Wednesday, 8th of August, 2012

Heads to roll over aviation road show –Senate ‘Estacode collected must be refunded’

Mark

Vol. 2 N0. 421

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Kogi church attack:

Delta High Court judge, PDP vice chairman abducted

Five teachers face trial for examination malpractices FG disburses N25bn to 12 institutions

P.4,8

Abubakar

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Uduaghan

P.9

N150

Death toll rises to 20 ...as terrorists kill two soldiers IG orders 24-hour surveillance OBIORA IFOH, OMEIZA AJAYI AND ADEMU IDAKWO

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eath toll in Monday night’s attack on the Deeper Life Bible Church in Otite, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State hits 20 yesterday.

Also, suspected terrorists struck again yesterday in the state, attacking the Okene Central Mosque and killing two soldiers in the process.

Disturbed by the worsening security situation in Okene, the Kogi State Government yesterday imposed an indefinite dusk-to-dawn curfew on the town and its environs.

Governor Idris Wada announced this during a broadcast to the people of the state.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that the armed men, who wore white clothes, allegedly came in a Hilux pick-up van and pretended to be coming to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Cold weather to aggravate asthma, P.6 rheumatism, brochitis –NMA President

Kogi State Governor Idris Wada, in bullet proof vest, during his visit to victims of the Deeper Life Bible Church attack yesterday.

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Heads to roll over aviation road show –Senate GEORGE OJI AND TORDUE SALEM

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he Senate yesterday threatened to impose serious sanctions against any senator that embarked on the three-nation road show with officials of the Aviation Ministry.

It has, therefore, directed any senator, particularly members of the Senate Committee on Aviation that collected money for the trip to quickly return such funds, even as the leadership of the upper chamber said that despite returning such funds, it might still sanction the affected senators.

The road show, which has been generating ripples since it became public knowledge at the weekend, involves a 10-day tour of Canada, United States of America and China is led by the aviation minister, Stella Oduah.

The trip, according to the ministry, is to study the airspace policies and airports of the three countries and compare them with Nigeria’s to find out the areas of inadequacies.

While members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation turned down the invitation by the Aviation Minister, their Senate counterparts were said to have jumped at the opportunity.

One of the senators was reported to have personally gone to the Aviation Ministry to pursue his travel allowances, insisting that he would not want any third party payment.

Our correspondent gathered that the travel allowance was about $7,000 only.

National Mirror reliably gathered yesterday that the Senate President, David Mark, was still angry with the senators for embarking on the trip without obtaining approval from his office as required by the standing rules.

Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Mr. Paul Mumeh, had

stated that: “The Senate President did not give any approval for any senator to travel abroad for official purpose because none applied for such permission.

“The Senate standing rules are clear on this that senators must seek the Senate President’s approval before embarking on any foreign trip.”

A source at the Senate President’s Office said yesterday that the leadership felt very embarrassed with this unfolding scenario, particularly now that the National Assembly members were having issues with the executive over the slow pace of implementation

NIGERIA’S LAST MEDAL HOPE DASHED!

Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare during her women’s long jump qualification at the London 2012 Olympic Games yesterday.

of the 2012 Appropriation Act. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday declared that the executive arm of government has been trying to ridicule the lawmakers on the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. The House, before its adjournment for recess last month, had blamed the executive for laying the bill for consideration on the day they were embarking on a long break that would end in September and could only begin work on the bill on its resumption.

But Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa, said he was surprised that it took the executive over one year to re-jig a bill that needed amendments.

He said that the executive should be held responsible for the delay in petroleum sector reform, which is the focus of the bill.

According to him: “The House reintroduced the PIB as soon as the 7th Assembly was inaugurated and we took the first reading.

“But the executive said the House should not do that because they are working on a better version.

“We waited for one full year but the executive could not bring their ver-

Kogi church attack: Death toll rises to 20 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

pray while chanting some Islamic songs suddenly opened fire in the mosque and killed two soldiers on guard.

Some Moslems were said to be holding tafsir (Ramadan lecture) at the mosque before the attack.

The killing of the soldiers follows a similar attack on Sunday in Damaturu, Yobe State in which six soldiers were killed by an explosive device detonated by a suicide bomber.

The state Police Commissioner, Alhaji Muhammed Katsina, who confirmed the incident, said the soldiers also killed one of the gunmen.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Simon Ile, said that the

incident occurred at about 4p.m, a few metres to the headquarters of the Okene Local Government secretariat.

Ile said that three men opened fire on the Army patrol team on duty around the area, killing two of the soldiers instantly.

He expressed the belief that the gunmen, who escaped from the scene, might be responsible for Monday’s attack on a branch of Deeper Life Bible Church in Eikha-Adagu Area of Okene.

The fresh attack came as the death toll from the Monday’s shooting rose to 20 yesterday as four more persons, who were critically injured, died in hospital yesterday.

Unknown gunmen had

killed 16 people on the spot, including the pastor of the church, when they launched a sudden attack on the church where some worshippers were having Bible study.

National Mirror learnt that the victims died at the Okene General Hospital, where they had been taken after the attack.

The Dean of Student Affairs of the Federal College of Education, Okene, Mrs. C.O. Omeiza, was said to be among those who were critically injured in the attack.

Spokesman of the institution, Mr. Peter Obansa, when contacted, confirmed the report, adding that a middle level officer with the school also died in the shooting.

He added that the school

authorities were yet to know if any student of the institution was caught in the shooting.

“As a community around the school vicinity, we know that some students live there, but we are yet to get a report that any student fell victim,” Obansa said.

Governor Idris Wada yesterday visited the scene of Monday’s massacre, accompanied by the state police commissioner.

At the General Hospital, Okene, where nine of the 17 injured victims were being treated, one of the victims, Lawal Yusuf Itokpa, said the worshippers were taken by surprise.

Another victim, Mr. Samuel Ayodele, said he lost his wife and a child in the attack.

While commiserating with the church members, Wada said the congregation should not be discouraged.

“Kogi State will pay the medical bills of the victims,” he said.

The governor also visited the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, where he expressed concern over the degenerating security situation in his domain.

He urged traditional rulers and other eminent citizens of the area to rise to the challenge.

Wada said that the state government would introduce new security measures to curtail the situation.

In a statewide broadcast, the governor announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Okene and four other local

sion. Then on the very day the House was going on recess, they brought the bill just to create the impression that the bill was brought in July and first reading was taken in September.

“This is an attempt to blackmail the House and we will not succumb to such a cheap blackmail.”

The lawmaker expressed doubts over the commitment of the Presidency to tackle inadequacies in the oil sector.

“If the executive were committed to the bill, why did it take them more than one year to submit a bill that had been presented in the previous assembly?

“And because we are serious about the PIB, we have asked the executive to give us 360 copies of the bill for every member so that the issue of fake version would not arise.

“They are yet to produce the copies. We are on recess but as Chairman of Rules and Business Committee, I am still available like many of my colleagues,” he added.

The PIB is expected to overhaul the country’s oil and gas industry that is entrenched in wanton corruption and maladministration.

When passed into law, it is capable of attracting investment into natural gas and generating employment opportunities for Nigerians.

governments in the state.

He also announced restriction of movement for motorcyclists in Lokoja from 6a.m. to 6p.m.

“I feel sad that indigenes of the state who were worshipping in the church were brutally murdered by unknown gunmen and one cannot truly understand their motive when these people did not provoke them,” he lamented.

The governor, who expressed his pain and sadness over Monday’s gun attack on a branch of Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene described the action as “inhuman, ungodly and barbaric.”

He said that such a dastardly act in which 16 people were killed could only CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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Photo News

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Hollywood film producer, Mrs. Julian Balogun; Nollywood actor, Alhaji Adebayo Salami and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Ilorin, yesterday.

L-R: Chairman, Sub-Committee on Awareness of University of Lagos 50th Anniversary, Prof.

Bamiro Beyioku; Editor, National Mirror, Mr. Seyi Fasugba; Coordinator, UNILAG FM, Mrs. Bisi King-Paul and Lecturer, Department of Mass Communications, Dr. Olubunmi Ajibade, during the meeting with the Committee at Unilag Senate Building Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

L-R: Executive Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom; President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria(CIBN), Mr. Segun Aina; Chief Executive Officer, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza and Registrar, CIBN, Dr. Uju Ogubunka, during the visit of the institute to UBA Head Office in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Nigerian Ambassador to Republic of Benin, Amb. Lawrence Obisakin; President Boni Yayi and wife of the ambassador, Cecilia, after the presentation of letters of credence to the president in Cotonou on Monday.

PHOTO: NAN

National News

Libya deports 111 Nigerians for immigration offences OLUSEGUN KOIKI

AVIATION CORRESPONDENT

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o fewer than 111 Nigerians were yesterday deported from Libya for various immigration offences.

The deportees were received at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on arrival.

The breakdown of deportees showed that 47 of them were males, 52 females and four male under aged (minor) and eight female under aged.

The returnees were brought into the country aboard flight ADMG 1915 from Tripoli.

The deportees were handed over to NEMA at the airport by the International Organisation of Migration, IOM. Speaking at MMIA, the Director-General, NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi urged the returnees

to take to account the trauma and hardship that they had gone through in the foreign land to avail themselves of the abundant opportunities that abound in Nigeria.

Sidi, who was represented by the agency’s South West Zonal coordinator, Mr. Iyiola Akande, pointed out to them that whatever effort or achievement one makes in a foreign land, he is still considered as second class citizen.

He, urged the returnees to consider their return as a challenge and start a new life with the knowledge and practical experiences they have acquired in the course of their sojourn abroad.

On the complaints of some of the returnees who claimed that little was done by the government to safeguard the welfare of distressed Nigerians during the Arab Spring, Sidi reiterated that NEMA and Nigerian Embassies in the troubled

and neighbouring countries mobilised resources to evacuate its citizens by deploying all available mass media to reach to them and those who turned up were repatriated back to the country.

He explained that humanitarian principle does not give room for forceful evacuation if any individual is not willing to be evacuated, adding that most of the recent returnees may be residing at the remotest part of Libya where they did not have access to mass media that were deployed by NEMA or some of them deliberately refused to be evacuated.

He cited the current repatriation, which indicated that initially about 162 were ready to return to Nigeria but the figure rose to 172 at the point of departure, but about 61 of the intended returnees declined at the last minute, when they were asked to board the flight back to Nigeria.

FG to disburse N25bn to 12 institutions IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

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he Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa”I yesterday disclosed that N25bn has been allocated to 12 institutions across the six geopolitical zones.

The money, she said, is for special intervention by the Federal Government, which aimed at improving the teaching and learning environment as well as programme upgrade.

The minister, who made this known at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Strategic Planning Workshop for Benefiting Institutions organised by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, said that the 12 schools were selected as part of the 4th phase of the special intervention programme in the education sector by the Federal Government on the principle of one university and one polytechnic or college of Education per geo-political zone.

Breaking down the figure, Rufa’I explained that each benefiting university is allocated N3bn, while each polytechnic and College of Education will re-

ceive N1bn respectively, adding that details of the allocation would be worked out between the benefitting institutions and TETFUND. She hinted that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd phases of the intervention programme are already ongoing, and some universities, polytechnics and colleges of education from all the geo-political zones have benefitted.

Speaking on TETFUND’s normal intervention programme, the minister said that each university would receive N598m, polytechnic, N339.5m and college of education, N321m this year.

Rufa’I also said that the quantum of funds allocated to institutions by TETFUND has increased considerably, of which this year is the highest, when compared to previous years She said: “Each year, TETFUND disburses funds realised from the 2 per cent education tax collection to federal and state universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. This year, the amount for direct allocation to the beneficiaries has increased by 46.33 per cent for universities,

44.17 per cent for polytechnics and 72.11 per cent for colleges of education compared to last year.”

While urging the institutions to apply the funds in the core areas of their mandates, the minister said that right priorities in the education sector were not addressed over the last couple of decades, resulting in tertiary institutions having to grapple with enormous expenditure outside their core mandates.

She emphasised the need for proper utilisation of funds by tertiary institutions, even as she called for zero tolerance for corruption by administrators.

She also said that TETFUND was established as a supplementary source of funding for the education sector and has played an invaluable role as a contributor to the provision and maintenance of critical infrastructure for teaching, learning and research in the country.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFUND Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said that the funds were specifically meant for manpower for national development and international competitiveness.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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Dana aircraft had problems –NCAA official tells coroner FRANCIS FAMOROTI

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Lagos State Coroner’s Court was yesterday told that one of the aircraft in the Dana Air’s fleet previously had hydraulic pressure problem one month before the June 3 crash in Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.

Testifying at the inquest proceedings yesterday, the General Manager, Airworthiness, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Mr. Kayode Ajiboye, told the coroner, Mr. Alexander Komolafe, that the ill-fated aircraft was not the one that lost hydraulic pressure while airborne two months ago.

He said this clarification was necessary to correct the erroneous belief that it was the same plane that crashed last June.

Ajiboye said the Dana aircraft with registration number 5N-RAM was the one that crashed in June while the plane with registration number 5N-SRI was the one that developed hydraulic pressure problem.

The witness stated that

on May 10, 2012, the faulty aircraft was on its return trip to Lagos from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, when it lost hydraulic pressure in the air.

He added that because of this problem, the plane was given prompt clearance at the airport ahead of others to make an emergency landing on arrival in Lagos.

Ajiboye said that some of the passengers in the plane later lodged their complaints at the NCAA’s Consumer Protection Department about the state of the aircraft, including its failed air conditioning.

The NCAA boss, however, said the plane was eventually taken to Turkey for repairs by aircraft maintenance and servicing company, Mi-Technic Company Limited.

Ajiboye also told Magistrate Komolafe that the ill-fated Dana aircraft that crashed on June 3 was serviced and that a flight check was carried out on it on June 2, 2012.

The witness said the plane did not show any sign

of problem during the flightcheck, stressing that this was the reason why the airline management scheduled it for flights the following day.

Cross-examined by lawyers, Ajiboye explained that the plane had made three take-offs and two landings,

adding that it was on its return trip to make the third landing when it crashed.

Another witness, the Managing Director of SO Aviation Fuel Limited, a subsidiary of Sahara Group of Companies, Mr. Alistair Morrison, told the court that his

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Residents woke up yesterday to hear the news of the death of the 16 worshippers killed on Monday night by gunmen, barely 10 hours after the police recovered a vehicle loaded with explosives in Okene.

The rumoured bomb found in Lokoja created panic and tension as people deserted the streets of the ancient town.

There was already apprehension among the people of the state over the impending danger after the alleged rumoured prediction of Prophet T.B. Joshua that a disaster would happen in the state that would attract world attention and pity, although, this had been denied by Joshua’s resident pastor in the state.

The panic created by the rumour led to pandemonium as a result of which many people were injured while running for their dear lives.

An 18-year-old boy who was running away from the alleged bomb was knocked down by a car as he jumped onto the road along Ganaja Junction on Ajaokuta Road.

The police spoekeman confirmed the rumour, stressing that some people

the average, we fuel about eight airlines per day, all receiving fuel from the same tankage. SO Aviation does about 50 fuelling in a day nationwide and all the airlines receive fuel from the same batch of fuel.”

Hearing continues.

Widows and relatives of dead police officers protesting non-payment of their entitlements at Force Headquarters, Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Kogi church attack: Death toll rises to 20 be perpetrated by “devils reincarnate.”

Wada also handed over seven new Hilux vans to the security outfits in the state to enhance their operations.

He also announced that three toll-free telephone lines have been provided for members of the public to give necessary security information to government and members of security agencies.

The governor commiserated with the leadership and members of the Deeper Life Bible Church as well as the family members of the victims.

He described the situation in the state as a “moment of exceptional grief” and called on traditional rulers in the Kogi Central Area to “sweep out the despicable elements” in their domains immediately.

Banks and some government offices were shut yesterday in Lokoja as workers, visitors and customers deserted banks and government establishments following the rumoured discovery of bomb in one of the churches in the state capital.

company supplied 4,000 litres of aviation fuel to Dana Airline between 5p.m. and 6p.m. on June 2, 2012 in Abuja.

Morrison said that his company supplies aviation fuel to both local and international airlines in the country.

According to him: “On

raised the alarm upon discovering a black polythene bag which was stuffed with refuse and dropped around the church premises.

He said the anti-bomb squad were drafted to the scene and nothing was discovered.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday issued an order for 24-hour surveillance of all places of worship and other vulnerable places in Okene in particular, Kogi State and its environs in order to provide adequate security to the residents.

In a statement by Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, DFPRO, Mr. Frank Mbah, the IG also ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of Police Mobile Force, PMF, personnel from other Squadrons to beef up security in the state.

The Monday’s attack came two weeks after an accounts officer with FCE, Okene, was abducted from his home and murdered.

Another attack on the Living Faith Church on Lagos Road in Okene was last month repelled by security operatives who stopped an explosive-laden vehicle

parked by road side.

But the IG, who was disturbed about the development, had also drawn up the operational order for the surveillance and deployment of the PMF officers and ordered the state commissioner of police to ensure immediate implementation.

Mbah explained that the police boss had solicited for public cooperation, asking them “to remain calm and report any suspicious movement to the police.”

“He also advised parents to keep watchful eyes on their children and wards and protect them from all negative external influences”, Mbah said.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Femi Asiwaju, yesterday condemned Monday’s killings, describing the incident as barbaric.

Asiwaju said that it was unfortunate that the crisis had persisted.

“The continuous killing of innocent Nigerians is a bad problem on ground.

Government is doing its best but no solution has been proffered to this problem,” Asiwaju said.

Army graduates fresh 439 anti-terrorists A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Nigerian Army Counter Terrorist and Counter Insurgency, CTCOIN, Centre of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, has graduated another batch of 439 officers and men to tackle Boko Haram sect.

Addressing the fresh graduates in Jaji, Kaduna State, the Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Major-Gen, Kenneth Osuji, said Army headquarters directed that CTCOIN should embark on the training of soldiers on counter-terrorism because of insecurity in the country.

Osuji urged the soldiers to display a high level of professionalism when they were deployed in their various places of assignments.

The CTCOIN Director, Brigadier-Gen. Tijjani Golau, said that the soldiers had acquired the relevant skills which would enhance their performance

in assigned tasks, commensurate with their new status as members of Quick Response Group, QRG. He said some of the counter-terrorism courses included identification of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, manning of roadblocks and checkpoints, cordon and search techniques, search and arrest procedures for both male and female suspects, unarmed combat and presentations on dynamics of terrorism and insurgency relating to Boko Haram, among others.

“Some of the innovations introduced in the course curriculum include, attacking terrorist camps, winning the hearts and minds of the local populace and the roles of junior commanders in combating terrorism.

“On the whole, the graduating participants are eminently qualified and can be deployed to carry out counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency tasks in any part of the country,” Golau added.

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National News

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

State police, plot to break Nigeria – ACF A ZA M SUE KADUNA

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rewa Consultative Forum, ACF, said yesterday that the agitation for creation of state police and the recognition of six geo-political zones in the proposed constitution amendment were designed to break Nigeria.

The group warned that any move to effect the change would be resisted by the North and other progressive Nigerians, adding the agitation should be dropped immediately in the interest of the country.

The ACF National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, made the forum’s stand known in an interview with our correspondent in Kaduna.

Also, the Chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, accused President Goodluck Jonathan of being behind the state police agitation for 2015 polls.

But Sani said those

behind the agitation wanted to render central government weak in preparation for the country’s possible break up.

He said: “The Federal Government should remain strong enough to keep the country’s unity but not too strong as to make it a unitary system. The six geopolitical zones should not be recognised in the constitution because it will increase cost of governance. Those who are agitating for six geopolitical zones to be included in the constitution want a ‘confederal’ arrangement that will make the cental government weak preparatory to Nigeria’s disintegration.

“Also, we don’t want state police because our democracy is not ripe for it. If the state governors are in charge of the police, there will be disunity in Nigeria.

“Let’s continue to have federal police.

The misuse by the Federal Government will be minimal; the governors will completely

Demolition of buildings at Maza-Maza to pave way for road expansion, in Lagos, yesterday.

misuse the state police.

For example, where are state electoral commissions across the nation? They convert state electoral empires for their personal interest and their respective political parties.

Have you ever seen an opposition party win any local govern-

Current cold weather may aggravate asthma, others - NMA TOBORE OVUORIE

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igerians, particularly those living in Lagos and other southern states must arm themselves against illnesses caused or aggravated by the intense cold weather in parts of the country.

The President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, gave the warning in an interview with our correspondent yesterday.

He said that except deliberate actions were taken by individuals to safeguard their health, many Nigerians would come down with respiratory and other related diseases accompanying the prevailing weather condition.

Enabulele said special care should be taken in the case of people living with asthma and sickle cell disorder.

He said: “Asthmatic and sickle cell patients should

be careful of what they wear and to prevent ailments such as malaria, cough, catarrh and cold, parents should wear warm clothes for their children.

“The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme and unusual weather events, with attendant destruction of lives and property, are global events. However, people who have asthma are likely to get more attacks due

to the windy nature which carries with it dust particles. Those with certain forms of allergy are also likely to be affected. This weather pattern could also make malaria parasites more active. However, health services providers should take advantage of the advisory role by medical experts concerning the weather patterns, to strengthen their contingency plans.”

ment council election conducted by the state electoral commissions?

No. This will exactly happen to state police too; governors will use state police to cause more harm in this nation. ACF will never accept such agitations because we want this country to be one.”

Speaking in the same

vein, Musa, former governor of the defunct Kaduna State, said the governors would use state police against non-indigenes as well as hunt opposition political parties.

He said: “We are completely opposed to state police because they will be misused like native police during colonial

Impeachment threat: Jonathan must sit up – Oyegun SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

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ore eminent Nigerians have continued to react to the threat by the House of Representatives to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan over poor implementation of the 2012 budget.

Former Edo State governor and National Chairman, South/South Peoples Assembly, Chief John OdigieOyegun, asked Jonathan to respond urgently and ap-

propriately to the general feeling of dissatisfaction and disaffection in the country.

Oyegun said in an interview with our correspondent yesterday that the impeachment threat by the House of Representatives over the poor implementation of the 2012 budget by the executive arm of government was a “symptom of a very serious condition, unhappiness and dissatisfaction all over in the country.

“It is lack of direction and sense of purpose. The mem-

Peter Rufai hale, hearty – Aide AFOLABI GAMBARI

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ormer Nigeria’s international, Peter Rufai, who was recently attacked by armed robbers in Lagos, is in good health.

An aide to the former goalkeeper, who identified himself as Kingsley, told our correspondent in a telephone interview yesterday that though Rufai was ruf-

fled psychologically by the incident, he had since recovered from the shock.

He said: “The robbery actually occurred on the weekend of July 28 and it was promptly reported to the police who swung into action by recovering the Infinity FX45 car.

“Safe for the fact that Peter lost his personal belongings, he is well and has resumed his normal activities.”

and First Republic.

“Secondly, the governors will use it against the so-called non-indigenes of a state and to fight opposition. Governors who are supporting state police want to use it for 2015 elections.

Even President Goodluck Jonathan too may be behind the calls for state police.”

Kingsley, however, said the former footballer was worried over how some sections of the media exaggerated the incident.

“Some papers said the car is a Murano jeep but that is far from the truth,” he added.

Rufai, nicknamed “Dodo Mayana” during his playing days which spanned more than three decades, captained Nigeria’s senior national team to the country’s

Rufai

first outing at the World Cup in the United States in 1994.

He was also a member of the Eagles’ team which won the 1994 edition of the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

bers of the National Assembly are merely lashing out and venting their dissatisfaction and disillusionment at the poor performance of government.

“They have reasons to be angry because nobody is getting what he wants in this country in term of delivery and good governance. It has always been one bad news after the other. The call on Mr. President to resign is a lesson for him to sit up because Nigerians in all facets of life are very unhappy.

“The issue is much more beyond budget implementation and threat impeachment, the President should find a way to respond to the genuine feelings of the people. Release of money is not an issue because the question is: has the budgetary allocation ever gone into service delivery? What has the government done about abysmal level of corruption?

“But it has not reached the stage of impeachment, Mr. President should listen, all is not well with this country.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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South West

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Truth Commission: Ogun may prosecute Daniel’s wife, ex-aides, monarch FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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gun State Government may prosecute Mrs. Olufunke Daniel, wife of the immediate past governor, Gbenga Daniel, and six others for engaging in acts ranging from political violence, abuse of office to hooliganism during her husband’s tenure.

This was part of the recommendations of the Ogun Truth Commission set up

by Governor Ibikunle Amosun at the inception of his administration in May 2011.

Others to face prosecution are the former Commissioner for Youths and Sports in the Daniel’s administration, Bukola Olopade (a.k.a. Ozogula), former Chairman of Abeo-

kuta South Local Government, Akeem Odejimi (a.k.a. Ologbowon), a traditional ruler, the Olofin of Ado-Odo in AdoOdo – Ota Local Government, Oba Lateef Akanni Adeniran, Others, according to the report are; Jamiu Olododo, Moruf Odejinmi Ologbonwo and the Baale of Oke Egan, Mr. Saburi Kehinde Ayoade.

The commission, which submitted its report to the governor yesterday, specifically recommended that Odejimi should be prosecuted for the murder of one Gbenga Apolola, whose corpse could not be found as it was allegedly removed by his assailants.

Mrs. Daniel is to be prosecuted for an assault on the former Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government,

Ambassador Tunde Oladunjoye and his Personal Assistant, Odunayo Rasheed.

The commission said Oladunjoye was able to establish “a prima facie case of criminal offence against Mrs. Daniel, adding that she ordered armed police escorts to beat the former chairman in his house.

“The proven excesses of Mrs. Olufunke Daniel arose from the widespread abuse of spouses of governors and presidents when there is no legal basis for the office of First Lady in Nigeria”.

Recommending that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wemimo Ogunde, should prosecute the people, the commission’s Chairman, Justice Pius Aderemi, said: “It is the

view of the commission that the victim established a prima facie case of criminal offence against Mrs. Olufunke Daniel. Mrs. Olufunke Daniel undoubtedly held herself out as a public officer by moving to the petitioner’s house with armed police escorts and ordering the policemen to beat Mr. Odunaya.”

Olopade is to be prosecuted for attack on one Ajasa Olayiwola at Carwash area of Abeokuta.

However, reacting to the recommendations, Daniel’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Sina Kawonise, said it was sad that the commission established guilt against people who were not given any fair hearing since they did not appear before the commission.

L-R: Corps Mashall,Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Osita Chidoka; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun; Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Suraju Adekunbi and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Shoyinka, at the launch of the State Ambulances and Global Action on Decade Roads Safety in Abeokuta, yesterday.

Anarchy looms, Afenifere Renewal Group warns SINA FADARE

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he Yoruba sociocultural organisation, the Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG, has told the Federal Government to urgently check the spate of bombing in the North to avoid the looming danger ahead.

The group said this in a statement issued yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo.

ARG said those in government must rise to the daunting challenges so that “the situation should not be allowed to consume the entire geographical expression called Nigeria”.

It said that at this point, the country must convoke a “sovereign national conference where all ethnic

nationalities in Nigeria will bare their minds to arrive at amicable and acceptable solution to all the challenges. We cannot afford to continue going through the stubborn path of ruination, as represented by the 1999 military constitution.

“As we speak, our economy is dwindling, majority of our youths are jobless and what used to be our pride in the areas of education and industries have almost completely fizzled out.

“The Nigerian nation, as it is presently constituted, is not sustainable and cannot promote the interest of all the nationalities therein, as they may deem fit, due to cultural differences and idiosyncrasies.

“Nigeria, as it is presently structured, can only promote mediocrity and

unabated corrupt practices as genuine development will continue to elude the populace”.

ARG said there was no way that the country could

run away from a roundtable conference which could provide the lasting solution to the insecurity threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Corruption will jeopardise traffic law, Edu tells LASTMA officials MURITALA AYINLA

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raffic officials must shun corruption to enable the new Lagos State road traffic law to achieve its objectives.

The General Manager, GM, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Babatunde Edu, said this yesterday at an interactive session with the traffic officials at the headquarters of the authority at Ilupeju in Lagos.

He said indiscipline in the course of enforcing the law could defeat its purpose, which was to ensure safety of lives of pedestrians and motorists.

The GM warned that the government would not hesitate to bring to book, any of LASTMA’s officials found to have engaged in act which could tarnish its image.

Edu, who disclosed that the agency was poised to improve its services and curb excesses of the traffic management officials, said only competent and disciplined traffic officials would be saddled with the responsibility of enforcing the new road traffic law.

He said: “Officers found wanting would be shown the way out and face possible prosecution for such

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mittee, Prof. Mojeeb Alabi, at a three-day workshop at the Royal Park Hotel, Iloko, that over 67 requests had been received for consideration.

Owolabi said: “I want to commend the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Abdurauf Adesoji Aregbesola for this bold step. He has through his inspired leadership demonstrated that Osun can be great again.

I want to urge all sons and daughters of the State of the Living Spring to support this noble venture for even development.”

Fashola

Five teachers face trial for exam malpractice WALE IGBINTADE

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ive teachers were yesterday arraigned before an EbuteMeta Magistrates’ Court for allegedly smuggling answers to students dur-

Council creation: Ex-LG chair praises Aregbesola overnor Rauf Aregbesola’s decision to create more local governments in Osun State will bring the government nearer to the people and engender good governance at the grassroots.

Former Chairman of Ife East Local Government Area of Osun State and a governorship aspirant in the state, Chief Gbenga Owolabi, said this in Lagos on Tuesday.

He was reacting to the news by the Chairman of the Osun Local Government Areas Creation Com-

unlawful act. So, the personnel are urged to be alive to their responsibilities and ensure they contribute their quota towards free flow of traffic at all times in order to complement the state government’s efforts in resolving traffic congestion in the state.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has vowed to prosecute individuals or group of people who obstructed the operations of rescue workers during emergency intervention in the state.

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said this during an on-the-spot assessment of a fire disaster scene in Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Badagry.

He disclosed that the inferno was caused by the activities of some unscrupulous oil thieves around the area.

The former governorship aspirant added that creation of more local governments would also help the people to participate actively in government activities.

He said that local government because of its closeness to the grassroots would give the indigenes of Osun easy access to the government.

Owolabi, however, urged the Local Government Creation Committee to carry out the exercise in conformity with the constitution, to make it a worthwhile venture.

ing the examinations conducted by the West African Examination Council, WAEC. The defendants are Ikechukwu Martin, 27, Olaoye Sunday, 31, Innocent Abbey, 24, Egbogoh Obehi, 29 and Olalere Olalekan.

They are standing trial for aiding examination malpractice; an offence punishable under Section 322 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

When the charge was read to them, all the defendants pleaded not guilty and urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.

Ruling on their bail application, Magistrate M. O. Olajuwon granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 with a surety each in like sum.

The magistrate also adjourned the case till October 10 for hearing.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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FAAC set to harmonise FG, states, LGs’ budgets by 2013 KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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he Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) sub-committee on the roadmap for the adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in Nigeria, has concluded plans to harmonise the budgetary system of the three tiers of government before the end of next year.

Secretary to FAAC subcommittee on IPSAS, Mr. James Nongo, made the disclosure yesterday in

Ibadan while speaking at a two-day sensitisation workshop for stakeholders in the South-West zone.

He said the harmonisation process will be achieved through a uniform chart of accounts system for the three tiers.

He said it will be followed after due approval by relevant stakeholders involved in budgetary and financial management in the three tiers of government.

The stakeholders’ workshop for the South-West is the fourth in the series of programmes organised by the FAAC sub-committee

for the six geo-political zones as part of strategies to get the buy-in of key players for smooth the adoption of the new accounting standards.

The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Jonah Otunla while declaring the workshop open, said the Federal Government was presently taking concrete steps to ensure that all general purpose financial statements of the three tiers of government become compliant to the provision of IPSAS before the end of 2012.

Otunla, who was represented by the Accountant-

General of Ogun State, Mr. Adeseye Senfuye, said the theme of the event, which is “The adoption of IPSAS in Nigeria - The role of stakeholders” was carefully selected to get the buy-in of political office holders and professionals needed to achieved the process.

He said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved at its meeting of July 28, 2010 that Nigeria adopt the provisions of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and IPSAS for private and public sectors respectively.

“Consequently, the Fed-

eration Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) at its meeting held on June 13, 2011 set up a sub-committee to provide a roadmap for the adoption of IPSAS in the three tiers of government in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that: “This interactive workshop in Ibadan which is for the South-West zone has already been held in Kaduna for the North-West; Enugu for South-East and Port Harcourt for the SouthSouth.

Otunla said others will be held in Bauchi for the North-East and Abuja for the North-Central before

the end of September this year.

Stakeholders, who spoke at the event, said the decision by the Federal Government to adopt the new accounting standard was a milestone that should be encouraged by political players in the three tiers in terms of providing the will power for its success.

National Mirror gathered that the intension of government is that the new IPSAS procedure would assist in promoting accountability, openness in governance and better credibility rating for the country.

ACN commends Aregbesola on new security outfit WALE FOLARIN OSOGBO

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hairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun State, Mr. Adelowo Adebiyi, has commended the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, for his foresight in establishing a joint security outfit to combat crime in the state.

Adebiyi, who gave the commendation yesterday in a statement in Osogbo, described the establishment of the security outfit, Swift Action Squad (SAS), as a timely action that will checkmate troublemakers who have been threatening to make the state ungovernable.

Adebiyi said the government has not only restored peace and security to the state, but is also doing everything it can to restore confidence in the people

that they have a government that cares about the citizens’ security.

His words: “By establishing the SAS, which the ACN government will actively fund in collaboration with the security forces, Governor Aregbesola is demonstrating that he not only cares about the wellbeing of citizens of the state, he is equally concerned about their security.”

Adebiyi urged citizens, no matter their political inclination, to rally round the governor and help the security forces to make the project a success.

According to him, the people’s cooperation becomes imperative, especially at this point in time when Nigeria faces enormous security challenges that is threatening the peace, unity and progress of the country.

Ekiti promotes youth enterprise with N20m loan ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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s part of efforts to make the 200 graduates of Ekiti /Odu’a Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurial Centre selfsufficient, the Ekiti State government has set aside a N20 million interest-free loan for the smooth take off of their businesses.

Governor Kayode Fayemi said the programme was packaged to reduce the level of unemployment among youths in the state and was also part of efforts targeted at checking poverty among the citizens.

Fayemi, who spoke in Ado Ekiti yesterday while presenting Certificate of Proficiency to the graduates, said with the programme, his administra-

tion is rewriting the future of the state.

“I want to assure you that the interest-free loan promised by the state government for you to take off will be released in due course.”

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi, urged the graduates to spread the tentacles of their businesses across the 16 local government areas of the state, rather than concentrating their efforts in the state capital.

The centre, certified by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), is being driven by Ekiti State Job Creation and Employment Agency in collaboration with Ekiti State Enterprise and Economic Development Agency.

L-R: President, African Sustainable Development Network, Prof. Ndowa Lale; Coordinator, Education for Sustainable Development in Africa, United Nation University, Prof. Masafumi Nagao; representative of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Abel Olorunnisola and Director, Centre for Conflict Management, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, U.S.A., Prof. Akanmu Adebayo, at the African Sustainable Development Network Summit in Ibadan, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Ajimobi urged to recall sacked workers

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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he controversy over the 3,000 workers recently sacked by the Oyo State government has refused to abate as the state chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), yesterday asked Governor Abiola Ajimobi to, without wasting time, re-absorbed the workers.

The party, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital and signed by the state Coordinator, Comrade Bamigboye Abiodun, said the governor should stop ‘chasing shadows on issues bothering on the sacked workers but should listen to

voices of reason.’

His words: “We call on Governor Abiola Ajimobi to stop chasing shadows as the best way to substantially curb the act of age and certificate falsification is by creating gainful employment opportunities that will be decent and different from the slave-labour scheme of YES- O in which promising young people in the state are engaged on casual basis and denied the right to national minimum wage and trade union.”

Abiodun said it was unfortunate that Ajimobi has allegedly continued to refuse the call on him by various bodies including the state House of Assembly on the need for him to recall

the sacked workers even when the Assembly has since July 10, 2012 passed the resolution asking the government to suspend the implementation of the state staff audit report by one Captain Consulting Firm.

He emphasised that as at present, the review panel constituted by the governor himself after the mass sack has discovered some error in the audit report; adding, yet the governor has continued to refuse to effect necessary correction by recalling the workers.”

“This is more so given the fact that the report of Captain Consulting Firm in the issue was inherited from the government of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, which also

approved full implementation of national minimum wage to the workers.

But, while the Governor Ajimobi government enthusiastically implemented the staff audit report, it has bare-facedly dumped the approval of minimum wage into waste basket. This underlines the insincerity of Ajimobi government,” he said.

While emphasising that in as much as the affected workers have been ostensibly sacked for using fake credentials to secure appointment with the state, he said going by the revelation of the government review panel, ‘the veracity of the staff audit report has been called to question.’

for Youths and Sports under the administration of Chief Olusegun Osoba and current Chairman of Action Congress Nigeria (ACN), Ogun Central senatorial district.

In a press release signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mrs. Funmi Wakama,

Governor Amosun described the demise of the Oluwo of Ake as ‘regrettable, especially coming at a time when his wealth of experience in politics would have further strengthened our great party in its rebuilding mission in the state.”

“The Oluwo of Ake was a foremost tradition-

al chief in Egbaland, a committed politician and trustworthy party man, who made his mark in governance both as the Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government and Commissioner for Youths and Sports. The entire people of Ogun State will truly miss him,” the governor said.

Amosun commiserates with Alake of Egbaland

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gun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday commiserated with the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, over the death of Chief Segun Taiwo, the Oluwo of Ake. Amosun also condoled with the people of Ogun State on the demise of the former Commissioner

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South East

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Abduction: Anambra traditional ruler regains freedom CHARLES OKEKE AND NWABUEZE OKONKWO

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he traditional ruler of Ukpo town in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Robert Eze, who was abducted on July 29 has been released.

The Igwe has returned to his Ukpo palace, where he is receiving sympathisers and friends.

It was gathered that security agents found the traditional ruler somewhere in Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area.

It was not clear whether

•Police rescue man from kidnappers, as gunmen kill fuel attendant any ransom was paid to secure his release, as none of the family members agreed to speak on the issue when journalists visited Ukpo yesterday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ralph Uzoigwe, also said the police were not aware if money was paid to free the traditional ruler. The kinappers initially demanded a ransom of $10m to free the Igwe.

He said: “We are aware that he has been released.

The police were closing-in on them (the abductors) at Ozubulu where he was res-

cued. He came back before 11 pm yesterday. We did all the tracking methods; they abandoned the man and left.

The Igwe came out on his own and the police came and picked him up.”

Meanwhile, the police in Anambra State yesterday rescued a man from gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

According to a witness, the gunmen had abducted the man and were taking him away when a police team from Ogidi Police Station, led

by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, CSP Kanayo Uzuegbu, went after them.

The witness said the kidnappers had blocked the victim’s car and ordered him into their vehicle.

They also took the victim’s car.

It was gathered that before the arrival of the police team, the kidnappers shot and killed a female petrol station attendant.

The witness said the kidnappers saw the police team on their trail and changed to another route. But on getting to Ugwunwasike Junction,

L-R: Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi; Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Mr. Mansur Ahmed; Special Adviser to the President on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati and Chairman, Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at a meeting of the Economic Management Team with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

APGA: Court grants Umeh’s prayers, restrains Massalla, Okwenna EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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ustice Hussein Baba Yusuf of a Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday restrained Sadiq Massalla and Ifenna Okwenna from parading themselves as Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. The order was sequel to a motion ex-parte moved

by Chief Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, counsel to the National Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh.

Yusuf also restrained Massalla and Okwenna from “convening, calling, organising or holding any meeting of any organ of APGA and or otherwise interfering in any manner whatsoever in the affairs of APGA at any level, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”, fixed for August 16.

Umeh and the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi had, in a 37-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the latter, averred that the defendants/ applicants had since June 19 been suspended from

the party, where they were members of the National Working Committee, NWC. They, therefore, urged the court to stop them forthwith from interring in the affairs of the party.

It was further averred that: “As required by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act (as amended) the 1st plaintiff APGA held a National Convention on February 10, 2010. Prior to the February 10, 2010 convention we held a National Convention on December 2, 2006.

“The national conventions of our party, APGA

held on December 2, 2006 and February 10, 2010 were duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who thereafter published reports of the convention.

“As the National Secretary of APGA, I am aware that the party has 29 National Working Committee, NWC, members, I am also aware that under the constitution of the party, only the National Chairman (or I on the directive of the National Chairman) can validly convene or summon the meeting of the NWC of APGA.”

South-East high unemployment rate worries MAN NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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isturbed by the high unemployment rate in the South-East region, the Manufactures Association of Nigeria, MAN, Anambra/Enugu/Ebonyi states branch, yesterday

called for effective collaboration between the government and the Organised Private Sector, OPS, to tackle the scourge.

The branch President of the association, Chief Chike Obidigbo, made this known in his welcome address in Onitsha, Anambnra State during

a one-day interactive forum with the officials of the Bank of Industry, BOI, and the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. He said that the high level of unemployment in the zone had hampered development.

Obidigbo also decried what he described as the

inability of the manufacturers in the country to access the various intervention funds made available by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to the industrialists, saying that financial constraints bordering on collateral and interest rate were responsible.

their victim suddenly opened the car door and jumped out.

This infuriated the gunmen, who alighted from the vehicles and started shooting at him but they missed their target. But in the process, their bullets hit the fuel attendant, who died on the spot.

The kidnappers immedi-

ately abandoned the man’s car, jumped into their vehicle and fled.

However, seconds later, the police team arrived the filling station and saw the lady in a pool of blood. The police took her corpse and deposited it at a morgue.

Sources said the lady was the bread winner of her family.

Court stops Okorocha from dissolving councils CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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n Owerri High Court presided over by Justice Ngozi Opara has restrained Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State from removing the elected chairmen and councillors from office beginning from August 8.

The court also ordered the governor not to interfere with the discharge of the duties of the chairmen of the 27 local governments until the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

In suit No HOW/499/2012 filed by Mr. Enyinnya Onuegbu, the chairman of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area and Secretary of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, on behalf of the 26 others as claimants/applicants and the governor of Imo State and four oth-

ers as defendants/respondents, the judge ruled that “upon going through the Motion Ex-parte together with the affidavits in support of the applicants and another affidavits of urgency sworn to by Chief Enyinna Onuegbu praying for an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant/respondent by himself, his servants, agents, privies or whosoever from interfering with the rights and privileges of the claimants as democratically elected chairmen of the 27 local government councils of Imo State and or purporting to dissolve or declare their offices vacant on the 8th of August, 2012 or on any date thereafter or appointing persons by whosoever name to take over the offices of the claimants in view of the judgement of the Court of Appeal in CA/OW/215?2011 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

Abia partners SMEDAN on poverty alleviation GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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bia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, ASOPADEC, has entered into an agreement with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Association, SMEDAN, to “harness and train Abia youths and indigent persons” as part of the government’s poverty alleviation programme.

Signing the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, in Umuahia yesterday, the ASOPADEC Chairman, Chief Sam Nwogu, expressed the hope that the programme would ensure that “hunger and all other criminal tendencies and crimes

found in and around Abia State would be a thing of the past”.

Nwogu, who said the programme was part of Governor Theodore Orji’s alleviation programme, noted that “youths and indigent persons of the state, more importantly, the people from oil producing communities” would benefit immensely from the programme.”

Orji

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Wednesday, August 8 , 2012

Gunmen abduct high court judge, PDP vice-chairman SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

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unmen yesterday abducted two high profile personalities in Delta State.

Justice Marcel Okoh was abducted in Abraka, Ethiope Local Government Area of the state, while the Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr. Ekenwa Akwagbe,

was also kidnapped in the early hours of yesterday.

Okoh, until his abduction, was serving at High Court 4, Warri, the commercial nerve-centre of the state.

The circumstances of Okoh’s fate were sketchy as at the time of filing this report yesterday; but police sources told National Mirror that Okoh was ambushed at Abraka, on his way to Asaba, the state

capital.

It was gathered that the gunmen, who operated in commando style, disarmed and dislodged Okoh’s orderly before they departed the scene to an unknown destination in the judge’s official car.

The whereabouts of the judge was still shrouded in secrecy yesterday evening.

However, Police Public Relation Officer, Delta State Command, Mr.

L-R: A farmer, Mrs. Helen Obrogo; Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Misan Kubeyinje and Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, during the roll out of the Growth Enhancement Support Programme for PHOTO: NAN Cassava at Oleh, yesterday.

Charles Muka, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview yesterday.

Muka said the official vehicle of the judge had been recovered by the police, adding that the police had launched manhunt for the hoodlums with a view to apprehending them and rescuing the judge unhurt from captivity.

Meanwhile, Akwagbe was on his way to Abuja in a vehicle operated by a popular transport company in Warri, before the encounter with the gunmen along Benin/Warri By-Pass.

Findings by National Mirror showed that the hoodlums flagged down the vehicle at gunpoint and thereafter singled out Akwagbe in the bus.

The bus was allowed to proceed on the journey to Abuja while Akwagbe was whisked away to unknown destination. His whereabouts was yet to be ascertained as at yesterday.

It was not clear if the incident had been reported at the Edo State Police Command, but reliable sources in the PDP state secretariat in Asaba, confirmed the fate of the politician.

JTF, CLO disagree over piracy, other crimes EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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he Joint Military Taskforce (JTF) and the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) yesterday disagreed over the attacks by sea pirates and other violent crimes in the waterways and creeks of the Niger Delta.

State Secretary of the CLO, Alagoa Morris, had expressed fears over the increasing rate of piracy and other violent crimes in the region and called on the states and Federal Govern-

ment to step up security in the area.

But, JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, faulted the position of the CLO, saying the recent incidence of kidnap and attacks on vessels in the Niger Delta was as an isolated case and not an indication of insecurity in the region.

Morris, in a statement issued yesterday in Yenagoa, argued that despite the presidential amnesty granted ex-militants and the high military presence in the region, it was puzzling that sea piracy and

kidnappings are still raging in the waterways and creeks.

His words: “The recent cases of piracy and kidnappings in the waterways of the Niger Delta, especially in Rivers and Bayelsa States, have further heightened the concerns of those using the creeks and provoked fear in all.

“The federal and state governments should join hands to create special security units that will patrol the waterways to ensure safety of travellers and sailors. The government

should redouble its efforts at not only effectively combating these violent crimes, but, fight corruption head-on and provide jobs for the teeming unemployed masses and create an enabling environment for business to thrive in the country.”

But, the JTF spokesman said few incidents of violent crimes and piracy were recorded in the last few weeks, stressing that it cannot be rated to have provoked high rate of insecurity along the waterways and creeks in the region.

of beefing-up the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile of the state.

Governor Dickson disclosed this in Yenagoa, shortly after inaugurating the committee headed by a former gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chief Francis Doukpola.

The governor, who said the committee was expected to conclude its assignment within a month, also directed it to ascertain the IGR collected and the pay-

ment made by the revenue board to the government from its inception to date.

Investigations by National Mirror revealed that the state government generates N300 million monthly as IGR, which the governor was not comfortable with at present.

While describing the state’s IGR profile as the lowest in the country, Governor Dickson tasked the committee to conduct a general review of the state internal revenue board from its inception to date.

His words: “Unless a state can meet its recurrent obligations from internally generated revenue, such a state cannot be said to be financially free. The state should be managed in such a way that our independence and ability to sustain our operations should not be dependent on variables that are beyond our control.

Our aspiration, particularly with our robust programme, is to see that we generate enough income to be able to meet our recur-

Bayelsa to revive poor revenue profile EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, yesterday reiterated the determination of his administration to take pragmatic steps aimed at reviving the unacceptable low revenue profile of the state.

To achieve this, the governor has inaugurated a nine-man Revenue Committee with a mandate to explore legitimate means

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NDLEA solicits monarch’s assistance in drug war TONY ANICHEBE UYO

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he Akwa Ibom State chapter of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has solicited the support of traditional institutions in the state in its fight against illegal peddling and abuse of hard drugs across the state.

This appeal was made by the state NDLEA Commander, Mrs. Ruth Obi, during a courtesy visit on Obong Essien Ekidem, the Ntisong Ibibio III at Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo. According to the NDLEA boss, the increasing sales and abuse of narcotic drugs in the state informed her decision to partner with everybody; especially traditional institutions in the drug war.

Obi therefore appealed to Obong Essien Ekidem to use his position to con-

demn the use of these dangerous drugs at every public forum, stressing that, such drugs have been discovered and declared not only as harmful and destructive for the human body but poses very serious setback on the the economy.

She further appealed to the monarch and his other colleagues to use their position to condemn the business of drug barons in the state by advising them to desist from the heinous crime and engage in other lawful, genuine and accepted businesses.

The NDLEA boss, who expressed gratitude to the traditional ruler for his concern and cooperation with the agency since her assumption of duty in the state, said disallowing the illegal drug dealers from using their money in polluting the society would help to discourage them and stop those that might be ignorantly lured into the illegal trade.

Uduaghan seeks FG’s support on food security

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elta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has urged the Federal Government to pay special attention to the state in its efforts at ensuring food security in the country.

Uduaghan, at the roll out of the Growth Enhancement Support Programme for Cassava at Oleh, yesterday, said that Delta State is an agricultural belt with very clement weather for practically every agricultural produce and as such, ‘it is important that the nation’s quest for agricultural renaissance should focus more on the state.”

The governor, who was

rent expenditure.”

Earlier, Chairman of the Revenue Committee, Chief Francis Doukpola, described revenue as the engine that drives any system and stressed the need to boost the IGR of the state to augment what accrues to it from the federation account.

Governor Seriake Dickson

represented by his Deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN, observed that; “Any additional impetus to the cultivation of cassava in Delta State will yield tremendous result, because the state is already well known for its massive production of this vital agricultural item.”

While commending the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for presenting 15 bundles of high-yielding cassava varieties, fertilizer and agrolyzer to cassava farmers in the state, the governor called for increase in inputs not only to cassava farmers but farmers generally in the state.

Uduaghan said his administration’s programmes in agriculture such as the Youth Empowerment Through Agriculture (YETA), Farmers Support Programme (FSP), Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS) including the Private Public Partnership arrangement like the Obasanjo Farms Nigeria-Delta Farms Limited, were yielding results.

“No doubt, any additional incentive from the Federal Government will boost our efforts, increase food and agricultural production generally,” the governor said.

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North

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Berom elders meet Jonathan over Jos crisis ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

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lders of Berom ethnic group in Plateau State have asked the Federal Government to take action on the various reports of the judicial commission of inquiry into the frequent ethnic clashes in the state between the Hausa/Fulani ethic group and the indigenes of the state.

At an all night meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, the elders said it was time to find a lasting solution to the crisis in order to stop

• Want reports on crisis implemented the killings and destruction of property in the state.

The elders led by former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs and the Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba Gyang, urged the Federal Government to act on all the reports that have been submitted on the resolution of the crisis.

Though the meeting was held behind closed door, it was gathered that their discussion centred on territorial control by the indigenes and settlers, the Hausa/Fulani ethnic group and other con-

tentious issues, including the demand by the Hausa/ Fulani for their own traditional ruler. Berom is one of the many ethnic groups in the state that has suffered major attacks, killings and the destruction of property in the violence that has ravaged the Plateau in the last four years.

The crisis in the state has claimed many lives, including the death of two lawmakers last month when there was total breakdown of law and order which led

to the massacre of more than 140 other persons by suspected herdsmen on July 8, where the Berom people had gathered for the mass burial of 64 persons allegedly killed by the Fulani ethnic militia.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting which started at 9.30 pm till the early hours of yesterday, Gyang said the crisis cannot continue indefinitely without any solution in sight, insisting that both ethnic groups must find am-

icable solution that would end the wanton killings and destruction of properties.

His words: “You are aware of the fact that there have been lots of security challenges on the Plateau just like so many other states. But that of Plateau has been on for quite a while and so the National Security Adviser did invite us to meet with Mr. President so they can hear from us what really are the issues and what are the suggestions for the way forward because we cannot allow such things to con-

tinue indefinitely, we must be able to talk and come out with what the real issues and then resolve them appropriately.”

Gyang noted that, “The issues are so many and we have recounted them to the press so many times. Let me advise that the media should take interest in the judicial commission’s report and the various reports, you will be able to see what the issues are and maybe the media will be able to advise us on the way forward.”

Gunmen kill evangelist in Maiduguri INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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orty-eight hours after assassinating ex-Borno State commissioner of environment and an immigration officer in Maiduguri, gunmen on Monday shot and killed Evangelists Ali Samari, 57, of Good News Church (GNC) at his Mafoni residence by 6.30 pm.

An eyewitness said the evangelists, who doubles as a wrists watch repairer at the post office area of the metropolis, was trailed to his house by two gunmen, after closing from work.

He added that before Samari was assassinated, the Boko Haram sect, had early this year issued a warning letter to the evangelist to vacate his residence, but the warnings was however dismissed, stating that:“It is the Almighty God that pro-

tects. I leave everything in the hands of God.” Confirming the incident yesterday, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gideon Jibrin, in a telephone conversation said the report of the attack and killing in Mafoni ward was received yesterday, after gunmen attacked the residence of an evangelist, Baba Ali, in the evening.

The area, he added, has been condoned off by JTF while a “stop and search” exercise was going on at the military posts of Lamisula and Dandal Divisional Police Stations.

On whether arrests were made, Jibrin said no arrest has been made yet, but investigations have commenced with the information provided by some residents and eyewitnesses at Ali’s Green House residence.

Five teenagers killed in auto crash AUGUSTINE MADU WEST KANO

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ears flowed freely yesterday as the bodies of five teenagers who died in a car crash in Kano last Friday were buried at the Dakata cemetery in Kano.

The victims, all secondary school students, died instantly when their vehicle, a Peugeot 406 crashed along the Eastern Bye-Pass by Dan Hassan junction, according to information released to National Mirror by the Kano State Police Command’s Public Relations Offi-

cer, Mohammed Dutse, a deputy superintendent of police.

The deceased persons were identified as Ibrahim Mohammed, 18; Musa Sule, 17; Musa Mohammed, 16; Zakari Adamu, 15 and Ismail Mohammed, 12 years old.

Eighteen-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed was identified as the driver of the ill-fated vehicle and was said to have lost control somewhere along the Eastern Bye-Pass while heading towards Hotoro Quarters, resulting in the car somersaulting severally and veering off the road into the bridge.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and Col. John Dungs (rtd), at a meeting between the Federal Government and Berom delegation on the crisis in Plateau State at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Security: Army deploys more soldiers in Kano AUGUSTINE MADUWEST KANO

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ndication emerged yesterday in Kano that military authorities have deployed more men into Kano metropolis to strengthen security in the city.

National Mirror learnt from a military source that combatants from other army formations have been reporting in batches at Bukavu Bar-

racks, Headquarters of 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Kano as part of renewed efforts at dealing with the insurgency in the state.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika, had during his recent visit to Kano promised to deploy more officers to the troubled state to strengthen the campaign against terrorist activities in North’s economic nerve centre.

He made the promise

when he paid a visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, saying all efforts would be geared towards adequate protection of the commercial city against attacks by terrorists.

The huge presence of soldiers has been witnessed in and around the city, some on vehicular patrol while others on foot-patrol and in areas suspected to be hideouts of terrorists in the city.

Spokesman for the Brigade, Lt Chukwudike

Iweha, when contacted over the development said; ‘we have been receiving soldiers in batches from other formations to assist in beefing up security in Kano.”

Kwakwanso

Niger records 35% budget implementation PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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our months after the passage of the 2012 budget by the Niger State House of Assembly, the state budget implementation has attained 35 percent on capital projects for the first half of the year.

The Permanent Secre-

tary of the state Budget Planning Commission, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this yesterday.

He also said that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) projected for the year was less than 35 percent as at June this year while revenue accruing from the federation account stood at 95 percent funding.

Speaking at a sensitisation workshop on: ‘State Partnership on Accountability’ for commissioners and permanent secretaries in the state to make a change for planning and budgeting processes in Minna, Aliyu said for the period under review, the Value Added Tax (VAT) projected has attained 100 percent.

His words: “The budget was passed in April.

Going by this, we have passed the Planning Commission Law, Statistic Bureau Law, Fiscal Responsibility Law and Public Procurement Law, we are now positioned to take part in reforms that will ensure accountability and transparency in the performance of government.”

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

State police: Govs singing different tunes

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13

Politics

Anambra commissioners will be assessed periodically – Uzodike

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Tinubu, Fayemi express worry over insecurity SINA FADARE

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ormer governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi yesterday expressed worries over security challenges confronting the country, especially the spate of bombings in the North.

While calling on the Federal Government to urgently address the situation, the duo noted that if the ongoing threat to the nation’s security is not addressed, Nigeria is moving towards pitfall.

Tinubu and Fayemi said this yesterday in Lagos during the launching of a book written by the Group Political Editor of The Nation, Mr. Mobolade Omonijo, titled “The Nigerian Political Turf; Polity, Politics and Politicians.”

Tinubu said: “The present state of insecurity and bombing is symptomatic of a nation in free fall. The government must act quickly and intelligently to curtail the situation before Nigeri-

ans resort to self help.”

The former governor, represented by former Lagos Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan, noted that the situation in the country has degenerated to this level because those at the helms of affair are timid to take frontal step in tackling the security challenges bedevilling the country.

“Under the current government, Nigerians are confronted with a reluctant leader, a choirmaster with singers churning out discordant tunes and singing from different pages. Nigeria is right now at a sorry pass and no one needs a soothsayer to reveal that Nigeria is almost at the tipping point.”

According to him, it is expedient for all to rise up and condemn what is going on in the country for the sake of posterity. “When we slumber and sleep rather than line the streets to make our case and demand that those that misrule us be punished out, when we behave like we are sadists who enjoys pains being

2015: Our doors open for Buhari, says ANPP OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

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head of the 2015 presidential election, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has thrown its doors open to former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, if he decides to run for the presidency under its platform.

Buhari had contested for the presidency on the platforms of the ANPP and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

In an interview with National Mirror yesterday, the National Secretary of the ANPP, Alhaji Tijjani Musa Tumsah said: “What we know for sure is that we will not allow incompetence to fly the flag of ANPP, but the ANPP is a good platform for people of substance includ-

ing Buhari to run under just like he has done before to achieve what Nigerians require to push out the rudderless government of the PDP.” Tumsah said that ANPP is championing the legitimate merger of the parties because it believes that all the opposition parties will have to come together in order to unseat the PDP as it is right now.

“The ANPP is definitely in talks with CPC, ACN, APGA and all other forward looking parties with a view of having this alliance consummated, because it is for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians to actually unseat the PDP from the leadership of Nigeria. It is obvious that they are incapable of running the affairs of Nigeria.”

inflicted on us by those elected to protect us, we open ourselves up to abuse, exploitation and pauperisation.”

Fayemi, who was the guest speaker, said Boko Haram is a debate about the status, quality of democracy and the future of Nigeria

as a united, federal entity.

His words: “With bombs going off incessantly in the Northern parts of the country in particular and an increasing level of panic in other parts of the country, thinking of innovative ways of accommodating social diversity in a demo-

cratic frame is a challenge that is at once intellectual and political and it is perhaps the greatest challenge to democratic transition and security in our country today.

“We must at least see what is happening in Nigeria today as an outcome of

the nature of the country’s democratic transition. It is an argument for treating Nigeria’s democratisation project as a work in progress, not as a condition for hopelessness.”

The event was attended by dignitaries and media practitioners.

L-R: Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd); Governor Seriake Dickson and Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Edmund Allison-Oguru, during the inauguration of the state Revenue Committee at Government House in Yenagoa.

PDP berates Fashola over new traffic law • Says, ‘It’s revenue-driven approach’ OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chided Governor Babatunde Fashola over the new Lagos State Traffic Law, describing the legislation as lacking in transparency and avenue for revenue drive.

The party, in a statement signed by its Lagos State Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, said the fines in the law are too exorbitant and would not serve as deterrent to offenders, but rather an avenue by the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) to raise its revenue target.

“Lagosians should ex-

pect more of similar laws because the new Attorney General was actually the Special Adviser on Taxation during Fashola’s first term,” PDP stated.

The party also faulted the state government’s decision to hide the holistic provisions of the law from the public, and in the process making it difficult for

Akeredolu promises to transform Ore

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he governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the October 20 election in Ondo State, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has promised to turn Ore to an economic hub of the South-West if voted into power.

Akeredolu, who made the pledge during the continuation of his campaign tour of wards in the state,

said the vision would be achieved by partnering with investors to build a multi-million mega plaza that will serve travellers and merchants.

“Ore is a cosmopolitan city with the potential to compete with Lagos and Ibadan if well developed.

It is the gateway to Lagos State as well as the SouthEast and South-South geopolitical zones of the coun-

try,” he said.

The ACN candidate, who observed with much concern, the deplorable state of roads in Ore, Kajola and Odigbo, also promised massive reconstruction of road networks in the areas to alleviate the sufferings of the people.

He also reiterated his earlier promise of job creation for the teeming youths of the stat.

any thorough analysis of the said law.

The party said: “We have heard about a traffic law, but nobody can claim to see a copy of the whole provisions. Even journalists are relying only on the presentations made during the signing of the law. Now there is controversy on the commencement date.

While the Commissioner for Transportation says later, the Attorney General says immediately!”

The party also called on Lagosians to hold Governor Fashola responsible for any breakdown of law and order at motor parks, following the ban on the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW), adding: “While we agree that the NURTW’s activities should be regulated, we cannot accept a violation of their right to associate and operate as such.”

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Politics

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Chief Joe Martins Uzodike, a legal practitioner, is the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Culture.

In this interview with CHARLES OKEKE, he gives an insight into the nature and direction of contemporary Anambra State politics, the focus of Governor Peter Obi in the remaining 18 months of his tenure, among other issues. Excerpts:

Anambra commissioners will be assessed periodically – Uzodike 1984, they have not won a cup and for now as a commissioner, I am already on the job and I won’t stop until we get to where we are going.

As a former governorship candidate, how would you describe Anambra politics?

The politics now is quiet because every person is at peace with the performance of the incumbent governor who is doing well and when a government is doing well, there will be no room for politicking, unlike what happened in previous years, now we have 18 months to go and nobody is putting up posters because the man is doing well. If he is perceived as a bad performer, which is not applicable now, people would have been raising their hands to succeed and replace him.

What is the new direction of the Obi administration, now that a new cabinet has been constituted?

The direction of the government is straight and that is to complete all ongoing projects and to ensure that new ones are put in place. We will also ensure that the developmental processes going on in the state will remain unequalled and that is why the governor has said that we should be working hard and that there will be a quarterly assessment of the commissioners. The assessment would be individually based and every person will be assessed in his field and with emphasis on how far one’s ministry has performed or fared. The governor has made it point clear that if one does not perform well, he would be dropped or transferred to another ministry.

How long is the assessment of the commissioners going to last?

The assessment will be a continuous exercise. We just have 18 months to go and everybody has to make his impact and it is expected that what we must have done within the period will scare away anybody who want to contest for the governorship position at the end of Obi’s tenure and we want to raise the bar more higher so that anybody who want to contest must think twice. Definitely, we are working hard and we hope to achieve our objectives and meet the deadline and the benchmark for measuring the performance of the commissioners which differ from one ministry to another. The governor will at the end of the three months assessment period score us accordingly.

How do you intend to bring to bear your past experi-

REUBEN BUHARI

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ransparency in governance was at its best recently in Kaduna state when Governor Patrick Yakowa opened records of his one year performance for scrutiny by the public. Instead of the usual speech presentation by the governor and projects tour as was the tradition, Yakowa tasked ministries, departments and agencies to also face the electorate and outline their scorecards.

Though the fun-fare that greeted the first year anniversary may have wane, this remarkable milestone has continued to wax in the psyche of the electorate. The ministerial press briefing instituted by Governor Yakowa was a perfect window for people to keep abreast of performances, ministry by ministry, and the level of progression of the state in the last one year while also imagining the good things that are positioned for the years ahead.

The press briefing segment featured all commissioners, including the Head of Service as well as various agencies of the state government. One after the other, the commissioners explained in plain words, functions of their ministries, departments and agencies (MDA), plans and programmes, projects executed as well as achievements recorded.

The raison d’être for the briefing was two-edged. First was to enforce accountability and transparency among ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and second, to bury rumour among the

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With your appointment, how do you feel working with Governor Obi? If I am not at peace with him, I would not have accepted to serve him because we have been doing well and I share the views that people don’t appreciate his good works and that’s why I have accepted to serve him and to make sure that things are properly done and that people accept what the government is doing.

Uzodike

ence in the information management of the state?

I am sure that most actions we are going to take in the ministry will be predicated on my experiences, which I am sure will help us a lot. I have been in the system as a guest artist before I was made a staff; I was found worthy and after my employment, the Sports Council took me as a public relations officer with a view to managing the Rangers Football Club, which I did successfully from 1976 to 1984 when we won many trophies and since I left Rangers in

What do you consider to be the greatest problem or challenge facing the Obi government?

I don’t see any challenge any more because most of the challenges have been surmounted. The governor has excelled in most of the sectors and what he is doing now is to go the extra mile to set a level of achievement which will be hard for anybody to equal. The governor has achieved a lot because of his background as first of all coming as a banker and he is also an international businessman who has attracted international bodies and development agencies to the state, which has greatly contributed to the successes he has achieved.

Yakowa’s performance faces scrutiny gang of opposition on activities of the administration and thus provide ample evidence and record of the administration’s journey since May 29, 2011.

Without doubt, Yakowa took governance to a pragmatic height with this novel action and it should be acknowledged that this innovative approach to good governance has earned him additional recognition and applause. The exigency of the briefing at this time was consequent on the need by the administration to concretise its pledge to constantly keep the electorate informed of it strides. Beside drawing government closer to the electorate, this positive dimension also shows the governor’s commitment to instilling discipline in governance and administration in Kaduna State.

The limitless attention the ministerial press briefing has drawn to the administration’s programmes - present and future - goes to show how prudent everyone, from the governor to his subordinates entrusted with public funds, have to be.

This is because Governor Yakowa has set a benchmark that every commissioner and public officer must tow or be seen to deviate from the norm.

Interestingly, the commissioners and other agency heads came out smoking with facts on the administration’s achievements to the delight of electorate.

Each commissioner gave fervent account

Yakowa

of their ministry’s activities without mincing words and bearing in mind the consequences of anything false in the report. Fortunately, the Yakowa administration is open to scrutiny especially in the manner governance is run in the state which is why the ministries didn’t conceal any information from the public.

Many stakeholders and critics have said they were humbled by the decision

of the state executive council to embark on this new road because of the danger of exposing the administration to criticism by opposition elements. On the contrary, there was nothing to feast on due to the near perfection of the presentation of the scorecards by the ministries concern.

It is therefore important for the electorate to see this administration as one that has vowed to protect the resources of the state and channel same for the development of critical sectors that would move the state forward. The Yakowa regime doesn’t believe in backward movement but planned and coordinated strategies aimed at progression. These facts have been attested to by observers who have been taking keen interest in the state since May 29, 2011.

There’s no mincing words that the governor needs everyone’s support and encouragement to lay the building blocks for development of the state today and tomorrow. The level of development of Kaduna State depends on the cooperation and support given to the governor in particular and the administration in general by stakeholders. Peace is paramount in this regard if the state must record tremendous achievements in the second year of the administration.

Buhari is Senior Special Assistant, Media, to Governor Yakowa.

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

15

State police: Govs singing different tunes Assistant Editor, OBIORA IFOH examines the discordant tunes from the governors over the desirability or other wise of state police.

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he desirability of state police has remained one contentious issue in Nigeria today and this was even brought to the front burner only recently when not a few state chief executives had to distance themselves from the collective decision of the governors who had endorsed the needfulness of balkanisation of the force.

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) had, in a communiqué after its meeting in Abuja on June 24, asked the Federal Government to urgently consider the creation of state police as a solution to the spate of violence in the country. It also demanded a special fund to fight insecurity in the North.

But the Northern governors, penultimate week backtracked on their earlier call, when they rejected the clamour for state police, saying the country was not ripe for it and in the stead demanded the strengthening of the Nigeria Police Force.

At a meeting presided over by their Chairman, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, and attended by 18 out of 19 northern governors, the governors, through a communiqué, said that the constitution must be amended to enable them control commissioners of police in their respective states.

Aliyu, who is also the governor of Niger State, said: “We, however, resolved to prevail on the Federal Government to embark on police reform that will assist the states in the control and management of police affairs on a sound philosophy of modern policing by amending the provision of Section 215 of the constitution.”

The section reads: “Subject to the provision of this section, the governor or such commissioner of the government of the state as he may authorise in that behalf may give to the commissioner of police of that state such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the state as he may consider necessary, and the commissioner of police shall comply with those directives or cause them to be complied with.”

They also canvassed the deleting of Section 214 of the constitution, which requires that the order from the governor must be endorsed by the Inspector-General of Police.

Beside the northern governors, one other governor who feels strongly against the introduction of the state police is the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiohmole, who said that state police cannot address the rising crime profile of Nigeria.

However, shortly after that unanimous declaration of the Northern governors, Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, instantly distanced himself from the position of the governors and insisted that Plateau State will vote for state police.

This position by Jang has once more thrown up the challenges of the incon-

THE CHALLENGE BEFORE THE AUTHORITY IS ON HOW TO MAKE THE FORCE MORE EFFICIENT TO COMBAT CRIME AND NOT THE URGE TO BALKANISE IT INTO QUASI-FIEFDOM OF THE STATE CHIEF EXECUTIVES gruous North.

It is evident that most of the other governors, particularly from the South, in support of state police as evidenced by the comments of some of them who are insisting that such a development would help solve the security problems in the country.

For instance, Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola said: “There is nowhere in the world where our own structure of the police is being replicated. In other parts of the world, institutions are allowed to have their own police. In such environments, crime rate has been reduced to its barest minimum. The Nigeria police could be very effective and efficient, but their challenges are majorly the structure and equipment.”

Similarly, Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said: “It is contradiction in terms to call state governors the chief security officers of their states and yet don’t have control over the instrumentalities of security control. The NPF has central control from Abuja which is unacceptable. Crimes are essentially better controlled by local communities because it’s easy for the people to know the geography, culture and crime history of the community. It is incongruous to bring somebody from afar to police a strange environment.”

Fayemi, who described state police as the most effective police formation across the world, said this does not amount to cancellation of a federal police which is to respond to federal issues bordering on intelligence and wider international crimes and security but lacks knowledge of what obtains in the local community.

The governor lamented the powerlessness of state governors as chief security officers of their states despite that state governments provide the police with allowances, insurance and patrol vehicles among others, but lacks control over the police, saying that the lack of control is an incongruity in relation to their huge investment.

Similarly, his counterpart in Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, said: “Reason must prevail in looking at this issue. For instance, Lagos has given it reasons for wanting state police and the way it will implement it. It is on record that nobody has faulted our reasons. So, if anybody feels he is not ready for state police, that is his opinion; but we must look at the

Amaechi

Babangida

reasons some of us are calling for it and how we intended to implement it. No sentiment should be used.”

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and chairman, NGF noted that the fears of state police being used against the opposition is not tenable.

Amaechi called for the establishment of state police, noting that it is only in Nigeria that the fear of state police is the beginning of wisdom. He urged the national lawmakers to address critical issues which include the removal of immunity clause, federating unit, devolution of power, revenue sharing formula among others.

Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi said that if created, men of the state police would be made to work closely with their federal counterparts in order to ensure that their activities are not teleguided by politicians.

Can Nigerians trust the governors?

From the ongoing debate, it is easy to note that the governors of the federation have not adduced enough reasons why state police should be introduced. The only plausible reasons they have continued to promote is that the police force under the Federal Government has failed

to rising crimes and insurgence in the localities and that with the governors being the chief security officers of the states, they should be more reactive to security situations in their states.

However, it is easy to be sympathetic to the governors’ argument for state police. The stranglehold that the presidency has over the Nigeria Police Force makes independent and effective decisionmaking difficult within the police commands at the state. This is compounded by cross-postings which supposedly limit the crime-fighting powers of the police, because they find themselves being part of communities where they cannot speak the language or understand the customs.

Now more than ever, having highly efficient, and well trained police is critical as Nigeria faces different security threats ranging from terrorist attacks to kidnappings, and so it would seem that there is a genuine desire to improve security across the states.

But the Nigerian public thinks otherwise and in fact, the plans of the politicians at the state level would rather be an avenue to use the force for their political gains. The 1960 regional experience would always come to fore as the police then became an extant weapon by the governments of the regions to whip the opposition into submission.

There are certainly good reasons for Nigerians to distrust the management of state police by governors. An observer noted that one reason why the state police project should not be allowed to see the light of the day is because most governors are not really democratic. Today, there are at least 27 states that have not held local government elections in five years. Their refusal to allow local government elections to hold in their states is directly tied to a desire to control all the resources which come to the state and the fear to relinquish control.

Again, most of the states have intercommunal conflicts ranging from the severe (Plateau, Kaduna) to the constantly flaring up (Ife-Modakeke and UmuleriAguleri) and the mild and building up (Kogi, Benue etc). So far, none of these conflicts has been successfully resolved nor does it look like the governors have the ability to be unbiased. What assurance is there that the state police will not become armies targeted at the opposition?

Need to strengthen the existing structure.

The very other alternative to state police is for the government to strengthen the existing structure of the force. Incidentally, both the NGF and the NSGF as well as other stakeholders share one thing in common; the need to strengthen the force to meet the challenges of global policing.

Now, the challenge before the authority is on how to make the force more efficient to combat crime and not the urge to balkanise it into quasi-fiefdom of the state chief executives. That remains an issue which the politicians must agree to address in earnest for now until the nation is ripe enough to practice genuine federalism which the constitution stipulates.

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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Assessing Jonathan’s frequent foreign trips PUBLIC DOMAIN

DELE

SETEOLU

deleseteolu@nationalmirroronline.net (08033137577 SMS only)

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resident Goodluck Jonathan travelled to Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica last week for their Emancipation Day and Independent Anniversary respectively. He travelled at a point when the US Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, was on a tour of Africa and with Nigeria as one of the countries to be visited. Mrs. Clinton’s schedule visit to Nigeria coincided with Mr. President’s planned trip to the Caribbean. Why would Mrs. Clinton prefer to meet with the President Jonathan when the Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo was in the country?

However worrisome is the President’s frequent foreign travels. The development has drawn criticisms in the public domain and is viewed by critics in the context of the security deficit in the country. He had travelled to the United Nations, Uganda, Belgium and Brazil. Now it is Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. This is amidst security and ethno-religious crises in the country. By the trips the President has not demonstrated deep appreciation of the nation’s security challenge and they could be

seen as demonstration of insensitivity and unresponsiveness to the country’s security quagmire. He should devote more time and energy at his desk to re think the country’s socio-economic and security challenges.

The President had travelled to Uganda to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Moseveni for a record fifth term of office when the Jos crisis and the Boko Haram challenge persisted. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan also travelled to attend the Customs Conference in Brussels, Belgium when the summit could have been attended by his Minister of Finance or Comptroller General of Customs Services.

He also travelled to the Rio+20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with about 116 officials at a time of serial bombings in Kano, Kaduna and Yobe states.

It is noteworthy that President Olusegun Obasanjo travelled extensively on the premise of diplomatic shuttling to attract foreign investment. The country’s neo-liberal economic policy empowered the President to solicit foreign direct investments to deepen the economy. The post-structural adjustment policy measures are designed to create the structural contexts for foreign investment to thrive. Similarly, the former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, pursued economic diplomacy with a view to attracting foreign investment and external debt renegotiation.

The questions are what level of foreign investment has been attracted to the country under Jonathan administration? To what extent has foreign investment deep-

THE NIGERIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY WILL NOT LIKELY BE AUTONOMOUS WHEN DEVELOPED ON THE BASIS OF FOREIGN CAPITAL ened the country’s production base? Would the country likely develop on the basis of FDIs or local capital? What are the implications of FDI dominated economy for the country’s sovereignty? What percentage of Nigerians has been offered jobs through foreign investments in Nigeria?

These questions are posed to highlight the challenges posed by foreign investments. The foreign investors often reflect and respond to the strategic interests of parent companies and states. The consequences for Africa’s political economy are compradorial status and peripheralization. The Nigerian political economy will not likely be autonomous when developed on the basis of foreign capital.

The critical challenge for the West African sub-region, including Nigeria, is to develop local expertise, local capital and pursue endogenous development.

The frequent foreign trips of President Olusegun Obasanjo led to partial external debt write-off and payment. It is ironic

that the country is relapsing into external debt with a total debt of about $40billion. We should recall that the President Jonathan travelled to Kampala, Uganda to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Moseveni against the backdrop of the repression of political opposition and sham elections. It is illogic that the country’s President who ascribes to democratic tenets hobnobs with a civilian dictator who harasses opponents, impoverish and alienate his populace from public governance.

It is difficult to locate the import of the President’s Brazil trip for Nigeria, especially on environment issues. I concede though that the leadership had bilateral talks with the state actors and business community in Brazil. It is, however, problematic that the country has not meaningfully harnessed the various agreements with Brazil to its advantage.

Mr. President should reduce his foreign travels, conserve the country’s foreign exchange, and decisively deal with the multi faceted issues that confront the polity. President Jonathan’s tenure has been lackluster and characterized by repeated explanations on why his campaign promises are not actualized.

I appreciate that the country exists in a global milieu and should engage other state and non-state actors. The engagements, however, should be pursued with a view to enhancing the social conditions of the populace and the country’s strategic interests.

Still on free books for Nigerian children SIMEON NWAKAUDU

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rather distressing and unfortunate trend is gaining ground in the country. An ignorant and mischievous minority is working desperately to hijack the mainstream media and public space for the sake of spreading destructive falsehood aimed at creating the erroneous impression that the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan, lacks the capacity to deliver democracy dividends to Nigerians.

Members of this minority club, masquerading as leaders of the civil society, without proper research, delve into analysis that are founded on false premises, with the intent of promoting myopic and selfish interests that negate the overall public good. This was clearly evident in the opinion authored by one Ugochukwu Jim-Nwoko on the highly applauded distribution of free books by the Jonathan administration to less privileged Nigerian children. The said article was published on Page 68 of The Guardian on Tuesday, July 31, 2012. Even though Mr. JimNwoko prides himself as a budget and development policy analyst, there was nothing to indicate that the piece was written with public interest at heart.

Mr. Jim-Nwoko opened his analysis with false information. He falsely quoted the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai as saying during the National Book Distribution flag off on June 7, 2012, that FG had committed N68.6 billion to the procurement of books for the Nigerian children. At no time during this event did any official of the Federal Ministry of Education or

THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO DISTRIBUTING

4,920,593 COPIES OF ASSORTED LIBRARY RESOURCE MATERIALS IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) announce that. The Federal Ministry of Education made it clear that as a result of the importance attached to distribution of books to less privileged Nigerian children in public schools, 15 percent of the two percent Consolidated Revenue Fund allocated for the implementation of the UBE programme was set aside for the provision of instructional materials.

For 2012, the Federal Government is distributing 14 million copies of primaries one and two textbooks in English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Basic Science and Technology subjects. The government is also distributing 4,920,593 copies of assorted library resource materials in junior secondary schools. These resource materials cut across all subject areas.

Jim-Nwoko also raised the issue of the mode of the award of the contract for the books that have been distributed. The FG resolved to stick with the major publishers who have been supplying these books since 2009 when this policy was kick-started. These are internationally recognized publishers who have been operating in Nigeria for decades.

On the issue of the National/North Central flag off held at the high-brow Maitama District where Jim-Nwoko claimed that only the children of the wealthy attended, nothing could be further from the truth. Though located in Maitama, the host school, Model Primary School, is a public school. Pupils of the school are the often ignored downtrodden children of security guards, cooks, house-helps and cleaners. They are as less privileged as any other set of children in other rural areas and urban suburbs. The participating children were selected from across public schools in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs, while education commissioners and chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards from the 36 states of the federation took part in the Abuja programme.

Jim-Nwoko, because of his parochial interest, chose to ignore the fact that FG, in conjunction with UBEC, has flagged off the distribution of the free books to the five other geo-political zones. The flag off ceremonies have been held in Akure for South West, Katsina for North West, Uyo for SouthSouth, Onitsha for South-East and Gombe for North-East. In all these zones, the education commissioners, State Universal Basic Education Board chairmen, education secretaries of Local Government Education Authorities, school head-teachers and security agencies have played prominent and direct roles in moving the books to the rural communities and urban poor where they are needed. State governors have also been involved.

It is not enough to make sentimental generalization not backed with facts. All the mechanisms that have been put in place are geared towards ensuring that no poor parent

is compelled to pay a kobo for any of these books. The Minister of State for Education, Barr Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has at every stop, met with the teams selected to monitor the distribution of the books at state and local government levels. Separate meetings were held with security agencies to ensure that anyone found diverting the books is arrested and prosecuted.

For the avoidance of doubt, every single book has clear security features and they are localized to individual states. Therefore, if a book meant for Abia State is found in Sokoto State, the person who diverted same can be easily traced by the relevant security agencies that are already part of the distribution mechanism. Transparency has been the watch-word in this books distribution exercise.

The books are in all the 774 local government areas of the country and by the resumption of the next academic session in September, the books will be visible across every locality of the nation. Like the Minister of State for Education reiterated at all the venues of the zonal flag off, any parent requested to buy any of these books should approach law enforcement agents. It is a collective goal.

Nwakaudu is the Special Assistant (Media) to Minister of State for Education Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs.

Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

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Editorial

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HEAD, GRAPHICS

President Jonathan on special courts

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t the recent swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar, President Goodluck Jonathan made case for the establishment of special courts for the trial of persons involved in terrorism and corrupt practices. The president implored the new CJN to lead an era “of judicial transformation and judicial activism”; and pleaded passionately for the cooperation of the other arms of government, especially the judiciary, in tackling the terrorism scourge and pervasive corruption in the country.

The president made reference to public complaints on protracted delays in court trials, especially in corruption, terrorism and other matters of serious concern to the nation, that have led to the call “for special courts or designation of special judges to handle them with the required experience and speed”. He identified with the age-long saying that “justice delayed is justice denied”, and the need to ensure that substantive justice is not sacrificed on the altar of procedural technicalities.

Some Nigerians are, however, opposed to the establishment of special courts. Among them is

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State who, at the anniversary lecture of the late eminent lawyer, Kehinde Sofola (SAN), advised against the setting up of special courts. The governor is of the opinion that a properly equipped judiciary would do a better job instead of the establishment of special courts. Just like the Steve Oronsaye –led Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies had argued while presenting its report to the FG early in the year; Fashola reasons that creating another agency for every problem is not necessarily the best approach to addressing such challenges.

The new CJN also appears not excited by the idea of special courts. In a chat with newsmen after being sworn in, Mukhtar had stated that the judiciary would partner with the relevant authorities to ensure that terrorism is curbed; but stressed that “there is no need for a special court to try terrorism –related crimes.” She said some judges could be designated to handle the menace.

It may be said that President Jonathan spoke the minds of many Nigerians when he harped on the need for the intervention

THE INCALCULABLE HARM TERRORISM AND CORRUPTION HAVE DONE TO THE NATION DEMANDS THE QUICK RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIARY TO CONTAIN of special courts in stemming the vicious campaign of violence by terrorists and the impunity of extensively corrupt public officers in the country. And whereas it may not be absolutely necessary to establish special courts because of the long processes likely to be involved, the new CJN should demonstrate special commitment to facilitating the speedy trial of terrorism and corruption-related cases especially. So far, such commitment seems non-evident with the long adjournments of virtually all the cases involving some fuel subsidy fraud suspects arraigned recently in Lagos. The uninspiring posturing had created the public impression that the court might eventually end up as sanctuaries for the suspected economic saboteurs.

It is, however, not too late for

Mukhtar to intervene and make a visible statement that would change the face of justice delivery in the country. The incalculable harm terrorism and corruption have done to the nation demands the quick response of the judiciary to contain. The judiciary should borrow a leaf from the responsiveness of the British judiciary to the August 6 – 10, 2011, widespread rioting, looting and arson in London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England when thousands took to the streets.

As of 15 August, about 3,100 people had been arrested, of whom more than 1,000 had been charged. Courts sat for extended hours and dispensed justice in all the cases in record time. Reports said two men were jailed for four years each for trying to incite street violence through Facebook. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, defended the sentences handed down to the culprits as a much-needed “tough message”. Nigeria is passing through experiences that are worse than the British riots. The CJN should intervene decisively and solicit the necessary assistance that may be needed from the Presidency by way of properly equipping the courts.

ON THIS DAY August 8, 2010

August 8, 1988

China floods: A mudslide in Zhugqu County, Gansu, China, killed more than 1,400 people. The 2010 China floods began in early May 2010. About 424 people were killed by the end of June, including 42 from the Guizhou landslide; 277 more were killed and 147 left missing in the first two weeks of July, bringing the death toll as of August 5 to 1,072. In total, the flooding and landslides killed at least 3,185 people in China by August 31.

The “8888 Uprising” occured in Burma. The 8888 Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests (also known as the People Power Uprising) was a series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots against the one party regime of the Burma Socialist Programme Party led by General Ne Win since 1962 in Burma or Myanmar. The uprising ended on September 18, after a bloody military coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). The uprising caused thousands of deaths.

August 8, 1974 President Richard Nixon, in a nationwide television address, announced his resignation from the office of the President of the United States effective noon the next day.

Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. Nixon’s second term saw an Arab oil embargo, the resignation of his vice president, Spiro Agnew, and a continuing series of revelations about the Watergate scandal.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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Health & Wellbeing Victims of fuel siphoning committed suicide –Rivers Health Commissioner

New drug shows promise for kidney disease

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Breast milk still best for babies!

TOBORE OVUORIE

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s Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the global breastfeeding week, a Paediatrician with over 20 years experience has said breast milk remains and would always be the best food and compulsory gift any mother can give her baby.

Speaking in an interview with National Mirror, Consultant Paediatrician/Managing Director, Outreach Children’s Hospital, Festac, Dr. Efunbo Dosekun, disclosed that if all Nigerian women breastfeed their babies exclusively, most infant deaths, especially nutrition related ones, would be prevented.

“A child who is given only breast milk in his first six month of life has been properly prepared against childhood infections. But it’s such a surprise and pity that mothers today are not embracing exclusive breastfeeding; which is why babies in turn are dying from preventable diseases ” she noted.

Exclusive breastfeeding means giving the child only breast milk beginning from 20 to 30 minutes after delivery until he is six months old. During this period, the child is not supposed to be given any other drink like water, glucose, or even drugs unless prescribed by a doctor.

This, experts say is because breast milk contains all the nutrients that a baby needs in the first 4-6months of life.

Unfortunately, not all children are enjoying these God-given gifts as their working class mothers either resume work too soon after giving birth, hence, disrupting the breastfeeding plan or believe in some of the myths surrounding breastfeeding. Often, some mothers believe that breastfeeding will make their breasts slack but Dr. Dosekun says this is quite untrue.

“A woman’s breasts cannot slack as a result of breastfeeding, rather, her genetic physiology and personal packaging contributes to it. Not all girls, ladies and women know how to care for and package their breasts. Haven’t you seen some teenagers with slacked breasts?” she added.

According to another maternal expert, Felicity Savage King in her book: Helping Mothers to breastfeed, breast milk is clean and free of bacteria so cannot make a baby ill. It contains anti-infective factors which prevent infection.

These include the living white blood cells (leucocytes) which kill bacteria and antibodies to many common infections which protect a baby until he can make his own antibodies. “If a mother has an

•It’s breastfeeding week

RIGHT: Breast milk promotes babies’ health

WRONG: Artificial foods like this, not good for babies’ health

infection, antibodies against that infection soon appear in her milk”, King says.

The breast milk also contains a substance called the bifidus factor which helps special bacteria called lactobacaillus bifidus to grow in the baby’s intestine.

These bacteria prevent other harmful bacteria from growing and causing diarrhea. It also contains a substance called lactoferin which prevents the growth of some harmful bacteria which need iron.

All these, experts say are either not pres-

ent in the cow’s milk or inactive when present.

Breast milk is also said to contain the most suitable protein and fat for a baby in the right quantity. The protein in cow’s milk on the other hand, is said to be too much for the baby, while the fat is not only too saturated but inadequate for the baby.

Lactose or milk sugar in breast milk, according to the experts, is of a better quality and certainly what a human baby needs. The breast milk contains 7 percent lactose, while the cow’s milk contains 3-4 percent which is considered inadequate for a baby.

The breast milk also contains enough vitamins unlike the cow’s milk which does not have enough. A baby on exclusive breastfeeding therefore does not require vitamin supplement while this may be needed where the child is being fed with cow’s milk.

For iron, experts say the content is quite small in both human breast milk and cow’s milk. However, the iron in breast milk is well absorbed from the baby’s intestine which is why breast fed babies do not develop iron deficiency anaemia. The iron in the cow’s milk is not only inadequate but poorly absorbed

from the baby’s intestine.

The breast milk contains ENOUGH WATER, even in hot, dry climate so a baby being fed exclusively on breast milk does not need water at all. Of course, there’s need to give the baby extra water when he’s being fed with cow’s milk. Not only that, the mother has to go the extra mile of boiling the water to prevent water borne diseases such as diarrhea.

The correct amount of salts, calcium and phosphate are present in breast milk but these are extremely excessive in cow’s milk.

Added to all these, is the fact that cow’s milk is difficult to digest compared to the breast milk. According to King, “because cow’s milk is digested slowly, it fills the stomach for longer than breast milk so, the baby does not become hungry again as quickly as he should. The baby’s stools become thicker and harder and he may become constipated.

In addition to all these nutritional benefits, it has also been proven that breastfeeding helps to stop bleeding after delivery.

Do you want to retain your lovely shape after delivery? Then exclusive breastfeeding is the way to go as it also helps mothers regain their normal figures!

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Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Important tips every family must have about HIV, AIDS

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dolescents and young people 15–24 years old accounted for about 45 per cent of all new HIV infections among people aged 15 and older in 2007. HIV is more common among adolescent girls and young women than adolescent boys and young men. Life skills education is critical for children, adolescents and young people so that they acquire the knowledge and skills to make healthy life choices.

Governments, with support from families, communities and non-governmental and faith-based organizations, have a responsibility to ensure people’s right to information on HIV prevention, treatment and care. They also have the responsibility to ensure the rights of children living with or affected by HIV to protection, care and support. It is important that children, families and communities help stop the spread of HIV. What every family and community has a right to know about HIV 1. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired im-

Parents talking with daughters about sex help them make healthy choice

munodeficiency syndrome). It is preventable and treatable, but incurable. People can become infected with HIV through (1) unprotected sexual contact with an HIVinfected person (sex without the use of a male or female condom); (2) transmission from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding; and (3) blood from HIV-contaminated syringes, needles or other sharp instruments and transfusion with HIV-contaminated blood.

It is not transmitted by casual contact or other means.

2. Anyone who wants to know how to prevent HIV or thinks he or she has HIV should contact a health-care provider or an AIDS centre to obtain information on HIV prevention and/or advice on where to receive HIV testing, counselling, care and support.

3. All pregnant women should talk to their health-care providers about HIV. All

New drug shows promise for kidney disease

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cientists at UC Santa Barbara have demonstrated in the laboratory that a new drug is effective in treating a very common kidney disease -- although it will be a few years before it becomes available for clinical testing.

The findings resulted from a collaboration between UCSB and a biotech firm based in Indiana.

The study is published in this week’s Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Over 600,000 people in the U.S., and 12 million worldwide, are affected by the inherited kidney disease known as autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD or PKD). The disease is characterized by the proliferation of thousands of cysts that eventually debilitate the kidneys, causing kidney failure in half of all patients by the time they reach age 50. PKD is one of the leading causes of renal failure in the U.S. The research effort was directed by Thomas Weimbs, associate professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. He has been studying the disease for more than a decade. The current findings build on re-

pregnant women who think they, their partners or family members are infected with HIV, have been exposed to HIV or live in a setting with a generalized HIV epidemic should get an HIV test and counselling to learn how to protect or care for themselves and their children, partners and family members.

4. All children born to HIV-positive mothers or to parents with symptoms, signs or conditions associated with HIV infection should be tested for HIV. If found to be HIVpositive, they should be referred for followup care and treatment and given loving care and support.

5. Parents or other caregivers should talk with their daughters and sons about relationships, sex and their vulnerability to HIV infection. Girls and young women are especially vulnerable to HIV infection.

Girls and boys need to learn how to avoid, reject or defend themselves against sexual

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harassment, violence and peer pressure.

They need to understand the importance of equality and respect in relationships.

6. Parents, teachers, peer leaders and other role models should provide adolescents with a safe environment and a range of life skills that can help them make healthy choices and practise healthy behaviour.

7. Children and adolescents should actively participate in making and implementing decisions on HIV prevention, care and support that affect them, their families and their communities.

8. Families affected by HIV may need income support and social welfare services to help them take care of sick family members and children. Families should be guided and assisted in accessing these services.

9. No child or adult living with or affected by HIV should ever be stigmatized or discriminated against. Parents, teachers and leaders have a key role to play in HIV education and prevention and in reducing fear, stigma and discrimination.

10. All people living with HIV should know their rights.

People infected with HIV usually live for years without any signs of the disease. They may look and feel healthy, but they can still pass on the virus to others.

Timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), a group of medicines used to treat HIV, allows a person to handle HIV as a chronic disease and lead a relatively healthy life.

AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection.

People who have AIDS grow weaker because their bodies lose the ability to fight off illnesses. In adults not receiving antiretroviral treatment, AIDS develops 7–10 years after HIV infection, on average. In young children it usually develops much faster.

There is no cure for AIDS, but new medicines can help people with AIDS live longer.

SCIENCE

search performed in 2006 in the Weimbs lab, showing that the drug rapamycin, which has been in use for years as an immunosuppressive agent, was highly effective in stopping disease progression in mouse models of polycystic kidney disease.

The previous research by Weimbs came to the attention of Christopher P. Leamon, vice president for research of the biotech firm Endocyte, Inc., which is based in Indiana and focuses on cancer drugs. Leamon was particularly interested in the rapamycin research because Leamon himself has polycystic kidney disease. He immediately contacted Weimbs and flew out to Santa Barbara to develop a research partnership on a new drug for PKD -- based on Weimbs’ earlier research.

Weimbs said he was very excited to begin brainstorming ideas with Leamon.

“He is at the right place at the right time to do something about his own disease,” said Weimbs. “He happens to be the chief scientist at a biopharmaceutical company that may have the technology to make a better drug that could work for PKD patients.”

People with allergies may have lower risk of brain tumors

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ew research adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that there’s a link between allergies and reduced risk of a serious type of cancer that starts in the brain. This study suggests the reduced risk is stronger among women than men, although men with certain allergy profiles also have a lower tumor risk.

The study also strengthens scientists’ belief that something about having allergies or a related factor lowers the risk for this cancer. Because these tumors, called glioma, have the potential to suppress the immune system to allow them to grow, researchers have never been sure whether allergies reduce cancer risk or if, before diagnosis, these tumors interfere with the hypersensitive immune response to allergens.

Scientists conducting this study were able to analyze stored blood samples that were taken from patients decades before

they were diagnosed with glioma. Men and women whose blood samples contained allergy-related antibodies had an almost 50 percent lower risk of developing glioma 20 years later compared to people without signs of allergies.

“This is our most important finding,” said Judith Schwartzbaum, associate professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University and lead author of the study.

“The longer before glioma diagnosis that the effect of allergies is present, the less likely it is that the tumor is suppressing allergies. Seeing this association so long before tumor diagnosis suggests that antibodies or some aspect of allergy is reducing tumor risk.

— Science Daily

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Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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Victims of fuel siphoning committed suicide –Rivers Health Commissioner Recently, some Nigerians died in a fire incident while scoooping fuel from a broken down tanker in Rivers State. In this interview with OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU, Rivers State Commissioner for Health, says the affected persons are to blame, not poverty, because they committed suicide. EXCERPTS:

be demand from the other side. So you have the task of creating demand for it.

As I said when I became Commissioner for Health, our people have suffered learned helplessness over the years that they don’t know what is their right, what is good or what is bad and so when you bring the good things you would really need to encourage them to accept it. You need to create demand in the society for them to come to health centres to vaccinate their children. For them to come to the health centres, to register and also to deliver at the centres when they are pregnant. Today, we still have the unwielding competition between traditional birth attendants and orthodox medicine. Well, what we can do we have done.

We have established, to a large extent, the primary health care system. We have inaugurated the board, we have built primary health care centres that everybody in the community is proud of having in their community and they have accepted it. We have staffed them and the drugs are there. We have added to the fact that there is a free medical care; you don’t have to pay to receive medical care. With all that I think health indices are improving in Rivers state today.

I can say that the indices to meet Millennium Development Goals are beginning to reverse and if we continue and sustain what we are doing now, I think we can achieve the MDGs by 2015.

What’s the situation of those who survived the fire incident sir?

Well, as we speak this morning I got a report that we still have about 10 of them at the Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital out of a total of almost 60 that we got out of the site; that came to the hospitals. I want to emphasise that as I mentioned earlier, the percentages of burns are so high that chances of survival are slim.

But the government is doing everything it can to make sure we give everyone of them a fair chance of survival. The governor has appointed a committee to oversee all of them; both the medical and social sides of the challenges. We are doing all that we can; the medical staff and the social staff are doing all they can to make sure that we get some degrees of success out of the lots.

When the incident happened, over 100 people were reported dead and ever since, there have been reports that those who survived have been dying too. Do you have the data of people who have died?

Like I said, we got about 60 and only 10 are still alive from the ones we got. It shows that almost 50 of them have died but not very specific because we had some that discharged themselves from the hospitals. Some of our people like to go for native treatment if they could have higher chance of survival from traditional cure. But, as doctors, we rely on our scientific practice and those of them that stayed back only 10 of them are alive.

Is there any possibility of government taking further step by taking some of them abroad for treatment?

If that would increase the chance of survival, government would not relent to do that but so far we have not seen what they would do better abroad that we cannot do. That’s why we have put them in a special ward at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and we have the plastic and burns specialists in the hospital and specially trained nurses for burns are taking care of them and we are giving them the best we can.

We are not restricting them from any kind of medication or something else.

They are not buying; we are buying everything and the goverment is releasingfunds as we may need. We have equipped

Dr. Parker

and furnished a special ward for them and we are not leaving any stone unturned. We also are saying that if this person would survive if he goes abroad, we would do it.

Don’t you think that people trying to siphon fuel from accident tankers is an indication that poverty level is still on the rise?

Isn’t that a situation of the people trying to help themselves on the face of government’s inability to meet their needs?

People say it’s about poverty; that poverty made them do that. The only thing I can say is that poverty has started making people to commit suicide. Well, if you can extrapolate it to that extent, I will say yes but in this case, it’s just our ethical and moral standard, poverty or no poverty. Somebody has lost something; somebody is being in an accident. A man buying petrol taking it to a destination may be to sell in a filling station; he is unfortunate and had a problem on the road, he parked his car or he had accident with his trailer. Instead of coming to his aide people go there and steal his goods and something else happens. A trailer load of cement fell and people went there too; the same way people rushed out and parked the man’s cement away. It’s just the ethical value in the society we are talking about. Whether you like it or not, you have gone to take someone else goods and it’s stealing. It’s unfortunate this happened to them; nobody wants

THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS THAT POVERTY HAS STARTED MAKING PEOPLE TO COMMIT SUICIDE anybody to just die extra-judicially. But this is extra-judicial killing by the product they are carrying. I think we must advise and re-orientate our people on how to take care of our neighbour, on how to take care of our people. If you see petroleum product; nobody there would not know that kerosene burns, that kerosene is dangerous but the commercialisation of petroleum products has gone down to the local people without knowing the dangers of it, without knowing the dangers of dealing with petrol and all the rest. So that’s what happened. We need to do more enlightenment; we need to do more re-orientation of our people.

On health sector in Rivers state which is your primary constituency; how far, so far?

Sometimes you begin to look at where you are coming from and that is the only encouragement you can get. There are a lot of work to do because first, you have the product, two, you have to sell the product. To sell the product, there must

Sometime last year, the state embarked on malaria elimination programme, how far has the campaign gone?

Yes, we are implementing the malaria elimination programme; you heard the Honourable Minister saying that Nigeria is going on malaria elimination and that is the step we are taking in Rivers state. We are selling it to the rest of the country that we can actually eliminate malaria by taking the strategy of integrated vector management.

We are doing integrated disease management in Rivers state for malaria. By that this is one state that has distributed more treated nets than most states.

This is one state that has added more to buying Artesunate Combination Treatment (ACT) drugs. Introducing it to make sure that our people receive treatment free of charge, that our pregnant women receive the Sufadoxine Perabetamine combination drugs when they are pregnant.

Well, because of our primary health care centres and in all of them intervention delivery too is free; maternal care is free in Rivers state through our universal free medical care programme.

We think that if we can establish a free malaria elimination programme in Rivers state and replicate it in other states by the buying in of the federal government. The Honourable Minister has said today that the federal government would go into the strategies as we have implemented in Rivers state. That would give us all the gains.

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Exclusive breastfeeding on the decline in Nigeria –UNICEF MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

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hile exclusive breastfeeding rate is on the increase globally and in Sub-Saharan Africa, it has continuously been on the decline in Nigeria”, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said.

Quoting the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (2008), which puts the drop in exclusive breastfeeding in the country from 17 percent in 2003 to 13 percent in 2008, the agency listed the factors “

responsible for the sharp decline to include reduced baby friendly hospital initiative programming, inadequate training, poor enforcement of the code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes, and weakened compliance with the Ten Steps in accredited maternities.

It frowned at, “widespread roadblocks to improving breastfeeding rates and unethical marketing by makers of breast milk substitutes, poor national policies that do not support maternity leave, and a lack of understand-

ing of the risks of not breastfeeding”.

“If breastfeeding were promoted more effectively and women were protected from aggressive marketing of breast milk substitutes, we would see more children survive and thrive, with lower rates of disease and lower rates of malnutrition and stunting,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake, in a release, in commemoration of this year World Breastfeeding Week.

Lake noted that breastfeeding needed to be valued as a benefit which is

not only good for babies, mothers, and families, but also as a saving for governments in the long run, stressing that the lives of about one million children under five could be saved in developing world each year, if strong national policies supporting breastfeeding were put in place.

He added that “despite compelling evidence that exclusive breastfeeding prevents diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia that kill millions of children every year, global rates of breastfeeding have remained relatively stagnant

Some members of the African Hope Foundation demonstrating how to save lives through food safety handling/practice and environmental hygiene recently in Awka, Anambra state.

PHOTO: DENNIS AGBO

in the developing world, growing from 32 percent in 1995 to 39 per cent in 2010.

“The 2008 Lancet Nutrition Series highlighted the remarkable fact that a non-breastfed child is 14 times more likely to die in the first six months than

an exclusively breastfed child. Breast milk meets a baby’s complete nutritional requirements and is one of the best values among investments in child survival as the primary cost is the mother’s nutrition,” Lake counseled.

Foundation raises hope for safe food, water and environment DENNIS AGBO

ENUGU

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t Nigeria’s level of dirty environment and poor hygiene in handling the food the populace consume, especially by the popular road side food vendors, a Non Governmental Organisation, African Hope Foundation (AHF), is worried that if the poor hygiene is left to deteriorate, the country may not be among the league of nations expected to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

The foundation has therefore taken it upon itself to sensitize, as much as it could, all those involved in the process of food consumption, especially at the mass popular eateries, to inculcate in them the idea of sanitation, cleanliness and proper ways of handling the food people consume so as not to contaminate food poison.

AHF which has already inaugurated the programme in three states of Edo, Enugu and Anambra,

said it is desirous of saving lives of the people, hence it is policing the food we consume.

Initiated by the President and CEO of AHF, Princess Edit Ugwuanyi, who after long medical practice in USA decided to return to Nigeria with the concept of sensitising the groundnut seller, the road side Akara seller, fried yam seller, Suya, Maize roasters and well as the road side food vendors, popularly called Mama put, to teach them food safety.

“We tell them not to touch the food after cooking it, that Akara (beans cake) should not be exposed to dust, that they should use hand gloves in handling the food they sell to the public, that especially at the backyard where the food is prepared, there should be good environment and the process of the food preparations should be done with health safety in their minds,” enumerated Princess Ugwuanyi when the foundation was inaugurated in Awka, Anambra State, last weekend.

LUTH marks 50th ECOWAS rallies support for malaria elimination ll hands should 30 seconds from malaria, Dr. Uche Amazigo, a anniversary with Social work is holistic be on deck in which a principal cause former Director of the tree planting support of the of morbidity and mortal- World Health Organisaapproach to wellbeing –Experts SEKINAH L AWAL

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s part of events marking the 50th anniversary celebration of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the hospital will be having a tree planting ceremony to commemorate the admission of the first patient, 50 years ago, on the 9th of August, 2012.

Mrs. Hope Nwawolo, speaking on behalf of the Chairman, Publicity & Planning Committee of LUTH at 50, said the programme has been scheduled to take place tomorrow, Thursday, 9th August, 2012 beginning from 10.00am. LUTH was established by an Act of Parliament in 1962 and has series of events mapped out to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the hospital.

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campaign by ECOWAS to eliminate malaria in the West African region by 2015, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Kadre Desire Ouedraogo has affirmed.

Opening a four-day meeting of the ECOWAS malaria elimination task force on Monday 30th July 2012 in Abuja, the president represented by the Director of Private Sector, Mr. Alfred Braimah challenged the participants to come out with a roadmap that will feed into a high-level ministerial meeting scheduled for December 2012 to move the elimination campaign forward.

West Africa has the heaviest malaria burden on the continent, where a child dies every

ity among children and pregnant women.

The President insisted that the goal of malaria elimination in the ECOWAS region is achievable, through the strengthening of the vector control component (biolarviciding) of an integrated strategy under a Tripartite Agreement between Cuba, Venezuela and the Commission.

Implementation of the agreement emphasises technology transfer, technical and financial support from Cuba and Venezuela to set up factories in West African countries (River States, Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire), for the production of biolarvicide by Cuba’s Labiofam for large scale use for the region’s malaria elimination campaign.

In her presentation,

tion (WHO), African Programme for Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) Control (APOC), shared the experiences of the defunct Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP), in West Africa, which used larviciding to successfully control the blinding disease in 11 West African countries between 1974 and 2002.

In addition to leveraging the OCP larviciding experience, Dr. Amazigo, a renowned researcher and public health expert also noted that APOC’s trademark CommunityDirected Intervention (CDI) strategy, which promotes community ownership and participation in public health care delivery would be very useful to the ECOWAS Malaria Elimination Campaign.

SEKINAH L AWAL

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clarion call has gone to all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to understand the fact that social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of the people to enhance well being.

Speaking at a media briefing on the role of social work profession, health and education in Nigeria recently, a Psychotherapist and Counsellor at the Spelman College, Atlanta-Georgia, Prof.

Vickie Ogunlade explained that the core values of social wokers include service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human re-

lationships, integrity and competence.

“We have ethics which helps us to know how to engage individuals, hear their stories, assess them and develop plan of actions to solve the problem at hand. There are micro level facilities which involve individuals; the medium one and the macro plan which has to do with the society as a whole.” She called on government and corporate organisations to show more compassion and recognition for the profession as well as provide enabling policies that will assist social workers in hospitals, schools and related fields.

Prof. Ogunlade stated that they look at issues from different perspectives; health, social, economic, psychological, environmental and more.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Arts Lounge

Only marriage can split us –Nollywood Twins

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Teju Babyface Show wins again at TAVA

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National Theatre: Relic of a creatively-challenged government ...Rumpus in Artists’ Village over minister’s visit

Stakeholders displaying placards after the press conference

ADENRELE NIYI AND TERH AGBEDEH

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he second Festival of Black and African Arts and Culture, FESTAC, was staged on Nigerian soil in 1977; the last of this culturally grand affair to hold till date. From January 15 to February 12, this great assemby of art, culture and people showcased the best performances in art, culture, music and pioneering civilisation of Black people.

Earlier in 1976, Nigeria, under the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo, had constructed the National Theatre located in Iganmu, Lagos, in preparedness to host the continent and people of Black-origin from around the world. With an exterior shaped like a military cap, there was no disguising the clear intent that this monument should evoke a presence of the domineering armed forces whatever the fate of Nigerian arts and culture maybe. Thus, 35 years after the last of FESTAC ’77 participants left Lagos’ shore and airport for their different destinations, National Theatre as a primary facility for the performing arts in Nigeria is dogged by underutilisation, neglect and poor funding. The structure and its site became an encumbrance for successive governments after the Obasanjo military regime and futile attempts to enact the complex’s master plan yielded almost unnoticeable changes. Meanwhile, the National Theatre complex, going by blueprint, should ideally have a four-star hotel and shopping outlets among other facilities.

Returning in civilian garbs in 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo two years later announced plans to pri-

CULTURAL LANDMARKS AND SPACES ARE DEFINING THE COMMUNICATION PATTERNS OF COUNTRIES KEEN ABOUT HARNESSING THEIR ARTS, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE vatise the National Theatre which sparked protests among Nigerian thespians and art enthusiasts. Protest marches were organised to stall government’s proposal and initiate dialogue; the plan was eventually disposed.

More recently, National Theatre complex sitting on 23,000 square metres witnessed some resuscitation with the appointment of Kabir Yusuf as General Manager. In his short term in office, the complex’s 5000 seater main hall with collapsible stage and 700-800 capacity cinema halls equipped with facilities for simultatneous translations of eight languages underwent revamping. However, during a 2011 tour of duty by then newly-appointed Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, Yusuf told him that about N500 million would be needed to acquire chillers for the humid main bowl, which was last used in 1994. It is on record that the minster requested Corporate Nigeria’s assistance at that time in restoring the glory of the theatre in the light of financial handicap of the ministry. Therefore, when Duke returned to the National Theatre on

Saturday, July 28 for a recce on the state of the complex, he was visibly distraught by the high level of decay seen around the premises. Duke explained that Federal Government had recently expressed alarm “at its integrity of the very many buildings across the country. Government has called on ministries, departments, agencies and stakeholders to respond to an urgent need for integrity checks on the quality and status especially of the public buildings right across the country”. This July visit was therefore the ministry’s bid to heed that call.

Duke stated further that because of the competing demands on limited sources of government, adequate financial appropriation had not benefited the National Theatre in the last one decade. “It is therefore, of public urgent interest that the National Theatre receive attention. I must also call on international brands which are doing perhaps their most profitable business on the continent here in Nigeria. They must deploy their corporate social responsibilities which they deploy regularly in other parts of Africa and to look favourable in inventing in the rehabilitation and renewal of the National Theatre”, he appealed.

According to industry experts, the annual budgetary allocations and considerations for the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation (between N600m to N700m) is abysmally poor and grossly insufficient for an entity charged with administring this portofolio which oversees the arts, culture and lifestyle of 150 million people and more than 250 ethnic expressions. Informed sources have also revealed that what CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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...Relic of a creatively-challenged government CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 is being alloted for the maintenance of the National Theatre each year is nearly equivalent to what some other federal ministries use as budgetary allocation for stationaries.

Similarly, the Director General of the National Commission for Musuems and Monuments (NCMM), Mallam Yusuf Abdallah, had told the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism that no funds were provided for the maintenance, restoration, preservation of monuments and heritages sites in the 2012 budget.

Abdallah had told the Senators this in Abuja last month when he received the senate delegation on an oversight visit to the NCMM office. “Our Museums of Traditional and Nigeria Architecture (MOTNA) situated in Plateau State is in a terrible state for a place of great historic import and nothing has been done to provide necessary facilities to concerve the artifacts. This Commission runs 33 museums, maintains six monuments and two world heritage sites while 100,000 antiquities from all cultural areas are in our custody but adequate funds is needed to maintain them’’, he bemoaned.

In the 21st Century, cultural landmarks and spaces are defining the communication patterns of countries keen about harnessing their arts, culture and lifestyle to attract the world. In South Africa, the Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton, Johannesburg, houses more than 88 exclusive shops, many bistros, restaurants and the elegant Michelangelo hotel right at heart of Johannesburg’s vibrant corporate capital. The 1,000sqm Square serves

MUSINGS Granny and Google Grand Ma! Pray let Google be Though your barn be filled with wisdom, Google’s garden is our new kingdom When boiling water fails to boil You say because the pot’s uncovered, shy water would neither dance nor toil You say the Sun is ready for bed When it’s Sunset but what Google says your ears will dread Your honeyed tongue like a welltravelled road tutored by restless feet lies fallow at the mercy of metal winged sojourners You, with time will to go bed While uncle Google roams the net Hey Grand Ma Pray let Google be Your bag of wisdom weighs us down, there are quicker ways On our webbed sights Please Grand Ma Let Google be For when the hen returns to roost Your wisdom awaits our famished butts like a time tested stool. ©Segun Adefila 2012

as a stage for a host of local and international prestigious events.

Speaking with Arts Lounge about the state of National Theatre, Sarah Boulos, founder of Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria, SPAN, (a non-governmental organisation) voiced dismay at the pathetic level of activity within the complex. For me, the National Arts Theatre in Lagos is the saddest story I have ever heard. I’ve say this because you see a place with so much potential for vibrancy. Today, it still has programmes but not like it used to be”.

The minister also passed the buck of responsibility to the artists who have taken up residence at the Artists’ Village of the Theatre complex enjoining them to contribute to a globally ideal environment which can stimulate top class works of art. The Village was created about 13 years ago, when the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), moved to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Its offices at the theatre annex were let out to artists including painters, musicians, dancers, filmmakers and dramatists, among others. These artistes have continued to occupy the space with its ups and downs. Inspite of this, many practitioners in the Nigerian arts and culture sector fondly refer to it as a ‘creative hub’ where artists form ‘a creative enterprise zone’ with its products reaching beyond the shores of Nigeria.

But, after Duke’s visit, occupants of the village were agitated enough to call a press conference last Thursday to speak on it. Reading the statement prepared by concerned artists, Mr. Tope Babafemi, who runs The Little Theatre at the Artists’ Village, said it was an opportunity to air their views on recent developments at the National Theatre and the NCAC Artists’ Village, “specifically over the minister’s visit on Saturday, July 28”.

The statement faulted what it called ‘an unscheduled visit by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, to the village that Saturday. Many of the representatives of art organisations and artistes that work out of the village were in attendance at the press conference.

Apart from the minister’s visit, the artists recalled that the maiden visit of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, then with Senator Iyiola Omisore at its helm, had come to the village and promised that government would upgrade it to international standard.

“We have not heard anything from government since then”, the statement said.

It also declared that the management of the National Theatre is not impressed with the village owing to the statements it has made in the past including on the pages of a national newspaper.

“We responded in writing to the National Theatre and protested to the then minister in a letter dated October 18, 2010”, the statement said.

The artists called on Duke to come out once and for all to either “endorse or condemn the Artists’ Village initiative of the NCAC, a parastatal in his ministry”, while explaining that the National Theatre has “bigger problems and issues to deal with then the NCAC Artists’ Vil-

Veteran artiste, Lari Williams (l) and Chief Edem Duke during the minister’s visit.

A cross section of artistes at the Press Conference.

lage if they know what Nigeria expects from them”.

Also present was Chief Lari Williams, a long standing theatre practitioner and holder of the Member of the Niger National Honour. Williams lend credence to the National Theatre having ‘bigger problems’ when he said since the Festival of Black Arts and Culture (FESTAC), in 1977, nothing had happened at the National Theatre.

“Things were like boiled soup which effervescence has died off soon after FESTAC. The government should have something to say about it; restructure the industry or invest in it”, he said. Williams explained he had often said the government should have an interest in the industry, “because if this industry is well-developed it can put oil in a far second place behind it”.

He pointed to India, Japan, America and Britain as examples of what can be done with entertainment and said that soon after FESTAC the main bowl of the National Theatre sprung a leak which needed minor repairs. But stated that it is sad that it was left unattended, “We hear that they have done some work on it but have reduced a 5000-seater to a 3500-seater. Even so, I spoke with the general manager, he mentioned the figure, N2bn to put on the central air-conditioner and that’s what is keeping the place unused for nearly 20 years”.

Williams, who practiced in the UK before returning to Nigeria, said his play has been ready to go on stage in the last six months but the National Theatre, where he wants to stage it, is out of reach.

“The play is ready, the people are ready, but they want N500,000 per day to put the play on. But they have not given me the main bowl, they have given me the cinema hall, which sits 670 people”, he said.

He said the National Theatre is meant for the masses and one cannot put up a play there and ask people to pay N5,000 or N10,000. Rather, those who come should pay N500. And, like most of the artists at the gathering, he called on the government to give them encouragement rather than call the Artists’ Village a squalour.

“If the honourable minister thinks it’s a squalour and I use his word, then he should please encourage us by making it better. The artist(e) needs peace, not problems. We don’t want to go and live with the problem on our minds, we are creative people, next to God,” he said.

Also, there were Bosun Awaye, an ex-banker, who has since produced two films; Jeff Williams, a director, producer and actor in Nollywood and the musician Zule Zoo of the Kerewa fame, among others. The artists, who displayed different placards at the event, ended their statement wishing the minister a successful tenure in office, saying they would be delighted to be a part of that success.

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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ARTISTE UNCENSORED The pair of Chidinma and Chidiebere Aneke, is proudly showing that passion can drive one to success. In 1999, they came to the consciousness of Nollywood in ‘Ebuka’, where they played the role of Pete Edochie’s kids. A lot has happened to them since then.

NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

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t is obvious that these twin sisters have always wanted to express themselves artistically. Trying to follow the footsteps of an elder sister, Sylvia, who was part of Nollywood in the mid 80s, they sneaked out of school one day to take part in an audition at the Hotel Presidential in Enugu.

“It was for the movie, Ebuka; we auditioned for the role and impressed the producer. We actually left school to do that, and when the movie was released our mother got wind of it and was very angry”, said Chidinma, a part of the pair that impresses it on everyone that she is the senior.

But their mother’s angst was not because she hated acting as a profession.

“On the contrary”, said Chidiebere, “our mother does not hate acting. She was just protecting us, trying to encourage us to go to school. She said that we should get degrees first and do acting later which was what we left to do.”

By the time they were back some years later, the twins had armed themselves with the Higher National Diploma, HND. While Chidinma studied Mass Communication, Chidiebere studied Business Administration, but they still had their eyes on movies. Do genes influence career choices in twins?

“I do not know because I know some twins who are involved in different careers. But in our own case, my twin sister asked if I was sure that was what I wanted to do. I said yes and that was it. I know that we both have passion for it. Maybe, it is passion that was influenced by genes; or passion that was influenced by environment because, our elder sister was also into acting. She dropped off when she got

Chidinma and Chidiebere

Only marriage can split us –Nollywood twins

married. She was the person we tried to follow into Nollywood”, Chidinma replied.

Ideally, their nature has availed them an advantage in Nollywood. For a great percentage of the movies being shot, especially in Enugu they have been contracted to play the role of twins. Such classic examples are Desperate Twins, Crazy Twins, Jealous Friends, Lagos Girls and Broken Ambition.

They have also left the comfort zone of being regular actresses to being actual employers of labour (producers) in the industry, bearing losses and enjoying profits as the case may be, having produced movies like Mystic Mind, Rope of Faith, Onoja, Ujuaku, National Service and National Experience amongst others.

Their love for the disabled is also prompting them into doing a movie that would capture the potentials in people who are physically challenged.

THEIR SUCCESS IN MOVIES WHICH STEMS FROM HARD WORK AND PASSION IS ALSO FORCING THE SISTERS TO GIVE BACK According to Chidinmna, they would go to location for this movie the moment the script is ready. “We intend to do this movie to prove to the world that there is ability in disability. I believe that someone who is challenged can be a chief executive officer, a manager and all that. We want to shoot a movie about people with autism and imbecility. We want to show the world that they should not write off anyone who has life in him or her”.

MIDWEEK JUMP Garden City writer’s workshop accepting entries

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ntries for the fifth edition of the annual Garden City Literary Festival Writers’ Workshop are now being accepted. The writers’ workshop is a creative platform where aspiring writers sit under the tutelage of their established counterparts. It is recommended for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills.

Each applicant must indicate their preferred choice of workshop; application to more than one class will not

be considered.

All applicants must submit the following before Friday, August 31. For short stories: Sample short story of between 1000 and 1500 words (please highlight how many words your story contains for records) only the best stories are permitted. For poems: Sample poem (no longer than 1000 words). For drama: A ‘One Act’ play script on any subject.

Each entry must be submitted with a one-page personal CV; a brief paragraph about what you intend to learn from the chosen workshop; all manuscripts must be double

spaced with a header showing: - ‘author’ to the left, ‘title’ in the middle and ‘page number’ to the right. Handwritten entries or entries that do not adhere to the conditions above will not be accepted.

Young@Art kids’ playshop opens

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summer playshop, Young @Art, is ongoing place at the City Mall in Onikan Lagos. The educative and creative platform is open to students between the ages of 5-16 to develop and work on their creative skills and display their talents. Coordinator of

the programme, Biodun Omolayo, emphasised that the programme is a chance for young children to have fun and learn at the same time while doing what they love. The first monthlong session closed last Friday, and the second playshop opened yesterday running till September. However, children who participated in July are still welcome to continue. The program is recommended for creative children who are of the specified age. Courses include drama, beadmaking, creative and script writing, cross stitches, framing and packaging, music and dance, etc.

Their success in movies which stems from hard work and passion is also forcing the twins to give back to society. According to them, when their father died and things became very difficult for them, they made a vow to God to prosper them, so that they can affect lives. “It is in the Bible in the book of Genesis and we focused on that to make a vow to God that if He prospers us, that we would touch lives. Since then, He has been prospering us, which is why we have taken up the challenge of celebrating with orphans and other physically challenged people whenever it is our birthday”.

For their birthday in 2012, the duo gathered many movie personalities to dine and wine at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, where they handed out wheel chairs and food items to the many physically-challenged people who came around.

Chidiebere said that is following the footsteps of their late father who was a philanthropist. “My dad was wealthy and liked giving. It is a pity that when he died things became very difficult for us that we were barely surviving. But he encouraged us to give as much as we could.

Of course, Chidinma and Chidiebere have shared a lot of things –locations, jokes, food and production profits, but there is one thing they can never share. “People are always asking if we have played such pranks as sharing men and stuffs. We have not and we never will. They only thing we cannot share are our men when they eventually come”, said Chidinma.

Chidebere believes that that is the only thing that can split them. “I have often said it that marriage is the only thing I know that can split us. If we see identical twins as husbands, fine; if not, who are we to question God?”

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FAR AND NEAR

Fashion viable for wealth creation –Duke IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

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he Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke has stated that if fashion designers are determined to give their best to the industry, Nigeria will create more wealth and job opportunities for the culture industries.

The minister who spoke during a one-day workshop tagged, Dress Nigerian Fashion Show, said the aim of the event, held on July 31, was to further show that the nation’s fabrics and designers could compete favourably with others across the globe. He also expressed optimism that with untiring determination and government support, the fashion industry will soon boom greater than the oil boom.

“Fashion and its allied components been showcased here today, have the potentials to employ millions of people and so we urge Nigerians to invest in fashion business as well as collaborat-

ing in expansions towards breaking all limitations and international barriers”, Duke said.

Duke urged Nigerians to put more effort in investing in the local fabrics instead of patronising foreign fabrics adding that Nigeria is blessed with several indigenous fashion ranging from fabrics, jewelleries, beads, hair style, body adornment and many more which need refinement and upgrading to meet global trends.

In his words, “Charity begins at home and if we want the international market to open up to our stakeholders in this area, we at home need to take the lead. Neighbouring countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast are making a big deal of their indigenous languages and Nigeria will do well to celebrate the Aso oke, Akwette, Luru and others”.

He commended the fashion designers for their wonderful display while urging society to consciously showcase and promote indigenous materials over the imported ones.

Joy of Jazz: More international acts join line-up

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ome of the world’s most celebrated jazz musicians –including Grammy Award winning performers Clarence Carter (singer and guitarist) and Eddie Palmier (pianist); Jamaican piano legend Monty Alexander and France’s celebrated drummer, Manu Katche have joined the line-up of artists already announced for this year’s Standard Bank Joy of Jazz.

Also coming to the jazztravaganza, which takes place in Newtown, Johannesburg, from August 23 to 25, are US’s Lizz Wright; Ken Philmore from Trinidad and Tobago who is one of the top steel-drum soloists in the world and France’s innovative Orchestre National de Jazz (ONJ) whose latest offering Shut Up and Dance is highly acclaimed.

Both Palmieri and Katche join an already impressive opening night line-up which includes Sax Summit and the unforgettable Tribute to Miles Davis.

Sax Summit has five of the world’s top female saxophonists playing the music of Kippie Moeketsi. They are American rising star Grace Kelly; Holland’s acclaimed Tineke Postma; British tenor Rosemary Quaye as well as Shannon Mowday (a former Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz) and Nthabiseng Mokoena. The tribute to Miles Davis features two former Crusader players’ trombonist Wayne Henderson and drummer Ndugu Chancler, trumpeter Tom Browne, saxophonist Everette Harp, pianist Bobby Lyle and bassist Edwin Livingston.

Duke Ellington

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz will take place on eight stages in Newtown including the Dinaledi Stage, the Conga, Mbira, Bassline and The Market Theatre.

Other venues include free concerts at Sophiatown, Shikisha and Nikki’s Oasis.

Artists already announced for the festival include Grammy-Award winner Kurt Elling who has been hailed as the jazz male vocalist of his generation; trombone master Wycliffe Gordon; Grammy-winning guitarist Earl Klugh as well as an appearance by the world famous Duke Ellington Orchestra. Luminaries from the African continent include Caiphus Semenya, Bakithi Kumalo, Manu Dibango from Cameroon and Mory Kante from Guinea.

The 2012 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz is produced by T-Musicman and sponsored

by Standard Bank in association with the Department of Arts and Culture with co-sponsors The Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation; South African Tourism; Gauteng Tourism; the National Arts Council and the City of Jo’burg.

Teju Babyface Show wins again at TAVA TERH AGBEDEH

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he Teju Babyface Show, which won The Audio-Visual Awards (TAVA) last year emerged winner again this year in The Most Outstanding Television Magazine Talk Show category beating Tyme Out with TA, Cricket Special and Chioma Ajunwa Talking Sport. This is a third consecutive win for the show named after Teju Oyelakin, the diminutive comedian.

Other winners for the awards that also recognises those who work behind the scenes during a production include Man on Ground, which won for Most Outstanding Indigenous Film; Phindile’s Heart (Most Outstanding Short Film) and Am Talented (Most Outstanding Television Documentary). Although the filmmaker behind Man on Ground, Akin Omotoso, was not present to receive his prize, which included a Nokia Smartphone from the makers, a South African representative, Claudia Noble-Arett, took the prize on his

behalf. Noble-Arett, who is an actress and the filmmaker behind Phindile’s Heart, later came out for her own prize.

The awards in its fourth year with Okey Ogunjiofor as founder and president also produced winners like: So Wrong So Wright (Most Outstanding Television Soap Operas); Clinic Matters (Most Outstanding Television Sitcom) and The Benjamins (Most Outstanding Television Drama). The last two productions came from the stable of White Stone Cinemas.

Perhaps one of the best outings since the inception of the awards, there was a the huge crowd at the Banquet Hall, National Theatre, Iganmu venue. The Guest of Honour, Dr. Tom Adaba, former Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), could not make it to the event due to ill health, Ogunjiofor said while making his speech. He also said TAVA received 106 entries this year with 10 coming after the deadline and being disqualified.

Also present was President of the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria, Zik Zulu Okafor, who said TAVA represents for him the majesty of hope since, “it pays attention to those who have made the picture happen”. There was also entrepreneur, Ausbeth Ajagu, Prince Jide Kosoko and Emeka Ossai, among many other entertainment personalities. Iroko Dance Group provided music for the night.

AFC seeks to harmonise filmmaking in Africa NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

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group, the African Film Consortium, AFC, has been formed to enhance filmmaking on the continent of Africa. The group whose membership is drawn from about 18 African countries, presently has its headquarters in Gambia and is the brain child of top Nollywood film maker, Mykel Parish Ajaere, an executive producer with the Waterstone Company.

According to Ajaere, AFC is geared towards cultivating creative and cultural sentiments to guide African film making. Specific aspects of African filmmaking which the body intends to boost include: providing assistance through film grants, community development, exhibitions, educational outreach and career development.

“The Consortium has assumed a clear endorsement to promote African film culture and education for the benefit of the African film audience. We have taken on

an opportunity and responsibility to contribute to the development of an African focused film making industry, defined and guided by diverse African creative and cultural sentiments. This is based on our belief in a better understanding of Africa through an Africa focused film direction, development and exhibition”, said Ajaere who is about working on a project in Cameroon titled Plantation, a new soap opera, scheduled to show on some TV stations in the member countries. “From screenplays, the architecture of film making to film exhibitions, the African Film Consortium intends to empower potentials and capacities in the African film industry. Film makers can take advantage of this initiative by partnering with the consortium”.

The four primary groups that will be connected to the foundation as it develops, according to Ajaere, are filmmakers and their networks, project volunteers, diverse community networks/participating audiences as well as sponsorship for individuals, organisations and public venues.

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Wednesday, August 8, 22012

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igeria’s sole representative in the he triple jump, Tosin Oke yesterday qualified for the he men’s final after finishing fifth th in his group during the qualifying alifying rounds.

The reigning African frican and Commonwealth chamhampion is featuring in his first Olympics games butt will need a miracle to make e it to the podium as his mark of 16.83m placed him in 9th place ace out of the 12 athletes who made de it to the final scheduled for tomorrow. morrow.

Group A was topped by Benjamin Compaoré of France nce with a leap of 17.06m followed d by Daniele Greco of Italy (17.00m), 00m), Russian Lyukman Adamss (16.88 ) and bronze medalist in n the long jump, Will Claye (16.87m) 7m) of the United States. Another er American, Christian Taylor led Group B with the best qualifying ying mark of 17.21m.

Oke’s compatriot Noah oah Akwu crashed out of the men’s ’s 200m after placing fifth in Heat at 1 which was won by double world rld record holder in the 100m and 200m, Usain Bolt in 20.39 seconds. ds Akwu, who is making his de-

but a t t h e Olymp i c Games, had a time of 20.67 s e c o n d s a n d failed to sail through as one of the fastest losers.

The duo of Christy Udoh and Gloria Asumnu had lost in the preliminaries in the women’s category after placing fifth and sixth in their respective heats.

Sport

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30 3 0

Oke seals triple jump final

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- ORLANDO PIRATES STRIK STRIKER, BENNI MCCARTHY

Munich widows demand memorial

W

idows of two of the 11 Israelis killed at the Munich Olympics in 1972 lambasted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its president, Jacques Rogge, at a London commemoration on Monday.

The two, Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano, representing families of the athletes, coaches and officials who were killed, said they had tried for four decades to persuade the IOC to organise an official commemoration, vowing to continue their efforts to get their wish at future Games.

Senior international figures including US President, Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have called for a tribute to the 11 men who were killed in a standoff with Palestinian gunmen in Munich where a German policeman was also killed.

Monday’s commemoration was hosted

by Israel’s Olympic Committee at London’s impressive Guildhall, with Rogge, top British politicians, Israel’s sports minister and Germany’s foreign minister present.

“We are all here today because we share a duty those innocent victims and to history to make sure the lessons of 1972 are never forgotten ... we are here to speak with one voice against terrorism,” Rogge said.

XXXTH OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES

London 2012

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI REPORTING

July 27 - August 12, 2012

Don’t worry, be happy–Gumel

I

nternational Olympic Committee (IOC) member, Engineer Habu Gumel, has asked Nigerians not to lose sleep over the poor showing of the athletes in the ongoing Olympic Games.

Gumel, who visited Team Nigeria’s Secretariat at the Olympic Village yesterday, enjoined the country’s delegation not to despair as yet.

A day after Nigeria lost on two fronts, Boxing and Basketball, Gumel said that the situation was not beyond redemption.

“We can still get something from taekwondo, wrestling and the relay events in athletics,” the former NOC President assured.

“We should not give up on these athletes.

They are doing their best and I think we can still count on them,” he said.

Gumel

Nurudeen nears Hurdles medal

N

Selim Nurudeen (in green suit) during the men’s 110m Hurdles Heats in London yesterday

igeria’s Selim Nurudeen yesterday won the second qualifying heat of the men’s 110mH race on a time of 13.51secs inside the Olympic Stadium to book a spot in today’s semi-finals.

Nurudeen, who ran a good race, showed determination that may see him in the final of the110m hurdles event also scheduled for today.

The qualifying heats for the men’s 110m hurdles, however, saw casualties, with China’s Athens 2004 champion, Liu Xiang and Britain’s Andrew Pozzi suffering injuries.

Liu Xiang’s turn of events was a dramatic echo of his injury-induced withdrawal from the same stage of the Beijing Games four years ago.

The former Olympic cham-

pion and ex-world record holder hit the first hurdle with his lead leg and tumbled to the ground before being helped from the track with his dream of regaining the title in tatters.

Their first heat was won

by Britain’s Andy Turner in 13.47 seconds with a total of four athletes failing to finish.

Liu remains one of his country’s most popular and high-profile sportsmen alongside former basketball player, Yao Ming.

The 29-year-old is still plagued by the Achilles injury that forced him to pull out at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing but he had hit a rich vein of form this year before yesterday’s disappointment that landed him in hospital.

28

Sport

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

XXXTH OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES

London 2012

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI REPORTING

July 27 - August 12, 2012

Olympics outing: Igbo leader blames government

T

File copy of Usain Bolt (l) with Manchester United Manager Alex Ferguson during his visit to the team’s training in 2009

Bolt dreams Man United signing

J

amaican hero Usain Bolt, who ran the fastest Olympic race of all time on Sunday, yesterday declared his plan to for Manchester United in the near future.

“People think I am joking when I say that I would like play for Manchester United,” Bolt said in London yesterday, hours after he was feted by fans across the world for his

astounding feat.

“But if Sir Alex Ferguson called me up and said, ‘OK, let’s do this, come and have a trial and see if you are good enough’, it would be impossible for me to say no,” the star athlete further said.

Bolt has already dabbled in football, giving sprint training to Cristiano Ronaldo during pre-season at

United in 2009.

“I wouldn’t take up the challenge if I didn’t think I was good enough.

I’m a very accomplished player and know I could make a difference.

“I’d be the fastest player, but I can play as well. Looking back now, I feel that I really helped Cristiano Ronaldo to become a more complete player.”

he Eze Ndigbo of Lagos, Nwabueze HN Ohazurike, has held the Federal Government responsible for the poor results recorded

by Nigeria at the ongoing London 2012 Olympic Games.

According to the Igbo leader, the government’s penchant to support the country’s athletes only at the late hour has resulted in the situation which he describes as embarrassing.

“The same story has repeated itself at every Olympic year whereby fund are not released in good time and when it is eventually released, it leads to panic preparation of the athletes,”

Cameroun boxers, others abscond

R

Nick Delpopolo

LOCOG axes American judoka

U

nited States of America judo player, Nick Delpopolo, was expelled from the London Olympic Games after testing positive for marijuana, even as the athlete apologised to LOCOG, fans and fellow athletes for unwittingly eating a brownie that had been baked with the drug.

Delpopolo, 23, who finished seventh in the 73kg event, accepted his expulsion which was announced on Monday night.

“My positive test was caused by my inadvertent consumption of food that I did not realise had been baked with marijuana, before I left for the Olympic Games,”

Delpopolo, who trains in New York, said in a statement yesterday.

“I am embarrassed by this mistake. I look forward to representing my country in the future, and will re-dedicate myself to being the best judo athlete that I can be,” he further said.

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) said the food Delpopolo had eaten was a brownie containing marijuana.

The athlete, who waived the right for his case to be heard before the Disciplinary Commission, and the USOC said it fully supported the expulsion, has left London for the United States.

eports emerged yesterday that seven Cameroon athletes have disappeared at the London Olympics.

According to the country’s Ministry of Sports and Physical Education the seven defectors who comprise five boxers, a swimmer and a football player are suspected to want a European stay for economic reasons.

“What began as rumor has finally turned out to be true,” Mission Head, David Ojong, said yesterday in a message sent to the ministry.

Ojong said a reserve goalkeeper for the women’s football team, Drusille

Ngako, was the first to disappear, although she was not one of the 18 finally retained after pre-Olympic training in Scotland.

The mission head said Ngako had disappeared while her team-mates left for Coventry for their last preparatory encounter against New Zealand, adding that swimmer Paul Ekane Edingue and his personal belongings were also not found in his room a few days later.

“The five boxers eliminated from the games, namely Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou Mendouo and Serge Ambomo went missing on Sun-

the proprietor of Lagosbased female football club Tokas Queens, said in Lagos yesterday.

“I think the government’s attitude has not complimented the abundant talents that God has endowed us with in this country,” he added.

“It is just as well that the embarrassment that we have suffered from our representatives in London has also rubbed off on the government as the main cause of the ugly situation.”

The traditional leader, however, cautioned stakeholders against adopting panicky measures to find lasting solution to the prevailing challenges.

day,” Ojong further said.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has denied knowledge of the athletes’ action.

“We are unaware of it,” IOC spokesman, Mark Adams, said yesterday when asked whether organizers had heard of it.

It is not the first time Cameroonian athletes have disappeared during international sports competitions. At past Francophonie and Commonwealth games as well as junior soccer competitions, several Cameroonians have quit their delegation without official consent.

Serge Ambomo (in red trunk) is one of five Camerounian boxers that went missing in London.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

29

FROM THE LONDON 2012 LENS

XXXTH OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES

London 2012

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI REPORTING

July 27 - August 12, 2012

Medals

Angel McCoughtry of the United States lays the ball up during the Women’s Basketball quater-final between Canada and the United States yesterday

China

34

20

17

71

USA

30

16

20

66

Great Britain

22

13

12

47

Republic of Korea

11

5

6

22

Russian Federation 8

17

19

44

France

8

9

10

27

Italy

7

6

4

17

Kazakhstan

6

0

1

7

Germany

5

14

7

26

Netherlands

5

3

6

14

Hungary

4

1

3

8

DPR Korea

4

0

1

5

Australia

3

12

9

24

Cuba

3

3

1

7

Belarus

3

2

3

8

New Zealand

3

1

5

9

South Africa

3

1

0

4

Ukraine

3

0

6

9

Japan

2

13

14

29

Romania

2

5

2

9

Chinese hurdler, Liu Xiang (c) being helped off the track after falling over the first hurdle in the men’s 100m hurdles

Roberto Cammarelle of Italy (r) contesting with Mohammed Arjaoui of Morocco Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva warming up before the women’s pole vault final during the Men’s Super Heavy (+91kg) Boxing yesterday

Rachel Yurkovich of the USA in the Women’s Javelin Throw

Josefa Idem of Italy competes during the Women’s Kayak Single (K1) 500m Sprint semi finals yesterday

Muhammed Rizwan (l) and Shafqat Easool of Pakistan try to block Matthew Butturini of Australia during the men’s Hockey match

He Chong of China competing in the men’s 3m Springboard Diving semifinal. www.london2012olympics.com

30

Sport

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

XXXTH OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES

London 2012

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI REPORTING

July 27 - August 12, 2012

Dogs ‘steal’ Murray’s medals

T

eam GB’s tennis player, Andy Murray, didn’t get to enjoy his gold and silver medals for long.

A day after the Scotsman defeated Roger Federer for the Olympic singles gold medal, then earned a silver with fellow Brit Laura Robson, in the mixed doubles, he had his medals “stolen” by his two border terriers, Maggie May and Rusty.

The dogs proudly wore their owner’s medals in a picture posted to Maggie May’s Twitter page.

(Yes, Andy Murray’s dog has her own account with nearly 10,000 followers.)

“Here we go folks,” it said, “just checking to make sure Rusty definitely has the silver, obviously.”

The account was started last year and is reportedly ghostwritten by Murray’s girlfriend, Kim Sears. She handles the posting because Maggie May and Rusty are more into Facebook.

Hoy

Hoy sparks victory run

C Phillips Idowu reacting after his miss yesterday

Triple jump: Idowu misses final cut Javelin final eludes Sayers N G Andy Murray

reat Britain’s Goldie Sayers yesterday failed to qualify for the final of the women’s javelin.

Sayers finished fourth in Beijing four years ago with a British record and bettered that mark with a distance of 66.15m earlier this year.

That throw marked her down as a potential gold medallist at London 2012 but arrived at the Olympic Stadium with her throwing arm strapped at the elbow.

She was clearly unhappy as she fouled her first two throws, putting enormous pressure on her third and final effort.

It proved too much for the 30-year-old from Suffolk, who stepped through the line once again after seeing her final throw dip under the 50-metre mark.

“I think I caught a nerve in warm-up and couldn’t feel my hand,” a clearly emotional Sayers said, adding, “I couldn’t flight the javelin but physically I’m in the shape of my life.

I’m devastated but I had to give it a go.”

Sayers

igerian-born British triple jumper, Phillips Idowu, yesterday failed to make it to the final of the event after finishing 14th in qualifying.

With the top 12 jumpers going through to tomorrow’s final, Idowu missed out with a best of 16.53m, well down on his personal best.

Idowu, who won silver in Beijing four years ago, came into the Games under an injury cloud following reports of a hip injury and, more recently, a trapped nerve in his knee.

He only came into the Olympic Village on Sunday after undergoing intensive rehabilitation elsewhere, apparently cutting off contact with UK Athletics.

The controversial athlete had not competed since June 2 and it showed on the track, with the 33-year-old not moving fluently as he initially leapt 16.47m, down on the official qualification mark of 17.10m.

After a no-jump on his second attempt, Idowu improved his mark by 6cm, but it wasn’t enough to progress.

“I felt okay, I saw my physio this morning and felt pain free, which was nice,” the former

world champion said, adding, “I’ve competed for 12 years and I can’t remember when I’ve performed that badly. I’ll probably call it a day now and wrap up the season. The goal was to battle for the Olympic gold medal but it’s not to be. My timing wasn’t there and I couldn’t get my final phase together.”

hris Hoy began his bid for a sixth Olympic Games gold medal with a first-round victory in the men’s Keirin, while the women’s Omnium and Sprint were also under way at the Velodrome.

Hoy rode in the first of three Keirin heats and had to finish in the top two to advance at the first time of asking.

The world Keirin champion clearly did not wish to hang around and followed Njisane Nicholas Phillip’s early move before powering to the front with one and a half laps to go.

The 36-year-old eased over the line, with Simon van Velthooven the only rider who could go with him as the New Zealander also advanced at the first time of asking.

Hoy took his Olympic gold medal-winning tally to five last week with victory in the Team Sprint.

Sarah Hammer of the United States leads the women’s Omnium by one point from Great Britain’s Laura Trott, after four of the six disciplines.

Hammer finished the 3km Individual Pursuit quickest in 3:29.554, with world Omnium champion Trott second in 3:30.547.

Canada’s Tara Whitten was third in the discipline in 3:31.114 and Annette Edmondson of Australia fourth in 3:35.958.

Brownlee

Brownlee grabs gold

B

ritain’s Alistair Brownlee produced a dominant display of running to take the Olympic triathlon gold medal, with brother Jonny claiming bronze.

The older Brownlee brother cruised away from Spain’s Javier Gomez on the final of the event’s three disciplines to take a comfortable victory

in Hyde Park.

Jonny was also present in the elite leading group heading into the run but slipped back before being forced to take a 15-second penalty for getting on his bike too early.

Richard Varga led out the swim in the Serpentine with the Brownlees, who have been training alongside the Slovakian, in close attendance.

They came out of the water in fourth and sixth but it was two-time world champion Gomez who shot off on the bike and a group of five, including both of the brothers, quickly formed.

The third member of the British team, Stuart Hayes, had a good swim, coming out of the water in eighth, but he was not able to make the break and ended up in the second group.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

31

Business & Finance International trade has become the bedrock of economic development in the 21st century and a nation or region that does not trade efficiently will languish in underdevelopment and poverty

Sabre Awards has put Nigeria on the global map Managing Director, Mr. Bolaji Okusaga

42-43

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, DR. NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA

CBN directs banks to set up whistleblowing mechanism ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

I

n a bid to check sharp practices in the banking and other financial institutions, the Central Bank of Nigeria has directed all banks to set up a whistle-blowing mechanism to allow stakeholders to report illegal and unethical behaviour.

This was contained in a new set of guidelines on whistle-blowing issued by the CBN last week and posted on its website yesterday.

Under this policy, employees, employers and other stakeholders in the financial sector will be able to report any unethical practices and other activities perpetrated by managements, persons and other stakeholders within that contravenes the banking laws and ethic without fear of consequences.

The CBN said the objective of the system is to encourage stakeholders to bring unethical conduct and illegal violations to the attention of an internal and or external authority so that action can

be taken to resolve the problem.

According to the apex bank, “This will minimize the institution’s exposure to the damage that can occur when internal mechanisms are circumvented.

It will also demonstrate to stakeholders that the institution is serious about adherence to code of ethics and conduct. ”

Areas to be covered under the policy, the CBN said include, “all forms of financial malpractice or impropriety or fraud; failure to comply with a legal obligation or statutes, action detrimental to health or safety or the environment, any form of criminal activity, improper conduct or unethical behaviour, failure to comply

with regulatory directives and other forms of corporate governance breaches as well as attempt to conceal any these etc”.

Banks and other financial institutions are obliged under the new guidelines to make their respective whistle blowing policies known to employees, management, directors and other stakeholders such as contractors,

shareholders, job applicants and the general public.

The modus of the system is expected on the websites of all financial institution.

The CBN said the procedures should encourage stakeholders by assurance of confidentiality, by activating a dedicated email or hotline to the bank, other financial system and the CBN.

T

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L-R: Celebrity Photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi; Nollywood actress, Omoni Oboli and Marketing Manager, Nokia, West-Africa, Kesiena Ogbemi, at the Media Breakfast-Launch of Nokia 808 PureView in Lagos, recently.

Nationalised banks may be listed on NSE, AMCON says

he Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria has said there is a possibility for listing of the three nationalised banks: Keystone Bank, Mainstreet Bank and Enterprise Bank on the Nigerian Stock Exchange if

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

the newly appointed evaluators so advise.

AMCON on Tuesday announced the appointment of Citigroup and Renaissance Capital as financial advisers for the sale of the three nationalised banks.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of AMCON, Mr. Mustafa ChikeObi , the listing the nationalise bank’s share on the

Nigerian Stock Exchange may be a possibility at the end of three to six months when reports of the evaluators will be ready as directed by AMCON. According to him, “One of the options available to AMCON is to take these institutions public, so that the Nigerian public can have a chance to invest in them.

So, we want to look at all

the options before we start thinking of who the ultimate investors would be. It is only on the basis of that advice and examination that we come to the best way of selling these banks.

“AMCON had said earlier that about 20 banks and other categories of investors had expressed inter4st in buying the banks but the process had to start with a

Nigeria needs N910bn yearly to fund road projects

Aviation union insists Dana Air pilot caused crash

32

34

comprehensive valuation of assets, which had now commenced with the appointment of the financial advisers.

Citigroup was picked to advise on Mainstreet Bank, while with Rencap will value on Keystone Bank and Enterprise banks. The advisers have three to six months to report back to AMCON.

Los-Abj: 06:50, 13:30, 16:30, 19:45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 12:30 (Sun) 16:45 (Sat).

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Stakeholders make case for investment, increase in oil reserves

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Business Finance

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria needs N910bn yearly to fund road projects TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

T

he Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, has put the current funding gap for construction and rehabilitation of roads across the country at N910bn (about $750m) yearly and called on private investors eyeing Nigeria’s investment environment to consider investing in roads and other critical infrastructure areas.

Disclosing this yesterday when he briefed a team of Brazilian investors on investment opportunities in the infrastructure sector, the minister said at least about $1.3bn is required on an annual basis for road networks projects out of which about $550m is provided in the budget, leaving a gap of $750m which government is ready to source by public-private partnership arrangement.

The minister, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Technical, Mr. John Ibe, told the Brazilian investors that in the last two years, the Federal Government made budgetary provisions of $1.1bn for the construction and rehabilitation of road projects in Nigeria as against the $2.6bn needed to fix the roads.

Onolememen also revealed that government had received

L-R: Sales Head, The La Casera Company Ltd, Mr. Jayantha Sinha; Mrs. Chidi Emefo of Grandel Global; Regional Sales Manager, East, The La Casera Company Ltd, Mr. Sunil Pal Singh, Marketing Manager, Mr. Benson Abraham and Mr. Donatus Ugba of Donatex Enterprises Nigeria, at the unveiling of Latina Sugar Free Fruit Drink in Port Harcourt, recently.

financial support to the tune of $330m from International Development Association, credit operations support by the World Bank Group as well as £32.6 million from Department for International Development.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, who briefed the Brazilian delegation on government’s willingness to support their

Adequate broadband planning critical to GDP growth –NCC KUNLE AZEEZ

T

he Nigerian Communications Commission has identified thorough planning and adequate consultation with stakeholders on broadband policy development as critical to its meaningful contribution to growing the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, expressed the view at a broadband forum convened by the Commission in Lagos recently.

The occasion was used by the Commission to crystallise and unfold the Nigeria’s efforts to join the global broadband community into a focused masterplan.

The plan as unveiled by the Commission has confirmed the ‘Open Access Model’ as the preferred model for broadband development in Nigeria evena s the NCC boss presented a clearer perspective to the plan which, he said, encompasses the current State Accelerated Broadband Initiative, SABI, and the Wire Nigeria Initiative, WIN, programmes of the Commission.

“The Open Access Model is

expected to help Nigerian’s plug into the global knowledge grid and stay competitive with other countries” he said.

Already, empirical data has shown that every 10 per cent increase in access to broadband in developing countries results in a commensurate 1.3 per cent increase in GDP. The compelling statistics has provided the impetus for the NCC to meet broadband demand in Nigeria and to create demand for broadband services where demand does not exist.

Speaking to an international audience including representative of the International Telecommunications Union Secretary General, Mr. Desire Karyabwite and the Secretary of the Africa Telecommunications Union, Mr. Abdoulkarim SoumailaJuwah said the plan is focused on accelerated broadband connectivity at affordable costumers.

Juwah, who dissected a graphic representation of Nigeria’s model, said the essence of the presentation is to equip stakeholders and the investor community on the direction of the plan to enable their input before the implementation, having completed the preliminary studies of the Nigerian situation.

investment aspirations in the country, assured that government would strengthen investment pact with Brazil in order to attract more Foreign Direct investments into the critical infrastructure needs of the Nigerian economy.

The delegation, which was led by the Managing Director, West Africa, Queiroz Galvao, Mr. Marcos Alexandre Silva

Queiroz Galvao, is currently eyeing investment in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy including energy, roads ports, airports, among others.

With a staff strength of 46,000 and turnover of $4.3bn in 2010, the Group has over 50 companies in sectors such as construction, real estate development, food, investments and concessions, oil and gas, exploration

and production, iron and steel Industry, environmental engineering and urban transport, among others.

However, Aganga stated that leading Brazilian companies had already indicated their willingness to invest in the Nigerian economy, adding that the country would leverage areas where it has comparative and competitive advantage to create jobs , generate wealth and transform the economy.

Speaking after the meeting, the Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil, Mr. Vincent Okoedion, said the renewed interest of Brazilian companies to invest in Nigeria was a fallout of President Jonathan’s visit to the country early this year.

He said, “I want to commend Aganga for his serious approach towards attracting investment into the country. The Group that came today is the second largest infrastructure Group from Brazil. In terms of construction, they are number one.

They have about 50 companies.

Their visit to Nigeria is a follow up to President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to Brazil early this year.

We are expecting another Group of companies from Brazil in Nigeria next week. We want them to start operations in Nigeria before the visit of the Brazilian President in November this year.”

Real estate, viable form of investment, says Rewane DAYO AYEYEMI

D

espite the harsh business environment in the country, Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismark Rewane, said real estate market remains a viable form of investment.

Speaking in his presentation on “Monthly Economic News and Views” at Lagos Business School Executive Breakfast Meeting, Bismark gave analysis of various sectors of the economy in the month of July and outlook in August.

He remarked that real estate has potential to hedge against inflation and as such remained a viable form of investment to wouldbe investors.

As a pointer to investor, he disclosed that vacancy rate in shopping malls as at present is low at 10 per cent.

Scrutinising the sector’s performance in the month under review, he said property values on the mainland locations such as Maryland, Agege and Gbagada were appreciating; noting that lifespan of properties on the market is on the decline.

He explained that affordability of rental prices when compared to prime areas has helped increase demand, noting that prime areas are still experiencing a supply glut.

He noted that property developments are springing up in Lekki, Park View and Ajah neighbourhoods despite the lull.

According to him, average vacancy rate of between 50 and 60 per cent still exists in prime locations, while average vacancy rate of 30 to 40 per cent exists with the office space segment comprising the majority.

NDIC begins oversight monitoring visits to agent banks TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

T

he Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has commenced on site visits to appointed agent banks to assess their level of compliance with processes to ensure prompt payment to depositors of closed deposit money banks (DMBs) as well as affected micro finance banks (MFBs).

A statement signed by Head Communications and Public Affairs of NDIC, Mr. Hadi Birchi, indicated that the exercise, which kicked off on July 30, by Claims Resolution

Department of the Corporation, is to cover 93 selected branches of the agent banks nationwide.

Birchi said that in order to effectively conduct the exercise, the 93 agent banks branches had been selected on zonal basis. 27 branches would be visited in the South West, 24 in North Central and 13 in the South South, the Corporation would visit 15 branches in the South East, 8 in the North East and 6 in the North West zones.

He listed the objectives of the exercise to include, to confirm that payment to depositors is carried out in a timely

manner and in conformity with the operational guidelines already given to the agent banks by the Corporation; assess and ensure that payments of both insured and uninsured deposits remitted to the banks are made to the depositors of the closed banks without let or hindrance; and ensure that the banks properly keep the payment documents forwarded to them by the Corporation such as mandate files, signature cards, Liquidators certificates, Deposit Registers, to ensure that payment to the depositors are not impeded by the absence of these records;

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

33

34

Business & Finance

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Aviation group insists Dana Air pilot caused crash OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

he Concerned Aviation Professionals yesterday vehemently blamed the Captain of the ill-fated Dana plane crash of June 3, 2012 at the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos for the crash, which killed over 163 people onboard and on ground.

Speaking on behalf of the group, its President, Capt. Tito Omaghomi accused the pilot, Capt. Watson of culpability in the crash, stressing that his conduct in the crash was totally unprofessional.

He insisted that the pilot did not do his job professionally, saying that if he had behaved professionally, he would had diverted to the alternate airport, which was Ilorin.

Omaghomi also doubted the captainship of the pilot, saying that before the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, before a pilot could become a captain, he would have flown for over 6,000 hours.

In the case of Watson, he said he only flew for 1,500 hours before becoming a captain and urged the

appropriate bodies to conduct an investigation into the background of the pilot.

He also doubted the 100 hours flown hours of the pilot with Dana Air, noting that if he commenced flight operations with the airline towards the last days of month of May and crashed on the 3rd June, he wouldn’t have put up the hours claimed by the airline.

He further insisted that the pilot and his co-pilot were hiding some things from the public as the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) did not reveal the exact time the aircraft lost its first engine and said that it might have lost the first engine before losing the second one.

He said, “Emergencies in aviation don’t kill, but our action or inaction during emergencies is what kill people. I can tell you categorically that the pilot did not use his checklist in the emergency and this was an unprofessional conduct from the pilot.

“We don’t have to wait for the final report of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) to be out, before we know what transpired in the cockpit. The conduct

of the pilot was totally unprofessional and I want to say that the damage of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) does not affect the authenticity of the report. That is the immediate cause of the crash.”

On the Grp. Capt. John Obakpolor committee’s report on the crash, Omaghomi predicted that the report would not see the light of the day as some aspects of it indicted the Federal Government, which set it up.

He said, “When the committee was set up, I advised Obakpolor not to accept to work in the committee because of the fact that he is a staff contract with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and I equally advised Capt. Mfom Udom not to be a part of it because as the sitting Managing Director of ADC Airline, one of its planes crashed and till date, they are not able to pay the victims’ families.”

Omaghomi further warned on the influx of expatriates in the industry and decried that the death of Nigeria Airways led to dearth of technical professionals in the sector.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NIPOST workers fault exclusion from integrated payroll system MESHACK IDEHEN

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orkers under the umbrella of the National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) have said they are faulting their exclusion from the Nigerian Postal Services Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) recently introduced by the Federal Government.

National President of NUPTE, Mr. Sunday Alhasan in an interview with National Mirror on Tuesday, said that the union was not averse to the policy by the government, since it is aimed at reducing the rate of corruption related to personnel overhead in government establishments, while however adding that as with most policy of government,

the implementation of the IPPIS has not been without some challenges which have wrought untold hardship on workers.

According to him, NIPOST being a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology was pegged among the government agencies to be captured in the second phase of the programme by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF).

However, Alhasan said while NIPOST was working toward June, the office of AGF commenced the implementation in May, 2012, adding the move caught NIPOST unaware ,considering that the union at this point it was yet to finalise all necessary data collation to ensure effective and hitch free transition from the former payroll system.

MTN boosts broadband internet with HyNet KUNLE A ZEEZ

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the convenience and flexibility of a mobile Internet service. The service guarantees download speed 16 times faster than a telephone line.

Speaking at the official launch in Abuja, the Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Babatunde Osho, stated, “We noticed that quite a number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as small office home office (SOHO) in the Federal Capital Territory were missing out on this unique service, which is capable of boosting their bottom-line. And at MTN Business we believe that a critical success factor for businesses in the 21st century is access to fast and reliable internet.”

According to Osho, who was represented by MTN’s General Manager, Enterprise Marketing, y Mr. Ladipo Nylander, MTN HyNet offers multi-user functionality without the need for wires.

L-R: Consultant Nephrologist, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. J.O. Awobusuyi; Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Olusola Fasuba, Chief Medical Director, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. P.T. Adegun, Health Portfolio Manager, MTNF, Mr. Abasi-Ekong Udobang and CMAC, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Deji Ajayi, at the MTNF community screening exercise in Ekiti State, recently.

igeria’s largest telecommunications network, MTN has expanded the coverage of its WiMAX driven revolutionary Internet service, MTN HyNet, to the cities of Abuja and Port Harcourt to further boost internet penetration in the two cities.

The service, which was first introduced in Lagos in 2009 by MTN Business, the business-to-business division of MTN Nigeria, was subsequently extended to other cities such as Warri, Ilorin, Osogbo, Kaduna, Sokoto, Makurdi and Bauchi in 2010.

MTN HyNet is a prepaid high speed internet service which combines the speed and reliability of a fixed broadband Internet with

NNPC, Genesis sign MoU on power supply to PH refinery

StarTimes invests N15bn in Nigeria –Chairman

JOHN UWE ABUJA

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and Genesis Electricity Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to bolster power supply to the Port Harcourt Refining Company in a bid to strengthen its production capacity.

The Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Andrew Yakubu stated during the signing ceremony at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, that the MoU would give PHRC a new lease of life and curb unstable power supply to the facility.

Yakubu applauded the Federal Government for its commit-

ment to addressing the power situation of the PHRC and assured government of its readiness to meet the ambitious target given to the Corporation in the petroleum sector.

“We all know that power is strategic to all our operations and with this lengthy and conscientious agreement with an indigenous company on electricity, I believe that PHRC power situation would further improve and impact positively on the product output of the PHRC,” Engr. Yakubu said.

According to him, this new model with the company would help the Corporation re-evaluate how to address power and utility challenges to the oil installations of the NNPC. He said, “We hope that this

arrangement will be a win-win situation and it will be a test case that will add value to our installations.”

Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Genesis Electricity Limited, Mr. Akinwole Omoboriowo, assured the management of the NNPC of its preparedness to deploy the best power technology in the world to PHRC and provide qualitative electric power supply to the plant.

PHRC has the mandate to provide efficient petroleum refining services primarily to the nation, at a minimum cost and the international market at competitive prices, while spearheading the development and production of specialized petroleum products.

ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

S

tarTimes Group has invested a sum of N15bn in the Pay TV industry since it came to Nigeria, says the Chairman of StarTimes Group, Mr Pang Xin Xing.

He also added that the company has paid more than N1.3bn tax revenue to appropriate Inland Revenue authorities as part of efforts to popularising the digital TV. Xing revealed this during the second year anniversary of the company and the launching of a mobile TV at Transcorp Hilton Abuja recently.

According to Xing “Up to now, we have invested near N15bn ($100mn) in this proj-

ect, developing around 800,000 subscribers and hiring 700 local staff. We have created more than N1.3bn tax revenue for the country and made our due contributions to the popularisation of digital TV and economic development in Nigeria.”

He said that in the past two years, with the vision of enabling every Nigerian household to afford and watch digital TV, NTA-STAR has already set up the DTT network in nine region, including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Benin, Kaduna, Onitsha and Asaba, offering clear and rich digital TV programmes to Nigerian people at affordable price and providing digital TV transmission service for national TV station and private TV stations.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

35

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Energy Week

udemea@rocketmail.com 07031546994

An oil rig in Nigeria

Stakeholders make case for new investment, increase in oil reserves As the nation continues to witness significant drop in its oil reserves, stakeholders have expressed concerns on how the situation can be addressed. UDEME AKPAN reports that the situation would not witness much change until the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), is passed into law.

M

any people are getting worried about the depleting nature of oil.

One of them is a Texas-based Investment banker, Mr. Mathew Simmons. In his famous book, Twilight in the Desert: the Coming Saudi Oil Shock, Simmons documented concrete evidences to illustrate that Saudi Arabian oil reserves, estimated at 267 billion barrels are at the verge of steep decline.

Specifically, Simmons made it emphatic that, “Saudi Arabian oil production is at or very near its peak sustainable volume (if it did not, in fact peak almost 25 years ago), and is likely to go into decline in the foreseeable future. There is only a small probability that Saudi Arabia will ever deliver the quantities of petroleum that are assigned to it in all the major forecasts of world oil production and consumption.”

He utilises his experiences and over 200 reports about Saudi petroleum industry to tell the untold story. The lessons to be learnt are not relevant to Saudi Arabia alone.

They are also important to other nations, especially Nigeria, whose total estimated reserves are by far less than that of Saudi Arabia, and indeed some other major producing and exporting nations.

Commenting on the development, the Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of Environmental Engineering and Science

and Professor of Earth Science at the UniUni versity of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA, Professor Hilary Inyang stated that, “Oil producing nations, including Nigeria should know and make concrete strategies and plans to sustain petroleum exploration and production in short, medium and long term. This will enable them to attract significant investment required to make new finds and build additional reserves for future production.”

Inyang, who agreed that oil is an important depleting resource which could easily be exhausted if efforts are made to sustain continuous operations, remarked that it is also important to plan and mitigate the negative fallouts of petroleum operations.

However, available facts and figures show that these have not been the case in Nigeria. For instance, most of the nation’s petroleum laws, made in the 1960s and 1970s

have since become outdated. outdated Consequently, they have become unattractive to many investors and potential investors.

Evidence abounds to illustrate that many indigenous and foreign investors have gone to invest in other nations that appear to be relatively attractive than Nigeria. The deployment of massive resources to other economies, including Ghana, Algeria and Equatorial Guinea have impacted negatively on the nation’s petroleum industry, and by extension economy of the nation.

For instance, investigations showed that only a few rigs still operate in the nation’s onshore and offshore. Rigs count is a major factor globally used to examine the activeness of nations in exploration and production activities. While nations with many active rigs are judged to be investing much of their resources to boost exploration, oth-

THERE ARE EVEN STRONG INDICATIONS THAT THE RESERVES WOULD WITNESS FURTHER DROP

IN THE COMING MONTHS, PARTICULARLY AS THE

NATION’S DAILY OIL PRODUCTION HAS INCREASED FROM THE PREVIOUS LEVEL TO BARRELS

2.7 MILLION

ers with a few rigs are often perceived as not doing much in terms of investment.

From all indications, the low investment has started to impact negatively on the nation. For instance, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has already confirmed a significant drop in the nation’s oil reserves from 37.2 billion barrels to 36.5 billion barrels (bpd), showing a depletion of 500 million barrels in the past few months. The declining reserves is attributed to continuous production of about 2.5 million barrels per day without significant investment which could have culminated in the making of new oil and gas finds and increased reserves.

Perhaps, the last has not yet been seen.

There are even strong indications that the reserves would witness further drop in the coming months, particularly as the nation’s daily oil production has increased from the previous level to 2.7 million barrels. The explanation is that the more we produce without the making of new finds, the faster the depletion rate of the nation would continue to be. The Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Andrew Yakubu who confirmed the development, attributed it to improved security measures which the Federal Government has put in place to encourage increased petroleum activities in the in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

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Energy Week

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stakeholders make case for new investment, increase in oil reserves

Jonathan

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Niger Delta region.

Prior to the decline, available data showed that the reserves had remained stagnant for almost 11 years. The data showed that as at January 2011, the country’s reserves stood at 31.219 billion barrels for oil; 5.314 billion barrels for condensate; amounting to a total of 36.6 billion bpd.

Despite low investment, the DPR is said to have issued seven seismic acquisition permits which resulted in the acquisition a total of 2,158.510sqkm of 3D, and 293.160km 2D of seismic data in 2011.

During the period, the DPR also issued 38 rig licenses, leading to the drilling of three exploratory and 93 development wells during the period. The Department which described activities as limited in nature, attributed the development to the failure of the nation to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (BIP), into law, a major factor which discouraged many investors from staking

Alison-Madueke

Sunmonu

IT IS COGENT AND IMPERATIVE THAT THE

PIB IS PASSED INTO LAW BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BECAUSE NON-PASSAGE OF THE PIB IS IMPACTING NEGATIVELY ON THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY their resources in the industry.

The PIB has remained in the drawing for too long, thereby forcing investors to either hold onto their investments or take them to other nations. He implored the committee whose members were in Lagos as part of their oversight functions to inspect some installations, en-gage with stakeholders and make inputs into the operations of the industry to assist in ensuring that the bill is passed into law.

This has attracted the comments of many people. For instance, the Managing

Partner of Chancery and Associates, Mr. Emeka Okwuosa observed that the delay of the bill has already impacted negatively on the nation. He recalled that the PIB was an executive bill conceived and introduced by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to address the myriad of problems bedeviling the oil and gas industry and to create a one stop, comprehensive, robust, accountable and transparent oil and gas industry for the benefit of all stakeholders including investors.

Okwuosa said that in September 2007,

Electricity supply peaks at 4,237mw JOHN UWE

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lectricity supply in the nation has hit a peak capacity of 4,237 megawatts (mw). The supply, excluding spinning reserves, is the highest to be supplied in recent times.

Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, announced the cheery news to his Ministry’s directors yesterday in Abuja.

He attributed the sharp increase to gas availability and praised the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) and the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, for delivering on the promise to supply gas to the thermal plants.

He said, “Gas is coming up gradually and when fully stabilised, we can easily hit 5,000mw.”

Nnaji said that although water levels have also improved at the dams, hydro

Power transformer

power plant managers at Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro are operating a management system designed to ensure that there is water for power all year round.

“We can have more (power) if we decide to use what is available at Shiroro, for example, but we do not want to do that,” he said.

The minister said he was also pleased that the transmission backbone has been able to wheel the power produced effortlessly.

When President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office in May, 2010, the quantum of power generated in Nigeria was about 2,800MW. The figure spiked by 1,000mw within one year, mostly through recoveries from existing plant capacities. By January 2012, the generation capacity peaked to about 4,100mw.

The minister had in April assured that

there would be considerable improvement in power supply from the end of July 2012 because of the scheduled increase in natural gas supply from the Nigerian Gas Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and in the volume of water at the lakes in the nation’s three hydro power stations at Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba.

Investigation showed that the increased supply is partly as a result of improved transmission. The government recently announced the engagement of Manitoba Hydro International of Canada as managing contractor of the transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Nnaji who confirmed the development through his Special Assistant, Mr. Ogbuagu Anikwe said, “The the measure is targeted at eliminating unnecessary system breakdown and other challenges, some of which are made in the sector.”

He said, “Specifically, it aims at injecting technical and managerial capacity in line with global best practices to boost transmission on a sustainable basis to consumers. If there is improved transmission, consumers will experience improved supply as unnecessary losses would have been eliminated.”

The transmission company presently performs the functions of Market Operator (MO), System Operator (SO), and Transmission Service Provider (TSP).

But the contractor would prepare it to perform slightly different roles in the coming months.

Olorunshola

the Yar’adua administration inaugurated the Oil and Gas Reform Implementation Committee (OGIC). Based on the report of the OGIC, the Yar’adua administration in December 2008, forwarded the PIB to the National Assembly. The managing partner who observed that the sixth National Assembly wound up its legislative tenure without passing the PIB was pleased that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration re-introduced it to seventh National Assembly.

As he puts it, “suffice to state at this juncture, that the National Assembly will ultimately do the right thing and hopefully pass the PIB this time around with appropriate amendments if need be, in order to finally end the impasse. The Federal Government has set up a committee to fast track the passage of the PIB and the National Assembly has earmarked the PIB as a Priority Legislation. It is therefore, time to walk the talk. Critically, it is cogent and imperative that the PIB is passed into law by the National Assembly because nonpassage of the PIB is impacting negatively on the Nigerian economy.”

However, hope is not completely lost as Jonathan has sent the PIB to the National Assembly. Displaying the authentic copy of the PIB, she said the soft copy version of the document would be avail-able on the website of the Petroleum Ministry yesterday evening.

The lawmakers are expected to start fresh work on it. But the PIB may not be passed into law this year as previously speculated in many quarters. Some say, it may be next year while some believe it would be 2014.

Despite the delay, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, believes that the nation’s oil reserve could grow to 40 billion barrels by 2020 with daily production capacity of four million barrels. The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, who represented her at the threeday annual conference and exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), in Lagos highlighted the strategies to be implemented in order to achieve growth in the nation’s economy.

The minister made it clear that the Nigerian deep and shallow waters have the capacity to increase the productivity level, explaining that the areas are targeted to generate additional one million barrel per day within the next few years. She added that it would also contribute to the CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Week

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

37

Price of OPEC basket rises to $104.46 per barrel, boosts 2012 budget UDEME AKPAN WITH AGENCY REPORT

T

he hope for successful execution of the nation’s brightens as the prices of Bonny light and other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) basket of 12 crudes rise from $103.07 to $104.46 per barrel over the weekend.

The continued rise in price was attributed to increased demand and firm supply. The present price showed over $32 in excess of the 2012 budget reference price of $72 per barrel, meaning that the government and other governments may be in a position to generate adequate foreign exchange for the execution of their yearly budgets.

The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

A survey of oil markets, including London market showed that prices may continue to rise in the coming months, particularly because of speculation.

Bloomberg that confirmed the development stated that, “Oil rebounded from the lowest close in almost three weeks in New York before a report that may show hiring in the U.S. increased.

Futures rose as much as 0.9 percent, trimming a second weekly decline. Employers probably added 100,000 workers in July after an 80,000 gain in June.”

The agency stated that, “Tropical Storm Ernesto may develop into a Category 1 hurricane, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Oil fell 2 percent yesterday after the European Central Bank failed to assure investors it was ready to take immediate steps to support the economy.

It maintained that, “Oil for September delivery increased as much as 81 cents to $87.94 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $87.89 at 3:07 p.m.

Singapore time. The contract yesterday fell $1.78 to $87.13, the lowest close since July 13. Prices are 2.5 percent lower this week and down 11 percent this year.”

The agency stated that, Brent crude

Yakubu

for September settlement gained 87 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $106.77 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The European benchmark’s premium to West Texas Intermediate was at $18.87. It closed yesterday at $18.77, the widest gap since May 16.

“The spread reflects strength in the Brent market, not the weakness in WTI. Brent is being supported by geopolitical factors and also the fact that worldwide refinery runs should increase as we go through the fourth quarter,” Nunan said.

“I expect the Brent-WTI spread to remain wide.”

Crude shipments from Iran, the thirdlargest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, have plunged by 1.2 million barrels a day, or 52 percent, since the latest sanctions aimed at dissuading the country’s nuclear program began July 1, this year.

Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign-policy chief, spoke with Iran’s top nuclear negotiator and failed to set a specific date for the next round of talks aimed at pressuring the country to give up elements of its nuclear program. The two officials agreed to talk again “after further reflection at the end of the month,” according to an e-mailed statement yesterday from Ashton’s office.

Oil in New York has technical resistance around $90 a barrel, along a downwardsloping trend line on the daily chart going back three months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Price advances the past two weeks have stalled near this line. Sell orders tend to be clustered near chart- resistance levels.

Ernesto, the fifth named weather sys-

tem of the Atlantic season, developed east of the Lesser Antilles, prompting storm warnings for islands including Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe. Top winds remained at 50 miles, according to a hurricane center advisory today. It’s about 35 miles north- northwest of Barbados and moving west at 23 mph.

It’s too early to say if the storm’s track will lead it into the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf is home to 6.5 percent of U.S. natural gas output, 29 percent of oil production and 40 percent of refining capacity, according to the Energy Department. In June, Tropical Storm Debby’s threat to the Gulf pushed New York natural gas futures to a one-month high as about 35 percent of the region’s output was shut.

Analysts and traders surveyed by Bloomberg News were split over the direction of oil prices next week after central banks failed to bolster stimulus and Tropical Storm Ernesto developed.

Thirteen of 33 forecasters, or 39 percent, estimated crude will drop through Aug. 10. Another 13 respondents predicted that futures will increase and seven said there will be little change.

Stakeholders make case for investment, increase in oil reserves CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 global supply of oil and gas, if it could be achieved before year 2020.

The minister said that these had made Nigeria the high supplier of crude oil, adding that the opportunity should be used to increase the country’s production capacity. Alison-Madueke said that if the oil and gas sector is further exploited, “it shall provide the much needed increase in revenue, employment generation for our youths and further increase in the growth of other sectors of the Nigerian economy”.

These and other great expectations should not be delayed anymore. The National Assembly and other stakeholders should swing into action immediately.

This aims at ensuring that the nation’s PIB, which has been on the drawing board for a long time becomes a reality during the tenure of the present administration so that the next would not have the need to start all over again.

Source: Bloomberg

Energy & Oil Prices OIL ($/bbl) Nymex Crude Future Dated Brent Spot WTI Cushing Spot

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

92.62 110.67 92.20

0.42 0.60 0.80

0.46% 0.55% 0.88%

07:48 08:00 08/06

OIL (¢/gal) Nymex Heating Oil Future Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

296.08 294.51

1.99 2.29

0.68% 0.78%

07:48 07:47

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

2.94 2.90 3.12

0.03 -0.03 0.01

0.93% -1.02% 0.32%

07:49 08/06 08/06

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

33.69 47.81 45.00

5.57 8.97 4.81

19.81% 23.09% 11.97%

08/06 08/06 08/06

NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu) Nymex Henry Hub Future Henry Hub Spot New York City Gate Spot

ELECTRICITY ($/megawatt hour) Mid-Columbia, firm on-peak, spot Palo Verde, firm on-peak, spot BLOOMBERG, FIRM ON-PEAK, DAY AHEAD SPOT/ERCOT HOUSTON

Source: Oilprice.com

EITI endorses NEITI oil report

T

he Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), has endorsed the report of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Initiative (NEITI) on Nigeria’s oil industry.

The EITI stated that, “As Nigeria EITI (NEITI) marks its 10th year of EITI reporting, they report dramatic increases in Nigerian government take since the establishment of NEITI.” It maintained that the recent publication 10 years of NEITI reports - What have we learnt” stated that since the creation of NEITI in 2004, the average government take has jumped from 63 per cent to 75 per cent annually without any major change in the tax regime or revenue collection procedures.

Without this increase, the government would have received US$9 billion less revenues in 2008 (US$49 billion against US$58 billion). In addition, the companies have reported about twice as much income per year as they did before the creation of the NEITI. The initiative stated that, “The NEITI reports have produced a wealth of information on the oil sector, very little of which was previously available.”

38

Energy Week

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Facts about Oil How many gallons of oil are there in a barrel?

42 US gallons (35 imperial gallons), or 159 litres.

How many barrels of oil are produced and consumed a day?

As of 2011, approximately 89 million barrels of oil and liquid fuels were consumed per day worldwide. That works out to nearly 32 billion barrels a year.

What is crude oil?

Crude oil is a mineral oil consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons of natural origin and associated impurities, such as sulphur. It exists in liquid form under normal surface temperatures and pressure. Its physical characteristics (for example, density) are highly variable.

Where is the bulk of oil demand growth going to come from?

In the next five years, almost half of global oil demand growth will come from China, and this trend is set to continue to 2035, as oil demand from the transportation sector is growing strongly in countries such as China and India. In contrast, oil demand among OECD countries is expected to decline over the next two decades, driven mostly by government policies on fuel efficiency and the fact that rates of vehicle ownership are already high.

What is the difference between conventional and unconventional oil?

Conventional oil is a category of oil that includes crude oil and natural gas liquids and condensate liquids, which are extracted from natural gas production.

Crude oil production in 2011 stood at approximately 70 million barrels per day. Unconventional oil consists of a wider variety of liquid sources including oil sands, extra heavy oil, gas to liquids and other liquids. In general conventional oil is easier and cheaper to produce than unconventional oil. However, the categories “conventional” and “unconventional” do not remain fixed, and over time, as economic and technological conditions evolve, resources hitherto considered unconventional can migrate into the conventional category.

What is peak oil?

Peak oil can mean different things to different people. Some see it as the potential result of economies maturing and deploying more energy-efficient and diverse fuel technologies, meaning that year-on-year growth in world oil demand may level off. Others see it as the maximum possible annual rate of extraction of conventional crude oil, due either to physical resource constraints or above-ground political, economic

or logistical factors. While others insist that since the definition of what constitutes conventional oil is constantly changing, total producible liquid fuels is what should be looked at.

Where does the IEA stand in the peak oil argument?

Our analysis suggests there are ample physical oil and liquid fuel resources for the foreseeable future. However, the rate at which new supplies can be developed and the break-even prices for those new supplies are changing.

Global oil production levels are also dependent on the production policy of OPEC, which holds between one and six million barrels per day of spare capacity in reserve. Declining oil production in any given year can occur for one of several reasons unrelated to peak production, including OPEC production decisions, unplanned field stoppages and the impact of earlier investment decisions by the oil industry. A combination of sustained high prices and energy policies aimed at greater end-use efficiency and diversification in energy supplies might actually mean that peak oil demand occurs in the future before the resource base is anything like exhausted.

Does the IEA analyse the oil market?

Yes. The IEA constantly analyses and monitors short-, mediumand longer-term developments on the international oil market to help member governments anticipate and respond promptly and effectively to changes in market conditions, notably in the event of major oil supply disruptions. The IEA prepares current oil market assessments from information submitted by IEA member governments, international oil companies and others.

Issues covered include: oil exploration and production developments; supply, demand, price and refining trends; OECD stocks; and international trade in crude and products. The IEA makes much of this benchmark analysis available to governments, industry and the public in its monthly Oil Market Report and offers a look forward over the next five years in the annual Medium-Term Oil Market Report. The longer-term analysis, currently out to 2035, is included in the annual World Energy Outlook (WEO), which looks at perspectives for all fuels, sectors and countries; it includes detailed projections and analysis of oil supply, demand, trade and investment under different policy scenarios, as well as in-depth outlooks for major oil producers such as Russia (in the WEO-2011 edition) and Iraq (in the forthcoming WEO-2012).

Source: IEA

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

New oil law to grow competent indigenous CHINEDUM EMEANA PORT HARCOURT

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he provisions of the Petroleum Industry Bill, when it eventually becomes law will ensure that competent indigenous companies will enjoy higher participation in the country’s oil sector. Thus, guaranteeing growth, according to Engineer Dondo Ahire, managing director of Lonestar Drilling Nigeria Limited.

The Lonestar boss who spoke in Port Harcourt while responding to National Mirror queried the import of the

Nwapa

PIB for Nigerian firms operating in the oil and gas industry, stressed that the PIB holds

Conoil acquires aviation fuel bowsers

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major oil firm, Conoil Plc has acquired two new aviation fuel bowsers, thus getting set to strengthen its position in the aviation sub-sector of the downstream industry.

According to the company, the bowsers are meant to significantly improve fueling requirements of aeroplanes, on real-time basis, with a view to guaranteeing better operations and flight take-off time to the delight of air fliers.

The bowsers, powered by MANDiesel engines, come with the latest technology in Jet A1 delivery equipment, with safety and environmentally-friendly features.

The firm said in a statement that, “Conoil’s acquisition of the bowsers has significantly increased its bowser fleet and the capacity to service its ever-growing clientele.”

Industry experts said, the bowsers are built in accordance with the latest Energy Institute (EI) and the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) standards. Conoil, a strategic partner of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), is determined to increase its market share of the Nigerian aviation fuel business from 30per cent achieved last year, to 40percent this year through increased sales volume.

As part of efforts to deliver improved financial performance in line with its set business target,

Adenuga

the company said it has secured multi-million naira contracts to supply Jet A1 to Cargolux, a major player in global cargo industry based in Luxemburg, Singapore Cargo Airline, one of the biggest cargo airlines in the world, and seven fuel vendors from the US, Europe and United Arab Emirate.

The company remains the trail blazer in the sector, with an enviable comparative advantage in terms of superior quality control system, well-trained fuelling operators, round-the-clock engineering and maintenance support as well as prompt, efficient service.

Conoil has undergone transformation since inception: growing from Nigeria’s number one marketer to becoming a formidable force in the region, offering employment opportunities to hundreds and continually improving on our capacity to delight customers wherever they are Conoil Plc began operations in 1927 under the name Shell Company of Nigeria (SCN) and later Shell Company of West Africa.

It was incorporated as a private limited liability company in 1960 and registered with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), as a public liability company in 1989.

In April 1975, the Federal Government of Nigeria acquired 60 percent shares of the company through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and the company became known as National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company (NOLCHEM). In the year 2000, the Federal Government, through the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), bought 40per cent issued ordinary shares of the company held by Shell Company of Nigeria (UK) Limited.

Following the privatisation of the company, Conpetro Limited acquired 60 per cent of the issued shares and as a result of a rights issue made by the company in 2002, Conpetro now holds 74.4 per cent of the issued capital; while the Nigerian public holds the remaining 25.6 per cent.

a lot of promises for indigenous companies operating in the production side of the upstream sector of the hydrocarbon industry because it will ensure that they have access to more contracts.

“The PIB holds a lot of promise for the indigenous firm because there will be much higher participation for them if the PIB is implemented,” he said, pointing out that the legislation will boost local firms who said are already doing well in the production side of the upstream sector.

But, explained that the only indigenous firms that will ben-

PIB may be passed

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he nation’s petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), may be passed into law next year as lawmakers may not be able to complete the processes involved in the remaining part of this year.

Reuters that confirmed the development stated that, “Nigeria’s landmark energy bill could revive Africa’s biggest oil industry and improve President Goodluck Jonathan’s reputation, but rebellious lawmakers will seriously test his resolve to push it through in its present form.”

It maintained that, “The PIB Mark would bring root and branch reform to an industry that produces 80 percent of government revenues but has been plagued by corruption and mismanagement for decades. The bill has been stuck in parliament for more than five years, casting a cloud of regulatory uncertainty over the sector and driving billions of dollars of investment away to rival oil producing nations. If the uncertainty is left unresolved, oil revenues could soon start falling.”

The agency stated that, “The wide-ranging bill would change working terms for oil majors like Shell and Exxon and partly privatise the national oil firm, but has been held up as government and oil firms argued over terms.”

It recognised the nation to be among the world’s top ten oil exporters and a key supplier to the United States, China and Europe because its light, sweet crude is ideal for making motor fuel. The agency stated that, “The nation is endowed with the world’s seventh-largest gas reserves and has more proven oil in the ground than the rest of sub-Saharan Africa combined.”

The agency stated that, “If Jonathan can pass the bill, it could help restore a presidency battered by an Islamist insur-

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firms –Lonestar boss efit from the PIB are those who are competent and develop themselves.

“Nigerian companies are doing well in the operating side, in the production side of the upstream so with the PIB implementation, more contracts as well will be guaranteed for indigenous companies, so any indigenous company that develop themselves and show competence will grow. They will benefit from patronage.

The PIB It is very good”, he said.

Meanwhile, Ahire has cautioned the country against promoting false values and

corruption and unhealthy dependence on oil and focus on investing to development of our capacity because oil may lose its monetary value in a few years and the country will be stranded, “False values and corruption are endemic in the society; as a country, this is not sustainable we need to change otherwise the whole nation is threatened, if we continue this way the whole nation is threatened. In another 50 years oil will not be this important and if we don’t investment now and develop our country then we are doomed”, he added.

into law next year –Industry

gency in the north, an abortive attempt to remove a popular fuel subsidy and a raft of corruption scandals, since he won an election last year.”

It quoted an analyst, Roddy Barclay as stating that, “As a president who came to power with a landmark reform agenda, the passage and implementation of the PIB will provide a key gauge of Jonathan’s performance in office.”

“Having suffered numerous damaging public setbacks in recent months, making headway on this key piece of legislation would go some way to restoring his international standing.”

Jonathan’s endorsement of the bill gives it a better chance of passing than previous versions, but his increasingly tense relationship with parliament means he is likely to have to concede ground or face embarrassing delays.

Parliament returns from recess to debate the PIB in midSeptember but several lawmakers have told Reuters that the PIB won’t get an easy ride and they intend on making major changes.

“We will not be subjected to pressure to pass the PIB. It will not get a speedy passage but a thorough passage,” Zakari Mo-

Energy Week

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

hammed, spokesman for the lower house, told Reuters.

Jonathan’s team had made it clear they are expecting a swift passage of a draft he has signed off on.

The president and his close ally Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke will be given greater powers in the latest draft, which is likely to be a sticking point with many lawmakers who believe the executive arm of government is already too dominant.

“We’ve seen the powers given to the oil minister in the PIB and there is no way we’re going to allow our heritage to be handed over to any individual,” one member of the House of Representatives told Reuters, asking not to be named.

Relations between parliament and Jonathan’s administration have soured this year, as rows flared up over the budget and several parliamentary probes into oil corruption.

“We want this to pass and it will, but not just the way the president and the oil minister want. No way,” the lawmaker said.

There is however always the possibility lawmakers could improve transparency in the bill, which analysts say falls far short of what was hoped.

Besides giving powers to the oil minister, Jonathan’s committee also added a clause that would allow the president to give oil licenses out at his own discretion; a backward step parliament is likely to reverse.

“This unfavourable sentiment towards the president and oil minister may actually be positive towards giving Nigeria a reasonably acceptable PIB,” Clement Nwankwo, director at the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre in Abuja, said.

39

Bonny Light, others face high demand STORIES: UDEME AKPAN

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he prices of Bonny light, Nigeria’s premium oil grade and other West African crude oil grades have risen because of high demand at the international oil market.

The situation is said to also be fuelled by tight supplies of light, sweet grades combined with fairly strong demand into Asia and from western refiners.

Reuters that confirmed the development documented that, “Only 10 cargoes of benchmark Qua Iboe crude are due to load in September in Nigeria’s total programme of 62 cargoes loading an average of 1.84 million barrels per day (bpd). This compares with 12 cargoes of Qua Iboe in August in a programme of 74 cargoes loading 2.03 million bpd.”

The agency stated that, Asian demand has steadied over the last few weeks, and purchase tenders by Indian refiners have been steady. Two large tenders for light, sweet crudes were open on Monday and were expected to take up to half a dozen cargoes of Nigerian grades.

It quoted a trader as stating that, “The market is definitely stronger.” The agency said Qua Iboe holders have raised asking levels to around dated

Brent plus $1.80 and have been finding buying interest around dated plus $1.50 to plus $1.60.

Mercuria and Vitol were both said to be holding endSeptember cargoes of Qua Iboe, and up to three Sept. 1-15 cargoes were said to have been set aside for Indian tenders.

The agency stated that, “Two Bonny Light stems for September loading were reported to be available, one from Sahara, with values assessed at a little over dated Brent plus $1, possibly as high as dated plus $1.20. This has pushed the differential between Qua Iboe and Bonny Light to around 50-60 cents per barrel, one of the widest ranges seen for years, partly as a result of varying quality with Bonny Light.”

Oil vessel

NERC tasks Manitoba on power transmission

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n its bid to ensure a hitch-free management transition, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), met with the Managing Director of Manitoba Hydro International and representatives from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), at NERC headquarters. Earlier this year, after an exhaustive bidding process conducted by BPE, Manitoba Hydro International (a Canadian based company) was awarded the contract to manage the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) – one of the successor PHCN companies.

This was a critical milestone in the roadmap to power sector reform which is focused on privatization of the industry and the improvement of power supply in Nigeria.

The objective of the meeting was for NERC to ensure the management transition is effectively conducted and to review the terms and conditions of the contract in advance of Manitoba assuming operational control of TCN on July 30th. Manitoba is expected to transform TCN into a technically and financially efficient company during their three years contract during which they are mandated to develop the proficiency of TCN staff through training and capacity building programmes. Under the management of Manitoba, TCN is expected to effectively and reliably wheel power generated by

Almost all of the 49 Angolan crude cargoes scheduled to load in September were reported sold. Nemba: one cargo reported indicated as low as dated Brent minus $1.50 - a full 50 cents per barrel below previous offer levels. No sign of potential bids even at this lower level.

Indian Oil Corporation has open a tender for light, sweet crude oil grades loading Oct. 1-15, into which late September barrels may also be sold.

Grade offers for the tender were submitted by Friday, with price offers due by Aug. 6 and an award should be made on August 7, traders said. The Indian refiner had bought four cargoes of Nigerian crude for loading in September in its tender last week.

generation companies, to load centers. NERC stressed that under this new management, systems collapses in the power sector would be unacceptable in line with the terms of their contract. The Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi said it was in the Commission’s interest as regulator to ensure Manitoba fulfills its contractual obligations, stating that NERC expects a comprehensive management plan from Manitoba that includes a work plan, milestones and performance indicators.

In its role as industry regulator and consumer champion, NERC is committed to working closely with key industry stakeholders to ensure progress continues in the power sector and that Nigerians, in the near future, benefit from reliable and constant electricity supply.

Amadi

Solid mineral to reduce unemployment – Ubani The Abia Commissioner for Petroleum and Solid Minerals, Chief Don Ubani, said on Thursday that if fully harnessed, the solid mineral potential of the state could curb the menace of unemployment in the state.

Ubani made this known when he paid a familiarisation visit to Setraco Construction Company mining site at Ugwueke.

A statement issued by Mrs Maureen Dimkpa, the Public Relations Officer in the ministry, quoted Ubani as saying that Abia has more than 12 solid minerals including coal, gold, sharp sand among others.

The commissioner said the administration was ready to partner with genuine investors to explore and exploit the God-given resources to tackle the problem of unemployment among the youth.

He urged companies doing business in the area to embark on education endowment to develop the talents of youths.

Ubani also charged them to imbibe standard environmental and safety rules and as well live up to the agreement entered with host communities and government.

Responding, Mr Romanus Anaweokhai, commended the commissioner for the visit and enumerated various projects carried out in their host communities by the company.

40

Energy Week

NNPC/Chevron JV awards Post Graduate Scholarship to OAU Students The NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture has announced the award of 10 million Naira to ten post-graduate students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). The award is a tuition scholarship for their Professional Masters Degree Programme in the Department of Geology.

At the cheque presentation ceremony held at the Chevron office in Lagos, Supo Shadiya, Director, CNL/NNPC Joint Venture said; “The Professional Masters in Geo-sciences is a unique one because it is in partnership with the industry which brings to bear practical knowledge that enables students to participate and gain experience quickly.”

He said the company was very pleased to partner with the academia in improving the educational system in OAU and advised the awardees to make the best use of the opportunity. He noted that the process of select ion was very rigorous and the success of this initial scholarship programme would determine if it would be replicated by the company in other higher institutions.

Mrs. Femi Asubiojo, the University Librarian and the leader of the OAU delegation, who received the cheque and responded on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole, thanked the company for the sponsorship. She noted that the Professional Masters Degree Programme would allow the students contribute to the development of the country in their respective areas of specialization.

Similarly, Olatunbosun Olatundun, one of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of the scholars, thanked CNL for its contribution to human capacity development. She expressed her commitment and other beneficiaries to working hard to produce excellent results at the end of the programme.

NNPC, Genesis Electricity Sign MOU on power supply to PHRC The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Genesis Electricity Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to bolster power supply to the Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC, and strengthen its production capacity.

Speaking during the ceremony at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Engr. Andrew Yakubu stated that the MOU would give PHRC a new lease of life and curb unstable power supply to the facility.

Yakubu applauded the Federal Government for its commitment to addressing the power situation in PHRC and assured government of its readiness to meet the ambitious target given to the Corporation in the petroleum sector.

“We all know that power is strategic to all our operations and with this lengthy and conscientious agreement with an indigenous company on electricity, I believe that PHRC power situation would further improve and impact positively on the product output of the PHRC,” Yakubu asserted.

He expressed optimism that this new model with the company would help the Corporation re-evaluate how to address power and utility challenges to the oil installations of the NNPC.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

UDEME AKPAN

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he drilling of Okoro East field has raised hope for the making of additional oil, capable of sustaining commercial production. Afren confirmed that, “a side-track of the existing Okoro-5 well has encountered additional oil volumes in a previously un-swept area of the reservoir within the Okoro main field, offshore south east Nigeria.”

The firm stated that, “This follows the successful Okoro East well (Okoro-13) and subsequent well-test results in the first quarter of 2012, Afren and partner Amni International Petroleum Development Limited have started early drilling at the field.”

It maintained that, the Okoro-14 development well is being drilled from the existing Okoro main field Wellhead Platform with the intention of establishing initial production from Okoro East, located approximately 2km east of the Okoro main field, via the existing Okoro Floating Production Storage Offloading vessel.

Afren said Okoro-14 well is targeting a Tertiary aged reservoir within a new play that has been established in a deeper buried horst block structure. Oil quality at Okoro East is 38° to 40° API, and Pmean STOIIP 157 million barrels with upside to 329 million barrels Prior to spudding the Okoro-14 development well, Afren and Amni side-tracked the existing Okoro-5 production well on the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Afren oil drilling yields result Okoro main field. As part of the partners’ ongoing reservoir management and production optimisation work, the objective of the side-track well was to access additional oil volumes in a previously un-swept area of the reservoir within the Okoro main field area.

The Okoro-5 well was re-entered and side-tracked at a measured depth of 4,481 ft, and the side-track subsequently drilled to a total measured depth of 9,800 ft. The side-track successfully encountered oil pay in the target reservoir, in line with prognosis, and a 2,500 ft lateral drainage section within this pay zone has been bought on stream at a stabilised rate of 2,000 bpd.

Chief Executive of Afren, Osman Shahenshah said, “I am particularly delighted that we have started early development drilling at the Okoro East field, six months after the initial discovery. The Afren team has a demonstrable fast-track development capability and we are now creating tangible value and volume growth from our exploration campaign. Using existing infrastructure we expect an exceptional economic return from the early development wells.

Furthermore, the completion and commissioning of the side-track well is a further example of how we are successfully optimising production and maximising economic oil recovery at the core Okoro main field development which we first bought on stream

Okoro oil field

in 2008.”

The well was spudded on December 18, 2011 and reached a total measured depth of 8,751 ft measured depth (8,016 ft true vertical depth), with the Transocean Adriatic lX jack-up drilling rig. The well successfully encountered oil in Tertiary reservoir sands equivalent to those that have been developed and are in production at the Okoro main field, in addition to the deeper previously unexplored reservoirs.

The discovery of significant pay in the previously unexplored deeper zones opens up further prospectivity at similar levels on the main Okoro field and elsewhere on the block. Okoro East is in a similar structural setting to the Okoro main field with a fault sealed 3-way dip closure in Tertiary res-

Expert warns FG on Nuclear power development STANLEY IHEDIGBO

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he Federal Government has been tasked to be cautious in its moves to develop nuclear power to boost the nation’s energy mix, presently being dominated by petroleum.

The Duke energy Distinguished Professor of Environmental Engineering and Science, and Professor of earth Science at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, United States, Prof.

Hilary Inyang, said this is necessary because of the state of security in the nation.

He said there was a need for the nation to improve the state of security as one explosion of nuclear power plant could wipe out one quarter of a country. Inyang said government should not only be interested in establishing such plants but also consider some vital issues, especially measures that should be put in place to protect the general public.

Inyang, who spoke on, “Selecting Appropriate Energy Mix for Nigeria’s sustainable Development”, at the presentation of Fundamentals of Energy and Environmental Journalism, written

by National Mirror Newspaper, Energy Editor Mr. Udeme Ak-

Inyang

pan, in Lagos last weekend said the nation should also embark on enlightenment campaign to inform and educate its citizens on nuclear matters to ensure safety applications.

He added, “Nuclear power plant required a level of care that is very deep, you see we have many hazard associated with that, it is not something, some body that is involved cannot go to work late , is not something you will have inadequate protection , even from weather element and mishandling of many materials

that came out it.”

The Professor said, “some radioactive substances that are products of compulsion of nuclear fuel have tendencies to last in an environment for more than one thousand years, so they must be appropriate and adequate disposer methods for the waste that will comes out from the generation of the energy in that regard.”

Inyang said it would make sense to postpone nuclear initiatives until adequate actions and systems are put in place to guarantee utilisation of nuclear in

ervoir sands at equivalent intervals those already in production at the Okoro main field. In addition, the Okoro East (Okoro-13) well was targeting a deeper horst block structure, a play concept that had not been previously tested on the block. The prospect was mapped on good quality 3D seismic data.

In March, this year three drill stem tests were undertaken and completed. The purpose of the tests was to obtain fluid samples and pressure data in order to establish reservoir connectivity, heterogeneity and quantify permeability and porosity. The tests successfully confirmed a high quality 38° to 40° API oil, multi Darcy permeabilities and average porosity of between 30per cent to 35per cent, in the subject reservoirs. the nation. He said, ”where are the scientists that will hand the operations, where are the technicians, they have to be well trained , not only well trained in taking to overseas , but training should be indigenised into Nigeria circumstances”.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, who was represented by Deputy Director /Press Secretary to the Minister and Head, Press and Public Relation Unit, Mrs. Boade Akinola, reiterated the ministry’s commitment to make potable water available to the people in conjunction with the various levels of government and the private sector.

The Minister of Power Prof. Barth Nnaji, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ogbuagu Anikwe appealed to Nigerians to support their bid to bring stability in the power sector through its reforms.

The Editor of National Mirror, Mr Seyi Fasugba, who reviewed the book, said that the world is blessed with many energy and resources, which the exploration, production, utilisation of these and other resources have brought and would likely continue to be beneficial to the society.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Jeweller loses 11 diamonds in 15 months

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Florida jeweller says 11 diamonds have vanished from his store in Palm Beach over the past 15 months.

Christopher Kaufmann, owner of Le Salon, made five reports to Palm Beach police concerning either the theft or loss of the 11 diamonds at his store between September 2010 and the end of December, The Palm Beach Post reported Sunday.

Cocktail

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The missing diamonds had an estimated total worth of $127,875.

Kaufmann downplayed the losses.

“These things happen from time to time.

Mysterious disappearance happens to every jewellery store. Sometimes things get lost. It’s just amazing,” he said, adding that they were “insignificant losses.

Our business is a $25 million-a-year business.

It’s insignificant.”

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Medieval treasure found on Swedish island

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ore than 600 pieces of medieval silver coins have been unearthed on the Swedish island of Gotland, officials said.

The coins were discovered Monday as a landowner was moving soil on his property, The Local. se reported.

“This is an amazing find. It’s unbelievable that treasures of this scale exist here on Gotland,” Marie Louise Hellquist of Gotland’s County Administrative Board said.

Some 500 coins were found by the landowner

and about 150 more were found after archaeologists arrived on Wednesday.

Jewellery and a raw silver artifact, believed to be part of an ancient axe, have also been found at the site.

Hellquist said some of

the coins date to the year 1130.

Experts will examine the findings to determine what the treasure may be worth, Hellquist said, adding that she hopes the items will stay on the island in a museum.

Man battles airline via Facebook

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n Oregon man’s Facebook post about the alleged treatment of a disabled man by Alaska Airlines employees went viral, prompting a response from the airline.

Passenger Cameron Clark, a concert promoter from Bend, was so angered by what he called “the worst of humanity,” detailed what he witnessed at the Redmond Airport Friday on Facebook, KTVZ-TV reported.

Clark wrote: “standing in line at an @alaska

airlines ticket check in, in redmond oregon, i watched as a disabled/mentally and physically challenged couple were left standing in the front of a line by the ticket attendant ... who didn’t say a word- no “final call, redmond to seattle”-- no “if you are flying to seattle, it’s too late to make this flight,” etc-- nothing.”

In his post, Clark said multiple Alaska Airlines employees failed to give the man, who told Clark he had Parkinson’s disease, any extra assistance, causing him to miss a flight to see

his daughter in Bellingham.

The post went viral and public outcry prompted the airline to quickly rectify the situation.

Alaska Airlines wrote on its Facebook page Saturday that it refunded the disabled man’s ticket and was able to get him on a flight to a different location for him to meet up with his daughter.

Clark praised the airline for “doing the right thing” and said in his experience, the airline “has an outstanding track record.”

A lady wearing an odd fashion custom.

PHOTO: SESSIONMAGAZINE

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Executive Discourse

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sabre Awards has put Nigeria While the PR industry in Nigeria prepares for greater accomplishments in the global scene following the win by PR agency The Quadarant Company of Nigeria’s first Sabre/ Holmes Awards, the managing director, Mr. Bolaji Okusaga in this interview with ELLA OLAMIJU speaks on how the coveted award has repositioned PR practice in the country.

Effective Public Relations has been described as a necessary tool for business success, how true is this?

I would say is that every organization has a fundamental objective, which is to create value and that would happen via the root of profits. But in mirroring profit, organizations must relate with specific stakeholders, the number one being their customers. There are also other people like regulatory bodies, the society where they operate, the local communities, interest groups within those local communities who will be watch dogs for their operations, they also have an industry so they will always have industry counterparties, which they will need to relate with from time to time. There is also the larger market context beyond their customers. In trying to advance their objectives, every organization must be able to relate with all of these people I have mentioned. At the end of it all, the route through which that relationship will be fostered will be public relations. So in a sense, Public Relations will help them to manage the expectations of their stakeholders.. If they do this successfully well, their result will be profitable business and a higher return or share holder value.

How has The Quadrant Company as a foremost PR Consultancy agency fared over the years and what role has it played as a pioneer agency in the industry?

There were other agencies like Rod publicity and all of that but in terms of being full service, this is the first full service public relations agency in Nigeria. This means we are not just offering petty services, we are offering supermarket services where you can slice and dice based on your requirements because the field of public relations is very broad. The Quadrant Company is also the first to begin to drum up best practice by first signing on an international affiliation in this field, nobody did it before us. We signed on the GCI Platform, and when we found out we were not getting value, we then signed on Fleishman Hillard, we have over the years strove to amplify our offerings using the roots of best practice.

Besides that, in the last 22 yrs that we have been in operation, The Quadrant Company has consistently worked with best in class clients who really understand what public relations is all about, the likes of British American Tobacco of Nigeria (BATN), starting first by working on the product lines and now the corporate side of the business; British Airways (BA); DHL; Nokia; signing

on the first GSM company in Nigeria and then going on to work for that same GSM company for over 9 years making us the most experienced of such agencies. In terms of working for fast moving consumer business, we launched the United Foods in this market; we came up with the idea of the Gulder Ultimate Search which is still currently on and all of that. So I think we have been the first to set the pace within this industry.

What again have The Quadrant Company have done in terms of manpower is that we have produced over half of the skilled manpower in this industry, not with the fact that our first GM, Phil Osagie founded JSP. Other guys who have worked with us in years past, are out there plying the trade and still flying the flag even though they are no longer with us. So I would reckon that the founders of this company have actually thought it through very well by employing the right people to work here and of course in return the company have also delivered a number of first within this industry and it’s still not tired because recently we also still won an international award, the first of its type in Nigeria.

Yes, the agency made a loud statement in the global community with the Holmes SABRE awards, how has this repositioned the agency and Nigerian PR industry in global minds?

When we went to pick the award in Brussels, I went with our Troyka chairman, Mr. Biodun Shobanjo, not only was it an eye opener to us as practitioners within this environment that unfortunately for our practice before then we were not on the global map. It is interesting to note that in that hall there would have been over 1000 people and I think there were only three black men, one from an agency in Kenya and two from The Quadrant Company from Nigeria in that room. Before now the South Africans and Kenyans had dominated the African consultancy category of several awards under the SABRE cable and it was very important to know that we were doing this with a Nigerian company in over 10years of the existence of Holmes SABRE awards. What this has done is that it has finally put Nigeria on the global map, because we find a lot people now saying they want Nigeria to play a more active role in International Communications Agency (ICA) umbrella. A lot of people are now saying, so we have been doing great work outside Nigeria and a lot of us have not been putting in entries. Sometime in October this year, there will be a global PR summit in United States which will involve

Okusaga

BEFORE NOW, THE SOUTH AFRICANS AND KENYANS HAD DOMINATED THE AFRICAN CONSULTANCY CATEGORY OF SEVERAL AWARDS UNDER THE

SABRE CABLE AND IT WAS VERY

IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE WERE DOING

NIGERIAN COMPANY IN OVER 10YEARS OF THE EXISTENCE OF HOLMES SABRE AWARDS

THIS WITH A

4500 companies and this will also open us up as a Nigerian company and also flag bearer for our industry. What that will do is that when investors are thinking of coming to Nigeria, they know that our PR services are not only robust but is at par with whatever services they are getting anywhere else in the world, that is what the SABRE awards have done for us.

Why has it taken so long for Nigeria to win the Sabre/Holmes award?

I think it is about us being timid and

not being audacious about some of the good works that has come out from us, because I think the guys have been on our tail asking us to put in entries for well over 5 years but we never just found any entry good enough from our own perspective that could go in and be world beater. Therefore, we never participated, but sometime last year, it dawned on us that we had done some good work and we had made some audacious statements at industry level and so we should felt free to go out there and see how it compares with our peers at

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Executive Discourse

43

on the global map –Okusaga THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CLEAR CUT DISTINCTION BETWEEN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND JOURNALISM PRACTICE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

IN ADVANCED COUNTRIES, THAT IS NOT THE CASE, ANY JOURNALIST WISHING TO DO A CAREER SWITCH WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RIGOURS OF TRAINING

least if not on the globe but on the continent of Africa. We did and the result is the prize. We entered for five categories and we got nominated in five categories winning the major one. The Quadrant Company is the only company that got nominated in five categories. We expect that next year, more Nigerian companies will put in entries and hopefully, Nigeria would not just be a dot on that map but a star.

There is the nagging issue that professionals who know their onions are not many, hence a resultant sub-standard PR practice in the country what do you have to say to this?

Certainly that is one dark spot. Not only has the regulation failed, professionals themselves have failed to actually have a very good filtering process that will define this industry as that which is headed for excellence. What has happened is that there has not been a clear cut distinction between public relations and journalism practice in this environment. In advanced countries, that is not the case, any journalist wishing to do a career switch will have to still go through the rigours of train-

ing such that he will then be certified at the end of the day. There would be a certification process which will then qualify such a person. Same applies to the medical practice, you would have to do a houseman ship under a very reputable hospital then possibly practice for a while then do a residency programme before anybody can define you as a specialist. We have not been able to standardise that in this industry not because there are no rules. It will be because there is no will to enforce those rules. So, I would reckon that if only there could be the will, at industry level, who would enforce those rules then we would raise the bar in our industry and of course begin to get professional and national prominence. A situation where the minister of information is not a communication professional is sad, you would never have an attorney-general who is not a lawyer neither would you have a health minister who is not a doctor or pharmacist. The truth of the matter is that in our own situation, we do not have the ploy, in terms of having the wills to enforce the rules because we are indeed chartered so there is a rule guarding practice within this industry.

But how far have we gone in enforcing that rule, even the government itself that set the rules are not obeying the rules so how do you then begin to justify this.

What should Public Relations entail?

The truth of the matter is that public relations is a strict business discipline which seeks to help to achieve corporate or product or personality objectives using systematised processes which can be measured and optimised. And being a strict business discipline, it requires professionalism in order to be able to operate on certain specific skills in area of relating with people, in order to foster certain objectives and be able to mea-

sure the impact of their activity when sold on. Therefore, when people say they are public relations professionals, it still comes back to this whole issue of low barrier entry into the profession vis-a-vis standards, but we would imagine there is a regulatory process; there is a certification and professional process which would sieve the wheat from the chaff.

How is the public relations industry in Nigeria regulated and what level of enforcement has been carried out to bring sanity to the industry?

You have got to create the regulatory framework that would define the standards, and then there will be certification process which will define the standards. You need to have training and retraining from time to time. Is there a licensing process, if yes, then people

should be licensed to practice as opposed to the fact that you are not licensed. A whole lot will depend on the stakeholders within the industry insisting that there has to be strict regulations, high standards and a thorough certification process that enables those standards adhered to. In practice, there would have to be licensing which would be based on if you have been certified for years and you have not practiced for years you would have to go back and do a refresher because things consistently change. These are some of my suggestions of how we can bring back sanity into our profession.

Would you say we need, branding, rebranding or reformation in Nigeria?

I would say is we need a renewal first. We need to define for instance, what our intrinsic values are. Having a nation that is 50 years old, we are still extractors of raw materials not producers. Even the crude that is supposed to be a competitive advantage, we are not able to refine and stick to other competitive advantage. How does it then account for so much in our GDP? In terms of governance, what have we done with governance? At the levels of representation, what are our representatives doing? Sad and sorry stories of corruption on a daily basis. That for me would call for a renewal. Then once that is done we can then begin to say, of course, we have something that is sellable. Let us go out there and look for the guys who are certified in the sales and marketing process such that we can then have a virile and attractive nation brand that will hold out its own among other brands. That, I think is the route to travel.

44

Global Business

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Italy economy shrinks for a fourth quarter as slump deepens

I

taly’s economy contracted for a fourth straight quarter in the three months through June as manufacturing slumped and the euroarea debt crisis intensified.

Gross Domestic Product declined 0.7 percent in the second quarter, Rome-based national statistics institute Istat said in a preliminary report today. The contraction was less than the median forecast for a 0.8 percent decline in a survey of 22 economists

by Bloomberg News. GDP fell 2.5 percent from a year earlier, the most since the final quarter of 2009.

Prime Minister Mario Monti’s government is implementing 20 billion euros ($25 billion) in austerity measures that have curtailed consumer spending and prompted Italy’s largest manufacturer, Fiat SpA (F), to curb investment. Industrial output declined more than forecast in June, Istat said in a separate release yesterday as Monti’s policies contributed to deepening the country’s fourth recession since 2001.

“We believe Italy faces another

two quarters of negative GDP growth this year,” said Catherine Colebrook, euro-area inflation economist at BNP Paribas SA, in a research note. The industrial output decline “suggests that Italy’s economy still has some way to

Mario Monti

go before it moves back into growth territory.”

Industrial output dropped 1.4 percent in June from May and 1.8 percent in the second quarter, Istat said. Economists forecast a monthly decline of 1 percent, according to the median of 16 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey.

Production fell 8.2 percent from a year ago on a workday-adjusted basis.

Italy, whose surging borrowing costs have moved it to the center of the debt crisis, is not planning to tap the European rescue fund for the moment, Monti said last week. His government is on track to trim its budget deficit to 2 percent of GDP this year, even while forecasting that the euro area’s third-largest economy will contract 1.2 percent. Employers lobby Confindustria forecasts a contraction of twice that pace in 2012.

“I’m afraid that there is a little excess of pessimism in the marketplace,” Marco Valli, chief euro-area economist at UniCredit Global Research, said from Milan in a Bloomberg Television interview. “Because

what you can see now is what you would expect from a country that had to raise taxes, cut public expenditure and bear the brunt of financial contagion in Europe.”

Italian 10-year bond yields fell 7 basis points to 5.93 percent at 12:44 p.m. in Rome, after initially rising when the report came out.

Italian business confidence declined last month more than economists forecast as executives are concerned the economic recession will deepen. Turin-based Fiat said last week it is suspending investment in Italy in response to the slump in demand and will focus on temporary layoffs to reduce costs. Car production slumped more than 20 percent in the first half, Istat said yesterday.

Fiat Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne said he will make a decision about restructuring in Europe, including further plant closings, after third-quarter earnings. Any additional layoffs at Fiat, the company’s biggest employer, could further hit Italy’s unemployment rate, already at

United Kingdom June production data may lead to German factory orders fall twice as much as forecast erman factory orders declined manufacturing industry is contracting upward revision to GDP more than twice as much as econ- and business confidence fell for a third

Eric Green

U

nited Kingdom. industrial output fell less than estimated in June, indicating the recession may not have been as deep in the second quarter as previously reported.

Production dropped 2.5 percent from May due to the extra public holiday for the queen’s Jubilee, the Office for National Statistics said yesterday’s in London.

That’s smaller than the drop estimated in the second-quarter gross-domestic-product data, and the ONS said yesterday’s numbers may mean a 0.07 percentage point upward revision to the 0.7 percent GDP decline.

Britain’s recession has worsened as the government’s austerity programme and the euro-area debt crisis undermined confidence and curbed demand.

The Bank of England, which maintained its current stimulus programme last week, will probably cut its U.K. economic outlook when it publishes new forecasts tomorrow, according to a survey of economists.

“Any upward GDP revisions could provide a modest boost to sentiment and would be welcome news for the government,” London-based HSBC Holdings Plc economists John Zhu and Simon Wells

wrote in a note to clients today. “However, even if these upward revisions do happen, the news for policymakers may not be huge, and the U.K. would still be stagnating.”

The monthly drop in industrial output was the biggest since November 2008. Still, it was less than the 3.5 percent median forecast of 30 economists in a Bloomberg News survey.

The pound erased its decline against the euro after the report. It was up 0.2 percent at 79.30 pence per euro yesterday after weakening as much as 0.1 percent before the data were published. Britain’s currency traded at $1.5654 against the dollar, up 0.3 percent from yesterday.

The yield on the 10-year gilt rose 3 basis points to 1.53 percent.

In the second quarter, production fell 0.9 percent compared with the first three months of the year, the statistics office said. That compares with a 1.3 percent decline in production for the period estimated in the GDP data on July 25.

The report also showed that manufacturing fell 2.9 percent in June from May, less than the 4.3 percent forecast of economists in a survey. In the three months through June, factory output slipped 0.9 percent from the previous quarter.

From a year earlier, both industrial production and manufacturing fell 4.3 percent, the biggest annual declines since October 2009.

Out of 13 manufacturing categories, six rose in June and seven declined, the ONS said. The drop was led by basic metals and metal products, as well as rubber and plastics.

This data “does not fundamentally change the story of a struggling economy,” said Howard Archer, an economist at IHS Global Insight in London. “The manufacturing sector is continuing to find life very difficult in the face of strong domestic and global headwinds.”

G

omists forecast in June as sales to euro-area countries slumped.

Orders, adjusted for seasonal swings and inflation, dropped 1.7 percent from May, when they rose 0.7 percent, the Economy Ministry in Berlin said today.

Economists forecast a 0.8 percent decline, according to the median of 35 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. From a year earlier, orders fell 7.8 percent when adjusted for work days.

This report is the latest to show Europe’s largest economy is cooling as the sovereign debt crisis erodes demand for its goods, hurting earnings at companies including Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), Daimler AG and Siemens AG. While the Bundesbank last month estimated moderate growth in the second quarter, aided by domestic spending, the

straight month in July.

“All in all, quite a gloomy report,” said Annalisa Piazza, an economist at Newedge Strategy in London. “Exports are badly hit by the current cyclical slowdown and the export- led German industrial sector is not going to be spared from the slump in trade activity.”

The euro was little changed after the report, trading at $1.2405 yesterday in Frankfurt.

Orders from the euro region sank 4.9 percent in June after jumping 7.8 percent in May, yesterday’s report showed. Domestic orders fell 2.1 percent, while demand from non-euro nations rose 0.6 percent. The economy ministry said overall orders in the second quarter “slightly” exceeded those in the first quarter and there is currently no clear trend.

Job openings in United States rose in June to four-year high

J

ob openings in the U.S. rose in June to the highest level in four years, indicating employment gains may accelerate in the second half of the year.

The number of positions waiting to be filled climbed by 105,000 to 3.76 million, the most since July 2008, from a revised 3.66 million the prior month, the Labor Department said today in Washington. Hiring and firings cooled.

A rising need for workers shows some employers are expanding as sales improve, laying the ground for a pickup in hiring that may help boost consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of the economy. Payrolls rose more than forecast in July even as the unemployment rate climbed to a fivemonth high, the Labor Department reported last week.

“The economy is still growing, that’s underpinning labor demand,” said Henry Mo, a senior economist at Credit

Suisse in New York. “Job availability is increasing, but we still need to see employers put this into action. The economy will grow a little better in the second half than in the first half and the labor market will improve gradually.”

Stocks advanced, sending the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index higher for a third straight day, amid better-than-estimated corporate earnings and speculation global central banks will take steps to boost economic growth. The S&P 500 Index rose 0.7 percent to 1,403.41 at 11:00 a.m. in New York.

Elsewhere, the Swiss central bank’s foreign-currency reserves surged to a record in July as the euro region’s increasing turmoil forced policy makers to step up efforts to defend their ceiling on the franc.

Australia’s central bank kept interest rates unchanged at a developed-world high, citing a domestic expansion that’s weathering a global slowdown.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global Business

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

45

US chief executives less confident on economy, survey shows C onfidence among United States chief executive officers declined in the second quarter as more business leaders said economic conditions will worsen in the next six months, a private survey showed.

The Young Presidents’ Organisation sentiment index fell to 60 in the second quarter from 65.1 in previous three months, the largest decline since the survey began in 2009. Readings greater than 50 show the outlook was more positive than negative.

“High gas prices, ongoing woes in Europe, and reduced growth in Asia, China in particular, no doubt dampened CEO optimism in the latest survey,” Stephen Slifer, YPO Global Pulse economic adviser and chief economist at NumberNomics, said in a statement. “The results seem to be pointing toward slower growth ahead and not a global contraction.”

Thirty-seven percent of executives surveyed said the current economy has improved from six months ago, down from 60 percent who said so in the first quarter. Eighteen percent said the economy will worsen, up from 7 percent in the prior survey.

Gross Domestic Product, the value of all goods and services produced, rose at a 1.5 percent annual rate in the second quarter, according to Commerce Department data. Household purchases, which account for about 70 percent of the economy, grew at the slowest pace in a year. Forty percent of chief executives in the YPO survey saw conditions improving in the next six months, down from 56 percent.

The Dallas-based group’s outlooks for sales and hiring also cooled. The gauge of sales in the coming 12 months fell to 66.7 last quarter from 71.

The YPO’s employment index

Fed’s Rosengren urges ‘open-ended’ easing programme

F

ederal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren said the central bank should pursue an “open-ended” quantitative easing program of “substantial magnitude” to boost growth and hiring amid a global slowdown.

The Fed should set its guidance based on the economic outcomes it seeks and focus on buying more mortgage-backed securities, Rosengren said yesterday in a CNBC interview. Without new stimulus, the jobless rate would rise to 8.4 percent at the end of this year and economic growth wouldn’t exceed its 1.75 percent average in the first half of the year, he said.

“What I would argue for actually is to have it open-ended, that we focus on economic outcomes,” Rosengren said. “It would be setting a quantity that you’re going to continue to buy until you get the economic outcomes that you want.”

Additional accommodation is necessary because unemployment remains at the same 8.3 percent level it was in January even after the central bank has purchased $2.3 trillion in bonds and held its main interest rate near zero since December 2008, Rosengren said. The Boston Fed chief doesn’t have a vote on the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee this year.

A new easing programme “needs to be substantial enough that it offsets some of the shocks that we’re getting from abroad and some of the concerns that people have with how weak the world economy has been,” Rosengren said. “We’re in a global slowdown. That would argue for a quantitative easing program, and one of sufficient magnitude that it has an impact.”

The FOMC said August. 1 it will continue swapping $667 billion of shortterm debt with longer-term securities to lengthen the average maturity of its holdings, an action dubbed Operation

Eric Rosengren

Twist. Policy makers also said they will “closely monitor” economic data. The FOMC next meets on September 12-13.

“We want a stronger economy, we want faster growth in the incomes and we want a labor market that has an unemployment rate that’s clearly declining,” Rosengren said. “If you’re treading water even if you’re a good swimmer at some point you

dropped in the second quarter to 59.1 from 61.6 the previous three months.

A measure of capital spending declined four points from 63 to 59.

Companies hired more workers than forecast in July, a Labor Department report showed last week. The unemployment rate, derived from a separate survey, rose to 8.3 percent.

The U.S. recorded the biggest drop in the latest survey among the nine regions of the world. The YPO’s Global Confidence Index decreased 4.1 points to 59.7. Sentiment among executives in the European Union, the lowest in the global survey, dropped 2.8 points to 52.

The nonprofit service organisation’s findings for the U.S. were based on responses from 1,659 global chief executives, including 664 in the U.S., to an electronic survey conducted during the first two weeks of July.

RBA holds rate as household spending, currency surge

A

ustralia’s central bank kept interest rates unchanged at a developed-world high, citing a domestic expansion that’s weathering a global slowdown. The local currency touched the strongest in 4 1/2 months.

Governor Glenn Stevens and his board left the overnight cash-rate target at a 2 1/2-year low of 3.5 percent for a second month, the Reserve Bank of Australia said in a statement yesterday in Sydney. Policy makers lowered rates by 1.25 percentage points from November to June, leaving borrowing costs “a little below their medium-term averages,” Stevens said today.

“While it is too soon to see the full impact of those changes, dwelling prices have firmed a little over the past couple of months, and business credit has over the past six months recorded its strongest growth for several years,” he said. “The exchange rate, however, has remained high, despite the observed decline in the terms of trade and the weaker global outlook.”

The Australian dollar has risen 8.6 percent since the RBA’s last rate reduction on June 5, extending gains that have helped

United Kingdom retail sales rose in July on Olympic food boost, BRC says

U

nited Kingdom retail sales rose in July as the start of the Olympics at the end of the month helped to boost food and drink sales, the British Retail Consortium said.

Sales at stores open at least 12 months, measured by value, rose 0.1 percent from a year earlier, the London-based trade group said in an emailed report yesterday. It added that sales of big-ticket items continued to struggle.

With the recession deepening in the second quarter, officials are looking to the London Olympic Games that started on July 27 to provide a boost to the economy. GfK NOP Ltd. said July 31 that its gauge of consumer confidence was unchanged last month at minus 29.

Obama

“There was a boost for food retailers toward the end of the month as the sunshine came out and shoppers started getting in party food and drink ahead of the Olympics, but it wasn’t a significant help,” BRC Director General Stephen Robertson said. “With only the opening couple of days of the Olympic Games covered by these statistics we’ll have to wait a while to assess the overall impact on retail sales.”

Including stores open less than 12 months, the value of retail sales rose 2 percent in July from a year earlier, according to the BRC. In the three months through July, food sales increased 0.9 percent from a year earlier on a like-for- like basis, while non-food sales rose 1 percent.

keep core inflation at the lower end of the central bank’s 2 percent to 3 percent target. While Europe’s fiscal crisis is weighing on global growth and Chinese demand for Australian commodities, Stevens’s 75 basis points of cuts in May and June helped boost retail sales and housing in an economy driven by resource investment.

“Unless the volatile situation in Europe deteriorates further, the most prudent strategy for coming months is to hold tight and gauge the impact of earlier monetary stimulus on the domestic economy,” said Katrina Ell, an economist at Moody’s Analytics in Sydney.

The Australian dollar touched $1.0603 after the statement, the highest level since March 20. It traded at $1.0578 as of 3:39 p.m. in Sydney.

Policy makers in Australia’s biggest trading partner, China, lowered rates in June and July, to help protect their economy from Europe’s turmoil.

“China’s growth has moderated to a more sustainable pace, but does not appear to be slowing further,” Stevens said today. “Conditions in other parts of Asia have recovered from the effects of last year’s natural disasters, though the ongoing trend is unclear and could be dampened by the effects of slower growth outside the region. Growth in the United States continues, but at only a modest pace.”

In Australia, a gauge of annual inflation by TD Securities Inc. and the Melbourne Institute released this week showed consumer prices rose at the slowest pace in three years.

“The outlook for inflation is unchanged: it is expected to be consistent with the target over the next one to two years,” Stevens said. “Maintaining low inflation over the longer term will, however, require growth in domestic costs to continue their recent moderation as the effects of the earlier exchange rate appreciation wane.”

46

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Investors gain N897bn in seven months as index rises 11.2% JOHNSON OKANLAWON

S

trong rally recorded in companies with good corporate actions boosted investment in equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchanged in seven months.

Specifically, the All Share Index rose by 11.2 per cent to close at 23,061.38 points on July 31, 2012, from 20,730.63 points at which it opened the year.

The index lost 3.17 per cent in the same period of 2011 to close at 23,906.97 points, from 24,689.16

points at which it opened the year.

Market capitalisation gained N897bn to close at N7.34trn on July 31, 2012, from N6.53trn at which it opened the year, as against the decline by N849bn recorded in the same period of 2011 to close at N7.65trn, from N8.49trn at which it opened the year.

Financial analyst said the gain showed that the market responds to earnings and corporate benefits.

The Managing Director of Trust Yields Investment Limited, Alhaji Rasheed

Yussuff attributed the rally to the positive half year results of companies, which according to him, remain the major driver of the feat.

He explained that the frequent change of leadership in the Securities and Exchange Commission could not have immediate effects in equities because of the fact that the Exchange is not yet an emerging market.

Yussuff said, “The Nigerian Stock Exchange is still a frontier market. It is only a developed market like change of leadership could have negative effect immediately.”

The Managing Director of Lambert Securities Limited, Mr. David Adonri, also attributed the rally to the impressive second quarter results released by major companies.

He noted that some stocks were currently selling at very low prices, adding that investors would be attracted to those stocks thus boosting their prices.

Adonri added that the expectations of increased and better results at the end of the third quarter would also whet investors’ appetite, thus making them to leverage on those stocks.

Source: NSE

Consumer goods sector losses drag down ASI JOHNSON OKANLAWON

T

rading in equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange continued on bearish note yesterday, over losses recorded mostly in consumer goods.

The Alll-Share index lost 0.11per cent to close at 23,391.79 points, compared to the dip by 0.44 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 23,418.66 points.

Market capitalisation depreciated by N8.55bn to close at N7.44trn, as against the decline by N33.3bn recorded the preceding day to close at

N7.45trn.

Three sectoral indices closed negative, as the NSE 30 index dropped by 0.20 per cent to close at 1,089.65 points, while consumer goods index shed 1.03 per cent to close at 1,937.85 points.

The banking index gained 0.53 per cent to close at 355.20 points, while the oil and gas index appreciated by 0.40 per cent to close at 167.69 points.

The insurance index rose by 1.44 per cent to close at 125.57 points, but the new lotus Islamic index dipped by 0.59 per cent to close at 1,365.03 points.

Eterna Oil Plc led the gainers’ table with 11 kobo or 4.95 per cent to close at N2.33 points, followed by University Press Limited with 20 kobo or 4.77 per cent to close at N4.39 per share.

IHS Plc gained 10 kobo or 4.69 per cent to close at N2.23 per share, while Continental Insurance Plc appreciated by three kobo or 4.69 per cent to close at 67 kobo per share.

Smurfit Plc gained five kobo or 4.42 per cent to close at N1.18 per share.

On the flip side, Royal Exchange Plc lost three kobo or five per cent to close at 57 kobo per share, while Unilever Nigeria

Plc dropped by N1.80 or 4.94 per cent to close at N34.65 per share.

Cutix Plx shed eight kobo or 4.60 per cent to close at N1.66 per share, while Sterling Bank Plc fell by five kobo or 4.39 per cent to close at N1.09 per share. Live stock Plc depreciated by six kobo or 4.38 per cent to close at N1.31 per share.

Transaction volume in equities rose by 68.7 per cent, as a total of 317.24 million shares valued at N2.80bn were exchanged in 4,388 deals, compared to 188.02 million shares worth N1.75bn traded in 3,661 deals the preceding day.CC

Standard Chartered falls most in 24 years

S

tandard Chartered Plc fell the most in almost 24 years as an analyst estimated it may face costs of $5.5bn after being accused of violating United States money laundering laws over its dealings with Iranian banks.

The shares fell 16 per cent to 1,228.5 pence in London trading yesterday, their biggest decline since 1988, the earliest date for which data are available.

Standard Chartered may lose its license to operate in New York after the state’s Department of Financial Services found the bank conducted $250bn of deals with Iranian banks over seven years and earned hundreds of millions of dollars in fees for handling transactions for institutions subject to US economic sanctions.

The London-based lender

today denied the allegations, saying it strongly rejects the position and portrayal of facts made by the regulator.

The bank may be fined $1.5bn by U.S. regulators, lose about $1bn of revenue from its Iranian operation and a further $3bn in market value if senior managers quit, Cormac Leech, an analyst at London-based Liberum Capital Limited who rates the stock a buy, wrote in a note to investors yesterday.

“It’s unclear whether senior management will resign for the alleged shortcomings given that they have been in their current roles for much of the relevant period, raising the risk of kitchen-sinking on arrival of new management,” Leech said.

The stock had risen 11 per cent this year before yester-

day, making it the third-best performing British bank stock after Lloyds Banking Group Plc and HSBC Holdings Plc. The shares are now down 13 per cent for 2012, paring the lender’s market value to about 29.4 billion pounds ($46bn).

While Standard Chartered doesn’t have any domestic US banking operations, the loss of the New York license would hinder its ability to process dollar payments for clients with businesses in the US and in emerging markets, said Gary Greenwood, an analyst at Shore Capital in Liverpool, who rates the stock a buy.

Pretax profit from Standard Chartered’s US, UK and European unit increased 90 per cent in the first half to about $464m, for about 12 per cent of the

bank’s total.

“A loss of its US banking license would not only jeopardize part of this profit stream, but the associated reputational damage could also have a severely damaging impact to its operations within emerging markets,” Greenwood said. He added that it’s unlikely the bank will lose the license.

Standard Chartered’s New York operation had $40.8bn of assets at the end of March, according to the New York regulator. By comparison, the bank had $624bn in total assets at the end of June.

Standard Chartered said 99.9 per cent of its transactions with Iran complied with US Treasury regulations, and that the total value of transactions that weren’t in compliance was less than $14m.

Source: Afrinvest

Market indicators All-Share Index 23,391.79 points Market capitalisation 7,445trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

ETERNA

2.22

2.33

0.11

4.95

UPL

4.19

4.39

0.20

4.77

IHS

2.13

2.23

0.10

4.69

CONTINSURE

0.64

0.67

0.03

4.69

SMURFIT

1.13

1.18

0.05

4.42

INTBREW

6.22

6.49

0.27

4.34

UTC

0.70

0.73

0.03

4.29

FO

10.00

10.42

0.42

4.20

FIDSON

0.79

0.82

0.03

3.80

IKEJAHOTEL

1.11

1.15

0.04

3.60

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

ROYALEX

0.60

0.57

0.03

-5.00

UNILEVER

36.45

34.65

1.80

-4.94

CUTIX

1.74

1.66

0.08

-4.60

STERLNBANK

1.14

1.09

0.05

-4.39

LIVESTOCK

1.37

1.31

0.06

-4.38

THOMASWY

1.38

1.32

0.06

-4.35

DANGSUGAR

4.99

4.80

0.19

-3.81

JAPAULOIL

0.63

0.61

0.02

-3.17

IBTC

6.40

6.20

0.20

-3.13

TRANSCORP

1.02

1.00

0.02

-1.96

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

32,057.31

13.90

9-Aug-12

182-Day

50,000.00

16.10

9-Aug-12

364 -Day

60,000.00

9.05

9-Aug-12

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

252-Days

26,036.45

16.39

9-Aug-12

248-Day

11,644.09

16.40

9-Aug-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$250m

N/A

$250m

6-Aug-12

$250m

N/A

$250m

1-Aug-12

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

47

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at August 7, 2012 1st Tier Securities Sector

1st Tier Securities

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror “I have been to an office in a local government where I found 30 people doing what two people can do.”

EKITI STATE GOVERNOR, KAYODE FAYEMI

Council boss inaugurates security committee MURITALA AYINLA

A

s part of efforts to enhance community policing, the Chairman of Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area, Hon. Abiodun Mafe, has inaugurated security committee, just as he donated a security patrol van to support the effort.

Speaking at the ceremony

attended by traditional rulers, Custom and Immigration officials and law enforcement agencies, the council boss said that part of the committee’s functions is to inform the council on the security.

Mafe said the move was to enhance development already taking place in the council, adding that progress and development take place when there is peace and tranquility.

He said:”Internal security is germane to development of any council. So, volunteer informant will be appreciated, because when robbers strike, it could affect anyone that is why everyone must be interested in security of the council.

The security consists of the retired police officer, community development committee members, state security service, market leaders, hotelier

and other important stakeholders. The patrol van shall work for surveillance of the environment, to complement efforts of security personnel” Harping on the presentation of the patrol van, he said the van was to compliment the efforts of the police and the local security outfits, to effectively nip the crime on the bud, adding that it behooves council authorities to ensure security

of lives and properties to enable economic growth.

Mafe who noted that no fewer than eight security patrol vans have been provided by his administration, stressed that security issue should be viewed as collective responsibility.

He added that the council would holistically adopt community policing as practiced in the developed countries.

Ogun communities laud road safety initiative

C

ommunities all over Ogun state yesterday were full of praises to the state government for becoming the first state in the country to adopt the United Nations Decade of Action on Road safety, which aims to reduce by half, road accidents and casualties between 2011 and 2020.

This follows the launching of the state’s revived and rebranded state ambulance services at the Arcade ground, Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta. Speaking at the launching, the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, represented by the deputy governor, Prince Segun Adesegun disclosed that his government has purchased four new state of the art ambulances and have also refurbished ten basic life support ambulances to help reduce fatality and other complications resulting from road accidents and other emergencies.

He stated that his administration was committed to achieving efficient healthcare delivery in the health sector in the areas of promotion, prevention, cure, rehabilitation and surveillance using the primary healthcare approach. According to him, the state is proud to be the first in Nigeria to join in the United Nations declaration on Decade of Action on road safety officially launched globally on 11th of May, 2011 with the aim of reducing into half by the year 2020 road accidents and casualties in all nation of the world.

Speaking on human capacity development, he disclosed that the emergency personnel have been trained in first responder

skills, basic life support and advanced cardiac life support certification by the American Heart Association. Governor Amosun called on well meaning Nigerians, philanthropists and corporate organizations to partner with the state to achieve the goal of having at least 42 life support ambulance to cover the entire state.

Speaking earlier, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka explained that each of the ambulances will be manned by a crew of trained personnel who have undergone specialist training adding that a communication system has been put in place to enable rapid response to all emergencies.

Dembe wrestlers engaged in fight to finish in Lagos.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Kuramo Beach re-opens after eviction of hoodlums

K

uramo Beach in Lagos, closed to allow for demolition of illegal structures and evacuation of illegitimate occupants, has been reopened, even as reports that activities such as picnics by tourists, have yet to pick up in earnest.

Investigations revealed that only a few picnickers and tourists were seen at the beach, as operators of cabins were seen waiting eagerly for customers, apparently because many people are still unaware of the beach’s re-opening.

It would be recalled that the beach was closed on July 5, 2012, while illegal structures were demolished and hoodlums evicted by a task force comprising the police and naval personnel, as

well as government and beach management officials.

Some of the cabin operators said the beach is s now safer and better, while commending the government for carrying out the demolition of illegal structures.

Mr Abiodun Olawunmi, a bar manager, said he decided to open a pub at the beach now because government’s action had restored sanity to the place.

He said that although customers have yet to start coming, he was happy the beach is now peaceful and conducive for tourism.

Mr Oluwasegun Bello, who has been operating a bar at the beach for eight years, said the sacking of hoodlums from Kuramo Beach was very beneficial.

“The beach is safer now; you can leave your mobile phone or any other property outside and sleep off; you will definitely meet it untouched.

Everything is orderly at the beach now; no more area boys harassing our customers,” Bello said.

Sharing similar sentiments, a picnicker, Mr Seun Alade, commended the orderly state of the beach and urged operators to provide recreational facilities such as beach games.

However, Mr Michael Onuwafe, Secretary of Kuramo Beach Tourism Association, said the demolition of illegal structures had given the beach a facelift, stressing that the association now maintained 58 cabins.

“All the operators are now

willing to meet the government expectations. The rules and regulation of beach must be obeyed; the rule only permits three operators per cabin.

Now, there is a closing time at the beach; we observe a daily closure from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. so as to search for illegal occupants in all cabins and areas of the beach.This is part of the security measures we have put in place at the beach,” he said.

On the security arrangements, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Victoria Island, Mr. Fayoade Adegoke, said that measures had been put in place to forestall the return of miscreants to the beach, even as a standby police patrol team had been set up to maintain law and order in the area.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

49

10

South East

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Abduction: Anambra traditional ruler regains freedom CHARLES OKEKE AND NWABUEZE OKONKWO

T

he traditional ruler of Ukpo town in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Robert Eze, who was abducted on July 29 has been released.

The Igwe has returned to his Ukpo palace, where he is receiving sympathisers and friends.

It was gathered that security agents found the traditional ruler somewhere in Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area.

It was not clear whether

•Police rescue man from kidnappers, as gunmen kill fuel attendant any ransom was paid to secure his release, as none of the family members agreed to speak on the issue when journalists visited Ukpo yesterday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ralph Uzoigwe, also said the police were not aware if money was paid to free the traditional ruler. The kinappers initially demanded a ransom of $10m to free the Igwe.

He said: “We are aware that he has been released.

The police were closing-in on them (the abductors) at Ozubulu where he was res-

cued. He came back before 11 pm yesterday. We did all the tracking methods; they abandoned the man and left.

The Igwe came out on his own and the police came and picked him up.”

Meanwhile, the police in Anambra State yesterday rescued a man from gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

According to a witness, the gunmen had abducted the man and were taking him away when a police team from Ogidi Police Station, led

by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, CSP Kanayo Uzuegbu, went after them.

The witness said the kidnappers had blocked the victim’s car and ordered him into their vehicle.

They also took the victim’s car.

It was gathered that before the arrival of the police team, the kidnappers shot and killed a female petrol station attendant.

The witness said the kidnappers saw the police team on their trail and changed to another route. But on getting to Ugwunwasike Junction,

L-R: Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi; Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Mr. Mansur Ahmed; Special Adviser to the President on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati and Chairman, Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at a meeting of the Economic Management Team with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

APGA: Court grants Umeh’s prayers, restrains Massalla, Okwenna EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

J

ustice Hussein Baba Yusuf of a Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday restrained Sadiq Massalla and Ifenna Okwenna from parading themselves as Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. The order was sequel to a motion ex-parte moved

by Chief Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, counsel to the National Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh.

Yusuf also restrained Massalla and Okwenna from “convening, calling, organising or holding any meeting of any organ of APGA and or otherwise interfering in any manner whatsoever in the affairs of APGA at any level, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”, fixed for August 16.

Umeh and the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi had, in a 37-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the latter, averred that the defendants/ applicants had since June 19 been suspended from

the party, where they were members of the National Working Committee, NWC. They, therefore, urged the court to stop them forthwith from interring in the affairs of the party.

It was further averred that: “As required by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act (as amended) the 1st plaintiff APGA held a National Convention on February 10, 2010. Prior to the February 10, 2010 convention we held a National Convention on December 2, 2006.

“The national conventions of our party, APGA

held on December 2, 2006 and February 10, 2010 were duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who thereafter published reports of the convention.

“As the National Secretary of APGA, I am aware that the party has 29 National Working Committee, NWC, members, I am also aware that under the constitution of the party, only the National Chairman (or I on the directive of the National Chairman) can validly convene or summon the meeting of the NWC of APGA.”

South-East high unemployment rate worries MAN NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

D

isturbed by the high unemployment rate in the South-East region, the Manufactures Association of Nigeria, MAN, Anambra/Enugu/Ebonyi states branch, yesterday

called for effective collaboration between the government and the Organised Private Sector, OPS, to tackle the scourge.

The branch President of the association, Chief Chike Obidigbo, made this known in his welcome address in Onitsha, Anambnra State during

a one-day interactive forum with the officials of the Bank of Industry, BOI, and the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. He said that the high level of unemployment in the zone had hampered development.

Obidigbo also decried what he described as the

inability of the manufacturers in the country to access the various intervention funds made available by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to the industrialists, saying that financial constraints bordering on collateral and interest rate were responsible.

their victim suddenly opened the car door and jumped out.

This infuriated the gunmen, who alighted from the vehicles and started shooting at him but they missed their target. But in the process, their bullets hit the fuel attendant, who died on the spot.

The kidnappers immedi-

ately abandoned the man’s car, jumped into their vehicle and fled.

However, seconds later, the police team arrived the filling station and saw the lady in a pool of blood. The police took her corpse and deposited it at a morgue.

Sources said the lady was the bread winner of her family.

Court stops Okorocha from dissolving councils CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

A

n Owerri High Court presided over by Justice Ngozi Opara has restrained Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State from removing the elected chairmen and councillors from office beginning from August 8.

The court also ordered the governor not to interfere with the discharge of the duties of the chairmen of the 27 local governments until the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

In suit No HOW/499/2012 filed by Mr. Enyinnya Onuegbu, the chairman of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area and Secretary of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, on behalf of the 26 others as claimants/applicants and the governor of Imo State and four oth-

ers as defendants/respondents, the judge ruled that “upon going through the Motion Ex-parte together with the affidavits in support of the applicants and another affidavits of urgency sworn to by Chief Enyinna Onuegbu praying for an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant/respondent by himself, his servants, agents, privies or whosoever from interfering with the rights and privileges of the claimants as democratically elected chairmen of the 27 local government councils of Imo State and or purporting to dissolve or declare their offices vacant on the 8th of August, 2012 or on any date thereafter or appointing persons by whosoever name to take over the offices of the claimants in view of the judgement of the Court of Appeal in CA/OW/215?2011 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

Abia partners SMEDAN on poverty alleviation GEORGE OPARA ABIA

A

bia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, ASOPADEC, has entered into an agreement with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Association, SMEDAN, to “harness and train Abia youths and indigent persons” as part of the government’s poverty alleviation programme.

Signing the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, in Umuahia yesterday, the ASOPADEC Chairman, Chief Sam Nwogu, expressed the hope that the programme would ensure that “hunger and all other criminal tendencies and crimes

found in and around Abia State would be a thing of the past”.

Nwogu, who said the programme was part of Governor Theodore Orji’s alleviation programme, noted that “youths and indigent persons of the state, more importantly, the people from oil producing communities” would benefit immensely from the programme.”

Orji

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

51

We’re not set up to raise fund –FRSC OMEIZA AJAYI, MARCUS FATUNMOLE AND FEMI OYEWESO

T

he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) yesterday said it was not set up for revenue generation purposes but to see all motorists use Nigerian roads and arrive safely at their destinations.

The corps made the disclosure when a delegation of its top officials paid a courtesy visit to National Mirror in Abuja, recently.

The visit, according to

the Corps’ Public Education Officer, Mr. Jonas Agwu, was part of FRSC’s rebranded public enlightenment campaign to sensitise the public on human roles in road crashes, as part of measures aimed at reviewing its strategies in its 24 years of existence.

“We have studied the pattern of crashes; and based on the reports we have, major roads across the country are where major accidents occur; we have resolved to increase our presence in these highways.

“This will result in

strengthening our enforcement strategies that will eventually lead to more arrests of traffic offenders.

We are not set up to raise funds. If every Nigerian will stop their bad habits on the roads today, there will be nobody to give tickets,” Agwu counselled.

The corps, however, vowed that arrests of traffic offenders would keep surging as long as the public keep flouting traffic rules.

“If a million people in Nigeria keep breaking traffic laws, we shall give them the penalty ticket; and they will

pay into government coffers,” Agwu maintained.

He also said that fewer arrests on the roads would literally help reduce the volume of crashes on the country’s highways.

Speaking on the state of the nation’s roads, he said the corps was concerned about the deplorable state of the roads in all parts of the country; but, according to him, such would never be a tenable justification for any auto crash.

His words: “Globally, one of the fundamental causes of road crashes is the hu-

L-R: Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega; Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Dr. Musa Babayo; Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai and Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during the 2012 Strategic Planning Workshop for Benefitting Institutions in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Police officers’ widows, others protest non-payment of entitlements OMEIZA AJAYI

W

ives and other relations of some dead policemen yesterday besieged the Force Headquarters in Abuja protesting the non-payment of the entitlements of their late husbands as well as the pension of some police retirees.

The protesters who lamented what they described as the non-challant attitude of the police hierarchy to their plight, however, urged the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to intervene immediately.

Numbering over 1,000, the women frowned at the delay in the payment of the benefits.

“The situation has become very unbearable since the deaths of our husbands.

There is no money to take our kids to the hospital when they are ill or even sponsor

their education,” Ms Martha who said she lost her husband five years ago said.

However, Suleiman Fakai, Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, assured the protesters of the prompt payment of such entitlements.

According to Fakai, the delay was caused by a ‘minor problem’ that he said would soon be sorted out.

He said the beneficiaries

were invited to Abuja as the various state commands failed to streamline processes of payment.

“Yes, we had a minor problem because the benefits (pension of dead officers) were not paid and now government has released the money through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“The pension is for between 2004 and 2010. But unfortunately, the processes of streamlining the pay-

ment have not been carried out at the state level, so we have to invite them here to Abuja.

Abubakar

N

igerians yesterday kicked against the planned demolition of Mpape by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

They made their views known on a radio phone-in programme on 104.5FM, aired yesterday with the topic on the planned demo-

lition.

Most of the people that called in for the “Frank Talk” radio programme condemned the FCDA decision to demolish an area accommodating more than 1.7 million Nigerians.

According to the callers, the decision of the government to demolish Mpape and other villages shows the insensitivity of government to her citizens. They

argued that the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, has not done anything as a minister but was only allocating lands to to people.

The callers further called on President Goodluck Jonathan to call the FCT minister to order concerning the demolition of Mpape and other villages as that would bring more problems for his government.

Speaking further on the UN Global Action on Decade of Road Safety, the Corps Marshal said the committee, comprised of professional organisations, transport unions and the academia, who will assess each states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He also said that a National Road Safety Strategy document has been development for the country where road traffic crashes would result in zero death.

In his address, the state Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, called for collaborative efforts of philanthropists and corporate organisations in an effort at providing the state with additional 42 life support ambulances.

Amosun, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Segun Adesegun lamented the wave of accidents on Nigerian roads, stressing that Ogun had recorded the highest number of road crashes within the last two years.

Giving a statistical analysis, Amosun said the state recorded 37 percent and 41.5 percent road accidents nationally in 2010 and 2011 respectively due to “the two busiest highways in Nigeria: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Sagamu-OreBenin Expressway, which traverse our state.”

Cult war claims two in Ambrose Alli varsity SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

A

Nigerians kick against planned demolition of Mpape OBIORA IFOH, ABUJA

man factor. I am happy that government is responding to the issue of bad roads across the country.”

He, however, thanked National Mirror for its invaluable support for the Corps in less than two years of its operations.

Meanwhile, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Officer of the FRSC, Osita Chidoka, has said that the agency had set up a committee that will rate state governments across the country, whose administration prioritised funding of road safety campaign.

The FRSC boss dropped this hint yesterday in his keynote address, which he delivered in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital during the launch of the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety.

Chidoka, who said the initiative was part of measures to achieve zero death in road traffic crashes in the country, also said that such would go a long way towards realising the UN decade of action, which aimed to reduce road accidents and casualties by 50 percent globally by year 2020.

The event however, witnessed the donation of four new advanced life support ambulances and 10 refurbished ambulances by the state government.

t least two persons were feared to have been killed in the university town of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State in a cult war that erupted two days ago.

According to National Mirror sources in the town, the cult clash between the ‘Black Axe’ and ‘Vikings’ also resulted in severe injuries to a number of other members and innocent citizens fleeing gunshots and other destructive tools freely exhibited and exchanged by the cult members.

It was gathered that an unnamed member of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU)’s Anti-Cult Campaign Organisation of Nigeria (ACCON), who had renounced his membership

of the ‘Viking’ group allegedly shot a member of the ‘Black Axe’ in the heat of some disagreements, which later degenerated after effort allegedly made by the management of the university to resolve the disagreement failed.

As a result, the rival cult group allegedly carried out a reprisal attack in which one person was shot and killed with the other allegedly dying from injuries that were sustained.

However, when National Mirror visited the school yesterday, the general atmosphere was calm as students were seen going about their studies and other businesses. Most of the students avoided making direct comments as they denied awareness of the cult war on campus while maintaining that it must have happened outside the campus.

52

North

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

We’re not afraid of war, northern group replies Asari-Dokubo A ZA MSUE KADUNA

A

rewa Youth Forum, AYF, yesterday told the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, that the northern region was not afraid of war but wanted the country to be peaceful and united.

The AYF National President, Alhaji Gambo Gunjugu, said in an email statement that it was un-

fortunate that people like Asari and his allies were reducing the President to the status of an Ijaw leader, rather than the president of Nigeria.

He said: “It is pertinent to let the warmongers know that the North is not afraid of war. But we are advocates of peace. The region has what it takes to take care of itself like food and other mineral deposits. People like Asari have forgotten that the region was the mainstay of the Nigerian state before

the discovery of oil. We are not warmongers and will not and will never call for war within the polity of Nigeria.”

Asari was widely quoted in many newspapers on Tuesday that “if the current trend of insecurity degenerates into a war, the South-South will cut off the North from both food and weapon supplies.

What will happen is unimaginable in the history of the world. I feel pained because I am a Muslim. I know the North will suf-

fer because not only oil, we will cut them off totally from the coast. No food will go in”.

But the AYF appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and well-meaning Nigerians to call Asari to order in the interest of peace and national development.

The group, however, faulted Asari for blaming the North for Boko Haram insurgency, saying northern leaders had condemned the activities of the sect.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

New varsities: Passage of bill a boost to transformation agenda - Minister DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

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inister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai has described the passage of the bill for the establishment of the nine new federal universities by the National Assembly as a boost to the determination of the Federal Government to transform the education sector.

The minister, who said the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was on course, disclosed that the bill was awaiting the President’s assent.

Speaking during the first matriculation ceremony of 270 pioneer students of the Federal Uni-

versity Kashere in Gombe State, Mrs. Rufai said the Federal Government had released N3.5bn to each of the nine universities as take-off and project grants which would support the commencement of academic activities in the institutions.

She said the money had facilitated the take-off of the nine universities and promised Federal Government’s sustained funding of the universities and the education sector as a whole.

The minister then explained that her ministry had launched a four-year education development plan, designed to bring about a realistic transformation in the sector for the benefit of all Nigerian youths.

Stop abusing northern leaders, Tsav tells Clark HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

F Flood blocking the access road to the Federal Medical Centre in Birnin Kebbi after the downpour in Kebbi State, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Governors hindering grassroots’ development – LG chair JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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ocal governments in Nigeria will fulfil their constitutional mandate of grassroots’ development if the state governors stop interfering with the funds meant for the third tier of government.

The Chairman of Jos South Local Government Area, Hon. Peter Vwang Dung, made the submission yesterday while speaking with journalists in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

He said a situation whereby some state governors tampered with funds meant for local councils had not helped development at the grassroots.

Dung said such action by some state governors had led to the agitation for local government autonomy across the country.

“The call in some quarters for local government autonomy is because some state governors are known to have diverted funds meant for their councils thereby making it difficult for the local governments to effectively discharge their responsibilities.

“I can tell you that the agitation for local government autonomy across the country is informed by some governors who interfere with the funds meant for their respective local governments. But here in Plateau State, we already have that autonomy because the state Governor, Jonah Jang, does not interfere with the funds meant for the 17 local governments in the state. So I want to challenge governors of other states to emulate Plateau in this regard,” he added.

Dung also commended the Federal Government

for lifting the state of emergency imposed on his council and three other local governments in the state.

The chairman said the action did not only bring relief to the affected council areas, but had advanced the peace efforts in the

state.

He said: “From the day the emergency rule was lifted, there was peace in Riyom and there is peace also in Barki. So the state of emergency was a problem on the Plateau, but we thank God it has been lifted.”

ormer Lagos State Police Commissioner Alhaji Abubakar Tsav has told the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, to stop casting aspersion on the person of former military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, IBB. Tsav gave the advice in an interview with our correspondent yesterday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

He condemned Clark’s allegation that IBB was one of those behind terrorism in the country.

Bemoaning the insecurity in the country, Tsav said no sane person

would accuse another patriot of fuelling trouble and destroying a house in which he was also living.

He said if Clark had any evidence against Babangida, he should report the matter to security agents or shut up.

Tsav regretted that people like Clark, who the present generation of Nigerians should learn from, had resorted to character assassination without justifiable reasons.

He therefore asked the Ijaw leader to retract his utterances.

The former police commissioner also wondered if Clark had a hand in the Niger Delta militancy.

Nasarawa goes after journalists, vendors IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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asarawa State Government said it was prepared to deal decisively with any journalist who failed to operate within the confines of the Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura administration’s philosophy.

The government said it would sanction any journalist in the state whose report did not favour the present admin-

istration.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Titi Monde, said this in Lafia, the state capital, while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting, which was presided over by AlMakura.

She said: “Government is alert and ready to deal decisively with any journalist or group of people trying to cause trouble in the state.”

Meanwhile, the Na-

Gov. Al-Makura

sarawa State Urban Development Board, NUDB, has ordered the immediate removal of newspaper stands mounted in strategic

places within Lafia metropolis, despite pleas by vendors to the government to rescind the decision.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that NUDB has concluded arrangements to send the vendors packing by embarking on demolition of newspaper stands in the state capital.

A vendor, who spoke to our correspondent, decried the planned demolition exercise.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

53

World News

Iran backs Assad as Syrian forces strike Aleppo

54

PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

F

ighters loyal to ex-Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo carried out recent attacks in Abidjan, killing 11 soldiers, a minister has said in a report from the BBC. Hamed Bakayoko told Radio France International (RFI) he believed the attackers received their orders from Gbagbo loyalists in neighbouring Ghana.

One assailant was also killed in the gun battle on Monday in the Riviera district of Abidjan, the main city.

Ivory Coast is recovering from months of unrest after a disputed poll.

The attacks on Sunday and Monday were said to be the biggest in Abidjan since Gbagbo was ousted in April 2011.

“They [the attackers] were people who come from the myriad pro-Gbagbo militiamen and former armed forces nostalgic of the Gbagbo regime,” Bakayoko told RFI. He believed that “everything was ordered” by pro-Gbagbo militiamen who fled to Ghana after they were ousted from power in Abidjan, RFI reports.

Bakayoko told state TV the army would step up its presence across the country.

“The orders have been given, our instructions are firm,” he

“The cabinet studied recent developments in Turkish-Iraqi relations and decided to review these relations in light of recent developments in a new cabinet meeting as soon as possible” – Iraqi Government Spokesman

Gbagbo’s allies behind soldiers attack in Abidjan – Govt

L-R: Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara and his chief of staff, General Soumaila Bakayoko watching an Independence day military parade, outside the presidential palace in Abidjan yesterday.

PHOTO: REUTERS

said.

“From today, you’ll be able to note this by the presence of our men in all the districts of Abidjan as well as towns in the interior.”

The BBC’s reporter in Abidjan says there was a gory scene at the Akouedo military camp, with bodies lying on the ground and blood spattered over the walls after Monday’s attack.

Corp Ousmane Kone, who took part in the fighting, told Reuters news agency that the attackers had made off with guns.

“They took lots of weapons, loaded them in a truck and drove off with them. They took AK-47s [automatic rifles], machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades,” he said.

The head of the national as-

sembly, Guillaume Soro, said the situation was under control.

“The attackers just want to give the impression that the security situation in Ivory Coast is precarious,” he added.

The army is patrolling the areas east of Abidjan looking for the attackers.

UN peacekeepers have been posted at key junctions.

Egypt to seal Gaza tunnels after border attack

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gypt began work to seal off smuggling tunnels into the Gaza Strip yesterday, a security source said, two days after gunmen shot dead 16 Egyptian border guards in an attack blamed partly on Palestinian jihadi militants.

As officials weighed how to strike back after the deadliest assault along Egypt’s tense Sinai Peninsula frontier with Israel and Gaza in decades, crowds of angry mourners wept at the military funeral for the slain guards in Cairo.

Lawlessness has spread in the rugged desert Sinai since the fall of autocrat Hosni Mubarak in an uprising 18 months ago and the election of an Islamist successor whose commitment to security cooperation with Israel is yet to be tested.

Militants in Sinai sworn to destroying Israel have repeatedly attacked a gas pipeline to the Jewish state as well as Egyptian police stations and security

Egypt’s military leader, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi (C), and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Sami Anan (R) attending, yesterday, the funeral of soldiers, who were killed along the Sinai border with Israel.

PHOTO: REUTERS

checkpoints. Eight Israelis have been killed in border attacks in the past year.

Israel says Palestinian jihadi groups have been crossing from Gaza into Egypt and exploiting the security vacuum there by

teaming up with local militants with the aim of attacking Israel’s long border running south to the Red Sea. The government in Cairo said gunmen behind Sunday’s attack had reached Egypt via the Gaza smuggling tunnels.

A Reuters reporter in the border town of Rafah said heavy equipment was brought to the Egyptian side of the tunnels, which are used to smuggle people to and from Gaza but also food and fuel that are a lifeline for the small territory’s population.

“The campaign aims at closing all the openings between Egypt and the Gaza Strip that are used in smuggling operations,” said the security source.

New Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi quickly pledged to bring the region back under government control after the attack on Sunday, the worst since Egypt made peace with Israel in 1979, ending a succession of wars.

But sealing tunnels will be an uncomfortable move for the new leader who has brought Egypt closer to the Islamist Hamas movement ruling Gaza since he came to power in June and has promised to help improve the life of Palestinians there.

WORLD BULLETIN Kenyan lawmakers get new $3,000 seats Kenya’s newly refurbished parliament, which has been dogged by criticism over the cost of chairs for MPs, has been opened by President Mwai Kibaki, a report from the BBC has disclosed.

Costing about $3,000 (£1,900) each, the 350 red chairs were made by the country’s prisons department.

The original tender was given to a company outside the country but was cancelled when some MPs discovered that each chair would cost $5,000.

Officials say the $12m renovation brings parliament into the digital age.

“The changes we are making are going to input positively in governance,” parliamentary speaker Kenneth Marende told the BBC. He said electronic voting would let MPs vote according to their conscience rather than be forced to vote in a certain way by party whips.

Uganda deploys air force against Somali militants

Uganda’s military, which forms the backbone of the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia, has deployed an air force contingent to reinforce troops who hope to retake a city from al Qaeda-linked militants before the government’s mandate expires.

A combined force in Somalia is planning an onslaught on Kismayu, Somalia’s second biggest city which is a hub for the al Shabaab Islamist militants, before August 20.

Weakened by internal divisions and financial constraints, the rebels have surrendered territory in Mogadishu, central and southern Somalia where they are also battling Ethiopian forces as well as Kenyan soldiers now integrated into the African Union mission AMISOM.

Clinton warns of proxies, terrorist fighters in Syria U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday that the crisis in Syria must not be allowed to descend into sectarian warfare and she warned against “proxies or terrorist fighters” being sent in to join the conflict.

“We have to send very clear expectations about avoiding sectarian warfare. Those who are attempting to exploit the situation by sending in proxies or terrorist fighters must realise that will not be tolerated,” Clinton said at a news conference in the South African capital Pretoria.

The U.S. Secretary of State, who is on a tour of Africa, made the comments as Syrian government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad encircled rebels in the country’s biggest city of Aleppo.

54

World News

WORLD BULLETIN Journalist in UK arrested in corruption probe Police arrested a journalist working for Rupert Murdoch’s British Sun newspaper on suspicion of corruption yesterday as part of a wide-reaching investigation centred on allegations of phonehacking by newspaper reporters.

The unnamed 37-year-old man was held at his home in north London at about 6.00 a.m, London’s Metropolitan Police said.

News International, the British arm of Murdoch’s News Corp empire, confirmed he worked for the Sun. Detectives also arrested a 29-year-old police officer serving with the Sussex Police force in southern England.

Police said the arrests were made as a result of information provided to it by News Corp’s internal Management Standards Committee, which was set up in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

India’s Ansari defeats challenger, retains VP post India’s vice president held off a challenge yesterday from a veteran Hindu nationalist politician to retain the country’s second highest constitutional post in elections held by lawmakers.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, 75, who took office as India’s 12th vice president in 2007, beat 74-year-old rival Jaswant Singh by 490 votes to 238 to retain the post for a second five-year term.

Ansari, a Muslim, was backed

by MPs from India’s ruling Congress party and its legislative allies while Singh, a former foreign minister, was supported by the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to which he belongs.

Ansari’s win is the second political success for the Congress since July 22 when its former finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, was elected president after routing BJP-backed rival Purno Sangma, a former lower house speaker.

Ansari is an ex-career diplomat and has written books on the Palestinian issue, Iraq and Iran.

Woman stabbed to death in Birmingham taxi A woman has died after being stabbed in a taxi in the Northfield area of Birmingham in United Kingdom.

Police were called to the junction of Dimsdale Road and Hoggs Lane at about 08:00 BST. The victim, thought to be a 22-year-old local woman who was in a relationship with her attacker, died at the scene.

Detectives have appealed for anyone who saw her attacker flee the scene. He is described as mixed race, about 5ft 8in tall, with short black hair.

Det Ch Insp Wayne Jones, of West Midlands Police, said the suspect was also wearing a dark jacket.

Police said the taxi driver alerted the emergency services after the attack.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Iran backs Assad as Syrian forces strike Aleppo

S

yria’s President Bashar alAssad won a pledge of support yesterday from regional ally Iran as his forces tried to choke off rebels in the northern city of Aleppo.

Seeking to restore his authority after suffering the gravest setbacks so far in the 17-monthold uprising, culminating in the defection of his prime minister on Monday, Assad was shown on television meeting a senior Iranian official.

It was the first footage broadcast of the 46-year-old leader for two weeks, and came a day after Syria’s new caretaker prime minister was televised chairing a hastily called cabinet session, possibly to rebut reports that other ministers had deserted along with Premier Riyad Hijab.

Saeed Jalili, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Iran would not let its close partnership with the Syrian leadership to be shaken by the uprising or external foes.

“Iran will not allow the axis of resistance, of which it considers Syria to be an essential part, to be broken in any way,” Syrian television quoted Jalili as saying.

The “axis of resistance” refers to Shi’ite Iran’s anti-Israel alliance with Syria’s rulers - from the Alawite faith which is an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam - and the Lebanese Shi’ite militant group Hezbollah, which fought

A Free Syrian Army fighter shooting during clashes with Syrian troops in Aleppo yesterday.

a month-long war with Israel in 2006, with Iranian and Syrian support.

Damascus and Tehran have held Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states and Turkey, all allies of the United States and European powers, responsible for the bloodshed in Syria by supporting the overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim rebels. Western powers sympathetic to the rebels are concerned that anti-Western Sunni Islamists could benefit from a victory for the anti-Assad forces.

Iran’s Fars news agency re-

ported that Jalili told Assad that Iran was prepared to provide humanitarian aid to Syria.

On a visit to Turkey, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said he wanted to work with Ankara to resolve the crisis.

Iran has also expressed worry about the fate of more than 40 Iranians it says are religious pilgrims kidnapped by rebels from a bus in Damascus while visiting Shi’ite shrines.

Rebels say they suspect the captives were troops sent to help Assad. A rebel spokesman in the

Eight killed as heavy rains inundate Philippine’s capital

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elentless rains submerged half of the sprawling Philippine capital, triggered a landslide that killed eight people and sent emergency crews scrambling yesterday to rescue and evacuate tens of thousands of residents.

The deluge, the worst since 2009 when hundreds died in rampaging flash floods, was set off by the seasonal monsoon that overflowed major dams and rivers in Manila and surrounding provinces.

The capital and other parts of the country already were saturated from last week’s Typhoon Saola, which battered Manila and the north for several days before blowing away Friday. That storm was responsible for at least 53 deaths.

“It’s like a water world,” said Benito Ramos, head of the government’s disaster response agency. He said the rains flooded 50 percent of metropolitan Manila on Monday evening, and about 30 percent remained under waist- or neck-deep waters yesterday.

He urged residents in areas prone to landslides and floods to stay in evacuation centers. Be-

cause the soil is saturated, even a little rain could be dangerous, he added.

“Now that it’s getting dark, I would like to repeat, if the rains are heavy you should be at the evacuation centers,” he said, warning that rescue operations are more difficult at night and could put responders at risk.

Manila’s weather bureau said a separate tropical storm off eastern China had intensified monsoon rains in the Philippines, which were forecast to last until Thursday.

In Manila’s suburban Quezon City, a landslide hit a row of shanties along a road, burying eight people, according to witnesses.

Army troops and police dug frantically to save those buried, including four children, as surviving relatives and neighbours wept. All the victims were later dug up, including a man whose body was found near an entombed shanty’s door.

National police chief Nicanor Bartolome went to the scene and ordered all other slum dwellers to be evacuated from the area.

Filipino men crossing deep floodwaters in Manila, Philippines

PHOTO: AP

PHOTO: REUTERS

Damascus area said on Monday three of the Iranians had been killed by government shelling.

He initially said the rest would be executed if the shelling did not stop but later said they were being questioned.

US set to execute ‘mentally retarded’ man

M

arvin Wilson, deemed by his lawyers to be clinically “mentally retarded”, set to face lethal injection for murder, Al Jazeera has reported.

A man whose lawyers say is clinically “mentally retarded” is set to be put to death by lethal injection in Texas.

Marvin Wilson was convicted of fatally shooting a police drug informant nearly 20 years ago, with the sentence of death by lethal injection.

The US Supreme Court soon afterwards found the penalty to be in violation of the constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment when imposed on the mentally retarded.

Commenting on the case, Simon Whitaker, a clinical psychologist from the UK, told Al Jazeera: “This is a miscarriage of justice, he [Wilson] would have the same reasoning powers of a five-year-old child, if a fiveyear-old child killed someone we would not execute them in part.

“Texas courts have judged Wilson as not mentally retarded - even though psychologists measured his IQ in the bottom one percentile, about equal to that of an average five-year-old child.

“With his diagnosis he cannot make rational decisions, there will be a clear problem for him to think things through,” said Whitaker.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

55

The clean-up operation begins as a man helps to sweep thick ash from a car PHOTO: EPA

Three people had to be evacuated after rocks hurled from the explosion crashed into huts used by hikers on the mountain.

PHOTO: EPA

New Zealand’s volcano erupts first time in 100 years A volcano which suddenly erupted for the first time in more than a century has covered parts of New Zealand’s North Island in thick grey ash over several miles.

The eruption of Mount Tongariro, one of three volcanoes in the centre of the island, burst into life just before midnight on Monday after more than 115 years of lying dormant.

Police said a witness described flashes and explosions followed by a cloud of ash more than 4 miles high (7km) coming from the Te Maari craters on the northern face of the 1,978m (6,490 ft) mountain, which lies within a designated national park.

Truck driver Bryn Rodda, who also witnessed the eruption, told New Zealand National Radio: ‘I saw this beautiful, big

cloud and I thought: “Gee that looks like a volcanic plume”’.

‘Just as I thought that there was a great big orange flash. It was quite impressive.’

Heavy rocks fell just over half a mile from the eruption, damaging Ketetahi Hut, one of four used by hikers visiting the area, which formed the backdrop for many scenes in The Lord of the Rings films directed by Peter Jackson.

Three people were also evacuated from Mangatepopo Hut, which lies southwest of the volcano on yesterday morning, but no injuries were reported.

Nearby residents were also moved from their homes as a precautionary measure and roads were temporarily closed.

National carrier Air New Zealand cancelled or delayed domestic flights to towns near

the mountain, after a large ash cloud was seen moving east towards the Pacific Ocean hours after the eruption.

Aerial news footage also showed the extent to which the ash has spread and fallen over several miles across North Island.

No international flights were affected.

Scientists said they had noticed increased seismic activity for weeks, but were taken by surprise when ash and rocks erupted from the volcano for around 30 minutes.

They believe the small-scale eruption was driven by steam pressure building within the mountain, rather than molten rock.

The eruption was followed by a series of minor earthquakes.

Steve Sherburn, a volcanolo-

A man holding a handful of volcanic ashes that fell on a property in near the base of Mount Tongariro.

PHOTO: EPA

gist at the government agency GNS Science, said the eruption spread a layer of ash several centimetres thick over many miles.

Ash and smell of sulphur was reported as far away as Napier and Hastings.

GNS Science changed the aviation alert for Mt Tongariro to red overnight, meaning an eruption was forecast with significant emission of ash likely.

But by midday yesterday this had been downgraded to orange.

A statement from the Department of Conservation said the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Ton-

gariro Northern Circuit and all four huts on the mountain would be closed until further notice.

The Tongariro National Park remained open, including both ski fields on Mt Ruapehu, which were not affected by the eruption.

People living in the area were also being warned to stay indoors, close their doors and windows and check their water supply for ash contamination.

New Zealand is part of the Pacific’s notorious “Ring of Fire”, which sees frequent geothermal and seismic activity.

Japanese graduates removing tattoos to get jobs Y

oung graduates in Japan’s second-largest city are getting their tattoos removed so they can get work after the body-art was banned.

The mayor of Osaka, Toru Hashimoto, banned local government employees from having tattoos and even imposed forced body inspections to enforce the new law.

Job prospects for young people in Japan is already difficult following the global economic downturn and the

Fukushima nuclear disaster.

And now cosmetic surgeons are reporting a rise in tattoo removal procedures so their body-art doesn’t prevent them from getting work, The Times newspaper reports.

Surgeon Seita Tsuchiya told the newspaper: ‘The number of inquiries for removal procedures has gone up from five or six a day to ten or even 30 a day.’

He added that the average operations cost between 100,000yen and 200,000yen - the

equivalent of between £819 and £1,637.

The new law was imposed to crackdown on members of the organised crime gang Yakuza whose members wore tattoos as a badge of honour.

But teachers and civil servants were left outraged when they were forced to have their bodies inspected for tattoos as part of measures to keep Yakuza gangsters off the public payroll.

They were also told to fill out a questionnaire about

their political views and union membership.

Osaka’s local authority head of personnel told the newspaper they found 114 people out of 33,500 employees who had tattoos.

He added that they decided to ‘penalise’ six employees who didn’t answer the questionnaire.

It is believed the ban may now spread to Tokyo where the mayor, right-wing Shintaro Ishihara, is an admirer of Hashimoto.

Tattoos were banned in Osaka by the city’s mayor PHOTO: EPA

WORLD RECORD

Smallest bird

Vol. 02 No. 421

I

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

N150

The smallest bird is the bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) of Cuba and the Isle of Youth. Males measure 57 mm (2.24 in) in total length, half of which is taken up by the bill and tail, and weigh 1.6 g (0.056 oz) Females are slightly larger.

When words turn to missiles

n a country where every manner of persons is engaged in the banal exercise of self glorification, it becomes increasingly difficult to sift the chaff of demagoguery from the wheat of piety and penitence. The Nigerian culture encourages an over sized dose of fantasies, whereby some people see themselves as modern day equivalent of King Louis XVI, that eponymous emperor at the height of the French Revolution, who arrogated to himself, the personification of the state, and so could do no wrong. Incidentally, while Louis was king of all of France, his present day Nigerian imitators are nothing more than ethnic irredentists, in the perpetual struggle to corner the nation’s pork for their own kinds.

This is why the current altercations between self-styled Ijaw paramount leader, Chief Edwin Clark and equally self proclaimed civil war hero, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), are not taking anyone by surprise. In the past one and half years,

Okay Osuji (okayosuji@nationalmirroronline.net) 08034729256 (sms only)

Chief Edwin Clark has been in the habit of seeing the invisible hands of northern elite in all problems besetting President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. And so as leader of his Ijaw nation, and which incidentally Jonathan comes from, he has taken up the job of fighting the imaginary enemies of Mr. President at every turn. Curiously, the shadows of these “enemies” continue lengthening with each passing day, while the octogenarian is refusing to take a rest from the daily exercise of shouting himself hoarse at perceived plots and intrigues to overthrow Jonathan.

Such nightmares have acquired dangerous momentum and life on their own, making it difficult for any impartial observer to discern truth from falsehood. Clark is not new to controversies, but the frequency at which he engages in diatribes, especially against those perceived as Jonathan haters and by extension, the Ijaw, is becoming worrisome. For example, he sees the present insurgency against the federal government by some religious militants, as a creation of some powerful politicians of northern extraction, who are bent on exposing the administration to ridicule of impotence and incompetence, and by so doing, bringing it to disrepute before Nigerians and the international community.

Reasons for such perception stem from what he sees as the near silence and inability of northern leaders to take concrete actions to call those responsible for the continuing mayhem and seeming chaos to order. Clark

CLARK BELIEVES THE NORTHERN MILITANTS ARE RECEIVING ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE POLITICIANS OF THE REGION believes the northern militants are receiving encouragement from the politicians of the region, who have refused to accept the reality of a Jonathan-led presidency, and have vowed to employ all means to boot it out of office. And for this, he recently insinuated that General Babangida is not doing enough to stop the incessant killings by these religious fanatics in the North.

According to him, the continuing silence of the retired general gives him away as an accomplice in the undeclared war to dethrone Jonathan. By implication, it means that all it would take from the former military president is a pep talk to the insurgents to stop to their dastardly acts of violence that is fast becoming a hallmark of the country before the watching world. With this admission, Clark has unwittingly conferred a halo of divinity and invincibility on the Minnaborn general, who always sees himself as a Nigerian equivalent of General MacArthur Douglas, the famed American military com-

mander who oversaw the surrender of Japan in World War 11.

Even at this, what does Edwin Clark make of the recurring call from fiery pastor turned politician, Tunde Bakare, of the Latter Rain Assembly, who has always advocated the overthrow of Jonathan through what he calls “Peoples’ revolt”? In all, it does not mean the Ijaw leader has been crying wolf.

Examples abound of when top northern politicians have, out of contempt and derision, wished the present administration was swept out of office. Imbued with a strange notion that they are born to perpetually rule over others, most find it uncomfortable seeing the baton of leadership change hands.

Probably and in realization of the fact that coup d’états have become unfashionable, and in view of expected hostile international reactions, Babangida was quoted as admitting that democratic governance has come to stay in Nigeria.

Such admission of impotence, especially given his antecedents in past military putsches, may have struck Chief Clark that short of planning a military insurrection, the general may be surreptitiously lending a helping hand to the rebels. If not, why did Babangida call on Jonathan to enter into dialogue with a group that is magisterially demanding he either resigns from office or immediately converts to Islam? When has being a Muslim become a prerequisite for the presidency of Nigeria?

For this, it lays Babangida bare to accusations that he is in cahoots with those engaged in the bombings of churches and other institutions in the country.

Moreover, his traducers are seeing him as the arrowhead of those fighting to overthrow President Jonathan. Taking to his advice would therefore, confer dignity on all activities of the insurgents and will in future become the template for aspiring trouble makers to negotiate their way to power and prominence.

A way out of the present quagmire is not to make unsubstantiated accusations, but for all stakeholders to publicly denounce acts of treason against the government and condemn the impunities of armed groups in order to come to equity with clean hands.

Sport Extra

N

igeria’s medal potential in the Women’s Long Jump, Blessing Okagbare, has crashed out of the event after failing to make it out of qualifying rounds yesterday.

The Beijing Olympics bronze medalist finished a

Okagbare loses again, misses long jump cut distant ninth in Group A with 6.34m which was a far cry from her personal and season’s best of 6.97m.

Okagbare, who was the only African listed for the long jump, had finished in

a disappointing eighth position in the women’s 100m final on Saturday despite running a Personal best of 10.92 seconds during the semis. He would later complain of suffering cramps

after the race.

Still struggling to enter the medals table on Day 11 of the Olympic Games, Nigeria had placed hopes on the graduate of University of Texas, El Paso to shine

yesterday after her dismal showing in the Women’s 100m final on Saturday.

OLYMPICS FOOTBALL RESULTS

Mexico

3-1

Japan

Korea

0-3

Brazil

Okagbare

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