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South West
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
FG underfunding police -Fashola
AFDB launches $63m initiative to lift Africans out of poverty
MURITALA AYINLA
KEMI OLAITAN
G
overnor Babatunde Fashola yesterday flayed the Federal Government for underfunding the police, even as he revealed that the Lagos State Government, through its Security Trust Fund, spent N8.7 billion on the provision of logistics and equipment for security agencies in the last five years. Fashola said the state and local governments had provided over 85 per cent of equipment for security
agencies in Lagos, while the Federal Government did not consider it necessary to equip the Force in line with the growing sophisticated nature of the crime across the country. Speaking at a town hall meeting on security organised by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), the governor said by virtue of the Lagos huge expenditure on the police and the other security agencies, the state is already running state police since the Federal Government had literarily abandoned the Force.
He also presented post humous awards to policemen killed by armed robbers during a day light robbery in the state recently. Fashola said: “It might interest you to learn that from the inception till date, the Federal Government has only provided 30 patrol vehicles for the police in Lagos State. While it is fair to acknowledge the receipt of 11 patrol boat, it is worth stating that the Federal Government does not seem to think that the police need other equipment such as sufficient number of Amour Personnel Carri-
ers, walkie-talkie , communication masts, repeater station and motor bikes, even though security is constitutionally its exclusive preserve.” Meanwhile, yesterday was a memorable day for Inspector Jamiu Adekoya, a policeman shot by a gang of robbers that unleashed terror on Lagos metropolis on September 9 and killed several people, as well as carted huge amount of money. Adekoya was rewarded by Governor Fashola for his gallantry to confront the armed robbers.
IBADAN
T
he African Development Bank (AfDB) yesterday in Ibadan launched the US$63.24 million AfDB-funded initiative to raise agricultural productivity and also lift millions of Africans out of poverty. The five-year multiCGIAR center initiative known as “Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SARD-SC)” is a research, science and technology development initiative aimed at enhancing the productivity and income derived from cassava, maize, rice and wheat, four of the six commodities that African Heads of State, through the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme, have defined as strategic crops for Africa. The Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Nteranya Sanginga, speaking at the launching, called on researchers to deliver “quick impact” to
justify the investments in research. He said: “We should begin to demonstrate impact in the next two years using available technologies already developed. Everything in SARD-SC is about impact and not only writing scientific papers”. According to him, the SARD-SC Project comes at an opportune time when food security and nutrition are high on the national agenda of the AfDB Regional Member Countries (RMCs), as rising food prices push millions of people into extreme hunger and poverty, stating that it allows for the first time ever in a single project, a continental coverage of the food security challenges in Africa. “What we intend to achieve goes beyond food security. We are looking at boosting incomes and reducing poverty in Africa,“ said Mr Ousmane Dore, Resident Representative, Nigeria Field Office of the AfDB, who launched the event on behalf of AfDB’s President, Dr Donald Kaberuka”.
Atuche: Court reserves ruling on request to recall witnesses Members of Zonta International Club of Ibadan protesting discrimination against women and child labour in Ibadan, yesterday.
Lagos governor inhuman, says PDP KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN
T
he South-West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the planned displacement of over 50,000 traders at the popular Katangowa Market in Lagos State without provision of an alternative place for them as wicked and inhuman, saying: “The Governor Babatunde Fashola-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government has shown
clear enough that it hates the masses.” In a statement issued yesterday by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon Kayode Babade, PDP said even if the traders were occupying government land as claimed by Fashola, they still deserved to be protected. The PDP said only a devilish government would attempt to render over 50,000 traders jobless less than two months after it sent over 50,000 commercial motorcyclists out of business.
It will be recalled that Governor Fashola recently visited the Katangowa Market and told the traders that they were not the rightful owners of the land. He said the 17 hectares of land being occupied by the traders belonged to the state government and the government was not ready to pay compensation to illegal occupants on its land. The PDP said: “It is now glaring that Fashola and his party, ACN, hate the masses with passion.
PHOTO: NAN
If not, how on earth can a governor open his mouth to address Katangowa traders, who have been trading in the area for about 30 years that they occupied the place illegally? “Is Fashola and his ACN now the government? Are the people of Lagos State no longer the government? If the land is owned by the government, is it not owned in trust for the people and isn’t the government put in place to serve the interests of the people?
Murder: Defence witness’ absence stalls Arowolo’s trial KENNY ODUNUKAN
T
he absence of a defence witness yesterday stalled the trial of Akolade Arowolo, allegedly involved in killing his banker-wife, Titilayo Omozoje, sometime in June 2011.
At the resumed hearing of the case at an Ikeja High Court, Arowolo’s counsel, Mr. Olanrewaju Ajanaku, told the court that the witness he sought to bring was suffering from malaria fever and could not attend the court. Ajanaku said: “My lord, I will humbly request for
an adjournment based on sudden illness of the witness.” But the presiding judge, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, scolded the defence, saying that such excuse should not be the perquisite for unnecessarily delaying the trial Ajanaku subsequently apologised and promised
to bring all the defence witnesses in the next adjourned date. The case was, however adjourned till January 22, 2013. Arowolo was charged with stabbing his wife to death on June 24, 2011 at their residence at Isolo, Lagos.
KENNY ODUNUKAN
J
ustice Lateefaat Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, yesterday reserved ruling on the application by the defence team to recall two prosecuting witnesses, Mr Diamond Uju and Elizabeth Ebi, for further cross examination on the ongoing trial of former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth, and one Ugo Anyanwu. They are facing trial for alleged stealing and misappropriation of fund. At the court yesterday, lawyer to the Atuches, Tony Idigbe (SAN), filed an application urging the court to consider recalling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uju and Ebi for further cross examination It will be recalled that the witnesses had given their testimonies on the alleged crime earlier in the course of the trial. They had, in their earlier testimonies, denied requesting loans from the
bank, adding that they never had any relationship with the bank, prior to the advancement of loans to their companies. However, Atuche claimed that the witnesses had a relationship with the bank before the loans were advanced to them through their companies. According to Atuche, there was a resolution of the bank which showed that the companies did not only have a relationship with the bank, but asked for loans which were granted. Atuche’s counsel, Idigbe, urged the court to recall the witnesses for further cross examination, adding that recalling them would aid the defence to create doubts in the case of the prosecution because the witnesses told the court half truths. Idigbe cited Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 197 of the Lagos State Criminals Law, saying that both laws allowed the court to use its discretion to call any witness. He added that his motion was basically in the interest of justice.