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Vol. 9 No. 42 Tuesday, October 9, 2012 Zhul-Qadah 22, 1433 AH N150. . . putting the people first

Deported pilgrimscan return – Speaker

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Contd on Page 2

By Lawrence Olaoye

JTF kills 30 residents after attack on patrol team

Contd on Page 2

Kano state Governor, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (middle), in a group photograph with some of the 501 studentsthat left for their studies abroad at the farewell ceremony, on Sunday at Aminu Kano International Airport, in Kano.

The stand-off between theNigerian and SaudiArabian governments that

threatened to degenerate into adiplomatic row has been resolvedwith the authorities of the holyland accepting to admit thosedeported Nigerians that are stillholding valid visas.

The Speaker of the HouseRepresentatives, Aminu WaziriTambuwal, who led thePresidential committee to Saudimade the disclosure yesterday atthe presidential wing of theNnamdi Azikiwe InternationalAirport on return to the country.

Those in the delegationinclude the Emir of Zuru, AlhajiSani Sami, Alhaji AminuDantata, Professor ShehuGaladanci, Chairman of NigerianHajj Commission (NAHCON),Alhaji Mohammed Bello, and theMinister of State for ForeignAffairs II, Dr. NurudeenMohammed.

According to Tambuwal, theSaudi authorities may also

Men of the Joint TaskForce (JTF) inMaiduguri, Borno

state, were said to haveindiscriminately fired onresidents yesterday killingseveral, while also burning

homes and shops after a bombblast targetted an army patrol,witnesses told AFP.

“Initially, soldiers that cameafter the explosion harassedresidents, whipping them,” saidone resident of the city ofMaiduguri.

“But later they went on a

shooting spree and started settinghomes and shops on fire,” headded, putting the number ofdead at about 30.

Another resident, who did notgive an estimate of the death toll,said, “soldiers came into theneighbourhood and startedattacking people, shooting

everybody in sight.”The blast early Monday that

targetted an army patrol vehiclein the city injured two soldiers,said the military spokesman inthe area, Lieutenant ColonelSagir Musa.

Rights groups have

By Muhammad Nasir, with agency report

Senate queries Alison-Madueke over fuel

price disparity

End Boko Haram,oil theft, Jonathan

orders service chiefs>> PAGE 2 >> PAGE 3

‘Akwanga Pilot Schoolpart of rot inheritedby Al-makura’>> PAGE 7

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSNews 2-11

Editorial 12

Op.Ed 13

Letters 14

Opinion 15

Metro 16-18

Business 18-19

S/Report 24

Defence 26

Agriculture 29

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Inter’l 31-34

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 2

Deported pilgrims can return – SpeakerContd from Page 1

JTF kills 30residents inMaiduguriafter attackon patrolteam

Contd from Page 1

End Boko Haram, oil theft,Jonathan orders service chiefs

considered Nigeria’s request forextension of the airliftingdeadline to accommodate thedeported pilgrims.

The Speaker who expressedhappiness at the outcome of themeeting also disclosed that theissue of male companion forfemale pilgrims was also settledas the Nigerian delegation madeit known that the issue of thecompanion (Muharam) is open todifferent interpretations from thefour jurisprudences in Islam.

“Our interface with the Saudiauthorities has been verysuccessful because we had seriousand deep engagements. The firstgood news is that all of thosepilgrims who have secured valid

previously accused the militaryof using brutal tactics whenresponding to attacks on theirpersonnel.

Asked about the latestallegations, Musa said, “I don’thave any comment.”

Maiduguri is considered thehome base of Boko Haram ,blamed for killing more than1,400 people since 2010 in aninsurgency in northern andcentral areas of Nigeria,

President GoodluckJonathan has chargednew service chiefs to do

more to end the Boko Haraminsurgency facing the nation aswell as the ongoing crude oiltheft in the Niger Delta region.

The President made thecharge yesterday whileswearing in the service chiefs.

Those sworn in anddecorated were the new Chiefof Defence Staff (CDS), ViceAdmiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim,who was elevated to Admiral;Chief of Naval Staff, RearAdmiral D.J. Ezeoba, who wasdecorated with the rank of ViceAdmiral while the Chief of AirStaff, Air Vice Marshall A.S.Badeh, now becomes an AirMarshal.

The incumbent Chief ofArmy Staff, Lt.-Gen. AzubuikeIhejirika retained his positionand rank.

Speaking after swearingthem in at the CouncilChambers of the State House,President Jonathancongratulated the new

appointees, hoping that theywould bring new impetus in thefight against terrorism in allramifications across thecountry.

“I will like to use this forumto specially charge you to riseto the many securitychallenges confronting ournation today. More specifically,the Chief of Naval Staff alongwith his officers and men hasthe honorary responsibility ofup-scaling security in ourterritorial waters.

“The unacceptable risingincidences of crude theft mustbe tackled frontally. Even thedirect adverse implication ofthe activities of crude oil thefton our national economy, Iexpect the Chief of Naval Staffand other service chiefs toimmediately go to work tourgently bring the issue ofcrude oil theft to an end.”

President Jonathanreiterated that security of lifeand properties in all parts ofthis country was a sacredobligation which hisadministration would doeverything in its power to liveup to as he noted that it couldnot allow threat to national

security to compromise thenational transformation effort.

According to him, “while weremained focused onrepositioning Nigeria forsustained growth anddevelopment, we shallproactively prosecute the fightagainst terrorism with totalcommitment and effectivelycheck the activities of allcriminal elements in our dearland.

Meanwhile, the new Chief ofDefence Staff (CDS), AdmiralOla Saád Ibrahim weptprofusely yesterday whilehanding over his formerposition of Chief of Naval Staff(CNS) to Vice Admiral DeleJoseph Ezeoba at the Defenseheadquarters in Abuja.

The new CDS who brokedown in tears at the opening ofthe ceremony said he would missthe crop of officers and men heworked with in the Navy andwas not sure if those he was goingto work with in his presentposition would be as good.

He charged the new CNS toensure that he did his best inguaranteeing the security ofNigerian waters saying bulk ofthe security challenges facing

the nation were in the maritimedomains.

He charged the new Navalchief to be mindful of the ordersby President Goodluck Jonathanto bring to an end oil theft andpipeline vandalism as this hasbecome an embarrassment toNigeria in the internationalworld.

In his response, the new CNSthanked the president for theopportunity given to him toserve the Navy and Nigeria as acountry promising to do all hecan to stop the insurgency of oiltheft and pipeline vandalismthat bedevilled the country.

In the same vein, the newChief of Air Staff (CAS) AirMarshal Alex Badeh alsoreceived his mantle ofleadership at the DefenseHeadquarters yesterdaysupport promising anunalloyed of the Nigerian Airforce to the government andNigerians.

Badeh also he will continuefrom where his predecessorstopped in the quest to attainthe required posture thatwould guarantee the nation’ssecurity and stabilitynecessary for development.

NUT wants improved salary structure for teachersBy Lawrence Olaoye

visas are being taken back. Theunderstanding so far with themis that they will be allowed entryinto Saudi Arabia”.

Tambuwal also pointed outthat his committee’s interventionhad succeeded in reinforcing thelong standing cordial relationshipbetween the two countries as hemaintained that there wereample assurances to that effect.

He said “I believe that also, ifneed be, we have requested forthem to extend the time of airliftand also the time of issuance ofvisas to our pilgrims”.

Commenting on the issue ofmale companion (Muharram)for female pilgrims, especiallythose under 40 years of age,Tambuwal said “Of course under

the Islamic jurisprudence,Muharram is a requirement butthere are different categories ofMuharams, as well as differentschools of Islamicjurisprudence: the Maliki, theShafi’i, the Hambali and theHanafi.

These are the fourpronounced schools and theyhave their different definitionsof Muharam and we havepassed across to them thatmessage and we believe thatthey understand and reasonwith us that in Nigeria, thepredominant Islamic school ofjurisprudence is Maliki Schoolof thought, which allows for agroup Muharram,” Tambuwalclarified.

The Nigeria Union ofTeachers (NUT) yesterdaycanvassed for a special

Salary Structure for teachers inprimary and post primaryschools in the country.

Secretary General of theNUT, Mr Obong Obong, madethe call at a public hearingconducted by the HouseCommittee on Educationchaired by Rose Oko on theamendment of two bills for theUniversal Basic Education Act,2004.

The bills seek to extend basiceducation to SSS 3or itsequivalent and to include otherforms of education, includingthe Almajiri education.

Obong said that the numberof years of training of teachersin the nation’s Universities andColleges of Education should beincreased by one year toprovide for enough time toundergo teaching practice.

He urged the government toensure that only trained andp r o f e s s i o n a l l yqualified teachers areemployed to teach. ”A situation

where some state governmentsresort to employing quacks toteach in the nameof conserving funds is mostdisastrous and must stop,” hewarned.

Obong added “A clauseshould be introduced to makeit an offence for any person,proprietor, employer orgovernment to engage or employany person to teach when such aperson is not a trained andprofessionally qualified teacher.” He also suggested an increase inthe entry requirements intoteacher training institutions.

The NUT scribe stated thatthe government block grant of2% should be managed by UBECfor the purpose of funding BasicEducation projects along with the50% States counterpart funds.

He said that salaries ofteachers should be sourced onfirst line charge from theConsolidated Revenue Fundand remitted to UBEC forpayment of teachers’ salariesnationwide.

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem& Joy Baba

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 PAGE 3

Senate queries Alison-Maduekeover fuel price disparity

Jonathanto addressNigerianstoday

By Sunday Agene Benjamin

FG applaudsjustice sector

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

Flood displaced persons in Kogi, now 600,000

By Richard Ihediwa &Ikechukwu Okaforadi

There are moves by theSenate to end the prevailingdisparity of pump price of

fuel across the country withlawmakers lambasting theMinister of Petroleum Resources,Diezani Alison- Madueke andthePetroleum Products MarketingCompany (PPMC), for ceding thepowers of petroleum distributionto unions resulting in pricemanipulations.

The upper house is deeplyworried that pump price of fueldiffer in various parts of thecountry with some stations sellingat regulated price of N97 per liter

while others sell as high as N130per liter.

The issue came to the fore inthe Senate yesterday at a meetingbetween the Senate Committee onCommittee on PetroleumResources (Downstream) and theminister to proffer solutions to theperennial fuel scarcity across thecountry.

Chairman of the SenateCommittee, Senator Magnus Abeinsisted that the current scarcityof products and price disparity wasnot acceptable adding that thetrend must be checked.

This came against thebackground of revelations at themeeting that some cabals at depotswere forcing marketers to pay

hidden charges before beingallowed to lift products resultingin price manipulations.

A Representative of MajorMarketers Association of Nigeria(MOMAN), Mr. Thomas Olaworetold the Senate committee thatbecause many people weredesperate to get the product,certain hidden costs were added bysecurity agents and unions.

Commenting on the matter,Abe said: “I wonder how and whyyou ceded your powers to the unionbecause you are ultimatelyresponsible. We need to see changesplease. When we went oninspection of some of the refineriesand the loading depots, some of themarketers complained bitterly

about how unions have taken overthe duty of the PPMC.

Speaking at the meeting, theminister averred that there wereissues of subsidy payments as wellas other issues of difficulty in pricestabilization.

She also gave a brief on effortstowards the Turn AroundMaintenance of refineries sayingthose of Port Harcourt, Warri andKaduna will cost a total $1.6 Billion(N251.2 billion)

There was however a milddrama at the session as theminister descended on reporterscovering the event and tried toprevent them from recording herdespite the insistence by theChairman of the committee thatreporters be allowed to place theirrecorders in front of her.

The angry minister flungaway recorders belonging tojournalists even as her securitydetails tried to prevent reportersfrom covering the event.

…as minister descends on journalists

The Kogi state governmentsaid yesterday, that no fewerthan 600, 000, with women

and children in the majority, weredisplaced in the floods disaster inthe state.

The state’s Commissioner forEnvironment, Mr.Abdulrahaman Wuya, toldnewsmen in Lokoja that thenumber of resettlement camps forthe victims had also risen from theinitial nine to 87.

Wuya said that the camps weremostly public primary andsecondary schools and some healthcentres, adding that the floodaffected 457 communities acrossnine local government areas.

He said government had set upmedical stands in the camps whilethe referral centre in Idah had beendirected to complement the medicalstands in the town because of thehigh number of displaced peoplefrom Ibaji local government.

Wuya said that a committee,under the chairmanship of thestate deputy governor, Mr. YomiAwoniyi, had been set up to evolve

measures of addressing all sectorsaffected by the floods.

According to him, education,agriculture, health and roads aresome of the sectors already identifiedto have been badly affected.

He said that government hadin the interim decided to merge 87public primary and secondaryschools currently being used asresettlement camps with nearbygovernment schools.

The commissioner said thatchildren could not continue to stayat home until the first week ofDecember when experts said thewater would finally recede.

He said the merged schoolswould run two shifts in themorning and afternoon.

He expressed gratitude toAlhaji Aliko Dangote, theChairman of Dangote Group ofCompanies; UNICEF, the Red Cross,NEMA, other groups andindividuals that donated cash andrelief materials to the victims.

In a related development, theBenue Emergency ManagementAgency said yesterday that nofewer than 19,000 persons weredisplaced by the overflow of RiverBenue in Makurdi localgovernment area alone.

The Executive Secretary of theagency, Mr. Adikpo Akpatse, toldnewsmen in Makurdi that nodeath had been recorded.

He said the flood affectedMakurdi, Guma, Gwer West,Ukum and Agatu localgovernment areas of the state.

Agbatse said figures for thedisplaced persons in other councilswere yet to be computed andblamed the devastation on thepeople for ignoring early warning.

He also blamed them forneglecting the rehabilitationcamps set up by the agency at theoutset of the flood.

“About 80 percent of the floodvictims did not show up at thecamps, so, it is difficult to

accurately capture the exact figureof those displaced”, he said.

He said it was only when peoplewent to the camps that they wouldbe properly documented.

He blamed the localgovernments in places where therewere complaints of inadequacy ofrelief materials, saying: “until theymake their case to us, we will notknow how much their needs are”.

Agbatse said the agency hadenough relief materials to cater forthe needs of the displaced personsand asked them to channel theircomplaints to appropriateauthorities.

He, however, commendedUNICEF, NEMA and corporateorganisations for assisting theagency to distribute reliefmaterials to victims.

Agbatse appealed to thedisplaced persons not to hastentheir return home “now that thewater was receding.

He pointed out there were stilldangerous reptiles out there as wellas poisonous substances which theflood brought. (NAN)

President GoodluckJonathan is expected toaddress Nigerians in a

nationwide radio and televisionbroadcast at 7 a.m. today(Tuesday).

This was contained in astatement by Presidential Adviseron Media and Publicity, Dr.Reuben Abati, yesterday.

Although details on the subjectof the President’s address were notavailable, it was widely speculatedthat the raging controversy overcalls for the government to appealthe 2002 judgment by theInternational Court of Justicewhich awarded the BakassiPeninsula to the Republic ofCameroun.

The Federal Government hascommended the justicesector for its creditable

performance in upholding thetenets of the rule of law.

The Attorney-General of theFederation and Minister of Justice,Mohammed Bello Adoke, gave thiscommendation yesterday inAbuja when the House Committeeon Justice, led by its chairman,Hon Ali Ahmad, paid an oversightvisit to the ministry.

He thanked the committee forits support in ensuring animproved and effectiveimplementation of the JusticeSector Reforms, notwithstandingthe emerging national challenges.

A statement by the Chief PressSecretary to the AGF, Mr.Ambrose Momoh, said that theminister disclosed that out of themoney appropriated for theministry in the 2012 budget, only41.13 percent has so far beenreleased to the ministry.

He added that work on theministry’s projects, such as theestablishment of Justice DataBank, renovation of zonal offices,construction of customised libraryinfrastructure and purchase ofbooks, acquisition of law books,reports and periodicals, etc, are inprogress.

Responding, the chairman,House Committee on Justice, Hon.Ali Ahmad, said they were in theministry to verify the capitalreleases for the 2012appropriation.

He called for adequateprovision in the 2013 budget to setup the ministry’s virtual library,adding that releasing money for itpiecemeal would prolong thecompletion of it and delay theessential service it would renderthe justice sector.

Hon. Ahmad commended theministry for fostering a cordialrelationship between the Houseand the ministry.

L-R: Leader of theFederalGovernmentdelegation toSaudi Arabia andSpeaker, House ofRepresentatives,Hon. AminuTambuwal,members of thedelegation,Alhaji AminuDantata and Prof.ShehuGaladanchi, ontheir arrival fromSaudi Arabia,yesterday at theNnamdi AzikiweInternationalAirport, in Abuja.Photo: MahmudIsa

...19,000 in Makurdi

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

cornered. Also statutory allocationsmeant for the Bakassi LocalGovernment have been going to theCross River state government sincethe ceding.

In supporting the motion,lawmakers were unanimous inexpressing their anger that theFederal Government had failed toappeal the case despite the consensusby Nigerians, including Bakassiindigenes that the disputed territorybelonged to the nation and notCameroon. They were not happythat despite the position of Nigerians,Obasanjo agreed to the ruling, and ayear later signed the Green TreeAgreement, which effectively cededBakassi to Cameroun.

In response to the resolution,President Jonathan, few days laterset up a committee to review the caseand appeal the ruling. However, thecommittee has continued to crawlas if oblivious of the urgency the issuerequires.

As the appeal time expires todaythere are fears that the nation mayhave finally lost Bakassi as thecommittee is now said to be divided,even as the Attorney General andMinister of Justice, MohammedAdoke is said to be finding it difficultto put his papers together to file theappeal.

However, some of the questionsbegging for answer are; why did theFederal Government agree with theICJ ruling despite the rejection bythe Nigerian public? Why did theregimes after Obasanjo fail to utilisethe 10 year-window gap to appealthe ruling? And why did it also takethe National Assembly so long beforecoming out with the resolution toappeal the ruling? Also, why did the

present administration not expediteaction to appeal the caseimmediately the NationalAssembly passed its resolutiondemanding that? Are there somedaisy issues that majority ofNigerians do not know regardingthe disputed region?

Several reasons have beenspeculated for the inability or failureof the Federal Government torespect the wish of the people on thematter.

The Obasanjo administration,had maintained that it signed theGreen Tree Agreement because,according to it, it was bound by thejudgment since the nation hadbefore the commencement of thehearing signed to abide by anydecision reached by the court. Thisis despite insistence by somestakeholders that the process wasnot conclusive to warrant theceding, since the NationalAssembly did not approve of it nordid it ratify the ruling as requiredby law.

It was however, speculated thatObasanjo opted to sign theagreement and cede the disputedterritory because he wanted to beon the good book of internationalpowers due to his alleged quest tohold a position in internationalpolitics. This, it was believed, wasalso the reason behind thatadministration’s refusal to appealthe judgment even when the ICJgave it the opportunity to do so.

Also, there are wide speculationsthat some officials in thatadministration may have receivedhuge oil-based interests thatinformed their decisions on thedisputed area.

Nigeria, Bakassi and thefire brigade mentality

There is thick tension in the airthat one could cut with a knife.There are also apprehension

and anxiety because in few hours,the fate of Bakassi, a Nigerianterritory and its traumatized peopletransferred to Cameroon by aninternational court, will be finallydetermined. To their chagrin andthat of majority of Nigerians, theauthorities have continued to foot-drag, prompting citizens to suspecteither incompetence or involvementin uncomplimentary deals againstthe interest of the nation.

But for September 26 alarmraised by the two chambers of theNational Assembly, most Nigerianswould never have known that afterits ruling ceding Bakassi to Cameroonin 2002, the International Court ofJustice (ICJ) has given Nigeria a 10-year grace within which to appealthe case or forget ownership of theregion.

The legislature had in adoptinga motion sponsored by the SenateDeputy Leader, Abdul Ningi,unanimously rejected the rulingof the ICJ and the subsequentceding by the past administrationunder former President OlusegunObasanjo in 2006 and as suchdirected that President GoodluckJonathan should appeal the rulingof the ICJ before today’s expirationand set in motion all legitimateprocesses to reclaim the Peninsula.

This was especially as thelawmakers insist that there arecertain fresh evidences that wouldfavour the country’s bid for Bakassi,which has an estimated populationof 300,000 Nigerians, comprisingmainly of Efik-speaking peoplebonded consanguinity and ethno-culturally with other Nigerians.

Nigeria and Cameroon havebeen disputing the area over fishingand property rights resulting inhostilities and militaryconfrontations which led to clashesin 1981, 1991 and 1994 with themost volatile confrontation takingplace in May 1981 whenCameroonian security officials killedfive Nigerian soldiers.

However, reeling out the freshevidences, Ningi said the ruling ofthe ICJ was erroneously based on anagreement allegedly signed betweenthe British and Calabar chiefs in1884. He submitted that “there hasnever been a precedent in historywhere any case of this nature wasexecuted without a referendum.”

Ningi told the Senate that thatthere were violations of Article 3 ofthe Green Tree Agreement. He saidArticles 3(1) and 2(a) of the GreenTree Agreement stipulated that,after the transfer of the territory toCameroun, the Camerounauthorities should guarantee theNigerian nationals living in theBakassi Peninsula the exercise of theirfundamental human rights andother relevant provisions of theinternational law.”

However, the people havereported constant violations of theirrights since the ICJ ruling. Ningi,said the action of government in notappealing the case was a conspiracyof silence against the minorities inNigeria.

Stakeholders have been quick topoint out that under the Green TreeAgreement, the Bakassi people werecuckolded to believe thatresettlement was the best option andthat they may remain in the islandin perpetuity without anyharassment or intimidation.However, they have since livedunder intimidation andharassments by Cameroonianauthorities even as the N2.5 billionmeant for their resettlement was

On the whole, majority ofNigerians are not happy about howthe case was handled by theObasanjo administration, which costthe nation about $300 million andit appears that the same is playingout under the currentadministration.

Nigerians blame Obasanjo fornot assembling a formidable teamto defend the interest of the nation atthe ICJ. They argue that the RichardAkinjide-led defence team could notdeliver because they had littleknowledge in boundary disputes.Critics blamed the team for placingmuch emphasis on Case Law, evenwhen Article 59 of the ICJ statutestates that case laws play little rolein the decision of the court as it appliesto the Bakassi

Legal experts also blamed high-ranking Nigerian officials likeformer Attorney-General, BolaAjibola, and the then Surveyor-General of Nigeria, Austin Njepoumefor their statements and the team’sinability to defend the countrywhen Cameroon came with a mapin which they used to allege thatNigeria gave out Bakassi toCameroon.

Cameroon argued that formermilitary head of state YakubuGowon allegedly signed awayNigeria’s oil-rich territory to curryCameroonian support againstBiafra.

However, many see the failureof the Obasanjo administration to getthe nod of the National Assemblybefore agreeing to abide by the rulingof the ICJ and before ceding theterritory after the ruling as one ofthe openings the democratic Nigeriacould use to argue its case for Bakassi

at appeal.But Nigerians are deeply

worried that the currentadministration may be making thesame mistake as the Obasanjoregime in that the present teamunder Attorney General,Mohammed Adoke appears to beinadequately equipped for the taskin addition to Jonathanadministration’s lack of political willfor the challenge.

Despite insistence by the SaveBakassi Group that the peoples of thearea have secured the services of ahigh profile international lawyertwo months ago and paid the initialcommitment fee for the case, Adokeis said not to be totally disposed toassembling documents for therevision on the ground that the timewas too short.

Adoke was said to have in ameeting of the committee arguedthat the time was too short forNigeria to present a formidabledocument, make contact withrenowned international lawyers topackage the case in conformity withICJ specification and standards. Onethen wonders why theadministration failed to startpreparing for the case as soon as itcame in.

There are however growinganxiety that the team will notdeliver as members were still in thecountry as at yesterday while theyshould have been in Netherlands forthe appeal. Nigerians are worriedthat there was already a division inthe panel which is now threateningto stall the process as members werelocked up in reconciliatory meetinglast night in Abuja.

The team was split whenrepresentatives of the Cross Riverstate government protested thefailure of the AGF to carry alongsome strategic persons, includingkey personalities in the state suchas the Obong of Calabar and formerForeign Affairs Minister, Dr. WalterOfonagoro among others who havevast knowledge and good grasp ofthe legal issues and are providingfresh evidences in the appealprocess.

Also members of the panel weredivided over whether or not thenation has sufficient facts to appealthe judgment.

Those who oppose the appealargue that the nation do not haveenough facts and the exercise willbe a waste of public fund while thosewho support it insist that thenation should exercise its right ofappeal especially as it is in line withthe wishes and aspiration ofNigerians.

As the team bicker over what isclearly in the interest of the nation,Nigerians are getting worried as thenation appears to be on the verge oflosing its territory for good onaccount of incompetence, lack ofpolitical will and alleged sleaze onthe part of its leaders.

As the 10 years window to the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) transferring of BakassiPeninsula in Cross River state to Cameroun expires today, there are apprehensions that the nationmay have at last lost its oil rich region due to apparent lack of commitment on the part of someNigerian officials. Richard Ihediwa examines the issue as tension mounts in the troubled region

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

PAGE 5PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

The president of the NationalAssociation of NigerianStudents (NANS), Comrade

Mohammed Dauda, hascondemned the killing of fourstudents in Allu, Rivers state. Thestudents were alleged to havestolen some laptop and other

properties at the student’scommunity and the communitykilled them.

NANS president in a statementdescribed the act as barbaric andunwarranted and urged securityagencies to arrest the perpetratorsof the act.

Dauda similarly urged the Riversstate government to ensure that

those behind the act are punished,saying: “We call on the Rivers stategovernment to immediately bringthe perpetrators to justice and enjointhe security agencies to ensure thatall those involved are arrested andmade to face the law".

Comrade Dauda furtherexpressed dismay with theinability of Nigerian Security

NANS wants killers of fourUniport students prosecuted

From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

Lagos based popularNollywood movie producer,Ifeanyi Onyeabor,

yesterday prayed Justice HabeebAbiru of a Lagos High Court sittingin Ikeja, to strike out an allegedN8.8 million theft chargepreferred against him by theEconomic and Financial CrimesCommission (EFCC).

Onyeabor who is the ManagingDirector of Igo Motion PicturesInternational, was charged tocourt for allegedly swindling oneMr. Steven Okomah of N8.8million under the guise of helpinghim to produce two movies.

But at yesterday’s proceedings,Onyeabor's lawyer, Mr. F.H.Awalah, told the court thatOnyeabor and Okomah haveresolved the issue amicably.

Awalah said: "The complainant(Okomah) says he is no longerinterested in the case and the EFCCshould discontinue the prosecution.

"There was a mistake based onmisinformation and the partieshave resumed their cordialbusiness relationship.

"The production of the twomovies which led to the disputehave almost been completed inGhana”, the lawyer said.

Even Okomah's counsel, Mr.Louis Mgbolu, equally urged thecourt to dismiss the matter as theywere no longer interested.

Mgbolu said the continuedhearing of the matter after hisclient had notified the EFCC of theirnon-interest was a mockery of thejustice system.

The EFCC was not representedin court.

However, Justice Abiru refused

to dismiss the charge adding that itwas filed by the EFCC.

Abiru said: "The matter wasfiled by the EFCC. There is nothingI can do. I can't strike out the matter.

"But if by the next date theyare not here, I will close their caseand the defendant will open hisdefence".

The judge therefore adjournedthe matter till November 1 forcontinuation of trial.

N8.8m theft: Nollywood producer urges court to strike out suit

Agencies to fish out killers ofstudents of the Federal PolytechnicMubi two weeks after the deadlyact occurred.

He reiterated NAN’s directivesto students of all tertiaryinstitutions in Adamawa state toboycott academic activities untiltheir demands for safety are metunconditionally.

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

In the light of recent unrestsinvolving students of tertiaryeducational institutions in the

University of Port Harcourt andthe Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, theDirector General, NationalOrientation Agency (NOA), Mr.

Mike Omeri, has charged theauthorities of institutions of higherlearning across the country to beefup security and surveillance intheir campuses.

Omeri also condemned theresort to jungle justice by somecommunity members in the guiseof vigilante associations in Port

Harcourt, saying such groupswere meant to aid to securityagencies.

A statement issued by the ChiefPress Secretary in the agency, PaulOdenyi, further remindedNigerians that the natural courseof law and order presumes allpersons innocent until proven

guilty by a competent court of law.“What happened to the students ofUniversity of Port Harcourt lastweek is inhuman and repugnantto natural law and justice. Junglejustice should not be seen to be thecharacter of our people no matterthe provocation”, the statementsaid.

… as NOA boss charges tertiary institutions on security

A pastoralist in Jamarevillage of Bauchi state,whose son suffered partial

paralysis from polio virus, said onSunday that he learnt a bitterlesson for refusing to immunise thechild.

The pastoralist, MalamHassan Abdullahi, narrated hisexperience during a polio

immunisation campaign inJamare, Itas-Gadau localgovernment area.

He said initially, he acceptedthe vaccine but changed his mindwhen he was made to believe thatthe vaccine facilitated familyplanning.

“When my last son, IliyasuHassan, was born, I did not allow

the administration of polio vaccineon him.

“At first, Iliyasu (now one anda half years), had malaria butrecovered after receivingtreatment. Later, one of his legsbecame weak and could notsupport him any longer.

“We thought it was dislocationand, therefore, took him to a

traditional bone healer but afterseveral efforts, there was noimprovement in his condition.

“My brother then suggestedthat we take him to the hospital.After series of consultations andtests, the doctors confirmed that itwas polio virus and since then, hestarted receiving medication,''Abdullahi said. (NAN)

Polio immunisation: Bauchi pastoralist recounts bitter lesson

The Public ComplaintsCommission (PCC), hascalled on the Federal

Government to provide it withoffices in the Federal CapitalTerritory (FCT) and all the 774local government areas of thecountry to ensure speedydispensation of justice for allNigerians irrespective of tribe andreligion.

The commissioner of PCC,Justice George Idenyi Uloko, whomade the appeal in Abuja,described injustice meted on thecommon people particularly theless privileged ones asunacceptable, uncivilised andbarbaric, reiterating thecommission’s readiness to redresssuch anomalies.

He explained that thecommission has the mandate ofpreventing the abuse of humanrights in the country, adding thatthough the PCC is an arm of FederalGovernment, it does attend to allhuman rights abuses whethersuch is by the government or fromthe private sector.

PCC decrieslack of officesBy Adeola Tukuru

The Federal AirportsAuthority of Nigeria hasadvise motorists to use

designated parking points at theMurtala MohammedInternational Airport and theGeneral Aviation Terminal,(GAT) in Lagos where well laid outsignages have been provided toguide motorists on the routesaround both terminals.

FAAN said the environment isa special place and the need to keepinternational standards isuppermost, hence the need tocreate a safe and sane environmentby ensuring a steady flow of thevehicular traffic.

Debunking a recent newspaperpublication which insinuated thatthe authority had beendeliberately charging motoriststhat come into the airport, it saidthe objectives of getting a towingcompany to maintain order at theairport are two-fold – to help FAANfocus on its main business ofrunning airports and terminals,and to serve as deterrent to errantmotorists that will not abide by thesimple rules guiding operationsaround the airport.

FAAN imploresmotorists torespectparking lotsFrom Suleiman Idris, Lagos

President Goodluck Jonathan (right), Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (left), jointly decorating the new Chief ofDefence Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim (middle) with his new rank, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

PHOTO: JOE OROYE

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 6

L-R: Director of Culture, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Mr. George Ufot, Minister of Culture, Tourism andNational Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, and Executive Director, National Council for Art and Culture, Mr. Muayim Maidugu, duringpress briefing on 2012 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Lagos Chief Judge swearsin 26 Notary Public Officers

The Chief Medical Director[CMD] of the AbubakarTafawa Balewa

University Teaching Hospital(ATBUTH) Bauchi, Dr.Muhammad Alkali has calledon the Bauchi stategovernment to hasten thecompletion of the ongoing statespecialist hospital for properaccess to healthcare deliveryservices in the state.

Dr. Alkali made the callwhen the House ofRepresentatives' committee onhealth paid inspection visit toteaching hospital.

According to Alkali,ATBUTH was currently theonly large health institution inthe state capital but withlimited capacity for theincreasing population in thestate and so, there was need forthe State to provide a specialisthospital that would

complement the teachinghospital.

He added that numerouspatients are received daily notonly from the state but in thenorth east sub-region of thecountry pointing out that theteaching hospital may start torender substandardhealthcare services if a publichospital is not there to support it.

In his remark, Chairman ofthe Reps committee on health,Abdul M. Masheliza explained

ATBUTH boss wants Bauchi to establish specialist hospitalFrom Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi that the tour was to ascertain how

the health budgets are beingimplemented in the federalhealth institutions in the countrywith a view to ensuring qualityhealthcare delivery to thecitizenry.

Masheliza who said that theywere impressed with the facilitiesin the teaching hospital,advocated increase in thebudgetary allocation to thehospital so as to revamp itsservices.

From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

26 out of 27 legalpractitioners who scaledthrough the screening

meant to sieve worthymembers of the Bar forappointment as NotaryPublic Officers in Lagos state,f inally took their oath ofoffice in Lagos last week.

The swearing ceremonywhich was held at Lagos HighCourt 1 , had in attendance

members of the Bar and theBench, families and well-wishers of the nominees andsuperintended by the ChiefJudge of Lagos state, JusticeIdowu Phillips.

By virtue of their newstatus, the legal officers havebeen conferred with thepower in law to witness thesigning of written statementsand the ability to have willsnotarised.

At the end of the rites,

Justice Phillips advised thenewly sworn-in notaryofficers to guard the imagesand record that gave vent tothem the new status. Sheparticularly warned them tobe wary when dealing withland matters as there weredubious people in the societywilling to capitalize on anyslip.

"You should henceforthwatch properly as you maketo append your signature on

any document, mostespecial ly those related toland matters" the Judge said.

In a chat with ourcorrespondent after theswearing ceremony,Barrister Eze Ayala praisedthe screening committeewhom he said, were thoroughin their findings noting thatthe journey of any lawyer tothe senior advocate's stage,was made easier from thenotary status.

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Bauchi sacks50 poliovaccinators

The Bauchi state PrimaryHealth Care DevelopmentAgency has sacked over 50 polio

vaccinators from the on-going polioeradication campaign for variousoffences in the state.

The Executive Secretary of theState Primary Health CareDevelopment Agency (PHCDA), Dr.Nisser Aliyu Umar who dropped thehint in Bauchi yesterday, said theaffected persons have been black listedin the data base of the agency suchthat none of them would participatein its activities in the future.

According to the Agency'ssecretary, names of the disengagedcivil servants, would be forwarded totheir respective MDAs for appropriatedisciplinary action.

Dr. Umar was speaking whilefielding reporters' questions in Itas,headquarters of Itas/Gadau localgovernment area in the state duringthe exercise monitoring, noting thatvaccinators selection was notthorough as some of them were foundincompetent while others whereaccused of data falsification.

Out of the disengaged staff, he said,twelve are from Alkaleri localgovernment area, adding, " I assureyou over the remaining two days ofthe campaign, we can disengage asmuch as we can find wanting incarrying out the assignedresponsibility," he said.

Wildlife expert makes case for hippo sanctuary in Adamawa

Flood: Bizmanwarns FG toprepare forfood crisis

Businessman and politician,Mr. Bethel Lemchi haswarned the Federal

Government that the flooding in someparts of the country might lead to foodshortage.

Lemchi, who gave the warning inPort Harcourt yesterday in aninterview with the News Agency ofNigeria (NAN), said the disaster hadwiped out several farmlands in variousparts of the country.

He urged the government to devisemeasures of managing the expectedfood crisis which he described as`inevitable.'

Lemchi also urged the governmentto import enough food to sustain thepopulation in order to avert starvation.

"Importation of food should beparamount because the floods haveravaged crops and attention should alsobe paid to farmers' welfare".

He attributed the cause of the floodto inadequate provision of drains onNigerian roads.

"A lot of roads have collapsed dueto poor or no drainage system.

"Most of the contractors who woncontracts to construct roads are drivenby selfish gains not the people'swelfare".

Lemchi said that if the contractorshad constructed the roads tointernational standard, floodingwould be minimised.

The politician sympathised withfarmers who lost crops worth millionsof naira as a result of the disaster andappealed to the Federal Governmentto come to their rescue.

A wildlife expert, Mr.Zacharia Yaduma, hascalled on the Adamawa

state government to officiallygazette the Kiri Dam inShelleng Local GovernmentArea of the state to make it alegal sanctuary forhippopotami.

Yaduma, an AssistantDirector, Wildlife Control inthe state Ministry ofEnvironment, made the call inan interview yesterday in Yola.

He said that the call had

become necessary in order toprotect the hippos frompoaching by communitiesaround the dam.

Yaduma said that settlers,whose land were acquired forthe construction of the damand compensated, be made tovacate the area to allow for freegrazing land for the animals.

He also stressed the need forthe deployment of morewildlife staff to the area tocheck the increasing incidenceof hippopotami encroachment

into the villages.``Recent letters received

from the Shelleng TraditionalCouncil, as well as theShelleng Local GovernmentCouncil demanded forpermission to eliminate thehippos.

``Their reasons were thatthe hippopotami wereterrorising them andthreatening their socio-economic activities,'' Yadumasaid.

He explained that so far the

Ministry of Environment hadsent some officials to investigatethe threat, adding that theofficials had eliminated a hippothat killed two children.

Yaduma, who said thatthere were about 100hippopotami in the Kiri Dam,said there was need forgovernment to consult somen o n - g o v e r n m e n t a lorganisations (NGOs) for adviceand assistance on conservationand eco-tourism as a solution tothe problem. (NAN)

PAGE 7PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Public Affairs Advisor, Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN), Clement Iloba (3rd left), Senior Public Relations Officer,Grace Ayoola (4th left), Administrative Manager, Bunmi Oladejo (right) and author of the book "TheGreat Fall", Chinyere Obi Obasi (middle), during the literacy campaign workshop for the students of JiwaGovernment Secondary School in Abuja, yesterday.

FG to address wrongplacement in civil serviceAs part of efforts to

reposition the civilservice in line with global

best practices, the FederalGovernment has pledged tocorrect instances of wrongplacement of workers in theservice.

The Federal Government isinsisting that people must beplaced in departments andparastatals that relate to theirareas of study and experiencewhen employed into the civilservice.

The Permanent Secretary incharge of Bureau of Public

Service Reforms (BPRS), Mrs.Nkechi Ejiele hinted this whilefielding questions fromreporters on the sidelines of aworkshop on the review andprofessionalisation of HumanResources ManagementSystems held in Abujayesterday.

According to Mrs. Ejiele,part of the issues that will betabled for discussion during thetechnical session of theworkshop would be efforts thatneed to be put in place to ensurethat square pegs are put insquare holes in the civilservice.

Speaking while declaring

the workshop open, the Headof Civil Service of theFederation, Alhaji Bello Sali,said the aim of thestakeholder’s validationworkshop was the need to adopta model of the human resourcemanagement which will bestenable government to managestaff effectively.

Such a model, he said, “willafford human resourcemanagers the opportunity toplay the critical roles of strategicplanners, organisationalexperts, employee championsand agents of continuoustransformation in line withglobal best practices”.

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

The Federal CapitalTerritory (FCT)Scholarship Board is to

embark on a monitoringexercise to various institutionsin the country so as to ensure aproper utilisation of thescholarship awarded toindigent pupils in primary,secondary, non formaleducation centres and tertiaryinstitutions.

The Director of the FCT

By Adeola Tukuru

FCT scholarship board toembark on monitoring exercise

Court issues restraining order againstIGP, others from arresting lawyer

Okada riders protestnew traffic law in Lagos

Commercial motorcycleriders known as okada,yesterday, took to the street

of Lagos protesting the Lagos stateroad traffic law which bans themfrom plying 475 roads in themetropolis.

The protest led to trafficgridlock on Obafemi AwolowoWay as the okada riders marchedto the State House, Ikeja to expresstheir grievances over the new lawcarrying placards and chantinganti-government songs.

The protest which wasorganised by the United OkadaRiders Stakeholders’ Forum(UOSTF), with support from the

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

An Imo State High Courtsitting in Owerri, presidedover by Justice Florence

Duroha-Igwe, has issued arestraining order against theInspector General of Police (IGP),his Assistant (AIG) in Zone 9,Umuahia, Julius Berger Plc,stopping them from arresting aLagos based lawyer, BarristerEmeka Ozoani.

Also restrained alongside theIGP, Julius Berger and the AIGare ASP P.S Njoku of Zone 9 andDCP Zone 9, Peter Ogunyanwo.

Justice Duroha-Igwe, uponreading through the MotionExparte dated October 2, 2012with affidavit of urgency andsupporting affidavit filed with awritten address and thearguments of the applicanthimself ordered that thedefendants should not arrestbarrister Ozoani.

“That the respondents, their

agents, officers severally andjointly are restrained fromarresting Barrister EmekaOzoani on the strength of thenewspaper publication declaringthe applicant a wanted person inrespect of a suit where he isdischarging his professional legalservices, pending the hearingand determination of the motionon notice for enforcement of hisfundamental rights.

“That this order subsists

Akwanga Pilot School part of rot inherited byAl-makura, says Nasarawa edu commissioner

The Nasarawa stateCommissioner forEducation, Hussaini

Abubakar, has described thedilapidated condition of theCentral Pilot Primary SchoolAkwanga, as “an example of the

general rot” inherited from theprevious administration by theCongress for Progressive Change(CPC) administration ofGovernor Umaru Tanko Al-makura.

Reacting to a picture of theschool displayed on the frontpage of a national daily, the

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

pending the hearing anddetermination of the motion onnotice,” the court declared.

Barrister Ozoani had filed anapplication for the enforcementof his fundamental humanrights to personal libertysupported by a 59-paragraphaffidavit, asking for an interimorder restraining therespondents from arresting himpending the determination of hismotion on notice.

commissioner lamented thatthe general rot ininfrastructure across the statewas as a result of “insensitivityand greed, occasioned by thediversion of funds meant for thedevelopment of the state”.

In a statement issued tojournalists in Lafia yesterday,

Abubakar disclosed that thecontract for the rehabilitationof the Akwanga Pilot School wasrecently awarded at over N9million to a company,TAMARALD Nig Ltd, stressingthat in three month’s time, theface of the school will wear a newlook.

Scholarship Board, Mrs. EmcyHamman said that the exerciseis one of the board’s mandatewhich will enable the boardascertain whether thebeneficiaries are in school or notand to access theirperformances.

According to her, the exercisewill be carried out in variousinstitutions attended by thebeneficiaries across all the levelsof education, scheduled to beginin tertiary institutions fromOctober, 10th to 12th, 2012.

Committee for the Defence ofHuman Rights (CDHR), Path ofPeace Initiative (PPI), and theFederation of Informal Workers’Organisations of Nigeria(FIWON), took off from under thebridge, Ikeja through ObafemiAwolowo Way to the GovernmentSecretariat.

The protesters in a protestletter to Governor BabatundeFashola signed by Comrade TonyKeroro, chairman, UOSTF;Comrade Gbenga Komolafe,General Secretary, FIWON;Comrade Adewole Ojo, CDHR andComrade Dandy Eze, PPI,demanded a review of the ban on475 roads to save jobs and sourceof livelihood.

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Forum to collate views forproposed constitutional review

The North-east Forum forUnity and Development(NEFUD), is to collate and

articulate the views of thevarious segments of peoplewithin the sub-region for theproposed Constitution review.

A committee saddled withthis responsibility is also toinitiate dialogue and consensuswith stakeholders within thesub-region, the entire Northand the country in general oncrucial issues for the proposedConstitution review.

A spokesman of the Forum,Alhaji Yerima Abdullahi whospelt out terms of reference ofthe committee headed by Prof.Sa’ad Abubakar, will similarlyliaise with similar fora in theNorth and the country at largewith a view to coming out witha harmonised positions for thereview of the Constitution.

Abdullahi revealed that apolitical committee also set upby the forum is charged withthe responsibility of studying

and examining the variousfactors and forces at work in thepolitical terrain of the North-east region with a view todeveloping the road map for theemergence of the region as thekey and leading player inNigeria’s politics.

Abdullahi who was speakingin Bauchi shortly after theforum’s meeting, explained thatthe political committee is also toconsider issues that have retardedthe progress and unity of theregion in the quest for politicalleadership in Nigeria andprepare realistic solutionstowards the achievement ofsuch goals.

It would similarly consider andexamine key factors that arerequired for regional integration,political harmony andunderstanding within and amongthe various states andcommunities in the sub-region, aswell as identify key and activepolitical players, and work outstrategies for uniting them towardsachieving political leadership inNigeria.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 8

L-R: An awardee, Mr Olgun Oluwatosin, receiving a Presidential SpecialScholarship for Innovation and Development from Minister of Education,Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, during the award ceremony, yesterday inAbuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

L-R: Director, Environmental Quality Control, National Environmental Standards and RegulationsEnforcement Agency (NESREA), Malam Mai Wada Umar, Director of Environmental Assessment,Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Modupe Odubela, and Director General of NESREA, Dr. Ngeri Benebo,during NESREA, Federal and states regulatory dialogue on implementation of environmentalregulation draft, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Dr Tunji Olaopa, his Bureau of Public Service Reforms counterpart, Mrs Nkechi Ejele, and representative of the head of civil service, MrCharles Bonat, during a stakeholders workshop on the draft report on review and professionlisation of the human resource management system of the civil service, yesterday inAbuja. Photo: NAN

L-R: New Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshall Alex Badeh, new Chief of Defence Staff,Vice-Admiral Ola Sahad Ibrahim, Chief of Army Staff, Lt- General Azubuike Ihejirika,and new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Dele Ezeoba, after the decoration newservice chiefs by President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

L-R: Chairman, Christian Pilgrimage Welfare Board (CPWB), Mr. Isreal Akanji, Ministerof State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, and Chairman, Senate Committee onPower, Senator Philip Aduda, during the inauguration of FCT delegation for 2012Christian Pilgrimage to holy land, at the weekend, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

PAGE 9PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

N400bn military debtthreatens PHCN-RepsOver N400 billion

allegedly owed by theArmed forces

comprising Navy, Airforce,police, including governmentMinistries and Parastatals(MDA's) to Power HoldingCompany of Nigeria has beenidentified as a huge threat topower sector reform, House ofRepresentatives Committee onpower has said.

The committee has equallyexpressed dismay over thesagging development, sayingout of the over N2.2billionappropriated to the Ughellipower station in the 2012budget, only N1,032,724,446has been released to thecompany by the Bureau ofPublic Procurement (BPP)..

The committee chairman,Patrick Ikharhiale whodisclosed this during anoversight visit to Ughelli andSapele power stations- both inDelta State also reaffirmed

government resolve toprivatize the power sector, justas he assured workers of jobsecurity.

Ikhariale who wasaccompanied by othermembers of the committee said,“If you are owing the variouscomponents of PHCN-generation, transmission anddistribution, then there will beno money to pay gas suppliers.These are the same factors thatled to the liquidation of federalgovernment institutions.

“I want to state here that itcost 1million USD for onemegawatt of electricity to beadequately generated anddistributed. So it’s not a ‘teaparty’. The average personhearing me talk about4,000mw that is currentlybeing generated shouldtranslate it to what it takes”.

“Only the money for 1stand 3rd quarter has beenreleased. They (the company)have not gotten the 2ndquarter. Poor

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

L-R: National Coordinator. National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria (NAFN), Dr. Samuel Negedu,Chairman, Board of Trustees of NAFN, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and Chairman, 2012 National AgricShow Seminar, Professor Victor Chude, during a media briefing on the 2012 National Agricultural Show,yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

implementation of capitalproject is the bane of thenation’s setback”, he added.

He also lamented poorfunding of the power sector,explaining that out of the 100percent budget proposal of thePHCN in 2012, only 50percent was approved. “Eventhough you are privatizing,the equipment must be seen asthe ones working beforebidders can come in” he said.

The committee’s visit alsorevealed that the Sapale powerplant currently generates lessthan 200mw.

However, the ChiefExecutive Officer of the plant,Engr. R. Ifionu pledged thatpower generation at the plantwill hit 260mw in the nextthree weeks.

On his part, the ChiefExecutive officer of Ughellipower station, Mr. PaulUmunni said with aninstalled capacity of 900mw,the plant currently generates2 5 0 m w .

Airport: I won’t accept substandardjob, Dakingari warns contractorsFrom Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

Kebbi State Governor SaiduUsman Dakingari hasvowed not to accept any

substandard job from thecontractors handling the multi-million naira expansion work ofKebbi Airport at Ambursa.

He urged them to intensifywork to meet internationalstandard and maintain thecontract agreement.

The governor equally

warned the supervisingMinistry of Works not tocompromise quality or relax inthe discharge of its supervisoryduty as the project whencompleted, would be ofeconomic importance to KebbiState.

Governor Dakingari saidthis while on a visit to theairport, accompanied bymembers of the ExecutiveCouncil and other topgovernment functionaries.

In another development,Governor Dakingari hasattended the valedictory courtsession in honour of Kebbi StateChief Judge , Alh. IbrahimUmar Limanci who retired onOctober 7, 2012 after attainingmandatory years of retirement.

This was contained in a pressrelease signed by the chief PressSecretary and to the governor ,Alhaji Abubakar MuazuDakingari and made available topeoples daily.

Wife allegedly kills soldier with acid

A middle age housewife yetto be identified at 22Armoured Brigade Sobi

Barracks, Ilorin, Kawara statehas been arrested for allegedlykilling her husband identified asSergeant Kayode for unknownreasons.

The deceased who hails fromIloffa in Oke-Ero localgovernment area of Kwara state,was reported to have beenpoisoned by his wife who had twochildren for him.

It was learnt that thedeceased was in his 40s and wasworking with the Supply andTransport Corps of the Brigadebefore his death.

Sources at the barracksrevealed that the suspected wifehails from a community in Kadunastate.

Investigation showed that thewoman was alleged to have bathedher husband with acid at about10.00pm, few weeks after she hadallegedly attempted to kill himthrough food poisoning.

A reliable source at the barracks

said authorities were surprised bythe incident considering the factthat the deceased was not knownto be a violent man.

During interrogation withsecurity agencies, it was learntthat the wife denied involvementin the murder.

Investigators were said to havediscovered a bottle containing thesubstance believed to be theleftover of the acid used in theoperation.

But she reportedly toldinvestigators that she did not knowanything about the acid claimingthat on the night in question, shehad performed her conjugal rightsto her husband.

A source at the investigationsaid “yes, the military set up aboard of inquiry into the matterand it was after the investigationthat the case was transferred to thepolice”.

The source who spoke undercondition of anonymity said thatseveral officers who werefamiliar with the fact that theman had just been treated forfood poisoning were touched bythe turn of events.

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Worried by the plight offlood victims inNigeria, some youths

under the aegis of GlobalInitiatives for Peace, Love andCare (GIPLC) has kicked off aninitiative aimed at providingrelief throughcollective donation of reliefmaterials for onwarddistribution to affected personsnationwide.

This is coming on the heels ofreports of shortage of food,clothes, shelter, medical service,access roads, and portabledrinking water, including theimpending danger of outbreak ofdiseases compounding the woesof the people in the areasdestroyed by the disaster.

Flagging off the campaign atthe Unity Fountain square, inAbuja, during the weekend,GIPLC coordinator, NuhuKwajafa, called on Nigerian

Youths move to support flood victims in Nigeria

youths to take advantage of theinitiative by

donating percentage of food,clothing and household items intheir possession, for onwarddistribution to the victims, whoare in urgent need of them.

According to him, GIPLC isworking with a NonGovernment Agency (NGO),Save Nigeria Initiative (SNI),and other youth organizationsin the affected states, includingthe Federal capital Territory(FCT), to visit publicplaces every Saturday forsolicitation and collection of reliefmaterials for the victims untilthere was satisfactory reductionin level of hardships.

Ravaging floods havewrecked havoc in states likeAdamawa, Jigawa, Kogi, Edo,Delta, Lagos and Bayelsa,resulting in many deaths, loss ofhouses and properties worthmillions and blockage of majorroads.

Following the massivedeportation of Nigerianfemale pilgrims by Saudi

Arabia for failing to meet someparameters, a tour operator,Comerel Travels and Tours, hasorganized a two-day inductioncourse for its intending pilgrims.

General Manager of thecompany, Alhaji Usman Yusuf,said yesterday in Abuja, that theitinerary was necessary toeducate, inform and enlightentheir intending pilgrims on thenitty-gritty of Hajj operations.

Also speaking, the Amir-ul-hajj for the company, Alhaji IshaqAbubakar, said; “the essence ofthe training is to make sure thatall our intending pilgrims havebasic knowledge of Hajj as well as

Hajj: Comerel Travels organisesinduction course for pilgrims

avoid any form of embarrassmentin terms of ignorance.”

On Muharam, Abubakardisclosed that the law has existedfor many years but noted that,“the tower operators must ensurethat intending pilgrims get theright treatment and theirinterests well protected while inthe Holy land.”

In his remarks, AdebayoOmopidan, one the participants,who commended the organizers ofthe course, described theprogramme as “informing,educating and worthy ofattending”.

Meanwhile, the two-dayprogramme comprised oftheoretical and practical sessions,including lectures on the Rites ofHajj, health talks as well asquestion and answer sessions.

By Stanley Onyekwere

By Mohammed Kandi

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 10

The Kano state governor,Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso hasconstituted a 13 man

advisory committee on theforthcoming constitutional reviewin Nigeria.

Kwankwaso who was speakingduring the inauguration of thecommittee in Kano yesterday,said it was pertinent after keenlywatching developments in thecountry .

He tasked the 13 mancommittee under the leadershipAlhaji Magaji Dambatta to comeup with advice to the stategovernment, the state assembly

From Edwin Olofu, Kano and the National Assembly.“We are here to inaugurate the

committee so that the committeecan start working especially in thelight of the fact that in the nextcouple of days, the Senate is goingto have a public hearing on thesubject matter.

“That is why the stategovernment decided to select itsfirst 11 to advise us, our stateAssembly and our NationalAssembly, so that they can adviseus on the way forward.”

Responding on behalf of themembers of the committee,Dambatta promised not let thepeople of state and Nigerians downin contributing issues that would

bring good governance in Nigeria.“I want to begin by thanking

your excellency for your foresight,wanting Kano to prepare for thisexercise and selecting us out of themillions of people of this giant stateto examine the problems before thisnation and to advise accordingly .We are all aware thatconstitutional amendments orformulations in this country havealways generated controversies ifnot tensions.

“That is to be expected, what isnot to be expected is the self-servingway many of our compatriotsapproach the matter instead oflooking at it from the national anglethat will promote unity, cohesion,

prosperity and integrity of thisgreat nation called Nigeria. Manyof us have been involved in the past,and in all cases from the firstconstitutional conference that washeld in London back in the 50s Kanois known to be thorough, fearlessand to be articulate in what is thebest interest of Nigeria.

“We knew for instance whatrole Malam Aminu Kano playedin the London conference. Andsubsequently, there had beenpresentations from Kano inconferences including the latest inAbuja in 2005. Kano has alwayschampioned its positionvigorously, sensibly and verypatriotically”, he said.

Kwankwaso sets up 13-manc’ttee on constitution review

The Jigawa state will targetover 1.2million childrenacross the state in its ongoing

polio immunisation exercise just asdefaulters will face prosecution.

The state Director General ofGunduma Health Services,Pharm. Usman Tahir who spoketo Journalists during the exercisein Ringim local Governmentshortly after the official launching

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse of the programme by the wife ofthe state governor, Hajiya AminaSule Lamido, said the exercisewhich is the fifth this year, wasdesignedas a "micro plan" thatwould ensure “all settlements arecovered and no single child wouldbe missed,"

He explained that, "in theprevious exercises somesettlements were missed out in therounds particularly those hard-to-reach areas, but this time we have

put all the necessary modalities inplace to ensure the effectivecoverage of such areas".

"Also we have made anadequate arrangement for thepeople displaced by flood, in whichwe would reach their temporarycamps in collaboration withtraditional/community leadersand politicians to ensure theirchildren are immunised".

Speaking to our reporter, amiddle aged housewife, Hajiya

Halima who brought her year oldchild for the immunisation said,she is happy with concern ofgovernment and was ever readyto cooperate with them especiallyas it affects the health of herchildren.

Another parent, IbrahimShehu however said, “we gave outour children for immunisationmore than ten times but now I amgetting suspicious and scared of thefrequency of the vaccination".

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Jigawa targets 1.2m children for polio vaccination

The Bauchi State Govern-ment has threatened to sackany local government

chairman who fails to take issue ofpolio immunization withseriousness in the state

Governor Isa Yuguda soundedthe warning while flagging-off thestate 7th round of the October2012 Immunization plus Days(IPD) at Miri ward in Bauchi local

From Ahmed Kaigama,Bauchi at the weekendYuguda also lamented over

some few cases of non-complianceby some households in some localgovernment areas and attributedthe situation to ignorance andnonchalance.

The governor, who wasrepresented by his deputy,Alhaji Sagir Aminu Saleh at theflag-off of the campaign with thetheme, “Women action againstPolio”, said that Bauchi state

was working towards thecomplete eradication of poliovirus and as such, would nottolerate laxity from anytraditional leader or healthworker during the conduct of theimmunization exercise.

He appealed to localgovernment council chairmen torestrict their movements duringthe immunization exercise inensuring its success or facesanctions.

He called on women to joinshands with the state governmentin the final push to kick polio out ofBauchi State.

The Executive Secretary of theState Primary HealthcareDevelopment Agency (PHCDA),Dr. Nisser A. Umar had earlier saidthat polio virus has now beendrastically reduced to threecountries, namely Afghanistan,Pakistan and Nigeria from the 168countries globally.

…as Bauchi threatens LG chairmen

Governor Isa Yuguda ofBauchi state has warnedintending pilgrims from

the state against smuggling anyprohibited goods in to SaudiArabia.

Yuguda, gave the warning inhis farewell speech to the Hajjpilgrims at the weekend in Bauchi, while advising them to abide bySaudi Arabian rules andregulations.

“We all know that drugssmuggling in Saudi Arabia carriesdeath sentence; so we advise themstrongly to desist from that.”

“Do not misbehave whileembarking on this exercise.Anyone found wanting would beprosecuted, such misbehaviorsinclude trafficking of illicit drugsand engaging in other acts capableof tarnishing the country’s image.

The governor, who wasrepresented by his deputy, AlhajiSagir Aminu Saleh assured thatadequate provisions had been madeto ensure the well being of the state’spilgrim while in the holy land.

Speaking earlier the SpecialAdviser hajj Affairs, Alhaji SanusiIsa Sarkin Aska called ongovernment to provide a screeningcenter very close to the newinternational airport along Kanoroad

He said about 3678 pilgrimsare expected to perform this year’shajj exercise from the state.

Yuguda warnspilgrims againstprohibitedgoodsFrom Ahmed Kaigama,Bauchi

The Federal Government hasdisclosed plans forpartnership with the

International Rice ResearchInstitute in the Philippines for theintroduction of rice that can do wellunder flooded conditions

The Minister of Agriculture,Dr. Akinwumi Adeshina whodisclosed this in Ilorin at theweekend after a visit to the KwaraState Governor, Alhaji AbdulfatahAhmed on the recent flood in thestate, said the federal governmentwould also distribute high breedmaize that could mature within60 days to farmers.

The minister, who also in thestate to inspect flood ravagedfarmlands in Edu and Patigi LocalGovernment Areas, said the maizeseedlings would be distributed freeof charge.

Dr. Adeshina explained that,these efforts would ensure that thefloods which ravaged farmlandsacross the country, does not lead tofood scarcity.

He attributed the floods toclimate change in the world, addingthat the federal government, apartfrom provision of high yielding andflood resistant seedlings, hasmobilized other measures to dealwith the situation.

FG, Philippinespartner onflood resistantriceL-R: Federal Commissioner, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Prince Ikechukwu; member, Senate Committee on Privilege,

Public Petition to Code of Conduct Bureau, Senator Kabiru Marafa; Committee Chairman, Senator Pat Ayo Akinyelure,Chairman of CCB, Mr. Sam Saba and member of the committee, Senator Jibrilla Bindowo, during the committee’s oversightvisit to the bureau head oficce, at the weekend in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 PAGE 11

Don’t be afraid to take abig step. You can’t cross achasm in two smalljumps. - Taken from ‘Life, YourInside Guide

Quote

Investment mistakes to avoid (IV)People also expect that trends

that existed in the recentpast will continue in the future.

The stock market is dynamic and itrequires requisite commitment to study andfollow the trends in the market.

Spending the principalSome investors fail to set some money

aside in a savings or money market accountfor smaller expenses like furniture,vacations, hobbies, computers, car repairs,and babies. When an urgent need arises theyare forced to break their investment plan toaddress their immediate needs.

A well thought out week, monthly andeven yearly budget is a prerequisite forinvestors who wish to make investing averitable tool for growing their wealth.

OverconfidenceUnrealistic mental frame has led many

to believe without justification that theyhave the ability to pick stocks that will haveabove average returns. This more often thannot, is a set up for an accident caused by anerror of judgment fostered by the emotionalbelief that investors have an all knowingability. Balance can be achieved byapplying fundamental and analyticalbenchmarks to moderate extreme cases ofinvestors' overconfidence.

The wisest of investors treat everyinvestment decision with a certain amountof caution and this has served many wellbecause the market will always remain anunpredictable entity.

Internal conflictWhen confronted with information that

contradicts their belief in a hypothesis,

investors disregard it, preferring to look forinformation that confirms their hypothesis.From the print to broadcast media,investment experts provide more often thannot constitute postulations on what themarket will do, thereby misleading manyinvestors through hype and generation ofgroup think solutions.

Having an investment blueprint in placeis a sure means of safeguarding against beinginternal conflict arising from contradictinginvestment information.

Illusionary ability to controlYou may believe in your ability as an

investor to ride the market when in actualfact you may just be pulling a tiger by itstail. This has led many investors to believethat they can make the market go up ordown. If you think you have a trick that canget the market to go your way, you betterthink twice.

Succumbing to negative emotionsYou may have probably experienced

emotional investing rage, which leaves youtrying to get even with the market. You dosuch things as double down or even sell allyour stocks impulsively. Fear is relativelyas debilitating as anger is disconcerting.When you are afraid, everything looks likea threat, lots of investors are still afraidbecause of the market crash a few years back.

They are sitting on the side-lines in cashearning no return. Given the valuable pricesof stock in the Nigerian market, thememories of previous losses have held manyinvestors captive from investing, forgettingthat "Risk and return go together."

Mastering emotion of any kind is a

Three major impediments to SME success on the web (II)What is Your Business Plan?In short, the real issue is: What

is your business plan?On the web, there are many

ways to earn money… but the basicthing is… what business plan youare going to pursue.

A business plan requires you towrite down everything you wantto do and achieve. And thisbecomes your commitment andguidance for the road ahead. Manyexperts say unless you are able towrite down a business plan, yourbusiness is not ready to start.

A survey is required 2,877people completed a survey. Ofthose, 995 had completed a plan.

297 of them (36%) secured aloan 280 of them (36%) securedinvestment capital 499 of them(64%) had grown their business1,556 of the 2,877 had not yetcompleted their plan.

222 of them (18%) secured aloan 219 of them (18%) securedinvestment capital 501 of them(43%) had grown their businessAccording to a survey, a businessplan doubles the chances for success.

This means people with abusiness plan are clear in theirmind about the path to follow.

The findings of the surveyclearly show that those with abusiness plan are twice as moresuccessful to get a loan and capital

to start business as those without aplan.

Okay, let's move on toTechnological Impediment.

This is where, according to him,I help the small startups withcoaching and giving tips in mywebsite, HubSkills.Com. Hearhim:

Technology has two ends So,what is this technologicalimpediment I'm talking about?

According to a TV ad by GE,technology has two ends.

One, where it is built, andsecond, where it works. For yourbusiness, you have to know howyou can use technology to work onthe web.

There are mainly two majorissues for technologicalimpediment:

*Showcasing or presentingyour product/service on the web

*Delivering your product/service to customers

*Design of your website will inturn depend on three major factors:

*Structure of the website*Usability of the website*Lead generationFor web contents also, three

important issues must beconsidered:

*Type of content - text, image,video, etc.

*Focus and relevance ofcontent

*Continuity of providingrelevant contents

In this tree, if any of thebranches is not strong andsupportive, your business will bethe sufferer.

What is interesting is that evenif your business concept is okay, itcan still suffer because of poorpresentation or showcasing. Andthat will be an example of faultyimplementation.

Delivering your productDelivering your product is

related to customer satisfaction.There are three major ways to

go about:*Delivering From your website*Delivering From other

websites, and*From both your and other

websites*Your website*Other websites*Both your and other websites*When you are starting small,

or if you are selling an affiliateitem, you may want to sell theproduct from other big websiteslike Amazon, eBay, ClickBank,Barnes & Nobles… and so on.

For example, if you are sellingan eBook, make slightly differentversions of it and sellsimultaneously from Amazon,ClickBank, Fiverr, and yourwebsite.

Three major issuesIf you are selling from your

website, you have to consider 3major issues:

*Payment acceptance*Order fulfillment*Refund policyOut of the three, order

fulfillment is very important.Technological impediment is

mainly about Controlling Costs.You have to make a fine

balance between what you Wantand what you Need.

Marketing impedimentOkay, we come to the third

impediment… MarketingImpediment

This is a no-brainer. All yourefforts mean nothing unless youmake sales

Successful marketing means*Right product*Right time*Right placeAnd sales happen when you

are able to reach the target buyerswith the right product at the righttime and at the right place.

If any of these three is notsatisfied, the sales may not happen.

The four main web marketingmethods are:

*Email marketing*Social media marketing*Search marketing, and*Search engine optimisationIf you want to do marketing

yourself, you may find that emailmarketing and social mediamarketing have easy learningcurves; they cost less and can beimplemented quickly. However,to make an impact you have to givegood amount of time, especially ifyou are starting from scratch.

Some low-cost advertisementscan be classified ads in localnewspapers, stickers on cars,seminars, promo campaigns inmalls, and of course meeting peoplein person.

Marketing varies from place toplace, but some of these methodsare almost universal. They workin perhaps any city in the world.

Concluded

perquisite for any investor willing to excelin the market.

Chasing performanceMany investors select asset classes,

strategies, managers and funds based onrecent strong performance. The feeling that"I'm missing out on great returns" hasprobably led to more bad investmentdecisions than any other single factor. If aparticular asset class, strategy or fund hasdone extremely well for three or four years,

we know one thing with certainty: Weshould have invested three or four years ago.However, the particular cycle that led tothis great performance may be nearing itsend. The smart money is moving out, andthe dumb money is pouring in.

Stick with your investment plan andrebalance, which is the polar opposite ofchasing performance. Past performance isnot a guarantee of future performance.

Concluded

PAGE 12 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

The Mubi student massacreLast week Monday the

nation woke up to heartwrenching news of the

killing of students of sometertiary institutions located inMubi, Adamawa state. Studentsof the Federal Polytechnic, theSchool of Nursing and the state-owned university were attackedlate at night in what has becomethe worst attack of its kind in thecountry. At the end of the orgyof killings over 40 persons,including non-students, fellvictim to the attack, many ofthem shot to death and theirbodies cut up.

As the news filtered in, theinitial thinking was that it wasthe handiwork of the dreadedBoko Haram sect. After all, ithad a day earlier issued astatement threatening to carryout more attacks on governmentofficials and institutions. But aswhat happened that Mondaynight became clearer, it emergedthat some rivalry among thestudents may have led to thekillings. Although policeinvestigations are ongoing,Nigerians have been able topiece together informationsuggesting that the outcome ofthe student union governmentelection which held in theFederal Polytechnic may havepitched some of the studentsagainst others.

As has become the norm whena national calamity like this

“There is just too muchblood letting in the landand we strongly feel thattime has come to put a

stop to it

happens, President GoodluckJonathan has led the chorus ofcondemnations by our leaderswith a directive to the securityforces to ensure that the culpritsare brought to justice. The SenatePresident, David Mark, went evena step further by calling for thecapital punishment for theperpetrators in order to lay downthe marker for all criminalelements among us to know thatsuch acts will not be tolerated

henceforth.We share the concern of both

the president and the senatepresident and call on the policeand other security agencies towork closely and diligently toensure that these murderers arequickly apprehended and madeto face the law. We condole thefamilies of all those who lostloved ones in this reprehensible,senseless mayhem. We areworried, however, that our dear

country is gradually turninginto a killing field wherehuman life is no longer heldsacred. It is disheartening thatthe country seems to be losingits soul. Otherwise how can oneexplain why any human beingcan go to such a heartlessextent as to line up haplessstudents who we expect to takeover the reins of affairs of thiscountry in the future and killthem in such a ruthlessmanner?

Such criminal behaviour inaddition to the mayhemperpetrated by the Boko Haramsect and the indiscriminatekilling of innocent citizens bymen of the Joint Task Forces insome of the states continuallyeat away at our humanity. Thereis just too much blood letting inthe land and we strongly feelthat time has come to put a stopto it.

The federal and stategovernments must take the leadin this regard by ensuring that agenuine and sincere approachto tackling the myriad socio -economic problems facing thenation are put in place. Such anapproach must be the type thatensures justice and fairness inthe distribution of ourabundant resources so that themajority of Nigerians are yankedoff the choking poverty thatoften times is responsible forsome of these violent crimes.

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, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 PAGE 13

In a country where everybodyis perceived as corrupt,especially in the public service,

Mr. Muhammad Tahir Zakari hasdistinguished himself as anincorruptible civil servant. He wasamong the 148 individuals whowere conferred with Nigeria’sNational Honours Awards byPresident Goodluck Jonathan onSeptember 17, 2012.

Recently the online economicjournal, the Economic Confidentialin an investigation reveals that ofthose that got the National HonoursAwards for 2012, he was the onlyperson who was nominated on thebasis of honesty by returning N6.2million, which was overpaid into hissalary account back into treasury.

The report also indicates thatabout 75 percent of the 148recipients actually occupy publicoffices either as appointed or electedfigures in the executive, judiciaryand legislative arms of government.Some categories of the awardsseemed to be reserved for particulargroups of officers. For instanceSupreme Court Judges arebeneficiaries of CFR; CON areconferred on Governors, Ministersand Senators; OFR are bestowed onMembers of House ofRepresentatives, DeputyGovernors, Diplomats and Legal

Practitioners; OON are given to topmanagement staffs in the public andthe private sectors; while MFR ismeant for security personnel, civilservants, local traditional rulers,community and religious leaders.Most of the nomination or finalrecommendations are done by thepower-that-be. In fact one of the listedbeneficiaries, a deputy governorwas removed from the list by theorder of the boss. In the face of allthese, there are also allegations thatin Nigeria some individuals andgroups could pay anything to getany kind of awards even for doingnothing.

Muhammad Zakari, who isrecognized for his incorruptibility,got decoration in one of the leastcategories as Member of the FederalRepublic (MFR). He is a Grade Level10 officer with the Federal Ministryof Information, on secondment to theFederal Ministry of Agriculture.

The story of Zakari’s emergenceas most deserving of the nationalaward started in November 2011,when he received a credit alert onhis mobile phone of the sum ofN6,241,469 instead of his usualmonthly pay of N62,000. Hethought he was having a sweetdream not nightmare. At the timehe got the alert he actually hadN400 as his credit balance.

A dazed Tahir immediatelyrushed to the bank where it was

indeed confirmed that he had themillions deposited in his account.Back home, he then narrated hisdiscovery to both his mother andhis wife about what could beconsidered “Manna from Heaven.”A deeply religious family, the twowomen in his life all encouraged himto report and return the millions andnot spend what did not belong tohim.

He admitted that as a humanbeing, something was telling himthat “God has many ways of blessingand enriching individuals. “Iinitially thought probably that wasthe way God wanted to intervene inmy life by mysteriously depositingmoney in my bank account. Butlong years of religious and moraleducation reinforced byadmonishment from the women inmy life prompted me toimmediately report and return themoney which was N6.5 million.”

When friends learnt about therefund of the whopping amount ofmoney, some withdrew theirfriendship while others taunted him‘as a typical of the remaining fewNigerian mumus (fool) that couldget free money and return it whenhe earns a meagre salary.’

“I could feel others jeering at myresolve. As a human being, thetemptation was high, consideringthe kind of environment we live in.But sometimes you just need to take

The incorruptible civil servant and national honoursBy Yushau A. Shuaib

“Many forms of Government havebeen tried, and will be tried in this worldof sin and woe. No one pretends thatdemocracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said thatdemocracy is the worst form ofGovernment except all those others thathave been tried from time to time.” –Winston Churchill

I wish to congratulate all Nigeriansas we place another candle on theproverbial national birthday

cake to celebrate 52 yearsindependence. Indeed, 52 years agotoday, I was privileged enough towitness the brand new flag of ourgreat nation Nigeria being raised asthe Union Jack that had dominatedour skylines for almost a centurywas lowered and folded away. Thegreen white green waving in the coolbreeze against the backdrop offireworks, huge cheers andcelebration marked a turning pointfor millions of young Nigerians likeme who were looking towards thefuture with great hope andexcitement for better things to come.Sadly, many of the friends andcolleagues I celebrated with on thathistoric day died without witnessingthe fulfilment of the dreams of ourfounding fathers.

As the years past, I witnessed thegradual emergence of newgenerations of Nigerians who despitemany disappointments andtruncated national aspirations,continued to celebrate everyOctober 1st still carrying the samesense of optimism that the nextindependence day would be betterthan the last. Even after ourtroubling history and the recentupheavals that have put the nationthrough trying times,the Nigerianspirit of resilience has kept faith, loveand pride alive in ourdetermination to remain united. Iwant to urge all Nigerians to takecourage and remain steadfast in

their prayers to support President,Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in his effortsto restore hope, justice and goodgovernance to our nation.

It is heartening to note thatNigerians are beginning to find theirvoice in this young democracy intheir demands for their rights andbetter governance. We all asNigerians have the responsibility tobuild on this opportunity to forge ourown destiny. We must all increaseour collective effortsby activelyparticipating in building a betternation where all Nigeriansirrespective of tribe, tongue or creedwill have a better quality of life.

As for the unfortunatecomments credited to the NorthernElder’s Forum that, “Jonathan’sGovernment is worse thanObasanjo’s” (LeadershipNewspaper, October 1, 2012, pg11),it is disappointing to note that otherNigerians who should have beensteering the course of nationbuilding decided to pull those pillarsdown by sowing the seeds of enmity,divisionism, and political hypocrisyin order to distract Nigerians fromthe truth. Rather than rolling uptheir sleeves to actively findsolutions to alleviate the sufferingof Nigerians, they chose to pull usbackward again and force us to playthe blame game. The hydra headedmonster of collective responsibilityin the nation’s downfall also hasthousands of fingers pointingstraight back at those who sit injudgement in the Northern Elder’sForum. For they have all, at onepoint or another contributed to thequagmire we find ourselves today.For as Robert Bloch (an AmericanAuthor)once wrote “The man whocan smile when things go wrong hasthought of someone else he canblame it on.” Wasn’t it recently that

Obasanjo himself was quoted assaying, “I just dey laugh…”?

How short is the memory ofthese Nigerians that they wouldchoose to sweep away the cases ofmassive corruption that plaguedthe Obasanjo administration or theflagrant disregard of courtjudgements? What about theelections that brought violentethnic and religious crisis? The Josand Kaduna crisis all happenedunder his watch! Have they soeasily forgotten the crisis in theaviation industry that saw a seasonof death through multiple aircrashes? What ever happened to thepower sector he bequeathed toNigerians that both the Yar ‘Aduaand Jonathan administrationswere left with? Or did theysuddenly forget that aninvestment of $16 billion after 8years in office did nothing to endpower failure? What about theprivatisation drive that has beenriddled by shady deals and politicalintrigues, the repercussions ofwhich are still being felt today?What about the Niger Delta crisisthat raged on in full force duringObasanjo’s reign? Or did they alsoforget to realise that the solution tothe Niger Delta crisiswas broughtabout thanks to the establishmentof the amnesty programme byPresident Yar’adua and which was

continued by President Jonathan?And where were they when the“Third Term Agenda” was beingrolled out of the propagandamachine? How many of them werecourageous enough to stand upagainst the manipulation of thenation’s constitution to serve oneman’s selfish ambition for power?This was part of the messy legacythat the Obasanjo administrationleft for his successors to clean upafter him and for whichNigeriansare still suffering fromtoday.

Besides that, the story doesn’tend there. Obasanjo has managedto design his resurrection in such away that he continues to haunt thecorridors of power to whisper intothe left ears of his cronies. Hecontinues to manipulate thesystem to put stumbling blocks inthe path of progress in Dr. GoodluckJonathan’s administration all in abid to perfect his own will andambitions.

The analysis of the nation stateby the Northern Elders Forum thatPresident Jonathan’sAdministration has been the worstsince independence can best bedescribed as naïve, highly subjectiveand mischievous. I am surprisedthat such conclusions could bedrawn by so called eminent andscholarly elder statesmen whom

To those who cast the first stonesBy Gambo Jimeta

a most dignifying action and takejoy in that which I did sincerely.”

Blessed with eight childrencomprising of seven boys and a girl,Tahir further admitted: “I was alsoafraid to tarnish my family name ifI spent the money and the error waslater discovered by the authority.That could be very shameful too!”

His action was reported to theIndependent Corrupt PracticeCommission (ICPC), Economic andFinancial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Head of Service and theOffice of the Secretary General of theFederation.

Subsequently he received aletter from Office of the AccountantGeneral of the Federationcommending him for his “show ofhonesty by returning an errorpayment to the tune of N6.2million.” It was on August 27, 2012that the Secretary to theGovernment of the Federation,Senator Pius Anyim sent him aletter to inform him that the FederalGovernment had approved theconferment of the National Honoursin the rank of MFR on him. Inhonouring him, President GoodluckJonathan said the award was inrecognition of Zakari’s outstandingvirtues and in appreciation of hisservice to the country, Nigeria,without adding “where many arepresumed to be corrupt.”

A graduate of Mass

ordinarily should have known betterthan to drag the national discourseinto the gutter. Instead of standingup against tyranny and hypocrisyto find real solutions to the nation’sproblems, they chose the cowardlypath of using this blame game as adistraction to create confusion andmistrust…or are they also playingto a piper’s tune?

As Werner Finck once said,“Everybody wants to eat at thegovernment’s table, but nobodywants to do the dishes.” 52 years ago,independence was not given to us ona platter of gold. Most of our foundingfathers not only washed dishes, theyswept floors, washed toilets and shedtheir own blood. Let us not let theirlegacy die in vain. We must also rollup our sleeves and work towardsbuilding the nation we want to have.

It is time for all of us to shuntreachery, intrigue, religiousbigotry, tribalism, hypocrisy,corruption, all types of prejudice andviolence and support PresidentJonathan in trying to correct theills of the past and the present. Foras Almighty God in His infiniteWisdom decided to place PresidentGoodluck Jonathan on the mantleof leadership, he should also takecourage in the fact that he has theauthority to take bold action againstany evil political manipulationsthat might pose a threat to thenation’s unity. President Jonathanshould take this opportunity tobreak down all the ethnic andreligious barriers and reuniteNigerians under one family with acommitment for peace and justicefor all. We all have a collectiveresponsibility to contribute to abetter future for our children, ourpeople and our nation.

Alhaji Gambo Jimeta is aformer Inspector of Police (IGP).

Communication from the reputableBayero University Kano, Zakari wasborn on March 20, 1971 in Garun-Mallam, Kano State. He did hisNational Youth Service in Enugubefore he was offered appointmentinto Federal Civil Service asInformation Officer. He was thenseconded variously to the NationalFilms and Video Censors Board,Ministry of Water Resources andnow in Ministry of Agriculture,Abuja.

While we celebrate a young civilservant as incorruptible, we onlyhope some of our leaders who aremostly disdained for their excessivewealth from sophisticatedcorruption would not be laughing atpoor Zakari, who believes an honourin the face of his unrealistic wages isadequate compensations forincorruptibility.

As we are encouraged by theexemplary conduct of Zakari, whichshould be emulated, it is doubtful ifmany poor Nigerians would acceptthe typical Nigeria’s NationalHonours if they have the option of amillion Naira gift. I believe there aremany Nigerians out there settingrecords and good examples butwould never ever make it to theseeming National Honours for toppublic figures and title holders.Yushau A. Shuaib can bereached onyashuaib@yahoo.com

“It is time for all of us to shun treachery,intrigue, religious bigotry, tribalism, hypocrisy,corruption, all types of prejudice and violenceand support President Jonathan in trying tocorrect the ills of the past and the present

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 14

This is Lagos: A Camerounian perspectice

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: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com

SMS: 07037756364

WRITE TO US

By Ernest Sumelong

Having journeyed morethan twice out of thecountry, I didn’t expect to

be overwhelmed by the kind ofexcitement I had when Iembarked on a few days to Lagos,Nigeria’s commercial capital,recently. For the simple fact thatLagos is one of the nearest offoreign cities to Cameroon, notmany would be excited about anytrip to this former capital ofAfrica’s most populous country.

But I was, apparently becauseof the tales of this legendary cityof enjoyment. I was pleasantlyembarrassed that I did not findBoko Haram militants at theairport, taking people hostage andblasting the place with bombs.Understandably, Boko Haram isthe most outstanding thing onegets nowadays, about Nigeriafrom the media. I had a rethinkon that after spending threeenjoyable days in Lagos.

Much seems to have alsoimproved at the airport,considering the horrifying talesoften told of hoodlums trying tosteal one’s money and corruptpolice officers trying to cornerforeigners in order to deprivethem of their money. On thecontrary, I found smartly dressedpolice officers with a sense ofprofessionalism and politesse.“Here, sir”. “Please, sir, queue upbehind others”. Others, morecolloquially, said “Oga, please,take the left, not the right”. Toput it simply, the MurtalaMuhammed InternationalAirport is great, even when

construction work is on-going toupgrade the standard.

Leaving the DoualaInternational Airport and landing,an hour or so after, at the MurtalaMuhammed International Airportin Lagos was, to say the least, anembarrassment to me. There wassuch a big dichotomy between thetwo countries that I wondered whyCameroon is so left behind. Thedifference was so clear aboutdisorder and lackof vision on theone hand, andorder and focuson the other.D o u a l arepresents theformer, whileLagos representsthe latter.

After dueconsideration,the “air strip” inDouala shouldnot be called ani n t e r n a t i o n a lairport becauseof, among otherthings, itsdisorderliness and its dilapidatingstate. While I must admit thatsome effort has been made atsanitising the Douala airport policeand, to an extent, organisingtransportation from the airport,nonetheless, much needs to be doneto revive the overall state of theairport.

Also, more efforts should bemade to get rid of stench andsqualor, as well as the layabouts atthe airport who give the country abad image. Lagos, by allindications, has been built over the

years by sheer determination,political will and the audacity ofmen and women who madevaliant efforts to wean themselvesfrom the breast of socio-economicand political mediocrity, byinstilling a culture of goodgovernance.

In Nigeria, citizens fight anddebate from the Senate andParliament to the streets for theimprovement of the country, the

common good if you will, whileCameroon seems to be managedwithout any agenda, or better still,handled like a rudderless ship. Thebusiness of the Parliament and theSenate in Nigeria is run like dailycivil service work, where thePresident’s position is contested andconstantly challenged, while hemakes it a duty to appear beforethe people’s representativesregularly to explain issues of theState.

Flyovers and gigantic bridgesrun across Lagos like okadas

(commercial motorcycles) plythe streets of Douala. Going bythe size of their roads, it is easy toread the bigness of their vision.Till date, it is taking a life time forthe Cameroon government tobuild a second bridge over theRiver Wouri, while billions ofFrancs CFA are lost daily due tohours of hold-ups in trafficbecause of lack of roads.

Apparently, one will be builtwhen thepresent bridgecollapses fromoveruse ande p i l e p t i crepairs. While,to me, Lagos is amodern city(understandablybecause I wascoming from abig villagec a l l e dC a m e r o o n ) ,Nigerians arethe leastsatisfied withthe state of thecity. They

believe that it could be better, andso, press government to do more.This is exactly the contrary inCameroon, where citizens floodthe President in oceans of thankswhen just a foot path is cleared.

Another thing I learnt inNigeria is that those seeking toget to the civil service areconsidered lazy, less creative andhave subscribed to poverty. Thatis apparently why there is acontinuous outburst of talent,creativity, self-dependence andenterprise in Nigeria. Nigeria

Indeed, when Portugal andSouth Africa joined forces topush back MPLA’s onslaught

against the Portuguese colonialforces in the early seventies, it wasthe Cuban military might andtechnology that assisted MPLA totriumph. That solidaritycontinues to this very day. ManyCuban doctors are in Angola ,Namibia , Republic of South Africa, Mozambique , Ethiopia , Nigeria, Gambia and Uganda improvinghealth service delivery and shareadvances in health science withAfrican countries.

Following the fall of the Berlinwall and the collapse of the Unionof Socialist Soviet Republic (USSR),Cuba signed a new era ofrelationship with Africancountries, which can be describedas “solidarity in socio-economicdevelopment within the contextof advancing global socialdemocracy”.

This relationship hasemphasized human developmentthrough health, education, sports,science and technology.

Cuba prides itself of havingone of the best sports universitiesin the world. At the university,sportsmen and women from allover the third world are awardedunder graduate and postgraduate degrees in athletics andother sports such as indoor gamesand soccer, while also learningbiological sciences, food andnutrition: all of which are keenly

related to sports and games. Asportsman who does not know hisanatomy and physiology is veryunlikely to respond creatively tohis body language when understress in the field. The science willobviously add value to theperformance rather than be adraw back. The Latin AmericanMedical University , establishedover a decade ago, has admittedstudents from all over the thirdworld, though majority are fromLatin America . This is a modeluniversity where learning andcharacter formation go hand inhand. Students are taught thescience of medicine as well as itssocial value. They graduate associally aware individuals who donot have the misplaced notion thata degree in medicine is the sureststep to being wealthy. On thecontrary, medicine is seen as a toolto empower both the doctor andthe patient to live in a societywhere each individual’s healthaffects the total well being of thecommunity.

At a recent InternationalConference on Health Research heldin Havana , Cuba was singled outas one of the few countries in theworld that has achieved the bestresults in health care delivery withthe most effective publicinvestment in the health sector. Forall intents and purposes, Cuba hasachieved the MDGs in this area

through well thought outinnovations. The Cuban Institutefor Biotechnology and GeneticEngineering has discovered anddeveloped over thirty vaccines thatare used to improve health and toreduce child mortality almost tozero. Working in collaboration withLabiopharm, the state-ownedpharmaceutical research anddevelopment outfit, the institutehas seen the results of its researchrealized in the production of severaldrugs, detergents and foodsupplements that are of the highestscientific standards.

Cuba uses biodegradablemethods of eliminating themosquito at the point ofreproduction in stagnant waters,and is currently sharing thismethod with several Africancountries through aMemorandum of Understanding.The policy of the African divisionin both the party and the Ministryof Foreign Affairs is to sharescientific knowledge to advancedevelopments in Africa .

We live in an era where scienceand technology, and theinnovations that come with theadvancements in both, are at theheart of development. As DavidLandes pointed out in his book; TheUnbound Prometheus:Technological innovations inWestern Europe since the IndustrialRevolution, countries like Japan

would not have industrializedwithout “importing” technologyand industrial knowledge fromthe West. Japan did this bysending her students to learn inthe best universities in GreatBritain , and while there to “spyon and take away or steal”western technology back to Japan. That is how the automobileindustry in Japan grew after theSecond World War, soondominating the global automobilemarket.

Cuba has come up with a newmodel. Rather than encouragestudents to “spy” for Cubanscientific and technicalachievements, they areencouraged to internalize thisknowledge and apply it at hometo speed up the process ofdevelopment.

But the process of developmentcannot be speeded up“disembodied” from social andpolitical processes. An increase inthe Gross Domestic Product(GDP), that makes no meaningwhatsoever to the majority insociety is no development worthwriting home about.

Nigeria , as a nation endowedwith natural and humanresources, is long overdue toemulate the Cuban strategyinstead of playing politics withhuman development. Nigeria hasover 10 Research Institutes but not

adequately funded to carry outaggressive research works toaddress our needs. For instance,during the tenure of Dr. AbubakarLamurde as director-general of theNational Veterinary ResearchInstitute, Vom, several vaccineswere invented and produced ratedamongst the best in animal healthworldwide. He qualified as one ofthe best veterinary surgeons everfrom Africa . Such talents aboundin Nigeria that deserve, everysupport to bail the country out ofits present position of a dumpingground of finished health productsfrom Asia, Europe and other socalled developed countries if thetransformation slogan of thePresident is to be real.

Fortunately enough, some stategovernors the likes of Isa Yugudain Bauchi, Sule Lamido in Jigawa,Rabi’u Kwankwaso in Kano,Gabriel Suswan in Benue, Akpabioin Akwa-Ibom and few others,have realized the need to encouragethe acquisition of knowledge inscience related discipline withemphasis on human and animalmedicine by sponsoring thetraining of students in countriesthat have excelled in such fieldsincluding the communist Cuba.

ConcludedSanusi Muhammad was theeditor of Bauchi basedWeekly Newspaper, TheTrumpeter/Kakaki

Lessons from Cuba for Nigeria (II)By Sanusi Muhammad

made another huge impression inmy mind regarding theireconomic vision. As an indicationthat the country’s economy isbuoyant, banks (not tiny microfinance institutions) are foundalmost everywhere in Lagos.Someone said, rather jokingly,that even a mad man in Nigeriahas a bank account. And it is easyto believe the statement.

There is a sense of business inall walks of life in Nigeria and this,to me, accounts for the strides thiscountry has made, despite itshuge challenges due to itsdemographic size. Nigerians seemto know that anything andeverything is business and I foundthem serviceable, smart, humbleand focused, with a smile alwaysplanted on their lips. This is theattitude I found in restaurants,hotels and other places open tocustomers.

Lagos, as I saw it, is a city offlyovers and banks, broad roadsand big visions and men withdogged determination to make itbig. In fact, it is a city that neversleeps. This article does not try tosuggest that I didn’t see thedownside of a big city like Lagos.However, I have chosen to focuson what Cameroon can learn fromthis former Nigerian capital andthus move a step forward from ourcurrent state of apparentstagnation, in spite ofoverwhelming potentials thatcan trigger wealth creation andwellbeing for the teeming massesof Cameroonians.

Ernest Sumelong isreachable onCameroonPostline.com

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 PAGE 15

The 2008 United StatesPresidential electionelectrified the entire

continent of Africa and her peoplelike no other election in the modernhistory of the United States.Incontrovertibly, this was becauseone of the nominated presidentialcandidates was Africa son of the soil.On that faithful night of November4th, 2008, most Africans all overthe continent stayed up all night tohear the election results and tocelebrate the victory of BarackObama. The enthusiasm and blissprompted the then president ofKenya to declare ThursdayNovember 6th, 2008 a publicholiday to celebrate the victory ofBarack Obama as the newpresident of the United States.

Then, many Africans believedand hoped that Obama presidencywill enunciate strategic policies thatwill help Africa much more thanthe Presidency of Bill Clinton andGeorge Bush 43. It is no secret thatPresident Bill Clinton AfricanGrowth and Opportunity Act(AGOA) was an audacious Africa-focused foreign policy to help thecontinent gain access to theAmerican market. Whether Africawas able to leverage the policy totheir benefit is another discussion.But the truth is that the bold moveof the Clinton policy placed Africain the radar of most American

investors. President Clinton alsotravelled widely around Africanduring his presidency.

It is also not a secret thatPresident Bush did a lot for Africa inthe area of HIV/AIDS preventionand treatments. His President’sEmergency Plan For AIDS Relief(PEPFAR/Emergency Plan)program, a commitment of $15billion over five years (2003–2008) by the United States to fightthe global HIV/AIDS pandemic iscredited with having helped toavert about 1.1 million deaths inAfrica. This amount of HIV aid wasfirst of its kind. It was also a hugeAfrica-centered policy and agenuine interest by President Bushto help Africa fight the scourge ofthe epidemics on the continent.Although I do not agree with mostof Bush’s foreign policies but hedeserves encomium for taking suchpolicy initiatives towards Africawhich was uncommon for aconservative American president.

President Obama has spent only20 hours in Africa since he becamethe president of the United States in2008. During his visit to Ghana in2009, he gave speeches thatemphasized the need to fightcorruption, support goodgovernance, resolve Africa’s endlessconflicts, and empower Africans to

solve Africa problems. Many expertsin Africa affairs thought then thatthose speeches wouldmetamorphose into a gargantuanAfrica-specific policy from Obama’sgovernment. But that is yet tohappen.

It is true that Africa’s problemsneed to be resolved by Africans. Iconcur and also of the strongopinion that no one (not evenObama) can solve Africa’s myriadproblems besides Africans.Africans would need to rise andtake the destiny of the continentinto their hands. But what is alsotrue is that the United States asthe Super Power has a great roleto play in assisting Africa in hermatch towards economic growthand empowerment. Theeconomic strength of China todayis partly because of the hugeinvestment Americans made inChina over the lastdecades. Obama is aware of thetools at his disposal that he canmarshal and bring to bear as thePresident of the United States topromote American investorsinterest in Africa.

Although during his first termin office, President Obama haslaunched some new initiatives thatwould benefit Africa but they arenot specific to the African continent

like Clinton’s AGOA and Bush’sPEPFAR. What is well known is thatObama has launched strong USmilitary counter-insurgencyefforts all over every nook andcranny of Africa using theAFRICOM platform. Some policystrategists believe this is adeliberate political calculus by theObama’s team. Since Obama hasstrong ties to Africa, it will be apolitical free gift for theRepublicans to blast and criticizehim if he appears to be focused onpromoting Africa’s affairs. Thisthey believe has made Obama lessfocus in making gigantic economicpolicy targeted at Africa alone. Thequestion is: Will Obama sacrificehis political survival for the benefitof Africa? Your guess is as good asmine.

Mwangi S. Kimenyi (seniorfellow and director of the AfricaGrowth Initiative) rightlysuggested “Increasing globalcompetition necessitates that theUnited States engage Africa moredeeply. While it is hoped that a[Obama] second term would bringgood tidings to Africa, there is stillan opportunity for PresidentObama to make an imprint in theregion during the remainder of hisfirst term. We propose that thepresident make a well coordinated

Has Obama disappointed Africa?By Paul Omoruyi

I am a historian and I havealways believed that if we wantto talk history we must be

dispassionate, objective and factual.We must take the emotion out of itand we must always tell the truth.The worst thing that anyone cando is to try to re-write history andindulge in historical revisionism.This is especially so when the personis a reverred figure and a literaryicon. Sadly it is in the light of suchhistorical revisionism that I viewProfessor Chinua Achebe’sassertion (which is reflected inhis latest and highly celebratedbook titled “There Was ACountry’’) that Chief ObafemiAwolowo, the late and muchloved Leader of the Yoruba, wasresponsible for the genocide that theigbos suffered during the civil war.This claim is not only false but it isalso, frankly speaking, utterlyabsurd. Not only isProfessor Achebe indulging inperfidy, not only is he beingutterly dishonest anddisengenious but he is also turninghistory on its head and indulgingin what I would describe as ethnicchauvinism.

I am one of those that hasalways had tremendoussympathy for the Igbo causeduring the civil war. I am also anadmirer of Colonel EmekaOdumegwu Ojukwu who stood upfor his people when it mattered themost and when they were beingslaughtered by rampaging mobs inthe northern part of our country.At least, 100,000 Igbos were killedin the pogrom which took placebefore the civil war andwhich indeed led directly to it. Thiswas not only an outrage but it wasalso a tragedy of monumental

proportions. Yet we must not allowour emotion or our sympathy forthe suffering of the Igbo at the handsof northern mobs before the warstarted to becloud our sense ofreasoning as regards whatactually happened during theprosecution of the war itself. It isimportant to set the record straightand not to be selective in ourapplication and recollection ofthe facts when considering whatactually led to the starvationof hundreds of thousands of Igbowomen, children and civiliansduring that war.

And, unlike others, I do not denythe fact that hundreds ofthousands were starved to death asa consequence of the blockade thatwas imposed on Biafra by theNigerian Federal Government. Todeny that this actually happenedwould be a lie. Again I do not denythe fact that Awolowopublically defended theblockade and indeed told the worldthat it was perfectly legitimate forany government to impose such ablockade on the territory oftheir enemies in times of war.Awolowo said it, this is a matter ofhistorical record and he was quotedin a number of British newspapersas having said so at the time. Yethe spoke nothing but the truth.And whether anyone likes to hearit or not he was absolutely right inwhat he said. Let me give you anexample. During the Second WorldWar a blockade was imposed onGermany, Japan and Italy by theAllied Forces and this was veryeffective. It weakened the Axispowers considerably and this wasone of the reasons why the warended at the time that it did. If therehad been no blockade the SecondWorld War would have gone on forconsiderably longer. In the case of

the Nigerian civil war though thestory did not stop at the fact that ablockade was imposed by theFederal Government which led tothe suffering, starvation, pain,death and hardship of the civilianIgbo population or that Awolowodefended it. That is only half thestory.

Ambassador Ralph Uweche,who was the Special Envoy toFrance for the Biafran Governmentduring the civil war and who isthe leader of Ohaeneze, the leadingigbo political and socio-culturalorganisation today, said it all in hisexcellent book titled ‘’Reflections OnThe Nigerian Civil War’’. That bookis factual and honest and I wouldurge people like Achebe to go andread it well. The self-serving role ofOjukwu and many of the Biafranintelligensia and elites and theirinsensitivity to the suffering of theirown people during the course of thewar was well documented in thatbook. The fact of the matter is thatthe starvation andsuffering of hundreds of thousands ofIgbo men, women and childrenduring the civil war was seen andused as a convenient tool ofpropaganda by Ojukwu and that isprecisely why he rejected the offer

of a food corridor by the NigerianGovernment.

I have written good thingsabout Ojukwu on manyoccasions in the past and I stand byevery word that I have ever said orwritten about him. In my view, hewas a man of courage and immensefortitude, he stood against the massmurder of his people in the northand he brought them homeand created a safe haven for themin the east. For him, and indeed thewhole of Biafra, the war was anattempt to exercise theirlegitimate right of self-determination and leave Nigeriadue to the atrocities that they hadbeen subjected to in the north. I donot blame him or his people forthat and frankly I havealways admired his stand.However he was not infallible andhe also made some terriblemistakes, just as all great leadersdo from time to time. The fact thathe rejected the Nigerian FederalGovernment’s offer of a foodcorridor was one of thoseterrible mistakes and this cost himand his people dearly. ProfessorChinua Achebe surely ought tohave reflected that in his book aswell.

When it comes to the Nigeriancivil war there were no villains orangels. During that brutal conflictno less than two million Nigeriansand Biafrans died and the Yorubawho, unlike others, did not everdiscriminate or attack any non-Yorubas that lived in their in theirterritory before thecivil war or carry out any coups orattempted coups, suffered at everypoint as well. Forexample prominent Yoruba sonsand daughters were killed on thenight of the first Igbo coup ofJanuary, 1966 and again in thenorthern ‘’revenge’’ coup of July1966.

Clearly it was not only the Igbothat suffered during the civil war.Neither does it auger well for theunity of our nation for Achebe andthe Igbo intelligensia that arehailing his self-serving book tocast aspersions on the character,role and noble intentions of thelate and revered leader of theYoruba, Chief Obafemi Awolowo,during the civil war. The manmight have made one or twomistakes in the past like everyother great leader and of coursethere was a deep andbitter political division in Yorubaland itself just before the civil warstarted and throughout the early‘60’s. Yet by no stretch of theimagination can Awolowo bedescribed as an Igbo-hating genocidal maniac and hemost certainly did not delight inthe starvation of millions of Igbomen, women and children asAchebe has tried to suggest. Myadvice to this respected author isthat he should leave ChiefAwolowo alone and allow him tocontinue to rest in peace.

Femi Fani-Kayode is aformer Aviation Minister.

Awolowo and Achebe’s tale of fantasyBy Femi Fani-Kayode

trip to a number of Africancountries accompanied by businessexecutives and investors. Thepresident must send the signal thatAfrica is a much better place toinvest and that he supports policiesthat provide business incentives toinvest in the continent. Thisapproach to supporting Africa willnot only help Africa, but will alsocontribute to economic growth inthe United States, and also positionthe United States to better competewith China and other countries.”

While most Africansunderstand the need for Obama tosurvive his first term and win thesecond term election, it will be acolossal disappointment to Africansif President Obama does not leave apolicy legacy that directly affectsthe people of the continent duringhis second term – if there is a secondterm. Now is the time for theObama Government to come upwith a transformative, focused andcreative policy for Africa beyond the“five pillars” mentioned by JonnieCarson (U.S. Assistant Secretary forAfrican Affairs) on the StatesDepartment website. Africa does notneed a hand out but opportunity.The world is waiting and Africa iswatching!Paul Omoruyi can be reachedon eng.p.omoruyi@gmail.com

“Not only is Professor Achebe indulging in perfidy, notonly is he being utterly dishonest and disengenious but heis also turning history on its head and indulging in what Iwould describe as ethnic chauvinism. ...Again I do notdeny the fact that Awolowo publically defended the

blockade and indeed told the world that it was perfectlylegitimate for any government to impose such a

blockade on the territory of their enemies in times of war

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 16

The police yesterdayarraigned one SundayChukwu of Area 2, Garki,

and Abuja, before an Abuja UpperArea Court on four counts ofconspiracy, force, hurt and theft.

Police prosecutor Ambi Ayubaalleged that the accused conspiredwith four military men and threecivilians, now at large, andentered Zaikat Garden at Area 2,Abuja, and beat up Odetola

Olatunbosi of the same address forno reason.

Ayuba said the matter wasreported at Garki Police Station onDecember 28, 2010, by AliOyebola of Efab Estate, Abuja.

The prosecutor told the courtthat when Oyebola, who happenedto be in the garden at the time,tried to separate Olatunbosi fromthe accused, he beat him up too.

“You descended on him

Man allegedly connives withfour soldiers to beat up fellow

A non-governmentalorganization (NGO)known as Habity

Foundation for HumanityDevelopment has donated food andgift items to Kuje, Keffi prisons andother orphanage homes in theFederal Capital Territory (FCT) aspart of it humanitarian services tothe needy.

The Chairman of the NGO,Alhaji Mohammed Bello Sa’idu saidthe gesture was born out of hisburning zeal and passion for

Nigerians, particularly the poorand the less privileged.

Saidu told journalists that theorganisation has established skillacquisition centres in Bwari andJabi, where youths are taughtdifferent trades like tailoring,plumbing, etc, adding that theorganisation has also donated over50 vehicles to individuals andinstitutions this year, aiming atassisting them at different humanendeavours in the society.

“We have planned to carry outour humanitarian projects in fivedifferent states, which include FCT,Kaduna, Kano, Niger and

Nasarawa states. We havesubmitted letters to Kuje and Keffiprisons for another round ofcourtesy visit to the inmates”, heemphasised.

Sa’idu explained that Habity forHumanity Foundation’s activitiesare purely for the upliftof humanity, listing their activitiesto include donation to individualsand institutions in need, courtesyvisits as well holding peaceconferences and building of skillacquisition centres for the lessprivileged in some areas.

According to him, thefoundation also undertakes

NGO doles out food, other gifts to prison inmates, orphanages

(Oyebola) by beating him up to theextent that you inflicted injurieson all parts of his body with a knife,’’the prosecutor said.

Ayuba further said that inaddition to stealing N3,000 cashfrom Oyebola’s pocket, the accusedalso stole his BlackBerry phoneand wristwatch valued atN48,000 and N3,500respectively.

The prosecutor said the

Sanity has returned toMararaba, a denselypopulated settlement in

the neighbouring Nasarawastate, after Sunday afternoon’sunrest.

Eye witnesses in Mararaba,told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) yesterday, that troublestarted when a “subsidy busdriver’’ violated a police man’sdirective on the highway.

A road side seller of gardeneggs, Malam Musa Ishiaku, toldNAN that the driver wasstripped naked by the policeofficer and taken to the “B”Division of the Nigeria Police inMararaba.

Ishiaku said the police actionprompted spontaneous protestfrom other drivers andmiscreants who took advantageof the situation to force policeofficers on duty to retrieve.

“The miscreants burntempty cartons and unused tyreson both sides of the highway,thereby disrupting freevehicular movements”.

Ishiaku said that shops werehurriedly closed down by theirowners for fear of possible attacksby the hoodlums.

He said the situationcontinued until soldiers arrived at the scene to assist the policeto put the situation undercontrol.

Ishiaku said that policestations in the area were almostover run by the miscreantsbefore the suspect was released.

The Chairman of NationalUnion of Road TransportWorkers (NURTW), Mararababranch, Mr Benard Adeyi, saidhe had to rush to the office andeffected the release of the erringdriver for the return ofnormalcy.

Adeyi said the driver had noright to disobey the policeofficer’s instruction.

The Divisional Police Officerin the Area, Mr John Emega,said he led his men to dispersethe miscreants and removed thebonfire on the highway to ensurefree flow of traffic.

He commended the efforts ofthe armed soldiers who werecalled in to assist the police toquell the riot.

Emega warned members ofthe public to desist from takingthe laws into their hands onevery minor situation. (NAN)

Sanity returnsto Mararabaafter Sunday’sdisturbance

graveyard rehabilitation as well asprisons, schools and hostels. Hefurther revealed that the NGO hasdonated plots of land in Abuja,Kaduna, Zaria, Kano and Plateaustates for humanitarian purposesand has also carried out rehabilitation work at a technicalschool in Bwari.

Also the project Coordinator forHabitat for Humanity Foundation,Dr Yakubu Ibrahim, hinted thatthe organization intend to pay finesfor some inmate who are servingvarious prisons terms in thecountry in order for them to getrelease from those prisons.

Women traders at Nyany market, Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

offences contravene Sections 97,263, 244 and 287 of the Penal Code.

The accused pleaded not guiltyto the charges and the Judge, Adamu Wakili, admitted him to abail in the sum of N100,000 with areliable surety in like sum who mustbe resident within the FCT with afixed address..

He adjourned the case toNovember 13, 2012 for hearing.(NAN)

By Adeola Tukuru

Inhabitants of GwagwaladaArea Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have

appealed to the FCT Minister,Senator Mohammed Bala torehabilitate neglected roads inGwagwalada.

Some of the residents, who spoke

to Peoples Daily, said that so manyroads in the area were not longermotorable.

One of the residents, Alhaji SalisuYahaya, the Headmaster ofIslamiyya Primary School inGwagwalada, called on the FCTminister to rehabilitate the roadlinking Kasuwa Dare- Alhaji Nuraroad to save lives .

A community leader at AngwarHajara Mallam Saleh Lawal, alsoappealed to the minister to repairAngwar Hajara road which wasabandoned for so many years now.

Lawal further lamented that thepeople of Angwar Hajara had beenneglected in the area of provision ofbasic amenities such as potabledrinking water as well as electricity

Gwagwalada residents call for rehabilitation of dilapidated roadsand urged the minister to come totheir rescue.

Speaking in the same vein, aplumber, Mallam AliyuMohammed Iliyasu popularlyknown as ‘Dantani’ accused theformer chairman of GwagwaladaArea Council, Alhaji Saidu GarbaZuba of failing to rehabilitate AlhajiNura-Angwar Hajara road as

By Usman Shuaibu according to him, the contract wasawarded during his regime.

On his parts, a taxi driver in thearea, John Samuel said that theroads that needed urgentrehabilitation by the ministerincluded sharp corner road, townhall road, Demonstration PrimarySchool road / Paikon Motel marketroad.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 18

A 29-year-old man, AkeemOjo, 29, of Airport RoadAbuja has been

arraigned before an AbujaMagistrates Court for allegedattempt to commit suicide.

The police Prosecutor, MrUde David, told the court that,on October 3, 2012, one Ibibo

Mamekpari, attached toNigerian Customs Service,Abuja, reported the case to theWuse Police Station.

David said that on the samedate, the complainant sightedthe accused beside Total fillingstation, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

The prosecutor said that the

accused allegedly opened hisvehicle bonnet and drank ahydraulic liquid in an attemptto kill himself.

Ojo however, pleaded notguilty to the offence.

Senior Magistrate GraceAdebayo granted him bail inthe sum of N100,000 and two

Man, 29, allegedlyattempts to commit suicide

An Abuja SeniorMagistrates Court has remanded in police

custody, one Bello Yusuf, 26, ofApo Legislative Quarters, Abuja,for criminal breach of trust andmisappropriation.

Senior Magistrate BashirAlkali gave the ruling after itemerged that Yusuf had beenarraigned separately from theother accused person before adifferent court.

The police prosecutor,Christian Mumonye, told thecourt that on October 2, 2012 oneMalam Bala Lawal of Apo ZoneD, Legislative Quarters, Abuja,had reported Yusuf at the GarkiPolice Station.

Mumonye said that Lawalhad reported that he entrustedYusuf with his auto rickshaw(Keke NAPEP) with registrationnumber QK 586 SKJ valued atN360,000 for commercialpurpose to remit N12,000 to himmonthly.

According to Mumonye,Yusuf instead of remitting theamount to Lawal, convertedN24,000 to his personal use andgave the vehicle to one Adamu ofApo NEPA junction.

He added that Adamu hadalready been arraigned beforeanother court for the sameoffence.

Mumonye said that theoffence was in contravention ofSections 312 and 309 of the PenalCode.

Yusuf however pleaded guiltyto the offence giving reasons thathe had given the Keke to Adamuto help him work for two days ashe was going to visit his mother.

“I came back and when Iasked Adamu for the Keke, he saidhe had given it to a member ofthe Keke NAPEP union and hesaid, he did not know the name ofthe person.

“We have tried to locate theman he said he gave the Keke tobut to no avail, although, theunion agreed that he is actuallya member of the Keke NAPEPunion.

“I have gone to Malam Lawalto give him the latest informationand reports on the whereaboutsof the Keke,’’ Yusuf added.

Alkali said since Yusuf andAdamu were standing trial forthe same case, it was wrong tohave arraigned them beforedifferent courts.

He, however, ordered thatYusuf be remanded in policecustody until October 8, 2012when Adamu would be standingfor trial. (NAN)

Keke NAPEPoperator inprison for criminalbreach of trust

case to Wuse Police Station onOctober 1, 2012.

David told the court that same date, the complainantwas at the Airport junction,waiting to board a vehiclewhen the accused and oneother, now at large, allegedlysnatched her handbag.

An Abuja SeniorMagistrates’ Court on Fridaygranted bail to EnduranceAbora, 24, of Gwagwa Tasha,Abuja,

He further told the Abuja

Senior Magistrates Court thatsame date, Abora of GwagwaTasha was arrested at Wusemarket junction in possessionof the complainants’ make-upkit.

He said that the accused wasalso in possession of an OceanicEasy Card, belonging to one O.Olatunji, which was suspectedto be stolen.

David said that the accusedcould not give a satisfactoryaccount of the items.

According to him, the

Man caught with suspected stolen ATM cardoffence contravenes Sections79, 183, 322 and 319 of thePenal Code, but the accused,however, pleaded not guilty.

Delivering judgment,Senior Magistrate GraceAdebayo granted bail theaccused bail in the sum ofN200,000 and two sureties inlike sum.

She ordered that thesureties must be civil servants,residing within the jurisdictionof the court, and must providean affidavit of means. (NAN)

A 24-year-old man,Endurance Abora hasbeen arraigned for

alleged conspiracy, publicnuisance, cheating and beingin possession of suspected stolenATM card.

One Adimula Bola of Irekejunction, Karmo Road, Abuja,according to the prosecutor,Mr Ude David, reported the

commended the FCT SocialDevelopment Secretariat over what it described ‘asproper budgetimplementation’.

The Chairman, HouseCommittee on FCT AreaCouncils and AuxilliaryMatters, Honourable KamisuMelantariki gave thecommendation at the weekend

when he led members of hiscommittee on oversightfunction to the SocialDevelopment Secretariat.

He said that the SocialDevelopment Secretariat hasperformed well on severalareas that touch life ofordinary people in the FCTarea councils such as women,youths and vulnerable

Secretariat gets commendation over people oriented projects

For embarking on humanoriented projects thathave impacted on the

lives of women, youths and theless privileged people in theFederal CapitalTerritory(FCT), the House ofRepresentatives has

Wheelbarrow pushers resting at Area 1 Garki, Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

children.Hon. Melantarriki however

charged the Secretariat to domore saying that records aremeant to be broken.

A member of thecommittee, Honourable,Adenekan Taiwo, who alsospoke during the oversight visit,urged the Secretariat to upgradethe FCT Museum at the Cyprian

sureties in like sum.Adebayo said that the

sureties must be civil servants,residing within the jurisdictionof the court, and should providean affidavit of means.

She adjourned the case toOctober 17, 2012 for hearing.(NAN)

By Stanley Onyekwere withagency report

Ekwensi Centre for Art andCulture to internationalstandard to attract both local andforeign tourists .In a remark, the Secretary for SocialDevelopment Secretariat, MrsBlessing Onuh thanked theCommittee for thecommendation and appealed formore budgeting allocation forthe FCT in the 2013 fiscal year

By Josephine Ella

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 PAGE 17

Choreographers entertaining guests in a function, yesterday in Wuse, Abuja.

A middle-aged man treating himself to local manicure in a road side, yesterday inMaitama, Abuja.

A young man hawking caps, on Saturday in Area 1, Abuja.

An elderly man repairing scraps and damaged motor parts, at the weekend in Apomechanic village, in Abuja.

A trader taking a nap in his shop, yesterday in Durumi, Abuja. Photos: Justin Imo-Owo

PAGE 19PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Management Tip of the DayBecome a more valuable employee

INSIDE

Getting ahead isn’t aboutkissing up to the boss. It’sabout proving that

you’re valuable. Here are threeways you can boost what youbring to yourorganization:· Think like ashareholder. Ask lots ofquestions about the strategyand what’s keeping the top

Nigeria’s oil resourcesmay last 41 years

– World Bank

- Pg 20BBBBBUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESS

leaders awake at night. Focus onthose things in your day-to-daytasks and decisions.· Focus onthe highest priorities. Withyour manager, identify two orthree things you can do to driverevenue or profitability. Makesure the majority of your effortgoes toward thoseareas.· Concentrate. If your

manager asks you to do thingsoutside of those strategicpriorities, push back. Sure,you’ll need to work on somethings that aren’t important.But make a deliberate choice toshortchange those if possible.

Source: Harvard BusinessReview

Nigeria ranked 138th out of 183in 2012 world’s paying taxes report

making it the worst for thecountry, since the yearlyreport was first published sevenyears ago.

Representatives of PwC,who analysed the new report atthe weekend in Lagos, advisedrelevant authorities in Nigeriato take advantage of technologyto improve on their taxadministration.

The report explained that amedium size company onaverage pays nearly one thirdof its commercial profit in taxes,“spend over 23 weeks in a yeardealing with its tax affairs andmakes a tax payment every 10days”.

It added that with thedevelopment, Nigeria is farbehind many of the leadinginvestment destinations inAfrica, including Mauritius,which ranks nine, South Africa36 and Ghana 87.

A report put together byPricewaterhouseCoopers(PwC), in collaboration

with the World Bank, placedthe country on 138th positionout of 183 economies, on theease of paying taxes.

According to the report,Nigeria dropped from its 134thposition last year, to 138,

PwC’s Partner/Tax andCorporate Advisory ServicesLeader, Taiwo Oyedele,explained that the studymeasures three separateaspects of paying, adding that“two of these relate to taxcompliance burden and one tothe tax cost”.

The report added: “Allthree are equally weighted toarrive at an overall ranking.The three indicators arenumber of tax payments;total tax rate as a per centageof commercial profit; and timerequired to comply with taxrequirements.

“On these sub-indicators for2012, a medium size companyin Nigeria makes 35 taxpayments yearly, pays 32.7per cent of its commercialprofit in taxes, and spends 938hours to comply. As a result,Nigeria ranks 123 on number

By Muhammad Sada

L-R: MD Nigerian Export and Import (NEXIM) Bank, Mr. Roberts Orya, Benue state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. TerfaIhindan, Secretary to the Benue State Government , David Salifu, and President of ABUCCIMA, Mr. Solomon Nyagba, during 2012 AbujaInternational Trade Fare, at the weekend in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

of tax payment, 56 on total taxrate and 180 on time requiredto comply out of 183 economiescovered by the survey”.

It explained that the worstsub-indicator for Nigeria, whichhas been dragging the overallranking down is the amount oftime required to comply withtax obligations

“This covers the timerequired to comply with majortaxes (hour per year) includingcollection of information,computation of tax payable,completing tax return forms,filling with relevant taxauthorities, arranging paymentor withholding and preparingtax accounting records andsupporting documentation.

“Going by his indicator,Nigeria ranks lowest in Africaand only ahead of threecountries in the world: Vietnam(181), Bolivia (182) and Brazil(183). The enormous timerequired for tax compliance inNigeria is a reflection of thebureaucratic, complex andcumbersome taxadministration system in thecountry.

“By comparison to the 938hours for Nigeria, the averagetax compliance time for sub-Saharan Africa is 318 hourswhile for Organisation forEconomic Corporation andDevelopment (OECD) countriesit is 186 hours”, the reportstated.

The Debt ManagementOffice (DMO) saidyesterday it plans to sell

between N160 billion and N240billion ($1.02 bln-$1.53 bn) insovereign bonds rangingbetween 5 and 10 years in thefourth quarter of the year.

The amount being proposedis less than its third quarter debtissuance.

The DMO said it wouldauction between 60-90 billionnaira each in 5-, 7- and 10-yearpaper on Oct. 17, N40-60 billionin 7-and 10-year paper on Nov21 and sell N60-90 billion eachin 5-, 7-, and 10-year bonds onDec. 19.

It said all the bonds were re-openings of previous issues.

The inclusion of Nigeria’sdebt in the JP Morgangovernment index on Oct. 1 has

DMO to sell N160-240bnin 5-10-yr bonds in Q4

The Minister of Mines andS t e e lDevelopment, Arc. Musa

Mohammed Sada has saidthat the World Bank,having identified the mineralsand metals sector as the keyplayer for the diversification ofthe nation’s economy hassupported his ministry with awhopping sum of $120 million(N19.2 bn).

The Minister, who stated thisto the top management of PeoplesMedia Limited during theircourtesy visit to the ministry onFriday, said that Nigeria isendowed with variety ofminerals found in more than 500locations, whereby all 36 statesand the Federal CapitalTerritory have more than onemineral type.

He said coal resources also existin 13 states. “Current explorationresults indicate over 2.7 billiontonnes. The development of coal forpower generation is priority forgovernment,” he said. Nigeria, hestressed, also has gold reserves inseveral locations. There is aprimary belt stretching the Ondo-Osun states in the south west toNiger, Kaduna Zamfara, Kebbistates in the North-West.

Arc. Sada further said he hastaken the campaign for foreigninvestment in Nigeria to Australiawhere he made a presentation onthe investment opportunities inNigeria’s minerals and metalssector.

Responding, Peoples MediaLimited’s Chief Operating Officer(COO), Malam Ali M Alicommended the minister for hispositive contribution towards therealisation of his ministry’sobjectives.

WorldBank supports mines& steel ministrywith N19.2bn -MinisterBy Aminu Imam

steadily increased demand fromoffshore investors in the debt ofAfrica’s second biggest economy.

Nigeria issues sovereignbonds monthly to support thelocal bond market, create abenchmark for corporateissuance and fund its budgetdeficit. (Reuters)

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

PAGE 20 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Oando Gas

The United States Tradeand Development Agency(USTDA) has awarded

$494,000 (N79million) grant toOando Gas & Power Limited tosupport the development ofcompressed natural gas (CNG)infrastructure in Nigeria.

The $494,000 grant wassigned at the U.S. Consulate inLagos by U.S. Consul GeneralJeffrey Hawkins on behalf ofUSTDA and by Chief ExecutiveOfficer, Mobolaji Osunsanya onbehalf of Oando Gas & Power.

According to a mediastatement from theinformation Office, PublicAffairs Section of US ConsulateGeneral at the weekend, thegrant will fund a feasibilitystudy to evaluate the viabilityof developing large-scale CNGrefueling infrastructure inLagos state.

LCCI

The decision by theMonetary PolicyCommittee (MPC) of the

Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) to keep all keymonetary policy variablesunchanged has reduced theaggregate credit to theprivate sector, LagosChamber of Commerce andIndustry (LCCI), has said.

LCCI, in a statementsigned by its Director-General, Muda Yusuf at theweekend, pointed out thatthere has been a steadydecline in aggregate credit tothe economy and privatesector in particular due totightening monetary policyin the country.

The development, thechamber argued, was largelydue to the sustainedmonetary tightening,significant rise ingovernment domesticborrowing, and attractiveyield of government bondsand treasury bills.

NIMN

The National Institute ofMarketing of Nigeria(NIMN) has tasked its

professionals to make use oftheir knowledge to achievereal business growth byimbibing strong marketingculture that would helpcreate value and translateinto economic growth.

The President of theinstitute, Lugard Aimiuwu,made the position knownwhile addressing participantsat the just concluded NIMN2012 international summit,in Lagos, on Friday.

Speaking on the theme ofthe summit: “Achieving RealBusiness Growth inTurbulent Times,” the NIMNboss noted that when realbusiness growth is achieved,it would create businessopportunities and attractinternational communitiesinto the country.

COMPANYNEWS

NNPC commits to 40bn barrelscrude reserves targetThe Nigerian National

Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) has reiterated its

determination to growing thenation’s proven crude oil reservefrom its current level of 37 billionbarrels to 40 billion barrels by theyear 2020.

Speaking in Kaduna at areception organised by the stategovernment in honour of someillustrious sons and daughter ofKaduna State, Engr. AndrewYakubu, Group ManagingDirector of NNPC, also one of thecelebrants, stated that apartfrom ensuring an increase in thelevel of proven reserves theCorporation is workingassiduously towards increasingproduction from the currentfigure of 2.4 million barrels perday to a record 4 million bpd by2020.

Nigeria’s production of crudeoil now averages at 2.4 millionbarrels daily after recording anall time high of 2.7million bpdlate July.

“As we endeavour to achieveeffective transformation of the oiland gas industry in line with theTransformation Agenda of Mr.President our target is to ensurethat we grow our proven crudereserves to 40 billion by 2020and also increase our productionto 4 million barrels per day by2020,’’ Engr. Yakubu stated.

The GMD also assured that thecorporation, alongside its JointVenture partners, is strategicallyfocused on power generation viaeffective alignment with the powersupply aspiration of the FederalGovernment.

He stated that the NNPC is alsoworking on strategic upgrade of gasinfrastructure in Kaduna andother Northern states to helpresuscitate the ailing textileindustry in that part of thecountry.

Engr. Yakubu also reassured

residents of Kaduna and adjoiningstates of adequate supply ofpetroleum products, noting thatKaduna Refinery is currentlyproducing about 4 million litres ofPremium Motor Spirit (PMS) perday.

“The Kaduna Refinery is one ofthe best run in the country today.It currently produces 4millionlitres of PMS every couple of daysand this has helped us to stabilisesupply in Kaduna and its environsespecially at this trying period,’’ hesaid.

He pledged that the plan to

ensure complete turn around andrehabilitation of the nation’srefineries is still intact as the leadequipment for the TAM of PortHarcourt Refinery has sincearrived.

“Once we are done with PortHarcourt Refinery Kaduna is nextin line and from there we move toWarri Refinery,’’ the GMD said.

In his remarks, the Vice-President commended Engr.Yakubu for piloting theCorporation in the right directionespecially the recent effort toresuscitate the search for oil in

the inland sedimentary basinsparticularly the Chad Basinwhich has shown somesignificant breakthroughs.

Barely three months afterthe introduction of ExportClearance Permit in the oil

and gas industry, authorities atthe terminals have uncoveredfake Crude Oil Export Permit ofabout 24 million barrelsbelonging to the NigerianNational Petroleum Corporation(NNPC).

A copy of the fake documentallegedly used by the NNPC toexport the 24 million barrels ofBonny Light Crude worth $1.68billion (About 268.8billion) forthe third quarter (2012 - July-September) shows that most ofthe security features of thedocument were forged,including the signature of theMinister of Trade andInvestment Mr. OlusegunAganga.

The Serial Number of thefake document is Q33006030,with permit number CPI/Co/28/Vol.V111/09, containingthe name and address of theNNPC as the exporter.

When contacted, the ActingGroup General Manager, PublicAffairs Division, NNPC, Mr.Fidel Pepple, described theallegation as outrageous, saying

“we know that the export ofcrude is one of the moststringently controlledtransactions in the country.Many government agencies areinvolved in the process and suchabuse is virtually impossible.”

The ministry of trade andinvestment had earlier issued anoriginal permit to the corporationwith Serial No. Q3020760, withPermit Number CPI/CO/28/Vol.V11/08 to export23,750,000 barrels worth $1.71billion (about N273.6 billion) forthe same quarter.

The crude oil export permitwas introduced by the FederalMinistry of Trade and Investmentto check the excessive oil theft inthe country earlier this year. Thecopy of the fake document wasallegedly submitted to the Officeof the Comptroller-General ofCustoms, Wuse Abuja on July02, 2012 for notification.

One of the officials at theCustoms Office, who doesn’t wantto be named, said the permit wasfor the third quarter and it hasended last September, “so wecannot ascertain whetherproducts have been exported ornot using the fake permit”.

When contacted, the Directorof Commodities and Products

Inspection (CPI), FederalMinistry of Trade andInvestment, Mr. J. O Apanisilesaid it must be the work ofenemies of the current reformsin the industry. He said one ofthe documents must be a fake.

He said so manyunscrupulous things happen inthis country. There is no waywe can issue two different exportpermits for one company andsame purpose.”We are not awareof it, and thank God you peopleare vigilant about it,” saidApanisile. The new export permitis part of the new guidelinesintroduced by the ministry inorder to curtail the menace ofcrude oil theft.

“The country is losingapproximately equivalent180,000 barrels of daily at thistime. Of course, to the nation, ifyou look at the international costper barrel, it will be estimated at$7billion yearly”, said Ministerof Petroleum Resources, DiezaniAlison -Madueke, recently.

The ministry said the newpermit will allow the approvedcompanies export crude oil,Liquefied Natural Gas, LiquefiedPetroleum Gas, Condensates,Refined Products, Lubricants andGrease.

Fears over fraudulent export of 24 m barrels of crude oil

• Projects daily crude production of 4million barrels by 2020• Kaduna Refinery records 4m litres daily PMS production

By Muhammad Nasir

By Muhammad Nasir

Nigeria’s oil resourcesmay last 41 years – World Bank

The World Bank saidrecently that it expectedabout $31 billion (N4.96

tr) in Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) inflows to Africa this year,adding that there had beenstrong investor-interest in thecontinent.

The bank also predicted thatNigeria, which is currently thelargest regional oil producer,could keep supplying at the 2011levels for another 41 years,saying that Angola, the secondlargest producer in the region,had about 21 years remainingat current production levelsbefore its known reserves wouldbe depleted.

The multi-lateral institutionalso predicted a 4.8 % growthrate for sub-Saharan Africa in2012, but cautioned countries tobe frugal in spending theirresources.

The bank, which had forecasta 4.9 % growth rate in 2011, saidthe region remained on trackdespite setbacks in the globaleconomy.

According to the WorldBank’s new Africa’s Pulse, a bi-annual analysis of the issuesshaping Africa’s economicprospects, released yesterday,growth in sub-Saharan Africa,apart from South Africa, wasforecast to rise to six %.

The report noted that Africanexports had rebounded in thefirst quarter of 2012, at anannualised pace of 32 %, up from11 % 2011.

By Muhammad Nasir

A typical oil refinery

PAGE 21PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Active mobile telephone lines now 105.2 m – NCC

The country’s mobiletelephone subscriber basehas continued to record

strong growth, with the numberof active mobile telephone lineshitting 105.2 million in August,the latest subscriber datareleased by the NigerianCommunications Commission(NCC) has revealed.

The data, which was releasedrecently, revealed that mobilenetwork operators in the countryadded over 1.8 million new linesin August alone thereby,increasing the subscriber basefrom 103.4 million activetelephone lines in July to over105.2 million at the end ofAugust 2012.

Industry analysts said thepromotions currently being runby Global System of Mobiletelecommunications operatorsin the country might have beenresponsible for the hugesubscriber growth in August.

While the total connectedlines increase to 141.2 million inthe month, the NCC data showed

that GSM companies such asMTN, Globacom, Airtel andEtisalat attracted most of thenew subscriptions betweenJanuary and August, while theCode Division Multiple Accessoperators such as Visafone,Multi-Links, Starcomms andZoomMobile continued to witnessmonth-on-month decline incombined subscriber base.

According to the NCC data,while active mobilesubscriptions on the GSMnetworks increased from 91million in January to 101.4million at the end of August; theCDMA operators’ subscriber baseshrank from 4.4 million to 3.3

L-R: Chief Finance Officer WaveTek Nig. Ltd, Joseph Aborowa, AGM, Sales, Nehita Fashe, Managing Director/CEO WaveTek, Mr. KenSpann, and Co-founder/COQ, Oxygen Breathe Easy, Wande Adalemo, at the formal announcement of WaveTek Nig. Ltd to theNigerian market at the company's office in Ilupeju, Lagos on Thursday.

By Muhammad Sada million during the eight-monthperiod.

The GSM activesubscriptions, which stood at 91million in January, 2012,increased to 92 million inFebruary and 94.5 million at theend of March. The subscriptionscontinued the upward growthtrend, reaching 96.6 million inApril and 97.5 million in May.

In June, July and August,the combined active GSMsubscriber base increased to 98.3million; 99.4 million and 101.4million respectively.

However, the activesubscriber base on CDMAnetworks continued to decline

from 4,031,820 lines inFebruary to 3,904,846 in April.It further plunged to 3,718,153in May; 3,541,355 in June; andfell in July to 3,452,368 andfinally to 3,347,716 at the endof August 2012.

The number of fixed lines,which stood at 688,333 as atJanuary, declined to 488,088 atthe end of August 2012.

While the Nigerian telecomsindustry continues to experiencehuge growth year-in-year, it hasonce again defied industryforecast, with the giant leap itrecorded in growth in August.

The former Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian

Communications Commission,Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, hadrecently predicted that thecountry’s mobile subscriber basewould hit 105 million inDecember 2012.

However, the latest NCCdata revealed that the targetwas achieved much earlier, asactive subscriptions had crossedthe 105 million projections,reaching over 105.2 million atend of August, 2012.

It will be recalled that theNCC had recently fined the fourGSM companies in the countryto the tune of N1.17bn for poorquality of service on theirnetworks.

WaveTek Nigeria Limitedhas announced itsentry into the Nigeria’s

ICT industry to provide,application integration and ITInfrastructure, Cloud andHosting Services, Education (e-learning and e-government),Bandwidth and Last MileConnectivity.

Managing Director/CEO ofthe company, Mr.Ken Spannsaid at a press conference inLagos that it would deploy all

its expertise to provide efficientand affordable ICT solutions toNigerians, irrespective oflocations and time.

Spann said the companywas talking with stategovernments including, Ondo,Ekiti, Osun and Imo states onprovision of e-learning, e-government and other ICTservices.

He said the company wasworking on provision of Office365 free for all students inNigeria, in order to enhance e-learning, at the same time getcustomers to save money ondata usage.

Describing bandwidth as ameans to an end, he said withthe introduction of Super Wi-Fi, a unique product of the

firm, Nigerians will be able toaccess the internet anywherein the country, “even in theremote villages”.

“The more bandwidth, themore content, the more peopleare able to do e-learning, e-government. We don’t haveelectricity all over the country,but we can have bandwidth allover Nigeria,” he said.

Spann also expressedreadiness to work with otherfirms to provide qualityservices to Nigerians.

“We are not here tocompete, but to partner withother existing firms. We hopeto be working with major banksand even the CBN to providemore data. For instance, 90 percent of Microsoft’s profits comesthrough partnership, and thatis what we are here for,” he said.

The high point of the eventwas the unveiling of thecompany’s logo by the ManagingDirector/CEO, and supported byNehita Fashe.

WaveTek enters Nigerian ICT market. . . promises efficient, affordable services

NIPOST committed to ICT reform - says Post Master-GeneralAccording to him, Nigeria

Postal Sevice (NIPOST) is nowequipped with moderni n f o r m a t i o ntechnology infrastructure tonetwork faster and face the globalchallenges in the ICT sector,because, according to him, thathas taken the center stage inevery sector of the economy.

Muri said that ICT hadcompelled NIPOST to look for newinnovative ways so as to meet withthe global challenges of today, in

order to cope with theircounterparts abroad.

He said that it is no news thatthe Nigerian postal agency ispassing through a very criticalperiod now, but that the challengeof information technology is veryimportant, and therefore, makinga conventional postal servicesavailable to the people at all timescannot be overemphasized,

He noted that the globalchallenges in ICT has now takenthe centre stage and is the

ultimate in conducting dailytransactions, even to the bankingsector, economies of the people andbusiness transactions, in whichNIPOST is very much committedto.

He said the world is nowlooking on ICT as a system ofdevelopment that will salvage thecountry, therefore NIPOST willalso cue in on the opportunity thetechnology provides for deliveringefficient and effective services tothe people at an affordable rate.

By Chris Alu

The Post Master-General ofthe Federation, MalamIbrahim Muri Baba has said

that information technologyagenda in the postal agency is oncourse hence ICT is now the mainstay of the challenges in theindustry.

The Post Master-Generalstated this to Peoples Dailycorrespondent in Abuja, lastFriday.

Social networking website,Facebook has passed the onebillion customer accounts

landmark, of which thecompany says 600 million visitthe mobile website at least onceper month.

In a very brief comment,Facebook’s founder, MarkZuckerberg said, “Helping abillion people connect isamazing, humbling and by farthe thing I am most proud of inmy life.”

The company issued a seriesof statistics to show how big itsservice is, for instance thatFacebook drives 170 millionreferrals to Apple’s App Store andGoogle Play every month, andthat 55% of the top 40 grossingiOS apps are integrated withFacebook.

Notwithstanding thestatistics though, the companyhas still failed to reassureinvestors that it can generatemeaningful revenues from itscustomers, and the weakness inmobile services is still aconsiderable concern.

Facebooksurpass 1 billionusers landmarkBy Muhammad Sada

PAGE 22 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Aviation Minister signs performancecontract with MDs, CEOsBy Ibrahim Kabiru Sule

The Minister of Aviation,Princess Stella AdaezeOduah has tasked heads of

various agencies under theministry of a zero tolerance forunder-performance, warningthem of a “severe consequencesfor failure and underperformance”.

Oduah stated this during thesigning of Performance ContractAgreements with permanentsecretaries and the MDs/CEOs ofthe agencies under the FederalMinistry of Aviation on Friday atthe ministry’s conference room,which was witnessed by the ofNational Planning minister, Dr.Shamsuddeen Usman.

This is coming in line with thePresident’s initiative, which heintroduced on August 22, thisyear, and aimed at ensuringaccountable, productive, andtransparent delivering of qualityand timely services to thecitizens.

The minister reminded themof the essence for “theTransformation Agenda

of President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR”, which is “ a pact forservice delivery andaccountability in Nigeria”.

To this end, according to theminister, “the aviation sectortransformation program focuseson becoming a world-classprovider of safe, secure andcomfortable air transport sectorthat is self-sustaining and pivotalto the socio-economic growth ofNigeria. These objectives cannotbe achieved if we do not set ourtargets and be held accountableour actions, decisions andpromises.

“Based on the agreementsbeing signed today, yourperformance will be evaluatedannually. I wish to underscore theseriousness attached to thisinitiative and to emphasize thefact that the current leadershiphas zero tolerance for failure andunder- performance. To be sure,there will be very severeconsequences for failure andunder- performance”, theMinister warned.

She then pointed out the needfor the initiative to succeed in the

aviation sector, which calls forgreater synergy andcoordination, adding that thePlanning, Research and StatisticsDepartment (PRS) will bestrengthened to deliver timelyresults of monitoring andevaluation.

Permanent secretary of theministry, Ms Anne Ene-Ita, whospoke earlier said, the signingceremony marks a great day inthe history of the sector andpledged the readiness of all ChiefExecutive Officers (CEOs) in theagencies as well as staff membersto do their utmost towards therealization of the transformationAgenda of the presentgovernment.

The Minister of NationalPlanning, Dr. ShamsuddeenUsman, through the ExecutiveSecretary of the commission,Ntufam Fidel Ugbo, remarkedthat the Performance ContractAgreements are aimed at re-establishing the old civil servicevalues and “helps us to keep focus,be more accountable andtransparent” in the discharge ofgovernment activities.

L-R: Member, Board of Directors, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Mrs Florence Seriki, wife of the Chairman, Mrs. Olufunke Bolarinde, and chairman,Chief Samuel Bolarinde, during the company's 50th anniversary concert, recently in Lagos. Photo: NAN

The Chief Executive Officer,Olive Micro Finance BankLtd, Mr.

Eniola Agbesoyin has identifiedhigh cost of operations as a majorchallenge to the growth ofmicrofinance banks in Nigeria.

Agbesoyin told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagosover the weekend that highoperation cost had led to the collapseof many microfinance banks.

He said for instance, ‘’theepileptic power supply in thecountry has made operators inthe sub-sector to incur extra

business cost.’’Agbesoyin added that the cost

of servicing other logistics,including local governmentlevies, were also challenging fortheir operations.

“The cost of providingalternative source of power andother logistics like fuellingoperational vehicles are too high.

“If you operate a microfinancebank in Lagos, there are so manyissues to talk about, like the Lagosstate Waste ManagementAuthority, the local governmentlevies and others.

Operator says high operational cost killing microfinance institutions“Usually, high cost of operation

is what is making a lot ofmicro finance institutions to fail,especially when you are notmaking much money,” he said.

Agbesoyin said that part of themoney used for operational costscould be used for the expansion ofthe business and providingbetter services for customers.

He said that the microfinancesub-sector could only thrive inan environment where therewere viable infrastructures.

Agbesoyin said that microfinance banks were established to

empower the poor to grow theirbusinesses.

He said that in view of thefinancial status of the clients, thebank charges were very low.

“These are the people thatcannot afford to pay so muchinterest per transaction, so youneed to ensure that you don’tover-charge them.

“If you make things difficultfor them, you might not be ableto fulfil the mandate of the sub-sector, which is to help thepoor succeed in their businesses,”he said. (NAN)

ABBUCIMA, foreign firms topartner in establishing cementfactory in Abia - Govt

The Abuja Chamber ofCommerce, Industry,Mines and Agriculture

(ABUCCIMA) says it will build acement factory in Abia inpartnership with foreign firms andthe state government.

The Director-General ofABUCCIMA, Dr Solomon Nyagbasaid this on Friday at an event tomark Abia Special Day at the justconcluded 7th AbujaInternational Trade Fair.

According to Nyagba,arrangements are almostconcluded as work will start verysoon.

He said that Abia wasinvestment-friendly as the stategovernment was ready to provideassistance to investors.

“Abia is a good place forinvestment because thegovernment is willing to providegood incentives to investors.

“The state has huge deposits oflimestone for cement atArochukwu and we and ourpartners from abroad are workingat actualising a cement factorythere.

“Limestone exploration willstart in three months time.”

Nyagba said the chamber wasmaking serious efforts totransform Abia from a civilservice state to a commercial huband private sector-driventerritory.

Mr Samson Orji, theCommissioner for Commerce andIndustry, said Abia had becomean investor’s destination.

He said that Aba, thecommercial hub of the state, hadbecome “the city with the leastnumber of unemployed people inthe world as everybody wasengaged in one enterprise or theother’’.

Orji said that efforts were beenmade to “establish desks formanufactures in Aba so that theirproducts will be branded in theirnames’’.

According to him, the state hasa one-stop shop to ease registrationof investors among otherincentives.

In his speech, Mr OkechukwuAguwa, the PermanentSecretary, Ministry of Commerce,said the state was in a hurry todevelop hence the provision ofeconomic and socialinfrastructure. (NAN)

The Aba International TradeFair will hold from Nov.12to Nov. 22, Chief Eleanya

Okoroji, President of Aba Chamberof Commerce, Industry, Mines andAgriculture (ACCIMA), has said.

Okoroji told newsmen in Abaat the weekend that the fair hadreceived the support of theNigerian Association of Chambersof Commerce, Industry, Mines andAgriculture (NACCIMA).

“NACCIMA has licensedACCIMA to organise the trade fairto boost the image of Nigeria and itwould be the best of its kind. Weare ready to give Nigeria’seconomy a boost,’’ he assured.

Okoroji said that the ACCIMAwas partnering AIITEXConsortium to ensure the successof the trade fair aimed atrepositioning garment andleather, which Aba was mainlynoted for.

He said that the theme of thefair: “Boosting Nigeria’s Economythrough Production for Export’’,was also aimed at revitalising anddiversifying Nigerian economy ingeneral and Aba businessenvironment in particular.

He said that it would alsopromote Nigeria’s non-oil exports,made-in-Nigeria products andagriculture and agro-basedindustry, among others.

Okoroji said that participantsfrom China, Vietnam, South Koreaand Turkey had madecommitments to participate in thefair.

He said that the organiserswere liaising with variousembassies alongside Federal andstate governments to ensureadequate security for both theforeign and local participants.(NAN)

NACCIMA backsAba InternationalTrade Fair

PAGE 24 PAGE 25PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

We shall restore peace in theNorth-east, says Wazirin Bauchi

What inspired theformation of the forumspearhead by you?

Well, as you know, theNorth-east is one ofthe six geo-political

zones created during thegovernment of Obasanjo,probably to increase thespeed of development in allparts of the country. NorthEastern state was createdduring Gowon’s regime atthe same time as North-Westand North Central orsomething like that. So wehad been together for aboutnine years withheadquarters in Maiduguri.New states were created in1976 by the Murtala-Obasanjo regime, that waswhere Gongola, Bauchi etcwere created. So we moved,all of us, after spending nineyears in Maiduguri. I thinkwe were lucky that we werenot split; we became onestate, or even one region, orsub region in the Nigeriancontext.

Yes, everybody knowsthat the problems of the BokoHaram started in thatregion, I think over 2 yearsago. Since then it has givenconcern to everybody. Beforenow, we were just facing theproblems of militants of theNiger Delta region. But theBoko Haram militancy ismore worrisome because ithas elements of religion.Niger Delta militants areexperts in demonstration andbombing, but we in theNorth Eastern states havethe Boko Haram who havenow brought what they callsuicide bombers; they don’t

Alhaji Dr Mohammed Bello Kirfi, the Wazirin Bauchi, is a Nigerian with a large store of experience in public service. At theripe age of 80 plus, he should be a tired, reclining old man. But he is not. Last week, he spoke to Emmanuel Yawe, our EditorialBoard member on what he and other Nigerians from the north-east geo-political zone are doing to end the scourge of Boko Haram.

even bother about killingthemselves. They claim to bedoing things in the interestof their religion and we allknow Christianity and Islamdo not allow the killing ofinnocent people. But all thesame, this has happened tous. Many groups of peoplehave made attempts to have

a solution to the problemincluding the FederalGovernment and the stategovernments. Instead ofthings calming down, theviolence has continued,unlimited and just as I havesaid, it’s getting to threeyears.

We the elder statesmen of

the poorest states- the leastdeveloped states - despite thefact that we have all theresources. We feel that let usstart to make efforts to seethat we contribute to theeffort of the Government, todo something for our ownpeople. The discussion starteda number of months ago, andwe finally agreed that let usconvene a meeting ofconcerned elders that tookplace in the month of June inBauchi. Our intention was tohave five or maximum of tenpeople from each state in thesub region, but later on, theinterest shown by so manygroups, we had to make itopen.

The launching which wedid on the 13th of June wasmarvelous. The number ofimportant personalities; Ipersonally did not know thatwe have such talented peoplein that sub region;particularly the number ofGenerals who attended,retired generals whoattended that meeting. Sofrom there, we wereencouraged to say that let usmake it a sort of anorganisation which willinvolve the younger ones. Ipersonally, I’m above eightyyears old, and let us start tolay a concrete foundation toour younger ones so thatthey can come and take overto continue.

How is the forumstructured?

We agreed thatcommittees should be formed;let us make this ‘NorthEastern Forum for Unity andDevelopment’ instead of‘Elders of Concerned Citizens’.So it is open to younger onesto come and join us so that wegrow together, and find outsolutions to the problem ofthe region.

There are three mainproblems; the problem ofinsecurity, the problem ofpoverty, and the problem of

unemployment in thatparticular region. And wedecided in the first place letus form committees withterms of reference for eachcommittee. We have aboutten committees. We havecommittee of patrons, and inthe committee of patrons isincluded Shetima AliMonguno of Borno, DanBubaran Jada of Adamawa,Sule Katagun of Bauchi, T. Y.Danjuma of Taraba, andAminu Sale who was theSecretary to the FederalGovernment duringAbacha’s regime, and theWaziri of Potiskum, AdamuFika. All these are people who

are not below the age ofseventy.

So we now finally, afterestablishing the tencommittees, we established aCommittee of trustees under

the leadership of AdamuCiroma. We have what wecalled Central WorkingCommittee; which is the livewire of the whole organizationwhere Chairmen of the otherCommittees are members. Iam the chairman of thatcommittee. We havecommittee for security; wehave Committee for political,we have committee forEducation, and Committee forMedia of which Timawus

Mathias is the Chairman.So and for Constitution

also, we have committee forconstitution. We agreed andfixed a date for theinauguration of thesecommittees. We haveprepared terms of referencefor each Committee, and ourelder statesman General T.Y. Danjuma has agreed to bethe Guest of honour of thatoccasion. We have fixed 13th

of October to hold themeeting in Bauchi.

What is yourrelationship with the stategovernments of theregion?

Right now we are moving

from one state to the other. Wehave split ourselves into threewith five or six people to goand brief our Governors of ourintentions although some ofthem are aware, like theBauchi Governor. It was inBauchi that we had the firstmeeting. We want to solicittheir support and theirunderstanding and let themknow that we want tosupplement what theythemselves are doing. Rightnow a group led by formerSecretary to the Government,Yayale Ahmed, is in Yola to seethe Governor of Adamawaand Taraba. Informationreaching us is that they havemet the governor ofAdamawa, and the Governorof Taraba; and they werereceived very well.

The second group led byYerima Abdullahi; theformer minister during thereign of General Buhari, is tocover Bauchi and Gombe,and I personally was to go toBorno and Taraba. So wewere made to understandthat the governor of Bornowas not in the country, andthe governor of Taraba washere, and we had our talkwith him only yesterdaynight. The informationwhich we received, theywere well received by theDeputy Governor of Bauchi,on the instructions of theGovernor who is out of thecountry. And that ofAdamawa, they even wenttogether in the plane to Yolaand they were well receivedin Yola, and just about 20minutes ago, I receivedinformation that they werewell received by theGovernor of Taraba state andthere was a lot of discussionwhich went on between themand some importantpersonalities of Taraba state.

What about the event ofOctober 13th

T.Y Danjuma agreed to bethe Guest of Honour and the

Chairman of the occasion isAdamu Ciroma, and theGuest Speaker is ProfessorJibril Aminu. There areother guests that will sort ofgive us some words ofencouragement and goodwillmessages. People likeProfessor Iya Abubakar anda number of other importantpersonalities of the NorthEast.

Can you clarify thesituation; is anythingpolitical about these yourvisits?

Well, we can’t avoidpolitics, but for themeantime, our concern is tobring peace and tranquilityto our states. You know,without peace, we cannot talkabout politics. Our people arenow in serious problems; theyounger ones. Although it isnot only in our states, it is allover the country and as youknow the problem, the mainproblem is electricity.Without enough electricity,people cannot succeed inanything.

After the inauguration,the committees are going toembark on what they areexpected to do and then laterwe will meet and then sort ofcoordinate. We will also meetwith the respective bodies,the federal and the stategovernment over the issues.We shall continue to educateour people on how to go about

certain things.How did we get this

low? The North-east usedto be a very peaceful zone.How did the situationdegenerate to this level?

Well, it is difficult for oneto know, to be frank. I wasreading on the internet thatwe have the genuine BokoHaram; there are also thosewho hide behind the BokoHaram and do havoc not onlyin the North East, but it is theNorth East that is hard hit bythe Boko Haram. We cannot

presently say exactly thatthis is the cause but we knowlack of employment, lack ofwork for people who areeducated. Some of those whostarted the Boko Haram arewell educated, they haveacquired Western educationand also in Muslim Arabiceducation so it will not be verylong that we will be able tofind out and then give our ownversion of the situation to theauthorities.

Is then a chance fordialogue with the sect?

Well, it’s a sort ofpremature for me to say thatuntil when we sort of startwork and after, because ourcommittees will visit all thoseareas. We have identified allthose whom they are going tosee and have discussions withthem.

But you are veryhopeful that your forumwill find a solution?

Definitely, with the typeof people who are prepared tosupport the activities of theForum, I think we are goingto succeed.

Alhaji Dr Mohammed Bello Kirfi

Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, former Defence Minister

“There are three main problems; the problemof insecurity, the problem of poverty, and theproblem of unemployment in that particular

region. And we decided in the first place let usform committees with terms of reference for

each committee. We have about tencommittees. We have committee of patrons,and in the committee of patrons is included

Shetima Ali Monguno of Borno, Dan BubaranJada of Adamawa, Sule Katagun of Bauchi, T.Y. Danjuma of Taraba, and Aminu Sale who

was the Secretary to the Federal Governmentduring Abacha’s regime, and the Waziri of

Potiskum, Adamu Fika

that region, of that sub regionfelt we had to come out andstart doing something as ourcontribution to the effortswhich are being made by theFederal Government and theState Governments to see ifwe can bring to an end thehavoc in the North Easternregion. So we starteddiscussing the issue amongourselves, very few selectedpeople from all of the sixstates of the sub region. Andthen we felt that it isimportant that we come outand tackle the issue,particularly as the situationin the North eastern part ofthe country is becomingworse.

We have been graded as

“It is the North East that is hard hit by theBoko Haram. We cannot presently say

exactly that this is the cause but we knowlack of employment, lack of work for people

who are educated. Some of those whostarted the Boko Haram are well educated,

they have acquired Western education

Alhaji Ahmed Yayale, former Secretary to the Government ofthe Federation (SGF)

PAGE 26 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Shafi also said GLAP hasbecome an essentialmanagement tool for theArmed Forces of Nigeria(AFN) in carrying out theirconstitutional responsibilitiesand confronting the vastsecurity challenges facing thenation. GLAP according to himhas remained a great pillar ofboosting the morale andfighting spirit of members ofAFN whose perilousprofessional calling entailshigher risk of death anddisability due to deploymentto dangerous areas of conflictnoting that the scheme

eliminates fear of uncertainfuture for families of deceased.

Giving vote of thanks onbehalf of members of Next ofKins, Mrs Abikalio, wife of lateNavy Commodore Abikalothanked the President andCommander in Chief of thearmed forces, Dr GoodluckJonathan for his concern forthem and prayed for peacefulcoexistence of Nigeria as anation.

A total of 83 cheques werepresented to members ofdeceased family, 57 from theNigerian Army, 17 fromNavy and 9 from the AirForce.

Former Chief of DefenceStaff, Air Chief MarshalOluseyi Petirin has

assured next of Kins andrelatives of officers and men ofNigerian armed forces whodied in active service ofassistance from the militarywhenever the need arise sayingthat the armed force will neverforget them as they havebecome a part of them just liketheir late bread winners.

The former CDS gave theassurance in Abuja on theoccasion of presentation ofGroup Life AssuranceProgramme (GLAP) cheques tonext of kins of personnel killedin action 2012.

Assuring them of furtherassistance, Petirin said, “Weshall never forget you becauseyou have become a part andparcel of the Nigerian ArmedForces. You can come to us forassistance whenever the needarise and we will be ready torender such assistance in duecourse also beware offraudulent people as thecheques you are carryingcontain a reasonable amountthat can sustain the family toa large extent”.

Speaking earlier, theDirector of Legal Services,Defense Headquarters Abuja,Air Commodore Ibrahim Shafisaid Federal Government hasbeing consistent andcommitted to its obligationsince the introduction of GLADin 2004. He also noted that FGmakes annual budgetaryprovisions for payment of lifeassurance benefits todependants of personnel thatdied in active service addingthat this reaffirmsgovernment concern for thewelfare of the dependants ofdeceased personnel.

Armed forces assures Next-of-kins of assistance

Acting Honourable Minister ofDefence Erelu (Dr.) OlusolaObada, the immediate past Chiefof Defence Staff, Air Chief MarshalOluseyi Petinrin and otherstakeholders in the Defence sectoron their effort to enable the ArmedForce realise this long dream ofestablishing this Special Force 176Guard Battalion beingcommissioned in this magnitude.

It would be recalled that,President Jonathan regimentallypresented the operational flag ofthe 176 Special Forces GuardBattalion to its CommandingOfficer through the Chief of ArmyStaff on Oct 1st on the occasion of‘Presidential Change of Guard’ aspart of activities marking the52nd Nigerian IndependentAnniversary at the presidentialVilla Abuja, Nigeria.

President Goodluck EbeleJonathan has reiteratedhis commitment to the

Armed Forces in Nigeria sayinghe willl do all he can to improvetheir living and workingcondition.

The President made thisknown at the officialCommissioning of the NigerianArmy special force 176 Battalionaccommodations in Kuje, Abujarecently noting that, the strengthof any nation is largely dependenton her security Agencies. Hetherefore promised adequatefunds for effective and efficientperformance of their duties.

In his opening remark, theChief of Army Staff, LieutenantGeneral Onyeabo AzubuikeIhejirika expressed his gratitudeto President Goodluck Jonathan,

Jonathan reiteratescommitment to fundingof armed forces

President Jonathan commissioning the accommodation for 176 battalion in Kuje

our security challenges in ourwater ways and international bestpractice.

The Executive Director furtherstated that ‘We are deeplydelighted in the appointment ofRear Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeobaas the new Chief of Naval staffbecause his a man of outstandingvision that will greatly bring anunprecedented value to thetransformation agenda ofPresident Goodluck Jonathan’ Wetherefore commend the Presidenton this purposeful appointment.

L-R Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim and Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba at the handing over cermony in Abujayesterday. Photo- Joy Baba

NGO hails Jonathan onappointment of Ezeoba as CNS

A Non GovernmentalOrganization (NGO) StandNigeria Initiative has

applauded President GoodluckJonathan (GCFR) on hisappointment of Rear Admiral DeleJoseph Ezeoba as the new Chief ofNaval staff

In a press statement releasedby the group’s Executive Director;Mr Dike Chigbue, the group saidthe appointment was not onlymeritorious but one that will assistin the uplifting of the NigerianNavy to greater heights to meet

Stories by Joy Baba

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 PAGE 29

Following the incessant effect ofcrop losses and farmdestruction due to flooding in

parts of the country recently, theFederal Government is working outa “special flood recovery foodproduction plan” to grow more food

Irrigation: FG plans massivefood production against floods

The Minister of Agriculture andRural Development, DrAkinwumi Adesina, has called

for extra effort towards partnershipwith the private sector to achievethe objectives of the AgriculturalTransformation Agenda (ATA).

Addressing the press at theweekend during the Agric BusinessRoundtable Agenda in Abuja,Adesina expressed optimism thatthe event would facilitate better

business atmosphere and efficiencyin the Agriculture sector.

Represented by the PermanentSecretary, Dr Ezekiel Oyemomi, theminister stressed the need to havestrong corporation with the privatesector and other donor associates,recalling that the FederalGovernment had withdrawn fromthe procurement and distribution offertiliser and other farm inputs toallow the private sector take charge.

Adesina also urged participantsto recommend best private sector-

based approaches for utilising andmanaging agriculturalinfrastructure in different parts ofthe country.

He charged them to brainstormon solutions to remove constraintsfrom the point of view of policyreforms and incentives. In hisremarks, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere,the Chairman of the Agriculture andFood Security of the NigeriaEconomic Summit Group (NESG),commended the FederalGovernment for placing agriculture

Minister urges more private sector partnership in agriculture

via irrigation system.Minister of Agriculture and Rural

Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesinasaid the preparation was necessary tominimise similar experiences in theforthcoming dry season.

“While we sympathize withfarmers in the flood affected areas, Iwant to assure them that we will do

everything possible to make up for lostharvest through an aggressive foodproduction plan for the dry season. Wewill not abandon farmers,” he said.

Adesina, according to a statementissued by his Director Information,Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, disclosedthis in Wushishi during his tour toflood-affected areas in Niger andKwara states, adding that early-maturing maize seeds would soon beprovided to farmers for sowing.

“We will distribute improved highyielding varieties of rice, cassava andyams. Government will put in place a‘flood recovery food production plan’that will include free distribution ofthese improved varieties andfertilizers to farmers in flood affectedareas,” he assured.

“The improved early-maturing,high-yielding seeds would be readyfor harvesting within sixty days ofplanting,” he said.

Moved by what he saw of thedevastation caused by the floods onrice, maize and banana crops alongthe banks of River Kaduna, whichpassed through 15 Local GovernmentAreas of the State, Adesina said thatthe federal government wasconcerned about the plight of thevictims of the flood and would doeverything possible to mitigate thedevastation it caused.

“The Federal Government wouldhelp the Government of Niger Stateto deal with the problem and help thefarmers to recover from thedevastating impact of the flooding ontheir crops,” he reiterated.

In his remarks, the farmer’s head(Sarkin Noman Wushishi), AlhajiMusa Gudigi, who was among the

The National AgriculturalFoundation of Nigeria (NAFN),an NGO, has urged the Federal

Government to evolve adequatemeasures to empower extensionworkers for better agriculturalproduction.

Chairman of its Board of Trustees,Senator Abdullahi Adamu, made thecall when he fielded questions at aforum of the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN).

“The Federal Government has nobusiness, to me, having anything inextension work. The FederalGovernment is not involved inplanting nor is it involved insupervising field work.

“The person involved really is thestate or local government. The FederalGovernment doesn’t have any land ofits own.

“You get land from stategovernment and the operation point,the first point, is not at the nationallevel; it’s either at the local governmentlevel and the person who oversees thelocal government is the stategovernment.

“The Federal Government canonly be involved to the extent ofoverseeing what policy is beingdeveloped for regulating maybeextension work, empoweringextension work. Are the states doingenough? Are they empowered enoughto also provide enough?

“You can’t talk of extension workon paper. You deploy two or three orfour to 10 persons to a localgovernment and they don’t have evena bicycle.

“I have seen some extensionworkers get assaulted because theywere there (farms) last year, forinstance and said government woulddo this and that to assist the farmersand the season went by, butgovernment didn’t do anything, sowhat are you (extension worker)coming to tell us this year?

“A farmer prepares to go to tillland; the planting season starts maybeApril for most parts of this country andby July, mid-August he hasn’t boughtfertiliser. The extension worker comes;the farmer sees him as an agent ofgovernment. So what are you comingto tell us?’’ Adamu told NAN thatlearning from other countries that hadhad similar agricultural challengeswith Nigeria could help improve thecountry’s agricultural fortunes andmake greater impact on both theextension worker and the farmer.

“Let us use this year’s experienceto bring back the extension work inagriculture and see how they canimprove on the techniques, improve onthe infrastructure for extension work,and improve on financing extensionwork and modern technology.

“Because there are countrieswhich had suffered what Nigeria isgoing through this year and hadexperiences, what can we learn? “Howmuch of that experience can beimparted to Nigeria’s extensionworkers so that they can in turn passtheir knowledge to farmers?’’ Adamuobserved that no person was close toextension workers like the farmer andtherefore, urged the FederalGovernment to adopt the method usedin the past to facilitate the duties ofextension workers. (NAN)

Agriculturefoundation urgesempowermentof extensionworkers

people who received the Minister andthe Niger State Deputy Governor,Alhaji Abubakar Ibeto, at the floodedbank of River Kaduna just outsideWushishi town, expressed happinesswith the visit by the Minister.

The large-scale farmer informedthe Minister and the DeputyGovernor that the GrowthEnhancement Support scheme of theFederal Governmentmade it possiblefor hundreds of farmers in the areato access subsidised fertilsers andimproved seeds through e-wallet. Headvised that the programme shouldbe expanded and sustained becauseof its benefits to small-holder farmers.

Earlier, during a courtesy call onhim by the Minister, Niger StateGovernor, Dr. Mu’azu BabangidaAliyu, expressed appreciation to theMinister for the visit and said that itwas a demonstration of the concernthe federal government had for thewellbeing of the citizens. He disclosedthat his government will immediatelyrelease the sum of N150 million torelieve the suffering of the 42, 000people displaced by flooding in thestate, and unfolded a three-year planto cultivate 100, 000 hectres of ricein the state.

While in Kwara state, theMinister visited flood-ravagedShonga and Lafiaji where hecondoled the people and assuredthem of prompt governmentintervention through the provision offertilisers, improved seeds andcassava planting materials free ofcharge. He held a closed-doordiscussion with the Governor ofKwara State, Alhaji AbdulfatahAhmed.

By Mohammed Kandi

World food prices rose inSeptember and are seenremaining close to levels

reached during the 2008 food crisis,the UNs’ food agency said recently,while cutting its forecast for globalcereal output.

The worst drought in more than50 years in the U.S. sent corn andsoybean prices to record highs overthe summer, and, coupled withdrought in Russia and other Black Seaexporting countries, raised fears of arenewed crisis.

Grains prices have retreated inrecent weeks due to rapid harvestprogress and concerns about weakdemand in a slowing globaleconomy.

But the FAO Food Price Index,which measures monthly price

changes for a food basket of cereals,oilseeds, dairy, meat and sugar, roseto an average of 216 points inSeptember after remaining stable at213 points in August, the FAO said inits monthly update.

The rise reflected mainly higherdairy and meat prices, with morecontained increases for cereals, it said.

“Prices are remaining high, andif these prices are sustained, it’shighly unlikely we will see anormalisation of prices anytimesoon,’’ FAO senior economistAbdolreza Abbassian said.

He added, however, that it wasnot clear whether the small increasein September meant prices were nowon an upward trend, but he expectedthat volatility in markets couldintensify in coming months.

FAO’s index is below a peak of238 points hit in February 2011,when high food prices helped drivethe Arab Spring uprisings in theMiddle East and North Africa, butcurrent levels are very close to thoseseen in 2008 which sparked riots inpoor countries.

The Rome-based agency said ithad cut its 2012 world cereals outputforecast by 0.4 per cent to 2.286billion tonnes from a previousestimate of 2.295 billion tonnes,mainly due to a smaller maize cropin central and southeastern parts ofEurope, where yields have been hitby prolonged dry conditions.

In spite of the rise in food prices,the U.S. Mission to the UN Agenciesin Rome released a statement onThursday saying it had agreed with

other countries that a meeting of theemergency Rapid Response Forumunder the G20 agriculture bodyAMIS was not necessary at themoment. “Agricultural commoditymarkets are functioning,’’ the missionsaid.

Abbassian said a ministerialmeeting that goes beyond the G20 todiscuss food prices was still plannedfor October 16th.

French President, FrancoisHollande has launched a globalcampaign to win support for strategicstocks of agricultural commodities,but EU development CommissionerAndris Piebalgs said this week thatwas not the best way to tame foodprices. Piebalgs advises a focus onagricultural investment to boostproduction. (Reuters/NAN)

World food prices rise, stay close to crisis levels – FAO

Agricultural products displayed by Daysah ventures, Ghana’saward-winning manufacturer of Moringa and Hibiscus productsat the ongoing Abuja International Trade Fair.

By Mohammed Kandi on a different pedestal.According to him, the only way

to make agriculture successful in thecountry is to place it in the hands ofthe private sector. He observed thatthe world was looking at Africa asthe next frontier for foodproduction.

He, therefore, appealed to eachAfrican country to supportagriculture positively, saying that a“Private Agriculture BusinessFund” would be established in thenext meeting of the roundtable.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 28

Nigeria spends $3bn on foodimportation yearly, says Sen. Adamu

Nasarawa State.“Nigeria now yearly imports food

to the tune of over 3 billion US dollar.Imports of wheat, rice, fish, and sugaralone cost Nigeria N1trillion naira inforeign exchange yearly. And the foodimports are growing at the alarmingbut clearly unsustainable rate of 11%per annum,” Adamu stated.

Adamu, who expressedsatisfaction that the Show has in thelast five year recorded exceptionalimprovement in all ramifications,however, regrets that the agriculturesector had suffered devastatingneglect, policy inconsistency on the

part of successive governments as wellas lack of private sector involvementin quest to develop Nigeria’sagriculture.

“We aim to grow the Show into aninstitution that will play a major rolein the much needed development andtransformation of our agriculture.And, with time and the continuoussupport of the government, the majorstakeholders in the agricultural sector,the public and the media, it willbecome so, God’s willing,” heexplained.

He also expressed concern for thecountry’s agriculture and farmers who

lost their yearly produce due to humaninduced and natural disasters acrossthe country, stating that, “this year’sShow will be taking place against thebackdrop of heightened insecurity inthe country ad a natural disaster,namely, flood, both of which have beenimpacting negatively on agriculturalactivities and outputs in the country.”

“All this has severely affected tradeand commerce and industrial andother economic activities in most of theNorthern state. But, clearly,agriculture is the biggest casualty,” theChairman grieved.

Adamu added that “the currentsituation is as inexcusable as it isunacceptable, and must, therefore bechanged. We a people and countrymust pause, retrace our steps andchange course and direction if we arereally serious about developing ouragriculture.”

He however commended the AllFarmers Association of Nigeria andthe Federal Ministry of Agriculturetowards the development of the sectorand informed that “through the Show,we showcase Nigeria’s abundantagricultural produce, resources andvast potentials.”

NAFN Chairman also lauded theFederal Government’s AgriculturalTransformation Agenda saying it wasset to achieve “hunger-free Nigeria bygrowing the agricultural sector to thelevel that it drives income growth,ensures food and nutritional security,generates employment and wealth formillions, and transforms Nigeria intoa leading global player in food market.”

…as National Agric Show begins FridayBy Mohammed Kandi

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina,Minister of Agriculture andRural Development is

travelling the floods-devastatedparts of the country on behalf ofPresident Goodluck Jonathan andthe Federal Government, with amission to convey words of comfortand sympathy to the people, assessthe damage done by the deluge tofarmers and offer effectivemitigating solutions to the victims.

There is no doubt that, thefloods have taken human andmaterial tolls in the areas theyravaged. Wherever he visited, heconveyed the condolences ofPresident Goodluck Jonathan forthe families and communities thatlost their loved ones and expressedsympathy for the losses suffered byfellow citizens, while assuring themthat there will be better planning intune with climate change to reducethe vulnerability of farmers to thenegative effects of the weather.

The Minister had a lengthyengagement with the members ofNiger state executive council led bythe Governor of Niger State, Dr.Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu in Minna,before moving on to Zungeru andWushishi areas of the state to seethe extent of damage the excesswater did to livelihoods.

In all, 15 local government areasof Niger state were affected by theoverflowing waters of, not riversShiroro and Niger, but RiverKaduna, which coursed its way

through 15 Local Government Areasof a state that is home to Nigeria’sthree biggest and functionalhydropower generating stations.The Niger State Government said50 people were killed by the floodswhile 42, 000 others weredisplaced, separated from theirfarms and homes, now dwelling intemporary camps with inadequatefacilities. Most of them are farmers.

The Government of Niger Stateis releasing the sum of N150 million(roughly US1 million) to alleviatetheir sufferings in the interim, asmore enduring solutions are workedout. The enduring solutions includere-settling eight communities onhigher grounds, although some ofthem are resisting the idea.

At the Government House,Minna, and while addressing crowdsof victims at flooded rice fields inWushishi and flood-damaged rice,maize and banana farms on thebanks of river Kaduna in Zungeru,the Minister announced that theFederal government is procuringhigh-yielding and early maturingvarieties of maize and rice seeds fordistribution to farmers who lost theircrops to flooding free of charge. Themaize seeds are of a variety that willmature within 60 days of sowing.Enough of this wonder seeds to plant7,000 hectares will be distributed toaffected farmers in Niger and otherstates. Distribution will commencevery soon.

He said the affected farmers willin addition to maize seeds thatmature in 60 days after sowing, will

Flood: FG to give affected farmers free fertilisers, seedsBy Salisu Na’inna Dambatta be issued flood-resistant rice

varieties sourced by theInternational Rice ResearchInstitute in the Philippines andBangladesh; they will also get freecassava and yam planting materials.The palliative package includes freefertilisers for the farmers.

Dr. Adesina said that registeredand authenticated farmers who losttheir crops to the floods would begiven the seeds for sowing on irrigatedfarms during the forthcoming dryseason to enable them recoup someof their losses and have sufficientfood. The alluvial soil on the banks offlooded rivers, where it is suitable fordry season farming, will be utilisedafter the flood waters have receeded.

In Kwara state, the Ministervisited Shonga, Lafiaji and Ilorin. AtShonga, he had an interaction withthe Emir, an amiable medical doctor,Alhaji Haliru Ndanusa Yahaya in atraditional palace vestibule filledwith people. He spoke on thedevastating effect of the flood in hisarea of jurisdiction. Putting thatbehind him and looking forward, theEmir said that the banks of riverNiger contain over 3, 500 hectaresof plains full of alluvial soil where ricecan be grown on commercial scaleand advised the FederalGovernment to provide the requisiteinfrastructure. Most of the plains arenow under water, prompting him tourge government to complete workon a 14-kilometre dyke project toreduce the likelihood of flooding inthe future.

The Emir equipped the Minister

with a pair of powerful binocularsand led him to a hill top to have aview of the extent of the damagecaused by the floods in his agrariandomain, which is also home to thefamous Shonga Farms owned byZimbabwe Farmers of Nigeria.

From the hill top just outsideShonga, the remains of sub-mergedvillages and farms on the riverbanks were visible even with thenaked eyes. In all, a list of 21 fishingand farming communities sackedby the floods was given to this writerby a palace aide. The Minister andEmir, in a heart-rending show ofgenuine concern with the plight ofthe victims of the flood, had aphotograph with them in theircamps. The camped flood victimsare farmers and fishermen.

The Emir said the victims needrelief urgently. He said that as anagrarian area, his people need skillsin modern agricultural practices toboost productivity and make themrich through farming. He requestedthe Federal Government to locate anAgro-Service Centre in Shonga sothat farmers can benefit fromextension and other services, such asguidance on how to access loans,markets for their produce,techniques for adding value to theirharvests and any other idea that cantransform agriculture in line with theAgricultural Transformation Agenda(ATA) of the Federal Government.

In his characteristic drive forsuccess, the Minister did not wastetime in instructing the FederalDirector of Agriculture for Kwara

State and the Director, FederalDepartment of Agriculture at theheadquarters of the Ministry, to putup a memo on the subject matterfor his immediate consideration.

At Lafiaji, the Minister wasreceived by the Chief Counsellor tothe Emir of Lafiaji, Alhaji Sa’aduKawu Haliru, OFR who wasindisposed. The message ofcondolence and sympathy wasdelivered; and the federalgovernment’s decision to give theaffected farmers seeds andfertilisers free of charge wasannounced, and the appreciation ofthe community was expressed bythe Chief Counsellor.

Dr. Adesina’s assessment tourfor Kwara state ended with an earlyevening discussion with the StateGovernor, Alhaji AbdulfatahAhmed. The discussions centred onthe flooding and the immediatemeasures required in reducing thepains it inflicted on the people.

The Governor praised theGrowth Enhancement Supportscheme, otherwise known as e-Wallet, through which small-holderfarmers accessed subsidisedfertilsers, improved cotton, maizeand rice seeds, and cassava plantingmaterials issued free of charge bythe Federal Government. Hedescribed it as a fantastic idea thatworked effectively in the state.Salisu Na’inna Dambatta isDirector Information in theFederal Ministry ofAgriculture and RuralDevelopment

The Chairman, Board of Trustees,National AgriculturalFoundation of Nigeria (NAFN)

and former governor of NasarawaState, Senator Abdullahi Adamuyesterday lament the country’s highcost of food importation, saying it haslost its pride in the export market andcould no longer feed itself.

NAFN Chairman made thedisclosure while addressing the pressyesterday in Abuja, preparatory to theforthcoming Sixth NationalAgricultural Show, commencing onthe 12th -16th October, at Kilometer28, along Abuja-Keffi Road in

The National AgriculturalFoundation of Nigeria(NAFN), organisers of the

annual National Agricultural Show,said this year’s edition of the show willwitness innovations such as the awardof prizes to farmer-friendly banks.

Chairman of the Board of Trusteesof the foundation, Sen. AbdullahiAdamu, told journalists in Abuja that,the novelty was aimed at enriching theshow and to attract greaterparticipation.

He informed that more structuresare being provided at the show groundso as to enrich this edition of the showwith a view to attracting increasedparticipation.

Adamu noted that plans are on theway to reposition the Show in a way thatit will attract agricultural investmentsinto the country, adding that, he couldnot measure the level of impact theshow had had on agriculturalinvestment in the country.

He however said that thefoundation had embarked on anadvocacy campaign to sensitise farmerson how to add value to their producebefore bringing them for exhibition anddescribed the show as “the flagshipagricultural show in the country.”

According to him, “the Show wasdeliberately planned to coincide withthe UN World Food Day celebratedannually on October. 16th. When westarted the show, we discovered that theWorld Food Day is celebrated in hotels,unfortunately; and it didn’t quite bringthe kind of farmers in terms of numberand it was more or less symbolic as faras we were concerned in the foundation.

Agriculture-friendlybanks to win prizesat 2012 NationalAgric Show– FoundationBy Mohammed Kandi

Minister ofAgrticultureand RuralDevelopment,Dr.AkinwunmiAdesina in ahandshakewith theSarkinNomanZungeru(middle)while NigerState Dep.Gov. Alhji A.Ibeto (right)looks onlaugh duringthe Minister’srecent visitto Niger andKwarastates.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012PAGE 30

The road to the White House leadsthrough wild, wonderful and weird Florida

US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2012

Republicans do not mincewords when discussing theimportance of Florida. This is

the state that could determinewhether the Republican nominee,Mitt Romney, moves into the WhiteHouse in January or spendsInauguration Day contemplatingWhat Could Have Been on thebalcony of his beach home inSouthern California.

“Florida’s a must win for MittRomney. This is it,” said Lenny Curry,chairman of the Republican Party ofFlorida. “We have to win Florida.”

It’s not quite the same in Ohio,where GOP state operatives declineto use such dire language and wherepolls showed Romney strugglingbefore last week’s presidential debate.An Ohio loss would make mattersdifficult, yes, but Romney couldtechnically still beat Obama and losethe Buckeyes.

Arguably one of the mostfascinating and (depending on whomyou ask) frustrating hotbeds ofAmerican politics, Florida continuesto live up to its reputation of mercurialvoters and questionable electoralpractices (hanging chadsnotwithstanding.) The state swingsand flips harder than a hammock leftout in a hurricane, and this yearshould be no exception. Of all thehotly contested battleground states,Florida is the biggest get, offering 29of the 270 electoral votes needed toclinch the presidency.

The Sunshine State supportedRichard Nixon in 1960, voted forLyndon Johnson in 1964, and thenwent back to Nixon in 1968 and 1972.Floridians handed Jimmy Carter itselectoral votes four years later. TheRepublicans locked it down during animpressive stretch through the yearsof Ronald Reagan and George H.W.Bush, but then it reverted right backto blue when Bill Clinton ran for re-election in 1996. Four years later, theup-for-grabs swing state stole thespotlight. With some help fromhanging chads and the SupremeCourt, George W. Bush carried it by anose and held on through his secondelection. In 2008, Obama won thestate back for the Democrats.

As of this writing, before polls canreflect a possible debate bump,statewide surveys suggest a dead heat.An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll conducted Sept. 30 andOct. 1 shows Romney and Obamatied. The latest Florida state pollreflects a recent surge of support forRomney, who trailed by severalpoints in surveys taken throughSeptember.

In the past few years, Floridianshave veered decidedly Republican atthe state and local level. The GOPcurrently controls the statelegislature, the state Senate and thegovernor’s mansion. In 2010, votershere enthusiastically sent RepublicanMarco Rubio to the U.S. Senate and19 of the 25 House members in theFlorida delegation are Republicans.

But Romney faces serious hurdlesbefore he can assume a SunshineState victory and focus his resourceselsewhere. In recent months Obamahas all but locked up support from

Hispanic voters, a group thatcomprises about 23 percent of theFlorida population. To make up forthis deficit, Romney may be forcedto make inroads elsewhere. Amongthe elderly, who flock in droves toFlorida—and to voting booths—Romney appears to be standingstrong. However, his decision to tapWisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as arunning mate risked shaving off a fewpoints with the Blue Hair Bloc.

Regionally, Romney’s strongestbase of support lies in the southwestpart of the state, where thousands ofretirees from the conservativeMidwest flock to retire. Obama ismore popular along the easterncoastline, where most of thesnowbirds and retirees hail from themore reliably liberal Northeast.Romney is expected to dominate thenorthern part of the state along thepanhandle, which culturally is morelike the South than South Florida.But, still, he can’t take the north forgranted. Bush carried that regionsolidly in 2000 and 2004, but Obamamade great strides to narrow the gapin 2008. If Florida is going to be aclose race, Romney cannot afford thesame level of support as John McCainin those areas. He must dominate.

Of course, Obama has his ownFlorida issues. The votingdemographics are not the same asthey were when he defeated McCainfour years ago. Today, there are141,00 fewer registered Democratsand about 74,000 more Republicansregistered in Florida than whenObama was first elected. RegisteredDemocrats still outnumberRepublicans by 443,166 here, but thegap could make all the difference inthis game of inches.

The battle for Florida, then, liesin the heart of the state. Commonlyreferred to as the “I-4 Corridor,” theregion stretches 130 miles fromDaytona Beach, through Orlandoand on to Tampa. It’s the swingiestpart of this swing state, chock full ofundecided voters who coulddetermine the election’s outcome.Voters in this region went for Bushin 2004, Obama in 2008 andnow…who knows?

Two days before the firstpresidential debate, I drove acrossAlligator Alley, a flat strip of

pavement in South Florida thatconnects the east and west coasts.Through pouring Florida rain—hurricane season doesn’t end untilabout Thanksgiving—I traversed frombluish West Palm Beach to deep redNaples, the state’s Republicanepicenter. The Collier County VictoryCenter, the Romney headquartersand office for local GOP races, sits inan unobtrusive corner office building;that morning about 70 devotedRepublican volunteers surrounded itin the parking lot, waiting in the rain.House Speaker John Boehner wasvisiting to stump for Romney and TreyRadel, a radio announcer running forthe district’s House seat. The crowd,mostly in their late 50s and 60s,waited patiently beneath colorfulumbrellas.

Like so many other times thiselection cycle, I found that it’s notRomney who inspires diehards tostand in the soaking rain or spendafternoons phoning strangers withcanned campaign lingo to solicit votes.The driving force behind these effortsis an aversion to Obama.

“This is the first time since I’vebecome a U.S. citizen that I’m votingagainst the president rather thanvoting for somebody,” said MaartenHeybroek, who was born in TheNetherlands, but became naturalizedat a young age.

Heybroek was standing next to hisneighbor, Ray Bernier, who felt thesame.

“People are so nervous and afraidof this election,” Bernier said whenasked what was inspiring voters to getinvolved. “I had to stop reading andwatching TV. I couldn’t sleep. It wasjust getting to be so emotional and Inever felt that way in my life before.”

“The enthusiasm,” he said, “isbecause people are scared.”

During the event, I asked severalpeople why they were taking the timeto help campaign. Obama’s namealways came up first. “Anybody butObama,” a refrain heard endlesslyduring the Republican primary racelast year, was the catchphrase here.

When the speakers at the eventfinished their talks, the crowd filedinto the small building. TheRepublican office was typical of astandard campaign workplace:pictures of famous Republicans on the

wall, a white board boasting thenumber of phone calls made sincethey opened shop and rooms full ofeager college-aged internsdemonstrating how to make fourphone calls at once. The mood wasenergetic and lively—the bathroomeven had a strip of toilet paper bearingthe president’s likeness.

Running back and forth throughthe office was a busy-looking mannamed Frank Schwerin, thechairman of the Collier CountyExecutive Committee. The ground-game operation this cycle is atremendous improvement from theMcCain campaign four years ago, hesaid. He pointed to the level ofcommunication and coordinationbetween the state party and thecampaign, and his county’s office hadmade an impressive number of phonecalls made in the county.I asked whathad changed in four years.

“Well, a good candidate,” he said,just before a man nearby interruptedby shouting “and a bad president!”

“And a bad president,” Schwerinsaid, “who didn’t deliver on hispromises. And I think people acrossthe spectrum who want to end theincompetence.”

He added: “But I think the mainreason for the enthusiasm is becauseof the Ryan-Romney team.”

The fieldwork paid for by theactual campaigns only tells part of thestory. Both Obama and Romney relyheavily on activists who volunteer notfor the official party arms, but for non-profit advocacy groups that sendthousands of foot soldiers intoneighborhoods across the statearmed with campaign literature.

On the right, one of the mostprominent of these groups isAmericans for Prosperity (AFP), anationwide conservative activistnetwork that has already spent tensof millions of dollars on television adstargeting the president and hispolicies. As Election Day grows closer,AFP is taking part of the fight fromthe air to the ground with a massivemessaging effort.

This past weekend, the group sentin four busloads of activists fromGeorgia to knock on doors in theOrlando area; another bus came fromAlabama to canvass in Tampa. Sincethose states are already a sure thing

for the GOP nominee, thesesoutherners are, frankly, a little bored.At the end of the weekend, the out-of-staters distributed more than100,000 anti-Obama door-hangersalong the I-4 Corridor.

Efforts by groups like these, on theleft and the right, won’t cost thecampaigns a penny. But it can createtension when the official party islooking for volunteers and the activistbase is hanging out at the union hallor the local tea party headquarters.

“To some extent we probablycompete for volunteers,” said SladeO’Brien, AFP’s Florida director. “Theprimary difference is this—these arepeople who see politics and thepolitical parties as not the be all endall.” Some volunteers view the activistgroups as more pure—and possiblymore effective—than the standardpolitical parties.

Like the Republicans in Naples,the volunteers are certainlyenthusiastic to help out, but notnecessarily because of Romney,according to O’Brien.

“I’m not seeing overwhelmingpassion for Romney,” he said. “WhatI am seeing is people absolutelyscared to death about Obama. I’m notsaying they don’t like Romney.They’re just like, ‘we can’t have fourmore years of that guy no matter whatthe alternative is.’ That’s why peopledon’t go to the party, they come to us.”

As any swing state resident willtell you, living in a place wherecampaign volunteers constantlyknock on your door and phone bankyou with survey questions getsannoying.

In Florida, there is no escaping it.On the Friday before the first

presidential debate, my own Floridacell phone was inundated by threeseparate partisan robo-calls asking arange of questions: Whom will Isupport? What’s the most importantissue to me? How would I rate thepresident? Every night, televisionviewing becomes a game of Escapethe Political Ad. After watching justtwo hours of TV in north Palm BeachCounty on Monday night, I counted21 political ads.

Three hours before theWednesday presidential debate, avolunteer from the Obama campaignoffice in Pompano Beach called to seeif I had made up my mind about whichcandidate I would support. (I’m aregistered independent.) On the otherend of the line, a nervous female voicetold me she knew my age—which wasweird— and asked if the presidentcould count on my vote. I told her stillneeded time to think about it.

“Really, you’re undecided?” shesaid, sounding a bit surprised. “Areyou watching the debates tonight?Have you gone onto any of the Webpages?” She went on to tell me thatthere was “factual, simple, easy-to-understand” information onFacebook and that I should scope itout. I told her I would, but that Iwasn’t convinced.

“I am not calling as a persuader,I’m calling just to get an idea—lookit’s not my thing,” she said. “I’m ateacher but I’m not a persuader.”

As far as the Obama and Romneycampaigns are concerned, I’m stillone of the Great Florida Undecideds.

By Chris moody

Anti-Obama billboard displayed along Florida's highways

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 PAGE 35

South Korea “Baby box” pastorsays new law brings more babies

Lee, who opened his "baby box"for unwanted infants three yearsago, said he had seen the numberbeing left there shoot up from anaverage of five a month to 10 inAugust and 14 in September.

Despite the new law, Lee saidhe never forced mothers toprovide information about thebabies they leave in the box, builtinto the wall of his church inNangok, a tough working-classneighbourhood in the capital,Seoul.

Many of the babies abandonedin the box have physical ormental disabilities. Lee hasadopted 10 of them himself andis in the process of adopting fourmore.

On a recent sunny afternoon,a bell rang in his church to signala new baby had been left in thebox, a boy about two weeks oldwrapped in a blanket.

"In the past, babies used to beabandoned at night butnowadays babies are abandonedin the daytime as well," Lee saidwith a sigh.

At the moment, Lee is lookingafter 20 children, aged between2 and 26, in his cramped two-storey house. Among them, hisown son.

A South Korean pastor whoruns a "baby box" wheremothers can leave

unwanted infants has seen asharp increase in the number ofnewborns being left therebecause, the pastor says, of a newlaw aimed at protecting therights of children.

South Korea is trying to sheda reputation of being a source ofbabies for adoption by peopleabroad. It is encouragingdomestic adoption andtightening up the process of achild's transfer from birthmother to adoptive parents.

The law that took effect inAugust is aimed at ensuringadoption is more transparentand makes it mandatory forparents to register newborns ifthey want to give them up.

But the regulation aimed atseeing more thorough recordsare kept, though wellintentioned, has sparked a surgeof undocumented babies beingabandoned, said Pastor Lee Jong-rak.

"If you look at the letters thatmothers leave with their babies,they say they have nowhere togo, and it's because of the newlaw," Lee said.

Using his own blood, NY artistpaints “Resurrection” exhibitMany artists claim to put

their blood, sweat andtears into their work, but

Vincent Castiglia means it, hepaints with his own blood.

The New York painter has anew exhibit, "Resurrection," inManhattan's Soho neighbourhoodthat opened on Thursday and isdue to run through October. Itfeatures a number of Castiglia'spaintings from the last 10 years,all of which were created withCastiglia's blood.

Castiglia, 30, said in aninterview this week that his firstexperiments with this mediumwere prompted by a "need toconnect with my work on the most

intimate level."Human blood contains iron

oxide, he explained, a pigmentfound in many traditional paints,and which occurs naturally iniron ore and common rust.

The public's reaction in thepast has been overwhelminglypositive, he said, but he does notdiscount that some people couldfind his choice of medium creepyor gimmicky.

"My response would be toreally take a look at the content ofthe work, which overshadowswhat it's made from, I think," hesaid. "In order for something to bea gimmick, it really would haveto lack substance."

His process includes making apreliminary pen or graphitesketch and extracting just enough"paint" in the privacy of his studio.He then pulls out his brushes topaint surrealistic, red ochre-huedimages typically featuringhuman bodies in some stage ofdecay paired with abstractbackgrounds.

One of his larger, more detailedpaintings can take more thanthree months to complete. Hispaintings range in price from$950 to $26,000. Rock and bluesmusician Gregg Allman, whorecently acquired a 2006 paintingby Castiglia called "Gravity."

His "Resurrection" exhibit isthemed around Castiglia's interestin life's transience and harmonyhe sees between life and death.

As an example, he cited"Feeding," which depicts a mother

But a Ministry of Health andWelfare official questioned Lee'sassertion that the new law hadled to more babies being droppedin the box.

"It's hard to say there's a specificcausal relationship between the

law and babies being abandonedin the box," said the official, whodeclined to be identified.

"The sudden surge of the babiescould be due to many reasons,"said the official.

Lee has been criticised by

A "baby box" (L) is seen at Joosarang church

some people who say his boxencourages desperate mothers togive up their babies. But Lee sayshe will not close the box until hewas sure the government canoffer adequate protection forabandoned babies.

Artist Vincent Castiglia poses fora portrait prior to the openingof his gallery show"Resurrection", at SacredGallery in New York

with decaying legs in a wheelchairgazing at an infant she isbreastfeeding. Castiglia said he seesit as an expression of the fragilityof life and the hope and drive thatcan still accompany it.

His work is shown primarilythe United States and Europe, butCastiglia's art may be familiar toslasher film and heavy metalaficionados. In 2010, a piece byCastiglia served as the poster forhorror flick "Savage County," andother paintings were used asalbum art for Swiss heavy metalband Triptykon's debut"Eparistera Daimones" the sameyear.

The Facebook jacket that cangive you a real hug whensomeone likes you online

If you've ever felt a 'like' onFacebook wasn't quite realenough, a US designer has

unveiled a jacket that hugs thewearer every time they receive one.

Designed by MIT student MelissaChow, the 'Like-A-Hug' is a wearablesocial media vest that allows for hugsto be given via Facebook, bringingus closer despite physical distance.

The vest inflates when friends'Like' a photo, video, or status updateon the wearer's wall.

It's creator says this 'allows us tofeel the warmth, encouragement,support, or love that we feel whenwe receive hugs.

Hugs can also be sent back to theoriginal sender by squeezing the vestand deflating it.

'The project was done as an

Friends can also return a hug via the system - assuming theirfriends are wearing their Facebook jackets.

exercise and exploration in shapedisplay,' said Miss Chow.

'We came up with the conceptover a casual conversation aboutlong-distance relationships and thelimitations of video chat interfaceslike Skype.

'The concept of telepresencearose, and we toyed with the idea ofreceiving hugs via wirelesstechnology.

'The result was Like-A-Hug.'Connecting it to Facebook

conceptually was simply a way toexplore how social media mightpush past the traditional graphicuser interface.'

Air pockets inside the jacketinflate when the wearer's mobilephone sends a signal a page has beenliked.

The jacket can automaticallyinflate to hug the wearer whena like is received via a mobilephone

PAGE 36 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

High blood pressure during pregnancycan cause lifelong effect on child’s IQBeing born to a mother who

had high blood pressureduring pregnancy can

have a lifelong effect on yourintelligence, new researchsuggests.

A study of pensioners foundthose whose mothers had highblood pressure scored an averageof 4.36 points lower on IQ teststhan those who did not.

The men were part on anongoing study which has testedthem throughout their lives,firstly at age 20 when they wereperforming national service forthe Finnish army.

At that age, those whosemothers had higher bloodpressure also had lower scores,indicating a steeper decline.

And at age 69 the same heldtrue - with a steeper decline incognitive scores for the highblood pressure group, reportsjournal Neurology.

Dr Katri Rdikvnen, of theUniversity of Helsinki, said:‘High blood pressure and relatedconditions such as pre-eclampsiacomplicate about 10 per cent ofall pregnancies and can affect ababy’s environment in thewomb.

‘Our study suggests that evendeclines in thinking abilities inold age could have originatedduring the prenatal period when

the majority of the developmentof brain structure and functionoccurs.’

The difference in the scoresof the 398 men between thosewhose mothers had high bloodpressure and those who did notwas most pronounced in the

Floods: Stop the blame gameThe study suggests the decline in mental abilities in old age may have originated in the womb (pictureposed by model)

Being born to a mother with highblood pressure may leave youwith a lower IQ, a new studywarns (posed by model)

maths test.Premature birth did not

effect the findings, and neitherdid the occupation of the father.

Dr Rdikvnen said: ‘We foundthat men who were born afterpregnancies complicated by ahypertensive disorder,

compared with men born afternormotensive pregnancies,scored lower on tests measuringarithmetic reasoning and totalcognitive ability in old age.’

The team conclude:‘Maternal hypertensivedisorders in pregnancy predict

lower cognitive ability andgreater cognitive decline up toold age.

‘A propensity to lowercognitive ability and decline upto old age may have prenatalorigins.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Manage the water cycle as awhole (taking into account small,medium and extreme floods) suchthat include droughtmanagement, as well as treatgroundwater and surface wateras linked resources, and considerthe role of floodplain retentioncapacities for groundwaterrecharge and clearly identifyareas to be sacrificed for floodstorage in order to protect criticalareas in an extreme flood events.Urban flood management needsto deal with drinking watersupply; sewage and wastewaterdisposal; and surface runoffdisposal as well as manage bothstorm water quantity and itseffect on water quality.

Integrate land and watermanagement, as both haveimpacts on flood magnitudes andflood risks. Environmentaldegradation and uncontrolledurban development in high-riskzones, often lead to increasedvulnerability to catastrophicevents for those communities onthe floodplains. Changinghitherto pervious naturalsurfaces to less pervious orimpervious artificial surfaces;are increasing storm waterrunoff rates. Similarly, recentdeforestation and conversion offadama into other land form havedrastically change thecharacteristics of flood and the

associated water quality andsediment transportcharacteristics causing anaccentuation of flood peaks andtheir early occurrence indownstream reaches. Themapping of flood hazards andrisks would enable the sharing ofinformation between land-useplanning and watermanagement authorities. Inparticular, the 3 main elementsof river basin management –water quantity and quality, aswell as the processes of erosion anddeposition – are inherentlylinked and hence the need forriver basins as basis for IFM.

Manage risk anduncertainty, by designing floodrisk policy in the context of otherprevailing risks to individuals,households and communities, inparticular, the risks associatedwith poverty as well as therelated hydrological, social,economic and politicaluncertainties. Risk managementapproach will provide measuresfor preventing a flood hazardfrom becoming a disaster. Thisincludes the efforts to reduce theresidual risks through suchmeasures as flood-sensitive land-use and spatial planning, earlywarning systems, evacuationplans, the preparations fordisaster relief and flood proofingand, as a last resort, insuranceand other risk sharingmechanisms.

Adopt a best mix of strategies,both structural and non-structural. The climate, the basincharacteristics and the socio-economic conditions are thelinked factors that determinewhich strategy or combination ofstrategies is likely to beappropriate in a particular riverbasin. They determine thenature of and the consequencesof those floods.

We must however guardagainst the temptation especiallyafter extreme flood events, toadopt only long-terminterventions. The success of IFMplan in the long run depends onthe stakeholders, especially thosewho are directly affected by thefloods, getting an immediatereassurance of safety throughshort and medium-termmeasures.

Ensure a participatoryapproach that is open,transparent, inclusive andcommunicative; involving users,planners and policymakers at alllevels to facilitate a sense ofownership and reducevulnerability. It is also importantto make use of the strengths ofboth “bottom-up” and “top-down” approaches indetermining the appropriatemix. Women, who are usually theprimary providers of child andhealth care, and so commonlyexperience a disproportionateshare of the burdens of

recovering from floods as well asthe vulnerable sections ofsociety, must also participate.IFM has to keep gender, religiousand cultural issues inperspective.

Several activities andagencies have vital roles inimplementing disastermanagement strategies.However, all institutionsinvolved in flood managementhave geographical and functionalboundaries; and it would benecessary to bring all the sectoralviews and interests to thedecision-making process; as wellas coordinate all the activities ofthe agencies at the appropriatelevel. River basin committees ororganizations, at basin or sub-basin levels, are the mostappropriate forums for suchcoordination and integration tobe anchored by Federal Ministryof Water Resources through theNigeria Integrated WaterResources ManagementCommission at the national level.

Adopt integrated hazardmanagement approaches withinthe hydrological river basins(Lake Chad, Niger Basin, Easternand Western Littoral). We all livedownstream. Early warningsand forecasts are vital to theprocesses of reducing the socialand economic impact of allnatural hazards, includingfloods.

Overall, the fundamentals of

IFM are that it adopts a basinapproach to flood management;brings multidisciplinaryapproach in flood management;reduces vulnerability and risksdue to flooding; enablescommunity involvement; andpreserves ecosystems. Basin wideIFM Planning combined withflood hazard maps are urgentlyrequired for the four mainhydrological areas in Nigeria.

It should challenge theconcerned authorities andcommunities to respondappropriately; which wouldrequire capacity to be built to doso. The many obstacles would notdisappear, but issues of watermanagement have to beaddressed collectively. We mustappreciate the magnitude andcomplexity of the issues in eachhydrological river basins andcollectively come together tomanage them. Now indeed is themost opportune time for action.Let us put a halt to blame gameand come together to take realand tangible steps to articulateintegrated flood managementaction plan for our commonbenefits.

Inuwa Kuta Musa Is theChairman, The NationalAdvisory Council [NAC] forThe Global Network Nigeriawhich is a collaboratingorganisation of UnitedNations InternationalStrategy for DisasterReduction engaged inprogrammes to assistcountries in securing reducedvulnerability to disasters.

Contd. from Back Page

PAGE 37PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

On November 24th 2012,Benue electorates wouldgo to the polls to elect local

government chairmen andcouncilors that would steer theaffairs of the third tier ofgovernment for the next two yearscommencing from 2013.

The preparation for the localgovernment polls has generated alot of tension in the state polityespecially with the intrigues thatcharacterized the primaries by thedifferent political parties.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party(PDP), in its usual style, has failedto actualize internal democracy.The party’s primaries were reallynothing to write home about as itwas marred by lots ofirregularities. Particular mentionmust be made here of the Okpokwusaga where there was tussle forsupremacy and superioritybetween the State Chairman ofPDP Mr. Emmanuel Agbo and theMinister for Interior ComradeAbba Moro. The Deputy Governor,Chief Steven Lawani, was thearchitect of the tussle as hewatched by the sideline.

While Agbo kicked againstconducting democratic primariesbut attempted to install his brotherSunday Agbo as the party’scandidate, Comrade Moro insistedon legitimately holding a free andfair congress to elect the localgovernment party candidate.

Amidst the bickering, tempersrose amongst their supporterswhich led to the congress beingshifted to Makurdi, the Statecapital, where again Agbo wantedto use his might as the party leaderto manipulate the congress. At theAper Aku stadium venue of therescheduled congress, he accredited

Can Suswam conduct free and fair election?only his supporters and shut outother aspirants like Hon. GeorgeOkoh who was the people’s preferredaspirant and Mrs. Juliana Obetta.Agbo only escaped being lynched byirate supporters by the whiskers.

While this drama raged on,Comrade Moro who was attendingFederal Executive Council meetingon that day, hurriedly leftimmediately for Makurdi andcaught up with his people at theGovernment House where they hadgone to protest the illegal congressconducted by Agbo. The ministerwas said to have engaged in a seriousaltercation with the governor whohad no option but to convene ameeting of all the stakeholders fromOkpokwu LGA that lasted late intothe night and the matter wasamicably resolved with JulianaObetta, a friend of the governor whohails from Ichama zone, given theslot.

With this development, the Agbocamp was roundly defeated even asmost PDP supporters in the area aresaid to be aggrieved at the selectionof Obetta and may contemplatedecamping to the Action Congressof Nigeria, ACN in protest to thatdecision.

The cases of Ushongo LGA andKonshisha which were concludedin Government House, Makurdialso suffice. The ACN too had its ownshare of imposition of candidateespecially in Tarka localgovernment where the wife of thelate chairman, William Akom Dajo,was said to have been selectedagainst the wishes of partymembers.

Chairman Benue StateIndependent Electoral CommissionBSIEC, Prof. Philip Ahire, last weekfrowned at the political parties inthe state for lacking internaldemocracy. Prof Ahire said this

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

against the backdrop of thousandsof petitions which his office wasinundated with whereincandidates alleged that theirnames were suddenly substitutedafter the conduct of their partyprimaries without notification.

He regretted that politicalparties set standards which theycannot meet noting too that theyusually have high expectationsfrom the election body when theyfail to meet theirs. “We have toldthe petitioners that their petition ismisplaced. They should directthem to their parties because wedid not participate in partyprimaries as our constitution

forbids us from doing so,” he said.The BSIEC boss who also

explained why the All NigeriaPeoples’ Party, ANPP was shut outby the Commission said the partyfailed to meet the 19th Septemberdeadline for the submission of namesof candidates.

Commenting on the level ofpreparation by the Commission forthe local government polls, theone-time member of thePresidential Advisory Committeereiterated their determination toconduct free and fair election,disclosing that they have acquired23 monitoring vehicles, trainedelectoral officers as well as sent a

supplementary budget to theState House of assembly foradequate funds which will be paidto the over 11,719 adboc staff thatwould be engaged to conduct theelection.

“I am assuring the Benuepeople of free and fair election. Wehave a mandate to them andwould not be under the tutelage ofany political party. We havewarned our electoral officers andintending adhoc staff that theCommission will not condone anyact that is capable of denting ourimage. I assure you thateverything would be donetransparently,” Prof. Ahirepledged.

It could be recalled that underthe last administration of GeorgeAkume, thousands of people weremurdered in Kwande LocalGovernment which hitherto wasthe stronghold of the All NigeriaPeoples’ Party, ANPP because PDPinsisted on clinching the area at allcost to slight Wantaregh PaulUnongo who then was thearrowhead of the party. Also itwould be remembered that mostcommissioners of BSIEC especiallyin Buruku LGA threw caution tothe winds and even participated themanipulating the process.

In spite of the avowed promiseby the state Chief Electoral Officerto conduct free and fair election,many political analysts are stillskeptical that the election would befar from being credible consideringthe fact that the political parties seeit as a do or die affair. The ACN whofelt that the PDP outsmarted themin the last general election see thisforthcoming election as anopportunity to take their pound offlesh while the ruling party wouldwant to get a clean sweep this timenot minding how they do it.

Governor Gabriel Suswam

The National Secretary of thePeoples Democratic Party(PDP), Prince Olagunsoye

Oyinlola, has counseled themembers of the Armed Forces not tocontemplate intervention in politicsand see the nation’s political terrainas a ‘’no- go area” for it in the over all

interest of the nation.Oyinlola who was the

immediate past Governor of Osunstate gave the charge at a publiclecture titled, ‘’Nigeria’s Democracyand National Security” which hedelivered in Bauchi at a trainingcourse on regional, continental andworld affairs which was organizedby the Nigerian Army Armoured

Democratic Rule: Oyinlola counsels military against intervention in politicsSchool, Bauchi,Bauchi State, for itsOfficers.

He said ‘’the military could atbest make inputs into improvingpolicies on the national security ofNigeria through professional papersthat usually evolve at seminars andtraining institutions while alsostriving to be security-minded,security-conscious and security-inquisitive at all times in the overallpublic interest’.

Stressing that combating theunending security breaches in someparts of the country should be ofutmost concern to all patrioticNigerians, Prince Oyinlola made itclear that it was the responsibilityof the government to be fullycommitted to the periodicevaluation and review of the nation’ssecurity and defence policy as wellas equipping the armed forces to beable to cope with modern daysecurity challenges.

While enjoining the ArmedForces to intensify training of itsmen for greater efficiency, Oyinlolaurged the Force to sustain Nigerianmilitary’s prowess as well as give its

members an enduring patrioticspirit to approach their nationalassignment of protecting theterritorial integrity of Nigeria, aswell as contributing positively topeace keeping and peace buildinginitiatives being pursued by thePresident Goodluck Jonathanadministration.

He told the military officers thatgovernment critics must realize thatNigeria was an amalgamation ofseveral peoples with differentcultures and therefore, the nation’spolicies must necessarily be tiltedgreatly towards resolving differencesthrough rational persuasion inaddition to managing political,economic, ethnic and racialchallenges based on the convictionthat Nigeria’s growing democracywould, with trial and errors, continueto endure and wax stronger.

He added that in order to reducefriction, there must be democraticrenewal and more importantly,institutional continuity ofprogrammes and policies, while thepolitical leadership across the boardshould encourage the new awakening

that emphasizes the fact that peoplewere the key components ofgovernance.

“Experiences have shown thatwith due respect for the rights andfeelings of fellow Nigerians, thepolitical atmosphere could do withmuch lesser tension; fortunately, ourconstitution is in the process of beingreviewed and I want to say that aradically new approach is requiredto weave our political policies into acomprehensive and cohesiveframework that would take intoconsideration our differences andpeculiarities in national interest.And such political arrangementsmust necessarily consider thefeelings, sensitivities and concernsof the general populace within thisdefined territory known as Nigeria,”Oyinlola stressed.

The PDP National Secretaryadvocated for a national crusade inwhich every Nigerian would beinvolved in the peace process, imbibethe right political culture and acceptthat it is better to prevent securitybreaches than to combat suchdislocations to peace and security.Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola

By Lawrence Olaoye

PAGE 38 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Hotel in Lagos last week.In his opening remark, he noted

that the occasion representedgrowth for the institution on twofronts which he explained asnumerical growth asdemonstrated in the admission ofnew members and the professionalgrowth as indicated in theMandatory ContinuingProfessional Development (MCPD).

On a note of caution, he said asPR professionals, it will be at theirown peril should they afford toignore public opinion noting thatthe inability of the Central Bank ofNigeria to introduce the fivethousand Naira currency, is a goodexample of public opinion.

We have a deficit of good governance – NIPR bossHe therefore advised policy

makers to start marryinggovernment interest with publicinterest when formulating policiesas in the alternative to confidencebuilding mechanism based ontruth that must guide policiesformulated.

Bemoaning the presentunpleasant situation the nation ispresently embroiled in, he said “wehave a deficit of good governance asthe three arms of government areat dagger drawn, security situationhas become dire as there is no morehiding place; a situation that is nowresponsible for the lost of faith in thepolitical leaders by the Nigerianpeople who watched helplessly as

corruption ravages both theprivate and public sectors of oureconomy.”

He called on his colleagues to riseto the challenge and to be preparedto proffer solution to questions likehow to broker peace between andamong feuding groups, how to assistpolitical leaders rebuild theirbattered image, how to encouragethe use of PR option for settlingdisputes, how to reach andconvince Nigerians to be tolerantof opposing view and to reserve thenation’s soiled global reputation asa county?

He added “Public Relations iselixir to responsive governance andresponsible followership and with

From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

All tiers of government havebeen urged to matchgovernment interest with

public interest when formulatingor implementing policies mostespecially as it affects the peoplewho put them in office.

The advise was handed downby the President/Chairman ofCouncil Nigerian Institute ofPublic Relation, AlhajiMohammed Abdullahi, during theinstitute’s induction of its newmembers and the MandatoryContinuing ProfessionalDevelopment (MPCD) programmewhich held at the Ikeja Airport

Adamawa PDP threatens mass defectionthe state level.

Wapana said the PDP in thestate will not be party to illegality,adding that it appreciated thenational leadership of the partyfor the bold decision it took incancelling the primaries held inthe 226 wards of the state.

He said "We did not come hereto argue cases; but we are herebecause of the decision of theleadership of the party, we are insupport of the decision. You(Tukur) are our own; we will beloyal to the party on onecondition, on the condition thatillegality is removed from theparty, we will not be party toillegality.

"We brought ourselves here,you did not invite us, we havecome to support you, we hope theNWC will not let us down and wewill not let you down."

Reading from a communiquésigned by the Adamawa PDPelders, Wampana said "Wedemand the dissolution of allorgans of the party in the state,

from the wards, localgovernment to the state level.

"We call for an immediateappointment of a CaretakerCommittee comprising partymembers and headed by arespected party elder toundertake the task ofharmonizing and standardizingthe state party and thereforeconducting free, fair andtransparent congressesthroughout the state," Wapanastated.

Responding, Tukur assuredthe delegation that the nationalleadership of the party hasstarted working on its agenda toensure that peace and justicereign supreme in the party.

He said "Our party is for thepeople, we have to give back theparty to those who owns it. Thegovernment should govern thecountry on justice and equity.Our umbrella is large enough toaccommodate our people inNigeria.

"You are all part and parcel of

the party at the formation stageand I know what you want theparty to be, you want to makesure that the party is based onjustice and equity. When I camehere you all supported me.

"No matter the security andother challenges facing Nigeriatoday, we shall come out strongerand united. No nation is island interms of crisis. It comes and goes,but the united countries likeNigeria will survive thechallenges and move on strongeras one indivisible country.

"This is why I am preachingand championing partysupremacy, because when theparty is strong and united, thenation will be better for it. Inevery ten Nigerians, six to sevenNigerians are members of thePDP, so a united PDP built onjustice and equity will be to theadvantage of all Nigerian. Theumbrella of the PDP is largeenough to contain all Nigerians.It is my policy therefore to returnPDP to all Nigerians."

Barely 24 hours after thePeoples Democratic Party(PDP) candidate, Mr. Gyang

Pwajok, was declared winner of thePlateau North Senatorial zone byeelection, Governor Jonah Jangapproved the appointment of Mr.Francis T. Bot as Chief of Staff.

It could be recalled that Pwajokwas the former Chief of staff to Jangbut later resigned to contest theplateau North senatorial zoneelection and he eventually won.

Jang in a statement signed byhis Director of Press and PublicAffairs, Mr. James Mannok,announced the appointment of Botas chief of staff. Bot, until hisappointment was the stateCoordinator, MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs). Hisappointment takes immediateeffect.

Jang getsnew CoS

As crises continue to rock theruling party in Adamawastate, the state chapter of

the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) yesterday threatened todefect en masse to the oppositionpart if the national leadership ofthe party fails to reconcile thewarring factions.

The state PDP has been at warover who controls the party at thestate level which has led to theparty being factionalized. Whileone of the factions is led byMejejiwa Kagama, the other isled by Chief Medan Teneke.

However, the faction headedby Chief Medan Teneke and ledby Sen. Paul Wampana visitedthe National WorkingCommittee (NWC) members atthe party national secretariat tolay its complain on the injusticebeing meted out by the MurtalaNyako led administration andhow to address the issue to ensurethat the party is not destroy at

professional application of publicprinciples in governance; most ofthe systematic weakness andfailures we have been experiencingwould evaporate,” he submitted.

The PR boss is full of regret forwhat he tagged culture of impunitythat reigns in the country notingthat it has gradually and steadilychisels away at the foundation ofthe country’s reputation. This day,he said, offenders are hardly caughtand even when caught, nothingappears to happen to them makingimpunity a way of flaunting power,clout, importance and status. Hewarned that this state of affairs hasenormous implications for thenation’s corporate reputation.

From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

Gov. Aliyu Wamakko ofSokoto State on Sundaycondoled with his Ogun

counterpart, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun,over the demise of Dr. Abdul-LateefAdegbite, the Secretary-General ofthe Nigerian Supreme Council forIslamic Affairs,

A statement by Mrs. FunmiWakama, the Senior SpecialAssistant to the Governor onMedia,said that he Sokoto stateCommissioner for Information, MrDanladi Bako presented thecondolence letter in Abeokuta.

The letter described the demise ofAdegbite as “a great loss not only tothe members of his family or peopleof Ogun but also to the entire nation’’.

“The late Islamic teacher was abridge-builder and a worthy elder,who had greatly inspired us in manyways.

“He exhibited such worthyqualities of selflessness, humility,kindness and concern for the welfareof humanity, irrespective of ethnicor religious divides,” Wamakko saidin the letter. (NAN)

Wamakkocondoles withAmosun overAdegbite’sdemise

L-R: Chairman, House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Beni Lar, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission,Professor Bem Angwe, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Legal Matters and Human Rights, Senator Umar Dahiru,during the launch of 2012 prison audit, yesterday in Kuje, Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

By Lawrence Olaoye

PAGE 39PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) yesterdaydescribed the victory of Mr.

Gyang Pwajok and Mrs KenangFulani in the last weekend'sSenatorial and State Assembly byeelections in Plateau state as anepitaph to the memory of lateSenator Dantong Gyang Daylopand Hon. Gyang Fulani.

The party in a statementreleased to newsmen by its National

Pwajok, Fulani’s victory, an epitaphto the memory of the deadBy Lawrence Olaoye

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Majority Leader of BenueState House ofAssembly, Hon. Paul Biam,

has alleged plots by certain persons inUkum Local government area of thestate to assassinate him.

Biam told newsmen yesterday inMakurdi that he narrowly escapeddeath at Ankya, an area just afterZaki-Biam, the local governmentheadquarters when some gunmenshot at him.

He said the attack took place afterthey had finished a stakeholders'meeting which was convened by thecouncil chairman, Hon. Terfa Bossua,with the Chief of Staff to the Benuestate governor, Saint Gbilekaa andthe State Commissioner for Works/Transport Hon. Benjamin Ashaveramongst others in attendance.

"During the meeting, I noticedsome strange persons wieldingweapons who banged into thechairman's house and I fled for mydear life. It was on the way back to

Benue Majority Leader alleges assassination plotMakurdi that a well known deadlyorganization 'Mgnav Youths' shot atmy car three (3) times but I escaped",he said.

The House leader, who attributedthe attack to political struggle in thearea for 2015, recalled too that in July2012, his younger brother, FelixBiam, a fresh graduate from theuniversity was attacked by unknownpersons and is still been treated fromseveral gun injuries he sustained.

He maintained that the incidentoccurred a day after the governor

Publicity Secretary, Chief OlisaMetuh, described the victory as areaffirmation of the fact that Plateaustate remains an impregnable fortfor the PDP and a deserving tributeto the memory of the late occupants.

He stated "The victory of ourgreat Party in the last weekend'sSenatorial and State Assembly byeelections to fill the vacancies createdby the death of Senator DantongGyang Daylop and Hon. GyangFulani is instructive primarily intwo respects. It reaffirmed that

Plateau State is home to the PDP.Besides, no epitaph could be moreevergreen to the memory of theseNigerians than this victory whichour great party is dedicating topeace on the Plateau. This is a cause,they labored and died for."

The party congratulated theSenator elect for Plateau North,Gyang Pwajok and State Assemblymember elect for Barkin LadiConstituency, Kaneng Fulani andthe entire members of the PDP inthe state for the victory and urged

them to continue to stand firm astrue representatives of their peopleand in supporting every efforttowards the realization of the party'selectoral promises.

"The urgent task before you is toremain faithful to the manifesto ofour great party in discharging yourlegislative functions. The banner ofour party must fly higher in theprovince of fulfillment for themajority of the people whose trustand confidence we must not betray",the party concluded.

The Legal Aid Council in Kebbisaid it had offered free legalservices to 120 persons since it

commenced activities in the past oneyear.

The state Coordinator of thecouncil, Mr Salisu Alhassan, madethis known in an interview with theNews Agency of Nigeria (NAN) inBirnin Kebbi on Monday.

``The council appeared in 120criminal cases out of which 80 werepending in the High Courts andMagistrates' Courts.''

Alhassan said 40 criminal caseshandled by the council weredischarged.

He expressed regrets that theNigerian prisons were congested withawaiting trial persons while mostsuspects had been behind bars formany years.

Alhassan said the council lackedadequate funding, officeaccommodation, sufficient counseland vehicles to improve on itsactivities, adding: ``we have twocounsel and lost some property toflood".

He called on local governmentadministrators to enlighten citizenson the services offered by thecouncil.(NAN).

Council offersfree legalservices to120 persons inKebbi

dissolved the then transitionchairmen, adding that hevehemently opposed retention of Hon.David Sev Av as well as thenomination of the present councilchairman, Hon. Terfa Bossua.

"Though there had been nonoticeable disagreement in Ukumpolitics but since the emergence of thisdeadly group, there has been violencein the area. Unfortunately even as thisincident happened, the councilchairman has not said anything",Biam said.

By Adeola Tukuru

The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP)chairmanship aspirant for

2013 FCT Area Councils electionin Kwali, Mr. Usman Jiya, has saidthat he would prioritize revenuegeneration and security of lives andproperties in the council if giventhe mandate.

Jiya, a serving Vice Chairmanof Kwali Area Council under theplatform of the All Nigeria Peoples

Party (ANPP) in an interview withnewsmen in Kwali attributed thefailure of successiveadministrations of Kwali AreaCouncil to meet the yearning andaspiration of the resident to poorlevel of internally generatedrevenue.

"If given the mandate, mypriority will be to strengthenrevenue generation and securityin the council because these aredetermining factors to thedevelopment of any society. The

2013: Kwali chairmanship aspirant to prioritize revenue generation, securitytwo agenda are paramount becausean area council administrationcannot continue to wait forallocation when it has the potentialsto generate revenue internally," hesaid.

He said strengthened internallygenerated revenue would be adriving force in ensuring that thepeople of Kwali enjoy the dividendof democracy.

According to him, constructionof road, provisions of health facilitiesas well as potable water are

mandatory obligations that must beincorporated in the budget proposal.

Jiya said strengthenedinternally generated revenue incouncil administration hadtendency of addressing certainchallenges within the councilwithout having to wait for allocation."If given the mandate, I will ensurethat viable projects in terms ofrevenue generation are encouragedso as to position the council in a betterfinancial position to be able to meetsome of its obligations," he added.

Winner of Plateau North Senatorial by-election, Mr. Gyang Pwajok, celebrating his victory, on Sunday in Jos. Photo: NAN

The governors of the SouthEast states on Sundayvowed that creation of an

additional state for the zone wasnon-negotiable.

The Chairman of the SouthEast Governors’ Forum, Mr PeterObi of Anambra, made the vowin Enugu at the end of theirmeeting with traditional rulers,stakeholders, religious leadersand senators from the zone.

Obi said the meeting alsodiscussed issues which botheredon security and constitutionamendment as it affected thezone.

“We held a meeting todaywith traditional rulers, religiousleaders, stakeholders andsenators from the zone and wediscussed issues that bothered onsecurity and constitutionamendment.

“The conclusion and the mostimportant aspect is the creationof an additional state in the zoneand this is not negotiable,’’ thegovernor said.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that MartinElechi of Ebonyi, Theodore Orjiof Abia and Acting Gov. SundayOnyebuchi of Enugu alsoattended the meeting.

Also in attendance were Sen.Chris Ngige and the formerGovernor of Anambra State,Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife.(NAN)

Additional statefor South East notnegotiable –Governors’Forum

PAGE 40 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

The Action Congress ofNigeria (ACN) hasfingered the involvement of

the state government in theburglary of the state's Ministry ofFinance where undisclosed amountof money was allegedly carted awaywith certain electronics back-upcontaining details of governmenttransactions since 2003.

The state chairman of ACNKayode Olawepo in a statementissued in Ilorin noted that theincident was meant to cover up someatrocities committed by immediatepast administration under theleadership of Dr Bukola Saraki.

"Quite a number of disturbingnews has been emanating from

ACN suspects govt. involvementin Kwara Finance Ministry burglary

Kwara State in the past few months,all bordering on corruption,mismanagement, deceits and grandconspiracies to keep the peopleperpetually groping in the dark fora brighter future.

"On September 17, 2012 theCBN issued a circular banning allcommercial banks from lendingfurther credits to Kwara StateGovernment, among other debtorssaid to be owing the AMCON. Thatincident confirmed the fears of ourpeople about the profligacy andcorruption of the PDP-ledGovernment in the state.

"Many patriotic citizens havecalled for probes of the embarrassingblacklisting. But the PDPGovernment does not seem to be tiredof its shameful conducts, as the story

in saharareporterts on the burglaryat the State's Ministry of Financeindicated.

"As scary as this incident was,most scary indeed is the fact thatthe Kwara State Government hascarried on as if nothing everhappened! We understand the civilservants have been directed not tomention it to anyone. Clearly manythings are not right here and manyquestions are begging for answers:

"Was the September 21st failedattempt at breaking into theMinistry reported to the securityagencies? If yes, why was there nosecurity beef up at the place in viewof the sensitive nature of theMinistry?".

The party raised questions that"Why has the State Government kept

ANPPcondemnsMubimassacre, callsfor securityaction

The All Nigeria PeoplesParty (ANPP) hascondemned the killing of forty

students of three higher institutionsin Mubi, the commercial nervecentre of Adamawa state, by yet-tobe identify gunmen, describing it assad, and inhuman.

The party in a statement issuedyesterday by the National PublicitySecretary, Hon Emma Eneukwustated “We vehemently condemnsuch wicked, vicious and inhumanact; it is disheartening that actionsthat should belong only to theimaginations of fiction writers andmovie producers have found theirways to the streets of our greatnation”.

Eneukwu wondered how thegunmen invaded the students’hostels in a town under curfew,disguised in military uniformwithout being detected by thesecurity agencies.

He urge Nigerian security sectorto wake up to the reality thatcriminal elements are camouflagingwith their exclusive identity marksto unleash mayhem on innocentcitizens, citing instances where the14 Brigade of the Nigerian Armyarrested illegal military andparamilitary uniforms dealers inNsulu market, Aba, the commercialhub of Abia State.

The 14 Brigade’s Army PublicRelations [APR] officer, LieutenantObabisi Olalekan Ayeni, explainedthen that one of the suspectsconfirmed they have been in theillegal business for over three years.“It is believed they are supplyingthese items to suspected armedrobbers, kidnappers and politicalthugs who usually impersonatesecurity personnels.’’

ANPP scribe added “While wecommiserate with the family andfriends of the victims of the horriblemanslaughter, we call on thenation’s security operatives tourgently muster efforts at flushingout impersonators, both within itsranks and those hiding among thecivilians, and also to concentrate onsecuring our national borders.

The opposition party suggestedthat peculiar distinguishing featuresbe introduced to the regalia of themilitary and paramilitary withproper enlightenment on the masseson how to recognize genuinegovernment-issue insignia.

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin a sealed lip about this terribleincident, given the dangerous signalsit sends to the public? These signalsinclude that nobody is safe, if burglarscan at will break into guardedproperties of the government.".

The commissioner forInformation, Prince TunjiMoronfoye in his reaction said " Wecan confirm that unidentifiedpersons broke into the offices of thestate Ministry of Finance, locatedon Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin, onFriday 21st of September 2012 andon Sunday, 22nd September, 2012and removed certain items. Bothincidents were reported to statepolice command but the public wasnot informed as the incidents wereand remain subjects of on-goingpolice investigations."

L-R: Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and one of his counsel, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), during the resumedhearing of the Edo Election Petitions Tribunal, yesterday in Benin City.

Umar Muhammad Puma

The All Progressive GrandAlliance (APGA), Plateaustate chapter yesterday

vowed to challenge the victory of thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP) andthe Senator elect for Plateau NorthSenatorial zone in court of competentjurisdiction.

The party in press statementsigned by its Chairman, Dr. Isa Jega,alleged that the election was marredwith irregularities and as such wasleft with no other option than tochallenge its outcome.

He said "As a party, we arepreparing to take legal action againstthe perpetrators of that act.Meanwhile, we appeal to ourteaming supporters to remain calm".

Jega however, congratulatedthe people of the zone for achievingpeaceful bye- election and denied thatits candidate, Mr. Chris Giwa wasdisqualified from flying the party's

APGA vows to challenge PDP victory in Plateauflag.

Meanwhile the Congress forProgressive Change (CPC) hasdragged Plateau State Governmentand Plateau State IndependentElectoral Commission (PLASIEC) tocourt for its inability to conduct localgovernment elections in the state.

Initially, the case was filed inFebruary before a High but came up

for hearing yesterday but was lateradjourned to November 26, 2012.The matter slated for hearing couldnot come up because the presidingjudge, Justice Rosaline Sha, was noton seat and the 3rd respondentPLASIEC, had filed a fresh processchallenging the jurisdiction of theplaintiff's locus standi to sue it. In thecase, the CPC is challenging the

action of the state government thatdissolved the elected localgovernment chairmen of Bokkos,Langtang North and South LocalGovernment Councils in the statewithout conducting fresh elections tousher in democratic electedchairmen. CPC is praying the courtto order the PLASIEC to conduct freshelections into the Councils.

PDP warns Ajimobi on financial managementBarrister Morohunkola Thomas.

The chairman noted that Ajimobiwith the support of the ACN-dominated state House of Assemblyhad concluded plans to borrow N50billion through bonds to financeprojects that bear no bearing to thedevelopment of the state.

Taiwo also noted that the governorhas also applied for a multi-millionnaira loan from the AfricanDevelopment Bank (ADB).

He observed that since the

Ajimobi's administration came intobeing in May 2011, the state allocationfrom the federation accounts and itsshare of VAT revenue had gone pastwhat the previous administrationsreceived.

The party chief disclosed that itsinternally generated revenue had alsogone up due to increase in all its ratesand charges in addition to the fact thatits wage bill has reduced with thereduction in its work force due to thedismissal of thousands of workers from

its service.The PDP boss then wondered why

Ajimobi's government needed moremoney when in actual fact it has notshown ample capacity at using theresources available to it judiciously.

Meanwhile, the Oyo stategovernment has justified the N50billion bond being sought from theCapital Market by explaining that itwas meant to execute somedevelopment projects that wouldchange the face of the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has warned the Oyo stategovernor, Senator Abiola

Ajimobi, to desist from throwing thestate into debt by borrowing moneyto run the activities of the state.

Chairman of the party in the state,Alhaji Olayinka Taiwo, stated this ina statement issued in Ibadan throughthe Director of Media and Strategy,

From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

PAGE 41PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

The Sports WritersAssociation of Nigeria,SWAN, FCT chapter, has

lauded the leadership of theNigeria Football Federation(NFF) over the Flying Eaglesqualification for the 2013African Youth Championship.

The junior Eagles anddefending champions of the AYCdefeated ambitious Amajita of

South Africa 3-1 at the KwaraState Stadium, Ilorin on Sundayto seal its ticket for the fiesta to beheld in Algiers, next March.

SWAN specifically noted theimprovement in the team whichhad earlier forced the Amajita to1-1 draw in Nelspruit, SouthAfrica during the first, addingthat the depth, zest andcomportment of the team clearly

attested to the efforts put in byboth the football federation andthe technical crew to produce ateam of delight for Nigeria.

“It is notable that Nigeria havequalified for the finals of all majorcompetitions they entered for thisyear, starting with the Falconets’qualification and participation atthe FIFA U-20 Women’s WorldCup in Japan.

“The U-17 girls, Flamingos’qualification and participation atthe FIFA U-17 Women’s WorldCup in Azerbaijan and; the SuperFalcons’ qualification for the 8thAfrican Women Championship,which finals takes place inEquatorial Guinea between 28thOctober and 11th November 11,”the release signed by theAssistant Secretary of the

association, Bunmi Haruna said.Further, the association urged

the executive committee of theNFF to leave no stone unturnedto ensure that both the SuperEagles and the Golden Eagletsqualify for next year’s AfricanNations Cup in South Africa andthe CAF U-17 Championship inMorocco 2013, respectivelybecomes a reality.

FCT SWAN lauds NFF over Flying Eagles qualification, tasks Super Eagles

Unuanel dusts Salami, Uwua, named Kwara Utd’s new coachAfter tedious screening of more than a dozen

coaches, the management of Kwara Unitedfinally opted for ex-Ocean Boys coach who was

equally a former Assistant Coach of Enyimba FC, SamsonUnuanel.

Only last Thursday, the screening committee hadshortlisted seven coaches including Godwin Uwua, aformer cadet coach, Ganiyu Salami, ex-Green Eaglescoach, who also handled the Gambian national team atsome point, Samuel Abimbola, who assisted John Obuh

in the first in the Golden Eaglets and later Flying Eagles,Hassan Abubakar, another national cadet teams coach,among others. The committee had submitted itsrecommendation to the management on Friday andyesterday, in a statement signed by the club’s mediaofficer, Olayioye Ajide, Unuanel was handled the job.

Ajide said Unuanel will be officially presented to thepublic within the week. This past season, the former NigerTornadoes coach worked with Ocean Boys in the NPLbefore he moved to assist Kadiri Ikhana at the country’s

women’s team, the Super Falcons.“With the appointment of technical manager which

takes immediate effect, recruitment of players and otherprogrammes of the club have commenced. We now callon all the players to resume immediately,” announcedthe club spokesman.

Ajide reiterated the determination of the board toreposition Kwara United for the new season, whileappealing to their teeming supporters to keep the faith oftheir darling team to play international football soon.

Mikel Obi Nosa Igiebor

Chelsea defensive midfielder, John Mikel Obi, shocked thetechnical crew of the Super Eagles yesterday when against allexpectations; he arrived in Calabar 24 hours ahead of schedule.

Mikel, who has yet to play for the Eagles under Coach StephenKeshi, and was only recently recalled to the team, had been expectedto arrive in camp today.

But, he hit the camp before Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide andNosa Igiebor that had hitherto informed the technical crew of theirplan to touch down in Calabar yesterday evening.

According to the media officer of the team, Ben Alaiya, Mikel wasthe first to arrive in the camp soon after the seven domestic leagueplayers selected for the Nations Cup qualifying duel landed inCalabar.

The trio though later joined the squad even as Keshi expects a fullhouse this evening while comprehensive training schedule will rolloff today, according to Alaiya.

Meanwhile, has promised Nigerians “a sweet victory” the LoneStars of Liberia in Saturday’s crucial return leg of the 2013 NationsCup qualifier.

“Come Saturday we will give the nation a sweet victory andqualify for the Nations Cup in South Africa,” Keshi assured on arrivalin Calabar yesterday.

The Eagles, made up of seven home-based players and officials,were welcomed at the airport by the Cross River State commissionerof sports, Patrick Ugbe.

Mikel hit Calabar as Keshioptimistic of sweet victory

The arrowhead of Nigeriafootball administration,Alhaji Aminu Maiagari, has

finally publicly admitted that‘Nigerian football is sick” and in direneed of erythropoietin (epo)injection for revival.

The president of the executivecommittee of the Nigeria FootballFederation (NFF), who was soberreflecting on the thorns and thistlesthe game had been subjected toinstitutionally andadministratively in the last coupleof years, said the “sickness” has haddevastating effect on the game.

“We agree that we are havingsickness in our football,” Maigarisaid while pondering the amountof energy Nigerian national teamsnow require to beat teams, whichhitherto would have posed little orhurdles for them to scale over.

Perhaps, he was referring to the

motley of court cases that dotted thepaths of his executive committee inthe early days of his administrationand the subsequent pillar to post

race that the game was subjectedto with the resultant failure toqualify for the 2012 Nations Cupfinals- something many hadthought was Nigeria’s birth right.

He admitted that the footballfederation has gone through manychallenges which had “verynegative impact on the game andgreatly affected performance bothon and off the pitch.”

Further, he stressed that thesedismal performances, asmanifested in the failure to standshoulder above others even inevents the country qualified for,have become nauseating ordeals.

Again, may be he was referringto the failure to secure the 2012London Olympic Games soccertickets for both male and female inspite of the huge financial and moralsupport extended to the teams.

Apart from the Super Falcons’failure to make the Africa and theOlympic Games, the Golden Eaglets

were bundled out of the race tothe last edition of the African andFIFA U-17 championships even asdomestic clubs could not put asmile on the faces of Nigerians atthe clubs’ continental levels.

However, Maigari said there isa silver lining in the cloud. ”Thefederation is fully aware of thisand we are not relenting in ourefforts. We have set up variouscommittees to look (into) and digout what the problems are, and(proffer solutions on) how we candevelop the game and get sponsorseven for the domestic league.

“Very soon, I’m sure we willcome up with good news for thegood people of Nigeria. But thanksto God, Nigeria is blessed withtalents and we will soon get backon track,” he said after the FlyingEagles fought hard to turn backthe Amajita of South Africa in theCAF AYC Algiers 2013 finalsqualifier.

By Patrick Andrew

Aminu Maigari, President NFF

MaigarilamentsailingNigerianfootball

MaigarilamentsailingNigerianfootball

PAGE 42 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Ghana’s PriscillaOkyere

us.”Further she believes

the Black Maidens havethe depth, gut and flair togive the continenteffective representationand eventually clinchthe trophy for the firsttime. Like their BlackSatellites counterpartsthat became the first andonly African U-20 teamto win the FIFA U-20World Championship,Okyere is confident theMaidens will replicatethat feat in Azerbaijan.

“I know that the eyes ofall Africa are on us andthat drives us on,” said anexcited Okyere afterFriday’s ground-breakinggame. “Our country iswatching us because ofwhat we achieved today.I can’t even describe howthat feels.”

Sherifatu Sumaila’s51st-minute goal wasenough to send thepreviously unbeatenJapanese back homeearly. And naturally thestriker, who alsorepresented her countryat Trinidad and Tobago2010, was thrilled withher performance: “I’m soexcited because I didn’t

Ghana to make history for Africa, says OkyereFIFA U-17 semi-finals

today.What makes their

achievement even morenotable is the fact thatthey are thef i r s t G h a n a w o m e n ’ steam to reach the semi-finals of a FIFAcompetition and the firstAfrican side to appear inthe last four of the FIFAU-17 Women’s WorldCup.

Skipper PriscillaOkyere, whose side tackleNigeria’s conqueror- LesBleuettes in Baku in oneof the semi-finals believesthe Maidens do not onlyrepresent Ghana but theblack race.

“This is what we camefor, to make history,” saidexultant Ghana captain PriscillaOkyere, speaking afterher side had pulled off theshock of the FIFA U-17Women’s World CupAzerbaijan 2012 bybeating tournamentfavourites Japan 1-0 inFriday’s quarter-finals.

“And we’ve made it,”continued the midfielder.“We’ve made history butwe want more. We’rehoping to beat France,reach the final and takethis World Cup home with

score a single goal in2010. In fact, this is myfirst goal in a World Cupand I’m very, veryhappy.”

Confidence the keySkipper Okyere could

not stop smiling as sheexplained how shethanked her team-matesfor their efforts againstthe Japanese: “I wasexpecting a lot from myteam today and mycolleagues showed me howgreat we are. I justthanked all of them forallowing me to get so farin this competition.Reaching this stage issomething we’ve allworked towards.”

Okyere also heapedpraise on Ghana coachMas-Ud Dramani, theother architect of theirsuccess in Azerbaijan:“It’s wonderful when youhave a coach who believesso much in his team. Hebelieves in us and webelieve in him, which isjust perfect.”

So what was the secretto topplingthe Young Nadeshiko?“Our desire,” came thegiggling Okyere’s reply.“We wanted to win. We

really wanted it and wewent out and did it. Weknew Japan were thefavourites, but we didwhat we had to do.”

Ghana adopted adefensive gameplanagainst the Japanese,stifling their opponents’passing game anddisrupting their usuallyneat interplay. Then,once in possession, theydrew on their superiorathleticism and speed tolaunch dangerouscounter-attacks.

That defensive side oftheir game is essential totheir future in thecompetition, and Okyerehopes Ghana can be justas solid when they take onthe French.

“Of the teams left in theWorld Cup, Ghana is oneof the best in terms ofdefending,” she said,focusing on the taskahead. That was whattook us to victory in thequarter-finals, and nowwe’ve got our sights set onknocking out France.”

Supremely confidentin her team’s abilities, thecaptain said that theyneed to maintain theirfocus if they are to see offthe Europeans, whilecolleague Sumaila signed

Korea’s Ri Un-Sim

The result for Wenger’s side puts them back on trackafter losing to Chelsea last weekend, despite losing KieranGibbs to a second-half injury.

And it means they have lost just once in the PremierLeague this season, after former striker Robin van Persiejoined Manchester United in the summer.

Arsenal and have now leapfrogged West Ham in thetable to move tofifth ahead of thei n t e r n a t i o n a lbreak.

Wenger praises Cazorla,says he’s a delight to watchArsenal boss Arsene Wenger said it is a pleasure to

watch Santi Cazorla as the Spanish midfielder’sgoal helped earn the Gunners a 3-1 win over West

Ham.Wenger’s side had to come from a goal down, with

the win including a first Premier League goal for OlivierGiroud.

“It is a pleasure to watch him. It’s a delight to seewhat he did on the pitch,” Wenger said of Cazorla,27, who signed from Malaga in the summer. I hopeevery young football player in England watches him.”

Cazorla joined Arsenal for a fee of about £15m inAugust and has quickly adapted to the Premier Leaguewith a string of masterful displays.

His goal against West Ham was his second of theseason, and was struck from the edge of the box withhis left foot, underlining his ability as a genuinely two-footed player.

Even team-mate Theo Walcott, who was on targetat Upton Park after Mohamed Diame had opened thescoring, admits he does not know which foot theSpaniard prefers and he trains with him every day.

“He has come to the Premier League and has takenit by storm,” Walcott said. “He is our conductor.His goal was fantastic and I’m not even sure whatfoot is his strongest.”

Walcott came off the bench to score his fourthgoal of the season, while Giroud registered hisfirst league goal after joining the Gunners inthe summer from Montpellier.

And the French striker admitted it was arelief to get off the mark, despite already scoringin the League Cup.

“I’m so happy to score the first goal and to assistmy friend Theo,” Giroud said. “I hope so many goalscome after this. Everyone talked to me about the(lack of a) goal, but I kept confident andconcentrated on the work in training and in thegames.”

Santi Cazorla

TODAY’S MATCHES

Ghana vs FranceKorea PRK vs Germany

German duo readyfor Korea DPRAt the FIFA U-17

Women’s WorldCup 2012 in

Azerbaija, Germany seemto have made dramaticfinishes their stock intrade. After a tense andclosely fought 90 minutes,Anouschka Bernhard’steam have twice reducedtheir opponents to tearswith vital goals in addedtime at the end.

It was Rebecca Knaakwho broke Brazilianhearts andbecame Germany’s herowith her 92nd-minutewinner. As always, theplayers who get the goalsearn immediate praiseand congratulations, buteven the best forward lineis worth very littlewithout a solid defence.Errors at the back oftenconsume as many columninches as goals scored atthe other end.

Germany’s progress tothe last four at Brazil’sexpense was not onlydown to the attackinginstincts of Sara Dabritzand Knaak, but to atypically disciplineddefensive display. Timeand again, the SouthAmericans foundered onthe rock formed by centre-b a c k s W i b k e

Meister and FranziskaJaser, althoughimmediately after thefinal whistle, the pairwere still struggling withthe reality of advancing tothe semis.

In the scrap with Brazil,Meister faced a difficulttask in marking theelusive and agile strikerByanca, who hit theheadlines in the groupstage with anextraordinary back-heeled lob. The Braziliangem was determined topull off the stunt againagainst the Germans.

Last-four opponentsDPR Korea presentanother tough challengefor Bernhard’s troops. TheAsians include potentstriker Ri Un-Sim, theleading scorer inAzerbaijan to date withseven goals.

However, therearguard which stymiedthe Brazilian attack forlong spells will surelycome up with a solutionagainst the nimble NorthKoreans.

Having failed tomake it past thegroup phase in

their two previous FIFAU-17 Women’s World Cupappearances, the BlackMaidens will becontesting their very firstsemi-finals in thec o m p e t i t i o nagainst Les Bleuettes this

off with a message for thepeople of Africa, who arefollowing the BlackMaidens’ exploits withinterest.

“We are going to carryon playing for Africa, justas we have been doing upto now,” said their goalhero. “We’ll be doing ourvery best to win thisWorld Cup for them.”

PAGE 43PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Gombe State SportsCommission plansto purchase 30

additional hockey sticks forits hockey team, ahead ofthe 18th National SportsFestival (NSF), an officialhas said.

The Head Coach of thestate’s hockey team, HelenViola-Samuel, whodisclosed this to NAN in

Isiaka Oluyemi, an Ekiti athletics coach, said onSaturday that Team Ekiti would win many medalsat the forthcoming National Sports Festival to be hosted

by Lagos State.Oluyemi said in Lagos that Team Ekiti was being prepared

for the challenge in the various events that the state wouldenter for at the festival. He added that the various disciplineswere in good shape, having just concluded the Ekiti StateMini Sports Festival that was held from Sept. 27 to Oct.1 atthe Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti.

“I have no doubts that the Team Ekiti will indeed bringhome medals from the various events at the festival.’’

According to him, the minis festival was used to sharpenthe skills of the athletes to represent the state at Eko 2012.The coach added that the athletic team would soon go intoclosed camping.

The Gombe State Deputy Governor, Mr Tha’andaRubainu, on Sunday in Gombe, received theNational Sports Festival (NSF), Torch of Unity.

Receiving the torch, Rubainu said the state governmentwas committed toward promoting sports development.

He gave an assurance assured that the zonal office of theNational Sports Commission (NSC) in Gombe wouldparticipate fully in the festival.

According to him, the state has produced the best sportsmenand women to represent the zone in the team events.

He noted that the state had passion for sports, hence theestablishment of a Sports Commission in the state.

Rubainu pledged that the state would support young talentsinterested in sports.

Earlier, Mr Faruk Yerma, the Chairman, Gombe StateSports Commission, thanked the deputy governor for receivingthe torch. He observed that the government’s support hadmade Gombe athletes to emerge victorious in some teamevents such as Football, Basketball, Hockey and thetraditional sport, Langa. He reassured the government thatGombe athletes would return home with medals.

Umar Shua, the North East Zonal Coordinator of theNational Sports Commission had handed over the torch toYerma, who in turned handed it over to the deputy Governor.

The Torch of Unity is currently being taken round thevarious participating states with a view to creating awarenessabout the upcoming games. The festival will be hosted byLagos State from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9.

Durolola Olarenwaju of Nigeria embracing a Cuban opponent at the LondonOlympic Games

Unity Torch

Aminu Maigari

‘We are sure of medals atEko 2012’, boasts Ekitiathletics coach

Gombe Dep. Gov receivesfestival Torch of Unity

... As state plans to purchase hockey sticks for festivalGombe yesterday, saidthat the team currentlyhad only five good sticks.

Viola-Samuel said thatthe commission hadpurchased a new bat forthe male team’sgoalkeeper, which hadboosted his morale towardthe game.

The coach said the men’steam that emerged victorious

during the recent zonalqualifying competition,would represent the zone atthe festival.

“We are engaging in avigorous training and myboys are in high spirits. Weare working hard to ensurethat the team emergesvictorious and returns withmedals from Lagos.’’

Viola-Samuel said

although the female teamlost to Bauchi via a penaltyshoot-out during thequalifiers, the girls madethe state proud, as it wastheir first outing.

She expressed the hopethat lack of trainingequipment, which she said,constituted a challenge,would soon be addressed bythe commission.

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari, has urgedparticipants in the 2012 FIFA Referee’s Course to

strive towards excelling in Africa and in the world.Maigari gave the charge on Sunday in Abuja at the

closing ceremony of the one week course.‘’You have to do your best to excel in Africa and the

world at large and what you have to do to succeed is toput what you have learnt for the period of one week intopractice. The search for knowledge is continuous and itwill continue till you die.

‘’FIFA has given the referees, referee’s assessors andphysical fitness instructors the portfolio to excel in life,the rest is left to you.’’

Maigari, who was represented by the Director ofMarketing, Idris Adama, reaffirmed NFF’s commitmentto making Nigerian referees forces to reckon with in theworld.

‘’NFF will ensure that referees are supported morally,educationally, financially and otherwise. With ourpopulation, we should be producing referees like theBrazilians and other countries.

‘’The federation is not comfortable that we have twoor three referees representing us internationally, and

we will ensure that we do everything possible to improvethat.’’

Also speaking, the Chairman of Referees Committee,Malam Muazu Suleiman, gave the assurance that theknowledge the participants acquired would be passedonto the grassroots.

‘’I am very happy that all evaluations at last year’sedition as indicated by the instructors showed that thereis an improvement.

‘’I want to assure them that their efforts will not be invain; the value of education and knowledge that theparticipants acquired will be passed on to the grassroots.

‘’This is to ensure that the junior referees learn fromthem. National and regional courses will be organisedand these participants will teach them.’’

Suleiman promised that the referees would adhere tothe tips given during the one week course.

He expressed happiness over the increase in Nigerianreferees’ participation in international tournaments.

FIFA Referee Development Officer, Sidi BekayeMagassa, FIFA RAP Referees’ Instructor, FelixTangawarima and FIFA RAP Physical Fitness Instructor,Madembe Mbacke were the course instructors.

The one week course started on Oct. 1 and ended onOct. 7, with 86 participants.

Fives boss says sportscatalyst for national unitySport administrators

in Lagos on Saturdayurged the Federal

Government to use sportsas a means of encouragingunity among the people ofNigeria.

Alhaji NasiruMohammed, TechnicalChairman, FivesFederation of Nigeria(FFN), observed in aninterview with the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN)that sport connects peoplemore than anything in theworld.

“It can be used as achannel through which

unity can be encouragedamong Nigerians.

“It is obvious that sportsconnects people easily; aninstance is the crowd thatgathers to watch a footballmatch, putting aside tribeor religion just for the loveof the game.

“The FederalGovernment should investmore in sports and alsoencourage the same at alllevels of government topromote unity from thegrass-roots level.’’

Nasiru, who is also amember of LagosTechnical Committee for

Eko 2012, said thatindividuals could emulatethe oneness and loyaltydisplayed by teams.

“ S p o r t s - l o v i n gindividuals can alsoemulate the act of onenessdisplayed by variousteams which encouragesunity among them,’’ headded.

Mr Abari Sanda, Head,Coaching and TrainingDepartment of the NigeriaInstitute of Sport, said thatsport cuts acrossboundaries and cultures.

“A sport-loving personmust learn to embrace

different cultures becausesport enables us to meetpeople with differentbeliefs and it cuts acrossboundaries.

“It is when we ignore ourdifferences or colours thatwe all can come togetherin a sportsmanship spiritto speak a commonlanguage and practisewhat sport preaches.”

Maurice Cooreman,Head Coach, Warri Wolves,noted that youths arenation builders andmaking them haveinterest in sports is likegiving them a reason tocome together as a team toachieve a common goal.

“When we look at thetalented home-basedfootballers that travelabroad to further theircareer, we will see thatsport transcendscontinents.

“The whole world hasinterest in one sport or theother, and that is whycompetitions like theOlympics connects us all;what we have to do isembrace the unity thatsports portrays around theworld,’’ he said.

The former Enyimbacoach also urged home-based players to alwaysstick together in unitybecause it helps to build astronger national team.

Maigari demands excellence from referees

Murray can be No1, says Federer

PAGE 44 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

World No 2 NovakDjokovic overcame Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France

in straight sets on Sunday to winthe China Open for a third time.

The 25-year-old Serb defeatedthe world No 7 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 tomaintain his unbeaten record atthe ATP 500 tournament in Beijingand take the winner’s prize of $530570.

Djokovic has won the China Openevery time he has entered, hisprevious titles coming in 2009 and2010 before he missed last yearbecause of injury, and his record atthe tournament now stands at 14-0.

He is pressing to beat Roger

Federer to the year-end No 1 spot inthe world rankings and said he was“delighted” at his latest triumph.

“It’s an amazing feeling to winthis trophy in the new stadium,”he said of the capital’s NationalTennis Stadium which had yet tobe built the last time he won inBeijing.

Little separated the playersthroughout the entire opening set.The first four games went to servebefore Tsonga made abreakthrough in the fifth game,breaking Djokovic without losing apoint.

But the Serb immediately brokeback and the next six games went

with serve to force a tie break, whereDjokovic raced to a 4-1 lead.

Tsonga won two quick points beforeDjokovic spurned an opportunitywhile 5-3 ahead, pushing a simpleforehand shot well wide.

But two mistakes from theFrenchman, a double fault and abackhand half volley into the net,gave the tie break and set toDjokovic.

The first two service games of thesecond set were held before Djokovicbroke in the third and was spurredon to take the next two games,establishing a 4-1 lead. Then hecame from behind to hold serve inthe sixth.

Roger Federer admitted on Sunday that a bizarre onlinedeath threat had been a distraction in the build-up tothe Shanghai Masters but said he was now focusing on

action on the court.Tournament officials gave assurances on players’ security

after hate messages from a blogger, who calls himself ‘BlueCat Polytheistic Religion Founder 07’ appeared on the popularbaidu.com site.

“On October 6, I plan to assassinate Federer for the purposeof tennis extermination,” read the message.

The user also posted a doctored image showing a decapitatedFederer on his knees on a tennis court, with an axe-wieldingexecutioner posing next to him.

Federer, speaking at a press conference on the first day ofthe tournament with black-suited security personnel lookingon, said the run-up to the Shanghai Masters had been differentfrom usual.

“Obviously maybe it’s a little bit of a distraction, there’s nodoubt about it. But you have to be aware of what’s happeningaround you,” he said.

“But that is the case anyway anywhere I go today withmy fame and all that stuff.”

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, who has a first-roundbye, said he first became aware of the issue about 10 daysago, before it hit the headlines. But he said had felt safe inChina and praised the authorities.

“So then obviously it came out in the press. That’s whenthings changed. It became much more public, which I’m a bitdisappointed about, that it did come out in the press,” he said. Roger Federer

“It was something just very small on a website, nothingclear and concrete, people just debating. That it makes thatbig news is a bit surprising to me.”

Federer’s wife and twin daughters have not travelled toChina but Federer said that decision had nothing to do withthe threats, adding: “It was a last-minute decision for me tocome here in the first place.”

The Swiss maestro, 31, who returned to the No 1 rankingafter his Wimbledon triumph in July, said he felt “fine” aftersome time off and was hoping to finish the year in top spot.But it was not his overriding goal.

“For me I’ve already reached my goal by getting back toworld No 1 in the summer. That was for me the goal, gettingback there and winning a Grand Slam, particularlyWimbledon.”

Federer and Novak Djokovic are the top draws in theteeming Chinese city, along with Britain’s defendingchampion Andy Murray, fresh from his US Open success.

Federer missed the 2011 Shanghai Masters but has anenviable record at the magnolia-shaped Qi Zhong Stadium,winning two of his six season-ending showpiece titles therebefore the event shifted to London.

As the gruelling season enters its final few weeks, the Swiss,as of Sunday, had 11 805 points in the rolling 12-monthrankings with Djokovic second on 10 470. A total of 1 000points are on offer to the winner in Shanghai.

But crucially the Serb has fewer points to defend for therest of the season, and his eye is firmly on supplanting Federerby the end of the year.

Death threat a distraction - Federer

Murray can be No1, says Federer

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic beats Tsonga for Beijing titleDjokovic beats Tsonga for Beijing title

U S Open last month, had bounced backstrongly after losing the Wimbledon final.

“He’s saying the right things. He has resultsthat back up his chances to become world No 1,

maybe even at the end of the year, maybe atthe beginning of the next year,” said Federer.

“If not then, he’s got a shot till next year’sWimbledon almost if he were to win there.

His next nine months are going to beextremely interesting to follow.”

The Swiss 17-time Grand Slamchampion, who was destroyed in theOlympic final by a resurgent Murray,said: “His reaction was amazing rightafter not winning Wimbledon against

Andy Murray

me.“Then coming back and winning the Olympics, still

battling it out through Toronto and Cincinnati, thenbringing the victory home, his first Grand Slam, atthe US Open, (I was) very impressed, great to see.”

Murray is currently ranked third in the worldbehind Federer and Novak Djokovic but it would take

an unlikely sequence of results to reach the No 1 spotthis year.

The 25-year-old, who lost in the semifinals of the JapanOpen on Saturday as defending champion, reached acareer high of No 2 in 2009.

There has never been a British world No 1 under thecurrent ranking system, launched in 1973.

Federer said Murray’s recent run of successes would givehim a major boost.

“I’m sure it’s going to give him confidence for what’s tocome, then of course it is going to have maybe an impactin the future.

“When is Rafa (Rafael Nadal) going to come back, when,how strong? How well am I going to play? How well is Novakgoing to play? The rest of the players. That all has a littlebit of an impact.

“But overall he has some control over that himself now,and I hope for him he can achieve it eventually.”

Andy Murray canbuild on hisbreakthrough year

by becoming the No 1 playerin the world, top-rankedSwiss rival RogerFederer said on Sunday.

Federer said the Scot, whobecame Britain’s first

men’s singles GrandSlam champion

since the 1930swhen he won

t h e

PAGE 45PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

A

B C

D E

GF

\A/ CaptainDarren Sammyhopes West Indiescan "startsomethingspecial" afterwinning the WorldTwenty20.

\B/ Didier Drogbarevealed in aninterview thatfootball's ishelping Côted'Ivoire developas a country, hispersonal work inhis homeland,and the nationalteam's chances ofglory.

\C/ ManchesterCity have beenlinked withRadamel Falcaoand Isco followingmanager RobertoMancini'sattendance atSunday's La Ligafixture betweenAtletico Madridand Malaga.

\D/ Real Madridboss JoseMourinho wasagain critical ofthe referee'sperformanceduring the 2-2draw atBarcelona, but hisclaims wereswiftly dismissedby Tito Vilanova.

\E/ Usain Bolt sayshe wants todefend hisOlympic 100mand 200m titles atthe Rio 2016Games, ratherthan try the 400mor long jump.

\F/ HeatherWatson beatsSlovenian PolonaHercog in the firstround of the HPOpen in Osaka.

\G/ South Africa'sBranden Gracewins the DunhillLinksChampionship bytwo shots with arecord-equalling22-under-partotal.

PICTORIAL

PAGE 46 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

A Zambian international soccer player has said heand his team mates were humbled and elated tobe nominated for the African-footballer-of-the-

year award by CAF, the Zambia Daily Mail reportedy e s t e r d a y .

CAF has included four Zambian players in the 2012nominations for their splendid exploits at this year’sNations Cup, which they lifted after beating much-fancied Cote d’Ivoire in the finals.

PUBLIC NOTICE

FRESH LIFE CARE FOUNDATION (FLCF)THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUBHAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATIONUNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OFTRUSTEES OF FRESH LIFE CARE FOUNDATION:1. MRS. DORCAS OSAZEE OGIAMIEN – NATIONAL COORDINATOR2. MR. UGOCHUKWU UCHEGBU OSIGWE3. MR. DANIEL ABRAHAM 4. DR. AUSTIN JOHNSON5. MR. BONIFACE ENAM 6. PASTOR JOSEPH INDA-JOHNAIMS AND OBJECTIVES:1.ENGAGEMENT OF YOUTHS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE EPIDEMICANDPESTILENCE HIV/AIDS THROUGH ENLIGHTENMENT. 2.PURSUING GOALS THAT COULD PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING CONDITIONSAMONGST YOUTHS, AND COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONALAGENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS TOWARDS COMBATING THE SCOURGE OF HIV/AIDS AMONG YOUTHS. 3.WORKING TOGETHER WITH PEOPLES LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS WITH THEINTENT OF TACKLING STIGMATISATION, LONELINESS, SELF-PITY, HEARTBREAKS AND RE-INVIGORATING HOPE FOR HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE. 4.PROVIDING INFORMATION ON HIV/AIDS, ACCESS TO HIV/AIDS CENTRES ANDSERVICES SUCH AS HIV TESTING, COUNSELLING AND TREATMENTS.5.ENVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE LOVE UNIT, GROWTH,ACHIEVEMENT AMONGST YOUTHS AND PROMOTING THE IDEAL OFABSTINENCE AS THE KEY TO BRIGHTER AND HEALTHY FUTURE.ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THEREGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420,TIGRISCRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJAWITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED:SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

THINK TANK INITIATIVE FORNORTHERN NIGERIA

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUBHAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATIONUNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. ABDUL QADIR ALHAJI SANI (ESQ.)2.NAJIBAH ALIYU GALDANCI3.SHEHU AHMED4.NANA ASMAU GWADABE5.BAZALLAHI MOHAMMED6.SADDATU HAMMA7.AHMAED ABUBAKAR8.ALIYU A. WALIAIMS AND OBJECTIVES:1.TO ADVOCATE FOR PEACE AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF NOTHERNNIGERIA.2.TO DEVELOP INTERVENTION PROJECTS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE INTAKEAND QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THE REGION, AND TO WORK WITH OTHERSTAKEHOLDERS TO ADVOCATE FOR QUALITATIVE SOUND AND PURPOSEFULEDUCATION AT ALL LEVEL IN THE REGION. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THEREGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420,TIGRISCRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJAWITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED:NURA SAIDU ESQ.

08060245283

Christopher Katongo Victor Moses Didier Drogba

Those nominated include skipper ChristopherKatongo, midfielder Rainford Kalaba, defender StoppilaSunzu and striker Emmanuel Mayuka.

Kalaba, who plays for Democratic Republic of Congoside TP Mazembe, said it was an honour to be nominatedfor such a prestigious award.

“It is not easy to be found among the best on thecontinent. It is a good honour for me and my country aswell, because it is not easy to be considered as one of the

good players around the continent. I am very happy andhumbled,” he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.The four Zambian players are among 34 playersnominated for the prestigious award, also including Coted’Ivoire’s Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, as well asNigeria’s duo of John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses.

If a Zambian wins the award, it will be the second forthe country after the country’s most decorated playerKalusha Bwalya won it in 1988.

Player lauds CAF for nominating four Zambians for award

Super Eagles HeadCoach, StephenKeshi, and two ex-

internationals Henry Nwosuand Mutiu Adepoju, haveurged Nigeria’s flag bearers inthe CAF Champions League,

Sunshine Stars, not to relentin their quest to secure a berthin this year’s final.

Peoples Daily Sports recallsthat Sunshine Stars wereforced by visiting six-timechampions, Al Ahly of

Egypt to 3-3 draw in the firstleg of the CAF ChampionsLeague semi-finals at theDipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode on Saturday.

Though the score line givesthe Egyptians a hugeadvantage because SunshineStars must beat Al Ahly orscore as much as three goalsif the return leg in Cairo endsin a draw to harbour anyhope of berthing at the final.

“Well, for them to comeback from two goals downshowed that they can domuch better. I have watchedthe team in previousencounters and they havelots of potential.

“If they can show muchcommitment and discipline,

I think Sunshine Stars willget to the final of thecompetition. I wish thembetter luck in the second leg,’’Keshi said.

Also, Solomon Ogbeide, thecoach of Akwa United of Uyo,described the 3-3 draw as“quite unfortunate’’.

“It was very bad forSunshine because they wereat home. Well, it’s not yet overtill it is over, I believe they canstill make a comeback; theyneed an outright win in thereturn leg.

“That’s the only way theycan make it to the finals,because this draw has putthem in a tight corner. If theycan get a 3-3 here; thenSunshine Stars can also get

it the same kind of result inCairo,’’ Ogbeide said.

The General Manager of3SC FC of Ibadan, MutiuAdepoju, urged the team notto be distressed over the resultand he implored them to stepup their game.

“If it was a win it wouldhave been better,nevertheless they are still inthe champion’s league andthey can still go there too andpull a draw. So, I just thinkthey should not relent; theyshould brace up to qualify forthe semi-finals.

“They should not bedestabilised by this, it shouldrather spur them to doubletheir efforts,’’ Adepoju said.

Meanwhile, Henry

Nwosu, a former GreenEagles attacking mid-fielder,has urged the coaching crewof Sunshine Stars not to relentin their effort to psyche theplayers to achieve the club’sset objective.

“It is like our matchagainst Liberia where weplayed a 2-2 draw and peoplewere saying that we hadqualified; we have not, wemust see that we doeverything humanlypossible to remain in thecompetition.

“I know Sunshine Starshave been playing well, wemust pray for luck too in thisgame of football; for them toscale through to the nextround,’’ Nwosu said.

The National SportsCommission (NSC) willensure that grassroots

talents discovered at the

forthcoming 18th NationalSports Festival are given toppriority attention with aview to grooming them for

subsequent internationaltournaments.

Julius Ogunro, SpecialAssistant (Media) to Sports

Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi,said over the weekend thatthe commission willendeavour to ensure adeparture from the past byinititiating programmes tothat will help to harnesswhatever grassroots talentdiscovered.

Ogunro siad thatcommission will use theopportunity provided by thefiesta to identify these talentsand compel the respectivesports federations to work intangent with them to sustainwhatever tempo the talentsexhibit.

“The NSF is one of thepremier systems, designed toidentify talents at thegrassroots. We get theseyouths from the grassroots,young athletes, who are justout of school.

“The festival is one of thegreatest opportunities thatwe have to discover newathletes. “We will set upsystems and structures thatwill help us to nurture thesenew talents for our nationalteams,’’ he said.

He commended the effortof the Main OrganisingCommittee for ensuring thatit surpassed what wasachieved at Port Harcourtfestival.

Champions League: Keshi, others urge Sunshine Star not to give up hope

Minister’s aide says NSC to harness festival talents

The maiden edition of the Chief of NavalStaff Open Volleyball Championshipswill be used to by the Nigeria Volleyball

Federation (NVBF) to unearth fledglingsvolleyball talents, an official has said.

The federation’s Secretary-General, AdisaBeyioku, said yesterday in Abuja that talentsdiscovered at the competition will be groomedobjectively stressing that the tournamentoffers the federation opportunity for freshbeginning.

“The competition offers us an opportunityto move faster in our grass rootsdevelopment, and it will give a chance fornew players to emerge and be groomed,’’ hesaid.

The championships is scheduled to holdin Ilorin starting from thisSaturday through October 21 isdevelopment incline and will includedcompetitions in both the male and femalecategories.

Teams being expected at thechampionships are from all the 36 statesand the FCT, as well as the military andpara-military bodies.

The scribe expressed the federation’sgratitude to the Chief of Naval Staff forcoming to their rescue adding that withsponsored programme the federation will

definitely discover many new talents thathave prospects for growth.

“It is a competition many players, officialsand others in the volleyball family have beenlooking forward to. For over two years now,there has not been a national competition,and something of this magnitude.

“And, it has come at a time when it willhelp some teams prepare for theirappearance at the 18th National SportsFestival coming up in Lagos fromNovember27 to December 9.

“So, we are expecting a large turnoutbecause of its importance value to manyvolleyball stakeholders. With the way thingsare, we expect not less than 20 participantsfrom each of the two categories,’’ he said.

Beyioku said October 12 had been fixed forparticipants’ arrival, with the draws onOctober 13 and departure on October 21.

He praised the Naval Headquarters,especially the office of the Chief of Naval Staff,for offering to sponsor the competition.

“They are spending about N4m on thechampionships, and that’s a huge amountof money. We are really grateful to them,because it is a way of partnering with sportsin Nigeria and part of showing that they aresocially responsible in the community,’’ theNVBF Secretary-General said.

Chief of Naval Staff Open tourney fertileground for volleyball talents

CHANGE OF NAMEI, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ISADAHIRU. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN ANDADDRESSED AS ISA DAHIRU ABUBAKAR. ALLFORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. CIVILSERVICE, STANDARD ORGANISATION OF NIGERIAAND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

PAGE 47PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Quick CrossWord (43)ACROSS4 Small cluster (4)7 Adhered (to) (5)9 Spiritual teachers (5)10 Nobleman’s territory such as Cornwall (5)11 Limited period of time (4)12 Ciggie (3)15 Cuts with a scalpel (7)16 Desert watering place (5)17 Picturesque (6)18 Unpleasant vermin in sleeping quarters (6)21 Educate (5)23 Bram Stoker’s vampire creation (7)25 Fish associated with hte Sargasso Sea (3)26 __ the Terrible, Russian emperor (4)28 Cunningly (5)30 Sleeping berths (5)31 Nurses (5)32 General idea (4)

DOWN1 Collect bit by bit (5)2 Common conjunction (3)3 Acquire with money (3)4 Egyptian boy king, familiarily (3)5 (Drug) addicts (5)6 Audible indication of the correct hour (4,6)8 Rifle-makers (9)9 Supposed spirit appearing after death (5)12 Very early (5,5)13 School exam (inits) (4)14 Field event (4,5)19 Colour associated with the Tories (4)20 Graven images (5)22 Natives of the Middle East (5)24 Conducts (5)27 Hard dry fruit (3)28 Firmament (3)29 Wood formerly used to make longbows (3)

Yesterday’s answer

DAVID Blaine has begun his latest shocking stunt "Electrified". The magician took toa 20ft-high podium at Pier 54 in New York, where he was surrounded by one millionvolts of electric current.

* Spam filters that catch the word "cialis" will not allow many work-related e-mails throughbecause that word is embedded inside the word "specialist".

* McDonald's restaurants will buy 54,000,000 pounds of fresh apples this year. Two years ago,McDonald's purchased 0 pounds of apples. This is attributed to the shift to more healthy menuoptions (the Apple Pie, which has been at McDonald's for years uses processed Apple Pie Filling).

* The biggest dog on record was an Old English Mastiff that weighed 343 pounds. He was 8 feet,3 inches from nose to tail.

* Mailmen in Russia now carry revolvers after a recent decision by the government.

* All of Queen Anne's 17 children died before she did.

* There are over 87,000 Americans on waiting lists for organ transplants. Source: Weird facts

FACTS

Source: Reader's Digest

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Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza,Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos,Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com;pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

QQQQQUOUOUOUOUOTTTTTABLE QABLE QABLE QABLE QABLE QUOUOUOUOUOTETETETETEWe know how much subsidy was being granted

fertilizer, (but) the benefit was not going directly tothe Nigerian farmer. It was going to Cameroon,

going to Niger, going to Benin Republic and whathave you.

— Senator Abdullahi Adamu, former governor ofNasarawa state

The floods that have ravagedmost river basins in Nigeriathis year were predicted by

Nigerian Meteorological Agency(NIMET) in August and they havebeen particularly bad. No wonder,the nation’s news media has beenawash with news of flood disasters,politics of the floods. At the end therainy season we will have somerespite, but right now the floodsshow no sign of abetting soon.

Freshwater resources are asource life but only if they aremanaged well. As Kofi Annan putit: The task is not just to preservewater resources to sustain life, butalso to reduce the capacity of waterto take life away; we can and mustreduce the number and impact ofdisasters by building sustainablecommunities that have the long-term capacity to live with risks.

The nation’s response to thefloods has been anything butarticulate and comprehensive. Allwe have done is to react after thedisastrous events to provide reliefto the unfortunate victims, andthen we wait for another deluge.We must, however, understandthat routine smaller floods thatmoderately inundate flood plainscalled fadama are desirable becausethey play a vital role in replenishingfresh water resources, rechargingwetlands and groundwater,support agriculture and fishery aswell as maintain ecosystems andfloodplain biodiversity in the rivercorridors that are essential to thewell-being of many communities.

It is the destructive floods whichare occasional but more recently,very devastating, that areworrisome. It is not unreasonableto project that an increasinglypopulated floodplains coupled withthe climate change would furtherescalate the toll in lives andlivelihoods in future, unless wecomprehensively manage them.

Floods are as a result of flow ofwater exceeding the capacity of theriver channel, particularly atbends or meanders, or theunexpected drainage obstructions,or from combination of tidal seassurges in coastal areas or water inthe lake or reservoir overflowing orbreaking of levees or catastrophicevent such as dam breakage.However, the most commonflooding in Nigeria are caused byintense rain, particularly at thepeak of rains, especially where rainhas previously fallen and theground are saturated; such that theadditional rain runs off over thesurface and accumulates instreams and rivers faster than theirdrainage capacity. Most often suchintense rainfalls are accompaniedby strong winds. Other causesmight be due to outbursts of naturalwater retention dams createdoccasionally by floating debrisaccumulating at a natural or man-made obstruction such as bridgesthus restricting the flow of waterand causing flooding upstream.

do we mitigate floods.Although, the most logical

means of virtually eliminating thehazardous floods may be bymoving away settlements fromnear rivers and other bodies ofwater, yet we also know that sinceearly civilization, mankind havelived and worked by the rivers toseek sustenance and capitalize onthe gains of most affordable meansof transport and commerce. In anagrarian economy like ours, foodsecurity is synonymous withsecuring livelihood and floodplainspopularly called fadama provide inmany cases excellent, technicallyeasy means for food production andlivelihood opportunities.

Accordingly, flood interventionmeasures should refrain fromtempering with the smallerflooding because it would not onlydamage the ecosystems but wouldaffect livelihoods that may havedeveloped around the wetland.Furthermore, increasedcompetition for access to limitedland resources in the denselypopulated regions of Nigeria isjeopardizing the weaker sections ofthe population who largely resortto living in the floodplains. This hasincreased their vulnerability toflooding. These urban ghettos alsosuffer from a lack of health andsanitation facilities and are thusmost vulnerable to disasters andpost-disaster consequences.

The conventional strategyacross the world is that rivers proneto floods are often carefullymanaged using mainly structuralapproach such as levees, bunds,reservoirs, and weirs to preventrivers from bursting their banks.

Two Akwa United stars arebeing held by police overthe murder of a lady,

according to a wire servicereport last night.

The players are local boysand hold top positions at theNPL outfit. One of them was adelight to watch last season asscored vital goals from setpieceson Akwa's return to the topflight.

A top source at the Uyo-based club was quoted by thewire service to have confirmedthat the two players have beenin police net for the past onemonth following the death of alady, who was reportedly a girlfriend to one of them.

"The players have been inpolice custody over the murderof a lady for the past one month,"the source disclosed.

"The police said they weretipped off that kidnappers wereheading in their direction andthey were in a black ToyotaCamry, which was the samedescription as the one theplayers were driving on thatfateful day.

"The players’ version of thestory is that the police openedfire on them and one of thebullets hit the lady and killedher, but the police insist theymet the lady dead in the car."

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

Contrary to the widely held believe,only very rarely have the flashfloods in Nigeria been caused byfailure of dams, or other hydraulicinfrastructure.

Other factors that decisivelyinfluence flash floods - apart fromthe intensity and duration of therainfall - are the topography, soilconditions, and coverage of theterrain. Steeply sloping highterrains, narrow valleys or ravineshasten the runoff and increase thelikelihood of flood occurrence.Saturated soil or shallow watertightgeological formation wouldsignificantly increase surfacerunoff. Urbanization processes,especially those associated withconstruction with watertightmaterials such as concrete andasphalts would result in the runoffbecoming 2 to 6 fold greater incomparison to terrains with naturalcoverage (fields, meadows, forests).

The projected effects of globalwarming are that more heavy andintense rainfall in overall fewernumbers of events would beexperienced in future, implyinggreater incidence of extreme floodsand droughts. Furthermore, globalsea levels are rising with attendantinundation of the coastal lowland;altered tidal range in rivers andbays; more severe storm surgeflooding; and increased saltwaterintrusion into estuaries andfreshwater aquifers. It also poses amajor conceptual challenge to thelong held assumption that the long-term historical hydrologicalconditions will continue into thefuture. Our selection of appropriatedesign flood should therefore seek tobalance risks and benefits. So how

Floods: Stop the blame gamePolice detain NPLstars over murder

When these flood defence structuresfail, emergency measures areinstituted such as sandbagging orportable inflatable tubes are used.Coastal floods have been addressedwith coastal defences, such as seawalls, beach nourishment, andbarrier islands. These areessentially ad-hoc approach, andexperiences have shown that theyare deficient to adequatelymitigate floods.

The most recent example of thefailure of such mono-disciplinaryapproach was in the New Orleansflood in United States that reliedsolely on levees and flood gates forprotection. This system failedcatastrophically, during HurricaneKatrina. Global experience has alsorevealed that there can be no suchthing as absolute control of flooding.It is simply not technically feasibleand it is also economically andenvironmentally unviable.

Frequently, the structuralmeasures tend to generally disturbthe ecological balance andconsequently, rather thanmitigating flood risks they havetended to only shift them. Abalanced and well sequencing of amix of “soft” (institutional andcapacity building) and “hard”(infrastructure) response; land andwater resources management;ecosystem preservation anddevelopment needs; and short andlong-term measures are what isrequired. Flood managementpolicy therefore require paradigmshift from the myth of “absolutesafety from flooding” as we continueto hear from our politicians towardsa more pragmatic, flexible andadaptive approach of “living withflood risk”. Such that the benefits ofthe smaller and frequent floods, thevalue of flood plains and floodprotection measures and suchresidual risks as levee failure arerecognized.

Since 1970s, the concept ofintegrated water resourcesmanagement (IWRM) has beenaccepted to be the key to achievingwater security and sustainability.This requires that we integrate floodrisks in the development strategiesby way of integrated floodmanagement (IFM) in the overallframework of IWRM. The definingcharacteristic of IFM is integration,expressed simultaneously indifferent forms: an appropriate mixof strategies, carefully selectedpoints of interventions, andappropriate types of interventions(structural or non-structural, short-or long-term) that addresses thefollowing six key elements: managethe water cycle as a whole;integrate land and watermanagement; manage risk anduncertainty; adopt a best mix ofstrategies; ensure a participatoryapproach; and adopt integratedhazard management approaches.Let me briefly elaborate on each ofthese.

Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafia

Inuwa Kuta Musa

GUEST COLUMNIST

Contd. on Page 36

The Alex Ekwueme U-18Boys Tennis Tournamentscheduled for Enugu has

suffered a setback as the floodsravaging various parts of thecountry have affected theplayers’ arrival.

The officials and gamesorganisers were kept waiting atthe Enugu Sports Club, venueof the tournament as the playersfailed to show up.

“We are aware that theplayers are on their way. Manyof them are coming from Abujawhere they played atournament and the situationof the road has affected them,”one official volunteered.

The official said thetournament would now serveoff on Oct.9 as against Oct. 8,earlier scheduled.

“We are maintaining ourdraw of 32. There are nopreliminaries. We just have adraw of 32,” the official said.

The tournament, scheduledto end on Friday, is beingorganised by associates ofEkwueme, a former vicepresident, in honour of his 80thbirthday.

Flood haltsEkwueme U-18tennis tourney