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Vol. 10 No. 26 Monday, February 4, 2013 Rabiul Awwal 23, 1434 AH N150 . . . putting the people first

Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (left) inspecting an operation theatre after commissioning the 250-bedMuhammad Shuwa Memorial Hospital in Maiduguri, on Saturday. With him is Governor Kashim Shettima (2nd left)of Borno state.

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2015: PDP using SURE-P toempower members - ACN

The Action Congress ofNigeria (ACN) has warnedthat the PDP-controlled

Federal Government is now usingpart of the funds accruing to theSubsidy ReinvestmentProgramme (SURE-P) toempower the party's croniesahead of the 2015 generalelections, instead of using it for thebenefit of all Nigerians.

In a statement issued in Lagosyesterday by its nationalpublicity secretary, Alhaji LaiMohammed, the party said theFederal Government's currentabuse of the SURE-P set up in thewake of last year's partial removalof fuel subsidy, amounts to a grossviolation of the country'sconstitution and constitutes animpeachable offence.

It warned SURE-P's head, Dr.Christopher Kolade, a respectablecitizen who is known for histransparency and integrity, notto allow the skewed and partisanimplementation of theprogramme by the FG to tarnishhis hard-earned reputation.

Contd on Page 2

...as CPC accuses FG of aiding corruption in NNPCBy Ikechukwu Okaforadi, Abuja& Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

AfCON: Eaglesretire Drogba

as Nigeria sailsto semis

>> PAGE 41

Account for N10bn subsidy funds, PDP challenges ACN

KANO STATE ASSEMBLY BYE-ELECTIONRESULTS AS DECLARED BY INEC ON 02/02/2013

GAYA GARKO

PDP 42,696. PDP 53,895ANPP 2,379 ANPP 2,168DPP 150 DPP. 174CPP 155. CPC. 1331 CPC. 979. CAP. 62CAP. 55. ADC. 89ADC. 77. AD. 71AD. 82. AA. 39AA. 44

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSNews 2-10

Editorial 12

Op.Ed 13

Letters 14

Opinion 15

Metro 16-18

Business 19-22

S/Exchange 23

Law 26

Education 27-28

Health 29-30

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Nigeria: Workersdismantle rotting

airplanes in‘graveyards’, Pgs 24-25

WE WANTTO HEAR

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Int’l 31-34

Revue 32-33

Strange World 35

Politics 37-40

Sports 41-46

Leisure 47

Columnist 48

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013PAGE 2

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru,Maiduguri

PDP using SURE-P to empower members for 2015, ACN warns''Ordinarily, SURE-P seems

laudable as it is aimed at theempowerment of the citizensthrough job creation andinfrastructure development, butin reality, PDP apparachiks havehijacked it for the purpose ofempowering only the party'smembers.

They have created StateImplementation Committees(SICs) to handle the disbursementof SURE-P cash to party membersas a strategy to arm them with awar chest ahead of the 2015elections.

“To make matters worse, thePDP is denigrating the traditionalinstitution by using traditionalrulers in some states as the conduitto distribute SURE-P funds,ostensibly to empower Nigeriansbut in reality to put money in thepockets of PDP supporters”, ACNsaid.

Meanwhile the PDP in theSouth-West in its response to theACN’s allegations has described asmischievous and laughable theclaim that the SURE-P has beenhijacked by the PDP to empoweronly the party’s members, saying;"it is politics taken to a bizarre leveland we hope these characters inthe ACN won't criticise God forcreating human being in His ownimage one day."

The party accused ACN-controlled States of syphoningtheir own share of the SubsidyFund just as it added that: "Insteadof making noise on the

implementation of the federalgovernment's SURE-P, the partyshould rather account for over theN10 billion Lagos, Oyo, Ogun,Osun, Ekiti and Edo States shareof the Subsidy Fund."

In a statement signed by itsZonal Publicity Secretary, Hon.Kayode Babade, the PDP said: "Wejust read a statement from theACN loudmouth, LaiMohammed, claiming that thePDP-controlled federalgovernment was using part of thefunds accruing to the programmeto empower the party’s croniesahead of the 2015 generalelections, instead of using it for thebenefit of all Nigerians.

"The questions that we wish toask the ACN is; assuming but notconceding that only PDPmembers and supporters arebenefiting from the SURE-Pprogramme, are the supposed PDPmembers and supporters notNigerians?

"Who are the beneficiaries ofthe ACN controlled States' shareof the Subsidy Fund because thefund is shared among the FederalGovernment, States and LocalCouncils?

"As at today, there is no statein Nigeria that has not receivedmore than N1.5 billion as its shareof the Subsidy Fund and if the PDP-controlled federal government isempowering Nigerians with itsown share, to whose pocket has theover N10 billion received by theACN-controlled States gone?"

While berating the party for

Contd from Page 1

Oil drilling in Chad Basin tocommence 2014 – SamboVice President Mohammed

Namadi Sambo, at theweekend, declared that

drilling of petroleum products inthe Lake Chad Basin willcommence in the first quarter of2014, saying the FederalGovernment has so far budgetedthe sum of $100 million for oilexploration projects this year.

Sambo, was speaking at thepalace of the Shehu of Borno,Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, in Maiduguri, while on aone day working visit to the state.He said the move was parts of thePresident Goodluck Jonathandetermination to actualize theongoing oil exploration activitiesin the region.

He disclosed that already,three major oil blocks have beendiscovered in the state, adding thatthe sum of $75 million wasequally spent the on theexploratory study of the projectlast year.

The Vice President said theFederal Government wascarrying Borno state along in itsdevelopmental projects, noting

that “in fact, the oil explorationin the Chad Basin has shownsignificant promising results. Lastyear, the Federal Governmentspent $75 million on explorationactivities in the Chad Basin andthis year, Mr. President hasapproved the appropriation of$100 million for the same project.

“We have completed a lot ofexploratory services that arerequired. I am pleased to informyou that so far, we have identifiedthree major oil blocs and one ofthese blocs is in Maiduguri itself.Our plan is that by the thirdquarter of this year, or the firstquarter of 2014, we wouldcommence actual drillingexploration test in some of theblocs,” he said.

Commenting on the recentunilateral ceasefire declared bythe Boko Haramn sect, Sambodescribed it as a welcomeddevelopment, explaining thatFederal government supportedthe move and will do everythingwithin its powers to ensure thatpeace is finally restored to the stateand country at large.

“We are happy with theceasefire, the president has alwaysadvocated for dialogue, even after

a long drawn war combatants stillcome to the roundtable to discusspeace,” saying “we are happy thatthis has been achieved in a shorttime and what has been theagitation of President Jonathan.”

He claimed that thepresidency had at no time left thepeople of Borno to their fate,insisting that the state had alwayshave the deserved attention.

He stated that PresidentGoodluck Jonathan was unable tovisit the state because of theexigencies of his office andlamented that some people areworking tirelessly to politicize theissue.

The Vice President said:“People want to politicize the issuethat the president and myselfhave not visited Borno, but I mustsay the state and its people havebeen on our heart.”

Sambo assured that thefederal government wasdetermined to partner with thestate government to find a lastingsolution to the Boko Haraminsurgency and provide jobopportunities to the people,adding that “we hold Borno dearlyin our hearts, not only because ofits historical significance but

insulting traditional rulers inYorubaland by accusing them ofbeing used as conduit to distributeSURE-P funds, the PDP said; "Sucha statement insinuating that ourrevered traditional rulers arebeing used to steal public fund isto say the least, reckless.”

In a related development, theCongress for Progressive Change(CPC) has accused the FederalGovernment of encouragingshrewd dealings in the NigeriaNational Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), calling on the NationalAssembly to save the situation byinvoking relevant laws.

In a statement issued over theweekend by the party's nationalpublicity secretary, RotimiFashakin, CPC said NNPC failedto remit N1.305 trillion to theFederation Account, beingamount for crude oil sales in athree-year period as at December2011.

The party said this is inaddition to $4.84 billion (N726billion) in dividends and loanpayments which the corporationowes Nigerians, regretting thatNNPC deducts subsidy paymentdirectly from crude sale fundsbefore remittance to theFederation Account therebydistorting proper accounting in oilsales.

Moreover, CPC said between2009 and 2011, NNPC received445,000 barrels of crude per dayfor local refining andconsumption, but due to poorcondition of Nigeria’s refineries,

20 percent was refined, while theremaining 80 percent was sold ascrude at over $35.6 million daily,yet no palliative is provided for thesuffering masses.

"How and where did the NNPCget the authorisation to deductfuel subsidy payments from crudeoil sales before remittance into theFederation Account? Why didNNPC refuse to remit the $4.73billion collected from NNLG overthe two-year period (2009-2011)? Undoubtedly, theimplication of this ..., asiderevealing the NNPC (under theJonathan regime) as a citadel ofinstitutionalised corruption,there are other salient issues thatleave soul grapes in the mouth",the party stated.

While blaming these corruptpractises for the raging youthunemployment which iscurrently creating tension in thepolity, CPC said there is noreasonable juxtaposition of theN21.525 trillion made from crudeoil sales in the years under reviewand the infrastructuraldevelopment within the polity inthe period thereof.

Meanwhile, CPC is reacting onthe report recently released by theNigeria Extractive IndustryTransparency Initiative (NEITI)on the state of affairs in the nation'soil industry.

In the report, NEITI hadimplied that Nigeria’s oil earningsbetween 2009 and 2011 stood at$143.5billion, equivalent ofN21.525 trillion.

because of its strategic importanceto national development.”

In his remarks, the Shehu ofBorno urged Federal Governmentto facilitate the reduction of thecountless security check-pointsmounted by operatives of the JointTask Force, (JTF) in Maidugurimetropolis as well as relaxing ofthe ongoing curfew imposedbetween 6 am to 9 pm.

The monarch noted that thecall was imperative as the twoproblems raised have causeddecay in the socio-economicactivities of the city, plungingresidents into intense sufferings.

According to him, the curfewand security roadblocks havevirtually hindered many peoplefrom accessing their places ofbusiness, saying urgent stepsneed to be taken to address theplight of the people.

Earlier, the Vice President hadcommissioned a 250-bed capacityhospital named after late GeneralMamman Shuwa (rtd) who waskilled last year; laid the foundationstone of 300 housing unit in theTeachers’ Village named afterShettima Ali Monguno; andopened the 3.5 kilometer townshiproad in Moduganari Ward.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 PAGE 3

Obasanjo makes shockingappearance at Aso VillaFormer President Olusegun

Obasanjo yesterday made asurprise appearance at the

Presidential Villa, Abuja.He worshipped with President

Goodluck Jonathan and his wife,Patience, at the Aso Villa Chapel.

The former PDP BoT chairmanhas not enjoyed a cordialrelationship with PresidentJonathan in recent times withrumours linking their feud to the2015 elections.

He has in fact turned thenumber one critic of theadministration and has accused

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

R-L: Nasarawa state Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, with Captain Yusuf Salisu, during the presentation ofHilux vehicles donated by the state government to 177 Battalion, yesterday at the Government House, in Lafia.

President Jonathan of beenincompetent in handling the BokoHaram crisis.

The former president wasaccompanied to the villa by two ofhis children and Femi Otedola.

Obasanjo read the second lessonof the service and led a prayersession.

At the end of the service, Obasanjovisited the Children’s Church incompany of Jonathan. He also offeredprayers for the children.

The former presidentthereafter followed the PresidentJonathan to his official residencewhere they had lunch togetherbefore departing.

TouristscommendNigeria overvisa card

The International Coalition ofTourism Partners (ICTP)has commended Nigeria for

introducing tourist visa card toease the burden of tourists carryingcash while in Nigeria.

In a press statement releasedin Madrid, Spain by theorganisation, a co-founder of theinternationally acclaimed body,Alain St.Ange, also commendedNigeria for initiating a biometricregistration system for the tourismindustry workers, saying it will goa long way to curb fraudulenttendencies in the tourism sector.

This followed a meeting atFITUR between Otunba OlusegunRunsewe, the Director General ofthe Nigerian TourismDevelopment Corporation (NTDC)and Minister Alain St.Ange of theSeychelles.

Alain St.Ange, who is theMinister of Tourism and Cultureof Seychelles, observed the effortsat repositioning the tourismindustry in Nigeria withinternational standards and bestpractices, saying it will develop thetourism sector.

"We in ICTP are very pleasedwith these development andinnovations in Nigeria. We believethese new products are good fortourism growth in the continent,"the statement read.

Accordingly, the ICTPencouraged other countries in Africato do what Nigeria has done for thegrowth of tourism in their countries,saying “We encourage othercountries in Africa to introduce theseproducts to ease the movements oftourists who would not carry cashbecause people don't carry cash acrossborders any longer”.

…As Plateau topartner Mikel,Moses, P-Squarefor peace

The Commissioner forTourism and Hospitality inPlateau state, Hon.

Sylvanus Dongtoe, has applaudedthe contribution of John Mikel Obi,Victor Moses and popularmusicians P-Square amongnumerous others who started theircareers in the state, to thedevelopment of sports, arts andmusic in Nigeria.

Dongtoe made thecommendation over the weekendduring the launching of a groupunder the auspices of Project S.A.Mheld in Jos describing Plateau as astate that has bred many talentswho are competing favourably inof sports, and music industry.

He regretted that the state ofviolence in Plateau has scaredtourists from visiting the state andpledge to partner with these talentsin fostering peaceful co-existenceamong Nigerians who have madePlateau their home.

The Coordinator of ProjectS.A.M, Hon. Kim Titus said all thepersonalities produced by the statewill storm Jos in March to celebratethe return of peace in the state andassist crisis and flood victims.

The Association ofCommercial MotorcycleOperators otherwise

known as acaba in Kaduna city,have accepted plans by the stategovernment to ban theiroperations and put in place oftricycles or Keke NAPEP.

The resolution by the executiveof the commercial motorcyclistscame after series of meetings withgovernment.

Speaking after the meetingyesterday in Kaduna, chairmanof the commercial motorcyclists,Comrade Auwal Muhammad,said his association has agreed to

collaborate with government inensuring that the ban on acaba doesnot render their membersunemployed.

Leaders of the commercialmotorcyclists in Kaduna, Zaria andKafanchan that attended themeetings however requested thegovernment to allocate to theirmembers numbers of tricycleswhen the scheme begins to cushioneffects of the loss of their means oflivelihood.

Government on its part, agreedto the request and has offered toreserve 30 percent of the tricyclesit imported to members of theassociation. A list of those to benefithas also been compiled and

From Muhammad Adamu, Kaduna submitted to government by theexecutive of the commercialmotorcyclists.

Also speaking during themeeting, the leader of CommercialMotorcycle Operators from Zaria,Malam Ibrahim Isa Kagoroappealed to the state governmentto incorporate their members inthe government proposedtransportation sector regulationand modernisation scheme.

Kagoro explained that theassociation is collaborating withsecurity agencies across the stateto ensure sanity in the business ofcommercial motorcycle operatorsin the face of the current securitychallenges and the use of

motorcycles to commit crime.Leader of commercial

motorcyclists from Kafanchanzone, Malam Badamasi AdamuKafanchan, assured of theirsupport and cooperation but urgedgovernment to have their interestat heart.

In his remark, leader of theKaduna State representatives andthe Director General Media andPublicity to the Governor, AhmedMaiyaki assured that governmentwould collaborate withstakeholders in the transportsector, especially the motorcyclistsassociation even before the billmeant to guide their operations inthe state is passed into law.

Kaduna okada accept plan to ban operations

Pro-National ConferenceOrganisation (PRONACO),has alerted the nation of the

danger in the failure ofgovernment to urgently utilise thehistoric commemoration ofNigeria’s centenary to sustain andre-engineer the Nigerian union asthe amalgamation foisted on thecountry by the British authoritiesin 1914 expires next year.

Addressing the nationyesterday in Lagos through itsspokesperson and advocacycoordinator, Sir OlawaleOkunniyi, PRONACO carpetedFederal Government centenaryprogramme expected to kick off in

Abuja for lacking depth andsubstance against the reality andneeds of the country.

Okunniyi lamentedgovernment’s “lousycommemorative plan” to celebratewhat he tagged false nationalunity and non-existent wellbeingof the Nigeria people at a verycritical and trying moment in thenation’s life, when Nigerians aredying in their hundreds on a dailybasis due to violent ethno religiousreactions to corrupt leadership and

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

exploitative structures in thecountry”.

He said instead of the organisersof the ‘centenary jamboree’thinking of how to enrichthemselves from the nation’sscarce resources during thehistoric occasion, the Nigeriangovernment should ratherfacilitate a solemn process ofrenegotiation by a ConstituentAssembly to effectively fashion anational consensus and collectiveownership of the renaissance of a

united and stable Nigeria beyond2014.

The veteran political activistwarned that it will be dangerousand unimaginative for the sittinggovernment to embark on a spreeof personal enrichment and wildcelebration of falsehood and selfdelusion like the days of the biblicalNoah only to be suddenlyconfronted by the reality of theexpiration of Nigeria’samalgamation and suddenstruggle for secession.

Centenary: PRONACO warns FGto re-engineer Nigeria in 2014

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2013PAGE 4

UNESCO set to restore Mali’s cultural heritageBy Adeola Tukuru

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Gunmen launched anattacked on DassDivisional Police Station

and injured a police corporal atthe weekend in Dass localgovernment area of Bauchi state.

The Bauchi state Police PublicRelations Officer, ASP HassanMohammed Auyo, confirmed theincident to newsmen in Bauchi.

He said the police had

repelled the attack at DassDivisional Police Station and thata police corporal was injuredduring the exchange of fire withthe hoodlums. “They did notdestroy the police station, theydid not sack the policemen andthey did not steal our arms; eventhe injured police man escapedwith his riffle”, Auyo said.

Auyo said investigation in tothe incident had commenced andthat soon the police would get the

suspects. He reiterated thecommitment of the Police toguarantee the security of livesand property of the people.

A security source in Bauchisaid: “Police had intelligencereport on the attack; thehoodlums were looking for armsbut the policemen on dutywere brave enough to havechased them away, the injuredpoliceman’s name is CorporalYohanna Joshua who was shot

on his leg”. He said it was not clear if

there was casualty on the partof the hoodlums because theyused to pick their injured andcorpses when they arerunning.

It was also reported thatthe hoodlums threw explosivesat the station but were not ableto destroy it. They riddled thebuilding with bullet holes buteverything is intact.

Gunmen attack police post, injure cop in Bauchi

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

Insurers of Dana Air havebegun payment ofcompensation to Iju-Ishaga

residents whose properties weredamaged when an aircraftcrashed into the area on June3, 2012.

Tony Usidamen, Dana Air’sHead of CorporateCommunications, confirmedthe development in a telephonechat.

He said: “We can confirmthat payment of compensationto affected Iju-Ishaga residentshas commenced. The process isstill on-going, and our insurersare committed to ensuring thatall claimants are compensatedto the extent of their losses”.

Though he declined to givethe names of the residents oramount paid, investigationsrevealed that Pastor DanielOmowunmi, who has been themost vocal of all affectedresidents, is among those whohave received compensation; aninitial payment of 30,000 USD.

On why it took this long forcompensation to be paid to theground victims, Usidamenexplained: “In order to ensurethat just and fair compensationis paid to the affected families,several processes have to befollowed by law, and settlementreached by all partiesconcerned”.

“These processes usuallytake time but our insurers areleaving no stone unturned toensure that all the matters are

resolved”. The airline’s insurers have

also continued to deal withclaims by families of passengersand crew onboard the ill-fatedflight.

According to Usidamen,“Over 84 families have receivedadvance payments of 30,000USD and payment of finalsettlement to families who haveproduced the requisite Letters ofAdministration (and Letter ofGuardianship in the case of

minors) has since commenced. Usidamen expressed

appreciation to the Lagos stategovernment for the cooperationand assistance rendered so far.“With the waiver of statutoryfees and fast-track system,families will have the requisitedocuments expeditiously.

This will enable theinsurers to settle all claimswithin the shortest possibletime, and in accordance withthe law.”

Dana crash: Ground victims get compensation

L-R: Secretary USPF, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Abdullahi Maikano, Director, Legal And Regulatory Affairs,NCC, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, and Manager, Price Waterhouse Coopers, UK, Mr. Carlos Soto, during NCC stakeholders' forum on thereview of 2009 interconnection rates determination for voice services, at the weekend in Lagos.

Director-General of theUnited NationsEducational, Scientific

Cultural Organisation(UNESCO), Irina Bokova, hasassured that UNESCO is willingto safeguard and rebuild Mali’sextraordinary cultural

heritage, describing it as “avital part of the country’sidentity and history andfundamental for its future”.

According to her, itsrestoration and reconstructionwill give the people of Mali thestrength and confidence torebuild national unity and lookto the future”.

In her words: “Now thatTimbuktu will return tonormalcy, we must doeverything to help the peopleof Mali turn a new page in thespirit of national cohesion”, shesaid.

Bokova explained that therecent escalation of wantondestruction of Mali’s heritage

makes this all the more urgent.UNESCO will spare no effort tohelp rebuild the mausoleums ofTimbuktu and the tomb ofAskia in Gao, and we willmobilise all our expertise andresources to help safeguard andpreserve the ancientmanuscripts that testify to theregion’s glorious past as a major

centre of Islamic learning. Iappeal to all our partners towork with us.

She stated that UNESCOwould send a mission, as soonas security permits, toundertake a completeevaluation of the damage anddetermine the most urgentneeds, in order to finalise a planof action, in cooperation withthe Government of Mali thatwill guide reconstruction andrehabilitation.

Bauchi state governor,Malam Isah Yuguda hasindicated readiness to

support his Jigawa statecounterpart, Alhaji SuleLamido to contest thepresidential position in 2015.

This was disclosed byYuguda over the weekendwhile fielding questions fromjournalists at the GovernmentHouse, Dutse in Jigawa state.

Yuguda said: "he is mysenior brother, what did youmean?, I can support governorSule Lamido's presidentialambition, because I believe inhis ability to handle the officevery well".

The Bauchi state governorwas in Jigawa on a privatevisit but the duo held amarathon meeting till lateevening. The governorsdiscussed extensively behindclosed doors, while journalistswere asked to stay outside thepresidential lodge.

2015: Yugudathrows weightbehind SuleLamidoFrom Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

NSCDC is well equipped to handlearms, says Plateau commander

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Plateau state commandantof the Nigerian Securityand Civil Defense Corps

(NSCDC), Mr. Sodange BatureVincent, has disclosed that menof the NSCDC have undergonesuccessful military training inboth intelligence and weaponshandling.

Speaking to our reporter in

Jos, the commandant revealedthat his men qualified to handlearms just like any other armedforce, adding the army hasbeen the one training themright from the onset of theforce.

He maintained that theNigerian army has been theirbackbone during the training

of men of the NSCDC, andcalled on the Nigerians tohave confidence in them.

He however maintainedthat the corps is doing verywell in the state in promotingpeace – working incollaboration with the policeand STF.

Offa/Erin-Ile crisis:ACN alleges plotto sack councilboss

Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) in Kwara state hasalleged plots by the

Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)-led state government tosack the only ACN chairman,in the state, Prince SaheedPopoola, using the recent Offa/Erin-Ile crisis as a smokescreen.

The party in a statementissued in Ilorin yesterday by itschairman, Kayode Olawepo,said ACN "has it on goodauthority that the leadershipof the Kwara state PDP hasresolved to hide under therecent Offa/Erin-Ile crisis toremove the only ACN LGAchairman in Offa council bydissolving the council".

Olawepo accused the PDP ofhiding under the crisis toachieve its longstanding aim ofridding Kwara of opposition byremoving the only chairmanelected on the platform of theACN.

PAGE 5PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

You’re a malicious liar,Fani-Kayode replies AbatiBy Lambert Tyem

Former Minister of Aviation,Chief Femi Fani-Kayode,yesterday described the

Special Adviser to the Presidenton Media and Publicity, Dr.Reuben Abati, as a malicious liar.

Fani-Kayode while speaking tojournalists in Abuja, said hethought Abati is self-serving andessentially dishonest, adding thatif he focused specifically on whatAbati said of his own tenure asMinister of Aviation, he cannotcome to any other conclusion“rather than the fact that ReubenAbati is a liar”.

“And not only is he a liar, he isalso a malicious liar. I have knownhim for many, many years. I

never knew that serial lying is oneof the things that are his hobbies.

“And the fact that he can liewhilst he is spokesman to thePresident of the Federal Republicof Nigeria, may also be a reflectionof the kind of government that wehave in this country”, Fani-Kayode said.

Fani-Kayode who was reactingto an article written by Abati titled“The Hypocrisy of Yesterday’sMen” published in some Nigeriandailies, further said Abati “soughtto ridicule and demean those of usthat served President OlusegunObasanjo’s government and thatare not very impressed with theperformance of his boss”.

He added that the essaywritten by Abati, was nothing but

the usual smear campaign and acrude attempt to intimidate,which has been the hallmark ofthis government whenever theyare faced with even the mildestform of criticism.

Focussing on the aviationaspect of the essay where Abatisaid: “When one of them was incharge of this same estate calledNigeria, he shut down the PortHarcourt Airport and otherairports for close to two yearsunder the guise of renovation...,”Fani Kayode said Abati indulgedin with a response other than tosay that he told a shameless andpernicious lie when he wrotethat as Minister of Aviation, I‘shut down Port HarcourtAirport for two years’ and

‘allowed grass to grow all overit”.

“The fact that we askedPresident Goodluck Jonathan toaccount for the 67 billion USDthat he squandered from ourforeign reserves has clearlyupset him.

“We dared to ask about themoney and so, we were singledout and targeted for a tongue-lashing and a long lecture fromthe Presidency. Yet we remainundeterred.

“This is how weakgovernments that have nothingto offer and something to hidealways behave. They come aftertheir perceived enemies withfull force and they are petty andover-sensitive”, he said.

R-L: President Goodluck Jonathan, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, mother of the President, Madam Eunice Jonathan,Chairman, Forte Oil, Mr. Femi Otedola, and other worshippers, during the Sunday service at the Aso Villa Chapel, State House in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

A tax advocacy andmanpower developmentgroup, Raphadon

Leadership Foundation, hastasked Nigerians to imbibe theculture of regular tax paymentsas well as close monitoring oftaxpayers monies bygovernment at all levels in orderto check cases of misapplication.

Director General of thefoundation, Mr. Ralph Ayua whomade the call yesterday whenhe led students of selectedsecondary schools in Benue stateon an advocacy visit at theFederal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS), in Makurdi, noted that itis only this way that Nigerianswould start to reap the benefitsof prompt and regular taxpayment as stipulated by thelaws of the land.

He said the visit was intandem with the ‘Students’ TaxAdvocacy Initiative’, of the FIRSwhich provides the basis for theestablishment of StudentsAdvocacy for Tax (SAT) clubsacross the country in order tosensitise the students on theneed for regular tax payment in.

He lauded the FIRS initiativewhich he contended has exposedmost Nigerians to the socio-economic benefits of regular taxpayments.

Foundationadvocatesregulartax payment,monitoringFrom Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue indigenes haveexpressed displeasure overactivities at the state

Internal Revenue Service(BIRS), which has resulted in adrastic drop in the internallygenerated revenue of the state.

Mr. Gilbert Aboh, aneconomist, attributed thisdevelopment to in ability of thestate government to resuscitateailing industries, maintainingthat this has resulted in noninvestment in the state’seconomy by outsiders.

“How can the revenue behigh when there are noindustries in the state andgovernment has not madeconscious effort to revamp ailingindustries to make themfunctional and viable for growthand development? Not even theattempt made to revive theTaraku Mills that used to be thepride of the state yielded thedesired result. Now we rely onlyon Benue Cement Companywhich has remained the onlyfunctional industry in the state”,he regretted.

…as Benueindigeneslamentabsence ofindustries

Determined to flush outcriminals from the state,Police in Lokoja, weekend

nabbed a 10-man robbery gangalleged to have been terrorisingOkene, Adavi, Lokoja and itsenvirons in Kogi state.

The suspects are SulemanJamiu, Emmanuel Israel, MichaelJoseph, Muhammed Salihu, LateefJimoh, Mohammed Ejimah,Okehi Yusuf, Haruna Isah, AdamsSuberu and Abu Jimoh.

Parading the suspects, the Kogistate Commissioner of Police,Mohammed Katsina, said the gangspecialised in using hammers tosmash holes in walls before robbingshops owners.

He said the gang was made upof bricklayers and block moulderswho in such disguise, would cometo the road with their workingmaterials in search of prey whonormally mistake them forgenuine casual labourers and hirethem.

He added that in the course ofthe work, they would survey the

area and come back at night tocarry out the robbery operationbefore luck ran out on them.

He explained that with the aidof one of them who was a memberof the living Faith Church inOkene, they were able to attackand rob the church of severalthousands of naira and othervaluables.

“The leader of the gangSuleman Jamiu, a youth leader of

Living Faith Church, Okene, saidin one of their operations he led thegang to attack the church, using asledge hammer to smash a hole onthe wall, enter the pastor office,broke the safe and made awaywith N300,000.

They broke into several shopsand made away with items andmoney,” Katsina explained.

He further narrated that thecommand’s special Ambush Squad

10-man robbery gang smashed in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

have been trailing the gang forsome times now following the reportby victims, saying that aftercareful investigations, they wereable to track them down one afterthe other.

The police also paraded twoOND students of the Kogi StatePolytechnic, David EnimolaOpeyemi and Joel Oluwaseun whowere alleged to have beenterrorising their school mates andother victims on campus with atoy gun which they used to forcethem to part away with valuables.

Primate Rufus Ositelu of TheChurch of the Lord AladuraWorldwide (TCLAW), has

said the suggestion that religiouspreachers obtain license fromgovernment before operating willnot work in Nigeria.

Ositelu who was answeringquestions from journalists inIbadan, said the recent suggestionthat preachers be licensed by theSultan of Sokoto, Alhaji SaadAbubakar, was commendablewhen considering the level of

insecurity especially in theNorthern part of the country.

He said he would also agreewith the Sultan when he lookedat the background from where hespoke.

Ositelu said however thatwhen one looked at the countryin general, with its hugepopulation and different religions,then it would be seen thatmonitoring of all religiouspreachers through permits wasnot practicable.

“The Sultan suggested itbecause he knows that many

Muslim clerics gave sermons atFriday prayers and some in thepast have incited violence amongtheir followers who came out tocause havoc after the prayersessions”, the TCLAW leader said.

Ositelu recalled the case of thecancelled Miss World beautypageant which ignited violentreactions in the countryfollowing preaching at Fridaysermons by Islamic clerics in thenorth.

He said such cases must havebeen the catalyst behind theSultan’s suggestion.

Preachers’ license will not work in Nigeria, says clericFrom Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013PAGE 6

Communal clash: Al-makuradecries level of devastationGovernor Umaru Tanko Al-

makura of Nasarawastate has described his

recent visit to Agbashi,headquarters of Ekye developmentarea, Doma local governmentcouncil, as his saddest momentsince his inauguration as governor.

Al-makura made his feelingsknown when he paid a visit to thearea which recently witnessed adevastating communal clash, withthe entire Agbashi sacked andabandoned for over two weeks.

The governor who earlier on

planned to lead the InternallyDisplaced Persons (IDPs) from thearea back home, however changedhis mind after seeing the level ofdestruction of the town, saying thatgovernment will immediatelydispatch adequate security toforestall re-occurrence of the crisis.

While acknowledging that nosecurity arrangement wouldensure that peace returns to thearea, without the totalcommitment of residents, thegovernor announced the stationingof a detachment of soldierspermanently in Agbashi, while asurveillance team that will patrol

the area is also to be put in placeimmediately.

"If I should count the days ofsadness since I came into office,today will be the highest. We haveseen clashes or disturbances evenbefore I came into office, but I amsad to say that the devastation anddestruction of Agbashi is second tonone", Al-makura lamented.

In an effort to open up the areaand make Agbashi accessible, Al-makura announced that the state'sMinistry of Works will commencework on the grading of the roadfrom Adadu to Agbashi, before theproject is included in the second

L-R: Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi, with wife of Senate President, Mrs. Helen Mark,at the opening of 8th African Regional Conference of the Catholic Women Organisation, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

phase of roads to be built across thestate.

He appealed to the people of thearea to be tolerant of one another,not to be discouraged but be hopefulas according to him, hisadministration will provide all thenecessary support to enable thepeople live their normal lives.

Our correspondent recalls thattwo weeks ago, suspected Fulanimilitias overran the ruralsettlements around Agbashi, withover 100 houses burnt while theentire residents of the town fled totake up refuge in displaced personscamps in Doma and Lafia.

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Prof. Isaac OlayiwolaOshungade ofDepartment of Statistics,

University of Ilorin, has recommendedadoption of sample surveys for clinicaltrials by National Agency for Food andDrugs Administration and Control(NAFDAC).

Oshungade noted that for theagency to gain total control overillegal drugs, experimental designsagainst fake drugs should be carriedby research institutes across thecountry.

The statistician stated this whiledelivering 121st inaugural lecture ofthe University of Ilorin entitled "TheArt of Everyday Sampling", sayingthat a qualified statisticians should beencouraged by the FederalGovernment to assist the agency inits bid to rid the country of fake drugs.

"For the improvement andprospect of statistical sampling and inparticular survey sampling inNigeria, sampling survey methodsfor clinical trials and medical statisticsshould be organised by institutionslike NAFDAC and university teachinghospitals for drug regulation andpharmaceutical research for medicalcontrol.

'Adoptcommunitydriven approachin tacklingpoverty'

Government at all levelshave been urged toadopt Community-

Driven Development (CDD)approach in tackling povertyscourge prevalent in ruralcommunities in the country.

Mr. James Odiba, GeneralManager of Kogi StateCommunity and SocialDevelopment Agency(KGCSDA), made the call in aninterview with our reporteryesterday in Lokoja.

He said that a number ofcountry progammes wereinitiated by the World Bank incollaboration with the FederalGovernment to experiment theCDD approach under theCommunity PovertyReduction Project (CPRP).

The General Manager saidthat 12 states selected from thesix geo-political zones underthe pilot scheme to experimentthe "bottom-top approach todevelopment" showed that theeffort was worthwhile.

''An important lessonemerging from the experiencesgathered at all levels ofparticipation is the fact thatthe CDD could really assist thecountry in getting out of theseemingly intractableproblems of pervasive andexcruciating poverty ' ' , heenthused.

Odiba noted that withCDD's emphasis on grassrootsparticipation in decisionmaking, management ofresources and directresponsibil it ies forimplementation, ownershipand sustainability concernscould be easily addressed.

He suggested that againstthe backdrop of the success ofthe CPRP which ended in2008, the programmeshould be replicated andsustained in the 36 states ofthe federation for rapid socio-economic development of therural poor.

This, he pointed out, wouldalso enable increased access ofthe poor to improved social andnatural resources in asustainable manner andthereby, increase their accessto human developmentservices.

Grant amnesty to Boko Haram, Tsav advises FGbut must be seen to be realistic,adding that there is a need forPresident Goodluck Jonathanto emulate late President YarAdua by granting pardon tothe sect.

He frowned at themagnitude of destructioncaused by the group as well asthe murder of several innocentsouls, blaming the President forfailure to visit areas likeMaiduguri, Yobe and otherareas where there were series

of bombing to commiseratewith the people.

"Late President Yar' aduaextended amnesty to membersof Movement for theEmancipation of Niger Delta andmany of them were later sentabroad to be trained in one skillor the other. Up till now, most ofthem are under governmentpayroll. I believe same should bedone to Boko Haram members.Government should be sincerewith the sect", Tsav urged.

Erstwhile Lagos stateCommissioner of Police,Alhaji Abubakar Tsav,

has called on the FederalGovernment to showdetermination and grantamnesty to members of theBoko Haram sect.

Tsav noted in an interviewwith journalists in Makurdi atthe weekend, that the offer ofceasefire by the group is good

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

FG urged to ban music, videos promoting negative valuessocialised to bad values of corruption,cybercrime, rape, and ritualismwhich dominate the music andentertainment industries today.

In a release titled: "Family Valuesand Social Order in Nigeria:Government to the Rescue" signedby him, the sociologist said as amatter of urgency, governmentshould put in place policies that willpromote family values throughcultural revival.

Jegede who noted the negativeeffects of imported culture onNigerian children, further said

folklores and storytelling should bereintroduced in primary schools inorder to inculcate core values inchildren.

He further asked governmentto promote the use of local languagesbecause they are the reservoirs ofcultural values while chargingparents should communicate withtheir children in their local dialects.

"The change in value system hassignificant influence on socialtransformation in societies. This isbecause value is something (as aprinciple or quality) intrinsically

Professor of MedicalSociology, AyodeleSamuel Jegede, has asked the

Federal Government to ban musicand entertainment which promotenegative values.

Prof. Jegede who is the Head,Department of Sociology, Universityof Ibadan, noted that only effectivemoral and cultural revival canrestore sanity to Nigeria.

The don observed that Nigerianyouths are on a daily basis being

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan valuable or desirable that drivespeoples reasoning and perception oflife. Value emphasises good in society.We have moral and natural goods.While "moral goods" are those thathave to do with the conduct of persons,on the one hand, "natural goods", onthe other hand, have to do withobjects, not persons. Generally,moral good can attract praise orblame.

"Whether an action is good or badit can transform society accordingto the direction of actors whoconstitute its elements", he said.

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

NAFDAC should adoptsample survey forclinical trials, says don

PAGE 8 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

NDLEA decries absence of rehab centre for drug addictsThe National Drug Law

Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) yesterday

expressed concern over itsinability to build arehabilitation centre for victimsof drug abuse since its 23 yearsof operations.

The agency’s spokesman, MrMichelle Ofoyeju, said in Lagos,that arresting persons smokinghemp on the streets was not asolution without rehabilitationcentres.

“We need a world classrehabilitation centre that willtake about 300 victims wherewe will train them in skillacquisition, at least for sixmonths,” said Ofoyeju.

“You know we cannot chargethem to court, they are notcriminals, they are sick persons,”the spokesman said.

He stated that though theagency carried out raidsperiodically in black sports suchas motor parks, under bridges

and estates, most of the smokerswere jobless and needed to berehabilitated.

The spokesman, however,noted that the beautification ofunder bridges by the Lagos StateGovernment and dispersing ofhoodlums who turned suchplaces to their smoking centres,had greatly reduced themenace.

Ofoyeju said that fightingdrug abuse should not beNDLEA’s job alone, adding that

there was need for stakeholders,especially governmentalinstitutions and religious bodies,to cooperate with theorganisation to fight themenace.

“The NDLEA is playing itsrole, other stakeholders such aschurches, mosques, schools,parents, National OrientationAgency and NationalDirectorate of Employment needto do more in attitudinal changeamong the youth,” he said.

The spokesman stated thathemp smoking became a majorproblem in the country becauseit was being produced incommercial quantity.

“Our approach has alwaysbeen cutting off supply from thesources, thereby making itdifficult for the addicts to get it.

”We consistently destroyedthe farms in state where it isbeing cultivated in largequantity like Delta, Edo, Ondoand Ekiti. Some times it will take

L-R: Gombe state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, during thecommissioning of AIT and Ray Power, at the weekend, in Gombe.

us weeks to destroy a farmbecause of its size,” he said.

According to him, if thesubstance escaped beingdestroyed at the farm, theNDLEA traces it to warehousesbefore inter state distributiontakes effect.

Ofoyeju said there were waysin which the agency also blockedit from passing through theconnecting states like Edo, Kogi,FCT and Kaduna before gettingto its destination. (NAN)

Youths condemn pension thief’s light sentence

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

LG spendsN37m onboreholes

In its effort to address watershortage in the area, KankiaLocal Government of Katsina

State has spent the sum of N37million on the repairs ofboreholes and construction ofnew ones in the area.

The caretaker chairman ofthe council, Alhaji AbubakarLawal Kaita who made thedisclosure while conductingnewsmen on inspection of thecouncil’s water projects, notedthat the repairs were carried outcovered in about six wards in thearea.

Kaita stated that the repairwhich covers no fewer than 265boreholes include fixing of theirbooster power, summers,electricity generating sets andprovision of water tanks.

He added that in this year’sbudget, the local council hasmade a provision of N5O millionfor the drilling and repairs ofadditional boreholes, adding thatout of the amount, the sum ofN6 million was earmarked forthe repairs of Rimaye andSukuntuni Dams.

To solve the acute waterproblem of Kankia town, Kaitadisclosed that Governor Shema’sadministration was currentlyconstructing a multi millionnaira water treatment plant tocompliment the existing one.

According to him, with thecompletion of the water works,it would provide additional 180,000 gallons to the town and a280, 000 gallons-capacity waterreservoir.

Kaita stated that the KankiaDam was currently receivingfacelift through a FederalGovernment project that wasattracted by Governor IbrahimShehu Shema, which includedredging, extension of itsembankment and waterchannels.

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

Director General of theNigeria MeteorologicalAgency (NIMET), Dr.

Anthony Anuforom, has said thecurrent harmattan weather willsubside in the next one week.

He said the harmattan willnot negatively affect flightoperations as a result ofimproved navigational aids

installed in airports across thecountry.

According to him, a lot oftechnology was being acquiredby NIMET to ensure correct andverifiable meteorologicalservices,to operate within theinternationally acceptablestandards as obtained anywherein the world.

Dr. Anuforom announcedthat two upper air stations would

be installed in the country tobring to seven, the operationalupper air stations in the countryto enhance accuracy.

He commended the aviationminister for supporting theagency in providing the bestservice second to none in theworld adding that foreignairlines especially BritishAirways relied mostly on itsweather forecast.

Harmattan to end soon, says NIMET bossFrom Suleiman Idris, Lagos

An umbrella youthorganisation, theNorthern Youth Assembly

of Nigeria (NYAN), has lent itvoice in the condemnation of thelight sentencing of Mr. JohnYakubu Yusuf, a former Directorof the Police Pension Board, whowas convicted by an Abuja HighCourt for stealing N23.3 billion.

The former Director wasrecently sentenced to a two year

jail term or a fine N750, 000 byJustice Mohammed Talba.

In a statement made availableto newsmen in Lafia at theweekend, signed by the Speakerof the youth assembly, ObandeGideon, NYAN lamented that thejudiciary, which is the last hopeof the common man, hascontinued to fail in itsresponsibilities, stressing that itis unfortunate that those who lootthe nation’s treasury are

regarded as sacred cows, while theordinary people are made to facethe full wrath of the law.

While calling on the NationalJudicial Council to investigatethe conduct of the judge involvedin the case, NYAN urged thenation’s financial crime agenciesto revisit the case and to includeamong charges levelled againstthe former Director, conspiracyto murder, as according to thegroup, “many police pensioners

died while seeking their right,which was stolen by theconvict.”

NYAN also saluted GovernorKashim Ibrahim of Borno state,for the bold step he has takentoward resolving the insecurityin the North, urging theNorthern Governor’s Forum, togive him all the necessarysupport in resolving theinsecurity in the regionpermanently.

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawastate yesterday donated

16 Hilux vans to a combinedteam of soldiers from the 177Battalion in Keffi, the Nigerianpolice as well as officers of theNigerian Security and CivilDefence Corps, to facilitate their

effort towards restoring peaceacross the state.

In a brief ceremony held at theGovernment House Lafia, Al-makura, who handed over keysof the vehicles to the commanderof the security taskforce,maintained that the problembeing faced by the state presentlyis a challenge that requiresdeliberate effort, “in our minds,

in our actions, in ourrelationships with one another tolive in peace.”

While appreciating the effortof the taskforce in restoring peacein trouble spots across the state,the governor,observed that therewas the gradual failure in civicand communal responsibilitiestowards living peacefullytogether.

Nasarawa distributes 16 more vehicles to task force From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

He stated that the communalclashes across the state were thehandiwork of some undesirableelements, adding thatgovernment as well as thesecurity agencies are doing theirbest to rout these group of people.

Al-makura said it would be amatter of time before securityforces vanquished theseelements, who would have theherculean task of contendingwith the highly trainedprofessionals and securityoperatives.

He urged community leadersto prevail on their youths toconduct themselves with civilityand a sense of responsibility,warning that any communitythat tries to take the laws intotheir hands, would be dealt with.

Peoples Daily recalls thatrecently, the Nasarawa stategovernment distributed 42 Hiluxvans to security agenciesoperating in the state, all in a bidto facilitate their work of ensuringlasting peace across the state.

PAGE 9PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

bilateral talks which lasted aboutone hour.

According to a communique,the two leaders noted, withconcern, the increasing numberof Nigerians in detention, jailsand death rows in Indonesia fordrug related offences andfinancial crimes.

While condemning in strongterms, drug abuse and illicittrafficking of narcotic drugs,psychotropic substances, andtheir chemical precursors, theywelcomed the signing of an MOUto combat drug abuse and illicittrafficking.

"In that regard, the Presidentof Nigeria requested hisIndonesian counterpart for stayof execution of those on death rowwhile the two countries exploreopportunities, for an Agreement

of Exchange of Prisoners andMutual Legal Assistance betweenthe two countries", thecommunique read in part.

The conflict in Mali, Gunieau-Bissau and the Sahel and thecorrelation between these andthe war on terror also featuredprominently in their discussions.

Agreeing that terrorismremains a global security threat,both leaders therefore "agreed tofoster closer bilateral partnershipto address this threat bycooperating closely in exchangeof information, training andeducation as well as sharing ofbest practices".

Consequently, theyinstructed the relevant agenciesof both countries to asses counter-terrorism needs upon whichbilateral collaboration would be

appropriately developed",Also, realizing that Indonesia

and Nigeria are amongimportant troops contribution toUN Peace Keeping Missions, thetwo Presidents agreed to have acloser cooperation between thepeace-keeping centers of bothcountries in order to encouragesharing of experience and bestpractices, as well as exchange ofvisit by trainers and experts.

According to thecommunique, both leadersagreed "to promote trainingcooperation involving militaryofficers of both countries byencouraging participation ofIndonesian and Nigerianmilitary officers in trainingprogrammes at the staff collegesof both countries.

On Economic, Trade and

Jonathan begs Indonesian leaderover Nigerians on death rowBy Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (middle), unveilling Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno teachers village, during his one day official visitto Borno state on Saturday. with him are Borno state, Alhaji Kashim Shettima (left), and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Kyari(right).

Investment Cooperation, bothleaders agreed to encouragecontacts between theirrespective countries NationalChamber of Commerce. Theyalso agreed that Nigeria andIndonesia would share bestpractices in and capacitybuilding in the attainment ofMDGs.

In the same vein, theyexpressed determination toencourage agriculturecooperation between the twocountries especially in theareas of cocoa, palm oil, andrubber plantations as well asrevival of groundnutcultivation in the northernNigeria.

Present at the bilateral talkswere the Ministers of ForeignAffairs, Olugbenga Ashiru,Petroleum Resources, DezaniAlison-Madueke; AttorneyGeneral, Mohammed BelloAdoke; Agriculture, DrAkinwumi Adesina; Aviation,Stella Oduah; NationalPlanning, Shamusdeen Usmanand few presidential aides.

Subsidy scam: Youths want Otedola arrested

The current move by theoffice of Attorney General ofthe Federation to single out

Hon Farouk Lawan for prosecutionover bribery scandal while leavingout his counterpart; Mr FemiOtedola has been condemned bythe Northern youths wants him tobe also arrested and prosecuted.

Reacting to the ongoingprosecution of Lawan by theFederal Government, President ofArewa Youths ConsultativeForum, AYCF in Lagos, AlhajiShettima Yerima accused thePresidency of connivance and biasin the handling of Otedola/Farouksaga.

Yerima said by isolating FaroukLawan for prosecution and tacitlydumping the House ofRepresentatives fuel subsidy proberesolution, the Presidencyappeared desperate to tilt both thesubsidy scam and bribery scandalin favour of its protégé, Mr. FemiOtedola

Yerima however accusedOtedola of also trying to influencethe course of justice by maliciouslysponsoring some notable activiststo compel the Federal Governmentto charge his counterpart, Mr.Farouk Lawan to court over thebribery saga involving both ofthem.

He said there was nojustification to leave out Mr.

Otedola from the ongoingprosecution of the briberyallegation because according tohim, both givers and takers ofbribes were liable.

“What is the intention of thecontrived bribery by Otedola in thefirst place? Our structures havebeen inundated with reports of thesubtle conspiracy between thepresidency and Mr. Otedola to

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos undermine the House committeeprobe on fuel subsidy scam whichfound Otedola and his cohortsculpable”, Yerima said.

The group urged the FederalGovernment to immediatelycommence action on thelawmakers’ resolution in order notto provoke its mass interventionin concert with other civil societygroups.

Kogi State Government hasexpressed gratitude to theFederal Government for

awarding the contract for thedualisation of Lokoja- Benin road,even as it solicits the constructionof Obajana – Egbe – Ilorin roads inview of its importance to the socio– economic development of thenation.

Kogi State Governor, Capt. IdrisWada who was represented by hisDeputy Yomi Awoniyi, expressedthe thanks when he received theFederal Controller of Works in KogiState and the Zonal Director,Federal Emergency RoadManagement Agency, Engr. AigbeOsayi and Engr. Femi Kayode inhis office.

While promising to partnerwith the Federal Ministry of Workson ways aimed at improving allfederal roads passing through thestate, the State Government,Awoniyi disclosed, the stategovernor will soon assent to the billpassed on the establishment of thestate road maintenance agency.

The State Governmentpromised necessary support to thecontractor carrying outmaintenance works along Lokoja -Abuja road leading to the turbinein the State.

The governor equally solicitedthe support of the Ministry ofWorks in the introduction of threeinterchanges along the on – goingdualisation of the Lokoja – Abujaroad.

Kogi State, Wada explained.has approved the review of theLokoja Master Plan, solicited thesupport of the Federal Ministry ofWorks in human capital andtechnical assistance for thedevelopment of the State.

Earlier in his speech, Engr.Aigbe Osayi, said the roaddualisation work from Lokoja willsoon commence as the contractorhas been mobilized.

He averred that Ekpe –Omaron, Ajaokuta – Okene andthe Obajana – Ilorin roads are tobe maintained in the interim untilapproval for the construction wasgiven.

Kogi lauds FG,seeks newroadsFrom Sam Egwu, Lokoja

President GoodluckJonathan has appealed tohis Indonesian

counterpart, President SusiloBambang Yudhoyono to stayaction on the execution ofNigerians on death row in hiscountry for drug trafficking.

The President made therequest on Saturday duringbilateral talks with theIndonesian President who is on atwo-day State visit to Nigeria.

President Yudhoyono whowas in company of his wife, AniBambang arrived State House at3.45pm.Both leaders addressed ajoint press conference after the

Kogi state office of the LegalAid Council (LAC) hassolicited the collaboration of

the state judiciary to enable it carryout its mediation and arbitrationservices to indigent litigants.

State Cordinator of the council,Mr. Helmon Koston made the callwhen he paid a courtesy call on theKogi state Chief Judge, Justice NasirAjanah weekend in Lokoja.

Koston said without thecooperation of the judiciary, it would

be difficult for the office to dischargeits statutory obligations aimed atenabling the poor to access justice.

He noted that the council wasempowered to handle all criminaland civil cases and had the mandateto visit police stations and prisons,get compensation for victims andpay fines for convicted persons.

The coordinator stated that thestate office from inception in 1993to date had handled 1,374 cases incourt and settled 84 others out ofcourt.

He said that the office was

facing office accommodation andlogistic challenges and solicited theassistance of the Chief Judge.

Responding, Justice Ajanahpledged to liaise with LiasonOfficers of Idah, Okene andKabba Local GovernmentCouncils to provide officeaccommodation for the council'soffices in the areas, adding thathe would soon embark on tourof the six Federal prisons in thestate in an effort to decongestthem and urged the LAC to cashin on the opportunity.

Legal council seeks collaboration with KogiFrom Sam Egwu, Lokoja

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2013PAGE 10

L-R: Former Nassarawa state Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, National President, Miners Association of Nigeria,Alhaji Sani Shehu, and Senator Effiong Bob, during the presentation of roadmap for the development of solid mineralsector, recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

The Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) Thursday roundedup a two-day Peace and

Security Summit with a call onthe Federal Government to adoptboth civil and military strategiesin order to achieve both short andlong term solutions to thedisturbing security problem in thecountry.

In a communique at the endof the summit, the associationobserved that insurgency,kidnapping, armed robbery andcorruption have taken alarmingtolls on lives and properties inNigeria.

The communique which wasread to newsmen weekend by theNBA President, Okey Wali(SAN)stated that these vices have badlydamaged both national andregional economies of the country.

According to the NBA, thereis mutual distrust betweengovernment and insurgent groupsin the country, thereby makingdialogue difficult in achievinglasting peace and security in thecountry.

The summit identifiedcorruption, in-adequatedistribution of income and socialamenities, unemployment, tribaland/ethnic allegiances to thedetriment of national patriotism,poor and in-effective educationalsystem, poor leadership amongother things as responsible forinsecurity in the nation.

Wali said the judiciary wasconsiderably weak due toinsufficient funding, coupled withcorruption and lack of strong willto hear and determine corruptioncases with dispatch as a matter ofutmost public policy importance.

It called on government toestablish non-reprisalmechanism whereby victims ofviolence and insurgency will bepacified and economicallyrehabilitated.

Adopt civil, militarystrategies to solveinsecurity, NBA tells FGBy Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Director lauds GovAliyu for lesseningparents’ pains

Niger state Director of LandTransport, Mallam UmarShehu has commended

the Niger state government forameliorating the sufferingsencountered by parents whilesending their wards to school.

Mallam Shehu said in Minnaweekend that the presentadministration’s magnanimityin lifting parents’ burden bytaking their children to and fromschools all over the state, was atestimony that education is oncourse and the expression of theessence of governance.

According to the Director,“Parents were sure that it is onlyNiger state that havecontinuously maintainedtransportation of students of theirstate to and from unity andexchange programme schools”.

He said that thisadministration has assistedparents to ensure that theirchildren have better educationand commended the efficiency ofthe drivers.

From illya Garba-Minna

The Nigerian CustomsService Area Comptrollerin charge of Adamawa/

Taraba Command, LawrenceIkpebe has called on theAdamawa state government toextend its ban on motor cyclesto all the 21 Local Governmentareas in the state.

Customs chief wants Okada banned throughout AdamawaFrom Umar Dankano, Yola. Ikpebe made the call in an

interview with journalists inhis office in Yola, stressing that,the extension of the banespecially to local councils at theborder area, would checkmatethe activities of smugglers whouse motorcycles due to the leakyborders, using narrow routesdifficult for patrol vehicles.

While reviewing last year’s

performance, he said, “last yearmy command witnessed anattack on our barracks andoffice in Maiha LocalGovernment Area of the state byunknown gunmen where theyburnt our barrack and officewith some official vehicles butwith all these, we were able togenerate N84m out of theearmarked target for 2012

which is N120m, I think wehave tried”.

On seizures of smuggledgoods, Ikpebe maintained that,in the year under review, hiscommand arrested vehicles,and prohibited items but mostof them were made to pay theduties as required by the lawand their properties released tothem.

Dangote beneficiaries urged to be prudent From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

Beneficiary SelectionCommittee members forthe Dangote Foundation’s

Micro grants programme havebeen told not to see the funds aspolitical or for family members,friends and associates.

The fund, the Kogi StateGovernor, Capt. Idris Wada,explained, was aimed at

empowering and providingfinancial support to women inhelping families meet their needsthrough economic activities.

It would be recalled thatfollowing the outbreak of lastyear’s flood that ravaged KogiState, Alhaji Aliko Dangotethrough his foundation promisedto empower 22,000 women withsmall grants.

Ensuring that the monies get

to those targeted, the StateGovernment, Wada explained,would develop an appropriateevaluation and monitoringstrategy, disclosing that the fundsis not a Micro credit scheme, but akind gesture to the poor and theunemployed women in the 21Local Government Areas andObajana communities.

Represented by his Deputy,Yomi Awoniyi at the

inauguration ceremony, hereiterated that every donationmade towards the flood, would bedelivered to those intended.

Earlier in her speech, wife ofthe Kogi State Governor, HajiaHalima Wada, expressed hergratitude to Dangote Foundation,saying with government’s leanresources, there was need topartner with individuals andorganisations.

FG committed to restoring peace in Borno- Sambo

Vice President ArcMohammed NamadiSambo has restated the

determination of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan to ensure thattotal peace and normalcy isrestored to Borno state.

The Vice President stated thison Saturday at the GovernmentHouse, Maiduguri, when he paida courtesy call on GovernorKashim Shettima.

Sambo expressed delightwith the improved securitysituation in the statecommending the efforts andresilience of the stategovernment, its people and the

security agencies on theachievement.

" We are glad to note that lifeis gradually returning tonormalcy. I want to seize thisopportunity to assure you that wehold all our brothers and sistersin Borno state with high esteem."

He used the opportunity tocondole with the people of Bornoover the loss off lives and propertydue to the unfortunateincidences, while alsocommiserating with the victimsof last year's flood disaster.

He enumerated severalprojects being executed by theFederal Government to improvethe socio-economic status of thepeople of Borno, which cut across

power supply, agriculture,transportation, education,arresting desertification andexploration of hydrocarbon in thelake Chad Basin.

Speaking, GovernorShettima who was visibly exitedover the visit, commended theefforts of the Federal Governmentat restoring peace in the historicstate.

He attributed the securitychallenges in the state to povertyand social exclusivity.

Earlier the Vice Presidentwas at the Palace of the Shehu ofBorno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn UmarGarbai El-Kanemi, where hecommiserated with him over theattempt on his life by a suicide

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem bomber. In his remarks, the Shehu of

Borno called on the FederalGovernment to expedite action inthe areas of oil exploration, roadconstruction, agriculture,desertification and Federalappointments for Bornoindigenes.

He also implored thegovernment to take advantage ofthe ceasefire announcement andconsolidate on the restoration ofpeace in the State.

Similarly at a meeting withBorno Elders, the Vice Presidentintimated them on the efforts ofthe Federal Government atpositively impacting on the livesof the people of Borno, of whichtheir leader, Dr. Shettima AliMonguno expressed satisfaction.

PAGE 11PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2013

It is not the strongest of the speciesthat survive, nor the mostintelligent, but the one mostresponsive to change - CharlesDarwin

Your right as debtor

Quote

If you are drowning in debt, itcan seem as though there is noway out. And it doesn't help

that creditors could be calling you- and maybe even your familymembers and neighbours - lookingfor you.

It may seem that you are atthe mercy of debt collectors, butthe truth is that you have rights,and you have protections fromunscrupulous collectors. The lawspells out practices that debtcollectors can't engage in. So,know your rights, and don't beafraid to report debt collectorswho violate provisions of the law.

1. Debt collectors have tostop calling if you tell them to

The hitch? You have to do it inwriting. So, if you don't want debtcollectors to call you anymore,you need to write a letter (keep acopy for yourself) and send italong. I recommend usingcertified mail so that you canprove the debt collector receivedthe letter. After receiving your

request, debt collectors can onlycontact you, by mail, to let youknow of certain actions that willbe taken (including a lawsuit).

2. You Have a Right toVerify the Debt

Debt collectors have to sendyou written notice of the debtamount and the name of thecreditor, as well as let you knowyou have a right to dispute thedebt within 30 days. This has tobe sent within five days of the firstcommunication with you. Youhave the right to have this debtvalidated, and you have the rightto dispute. Once you ask, inwriting (use certified mail andkeep copies), for verification or ifyou dispute, the debt collectorcan't try to collect until the matteris settled.

3. You ask collectors not tocall your workplace

If debt collectors know youremployer doesn't want you toanswer personal calls at work, orthat your employer objects to

these calls, they can't call yourworkplace.

4. Don't pay more than youowe

Ask for verification. Debtcollectors can't misrepresent yourdebt, claiming you owe more thanyou do. Additionally, they can'ttack on extra fees that aren'tallowed by your original creditagreement. Make sure youunderstand your original terms,and the law. You don't have to paymore than what the law allows.

5. Debt collectors can'tharass you on the phone

The law considers certainactions like calling on the phone,as harassment and it is illegal forthem to engage in these actions:

* Threats of violence* Profanity or abusive

language* Personal insultso*Calling before 8 a.m. or

after 9 p.m.* Repeated or continuous callso*Threats of arrest (no

warrant will be issued for regulardebts)

Debt collectors can't harassyou, and you should noteharassment from debt collectorsand report it.

6. Debt collectors can'tinform third parties aboutyour debt

Debt collectors aren't supposedto publicly share your debt.Indeed, the only people that debtcollectors can legally inform ofyour debt are the credit reporting

agencies, your attorney, thecreditor, the creditor's attorney,your legal spouse, or, if you are aminor, your parents.

Additionally, debt collectorsaren't supposed to repeatedly callthird parties, such as neighbours,for information about yourlocation. If there is reason to believepreviously provided informationis false, a debt collector can call athird party once to get locationinformation (but they cannotdiscuss the debt in the process).

Handling the unexpectedThere's nothing harder toplan for than unexpectedevents that impact your

life and finances. Yet loss of a job,the death of a loved one, illnessor other unexpected occurrenceshappen at one point or anotherin most of our lives. The key tosuccessfully surviving these life-changing events from afinancial perspective is toanticipate hard times. Shore upyour financial situation beforeyou are hit with an unexpectedexpense, so you will be coveredin the event something happens.

The Importance of anEmergency Fund

Because we cannot predictwhen life will throw us anunexpected challenge, it isimportant for everyone to buildand maintain an emergencyfund with three to six months'

Finishing well: Pass on your money Death and Money

Death, that morbid subjectnobody wants to talkabout. Yet, it is inevitable.

You may be wondering whatdeath has got to do with money.

Well, living costs money.Dying costs even more money. Infact, your death might cost youand your surviving familymembers almost all the moneyand assets you had spent yourentire life accumulating. Youonly need to ask spouses or familieswhose loved ones passed onwithout planning for thatinevitable event. They knowbetter.

A life skillThe need for you to come to

terms with death has gottencritical on account of the financialimplications of failing to make

early and adequate preparationsbefore it comes calling. Early andadequate preparations before youpass on are what estate planningis all about.

With recent global economicupheavals and its impact onpeople's overall personal wealth,estate planning is now categorisedas a critical life skill. It is basicallyabout you consciously makingvery clear decisions on how youwant all the money and property- your estate - that you haveaccumulated in your lifetimeinherited or distributed after youpass on, and by whom. If you makesuch decisions and state them inunambiguous terms in yourestate plan, using estate planningdevices such as wills and trusts,then you are certain to dictatehow your estate will pass on toyour preferred beneficiaries,literally from the grave!

ChoicesPlease note, however, that it is

entirely your choice to plan yourestate. Where you choose to diewithout planning for all theproperty or wealth you will leavebehind, the governments of the

States where you reside or whereyour houses are located willimmediately commence theirown already-made plans for yourmoney and property.

Most States in Nigeria haveexisting laws that provide for howestates "not accounted for", so tospeak, are to be managed anddistributed by the respectivegovernments on the estate owners'behalf. Governments earngenerous income from the fees andcharges slammed on estates notplanned for by their owners attheir death. Your family membersget to inherit the remainder ofyour wealth only after thegovernments have deducted theirfees and charges from your entireestate.

A resource custodianThere are numerous financial

reasons that should drive you toquickly commence the process ofplanning for your estate today.

Before you go religious on thissubject, as a lot of Nigerians arewont to do, think of yourself ashaving resources left in your careby the Supreme Being that yourevere. If you take it that you are

carrying out the job of a stewardin managing the resources youwere given in your lifetime, thenyou need to properly finish thatresponsibility through ensuringthat you pass on the assets to otherstewards worthy of thoseresources. Surely, you would notwant to be directly responsible forthe financial loss that may beincurred for the misuse of thoseresources.

Asset protectionHave you thought of the need

for asset protection? Why wouldyou work your entire life toacquire wealth - no matter how'small' - and then becomecomplacent in making sure itsvalue is not diminished or eroded?Protecting your assets makesbetter sense if you take themeasures while still alive as a lotof devices will be available to youfor best results. Your passing onalmost automatically denies yourestate such advantages, withadditional costs borne by it.

Costs to survivorsA little dose of introspection

would throw up questions thatwould indicate further potentialcosts to your surviving family andloved ones; avoidable costs if youreally take the time to think and

put together an adequate estateplan for their benefit. Ask yourselfthese questions:

"What will be the cost of lettingmy unplanned estate result in afamily dispute and a battle in thecourts between my wife andsiblings? How about the loss ofincome from rental property that Iowe if I fail to specify how theproperty should be managed and bywhom? How will the outstandingloan facility I took be paid back frommy assets? How will my children'seducation be paid for till theuniversity level? How will my wifeor siblings access all the money inmy bank accounts? How about mypension funds? Who will eventuallytake over my investment in shares?If anything happens to my wife afterI am gone, who will take care of myyoung children the way I wouldwant them taken care of?"

ConclusionIt is really amazing that, despite

our current level of exposure,education and the numerousincidences of family conflicts andunending court battles over estatesleft behind by dead relativesreported daily in our clime, peoplestill pay little attention to properestate planning.(Source:www.moneyning.com)

worth of living expenses. Thekey to building an emergencyfund is to set money aside everymonth, no matter how small theamount.

Financial expertsrecommend that, unlikeretirement funds, emergencysavings should be kept fairlyliquid, in a savings account or amoney market fund. Hopefullyyou will never need it. But if youdo, you'll be glad it's there.

A new financial pictureOnce the immediate

financial matters are taken careof after an unexpected life event,it will be time to take stock ofyour new financial situation andcreate a plan for yourself moving

forward. Whether you havefaced job loss, divorce, illness oranother event, you should createa new budget reflecting yoursituation. This is the first steptoward financial security andrebuilding your emergencyfund, which you may havetapped into to manage afinancial crisis.

To develop a budget, writedown your current expenses,indicating whether each expenseis a necessity or a luxury. Pullingout recent credit card bills andbank statements can help withthis process. Next, estimate yourmonthly income, including onlyincome that you are certain youwill receive. Then compare yourincome to expenses. If yourexpenses are higher, you willneed to trim your expenses untilyour income is higher than yourexpenditures.

PAGE 12 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Shea nut, the forgottencash cow

Not many Nigerians areaware that their countryis the leading producer of

shea nut in the world. Nigeria,which exports about 50,000tonnes of the commodityannually, is believed to accountfor almost 60 per cent of theworld's total annual output,valued at $3.8 billion.

The ignorance of Nigeriansabout this international cash cowis a result of the discovery of oilwhich has misdirected ourattention away from otheravenues of raising foreignexchange for sustainablenational development.

Shea butter is a form ofmargarine extracted from thenuts of the Shea tree, popularlycalled "The karite tree" (the treeof life). It is valued for itsnumerous therapeuticproperties. It is adjudged to be avery efficacious skin moisturisingagent, an effective anti-inflammation cream, which alsopromotes rapid healing for burnsetc.,

Unfortunately, due toinadequate governmentattention, the methods ofprocessing it in Nigeria remainmanual, backbreaking andcrude. It is even looked down

“We strongly suggestthat there be a strongNigerian governmentrepresentation at thisconference and that it

commits to theimplementation of its

resolutions

upon as a woman's job in mostNigerian communities. Even withthese crude and primitiveproduction processes, experts saythat the federal government losesan estimated $2.166 billion (aboutN340.6 billion) annually throughsmuggling of shea nuts across itsborders.

It is in recognition of Nigeria'spotential for leading the world inthis economic activity that GlobalShea Alliance- the coordinatingbody for shea industry worldwide -has fixed the sixth annual sheaindustry conference in Nigeriafrom March 4 - 6, this year. Theconference is an annual gatheringof producers, exporters,

wholesalers, retailers and otherstakeholders in the shea butterindustry. It is described byindustry watchers as the mostimportant shea industry event ofthe year because it allowseverybody in the industry toidentify and discuss industryissues and present solutions onhow to resolve them.

We strongly suggest that therebe a strong Nigerian governmentrepresentation at this conferenceand that it commits to theimplementation of itsresolutions. Shea butter cangenerate a lot of income for thepeople. There is a growing needto empower those involved in itthrough educational schemesabout the product to enable themto make the right investmentdecisions.

Government, at the federal,state and local levels, can alsoestablish small training centres totrain the producers so as toimprove their skills.

For now, efforts to modernizeShea processing in some parts ofthe country are being carried outcourtesy of the German Societyfor International Cooperation(GIZ). We believe the Nigeriagovernment can, and should dobetter.

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

MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

ALI M. ALI

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION

HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

EDITOR, DAILY

ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND

JAMILA NUHU MUSA

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING

HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU

ADESOJI OYINLOLA

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

industry by putting thepeople first, upholdingthe truth, maintaining

the highestprofessional andethical standards

while delivering valueto our stakeholders”

“To be a reputable,profitable,

innovative andtechnologically

reliant mediacompany offering

world classservices and

products”

OUR VISIONOUR VISIONOUR VISIONOUR VISIONOUR VISION

DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRUFA’I IBRAHIM

EDITEDITEDITEDITEDITORIALORIALORIALORIALORIAL

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 PAGE 13

LG autonomy and govs' oppositionAutonomy for LocalGovernment (LG), which isthe third tier of

government in Nigeria, is one ofthe cardinal issues listed forconsideration in the current effortof the National Assembly to furtherreview the 1999 constitution tomeet the yearnings andaspirations of the Nigerian people.As a way of ensuring thatNigerians are completely carriedalong in the exercise, bothchambers of the federal legislaturein November 2012 held publicsessions and public hearings to getthe people's input on all the itemsto be considered for review andamendment. The House ofRepresentatives held people'spublic sessions in the 360 federalconstituencies, while the Senateconducted public hearings in thesix geo-political zones.

Reports at the end of the exerciseby the Green and Red chambers ofthe National Assembly clearlyindicated that the majority ofNigerians (both the high and thelow in the society) are in support ofthe strengthening of localgovernment councils viaautonomy. It was indeed the onlyitem that got the 'yes vote' fromparticipants in all the 360 federalconstituencies. Similarly, speakersat the zonal public hearings werevery strongly in favour of LGautonomy.

Unfortunately, the recentoutburst by the NigerianGovernors' Forum (NGF) hasshown that the governors are theonly group that does not think thereis need for any form of autonomyfor the effective and efficientrunning of the local governmentadministration. NGF chairman,

Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state,reportedly said they (governors)will do everything possible as apressure group to stop lawmakers(state and federal) from grantingautonomy to local governments.

Asked why the governors wereopposed to local council autonomy,while addressing newsmen,Amaechi said he did not believelocal government administrationis a constitutional issue. Hedeclared, "There is no country inthe world where there are threefed: erating units; there are onlytwo all over the world. Why shouldyou say that there must be thirdfederating units in Nigeria?"

Notwithstanding the whys andwherefores propounded by the NGFfor kicking against the agitation forindependent LGs, informedNigerians know the real motivebehind their stance. It is wellknown that state governments arein the habit of emasculating local

By Michael Jegede

governments under their control,thereby reducing them to mereappendages. The governors havecontinued to take advantage of thedeficiency in the constitution,where even though local councilsare acknowledged as a tier ofgovernment, framers of theconstitution failed to give them thefull autonomy needed to operateas such. Local governments arediametrically subjected to thecontrol of the state governments,in a manner that they reallycannot do anything on their own.And this, in the views of mostNigerians, has adversely affecteddevelopment at the local councillevel.

Reacting to the position of theNGF, Vice Chairman of SenateCommittee on Niger Delta Affairs,Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman saidthere was no cause for alarm.According to the Senator,representing Kogi Central

Senatorial District, the governorsdo not have the constitutionalpower to hinder the granting ofautonomy to LGs in the ongoingconstitution review process.Abatemi-Usman, whose bill seekingfor financial autonomy for localgovernments had scaled throughseconding reading and was referredto the Senate Committee onConstitution Review in March lastyear, argued that of all the itemslisted for consideration, nothingcould be more necessary than LGautonomy. He observed that theoperation of the state/localgovernment joint account ascurrently practiced was anaberration that must be correctedin the interest of Nigerians,regardless of the position of thegovernors.

Also, in his reaction, ChairmanSenate Committee on Media andPublicity, Senator EyinanyaAbaribe was reported to have saidthat the position of the governorson local government autonomy isnot binding. The Senatespokesman said it is the publicopinion expressed through theNational Assembly and the variousState Assemblies that woulddetermine the autonomy of localgovernment administration,while acknowledging that thegovernors are however entitled totheir notion on the issue.

Abaribe was quoted as sayingthat, "If at the end of the day, thebill on the autonomy for localgovernment administration passesthrough the two chambers of theNational Assembly, there will beno problem as we will just followthe constitution, and if it doesn't

work, then it is not our fault as wenow know who does not wantdemocracy to work at that level."

Minister of Interior, Abba Morohad equally lent his voice to thedebate on local governmentautonomy in an interview. Anexpert in local governmentadministration, Moro was a councilchairman for about eight years andone-time chairman of the BenueState chapter of Association of localGovernments of Nigeria (ALGON).Responding to questions during themedia chat, he said, "I am anadvocate for an holistic approach.I want a situation where the localgovernment will or operate as atrue tier of government. We areoperating federalism, a federalismthat is epitomized or encapsulatedin the three tiers of government ofthe federal, state and localgovernment".

Even President GoodluckJonathan, who was once agovernor, is on the side of the peopleon the debate for LG autonomy. Ithink the president understandsthat it is not about what obtains inother parts of the world, as positedby Amaechi, the NGF boss, butwhat the people who elected himinto office are asking for. It is myhope that members of the NationalAssembly and state assemblies,who are constitutionallyempowered to effect changes in theconstitution on behalf the people,would not pander to the whimsand caprices of the governors, intheir Machiavellian move toensure continued emasculation ofthe local governments.Michael Jegede is Abuja-based media practitioner

Yero's uncommon transformation strides in Kadunaits readiness to re-establish aconsulate in the state. Speaking atthe Sir Kashim Ibrahim House,Kaduna, the envoy said the U.S willmake its presence felt again inKaduna to serve as "a window toreach millions of people in theNorth".

Having observed that highunemployment rate amongstyouths in the state has become amajor source of crime, thegovernor has commenced plans toprovide about 6,000 jobs forwomen and youths across the 23local government areas of the statethrough the Subsidy Re-Investment Programme, (SURE-P). There are also plans by the Yeroadministration to further createmore jobs through commercialagriculture. The governortherefore solicited the support ofthe people and government of theU.S in that sector to make itattractive to the teeming youthsin the state.

Within the last one month inoffice, Governor Yero has providedequipments worth over N470million in order to enhance theprovision of potable water to peopleof the state. Among the equipmentwere 12 Hilux vans, 100 motorcycles, 360 tonnes of alum, 75tonnes of liquid chlorine, 200tonnes of HTH (Granules/powder)and 60 tonnes of HTH (chips).

On the political side, to provearm-chair critics wrong and inkeeping with his promise offairness to all sections of the state,Yero has ensured that thechairmanship of the ruling PDP

Since his assumption of officefollowing the demise of hispredecessor; the late Sir

Patrick Yakowa, GovernorMukhtar Ramalan Yero, hasexhibited exemplary leadershipthat depicts him as selfless, fair andcompetent. His revelation of afrosty relation with his late boss isno longer news but it wasindicative that the two were ableto settle their differences before thesudden death of Yakowa. Thatdisclosure by Yero, no doubt, putfear in not a few aides of the lategovernor who were accused ofbeing the masterminds of thediscord between the two leaders.At that time, the aides exploitedalbeit negatively their closeness tothe late governor to sow seeds ofconfusion in the corridors of powerin Kaduna state.

It is now common knowledgewithin and outside the state thatYero's political survival under thelate Yakowa was basically as resultof the maturity of his late boss andthe patience of the presentgovernor.

Many had expected that thenew governor would move swiftly,after taking oath of office, todismantle all structures put inplace by his late predecessor. Butin what is now playing out as adisappointment to many politicalpundits, Yero has retained the oldorder for over a month since hebecame governor. At least, for nowhe has not dissolved the stateexecutive council while heads of

government agencies andparastatals appointed by the lategovernor are still in office. Thisaction by Yero has furtherconfirmed his sterling leadershipquality as one with a forgivingheart, ready to carry allstakeholders along in building apeaceful Kaduna state irrespectiveof political, religious and ideologicaldifferences.

His attribute as a tolerantleader manifested shortly after hetook over the mantle of leadership.The first challenge that confrontedYero as a governor was theappointment of a deputy. Thecircumstances of the death ofYakowa had generated interest invarious groups in the state andbeyond in who occupies theposition of deputy governor. Inkeeping with the tradition ofbalancing the political equation, adeputy was to be selected from thesouthern part of the state. Abeliever in political inclusiveness,Yero involved all stakeholders inthe selection of his deputy. Yero didhold a series of meetings andconsulted widely before settling forthe former chairman of the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) in thestate, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga.This decision was by no means ashow of political naivety or mereintrigue but clearly an intelligentmove by the governor to have amix of youthful dynamism andwill power and elderly experience.Yero is still within the age bracketof a youth while Bajoga is an elderwith many years of experience inpolitics and business. The age gap

between the two will surely ensuremutual respect and cooperationwhich is the oil that lubricates thewheels of a vibrant governmentcapable of delivering democracydividends to people of the state.

And so far, the governor hasbeen steering the ship of the stateat a commendable pace thatcontinues to endear him to peopleof the state. Yero has repeatedlypledged to sustain programmesand policies of the late Yakowa aslong as they are for the benefit ofthe people.

As a leader that places thehighest premium on security of lifeand property, Yero recentlydistributed 40 vans fully equippedwith state of the artcommunication facilities and othergadgets to the state security outfit'Operation Yaki' to facilitatesecurity surveillance in the state.

In a similar move aimed atcementing the peace in the state,Governor Yero approved thedisbursement of N410m asassistance to victims of the 2011post-election crisis. He called onresidents to embrace peace. "It ismy fervent hope and prayer thatwe will live with one anotherirrespective of our religious andethnic differences, as development,no doubt can only be attained inan atmosphere of peace andharmony and we must thereforereconcile and forgive each other,"he said recently.

Sensing a new dawn in Kadunastate, the US government throughits envoy to Nigeria, AmbassadorTerrence McCulley has expressed

remains in the southernsenatorial district. Severalpolitical jobbers had cried foulwhen Bajoga was appointeddeputy governor. There wereclaims that the move was todeprive Southern Kaduna Zone ofleadership of the Party. Contraryto such spurious assertions, HonA. G Haruna, from Kachia insouthern Kaduna, emerged as PDPchairman. The move has furtherlent credence to the governor'sresolve to treat all sections of thestate fairly without dichotomy.

It is therefore pertinent to callon the people of the state toreciprocate Yero's gestures andgenuine intentions by cooperatingwith his administration. It will notbe fair for any group or section tosustain suspicion even in theabsence of any cause to complain.Kaduna like all other states inNigeria is divided into threesenatorial zones. The governor hasthe responsibility to distribute thewealth and opportunitiesaccruable to the state equitably.Political appointments,development projects, humancapacity building as well as wealthdistribution has to be shared inaccordance to parameters thatensure equity and fairness. It iserroneous to reduce thegeopolitical configuration ofKaduna to North and South whilerelegating the central part of thestate to the background.Ahmed Maiyaki is theDirector General, Media &Publicity to GovernorMukhtar Ramalan Yero

By Ahmed Maiyaki

“Even President Goodluck Jonathan, whowas once a governor, is on the side of thepeople on the debate for LG autonomy. I

think the president understands that it is notabout what obtains in other parts of theworld, as posited by Amaechi, the NGF

boss, but what the people who elected himinto office are asking for

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013PAGE 14

Terrorism and militarization of the Nigerian populace

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

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

to:

The Editor,Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza,

35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja.Email: opinion@peoplesdaily-online.com

SMS: 07037756364

WRITE TO USBy Tobias Lengnan Dapam

To say that the spate ofviolence in the country hasmilitarized the citizenry is

to say the least. That the politicalsystem has conjured up aFrankenstein monster to consumethe craftsman is to put it mildly.That it has pitched communityand religion against each other,attracting attack and counterattack is something disturbing.

Presently in Nigeria, the wavesof terrorism have given birth tomilitarization- arming thecommon citizens with dangerouslyadvanced weapons.

Already in the south-southregion, the populace have sincerearmed and soaked themselves incrude oil to avoid detection bysecurity forces so that they cancontinue to vandalize oil pipelines.

The oil thieves under the guiseof Movement for the Emancipationof Niger-Delta (MEND), few yearsback, had been persuaded by latePresident Umaru Yar'adua toreturn weapons in their possessionin exchange for amnesty. Despitethat, pundits are aware that theMEND did not return all weaponsin its possession to the Nigeriangovernment. To make mattersworse, the government did notbother to know how such weaponswere brought into the country.Nigerians were left to speculate.However, reports at that timeindicated that the politicians in theregion armed the youths to helpthem rig elections.

Meanwhile, in whatcommentators described asexchange of baton, the waves of

t e r r o r i s mrelocated to thenorth. This timeeven moredeadly than theoil theft in theSouth-south.

Obviously,the Boko Haraminsurgents in thenorth do nothave anyp e r s u a s i v egrounds tojustify theirviolence liket h e i rcounterparts inthe South-southr e g i o n .Adopting religion as an ideology isjust a convenience for carrying ontheir criminal acts. So far, theirmajor victims have been securityoperatives, Christians and thoseMuslims who oppose their ideology.

Since the Boko Haram sectdemonstrated its thirst for blood,the streets in the region have beenmade desolate by mass hysteria.Parents are afraid of leaving theirchildren at home, people are afraidof venturing out of their houses orcondemning the sect. Everyone isquiet, overwhelm by fear ofbecoming the next victim.

Those who are tired of beingtargets of the sect have decided tostarve themselves to buy arms fortheir own protection fromubiquitous the sect. On most of thestreets and villages in the north,poorly clothed young people whoobviously cannot afford a meal likethe malnourished children ofSomalia are carrying heavy

statement "Stateof the nation", thenovelists jointlyw r o t e :"Rumblings andveiled threatshave given way toeruption, and thefirst cracks in thewall of patienceand forbearancecan no longer bewished away.BOKO HARAM isvery likelycelebrating itsfirst tacticalv i c t o r y :p r o v o k i n gretaliation in

flickers of 'responses in kind' evenbefore they are manifested, andbecome contagious.

"We urge that, beginning fromnow, leaders become true leadersin all communities, utilise theplatforms of their associations,professions, clubs, places ofinstruction and places of worship,NGOs and other civic orgnisations,that they relentlessly spread themanifesto of Community - capitalletters! - as an all-embracinghuman bond, and refuse to besucked into the cauldron of mutualattrition that is the purpose of thereligious warmongers among us.".

As a way out of this quagmire,those in positions of leadership mustact now to prove to the people thatthey are capable of saving thecountry from various violentforces arrayed against our countryand its peace-loving peoples. Ourecurity forces must adopt a morehumane approach to stemmingthe violence. As it stands, securityoperatives have failed woefully inthose areas they have beenstationed to restore peace.Members of the Joint Military TaskForce (JTF) have been accusedseverally of extra-judicial killings,involving mostly taking innocentpeople that they are paid to protect.

Should the situation remainthe way it is, law-abiding citizenswho are beginning to acquire armsto protect themselves from theinsurgents will lose their patienceand turn those arms on the state.The gainers will then be the BokoHaram and its co-travellers.Tobias Lengnan Dampam isin the Editorial Dept.,Peoples Media Ltd., Abuja.

weapon to protect themselves.Sources of the weapon have

been traced to opportunisticpolitical big shots in the region whoare bent on heating up the politywhenever the electoral process doesnot favour them in theirunrestrained quest for power.Unfortunately, these so calledpolitical big wigs who enjoyimmunity and are thereforeuntouchable, continue to shy awayfrom addressing the problem theyhave created. But like the creatorof the Frankenstein monster,nemesis at times catches up withthem.

Speaking on the state of thenation recently, the trio ofNigeria's literary icons, WoleSoyinka, Chinua Achebe and J.PClark, called for a stop to the spreadof violence across the country.They warned that the countrycould not afford another civil war.

Registering their displeasure in a

some parts of the nation."We insist however that this

need not be, and should not be so.And as long as any part, howeverminuscule, opts for the moredifficult path of envisionedforbearance, we are convincedthat its responses will findneighbour emulation betweenhomesteads, between towns andvillages, between communities onall levels and indeed - states. Thishard, demanding, but profoundlymoral and heroic option will berecognised and embraced as theonly option for the survival, andintegrity of the whole. All whoclaim to be leaders must lead - butin the right direction!

"We urge a proactive resolve inall such claimants to leadership. Itis not sufficient to make piouspronouncements. All who possessany iota of influence or authority,who aspire to moral leadershipmust act now to douse the first

The unwarranted judicialharassment of the twosenators and nine National

Assembly members of the CPC is apointer to seeming vulnerabilityof our democratic dispensation topost-election scheming plotted toforcefully reverse, or infamouslyannul, the expressed will of theelectorate. It used to be the militarymarauders but now the fear of ajudicial junta has become theessential wisdom of the politicalclass which they trivialize at theirever present peril. The very factthat the pronouncement of judgescan undo the outcome of apolitically correct democraticprocess stands out as amonumental mockery of thesupposed sovereignty of the peopleand the much-touted separation ofpowers. In the view of democratssuch undue interference is akin tosubjecting the judicial process tothe post-verdict review of a peoples'parliament, an unheard oftravesty of justice indeed.

The facts of the Katsina case aresimple and straightforward evenby the ambiguous tenets of theconstitutional and electoral lawsbrought to bear on the democraticprocess in the country. Of course itshould be the business of the partynational headquarters to holdprimary election in the states inthe interest of fairness to allcontestants and to provide for anindependent umpire. Logically, itis the party headquarters that willsubsequently inform the electoralbody of the outcome of that process,complete with the list of thoseelected. The function of the

delegates of the electoral body asobservers is decidedly in support ofthe observance of regulations bythe national officials organising thecongress, only relevant inreporting breach.

Once these procedures havebeen correctly followed thereshould be no contention on theconformity of the outcome with theexpressed wishes of the electors,much less the provision of a back-door route to question or supplanta concluded process. It was on thistransparent pedestal that theKatsina CPC federal legislatorssecured and actualized theirmandated election and rightfulplace in the respective chambersof the legislature, with the fullconcurrence of the electoral bodywhich accordingly issued themwith the credentials of election.Amazingly, these legislators havetoday become victims of acircuitous circumvention ofestablished due process facilitatedby, wonder of wonders, a court oflaw whose aberrant stance on thismatter has outraged even thejudiciary on account of itscontempt for the principle ofadherence to judicial precedenceset by the Supreme Court.

While the blatant disregard ofthe Supreme Court's supremacyover lower courts in settingprecedence is no doubt anoutrageous ouster of the legality ofthe offending lower courtpronouncement, it is not half asabominable as the added injusticeof turning a blind eye on glaring

illegalities out of obviousdesperation to penalize thevictims. For example, those whosecase has just received the blessingsof the Federal High Court, Abujaemerged from an electionorganized by the very candidatesdefeated aided and abetted by thenow suspended Katsina state CPCChairman, contrary to theregulations; not surprisingly INECrefused to recognize the flawedelection; when they sought andobtained the endorsement of theFederal High Court, Abuja,presided over by Justice AbdulKafarati for their taboo election itwas merely a temporary reprieveas the Court of Appeal sitting inAbuja agreed with ALL thearguments of the CPC andconsequently set aside thejudgement of the Federal High

Democracy on the benchCourt and averred that by theprovisions of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended) and the 1999Constitution (as amended) theparty at the National Level is theonly organ empowered to organiseprimary elections and NOT any ofits branches and therefore theKatsina state Chairman of the CPC"cannot usurp the powers conferredon the National Executivecommittee....and any suchact...without any evidence he wasdelegated to so act is outsidestatutory provisions and such actis invalid;" and finally at theSupreme Court in SC/157/2011they were clearly told thatcourts do not have the right tonominate candidates for or onbehalf of political parties, as theConstitution stipulates thatcandidates to all elections must be

members of and sponsored by apolitical party. It specificallychided the Federal High Court,Abuja for assuming jurisdiction onthe matter.

All the while, the lawfullyelected legislators were deniedmembership of the legislatureostensibly due to the pendency ofthe appeal processes instituted bythose who emerged from the flawedprocess who sat tight until recentlywhen INEC cancelled theircertificates of return in compliancewith the Supreme Court verdict.Interestingly it is yet anotherFederal High Court that has setaside the Supreme Court's verdictwithout any negation of the well-established illegalities highlightedby the court of superiorjurisdiction.

This highlights the dubiousprocess by which even anoutrageously aberrantpronouncement of a lower courtthat holds the highest court of theland in utter contempt andridicules the presumedsovereignty of the peoplessuccessfully thwarts thedemocratic process with impunity.The tragedy of this detestableepisode is that the judiciary hasinflicted upon itself another injurythat is fatal to its purported role ofindependent arbiter in ademocracy thereby making thestroke of a pen just as lethal as theAK 47! Justice denied is injustice,period.Arowolo Ajisafe, a politicalanalyst, wrote from Ibadan

By Arowolo Ajisafe

“Sources of the weapon have been traced toopportunistic political big shots in the region

who are bent on heating up the politywhenever the electoral process does notfavour them in their unrestrained quest for

power. Unfortunately, these so called politicalbig wigs who enjoy immunity and are therefore

untouchable, continue to shy away fromaddressing the problem they have created

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 PAGE 15

The crack in CANI am a not a Catholic. I couldn'thave been, given thecircumstances of my birth, but Isupport the Church's principledstand on its membership of theChristian Association of Nigeria(CAN). The Administrator of theCatholic Diocese of Abeokuta,Monsignor Christopher Ajala,stated at a recent news conferencethat the Catholic Church hassuspended its membership of CANbecause it is too close togovernment. He alleged that thePastor Ayo Oritsejafor-led CAN hadderailed from the objectives of thebody, adding that the CatholicBishops Conference is notcomfortable with the presentdirection of the association. "CANis now being run as part of thegovernment and we say no.Because they (government) willdictate to us what to do and theywill not take our advice seriously.The Catholic Church has decidedto withdraw from the activities ofCAN at national level; we are stillpart of it at the state level. We madeour stand clear in November, lastyear, and by December, the manbought a jet. I don't know how hegot it but the president was thereon that day the jet was deliveredto him."

The problems of CAN todayhave their origins in day one of itsfounding. It all started in the dyingdays of colonial rule in the late 50swhen Christian minority groupsbegan to ask questions about theirfate in an independent NorthernNigeria, dominated by Muslims.This led to the formation of aNorthern Nigerian non-MuslimLeague in 1950 which was laterrenamed the Middle Zone Leaguein 1951, under the guidance of theBerom Progressive Union (BPU).The focus of the organization wasreligious at the beginning but itsoon took a political shape when thedisparate political/tribal groups inthe north coalesced into the UMBCwith its demand for politicalautonomy of the Middle Belt.

In the early days ofindependence, Jolly Tanko Yussuf

was elected to represent Takumdistrict of Benue Province in theNorthern Regional House ofAssembly in Kaduna. He contestedthe elections as an independentcandidate and his one linemanifesto was that he was goinginto the House in Kaduna to defendhis faith. Once inKaduna, heabandoned hisstatus as ani n d e p e n d e n tlawmaker andcrossed over tothe NorthernPeople's Congress(NPC), theruling partywith a majorityin the House.

If JollyYusuf's change ofstatus was swift, so was hispromotion rapid in the hierarchyof the ruling NPC. He was soonappointed the Provincial Secretaryfor Benue Province. His mostamazing achievement, however,was that he revived the moribundNorthern Nigerian non-MuslimLeague and renamed it NorthernChristian Association (NCA). Evenmore amazing than the mereresurrection in 1964 of thisassociation which had died in 1951

was the fact that Sir Ahmadu Bello,the Sardauna of Sokoto was madethe life Patron of the NCA by JollyTanko Yusuf.

That action had a clear sign ofpolitical opportunism. It hadbecome clear by 1964 that Yusufwas involved in a clientele/patron

relationship withthe Sardauna andwas doing his bestto ingratiatehimself to thepowerful Premier.In that frame ofmind, he evenforgot that theSardauna was notonly a Muslim buta very, very proudone. In fact, left tochoose betweenbeing the Prime

Minister of Nigeria and the Sultanof Sokoto, he gladly chose to be theSultan. Why did Yusuf choose tomake such a blunder?

If the consequences of hisopportunism were not clear to himthen, they would soon be clear asthe years rolled on. The Sardaunain his last year alive embarked onwide tours, holding public ralliesat every stop where large numbersof Christians abandoned theirreligion and declared for Islam. Did

it not seem contradictory to Yusufthat his 'life patron' was dailyconverting members - whosereligious conviction he ought toprotect - to another religion? Butthe biggest blow to the NCA wasthe assassination (most unfairly)of the Sardauna of Sokoto. With the'life Patron' dead, the associationalso died.

The voice of the NCA was neverheard in the first ten turbulentyears of the military in Nigeria'saffairs. In 1976, an opportunitycame for the revival of NCA. TheFederal Military Government,under General OlusegunObasanjo, gave out money toJamatuul Nasir Islam (JNI) toerect a mosque in the new FederalCapital, Abuja. The Christianscomplained of religiousdiscrimination and they were toldby General Umaru MusaYar'adua, the Chief of General Staff,that unlike the Muslims, theChristians did not have anumbrella body to benefit from suchlargesse. It was then that theChristians fell back on thestructures of the dead NCA, revivedthem and gave it a national outlookto form the Christian Associationof Nigeria (CAN).

All through its history,therefore, CAN has always been a

product of political expediency andopportunism. It is more a forumfor grandstanding and politicalopportunism than a soberorganization for the promotion andprotection of the body of Christ.When Christian communities areattacked by Muslims, CAN shoutsloud, but when Christians attackChristians, CAN loses her voice. Icome from a part of the countrywhere the predominantlyChristian Tiv and Jukuncommunities in Taraba haveformed the bloody and un-Christian hobby of killingthemselves abundantly. I havenever heard the voice of CAN onthis sinful conduct.

During the bloody clashesbetween Christians and Muslimsin Plateau state under JoshuaDariye, President OlusegunObasanjo publicly called Rev Pam"an idiot, a total idiot." He went onto declare "CAN my boot!" I did nothear any reaction from CANcondemning this un - Christianoutburst. What if it wereBabangida or Abacha that rainedsuch curses on an ordained priestand the umbrella organization ofChristians? Would CAN haveignored the Muslim leaders?

As a Christian, I feelthreatened and hurt anytime achurch is bombed and or aChristian community attackedby Muslims. I feel the same whena Christian community isattacked by another Christiancommunity. Both deserve to becondemned; but I do not see CANdoing that.

Christianity has beencommercialized and bastardizedin Nigeria today. The likes of RevKing, the condemned murderer,are still very much in our midsttoday. What is CAN doing topurge the body of Christ of theheresies they preach andpractice every day in the nameof Christianity? The physicianmust heal himself and I thinkthe Catholic Church has taken abold and correct step in thisdirection.

Please do not bother with theaccuracy of the number.Police say 18, journalists 50-

55, and the villagers say 100. Donot dwell on the number. Justdwell, if you can, on the sanctity ofhuman life. Dwell on the fact thatthe lifeless bodies in the Ezu Riverfloating all the way betweenAmansii (corrupted to Amanseaby British Colonialists) and pointof connection with the AnambraRiver, deep in the Anambra basin,are born of parents.

Do not worry what happenedto this all-male crowd between theages of 25 and 35, who died allwearing boxer shorts and singlets,for those we entrusted with powermust find out or bite the dust.Never let the fact that this mayonly be a fraction of what has beenhappening bug you, nor the factthat many more lie undisclosedbeyond the confluence of Ezu andOmambala (Anambra) rivers.Leave the river bed to worryabout the undiscoveredfragments on the mollyunderneath of the river, or thosemaking their way through thebellies of the endangered fish inthe lower Niger tributaries.

Do not think that the fish areendangered by the scarcity of

water or because they have losttheir ecosystem due to theavoidable flood that has justravaged the Anambra Basinamong other plains of Nigeria.Think more in terms of humanaction. Think more in terms ofthose who go on the quick-fix lane,killing fish with chemicals withoutthe intervention of Anambra andKogi governments. But think alsoof the fact that no one set of bodiescan have such a colour without areason. Not unless the chemicalhas interfered with their surfacinginto the innocent serene waters ofEzu. Acid or not, chemical or not,think about one institution beingthe custodian of the explanationsfor the mystery of the dead bodiesin Anambra.

What is your finding?Anambra State government?Caretaker local governments?Anambra State Command of thePolice? Anambra VililanteServices? Communities in the EzuRiver course? Think deeper. Can'tyou think? Well, if you cannot, letus get others to think.

Let us get Nigeria to think. Letus get West Africans to think if theMalian casualties were imported

to Ezu River in the dead of the nightin nine buses, trailers or trucks,and deposited in a fast-flowingriver in secure Anambra byunknown importers, withoutPolice detection. Get Africa to thinkif Boko Haraam now makes a casefor airlifting dead human victimsto Ezu River, rather than live ones,pilgrims, on to the peak of MountArafat. Get the world to think ifsentencing Nigerian terrorists infar away South Africa means thatall his followers chose to jump intoa choice River in Anambra toprotest the incarceration.

Are they helping yourthinking? Are you helping themwith clues? Are you hiding thatyou know something? What isyour hunch? Do you want to lookgood to those you should fight? Doeslife mean anything to you? Canyou not be counted on to stand upfor 100 lives? You still wonderwhether you should keep quiet tohelp build 'a good image for yourcountry' or if you should loudlyraise questions, demanding toknow what happened to 100 able-bodied Nigerians? And you thinkthis is the first time this ishappening or if it would be the

Wasted souls of Anambralast? By the way where is yourcousin currently in policedetention for wandering and yourmechanic brother in-law arrestedby ravaging Police who arrivedat an armed robbery scene, twohours after the robber had gone?Where are they? Can you callthem? Can they receive yourcalls? Do you want to visit themtoday and insist on seeing them?Perhaps you should before thebodies from the Ezu River areburied? Yes buried! I know whatyou are thinking, but don't worrywe can always exhume them afterthe burials if necessary, or if oneof those nosy civil rightsorganizations obtains a courtorder to the effect.

Oh yes, you need it becauseyour eyes are not enough toidentify these bodies and the freshblood that eager onlookers detectedon the Amansii Bridge over the EzuRiver by Old Enugu- Onitsha Roadare not enough to put you on thepath of certainty about Hyginusand Maximus your friends ( whatelse do I call unidentifiedpersons),being part of the blackbodies in the river connectingAnambra and Enugu states.

By Ify Odanye Why are you crying now? Youhave not seen any reason to be sureyou should cry or laugh. Just wipeyour tears, do the needful and stopthere. Those that got brand newcars for their seasons gifts will dothe rest. I repeat for emphasis, donot go shouting or blabbing aboutwhy bodies are being buried beforeidentification.

Just follow the code -Do not talkmore than your mouth or yourleader. Do not ask who issuppressing facts because we knowthose who have reason to. Do notask anything else. Just pray, butnot with any extra-Pentecostalhigh decibels, or fervently.

One last thing, before I forget,please do not try to conjure upanything to make your bankaccount N5 million richer becauseyou may not even be so lucky forriver currents to blow your ownbody to the banks to be discoveredby the village fishermen when itwould be your turn. Andcertainly, no one would attest tothe fact that there are bullet holesin your body. Just weep for thewasted homo sapiens of Anambraand pray that God will deal justlywith their souls.

Now go! Go!! Go!!! I want toweep. My heart is heavy.Ify Odanye wrote in fromLagos.

“During the bloody clashes between Christians and Muslims inPlateau state under Joshua Dariye, President Olusegun Obasanjo

publicly called Rev Pam “an idiot, a total idiot.” He went on to declare“CAN my boot!” I did not hear any reaction from CAN condemning thisun – Christian outburst. What if it were Babangida or Abacha that rained

such curses on an ordained priest and the umbrella organization ofChristians? Would CAN have ignored the Muslim leaders?

Emmanuel Yawe08024565402

royawe@yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013PAGE 16

Polio immunisation: Abaji councilfails to release funds for exercise

The non-chalant attitudeof the Abaji Area Councilof the Federal Capital

Territory (FCT) towardsmobilising immunisation officersto take part in the ongoingNational Immunisation PlusDays exercise is posing challenge to successful polioimmunisation coverage in theFCT.

Peoples Daily gathered yesterday that while other areacouncils in the territory havebeen up to their responsibilitiesof realising funds to ensure thenecessary arrangements for the

exercise like logistics, areadequately taken care of, the Abaji council has frustrated allefforts to ensure that it fulfils theobligation.

Lamenting the situationyesterday, the ExecutiveSecretary, FCT Primary HealthCare DevelopmentBoard(PHCDB), Dr. RilwanuMohammed confirmed that all area councils were up and doingtowards success of the exercise except Abaji Area Council.

“Actually the localgovernments are trying. Theonly local government we are nothappy with is Abaji Area Council.They refused to release money.

We have been writing to them areminder letter but the Abajichairman refuse to releasemoney for their staff to go out,”he said while fielding questionsfrom journalists duringmonitoring of the four-dayimmunisation exercise inchurches which commenced onSaturday in Abuja.

However, he said: “ByMonday(today) the chairmansaid he is going to get themmoney to move out and it isalready late because we onlyhave four days for theimmunisation.

“So they are only going to carryout the immunisation for

Monday if he actually gives themthe money as he said becauseimmunisation ends on Monday.The vaccinator refused to moveout of the area because they havenot been paid for the last exerciseso they want to make sure thistime around there is money.

We are pleading with the localgovernment chairman to pleaseknow that he is not the only onein the area so that we can protectall the children in the FCT”.

Dr. Mohammed, who ledofficials of the board on themonitoring expressed happinesswith other councils that havereleased money for the exercise,saying all hands must be on deckto ensure that every child in theFCT is immunised.

He said the board had last weekdistributed about 900 doses ofvaccines it received , trained allthe health care workers and distributed monitors andsupervisors to respective areas.

He expressed delight thatChristians were accepting theimmunisation exercise unliketheir Muslim counterpart as heappealed to Islamic religiousleaders to talk to Muslim faithfulto accept polio immunisation.

“Prevention is better than cure.They should accept polioimmunisation so that togetherwe can kick polio out of Nigeria,”he stressed.

Reacting on the exercise, theReverend in charge of ECWAChurch in Area 3, Garki, Abuja Reverend Samuel Zaki thankedthe government for making poliovaccine free for childrenimmunisation.

This was as he advised thosewho do not understand theimportance of immunisation totake it seriously so that theirchildren who are the futureleaders of tomorrow can grow tothe glory of God.

All is set for the FederalCapital TerritoryAdministration (FCTA)

to commission an ultramodern youth centre in AbujaMunicipal AreaCouncil(AMAC) aimed at training youths in variousskills and vocational courses.

The centre which is fullyequipped with modernfacilities, according to theadministration, is aimed atchanging the fortunes of lessprivileged youths as it wouldprovide the platform thatwould absorb street hawkers togain requisite skills for theireconomic empowerment.

FCT Secretary of SocialDevelopment, Mrs. BlessingOnuh said while conductingjournalists round the centre yesterday that the centre isthe first of its kind in Nigeria, pledging the administrationwillingness to maximize itsbenefits for the development ofits youths population.

According to her, the currentFCT administration has beenvery worried over thealarming rate of unemployedyouths roaming the street ofthe FCT which informed theconstruction of the Centre.

“The FCTA is greatly painedby the rate of unemploymentamongst is youth populationwhich represents its future,part of which informed thedevelopment of this centrewhich is capable of churningout skilled manpower in theareas of ICT, digital printing,welding, carpentry, fishery,fashion designing, artworketc,” she said.

Onuh, who conductedjournalist round the ultramodern printing pressmaintained that the centre tocan even generate hugeamount of money for the FCTas the youths under trainingperfect their arts and provideservices to members of thepublic when fully operationaland considered along suchline.

She also stressed that thoseto be trained at the centre willbe in the boarding house whichhas a fully furnished andequipped five hundred bedhostels as she urged FCT youthsto take advantage of thefacility.

Some notable features at thecentre which would becommission by dame patientJonathan on Tuesdayincludes: ultra modern ICTcentre, multipurpose hall,workshop premises,classrooms, hostels blocks,basket ball pitch, five asidefootball pitch, and volley ballcourts amongst others.

FCT getsultramodernyouth centre

A blocked sewer line hasbeen emptying faeces ona major highway in Abuja

metropolis, resulting in stenchtaking over the atmosphere in theaffected area, investigation by theNews Agency of Nigeria(NAN)revealed at the weekend.

The effluence, being dischargedon to the road from the pipe besideJabi Primary School perimeterfence along Obafemi Awolowohighway, has become a matterthreatening public health.

A News Agency Nigeria (NAN)check in the affected area showedthat waste water, mixed withhuman faeces, flowed freely on theroad.

NAN also reports that concernedcitizens have called for urgentattention to arrest the situation andsave that neighbourhood.

But, Mr Joe Ukairo, the AEPBHead of Information, quickly

Blocked sewer: Faeces take over Jabi highwayreacted in a phone interview withNAN correspondent that the AbujaEnvironmental Protection Board(AEPB) was not aware of any suchdevelopment in the area.

He said the establishment had yetto receive any official report aboutthe leakage, and decried theinadequacy of machines to respondto such situation.

Ukairo said that the only mastercanal machine (evacuationmachine) which could be used torescue the situation had brokendown.

He, however, said that officials ofthe AEPB would be sent to inspectthe leakage preparatory torepairing the damage.

On the sewage holes, which werekept open on the road, Ukairoexplained that AEPB was notresponsible for every issue in the FCT.

“Not all issues are attended to bythe AEPB. There is a department

called Abuja MetropolitanManagement Council (AMMC) andthey have city maintenancedepartment responsible for thereplacement of broken facilities,”Ukairo said.

City health watchers told NANthey were not interested in “buckpassing’’ or in which of thedepartments of the FCT should fixwhatever facilities.

They insist on a clean, healthyenvironment, not given to the filthysituation.

Some respondents said thecondition could cause a serioushealth hazard to the immediateenvironment and the public.

Mr Emmanuel Aboje, aphotographer operating within theschool premises in Jabi, that the pipehad been discharging its contents formore than two weeks now.

He said that if he had known whereto make a report, he would have done

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

so since the situation had become aserious source of pollution and threatto their health.

“The odour from the sewage isaffecting the people in thisenvironment.

I am appealing to the authority todo something about the leakagebefore it is too late,” he said.

Aboje also said that the situationwas posing serious health challengesto the pupils who were always playingaround the field during break period.

He observed that some of thesewage holes were kept open on theroad, and that such situation wasdangerous to pedestrians, especiallyat night.

Muhamadu Samaila, a sachetwater seller, said that he hadobserved the flow from the holefor some weeks.

He said the odour from thesewage had been disturbing theenvironment. (NAN)

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

Igbo women displaying their rich cultural heritage in a public function, yesterday in Garki,Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 PAGE 17

Man jailed six months for burglaryOne Abdulrahim

M u s t a p h a o f E lDorado Site, Federal Housing

Authority (FHA), Lugbe, Abuja, hasbeen sentenced by an Abuja SeniorMagistrates Court to six monthsimprisonment for burglary.

S e n i o rMagistrate Aliyu Shafa who handeddown the judgment, however, gaveMustapha an option to pay

N7,000 fine.The Prosecutor, Corporal

Paul Anigbo, had told the court thatthe matter was reported atthe Lugbe Police Station by oneZainab Mohammed on January 30,2013.

“The complainant went out tobuy food stuff within Lugbe villagewhen Mustapha came to perpetratethe act. She caught Mustapha who

had scaled the fence to enter thehouse.

“He had already destroyed theburglary proof on the window withpincers and had packed some of herproperty,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said the stolenitems, which include a Nokia phone,were later recovered from the accusedduring police interrogation.

The accused pleaded guilty to the

Senior Magistrate RosemaryKanyip of the Kubwa SeniorMagistrates Court in Federalcapital Territory(FCT) has sentenced 35-year old securityguard, Innocent Adoga, to fivemonths imprisonment for fraud.

Kanyip, however, gave theconvict an option of N4,000 fine andordered that he should refundN58,700 to the complainants.

She also warned him to desistfrom fraudulent activitieshenceforth.

“Be warned that hardship is no

defence for the commission of acrime.

You claim to have a wife andchildren, what example do youintend to show your children asthey grow up?,.’’ he said

Police Prosecutor, Arziki Kaura,had told the court that the case wasreported at the Dutse Police Stationon January 19, 2013 by John Cole,Augustine Oneje, Sunday Akogwuand Ajido Samson.

Kaura said the convict, whoclaimed to be a security guard witha company named “Nigeria Private

Guard, 35, jailed foremployment racketeering

charge, pleading with the court toshow mercy to him.

“I went to steal those itemsbecause my mother is not feeling fineand I don’t have money to goto Kaduna to see her. I beg the courtto have mercy on me, I will not do itagain,’’ the convict said.

The magistrate said the sentencewas on compassionate grounds.(NAN)

Intelligence’’, collected varioussums from the complainants underthe pretence of getting them jobs.

“He collected a total sum ofN58,700 from the fourcomplainants, promising to getthem employment in his companyand in the Nigeria Security andCivil Defence Corps.

“He subsequently issued themfake employment letters andduring investigations, refused togive information about hisemployer.’’

Kaura said the convict

A 25-year-old-man,M i k e O l o r u n m o w a j u ,was arraigned before

a Karu Upper Area Court at theweekend for alleged forgery,criminal trespass and theft.

The Prosecutor, InspectorPhilip Akogwu, told the court thatone Inspector Simon Musa of theNigeria Police, attached to AccessBank, Asokoro, Abuja, reported thematter at the Asokoro PoliceStation on Jan. 31.

“Olorunmowaju criminallytrespassed into the banking hallwith a forged cheque of N180,000. On presenting the cheque, it wasdiscovered that the accusedcriminally forged the signature ofone Mr Dalhatu Makama of LagosState,” Akogwu said.

He also told the court that theaccused had previously withdrawnN90,000 from Makama’s EcoBankaccount.

Olorunmowaju pleaded notguilty to the charges.

T h eJudge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, grantedthe accused bail in the sumof N200,000 with a surety whomust reside within the jurisdictionof the court.

The case was adjourned toMarch 4, 2013 for hearing. (NAN)

25-year-old charged for forgery

Four women, five others held for allegedly constituting public nuisance

An Abuja MagistratesCourt at the weekendarraigned nine persons,

including four women, for allegedlyconstituting public nuisancecapable of obstructing the peace inthe area.

The accused are ChristopherJohn, 28, Ahmed Salisu,30, IkennaNicholas,33, Joseph Adoga, 22,Tyoor Titus,31 and Comfort Atum,24.

Others are Evelyn Johnbul, 27,Angela Umaru, 32 and JenniferEmmanuel, 24.

They were found to be people ofno visible means of livelihood.

The Prosecuting Police Officer,Mr Simon Emmanuel, told the courtthat, a team of patrol policemenarrested the suspects and detainedthem at the Life Camp police stationon January 18, 2013.

Emmanuel said the suspectswere caught wandering about atJabi Daki-Biyu village with nodefined mission at that time of thenight.

The prosecutor told the courtthat they could not give satisfactory

reason nor proper identification thatexplained their mission.

The accused, however, pleadednot guilty and gave various reasonsfor their mission while the secondaccused, Salisu, pleaded guiltystating that he was pressed and wentout to ease himself.

The Counsel to the Salisu, MrHumphery Onyeukwu, however,prayed the court to tamper justicewith mercy on the accused who wasa first time offender, and should begiven an option of fine.

The Magistrate, Mr Mohammed

committed the offences of cheating,forgery and failure to giveinformation to a public servant.

He said that the offencescontravened the Penal Code.

The convict had pleaded guiltyto the charges, adding that thefinancial challenges he faced atthe time led him to commit thecrimes.

“My wife was pregnant and itresulted in an operation, and I hadno money,’’ he said.

He begged the court to temperjustice with mercy. (NAN)

Zubairu, thereafter, sentencedSalisu because he did not give asatisfactory reason to convince thecourt of his mission.

He was sentenced to one monthin prison with an option of N1,000fine.

Zubairu granted the remainingeight accused bail in the sum ofN50,000 collectively.

According to him, they shouldalso bring one surety each, who musthave a reasonable means oflivelihood, and be resident within thejurisdiction of the court. (NAN)

Ascavengerat apublicdust binlookingforvaluableuse atSecretariatin Abuja.

Photo:MahmudIsa

INSIDE FCTCOURTS

The Police at the weekend arraigned oneJ u l i u s A m a d i b e f o r e

a Kubwa Upper Area Courtcharged with alleged cheatingand being in possession of stolenproperty.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr PeterOde, told the court that Amadi soldfour water tanks to one Alhaji AliMohammed, a resident of Suleja,Niger, at the sum of N1 million.

“Police arrested Mohammedon Dec.12, 2012, when he wasconveying the tanks to Suleja ashe could not produce the receiptsfor buying them.

“Mohammed took the policeto Amadi who could not alsoproduce the receipts,’’ Ode said.

He said the offencescontravened Sections 312 and323 of the Penal Code.

The accused, however,pleaded not guilty when thecharges were read to him.

The presidingJ u d g e , M a l a m M u n i r Lawal, granted Ama-di bail inthe sum of N100,000 with onesurety in like sum.

He adjourned the case toFebruary 7, 2013 for hearing.(NAN)

Man chargedwith allegedlybeing inpossession ofstolen property

PAGE 18 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

A look at Yobe’sroads to everywhereRoads have always had an abiding,

evocative power in humandiscourse. They are a metaphor for

entry and exit, a representation of “ameans to an end,” a symbol ofadvancement, a signifier of mobility, andthe antithesis of stagnation.As TedConover writes in the epilogue to hisbook,The Routes of Man, “So essential apart of the human endeavor are roads thatroad- and driving-related metaphorspermeate our language”.

But it isn’t only in language andsymbolic representation that roadspervade human life. They are also someof the most visible physical markers ofdevelopment. They mark the distinctionbetween civilization and backwardness.That is why both advanced industrializedsocieties and Third World countries—andsocieties in between— invoke roads asbarometers of development, as themeasure of progress, and as the compassto locate prudence and waste ingovernmental spending.

For instance, during America’s 2008presidential election, “roads” were aprominent, ever-present theme. SarahPalin, former Alaska governor andRepublican vice presidential nominee,was roundly pilloried in the news mediafor her ill-reputed “road to nowhere.”According to the Los Angeles Times, SarahPalin, as governor of the state of Alaska,wasted state resources to construct a 3.2-mile-long, partially paved “road tonowhere” that starts from a “smallinternational airport on Gravina Island,home to 50 people, ending in a cul-de-sacclose to a beach…. But no one knows whenanyone will need to drive it. That’sbecause the $26-million road wasdesigned to connect to the $398-millionGravina Island Bridge, more infamouslyknown as the ‘bridge to nowhere.”

So roads are central and crucialingredients of the development of anysociety. While America’s Sarah Palin builtroads to nowhere (and deservedly gotridiculed for it), Governor IbrahimGaidam of Yobe State appears to bebuilding roads to ‘everywhere’ in his effortto open up the state. From the outsidelooking in, I get a sense that roadconstruction is a signature policy of theGaidam administration. In the past fewyears, the governor has opened uphitherto landlocked communities andlinked many remote villages and townsto the outside world with well-paved roadsthroughout his state.

I learned that in the space of only a fewyears, over 700 kilometers of roads havebeen built by the Gaidam administration.That’s an admirable record by anystandard. Representative samples of theroads that have been built by GovernorGaidam are the 109 Kaliyari-Bayamari-Gaidam Road and the 32 kilometerGaidam-Bukarti Road. Reconstruction ofthe 150-kilometer Potiskum-Jakusko-Garn Alkali road is currentlyongoing.The government has alsocompleted the Bularafa-Gulani Bridge,the Gadaka-Maiduwa road, and builtscores of rural roads that are designed to

By Ahmad Jinjiri

open up rural areas and link agriculturalcommunities with the “outside world.”The completion of roads such as thoselinking Ngelzarma and Mashio andNgelzarma and Ngenshegele have boostedagricultural production andtremendously enhanced intra-statemobility, especially in Yobe’s far-flungcountryside.

Similarly, all major towns in the state,including Damaturu, Gaidam, Potiskum,Gashu’a and Nguru, have been providedwith brand new qualitative townshiproads and drainages that can competewith the best anywhere in the world.

The Gaidam administration has, inaddition, given approval for theconstruction of roads in housing estatesin Damaturu. These estates were built byprevious administrations. However, theywere not equipped with befitting internalroad networks. The government seeks tocorrect that with a N500 millionallocation, which will be spent throughthe Ministry of Works for the constructionof estate roads in Ben Kalio, Dabo Aliyu, 3bedroom Maiduguri Road, State Low Cost,Waziri Ibrahim, and Shagari Low CostHousing estates. Furthermore, thegovernment has also built new roadswithin the newly completed 200-bedcapacity hospital in Damaturu stretchingover 2 kilometers.

Also, the state executive council hasapproved the construction of 8.7Km roadwith 17.4Km of drainage at the newlyconstructed 300 housing estate alongGujba – Maiduguri ring road inDamaturu. This is a new housing estatebuilt by Governor Gaidam. The governorwants the roads built before the housesare allocated to beneficiaries.

There are several other roadconstruction projects that space will notallow me to list here. But it is clear that ifthe governor keeps his current pace ofroad construction, Yobe State will becomeone of the most physically connected

states in the country.For instance, for a long time, the

northern swathe of Yobe had remainedwithout good roads. It had, as a result,remained disaffiliated from the rest of thestate. The Gaidam administration ischanging that. The government isbuilding what has been dubbed the TransSaharan Road network. It is a hugeexpanse of road that stretches over 300kilometers from Kanamma to Machina.Work has already started on the project,and the first phase will cover Kanammato Kafiya towns, which amounts to nearly80 kilometers of road. When this iscompleted, the geographic and socialisolation of northern Yobe will becomehistory. This is good both for intra-stateintegration and for the overall economicvitality of the entire state.

But what is even more heartening thanwhat I’ve just listed here is that this yearis going witness even more road

constructions and infrastructural uplift,if the state’s 2013 budget is any guide. Apublic policy analyst, who is also a Yobeindigene, analyzed Yobe State’s 2013budget in recent newspaper articles andhad this to say about roads: “Many newroads will be built and many old roadswill be rebuilt. In the governor’s budgetspeech, for instance, he said he wouldconstruct new township roads at severallocal government headquarters.”

The writer’s analysis has basis in facts.In the budget speech, which I just got holdof a couple of days ago, Governor Gaidamsaid his priorities for 2013 “include theconstruction of Township Roads at Dapchi,Babbangida, Jaji-Maji, Jakusko and Buni-Yadi, while the construction of EstateRoads in the Housing Estates will alsocommence in the 2013 fiscal year. Inorder to demonstrate our commitmenttowards the realization of this objective,the sum of N3 billion will be expended bythe State Government on the executionof these projects in the new financialyear.”

Other road-related highlights of the2013 budget speech are that scores oftownship roads will be built in Nguru, andpriority attention will be devoted towardthe completion of the Potiskum-Danchuwa-Garin Abba Road, theKanamma-Kafiya Road, the Gashua-Yusufari Road, and the Bulafara-JibulwaRoad. Similarly, the governor disclosedthat the government will award contractfor the construction of Gashua-Dumburi-Dadigar Road, Daya-Fadawa Road, andDamaturu-Sasawa road. This is inaddition to others such as the Bularafa-Gulani Road, the Girgir-Karage-BukartiRoad, the Juma’a-Maganna Road, theFika-Maluri Road, the Garin Alkali-GwioKura-Lafiya-Buduwa Road, and theKarege-Dawayo spur road that will alsofeature in the current fiscal year.

In the budget speech the governor alsorevealed that the government wouldconstruct a road that will connectGodowoli to Gadaka, Gujba to Ngalda, andthe Nangere, Kayeri, BornoKichi road.Similarly the Kaliyari Bridge will berehabilitated.

The Yobe public policy analyst I quotedearlier said of these various road projects:“When all this is done, it is obvious thatthere will be a huge boost in the economicactivities in these areas. The multipliereffects of such a boost can only beimagined.” He is right.

If roads are indeed a marker of physicaland civilizational progress (and they are),Yobe is surely on the path to greatness.One of the metaphoric imports of roads isthat roads afford us the latitude to standat a place and gaze into a wide vista ofpreviously unseen views. It is safe to saythat Governor Gaidam’s aggressive pushto open up his state through roadconstruction is sure to literally expose thestate to a wide panorama ofdevelopmental possibilities never seen orthought of before.

Jinjiri writes from Bra-Bra Estate,Gashu’a-Maiduguri bye-passroad,Damaturu Yobe State. He can bereached atdanjijiri2020@gmail.com

Yobe State GovernorIBRAHIM GAIDAM

“The Gaidam administration has,in addition, given approval forthe construction of roads inhousing estates in Damaturu.These estates were built byprevious administrations.However, they were notequipped with befitting internalroad networks. The governmentseeks to correct that with a N500million allocation, which will bespent through the Ministry ofWorks for the construction ofestate roads in Ben Kalio, DaboAliyu, 3 bedroom MaiduguriRoad, State Low Cost, WaziriIbrahim, and Shagari Low CostHousing estates

PAGE 19PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Management Tip of the DayReach an agreement by seeing it their way

INSIDE

Compromise gets a bad rap,but it’s an essentialleadership skill. And you

can’t do it effectively withoutunderstanding the other side’spoint of view. Don’t let your egoprevent you from seeing themerits of their case. Instead, askopen-ended questions to

Dangote reopensGboko Cement

Plant, to operate athalf capacity

- Pg 21

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk Mob: 08033644990

BBBBBUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESS

stimulate conversation. Try“Why do you feel that way?” or“How can we do it better?” or“Help me understand the issuemore clearly.” If talking doesn’twork, experience the otherindividual’s perspectivefirsthand. For example, visityour colleague’s office to

understand the forces and peoplethat are shaping her point ofview. Meet with her boss. If youstill run into roadblocks,maintain respect. This lays thefoundation for mutual trust,which makes compromise — nowor later — much easier.Source: Harvard BusinessReview

L-R: Director-General of SMEDAN, Alhaji Umar Mohammed, with Director-General Small and MediumIndustries Directorate of Indonesia, Mrs Euis Saedah, exchanging MoU document on TechnicalCooperation for Development of MSME in Nigeria, on Saturday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

The Chairman,Manufacturers Associationof Nigeria, lkeja branch, Mr.

lsaac Agoye, at the weekend, urgedthe Federal Government to adoptproactive measures that wouldspeed up the nation’sindustrialisation efforts.

Agoye gave the advise in Lagoson Saturday in an interview withthe News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said the government neededto provide an enabling environmentfor businesses to grow so as toencourage indigenousmanufacturers and foreigninvestors to establish industries.

He said that power generationwas one of the challenges being facedby the indigenous industries andappealed to the FederalGovernment to solve theinadequate electricity supply to thecitizens.

‘’The problem of epileptic powersupply in the country is reallyaffecting the developmental processof the nation’s economic growth, inwhich many industrial companiesare exiting the country as a result.

‘’For meaningful developmentto be achieved, electricity must begiven urgent attention to createemployment opportunities in the

country,’’ he said.Agoye remarked that some

government actions also hinderrapid growth of industrialisation,and cited inconsistencies ingovernment policies as adisincentive to industrial growth.

He said that the governmentneeded to make favourable policiesthat would make industries tothrive, adding that this wouldimpact positively on the economy.

Agoye said that manycompanies had folded up because ofsome government’s policies thathad increased the rate ofunemployment in the country.

‘’The sacking of people by thegovernment and indigenouscompanies were counter-productive and waste of humanresources to the economy,’’ he said.(NAN)

MAN boss urges FG to speedup industrialisation efforts

Nigerians living abroad,who remitted $21 billion(N3.36 trillion) home last

year, rank among citizens of thetop five countries that remittedabout $530 billion to theircountries in 2012, showing atremendous increase from theprevious year.

In the latest ranking by theWorld Bank, India led the pack,followed by China, Philippines,Mexico and Nigeria in the fifthposition.

Figures show that India andChina received $60 billion fromtheir citizens abroad, Philippines($24 billion), Mexico ($24billion), and Nigeria ($21 billion).Others who also joined the top 10include Egypt, the sixth largest,with about $18 billion remittancelast year, indicating anastronomical surge from $9billion in 2008. It is believed thatthe surge is perhaps driven byincreased support by migrants totheir families in the face ofpolitical uncertainty or savingsbrought by returning migrants.

The remittances of $530billion last year by the migrantsoutstripped the World Bank’sprojection for the period, whichwere expected to reach $406billion in 2012, a growth of 6.5per cent over the previous year.

These flows are expected to rise to8 per cent in 2013 and 10 per centin 2014 to reach $534 billion in2015.

Analysts believed the rise inremittances from Nigerians in theDiaspora is being done to enablethem subscribe to a Diaspora bondbeing planned by the Ministry ofFinance. Coordinating Minister for

Nigerians in Diasporaremitted N3.36tr home in 2012

the Economy and Minister ofFinance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,in September 2011, hadannounced in Washington theplans by the Federal Governmentto issue the Diaspora bond in a bidto secure alternative means offunding critical infrastructuralprojects in Nigeria.

A Diaspora bond is a debt

instrument issued by a countryor a private corporation to raisefinancing from its citizens inforeign countries.

However, the remittancescome at a high cost to migrantsfrom sub-Saharan Africa, whichthe World Bank identified as themost expensive region to sendremittance to, with a transfer

costing in the third quarter of2012 about 12.4 per cent of theamount transferred. This isalmost twice the correspondingfigure of 6.5 per cent for SouthAsia.

According to the World Bank,the new figures for 2012 nowsurpassed the internationalcommunity global aid fordevelopment, poverty reduction,healthcare and other strategicsectors.

According to the World Bank,over 215 million people, about 3per cent of the world’s population,live outside their countries ofbirth. Remittances by them areconsidered three times the size ofofficial development assistanceand provide an important lifelinefor millions of poor households intheir countries.

Crude oil prices are nearingthe pain threshold forconsuming nations, with

the price of Brent, the globalbenchmark, rising above $115a barrel on Wednesday for thefirst time since mid-October.

ICE March Brent yesterdayclimbed almost 1 per cent to ahigh of $115.24, beforeretreating to $114.59 shortlybefore 5pm in late afternoonLondon trading.

The global benchmark hasnow climbed 3 per cent thisyear, as sentiment towards theglobal economy has improvedmarkedly. Wednesday rallycame despite data showing theUS economy shrank 0.1 per centat an annualised rate in thefourth quarter of 2012.

Analysts warned thatfurther rises in the Brent pricecould threaten the fragile globaleconomic recovery.

Analysts said they expectedany rise to more than $120 tobe short-lived, with producingcountries acting to increasesupply.

“Saudi Arabia has shown itsintention to keep price volatilitylow and we expect the kingdomto respond quickly to changes inthe market,” Ms Sen said.

The discount on Brent fordelivery in April compared withMarch has widened from 68cents in mid-January to morethan $1, a sign of a shortage ofcrude oil for purchase.(Bloomberg)

Brent rise posesthreat to fragilerecovery

By Aminu Imam

First Bank of Nigeria hasonce again been named themost valuable banking

brand in Nigeria by the world’sleading independent brandvaluation consultancy firm,Brand Finance Plc.

Three Nigerian bankingbrands made the top 500 andtheir combined brand value hasincreased by 18% since 2012.

The Banker / BrandFinanceBanking 500 is an annual studyconducted by Brand Finance Plc,the world’s leading brandvaluation consultancy andpublished in the The Bankermagazine. The world’s biggestbanks are ranked by their brandvalue, with the results reflectingindustry trends and indicatingfuture developments.

Following a tumultuous yearfor the Nigerian economy in2012, three Nigerian bankingbrands feature in the report.After losing almost US$0.33billion between 2011 and 2012,First Bank of Nigeria andGuaranty Trust Bank haveincreased their brand values bya combined US$0.63 billion.

Through a series ofinnovative strategies such ascomplementing its largenetwork of branches with “mini-branches”, First Bank of Nigeriahas a strong 2012. It has alsolaunched “The PremiumLounge”, a preferred bankingservice to attract more affluent,higher-margin customers. Thesestrategies appear to be anattempt to counter the threat ofmobile banking in the region,which is gaining significantmarket share in a highly cashbased economy.

‘First Bank remainsNigeria’s mostvaluable bankingbrand’By Aminu Imam

PAGE 20 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Aggressive central bank interventionmay lead to burst – SanusiAggressive intervention

and monetary easing byglobal central banks may

lead to another financial crises inthe medium term, Central Bankof Nigeria (CBN)’s governor,Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said.

Sanusi was speaking in aninterview last week on thesidelines of the World EconomicForum’s annual meeting inDavos, Switzerland.

“I hold the view that you cannever print your way out of arecession and the idea that byexpanding its balance sheetindefinitely the central bank cancontinue in the long to mediumterm create growth is anillusion,” Sanusi said.

“I have a very strongpremonition and think that in a

COMPANYNEWS

few years from now we are goingto see the impact of that inanother boom bust scenario.”

The US Federal Reserve, theEuropean Central Bank (ECB),and the Bank of Japan, have inrecent times embarked onunlimited Quantitative Easing,leading to fears of currencywars.

According to Sanusi,monetary policy is by its natureshould be short term as, itprovides stability and buys timefor governments to fix things.

“I am not really an advocateof austerity, but what I thinkgovernments need to do is look atthe quality of spending not somuch the amount and seewhether Government spendinggoes into areas that promotecompetitiveness andproductivity, or areas that

Interswitch/Mastercard

Nigerian shoppers whomake cashless

purchasesat merchant locations

with Verve Card andMasterCard at designatedshopping outlets that areReward Money enabled, orthrough a point of sale (PoS)are to get instant rewards.

This is based on themerchant’s pre-agreeddiscount to customers, and isinstantly converted tospendable money on thecustomer’s card. It is anautomated process andrequires little effort from themerchant.

This cashless initiative,which requires little effortfrom the merchant is a robustloyalty platform capable ofbuilding profitable customerrelationships for competitive

edge.

LufthansaairlinesThe year 2012 saw all the

airlines in the LufthansaGroup significantly

improve utilisation throughmore effective and moreflexible capacitymanagement, as the groupairlifted over 2.5 millionpassengers.

The airlines in the groupare Lufthansa Germanairlines, Germanwings,SWISS and Austrian Airlines.According to Akeem Jimo, theLufthansa German airline’sspokesman in Lagos, ‘thegroup carried around 2.5million more passengers thanin the earlier year’.

In total, all the airlinescarried 2.4 per cent morepassengers in the January toDecember term, than in theprevious year.

TransCorp/General Electric

TransnationalCorporation of Nigeriaon Thursday said it had

signed an agreement withGeneral Electric (GE) of theU.S. to revamp the power andtransportation sectors in thecountry. It said that theagreement was signed inMarch, 2012.

Transcorp, in a notice tothe Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE), said that bothcompanies would facilitatethe generation of 10,000mega watts of electricity inthe next 10 years.

According to the notice,the firms will refurbish andexpand the Ughelli PowerPlant in Delta and modernisethe transport sector,especially in the rail system.

By Abdulwahab Isa

Inflation rates from Jan, 2012 to Dec, 2012Max = 12.9 %, Min = 11.3 % for period in display.Current Inflation rate = 12 % Source:CBN

First City Monument Bank(FCMB) Plc has introduceda free range of Naira Visa

cards to its customers.The FCMB Visa Cards, which

are available in debit, creditand prepaid variants, areEuropay, MasterCard and Visa(EMV) compliant and comewith enhanced security featuresin line with global card industrystandard chip technology.

Speaking at the introductionof the cards, FCMB’s DivisionalHead, Retail Banking, ShibaGhosh said, “We are excited tointroduce these internationallyacceptable VISA Nairadenominated cards which comein three variants and provideour customers the convenienceto transact anywhere in theworld”.

Cardholders stand to enjoyvarious benefits such asdiscounts on purchases atcertain merchant locations,secure online functionality

with Verified by Visa, which isa second level authenticationservice that reduces the risk ofmaking online transactions.

The cards can be usedworldwide on Point of Saleterminals, over one millionATMs and 29 millionmerchant locations, thusfulfilling cardholders’

electronic payment,purchasing and withdrawalneeds.

The bank is partnering VisaCards, an electronic paymentagency for the initiative and,according to Shiba, “We aredelighted to be partnering withVisa, which is a globallyacknowledged brand in

FCMB provides customersconvenience, offers free Naira cardsFrom Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos electronic payment systems. At

FCMB, we believe that it is theextras we do for our customerstoday that they remembertomorrow. We are alwayseager to give our customers ourvery best. We listen and respondto our customers in line withour priority to be simple andbetter for our customers.”

Prof. Timothy Nubi of theUniversity of Lagos, at theweekend, has urged the

National Pension Commission(PENCOM) to review itsguidelines, which hinderedaccess to pension funds for realestate development.

Nubi, a professor of Housingand Urban Regeneration, madethe call in an interview with theNews Agency of Nigeria (NAN)in Lagos.

He stressed that the PensionAct 2004 made provision forthe investment of 40 per cent ofthe pension funds in real estate.

“However, this cannot be

because PENCOM has a clausein its guidelines for accessingpension funds; the clausestipulates that the 40 per centof the funds could only beaccessed through the RealEstate Investment Trust Fund(REIT).

“Currently, there is no REITin the country and the processesof having one are cumbersome.It involves a review of capitalmarket rules and regulations,”he said.

Nubi stressed that as far asthe clause remains, nobodycould have access to pensionfunds for real estate

development.“This is a pity as the funds

have accumulated to over N2.4trillion as at the end ofDecember, 2012,’’ he added.

The professor said thatpension funds had played a majorrole in boosting and increasinghousing stocks in developed anddeveloping economies, whichhad been able to find solutionsto their housing problems.

Nubi reiterated that theclause in PENCOM guidelinesshould be reviewed so as tostimulate real estatedevelopment in the country.(NAN)

Don calls for review of PENCOM guidelines

The Naira yesterdayappreciated by 0.2 kobo or0.12 percent against the US

dollar at interbank marketclosing at N157.20/$ as againstN157.40/$ on Wednesday, datafrom Financial Markets DealersAssociation (FMDA) hasindicated.

Dealers attributed theimprovement on inflow of $69million sales from Mobil whichtry to cushion the demand fordollar.

Meanwhile, the localcurrency remained stable at theofficial, Bureau De Change and

parallel markets closing atN155.74/$, N158.5000/$, andN159.0000/$, respectively.

The Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) on Wednesday offered andsold $120 million to 13 DepositMoney Banks (DMBs) at the rateof N155.74/$.

On the other hand, liquidityimproved yesterday as theNigeria Interbank Offered Rates(NIBOR), ranging from midnightcall to 365 days tenor went downby 15.61 percent.

Financial dealers had earlierpredicted that rates are wouldmoderate on the back of Treasurybills repayment on ThursdayJanuary 31, 2013.

Naira strengthens against USdollar on $69m sale from MobilBy Abdulwahab Isa

promote consumption,” he said.Nigeria’s bond markets have

in recent times attracted fundsfrom investors which analystssay is partially due to thequantitative easing and cheapmoney coming from Bernankeand other Central Bank headsflooding the world with excessdollars.

The inclusion of NigerianBonds in the JP Morgan emergingmarkets index, helped to lure$1.5 billion into the country orabout 0.56 percent of year end(YE) 2012 Gross DomesticProduct (GDP). The total amountof offshore funds in the economyis less than 20 percent of dollarreserves according to Sanusi.

“It is something that if itcontinues for too long that will bea source of concern, but at themoment it is not,” Sanusi said.Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

PAGE 21PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

INVESTORSNEWS BITSStocks record +2.62% gain in week

Activities on the Nigerianbourse remain active asthe stocks continued to

experience impressive bargainhunting on the back of sustainedcommitments while investorsremain optimistic throughoutthe week despite bearish start toextend the 4weekly gains withstrong market breadth.

Stocks experienced increasedmarket volatility on Monday,dipping by -0.34% to open theweek on negative note asspeculators scrambled for earlyprofits. However, the keybenchmark indices erasedprevious losses on Tuesday asmarket closed with moderategains by +0.31% on the back of

renewed optimism.Furthermore, market

sustained the rally as the keybenchmark indices climbedfurther on Wednesday andThursday by +0.77% and+0.12% respectively on the backof growing commitments.

Subsequently, equitiessustained healthy breadth onFriday as market traded abovethe line despite increasedvolatility to end the week withaggregate gain of +2.62%.

Further analysis onacquiring banks sincetransaction date showed thatthe share price of Access Bank Plchas recorded +130.71% gains

Flour Mills ofNigeriaFlour Mills of Nigeria

reported a 2% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in 9

month revenues toN205.5billion though FQ3 13revenues were 9% lower thanthe corresponding period in FY12 indicating someunderlying weakness fromdeceleration over theseasonally strong period.

2012 performancecontrasts with growthpatterns in previous years andthough the company has yetto provide segmentalbreakdown, a relativelyrobust food business infinancial H1 and quarterlygrowth pattern does suggestits cement business probablycontributed to weaker FQ3revenues in response to theimpact of the FGN restrictionson cement importation.

The company had reportedstockpiling products that weresold through FQ2 13 and thesewere likely exhausted in FQ3which falls in at the start ofthe dry season whenconstruction work typicallypicks up. Incidentally FMNLexpects to cease reporting on

this segment from FY 14.

NewGoldExchange TradedFund

The N12 gain recorded byNewGold ExchangeTraded Fund (ETF)

placed it ahead of othersecurities in the gainers listafter yesterday’s trading atthe Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE).

NewGold ETF rose from N2,547 to N2, 559, followed byFlour Mill which rallied fromN85.05 to N89.90, after itgained N4.85.

The bourse closed furtherhigh by 0.12 percentevidenced in the movement ofthe benchmark performanceindicators –the NSE All ShareIndex (ASI) and marketcapitalisation.

SamsungCorporation

Consumer electronicsmanufacturer, SamsungCorporation, is keenly

considering establishing amobile phone manufacturingplant in Nigeria in no distanttime.

The Managing Director ofSamsung Electronics, WestAfrica, Brovo Kim, who madethis known on Thursday, saidthe sheer size of the Nigerianmarket was enough incentivefor any foreign handset makerto set up a phone factory, butadded that there were criticaldrawbacks hindering suchmoves.

Stories from Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

with FCMB recording +28.97%gain while Union Bank Plc leadsthe chart with +301.91% gains.Also, Sterling Bank Plc recorded+124.41 gains and ETI closedpositive with 11.40% gainrecorded.

However, the All-ShareIndex (ASI) in the week underreview appreciated by +2.62%to close at 32,411.86 as againstappreciation by +2.12%recorded last week to close at31,583.49.

In the same vein, the marketcapitalization in the weekappreciated by N267.43 billion(US$1.67 billion) to close atN10.37 trillion (US$64.81

billion) as against appreciationby N209.93 billion(US$1.37billion) recorded lastweek to close at N10.10 trillion(US$66.03 billion)

The total volume traded inthe week closed at 2.82 billionunits valued at N22.19 billion(US$125.51 million) comparedwith 2.61 billion units valued atN19.51 billion (US$135.22million) exchanged in 27,186deals last week.

The volume transaction inthe week when compared withthe previous week data movedup by +8.10% as againstdowntrend by -19.85% recordedlast week. Weekly value alsowent up by +15.87% as againstnegative position of -11.28%recorded last week.

…YTD stands at 15.43%

L-R:LazarusAngbazo -President and CEOGE Nigeria, JayIreland – Presidentand CEO GEAfrica, Jeff Immelt– Global Chairmanand CEO GE, AlikoDangote –President DangoteGroup at a meetingin Lagos where astrategicagreement wassigned betweenDangote Groupand GeneralElectric

Dangote reopens Gboko CementPlant, to operate at half capacity

Management of DangoteCement Plc hasannounced the

reopening of its Gboko CementPlant in Benue State.

The factory which is tooperate at half capacity wasclosed down last year as a resultof the glut in the domesticcement market.

The decision to reopen theplant was reachedimmediately after a meetingbetween President GoodluckJonathan and the Chairman ofDangote Cement Alhaji Aliko

Dangote in Abuja yesterday.Giving reasons for the

reopening, a source fromDangote Cement said, “Sincethe shutdown of the GbokoCement Plant, Government hasbeen engaging local cementmanufacturers in discussions,trying to find solutions to thechallenges facing the industry.

According to the source,Aliko Dangote was in an upbeatmood after the meeting with thepresident and in appreciation ofthe President’s concern andwillingness to intervene; hegave immediate directives torestart operations at the GbokoPlant.

When contacted, Group

Head, CorporateCommunications, DangoteGroup, Tony Chiejinaconfirmed the reopening andsaid, “We are confident that inthe days ahead, we will seepositive developments andactions that will addressproblems of local cementmanufacturers in Nigeria.”

The National Council of theNigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) on Thursday said

that it has co-opted foureminent Nigerians into themembership of the Council.The announcement was madeat the end of the Councilmeeting held in Lagos. Thisbrings the number of Councilmembers to thirteen (13).

According to the Secretaryto the Council and Head, Legaland Regulation Division of TheExchange, Ms. Tinuade Awe,the four persons are GroupManaging Director, AccessBank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; Managing

Director, Shell Nig. ClosedPension Fund AdministratorLtd. Mrs. Yemisi Ayeni; Mr.Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN,Partner, Dikko and Mahmoudand Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo,Partner, Chris Ogunbanjo &Co., Barristers and Solicitors.

Ms. Awe noted that theManagement of The Exchangeis very pleased to have themjoin the Council and bringtheir wealth of experience tobear on The Exchange. “Welook forward to working withthem and other Councilmembers to further TheExchange’s transformationagenda”.

Four eminent Nigerians join theNational Council of the NSE

First Securities DiscountHouse (FSDH) Researchhas given ‘Buy’ rating for

Oando rights issue.On December 20, 2012,

Oando announced that itssubsidiary Oando EnergyResources entered intoagreements with ConocoPhillipsto acquire its entire businessinterests in Nigeria for a totalcash consideration of US$1.79bnplus customary adjustments.The deal is stated to be finalizedaround March 2013. This is partof the company’s strategic move

to enter into the high profitmargin upstream oil industry inNigeria.

The current market value ofOando share is N14.40 while theRights Issue price is N12.00.This means that the Rights wereoffered to shareholders at adiscount to the market pricewhile the market price is alsotrading at a discount to a fairvalue. On the basis of this, FSDHrecommend that existingshareholders take up their rightsor trade it on the floors of the NSEand JSE.

FSDH Research gives‘Buy’ rating for Oando

rights issue

PAGE 22 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Africa: Continent’s twinpoles on different trajectoriesSub-Saharan Africa's voice

on the global stage hasbeen strongest in the past

decade and a half when its twomost powerful players haveworked together.

When Thabo Mbeki andOlusegun Obasanjo were headsof state in South Africa andNigeria, respectively, this wasoften the case. The two menhad a shared history datingback to when Gen Obasanjo wasmilitary head of state in thelate 1970s and Nigeriasupported Mr Mbeki and otherAfrican National Congressexiles from apartheid SouthAfrica.

In different ways the gruff,former general, elected ascivilian leader in 1999, and theprickly intellectual, whosucceeded Nelson Mandela ashead of state the same year, hadclout and influence across theglobe. Controversial as theyboth were at home, whenaddressing African crises ormapping out a morecollaborative approach to thecontinent's economic future,they could be an effective duo.

The same cannot be said ofPresident Goodluck Jonathanin Nigeria and his counterpartJacob Zuma in South Africa,both of whom have beenstruggling with domestic crisesin the past year - fuel subsidyprotests and an Islamistinsurgency in Nigeria, andindustrial unrest and socialtension in South Africa.

These days, Africa'sstrongest poles have oftenfound themselves apart incontinental disputes. They aremore often rivals than allies inprojecting an Africanviewpoint, in advocating apermanent African seat on theUnited Nations SecurityCouncil, and have takenpositions that have split thecontinent in recentconflagrations, such as in IvoryCoast and Libya.

At one recent African Unionsummit, Nigerian and SouthAfrican delegates standingoutside a trilateral meeting atwhich Mr Jonathan and MrZuma were at odds nearly cameto blows.

Yet the two countries havemuch to offer each other, asNigeria's economy continues totake off on the back of soaringworld oil prices - and anexpansion of services andagriculture - while SouthAfrica struggles with risingunemployment, decreasingcompetitiveness and industrialunrest.

South African businesses,from MTN, the continent'sleading telecoms company, tosmaller tech companies,retailers such as Shoprite, andbanks such as Standard Bank,

have all won an importantfoothold in the continent's mostpopulous nation as they seek -as do other foreign investors -to tap into the faster growth offrontier markets as the rest ofthe world slows down.

Nigeria's economictrajectory has meanwhilebegun to threaten SouthAfrica's pre-eminent position,although South Africa'sphysical and financialinfrastructure is still far moredeveloped.

Economists and investmentbanks forecast that, for all itsendemic corruption, structural

shortcomings andinfrastructure deficits, ifNigeria's economy continues togrow at 6 per cent or more it isonly a matter of years beforeits $255bn economy overtakesSouth Africa's $400bn as thecontinent's largest.

Forecast by the IMF to growat 6.3 per cent again this year,Nigeria could begin to gallopfaster if continuing reformsdesigned to liberalise the powersector deliver on one chronicimpediment to a more dynamicbusiness environment -electricity shortages.

Partly as a result of

optimism over power reform -and the prospect ultimately ofthis unleashing Nigeria'sindustrial potential - Standard& Poor's, the rating agency,upgraded the country inNovember. The upgrade stillleaves the sovereign ratingthree notches belowinvestment grade and far belowSouth Africa.

But as the finance ministerand co-ordinator of economicpolicy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealanoted, it is in the rightdirection, at a time when manycountries are heading the otherw a y .

That said, compared toSouth Africa, Nigeria is comingfrom far behind. It ranked178th out of 185 economies, forexample, for access toelectricity for new businesses inthe World Bank's latest DoingBusiness report. More than halfof the 160m population has noaccess to the power grid, theBank found.

A decade ago, SouthAfricans used to quip thatNigeria produced 2,000megawatts with 40,000employees at NEPA, thedysfunctional and defunct stateelectricity company. SouthAfrica's Eskom meanwhileproduced 40,000MW with10,000 employees.

But there is less of thatbrash talk from South Africansthese days. In South Africa,meanwhile, after some of themost turbulent months in thecountry's post-apartheidhistory, all three main creditrating agencies have recentlydowngraded the country.

At odds: Goodluck Jonathan (left) and Jacob Zuma

Mr Zuma, in an interviewlast week, cast blame for thecountry's economic woes andsocial disturbances on theglobal economic crisis andlegacies of apartheid.

"There's a certainty that theANC is going to be ingovernment, the ANC haspolicies that are very certainand are very clear," he told theFT. "As an investor those arethe things I would look at, Iwould not look at what peoplesay."

But such talk has notprevented some investors fromtaking fright. As one London-based private equity managerputs it, if South Africa starts topresent emerging market risksfor developing world returns,its relatively mature economyis not an especially compellingprospect.

The case for fund managersto leapfrog into potentially morelucrative African markets, suchas Nigeria, becomes stronger.

Not that the government inAbuja can in any way claim tobe out of the woods. Both of thecontinent's biggest economiesface a conundrum in tacklingwidespread unemployment,failing education systems, andsocial tensions associated withinequality.

And while Nigeria's growthlooks more impressive on paper,the majority of Nigerians, likeSouth Africans, have yet toexperience real improvementsin their livelihoods and in bothcountries public patience withthe status quo is wearing thin. (Source: Financial Times)

A decade ago, South Africansused to quip that Nigeria

produced 2,000 megawattswith 40,000 employees at

NEPA, the dysfunctional anddefunct state electricity

company. South Africa’sEskom meanwhile produced

40,000MW with 10,000employees.

“

PAGE 24 PAGE 25PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Nigeria: Workers dismantle rotting airplanes in'graveyards' in a country with history of crashesLanding in Nigeria’s

largest city, one of thefirst thing visitors see

as they peer out of theirairplane’s windows is themoss-covered metalcarcasses of what used tofly in Africa’s mostpopulous nation.

Workers at MurtalaMuhammed InternationalAirport in Lagos call it “thegraveyard,” an overgrownfield filled with about adozen cargo and passengerairplanes long sinceabandoned and left to rotby insolvent airlines. Atleast 65 abandonedairplanes, ranging fromsmall commuter jets to onemassive Boeing 747, sit atairfields across thecountry and serve as ahaunting reminder ofNigeria’s chaotic anddisaster-filled aviationhistory.

Now, however, workershave begun dismantling theplanes as part of agovernment plan toremake Nigeria’s aviationindustry. While some thefederal government’s plansseem aspirational at best,the modest goal of simplyremoving the derelictaircraft represents at leasta change in a nation wherecorruption often ensures

things remain exactly thescrambled way they are.

Nigerians “need to fly,”said Henry Omeogu,director of airport

operations at the FederalAirports Authority ofNigeria. “They need to flyand feel safe in theirairplanes.”

Not many Nigerianshave felt safe flying sinceJune 3, when a Dana Airpassenger jet had both ofits engines fail and crashedjust north of the Lagosairport, killing 163 people.The crash came after aseries of other majorcrashes in the country,where airlines often haveshaky financing and rely onaged aircraft.

The graveyard atMurtala Muhammed, at thefar north end of the runwaywhere planes come in, iswhere the derelict planesserve as tombstones forthose failed airlines. Anairline called Space Worldhas two aircraft there —Hallelujah 1 and Hallelujah2. Bellview Airlines has twoplanes there, left after thecarrier collapsed followingan October 2005 crash thatkilled 117 people.

Planes sit at airportsacross the country, partlydue to local regulationsallowing airlines to parktheir planes for free at anyairport they declare astheir base of operations,Omeogu said. Somecompanies becameinsolvent and left planesstill loaded with first-classchina service and large

briefcases for captainscontaining flight manuals.

Other aircraft sit parkedon the apron nearby,including one for AirNigeria, which collapsedlast year amid allegationsthat owner Jimoh Ibrahimhadn’t paid staff for at leastfour months, despitereceiving millions ofdollars from a governmentbailout fund. An airplanefrom Ibrahim’s NiconAirways, which collapsedafter one year ofoperations in 2007, sits inthe graveyard as well.

For years, the planessat, partly out of the inertiathat often gripsgovernment in Nigeria, anoil-rich nation earningbillions that has an ailingstate-run power companythat can’t provide reliablesupplies of electricity forthe nation’s more than 160million people. But in thelast few weeks, governmentofficials decided the planesmust go, partly out ofsecurity concerns as aradical Islamist sectcontinues to launchbloody attacks in thecountry.

Officials decided to offerthe planes free to thosewho applied for them. OnThursday, workers usedhammers and saws to tearapart fuselages as landingaircraft roared overhead.Seats rose up in the tallgrass, as oxygen masks andpaperwork littered theground. Most of the planesappear to be heading toscrapyards.

The removal of theplanes come as Nigeria’sfederal government isremodeling terminals,some of which haven’t seenmuch work in as many as

A worker dismantles an abandoned aircraft at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013. Nigerian aviation officials have begun trying to dismantleand remove the hulks of abandoned airplanes from airports around the country. Officials say there are least 65 abandoned planes at the country's airports, with at least 13 at Lagos'international airport. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

Murtala Mohammed International Airport, LagosCrashed Dana plan

Aviation Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah

50 years. The governmentalso has announced plans tobuy planes and begin itsown national carrier.However, corruptionallegations still lurk. In

September, Nigeria’slargest carrier, Arik Air,halted its domestic flightsand alleged that AviationMinister Stella Oduah hada financial interest inseeing their business fail.Oduah denied the claimsthrough a spokesman andthe airline began flyingagain days later.

Omeogu, director ofairport operations who isa pilot himself, told TheAssociated Press onThursday that thegovernment’s plans wouldaid an industry that needsboth a safety and apsychological boost.

“When you fly an ‘oldmama,’ an old aircraft,and you run intoproblems, maybe weatheror anything, you’reconfident about yourself,

but when you have to worryabout the aircraft you’reusing, that’s doublejeopardy,” he said.

So, for now, thehammers continue to hitthe steel fuselages of theplanes, some alreadyopened up like tin cans.Omeogu hopes theairplanes at Lagos will becleared in several weeksand workers will move ontothe nation’s other airfields.

However, cynicismabout Nigeria lurked evenon the remains of anabandoned Douglas DC-8cargo plane. Someonewrote the following into thedirt coating a moss-coveredlanding gear: “The cat isdead. The world is good fora rat.”

( S o u r c e :Canada.com)

“When you fly an ‘old mama,’ anold aircraft, and you run intoproblems, maybe weather or

anything, you’re confident aboutyourself, but when you have toworry about the aircraft you’reusing, that’s double jeopardy

PAGE 26 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

The hypocrisy of yesterday’s men

individuals to hold this country toransom and no one alone shouldappropriate the right to determinewhat is best for Nigeria. Theaccidental public servants whohave turned that privilege into alife-long obsession and professionmust be told to go get a life andfind meaningful work to do.

Those who believe that no oneelse can run Nigeria without themmust be told to stop hallucinating.The former Ministers, formerGovernors, former DGs, and allsorts who have been busy quotingmischievous figures, spreadingcruel propaganda must bereminded that the Jonathanadministration is in fact trying toclean up the mess that theycreated. They want to own thegame when the ball is not in theirpossession. They want to be thereferee when nobody has offeredthem a whistle. They seek to playGod, forgetting that the case forGod is not in the hands of man.One of the virtues ofenlightenment is for persons to

have a true perspective of theirown location in the order ofthings. What they do not seem torealise or accept is that thepolitical climate has changed.

When one of them was incharge of this same estate calledNigeria, he shut down the PortHarcourt airport and otherairports for close to two yearsunder the guise of renovation. ThePort Harcourt airport wasabandoned for so long it wasovergrown with weeds afterserving for months as a practiceground for motoring schools. Itwas reopened without anyimprovement and with so muchmoney down the drain, and thepervasive suspicion that thereason it was shut down in the firstplace was to create a market for anew airline that had been allowedthe monopoly use of the otherairport in the city. UnderPresident Jonathan, airportsacross the country are beingupgraded, rebuilt and modernized;in less than two years, thetransformation is self-evident.Perhaps the greatest hypocrisyfrom our see-no-goodcommentators comes from the onewho superintended over the near-collapse of the aviation sector whois now audacious enough to claimto be a social critic.

For the first time since 1999,the Nigerian Railway Corporationis up and running as a serviceorganization. The rail lines havebecome functional from Lagos toKano; Ewekoro to Minna, and verysoon, from Port Harcourt toMaiduguri, Abuja to Kaduna andLagos to Ibadan. They couldn’t dothis in their time, now they arebusy looking for money that is notmissing with their teeth. Whenquestions are asked, they claimthey invented the ideas of dueprocess and accountability. Theyonce promised to solve the crisisof electricity supply in Nigeria.

A loosely bound group ofyesterday’s men andwomen seems to be on the

offensive against the Jonathanadministration. They pick issueswith virtually every effort of theadministration, pretending to doso in the public interest; positingthat they alone, know it all.Arrogantly, they claim to be betterand smarter than everyone else inthe current government. They areever so censorious, contrarian andsupercilious. They have nooriginal claim to their pretensionsother than they were privileged tohave been in the corridors ofpower once upon a time in theirlives. They obviously got soengrossed with their own sense ofimportance they began to imaginethemselves indispensable toNigeria. It is dangerous to havesuch a navel-gazing, narcissisticgroup inflict themselves with somuch ferocity on an otherwiseimpressionable public. We are inreality dealing with a bunch ofhypocrites.

With exceptions so few, theyreally don’t care about Nigeria asa sovereign but the political spoilsthat accrue from it. And so theywill stop at nothing to discreditthose they think are not asdeserving as they imaginethemselves to be. PresidentJonathan has unfairly become thetarget of their pitiablefrustrations.

Underneath their superfluousappearance, lies an unspokenclass disdain directed at theperson and office of a duly electedpresident of the country. It is aNigerian problem, perhaps. In thesame advanced societies whichthese same yesterday men andwomen often like to refer to,public service is seen and treatedas a privilege. People are calledupon to serve; they do so withhumility and great commitment,and when it is all over, they moveon to other things. The quantitysurveyor returns to his or herquantity surveying or some otherdecent work; the lawyer to his orher wig and gown; the universityteacher, to the classroom, glad tohave been found worthy ofnational service. When and wherenecessary, as private citizens theyare entitled to use the benefit ofthis experience to contribute tonational development, they speakup on matters of publicimportance not as a full-time jobas is the case in Nigeria currently.

What then, is the problem withus? As part of our governanceevolution, most people becomepublic servants by accident, butthey soon get so used to theglamour of office that they losesight of their own ordinariness.They use the system to climb: tobecome media celebrities, to gaininternational attention and tomorph into self-appointedguardians of the Nigerian estate.They mask self interest motives aspublic causes and manipulate thepublic’s desire for improvementsin their daily struggles asopportunity for power grab.

They are perpetually hangingaround, lobbying and hustling for

undeserved privileges. Theyexploit ethnic and religiousconnections where they can orjoin political parties and run forpolitical office. They even writebooks (I, me and myself books,packaged as cerebral stuff); if thatstill doesn’t work, they lobbynewspaper houses for columns towrite and they become apostolicpundits pontificating on mattersranging from the nebulous to thenon-descript. Power blinds themto the reality that we are all in thistogether and we have a uniqueopportunity to do well for thetaxpayers and hardworkingelectorate that provide everypublic official the privilege toserve.

Unsatisfied with thenewspaper columns, they opensocial media accounts and pretendto be voices of wisdom seeking tocultivate an angry crowd whichthey feed continually with theirown brand of negativity. Theyarrange to give lectures at highprofile events where they abusethe government of the day in orderto gain attention and steal a fewminutes in the sun; hoping toforce an audience that may ‘opendoors’ for them, back into thecorridors of power. Thesecharacters are in different sizesand shapes: small, big;Godfathers, agents, proxies. Thetactics of the big figures on thisrung of opportunism may beslightly different. They paradethemselves as a Godfather orkingmaker or the better man whoshould have been king. They sufferof course, from messianicdelusions. The fact that they boastof some followership and themedia often treats them as icons,makes their nuisance factorworse. They and their protégésand proxies are united by onefactor though: their hypocrisy.

It is in the larger interest of ourcountry that the point be madethat the government of the daywelcomes criticism and politicalactivism. This is an aspect of ouremergent democracy that expandson the growing freedom ofexpression, thought andassociation but there is need forcaution and vigilance, lest we gettaken hostage by the architects ofodious disinformation. Nigeriansmust not allow any group of

But what did they do? Theymanaged to leave the country indarkness with less than 2,000MW; abandoned independentpower projects, mismanagedpower stations, and uncompletedprocurement processes. The messwas so bad their immediatesuccessors had to declare anemergency in the power sector. Ithas taken President Jonathan tomake the difference. Today, thereis greater coherence in themanagement of the power sectorwith power supply in excess of 4,200 MW; a better conceivedpower sector road map is runningapace, and the administration isdetermined to make it better.They complain about the state ofthe roads. Most of the contractswere actually awarded under theirwatch to the tune of billions! Theytalk about corruption, yet many ofthem have thick case files with theEconomic and Financial CrimesCommission, the courts and thepolice on corruption-relatedcharges. One of them was evenaccused of having awarded choiceplots of government land tohimself, his wives, his companiesand other relations when he wasin charge of such allocations!Really, have we forgotten so soon?

These yesterday men andwomen certainly don’t seem tocare very much about the Nigeriantaxpayer who has had to bear thebrunt of the many scandals thisadministration is exposing in itsbid to clear out the Augean stable.They’d rather grandstand with theex-General this, Chief that, Doctorthis and ex-(dis)HonourableMinister who has no record ofwhat he or she did with the fundsthe nation provided them todeliver results to protect ourinterest so that we don’t end upcontinuing to make the samewasteful mistakes.

It is enough to make youshudder at the thought of any ofthem being part of governmentwith access to the public purse;but then we’ve already seen whatsome of them are capable of doingwhen in control of public money,authority and influence; and tothat the people have spoken inunison – they have had enough.Nigerians are wiser and are nowfamiliar with the trickery fromthese persons whose claim to fameand fortune was on the back oftheir public service.

Our point at the risk ofoverstating what is by now tooobvious: We have too manyyesterday men and womenbehaving too badly. We aredealing with a group of power-point technocrats who havemastered the rhetoric of publicgrandstanding: carefully craftedemotion-laden sound bites passedoff as meaningful engagements.That is all there is to them, aftermany years of hanging around inrelevant places and mingling inthe right corridors, all madepossible through the use/abuse ofNigeria. Our caveat to theiraudience is the same old line: letthe buyer beware!

Dr. Abati is SpecialAdviser (Media andPublicity) to PresidentGoodluck Jonathan

By Reuben Abati

Dr. Reuben Abati

“These yesterday men andwomen certainly don’t seem to

care very much about theNigerian taxpayer who has had

to bear the brunt of the manyscandals this administration is

exposing in its bid to clear out theAugean stable.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2013 PAGE 27

L-R New Permanent Secretary, Dr. Jemila Suara, and Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), ProfMahmood Yakubu, during the swearing in ceremony of two new permanent secretaries by President Goodluck Jonathan, recently atthe State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

Universities inherit cultism fromsecondary school, says UNILORIN VCFrom Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

The Vice Chancellor ofUniversity of Ilorin,Prof.Abduganiyul Ambali,

has noted that some of theunregistered group membersin Nigeria Universities,especially cultists wereproducts of secondary schools.

The Vice-Chancellor who

stated this in Ilorin during aninterview with journalists atthe weekend said some of thesuspected members of cultcaught by security agencieswere groomed from theirhomes, primary and society.

"Universities inherit wardsalready groomed from homes,primary and post primaryschools and even the

polytechnics or colleges ofeducation. Most of the studentscaught belonging to one secretcult or the other confessed tohave started their cultactivities right from secondaryschools.

"To eradicate cultism oncampuses, parents, primaryand secondary school teachers,polytechnics and colleges of

education teachers shouldeducate their wards to shuncultism before they enter theuniversities."

Speaking on how toempower professionals, Ambalisaid government should set upmachinery where theprofessionals would beempowered to establish theirprivate practice.

"A fresh professionalgraduate is in a dilemma inNigeria. On one side he istrying to build himself, on theother side he is looking atrepaying his parents. Thegreatest challenge before afresh graduate is sponsorshipand financial support", hesaid.

Catholic church in Ekiti statehas ordered it's schools toimmediately hoist the

national flag and recite thenational anthem at the beginningof any school day.

This follows the submission offlags by the National OrientationAgency (NOA), to the Catholicchurch in the state.

A statement issued over theweekend by the Chief PressSecretary of the Agency, PaulOnenyi, indicated that the churchalso ordered all the institutions toreplace worn out and torn flagscurrently flying over theirpremises as a mark of loyalty tothe vital symbols of the nation.

according to the statement,Catholic bishop of Ekiti diocese RtReverend Dr. Ajakaye, told theDirector General of the agency,Mike Omeri who paid him a visitin his office in Ado Ekiti that thechurch teaches’ respect for thenational symbols is a way ofpromoting national identity.

He said that irrespective ofindividual and variousinclination, all Nigerians mustuphold the national identity,because we must first be Nigeriansbefore we become other thingswhich we believe in, whether asMuslims, Christians, or otherreligions, ethnic or tribal divide.

The bishop said governmenthas a duty to all its citizens toimplement policies that promotegood governance as a way ofgalvanising patriotic instinctswithin the populace.

Earlier, DG of NOA said theagency has designed programsthat will promote respect for thenational symbol to help achievenational cohesion, inspirenational pride in the younger oneswho did not witness the strugglefor national independence, thestatement added.

According to him, Nigeriansnational symbols are beautifulcolours and renditions that wereproduced after careful reflectionby the leaders of the countryadding that divisions within theNigerian society are inspired byelite struggle for power andopportunity because the livingconditions of the average man inthe country remain the sameacross the country.

Catholic schoolsin Ekiti to flynational flagBy Tobias Lengnan Dapam

As part of its effort toensure qualityeducation for the girl

child, the Nigeria Associationof Women Journalists(NAWOJ), Bauchi statechapter has expressed itsdetermination to embark onthe sensitisation campaign ongirl child education in the state.

This was disclosedyesterday in Bauchi by thestate Chairperson of NAWOJ,

NAWOJ to embark on Girl Child Education sensitisationFrom Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi Hajiya Kaltume Abdullahi

Shall, when she paid a courtesycall on the Commissioner ofSpecial Duties to the stateGovernor, Bappah Azare, inhis office.

Shall who stressed the needfor the promotion of girl childeducation in the society, statedthat NAWOJ is workingtirelessly to ensure that all girlchild in the state is educated.

She said "NAWOJ as anaffiliate of the Nigeria Union ofJournalists, (NUJ) played a

vital role in the promotion ofGirl Child education. We haveconcluded plans to embark onan intensive campaignthrough the media to educateand enlighten the people on thesignificance of educating thegirl child which is likeeducating the entire society”.

She also revealed that theassociation plan to partnerwith relevant organisations inenlightening parents on theimportance of immunisingtheir children and wards

against killer diseases. The Chairperson also called

on the state government to putthe necessary measures inplace to curtail flood disaster inthe state saying “I call on thestate government throughyour ministry to bring an endto the problem of flood,especially in Bauchi, the statecapital whenever during theraining season in places likeWunti roundabout, Bakin Kurastreet, Ran road amongothers”.

Following the impressiveperformance recorded bystudents of Bill Clinton

College, New Nyanya, inrecent times, somestakeholders, including agroup of old students of theschool and parents, haveshowered encomiums on theschool’s management for beingproactive and visionary.

The stakeholders, whospoke in separate interviews ata recent function organised bythe school, expressed

Parents, others laud Bill Clinton CollegeBy Christiana Popoola Dayo satisfaction with the state-of-

the-art facilities at the collegelocated in New Nyanya,Nasarawa State, as well as theremarkable performance ofmany of its students in NECO,SSSCE, and other suchexaminations.

“I must confess that thehigh standard of educationhere, the learning aids as wellas the conducive environmentare a source of pride to parentslike me who want the very bestfor their children,” remarkedone of the parents, Mr. AnebiUweh.

“What impresses most of ushere is the quality of educationas evidenced by the interestingperformance of our students inrecent national examinations.”

Another parent who gaveher name simply as HajiyaFatima, said apart from whatshe described as “thecommendable standard ofeducation” for which theCollege is known for, its well-equipped laboratories and highlevel of discipline, she said sheis impressed with the kind ofattention the school authoritygive to detail in rendering

sundry services. Using the secondary

school’s transport services as anexample, Hajiya Fatima said:“As a parent whose child relieson the school’s buses fortransportation, my initialconcern had centered onwhether their services wouldbe up to expectation in terms ofkeeping to time, drivers’professional competence,proper maintenance of vehicle,and the like. Well, from what Ihave seen and experienced sofar, I would say ‘so far, so good’;they are trying.”

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2013PAGE 28

Association promises to maintain high academicperformance at Igbobi College, Lagos

Students of Igbobi College during their 81st founders' day Anniversary and Holy communion service,on saturday in Lagos. Photo: NAN

Mr. Olasunbo Ikuomola,Secretary, Igbobi CollegeOld Boys Association

(ICOBA), on Saturday said thebody would support its AlmaMater to ensure it continued toproduce high quality students.

Ikuomola said this whilespeaking with the News Agencyof Nigeria (NAN) after a HolyCommunion Service held tocommemorate the school’s 81stFounders’ Day anniversary atits chapel in Lagos.

He said that the schoolmanagement was working hardto lay a solid foundation for itsstudents to ensure that theybecame noble Nigerians whowould help in nation building.

The secretary said he wasdelighted that the college hadbeen able to maintain the moralsand values with which it hadbeen identified over the years.

``The college has its owntraditions and culture which theauthorities of the school ensured

is maintained that is why theanniversary is not only centeredon celebration, we also have theinterest of the students at heart,’’he said.

Ikuomola noted that theanniversary was not really amajor one coming after itsmilestone celebration when theschool turned 80 last year.

He, however, said it wasanother opportunity to thankGod for the favour

He had bestowed on the

college with a series of activities. ``The college has produced

many outstanding andrenowned students who haverepresented the school well in allareas in the country.

``I remember one particularchallenge the college wentthrough during the LateefJakande regime when it wastaken over by the governmentand at that time, the standardof education went down thedrain.

``After the college wasreturned to the mission, the oldboys association workedtirelessly and had been able tobring back the standard thecollege was known for,’’ Ikuomolasaid.

NAN reports that many oldboys joined present students ofthe school at the communionservice, held ahead of athanksgiving service and meritaward on Sunday.NAN

Fed Poly Bauchi expels students for exams offences

The Rector FederalPolytechnic Bauchi, Dr.Shuaibu Musa, has

disclosed that thirty Onestudents of the polytechnicwere expelled from theinstitution for committingvarious examinations offences.

Musa made the disclosure

at the weekend while speakingto newsmen in Bauchi, sayingthat the exercise is part of theeffort of his administration tomaintain academic excellenceand sanity in the institution.

According to him, the 31students were expelled on thegrounds of committingexaminations misconductduring the second semester

examinations for the 2011/2013 Academic session andthat the board had approvedthe full recommendations ofthe Committee thatinvestigated the allegations.

He said the decision to expelthe students was taken duringthe regular Academic BoardMeeting this year 2013.

He said the institution will

not relent on its effort to ensurethat it provide exemplaryleadership in the polytechnicadding that two of the studentswere rusticated for a semesterdue to the level of theirinvolvement in the act andwhile one was exempted whenthe committee found out thathe was not guilty of the offencehe was been charged for.

The Commissioner for Scienceand Technology in Benue,Mr Godwin Adah, on Friday

in Makurdi said contractors haveabandoned over N800 millionscience and technical schools’projects in Anyiin and Otukpa .

Adah said this while briefingnewsmen in Makurdi afterinspecting projects in Anyiin,Garaboghol and Otukpa Scienceand Technical Schools.

The commissioner said that 80per cent of the total contract sumhas already been paid to thecontractors concerned.

“The government has paid allthe contractors in this ministry,so it is the fault of the contractorswho are already playing politicswith the contracts,” he said.

The commissioner, however,pointed out that all thecontractors handling the projectswere people in government or ofhigh profile status in the stateadding that the over N800mprojects involve renovation andconversion of three year oldGovernment Secondary Schools inthe state into science andtechnical schools.

According to him, thecontracts were awarded to

Contractors abandon N800m schools'projects in Benue, says Commissioner

indigenous contractors within thelocation of the schools since lastyear adding that he reported thecontractors to the House StandingCommittee on Science on thecontractors’ lackadaisicalapproach on the projects.

“The committee had earlier inNov. 2012 ordered them tomobilise back to site, but theyhave not done so up till now”, hesaid.

Adah said that one of thecontractors has already beenordered by the committee torefund N11million to governmentdue to the poor materials used andthat the state government hadalso approved contract for thesupply of three water tankers tothe three schools under review.

Investigations however,revealed that the students in thethree Science and Technicalschools sleep on the floor asgovernment is yet to approvecontract for the provision of schoolbeds.

The students also sleep alonein the night in all the schools asthe staff quarters as well as thematron houses are still underconstruction.

Federal Information Centre,Bauchi is to collaboratewith the National

Association of WomenJournalists (NAWOJ) intraining its members onInformation CommunicationTechnology.

Head of the centre, AuduChindaya, disclosed thisyesterday to newsmen inBauchi when he received thedelegation of state chapter of

...Federal Information centre to partner NAWOJ on ICTNAWOJ led by its chairperson,Hajiya, Kaltume AbdulahiShall, who paid him a courtesyvisit in his office.

Chindaya who emphasisedon the need for journalists to becomputer literate due thedigitalisation of dissemination ofinformation said the centre hasall the facilities to train peopleon ICT.

According to him, thecentre has embarked on thetraining and re training of

Journalists in the state as wellas staff of federal parastatals.

He however, expressedoptimism that training ofNAWOJ members on the use ofcomputer system will go a longway in assisting them in thecourse of their work.

“Training is a key toproductivity and journalistsneed to be trained and re-trainedin order to discharge theirduties effectively as well ascompete with their colloquies

all over the word so, that is whywe are willing to partner withthe state chapter of NAWOJ totrain its members”, he said..

He commended theleadership of NAWOJ for theireffort in developing theassociation urging them tocarry all the members along intheir effort to move theassociation forward.

Speaking earlier, the stateChairperson of NAWOJ, HajiyaKatume Abdulahi Shall, said

they were in his office to solicitfor support and cooperation inmoving the association forward.

Kaltume who attributedsome of the challenges of mediaoutfit to lack of training sayingthey are seeking for partnershipwith the centre to train theirmembers to enable themdischarge their dutieseffectively and diligently, alsosolicited for the centre’sassistance in training NAWOJmembers.

Musa however, pleadedwith students to concentrate ontheir studies as the managementis doing all it could to make theenvironment conducive forteaching and learning.

He commended the AcademicBoard Committee, theExamination MisconductCommittee as well as the staff ofthe Polytechnic for putting intheir best during the exercise.

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

PAGE 29PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2013

What are date rapedrugs?

These are drugs that aresometimes used to assista sexual assault. Sexual

assault is any type of sexualactivity that a person does notagree to. It can includetouching that is not okay andattempted rape. These drugsare powerful and dangerous.They can be slipped into yourdrink when you are not looking.The drugs often have no color,smell, or taste, so you can't tellif you are being drugged. Thedrugs can make you becomeweak and confused or even passout so that you are unable torefuse sex or defend yourself. Ifyou are drugged, you mightnot remember what happenedwhile you were drugged. Daterape drugs are used on bothfemales and males.

The three most commondate rape drugs are:

*Rohypnol: It is the tradename for flunitrazepam. Othernames given to this drug are:Circles, Forget Pill, LA Rochas,Lunch Money, Mind Erasers,Poor Man's Quaalude, R-2, Rib,Roach, Roach-2, Roches,Roofies, Trip-and-Fall andWhiteys.

*GHB, which is short forgamma hydroxybutyric acid.GHB is also known as: BedtimeScoop, Easy Lay, EnergyDrink, Gamma 10, Salt Water,Soap and Vita-G

*Ketamine also known as:Black Hole, Bump, Cat Valium,Green, Special K and SuperAcid

These drugs also are knownas "club drugs" because theytend to be used at dance clubsand concerts.

The term "date rape" iswidely used but most expertsprefer the term "drug-facilitated sexual assault."These drugs also are used tohelp people commit othercrimes, like robbery andphysical assault. They are usedon both men and women. Theterm "date rape" also can bemisleading because the personwho commits the crime mightnot be dating the victim.Rather, it could be anacquaintance or stranger.

What do the drugs looklike?

*Rohypnol comes as a pillthat dissolves in liquids. Someare small, round, and white.Newer pills are oval and green-gray in color. When slipped intoa drink, a dye in these new pillsmakes clear liquids turn brightblue and dark drinks turncloudy. But this color changemight be hard to see in a darkdrink, like cola or dark beer, orin a dark room. Also, the pillswith no dye are still available.The pills may be ground upinto a powder.

*GHB has a few forms: aliquid with no odor or color,white powder, and pill. It mightgive your drink a slightly saltytaste. Mixing it with a sweetdrink, such as fruit juice, canmask the salty taste.

*Ketamine comes as a

Date rape: What women should know?liquid and a white powder.

Effects of drugs on thebody

These drugs are verypowerful. They can affect youvery quickly and without yourknowing. The length of timethat the effects last varies. Itdepends on how much of thedrug is taken and if the drug ismixed with other drugs or

(black out), seizures, can'tremember what happenedwhile drugged, problemsbreathing, tremors, sweating,vomiting, slow heart rate,dream-like feeling, coma anddeath.

KetamineKetamine is very fast-

acting, you might be aware ofwhat is happening to you, but

and loss of coordination,aggressive or violent behavior,depression, high blood pressureand slurred speech.

Legality of the drugs inNigeria

Some of these drugs are legalwhen lawfully used for medicalpurposes but that doesn't meanthey are safe. These drugs arepowerful and can hurt you.

common, open containers, theymay already have drugs inthem. If someone offers to getyou a drink from a bar or at aparty, go with the person toorder your drink, watch thedrink being poured and carryit yourself.

Don't drink anything thattastes or smells strange,sometimes, GHB tastes salty.Have a nondrinking friend withyou to make sure nothinghappens. If you realize you leftyour drink unattended, pour itout. If you feel drunk andhaven't drunk any alcohol or,if you feel like the effects ofdrinking alcohol are strongerthan usual, get help rightaway.

Ways to tell if one mighthave been drugged andraped

It is often hard to tell, mostvictims don't remember beingdrugged or assaulted. Thevictim might not be aware ofthe attack until 8 or 12 hoursafter it occurred. These drugsalso leave the body veryquickly. Once a victim getshelp, there might be no proofthat drugs were involved in theattack.

There are some signs thatthe person might have beendrugged: You feel drunk andhaven't drunk any alcohol or,you feel like the effects ofdrinking alcohol are strongerthan usual. You rememberhaving a drink, but cannotrecall anything after that. Youfind that your clothes are tornor not on right and loss ofmemory on what reallyhappened while you passed out.

What to do if you thinkyou've been drugged andraped

*Get medical care rightaway. Don't urinate, douche,bathe, brush your teeth, washyour hands, change clothes, oreat or drink before you go.These things may giveevidence of the rape. Thehospital will use a "rape kit" tocollect evidence.

*Call the police from thehospital. Tell the police exactlywhat you remember. Be honestabout all your activities.Remember, nothing you didincluding drinking alcohol ordoing drugs can justify rape.

*Ask the hospital to take aurine sample that can be usedto test for date rape drugs. Thedrugs leave your systemquickly. Rohypnol stays in thebody for several hours, and canbe detected in the urine up to72 hours after taking it. GHBleaves the body in 12 hours.Don't urinate before going tothe hospital.

*Don't pick up or clean upwhere you think the assaultmight have occurred. Therecould be evidence left behind.

*Get counseling andtreatment; feelings of shame,guilt, fear, and shock arenormal. A counselor can helpyou work through theseemotions and begin the healingprocess.

www.womenhealth.gov

alcohol. Alcohol makes thedrugs even stronger and cancause serious health problems,even death.

RohypnolThe effects of Rohypnol can

be felt within 30 minutes ofbeing drugged and can last forseveral hours. If you aredrugged, you might look andact like someone who is drunk.You might have troublestanding. Your speech might beslurred. Or you might pass out.Rohypnol can cause theseproblems: Muscle relaxation orloss of muscle control, drunkfeeling, problems talking,nausea, can't remember whathappened while drugged, loss ofconsciousness (black out),confusion, dizziness, lower bloodpressure, stomach problemsand death.

GHBGHB takes effect in about 15

minutes and can last 3 or 4hours. It is very potent: A verysmall amount can have a bigeffect. So it's easy to overdoseon GHB. Most GHB is made bypeople in home or street "labs."So, you don't know what's in itor how it will affect you. GHBcan cause these problems:Relaxation, drowsiness,dizziness, nausea, problemsseeing, loss of consciousness

unable to move. It also causesmemory problems. Later, youmight not be able to rememberwhat happened while you weredrugged. Ketamine can causethese problems: Distortedperceptions of sight and sound,lost sense of time and identity,out of body experiences, dream-like feeling, and feeling out ofcontrol, problems breathing,convulsions, vomiting,memory problems, numbness,

Now in Nigeria, they shouldonly be used under a doctor'scare and order, where it isprescribed for sleep problemsand to assist anesthesia beforesurgery.

Caution: Don't acceptdrinks from other people, opencontainers yourself, keep yourdrink with you at all times evenwhen you go to the bathroom,don't share drinks, don't drinkfrom punch bowls or other

“Don't accept drinks fromother people, open

containers yourself, keepyour drink with you at all

times even when you go tothe bathroom, don't share

drinks, don't drink frompunch bowls or other

common, open containers,

PAGE 30 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY, 4, 2013

Vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplementsFacts about nutrition

Good nutrition is muchmore than somethingto fill your stomach,

what you eat can affect yourhealth, energy and well-beingin so many ways.

The most importantfeature of a good diet isvariety. We all know varietyis the spice of life, but did yourealize that unless you eat awide variety of foods, you maybe missing out on importantvitamins, minerals, andother nutrients? Eating theright mix of vitamins andminerals will help you feeland look your best at any age.

Color rules To make sure your eating

plan contains all the nutrientsyou need, choose a rainbow ofcolorful foods. The pigmentsthat give foods their color arealso the nutritious substancesthat can reduce your risk ofcancer and chronic diseaseslike heart disease.

Of course, foods with themost "pigment power" aremostly fruits and vegetables,yet another reason to fill yourplate with these fiber-filled,low-calories, fat-free, superfoods! Eaten together, fruitsand vegetables pack an evenbigger punch in reducing freeradicals, unstable molecules

in the body that damage cellsand are thought to contributeto the development of manydiseases.

Vitamins in the newsThe hottest vitamins these

days are the antioxidants (E,C, and A, along with themineral selenium) and the

"sunshine" vitamin, alsoknown as vitamin D.

Antioxidants help gobbleup those nasty free radicals.A diet rich in antioxidants hasbeen linked to a host of health-promoting, disease-fightingactivities in the body.

Antioxidant-rich foods

include:*Vitamin A and beta-

carotene: pumpkin, squash,carrots, spinach, sweetpotatoes, dark leafy greensand mangoes

*Vitamin C: citrus fruits,strawberries, cauliflower,broccoli, tomatoes and sweet

potatoes*Vitamin E: vegetable oil,

almonds, whole grains, wheatgerm, sweet potatoes andy a m s

*Selenium: salmon *Vitamin D has been in

the news lately as studieshave shown that peopleliving in northern latitudesmay not get enough of thisnutr ient .

Without adequatevitamin D, your body can'tproperly absorb calc ium,leading to a higher r isk ofbroken bones, especially inthe elderly.

A recent Swiss studysuggests that e lderly folksmay be able to reduce theirrisk of injury from falls withvitamin D supplementation.

The best source of thisnutrient is sunshine. Othergood sources include:

*Fortified milk and someorange juices . Juicemanufacturers are nowadding both calc ium andvitamin D for betterabsorption.

*Salmon and mackerel *Eggs *LiverS P PpP Psoriasis

Psoriasis, symptoms causes and treatmentsWhat Is Psoriasis?

The most common type ofpsoriasis is called plaquepsoriasis. It causes a thick,

patchy, red rash with silvery,white scales. It can appearanywhere but most often

Nail Psoriasis Up to half of people with

skin plaques have psoriasis ofthe nails as well. This makesthe nails look yellowish-red.The nails may also crumble,become pitted, or develop

system, genes, andenvironmental factors playcentral roles. Normally, oldskin cells are replaced with newones every four weeks.

In people with psoriasis, theimmune system triggersinflammation, causing newcells to move to the surfaceevery three or four days. Theresulting buildup forms therash. Psoriasis cannot be passedfrom person to person, but itdoes tend to run in families.

Psoriasis TriggersPeople with psoriasis may

find their condition flares up atcertain times. Commontriggers include:

*Skin injury or infection*Emotional stress*Certain medications*Smoking or drinking

alcoholDiagnosing PsoriasisA doctor can usually

diagnose psoriasis byexamining your skin, scalp,and nails. A biopsy can be doneto confirm the diagnosis. If youhave swelling and pain in yourjoints, your doctor may alsoorder blood tests and X-rays tocheck for arthritis. Psoriasiscannot be cured, buttreatments can relievesymptoms and control thecondition.

Treatment: TopicalsPeople with mild to

moderate psoriasis may benefitfrom topical treatments,creams or ointments thatreduce inflammation, itching,and the rate of skin cell growth.

These include steroid topicals,moisturizers, salicylic acid,anthralin, retinoids,calcipotriene, (a form ofvitamin D), and coal tar. Tarshampoos are helpful forpsoriasis of the scalp.

Natural Remedies forPsoriasis

Soaking up the sun is a tried-and-true remedy for psoriasis.As many as 80% of people whoget regular sun exposure saytheir symptoms improve. Thetrick is not to overdo it, asunburn actually makespsoriasis worse. Other naturalalternatives include aloe, teatree oil, and oatmeal baths tosoothe itchy skin.

Although alcohol has beenlinked to psoriasis, experts areskeptical about special dietsthat claim to treat psoriasis.There's no convincing evidencethat they work.

ClimatotherapyFor decades, people have

claimed that visiting the DeadSea in Israel is a powerfultreatment for psoriasis. Thesun and water, which is 10times saltier than the ocean,are believed to be a healingcombination.

It may sound like a myth,but scientific evidence suggeststhis form of climatotherapyworks. In studies, 80% to 90%of patients improved aftervisiting the Dead Sea. Almosthalf saw their rash disappearfor the next several months.

Stress ReductionStress tends to worsen

psoriasis, so relaxationtechniques may help controlflare-ups. Anything that helpsyou relax, whether it's yoga,deep breathing, or a long walk,may help ease yoursymptoms.

occurs on the scalp, elbows,knees, and lower back. Thecondition is not contagious,and it's fairly common,affecting 2% to 3% ofAmericans. Psoriasis is morecommon in adults thanchildren.

Psoriasis typically starts asa few red bumps. These maybecome larger and thicker,eventually developing scales.The patches may join togetherand cover large areas of thebody. The rash can be itchyand uncomfortable, and it maybleed easily if rubbed or picked.

grooved lines. Nearly everyonewith psoriasis of the nails alsohas psoriasis somewhere on theskin.

Psoriatic ArthritisAbout 15% of people with

psoriasis develop psoriaticarthritis, a painful andsometimes disablinginflammation of the joints.Psoriatic arthritis can occur atany age but is most commonbetween the ages of 30 and 50.

What Causes Psoriasis?The exact cause of psoriasis

is unknown, but expertsbelieve that the immune

PAGE 31PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2013

South Africa's critical turning point

South Africa's liberationstruggle has been very longand its human cost enormous.

Those who had borne the brunt ofthe cruelties of liberation had hopedthat once the shackles of settlercolonialism and apartheid were castaside, the preoccupation of the neworder will be an ethical pursuit of apolitical economic programme thatwould enable the people to regaintheir dignity. Stalwarts of liberationwho imagined the country's futurehad no illusion about the difficulty oftranslating those hopes into reality.It is 18 years since that glorious dayin 1994 when the oppressor andoppressed became equal citizen andMandela was elected president of therainbow nation. Eighteen years is notlong enough to undo the damage thatwas centuries in the making, but it isa sufficient time in which to assesswhether the course that has beentaken is the appropriate route or abridge to nowhere.

This essay is from a concernedAfrican who recognises the depth ofthe deficits which the AfricanNational Congress governmentinherited but whose worry is thatmistakes made elsewhere in thecontinent are being repeated here.

I offer three critical benchmarksto gauge whether or not the countryis heading in a direction that embodiesthe hopes of the liberators: thequality of leadership, thetransformation of education, and thereforms of the economic structure.

Africans are among the easiestpeople to lead, but unfortunately thecontinent's political leaders, withvery few exceptions, have utilised thepopulation's readiness to follow as anopportunity to abuse that trust andpillage the commons. Consequently,in many countries the promise ofindependence has turned intocatastrophe in the form of unendingcivil wars, incompetent and longlasting dictatorship, economies on theskids, systemic corruption, andenduring and deepening poverty.Pioneering Ghanaian writerAyiKewiArmah's prognosis in 1968was on target when he noted thatpoliticians "were senile before theywere born".

South Africa had the benefit ofthese negative lessons beforeembracing liberation and onewonders whether those in position ofleadership have learned them well.The question is whether the ANC -which has consistently garnered theAfrican people's support - and itsleadership have the ethical fortitudeand the competence to transformliberation into a vibrant democracy,and a growing and just economy.

The liberation movement failedto deliver the knockout punch toapartheid and had to negotiate theterms of its "surrender".Consequently, the dispensation thatspawned in 1994 was half beast halfhuman since much of economicapartheid was left intact in privatehands. But what Mandela and Mbekihad was an iron clad trust from thepopulation earned through theirunwavering commitment to justicein the face of the horrors of apartheid.It appears that Mandela's task was to

Nelson Mandela and his successor Thabo Mbeki

safely steer the ship of state away fromthe real possibility of nightmarishcivil war, and lay the basis forcommon citizenship. MeanwhileMbeki's mission was to deepen thedemocratic form of government andmodernise the economy whileproviding services for the millions ofpeople devastated by apartheid.Having been in and out of SouthAfrica since 1993, it is clear to methat Mandela's team exceeded thelimits of what was possible under suchconstrained national andinternational circumstances. Thehorrific political violence which thelast apartheid regime stoked wasmasterfully extinguished. Inaddition, the political alienation ofthe white population that wasfrightened by the prospect of anAfrican government was wellmanaged and Mandela's teamsnuffed out any chance for raciallymotivated civil war through

Africa of which he is still involved.His gratuitous forced departurefrom the presidency, just sevenmonths before the end of his secondterm expired, showed his maturityand at the same time exposed verytroubling forces at work within theANC's leadership circle. Since thenmalfeasance, clouded judgements,and muddy vision has become thehallmark of ANC leadership.

Apartheid's strategic objectivewas to ensure that Africans nevergained access to quality education.Key to this evil project was the so-called Bantu Education, whose aimwas to enfeeble African childrenearly on and saddle them withinsurmountable and lifelongintellectual handicaps. For thoseAfricans who miraculously escapedthis destiny, the bush colleges lay inwaiting to finish them off. Bushcolleges were mostly staffed by thirdrate white staff whose objective was

apartheid, such as the University ofPretoria and the University of CapeTown. Although significant progresshas been made in this regard, it willtake at least another five decades forthe professorate of the country toreflect the nation's rainbow coloursunless a major effort is invested inthis area. In addition, rural and poorschools where most African childrenare educated lag well behind theexpected educational standard andrequire urgent action. Meanwhile,many in the new black middle classare opting out for private schools thusdeepening the gap between the richand the poor.

The ANC leadership whichguided the liberation encountered ahostile Western World whoseideological fixation was to maintaineconomic hegemony and insure thatalternative economic developmentpractices did not emerge in Africa. Itwas because of such Westerncommitments that Mandela'sgovernment was forced to: a) repaythe debts which the apartheid stateaccrued; and b) maintain theeconomic culture that pre-existedliberation. Repaying the debtamounted to the evacuation of tensof billions of dollars from the economywhich could have been used torebuild education and induceemployment generation. If theWestern world had any consciencethey would not have demandedMandela to repay the very resourcesthe racist regime used to brutalise theAfrican people. It is imperative torecall that two key Western countriescentral to this project were led by noneother than liberals Bill Clinton andTony Blair.

Western demands did not stop atthe repayment of the debt, butengaged in intimidation before andafter liberation. For instance, the ANCleaders were told that they dare notintroduce any systemic economicreforms that couldshake marketconfidence.

Mindful of these challengesMandela/Mbeki steered the ship ofstate in ways that provided tangiblerelief for the population in the form ofjobs, service delivery, and mostfundamentally freedom from the

Historically class and race werecoterminous in South Africa, but

class is decisively the keywatershed that segregates thewell healed from the indigent.

“

terror of apartheid.The aforementioned reforms

notwithstanding, the majorstructures of the economy remainedin the grip of the old guard, and thenew policy of black empowermenthas allowed the old guard to cherrypick a very small fraction of Africansjoining their ranks. The latter grouphave thoroughly internalised thenew ideology of "it is glorious to getrich quickly" and care little about thefortunes of the indigent. In the aptwords of the Nobel Laureate DesmondTutu, "the gravy train stopped justlong enough for a few well positionedblacks to get on it." Ironically, manyof the African fat cats behave as ifthere is nothing wrong witheconomic apartheid now that theyhave joined the well to do, and arescornful towards those who continueto demand economic justice.

Historically class and race werecoterminous in South Africa, but classis decisively the key watershed thatsegregates the well healed from theindigent. The increasedconcentration of the country's wealthin few hands and the mild reforms ofthe last eighteen years is not a crediblestrategy for conquering apartheid'slegacy. Despite these problemsMandela and Mbeki retain thepopulation's reverence because theirintegrity was never doubted. Theirreputation as incorruptible leadersremains in tack to this day. Mandelais in a league of his own as a globalicon, and Mbeki's stature has grown.

Unfortunately, the post-MbekiANC cannot make the same claims.Corruption and lack of nationaldirection have become the featuresof the liberation party, and theMarikana massacre in 2012 wherethe police shot dozens of strikingplatinum workers signal thatsomething is seriously wrong in therainbow nation. In spite of all this themajority of the population will votefor the ANC in the 2014 election, inpart due to the absence of a viablealternative. However, it will beimprudent for the leadership toassume the vote is an endorsement ofits policies or behaviours.

We proffer that the proudtradition of the ANC and thewellbeing of the population are atstake. Maintaining recent politicaleconomic trends is not sustainable ifdemocracy and social justice are thecore values of the struggle. Blackempowerment has become blackembarrassment and the translationof political power to economicpower for a few is exactly whathas impoverished Africa.

What is needed is leadership anda political organisation whose ethicalprinciples and political judgmentcan inspire the population.Currently, the ANC leadershiplacks these vital qualities andought to realise this urgently. TheANC's recent conferencereshuffled some of the seniorleadership posts to give PresidentZuma and his supporters a newimage. Unfortunately, imagemanagement is not what is required.Instead, the country and the ANCneed men and women whoseintegrity, vision, and competencethe public can trust. Without suchleadership the country will survivebut it will not flourish.

Source: Al Jazeera

diligence and fair play.While Mandela was attending to

these pressing political issues, VicePresident Mbeki was busy directingnot only the transformation of thestate but relentlessly pursued timelydelivery of housing and servicedelivery for the indigent. WithMandela's retirement, the ANCunder the leadership of Mbekicontinued to march forward. On theeve of Mbeki's second presidentialterm the ANC was able to garner ahigher proportion of votes than it didin the 1994 plebiscite, markingsustained confidence from thepublic. In addition to these, PresidentMbeki initiated a new agenda for

not to empower their students butto guide them into intellectual deadends.

The consequence of apartheid'seducation strategy was the creationof a fragmented and unequaleducation system whose legacyhaunts the rainbow nation evenafter these systems wereamalgamated and to some degreereformed.

Among the chief reforms of thesystem has been the opening up offormer white universities to allSouth African students. One caneasily see the quick impact this hadon the diversity of the studentpopulation in the bastions of

ANALYSISBy Abdi Ismail Samatar

PAGE 32 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

French President Hollandepledges to help rebuild Mali

…As troops pound camps in northern desert

South Sudanaccuses Sudanof bombing;Khartoum denies

South Sudan on Sundayaccused Sudan of bombingits side of their volatile border,

killing one soldier and woundingfour others in what it said was thethird attack on itsnortheasternRenk County sinceNovember.

Sudan's army spokesman al-Sawarmi Khalid denied theaccusations, as it has each timeSouth Sudan has alleged an attack.Reuters reporters have witnessedseveral air strikes against SouthSudan since it seceded from Sudanin 2011.

The African neighbors havebeen at loggerheads over oil,territory and other disputes andcame close to war in April. Neitherhas implemented a deal signed inSeptember calling for the creationof a buffer zone and resumption ofoil exports.

South Sudan's army (SPLA) saidit repulsed a Sudanese helicopterattack early on Saturday morningat a water-point near Babaniss, inthe oil-producing Upper Nile state.

"At 10:30 (Sudanese ArmedForces) SAF attacked with twohelicopter gunships, killing oneSPLA and injuring three," SPLAspokesman Philip Aguer said.

Sudanese warplanes woundedanother SPLA soldier in a second airraid at mid-day, some 21 km (13miles) inside South Sudaneseterritory, according to Aguer.

Talks between the Presidents ofSudan and South Sudan endedwithout a breakthrough inEthiopia's capital last month,further delaying the restart of thelandlocked South's oil industry aftera year-long shutdown.

"Their plan is to escalate theconflict so the people always discussnew issues and postponeimplementation of theagreements," Aguer said.

South Sudan, which inheritedthree-quarters of the former unifiednation's oil production when it brokeaway, shut down its entire outputof 350,000 barrels a day in January2012 after tensions over pipelinefees escalated.

Angola suspends Pentecostal church for 60 days after stampede

French President FrancoisHollande has said hisgovernment will help rebuild

Mali, three weeks after launching anoffensive against Islamist rebels whohad seized the north of the country.

Speaking in the capital, Bamako,he pledged more French aid to itsformer colony and vowed to restorecultural sites damaged by the rebels.

Mr Hollande said France wouldhelp Mali re-establish control in thenorth.

"Terrorist groups have beenweakened, but not disappeared," hesaid.

French troops would stay in Mali"as long as necessary", he added,reiterating that France would hand

over to African troops "once thesovereignty of Mali is restored".

Mr Hollande was speakingalongside Mali's interim leader,DioncoundaTraore, who thankedFrance for freeing the north to from"barbarity and obscurantism".

The French president alsopromised to help restore culturalartefacts damaged by the rebels - whoset fire to about 2,000 pricelessmanuscripts in Timbuktu, a UnescoWorld Heritage site.

"We cannot tolerate whathappened in Timbuktu," he said.

Earlier on Saturday Mr Hollandetravelled to the northern city, whichwas recaptured by French andMalian troops six days ago.

Thousands of residents welcomedhim with chants of "Vive la France".

Many women wore vibrantlycoloured clothes and jewellery, whichcorrespondents say they could not doduring the past year of Islamist rule.

"The women of Timbuktu willthank Francois Hollandeforever," 53-year-old FantaDiarraToure, one of thousandsof people who gathered in thecity's main square, told the AFPnews agency.

The French president's visit comesas armoured columns of French andMalian troops continued theiradvance in northern Mali.

They are attempting to secure thenorth-eastern city of Kidal, the

Angola's government hassuspended a Pentecostalchurch from conducting

any activities for 60 days aftera New Year's Eve stampededuring an overcrowdedreligious vigil killed 16 people,the presidency said in astatement.

The incident took place atthe CidadelaDesportivastadium in the capital Luanda,where the Universal Church ofthe Kingdom of God (IURD)organized a PentecostalChristian vigil.

The death toll includedthree small children. Another120 people were injured.

The presidency said in astatement issued late onSaturday that an inquirycommission had concluded thatIURD had attracted 150,000people to a venue with capacityfor 30,000.

It added that the church hadcaused the overcrowding bymarketing the event as "TheDay of End - come to end allyour problems in life: illness,misery, unemployment...".

The inquiry commissionsaid it would pass its findingsto the public prosecutors officeto investigate criminal andcivil responsibility.

It also suspended six otherevangelical churches for the

French warplanes poundedrebel camps in the farnorth of Mali, military

sources said, hours after French

President Francois Hollandevisited the West Africancountry.

Thierry Burkhard,

Sudan's army spokesman al-Sawarmi Khalid

spokesman for the Frencharmy in Paris, said on Sundaythe overnight raids targetedlogistics bases and trainingcamps used by the al Qaeda-linked rebels to the north of thedesert town of Kidal.

"These were important airstrikes," Burkhard toldReuters.

He said the bombing raidstook place around the settlementof Tessalit, close to the Algerianborder, one of the main gatewaysinto the Adrar desIfoghasmountains where therebels are believed to be hidingafter fleeing major towns.

Malian military sources saidFrench and Chadian troops hadclashed with members of theAnsar Dine militant group in the

region around Kidal on Saturday.French attack helicopters and

transport planes carrying specialforces left the city of Gao toreinforce the French and Chadiancontingent stationed at theairport in Kidal.

The town of Kidal itself isunder the control of the pro-autonomy MNLA Tuareg rebelgroup, which occupied it afterAnsar Dine fighters fled six daysago.

France has deployed 3,500ground troops, fighter jets andarmored vehicles in the three-week-old Operation Serval(Wildcat) which has broken theIslamists' 10-month-old grip onthe towns of northern Mali,where they had violentlyimposed sharia law.

militants' last stronghold, havingcaptured the airport on Wednesday.

In Bamako, Mr Hollande also said"terrorists" must be punished, butadded: "You must do it whilerespecting human rights."

There have been allegationsof human rights violationscommitted by the Malian army,including summary executionsand disappearances.

There had also been reports ofincidents of mob lynching and lootingof properties belonging to Arab andTuareg communities, which hadbeen accused of supporting armedIslamist groups, the UN says.

A total of 3,500 French troops arecurrently in Mali.

Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the French army.

L-R: Wife of Indonesian President, Mrs. Ani Yudhoyono, President Susilo Yudhoyono of Indonesia,President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Mrs Patience Jonathan, during the visit of the IndonesinPresident to President Jonathan, on Saturday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

same period, adding that theyconducted activities similar tothose of IURD.

Catholicism is the mainreligion in Angola, but

evangelical churches have inthe last decade flourished in thecountry and attracted largefollowings.

IURD was created in 1977 in

Brazil, where it has over 8million followers, according toits website. IURD says it isactive in most countries of theworld.

PAGE 33PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2013

PAGE 34 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Europe andAmericas

U.S., Mexicoreach tomatodeal to averttrade war

Turkey says tests confirmleftist bombed U.S. embassyA member of a Turkish

leftist group that accusesWashington of using

Turkey as its "slave" carried outa suicide bomb attack on theU.S. embassy, the Ankaragovernor's office cited DNA testsas showing on Saturday.

EcevitSanli, a member ofthe leftist RevolutionaryPeople's Liberation Army-Front(DHKP-C), blew himself up in aperimeter gatehouse on Fridayas he tried to enter the embassy,also killing a Turkish securityguard.

The DHKP-C, virulentlyanti-American and listed as aterrorist organization by theUnited States and Turkey,claimed responsibility in astatement on the internet inwhich it said Turkish PrimeMinister TayyipErdogan was aU.S. "puppet".

"Murderer America! Youwill not run away from people'srage," the statement on "ThePeople's Cry" website said, nextto a picture of Sanli wearing ablack beret and military-style

A security officer runs after an explosion at the entrance of th U.Sembassy in Ankara.

Spain Socialist's tells PM Rajoy to goThe leader of Spain'sopposition Socialists hasurged PM Mariano Rajoy to

resign amid corruption allegationsmade in a centre-left newspaper.

Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said MrRajoy "cannot lead the country" asSpain faces a huge economic crisis.

El Pais has published images ofledgers showing payments tomembers of the governing PP. MrRajoy says they are false and deniesreceiving payments.

Protests against Mr Rajoy wereheld on Saturday in several cities.

An online petition demandingthe leader's resignation has gatheredmore than 740,000 signatures.

Mr Rubalcaba said Mr Rajoyshould "cede his place to anotherleader".

"His presence is not going to helpresolve this political crisis," he said.

El Pais said the photographs ithad published were of ledgers keptby former treasurers Luis Barcenasand Alvaro Lapuerta between 1990and 2009.

Money was allegedly paid by

firms via Mr Barcenas, who steppeddown in 2009 and is currentlyunder investigation for money-laundering.

El Pais splashed photos of the

clothes and with an explosivesbelt around his waist.

It warned Erdogan that hetoo was a target.

Turkey is an important U.S.ally in the Middle East withcommon interests rangingfrom energy security to

counter-terrorism. Leftistgroups including the DHKP-Cstrongly oppose what they seeas imperialist U.S. influenceover their nation.

DNA tests confirmed thatSanli was the bomber, theAnkara governor's office said.

PM Mariano Rajoy

It said he had fled Turkey adecade ago and was wanted bythe authorities.

Born in 1973 in the BlackSea port city of Ordu, Sanli wasjailed in 1997 for attacks on apolice station and a militarystaff college in Istanbul, but hissentence was deferred after hefell sick during a hunger strike.He was never re-jailed.

Condemned to life in prisonin 2002, he fled the country ayear later, officials said.Interior MinisterMuammerGuler said he had re-entered Turkey using falsedocuments.

Erdogan, who said hoursafter the attack that the DHKP-C were responsible, met hisinterior and foreign ministersas well as the head of thearmy and state securityservice in Istanbul onSaturday to discuss thebombing.

Three people were detainedin Istanbul and Ankara inconnection with the attack,state broadcaster TRT said.

Cubans vote in parliamentary electionsPolls have opened on Cuba

to select 612 members ofthe National Assembly, in

balloting derided by opponents ofthe ruling regime as a "farce".

More than 90 percent of Cuba'seight million voters are expected toturn out for Sunday's polls, whichopen at 7am local time (12:00GMT) and close at 6pm (23:00GMT).

Critics note that the number ofcandidates vying for seats in thelegislature's next five-year-longterm is identical to the number ofopen seats, leaving little suspenseabout the outcome.

However, about two thirds ofthis year's candidates are runningfor the first time, raising hopes thatthe election will bring some change

The U.S. government andMexican tomato growersreached a tentative

agreement that reduces the threatof a costly trade war stemming froma U.S. decision last year to pull out ofa 1996 bilateral tomato trade pact.

"I am pleased that we were ableto come to an agreement on freshtomato imports from Mexico thatrestores stability and confidence tothe U.S. tomato market and meetsthe requirements of U.S. law,"••U.S. Commerce Under Secretary forInternational Trade FranciscoSanchez said in a statement.

The draft agreementsubstantially raises the minimum"reference" price at which Mexicanplum, cherry and other tomatoescan be sold in the United States andaccounts for changes that haveoccurred in the tomato market sincethe original agreement, Sanchezsaid.

For some Mexican tomatoes, thenew reference price is more thandouble the current such price,Sanchez said. The deal is expected totake effect on March 4, after a publiccomment period, he said.

Mexican Economy MinisterIldefonso Guajardo said the dealguaranteed Mexican farmers accessto the U.S. market under conditionsthat were "fair and competitive."

"We worked hand in hand withMexican producers on thisagreement to avoid damage to thesector," he said.

The U.S. CommerceDepartment made a preliminarydecision in September to terminatethe 1996 tomato agreement afterFlorida growers complained that thearrangement no longer protectedthem against Mexican tomatoes soldbelow the cost of production.

That angered Mexican growers,who argued the pact had benefitedU.S. consumers and broughtstability to the North Americanmarket.

Mexican officials said the U.S.move appeared designed to helpPresident Barack Obama carryFlorida in his election battle againstRepublican Mitt Romney. Obamawon the state in the Novembercontest.

austerity measures as thegovernment battles to avoid aninternational bailout. Meanwhile,the unemployment rate hasreached a record 26%.

to the country.Also up for grabs on Sunday are

1,269 seats in 15 provincialassemblies.

"It is a farce," former politicalprisoner Oscar Espinosa Chepe toldthe AFP news agency.

Another prominent oppositionfigure, Elizardo Sanchez, called theelection "a race with only one horse"- since the Communist Party is theonly one running.

Cuban authorities, however,hail the electoral system as a grass-roots democracy since all nomineesare elected by municipal delegatesand by citizen assemblies.

"There is no politicalcampaigning going on," Al Jazeera'sTeresa Bo, reporting from Havana,said.

Demonstrators took to thestreets in Madrid, Barcelona andSeville on Saturday evening callingon Mr Rajoy to step down, withclashes with police in Madrid.

Francisco Sanchez

"One of the candidates is MarielaCastro. She is [President] RaulCastro's daughter, who is expectedto become a high-profile figure inthe new assembly," she said.

No dissident has ever beenallowed to run for office and nonational legislator has stood up tothe Communist leadership bycasting a no-vote.

During last October's municipalvote, in a sign of disaffection withthe regime despite recent economicreforms, government critics urgedvoters to write a "D" on their ballots,to press for a direct presidential vote.

Cuba watchers also say therehas been an increasing number ofblank ballots cast in recent elections.

Havana held a round ofmunicipal elections in October, one

in a series of votes ahead of Castro'simpending coronation.

That election is followed bySunday's voting and ultimatelyby the election of Cuba's StateCouncil president - a positionheld by Raul Castro.

That vote traditionallytakes place on February 24,the anniversary of the start ofthe war of independence in1 8 9 5 .

If Castro is re-elected - andthere is no doubt that he willbe - it would be his second five-year mandate as Cuba's leader.

Castro was elected presidentin 2008, after taking over from hisbrother, Fidel Castro, whose healthis faltering and who has largelyretreated from the public eye.

alleged ledgers onits website onThursday.

Investigatorsrecently revealedthat Mr Barcenasheld a Swiss bankaccount which atone point held asmuch as 22m(£19m; $30m)euros.

Until 2007,Spanish politicalparties wereallowed to receivea n o n y m o u sdonations.

S p a n i a r d shave been askedto accept painful

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 PAGE 35

Prisoners build ice palace at Saranac lake

It's a far cry from breakingrocks in the hot sun on achain gang. In New York's

Adirondack Mountains,inmates break ice on a frozenlake to make a giant winterpalace.

A work crew from an area"shock" prison camp onceagain this year helped localvolunteers create thismountain village's lakesideice palace - the shimmeringcenterpiece of the annualSaranac Lake Winter

The prisoners at the construction site.

Man steals candy with toy gun- Cops

Carnival, starting Friday.Under snowy skies this

week, inmates marched ontothe frozen lake in militaryformation in winter-weightprison greens and hard hats.Working alongside thevolunteers, they werehanded poles to break offblocks or head-high saws tocut through the ice. Othersin the boot camp-styleincarceration program weredispatched to the tall walls ofthe palace with buckets of

slush to fit between blocks likemortar.

"Sir, yes sir! This is anexperience of a lifetime, sir,"said inmate PatrickO'Donnell. The 24-year-oldfrom Long Island, like allinmates at Moriah ShockIncarceration CorrectionalFacility, answers questionslike a new military recruit.

"Sir, where I live there'snot much snow, so to seesomething like this is anexperience, sir."

Moriah, about 45 milesfrom Saranac Lake throughtwisting mountain roads,houses a six-month shockprogram designed to buildcharacter and self-esteem.

Prisoners convicted ofnonviolent offenses likeburglary, forgery or drugsales can shave months oryears off their sentences bysuccessfully completing ashock program - but it'stough. Inmates wake up at5:30 a.m. for intense days of

exercise, academics andsubstance abuse treatment.

And they work. Moriahbegan sending crews to helpbuild the ice palace in 2009,after the closing of a prisoncloser to Saranac Lake thathad sent workers since 1984.

The inmates move aboutthe snow and ice withoutshackles, but under thewatch of corrections officers.Officer Mike Maloney said thelabor on the lake helpsinmates get ready to go back

to "the real world" when theygraduate from the program.

"It's actually great, sir. Itmakes the day go by fast - getaway for a little while, get alittle peace of mind, sir," saidNorman Bloom, who is fromRochester. Bloom, 25, workedwith a heavy metal pole tobreak ice blocks into thefrozen water.

Ice palaces have been awinter feature of SaranacLake since 1898, fitting for aquaint mountain villagewhere winter temperaturescan plunge to minus 30during cold snaps. Festivalorganizers say the palacetradition stems from the dayswhen ice from local lakes washarvested for refrigeration.

Volunteers were out onthe village-side lake theweekend before the festival,cutting out big ice blocks. Thefootlocker-size ice cubes areplucked from the water bycrane and fitted into thewalk-in palace on the shore.

This year's palace is about70 feet wide and 50 feet deepinside and requires as manyas 2,000 blocks, said icepalace committee chairmanDean Baker. So every handhelps.

"We could do it withoutthem, but it would be a lotmore work," Baker said."We're glad they're here."

A man was arrestedearly Saturdaymorning after

allegedly stealing candyfrom a South San Franciscoconvenience store with areplica gun and for allegedlyhiding drugs in his rectum,police said.

Around 3:31 a.m., thesuspect entered aconvenience store in the 600block of El Camino Real andwas stopped by store clerksafter trying to steal candy,according to police.

Police said the suspect,29-year-old Daly City manMichael Aragon, pulled outa replica handgun and

Gun similarto the onein imagewas usedin the raid

refused to pay for the candy,then fled in his car onto ElCamino Real.

Officers informed of therobbery found Aragonwalking away from his carat the Towne Centershopping mall in San Brunoand quickly apprehendedhim.

Aragon was evaluatedand determined to be underthe influence of a controlledsubstance. While he wasbeing booked into San MateoCounty Jail in RedwoodCity, he was also found to beconcealing crystalmethamphetamine in hisrectum.

Man steals candy Wild monkeys attacksvillage, wound manywith toy gun- Cops

ToddangPulu village.He said Wednesday

that a 16-year-old boywas badly bitten in theattack Monday and isbeing treated at thehospital

He believes the troopcame from a nearbyforest protected by alocal tribe. It's unclearwhy the monkeys,which are usually afraidof humans and flee whenthey hear humanvoices, emerged andattacked.

Local authorities areinvestigating to find outwhat prompted theattack, which causedpanic among villagers.

A mob of wild monkeys has gone on a rampage in avillage in eastern Indonesia, entering houses and at-tacking residents. Seven people were injured, includ-ing one who is in critical condition.

Ambo Ella, aspokesman for

S i d e n d e n g R a p p a n g

District in South Sulawesiprovince, says thesurprise attack by about10 monkeys happened in

PAGE 37PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012

Nigeria Union of LocalG o v e r n m e n tEmployees (NULGE) over

the weekend threatened massaction against the NigeriaGovernors Forum (NGF) over itsroles aimed at thwartingautonomy of the localgovernment system as demandedby Nigerians.

In a communique read by theUnion’s National President,Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, aftera National Executive Council(NEC) meeting in Abuja, NULGEcondemned the moves by thestate governors to scuttle thesuccess already recorded in theprocess of amending the 1999constitution to give autonomy tothe local governments.

LG autonomy: NULGEthreatens govs with violence

NULGE also pointed out thatthe intention of the governors is tointimidate and influence membersof the state Houses of Assembly tofrustrate the section of theamendment that will make localgovernments financiallyautonomous.

While calling on the membersof the state Houses of Assembly topatriotically and courageouslyadopt the position of Nigerians asexpressed in the public sessionsand zonal conferences, NULGEadvised the governors to learn tobe democrats by respecting thewishes of Nigerians rather thanresorting to arm twisting in otherto keep the local governmentsunder their excruciating control.

According to thecommuniqué, “The NEC resolvedto adopt a more drastic ‘Get angry

L-R: FormerZamfara StateGovernors,Senator SaniYerima,Alhaji AliyuShinkafi, andMinister ofState forWorks,AmbassadorBashirYuguda,during astakeholdersmeeting fortheestablishmentof moredevelopmentprojects inZamfara,recently inAbuja.

Photo: NAN

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Fight Back’ approach toconfront the new challenges to thelocal government autonomy.”

In a related development, theunion also expressed dismay overthe discriminatory policy of somestate governors who refuse to paylocal government workers thenew minimum wage, while theypay workers at state level, callingon governors of Oyo, Osun,Plateau, Adamawa, Zamfara andKebbi states to be cautious as theirpolicy controverts the law of theland.

On this background, itmandated its committee on theimplementation of the newminimum wage to compile allcases of non compliance, with aview to mobilise and embark onmass action against the affectedstates.

On the crisis currently ragingbetween the Plateau stategovernment and the localgovernment workers in the state,NULGE commended the NigeriaLabour Congress (NLC) and otherbodies for their solidarity andconcern to Plateau localgovernment workers whosesalaries were seized for over sevenmonths due to their refusal tocollect old minimum wage whileworkers at state level enjoy thenew wage.

It also commended the courageof the affected members for beingfirm despite harrasment andintimidation by stategovernment, condemning therenewed victimisation of the unionleaders in the state, and sacking oflocal government workers, sayingit is not necessary.

The ruling PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP)in Kano has won the two

seats of the state Assembly byeelection of Garko and Gayaconstituencies held at the weekend.

Announcing the result inGarko, the INEC Returning Officer,Professor Habu Muhammad,declared that Ibrahim Garko of PDPscored 53, 865 votes, while hismain challenger, Ashiru Ado ofANPP polled 2,168 votes.

Professor Muhammad saidthat “With the power conferred onme by the electoral laws, I herebydeclare Ibrahim Garko as dulyelected to the Kano House ofAssembly having scored thehighest votes in the keenlycontested election”.

On his part, the ReturningOfficer for Gaya local Governmentbye election, Alhaji MunirAbdullahi Kamba declared AlhajiTafida Tijjani Gaya as the winnerof the election.

Munir Abdullahi Kambadeclared that “Tafida Tijjani Gayaof PDP polled 42,696 votes, whilethe All Nigerian Peoples candidate,Ahmad Abdullahi scored 2,659votes”

The Returning officer statedthat “in line with the outcome ofthe result, Tafida Tijjani Gaya hasemerged as winner of the electoralcontest and he is hereby elected into the Kano House of Assembly”

In a reaction to results declaredby the INEC, Senator IbrahimKabiru Gaya declared the resultsas “null and void”, adding that “theexercise was rigged in favour ofPDP”.

Senator Gaya who lost hisconstituency in the hotly contestedbye election alleged that “theruling PDP government in the stateexported thugs to the two localcouncils and make it difficult formy people to exercise their civicright as empowered by the law”

I have decided to inform theInspector General of Police on thedevelopment in writing and copyother relevant agencies on how theruling PDP messed up the wholeprocess”

Kabiru Gaya who described theelection as a” sham” failed to saywhether he will challenge theelection in the law court.

PDP winsKanoAssemblybye election

The newly appointedActing Chairman of theLabour Party (LP) in Kano

state, Malam Tasi’u AbdurrahmanKofar Waika, has said that his partywill not enter into merger and meltat the expense of its ideology.

In a press statement signed bySheikh Kofar Waika and madeavailable to newsmen, Waikadescribed the Labour Party as anentity that could transform thenation into a bastion of leadershipby example; free from the vices ofcorruption and all acts capable ofgiving the nascent democraticsystem a bad name.

He said the party could onlyenter into an alliance with otherparties provided that there is aconvincing reason to do soaffirming that the party will

Labour party will not melt into merger – Chairmannever make the mistake of meltingaway at the expense of its ideologicalinterest.

He claimed that the Labour Partyis an entity globally recognizedattested to by its predominance inthe United States of America andother parts of Europe. He said suchoverwhelming influence was borne

out of its ability to effect a positivetransformation.

He however stated that with themandate given to him as theparty’s helmsman in Kano, hewould do everything within hispower to accord the Labour Partysome balance of legitimacy andacceptance in the parlance of

opposition.Waika further revealed that he

would also strive to ensure thatthe party was made to become aforce to be reckoned with in therace for Kano Government Housecomes 2015 just as he stressed thatwith vision and clear focus, thefeat is achievable.

By Lawrence Olaoye

PPA urges FG to involve parties in centenary celebration

The National Chairman ofProgressive People’sAlliance (PPA), Mr Sam

Nkire, has urged the FederalGovernment not to exclude otherpolitical parties in the arrangementsfor Nigeria’s centenary celebrations.

Nkire said in a statement yesterdayin Abuja that government should

relate with other political parties tobe part of the occasion, not a few, toshow that the government belongedto all Nigerians.

According to the PPA chairman,the government shoud not limit theplanning and celebration ofNigeria’s 100 years of existence toPDP members alone

“This is Nigeria. Nigeria should befor all Nigerians, irrespective of theirpolitical differences, and shouldwelcome contributions from otherpolitical parties.

According to him, some group ofpeople are making it impossible forPresident Goodluck Jonathan toreach out to non PDP members and

Nigerians.“Government is neither a winner

takes all nor a sole administrator,”he said.

He, therefore, advised those ingovernment to always pursueinclusive policies, for greaterachievements. (NAN)

PAGE 38 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012

N4 Billion First Lady’s Mission Office:corruption at its worst- says ANPPThe All Nigeria Peoples

Party (ANPP) hasdescribed as corruption at

worst and unpatriotic at best, theproposal by the Federal CapitalTerritory Administration tospend N4 billion on building theFirst Ladies Mission office complexin Abuja this year as contained inthe FCTA’S N253 billion budgetfor 2013.

The party in a statementissued by the National PublicitySecretary of the party, Emma

Eneukwu, stated that the ANPPbelieves that the matter is a non-issue as the budget for thecomplex is inherently illegal andshould not waste the time of thedistinguished Senators in theirwork.

“The fact on ground is that theFederal Government has alreadydeclared that the African FirstLadies Peace Mission (AFLPM) isa non-governmentalorganization (NGO) and could notbe funded with the taxpayers’money.

“For the avoidance of doubt,

Kwara govt relaxes curfew in Offa,Erin-IIe for religious obligations

Muslims and Christians in the twocommunities to use the relaxedperiod for Fridays and Sundays forreligious purposes.

Gold said the relaxation was asa result of satisfactory on-the-spotassessment of the situations in thetwo communities.

The statement said movementwould be allowed between 12:00noon and 6:00 p.m. on Fridays and

By Umar Muhammad Puma

SURE-P: Monarchurges FG toensure promptpayment ofallowance

The Paramount Ruler ofEtinan, Edidem DicksonUmoette, has urged the

Federal Government to ensure aregular payment of allowancesto beneficiaries of the SubsidyRe-investment andEmpowerment Programme(SURE-P).

Umoette said this on Saturdaywhen members of the SURE-PState ImplementationCommittee in Akwa Ibom paidhim a courtesy visit.

He thanked the federalgovernment for the remedialintervention programme toreduce poverty among thewomen and youths in thecountry.

The traditional ruler called fora long-lasting measure to be putin place to tackle youthunemployment.

He also tasked the stategovernment to key into thefederal government job-creationprogramme by reviving theailing industries in the state.

Umoette noted thatunemployment was the reasonfor insecurity in the country andadvised that it should be tackledby all and not only the federalgovernment.

“Government should beserious in ensuring job-creation,because idleness is the cause ofour security challenges,” headvised.

The monarch advised thebeneficiaries of the SURE-Pprogramme to invest their littleincome in farming.

“Beneficiaries should inculcatethe habit of savings, savesomething out of the little youwill receive and go back to farm.

“Farming should beencouraged to make people self-reliant,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Chairman, AkwaIbom State ImplementationCommittee of SURE-P, AirCommodore Idongesit Nkanga(rtd.), had explained reasons forthe committee’s visit to theparamount ruler.

Nkanga, who was representedby the committee’s Secretary,Mr Dennis Akpan, said youthsin the community would beengaged in rehabilitation,community services, clearing ofroads and public buildings.

He solicited for the support ofthe royal father in ensuring thesuccess of the progamme.(NAN)

between 7:00am and 2:00pm onSundays.

It, however, said the 24-hourcurfew would continue to operateon other days besides Fridays andSundays.

Meanwhile, Alhaji NajeemYasin, the President of the NationalUnion of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) on Friday called on theInspector-General of Police to

investigate causes of the crisis.Yasin made the call at Offa after

inspecting scenes of the crisis anddescribed the level ofdestruction and loss of lives inthe two feuding communities asenormous.

Yasin appealed to thecommunities to give peace achance and adopt amicablemeans of settlement. (NAN)

the party wishes to remindNigerians that in July 2012, thePresidency, while refuting reportsthat the Federal Government hadpurchased 200 new exotic cars forthe African First Ladies Summitin Abuja, affirmed that AFLPMwhich was holding its summit inAbuja is an NGO and its activitiesare funded by stakeholders andmembers of the private sector whosupport and identify with itsobjectives”.

Eneukwu said Dr. ReubenAbati, Special Adviser to thePresident on Media and Publicity,

was quoted as saying that “inaccordance with its modusoperandi, the AFLPM set upseveral committees, including afinance committee to raise fundsand sponsorship for theorganization of its Abuja summit.As part of its own contribution tothe successful hosting of thesummit by the First Lady, DamePatience Jonathan, CoscharisMotors Ltd, offered to provide somecars for the event at no cost to theorganizers or the FederalGovernment of Nigeria.’’

He added that the ANPP foundit puzzling, absurd andincongruous that another projectof the AFLPM could now besmuggled into the budget of theFCT, an undeniable burden to thealready burdened citizens of ourgreat nation.

He stressed that the proposalwhich came up for second readingin the Senate last week should beresisted by the distinguishedlawmakers. “This is unpatriotic atbest, and corrupt at worst, thereare myriads of people-orientedprojects begging for attention inNigeria. The education sector forexample did not get up to theexpected percentage in this year’sbudget to meet up withinternational best practices; soalso agriculture”.

“N4 billion is a great lot ofmoney to give out to an NGO, evenif the Federal Government decidesto donate to charity; as a party,we believe that fiscal discipline,transparency and accountabilityis what our country needs at thiscritical epoch in our nationhoodin order to surmount evenunforeseen financial stress andleave a sustainable future forNigerians yet unborn”, he said.

The Kwara Government hasrelaxed the 24-hour curfewimposed on Offa and Erin-Ile

communities to allow Muslims andChristians to observe their religionobligations.

Alhaji Isiaka Gold, theSecretary to the StateGovernment (SSG), gave thisdirective in a statement in IIorin.

The statement advised

Tambuwal identifies corruption, poverty as threats to national developmentConflict and Security Studies, ABU, incollaboration with Students'Representative Council of theinstitution.

Tambuwal, who was representedby Rep. Bashir Adamu, Chairman,House Committee on Defence,lamented over the prevalence ofcorruption and poverty in thecountry.

"Corruption is not only in the publicservice but it cuts across all segmentsincluding schools, businesses and evenour homes.

"In the same vein, unity of Nigeriais a forgone conclusion, this should bea topmost priority because the idea ofseparation is not an issue," he said.

The speaker stressed the need forNigerians to exploit all avenues toensure corporate existence of thenation through unity, peace,tolerance and understanding of oneanother's cultures and values.

"For democracy to succeed, peoplemust learn to accommodate, tolerateand embrace one another,"Tambuwal said.

In his speech, the ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha,observed that national conflicts wereadded conflicts emanating from ward,local and state levels.

Mustapha, who was representedby Prof. Adebayo Joshua, Dean, Schoolof Post-Graduate Studies, assured thecentre of the institution's support.

He hoped that more of such lecturewould be organised to enlighten thepeople on the consequences of themenace.

The Guest Speakers, Prof. Aminu

Anambra Women Organisation (AWO), during its meeting over 2014 gubernatorial election,recently at Ezinifite community in Aguata Local Goverment Area in Anambra. Photo: NAN

Mohammed-Dorayi, of Institute ofSecurity Studies and Dr AbubakarSaddiq-Muhammad of PoliticalScience Department, ABU, advisedNigerians not to use religion andethnicity as a means of achievingpolitical goals.

They identified lack of political willto genuinely deal with corruption, poorcriminal justice system, absence ofmoral code of ethics and integritybenchmark, as some of the factorsresponsible for endemic corruption inthe country. (NAN)

The Speaker, House ofRepresentatives, AminuTambuwal, has said that

corruption and poverty are nationalsocial menaces that are detrimentalto national development.

He said this at a lecture on "Religion,Ethnicity and Corruption : Challengesof National Security" held at theAhmadu Bello University (ABU),Zaria on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the lecture wasorganised by the Centre for Peace,

PAGE 38PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012

National Vice Chairmanof the Congress forProgressive Change, CPC,

in the North Central zone, AlhajiAbu Onaji has said thePresidential candidate of theparty, in the 2011 election,General Muhammadu Buhari hasthe capacity to defeat PresidentGood luck Jonathan if fieldedagain in the 2015 after themerger by the opposition parties.

Onaji who was reacting to thevarious comments from thechieftains of the ruling PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) acrossthe nation on the oppositionparties’ merger arrangement and the consequences of fieldingGeneral Muhammadu Buhari as

2015: Buhari can defeatJonathan, says CPC

the candidate in the 2015 electionsaid it was a sign of fear of defeatby the ruling party.

The CPC chieftain, who is aseasoned journalist and a retiredManaging Director of Kogi StateBroadcasting Corporation, said inan exclusive interview with thisreporter in Lokoja that the rulingparty should concentrate on howto win back the public confidencewhich had already been eroded asa result of mis-governance, insteadof continuing to belabouring itselfon the merger talks.

He described the assertions by themembers of the ruling party thatBuhari cannot defeat PresidentJonathan as speculative in nature,adding that they should bepreparing for a free and fair electionin the 2015 as the masses will reject

them because of their abysmalperformances which have broughtuntold hardship on the averagecitizenry.

“The comments from thechieftains of the ruling party isburned out of panicky situation asthey are aware that they will losein the 2015 elections becauseNigerian citizens will demand fortheir stewardship when the timescomes,” he stated.

The 76 year old politician saidthe merger arrangement of theopposition is already a reality which,according to him, will consume theruling PDP because of thepersonalities involved.

He explained that the politicalparties that have agreed for themerger have already put asidepersonal interests and gains for the

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

The National PublicitySecretary of the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP),

Chief Olisa Metuh has debunkedreports linking him to thedemolition of part of the Abujahome of Second Republic SenatePresident, Dr. Joseph Wayas.

Part of Wayas’ house locatedin Asokoro District of Abuja wason Monday demolished byofficials of the Federal CapitalDevelopment Authority(FCDA), one of who was said tohave cited encroachment intoan adjourning plot allegedlyowned by Metuh as reason.

But dismissing the allegation,Special Assistant to Metuh, Mr.Richard Ihediwa yesterday saidthe PDP chieftain is not theowner of the said adjourning plotand could not have had anyhand in the demolition.

Ihediwa said Metuh acquiredthe land a few years ago but wasforced to dispose of it last year ata give-away price after severalmeetings with Wayas over hisencroachment into half of theproperty yielded no results.

He said Chief Wayas is fullyaware that the land has sincebeen sold to another person andin fact has been transactingwith the new owner.

“We read in the papers thatpart of the house belonging toSecond Republic SenatePresident, Chief Joseph Wayaswas demolished by officials ofthe FCDA. The report said thatthe demolition was because theproperty encroached into anadjourning land said to beowned by Chief Olisa Metuh.

“For the avoidance of doubt,the plot of land in question doesnot belong to Chief Olisa Metuh.He acquired the plot a few yearsago but noticed that there wasan encroachment into half of theland by Chief Joseph Wayas.

“After several meetings withChief Wayas, which yielded noresult, Chief Olisa Metuh wasforced to sell the land at a littleor no value. Chief Joseph Wayasis fully aware that the land hassince been sold to anotherperson. In fact, he has beentransacting with the newowners of the land. So ChiefOlisa Metuh has no interest inthe land and is in no wayinvolved in the demolition”, hesaid

Ihediwa said Metuh places novalue on lands and materialacquisitions adding that he is notinvolved in any land disputewith anybody in Abuja or in hisvillage.

Describing Metuh as a modestperson, Ihediwa said the PDPchieftain has been living in thesame house for over eight yearsand has no need for any newhouse.

He however advised thatpeople should be morestraightforward and forthrighton land matters.

I have no handsin Wayas’troubles – Olisa Metuh

L-R: President David Mark, his wife, Mrs. Helen Mark, and Oche Otukpo Odu, Chief John Eyeimoye, during the opening ceremony of the 2ndedition of Pa Aikwuta Mark Memorial Pro-AM Golf Tournament, on Saturday at Otukpo Golf And Country Club St. Mark Akpegede Benue State.

sake of national interest to safe thecountry from total collapse due tothe prevailing greed and corruptioninitiated into governance by theruling party.

The CPC zonal leader thereforeappealed to the electorates to ignorewhat he termed evil machinationsof the ruling party to perpetuateitself in power despite the growingrate of poverty and un-employmentamong the Nigerian youths.

It would be recalled thatchieftains of the ruling PDP havebeen expressing their views over theplanned merger of the oppositionpolitical parties in the country as adream that can not come to fruitionin view of the in-conclusivearrangement of that similarexercise in the 2011 elections in thecountry.

The Association of LocalGovernments of Nigeria(ALGON) yesterday urged

the House of Representatives toadopt the reccommendations ofthe constitution reviewcommittee collected from 360federal constituencies.

The National President of theassociation, Mr Nwabueze Okafor,made the called in an interviewwith the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja.

He said expressed the belief thatmembers of the public did notsupport the deferment of thepresentation of the collectedresults from all the constituencies.

“ I think that may be they aretrying to put one or two things

together in terms of collation of theresults from the public at thefederal constituencies.

“ I don’t think the Speaker,Aminu Tambuwal, a forthrightperson who calls a spade a spade,will want to be dragged to the levelof trying to change or alter thewishes of the people,” he said.

The ALGON boss further statedthat most organisations had theresult already as the public sessionswere being monitored.

“We have the results alreadybecause we have representativesat all the federal constituencieswho followed the public sessions; alot of organisations equally have.

“Autonomy for localgovernment administration has

overwhelming supportin the new constitution. So, the

results are known to Nigerians.“We know the feelings of

Nigerians on the issues. It is notpersonal as power is transient.

“I don’t think that it’s somethingwe should be worried about,rather we should do things thatwill reflect the wishes of thepeople,’’ he said.

According to him, peopleopposed to the local governmentautonomy are beneficiaries of thepresent situation where theresources and the funds of localgovernment are diverted.

Okafor further disclosed thatALGON was an interested partyand ready to receive collated

ALGON urges Reps to adopt public opinion on constitution reviewresults to tally with what it hason the ground.

“I met the speaker and I saw howpassionate he was about ensuringthat we enthrone a virile localgovernment system and aconstitution that Nigerians willbe happy with,” he said.

“The local councils will have thecapacity and resources as well assufficient authority to implementtheir policies and ensure that theirmandate from the people arefulfilled,” he said.

“We hope to have financialautonomy, the issue of Section162 and other areas like section174 should be abolished as theyhave failed the people,” headded.(NAN)

By Lawrence Olaoye

PAGE 40 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012

Kwara crisis: ACN alleges freshplot to sack Offa council boss

with a common destiny is now,reiterating that this is not a timefor the government to bedistracted again having passednumerous challenges in the previous year.

He called on the people to joinhands with Capt Wada’sadministration in moving thestate forward adding that in

Wada’s victory affirms hope for democracy, Kogi Deputy Governor

L-R: Former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, Chairman, Senate Committee onPower, Senator Phillip Aduda, during the final flag-off of Jummai Aduda Organisation, on Saturday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

The Kwara Action Congressof Nigeria ( ACN) yesterdayalleged fresh plot by the

Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)led state government to sack theonly ACN chairman, PrinceSaheed Popoola, using the recentOffa-Erin Ile crisis as asmokescreen.

The party in a statementissued in Ilorin, the state ACNchairman, Kayode Olawepo, saidthe party "has it on good authoritythat the leadership of the Kwara

State PDP has resolved to hideunder the recent Offa-Erin Ilecrisis to remove the only ACNchairman in Offa council bydissolving the council."

Olawepo accused the PDP ofhiding under the crisis to achieveits longstanding aim of riddingKwara of opposition by removingthe only chairman elected on theplatform of the ACN.

"This is the latest evil plan ofthe desperate PDP after previousplots to remove the chairman havefailed.

"This latest plan is condemnable

politics you win some and losesome.

While urging those aggrievedto bury their hatchets and joinhands in the transformationagenda of the governor, Awoniyithanked people of the state fortheir love, understanding andsteadfastness for the Wada’sadministration, stressing that

and reeks of hypocrisy and cheappolitics. It will fail! It is on recordthat the Offa Chairman has sincefour months ago - long before theoutbreak of the recent violence -intimated the PDP-led stategovernment of suspicion that someelements were planning to unleashviolence on the two communities.

"He not only wrote to the officeof the Secretary to the StateGovernment (SSG), he alsoattended a meeting convened inIlorin to devise strategies tomaintain peace.

"We therefore see as

mischievous and pre-determinedthe attempt to hide under thissecurity challenges to dissolve thecouncil and remove thechairman. If the stategovernment which equally hadprior knowledge of the situationcould not forestall the outbreak ofviolence, any attempt to blamethe Offa chairman for the violenceis cruel and suspicious. The PDPperhaps sees the crisis as thecheapest means of achieving theevil plot to rid Kwara of oppositionby all means, however unfair andcrooked."

The Kogi State DeputyGovernor, Arc YomiAwoniyi,has described the

appeal court verdict affirmingCapt idris Wada’s governorship as victory for the people anddemocracy. Awoniyi said thetime to forge ahead as a people

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

of roads with a view to opening upthe state for agricultural and socio-economic development.

“Right now, Gombe State is amassive construction site, wheregovernment has embarked on theconstruction of 52 township roadswithin Gombe metropolis.

“There are also inter-town linkroads that connect villages and localgovernment headquarters spreadacross all the 11 local government

Gombe ready for Good Governance teamareas.

“Most of these roads have beencompleted while some are underconstruction,” Dawaki said.

The commissioner also said thegovernment was collaborating withthe Federal Government in theconstruction of the 52-km Kanawa-Deba-Jauro Gotel road at a cost ofN6.2 billion.

He explained that the FederalGovernment had given the state

government the go-ahead toexecute the road to be reimbursedlater.

Dawaki also said that in an effortto make Gombe a modern city, thegovernment had embarked onbeautification projects with theinstallation of street and trafficlights at 19 critical road junctions.He said the projects had lit up Gombeand reduced incidents of insecurityand theft in the night. (NAN)

transformed the state to an “enviableheight’’ sincw his assumption ofoffice.

The commissioner said that thegovernment was paying attentionto education, roads andinfrastructure, water resources,erosion control, healthcare as wellas youth and womenempowerment.

He said the government hadembarked on a massive construction

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

The Governor of Kogi state,Idris Wada, has called onNigerians to trust the

country's professionals at homeand expressed the hope that witha little more patriotism, thecountry would make the kind ofprogress Nigerians desire.

Wada who disclosed this whenhe received some executives ofthe Nigeria Union of Journalists,(NUJ), FCT Council who paid hima get-well visit, spoke against thebackground of his opting to betreated in the country ratherthan abroad after a ghastlyaccident in Kogi state.

The governor said he believesin Nigeria because of theopportunities the country hasafforded him to be who he is.

Wada explained that his beinga pilot was made possible by thesponsorship of the government;therefore he has every reason tobelieve in the potential thatabounds in the country.

In his words: "I was sponsoredabroad to become a pilotinstructor by the country. WhenI finished my course, I was offeredpartnership by the school becauseI emerged overall best but Iturned it down because I believe Iowe this country something inreturn."

He further explained that onreturn to the country, he becamean instructor at the NigeriaCollege of Aviation TechnologyZaria for five years before joiningthe defunct Nigeria Airways.

Speaking on his treatment,Wada said: "I am satisfied withthe treatment I have received. IfI had decided to go to Germany itwould have taken 24 hours beforeI could have been attended togiven travel and all the protocolinvolved.

"For a patient in trauma, it isadvisable you get treatment assoon as possible. When the doctorexplained the procedure to meand said it would take 2hours, Itrusted his judgment as aprofessional and the procedurelasted for the two hours he said."

He called on Nigerians to trustthe country's professionals athome and expressed the hope thatwith a little more patriotism, thecountry would make the kind ofprogress Nigerians desire.

Wada tasksNigeriansto trust itsprofessionalsBy Adeola Tukuru

their supports would bereciprocated with transparentand purposeful leadership.

The Deputy who spokethrough a press statementsigned by his Chief PressSecretary, Abu Mike,commended the judiciary forserving as the bastion ofdemocracy.

The Rev. Habu Dawaki,Commissioner ofInformation and Orientation

in Gombe State, says the Gov.Ibrahim Dankwamboadministration has executed“unprecedented’’ developmentprojects in the last one and a halfyears.

In an interview with the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe,Dawaki said Dankwambo had

PAGE 45PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

1]Man City slipped ninepoints behind Man Utdat the top of the tableafter being held to a 2-2draw by Liverpool. Citytook the lead throughEdinDzeko before twowonderful strikes fromDaniel Sturridge andSteven Gerrard putLiverpool ahead. But,with Pepe Reina out ofposition, Sergio Agueromanaged to save adraw from animpossible angle.

2]Tottenham had to relyon a thumping strikefrom Gareth Bale to seeoff ten-man West Brom1-0, after Jermain Defoesuffered a foot injury.The Baggies lost GoranPopov early in thesecond half after hewas sent off for spittingat Kyle Walker.

3]IBF super-middleweightchampion Carl Frochwill face Mikkel Kesslerat London's O2 Arenaon 25 May.

4]Seven-time FrenchOpen champion RafaelNadal says he will needweeks on the circuitbefore he can return tohis best after a knee.

5]Pace bowler KatherineBrunt says England's 32-run World Cup overIndia proved the hosts'captain Mithali Rajwrong.

6]

A late goal from SundayMba gave Nigeria a 2-1win over Côte d'Ivoire inthe CAF Africa Cup ofNations quarter-final,seeing the tournamentfavourites eliminated.

P I C

T O

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PUBLIC NOTICE

NOBLE VESSEL BIBLE MINISTRYTHIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVENAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRSCOMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. REV. OLUWAGBEMI ISAAC ODUNAYO2. PASTOR RUFUS ALABA SUNDAY3. PASTOR THOMSON OLA AYENI4. BROTHER ONWUSIKIBE SERGIUSAIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ASPRESENTED IN THE HOLY BIBLE.2. TO ESTABLISH LOCAL CHURCHES FOR THE PROPAGATION OFTHE GOSPEL IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ANDELSEWHERE.3. TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN SUITABLE ADMINISTRATIVEMACHINERY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CHURCH AND FORTHE SUPERVISION OF THE LOCAL CHURCHES ANDINSTRUCTIONS ESTABLSIHED BY THE CHURCH.ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BEFORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA,ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE:1. OLASUPO MUYIDEEN - RETAINED 6. SAMUEL IDOWU - RETAINED2.PASTOR OLUDIRAN PHILIP - RESIGNED 7. ASIMIYU OKE - RESIGNED3. SULAIMON ILORI - RESIGNED 8. ADEBAYO IDOWU - RESIGNED4. OLALERE SHOLA - RESIGNED 9. MRS BALOGUN BOSE - RESIGNED5. JIBOLA AJIBADE ADEMOLA - RESIGNEDTHE NEW TRUSTEES ARE:1. MR KAMORUDEEN BUSARI OLADELE APPOINTED2. COMRADE MUYIDEEN KUNLE OLASUPO REAPPOINTED3. CHIEF SAMUEL IDOWU REAPPOINTED4. HON. LOLA AWONIYIN OMOSANYA APPOINTED5. MR WAHEED DALEKO APPOINTED6. MR RASAQ DADA APPOINTED7. ALHAJI AYO OGUNSHOLU JUBRIL APPOINTED8. ALHAJI OLABODE RAZAQ APPOINTED9. ALHAJI MORUFU AJANI APPOINTED10. MR AFUI ETTU /+APPOINTEDNEW AIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. ORGANISATION AND HARMONIZATION OF ALL OWNERS AND RIDERS, ENGAGED IN COMMERCIALTRICYCLE TRANSPORT THAT ARE QUALIFIED FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION.2. PROTECTION OF THE INTEREST OF ALL MEMBERS AND MONITORING OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THEASSOCIATION.3. PROVISION OF BENEFITS AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO THE MEMBERS AS PROVIDED IN THECONSTITUTION.4. TO FOSTER UNITY, SOLIDARITY AND PROGRESS AMONG ALL MEMBERS, THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVENAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATIONUNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERSACT NO. 1 OF 1990.THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. PASTOR EJOH AUGUSTINE IWEANYA -(GENERALOVERSEER)2. PASTOR EJOH VINCENT CHUKWUMA - (ASSIST. GENERALOVERSEER)3. MRS EJOH NGOZI ANNELLA - (TREASURER)4. PASTOR OKONJI GABRIEL - (SECRETARY)AIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TOTHE WORLD.2. TO WIN SOULS UNTO REPENTANCE FOR CHRIST.ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BEFORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENTMAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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PAGE 44 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Wakaso Mubarak

Alain Troare

Cape Verde Islands coachLúcio Antunes says the bestteam in the tournament

are going home.Antunes was referring to his

side that fell to a 2-0 loss at thehands of African powerhousesGhana in their Africa Cup ofNations match at NelsonMandela Bay Stadium in PortElizabeth on Saturday.

The Islanders dominatedlarge parts of the encounter, andthe game changed just after thebreak when Ghana wereawarded a controversialpenalty and The Black Starsnever looked back.

Cape Verde threw everyplayer forward in desperatesearch of an equaliser and werecaught out on the break, handingGhana their second goal.

“Today we watched abeautiful game of soccer,unfortunately the best team isgoing home tomorrow so thetournament is going to lose alittle bit of shine,” said Antunesafter the game.

Antunes went on to questionthe match officiating.

“Today was our fourth gameof the tournament, never werethere questions of the first,second and third. Now thequestions come.”

Antunes sarcastically saidnobody would want to watchCape Verde in the last four andthat is why the Ghanians weregoing through.

“Although the score was 2-0Cape Verde really did put Ghanaunder pressure, especially in thesecond half they had a lot ofstress. Do you think this result isf a i r ?

“The result is fair becauseGhana win the match. I don’tthink there would be very biginterest for the tournament ifCape Verde for example was toplay with Togo in front of maybe200 spectators. It is importantfor the tournament that Ghanastays on to the semifinals.”

The coach questioned theobjectivity of the referee, andalso the selection of the officials.

According to Antunes, evenlocal South Africans would bedisappointed that Cape Verdewas eliminated.

“Cape Verde is the best teamof this tournament, and thereare lots of South Africans evencrying that Cape Verde is out ofthis tournament. “The positivesthat I’m taking from this is thatCape Verde is not worse than anyof the other teams, in fact CapeVerde is as good as any of the bigteams here.”

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiahsays he is happy to reachthe semi finals of the 2013

Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)tournament.

He told newsmen shortly afterthe match that he would correct“some deficiencies’’ thathampered his team’sperformance against Cape Verdein the quarter final match onSaturday.

The Black Stars beat the BlueSharks 2-0 in Port Elizabeth,with a brace from substituteMubarak Wakaso.

Ghana will play the winner ofSunday’s clash between BurkinaFaso and Togo.

“The first half was okay,’’Appiah said after the game,according to the official GhanaFootball Association (GFA)webstie. “The second half wasnot one of our best games but Ithink we’ve got more room forimprovement.

“We were playing so well untilwhen we had the first goal. Thatwas when we had somedeficiencies in our midfield.

“On a whole our mentalattitude was really good. CapeVerde dominated the secondhalf, but we stood up and themost important thing was thatwe got the win at the end of theday,’’ he stressed.

Super Eagles’ forward, Emmanuel Emenike, leads the top scorers’chart with three goals after his blasting effort yesterday toopen the Eagles score sheet against the Elephants of Cote d’

Ivoire.The goal takes his tally to three and is joined in the pool by Wakaso

Mubarak, whose two goals for Ghana on Saturday against CapeVerde in the quarter-final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations hadpropelled the player to the top of the goal scorers’ chart.

The player now jointly leads with Alain Traore of Burkina Faso -both with three goals each.

Next to them are the seven players who have scored two goalseach so far.

They are: Seydou Keita of Mali and Victor Moses of Nigeria,Dieumerci Mbokani of the Democratic Republic of Congo, SiyanbongaSangweni of South Africa, as well as Yaya Toure and Gervinho,both of Cote d’Ivoire.

Seven players finished jointly on top of the goal scorers’ chart atthe last edition of the Nations Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Each of them scored three goals, but the Confederation of Africanfootball (CAF) declared only one - Emmanuel Mayuka of Zambia - asthe top goal scorer, after adding an assist in one of Zambia’s matchesto his total of three.

Emenike, Mubarak,Traore lead topgoal scorers chart

Cape Verde’scoach rues ouster

Appiah happyat semi-finalberth

Hundreds of Malian youthstook to the streets ofBamako on Saturday to

celebrate their team’squalification for the semi-finalsof the ongoing 2013 Africa Cupof Nations (AFCON) in SouthAfrica.

Incidentally, it was the SouthAfrican hosts that Mali knockedout 4-2 on penalties to qualify.

The match ended 1-1 after120 minutes of play, before theMalians scored three of theirkicks, while South Africa scoredonly one.

PANA reports that car driversand motor cyclists were blaringtheir horns in the city centre incelebration, in spite of the stateof emergency imposed across thecountry following the waragainst Islamist insurgents inthe north.

Malianscelebrateteam’squalification forsemi-finals

VincentEnyeama

Nigeria goalkeeper,V i n c e n tEnyeama, has

played down talksabout his record of neverlosing in any quarterfinal

match at the Afcon hehas appeared in.

Enyeama was in goalthroughout as Nigeria’sSuper Eagles trippedp r e - t o u r n a m e n t

favourites, the Elephantsof Cote d’Ivoire, by 2-1 inRustenburg in aquarterfinal game at theAfrica Cup of Nations

yesterday.The 30-year-old

goalkeeper whenasked about hisrecord of neverlosing in thequarterfinal of the

Afcon he has takenp a r t in his country’s squadsaid: “I don’t know how it happensas I’m not the Special One.”

He further said: “I can only thankGod for all of the achievements as I

don’t care about statistics.”The Maccabi Tel Aviv goalkeeper has

been in goal throughout the 360minutes of Nigeria’s participation at theongoing Afcon in South Africa.

The former Enyimba custodian hasmade more than 70 appearances forNigeria since his debut in 2002.

Enyeama is expected to continuein goal for Nigeria when they faceMali in the semifinals.

Enyeama deniesbeing ‘special’

PAGE 43PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Matthew Ebden

Niger Tornadoes’g o a l k e e p e r ,Mustapha Aliko has

said his side were fortunateto pull off a 2-1 win againsthard fighting ZamfaraUnited on Matchday 7 ofthe NNL at the BakoKontagora Stadium,Minna on Saturday.

The Minna-based sideedged forward throughShehu Shansu Sabole inthe 51st minute whileZamfara equalised almostimmediately through awell taken dead ball but thehosts grabbed the winnerin the 89th minutethrough Simon Opiteku.

The victory takes thepoints haul of Godwin KokoUwua’s team to 12 from amaximum of 21 points.

They will be away toambitious Jos-based side,Mighty Jets on Matchday8 in Jos next weekend.Aliko said his side dreamedof amassing as much asfour unreplied goalsagainst the visitors.

“It was a difficult gameperhaps we underratedZamfara United becausewe were thinking of aneasy win with a wide goalmargin of up to four, fivegoals. I’m excited wesurvived their scare andwere able to pocket thethree points at stake.

“The hard won victorywill prepare us adequatelyfor the crunch encounteragainst Mighty Jets in Josnext weekend. This win isa big boost going into theg a m e .

“We’ll prepare harder toensure we win valid pointsat Mighty Jets aimed athelping our push to the topof the log,” he said.

Niger Tornadoes losttheir elite league status atthe conclusion of the 2011/12 NPL season.

TornadoeskeeperrelishesNNL winFederal Capital

Territory (FCT),Abuja team has

emerged winner of themaiden edition of Baba MaiMangoro National Para-Soccer Championship(Adamawa 2013), whichended on Saturday inYola.

In the final match of thetournament, Abujadefeated Kano to emerge

the overall winner whileAdamawa came third afterbeating Nasarawa in thethird place match by threegoals to nil.

The final matchbetween Abuja and Kanoended in a penalty shoot outafter the two teams drew2-2 at full time.

Abuja scored all its threepenalty kicks to have atotal of five goals while

Kano scored only two of itspenalty kicks missing oneto emerged runners upwith four goals.

Highlights of the closingceremony was thepresentation of trophies tothe winning teams,participants and somedignitaries, as well as prizesto the most valuable playerand goal keepers.

The prize for the most

valuable player went toMohammed Hussaini ofNasarawa, while prize for bestgoal keeper went to IbrahimAbubakar ofG o m b e . M o h a m m e dAbdullahi of Kano got the prizefor the highest goal scorer.

The closing ceremonywas witnessed by thePresident of para-SsoccerFederation of Nigeria, DrHalima Nyako; its

secretary-general, MalamUmar Lambu, and theinitiator of the game inNigeria, Alhaji MisbahuLawan, as well as otherdignitaries

A total of eight teams,comprising Adamawa,Bauchi, FCT, Gombe,Kano, Katsina, Zamfaraand Nasarawaparticipated in the four-day championship.

Adamawa 2013: Abuja emerges winnerof national para-soccer championship

players.Former world No 1

Lleyton Hewitt ledAustralia’s charge into thesecond round of Asia/Oceania Group I with asingles and doubles win,with Matthew Ebden andMarinko Matosevic alsowinning their singlesmatches against Taiwan.

Japan had newlypromoted Indonesia eyeinga quick return to Group IIwhen Go Soeda andTatsuma Ito spearheadeda straightforward win inTokyo.

Wu Di, who became thefirst Chinese man to playa Grand Slam main drawat last month’s AustralianOpen, recovered somepride for his country inSunday’s singles but itwasn’t enough to stop acomprehensive 4-1 defeat

by Uzbekistan.And India, without

Somdev Devvarman,Mahesh Bhupathi andRohan Bopanna after a rowover pay and conditions,slumped to a 4-1 lossagainst South Korea to endtheir hopes for anotheryear.

In the second round inApril, Australia will playUzbekistan and Japan takeon arch-rivals South Koreafor a place in September’sWorld Group play-offs.

China face Taiwan andIndia will play Indonesia inthe first round play-offs,with the losers going intoa relegation tie to decidewhich team drops down toGroup II next season.

Australia are likely toface a debate over theinclusion of wayward starBernard Tomic, who was

Australia and Japancelebrated perfect 5-0 Davis Cup

victories yesterday but

India paid the price forfielding a second-stringteam following a disputeinvolving their top

kept out of the first roundteam over problems withhis behaviour.

Australia, Japan storm through in Davis Cup Japan may also hope towelcome back their topplayer, Kei Nishikori, whohas been troubled byinjury in the early part ofthis season.

Marinko Matosevic

Team Cross Riveremerged the overallwinner of the 5th

National School SportsFestival (NSSF) whichended in Port Harcourt,the Rivers capital, onS a t u r d a y .

They clinched a total of264 medals to beat theirclosest rival, Delta, to thesecond position.

Cross River won 89 gold,88 silver and 87 bronzemedals, while second-placed Delta won a total

234 medals, made up of81 gold, 85 silver, and 68bronze.

Team Rivers finished inthe third position, havingnotched up 154 medals 56gold, 38 silver and 60bronze medals.

Mrs Helen Martin, CrossRiver weightlifting coach,said in Port Harcourt thatthe victory was as a resultof hard work anddetermination.

“I know all the statesdesired to win, but I thankGod that the essence of theGames was not defeated.

“Our children havecome from far and near toshowcase their talents, tomeet people of differenttribes and cultures; thiswill engender greater lovefor the nation,” she said.

Mr Julius Itegbiku, DeltaFootball Coach,commended Team CrossRiver for winning thefestival’s overall trophy,describing them as“heroes’’ .

National School SportsFederation (NSSF)president, IbrahimMohammed, said that thecompetition was not onlyto win laurels, but to alsopromote unity and widenthe horizon of thepart ic ipants .

Mohammed noted thatthe festival had helped thechildren to know the otherside of their country. School sports

Bolaji Abdullahi,Sports Minister

Team Cross River emerges winnerof 5th School Sports Festival He frowned at some

states that could notparticipate at the 10-dayGames, urging every statein the country to embraceschool sports.

“I am not happy withsome states that did notcome for the festival; stateslike Imo, Bayelsa, Bauchi,Gombe, Taraba, Yobe andZ a m f a r a .

“NSSF is the best way todevelop sports in anynation, but I don’t knowwhy these states cannotsupport school sports,”Mohammed said.

The Federal CapitalTerritory (FTC) andBorno, however, did notwin any medal at thefiestal.

The festival heldbetween Jan. 24 to Feb. 2.

PAGE 42 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

silver medal in 2:47:25and Melanie van Rooyenclinched bronze in2:48:35.

The championshipswere expected to play asignificant role in teamselection for the WorldAthletics Championshipsin Moscow, Russia, inAugust, but nobodymanaged to reach therelatively undemandingqualifying standards.

Moeng missed the men’squalifying mark of2:17:00 by 32 seconds,and Joubert was morethan three minutes outsidethe women’s standard of2:43:00.

Veterans JuanManuel Lopez,Jürgen Brähmer

and Andre Dirrell haveshown they can still fightat a decent level.

But for Cory Spinks andJose Luis Castillo it is timeto get out of the ring andjoin the league of formerchampions.

Spinks, fighting in his47th professional bout, lostto Carlos Molina inChicago on Saturday nightand Castillo, in his 77thouting, was beaten byAntwone Smith in thesame tournament.

Brähmer, a former WBOl i g h t - h e a v y w e i g h tchampion, beat Europeanl i g h t - h e a v y w e i g h tchampion Eduard

Japanese runner YukiKawauchi broke hisprevious personal best

and a meet record to beatLondon Olympian KentaroNakamoto in the last twokilometres and win theBeppu-Oita marathon onSunday.

Kawauchi emergedvictorious in a shoulder-to-shoulder battle againstcompatriot Nakamotoafter 28 kilometres beforetaking the lead at aroundthe 40km point to cross thefinishing line in two hourseight minutes 15 seconds.

Nakamoto also set hispersonal best of 2:08:35 tofinish second, followed bycompatriot KenjiHigashino third in2:12:13.

“I’m really happy aboutmy new personal best anda new meet record. I wasable to set (the new record)because Nakamoto ranaggressively,” saidKawauchi, 25

Kawauchi failed to clearthe bottom line of runningunder 2:07:59 set by theJapan Association ofAthletics Federations for aplace in the worldchampionships in Moscowin August but still has achance to qualify.

“I was a bit slower than2:07:59, but I’m satisfiedwith my time. I had beenalways under pressure,but today, running withNakamoto who was sixthin the London Olympics, Ifelt no pressure.

“Hopefully, I cancompete against himagain in the worldchampionships inMoscow,” he added.

KawauchiwinsBeppu-Oitamarathon

RESULTS

1. Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2hr08min 15sec2. Kentaro Nakamoto (JPN)2:08:353. Kenji Higashino (JPN)2:12:134. Yoshiki Otsuka (JPN)2:12:515. Masanori Ishida (JPN)2:13:076. Michael Shelly (AUS)2:13:127. Yu Chiba (JPN) 2:13:198. Naoya Hashimoto (JPN)2:14:369. Masanori Sakai (JPN)2:14:4410. Tomoyuki Sato (JPN)2:16:05.

RESULTSMEN:1 Benedict Moeng (AGN)2:17:32 Lucky Mohale (CGA)2:19:383 Coolboy Ngamole (CGA)2:21:394 Anthony Godongwana (AGN)2:21:495 Othaniel Phahlane (AGN)2:22:146 Pule Hlabahlaba (AFS)2:22:517 Mazolisi Makhanda (EPA)2:23:098 Lucky Miya (CGA) 2:23:509 George Ntshiliza (EPA)2:24:0410 Lucas Raseruthe (CGA)2:25:00WOMEN:1 Cornelia Joubert (CGA)2:46:132 Kim Laxton (CGA) 2:47:253 Melanie van Rooyen (KZNA)2:48:354 Suzette Botha (KZNA)2:49:385 Caroline Wostmann (AGN)2:53:356 Kerry Koen (KZNA) 2:55:147 Ndofhiwa Mandiwana (AGN)2:55:458 Kerryn Armstrong (WPA)3:01:199 Bulelwa Simae (WPA)3:02:5410 Debbie Perry (KZNA)3:08:49

Benedict Moengcomfortably won apedestrian men’s

race, while CorneliaJoubert came out tops in aclosely fought women’sbattle at the SA MarathonChampionships inOudtshoorn yesterday.

Moeng crossed the line in

an unimpressive time oftwo hours, 17 minutes, 32seconds (2:17:32), easilyholding off Lucky Mohaleby more than twominutes.

Mohale finished secondin 2:19:38 and defendingchampion CoolboyNgamole, who stepped onthe podium for the fourthyear in succession, wasthird in 2:21:39.

Joubert, meanwhile,held off a strong challengeto secure the women’scrown in 2:46:13, with thefirst four women dippingunder two hours, 50minutes.

Kim Laxton bagged the

Moeng, Joubert win SA Marathon crowns

Gutknecht on points inBerlin – 114-113, 116-111and 117-110.

Gutknecht was theaggressor but Brähmerlanded the cleanerpunches, despite being cutnear the right eye in thefourth round. He alsobenefitted whenGutknecht was docked apoint for illegal tactics inthe ninth round.

Brähmer improved hisrecord to 39-2, including30 knockouts. Gutknechtdropped to 24-2; 9.

Lopez, a former juniorfeatherweight andfeatherweight champion,stopped Aldimar SilvaSantos in the ninth roundof a junior lightweightbout in Bayamon, Puerto

the WBO, remainedundefeated when he beatAlejandro Rodriguez, whodid not come out at the bellfor the sixth round.Gonzalez now stands at 22-0; 17 and Rodriguez at 18-9; 10.

Flyweight McJoeArroyo (12-0; 7) stoppedFelipe Rivas (16-11-1; 9) inthe fourth round and hisbrother McWilliams (14-1;12) knocked out MiguelTamayo (14-6-2; 12) inthe fourth round, also atflyweight.

Another flyweight bout,between JonathanGonzalez (11-0; 10) andOmar Salado (23-5-2; 14),ended in a no-contest afteronly 73 seconds whenGonzalez was injured bywhat was ruled anunintentional rabbitpunch.

London Olympic Gameslightweight Felix Verdejo

It’s over for Spinks, Castilloas Lopez, Dirrell shine

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Rico, taking his record to32-1, with 29 knockouts.

Santos, who now standsat 18-4; 9, was knockeddown in the fifth, seventhand ninth rounds beforereferee Luis Pabon stoppedthe fight.

Dirrell, back in the ringafter more than a year,beat Michael Gbenga onpoints over ten rounds inMcAllen, Texas,improving his record to21-1; 14. The outclassedGbenga dropped to 13-7;1 3 .

Molina, improving to 21-5-2, with only 6knockouts, beat a fadedSpinks (39-8; 11) on points119-106 on two cards and120-105 on the third overtwelve rounds in a IBFjunior middleweight titleeliminator.

Former knockouts artistCastillo, whoseprofessional recorddropped to 64-12-1, with55 shortcut wins, wasbeaten 100-90, 98-92 and99-91 as Smith moved to23-4-1; 12, after theirjunior middleweight bout.

Polish heavyweightArtur Szpilka (13-0; 10)stopped Chicago’s MikeMallo (20-4-1; 12) in thesixth round and super-middleweight DonovanGeorge (24-3-1; 20)stopped James Cook (11-5-1; 8) in the first round.

Lightweight JoseGonzales, rated No 1 by

(3-0; 2) stopped JoseSantiago (2-4; 2) in thethird.

In LAS VEGAS,welterweight FrankieGomez improved to 15-0;11 when he beat LanardLane (13-3; 8) on pointsover ten rounds 100-90 ontwo cards and 98-92.

Lightweight Mickey Beyimproved to 19-0-1; 10when he knocked outRoberto Rodriguez (7-3; 3)in the third round.Another 2012 Olympian,Joseph Diaz, knocked outJose Ruiz in the thirdround of a bantamweightbout, improving to 2-0; 1.Ruiz dropped to 2-3.

In BALLERUP,Denmark, heavyweightClaus Bertino moved to 15-4; 8 when he beatHumberto Evora (4-10-2;3) on points over eightrounds 77-73 and 78-73on the other cards.Juan Manuel LopezJuan Manuel Lopez

LOSS OF DOCUMENTTHIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THELOSS OF ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF OFFER OF THETERMS OF GRANT/CONVEYANCE OF APPROVAL OFPLOT NO. 825 OF ABOUT 800SQ.M IN CHIKAKORELAYOUT BYAZHIN, KUBWA BEARING JOY PATRICKGOT DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF WATER LICKAGEFROM THE DECKING OF THE BUILDING OF THE HOUSEOPPOSITE DENOYABS HOTEL BY LIBERTY JUNCTION,BYAZHIN.ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERN AND GENERAL PUBLICSHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

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Peoples Daily CLASSIFIED

Benedict Moeng Cornelia Joubert

PAGE 41PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Amidst the raging civilunrest in the Mali, theirrepresentatives, the

Eagles of Mali have given thepeople something with theirqualification for the semi-finalof the AFCON in the face oftravails.

Accordingly, the proprietorof Future Africa FootballAcademy, Alhaji Aminu BaleleKurfi has urged the membersof the Super Eagles to learn

vital lessons from thecommitment and resolve oftheir Malian counterparts.

Incidentally, the SuperEagles are billed to clash tradetackles with their northernneighbours from the WestAfrican axis and Alhaji Aminubelieves the character,resilience and national fervourdemonstrated by them wereworthy of emulation.

“The Malians have shown

character. They havedisplayed a rare mentality andpatriotic zest that isuncommon with Nigerianplayers. Imagine, Seydou Keitapaid the bonuses of the teamthe other day.

“Besides, as a leader heshowed true leadership qualitiesin the way he commands thetroop on the pitch. The Eaglescan learn a lot because one ofthe major problems that the

Nigerian team in two previousmatches was clear lack ofleadership,” he said adding thatthe Eagles must emulate theirexemplary conduct.

According to him, sincesports and football inparticularly has proved arallying point for Nigerians,members of the Super Eaglesshould at all times reflect amentality that’s never short ofpatriotism.

The Senate President, DavidMark, and the Speaker ofHouse of Representatives,

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal havehailed Super Eagles for their 2-1victory over the Elephants ofCote d’Ivoire at the ongoingAfrica Cup of Nations (AFCON)in South Africa.

In separate statementsyesterday the Chief PressSecretary to the Senate

President, Mr Paul Mumeh andthe Special Adviser on Media andPublic Affairs, Malam ImamImam, quoted their bossescongratulating the team fordisappointing pundits that hadwritten them off before thematch.

“This victory has brought joyand smiles to the faces ofNigerians. I want you to sustainthis triumphant momentum

and go all the way to lift thetrophy. I salute Nigerians fortheir overwhelming support tothe Eagles. We at the NationalAssembly will do the needful toreward them,” Mark said.

Similarly, Tambuwal said thevictory was particularlynoteworthy because thefledgling Eagles did not onlytrample on the Elephants but didso in a manner that left none in

doubt about their technical andtactical depth.

“The unity of purpose shownby the team only reaffirmed thenotion that when all hands areon deck, achieving a commonobjective will be easier thanexpected,” Tambuwal saidstressing that the nation expectsnothing but the trophy from theEagles.

The senate president urged

Nigerians to pray for thecontinued success of the teamwhen they battle the winners ofthe Burkina Faso/Togo tie in thesemi-final.

While congratulating thenation for the achievement,Tambuwal urged Nigerians tointensify prayers for the teamand their handlers until thetrophy is brought home toNigeria.

Kurfi urges Eagles to adopt Mali’s spirit

Mark, Tambuwal hail Super Eagles victory

Togo’s dream of first semi-final berth ended in amirage yesterday

following the 1-0 loss toBurkina Faso in the last of thequarterfinal matches decidedyesterday.The Stallions secured themuch needed breather in thefirst half of the 30 minutesextra-time and held ontenaciously till the referee’sblast of the final whistle.

The Super Eagles’ 2-1 defeat ofover rated Elephants of Coted’ Ivoire in the AFCON

quarter-final clash yesterday mayhave ended the international careerof the skipper and legend of theElephants- Didier Drogba.

Drogba, who had led theElephants to three consecutivefinals without managing to clinchthe trophy, had been optimisticthat he would drop the curtain ofhis international future at the 29thedition of the AFCON by winningthe trophy this year.

But that has proved to be amirage.

A goal each from EmmanuelEmenike and Sunday Mba ensuredthat the Eagles forced the Elephants’exit at the last finals of the AfricaCup of Nations in a match decidedin Phokeng, outside Rustenburg,yesterday. The Super Eagles willnow play the Eagles of Mali in thesemi-final.

Emenike had again stamped hiscredentials when he blasted home

the opener to raise his tally in thetournament to three. But then,Cheick Tiote added spark to the glowof the Elephants when he drewthem level on 66 minutes.

The goal gingered them as theybegan to threaten but that againwas momentary. Mba took on theElephants defence line, dismantledthem and posted a gritty effort tore-established Nigeria’s lead just 12minutes from time. A late rallyfrom the Elephants yielded nodividends as the tournamentfavourites crashed out.

Keshi made only two changes tothe Nigerian team that beatEthiopia 2-0 in their last group Couting. Midfielder Fegor Ogude –suspended for picking up two yellowcards in the group stages – wasreplaced by Ogenyi Onazi, whilestriker Ikechukwu Uche made wayfor Brown Ideye.

Also, Coach Lamouchi re-jiggedthe squad that forced Algeria to 2-2and included Yaya Toure amongothers in the line. That hardlycontained Nigeria whichdominated for most of the period.

The first real opportunity of thematch fell to Nigeria’s Victor Moses,who made a darting run in the 10thminute, before drilling a shot atgoal, but Ivorian goalkeeperBoubacar Barry parried the effort,before the defence cleared thedanger.

Nigeria got their first sniff at goalin the 27th minute, with BrownIdeye laying the ball off to Emenikedeep inside the Elephants’ half, butEmenike was unable to keep his shotdown and blazed over Barry’s goal.

Nigeria kept up the pressure and

were deservingly rewarded twominutes from the interval, as Mosescontinued to trouble the Ivoriandefence and was brought downoutside of the area.

Emenike stepped up to take theresulting set-piece, unleashed adeadly long-range effort at goal andbeating Barry, who was leftstranded.

Ivory Coast came out into thesecond period looking to find a wayback into the clash and were giftedan early opportunity when DidierDrogba was fouled just outside theNigerian box.

Drogba delivered a neat balltoward the back post, finding anunmarked Tiote, who headed in

past goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama,levelling the scores early in thesecond half.

The Ivorians found their rhythmwith the help of a boisterous crowdand stamped their authority on thegame, with Drogba, Tiote andSalomon Kalou threatening theNigerian defence.

Nigeria, meanwhile, hadchances of their own, with Ideyeheading a set-piece ball at Barryfrom close-range, but the Elephants’shot-stopper was equal to the taskand made a good save low down.

Shortly after, Toure was putthrough with a pinpoint pass thatsplit the Nigerian defence, beforethe playmaker turned and rocketed

a shot at Enyeama, who parriedaway and kept the scores locked at1-1.

The Super Eagles soaked up thepressure and stunned theiropponents a second time when theysnatched the lead through Mba,who was allowed space to run in theIvory Coast half.

The striker passed three Ivoriansbefore getting his shot away, whichtook a nasty deflection and loopedpast Barry.

With the lead back intact, Nigeriahad to withstand a barrage ofIvorian attacks, as second halfreplacement Lacina Traore cameclose, but was thwarted by aresilient Nigeria defence.

It’s BurkinaFaso vsGhana

Super Eagles retire Drogba asNigeria send Ivory Coast crashing

By Patrick Andrew

Super Eagles jubilating after their historic win over the Elephants of Ivory Coast

PAGE 47PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Say what?

A grinning baby panda seems to wave a cheery hello in this amazing picture. Source: TheSun.co.uk

•56,000,000 people go to Major Leaguebaseball each year.

•7% of Americans don't know the first 9 wordsof the American anthem, but know the first 7of the Canadian anthem.

•85,000,000 tons of paper are used each yearin the U.S.

•99% of the solar systems mass isconcentrated in the sun.

•A 10-gallon hat barely holds 6 pints.•A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.•A cockroach can live several weeks with its

head cut off.•A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out

of wheat, so you can eat your plate.•A cow produces 200 times more gas a day

than a person.•A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.•A dragonfly has a lifespan of 24 hours.•A fully loaded supertanker travelling at

normal speed takes a least twenty minutes tostop.

•A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inchtongue.

•A giraffe can go without water longer thana camel can.

•A goldfish has a memory span of threeseconds.

•A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallonsper day. Most of the sweat evaporates before aperson realizes it's there.

•A hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minuteon average.

•A hippo can open its mouth wide enough tofit a 4 foot tall child inside.

•A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.•A jellyfish is 95 percent water.

Some Interesting FactsSome Interesting Facts PHOTO OF THE DAYSU

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solu

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SPORTS LALALALALATESTTESTTESTTESTTEST

ADVERT:ADVERT:ADVERT:ADVERT:ADVERT: 0803 311 74580803 311 74580803 311 74580803 311 74580803 311 7458BUSINESS:BUSINESS:BUSINESS:BUSINESS:BUSINESS: 0805 689 17650805 689 17650805 689 17650805 689 17650805 689 1765NEWS:NEWS:NEWS:NEWS:NEWS: 0803 606 33080803 606 33080803 606 33080803 606 33080803 606 3308LAGOS:LAGOS:LAGOS:LAGOS:LAGOS: 0805 327 19690805 327 19690805 327 19690805 327 19690805 327 1969

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Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako,Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office:No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 805 727 9862.e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

QQQQQUOUOUOUOUOTTTTTABLE QABLE QABLE QABLE QABLE QUOUOUOUOUOTETETETETEWe are happy with the ceasefire; the president

has always advocated for diallogue. Even after along drawn war, combatannts still come to the

roundtable to discuss peace.— Vice President Namadi Sambo on Boko

Haram’s ceasefire offer

Champions ManchesterCity lost more ground inthe title race as they were

held to a 2-2 draw in a thrillingencounter at home to Liverpool.

Edin Dzeko's 12th goal of theseason put the hosts ahead fromclose range midway through thefirst half only for DanielSturridge to smash home hisfourth in six matches since hismove from Chelsea.

An even better trademarkSteven Gerrard strike putLiverpool ahead with 17minutes to go only but SergioAguero salvaged a point with anexquisite shot from thenarrowest of angles.

However, it was not enoughon a weekend when rivalsManchester United won and theresult leaves Roberto Mancini'sside nine points adrift of theleaders.

After criticising theyoungsters in his side after theirFA Cup exit to League OneOldham a week ago BrendanRodgers selected Liverpool'soldest starting line-up (averageage 28 years and 18 days) sinceOct 2011.

It looked a sensible ploy asCity have been imperious athome since before they won thetitle last May - losing just one oftheir last 41 league games - andthey made their intent clearfrom the off.

A deft touch by Sturridgetook Stewart Downing's lobbedpass past Hart in one move buthe was denied a goal as PabloZabaleta got back to block.

Luis Suarez, busy withoutbeing particularly threatening,flashed a shot across Hart andwide of the far post as it seemedthe visitors were about to takecontrol.

Agger appeared to gothrough Dzeko to get the ball butreferee Anthony Taylor saw nofoul and with the Bosniainternational collapsed on theturf in their own half Liverpoolplayed on.

The boos grew louder as theReds made their way upfield butalmost a minute had expired -with City momentarily winningthe ball back on the edge of theirarea - before Sturridge scored.

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

AguerobrilliancerescuesManchesterCity

When a problem visits, itarrives with its own bed andtable — African proverb

It seems such a long, long timeago when we had a world madeup of nations. These were

territorially-defined, legallyrecognized entities wheresovereignty was located in thepeople and exercised bygovernments. They had rights,privileges and obligations in themanner they related with othermembers of the internationalcommunity. They were also boundby international laws,conventions and institutions toconduct their internal affairs,particularly the manner in whichbasic government-citizen relationswere conducted. It was an unequalworld, with a few powerful anddominant nations changing therules as they suited them, or asthey were compelled to do whenstrategic interests clashed. Smalland weak nations jostled for somespace mostly taken up by bignations or clusters of nations, andthe dynamism of the systemguaranteed some global peace andlimited inevitable conflictsbetween and within nations.

Then things changeddramatically. The collapse of a bi-polar world which allowed a fewweak nations to find succour andrelief around powerful clusters ofnations and interests exposed alland sundry to the realities of thedominance of the US and its allies,and the emergence of new powerson the global stage, such as China.Rapid changes in militarytechnology rendered territoriesand sovereignty of weak nationsmerely academic. Aggressiveassaults on global pluralismconverted internationalinstitutions such as the UnitedNations into instruments forachieving hegemony by the fewover many. Emergence of regionaleconomic and security bodiesrendered old boundaries, marketsand military structures obsolete.The world became a confederationof groups, with one or two, such asNATO and EU asserting their worldview as global standards. Valuesystems, economic production anddistribution on a global scale andsecurity issues came to be definedby the strong and the rich. Theweak and poor nations suffered asthey must, while the rich andpowerful did as they willed.

From the late 1970s, militantgovernments and groups began tochallenge US role in the globalorder. Flashpoints such as Israel,oil and gas supplies from theMiddle East, and risingfrustrations among millions inMuslim countries began to createtensions and hostility between theUS and its allies (the West) on theone hand, and the Muslim worldon the other. The collapse of the bi-polar global structure and thevulnerability of international

dominance and action at everynook and cranny of the globe. Itgave the cover for the war in Iraq,in Afghanistan and parts ofPakistan. It was the reason for theouster and murder of Ghaddafi. Itwas the motivation behind theestablishment of the US AfricanHigh Command (AFRICOM); thedetermination to stop Irandeveloping a nuclear capability,and the radical improvements inmilitary technology anddeployments such as the drone,spy satellites, military bases in far-flung territories, and theaggressive subversion of regionalorganizations which could resistthe muscle of the West.

The new frontier in the fightagainst terror is the Sahel and theMaghreb. Decades of localgrievances, a hostile and difficultterrain which gave cover for largescale crimes of trafficking inhumans, drugs, small arms andmilitant ideas and tendenciescombined with the spreadinginfluence of militant Islamicgroups to threaten fragiledemocracies like Mali; largenations with perennially corruptgovernments like Nigeria; andMuslim nations with decades ofhistory of repression againstcitizens like Algeria.

It is an indicator of the failureof regional organizations likeECOWAS and the dominance of theUS and its NATO allies, that theassault on the threat in Mali andthe Sahel is being spearheaded byFrance. Two decades ago, Nigeriasuccessfully led the resistanceagainst rebels in Liberia and SierraLeone. Now ECOWAS countries arefoot soldiers behind France's blitzinto Mali, and its allies are lendingtechnical support and intelligence,while African troops and nationswill be used to legitimize itsinvolvement. The US alone will bespending about $95m in Mali.Members of the African Union andtheir friends (the West) just raisedover $400m in support of the Malicampaign.

You have to ask what are theshort and long term strategicinterests of France, US and NATOin Mali. The short-term goal hasvirtually been accomplished.Most of northern Mali has beencleared of rebels. Is France likelyto maintain a presence innorthern Mali, and for how long?If African nations take oversecurity and the fight against the

organizations such as the UnitedNations to manipulation by strongnations, particularly NATOcountries which robbed them ofcapacities to mediate relations, andset basic, legal benchmarks forconduct, heightened andprolonged many crises whichcould have been more easilycontained or solved in the oldersystem. The US emerged as theenforcer of a world order in whichterritorial integrity andsovereignty of other nationsbecame virtually irrelevant to thedegree that they threatened vitaland strategic interests of the USand its allies. These interests wereextensive and profound, and everyworld citizen was part of thestrategy for achieving them, orsubverting them.

As the US and its allies becametargets of weaker nations andgroups that espoused differentvalue systems, the world becameone massive battle front. The Westimproved its military technologyto ensure that every inch of theglobe is within striking reach;created alliances and reinforcedrelationships to enforce regionalcompliance with its interests, andtransformed internationalinstitutions and re-wroteinternational laws, conventionsand protocols in a way that allowedit to act as it wished at the globalstage. After the 9/11 attacks, theUS government introduced itsmost drastic legislation against itsown citizens, inhibiting their basicrights for what it saw as a preludeto an effective fight against globalterror.

The world duly took notice. Thefight against terror provided theexcuse for near total US and allies'

possible resurgence of rebelactivities in the north, what willbe their mandate? Are there plansagainst possible emergence ofhostile groups in Mauritania,southern Algeria, northern Nigerand even other parts of northernMali?

It is quite probable that thethinking in the US, France andNATO is that they should have anextensive and prolonged presencein the entire Sahel. This willexplain the plans by the USgovernment to deploy bases for useby drone aircraft, which, reportssay, have been approved by thegovernment of Niger. Drones arerelatively easy to deploy, servemultiple purposes, and can be usedto obviate mundane concerns suchas violations of territorial integrityand airspace. They are active inPakistan and Afghanistan, andhave been the single mostunpopular symbol of US presencein the region. For every suspectedlife they took, they have taken teninnocent lives. The public hatethem. Governments complainover them, but are powerless to stopthem. They are popular with USgovernment because they kill,maim and destroy foreign suspectswithout putting a single Americanlife at risk. A single man can decideto direct a drone operation from thecomfort of his chair in the US, anda wedding party or a gathering ofyoung people will registercasualties within a few hours in acountry thousands of miles away.

If the government of NigerRepublic is contemplatingapproving a request by the USgovernment for bases for drones, itshould be told very strongly by theNigerian government that itshould not approve it. Drones inNiger will heighten tensions in theentire region, and jeopardizerelations in the ECOWASsubregion. It will endanger everycitizen in the region. Nigeriencitizens will resent it. Whathappens in Niger will affectNigeria. US drones will threatensecurity of Niger, Nigeria and theentire West African sub-region.They must not be allowed in anycountry in Africa.

If the government of NigerRepublic has taken the decision toallow US drone activity from itssoil, Nigerian government shouldtake every step to show itsdispleasure. Niger cannot, andshould not contemplate a souringof relations with Nigeria. If theNigerian government has beenconsulted by the government ofNiger Republic, and as expressedno objection to the stationing of USdrones in Niger, Nigerians shouldcondemn the action of ourgovernment. We have mademany mistakes in the manner wereacted to the threats to our livesand our nation. Allowing USdrones in Niger Republic will beone of the worst mistakes we willmake.

A world without borders

US President Barack Obama

FIFTEENFIFTEENFIFTEENFIFTEENFIFTEENMINUTESMINUTESMINUTESMINUTESMINUTES

drbabaahmed@yahoo.com

withDr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed