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Vol. 9 No. 82 Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Al-Muharram 19, 1434 AH N150 . . . putting the people first

Boko Haram Northerncreation, saysBaba Ahmed

Protests as Kadunaswears-in council

chairmen>> PAGE 2 >> PAGE 2

Budget: Okonjo-Iweala explains4th quarter releases>> PAGE 3

SURE-P aiding capital flight, unemployment – NASSBy Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Contd on Page 2

The Senate and House ofRepresentatives JointCommittee on Petroleum

(Downstream) yesterdayqueried the Christopher Kolade-

led board of the SubsidyReinvestment Programme(SURE-P), for spending subsidyfunds on projects that encouragecapital flight andunemployment rather thancreating jobs for Nigerians as

preached by the President.This is coming on the heels of

calls last week by federallawmakers demanding that theprogramme be outrightlyscrapped for perceived failure toachieve its mandate.

Members of the jointcommittee told the SURE-Pboard who were at the NationalAssembly to defend theprogramme’s 2013 budget thatthey were deeply worried thatgiven the manner of policy

initiation and implementationby the SURE-P, it is likely thatthe committee will end up likeothers set up in the past.

Chairman of the jointcommittee, Senator Magnus

RIBADU REPORT:

How FG plunderedNNPC accounts

BUYING SELLING

$ 154.76 155.76£ 246.91 248.51EURO 197.25 200.54CFA 0.2831 0.3031RIYAL 41 41.5

BUYING SELLING

EURO 207 209£ 255 256RIYAL 42 44$ 157 158

CBN RATES

PD INDEX 3rd Dec., 2012

PARALLEL RATES

Sponsorship of World Cup – N866.2mPresidential committee – N19.878bnPresidential chopper – N2.230 bn

Borno state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima (middle), assessing 1000 dilapidatedhospital beds refurbished by technicians at the state owned Ramat Polytechnic,yesterday, in Maiduguri.

By Richard Ihediwa

Fresh facts have emergedabout how FederalGovernment officials

turned the Nigeria NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC)

into a cash cow. The final reportof the Nuhu Ribadu ledPetroleum Revenue Special TaskForce obtained by Peoples Dailyrevealed details of movement ofhuge sums of money from thecorporation’s accounts for loansand presidential purchasesoutside its mandate.

The final report, datedNovember 1, 2012 andsubmitted to the Minister ofPetroleum Resources, DiezaniAlison-Madueke also showedhuge sums of unremittedrevenue with the NNPC and itssubsidiary companies especiallythe Department of PetroleumResources (DPR) as well as thelist of companies used by brief-case contractors andgovernment officials to steal the

Contd on Page 2

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSNews 2-11

Editorial 12

Op.Ed 13

Letters 14

Opinion 15

Metro 16-18

Business 19-22

S/Exchange 23

Defence 26

Agriculture 27

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Local Governments:Why are state governors

afraid of autonomy?,Page 4

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Int’l 31-35

Politics 39-40

Sports 41-47

Columnist 48

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012PAGE 2

Contd from Page 1

SURE-P aiding capital flight, unemployment – NASS

Protests as Kaduna swears-in council chairmenFrom Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

Contd from Page 1

How FG plundered NNPC accounts

Amidst protests fromsections of somecommunities, the Kaduna

state government yesterdayswore-in new chairmen for the 23local government areas in thestate.

During the elections organisedlast weekend by the StateIndependent Electoral Commission(SIECOM), the ruling PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) won 22local government councils leavingthe Congress for ProgressiveChange (CPC) with the KadunaNorth local government.

Elections were also held forcouncillorship positions in the 255

wards across the state.At the swearing-in ceremony,

Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowaurged the council chairmen toimplement their campaignpromises and noted that, “becauseyou are the closest tier ofgovernment to the people, youhave a big burden on you not todisappoint them. Their eyes willbe on you and my own eyes willalso be on you.”

The just concluded electionswas not so much about who won orwho lost, it is more on whatdevelopment you are ready toimpact on your councils”.

But elsewhere in the state, across section of members of the CPCfrom across four local government

areas in the northern senatorialzone trouped to the palace of theEmir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris,contesting the outcome of the polls.

The Giwa, Soba, Sabon Gariand Zaria local governments arebelieved to be strongholds of theCPC as the protesters described theelection results as manipulated.

Director, Buhari Organisationfor the zone, Alhaji AbubakarMaiwada, who spoke on behalf ofthe aggrieved persons, explainedthat they were at the palace toregister their complaint, alleginginjustice on the part of the PDP andurged the Emir to intervene.

In his remarks, a member ofthe House of Representatives fromZaria Federal Constituency, Alhaji

Abass Tajuddeen, also condemnedwhat he called the PDP riggingstyle, warning that the CPC “willnot allow intruders to occupy thelocal government office since it is apublic office and not PDP’s office”.

In his response, the Emircommended the protesters forconducting themselves peacefullybut urged them to follow the dueprocess and direct their grievancesto the appropriate authorities.

Abe, queried the SURE-Pmanagement for improperexpenditure accounting addingthat the claim by the board tohave expended N75 million intouring project sites was notacceptable.

He also berated the board fornot presenting a properly laid-out expenditure sheet on fixedasset, allowances and salaries,among others, item by item.

Other members of the jointcommittee expressed concernthat most of the SURE-Pcommunity based programmesare being managed by theFederal Government existingstructure in Abuja, arguing that

if SURE-P staff at the local areaswere allowed to manage theprojects, more jobs would becreated.

They also lamented theinability of SURE-P to initiateprojects that will create greenand blue collar jobs for Nigeriansin areas of agriculture,construction and artisanship,insisting that most of thecontracts being financed bySURE-P are being handled byforeign contractors.

Also condemning the plan bySURE-P to employ 5000 youthsin all the state and pay eachN10,000 monthly, thelawmakers warned that ratherthan crate a framework to pay

youths an amount of moneywhich may not be sustainable,it is better to empower themwith self reliant businesses.

In his response, theChairman of the SURE-P board,Christopher Kolade, said thatmost of the projects they areinvesting the subsidy funds inare projects already awardedby the government, addingthat assigning indigenouscontractors to handle suchprojects would delay and distortthe implementation.

He also said that the 2013budget already capturedprojects that will empowerNigerian youths and createmore jobs.

Meanwhile, none of thefederal roads across the countrywhich are being executed by theFederal Government throughsubsidy fund is up to 50 percentcompletion.

According to an officialdocument by the SURE-P, theEnugu-Onitsha-Port-Harcourtfederal road is 25 percentcompleted, East-West road is 46percent completed, Benin- Ore-Shagamu road is 37 percentcompleted, Abuja-Abaji-Lokojaroad is 32 percent completed,while Kano-Maiduguri road is47 percent completed.Meanwhile, no money hasbeing invested on the SecondNiger Bridge.

Boko HaramNorthern creation– Baba AhmedBy Umar Muhammad Puma

Former federalpermanent secretary,Dr. Hakeem Baba

Ahmed has put the blame forthe existence of the BokoHaram sect on Northernleaders saying they wereresponsible by creating theenvironment that made thegroup to mature, grow andget out of control.

Speaking at the inauguralAhmadu Bello MemorialLecture in Abuja, Dr. BabaAhmed said the entirenorthern states are today incomatose as a result of theactivities of the Boko Haramsect which “the North issuffering economically,socially and politically”.

Dr. Ahmed also said thenorthern governors have nomoral justification forcomplaining that PresidentGoodluck Jonathan has notvisited Borno and Yobe statessince the Boko Haraminsurgency began becausethey have not showncompassion to the plight of thepeople affected by theinsurgency.

He challenge thechairman of the NorthernGovernors Forum, Dr.Babangida Aliyu of Nigerstate who was sitting on thehigh table and asked him whyhe has not visited Yobe andBorno state as the leader of thegovernors in the North.

nation’s crude oil.The report, signed by Malam

Nuhu Ribadu as Chairman andOlasupo Shasore as Secretary/member, showed that theFederal Government used itspowers to direct the NNPC torelease money for presidentialpurchases, sponsoring of sportingactivities, loans to foreigncountries and other governmentagencies.

Section 7 of the report whichdeals with the summary ofoutstanding debts found by thetask force in the course of itsreview, as at April 2012 showsthat the NNPC was made to paythe sum of N2.230 billion for thepurchase of a chopper for thePresidency. The corporation wasalso made to pay N19.878 billionincurred on behalf of thePresidential ImplementationCommittee on Maritime Safetyand Security.

It also showed that the NNPCwas made to pay out the sum ofN2.421 billion to RoyalSwaziland Sugar Company foryet to be verified reasons.

The report listed otherexpenses the NNPC was directedto pay for to include the sum ofN866.2 million for the“sponsorship of World Cup andothers”; loan to the Bureau ofPublic Enterprises (BPE),

N798.6 million; loan to SaoTome and Principe, N700.5million.

Others include payment forstorage cost on illegalbunkering, N563 million;payment for expenses of theFederal Ministry of PetroleumResources, N521 million;payment of legal expenses of thecase between South Atlantic andthe Ministry of PetroleumResources, N250 million amongothers.

Also the report showed thatthe NNPC and DPR were yet toremit over N1.377 trillion nairafrom discrepancies in crude oilsales, discrepancies in exchangerate, concessions, signaturebonuses and royalties amongothers.

The report said the NNPC wasyet to remit the sum of $4.6billion arising from discrepanciesin pricing of domestic crude salesfrom 2002 to 2011. Thecorporation, the report said hasalso not remitted the sum of N77billion arising from exchange ratediscrepancies from 2002 to 2011.

It indicted the DPR of failure toremit the sum of $3.027 billionbeing outstanding royalties fromoperators at at December, 2011.The DPR, the report said has alsonot remitted a total of $560million from bid rounds from2005 to 2007 as well as concession

rentals of $183 million forallocations of 2008 to 2010. Alsothe DPR has not remitted $58million balance from outstandinggas flare penalty, the report said.

Giving details of how someunregistered companies wereused to steal crude oil from thecountry, the report indicated thatmany of them were foreigncompanies that had no contractwith Nigeria to lift crude.

The report listed the companiesto include Ghana based Tema OilRefining, Petrobras, Itochu,Crossoil, Energem PetroleumCorporation, Ovlas Trading, AMGPetro Energy, Safiya GlobalInvestments Limited, INCNatural Resources, Tristar, EmoOil, Republic of Liberia, J&SPetroleum, OFSI Limited, andPetroleum Corp of Jamaica.

The list also includes OmmartLimited, Dainom NigeriaLimited, AMG Petro Energy,Tacorr, Roger Princeton, RheinoelLimited, Sterling Oil Resources,Makwande, Alpha PetroWorldwide, Abacus, Ommart,Ovlas, Sunoil Refinery, GhanaNational Petroleum Corporation,Mercuria, SPOG Petrochemicals,Sinclair Commercial, Sullom Voe,Liberia, Petroleum, Tocomo Oil,Centro Energy, Republic of Benin,Emo Oil, Arcadia, Overt Energy,Rheinoel Limited, and SarbEnergy.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 PAGE 3

R-L: President Goodluck Jonathan, and outgoing Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Am-bassador Ali Rifat Koksal, during the envoy’s farewell visit to the president yesterdayat the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

The Director General of theState Security Service (SSS)Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, has

pleaded with media practitionersto exercise restraint in givingpublicity to terrorist attacks,noting that such publicity was the“oxygen the terrorists need to stayalive and perpetrate their evil”.

Ekpenyong who made this callduring the official openingceremony of a one-week trainingfor journalists covering crime andsecurity beats, organised by theSSS and held at the agency’sInstitute of Security Studies, (ISS)Abuja, said security agencies needto partner with other agencies andgroups to end the reign ofinsurgency.

The DG who debunkedinsinuations that the SSSorganised the workshop in orderto moderate and influence reportsby correspondents, pointed outthat the security agency was notout to gag the press but rather toequip them to carry out theirduties more professionally andresponsibly.

“Is the media not magnifyingthe threat of terrorism instead ofallaying the fears of the public? Isthe media emboldening theterrorists? Is the media workingto enhance their activities? Once

the media stops publicisingand exaggerating their actions,their morale will be low and theywill be weakened” the DG noted.

Ekpeyong who assured thatthe security agencies were notoverwhelmed by the actions andthreats of the insurgents, disclosedthat the terrorists seek attentionof the public through the media,want recognition of their motivesand respect and sympathy fromthe society.

The workshop’s theme isSecurity and Media: Building anEnduring Partnership forSecurity and Development andhas such topics as, Introduction toContemporary Threats toNational Security, ProtectingCritical National Infrastructurethe Role of the Media, amongothers.

Don’t giveterroristspublicity- DG SSSBy Lambert Tyem

The Petroleum and NaturalGas Senior Staff Association(PENGASSAN) has alerted

the government and the generalpublic of its determination to jointhe National Union of Petroleumand Natural Gas Workers(NUPENG) in every protest andaction to be undertaken in theevent that the Shell PetroleumDevelopment Company (SPDC)management fails to recall sackedNUPENG members as directed bythe Minister of Labour andProductivity, EmekaWogu.According to a statementsigned by the national publicitysecretary of PENGASSAN,Comrade Zaid Kolawole, theprotest and industrial actions willbe jointly planned under theNUPENGASSAN platform tocompel Shell’s management tocomply with the minister’sdirective.The minister hadduring a mediation meetingbetween NUPENG and themanagement of SPDC, directedShell to recall the sacked workerson or before December 4, 2012.Inthe statement, PENGASSANalleged that information reachingthe union was that SPDC iscontemplating circumventingthe directive of the minister byplanning that the affectedNUPENG officers and membersshall only be recalled to their jobsfrom which they were unjustlydisengaged as casual workers.

NUPENG,PENGASSANplan strikeover sackedShell workersFrom Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Budget implementation: Okonjo-Iweala explains 4th quarter releases… as Aig-Imokuede c’ttee uncovers N232.2bn fraudBy Abdulwahab Isa

The Federal Government hasstuck to its guns on thecontroversial fourth

quarter capital releases to theMDAs insisting yesterday,through the Minister of Finance,Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that itduly cash-backed releases for thefourth quarter with sum N170billion out of N300 billionreleased.

Okonjo-Iweala told journaliststhat of N170 billion released forthe fourth quarter, about N110

billion has gone straight in to theaccounts of MDAs while thebalance of N59 billion is goingthrough Authorization to IncurExpenditure (AIE).

She also disclosed that thePresidential Committee on fuelsubsidy verification chaired byAccess Bank Managing DirectorAig-Imokuede has uncoveredabout N232.2 billion fraudulentclaims fuel marketers whileverified claims of N1 trillion was

established.Apparently, theminster was tasked by the mediato shed lights on capital releasesagainst the backdrop of theposition by members of theNational Assembly that nonreleases of capital by the executivearm of government is hampering2012 budget implementation.

She said: “as you know wereleased N300 billion for a total ofN1.01 trillion. It was said that wehave not cash-backed the last

quarter. This is not correct. Wehave cash-backed N170 billion ofthe fourth quarter release. Thatis the correct information. AboutN110 billion of that has gonestraight into the account of MDAsand the balance of about N59billion is going in through AIE(Authorisation to IncurExpenditure). Those entitiesactually have to apply specificallyto us to effect the release of theirresources.

JTF kills three insurgentsas blast hits BornoFrom Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

No fewer than threesuspected members of theBoko Haram sect were

killed yesterday morning, whenoperatives of the Joint MilitaryTask Force, (JTF) engaged somegunmen in a shoot-out along thePost Office Road in Maiduguri, theBorno state capital.

The incident came two hoursafter a road side improvisedexplosive device, (IED) went off inGwange ward, causing seriouspandemonium in the area.Witnesses told newsmen that nocasualty was recorded from theblast as there was no vehicular orpedestrian movement when it wasdetonated.

“We were just standingopposite scene of the incident whenwe heard a large bang like anelectric transformer exploding.Shortly after, we began hearingsporadic gunshots and thereaftera thick smoke engulfed the wholearea and we hurriedly ran forsafety”, a witness said

However the shoot-outoccurred at about 11.am whenfive suspected insurgents, who

were driven in a tricycle openedfire on some soldiers at the securitycheck point.

The attackers, who werereportedly armed with AK 47rifles, parked the tricycle fewmeters from the check-point,disguised as passers-by andwalked to the scene, before firing

sporadically at the direction of thesoldiers.

The JTF operatives were saidto have engaged the insurgentsin a gun duel which lasted forabout 30 minutes.

Spokesman of the JTF, Lt-Col.Sagir Musa could not be reachedfor comment as at press time

…explosion injures 3 in KanoFrom Edwin Olofu, Kano

An explosion yesterdaymorning injured threesecurity personnel at a

junction close to Kantin Kwari textilemarket by IBB way in Kano city.

Eyewitness accounts said thesuspected time bomb was plantedaround the fence of the Eid prayingground which some security agentsuse as a resting place during work.

Our correspondent gatheredthat the critically injured officialsinclude one Road Safety official, anofficial of the Kano state road TrafficAgency (KAROTA) and one officialof the Hisbah guard.

Confirming the incident thestate police command said theexplosion injured three persons who

were at the junction of the busytextile market, but didn’t disclosethe identities of the injured persons.

Police spokesman in the state,ASP Musa Magaji Majia toldreporters that “Securityoperatives under the aegis of JointTask Force (JTF) cordoned thescene of the blast and the entirearea with a view to makingarrests”.

According to him, the threeinjured persons were taken tohospital for treatment and theyare in stable condition as two hadalready been discharged from thehospital.

“There is nothing to panicabout traders are already tradingtheir goods without any fear asthe situation is under control”.

Jonathan holdssecret talks withMark, TambuwalBy Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

President GoodluckJonathan, yesterday,met with the presiding

officers of the National Assembly forover two hours at the State House.

Though details of the meetingwere not known as both the SenatePresident, David Mark and theSpeaker of the House ofrepresentatives, AminuTambuwal declined to speak withthe press, it may not be unconnectedwith the ongoing review of theconstitution by the NationalAssembly and other national issuespertaining to 2013 AppropriationBill and the Petroleum Industry Bill(PIB).

At the end of the meeting whichwas held behind closed doors in thePresident’s office, the chairman ofthe Governors Forum andgovernor of Rivers state, RotimiAmaechi later joined the duo androde in the same car with the twoleaders of the National Assembly.

When approached forcomments, Senate PresidentDavid Mark who was dressed in awhite Babanriga simply told StateHouse correspondents thank youand drove off.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

amended, which says that atevery given time the localgovernment must bedemocratically elected. Thesituation where some governorsdissolve local governments isunconstitutional, illegal andunsustainable.

“One issue affecting the localgovernments that the Presidentis concerned about is the state-local government joint account.It erodes the autonomy of thelocal governments. The framersof the constitution did notenvisage that the account willbe run the way it is being run.

“The joint account meansthat allocation from the FederalGovernment and internallygenerated revenue must be puttogether for sharing butunfortunately, most localgovernments don’t get up to 20per cent.

How do the localgovernment chairmen functionwithout funds? It is for thisreason that President Jonathanis fighting for full autonomy ofthe local government. Socontinue to mobilize andsensitise people for theamendment to come through.”

But the governors, who wantmore powers devolved to thestates from the FederalGovernment, do not want it anyway but theirs. Chairman of theNGF, Governor Rotimi Amaechi

of Rivers state had last week tolda delegation of the House ofRepresentatives Committee onYouths and Social Developmentthat the governors would oppose

Local Governments: Why are stategovernors afraid of autonomy?Two days ago, Kaduna state

Governor Mr. PatrickIbrahim Yakowa, in what

is likely to pitch him againstmost of his colleagues in theNigerian Governors Forum(NGF), publically expressedsupport for the autonomy oflocal government councils inthe country. In the on-goingmoves to amend the 1999Constitution, two areas are, asfar as state governors areconcerned, clearly no-go. Theseare financial autonomy for statehouses of assembly and totalautonomy for local governmentcouncils. And the governors’aversion to these freedoms hasnothing to do with their desirefor the development ofdemocracy on these shores. It ismore about controlling the pursestring to keep these institutionsnot only at their beck and callat all times but also ineffective.This is why many state housesof assembly are nothing butmare appendages of the stategovernments, to rubber-stampwhat the governors support oroppose.

Governor Yakowa’s supportfor local governmentautonomy, anchored on hisbelief that it will bring about thedevelopment at the grass roots,is in tune with PresidentGoodluck Jonathan’s desire forautonomous local governmentcouncils in the country.

Whereas the governor gavehis imprimatur while flaggingoff the second phase of the VicePresident Namadi Sambo-initiated lap top/ computerloan scheme for staff of localgovernment areas in Kadunastate, the President declared hissupport for full autonomy forthe local councils at the 13thAnnual Extra-ordinaryGeneral Assembly andNational Conference of theAssociation of LocalGovernments of Nigeria,ALGON in Enugu on Monday.

President is of the view that,“vibrancy in the localgovernments means theconstitution is functioning.Tenure of local governmentsdepends on the whims andcaprices of the state governors.That should not be so. Thetenure of our localgovernments, whether three orfour years, should be clearlydefined in the constitution.

“The President has no rightto wake up and say he hasdissolved a state government.So why must a state governordissolve a council? Why are wefollowing the constitution inbreach? We must live up to ourduty and expectation ofupholding and defending theconstitution. The President is100 per cent in support ofALGON because the LocalGovernment is the closest tierof government to the people.

“He is in support of Section 7of the 1999 Constitution as

any move to give the councilsautonomy and make them partof the federating units.

But many of the governorsare not only against the

autonomy of localgovernments, they are againstthem completely, which is whymany take theunconstitutional route ofdissolving the democraticallyelected councils to appointcaretaker committees in theirplace.

During the recentlyconcluded zonal and stateconstitution review publichearings organized by theSenate and House ofRepresentatives respectively,thugs were allegedly sponsoredby governors to disrupt thesessions in some of the venues.

The governors have goodreasons to not want a divorcebetween the states and the localgovernment councils. In onestate in the North West wherethe local government councilshave been under a caretakercommittee for nearly two yearsnow, releases to them are alwaysmade in cash immediately afterwhich they are directed toconvert 70% of the amountgiven to them into hardcurrencies and take it to thegovernment house. In the samestate, the councils can only statewhat projects they want in theirarea without making anyfurther input, with the stategovernment awarding thecontract to the contractor of thegovernor’s choice.

As leaders claiming to want nothing but the best for their people, state governors ought to be in the vanguard in theagitation for the autonomy of local government councils much in the same way they are clamouring for the devolutionof power from the center to the states. But Instead of walking the talk of their professed conviction, governors, who nota few see as agents of their people’s underdevelopment, are running from pillar to post to ensure that the proposedconstitutional amendment to free the Third Tier of government from the shackles of state control comes to naught,reports Abdu Labaran Malumfashi

President Goodluck Jonathan Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Chibuike Amaechi

ALGON National President, Mr. Nwabueze Okafor

PAGE 5PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

The Federal Governmentyesterday rolled out aforbearance package – a

kind of forgiveness tostockbrokers playing in thecapital market as a way ofrestoring confidence andvibrancy to the stock market.

The forbearance packagetranslates to about N22. 6billion on the margin loans of84 stock brokers. CoordinatingMinister for the Economy andMinister of Finance Dr. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala who announcedthese measures yesterday tojournalists, expressedconfidence that

the capital market will

surely regain its lost glory bythe time forbearance effectstarts to trickle in. In effect,government agents areexpected to halt furtherhounding of stock brokers

allegedly linked withcollapse of the market.

In addition to granting stockbrokers forgiveness,government has also phasedout stamp duties and VAT onall capital markettransactions which is about 12percent in a form of taxes inactivities of the stock market.

“We also know that manyNigerians are all participantsin the stock exchange and we

FG rolls out stimulus package for stock brokersBy Abdulwahab Isa

would like to see its survival.For all these reasons andparticularly to help us havesome long term capital fundsas we try to revive all sectorsof the economy, we want tosupport and see how we canundertake some measures torevive the stock exchange andreinvigorate the capitalmarket.

That is why we thought thatin addition to what is being done,we should take some specificmeasures to try to support it…

“There are about 84 of thesestock brokers. They were part ofthe vibrant capital market,they took some merging loans,

R-L: Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, Guest Lecturer and former UnitedNations Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Speaker, House ofRepresentatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu,during the 1st Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

...waives 12% taxes on all stock market transactionsand AMCON purchased theseloans at the cost of N42 billionfar below what the originalloans were worth.

“Now we have also seen thatthe assets or collateralunderpinning these loans,worth about N19.96 billion.

On tax relief, she said it wasone relief stock brokers had beencraving for and, disclosed that“with the kind support of Mr.President, we would no longerhave the stamp duties and VATon the activities of the market.This would amount to anequivalent of 12 percent beingwaived”.

However, a stricter

condition is applied asgovernment according to theMinister would monitor thewaiving of tax relief for a periodof time to see how it helps toreinvigorate the capitalmarket.

In her remarks, Director-General Securities andExchange Commission (SEC)Arunma Oteh, said SEC as partof its effort to restore vibrancyto the market had by this year,approved the request of theNigerian Stock Exchange tohave more listingrequirements. This she said wasto encourage SMEs and othersectors to come into the market.

Mark visits Buhari over daughter’s death

Senate President DavidMark, yesterday, paid acondolence visit to former

Head of State, GeneralMuhammadu Buhari and hisfamily in his Sultan Road, Kadunaresidence over the demise of hisfirst daughter, Zulaihatu who diedlast Thursday.

Mark, accompanied bySenators Abu Ibrahim,Mohammed Sani Sale and Ahmed

Makarfi as well as Governor ofKaduna state, Patrick Yakowacondoled with the bereaved family,saying that death is a necessaryend that must come when it shall.

According to Mark, “Iearnestly identify with you at thismoment of your of your grief. TheSenate of the Federal Republic ofNigeria shares in this grief. MayAllah in His infinite mercies granther eternal rest”.

He prayed that the AlmightyAllah give them the fortitude to

Nigeria and the UnitedStates of Americayesterday, renewed their

commitments towards increasingthe economic, trade andinvestment relationship betweenboth countries , especially in thearea of non-oil exports.

This was the highpoint of the7th US-Nigeria Trade andInvestment Agreement Councilmeeting in Abuja.

The Minister of Trade andInvestment, Olusegun Aganga,said that, given the current globaleconomic meltdown, trade andinvestment remained the onlypotent tool for achievingsustainable and inclusiveeconomic growth globally.

He added that there was a needfor Nigeria and the United Statesto deepen their trade andinvestment relations, especiallyin the areas where both countrieshad comparative and competitiveadvantage.

The US-Nigeria Trade andInvestment Agreement (TIFA)was signed in 2000. It establishesthe framework for structureddialogue on trade; intellectualproperty rights; flow ofinvestment as well as partnershipfor cooperation and collaborationbetween the economic operatorsof the two countries.

The minister said, “All overthe world, Presidents and policymakers have agreed that there isonly one tool that can lead tosustainable and inclusiveeconomic growth. That tool today,is trade and investment. Nigeriais indeed the United States’ largesttrading partner in sub-SaharanAfrica. This is largely due to thehigh level of trade in petroleumproducts, which accounts fornearly 46 percent of Nigeria’sdaily oil production and ranksNigeria the 5th largest exporterof oil to the United States”.

Nigeria, USmove to boosteconomic,bilateral trade

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

NAFDAC, Kanogovt destroyN600m fakedrugsBy A’isha Biola Raji

In effort to fight counterfeitdrugs, the National Agencyfor Food and Drug

Administration and Control(NAFDAC) and Kano stategovernment have jointlydestroyed fake drugsworth N600million.

The fake drugs wereimpounded by Kano stategovernment following amonth-long crackdown onvarious illegal andunderground pharmaceuticaloutlets across the state.

According to a statementsigned by AbubakarJimoh, Deputy Director, PublicRelations and Protocol UnitNAFDAC, Kano state governor,Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwasoand the Director-General ofNAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhiijointly supervised the burningof more than 10 trailer loads ofcounterfeit drugs at Kano citydumpsite.

Among the burnt drugswere hundreds of cartons ofcounterfeit Chloroquine,banned Analgin injections and14 million tablets ofTramoldine drugs often abusedby commercial drivers andmotorcyclists valued atover N135 million.

The statement further read:“Visibly angry GovernorKwankwaso said the Kano stategovernment had declared afierce battle against drugcounterfeiters in the state andvowed not to leave any stoneunturned until thosemerchants of deaths vacate thestate”.

Dr. Kwankwaso announced31st December, 2012 as thefinal deadline for drug dealersin Sabon-Gari market in Kanometropolis to relocate theirbusinesses as the market hasbeen declared illegal for sale ofmedicines which he insistedmust be left to pharmacists andtrained chemists.

bear the loss.Responding, the former Head

of State expressed appreciation forthe condolence, saying the visitsby a cross section of Nigerians tohis family have strengthened thefamily in its moment of grief.

Buhari also told the SenatePresident to thank PresidentGoodluck Jonathan for his concernsince the incident occurredpointing out that the President didnot only call him but sent him acondolence letter.

Dons dispute selection of new VC

Three professors at the FederalUniversity of Technology(FUT) Minna, Niger state

yesterday, at the Minna HighCourt, challenged the methodthrough which the new ViceChancellor, Prof. Akim Osundeemerged.

The dons – Musa Galadima,Adama and M.A.T Suleimanasked the court to stop theselection process that put the newVC in charge alleging doublestandards in the whole method.

Barrister Olajide Ayodele,counsel to the defendants (FUT,

the governing council and councilchairman) who mentioned thesuit early October challenged thecapability of a State High Court toconsider a case affecting a FederalGovernment-owned institution,saying the court lacks locus to hearthe case praying the court tostrike out the case for lack ofcompetence.

The motion was opposed byBarrister Ibrahim Ishyaku,counsel to the plaintiffs, hedisputed that the court wascompetent and should proceed tohear the case.

Justice Aishat Lami Buwari, inher ruling affirmed after review

of submissions by the opposingparties that her court wascompetent to entertain the suitfiled by the professors.

She therefore ruled that ‘’thestate high court is competent andhas the right to entertain the suitand the prayers of the defendant/respondents are herebydismissed’’.

She then adjourned hearingtill January 22nd, 2013 formotion on interlocutoryinjunction restraining thegoverning council fromannouncing any substantiveVice-Chancellor for theinstitution.

From Iliya Garba, Minna

••• non oilexports top priority

By Richard Ihediwa

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012PAGE 6

L-R: Anglican Archbishop of Gwagwalada, Most Rev. Tanimu Aduda, Chairman, Abaji Area Council, Hon. Yahaya Mohammed, andNational Coordinator, Jummai Aduda Foundation, Mrs Hawah Aduda, during the official flag-off of "Abuja Grassroots Association (AGA),yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

African countries should be globally competitive- Jonathanraw materials. Instead, weshould work harder to becomeglobally competitive, exportingfinished products", he stated.

President Jonathan saideconomic growth was necessaryfor political stability and addedthat Nigeria was focused onbuilding and strengtheningmutually beneficial economicrelations with Uganda andAfrica.

The President commended Mr.Aparr for sustaining the warmbrotherly relations between

Nigeria and Uganda, and wishedhim well in his future endeavours.

Earlier, the outgoing UgandanHigh Commissioner thankedPresident Jonathan for Nigeria'sassistance through the TechnicalAid Corps, as well as the strongbilateral and multilateralcooperation between the twocountries.

At a different audience,President Jonathan commendedTurkey for assisting Nigeria indeveloping human capacitythrough the establishment of

schools in the country.The President was speaking to

the outgoing Turkish Ambassadorto Nigeria, Mr. Ali Rifat Koksal.

"Human capacity developmentis critical for any nation's growth,and we appreciate your help inestablishing schools in Nigeria", hestated.

President Jonathan alsoacknowledged the building of aTurkish hospital in Abuja, and saidthis cooperation was in the spirit ofthe relationship among the D-8group of nations.

Nigerian appointed to the Bench in California1994 as well as an adjunct professorat the University of NorthernCalifornia, Lorenzo Patino School ofLaw from 1997 to 1998.

She is an associate attorney atthe Law Office of Steven L. Wesselsfrom 1993 to 1994 and an associateattorney at the Law Office of Bradyand Kent from 1992 to 1993.

Also, Awoniyi was a law clerk atthe Law Office of D. Kapp Nees in 1991and a crown prosecutor at the CrownProsecution Service in London from1989 to 1990.

She earned a Juris Doctoratedegree from the Inns of Court Schoolof Law, a Masters of Law degree from

Rotary toperform surgeryon 400 poliovictimsBy A'isha Biola Raji

India-Nigeria Rotary ClubInternational is set toperform humanitarian

corrective surgery service to victimsof polio drawn across polio endemicstates in Nigeria.

The exercise was flagged offyesterday at Gwagwalada SpecialistTeaching Hospital by Minister ofHealth, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, incompany of the Executive Director,National Primary Health CareDevelopment Agency (NPHCDA), Dr.Ado Muhammad.

According to the minister, supportgiven by the 26-member team ofsurgeons and other orthopaedicexperts from India, who are Rotarianswill send positive signal to Nigerianswho are resisting immunisationefforts.

He said: "We believe that this effortof polio corrective surgeries wouldcreate an atmosphere of faith in theefforts to eradicate polio".

The medical team led byRajendra K. Saboo, past President,Rotary International has pledged torealise minimum of 400 surgerieswithin 10 days in both Gwagwaladateaching hospital and Federal MedicalCentre Keffi.

In his welcome remarks, Dr. Adosaid out of the 700 victims that havebeen identified from the high polioprevalent states for the surgery, 400of them will be operated in the firstphase.

He however advised thatNigerians should work together withgovernment in prevention of spreadof polio through immunisation. Hesaid: "If polio is prevented, there won'tbe need for surgical operation".

the University of Leicester School ofLaw, and a Bachelor of Law degreefrom the University of Essex.

Awoniyi is a certified family lawspecialist. She fills the vacancycreated by the conversion of a courtcommissioner position on Dec. 3,2011.

"I could not be more delighted orexcited. It has been a whirlwind 24hours the fruit of a yearlong arduousinterview and screening process andan application that took me the betterpart of a year to complete.

"Through all of the many losthours on the weekends and eveningsdevoted to this process, to see it come

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

Insecurity: Yobe lawmakersdeny fleeing DamaturuMembers of the Yobe state

House of Assembly havedenied reports that they

have fled to Kano due to theinsecurity in the state.

Speaker of the House, HonDalo Dogo, yesterday describedthe story as totally untrue.

According to him, the 24Assembly members are in thestate and working to move thestate forward. "We don't haveanywhere to go; Yobe is our hometown, people have elected us towork in the state and to representtheir interest", the Speaker said.

Speaking in the same vein,member representing Jakusko

constituency in the state, HonInusa Lawan Kaigama, said theAssembly members,commissioners and some of theadvisers to the governor are inthe state and that there has beenimprovement in humanactivities across the state.

He said: "Life is graduallyreturning in the state; no single

member of the House has fled toKano or elsewhere in Nigeria. Wego Kano, Borno and Abuja usuallyto do our personal activities, notas refugees. I am sure almost allthe schools, both private andpublic have resumed. Even theburnt schools have been openedand reconstruction is going on",he said.

By Adamu Saleh

A Nigerian woman, BunmiAwoniyi, 48, has beenappointed to the Sacramento

County Superior Court in California,United States, the News Agency ofNigeria reports.

According to local media reportsmonitored on Sunday by the NorthAmerica correspondent of NAN,Awoniyi's appointments wereannounced by Governor EdmundBrown Jr. of California.

Awoniyi has served as a principalattorney with a family law firm since

to manifestation is trulymarvelous…"

Her website states that she"completed all of her education inEngland. She attended theUniversity of Essex and completed herBachelor of Law with Honors in 1986.

"She thereafter obtained a Mastersof Law from the University ofLeicester which was conferred in1988. Her thesis The Detection andInvestigation of Child Abuse waspublished. She attended the Inns ofCourt School of Law in London,England and was called to the Bar ofEngland and Wales in November of1988 as a Barrister at Law.

President GoodluckJonathan has challengedAfrican countries to become

globally competitive and beginexporting finished products to theoutside world.

President Jonathan wasspeaking to the outgoing UgandanHigh Commissioner to Nigeria,Mr. Christopher Onyango Aparr,at the State House, yesterday.

"Africa has reached a stagewhere we must stop exporting

Elumeludonates N1bnfor flood victims'rehabilitationBy Aminu Imam

The Tony Elumelu Foundationhas given fillip to the on-goingefforts for the rehabilitation of

victims of the recent flood disasteracross the country with a donationof the sum of N1 billion.

The Foundation, a not-for-profitinstitution committed to theeconomic transformation of Africaby enhancing the competitivenessand growth of the African privatesector, was established by theformer Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UnitedBank for Africa, Mr. TonyElumelu.

An Africa-based and African-funded philanthropy, whosemission is to identify and groomAfrican business leaders andentrepreneurs to achieve thefoundation's central objective ofenhancing the competitivenessand growth of Africa's privatesector, the donation hasdistinguished Tony ElumeluFoundation as a committedpartner in ensuring that theinternally displaced people arerehabilitated and given a newphase of life.

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos withagency

PAGE 7PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

Kogi-Anambra to wait sixmonths for disputed oil wells

The crisis over the rightfulownership of thedisputed oil wells

between Kogi and Anambrastates will be determined in thenext six months.

Dr. Mohammed BoseAhmed, Director General,National BoundaryCommission, stated thisyesterday in Lokoja at the jointmeeting of Anambra/Kogiinterstate boundary meetingheld in Government House,Lokoja.

The Director General

L-R: Past President of Rotary International, Dr. Rajendra Saboo, Dr. Vinary Kulkami, Minister of Health,Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency(NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Muhammad, during the flag-off ceremony of India-Nigeria Rotary Polio CorrectiveSurgery Project, yesterday at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

pointed out that the boundariesunder dispute were lastdemarcated in 1954, stressingthat development, populationand nation’ s federalism, hasnecessitated the present needto carry out anotherdemarcation.

The demarcation, Dr.Mohammed hinted will helpresolve issues surrounding theboundaries, towards havingamicable solution and to knowthe limits of the boundaries.

While noting that thediscovery of natural resourceshas made the determination ofboundaries in the country very

difficult, he said the presentexercise to determine theAnambra/Kogi boundary was apresidential directive, andappealed for cooperation fromthe states involved.

In his remarks, Arc YomiAwoniyi, the deputy governorand chairman State BoundaryCommittee, who received thePresidential Committee, saidthe state will do all it cantowards having an amicableresolution. He advised that theexercise should be done in amanner that will enable thepeople to continue to live asbrothers.

150 shelter units ready forvictims of flood in KogiPersons whose lives were

dislocated by the recentflood disaster in Kogi state

will be assisted back to a normaland better living conditions.

The assurance was given bythe state governor, Capt. IdrisWada during the commissioningof 150 units makeshift houses forthe flood victims in Idah locallocal government area of Kogistate.

The ceremony was attendedby a global donor agency, ShelterBox International, governmentofficials and hundreds of theinternally displaced persons.

A press statement from theChief Press Secretary, to thegovernor Mr. Richard Elesho,confirmed that the initiative isthe result of collaborationbetween Kogi WomenEmpowerment NetworkKOWEN, the pet project of thegovernor’s wife, Hajia Halimat

Wada and United Kingdom basedShelter Box International, anongovernmental organizationcommitted to the provision oftemporary abodes for victims ofnatural disasters like flooding,earthquakes, tsunamis andinfernos, all over the world.

Leader of the NGO, Mark Diersaid his team were concernedabout the devastating effect offlood on the houses of the victims,many of which are no longerhabitable. Dier disclosed thatalthough his group has beenproviding relief services forvictims of disasters in countrieslike United States, Haiti,Guatemala, Uganda amongothers, Kogi state is its firstoperation in Nigeria.

The activities of the NGO, heexplained are funded throughdonations from well meaninggroups, organisations andordinary individuals across theglobe.

Governor Wada who

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja commissioned the houses, urgedthe would-be beneficiaries to takegood care of the facilities and notto despair as government willcontinue its efforts to make lifemore meaningful for them.

He thanked Shelter BoxInternational for the prompt andinvaluable intervention. Hefurther disclosed that schoolspreviously used as refugee campsfor the displaced persons are inthe process of being renovatedand reopened.

More than 1, 000 units ofmake shift houses are expected tobe erected in various parts of thestate. Each unit canaccommodate about six personsand is durable for about 18months. Each Shelter Box comescomplete with beddings,mosquito nets, light bulbs andcooking utensils. They are alsoeasily movable and the tents canbe erected by a just few personsin a short time.

The police in Lagos yesterdayarraigned five men forallegedly smoking Indian

hemp in public.The men – Lukman Aipa, 30;

Seriki Mudasiru, 33; FridayAkpan, 29; Rasaq Hussein, 30and Mustapha Sulaiman, 32 –are facing charges of unlawfulgathering and smoking of Indianhemp before an OjokoroMagistrates’ Court.

The accused, who have novisible means of livelihood, allpleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Insp. ClaraOlagbaiye, told the court that theaccused allegedly committed theoffences on Nov. 30 at Egan/

Igando Road at 6.00 p.m.“The five men unlawfully

gathered with the intention ofcarrying out a criminal act andconducted themselves in amanner likely to cause breach ofpeace by publicly smoking Indianhemp”, she said.

The offences, according to theprosecutor, contravenedsections 166 and 327 of theCriminal Code Laws of LagosState.

The Magistrate, Mr. K.OOgundare, however, grantedaccused bail in the sum of N50,000, with one surety each inlike sum, and adjourned thecase to Jan. 14. (NAN)

Police prosecute five forallegedly smoking Indian hemp

The chairman, HouseCommittee on MillenniumDevelopment Goals/Animal

and Fisheries Development in theYobe state House of Assembly, HonInusa Lawan Kaigama, wantsyouths in the country to beresponsible in their dailyengagements.

Speaking to our reporter, thelegislator stressed the need forgovernment at various levels toevolve policies that would provideyouths the opportunity of realizingtheir ambitions.

According to him, “there is noway any society can witnessmeaningful development if theyouths, who are the strength andfuture of the society, are notempowered. The consequences ofsuch action could be verydevastating to the youths inparticular and the country in

general”.He therefore, said that it is the

responsibility of all institutions tomap out programmes and policiesall aimed at empowering theyouths, adding that “as leaders,either in the mosque or church, wecan’t afford to fold our arms andexpect our youths to grow andbecome responsible individuals.

He said crime and criminalitycan be reduced to the barestminimum if youths are gainfullyengaged in productive ventures,adding, “let me tell you thatwithout mincing words:unemployment is the major factorwhy criminal activities are on theincrease in the country”.

He commended the GovernorIbrahim Gaidam for theemployment over 20, 000 youthin the state and called on the privatesector to provide jobs for the youthsacross the country, arguing thatgovernment cannot do it alone.

Yobe Assembly advocatesyouth employmentFrom Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

Adebayo Ogungbemi, the22-year-old who allegedlycaused a security scare at

the premises of the EkitiGovernment House in Ado-Ekitilast Wednesday, has beenarraigned before an Ado-EkitiChief Magistrates’ Court.

Ogungbemi was chargedyesterday with conductinghimself in a manner likely tocause a breach of the peace at theGovernment House.

The prosecutor, Sgt. CalebLeramo, told the court that theaccused at about 9 am on the saiddate, wore an object suspected tobe an explosive and wanderedaround the premises of theGovernment House for adisorderly purpose.

He said the accused by hisactions contravened Section249(d), 80 and 250(6) of theCriminal Code Cap C38 Laws ofthe Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The accused, however,pleaded not guilty when his pleawas taken.

His counsel, Mr. Ropo Filani,prayed the court to grant hisclient bail on liberal terms,saying a reliable surety wouldbe provided.

Chief Magistrate RichardAdegboye granted the accusedbail in the sum of N100,000 andtwo ‘substantial’ sureties in likesum.

He adjourned the case tillJan.16, 2013 for mention.(NAN)

Security scare: Ekiti police arraign suspect

The Police Command inJigawa state said it hasdeployed its officers and

men to dark spots in the stateto check the movement ofsuspicious characters.

The state Commissioner ofPolice, Mr KayodeTheophelous, made thisknown in an interview inDutse on Sunday.

Theophelous explainedthat the measure was aimed

at checking cases of theft andarmed robbery in the state.

He said that his officersand men had been directed toarrest any person withsuspicious character, notingthat the police werecommitted to protecting livesand properties in the state.

He urged the people to helpthe police with information toenable them to performeffectively. (NAN)

Police deploys men to darkspots in Jigawa

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012PAGE 10

Physically challengedpersons decry apartheid From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

R-L: Gombe state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, presenting cash to one ofthe beneficiaries of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme, recently in Gombe.

Persons living with disabilitieshave frowned at thediscriminatory attitude of

society towards their plights andcalled for a re-orientation.

The call was made at theNational Disabled Students'Convention held in Makurdi at theweekend under the auspices ofNational Association of physicallyChallenged Students (NAPCS).

National President of NAPCS,George Marvel said disability wasnot a curse and therefore, thephysically challenged should stopbeing objects of pity in the society.

He noted the recent brilliantperformance of the physicallychallenged persons at theconcluded Olympics where theybrought glory to the country bywinning several medals when theable-bodied men and women couldnot win anything and urged allparticipants to see themselves assolution and not problem.

Guest Speaker at the event,Dr. Osmond Ukanacho wholamented the discriminationagainst the disadvantagedpopulation in the schoolenvironment, maintained thatthe development amount to socialinjustice and deprivation.

Ukanacho said the despicableexperiences of the physicallychallenged who take lectures onhigher floors of building couldonly be imagined and urged policymakers and other stakeholders toalways take into consideration theneeds of the challenged population

when architecturally designingthe layout of any higherinstitution.

He also lamented theunprintable records ofdiscrimination on disabled personsin the course of pursuing theirfundamental rights to quality

education in higher institutions."The physically challenged

persons never chose to be in thesituation they have foundthemselves, hence, they shouldbe so viewed as innocent to theirplight. It is thereforeunfortunate that they suffer all

forms of discrimination due totheir peculiar circumstances."

" Most times, they are treatedas the "cursed" population. Noone is ever willing to render ahelping hand to this challengedpopulation in these institutions,"he frowned.

Council decries detention of suspects without trialThe Legal Aid Council

Coordinator in Edo state,Mr. Eddy Inenevwo, has

criticised the continuousdetention of suspects in prisonand the delay in trials.

Inenevwo said in Benin onSunday that detaining suspectseither in police or prisoncustody for several months andyears without trial wasunacceptable.

He appealed to the police toalways carry out thoroughinvestigations in criminal casesto avoid delays in the trials ofsuspects who often languishedin custody.

He said the law presumes anaccused person to be innocent,noting: "keeping an accused incustody without trial istravesty of justice.

Inenevwo expressed regrets

that the council was handlinga number of cases where thesuspects had been in custody fornearly 10 years without trial.

The coordinator said that inspite of the delay in the trial"the prosecution keeps askingfor adjournments with theintention of keeping thesuspects in the gulags".

He, however, expressed thehope that the jail delivery by

the state chief judge wouldafford him and members of hisentourage an opportunity toreview some of the awaitingtrial cases.

"The visit will definitely helpto decongest the prisons; it isalso an opportunity to reviewsituations and conditions ofinmates in the different prisonformations across the state", hesaid. (NAN)

The Nigerian ThoracicSociety has urged federaland state government to

expand the community basedcase management across thecountry to reduce acuterespiratory infections.

The Society, in acommuniqué issued and signedby the President, Prof. GregoryE. Erhabor, noted that theinfection need multidrugresistance that should be madeavailable to the public.

"There is increasingmorbidity and mortalityassociated with acuterespiratory infections andmultidrug resistance

Thoracic Society wants more focus on respiratory infections From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin infections in children and

adults. The NTS believes thatthe Nigerian governmentshould initiate a programmefor expansion of community-based case management ofacute respiratory infections, aswell as promoting exclusivebreastfeeding which will helpcontribute in a substantial

way to the decline ofinfection-related deaths, andhence attainment of MDG 4,which is aimed at reducingunder-five mortality rate bytwo thirds between 1990 and2015 in Nigeria.

"Federal and Stategovernments should empowereach Tertiary Hospital in thecountry to carry out TB

culture and drug susceptibilitytest (DST), and actualize thetreatment centres for multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB)which are supposed to beestablished in each of the sixgeopolitical zones of Nigeria.

"There is a steady rise inthe rate of antibiotic resistanceby most pathogens causing thecommon lung infections inNigeria. Hence, the need forcontinued surveillance of suchinfections and appropriateantibiotic for treatment mustbe provided, the economicimplications notwithstanding."

The Society noted that theburden of lung diseasesassociated with indoor and

outdoor air pollution includingcigarette smoking wasincreasing, adding that tocurtail the rising trend,governments at all levels andall other stakeholders musttake active steps to stem thetide.

"There should becollaboration between theNigerian Thoracic Society,Federal

and State governments ofNigeria to provide the state ofart equipment

for managing the conditionas well as funding theepidemiological

surveillance of asthma", hesaid.

National BroadcastingCommission (NBC)has advised media

stations operating in Nigeriato be versati le in handlingphone-in programmes anddesist from practices that willjeopardise security, peace,professionalism and nationaldevelopment.

The commission alsoexpressed dissatisfaction withthe excesses displayed bysome radio and televisionstations in the way theyhandled phone-in anddiscussion programmes ontheir channels.

At a conference organisedby NBC, in Lagos, thedirector-general YomiBolarinwa, , urged thebroadcasters to adopt bestpractices to curb the excessesobserved in the presentationof some phone-inprogrammes in the nation'sbroadcast media.

''The aim of this parley isnot to condemn any station.However, broadcasting l ivephone-in programmeswithout recourse toprofessionalism, fairness andbalance in the contents hasbeen disturbing.Broadcasting, corporatediscussion is about pluralism,opinion and if issues are notrepresented, then you are notfair," he stated.

Also speaking, Mr. KelvinEjiofor, veteran broadcaster,said l ive programmes'anchors must showcompetence, beknowledgeable, carry outextensive research on topicsunder discussion and give allsides the opportunities to airtheir views.

A phone-in or call-in is aprogramme format in whichviewers or l isteners areinvited to air their l ivecomments by telephone,usually in respect of a specifictopic selected for discussionon the day of the broadcast.

Maria Odeh, anotherveteran broadcaster, notedthat if well handled, phone-in programmes could be usedas a tool for sensitising thesociety in the areas of health,education, food security,wealth creation and povertyreduction.

NBCcautionsbroadcaststationsonphone-inprogrammesBy Chris Alu

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 PAGE 11

The invisible hand of the marketalways moves faster and betterthan the heavy hand ofgovernment.Mitt RomneySource: wealthresult.com

Quote

Getting back to your eBookwriting, you will need tofollow some important

guidelines in order to come up witha product that will be enticing,informative, and affordable toyour target audience. Here aretips to help you get into the swingof developing the idea for youreBook, following through with thecreation of the eBook, and gettingeverything in order, so you caneffectively create and leveragethe product.

Guide 1: It is important toalways start your writing at thebeginning. When it comes to eBookwriting or any other aspect ofwriting for that matter, there isreally no other place to get startedthan the beginning. Assumingthat you have performed duediligence and settled on the subjectmatter for your eBook, it is timeto get into the writing aspect ofthe product.

The thing to remember aboutInformational eBooks is that theyhave one main purpose orfunction. That function is toeducate. For example, if you planon creating eBook on benefits ofherbal supplement, then you willwant to make sure the subjectmatter of the E-books is accurate,timely, and relevant to anyperceived problems. This willmean doing a great deal ofresearch before you begin to writethe first word.

You will want to explore theorigins of the use of herbs in varioushealing processes. Find out whatyou can about the effectiveness ofherbal remedies at various timesand places. Locate research intothe claims

made for various herbsregarding the treatment of bodilyailments, and provide solid

Information leverage : How tomake a success of ebook writing

information that will indeedserves as solution to the readers.In short, before you can hope toeducate anyone else, you will needto spend some time educatingyourself first.

Guide 2: Once you haveamassed sufficient knowledge anddocumentation to writeeffectively on the subject matter,you will need to begin the processof organising your data.

Hopefully, your research willhave provided you with plenty ofinformation that can serve as thebasis for your eBooks. Carefullydivide your information into sub-categories, and organise theinformation in any format thatwill make it easy for you to referto.

Next, use the collected data asan outline of your eBook. This willhelp to lay the groundwork foryour table of contents. The purposeof an outline is to help create alogical and cohesive flow to theinformation that is beingpresented in the document.

Just as with any type of book,

you want the thought processespresented in the material tofollow a sensible chain ofpresentation, with each section orchapter logically leading into thefollowing section. Thinkingthrough this process in advance,rather than arbitrarily creatinga collection of disjointed sections,will mean a lot less editing workfor you.

Keep in mind that the outlineis a guide, not a sacred documentthat can never be changed. Treatit with respect, but do not reverethe outline to the point that yourefuse to change it in any way.Feel free to revise, improve,rewrite, and in general adapt theoutline as you move forward withthe project.

To keep the content fresh,make sure that even if you arepresenting a point for the thirdtime; keep the verbiage you usedifferent from the other instances.

This will help the flow of thedocument in two ways. First, ithelps to reinforce key conceptswhen you present them in slightly

different settings throughout thework.

Secondly, it provides thereader with the chance toevaluate the theme or concept ina different light each time thatyou bring up the point. If the firstattempt to educate with thetheme did not quite click with thereader, there is every chance thatby the third attempt, aconnection will have taken place.

Guide 3: When creating thetext for the eBook it is importantto apply a certain amount of self-discipline. Writing is work, andoften happens to be hard work forthat matter even for some of uswho enjoys writing.

If you are having a littletrouble getting started, stopthinking about the five thousandwords you are planning to writetoday. Instead, focus on creatingone good paragraph a day.

Once that is done, it will be alittle easier to convince yourselfto write just one more. In a shorttime, you will find that the entirepage is filled and you just startgetting some great ideas on howto expand on the subject matterfor your eBook.

Once you have the first draftof the content for your E-book, setit aside for a day or two. This willallow you to refresh your mindand be able to go back and edit thedraft with eyes that are fresh andcapable of being balanced in theway you read the document.

There is an excellent chancethat you will find sections youwant to rewrite slightly, orperhaps change a word here orthere to make the section morecohesive or clear in its meaning.

By all means, feel free to do so.Just as the outline was not to beconsidered above reproach and

change, your manuscript, thougha work of art, is also subject torevision and improvement. Makeone edit changes and put themanuscript away for another dayor two. Then try a second round ofedits.

You may find very little tocorrect the second time, which isa sound clue that you are almostthrough and just about ready tobegin the formatting process.

After the text for your eBookhas gone through editing, thetime has come to begin formattingthe material from a manuscriptinto a workable eBook format.

Fortunately, there are plentyof excellent software packages thatcan take a basic word processingdocument and easily format it foruse in an electronic book format.Most will allow you to set the pagesizes, arrange major headings,create a Table of Contents, andthen import the text of themanuscript into the program. Oryou may use a simple formattingsystem like this very Information.

You can also use the toolsincluded with the software tocreate a cover, just as if you werepublishing a hard copy of theeBook. In fact, that is the look andfeel you want to set as your goal.

The only difference betweenyour electronic book and a realbook should be that one is acollection of images on a screen,and the other is a tangible paperdocument.

Chose to include in theinformation and the general lookof the eBook. This will give youone last chance to make somechanges in the eBook and increasethe chances that people whoactually buy the book will enjoyit and recommend it to theirfriends and acquaintances.

1. Plantain chips making -Move around the street andyou will see different brands

of Plantain chips on sale and it sellsvery fast. People just like chewingstuffs and there is no end to it, so ifyou can engage in the business ofproducing and supplying it, youwill be making good money ondaily basis.

All what you needed are: BigFrying Pan (N3, 000) SmallSealing Machine (N15, 000) thenylons and labels (N2, 000) otherutensils (N5, 000) the rest N30,000 goes into buying of plantainsand logistics. Supply to the shopsand to hawkers and you will bemaking your money.

2. Tokunbo shoes - Chosequality leather materials, all my

Start with less than N50, 000 and make good profit in small business (2)shoes and bags are bought fromthe used shoes and bag sellers. Iused to get some top class shoes forN3, 000 by the roadside back inthose days when I can't reallyafford high quality designer shoesthat cost N50, 000 or more.

Get a nice place where you willbe displaying your goods like infront on shopping malls. Go tofairly used market (Katangowa orAswani in Lagos) you may go toseme border or Kotonou. Selectquality fairly used shoes, look fordesigns that are close to the latestfashion. N40, 000 can get you upto 40 pairs of shoes. Sometimesyou make profit of up to N3, 000from a single sell.

3. Used books - You used tosee them by the roadsides and youare wondering if the seller ismaking money from it? Try it andsee. You will be surprised at theprofit margin, and you will beamazed at the rate at which peoplebuy different books.

Follow the same process as it iswith the used shoes but you buy

at different markets. Used booksare sold in importers warehouses,locate one and go there to selectnice used books, Children books,Professional books, hand craftbooks, etc. These types of books sellvery fast with high profit margin.

N50, 000 is more than enough fora starter.

4. Office supply - Peoplewho works in offices finds itdifficult to go out to the market tobuy certain things like wristwatches, shirts, ties, and

perfumes. Help them do theshopping and charge moderately,don't be greedy like other supplierswho buys fake things for N1000and wants to sell for N10,000 inthe name of office.

“

PAGE 12 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

The Sierra Leone electionsSierra Leone is best known for its

so-called blood diamond, thecause of the more than a decade

brutal civil war in which both thegovernment and an armed oppositionbattled to gain control of. The scramblefor the ‘blood diamond’ even soaked inoutsiders who angled desperately for apiece of the action. Former LiberianPresident Charles Taylor was earlierthis year convicted for crimes againsthumanity, committed in Sierra Leone.

However, late last month, SierraLeone grabbed prime time newsheadline on major world channels forits elections, the third since the end ofthe brutal civil war that lasted from1991 to 2002.

The just concluded elections areremarkably unique because it is thefirst post-civil war poll conducted bySierra Leoneans themselves, the twoprevious ones having been conductedby the United Nations. The electionsfeatured presidential, parliamentaryand local council contests. Thepresidency was feverishly contestedby the incumbent, Ernest Bai Koroma,who ran on the ticke of ruling AllPeoples Congress (APC), and theSierra Leone People’s Party, whosecandidate was former military leader,Julius Maada Bio. The othersignificant candidate among the othereight was Charles Francis Margai, ofthe People’s Movement for DemocraticChange. He is the son of the secondprime minister of Sierra Leone, AlbertMargai.

The campaign for the presidencywas tension-filled, though no majorincident was recorded. However,when results were released ten daysafter the election, President Koroma,59-year-old former insurance

We counsel continuedreconciliation of all SierraLeoneans and concrete

measures be taken to bringabout improvement in thequality of lives for his six

million compatriots

executive, won with 58 percent of thevote, barely crossing the threshold of 55percent and avoiding a runoff.According to the constitution, if nocandidate wins 55 percent of the totalvotes, a run-off will be staged for thetwo frontrunners.

Bio and his SLPP gained 37.4percent, placing him second. The otherparties, including the political wing ofthe Revolutionary United Front (RUF),the main antagonist in the brutal civilwar, shared the remaining votes. Bio,

who had earlier complained over theelection arrangement, rejected theresult, claiming that it did not reflectthe will of Sierra Leoneans; hedenounced the process as fraudulent.The chairperson of the IndependentElectoral Commission, ChristianaThorpe, has asked him to substantiatehis claims.

Notwithstanding the allegation offraud, international observers praisedthe polls. The chief observer of theEuropean Union, Richard Hewitt, tolda news conference that “we describe the

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elections as being well conducted andas a contribution to democraticconsolidation.” The observers,however, noted that the ruling partygenerously deployed state resources inits care and commandeereddisproportionately media coverage,thereby availing itself of strategicadvantages over other parties.

However, taking into account wherethe country is coming from, almostfresh from hell, we cannot but join incommending the presidential electionand its outcome. This, we believe, is thebeginning of a more credible electionprocess.

For the main opposition candidatewho lost this poll and has sincedisowned the process, we urge caution.Bio may have been fazed by the undueadvantage of state institutions andresources that the ruling partycommandeered, but there is wideconsensus on the integrity of theelectoral umpire, a key deficit of theelectoral process in many countries inthe sub-region, including Nigeria.

Bio, at 47, has a lot to give hiscountry both now and in future. Forthe winner, Koroma, who has beensworn in for a second term, we counselcontinued reconciliation of all SierraLeoneans and concrete measures betaken to bring about improvement inthe quality of lives for his six millioncompatriots.

It is so interesting that afterchopping off hands and limbs, the RUFthrough its political wing sought votes;that is the beauty of democracy and wecommend Sierra Leoneans for theirsense of tolerance and accommodation.Now that the elections are over, theelites must move beyond bickering andgive their people a sense of worth.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 PAGE 13

The threat by the Nassarawastate House of Assembly toimpeach governor Tanko Al-

Makura of the Congress forProgressive Change (CPC) remindsone of the maxim that “the morethings change, the more theyremain the same”. Reading the storytook me back to the second republicpolitics of old Kaduna state when aNational Party of Nigeria (NPN)dominated House of Assembly foughta war of attrition with the PeoplesRedemption (PRP) governor of thestate, Alhaji Abdulkadir BalarabeMusa.

The then NPN swept the countrylike a gale picking states at willparticularly the northern states butcould not win the mother lode – theold Kaduna state. It was a shocker forthe NPN and its candidate, LawalKaita, who to all intents and purposeswas just waiting to be crowned. Whilethe NPN swept almost all the seats inthe legislature, it performed woefullylosing the gubernatorial seat to a littleknown accountant – Balarabe Musa. This was unacceptable to the NPN andso began the ‘war’, which led toBalarabe’s impeachment. The peopleof the state were the worst for it becausein the two years that Mallam BalarabeMusa lasted, he was not allowed toperform optimally with distractionscoming from the House of Assembly. Be as it may, the PRP governmentwas able to establish some industrieslike the Kachia ginger factory and theIkara Food Processing Company.

We can only guess what the statelost by the antics of the NPN, but from

the little that was delivered byMallam Bala, we can hazard a guessas to the unquantifiable loss the stateexperienced with his impeachment. Balarabe Musa operated withoutcommissioners for the duration of hisstay in office but many people stillrevere him for his performance andhe still remains a reference point forgood governance. The shenaniganstaking place in Nasarawa state sincethe ascension of Al-Makura to thegovernor’s office reminds one of howthe NPN scuttled people’s dreamsbecause of the selfishness of the partyand its members in 1981.

In the run-up to the 2011 generalelections, Al-Makura, a foundingmember of the PDP, left the partynewly registered CPC to realize hisambition of becoming governor of thestate, which he couldn’t realize in thePDP. In a scene reminiscent ofKaduna in 1979, the PDP won almostall the elections held in 2011 and thenlost the governorship to the CPC andAl-Makura. The PDP holds himresponsible for its loss in Nasarawa.From the day he was sworn to thepresent moment, the governor hasnot known peace from his legislatorswho are supposed to be his partnersin carrying the state forward. He hasbeen jumping from one booby trap tothe other.

The legislators once boycottedtheir legislative functions for theridiculous reason that the governorrefused to furnish their chamber – acontract awarded by the erstwhilegovernor when most of them were in

the legislature. But the recent threatto impeach the governor withinseven days beat all else. How does afight between two ethnic groupsconstitute an impeachable offencebeats my imagination? Much as I tryto see reason and logic in the threat, Icouldn’t find any. Nigeria has beenpractically on fire since GoodluckJonathan became president but I donot remember anyone threateninghim with impeachment.

Ethnic and religious violence hasbeen the hallmark of elite rivalry andhas been destroying the country andtearing the nation apart and anyright thinking Nigerian is trying tofind solutions to these senseless killingsand destructions going on. To try totrivialise such a grave issue istantamount to irresponsibility. ThePDP like politicising issues that theybelieve will advance its cause even iflives may be lost. This attitude isexactly why you have pockets ofclashes all over the country. Authorities concerned are notinterested in addressing criticalquestions but rather try to gainpolitical points from such. The recentmisadventure by the group calledOmbatse in Nasarawa state that ledto the loss of lives of innocentNigerians, some ordinary travellers,should under normal, rationalcircumstances elicit condemnationby the State House of Assembly anda call on the authorities (state andfederal) to arrest and prosecute theleaders of the group. But no. The PDPsee the disturbance of a way of issuing

Will Al-Makura suffer Balarabe Musa’s fate?By Babayola. M. Toungo

Despite the soundness of theradical critique of theelectoral component of

democracy in the western world as aprocess that restricts and suppressesvoters and hence election is seen as areformist ritual, reformist as it is,there are some lessons for Nigeria inthe American election.

Perhaps the overarching lessonNigeria can learn from the Americanelection is ethics of choice making. Inthe American election, there is thesense that the election creates choices.As divided, as the country appears tobe, it is that sense of democraticchoice driven by election that unitesthe country. The election thusbecomes a moral space of choice toresolve national problems. In Nigeriaelection is a closed business space toresolve personal and sectionalproblems. We need to move beyondthis.

The voter in the Americanelection considers himself or herselfrightly or wrongly but bothconsciously and unconsciously as amoral agent that has the power tochoose and make a difference. Hence,even when there are divides of allsorts, every voter watches, and isalways trying to make the bestdecision. And because the voters aretaken to be moral agents, and theytake themselves as moral agents,candidates are obliged to go to themto present themselves and persuadethem. That is not the case in ourcountry, Nigeria. The parties arebusiness companies. In Nigeria theparty that controls the electoral bodyand police wins. These two areinstruments of rigging. The voter

does not consider himself as a moralagent of choice, neither is he soconsidered by the candidates. So thevoter is not voting in or voting outprograms. Having been bought, thevoter is doing a paid job, hence he isforgotten immediately the ‘result” ofelection is announced except whenhe is needed to cause violence. Becausethe voter does not consider himself orherself as a moral agent whocandidates must come to, to seek forsupport for a program, candidates donot go to Nigerian voters to presenttheir programs, candidates buyNigerian voters. The consequence isthat the ethnic rather than therational dominates us because theethnic leader buys the ethnic voter!

The rational is that which one canturn into a universal law. To thisextent a lot of rationality is broughtinto losing and winning elections inAmerica. In other words, losing andwinning become an indivisibleduality. The losing party knows it canwin, while the winning party knowsit can lose. In our country Nigeria,election is embedded in completeirrationality for the ruling party,which controls the police, andelectoral body knows it will alwayswin. Hence, our elections lack anymoral content to it because of thisirrationality. Hence, we aredominated by ethnic talk and ethnicgossips after an election for winningand losing was never a rational actwith rational projections. InAmerican election, winning andlosing are projected based on clearlystated criteria such as demographicssuch as gender, age new and old, class,faith, etc. The programs of each partygalvanize these demographics. Forus to move beyond the ethnic we

Five lessons for Nigeria from the American electionBy Adeolu Ademoyo conversation around education,

rural development, agriculture andfood production, full employment,economy and health. Americanelection today re-echoes that. It isabout issues and programs such astaxation, employment, economy,health, immigration, foreign policyand defense. Just as some of Nigerianpolitical leaders in the first and secondrepublics tried to do, Mr. BarakObama and Mr. Mitt Romney wentto the American taxpayers to ask fortheir votes on the basis of clearlydefined programs. Today, the PDP,ACN, CPC etc are no parties either inthe sense of parties in Nigeria’s firstand second republics or the currentAmerican sense. Talk with anyNigerian voter and ask him why hevoted or will vote for any of theseparties, you will not get a rationalanswer. There is no clear choiceamong the parties, because there isno program and road map on anyissue.

The ethnic dominates ourconversation even among the so-called elite and educated. To changethis killing ethnic conversation theparties must be vessels of programs.Like the Americans, let us disagreevigorously and vibrantly oncompeting programs, visions, and

threats and may be finally get rid ofAl-Makura, whose only offenceseems the bruising of PDP’s dirty nosein the dirt.

The legislators accused thegovernor of lacking “competence toresponse to emergencies, and hasshown complete disdain for thecourtesy of extending relief tothousands, including women andtheir children, as well as the elderly,often displaced by the fast spreadingviolence”. I hope federal legislatorsfrom Borno and Yobe states arelistening and will take a cue from theNasarawa State legislators. Thepeople of the two states (Borno andYobe) should ask theirrepresentatives on why they are yetto issue impeachment threatsagainst the president. GoodluckJonathan has not for once visitedthese hapless people to even showempathy, much less extend “relief”. While he is not busy to attend the40th pastoral anniversary of AyoOritsejafor, he is always busy to visitBorno and Yobe despite theunparalleled lost of lives anddestruction of economic activities inthe two states under his watch.

Al-Makura was also accused bythe majority leader in the House,Godiya Akwasiki, of “failing tocomply with previous Houseresolutions to act on the ragingviolence and has folded his hands towatch while the people were dailybeing killed”. May be I don’t get themeaning of this allegation, but arethey talking about the president or

Nassarawa State governor?The NPN held the people Kaduna

State to ransom and denied them thechance to be led by a bona fidewelfarist. Now it appears it is the turnof Nassarawa State and its people to betreated to the fascist’s treatment bythe offshoot of the NPN. I see the fascismthat drove Balarabe Musa out of officein 1981 at play in Nasarawa state in2012. But if the state legislators shouldbe foolhardy to go ahead with theirthreat, National Assembly membersshould be on notice to kick out Goodluckfor the fact that while Nigeria is on firehe is playing modern day Nero –drinking expensive wine in place ofNero’s fiddle.

If the PDP as an institution wantsto play this type of brinkmanship,why don’t they start with thepresidency? At least, they are incontrol of the National Assembly. Tosingle out al-Makura for such a threatsmacks of arrogance and bad bele. This should be unacceptable toNigerians wherever they may be. We should not allow dictatorshipcreep in on us wearing the garb oflaw and order. Granted that Al-Makura must, as the chief securityofficer of the state, ensure theprevalence of peace, harmony andpeaceful co-existence amongst andbetween the disparate people of thestate. But this must be applicable tothe federal government that controlsall security agencies.Babayola M. Toungo isreachable atbabayolatungo@yahoo.co.uk

“We need to learn this moral act in politics inNigeria. Time is no longer on our side. OtherAfrican countries are moving on. It is only by

investing this rational and moral act in our politicsthat we will begin to solve the so-called nationalquestion that has subtly destroyed our country

manifestoes rather than on some sillysectional ethnic talk. Can we bringback the old Nigerian political partytradition based on programs andmanifestoes rather on persons and theethnic in us?

Listening and the capacity tolisten is a moral act. Though, Nigerianpoliticians never asked for the trust ofNigerian taxpayers, they in turn donot trust the politicians. The Nigerianpolitician maintains an immoralrelationship with Nigeriantaxpayers. This is not the case withthe American election. Immediatelyafter the recent American election,Mr. Obama is out again meetingvoters on his programs. It is a moralact. He knows he has to check on hispromises again with the Americantaxpayers before taking hisprograms to the American congress-the equivalent of our House ofRepresentative. In this, Mr. Obamacuts the image of the president as apaid worker of the Americantaxpayers, and he truly is. To be hiredto do a job is to be trusted. And to betrusted is a moral act. The Americantaxpayers have trusted Mr. Obamafor the next four years. Mr. Obamaknows this hence he is out on thestreets checking the soundness of hisprograms and promises with theAmerican taxpayers who hired himto do a job. We need to learn this moralact in politics in Nigeria. Time is nolonger on our side. Other Africancountries are moving on. It is onlyby investing this rational and moralact in our politics that we will begin tosolve the so-called national questionthat has subtly destroyed ourcountry.Adeolu Ademoyo can bereached on aaa54@cornell.edu

need to embed our electoralconversations in contesting programsand visions about the future of ourcountry.

The Republican and Democraticparties in America remind one ofpoliticking in first and second republicsin Nigeria when there were starkchoices to be made from partymanifestoes and programs even if wedid not make those choices becausewe are always dominated by theethnic in us! Nigerians who took aprogrammatic view of partypoliticking could see stark choicesamong Northern Peoples Congress,National Council For Nigeria andCameroons, Northern ElementPeoples Union, Middle Belt Union andThe Action Group. Bourgeois as theywere, Nigerian political parties thenstrove to be programmatic andproblem solving tools. The politicaltradition of the party asprogrammatic tool and problemsolving tools continue with some ofthe parties in the second republicwhen we had the National Party ofNigeria, Nigeria Peoples Party, GreatNigeria Peoples Party, PeoplesRedemption Party and the UnityParty of Nigeria.

Then some of the partiesattempted to define the electoral

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012PAGE 14

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WRITE TO US

By Bayo Olupohunda

When in 2010, the foundingand Senior Pastor of Wordof Life Bible Church, Warri,

Delta state, Ayodele JosephOritsejafor, was elected the Presidentof the 36-year-old ChristianAssociation of Nigeria (CAN), theumbrella body of the Christian faithin the country, I was genuinelyapprehensive. His emergence to thatexalted position marked the firsttime a pastor of the Pentecostal bendwould head an organization whoseleadership over the years has becomea rallying point for not onlyChristians but as the voice of thevoiceless and a thorn in the flesh ofcorrupt and oppressive leaders in thecountry.

Oritsejafor succeeded JohnOnaiyekan, a Catholic who hadhimself succeeded Jasper Akinola, anAnglican, in 2007. The Christianbody which was founded in 1976had had the luck of being led by menwho had used their positions asChristian leaders to unwaveringlyspeak truth to power; OlubunmiOkogie, Sam Mbang, BolanleGbonigi were also noted for theSpartan lifestyles they lived asclergies- a virtue they alsoencouraged among the faith andNigerians. But it was the Okogieyears that significantly defined therole of the church and church leadersas agents of change in a societybogged down by the crises ofleadership. Olubunmi Okogie wasyour quintessential pulpit activist.He unpretentiously used hisleadership to speak truth to power atevery given opportunity.

Usually seen in his white cassock;he was fearless and abhorred theostentatious lifestyles of leaders andthe corrupt. Even when the risk tohis life became dangerously evidentduring the military years, Okogie

rejected the suggestion of extrasecurity details. His ubiquitous officialcar, a Peugeot 404 and later 504, couldbe seen in traffic crawling along withthe rest of the masses. He lived the lifehe preached. He shunned all pretencesof the affected. Olubunmi Okogiefought for the interest of Nigerians nomatter theirreligion orethnicity. Evenin retirement, hehas notwavered. He stilllends his voice tothe unendingfollies of ourleaders. He andother CANleaders of theirera represent therole ofChristianity andits leadership asthe conscience ofthe nation. Canthe same be saidof today’s Christian leaders especiallyin this age of unbridled flamboyantliving by so-called pastors and one-man churches that have turnedChristianity into a joke?

How can we reconcile the paradoxof vice and the unrestrained religiosityof Nigerians of all faiths? You canimagine my concern when Oritsejaforemerged the leader of the influentialCAN. Do not get me wrong. I do nothave anything against the “man ofGod” (if indeed he is). I know it is a fadto be referred to as the man of Godthese days. A friend made a pointrecently about how easy it is to claimto be an “anointed man of God or beingcalled by Him”. I do not doubtOritsejafor’s ability to lead NigerianChristians. After all, he has led hischurch. Never mind that the church

is founded by him as the overall CEO.But that was also a source of

worry. How can a man not used toleadership structure as a leader of a“one-man show church” emerge tolead an umbrella organization of allChristians where he will have toconsult widely among Christian

leaders before taking decisions? Did hefor example consult widely beforeaccepting the gift of a private jet fromhis church bearing in mind theposition he occupies as not only theleader of his Warri church but that ofmillions of Christians all over thecountry; those whose sensibilities havenow been hurt by his indiscretion?Perhaps if he had, he would haveknown that the acceptance of the jetwill bring his leadership of therespected organization into disrepute.In defense, he claims the jet is forevangelization! Really? Why not waitfor the entire Christian body to buy aprivate jet for the CAN leadership?How can a private jet purportedlybought to mark his birthday nowbecome the property of CAN for thepurpose of evangelization? Or will he

donate the jet to CAN when his tenureexpires? One question has becomerelevant here; how did Ortisejafor’spredecessors evangelize while theypresided over CAN? His excuse of “jetfor evangelization” is shameful atbest.

As expected, the jet issue isbeing sadlydebated amongChristians andNigerians. Whilesome arecondemning it;others see it as a“testimony” to thelifestyle anaverage Christianshould aspire tobecause as theysay, the ChristianGod is not poor. So,instead of the CANleader uniting theChristian Faith,he has succeededin dividing it with

this endless and unnecessarydebate fuelled by his flamboyantlifestyle. This is dangerous. Thedivision will serve to furtherenergize the corrupt political classto strengthen their divisive agendawhich will drive a nail into thecoffin of a critical part of the civilsociety capable of providing thechecks needed for good governanceto thrive in our country.Oritsejafor’s ostentatious lifestyleand his new dalliance with theoccupier of Aso Rock Villa are anaffront to the position he holds. Thepicture of the CAN president flyingaround in an expensive private jet,while the laity wallows in abjectpoverty and die on neglected roadsis far removed from reality. Butthe Oritsejafor tragedy is a

reflection of the Nigerian situation.Yet we cannot despair. It is a passingphase.

The modern church is in greatneed of prophets of old who had ledCAN on the path of respectability. Notthe self-appointed and wild eyedfanatics’ clan of three-piece suit,jewellery wearing, and jerry curledpretenders “men of God” seen onreligious broadcasts who add theirdelusions to the revelation ofScripture. Those who equatesweating and laughter withanointing leading millions furtherdown a road of deception and delusion.Instead, we need men in Christianleadership who will stand on the sideof the masses and speak truth topower. Our country needs men ofvision who are not selling out thechurch so they can become acelebrity in the ‘religious conferencetour in the guise of evangelization.We need men of proven integrity; notthe ones who brazenly tell us to prayfor our leaders to steal us blind.

The current crisis of leadershipin CAN has me wondering lately;where are the prophets? Are thereany real prophets cut from the samecloth of an Elijah who confoundedthe evil King Ahab or a John theBaptist who called out the sins ofHerod? Are there any among ourChristian leaders who are willing tobreak political ranks and speak truthto power? At this critical point in ournation’s history, the next generationwill not forgive those Christianleaders who look the other way whilethe country heads to the abyss.Solutions to complex issues likecorruption, poverty, healthcare andgrowing insecurity will requiregreater vision than what iscurrently possessed by those inpower and those seeking to replacethem. Our nation stands in greatneed of the truly prophetic.Bayo Olupohunda is on Facebook

The drama that is currentlyplaying out in the media,involving two ‘heavyweight’

sons of the industrial town of Nnewi,in Anambra state, is becominginteresting by the day. From allindications, the (Cosmos) Maduka/Ubah (Ifeanyi) faceoff does not appearto be an issue that will soon go away.The war (well, that’s what it is), isbeing fought in the law courts, andalso in the electronic and print media,with indications that it would soonbecome a communal issue. It doesappear, however, that the matterhas passed the stage at which thetraditional ruler of Nnewi and hiscabinet can handle, contrary to whatDan Ulasi, who would like to be seenas a troubleshooter in the ongoingwar, hinted on Sunrise, the ChannelsTelevision breakfast programme, afew days ago.

Ifeanyi Ubah, the chairman ofCapital Oil, had, for several weeks,been in the news for the wrongreasons, namely, allegedinvolvement in the fuel subsidyscam, for which some oil marketersare currently standing trial. Ubah,it was alleged, had got the federalgovernment to pay his companysubsidy benefits for fuel it did notsupply. And just when the public wastrying to find answers to the whys ofthe allegation, Cosmos Maduka, thepresident of the Coscharis Group,came into the picture, raising the

alarm to the effect that a brother,Ubah, whom he bailed out of trouble,had turned around to bite the fingerthat fed him and, in a curious twist,plotted a sinister move to put him(Maduka), in trouble.

Ubah has, since coming out ofincarceration, been crying foul,alleging a grand design involving theminister of finance, Access Bank and,wait for it, Maduka, to run him out ofbusiness. The point must be madethat both men in the centre of thecurrent war are what we usuallyrefer to as ‘men of timber and caliber’in the Nigerian economy. One is anindustrialist of no mean repute, withsignificant contributions to thegrowth of the Nigerian auto industryand the transport sub-sector, whilethe other is a major player in thedownstream sector of the oil industry.

From what can easily bediscerned, there was a businessrelationship involving Maduka andUbah, over the importation of fuel.Maduka says he intervened to assistUbah secure a facility from AccessBank of which he is a director, whenno bank would grant him facility, onaccount of the alleged bad record hehas across the financial sector. Buteven then, the Coscharis boss couldonly secure the facility by using hisown name. And being thecalculating risk taker that he is, hegot Ubah to guarantee him, just incase a situation like we are witnessingtoday occurred. And because he isn’ta Mother Teresa, or a Santa Claus,

Maduka/Ubah faceoff: Questions, more questionsBy Olayinka Olaleye Access bank is not a charitable

organization. Its first objective forbeing in existence is to make money.So, why would it connive withMaduka to withhold proceeds from abusiness for which it granted a loan;indeed, why would it hide theproceeds in its vaults, with the fullknowledge of the borrower (in thiscase Maduka), while making thelatter pay a monthly interest ofalmost 400 million naira?Something doesn’t look tidy here.

Did Ubah watch the AITinterview in which Maduka allegedthat banks consider him a bad sale?I expected the Capital Oil boss to slama libel suit on Maduka, with AITjoined as co-defendants. But as I writethis, the man has yet to take thataction. What is the interest of Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Aig Imokhuedeand Maduka in running Ubah outof business? Ubah did not sayMaduka is seeking to take control ofthe downstream sector of the oilindustry, nor did he reveal that thethree own a company that isinvolved in the importation of fuel.And if we have to contend with thebring-him-down syndrome that iscommon in Nigeria, are we tobelieve that the London court thathas frozen Capital Oil’s assetsworldwide in connection with thedeal is also working in collaborationwith Ubah’s adversaries to ruinhim?Olayinka Olaleye, a companyexecutive, wrote in from Lagos

Maduka, who can perceive the smellof a money just like any otherbusinessman, made sure he benefitedfrom the deal for which Ubah neededhis assistance.

The Capital Oil owner, who is notknown to have any connectionwhatsoever in Access Bank, on theother hand, says he helped Madukasecure a facility in Access Bank. Notonly that, Ubah allegedly pledgedmany of his company’s assets,including a choice property onBanana Island, as collateral for theloan.

All went well with the business ofimportation of fuel, with the first sixconsignments delivered and theproceeds properly accounted for, andboth parties smiled in satisfaction,well, until something happened to theseventh consignment! Maduka saysone year after the vessel conveyingthe fuel was supposed to have berthedin Nigerian waters, following in thefootsteps of the first six, there has beenno trace of the ship, its cargo or theproceeds that should accrue from thesales. He contends that even if Molue,the popular Lagos mass transit bus,was used to convey the fuel from itspoint of purchase, it would havearrived Nigeria a long time ago. Ubahargues that the consignment arrivedquite all right, was sold, and theproceeds deposited in the vaults ofAccess Bank, where they can neverbe traced, hinging this bizarreargument to the supposedmachinations of Maduka and Access

Bank.The Maduka/Ubah saga is

nothing other than a businesstransaction gone awry. It is typicallywhat happens when transparencyis in short supply in a business dealor, for that matter, any deal. Inanalyzing the fallouts of the multi-million dollar fuel importationbusiness that has now obviouslyfallen on its face, there is need to asksome salient questions. With about38 years’ active involvement in theNigerian economy, Maduka is notknown to have ventured into anybusiness and failed. Indeed, he hasbeen a pace setter in the different sub-sectors of the auto industry which hehas been involved in. If he foundattraction in the fuel importationbusiness, why would he need to climbon Ubah’s back to achieve his aim?Who helped who?

For a man whose name opensdoors in and outside Nigeria,including financial institutions, whywould Maduka need Ubah’sassistance to secure a loan facility ina bank in which he is a director? Itcannot be that Ubah has exclusiveknowledge of the intricacies of fuelmarketing, such that a Madukawould need his help to navigate therough waters of the industry. Ifchildren of politicians and othermoney bags are using their fathers’names to succeed in the sector,Maduka, who has been around for along time, would hardly need Ubahto succeed.

Oritsejafor’s God is not poor

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 PAGE 15

During the 2011electioneering campaigns inNigeria, there were three

major contenders for the topmost jobin the land, namely: GeneralMuhammadu Buhari of the CPC,Nuhu Ribadu of the ACN andGoodluck Ebele Jonathan of the PDP.Of the three, it was clear Jonathanwas going to win and it had nothingto do with his “excellent” antecedentsor track records. It was solely basedon sentiments and the power ofincumbency. The Jonathan teamhad, from the outset, primed itselfto play on our famous religious andethnic sentiments. No wonder hewas at the RCCG camp, where heknelt down unabashedly and wasprayed for.

He didn’t stop at that, heconstantly drummed it into the earsof anyone who cared to listen, thathe had no shoes, as a boy, he had noenemies to fight and he was notgoing to rock any boat. Little did thehordes of cheering fans realize thepoignant truth in his “no fight” cry.Indeed Jonathan is everyone’s ‘Mr.Nice Guy’, corruption inclusive.

From his antecedents, Jonathanis corruption personified and I saythis without a tongue bridging mycheek. However, intellectuallaziness has blinded most of us fromresearching his past. Here is a littlesnippet into the past of Mr.Jonathan, a creation of thecorruption he unashamedly tells

people that he is fighting: In 2006,he was indicted for false declarationof assets by a Joint Task Force (JTF)on corruption that was set up byObasanjo’s government. Thatpowerful panel was headed by NuhuRibadu, who was then chairman ofthe Economic and Financial CrimesCommission (EFCC).

The Joint Task Force said Mr.Jonathan was in possession ofillegally-acquired property such ashomes and exotic cars, all of whichhe could not explain within hislegitimate income. While he wasinvited for hearing, he claimed hebought them from his “savings”.Meanwhile, he was a lecturerpreceding his becoming a deputygovernor. Kindly see for yourselves,the worth of the properties whichwere bought from Mr. Jonathan’s‘savings’: a seven-bedroom duplexworth N18 million at Otueke OgbiaLGA acquired in 2001; a four-bedroom duplex, valued at N15million at Goodluck JonathanStreet, Yenegoa, acquired in 2003;and a five-bedroom duplex, at CitecVillas, Gwarimpa II – Abuja, valuedat N25 million, also acquired in2003. There were also two cars: aLexus Jeep valued at N18 million;and a BMW 7351 Series worth N5.5million. If you check the dates thepurchases were made from 2001, itwas just two years after GEJ becamea deputy to a criminal governor,

Alamieyeisigha, convicted forfleecing Bayelsa state dry.

Since Jonathan became thepresident, it has been one sad tale ofcorruption after another. Whileprevious governments have evenpretended to wage a war againstcorruption, Mr. Jonathan on theother hand, has no room for suchpretence or luxury. He romancesand dines with corruption and thecorrupt. The Malabu scam comes tomind. N155billion paid into fictitiouscompanies with fake or unknownaddresses. Yet not one person has beenbrought to book as we speak.

The ministry of finance recentlypublished a list of about 27companies that received subsidypayments, but to the consternationof right thinking Nigerians, PinnacleConstruction was on the list releasedby the ministry. Furtherinvestigations revealed that aboutN2.7billion had been paid to thatsame construction company assubsidy payment! Investigationsalso showed that the company wasnot even registered with the CAC.

Various probes and commissionsof inquiry have at different timesshown the grand larceny beingsuperintended over by the powersthat be. It gets more nauseatingwhen one considers that the reportof such probes have at various timesbeing either discarded or deliberatelyrubbished using individuals of

questionable integrity. Nigeriansare regularly mocked by those ingovernment– they see trillionsbeing misappropriated and thescoundrels have not only gone scotfree, they are either rewarded withboard appointments, nationalhonors or are frequent callers in AsoRock, the Nigerian seat of power.

A recent Gallup poll showed thatNigeria is the second most corruptcountry in the world. Also accordingto International audit firm KPMG,the cost of fraud in the first half of2012 alone is $1.5bn (N225bn), thehighest on the African continent.And that is only because they haveno real idea of what is going on ingovernment circles. While Nigeriais ranked third behind the USA andChina in backlogs of orders forpersonal private jets, the EconomicIntelligence Unit (EIU) asserted thatour nation is the worst place to beborn in 2013 due to deterioratingindicators of human security. Whata damning submission!

The power conundrum isanother avenue for the grandlarceny being committed againstNigerians. Billions have been spenton power but all Nigerians can see isdarkness. It is so bad that thepresident had to come on NationalTV to lie to Nigerians aboutgenerating 5,000 megawatts. Withno visible improvement in ourvarious homes, one can only

Why this government won’t fight graftBy Ayobami Oyalowo

Few weeks ago there was a reportonline whose caption “TheWorld’s ‘poorest’ President”

instantly caught my attention as Inavigated the global village via theInternet. In it we were told about acertain President who should be‘canonized’ as a saint in a worldinhabited by executive animals,jesters and serial sinners. Accordingto the report, the President ofUruguay, Jose Mujica, is doing whatno president in history ever did:donating his official salary to thedown-trodden of his country! NoJonathanian hypocrisy, norazzmatazz, no publicity, noexibitionism: the man of power isdoing it all from his heart! A verygood man indeed!

After reading the strikingcompassionate story I was envelopedwith righteous indignation as Icompared and contrasted it withwhat is happening in my homecountry. Just imagine how Nigeriawould have fared if we had aPresident of Mujica’s patriotism andsolidarity with the poor! You see twothings ‘bother’ me here as regardsthis extra-ordinary uncommonPresident: his salary and his disdainfor affluence and megalomania! ThePresident earns the equivalent oftwelve thousand dollars monthlyand he graciously uses the bulk ofthe pay towards servicing the poorand the needy in the society!Wonderful!

Mujica would probably ‘die’ ofheart attack if he were to be told abouta big country in West Africa wherepresidents make suffering of themasses a state policy! He would meltinto insomnia when he would beinformed that Nigeria’s leaders hadstolen the people’s money forgenerations, graft upon graft, fiscalscandal upon fiscal scandal runninginto billions of dollars without any

one of them ending up in any jailanywhere or even arrested forinterrogation! He would be forced tothink about the veracity of the blackcontinent being labelled by detractorsas a dark enclave where Lucifer musthave elected home.

The true statesman wouldshudder when he becomes awarethat some pseudo-statesmen inNigeria had stolen huge amounts ofmoney — much more than theannual GDP of Uruguay! He wouldbe filled with bitterness upon gettingto know that the late Gen. SaniAbacha alone stole billions of dollarsthat are still being tracked all aroundthe world today! He would marvel atour collective helplessness to ‘cure’ourselves of the graft ailmentafflicting our politicians. The gracefulPresident would definitely feel sorryfor Nigerians if he knows about onesmart crook named James OnanefeIbori and his dismantled network ofmonumental fraud.

The likes of Jose Mujica are hardto find under the African sky. Withthe exception of a very few good menlike Nelson Mandela and the lateJulius Nyerere Africa has producedthe very worst leaders any sanecountry could ever get. In Nigeriathere will never be any Jose Mujicabecause of who we are and how we dothings. Even if one manifests himselfhe may likely be cut down by forceshell-bent on maintaining thedisastrous status-quo.

One Sunday as I woke up in thewee hours of the night I went onlineand was greeted by a mind-bogglingnews story culled from a localnewspaper. According to theinvestigative report under theGoodluck Jonathan administrationNigeria has lost a whooping US$31billion to fraud and corruption! Notthat one was shocked by that

GEF: How not to fight corruptionBy SOC Okenwa

revelation but the sheer amountinvolved somewhat knocked me offmy feet for a while! Dazed as it wereand fuming with patriotic rage I hadreached for a glass of whiskey to knock‘sense’ back into my faculty andcontinue with the literary exercise.

Thirty one billion dollars stolen ina space of just two years of theJonathan presidency? Holy Jesus!Just imagine what a billion dollarswould do when channelled towardsthe rehabilitation of the death-trapscalled federal highwares. Just thinkabout what one billion dollars can doto upgrade the ‘mere consultingclinics’ without qualified doctors andexpired drugs. Just dream of what abillion dollars would do when deployedin the education sector to curb poorquality academic output and input.Just consider what a billion dollarscan do in the employment schemesaimed at engaging the teemingunemployed youth being recruitedby Boko Haram and kidnappingkingpins and PDP godfathers.

But why is corruption now a wayof life in Nigeria? Why are ‘saints’ veryrare to come by? Why is (almost)everybody and everything corrupt?Well, the answers to these posers areas easy as they can ever be. In a culturethat rewards malfeasance andhonours the rich fool, in a clime whereillicit money is celebrated withoutquestion values are bound to takeflight. Another reason could be totallack of patriotism. Yes, patriots are nolonger there to be counted in theirmillions or thousands; Nigeria hassince become an ‘orphan’ andeveryone is out to milk her dry. Butwho cares about how she faresanyway?

While IBB was reputed to haveinstitutionalized corruption in Nigeriawhat we are witnessing today musthave informed the “I-deh-kampe”

attitude of both IBB and OBJ — thetwo worst executive culprits ofcorruption in Nigeria. The ‘grab-grab’ syndrome has affected everysector and almost everybody iscorrupt one way or the other. No onesane enough would ever elect to diefor a nation whose fortunes keepplummeting while ‘leaders’, throughtheir mischievous aides, regale uswith tales of ‘ogogoro’, fish pepper-soupand cassava bread in the seat ofpower!

The decay in major sectors of theeconomy, the moral rot in thepolitical sphere speaks only one thingto our mind: the endemic corruptionin our country has gotten worse andif nothing revolutionary is donequickly then we risk surrenderingour lives to the panjandrums who,like the drug cartels in Guinea-Bissau,Brazil and Mexico, are makinggovernance look like a class thing ora secret organisation in which detailsof engagements are known only tothe initiated!

President Jonathan’scomplacency in the fight againstcorruption is understandable butinexcusable. Understandable in thesense that he is not only a weak anduninspiring leader but he was foistedon the nation by a corrupt godfatherwho was desperate to cover his lootingtracks once out of power. Butinexcusable because the very life ofthe nation and millions of her peoplesare daily being rubbished by theodious effects of high-wire corruptionthat has gone out of control.Inexcusable because GEJ has noreason whatsover to fail in thisurgent task of booking and jailingthose who, with manifest impunity,plunder and plunder the resourcesunder their care and retire as sacredcows or ‘stakeholders’!

How can a government that

conclude that the megawatts hequoted are only being generated inhis dreams. A quick math willsuffice: let us assume that at N97/litre, Nigerians effectively burnN5.66 billion annually, with theattendant environmental and theaccompanying health hazard toboot. Using our elementarymathematics, in 29years, Nigerianswould have spent N5.66trillion or$354billion. How much do we needto generate proper and cleanenergy? I would have asked some ofour Government officials to tell us,but I guess they are busy chasingsome “evil spirits” that those ingovernment believe are the cause ofour blackout. How laughable?

The larceny committed againstNigerians by this governmentwould have, in some climes, earnedthe bare-faced looters the deathpenalty. But as it were, it is businessas usual. It will be advisable for theJonathan government to heed wisecounsel. Nobody hates Jonathan(and I say this because his hired goonsand ‘voltrons’ sadly feed him thisimpression daily). But a man whosuperintends over suchmonumental thievery is not onlyworthy of opprobrium, he must alsobe extremely callous andunconscionable to assume that allshould be well.Ayobami Oyawolo twits@Ayourb

claims to be seriously fightingcorruption condone one by sendingthe Attorney General of theFederation and Minister for Justice,Mohammed Bello Adoke, to file a lastminute motion asking the courttrying to uncover how and why theformer dictator Ibrahim Babangidaembezzled the 12.4 billion dollars oilwindfall to disqualify the claimantssaying they lacked the authority toquestion the spending and fraudassociated with the funds? I mean,so GEJ does not want IBB jailed toserve as a big example to others? Orhe is mortally afraid of theconsequences?

That is why we are rooting forMuhammadu Buhari, a hard manwhose political antecedents suggesthe is battle-ready to destroy theelements of corruption in ournational lives. Any President whowillfully condones or toleratescorruption in whatever guise mustbe corrupt himself! Come 2015President Jonathan must excuse usanother four years of misery andmediocrity! While one recognizes thatpower has since intoxicated him andhis wife (making wishful voluntaryexit near-impossible) we think the 4-year ‘good-luck’ (sorry gridlock) he iscurrently serving should be enoughworries in our lives.

Power must, therefore, changehands come 2015! The PeoplesDemocratic Party ought to besoundly defeated by the oppositionbringing to an end 16 years of greed,graft and mediocrity. Nigeriadeserves nothing less asunprecedented institutionalcorruption seeks relentlessly to snufflife out of the emaciated giant. Nigeriacan never develop with the presenthalf-hearted anti-corruption policy ofhits and misses, the presentunmitigated assault by forces ofcorruption.SOC Okenwa is reachable onsoco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012PAGE 16

17 physically challenged persons,others receive wheel chairs, crutches

No fewer than 100physically challengedpersons in the Federal

Capital Territory(FCT),yesterday received wheel chairs,crutches and other gift items likewrappers at an event to markthe 2012 International Day ofPersons with Disabilities held atthe Cyprain Ekwensi Centre forArt and Culture.

The gesture was acollaboration of the Departmentof Social welfare Services of theSocial Development Secretariatof the Federal Capital TerritoryAdministration(FCTA) and an o n - g o v e r n m e n t a lorganisat ion(NGO), Publ icHealth and CommunityDevelopment Centre(PHCDC).

While 17 motorised wheelchair was handed to some of thephysically challengedpersons, including men andwomen, others were presentedwith some iron clutches and therest each got gifts of wrappers,food and drinks.

In an address the Minister ofState for the FCT, OloyeOlajumoke Akinjide, remarked“that persons with disabilitieshave a significant positiveimpact on the society and theircontribution can be even greaterif we remove barriers to theirparticipation”.

According to her, irrespectiveof their challenges, the group ofwomen and men with disability,who are working selflessly in theFCTA, have demonstrated theircommitment to effective servicedelivery like their counterparts.

Commending the group fortheir commitment, Akinjide whowas represented by her Special

Assistant, Mrs. UcheNwafor expressed thedetermination of theadministration to ensure thatpersons with disabilities enjoytheir rights and realise their greatpotentials.

On her part, the Secretary,Social Development Secretariat,Mrs Blessing Onuh, advised thephysical challenged persons tosee abilities in theirdisabilities.

According to her, many of

the successful people on earthare special people who haveunleashed great potentials thathave contributed immensely tothe development of theirsocieties.

Also speaking, theCoordinator of an NGO , alsocollaborating with the FCT, MrsGrace Adogo, commended thegesture, saying that people livingwith disabilities have being theirmajor focus.

“We are rehabilitating them

The motorised wheel chairs donated to some Physically challenges persons yesterday in Abuja by anNGO in collaboration with the FCTA.

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

at the FCT Rehabilitation Centrein Bwari. Also, we have justfinished training some of themin Karimajiji in soap making, shoemaking, tailoring etc”, she added.

The beneficiaries wereappreciative of the gesture as theythanked the FCTA and the NGO.

One of them, Idris Rilwanprayed that God would rewardthe initiators, urging them tocontinue in the good act so thatothers could benefit at the longrun.

Woman drags driver to court over alleged fraud

A Wuse Zone SixMagistrates Court,Abuja, has sentenced Paul

John, 30, of Mararaba, Abuja, tosix months imprisonment forcheating one Albert Moses ofN120, 000.

The Magistrate, Mr AminuEri, however, gave him an optionof N20, 000 fine and asked himto pay N120, 000 ascompensation to Moses.

The convict was chargedwith cheating contrary to Section322 of the Penal Code.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Simon

Ibrahim, had told the court thatthe convict collected N120,000from Moses in September andpromised to get him an IranianVisa which he never did.

Ibrahim said Moses, a residentof Kubwa in the FCT, reported thematter to the Utako Police Stationon October 3, 2012.

The prosecutor added that theconvict avoided Moses andstopped picking his calls until hewas arrested at Area 1, Abuja, onOctober 28.

The convict pleaded guilty tothe offence. (NAN)

Man gets six monthsimprisonment for cheating

Gwagwalada AreaCouncil in the FederalCapital Territory

(FCT), has called on the peopleof Passo village to continue tolive in peace with one anotherirrespective of their tribal andreligious inclinations.

Chairman of the areacouncil, Hon. ZakariAuguluDobi, who made thecall during the presentation ofstaff of office to the village headof Passo in Gwagwalada, askedthe residents to be united forthe progress of the area.

Dobi, who was representedby the Council Secretary,Alhaji Usman Yahaya, saidthat the administration of thecouncil was geared towards thedevelopment of the entireGwagwalada Area Council.

He advised the traditionalrulers in the area to be loyaland co-operative with theleadership of the area councilall the times.

While answering a questionon the 2013 Area councilschairmanship election, heappealed to the people of Passoto vote credible candidatesthat will take them to thepromised land.

Responding, the villagehead of Passo, Chief JoshuaMadaki expressed happinessfor the honour done to him bythe council by elevating himto the status of village head.

He said his leadershipwould continue to support theadministration to moveGwagwalada to higherheights.

He called on the people ofGwagwalada and its environsto come closer to theadministration of the councilto enable the chairman tocontribute meaningfully tothe socio-economicdevelopment of theirrespective areas.

The village head cautionedroyal fathers againstutterances that could causedispute in their domains andurged them to carry theirsubjects along in the interestof peace.

Madaki, who is also theChairman of the Village Headsin Gwagwalada commendedthe administration ofZakari Angulu Dobi forthe structures put in place inPasso village.

Speaking on behalf of thevillage heads, the Village Headof Angwan Gwari, AlhajiYunusa Aliyu urged the peopleof Passo to continue to obeytheir chief.

Passoresidentsurged to livein peaceBy Usman Shuaibu

A trader, Mrs HabibaTimothy has dragged a30-Year-old driver,

Stanley Okore, of Zone 7, Lugbe,to the Grade One Area Court,Lugbe, Abuja, for allegedlydefrauding her of N110,000.

Timothy prayed the court tocompel the accused to refund themoney and to pay her N50, 000as damages and cost of the law suit.

She told the court that theaccused had collected the moneyfrom her under false pretence.

Timothy said that the accusedhad in April 2012 asked her tolend him N55, 000 to enable himto buy a pick-up van, which sheobliged.

She said the accused cameback again in June 2012 and toldher that the vehicle he bought wasinvolved in an accident and thathe needed an additional N45, 000to repair the car which she alsogave to him.

She said the accused laterasked for an additional N10, 000which she also obliged him.

“Since then, all efforts torecover my money from himhave failed.

“One day when I went to hishouse to ask for the money, hebrought out a knife andthreatened to kill me if I did notstop disturbing him about themoney.

“Out of fear, I ran out of thehouse and he took possession ofmy phone and shoes to date,’’ shesaid.

Timothy also told the courtthat she had reported the matterto the Lugbe police station.

She said that the police madehim to commit himself to awritten undertaking to pay backthe money but had yet to do so.

When the presiding Judge,Alhaji Haruna Masanawa, askedthe accused to confirm or denythe allegations against him, hefirst denied but later confirmedthem as true.

He said that he was willing torefund the money then but thathe had an accident.

The accused, however, saidthat he paid the complainantN10,000 before the accident.

The judge after listening toboth parties adjourned the case toMonday for continuation ofhearing.

He then ordered thatsummons should be served on theInvestigating Police Officer whohandled the case at the policestation and that Timothy’switness should appear in court onthat day. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2012PAGE 18

Some residents of the FederalCapital Territory (FCT)have decried the sale of

power generating sets of variousbrands without issuingguarantee to buyers.

The residents, who spoke withthe News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja in separateinterviews, complained that thesellers of the generating sets didnot give any guarantee on theeffectiveness and durability of thesets.

NAN also reports that evenwhere they do if the setsdeveloped any problem theynormally refused to takeresponsibility for it, saying thatit was not their fault.

One of the respondents, MrChibuike Chukwu, said hebought a set at the market andbarely used it for a week whenthe generator packed up.

“I was so surprised when I puton the set and it refused to work,the next day I took it back to theman I bought it from, but wasshocked when the man said hecould do nothing about it as hetoo bought the set himself.

“In fact, he insisted that if hecollected it on whose accountwould the loss be and said I shouldtake it to a mechanic who will findthe fault with it.

“The annoying thing was thathe was not even apologetic, if wehad steady power supply thiswould not be happening,”Chukwu said.

Another resident, Mr.Suleiman Danladi, who also madethe same observation, said thedealers of these products just go tothe manufacturing companiesabroad to manufacturesubstandard products.

According to him, they would

Residents decry sale of sub-standard generating setsGenerator repairers at work

By Usman Shuaibu

not bother about what the people,who purchase these items gothrough as long as they smile tothe banks.

“You cannot blame theseimporters because if our powersupply was constant who willbother about generators.

“They continue to capitaliseon the situation in the countryto enrich themselves and thecitizens are absolutely helplessbecause the regulatory bodiesare nearly non-existent,”Danladi said.

Also a respondent, MrsJustina Bolatito, urged thegovernment to provideelectricity for the citizenry.

“We have entered the dryseason when the weather is veryhot and without electricitypeople have no other option, butto patronise dealers ingenerators.

“Even when we know thenegative impact of thesegenerating sets to theenvironment,” she said.

Bolatito also appealed to theregulatory authorities to checkthe importation of fake andsubstandard products like powergenerating sets to minimisepeople’s discomfort.

Responding to thecomplaints, Mr. Kanayo Amadi,a generating set dealer, told NANthat the dealers were not at faultas they only buy the productsthey could lay their hands onwith the hope to make profit.

“As a dealer how manygenerating sets can I test to checkfor the effectiveness, we only takethe word of the importers andhope for the best.

“We too plead withregulatory bodies to do their workby making sure that onlystandard products are allowedinto our borders,’’ he said

Public Relations Officer of theConsumer Protection Board(CPC), Mr. AbiodunObimuyiwa, speaking on behalfof the Director General CPC, MrsIfy Umenyi, said that thecouncil would not accept such athing, as “it is very wrong,’’ hesaid.

According to him, theconsumer has the right tocomplain over any product orservices rendered if the productis not commensurate with thevalue of the money spent on it.

“In the first place, the buyeris supposed to get warranty of ayear or thereabout over anyproduct bought from the seller.

“We advice that anyconsumer who is unjustly treatedshould write a petition to thecouncil giving vivid explanation

Three in prison overrobbery allegationsJustice Balami Mwada of the

Federal Capital Territory(FCT) High Court sitting in

Gwagwalada at the weekend,ordered that three persons, VictorAdindu, (29), Henry Oluchi, (25)and one Ekene, (23) be remandedin prison custody.

Adindu, Oluchi and Ekene arefacing a five count charge ofconspiracy, robbery,impersonation, being inpossession of dangerous weaponand threatening one Patrick

Mwokara.The Prosecution Counsel, Mrs

Nnorma Okafor, told the courtthat the accused committed thealleged crime on May 4, 2010 atGwarimpa in FCT.

She said the men conspiredand robbed Mwokara of valuableitems.

Okafor said the accusedpersons used guns, cutlasses andknives to threaten Mwokara, asthey made an attempt to killhim.

The prosecution said that thethree men, who pretended to bePHCN staff, broke into Mwokara’shouse and beat him up.

The trio, however, pleadednot guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, then, prayedfor an adjournment to enable herbring her witnesses to court.

Justice Mwada, then orderedthat the trio be remanded in KujeMedium Prison and adjourned thecase to February 6, 2013 forhearing. (NAN)

The Chairman of AmaforProgressive Union (APU) inthe Federal Capital

Territory (FCT), Mr. CharlesUwonwa, has called on theexecutive of the association aswell as members to cometogether for the overalldevelopment of the Union.

Uwonwa, who made the callduring the end of the union’syear’s party in Abuja, said hisleadership would continue towork towards the progress of hispeople.

According to him, AmaforProgressive Union is an umbrellabody of Amafor sons anddaughters in diaspora and at thesame time serves as a linkbetween the home town ofAmafor in Ohaji/ Egbema LocalGovernment Area of Imo state.

He urged members to deemit necessary to maintain cordialrelationship with those at homeand other branches of the unionin Abuja for the benefit of peaceand co-operation.

The Chairman appealed tothe sons and daughters ofAmafor/Ohaji, who did notregister with the union to do sofor their own good.

AmaforProgressive Unioncalls for unity

John Wadzani, 33, of Masakavillage in Nasarawa statewas yesterday docked by an

Abuja Magistrates Court forcriminal misappropriation.

Police Prosecutor, RamatuSule told the court that onNovember, 29, 2012, one AgboUchenna of AB Patsy Plaza Jabi,Abuja, reported the accused atUtako police station.

He said that the complainantentrusted his wine shop which issituated at Patsy Plaza, Jabi tohim.

But between the month ofOctober November ending, hediscovered that wines, worth onehundred and forty thousandnaira(N140,000) were missing.

When the accused wasquestioned, he was said to havefailed to give satisfactoryaccount of the missing wine.

Sule said that the offencewas contrary to Section 309 ofthe Penal Code.

The accused pleaded guiltyon the charges.

Magistrate Tom TukuraVera, adjourned the case toJanuary, 8, 2013 for hearing.

Man dockedover missing winesBy Amaike Beauty

of the matter and the council willwade into it and ensure the rightof the consumer is protected,’’ hesaid.

Obimuyiwa said the councilwas ever ready to champion thecause of the consumer and fightfor their rights. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012PAGE 18

Galadimawa communitydecries lack of health centreThe Chief of Galadimawa

Community, FCT, AlhajiMusa Barde, on Saturday

decried the lack of health centrein the area, which has made itdifficult for residents to accesshealth care.

Barde told the News Agencyof Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja thatthe community was feelingneglected as it lacked basic healthcare needs like a health centre.

“Presently, we don’t havehealth centre here as you can seethe village is an ancient village,it has history, very long historylike every other village in Abuja.

“But the only problem we arefacing is that of health care, wehave been trying to persuade theauthority of FCT on how the

community can be integrated tothe health care system of theterritory for people to benefit,’’ hesaid.

He said that people from thearea had tried unsuccessfully toconvince Abuja Municipal AreaCouncil (AMAC) to assist thecommunity with a health centre.

“If you take a look, thepopulation in the village willrequire that we have a healthcentre, because if we do not haveany health centre here, it willaffect the community.

“Anytime someone was sick,particularly women thatnormally go for antenatal or timeto deliver babies, residents find itdifficult to access health carebecause the hospitals are far from

here,” he said.The chief lamented that the

residents had to take their familymembers all the way from thevillage to Wuse or Maitamahospitals.

“And if it is possible to have oneclose to us here, I think it will helpus a lot,” he said.

Barde said that the issue ofpoverty had also been a factor,adding that someone with smallincome or small business, with nohealth support would not becomfortable.

“They may find it difficult toget to the general hospital on timebecause funds may not beavailable. Some residents havesuch challenges and the problemsare real,’’ he said.

Court jails driver for trespassing into airport

According to him, sometimespeople have to assist in gatheringsome small amount of money tocarry the sick person to thehospital.

“We have some few privateclinics around here that we usewhen we are sick, but you knowhow private clinic is, if you don’thave money they will not attendto you and that is the most difficultthing.

“They will not attend but if youdon’t have money, so that is theproblem we face here generally,’’he said.

Barde said that some pregnantwomen deliver at home becauseof lack of money because they hadno alternative.

“Our pregnant women deliver

at home when there is no fund forproper care and also the means ofgetting to hospital on time due tothe distance.

“We have Traditional BirthAttendants (TBAs), they giveassistance to our pregnant women,and some of our nurses that workin the general hospitals who livearound here.

“But sometimes before youreach out to the nurses, they willsay they are on duty, so there isnothing we can do but to seek foralternative means.

“We are appealing to theauthority to come to our aidbecause our population isincreasing by the day, our womenare given birth everyday andchildren are increasing.

“We are no more in the ruralarea, we should enjoy the benefitsof belonging to an urbansettlement,’’ he said. (NAN)

Nnamdi Azikwe InternationalAirport, Abuja, to pickpassengers without permission.

According to theprosecutor, Ariyo, Dapian andThompson in their vehicle withregistration number DZ 998ABJ unlawfully gainedentrance into the airport andpicked passengers.

The prosecutor said thatwhen they were found out, they

resisted arrest by the police.Ariyo pleaded guilty to the

charge and begged the court forleniency but Dapian andThompson pleaded not guilty.

The judge then admittedDapian and Thompson to bailin the sum of N100,000 eachwith one surety each who mustbe resident in the FCT.

He adjourned the matter toFebruary 4, 2013. (NAN)

An Upper area Court inGudu, Abuja, on Fridaysentenced one Samuel

Ariyo of Jikwoyi, Abuja, to 12months imprisonment forcriminal trespass, touting andresisting arrest.

The Judge, Adamu Wakili,however, gave him an optionof N9,000 fine.

Ariyo was arraignedalongside Isaac Dapian of Jahi

and Emmanuel Thompson, ofHiltop Hotel, all residents ofAbuja.

The Police Prosecutor,Inspector Blessed Akpan, toldthe court that the offence wascontrary to sections 342, 172of the Penal Code and Section 6(6) of the FAAN bye law.

He said that on November28, 2012 Ariyo, Dapian andThompson trespassed into the

One Udoh John of Nyanya,Abuja, has beenarraigned before a Karu

Senior Magistrates Court on afour-count charge of conspiracy,criminal trespass, unlawfulrestraint and theft.

The prosecutor,Sergeant Stephen Eimoga, toldthe court that the complainant,Victor Inwang, of Area AExtension, Nyanya, Abuja,reported the case to the Karupolice station.

He said that the accused and11 others, now at large, forced thedoor to his room open andremoved his property onNovember 26, 2012.

Eimoga added that theaccused, who was Inwang’slandlord, conspired with the 11others and removed thecomplainant’s property becausehe failed to pay his house rent ofN450, 000.

“In the process of removingthe property, Inwang discoveredthat two of his belts valued atN30, 000, a leather wrist watchvalued at N20, 000, a laptopvalued at N140,000 andN250,000 cash were missing.

“Other missing items includea wall clock valued at N2,500, along sofa valued at N55,000, 50pieces of DVD cassettes valued atN15,000, a show glass valued atN65,000, two drinking glassesvalued at N2,000 and a standingmirror valued at N1,8000 wasdamaged, bringing the total costto N581,300’’.

The prosecutor said that theoffence contravenes Sections 79,342, 254, 327 and 288 of thePenal Code.

However, the accused pleadednot guilty to the charges.

The Senior Magistrate,Celestine Odo, granted theaccused bail in the sum ofN200,000 and a surety in likesum, who must have a fixedaddress and reside within thejurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case toFebruary 6, 2013, for hearing.(NAN)

Tenantdragslandlord tocourt

Generator repairers at work

PAGE 19PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Management Tip of the DayWhat you can do to prevent layoffs

INSIDE

Are layoffs just a fact of life?Or are they avoidable?Sure, few managers have

a say in whether their companywill lay off employees, but thereare some things you can do toreduce the likelihood:·Watch out for complexity.Organisations have a tendencyto grow, adding unnecessary

Nigerian con-tent fund hits

N15.7bn

- Pg 22

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

BBBBBUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESS

layers, positions, and locations.Whenever possible, advocatefor keeping things structurallysimple.· Phase out productsand services. Outdatedproducts and services can eatup costs and require expensiveinfrastructure. Eliminate theones that have outlived theirvalue. · Concentrate on the

The Tony Elumelu Foundation and Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu( middle) and winners ofThe Elumelu Legacy Prize for Top-Performing Graduating Students; From left Atiku Jibrilla Usman,Medicine; Muhammad Sani, B.Sc Economics; Salihu Umar, Masters in Business Administration, andShadi Sabeh, M.Sc. Economics, during their Convocation at Othman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto andthe institution of Elumelu Legacy Prize by The Tony Elumelu Foundation in the University on Saturday.

FG’s oil revenue share down to60% soon – Okonjo Iweala

Co-ordinating Minister forthe Economy and Ministerof Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-

Iweala has revealed that thenation wants to reduce the oil’scontribution to the FederalGovernment revenue to 60percent in the medium term.

The minister stated this atthe opening of the 18th editionof the Nigerian EconomicSummit (NES#18) themed:‘Deregulation, Cost ofGovernance and Nigeria’sEconomic Prospects’ whichcommenced yesterday inAbuja.

According to the minister, oilcurrently accounts for 70percent of government revenuein the nation, down from 80percent in recent years; whiletaxes and non-oil exportsprovide 30 percent.

“We’ll continue to drive thatdown to 60-40 percent over themedium term,” she said, addingthat the country is seeking toreduce oil dependence and itsvulnerability to oil-price shocksby diversifying its revenuesources.

“The country’s excess crudeaccount, which holds thedifference between the oil priceused for the budget and higherprices realized from the market,has risen to about $9 billion. Thegovernment expects to reducerecurrent spending in 2013 to68.8 percent from 77 percentin 2010, she said.

President Jonathan, whowas represented by the Vice-President, Mohammed NamadiSambo also discussed thenation’s economic prospects.

The President’s key ministers,including the Co-ordinatingMinister for the Economy andMinister of Finance, NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, PlanningMinister, Shamsuddeen Usmanand the governor of the CentralBank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido,Sanusi Lamido madepresentations on the economy,highlighting progress made so far,failures, as well as government’spolicies going forward.

The organisers of this 18th NESsay the event is conceptualisedand structured to elicit deeperdialogue between the public andprivate sectors on the need to buildon Nigeria’s successfulderegulation of the telecoms,banking, insurance and aviationsectors, by adopting andsupporting full deregulation of theremaining critical economicsectors of agriculture, power,transportation, healthcare, as wellas oil and gas, which collectivelyaccount for 56 percent of Nigeria’sGDP.

The theme of NES# 18,according to the Minister ofNational Planning, ShamsuddeenUsman, was chosen to explain to

Nigerians, the broader conceptand implications ofderegulation, discussgovernment principles on cost ofgovernance, as well as x-ray thenation’s economic outlook. Hedescribed the summit as aunique and good forum forgovernments and the privatesector to gather and interactwith all other concernedstakeholders.

The NES, which has held forthe past 17 years, is the largestnational gathering fordiscussions on economic issuesand is jointly organised by theFederal Government,represented by the Ministry ofNational Planning, and theNigerian Economic SummitGroup (NESG), representing theprivate sector.

The summit, which is billedto bring over 500 peopletogether, including governmentofficials, business leaders, civilsociety groups, the youth, andfriends of Nigeria, to deliberateon critical issues of nationaleconomic development isscheduled to holdtill 5th December, 2012.

Naira rises to 4-week high vs dollar

By Muhammad Nasir

The Naira rose against theU.S. dollar to its strongestin more than four weeks on

the interbank market, supportedby dollar liquidity flows from fourenergy companies, traders said.

The naira closed at 157.10 tothe dollar on the interbankmarket, firmer than the 157.38it closed on Friday. The Naira hasnot been this high since Oct. 31,when it closed at the same level.

Traders said the Naira wassupported by dollar sales by unitsof ExxonMobil, which sold $50million, and Agip $5 million,while Royal Dutch Shell andNigerian Liquefied Natural Gas(NLNG) sold unspecified amount.

“We have a lot of dollar flowsto the market today from someenergy companies, which helpedto take out the few dollar demandand provided support for thenaira,” one dealer said.

Traders said demand for hardcurrency is gradually declining

after some importers had built uptheir stocks for the forthcomingChristmas, and this is expectedto reduce pressure on the localcurrency in the near term.

“We see the Naira stabilisingat the present level of N157.10-157-50 to the dollar because ofexpected additional dollar flowsfrom some oil companies andoffshore investors buyingtreasury bills at an auction laterin the week,” another dealer said.

On the official window, theNaira remained unchanged at155.76 to the dollar as thecentral bank of Nigeria (CBN)sold only $154.28 millioncompared with $200 million soldat the last auction.

The CBN plans to sellN127.97 billion worth oftreasury bills with maturitiesranging from three months to oneyear on Dec. 5 (tomorrow), at itstwice-monthly auction.(Reuters)

The Federal Inland RevenueService (FIRS) yesterdaysaid plans had begun to

create a Model Tax PayersService Unit nationwide tostrengthen relations betweenthe tax authority andtaxpayers.

Mr. Moses Oppanike, DeputyDirector, Registration, Returns,Filling and ProcessingProgramme of FIRS, made thisknown at a workshop onbusiness growth for Micro,Small and Medium ScaleEnterprises (MSMEs) in Abuja.

He said the unit would beequipped with adequatemodern facilities and providedwith the personnel to easetaxpayer’s compliance with taxobligations and providetechnical assistance.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that during theworkshop, the servicedistributed cash sales andpurchases day books to businessowners.

“These record books willassist companies, individualsand enterprises concerned tomaintain standard records ofbusiness transactions to enablethem to monitor businessperformance and trends.

The Deputy Director stressedthat tax authorities and othergovernment agencies were

interested in both businessperformance and provision ofnecessary support to improveentrepreneurship.

In his comments, theCoordinating Director,Standard and Compliance ofFIRS, Mr. Andy Ejemeyovwi identified accessing financeand record keeping as the mostpressing issues facing businessesin Nigeria.

He urged business owners tomake record keeping a cardinalpoint to ensure that accessedfunds were judiciously utilised.

Ejemeyovwi added that wellrun companies and enterpriseswould ensure that “fair taxesare paid to the tax authority’’. (NAN)

FIRS to create taxpayersservice units nationwide

future. Focusing on short-termrevenues can build up costs(and people) that provideresults today but cannot besustained in the long-term.Don’t just invest in currentoperations.

Source: Harvard BusinessReview

Nigeria’s foreign exchangereserves have climbed totheir highest in more

than three years, reaching$44.32 billion by November 27,34.18 percent year-on-year,latest figures from the CentralBank of Nigeria (CBN) showedon Friday.

N i g e r i a ’ s f o r e xreserves were $42.56 billion amonth earlier, and $33.03billion this time last year.

The reserves have not beenat similar levels since July 9,2009 when they stood at$44.10 billion. The lastavailable figure showing themhigher than this was inJanuary 26, 2009 when theywere at $50.58 billion.

Data in the period betweenFebruary and June 2009 wasnot available for comparison, asthe bank never published it.(Reuters)

Nigeria’s FXreserves, at $44.32bn hits more than3-yr high

PAGE 20 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2012

CBN, banks in talks to cut chargesThe Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN) isconsidering a reduction of

the 5 percent cost on transaction(COT) or its entire removal fromtransactions between customersand banks.

The apex bank is also in talkswith local banks to see thepossibility of reducing the presenthigh bank rates and chargeswhich are frustrating businessesand almost crippling theeconomy.

Analysts said last night thatthe decision, if carried out, wouldboost businesses and enhancefinancial inclusion, as canvassedby the apex bank.

Tunde Lemo, CBN deputy

COMPANYNEWS

governor for operations, said theapex bank was uncomfortablewith the high rates charged bybanks, because they underminethe apex bank’s key mandate ofmaintaining price stability.

Lemo said the outcome of thetalks with the banks would beannounced soon.

He was speaking yesterday inAbuja, when members of theHouse Committee on Banking andCurrency paid the CBN anoversight visit, led by theirchairman, Jones ChukwudiOnyerere.

“There is a review going on,on bank charges and part of thatreview is to look at various chargesand see how bankers can worktogether and agree, so thatoverall, the charges to customers

Halogen Security

Halogen SecurityCompany Limited,Nigeria’s leading

indigenous security company,at a grand gala night at theprestigious Oriental Hotel,Victoria Island, Lagos, markedtwenty outstanding years ofproviding state-of-the-artsecurity solutions in Nigeria.

Speaking at the occasion,Representative of the Lagos StateGovernor, Special Assistant tothe Governor on Security,Tunde Panox (Rtd),congratulated the company forher enviable achievements overthe past 20 years. He said that itwas an honour to identify withthose who are making a mark intheir respective industries andadding value to the state, andthe country at large.

In his welcome address,chairman, TROYKA Holdings,the Holding company ofHalogen Security, BiodunShobanjo, congratulated theentire management and staff ofthe company on the occasion,and said that he is proud of thegreat feat attained by the

company in the past 20 years.

First Bank ofNigeria Plc

First Bank has made goodits commitment, inensuring a secure future

for children through the Hi-FiYoung Savers Account,following which the bank livedup to its promise by giving 12lucky children N1m at the 3rdraffle draw organised for the Hi-Fi young Savers account holdersat the NTA festival programmeheld in Lagos recently.

The First Bank HiFi YoungSavers Account which wasintroduced in 2008, is a specialaccount designed for childrenfrom age 0 – 17 years tosensitize and cultivate savingsculture within this age bracketand to help parents plan towardsthe future of their children andwards.

Research InMotion (RIM)

Canada’s Research InMotion (RIM) has lost acontract dispute over the

use of Nokia patents in a casewhich could halt sales of itsBlackBerry phones if it does notreach a deal to pay royalties tothe Finnish company.

Nokia said on Wednesday aSwedish arbitrator had ruledthat “RIM was in breach ofcontract and is not entitled tomanufacture or sell WLANproducts without first agreeingroyalties with Nokia.”

Wireless local access network(WLAN) technologies, usuallymarketed under the WiFi brand,are used across BlackBerrydevices and by most othersmartphones.

Earnings Report for Banks Source:Pro-share Nigeria

Inflation rates from Nov, 2011 to Oct, 2012Max = 12.9%, Min = 10.3% for period in display.Current Inflation rate = 11.7% Source:CBN

are reduced and one of the areasthey are looking into, is actuallyto reduce the COT from amaximum of 5 percent per millionthat it is now, to something lower.They have not yet concluded butthe discussion is ongoing,” he toldBusinessDay after the meeting.

Responding to the concerns oflaw makers on high lending ratesand charges by banks, Lemoexplained that interest rates inthe country were high on accountof inflation and a hostile businessenvironment. He added that theCBN was working with the banksto ensure they reduced theirmargins.

Lemo explained that banksbore high operational costs whichtended to over-burden theirbalance sheets, since many of

them constantly generatedelectricity on their own, andprovided security to guard againstarmed robbery, among otherchallenges.

a news conference in Lagos onFriday.

He said that the divestmentwas to enable GTBank concentrateon core commercial banking.

According to Nyamali,following the buy-out, GTB AssetManagement Ltd is now known asInvestment One Financial ServicesLtd.

GTBank divests GTB Asset Management Ltd

GTBank has divested itsGTB Asset ManagementLtd in line with a directive

of the Central Bank of Nigeria in2010.

Mr Nicholas Nyamali, theManaging Director of GTB AssetManagement Ltd, disclosed this at

“Investment One FinancialServices Ltd is now owned by thestaff and management of thecompany as well as some selectinvestors.

“The name reflects the firm’sstrategic positioning as a serviceoriented firm that is responsive tothe investment needs of itscustomers,” he said.

The managing director saidthat the company’s desire was tobe a one-stop shop forcomprehensive investmentservices and innovative financialsolutions.

Nyamali said that the

company would introduceinvestment innovations toincrease the participation ofNigerians in the investmentspace.

He said that the companywould strengthen its investmenteducation strategies to ensurerightful investment decisions.

“It is when people are informedthat they will be able to make theright investment decision,”Nyamali said.

It will be recalled that the apexbank has directed commercialbanks should divest their non-banking subsidiaries. (NAN)

By Abdulwahab Isa

From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

Economic Indicators As at: M2* 

CPS* 

INF 

IBR  

MPR 

91‐day NTB  

DPR 

PLR 

Bonny Light 

Ext Res 

N14,398,225.5m

N15,126,973.6m

11.7

11.7400

12

12.4

8.69

16.48

US$110.5

US$44,386,394,457.9

Oct, 2012 

Oct, 2012 

Oct, 2012 

11/28/2012 

11/28/2012 

11/21/2012 

Oct, 2012 

Oct, 2012 

11/28/2012 

11/28/2012 

The Naira headed for thefirst monthly decline sinceJune against the U.S.

currency as companies soughtdollars to import consumer goodsfor holidays next month.

The currency depreciated 0.1percent to 157.41 a dollar andheaded for a monthly drop of 0.2percent, according to datacompiled by Bloomberg.

“Dollar demand increased thismonth, driven by companiesbringing in consumer andhousehold goods for Christmasand year- end celebrations inDecember,” Tunde Ladipo, chiefexecutive officer of Lagos-basedValuechain Investment Ltd.,said. “Demand is also boosted bycompanies bringing in gasoline.”

The drive for consumer goodsrises during religious festivitiesin Nigeria, a nation of more than160 million people with apopulation almost evenly splitbetween Muslims and Christians.The country also relies onimports to meet 70 percent of itsfuel needs because of inadequaterefining capacity, according tothe Petroleum Ministry.

The Central Bank of Nigeriaheld its benchmark interest rateat a record high 12 percent thisyear to ease inflation pressuresand stabilize the naira. Inflation,which accelerated for the firsttime in four months to 11.7percent in October, remainsabove the bank’s target of lessthan 10 percent.

Yields on 10-year naira debtfell six basis points to 12.3percent, according to yesterday’sprices compiled on the FinancialMarkets Dealers Associationwebsite. Borrowing costs on thenation’s $500 million ofEurobonds due January 2021fell two basis points to 4.256percent. (Source: Bloomberg)

Naira heads for firstmonthly drop since June

CBN Gov. Sanusi LamidoSanusi

PAGE 21PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

From a tax perspective,one of the majorchallenges confronting

Non Interest Banking (NIB)internationally is that tax lawsgenerally cater forconventional bankingproducts, which involve thecharging of interest on monieslent which is not the same withNIBs. While many Islamicproducts are structured toreplicate the economic effectsof conventional financialproducts, the legal form of theseproducts is very different fromconventional products. Thismay lead to differences in taxtreatment that maypotentially place Islamic banksand their customers at adisadvantage compared tobanks with conventionalproducts.

Tax neutrality has beenaccorded to Islamic financeinstruments and transactionsexecuted to fulfil Shariarequirements. Malaysia's taxneutrality frameworkpromotes a level playing fieldbetween conventional andIslamic financial products,hence reducing the cost ofdoing business in Islamicfinance.

Tax neutrality,standardisation of accountingpractices, legal contracts andfavourable regulations seem onthe surface to promote Islamicbanking and finance; carefulscrutiny reveals that they areall intended to bring Islamicbanking and finance closer tothe ethos of the conventionalfinancial system.

Globally most taxincentives are provided tomake Islamic financecompetitive with conventionalfinance; these shouldeventually be phased out, sothat Islamic finance focuses onits competitiveness andoffering customers with avaluable product, rather thandeveloping sophisticatedpolitical power to entrench thetax incentives.

On the other hand,incentives that place Islamicand conventional finance onequal footing should bemaintained. For example,eliminating double taxationwhere the structure of anIslamic financial product wouldlead to extra taxation comparedto a similar conventionalproduct that would be subjectto lower taxes.

The UK government took alead in the west in revising itstaxation law to include specificprovisions for Islamic productsand services. The key issuerelate to the tax treatment ofthe Islamic deposit accountthat in theory paid a profitshare to the depositor. Thedeposit account offered byIslamic Bank of Britain was

based on the principle ofMudarabah, whereby the Bankshared the profits earned withthe customer. Normally, anyinterest payments made bybanks to its depositors isdeductible from gross incomebefore tax is calculated.However in accordance withanti-avoidance rules in the UK,any "interest" payments madeon deposits that were linked tothe profit made by a bank wasnot allowed to be deducted fromgross income but wasconsidered as distribution ofprofit after tax. In other words,these were considered asdividend payments.

This high incidence of taxcharge made the Bankeconomically unviable. Toovercome this issue, the UKgovernment established aSpecial Inland Revenue taskforce to review the taxation ofIslamic products so as to ensurethat there was a "level playingfield" with the conventionalmarket. In a governmentpaper, "Regulatory ImpactAssessment for ShariaCompliant Products" thataccompanied the Budget for2005 it was stated that the keypolicy objective for taxation ofSharia compliant products is toensure that such products are:"Taxed in a way that is neithermore nor less advantageousthan equivalent bankingproducts. The intended effect ofthe proposals is to allowproviders to offer Shariacompliant products withoutfacing commercialdisadvantage and to enable

customers to take up theseproducts withoutencountering uncertainty ordisadvantage over taxtreatment".

The solution that emergedfrom the task force andincluded in the Finance Act2005 was to define Islamicproducts as "alternativeFinancial Arrangements" andto set out the key structures ofthe arrangements in thelegislation. The profit paymenton the deposits was termed as"Profit Share Return". Islamicproducts are not speciallymentioned in the Finance Actbut only in the explanatorynotes. Furthermore the Act isconcerned not with principlesbut the specific structures ofthe products. This was done tomitigate the risk of thesestructures being used to avoidtaxation. In the explanatorynotes it was clearly stated thatthe relevant legislative clausesrelate to arrangements: "thatinvolves profits and losses onsales of assets or profit shareagreements that areeconomically equivalent toconventional banking products,but are not interest orspeculative returns. Themeasure ensures that sucharrangements are taxed nomore or less favourably thanequivalent financearrangements involvinginterest".

Prior to 2005, thegovernment had alreadyresolved the issue of doubleincidence of Stamp Duty onproperty financed using Islamic

Non-interest banking inNigeria-tax issues (II)

structures. Normally wheneverproperty is purchased, thebuyer has to pay a Stamp Duty.In case of Islamic finance wherebanks buy the property andthen sell to the customer, therewere two Stamp Duties payable,first by the bank and then bythe customer. In 2003, thegovernment had amended theStamp Duty rules to charge onlyone Stamp Duty on such financearrangements.

The UK government has alsoissued guidelines on theapplication of VAT to Islamicproducts. These guidelines haveensured that Islamic productsare treated in the same way asconventional products. The leadtaken by UK authorities to taxIslamic products should beintricately considered byNigeria regulators and theFederal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) as possible solution to helpthe Islamic markets to flourish.

Closer home, In Morocco,three Islamic banking productshave been introduced; Ejara,Murabaha and Mucharaka. Thefirst is essentially the equivalentof a leasing product, whichtypical is subject of a 20% VAT.But in the Ejara case, thefinancing does not originatefrom a bank, meaning that it isnot considered a credit with theconventional interest rates thatapply to credit. Ejara is said tobe financed by the own funds ofthe consumer credit company,i.e. own resources and not whatit labels as credit. What thefinancing firm gets is a sort ofprofit margin generated duringthe lease period through

monthly instalments, insteadof an interest on financing.Nevertheless, the Moroccan taxauthorities have decided toimpose a 20% VAT on Ejara.

In contrast, Murabaha wasdefined by the tax authoritiesas bank loans and imposed a10% VAT. They consider it as aform of credit, just as it isdefined in mainstreambanking. Where the differenceoccurs is in the way thetransactions are defined. Inmainstream banking, creditsare subject to interest on themoney loaned. In theMurabaha case, the creditoractually sells the "product" inquestion and earns a"legitimate" profit on thatproduct. Even if the creditornever saw or took possession ofthe product, the money it gaveits client means that implicitlyit (the creditor) purchased thatproduct and resold to itscustomers in exchange for aprofit margin.

Summarily, it is arguedthat the need for reform isdriven by a combination ofreasons of which therequirement for tax parity isa significant element. Giventhe complex issues involved,the reform process may beconceptualized through aframework that reflects thecollective influence of localfactors in line with bestpractices merging the keyfactors of meeting the nationalinterest criteria, law, fiscaland regulatoryconsiderations. The rationaleof such taxation framework isthat faith-based considerationsalone cannot determinechanges to tax law--thenecessity must be driven by acombination of coreconsiderations based on 'needand urgency andcircumstances.'

Any reform of tax law mustin the first instance meet the'national interest' criteria,meaning that the reformmust benefit the nation as awhole and not just a selectgroup. The 'legal compatibility'driver advocates that proposedchanges to tax law must beaccomplished within theexisting legal framework withminimal adjustments.

'Fiscal' considerationsrelate to reforms that do notresult in revenue loss and thatrevenue-positive outcome maybe achieved through increasedeconomic activity. That is, thenet effect of facilitating Islamicfinance ought not to result inrevenue leakage but carry thepotential to raise additionalrevenue through competitionand innovation. The'regulatory' considerationargues for a 'whole-of-industry'approach in the sense thatIslamic financial practicesmust conform to requirementsadministered by the FIRS, CBNand SEC.

It must be noted that thelonger Islamic banking taxregulations take to put inplace, the greater theprobability that otherjurisdictions may gain greatercompetitive advantage.

FIRS Headquaters, Abuja

PAGE 22 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

The oil companies in thecountry have contributed$100 billion (N15.7 billion)

to the coffers of the NigerianContent Development Fund(NCDF) since inception of thescheme in 2010, the ExecutiveSecretary, Nigerian ContentDevelopment and MonitoringBoard (NCDMB), Ernest Nwapa,said.

Nwapa said at Nigerian oil andgas trade and investment forum2012 organised by the federal ministry of trade andinvestment and orlean investwest africa limited in PortHarcourt, that designatedaccounts for NCDF and procedurefor payment of one percent sum

Nigerian Content Fund hits N15.7bnStories by Muhammad Nasir had been set up for the

initiative.Meanwhile the $2 billion

(N320 billion) Phase 4 jettyunder construction in Onne oiland Gas Free Zone (FTZ), PortHarcourt, is expected to becompleted in 2014.

‘’The new fund would beutilised as a pool to attract andfacilitate venture capital.Professionals will run the NCDFand it is expected to close all the

identified gaps in the old fund’’,he said.

According to him, the fundwould be managed by the boardof NCMB and was different fromthe $350 million local contentfund, which was put together byNNPC in 2007 to serve as aworking capital for Nigeriancompanies that got servicecontracts in the industry.

Nwapa said: ‘’ In this case,you need to demonstrate the

bankability of an investmentand the board will begin to talk toyou. You are going to show abusiness plan and prove that theinvestment will be able to “Thefund will not be managed byengineers or officials of the board.It will be managed by a properfund manager with internationalbest practices. So, there is noquestion of utilising the fund forwhat it is not meant for’’, heexplained.

Nwapa said the vision of theNCMB was to grow the fund anduse it to attract other financialplayers who would leverage on itsuch that Nigerian serviceproviders would do businessknowing that the fund wasavailable for them to use.

He called on Nigerianinvestors to take advantage of theimmense opportunities whichthe Nigerian Content Act hadcreated for them.

L-R: Former Director, Tax Audit Processes and Programmes, Federal Inland Revenue Service (firs), Mrs Queensley Seghosime, DeputyDirector, Tax Payer Services, Mrs Abimbola Opejun, and representative of the Chairman, Mr Andy Ejemeyovwi, during the businesssupport programme, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

The Nigeria ExtractiveIndustries TransparencyInitiative (NEITI) will soon

begin a comprehensiveindependent audit of fiscalallocation and statutorydisbursements of the extractiveindustries revenue funds from theFederation Account to the threetiers of government.

A statement issued by NEITIDirector of Communication,Ogbonnaya Oji, in Abuja at theweekend, said the FederalExecutive Council (FEC) hasalready approved the project at itslast meeting Wednesday last week.

He stated that the objectives ofthe exercise include; theestablishment of how the fundswere distributed and received bythe federal, state and councils.

He explained: “It is alsodesigned to provide base lineinformation and data to the threetiers of government on basis ofcomputation of who gets what,how and why. The exercise willalso explain if each of the three tiersgets from the funds their actualdue. The audit will also layemphasis on the application andutilisation of the funds by thevarious beneficiaries at the federal,state and local governments.”

NEITI highlighted that thescope of the exercise audit willcover the 13 per cent derivation

and relevant institutions thatdirectly receive allocation fromthe federation account. It isexpected to review policies andprocedures on the disbursementand utilisation of extractiverevenue funds by the three tiersof government.

According to NEITI, majoragencies to be covered by theaudits include the Niger DeltaDevelopment Commission(NDDC), the PetroleumDevelopment Technology Fund(PDTF), the Central Bank ofNigeria (CBN) and the FederalGovernment’s share ofderivation and ecology funds.

“The audit will alsoinvestigate the administrationand application of excess crudeoil accounts, the 13 per centderivation, allocation to states andlocal government council as wellas ecological funds operations,” Ojiadded.

He stressed that during theexercise, NEITI audit willspecifically ask questions and seekanswers for details of receipts intothe federation account from theoil and gas, mining sector,validate allocations to federal,state and local council areas madefrom Federation Account andAllocation Committee (FAAC).The exercise will also establish thebalance in the federation account

during the period under review(2007 – 2011).

Speaking on the importance ofthis exercise, the NEITI ExecutiveSecretary, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed,expressed confidence that theexercise would provide baselineinformation and data requiredto block any leakages in thesystem, identify potentialopportunities to channel oil, gasand mining revenue to areas ofcritical national needs with aview to reducing poverty inNigeria.

The NEITI scribe called onagencies and tiers of governmentto be covered by the audit toopen its doors and books to NEITIauditors in the overall interestof the nation. She assured thatthe exercise would be carried outwith independence, integrity,competence and professionalism,which NEITI holds very sacred.

The planned audit was incompliance with Section 2 ofNEITI Act 2007 and will coverthe period between January2007 and December 31, 2011.

NEITI begins audit of allocations to govt, states, councils, agencies

Against the backdrop ofclaims by one of itscommissioners last week of

a planned reduction in therecently introduced electricitytariff, the Nigerian ElectricityCommission (NERC) has saidthere was no such moves.

NERC said at the weekendthat the tariff was not yet ripefor review as it was onlyintroduced less than six monthsago.

In a chat with journalists atthe weekend, Chairman of theCommission, Sam Amadi,admitted, however that therewere established cases of wrongclassification and illegal billingsthat were not in tandem with thenew tariff.

He also identified improperimplementation by theelectricity DistributionCompanies (DISCOs) as one of theproblems plaguing theimplementation of the new tariff.

Amadi, who reviewed thecomment by the commissionerthat NERC had commenceddownward review of the MultiYear Tariff Order (MYTO) 2 to bemore favourable to small-scalebusinesses, denied such plans.

He added: “There are notariffs for SMEs. Tariff is tariff andthere are different customers.You don’t review tariffpiecemeal. There are reviewsthat the MYTO talked about; bi-annual minor review. That hasto do with changes in inflation,exchange rates, and may be thecost of gas. That is about the minorreview.”

He said the tariff regime wasstill being tested, with feedbacksfrom consumers still beingcollated and analysed.

Stressing that the MYTO 2may not immediately translateto better electricity supply, hepointed out, however, that it wasinstrumental to unlocking thepotential of the sector.

The NERC boss identified thegranting of loans to finance powerprojects by international financecorporations largely funded byNigeria as one of the majorbreakthroughs of MYTO 2.

NERC rules out cutin electricity tariff

The Electricity Consumers inthe South-West Zone havebeen assured of stable

power supply during theforthcoming Yuletide, NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN)reports.

Mr Jide Oyenuga, ZonalPublic Affairs Director, IbadanElectricity DistributionCompany, told NAN inIbadan on Monday that planswere on to ensure stable powersupply during the festivities.

“We are assuring membersof the public that there will besteady and efficient powersupply during the Christmasand New Year celebration,” he

said.The spokesman assured that

there would better supply ofpower during the celebrationthan the current situation.

He said that a team to ensurestable power would be on standbyduring the period.

“There is a team that will beworking 24 hoursthroughout the Yuletide to makesure that members of the publicget power supply to enjoy theholiday,” he said.

He also said that there wouldbe a monitoring team that wouldbe observing the supplysituation and reporting back tothe management. (NAN)

Distribution coy assures of efficientpower supply in South-West at Yuletide

PAGE 24 PAGE 25PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

After the floods,farmers brace upfor irrigation farming Most natural disasters,

like the recent floodsthat ravaged many

states across the country, areunavoidable. What could bedone at most is to putmeasures in place to mitigatethe effects.

Early this year, theNigerian MeteorologicalAgency (NIMET) gavewarning signs about theimpending disaster to enablethe flood prone areas to takeprecautionary measures.

While some states and localgovernments took thewarning seriously, othersfailed to give it the deservedattention.

The result wasunprecedented destruction ofhouses and farmlands, as wellas loss of lives.

The destruction offarmlands across thecountry was devastating,giving rise to speculation thatthe country may likelyexperience food shortage.

Crops in farmlands insome of the affected stateswere washed away by thefloods, some with no hopeof harvests.

UNICEF expressedconcern about the aftermathof the floods, as it predictedan impending food scarcitydanger that may affect manychildren in the country.

It linked it not only to thefloods but also to inadequaterains in 2011 and conflictsand violence in 2012,which led to massivedisplacement of farmingcommunities, resulting inlow agricultural activitiesand poor harvests.

In Yobe, many farmlandsand more than 450 buildingswere destroyed, while 3, 500people were displaced by thefloods in Gashua and Nguru.

Alhaji MammanMajidadi, Secretary, BadeEmirate Council of Yobe said:“I have never seen such adisaster in my life, wherecrops were completely sweptaway and houses falling likepacks of cards’’.

He explained that “thecrops were uprooted by theflood and floated on thestagnant water, while the

houses collapsed because thestagnant water had no routeto empty its excess”.

Alhaji Wakil Sarki, YobeCommissioner forEnvironment said “theministry heeded thewarning by NIMETand cleared drainage inmajor towns of the state. Wealso erected embankmentsalong the water banks tocheck the floods.’’

He attributed thedevastating effects of floods inGashua and Nguru to

expected poor yields.Irrigation farmers in Yobe

also joined in the appeal tolocal, state and federalgovernments to providefarmers inputs to enhanceirrigation, to boost foodproduction and to check anyadverse effect of the floods.

Spokesman of the farmers,Alhaji Modu Gashua, saidthat the Nguru wetlands aresuitable for crops andvegetables.

“The only alternative leftfor farmers after the floods are

to embark on massiveirrigation farming withassistance from government.

“With improved seedlings,fertiliser, water pumps andother necessary inputs, theGashua and Nguru wetlandscan produce 60 per cent foodneeds of the state andvegetable needs of the North-East geopolitical zone.

“The farmers haveanother chance of producingfood crops and vegetables tomake up for their losses in thefloods,’’ he emphasised.

Another farmer, MalamAliyu Umar, also said thatfarmers should be assisted andencouraged to take advantageof the wetlands which are stillrich in moisture for irrigationfarming.

Aliyu advised thegovernment to harvest therain water in subsequentseasons for agriculturalpurposes.

“It is an opportunity forgovernment to harvest therains, to boost irrigationfarming because of the threats

also posed by drought anddesertification,” he noted.

Although the country isnot experiencing any foodshortages, UNICEF hasstressed that children shouldbe well feed.

It advocated exclusivebreast-feeding, consumptionof iodised salt and Vitamin A.

UNICEF reiterated theneed for pregnant andnursing mothers to eatnutritious foods.

Mr Niyi Oyedokun, aUNICEF nutrition specialist,said Gombe, Jigawa, Borno,Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi andKano in the northern part ofthe country were undersevere threat of nutrition.

Oyedokun advised theaffected states to adopt theNational Nutrition Policy asamended in 2002, and

inadequate drainage anddischarge points.

Wakil Modu, a farmer inNguru, said that farmers inthe area had lost all theiragricultural crops to thefloods.

“The crops had beenwashed away. We are notexpecting to harvestanything from the farms thisyear,’’ he observed.

The farmer, however,advised government to makearrangements for irrigationfarming, to complement the

More than 800 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by flood in three communities in Oshimili South and Ndokwa East local government areas, Deltastate and other parts of the country.

“The destruction of farmlands across thecountry was devastating, giving rise tospeculation that the country may likely

experience food shortage....The farmers have another chance of

producing food crops and vegetables tomake up for their losses in the floods

establish state ad-hoccommittee on food andnutrition.

He explained that 216C o m m u n i t y - B a s e dManagement of AcuteMalnutrition Centres wereestablished across the sevenstates, while 59,093 infantswere provided with foodsupplements in the first halfof this year.

Although the country isnot facing any food shortagesand President Jonathan hasalso assured there will not beany, there is still the need toharness irrigation farming.

Government should alsoembark on water harvestingto boost agriculturalproduction, especially in theSahel region of the country,stakeholders suggest.(NANFeatures)

Agric Minister, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

Officials of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on a rescue mission to victims of the recent flood disaster in some parts of the country.

PAGE 26 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Echoes from the 2012 COAS ConferenceLast week, the array of

Nigeria’s top militaryofficers from across the

commands met at the GrandHotel, Asaba, Delta statecapital for the 2012 Chief ofArmy Staff, (COAS)Conference.

The COAS Conference is anannual event that serves as astock taking forum for theNigerian Army on its activitiesfor the year and performanceappraisal for its overallmandate to provide security forthe territorial integrity of thenation and in helping to keepinternal order and peace.

This year’s event, withtheme “Consolidating NigerianArmy Transformation Drivetowards Enhanced NationalSecurity” attracted dignitariesbeyond the military circlesincluding President GoodluckJonathan, state governors,federal lawmakers, captains ofindustries, traditional rulersamong others.

At the opening on Monday,November 26, 2012, the Chiefof Army Staff, (COAS), Lt GenAzubuike Ihejirika, chargedofficers and men of theNigerian Army to be morefocused on measures that willenhance the current effort ofall security agencies ataddressing terrorism and otherrelated internal securitychallenges noting that the leadlecture for this year’sconference “ Enhancing InterAgency Cooperation in Conflictmanagement’ was selected tounderscore the importance ofsynergy and partnership withother security agencies.

The Conference wasdeclared open by PresidentGoodluck Jonathan, whocharged the Army to rise up tothe occasion and work closelywith other security agencies toaddress the security challengesfacing the nation.

Jonathan, who wasrepresented by the Minister ofState for Defence, EreluOlushola Obada charged theArmy to intensify its currenteffort and work closely withother security agencies todevelop new strategies that willaddress the current securitychallenges the nation is facingnoting that this should be the amajor area duringdeliberations.

The president alsocommended the services for theprofessional manner they havecarried out their constitutionalroles in defence of NigeriaDemocracy and promotingfundamental freedom.

Based on these charges,participants went into closeddoors sessions during which far-reaching decisions werereached on strategies toimprove on the performance ofthe Army and welfare ofofficers and men. During theconference, officers engaged onbrain-storming sessions andput security issues and thesafety of Nigerians on the front

burner. The session lasted forfour days and participantswere deeply engaged andfocused on issues at stake.

At the closing, the COASassured that the Army willbuild on the gains of theconference to come out withstrategies to enhance itsperformance. He saiddirectives have been given tocommanders of variouscommands in Nigeria to ensurethat the welfare of officers andmen were adequately takencare of.

He said this year’sconference has afforded theNigerian Army theopportunity to review theactivities of the year anddiscuss vital security issuesnoting that this will lead toenhanced security througheffective supervision andmonitoring of officers.

As part of the efforts toreposition the Army, the COASsaid there is an order to purgeall barracks of squatters andillegal occupants whilestatistical data onaccommodation and families ofpersonnel living in variousbarracks will be taken toenhance security situations inthe barracks.

Ihejirika also assured themthat he would press for moreresources to improve thewelfare of officers and men andalso provide moreaccommodation for them in astandard it is expected to be.This according to COAS willboost their morale in deliver ontheir job.

He further noted that it isimportant to place on recordthat what has been achieved in

the two years of hisadministration far outweighswhat has been done in the lasttwo decades put together.

According to COAS “thoughseveral of our barracks havenot been fenced, we must havefenced may be two or three, atmost four in the last two years.But we are talking about maybe eighty barracks that are notfenced. So doing that will entaila lot of resources, a lot ofsupport which the currentbudget may not contain. Butagain whether barracks isfenced or not, it does not serveas excuse for any commanderto allow what happened in Jajito happen”.

“But one thing I would sayis that the lack of fencecompounds the challenge. Soevery command must think ofways of putting in his best toensure that what happened inJaji does not happen. What isimportant is that you have putin your best in terms ofplanning, in terms of securitymeasures, in terms ofintelligence. Even whenbarracks are fenced, fencescould be climbed, houses couldbe broken up, and we are notgoing to fence cities. So what itmeans is that fencing of barrackswould not be the only solutionbut it would aid security. So aboard of inquiry has been set upby the Nigerian Army andanother one by the Defenceheadquarters have been set up.So with all these two inquirieswith various terms of reference,I believe that a number ofrevelations will come up whichwill further help us to ensurethat such a thing does not comeup," he said.

By Joy Baba

The Army Chief further saidtraining of officers and men willreceive so much boosts in thecoming year to equip them onfacing challenges and Nigeriansshould expect morecomprehensive action by themilitary and all the securityagencies as part of the decisionsarrived at is that unitcommanders should liaise moreand they should supervise andmonitor their personnel moreclosely than they have done inthe past.

Nigerian Army Ihejirikasaid is working in collaborationwith other services hour by hour,day to day with the statesecurity services and also receivesupport from the NigerianIntelligence Agency. Apart fromthat he said there are also certaininternational bodies that alsorelates with the military.

His visit to the InspectorGeneral of Police he further saidalso part of the different ways toenhance intelligence gatheringand dissemination.

In his words ‘You are alsoaware of my visit to the InspectorGeneral of Police, we also agreedon ways of enhancingintelligence collection and thendissemination. The conferencealso emphasized the need fornational intelligence fusion.What it means is that all thevarious measures are going to befast tracked to ensure thatintelligence is furtherenhanced’.

‘And you should know that itis running battle because thepeople you are fighting arepeople within the country. Sothey know what measures youare even taking. They knowthat. So that is why I also drew

the attention of commanders onthe need for them to on acontinuous basis devise newtactics in dealing with theproblem. Certain groups aregoing to be set up too to monitorthe commanders in the field andno mistake about it. And nomistake about it, Commandresponsibility is one area we willemphasise more next year.

He also said henceforth, allvehicles being used by membersof the Nigerian Army foroperations will be painted inNigerian Army colors whetherthey were donated by acompany, state or localgovernments for obviousreasons. The only exception hesaid will be those already inDefence Headquarter colorswhich he said must beimplemented immediately.

On the use of uniforms foroperations, Ihejirika saidNigerian Army has varieties ofuniforms saying commanders ofcertain areas will have thelatitude to decide on whichuniform to be worn n for whatbasis operation but suchcommander must report to theheadquarter for record purposesand to be at par and know thereason for such directives.

Ihejirika urged allcommanders to be up anddoing since the military isdealing with an enemy thathas no other business than planmayhem from morning tillnight. Any lapse from anycommand he said will beregarded as relegation of dutyand dealt decisively. To thiseffect he continued, all unitwill receive COAS staffdirectives next week he furthersaid.

Chief of Army of Staff Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika presenting a statue of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Minister of State for Defence,Erelu Olushola Obada at the 2012 Chief of Army Staff Conference in Asaba, Delta state. Photo: Joy Baba

PAGE 27PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Navy launches attack on crude oil thieves in Niger Delta

Discipline and re orientationkey to transformation

theft and sabotage often led to oilpipeline vandalism, causing oilfirms to cut output.

Also, there is a growingconcern about the emergingthreat of transnationalterrorism in the Niger Deltaregion and its possible impact onmaritime economic activities.

Irked by these illegalactivities, President GoodluckJonathan, during the swearingin of new service chiefs on Oct.8, directed the Chief of NavalStaff, Vice Adm. Ezeoba, toensure that the Nigerian Navyput an immediate stop to theseillegalities.

“I will like to use this forumto specially charge you to erasethe many security challengesconfronting our nation today.

“More specifically, the Chiefof Naval Staff, along with his

officers and men, has thehonorable responsibility ofimproving security in ourterritorial waters.

“The unacceptable risingincidents of crude theft must betackled frontally because of theadverse implications of crude oiltheft on our national economy.

“I expect the Chief of NavalStaff and other service chiefs toimmediately go to work andurgently bring the issue of crudeoil theft to an end,’’ Jonathanstressed.

In line with the president’sdirective, Ezeoba swung intoaction by organising the week-long joint maritime exercise toevaluate the operationaleffectiveness of the navy’s fleet.

Farauta was also aimed atintensifying ongoing navaloperations against criminal

activities in the Niger-Deltaregion with a particularemphasis on Bonny-Akassa-Escravos axis, the area notoriousfor crude oil theft.

Eight ships — NNS Thunder,NNS Kyanwa, NNS Nwamba,NNS Obula, NNS Burutu, NNSZaria, NNS Makurdi and NNSAndoni — six gun boats andthree helicopters, as well asunits of the Nigerian Army anda maritime patrol aircraft of theNigerian Air Force (NAF)participated in the exercise.

At the beginning of theexercise, three ships, NNSNwamba, NNS Andoni andNNS Makurdi, sailed from theApapa Naval Base in Lagos,while NNS Thunder, NNSKyanwa, NNS Burutu sailedfrom Onne, near Port Harcourt.Source: NAN

The Board of NigerianNavy said it hasapproved the promotion

of 112 senior officers to variousranks.

This was contained in astatement signed by the NavalDirector of Information,Commodore Kabir Aliyu.

The statement further saidthe promotion which cut acrossdifferent ranks has 19Commodores promoted to therank of Rear Admiral, 40Captains to the rank ofCommodore, 33 Commanderswere elevated to the rank ofCaptain and 20 LieutenantCommanders to the rank ofCommander.

The 19 Commodores

promoted to Rear Admiralinclude; Commodores PA Agba,SI Alade, BA Egbedina, NPAgholor, OP Ozojiofor, GAAnyankpele, LON Iwuoha, HONgonadi, HH Babalola, EG Ofik,SE Ogoigbe, JKZ Ango, and AAOsinowo. Others areCommodores RO Osondu, AJohnson and AL Akintola. Inthe Medical Branch, seniorofficers promoted to RearAdmirals are SurgeonCommodores AB Afolayan, TGSEpelle and AH Yusuf.

The newly promoted RearAdmirals the statement alsosaid will be decorated withtheir new ranks in Abuja at adate to be announced while theother senior officers will bedecorated by their variousAdministrative Authorities.

Navy promotes senior officersStories by Joy Baba

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba

Nigerian Army has saidthere is the need for theenforcement of discipline

and re-orientation of soldiers inline with the transformationagenda of the presentadministration and that of Chiefof Army Staff, Lt. GeneralAzubuike Ihejirika.

The call was made byParticipants of the 2012Commander Corps of Artillery(CCA) annual conference held atheadquarters of Nigerian ArmyCorps of Artillery (NACA) inKontagora, with the aim ofappraising the activities ofNACA and other artilleryformations.

The participants also spoke onmodalities for filling of coursevacancies in the Nigerian ArmySchool of Artillery (NASA)

Kachia, conduct of sensitisationlectures on security awareness fortroops and the maintenance ofequipment amongst others.

Speaking earlier,Commander, Corps of Artillery(CCA), Major General AmnonKalayi Kwaskebe, called on theparticipants to complimentefforts of the Chief of Army Staffinthe execution of his vision totransform the army into a forcebetter prepared to meetcontemporary challenges.

A golf kitty was also hosted atthe conference in honor of theimmediate past CCA, MajorGeneral Emmanuel EtimBassey.

Principal staff officers of NACAheadquarters and commandersof the artillery formations andunits attended the conference.

Apart from theB o k o H a r a minsurgency in the

northern part of the country,perhaps, the next majorchallenge facing Nigeriacurrently is the theft of crude inthe Niger-Delta region.

The Nigerian Navy, in anattempt to address the menaceof crude oil theft, illegal oilbunkering, piracy and othercrimes in the region, launched aweek-long tactical operation tosend warning signals toperpetrators of these acts that itis no longer business as usual.

The Naval Headquarterswas technically relocated to theNigerian Navy Ship (NNS)THUNDER, with the Chief ofNaval Staff, Vice Adm. DeleEzeoba, and the top echelon of thenavy aboard, for the sea exercisecode-named Farauta.

The sea exercise took place inthe Bight of Benin and the Gulfof Guinea from Nov. 11 to Nov.1 7 .

“The idea was to send a signalto crude oil thieves and piratesthat it was no longer business asusual. With the massivedeployment of eight ships, sixgun boats, these criminals sawthat they don’t have any otherchoice than to leave our waters,”Ezeoba said.

Gunshots were firedsporadically by the eightwarships involved in the exerciseto inform the sea criminals of thenavy’s presence.

Analysts note that the navalexercise in the Niger Deltaregion is apt, considering the factthat the area is the economicnerve centre of the nation.

This is because the area,which constitutes about 90 percent of Nigeria’s maritimeenvironment, also generatesabout 80 per cent of the country’sforeign exchange earnings, someof the analysts note.

Unfortunately, the region ishome to illegal activities such ascrude oil theft, illegal oilbunkering, piracy, smugglingand oil pipeline vandalism.

Therefore, there is nogainsaying the fact that these

criminal activities within thecoastal and offshore areas of theNiger Delta region have becomea source of serious concern to thegovernment.

Perceptive observersestimate that since 2000, therehas been a daily theft of between200,000 and 300,000 barrelsof crude oil and a studycommissioned by the International Centre ofReconciliation found thatNigeria lost about N14 trillionto crude oil theft and disruptionsin oil production between 2003and 2008.

Besides, a recent report by theInternational Energy Agencysaid that Nigeria was losingabout seven billion U.S. dollars(about N1.05 trillion) to oil theftevery year.

The report added that oil

L-R: Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, Minster of State for Defence, Erelu Olushola Obada and Commandant, National DefenceCollege, Vice Admiral Thomas Lokoson, after a press briefing on 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance day in Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 PAGE 29

Agricultural sector theworld over play aprominent role in

ensuring the security andstability of the nation states.With the increasingpopulation and the threatposed by lack of food, expertsin agriculture had devicemeans of promotingirrigation farming. The recentstatistics from various sourcesacross the world and theirrigation farmers had shownthat, irrigation farming ismore beneficial as a source ofrevenue earner than thetraditional wet farming.

To show that the future ofthe development of the worldeconomy depends largely onagriculture developedeconomies of the world haveshifted focus and investingheavily on agriculturalactivities. In 2010 theEuropean Union, EU and theUnited State of America, USspent 57 Billion pounds onagricultural development ofwhich 39 billion pounds werespent on direct subsidy.Similarly agriculture andfishery subsidy formed 40 %of EU budget while countrieslike China, Brazil, Vietnamand Thailand hadexperienced significantgrowth in the agric sectorwhich translates into povertyreduction.

In the case of KatsinaState, since the inception ofGovernor Ibrahim ShehuShema’s administration in2007 it has accordedagriculture the desiredattention. Having consideredthe role of agriculture insustaining stability andsecurity of the society, thegovernment took pro-activemeasures to reinvigorate andredirect the course ofagricultural practices in thestate. A lot of study groupsman by experts onagriculture were formedwhile several brainstormingsessions were organised tochart the way forward.Undoubtedly, these severalefforts and expertsassessments culminatinginto realizing the potentials ofirrigation farming as apoverty reduction tool, arevenue earner and a majorcontributor to the GrossDomestic Product, GDP ofthe country at large.

A major step taken by thegovernment to boostagricultural activities in thestate, was the setting-up of the Agricultural ActivitiesImplementation Committee,AAIC, which comprisesseasoned agriculturalists fromwithin and outside the state.The committee’s major rolethen was to study the reportof the consultants from theInstitute of Agricultural

Research of the Ahmadu BelloUniversity, ABU, Zaria and tomake recommendations thatwould move the state agricsector forward.

Irrigation farming as thefuture of agriculture becametop and emerged as the majorbeneficiary of GovernorShema’s administration’sefforts aimed at ensuring foodsecurity and povertyeradication in the state. Themajor and must successfulpoint of intervention was inthe Jibia Irrigation Project.The irrigation project is underthe Sokoto Rima River BasinDevelopment Authority,(SRBDA), and following thestate government’sintervention the scope of thescheme in terms of hectarescoverage increased from 100hectares in 2009 to30,050.00 hectares in 2012.

Apparently, fertilizer isthe major catalyst for farmingactivities and having realisedthis, Katsina Stategovernment formulated atransparent and moreeffective mode of fertilizerdistribution to irrigationfarmers across the state. Thisnew mode of fertilizerdistribution involves thedirect allocation of thissubsidized fertilizer tofarmers on ground. Thesedistributions were done underthe strict monitoring andsupervision of a powerfulcommittee of the ministry ofagriculture. The role ofFadama farmers in thedevelopment of irrigationactivities cannot be ignoredand it was in recognition ofthis that the governmentsmove in to compliment themwith various irrigationscheme initiatives. Thegovernment spent the sum ofN431, 836,000.00 onprocurement of 2 inchirrigation pumps with theiraccessories, drilling rigs, rigtowing vehicles. These wereall done under theCommercial Agriculture Loanscheme and governmentapproved N3, 000,000.00 forthe expansion of the loanscheme. Similarly theprogramme involves thedrilling of tube Wells, 1,000wash bores as well as theprocurement of 1,000 2 inchwater pumps for special loanscheme to irrigation sitesacross the state at a 50%discount.

Rehabilitation of existingirrigation facilities across theirrigation sites across the statewas also a major priority ofthe government. To this end,the state governmentrehabilitated 5 irrigationschemes in Dabiram, KwanarAre, Mashiga, Makera andMairuwa , in Rimi, Kankara,Dutsin-ma and Funtua localgovernments respectively.

In 2010 additional 5 wererehabilitated at the cost of

over N50 million. In 2011,Katsina State Governmentunder Governor Shema’sadministration purchase 8number 6 inch high capacitypumps to boost irrigationfarming at the cost ofN47,064,000.00 million andapproved the purchase of 8high capacity pumps at thecost of N47, 296,000.00 thisyear. Plans have also reachedadvance stage to constructthree new irrigation schemesin Tuduwa, Takatsaba, andKirjan both in Dutsi, Dutsin-ma and Dandume localgovernments respectively. Toopen-up more areas forirrigation activities the stategovernment was makingefforts to conduct feasibilitystudies at Gari River, Jachi IIngawa and Mani localgovernments with a view ofconstructing new dams.

As a sign of governmentcommitment to irrigationand improve food security inthe state, the governmentstretched its hands as far asBenin Republic were itstudied the operations andreputation of Songhai Centreat Port Nono as it relates tothe concept of integratedfarming. With this thegovernment had entered intoan agreement with theSonghai Regional Centre forthe establishment of Songhaimodel farms in threelocations in Makera, Sabkeand Maituwa both in Dutsin-ma, Daura and Funtua localgovernment respectively. Theprogramme which is anintegrated and multi-dimentional approach toagricultural development isexpected to significantlyaddress the menace of youthunemployment and povertyin the state. As part of theagreement, 60 youth fromKatsina are already receivingsix month training inagricultural enterprises atvarious Songhai Farmslocations in Benin Republic.This project would cost thestate government and the 34local governments in thestate N3 billion.

Paradoxically, to ensuresustainability and secure thefuture the stateCommissioner of Agriculture,Alhaji Musa Adamu Funtuanoted that the government isexploring ways and avenuesof harnessing the abundantagricultural resources in thestate. He said just recentlyinvestors from Australia andIsrael visited the state fordiscussion, seeking ways andareas of collaboration. Thecommissioner added thatnegotiations were also on withNew Era Energy from UK toutilize the wind energy boostirrigation in three differentlocations in the state. ToKatsina State, irrigation holdthe key to food security andstability.

Katsina’s approachto irrigation farmingFrom Lawal Sa’idu Funtua,Katsina

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012PAGE 28

Rice production: FG, 9 statesagree to plant 230, 000 hectares

Country Director, CrownAgents Nigeria Limited, DrMark Abani, has said that the

neglect of agriculture posesimminent danger to the nation’seconomy.

Abani was a guest lecturer at the5th Convocation Lecture of MichaelOkpara University of Agriculture,Umudike, held at the Universityauditorium recently.

The lecture is entitled:“Agriculture, Education andEntrepreneurship as catalyst forNational Development’’, saying thatNigeria’s inability to feed itselffurther threatened the nation’ssecurity.

The country director arguedthat Nigeria’s dependence on

mono-economy, oil and gas, meantthat “any changes to the demand forthose products will directly damageus.

According to him, that dangeris real and looming as alternativeenergy sources are being explored.

Abani, however, charged thegraduating students not to despair,pointing out that the development“poses very tangible opportunities’’for them ‘’to grasp and exploit’’.

He maintained that foodsecurity and education wereidentified in vision 20:2020 as “keytransformational drivers for thenation and the achievements of ourgoals’’.

He recommended the use of“entrepreneurship approach’’ to

agriculture as catalyst foragricultural transformationnecessary for wealth creation.

He expressed regrets thatagriculture had been treated inNigeria as a hobby, arguing that itcould only become profitable “if weuse a business approach’’.

Abani maintained that the endresult would be an increase ininvestment in the sector, jobcreation and security.

The country director also spokeextensively on the comparativebenefits of the value chainmarketing as against the“traditional selling system’’.

The chairman of the occasion,Dr Greg Ibe, charged the graduatingstudents to develop their creativity

Agric neglect poses danger to Nigeria’s economy, says Expert

From left Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Bukar Tijani, Gombe State Commissioner for Agriculture AlhajiDahiruBubanBiri and Kebbi State Commissioner for Agriculture, Elder Muhammad SaniRuwanKanya, at the meeting of the Ministerwith 9 state Commissioners of agriculture on Accelerated rice production in the forthcoming dry season in Sokoto weekend

and entrepreneurial skills tosucceed in the outside world.

“The world out there is not a bedof roses; you are to explore theopportunities offered by theenvironment in order to contributeto national development,’’ he said.

Ibe, who is also the Chancellorof Gregory University, Uturu, saidthat Nigeria had great potential tobecome a world leading economythrough agriculture.

The Vice Chancellor of theuniversity, Prof. Hilary Edeoga,described the topic of the lecture asapt and strategic to.

Edeoga said the topic wouldfurther drive the message home thatagriculture remained the livewire ofNigeria’s economy. (NAN)

In its effort to ensure self-sufficiency in rice production,the Federal Government and

nine states governments haveagreed to mobilize rice farmers inthe country to plant the crop on230, 000 hectres of farmland.

The stab is aimed at producingover 450, 000 metric tons of paddyrice through irrigation in theforthcoming dry season. Thedecision, according to a statementissued by Salisu Na’inna Dambatta,Director Information, FederalMinistry of Agriculture and Rural

Development, was reached at aspecial meeting on theimplementation strategy foraccelerated paddy rice productionprogramme in the 2012 dry season.

It also said the meeting involvedthe Federal Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development andCommissioners of Agriculture from9 states of the Federation in SokotoState.

Minister of State for Agricultureand Rural Development, BukarTijani, who chaired the meeting,represented the FederalGovernment while Commissioners

of Agriculture represented theirrespective states at the high-levelmeeting. The nine statesrepresented at the meeting wereBauchi, Gombe, Kano, Katsina,Kogi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Jigawa andKebbi.

It would be recalled that as partof his National TransformationAgenda for the country, PresidentGoodluck Jonathan has directedand mandated the Federal Ministryof Agriculture and RuralDevelopment to take all necessarymeasures in its agriculturaltransformation plan to expand and

accelerate paddy rice production inthe country with a view to achievingself-sufficiency and end theimportation of the commodity by2015.

Meanwhile, Nigeria currentlyspends the equivalent of N1 billiondaily or N365 billion annually onthe importation of processed rice, even though the country hasmillions of hectres of land suitablefor rice farming, and a pool ofexperienced farmers who couldproduce the commodity andprocess it locally for consumption.

President Jonathan has,

however, directed the ministry toprovide incentives to the ricefarmers including improved riceseeds free of charge, and 50 per centsubsidy on the cost of two bags offertilisers.

Additional incentives availableto the farmers include a GuaranteedMinimum Price per metric ton ofpaddy rice, creating linkagesbetween rice farmers and large-scale rice millers, and the provisionof extension services in order to helpthem achieve maximum yield perhectres and earn good income fromtheir efforts.

The Director, Institute forAgricultural Research (IAR),Dr Ahmed Falaki, says the

institute has reached advanced stagein developing insect resistance Btcowpea (beans) varieties.

Falaki made this known at thesecond Agricultural BiotechnologySensitisation Workshop on“Development of Maruca ResistanceBt cowpea” held at Ahmadu BelloUniversity (ABU) Zaria onWednesday.

Represented by Prof. IbrahimAbubakar, the Programme Leader,Irrigation Research of the Institute,Falaki said the institute wasdetermined to ensure theactualisation of the said goal.

“The workshop is aimed atkeeping the university communityand the general public informed onthe progress made in our quest todevelop maruca resistance Btcowpea.

“Where we are today is at thestage of replicating multi-locations toselect high yielding and insectresistance cowpea for subsequentrelease to our esteemed farmers.

“It is to the credit of IAR andAfrican Agricultural TechnologyFund (AATF) and ABU that in theentire history of mankind atransgenic maruca resistant cowpeavariety is being successfullydeveloped and at the verge ofcommercialisation.

“We are blessed with the basicinfrastructure for productdevelopment at both field andcontainment levels as well as cognateexpertise to spearhead this researchendeavour,” he said.

In his speech, the Chairman of theoccasion and Director, NationalBiotechnology Development Agency(NABDA), Prof. Bayodele Solomon,commended the institute, describingthe achievement as a “giant stride”.

Earlier, the ABU Vice-Chancellor,Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, restatedthe commitment of the universitytoward maintaining its qualityresearch output targeted at rural andagricultural development.

Abdullahi, represented by theDean, Students’ Affairs, Prof.Mohammed Ishaku, said it was to thecredit of the university that theinstitute recorded tremendousachievements in agriculturalresearch.

He assured the Institute and itscollaborating partners of continuedsupport to enable it TO achieve theset mandate. (NAN)

IAR reiteratescommitment todevelop insectresistancecowpea

By Mohammed Kandi

Chairman, Gombe State RiceSellers Association ofNigeria (RISAN) Alhaji Bala

Idi, has called on governments atall levels to assist farmers withtechnical knowledge on modernfarming techniques to improveproductivity.

Idi made the call in an

interview with the News Agency ofNigeria (NAN) in Gombe recently,saying that with proper planningand assistance, rice would beproduced in excess for bothdomestic consumption and export.

He also said that with adequatesupport to rice farmers, Nigeriawould produce a lot of farm

produce for self sufficiency in thecountry.

According to Idi, theimportation of rice into the countrycan be avoided with determinationand implementation of the policiesin the agricultural sector.

“Nigeria has enough farm landsthat can be used to produce rice for

Rice sellers want modern farming technique in Gombedomestic consumption and export.It is possible to export thecommodity instead of importingsame, because we have all theresources in the country.”

Idi called on the relevantauthorities to invest in the sectorand assist farmers with enoughinputs. (NAN)

PAGE 30 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

The above would have justpassed as one of thosepaid public relations

materials but for someinsinuations it calls for a reply.The writer of the pieceMuhammad Abdullahi want usto believe that Muktar shagariis operating alone as deputygovernor when we all knewthat it's a joint ticket betweenhim and Aliyu MagatakardaWamakko. Whatever seemingshortcomings the writermight have observed, hismaster Muktar shagari is partof it. If the decay in the societyhas ever worried MuktarShagari, he has not voiced itout openly or made anyattempt to correct it or has he?

It is vainglory for anyone tocontinue to eulogise someoneyou hardly know. MuktarShagari as far as anyone knowsdoes not profess any ideology.As a team player, if Shagarihonestly believe thatsomething is wrong with theway Sokoto is run, he canproffer solutions by talking tohis boss or even take up thematter at the periodicExecutive Council meetingsand if such counseling failsthen he could have basis toworry. Muktar should not rockthe boat while at the same timepaddling it. To paddle in a boatand yet try to wreck it issynonymous with treachery.

No matter how insensitive agovernment is it is not possiblefor it to ignore its' teemingyouths who are the future ofthe society. The globalrecession is responsible foryouth unemployment and theMagatakarda administration

Re-understanding the politicalideology of Muktar Shagari

responded positively by wayof skill acquisitionprogramme. Since its'inception the Wamakkoadministration has remainedcommitted to the promotionof human development, selfreliance and economic

growth. A number ofstrategies have been put inplace to address the problemsof poverty, youth restivenessand unemployment.

The establishment of SkillsAcquisition Centres,renovation, rehabilitation andextension of Orphanage andRemand Homes has enhancedthe social well being of theSokoto people. These SkillsAcquisition Centres haveyielded dividends as over150,000 youths have so fargraduated and given tools andcapital to start on their own.So if these youths refused tocontinue after all thegovernment has done who isto be blamed?

Similarly, the governmentmade it possible to recruitabout 2,600 youths in thesecond phase ofNeighbourhood InitiativeProgramme where they weretrained in the area of first aid

a n dneighbourhoodwatch services.

It is thereforesurprising thatconsidering thev a r i o u sachievements ofW a m a k k o ' sadministration,there are thosewho because ofsome personalambitions seenothing in theefforts of theGovernment totame theseyouths.

In an attemptto further solvethe problems ofu n e m p l o y m e n tt h eadministrat ionprovided over sixhundred buses,taxis andtricycles thatwere given out onloan toindividuals toe a s et r a n s p o r t a t i o nproblems withinand outside theState. This wasjust part of thesteps in anongoing exerciseto alleviatepoverty in thestate throughv a r i o u sc o m m e r c i a l

activities. The Wamakkoadministration also procuredCandle, shoes, mattress andPaint-making machines andother machines that were usedto train the unemployedyouths who were encouragedto be self-reliant andindustrious. In the same veinthe Government procuredthree sets of complete drillingequipment for waterboreholes, one for each of thethree Senatorial Districts. Theequipments are being utilizedby the State indigenes thathave been trained in that field.The drilling equipments willensure citizens are involved inprovision of water foragriculture, human andanimal consumption. This isgeneral empowerment. Theyouths have taken advantageof this opportunity to engagein all season farming. It is alsoon record that the

Government trained morethan 13,000 youths onvarious trades.

After all these does,Abdullahi and his benefactorwant or think these efforts arenot enough? Your personalprejudices and refusing tosubmit to the will of Allahwould be your greatestundoing. Look Mr Abdullahi,if your aim is to add value toyour benefactor's quest tobecome the next Governorafter Alu, then your approachis wrong because it is capableof undermining him.

Having an egalitariansociety is not only thestatutory responsibilities ofthe government but acollective one. Every memberof the society has a role to playin making sure that he doeswhat would add to societalgrowth and not to begrudge theefforts of well meaningindividuals or leaders. Asindividuals, what hasAbdullahi and his benefactorsdid to alleviate the situation oreven help educate some ofthese youths as part of civicand social responsibilities. Inother places where peoplebenefitted immensely fromGovernment they pay back byway of shouldering certainresponsibilities. No one isasking anybody to givehandouts to people but ratherhelp them to attain a situationwhere they can fend forthemselves.

My candid advice to theMuktari protagonists is thatthey should tread carefully andbe honest and just in theircomment about thisW a m a k k o / S h a g a r iadministration. This isbecause it is not politicallyexpedient to keep spilling thebeans in the belief that bytrying to create a holier-thanthou attitude the pendulumwould swing in favour of theirmaster. 2015 is still far andcaution, absolute loyalty andsubmission to the will of Allahare the only things that cantake you guys to the envisagedposition. Adversary andpersistent fault finding cannever lead you and yourmaster to salvation. A word isenough for the wise.

Haruna Garba KebbeSokoto State Polytechnicharoung@yahoo.co.uk

Sokoto State GovernorALIYU MAGATAKARDA WAMAKKO

Haruna Garba Kebbe

“Similarly, the government made itpossible to recruit about 2,600 youths inthe second phase of NeighbourhoodInitiative Programme where they weretrained in the area of first aid andneighbourhood watch services.It is therefore surprising that consideringthe various achievements of Wamakko'sadministration, there are those whobecause of some personal ambitionssee nothing in the efforts of theGovernment to tame these youths.

PAGE 31PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

When Israel, a memberstate of the UN, fails toco-operate and is guilty of

persistent gross violations ofinternational law, then somethingshould be done in reaction. It is notableand regrettable, that the most directchallenges to the unlawful blockadeof Gaza have come, not from the UNor from member states in the regionand beyond, but from civil society inthe form of the Free Gaza Movementand the Freedom Flotilla. It is equallynotable that the most seriouschallenges to Israel's archipelago ofexpanding settlements has beenmounted by the BDS Campaign ofsolidarity with the Palestinian peopleand not by states or internationalinstitutions.

We should also remember RachelCorrie, in this connection, anAmerican peace activist who wasbrazenly killed by an Israel bulldozeralmost 10 years ago while trying tostop the demolition of a Palestinianhome in Rafah. Rachel was anidealistic young woman who piercedthe dehumanising mythssurrounding the plight of thePalestinian people. In a letter to hermother back in Olympia,Washington, Rachel, just days beforeher death, wrote, "I have badnightmares about tanks andbulldozers outside our house and youand me inside."

It is such brave persons who bearwitness to the daily ordeal beingexperienced by Palestinians, not justfor days or months, or even years,but for decades and generations. Itshould not have been necessary forRachel Corrie to sacrifice her life inthis manner if the world system haddone its job of enforcing the rights ofthe long oppressed Palestinian people.We who have witnessed anddocumented these realities ofoppression must do our best to honourRachel Corrie's legacy.

The time has come for practicalmeasures that back up UNassessments of Israeli unlawfulness.This unlawfulness is sustaining acruel and prolonged occupation ofPalestine that has over time assumedthe character of territorialexpansionism coupled with anapartheid structure of control. Asmany as 600,000 Israeli settlers arefully protected by the Israeli rule oflaw while Palestinian residents of theWest Bank and East Jerusalem areheld captive decade after decadewithout rights and without theprotection of law.

Such conditions are oftenworsened by prison detentions andlifelong confinement in refugeecamps, either within Palestine or inneighbouring countries. It is anintolerable status quo, and has beenfor a period spanning severalgenerations of Palestinians. Theinternational community recently,with much fanfare, avowed "theresponsibility to protect" as a newinternational norm intended to guidethe UN in responding to situations ofhumanitarian catastrophe. Only themaliciousness of geopolitics canexplain why the people of Palestine,and especially the residents of Gaza,have not been given the protectionthat they so desperately need anddeserve.

It seems time to challenge thismaliciousness in the name of peaceand justice, and the dignity of a

Palestine: Political violenceis not the answer (III)

"The Palestinians are the most glaring example in this post-colonial era of a people who have not managed to gain their indepen-dence and national sovereignty despite almost 65 years of struggle, strife and humiliation," says author [EPA]

ANALYSIS

people whose inalienable right of self-determination has been too longdenied. A starting point might be thedeployment of UN peacekeepers tomonitor adherence to the ceasefire.The Palestinians are the most glaringexample in this post-colonial era of apeople who have not managed to gaintheir independence and nationalsovereignty despite almost 65 yearsof struggle, strife and humiliation.

Prolonged occupation is a specialcondition that deserves a specialrecognition that it has not yetreceived. The occupation of the WestBank, East Jerusalem and Gaza since1967 exacts a terrible cost from thecaptive population. The frameworkprovided by internationalhumanitarian law, while helpfulin situations of short termoccupation, falls far short of itsclaims to offer the protection neededwhen an occupation extendsbeyond 10 years. One aspect ofoccupation is to silence those whorepresent the people of such asociety.

The UN General Assembly isbeing given an opportunity to takebelated account of this situation on

this very day by recognising andacknowledging Palestinianstatehood, something 132governments have already doneby establishing diplomaticrelations with Palestine. The veryleast that a people living for morethan 45 years under occupationdeserve is this right of access to theinstitutions of the world to presenttheir grievances on a global stage,to have a voice, and if not a full-fledged seat at the tables of decision,at least a stool. Let us hope that theUN General Assembly will give usall something positive to celebrateon this International Day ofSolidarity.

Let me bring these remarks to aclose with several observations:

What follows from this isobvious: if political violence begetsmore political violence, then it is timefor the stronger side to turn todiplomacy, compromise, respect forlaw and rights. Until Israelappreciates that its security can onlybe achieved by turning to peacefulmeans, there will be insecurity forboth Israelis and Palestinians, thedance of death will go on. It was only

when the British made this switchthat the conflict in Northern Irelandchanged from being "irreconcilable"to becoming "negotiable", and asubstantial peace followed.

This is a time when the test ofsolidarity with the struggle of thePalestinian people needs to beexpressed by deeds, by walking thewalk, no longer being content withtalking the talk. It is time for civilsociety actors throughout the worldto lend robust support to the BDSCampaign. It is time for governmentsto consider the sort of economicsanctions so effectively imposed on theSouth African apartheid regime. It istime for the UN to accord recognitionof statehood to any people that hasbeen occupied for more than 10 yearsstarting with the people of Palestine.

It is time for the members of theQuartet, which includes the UN, theEU, Russia and the United States toexplain to the world how it imaginesa Palestinian state to be possible in lightof Israel's continued settlementexpansion and the related determinedattempt to give East Jerusalem adistinctly Jewish character. Withoutsuch an explanation, it is bad faith,

and a trap for the Palestinians, to urgea return to another diversionaryround of negotiations, a roadmap tonowhere!

In other words, it is time for usfinally, wherever and whoever weare, to act responsibly toward thePalestinian people. The great Jewishreligious teacher, Abraham Heschel,expressed this sentiment withmemorable words: "Few are guilty,all are responsible".

I want to give the last words tothe extraordinary Palestinian poet,Mahmoud Darwish, some linesfrom his long prophetic poem,"Silence for Gaza", written in 2007,but more relevant today thanwhen written. These lines refer tothe plight of Gazans, but they applyas well to all Palestinians, whetherliving under the yoke of occupation,in refugee camps, or consigned toan involuntary diasporathroughout the world:

Enemies might triumph overGaza (the storming sea mighttriumph over an island… theymight chop down all its trees) Theymight break its bones. They mightimplant tanks on the insides of itschildren and women.

They might throw it into thesea, sand, or blood But it will notrepeat the lies and say 'Yes' toinvaders.

It will continue to explode It isneither death, nor suicide. It is Gaza'sway of declaring that it deserves tolive. It will continue to explode. It isneither death, nor suicide. It is Gaza'sway of declaring that it deserves tolive.

ConcludedSource: Aljazeera.com

By Richard Falk

In other words, it is time for us finally, wherever andwhoever we are, to act responsibly toward the Palestinian

people. The great Jewish religious teacher, AbrahamHeschel, expressed this sentiment with memorable

words: "Few are guilty, all are responsible".

“

PAGE 32 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Uhuru Kenyatta and WilliamRuto confirm Kenyan allianceTwo bitter political rivals in

Kenya facing trial at theInternational Criminal

Court have confirmed theiralliance for next year's election.

Deputy Prime Minister UhuruKenyatta and former ministerWilliam Ruto addressed thousandsof supporters in western Kenya toseal their pact.

The ICC has indicted the twoover the violence that hit Kenyaafter the disputed 2007 elections.

Their case is due to start afterthe March election.

'United and peaceful'At a joint rally in the Rift

Valley town of Nakuru, the twoleaders announced that MrKenyatta would be thepresidential candidate and andMr Ruto his running mate.

"We have agreed we areuniting on behalf of the peopleof Kenya. Our alliance is not forfighting anyone. We areuniting for the sake of thepeople of Kenya," Mr Kenyattasaid.

Mr Ruto said they were notconcerned about the ICC case.

"Those talking ill of Ruto andUhuru are wasting their time. The

Under the deal, Uhuru Kenyatta (l) will be the presidential candidate and William Ruto (r) hisrunning mate

Congo government back in Goma, says rebels still too close

ICC cases have formed the basis ofdebates but we are going to provethem wrong [and show] thatKenyans are united and wantpeace," he said.

Both men deny playing key

Gabon seekstougherterms from oilcompaniesGabon is seeking to squeeze

more money out of foreignoil companies operating in

the country, executives say,potentially damping enthusiasmfor a long-awaited deepwaterlicensing round due next year.

The move mirrors similar stepsby resource-rich nations aroundthe world over the past decade,when countries such as Kazakhstanor Venezuela clawed back projectsor tightened the terms forinternational companies as energyprices soared.

Oil accounts for around half ofGabon's economy but output hasfallen by a third since peaking at370,000 barrels per day in 1997.However, the country's reservesare put at around 3.7 billionbarrels, giving it several decadesyet of hydrocarbon wealth.

The West African country'sgovernment has launched auditsof oil producers that have led tobig back-tax claims and isdemanding tougher terms for,and equity stakes in, newcontracts, said executives, whodeclined to be named for fear ofjeopardising their interests in thecountry.

"I think it is really driven bythe desire to get a better deal forthe state," said one oil executive.

The government declined torespond to questions aboutwhether it had launched aconcerted drive to extract moremoney from oil companies but thecountry's oil and energy ministerconfirmed some companies werebeing audited.

"We got the opportunity to dosome audits to see if a contract iswell run and ... we noticed a lot ofexceptions," said EtienneNgoubou.

"You engage in somenegotiations with the operationcompany to check each exceptionand to agree if you have some tax(due)," he added in an interviewwith Reuters.

Three executives said AddaxPetroleum, a unit of China'sSinopec, had been threatened withthe loss of an oil field in a disputeover terms.

Ngoubou acknowledged thedispute but said the disagreementwas over environmentalproblems at the field, which oneexecutive identified as theObangue onshore field.

"They got some accidents.Their facility doesn't respect therules of the Institute of Petroleum... They have to fit with thespecifications. Otherwise we takesome decisions," he said.

Egypt judges refuse to oversee Morsi referendumJudges in Egypt have refused to

oversee a vote on the country'snew draft constitution, to be

held in two weeks.The Judges' Club's decision follows

a confrontation between Egypt'sSupreme Constitutional Court andIslamist supporters of President

Mohammed Morsi.The court said it was suspending

its work after its members wereprevented from ruling on thelegitimacy of the body that drew upthe constitution.

Opposition groups called forprotests against the referendum on

Government forces arriving Goma

roles in the violence which followedthe 2007 poll.

Some 1,200 people were killedand 300,000 forced from theirhomes.

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto were

on opposite sides in the 2007election.

Mr Kenyatta backed PresidentMwai Kibaki, while Mr Ruto waspart of Raila Odinga's allianceseeking to oust the president.

Tuesday.They said Mr Morsi had broken a

promise not to call a referendumwithout gaining a wide nationalconsensus.

"The National Salvation Frontcondemns the irresponsible act by thepresident of the republic in calling areferendum on an illegitimateconstitution that is rejected by a largesection of his people," an alliance ofopposition groups said in a statement.

The opposition believes that thedraft constitution undermines basicfreedoms.

The latest developmentsheighten the tensions betweenPresident Morsi and his MuslimBrotherhood supporters on one side,and his mainly secular politicalopponents and the judiciary on theother.

Hours after the SupremeConstitutional Court suspended itswork, the Judges' Club, the unionProtesters again Mursi's proposal in Cairo

Government forces re-established control overDemocratic Republic of

Congo's eastern city of Goma onMonday after rebels withdrew, buta senior official said the insurgentswere only a few kilometers awayand still posed a threat.

The M23 rebel movementpulled its fighters out of the NorthKivu provincial capital on Saturdayafter seizing it from fleeing U.N.-backed government forces andholding it for 11 days.

But the situation remained tenseand uncertain in the absence of anydefinitive peace accord to end theeight-month-old insurgency, whichhas displaced thousands of civiliansin a region that is a tinderbox ofethnic and political conflict.

North Kivu Governor JulienPaluku, who had left Goma whenrebels took it on November 20, metCongolese Interior Minister RichardMuyej in a hotel in the city, which issited among lush green hills on LakeKivu on the border with Rwanda.

"I have come back here to worklike before," Paluku told Reuters,saying his residence was lootedduring the rebel seizure of Goma. Thecity's capture triggered aninternational diplomatic scrambleto head off an escalation of theconflict.

Under a deal brokered by Ugandadays after Goma's fall, M23 leadersagreed to withdraw to positions 20km (13 miles) north of the city afterCongolese President Joseph Kabilasaid he was ready to listen to the rebels'

grievances.But Paluku said some M23 units

were much closer to the city than

had been agreed. "They are inMonigi. It is only 3 or 5 km away. Itis not good," he told Reuters.

which represents the professionnationwide, said it had turned downthe judges' traditional role ofelectoral oversight for thereferendum.

"We have decided to boycott thesupervision of the referendum onthe constitution scheduled forDecember 15, 2012," the club's headAhmed al-Zind announced.

"This protest is in response towhat is being called the'constitutional decree' and until thisdecree is rescinded."

Correspondents say the club'sdecisions are not binding onmembers, and Vice-PresidentMahmoud Mekky said he wasconfident judges would do their job.

The Supreme ConstitutionalCourt had earlier described Sundayas "the blackest day in the history ofEgyptian judiciary" after its judgeswere prevented from attending ameeting by Islamist protesters.

PAGE 33PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Saudi F-15 jet crashes ontraining mission, pilot missing

Japan defence ships headed for Okinawa island

A construction site in East Jerusalem

F-15 jet

A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 jet crashed in the Gulfduring a routine training

exercise late on Sunday and thesearch for the pilot is still continuing,the Saudi Press Agency (SPA)quoted the defense ministry assaying on Monday.

Pilot Officer Fahad Bin Faleh Al-Msarir was on a routine trainingmission late Sunday in KingAbdulaziz Air Base located in theEastern Region, the defense

ministry said"The plane suffered an accident

leading to its fall in the territorialwaters of Saudi Arabia andinvestigation is undergoing," SPA

Asia andMiddle East

Japan has begun deploying asurface-to-air missile defencesystem and is putting its armed

forces on standby in advance of aplanned North Korean missile launchthis month, reports and officials say.

The Japanese public broadcasterNHK reported that a naval vesselcarrying PAC-3 (Patriot AdvancedCapability-3) ballistic missiles left awestern Japan naval base onMonday, headed for the country'ssouthern Okinawa island chain.

North Korea announced onSaturday that it would launch arocket between December 10 and 22- its second long-range rocket launchthis year after a much-hyped butbotched attempt in April.

Satoshi Morimoto, Japan'sdefence minister, ordered themilitary on Saturday to prepare forthe rocket launch, with a defenceministry spokesman telling AFP newsagency that "our ground, marine,and air forces are now preparing todeploy troops in Okinawa", which therocket may fly over.

Japan is also planning to deployAegis warships in neighbouringwaters, the Yomiuri Shimbun andother Japanese media reported onMonday.

Officials are preparing to issue anadvance order as soon as Friday toshoot down the rocket if it looks set tofall on Japanese territory, after anemergency meeting chaired byYoshihiko Noda, prime minister, theNikkei business daily reported.

In April, Japan ordered missile-defence preparations, includingplacing one of its PAC-3 systemsnext to the defence ministrybuilding in central Tokyo inresponse to the earlier NorthKorean rocket-launch attempt.

Military preparations werealso made in 2009 in advanceof another attempt.

Noda on Monday called forclose co-operation with the US,China, South Korea and Russiain preparation for the plannedlaunch, which has drawninternational condemnation.

"I have ordered cabinetministers to gather andanalyse information closelywith each other and as we closelycollaborate with related countries,"he was quoted by Dow JonesNewswires as saying.

North Korea has reportedlynotified neighbours, including Japan,of the trajectory of the planned rocketlaunch.

It would be North Korea's secondlaunch attempt under leader KimJong-un, who took power followinghis father Kim Jong-il's death nearlya year ago.

Japanprepares forNorth Koreanmissile launch

UN's Ban Ki-moon warnsIsrael of 'fatalblow' to peace

Israeli settlement plans in astrategically sensitive area ofoccupied land near East

Jerusalem would deal "an almost fatalblow" to peace hopes, UN head Ban Ki-moon has warned.

Palestinians in East Jerusalemcould be completely cut off from therest of the West Bank, he said.

Israel authorised 3,000 additionalhousing units a day after the UN votedto upgrade Palestinian status.

On Monday, the UK summonedthe Israeli envoy to express itsconcerns.

The UK Foreign Office said Israelshould expect a "strong reaction" if itwent ahead with its plans.

The UN General Assembly backeda proposal last Thursday by PalestinianAuthority President Mahmoud Abbasto change the Palestinians' status atthe UN to that of non-memberobserver state.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Banexpressed "grave concern anddisappointment" over the 3,000newly authorised Israeli settlementunits in East Jerusalem and the WestBank.

added. Saudi Arabia, the world's topoil exporter and main Arab ally ofthe United States, also has Tornadoesand Typhoons in its air force.

Last year Washington

announced a $29.4 billion deal tosell the new F-15, made by Boeing,to the Saudi air force. Industrysources have said the Saudis will buy84 of the jets.

Internetfreedom topsDubai summitagenda

An unprecedented debateover how the globalinternet is governed is set to

dominate a meeting of officials inDubai, with many countries pushingto give a UN body broad regulatorypowers even as the US and otherscontend such a move could mean theend of the "open internet".

The InternationalTelecommunications Union (ITU), anagency of the UN responsible forinternational information andcommunication technologiesregulations, will host the 12-dayconference that begins on Monday.

Government regulators from193 countries will meet to revise awide-ranging communicationstreaty for the first time since 1988.The treaty regulates how telephoneand other telecommunicationstraffic is exchanged internationally.

The conference largely pitsrevenue-seeking developingcountries and authoritariangovernments that want morecontrol over internet contentagainst US policymakers and privatenet companies that prefer the statusquo.

Thomas Crampton, a social mediaanalyst, told Al Jazeera that much isat stake in the negotiations.

PAGE 34 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Europe andAmericas

Russia's Putinto discuss Syriawith TurkeyPM Erdogan

Russian President VladimirPutin is to meet TurkishPM Recep Tayyip Erdogan

to discuss the Syrian conflict, whichhas strained bilateral relations.

Moscow is a key ally of Syria,while Ankara is backing the rebelstrying to oust Syrian PresidentBashar al-Assad.

In October, Turkey intercepteda Syria-bound plane which it saidhad Russian-made defenceequipment - a claim rejected byboth Moscow and Damascus.

The talks in Istanbul are alsoexpected to focus on energy issues.

Ahead of Monday's meeting, MrPutin's chief foreign policy aide wasquoted as saying that both sideswould have a "detailedconversation" on Syria.

Yuriy Ushakov also said hehoped that such an "exchange ofviews should lead, if not to a tie-upof positions, then at least to a betterunderstanding of each other'sactions", Russia's Interfax newsagency reported.

There is a belief in the Turkishgovernment that Russia is tryingto distance itself from Damascus,but there is currently very littleevidence to support this claim, theBBC's James Reynolds in Istanbulreports.

Moscow also has arms contractswith the Syrian government worthbillions of dollars.

So, Mr Putin and Mr Erdoganmay struggle to find a way ofovercoming the simple, profounddifference that separates them onthe Syria issue, our correspondentadds.

President Putin is also expectedto raise his concerns about some ofAnkara's recent moves, includingits request for Nato to deploy Patriotanti-missile systems on the Turkishborder with Syria.

Turkey says it is a purelydefensive move, but Russia haswarned that it will weaken stabilityin the volatile region.

The Istanbul meeting will be MrPutin's first venture outside Russiasince a visit to Tajikistan in October.

Reports in the Russian mediahave suggested that the 60-year-old keen sportsman is sufferingfrom a bad back.

President AlexanderLukashenko of Belarus, which hasclose relations with Russia, toldReuters news agency last week thatMr Putin had recently "twisted hisspine" playing judo.

Colombia forces ‘bombFARC rebels, 20 killed’

against FARC since peace talksbegan in October.

The camps were in Narinoprovince near the Ecuadorianborder, commander GenLeonardo Barrero told AFP newsagency.

At least 20 FARC rebels havebeen killed in Colombiaafter the military

launched bombing strikes on oneof their camps, the army says.

Saturday's raid is said to be thebiggest military operation

A soldier looks in one of the hideouts at the camp

Kate and William expecting royal babyEdinburgh, the Prince of Wales, theDuchess of Cornwall and PrinceHarry and members of bothfamilies are delighted with thenews.

"The duchess was admitted thisafternoon to King Edward VIIhospital in central London withhyperemesis gravidarum. As thepregnancy is in its very early stages,Her royal highness is expected tostay in hospital for several days andwill require a period of restthereafter."

Hyperemesis gravidarum isacute morning sickness, whichrequires supplementary hydrationand nutrients.

The baby will be the third inline to the throne, bumpingPrince Harry, the baby's uncle,to fourth place.

Pier Luigi Bersani casting his vote

The Duke and Duchess ofCambridge are expectingtheir first baby, it has been

announced.St James's Palace revealed the

news after the duchess wasadmitted to hospital on Mondayafternoon with acute morningsickness.

It is understood that the duchessis not yet 12 weeks pregnant. Butthe fact that she has been admittedto hospital, and is likely to stay therefor several days, forced the palaceinto making an announcementearlier than it would have liked.

In a statement, a spokesmansaid: "Their royal highnesses theDuke and Duchess of Cambridge arevery pleased to announce that theDuchess of Cambridge is expectinga baby. The Queen, the Duke of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Bersani wins Italian left pollyear's general election, according topartial results.

The veteran Democratic PartyPier Luigi Bersani has wonthe race to be the centre-leftcandidate for Italian PM in next

The strike comes as PresidentJuan Manuel Santos said therebels had less than a year toabandon their weapons.

In November, the FARCannounced a ceasefire set to lastuntil 20 January. Mr Santos,

however, has rejected calls for agovernment-led truce until afinal agreement has beenreached.

Speaking on Sunday, he saidhis administration would offer allnecessary guarantees so theFARC could disarm and join thepolitical process as a legal party.

"This has to be a process ofmonths, rather than years," thepresident said.

Mr Santos said any attemptsto delay disarming wereunacceptable. The FARC has notresponded to Mr Santos'sdeadline.

The president made hiscomments after the rebel groupacknowledged that it was holdingwhat it called "prisoners of war",contradicting its previousdenials.

In February, the rebelsannounced that they would stopall political abductions andkidnappings for ransom. Butvictims' groups say thekidnappings have continued andnot all hostages have beenreleased.

The peace talks, aimed atending five decades of conflict,began in Norway on 18 Octoberbefore moving to Cuba's capital,Havana, a month later.

leader was in a run-off with FlorenceMayor Matteo Renzi, 37, to retain hispost.

With the party leading opinionpolls, Mr Bersani has a good chance ofbecoming head of government afterpolls scheduled for early 2013,analysts say.

Those polls will choose successorsto the current technocratadministration.

Prime Minister Mario Monti'ssuccessor will face the challenge ofaddressing Italy's deep-rootedeconomic problems.

Mr Bersani won the first roundon 25 November, with 45% of thevote to Mr Renzi's 35.5%. Partial

results on Sunday saw him pollingmore than 60%.

Mr Renzi tweeted that "it wasright to try" and later congratulatedhis rival at a rally in Florence.

"They won and we did not," hesaid.

In his victory speech, Mr Bersanisaid job creation would be a priorityas he put together a programme ofpolicies for the electorate.

He would ensure there was roomfor younger members of the party toexpress themselves as they preparedfor the challenges ahead, he added.

Alan Johnston in Rome says thetwo men are very differentcharacters, with tieless, youthful MrRenzi painting himself as the voice ofa new generation which wants tosweep away the entire class of olderpoliticians.Putin

PAGE 36 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Doing the garden or going for a walk is better for your healthUnfit people with high

cholesterol levels would bebetter off gardening or

going for a walk than taking pills,says a study.

Being physically fit cuts therisk of dying by two thirdscompared with couch potatoeswho take statins.

Researchers found that doing more exercise could help peoplewith high cholesterol as much,or more, than drugs.

However, it also found thatcombining statins with keepingfit could improve survival rateseven further.

Many experts claim statinsshould be offered to all over-50s

because everyone could benefitfrom lower cholesterol, but theten-year study of 10,000 USveterans found that the very fitwere 60-70 per cent less likely todie than unfit people on statins.

Professor Peter Kokkinos, wholed the research at the VeteransAffairs Medical Center inWashington DC, said: ‘The fitnessnecessary to attain protectionthat is much the same or greaterthan that achieved by statintreatment in unfit individuals is moderate and feasible for many middle-aged and older adults,through moderate-intensity

Men with beer bellies warnedthey are at risk of weaker bonesMen with excessive fat

around their middlesaren’t just putting

their hearts under strain - theyare also at risk of weaker bones.

A study from HarvardMedical School found men withbeer bellies had a higherchance of developingosteoporosis, a disease usuallyassociated with older women.

The condition makes bonesmore prone to breaks as theylose density. Over a third ofwomen have one or more bonefractures because ofosteoporosis in their lifetime,however so do one in five men.

‘Most studies on osteoporosishave focused on women,’ studyleader Dr Miriam Bredella said.

‘Men were thought to berelatively protected againstbone loss, especially obese men.’

To check this assumption,Dr Bredella and her team ofresearchers evaluated 35 obesemen with a mean age of 34 anda mean body mass index, ameasure of body fat, of 36.5.

The men were divided intotwo groups: one with mainlysubcutaneous fat, which liesjust beneath the skin and isspread all over the body, andthe other with mostly visceral

Belly fat leads to osteoporosis in men, a studyhas found.

physical activity such aswalking, gardening and gymclasses.’

Kokkinos and his colleaguesassessed the records of 9,700 menand 343 women from VeteransAffairs hospitals in WashingtonDC and Palo Alto in California.All had high cholesterol levels orother harmful blood fats and weretested to determine their exercisecapacity as least, moderate, fit,or high.

The researchers found deathrates were lowest among thosetaking statins and who were fit.The higher the level of fitness the

lower the risk of dying during themedian follow-up period of tenyears. The fittest participants,regardless of whether they weretaking statins, had a 60-70 percent lower risk of death.

The difference could not beexplained by age, body mass,ethnicity, sex, history and riskfactors of cardiovascular diseaseand medications, said the studypublished online in The Lancet.

Professor Kokkinos said:‘Treatment with statins isimportant, but better fitnessimproves survival significantlyand is a valuable additional

treatment or an alternativewhen statins cannot be taken.’

Pedro Hallal, of the FederalUniversity of Pelotas in Brazil,and I-Min Lee of Harvard MedicalSchool, also writing in TheLancet, said that prescribingphysical activity should be puton a par with drug prescription.

They said: ‘The cost ofbecoming physically active islower than that of buying drugsand moderate-intensity physicalactivity has fewer side effects.’Side effects linked to statinsinclude muscle pain, which canbe disabling in some patients,memory loss, depression, sexualdifficulties and depression.

Malcolm Kendrick, a GP,author of The Great CholesterolCon and a sceptic of giving statinsto people with a low risk of heartproblems, said a recent Austrianstudy showed that athletes whowanted to compete could not stayon statins. ‘They often find theycan’t take effective exercisebecause the statins are harmingtheir muscles and exercisecapacity,’ he said.

Natasha Stewart, seniorcardiac nurse at the BritishHeart Foundation, said: ‘Statinsand exercise can help combathigh blood cholesterol levels andlook after your heart.

‘However, this researchshows that the two together canprovide a winning combinationto further improve your hearthealth, with higher intensityexercise possibly offering moreprotection.’Source: Dailymail.co.uk

or intra-abdominal fat, locateddeep under the muscle tissue inthe abdominal cavity.

Visceral fat, which is whatcauses the a pot belly even inthin people, is far moremenacing because the fat ispacked in-between the innerorgans and is strongly linkedto heart disease. Genetics, ahigh-fat diet and a sedentarylifestyle all contribute tovisceral fat.

‘What surprised us most wasthat men with visceral fat hadsignificantly weaker bonesthan (the subcutaneous fat)group. These are men with thesame degree of obesity and whowere about the same age,’ DrBredella said.

For the study, she put themen through a computedtomography, or CT scan, of theabdomen and thigh to measurefat and muscle mass, as well asvery high resolution CT of theforearm. She assessed bonestrength to predict fracturerisk using a technique calledfinite element analysis, whichis used in mechanicalengineering to determine thestrength of materials for thedesign of bridges and airplanes.

What she found was that the

There appears to be twomain reasons that belly fatleads to osteoporosis, DrBredella said. One is that allpeople with visceral fat secreteless human growth hormone,which plays an important rolein maintaining healthy bones.

The second reason is thatvisceral fat secretes certainmolecules that causeinflammation, which in turn,weakens bones.

The secretion of thesemolecules and their effect onthe body will be the focus of herfuture research.Source: Dailymail.co.uk

bones of the group with morevisceral fat were nearly twiceas weak as those withsubcutaneous fat, or fat spreadall over the body.

The results also showedthat muscle mass waspositively associated with bonestrength.

She said the size of her studywas limited by thesophistication and expense ofthe imaging tools that wereused to predict risk. Since theresults of this study, she hasevaluated an additional 30men in the same fashion,rendering the same results.

“What surprised us most wasthat men with visceral fat had

significantly weaker bones than(the subcutaneous fat) group.These are men with the same

degree of obesity and who wereabout the same age

Findings from US researchsuggest that doing more walkingand gardening could helpindividuals with high cholesterolas much, if not more, than drugs.

The fittestparticipants,regardlessof whetherthey weret a k i n gstatins, hadasignificantlylower risk ofdeath ofaround 60-70 per cent.

PAGE 37PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Reps order extradition offailed road contractorBy Lawrence Olaoye

House of Representativesyesterday ordered theextradition of the owners of

Torno Investment Company back toNigeria with a view to recoveringthe sum of N2.3 billion paid for aterminated road project in thecountry.

An Abuja High Courtyesterday fixed January21,2013 to decide whether

or not to proceed with thearraignment of Sadeeq Masalla, theself acclaimed National Chairmanof the All Progressives GrandAlliance (APGA) or quash the 11-count criminal charge of forgery

preferred against him.Masalla is accused of forging

the signatures of some membersof the party's National WorkingCommittee (NWC). The trialJudge, Justice Peter Kekemekefixed the date after listening tosubmissions from counsel for theaccused person, TochukwuOnwubufo (SAN) and ProsecutionCounsel, Frances Irabor.

APGA crisis: Court decides Masalla's fate Jan. 21By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Torno after obtaining N2.3billion had allegedly failed to executethe contract but secured a courtorder against Federal Governmentand sold all its equipment beforeleaving the country.

To this extent, the Housecommittee on Works chaired by

REp Ogbuefi Ozongbachi resolved toconduct a search at the CorporateAffairs Commission (CAC) with theview to arresting all the NigerianDirectors of Torno InvestmentCompany who allegedly connived induping Nigerian government.

Similarly, the House Committee

on Public Accounts chaired by RepSolomon Adeola has againsummoned two ex-Ministers ofWorks and Housing, AdeseyeOgunlewe and Tony Anenih, toclarify the rationales behind thetermination of about N8 billion roadcontracts in 1999 and 2003.

Adeola expressed concern overthe loss of over N8 billion on variousroad contracts terminated withouttaking steps to recover the money.

He specifically queried thepayment of N700 million out ofN1.045 billion for rehabilitation of55km road and reconstruction of20km road Enugu/Nsukka roadbut abandoned by the contractorwho requested for its termination.

The committee which queriedthe misappropriation of tax payers'money, berated the FederalExecutive Council (FEC) forcondoning fraudulent activities onthe termination and re-award ofsame contracts at higher sumwithout effort to recover the money.

In a related development, thecommittee also chided officials ofFederal Ministry of Works for re-awarding a 20km road project inNsukka/Enugu at the sum of N700million. It was discovered that the20km project contract was laterrewarded at about N1.097 billion.

According to Bala Danshehu,Director Highway Planning andDevelopment, the contract whichattained 70 percent was laterterminated because the Ministrycould not afford the N700 millionvariation cost requested by EncoConstruction Limited.

Whike asking the court toquash the charges against Masalla,Onwubufor averred that thematerials placed before it whichwarranted the leave granted theprosecution to arraign the accusedperson (Masalla) were notsufficient for the court to grant thesaid leave.

"Materials placed before thiscourt is the proof of evidence which

contains the names of the sixwitnesses. We are not challengingthe charge but we are challengingyour Lordships consent thatbrought the charge into effect.Until the consent giving by thecourt is validl, before the issue ofarraignment does not arise.

"The motion seeks to quash thecharge on the grounds that thecourt lacks the jurisdiction toentertain the charge and that theapplication to prefer the charge didnot comply with the CriminalProcedure Code, the proof ofevidence attached to the affidavitdid not indicate the offenses offorgery. That the charge isfrivolous, vexatious and an abuseof the court processes, and that anaccused person is entitled to bringan application to quash a chargeon an indictment if he perceivesthat the charge would affect hisright and is an abuse of court ofprocesses. Moreover, theapplication was brought behindhis back ex- parte" he added. Iraborhad in his response opposed theapplication on the grounds thatthe accused person ought to havebeen in court before his objectioncan be entertained by the court.

Oshiomhole lists panacea for better economy

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edoon Monday called for for achange of attitude among the

leadership and the citizenry so thatthe nation's economy could grow.

Oshiomhole made the call at the1st Annual Sir Ahmadu BelloMemorial Foundation Lecture on``Leadership and GoodGovernance in Nigeria'' in Abuja.

The lecture was organised bythe Ahmadu Bello Foundation.

``We are never going to havea perfect, better economy if thereis no conscious effort to change ourattitude, if we don't revisit someof the ideas about our leadership

culture,'' Oshiomhole said.He called for a return to the

good societal value system whichwas devoid of tribe and religion.

Oshiomhole noted that``Nigeria has everything tomake her excel but what we seemto lack is the correct leadershipthat has the capacity of a clearvision and commitment to ensurethat resources are well delivered tothe people.''

He urged leaders to imbibe theleadership role of the late Premier,adding that, ``he consideredeverybody equal regardless ofreligion and region; he did notdiscriminate, and his ideal was workand worship.''

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi Oshiomhole, who expressedoptimism in the unity of thecountry and its ability toovercome its challenges, called forthe adoption of a new style ofleadership that encompassedtolerance and mutualunderstanding.

Also, Gov. Babangida Aliyu ofNiger lauded Bello for hisleadership role and virtue anddescribed him as an exceptionalleader who worked and died in servicefor the less privileged.

``History will forever be kind toSir Ahmadu Bello as a colossus, aquintessential philanthropist, selflessand revolutionary aristocrat andhumanist,'' Aliyu said.

The senate yesterday vowedto leave no stone unturnedin ensuring that budget is

maximally implemented asappropriated to the executives.

Speaking yesterday duringthe 2012/2013 budget defenceby the Federal Ministry ofAviation, the Chairman of theSenate Committee on Aviation,Hope Uzodimma, said thatbudget is a veritable tool in goodgovernance which helps thegovernment to meet the needsand aspiration of the people.

Uzodimma argued that theability of the government tomeet the aspiration of the peopleis dependent on the political willof the government to completelyimplement the budget asproposed, explaining that ifgood budget is not maximallyimplemented, such budget losesits impact and value.

While regretting that poorbudget implementation hasbecome the bane of governmentin Nigeria, he reiterated thedetermination by the senate tomove against the trend.

He however urged theMinister for Aviation, StellaOdua, to make more efforts inensuring that more fund ismade available to the ministryto enable it implement itscapital projects, emphasizingthat 2013 budget must bebudget of prudence andaccountability.

In her response, theMinister of Aviation, StellaOdua, said that out of the 34billion naira budgeted for theministry, only 19billion hasbeen released, out of which 72percent is utilized, adding thatthe ministry has utilized 85percent of its overhead budgetfor 2012.

She also pointed out that theministry has some ongoingprojects at Enugu and OweriInternational Airport, whileconsultancy report forAbeokuta Airport is alreadycompleted, awaiting the actualcontract award.

She further said that in 2012budget, airport maintenance got85 percent, while contract for theconstruction of Bayelsa Airportand contract for the design ofKano Airport has just beenawarded.

Meanwhile, according to her,NIMET has utilized 47 percentof its 2012 budget; NAMA hasutilized 46 percent of its 2012budget, FAAN has utilized 53percent, representing 63 percentfor the ministry.

At this point, the committeeand the ministry went into aclosed door session for furtherconsideration of the 2012/2013budget.

Senate vows toensuremaximumbudgetimplementationBy Ikechukwu Okaforadi …re-summon Anenih, ogunlewe

Members of House Committee on public accounts going through some documents submitted tothem during budget defence, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

PAGE 38 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Reps query EFCC's N500mbudget on local travelsBy Lawrence Olaoye

House of Representativesyesterday queriedleadership of Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission, EFCCover the whopping sum of fivehundred and thirty five millionearmarked for local travels of its staffin 2013 budget proposal.

The lawmakers asked IbrahimLamorde, the Commission'sChairman to explain the rationalebehind the appropriation of the sumeven when it is on record that theEFCC is yet to expend lesser amountapproved for same purpose in year2013.

The anti-graft agency got sum ofN357.3 million in 2012 to cater forlocal trips on investigations and

prosecutions of suspects in 2012budge which it has yet to expend fewdays to the end of the year.

But Lamorde who led top EFCCofficials before House Committee onDrugs, Narcotics and FinancialCrimes yesterday for budget defencesaid his agency is anticipating howto cover new grounds next year.

The budget ceiling presented byLamorde to the Committee yesterdaywas N21.028 billion as againstN10.607 billion for outgoing year2012.

Members of the Committeeexpressed concerns that the EFCCboss had failed to adequately convincethem on why more funds should be

Akpabio bags LifetimeAfrica Achievement Awards

Akwa Ibom state governor,Chief Godswill. O.Akpabio, will on December 15,

this year in Nairobi, Kenya beconferred with 'Lifetime AfricaAchievement Prize (LAAP)", amillennium excellence award forgood leadership in Africa.

Akpabio received the invitationletter recently when AmbassadorAshim Morton, President ofMillennium Excellence Foundation(Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize),Accra, Ghana, paid him a courtesyvisit at Government House, Uyo.

In receiving the offer thegovernor said "I receive this awardwith great happiness and dedicate itto the children of Akwa Ibom State,

who had no hope but now have afuture. Most importantly, I thank Godfor this award. I also thank you forthis award and for decorating me witha Ghanaian attire today, which Iextend my greetings to the Board ofDirectors of the foundation. And Icongratulate my fellow awardeeswho would be receiving the awardalongside with me".

Governor Akpabio noted thattheir foundation was a selfless serviceto Africa, which would encouragegood governance and change inAfrica to change and help Africans tohave hope that the continent couldchange.

The Governor was thenpresented with a broach for hishandwork to the development of thestate and country, which is to be worn

on the day of the award.Speaking earlier, the President of

Millennium Excellence Foundation,Ambassador Ashim Morton hadexplained that the award would beconferred on Governor Akpabio forestablishment of programs tosupport the country through thedevelopment of Akwa Ibom Stateand contributing his quota tomankind.

Morton, who described theGovernor as an inspirational leaderamongst his peers because of thecare and love that he has for thepeople of the state, called on youthsto emulate him, pointing out thateven after his service as a Governor,his legacies of leadership would beembalmed in the hearts of Akwa Ibompeople, Nigerians and Africans.

appropriated under local travelsitem.

They asked him to identify thosethings the Commission could notachieve with the current budgetwhich it now intends to deliver withalmost 50% increment.

Under the controversial item,the Committee pointed out adifference of N178.640 millionbetween 2012 and 2013 budget.

Rep Moshood Mustapha amember of the Committeerepresenting Ilorin West/Asa federalconstituency of Kwara Statewondered if there was anyjustification for the increment. Hesaid the Committee would critically

look into all details as submitted byLamorde in a bid to defend such beforethe House Committee onAppropriation today (Tuesday).

Another member, Bassey Ewa(Cross Rivers PDP) demanded to knowprogress of work on Lagos office of theCommission for which N3 billion wasappropriated in 2012. Similar greyarea, according to the Committee,was the disparity in figuresappropriated under Drugs/MedicalSupplies and Medical Expenditure.

EFCC in its proposal had wantedthe sum of N13.029 million forDrugs/Medical Supplies as well asanother N7.753 million for MedicalExpenditures. The Committeedemanded to know from Lamordethe difference between the twocategorisations and the reasons for thehuge sums.

Lamorde however explained thatthe slow pace on Lagos office projectwas due to inability to pay Lagos Stategovernment sum of N17 million asvaluation cost. On the proposal for thehuge travels cost, he explained that"We intend to expand our operations.We have six offices across the zonesbut we still need to reach out someother places. We don't have resourcesthat's why we refer the issue to othersister agencies with similarresponsibilities. We deal within theresources given to us, we are behindpayment to contractors up to N4billion"

He also lamented how a dimefrom N25 million budgeted forpurchase of arms and ammunitionfor EFCC was not released under2012 budget. Also not released in thisyear's budget ,according to Lamorde,was another sum of N30 millionapproved for purchase of motorvehicles for EFCC operations.

L-R: Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, andAlhaja Modinat Bosede Adedibu, during the grand finale of Ibadan Week Festival 2012, at the weekend in Ibadan.

BenueLGSC bossbagstransparencyawardThe Executive Chairman of

the Benue State LocalGovernment Service

Commission, Comrade RichardGbande, has bagged the 2012Transparency in GovernanceAward.

Conferring the honour on therecipient, National President ofthe Coalition of Civil SocietyOrganisations for Transparency,Comrade Ibrahim Alih, disclosedto newsmen in a chat that thegroup, after considering variousreports on the activities ofvarious stakeholders in theNigerian project, decided toconfer the award on Gbande.

He said the award was inrecognition of his fair andtransparent approach togovernance in Benue statewithout fear or favour. Alihdescribed Comrade Gbande asoutstanding in protecting andprojecting the welfare of localgovernment workers in Benuestate.

According to him, Gbande isa true comrade who does notcompromise his genuineness ofpurpose for bread at the cause ofrendering selfless service to hispeople in particular and Nigeriain general.

"His strict adherence to ruleof law, accountability andtransparency in handling thetaxpayers fund is highlycommendable and no wonderthe plenary has voted him as the2012 winner of TransparencyAward," he said.

Written by Mike Etim, Uyo

... as FG slashes budget by N11.7b

PDP winsKubau, ZariaLG election

The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP has) was onSunday declared

winner of the chairmanshipseats in Kubau and ZariaLocal Government Areas ofKaduna State in theSaturday's council poll.

The Returning Off icer ,Muhammad Sule-Basawa,said Khalid Yalwa-Kubau ofPDP polled 75, 609 votes todefeat Rilwanu Mohammed-Inuwa of CPC who polled 19,326 votes.

Sule-Basawa said, "havingscored the highest number ofvotes and sat is f ied therequirements of the law,Yalwa-Kubau is herebyreturned as duly e lectedchairman of Kubau LocalGovernment' ' .

In a related development,the PDP ChairmanshipCandidate, Lawal Balarabe,pol led 146, 704 votes todefeat Lawal J ibri l of CPCwho scored 131, 358 votes inZaria counci l e lect ion.(NAN)

PAGE 39PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

New Soba LG Chairman arraigned forcertificate forgery in Kaduna

L-R: Chairman, House Committee on INEC, Hon. Jerry Manwe, discussing with Chairman, IndependentNational Electoral Commission , (INEC) , Professor Attahiru Jega , during the 2013 INEC budgetdefence before the committee, recently at the National Assembly, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

A Chief Magistrate, MalamGarba Abdullahi onMonday in Kaduna

adjourned till Dec. 5, the case ofcertificate forgery preferred againstthe new Chairman of Soba LocalGovernment, Kawu Yakassai.

Yakassai was arraigned beforeChief Magistrate Court 11 on Daura

Road, Kaduna and the case was firstmentioned on Thursday.

The charge was filed at theinstance of two complainants, MusaMustapha and Ubale Telan-Matasa,through their counsel, MalamGarba Shehu.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the magistrate

had on Nov. 30, ordered the arrestof the accused person for contempt,but no mention of the order wasmade at the resumed hearing of thecase.

Instead, Counsel to Yakassai,Malam D I Habib told the court thatthe accused had won the localgovernment election conducted on

Nigeria elites are indolent -Pat UtomiGoing down memory lane, he

lamented the present fate ofNigeria stressing that it is indeeda sad commentary that whatbeholds of the nation today isalways a litany of woes; the bodypolity remain besieged by manyill- mass corruption, moraldecadence, youth delinquency, abelligerent political class, andpeople enamored by religiousintolerance.

He remarked further thatwithin the political arena,governance has become theforgotten mission while in the

economic sector, Nigeria hasbecome the dumping groundof the world and sadly he says,in the social sector, thenation's traditional values arenearly extinct.

He had words for Nigerianswho are always quick toblame it on someone elsestressing that he think theproblem lies with everybody.

Expatiating further, hesaid the high level of docilitythat is always exhibited by mostNigerians most especially theelites in the face of glaringly mis-

governance has afforded theruling class the temerity to getaway with most of the demeanorsrecorded against them notingthat in other climes, like Chinaand other nations, these mindlesslooters of our commonwealthwould face firing squad.

He advised the salesprofessionals to always imbibe theculture of honesty and probity asthose are the ingredients thatmake true sales professional.Over twenty-five new memberswere inducted into theassociation

Saturday and urged the court allowhim to attend the swearing-inceremony.

'' We ask for an adjournmentthrough section 154 of the criminalcode to enable the accused to besworn in by the governor,'' he said.

The counsel to the complainantdid not object to the application, andthe chief magistrate adjourned thecase to Dec 5, for continuation ofhearing. (NAN)

SGF explains use of N25b Ecological Funds to RepsHe said: " By the time the

fund was created, it was notproperly streamlined. This ispart of the problem."

Anyim said he was alsoconcerned that projects wereabandoned and charged statesthat initiated or requested forprojects should monitor them.According to him, states havetheir own allocation of thefunds and should stop heapingthe blame on the federalGovernment.

He said based on the factthat most of the projects may

have been poorly conceived,there was need to review theprojects. He however said mostof the projects abandoned weresmall projects.

But Rep Pat Asadu called theattention of the members to theabsence of the Minister ofEnvironment Mrs. HadizaIbrahim Mailafia who wassupposed to have been at thesession.

Members of the committeetook exception to the absence ofthe minister who wrote torequest that the hearing be

By Lawrence Olaoye

Secretary to theGovernment of theFederation (SGF), Anyim

Pius Anyim, yesterday told theHouse of Representatives thatthe total N25b of the EcologicalFunds was spent of the recentfloods that ravaged severalareas of the country.

Anyim who spoke during aninvestigative session by theHouse Committee onEnvironment chaired by RepUche Ekwunife said the amountspent was the intervention inthe devastation brought aboutby floods which ravagedcertain parts of the country.

Ekwunife noted that thefund was solely meant toaddress the ecological problemsfacing various states across thecountry. She however notedthat her committee was notimpressed with theapplicat ion of the funds aseverywhere the committeewent on oversight there werescores of abandoned projects.

The lawmakers noted thatthe invest igat ive processstemmed out of a motiondeliberated on the floor of thea House on ThursdayNovember 15, 2012 on theEcological Funds Projectsprocurement process as i tconcerns 17 projects forwhich procurementcommenced since 2006 andis st i l l undergoing variousprocesses of procurement sixyears af ter they were f irstadvert ised.

"We are concerned thatthe ongoing process mayhave contravened provisionsof the procurement Act2007; and that due diligencemay not have been carr iedout before the said projectsrecently found their way to theoffice of the SGF and the

moved to another date as shehad to travel to Doha on officialassignment wondering why the"jamboree" and waste in aseason when there are urgentissues to address.

But the SGF whileapologizing on behalf ofMailafia, appealed to themembers saying that thoughthe President had cut down onforeign trips, "the minister hadscheduled the meeting fromFebruary with approval fromthe President and it was not anexcuse to avoid the committee."

Minister of Environment forsigning.

"It is the opinion of thecommittee that the ongoingprocess have not only becomemoribund but time baredbecause ecological problemsprogress with changing yearsand weather and as such aretime sensitive."

But the SGF in his responsesaid that the main problemthat dogged the ecological fundswas that at the time it wascreated it was not properlystreamlined.

A presidential candidate inthe 2011 Presidentialelection on the platform of

Social Democratic Mega Party ofNigeria (SDMPN), Professor PatUtomi, has described the countryas not only blessed in human andnatural resources as toutedeverywhere, but also withindolent elites.

He made the remarks recentlyin Lagos when he delivered alecture during the annual lecturefor senior management staffs ofblue chips organizations inNigeria under the auspices ofInstitute of Certified SalesProfessionals (ICSP) held at thebanquet hall of Sheraton andTowers hotel in Ikeja

Speaking on the necessity ofhaving good leaders as aprerequisite for good governance,Utomi said with the abundanceof human and material resourcesand for the country to remainone of the least developedcountries in terms ofinfrastructural development,only translates to mean that theelites who would have made allthe difference have all gonelethargic.

From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

An Abuja based lawyer andhuman rights activist, PrinceChristmas Akpodiete, has

condemned critics of Delta stategovernor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghanstyle of administration just as heenjoined them to have a rethinkbecause of the numerousachievements of his administration.

Akpodiete, who made thecondemnation yesterday whilespeaking to our correspondent at aforum for good governance, said hewas supporting Uduaghan notbecause he is Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) stalwart, but becausesome people of Delta state haveignorantly made up their mindsto discredit the Uduaghan's ledadministration without recourseto the developmental strides of thegovernor.

According to him, Uduaghanhad done a lot of transformation inthe state and he is determined tocontinue with histransformational programme toensure tremendous developmentat every nook and crannies of theState.

"If God did not anoint him, therewas no way he would have ascendedto that throne. It would obviouslyamount to a child's play to mention allthe numerous works His Excellencyhad done, let alone the ones he shallbring to pass between now and 2015,"Akpodiete disclosed.

He maintained that it is sad to seepeople criticize government officialsunnecessarily with bogus false claimsall in an attempt to rubbish the imageof men and women who havededicated their lives to the service oftheir fatherland.

"I am not saying we do not havecorrupt officials, but if you look at theon-going projects and those alreadycompleted in Delta State, you willagree with me that Uduaghan is asplendid administrator who isdetermined to transform the state.

Abuja lawyer,Akpodiete blastsUduaghan's criticsFrom Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

PAGE 40 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

The Lagos State House ofAssembly (LAHA), hasassured residents of the

state of its commitment towardmeeting their desires andaspirations.

The acting Clerk of thehouse, Mr Ganiyu Abiru, gavethe assurance on Mondaywhile speaking at a-five daytraining programme formembers of the senior staff ofthe Assembly at Badagry,Lagos.

He said the house wouldaccomplish the task throughresearch and training of thestaff of the house, for them toput in quality services for thebenefit of the people.

The News Agency of Nigeria

Lagos Assembly expresses commitmentto meeting peoples' aspiration

(NAN) reports that thetraining tagged, ''EmotionalIntelligence: Principles ofSuccess,'' was organised by themanagement of the House.

It was to fortify members'understanding of their roles,through appropriate forum, toenhance their productivity.

Abiru said that the choice ofthe title was timely as it hadrelevance with the challengesfacing an average citizen, inthe area, due to "the socio-economic realities of the time"in the country.

''Members of staff whobenefited from the ongoingtraining are between gradelevels 13 and 16", he said.

Abiru added that the

training was meant to sensitisethe senior echelon of the houseon what was expected of them,in relation to theirsubordinates.

''As managers of men andresources, the state of ouremotional and socio-psychological wellbeing goes along way in impacting on ouroverall efficiency andeffectiveness, particularly ourjobs,'' he said.

He added that training andretraining were required forcivil servants in the legislatureto enable them catch up with theother two arms of government.

Abiru noted that wheneverthere was a change ingovernment, it was the

legislative arm that would befirst affected.

The acting the Clerkexpressed satisfaction with theamicable relationship betweenthe civil servants in the houseand the lawmakers.

Aburi added that thetraining was part of effort toensure continuity of such cordialrelationship.

He urged the participants tomaximise the advantage of theprogramme to improve their ontheir productivity.

'' I urge the participants totake the full advantages of thetraining,to justify the hugehuman and financialcommitments that have gone into it, '' he said.

The Enugu State ActingGovernor, Mr SundayOnyebuchi, has called on

Nigerians to enroll for theNational Identity ManagementSystem (NIMS) to checkfraudulent practices in thecountry.

Onyebuchi made the callwhen the Director-General of theNational Identity ManagementCommission (NIMC), Mr ChrisOnyemenam, and his team paida courtesy visit to him at theGovernment House, Enugu, onMonday.

He lamented that theinsecurity in the country was aresult of inadequate database,adding that the identificationexercise would also help to checkfraudulent practices in thepublic service.

``Nigeria's desire or goal tobe among the 20 most developedeconomies in the world by theyear 2020 can only be possible

with a national and integratedidentity management systemthat is reliable, accurate, thatcan pass integrity test any day.

``Enlightenment is veryimportant for people tounderstand, cooperate withyour efforts. They also need tobe reassured that their personaldetails will be safe, secured andused for definite or defined legalpurposes.

``The success of what youare doing will also help to checksome fraudulent practices in oursociety. We know especially inpublic service people whochange their personal data fromtime to time as it suits theirpurpose. By the time we have aplace that we can cross-check,they will have difficultychanging one form ofinformation or the other.

``I am calling on allNigerians, especially the peopleof Enugu State, to cooperate with

the National IdentityManagement Commission,knowing that the benefits willnot just accrue to thecommission, the FederalGovernment or to the stategovernment but to allNigerians.''

On his part, Onyemenamsaid the commission was set tointroduce an identitymanagement system that wouldbe skilled, upgraded and easilyaccessible to stand the test oftime.

He said the enrollment for theexercise would be extended tolocal government areas to coverthe people in the rural areas.

The director general said thatthe exercise was still at the pilotphase, adding that the exercisewould be formally launchedwhen the commission hadsufficiently enlightened thecitizenry.

``This visit is part of an effort

that we have begun toimplement to encourage citizensto understand what theNational Identity ManagementSystem is.

"Also, to understand thatwhat we are doing now isdifferent from what has beendone in the past under anyagency of government; and toencourage people through thatunderstanding, to drop thecynicism that has been carriedover from the limited successesand failures of the past becausewe believe that that is the onlyway we can get citizensparticipation and ensure fullcoverage in the database,"Onyemenam said.

Onyemenam, who disclosedthat the enrolment wouldcommence on Dec. 5 in LagosState, appealed to the people totake advantage of theopportunity to be registered.(NAN)

Acting Enugu governor urges Nigeriansto support National ID card project

L-R: RiversstateGovernor, MrRotimiAmaechi,SenatePresidentDavid Mark,and Speaker,House ofRepresentatives,Hon. AminuWaziriTambuwal,after theirmeeting withthe PresidentGoodluckJonathan,yesterday atthe StateHouse, inAbuja.

Photo: JoeOroye

Persons withdisabilities call forPresidentialassent todisability Bill

The Joint NationalAssociation of Personswith Disabilities has called

on the President to sign theNational Disability Bill into law.

The National President,Mallam Danlami Basharu, madethe call at an event tocommemorate the 2012International Day of Persons withDisabilities in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the bill seeksto protect the rights of people withdisabilities and guarantee equalaccess as other citizens of thecountry.

He said that only a clearlegislation would address themany challenges faced byNigerians with disabilities.

He added that the legislationwould give persons withdisabilities the nod to contributeeffectively to nationaldevelopment and economicgrowth.

``What happens when therights of persons with disabilitiesare trampled upon, what happenswhen we are not included in thedevelopment processes.

``It is only through legalbacking that persons withdisabilities can seek redress at thecourt of law," he said.

Basharu said that countrieslike Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda,Malawi and South Africa, whichwere less endowed than Nigeria,had passed laws on persons withdisabilities in their countries.

``Nigeria as the ``giant ofAfrica'', which should be a leaderand not a follower, should rise upto its critical position as the pacesetter in the continent."

Basharu challenged politiciansto be counted among world leaderswho cared about the vulnerableand downtrodden, not looking atthem as persons in need of charity.

``But empatheticallyrecognising their need to be fullyincluded, empowered andintegrated into national polity.

``Now is the moment forevery Nigerian politician,including the President todemonstrate that they actuallycare about the masses.

The Minster of Women Affairs,Hajiya Zainab Maina, said thatpersons with disabilities faceddiverse limitations, stressing thatgovernment would ensure thatthe disability bill was passed.

Speaking on the theme of theevent, Maina said that barriersincluded education, employment,heath care, transportation andeasy access to public buildings.

She said that about 15 per centof the world's population waspersons with disabilities, with 80per cent living in developingcountries.

Maina added that a Nigeriafree of discrimination wasachievable, if everyone ``puts hisor her mind to it''.

Goodwill messages werepresented by the representativesof the minister of health, the MTNfoundation, UNICEF and UNDP.(NAN)

PAGE 41PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Former Golden Eagletscoach, Henry Nwosu saidthe Nigerian Under17s are

capable of handling any team atthe Morocco 2013 cadet

championship.The Golden Eaglets on Sunday

in Bamako, Mali defeated theJunior Eagles 2-0 and 4-0 onaggregate to book passage to the

biennial football showpiece inMorocco.

The African football body, Cafwill on Sunday, December 9conduct draws for the

championship.An elated Nwosu said the

Eaglets victory in Bamakoagainst the Malian side showedthey will be the team to beat inMorocco. “I’m happy we won andthe team showed superiorityover the Malians on their soil.

“Of course, there is no doubtthat the Malians are older andbigger but the Eaglets’ victoryshowed the side is good and canhold their own anywhere, anyplace.

“I know the team still needs re-enforcement as they head to thecompetition proper but kudos totheir managers for job well done.

“I’m confident we’ll see a farimproved side before they namethe last squad for thechampionship,” the formerGreen Eagles captain said tosupersport.com.

Nwosu said the Eaglets are theside to fear as the draws hold onDecember 9.

“African teams always fearNigerian sides. The Eaglets can’tbe scared of any team, I’m surethey can comfortably take onany team that come their way.

“Surely, they will go places atMorocco 2013 championship, Isee them clinching the title,” hesaid.

Ex-Eagles, Nwosu, lauds Eaglets for form for Morocco 2013

Green said the Eaglets would goon break and later get back to campto prepare for the African YouthChampionship.

On the protest against the over-aged Malian team, Green said theNFF was keen on the outcome of thedecision by CAF, adding thatprotest during the first leg matchin Calabar was based on principle.

“We are not withdrawing theprotest against the Malians. Recallthat we had said it is not aboutwinning, but about honesty andfollowing the rules of the game.Physiologically, they (Malians) didnot look like players that are U-17years, but we might be wrong.

“It is left for CAF to open anindependent investigation intowhat we have just said. There is noharm in CAF doing it because it isgoing to help football in Africa, as amatter of fact.’’

Green said in spite of the protest,the NFF had shown that the Eagletswere not scared playing againstany team in the continent.

... As Green says Eaglets areprospective Super Eagles

The gloves that EvanderHolyfield wore for hisinfamous ear-biting fight

against Mike Tyson have beensold for more than $35, 200(N5456,000, at N155 perdollar).

Holyfield wore them for their1997 heavyweight re-match;the fight in which Tyson bit achunk from one of his ears.

The gloves were sold for $35200 at an auction in Los Angeles.They were among 445 items

that belonged to the formerheavyweight champion. Thetotal amount paid for Holyfield’smementos has not beenannounced.

The auction first ran intotrouble when Holyfield said hedidn’t want to part with someitems. He then sued to preventthem being sold.

Little more than a week beforethe scheduled auction, heobtained a court rulingexcluding a dozen items from the

sale. However, Darren Julien,president and chief executive ofthe auction house, said heremained confident those itemswould also be auctioned at afuture date.

According to the figures postedon the firm’s website, the WBCcruiserweight belt won byHolyfield in 1988 went for $281 2 5 .

In winning the belt by beatingPuerto Rican Carlos De Leon in1988, Holyfield became the only

undefeated and undisputedcruiserweight champion inhistory.

The purple satin robe andblack satin belt he wore in 1996for the first of his two fightsagainst Tyson sold for nearly$82,000 and a Cartier watchthat belonged to the boxer wassold for about $80,000.

Holyfield, nicknamed The RealDeal, won 44 of his 57professional fights, 29 byknockout.

Holyfield’s gloves fetch $35, 200

Christopher Green, theimmediate pastChairman of the NFF

Technical Sub-committee, hasdeclared that the present GoldenEaglets are prospective members ofthe Super Eagles.

Green, who was assessing theperformances of the team duringthe CAF U-17 Championshipqualifiers, said the quality exhibitedby the players clearly indicatedthat they have potentials, andadded that they would be groomedto assume places in the SuperEagles in future.

The Eaglets defeated theirMalian counterparts 2-0 inBamako, Mali on Sunday to qualifyon a 4-0 goal aggregate for theAfrican U-17 Championship,scheduled for Morocco next year .

According to him, the teamplayed well and showed that thecountry have good prospects bothfor the Flying Eagles and the SuperEagles, respectively.

“This is an experiment thatstarted over eight months ago,when we put these boys togetherand started nurturing them, andthis is the result. Real under-17players, as they played together asa complete unit.

“They have actually shown thatthey have prospect for football inthis country because the way theyplayed and the way they have gonethrough this series of qualificationshowed that the future of ourprospective Super Eagles is verybright.”

200-metre backrole men swimming in the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival, yesterday inLagos. Photo: NAN

Chairman of the board ofthe NPL, Chief VictorBaribote, has claimed

ignorance of the threat by 15premiership clubs to boycottthe December 6 NPL congressscheduled for Kano because ofinsecurity.

The clubs were said to haveissued the threat following theapproval granted the leagueboard to organise the congressin Kano, where it is hoped thatsalient decisions would be takenfor presentation before the NFF

congress for ratification.The 2nd Vice President of the

executive committee of theNFF, told Peoples DailySports yesterday that he wasnot aware of any threat orprotest to boycott the congresson account of insecurity in anypart of the country.

“I am not aware that clubsare threatening to stay awayfrom the congress. I do know fora fact that the date for thecongress has been fixed, so hasthe venue. There is no furtherdevelopment to the contrary.

“All that I am aware of is thatwe are going to Kano for the

congress. The date had beenfixed and given approval by theNFF. We hope to go there andtake forward looking decisions,”he said.

It would be recalled that thecongress had been suspendedindefinitely thereby causingthe swift in the tentative datefor the kick-off of the newseason. We hear, however, thatDecember 21 may be ratifiedfor the season to commence.

Other salient decisionsincluding relegation andpromotion of clubs,sponsorships and severalmatters are to be considered.

NPL congress: Baribote claimsignorance of boycott threatBy Patrick Andrew and AlbertAkota

Holyfields boxing hand gloves

Manu Garba, Eaglets coach

PAGE 42 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Lagos female Volleyball team zoomed into the medal zoneyesterday, beating Team Adamawa in a hugely one-sidedgame decided at the Teslim Balogun Volleyball courts. It was

the first quarter-finals game of the day.The Lagos team was just too hot to handle as team from the north

east could not match them in the three set, losing all the sets to theall-conquering team.

The hosts showed they were for business from the blast of theumpire’s whistle in the first set, beating them mercilessly. Theycontinued the trend in the last two rounds as Adamawa capitulatedcompletely.

Lagos will now meet Team Delta in the semis today at same venue.

Team Lagos male basketballteam has continued itsimpressive runs in

basketball at the ongoing 18thNational Sports Festival taggedEko 2012 after defeating Kwara76-47 in the fifth game of the

competition.Before the victory over Team

Kwara, Team Lagos had defeatedEnugu 63-43, Plateau 53-41,Ekiti 83-33 and Imo 58-37.

Mark Balogun Team Lagos coachsays his lads are getting stronger

with every match: “We are gettingstronger day by day. I want to saythat Kwara are no pushoversbecause they are good as well.

“But my players are in form andwe will remain committed to ourobjective of claiming the gold

medal, and we shall surely makeLagosians proud at the end.’’

Also in the men’s event playedat Mobolaji Johnson SportsComplex, Rowe Park, Bayelsadefeated Zamfara by 53-47. In thewomen’s event, Team Abujarecorded their third victory afterbeating Team Niger 82-52.

Team Lagos remains unbeaten in basketball

... cruise into volleyball medalzone, face Delta in semis today

The Local OrganisingCommittee (LOC) for theongoing 18th National

Sports Festival (NSF) has urgedteams to take advantage of theirpresence to explore the vasttourists potentials of the state

Among the attractions on offeraccording to the LOC are boatcruise, film shows and otherareas of interests, adding that inthe various Games Villages filmshows are regular features from8 p.m. daily till December 7.

The Secretary-General of theLOC, Kweku Tandoh saidyesterday that the essence of thedaily boat cruise and the filmshows were to make theparticipants at the Games toenjoy their stay.

Tandoh said it was to show theathletes and officials thenumerous tourism sites in LagosState, as well as to foster unityand friendship amongstNigerians.

“The major objective of thetour is to foster unity, peace,friendship among the people. Wewant everyone to appreciate oneanother and above all, have fun-filled moments in Lagos,’’ hesaid.

Tandoh also said that filmswould be shown at the GamesVillages, UBA Park, Tinubu Halland Moremi Hall in Universityof Lagos (UNILAG).

“Films will also be shown atthe Yaba College of Technology(YABATECH) and the FederalCollege of Education (Technical),Akoka. As most of the athletes arein the mood for the Games, it willhelp them to relax in theevenings.

“The boat cruise started onSunday and we have decided tomake it a daily affair. We will beglad if athletes and officials canavail themselves theopportunity to be part of theexperience,’’ he said.

The LOC scribe said the showswere free for all athletes andofficials who had been accreditedfor the Games, adding that theland tour would be in a double-decker bus.

“We want all participants toalways remember theexperience days, months andeven years after the festival,”Tandoh added.

It would be recalled that 34athletes and officials were takenon the boat cruise on Sundayfrom the Queens Drivewaterway, Ikoyi around thecoast line, up to the Snake Island.

The cruise stopped at OgogoroVillage, an Island inhabited byfishermen, for the visitors to chatwith the villagers.

LOC urgesteams toexplore Lagos

Ezekiel Ayodeji, an OndoState Para-table tennisplayer in the Class 6 and 7

category, yesterday successfullydefended the gold medal he won atthe 17th National Sports Festival inPort Harcourt.

Ayodeji defended the title afterhe defeated John Otuka of Bayelsaat the ongoing 18th edition of theGames in Lagos, tagged “Eko 2012’’.

Reacting to the win, GboyeOmodojo, the Ondo State Para-tabletennis coach, said the result is amanifestation of the good traininghis player had.

Omodojo added that he was

expecting more medals fromdifferent classes of the game.

“I feel so good, the gold medal wonby Ayodeji was due to the traininghe had and he believed in himselfwhich was pivotal to his victory,”he said.

Ayodeji on his part thanked hiscoach for giving him adequatetraining, adding that it made himto defend his title in the ongoingfestival.

Para-table tennis had so farcontributed one gold and one bronzemedal to Ondo state’s two gold, twosilver and 7 bronze totalling 11medals.

descernded on him allegedly forencroaching on the pitch.

Team Gombe football team wasleading and fans perhaps fearedthat the coach’s intention was toinfluence subsequent decisions ofthe referee in his team’s favour.

All sort of missiles were used inthe ensuing fight even as fans andsports journalists ran for theirsafety as Team Gombe fans took onanybody on sight. The late arrivalof security personnel on the scenedid not help matters.

A Journalist from the NationalPilot, Toyin Saheed, was brutallypunched by angry Team Gombesupporters.

Incident was the second sincethe football match began at thevenue that Team Gombe fans havedisrupted proceedings as well asfought with match officials. Theyfought against Team Zamfara lastThursday.

Ondo defends para-table tennis title

Soldier beats athlete to coma asfracas broke out at Agege Stadium

Five hooligans were arrestedyesterday at the YabaPolytechnic football pitch for a

fight between Team Gombe andTeam Kwara during a football match.

They were arrested for breachof the peace after securitypersonnel managed to curtail thefracas that had ensued following afight purportedly started by TeamGombe fans, a development thatturned the Yaba Polytechnicfootball pitch into a battle ground.

The unsportsmanlike conductled to serious injury on TeamKwara Head Coach, MoshoodAdebayo, even as several othersincluding fans also sustainedvarying degrees of bodily harm.

Trouble started when the centreordered coach Adebayo of TeamKwara to leave the pitch after hehad lodged a complaint overalleged poor officiating, the TeamGombe fans were said to have

... Police arrest five fansover violent conduct

A Team Lagos Dambe athlete,Amao Usman, was givensevere beating by an Army

personnel yesterday inside theNational Stadium, Surulere,Lagos, one of the venues for the 18thNational Sports Festival, taggedEko 2012.

Amao had protested the resultof his fight against his Yobe stateopponent by throwing his handgloves on the floor.

But that action infuriated thesoldiers who pounced on him byusing both their fists and gun bootsto beat him and in the processinflicted bodily injuries on him.

A journalist, who had taken shotsof the action in his digital camera,was sternly threatened and forcedto delete the recorded action to

avoided being subjected tosimilar severe beating.

In another development, it tookthe intervention of a seniormilitary personnel to avert whatcould have been violent clashbetween some soldiers and thepolice at the entrance of the AgegeStadium when both fought for somemisunderstanding.

Residents of the area, journalistsand some athletes, who went to theBistro Hotel opposite the stadiumto eat, had to run for their safety,as the soldiers engaged their Police

counters in a free for all fightshooting sporadically into the air.

Explaining the cause of theclash, one of the Police officers saidthat he had gun to the restarauntfor some drinks when a soldiersought to know his identity butthat the soldier slapped him as he

was attempted to produce his IDcard.

No comment could be obtainedfrom any Army personnel on thecause of the fracas which forcedshops owners and other businesscentre operators to hurriedly closeshops.

A Boxer from the blue corner been declared winner after a bout

Players tussling for the ball during an hocky game

PAGE 43PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

UEFA Champions LeagueFixtures

Olympiacos v Arsenal

Real Madrid v Ajax

PSG v FC Porto

Montpellier v Schalke 04

AC Milan v Zenit

B/Dortmund v Man City

Malaga v Anderlecht

Dinamo Zagreb v Dynamo Kiev

Group Standings

Group A

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

FC Porto 5 4 1 0 9 2 13

Paris-SG 5 4 0 1 12 2 12

Dynamo Kiev 5 1 1 3 5 9 4

Dinamo Zagreb 5 0 0 5 0 13 0

Group B

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

Schalke 04 5 3 2 0 9 5 11

Arsenal 5 3 1 1 9 6 10

Olympiacos 5 2 0 3 7 8 6

Montpellier 5 0 1 4 5 11 1

Group C

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

Malaga 5 3 2 0 10 3 11

AC Milan 5 2 2 1 7 5 8

Zenit St. Petersburg 5 1 1 3 5 9 4

Anderlecht 5 1 1 3 2 7 4

Group D

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

Borussia Dortmund 5 3 2 0 10 5 11

Real Madrid 5 2 2 1 11 8 8

Ajax Amsterdam 5 1 1 3 7 12 4

Manchester City 5 0 3 2 7 10 3

Group E

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

Shakhtar Donetsk 5 3 1 1 12 7 10

Juventus 5 2 3 0 11 4 9

Chelsea 5 2 1 2 10 9 7

Nordsjaelland 5 0 1 4 3 16 1

Group F

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

Valencia 5 3 1 1 11 5 10

Bayern Munich 5 3 1 1 11 6 10

BATE 5 2 0 3 8 11 6

Lille 5 1 0 4 4 12 3

Group G

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

Barcelona 5 4 0 1 11 5 12

Celtic 5 2 1 2 7 7 7

Benfica 5 2 1 2 5 5 7

Spartak Moscow 5 1 0 4 6 12 3

Group H

Teams MP W D L GF GA Pts

Manchester United 5 4 0 1 9 5 12

CFR-Cluj 5 2 1 2 8 7 7

Galatasaray 5 2 1 2 5 5 7

SC Braga 5 1 0 4 6 11 3

Arsenal haveopted to leavesix first-team

regulars in London aheadof their final Champions’League group stagematch againstOlympiakos Piraeus in abid to avoid fatigue,manager Arsene Wengersaid yesterday.

Midfielders SantiCazorla, Jack Wilshereand Mikel Arteta,forwards LukasPodolski and TheoWalcott as well asdefender Per

Mertesacker were allmissing from Arsenal’s18-man squad namedto travel to Greece fortoday’s match.

Wojciech Szczesny,Thomas Vermaelen,Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, AaronRamsey, and Gervinhowill be surrounded byfringe and youth teamplayers, five of whomare yet to make theirfirst-team debut.

“Some playersneeded a rest becausethey were a bit on the

fringe of injury, andsome players areinjured,” Wenger toldclub website.

“When I count theinjured players I speakabout Podolski andWalcott. We needed torest Wilshere, 100percent, and Cazorla,Arteta andMertesacker playedmany games recently.They have been rested.

Arsenal havealready guaranteedtheir passage throughto the last 16. They can

top Group B if they winand German sideSchalke, who lead theEnglish club by onepoint, draw or loseagainst Frenchc h a m p i o n sMontpellier.

Despite a weakenedside Wenger will behoping his 150thChampions Leaguematch in charge ascoach ends in glory,however Arsenal’s lastvisit to Olympiakos’sGeorgios KaraiskakisStadium 12 months ago

ended in a 3-1 defeat forthe north London side.

Arsenal overcamethe Greek side by thesame margin at homein October.

Swansea City strikerMiguel Michucondemned Arsenal toa fourth PremierLeague defeat onSaturday when hescored twice to leaveWenger’s side 10th inthe table as their worststart to a domesticseason under his reigncontinued.

Depleted Arsenal tackle Olympiakos

Schalke 04 will be looking to win their final fixture atMontpellier to ensure they finish first in Group B. Witha one-point lead over Arsenal, the German team meet

their beleaguered French opposition at the Stade de laMosson tonight for their UEFA Champions League match.

Montpellier’s 2-0 loss to Arsenal on match day five notonly confirmed their exit from the Champions League, butfrom all European competition this season. The only pointthe Ligue 1 champions have won in the tournament wasagainst Schalke at the Veltins Arena on match day two.

Montpellier coach Rene Girard could name a few changesto the team that lost 1-0 to Olympique Lyonnais onSaturday. Geoffrey Jourdren, Teddy Mezague, JorisMarveuax, Karim Ait-Fana and Garry Bocaly have all beenstruggling with injuries, but Hilton returns to the fold aftera recent layoff.

On the other hand Jamel Saihi and Cyril Jeunechampcould both feature, having missed recent domestic matches

Manchester City will fight forpride and a berth in the EuropaLeague when they take on

Borussia Dortmund in their final UEFAChampions League match today.

The encounter will mark the finalfixture of Group D and having alreadybeen handed their fate early on in thecompetition all that is left for City ispride and a consolation prize of a spot inthe Europa League.

Having yet to take maximum pointsoff any of their adversaries in theleague, their disappointing run in theleague further underlined that there ismuch more work which needs to be done

on the international stage for City.Losses to Real Madrid and Ajax

Amsterdam has left Roberto Mancini’smen stone last in their group, but onlysit one point below the Dutchmen- whowill also be eager to fight for a spot inthe Europa League.

City now faces a spilt in their road:with one path positioning in thedirection of whether or not they shouldfight to continue their European outingor whether they should bow out entirelyand direct all focus on their domesticleague.

The decision will fall on them onTuesday evening whereas for

Dortmund they have little left to playfor after having already sewn up theirposition as group leaders ahead of RealMadrid who will finish second.

Prior to Matchday Two’s encounter,the two teams have never met on theEuropean front, but in an ironic twistof fate Dortmund’s first ever Europeanouting came at City’s old Maine RoadStadium in a match against ManchesterUnited.

The Germans have proved to be arevelation this season and are lookinglikely to make it even further than thefinal round of the last 16 with theirtireless, fast pace attacking style.

Only third place to play for in Dortmund-Man City duel

Pole position the target for Royal Bluesthrough suspension, though the latter will have to see offcompetition from Daniel Congre. Finally, Remy Cabellacould come back into the fold.

Schalke need a victory to confirm their place at the top ofGroup B. If they were to lose or draw, they would have tohope that Olympiakos can stop Arsenal from winning. Theirvictory over Olympiakos a fortnight ago was the only gamethat Schalke have won in their last five in all competitions.

Whether Huub Stevens’ decides to pick a strong Schalkeside is open to conjecture. In theory they could name thesame team that drew 1-1 with Borussia Monchengladbachon Saturday, featuring stars such as Lewis Holtby, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Julian Draxler.

However, he could opt to give game time to some of thefringe players, including the likes of Christoph Metzelder,Tranquillo Barnetta, Chinedu Obasi and Teemu Pukki. TimoHildebrand should continue in goal in place of out of favourLars Unnerstall.

Paris Saint-Germain and FC Portowill fight for first place in Group Aof the Champions League on

Tuesday at the Parc des Princes.With both teams already having

qualified for the round of sixteen of thecompetition, they are now aiming forthe comfortable leader’s seat in the sixthand final week of the group phase.

Lying one point behind thePortuguese, Carlo Ancelotti’s mencould reach their goal in the case of avictory, while a defeat or a drawwould keep Porto in the lead in thegroup.

PSG were beaten 1-0 at the EstadioDo Dragao during the second weekand they will definitely be set onrevenge in front of their public.

“We suffered a heavy blow in Porto,we would have liked to have been morein control in the match. But it was agood match to measure ourselves in,against a team that is used to the

PSG, Porto battle for Europa Cup placeChampions League. We missed ouropportunity, but we have the return leg

to catch up in,” stated Parisian defenderChristophe Jallet on the UEFA website.

Above all, this European clash will bean opportunity for Paris to win backconfidence, at a time when the club fromthe capital is experiencing a seriousperiod of doubt on the national scene.

PSG were eliminated from the LeagueCup in the quarterfinals by Saint-Etienne and have only bagged onevictory over their last fivechampionship games, having justsuffered a loss against Nice 2-1. TheParisian coach has little else on his mind.

On the other hand, FC Porto areperfectly in control of theirchampionship, where they remainunbeaten this season and have justenjoyed a great victory away againstSporting Braga, 2-0.

The other Group A clash will seeDinamo Zagreb and Dynamo Kiev cometo blows in a match with nothing atstake.Zlatan Ibrahomovic

PAGE 44 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

2013 Nations Cup finals

Emmanuel Adebayo

Nigeria midfielderRaheem Lawal haspredicted the Super

Eagles will clash with perennialrivals Ghana in the final of nextyear’s AFCON.

The former Atletico Beleares ofSpain midfielder said Ghanahave a team good enough toreach the final, so too Nigeria,who he will tip to go on and winthe continental trophy.

“I see Nigeria and Ghanaplaying in the final of the NationsCup in South Africa. Not that theother teams who will feature inthe competition are not good, butboth Ghana and Nigeria have anedge with us best to win it,” Lawalsaid.

“I am also looking forward toplay at the Nations Cup for thefirst time. I was so happy whenwe qualified and I will do my bestto be in South Africa with theEagles and contribute to theteam’s success.”

Raheem Lawal said defendingchampions Zambia will beNigeria’s biggest threat in thefirst round of the tournament.

“Zambia of course are the mainthreat because they arechampions from last year andthey are still very much intact.We therefore have to beware ofthem and take them seriouslyeven though we cannot afford tolook down on Burkina Faso andEthiopia,” he said.

The former Olympicinternational also toldMTNFootball.com he was shockedChelsea midfielder Mikel Obi didnot make the top five players tobattle for the Africa Footballer ofthe Year Award.

“I was surprised when I saw thelist. I don’t understand how CAFreached that conclusion becauseMikel won the English FA Cup aswell as the UEFA ChampionsLeague not as a bench warmer,but as a super regular. I thinkCAF need to tell us how theypicked the final nominees,”heargued.

Winners of next year’sAFCON in South Africawill battle European

champions Spain in the 2013FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

The next African championswill battle Spain, Tahiti andUruguay in Group B, while GroupA houses hosts Brazil Japan,Mexico and Italy.

The draw was held in Sao Pauloon Saturday for the competition,which will take place from June15 to 30 and will serve as a dressrehearsal for the 2014 World Cupalso in Brazil.

Africa have yet to win thisprestigious tournament with theIndomitable Lions of Camerooncoming the closest to reach thisglobal milestone when they lost1-0 to France after extra time inthe 2003 edition.

South Africa hosted the lasttournament three years ago withBrazil beating United States ofAmerica 3-2 in a thrilling final.Spain placed third after theydefeated the host country 3-2after extra time.

Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire havealso finished fourth in thiscompetition among the variousconfederation champions.

Barely 48 hours after Togocaptain EmmanuelAdebayor pulled out of the

team following a match bonusrow, other players arethreatening to follow suit.

Coach Didier Six told reportersyesterday he would wait forabout 72 hours to react to thesituation, whether to stay put orresign.

He said he wanted to see howmany key players would quit insolidarity with the Tottenhamstriker, who last week denounced

the nonpayment of bonuses toplayers after they defeatedMorocco 1-0 in an internationalfriendly last month inCasablanca.

Togo football federation says itdid not promise a win-bonuspackage to players ahead of themeeting, although officialsadmitted receiving •35,000(R404,000) from the RoyalMoroccan Football Federation,but said was meant to covertravel and hotel expenses andnot to pay bonuses.

The Sparrow Hawks firstchoice goalkeeper Kossi Agassaand midfielder Alaixys Romao ofFrench Ligue 1 side Lorient havevowed to abandon the outfit aswell if Adebayor’s decision wasconfirmed.

Togo are in one of the toughestgroups of the 2013 Africa Cup ofNations, opening theircampaign against 2012 finalistsIvory Coast before facing the twoother members of Group DAlgeria and Tunisia.

Gabriel Reuben, Godfrey Oboabana, Chigozie Agbim, must earned places in Super Eagles Nations Cup-bound squad

Nigeria head coach,Stephen Keshi hasallayed fear that players

from the domestic League will notbe considered for the 2013 Afconin South Africa.

Keshi told supersport.com thatplayers in the NPL will get thechance to fight for places for theAfrica Cup of Nations squad inspite of the league season being inrecess.

“I don’t think it will be fair to saythat the players based at home will

not get the chance to fight for placesin the team for the Nations Cup inSouth Africa. A number of theplayers at home are key players inthe team and played veryimportant roles in helping usqualify for the Nations Cup.

“No need to mention any name(of the NPL players) but you knowsome of them I’ve called up intothe team and those who haveimpressed since I took charge ashead coach,” said Keshi tosupersport.com.

The former Mali and Togo coachalso reminded that Nigeria’s pre-Afcon camp will open in thenation’s capital, Abuja withlargely players based in thecountry.

“I must also tell you that thecamp for the Nations Cup willstart on December 17 and it willbe filled with the players based inthe country. So they have a verygood chance to make the NationsCup team like their foreign-basedcolleagues. Besides no one is sure

of a place just yet because I wantto see who is committed,”remarked the Nigerian manager.

Keshi has a Caf deadline ofJanuary 9, 2013 to name his 23-man team for the Afcon finals.

“Certainly we will meet thatdeadline,” assured the Nigeriancoach.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles aredrawn in Group B of the 2013Afcon alongside defendingchampions, Zambia, Burkina Fasoand Ethiopia.

Angola may play Algeria,Namibia before XmasAngola are considering

playing either Namibia,Zimbabwe or Algeria in their

pre-Christmas camp in Lubango. The Palancas Negras are

lining up friendly opponents asthey prepare for the 2013 AfricaCup of Nations in South Africa.

This was revealed by assistantcoach José Kilamba, who saysthe game might be played oneither December 16, 19 or 22.

Angola have been drawn inGroup A at the Nations Cupalong with South Africa,Morocco and Cape Verde.

It’ ll be Eaglesvs Ghana final,Lawal predicts

Keshi insists domestic league Eagles must fight for slots

Togo players, coachthreaten to pull out of team

2013championsto tackleSpain,Uruguay

Zambia now to play Saudis once after hitchZambia defender

HimoondeZambia’s two-match friendly series in

Saudi Arabia have been cut to agame after a delay in Lusaka.

The African champions’ trip toDammam has suffered a 48-hourdelay forcing the cancellation ofthe first game that wasscheduled for December 1.

“The team, who were initially

listed for the Saturday, 1stDecember 2012 flight at21:20hours, will now leave onSunday at the same time andarrive in the Kingdom of SaudiArabia early Monday,” FootballAssociation of Zambiaspokesperson Erick Mwanzasaid.

The development will now seeZambia play just one match on

December 5 in Dammam. “The match will kick off at

17:00hours Arabian time whichis 16:00 hours Zambian time,”Mwanza said.

The game is one of severalplanned by the Chipolopoloahead of the defence of theAFCON title they won in Gabonin February.

They are also to take on

Tanzania, Morocco as well asNorway preparatory to theAFCON in South Africa.

PAGE 45PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

1] Neymar is not too young to shoulder the burden ofleading Brazil's World Cup hopes, says new national teamcoach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

2] Newly crowned AFC Player of the Year Lee Keunhomay have achieved much in a prosperous 2012 but theUlsan Hyundai forward still harbours one major ambition;qualification for the FIFA World Cu.

3] Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell wins the WorldChallenge in California by three shots from AmericanKeegan Bradley.

4] Ricky Ponting says his decision to retire from playingfor Australia was easy after his final game ends in defeat.

5] Tyson Fury moves one step closer to a world titleshot after overcoming American Kevin Johnson on pointsin Belfast.

6] Mesut Ozil says he has no interest in the criticismhe has faced from the Spanish media and that he is onlyconcerned about Jose Mourinho's opinion.

1

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3

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Pictorial

PAGE 46 PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Team Delta wins four golds in wrestling

Damian Ohaike,T e c h n i c a lDirector, Nigeria

Wrestling Federation(NWF), has appealed toofficials at the wrestlingevent to apply standardrules and be honest intheir judgment.

Ohaike, who saidofficiating has beenreasonably fair, urgedjudges at the University ofLagos, (UNILAG) IndoorSports Hall wherewrestling events is takingplace, to applyinternational best practiceand thus get top graderecognition.

“In the area ofofficiating, Nigeria is notdoing badly but we do nothave manyinternationally-gradedreferees, which is not good.

“I appeal to referees atthe event to be fair, honestand firm when they areofficiating because theInternational AmateurWrestling Federation iswatching.

“We may think this isjust a national event butthe international body isalso interested. This is ourchance to show ourcompetence and provethat we can be called toofficiate internationally,’’he said.

Ohaike said that anyofficial found to be biasedwould be sanctioned inaccordance with the rulesof FILA, the worldgoverning body foramateur wrestling.

He decried the lack ofsponsorship forcompetitions, saying it

was hindering theexposure of referees,adding that withoutregular nationalcompetitions andinternational officiating,athletes, coaches andreferees would not develop.

“We lack exposurebecause we do not havesponsors to help organise

Wrestling boss wants judges to apply standard rules

The Adamawa femalehockey teamyesterday defeated

their Oyo counterparts 3-2 on penalties at theNational Stadium, Lagosat the ongoing 18thNational Sports Festival.

The first and secondhalves of the match endedgoalless and the winneremerged through apenalty shoot-out and hasadvanced to the secondround of the Games.

In his reaction, CoachKwaghe Hassan of TeamAdamawa, expressed joyover his team’s victoryand commended theiropponents for putting up agood fight.

“The match was a verycompetitive one and I amhappy my girls came outvictorious after playingagainst a strong side, likethe Oyo girls,” he said.

Also, Kenneth Ukah,Coach of the Oyo team,said that he was pleasedwith the outcome of thematch, adding that hisplayers tried their best butlost. “I do not really feel badbecause in every gamethere must be a winnerand loser,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the othermatch played in pool A,Kaduna defeatedAnambra 1-0 even asseven states out of 11 in theevent have qualified forthe second round of thefemale hockey event at thefestival.

The states are Lagos,Rivers, Delta, Anambra,Kaduna, Bauchi andAdamawa.

Adamawadefeats Oyoon penalties toreach secondround

championships and also forreferees and coaches toattend internationalseminars.

“Wrestling will notimprove if sponsors are notforthcoming. They shouldalso have in mind that thesport offers seven medalsbecause of its seven weightcategories,’’ he said.

Ohaike, however, notedthat with adequateattention, the sport wouldimprove.

The wrestling event ofthe biennial Games,tagged “Eko 2012’’ whichstarted on December 1, willend on December 7, twodays to before the curtainis dropped on the Games.

Team Delta wrestlerswon four gold medalsin wretling at the

ongoing festival even asthe Niger Delta regiondominates in the eventsweeping a total of sevengold medals.

Wrestlers from theregion have shown class inthe Greco-Romanwrestling event at thefestival as has been the case

in other combact games.Teams Delta, Bayelsa

and Rivers led the medalsfor the Greco-Romanwrestling event afterSunday bouts at Eko 2012.

Dominic Nnalue, OkeIturu, Tamara Soso andEkerekem Agiomor werethe gold medal winners indifferent categories ofGreco-Roman wrestling forTeam Delta.

Bayelsa finished insecond spot winning twogold medals.

Nathaniel Samuel andDickson Enenibodzie wongold medals for TeamBayelsa in the 84kg and60kg classes respectively.

It was in the 120kgweight class that TeamRivers got its solitary goldmedal in Greco-Romanwrestling.

ACP Gideon Akinsola, Head of Security, at the ongoing18th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Lagos, said onMonday that security remained a top priority for his

team.Akinsola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos

that the issue of crowd control would be handledprofessionally, alongside the enforcement of law and order.

“We know the importance of this festival which is to groomyoung talents to stardom; we, as security agents, have toensure that the environment is conducive enough and safe.

“Knowing the importance of spectators at sports venues,we strive to ensure the safety of everyone: athletes, officialsand of course, the spectators.

“We trained our personnel on how to manage a crowd,which has worked for us, no matter the level of provocation.Security personnel must not show any sign of irritation,’’he said.

Akinsola stressed that the opening ceremony of the Gameswas a good example of how well the security team couldhandle a crowd, without any untoward incident.

“The crowd at the opening ceremony was huge and for itto have been hitch free, it shows that we have done well inmanaging the crowd, as there was no result of violence.

“We will not take anything for granted, we will maintainthe same stance at all times,’’Akinsola said.

He added that the security agents were now workinground-the-clock to ensure a hitch-free closing ceremony forthe Games on Dec. 9.

Security remains top priority atfiesta, says ACP Akinsola

Two pugilists exchanging punches during a bout at the on-going Games

The Lagos StateT a e k w o n d oAssociation, whose

athletes have already wontwo gold and two silvermedals at the ongoing18th National Sports Festival,

yesterday boasted of winningmore gold at the festival.

Peace Ogunnowo, ChiefCoach of the association,disclosed this to the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) atthe Teslim Balogun Stadium,

venue of the event.Ogunnowo said that the

state won the gold in the maleindividual poomse and thefemale team poomse, whilethe silver madals were in themale and female fin weight

categories.“There are 20 gold medals

at stake in taekwondo, Lagoshas won two and we are ingood form to win more,” shesaid. The coach, whoseathletes won two gold medalsat the Gateway Games inAbeokuta in 2006, said thather team was not under anythreat from otherparticipating states in theevent at the Games.

“My players are still in abetter chance to win moregold; although other states arehere to compete and also winmedals, I can confidently saythat I have no seriouschallenge.

“Delta and some northernstates have been our arch rivalsin the sport, but times havechanged for any state to maintain

domination in the sport.“I have confidence that my

players will still win at least twomore gold and two more silvermedals as they are still in goodform,’’ Ogunnowo added.

She commended thetournament officials, sayingthat their officiating was inaccordance with the rules andregulations of theInternational TaekwondoFederation standards.

“The officiating has beencommendable and free of anybias. Our ChikaChukwumerije, the Beijing2008 Olympics bronzemedalist, is handling theOlympic standard machinesensor system, for scoringpoints,“ Ogunnowo said.

Team Lagos registered 16players, eight male and eightfemale for the game at thefestival.

Team Lagos Taekwondoists hope for more medals

Finally, swimmers beginhunt for medalsAfter three postponements, the swimming event of

the 18th National Sports Festival began yesterdayat the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos with Heat I of

the 100m women’s freestyle.The swimming event, which was slated for November

29, was shifted to December 2 and later to yesterdaybecause of excessive use of chlorine in the swimming pool.

The organisers said that high level of chlorine in thewater could have adverse effect of the health of theswimmers, especially the skin, eyes and nose.

In the first event held yesterday, Abeng Oka from CrossRiver state who swam from lane four won after she returneda time of 1.08.86.

Anuoluwapo Agunbinade from Osun in lane two wassecond with 1.13:74 and Light Ikuloburu of Ogun in lane

five occupied the third position with 1.16:15.Other results are Gift Joseph (Bayelsa) fourth with

1.19:43, while Marian Eworo of Ebonyi came last with1.29:99. The Technical Director of Nigeria SwimmingFederation (NSF), Gbenga Lawal said that swimmingwhich had been delayed would be fast-tracked.

He disclosed that before now the pool looked beautifuland ready for the event but was technically faulty.

He said the non-readiness of the pool was responsible forthe delay and added that the managers had to act quicklyto save the situation.

The other swimming events held yesterday were themen’s 100m breaststroke, women’s 200m butterfly, men’s200m freestyle. The swimming event will end onSaturday.

CHANGE OF NAMEI, FORMERLY CHIBUZO LAURA NDUBISI . NOWWISH TO BE KNOWN AS CHIBUZO LAURANDUBISI OKEREKE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTSREMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASETAKE NOTE.

PAGE 47PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Quick CrossWord (82)ACROSS1 Smoker’s saucer (7)5 __ Norris, star of actionfilms (5)9 Reverse a situation(4,3,6)10 Plan, suggestion (8)11 Cradles (4)12 Intrusive (9)16 Stratagem (4)19 Consumed with (2,3,6,2)21 Daisy-like flower (5)22 Nap (4-3)

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Yesterday’s answerSUDOKUSUDOKU

Getting Started

Each sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and verticalrows, evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each.Instead of word clues, each puzzle’s solution is determinedby the pattern of the numbers already filled in you. Yousolve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, whencompleted, each row and each square will have all thenumber from 1 to 9; each number will appear in exactlynine spaces within each puzzle.

A boy swims amongst the debris as he tries to salvage belongings from destroyedhomes in Manila. Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Yesterday’s solution

Say what?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

SPORTS LALALALALATESTTESTTESTTESTTEST

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

QQQQQUOUOUOUOUOTTTTTABLE QABLE QABLE QABLE QABLE QUOUOUOUOUOTETETETETEIt's in the character of insurgency worldwide to

audaciously attack insstitutions that will promotemaximum fear in the heart of the citizenry.

–– Dr. Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistanton Public Affairs to President Goodluck

Jonathan

Former Vice President AtikuAbubakar is, by allmeasures, a weighty voice

in the political and business affairsof this country. He has asignificant political following andowns and runs a big businessempire from which he draws theresources that oil his politicalmachine. He is not known to be aman given to hyperbole ordrollery. And the way things aretoday, a President AtikuAbubakar is not quite beyond thepale.

Last week Atiku, no doubtoutraged, as the rest of us were,by the twin bombing of a churchat Jaji that claimed many lives,caused his media to issue astrongly worded statement inwhich he condemned the BokoHaram sect, believed to beresponsible for the attack, as “massmurderers” and urged Nigeriansleaders across all divides to form aunited front to defeat the sect.Atiku warned in the statementthat, if not decisively halted, therelentless bombing and violentcampaigns of the sect could leadto consequences that the nationwould be unable to control. Andhe emphasized the urgency of thesituation.

Atiku is a politician whosepresidential ambition is not asecret. And it may be, as is beingspeculated in some quarters, thatthere are some politicalundertones to this his latestouting. Perhaps it is, among otherthings, intended to show Atiku asone Northern leader who hascome out strongly and openlyagainst the sect and its activities,in answer to the ceaselessaccusations by Southerners thatNorthern leaders have beeninexplicably quiet about,implying in effect that they arecomplicit in, what the sect hasbeen doing. Whatever the case, theimage of a prominent Northernleader now talking tough andbeing unsparing in hiscondemnation of the sect is sureto play well in the whole of theSouth and win Atiku somepolitical mileage.

In any case, his concerns arewidely shared, and across theentire country Nigerians feelequally outraged about what hasbeen happening. And it isimportant that leaders speak out,and do so strongly and with onevoice. In the fight againstinsurgency, any semblance of acrack or a weakening of resolveamong the leaders could send awrong signal and could beexploited by the insurgents.

But what is even moreimportant is for the leaders toproperly understand the nature

murderous lot. Through theirviolent campaigns of bombing,targeted assassinations andattacks on places of worship andeven schools, they kill a lot ofpeople. And their ways andmethods are deliberate, illegal,inhuman and barbarous.

It is a pity and mostunfortunate, though, that Atiku,just like many others are wont todo, saw only what he wanted tosee when he surveyed the field. Ifdeliberation, illegality, actinginhumanly and/or barbarouslyand killing many are whatdefined mass murder, how cananyone rightly say that BokoHaram members are the only onesout in the field working today inNigeria? To say or think so is togrossly misrepresent reality, andit is freighted with seriousimplications for the security andfuture of this country.

As a leader and politicianaspiring to be president, what doesAtiku think or say about theNigerian State’s response to theBoko Haram insurgency? Whatdoes he have to say in particularabout the activities and methodsof operation of the Joint Task Forcein especially Borno and Yobe? Ifhe is to give them a label whatdoes he call them?

The armed forces highcommand recently told the worldthat the Boko Haram sect haskilled about 3000 people in itsthree years of violent campaigns.Bukar Abba Ibrahim, former two-term governor of Yobe State andsomeone who should know, toldthe world that in the scotchedearth operation by our armedforces ordered by the late PresidentYar’adua to route out the sect in2009 alone, up to 5000 civilianswere mowed down. And, as we sawin the video clips shown byAljazeera Satellite television, thiswas done in the most inhumanand barbaric way. Our armedforces were at their most bestialduring that operation. And, bycommon agreement, this islargely what has led to theescalation of the Boko Haraminsurgency to its present stage.

The armed forces were no lessbestial and barbaric when theyattacked and killed randomly in

The Main OrganisingCommittee of the 18thNational Sports Festival

(MOC) says that the soldiersthat brutalised a Lagos Dambeathlete on Sunday will befished out and handed to thearmy authorities fordisciplining.

Speaking yesterday at amedia briefing, Director ofGames Services, BrigadierGeneral Emmanuel Okaro(rtd) said his committee willnot rest on its oars until thosesoldiers that committed thatdastardly act were fished outand handed over to theappropriate authorities.

"I can assure you thatjustice will be done," theretired army chief said.

Meanwhile, the Secretaryof the MOC, Alhaji Abba Yola,has apologised to the Dambeathlete, Yusuf Dogo-Auta,who was beaten up by thesoldiers and The Sun photojournalist, Dele Ojo, who wasalso manhandled as he wastrying to take shots of theincident.

The MOC says that muchas security operatives areessential part of the Games,efforts are being made toensure that they do notbecome overbearing on theathletes and innocentspectators, turned out in largenumbers to watch the events.

Alhaji Yola notes that theMOC in conjunction with thesecurity committee will reachout to the appropriateauthorities to demand that itsoperative clearlydistinguished between thoseperforming official dutiesincluding athletes, teamofficials, sports journalists plusinnocent spectators and thoseout to foment troubles.

In a similar vein, the MOChas warned Anambra StateWeightlifting Association thatwas found to have fielded aCameroonian. Yola assuresthat those found to have fieldedmercenaries will not gounpunished in accordancewith the laws of the Games.

He pleaded with states andcoaches to help the NSC fishout mercenaries. "They will bedoing us (NSC) andthemselves enormous good ifthey can help us identifycheats in whatever form."

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

and size of the problem in order tobe able to craft the correctresponses to it.

Atiku may not be wrong tolabel and condemn the BokoHaram sect members as massmurderers. The non-legaldefinition of murder, as containedin the Oxford Advanced Learner’sDictionary, is “The crime of killingsomebody deliberately.” Tomurder is defined in thisdictionary as “to kill somebodydeliberately and illegally,” whilea murderer is defined as “a personwho has killed somebodydeliberately and illegally.”Dictionary.com defines the words“to murder” as “to kill or slaughterinhumanly or barbarously.”Given this, a mass murderer canthus be defined as someone who hasdeliberately and illegally killed alot of people in a manner that isinhuman or barbarous.

It is of course not clear whatamounts to “a lot of people” in termsof figures. In the course of humanhistory, the murder of a few peopleby a lone gunman and theorganised killing of thousands oreven millions of people by groupsor state agents have been equallydescribed as mass murders.

In many ways, however,Atiku was right. The Boko Haraminsurgents are doubtless a

The other mass murderersNSF: Irate soldiersto be handed toArmy authorities

Zaki Biam and Odi, to avenge thekilling in these two places of theirofficers. The history of theNigerian State and its coerciveforces is one of violence. It is a statethat has continuously failed tobetter the lots of the country’s poorand thinks nothing of turning itsguns on them and killing them atthe slightest excuse.

Today in Borno, especially thecapital, Maiduguri, the JTF isacting and operating as an armyof occupation, with no civilizedrules of engagement, no post-operation reviews of its operation,and no respect for the peoples’customs and ways of life They raidand sack neighbourhoods and killas they please. They do summaryexecutions and inflict collectivepunishments on the people. Theydetain and torture suspectswhimsically.

The facts that one does not seeall this being reported or capturedin the Nigerian media and thereare hardly any organised protestsagainst the atrocities of the armedforces in these states doesn’t meanthat all is well. Atiku must havehis own sources who tell himwhat’s going on in those states andhow the armed forces are thebigger mass murderers.

It’s good to have a united frontagainst any kind of insurgency.But in our current situation, whatis even better, and what Atikushould be seriously canvassing, isan even stronger front against theimpunity and brutal conduct ofthe JTF. For, as the AmnestyInternational Human RightsWatch and other concernedgroups and institutions, bothwithin and outside Nigeria, havebeen saying, it is largely the brutalconduct, impunity and humanrights violations of the armedforces that are fuelling theinsurgency. It is what has createdthe now vicious cycle of violencebegetting violence, in which thepeople caught in the middle, withnowhere to go or turn to, betweenthe insurgents and the armedforces. Unless the excesses of thearmed forces are cheeked, thisvicious cycle and the no-winsituation that we are now in willcontinue, and it will keep exertingits heavy toll on all of us.

It is necessary for Atiku andall our other leaders, mostespecially those aspiring topositions, to realize that there isnot just one set of mass murderersin the field but many: BokoHaram, the many criminalgroups and gangs using the sect’sfranchise and those paid by thestate to check the sect but havenow all now clearly outdone thesect in inflicting violence on thepopulation.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

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