6 DAILY SUN Tuesday, October 30, 2012
NEWS 6 die in Anambra flood –SSG From EMMANUEL UZOR, Onitsha
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nambra State Government has confirmed that the state suffered casualties including the loss of six lives in the recent flood that ravaged various parts of the country. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mr. Oseloka Obaze said the flood disaster that swept through the nation claimed six lives in Anambra State Obaze disclosed this at the Atani Relief Camp, Ogbaru Local Government Area where former minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili presented relief materials to victims of the flood disaster from Ogbaru, Anambra West, Anambra East, Ayamelum, Awka North and Ihiala local government areas of the state. The Anambra SSG attributed the low casualty level of the disaster in the state to the prompt and consistent response of Governor Peter Obi and his lieutenants to the disaster since it broke out. Obaze said government was already preparing for the future of the displaced persons and to face the challenges of a possible rise in the price of foodstuff as a consequence of the flood. He disclosed that the state government was working with the relevant United Nations agencies that could assist with improved cassava seedlings that could mature within three months so that farmers that lost their crops to the flood could quickly recover from their losses. Disclosing that the N500 million the president released to the state to contain the situation was not enough, Obaze said the state was reaching out to the Presidential Committee on the flood disaster to get food across to the displaced persons. He said the government was bracing up to the huge reconstruction and rehabilitation of the victims, whose houses and sources of living had been destroyed by the flood.
Jealousy, evil forces behind Kaduna bombing –Senate leader From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja
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enate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, yesterday congratulated the Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Bishop John Onaiyekan, on his elevation as Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. In a statement signed by him, the Senate Leader however, expressed worry about the coincidence of the bombing of a Catholic Church in Malali, Kaduna State, with the euphoria that trailed Onaiyekan’s elevation. The bombing reportedly killed 8 people and injured over 100 on Sunday. Ndoma-Egba noted that evil forces, obviously unhappy with the peace ushered in by the Sallah celebrations, which saw Christians joining their Muslim brothers to celebrate the festival, were behind the bombing. The statement reads: “Your elevation is a testimony of your outstanding qualities as a devout Christian who has relentlessly propagated the gospel. This elevation is also a further testimony of the recognition of your leadership as a former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), who gave voice to the aspirations of many Nigerians and in championing their cause. “This is also in recognition of your invaluable contributions to Nigeria’s growth and development in the course of your chosen career as a priest who speaks the truth to constituted authority as well as a defender of the oppressed. These qualities, I believe, are immeasurable.”
Obi woos investors in South Africa
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avouring the successful berth of the South African brewery giant, SABmiller, in Onitsha and another fortune 500 company building its facility in the town, Governor Obi was in South-Africa to woo more South-African investors to come and invest in Anambra State. Speaking during the investors’forum in Anambra, where he met selected investors, Obi named South-African companies that were doing well in the country, including the MTN and assured others that Anambra was a good place to invest for adequate returns. Describing Africa as a virgin land waiting to be exploited on investment, he explained to investors why Anambra was the destination. “In Nigeria today, Anambra has the highest number of entrepreneurs, the biggest market and the most resourceful people,” Obi said. On the areas that are ripe for investment, Obi said Anambra could host many sectors, giving example with agriculture; he said Anambra could host big agricultural firms that were ready to develop value chain for the product in such a way that local players would key into their operations. He also said that Anambra was ripe for a packaging company that would produce different packages for many companies that had started operations in the state, among others. Obi assured them not to worry about overcoming logistics problems associated with investment, describing himself as one-stop-shop that would be available at all times to facilitate their operations.
• From left: Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ms Bolanle Onagoruwa; Chairman, Technical Committee, National Council on Privatisation (NCP), Mr Atedo Peterside; Minister of State for Power, Mr Garius Ishakku and Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media, Umar Sani, during a news conference on the outcome of NCP meeting in Abuja, yesterday. Photo:NAN
Harassment of media advert executives: NPAN drags APCON, IGP to court
By FAITH OMORUYI
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he Registered Trustees of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has dragged the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) before a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over alleged harassment of media advertisement executives. The newspaper owners filed an originating summons brought pursuant to Order 3 Rules 6 and 7 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009, through their lawyer, A. Labi-Lawal on the ground that APCON does not have the power to regulate the activities of the plaintiffs members or any of their employees who are not registered members of APCON or practising advertising. In the suit, NPAN is asking the court to make a declaration that Articles 21 and 137(a) of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion are ultra vires (beyond the powers) of APCON in so far as the provisions of the Articles affect media houses who do not practise advertising. The association is also asking the court to declare that Article 21 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion which requires that all advertisements except public notices, goodwill messages, obituaries and vacancies should be vetted and approved by the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) before publication, is inconsistent with the provisions of Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) and therefore, is unconstitutional, null and void. The plaintiff is praying for a
declaration that APCON has no power under the Advertising Practitioners (registration etc) Act, Cap A7, Laws of the Federation, 2004, to create offences and impose penalties as done in Article 137 (a) (b) and (c) of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion and as such, the said Article is unconstitutional, null and void. It wants the court to make an order of perpetual injunction restraining APCON from treating the said Articles 21 and 137(a) as valid articles in the code. They are also asking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents/ representatives from implementing or applying the provisions of Articles 21 and 137 (a) (b) and (c) against any member of the plaintiff’s association or their servants, officers and representatives. The suit is predicated on whether the provisions of
Section 1(d) of the Advertising Practitioners (Registration, etc) Act, Cap A7, LFN 2004, Articles 21 and 137 (a) of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion are not beyond APCON’s powers in relation to media houses who do not advertise. It is also on whether the said Articles are consistent with Section 39 of the 1999 constitution which guarantees the freedom of expression including freedom to hold opinion and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. Another issue to be determined in the suit is whether having regard to the provisions of Section 4 (1) of the 1999 constitution, it is competent for the first defendant to create offences and impose penalties as done in the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion. The suit is supported by a 22-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Ms Comfort Obi, Secretary of NPAN who
averred that officers of the second defendant in a letter, invited two members of the plaintiff/association over a complaint by APCON asking them to release some of their staff for interrogation. It averred that they were interrogated before they were released on bail but that the police had threatened them with further arrest and prosecution for allegedly violating the provisions of Article 21 of the Code. It averred that unless restrained as prayed, the defendants would continue to harass and intimidate members of the plaintiff/association and their staff with threat of arrest and prosecution in purported implementation of the said code. It added that APCON does not have the power to regulate activities of the plaintiff members or any of their employees who are not registered members of APCON or practising advertising. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.
Boko Haram: ACN urges FG to review anti-terrorism tactics
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he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has urged the Federal Government to review its tactics in fighting terrorism in the country, saying the bombing of a Church in Kaduna on Sunday has shown the limitation of government’s current tactics. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the senseless suicide bombing that led to the death of eight persons and left 145 others injured showed that those perpetrating acts of terror in the country were yet
to be curtailed, despite the chest-beating by the authorities over their supposed progress in the fight against terror. While describing as ungodly and cruel, the attack, in which children and women were affected mainly, the party said government must urgently evolve a measure that would protect innocent citizens from the terrorists and the security agencies and curtail the insurgents from striking at a time and place they chose. ACN said even before Sunday’s attacks, the rate at
which innocent people were being killed during attacks and reprisals between the security forces and the insurgents had become so alarming that it could not justify whatever modest success government might claim to have achieved in the battle against the attackers. The party said the worst hit areas in recent times include Potiskum, Yobe State where the ongoing cordon-andsearch operation by security forces had attracted a backlash from the insurgents, who had been accused of killing innocent civilians in gory manners.