh said the grandcoalition formed this week byIsraeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu, which gives him anunassailable majority inparliament, had been establishedfor internal reasons but could alsohave "external motives".

implement international law inrespect to the prisoners, whoshould be regarded as prisoners ofwar," he said.

Palestinian human rightsgroups say up to 2,000Palestinians in Israeli jails havebeen refusing food since April 17.Two have been on hunger strikefor some 70 days and are said tobe in serious condition.

China says citizens not safe in PhilippinesChina has told its citizens that

they are not safe in thePhilippines, as a month-long

row between the two nations overrival claims in the South China Seathreatened to spill out of control.

Chinese travel agenciesyesterday said they had suspendedtours to the Philippines, undergovernment orders, while theChinese embassy in Manila advisedits nationals already in the countryto stay indoors ahead of plannedprotests.

"Avoid going out at all if possible,and if not, avoid going out alone. Ifyou come across any demonstrations,leave the area, do not stay to watch,"the embassy's advisory said.

A coalition of Philippineactivist groups are planning tohold rallies at Chinese embassiesaround the world on Friday tosupport the Philippines in thedispute.

Organisers hope thousands ofpeople will attend what theyexpect to be the biggest of therallies, in Manila, and the Chineseembassy's safety alert wascirculated chiefly to warn itsnationals about that protest.

The safety alerts came as theChinese state media reportedBeijing was prepared to usemilitary force to end the standoffover the Scarborough Shoalislands that both nations claim as

Mangled and smouldering vehicles are seen at the site of an explosion in Damascus May 10, 2012.

"Two explosions caused byterrorists took place on the road inthe south of Damascus," state TVreported, adding that the blastsoccurred "as people were headingto work and children to school".

Both the government and theopposition blamed each other for

Red Cross suspends operations in PakistanThe International Committee of

the Red Cross (ICRC) hassuspended humanitarian

activities in two of Pakistan's largestcities, Peshawar and Karachi.

The move follows the killing ofKhalil Dale, a British nurse workingfor the group.

His beheaded body was found on29 April, after he was abducted fourmonths ago.

Humanitarian groups say theyare reviewing their presence inPakistan because of increased attackson staff.

"The recent attack against the

ICRC compels us to completelyreassess the balance between thehumanitarian impact of ouractivities and the risks faced byour staff," said Jacques de Maio,ICRC's head of operations for SouthAsia.

Paul Castella, head of the ICRCdelegation in Pakistan, said thatin the coming weeks theorganisation would announce adecision on its future presence inPakistan.

The organisation has alreadystopped its activities in the south-western province of Balochistan

and its capital, Quetta, where MrDale's body was found.

A note found beside the bodyblamed the organisation forfailing to pay a ransom.

Thursday's announcementmeans the ICRC is not currentlyoperating in three of Pakistan'sfour provinces.

On Wednesday, a statementfrom the Pakistan HumanitarianForum (PHF) - an umbrella groupof nearly 50 charities - warnedthat recent murders andkidnappings of international aidworkers would further impede

efforts to help the most vulnerablein Pakistan's conflict areas.

According to PHF, at least 19aid workers have been murderedacross Pakistan since 2009. Morethan 20 were abducted bymilitants and criminals.

It has warned that "this trendof increased targeting ofhumanitarian aid organisationsand personnel will furtherimpede the ability ofhumanitarian agencies toprovide life-saving and life-enhancing support to the mostvulnerable population".

"On the external level there is nodoubt that it was an attempt toabsorb the big changes that havetaken place in the region - the so-called Arab Spring - and maybe apreparation for several issues," hesaid.

Asked if Iran might be one of theissues, he said: "Maybe."

Haniyeh said the currenthunger strike by hundreds of

Palestinians in Israeli prisons wasa test of Israel's commitment touniversal humanitarianprinciples which must berecognised. He warned that thedeath of any prisoner would have"negative repercussions", but didnot elaborate.

"I do not wish that anyprisoner in Israeli jails is martyredand so I demand that they

their own."No matter how willing we are

to discuss the issue, the currentPhilippine leadership is intent onpressing us into a corner wherethere is no other option left but theuse of arms," the China Dailynewspaper said in an editorial.

"Since ancient times, ournation has deemed war the lastresort in handling state-to-staterelations. But Manila is living in afantasy world if it mistakes ourforbearance for timidity."

The two nations have had non-military vessels stationed at theshoal since April 8 in an effort toassert their sovereignty to thearea.


Sleeping with a blow-dryer and eating toiletpaper: Reality show exposes strange addictionsImagine not being able to sleep

unless your hair-dryer was inbed with you.Or having an addiction to eating

not chocolate or cheese, but toiletpaper.

As bizarre as it seems, this is thecase for some people who are beinghighlighted in new Americanreality TV series, My StrangeAddiction.

Lori Broady's strange obsessionbegan at the age of eight when shetook her hair dryer to bed with her

Obsessed: Lori Broady cannot sleep without having her hair-dryer running in bed next to her.

and slept with it running.The 31-year-old said she finds

the warm air and the humming ofthe dryer comforting, but it has alsobeen dangerous.

Miss Broady has woken up withburns on her arms and chest fromthe direct heat of the dryer.

A fire recently started in herhome when her dryer fell to theground and caught ablaze.

Her young daughter has alsonow picked up on the habit and likesto sleep in her mother's bed - on thehair-dryer side.

'My older sister was kind of theone who introduced me to the hairdyer. I just had a hard time sleepingat night when I was a kid', she added.

Despite the mishaps with herbizarre nocturnal activities, MsBroady said: 'To me that isinsignificant to the comfort that itgives me'.

Another subject on the show hasan addiction to eating rolls and rollsof toilet paper.

Keisha explained her bizarreritual: 'I love the way the toilet paperfeels on my tongue. When I'm inmy car I keep a roll in my glovecompartment box.

'[My mum] doesn't understand

that I've tried and I can't stop'.Another woman on the show,

April Brucker, chose herventriloquist dummies over herfiancé.

The New York resident has alsohad issues holding down a regularjob because of her addiction to thedummies, but denies that theobsession has taken over her life.

'I have actually used my strange

addiction to my benefit; actuallymaking a living out of being aprofessional ventriloquist', sheinsisted.

'So it's served me well. RightMay?', she asked her constantcompanion. 'Absolutely', the puppetagreed.

Obsession specialist MichaelDow said that when habits, like theones featured in the new 12-part

reality series, affect personal andromantic relationships then helpshould be sought.

Mr Dow said that Ms Bruker'sventriloquist dummies may,'provide her with steadycompanionship' and it's more thanlikely that her puppets 'give her avoice to say things by proxy thatshe might feel comfortable sayingherself'.

Blown off: The single mothersays her obsession with herhair-dryer has also cost herromantic relationships withsome men finding her behaviourodd

Contd. from Back Page

three other fakes - sponsored bythe government, politicians andcriminal groups - that use thebrand to advance their own self-centered agendas.

Many in the North see thepatent inaction of the authoritiesas the advancement of a sinisteragenda to destroy an alreadynear prostate northern economythrough occupation,militarization and disruption ofsocio-economic activities. Thefederal government has donenothing to deny these or indicateotherwise, and the stategovernments have acquiesced tothe cavalier attitude of the Villa.

Terrorism and corruption arebig issues with no easy solutions.There are no silver bullets andno country has been able toeradicate corruption or be totallyimmune from domesticterrorism. I will make somesuggestions here as a basis fordiscussion and way forward.

I do not think our anti-corruption strategy attacks theroots of corruption. In addition tothe unsuccessful 'arrest-and-charge' approach that we havefocused on, I believe we mustreduce cash transactions to thebarest minimum. If alltransactions are electronic, it willbe harder for untraceable, illicitpayments to be made. If CBN'spush towards cashless banking iscomplemented with a national IDsystem that can identify,monitor and audit everyresident, and his or her financialtransactions when a court orderis obtained, it will be harder totake bribes and launder themoney.

Between terrorism and corruption (II)We also need to strengthen

institutions by appointing decentpeople to head them, respect theirtenures and appoint successorsfrom within rather than bring inpolitical hacks to do jobs that theyare neither qualified nor trainedto do. Our judiciary needsrevamping.

Terrorism is a harder nut tocrack. I am of the view that amulti-track approach isnecessary to increase the chancesof its success. First, the prevailingnarrative in the Jonathan campmust be discarded. Thisnarrative is what the nationalsecurity adviser tried tocommunicate at the Asabasummit of south-south leaders,but was misunderstood by themedia. Jonathan and his innercircle believe that Boko Haram isa northern conspiracy to preventJonathan enjoying hispresidency.

This narrative is believed bymost Niger Delta leaders becauseof their own experience inorganizing, training and armingthe militants and providingfunding for MEND during theperiod of ‘resource control’agitations of the Obasanjoadministration. Because theirswas a conspiracy of the politicalelite, they think the North musthave done the same. They alsofeel that Boko Haram largely killsnortherners or "parasites" as oneJonathan aide Reno Omokri oncetweeted; so the more they arekilled, the lesser the burden onthe 'oil-rich hosts'.

With this narrative wired inthe brains of Jonathan's innercircle, they spent their first yeartrying to link some of us inopposition to Boko Haram instead

of honestly facing the realculprits. While wasting time onus, the sect grew stronger, bolderand better trained. The first steptherefore is to unwind thisnarrative and honestly ask theright questions.

It is of course disingenuous tobelieve the narrative, but I assureyou that they believe it. BokoHaram's first bloody confrontationwith the authorities was under anorthern, Muslim president in2009. And Obasanjo is not anortherner and a muslim butgoverned without Boko Haram.Anyone can see that it is indeednortherners and Muslims thatconstitute the bulk of the victimsof the insurgency. And I think theinsurgency escalated not becauseJonathan became president bywhatever means, but because thegovernment did not care toaddress it early enough. Nowthings have spiraled out ofcontrol.

Secondly, I believe thefundamental roots of theinsurgency challenge - rewardingthose who take up arms againstthe state with the cash hand-outscalled amnesty program has to bereviewed. Any society thatrewards bad behavior with cashcreates a moral hazard that mayconsume that society. Thosegiving out the cash should knowthat they are doing no favors toanyone. Indeed, they are fosteringan entitlement culture thatwould ultimately be the undoingof that part of the country. BokoHaram does not appear to bemotivated by money, so thosethinking of an amnesty-likeprogram may need to go back tothe drawing board.

Thirdly, the corruption,

inequality, poverty andunemployment cocktail thatgave birth to violent crimes andterrorism need to be addressedthrough well-thought out andtargeted programs of investmentin education, healthcare, skillsdevelopment and training, andinfrastructure building that willprovide employmentopportunities in variouscommunities. In addition, theauthorities must criminalize theexistence of political thugs bywhatever name and of whateverdescription, and ensure electionsare free, fair and credible. Thepolitical parties need reforms,leadership selection be guidedlargely by merit, while theelectoral institutions need to bealive to their responsibilities.

Fourthly, as a medium term,structural measure, we mustwork to restore our federalism tothe broad outlines embedded inthe 1963 republicanconstitution, devolving morepowers and responsibilities to thestates and making the federalgovernment less of a busy body.This would require that states likeBauchi whose annual internally-generated revenue is N7 billionshould not run a governmentcosting N58 billion because ofmonthly hand-outs from Abuja.Each state should learn to livewithin its means and seek toactively develop its comparativeendowments. State governorswill then be compelled to usetheir resources better and notpoint fingers at the federalgovernment.

Finally, in addition toreviewing the failed militarystrategy now in place and scalingback what has become the

militarization of the north, thegovernment must work withcommunity leaders in Borno,Yobe, Plateau, Kano and KadunaStates to identify interlocutorsthat would enable honestdiscussions with Boko Haram toestablish what they REALLYwant. The arrest and prosecutionof those that murdered theirleaders would certainly be onedemand, but there may be othersthat the government knows butwould not want us to know. TheMaitatsine sect was easilydefeated in the 1980s because thesurrounding communitiesdespised them and their methods.The current situation in Kanoand Borno States is one in whichthe military occupiers are killingmore innocent people than BokoHaram, which injustice iscreating resentment against theArmy. Unless the recklesskillings of unarmed men, womenand children stop, thesecommunities would revolt sooneror later.

There is nowhere in the worldwhere insurgencies like BokoHaram have been defeatedpurely through military forceand occupation - ask theAmericans about Afghanistanand Iraq, or the British aboutNorthern Ireland. Those saying"crush them" should know thatrecent history of the war on terroris not on their side. We want acountry that works for everyone,and this senseless loss of livesmust end soon. The governmentthat has the responsibility for oursecurity must bend overbackwards to deliver it. If theycontinue to fail in this regard,they will not be in governmentfor too long.


Being motivated and having a goal inlife ‘can stave off effects of Alzheimer’s’

She added: ‘These studies arechallenging because manyfactors influence cognition andresearch studies often lack thebrain specimen data needed toquantify Alzheimer’s changes inthe brain.

‘Identifying factors thatpromote cognitive health even asplaques and tangles accumulatewill help combat the already largeand rapidly increasing publichealth challenge posed byAlzheimer’s disease.’

The study was published inthe journal Archives of GeneralPsychiatry.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Researchers have found thata greater sense of purposein life may help stave off the

effects of Alzheimer’s.Study leader Doctor Patricia

Boyle, of Rush University MedicalCentre in Chicago, said: ‘Ourstudy showed that people whoreported greater purpose in lifeexhibited better cognition thanthose with less purpose in life evenas plaques and tanglesaccumulated in their brains.

‘These findings suggest thatpurpose in life protects against theharmful effects of plaques andtangles on memory and otherthinking abilities.

‘This is encouraging andsuggests that engaging inmeaningful and purposefulactivities promotes cognitivehealth in old age.’

Dr Boyle and her colleaguesstudied 246 people who did nothave dementia and whosubsequently died and underwentbrain autopsy.

They received an annualclinical evaluation for up to 10years, which included detailedcognitive testing and neurologicalexams.

The people taking part alsoanswered questions about purposein life, the degree to which one

derives meaning from life’sexperiences and is focused andintentional.

Brain plaques and tangleswere quantified after death. Theresearch team then examinedwhether purpose in life slowed therate of cognitive decline even asolder people accumulated plaquesand tangles.

While plaques and tangles arevery common among people whodevelop Alzheimer’s dementia -characterised by prominentmemory loss and changes in otherthinking abilities - recent datasuggest that plaques and tanglesaccumulate in most older people,

even those without dementia.Plaques and tangles disruptmemory and other cognitivefunctions.

Dr Boyle’s team noted thatmuch of the Alzheimer’s researchthat is ongoing seeks to identifyways to prevent or limit theaccumulation of plaques andtangles in the brain, a task thathas proven quite difficult.

Studies such as the current oneare needed because, until effectivepreventive therapies arediscovered, strategies thatminimise the impact of plaquesand tangles on cognition areurgently needed.

Hope: New evidence could help find strategies to help minimise the impact of the disease on suffersand their families in the future

Agony: Alzheimer's can have a devastating effect on people's livesbut scientists have discovered a link between how much purposepeople believe they have in life and improved cognitive function.

One in six cancers are caused by preventable infectionsOne in six cancers are caused

by preventable infections,research shows.

Infections cause around twomillion cancer cases a year, with80 per cent of these effecting thedeveloping world.

Of 7.5 million cancer deathsworldwide in 2008, 1.5 millionwere down to treatable orpreventable infections, reportsthe Lancet Oncology.

Catherine de Martel andMartyn Plummer from theInternational Agency for Researchon Cancer in France said:‘Infections with certain viruses,bacteria, and parasites are one ofthe biggest and preventablecauses of cancer worldwide.

‘Application of existing public-health methods for infectionprevention, such as vaccination,safer injection practice, orantimicrobial treatments, couldhave a substantial effect on futureburden of cancer worldwide.’

For the study the teamestimated the proportion ofcancers that could be attributedto infection globally and in eightregions by calculating thepopulation attributable fractions

(PAF) - the proportion of newcancers in a population that couldhave been prevented by anintervention.

They calculated that around16 per cent of all cancersworldwide in 2008 were infection-related, with the fraction ofcancers related to infection about

accounted for more than 80 percent.

Dr de Martel concluded: ‘The2011 UN high-level meeting onnon-communicable diseaseshighlighted the growing globalagenda for prevention and controlof non-communicable diseases.

‘But although cancer isconsidered a major non-communicable disease, a sizableproportion of its causation isinfectious and simple non-communicable disease paradigmswill not be sufficient.’

In an accompanyingComment, Goodarz Danaei fromHarvard School of PublicMedicine, Boston, said: ‘Theirestimates show the potential forpreventive and therapeuticprogrammes in less developedcountries to significantly reducethe global burden of cancer andthe vast disparities across regionsand countries.

‘Since effective and relativelylow-cost vaccines for HPV andHBV are available, increasingcoverage should be a priority forhealth systems in high-burdencountries.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Two types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) cause around 70 percent of all cervical cancers

three times higher in developingthan in developed countries.

The fraction of infection-relatedcancers varied widely betweenregions, from 3.3 per cent inAustralia and New Zealand to 32.7per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr de Martel said: ‘Manyinfection-related cancers are

preventable, particularly thoseassociated with humanpapillomaviruses (HPV),Helicobacter pylori, and hepatitisB (HBV) and C viruses (HCV).’

Cervical cancer accounted foraround half of the infection-relatedburden of cancer in women, andin men liver and gastric cancers

Since September 2008 there has been a national programme tovaccinate girls aged 12 to 13 against the human papilloma virus.


Chief Yunana Iliya

CPC government in Nasarawa lacks vision totransform the state, says PDP chairman

In a few weeks, it will beone year since your partylost the governorship of

the state. Considering that thePDP has been in power in thestate since 1999, how has theparty been managing itsaffairs now that it is not inpower?

Like you rightly said, PDP inNasarawa state, just like inNigeria, is clocking 13 years ina few days’ time. The party hasfared well before the advent ofthe party that is called the CPCtoday. The party in Nasarawastate, up till now, remains theparty to beat. It is a strong partyin the state; a strong party in allthe local government areas andalso the strongest party in theelectoral wards. And so, becauseof the followers and thefellowship that we have with oneanother the party is faring verywell.

Your recent emergence asChairman of the party in thestate, as well as othermembers of the exco, hasbeen trailed by controversy,with a section of yourmembers alleging that youmanipulated the statecongress to your advantage.How do you react to that?

Well, anybody who has theevidence of manipulation canalways present it. You know thatcongresses are not conducted bystate chapters of the party.Congresses are the prerogativeof the National Secretariat of theparty. The exercise, just like inany other state, was conductedin an atmosphere that was freeand fair and very peaceful. Iwant to say without mincingwords that the congress thatbrought us to office for the secondtime was the freest and fairest. Iwitnessed the congress of 2004,where nobody bought forms,where no elections took place. Ialso witnessed the congress thatbrought me into power in 2008,there were a lot of negotiations,agreements here and there,consensus and we came about aleadership that worked between2008 and 2012. The congressesof 2012 appears to be the real

Recently, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) inNasarawa state inaugurated two committees, oneto reconcile aggrieved party members andanother on strategic planning, to produce aworking document to reposition the party to dobetter in subsequent elections. Chief YunanaIliya, state Party Chairman, in this interview withour Nasarawa state correspondent, Ali AbareAbubakar, opened up on how the PDP has beenfaring since losing the governorship election ayear ago and other matters. Excerpts:

ANALYSIS

congress; because it was a freeand fair election; peoplecontested and voted, right fromthe wards, local governmentsand the state. So, for anybody tosay that elections weremanipulated, I think such aperson is only being mean withthe truth.

Is there any deliberateattempt on your side toreconcile with the aggrievedparty members?

As a party chairman, eventhe day that I was inaugurated,my acceptance speech wascentred on reconciliation. One,if not for those that feltdisenchanted and left but for thefact that today, we do not have agovernment at hand. We haveour members that were lost inthe dwindling political sceneacross the state and because ofthat we have to look for them, tofulfil the biblical injunction thatif a man who owns one hundredcows and one got missing, such aperson must leave the remaining99 to go in search of the missingcow. So, we are makingdeliberate attempt to reconcileourselves. In a short while, I willbe constituting two committees,one of which is a ReconciliationCommittee and then a Strategyand Planning committee. Thereconciliation committee willcentre on reconciling allaggrieved party members.There are people who feltdissatisfied with my previousadministration; I want to appealto them to come back.

It is a known fact thatmost political office holdersin the state, even thegovernor, were originallyPDP members beforedefecting to the CPC. Is thereany move by the party toreconcile these groups?

This group of people haschosen what to be, it is just likepreaching the gospel to someonewho has already converted. Weare a strongly religious people,Christianity believes it is thesafest religion that can safehuman kind, Islam also believesit is the religion that can savepeople. Even traditionalists have

their beliefs. Now everybodybelongs to his party but if anyonehas any reason to come back, weare still on ground to receivethem but we will not go back tosay, we want you to leave yourparty and come back and joinus.

Now looking back at thepast one year, how can yourate the activities of thepresent CPC administrationin the state so far?

Well the administration ofCPC in Nasarawa state, as it hasto do with governance is verypoor. This is because like theypromised, that in three months,the entire state will wear a newlook, we are now getting to ayear and we are yet to see anychange. We have not seen anychange. If you are comparingadministrations between 2008and 2011, Alhaji Aliyu AkweDoma commissioned projects inone year. He went round theentire state to flagged offprojects, roads constructions,which of course today remainedan eye openers as well as openingup rural areas and linking themwith urban centres. Theseprojects are empirical, they arethere for everyone to go and see.We have Doma-Agbashi road,

Nasarawa-Eggon-Mada Stationroad, with the road in use, youcan go there and see. We alsohave Kokona Junction-Agwadaroad, Gitata-Panda- Karu road,we have Umaisha-Toto road, allthese roads are there for all to see.These projects were flagged off inhis first year in office and he wasable to complete them. Somebecause of the lack of funds werenot completed. So if you areasking me to assess thegovernment of today, I will say,that the CPC government in oneyear is characterised by sackingof government workers,Permanent Secretaries, sackthis, sack that. I think that is theonly visible work that the CPChas so far been able to do. Insteadof empowering people, instead ofharnessing the human resourcesthat we have in the state, so thatwe can reposition the state, theway they were saying initially,he has succeeded in worseningthe situation in Nasarawa state.People talk about the about 4 or5 km of roads that he has done inLafia, as something to writehome about. This type of roadscould not cost more than N500mbecause in the first place, thereis no bridge to be built. If you areconstructing a road without a

bridge, it is just like cementingyour house or landscaping yourhouse. Try constructing a roadwith a bridge and see how muchit will cost you. This thing is notup to 5 km in Lafia that has beendone, we have not seen similarthing in Akwanga, we have notseen similar thing in Nasarawa-Eggon, in Doma, Awe and Toto.So what happens to the otherparts of the state? People goabout saying there are busesplying the roads all in the nameof CPC government. I want tosay that these buses wereprocured, brought to Lafia evenbefore the general elections of2011. The documents are therefor everyone to verify. 30transformers were bought sometime ago and it became a sing-song, everywhere you go,transformers, as if these willtranslate to light instantly. 30Transformers are insufficient. Amember of the State Assembly,Philip Gyunka, bought 15transformers in Akwanga and Iwent and commissioned them,he bought them using hispersonal money. If anindividual could buy 15transformers, what is 30 for astate government, that it shouldbe a song?

Moreover, the kind of lightwe are having now is epileptic;nobody gets light. All the talkthat they will reshape the statein three months, we have notseen anything resemblingdevelopment so far. If you sayyou are practicing a populistgovernment, it should go withaction. People should not bedeceived by the way andmanner government is beingrun in Nasarawa state.Government is being run towitch hunt, if you are seen inthe civil service as someone whowas close to the previousadministration, you get thesacked. If you are being close toanybody in the party here, youare hunted down. That is notwhat government is all about.Moreover, before Al-makurabecame the governor of thisstate, we were made tounderstand that he was set todonate N20 billion to the state.I want to ask, where is that N20billion he promised the state? Iwant to ask, the money comingfrom the federal allocation,where is it? Are we saying thatthe few roads being constructedin Lafia along have consumedthe billions of naira meant forthe state? The people ofNasarawa state should opentheir eyes; nobody should bedeceived by the way andmanner our governmentofficials climb motorcycles,jumping from one motorcycleto another, thinking they arebringing themselves low beforethe people. We have gonebeyond that.

“The people of Nasarawa state shouldopen their eyes; nobody should be

deceived by the way and manner ourgovernment officials climb motorcycles,

jumping from one motorcycle toanother, thinking they are bringingthemselves low before the people


Forum assured that plans wereunderway to confront thechallenge.

This was contained in thecommuniqué issued at the weehour yesterday after aprotracted meeting and read bythe Chairman of the Forum,Governor Rotimi Amaechi ofRivers state.

According to him,governors would hold abrainstorming session in nextmonth with a view to

Governors vow to tackle insecurity

State governors under theaegis of the NigerianGovernors Forum (NGF)

yesterday have vowed to tacklethe spate of insecurity in thecountry.

This is coming as thegovernors pleaded with thepeople to show understandingwith the government at variouslevels on the level of insecurityin the country even as the

By Lawrence Olaoye

The National Secretary,Action Congress ofNigeria (ACN) Sen. Lawal

Shuaibu, yesterday called for therehabilitation of cultists as a way tocurb the menace in the country.

Shuaibu, who said this in aninterview with the News Agency ofNigeria (NAN) in Abuja,was reacting to the Secret CultSocieties and Similar ActivitiesProhibition Bill 2012 recently passedby Bayelsa State Government.

He said the bill was repugnantto natural justice, equity and goodconscience and therefore null andvoid.

“There are so many issuesinvolved with cultism; once youresolve to arrest you have deal withthe psych.

“You have to work on people’sreorientation the same way yousubject drug addicts to rehabilitationand there are experts in thatreorientation and rehabilitation tobring back the person to the normalway of thinking and socialising,’’ hesaid.

Shuaibu also added thatrenounced cultists could assist thestate government to curb themenace of cultism.

Reacting to another bill signedby the state government whichstated that career civil servantsshould be signatories to all chequesfrom local government, Shuaibu saidthe civil services were made up ofregulations and not laws.

“You don’t legislate on who signsa cheque, it is not law but regulation.The regulation on who signs acheque is contained in civil serviceregulation not in any law.

“Even if it is a law and youamend that law nobody will followit, even the local government jointaccount as passed by NationalAssembly a few years ago which gavethe governance direct access to localgovernment funds, in the face of thelaw it is perfect but people abuse it,’’he said.

Shuaibu said to improve theperformance of local governmentsthere should be a level of qualificationand experience for council chairmento be considered.

“The age should be consideredalso and when that is done, moreshould be given to local governmentand less money to state.

“Let there be grass rootsdevelopment directly by the localgovernment, they know what theyneed,’’ he said. (NAN)

ACN calls forrehabilitationof cultists

The interim Chairman of theCongress for ProgressiveChange, (CPC), Katsina state,

Alhaji Faruq Adamu Aliyu hasannounced the dismissal of somekey members of the party in thestate.

Briefing newsmen, yesterdayat the party secretariat in Katsina,Aliyu disclosed that those dismissedinclude, Senator Yakubu LadoDanmarke, former chairman ofthe elder’s committee of the partyin the state, Alhaji MammanAbubakar Danmusa, Dr. BashirKurfi, Alhaji Tijjani Zango.

The rest, according to him are,Senator Abdu ‘Yandoma, SenatorAhmad Sani Stores and a memberrepresenting Batsari-Danmusa-Safana at the House ofRepresentatives, Alhaji GamboMusa Danmusa.

He noted that the party took thedecision to dismiss these keymembers after series of discussionswith the ‘warring’ parties over theproblems bedeviling the progressof the party in the state.

Aliyu stressed that themembers were specificallydismissed for committing anti-party activities by assisting thePDP during the conduct of the 2011general election in the state.

Similarly, the interimchairman alleged that eventhough the members knew thatthe party kicked against unitygovernment arrangement at alllevels, they went ahead to pickappointments with

the PDP state government.On the fate of the former

chairman of the party, Dr.Yusha’u Armaya’u, Aliyu notedthat the party would not take anystand on him for now since he saidhe has gone to court to challengehis sack as the chairman of theparty in the state.

He however disclosed that theCPC in Katsina state would sooninitiate the recall of the dismissedmember of the House ofRepresentatives, Alhaji GamboMusa Danmusa, adding “we willinitiate his recall since he is sittingon our party’s ticket”.

Aliyu also announced thedissolution of the party’sexecutives in Kurfi, Batsari,Sandamu, Bakori and Danja,disclosing that a caretakercommittee has been formed tooversee the affairs of these fivedissolved local government

CPC dismisses Lado, Danmusa, othersFrom Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina executives.

On the formation of localgovernment councils caretakercommittees by the stategovernment, the chairmandescribed the process as nakedimpunity and an unconstitutionalact.

He therefore gave the stategovernment one week to reversethe process or face legal action fromthe party, stressing “what theassembly and the government didwas illegal as the constitution ofthe land has no provision for anycaretaker arrangement”.

Participants at a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish a Senior Secondary Schools Board, on Wednesday, in Rivers State House ofAssembly. Photo: NAN

addressing the nation’s securitychallenge which he said hadbecome a nationalembarrassment.

The communiqué stated thatthe governors have “ resolved tochannel more resources towardthe empowerment of youths,women and the vulnerable inthe country’’.

It added that the governorshad also resolved to createenabling environment foreconomic development as efforts

to mitigate the lingeringsecurity challenges in thecountry.

The Forum equallyexpressed concern at the lowlevel of commitment ineradicating polio and promisedto hold council chairmen andrelevant stakeholdersaccountable.

It also reiterated its earlierdecision that Deputy Governorsshould take charge of the statetask force on polio eradication

A Non-GovernmentalOrganisation, the Societyfor Rule of Law in Nigeria

(SRLN) has described the sack of788 striking doctors by the StateGovernor, Mr. Babatunde Fasholaas wicked, inhuman andtyrannical, adding that; “By thataction, Governor Fashola and hisparty, the Action Congress ofNigeria (ACN) have shown thatthey are worse than militarydictators.”

In a release signed by itsNational Coordinator, ComradeChima Ubeku, SRLN said ACN’s

justification of the arbitrary sack wasto say the least, criminal, saying; “theACN has by its justification of the sackdemonstrated that it is against themasses of Nigeria and their welfare.

“It is alarming that Lagos Stategovernment gets average of N30billion per month cannot honour itsagreement with doctors, whoseduties are essential to the well-beingand continous existence ofLagosians.

“We are even more worried thatwith the huge resources accruableto Lagos state government,Lagosians are still the onesresponsible for their own welfare.There is no water, no good roads,

Group slams Fashola, ACN over doctors sackpublic schools are collapsing andnow Lagosians can no longer gettreatment for their ailments inpublic hospitals. The question thenis; what does the government usethe N30 billion that it gets monthlyfor?”

While berating human rights inthe country for keeping silent on thedoctors sack, SRLN said; “Those whoregard human rights activists inNigeria as people that are fightingfor the rights and welfare of themasses should know by now that itis only when Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) does something that itis wrong? When the same is done bythe ACN hypocrites, it is right.”

while state governors‘ wivesshould assist in the day-to-dayinterventions in the fightagainst polio where necessary.

The meeting was attendedby governors of Rivers, CrossRiver, Bayelsa, Ebonyi,Kaduna, Kogi, Abia, Enugu,Imo, Anambra, Nasarawa,Katsina and Sokoto statesamong others. The deputygovernors of Bauchi, Lagos andZamfara, states representedtheir governors at the meeting.



Edo Guber: PDP guber candidategrieves over neglect of Ijaw

Edo State PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP)governorship candidate,

Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd.),expressed great shock when hewas confronted with what hecalled ‘the criminal neglect” of theIjaw dominated riverine areas ofEdo state.

Airhiavbere, in continuationof his state wide tour prelude tothe formal launch of hisgovernorship campaign for theJuly 14 election in Edo state,slammed the government of theday for abandoning the Ijawpeople in abject poverty.

He described the socio-economic situation of the Ijawpeople in Edo state as “evidence ofthe extent of neglects” of the peopleby the government.

Airhiavbere was in companywith his wife, Yetunde, and a hostof PDP chieftains including Sen.Rowland Owie, Hon. ChristopherAdesotu, Mr. Lucky Imasuen andEghe Tesorae, during the visit. He

Abati is a liar, says CPC

By Lawrence Olaoye said at Ajakurama in Ofunamaward of Ovia South West LocalGovernment of the state that thelevel of poverty in the area wasdue to leadership failure.

Spokesperson of Ofunamaward, Mr. Soweibibor Kimbor, inhis address, said the incumbentgovernment led by ComradeAdams Oshiomhole had failed tofulfill promises made to them.

He said “till date the Ijawpeople in the state do not haveaccess to potable water, healthcare service and schools, amongothers, as the ones built years backhave become dilapidated.

Kimbor stated “the peoplecontinuously experience highrate of maternal mortality dueto lack of health care facilities inthe area as pregnant womenhave to go to the localgovernment headquarters(Iguobazuwa) and environs forhealth services.”

He explained that it is hecticfor the people to always travel theover 80 kilometres distance to theLocal Government

headquarters, lamenting that“at times they (pregnantwomen) die on the way or developcomplications.”

The spokesperson told the PDPcandidate and his entourage thatthe last time Governor AdamsOshiomhole visited the area wasshortly after he emerged in 2008,pointing out that he came via ahelicopter because the road (UdoAjakurama Road) leading toOfunama was completely in badshape.

According to Kimbor,“Because we know, you are the onewe can trust, the entire youths,women, men, and the elders ofOfunama ward are waitingearnestly to give our votes toAirhiavbere of the PDP on July14, 2012.”

Airhiavbere, who caved in toemotions, said while dabbing hiseyes with an handkerchief, thatprovision of basic amenities bygovernments all over the worldwas not subject to request but astatutory responsibility of everyaccountable government.

Congress for ProgressiveChange (CPC) has notedwith dismay the statement

credited to the Special PresidentialAdviser on Media, Reuben Abati,claiming that PresidentGoodluck Jonathan, that hisprincipal has fulfilled all his electionpromises, saying he indulges indeliberate deception.

In a statement issued yesterdayby its publicity secretary, RotimiFashakin, the party said "Nothing

is more mendacious as thisPresidential aide has only succeededin exposing the Jonathan regimeas only interested in using publicoffice for grandstanding rather thanselfless service to the Nigerianpeople."

It lamented that Abati hasembarked on the self-destructivevoyage of self-delusion andunconscionable self-deception byhis clams.

"The provision of stableElectricity to the Nigerian peoplewas the cornerstone of the electoral

promises of Good-luck Jonathan.The recent admission by thePresident that planning defect (byhis government) for theIndependent Power Project (IPP) hasaccounted for the bungling of theschedule of the delivery of power tothe Nigerian People, is enough tovitiate the unfortunate statementby Dr Abati." The statement readin part.

CPC further expressed concernthat the metaphor of "I had no shoes"by the President during theelectioneering campaign has not

According to him, “Whenelected on July 14, I assure youthat my administration will, inearnest, after our swearing-in,first and foremost, tackle therecurrent sufferings of the peopleespecially the problem of lack ofhealth care facilities and services.

“My administration willcommit itself to rapid building ofschools and roads linking thecommunities. Teachers that willbe employed in the schools mustbe qualified indigenes from theareas as well as medical personnelmust be qualified Ijaws. We willlensure medical treatment is freefor pregnant women and theelderly of 70 and above.”

Airhiavbere said further, “I’maware that most youths,particularly in this part of thestate, are unemployed. Therefore, for those that can’t befit for white collar jobs, suchyouths will be exposed to artisanskills such as making of boats,clothes and other entrepreneurialskills associated to those in thearea.”

engendered concomitantempathetic feeling from thePresident towards ensuring betterliving for the many indigentNigerian students.

It pointed out that Nigerian roadsare in more parlous state than thesituation two years ago, adding thatthe poverty level in Nigeria hasbecome worsened to the extent thatmillions of Nigerians are still livingbelow one dollar ($1) per day.

"Under Jonathan's watch, therewas an impeachable breach of the2011 appropriation act in unilateralovershoot of the appropriated N240Billion for fuel subsidy to N2.67Trillion." CPC bemoaned.

The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) in Nasarawastate has inaugurated

two committees that will helpthe party regain its lost gloryby ensuring that the partyemerges victorious in the 2015general elections.

I n a u g u r a t i n g t h eReconciliation and Strategicand Planning committees atthe secretariat of the partyyesterday, Yunana Iliya, statechairman, charged membersof the committees comprisingseasoned politicians andtechnocrats, to evolve ablueprint that will bring backthe party to its former glory.

He recalled in hisacceptance speech that whilebeing recently inaugurated asParty Chairman, hecategorically pointed out thatthe new state exco may notsucceed in its responsibilitieswithout reconciling aggrievedmembers of the party,stressing that it was for thatreason that a committee toreconcile differences amongmembers across the state wasbeing inaugurated, to beheaded by Engr. Tanko BabaAbdullahi.

Iliya also explained that theStrategic and Planningcommittee, headed by Dr. BalaAhmed Tafida, have beencharged with the task ofproducing a workingdocument that will point theway forward for the party toregain its lost glory.

Responding on behalf of theappointees, Dr. Bala AhmedTafida, thanked the party forfinding them worthy ofappointment as members ofthe committees, assuring thechairman that they will carryout their duties earnestly, aswell as ensure that individualsand groups within the partyare reconciled.

“The most important thingis to accept that something waswrong and there arechallenges and to sincerelyaddress these challenges. PDPhas made a mistake andhaving realised this, we arenow poised to correct this andreclaim what belongs to us.”Tafida stated.

Members of thereconciliation committeeincludes; Abdullahi TankoZubairu, Alh. HaliluEnvulanza, Alh. Sule Nasidi,Suleiman Ubam, Mrs. HadizaVictor, Hajiya Halima Jabiru,and Chief Philip Dada, whodoubles as secretary, whilethose of the strategic andplanning committee includes;Dr. (Mrs.) Mary Nghargbu,Kasimu Bakyano, NasiruKwarra, Musa Adamu Saidu,Alhaji Jibrin Sabo Keana andBarr. Musa Aloko.

2015: NasarawaPDPinauguratescommittees toreposition partyFrom Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

L-R: Chairman of Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF) and Rivers state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, with Katsina state Governor, AlhajiIbrahim Shema, during the NGF meeting on national Security, Economic Challenges, and Polio, on Wednesday in Abuja. Photo: MahmudIsa

By Ikechukwu Okaforad


Nyako, Adamawa PDP host Bamanga Tukur

As part of programmesslated for the grandreception of Adamawa

born National Chairman of thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP)Alhaji Bamanga

Tukur, Governor MurtalaNyako in conjunction withstate chapter of the partyplayed host to him yesterday.

Ambassador Idris Waziri,former Minister of Commerce,

who is Chairman of the ActionCommittee of the grandreception, told journalists in

Yola that the north-east PDPcaucus was organising theevent to show solidarity andfull acceptance of Bamanga asthe National Chairman of thePDP.

“Leaders and members of thePDP in the North East zone havedecided to organize a grandreception in honour of theelection of our elder statesman

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as thePDP National Chairman”Waziri stated.

Waziri disclosed that thegrand reception would takeplace on Saturday 12 May 2012,at Tukur’s home town of MayoKalaye, in Jada council area ofAdamawa state.

Waziri therefore appealed tocitizens of the zone to come outen masse to throw their weightbehind the actualisation of theprogramme as well as galvanize

The winner of the January2011 governorshipprimary election in Kogi state,

Jibrin Isah Echocho yesterday told aFederal High Court, Abuja that hisown case before it was different fromthat of the former governor of Bayelsastate, Timpriye Sylva which wasearlier dismissed by the SupremeCourt.

At the resumed hearing of his suitseeking to unseat Governor Idris Wadaas the governor of Kogi state beforeJustice Abdul Kafarati, counsel to theplaintiff, Wole Olanipekun (SAN),argued that the case of Sylva whichthe defendants are relying upon wasnot related to the instant case.

He added that the judgment ofthe apex court in Sylva’s case was notan issue in this present suit as thecourt did not set aside the judgementon tenure elongation which is thebasis for the present suit.

Olanipekun further argued thatin the case of Bayelsa, it was Sylvawho went to court to invalidate theprimary which he won but Echochohad not gone to court on his own,rather his cause of action arose at theinstance of the Supreme Courtjudgement on tenure elongation.

Earlier, counsel to Wada, ChrisUche (SAN) argued that it was not indispute that there were two primaryelections both in January andSeptember, 2011 and the plaintiffparticipated in the two primaryelections.

He also argued that every claimof the plaintiff is as to the effect of theApril 2011 election and as long as thesaid election was cancelled, everyother election relating to it isautomatically canceled adding thatthe suit before the court is an internalaffair of the party.

He further submitted that thecase of Sylva which was dismissed bythe Supreme Court had finally haltedthe suit of the plaintiff and urged the

My case different from thatof Sylva, Echocho tells court

court to rely on the judgement of theSupreme Court to dismiss the instantsuit.

Counsel to the IndependentNational Electoral Commission(INEC), Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN)submitted that the court do not havejurisdiction to entertain the matterbecause the plaintiff is asking thecourt to interpret the judgment of theSupreme Court on tenure elongationand also asking it to give aconsequential order.

He further submitted that bySection 251(1) (q) (r) (s) of the 1999Constitution did not permit the courtto do such a thing adding that thecourt has no power or right tointerpret what the constitution willimply in the judgement of theSupreme Court.

Awomolo further argued that thereliefs sought by the plaintiff areavailable at the election petitiontribunal and not a Federal High Courtbecause such reliefs are post electionissues and prayed the court to dismissthe originating summon.

In his own submission, counsel tothe PDP, Olusola Oke argued thatwith reliefs sought by the plaintiff,especially 3-8, is seeking to nullify theelection which the party won addingthat by the authority in RotimiAmaechi, it is the party who won theelection and not an individual.

He added that the judgement ofthe Supreme Court on tenureelongation has nothing to do with theelection in Kogi state stating thatcourt did not give any expressstatement on it.

Oke further argued that apolitical party is justified to conduct afresh primary election when oneelection is cancelled and urged thecourt to dismiss the suit of the plaintiff.

After listening to all the parties inthe suit, the presiding judge, JusticeAbdul Kafarati adjourned till June29 for judgment.

It will be recalled that the courthad fixed today for hearing of the suitafter the case was re-assigned by theChief Judge of the Federal High Court,Justice Ibrahim Auta to JusticeAbdul Kafarati.

The re-assignment was at theinstance of the Wada who throughhis counsel told the Court of Appealthat he wanted the matter takenaway from Justice Donatus Okorowoand be re-assigned to another judge.

The Progressive ActionCongress (PAC) yesterdaycommended the Bayelsa

state Government for enacting alaw that attracted 10- year jail termfor involvement in cult activities.

NAN recalled that Gov. SeriakeDickson of Bayelsa signed the Billprohibiting secret cults into law lastThursday.

The National Chairman, ChiefCharles Nwodo, made thecommendation in an interview withthe News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Nwodo said it was a welcomedevelopment for Bayelsa, bearing inmind the gravity of cultism, politicalviolence, thuggery and kidnappingthat led to the destruction ofproperties and loss of many lives.

He said democracy did notcontain violence, as the sovereigntyof the people was the almightyformula in the struggle forleadership in democracy.

“ It is unfortunate that cultismhas even extended to traditionalleadership tussle, schools and motorparks resulting to bloodletting in thename of leadership.

“ The National OrientationAgency should as a matter ofurgency, intensify efforts in creatingawareness about the establishmentof social centres in the society toenlighten the people on the dangersof cultism,” he said

He said that efforts should alsobe geared toward reconciling thecommunity action with peace forthe development of their variouscommunities.

He added that the use of lawenforcement agencies in addressingcultism must be in accordance withthe laws of the land in order to avoidvictimisation of the innocent.

Meanwhile, the party has alsofaulted the decision of the BayelsaState Government to sign into law abill retaining only career civilservants as signatory to councilaccounts.

Dickson signed the Bill into lawlast Thursday in Bayelsa.

The National Chairman, ChiefCharles Nwodo, made the remarksin an interview with the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN).

Nwodo said it was not possible todivorce the signatory of the chiefexecutive officer of any organisationfrom its accounting system,especially in the implementation ofmajor projects.

He said that there should becollaboration with the chiefexecutives and the career civilservants in the signatory in theevent of contracts and otheractivities in any council.

“ The danger of removing thechief executives’ hands from thesignatory is that he can manipulateany approval and ask the careercivil servants to sign and at the endhe gets away with it.

“ The implication further is thatthe career civil servants can raise acheque at their own free will withoutthe consent of the chief executiveofficer who oversees the affairs of thecouncil,” he said

He said the accusation in the oilindustry of people recyclingvouchers of payments 100 timescould be rampant at the councillevel.

PAC backsBayelsa govton cult activity

support for the NationalChairman.

Peoples Daily learntPresident Goodluck Jonathanwould serve as the Special Guestof Honour just as Vice PresidentNamadi Sambo, Senate

President David Mark,Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives, all PDPGovernors, members of theNational Assembly and otherPDP bigwigs are expected to bein attendance.

Gov. Saidu Dakingari ofKebbi state has pledgedto support the Police in

the state to entrenchcommunity policing andcurtail crime.

The governor made thepledge in Birnin Kebbi onWednesday while receiving thenew Commissioner of Police,

Dakingari pledges support for community policing in KebbiMr. Adisa Bolanta in his office.

He said the state was proudof the enviable role played bysecurity agencies in facingsecurity challenges that hadreduced crime to the lowestlevel in the state.

Dakingari said that the stategovernment’s support tosecurity agencies would be

sustained. He appealed to residents in

the state to support securityagencies by providing timelyinformation that would assist incrime control.

Bolantahad earlier told thegovernor that the commandwould place emphasis onprofessionalism, pro-active

policing and service delivery tomaintain the low crime rate inthe state.

The commissioner said thedelay in his official courtesyvisit to the governor was due tohis posting on the eve of thegovernorship re-run election onMarch 31.

L-R: Deputy House Leader, Hon. Leo Ugor, US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Terence McCulley,Speaker, House of Representative, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal ,and Political and Labour Officer of USEmbassy, Mr. Paul Stevenson, during the US ambassador visit to the speaker, yesterday at the NationalAssembly, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

From Blessing Tunoh, Yola

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin


Logistics inadequacies have compelled organisers ofthe second edition of the ECOWAS U-23 Gamesscheduled for June 2 through 8 in Accra, Ghana, to

be put on hold.Organisers say the competition, which is meant to unite

West African players as well as provide needed ambienceto generate and grow senior players for the respectivecountries of the region, will now take place from June 16through 22.

The new dates were revealed when the ECOWASCommissioner for Human Development and Gender, Dr.Adrienne Diop visited the hosts, Ghana’s Minister of Youthand Sports, Honourable Clement Kofi Humado, where he

disclosed the challenges they are working to addressbefore the fiesta holds.

The Minister, who expressed Ghana’s appreciation toECOWAS for accepting the new dates and acknowledgedthe country’s commitment to a successful hosting of thebiennial sporting competition, reiterated that it will featureathletics, handball, volleyball, traditional wrestling and boxing.

Dr. Diop expressed confidence in Ghana’s ability to hostthe Games, noting that this would contribute to theattainment of regional integration objectives.

She assured the minister of ECOWAS’ readiness to assistGhana to host successful games.

Nigeria hosted the inaugural edition of the U-23 regional

Games in 2010, with competitions in four sports, athletics,handball, volleyball and traditional wrestling.

The Games are expected to promote and enhance sportsas a means of uniting and encouraging the youth in WestAfrica to progress through balanced development.

The competition also provides a forum for interactionamong West African youths strengthens sporting andeconomic ties between Member States and promotes asense of belonging among participants.

In addition, this year’s Games would serve as a goodplatform for West African sports men and women toprepare for the London Olympic Games taking place laterin the year.

Logistics put ECOWAS Games on hold

Mikel Obi

Some participants in the ongoing Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) Senior Tennis Tournament in Lagos haveapplauded the umpires for their good officiating.

The participants awarded the umpires high marks inseparate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)at the National Stadium, Surulere.

Fourth seed Lawal Shehu described the standard ofofficiating at the championships as commendable, addingthat there was no need for argument with the umpires.

“I am impressed with the officiating of my matches andothers that I have witnessed over time, and I have foundout that the umpires’ decisions are always right,” Shehusaid. Destiny Da-Silva, the 15th seeded player, said umpiresat the tournament had a firm grip on the games and hailedthem for their efforts.

“I give kudos to the umpires and the way they handlethe situations while officiating matches, knowing full wellthat officiating is a vital part of the game which requirescorrect interpretation.

“ Although, I am out of the male singles, but still in themales doubles, the officiating was just perfect,” Da-Silvasaid.

Number two seed, Abdul-Mumuni Babalola, describedthe standard of officiating at the championships asencouraging. “This year’s officiating is better whencompared to the previous year’s.’’

Fatima Abinu, seeded number one in the femalescategory, said: “I have no cause to worry about theumpire’s judgement in match officiating since the start ofthe tournament. I believe they are worthy of our praise”.

Unseeded Sarah Adegoke said the umpires had done agood job with regard to officiating. “I would say that thedecisions of the umpires are very factual and correctwithout mincing words,’’ Adegoke said.

Mikel Obi will only be afactor in StephenKeshi’s plans for the

Super Eagles if he promisesto honour invitation to thenational camp as well as showcommitment and dedicationexpected from every memberof the team.

Coach Keshi gave thecondition while chatting withPeoples Daily Sports andnoted that Mikel’simprovement in recent timeswere worthy of note butadded that he must be readyto show same commitmentto the Eagles as he had beenknown to demonstrate for

Chelsea.“Mikel Obi has improved

tremendously in recenttimes. He is a factor in mybooks provided he meetscertain conditions which arenot different from what Iexpect from others.

“I am looking for playerswho are committed,dedicated and ready torespond to national callunselfishly. So, for the monthof June, I will give thoseready to serve opportunityand like every other player Ihave been monitoring,Mikelwill have his chance,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chelseadefensive midfielder, has saidhe has recovered from an

ankle injury and will beavailable for this weekend’stie against Blackburn Rovers.

Mikel, who is yet to playfor Nigeria since StephenKeshi assumed the leadershipof the Super Eagles’technical crew, said he hasrecovered fully from theinjury that sidelined him fromthe English Premier Leaguegame on Tuesday againstLiverpool at Anfield.

According to him, theinjury was not severe addingthat he is back on his feetand ready for Chelsea’s finalgame of the 2011/2012 seasonagainst Blackburn onSaturday.

Speaking with a wire

service from his base, Mikelsaid it was a slight knock onhis ankle and he could evenhave played against Liverpool,but manager preferred notto take any risks.

“I missed the Liverpoolgame due a slight knock onmy ankle. It is not somethingto worry about, in fact Iwould have played the gamebut the manager decided torest me so as not toaggravate the injury.

“I am fit for this weekendgame but my playing willdepend on the coach, whopicks the team. But if it isfitness, I am good and as fitas fiddle. May 19 is on mymind,” he said.

Keshi gives Mikelcondition for Eagles return

David Haye

The British Boxing Board of Control has threatened to sanction anyone that wouldbe involved in the proposed bout between Dereck Chisora and David Haye. Theboard reiterated yesterday the licence of Chosora remained suspended

indefinitely and as such he would not be allowed to fight anywhere the United Kingdom.It would be recalled that the Luxembourg Boxing Federation was said to have

approved the fight and scheduled same to take place at West Ham Football Club’sUpton Park stadium in London on July 14. Chisora’s licence to box was withdrawn“indefinitely” in March after a brawl during a media conference following Haye’s defeatagainst heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in Munich. Haye does not hold a validlicence to box in Britain after announcing his retirement last year following his defeatby Wladimir Klitschko.

The so-called grudge match between the British boxers according to Chisora’spromoter Frank Warren has insisted he is not trying to undermine the board but topboard members are adamantly opposed to the contest. Although the board’s threat isunlikely to mean much to either Haye or Chisora, who are both without a licence, iffollowed through it could have implications for Warren, one of the leading promoters inthe UK.

The board said in a statement on Wednesday: “Those behind this proposal are notconcerned with the interests of the sport of professional boxing.

“Any member who participates in such a promotion would bring the sport of boxinginto disrepute and would wholly undermine the authority of the British Boxing Board ofControl. “For the avoidance of doubt, any member of the British Boxing Board ofControl who participates in any way in such a promotion will be deemed to haveterminated his/her membership of the British Boxing Board of Control and his/herlicence therewith. “This is nothing more than an attempt to circumvent the decisionof the stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control, in respect of Dereck Chisora,for monetary gain,” the board said in the statement. Haye and Chisora’s camps wereseparated by a 2m fence at a press conference to announce the bout on Tuesday.

For the avoidance of doubt, any member of the British BoxingBoard of Control who participates in anyway in such a promotionwill be deemed to have terminated his/her membership of theBritish Boxing Board of Control and his/her licence therewith.

“

British boxing authority threatensto sanction Haye, Chisora, others

Players hail officiatingat CBN tennis tourney

By Patrick Andrew

Dereck Chosira


But for the entry of Nigeria’s BlessingOkagbare, today’s Samsung DiamondLeague 100m and 200m would have beenexclusive to the American and Jamaicanspeedsters.

The Nigerian, who won an Olympic long jump bronzein 2008 and the 100m-long jump double at the Africanchampionships in 2010, wants to make a statement

preparatory for an historic London 2012 Olympics whichis less than three months from today.

Okagbare, who wants to concentrate on the long jumpand 100m and perhaps the 4x 100m relay events in London,will be on the blocks against Veronica Campbell-Brown-the double Olympic and reigning world 200m championand who won the world 100m title in 2007.

The Jamaican also has to her credit this year’s worldindoor 60m crown that she won in Istanbul and makes her2012 outdoor debut with her sights set on more Olympicglory in London.

Then throw this into the mix: Take all three Olympicmedalists, add a woman with three Olympic and two worldtitles to her name, and throw in Allyson Felix, a womanwho has won nine times, in Doha and you have quite adelectable prospect in the women’s races.

Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and the twowomen she beat to take Beijing gold, Sherone Simpsonand Kerone Stewart, and then Allyson Felix who wouldwant nothing but to remain invincible in her speacialty-400m, then you have must watch races.

Fraser-Pryce notched up a 22.53 200m in Kingston, whileFelix – an impressive winner of the 400m here last year –who though may need to improve on her 11.22seconds inDaegu in Japan few weeks ago to get close to the meetingrecord of 10.93 she shares with Stewart.

Two friends, compatriots and yet rivals Janeth Jepkosgeiand Pamela Jelimo will be on the marks for the 800m goldmedal. Jelimo enshrined her name in gold at the BeijingGames in 2008 by beating her fellow Kenyan.

It will be their 16th meeting but Pamela leads the head-to-head count by nine wins to six, and has the fasterPersonal Best of 1:54.01 to 1:56.04. However, Jepkosgeihas won the last six, a feat she may not want to relinquish.

Also, Jelimo has set two national indoor records on routeto winning the world indoor title this winter and will belooking for a winning start to her Olympic campaign.

But Janeth has a record to defend. With a gold wonfive years ago, Olympic silver and world silver and bronze,Janeth yearns for nothing but to rekindle the 2007 spiritwhen burst onto the 800m stage at the World Championshipwith the gold medal dangling from her neck.

Though there are several serious contenders like Indianrecord holder Luka Tintu,who holds Asian Games medalistin 2010, American Molly Beckwith, an Australian TamsynManou, who won the world indoor title in 2008, andBritain’s Emma Jackson, all of whom have sub-2 minutePBs, including two other Kenyans, it appears the mainthreat to the two principles could be Fantu Magiso, the19-year-old Ethiopian record holder who was fourth atthe world indoors.

Albeit, the form of Janeth and Pamela may be a littlesuspect, it seems all right to say that the world record1.53.28 seconds set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in Munich,Germany in 1983 and Meeting record by Jolanda Ceplak in2001will be seriously threatened. The hurdles races will

equally throw up excitingcontests particularly in the400m where Olympicchampion Melaine Walkerleads three Jamaicansagainst British rising starPerri Shakes-Drayton.

Walker got stunned byLashinda Demus of UnitedStates in Daegu losing theworld record and should beworking to repositionherself as she sets out todefend her Olympic crownin London. Walker clockedan 55.28 in Kingston,Jamaica few weeks ago.

Shakes-Drayton though isin the mix and could pose achallenge. The Britoncapped her Europeanbronze in 2010 with wins in the 400m and 400 hurdlesdouble at her national championships last summer.

Four years ago, Cameroon athlete Francoise Mbangomade history as the first African to win the women triplejump event back-back. Then she went into oblivion.However, she has resurfaced but not as a Cameroonianbut French, and now wants to be the first women to winthe event for three consecutive times under two differentnationalities.

Francoise, who now has Etone in her name will beginthe quest to stop former world champion TatyanaLebedeva whom she beat to the Olympic title four yearsago and hopes to sustain her usually form of peaking atmajor championships for incredible results.

The favourite here could be world silver medalist OlgaRypakova, who opens her outdoor season here afterfinishing second in the world indoors earlier this year.Others on queue are Marija Sestak, the Slovenian recordwho jumped beyond 15 metres in 2008, Polish recordholder Malgorzata Trybanska, and Slovak record holderand world indoor finalist Dana Veldakova. Brazilian KeilaCosta is the South American record holder and three-times a South American champion, while Chinese recordholder Xie Limei is a former Asian Games champion.

Yelena Isinbayeva has been in and out of form. But sheremains a threat. Though not exactly against her peers,the Russian though will be confronted by threecompatriots, French record holder Vanessa Boslak, secondat the world indoors, and Poland’s two-times world silvermedalist Monika Pyrek. However, women Pole Vault bluffsbelieve her main threat lies in Yuliya Golubchikova, the2009 European indoor champion who was fourth at theBeijing Olympics. Even then, Silke Spiegelburg, who setthe meeting record two years ago, can’t be dismissedwith relative ease. The German indoor record holder willbe keen to get her outdoor campaign underway in similarfashion after finishing fourth at the world indoors in March.

Six years ago, Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasuba set the meetrecord in 100m. He clocked 9.85 seconds to stun awedworld. Sadly, Nigeria’s glowing flame has since beenextinguished for not lack of talents than the nurturing ofprococious talents.

Nonetheless, today, inDoha, Asafa Powell, winnerin 2010 with 9.81 seconds,2004 Olympics 100m goldmedalist, Justin Gatlinreturn to the stage tochallenge for the gold. TheAmerican regained theworld indoor 60m title inMarch and has run 20.11 for200m this season.

Lerone Clarke, whoclocked 10.03 in Kingston,Nesta Carter, the world andOlympic relay championwho picked up world indoorsilver behind Gatlin inIstanbul; and Jaques Harvey,the 2011 World UniversityGames champion are alsopoise for the Dohachallenge.

Okagbare dares American,Jamaican speedsters in DohaBy Patrick Andrew

“Two friends, compatriots and yet rivalsJaneth Jepkosgei and Pamela Jelimo willbe on the marks for the 800m gold medal.Jelimo enshrined her name in gold at theBeijing Games in 2008 by beating herfellow Kenyan.

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It was only two months ago that Chelseahanded their head reins to Roberto DiMatteo on an interim basis following the

departure of Andre Villas-Boas. The latterhad come under mounting pressure as theBlues entered the final stretch of theseason in less-than-the desired form. Afteronly eight months in charge, overseeingwhat threatened to be the worst seasonsince owner Roman Abramovich bought theclub nine years ago, they turned to DiMatteo to revive their fortunes.

A former Chelsea midfielder himself, theItalian has overseen one of the mostthrilling turnarounds in Europe this season,with the side suffering just two defeats inhis 17 matches in charge thus far. Di Matteoassumed control of a club slipping in thePremier League standings and hanging by athread in the UEFA Champions League. Andwhile he has conceded that a top-four finishin the league is likely unattainable, he hasalready guided Chelsea to a fourth FA Cupin six seasons with a 2-1 win over Liverpoolat the weekend, and is within reach ofmaking history in the UEFA ChampionsLeague.

En route to booking a final against BayernMunich at Allianz Arena on 19 May, Chelseapulled off a shock victory over heavyfavourites Barcelona in the semis largelythanks to Di Matteo’s defensive tactics.Now, while Chelsea near achievingunprecedented glory in Europe’s most-prestigious club competition, Di Matteo ison the brink of success few interimmanagers have matched in history.

Hiddink previews Di MatteoWhile temporarily steering a club to

success can often prove too daunting atask, just as in Di Matteo’s case only a selectfew have been able to defy the odds. Infact, preceding Chelsea’s latest revivalunder Di Matteo, the club underwent asimilar managerial change in the 2008/09season. After a string of poor results, theBlues dismissed Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari,opting for then Russia coach Guus Hiddink.Taking Chelsea to the semi-finals of theChampions League, where they wereknocked out in dramatic fashion by eventualwinners Barcelona, the Stamford Bridgefaithful pleaded for the Dutchman’spermanent appointment, but he insteadchose to leave the club on a high note.During his three months in charge, Hiddinklost only one match, and in his last matchin charge helped Chelsea to an FA Cup finalvictory over Everton.

Although Hiddink came up just short ofreaching the final hurdle in the ChampionsLeague, caretaker Aston Villa manager TonyBarton led Aston Villa to a shock EuropeanCup success over Bayern Munich in 1982.Although the triumph largely underwhelmedthe greater European public, it marked anextraordinary achievement for a clubcompeting in the tournament for the firsttime.

Germany’s interim trioMeanwhile, in 1986, just a few years after

Barton’s reign at Villa came to an end, a

relegation-threatened Cologne side partedways with coach Georg Kessler and optedto appoint assistant coach Christoph Daum.With intentions to keep the young coachin charge only until the end of the season,Daum exceeded expectations by avoidingrelegation from the Bundesliga, and wenton to enjoy a permanent three-year stintwith the club.

Current Germany boss Joachim Low isalso among the Bundesliga coaching eliteas he was named interim coach of Stuttgartjust two days prior to the 1996/97 season’sstart. Low began his campaign with DieRoten with an impressive five straightvictories, and soon became renowned forproducing the most attractive football inthe Bundesliga that season. With a trio ofstars in Krasimir Balakov, Giovane Elber, andFredi Bobic contributing to the team’sappeal, Stuttgart ended up winning the DFB-Pokal and reaching the UEFA Cup Winners’Cup final in 1998 on Low’s watch.

Daum and Low don’t hold all the interimlaurels in Germany, though, with 1974 FIFAWorld Cup-winner Franz Beckenbauerenjoying two temporary spells as BayernMunich coach. In 1994, Beckenbauer led

Joachim Low

the Bavarian outfit to the Bundesliga title,while in 1996 he famously took the reinsfrom Otto Rehhagel just three weeks aheadof the UEFA Cup final - a tie in which theyending up defeating Bordeaux in convincingfashion.

In Scotland, meanwhile, former Celticmidfielder Neil Lennon returned to his oldstomping ground for his first managerial gigin 2008 as manager of the club’s reserves.The Northern Irishman had his sights seton the first-team job, though, and followingTony Mowbray’s departure in 2010 wasappointed interim boss. Lennon won all theremaining league matches with Celtic thatseason, which included a defeat of bitterrivals Rangers, and was finally named headcoach on a permanent basis.

In Norway in 2006, Knut Torum took overfor Per-Mathias Hogmo at Rosenborg, andultimately guided the club from ten pointsoff the place to the title.

Highs to lowsHowever, while all these managers have

bagged a trophy or two during their stintsin charge, some interim-turned-permanentcoaches have suffered ill fates. Turning toArgentina, both Sergio Batista and Juan

Jose Lopez can attest to temporary spellsgone wrong. Batista, who guided theArgentina U-20 team to gold at the Men’sOlympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008,took over the senior side from the out-of-contract Diego Maradona. Batista began hisinterim role in fine fashion, with a 4-1victory over Spain and was soon appointedfull-time boss. However, his success wasshort-lived. In his first competitive test, theArgentinians were shockingly eliminated inthe Copa America 2011 quarter-finals byUruguay and Batista was subsequentlysacked.

Also in Argentina, River Plate interimcoach Juan Jose Lopez endured one ofthe cruelest fortunes of all. After apromising start to his campaign with River,securing a fourth-place finish in the TorneoApertura, Lopez oversaw the Buenos Airesgiants’ drop to the second division for thefirst time in the club’s history after a stringof poor form in the proceeding Clausurasaw them mired in a fight for survival. But,even though Batista and Lopez werecertainly left to rue their misfortunes, onlytime will tell where Di Matteo’s interimlegacy will end on a high or on a low.

Roberto Di Matteojoins interim elite

The Italian has overseen oneof the most thrillingturnarounds in Europe thisseason, with the sidesuffering just two defeats inhis 17 matches in charge thusfar. Di Matteo assumedcontrol of a club slipping inthe Premier League standingsand hanging by a thread inthe UEFA Champions League.Now they are 90 minutesaway from glory

“

Franz Beckenbauer

Guus Hiddink

Neil Lennon


Few would have thoughtit quite odd thatNigerian premier league

clubs were acting out ofcharacter had there notbeen incidences ofhooliganism and violence,especially as the seasonpeters to its end.

Well not all the clubs. Butthe majority, whether in thepremier or even thenationwide and nationalleague divisions, most haveone thing in common:propensity for illicit wins. Ofcourse, these dastardly actsare often instigated by clubofficials, mostly errand boysof politicians who got the jobfor reasons other thanprofessional competence infootball administration.

Well, they are competentbut in a different field:playing man Friday, creatingunnecessary altercation,gingering fear and causinghavoc at match venues. Theirreasons aren’t far fetchwhen one considers thefabulous amount stategovernments do dole out forthem to administer the clubswith.

No, we know the story, thebulk of the huge sums almostalways end up in their privatevault while the clubs sufferfinancial kwashiorkor.Ironically, clubs officials – thatis a good number- are knownto have developed distendedbellies, rosy cheeks while theplayers walk about ravaged byhunger and their clubsperpetually at the precipiceof relegation.

Players are owed, basictraining paraphernalia aredenied them, where theyexist, they are deliberatelyplundered and whateveraccommodation may havebeen provided the players areleft bare and in nearuninhabitable state. And yetthe players are expected todo miracles.

But nobody achievesmeaningful success in aphysically demanding gamewhen subjected to mental andphysical torture which is whatit amounts to when players areleft to go without their monthlyentitlements for severalmonths.

Little wonder at times likethis, when the chicken

gradually comes to roostdesperate measures arealways adopted to have an alibifor failure. Team managersdeliberately incite irate fansagainst referees fully awareof the likely consequences ofsuch actions.

Yes, they look for excusesaplenty; create them and dodastardly things that takeone back to the primitive eraof football.

Ironically, the sameelements that do blared theair waves with complaints ofnon-release of funds by thestate government or lack ofsame from the same sponsorswould fall upon themselves topay fines and other suchfinancial sanctions that mayimposed upon them for breachof fair-play rules.

Few weeks ago, whenviolence resurfaced in ourdomestic league withvoracious appetite thiscolumn had suggested thatsomething drastic be done.Well, there is always asemblance of drasticmeasures. None has workedand will ever given Nigeria’speculiar circumstances.

The recentresponses ofclubs officials toimposition offines by the NPLclearly tell thestory: suchsanctions are effeminate,therefore bereft of the forceneeded to instill discipline andensure sound morality in thegame and the way it’s run inthe country.

Someone has suggested thatstiffer penalties like jailinganyone found to have beeninvolved in hooliganism, causedhavoc at match venues andwhere culpability is establishedinvolving clubs officials suchshould be made to face thewrath of the law at the civilcourt. One thinks it’s the onlyto deter these wicked personsfrom further inflicting pains onour hearts and wrecking thebeautiful game.

Here one totally supportsthe call by the NFF Appealcommittee that the policeshould step in in the match-fixing case involving certainelements. Sadly, till datenothing concrete has beenheard from the police while the

Seeking alternative measures to curbrecurrent domestic league violence

alleged culprits walked aboutfree as men, perhaps givingfillip and alacrity to badelements to commit moredastardly acts to thedetriment of the league.

Unfortunately, it seems farfetch because unlike theEnglish Premiership Leaguewhere officials clearlyestablished a demarcationbetween self interest andentrepreneurial concern- inthis case the institution thatis the league, its corporateimage, interest and nationalprestige- the opposite is thesituation among so-calledclubs officials in Nigeria.

For the sake of the game,both the NPL and the NFFshould stop this lip service andenforce discipline.

This brings to the fore theinevitability of excluding so-called clubs owners from theboards of the leagues for thepurpose of allowing

professional persons to bearthe responsibility ofmanaging the leagues, as isthe case with advancedleagues.

Isn’t it high time thegovernment left sponsorshipof clubs to private individualsand private corporations sothat business interest ratherthan the fading socialinterest would take premium?The game has gone beyondbeing feeble political toolusually deployed by insincerepersons to swindle the state.

It’s a huge business andcaters for millions of persons.A functional sports industryespecially football will employmore persons than thenumber that all states arepresently employing.

For reference please askwhat the major industry(employment wise) in Spain,Portugal, Belgium, Hollandand Britain.

WATCH DOGBy

Patrick [email protected]

The Abuja Guard Polo Clubwillhold the Unity PoloTournament from May 15

through 20 in celebration ofNigeria’s Democracy Day.

Ben Garba, a representative ofthe sponsors revealed that the clubwill use the opportunity to reachout to some orphanages locatedwithin the North Central states.

In respect of the polotournament, Garba said that

players from England, South Africaand Argentina will feature addingthat matches will be played at theGuard Bridge Polo Club which isopposite the IBB Golf Club.

“We are organizing the annualunity tournament to join Nigeriansin celebrating the uninterrupteddemocracy day, here in Abuja atguard bridge polo club opposite IBBGolf Club.

“We are inviting some foreignplayers from England, South Africaand Argentina to join us in

The Nigeria FootballFederation has confirmedthe UJ Esuene Stadium,

Calabar as the venue for the SuperEagles next month’s 2014 FIFAWorld Cup and 2013 African Cupof Nations qualifying matches.

NFF President, Alhaji AminuMaigari confirmed yesterdayfollowing a meeting the previousday with the Director General ofthe National Sports Commission,Chief Patrick Ekeji where it wasagreed that Calabar should host

the matches against Namibia andRwanda respectively.

“It is settled. Together with theDirector General, Chief (Dr) Ekeji,we looked at all the optionsavailable to us and we decidedCalabar is the best choice fornow. Although work has startedon the pitch of the NationalStadium, Abuja, it will not be readyto host the match, especially withFIFA wanting us to confirm a venueby Friday (today),” said Maigari.

Nigeria will take on Namibia onthe opening day of the 2014 FIFAWorld Cup qualifying race onSunday, June 3 before flying toBlantyre for a Day 2 match in theseries against the Flames of Malawion Saturday, June 9. The Eaglesreturn to Nigeria to clash with theAmavubi of Rwanda in the returnleg of a 2013 African Cup of Nationsqualifying fixture on Sunday, June17.

Meanwhile, the NFF has alsoconfirmed that the Eagles,presently in camp in Abuja, willfly to Lima aboard an Iberia Airlineflight on May 19, for aninternational friendly against Peruon May 23. The team will returnto Nigeria on May 26 and headstraight to Calabar.

It’s 78 days to go. And the thecountdown to the LondonOlympics began with the

kindling of the Games torch by thesun’s rays in ancient Olympia.

It sparked a relay that willculminate with the lighting of theOlympic stadium’s cauldron at theopening ceremony on July 27.

And with Olympic, London andGreek officials along with some5,000 spectators watching insidethe stadium where the ancientGames were held, Ino Menegakiwas the high priestess thatappealed to the sun god Apollowho responded only after fewseconds igniting the torch at theruins of the Temple of Hera with

the help of a parabolic mirror.The relay’s first torchbearer,

Spyros Gianniotis, a Liverpool-bornGreek swimmer who won the goldmedal in the 10-km open waterevent at the 2011 worldchampionships, started the seven-day Greek leg of the relay beforethe flame is handed over toLondon organizers on May 17 andflown to Britain a day later.

The second torchbearer was19-year-old Alexander Loukos, a

Briton of Greek origin.London becomes the only city

to have received the Olympicflame twice - the first time beingfor the 1948 Games. The LondonGames chief Sebastian Coe wasalso in attendance and relishedthe experience.

Coe, twice a 1,500 metersOlympic gold medalist, visitedOlympia in 1975 as an 18-yeartourist, hardly expecting to beback in 37 years to watch the

torch being lit for an Olympicshosted by Britain.

Britain’s capital also hosted the1908 Games, but the torch-lightingceremony and relay wereintroduced for the first time forthe 1936 Berlin Olympics as partof Nazi propaganda.

The 70-day British leg of therelay will use 8,000 torchbearersand travel 12,800 km around thecountry, taking in 1,018communities and the 1,085-metre

summit of Snowdon, before endinginside the Olympic stadium on theopening day of the Games.

The relay will also take inlandmarks around Britain with theflame travelling by canal boat,cable car, tram, steam train, hotair balloon and even motorcyclesidecar on the Isle of Man TTcourse.

A strong police presencearound the ancient site, and inthe town of Olympia, made surethe event went off without ahitch. Four years ago humanrights activists briefly disruptedthe Beijing Olympics ceremony.

Namibia will train in Germanyand play a warm-up gameagainst Mozambique ahead of

next month’s 2014 World Cupqualifier in Nigeria.

The Super Eagles host the BraveWarriors on June 3 in an openinggame of a qualifying section thatalso has Malawi and Kenya.

Namibia, led by German technicaldirector Klaus Stark, will set up atraining camp in Kaiserau, Germany,from May 21.

During their 10-day stint inGermany, they will test theirreadiness with warm-up games withMozambique as well as German lowerleague sides.

The Brave warriors have calledup 23 players mostly drawn from thecountry’s league as well as fromneighbouring South Africa.

Among the call-ups are SouthAfrica-based strikers Lazarus Kaimbi(Jomo Cosmos), Tangeni Shipahu(Amazulu), Rudolf Bester (OrlandoPirates) and Henrico Botes(Platinum Stars). Midfielder ManfredStark from German club HansaRostock is the only Europe-basedplayer on the squad.

Olympia torch begins race for London Hera

Jacque Rogge, President ofIOC

Abuja Guard Polo Club hosts unity tourneycommemorate Democracy DayBy Albert Akota

At last NFF confirmsCalabar for Eagles’ matches

With this ceremony webegin the finalcountdown to a dreamthat came to life sevenyears ago in Singapore,when London wasselected to host the2012 Games,” saidInternational OlympicCommittee (IOC)President JacquesRogge in a brief speech.

“ Namibia line upMozambique forEagles

celebrating the transition daythrough polo competition,” hesaid.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairmanof the club, Mubarak Shehu Isah,who represented the Chairman,Hadi Sirika, appealed to polo fansto turn up to cheer the teamsduring the tournament.

The unity tournament iscategories into

Four trophies namely LegislativeShield, President Cup, the GuardsChallenge Cup and Guards Bridgetrophy will be at stake during thefive days fiesta.

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

FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012

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can tell you to go to hell in suchcan tell you to go to hell in suchcan tell you to go to hell in suchcan tell you to go to hell in suchcan tell you to go to hell in sucha way that you actually looka way that you actually looka way that you actually looka way that you actually looka way that you actually look

forward to the tripforward to the tripforward to the tripforward to the tripforward to the trip— Caskie Stinnett— Caskie Stinnett— Caskie Stinnett— Caskie Stinnett— Caskie Stinnett

Portuguesepolice toquestion ManUnited overBébé transfer

Unemployment is theprimary target of everysensible nation's economic

policy, but our policy makers seemquite content trumpeting andcelebrating our jobless growth.Nationally, at least two in everyfive able-bodied Nigerians willingand able to work has no job.

Income inequality is anotherserious problem. According to theNational Bureau of Statistics,NBS, in 2010, 65% of Nigeria'swealth is owned by just 20% of thepopulation. This effectively meansthat 80% of the population sharebetween them only about onethird of the nation's wealth. Thisincome inequality manifests itselfin conspicuous consumption by afew side by side with abjectpoverty experienced by the many.

Income inequality, unemploy-ment and poverty have beenshown to correlate strongly withincreases in violent crimes insocieties. This cocktail is what USAssistant Secretary of State forAfrican Affairs, Johnnie Carson,referred to when he stated thatNigeria's Boko Haram wascapitalizing on popular discontentwith bad governance in Nigeriain general and the North inparticular. The fact that virtuallyall indices of development andprogress have been deterioratingfrom 2007 in spite of being aperiod of high oil prices andproduction should make everythoughtful person to questionwhat is happening.

The Yar’adua-Jonathanadministration inherited about US$50 billion in foreign reserves,USD $27 billion in the excess crudeaccount, and only USD $3 billionin foreign debt. Yar’adua-Jonathan inherited a country thatwas liquid and had a strongbalance sheet, with BB- sovereigncredit rating by rating agencies.The economic prospects werebright if the political economy wasmanaged well. The twin deficits ofelectricity and rail transport werebeing addressed through theaward of contracts to build sevennew power stations and the Lagos-Kano dual-track, standard gaugerailway line.

Over the ensuing four years,the federation earned anotherUSD $180 billion from oil and gas,import duties and taxes. By 2011,all these resources had beenwasted with little to show for it.The excess crude account had beenrun down to less than USD $1billion, the reserves drawn downto about USD $35 billion and noneof the rail and power

infrastructure projects completed.What is significant is that sinceFebruary 2010 when he becameacting president, Mr. Jonathanhas been borrowing an average ofUSD $1 billion monthly, mostlyby issuing bonds, thereby doublingour total debt levels to nearly USD$42 billion and counting. Thefederal government is fastaccelerating towards insolvency!

In April 2007, Sheikh Jaafarwas murdered in cold blood whilepraying in his mosque in Kano byassailants that years later turnedout to be suspected members of asect to be known as Boko Haram,operating out of Bauchi State.However at the time the Sheikhwas killed, an attempt was made

to link the murder to the stategovernor Ibrahim Shekarau. Thisas we shall see, became arecurring pattern of behaviour bythe security agencies in cases of thisnature - the politicization ofterrorism.

In July 2009, Yar’aduadeployed the Nigerian Army to‘crush’ Boko Haram. The leadersof the sect were captured alive, orarrested from their homes andextra-judicially executed by theNigerian Police. The sect believesthat Ali Modu Sheriff, thengovernor of Borno State and theCommissioner of Police took thedecision to wipe out its leadership.They regrouped and went on whatwas essentially a revenge missiontargeting the Police, the BornoState Government and otheruniformed services of the FederalGovernment. That is how BokoHaram evolved from a largelypeaceful, fringe Islamicorganization to a vengeful sect andcurrently an anarchist threat tothe Nigerian nation.

Initially, Boko Haram’s targetswere symbols of authority (Police,Borno state government, etc.) andlimited geographically (BornoState) in coverage. The attitudeof authorities to the sect's activities(e.g. Northerners are killing oneanother, so we do not care,

Between terrorism andcorruption (II)

Police in Portugal areplanning to questionManchester United

about the club's •9m (£7.2m)signing of the striker Bébé fromthe Portuguese club VitóriaGuimarães, as part of theircriminal investigation into thedeal.

The judicial police nationalunit for combating corruption,part of the Justice Ministrybased in Lisbon, is investigatingthe 11 August, 2010 transfer,by which United paid that feefor a player whose onlycompetitive experience was asingle season in the Portuguesethird division.

Bébé's agent, appointeddays before he moved to United,was Jorge Mendes, also agentto Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani andAnderson, who moved fromPortuguese clubs to Old Traffordin previous seasons. Of the •9mUnited paid to Vitória for Bébé,Mendes was paid 40%, •3.6m(£2.89m). It was reported inVitória's subsequent generalmeeting that Mendes's •3.6mcomprised a 10% agent'scommission, •900,000, andthe further •2.7m becauseMendes had also just acquired30% of Bébé's "economic rights",part-ownership of the player.

Sir Alex Ferguson said at thetime that Bébé was the onlyplayer he had signed in his longmanagerial career withouthaving watched him at all first,even on video. United said Bébéhad been recommended byCarlos Queiroz, coach of thePortugal national team,formerly Ferguson's assistant atOld Trafford.

On 10 April, the police anti-corruption unit in Lisbon wroteto Bébé's former agent, GonçaloReis, asking him to attend attheir headquarters and as awitness to provide his accountof what happened in the deal.

etc.)emboldened them, and whenthe first bomb was exploded byMEND in Abuja on October 1,2010, the sect learnt a thing ortwo about how to grab nationalattention. As the media gave thesect attention, it mainstreamed itsactivities to first attack Yobe Statethen the Federal Capital Territory.

The watershed in the sect'sactivities was the June 2011bombing of the PoliceHeadquarters and the August2011 attack on the UNHeadquarters. By these actionsthe sect established the capacityto operate in the nation's capital,outside its original geographiclocation thus attracting nationaland global attention. Sadly,between 2009 and 2012, morethan 1,000 people have lost theirlives as a result of Boko Haram'sattacks in Maiduguri, Potiskum,Damaturu, Jos, Kano, Gombe,Kaduna and Abuja. In 2011 alone,Boko Haram attacked 115 timeswith 550 deaths resulting.

According to the WorldInvestment Report of UNCTAD,the Nigerian economy recorded areduction in foreign directinvestment from USD $8.65billion in 2009 to USD $6.1 billionin 2010 due to the fear of BokoHaram. The Nigerian tourismsector which is worth some N80billion annually has lost morethan half of its value due to fear ofterrorist attacks. The domesticaviation industry whichgenerates some N3 billionannually has been hard hit byflight cancellations to destinationsin the north, with nearly half ofthe revenues lost.

In Borno state, schools havebeen closed. In other affected partsof the north, normal social life isunlikely to return soon. In placeslike Jos, the city is so neatly dividedalong ethnic lines that thevibrancy and inclusion that hasbeen its heartbeat has been lost fora long time to come. The recentattack on media houses andBayero University has opened newareas and targets of the sect thatshould worry the authorities.

The North has been thehardest hit with the leadingcommercial centre, Kano beingunder military occupation sinceJanuary 2012. Kaduna, a leadingindustrial centre has also beenrepeatedly attacked by the variousshades of what is known as BokoHaram. Many of us believe thatthere are at least four variants ofBoko Haram - the real BH and

Labour Minister, Emeka Wogu

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

“Income inequality, unemployment andpoverty have been shown to correlate

strongly with increases in violent crimes insocieties. This cocktail is what US Assistant

Secretary of State for African Affairs,Johnnie Carson, referred to when he statedthat Nigeria's Boko Haram was capitalizingon popular discontent with bad governance

in Nigeria in general and the North inparticular

NNNNNASIR EL-RASIR EL-RASIR EL-RASIR EL-RASIR EL-RUFUFUFUFUFAIAIAIAIAION FRIDON FRIDON FRIDON FRIDON FRIDAAAAAYYYYY

[email protected]

Contd. on Page 35Bébé

Peoples Daily Newspaper, Friday, May 11, 2012

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