Peoples Daily Newspaper, Wednesday 29, May, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 8 Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Rajab 20, 1434 AH N150

. . . putting the people fi rst

Gloom peaks on Democracy Day

Reps stop President from withholding funds for emergency states >>5

FG launches N163bn Zungeru power project >>3

Doctors fl eeing Borno, Yobe, Adamawa — NMA warns >>2

Security tightens nationwideNo democracy in Nigeria — Balarabe MusaCNPP, Afenifere, Ekwueme pessimisticNigeria’s economy still in slumberANPP harps on free, fair elections >> 2, 28-30

CONTENTSNews 2-10Editorial 14Op.Ed 15Letters 16Opinion 17Metro 18-19Business 22-24Stockwatch 25Democracy 26-33Motoring 38Arts 39-40

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013PAGE 2

Doctors fl eeing Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, NMA warns

Gloom peaks on Democracy DayNews

By Lawrence Olaoye, Lambert Tyem, Ikechukwu Okafor, Mohammed Umar Puma, Abuja; Mohammed Ibrahim Kaduna and Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Gloom, despair pervade the air across the country yesterday as the nation

prepares for today’s celebration of 14 years unbroken democracy.

A celebration which ordinarily should attract pomp is to be celebrated low key owing to the situation the country is facing. Most stakeholders,who are hitherto upbeat and enthusiastic about such historic celebration, were seen yesterday wearing long faces.

While some Nigerians are of the opinion that the nation actuallly has a reason to celebrate, others who obviously were feeling the pains of the prevailing hardship in the country felt otherwise.

Security tightens nationwide

In order to ensure a secure, peaceful and hitch-free democracy day celebration, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar yesterday in Abuja directed all Zonal AIGs and State Command Commissioners of Police to deploy 24 hours intensive patrol at all borders, airports, seaports and others..

Abubakar said the AIG Border Patrol should without fear or favour, thoroughly search and screen all vehicles and individuals coming or going out of the country without exception to ensure that the nation’s borders are effectively manned to prevent any cross-border crime.

Police Spokesman Frank Mba noted that “The AIG Air-Wing has also been directed to provide similar aerial patrol for the FCT and other States.

“While saluting the courage and gallantry of offi cers and men of the Force, in protecting the nation’s thriving democracy, the IGP charges Police personnel to continue to subordinate themselves to civil authority and give maximum respect to the fundamental rights of the citizenry. He advises officers to remain politically neutral and steer clear of partisan politics in line with the professional ethics of the Force. He warns that offi cers found meddling in local politics within or outside their areas of jurisdiction will be

appropriately sanctioned”, Mba said.

No democracy in NigeriaN a t i o n a l C h a i r m a n o f

Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and former governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Balarabe Musa in his comment on Democracy Day said “The unfortunate thing is that the rest of the world are laughing at Nigerian elites and the ruling class because these two segments in Nigerian society are dancing naked. They are talking about democracy to the extent of calling themselves democrats. What is happening in Nigeria today has nothing to do fundamentally with democracy. What the Nigerian elites and the ruling class are deliberately confusing with democracy is merely civilian rule as opposed to military rule.”

According to him, democracy is not real in Nigeria. He said “If it exists you will feel it, for instance if we have in this country free, fair and transparent election leading to a legitimate government; If we don’t have the level of corruption, insecurity, waste of resources, insecurity which has now become a business; If we don’t have this political leadership that lacks moral and popular legitimacy, then we can talk of democracy. In the absent of all these why will you talk of democracy.”

We have not achieved much — Ekwueme

E q u a l l y r e a c t i n g t o t h e celebration, former Vice President in the Second Republic, Chief Alex Ekwueme, said “Well I would be honest with you, I don’t think we have succeed as much as we set out to do when we set up the G34 in April 1998 to challenge Abacha. When we formed the PDP, we set out a mass movement that will bring good governance to Nigeria and give Nigerians a good well being and good lives that they would not want to think of any other party after PDP, like National Congress in south Africa; we thought it will be an improvement in the lives of average Nigerian people. That has not happened; instead there is widespread poverty in the land; poverty is increasing rather than decreasing most especially when we are earning a lot of income from oil production. So I’m disappointed. Still, it is a good thing managing democracy

for 15 years.”

Democracy not working — Afenifere

To Yinka Odumakin, Spokesman to Afenifere,a pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, there is also no democracy in the country. He said “Where is the democracy we are talking about? it’s an abnormality to be talking democracy in Nigeria. Where is the democracy we are talking about? In 1999 Nigeria is better than what we have today; all indices show that Nigeria is worse. Poverty level has increased from what we have in 1999; Nigerians are more secured in 1999 than today. So it is insultive if our political class are celebrating democracy.”

No alternative to democracy — NASS

But, Senate President David Mark, in a statement issued on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, made available to newsmen yesterday said there is no alternative to democratic government , assur ing that National Assembly will continue to lay solid democratic framework for the thriving of democracy dividend in Nigeria.

Mark noted that irrespective of some short comings, Nigerians have by choice and design accepted the democratic culture. He said that Nigeria as a nation has overcome the teething problem of democracy and is now ready to move on, adding that the lawmakers will continue to cooperate with the executive without compromising in its independence.

According to him, “differences of political affi liation, or religion, notwithstanding, no Nigerian can deny the fact that democracy is now the way of life. We are mindful of the fact that we must maintain mutual co-operation for effective delivery of dividends of democracy. We shall do our part honestly, fairly and with the fear of God.”

While maintaining that the National Assembly would not compromise its constitutional mandate on oversight function, and legislation to make life much better for the ordinary man, he tasked Nigerians to put the Nation in prayers at all times to come over the challenges, especially insecurity, saying the nation needs peace and each other for unity and progress.

Similarly, the Deputy Senate

President, Ike Ekwerenmadu, said that the fourteen years of uninterrupted democracy in he country is painful but symbolic.

Honourable Ezeuche Ubani, is of the opinion that democracy in the country is ambivalent. He said “Encouraging in some ways but it is not quite encouraging in some areas but am glad that we live in very peaceful environment. Am glad that a lot of people are participating in decision making process. If we consider that there is local government, state and the federal system that calls for some bit of joy and am happy that we continue to see changes.”

ANPP calls for free, fair elections

Meanwhile, the opposition All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) has called on the Federal Government to be committed to provision of free and fair elections and the strengthening of democratic institutions, in the expectation that such will disengage those vices that have in the past retarded the nation’s democratic practice.

In a democracy day massage, issued and signed by its National Chairman, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the party called on Nigerians to rededicate themselves to the attributes of good governance, respect for the rule of law and selfl ess service.

“We fi nd solace in the sanctity of the ballot box and re-affirm our faith in the sacredness of free choice, as the pillar of popular participatory democracy, that should long endure”.

“As we consolidate our resolve to provide Nigerians with a stronger alternative political platform, we remain resolute in our conviction that such will arm them with the vision to engage the gear of our democratic vehicle, in such a way as to enable it successfully reach its destination, for the good of all. In this pursuit, our great Party will remain committed, fi rm and focused knowing that in the end, it is the people of our dear country that will benefi t”.

“We believe that the future of democracy in our dear country is bright. We ask all those who believe in what we believe in, to join us in the onward march to return popular power to the people, so that collectively we can defeat illiteracy, banish hunger, arrest insecurity and disarm poverty”, the statement added.

From Osaigbove Iguobaro, Benin

The National Medical Association [NMA] yesterday warned that poor health

condition may occur in the states affected by the emergency rule regime as medical doctors have begun mass exodus from the areas.

The NMA President, Dr. Osahon

Enabulele, told reporter s in Benin yesterday that the state of insecurity in the country especially the affected states made it diffi cult for Medical personnel to operate in the area, a situation he said had led to exodus of doctors in the affected areas.

According to him, doctors had been victims of shelling and attacks from both the Joint Task Force [JTF] and the terrorists in the area.

He cited the case of a doctor in Maiduguri who is still receiving treatment from bullet wounds received in one of the attacks.

Enabulele called on the Federal Government and other relevant to provide enabling environment for doctors to operate and give the people of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states access to medical care.

He also condemned the poor level of universal health coverage for Nigerians where less than four percent of Nigerians are covered by any form of health insurance scheme.

As he put, “unlike what we have in Rwanda where over 60 per cent of universal health coverage, like what you have in Uganda in Kenya and even in South Africa”

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013 PAGE 3

NSCDC appeals to Bauchi over offi ce relocation

L-R Chairman, Ashaka Cement Company, Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, Director General of the company, Mr. Adjoint Groupe, and Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo during their visit to the vice-president, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

FG launches N162.9bn Zungeru power project

Nigerian Navy to partner NITOWA on piracy

Boko Haram: Senior Customs personnel arrested over arms importation in Borno

News

Al h a j i S h u a y b J i b r i l , Commandant, National Security and Civil Defence

Corps(NSCDC), Bauchi, has called on the state government to assist the command by relocating its headquarters.

Jibril, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Tuesday, said the corps was currently facing many challenges and inconveniences at its current site.

He said that offi ces surrounding the current location could be dangerous for the offi cers and men of the corps should there be any outbreak of law and order.

He said that the present offi ce was surrounded by a market, a political party office, a welder’s compound and a motor park.

“Our building is not safe because we have different kinds of neighbours that can cause problems or even accuse us of being biased,” he said.

He said that the command had earlier requested for the old PDP Secretariat along Maiduguri road which would be convenient if only it would be allocated to the organisation.

According to him, the command is in dare need of an ambulance for some of its operations as its men are on a 24-hour patrol in the metropolis.

He said that his men had arrested and prosecuted many members of the dreaded ‘Sara Suka’ group.

The commandant also said that his men were being stationed in Mosques and Churches every Friday and Sunday.

Jibril said that any management of a Church or Mosque that had not been seeing his men should send a request, assuring them that such a request would surely be obliged.

He called on members of the public to be security-conscious and report any suspicious person to the command.

The commandant said that the NSCDC was working together with other security outfi ts in the state to rid it of crimes. (NAN)

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

Military forces at the weekend arrested a top personnel of the Borno

state Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS), (names witheld) for allegedly assisting suspected Boko Haram insurgents to smuggled several trucks loaded with large catche of arms and ammunition into the country, a security source, who declined

identification told newsmen yesterday.

According to the source, the customs operative, who is attached to the operations department, has allegedly been helping suspected insurgents to clear arms and ammunation smuggled into the country through border towns of the three neigbouring countries of Niger, Cameroon and Chad.

He was reportedly apprehended at h is home in Maidugur i metropolis by a team of heavily

armed soldiers.The incident could not be

confirmed as at press time as reporters were unable to reach customs authorities and the Joint Military Task Force, (JTF) following the cut-off of the mobile networks.

However, the alleged arrest of the customs personnel has became an issue of discussion among residents of the town and generated controversy.

It was further learnt that, the

offi cer, had not only been assisting the Boko Haram militants to import arms and ammunition but also aided their easy circulation within Maiduguri metropolis.

However another security source gave a different account on how the suspect was arrested, saying that the senior offi cer in-charge of guarding the border post received information each time a truck conveying arms was about coming into Maiduguri.

“He would simply tell his

junior colleagues to let it pass as it has been cleared from above, but luck ran out of him when the truck passed the customs security post but was subsquently intercepted by some soldiers who insisted in searching the content of the vehicle. During the process, the arms were discovered and that after serious interrogation the driver and other occupants fingered the customs operative as their collaborator”, the source further added.

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday kick-started the N162.9 billion Zungeru

Hydroelectric Power Project in Niger state.

Jonathan in his speech, said that the hydro dam project when constructed would generate 700 Mega Watts of electricity for the country.

According to him, the Zungeru Hydro Electricity Power Project was conceived in 1982, which is 31 years ago, but that due to constraints of funds the construction work could not commence.

J o n a t h a n s a i d t h a t h i s administration had now solved the fi nancial challenge, which was holding the construction of the dam by making funds available to build the dam.

He explained that it was in 1982 that the former National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) identifi ed the potentials of hydroelectric dam in Zungeru.

The president said that the event was a history making one, because the power plant would be the largest power plant to be built by this administration.

H e l i s t e d e m p l o y m e n t opportunit ies , agr icul tural development, and tourism as benefi ts from the dam.

He added that exportation of perishable food through the Minna Airport would also be a benefi t from the dam, adding that the airport would be revitalised because of the construction of the dam.

Jonathan called on the people of the state to give him their support

to ensure that the project went on smoothly for the period of four years the construction would last.

Earlier, the Governor of Niger, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, expressed appreciation to the president for making funds available for the project under the Power Sector Intervention Fund.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Power for its readiness to pay appropriate compensations and the resettlement of persons affected by the project.

Aliyu assured the president of the full cooperation of the people of Niger in order to ensure that the project went on smoothly.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said that the Zungeru Power Project was now a reality due to the uncommon courage and

determination shown by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Nebo said the project when completed would open new frontiers to drive the socio-economic transformation of the entire country to another level.

He explained that $1.72 billion counterpart funding was recently approved for the sector by the National Economic Council.

According to him, the money is for the Zungeru Hydroelectricity, Gurara 2 Dam in Suleja all in Niger State, and the Mambilla Dam in Taraba.

The Minister for State for Power, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, said that the Zungeru Dam was conceived about 30 years ago, adding that the fi rst feasibility study done on the project was by Messrs Chas T. Main International of USA.(NAN)

By Joy Baba

Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Troller Owner Association (NITOWA)

have agreed to partner to stop crimes of kidnap and attack of vessels on the high seas, to ensure

the water ways are safe for sailing.This agreement was reached

yesterday at the Navy Headquarters Abuja when the executive of NITOWA led by its president, Mr Joseph Omonigho came to submit their petition on the severe attack they come under on daily basis.

Omonigho said their captains are kidnaped and taken to their camps and make demands for ransom and if this ransom is not paid, they will be killed.

He expressed fear of diplomatic crisis as the vessels hijacked are often taken to other countries to

attack other vessels.He appealed to the Naval Chief to

help the police the entrances of the sea, provide Navy gun boat to deter these criminals and if possible provide helicopter that will survey the sea from a Naval post to locate the criminals before they get to the vessels.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

From the humble steps taken 14 years ago, the seeds of democracy have continued to blossom across our great nation, Nigeria, to the admiration of all and sundry.

Therefore, as the nation marks Democracy Day today, I, on behalf of myself, family and the management and staff of the Nigeria Customs Service, congratulate our iconic leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, for continuing to steer our ship of state beyond expectations. Keep up the laudable work, our Commander-in-Chief.

Once again, congratulations. Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, CFR

Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service

President Goodluck Ebele JonathanGCFR

PAGE 53

14 Customary Salute To An Iconic Leader14 Customary Salute To An Iconic Leader

N2.9trn pension funds lying stagnant - Senate

The House of Representatives yesterday stopped President Goodluck

Jonathan from spending the funds of the states affected by the state of emergency proclamation, by abrogating Section 3 (2) of the Conference Report.

The House resolved to delete section 3 (2) which, among others, empowers President Goodluck Jonathan to spend funds of the state affected by the proclamation.

The House equally urged the Senate to concur and adopt the resolution.

In a motion titled, “Need to Amend the Emergency (General) Regulations, 2013 Pursuant to the Emergency Powers Act 1961 and Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended” read by Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi (PDP Taraba state), it said that by the virtue of Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the President of the Federation has the powers to issue proclamation of a State of Emergency in the Federation or any part thereof subject to the provisions of the Constitution Supra.

El-Sudi added that in line with Section 305 of the Constitution Supra President Goodluck Jonathan forwarded a published Offi cial Gazette on the State of Emergency (certain States of the Federation) proclamation, 2013 accompanied with the Emergency Powers (General)

Regulations, 2013 both dated 20th day of May, 2013 and that the said regulations were made pursuant to Section 3 of the Emergency Powers Act, No. 1 of 1961 (as modifi ed).

He said that the Speaker had briefed the House on the circumstances of the proclamation of a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States by President Goodluck Jonathan and thereafter made available to 253 Members present the documents as provided by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

He also noted that the Speaker announced the appointment of a six-member Conference Committee under the chairmanship of Hon. Albert Tanimu Sam-Tsokwa and the Senate equally set up a fi ve-member Conference Committee under the chairmanship of Senator Ita S. J. Enang to harmonize differences if any.

He added that the Conference Committee of both Chambers met on Tuesday, 22nd May, 2013 and considered areas of differences, adopting the Senate version and also adopted clauses 3 (c) and (4) of Senate version of the Emergency Powers (General) Regulation 2013.

He said the committee further adopted the addition of the words... ‘on Public Order, Peace and Security’ and included the House Version of clauses 1, 2 (3), 3(1) and 5 (c) of the Emergency Powers along with the Explanatory Note.

“Aware of the fact that Section 3(e) of the transmitted

Emergency Powers (General) Regulations 2013 which provides: “Provide for the utilization of the funds of any State of Local Government in the Emergency area”, was unanimously rejected and deleted by the House but retained by the Conference Committee of both Chambers;

“Further aware of the public outcry and outright opposition by majority of Nigerians especially indigenes of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States on the content of the above quoted regulation. Mindful of a near consensus of opinion of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and Constitutional Lawyers across the country regarding the Constitutionality of the said section.

El-Sudi said, “further encouraged by the need to ensure that our laws, orders, resolutions or regulations are not in conflict with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended or any Court decision which we all swore to preserve and protect”.

The motion was opposed by Chinda Ogundu (PDP Rivers), saying it is not fair for the House to approve and latter reapprove the declaration.

Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said the House should not be seen to demonstrate institutional arrogance in the face of evidences and submissions of eminent Nigerians that part of the adopted Conference Report was against provisions of the Constitution. The motion was unanimously adopted when the Speaker put it to vote

Senate yesterday said that N2.9 trillion pension fund, being 7.5 per

cent contribution by both employees and employers, was lying dormant in pension funds accounts, due to poor administrative capacity of the extant Pension Reform Act (No.2) 2004.

On this note, the senate suggested that such funds should rather be channelled to financing infrastructural projects and creating employment opportunities for Nigerians.

Leading a debate on the Bill which seeks to repeal the Pension Reform Act (No. 2) 2004, and enact the Pension Reform Act. 2013 to make Contributory Pension Scheme, the Sponsor of the Bill, Victor Ndoma Egba, said that the deficiencies arrising from the extant law has resulted to non remittance of pension contributions to the pension fund administrators by ministries, departments and agencies.

He also regretted that this has equally resulted in delayed payment and sometimes, non payment of gratuities and pensions to retirees, adding that underpayment of retirees’ benefits and withdrawal of some security agencies from the scheme, has equally been recorded due to shortcomings of the extant law.

“Even the Pension Reform Task Team set up to bring some sanity to the system and ensure that pensioners receive their pensions as and when due, rather worsened their plight and ended up with confounding sleaze, corruption, and stealing so much”, according to Egba.

He said that the new Bill, aside from creating smooth operations of the contributory pension scheme, will also set up a uniform set of rules, regulations and standards for the administration and payments of retirement benefi ts for public servants in all tiers of government and private sector.

Egba also lamented that the sorry situation of retirees has not only become a national embarrassment, but has become one of the key factors fuelling corruption, misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds.

In his remarks, Senate President, David Mark, said that the problem with Nigerian pension funds is that it is being managed by rookies, adding that the essence of the reform is to ensure that experts are appointed to manage the huge funds accumulated in the scheme.

Defence Headquarters has confi rmed the death of a close associate of the leader

of the Boko Haram insurgents, Abubakar Shekau, and the arrest of two others.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen Chris Olukolade in Abuja yesterday.

According the statement, “a terrorist believed to be a close associate of the insurgents’ leader, Abubakar Shekau, has been found dead as he ran errands for the leadership.

“The other two fellow terrorists’ one of who is confi rmed to be a Nigerien are now in the custody of the Multinational Joint Task Force.”

The statement also said the three insurgents were in the process of crossing the border to neighbouring Niger Republic through the Lake Chad, adding that the trio had been confi rmed to have operated in Baga and participated in perpetrating arson and other atrocities around the vicinity of the town.

They have been relocating from place to place since they left Baga last month, the statement further added.

Olukoade said more troops of the Police Mobile Force had joined the operations as more towns are being secured in the to rid the nation’s territories of insurgent activities.


News

Reps stop President from withholding funds for emergency-rule states

Boko Haram: Shekau’s associate dies as JTF arrests two more insurgents in Borno

•Wants funds channelled to infrastructural projects

By Umar Muhammad Puma

By Joy Baba

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

L-R: Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; Niger state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu; and President Goodluck Jonathan, arriving for the ground-breaking ceremony of 700mw Zungeru hydro-electric power project, yesterday in Niger state.

L-R: Author of the book, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo; President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Malam Mohammed Garba; CBN Deputy Governor, Mr. Tunde Lemo; Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga; and Co-Launcher of the book, Oba E.O. Akinruntan, during the presentation, of the book titled “The Making of an Oracle’’ written by Kolapo, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Democracy Day: FCT Minister felicitates with Nigerians


By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

From Mahmoud Muhammad,

By Adeola Tukuru


Against the background of the recent failure to use of Nigeria’s slot to address the

African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of laissez-faire attitude to international relations, saying it has become the hallmark of Jonathan’s administration.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Rotimi Fashakin, CPC argued that in ordinary administrative appraisal of the action, it was not only irresponsible, but a gross dereliction of executive duties.

The party also noted that in diplomatic circles, the President’s action has rubbished the labour of Nigeria’s past heroes and heroines who always stood up to be counted on the African continent.

It recalled with satisfaction, the diplomatic pressure Nigeria put on the then white promoters of Apartheid in South Africa, which resulted in the dismantling of the practice, saying:

“As usual, the motley of spin doctors in the nation’s presidency has continued to adduce various implausible reasons for the President’s below-par demeanour.

Whatever obfuscation of facts being peddled around cannot detract from the hard fact that the President was flummoxed by the victory of Governor Rotimi Amaechi at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum election, which revealed the bilious discontent thereafter”, the statement read.

A prosecution witness in the on-going trial of former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Lawal

and nine others on a 44-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, conversion, and fraud, to the tune of N75.7 billion yesterday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the Public Partners did not default in their obligations under the Buto Bagana Bridge contract.

Lawal and his co-accused, (Adeogba Ademola, Digital Toll Company Limited, Swede Control Interlink Limited, Proman Vital Ventures Limited, Nairda Limited, Siraj Nigeria Limited, and Wise Health Services Limited), who were fi rst arraigned on May 11, 2011, pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.

The witness, Mr. Chike Nwibe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the court, under cross examination, that the Public Partners on the contract made their payments but could not say whether the payments were made at the appropriate time.

Us m a n u D a n f o d i y o University, Sokoto was yesterday shut following a

prolonged protest by students of the institution over power outage and water scarcity in the institution.

Thousands of the students had embarked on a peaceful protest march to the residence of the Vice Chancellor located within the the school and also in the town.

They chanted, “we want light, “we want water”, but did not destroy any property.

Sokoto, along with Kebbi and

AU Summit: CPC accuses Jonathan of indifference

Alleged N75.7 bn fraud: Public Partners didn’t default - witness

Danfodiyo University shut as students protest power outage

How Reps awarded contracts to companies without verifi able addresses - Witness

FCT Minister , Senator Bala Mohammed, has congratulated Nigerians as

the nation celebrates Democracy Day.

He called for unity amongst all strata of Nigerians irrespective of political, tribal or religious

A Federal High Court in Abuja was yesterday told how the House of Representatives under the

leadership of the then Speaker, Dimeji Bankole allegedly awarded contracts to companies without verifiable addresses. The court was also told that some of those companies supplied addresses that turned out to be fake.

Bankole is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged offences bordering on violation of due process in the award of contracts and abuse of office.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, third prosecution witness, Ibrahim Ahmed told the court that he was part of the team that investigated a petition written against Bankole in 2010 by an ex-member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye.

Led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer, Festus Keyamo, Ahmed told the court that upon his team’s receipt of the petition; it swung into action by obtaining documents relating to the 2008 capital budget. He said his team also wrote to the Accountant General of the Federation seeking details of releases to the National Assembly.

“From the documents given to us, we identified the names and addresses

PAGE 6 PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

NEWS

inclinations.Mohammed congratulated

President Goodluck Jonathan on his second year in offi ce at the occasion tagged ‘Centenary Democracy Day’ as it will usher in the 100 years of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates that gave birth to what is today known

of the contractors.We did a physical verification of

those addresses and discovered that some of these addresses never existed or the contractors’ offices were never located there.

With this discovery, we wrote to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and requested for the corporate status of the companies. Details of the companies were given to us.

We wrote invitation letters, based

as Nigeria.Mohammed reiterated that

the celebration would afford the government of Jonathan the opportunity to showcase some of the transformational achievements.

He called for unity from all walks of life, enjoining Nigerians to form a formidable front in

on the details we got from the CAC, inviting the Managing Directors of these companies.

After sometime, those letters were returned to us undelivered and we were informed that some of these addresses do not exist. We were further informed that the letters were dispatched by Universal Parcel Services (UPS) and the reason they gave was that these letters were never received because the addresses never existed,” Ahmed said.

uniting the country and de-emphasize things that may cause disaffection amongst the citizenry.

According to him, “a united and indivisible country, bound by one common destiny is in the best interest of every Nigerian, irrespective of geo-political or ethnic affi liation.”

When shown copies of the undelivered letters by Keyamo, the witness identified them, following which the prosecution tendered about nine letter as exhibits.

The letters written in 2010 were addressed to the Managing Directors of seven companies.

The companies include Wadatan Global Company Limited, Multigate Resources Services Ltd, Perfect Concept Ltd, First Impression Ltd, Exim Venturecs (WA) Ltd, Nanfang Motors Nigeria Ltd and Chiwanna Nigeria Ltd.

Zamfara states, had been in darkness in the last four days, following a power outage that resulted from collapsed turbines belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), thereby crippling activities in the states.

People Daily gathered that the main cause of the demonstration included the power outage and non-availability of gas to power the university’s generator.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Riskuwa Rabu Shehu, “the school was operating on generator from 7: 30pm to 10pm for the number of days when the

power outage lasted until that fateful day when the generator was not switched on as expected”,

Shehu described the situation as unfortunate and said a committee has been set-up to ascertain the remote causes of the problem.

He added that as soon as the committee completed its fi ndings, anybody found wanting would be dealt with.

He said although neither life nor property was lost as a result of the unrest, closing the university became necessary to avoid possible escalation of the crisis.

“I cannot tell when precisely the university will re-open for now,” Shehu told newsmen.

EFCC asks court to deny Sylva permission to travel abroad

The ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo state on Tuesday received a

boost, as thousands of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party from the Oke Ogun area of the state de-camped to the party.

The defectors, who were from all the 10 local government areas that constitute Oke Ogun axis of the state, hinged their decision to join ACN on the good governance

being delivered by the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led administra-tion and its sincerity and commit-ment to the transformation of the state.

While receiving the decampees at the basketball pitch of the Le-kan Salami Sports Complex, Ad-amasingba, Governor Abiola Aji-mobi commended them for their courage and determination to join the ACN, saying it was a demon-stration of their appreciation of the party’s achievements in the state.

He assured the new members that they would be given equal treatment like the others, urging them not to entertain any fears of being treated by anybody as strangers in ACN.

“I like to seize this opportunity to express my deepest apprecia-tion for your declaration and de-campment and I want to assure you that from today, you are not only members of the Ajimobi Movement but also bona fi de members of ACN which is gradu-ating to APC,’’ the Governor said.

He said that the ACN-led ad-ministration in the state would not engage in politics of bitter-ness, bickering and character as-sassination, stated that the party would continue to receive new members into the party to make it stronger and more formidable for future elections.

Special Adviser to the Gover-nor on Political Matters, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, said that the defec-tors were motivated by the perfor-mance of Ajimobi, assuring them of equal and fair treatment.

The Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, has said the performance of the

Federal Government has fallen short of the expectations of Nige-rians in the areas of administra-tion of justice, implementation of important legislations passed by the National Assembly as well as the tackling of corruption which has been the bane of development in the country.

Speaking yesterday in a De-mocracy Day message, Akume said that, “it is also pertinent to observe that aside from the nu-

merous internal strife that have become the preoccupation of the government at the center, the government is still very far from delivering on most of, if not all its pledges to the citizenry, especially those benefi ts that are expected to have accrued to all after the sub-sidy on petroleum products was removed.

“It would have been the joy of everyone if our resources were invested properly to build bet-ter roads, build and equip health facilities, improve on power sup-ply, make functional education affordable and accessible to all as well as create employment

opportunities for our teeming youths.”

Akume also said it was worri-some to note that several of the problems could have been avert-ed, or at least, nipped in the bud but because of the ineptitude of the government of the day and the sentiments attached to some of these predicaments, the sore spots are always either left to develop into disasters or hastily handled.

He also said that it was neces-sary to point out that no society in the history of humanity has lived its entire course of life without crises adding that what usually

makes the difference is the man-ner in which such are handled and resolved, and the lessons learnt there from.

“This year’s democracy day celebration should be a time for stock-taking by both the leaders and the led.

“Beyond the merriment, we should recognize that a time has come for us all to evaluate our contributions to the develop-ment or otherwise of this great nation as individuals and as col-lective entities and to me there will be no better opportunity for us to do this onerous task than now,” the statement said.

Bauchi State House of Assembly has directed the state government to

‘within 14 days’ pay the out-standing five months salary ar-rears of primary school teach-ers in the state.

The House of Assembly had summoned the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammed Aminu, the Head of Civil Service, Mr. Abdon Dalla Gin, Chairman, Bauchi State Universal Basic Educa-tion Board, Alhaji Abdullahi Dabo, Chairman, Teachers Ser-vice Commission, Chairman, Teachers’ Screening Commit-tee and the state Coordinator of the National Teachers’ Insti-tute (NTI) to appear before the House.

Hon. Muhammed Ab-dulkadir Wafu, while moving a motion under a matter of ur-gent public importance, called the attention of the House to the 13-month plight of primary school teachers in the state, informing that some have not been paid their salary for the past five months while SUBEB had purportedly disengaged some of them as a result of the ongoing screening exercise.

Wafu therefore, called on the House to urgently inter-vene in the matter.

Also speaking Hon. Ili-yasu Ibrahim Zwall noted that screening was a normal pro-cedure in the civil service but added that there was nowhere in civil service rule that civil servants should be disengaged while undergoing screening.

He therefore urged the House to direct the SUBEB to pay the teachers’ salary within two weeks.

The Minority Leader, Hon. Baba Abubakar Suleiman, stated that the matter should be considered as a very serious one saying that the actions and inactions of the SUBEB Chair-man since the commencement of the imbroglio between the board and the teachers had been disgraceful.

Speaker of the House Hon-ourable Yayaha Muhammed Miya, said that the SUBEB/teachers’ crisis was not only a problem of the parties involved but also a problem of the peo-ple of the state, adding that it was the right time the House intervene to save education in the state.

After deliberation on the matter, the lawmakers resolved that the state government should be directed to within 14 days pay the five months salaries of the teachers, while the teachers purportedly dis-engaged by SUBEB are re-en-gaged immediately.

L-R: Director General, Technical Aid Corps (TAC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mamman M. Daura, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bagugu Hirse; Director, Special Assistant of TAC, Alhaji Rabiu Akawu; and Chairperson, House ommittee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, during a one day public hearing on a bill for an act to amend the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps Degree No. 27 of 1993 and Others Related Matters there 2013, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa


NewsPDP, Accord Party members defect to ACN in Oyo

Govt performance fallen short of Nigerians’ expectation- Akume

Bauchi House di-rects govt to pay teach-ers within 14 days

From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan


By Joy Baba

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday asked a Federal

High court in Abuja not to grant the application brought before it by former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva seeking for permis-sion to accompany his wife on a medical trip abroad.

At the resumed hearing in the

matter yesterday, EFCC’s counsel, Mr. John Anietor told the court that, “There are pending allega-tions being currently investigated about the wife of the accused/ap-plicant who deliberately wants to travel outside the shores of the country in order to escape current investigations and probable.”

He described Sylva’s wife as an who also has adult relations and children who can accompany her

on the medical trip abroad.Anietor told the court that Syl-

va’s application seeking leave of the court to accompany his wife on medical trip abroad is a ploy to es-cape justice and urged the court o throw out the application for lack-ing in merit.

Earlier, the former governor, through his counsel, Isaac Olo-rundare (SAN), while arguing in favor of the application told the

court that the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital lacks the medical equipment to carry out the needed surgeries on his wife.

He therefore urged the court to grant the application to enable Sylva accompany his wife to the United Kingdom for treatment.

The trial Judge, Justice Ada-mu Bello adjourned ruling on the application to May 30, 2013.


News

EFCC docks Katsina Flour Mills offi cials

Insecurity: FG partners stakeholders to review migration, marriage laws

By Lambert Tyem

By Mike Etim, Uyo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned

Abdulmalik Ibrahim, Darda’u Idris Safana and Hassan Hashimu before Justice Abdullahi Yusuf of the Katsina State High Court on a three-count charge of misappropriation of public funds and criminal breach of trust.

According to EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, “the trio who are former General Manager, Accountant and Store Keeper respectively of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited , allegedly conspired among themselves and embezzled the sum of N19, 667,187 from the

company between January 2011 and April 2012

The charge reads in part, “that you, Abdulmalik Ibrahim, Darda’u Idris Safana and Hassan Hashimu in your capacity as the General Manager, Accountant and Store Keeper of Katsina Flour Mills Limited, sometime between January 2011 and April 2012, at Katsina, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Katsina State, while being in the management of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited, Katsina in such capacity entrusted with the sum of N61, 298,256 (Sixty One Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Six Naira ) property of Katsina Flour Mills Limited, dishonestly converted to your

own use the sum N17,902,409 (Seventeen Million Nine Hundred and Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Nine Naira ) out of the said N61,298,256 which was meant for the profi tability of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited and as such violated the mandate in which such is to be discharged, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Law. That you Darda’u Idris Safana in your capacity as the accountant, Katsina Flour Mills Limited sometime between May 2011 and 2012, at Katsina within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Katsina State dishonestly misappropriated the sum N1,764,781 (One Million

Seven Hundred and Sixty Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty One Naira ) given to you by the Manager, Water Venture, one Muhammed Umar and which is the property of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under section 309 of the same Law”.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecuting counsel, Idris Haruna to request for a trial date. However, defence counsel, C.U Kalu presented an oral bail application for his clients but Justice Yusuf insisted on a formal application.

The case was adjourned to June 20, 2013.

Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, yesterday convened a meeting of experts

and public sector stakeholders to review current laws governing migration, citizenship and marriage matters in order to review all the obsolete laws and check all the illegal processes in the country.

The experts at the one-day stakeholders’ “Forum on Citizenship and Marriage Administration,” in Abuja, called for a thorough review of existing laws guiding naturalisation, registration of marriages and citizenship application to

minimize abuse of the process. Moro who was represented

by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Anastasia M. Daniel, charged the experts to produce a valuable working document that would highlight how to strengthen human capacity and the knowledge that would lead to improved service delivery at the Department of Citizenship and Marriage Registry.

The Minister described the forum as the fi rst of its kind, saying: “it was aimed at enlightening and sensitizing the public on the guidelines and procedures of the administration of the Nigerian citizenship and Marriage Registry to help address inherent challenges and bring the services to conform to global best

practices.” “It is the intention of

government to explore the possibility of establishing additional marriage registries across the country. Furthermore, I wish to inform you that the Ministry has received proposals by two serving National Legislators to establish a marriage Registry at Egbe and Lekki, Lagos State as part of their constituency project.” Moro stated

He warned those in the habit of violating rules governing the services provided by agencies under the Interior Ministry that it will soon embark on constant and continuous monitoring of the administration of the facilities granted applicants with a view to checking abuses or disregard of

rules guiding the services. Moro also said that penalties

and punishments would be meted out to violators of the nation’s immigration and marriage laws to serve as deterrent and “essential control measure against further abuse.”

Also speaking at the occasion, the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, who was the chairman of the occasion, stated that it has become imperative for laws governing entry and exit of foreigners into the country and expatriate quota system to be amended because the laws as they are today have been subjected to deliberate abuse by aliens who do not wish the nation well.

Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Unit and

the FIRS Joint Union service has appealed for an extension of deadline given by the service that staff who could not upgrade their certifi cates would be relieved of their duties.

Chairman of the union, Samson Okeke, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja, after a meeting between the FIRS staff and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, against the provisions of a Memorandum of Understanding earlier agreed upon.

“Even though we are still discussing with the Management, it is imperative that we bring to the notice of the Honourable Minister the issue of MOU.

“The fundamental provision of the MOU is that staff who could not present their certifi cates or statement of results will be released from the Service on or before 31st December 2013,” Okeke explained.

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

By Mohammed Kandi

Akwa Ibom State government on Monday entered into a an agreement with Hilton Worldwide Group with

the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the management of the 15-storey Uyo Hilton Gardens.

Governor Godswill Akpabio signed the agreement for the state while the Vice President, Development, Hilton Worldwide Group, sub-Sahara Africa, Mr. Michael Cooper signed for the group.

Akpabio who expressed satisfaction over the deal, said the state settled for the Hilton Group because it is a brand known worldwide for good services.

“This is happening in Uyo and in our time. It marks a major step forward in our effort to bring about uncommon transformation in our dear state and also bring about transformation in Nigeria. We believe that this hotel would boost tourism in the Gulf of Guinea and would add to the transformation potentials highlighted by Mr. President.

“With the completion of Theme and Dry Park, Shopping Mall, International Conference Center and Cineplex in the hotel, the partnership would be mutually benefi cial to both parties. “Government is ready to put in more resources to ensure the hotel attains the international standard which you are known for,” the Governor said.

Cooper in his address said he was equally delighted to sign the management agreement with the state government and assured that the Uyo Hilton would be a model in Africa.

He said statistics showed that over 450,000 people visited Uyo through the Akwa Ibom International Airport.

The state government had budgeted N32 billion in the 2013 budget for the completion of the project which is to be known as the Tropicana Centre.

Uyo Hilton Gardens: Akpabio signs MoU with Hilton Group

Union requests deadline extension for FIRS staff

L-R: Fellow, Centre for Human Security, Dr. Judith Bardin Asuni; representative of Bauchi state Emergency Management Agency, Malam Abdullahi Umar; emergency offi cer, UNICEF Nigeria, Mr. Soji Adeniyi; and Manager, Economic and Natural Resources Gov-ernance of Nigeria Reconciliation Programme, Mr. Oladayo Olaide, during a workshop on building a coordinated approach to fl ood disaster in Nigeria, organised by Centre for Human Security, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo


Money Sense

“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” - William Faulkner: Writer, Nobel Prize laureate

Quote

On both sides of the border today are items on the perils of unexpected events setting back long-

term fi nancial plans. None of this should come as

a surprise to investors or anyone making long-term fi nancial plans. As the late John Lennon sang on his fi nal album, Double Fantasy, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

CNN reported on an Ameriprise Financial survey of Americans aged 50 to 70 with at least US$100,000. Nine in 10 of them had already experienced at least one economic or life event that hurt their retirement savings, while almost 40% had been hit by at least fi ve unanticipated events that caused their average loss to hit US$144,000. The takeway, Ameriprise said, was to “expect the unexpected.”

Despite all the fancy retirement calculators available to modern investors, these tools provide at best rough guesses of what may or may not happen in the future.

Plan for the unexpected

Money Tip:

Teaching your kids the concept of investing There are some

conversations with your kids you don’t really look forward to. “Mom,

Where do babies come from?” is certainly one of them, as are the topics of safe sex, disease, death, and – yes – investing.

But the more experience I have under my belt as a mom, the more confident I am that even the most difficult, complex subjects can be simplified enough so that young children can understand them. In fact, the very need to simplify a complex topic so that a child might be able to grasp it makes many difficult topics much easier to explain. When you get rid of the subtle nuances that complicate adult behavior and interaction, what remains is often straightforward and not too difficult to understand.

Take a recent conversation I had with my ten years old daughter about investing. She had overheard her dad and I talk about our investments and about inflation, and wanted to know what inflation meant, why we were worried about it, and why we needed to invest our money to fight it.

At first I was taken aback by the complexity of the topic.

So this is what I said: “Suppose you get a N100 bill for your birthday. This is a nice gift, right? You can use it to buy maybe 3 Nintendo games. But you decide that you don’t need any new games, and you put the money in an envelope and eventually you just forget about

it. 30 years from now, you’re 40, right? And you suddenly find that envelope tucked into one of your old books. You take the N100 bill out of the envelope, but you don’t get excited at all, because 30 years from now, N100 will not buy you 3 games. It will buy you 3 pieces of gum!”

As she looked at me in disbelief, I continued, “This is infl ation. Infl ation means that the same amount of money will buy less and less as time goes by. That’s why we can’t just put money aside. Unless we plan to use money soon, we need to put it someplace where it will grow. And putting your money someplace where it will grow is called investing.”

I continued to explain that once you decide to invest the N100, you have a few options. You can put the N100 in the bank and grow it just enough so the same N100 will still buy you 3 games 30 years from now. Or you use the N100 to buy a tiny part – a share – in a company, and as that company grows, your N100 will grow too, and in fact chances are those 30 years from now, they will grow enough to not just buy 3 games, but maybe 6 games! So you will not just fi ght infl ation, but also make more money than the amount you started out with.

Admittedly, this was a very simplistic and somewhat inaccurate explanation of the concepts of infl ation, saving and investing. For instance, I don’t know if 30 years of infl ation will mean that the N100 of today can only buy 3 pieces of gum in 2040. But it was something that a ten year old could understand and relate to. And it enabled me to spark her curiosity and interest about the power – and the importance – of investing.

How to reduce the cost of your utility billUtility bills can take up a

signifi cant proportion of any household’s budget. It is therefore a

noble idea to work out means of lowering your utility bill. This is an important step towards saving for the future or for other items that you might need. Here are some tips to save on utility bills:

Turn the computer off: Computers are amazing devices that have a countless of applications that we can use while we’re sitting in front of them. It’s really hard to use the home computer while at work or out running errands, so turn it off or put it to sleep.

Make use of your blankets: In the harmattan or rainy season, turn the thermostat down to the point where you need to bring out the blankets. Humans are quite adaptable to their environments.

Make use of ceiling or standing fan in dry season: Ceiling fans don’t use as much power as fl ipping on the air conditioner. They are mesmerizing to watch, going round and round, providing seconds or even minutes of cheap entertainment.

Wash full loads of laundry in cold water: It doesn’t take as much power to use cold water when compared to hot. You don’t need to draw on the hot water heater, nor does the quality of washing diminish. There’s no extra effort on your part to save a little cash, either.

Unplug the devices not being used: Even when powered off, most electric gadgets (TVs, stereo systems, phone chargers, etc) consume some energy. Even though it might seem insignifi cant, this energy can add up in the long run. It is a good idea to completely unplug them from the power outlet, or use an extension cable with a switch that you can always power off so there is no energy going to any device.

Light: You should not leave the lights on in a room that is not being occupied. This is total waste. The switches are conveniently placed by the door

to turn them back on again when needed. Make sure that they’re off when leaving the house, because your furniture doesn’t need to see in the dark.

Buy energy effi cient appliances. Older appliances tend to consumer more energy than the newer ones, some of which are designed to be energy effi cient. Consider investing in them and they will pay for themselves in the long run. The same goes for fl uorescent bulbs; they last longer, use less energy and generate heat, thus saving you money on electricity.

For a fundamental approach to saving on the utility bills, try

having a ‘no power’ day and shut off the breakers to the whole house (with the exception of the fridge and freezer). Use candles or rechargeable lanterns or torch to light your way, and rely on something other than a television or a computer for your entertainment.

These are just a few of the steps that can be taken to lowering the utility bills. For every way that there is to SPEND money on the bills, there’s a way to SAVE it. Experiment and use some common sense and you’ll be saving money on your bills in no time.

How do you explain inflation and investing to a ten-year-old, when plenty of us grownups barely grasp the complexities ourselves? Then I reminded myself: Keep it simple, stick with the very basics, use examples from the child’s own life, and all will be well.


Zainab Ibrahim KuchiMinister of State, Power

Professor Chinedu NeboMinister of Power

The saying that a good Friday could easily be noticed from the onset of its preceding Wednesday better describes the progress so far made in Nigeria’s power sector. Th e transformation is fully on course and Nigerians are already beginning to feel the impact, writes Etuka Sunday.

Nigeria has a myriad of problems that aff ect the socio-economic and political well

being of its people, but the most worrisome of sure problems is the issue of erratic power supply which has contributed greatly to the under-development of the country since independence.

Th e situation was so pathetic that a number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and other industries were forced to close shop or relocate to other neighbouring countries that have stable power supply in order to stay in the business. However, since the assumption of offi ce of President Goodluck Jonathan, the popular parlance in the country has been that of ‘transformation’.

Although opinion is still divided as to whether the country is indeed being transformed positively or negatively, with some who are skeptical of the administration’s “Transformation Agenda”, majority of Nigerians who are living witnesses to the considerable improvement in the supply of electricity in the country in recent times have affi rmed that indeed there is transformation.

Obviously, much eff ort has been directed towards lighting up the country since the launch of the Power sector Road Map by President Goodluck Jonathan, with Privatisation at the focal point.

Just as to be expected, the Ministry is not unaware of “cabals that have been so formidable and determined to make sure that Nigerians do not get the best in the power sector. Th ey come in various shapes and sizes”, but the Ministry is working tirelessly to ensure that there is a stable and suffi cient power supply in the country.

Th e story of the Ministry’s transformation process could be better told with the former Minister of Power, Professor Bath Nnaji at the centre of it all. His contribution is commendable, however, with the new helmsman, Professor Chinedu Nebo at the Ministry, a lot of improvement has been witnessed in the areas of total privatisation, capacity-building, which has attracted foreign investors.

•PrivatisationAs a man who is always committed to task or responsibility allotted to him, he

believed that privatisation, as contained in the transformation agenda of the Federal Government is the answer to the power problems in the country.

He therefore hit the ground running, by mobilising his ministry towards achieving that set goal. He re-echoed the stand of the Federal Government on the privatisation of the power sector, saying that there was no going back on the plan, and therefore called on genuine investors to take advantage of the coming revolution in the sector.

For a start, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was unbundled into Generation Companies (GENCOs), while the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) were sold to have private sector players in the industry.

Th ese companies were handed over to the preferred bidders. According to him, the GENCOs and DISCOs are all private sector-driven, therefore the only language it understands is profi t; how to maximize profi t, enhance capacity to generate power and sell at cost eff ective tariff . Th e more customers they have, the more profi t they make so they are going to improve on the infrastructure.

In order to achieve a total privatisation in the sector, the transmission, which is a link between the ‘generation’ and ‘distribution’, was also considered. Th e Canadian Manitoba Hydro International was chosen to run the nation’s transmission network, and which although had generated mix feelings among Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and Labour Unions, has already taken position as Concessioners of

the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).However, as a listening Minister, he was able to classify the role of Manitoba Hydro

International to be that of delegated authority given to a management outfi t with international clout, for a stipulated period of 3-5 years. He therefore enjoined the Manitoba Management to respect the rights of Nigerian workers as entrenched in the laws of the

land, while in turn, the workers should work with Manitoba, so as to take the power sector to the next level.

“In today’s world everything must be bench-marked within the dictates of international standard; hence we must provide the enabling environment at this stage of our transition for business to thrive. We want peace to rein; the work in the hands of Manitoba is enormous, and we must have a robust transmission network, as power warehouse is a waste, so that is why Manitoba is very important. Nobody takes over without settlement, workers are Nigerians like us, TCN is 100% wholly-owned by the Government, there is no-going to be lay-off , management is done through agreement, let no one fear, Manitoba Hydro International is under the Board of TCN, which in turn, is under the Power Ministry,” he assured.

As a follow up, on Monday, 22nd April, 2013, the various power sector transactions covering Gas, Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Privatisation were signed. Th e transaction agreement was between the Federal Government on one side and Private Investors already in business and prospective ones, international and local fi nancial institutions on the other side, to reinforce public confi dence, both local and international, in the Federal Government’s power sector divestment programme.

Just yesterday, the Federal Government released the list of successful bidders that crossed the evaluation stage for the Kaduna Distribution Company and Afam Generation Company. Both companies will now move on to a commercial bidding process, as an outcome of the meeting of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) presided over by Vice

President, Muhammad Namadi Sambo on Monday, at the State House, where seven out of eleven bidders were successful and invited to the fi nancial bid-opening

Power Transformation and Privatisation: Issues and progress

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo Congratulating CEO, PHEDC, Engr. Fatai Ananuga during inspection of control room at Silverbird 1x15MVA 33/11KV Injection Sub-Station during his inspection tour to the Company in Port Harcourt,Rivers State.


Power Transformation and Privatisation: Issues and progress

stage.On fi nal hand over of Generation and Distribution Companies, “Government

intends to conclude the fulfi llment of the terms of agreement reached with Labour Unions before the handing over to the preferred bidders, with a handover timeline of July ending as contained in the agreement”.

•Foreign InvestorsTh e improvement in the power sector has also gained international recognition,

especially from the U.S., Canada, Poland, Japan and Germany. Good policy is like honey that attracts fl ies. Th e transformation eff orts has attracted several foreign investors almost immediately because it was built on deep sense of work and transparency.

With his administration, those who hold the erroneous views that he or she must embark on a traveling tour to advertise the enormous potentials of the nation before he or she attracts investors were proved wrong.

Many foreign investors had visited Nigeria, and interest in the power investment since his assumption of offi ce. He told the Polish delegation, led by Pan Jan Bieleck, who was on a visit to his offi ce, that Nigeria is excited by the dramatic transformation of the Polish society, from an unknown country under the Soviet Union, now to an economic giant in the Central Europe.

Also, Japan International Cooperation (JICA), the Nigeria’s most reliable and dependable partner has contributed in the extensive review of the engineering design of the Zungeru and Mambilla hydro-power projects and Road Map on power sector reform, National Load Demand study and the competitiveness of combined cycle power plants.

Th e openness of his administration has made President Barack Obama of the United States to have sent a delegation to the Ministry. Th e Minister, who identifi ed problems in the area of transmission, therefore appealed to USAID to help develop the critical mass of experts in all areas of generation, transmission and distribution.

As expected, the leader of the delegation, Dana Mansuri pledged USAID’s support to complement the eff orts of government in that regard. She expressed satisfaction with the level of progress so far made and advised the government to keep to the plan by ensuring its credibility and integrity throughout the entire process.

•Capacity BuildingNebo vowed to replicate the local content strategy used in the Oil and Gas sector

to draw up a programme for the enhancement of the Nigerian content in the power sector, and therefore asked the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) to produce highly skilled power sector professionals, as Nigeria was not prepared to import needed manpower overseas.

According to him, thousands of Nigerians would be needed urgently in the power sector revolution that is about to be unleashed, therefore NAPTIN would be required to equip these Nigerians with necessary skills needed to drive the energy sector, in line with international best practices.

Countries like Japan would be involved, he said. “For us to achieve the aims of the power sector reform, we are required to take advantage of the opportunities for training of our young ones, as Japan has a lot of experience in hydro and other renewable energy mix.”

During the Nigerian-German Energy Programme in Abuja, the European Union and the German Agency, (giz), agreed to provide grants in the sum of 15 million Euros and 9 million Euros respectively to boost Nigeria’s Energy Support Programme (NESP). Th at was due to the earlier agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during the

State visits of both President Angele Merkel and President Goodluck Jonathan.Based on the agreement, Germans would assist Nigeria to diversify the energy

mix available naturally in Nigeria, especially solar, bio-mass and hydro-energy resources.

According to records, out of 254 Dams in Nigeria, only a few had turbines provided in their designs, even at that the turbines are not activated; hence they are not in use.

Nigerian-German Technical Cooperation Support Programme is expected to provide a strong platform for effi cient and eff ective take-off of renewable energy/ energy effi ciency programmes in Nigeria, the foundation of the cooperation which would, in the future, encourage private sector investments in renewable energy.

Only recently, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) successfully installed and commissioned brand new 60MVA and 45MVA, 132/33KV power transformers in Ibadan and Suleja respectively, to strengthen the nation’s transmission network and to meet the electricity requirement of its teaming consumers, which has increased the wheeling capacity of the substation from 60MVA to 120MVA, an achievement which had also improved power supply to the state, especially the University of Ibadan, IITA Complex as well as the Ibadan North axis of Oyo state.

TCN is currently undertaking the installation of power transformers in various transmission sub-stations nationwide, and two of such on-going transformer installation projects, which are in the Kankia sub-station in Kano state and Akure sub-station in Ondo State, are almost completed.

•Th e Use of Technology to Boost Power SupplyAt the commissioning of Port Harcourt’s Electricity Distribution Company’s

(PHEDC) Corporate Headquarters and SilverBird 1x15MVA, 33/11KV injection substation, he said that today’s power supply boost would be technologically driven, adding that the introduction of Geographic Information System (GISD), Automated Meter Ready system

(AMR), Advanced Metering Infrastructure are technology-driven initiates that have radically changed the way things are done in the sector.

He specifi cally commended the Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, which he said would boost load management study and balancing of

distribution network, calling on other distribution companies to emulate Port-Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company in this regard.

According to him, the technological equipment in use in the power sector by Port-Harcourt Distribution Company would enhance revenue collection, energy management as well as promote accountability. He expressed optimism that all these technological compliance initiatives would all enjoy Federal Government’s support.

In order to listen to Nigerians, he directed Distribution Companies to establish a Public Complaints Desk under their jurisdiction to be headed by a well-respected offi cer, who would ensure that complains are addressed promptly. A toll-free telephone line should be dedicated to Public Complaint, while a web-site will be created in his offi ce where the public could lodge complaint of peculiar electricity problem in their areas.

•Power Generation (Megawatts)“Th e government’s commitment to the generation of 40,000MW by 2020 is

resolute as it would make Nigeria become a medium power by 2020. Th e National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) is in the process of delivery 10 new plants. State governments are building plants, and the fi rst indigenous Independent Power Project (IPP) has been commissioned so we are making progress.

“Th e power generation has witnessed a boost from less than 3000MW, to 4500MW as at the moment, ensuring steadier and more predictable supply that is two times the level it was in august 2012.

“Government is doing what is necessary to ensure that the capacity of 4, 500MW will be maintained, while eff orts are being made to deliver the available capacity that could not be delivered due to transmission and gas constraint before the end of the 2013, through improved funding of transmission infrastructures. 10, 000MW may be achievable in 2014 when the entire bottleneck must have been addressed.

“By the end of the fi rst quarter of 2014, we should hit generation capacity of 10, 000MW but we will not hit transmission capacity. Th is is our problem. And that is why we are moving very hard to strengthen transmission. So by the grace of God, we will be able to transmit up to 5, 500MW. And we are hoping that by the end of 2014, if all the things we put in place work, we should be able to witness a signifi cant improvement in power supply”, he explained.

•Gas SupplyEven when we have come to a kind of fuel-mix for power generation, gas will

continue to be dominant, at 80 per cent or so. “Th ere is a master plan for gas already developed by government and government is looking at that blueprint and funding the blueprint. In fact, of the one million dollar Euro bond that Nigerian government is fl oating 550million or more will be devoted to gas infrastructure to ensure that our capacity to deliver gas is improved.

“But in addition to that, government is doing a heavy investment in hydro power.Zungeru will deliver 700MW and Mambilla would be realized. Th at could add

another 3, 050MW that will be one of the biggest hydro power plants in the whole of West Africa. It is a very big one. We are also thinking about solar,” he said.

“Th ere are solar power stations, wind power, like the one in Katsina to deliver small, like 10MW. When you talk of 10MW people will think it is small, 10MW will power a whole village and everywhere will be full of light. You know, because in small of these rural areas nobody has air conditioner or those things that consume a lot of electricity. And we are also working and ensuring that Nigeria has a very good power mix. So that it is not only gas to power, we are working on coal to power.

“We are working on hydro-power; we are working on wind power and solar power. In fact we are signing MoU with a Korean company that intends to do 1000MW per year of solar power for Nigeria. We are diversifying because for security reasons you do not put all your eggs in one basket”, he further said.

Th e substantial increase in the quantum of power delivery to Nigerians nationwide currently is as a result of hard work and therefore, the Minister and his team at the ministry of power deserves commendation.

Nigerians are not bothered about the megawatts of electricity generated but to have light in their various houses to enable them work eff ectively or put food on their table. Consequently, the ministry should ensure that it provides light as promised.

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo Commissioning the Silverbird 1x15MVA 33/11KV Injection Sub-Station during his inspection tour to the Company in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.


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Even before the African Union special summit to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the

Organisation of African Unity, which in 2002 transformed to the AU, Nigeria’s foreign minister Olugbenga Ashiru had told the media of an African consensus on Nigeria’s aspiration to occupy the non-permanent seat in the United Nations’ Security Council reserved for the continent. According to him, the African solidarity is so reassuring that he could confi dently consult with other regions in the world on Nigeria’s Africa-backed cruise to the seat.

With such overwhelming African backing of Nigeria to occupy a signifi cant Security Council seat, Nigeria was expected to walk tall at the just concluded special summit of the AU Heads of State and Government. Instead, at a crucial moment which Nigeria should have seized to set out its vision for the region and express a readiness to bear the burden of leadership, we blew it. At a session of the special summit during which presidents and heads of government were allotted short time to address the august gathering, President Goodluck Jonathan was no where to be seen! What happened has been a subject of speculations ever since.

First, there is this speculation that the president was visiting the loo at the time his name name was called. Another is that after staying up all night to refl ect on the defeat of his candidate

Jonathan’s no showat AU summit

for the chair of the Nigerian Governors Forum, the president was too exhausted to address the august body. However, the more plausible explanation came from his senior media aide and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ashiru. According to the minister, “President Jonathan did not miss any speaking slot at the summit. When any issue is up for general debate, any country may indicate its wish to contribute to

the debate. Any delegate can intervene from a particular country. I, as foreign minister, indicated interest to speak and I took the fl oor at the time the president was attending a side meeting of ECOWAS Heads of state Contact Group on Lagos-Abidjan highway.”

Reuben Abati, the president’s media spokesman, did not deny that the president missed Nigeria’s slot to speak at the special summit, but rather said “the president was attending a consultation meeting with the presidents of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana on the proposed Lagos-Abidjan corridor on the sidelines

of the AU event, when Nigeria was called.” From their accounts, the two government offi cials did not see anything wrong with the president’s no show at that very critical event. Nothing can quite justify our president’s ill-advised decision to pass up a golden opportunity give Nigeria high visibility on the continental stage. While it is perfectly ok for bilateral or even trilateral meetings to hold on the sidelines of major international events, no nation worth its salt avoids the high podium at a multilateral international summit to draw attention to it. Meeting with the Ghanaian and Ivorian leaders should have been scheduled to avoid a clash with the main menu of the special summit.

We recall that last year at the Commonwealth summit in Australia, the president missed a chance to address a special session of the international business community. His wife, Patience, had earlier held a very noisy birthday jam on the “sidelines” of the summit and pictures of our ebullient president were well circulated in the media by her aides.

Without particularly aligning ourselves to any of the speculations as to why Jonathan missed Nigeria’s slot to address the special AU summit, we fear it this sloppiness of our leaders that exposes our country to ridicule as unserious in not just Africa but the world at large. Would anyone be surprised if we lost the Security Council seat, after all?

“Nothing can quite justify our

president’s ill-advised decision to pass up a golden opportunity give Nigeria high visibility on the

continental stage


By Ifeanyi Uddin

Now, I am not too certain how to call this. But ahead of the meeting

last week of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, few commentators shied away from calling the MPC’s outcome. So, none of the MPC decisions, Tuesday, took the markets by surprise. Instead, most analysts resorted to their tea leaf questing for answers to a new parameter. How much of a shift towards eventual policy easing is signaled by the MPC’s voting pattern? And how soon will this transition occur?

In terms of the quantitative indices, infl ation numbers over the last four months have been a policy maker’s delight. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on the eve of the MPC’s meeting, headline infl ation (year-on-year) for April (9.1%) rose 50 basis points over the 8.6% recorded in March. Food infl ation, rising to 10% in April from 9.5% in March, provided the main stimulus for the rise in the headline numbers. Back out the more skittish components of the basket of goods used in the NBS’ calculation of the consumer price index, and the core measure

By Ahmed B. Kaita

In what should be considered as a preview of the fate of PDP come 2015, the duo of

governors Ibrahim Shema and Isa Yuguda as well as Mr. Tony Anenih, the Chaiman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, suffered a humiliating defeat in the hands of democracy. The trauma left them confused - and in exile in Abuja, afraid to return home to face their people who were rudely confronted with the “smallness” of their otherwise revered “Goliaths”.

It was laughable reading the allegations of “rigging” by the pro-Jonathan camp of the polarized Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) in the just concluded chairmanship election of the forum where Governor Rotimi Ameachi of Rivers state trashed the combined efforts of the Presidency, Governors Ibrahim Shehu Shema, Isa Yuguda and Jonah Jang of Katsina, Bauchi and Plateau states respectively. Not only that, Ameachi demystifi ed the so-called “Mr. Fix it”.

The result so shocked President Goodluck Jonathan while in far away Ethiopia, attending the Africa Union (AU) summit that he simply went missing and couldn’t address the summit. A very wise decision if I may say. Nigeria has more problems to risk having a just defeated and traumatised president addressing the AU.

After the last CBN monetary policy meeting

Demystifying the Presidency, Mr. Fix it et al

Opinion

Still, the good part of the drama might have been lost to many. For instance, we may never have known that these PDP Governors, majority of whom ascended their position by rigging their way using the instruments of offi ce, could taste the pains of being rigged. A clear case of sleeping on the bed you made for others. It is simply a wake-up call to many of them who have lost touch with the basic fundamentals of democracy. To others, it is a reminder that power ultimately belong to God and no one should play God by denying people what belongs to them.

However, it remains to be explained how the PDP government of the day intends to conduct a transparent, free and fair election involving millions of

people when it could not conduct one among 36 people deemed the best and at the top of the pecking order of the system. If a governor could not guarantee his vote, why should I trust him to guarantee the safety of my vote? Simply put, are we not asking for too much to expect the conduct of credible elections by this bunch of clowns? In any case, if these governors saw nothing wrong with rigging while at the giving end, why should they complain now that they are at the receiving end? It is clear, common sense is not so common among this class of Nigerians otherwise they should have known that their cries would only be good and soothing music to the ears of Nigerians in the same passion a donkey would watch his master being fl ogged.

Coming back to the “cockpit and cabin crew” desperation before the plane crashed, the attempt to subvert democracy by the Presidency and some few governors who can always be whipped in line with pictures of the skeletons in their cupboards has exposed the shallow mindedness and poor political grasp of majority our governors. Constant certifi cation of excellence and rare ingenuity heaped on these empty vessels has gotten so much into them that they have lost touch with reality and are beginning to believe and live their own lies. Leading this misguided pack are Governors Isa Yuguda and Ibrahim Shehu Shema. Ambitiously desperate to exploit the new low standards in the highest offi ce of the land, courtesy of its current tenant, these guys, both rumoured to be angling for the presidency, or at least the offi ce of the VP, are wasting no effort to put themselves in vantage positions come 2015. In their estimation, President GEJ has the key to their ambitions.

Shema was the fi rst victim of the PDP’s miscalculation. Not only his love for the inept and non-performing President Jonathan destroyed his ‘imaginary’ political base, it left him the least off in the political permutation of the North. President Jonathan successfully clipped whatever ambition Shema might have had by seeing more potential in Governor Jonah Jang,

indisputably the most colourless governor in Nigeria. A very sad case for the fl amboyant governor of Katsina state

I am not particularly worried about the other joker, governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state. Yuguda has since been deleted from the data base of Northern politicians. If he poses any threat, it has to be in his state. This misguided governor, charged with the affairs of one of the poorest states in the country, was in the vanguard of the campaign for more funds for Niger Delta just to please President Jonathan and remain well placed in the president’s calculations. Finally, Governor Jonah Jang. From his Gongola state days to his re-invention as governor of Plateau state, it had been blood, blood and more blood. For the fi rst time, the presidency put a round peg in a round hole. Who will lead a pack of blood hungry wolves with the required instinct better than Jonah Jang? There couldn’t be any better choice. It is all about sucking blood, isn’t it?

In the end, Nigerians should be glad to be around to see the “wake keeping” of this pack of deceiving non performers who were demystifi ed by the suave and performing Governor Rotimi Ameachi. Let’s wait for the fi nal funeral rites slated for 2015.Ahmed B. Kaita is a member of the House of Representatives from Katsina state.

However, it remains to be explained how the PDP government of the day intends to conduct a transparent, free and fair election involving millions of people when it could not conduct one among 36 people deemed the best and at the top of the pecking order of the system. If a governor could not guarantee his vote, why should I trust him to guarantee the safety of my vote?

Moreover, not only have we not recovered fully from the adverse effects on agriculture of last year’s fl oods in some parts of the country, but, with the recent declaration of a state of emergency (and the commencement of a low intensity war) in some parts of the north, production of any kind in those places could tank.

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of infl ation was down in April (6.9%) on March (7.2) on a year-on-year basis.

Much of the benign infl ation numbers this year owe a lot to the fact that on the back of a series of policy-induced measures last year, prices rose real fast compared with this year. In addition, prices continue to rise faster in urban locations this year than they have in rural ones. On a month-on-month basis (April on March), however, prices moderated across all the measures. Still, despite infl ation appearing to be adequately contained, the economic outlook remains mixed. GDP numbers are the main headache. These have dropped consistently over the last four years, suggesting that the reform measures deployed by the federal government in 2004 – 2007, and which were implicated in boosting the trend growth rate of the economy from the annual 3% – 4% before 2004, to a steady 7%+ since then, may have run their course. Although most commentators on the economy expect a recovery in domestic output, this year, from last year’s 6.58%, both the oil and gas, and the non-oil GDP measures are worrisome.

Pipeline vandalism, oil theft, and production shortfalls, as oil producers declare “force

majeure”, have all contributed to a reduction in domestic crude oil production. At the same time, oil prices on the global markets have responded to a combination of shocks (US fuel stockpiles are apparently enough to meet summer demand, daily production in the US rose by 285,000 barrels to 9.21mbd last week, and China’s economy is not providing the boost to global output that we all were hoping for) that could have only one outcome over the medium-term: a lowering of prices. So, we confront the prospects of poor output performance in the oil and gas sector this year (maybe even worse than last year’s).

Moreover, not only have

we not recovered fully from the adverse effects on agriculture of last year’s fl oods in some parts of the country, but, with the recent declaration of a state of emergency (and the commencement of a low intensity war) in some parts of the north, production of any kind in those places could tank. Agriculture, for so long the bulwark of our solid growth numbers, is the most vulnerable to these new realities. Nonetheless, reading through the IMF’s report of its most recent Article IV Consultation with the country, I found this particular footnote very instructive: “Large errors and omissions in the balance of payments suggest that the current account surplus is

overestimated by a signifi cant (but unknown) amount.” Buyer, beware!

With the MPC voting to retain its Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 12% with +/-200 basis points corridor around the mid-point; the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) at 12%; Liquidity ratio at 30%; and the Net Open Position at 1.0%, what should we then expect over the remainder of this budget cycle?

Arguably, the much hyped “base effect” should see further weakening in infl ation numbers through the remaining part of the year, especially by holding the CPI (y-o-y) down in the single digit range through to the end of the year. But poor oil sector numbers will weigh heavily on public revenue. Already we have seen the federal government take US$1bn out of the excess crude account in April to support shortfalls in its budget. And ought we to be worried (and by how much) by the central bank’s estimates of the net growth in domestic credit to government in the four months to end-April at N2tn? The fear is that on current trends, both the naira’s exchange rate, and the nation’s external reserves will come under major downward pressure this year.Ifeanyi Uddin is on LinkedIn.


By Dare Lasisi

The serene atmosphere of Woolwich area of South London was punctured

when the two terror suspects later identifi ed as Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale butchered to death a defenceless 25-year-old British soldier named Drummer Lee Rigby. It was as if Lucifer himself descended from the moon to behead this young soldier in broad day light. The two evil Michaels pounced on their prey and stabbed him repeatedly.

We have several popular Michaels who once positively ruled our world and some of them are still making waves.For example, Michael Jackson, King of Pop music, Michael Jordan, King of Basketball, Michael Tyson, former King of Boxing, Mikhail ‘Michael’ Gorbachev, former USSR president, Michael Imoudu, foremost Nigerian trade unionist, Michael Awoyinfa,the undisputed King of tabloid journalism in Nigeria, Michael Faraday, father of electricity, Michael Moore, foremost American documentarist, Michael Adenuga,Nigerian billionaire business man…

The two Woolwich terrorist suspects bear the same fi rst name of ‘Michael’. Is it just a coincidence or another accident of history? These two scumbags must be so proud to wear their newly-acquired laurels behind bars in front of their fellow inmates. Drummer Lee narrowly escaped hand grenades and Taliban bombs on the streets of Kabul and Baghdad but

By Bamidele Aturu

Many of our compatriots have expressed shock and disgust at the

blatant rejection of the result of the recent Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairmanship Election by the open losers in that election, Governor Jang, his supporters and sponsors. I am not surprised at all by the behaviour or misbehaviour of Mr Jang and his friends. I will expatiate later.

First, to be sure, in all democratic settings it is sacrilegious to question the procedure of an election in which one took part after the result of the election, particularly when the procedure is not known to have violated the Constitution of the association or of any known democratic norm. It is therefore extremely childish, and irrationally so, that some people who claim to be Governors can openly identify with the irrational rejection of the result of the NGF election.

I believe no word can be too harsh to deprecate the unbecoming conduct of those governors who have rejected the result of the election. I am only

The burden of democracy without democrats

A tale of two Michaels

All said, it is clear that the NGF itself is an immoral assembly that ought to be dismembered by all means necessary. It is nothing but an avenue for unnecessary waste of public funds. I have no problem with Governors forming a social club; but by all means let them not fund their ‘extracurricular’ social activities with our resources. As it stands today, the Governors attend the NGF meetings with funds belonging to the states.

Now the Woolwich terror suspects have been repeatedly branded as “Nigerian-British” citizens by the ‘almighty’ British media. Such a unique category recently

slipped into the list of UK classifi cation of “ethnic origin” through the back door of ‘political correctness’. Assuming the duo of evil-minded Michael Adebolajo,28 and Michael Adebowale,22, had won Olympic medals or represented Britain in sporting events like their ‘Nigerian-British’ compatriots such as Christine Ohuruogu, Maryln Okoro ,Abiodun Oyepitan, Philips Idowu, and James Dasaolu, it would have been doubtful if the British journalists would have traced their family roots to Nigeria.

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was butchered to death by two deranged British citizens on the street of his homeland. What an irony of fate!

Now the Woolwich terror suspects have been repeatedly branded as “Nigerian-British” citizens by the ‘almighty’ British media. Such a unique category recently slipped into the list of UK classifi cation of “ethnic origin” through the back door of ‘political correctness’. Assuming the duo of evil-minded Michael Adebolajo,28 and Michael Adebowale,22, had won Olympic medals or represented Britain in sporting events like their ‘Nigerian-British’ compatriots such as Christine Ohuruogu, Maryln Okoro ,Abiodun Oyepitan, Philips Idowu, and James Dasaolu, it would have been doubtful if the British journalists would have traced their family roots to Nigeria.

Several social media websites nearly crashed with the tragic news of this cowardly act on a London street.Both terror suspects were not making any attempt to escape from the scene as many people recorded the whole tragedy with their mobile phones. They enjoyed their moment of global fame on social media until the police bullets knocked them down. They both survived and are currently in hospital under armed guard.

These killers must be eternally grateful to Ruth Ellis (9 October 1926—13 July 1955). Ruth was the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom, after being convicted of the murder of her lover, David Blakely. She was a beautiful ‘lady killer’ who never

showed any remorse during her trial. She dressed elegantly like a ‘princess’ to the courtroom throughout her trial.

Just like terror suspect Adebolajo, when Ruth shot her lover on 10 April, 1955, she did not attempt to escape, instead she urged the people that witnessed the horror to alert the police to quickly arrest her. She was arrested on the spot, taken to Hampstead police station where she made a detailed confession to the police and was charged with murder. On the day of her hanging, she proudly told the Bishop that prayed for her soul: “It is quite clear to me that I was not the person who shot him.

When I saw myself with the revolver I knew I was another person.”

Capital punishment in the United Kingdom was used from the creation of the state in 1707 until the practice was abolished in the 20th century. The last executions in the United Kingdom, by hanging, took place in 1964, prior to capital punishment being abolished for murder (in 1965 in Great Britain and in 1973 in Northern Ireland). Although not applied since, the death penalty was abolished in all circumstances in 1998. In 2004 the 13th Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights became binding on the

United Kingdom, prohibiting the restoration of the death penalty for as long as the UK is a party to the Convention.

Floral tributes similar to those received by Princess Diana have been arriving at the spot where Lee was b butchered to death by the two demented Michaels in Woolwich, South London. These two devilish Michaels are so lucky that they did not commit this barbaric crime in America or any of the Middle-East countries. They would just be preparing to be the ‘special guests’ of electric-chair operators in any of the American maximum prisons or stretching their necks for the hangman’s noose to break .But this is United Kingdom where there is no capital punishment for blood-thirsty murderers like these two evil Michaels.

These murderers are not Muslims and they cannot speak on behalf of law-abiding and responsible Nigerian Muslims in the United Kingdom. The Nigerian Muslim community in the United Kingdom and Muslim Council of Britain instantly condemned these two attackers pretending to be defending Muslims and Islam. They said the duo acted alone as drug-addicted murderers and British-born terrorists with no links with Islam or Nigeria whatsoever.

What an irony of history that Michael Adebolajo’s best friend was Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath who died in 2007 when his Land Rover was blown up by terrorists in Basra, Iraq. He wept like a baby, according to friends at the funeral of his former schoolmate. The brutal murder of Lee Rigby in the hands of Michael Adebolajo is like ‘dancing on Kirk’s grave.’

Dare Lasisi wrote in from London, UK.

Letters & Opinionpersonally embarrassed that the Governor of my own State, Dr. Mimiko has been reported to be part of the nonsense.

All said, it is clear that the NGF itself is an immoral assembly that ought to be dismembered by all means

necessary. It is nothing but an avenue for unnecessary waste of public funds. I have no problem with Governors forming a social club; but by all means let them not fund their ‘extracurricular’ social activities with our resources. As it stands today, the Governors

attend the NGF meetings with funds belonging to the states.

This is unacceptable. The fact that such a social club exists in rich America is not a reason we must spend our lean resources facilitating club activities for our Governors. The NGF is a refl ection of the frivolous predilection of the ruling elite. It is not different from such clubs as POWA, NAOWA and Civil Servants’ Wives Associations and similar idle organisations.

I would be glad to no end if the undemocratic rejection of the result of its chairmanship election terminates the NGF as we know it. Even, if it does not, we, as a people have the duty to ensure that we kill the NGF. I do not know any progressive purpose it serves. Indeed I can point to its reactionary politics and policies. Was it not the same NGF that supported or even incited President Jonathan to remove the mythical subsidies on the prices of petroleum product? So, let all of them the die, that is, let PDPGF, NGF and all GFs die. It is in the interest of our democracy that they die.

Bamidele Aturu is on Twitter


By Chris Ngwodo

President Goodluck Jonathan’s proclamation of a state of emergency

in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states may signal a turning point in the Nigerian government’s confl ict with insurgents in Northern Nigeria. The military’s deployment of more troops as well as helicopter gunships and jets has been greeted by a euphoric note of optimism in the media. The sense is that the armed forces, now free from political inhibitions, are about to showcase the hitherto underestimated might of the Nigerian state and fi nally crush Boko Haram. However, such militaristic boosterism should be tempered by more sober appraisal of events.

In imposing emergency rule, President Jonathan acted decisively if belatedly, for this was a measure that arguably should have been taken a year or two earlier instead of engaging in fruitless attempts to appease the terrorists. It had become necessary to prevent the Northeast from a descent into ungovernable chaos. The expectation now is that the escalation of force will swiftly end the insurgency but it is more realistic to think in terms of months and years rather than weeks.

Counterinsurgency campaigns take time because of the hydra-headed and often protean nature of insurgencies. The proper comparison is not, as some commentators opine, between the Nigerian situation and the recent Anglo-American military expeditions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Nigerian army is not a foreign invading force. The more accurate comparison is with

the confl icts between Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers, Britain and the Irish Republican Army, Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army and India and the Naxalite Maoist rebellion. All these insurgencies have lasted decades.

The current offensive may well degrade and even destroy the organization known as Boko Haram but this is unlikely to end the plague of terrorism for a number of reasons. Firstly, even though the group is probably in its death throes, it would be prudent to expect it to mount last gasp bombings, shootings and kidnappings and to attempt high profi le attacks on major cities including Abuja almost as a sort of murderous fi nal fl ourish. The Islamist anarchist cult Maitatsine was fi rst “crushed” by the military in 1980 in Kano but its sporadic uprisings continued across the north, particularly the northeast, until 1985. This resilience is typical of a manifestation of terror that has evolved beyond an organizational format to become a socio-cultural phenomenon. When we think of terrorism now, we should think less of organizations and more of a subculture of violent rebellion against the state.

Beyond this, the technology of violence is now diffuse. Terrorism executed with easily accessible low tech implements will likely become a normative feature of Nigerian life for the time being. Furthermore, Boko Haram is not the only terrorist threat facing Nigeria. The fi rst terrorist attack of the Jonathan era was carried out by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, a seasoned purveyor of bombings in the Delta.

The country’s vast pool of unschooled, unskilled, and

unemployed young males of working age is a veritable incubator of anti-state aggression. This is coupled with politicians’ penchant for domesticating and co-opting violent groups for their own purposes instead of properly addressing them as criminal elements. Indeed, it is impossible to separate terrorism and insurgency from the culture of political violence that suffuses partisan politics. A presidential adviser, Kingsley Kuku and Asari Dokubo, a Niger Delta militant gang leader recently threatened violence if Jonathan is not reelected in 2015 demonstrating the complicity of politicians at the highest levels in the plague of terrorism. The politically-connected oil-stealing gangsters who call themselves “Niger Delta militants” symbolize the nexus between terrorism and politics.

As was the case in the Niger Delta, the prolonged militarization in the North east and the complexity of combating a stealthy group hiding in the midst of a civilian population and using it as a human shield, carry the risk of human rights violations by the military. Such abuses will radicalize an embittered populace and further fuel the fl ames of the insurgency. The geography of the north east, which is the epicentre of this insurgency, has enabled Boko Haram to develop transnational affi liations and close links with criminal and terror networks extending from the Sahel to the Maghreb. It will take concerted and persistent action to root out these groups. In the Northeast, the veins of alienation which extremist groups tap into run deep. If Islamist terrorism was going to germinate in Nigeria, it seems logical that it would be in

her much neglected northeastern frontier.

Whatever its eventual success, this military action should be understood as an ad hoc measure. A medium to long term national security strategy requires the urgent development of institutional capacities to address the new range of threats posed by low intensity confl icts such as that between the pastoralists and farmers, an essentially ecological confl ict driven by climate change but with the potential to assume a broader sectarian scale. These include threats posed by insurgency, ethnic militias and privately-owned paramilitaries. Piracy in Nigeria’s coastal waters is a growing threat with international implications and could become the next major national and international security crisis.

A revised national security strategy must surely involve an enhanced border security administration including the short-term militarization of Nigeria’s exceedingly porous borders with her Sahelian neighbours. It will also call for police reform initiatives that restore civilian policing to the front lines of security and law enforcement administration. One of the more pungent symptoms of Nigeria’s dysfunctional security architecture has been the militarization of law enforcement with an overburdened military tasked to combat everything from highway banditry to kidnapping. This, in addition to the neglect of the police, has contributed to a climate of militarism that feeds violence and in which a regard for due process of law can scarcely fl ower.

Institutional reforms in the security establishment are much

more diffi cult than proclaiming emergency rule. They require administrative rigour and the political will to challenge obsolete orthodoxies. They call for a shift from the establishment’s obsolete military era obsession with state capture through coup d’etat – a steadily diminishing threat since 1999 – to a broader cognizance of the perils posed by non-state actors and the intersection of politics, organized crime and terrorism. No security sector reform, for instance, is complete without reviewing the use of perverse affi rmative action schemes in staffi ng strategic agencies. If there is any area of governance that urgently needs to be run as a meritocracy, it is the intelligence, security and law and enforcement administration.

Ultimately, however effi cient the military and the security forces may be, their work is only a stopgap measure. Elected politicians must govern and provide the developmental deliverables that will turn a teeming young population away from nihilism and anarchy. There are no foolproof guarantees against terrorism but intelligent governance can shrink the population of malcontents to the barest minimum of misanthropes that are beyond salvage. The more young Nigerians are empowered to live creative lives and achieve upward mobility, the less likely they are to be seduced by psychotic visions of paradise or careers in political thuggery. It is this failure to create social security and to provide paths to a meaningful life that is the greatest generator of terrorism and confl ict in Nigeria.

Chris Ngwodo’s professional profi le is on LinkedIn.

By Adepoju Paul Olusegun

When the governor of Plateau state said he suspected foul play, one

would expect he had a valid case of electoral malpractice in the conduct of the election that saw eschewed Rotimi Amaechi emerge as the re-elected chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. He however sounded ridiculous when he said his argument was based on the promise he got from 18 out of the 35 state governors because statistically, he didn’t select his confi dence interval well and he clearly showed that despite his old age and vast political and professional experiences, the word “backstabbing” is still strange to him.

For many like him who don’t know what backstabbing is all about, it is defi ned in real Nigerian terms as an unfortunate condition where an individual is cheered on by people who will later turnaround at the nick of time to renege on their earlier promise. If that defi nition still looks ambiguous, let me illustrate with the true life story that made me decide not to venture into

States of emergency and terrorism (1)

Governor Jang, I feel your pain

The reason why many Nigerians rejoiced on the night of Amaechi’s victory was that the saga that trailed the governor’s fl ight cancellation and threats from all angles occupied by loyalists of the president gave Nigerians and foreign observers the perfect scenario to understudy the maturity of our rule of law and democracy.

“

Comment

politics. It happened to a friend during

our undergraduate years and he was vying for the Students’ Representatives Council (SRC) slot for our class so we rallied around him to support him with the campaign. Prior to the day of the election, more than two-third of members of the class promised to vote for our candidate.

Armed with this assurance, he went to roost like a chicken. He slept soundly and I helped

him draft his victory/acceptance speech. In the morning, he wore his best T. M. Lewin shirt and was set for what would have been his fi rst ever victory in politics.

Unlike the secret ballot style of the NGF election, ours was open ballot so that everyone would see who voted and who didn’t vote. For the winner, it’s an opportunity to know who your true supporters are, and those you will have to convince that you are qualifi ed to lead. But for the loser,

it’s a disheartening moment to see those that gave you false hopes. My friend belonged to the later as only 5 of us voted for him. It took him years to have confi dence to seek political offi ce again.

It is, therefore, surprising that the 70-year old governor lacked such experience until last Friday when out-of-favour Rotimi Amaechi, despite all odds, emerged victorious - the fi rst ever politician in PDP history to record success in spite of being on the president’s blacklist.

The reason why many Nigerians rejoiced on the night of Amaechi’s victory was that the saga that trailed the governor’s fl ight cancellation and threats from all angles occupied by loyalists of the president gave Nigerians and foreign observers the perfect scenario to understudy the maturity of our rule of law and democracy. Instead of crying foul play, and raising unnecessary dust, the Jang team should bury the hatchet and learn the lesson I learned as an undergraduate that until the results of an election are announced, assurances and promises are nothing to rely on because even when under oath,

people can still change their minds when they get something better than what you plan to offer.

Amaechi has been outstanding in the way he has handled the forces from above and we expect him to handle his opponents smartly too. The house is currently divided which needs amendment but is also a good sign because there will be divergent opinions and an abrupt end would be put to the incessant wastage of state resources by governors who are united to swindle the system.

And for the Oga at the Top who Daily Trust said was receiving live update from Akpabio, I believe he should accept defeat in good fate and let Amaechi be. If Nigerians can rejoice on his victory, then Oga at the Top should know that further making things diffi cult for Amaechi using federal might will only complicate things come 2015 since many Nigerians are seeing a David Mark/Rotimi Amaechi ticket as a better option for PDP over the incumbent which is extensively touted as pusilanimous and clueless.Adepoju Paul Olusegun is on www.facebook.com


Primary school enrolment FCT has risen immensely - Director FCT-UBEBINTERVIEW

Alhaji Adamu Jatau Noma

Metro

What is the state of teaching and learning process in the FCT?

The FCT- UBEB as an agency charged with the management of public

schools in the FCT, has been able to attain some giant strides in the past two years. Prior to this, though, for some time, there has been a kind of general uproar about most of our schools being dilapidated and un-conducive for teaching and learning to take place.

People were saying that our teachers were demoralized; instructional materials were not there and so on; but as at today, most of our schools infrastructures are one of the best throughout the country. In fact, by the time you are counting one to three states that have conducive teaching and learning environment, I think FCT would be one of the fi rst three in that order. And then when it comes to provision of instructional materials, I would want to assure you too, that the FCT administration tries as much as it can to make sure that these essential materials are provided for effective teaching and learning processes that take place in the territory. Teachers are highly motivated.

It is only in FCT that there is special package for teacher, who teach in urban and rural areas; for those that are teaching in urban centres in the FCT, they have in addition to their basic salaries and other allowances, another 8% of their basic salaries are added to their salaries. And then for teachers, who teach in rural areas in the territory, also in addition to all other allowances that accrue to them, they have twelve percent of their basic salaries addition. Of course, payments of teachers’ salaries are regularly effected in the FCT.

Again teachers in the FCT get their normal promotion as at when due. Even recently, there were complaints by other agencies in the FCT that the FCT-UBEB as an agency of government has too many senior staff; this is because as teachers everybody is given promotion as at when due. And those who are now in deputy director rank are those who joined service in the 1980s, at the same time with their counterpart in other agencies, and have risen to their current level in the service. That’s why it appears we have so many senior staff.

So in the FCT, our infrastructures and our classrooms that are furnished with modern sitting equipment and instructional materials are now very conducive for education; and highly motivated teachers, we can only be the best. Currently now, some many of our teachers are in China undergoing a 21 Day

training programme, free of charge at the expense of Chinese Cultural Centre. And in the same vein, the Korean Cultural Centre partners with us to train our teachers and pupils in various programmes. So we also collaborate with interested organisations to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in the FCT. FCT-UBEB has always being a model in the sector, and it will continue to be a model for all to tab from.

What impact has the provision of infrastructure, instructional materials and highly motivated teachers so far had on pupils and students in the FCT?

Provision of modest infrastructures, instructional materials and highly motivated teachers in our schools system, has impacted positively on the quality of products from the system. This is because, even having good class rooms equipped with modern instructional materials situation alone, have attracted pupils, who were not interested in going or staying in our schools, to go back to schools. Secondly, students and pupils performance have increased tremendously, because teachers are eager and willingly to give their best; and because teachers are doing their best, academic performance has risen across schools in the territory. Of course, it is evident, as FCT is leading in

Students Advancement in Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE). Since the introduction of the programme in 2005, FCT has been maintaining fi rst position, particularly our junior secondary schools. Also the competition is going to be held in the country sometime in August, this year. So on a general note, enrollment, retention and completion of both pupils and students have been increased. Again, the quality of instruction in our schools has equally improved.

What are the major challenges facing the Board?

Our major challenges is funding. Although the FCT administration is doing its best, but the best is still not yet enough. This is because,

There is special package for teachers, who teach in urban and

rural areas; for those that teaching in urban centres in the FCT, they

have in addition to their basic salaries and other allowances,

another 8% of their basic salaries are added to their salaries

“

to provide good quality education, you need a lot of money. Money is needed to provide all the class rooms, the furniture, instructional materials, school buses, teachers, and capacity building for our teachers, as the key things that we need. So if adequate and reasonable fund is made available to take care of the basic education need in territory, then we will able to do a lot of things, for the education sector in the FCT.

Checks reveal that Nigeria needs about 1.3 million teachers to meet the demand for basic education nationwide, are you worried about this?

As a teacher, yes, because you

cannot do well if you don’t have enough teachers to meet demands at the basic education level; and teachers already in the system will be overworked if the gap is not bridged. But once we have enough and adequate teachers in our schools, then it would lessen the burden for teachers, who are already in service. For instance; if a teacher is handling a class of sixty, and then another teacher is brought to share the number into; what it means, is that there would more qualitative attention to pupils, and when a teachers gives them assignment, he or she will be able to assess and mark them in good time. And each teacher would know every child by name, even including their parents, so that once any child has a problem, the teachers will be able to tell very well what is wrong with the child.

How is the Board addressing the issue of teacher short fall in the FCT?

In the FCT, we may not be able to say that we have all the teachers that we need. It is not true that we have adequate teachers. Despite the effort of the FCT administration in this area, we are still in need of more teachers, particularly in some basic subjects; we are yet to have enough teachers in Mathematics, English and other languages such French, Arabic as Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Even in the religious studies, we don’t have enough teachers in CRK and IRS respectively. So year in year out, we always make a modest provision for us to recruit teachers, but only if it gets through our budget, then we take in more teachers. However, the reason is that every year, we establish new schools; so the challenge is, if we are establishing new schools, that means we are going to provide more classrooms, more teachers, more equipment. But we always make provision for additional teachers, no matter the number, every year. And teachers’ recruitment in the FCT is done at two levels; either at UBE board level or at the local education authority level.

Once we make provision for additional teachers in our budget, and it is approved, then we will now come and write telling the minister that we have such thing approved in our budget, informing him that we want to initiate and start the process of recruitment. And once he gives go ahead, then we advertised, and when we advertised, then he approves it, thereafter, the processes of recruitment would go on.

As part of efforts toward reducing high rate of illiteracy in Nigeria, the FCT administration through its Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB) has continued making giant strides in this direction, as manifested in the increased number of good classrooms situations across the territory. In this interview with Stanley Onyekwere, the Board’s Director, Alhaji Adamu Jatau Noma, refl ects on the unprecedented enrollment, retention and completion of basic education of school-age children recorded in the nation’s capital, in the last two years. Excerpt:

Mallam Abdullahi Dada Alhaji Yusuf Abdulahi Rowland Kelechi Nwogbe Chinwe Acha

Austine Benjami Kingsley Ndubuisi Emenike U. Mallam Murtal Sani

PAGE 18 PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

14th years of Democracy: Abuja residents express disappointment and expectations

Mrs. Kudirat Osoba (Business Woman):

My expectations and wishes for the present Government of Nigerian

are many and I must say that they are achievable given the enormous resources available in the country. To achieve them, there is the need for all hands to be on deck. By that I mean that the leadership and the followership have huge roles to play if Nigeria would attain an enviable height. It is common to hear people put all the blames on politicians, the problems of corruption and so on. However, no politician can be corrupt without the aid of the people, civil servants for instance. So, it is high time we began to embrace the efforts at reformation as not only a reformation for the leadership but also for the followership. If we do this, I am confi dent that we will have a new Nigeria that we all desire.

Mallam Abdullahi Dada (Businessman): It is not worth celebrating; despite the 14 years of democracy in Nigeria we were still facing hardship in the country. I urge the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to provide employments for the youths to better their lives. I also urged the government to focus on the jobs creation for the benefi t of Nigerians. The government should provide an enabling environment for the businessmen to operate by placing emphasis on the security situation and support the efforts of determined entrepreneurs by way of creating permanent structures where any new government will not frustrate efforts of investors by demolition of already established businesses.

There is also the need government to create centres where young school leavers and other youths can easily engage themselves in the successful activities or businesses.

Alhaji Yusuf Abdullahi (Trader): 14 years democracy anniversary is disappointing, the fourteen years of civil rule in Nigeria many people are living below poverty line. One cannot boast of electricity supply talk more of other social amenities needed by ordinary Nigerians. I am appealing to President Goodluck Jonathan to fi ght Boko Haram sect that are perpetrating evils in the Northern part of Nigeria. I also urge the present administration in Nigeria at all levels to be fair to their masses in terms of providing the dividends of democracy. The government has failed to meet up with needs of Nigerians.

Mallam Murtal Sani (Drycleaner): It is worth celebrating though the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is non-challant concerning the development of satellite towns in the territory. We cannot boast of potable drinking water in our respective area councils. Some of the dispensaries or clinics are lacking drugs in the territory. Some roads at the grassroots were not dualised or rehabilitated to pave way for farmers to transport their farm products to urban areas for sale. With these, I can say that the fourteen years of democracy had not yielded positive results on the lives of privileged ones in the society. Parents or guardians cannot send their children to schools due to high school fees charged by the school authorities in the territory. On this note, I am calling on the President Goodluck Jonathan to focus on the poverty alleviation to reduce hardship facing the people of Nigeria.

Austine Benjamin (Unemployed): 14 years of democracy in Nigeria was fruitless efforts because no positive development had been achieved

by the government. He accused the president Goodluck Jonathan of declaring state of emergency in some parts of Nigeria without allowing the military to completely taken over the administration of those states. In fact, President Jonathan administration is the worst government so far in Nigeria. I rated him very low. Security is nothing to talk about in our country. I am from east but the administration of Jonathan is nothing to proud of.

Garba Mohammed (Driver): The 14th democracy anniversary is worth celebrating, though there is the need for Federal government to focus more on security and basic infrastructure, there are a lot of things to be done. Particularly on our roads, for example from Zuba to Mpape , Airport and Masaka axis . The Federal Government should also look at the increase of house rents to the masses. I am using these medium to pray for peace in the country. I wish everybody peaceful democracy day.

Dr. A. J. Noma (Director FCT-UBEB): Generally we can see the dividends of democracy are

obvious. In fact, even having only freedom of speech, it is enough for everybody. Today, people are very free, people can express their views on topical issues as at when due, provided that they don’t infringe on other people’s rights. So that alone is enough dividends of democratic governance over these years.

Rowland Kelechi Nwogbe (Computer Systems Engineer): In spite of the many challenges in the Nigerian democracy over time, there are more gains than what we had in the military, in all its ramifi cations. With democracy, rule of law and freedom of speech has been literally practiced unlike before, when you often than not attract punishment, just for expressing different view from the power -that- be, on topical issues in the country.

Kingsley Ndubuisi (Businessman): It is not worth celebrating because things are very hard for the masses especially the private sector in the country, as things are not moving as expected at the inception of return of democratic rule in 1999.

I’m a businessman, but with the situation of things, I fi nd it very diffi cult to get my daily bread from the business. But I don’t think things are the way they are because of democracy, as we don’t want the military to take over, because if government should do something to address the situation, then everyone will see the gains of the system.

Emenike U. (Electronics Engineer): No matter what has gone bad with the current system of governance in the country, democracy is far better than Military rule. Because the freedom of speech alone is a very big thing; with this one can criticize the government; which during the military regime you cannot do so and get away unhurt.

Chinwe Acha (Food vendor): The dividends of democracy are obvious. In fact, even having only freedom of speech, it is enough for everybody to celebrate. This is because as citizens we very free, to express our views on topical issues as at when due, without fear of victimization. Even this alone, I believe is part of the critical dividends of democracy.

As Nigeria celebrates its 14th democracy anniversary celebrations today , many Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents have expressed their frustrations with the current state of affairs in the country. They also stated their expectations for the years ahead, in different chats with the Peoples Daily, Metro crew: Adeola Tukuru, Stanley Onyekwere and Usman Shuaibu. Excerpts:

The Federal Government plans to export fresh vegetables worth $10

million (N1.6 bn) in 2013, Deputy Director, Horticulture in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Mike Kanu has said.

Kanu said this in Umuahia, Abia state, at the commencement of the distribution of two tonnes of telferia seeds to selected farmers in the state.

He said that the Federal Government was poised to transform the horticulture value-chain as well as promote the sale of perishable goods from Nigeria in the international market.

“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, through the horticulture value-chain, called

for the list of vegetable farmers producers of especially telferia, which is popularly known as ’Ugu’.

This vegetable is one of those vegetables that are in high demand outside Nigeria; And based on its importance in the entire economy, especially in health, provides the necessary vitamins and also as a major source of income to some major states in Nigeria.

The Minister, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina approved the procurement of two metric tonnes of the seeds to be distributed to some selected farmers from the fi ve states that is Abia , Ogun, Delta, Cross River and Imo. Something like this vegetable, special attention has to be paid towards their production. We will continue to distribute subsequently

after this fi rst batch.“He said that no fewer than

two hundred farmers drawn from the fi ve states would benefi t from the programme in the pilot phase. Kanu said that the farmers would be expected to establish 200 hectares of telferia farm across the country.

“The target is to market one million dollars worth of fresh produce including Ugu leaves, Okro is there, Tomato is there, Carrot is there, Cucumber is there; in 2012 that was the target set. That of 2013 is 10 million. What are the things that will make us reach this target? Production of Ugu based on global good agricultural practices that will make your produce acceptable at the international market”.

Kanu said that the government was in partnership with the

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY

FG set to export N1.6bn worth of vegetables

INSIDE

“Currently, we know that most horticultural crops are

not offi cially exported outside Nigeria, whereas we have

better advantage to dominate the entire European market.”

“ ”

CBN shouldn’t rush to cut rates, says Sanusi

Power outage cripples economic activities in Birnin Kebbi

- Pg 23

- Pg 24

Before you start creating slides for your next talk, plan what you’re going

to say. A storyboard — a visual outline of your presentation — will save you more time than it takes to create it.

First, draw small representations of your ideas on sticky notes. The small space forces you to use simple, clear words and pictures. Limit yourself to one idea per slide: There’s no reason to crowd

them. This sketching process will help you clarify what you want to say and how you want to say it.

As you storyboard, you’ll be able to tell immediately which concepts are clunky or overly complex (you’ll run out of space on your sticky notes). Eliminate them, and brainstorm new ways to communicate those messages more clearly.

Source: Harvard Business Review

Storyboard your presentation

By Mohammed Kandi private sector in the initiative.“We have what we call the

Agricultural Fresh Producers Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFPGEA) with major key players like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the Dangote Groups, for which the government is trying to reposition to be in a better place to ensure the export of fresh produce from Nigeria to see if we can meet what other African countries are doing with exports produce.

“Currently, we know that most horticultural crops are not offi cially exported outside Nigeria, whereas we have better advantage to dominate the entire European market.”

Kanu appealed to state governments to ensure the success of the programme in their respective states.


L-R: Secretary to Kaduna state government, Alhaji Ishaq Damahawayi, the state governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero, and Commissioner for Finance, Mr. John Ayuba, during the joint tax board regional Sensitisation workshop, yesterday in Kaduna. Photo: NAN

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is to deploy its

Aerial Radar(Surveillance) System as from the mid-night of today, Wednesday, 29th.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Managing Director of NAMA, Mazi Nnamdi Udoh at an interactive session with journalists in the conference hall of the Agency’s head offi ce in Ikeja, Lagos.

He said the deployment of

Aerial Radar would greatly complement the existing Total Radar Coverage in ensuring seamless air navigation within the country’s airspace.

Mazi Udoh said it would be of economic benefi ts to airlines as it would save them fuel anf time in addition to the health benefi t to Nigerians as a whole with the reduction of Carbon Dioxide emission into the atmosphere.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) added that it has given the Agency the go-ahead to deploy the

Aerial Control System and an authorised offi cially to license Air Traffi c Controllers that would take charge of the system.

On the benefi ts of the system, Mazi Udoh further said ‘’if you are taking-off from Lagos, you don’t to change your squak [code used by a pilot to communicate air traffi c controller] to Abuja, Kano or Port Harcourt. The controller will transfer you seamlessly to the next radar and maintain the same squak to land’’.

‘’It saves time, fuel and

money. Having saved airlines time in the past when they used to fl y Lagos-Abuja 1hour 10 minutes before, now reduced to 50 minutes, the introduction of Aerial Radar Control will once again reduce that time to 40-45minutes and for the environment, it saves a lot of carbon dioxide emission that could pollute the atmosphere’’, he noted.

Prior to this, NAMA was using procedural aerial control but now it is going to surveillance aerial control.

Hundreds of Truck Owners Association in Ogun state, at the

weekend, protested the alleged multiple taxation leveled against them by the officials of the state government and alleged plan by the government to increase the haulage tax fees.

The protesters threatened to relocate their investments to the neighbouring states if the state government goes ahead with the planned increase through an executive bill which had been allegedly sent by the governor to the House of Assembly to effect the increase of the tax.

The state chairman of the association, Lekan Adegun alleged that “apart from the outrageous tax, there are other two taxes that we pay, one of which is a local government tax.”

Shareholders of Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc have applauded

the company’s impressive performance, including returns on investment in the 2012 financial year.

With a gross dividend of 120 kobo on each ordinary share in issue as opposed to 75 kobo of 2011 financial year, shareholders at the company’s shareholders forum last week in Lagos, unanimously agreed that the company has done very well, urging them to do more so that the dividend is sustained.

According to the National chairman, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Boniface Okezie, Lafarge WAPCO’s performance in the last financial year was impressive.

Mainland Oil and Gas has unveiled plans to invest N2 billion into

the expansion of mega fi lling stations across the country.

The Managing Director, Mainland Oil and Gas. Chris Igwe, said at the weekend that the expansion is in phases, which is set to commence in third quarter of the year.

According to him, ``In the fi rst phase, we are looking at additional 50 mega fi lling stations, and that will bring our presence in the market to some 65 fi lling stations. The plan to build the mega stations is very strategic to our growth agenda”.

AviationNAMA deploys Aerial Surveillance Radar system Stories from Suleiman Idris

Aero Contractors to start fl ying Accra-Douala

Emirates passenger milestone increases 16%, reaches 39m

Arik Air, Cranfi eld University partner on manpower development

Company News


Truck Owners Association

Lafarge Cement WAPCO Plc

Mainland Oil & Gas

Aero Contractors, one of the continent’s best airlines has launched

its 13th route from the Accra, Ghana to Douala, Cameroon.

The route, Kotoka International Airport (KIA) – Douala International Airport and back to Accra with a brief stop in Lagos, Nigeria, was launched at a short ceremony at the Silver Lounge of the Accra Mall, Friday.

According to the management of the airline, the new route goes further to highlight its strategy to continue to provide the most reliable, convenient, fast and affordable way for their customers to fl y.

The maiden fl ight for the new route was on May 7 and Aero will fl y customers three times a week – Monday, Wednesday

and Friday. Flights will leave Accra 8am and passengers will reach their destination by 11am (12noon Douala time).

With a 54-year-old history and experience, Aero is West Africa’s oldest airline running domestic fl ights in Nigeria and also operating an impressive Accra-Lagos route.

The Douala route is starting at a promotional price of US$250 and Capt. Rusel

Leefon stressed that even after the promotion, the new fare “will probably double but we still think that even if it doubles, it’s going to be one of the most attractive airfares.”

Aero Contractors is embarking on a major expansion drive and hopes to take their services to some new markets including Libreville (Gabon), Monrovia (Liberia), and Freetown (Sierra Leone).

Emirates airline passenger traffi c has hit a record of 39.4 million

passengers, an increase of 16 percent over the last one year.

With an increase in seat capacity-Available Seat Kilometres (ASKMs) of 18 percent, the result highlights a strong consumer desire to fl y on Emirates’ state-of-the-art aircraft.

Emirates logged a robust Passenger Seat Factor (PSF), at 80 percent, remaining consistent with last year’s results.

This was announced by the Emirates Group as it declared its 25th consecutive year of profi t and company-wide growth ending the year in a strong position despite continuing high fuel prices and a weak global economic environment.

The fi nancial year also ended with some very positive newly reached capacity milestones throughout the business.

Speaking during this event, Ahmed bin Sa’eed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said “Achieving our 25th consecutive year of profi t in a fi nancial year with our largest ever increase in capacity across the network is

Arik Air, West and Central Africa’s largest airline and Cranfi eld

University, United Kingdom have entered into a partnership aimed at human capital development in the airline.

The partnership will also include exchange programmes between Arik Air and Cranfi eld University, according to the Public Relations & Communications Manager of the airline, Mr. Adebanji Ola.

As a fi rst step in the partnership, Dr. John Frankie O’Connell, an expert in airline management at the Air Transport Department of Cranfi eld University today began the conduct of a three-day ‘kick-off’ seminar for Arik Air management staff and would end today, Wednesday, May 29th.

The three-day seminar will cover airline industrial trends, commercial and airline strategy, among others.

Dr. O’Connell is expected to dwell on general trends of the aviation industry, aero politics and new regulatory trends facing the airline industry, airline traffi c, demand, forecasts and aircraft orders as well as traffi c measurements for full service airlines among other topics.

Arik Air Managing Director/Executive Vice President, Mr. Chris Ndulue said of the partnership:

“The airline industry is a dynamic one and at Arik Air we believe we have to be in tune with current trends in the sector. This is the essence of this partnership which will set Arik apart from other airlines. It is meant to address the dearth of qualifi ed manpower in the Nigerian aviation sector, and to train world-class managers for the future of Arik Air and the aviation industry in Nigeria”.

an achievement that speaks of the strength of our brands and our leadership”, he stated.

He said throughout the 2012-13 fi nancial year the Group has collectively invested over US$ 3.8billion in new aircraft, products, services and handling facilities as well as the newly opened JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai.

“This investment

has resulted in an increased customer base and a rise in global brand awareness. Every dirham that we earn is strategically placed back into our business and it is this tenacious approach that has allowed the Group to maintain such strong and consistent p r o f i t a b i l i t y under challenging c i r c u m s t a n c e s .

Infrastructure: Zamfara releases N1.6bn for compensation

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) shouldn’t rush to cut interest rates even as infl a-

tion is forecast to remain within its target this year, Governor Sa-nusi Lamido Sanusi said.

Rate reductions will depend on whether the government can control spending, Sanusi said in

an interview in Marrakech, Mo-rocco, where he is attending the annual meetings of the African Development Bank.

The CBN left its policy rate unchanged at a record high of 12 percent on May 21, concerned by the threat of rising spending as the government battles Islamist insurgents in the northeast. In-fl ation has stayed under 10 per-

cent for four consecutive months, meeting the bank’s target.

“The CBN shouldn’t rush into cutting rates and then raising,” Sanusi said. “How much room we have to cut depends on what hap-pens in the fi scal space.”

Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said last week the economy needs lower interest rates to help spur output.

There are indications that Nigeria may be facing a high level of internal

security breaches through the illegal activities of private jetty owners, even as the Federal Government has expressed worry and subsequent sanction for airing operators.

At a closed door interactive forum organised for jetty operators, onshore and offshore oil companies and stevedore companies in Lagos on Friday, Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar express worry that reports of security breaches at private jetties is on the rise.

Umar also revealed that the ministry has been receiving series of complaints from stevedoring companies who had alleged that they are being prevented from operating at jetties approved to them.

“In the recent past, reports of security breaches at private jetties have been received and in view of the current security challenges in the country the issue cannot be ignored” the minister stated

He warned that jetty operators are expected to restrict their activities to the approving licenses granted to

them and work in collaboration with security agencies of the federal government to ensure compliance with the laws guiding their operations.

He reiterated the determination of the Federal Government in streamlining activities of jetty owners, even as he warned that “anything outside these is bound to attract suspicion and appropriate sanctions”

He made it clear that the essence of the interactive session is to correct the observed lapses and brainstorm on the way forward.

Delegates from across the continent will in June gather in

Lagos to deliberate on the challenges and the way forward for travel business.

This is contained in the May edition of Africa Travel Journal, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

According to the journal, the event will target companies that send staff on business travel throughout Africa and across the globe, and the region’s leading travel agents, airlines, hotels, travel press.

The statement said the event

would feature paper presentation by the country’s foremost experts on business travels.

It said that the paper presentation would address the current trends, challenges and opportunities within the West African airline industry, practical solutions for day-to-day diffi culties faced when moving travellers around Africa.

It will also inform delegates on updates and business travel best practices in other African hubs, and a roundtable open industry discussion on supplier and customer relationship management.

The statement said that

delegates, at the end of the forum, would have some key insights into the current trends, challenges and opportunities within the West African airline industry.

It will have updates on International Air Transport Association, Airline (IATA) safety standards and best practices in interactions between clients, agents and suppliers.

The statement said that delegates would also have knowledge of how the African business travel industry operated in relation to global standards. (NAN)

Economy

The Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI), Musa

Yusuf , while commending the Federal Government for sustained macro-economic stability and growth performance in the last three-four years, has again condemned the nation’s monetary policy.

According to him, limits the effect of the nation’s economic growth and surging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the lives of Nigerians and businesses.

Mr. Yusuf argued that the

nation’s economy is “still structural defi cient because it is majorly based on the oil economy and that is one of the major risk that we face in this economy.”

He made this known as a guest on Channels Television Business Morning which evaluated the performance of the federal government in its second year.

He also noted that if the nation’s monetary and fi scal policies works in tandem to enhance the growth and development of local industries and businesses, even more foreign direct investment will come to the nation’s economy.

The Zamfara state government said, on Monday, that it

had released N1.6 billion to compensate residents whose houses or shops were demolished for development purposes.

The state Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Lawal Jangebe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau that the state government had already paid the compensation to the property owners.

According to him, all houses and shops affected by the state government’s development projects are recorded while their owners

are adequately compensated.He said the government

had demolished all structures hindering road construction and other development projects.

The commissioner explained that the government cleared the structures so that it could meet its campaign promises of constructing new roads and providing projects that were of direct benefi t to the people of the state.

Jangebe, therefore, called on the people of the state to always register their landed property with the relevant authorities to enable the government to pay compensation as exigencies demanded. (NAN)

Africa’s natural resources in agricultural, mining and energy can boost

its economic transformation, a report by the United Nations (UN) has said.

According to the report: ``African Economic Outlook 2013’’, African countries must take full advantage of their natural resource wealth to accelerate the pace of growth.

The report added that the continent must also ensure that the process could benefi t ordinary Africans. It also stressed that this must be accompanied by inclusive social policies that would seek to reduce inequality in the continent.

“Now is the time to step up the tempo of economic transformation so that African economies become more competitive and create more gainful jobs,’’ the report stated.

It added that widening the sources of economic activity was fundamental to meeting the challenges.

The report said that the continent’s economic prospects for 2013 and 2014 were promising, with the economy projected to grow by 4.8 per

cent the fi rst year and accelerate further to 5.3 percent the next.

It, however, said that economic growth alone would not be enough to reduce poverty, tackle persistent unemployment, and address income inequalities and deteriorating levels of health and education.

“Growth is not enough. African countries must provide the right conditions for turning natural resources into jobs; optimise their resource revenues through smart taxation.

“The continent must help investors and locals to make the most of linkages,” the report quoted the Director of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Centre, Mario Pezzini as saying.

According to the report, four key elements are necessary for inclusive growth.

It listed them as: creating the right conditions for transformation including infrastructure; the creation of more competitive markets; implementing more effective tax systems and improving land management.

Security breaches at private jetties worries FG

Nigeria’s growing FDIs are not affecting its people – LCCI boss

Africa’s resources can boost economic transformation – UN report

CBN shouldn’t rush to cut rates, says Sanusi


By Abdulwahab Isa

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Dr Ngozi Olejeme, SURE-P sub committee chairman on FERMA feilding questions from newsmen at Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

Nigeria to host African Business Travel Executive Forum


Report as at Tuesday, May 28, 2013Stock Watch


Analysis

After the 2011 election w a s c o n c l u d e d a n d landslide victory given to President Goodluck

Jonathan, political observers gave little chance to the ability of opposition to rebound and make any meaningful impact in Nigeria’s political space.

However, to the chagrin of Nigerians, a subtle move towards coalition of opposition forces began in a manner that left analysts sceptical about the success.

Even the ruling party was bold to ascribe to themselves the status of Maradona of Nigerian politics, boasting that opposition front would hardly constitute a threat to PDP.

The fi ller of merger fi rst came to the fore in June last year, when the two arrowheads of Nigerian opposition politics, including General Muhammadu Buhari and Ahmed Tinubu, met behind closed door in Kaduna residence Buhari.

It is worthy of note that while Buhari is the leader of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), on whose platform he emerged the second runner up in the 2011 presidential election, Tinubu is the opposition leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which is the most dominant opposition party in Nigeria.

After some months, the visit was returned by Buhari, who similarly met with Tinunu in his Lagos residence, apparently to ratify the grey areas in the merger talks.

After the closed door meeting, merger talks began. Though staggering like a child learning to

Celebrating efflorescence of virile opposition party


President Goodluck Jonathan Muhammadu Buhari

democracy.To confi rm that the ruling party

(PDP) was rattled by this coalition, some clandestine moves to truncate and forestall the chances of this new parties were withnessed. It further degenerated to the floating and alleged registration of the phantom association by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This attracted public outcry and condemnation, which forced INEC to withdraw its stance. This brought to an end, the question of two APCs, though the phantom APC, alleged to be enjoying the sponsorship of the ruling party, had gone to court with the intention to restrict INEC from registering any association with its acronym, APC.

However, the progress recorded by the APC since it was conceived is tremendous consiring he fact that the idea is less than a year. This shows how determined the opposition is to wrestle power from PDP.

In he meantime, the new association has continued to prove to Nigerians that it is out for a genuine

walk, it faced enormous and severe challenges, which further slimed their chances of becoming a force to reckon with.

First, there was this bickering on if the relationship would better be merger or alliance. Secondly, the problem of rallying the four major opposition parties, including ANPP, ACN, APGA and CPC, to internalise the arrangement.

The most worrisome of the challenges was deciding what name and logo the new party would adopt per chance merger was settled at by the opposition parties.

Within the period under review, the parties concerned convened severally and agree on modalities to adopt in enthroning a formidable opposition front in the country. First, they agreed that a l l opposi t ion part ies involved should go back and set up a merger committee committee for their respective parties, who will represent and protect their interests while the merger talks are being discussed and negotiated.

This gave rise to what is today known as ANPP, ACN, CPC and APGA merger committees chairmen, lead by Former governor of Kano state, Ibrahim Shekarau, Tom Ikimi, and Garba Gadi, respectively. At this juncture, a meeting of the frontline opposition parties was summoned in Abuja, at the House of Tom Ikimi, who is the ACN co-chairman of the opposition merger committee, where the name All Progressives Congress (APC), was adopted as the common opposition platform.

To give more credibility to the merger talks, ten opposition governors, except Governor Peter Obi and Olusegun Mimiko

of Anambra and Ondo states respectively. After their meeting, they told Nigerians of their agreement to melt into a united platform, for the purposes of giving stronger and determined impetus in Nigeria opposition politics, with a view to ousting the ruling party.

The following day, the merger committees met and stormed Nigerians with the new political association known today as All Progressives Congress.

T h e n c e f o r t h , t h e n e w association has been causing ripples, threatening the peace of the ruling party. Since APC was formed, discomfort has been placed into the folds of the ruling PDP.

C o n d e m n a t i o n a n d commendations from foes and friends have continued to pour in for the new party. While some argue that the party will soon die like other coalition efforts made previously before 4th Republic, some are of the view that the having two formidable parties in opposition and government is actually a good omen for Nigeria’s

and issue based politics. First, the merger committee set up four sub-committees to produce manifesto and constitution that will serve as a framework for the new party when it is fi nally registered by INEC.

The remaining two sub-committees were to ensure that all the legal requirements by INEC are met, and to ensure that all legal hiccups which may impede the registration of the party are resolved ahead of time.

There were rumours that the party has begun moves to secure a befitting office apartment in Abuja, which is one critical INEC’s requirements.

Now, APC is an association with all the paraphenellia of a political party, waiting to be confi rmed by the INEC.

The high level of commitment by the promoters of this new association, who are allegedly prominent members of the ruling party, observers reasoned may be to give room to some serving PDP governors who are currently having a running battle with their party.

Current ly , go ing by the developments ar is ing from the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) election recently held in Abuja, about fi ve PDP governors, including Babangida Aliyu, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Magatakadar Wammako, Murtala Nyako and Rotimi Amaechi, are on the verge of defection.

Analysts have submitted that if these governors eventually defects, the Nigerian opposition politics, nay, democacy, would be recording a milestone in the clamour for a more people centred democracy in Nigeria.

Democracy Day:

Ahmed Bola Tinubu Chief Dr.Christopher ogbunnaya onu

Thenceforth, the new association has been caus ing r ipp les , threatening the peace of the ruling party. Since APC was formed, discomfort has been placed into the folds of the ruling PDP.


InterviewDemocracy Day: We deserve Katagum state, says Sen. GamawaSenator Babayo Garba

G a m a w a a S e n a t o r R e p r e s e n t i n g B a u c h i North Senatorial District

in the National Assembly in this interview with Ahmed Kaigama, in Bauchi expresses strong optimism that Katagum state would be created soon just as he insists that he would only contest Bauvpchi governorship election when people’s ask him to do so.Distinguished Senator, this is 14 year of democracy in Nigeria, can you assess the good, the bad and the ugly?.

Certainly, Nigeria is witnessing 1 4 y e a r s o f u n i n t e r r u p t e d democratic government that paved the way for the citizens to enjoy government without prejudice; we have tried in our way for the country and the country is advancing in the process of democratic government despite the trying times, we are waxing stronger democratically as a nation. Well, I do believe we are part of the good, we have never been part of the bad and we are not hoping to be among them. Why I am saying we are part of the good is because, so far so good, in my constituency within two years of my being at the Senate, we brought projects worth over 2 billion Naira or thereabout, because if you look at the road from Hadeja through Zaki and Gamawa Local Government to Potiskum in Yobe State, it was abandoned since the second Republic and it has never been given a very serious consideration until I became a Senator. Before my election as a Senator, two pickups can not ply on the Katagum-Gamawa road simply because it was eroded but now go there and see, even two trailers at least can move without any problem. It has been rehabilitated, and the College of Education, Azare, which is the largest college in the entire constituency before the establishment of the state university tried to get a vocational centre for more than 15 years but they could not but during my tenure, I got it at the rate of 120 million Naira for the college.

And this year a lso they complained to me that they lacked laboratories which I also constructed for them for N117 million (one hundred and seventeen million naira); I also got another N100 million for the university to construct additional class rooms, and there will be seven health centres across my Senatorial District, each in one local government. God willing, we are going to construct two additional classrooms in each of the seven local governments of my constituency. I have also provided potable water (solar type).What are your challenges?

Well, there are challenges and one of the challenges which I consider the biggest is the inability of the people to differentiate between the legislature and the

Senator Babayo Garba Gamawa

executive. People are trying to compare or to make legislators responsible for the construction of infrastructure which is not our responsibility. Even the projects, we were not given allocation at the National Assembly. Every Senator is expected to name a project of his choice within his constituency and which I gave them water under the MDGS. So, majority of our people are still not enlightened on what and what are the responsibilities clearly spelt in the constitution “making laws”. So, this I think is the biggest challenge that we have and as we move on at least people are beginning to understand that this and this are our responsibilities.At the stakeholders’ meeting, you stated that by the grace of God Katagum State will be a reality, can you shed more light on how far you have gone?

Well, so far so good, even though I explained that there are

issues hat are not supposed to be made public, we are still waiting for committee to submit its reports at the plenary of the National Assembly of both chambers. But going by the criteria of the state creation and the provision of

section 8 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Katagum Local Government has been agitating for the creation of a state for the past 30 years and now that the move is on, we believe that in sha Allah we will get it considering the land mass, the population, the economic viability, the religious and tribal tolerance within the area and a lot of other factors, we hope that this time around it will be a reality.But sir, how far is the journey now?

I can not precisely tell you a specific position because the committee is yet to present its report but I know that,in sha Allah,if states will be created in Nigeria, I am not pre-empting the National Assembly’s or Mr. President’s decision, but if factors will be considered, I believe Katagum will be among the states to be created.There are allegations that you intend to contest Bauchi Guber seat in 2015. How true is his?

I have never said this, I never said this to who ever claimed that we discussed this matter and I want to describe myself as somebody who is not over ambitious. I now have something in my mouth and I am still chewing it, so how can I be eying something that is on the plate? I cant, 2015 is still far from now and somebody is there on the seat who is my boss. You know Isa Yuguda is my boss and I will never declare to contest the position he is occupying right now because to me I feel very uncomfortable to do that. But when the time comes, people will talk, and when they invite me then our major stakeholders including the government and the party will talk and take a position, but I have never mentioned it.But many people are asking you to come and contest for this governorship slot ?

In politics you can not stop people from saying that but I never said it and I will never say it until the time comes and people will decide.What if you are pressurized to contest?

Well, you see I have never contested for any position on my own. All the positions I ever occupied were as a result of invitation by the people. I was invited to come and contest for the State Assembly, I did and I won. When His Excellency, the Governor appointed me as the Deputy Governor, I was invited by the people of my constituency to come and contest for the senatorial seat which I did and we won. Therfore, when the time comes, like I said earlier, people will talk and then major stakeholders in the party and the government and the stakeholders here down at the constituency will talk and take a decision. I don’t want a situation whereby I will push myself on the people. I hope you understand? Democracy is about winning the hearts of the majority of the people, so when the time comes, I do believe God will give a lead.What have you been able to do for your constituents in terms of improving agriculture!?Well, at the place I made mention that there are areas which we have right to intervene unlike agriculture. Agriculture is one sector that is implemented through a government policy from the executive arm of government. It has never been an issue that will come to the legislature; it does not fall under the sector where the legislators can intervene. But I set my mind that this current policy, especially that of fertilizer distribution, is not favorable to the farmers in the Northern region because I know we have farmers that even one trailer will not be enough for them, so now you are operating a policy where 2 bags will be allocated to somebody in Bauchi and then ask him to come to Azare may be or go to somewhere to collect the fertilizer, how much will he spend on transportation? I know is a very wrong policy and we are not part of it and we are not supporting it; we want government to go back to its old system by allowing the people at the state level to acquire fertilizer and then sell to farmers in their capacities.What are your constituents expected to get from your representation?

Well, what the youth should expect from my representation is empowerment which I have been doing; for those into business, I use to help them with small business capital and then those that are educated and are seeking for employment, I do assist in getting them employed. These are the things I think we can do to empower our youths.What legacy do you intend to leave behind by the time you complete your tenure in the Senate?

The best legacy that I am praying to leave is the actualization of Katagum State. I am praying to Allah to give us Katagum during my time.

Well, there are challenges and one of the challenges which I consider the biggest is the inability of the people to differentiate between the legislature and the executive. People are trying to compare or to make legislators responsible for the construction of infrastructure which is not our responsibility.

PAGE 29PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

Nigeria’s economy has n a v i g a t e d t h r o u g h turbulent climes two

years into the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The expectation that the present democratic dispensation would provide the economy with enabling elixir to prosper and bring the much chorus dividends of democracy has so far been a spent force, as the chorus is that of a mixed bag from stakeholders on they have termed our ‘sluggish’ economy.

The general consensus is that whereas the GDP has shown measure of growth, such growth is yet to make any positive-physical impact on the economy. To a large extent, the economy is still turbulent, saturated with high unemployment. Thus, they tagged the so-called GDP growth, a mere paper growth.

The NBS, in its recent submission, said Nigeria’s GDP growth was estimated at 6.6 % by the end of December 2012, compared with 7.43 % recorded

in the corresponding period of 2011, while 2013 projection is 6.75 %.

Comparing the 2013 fi gures with December 2012 reveals a s l i g h t i m p r o v e m e n t i n projected growth performance. In concrete layman’s terms however, growth captured in the projected fi gures which does not translate to employment, affordable foodstuff and housing have no consequence and of no impact.

Banking & FinanceT h e n a t i o n ’ s b a n k i n g

institution witnessed series of transformations in the last fourteen years of democratically elected government. While tremendous changes have taken place in banking sector to make it virile and strong, the economy is yet to be injected with a suffi cient credit that will bring about the desired growth and productivity.

The Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) an organ to clean off the banks’ bad assets, has begun another phase in its operation with plan to pay-off its outstanding

obligations to all private sector investors by December 2014 leaving the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as its only creditor.

CBN governor, Sanusi has said that the apex bank have reached an agreement with AMCON for the ‘bad bank’ to retire all existing bond series maturing in 2013 and 2014 and to reissue a new a N3.6 trillion bond to be held by the CBN under a new refi nancing and restructuring arrangement within a period not exceeding ten years at single-digit interest rate.

With regards to debt, in 2012, the latest data obtained from the DMO website shows that in one year, the country’s external debt rose by $758.32m, from $5.91b on March 31, 2012 to $6.67bn on March 31, 2013.

The Federal Government’s domestic debt stock however reduced from N6.537tn as of December 31, 2012 to N6.493tn as of March 31, 2013

Total value of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stood at about $6.8 billion in 2012, according to the Nigeria Field Offi ce (NGFO) of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

T h e a m o u n t , w h i c h represented an increase of about 17.24 percent, ought to have been signifi cantly higher but for the lingering security challenges in some parts of the country, the bank stated in its monthly newsletter.

However, a negative trend that has consistently taking its toll on the performance of the economy in some years back is late appropriation of the national budget. This affected the banking sector’s performance adversely in 2012, and it is here again this year taking another severe toll on the insurance industry.

As the President, governing council, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) Dr Wole Adetimehen, while giving overview of the economic activities in the first quarter during 2013 media retreat, noted that the delay in signing the budget into law, resulting in delay of early appropriation, led to economy recording a very dull and underperformed quarter.

He noted that the budget was tabled before the Lower and Upper house by the month of November, last year, adding that

it was enough to raise the hopes of every sector that the basis for planning of the new year has been put in place but all the hopes, he said, became lost when the budget was delayed only to be signed few weeks to the end of the fi rst quarter of this year.

The war against the hitherto double digit infl ationary trend appears to have been won. From a double digit fi gure of 11 percent last year, infl ation rate is now in single digit. It was 9 % in January and increased slightly to 9.5 % in February. Headline inflation increased from 8.6 % in March to 9.1 % in April, remaining within the target single digit range for the fourth consecutive month in 2013.

This is a positive development for the economy and private sector, as low infl ation is good for the preservation of real incomes in the economy and the welfare of citizens.

In an attempt to boost activities in the nation’s capital market, a lot measures has been introduced and effort to attract attention of prominent foreign players and major oil, gas and telecom companies in the country which are yet be listed on the exchange dominates activities in the market in the recent time. However, the market as well is yet to get the position expected of it.

The 2012 performance, according to market analysts was not encouraging. Some of them attributed the poor performance to insecurity in the country, others, on poor infrastructure while some attributed it to incompetence of the Director General of the market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, who has controversially remained in offi ce despite the Legislative-Executive battle to remove her.

Oil & Gas In keeping with the desire to

continue with the reform of the oil and gas industry, President Jonathan’s government re-invigorated the drive for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which would provide a legal framework for his reform Agenda.

Unfolding the agenda, the Minister of Petroleum R e s o u r c e s , M r s . D e z i a n i Alison-Madueke stated that the federal government is

focused on ensuring expeditious implementation of the Nigerian Gas Master Plan to attain clear-cut short-term and some medium-term objectives as well as to position Nigeria as a major player in the global gas market by securing the FID of the Brass Liquefi ed Natural Gas by the end of 2010, while refocusing on the Olokola Liquefi ed Natural Gas (LNG) plant.

I n d u s t r y w a t c h e r s acknowledge that besides the PIB, the Nigerian Content Act signed into law only a few weeks into the life of the president’s administration remains the single most important piece of legislation in more than fifty years of oil production in the country.

However, till date, the PIB is yet to be passed into law by the National Assembly.

There was renewal of oil exploration activities in the Chad Basin which witnessed spirited moves by the Federal Government to build up the nation’s proven oil reserves through the exploration of the new frontiers for oil and gas production.

Power & EnergyAs he campaigned for the

presidency, Jonathan repeatedly promised to improve the epileptic national grid and promised to ensure reliable electricity supply by 2015. “Our idea is to transform the economy to create space for all of us to operate in,” he said. “We are

putting the emphasis on the power sector. Power is one of our key points in our process of transforming the country. Our focus is to support the small and medium-scale enterprise that employs more than 70% of our people to be very vibrant, and we cannot do it without power.”

Two years on however, the government is nowhere nearer a solution to issue of power supply which is very critical to resuscitation of productive or commanding heights of the economy.

Agriculture A reputed agriculture nation,

Nigerian leaders - past and present have consciously and meticulously promoted policies that make Nigeria strictly a crude oil nation. Other sectors of the economy such as agriculture and non- mineral sector are left in the lurch.

A hitherto food exporting nation, Nigeria presently ranks one of the highest importers of consumables due to deliberate policies that have extinct agriculture sector.

The North used to be a haven for agriculture produce, but the region has lost substantially, due to the unfavorable harsh operating environment and unfavourable government policies. Added to this, is the social unrest in the region occasioned by the activities of Islamist fundamentalists, a.k.a Boko Haram.

For instance, agriculture,

which hitherto contributed substantially to the GDP has receded to the background. P r e s e n t l y , t h e s e c t o r i s characterised with low-level productivity. The attraction to agriculture has significantly waned; Young able men are drifted to allure of white-collar job at city centers.

The return on investment is also still very low, while peasant farmers, who constitute majority of the farming populace, find it extremely diffi cult to access commercia l loans due to stringent lending conditions attached.

However, the sector is receiving a major boost under the present administration as a major plank, in terms of policy to generate and create wealth for the people.

T h e n e w a g r i c u l t u r a l p r o g r a m m e , u n v e i l e d b y the Minister of Agriculture, A k i n w u m i A d e s i n a i s revolutionary in nature, in terms of the targeted impact and is aimed at making Nigeria suffi cient in food production, to give the nation food security in the long-term.

AviationIf there is one sector in

Nigeria where one can point at with pride for the successes recorded in the past two years, it is the aviation industry. The country has waited for 3 decades to experience what is currently playing out in that industry.

Overall the ministry itself has provided some leadership, within the past two years we saw the ministry in consonance with other stakeholders rising up to the challenges of trying as much as it could to protect the interest of Nigerians from the overbearing onslaughts of increase in passenger paying fees of some airlines, especially British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

The determination to drive the road map as envisioned by the leadership has produced results in the areas of new and re-modelled facilities for the industry, from Abuja, Kano, Enugu, Benin, Lagos and elsewhere, at the same time massive construction works are on-going in others like Yola, Jos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Owerri. Judging from that point, the ministry, through the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria

(FAAN) has done creditably.Another agency that has

warmed i ts way into the hearts of Nigeria is the Nigeria Meteorological Agency NIMET.

W h i l e t h e A c c i d e n t Investigation Bureau (AIB) recorded a major feat by releasing reports of past accidents in the country when the current leadership assumed offi ce, the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria need to do more; for reasons best known to the premier aviation training institute, nobody knows what the college is doing.

T h e r e s h o u l d a l s o b e additional allocations to NAMA for the additional responsibility they have been given for

instance, they are now in charge of calibrations of navigational aids, airfield lighting, it cost money to put those things there.

On NCAA, it is hoped that the current contraction over a substantive leader for the agency will not make Nigeria lose CAT 1. The right people should be put there so that they can do what they ought to do.

For FAAN, stakeholders expect that there should be a continue upgrade in the infrastructure. Nigerians are hoping that the upgrade will translate to more jobs and more passengers’ traffi c and ensuring

that there is a level-playing fi eld for all in the industry.

Transportation On transportation, the

present administration have said it recorded major achievements from the dredging of River Niger, to the near completion of the inner waterway ports, to the construction of the Onne Port in Port Harcourt and the renovation of the old Warri port, and the renovation of the rail lines.

At the Apapa Ports, work is going on 24 hours to ensure that the huge demurrage incurred in the past by both governments and private sector is really a thing of the past.

The dredging of River Niger, which was begun few years ago, has been completed according to the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Peter Obi on Inter Party Affairs, Chief Ben Obi, who said that the Onitsha Port, which is one of the inland ports being built by the Federal Government to service the country’s inland waters is also awaiting commissioning by President Goodluck Jonathan when he visits Anambra state.

According to Chief Ben Obi, the Onitsha Port is already providing skeletal services as it is being used by some

companies for the clearing of goods, and that business at the port would peak when it is offi cially commissioned.

(In) securityObviously, the state of

insecurity in the northern part of country has no doubt sent signal of perpetual fear of known in the mind of investors both foreign and local, thus drawing the nation’s economy’s growth strength below expectation.The security situation had assumed disturbing dimensions impacting on the investment environment, especially now that a ‘state of emergency’ has been declared in three states in the North-East.

However what is more disturbing is the recent revelation which shows that the Northern part of Nigeria has continued to witness decline on the region’s socio-economic sector, losing about N25billion daily to the prevailing insurgency.

Observers claimed that the incessant bomb blasts and attacks on businesses and banks in the last two years have led to a fall in business activities in the fi nancial services sector and economy at large. More so, the imposition of curfew in some parts of the country over insecurity has also taken its toll on banks even as some of them have lost their properties to such attacks.

No wonder, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi , whi le address ing chief risk officers and chief executives of banks last week in a conference, regretted that ten years ago, terrorism which had never been named among major risks in the country, has turned to be the plight of operators in the banking sector.

It is believed that the palpable fear in the country, especially this part of the country over insecurity will continue to have negative affect the banks’ and other companies performances.

Future OutlookThe Director-General of the

Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI), Dr. Musa Yusuf , while commending the Federa l Government for the sustained macro-economic stability and growth performance in the last two years, has again condemned the nation’s monetary policy.

According to him, it limits the effect of the nation’s economic growth and surging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the lives of Nigerians and businesses.

He also noted that if the nation’s monetary and fiscal policies works in tandem to enhance the growth and development of local industries and businesses, even more foreign direct investment will come to the nation’s economy.

Even the World Bank has maintained Nigeria’s economy’s performance in the last 10 years has been puzzling. In a publication titled, ‘Nigeria Economic Report’, which is due to be released on Monday (today), the World Bank said a decade of high economic growth had not translated to much welfare improvement for the generality of the country’s citizens.

The report states: “Nigerian economic statistics reveal a puzzling contrast between rapid economic growth and quite minimal welfare improvements for much of the population. Annual growth rates that average over seven per cent in offi cial data during the last decade place Nigeria among the fastest growing economies in the world.

According to the bank, the country needs to find a formula that will enable the wealth of the nation to cascade to the generality of the populace through rapid creation of jobs.

“It is imperative that Nigeria fi nds a recipe to unlock rapid growth and job creation in a larger part of the country, as well as to increase standards of educat ion, heal th and other social services to enable its citizens to find gainful employment in the emerging growth poles.”

In a similar report, the International Monetary Fund had said although the high growth rate had been sustained for a decade, unemployment remained high.

After two years of President Jonathan’s administration, the general consensus is that if the provisions and programmes contained in the transformation a g e n d a o f t h e p r e s e n t government is to be realisable government should confront its challenges head-on and rise up to its responsibility by ‘walking’ its talk.

Democracy Day: Two years on, Nigeria’s economy still in slumber By Aminu Imam, Abdulwahab Isa, Etuka Sunday and Ngozi Onyeakusi, Suleiman Idris,

SPECIAL REPORT

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

It is also a manifestation of what some people can do to acquire

’’ h dd d“


No democracy in Nigeria – Balarabe Musa Interview

Do you think Nigerians have reason to celebrate

Democracy Day?The unfortunate thing

is that the rest of the world are laughing at Nigerian elites and the ruling class because these two segments in Nigerian society are dancing naked. They are talking about democracy and they talk to the extent of calling themselves democrats. What is happening in Nigeria today has nothing to do fundamentally with democracy. What the Nigerian elites and the ruling class are deliberately confusing with democracy is merely civilian rule as opposed to military rule.

There is no democracy in Nigeria if there is democracy in Nigeria; the negative things that are happening in the country and the negative state of the Nation wouldn’t have been. Let me repeat what we are have in Nigeria: we are in civil rile as opposed to military rule. We also have democratic aspirations but unfortunately they are hampered by negative state of the nations so much that we cannot even do the simplest thing in a democracy.

That is, to elect our leaders in a free, fair and transparent election leading to a legitimate government. So we have no reason calling ourselves a democratic nation due to what is happening in the country.

Let me come to May 29; this shows the insincerity of the Nigerian elite and ruling class, including the media. If not why relating what happened on the 29 of May with Democracy. Simply because a Military leader has voluntarily decided to hand over to a civilian the ruling of a government unlike his predecessors those who came after him who tried to perpetuate themselves in power. What is the relevant of May 29, simply because General Abdulsalam Abubakar as a military Head of State decided voluntarily and patriotically to hand over to civilian according to program.

Yes, he should be commended for that,his actions are commendable particularly in the context of Nigerian leadership. But that is still not enough to associate it to the fundamentals of democracy. Democracy means more than that, democracy means a total state of affairs, democracy is not a mere wish. Democracy is not something you can isolates from reality of life.

Democracy is real, whether you have or not. If it exist you will feel it,

for instance if we have in this country free, fair and transparent election leading to a legitimate government. If we don’t have the level of corruption, insecurity, waste of resources, insecurity which has now become a business. If we don’t have this political leadership that lacks moral and popular legitimacy then we can talk of democracy. In the absent of all these why will you talk of democracy.

If I get you right, it means Nigerians have nothing to celebrate?

Yes, and that is why I said even the elite and those in power are deceiving themselves, but unfortunately those who should call their arrogance off or call them to order like the Media are helping them to keep up the pretence.

But the ruling party argued that only those in the opposition are criticism the level of development recorded in the country since the return to democracy. How do you react to this?

Even those in the PDP are

not saying that the level of achievement in Nigeria is as much as it should be with the level of resources available. The majority of PDP members are not happy with the level of situation in the country. But they cannot openly say so. That is why there are so many rifts in the party. Take for example, how can the PDP as negative as they are, how can they be happy with what is happening now in the governors’ Forum.

The vast majority of the party members are not happy with what is happening but

they cannot come out to say it as we are saying it now. But they also have same concern for the country, they have same concern for social responsibility and they also have social conscious as we have.

But they are limited in their capacity to tell the truth because they are involved and what they may say may have implication to their interests. During our days we have the progressive governors forum and it was only meant for progressive governors; but now they have a governors

forum which is for all the governors in the country for the purpose coordinating their activities in the overall interest of the country. This has contributed so much to national leadership particularly now. If not because of bankruptcy in the PDP and I dear say that the majority members of PDP leadership are not happy about it, why the party should opposed the election in the forum to the extent that they suspended a PDP governor who was elected in the forum in a free, fair and credible election.

Why are they opposed to it, the party and the presidency are involved in what is happening. Despite what the president said. This is something the PDP should be proud of because governor Ameachi is a PDP member and for all indications we have not seen anything which he has done or is doing against the interest of the PDP.

They should be the first to be happy about it, they opts to know that the two governors which they are interested in to oppose Ameachi are not better than Ameachi they may not even be compared to Ameachi. In fact, one of them is even worse and clearly inferior because while Ameachi has been able to maintain peace in his state the other person who is now claiming to be the chairman has not even maintain peace in his state.

Why should the PDP favour this one to the extent that the one who has been elected democratically in a free, fair and transparent election was suspended?

Of course, PDP has failed and the PDP is bound to fail. This was clear from the beginning, clear now and it will even be clearer if we make the mistake of allowing the PDP to go beyond 2015. The clear evidence is that what have they been able to do about the negative state of the nation for so many years when they have been in control? They have not corrected anything; they have even made things worse. I think throughout this period the only positive thing you can say they did is, for some reason, when late Yar’adua was in power

He had the patriotism to grant amnesty to Niger Delta militants who are fighting for a just cause. That is the only thing I can say the PDP has achieved since 1999 and since the election of Obasanjo. If not what have they achieved?

As Nigerians celebrate Democracy today May 29, 2013, former Governor of old Kaduna state and the National Chairman of CNPP, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, has said the elite and the ruling class are only deceiving themselves by celebrating. In this interview with Mohammd Ibrahim, the former governor said there is no democracy in the country yet because, according to him, what we have is merely a civilian leadership as opposed to military rule.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa

PDP has failed and the PDP is bound to fail. This was clear from the beginning, clear now and it will even be clearer if we make the

mistake of allowing the PDP to go beyond 2015. The clear evidence is that what have

they been able to do about the negative state of the nation for so many years when they

have been in control? They have not corrected anything; they have even made things worse

“


By Agaju Madugba

or military institution is seen to be engaged in unnecessary use of force against civilian population, it should be seriously taken care of by the people because people are even thinking of taking these matters to international court of law.

I also want to suggest to both the National Assembly and the military that whatever they want to do within this emergency period, they should limit it to a maximum of two months. I am talking of two months because I want the emergency rule to end

Do you think the return to democratic rule about 14 years ago has

brought about any signifi cant improvement in the polity?

As a Nigerian, democracy is for Nigerians, not just for the PDP members. As a stakeholder and a Nigerian citizen I believe that democracy has brought a lot of improvement in our lives, development to our country and general progress in the individual and collective being of Nigerians. I am therefore looking forward to Democracy Day and I want to see our elected representatives especially those in executive positions to come and tell us what they have done in the last couple of years that they have been in the position of elected leadership.

It is a time for people to ask questions, to ask their elected representatives what they have achieved. It is also time for the elected representatives to showcase their achievements.

But there is pervasive insecurity in various parts of the country?

Insecurity is certainly one of the issues disturbing most of us, especially those of us from the North East part of the country, and particularly those of us from Adamawa, Yobe and Borno States that are under the state of emergency right now. The mere fact that we are under the state of emergency means that we cannot celebrate democracy day, and also the kind of pains, agony our people are going through as a result of this emergency rule can better be imagined. I came back from home last week, a week before the state of emergency was imposed, even without the state of emergency, when I travelled from Yola to Magadali, a journey of about one and half hour or two hours maximum, it took me six hours.

Now with emergency rule in place, only God knows what is happening. Not only, we were counting commercial vehicles on the road from Magadali to Mubi when we were coming back, we could not see one commercial vehicle carrying goods as it used to be the case between Maiduguri and Mubi. That is the economic nerve centre of the region. Maiduguri and Mubi are known for very high traffic commercial activities. So, this goes to confi rm our fear that whoever is behind insurgency, state of insecurity is definitely trying to cripple this part of the country economically, and I hope is not for political reason, but with the step taken by the President, I must say the President deserves commendation for the practical step he has taken for inaugurating the committee to discuss dialogue, negotiation and possibly come up with amnesty arrangement for the Boko Haram insurgency as well

before the fasting begins, it is one of the most critical period among the Muslim community. And if the state of emergency will continue beyond fasting period, am sorry, it will cause a lot of hardship and disharmony. So for this I want both the National Assembly which fi ne tune the law determining emergency rule as well as the military operators to bear this in mind and make sure they take care of Boko Haram insurgency and whatever other insurgency that is coming up in this country, especially in the North Eastern part of the country within this period of two months.

But even before then, I also want to suggest, especially for a place like Adamawa where under normal circumstances we shouldn’t have been included in the emergency rule, however, people are saying that Adamawa is included because there is fear that the insurgents may the areas of Borno and Yobe to fl ood into nearby State like Adamawa, it may be possible. And for this reason, we have no opposition to emergency rule in Adamawa, but it should be known that Adamawa does not have the kind of security challenges and

Senator Abubakar Girei

InterviewYou can’t celebrate Demorcray Day under emergency rule, Girei

Senator Abubakar Girei represented Adamawa Central of Adamawa state at the National Assembly between1999 and 2003. In this interview with Agaju Madugba, Girei says there is nothing to celebrate since parts of the country are under emergency rule.

as the recent imposition of state of emergency that he was forced to go into. We sincerely hope and pray that these two programmes succeed. On this note I want to advise the military that are handling the operation to be very practical and operate in accordance with the rule of law. We have had cases of unnecessary extra judicial killings of innocent lives in this country. People are now watching, not only just watching, but are seriously recording such incidents and if any military offi cer

problems that other States have. It should be known that Adamawa should not be treated like other areas are being treated, and therefore the imposition of dusk to dawn curfew in Adamawa is very unnecessary and uncalled for, and I want the military to review this, and particularly look at the period for curfew if it is found to be absolutely necessary, and bring it to between 8 pm and 5 am because that is the period within which I feel the populace who are struggling with their means of livelihood can easily accommodate entertainment of their civil liberty and rights. And also it could help the military to do whatever they want to do on the security challenges without necessarily impinging on the rights of the people.

I will also want to call on the state and the Federal Government to look into the real causes of this problem, insurgency does not just come because people want to cause problem, there are many able-bodied people roaming the streets with nothing doing, which means, they are easy prey for recruitment. So we must address root causes like poor education, poor health services, and most importantly, lack of jobs for our teaming youths. These are some of the few reasons I want to make at this point in time.

Do you see the internal wrangling within the PDP affecting its chances in the 2015 general elections?

I f y o u s e e P D P l o s i n g any election, it is because it has failed to put its house in order. A typical example is what is happening in my state, Adamawa. For the first time, we have two factions of the PDP, officially recognized by the national leadership of this party. This is irresponsible. The nat ional leadership of PDP today recognizes the two factions in Adamawa State; in fact, people are saying it is the national headquarters of PDP that created the faction. This is not only unnecessary, but very irresponsible, and unless major stakeholders of PDP especially Mr. President, the governors and other major stakeholders come together and put our house in order, PDP is going to be the root cause of the failure of PDP in the next coming election, not other parties. I am in PDP, I only see the chance of PDP in 2015 election, I do not look at the chances of others, but let me also tell you very seriously that we in the PDP are not losing sleep over all these mushroom parties, including those that are coming together to form a mega party.

I must say the President deserves commendation for the practical

step he has taken for inaugurating the committee to discuss dialogue,

negotiation and possibly come up with amnesty arrangement for the Boko

Haram insurgency

“


By Patrick Andrew and Albert Akota

who themselves are mere appointees of state governments.

Although there is semblance of a truce, the league, despite the huge sponsorship recently brokered with telecommunications, remains amateurish, far from entertaining and entreprising.

Beyond football, other sports fared even worse except basketball in which Nigeria qualified for the Olympics for the fi rst time. No, forget the drubbing that the American Dream Team subjected the D’ Tigres to.

There is always days of small beginning as agreed by Francis Anchi whose assessment of Nigeria’s performance in the past 12 months hovers between hope and despair. But the 2012 London Games miasma remains a lingering dent.

“It was an unusual record c o m p a r e d t o t h e n a t i o n ’ s achievements at the Games in the past two decades. It was one that reminded Nigerians of the woeful performance recorded when Nigeria did not win any medal at Seoul ’88.

“In London, Nigeria’s hopes for medals were shouldered by the athletics team, where Blessing Okagbare was regarded as one of the best but she fi nished the fi nal in the 8th position, blaming her poor performance on injury despite competing till the end.

“In the long jump, she had an equally bad outing, failing to qualify for the fi nal after fi nishing in the 17th position. In the women’s 4x100m relay race, Christy Udoh, Gloria Asumnu, Oludamola Osayomi and Okagbare did put up a fi ght but the their best Nigeria ending in the 4th position.

“Ajoke Odumosu also raised the nation’s hopes when she reached the 400m hurdles but she came last to end all medal expectations from the race.

With the enthronement of democracy Nigerians of sundry works, not the least sports

practitioners and enthusiast alike, harbour no little dream of fruitful yields from all endeavours. Indeed, it has been 14 years of unbroken democratic governance and for sports 11 years of experimenting with democratic principles in the hitherto dictatorial terrain.

Suffice to say that before the advent of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, sports was governed by the whims and caprice of whoever fi nds himself at the helms of affair. Albeit in principles and character it was more theoretical than pragmatical, that dictatorial tendencies altered in some ways.

Within the last 12 months, sports under the present democratic dispensation have yielded great expectations. Firstly, 2012 was an Olympics year, which means various sports federations were busy preparing and featuring in qualifi ers. Nigeria was no exception.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) streamlined the games in which Nigeria would participate to eight in the belief that these the country has reasonable comparative advantage over its peers at the continental and inter-continental levels.

True, Nigeria qualified in athletics-track and field, table tennis, wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, weightlifting, basketball. Of course, football was listed, but alas neither the male nor the female team could secure a berth in London.

From that perspective and considering the status of football in the country, Nigeria’s participation from onset was a setback. Within the period, Nigeria qualifi ed for all continental fi nals and hit the world stage in U-20, male and female, U-17 female, while the U-23 Olympic teams were disastrous.

That year is equally football wise in its ugliness. For the first time in 12 years Nigeria and Nigerians watched the AFCON as spectators. Paul Ibezim summaries the situation

“The basketball team reached the Olympics for the fi rst time with much expectation, especially after beating Greece and Lithuania, respectively ranked 4th and 5th in the world, during the qualifi ers.

“They even gladdened the nation’s heart with a win over African champions, Tunisia, in their first match at the Olympics, but defeats by to Lithuania, Argentina, US and France ended fi rst basketball participation at the Games with one win.

“There was disappointment after the table tennis team was ousted a day after the opening ceremony but there were last minute hopes that later produced no medals for Nigeria.

“Team Nigeria’s Captain Chika Chukwumerije, who won a bronze at the last Olympic Games in Beijing, China, was seen as a medal prospect in taekwondo because of the preparation he had before the

Yakubu Adesokan of Nigeria celebrates setting a new world record and winning gold in the Men’s 48kg Powerlifting at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Blessing Okagbeare came fi rst from behind to dash all hopes for an athletics medal

American Dream Team made the mince meat of D’ Tigress at the London Games

Sport AnalysisSports: Not yet uhuru

thus: “whatever the NFF choose to say, it was monumental failure and noting otherwise would suffi ciently capture the mood and the feelings of Nigerians during the jointly hosted Nations Cup fi nals.”

But then, the NFF beats its chest for what it accomplished. “The Super Eagles won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, the Flying Eagles fi nished third in Algeria to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey, and the Golden Eaglets qualifi ed for the 2013 CAF U-17 Championship after losing the CHAN fi nal to Cote d’Ivoire.

“The Falconets qualifi ed for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and won plaudit from world football governors as they reached the semi fi nals and the Flamingoes reached the quarter fi nals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World in Azerbaijan and equaled a tournament record.

“The Beach Soccer team- Supersand Eagles, won the COPA Lagos invitational tournament for the second successive edition and putting up a credible showing at the Samsung Intercontinental tournament in Dubai,” Demola Olajire Spokesman of the football federation said but conveniently forgot to mention the Sand Eagles’ failure to secure qualification for FIFA tournament only last weekend in Morocco.

And yet there was the impasse over ownership of the domestic premier league. The interim management committee set up to right the wrongs which led to the impeachment of the Victor Baribote and the dissolution of the NPL board, generated hiccups no little dimension and needed government fiat to impose the some form of order.

The committee metamorphosed to League Management Company to the chagrin of so-called clubs’ owners

Games. “He did not begin his contest until

a day before the closing ceremony, but in his only fi ght, he lost to Cuban opponent, Robelis Despaigne, in the men’s 80kg class, “Achi summarised with heavy sighing.

However, that gloomed was replaced by joy when they least expectaed f lag bearers the Paralympians wiped the tears by winning 13 medals at the Paralympics Games in London.

“The physically challenged athletes with just 29 athletes won six gold, fi ve silver and two bronze medals at the Paralympics Games, with 12 of the medals coming from the Powerliffi ng event others in the Shot Put event, “ the Totori Master ace said.

True, the motley of legal tussles over the nomenclature of the football ruling authority subsided, not so the tacit arm-twisting of the leadership of the football house. This came to the fore when the National Sports Commission (NSC) deducted from source what was initially regarded as grants for Nations Cup finals prosecution from the budgetary allocation to the NFF.

And just last week, efforts to secure quasi-autonomy without necessarily being fi nancially autonomous hits a brick wall when speaker after speakers railed at Aminu Maigari’s attempt to eat his cake and yet have it. The consensus was the NFF cannot be independent when it can’t generate its funds for basic needs devoid of government sponsorship.

Did the NSC say some sports have been concessioned? That appears in documents only. The reality is that these so-called concessioned sports are epileptic and leaning greatly on government for survival.

Nonetheless, one must thumbed up for basketball, scrabble, in some ways the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) that has worked assiduously to revive, rekindle and regenerate talents with classics, and grassroots programmes which have begun to yield some fruits.

However, a lot remains to be done to reposition and re-jig sports on all spheres for better results, though there are prospects.


Interview Democracy has transformed education sector to the envy of other sectors- Paiko

It’s been 14 years of democracy in the country. Do you think it has added any value

to the education sector in terms of policies, their implementation and quality?

Compared to the previous governments this administration is serious and committed to transforming the sector in accordance with the national policy. This is the fi rst time budgetary allocation for the sector has been increased; apart from the budget for security which is the major challenge now education is second and this is the highest allocation in the history of Nigeria.

In terms of policies and their implementation, the present dispensation has developed several unique policies that have improved the quality of education delivery in the country. Look at the Almajiri school integration into basic education, which is the fi rst time any government will take interest in the well- being and future of this group of children, the campaign for school dropout boys and girls in the South East and Northern parts of the country to go back to school, and a host of others.

I can say that the present leadership of the ministry of education; the two ministers in particular, carry along everyone in the activities of the sector, they work in collaboration with all principal offi cers.

For the mass literacy agency in particular, luckily, in 2001 we got the support of the MDG through the then Senior Special Adviser to the President on MDG, Hajiya Amina Al- Zuabair and it is still on. About N1b was released in trust to UNESCO to revitalize adult and youth literacy in the country. MOU was signed in Paris between the minister of education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i and UNESCO in 2011, afterwards UNESCO started in earnest. Although, the total amount needed for the programme is N12b.

Presently, a strategic framework has been developed to revitalize adult and youth literacy in the country for the next 3 years and beyond. A work plan has also been developed for the fi rst year and the subsequent years will follow later. This is apart from the regular budget being remitted to the National Commission for Mass

Literacy, Adult and Non- Formal Education, NMEC.

We have already started the practical implementation of the programme in April and May; we had discussions, with 6 universities, one from each of the 6 geopolitical zone. These universities were anchored to develop a master training package and at the commission level, we developed facilitators’ hand book to conduct training in all geopolitical zones by these universities. 11 Masters Trainers were selected for each state including NGOs. The plan is to do a state level training where about 111 state facilitators are to be trained from the funds, so, the total we are expecting is 4104.

It is from this programmes’ we will review the various curriculum materials that are available. We are talking about the primers, the girl child, out of school, integrated Qur’an school curriculum. We are even going to look at the previous radio programme which the states’ Commissioners for education have been anchoring in the last 10 years, all these will be looked into to see how we can move forward with the literacy programme in the country.

Just last week we had the commissioners, of education forum meeting where I made presentation on adult and youth vitalization programme in Nigeria and the aim was to get support from them because we realized that from states we don’t have facilitators and for the training the state governments should be able to pay them because by law the state should pay not the agency, and the minimum monthly stipend is N7500 per facilitator. Some states pay less than that while FCT pays up to N10,000 and some are not even paying. That was why I was happy that I was invited to the Commissioners’ Forum meeting so

that I can inform them about the need to pay facilitators. Whatever support the federal government gives we can never succeed if state governments are not anchored in.

We still need N11bn for the programme which was why last year we did a lot of advocacy visits to solicit for the remaining N11b.

Presently, what are those policies implemented by the government in NMEC that has yielded positive results?

The policy guideline which was developed for the non- formal sector is one of them. It is in place for the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to incorporate as part of our chapter at the national policy of education and the 2004 national policy of education has been reviewed and we have sent our own submission so that it will be reviewed. These are all federal government input.

In what way can the government improve on the quality of the non- formal education sector?

Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund is meant for basic education which comprise of nomadic education, out of school boys and girls and even primary and junior secondary education but, UBEC said they are by law allowed to release funds to State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) only and that it is left for the states to allocate certain amount to nomadic education sector and others. Some states agency directors are so powerful that they don’t report to their commissioners but go directly to their governors and that is wrong.

Another thing is that NMEC should be involved in UBEC’S fund, I know the fund is not supposed to be brought to NMEC but to be done at state level, SUBEB should anchor and take care of state agencies, nomadic education unit and primary

SUBEB agencies but unfortunately the emphasize is more on the formal to the detriment of the non- formal and we are talking about the formal having about 10.5 million youths out of school while the non-formal has about 40million, so, we have more challenges.

Is the commission still getting support from international donor agencies and development partners, because if you recall, in 2009 there were allegations of misappropriation during your predecessors time which made such donors to suspend their support to the agency?

The case is still in court so we don’t know whether it was an allegation or not. From early last year to date they are coming back to support us. Last year we went to the World Bank, Action Aid, and European Union to advocate for assistance and we even went to some government parastatal like SMEDAN, MDG and National Orientation Agency (NOA) all with the aim of collaboration and we are still discussing.

Last year you said there were 59million illiterate Nigerians. What is the agency doing in that regard and what is the present population of illiterate in the country?

The framework developed is now in place not only for the revitalization programme nationwide, all other organisations have to anchor into that framework because it was developed by all stakeholders with the expertise and support of UNESCO. The fi gure for illiterate varies from people to people and organization to organization. At the meeting of forum of commissioners’ of education I was queried over the statistics I have but the one generally accepted is that there are over 40m illiterates in the country. And for the revitalization programme the plan is to provide for 5million adults and the aim is to start with some pilot local governments. At present about 3 local governments have been selected in each state by an MDG

programme. We are support to hold a national mass literacy launch last year to appeal for the remaining 11b needed for the programme.

Last year the minister of state for education inaugurated a committee to start campaign on national mass literacy of which you are the chairman, but up till now the committee is yet to launch the campaign. What is happening and how far has that committee gone in that regard?

Yes, we planned doing a mass literacy launch, like I said before, after the minister of state for education Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, inaugurated the committee with me as the chairman.

After the inauguration, the committee met and made several recommendations but unfortunately we could not do the launching up till today.

What is the present statistics of illiteracy in the FCT?

I don’t have the statistics now because of the infl ux of people into the FCT everyday but in 2008 to 2011 I can tell you that 4million people were made literate during the years under review.

What is your take on the Presidential committee led by Orasanye which recommended that the Commission and others be merged?

Even before the Orasanye committee, there was an education summit chaired by President Jonathan in 2011 and the report of that summit recommended that NMEC and nomadic education be supported by UBEC fund. The Orosanye committee did not say we should be scrapped but merged because the 3 agencies perform similar functions. This is left for the government to decide because what I know is that whatever happens our role will still be performed and will still be relevant. The repercussion of the merger will be felt by the states who are presently finding it difficult to success not to talk of funding the activities of the commission at state level.

we will review the various curriculum materials that are available. We are talking about the primers, the girl child, out of school, integrated Qur’an school curriculum. We are even going to look at the previous radio programme which the states’ Commissioners for education have been anchoring in the last 10 years

Jibrin Paiko

Jibrin Paiko is the Executive Secretary of the National Agency for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non- Formal Education (NMEC). In this interview with Maryam Garba Hassan, the educationist and author of a number of books bares his mind on government’s education policies and their implementation, the achievements recorded in the sector under civil rule, his take on the report of the Orosanye Presidential committee which recommended that the agency and some others be merged, among other issues. Excerpts.


MINISTRY OF FINANCECONGRATULATION

CHIEF SERVANT ON DEMOCRACY DAY CELEBRATION

Th e Chief ServantDR. MU’AZU BABANGIDA ALIYU, CON

Talban MinnaExecutive Governor Niger State

Signed: MAHMOUD KPAKO BELLO

Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Finance

Niger State.

I Mahmoud Kpako Bello, the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Finance Niger State, Management and the entire Staff of the Ministry which to celebrate and congratulate the Chief Servant, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu CON (Talban Minna, Sodangin Nupe, Sardauna Hausa) on this Special Occasion of Nigeria’s 14 years of uninterrupted Democracy and the second year of the Chief Servant’s second term in offi ce as the Chief Executive of Niger State.

Sir, your administration has laid a solid foundation in repositioning Niger State to become one of the three most developed economies in Nigeria by the year 2020. Your vision and mission for the State is achievable considering your approach to governance, particularly your respect for separation of powers, the rule of law, transparency, due process and prudence in the application of the limited resources of the State towards meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the great people of Niger State.

You have also achieved tremendously, in the housing sector, road construction and rehabilitation, urban beautification through the provision of recreational gardens, street lighting, traffic control light at strategic junctions within the State capital, prompt payment of salaries and allowances, payment of retirement benefits as when due as well as the provision of free education among others. Your ward development committee project has become a reference point in Nigeria and at international fora today.

We at the Ministry of Finance fully identify with the Chief Servant’s achievements which have rekindled the hope of Nigerlites that the future of the state and the people are brighter.

The Honda Fit hatchback is already a great small car thanks to its space-effi cient

design and fl exible interior confi gurations. The 2013 Honda Fit EV goes one better from a green standpoint, as this all-electric version allows you to whiz around town on electrons alone.

Honda’s new Fit EV doesn’t look much different from its gas-powered counterpart, but it’s a different story under the hood. An electric motor rated at 123 horsepower provides the Fit EV with quick acceleration (quicker than the regular Fit, in fact). For power, the electric motor draws on a cargo-area-mounted lithium-ion battery pack.

The intrusion of the battery pack takes away some of the little car’s utility: The rear seats still fold, but they no longer fold fl at, much less fully upright (as in the regular Honda Fit), and you lose the fl at load fl oor. But since it’s a hatchback, the Fit EV is still pretty versatile.

O v e r a l l effi ciency is also quite good, as the Fit EV has an MPGe c o m b i n e d f u e l e c o n o m y equivalency e s t i m a t e from the EPA of 118 mpg, plus an estimated range of 82 miles on a full charge. Both are better than Ford’s new Focus Electric. The Fit EV also boasts a quick recharge time; about three hours are required to recharge a depleted Fit EV using a 240-volt-compatible charger included with the vehicle. For comparison, the 2013 Nissan Leaf takes about four hours, even with its newly available high-capacity charger.

With the introduction of the

2013 Fit EV, Honda joins a small rank of manufacturers with a dedicated electric vehicle. The Fit’s obvious competitors are the aforementioned 2013 Ford Focus Electric, 2013 Nissan Leaf and Fiat 500e. The Fit compares very well here, offering excellent range and power, two key aspects for an electric vehicle.

The only catch? You can only lease the Honda Fit EV, for $389 per month for 36 months, and only in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. This defi nitely limits the car’s appeal. But if you live in one of these states and don’t mind leasing, the 2013 Honda Fit EV is a solid choice for an electric vehicle.

The 2013 Honda Fit EV is offered in only one

loaded trim level. Standard features include a rear spoiler, LED taillights, 15-inch alloy wheels, a three-mode (Sport, Normal, Econ) drive system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control, heated front seats, full power accessories, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a 60/40-split backseat. Electronic features include Bluetooth phone connectivity,

voice controls, a navigation system, a rearview camera and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.

A 92-kW electric motor (123 hp and 189 pound-feet of torque) along with a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery pack power the Fit EV. The EPA estimates the Fit EV can drive about 82 miles on a full charge. The EPA also gives the Fit EV an energy consumption estimate of 29 kWh used per 100 miles (the lower the kWh number here, the better). That translates into MPGe fi gures of 132 mpg city/105 mpg

h i g h w a y a n d

118 mpg combined, which is a bit better than the Ford Focus Electric (105 MPGe combined) and Leaf (115 MPGe).

It takes just three hours to recharge a depleted Fit EV using the standard 240-volt charger. But if you only have access to a 120-volt circuit, recharging can take as long as 15 hours.

Able to sprint to 60 mph

in less than 9 seconds in Sport mode, the Fit EV ranks as one of the quicker electric subcompacts Edmunds has tested. To put it into perspective, that’s slightly quicker than a turbocharged, gasoline-powered Chevrolet Sonic, about a half-second quicker than the electric Focus and more than a full second quicker than the Nissan Leaf.

The 2013 Honda Fit EV comes standard with antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum), stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and

active head restraints. A rearview

camera is also standard on the EV.

In normal driving, the Fit EV’s brakes feel fi ne. But in Edmunds panic-stop brake testing, this Honda took 140 feet to come to a stop from 60 mph. That’s a poor showing, as it’s 14 feet longer than the Leaf’s best braking distance and more than 15 feet longer than the average subcompact’s performance.

The Fit EV features an

enhanced key fob with more functionality than the regular Fit’s. With it one can initiate charging, monitor progress and even turn on the air-conditioning from 100 feet away. The available Honda Link EV smartphone app can do all that, plus help you locate charging stations and set charging times that optimize utility rates.

The EV’s cabin’s design is similar to the standard Fit’s, with large, clear gauges and simple, intuitive controls. The gauge cluster features EV-specifi c instruments that show information such as the battery pack’s state of

charge and remaining range. In keeping with the vehicle’s

green philosophy, the upholstery

material is derived from

sugar cane. Honda

had to

reconfi gure t h e interior a bit to accommodate the EV model’s battery pack. Rear passengers sit slightly higher and 3.3 inches farther back, which actually improves rear legroom. Cargo space suffers, though, as you get just 12.0 cubic feet behind the backseat versus the standard Fit’s 20.6 cubic feet.

Source: Edmunds.com


Motoring


Arts & Culture

In August of 2012, the Penumbra Theatre in Minnesota which prides i t se l f as t he l a rges t

African-American Theatre Company cut six full time staff positions and suspended all programming due to a severe cash crunch. They needed to raise $340,000 by the end of 2012 to be able to re-open its doors and start work again. Everyone thought they had gone for good.

The good news is that they have re-opened! Between the Board, the Artistic Director/Founder, the artistes and other well wishers they were able to exceed the $340,000 they needed. They raised $390,000! The report was all gloom initially – grants had plummeted, the individual donations took a nose dive and things were simply bleak. They are back and their bank books are in better shape and there is much to look forward to in the coming years.

I s incerely wish that many of us can say this for ourselves. Our resources are growing lean with each passing year, the banks that used to be generous in granting overdrafts are no longer so comfortable, the individuals that used to be the fi rst and last resort are also busy trying to sort out their finances. These are times that defi nitely try the spirit. If Penumbra Theatre had been in Nigeria, they would be history by now! We are still trying to fi gure out on which plank they based their fundraising on. It must have been a hectic race against time. It must have been a desperate race to beat all the deadlines. I am happy for them and I rejoice with all those who will fi nd fulfi lment in the open doors of the theatre once again.

The lesson here for those of us who are working in Nigeria is the fact that we are not alone. We all share the same problems. We have to seek for more creative ways to move our organizations forward. In the midst of lack of government support, we must fi nd those fi ne men and women who will continue to believe in us and who will continue to support our work. The time is not tomorrow. Rather the time is now.

FROM THE LIVE STAGE

with Patrick-Jude Oteh

0803 700 0496, 0805 953 5215(SMS only)

Rock Art can open windows for better understanding of Africa - Duke

THIS IS GOOD NEWS!AND THESE TIMES.....A young friend met me

the other day. He had been given a loan of N500,000 for a theatre performance. The fi rst production he put up had a cast of 48. The money was practically burnt as only 36 people turned up at the performance against the much anticipated crowd that he had been assured will turn up. In his estimation, all the invested money will come back from the gate along with a hefty profit. This did not happen. He is heavily in debt. Over half of the actors have not been paid. A lot of them are being nasty about it. The hall used has not been paid for and his phone is ringing twenty hours daily.

What happened?

...AND THE GOVERNORSWe are in that season

when we all exclaim – fair is foul and foul is fair – very much like the witches in Shakespeare’s classic Macbeth.

I sti l l have not been able to piece together what happened at the Governor’s Forum elections. However, the surprise is that a group of distinguished men – only 36 of them in that elite club - could not hold a clean, fair and balanced election....Ah these times! If only a lot of the vigour we spend on these things are spent in seeking better lives for the people, Nigeria would have long left the comity of poor nations. But here we are – a lot of hassling and a lot of energies being burnt chasing only God knows what. There is so much we do not understand. In the next couple of weeks, we will see a lot of scheming and manoeuvring all in attempts to outsmart and outwit each other. Some will practically abandon their states to live permanently in Abuja.

AND HAPPY TIMES.....I will tell you about our

forthcoming production next week. While waiting, watch out for the performance of Vaclav Havel’s AUDIENCE courtesy of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abuja.

Nigerian Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke has said in

Addis Ababa, that Rock Art can open windows on the understanding of Africa’s heritage as it visualises ancestral live changes.

Duke spoke at the opening a colloquium and exhibition on rock art and the Pan African Renaissance currently taking place at the African Union, within the framework of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the OAU/

AU.He said ``Nigeria has always

fulfilled its commitment and the exhibition was evidence of this.``

Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia Bulus Lolo in his address said African rock art is priceless and through art, past achievements and history have been recorded.

Lolo said that there is hope that Africa’s past can be re-invented.

He commended the African Union for hosting the exhibition as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

On his part the AU Commissioner

Copyright Society launches foundation to support music industry

The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) in Lagos has launched a music foundation to provide

support for artistes in distress and funding for music education.

The foundation is also to promote Nigerian music, musicians and provide necessary resources and leadership to trigger a new economic and cultural revolution.

It further aims to provide the needed resources to intensify the battle against piracy and other forms of abuse of the rights of musicians in Nigeria.

Ebenezer Obey, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, said the foundation was in support of creativity in Nigeria.

A c c o r d i n g t o O b e y , t h e

foundation is being launched to provide assistance to Nigerian musicians who as a result of age and infi rmity spend their lives in abject poverty.

He promised that the board would be open and transparent in administering the funds for the good of the industry and musicians.

Earlier, Mr Tony Okoroji, the chairman of the society, called on stakeholders, organisations, institutions and individuals to support the foundation.

He said the foundation would change the face of the industry and provide fi nancial support to a sector that had no gratuity or pension scheme.

Mrs Tarja Koskinen-Olsson, former Honorary President,

International Federation of Reprographic Rights Organisations (IFFRO) and Internat ional Copyright Consultant, was given the copyright Medal of Honour at the ceremony.

This was in recognition of a life time of dedicated service to the copyright community around the world, especially in the development of collective management of copyright in developing countries.

Present at the launch were Prof. Helge Ronning, Chairman, Norwegian Copyright Development Association, Mr Olu Akintola, the Special Adviser Culture and Tourism, Oyo State, Mr Oladipo Soyede, Special Adviser, Tourism & Culture, Osun, music artistes and Nollywood stars. (NAN)

Art enthusiast urges Nigerians to showcase cultural values

Mr Yemisi Shyllon, the Founder of Omooba Yemisi Art Foundation, an NGO, has urged

Nigerians to showcase their cultural values in any part of the world.

Shyllon told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that most Nigerians had lost their cultural values to those of the western world.

According to him, most Nigerians no longer appreciate their cultural values as it is in the past.

``We have rich culture, heritage, norms and values that we can market to the western world but most Nigerians no longer prefer their culture.

``They have lost their cultural values to western world and this is not good for the image of the country,” Shyllon said.

Shyllon urged the Federal Government to adequately fund the culture and tourism sector to reawaken the country’s values.

He also appealed to the government to encourage private investors to exploit the nation’s rich cultural values.

``Proper funding of the sector will attract more investors to venture into the art, culture and tourism world.

``Government should empower youths to exploit and harness the culture, art and tourism potential of the country,” he said.

Shyllon said that the organisation had empowered over 6,000 youths since its establishment. (NAN)

for Social Affairs, Dr Mustapha Sidiki said the theme for the 50th AU/OAU is a milestone in African history with African Renaissance and Pan Africanism.

Rock Art, an archaeological term is an art where images are made and placed on natural stone.

It is also largely synonymous with parietal art.

It is a global phenomenon found in many different regions of the world, having been produced in many different contexts throughout human history.(NAN)

Students of Dagama Legacy school in puppy costumes entertaining guests during the 10th anniversary of the school, recently in Zaria, Kaduna State. Photo: NAN


Arts & Culture POEM OF THE WEEK

QUOTE As I said earlier, there are no writers who could create a

literary vision of the new reality.Andrzej Wajda

A long time agoin a land far, far awayI arose to distant hills

in translucent shades of blueIn the backdrop

Black birds soaredfl apping their wings to the rhythm of

their coosThey spread gossip about other

townsGrandma heard, nodded and

suddenly went:“okay!”

I only got the part about EmekukuWhat happened at Emekuku?Grandma’s lips were sealed

It was older people’s businessI long for the days when birds could

talkand we took the time to decipherWhen chickens and goats co-

existed with humanson the front porch

Swearing away the heateach in its own tongue

Longing for harmattan…Sitting under moonlit skiesListening to tales of duality

as corn roasts with crackling sounds under the fi re…

Chanting:“udara mu cha nda cha cha cha

nda…”Some of us sniffl ing at the girl whose stepmother starved her

and who prays for the udara to ripen so she can eat

In a famine udara dwarfs itself to feed girl

and grows infi nitum when step mother sings to it

We cheer!It’s bedtime

And with a belly fi lled with corn and ube

I move lethargically towards my matdetermined to rise early

to decode what the bird from Emekuku had said.

Source: Africanwriter.com

If I was writing a prayer for peaceBy Abigail George

If I can see from where I amStanding (next to my bedroom door.

This is ajar because I left it likeThat) through the window made of

Lines of yellow light, shiny partsAt my front door and stare into the

Face of a stranger, what would I seeThere meeting their eyes, intent,Winter, my own washed-out or ill

Refl ection depending on what dayOf the week it was, would I see aVision or feel a change fl icker andDance within the usual outspokenMe, would we make commonplace

Conversation, would I give my peace Of mind away as I make the

strangerA cup of coffee so hot that steam

rises In puffs almost like smoke in a glance–

The stranger never smiles at me.I am just a poet and a writer feeling

The air near my hands, pushing those

Buttons, dreaming a life half-lived inSilence with medicine–this is myHome, my fairytale ending, my

Americanah, when it was published and launched in April, I face-booked it that anyone in diaspora,

including those coming abroad for the fi rst time for diaspora lifestyle should read it. It made eloquent sense as reviewers are now showing. The entire work shows in new ways as captured, imagined and experienced by the author a vivid exploration of being African in America, and indeed, anywherelse Nigerians and Africans converge with their complex dreams in pursuit of more valued things of life.

Americanah, a novel, is the very most recent entry by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and it is published by Random House, with a voluminous 477 pages counting and prized at $26.95 for a copy. Ambrose Ehirim contests his passion for this recent novel and other works of the author, Adichie. He paints the picture of a common knowledge and notion immigrants coming from Nigeria carry with them and vigorously discuss them at meeting places and at the same time tend to use explorative chatting expeditions of the “been to” and “checking out” craze to learn and adapt in new areas that they settle down to live a life.

Ambrose Ehirim highlights that Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun” stands out in all her stables as the biggest score in marketing and popularity, including positioning in literature which most prizes had gone to, giving her the brand name to sell any novel with her signature attached to it, whether the book was well written and made sense or not, which seems to be the case in her newest entry “Americanah.”

For Ambrose Ehirim in a critical and passionate stand point, Americanah” is not a great tale considering the expectations and the following that shot her second novel to the top. Nigerian authors - home and Diaspora - always have the pleasure to begin the enterprise of their books on the home turf where the turnouts in book launchings are huge, graced by festivities and merry-making, big volume sales and sometimes, ridiculously bankrolled when details of the book has not been known or reviewed.

Reuters photo-journalist Akintunde Akinleye, Associated Press’ Sunday Alamba, host of related international press and local Nigerian journalists were handy during Adichie’s book launch and signing ceremony Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Lagos. The lukewarm photogenic author sat and stood in front of the cameras posing with her new book, signing autographs along the novel and answering questions from curious readers and the press on the thoughts and writing of “Americanah.” Adichie had a new hair-do and fascinated about it all drawing from the books Ifemelu character, multicolored dress and classically fi gured, except for the not needed heavy make-ups she was wearing obviously displaying she wasn’t much comfortble with the excessiveness of painting on her face.

Most folks who explored the United States and elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere during the push factor years, the economic, social, religious and reasons of things like that to why one was compelled to relocate and the aspirations for further academic pursuits is what Adichie is now telling us in the “Americanah” saga, from around which some lost hope but kept sticking around, keeping body and soul one, for opportunities that may knock on their doors as sighs of relief in what had been a stretch, to survive, doing whatever it took out of the very worst situations to overcome their predicaments.

It was common. But, though, some had no diffi culties from the goodwill that came from either generated government welfare

Americanah - A critical perspective Book Review

By Patrick Iroegbu (Ambrose Ehirim)

THE VILLAGE BIRD

becoming the pursued ideal, is nothing new to the push factor most Nigerians encountered over the years in their quest for a better life Adichie brought up in her new entry.

And the adventure had popped up with the zeal not to fail when caught up in crossroads in between having to make decisions on two choices as option; the consequences of having made the wrong choice which could turn out disastrous by its nature and what the future might hold; the pains after all attempts with nothing seemingly working out; the high expectations from native-land where all eyes watched for prospects of a promising future, and, what the consequences could be for a life time, if all had failed, including the expectations from a relationship elsewhere on the

now defi ning her, and owing much to the man’s work, and also, much to her own efforts as to how far she came even though in reviewing the man’s “There Was A Country”, and despite giving credits to the points made in the book as far as the story goes on the said war, she derided the publication as carelessly done with repetitions, wordiness and avoidable mistakes.

“Americanah” is unnecessarily wordy, too. The events that unfolded from the native-land in preparedness to relocate from an unstable country that was full of uncertainties was retold in many instances. The cities - New Haven, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Princeton and Trenton; the Gothic structures; the motorists while she poked around; the niteclubs; visit to her aunt Uju at the Flatlands and several other encounters with people of race, culture - and what that meant to Ifemelu, describing them the way she thought desirable for each like the cities with its distinct kind of smell except Princeton being smell free is pretty much close Adichie was telling her own story and life experiences in a typical relationship with partners attached to each other and denied access to be together in the United States by the unfortunate events of 9/11 and the restrictions on immigration.

There are no expectations of something significantly different from the “Americanah” adventure begun by Ifemelu, from the usual concept of bad regimes typical of Nigeria’s dominance by military juntas and situations in that regard which compels one to seek decent life elsewhere that we haven’t known or seen practically like the case of Ifemelu who had moved to the shores of the United States commencing an entirely new life with aspirations in a world totally different from where she had escaped.

Enter Obinze, Ifemelu’s sweetheart originally established as first lovers from what the story tells us, back in Nigeria as students in a military regime that is not encouraging for one to keep staying in the country which had both lovers become desperate to leave the country. Obinze had problems with the restrictions imposed by the United States on the effects of 9/11 which denied him access, leaving him with an option to go elsewhere besides America. He founds himself in the United Kingdom where the going got tougher, unlike Ifemelu in the US, though tough but better overall, Obinze did what he had to do. He had cash while Ifemelu blogged successfully. Both made it back home missing each other for 15 years and unsure of how to continue and get along.

“Americanah” is a typical story told from an immigrant’s perspective coupled by the encounters and revelations and the blogging of events as it unfolded in contrast to Obinze’s unfavorable engagements in the United Kingdom, though eventually wealthy and all in all, in a journey that had taken 15 years to decide if both were still meant for each other remains a puzzle the author intends to unveil elsewhere, or probably bent on tales of love, distant relationship, misfortunes and both finally accomplished on different platforms and, now hard to reach decisions on whether to continue with a relationship that had been marred by circumstances beyond their control.

programs or their respective families who had adequate cash possessions.

Stories so similar and told over and over the years, Adichie goes on to tell us the uncertainties that had clouded the survival instincts and the determination to fulfi ll what had been ambitiously waited for before departure only to be confronted with what had been totally strange, taking culture into account, and the social aspect of the new world they had come to adopt and call home. The similarities of the long hurdle to adapt to the situations and become normal, and being used to what goes, surviving all odds, fulfi lling what had been the dream and, realizing what it had taken and the time spent to be accomplished, which had been desired through diligence, patience, commitment and, eventually, hard work in which there was no substitute, ultimately

globe, in the United Kingdom; had not been clear and in limbo with immigration problems which surely wasn’t promising until that stroke of luck unshackled what had been a barrier and an emerged breakthrough that changed everything, and fortune coming his way though not what had been planned and anticipated.

N o q u e s t i o n , A d i c h i e has catapulted herself to the top, in the ranks of respected Nigerian novelists and inventing “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie” as a public intellectual on the parallel with most, and somewhere in between Flora Nwapa, Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. In her apparent tribute to the latter who passed March 21, 2013 in Boston, Adichie showed appreciation and acknowledgement to the man who had driven the force and how she trooped on from a mark that is

By Ebele Chizea


Palestinian pawns: Egypt’s refugees

While Palestinians c o m m e m o r a t e the 1948 “ethnic c l e a n s i n g ” o f P a l e s t i n e -

the Nakba - the “catastrophe” neither started that year nor has it ended. The Palestinian people have suffered for generations. Today, they continue to be treated as second class citizens in their own homes, denied basic rights of mobility and secure livelihoods in the occupied Gaza Strip and the West Bank and live precariously in refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

The Egyptian role in Palestine has historically differed from its Arab neighbours. In 1948, Egypt was the only country to close its borders to Palestinians, out of a principled interest in keeping Palestinians within their nation. The policy was in some ways long-sighted, as many of those who fl ed in 1948 have not been allowed to go back. It has often been suggested that the relative dearth of Palestinians in Egypt, or the higher socio-economic status of this group, could be attributed to this policy.

Recently, however, Arab activists have stumbled upon a sizeable group of 1948 Palestinian refugees in Egypt. A few months ago, a group of four Palestinian and Egyptian friends came across the mention of a mass exodus of Palestinians from Bir il-Saba’ village in 1948; the refugees were said to have gone to Egypt. The friends found it strange, as they and others had persistently inquired about the existence of Palestinian refugee groups in Egypt at the Palestinian embassy and organisations in Cairo. They called on others to help them locate this community, which they eventually tracked down.

A few hours north of Cairo, in the Nile Delta governorate of Sharqiya, is the village of Gezirat Fadel. It is aptly named “Gezira” - island - because of its physical isolation at the time of its foundation, and Fadel after the name of one of the founders of the village. For the past 65 years, this village has been almost completely off the radar, by choice or ignorance, of any institution - whether be it the Egyptian or Palestinian authorities, non-governmental organisations or activists.

Neither the village nor the people are officially recognised by the Egyptian government, and thus the informal village is left with no infrastructure or public services, and the people with no basic rights - not even official refugee status. Since locating the village, the friends have visited it several times, gathering information on its history and current conditions, and have been lobbying Arab and Egyptian media to shed light on the neglected community.

For the anniversary of the Nakba, they called on other activists to join them to visit Gezirat Fadel, to commemorate the occasion and convey the simple message that this community of refugees

would not be forgotten. As Syrine, a Palestinian activist from Jerusalem, put it: “These people, the refugees, are the biggest victims of the Nakba. They are the ones we should commemorate it with.”

I joined over 80 activists, who were predominantly Egyptian and Palestinian, but included Swedes, French, Iranians and others. On an early Friday morning, the buses drove out of Cairo, past the lush Delta fields, through the busy Sharqiya capital of Zaqaziq, and on to a dirt road that eventually became too narrow for the buses to continue.

The activists descended from the buses with dozens of Egyptian and Palestinian fl ags in hand and a banner that read:

“In memory of the Nakba, Gezirat Fadel will no longer be forgotten.

Egypt and Palestine, one people, one struggle.

From Egypt to Palestine, the revolution continues and will prevail.

We will return, one day, to Bir il-Saba’.”

As we walked towards the village, the path, fi lled with rubbish and lined with mud brick walls, was an indicator of what lie ahead. After a 20-minute walk, clay houses and Palestinian fl ags waving from hay

By Sarah Mousa

Neither Gezirat Fadel village in Sharqiya or its people are offi cially recognised by the Egyptian government [AP]

rooftops appeared. The villagers, overwhelmingly young children, were excited by the news of visitors and lined the streets, Palestinian kufiyas draped from their necks and greeted us in their mixed rural Palestinian-Egyptian dialect.

While the trip was primarily humanitarian in purpose - the group came with toys for the children and doctors who paid house visits - the political nature of it was effusive. Though the organisers insisted upon the independence of the initiative, the identity of involved activists as core actors from the ongoing Egyptian revolution was belied either subtly or quite explicitly as it appeared on the banner. The ideals of the Arab uprising - ones that insist uncompromisingly on freedom and social justice - translate very directly into political stances which in the case of Palestine not only oppose Israeli forces’ brutality, but also reject intermediaries and facilitators of ongoing occupation and displacement, Palestinian authorities included.

In Gezirat Fadel too, politics was palpable. It became starkly apparent throughout the day that the isolation of this village has nothing to do with geography or ignorance, but rather has

In the context of the Arab uprising, people are recognising and openly

rejecting this manipulation of power. Despite the omdeh’s threats, activists

returned to Gezirat Fadel, openly challenged his statements in front of

villagers and refused his monopolisation of the story of the refugee experience.

“

been constructed by Egyptian and Palestinian authorities and benefi ciaries.

The activists had brawled with the employee days before in Cairo, over the embassy’s persistent denial of the existence of a Palestinian refugee community in Egypt, despite evidence that the embassy had direct ties with the village omdeh and that the ambassador had himself paid a visit to the community. The activists have also had a turbulent relationship with the omdeh since fi rst visiting the village; the omdeh had initially threatened the activists, telling them that he would inform Egyptian intelligence services if they returned to Gezirat Fadel.

The omdeh’s remarks were incongruent with observations of village life. The conditions in which the Palestinians of Gezirat Fadel live are nothing short of appalling. The village is home to over 3,000 people. Other than a “guest building” - which consists of a large room that is used for community gatherings and is internally adorned with a banner thanking Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for his contributions to the community - the village contains literally no public services. To say that the village was marked by poverty would be an understatement - on the way to the village, I spotted a young boy retrieving a tattered shirt from a pile of garbage and sewing it together to wear.

While the Gamal Abdel Nasser government had extended state services to Palestinians in Egypt, making it possible for Gezirat Fadel villagers to use state institutions at the same free or highly subsided prices offered to Egyptians, these rights were revoked in the Sadat era. The refugees must pay international fees to access most basic services; they have no right to property ownership.

A majority of the villagers are employed as day labourers on large tracts of land owned by Egyptian companies or families,

as mechanics or in small shops in neighbouring villages, or collect and sort garbage. Donia, a 12-year-old refugee who walks for two hours each morning to join a reading class in a neighbouring village, said she aspires to work “for anyone who will employ me”.

While some mentioned the lack of legal rights, they were quick to thank Egypt for hosting them for so long. The hardships of their present lives were masked with evocations of their lost homeland. While most villagers have never laid eyes on Bir il-Saba’, even the youngest children describe it vividly, adding illustrative accounts of the night their grandparents were bombarded by Israeli fi re in 1948, listing the death of relatives and recounting the journey to Egypt.

“We are Palestinian guests in Egypt, and will one day return to Bir il-Saba’,” was an unprompted phrase echoed by villagers of all ages. Eight-year-old Samih offered to show me his grandfather’s olive tree seeds, which he defi nitively told me that he will one day plant outside his family home in Bir il-Saba’.

While the population of many Egyptian villages may suffer from stark inequality and poor services, it seems particularly exasperated in the Palestinian case.

Basic rights for Palestinian refugees have often been presented by Arab offi cials as a contributor to resettlement, counter-productive to the right of return. What is apparent, though, is that these same institutions, while loudly touting their nationalism and dedication to the Palestinian cause, are largely removed from daily hardships experienced by the refugees.

One activist from Ramallah lamented the irony in the statements of Gezirat Fadel refugees who linked any hardships to a greater national cause and expressed pride in PA President Abbas, while in his home city political elites live relatively luxurious lives.

The link between personal interests and political institutions is a phenomenon that continues to have a real impact on people’s livelihoods in the Arab world. In the case of the Palestinian refugees, this is often intense, as in addition to community dynamics and Palestinian leadership, host countries add a layer of complication.

In the context of the Arab uprising, people are recognising and openly rejecting this manipulation of power. Despite the omdeh’s threats, activists returned to Gezirat Fadel, openly challenged his statements in front of villagers and refused his monopolisation of the story of the refugee experience.

While for 65 years the right of return has been, and will continue to be, the essential demand of the Palestinian refugees, there is an evident need for an extension of basic rights to a community that suffers exponentially due to the politicisation of its identity. Arab governments’ hypocritical lip service to the Palestinian cause has long been transparent; Arab activists are now determined to bring it to an end.

Source: Al Jazeera


A suspected US drone has crashed in the s o u t h e r n L o w e r Shabelle region of

Somalia, according to reports.Al-Shabab said on Twitter

that an American unmanned aircraft had come down near a town under its control. A regional governor told Reuters that fi ghters had shot at the object.

The US uses drones in Somalia to support the Somali government and African Union (AU) forces as they battle the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab.

The US Africa Command has not confi rmed the reports.

Residents in the town of Bulo Marer told the BBC they had seen the wreckage of a small plane but did not know whether it was a US drone.

Lower Shabelle region governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur told Reuters news agency that Islamist militants had shot at the aircraft over the town for several hours before it came down.

“Finally they hit it and the drone crashed,” he said.

Al-Shabab said in a Twitter post that photographs of the drone would be published in the coming hours.

A French soldier was among several people who died during a failed operation to free a hostage in the town of Bulo Marer in January.

The hostage, Denis Allex, kidnapped in Somalia in July 2009, was also believed to have been killed by captors during the operation.

Al-Shabab emerged as the radical youth wing of Somalia’s now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts in 2006.

It is fi ghting to create an Islamic state in Somalia.

The AU has about 18,000 troops in the country to help the government battle the insurgents.

Al-Shabab was forced out of Mogadishu in August 2011 following an offensive by AU and government troops.

But it still controls most villages and rural areas of southern and central Somalia.

Suspected US drone crashes in Somalia

Cote d’Ivoire to mark weapons for arms control

International

Cote d’Ivoire’s National Commission for Fighting Against Proliferation of Small Arms and Light

Weapons (COMNAT-ALPC) on Monday said authorities plan to mark all weapons used by security forces for arms control.

The COMNAT-ALPC under-secretary, Leon Djokouehi, told reporters in Abidjan that the

marking of the weapons will enable authorities to identify all the arms in circulation and their holders to prevent proliferation.

“When we decide to mark a weapon, it’s treated as an identity card. We register different indices such as the country of origin and the series of the weapon. In that case, we are able to determine in which unit the weapon can be

utilized,” he explained. H e s a i d t h e m a r k i n g

process had begun with the legal weapons being used by armed forces, adding that the practice will proceed to others weapons collected through the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration operation (DDR).

“There are sanctions imposed

by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in case of illegal movement of weapons in the sub-region. Everyone in the sub-region is interested in having stability,” Djokouehi said.

The West African country will soon have a national data base of all weapons, according to the offi cial. Source: Xinhua

The chairman of the Libyan General National Congress (GNC) has resigned under a law which bans from public

office anyone who worked for the government of Col Muammar Gaddafi .

In a statement aired live on Libyan TV, Muhammad al-Magarief said, “Parliament passed a political isolation law and everyone must comply with it.”

The law on political isolation has been widely criticised for its sweeping scope, BBC correspondents say.

Col Gaddafi was ousted in August 2011.

“I place my resignation in your hands... and I do so with a clear conscience... with a head held high,” said Mr Magarief, as he ended his 40-minute speech to congress.

It is currently unclear whether

congress members need to formally vote on accepting or rejecting Mr al-Magarief resignation, says the BBC’s Rana Jawad in Tripoli.

However, following Mr Magarief’s statement, congress spokesman Omar Hmeidan said congress would need to vote on a new head.

Under the new law, ambassadors who served at any time in the Gaddafi era cannot be politically active.

There had been a lot of talk of possible amendments being made to the law to include “exceptions” but nothing has happened yet.

Dr Magarief served as ambassador to India for two years in the 1980s before he broke away from Gaddafi ’s government.

He spent 31 years in exile as leader of the Libyan National Salvation Front opposition group.

Uganda journalists tear gassed

Kenyan MPs have voted to raise their salaries in defi ance of proposals to cut pay.

The vote suggests a monthly salary of about $10,000 (£6,540). The average annual salary in Kenya is about $1,700.

President Uhuru Kenyatta had asked the MPs to accept the pay cuts in order to free up funds for the creation of jobs.

The lawmakers are among the highest paid in the world and their demands triggered angry protests in the lead-up to the vote.

But the MPs argued the proposed salary cuts had been illegal.

“They have taken away our dignity and we must reclaim it,” lawmaker Jimmy Angwenyi told the assembly on Tuesday.

The vote is expected to be challenged in court by civic rights groups, Reuters news agency

reports.The president has no direct

power to determine MPs’ salaries.

K e n y a ’ s S a l a r i e s a n d Remuneration Commission (SRC) had recommended that their salaries be pegged at around $6,300.

Lawmakers earlier argued they deserved a $10,000 salary because they worked very hard.

M P s i n t h e p r e v i o u s parliament awarded themselves a $107,000 retirement bonus in one of the last sessions before the election.

The package also provided them with an armed guard, a diplomatic passport and access to airport VIP lounges.

Kenya held presidential and parliamentary elections in March.

Parliament is made up of 416 MPs - 349 in the National Assembly and 67 in the Senate.

Police in Uganda’s capital have fired tear gas to d i s p e r s e j o u r n a l i s t s protesting near the offi ces

of a paper closed by the authorities last week.

A reporter says two journalists were arrested and that others were beaten by offi cers using batons.

They had gathered to protest against the continued police occupation of the private Daily Monitor’s premises.

It and another paper were raided for publishing reports that the president was grooming his son to succeed him.

They reported claims allegedly made by an army general that those opposed to President Yoweri Museveni’s son succeeding him risk being killed.

Mr Museveni, in power since 1986, is due to step down in 2016.

There has been long-standing speculation that his son, Muhoozi

Kainerugaba, a brigadier in the army, is being groomed as his successor.

The government has denied having any such plans.

Ignatius Bahizi, in Kampala, says Uganda’s Human Rights Network for Journalists had organised peaceful sit-down demonstrations outside the offi ces.

A crowd of about 100 journalists and activists had gathered outside the Daily Monitor on Tuesday morning, he says.

“This is a violation of media freedom and economic sabotage,” rights activist Geoffrey Ssebaggala shouted at police, AFP news agency reports.

Police chief Kale Kayihura told the BBC on Monday evening that the media houses - The Daily Monitor and Red Pepper - would remain closed until they co-operated with police.

The authorities want evidence of how the Daily Monitor got hold of the confidential letter, purportedly written by Gen David Sejusa, who is out of the country.

Dai ly Monitor managing director Alex Asiimwe told our reporter the paper would continue to refuse to reveal its sources.

Two radio stations, linked to the Daily Monitor, also remain off air.

Kenyan MPs vote pay increase despite protests

Police muscle journalists out of the Daily Monitor offi ce.

Kenyans in Nairobi protesting the pay rise.

Australia spy plans hacked by Chinese - report

US senator McCain enters Syria to meet rebelsNorth Korea ‘to allow Kaesong managers back’

Drug resistance in new China bird fl u raises concern

PAGE 43PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

InternationalAsia and

Middle East

Chinese hackers have reportedly stolen plans for a new $600m Australian spy headquarters as part

of a growing wave of cyber-attacks against business and military targets of the US ally.

T h e h a c k e r s a l s o s t o l e confi dential information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which houses the overseas spy agency the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Australia’s ABC Television said.

The ABC report, which did not name sources, said that Chinese hackers had targeted Australia-based companies more aggressively than previously thought, including steel-manufacturer Bluescope Steel, and military and civilian communications manufacturer Codan.

The influential Greens party said on Tuesday that the reported hacking was a “security blunder of epic proportions” and called for an inquiry.

“I think there can be a proper investigation, an independent investigation, into this sorry saga

of the ASIO building,” Christine Milne, head of the Greens party, said.

However, the Australian government has refused to c o m m e n t d i r e c t l y o n t h e allegations.

Bob Carr, Australia’s foreign minister, said that the report would not damage the country’s ties with its biggest trade partner China.

“I won’t comment on whether the Chinese have done what is being alleged or not,” he said.

“I won’t comment on matters of intelligence and security for the obvious reason: we don’t want to share with the world and potential aggressors what we know about what they might be doing, and how they might be doing it.”

The report follows several other hacking attacks on government facilities in the past two years.

The a t tack t hro u g h t he computers of a construction contractor exposed building layouts and the location of communication and computer networks, the ABC said.

The ASIO building, being built near the location of Australia’s top-secret Defence Signals

Directorate, is supposed to have some of the most sophisticated hacking defences in the country,

which is part of a global electronic intelligence gathering network including the US and the UK.

US Senator John McCain has crossed from Turkey into Syria to meet with

rebel leaders in the war-torn nation, according to his spokesman.

M c C a i n , t h e 2 0 0 8 Republican presidential nominee, slipped across the border on Monday in a n u n a n n o u n c e d v i s i t lasting several hours before he returned to Turkey, his spokesman Brian Rogers confi rmed.

Rogers declined to give any details about the visit.

The visit came as US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged to do their utmost to bring Syria’s warring parties together and new allegations surfaced about chemical weapons use in the civil war.

General Salem Idris, who

leads the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army, told news website Daily Beast in an interview that McCain’s visit came at a critical time for the rebels, who have stepped up their calls for US support, including heavy weapons, creation of a no-fl y zone and air strikes.

“The visit of Senator McCain to Syria is very important and very useful especially at this time,” the publication quoted Idris as saying. “We need American help to have change on the ground; we are now in a very critical situation.”

McCain is the highest-ranking US official to visit Syria since Robert Ford, the US ambassador to Syria, crossed the border into northern Syria to meet with Syrian opposition leaders earlier this month.

It was not immediately

clear if McCain, a fi erce critic of the Obama administration’s handling of the Syrian crisis, told government leaders about his plans to visit the country.

The White House had no immediate comment.

A senior State Department offi cial, in Paris with Kerry, confirmed that McCain did “cross into Syrian territory” but referred all questions to McCain’s offi ce.

Pyongyang has said it is willing to allow South K o r e a n b u s i n e s s m e n to visit the jointly-run

Kaesong zone.In a statement carried by

state media, North Korea said it was prepared to discuss with the businessmen how normal operations could be resumed.

But South Korea expressed worry about its citizens’ safety and asked that government-level talks be held.

Operat ions a t the jo int industrial complex have been suspended since the North withdrew its workers in April.

North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK), responsible for ties with South Korea, said it would guarantee the businessmen’s safety.

“We have given permission for the visit and can even discuss the shipment of products at the

industrial complex,” Yonhap news agency quoted the committee as saying.

South Korea “may send with them members” of the governing body that oversees the complex, the committee added.

But a spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said what was needed at this stage was talks between both governments, which Seoul has been requesting.

Some 123 South Korean companies have factories inside the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which lies just across the border inside North Korea.

The fi rms employ some 53,000 North Koreans and the zone is a key revenue earner for the North.

But Pyongyang withdrew its workers two months ago as North-South tensions escalated following Pyongyang’s third nuclear test in February.

The new bird fl u strain that has killed 36 people in China has proved resistant to Tamiflu for the first

time, a development scientists said was “concerning”.

The H7N9 virus was found to be resistant to Roche’s widely used fl u drug in three out of 14 patients who were studied in detail by doctors from Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Tamifl u, which is given as a pill, belongs to a group of medicines k n o w n a s n e u r a m i n i d a s e inhibitors that currently offer

the only known treatment option for bird flu. GlaxoSmithKline’s inhaled medicine Relenza has the same mode of action.

In one patient, the gene m u t a t i o n r e s p o n s i b l e f o r resistance appears to have arisen after infection took hold, probably as a result of treatment with Tamifl u, leading to concerns that medication may be the trigger for resistance to develop.

“The apparent ease with which antiviral resistance emerges in A/H7N9 viruses is concerning; it needs to be closely monitored and

considered in future pandemic response plans,” the researchers wrote in an article published online by The Lancet medical journal on Tuesday.

E a r l i e r g e n e t i c s t u d i e s had raised worries about drug resistance but this is the first time that the problem has been documented in clinical cases.

For most of the 14 patients studied, Tamiflu successfully reduced the amount of virus found in throat swabs and helped speed clinical recovery. But it had no impact on the amount of virus

found in swabs from three patients who became severely ill.

A spokeswoman for Swiss-based drugmaker Roche said rates of Tamiflu resistance remained low globally, but it took the issue of resistance “very seriously” and was collaborating with health authorities to monitor the situation.

The H7N9 virus is known to have infected 131 people in China since February, but no new cases have been detected since early May, according to the World Health Organization.

Experts from the United Nations agency said last week the bird flu outbreak in China had caused some $6.5 billion in losses to the economy.

Scientifi c studies of the virus have established it is being transmitted from birds - probably mostly chickens - to people. But experts have yet to identify the source of the circulating virus - the so-called “reservoir” - that is leading to chickens contracting it and sporadically passing it on to humans.

Bob Carr says Australia’s relationship with China will not be damaged by the hacking allegations [Getty Images]

John McCain


Man sues wife for being ugly, gets awarded $120,000 in damagesIn what may be the weirdest

divorce trial in recent history, a man in China sued his wife for being ugly and actually

won the right to divorce her and a substantial settlement of $120,000.

No, this is not a joke. Earlier this year, Jian Feng, a man from northern China took his spouse to court for being ugly. But you couldn’t really tell that by looking at her, in fact the unnamed woman could be considered attractive by most standards. To make things even weirder, the judge actually ruled in his favor, granting him the right to a divorce and a settlement of around $120,000. This probably makes no sense to you right now, but I’ll try to clarify things as best I can. Jian Feng’s problems began when he and his wife had their first baby. The man described his daughter as “incredibly ugly” and told the court she resembled neither of the parents. Now, most fathers would just hold their piece and love that little angel as if she were the most beautiful baby ever born, but not Feng. He started

accusing his wife of cheating on him, and he kept at it until she couldn’t take no more and finally admitted she might have something to do with the baby’s appearance.

You see, Jian Feng’s wife hadn’t always been attractive. Before she even met him, the woman spent around$100,000 on dozens of plastic surgeries to drastically improve her looks, and since the alterations weren’t passed on to the baby, she assumed she was the reason for the looks that weren’t up to the father’s standards. As soon as he heard his wife’s confession, Jian filed a lawsuit, accusing her of marrying him under false pretenses. Most judges would laugh at the claim, but not the one he found. This “model” father and husband was awarded the divorce he wanted and a settlement of around $120,000. It’s unclear who got custody of the baby, but I think it’s safe to assume she stayed with the mother.

via MSN

Brewery uses man’s beard yeast as an ingredient for beer

Something strange is going on at the Rogue Ales Brewery in Newport, Oregon. Brewers there are developing an ale

made from wild yeast harvested from the beard of Rogue’s award-winning brewmaster, John Maier.

He hasn’t shaved since 1978, and that apparently makes his beard the perfect place to harvest yeast. I’m just kidding, it’s far from perfect, but Rogue Ales’ president, Brett Joyce said he was looking for a “different place that might have some magic yeast in it” and decided to try out Maier’s facial hair. The guys at Rogue had tried developing some new yeast strains from some of their own hopyard, but came up empty-handed, so as a joke they had their lab guy take a couple of Q-tip swabs from John Maier’s fluffy beard. Amazingly enough, he found a yeast cell, did some fermentation tests and the unique “beard beer” was born. What started out as a joke turned

into something really special, since they never expected to fi nd the new yeast they were looking for right in their brewmaster’s beard. ”This really is the needle in the haystack” John Couchot, Rogue Ales’ self-described mad scientist said.

John Maier understands the initial “eeww” feeling some people might get when they fi rst hear about the beard beer, but says there’s nothing to be disgusted about. ”You’re really not drinking the beard you’re drinking a great beer that happens to have a yeast in it that comes from a beard,” he said, adding that “yeast is everywhere”. Right now the weird ale is being fi ned tuned, but after taking a sip, Maier said it “tastes like it’s got some spices in it”. That must be the salt and pepper of his personality.

So, will you run out and get yourself some cans of beard beer when it comes out, or is it just too gross for you?

via Huffpost

Peruvian Smoothie stand sells “delicious” frog juice

A counter-top restaurant in Lima, Peru has been selling fresh frog juice for the last 15 years, and some locals drink it every day because

they say it gives them strength.There’s nothing like a glass of fresh juice

in the morning, right? Peruvian restaurant owner Carmen Gonzales would agree with this 100%, only she has a different kind of juice in mind – frog juice, For the last 15 years she and various other juice stand owners have been serving her Jugo de Rana to locals and tourists brave enough to try it, and business is better than ever. She sells about 80 frog-based drinks every day, and some of her clients have them as breakfast drinks, early in the morning, because it gives them energy for the entire day.

The frogs, which come from the famous Lake Titicaca, located at a high elevation in southern Peru, are taken out of a small

aquarium, killed by banging them against tiles, skinned and dropped into a blender along with 20 other ingredients including white bean broth, honey, raw aloe vera, malt, maca (an Andean root also believed to

boost stamina and sex drive) and sometimes even wine. This so-called “Peruvian Viagra” costs around $2, but fans of the drink say it’s worth every penny for its tonic effect on the human body.

Jian Feng’s wife, before and after plastic surgery

Strange World


When recalling an exciting recent event, we tend to overestimate rather than underestimate the period of time that it lasted

People who work in open plan offi ces are less productive because they are disturbed by the sound of other people’s conversations

People who work in open plan offi ces take 62 per cent more sick days than those who work in their own, enclosed space.

By Emma Innes

Open-plan offices may be the modern way, but new research suggests that they

are not the best way.People who work in these

environments are more likely to get sick, are less productive and take more days off.

Research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health revealed that people who work in open plan offi ces take 62 per cent more sick days than those who work in their own, enclosed space.

The study authors believe that this is because germs spread more easily in these environments.

However, Quartz reports that it could also be because open plan offi ces are a more stressful place to work, and being stressed increases a person’s risk of becoming unwell.

However, increased illness rates are not the only way in which workers are negatively affected by working in an open plan offi ce.

A s t u d y c a r r i e d o u t b y researchers at Virginia State University and North Carolina State University, in the U.S., revealed that people who work in open plan offices are less productive.

The research showed that these employees are less motivated, have lower job satisfaction and that they feel they lack privacy.

The researchers believe that they are also less productive because they are disturbed by the sound of other people’s conversations.

The findings of a study by Hong Kong Polytechnic University

support this.Researchers questioned 259

offi ce workers about which aspects of office life have the biggest impact on their productivity.

T h e y d i s c o v e r e d t h a t noise and temperature are the most influential factors with conversations, ringing phones and machines being cited as the most irritating noises.

This study also revealed that people over the age of 45 are the most sensitive to disturbing noises – their productivity is affected the most by them.

Previous research suggests that even people who do not work in open plan offi ces suffer the ill effects of offi ce work.

The crumbs that accumulate

Time doesn’t fl y when we’re having fun The belief that time goes

by quickly when you are enjoying yourself

and passes more s lowly when you are bored is largely taken for granted.

But the latest findings by psychologists call into question such an assumption.

In fact, when recalling an exciting recent event, we tend to overest imate rather than underestimate the period of time that it lasted.

F e e l i n g e x c i t e d a n d a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e d i n s o m e t h i n g s t r e n g t h e n s m e m o r y f o r m a t i o n , according to Belgian experts.

This in turn means we estimate the time elapsed to have been longer than it really was, due to the fact that we can recall much of the period in detail.

By Anna Hodgekiss The findings, published in the online version of the journal Appl ied Cognit ive

Psychology, come from a study of 116 people attending an annual fair in Leuven,

Belgium. Participants, aged from

11 to 76 and with an average age of 28, were approached immediately after they exited one of four rides and asked to complete a short questionnaire.

T h e r e s e a r c h e r s s a i d fairground rides are ‘typically a highly positive experience’.

L e a d a u t h o r S o f i e Frederickx, of the University of Leuven, and colleagues asked people to rate how positive or negative they felt and how active or passive they felt.

Participants also estimated the duration of the ride in minutes and seconds.

Results showed that nearly all participants felt highly posit ive and typical ly felt moderately active.

‘ F e e l i n g m o r e a r o u s e d during a ride was associated w i t h l o n g e r e s t i m a t e s o f t h e r i d e ’ s d u r a t i o n , ’ t h e

researchers wrote.‘ A s i t h a s b e e n s h o w n

t h a t a r o u s a l l e a d s t o m e m o r y e n h a n c e m e n t , more information is likely t o b e e n c o d e d d u r i n g a highly arousing event, leading to greater avai labi l i ty o f information at the moment of estimation.’

The researchers said the study was the fi rst of its kind to look at estimates o f the l e n g t h o f a n e v e n t a f t e r i t h a s a l r e a d y o c c u r r e d , something which they said is often required in everyday life.

T h e y c a l l e d for further studies to look at how we assess time in relation to different events and the impact o f emotions on our estimates of duration.

S o u r c e : D a i l y m a i l .co.uk

Digest Open-plan offi ces make employees ‘less productive

on your desk and in your keyboard provide a perfect environment for bacteria and fungi to thrive, says Dr Ron Cutler, a microbiologist at Queen Mary University of London.

The temperature in offices is typically around 20C, the point at which staphylococcus can breed, causing diarrhoea and vomiting.

For the same reason, leaving your sandwich on your desk all morning is also a risk.

‘Meat or chicken in temperatures of more than 4c will start to see salmonella growing after two or three hours,’ says Dr Peter Wilson, a microbiologist at University College London Hospitals.

The more people who share office equipment or desks, the greater the risk of catching a bug,

he explained.‘Faecal contamination has been

found in the offi ce environment and on phones, so the more people use certain equipment, the more germs will be on it,’ says Dr Cutler.

‘That’s why it’s so important to wash your hands before eating.’

Finally, scientists at the University of Missouri claim that sitting at a desk for hours on end gives people an increased chance of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease.

They claim sitting down for an extended time is as bad for health as smoking or over-exposure to the sun.

And rushing to the gym after work won’t necessarily undo the damage — research from the American Cancer Society has found it’s the length of time you spend sitting that can affect your risk of premature death, regardless of how much physical activity you get outside the offi ce.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk


Corruption, cause of insurgency, robberies in north, says RepINTERVIEW

You recently presented a motion on the fl oor of the House seeking to compel

the Inspector General of Police to establish counter-terrorism unit in the Daura Emirate to enable the police function effectively in the discharge their duties in the area, what informed that motion?

On Thursday 15th of May, many unknown heavily gunmen invaded Daura town from about 10 pm, up to about 4 am. In the act, they razed down two police stations and literally burn everything to ashes and broke into four banks. Unfortunately, all the banks are located in one place, at a row. I understand that they were not able to access the stronghold of two banks but they succeeded in looting the others. They used heavy explosives, residents of the town were so panicked and many of them run to the outskirts of the town thinking it was a total war. In the process, I understand about 4 of the culprits were also killed by armed soldiers when they pursued them after they left.

From what has happened in Daura, majority of the people are of the view that this is as a result of a spill over from the states affected by the emergency rule, do you share this view?

From the way things went, one wouldn’t want to believe that this is the situation because the way they came in, their numbers and their ammunitions, and from what I gathered those four that were killed were not Nigerians. That is to tell you another thing; you know we have been saying that in the past that what happened in Libya may be the contributing factor. Arms and ammunitions found their way out, even the insurgency they have in the Niger Republic was as a result of the arm shipment. So some of these mercenaries are coming from outside the country to attack and rob Nigerians.

When I heard it the night it happened, because I was on the phone, and from what they were telling me, it is that the armed robbers are telling the people that they are not going to touch anybody, but they only came to whack. I was even saying that day that they will be caught because Daura is so strategic; it is in the border with Niger Republic. If they fi nished what they are doing,they have only three routes to follow, that is what gave me the conviction that they would easily be caught. Because they either follow Kano road or Katsina road or

go into Niger, probably from where they are, but unfortunately they fl ed.

I read in one newspaper (not Peoples Daily) that gave two wrong information. One that the attackers burnt a prison, which is not true, they didn’t touch any thing like that and two, that when the attackers perpetuated their act, they went into town, to do what? Somebody who looted a bank will go into town? These are all wrong information.

Generally, there was insecurity problem in the north, and House Representatives recently adopted the state of emergency in three states of the region by President Jonathan. Do you think it will be the solution to the lingering crisis?

The insecurity in the north has reached an intolerable level; everybody will agree with that. Like when I was discussing with a colleague from one of the affected states, he was telling me that a whole local government was taken over by the insurgents; the whole local Goverment for that matter. They sent away the elected offi cers, they even sent away some of the traditional rulers! When such things are happening, one has to give the President the chance to tackle a very bad situation. In fact, in some of the affected states, some were happy that the army is coming to at least take care of the security.

As a member of the Congress for Progressve

Change (PCP) one will have thought that you will toe the same line with your leader, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, who openly criticized the emergency rule?

What Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is talking about is that the state of emergency alone will not tackle the situation at hand and that I agree with him. But don’t forget this is the House of Representatives where there are so many people with different opinions. If now I will come and tell you that I don’t support the declaration, I will be lying because I was in that sitting when we took the decision, and we discussed it thoroughly. But we actually made some amendment to the gazette. Probably, Gen. Buhari may be talking the way he did when he looked at the gazette as it was

submitted to us; but that was not what we passed.

Do you also share the views that the insurgency in the country was hatched to cripple the economy of the region?

You see, one will surely agree with that because one will only ask why is it only in the north, why? That is the question we should ask ourselves.

But there are cases of kidnapping in the south?

Kidnapping is different; it also happens in the north. Just recently an elder statesman was kidnapped in Maiduguri and was later released. That is a different kettle of fi sh. What is happening now in the north is so distinct and it has never happened in any other region of the country. So, anybody can think in that direction. For example if something keep happening in your house and your neighbor is moving freely, you will begin to wonder what is happening.

Going back to the issue of Daura attack, I remember last year, there was a similar attack in the Malumfashi axis. Can we now say that Katsina state is under heavy attack from armed robbers?

You can’t say Katsina is under heavy attack. Yes Daura is under heavy attack and the one that you are referring to happened around Kankara. In Malumfashi, they also destroyed police station and rubbed banks too.

Katsina state is generally known to be a peaceful state, with the recent happening now, what went wrong, or what should the governor have done to curtail the situation?

It is not about what the governor should do at this point, but what

should the country do. We have a sitting President who is the overall Chief Security Offi cer. I have said it several times that what this country needs are two things: one, effective means of fi ghting corruption, because corruption is the major problem of this country. Resources meant for the populace are not being used on what they are meant for, that is to uplift the lives of the citizenry. Individual stole billions, unless that is checked, then we will begin to have funds for meaningful development. We will have more money to provide for healthcare, education, these are the things we need. Any government, whether federal or state, what we need is to really create job for the people; take care of people’s basic social needs. Once we do that, there will be peace everywhere. But when the government abandoned its people, with no jobs, basic health care services, education, it is pathetic.

On the issue of Katsna 10, one of the affected member, Hon Sada was quoted as saying that there was an irregularity in the judgment. For example he said that they already have the Certifi cate of Return which he said is in their possession; and that INEC has already faulted the court order that brought you into offi ce, so all that is left is for them to comeback...

The unfortunate thing is, I wish Sada was in court when INEC was asked why they invalidated their certifi cates without a court order. Do you know the answer they gave? INEC said it had not issued any certifi cate to anyone before, it is now that they are issuing certifi cates. Because when you are doing something and you do it to the wrong person, what order do you need? You don’t need any order. The constitution and the electoral laws are very clear. There was no independent candidate; every candidate of a political party must be sponsored by that party before aspiring to any position; and they were not sponsored by the CPC, we don’t need to be going round and round. If they are not sponsored by the CPC and there is no provision for independent candidate then who are they representing? In fact the INEC said it considered that issue as faulty, so they had not issued it before; it is now that they have issued proper certifi cate to valid candidates of CPC. That is just the simple answer to that.

Hon Salisu Ado Daura is a federal lawmaker, representing Daura, Mai-adua federal constituency of Katsina state. He spoke with Umar Muhammad Puma on the recent attack in Daura, state of emergency, and the general insecurity in the north, among other issues. Excerpts:

Hon Salisu Ado Daura

Like when I was discussing with a colleague from one of the affected

states, he was telling me that a whole local government was taken over by the

insurgents; the whole local Goverment for that matter. They sent away the elected

offi cers, they even sent away some of the traditional rulers

“


PoliticsPlateau lawmaker calls for full implementation of FOI lawBy Our Reporter

Member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon.

Timothy Golu, has called on all arms of government to ensure full implementation of the Freedom of Information law.

He said that full implementation of the law would ensure a smoother understanding between media practitioners and all arms of government. He also lauded media practitioners in the state for their fair and unbiased coverage of events in Plateau state.

Golu, a former journalists with the Leadership Newspaper, spoke when he presented a set of chairs to the Plateau State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Jos Yesterday.

He said, “I am happy when the FOI bill was passed into law and assented to by the President and I am very happy to say that the contributions of journalists to the passage of the bill made this very possible. Government can make our work simple and create an understanding between media practitioners and various arms of government.

“We only implore all organs of government to cooperate with journalists and display the same commitment they put in the passage of the bill and ensure the full implementing of the law so that journalists can do their job without any problem.

Golu praised the resilience of media practitioners in Plateau state for doing there

job despite all the odds, adding “You have done so much for us as a state and you have done so much to some of us personally.

He added, “I want to appreciate you also for the way you are doing your job and this is why I am contributing my quota in making the job less stressful, you can come to the Press Centre and relax after a hard day’s job. Because of what you are doing, many things have

changed not only in the state, but in Nigeria. Without you our eyes of what is happening outside would have been blind.

“I have gone outside the country and interacted with many journalists and even with the best of facilities, I will not say that they have fared better than Nigerian journalist. I want to commend your resilience, your commitment, your patriotic zeal to your job and to

the country.NUJ chairman Plateau

state, Mr. Katdapba Gobum, expressed the appreciation of the lawmaker for giving journalist decent seat to do their work. He said that journalists deserve comfort in the course of doing their job.

He however called on other Journalist in position of government to emulate he lawmaker.

Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State on Tuesday in Akure conducted

the swearing in ceremony for newly appointed Caretaker Chairmen in the 18 local government areas of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the development followed the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past caretaker chairmen on Monday.

Addressing the chairmen, Mimiko urged them to desist from illegal recruitment of workers and embark on revenue generation drive “devoid of public brutalization.’’

Mimiko, who warned that it was no longer business as usual in the local council areas, expressed his administration’s zero tolerance for illegal recruitment of staff.

The governor stressed that local government administration was not meant to pay salaries alone but also to carry out developmental projects in the best interest of the people at the grassroots.

He charged them to revamp the local government system and make it more active and responsible with a view to translating the dream of government into reality.

“You as chairmen of these interim committees must be at the vanguard of re-awakening the local government areas to the manifest function of day-to-day administration of our grassroots.

“At the state level, we are devoting renewed energy to initiatives and efforts that will bring about rapid industrialisation and its attendant employment opportunities,” he said.

Mimiko also urged the people not to make unnecessary demands to enable the chairmen concentrate on socio-economic transformation.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, the Caretaker Chairman of Ifedore Local Government Council, Mr Idowu Adebusuyi, thanked the governor for the opportunity given them to serve.

He promised that he and his colleagues would embark on “total overhauling” of the local government system in the state.(NAN)

Mimiko swears in new LG bosses

Enugu Assembly passes bill on Bureau of Statistics

APC ready for registration by INEC – Ikimi

The Enugu State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill for the establishment

of a bureau of statistics and a statistical system.

The bill provides for the collection, compilation, analysis, storage and dissemination of statistical information and other incidental matters.

Presenting the report at a session on Tuesday, the Chairman of the joint committee on economic development and judiciary, Dame Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu, said that all the contributors supported the immediate passage of the bill.

Omeje-Ogbu recalled that a public hearing on the bill took place on May 6.

According to her, when passed and assented to by the executive, the bill will stimulate the socio-economic development of the state.

Mr Eugene Odo, the Speaker of the assembly, said the essence of the bill was to create a central data

bank for the state.He commended the committee

for turning in its report on time, adding that the development necessitated its third reading and passage.

Odo also commended the lawmakers for the cordial relationship between them and the executive had translated to infrastructure development in the state since 2007.

``We have achieved quite a lot, witnessed tremendous

progress through the revitalisation, reconstruction and building of infrastructure.

“This will not have been possible without the efforts of the assembly through enactments, appropriation and over-sight functions.

“The aggressive road rehabilitation and other infrastructure are quite unprecedented in the annals of the history of Enugu State,’’ Odo said.

He expressed the hope that projects started by the Gov. Sullivan

Chime would be concluded before the expiration of his tenure.

He urged the people to support the government and called on the lawmakers to intensify their over-sight functions to ensure the implementation of the 2013 budget.

The highlight of the day was a valedictory session in honour of late Sylvester Okwu, a Second Republic legislator who represented Udi North Constituency in the old Anambra assembly. (NAN)

The All Progressive Congress (APC) is ready for registration by the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Tom Ikimi, Chairman of the Merger Committee, has said.

Ikimi dropped the hint on Tuesday when he addressed journalists after the merger committee meeting in Abuja.

“We are trying to meet up with the basic requirement to ensure that we do not contravene any laws of INEC and any laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Ikimi maintained that Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) had

expressed their determination during their conventions “to collapse into APC.”

He further told the journalists that the reports of each party had been forwarded to INEC for further action, adding that INEC officers also observed the three conventions.

“So, all has gone well and all that

is remaining now is to send our final application to the lNEC with the necessary documents which we are now putting together.”

He added that APC was ready to provide “a viable alternative political platform to promote the desired political change in the governance of Nigeria.” (NAN)

L-R: Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, during the commissioning of the Agric Skill Acquisition Centre, yesterday at Kware Local Government of Sokoto state.


News Extra

By Lambert TyemFrom Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

By Stanley Onyekwere

From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos

Lagos swears-in new judges as Fashola calls for greater justice dispensation

Court remands former Osun LG Chair over alleged fraudKDSG vows to eradicate polio

As part of efforts to enhance self-suffi ciency and competiveness of the

Nigeria cement sub-sector in the international market, the Federal Government yesterday inaugurated a 14-Man Technical Committee on review of the nation’s backward integration policy and formulation of a new policy direction for the cement sub-sector of the economy.

The committee comprising of relevant individuals, stakeholders and MDAs in the cement industry, has as its cardinal mandates guided by nine terms of reference, to include review of the implementation of

FG inaugurates committee on policy direction for cement sub-sector

the current backward integration policy and conception of a policy direction for the industry.

While inaugurating the committee, in Abuja, the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom, explained that it had become imperative to review the industry with a view to charting new strategies that would not only ensure effi ciency but strong competiveness of the industry.

According to him, the policy was designed to gradually reduce importation of cement, increase local production by progressively boosting value addition; “in that

respect, investors in the industry were encouraged to redirect efforts towards using the huge deposit of raw materials available in all the Geo-political zones of the country.”

“The execution the policy has so far, generated more than two million direct and indirect employment, increased the nation’s installed capacity from three million metric tonnes per annum in 2002 to about 28 million metric tonnes per annum in 2012.

“It attracted over US $ 6 billion worth investment into the cement sub-sector and saved the nation over US $210 billion foreign exchange, hitherto expended on

importation; and in addition, it became the major contributor to Gross Domestic Profi t (GDP) under the manufacture sector”, he said.

The committee is headed by the Chairman of Cement Manufacturers Association Nigeria (CMAN), Engr. J Makoju, members include Joe Hudson, MD, Lafarge cement, a representative each for ministers of Petroleum Resources, Works, Housing, Science and Technology, representative of Chief Economic adviser to the President, representative of Bulk User of Cement, FBN Capital, and amongst others.

Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday swore-in six new

High Court Judges.The new judges are the Chief

Registrar of the court, Mr. Ganiyu Safari (a Magistrate), Ms Folashade Bankole-Oki, daughter of late Chief Tanimose Bankole Oki, the former Chairman, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Mrs Oyindamola A. Ogala, wife of Babatunde Ogala, the former chairman of the Lagos state House committee on judiciary, a Magistrate, Mr. Michael Akintunde Savage, Mrs. Sedotan Ogunsanya and Mr. Wasiu Animahun.

Fashola charged them to ensure that justice dispensed by them serves the needs of the public, adding that they should apply the laws fearlessly and rigorously, with integrity to combat crime in the state.

With the swearing-in of the three female and three male judges, the Lagos High Court currently has 56 judges, 40 females and 16 males.

The Governor said the increase in the number of judges was imperative as the most sophisticated legal practices in the country were taking place in Lagos State.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said the judges were appointed by the Governor based on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

In her remark, Lagos state Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, said there was need to ensure speedy dispensation of justice in the state hence the elevation of the new judges to the High bench is deemed most appropriate.

She said there was no doubt that Lagos state Judiciary remains the most virile in Nigeria, urging the new judges to ensure that they contribute positively to the dispensation of justice in Lagos state.

L-R: Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, Chairman, Technical Committee NCP, Chief Peterside Atedo, Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, jointly briefi ng journalists after their meeting with Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo on National Council on Privatisation, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

Justice F.E. Owolabi of the Osun State High Court yesterday

remanded Chief Rufus Woleola Ojo, a former Chairman of Orolu local government Ifon, Osun state, in prison custody.

Woleola is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) for stealing and diversion of public funds to the tune of N22 million.

EFCC Spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said the ordeal of Woleola who was arraigned on a one count charge of criminal embezzlement and diversion of public funds, followed

a petition dated 3rd June 2010, by Atilade Quadri and Comrade Bashir on behalf of

Orolu Integrity Forum where it was alleged that the accused collected money for the constituency projects including a nine classroom building without executing the project.

EFCC’s investigation showed that on 14th December 2006, the sum of N22, 058,021 meant for the classrooms construction was transferred from the account of Orolu local government to the account of

Rulekal Ventures limited at Oceanic Bank, where Woleola is a sole signatory.

The accused who confessed

to have completed only one out of the 10 classrooms that were scheduled for construction told operatives of the Commission that he diverted the money to set up a personal poultry,

Rulekal Farms Limited.When the one count

charge was read to him, Woleola pleaded not guilty, necessitating the prosecution counsel, Aso Larry Peters, to pray the court to remand the accused person in prison custody pending a formal bail application.

Justice Owolabi, while adjourning the case till July 9, 2013, for trial urged the defence to file a formal bail application.

Executive Secretary Kaduna State Primary Health care Development Agency, Dr

Sufiyanu Mu’awiyyah Babale yesterday said the state government is committed towards eradicating polio transmission by the end of 2013 as he urged parent to remain resolute and continue to cooperate with government until every child under age five is vaccinated in the state.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna, Babale said a total of 3.4 million children had been vaccinated in the state.

He said that despite the achievements recorded in the fight against the virus, their effort was still

being challenged by high proportion of missed children and non compliance in some polio risk LGAs.

According to him, “findings from the just concluded May 2013 exercise reveal steady improvement in the quality of the round since January this year.

“As we currently have about 50 per cent local government areas attaining greater than 80 per cent coverage in the analyses conducted among 15 selected areas and this is the first time this year we are achieving this much.

“As we move towards stopping polio transmission by the end of the year 2013, I urge you (parents) to remain resolute and continue with the active oversight and cooperation until every child under five years in the state is vaccinated with the oral polio vaccine.


Kwara shuts poly over students’ protest

FRSC set to reduce road crashes, cautions Gombe motorists

Group partners NOA on unity, patriotism

News ExtraFrom Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

By Etuka Sunday

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam, Abuja & David Hassan, Gombe

BRIEFS

Kwara state government yesterday announced the immediate closure of Kwara

State Polytechnic, Ilorin, following a protest by aggrieved students of the institution over alleged shooting of one of their mates by a police offi cer on Monday.

It would be recalled that an offi cer attached to a bullion van on Monday shot one Ahmed Adewale, a year-two student of the Accounting Department on his way to school, while attempting to shoot at taxi’s tyre.

Announcing the closure, Commissioner for Tertiary Institution, Alhaji Idrish Ladan, said the school would remain shut until peace returns.

Earlier on yesterday, the students had converged at Sango and, Elekoyangan areas, as well as Unity and Taiwo to protest the shooting.

All commercial activities along the area were paralyzed as traders and banks closed shops.

While appealing to students to remain calm, the Police Public Relation Offi cer (PPRO) at the Kwara state Command, DSP Olufemi Fabode, said that the victim was still alive, stressing that the suspected offi cer was being held.

He noted that the action of the police offi cer was unprofessional stressing that the Commissioner of Police had visited the victim at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

Meanwhile, the government

appealed to the protesting students of to remain calm and avoid any action capable of disrupting peace and order in the state.

The protesters who occupied some major streets on Tuesday also burnt down patrol van of Police in retaliation to one of their colleague who was shot by happy trigger Police offi cer on Monday on his way to

school.Government in a statement by the

Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sola Isiaka Gold, described as unfortunate the reported injury of a student by men of the Nigeria Police and called on the students to maintain the peace and not to allow miscreants to hijack their peaceful protests.

Gold assured the students that the police had commenced disciplinary proceedings against the police offi cer.

He urged parents not to allow their wards to be used for any acts of criminality.

He asked the students to return to their various homes pending the re-opening of polytechnic.

KWASU produces fi ve fi rst class graduates

Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Malete, Prof. Abdulrasheed

Na’Allah has disclosed that fi ve of its graduating students made fi rst class.

The Vice Chancellor who disclosed this during a press briefi ng ahead of the fi rst convocation of the institution on Tuesday said that 59 of them made Second Class Upper while 140 made Second Class lower out of 230 students billed for convocation.

He said that 22 out of the students made third class stressing that the institution did not produce pass of failure due to the system it adopted to grade it students. From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Hygiene: LG distributes hand washing tools to primary schools

Faskari local government council of Katsina state has distributed hand-washing

facilities to primary school pupils to encourage personal hygiene among residents.

Alhaji Isiyaku Ahmad, the Chairman of the council’s Transition Committee, handed over the items on Tuesday in Faskari as part of the ongoing Maternal and Child Health Week.

He said personal hygiene was necessary to the promotion of community health and urged parents and teachers to inculcate the habit in children.

Jigawa immunizes 1 million children against measles

Jigawa state government says it has immunized more than one million children

against measles in the just concluded 2013 Health Week.

This was made known in a statement signed by Alhaji Mati Ali, the Public Relations Offi cer in the Ministry of Health.

Ali said that the exercise was conducted between May 20 and May 24 in 576 selected health facilities in the state.

He said that more than 1 million children were targeted for vaccination against measles and 956, 169 children were provided with nutrition support while 92, 961 mothers were sensitized on best breast feeding and sanitation habits.

The Patriotic Movement of Nigeria (PMN) in partnership with the National Orientation

Agency (NOA) has stepped out to ensure that the virtues of unity and patriotism are cultivated and promoted among the youths in Nigeria, who are our future leaders.

The group at a ceremony on Monday at the Millennium Park in Abuja, said that the unity of the country was non-negotiable, charging youths, particularly secondary school students, to spread the message of peace and

unity in their respective schools.The group’s President, Eeefy Ify

Ike, said that she came from United States to start a youth organization with the vision to promote Unity and patriotism among the youths and, by extension, the entire Nigerian populace.

Ify questioned the style of leadership in the country which, according to her, has deprived the youth their right but advised them not to allow themselves to be used by desperate politicians and leaders to promote crimes in the country.

According to her, “patriotic

citizens need confi dence and a just government. Our older generation, our leaders have failed us. “They have no credibility, they have nothing for us.

“You cannot say they are the children of destiny and yet you deprive them of their destinies. Don’t allow them to use you for crimes.

“Do not stain the national fl ag with blood and do not allow them to destroy our destiny.

“You must rise beyond religious and cultural sentiments to stop crimes for the country,”

she concluded.Also speaking, the Deputy

Director of NOA, Olowokere Felix, who stood for the Director General, said that, “this event is very important to us as an agency because the mandate of NOA is to re-orientate the citizens and our target for now is the children.”

According to him, “moral decadence encompasses cultism, gangsterism, prostitution, exam malpractice, violence and all sorts of vices that are prevalence among youths therefore there is a programme currently on going to curtail it.”

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, has reiterated

commitment of the FRSC to a zero per cent record on road crashes in any part of the country.

This, he said, was in pursuant to the ‘Accra Declaration’ on Road Safety of 2015 and the United Nations ‘Decade of Action’ on road safety , 2011-2020.

A statement issued yesterday by the Corps’ Public Education Offi cer, Jonas Agwu, said Chidoka, made the declaration at the National Hospital Abuja during an inspection of an on-going Trauma Centre at the Hospital.

He added that aside from working towards a corporate goal of reducing fatality by 30 per cent and 20 per cent in road crashes respectively in 2013, the FRSC is strongly committed to a zero

tolerance to road crashes in Nigeria.The Corps Marshal pointed out

that the FRSC has tagged Bauchi, Kogi, Kaduna, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as “5 notorious states” for posting the highest number of cases in road crashes and fatalities as at the end of 2012 and the fi rst quarter of 2013.

The statement further said that the FRSC had drawn up an engagement plan with the Governors of affected states and the

FCT Minister to ensure improved road safety practices in their areas of jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Gombe state, Mr. Kuteb Takum Galadima, has warned motorist in the area to be law abiding citizens in order to avoid been arrested by the command.

He told our correspondent that his command has sensitized motorist in the state on how to ply the roads.

L-R: National Coordinator, Unity and Tolerance Initiative (UTI), Comrade Nosike Ogbuenyi, UTI Board of Trustees member, Mr. Jude Amanze, and member of UTI, Malam Mustapha Muhammed, during the association’s maiden media breifi ng, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo


Flying Eagles test strength against Mexico todayThe Flying Eagles will size

u p t h e i r p h y s i c a l a n d mental readiness for the

World Cup in Turkey today when they confront defending Toulon Tournament champions Mexico.

The game will be the junior Eagles’ first outing since they f a i l e d t o d e f e n d t h e i r C A F U-20 crown in Algeria and will therefore use the 46-year-old tournament to tune up their readiness for the FIFA World Cup, next month in Turkey.

Six of the 10 teams at this year’s competition will feature at the U20 World Cup, namely Nigeria, Portugal, Colombia, F r a n c e , U n i t e d S t a t e s o f America, and South Korea.

Cote d’Ivoire have been the only African winners of this tournament, when they won it three years ago.

M e x i c o a n d N i g e r i a l a s t clashed at U20 level two years ago when the CONCACAF giants d e f e a t e d t h e F l y i n g E a g l e s 4-1 in another inv i ta t iona l t o u r n a m e n t i n P a n a m a

preparatory to the 2011 U20 World Cup in Colombia.Six-time African champions Nigeria wil l l ine up several players like U17 international d e f e n d e r W i l f r e d N d i d i , Switzerland-based goalkeeper S e b a s t i a n O s i g w e a n d n e w O l y m p i a c o s o f G r e e c e midfielder Michael Olaitan, who are pressing to make the final 21-man squad for Turkey 2013.

E n u g u R a n g e r s s t r i k e r Alhaji Gero is expected to put behind the death of his younger brother this week as he aims to guarantee his place in the party to Turkey following the emergence of Dolphins striker Samuel Eduok as an attacking option for the team.

M e x i c o a r e h a n d l e d b y t h e e x p e r i e n c e d S e r g i o A l m a g u e r a n d w i l l p a r a d e FC Dallas of USA goalkeeper Sanchez Alcaraz along with players drawn from several of the country’s top clubs like Pachuca, Monterrey, Atlas and Cruz Azul.

T o q u a l i f y f o r t h e 2 0 1 3 World Cup, Mexico won five

L-R: Flying Eagles goalkeepers - Usman, Osigwe, Okani, Felegha

Ranch Bees may be disqualifi ed as NFF holds Draw todayRa n c h B e s s o f K a d u n a

m a y b e d i s q u a l i f i e d f r o m p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n

the 2013 Federation Cup which draw holds today unless i t meets the condition set before i t b y t h e N i g e r i a F o o t b a l l Federation.

A c c o r d i n g t o N F F ’ s Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanus i , a to ta l of 63 clubs will be in the pot a t t h e c e r e m o n y b i l l e d f o r the FIFA Technical Centre, National Stadium Complex, from noon.

T h e m a n a g e m e n t o f t h e R a n c h B e e s o f K a d u n a i s

Gara-Gombe blasts hypocritical private sectorAhmed Gara-Gombe has

lambasted the private s e c t o r f o r p a y i n g l i p

service to sponsorship in spite o f r e a p i n g f r o m e n o r m o u s goodwill and patronage of the

matches, scored 15 goals and conceded only a goal to emerge u n d i s p u t e d C O N C A C A F champions.

M e a n w h i l e , O r g a n i s e r s a n n o u n c e d n o f e w e r t h a n

1512 full internationals have p a s s e d through this annual competition and they include the likes of David Beckham, Frank Lampard (England) , Mascherano (Argentina), Kaka

(Brazil), Oman Biyk (Cameroon), James Rodrigues (Colombia), Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora (Cote d ’ I v o i r e ) a s w e l l a s L i l i a n Thuram, Didier Deschamps and Nicolas Anelka (France).Pillars vow to

wreck Heartland as LMC reconfi rms Abuja venue

Kano Pillars have vowed to dethrone Heartland of owerri from the leadership of the

Nigeria professional Football League when both clashed in a rescheduled match on Saturday in Abuja.

The game, which was rescheduled because it was inconclusive in Kano, comes up at the FIFA Technical Centre at the Parkage B of the National Stadium Complex.

The LMC on Monday confi rmed the rescheduled game will hold on Saturday in Abuja as against today in Lokoja, Kogi State. The body had initially fixed the game for Wednesday, May 29 in Abuja.

An offi cial of Kano Pillars, Idris Malikawa said the challenge for the top spot has invariably just shifted to Abuja on Saturday as his side are poised to score crucial goals that will see them back at the top.

“Of course, we’re going to honour the rescheduled game against Heartland in Abuja. An offi cial of the LMC just confi rmed that the game will hold in Abuja on Saturday, June 1 at the FIFA Technical Centre,” he said.

Both sides are tied on 25 points but Heartland are at the summit on superior goals.

Federation Cup

required to off-set, latest this morning an outstanding debt of N200,000 payable s ince last year. Yobe State though wil l have no representation because no club registered for the annual competition,

“The management of Ranch Bees have failed to pay this money, which is their fine for late registration for last year’s competition, despite several written undertakings to pay,” said Dr. Sanusi.

All the 20 Premier League clubs in the country, plus 22 c lubs f rom the second-t ier National League, nine clubs

from the Nationwide League and 12 non-League teams will be involved in the Draw.

A special feature wil l be a d d e d t o t h i s y e a r ’ s D r a w , with the Draw for the Women’s Federation Cup competition also taking place a longside that of the men’s event. The women’s event wi l l involve 22 clubs.

This year’s Federation Cup grand finale will take place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday, Juy 28, with the grand f inale of the Women Federation Cup taking place the previous day, July 27.

Nigerian economy and people.T h e f o r m e r G o m b e F A

b o s s a c c u s e d t h e b u s i n e s s community of fa i l ing in i ts c o r p o r a t e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s and even taking advantage of

the huge clouts sports lend to its business stressing that what has been mostly done is offering token sponsorship just for political expediency.

‘ ’ W h a t I t h i n k t h e y a r e

doing is simply for political expediency...everybody wants Mr Pres ident to know that they identify with the national t e a m , b u t l e t ’ s a s k , w h e r e are these companies during preparations?”

Further, he said, “after the Eagles won the AFCON cup in South Africa, corporate bodies started falling over themselves t o i d e n t i f y w i t h t h e S u p e r Eagles brand.”

Gara-Gombe feels it smacks of hypocrisy because teams usually need such identification d u r i n g p r e p a r a t i o n s w h e n fund for logistics is crucial for adequate preparations.

H e f i r m l y b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e i m p o r t o f t h e p r i v a t e sector in sport development w o u l d o n l y b e u n d e r l i n e d i f these companies partner the sports federations right f r o m p r e p a r a t i o n s t o t h e competition proper.

F u r t h e r , h e a r g u e d t h a t u n l e s s t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r begins to realistically identify w i t h s p o r t s f e d e r a t i o n s , i t would be a mirage to hope to see any truth in the much talk about less dependence on government fund.


Farah battle ready for Bekele brothers in 10000m duelAthletics bluffs and fans alike

would sure anticipate an enthralling evening when

the Prefontaine Classic’s ‘Distance Night in Eugene comes up with the men’s 10,000m being the focus.

The race will pitch the reigning Olympic gold medalist and the current world record holder, Great Britain’s Mo Farah, London 2012 Olympic Games 5000m and 10000m gold medalist against two siblings: Ethiopia’s Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele.

Farah won last year’s 5000m in 12:56.98, the fastest time ever on US soil and he set a European record over 25 laps of the track in 26:46.57 when winning the 10000m in 2011.

But Bekele has a faster time at Hayward Field and has the current US all-comers best of 26:25.17 at the 2008 Prefontaine Classic. He is the world record holder at 26:17.53 and has 3 Olympic gold medals.

The pair have a long history. Now both 30, they first raced against each other as 17-year-olds in 1999 at the inaugural IAAF World Youth Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, over 3000m.

Bekele earned the silver medal while Farah finished sixth. At 100000m they’ve only met twice, with Farah besting Bekele both times. Brilliant kicking, even off the stiffest of paces, is the hallmark of

these two superstars.Many of Ethiopia’s other top

10000m runners have also been confi rmed as part of the stellar fi eld, including Tariku Bekele, Kenenisa’s younger brother.

He earned the bronze medal in London, behind Farah but just ahead of Kenenisa in his fi rst year of running the distance. In 2010, he

Sports

won the Prefontaine Classic 5000m in 12:58.93, which was the meeting record until Farah broke it last year.

Ethiopia’s Imane Merga is also in the fi eld and the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships gold medalist, and runner up to Farah in the 2011 Prefontaine Classic race, is returning to top form after injury ruined his Olympic chances,

demonstrated by him taking the silver medal in the defence of his cross country crown back in March.

Top Kenyans in the fi eld include Bidan Karoki, third at last year’s Prefontaine Classic and Kenya’s highest finisher in London with fifth place; Emmanuel Bett, who ran 26:51.15 at the Diamond League fi nal in Brussels to be the fastest

2013 IAAF Diamond League calendar

Just few weeks following her return to her game, Blanka Vslavic will be up against

an assemblage of stars at the ExxonMobil Bislett Games in Oslo, the IAAF Diamond League meeting on June 1.

Only last weekend in New York, the Croatian made the podium with an impressive jump that left no traces of 20 months rust.

Her rare qualities will be tested by six jumpers who boast of personal bests over two metres, the benchmark of world class quality.

Vlasic missed all of 2012 through injury and infection but showed a promising return to form in her fi rst competition for well over a year when she won at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in New York last Saturday.

Russia’s Svetlana Shkolina g a i n e d h e r f i r s t m a j o r international medal as a senior when her personal best of 2.03m secured her a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

After several near misses at big events, including fi nishing fifth and sixth at the last two IAAF World Championships, the Russian will approach 2013 with greater confi dence following her success in London.

Spain’s Ruth Beitia was on the verge of retirement 12 months ago, but she has gone on to win European titles, both outdoors and indoors, and has an affection for Scandinavia, having won those gold medals in Finland and Sweden. Will Norway also be as lucky for her?

Generating local interest is Tonje Angelsen. The 23-year-old had a breakthrough season last year, winning a silver medal at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki

Reigning champ Chicherova, returnee Vlasic, go head-to-head in Oslobehind Beitia and producing a new personal best of 1.97m.

Can Angelsen maintain her improvement and challenge Hanne Haugland’s national record of 2.01m, which has been on the books since 1997?

Great curiosity will also surround the appearance of Italy’s Alessia Trost. After winning the IAAF World Junior Championships last year, she was the dominant fi gure of the indoor season, despite a disappointing 2.00m at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Gothenburg.

It appears that again the Italians have another quality female high jumper in the tradition of Simeoni and Di Martino.

The Bislett Stadium will provide the atmosphere and the setting for what will hopefully be another extraordinary competition.

The track, after all, is where Romania’s Iolanda Balas, who many people rate as the greatest female high jumper of the 20th century, started her ascent which lead to two Olympic Games gold medals when she established a World junior best of 1.70m in 1955.

IAAF Diamond League

Mo Farah shows his delight in winning 10000 metres in Eugene

Anna Chicherova at the 2013 Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo Ruth Beitia wins the European title in Helsinki

Keninisa Bekele on his way to 10,000m win in Eugene

Tariku Bekele wins the world indoor 3000m

man in the world in 2012; and Vincent Chepkok, who clocked 26:51.68 when fi nishing just behind Bett in the Belgian capital.

In the women’s 1500m, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon will make her US debut after shattering the World junior record* earlier this month by nearly three seconds, reducing it to 3:56.98, also grabbing the Kenyan record. The previous World junior record had stood since 2005 and the previous Kenyan record since 1998.

Kipyegon has an incredible record already. She won at the 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships and 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships; earlier this year she defended her World Cross Country Championships junior women’s title.

However, the Prefontaine Classic will present an interesting challenge for the young Kenyan. She faces a world class fi eld that features her compatriot Nancy Langat and Bahrain’s Maryam Jamal. Langat won the 2008 Olympic gold, while Jamal won at the 2007 and 2009 World Championships.

The fi eld also includes two of America’s fastest in Anna Willard and Tr eniere Moser, the former being the fastest American at 1500m since 2000, and Willard’s 3:59.38 best trails only Mary Slaney and Suzy Favor Hamilton among US 1500m runners.

Leading that pack will be Russia’s reigning Olympic and World champion Anna Chicherova. The jumper leads the world with the 2.02m -a feat she secured at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Beijing last week.

A n d w i t h V l a s i c h e r predecessor as World champion, who has a personal best of 2.08m, just one centimetre below the long-standing World record of 2.09m in the fray, Chicherova will relish the challenge. Their target should be Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova 1987 world mark.

Eugene, USA – 1 Jun Rome, ITA – 6 Jun Oslo, NOR – 13 Jun Birmingham, GBR – 30 Jun Lausanne, SUI – 4 Jul Paris, FRA – 6 Jul Monaco, MON – 19 Jul London, GBR – 26-27 Jul Stockholm, SWE – 22 Aug Zürich, SUI – 29 Aug Brussels, BEL – 6 Sep


pictorial2] FIFA chats with Australia striker Archie Thompson about his tilt at the Soc-ceroos goalscoring record, Brazil 2014 ambitions and the day he scored 13 goals in an international.

4] Gethin Jenkins will miss the British and Irish Lions’ opening match against the Barbarians because of injury.

3] England beat New Zealand by 247 runs in the second Test at Headingley to complete a 2-0 series victory

5] Novak Djokovic starts his Roland Garros bid, while Elena Baltacha also plays on a rain-delayed day three.

6] Lennox Lewis believes David Price can become a world champion, but must learn to “be mean and nasty” in the ring.

Sports Pictorial

2

3

4

5

6

1

Roberto Martinez has left FA Cup holders Wigan following a meeting with Dave Whelan, who revealed that Everton have made an approach


Sports

Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has warned Carl Froch against lowering

his guards if he must get into global reckoning.

Lewis believes Froch has yet to show real champion’s sterner stuff and therefore must raise the bar of his performance to fi ght the likes of Andre Ward and be respected at the world stage.

The American believes the

A day after Rafael Nadal suffered a fi rst-round scare at the French Open, world

No 1 Novak Djokovic has not hidden fear for untoward happenings in the tournament.

Accordingly, the Serbian neither wants a mention of his consequent matches nor who he would probably face, instead has insisted on taking each game as it comes.

Seeking to derail Nadal’s nineth Roland Garros win, Djokovic began the campaign against Belgium’s David Goffin second on Court Philippe Chatrier after local favourite Marion Bartoli, the 13th seed, opens proceedings against Belarussian Olga Govortsova.

The Katsina state government and sponsors of Spotlight FC has breathed a lifeline

into the team with the provision of N73 million for the prosecution of its campaign in the Nigeria Professional Football League this season.

Team Coordinator, Ayuba Umar, who disclosed this yesterday, said the succour handed to Nigeria National League side, is meant to cater

Scotman is local champion in spite of his increasing status noting that unless he steps up his quality and performance against topclass fi ghters he would simply remain a local star.

Froch retained his IBF super-middleweight title and took Mikkel Kessler’s WBA belt with a unanimous points decision win over the Dane in London on Saturday night.

Lewis warns Froch against complacency

Djokovic goes superstitious about probably clash with Nadal

Shema hands Katsina Spotlight N73m lifeline

Lewis says Froch will have to improve significantly to beat the American. “He’s really going to have to go to camp and fix up some of his technical issues,” Lewis told BBC Radio Five’s Sportsweek programme on Sunday.

“He cannot fi ght the same way he fought in this fi ght. Against Andre Ward he has to be a little scared because Ward is a serious hombre.

“He’s coming to fi ght and he’s

looking for that knockout. If he sees a chink in your armour in any way he will seize that opportunity.”

Froch has only lost twice in his professional career, but one of those defeats was against Ward.

Lewis admitted he was impressed with the way the Briton took the fi ght to Kessler. “Let me tell you he felt really comfortable in there.

“He basically threw a lot of the boxing out of the door and he was just going in there for a smash-up. He boxed really well, he was in control.”

However, Kessler did connect with a powerful punch in the sixth round and that was an area of concern for Lewis.

“There were a couple of sticky moments that I was concerned about but he did very well. He showed he can take a punch,” Lewis added.

“I was surprised at Kessler because although he looked like the better boxer he just didn’t have the heart for it. Froch had the heart and the willingness. He just wanted to show everybody that he’s a banger.

“He really dug deep. If I was his trainer I would have told him [before the last round] he had won the fi ght and he did not need to risk anything. But he wanted to risk it and he wanted to go in there and knock Kessler out.”

Turkey Minister begs Drogba over racist act Turkey’s Minister of Youth

and Sports, Suat Kilic, has met with Didier Drogba and

Pierre Webo following racism controversy in the country’s football.

Kilic invited the Ivory Coast international, who recently joined Galatasaray, and the Fenerbahce’s Cameroonian forward to a lunch to discuss the issue.

Photographs of a fan carrying banana and showing it to the black players during a meeting between their clubs last week dominated the headlines in the country.

Webo’s two goals handed Fenerbahce a 2-1 win over the Turkish Super Lig new champions.

“When I was watching, I thought that he would just throw the banana onto the pitch, I did not have the slightest idea that it was a racist gesture,” Kiliç said. “The incidents saddened us like you,” referring to his guests.

“That was not the fi rst time in the world, it happens. I am really happy in Turkey and I know that it was just an individual act,” Drogba told reporters after their meeting with the minister.

“I think it is best not to speak of it. The more we speak, the worse it gets,” he said. “That was just not right. We know what racism is but we are very comfortable in Turkey.”

Carl Froch left when lost to Andre Ward

Novak DjokovicDidier Drogba

for their logistics as well as boost their prospect for promotion to the NPFL, next season.

He explained that N43 million of the amount was released in March while the balance of N30 million was paid into the club’s account this month.

According to him the money was for match expenses, salary and the sign-on fees of players and club offi cials.

``The remaining N30 million

was released this month and was also used in the payment of second round league matches, second quarter salary and the remaining 50 per cent sign-on fees for players and offi cials.

‘’Part of the money was also used for the establishment of a feeder team in which indigenes will be recruited.’’

The coordinator said the feeder team was to produce more talented players for the pro-

league group A team.Umar, who said the team was

second on the table after the fi rst round league matches, expressed the hope that the club would be promoted to the elite league at the end of the season.

He commended the state government for its continued support to the club, and appealed to corporate organisations to assist the club to achieve more results.

Roland Garros

Perhaps because of superstition, Djokovic has requested his team and reporters to make no mention of future rounds.

There will be a veterans’ day feeling as the 42-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm takes on Australian ninth seedSamantha Stosur on Court One and German 12th seed Tommy Haas, 35, is up against France’s Guillaume Ruffi n on Court Suzanne Lenglen, where all four matches feature French players.

Marathon man Nicolas Mahut, who played the longest professional tennis match at Wimbledon in 2010, is scheduled on Court Philippe Chatrier against Serbian eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic.


From the humble steps taken 14 years ago, the seeds of democracy have continued to blossom across our great nation, Nigeria, to the admiration of all and sundry.

Therefore, as the nation marks Democracy Day today, I, on behalf of myself, family and the management and staff of the Nigeria Customs Service, congratulate our iconic leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, for continuing to steer our ship of state beyond expectations. Keep up the laudable work, our Commander-in-Chief.

Once again, congratulations. Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, CFR

Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service

President Goodluck Ebele JonathanGCFR

PAGE 53

14 Customary Salute To An Iconic Leader14 Customary Salute To An Iconic Leader


CHANGE OF NAMETHIS IS TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND AUTHORITIES CONCERN THAT THE NAME I BEAR IN MY INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ZAINAB AUWAL MAIDABINO IS AMENDED TO TALLY WITH THE NAME I BEAR ZAINAB GARBA IN ALL MY OTHER DOCUMENTS,THUS THE LATTER NAME ZAINAB GARBA IS HERE BY MAINTAINED TO AVOID FUTURE INCONVENIENCES.

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This is to inform the general public that the original copy of offer of conveyance/grant in respect of plot No.001, Giri-Airport Commercial Layout, of about 4808 square meters (approximately) bearing hajiya mariam but belonging to Ibrahim Aliyu Garkuwa is hereby declared missing. All efforts to trace the said document prooved abortive.Please if found return to the nearest police station, Gwagwalada Area Council or Agis Abuja.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. DR. CHUKWUEZI VICTOR IFEANYI - CHAIRMAN2. PHARM (DR) UMUNNAKWE ANSELM CHIEMEKA - VICE CHAIRMAN3. DR. ASODIKE GINIKACHI OSINACHI - SECRETARY4. DR. OJIEGBE SOMTOCHUKWU EPHRAIM -FIN SEC/TREASURER5. DR. OBI-NJOKU OBINNA JOSEPH (JNR)

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. ARCHITECT YUNUSA YAKUBU2. MUHAMMAD MUSA MAKARFI3. AHMED IBRAHIM ISA4. ABUBAKAR UMAR FARUK5. BABA MALLAM LAWALTHE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE;1. TO PROMOTE PEACE AND JUSTICE, FOSTERING OF UNITY AND CO-OPERATION AMONG THE MEMBERS AND SOCIETY IN GENERAL.2. TO CREATE AWARENESS OF ISLAMIC RELIGION THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS.ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. ARCHITECT YUNUSA YAKUBU2. MUHAMMAD MUSA MAKARFI3. AHMED IBRAHIM ISA4. ABUBAKAR UMAR FARUK5. BABA MALLAM LAWALTHE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE;1. TO PROMOTE PEACE AND JUSTICE, FOSTERING OF UNITY AND CO-OPERATION AMONG THE MEMBERS AND SOCIETY IN GENERAL.2. TO CREATE AWARENESS OF ISLAMIC RELIGION THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS.ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: ARCHITECT YUNUSA YAKUBU

FOR THE ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. HRH BRIG.GEN.ABUBAKAR GARBA MUHAMMAD (RTD) OFR, MNI2. ALH.LAWAL IDRIS 3. ALH. MOHAMMED YUSUF LERE4. ARC.OMONIYI ADEYEMI BILEWU5. BRIG.GEN. MUHAMMAD A.UMAR (RTD)6. HAJIA AISHA ALIKO MOHAMMED7. DR.AHMADU BELLO MNI8. HAJIYA BARIRATU JIDDAH MUTALLAB9. DR.AHMED MODDIBO MOHAMMEDTHE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE;1. PROVIDING PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO ORPHANS AND CHILDREN OF LESS PRIVILEGE PEOPLE IN SOCIETY.2. TO PROMOTE SOCIO-ECONOMIC VALUES OF NIGERIAN SOCIETY THROUGH SEMINERS, CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA, ADVOCACY AND COUNSELLING.3. RAISING FUNDS FOR HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND TO HELP SUSTAIN THE PROGRAMMES OF THE FOUNDATION.ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. PASTOR ADEKUNLE BOWOFOLU ABIDOYE2. PASTOR GRACE UZOAMAKA ABIDOYE

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THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE;1. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE FOUNDATION:1. TO PROMOTE THE VIRTUES OF WOMENHOOD


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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. APOSTLE SAMUEL STEPHENSONS.PHD - CHAIRMAN2. PASTOR OTOKPA EGWURUBE JOSHUA-SECRETARY3. PROPHETESS STEPHENSONS GRACE LADI4. PASTOR OMADA PETER MOSES5. MR SAMUEL S.UGBEDE -CIVIL SERVANTTHE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE;1. TO RAISE, TRAIN AND SEND OUT MISSIONARIES TO VARIOUS MISSION FIELDS ACCROSS THE WORLD.2. TO SET UP MISSIONARY SUPPORT FUND: TO CO-OPERATE WITH AND COMPLEMENT THE WORKS OF OTHER MISSION AGENCIES THROUGH NETWORKING AND CROSSCULTURAL LINKAGES.3. TO RAISE EDUCATE MEN & WOMEN TO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE RESPONSIBILITY IN THE CHURCH.4. TO PROVIDE HELP TO ORPHANS, WIDOWS AND THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN OUR COMMUNITY.5. TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF OUR MASTER YAHSHUA HAMACHIACH (JESUS CHRIST) THROUGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND CHURCH PLANNING.ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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SEGIO JEVAG HEALTH INITIATIVE

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THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. DR.CHUKWUEZI VICTOR IFEANYI-CHAIRMAN2. PHARM (DR)UMUNNAKWE ANSELM CHIEMEKA-VICE CHAIRMAN3. DR ASODIKE GINIKACHI OSINACHI-SECRETARY4. DR OJIEGBE SOMTOCHUKWU EPHRAIM-FIN SEC/TREASURER5. DR OBI NJOKU OBINNA JOSEPH (JNR).


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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. CHIEF OKOYE JOSEPHAT2. MRS OKOYE EUCHARIA NNEKA3. MR ONYEKWE ODOGWU JONES

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO HELP THE LESS PRIVILEGE.


SIGNED: BARR DAVID UMA

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED BODY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. OGBONNA AMAOBI JOSIAH2. EZIKA IK. TONY3. AGUZUE UZOR SOLOMON4. ATUBI FRIDAY OGBONNA5. OGBONNA ROSEMARY AMAOBITHE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO PROMOTE RESEARCH ON HEALTH ISSUES2. TO NETWORK WITH OTHER SECTORS/NGO FOR THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COMMUNITIES3. TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN PEOPLE OF VARIOUS COMMUNITIES4. TO INCREASE FOCUS ON BLINDNESS PREVENTION AND CONTROL5. TO PRO PET THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF DISEASES OF PUBLIC HEALTH INTEREST6. TO ORGANIZE TRAINING ON HEALTH MATTERS ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: AGUZUE UZOR SOLOMON

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. BARRISTER FRIDAY NWANOZIE NWOSU2. MRS BEATRICE NWANOZIEW NWOSU3. BARRISTER OKEY OGBONNA

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO ASSIST THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN THE SOCIETY.2. TO EDUCATE PEOPLE OF THEIR RIGHT AND PRIVILEGES.


SIGNED: AJAYI ILESANMI ESQ

07033181908

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. BARRISTER FRIDAY NWANOZIE NWOSU - CHAIRMAN2. HON. ISHMAEL ONUOHA3. BARRISTER OKEY OGBONNA - SECRETARY

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO HELP THE LESS PRIVILEDGE.2. TO GIVE GRACE TO THE ORPHANS AND FEBLE IN THE SOCIETY. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: AJAYI ILESANMI ESQ

07033181908

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. PRINCE ABIATHAR ZADOK2. PRINCESS VICTORIA ABIATHAR ZADOK THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO PROMOTE THEATER PRODUCTION, STAGE PERFORMANCE, CREATE AWARENESS AND PRESENT AWARDS TO DESERVING MEMBERS.2.TO PROMOTE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: BARR. EYEE BLESSING

08032573457


THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. REV.SAMUEL IGIEMONU -CHAIRMAN2. MRS.MERCY DAVID -SECRETARY3. MR FRED SAMUEL IGIEMONU4. PASTOR. (MRS).GRACE IGIEMONU5. MRS GLORY ABIODUN SAMUEL

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE;1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.2. TO ASSIST MEMBERS IN WELFARE NEEDS


SIGNED: REV.SAMUEL IGIEMONU

(CHAIRMAN) 08140353677


THE TRUSTEES ARE;1. NDUBUTO CHIGOZIE JOSEPH –PRESIDENT2. NDAWI IFEANYI3. AGUOCHA NDUBUISI JUDE-TREASURER4. OZOR CHRIS ONYEKA –SECRETARY5. ONWUVUARIRI ONYECHERE


SIGNED: BARR ANTHONY OBI

08023631142

ZAUDAN PAZERI PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION ABUJA

GOD THE OMNIPOTENT MINISTRY BAIT-AL-HAQ ISLAMIC CENTRE THE NEW CREATIVE CHRISTIAN CENTER

SEGIO JEVAG HEALTH INITIATIVEJEOKAMS ORPHANAGE AND WIDOWSTHE CONCERNED INITIATIVES FOR HEALTH

FRIDAY N NWOSU FOUNDATION THE GRACE DESTINY INITIATIVE AFRICAN THEATER DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

GLORIUS LIGHT OF GOD GOSPEL OUTREACH

OFU OBI UNITED PROGRESSIVE CLUB OF NIGERIA, LAGOS BRANCH


The total surface area of the Earth is 197 million square miles.

The word “Arctic” comes from the ancient Greek A r k t i k o s , o r “ c o u n t r y o f t h e g r e a t b e a r . ” T h o u g h t h e G r e e k s h a d n o k n o w l e d g e o f t h e p o l a r b e a r , t h e y named the region after the constellation Ursus Major, the Great Bear, found in the Northern Sky.

About 540 volcanoes on land are known. No o n e k n o w s h o w m a n y u n d e r s e a v o l c a n o e s

About 400 billion gallons water is used worldwide each day.

The moon is one million times drier than the Gobi Desert.

From a distance, Earth would be the brightest of the 9 planets. This is because sunlight is refl ected by the planet’s water.

Earth travels through space at 66,700 miles per hour.

Asia Continent is covered 30% of the total earth land area, but represent 60% of the world’s population.

The world’s deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1557 in central China, more than 830,000 people were killed.

The Persian Gulf is the warmest sea. In the summer its temperature reaches 35.6 degrees centigrade.

Sunlight can penetrate clean ocean water to a depth of 240 feet.

Louisiana loses about 30 square miles (78 square kilometers) of land each year to coastal erosion, hurricanes, other natural and human causes and a thing called subsidence, which means sinking.

Only 3% water of the earth is fresh, rest 97% salted. Of that 3%, over 2% is frozen in ice sheets and glaciers. Means less than 1% fresh water is found in lakes, rivers and underground.

h a v e e r u pted through history.

A huge underground river runs underneath the Nile, with six times more water than the river above.

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the worlds highest waterfall, The water of Falls drops 3,212 feet (979 meters).

The deepest depth in the ocean is 36,198 feet (6.9 miles or 11 kilometers) at the Mariana Trench, in the Pacifi c Ocean well south of Japan near the Mariana Islands.

In 1934, a gust of wind reached 371 km/h on

Mount Washington in New Hampshire, USA.

Average 100 lightning strikes occur worldwide every second.

Earth is tipped at 23 and 1/2 degrees in orbit. That axis is what causes our seasons.

The deepest hole ever made by humans is in Kola Peninsula in Russia, was completed in 1989, creating a hole 12,262 meters (7.6 miles) deep.

Earth’s atmosphere is actually about 80 percent nitrogen. Most of the rest is oxygen, with tiny amounts of other stuff thrown in.

Adventurous: The Austrian climber Alex Luger, 25 took on the towering torrent in temperatures of -18C with just a pair of ice picks to haul himself to the top, in Switzerland Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PHOTO OF THE DAY

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Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano offi ce: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Offi ce: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] ISSN: 2141– 6141

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2013

QUOTABLE QUOTEIt’s not a question of banning it but it’s a matter of what do we do to absorb them into the formal

school system — Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, governor of Niger state and chairman, Northern states’ Governors Forum (NsGF) on

almajirci in the North

Roberto Martinez has been given the green light to open talks with Everton after

having his request to vacate the Wigan Athletic hot-seat granted by Chairman Dave Whelan.

The Spaniard led the Latics to a shock victory over Manchester City in this season’s FA Cup fi nal, but the club was then relegated from the Premier League.

Martinez has been strongly linked with the vacancy at Everton created by David Moyes’ appointment as Manchester United manager, and Whelan revealed that he has authorised the Merseyside club to make an approach.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says he does not know who will

be the club’s next coach, but he wants Zinedine Zidane to “lead its sporting project” from now on.

Perez brought Zidane into Madrid’s off-fi eld set-up in 2009, but the Frenchman was sidelined during Jose Mourinho’s spell as boss and has rarely been seen in Spain in recent times.

The Spanish media remains certain that current Paris Saint-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti will soon be arriving in Madrid, with outgoing Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes next in line should that fall through.

Napoli has appointed Rafael Benitez as their new manager on a two-year

deal.The 53-year-old’s spell as

interim Chelsea boss is coming to an end and he will replace Walter Mazzarri, who has joined Napoli’s Serie A rivals Inter.

Napoli fi nished second in the Italian league last season and has qualified for next season’s Champions League.

Napoli club president Aurelio De Laurentiis first made the appointment public when he posted a picture on Twitter of himself shaking hands with Benitez.

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people fi rst

Wigan grants Martinez permission to talk with Everton

Zidane to coach Madrid for one day

Napoli appoint Benitez as manager

NGF election is 2015 foretoldWith the breakup into

two of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF,

as a consequence of the failure of president’s men to have their way, Nigerians, indeed the world, have a reason to fear for the future of the country’s ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and, most importantly, what the president will do to the corporate existence of the country if he fails to clinch the offi ce in 2015. But this too goes for the opposition politicians who have not equally shown the preparedness to accept defeat as readily as they accept victory.

The breakup of the NGF, with the winner of the election, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state, holding the cow and the government appointee, Governor Jonah Jang, holding the tail, is a clear pointer to the fact that the crisis of succession in 2015 has reached a pivotal stage.

By permitting the destruction of an important institution as the NGF, on which back he rode to power in both 2009 and 2011, the president has also given a clear signal about how far he can go. The alarming thing about what is going on is that despite his candidate having lost in an open and transparent poll, in which Amaechi got 19 and Jang 16 votes, the president has chosen to brazen it out instead of accepting defeat and taking remedial measures to mend all the cracks he created in the NGF.

Notwithstanding the belated denials of my friend, Reuben Abati, issued on behalf of his boss, the facts on the ground bespeak an enormous amount of interest in the NGF by the president, who conveniently continues to leverage all the powers of his office – the courts, the police, the aviation ministry, the ruling party, the PDD, against governor Amaechi. His finger-prints of illegal actions are in all of these steps he has taken, the latest being the suspension of the governor’s party membership because he ran in an election and won! So, claims that the president is not involved in this confl ict are just empty. How can he claim ignorance when the governors closest to him and his

democracy are to be rescued, the president must learn the act of playing the game in accordance with the rules of electoral contests. If 2011 represents an important advance in our electoral system, as he himself has been claiming at home and abroad, 2015 must seek to be a milestone and a turning point. He and the PDP must adopt the best practices from

foot soldiers have been going up and down the country working to destroy this important democratic institution? No, the president cannot duck the blame for the emergence of a splinter NGF led by a man of chequered, if not suspect, democratic credentials, Jonah Jang.

Let us face facts. If the NGF and, more importantly, this

the advanced democracies of the world where all votes are counted and all the votes count.

For the sake of transparency, it is imperative that the president not be law unto himself. To ensure this is not the case, the on-going constitution amendment should factor in the need to bring all elected offi cials under the control of the parliament, the courts and the voter. They should be made to adhere to the code of conduct prescribed by the Constitution. Our democracy cannot function successfully without proper oversight and checks, including an end to this type of fatal impunity which threatens to destroy the integrity of the process of choosing leaders in the country.

If a leader refuses to face the inevitable outcome of an election involving less than 40 persons, how would he conduct himself when he/she is thrown out of offi ce in a general election? This whole thing smacks of corruption, greed and incompetence. It is Machiavellian.

People have said it elsewhere that the president’s problem is that he is surrounded by people who invariably have no dint of democratic conviction. These are men and women who believe in adoption and consensus, not elections. But it does not make sense for an election to hold when the outcome is decided before hand. This is the lesson to take away from the forced signatures used to endorse Jang and the consequent decision of the few unnamed governors to revolt. Governors cannot be treated as slaves. It was a serious breach of the norms of constitutional democracy.

Lastly and mostly damningly from all of these things that are going on, Nigerian democracy has been brought into utter disrepute and faces, as a consequence, its darkest hour. No one needs to be a seer to sense that this is 2015 foretold.

Gov. Rotimi Amaechi

SPORTS

MUSINGSBy

Garba Shehu

[email protected]

“ Notwithstanding the belated denials of my friend, Reuben Abati, issued on behalf of his boss, the facts on the ground bespeak an enormous amount of interest in the NGF by the president, who conveniently continues to leverage all the powers of his offi ce – the courts, the police, the aviation ministry, the ruling party, the PDP, against governor Amaechi. His fi nger-prints of illegal actions are in all of these steps he has taken, the latest being the suspension of the governor’s party membership because he ran in an election and won!

Peoples Daily Newspaper, Wednesday 29, May, 2013

Documents

Transcript of Peoples Daily Newspaper, Wednesday 29, May, 2013