Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2012 subscriber data to surpass 80% teledensity –Investigation EXCLUSIVE KUNLE AZEEZ

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y the time the Nigerian Communications Commis-

Johnson

Vol. 3 N0. 526

sion, NCC, releases the December 2012 subscriber data for telecoms industry, the country’s teledensity may have surpassed 80 per cent, National Mirror analysis has revealed.

Kogi gov, Wada, discharged from hospital P.5

Investigation has revealed that the current teledensity hit 78.21 per cent at the end of October 2012 even as the total active telephone lines inCONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Amaechi

New Year tragedy: Fire razes five houses in Port Harcourt

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We’ll soon arrest all terrorists –Jonathan ...says attackers of UN, Force Hqtrs, Madalla in custody Police ready to end violent crimes- IG ROTIMI FADEYI AND OMEIZA AJAYI

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Dickson

Fallout of crash:

Contractors get N8.5bn for Bayelsa airport, roads

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Wife of recuperating Taraba State Governor, Hauwa; Governor Danbaba Suntai with their twin babies and a family friend, Prince PHOTO: NAN Tita Nbalam, during a visit to the governor in a German hospital on Monday.

Our expectations from govt in 2013

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday disclosed that almost all those involved in bombings in the country had been arrested by security agents.

The President also said that government was working hard to tackle the security challenges facing the country to ensure maximum protection of lives and property.

He spoke in Abuja yesterday at the New Year church service held at the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Diocese of Abuja, All Saints’ Church, Wuse.

President Jonathan specifically said that most CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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–Tinubu, Oyegun, Junaid, Ikedife, others

61 killed in Ivory Coast New Year stampede

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A barbeque cow prepared by the Olowogbowo Fanty Forum in Lagos during the New Year celebration, yesterday.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

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Arts

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Chief Edem Duke, Minister of Culture

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NOA boss, Mike Omeri

Realising a vibrant arts, culture sector in 2013

Nigerian art and culture are great treasures beyond the shores of the country; but the nation is miles away from realising the set goals since independence in 1960. What could be done to make 2013 spectacular in this quest?

NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

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or a source of income to be dependable, it must have elements of sustainability, inexhaustibility and adaptability. These incidentally are some of the cardinal attributes of the cultures obtainable in the nation called Nigeria. With over 250 ethnic groups, the arena makes room for a vibrant cultural sector.

But since 1960, the goals of the sector have largely remained unrealisable. Before now, the blame was being heaped on incessant change in the government of the country owing to domination of the polity by the military. After 1999, all these have changed with very little impact being felt.

While culture can be a platform to re-engineer Nigeria’s image as well as adding to the economy, only a fraction of the potentials seem feasible. Yes, it would be difficult to realise all these goals in 2013, but a healthy pathway towards attaining them can be charted depending on steps the major stakeholders decide to take.

As the year unfolds, there is generally a great need for the country to have a well-defined cultural policy. The rights and various attempts of the people

of Nigeria to develop their culture have been supported by both the civilian and military governments and have been given consideration in the Nigerian Constitution. However, the systematised cultural policy and the set of main aims of cultural policies within the states have not been presented. National cultural policy in this case, must be seen as an instrument of promotion of national identity and Nigerian unity, as well as of communication and cooperation among different Nigerian cultures, while the states’ cultural policies stand for the affirmation and development of particular (ethnic) cultures located within the states.

This obviously elicited the call by the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, for a well-defined cultural policy for the nation.

“I wish to reiterate the need for greater focus on our arts and culture in order to give these the pride of place they deserve.

In this regard, there is an urgent need for the review of our National Policy on Arts and Culture and its implementation with a view to achieving greater relevance and sustainability; such that our art and culture will become key development resources. The policy should provide for massive investments by the government and its agen-

cies; as well as the organised private sector, communities and wealthy individuals. The purpose would be to entrench and popularise arts and culture in our educational institutions as well as build relevant institutions and facilities such as museums, galleries, theatres, etc, that will bring our arts and culture to the level of the common man. After all, art should not only be appreciated by the elite for its aesthetic potentials but should also be seen as a major defining element of a people’s identity”, he says.

No doubt, a move in this direction would obviously be in the interest of not only the sector but also the country in general. But far from this, the government should also look at ways to strengthen some of the agencies charged directly or indirectly with the role of promoting

this aspect of the Nigerian life.

Agencies like National Orientation Agency, NOA; National Institute for Cultural Orientation, NICO; National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB; Nigerian Film Corporation, NFC; Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC; and the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, must be well-equipped to discharge their duties well.

Of paramount need is the area of funding. While it is true that the 2013 budget has been passed with the usual paltry sum getting to the cultural sector, government at both the federal and local tiers must begin to set aside substantial funds for the promotion of cultural activities being done at that level. In looking towards this, it would not be a bad idea if governments at all levels embark on a project to construct a befitting arts and cultural centre at the headquarters to take the promotion of culture back to the people. A centre like this would naturally take care of film exhibitions, stage performances and visual arts exhibitions at the local level.

This would not only boost local economies but also stimulate employments, boosting tax revenues at the local level.

Like film director, Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen, rightly pointed out, government stands to

gain a lot by initiating a project that would put cinema theatres at every nook and cranny of the nation. “There is so much money to be made out there, but we need the government to make the right step first. I am looking at a situation where all the local government councils in Nigeria will have cinema theatres. That means if I make a film and decide to take it to only half of the local government councils, I will easily recoup my money. And out of this the government can ask for a good tax. But this area has largely been ignored”.

Taking this promotion of arts and culture to all corners of the world through the embassies will also be a good way out in the New Year, according to Isaac Izoya, Chief Executive Officer of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment. Izoya, whose company is based in Berlin, Germany, says little is being done in most embassies to promote the culture sector, which is why he wants it enshrined in the policy from now onwards. “My company Ehizoya has done a great deal in promoting the culture of the country in Europe in particular, but I will like the government to bring up a policy to have the embassies in Europe and other places take up such promotions.

We need to give our embassies the mandate to make sure that at

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Obi of Onitsha, Achebe.

least they are doing one cultural programme to promote Nigeria every quarter. I just finished “Nollywood@20” in Berlin and I got no support from Nigeria which is wrong. Most times, you even realise that the German interests are the resources supporting us to promote our own culture. If it is well-harnessed, Nigeria can do a lot by doing something at their embassies all over the world”.

The culture sector will also make do with lots of trainings in 2013. While some activities were done last year in this direction by agencies such as the NFC, NICO and NCC, who trained many stakeholders on burning issues in the sector, the efforts would have to be stepped up now more than ever. Training and retraining have incidentally dominated the list of needs of many industry key players, especially in the film sector. Aside Alex Eyengho, the National President of the Association of Core Nollywood Producers, ANCOP; Tunde Kelani, another filmmaker has also called for more training opportunities for the practitioners in the industry. “I have said it over and over again that having infrastructures will be more beneficial because that is what we need to distribute the works.

If there are cinemas everywhere at the grass roots, film works can get to the target audience easily.

But another paramount need in the film sector is training. The policy makers must put in place a programme for training of people in the business. Personally, I never stop improving myself because the film business is a volatile one. It keeps changing every time. What film is like today will definitely change in the next five years, so people need to be trained to get acquainted with the new trends”.

While the NOA has a com-

Arts

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

3

NEXIM Bank MDCEO, Mr. Roberts Orya

NICO Secetary General, Ayakoroma

OBA OF BENIN AND A FEW OTHERS HAVE MAINTAINED OUR HERITAGE IN TERMS OF THE PALACES; THE

REST LIVE IN MODERN

WESTERN

MANSIONS mitment with communicating government policies, it should begin to drive the need to imbibe national pride in not only the Nigerian nation but also in the art as well. This could be done by way of campaigns to make Nigerians think of Nigerian locations for holidays before any other location outside.

Fashion designer and culture enthusiast, Lateefat Momodu, thinks Nigerians should embrace their own in the New Year if they want the outside world to pay them any attention. “Yes, we are always clamouring to be

recognised abroad, but the truth is that we need to appreciate our own first of all before getting the white people to appreciate our culture. When I host shows in Europe, they get fascinated and want to see more, but Nigerian have this attitude of seeking things that are foreign more than the ones that are local and beautiful; I tell them that local does not mean inferior. For instance, each time I see our royal fathers who are the custodian of our cultures living in modern houses, I shudder. What kind of culture will you be preserv-

ing when the palace looks like an American house? In Nigeria, it is probably the Oba of Benin and a few others that have maintained that heritage in terms of the palaces. The rest are living in modern Western mansions”.

Another government agency whose activities would be important in the operations of the industry in 2013 will be the Nigerian Export Import Bank, NEXIM Bank. Only last year it announced the Nigerian Creative Arts and Entertainment Facility Loan, which the government intends to use to stimulate growth in the creative sector. While a few practitioners are reported to have benefitted, the general impression is that the conditions for accessing the loans are still hectic, which is why many people in the creative sector have not been able to access it. According to Gab Onyi, one of the beneficiaries, there is nothing that makes the loan ‘the soft fund’, it is purported to be, because all the conditions required by a commercial bank are being demanded to be able to benefit. “Yes, the interest rate may not be as high as the commercial banks but one still needs to put down everything required by the conventional banks to grant someone a loan.

The collateral must be there, aside the projections of how the funds would be repaid”.

This trend has always left the industry divided because such conditions will always leave the younger creative artistes who do not have sufficient collateral to back up the fund requirements out of the scheme. But so many experts will always say it is good to ensure the scheme does not fizzle out with time. In spite of all this, a middle ground needs to be evolved by the Roberts Orya-led bank to accommodate the needs of the young artistes

in the sector.

While this is ongoing, the Collective Management Organisation, CMO, being planned in the audio-visual sector should be followed up to the letter in the New Year to make sure that the huge revenues being lost through such means are permanently plugged. If a good foundation is laid today in this direction, there is no doubt that the year may evolve with the attraction of foreign investors which Nollywood actor, Bob Manuel Udokwu says is key if the industry would grow to international prominence like what happened in India.

According to him, “For the Nigerian entertainment industry to be properly aligned with the global entertainment market and generate jobs locally, there is need to attract foreign involvement and investment in the local industry. This should come in the form of partnerships in financing of co-productions in the areas of music and films as well as other entertainment projects of mutual interest. A couple of years ago, India achieved such through the involvement of American and British producers and directors in the production of the film “Slum Dog Millionaire”. The film was shot in the slums of Mumbai in India with Indian actors and actresses both veterans and up-comers. The work attained world acclaim by becoming one of the films shot in a Third World country to win in about seven different categories in the prestigious Oscar awards! It not only created jobs and international exposure for Indian artistes, it also put their country in the movie making Hall of Fame”.

The benefits of the fledgling creative industry cannot be overemphasised if things are well-harnessed indeed.

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PhotoNews

Wednesday January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Father of first baby of the year 2013, Mr. Femi Jayeola; wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; mother of the baby, Busayo and Deputy Director, Nursing Services, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Mrs. Oluwagbemi Oluwayemisi, during Mrs. Fayemi’s visit at the hospital, yesterday.

Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun (left) felicitating with the First Baby of the Year 2013 and the baby’s mother, Mrs. Funmilayo Sodiq at the State Hospital, Ijaye in Abeokuta, yesterday.

L-R: Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe; Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu and Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey, during the Lagos State Countdown festival in Lagos yesterday.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management Board, Mrs. Lara Ajayi; Chief Medical Director, Dr. Bosun Awoyemi; wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola; Commissioner for Health Dr. Temitope IIori and mother of the First baby of the year in the state, Mrs. Rasheedat Odekemi, during the visit at Oja-Ale Maternity Center, Odeomu Ijugbe, osun State, yesterday.

Women of Nasrul-Lahi-il-Fatih Society of Nigeria, Iganmu ColerAguda branch, at the annual New Year Dua in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Children enjoying themselves during the Olowogbowo Forum New Year celebration in Lagos.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Olowogbowo Carnival in Lagos Island, yesterday.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Some youth playing with a crab at the Kuramo Beach, during the New Year celebration in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Lafiaji Fanty Association celebrating the New year with a carnival in Lagos yesterday.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Empty Road of Central Area District, during the New Year Holiday in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

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News

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

5

Wada discharged from Abuja hospital •Injury’ll heal at home in six months – Doctor

MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

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ive days after he was hospitalised in Abuja over the injury he sustained in an auto crash, Kogi State Governor, Capt.

Idris Wada, has been discharged.

Sources told National Mirror that the governor left the hospital about 11p.m. on Monday in the company of his aides and family members, amidst tight security.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Jacob Edi, confirmed the discharge yesterday.

The accident occurred at Emo-Worro, a village in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State,

last Friday.

Wada, who was rushed to Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja, against the anticipated National Hospital after the accident, was operated upon for a broken thigh.

The Chief Medical Direc-

L-R: Prince Adeyinka Ademiluyi; Bishop of the Source of Ile-Ife, Rt. Revd. Ranti Odubegun; Prof. Ade Fetuga and Otunba Oyin Fetuga, during the 70th anniversary of the Torch Bearer Society of Cathedral Chuch of Christ in Lagos, recently.

tor of the hospital, Dr. Felix Ogedengbe, confirmed Wada’s fitness yesterday, noting that he could recuperate fully at home for the thigh injury to heal permanently.

Prominent Nigerians that visited the governor while in the hospital were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Senate President David Mark; Taraba State Deputy Governor, Garba Umar; members of the National Assembly and dignitaries from Kogi State.

Ogedengbe had debunked media reports at a press briefing at the hospital on Saturday that the governor was to be flown abroad.

“The governor has since stabilised and he had a nice night. He would not be taken abroad for treatment because he has confidence in our capacity to manage him. There is no immediate need to fly him abroad,” he had said.

Wada’s SUV was involved in a ghastly crash while returning from a function at

Anyingba on his way to Lokoja.

The car somersaulted severally before plunging into an uncompleted building at Elete Emi Woro, between Prime Polytechnic and Salem University in Ajaokuta-Lokoja Government Area of the state.

While the governor sustained thigh injury, his ADC, Idris Mohammed, died on the spot.

Apart from the governor, the driver of the ill-fated auto crash is alive and responding to treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, Kogi State.

A consultant haematologist with the state Specialist Hospital, Dr. Attah Ahmed, told journalists on Saturday that the driver, Mr. Jibrin Isah, was in a stable condition.

He said: “The driver is in a very stable condition. He is responding to treatment.

In fact, he even ate today (yesterday), there was no problem at all.”

We’ll soon arrest all terrorists –Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

of the people involved in the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State; the United Nations Building and the Police Headquarters building in Abuja had been arrested.

He noted that while democracy has stabilised in the country with the prayers of religious leaders, the nation had moved into another phase of local terror, kidnapping and robbery.

“On the part of government, we are not sleeping, we are working very hard.

I am constantly briefed on security matters, we don’t need to publish everyday and to make open statements on all issues but I can assure you that our security operatives have been working very hard.

“Most of these people that have been involved in some of these crimes, like the bombing of the Catholic Church in Niger State, the UN building, bombing of the Police Headquarters, most of them have been arrested, almost all,

but people may not know what the men in uniform have been doing.

“I want to assure you that we have been working very hard, we will continue to work very hard, we will continue to improve on our architecture in terms of security and God willing, with intercessory prayers, we will overcome,” he said.

The President, however, stated that the security challenges in the country were just momentary, stressing that with prayers of Nigerians, the country would overcome them.

He noted that most of the problems in the country were caused by the attitude and way of life of the people which, he said, must change to ensure national development and progress.

The President also assured Nigerians that his administration would move fast in 2013 and would do what Nigerians expect.

He said the present administration had already laid a solid foundation, stressing that it was time

to move ahead and take necessary action that would bring about positive development in the New Year, which he said would be better than last year.

“In all our key sectors of the economy, we have laid the solid foundation and now we are moving ahead, we will move very fast to make sure that what Nigerians expect from us as a government we will do,” President Jonathan said.

The Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rev. Nicholas Okoh, in his sermon entitled, “Circumcise your heart”, said just as the Jews in the Bible, including Jesus Christ, obeyed God’s law of circumcision to be acceptable before the Lord, Nigerians need to circumcise their hearts by changing their ways from corruption and doing the right things that are acceptable before God. He explained that circumcision, which required cutting off of a part of the body, was like cutting off the old ways and allow it to die in order

to take up a new life.

Okoh also warned members of the Boko Haram sect and those involved in kidnapping, armed robbery and other vices to turn away from their evil ways.

He also challenged teachers and academicians harassing female students and female students harassing lecturers by their indecent dressing on campuses to circumcise their hearts by taking on a new life and behaviour.

The clergy told traditional rulers and university authorities who sell titles and doctorate degrees to those not worthy of them to circumcise their hearts.

At the church service, prayers were offered for the guidance and direction of God as well as the progress and development of the nation.

The Bible lesson, which was taken from Genesis 17: 9-16 was read by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who attended the service along with the mother of the President,

Madam Eunice Jonathan.

Also present at the service were the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd); the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Ms. Olajumoke Akinjide; the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency NIA, Ambassador Ezekiel Oladeji; Senator Phillip Aduda; Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. Kennedy Opara and some presidential aides.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has restated the commitment of the force to end the wave of violent crimes across the country.

He pleaded with Nigerians to join the police to achieve the objective this year.

Abubakar also tasked officers and men of the force to re-dedicate themselves to selfless service to the nation and humanity.

In a statement signed on his behalf by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, and

made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday, the IG also congratulated Nigerians for witnessing the New Year.

While thanking God for his grace and mercies that saw the country and its citizens through the immediate past year, Abubakar also commended Nigerians for their vigilance, partnership and support for the police, “without which the task of policing Nigeria in 2012 would have been a near-impossibility.”

He advised the people not to relent but rather continue with greater vigour in the months ahead.

The IG also thanked the 36 governors, the FCT minister and local government chairmen, particularly those that supported the police with logistics and other crime-fighting tools in 2012.

The police boss pledged the loyalty of officers and men of the force to the nation, promising that crime and criminality, particularly the violent ones, would be reduced to the barest minimum.

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News

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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Fun seekers besiege amusement centres

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un seekers in Lagos yesterday trooped out to different amusement centres to celebrate the New Year with their families.

Some of them told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in separate interviews that the public holiday had enabled them to relax with their families.

They also said that the celebration provided them with the opportunity to thank God for His protection throughout 2012.

Mr. Idris Yusuf, a Lagos-based businessman, said the holiday had given him the opportunity to celebrate the New Year with his family.

“So, I believe that the best thing for me and my family is to come around here at the Bar Beach and have a nice time with them.

“We are also gathered here to thank the Almighty for giving us live to witness the arrival of a New Year,” he said.

Mr. Wale Esan, a civil servant with the Lagos State government, said that members of his immediate family always spend their New Year holiday at the Bar Beach.

Esan advised the state government to pay more

attention to the provision of security for people using the beach.

He decried the rate at which touts were issuing different kinds of tickets to defraud the fun seekers at the arena.

“Before you park your car, you will pay N300 and one still has to pay N500 per head, to gain access to the beach. This is very bad,” he said.

Some traders at the beach decried the low patronage despite the huge turnout of fun seekers.

Mrs. Shola Nowoola said: “The turnout of picnickers this year is not different from past years because people would always come out to enjoy themselves in appreciation for being alive.

“But I have to say most of them came with their food and drinks. They stop by Shoprite and eateries to get what they need to enjoy, while we are experiencing low patronage.”

Nowoola also attributed the low patronage to the just concluded 10 days Eko Atlantic City Show, which ended on December 31 at the beach.

She said people were restricted from coming to where they displayed their goods.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. John Kennedy Opara; Primate of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh; President Goodluck Jonathan; his wife, Dame Patience; wife of the Primate, Mrs. Nkakiobi Okoh and Chaplain, Aso PHOTO: NAN Villa Chapel, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, after the New Year church service at All Saints Church in Wuse, Abuja, yesterday.

Members of the Knight of St. Mulumba and the Clergy in a procession during the New Year Day church service and marking of World Peace Day at the Holy Cross Cathedral in Lagos, yesterday.

Kukah tasks prison ‘2012 subscriber data to surpass 80% teledensity’ inmates on education

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he Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Hassan Kukah, yesterday advised prison inmates to acquire western education to enable them to contribute to national growth after their terms.

Kukah gave the advice in Sokoto during a visit to the Sokoto Central Prison where he distributed food and soft drinks to the inmates to mark the New Year.

“The prison is not the end of your life; some of you can still make it in life; just be focused and seek western education and cooperate with the prison officials.

“You can be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, governors and members of the Na-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

tional Assembly, if only you are ready to seek for knowledge to enable you to contribute positively towards the nation’s political growth,” he said.

He called on them to take the advantage of the skill acquisition centres to learn various trades.

Kukah said the era of waiting for government to do everything for citizens was over, hence the need for self-reliance.

“We have all that it takes to be one of the top developed nations in the world, if we can tap the abundant human and mineral resources available at our disposal,” he said.

Kukah promised to settle the fines of some of the inmates to enable them to regain their freedom.

creased to 109.4 million.

Teledensity is the percentage of the number of phone users per population at a given period of time and its growth is proportional to the growth in the subscriber base.

It was gathered that with the upsurge in the number of new lines usually expected in November through end of December, the country’s active telecoms subscriber base might surpass 110 million with teledensity exceeding 80 per cent.

Telecoms operators, mostly the Global System for Mobile Communications operators, including MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat, have been the chief contributors to the month-on-month increase in subscriber base, which

has produced corresponding growth in teledensity.

But both the Code Division Multiple Access Multiple Access, CDMA, operators, including Visafone, Starcomms, Multi-Links and the dormant Zoom Mobile have continued to experience consistent decline in their combined CDMA subscriber base, thereby affecting their contribution to teledensity.

According to the data, teledensity in the telecoms sector, which stood at 68.68 per cent in January 2012, has increased significantly to 78.21 per cent.

The NCC data, however, showed that in February, March, April and May 2012, when active telecoms subscribers in the country stood at 96.6

million; 99.1 million; 101 million and 101.8 million, teledensity increased to 69.0 per cent; 70.82 per cent; 72.20 per cent and 72.72 per cent respectively.

In June and July 2012, when the country recorded 102.3 million and 103.4 million active telecoms subscriber bases, teledensity grew to 73.12 per cent and 73.88 per cent in that order.

Also in August, September and October 2012 when active subscribers rose to 105.2 million, 107.3 million and 109.4 million, teledensity also increased to 75.17 per cent; 76.69 per cent and 78.21 per cent respectively.

Analysts say that the geometric growth in telecoms subscriber base, leading to proportional growth in teledensity, is

an indication of increased access to telephony services.

On annual teledensity growth trend, National Mirror reliably learnt that teledensity increased from 0.73 per cent in 2011 to 1.89 per cent in 2002 and in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006; it increased to 3.35 per cent; 8.5 per cent; 16.27 per cent and 24.18 per cent respectively.

In 2007, teledensity increased to 29.93 per cent and in 2008, it hit a record 45.93 per cent.

Also, with the growth in active subscriber base hitting 74.52 million by the end of 2009, teledensity also reached 53.23 per cent, while the figure rose to 63.11 per cent in December, 2010. But by the end of December 2011, teledensity had reached 68.49 per

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

7

NEW YEAR MESSAGES

Budgetary allocations won’t stop terrorism –Archbishop A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Archbishop of Kaduna Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Mathew Man-oso Ndagoso, yesterday said that no amount of budgetary allocations from

the Federal Government would tackle the current insecurity posed by the terrorists group.

Ndagoso said this while addressing journalists in Kaduna during the holy mass to mark the New Year celebration.

He explained that the

country’s insecurity would end when Nigerians agreed to live in peace with one another irrespective of ethnicity and religion.

Ndagoso also kicked against the proposed constitution amendment, saying the exercise would

not effect any meaningful change in the system.

He said: “I think no amount of government budgetary allocations will solve the current insecurity caused by terrorism in our country today.

“The insurgency will end when all Nigerians

agree to live in peace with one another. The security agencies are doing their best but it may take them time because of what I said.

“It is the same about our constitution; nothing has gone wrong with the laws of this country. The proposed constitution

amendment will add no value to our system.”

Ndagoso, who also read Pope Benedict XVI New Year message entitled: “Blessed are the Peacemakers,” said the unrest in Nigeria and other parts of the world was a threat to global peace.

Let’s tackle insecurity with prayers, Aregbesola urges Nigerians WALE FOLARIN OSOGBO

O

sun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola said Nigeria needed prayers to solve her security challenges this year.

This was as the state government ushered in the New Year with fireworks.

Aregbesola made this submission yesterday in a New Year message signed by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, to the people of Osun State.

He called on Nigerians to assist the Federal Government with prayers to solve the problem of insecurity in many parts of the country.

The governor also called on all Nigerians to work together to tackle the problem.

Quoting Chapter II, Section 14, paragraph 2b of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Aregbesola said “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

According to him, a government exists to give protection of lives and property, ensure peace and security and maintain law and order.

He said it was under this environment that people could enjoy their liberty, engage in fruitful and legitimate economic activities and realise their full potentials.

The governor also assured the people that his administration would continue in its efforts to better their lot.

Aregbesola, who commended the people for their cooperation and support, also said that his administration would not relent in its developmental strides.

He added that what was witnessed in Osun State in 2012, in terms of develop-

ment, would be a child’s play compared to what would be take place in the New Year.

According to him, massive infrastructure uplift will be witnessed in 2013 as the local governments will accelerate work on the 218.12 km road projects among many others.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Osogbo, the state capital, was filled with unusual fun fare in the early hours of yesterday, as the state government usheredin 2013 with fireworks and pyrotechnics.

The fireworks, set off at exactly 12:00 am and lasted for about 45 minutes nonstop, was used to usher in the New Year across nine major towns of the state.

The newly redesigned Railway Station in Old Garage area, Osogbo, venue of the programme, was filled to capacity, with thousands of people lining up to witness the glamour of the fireworks organised by the state government.

As the people were in a joyous mood watching the sporadic fireworks and pyrotechnics, the popular fuji musician, King Saheed Osupa, was on hand to entertain the mammoth crowd.

Some of the 30 prisoners released by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State at the Maiduguri Maximum Prison, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Fayemi promises jobs, 5,000 houses this year ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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overnor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State disclosed yesterday the plan of his administration to construct 5,000 housing units this year.

Fayemi said the plan was to make houses more affordable for the people and save more citizens from shylock landlords and dubious property developers

cashing in on inadequacy of decent houses.

The governor said in his New Year broadcast to the people of Ekiti State that the scheme tagged: “Homes Agenda,” would coordinate the efforts of various stakeholders in the housing sector and also incorporate private sector through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.

Fayemi, who described 2013 as “Ekiti’s Year of Empowerment and Consolida-

Great expectations from Jonathan, says Kalu

F

ormer Governor Orji Kalu of Abia State has described 2013 as a year of great expectations from President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Kalu said in his New Year message signed by his Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewunmi, that with the numerous crises facing the country and the promise

by Jonathan to fast track development in 2013, the President would be taken to task this year.

He said with the Boko Haram insurgence, fuel crises, labour-related issues and other challenges that

confronted the country in 2012, the expectations in 2013 would be for Jonathan to confront these monsters headlong and provide effective leadership.

He said: “Nigerians do not expect anything less from the President than solutions to the numerous crises facing the country.

“And with the earlier promise by the President that he would fast track development in 2013, the President should not expect anything less than being held accountable for the huge resources coming into the country’s purse

Kalu

vis-a-vis development in all spheres of the country’s life.

“Anything short of this will only translate to one fact: this administration is not capable of taking the country to the Promised Land.”

tion,” assured the people of wealth creation through the provision of conducive environment for job creation, youth and women empowerment, among others.

He said the government would complete all ongoing road projects, initiate new ones to make all parts of the state accessible and continue the ongoing Urban Renewal Programme.

According to him, with Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, already undergoing massive transformation, government will focus on the construction of township roads in Ikere, Ikole and Ijero, the former divisional headquarters.

Fayemi assured government workers of improved welfare in the New Year through various incentives to motivate them for greater performance.

He said the administration would also enhance the quality of teachers by prioritising their training needs to ensure improvement in their service delivery.

The governor said the administration would build two new General Hospitals in Ilawe and Iye while the

abandoned Oba Adejugbe General Hospital Complex would be completed in the first half of the year.

Also, the 20 General Hospitals and the 35 Basic Health Centres would be renovated.

He also spoke of plan to extend the Social Security Scheme for registered elderly persons of 65 years and above receiving monthly stipends of N5,000 beyond the scope of 20,000 beneficiaries.

Fayemi said the establishment of Peace Corps was borne out of the need to provide the enabling environment for all citizens and residents to pursue their legitimate businesses in a peaceful atmosphere.

He said: “It is common knowledge for all of us that society thrives more and attracts higher economic growth when there is peace.”

The governor said the Peace Corps would complement the efforts of the regular law enforcement agencies in tackling crime and making the state more secure.

8

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

NEW YEAR MESSAGES

2013: Wicked shall destroy themselves, says Olukoya T he General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (Worldwide), Dr. Daniel Olukoya, yesterday said that “all organised wicked destroyers shall split and destroy themselves” in the New Year.

Reeling out his 40-point New Year Predictions for 2013 at the prayer city along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Pastor Olukoya, who described the year as one of a “rage of political confusion,” said the year will also experience “uncommon lawlessness,” with “mysterious happenings we never heard before.”

According to the cleric, who traced the first ap-

pearance of figure 13 in the Bible to Genesis 14, verse 4, which has to do with rebellion, the “year will generate wide-spread sparks of rebellion” and it will be “volatile with hot temper,” as the accused will become the judge in some situations.

The general overseer warned that; “This is a year we should approach with great caution, particularly the men.” He said the year is “volatile, very fragile and very dangerous to toy with. If you do, the result will be dangerous.”

He noted that year 2013 will, as a result of the love for money by many people, witness a resurgence of occultism, while on the

other hand, many sorrows will be turned to joy.

Broadcasters, both television and radio, were also warned to be careful, because malpractices in the sector may split the nation, as he called for prayers for drama and music industry practitioners, to avoid death due to ignorance and conscious involvement in occult practice.

Olukoya said serious prayers are needed to avert natural disasters, adding that 2013 will also witness shaking for nations that support godlessness as well as shame for God’s enemies.

According to him, the new year will also bring unbelievable betrayal and

disloyalty while he called for prayers to avoid bloody coups in some nations of the world.

However, not all the predictions are fearsome, as the man of God said the 40th prediction is for “harvest breakthrough to those who set at prayers early.”

He also gave a 10-point key to survival in 2013, to include living a holy life, being a good steward of everything God has given to one; maintaining one’s integrity by keeping one’s word; getting rid of anything less than excellent; never lying to no one; listening 85 percent and speaking 15 per cent and keeping one’s body under, that is, killing the flesh.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dickson preaches peace, promises a fruitful 2013

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ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has urged citizens of the state to embrace peace as a panacea to the fulfillment of his administration’s robust restoration programme.

This was the highlight of the governor’s speech at a new year eve inter-denominational church service at his hometown, Toru-Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking in his native Ijaw language, Dickson expressed appreciation to all the people of the state for the support given to his administration from inception and wished them a happy and prosperous 2013.

According to him, government is determined and committed to its restoration promises, noting that in the new year, the people will feel more of the impact of the restoration programme as more dividends of democracy will be delivered than in the previous year.

“We want to open up the state to everybody in terms of road construction and in-

frastructural and manpower development.

“We desire a peaceful society to achieve all these and I therefore call on the teeming youths in the state to continue to embrace peace.”

While recalling the sad events of the preceding year such as the accidents that claimed the lives of two prominent citizens of the nation as well as four others and the devastating effects of the floods, which impacted on the entire state and country, the governor prayed against such negative experiences in 2013 and beyond.

In an exhortation, Precious I. Precious of the King of Glory Chapel, Government House, predicted a blissful 2013 for the people of the state.

Quoting from Exodus, Chapter One, verses 15, 16 and 22 with the theme: “The end of affliction,” the preacher said affliction was something that affects, citing sickness, poverty, stress, childlessness and fear as some of the common afflictions known to men.

Amaechi urges Rivers citizens to embrace investment spirit

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L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina; Medical Director, Maternal and Child Centre, Gbaja, Surulere, Dr. Femi Onanuga; wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola; Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, during their visit to the 2013 First Baby of the Year in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

2012 tough for Nigerians, says Gov Aliyu

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iger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, has described year 2012 as a tough year for the nation in the area of the security challenges that rocked the country, just as he thanked God for witnessing it in a peaceful atmosphere.

He particularly urged Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the new year to pray for the repose of the souls of all those who could not witness 2013 as well as comfort their loved ones.

According to him; “As we are all aware, the year 2012 was an extraordinarily tough year for our country, particularly in terms of security challenges.”

Aliyu, who stated this in his New Year Goodwill message to the people of the state, noted that the year 2012 was the first full year of his reelection and a year his government proved its determination to consolidate on the developmental strides attained dur-

ing his first term.

He observed; “I believe you have not forgotten that when we came on board in 2007 our state faced enormous challenges in virtually all the sectors and spheres of our socio-economic life as a people and that there was a wide gap between the people and the government.”

The governor sais as part of steps taken to impact positively on the socio-economic and political life of the people,

farmers now enjoy easy access to prompt and timely delivery of tractors, fertilizers and other inputs/implements to boost agricultural production in the state.

He added that presently, the barrier to micro-credit for farmers has been broken through the N1billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme programme of the state, among many other measures, to improve on the living standard of the people.

ivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, yesterday urged the people of the state to embrace the spirit of investment and self-employment in the new year.

He made the call in his new year broadcast titled; “We will govern for the future,” in Port Harcourt, the state capital. The governor said the state government has set aside N5 billion in the 2013 budget for a state equity/enterprise fund to be provided in the first quarter of the year.

Amaechi said the fund would improve access to credit by medium scale entrepreneurs and those graduating from the micro-levels.

“We would like to appeal to our people to embrace the spirit of investment and self employment, which is the best form of employment.

“Our people should explore opportunities in agriculture and small and medium scale enterprises through entrepreneurship,” he emphasised.

On education, Amaechi said government would begin the construction of the new campus of the state Uni-

versity of Science and Technology.

“We are pleased with the strides of the university as it has moved up in the Nigeria University Commission’s ratings from 76 to 19.

“While we urge the management and the faculties not to rest on their oars, we encourage them to work hard to get into global reckoning and compete with their peers around the world.

“The best is good enough for our dear state,” he said.

He said 264 of the 750 modern primary schools started by his administration had been completed.

The governor also said that 100 of them were already in use, adding that the schools had been equipped with ICT and sports facilities to make learning easy.

Amaechi said the administration built 120 new primary healthcare centres and renovated 130 old ones.

“All 250 primary health care centres are fully functional.

We are also upgrading and increasing the capacity of our auto disposable syringe factory to enable us produce one billion syringes at once,” he said.

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National News

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

9

ACN to Jonathan: Take governance seriously in 2013 T he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has urged the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to shake off its trade mark lethargy and take governance more seriously in 2013 to ease the hardship which his government has foisted on Nigerians, especially in the past year.

In a new year message issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the year 2012 ranked

among the worst years for Nigerians, even by the very low standard of a non-performing and profligate administration like President Jonathan’s.

It said having ambushed Nigerians on January 1, 2012 with a totally unnecessary and punitive fuel price hike, the Jonathan administration ensured that everything went downhill from that moment until the end of the year, when Nigerians had to pay far above the official price for fuel, with its attendant bandwagon effect on the price of goods

and services.

“Mr. President, that singular act of your administration helped to erode whatever trust Nigerians reposed in you. Since trust is a critical element between the government and governed, you must begin to rebuild trust by delivering on your promises, since trust can neither be decreed nor forced.

“Suffice it to say that Nigerians cannot and will not trust an administration that promises to fight corruption but has presided over the worst cases of corruption in the history

of the country. “Nigerians cannot and will not trust an administration that set up committees after committees to probe the oil sector, only to shamelessly dump the reports of the committees in the garbage can! And Nigerians cannot and will not trust a spendthrift administration that wastes scarce resources on flimsy projects like banquet halls and mansions for a few government officials, when millions are jobless and homeless,” ACN said.

The party advised President Jonathan to drop his

amorphous Transformation Agenda in favour of a compact programme that prioritises security, job creation, infrastructural development and the fight against corruption.

It also advised the administration to stop relying on phantom statistics to give Nigerians the impression that it is delivering the dividends of democracy, when indeed the opposite is the case.

“The Jonathan administration trumpets economic growth figures with glee, but of what use is economic growth that has not translated to better lives for the people, create jobs, put food on the table and make our roads more motorable?

“Despite this so-called economic growth, the reality of the Nigerian situation is that more of our youths are daily meandering through traffic in our major cities selling toothpicks, rat poison and pure

water. What does this socalled economic growth figures mean to them?

“In 2013, the Jonathan administration must jettison cooked-up economic growth figures and make a concerted effort at reversing the situation that has seen an estimated 11 million Nigerian children out of school, 46 per cent of our youths unemployed, made Nigeria a country with one of the highest rates of road crashes in the world.

The administration should also do away with programmes and policies that put the country’s life expectancy at a mere 51.9 years (compared with 62.7 for Gabon, 73.4 for Mauritius and 74 for Libya) and the indignity of annually seeing the country ranked among the most corrupt,” the ACN said.

The party wished all Nigerians a happy new year and prayed that 2013 will bring peace and joy to all.

Why opposition is hard on GEJ –PDP OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

Anti-Bomb Squad thoroughly checking worshippers, during the New Year service at the Methodist Cathedral of Unity, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

CNPP calls for sanction to curb corruption FELIX NWANERI

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he Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the international community to impose sanctions on corrupt Nigerian leaders as part of measures to curb rising cases of corruption in the country.

This was contained in the group’s new year message to Nigerians signed by its National Secretary, Chief Willy Ezugwu.

Other measures canvassed by the conference include travel ban on politicians, top government officials and their known associates, especially those who have been indicted by the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

CNPP also called for freezing of questionable offshore bank accounts, belonging to Nigerian officials and vetting of all international businesses that require specified amount of transfers.

The group said: “We believe these measures will bring significant improvement in the situation of the country when taken promptly because Nigeria is dying and only the activation of existing international protocols, laws and conventions can save the situation at this stage.”

It also urged Nigerians to discard their docility and engage the ruling class; “since the populace are the ones who would not have money stashed away to flee the country in the event of a meltdown.”

Lamenting that nothing presently works in Nigeria except for what it described as merely a semblance of a country, the CNPP noted that the Federal Government has failed to guarantee the fundamental rights of its citizens with the state of insecurity witnessed in the north.

CNPP stated: “Since coming into office after the 2011 elections, President Goodluck Jonathan has not visited Borno State, even if only to reassure the suffering citizens that Nigeria has not and will not forsake them.

“Whether by pretext or otherwise, the President is making a show of coming to terms with the reality on ground, but his actions throughout 2012 told Nigerians of a man

who will rather groom corruption to thrive to get whatever reprieve he seeks for himself.

“He continues to surround himself with questionable characters with most of those around him being neck deep in sleaze; from ministers, special advisers to heads of extra-ministerial departments.”

The group also berated the National Assembly, saying the body which should have been the representative of the people “is at the epicenter of corruption in the land, as virtually everyone with a seat there is on the take and bent on impoverishing the country by appropriating national resources to themselves as recurrent expenditure and allowances.”

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday gave reasons why opposition political parties are hard on President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that it was because he hails from a minority geo- political zone.

The party said while it is not averse to constructive criticisms, but that a situation where reckless abuses has become the order of the day must be checked and stopped forthwith as the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains the only institution that unites the nation.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who deplored the manner the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and other opposition parties disparage President Goodluck Jonathan, said it is high time national interest superintends over the criticisms of opposition parties.

“That President Jona-

than is from a minority geo-political zone should not be the reason why the ACN and other opposition parties should be heaping insults and abuses on him in the name of criticisms.

There must be a limit and we implore that we use the spirit of the new year to say that enough is enough.

“The Presidency is the highest institution in the country and it deserves our collective respect.

There should be a limit between criticisms and abuse and we implore that we use the spirit of the new year to say that enough is enough.

“Let our criticisms be constructive on issues that will move the nation forward,” the PDP advised.

Jonathan

10

News

Wednesday January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gunmen abduct DELSU principal accountant Five Okonjo’s kidnap suspects in police net

SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

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unmen yesterday kidnapped the Principal Accountant with the Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, Mr. Martins Denedo.

It was gathered Denedo was abducted at his residence in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, in the early hours of the day.

Dedeno was said to be on his way from the cross over night service at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abraka, when an eight-man gang ambushed him in his compound at Lurther King Hostel, Denedo Street, in Abraka.

The victim was taken away with his vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder.

At the time of his abduction, he was with his brother and a guest.

It was also gathered that the kidnappers shot sporadically into the air to scare away the residents.

The victim’s younger brother, Mr. Paschal Denedo, who is the treasurer of the Senior Staff of Nigeria University Association,

DELSU, Abraka branch, said they were about to open the compound’s gate when the gunmen abducted his elder brother.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Charles Moka, said the particular gang of kidnappers had been terrorising Abraka.

He added that all arrangements had been made to arrest the members.

Moka said policemen had gone after them to rescue the victim unhurt.

Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Ikechukwu Aduba, said five suspects had been arrested in connection with the abduction of Prof. Kamene Okonjo.

The 82-year-old mother of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Prof.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was kidnapped by 10 gunmen at the gate of her husband’s palace in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State on December 9.

She regained freedom on December 14.

Aduba said that one suspect, who he identified as Andrew aka Olokpa, was arrested last week in Asaba, the state capital.

The commissioner dis-

closed that four suspects were earlier arrested during the rescue operation that led to Prof. Okonjo’s freedom.

He said: “The first day, we arrested four suspects including two known criminals, Bright and Bolaji. Bolaji is now late because of the gunshot injuries he sustained while trying to escape.

health was allocated N4.25 billion.

Other key areas included agriculture with N4.4 billion, economic empowerment programme (N1.2 billion), commerce and entrepreneurship (N3.8 billion), rural electrification got N665 million, while N25.1 billion was earmarked for road and transport services.

The governor said the budget would be funded from a projected income of N44.1 billion statutory allocation, N7.507 billion Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, N9.6 billion Value Added Tax, VAT, and N17 billion transfer from stabilisation fund.

More than N15 billion was expected from the local government councils’ contribution for primary education and health care, with N11 billion as opening balance, while N1.562 billion and N9.4 billion would be sourced from

internal and external loans, as well as miscellaneous capital receipts, respectively.

Lamido sought the support of stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of the budget and urged the legislature to give the bill accelerated hearing.

Receiving the bill, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Adamu Ahmad, commended the governor for what he described as the transparent and prudent management of public funds.

“These two were earlier involved in the kidnap of a victim who they killed after collecting ransom from the family.

“The one we arrested about three days ago is one Andrew aka Olokpa who hails from Edo State.

“Initially, he told us that he was contacted to supply food to the victim in the bush but now he has confessed that he was part of the planning that

led to the abduction.

“These are known ruffians and they are in our custody. We will get the others who are still hiding because we have a database on them. Investigations are still ongoing.

Surely, we must get to the root of this matter.”

On claims in some quarters that the ransom allegedly paid by the Okonjos had torn the 10man kidnap gang apart,

Aduba said he was not aware if ransom was paid to the hoodlums.

He said the police would never support the payment of ransom.

It is being speculated that there was sharp disagreement over the sharing formula of the ransom allegedly paid to the hoodlums as the new kingpin following Bolaji’s death bolted with the money meant for others.

L-R: Awardees, care giving support award, Miss Bukola Elemide, a.k.a Asa; the founder, Change-A-Life Programme, Ms. Funmi Iyanda, and Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola at the 11th anniversary of the Change-A-Life, in Lagos, yesterday.

Lamido presents N115bn 2013 budget Implement power, oil sectors’

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igawa State Governor Sule Lamido yesterday presented N115 billion Appropriation Bill for 2013 to the state House of Assembly.

Presenting the budget, Lamodi said the amount exceeded the 2012 budget by five per cent.

He said the budget was made up of N57.2 billion recurrent expenditure and 60.2 billion for capital expenditure.

The governor said that 56 per cent of the capital expenditure focused on infrastructure and human development services.

Highlights of the budget included N34 billion earmarked for economic sector development, N14.75 billion set aside for social and human development services, while urban development got N7.8 billion.

Also, N3.65 billion was set aside for general administration, education got N8.2 billion, while

Lamido

reforms, industrialists urge FG

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he National Association of Small Scale Industrialists, NASSI, yesterday urged the Federal Government to ensure the effective implementation of the oil and gas sector reforms in the New Year.

Members of the association made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos and called on President Goodluck Jonathan to expedite action in finding lasting solution to problems of the sector.

Managing Director, Limmy Cosmetics Limited, Mrs. Lydia Amos, urged Jonathan to urgently address the epileptic power supply problem and implement the oil and gas sector reforms agenda.

Amos called on the President to create an enabling environment for socio-economic development.

She said: “Privatisation of the country’s refineries

is the only option towards an effective oil and gas industry.

“Most small scale businesses have closed shop due to the epileptic power supply in the country which I think can be tackled.’’

Amos said government’s priorities for now should be on the power sector “because no country triumphs in socio-economic development without effective and efficient power supply”.

Also, the Managing Director, Khary Diary Juice Limited, Mrs. Falilat Balogun, implored the Federal Government to take the power sector more seriously this year.

Balogun said that most companies had stopped production while many others had moved out of Nigeria to places with better operational environment.

She said: “If President Jonathan can fix the epi-

leptic power supply and tackle corruption in the oil and gas sector, we will have a new Nigeria.

“The feelings of the people of this country can only be assuaged by evidence of actual improvement in their socio-economic conditions.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Sokuslow Construction Limited, Mr. Abiodun Kasali, said: “What is important to us at this time is that the power sector should be aggressively tackled.’’

Kasali urged the President to focus more on specific areas that would have great impact on the country, such as the implementation of the oil and gas sector reforms and permanent solution to constant power failure in the country.

He said: “The President should put the interest of the country first in all he does.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

11

Come out, let’s dialogue, ex-Senate Leader tells Boko Haram KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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ormer Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, has thrown his weight behind the call for the Federal Government to dialogue with the Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko-Haram, so long as the terrorist group comes out to make their demands known to Nigerians.

Folarin stated this in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while speaking with journalists after the eighth day fidau prayer for his

brother, late Alhaji Suleiman Aderemi Gbolagade Emiola.

The former senate leader, who expressed worry at the menace of the terrorists group, said it is a new phenomenon, which nobody could have thought of in the last 20 years and which now poses a new challenge to the nation’s security agencies, making tackling it a herculean task.

He said there was no sacrifice too much to be made for peace to reign in the country, hence his support for dialogue between the group and the Federal

Government, noting however that; “There is no way dialogue can be held with a faceless group, let them come out and tell Nigerians their grievances and demands”.

Speaking on the raging war of words between former governors, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo and Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, Folarin described it as needless, stating however that he was not yet sure of the true position of things concerning the political party membership status of Olunloyo.

His words: “I’m not sure that former governor Ol-

unloyo had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and I must see him first before I conclude. If it is however true, I don’t see any sense in it and I don’t see those claiming to have decamped as serious politicians, but those looking for something to eat.”

He assured that the PDP in the state had realised the need for members to close ranks ahead of the 2015 elections and everything was being done in that direction, stating that the people of the state were waiting for the party to bounce back.

Folarin continued: “What is on the lips of everybody in the state is for us to come together and that is what we all are working towards. We are aware of our responsibility to the people of the state and we cannot afford to fail them.

We have all realised this and we know we don’t have a choice than to bury the hatchet and form a common front.”

The former senate leader attributed the alleged bickering within the party to its democratic nature, describing it as a good development, saying; “Ours is

Bamidele raises concern over fake campaign posters

Fashola gives N4.5m lifeline to ailing Nollywood actress

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he Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Budget and Research, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has expressed concern over the pasting of his posters in Ekiti State, suggesting that he was gunning for the governorship election in 2014.

Bamidele, who denied knowledge of the development, however, claimed to know those behind it, saying it was an attempt to preempt and discredit him, but promised to expose the mastermind in due time.

In a statement personally signed by him, Bamidele said: “It has just been brought to my notice that less than 48 hours after I left Ekiti for the United States of America, some faceless individuals had gone ahead to paste posters purporting that I would be running for the 2014 Ekiti Governorship election on the platform of the Labour Party.

“I will like to place on record that I, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, was not responsible for the said posters. I am a founding member of the ACN and I have not declared for any other party as a member.

I must emphasise that I know those who masterminded the pasting of those posters and would address the issues at the appropriate time.

“In the meantime, I must reiterate that if this is an attempt by those who are conspiring against my vision and destiny to preempt and harass me into surrendering on my principled stance on issues, then they have failed.”

a party that gives room for every shade of opinion and there is no way some members will not feel aggrieved, which is why we always seem to be in crisis.

“Unfortunately to the people outside the fold, they don’t know that it is part of our inner strength and in a way, we are deepening democracy in the country.

Ours is not a party where some people will sit down somewhere and make decrees for members, we hold congress for people to see and we don’t adopt candidates for elections like others,” he said.

MURITALA AYINLA

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Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi and members of the newly established ‘Peace Corps,’ at an event in Ado-Ekiti, on Monday.

NLC leader seeks powers to challenge govt policies ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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igerian Labour Congress (NLC) Deputy National President, Comrade Promise Adewusi, has urged the National Assembly to amend Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution to empower Nigerians sue the Federal Government if it fails to run the economy properly.

Adewusi said except the chapter, “which is the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy is made justiceable, the country will continue to suffer misrule.”

The labour leader, who spoke at his Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State country home, lamented that “under the chapter, the Federal Government cannot be taken

to court for not meeting the yearnings of Nigerians in terms of rights to good health, education and others, unlike in South Africa, where their citizens can sue the government for not meeting their rights.

He said government would continue to pay lip service to people’s welfare unless the citizens enjoyed the constitutional rights to compel the government to be alive to its responsibilities.

“Today in Nigeria, education is a right, but people still drop out of schools because of mere N5, 000 and government is not doing anything about that. People are still being killed by malaria, so I ask what manner of rights is this?” he queried.

Adewusi also criticised

the Federal Government for a shoddy implementation of the fund accruing to the Dr Christopher Kolade-led Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P).

He lamented that the programme has failed to impact positively on the lives of Nigerians since its inception in January, 2012.

The labour leader said SURE-P has become a conduit pipe to fritter away the nation’s resources.

According to him, the programme that was initiated consequent upon a partial removal of the subsidy on petroleum products is not being enjoyed by the masses of the people, who the Federal Government said were the target.

His words: “Twelve

months down the line, the programme has failed to solve the problems militating against every strata of the Nigerian society, it has rather become a political weapon being used to cajole the people.

“Even at its take off in 2012, the programme had failed to be effective. Nigerians are being shortchanged because the fund had been politicised,” he said.

Omar

agos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday issued a cheque of N4.5 million to ailing Nollywood actress, Ngozi Nwosu, to complement her medical treatment.

Nwosu was said to be battling with heart and kidney related ailments and would need N6 million to complete her medical treatment abroad.

Fashola, who presented the cheque to Nwosu at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, prayed for the speedy recovery of the actress in the new year.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, said: “My attention was drawn to the advert in the newspapers few days ago, stating that the Nollywood actress still requires N4.5 million to complete her medical treatment.

“And that was why our government decided to assist a good citizen of the country who have used her talent to inspire the country’s youths and to imbibe in them values that defined who we are as Nigerians.”

The “Save Ngozi Nwosu” campaign had earlier said that about N1.5million has been realised at the moment which is still N4.5million short of the N6million needed to save Ngozi’s life, which is presently hanging in the balance.

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Governors’ Forum NEMA denies killing of 15 worshippers in Borno Nigerian oppressive –Jubril Aminu OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has denied a report claiming that 15 worshippers were killed in an outskirts of Chibok Local government Council of Borno State on Sunday.

In a statement in Abuja, the agency said none of its officers provided the widely touted information contrary to claims from some quarters.

It said that apart from the fact that the officer denied ever given such figure, the agency stated that further investigation also confirmed that none of such information was given out.

However, the agency said its team had also discovered

that two people were killed by unidentified gunmen around the area on Sunday and whose bodies had been deposited in a hospital.

According to the agency, the victims were a security man and a bystander.

Like other similar attacks, it said the agency could not classify the victims as Muslims or Christians because most of the attacks in that North-East axis are non-discriminatory between religion, tribe or section of the victims.

This, the agency further said, could be deduced from

the calibre of personalities including retired military generals, traditional rulers, politicians, public officers, businesspeople, security personnel, traders, students among other that were victims of such attacks.

The statement reads in part: “It is necessary to point out that NEMA would never release figures of casualty in whatever form without concrete evidence and certification from relevant authorities including the medical personnel and security agencies.

“The tradition of collaboration with stakeholder in information management during outbreaks of disaster in any part of the country is to eradicate erroneous impressions and misinformation as well as guard against unnecessary reprisal attacks from such speculation.

“Meanwhile, in another development NEMA has provided relief materials to the victims of recent communal clash between Fulani and Gwari in Gwagwalada area of Abuja over encroachment on farmlands.

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former Minister of Education, Senator Jubril Aminu, yesterday described the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) as strange and an instrument of oppressing the Federal Government and the people.

Aminu spoke at a media briefing organised by the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yola.

He said: “It is very strange. I worked in many countries and have not seen anything like such a

SSS releases two detained journalists A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he State Security Service (SSS) yesterday released the two journalists it detained in its Abuja headquarters.

The journalists are workers of a Kadunabased newspaper, AlMizan.

The journalists - Malam Musa Muhammad Awal (editor) and Malam Aliyu Saleh (reporter) were whisked away by security agents last week Monday.

They were arrested in their houses in the early hours of that day after their wives and children were allegedly manhandled by the security operatives.

With outcry by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and civil right groups, the two journalists gained their freedom after having spent one week at the SSS headquarters in Abuja.

In a telephone interview with National Mirror, NUJ Chairman, Kaduna State Council, Mallam Yusuf Idris, confirmed the release of two journalists, saying: “As I am talking to you, the two journalists arrested in Kaduna have gained their freedom.

They are now with their families.”

Rev. Canon Simeon Emelumadu of St. Philip’s Anglican Communion, Trans-Ekulu in Enugu, delivering a sermon at the New Year PHOTO: NAN service, yesterday.

forum.

“The Governors’ Forum is what is used to oppress everybody, including the President.”

Aminu said the Forum always ensured that governors had their way in everything, including nominating who became an ambassador or member of the National Assembly.

He said: “I don’t know how the Forum came about in this country. And if it is not checked, it will put the country in serious trouble, as the state chief executives unite to challenge the Federal Government.”

Aminu called for the inculcation of internal democracy by political parties.

He, however, cautioned against what he described as politics of sentiments, stressing that introducing sentiments in the nomination of candidates for elective offices would bring about tyrants.

Aminu protested against the intervention of Governor Sule Lamido Committee in the crisis rocking the Adamawa PDP saying that he had no confidence in the choice of Lamido because of his relationship with Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State.

Why I recalled suspended commissioners –Elechi

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overnor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State has explained why he recalled the three suspended commissioners in the state.

Elechi said that the three suspended commissioners were recalled because they showed enough remorse for their offence.

The governor spoke in his Echialike country

home when some commissioners and stakeholders visited him.

It will be, however, recalled that the three commissioners were suspended for indecent dressing to a state banquet on November 24, 2012.

The commissioners are Chief Hyacinth Ikpor (Culture and Tourism), Mr Chukwuma Nwandugo

(Works and Transport) and Dr Ben Igwenyi (Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice). They were suspended for three months, but were pardoned on December 22, 2012.

Governor Elechi said: “I did not see the suspension as punishment because if I had wanted to do that, I could have sacked them.”

He explained that the

affected commissioners showed enough remorse which necessitated their recall. .

The governor said: “In Ebonyi State, we apply our attitudinal change tenet which involves reward for good works and reprimand for wrong doing to the latter.”

He expressed surprise at the level of outcry which

accompanied the suspension, noting that the government had taken more stringent policies in the past which did not attract such outcry.

“We demolished the house of a Commissioner of Police in the state as part of the demolition of buildings not constructed according to laid down specifications.

Ecologist seeks UNEP’s intervention in oil spills

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n ecological economist, Mr Friday Udoh, yesterday called for the intervention of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in the frequent oil spills in the Qua Iboe oil fields.

The oil fiel is being operated by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN).

Udoh, a member of the International Society for Ecological Economics and African Society for Ecological Economics, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in

Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

He said that spills had adversely affected the economic activities of more than 60 per cent of the communities on the Akwa Ibom coastal areas.

“The UNEP should compel oil companies operating in Nigeria to abide by world environment standards, as they carry out their business.

“They should be compelled to use modern equipment in their explorations, establish proactive maintenance schedules for ageing and corroding pipes that cause leaks.

“Before drilling in an area,

an exhaustive environment impact assessment should be conducted to ascertain the impact of prospecting in the area,” he said.

He also urged UNEP to carry out an environment audit on Akwa Ibom coastlines to ascertain the impact of oil exploration on the ecosystem and come up with an action plan for mitigating the impact.

Udoh also appealed to the Federal Government to strengthen the capacity of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOS-

RA) to manage risks in the oil industry to reduce frequent spills, to the barest minimum.

He recalled that spill incidents had been recorded at the Mobil’s oil field on August 13, August 24, November 9 and December 19, 2012.

The expert added that the oil firm was yet to respond to the latest spill incident, since it was reported by the community.

It will be recalled that Mobil’s Manager of Communications, Nigel Cookey-Gam, confirmed that on December 19, the oil firm received

reports of fresh spills from members of its host communities in Akwa Ibom State.

“Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN), operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)/ MPN Joint Venture, confirms that on Dec. 19, community representatives notified the company of slight oiling on short sections of the shoreline of Ibeno, Akwa Ibom.

“MPN immediately deployed a team to inspect the site and take samples for analysis to help determine the source,’’ he said.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Politics

“Our collective and continuous survival as a nation will depend largely on how quickly positive developments in concrete terms are achieved in the new year. Unless the government of President Jonathan steps up and applies itself to the challenge of running the country properly, Nigeria will remain lost at sea.” – Tinubu Prominent Nigerians speak to AYODELE OJO on their expectations in 2013 following President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise in his New Year message to work harder

Our expectations from govt in 2013 – Eminent Nigerians

FG should have a sense of direction – Fasoranti No more promises, just results – Oyegun Pa Reuben Fasoranti is the leader of the pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere.

I expect total change in all ramifications. We are praying that honesty should be enthroned; we are praying that corruption should be completely eradicated, and we are praying for a right attitude for Nigerians and the leaders should show by example that honesty is the best policy. Our rating is very low. The Federal Government should have a sense of direction; we are drifting. They should come up with new policies because they are drifting. All aspects of our lives have been completely destroyed.

We want the government to beef up security and ensure safety of lives. Dissidents have inflicted what they like on Nigerians and the law enforcement agencies are helpless, they should have a change of attitude completely and if the government cannot solve the problem, they should borrow a leave from the advanced countries where things are done properly. We are so large, we are very rich, but things are not good at all. We are all apprehensive; our prayer is that there would be a change of heart, a change of gear, a change of direction so that we can all live our lives on purpose. Nothing is happening now.

We will have to review the constitution because there are some many things lacking in it and we all know them.

Those of us who are old knew what happened in the past during the time of Zik, Awolowo and Sardauna when the Europeans were leaving. Things have

Fasoranti

completely fallen apart; we were richer than before, people are more educated now, there are no jobs.

The situation can be changed depending on the leadership. Look at the air crashes. I hope God is not annoyed with us anyway because we are rich. So pray for a change; a complete change, a change of attitude. We want to acquire wealth, what are we going to do with it?

We also feel that the marginalisation of the Yoruba in the Goodluck Jonathan administration will be addressed in 2013. We are all concerned about that; we have already taken the matter to the CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

I’ve lost hope in government – Musa Alhaji Balarabe Musa, a former governor of the old Kaduna State, is the chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP).

From all indication, the negative state of the nation as evident by the level of corruption, insecurity, unemployment, etc will continue unless something fundamental or revolutionary take place which is already on the card.

We can’t expect any change or reform coming from the present government. I expect the suffering of Nigerians to continue throughout 2013 unless something revolutionary happens which you cannot rule out.

I have lost hope in government because it is overwhelmed by the problem of corruption and others. The government is even involved in the corruption.

Musa

Chief Jon Odigie-Oyegun is a former governor of Edo State and 2011 vice presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).

For me, three critical things are important in 2013. First, we must put the people first. Two, let’s get serious and three, let’s get things done. I presumed that we spent 2012 thinking and talking and that the solutions are now available and that we can now move up strongly in 2013. No more promises, just results whether it is corruption or constitutional amendment or whatever the issues, let’s get things done so that instead of speeches and promises and all that people will see performance and be saying it is now alright. Those who are corrupt are being punished, power is now fairly regular, and constitution amendment is beginning to make sense instead of this home theatre. Let’s get things done.

The government doesn’t have a choice than tackle insecurity, corruption unless of course it doesn’t wish the country well because with the level of obscene corruption, you cannot have security. If the leadership is corrupt in a situation when there are no jobs, and the corruption is on the pages of newspapers everyday, the obscene standard of living is there for everybody to see. So, how can you have peace

and security? Is it in a situation where people are out of school five, six years and there are no jobs? These cannot possibly go together. Corruption is the greatest evil that had been inflicted on this country. We are only doing shadow boxing in the fight against corruption. If the government fail to get things done, then they are condemning Nigeria into a state of a failed state, God forbids.

Oyegun

Corruption should be tackled – Ikedife Dr. Dozie Ikedife is a one-time President-General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo.

My expectation in 2013 is that things will get better and we will be able to contain the destabilising effect of Boko Haram. We should be able to control the insurgency because we have not been able to contain them and it is a serious treat to the stability and continued existence of this country.

Government should be more serious about the fight against corruption. We are not serious about it and we are a disgrace to this country. Corruption should be seriously tackled; anybody found corrupt should be disgraced publicly. If they have been awarded any national honour, such should be withdrawn publicly; if they have any acclaimed, they should be disclaimed. Then anybody who had looted the treasury should refund the money not by plea bargaining. This is unacceptable. Just like if someone stole N12,000 and returns N3,000 in the name of plea bargaining, goes to prison for like two weeks and comes out to go and do

thanksgiving in church for shameful act.

And such person keeps talking in public instead of him to go home in shame.

Such a thing is sending wrong signal to the younger generation that if you steal, you will be glorified.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Ikedife

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We shouldn’t expect welfare, security in 2013 – Momoh Nigerian leaders must stop stealing Prince Tony Momoh, a forhave started addressing the ismer Information Minister, is sue of Boko Haram in the North the commonwealth – Odumakin the National Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

If you want to know what will happen tomorrow, find out what happened yesterday. What individuals did in 2012 will bear fruits for reaping in 2013, 2014 and beyond. I must say that I am not very hopeful that 2013 will show any better direction of progress than 2012.

I am worried that in another two years, 2014, we will be 100 years old as an integrated state.

You know amalgamation of North and South was in 1914, so by 2014 it will be 100 years and it is what is sowed in the past that bear fruits for reaping in the present. What are we expecting in 2014 when it will be 100 years of the North and South of Nigeria coming together as one country? We have not integrated the people, we only integrated the state.

Momoh

And in 2012 there was more unrest among the people of Nigeria than any other time in our history including the civil war. I do not know any attempt being made to bring peace to Nigeria in 2013. I wish, for instance, that in 2012, we had started to address the issue of kidnapping in many parts of the South-South and South-East, and that we

by discussing with the people especially in the region that felt their leader was killed, bring those who killed him to book; we would have seen some progress rather than fighting. We, as a country are more divided than ever and it is not healthy for 2013.

What we should be doing is to attempt to meet the people’s needs. The constitution says that government is there for the security and welfare of the citizens, there is no welfare, there is no security. There was no welfare in 2012, there was no security in 2012 and since we did not sow welfare and security in 2012, we should not expect welfare and security in 2013.

But it is not too late; we can start by trying to meet the basic needs of Nigerians. Governments all over the federation are not doing so and it is unfortunate.

Our survival depends largely on concrete development – Tinubu Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, is the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Our collective and continuous survival as a nation will depend largely on how quickly positive developments in concrete terms are achieved in the new year.

Unless the government of President Jonathan steps up and applies itself to the challenge of running the country properly, Nigeria will remain lost at sea.

Nigeria is suffering from the crosswinds of change and near chronic government inertia and inability to govern the country.

In the face of many opportunities to actualise her potential to the benefit of the people, Nigeria is held down by a leadership that is indecisive, insensitive and clearly incapable.

The development in the past year reveal a gulf between what the present government promises and what it eventually delivers and it is difficult to point to any incremental or minimal improvement in the overall governance of Nigeria as it affects the quality of life of the average Nigerian.

Nigerians deserve a better deal than they are now getting.

Nigerians deserve better roads, better health delivery services, better security, better jobs and better power supply.

I urged Nigerians to persevere and seek to partner with the government towards forcing the hand of change and bringing about, the much-desired development. That partnership

must go beyond merely expecting the government to always do the right thing or make the right policies, but must extend to the determination of the people to call the government out and protest against anti-people policies and deliberate government inaction and brazen corruption.

However, such partnership must be predicated on the ability to offer constructive criticisms and suggestions and a determination to mobilise to defend what the people believe in.

Last year January, we saw the power of the people to organise and demonstrate against insensitive government policies.

Unless the people demand to be governed properly, those that lead them will continue to ride roughshod over them.

Nigerians must begin to work

Tinubu

for desired change and that work must begin from the New Year until it culminates in a new leadership come 2015.

Nigerians should be ready to defend their hard-earned democracy, particularly the very liberties, freedom and rule of law upon which democracy rests.

Mr. Yinka Odumakin, a rights activist, is the Publicity Secretary of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG).

If events in 2012 are anything to go by, the year 2013 is going to be a very testy one for Nigeria and the expectations are therefore very grim: Insecurity: In spite of the fact that insecurity was practically Man of The Year in 2012, the Federal Government did not show it had the political will to deal with the situation beyond throwing a quarter of the budget at it most of which was swallowed by corruption.

President Jonathan, more than any leader in the history of Nigeria, has attended more funerals and issued more condolence messages, yet we have not seen any concerted effort to fight terror. The highest profile personality arrested so far in connection with terror is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator who was granted bail and even allowed to go on holy pilgrimage. Nothing else than this confirms the President’s statement that he knows the promoters of Boko Haram. And that makes the fight against terror a lost cause. Except there is a fundamental change of course, there would be a continuation of the high level of insecurity.

Electoral Reforms: The inability of Nigeria to conduct a clean, free and fair election is one of the basis of the projection by American Intelligence that Nigeria may not make it beyond 2015 as a corporate entity. But beyond some isolated cases of a people enforcing their will, there will be no major electoral reforms as most of the handlers of the country at the moment are products of bad elections.

Constitution Review: From

Odumakin

1999 till now, every attempt to review the constitution has been either to spend the money budgeted for the exercise or pursue a hidden agenda and or both.

The current exercise is therefore another hollow ritual from which nothing shall come.

In any case, the National Assembly members were elected to make laws and not to write a constitution. What we need is a people’s assembly to do a new constitution and I can see the Nigerian crisis maturing towards crystallisisation of such in 2013.

Corruption has virtually killed Nigeria and unfortunately we have a leadership that is very cosy with corruption at the moment. The implications of the corruption in the system is that more attacks will be visited on the living standards of the people in 2013 and there would be fight back.

For Nigeria to have peace and make progress, leaders must become accountable and stop stealing the commonwealth. The people on their part must insist on taking back their country.

Leaders must address challenges confronting Nigeria – Utomi Prof. Pat Utomi, an economist, is a former presidential candidate.

We are entering the year with a lot of paralysis before us. Nigeria should be able to take the advantage of circumstances that are compounding our progress.

Oil prices will not be as strong in 2013. We ought to be taking the issue of budget very seriously. Right now, we are not investing in the future. Another big problem Nigeria faces is the inability to use oil responsibly.

Unfortunately, our leaders focus more on their powers rather than the purpose of their powers. One of the consequences is

that regulators in Nigeria are more responsible for the failure in Nigeria than any other thing; businesses, activities of agencies. In our environment, anybody who has power uses his power to oppress rather than using it to discharge his statutory duties.

Political environment depends very much on the willingness of the elite to provide leadership. Some of our structures are making dramatic progress, but many of the structures have almost collapse.

I have just returned from Adamawa State on private initiative on flood relief to go and distribute a truck load of mate-

rial. By the time we negotiated the truck load to Adamawa, the operators were giving various excuses for not going. We had to pay N430,000 for a truck to carry relief materials from Lagos to Yola.

We found out that it was simply because they were afraid of going to the North-East. The result of this is that places like Maiduguri have become ghost towns. While somewhere Lagos is increasing in double digit, you actually have other parts of the country in negative digit in terms of everything. We are in great danger of unequal infrastructure around the country.

The leadership of the country

must work to address the challenges confronting the country.

Utomi

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

We’re in the state of helplessness – Junaid

Dr. Junaid Mohammed is the Convener of Concerned Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen (CPAPM).

Frankly speaking, I do not believe that this government is ready to be advised. They have made up their mind and they are determined to push on the way they have been doing their things ever since the president became acting president some two years ago. And that is unfortunate because frankly speaking with their attitude towards governance, corruption; it seems it is their divine right to be corrupt.

With the kind of corruption being perpetuated by the cabal around the government, I do not see any change in the way the country is governed. Everybody, even those in government, is convinced that they are not doing a good job.

My expectations are very difficult. There is corruption and poverty in the country. Poverty flows from corruption. I see the insurgency going to a higher level. This will be very unfortunate and I don’t believe that Nigerians deserve this. Nigeria needs help to address the issue of bad governance and corruption in the country. The issue of constitution review and election reform are interconnected and I don’t see anything coming out

Junaid

of them to make Nigeria a better place. The process itself is a sham from the draft submitted

FG should have a sense of direction – Fasoranti CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 president and we hope he will do something about it. We shall continue to harp on it and continue to cry until our voice is heard.

The citizens are expected to have a change of attitude; the

youths are not helping matter.

They want to ride in big cars and all of that. I know they are frustrated, they are educated and no job. Government should sit down and think of how to provide more jobs for the people.

Nigerians’ll hold Jonathan accountable – Kalu Dr. Orji Kalu is a former governor of Abia State.

2013 is a year of great expectations from President Jonathan.

With the numerous crises facing the country and the promise

by Jonathan to fast track development in Nigeria in 2013, the President would be taken to task this year.

With the Boko Haram insurgence, fuel crises, labour-related issues and other challenges that confronted the country in 2012, the expectations in 2013 will be for Jonathan to confront these monsters headlong and provide effective leadership.

Nigerians do not expect anything less than solutions to the numerous crises facing the country from the President.

And with the earlier promise by the President that he would fast track development in 2013, the President should not expect anything less than being held accountable for the huge resources coming into the country’s

Corruption should be tackled – Ikedife CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 The constitution should be reviewed or re-written from scratch. Instead of sewing a torn cloth over and over again, why not buy a new one and sew it to

Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju is a former governor of Anambra State.

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by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, it is clear that he has a certain agenda in mind.

The primary concerns of Nigerians are good standard of living, security, health care, education, among others and if these are not addressed, no amount of tinkering or amendment of the electoral law or the constitution will be meaningful, relevant or useful to the lives of Nigerians. And any attempt to continue to tinker with the constitution would amount to nothing. I think we are in the state of helplessness. It is clear that Nigeria is gradually becoming a failed state

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

here have been lots of debates and rehearsals on the way Nigeria should go in this new year 2013. And in a New Year like this, many concerned Nigerians worry about what to expect and the direction the country should go. These are genuine concerns especially among the stakeholders keen in the survival of the entity called Nigeria.

For both the present and the rest of the year, what are likely to dominate discussions both home and abroad will centre around the issues of insecurity, the constitution review, corruption, and leadership, among others. Unfortunately, whenever we hear about insecurity our mind goes to Boko Haram, kidnappers, armed robbers and such others. Obviously these are deadly issues of concern to everyone in the polity.

These enumerated security concerns are clearly disturbing and our governments at various levels are leaving no stone unturned to deal a deadly blow against the perpetrators of such crimes. And God willing, and given the government declaration of these criminals as enemy number one, the Presidency and the JTF appear to have battled the uncommon enemies to a standstill. One expects that 2013 may see a programme of mopping up action, and not that of intensive fighting and wanton killings of innocent citizens in every corner of the country, whether East or West,

your taste, to fit you properly?

The government should be more serious and more committed to the interest of the generality of the people it is ruling. For the government, it is an oppor-

tunity to serve not to rule and not opportunity to mesmerise the followership. Government is an opportunity to serve, to find where the shoe is pinching the populace and remove the pinch.

Kalu

purse vis-a-vis development in all spheres of the country’s life.

Anything short of this will only translate into one fact: this administration is not capable of taking the country to the Promised Land.

I congratulate Nigerians both home and abroad who made it into 2013 and commiserate with those who lost loved ones, especially to avoidable disasters such as flood, road and air crashes. I urge everyone to contribute their quota to the rapid development of the country.

Abiding faith in the unity of the country and hard work remain necessary ingredients for the transformation of the country.

Govt should focus on welfare – Mbadinuju North or South, bad people are everywhere in Nigeria, even everywhere in the world.

But apart from the criminal insecurity we fight against, there is also a different type of insurgency we tend to give lip service, but it is nonetheless very pervasive and it quietly kills greater percentage of our people and little is done to arrest it.

I have in mind the issue of hunger and destitution. Nigeria is very rich in everything to be able to feed herself with food three times a day. But does it happen? Just food, and water, and shelter to save lives, but these are not given the attention they deserve though it seems to be more deadly than Boko Haram and its equivalent. Even our constitution made a case for food, water, and shelter and called them “welfare” in section 6. In fact, some people have said, and properly so, that if our governments are able to implement this section of the constitution, there would have been no insurgencies to fight against, or at least not at the level and magnitude they are being fought today.

Giving food to our people and feeding them well will cost the country less buying weapons of “welfare” than spending great amount of resources acquiring weapons of “warfare.”

Another burning issue this year will be the constitution review. There is no zone in the country that does not want additional state or states created. But the “military constitution” toughened the provisions and virtually made it too difficult if not

Mbadinuju

impossible to create any new state. The way out, to me, is to rally round and allow South-East one additional state to make the zone six states and to be at par with the other four zones. This means that five of the zones will have six states each. The National Assembly will then decide what to do with North-West that has seven states already. If this is done it will lessen some acrimony within the length and breadth of the country, and may even generate national crisis if care is not taken. On cor-

ruption, I seem to agree with Mr. President that corruption is in our bad attitude towards one another, and towards government at all levels. When we change our attitude there will be less number of deaths on good roads than on bad ones, and if we have the best of attitude towards national issues we will not have needed any constitution amendment, and even corruption itself will have been reduced to a barest minimum, or manageable level.

As for leadership, nations often get the leaders they deserve. And for Nigeria if President Jonathan had governed the country as a military commander without recourse to constitution the country would have gone to pieces before now. I have often said that the problem we have in Nigeria is not leadership but followership as well as excessive opposition both from minority parties and from what we see as vocal minority groups. My book on this subject will soon be released.

In conclusion, my advice to government and Nigerians they govern is for both government and the governed to maintain peace and order in their utterances and actions, always guarded and guided by the constitution, rule of law, due process, equity and fairness. Since we have chosen democracy as our system of government, let us do everything humanly possible to adhere to that system as well as the process thereof. Let us adhere to the golden rule which enjoins us “to do to others that what we want others to do to us.”

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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Nigeria: Viewing 2012 in retrospect PUBLIC DOMAIN

DELE

SETEOLU

deleseteolu@nationalmirroronline.net (08033137577 SMS only)

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he year 2012 began on a rather tense note with the surprised increase by the Federal Government of the pump head price of petrol from N65 to N141 per liter. Nigerians were shocked at this increase; and those who travelled to different parts of the country were trapped owing to transport fare increases. The organized labour and civil society successfully mobilized mass action against the development. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led a nationwide strike to protest the price increase and demand for price reversal. The Nigerian people were committed to the struggle and it was an occasion to raise issues on public accountability and responsive government.

The civil society, especially the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and the Joint Action Front (JAF), equally succeeded at mobilizing Nigerians against the unfair pump price increase, official corruption and decadence in the socio-economy. This resistance reflected commitment of the civil society to recreating the state and society on the basis of new values.

The people were, however, betrayed by the leadership of organized labour, which

announced a sudden suspension of the strike without recourse to them. This development elicited anger and distrust in the organized labour. The Nigerian state met the demand of the people half way when President Goodluck Jonathan brought down the new price to N97 per litre and created the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P) to mediate public outburst. The SURE-P has had very little impact on the working people, artisans and the poor. The mass of Nigerians are poorer, homeless, and alienated from the state actors amid the malfeasance of the governing elite.

The security deficit in the country persisted in 2012. Boko Haram, the militant Islamic sect and the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), continued their muscle flexing amidst attacks on Christian religious organizations, clerics, para-military and military formations. The sect’s attack on a Catholic church in Madalla, Niger State, the recurring attacks in Bornu, Yobe, Adamawa, Kano, and to some extent Kaduna states underpinned the security gap.

President Jonathan, initially, claimed he knew the fifth columnists in government who aligned with the terrorist group. In a somersault, he opted to negotiate with the sect and named Saudi Arabia as the meeting point. The President went ahead to recant on this position when he said Boko Haram should be crushed.

The Boko Haram question should be situated in the context of the national question in Nigeria. The country is enmeshed in contradictions that will require more than a constitution review to address. The security crises have raised issues on indigeneship and settler ques-

THE SUBSIDY SCAM AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES’ REPORT REITERATED THE HIGH LEVEL OF OFFICIAL CORRUPTION IN

NIGERIA

tion. It has also raised issues on the struggle for political power and seeming ethnic nature of this contestation. Critics often refer to the inciting comments of General Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) during the build up to the 2011 general elections.

Does this group perpetuate violence to destabilize a South-South government?

Would the violence likely persist when a northerner emerges Nigerian president in the 2015? We should argue beyond the political undercurrents of the security crisis to appreciate the socio-economic conditions that pre-dispose the northern poor to violence and encourage the consolidation of fundamentalists’ network and ideas in the North.

The year just gone was characterized by air mishaps that traumatized the Nigerian people. The midyear recorded the crash of a plane owned by Dana Air in which 153 passengers and crew members perished in Iju Ishaga, a Lagos suburb.

The handling of the post crash phase by the aviation authorities elicited reactions on the poor management of the country’s

airspace. Meanwhile, there is searchlight on the private ownership of jets in Nigeria. Findings suggest about 200 private jets in Nigeria. At the twilight of the year, a naval helicopter crashed in Bayelsa, killing among others Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and the former National Security Adviser, General Owoeye Azazi.

The power sector reform is still enmeshed in a faceoff between the state and electricity workers. The somewhat increased power supply has receded into recurring darkness in several parts of the country. The subsidy scam and the House of Representatives’ report reiterated the high level of official corruption in Nigeria. The poor handling of the scam and seeming reckless behaviors of state agencies – NNPC and DPR - suggest the state’s poor commitment to dealing with political and bureaucratic corruption. The country witnessed crude oil theft worth about $7 billion in the year ended as disclosed by the managing director of Shell Petroleum, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala drew attention to the rising external debt profile of the country.

The manufacturing sector declined amid increase in the cost of production, especially from multiple taxation and energy cost. On the whole, the Presidency was rather sluggish and indecisive on several issues that affected the polity.

The prospect for meaningful changes in 2013 is deemed except the political leadership is more creative and decisive on the Nigerian crises.

2013: Year of the water snake HANNATU MUSAWA

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e survived! Contrary to the prediction of the Mayans, the world didn’t end in 2012. Yes, the Mayans got it wrong, 2012 was not the year of the final disaster, destruction and mayhem. But even though the deadline for the prophesized end of the world has passed without any fire storm or killer tsunamis ushering in the demise of our species, in Nigeria, at times, it felt as if the world was ending. This is because 2012 was the year that we could truly confirm that the soul, spirit, and humanity of Nigerians had been lost as evidenced by the bombing mass murders by extremists, the constant kidnappings and the burning and butchering of university students by a whole village community.

2012 was the year where our government flirted with disaster, thanks to their impiety towards Nigerians with the callous fuel prize increase. 2012 was the year Nigerians barely survived their suffering and saw the repeat of severe tragedies - from air crashes to mass road accidents. No doubt, it has not been a year of joy and jubilation for Nigerians. 2012 was even the year Nigeria was ranked by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a sister company of The Economist publication, as the worst country in the

AT THE HELM OF THE CHALLENGES THAT

NIGERIA FACED IN 2012 IS THE DEFICIENT SECURITY SITUATION world to be born.

So, as we wave goodbye to a year filled with calamities and ease into 2013, it’s time to craft those ritualistic projections, predictions and resolutions. Hot on the heels of an incredibly turbulent year, we hope 2013 will bring with it a combination of events that will soften the hardship felt by Nigerians and by extension minimize the cynicism felt towards government. As the horizon dawns, it may be useful to take stock of the past year, see if we can detect any precedents and learn any insight from the events that have come before us.

At the helm of the challenges that Nigeria faced in 2012 is the deficient security situation. From church bombings, to kidnappings, to outrageous crimes, 2012 was the year of the criminal; the year where villains who were ready and set to cause pandemonium ran about their business as if they ruled the world. Helpless we watched as innocent men, women, children were blown in their places of sanctuary. Outraged

we were subjected to terrorist footage of intimidation and threats. Powerless we observed as Nigerians were one by one kidnapped by gung-ho criminal buccaneers. Shocked we held our breath as several of our university youths were tortured and burned, shot in their hostels and lured on Facebook to be raped and strangled. Helpless, outraged, powerless and shocked we watched! Meanwhile our authorities, our police, our security forces stood clueless, sat gridlocked almost as if suffering from some sort of self-induced stagnation, unable to bring sanity to our security situation.

Other avoidable incidents include the condition of our air safety. Suffice to say, never again do we want to see a repeat of this kind of chain of air disasters. The painful lessons learnt, and there are many, must never be forgotten.

On the international front, things have not been that different. One may have thought that six years after the global financial crisis first broke, the recession would be well behind most markets and the global economy would have pulsated back to life. Instead, huge swathes of the world seem to be embarking on a path with long-term stagnation. Then there’s the drama that is still playing out in the Middle East. The Middle East may have seen a season of the Arab Spring, but none of us could have foreseen how persistent and fierce

the conflict in Syria would become. Hot on the heels of the late Gaddafi, many of us never would have thought that President Bashar Assad would make it another year in office.

So much has happened in Nigeria in the last 365 days, yet nothing has happened at all! And even though one can only hazard a guess as to what the next 365 days has in store for us. Based on past actions, there are some probabilities and based on folklore, there is one calendar system with a reputation for the depths of its wisdom and accuracy of its character analysis and prediction: the Chinese calendar. The system is the oldest timekeeping system in existence and although the actual Chinese New Year is yet to begin, 2013 according to the Chinese, will be known as the year of water snake. So what does the water snake predict for us this year?

To be continued Musawa, a lawyer, lecturer, columnist and human and women’s rights activist, lives in London 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

The Okonjo kidnap: Matters arising

ome curious issues were thrown up by the recent kidnap and release of 82-year-old Professor Kamene Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance and Cocoordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala. The latter, while commenting on the embarrassing development, alleged that her mother’s abduction had links with oil marketers indicted for subsidy frauds, who have been unrelenting in their fight with the Federal Government over further payments of possibly dubious fuel subsidy to them.

Nevertheless, the allegation remains as the finance minister made it until confirmed by the appropriate authorities, the Okonjo kidnap being about the first time kidnapping was linked with FG policies.

We recall, however, that as the dust raised by the kidnap and release of Okonjo was just about settling down, a Senior Special Adviser to the Imo State Governor, Nkiru Sylvanus, was equally taken captive by unidentified gunmen. The state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, had in his reaction to the incident, alleged that the abduction was politically motivated. Luckily, too, Sylvanus was released unhurt after her family reportedly parted with a princely sum

THE NATION CANNOT BE SPENDING SO MUCH ON SECURITY AND YET CITIZENS LIVE AT THE MERCY OF ALL MANNER OF CRIMINALS as ransom to her abductors.

The Imo State Police Command claimed lately that it had arrested some suspects in connection with the kidnap and, hopefully, the true motive behind the abduction might emerge at the end of the interrogation of the suspects.

That the daredevilry and callousness of kidnappers are on the upswing is merely stating the obvious. The absurdity of the acts of the wicked fortune hunters is such that they don’t mind kidnapping a day-old baby for ransom. In the case of Mrs. Okonjo, they were so heartless that they detained the 82-year-old woman for five days without food.

Our worry is that the crime of kidnapping seems not to have received the kind of serious attention it deserves.

Many prominent Nigerians not privileged to have access to official security operatives, but had to travel to the countryside in the East or South

South states during the Yuletide, literally tip-toed to their native homes for fear of being abducted. Re-uniting with one’s loved ones is no longer guaranteed in the said axis anymore.

Very untiring of garnering negative world records, the country is now rated as the second most kidnappers’ –infested country in the world after Columbia. Kidnapping is believed to have become one of the most lucrative crimes in the country, probably next to hard drugs peddling; while scores of youths get enlisted on daily basis, lured by ‘cheap, quick and big money’.

It is very devastating that a country under the siege of religious insurgents has also turned a competition ground for kidnap kingpins. The situation calls for special attention, perhaps in special sessions, by both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly, before kidnapping becomes another national plague.

Like the Boko Haram Islamic sect, kidnappers also appear to be ahead of the nation’s security agencies in sophistication, strategy and tactics. Consequently, the security apparatus needs to re-assess its arsenal and demonstrate more preparedness

in tackling a hi-tech crime like kidnapping. That kidnappers fool the entire nation with new tricks everyday is worrisome and unacceptable. It suggests how backward all the nation’s security agencies, especial the police, have become in terms of modern equipment for crime detection and prevention. In addition, succeeding in the fight demands that all the security agencies should work as a team.

A situation where each arm tries to outdo the other, or claims superiority, destroys cohesion and is therefore, counterproductive. Besides, the complicity of moles in the security agencies in the entire saga should be properly investigated. President Goodluck Jonathan should list kidnapping among the major challenges confronting his administration. The nation cannot be spending so much on security and yet citizens live at the mercy of all manner of criminals.

Of no less importance is the urgent need for the FG and state governments to address the problem of massive youth unemployment that has led to hunger and destitution in the land. The government should create more welfare services to take care of the needy and youths hungry for state assistance to be on their feet.

ON THIS DAY January 2, 2006 An explosion in a coal mine in Sago, West Virginia, United States trapped and killed 12 miners, leaving one survivor in critical condition.

The blast and collapse trapped the 13 miners for nearly two days. It was the worst mining disaster in the US since the Jim Walter Resources Mine Disaster in Alabama on September 23, 2001, and the worst disaster in West Virginia since the 1968 Farmington Mine Disaster.

January 2, 1974 United States’ President, Richard Nixon, signed a bill lowering the maximum US speed limit to 55 MPH in order to conserve gasoline during an Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) embargo. The OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve oil-producing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

January 2, 1955 Panamanian president José Antonio Remon Cantera was assassinated. Remon was the man behind the scenes of several coups that ousted Dr. Ar nulfo Arias from power, and arguably the true founder of the social refor ming militarism that was later dubbed “Tor rijismo” after General Omar Tor rijos. “Neither millions nor alms – we want justice” was Remon’s most memorable principled statement.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Health & Wellbeing Nigerians speak: Our health in 2012

Ogun introduces pentavelent vaccine

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The 2013 health Agenda SAM EFERARO

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f statistics are anything to go by, the year 2012 was not particularly a bad year for the nation’s health care delivery sector. Apart from natural disasters such as flooding in some parts of the country and the unwanton killing by terrorists which stretched health facilities in the affected areas, the Federal Government made deliberate efforts to step up actions toward the attainment of the health related Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which UN Member States agreed to try to achieve by the year 2015.

Progress however remains very slow.

The health status indicators for Nigeria are among the worst in the world. This is not surprising. The nation’s poverty level has continued to increase over the years and this has robbed off on the people’s health. Life expectancy at birth remains 47 years according to the 2008 NDHS report, one of the lowest in the world, while vaccine-preventable diseases along with infectious and parasitic diseases remain the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the country. Currently, one out of every 7 to 8 children dies before his first birthday and one out of 6 before his fifth birthday.

In view of the modest achievements of 2012,it is therefore expected that the nation will continue and intensify efforts towards the reduction of under-five mortality, maternal deaths, HIV infection, and provide more access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it. No doubt, the nation will have to pay special attention to the following areas in 2013 in its efforts to achieve the MDGs.

Reduction of maternal deaths expected

to eradication, has been polio-free for more than 18 months.

Ending polio is an important early milestone in the Decade of Vaccines, a global vision and commitment to reach all

Year for increased routine immunisation Prof. Chukwu, Health Minister

will intensify efforts aimed at ensuring that all children in endemic states are adequately vaccinated against the wild poliovirus.

More funds must be injected in the programme while repeat immunisation campaigns will have to be conducted frequently in the worst-performing LGAs. To this end, speciall efforts must be made to reach the hard-to-reach groups, including nomadic populations Polio is a vaccine-preventable disease that is more than 99 percent eliminated from the world. In 1988, when the global fight against polio began, there were 125 countries where polio raged. These have been reduced to only Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. India, long-regarded as the nation facing the greatest challenges

Stopping Polio

Nigeria still recorded a significant increase in polio cases cases in 2012 and remains the only country in the world with the circulation of all three serotypes: wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). It is also listed among the three main countries still harbouring and transmitting the wild poliovirus to neighbouring countries.

Although the National Polio Emergency Plan has since been launched by President Goodluck Jonathan it is expected that the Presidential Task Force, chaired by Minister of State for Health Dr. Mohammad Pate and the state-level task forces

children with the vaccines they need. A polio-free world also will lay the foundation for a better public health system that provides critical health services for children in the poorest and most inaccessible places.

Repeat immunisation campaigns will have to be conducted frequently in the worst-performing LGAs

More RI coverage expected in 2013

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ith the launch of the 5-in-one pentavalent vaccine last year, it is expected that routine immunisation will increase in 2013. The introduction of the pentavalent vaccine is espected to prevent 400,000 cases of haemophilus influenza type B and save about 27,000 lives saved annually in the country. Given the significant burden of vaccine-preventable diseases in Nigeria, improving RI coverage will reduce child mortality and accelerate progress to¬wards the MDG 4 target. However, this progress comes in the context of ongoing vaccine stockouts, significant coverage heterogeneity among states, an overall coverage rate below the average for Africa, and an underfive mortality rate of 138 child deaths per 1,000 live births—the 18th highest rate in the world.Scaling up coverage for current and future vaccines can reduce mortality from childhood killers like pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria, which account for over 60% of deaths among Nigerian children less than 5 years of age.

Identified Barriers to RI Coverage include delays in the release of designated funds, inadequate funding, inefficient use of funds, transportation challenges for the movement of vaccines, inadequate cold chain capacity, poor cold chain equipment maintenance and inconsistent power supply. There’s also the problem of poor performance management , staff shortages poor integration of RI services with broader primary health services , inadequate quantity of health facilities, low or nonexistent community engagement and the poor conditions of many health facilities across the country.

Unlike many African countries, the federal government pays 100% for traditional vaccines as well as Hepatitis B vaccine, and co-pays for newer GAVIsupported vaccines such as the pentavalent vaccines.. It is therefore expected that efforts will be made to increaseRI coverage in 2013.

To be continued

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Health & Wellbeing

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Nigerians speak: Our health in 2012 Mr Emeka Essien

As year 2012 passes on, Nigerians speaks with LATEEFAH IBRAHIM-ANIMASHAUN on their state of health during the period as they hope for a better health in 2013.

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didn’t visit any hospital last year, but I heard negative reports from friends and family about the poor state of the hospitals. There was an incident in which a patient died in a government hospital due to the negligence of the doctors. There is need to improve on infrastructure. The country still lacks many facilities in the hospitals. This is responsible for some deaths recorded in 2012. It should ensure there is training and development for doctors to improve treatment.

Abdus Salam Mustapha:

I

am a strong man, I hardly fall sick except when I have headache. Generally, what usually affects me concerning my health in this country is the issue of security. I am always afraid due to the killings here and there. Unlike Niger Republic where I come from, we eat well and live together peacefully without fear.

Mrs Iyabo Amusan:

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Chinedu Ezeoke:

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give God the glory because I did not experience any form of hospitalization during the year 2012 except the period that my wife delivered a baby. My experience in the Nigerian health sector is a good one because I use Federal Medical Centre Ebute Meta and their conduct there is far better than that of negative comments that I hear from people. I used to use a private hospital before but my doctor relocated to the UK due to the economic crunch and the fact that people cannot afford to pay his bills again. If I should score the health sector, I will say it is below average because people are dying in silence and there is no means of getting drugs for an average Nigerian.

Mr Patrick Akpode:

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Olutayo Oyewole:

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had little health complications this year. The general hospitals have been really inadequate in 2012. Although, I don’t have any personal encounter with them, I know that they are very brutal and don’t have good customer relations due to their ill manners. I am happy that I and my children did not have any serious complication throughout the year.

The government should find a lasting solution to the issue of electricity in the country

overnment hospitals are obviously short of qualified staff and need more hands. This was responsible for long queues in most of the tertiary and secondary health facilities across the country. The government should provide well equipped laboratories in its hospitals. Patients are being sent to private laboratories for medical test. The government should be more focused on the health matters of Nigerians.

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THE STRESS OF GETTING THINGS DONE IN THE

Mallam Lawal Shittu: I am not healthy because I don’t have food to eat. I eat rice every now and then and have no good means of earning my livelihood which is very bad for me as a man.

NIGERIAN HOSPITALS IS TOO MUCH Mr Hassan Salisu: I was at the hospital once in 2012 and I didn’t like the way I was attended to. I was being insulted by nurses because I could not pay before they began treatment on my broken leg. I think the hospital should concentrate more on saving lives than demanding for money. They kept asking for money before attending to patients. When it comes to the issue of emergency, hospitals should first treat the sick in emergency before any other considerations.

Mr Temitope Fagade:

had a bad experience with a private hospital. I was passing by on the road and saw a young woman seated in the middle of the road with blood all over her. I learnt she was in labour and was given a referral letter from a private hospital and abandoned outside the hospital as her husband went to look for a taxi to take her to the nearest hospital. My question is, why can’t she be accommodated in the hospital pending the time her husband would come with the taxi? What about the ambulance? The government should keep an eye on these private hospitals because the lives of people are not of any importance to them.

e thank God for year 2012. I believe everything happening concerning the health sector is all trials from God. We have not enjoyed benefits from the government on the health sector. All the inadequacies in the country will soon come to an end and everything will be fine if the government sees to the cries of the less privileged and give them the required attention. I was not ill throughout the year and I just know that the government should look more into helping the masses access to health.

Mrs Nike Adedayo:

Oluwafemi Ayotunde:

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he year has been very stressful.

I was down at the beginning of the year but I thank God that I later came up by myself. We complain that Nigeria is not a good country but despite this, some of us still manage to make it in the country by being among those that witness the end of the year.

The health sector in the country can still improve beyond this level in which it is and we plead that the government should help us more.

I

visited the hospital once this year when my child was ill and I almost gave up on the Nigerian health sector. I thank God for sparing my life.

The stress of getting things done in the Nigerian hospitals is too much.

The government needs to improve on the medical facilities and drugs. I suggest that there should be more training and development for doctors to improve treatment. The government should invest more in the sector to ensure sanctity and safeguard human lives. By my estimation, I think the sector performed below average.

Muhammad Umoru:

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verything about my health is “manage”. I am not faring well and I need money to get drugs which is difficult for us in the country. The stress is uncountable and the means of livelihood is hard.

There is insecurity everywhere and we are living in fear.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Children in a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) tent at a relief centre for flood victims in Delta state

Emergencies: Preparedness and response

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n emergencies, children have the same rights as in non-emergency situations. This is true whether the emergency is a conflict, disaster or epidemic.

All children and their families and communities have the right to receive humanitarian assistance in emergencies.

Children and their families who are forced from their homes by conflicts or disasters have the same rights as those living in their homes and communities in non-emergency situations.

Communities can designate protected areas to shelter civilians and the sick.

These areas must never be used for any military purposes.

SCIENCE

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Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Humanitarian relief workers and supplies must always be respected and protected. Combatants should always allow all civilians access to humanitarian assistance.

The particular needs of women and adolescent girls in emergency situations must be respected. Their specific needs of privacy, hygiene and protection must be taken into account. Unaccompanied children, pregnant women, mothers with young children, female heads-of-households, persons with disabilities and the elderly may require specific attention to address their particular needs.

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When children and families are displaced within a country, the national authorities have the primary responsibility to protect children’s rights and assist children and families. The United Nations, non-governmental organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), among others, also have a critical role to play in providing assistance and protection to children and families.

Displaced persons have the right to safely return to their homes as soon as the reasons for their displacement are no longer an issue. The property rights of displaced persons must be respected so children and families can rebuild their lives.

As communities begin to re-establish and reconstruct after an emergency, attention should be given to providing social services, including health and education, to children, women and families.

Humanitarian workers who provide aid to civilians should minimize opportunities for violence, exploitation and abuse. Any activity by humanitarian workers that exploits the population should be reported immediately to the agency concerned and the authorities.

The possible dangers and safe areas in and around a community should be identified. If possible they should be shown on a local map. Everybody in the community should be involved and informed. Plans should include how young children, older people and people who are unwell would be assisted.

Community warning systems and evacuation routes for escaping from danger should be well identified and communicated. Communities can hold simulated drills of safety measures with boys and girls in schools and with families in neighbourhoods.

Communities should ensure that health facilities are well built to withstand emergencies and function in their wake. Health-care staff must be trained so they are prepared to act in emergency situations.

It is important for schools to be located in a safe place, close to where children live and away from disaster-prone areas, such as where flooding or mudslides might occur. Schools should be well constructed to ensure the safety of children and teachers. They should be carefully organized to protect children from attacks, abduction or other forms of violence.

2. Girls and boys and their families and communities should plan ahead and take simple steps to prepare for emergencies – at home, at school and in the community.

Within the household, the whole family can prepare for an emergency brought about by a disaster or conflict.

Everyone should be aware of the different dangers of fire, earthquakes, floods, storms and other hazards and the risks during conflicts. The response can be more effective when everyone in the family and community knows how to reduce their risks and understands their responsibilities.

Teachers and school administrators can help children, their families and communities to: understand natural hazards and other emergency risks know how to prevent disaster know what to do in an emergency.

Families, including children, should be encouraged to recognize a warning and understand what to do when they see or hear it. A warning or signal can be as simple as a whistle, horn or coloured flag. Safe locations where families can meet should be identified. Safe places for domestic animals should also be identified. These precautions help to prevent family separation.

Eczema patients most at risk of dangerous viral infections

czema patients at risk for serious viral infections have more severe disease, are more likely to be allergic to food and other allergens, and have a frequent history of staph infections, according to researchers at National Jewish Health and other institutions in the NIHfunded Atopic Dermatitis Vaccinia Network.

The findings, published recently in the online version of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, could help identify people at risk for serious complications of smallpox vaccinations, and point to defects in the skin barrier and antimicrobialprotein production as possible causes for the increased susceptibility.

“Previous studies have suggested that eczema is not only becoming more prevalent, but that patients have increased susceptibility to disseminated viral infections,” said senior author Donald Leung, MD, PhD, Edelstein Family Chair of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology at National Jewish Health. “Our study is the largest and first in the United States to carefully characterize eczema patients who have suffered widespread herpes simplex viral infections of their skin. It is also the first to report that these patients are more susceptible to staphylococcus and

other infections of the skin and eye.”

A subset of the estimated 6 million eczema patients in the United States are susceptible to widespread infections of their skin by herpes simplex and vaccinia viruses. The herpes simplex virus is common but only rarely causes disseminated skin infections that can spread to the eye and bloodstream sometimes leading to encephalitis and meningitis. The widespread herpes simplex skin infection is known as eczema herpeticum.

Vaccinia virus, which is used in smallpox vaccinations, can also cause serious and life-threatening skin infections in a smaller subset of patients. People who have eczema or had it in the past are susceptible to this

infection when they receive a smallpox vaccination. This situation could limit the ability of those people to safely receive vaccinations in case of a smallpox bioterrorism event.

The Atopic Dermatitis Vaccinia Network (ADVN) is an NIH-funded multi-center network charged with better understanding the susceptibility of eczema patients to the vaccinia infection and to search for ways to protect against it. Atopic dermatitis is another name for eczema, an allergic skin condition that causes itchy, inflamed and cracked skin.

The ADVN researchers believed that they might be able to identify ec-

New type of nerve cells found in brain

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cientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, in collaboration with colleagues in Germany and the Netherlands, have identified a previously unknown group of nerve cells in the brain.

The nerve cells regulate cardiovascular functions such as heart rhythm and blood pressure. It is hoped that the discovery, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, will be significant in the long term in the treatment of

cardiovascular diseases in humans.

The scientists have managed to identify in mice a previously totally unknown group of nerve cells in the brain. These nerve cells, also known as ‘neurons’, develop in the brain with the aid of thyroid hormone, which is produced in the thyroid gland. Patients in whom the function of the thyroid gland is disturbed and who therefore produce too much or too little thyroid hormone, thus risk de-

Eczema

zema patients at high risk for these infections and to obtain clues about the mechanisms of susceptibility by studying a large cohort of patients who had suffered eczema herpeticum, the herpes simplex viral skin infections. veloping problems with these nerve cells.

This in turn has an effect on the function of the heart, leading to cardiovascular disease.

It is well-known that patients with untreated hyperthyroidism (too high a production of thyroid hormone) or hypothyroidism (too low a production of thyroid hormone) often develop heart problems.

It has previously been believed that this was solely a result of the hormone affecting the heart directly.

–Science Daily

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Ogun introduces pentavelent vaccine …asks donor agencies for partnership SEKINAH L AWAL

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gun state is set to begin the use of pentavalent vaccine, a combination of vaccines to combat 5 childhood killer diseases from this month, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka has disclosed.

Dr. Soyinka dropped this hint in Abeokuta during the Training of Trainers (TOT) on Pentavalent vaccine introduction for Expanded Programme on

Immunization (EPI) Managers and other health workers in the state.

The Commissioner revealed that the vaccine would replace the previous immunization vaccines that prevented Diphteria, Tetanus, Whopping Cough, Hepatitis B and Haemophilius Influenza type B to protect children against childhood killer diseases and would be administered in a single dose.

“It is a life saving vaccine to be included in the routine immunization system by 2013 in replacement

for immunization that children get at birth, 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age,” Soyinka stated.

Speaking further, the new vaccine would Commissioner added that “reduce child mortality rate in Nigeria by preventing 30,000 child deaths and 400,000 cases of the Haemophilus Inflenza type B (HIB) associated with illness that occur in children of less than 5 years every year”.

Dr. Soyinka emphasised that the training would provide the trainers the

prerequisite skills, knowledge and competence on proper management and safe administration of the pentavalent vaccine.

Also, donor agencies in the health sector have been charged to join hands with the state government as it is moving to roll out the Community-Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS) as part of measure to make efficient healthcare service affordable and accessible to residents of the state.

Dr. Soyinka gave the charge in Abeokuta at the

2nd Partners’ Forum with donor agencies and pointed out that the varied experience of the personnel of the agencies gathered from different part of the world would be useful in the execution of the insurance scheme.

He assured that as a demonstration of its commitment to providing adequate health care services for the people, the state government would not fail to release its counterpart fund as at when due.

He commended the agencies which includes the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations children Education

Fund (UNICEF), Support for Malaria Programme (SuNMaP), united Nations Population Fund Agency (UNFPA) among others for their collaborative efforts through disease surveillance and adequate monitoring which had help to avert disease outbreak in the state.

In her remarks, the representative of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Mrs. Tunde Adebiyi, assured that the agency would continue to supply delivery kits, Mosquito nets, engage in training of health workers and deploy more midwives to the state.

Yuletide: Abuja hospitals record low patronage … as harmattan-induced ailments surge MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

H

uman presence at various health facilities across the nation’s capital was unusually low last week as a result of mass movement of people out of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Thousands of residents left the nation’s capital in the past few days for their various states across the federation to celebrate the Yuletide and New Year festivals with relatives, thus leaving a fewer population of residents in the city.

Major hospitals in the FCT however, remain

a beehive of medical activities during the festival period. Currently, health officials in the FCT’s health institutions are busy attending to patients, many of whom are on treatment for harmattan-induced infections such as cold, catarrh, and cough.

Findings by our reporter at the hospitals showed that considerable decline in patronage invariably impacted positively on service delivery.

For instance, it takes some of the patients at any of the FCT’s public hospitals about an hour to be attended to on a normal working day. When National Mirror visited

the Wuse General on Monday, activities at the hospital were smoothly carried out.

Official sources confirmed that that there was about 100 per cent increase in the number of patients who had been treated of cold and cough which are associated with the harmattan in the past few weeks.

A medical doctor at the hospital who pleaded anonymity said: “At this time of the year, it is expected that sicknesses that come with the harmattan will be on the increase and may rapidly be communicated which may make our hospitals and pharmacies witnessed greater patronage.

PCN warns illegal drug sellers L ATEEFAH IBRAHIMANIMASHAUN

A

clarion call has gone to patent medicine dealers in the country to stop selling unprescribed drugs and operating illegally but to rather register with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) as this affects a quality health care delivery system in the country.

The call came from the acting Registrar of Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), Mrs Gloria Abumere at a practice im-

provement workshop and interactive section by the council with patent medicine vendors recently.

“The patent medicine dealers should desist from selling prescription or ethical drugs that can be sold to patients solely on prescription. Those are drugs that are classified as prescription-only medicines”, she said.

Represented by the Head, Pharmacy Practice, PCN, Mr Omotayo Ilupeju, she said medicine dealers needs to be informed, on a daily basis, on the demands of their job in the

interest of the customers.

Abumare enjoined Nigerians to patronise only the licensed patent medicine vendors, stating that such could be recognised by their PCN accreditation sign posts and licenses to practice hung in their shops.

She stated that the council in conjunction with pharmaceutical inspectors would not relent in enforcing laws and regulations on medicine handling and sales as she urged defaulting patent medicine vendors to register with the PCN.

L-R: Mrs. Sumbo Osunkoya, Vitafoam’s Head of Human Resources, Mr. Akin Oladiran; father of baby of the year, Mr. Lawrence Peters; National Sales Manager of Vitafoam, Mr. Sola Owooade and the mother and the baby during the presentation of gift items to the baby of the year at Lagos Island Maternity yesterday.

Vitafoam, Fashola donate to baby of the year SEKINAH L AWAL

V

ITAFOAM Nigeria Plc and the Lagos State first lady, Dame Abimbola Fashola on Tuesday donated various gift items to the first baby of the year at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos as well as other public hospitals in the state.

The first baby of the year born to Mr. And Mrs. Lawrence and Benedicta Peters was delivered exactly 12.05am and weighed 3.2kg at birth. The second baby was born exactly 12.06 am while the third baby was delivered around 12.15am.

Speaking during the presentation, Vitafoam’s Head of Human Resources, Mr. Akin Oladiran made it known that it has been the

tradition of Vitafoam to shower gifts on first baby and others born in the early hours of January first, to the outstanding staff of the hospital as well as the hospital as a whole.

The first lady too urged mothers to take good care of their children and help in achieving the MDGs goals. Products ranging from baby cots, baby mattresses, walker, changing mats and breastfeeding pillows were presented to the mother while the hospital management was presented with hospital mattresses, pillows, travelling matresses, among others.

Oladiran said as part of her corporate social responsibility, Vitafoam is dedicated to giving the babies comfort from conception till old age and to assure them that

the world is a comfortable place.

Responding on behalf of the hospital management, the Chairman, Hospital Board, Lagos Island Maternity, Dr. Abiola Balogun said the hospital was grateful for the company’s support over the years, and urged them to do more in terms of manpower training for the health personnel.

Also, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris while congratulating the parents of the new babies noted that infrastructural and human development would be sustained in the New Year just as he reiterated government’s commitment towards the improvement of maternal care and infant mortality in 2013.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

Arts Lounge

I feel Nigerian music is not respected –EFA

25

Gombe exploits culture, tourism for revenue

26

NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

A

s the clamour for alternative sources of income, other than crude oil continues to reverberate, the Nigerian government could learn a lot from the experiences of Berlin, the capital of Germany. The city, while recovering from the devastations of World War II, embraced arts in such an astonishing manner that it put her on the global cultural map in record time. The preponderance of artistic endeavours in the city is a testimony to this: Rough estimates suggest that around 5,000 artists, 1,200 writers, 1,500 bands (pop, rock, and world music), 500 jazz musicians, 103 professional orchestras and music ensembles, 1,500 choirs, 300 theatre groups and 1,000 dancers and choreographers of contemporary dance live and work in Berlin.

All these coupled with low rent has made the city a destination of choice for creative minds.

This cannot, however, be said of Nigeria, in spite of her rich cultural heritage which is enough to support a vibrant art scene.

At various fora, stakeholders in the sector have decried the lack of art spaces and how it is affecting the creative industry.

For a new artist, with limited funds, hosting an exhibition can be a lot of hassles considering the cost of art spaces which has been driven out of the reach of beginners. Arts Lounge gathered that a standard space for exhibition in Lagos can go for as much as N1m. This can be deduced from the fact that most of the galleries are located at the highbrow area of Lagos-Ikoyi and Victoria Island.

Oliver Enwonwu, the National President of the Society of Nigerian Artists, SNA, who also runs a gallery in Ikoyi says it is a factor militating against not only younger artists, but the entire visual arts sector. According to him, there is a total lack of art spaces to host international exhibitions.

“Obviously, we do not have enough art spaces in the country. The space is usually physically limited which is why on most occasions, you would see organisers attaching tents during events. In other countries, their centres come as one whole arena, housing everyone. There are some works that cannot be contained in the spaces we have here. Even at the National Arts Gallery, you will notice that its space is not enough to contain all the works that should be there”.

Another visual artist, Archie Abia, said he set up his gallery, Win Arc, specifically to contain the lack of art space for the artist. “It was the lack of such centres that made me open Win Arc as a way of contributing my quota to the promotion of art. I believe we need the input of multinationals and government to change this. Private individuals who have interest in arts could also come in to help, because the sector needs it”.

Perhaps, this lack of enthusiasm in

National Theatre

Okonta

Art spaces as a challenge to Nigerian artists In the New Year, amid breaking news that the Federal Government has finally released funds –the elixir to rehabilitate the moribund National Theatre, now is a good time to examine the enabling environment where artists thrive. Although a few centres have surfaced in the Lagos metropolis in recent times, Nigeria is still lagging behind when it comes to functional art spaces that would spawn creativity and engender rewards. the corporate world in this regard could be seen in the non-availability of residencies and fellowships in Nigeria for artists.

This, according to Abia, has portrayed an embarrassing picture. “You hardly hear of residencies or art fellowships being sponsored in Nigeria for Nigerian artistes, but you hear of Nigerians being sponsored to fellowships abroad on the bill of the foreign donors. The worst is that foreigners who come to Nigeria for short researches on our arts do so with grants from their home countries”.

For people in the theatre industry, it is the same ugly situation. There is virtually an absence of a standard arena to host plays that would attract huge audiences.

Worse still is the absence of conveniences in some of the centres available in the country as observed by Barclays Ayakoroma, a playwright and Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Cultural Orientation, NICO, during this year’s International Theatre Day hosted by the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, NANTAP, in Abuja.

According to him, “a good number of theatres in Nigeria have very poor facilities, such as lack of rest-rooms, water, including lack of comfortable seats for members of the audience who pay to watch performances. This gives rise to situations where members of the audience are uncomfortable, or stand all through productions. Thus, they naturally express their

discomfort by running side commentaries on shows, making unnecessary noise and disturbing the peace of the production.

Naturally, such members of the audience and those who feel greatly disturbed will bid eternal farewell to the theatre after that type of experience”.

While emphasising his view, Ayakoroma referenced the present deplorable state of The National Theatre, which is the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria, located in Iganmu–Lagos. It was constructed in 1976, during the military regime of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo for the hosting of the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977.

Its exterior is shaped like a military hat.

“National Theatre has a 5,000-seater Main Hall with a collapsible stage and two 700 to 800 capacity Cinema Halls, all of which are equipped with facilities for simultaneous translation of eight languages, among others. Unfortunately, most of the facilities in the theatre are broken down and the edifice is a shadow of its original self”.

The literary landscape shares in this same predicament. Uche Umez, author of Dark through the Delta and Aridity of Feelings said the trend is building a generation with tube mentality. “Here in Nigeria, we keep lamenting that nobody is reading.

How can people read when the spotlight on literary activities is so dim you can’t even feel your knees? Private companies as well

would rather dole out millions in sponsorship to small-minded reality shows nearly every youth has become hooked on, like crack, and now half of the youth aspire to become instant celebrity – how smallminded can we get? I don’t know but we are nurturing a demographic with tube-mentality, simply one-dimensional”.

Of course, people are looking the way of government to help ameliorate this imbalance. Emmanuel Adejuma, an artistic director and choreographer with the House of Dance, decried the situation in comparison with the opportunities available for his colleagues in other places like Europe.

“Even the government is not helping matters. There is no Nigerian organisation actively into art sponsorship or sending people for residency to learn more on art and culture; while this is normal in Europe. All of these we do on our own. We go abroad in search of knowledge and to upgrade ourselves and all these things cost money.

Over there, they promote their own culture through proper funding”.

Chief Frank Okonta, President, Art Galleries Owners Association of Nigeria, AGAN, shares this same view. “Nigeria needs a place where people can come and see our works. It is a shame that Nigeria at 52 does not have a befitting national gallery”.

But, things may indeed be looking up for the industry considering the funds available for the culture sector in 2013.

24

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MEMORABLE READS

LET’S

T AL K FAD

FUNSHO ‘AYETORO’ OGUNDIPE Pianist, songwriter, artist works without any hesitation.

How did you get introduced to reading?

My Father; he would buy me books and records. He also had a library at home where he sat reading many a time. I would later be in charge of looking after the family library and it is a habit which we pass on to our children in the family.

Ogundipe

What book has left the most impression on you and why?

What am I doing here? by Bruce Chatwin, an English writer. It was a travelogue full of encounters with interesting people. It made me realise the life unexplored is not worth living and reminded me of ‘Ajala’ the Nigerian adventurer and writer.

Who is your favourite writer?

I don’t have a favourite writer because there are writers like Roberto Bolano, Wole Soyinka, James Baldwin, Chinua Achebe, Bruce Chatwin, Naguib Mahfouz, Leo Tolstoy, Milan Kundera and Cyprian Ekwensi whose work describes the human condition and these I am naming without prompting. Add to that Jorge Amado I would buy any of their

What’s your impression of the reading culture in Nigeria?

In Nigeria, we do have a reading culture; it needs to be varied though. There is not enough of reading for enjoyment; for the sheer pleasure you get when you read lines crafted by a master. To read is to immerse yourself in situations and see the possibility inherent in such and also to become acquainted with ideas. Ideas are powerful forces for change.

How expansive is your personal library and what’s your annual expenditure on books?

In my library there are books on fiction, philosophy, history, sport, poetry, Sufi mysticism, religion, art and music. I spend roughly like N30,000 monthly. When I’m on holidays, about N50,000 goes on books.

If you were to write a book about your life what would be the title?

A Life Explored

MUSINGS

He is the shield of peace He is the shield of peace Who walks with courage And confidence to save our souls He is the shield of peace Who dares the dreaded He is the shield of peace

Who blocks the flood that sweeps away He is the shield of pace Who breaks the chain that others be free He is the shield of peace Who died that others may live ©Shehu Sani 2012

with

Fidelis Duker

I

fidelisduker@yahoo.com

Happy New Year

t is important I start with the conventional New Year felicitation of ‘Happy New Year’ to all my readers because the new year is filled with several expectations for all of us in the entertainment industry and Nigerians in general. The past year, 2012, meant different things for different people; for some it was a year that brought the best while for others it was a year they wish should never come back.

The year started with increase in the price of petroleum products and the subsequent subsidy protest that took over the entire nation for a whole week. That singular action by government was a signal of the hardship that 2012 held for Nigerians and this was evident in the harsh economic reality that befell the entire country throughout the year even though the government has repeatedly come out to claim that inflation has reduced drastically.

Interestingly, the part played by the arts and entertainment community during the popular Ojota subsidy protest is better imagined as their contribution kept and sustained the crowds on the street for that week. Sadly, all the promises made by the government when the subsidy protest was called off have not been met. Rather, what is been witnessed

by Nigerians is the abject poverty and suffering in a country blessed with both human and natural resources.

In as much as I express my dissatisfaction with the way the economy has fared in the last 12 months, the entertainment industry buzzed with several revelations and exciting moments. The movie, music and literary communities had very trilling and high moments. One will not forget such music revelations like Inyanya, Davido and Tiwa Savage who had hits and several endorsements with mouth-watering packages. The movie industry also witnessed some box office hits like Phone Swap, Last Flight to Abuja, The Meeting and Adesuwa amongst others that made it to the big screen. The literary society also witnessed the release of Chinua Achebe’s controversial book There was a Country which generated so much criticism, commendation and condemnation from those for or against some part book.

The year also had its sour and sad moments; we remember the lives lost in the several air crashes that befell our nations, we will readily recall the Dana Air crash that claimed the lives of over 140 Nigerians and of recent, the Nigerian Navy helicopter crash that claimed the lives of the governor of Kaduna and a former national security adviser. Apart from the air crashes, there were several road accidents where several lives were equally lost; these deaths, unfortunately, were avoidable. But for the poor states of our road and aviation industry these in-

THE WELFARE OF NIGERIANS IS PARAMOUNT BECAUSE THE YEAR

2013 WILL

BE A DETERMINANT FOR THE FUTURE OF

NIGERIA

nocent lives wouldn’t have gone.

It was a year of more insurgence by the Boko Haram terrorist group as there were several killings mostly in the northern part of the country. The government and security agencies have not found any solutions to the attacks by this ‘faceless group’ according to government. The year also witnessed several kidnaps including the kidnap of the mother of the nation’s Finance Minister and a popular Nollywood actress Nkiru Slyvanus amongst several other kidnap cases, which were more rampant in the southern part of the country. Unfortunately, there is a danger if the activities of these insurgents are not checked as the continued unity of this country as an entity is threatened.

It was also a year of many corruption charges against several highly placed individuals. From the subsidy thieves to counter accusations from the Farouk Lawan and Femi Otedola saga, most of this high profile cases are still being investigated. Sadly, as we enter 2013, it is our hope that the economy will improve and the government will consider the welfare of masses of this nation.

My considered opinion is that there is need for the Goodluck Jonathan-led government to consider a paradigm shift in its style of governance to a people-oriented governance where the welfare of Nigerians is paramount because the year 2013 will be a determinant for the future of Nigeria.

During one of his presidential chat in the year, the president said “I did not promise to eradicate poverty but to create wealth” this statement is pregnant with several meanings because what we have seen so far is the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer or impoverished.

As we all wish ourselves Happy New Year, there is need for the president and his team to realise that for the year to be really happy, it is imperative that the wasteful nature of this government is curtailed because we have heard about the several billion pension and subsidy scams frauds amongst several others.

The talk of millions is in the past as all you hear today is billions and trillions, soon it will be zillion. Happy New Year.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

25

I feel Nigerian music is not respected –EFA A Geography graduate of the University of Ibadan, prolific rapper, hip-hop enthusiast and actor with specific dual personalities (Efa and EFA); Efa Iwara places himself on the edge of his musical proliferation as he comes to life with his alter ego (EFA). His medium to share his interesting worldview is through vocals and rap.

A DEBIMPE O LATUJA

AND

THE ONLY WAY A PERSON

L INUS K INGDOM

CAN DISTINGUISH HIS OR

E

fa Iwara, who is fighting the battle of diverse career accomplishment, is a native of Ugep in Cross River State with educational background received from the large city of Ibadan, Oyo State. Just like other successful artistes who discovered music at a very young age, he also jettisoned his Geography degree for music Naturally, Efa is a homely guy that loves being around family and friends, while his other personality EFA likes to let his mind explore and expand.

In this introspective manner, EFA’s style of music expresses his past, present and future, while the lyrics reflect the struggle of an upcoming rapper influenced by successful rappers. The list of some of these influences includes Nas, Jay Z, Mode Nine and Trybesmen, amongst others.

As a school boy, he was a member of the disbanded X-Factor; a group that produced several singles before they grew apart. In the course of this, the premature death of Efa’s sister sent him into a gloomy arena– he quit music until the intervention of a close friend who reignited Efa’s passion for music and got him back into the studio. Thereafter, he joined hands with a member of the disbanded group and they recorded Kwenu, “a single which, despite its unreleased status, went on to feature prominently in NYSC camps in Western Nigeria in 2008. A year later, I met my present manager Bayo Omisore”.

However, he still holds fond memories of his music background in X-Factor). “One day that I will always remember and I cherish will have to be the day we had our first studio session. We recorded our first song and I could see the pride on each and everyone’s face”, he said.

The Geography graduate, who is presently signed to Jus’ Kiddin’ 360, believes an early start in his music career gave him a great foundation besides

HER SELF IS BY BEING

ORIGINAL; STOP TRYING TO BE LIKE THE NEXT MAN

Efa

the other artistes who helped him discover his talent. For EFA, everything boils down to good music regardless of whom or where he is drawing his inspirations from. “For example, my single ‘Open and Close’ featuring Dammy Krane was inspired by the legendary Sir Shina Peters”, he said.

EFA’s plans to distinguish himself in the saturated

music industry follow this simple strategy, ‘just being EFA’. “The only way a person can distinguish his or her self is by being original; stop trying to be like the next man. Nobody can be a better me than myself ! And I intend to be the best ‘me’ possible”.

In EFA’s view, the quality needed for the global domination of Nigeria music is a journey of a million miles which starts with just one step. “I think our sense of music is fine; we just need to structure our industry properly so that it can grow. I feel like Nigerian music is admired but not respected. When we reach that level where we are not only admired but respected as well, then and only then can we dominate globally”.

With a debut album to be released this year, EFA’s first official single “Open & Close”, features Hypertek Records recording artiste Dammy Krane, with production by DTunes.

As for the aspiring actor, music will not only be his life-long project as he also planS to be involved in the revolution that is about to occur in the movie industry. “I dream of the day that I will be onscreen at cinemas here in Nigeria. I also plan to be involved in NGOs because there are so many people in need and have no access to help. I aim to become a legend and an artiste that younger artistes can look up to.

Eventually, I plan to retire and go behind the scenes as a label executive or artiste manager, maybe even a video director. So Clarence Peters should start working on his retirement plans”, he says in goodnatured confidence.

MIDWEEK JUMP

Entries for 15th Harmattan Workshop open

AMAA 2013 accepting entries till January

T

TERH AGBEDEH

he Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, BOF, has called for entries to the 15th edition of its annual Harmattan Workshop, which holds in February and March 2013 at the Niger Delta Cultural Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State with the theme: ‘Art and Communication’.

The statement released from BOF said the workshop, which is to have two sessions from February 17 to March 1 and March 3 to 15, will feature

painting, print making, metal construction, wood sculpture, stone carving, mixed media, textiles and photography, among other genres of art. Also, certificates will be issued upon completion of the workshop.

Interested participants can get more details concerning fees and other arrangements at the BOF web site or its office in Mushin, Lagos State.

Meanwhile, those who intend to present papers on the

T Onobrakpeya

workshop themes are to apply to the workshop registrar at least 48 hours before date of presentation.

National Geographic photography contest opens NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

N

igerian professional and amateur photographers can enter their works for a prize in the

National Geographic photography contest, which will run until January 14, 2013. Photographs submitted for judging will also have the chance to appear in an upcoming edition of National Geographic.

Photographers wishing to participate must be over the age of 18. Photos can be digital or digital scans, but only one entry is permitted per person.

Winners will retain ownership of copyright of the work.

he Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, has called for entries for the 2013 edition to be held in April next year.

The organisers of the prestigious awards regarded as Africa’s Oscars said in a statement the deadline for submissions is January 30, 2013 and nominations will be announced in the first week of March.

Acceptable genres include feature length films, shorts and documentary entries and only films produced, premiered and or released between December 2011 and November 2012 are eligible. Features may not exceed 120 minutes and shorts should not be longer than 40 minutes.

The awards can be entered for online at: http://www.amaawards.com/news/africa-movieacademy-awards-call-entries-2013

The statement credited to AMAA founder and Academy CEO, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, further said there is great awareness of the possibilities in Africa. “This has been an exciting year for African cinema as many big budget productions have been produced on the continent and distribution is becoming more accessible to African films”.

The winning films for AMAA 2012 included: How to Steal Two Million, Otello Burning and Shattered.

Since its inception in 2005, AMAA has established itself as the most prestigious and glamorous awards celebrating filmmaking on the continent. The gala event, which is televised live around the world, attracts Hollywood celebrities alongside their African counterparts, as well as African politicians and media personalities.

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Arts Lounge

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FAR AND NEAR

Gombe exploits culture, tourism for revenue DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

G

overnor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State has said that his Government is exploring the culture and tourism sector to serve as a major revenue earner for the state in an effort to make the state more economy viable and solve some of the ills bedevilling the society.

The Governor stated this through his Deputy, Mr. Tha’anda Jason Rubainu in a message to the seventh annual cultural festival of the Tangle ethnic group (Pissi Tangle) in Billiri town held over the weekend.

According to him, “Gombe State has enormous tourism potentials that can be utilised to meet the socio-economic needs of our citizenry. Our administration recognises and places high premium on the positive role that culture plays in our development and is making concerted efforts to create an enabling environment for this through infrastructural development some of which are road networks, construction of standard hotels and resorts and the development of tourism sites”, he said.

Mr. Rubainu called on individuals, organisations, communities and the private sector to take advantage of the cultural potentials in the state to develop it.

Chairman of the occasion, Maj. Gen. Sylvester Audu, decried the declining productivity of the youths in the state and urged them to avail themselves of the development strides by the

Dankwambo administration in the areas of education, road networks, among many others, to embrace skills and education.

“I want to comment on the declining productivity of our youths which hitherto had been vibrant. Today, however, they have become a liability.

To my mind, I want to attribute this phenomenon to the collapse of our educational and family value system which if left unchecked could militate against your vision of a virile Gombe State”, he said.

The Guest Speaker, Professor Sam Leonard-Fwa of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, Plateau State, in his paper entitled “Culture: A Vehicle for Social Cohesion, Stability and Sustainable Development”, stressed the importance of creating a just and social order to build a virile Tangle nation.

The Mai (Chief) of Tangle, Dr. Abdu Buba Maisheru II, whose speech was read by Mr. Essai Dangabar, urged the people to support the state government which policies, he said had impacted on their lives.

The royal father also enjoined his subjects not be wasteful with their food produce as well as be security conscious in all their dealings.

During the occasion, the Tangle Language Dictionary was also launched by the Deputy Governor while trophies were presented to teams that excelled themselves in a sport fiesta recently organised in the area.

Cultural troupe in a traditional dance piece at the opening

Green House Art Centre commissioned TERH AGBEDEH

T

he Green House Art Centre located at St. Lucy Estate, Olambe, Ogun State was formally opened penultimate Saturday.

Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, who is the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, represented his boss, Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, at the event. In his speech Ashiru said we need to project our culture so that people can appreciate what we have, while pointing out that the organisers should have put on native attire.

Ashiru said he came bearing good news of Gov. Amosun, who is a listening governor, having already awarded the contract for the construction of the road from Ota to Akute.

“However”, he stated, “to construct the road, for which work will start very soon, some houses in the area will be de-

molished.”

The Commissioner, who blamed his late arrival to the event on the traffic situation owing to bad roads, thanked the Victor Odozi family for putting up the Green House edifice in Ogun, rather than taking it home to their own state of Delta. “It shows that you are part and parcel of the Olambe community and what you have established will grow from strength to strength”, he said.

Ashiru pleaded with the Baale of Olambe Community, Oba Rasaki Ayinde Ogunremi and his chiefs present at the event to do everything within their power to allow the new venture take shape.

This resonated with the chairman of the event’s speech, who is also chairman of Skye Bank, Mr Tunde Ayeni. He said locating the building here would bring development to the Olambe community “far more than one can imagine”, adding

that “this project will not fail”.

In his welcome speech, Mr. Odozi said the Green House is built to promote the art, uplift women and other disadvantaged groups in the society.

“It is designed and built for purpose with gallery, museum, classrooms and halls for workshops, conferences and exhibitions. The Green House will offer courses in the acquisition of skills and so much more”, Odozi said.

His wife, Mrs. Theresa Iyase-Odozi, who is an artist, took the guest on a tour of the three-story building immediately it was commissioned by Ashiru. An exhibition of her recent work including an installation featuring some trees uprooted while construction work was ongoing at the site occupied the ground floor of the building. A cultural troupe from the community also entertained guests with dances and singing.

Top acts flood Ibari Ogwa music carnival NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

K

nown for attracting major entertainers in the country, renowned entertainment haven in Imo State, Ibari Ogwa Village has thrown its gates open for this year’s Ibari Ogwa Music Carnival amidst pomp.

This year’s version, which would last from December 25 to January 5 has in attendance the top echelon of the entertainment business in the SouthEast and South-South regions.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ibari Ogwa Carnival, Chukwudi Ofoha, the

series of shows which would hold on daily basis at the village are targeted at the sons and daughters of the regions who are living outside and are home for the festivities.

“We are aware that a lot of people will need top flight entertainment when they get home. That is why Ibari Ogwa is staged on yearly basis to fill that gap. The location is strategic and can easily be accessed by people in the two regions. This year’s version will not be different from the previous ones that have always left the audience excited. It features the likes of I Go Dye, Mr. Patrick, KC, Mr. U.J,

Uncle O and Ichie N Laffing.

Chimuanya, Owigiri, Shama Melody and others, will be staging the show for the bongo and highlife music segments at the carnival. The event is reputed for drawing quality crowd, who are mostly Nigerians at home and abroad in a serene environment”.

Ofoha also thanked guests who have attended the carnival in the past, commending them for the referrals which have in many ways made the brand tick in such a short while.

“This has been on for three years but it looks like a decade.

This would not have been possible without the referrals. Any-

L-R Comedians I Go Dye and Patrick.

body who attends our carnival makes it a point of duty to refer someone else. We sampled the opinions of our guests last year and most of them came based on the stories they have heard about the carnival in the past.

So we would not be here without these loyal guests”.

He also hinted that Mr. Patrick’s, KC and KORA award nominee, Acho would host special gigs in the course of this year’s carnival.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Federer, Nadal’s absence fires 2013 season 30

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

Sport

The AFCON 2013 means so much to us. After that, we will see what holds for Brazil 2014 World Cup –Ghana’s midfielder, Kwado Asamoah

Guinness fires up Eagles IKENWA NNABUOGOR

G

AFCON warm-up: Eagles battle La Liga stars in friendly Kano Pillars midfielder Reuben Gabriel (r) will have a hectic job contending with Barcelona’s Xavi when Nigeria meets Catalonia today

AFOLABI GAMBARI

A

near-Spanish national team will confront the Super Eagles today in their pre-Nations Cup friendly match with Catalonia as Nigeria’s preparation gathers momentum.

National Mirror gathered yesterday that Barcelona’s captain Crales Puyol will lead team mates that include Xavi Hernandez, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Martin Montoya, Sergio Roberto, Christian Tello, Marc Bartra and goalkeeper Victor Valdes for the game where the Eagles are expected to demonstrate their readiness to contest for honours in South Africa later this month.

Liga side Espanyol will also parade Joan Verdi, Joan Capdevilla, Sergio Garcia, Kiko Casilas, Raul Rodriguez, Victor Sanchez, and Sergio Tejera while other Catalonia nationals Bojan Krkic (AC Milan), Alvaro Vazquez (Getafe), Jordi Amat and Francesco Medina (Rayo Vallecano) and Jonathan Soriaro (Red Bulls Zalburg).

Catalonia Coach and Dutch legend, Johan Cruff, said yesterday that his squad would not take the encounter for granted.

“We are aware of Nigeria’s prowess in world football especially when the chips are down and we want to prove that we are equal to whatever opposition they will present tomorrow (to-

…match kicks off 7pm day),” Cruff, who is also a Barcelona legend, said.

Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi, however, brushed aside any suggestion that his squad would be intimidated by the array of stars that the hosts would parade.

“They are big names no doubt but our players know that names don’t play football these days,” Keshi offered, stressing, “We will just go out there and give our best against them.”

Meanwhile, the Eagles’ Spain-

based duo Ike Uche and Nosa Igiebor, as well as Scotland-based Rabiu Ibrahim, have teamed up with the squad despite initial reports that they would be excused from the match. It is not unlikely that the players were summoned in view of the tough nature of the friendly.

The match, originally scheduled for 9pm Nigerian time today, has been shifted forward by two hours and will now kick-off at 7pm.

Chipolopolo gets Mbola boost AFOLABI GAMBARI

W

ith Agency report Reports yesterday said that Porto left back, Emmanuel Mbola, has joined up with the Zambia squad camping in Johannesburg, just as Southampton striker Emmanuel Mayuka is billed to arrive on January 9.

The arrival of the 19-year-old Mbola brings to 24 players in camp as Coach Herve Renard now awaits only two Europe-based stars, Jacob Mulenga and Mayuka to complete his 26-member provisional squad.

According to Team Manager of the Chipolopolo, Lusekelo Kamwambi, Mulenga will arrive in the camp next weekend.

“Mulenga will join the team on January 6 while Mayuka will be the last player to join the team,” Kamwambi said yesterday.

“I have no doubt that there will be a full squad by January 10 when we will ready to play our last warm-up against Norway in Ndola on January 14 before returning to Johannesburg on 16 on our way to Nelspruit venue of our AFCON matches,” the team manager added.

uinness Nigeria has reiterated its readiness to drum support for the Super Eagles as they continue their build-up games at the Faro, Portugal camp ahead of the AFCON holding in South Africa later this month.

The brewing company had last month furthered its support for the Stephen Keshi-coached side by unveiling the ‘Fly with the Eagles’ campaign ahead of the South Africa 2013 African Nations Cup. Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Seni Adetu, told National Mirror that the company was proud to identify with the national tteam.

“We are keeping faith with the Eagles as we have always done because h we believe the team is not just made up of the 11 players on the pitch but

also the millions of people cheering the team on,” Adetu said.

“As a company and a football-loving brand, we are convinced that we have what it takes to succeed at next year’s outing.”

The President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari, had told National Mirror he was impressed with the company’s gesture, applauding its efforts at supporting the national team.

“The Eagles have become a symbol of national pride and anyone that supports the team supports the success of the nation as a whole,” Maigari said.

“The NFF is very happy that Guinness is embarking on this journey with us and indeed it must be commended for the continuing support and encouragement it has so far have provided for football,” the NFF boss added.

Ikpeba denies Osaze attack IKENWA NNABUOGOR

F

ormer Super Eagles striker, Victor Ikpeba, yesterday broken his silence on the sensational media attack directed at him by beleaguered Eagles striker, Osaze Odemwingie, saying he never made any negative comment on the West Brom player via the social media network Twitter.

Ikpeba said in a statement yesterday that the purported attack on Odemwingie would have emanated from an impostor on the social network.

“The Tweeter account name is Ikpeba Official.

This person or people have been using this Ikpeba Official account in exchanging words with the player in question on Twitter,” Ikpeba, who is a former African Player of the Year and currently a member of the NFF Technical Commit-

tee, said.

“I wish to use this opportunity to advise the Eagles officials and players to see this unfortunate development as a mere distraction.

“My organization, Supersport, knows that I don’t operate an account on Twitter. Indeed, I have only a Facebook account, which I seldom visit.

“I also call on Nigerians at home and abroad to disregard statements or comments from the Tweeter account opened in my name and picture as such remarks are not from me.”

Ikpeba

28

Sport

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Why Barca can’t be stopped –Rijkaard Dutch legend, Frank Rijkaard, spoke to FIFA.com on his plans for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, his memories of Barcelona and who he thinks will win this year’s FIFA Ballon d’Or. How has it been since you took over as Saudi Arabia coach almost a year ago?

It hasn’t been easy, but we knew that from the outset. I think that our last two matches have seen us break free of a vicious circle of bad results, with a late win over Congo and a great performance in holding Argentina to a draw. This means we can start looking forward.

Cole gets Rangers look-in Joe Cole

B

eleaguered Liverpool midfielder, Joe Cole, is set to get a reprieve as QPR Manager, Harry Redknapp, yesterday confirmed interest in the former Chelsea player.

Latest reports suggested that Redknapp is planning talks with Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.

Cole has not made an impact at Liverpool this season following Rodgers’ appointment after spending last term on loan at

French side Lille and has yet to start a Premier League game under Rodgers.

Redknapp handed Cole his professional debut at West Ham United and remains a big fan of the 31-year-old as he looks to improve his QPR squad.

“I’ve got a lot of time for Joe, as a player and a person, he’s a good lad to have around your football club and is a good player,” Redknapp said.

“January is so difficult.

It’s a tough time to find players. We’re in a desperate situation, but we’ll see what happens this week,” he added.

EPL Results West Brom

1-2

Fulham

Man City

3-0 Stoke

Swansea

2-2

Villa

Spurs

3-1

Reading

West Ham

2-1

Norwich

Wigan

0-4

Man Utd

BRF organisers list 25 wrestlers IFEANYI EDUZOR

C

oordinator of the annual BRF Wrestlemania, Prince Hammed Olanrewaju Mohammed, said yesterday that the organisers have discovered 25 local wrestlers that will represent Nigeria at the 2013 Intercontinental World Wrestling Championship.

National Mirror gathered that the championship will be staged at the three senatorial districts of Lagos State in May. According to Mohammed, the championship was organised to honour Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola for his contribution to sports development in the state, even as he says that the wrestlers will commence training immediately to enable them to prepare adequately.

“We discovered four wrestlers in the Su-

Governor Fashola

per Heavyweight, six in the Heavyweight, six in the Cruiserweight, four in the Light Heavyweight, two in the ladies’ category, while the last four are in the Middleweight,” the coordinator, who is also President of the NWF, said.

“The Local Organising Committee and the Nigeria Wrestling Federation are to have the wrestlers participate in warm up championships in Vienna, Aberdeen, Scotland, Berlin Germany and the last one in Florida, USA at the semi-world wrestling championship, which will hold from 15 to 18 April before the Lagos championship the next month,” he added.

Meanwhile, Elijah Ekeweme, whose ring name is Rushing Belt, has become the last man standing in the Royale Rumble contest that was used to decide the overall winner of the 2nd BRF Wrestlemania at the Molade Okoya Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos .

The grudge contest, which involved 28 wrestlers at the same time, saw Rushing Belt and Rocky Johnson remaining in the ring, but with his doggedness and skills defeated Rocky Johnson to be declared the winner of the competition.

In the other bouts of the tournament, Iron Scatter defeated Big Fish while Hot Tempo proofed too difficult for Mr. Sharpman, with Flying Danco taking Masked Terror to the cleaners.

Also in the tag team bout, the trio of Mr. Kicx, Atom Ant and Mighty Man defeated the combined team of Vigo Lee, Monkey Man and Golden Power while the fight between Tina Terror and Lady Bumi in the lady’s fight ended in disqualification.

How are your laid out plans working for the country?

Lots of people are putting in a lot of hard work. We’ve got Spanish coaches who are working on a daily basis and a lot of great stuff is being done with younger players, starting at around age 12. It’s all excellent, but of course one shouldn’t expect to see the benefits tomorrow. These players are only ten or 12 years old and it will be another decade before the results come through. That said, this has to be done. Look at Japan for instance. Ten years ago they started working on a similar plan and now they are enjoying success from that. Success is built on organisation, determination and experience, not to mention following the regulations. So, of course it’s no easy matter.

How disappointed have the Saudis been at missing out of the Brazil 2014 World Cup? To be perfectly honest, I’ve no idea. But we’ve recently started placing more and more responsibility on the shoulders of younger and less experienced players, like the team that faced Australia in the last match of our qualifying campaign. We are trying to create a blend of youth and experience, as I said before, and given the recent results against Congo and Argentina (3-2 and 0-0 respectively) it looks like we can create something new here.

Did the Netherland’s early exit at Euro 2012 surprise you and what is your take on their lack of form?

No one expected it before the tournament, but during the competition it became clear that all was not well with Dutch team.

This is football, and if you’re not in the right place at the right time and you don’t perform well then things like this are going to happen. That’s the beauty of the game.

Unfortunately it happened to the Netherlands this time, but it can happen to anyone.

League. Basically, I think it comes down to the fact that Barcelona has for many years immersed its younger players coming through the cantera in the club’s footballing philosophy, helping them create their own football culture. The coach’s role is to acclimatise to this way of playing. It was easy for me because I’m Dutch and I played at Ajax, so once I felt comfortable at the club I had a wonderful time. It’s my belief that Barcelona are successful because they have a number of youth teams alongside the first team. They are where it begins. This is what should happen in Saudi Arabia for example, in terms of creating their own style of football and philosophy. This needs to start in the youth ranks and then we might expect some success in the future. Barcelona didn’t start getting results after just one year. When I arrived there they hadn’t won anything for five years. One needs patience and self-belief.

What tactics would you use if you were coaching a side against Barcelona?

There’s no magic bullet, but you have to adapt to their style. Most of the clubs who have had success against Barcelona have relied on a highly organised and disciplined defence. Inter Milan and Chelsea have both sent Barcelona out of the Champions League and then you have Real Madrid (who won La Liga in 2011/12). You could call it the ‘Jose Mourinho recipe for success’, which he began while he was at Chelsea.

If you play Barcelona that way ten times, you might beat them once, but it certainly doesn’t guarantee success.

What do think of the UEFA Champions League achievements of your former club Galatasaray this year?

I’m delighted for them, they’re a huge club with superb fans. When I was there things were different, unfortunately. I couldn’t really achieve anything and I wasn’t able to sign major players, even though we were in dire need of a better side. We started out well enough but fell off by the end because we did not have a strong enough squad. Now Galatasaray have an excellent and united management set-up and have been able to build a strong side, I’m happy for them. It’s really great for them.

You spent five years as coach of Barcelona.

What are you memories of your time at Barcelona where you spent five years?

Of course, five years is a long time. We went through some tough times and some excellent ones, and it’s only natural to dwell on the positives. I’m happy because I had the chance to work with a major club like Barcelona with so many star players, so I have wonderful memories of the place.

Would you say you laid the foundations for Barcelona’s recent domination?

Definitely not. I was just passing through.

I had a lot of success, of course, but whatever was achieved was due to a group effort on the part of all the players. That said, I must have had a good relationship with the players because otherwise I wouldn’t have won two league titles and the Champions

Frank Rijkaard

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Nigeria N ig Premier League

29

Cricket

with IIKENWA NNABUOGOR ikenwa.nnabuogor@gmail.com

Fabiyi set to dump Enyimba

E

nyimba striker, Babington Fabiyi, has revealed he is close to joining Ukraine second tier side PFC Alexandria and believes a deal could be finalised in the next couple of weeks or days.

The former schoolboy international told supersport. com that he had successful trials at the club and has returned to Nigeria to help secure his International Transfer Certificate.

“I have been undergoing trials with Alexandria recently and they have agreed to sign me,” he said.

“They have been in contact with Enyimba, but there has been some delay

in issuing my clearance so I had to come over and see if my presence could hasten the process.”

Fabiyi said he enjoyed his time at Enyimba and was looking forward to similar success with his new club.

“Last season was okay as we challenged for the title and in the end made it to the continent so I don’t have any regrets,” he said.

“I’ve always preferred to play in Europe, so I hope to make the best of this move.”

Fabiyi joined Enyimba as a free agent last season after unsuccessful trials with Russian giants, CSKA Moscow.

Pele grabs Wikki job

N Chibuzor Okonkwo

Turkish club offers Okonkwo trial T urkish Super League club Elazı spor have invited Nigeria international Chibuzor Okonkwo for tests in view of a contract offer, according to hisTurkish agent Mustafa Sezgin. ‘’Okonkwo has been issued a visa by the embassy and is scheduled to arrive Turkey on Wednesday. He comes highly recommended, was told he is one of the best players in the Nigeria Premier League. People say he is a player with good technique, very fast and strong.

And that is what most European clubs are looking for,’’ Sezgin, who also manages Rizespor’s Uche Kalu, said.

Okonkwo will be looking to impresses coach Yılmaz Vural when he starts training with Elazı spor for about a week.

If the club are satisfied with the former Heartland right back, he would be offered a six - month contract, with the option for an additional two seasons, with effect from January.

Okonkwo could be swelling the long list of Nigerians playing the lucrative Turkish Super League. It will be recalled that

he had earlier trialed at a Turkish second division club.

The former Bayelsa United star was on the verge of finally penning a contract with Finnish top side Inter Turku but the deal did not see the light of day due to monetary disagree-

ment between the two parties.

The Beijing Olympic silver medallist previously tested with FC Kryvbas(Ukraine), Rostov (Russia), Reading (England) and Vålerenga (Norway), but none of the clubs offered him a contract.

Dolphins get extended break

P

layers of Dolphins FC did not report to camp on December 27th as earlier announced but will not stay home until January 7th.

Media Officer of the club, China Acheru says this is as a result of the uncertainties surrounding the kick off date of the League.

“When we sent our players off for Christmas, we gave them a three day break because at that time we thought the League will start on January 5th or 12th.

“From all indications the season will not start until February and the management of the team agreed that a few days won’t kill the players considering we have a very long season ahead,” Acheru said.

“The management have advised the players to stay home until next week. We need them

fresh for the league and like was stated earlier, a few days won’t kill us.”

You will recall that Dolphins had delayed their pre-season camping to Nnewi by two weeks when the initial kick off date of the League then, December 8th became shaky.

The players however eventually proceeded to Nnewi and spent two weeks there before returning to Port Harcourt in the 1st week of December.

Meanwhile, Dolphins have declared that their Ghanaian imports are still very much with the club. Contrary to reports making the rounds, former Nigeria Premier League champions, Dolphins have not lost the services of her Ghanaian players.

Last season, Dolphins had three Ghanaian born players in

igeria Premier League (NPL) campaigners, Wikki Tourists have named Ahmed Audu Pele as the club’s chief coach.

Pele, 51, was last term the chief coach of Jigawa Golden Stars who were relegated on the last day of the outgone 2011/12 league season.

It was gathered that Pele was recommended to his present position by Wikki Tourists’ head coach, Yakubu Maidajin who will next year travel with Nigeria’s Flying Eagles to the African Youth Championship

(AYC) in Algeria.

Interestingly, Maidajin also replaced former Wikki Tourists’ gaffer, Ladan Bosso who has teamed up with NPL returnees, Bayelsa United.

Confirming Pele’s appointment, the club’s team manager, Yusuf Gimba disclosed that the decision to hire Pele was made at the club’s recent board meeting in Bauchi.

“Pele was recommended to us by Yakubu himself and we were convinced with his reasons as we want the best for the club in this coming season.

her books- Owusu Addae, Seidu Abuu and James Amankwei but a report on a football website recently said the trio has left.

Acheru, however said on Sunday that the report was not true.

“Now unless the writer of that story knows something we don’t, two out of the three players in question are still Dolphins players.

“First, at the end of the season and after appraisal by the coaches, James Amankwei was declared surplus to requirements and told to he could leave but not so for the other two,” Acheru said.

“I spoke with the coach, Stanley Eguma who said, Owusu Addae and Seidu Abuu are still in his plans but were given an extended holiday in Ghana and will be joining the club soon.

Owusu Addae

30

Sport

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Federer, Nadal’s absence fires 2013 season

T

he most lucrative and high profile of the new tennis season held lasty week in Abu Dhabi, featuring four of the top six ranked men competing for an allor-nothing $250, 000 purse. It was there that defending champion, world number Novak Djokovic, prepared for his 2013 campaign in considerable style, beating David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro.

Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych also got the blue hard courts under their feet in Abu Dhabi, but their ATP season opens in earnest as top seeds in Brisbane and Chennai respectively, while Ferrer tops the list in Doha. Djokovic, though, has foregone ranking points in favour of the company of Ana Ivanovic at the 25th playing of the Hopman Cup. The second week of January offers a similar smorgasbord of events. There are two ATP tournaments in the Antipodes, one in Sydney-headlined by Jo-Wilfried Tsongaand the other in Auckland-topped by defending champion Ferrer. Meanwhile at the former home of the Australian Open, down the road from Melbourne, is the eight-man, round-robin non-tour event, the Kooyong AAMI Classic.

What stands out amid this buzz of activity, however, is the absence of two major names.

For the first time since 2008-the year Roger Federer fell victim to a bout of glandular fever-the world number is not playing a single event before the ‘big one’ in Melbourne.

Indeed, apart from that one Australian summer, it has been nine years since Federer did not play a warm-up event prior to the first Grand Slam of the year. And for the last four years, Federer has played at both the Abu Dhabi showpiece and in Doha-both a short plane ride from his training base in Dubai.

This year, however, is entirely different, though not altogether unexplained. After the World Tour Finals, he talked of how his exhibition tour in South America during early December would both refresh him mentally and also form part of his 2013 training schedule: “I’ve never been to South America as a professional tennis player. But I made sure I have a two-week vacation before that. So for me that is even the beginning of the buildup and the workouts. And on top of that, it’s a lot of fun. Plus I’m not playing any exhibitions after that, like I have in the past. I’m not playing the first week of the year either.

Basically I’ve given myself enough space,” Federer said yesterday.

Because now, with the luxury of enough years and matches under his tennis belt to choose where and how often he plays, Federer can drop events, re-focus on his physical and tactical preparation, and work out fresh goals.

“I first have to make sure I create my schedule so it makes sense for my practice schedule. I need to practise a whole lot more this year, as I hardly had an opportunity to do so last year. I have some catching up to do in that standpoint,” the Swede added.

Incidentally, back in 2004-the last time he came to Melbourne with no match-play-he won his first Australian Open title.

The absence of Rafael Nadal from every event in the opening weeks of 2013 tells a rather sadder story.

He, like Federer, had played in both Abu Dhabi and Doha for the last four years, but

Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal

this time, he has been forced to pull out with a stomach virus and, worse still, will not play at the Australian Open.

It is a severe blow for the richest-and arguably the most high profile-of the pre-Melbourne events in Doha. Last year, this oasis of violet, lime and dayglo-yellow marked its 20th anniversary with its stars, Federer and Nadal, playing under the night sky in an arena lit by 4, 000 candles.

But for Nadal, absent from the tour with ongoing knee injury since he made a shock exit in the second round of Wimbledon, it is one more set-back that will see him miss his first Australian Open since 2006 and concede his top-four ranking for the first time since May 2005.

With more than a fortnight to go until the Melbourne draw is made, he announced that he is “unable to get ready in time to tackle

the rigours of a Grand Slam. My knee is much better and the rehabilitation process has gone well as predicted by the doctors, but this virus didn’t allow me to practise this past week.

“As my team and doctors say, the safest thing is to do things well. I simply would not be doing myself or my friends in Australia justice if I went down there so unprepared,” Nadal said.

So there are different outlooks and different expectations for the two former Australian Open champions who held sway at the top of the rankings from early 2004 until Djokovic won Wimbledon in July 2011.

For while Federer and Nadal won two of the four Grand Slams in 2012, it was Federer who reclaimed the No1 spot for the second half of the year and is clearly aiming to close the gap on Djokovic again with a title-chas-

ing run in Melbourne.

Nadal, meanwhile, will hand over his number four ranking to compatriot Ferrerbut he has other players to worry about, too, notably two quarterfinalists from last year’s Australian Open. The number six-ranked Berdych and number seven Juan Martin del Potro are separated by just 200 points and will be nipping at Nadal’s heels once his 1, 200 points as a finalist in Melbourne in 2012 drop off.

Berdych did not play ahead of Melbourne last year but is the top seed in Chennai this week. Del Potro cannot win points before the Australian Open but, judging by his endof-2012 results, he is returning to the kind of form that won a Grand Slam before he was sidelined with wrist injury in 2009.

•Culled from espn.com

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

31

Business & Finance Govt needs to raise tariff on imported vehicles Director General, National Automotive Council Aminu Jalal

The Excess Crude Account is supposed to serve as a buffer for the economy. Whenever available revenue is not up to the budgeted figure, government will augment for the health of the economy MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE, YERIMA NGAMA

42-43

Indigenous fishing firms spend N83bn on diesel yearly FRANCIS EZEM

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he Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association, has said that the four surviving industrial fishing companies operating in the country spend a whopping N783.2 bn of Automotive Gas Oil, also called diesel to power their 119-vessel fleet.

NITOA is the umbrella body for all indigenously owned industrial fishing firms, which as at 2004 had a membership strength of over 44 firms with a total of 250 vessels, being the fleet of the members, which has reduced to four and about 119 vessels due to very harsh operating environment.

The association has recently raised the alarm that members have lost a whopping N118.5billion in the last eight years covering 2004-2011 due to the increasing menace of pirates and sea robbers on Nigeria’s territorial waters and other operating challenges.

National president of the association, Mr. Joseph Overo, who spoke in an exclusive interview, disclosed that the four surviving companies are also at the brink of collapse due to harsh operating environment, especially the high cost of diesel, with the impending further job lost in that sub-sector.

While giving graphic

details of the cost of procurement of diesel, noted that a vessel spends about 70 metric tonnes of diesel per voyage, which lasts for about four days.

This translates to about N1.6billon per week at the N160 per litre pump price of the product for the 119 vessel fleet for the four companies.

According to him,

when N1.6 billion is multiplied by the 52 weeks in one year, since the vessel and the crew are meant to observe rest at the end of the four-day voyage and return to sea the next week for another voyage.

He noted that the situation becomes more precarious when view against the background that the indigenous op-

ABUJA

T

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L-R: General Manager, Super Sport Nigeria, Mr. Felix Awogu; General Manager, Sales/Distribution, Multichoice Nigeria, Mr. Akinola Salu; winners of DStv Mega Promo, Mr. Bamiduro Michael; Mr. Omoyibo Samuel; Mr. Akinyemi Olajuwon and Marketing Manager, GOtv, Mr. Oludare Kafar, during the presentation in Lagos on Monday.

NDIC’s Insurance Fund rises to N350.2bn TOLA AKINMUTIMI

erators’ product compete with the imported products, most of which companies have one form of incentive or the other from their governments including subsidised diesel cost.

On the greatest challenges facing the industry he said: “Number one is increasing sea robbery, this has reduced our area of fishing by over 70 percent because a large expanse of the sea has been declared a no-go-area and so we cannot fish there because they are being policed by the sea robbers”

posit Insurance Fund (DIF) and the Special Insured Institutions Funds (SIIF) premium contributions rising to N350.21bn in the 2011 financial year, up from about N258bn that accrued as at the end of the 2010 financial year.

According to the just published 2011 Annual Report and Statements of Accounts of the Corpora-

tion sourced by National Mirror yesterday, the DIF which is the premium contributions by insured financial institutions rose from N295.72bn in 2010 to N347.19bn in 2011, representing a growth of 17.4 per cent. The SIIF which are contributions for other insured deposit-taking financial institutions such as MFBs and Primary Mortgage

Financial Institutions (PMIs) rose from about N2.3bn in 2010 to N3.2 billion in 2011.

The Report stated: “The DIF for DMBs grew by about 17 per cent from about N295.7bn in 2010 to aboutN347.19bn in 2011.

Similarly, the SIIF grew by about 39 per cent from about N2.3bn in 2010 to about N3.2bn in 2011. The rate of accretion in 2011

was lower than the situation in 2010 for the two funds.

“While the slower pace of accretion in the case of the DIF could be attributed to the reduction in the assessment base rate for premium computation from 50 to 40 basis points, that of the SIIF could be attributed to the reduction in the number of MFBs following the revocation of the licences of 103 of them in 2010.

Lagos-Abuja 7.30 8.30 7.45 8.45 09.30 10.30 10.30 11.30 12.30 13.30 14.30 15.30 16.30 17.30 Lagos-Kano 08.00 09.15 10.30 11.45 14.30 15.40 18.15 19.30 Los-Maid&Yola (Mon-Thur) 09.30 11.30 Fri- Sun 10.30 12.30 Kano-Lagos 07.30 08.45 14.00 15.15 17.30 18.45 Kano-Abj 10.45 11.30 Abj-Lagos 09.00 10.30 11.00 12.00 12.00 13.00 EXCHANGE RATES WAUA

234.6271

USD

155.84

CHF

159.2642

SDR

235.0535

CFA

0.2924

GBP

244.1701

EURO

191.3715

OIL / GAS FUTURES ICE BRENT

$123.39

-0.78

NYMEX

$108.45

-0.11

OPEC BASKET

$122.86

+1.16

OPS tasks FG on critical barriers to economic development in 2013

Dana Air receives approval to return to flight operations

2012: Mixed blessing for nation’s petroleum industry

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Business Finance

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

OPS tasks FG on critical barriers to economic development in 2013 S TANLEY I HEDIGBO

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resident of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Goodie Ibru, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to address the critical barriers to real development in the economy in 2013, saying,”Nigerians desire a growth that creates jobs and improve private sector productivity and competitiveness .

Ibru in a statement made

available to National Mirror said for there to be improvement in the productive capacity of the Nigerian economy, the prosperity of enterprises and an improvement in the welfare of Nigerians, constraints to productivity and efficiency must be tackled with better commitment and sincerity this year.

He said as part of the chamber’s expectations for 2013, commitment to improvement in the general cash flow is critical to stimulate the economy.

“The liquidity and cash flow situation in 2012 was a major challenge for many investors.

Lending rates should be moderated and access to credit should be reasonably liberalised.

Monetary and fiscal authorities need to make this happen 2013.

“New strategies should be adopted to deal with the security situation in the country.

Security concerns heightened investment risk and depressed sales in 2012. We hope for an improvement in

2013” he said.

Ibru added that the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, preferably in the first quarter of the year, is desirable, “ adding that this would unlock the potentials in the oil and gas sector and reduce the current uncertainties in the sector and eliminate the present stagnation of investment.

On corruption, he said, “Currently the economy bleeds profusely from corruption and our expectation is that this bleeding will be mod-

erated in 2013. This should happen through a combination of appropriate policy choices, deterrent sanctions for perpetrators and rewards for integrity.

“The Nigerian economy, in spite of the current challenges, still offers enormous opportunities and potentials for investment. The business community will continue to partner and dialogue with governments at all levels to crystallize these opportunities for the benefit of the citizens in 2013”.

Group faults new Customs’ import assessment report FRANCIS EZEM

F

L-R: Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju; Vice Chairman, Lagos Cheshire Home, Mr. Dele Atitebi; Welfare Officer, Deacones Adeola Olarewanju and committee member, Mr. Kunle Afolabi, during the courtesy visit and donation of indomie to the home, yesterday.

NLC insists on full punishment for subsidy looters MESHACK IDEHEN

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resident of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, has urged the Federal Government to ensure that adequate punishment is meted out to those who looted funds meant for subsidising petrol both in 2012 and this year.

Omar charged the Federal and state governments to curb the ever rising level of unemployment in the country.

In a New Year Day statement by the NLC president said it would not augur well for country for unemployment rate to continue to increase.

Omar added that government will be unfair to the Nigerian people if it failed to expeditiously prosecute those who have stolen so much, and caused so much trauma and death to the people, adding also that the NLC holds the view that no one is above the law in any decent society and that if government is committed to the enthronement of good governance and a

corrupt-free society, they must get the named beneficiaries of the oil subsidy scam to not only refund all the money they have stolen, but also serve appropriate jail terms.

“This, will be the only acceptable condition for continuous industrial harmony by workers and the Nigerian people,”Omar said.

The NLC president said further that the claims of economic growth by the government have not translated to improvement in the lives of Nigerians.

He said, “On behalf of Nigerian workers, it is our pleasure to welcome Nigerians to the year 2013. As a New Year, we believe that it holds new hopes and aspirations for the Nigerian nation.

However, given the disturbing trend in the economy and governance in the past year, which were characterised by incessant job losses and unemployment, insecurity, and corruption, as well as unparalleled impunity, the sustenance of good governance would require re-strategising

and more commitment to a peoples-focused and oriented policy thrust in the interest of the Nigerian poor.

“To workers and the Nigerian people, it would entail a demand, ever than before, our collective will of struggle and patriotism, to check this apparent drift in the affairs of state in the interest of working families and the Nigerian people.

According to him, “The economy, during the year 2012, was characterised by a number of maladies, with dire consequences for workers and the Nigerian people.

In particular, the crisis of unemployment continues to be the greatest of these. Official statistics puts the unemployment rate at above 24 percent.

As alarming as this would seem, it actually disguises the enormity of the unemployment problem given the huge pool of disguised unemployment and underemployment. The incidence of unemployment among the youths is even more alarming. he added.

reight forwarders under the aegis of National Council of Managing Directors at the weekend faulted the introduction of Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), by the Nigeria Customs Service, which was to replace the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) issued by the service providers under the Destination Inspection scheme., The RAAR, which is an advisory report generated by the service providers under the DI contract advises the service on the level of risk associated with a given consignment since it is the duty of the service providers under the contract to carryout Computerised Risk Management System.

The management of the service had in anticipation of government upholding the December 31, 2012 expiration of the contract had been going round

sensitizing the various stakeholders including the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria, which experts have faulted.

President of the council, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, who also cited recent moves by the service to arrogate the powers to grant import waivers to itself under the Customs and Excise Management Act now under amendment, noted that the power to strip the service providers of that function lies with the Minister of Finance.

According to him, section 36 of the CEMA gives the minister, who is also chairman of Board of Customs to make such pronouncement and other related policy pronouncements not the service itself.

He noted that if the principle of checks and balances would have been thrown to the winds if the service were allowed to issue the risk report and also examines the goods when imports when they arrive.

‘N400bn potential interest income for agric investors’ MESHACK IDEHEN

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he Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adeshina, has said that the agricultural sector in Nigeria offers potential interest income of over N400 billion to banks and other investors that can take advantages that abound in the sector.

Adeshina said also that great opportunities exists that needed to be unlocked by stakeholders in the country’s agricultural sector, and that innovative financial instruments must be created to address the needs of the agricultural sector considering the different needs along the agricultural value chains.

A statement by the Minister’s Adviser on Media, Dr. Kayode Oyeleye, said an assessment of the potential for agricultural lending in Nigeria shows

promising results, adding as the country embarks on a structural change of the labour composition of the agriculture sector developing a new generation of 760,000 young commercial farmers for Nigeria, that their working capital requirements alone present an opportunity to increase bank lending by about N3trillion Naira.

According to the minister, unlocking this opportunity is for such forward looking financial institutions to invest in developing systems to cost effectively and efficiently reach these customers, while working with partners to address some of the risks associated with lending to the agricultural producers.

He said the rewards for such a financial institution would be great, and that the interest income from lending for just 10 strategic crops, is estimated to be over N400 billion.

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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Dana Air receives approval FG urged to implement reforms in power sector M to return to flight operations OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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he Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah on Monday gave approval for Dana Air to return to flight operations days after it was re-issued Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) to return to operations by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

A letter personally signed

by Oduah and addressed to the Director-General, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren dated 31st December, 2012 with the reference number FMA/ ATMD/502/S.835/11/56 and title Re: Release of Dana Airlines to return to flight operations,” gave approval for the airline to

return to flight operations.

The letter, which was made available to National Mirror through a source close to the Ministry of Aviation, however gave a proviso for the airline to return to operations.

Oduah in the letter stated that the airline should complete payment of all insurance obligations and claims within two months to the dependents of the victims of the crash.

She also ordered the airline to abide by the safety regulations of NCAA and strict surveillance by the NCAA. The letter reads in part, “Your letter NCAA/DG/GM/115/Vol. 1/32 dated 18th December, 2012 stating that Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has carried out

recertification of Dana Air and the airline has completed phase five of AOC re-certification process including conducting or proving and test flights and praying for release of Dana Airlines to return to flight operations.

“This letter is to convey my approval for the approval of resumption of flight operations of Messrs Dana Airlines with the following conditions; Messrs Dana Airline should complete payment of all insurance obligations/claims within two months to the dependents of victims of the crash.

“The airline should abide by safety regulations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and strict by your organisation.”

embers of the National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to ensure the effective implementation of the oil and gas sector reforms in the new year.

They made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos and called on President Goodluck Jonathan to expedite action toward finding lasting solution to problems of the oil and gas sector.

Managing Director, Limmy Cosmetics Ltd, Mrs Lydia Amos, urged Jonathan to urgently address the epileptic power supply problem and implement the oil and gas sector reforms agenda.

Amos called on the president to create an enabling environment for socio-economic development. ``Privatisation of the country’s refineries is the only option towards

an effective oil and gas industry. ``Most small scale businesses have closed shop due to the epileptic power supply in the country which I think can be tackled,’’ she said.

She said that government’s priorities for now should be on the power sector ``because no country triumphs in socio-economic development without effective and efficient power supply”.

Another stakeholder, Mrs Falilat Balogun, the Managing Director, Khary Diary Juice Ltd, implored the Federal Government to take the power sector more seriously in the new year.

She said that most companies had stopped production while many others had moved out of Nigeria to places with better operational environment. Balogun said ``if President Jonathan can fix the epileptic power supply and tackle corruption in the oil and gas sector, we will have a new Nigeria. `

Access Bank turns to kids to improve savings culture

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o further demonstrate its desire to bridge the unbanked gap in the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in May this year developed a strategy that will aid financial inclusion as a result of increasing Nigerian adults being excluded from financial services across the country.

Besides, with the growing rate of consumers at the retail banking end, as well as products to cater for some of their needs, the apex bank is also developing a framework to effectively address consumer complaints and financial literacy. Banks

have also mandated to work towards ensuring that this policy is successful.

However some financial institutions have taken appropriate steps to ensuring that the 7 months old policy is achievable by 2020.

According to the apex bank, the strategy is aimed at reducing the percentage of adult Nigerians excluded from financial services from 46.3 per cent as at 2010 to 20 percent by 2020, with a view to enabling them to have access to financial services, engage in economic activities and contribute to the development of Nigeria.

L-R: Minister of Communication and Technology, Mrs. Omobolaji Johnson and Vice President, Corporate Relations, Middle East and Africa, Nokia, Mr. Jussi Hinkkanen, at the Nokia, Microsoft and Dalberg-sponsored Nigeria Vision 20: 2020 Innovation forum in Abuja recently.

Ofala Festival: Peter Obi, monarch commend MTN

AIB to launch $5.5m FDR, CVR laboratory in Abuja soon

KUNLE A ZEEZ

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

A

ccident Investigation Bureau (AIB) is set to launch its own Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) laboratory system in the country very soon.

This was disclosed to aviation journalists at the weekend by the Commissioner, AIB, Capt. Muktar Usman at a press briefing in Lagos.

Usman disclosed that the laboratory system, which would be sited in Abuja cost the agency about $5.5m to put together. He said that equipment in the laboratory system were purchased from CAE/Flight Scape in Canada.

He explained that with the acquisition of the equipment, it would now be possible for the accident investigator to download both flight recorders promptly

during accident investigation.

It will be recalled that these units were taken overseas for downloading, which cost the agency additional funds and time.

He explained further that the system also has the capability of being used for real-time flight data monitoring.

Usman stated further that the laboratory equipment had been delivered to the organisation and it’s presently awaiting installation, which would be carry out when the final payment is made by the country.

He added that in order for its investigators to carry out effective investigation using the equipment, the management had commenced training for them and assured that with the installation of the equipment, it would be easier to detect cause of incident or accident in the country’s aviation industry.

He said, “Accident investigation is very sensible worldwide and we don’t want to re-invent the wheel. The wheel is already invented. Most accident investigators in the world locate their laboratories in their headquarters and ours cannot be different.

“That is the experience in the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries in the world. Laboratory should not just be located where we have high aviation activities. It’s an investigation and we need a serene environment to carry out our work. We inherited the project and we are going ahead with it and as I’m talking to you know, it’s close to conclusion.”

He assured that the agency had competent and highly qualified accident investigators who were trained in the world class institutions.

A

nambra State Governor, Mr. Governor Peter Obi and the traditional ruler of the state, the Igwe of Nnewi, Dr. Keneth Orizu III have commended Nigeria’s leading telecoms company, MTN, over the operator’s contribution towards the development of indigenous culture across the country.

Speaking at this year’s Ofala Nnewi Festival held at the Palace of the traditional ruler in Anambra recently, the governor said MTN had distinguished itself as a leading promoter of the country’s cultural heritage.

According to him, the value of any society lies in its rich cultural heritage, since no society exists without a culture.

“One of the reasons for the breakdown of law and regulations has to do with the loss of cultural values. A society that seeks to grow in values and morals maintains and celebrates its culture.

“This is what the people of

Nnewi are doing with the Ofala Nnewi Festival and it is quite commendable to have a brand like MTN support the festival.

This only shows its commitment towards identifying with the interest of the community where it operates,” he said.

In the same vein, the Igwe expressed his gratitude to the telecommunications company for its contributions over the years.

“Over the years, MTN, through its contributions, has elevated our Ofala Festival to a much higher level of attraction,” he added.

While expressing MTN’s commitment to the development and promotion of indigenous culture, the Regional Marketing Manager, South-East, MTN, Mr. Dan Nwankwo, said, “MTN is committed towards enriching the lives of its customers. And how do we do this? By identifying and connecting to their passion points. Ofala Nnewi is one such important festival and cultural heritage considered very dear to the good people of Nnewi.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Energy Week

udemea@rocketmail.com 07031546994

West African gas pipeline

2012: Mixed blessings for nation’s petroleum industry Despite the great expectations that followed its emergence, year 2012 turned out to be challenging for many stakeholders, especially the Federal Government and operators. UDEME AKPAN reports the issues and implications.

T

he year 2012 has just slipped away. But it would be difficult to forget it in a hurry at least for a reason. The year was loaded with many positive and negative events worth noting. First, the upstream sector of the petroleum industry, involving exploration and production witnessed little investment.

Consequently, the nation did not experience much exploration which could have culminated in the making of new oil and gas finds. In fact, the nation’s crude oil reserves, including condensate declined from 37.2 billion barrels to 36.5 billion barrels, bpd, showing a depletion of 500 million barrels during the period. The declining reserves were attributed to continuous production of about 2.5 million barrels per day without massive investment to make additional oil and gas finds.

The Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Augustine Olorunsola who confirmed the development during an engagement with the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) stated that: “For the first time in many years, Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves are on the decline.”

WITHOUT NEW INVESTMENTS, NIGERIA’S PRODUCTION WILL DECLINE BY 40 PER CENT BY 2020, WHILE IT COULD POTENTIALLY GROW BY NEARLY 50 PER CENT WITHIN SAME PERIOD, WITH CONTINUED (AND PLANNED) INVESTMENTS OF $110 BILLION He remarked that the reserves could further be depleted if new finds were not made to increase it in the coming years. 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.

The unfortunate situation was attributed to the non passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, a comprehensive legislation targeted at restructuring the industry as well as realizing effective regulation, enforcement and operation for sustainable development. Despite its non passage, the PIB went through second reading at the National Assembly

following the interest of lawmakers to expedite work on the Executive Bill.

This attracted the comments of many operators, especially Shell Petroleum Development Company who picked holes in the fiscal terms as provided for in the bill, explaining that the tax terms are uncompetitive and could make offshore oil and gas projects unattractive and unviable to operators. The Country Chair/Managing Director of the firm, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, who believed the tax provisions in the PIB is ‘uncompetitive’, stressed that they are capable of stifling investment and making offshore oil and gas projects unviable if passed into law in its present form.

Shell was not alone. ExxonMobil that decried the lull in the industry challenged the government to invest $110

billion between now and 2020 in order to make new oil finds, boost reserves and production capacity in the industry. ExxonMobil that made the revelation at the presentation of its energy outlook in Lagos warned that without such investment oil production currently standing at about 2.7 million barrels per day, including condensate would decline by 40 per cent in 2020.

The General Manager, Operations Technical Geoscience, Andrew Ejayeriese who made the presentation stated that: “An operator needs to reinvest about 50per cent of annual cash flow to keep production flat. Without new investments, Nigeria’s production will decline by 40per cent by 2020, while it could potentially grow by nearly 50per cent within same period, with continued (and planned) investments of $110 billion.”

The firm stated that in the mid 70’s, the nation’s oil production reached a high of 2.2 million bpd, mainly from onshore and shallow water fields.

Exxon Mobil stated that: “We see here that 40 years after, the country’s average production is still at the same level, even with the new deepwater proCONTINUED ON PAGE 36

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2012: Mixed blessing for nation’s petroleum industry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 duction. Virtually all of Nigeria’s oil growth over the last decade came from the deepwater region. However, delays in project approvals, restrictions in NNPC funding and tortuous contract award process have slowed overall reserve replacement and put pressure on long-term production and growth.”

The firm made it emphatic that increased investment calls for clear regulatory and fiscal terms and provide a safe and secure operating environment. It maintained that: “The same holds true for Nigeria’s vast gas resources. Although gas production for sales is forecast to grow in the future, Nigeria must focus on creating a clear policy and fiscal incentives to drive development of both domestic and export markets.”

The firm stated that without investments, the industry will not replace declining production, let alone grow.

Clearly a tragedy for a country blessed with such a significant hydrocarbon endowment. The firm stated that: “ExxonMobil has demonstrated its commitment to invest in partnerships and projects around the world. We invest billions of dollars and support large scale financing in both developed and undeveloped markets.”

It remarked that the firm has tapped into a variety of funding sources from banks to capital markets, export credit agencies, the World Bank and others and have structured innovative funding solutions to meet the financing needs of our partners. The firm whose current output stands at over 600 KBD (including deepwater) 30per cent of National output, with an annual Capital Expenditures of $1.7 billion/yr stated that: “The point to note is investors need a combination of clear regulatory and policy environment, and fiscal regimes which translate into competitive economic returns for investments with manageable business risks.”

ExxonMobil stated that these characteristics, when appropriately implemented promised to create a robust environment that will encourage ongoing investment in supply and growth infrastructure necessary for Nigeria to offset decline and sustain growth. It maintained that: “Nigeria has the potential to remain the leading hydrocarbon producer and exporter in Africa for the foreseeable future. However, it must put measures in place that allow investors to achieve a competitive return, to operate in the most effective and efficient manner possible, and have a stable, fair investment environment.”

The firm stated that: “As our industry has proven time and again, we will accept and deal with technical risk, even for projects that require massive, multi-billion dollar investments that take decades to pay out. We will also take the “price risk” that goes with hydrocarbon price cycles. What we cannot accept is risks that go with an unclear, inconsistent and non-transparent investment climate.”

It noted that Nigeria is one of Africa’s leading resource holders whose oil

Alison-Madueke Adeniji

INVESTORS NEED A COMBINATION OF CLEAR REGULATORY AND POLICY ENVIRONMENT AND FISCAL REGIMES WHICH TRANSLATE INTO COMPETITIVE ECONOMIC RETURNS FOR INVESTMENTS WITH MANAGEABLE Olorunshola

reserves are estimated at 37.2 billion barrels - the 10th largest in the world – and natural gas reserves of 5,110 billion cubic meters - Africa’s largest and 9th in the world. The firm also noted that it is the 5th largest exporter of crude oil, and 4th largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, with export capacity of about 22 million tonnes per year. ExxonMobil however pointed out that the nation must recognise growing competition for industry investment from emerging success stories in East Africa, South Africa and Ghana here in West Africa. A commercially competitive fiscal and regulatory environment and a favourable investment climate are crucial to long term success at attracting capital.”

Indeed, the nation recorded some giant strides in the gas, particularly through export of liquified natural gas to the export market. But it failed to sustain supply of gas to Ghana, Benin and Togo through the instrumentality of the West African Gas Pipeline. The pipeline was ruptured since August last year.

There was also a bad development in the midstream, involving refining and pipeline distribution of petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, cooking gas, and kerosene and aviation fuel. Although the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation

BUSINESS RISKS (NNPC), made efforts to rehabilitate some refineries, the quantity refined was insufficient to meet local demand.

Consequently, commercial quantities of products were still imported from the global market.

Even then, distribution was greatly hampered because of pipeline vandalism and other illegal activities. For instance, the Arepo pipeline which enhances distribution from Atlas Cove to some depots such as Mosimi, Ejigbo and Ibadan was vandalised. This compelled the NNPC to take to the use of trucks. The imported products were also diverted to private jetties. As these were not enough, lives were snuffed out of the corporation’s engineers assigned to carry out maintenance a few days later. Although the rehabilitation was eventually carried out, the vandals did damage to Ije-ododo pipeline, thus worsening fuel situation in the nation.

However, fuel supply witnessed improvement when NNPC rehabilitated the Ije-ododo pipeline. The Acting Group General Manager of the Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple who confirmed the development assured that with the restoration of the Ije-ododo pipeline and the NNPC system 2b pipeline impacted positively on distribution. As he puts it: “I can affirm to you that our engineers from the Pipelines and Products

Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), have finally fixed the Ije-Ododo pipeline that was ruptured last Monday by activities of pipeline vandals. Going forward, the good news for Nigerians is that we have resumed pumping of petroleum products through the pipeline and system 2b is equally working after the restoration of the pipeline.”

As the situation improved, the public started to ponder on possible prices increase in 2013. This speculation was debunked by Pepple who stressed that the Federal Government had already made provision for subsidy in the 2013 budget. The subsidy was observed to have risen by 11 per cent between November and December, last year. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), statistics showed that government subsidy which stood at N42.96 per liter in November has increased to N47.66 in December, this year.

The increase was partly attributed to the continued rise in the prices of several crude oil grades, including the nation’s Bonny Light in the global market.

Market watchers said the rise in crude oil prices culminated in high prices of petroleum products, especially petrol as refiners have to incur higher cost in the process of procuring, refining and marketing of fuel. The PPPRA figures showed that the nation attracts a greater part of the cost as bulk of its fuel is imported from the world market. The PPPRA puts the landing cost, including trader’s margin, lightering expenses, NPA charges, financing, jetty depot thru’ put charge and storage charge at N129.17.

The agency puts distribution margins, including retailers, transporters, dealers, bridging fund, marine transport average and admin charge at N15.49, thus raising total cost to N 144.66 per a liter. Consequently, at the regulated price of N97, the Federal Government subsidy on the product amounts to N47.66 per liter. The Management of the scheme and other programmes were threatened by corruption during the period.

These attracted the attention of Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), whose Executive Secretary, Zainab Ahmed stated that: “The year 2012 has been remarkable in the implementation of Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Nigeria; 2012 began with spontaneous citizens’ demand for transparency and accountability in the governance of extractive industry revenue following the national strike over oil subsidy regime early in January. The oil subsidy strike led to series of probes by the National Assembly and Presidential investigative Committees such as the one headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.”

However, the world is waiting to see how NEITI would go in its moves to accomplish improved transparency, accountability and efficient management of the nation’s oil and gas industry for sustainable development. It is also watching to see how other agencies, especially DPR would go in tackling several environmental issues, including oil spillage and gas flaring which are still ongoing in the industry.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Week

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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OPEC basket price stands at $108.03 per barrel

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he price of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC basket of 12 crudes has risen from $106.92 to $108.03 per barrel, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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).

This means that oil and gas producing nations would be in a position to generate substantial funds for the execution of their projects and programmes.

For instance, the new price recorded over the weekend showed an excess of over $35 over the $72 per barrel reference price of the 2012 budget, meaning that the implementation of the budget would end on a positive note.

Investigations showed that the market remain around the world. For instance, Brent crude climbed above $109 per barrel in the United States as investors clung to hopes that lawmakers would come up

El- Badri

with a last-minute deal to avert a looming fiscal crisis in the world’s largest oil consumer.

Reuters that confirmed the development stated that Brent crude gained 46 cents to $109.26 a barrel by 0523 GMT, after settling 17 cents lower on Monday before Christmas.

U.S. crude was at $88.94, up 33 cents from Monday’s close.

Oil prices had dropped more than a percent on Friday as U.S. fiscal talks dissolved after Republican lawmakers withheld support for a proposal to avert the so-called fis-

cal cliff, but many investors doubt that lawmakers will risk the fragile U.S. economy tipping into recession again.

Some investors are now looking at a stop-gap that puts everything off for a while as the most promising alternative.

Such a fix may help delay the spending cuts and tax hikes further into 2013 as well as work to address in a long-term way a budget that has generated deficits exceeding $1 trillion in each of the last four years.

Oil was also supported by expectations Japan’s incoming prime minister will pursue drastic stimulus policies to drive the world’s third largest oil consumer’s economy out of deflation.

International envoy Lakhdar Brahimi pursued mediation efforts in Damascus on Tuesday, but there was no pause in the bloodletting as Syrian Christians marked a bleak Christmas Day with prayers for peace.

More than 44,000 Syrians have been killed since a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad erupted 21 months ago.

Six U.S.-allied Gulf Arab states demanded on Tuesday that Iran end what they called interference in the region, reiterating a long-held mistrust of their main rival.

… Bonny Light may hit $140 per barrel in 2013 UDEME AKPAN

T

he price of Bonny Light may hit $140 per barrel next year as a result of unpredictable events in the Middle East, including possible Israel attack on Iran, a ma-

jor producer in the region.

The Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivative Company Limited, Mr. B. Rewane who made the prediction in a recent presentation said the market would likely remain volatile throughout the year.

He said oil prices may hover at an av-

erage of $105 per barrel even though prices could crash as low as $50 per barrel at the market.

The Federal Government has adopted $79 per barrel as the reference price for the 2013 budget, meaning that adequate foreign exchange may be generated for its execution based on this and other predictions.

President Goodluck Jonathan said the 2013 Budget is underpinned by the following parameters which reflect Government’s prudent economic policies in an uncertain global economic environment.

The President had while presenting the budget to the National Assembly stated that the government would also depend on the non oil sector to generate additional funds for the funding of the 2013 budget.

He said: “Non-oil revenue is projected to continue to grow in 2013 as the ongoing reforms in our revenue collecting agencies and the implementation of initiatives to further develop the non-oil sector continue to yield results.”

Oil vessel

Energy & Oil Prices

Source: Bloomberg

OIL ($/bbl) Nymex Crude Future Dated Brent Spot WTI Cushing Spot

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

85.95 111.01 85.54

0.41 0.90 -0.74

0.48% 0.82% -0.86%

07:42 07:52 10/29

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

310.55 275.30

-0.97 -0.38

-0.31% -0.14%

07:37 07:41

OIL (¢/gal) Nymex Heating Oil Future Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future

NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu)

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

11:19

New York City Gate Spot

3.77 3.43 3.57

-0.03 0.09 0.11

-0.84% 2.69% 3.18%

07:43 10/29 10/29

ELECTRICITY ($/megawatt hour)

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

% CHANGE

09/24

Nymex Henry Hub Future Henry Hub Spot

Mid-Columbia, firm on-peak, spot Palo Verde, firm on-peak, spot

32.95 35.23

-0.40 -0.76

-1.20% -2.11%

10/26 10/29

BLOOMBERG, FIRM ON-PEAK, DAY AHEAD SPOT/ERCOT HOUSTON

30.25

2.04

7.23%

10/26

Source: Oilprice.com

Jonathan said an aggregate expenditure of N4.92 trillion is proposed for the main budget of the 2013 fiscal year, representing a modest increase of about 5 per cent over the N4.7 trillion appropriated for 2012.

He said this is made up of N380.02 billion for Statutory Transfers, N591.76 billion for Debt Service, N2.41 trillion for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure and N1.54 trillion for Capital Expenditure.

The President said: “Based on the above, the fiscal deficit is projected to improve to about 2.17 per cent of GDP in the 2013 Budget compared to 2.85per cent in 2012.”

He said this is well within the threshold stipulated in the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and clearly highlights our commitment to fiscal prudence. We are determined to further rein in domestic borrowing, and this way, ensure that our debt stock remains at a sustainable level.

Jonathan said: “Our focus on critical economic and social sectors continues.

Some of these sectors are largely driven by private sector activity, while others require a great deal of public sector support.”

38

Energy Week

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brent crude rises, hits record annual average

Marketers abandon fuel hoarding

s oil prices edged higher on optimism about a positive outcome to the U.S. budget negotiations, Brent closed the year averaging over $111 a barrel, the highest annual average on record. The international benchmark gained 3.5 percent for the year, after rising 13.3 percent in 2011.

Reuters stated that prices found support throughout the year from unrest in the Middle East that threatened supplies, including Western efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions through sanctions against the OPEC nation.

But the euro zone crisis and the U.S. fiscal cliff standoff have added to ongoing concerns about fuel demand and helped balance out production worries throughout 2012.

Market players expect these factors will continue to influence prices next year.

“Oil is going to be attached to the Middle East issues, I don’t think Iran is going away, they have been quiet of late,” said Richard Ilczyszyn, chief market strategist and founder of iitrader.com LLC in Chicago.

“We’re finding a base in that $76 to $80 a barrel area (for U.S. crude). I don’t know if we’re going to go much lower than that for a while, even with all the potential oil coming on line in the United States, I think it’s going to be geopolitical risk.”

While Brent headed toward annual gains, U.S. crude was on tap to end the year more than 7 percent lower from its 2011 finish, after three straight yearly gains, pressured by surging production in the United States -- which hit a 19year high this year -- and Canada.

Oil prices and U.S. stocks pushed higher on Monday afternoon after comments from President Barack Obama and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell indicated a deal was close to avert the U.S. “fiscal cliff”, which has threatened to send the economy into recession.

Brent February crude traded up 49 cents on the day to settle at $111.11 a barrel, averaging $111.68 for 2012, eclipsing the previous record daily average of $110.91 in 2011.

U.S. February crude rose $1.02 to trade at $91.82 a barrel, off intraday highs of $91.99, just above the 200-day moving average of $91.98 a barrel.

Trading volume remained thinned by the year-end holiday season, with Brent activity 44 percent under the 30-day average and U.S. turnover 48 percent below the 30-day average.

Commodities also found some support from economic data in China, the world’s second-largest economy and No. 2 crude oil consumer, where factory activity in December expanded at its fastest rate since May 2011, reinforcing hopes for revived growth.

The record high average oil price for 2012 was a windfall for many producers, with OPEC’s oil export revenues hitting a peak of $1.05 trillion, up 2.5 per cent from last year, U.S. government data showed.

Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia expects production increases by other oil producers to weigh on energy prices in 2013, however, potentially cutting into its fiscal surplus.

Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Alassaf said on Saturday the kingdom ran a budget surplus of 387 billion riyals in 2012 as high energy prices and strong output levels generated revenue of 1.24 trillion riyals.

“The results of this year are exceptional,” Alassaf told Al-Arabiya television, but added, “The international conditions and the increase in production by some states (in 2013) will have negative effects on prices.”

STORIES: UDEME AKPAN

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M

arketers of petroleum products have released more fuel for sale following the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s declaration that the Federal Government would not hike prices in 2013.

Many marketers allegedly stockpiled fuel based on their determination to make brisk business whenever government would hike prices next year. This, it was learnt worsened the shortage of the product in the country.

But the declaration of the apex oil corporation last weekend is said to have put paid to that and other sharp practices.

A marketer who preferred not to be named said: “There is no need for anyone to hoard fuel or any products because government would not increase prices as earlier predicted.”

He said there was adequate supply of fuel and other products as the NNPC has rehabilitated some infrastructure, including Arepo pipeline which are very central to fuel distribution in the nation.

The Spokesman of NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple who debunked the speculation said the government has already made provision for the subsidy in 2013 budget.

He charged motorists to desist from panic buying stressing that there is no truth in the on-going rumours that there will be an increase in the pump price of fuel in January 2013.

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he Federal Government has ordered security agencies to ensure that the nation’s petroleum pipelines are well secured against vandals.

The directive was given by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke as part of measures aimed at ensuring that petroleum products are supplied to all parts of the nation without interruption.

A source in the ministry who preferred not to be named said: “The minister has already directed security agencies to increase their policing of pipelines to guide against vandalism which could scuttle efficient distribution of products.”

He said the agencies have mobilised to various locations to assist in keeping close monitoring of the pipelines and other infrastructure in different parts of the nation.

The official said this and other efforts would likely assist to prevent a reoccurrence of vandalism in the nation. Recently, the Ije-ododo pipeline was vandalised, thus leading to a fire outbreak in Lagos.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), has completed the rehabilitation of the pipeline as well as the Arepo pipeline which also vandalized.

Consequently, the apex oil firm stated that the full and comprehensive restoration of the pipeline has culminated in the pumping of premium motor spirit, (petrol) to depots and tank farms in the system 2B, spanning from Atlas-Cove to Ilorin.

The Acting Group General Manager of the Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple stated this during a media chat with Journalists in Abuja.

Pepple assured Nigerians and motorists that with the restoration of the Ije-ododo pipeline and the NNPC system 2b pipeline, normalcy has been restored in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the length and breadth of the country.

“I can affirm to you that our Engineers from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited, (PPMC), have finally fixed the Ije-Ododo pipeline that was ruptured last Monday by activities of pipeline vandals. Going forward, the good news for Nigerians is that we have resumed pumping of petroleum products through the pipeline and system 2b is equally working after the restoration of the pipeline,” Mr. Pepple sub-

Pepple tasked marketers to avoid the nefarious diversion of petroleum products to black marketers adding that stringent punitive actions would be meted out to those found wanting. He enjoined marketers of petroleum products to team up with the NNPC to ensure sustained supply and distribution of petroleum products into the New Year.

He disclosed that it has commenced a comprehensive restoration of the Ije-ododo pipeline to normalcy adding that pumping of premium motor spirit, (petrol), has resumed in earnest to Depots and tank farms in the system 2B, spanning from Atlas-Cove to Ilorin.

Pepple who confirmed the development assured that with the restoration of the Ije-ododo pipeline and the NNPC system 2b pipeline, normalcy has been restored in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the length and breadth of the country.

He said: “I can affirm to you that our engineers from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), have finally fixed the Ije-Ododo pipeline that was ruptured last Monday by activities of pipeline vandals. Going forward, the good news for Nigerians is that we have resumed pumping of petroleum products through the pipeline and system 2b is equally working after the restoration of the pipeline.”

Pepple described media reports that fuel scarcity and queues in some parts of the country may last beyond the New Year as mischievous, noting that the Corporation still maintains zero tolerance to fuel scarcity and fuel queues in filling stations.

He stated that the recent fuel queues were basically

FG orders close monitoring mitted.

He described media reports that fuel scarcity and queues in some parts of the country may last beyond the New Year as mischievious, noting that the corporation still maintains zero tolerance to fuel scarcity and fuel queues in filling stations. He stated that the recent fuel queues were basically due to the activities of pipeline vandals, the closure of a number of filling stations due to the Xmas holidays and not shortage of petroleum products.

The NNPC spokesman revealed that the corporation has product sufficiency that can sustain the country for more than a month stressing that concerted efforts by the NNPC to wet every part of the country with petrol to ease the movement of people as they travel from one place to the other before and after the New Year, is continuous and will be sus-

Pipeline

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Week

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

39

TCN moves to boost electricity transmission in 2013 to partner with her in protecting electricity installations nationwide. The need to forestall any act of vandalism, it said, is vital in the transmission and sustenance of power generated, as vandalism constitutes major setback in the improvement of power supply situation in the country. Jubilee makes produces 90,000 bpd.

MHI that was awarded a management contract stated that: “The operation of TCN includes, but is not limited to, the key three functions of Market Operator (MO), System Operator (SO), and Transmission Service Provider (TSP).

It stated that throughout the term of the contract, one key objective for MHI will be to reorganise TCN such that the TSP becomes a separate entity from the MO and SO allowing it to become a privatised commercial company.

MHI promised to turn TCN into a technically and financially efficient, stable, and sustainable company; a company that will be market-driven and capable of utilizing its maximum generation capacity and then distributing the energy throughout Nigeria 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has set new targets aimed at increasing electricity generation from the present over 4,000 megawatts, mw to 38,006 mw in 2020.

Under the targets, the nation is to realise 7,175 megawatts, mw by 2013 while 9,395 mw are to be generated in December 2014.

UDEME AKPAN

P

Yakubu

due to the activities of pipeline vandals, the closure of a number of filling stations due to the Xmas holidays and not shortage of petroleum products.

The NNPC Spokesman revealed that the Corporation has product sufficiency that can sustain the country for more than a month stressing that concerted efforts by the NNPC to wet every part of the country with petrol to ease the movement of people as they travel from one place to the other before and after the New Year, is continuous and will be sustained.

of fuel pipelines tained.

Mr. Pepple called on Marketers to avoid the nefarious diversion of petroleum products to black marketers adding that stringent punitive actions would be meted out to those found wanting. He enjoined marketers of petroleum products to team up with the NNPC to ensure sustained supply and distribution of petroleum products into the New Year.

He also enjoined motorists to desist from panic buying stressing that there is no truth in the on-going rumours that there will be an increase in the pump price of fuel in January 2013, saying that the Federal Government has made budgetary provision for fuel subsidy in the 2013 budget which was recently passed by the National Assembly.

lans are underway to boost electricity transmission in the country this year. Under the plan being put in place, the government intends to reduce losses associated with power transmission to its barest minimum.

The plan to be executed through the Manitoba Hydro International of Canada, presently managing the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), is targeted at ensuring that more electricity is supplied to consumers in different parts of the nation.

Already, the nation has succeeded in transmitting 4,517.6 megawatts, mw of electricity for consumption.

This being the highest in recent times raises hope for improved supply in many parts of the nation during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The TCN said the feat was recorded on Sunday. The firm, presently managed by Manitoba International of Canada stated that: “TCN efficiently wheeled yet a new generation peak of 4,517.6 mw Sunday, December 23, 2012.”

The Assistant General Manager (Public Affairs), Mr. Dave Ifabiyi stated that the accomplishment is in fulfillment of Mr. President’s promise for improved electric power delivery to Nigerians.

He said that this new generation peak of 4,502.2MW is an improvement on the 4,454.1MW attained on Wednesday, 19th December, 2012 and assured that as gas supply continues to improve and more National Integrated Power Projects, NIPP come on stream, the transmission and distribution companies will continue to harness every available generation to ensure that stable electricity supply is delivered to electricity customers.

Ifabiyi said the Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Olusola Akinniranye has assured that TCN would not relent in its efforts to continue to strengthen the transmission grid, noting that efforts are presently ongoing to restore the Benin-Egbin 330kV line as well as complete the new transmission – distribution interface projects which will further enhance the company’s power evacuation capacity.

TCN appealed to all citizens of the nation to continue

Kuchi

CSR: Total, embassy collaborate on educational development

A

joint scholarship scheme known as TEPNG/ Quai d’Orsay, has been established between Total and the Embassy of France in Nigeria. Under the new programme, five Nigerians are to benefit from an annual scholarship sponsored by Total in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nigeria with effect from the 2012/2013 academic year.

The agreement to formalise the programme was signed at the French Embassy, Abuja on Wednesday, December 19, 2012, between Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) and the Embassy. The Managing Director/Chief Executive of TEPNG, Mr Guy Maurice signed for Total while H.E. the Ambassador of France, Jacques Champagne de Labriolle signed for the Embassy of France in Nigeria.

The programme started with a pilot scheme this year when a candidate was jointly selected and sponsored to study International Law in France.

The agreement makes provision for a four-man steering committee to manage the scheme on behalf of the parties.

The cost of each of the international scholarship is about 54,000Euros. Benefits to be enjoyed by the selected beneficiaries amongst others include a sum to cover travel expenses, academic fees if in a private university or institution in France, living expenses for a period of ten (10) months (including food, housing costs and academic text or materials) and logistics support in obtaining necessary permits or visas for the selected students.

Health insurance for each Beneficiary (« bourse de couverture sociale ») such as will give the Beneficiaries the “status” of French government scholarship’s ben-

eficiaries and the health care benefits associated with this status. A 60 hours minimum language training in Nigeria for the selected students. School fees for Beneficiaries selected into public universities in France.

Understanding changes in your environment is not a matter of specialization but a matter of personal balance and culture”, said Ambassador Champagne de Labriolle as he explained that the programme was borne out the need to contribute to the training of Nigerians in different fields. He thanked Total for its contributions to the development of the Nigerian society.

Also speaking, Mr. Guy Maurice noted that such initiatives on the part of the company were a reflection of its confidence in the country and continuation of what it did in the past.

The Quai d` Orsay educational cooperation between Total and the French Embassy started in 2011 and already operates in other subsidiaries Total’s delegation to the event included the Executive General Manager, Corporate Services, Mr. Vincent Nnadi; Executive General Manager Public Affairs and Communication, Mr. Chidi Momah; Training & Development Manager, Mr. Sam Nkwo and Senior Legal Counsel Mr. Adesina Salawu.

The ambassador’s team included the Counsellor for Co-operation and Culture, Mr. Patrick Perez.

It should be noted that Total has been collaborating with top rated institutions around the world as part of its contribution towards human capacity development in its host communities. It is the main sponsor of the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS), a post graduate institution at the University of Port Harcourt run in collaboration with the prestigious Institute France du Petrole.

40

Energy Week

Saudi raises budget to diversify oil economy, lesson to Nigeria

S

audi Arabia raised its 2013 expenditure target by almost a fifth to a record 820 billion riyals ($219 billion) as the world’s biggest oil exporter pushes ahead with expansion plans to diversify away from oil.

This is perceived to be a great lesson to other nations, including Nigeria whose officials have done much to diversify their economic bases which are still based on the fortune and misfortune of oil and gas.

Bloomberg stated that the government expects 2013 revenue of 829 billion riyals, giving it a surplus of 9 billion riyals, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on its website today. The kingdom posted revenue of 1.24 trillion riyals in 2012 as the price of Brent crude held above $100 a barrel for a second year. Expenditure came in at 853 billion riyals, exceeding the 690 billion-riyal budget target announced a year ago, ministry data show.

King Abdullah pledged more than $500 billion on social welfare and to build projects to ensure that the country remains unscathed by the kind of political unrest that swept through other Arab countries in the past two years. He is using oil money to fight high unemployment -- about a quarter of Saudis between 20 and 30 don’t have jobs -and to build schools and hospitals. The budget has more than doubled in size since 2006.

“Budget appropriations will continue to focus on investment programs that enhance strong long-term sustainable economic growth and employment opportunities for citizens,” the Finance Ministry said. “The focus will be on education, health, social services, security services, municipal services.”

The nation’s $727 billion economy grew 6.8 percent in 2012, including expansion of 7.2 percent for non-oil industries, the Finance Ministry said. That beat the 5.6 percent median estimate of 16 analysts compiled by Bloomberg. The oil sector grew 5.5 percent, it said. Saudi Arabia, whose economy expanded 7.1 percent in 2011, derives about 90 percent of revenue from oil sales.

Next year’s budget includes 285 billion riyals of capital expenditures on investment projects, up 8 percent from last year, Finance Ministry data show. The biggest proportion of spending will go toward education, with the allocation gaining 21 percent to 204 billion riyals, the ministry said. This includes 3.9 billion riyals to build 539 new schools in the country of about 28 million, the mostpopulous in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

“The budget will focus very much on social infrastructure, as well as wider physical infrastructure,” Monica Malik, Dubaibased chief economist of EFG-Hermes, said by phone. “A further focus of the government is to create job opportunities for its nationals.”

The government is spending 22 billion riyals to allow 120,000 Saudi students to pursue studies abroad under a scholarship program, the ministry said. It’s also allocating funds to build new technical colleges.

Saudi Arabia is able to finance its growing budget via oil sales, which helped the nation’s central bank boost its net foreign assets by 21 percent in the year to October to 2.35 trillion riyals. Total exports from the kingdom advanced 9 percent this year to $396 billion, about 88 percent of which was from oil, ministry data show.

The government uses conservative crude price estimates when planning its budget. This year it needed oil at around $75 a barrel to break even, according to Fahad al-Turki, senior economist at Jadwa Investment Co.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cartel restates commitment to environment UDEME AKPAN

T

he Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC is set to tackle environmental challenges in the petroleum industry.

This is based on its realization that fossil fuels will continue to provide the bulk of global energy needs, and with the world increasingly requiring its energy to be cleaner and safer, OPEC recognizes that stakeholders everywhere have an important role to play in global environmental efforts.

The cartel stated that: “With OPEC’s membership drawn from the world’s largest oil-producing developing countries, the Organization has a valuable perspective to share — based on the accumulated expertise of the impact of upstream and downstream activities on the natural environment. Member Countries — both individually and collectively — will continue to have a valuable role to play in environmental developments. Its formal position on today’s multi-faceted environmental challenges can be thought of in terms of the following priority areas.”

It maintained that this would go a long way to checking climate change and other challenges in different parts of the world.

The cartel stated that: “The realities of living in a carbon-constrained world have also lead to changes in policy priorities in industrialized countries.

Many have already implemented policies to limit the use of petroleum products in order to reduce CO2 emissions.

However, OPEC urges fairness and equity in global efforts to curtail carbon emissions, pointing out that other ener-

Oil spillage

gy sources (like coal) have far greater carbon emissions than petroleum.”

Already, OPEC stated that it supports the use of resources and technology to reduce gas flaring, which has long been recognized as an environmentally damaging activity.

It stated that it member states have already invested billions of dollars over the last few decades to pursue flared-gas recovery projects, including either re-injecting associated gas into oil reservoirs or ‘monetizing’ associated gas through liquefaction.

The Organisation stated that: “The net result has been a 50% reduction of the amount of gas flared from each barrel produced since the early 1970s.

And OPEC has continued to seek opportunities to form partnerships with other stakeholders — most recently becoming an active participant in the Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR) sponsored by the World Bank.”

It stated that OPEC also supports the development of stricter product quality standards as part of overall efforts to reduce atmospheric fossil fuel

emissions as well as making improvements to the quality of products like gasoline and automotive diesel.

OPEC stated that: “A number of Gulf countries have already introduced improved product quality specifications.

However, significant additional investments — an estimated $30 billion over the next 10 years — are still needed in the region’s refining sector to expand such quality standards. In addition, the Organization urges developed countries to shoulder the historic responsibility for the environmental impacts of industrialization. To this end, OPEC urges such countries to take the lead in providing cleaner oil products.”

The Organisation said efforts should be made in directing the use of funds to support ongoing efforts to achieve cleaner and more efficient technologies in the energy field is also supported by OPEC. The cartel maintained that: “OPEC supports on-going and expanded dialogue with global economic sectors, industrial groups and countries. The increasing interdependence of nationstates and growing multilateral collaboration has highlighted the need for OPEC to look for opportunities to cooperate with others in the fight to protect the environment. Recognizing that energy security transcends regional and political boundaries, the Organization believes such cooperation will be an important element in any future environmental negotiations.”

It also stated that OPEC Member Countries have begun undertaking various activities designed to specifically protect the environment. Several in-country projects have been implemented in recent years to help mitigate the effects of oil exploration and production activities.

Sempra, BP Wind Energy complete new electricity project

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empra U.S. Gas & Power and British Petroleum, BP Wind Energy have commenced the full commercial operation of the 21 megawatt (MW) Auwahi Wind facility. The power project includes eight new wind turbines on the southeast ridge of Maui’s Haleakala volcano.

BP that confirmed the development quoted the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, Mr. Jeffrey W. Martin as stating that: “We are very pleased to complete construction of Auwahi Wind both on time and on budget.”

He said: “The addition of new, clean energy from our project will be a boost for Maui’s infrastructure and will help Hawaii achieve its goal of securing 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. This project could not have been built without the enthusiastic support of the local community, the Ulupalakua Ranch and neighbors who recognize the importance of sustainable energy.”

The power from Auwahi Wind has been sold to Maui Electric Company (MECO) under a 20-year contract. The turbines will generate enough clean electricity to power about 10,000 typical Maui homes.

An important component of the project is a 10 MW battery capable of storing 4.4

megawatt-hours of power. Energy from the battery will help regulate and sustain power to the MECO grid during light wind conditions.

He said: “Innovation is a big part of what Sempra U.S. Gas & Power brings to all of our projects,” Martin said. “The battery storage component of Auwahi Wind includes state-of-the-art monitoring and safety controls which will help maximize the benefit that the Maui Electric Company and its customers receive from this project.”

Construction of the wind farm on Ulupalakua Ranch began in March 2012, and involved more than 180 workers. Auwahi Wind will employ four full-time employees.

Wind energy

“It was just seven months ago that the groundbreaking for Auwahi Wind was held and today we’re celebrating its completion,” said Hawaii Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz. “What a great way to end a banner year for wind energy in Hawaii. This project is an important step toward energy self-sufficiency and has the added benefit of helping Ulupalakua remain financially viable and preserve a ranching lifestyle on Maui and protect open space and habitat for native plants and animals. It’s not every day that we celebrate a success like this so it gives me great pleasure to congratulate Sempra, BP Wind, Ulupalakua Ranch and MECO for their commitment to seeing this project through to completion.”

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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42

Executive Discourse

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Govt needs to raise tariff on

The Director General, National Automotive Council (NAC), Aminu Jalal, in this interview with OLUFEMI ADEOSUN and CHIDI UGWU, speaks on the prospects and challenges of the country’s automotive industry. Excerpts:

Stakeholders have described the Nigerian automotive market as large, how large is the nation’s auto market?

It is very difficult to ascertain the correct estimate of vehicles in the country because of difficulty in getting accurate data. Usually, we can get market the size of the market from registration and vehicle registration is done in the states. In our bid to get relevant information regarding that, we write, after we write, we visit each of the offices, yet we still unable to get the needed data.

I think the interest of the states mostly is on the revenue they collect not on the statistical data of the kind of vehicles we have, that is why we are trying at many fore to talk to them that it is not enough to just collect money for registration. We need this statistics, we need the vehicles such as how many cars have we registered, how many trucks, pickups, buses. We even need the different brands, like how many Toyota vehicles do we have in the country, how many Nissans? All this information is not available. The Nigerian Custom Service that should also help does not really keep figures on the vehicles that come into the country. The only information you can get is on the aggregate of car, not specifications. And of course, we all know the situation we have with smuggling from Cotonou, from Benin Republic, and Niger. For instance, in 2004, I was in Benin Republic. I talked to their officials at that time and they told me 80,000 vehicles come in annually into Benin, of that 60,000 come into Nigeria. But you do not get the records.

From the available records, it is estimated that about 300,000 vehicles come into the country annually. While roughly 100,000 are new vehicles about 200,000 are used vehicles. Now, this market potentially can easily reach half a million to one million if we have an affordable vehicles purchase scheme. Our population can absorb one million vehicles a year.

You need valuable data from the states for effective planning of the industry and yet some of them are not forthcoming with it. What is the council doing about erring states?

It is not that they deliberately withhold information;

it is just the way their internal revenue system is configured. They are organised to capture the money they collect not capture data on vehicles. They are usually very willing to help, but it is sometimes difficult. They do not keep the records; it is as simple as that. You find at one corner, heap of files so high, and somebody has to go to start to extract it manually. It is not that they do not want to give; it is the system, which is why we are happy with some states that have started electronic registration. It is easier to get the data from electronic registration; you can easily get the data from electronic. That is why we have even offered to purchase some of these machines for electronic registration and offer them to the states, as a platform to register their vehicles to enable us have access to relevant information. Again for some reasons, most states prefer to get consultants to start their own. We got some consultants to offer it free of charge so that they can use it but they are more comfortable to handle it their own way. However, we will soon go round to those states that have computerised their system for necessary data that will help the growth of the industry

You earlier said that Nigeria market can absorb one million vehicles annually. What are the major constraints to achieving that?

We have not been able to achieve that because the country lack affordable vehicle financing scheme. All over the world including America, there is a well packaged vehicle financing scheme. Sometimes, it is the manufacturers that set up financing scheme, even Peugeot used to have vehicle financing scheme. You want a vehicle, you go to that company and take a loan and then you pay back installment.

Of course some banks offer such scheme but the interest rate is about 22 per cent and that is not affordable. Unless you are doing a business through which you make money in return and pay back, you cannot benefit from the loan facility. As for individuals, there is no such, all you need do if you need a car is to pay a lump sum. This is actually slowing down growth in the auto market.

Has the Council made efforts to sensitise stakeholders in the industry with a view to leveraging on the affordable vehicle loan schemes for the overall growth of the sector?

The problem with the banks is this, currently, you cannot tell a bank to give loan at 10percent when they are giving everybody at 21percent and 22percent. For it to make any useful impact, the whole system of interest rate has to come down. To fill the void, what we have done is to earmark N2.5billion to start a vehicle purchase scheme.

Ideally, we should be talking about N200billion, if we must make appreciable impact. However, with the little some, intending buy can get loan at some selected banks at 10 per cent. The only precondition is that you must buy from the local assembly plant.

Has the scheme become operational?

Yes, we have just started. The money has been disbursed, and we are going to launch it soon with some financial houses and banks. Our plan is that, when it become fully operational, we will look for other sources of funding to augment that amount. We wanted first to show that it is possible. The idea is to have a fund at 10% rate and we shall look for other ways to augment the fund. We intended it would be in form of subsidy, but who will defray it, has been an initial problem.

How can we make our automotive industry grow and be competitive like others in Europe?

In Nigeria, we can support our automotive industry with our own demand. As a people we need to support the automotive industry, because we need vehicles for transportation of people, goods and services. With a potential market of over 300,000 annually, we engage in massive importation. The resultant effect is that the country is already spending over 400 billion annually while creating jobs for people in other countries. By the time we move to maybe 600,000 vehicles, it will be running into one trillion of naira. But if we produce these vehicles locally we create

Jalal

IN NIGERIA, WE CAN SUPPORT OUR AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY WITH OUR OWN DEMAND.

AS A

PEOPLE, WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, BECAUSE WE NEED VEHICLES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF PEOPLE, GOODS AND SERVICES jobs. It has to come through gradual process. Some of the auto companies that you know today are over 100 years old. Peugeot, Mercedes-Benz Ford, GM and so on are over 100 years old, the Japanese brands are over sixty to seventy years old. So it is a very long term business. So that is why if you are planning for the industry it has to be long term based. You cannot do just five year planning for it. And we started actually with the Peugeot 504, Peugeot was making 53000 units and we were making 40percent of the parts locally, we were making the tyres, the batteries, all the glasses, the radiators, all the seats, the carpets, all the cables were made locally, and so. But the problem is for you to reach that level you need market. If nobody is buying your car you are bankrupt. A typical car sells for let us

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Executive Discourse

43

imported vehicles –NAC boss WE HAVE TO GET THE TARIFF XXX

RIGHT AND THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT.

THEN WE HAVE TO PATRONIZE OUR OWN MARKET. THE TARIFF WILL ALSO MAKE OUR PRODUCTS COMPETITIVE IN TERM OF PRICING 10% but if you are taking a car from Nigeria to South Africa, you pay 24percent import duty. So, we have to have the tariff right. So tariff and patronage are very critical to the development of the auto market in Nigeria.

Is government aware of this problem? If so, what is being done to address it?

Government is aware of it, but it is listening to the wrong people. Take for instance the decision it took on importation of tyres and the commercial vehicles. I suspect government took that decision because people went to them to say look tyres are good for the economy, we do not have railway line, our transportation is vehicle based, so reduce the duty on commercial vehicles, reduce the duty on truck tyres so that the cost of freight will be low.

Government listened to them without any consideration to the fact that there are people making them in the country. ANAmCO was making commercial vehicles. NTM in Kano, Leyland in Ibadan, Styre in Bauchi were all in the business. During the last privatisation process, government through the bureau of Public procurement (BPE) promised them, them that it would raise the tariff as incentives to encourage them to develop. But the promise never saw the light of the day and that is why we are where we are today.

What measures are the council taking to ensure that government agencies patronise locally assembled vehicles?

Actually, it is not only government, individuals are also encouraged to buy made in Nigeria products. Actually government is convinced, it gave a circular recently mandating all its agencies to patronise made in Nigeria products. But the major challenge is that not all comply with the directives. Government gave the instruction last year April. Let me make some clarifications, in 2010, N10 billion was earmarked for mass transit buses; say N3 million now, if you make sales at least to be viable, you must be able to make 5000 to 7000 units. For instance, to make 5000 units a year, you will have to spend about N13billion with a profit margin of 10 per cent. So if you do not sell you are out of business. You are bankrupt. There must be the market. So patronage must be there. It is the lack of patronage occasioned by the economic downturn of the 80s that killed Peugeot. So the bottom-line is market.

How can the country build the market you spoke so about with the Nigerian borders open to all sorts of importation?

You encourage the market by one: high tariff on finished products, so that people will have to buy from the local product. Besides, government ought to always buy from local industry. There should also introduction of high tariff on imported products. For instance, when South Africa started its own automotive development in 1994, it pegged import tariff on fully built units at 155percent. But this duty gradually came down as the industry grew. Right now the import duty is about 24 to 25percent. This is also applicable to India. When it started in 1982 it was about 300 per cent import duty, and now they are exporting to Nigeria at the import duty pegged at 91percent for finished products.

In Nigeria, what is the import duty? For trucks and buses it is 10percent for finished products. For cars is 20percent. That is what made General Motors to close its factory in Apapa. They used to do these pickup trucks, Isuzu but they close it up because they bring these goods at 5percent while somebody can bring fully built at 10percent. So now, we are getting mostly Toyota from South Africa, Hilux, at

part of it was for Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, and we tried to get them to buy the made in Nigeria buses. We took them to Innoson, he has Chinese technical partners, they did not buy from him. Initially I thought maybe they did not want Chinese product that maybe they preferred Japanese or something, but they went to China and imported the buses from China.

They refused to patronise a company here in Nnewi, which is creating jobs, assembling Chinese buses, they refused to buy and these are the unions are expected to cater for the interest of the Nigerian workers. I just cited that as an example. The problem is not that of government, it is also about government officials. Government has taken its decision, issued a circular and it is left for the affected officials to respond appropriately. If you buy foreign products you are creating the jobs for that country.

But if you buy made in Nigeria, you are creating the jobs for Nigerians Now, the biggest problem we have in Nigeria is unemployment; we are producing graduates but there are no jobs. Government alone cannot give them job; it is industries that create the jobs. But people are not buying from these local industries, so government has been campaigning for people to always buy made in Nigeria goods not just vehicles.

We need to be more patriotic, whenever they are buying these products, they should ask questions who can make this product within the country?

What is the roadmap for the growth of Nigeria automotive industry?

There are two essential things; we have to get the tariff right and that would encourage investment. Then we have to patronize our own market.

The tariff will also make our products competitive in term of pricing, so tariff, patronage, and then financing. The private sector can borrow money wherever they can to invest if they know we have the appropriate and conducive business environment and we are committed to patronage of their products. Although, they need the financing, it is the least of their problems. Even if there is financing scheme and the two essential factors are not put in proper perspective, the industry would remain prostrate.

44

Global Business

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Draghi’s cash triggers unprecedented drop in bank lending stress

E

uropean Central Bank President Mario Draghi’s $1.3 trillion of cheap loans and pledge to do whatever it takes to stand behind the euro helped push indicators of stress in the continent’s money markets down by an unprecedented degree this year.

The difference between the euro interbank offered rate and overnight index swaps, a measure of European banks’ reluctance to make unsecured loans to one another known as the Euribor-OIS spread, contracted a record 0.85 percentage point this year to 0.12 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The Frankfurt-based ECB has lent financial institutions more than 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) under its longer-term refinancing operations since December and is committed to providing cheap, unlimited cash for lenders to boost the economy. Draghi’s pledge to stand behind the currency of the 17- nation euro area in July eased stresses in money markets, where banks fund their day-to-day business.

“The key catalyst behind this year’s contraction has been Mario Draghi and

Draghi

the ECB,” said Chris Clark, a Londonbased interest-rate strategist at ICAP Plc, the world’s largest interdealer broker. “First through the three-year LTROs and later with Draghi’s commitment to do whatever it takes and subsequent announcement of the outright monetary transactions.”

Euribor-OIS

BOJ’s $267bn JGB buys spur record win streak

Shinzo

J

apanese government bonds are headed for the longest run of annual gains on record, buoyed by central bank purchases almost equivalent to Malaysia’s economic output.

The bonds have returned 2.1 percent

on an annualised basis in 2012, set for a ninth year of gains that’s the longest streak since at least 1986, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch index shows. Ten-year yields have declined 22 basis points to 0.76 percent. U.S. Treasuries are poised to post a third annual gain with a 2 percent return, while the benchmark rate has fallen 10 basis points.

The Bank of Japan (8301)’s JGB holdings increased 22.6 trillion yen ($267 billion) in 2012 as it sought to pump funds into a deflation-plagued economy that contracted for two quarters through September 30. With incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe planning a “large-scale” extra budget to bolster growth, analysts forecast the 10-year yield will rise to 0.99 percent by the end of 2013, a Bloomberg survey shows, which would still be the third lowest globally.

“Public-works spending will kick-start the economy” under an Abe administration, said Koichi Kurose, chief economist in Tokyo at Resona Bank Ltd., which oversees about $178 billion. “But the BOJ will increase asset purchases to keep a lid on borrowing costs.”

Spanish unemployment to swell as public jobs vanish

J

erez de La Frontera, a Spanish town of 214,000 in southern Andalusia, is negotiating with unions to fire 13 percent of the 2,000 government workers who absorb 80 percent of its budget. “It’s not easy because these are people and families,” said deputy mayor Antonio Saldana.

With a quarter of Spain’s workforce already jobless, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s efforts to retain investor confidence by shaving more than twothirds off the nation’s budget deficit by 2014 will worsen the highest unemployment rate in the European Union. Tenyear yields at 6.86 percent mean “we can’t finance ourselves,” Rajoy said on September 1.

“There’s going to be less hiring and

more firing for the spending cuts to be made,” said Ricardo Santos, an economist at BNP Paribas SA in London who sees unemployment climbing to 27 percent next year from 24.6 percent currently. “The more unemployment persists, the more difficult it’ll be for the government to meet budget goals and implement reforms.”

Television stations, airports, hospitals, schools, fire brigades and social services from Spain’s southernmost tip to the Balearic islands in the east are reducing headcount as Rajoy tasks regions and municipalities with shouldering 60 percent of the cuts needed to reduce the budget shortfall to 2.8 percent of gross domestic product in the next two years.

The Euribor-OIS spread narrowed from as much as 2.07 percent four years ago, and is now little more than twice its typical level before the financial crisis broke. The spread widened in 2011 and 2010 and this year’s contraction is poised to beat the 84.5 basis-point drop in 2009. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point.

Low interest rates also helped spur a

drop in money-market stress indicators.

The ECB held its main refinancing rate at an all-time low of 0.75 percent on December 6, a month after Draghi fueled speculation he would put reductions back on the agenda, saying the euro debt crisis was starting to hurt Germany and that inflation risks were “very low.”

While low interest rates were beneficial for banks’ borrowing costs, they meant trouble for money-market funds investing in Europe.

Because they’re designed to be haven investments that return members’ cash intact rather than make huge profits, the ECB’s zero-percent deposit rate, as well as the negative yields on some of the safest European government bonds, narrowed the field of investments for these funds.

Fidelity Worldwide Investment, an affiliate of the second- largest mutualfund company in the U.S., extended the average maturity of its holdings to boost yields earlier this year, while Ignis Asset Management Ltd. responded to the record-low interest rates by broadening its range of investments.

Merkel, Monti step up diplomacy as ECB comes in focus

E

uropean leaders are stepping up shuttle diplomacy this week as details of a bond-buying plan emerged from the central bank, fueling gains in the euro and a surge in some Spanish and Italian debt.

European Union President Herman Van Rompuy traveled to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today as Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti hosts French President Francois Hollande in Rome. They were given a hint about what may be in store when European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said he would be comfortable buying three-year government bonds to aid nations struggling to fund themselves.

The stewards of the single currency, who have sparred as borrowing costs diverged in the 17 nation-euro area, have a chance to fall in line behind Draghi.

Merkel, whose country shoulders the largest cost of bailing out weaker governments, has indicated she would back a more active crisis-fighting role at the ECB and Monday told a crowd of beer drinkers in Bavaria that Germany must show solidarity with Europe.

“I think there is broad agreement among these people,” said Luca Jellinek, head of European interest-rate strategy at Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank in London. “Many people are realizing that monetary policy is broken in Europe, badly broken.”

The euro traded near a two-month high against the dollar yesterday, gaining 0.1 percent and adding 0.4 percent against the yen as of Monday in Rome. Italian and Spanish two-year yields dropped the most in about a month. In both countries, the two-year yield fell to the least on record relative to 10-year bonds.

Leaders are back from summer va-

cation and facing what Merkel called a “very ambitious agenda” this month to quell what has been a three-year sovereign debt crisis. Talks haven’t always gone smoothly, as Merkel and Monti clashed last week in Berlin over details while agreeing on the broad principles of collective action. Monti has pushed for flexibility on market intervention, while Merkel has focused on budget rigor.

“We have to press for reforms in other countries even if they sometimes say we’re hard-line,” Merkel said to a packed beer tent in the town of Abensberg, northeast of Munich. “It’s not enough just to keep muddling through. But I also say that in such a difficult phase these countries deserve our solidarity and that we root for them to overcome their difficulties.”

Merkel

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global Business

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

T

he yen rallied from a 20-month low against the dollar on speculation that monetary easing bets had driven the Japanese currency down too rapidly.

The yen earlier weakened to the brink of 85 per dollar after Japan’s incoming prime minister said he may change the law governing the central bank unless it boosts its inflation target. Demand for the dollar was supported as investors sought the safety of the world’s reserve currency amid concern that U.S. lawmakers will fail to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. Japan reopened after a holiday yesterday while most other markets are closed for Christmas.

“Dollar-yen rose to try 85 on the back of Abe’s comments, but it was sold off in front of key resistance levels,” said Michiyoshi Kato, the senior vice president of foreign-currency sales at Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd. in Tokyo.

“The yen moves are probably caused by limited liquidity in the market.”

The Japanese currency touched 84.96 per dollar, the weakest since April 11, 2011, before trading at 84.85 Monday in

Yen rises from 20-month low on speculation drop overdone

Japanese yen banknotes

Tokyo, 0.1 percent stronger than the New York close. It gained 0.1 percent to 111.86 per euro, following a 0.8 percent slide yesterday. The dollar was little changed at $1.3183.

Japan’s fiscal impasse threatens stimulus to spur growth

J

apan’s political gridlock threatens to curtail the government’s ability to apply fiscal stimulus as a rebound falters in the world’s third-largest economy.

Opposition parties in the upper house of parliament stymied legislation approved in the lower house August 28 that enables the issuance of 38.3 trillion yen ($490 billion) of deficit- financing bonds, seeking to force Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda into an early election. The government could hit a spending ceiling as soon as October, according to the Finance Ministry.

The freeze may suspend outlays from this year’s budget for the first time, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., and limits Noda from proceeding with the supplementary spending package he mooted in July. With economists increasingly seeing an economic contraction this quarter, the deadlock adds to risks facing global expansion that include a so-called fiscal cliff of spending cuts and tax increases in the U.S. at year-end.

“The impasse on deficit-covering bonds may delay the compilation of a stimulus package and would be a drag for the economy,” said Taro Saito, Tokyo-based director of economic research at NLI Research Institute and a past winner of a Japan Center for Economic Research award for accuracy in forecasting. “This is not as severe as the U.S. fiscal cliff but could be said to be Japan’s fiscal slope.”

Japanese stocks headed for a fourth day of declines, the longest losing streak in more than a month, on pessimism about the global expansion. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average was down 0.4 percent Monday in Tokyo. The yen was at 78.37 per dollar, about 4 percent from its postwar high, underscoring the threat to exporters of a strong currency.

Besides exchange-rate appreciation, Japan’s manufacturers are facing diminishing demand abroad, hurt by the European crisis, China’s slowdown and stunted

45

Shinzo Abe said on Fuji Television on December 23 that he’ll consider revising the central bank law if the Bank of Japan (8301) fails to increase its inflation target to 2 percent from 1 percent

Slowing Polish economy may force Tusk to ease budget cuts

P

Yoshihiko Noda

American growth. A government report yesterday showed capital spending rose 6.6 percent in the second quarter from a year before, less than the 7.8 percent median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey.

This report spurred economists to cut forecasts for Japan’s second-quarter gross domestic product, initially reported at an annualised 1.4 percent gain. Officials may pare that calculation to 0.9 percent on September 10, according to the median of seven projections in a Bloomberg survey.

at its January meeting. Abe has called for unlimited monetary easing from the BOJ to spur inflation and growth.

Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, which swept to power in lower house elections this month, yesterday reached an agreement with the New Komeito Party on a policy package that includes the 2 percent inflation goal. The LDP lacks a majority in the upper house, and backing from New Komeito increases the chance the package will become law.

Japan’s consumer prices excluding fresh food probably slid 0.1 percent in November from a year earlier, according to the median estimate of economists in a Bloomberg News survey before the data on December 28. The so-called core inflation rate has fallen an average of 0.2 percent every month in the past decade.

oland’s slowing economy is putting pressure on Prime Minister Donald Tusk to ease deficit cuts to avoid the fate of other European Union nations where austerity measures to tackle the debt crisis helped suffocate growth.

Tusk’s Cabinet met in Warsaw to discuss a revised 2013 budget after the economy expanded at the slowest pace in 11 quarters in the three months through June. While Poland will stick to a plan to cut the 2012 budget gap within the EU’s limit of 3 percent of output, the slowdown means its “ambitious goal for a 2.2 percent deficit next year is out of the question,” Maja Goettig, a member of Tusk’s Council of Economic Advisers, said by phone on August 31.

“Everyone, including markets, would understand and maybe even appreciate it, if the government avoided excessively harsh austerity for the sake of growth, which is now key to financial stability,” said Goettig, who’s also a Warsaw-based strategist at KBC Securities.

Tusk, the first Polish premier to serve a second term since communism ended in 1989, must weigh EU deficit demands

against concerns that further spending cuts may damp growth in the nation of 38 million people, whose GDP-per-capita is 40 percent below the 27-nation bloc’s average. While his Cabinet still enjoys broad support in polls, governments across Europe have collapsed after protests against austerity policies that helped plunge economies from Romania to Spain into recession.

Donald Tusk

Manufacturing in U.S. probably stagnated amid global slowdown

M

anufacturing probably teetered between growth and contraction in August, a sign the pillar of the recovery is now struggling, according economists surveyed before a report Monday.

The Institute for Supply Management’s factory index was little changed at 50 compared with 49.8 in July, according to the median estimate of 70 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. A reading of 50 is the dividing line between shrinking and expanding. Spending on construction projects probably rose in July, other figures may show.

The possibility that taxes will rise and government outlays will fall if U.S. lawmakers don’t act by January may shake confi-

dence and cause consumers and businesses to curb spending. The European debt crisis represents another stumbling block that threatens to limit orders to American factories.

“Domestic uncertainty and global weakness are both restraining growth in manufacturing,” said Yelena Shulyatyeva, an economist at BNP Paribas in New York.

“It’s a weak sector of the economy right now. We don’t expect a lot of pickup in investment activity this year.”

The Tempe, Arizona-based ISM released the report Estimates ranged from 48.7 to 51.5. The group has said that an index (S15MACH) reading above 42.5, while signaling contraction in manufacturing,

is generally consistent with an expanding overall economy. The gauge averaged 55.2 in 2011 and 57.3 in 2010.

Other reports show manufacturing, which accounts for about 12 percent of the U.S. economy, weakened last month. Factory activity in the New York region contracted in August for the first time in 10 months, and production in the Philadelphia-area shrank for a fourth month, Federal Reserve reports showed.

The Institute for Supply ManagementChicago Inc.’s business barometer also fell in August, indicating manufacturer’s pace of expansion was slowing and that companies may hold the line on production until sales pick up.

46

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Capital base: NSE revokes licences of all broking firms, suspend 19 others JOHNSON OKANLAWON

T

he Nigerian Stock Exchange suspended 19 stockbroking firms with inadequate shareholders fund in 2012 and revoked the licenses of 11 firms.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange in its bid to improve investors’ confidence in the market commenced a strong campaign against market infraction by its dealing members.

According to the NSE, the aim is to reduce contravention of market rules to its barest minimum while doing all within its means to restore confidence.

Investors can now make more informed decisions about where to invest by

viewing names of Dealing Member Firms that have been found liable for contravening market rules.

The suspended firms as at December 19, 2012 are Colvia Securities Limited, Consolidated Investment Limited, Dakal Services Limited, Dependable Securities Limited, Empire Securities Limited, First Equity Securities Limited, Genesis Securities and Investment Limited, Gombe Securities and Lion Stockbrokers Limited.

Others are LMB Stockbrokers Limited, Mainstreet Securities Limited, (Formerly Afribank), Mayfield Investment Limited, Midland Capital Markets Limited, Peninsula Asset Management and Investment, Profes-

sional Stockbrokers Limited, Securities Trading and Investment Limited, Supra Commercial Trust Limited, Wema Asset Management Limited and Woodland Capital Markets Plc. Dealing member firms which have their licenses revoked are Apex Securities Limited, Asset Plus Securities Limited, Beachgroove Securities Limited, Broadeage Securities Limited, IMB Morgan Plc, Jenkins Investment Limited, Prudent Stockbrokers Limited and Source Finance and Trust Limited.

Others are Thomas Kinsley Securities Limited, Viva Securities Limited and HALSEC Finance and Securities Limited.

In his response, the Ex-

European stocks post biggest annual rally since 2009

E

uropean Stocks posted the biggest annual rally in three years as the European Central Bank’s program to purchase bonds of the region’s weakest economies helped ease concern the euro area will fracture.

Sky Deutschland AG, the German pay-TV operator half-owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., nearly tripled last year for the best performance on the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index. KBC Groep NV, Belgium’s biggest bank and insurer by market value, soared 169 percent. Bankia SA, the lender whose government takeover helped provoke Spain’s banking bailout, had the biggest decline, plunging 89 percent.

The Stoxx 600 closed at 279.68 yesterday for a yearly gain of 14 percent, the biggest increase since 2009’s 28 percent jump. The gauge has fallen since climbing to a 19-month high of 281.81 on Dec. 20 as U.S. lawmakers failed to reach a budget deal before European markets closed for the year, fuelling concern that automatic tax increases and spending cuts will come into effect in 2013.

“European stocks (SXXP) have had a very good year, even though the budget talks have damped spirits at the end of the year,” said Jacques Porta, a fund manager who helps oversee $627 million at Ofi Patrimoine in Paris.

“Going into 2013, European markets have two

huge advantages - cheap valuation and less stress about the debt crisis.”

Companies in the Stoxx 600 are valued at 11.4 times estimated 2013 earnings, according to data compiled by Bloomberg survey.

That compares with an average of 12 times projected profits over the past seven years, the data show.

The gauge has advanced for seven straight months, the longest winning streak since April 1999. Auto-industry companies had the biggest gains among 19 industry groups in the Stoxx 600 last year. The Stoxx 600 Automobiles & Parts Index rallied 36 percent, led by Continental AG and Michelin & Cie. Telecommunications shares declined 11

Wall Street ends 2012 riding high on “cliff” deal optimism

U

.S. stocks closed out 2012 with their strongest day in more than a month, putting the S&P 500 up 13.4 percent for the year, as lawmakers in Washington closed in on a resolution to the “fiscal cliff” negotiations.

The S&P 500’s gain for the year marks its best performance since 2009, as stocks navigated through debt crises in Europe and the United States that dominated the headlines. Still, with numerous issues involving budget talks unresolved, markets could still

be open to a shock should the deal break down unexpectedly.

Fittingly, in the last session of the year, stocks bounced back and forth on the headlines out of Washington, as both President Barack Obama and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell issued statements indicating a deal to avert the cliff was close.

“The worst news could have been the president coming out and saying, ‘We don’t have a deal and we’ve giving up,’ and he didn’t say that,” said Ron Florance,

managing director of investment strategy for Wells Fargo Private Bank, based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“My personal skepticism, I don’t trust anything out of Washington until it is signed, sealed and delivered, and it is not signed, sealed and delivered.”

While a deal on the cliff is not yet official, investors may be ready to take on more risk next year in hopes of a greater reward.

McConnell said an agreement had been reached with Democrats on all of the tax issues in the potential deal,

ecutive Director, Market Operations of the NSE, Mr. Ade Bajomo attributed the impressive performance recorded in the banking and consumer goods sectors to the regulators insistence on good corporate governance.

He said, “In 2012, we insisted on corporate governance. We wanted to strengthen the product and equities and make the market transparent. I think the market is seeing that and finally responding to it and that is why you could see the responses.

“With all the regulations, the market is still around 28,000, we still have a long way to go. We don’t want it to go in a big flash, but to grow in line with the market fundamentals.” percent for the biggest loss, dragged lower by a 60 percent slide in Royal KPN NV, the Dutch phone company partly owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.

Greece’s ASE Index (ASE) surged 33 percent last year for the biggest gain among the 18 western European markets as euro-area finance ministers eased terms on the nation’s loans disbursed further financial aid. Germany’s DAX Index (DAX) had the second-largest advance, climbing 29 percent. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 and France’s CAC 40 rose 5.8 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Spain’s IBEX 35 Index was the region’s only benchmark measure to fall, dropping 4.7 percent for a third straight year of losses.

removing a large hurdle in the talks. An agreement is needed in order to avert a combination of tax hikes and spending cuts that many believe could push the U.S. economy into recession.

A source familiar with the matter said an emerging deal, if adopted by Congress and President Barack Obama, would raise $600 billion in revenue over the next 10 years by increasing tax rates for individuals making more than $400,000 and households earning above $450,000 annually.

Source: NSE

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 23,105.05 points Market capitalisation 7,354 trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

STERLNBANK

1.20

1.26

0.06

5.00

UBA

4.20

4.41

0.21

5.00

WAPCO

46.02

48.32

2.30

5.00

UBN

6.21

6.52

0.31

4.99

ROADS

8.42

8.84

0.42

4.99

INTBREW

11.77

12.35

0.58

4.93

ASHAKACEM

11.17

11.72

0.55

4.92

DANGSUGAR

4.52

4.74

0.22

4.87

UPL

4.37

4.58

0.21

4.81

NASCON

4.95

5.18

0.23

4.65

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

ETERNA

2.26

2.15

0.11

-4.87

NEIMETH

0.78

0.75

0.03

-3.85

UTC

0.55

0.53

0.02

-3.64

CUSTODYINS

1.12

1.08

0.04

-3.57

JBERGER

29.95

29.00

0.95

-3.17

7UP

40.00

39.00

1.00

-2.50

GOLDINSURE

0.51

0.50

0.01

-1.96

JAPAULOIL

0.60

0.59

0.01

-1.67

CONTINSURE

0.65

0.64

0.01

-1.54

FCMB

3.00

2.99

0.01

-0.33

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

37,489.76

14.05

22-Nov-12

182-Day

63,730.99

16.21

22-Nov-12

364 -Day

40,536.70

15.40

22-Nov-12

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91 Day

30, 647.81

14.00

22-Nov-12

139-Day

63,730.99

16.21

22-Nov-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$200m

N/A

$200m

21-Nov-12

$180m

N/A

$180m

19-Nov-12

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

47

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at December 31, 2012 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Cocktail

48

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (74)

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens but often we look so long at the closed door that we don’t see the one that has been opened for us.”

–Helen Keller * * * Worries and anxieties has the power to blind us to the opportunities that abounds around us. Once I was looking for 700,000 naira to do a particular business and was almost at the verge of taking loans when my eyes were opened to a long time investment that I once did which miraculous turned to millions of naira. As a matter of fact the document was under my reading all the time and I didn’t know!

Let’s keep our eyes open. When one door closes millions are wide open somewhere. I believe this implicitly!

Someone says many look but only few see!

TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Dental drill falls into patient’s lung A Swedish hospital said new precautions are being taken after a dentist’s drill unattached during a procedure and ended up in a patient’s lung.

Officials at the Vastmanland Central Hospital in Vasteras said the drill became loose and fell into the mouth of a 60-yearold woman, who was undergoing dental implant surgery last September, The Local. se reported Friday.

“She tried to spit it out, and was made to cough, but she’d already swallowed,” said Per Weitz, the hospital’s medical chief.

Weitz said an X-ray revealed the drill was lodged in the woman’s

right lung and a bronchoscopy was perfor med to remove the object.

“A pinky-sized tube was sent into her lung with a small camera and pliers to grab hold of the drill,” Weitz said.

Doctors said the

woman made a full recovery about a month after the incident.

The incident was reported to the National Board of Health and Welfare and Weitz said new precautions are being adopted to prevent further occurrences.

2013 names predicted: Hashtag, Tweet, Android baby-naming web- website, along with 10,000 Thurman-Busson.

A

site says it predicts next year popular U.S. infant names will include: Hashtag, Tweet, Android and Pearl, Florence, Nellie and Eleanor.

Officials of the social baby-naming website Belly Ballot, which collects real-time data on what names parents are selecting from around the globe, said based on naming data from more than 1,000 parents on the

votes from their friends and family, the website predicts the following naming trends: -- Tech inspired names such as Kindle will be popular.

-- To create a unique name, many parents are choosing name combinations of two, three or more names such as Uma Thurman who named her daughter Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence

-- Grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ names are making a strong comeback. Drew Barrymore named her daughter Olive so expect more kids named Roy, Charles, Frank, Albert and Bertha.

-- Not an entirely new trend, but more parents are using surnames for given names such as Grant, Kennedy, Hayes, Townes, Brick, Drake, Fletcher, Sutton and Copeland.

A dental drill tool being inserted into the mouth of a patient.

PHOTO: UPI

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Community Mirror LASTMA boss urges personnel to be polite

“I urge our people to remain vigilant to ensure that evildoers are not given a free hand in our state in the New Year.”

EDO STATE GOVERNOR, ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE

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Lawmaker empowers women, widows

Niger spends N1.22bn on Almajiri schools

TONY ANICHEBE

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UYO

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he Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Samuel Ikon has donated items for apprenticeship schemes, scholarships, and cash gifts to women and widows worth N50million as part of his empowerment programme.

Also, he gave away cars, motorcycles, boreholes to provide pipe-borne water and funding of construction of class room blocks and civic centres in his constituency, even as he promised to install mechanized palm oil mills before the expiration of his tenure in 2015.

He said, the initiative was in fulfillment of his electoral promises to contribute to the overall welfare and development of his constituency. He said: “I believe wealth is not to be accumulated and amassed for selfish interest. God placed me in position to assist my fellow beings. My people have always been my back bone and I must give back to them for being supportive”.

He said the empowerment programme would be on yearly basis, and urged beneficiaries to use the items to improve their lives and families. In a swift reaction to the security challenges in the area, Ikon said he intends to draft the JTF, to patrol the area constantly. He said “Peace is a prerequisite for sustainable development in any nation as the security of lives and property is also indispensable ingredients in any development paradigm.”

Accordingly the speaker, the town hall meetings has encouraged information flow between the people and their representatives, thereby avoiding making wrong conclusions about government programmes and policies.

Speaking, Chairman of Etinan LGA, Isanntim Kenneth Okon, said the Speaker had demonstrated his love and commitment to the development of his constituency, saying Etinan would have been better off if other politicians empowered people at the grass roots to be economically independent.

FRANCIS SUBERU

WITH AGENCY REPORT

he Niger State Universal Basic Education Board has said it spent N1.22 billion to construct seven Almajiri Schools in the state. The board’s chairman, Alhaji Uba Hassan, who disclosed this in Minna, said the amount included the intervention fund from the Federal Government.

He said the Education Trust Fund (ETF) provided N395 million for construction of two

schools while the National Universal Basic Education Commission provided the balance spent on five schools. Hassan, said the ETF funded-schools included one in Kontagora, equipped at cost of N320 million and another in Minna, costing N75 million.

He said the UBEC-funded Almajiri schools comprised three boarding types in Pago, Bida and Gulbin Boka at N720 million, as well as two others in Minna and Mokwa.

Hassan said the schools had been completed except that in

Men transporting firewood on carts drawn by bulls at Jihun in Jigawa State.

Mokwa, for which contract was awarded in 2012. He said when completed, the school would ensure that Almajiris were kept off the streets and given the basic formal education, in line with the Federal Government’s transformation agenda.

He said the N150 million grants from UBEC was used to train 2,700 teachers in the state, to enhance their capacity and improve pupils’ performance at internal and external examinations. Hassan said the Millennium Development Goals and

National Teachers Institute had collaborated to train more than 3,000 teachers. The chairman said the board set 2014 as deadline for all teachers to attain NCE certificate, because it would no longer tolerate unqualified teachers.

He said the decision was in line with the national policy on teachers’ qualification, even as he added that 336 teachers who absconded from their duty posts and ghost teachers were relieved of their appointments

PHOTO: NAN

LCDA to demolish structures on petroleum pipeline MURITALA AYINLA

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he Igando/Ikotun Local Council Development Area says it has constituted a task force to forcefully evacuate residents and shop owners with properties on petroleum pipelines.

The council said that after several notices to residents to relocate following the 2008 fire outbreak in the area, it had no option than to adopt force.

Speaking in Lagos, the coun-

cil Chairman, Mrs Morenike Williams, said that after the relocation exercise, such structures would subsequently be demolished Williams, who spoke through Mr. Olorunwa Arizon, the Head, Works Committee, confirmed that the task force would soon begin its assignment “The council has set up a task force to evacuate all residents and shops along the pipeline from Ikotun to Ijegun,” she said.

According to him, several notices were sent out to those concerned, but some still remain adamant.“We made several efforts to relocate them but they refused; so, the council resolved to set up a task force to forcefully evacuate them,” she said.

Williams said that the council had embarked on campaigns to sensitise people to the inherent risk of living close to petroleum pipelines,even as she noted that the fire disaster claimed scores of lives of residents liv-

ing close to the pipeline.

“It is in trying to avert the incident of 2008 that the council would clamp down hard on those who refuse to vacate as fire outbreak has become rampant,” Williams said.

It would be recalled that another fire outbreak occurred at Ijeododo in Ojo Local Government Area on Dec. 17,2012 resulting from activities of vandals but no lives were lost.

The fire, however, resulted in farmlands, vehicles and other property being razed

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Community Mirror

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Clash between Fulani and Gwari condemned OKAY OSUJI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

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Damaged cars at the water front, Marina, Lagos.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

LASTMA boss urges personnel to be polite MURITALA AYINLA

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he General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA,) Engr. Babatunde Edu, has warned personnel of the agency to be courteous in the cause of performing their duties or be sacked.

Speaking in his office at Oshodi, Edu condemned all forms of physical assault that could lead to loss of lives, or injuries, saying enforcement of the law does not require force or physical combat.

According to him, all over the world, law en-

forcement agents are not always in the good book of motorists, adding that it behooves the officers to create a good image of the agency in the cause of their duty without infringing on the rights of road users.

He added that motorists need not fear traffic officers, but accord them due respect through the demonstration of professional skills and use of modern traffic device.

Edu said: “There should be no need for violence; traffic managers have been empowered with modern professional tools such as auto inspector, digital camera and human

Works controller assures on road rehabilitation OKAY OSUJI

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he Federal Controller of Works in Cross River, Mr. Chinwuba Agbara, has assured that the contractor handling the rehabilitation of some sections of Odukpani-Itu road would complete the job before deadline.

Agbara, who stated this in Calabar, said the contractor, SERMATECH, is working to beat the presidential deadline.

It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan recently directed the Minister of Works, to carry-out urgent repairs on all bad federal roads across the country before the New Year.

He also said that the

maintenance work was intense on the 35-kilometre Odukpani-Itu road,as he explained that full rehabilitation of the road had begun as line drains in certain areas would be fixed permanently by the Federal Ministry of Works.

According to him, the maintenance work codenamed ``operation safe passage’’ on the portions of the road was because of the nature and terrain of the road. ``The terrain is so bad, the water table is very high; that is why that portion is prone to getting bad, especially during the rainy season,’’ he said.

According to him the rehabilitation of Odukpani-Ugep-Ikom federal road was handled by the Chinese firm, CCECC.

capacity training that make it easier to effect arrest of offenders at home.”

He said a lot of tax payer’s money had been expended in organising trainings such as nonaggressive enforcement training, incident management, and the ongoing career evaluation programme to mention a few.

He added that the benefit of the trainings is to promote harmonious working relationship between the agency and stakeholders, most especially commercial drivers.

He enjoined the officers to sustain the new face of

LASTMA in order to have the desired New Mega city.

The LASTMA boss recalled that several measures had been taken to checkmate the excesses of its personnel which included barring of junior officers from arresting persons and the sacking of 150 officials for various offences in the last two months.

Edu, reaffirmed the readiness of the state government to sanitize the agency by ensuring that only diligent, dedicated and disciplined officers are posted on the highways.

he displaced Fulani communities in Gwagwalada Area Council of FCT have condemned the killings and loss of property during a clash with the Gwari people. Two people were killed and many displaced during a skirmish last week. During a visit to the displaced Fulani community camp at the University of Abuja permanent site, a victim, Malam Mohammed Lawal, said the incident escalated when some herdsmen were grazing their cattle with grains belonging to a Gwari indigene. Lawal noted that the Fulani and Gwari communities had lived in har-

mony for over 30 years and wondered why the misunderstanding should erupt now.

He called on government to resolve the crisis, pledging to live in peace with the Gwari people. Another displaced herdsman, Malam Shuaibu Adamu, called for Mobile Police unit be created in the area to avoid a repeat of such ugly incident,even as he commended the FCT Minister for providing them with foods, fruits, and blankets, among other relief materials in the camp.

Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, had set up a 11-man committee to look into cause of the clash within seven days.

Banker charged for defamation

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banker, Rashidi Bello, 32, of Kurudu, Abuja, has appeared before a Karu Upper Area Court in the FCT for alleged defamation of character. The Police Prosecutor, Mr Francis Udofia, told the court that one Louis Aigbinemolen of Jikwoyi of Phase 5, Abuja claimed that Bello accused him of ``secretly taking his penis and rendering him useless or incomplete’’.

He said that Bello’s offence contravened section

391 of the Penal Code. Bello, however, denied the allegation. The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the accused bail in the sum of N20, 000 with a surety that must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction. He adjourned the case to March 20,2013 for hearing.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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razes five houses JTF arrests vessel with 1,000 Fire in Port Harcourt tonnes of crude oil F

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he Joint Task Force, JTF, operating in the Niger Delta has arrested a vessel suspected to be carrying 1,000 tonnes of crude oil off the coast of Bonny Island in Rivers State.

The Commander of the 2 Brigade and Sector Two of JTF, Maj. Gen. Tukur Buratai, paraded nine suspected crew members of the vessel before newsmen in Bonny yesterday.

Buratai, who spoke through the 2 Brigade Army Public Relations Officer, Maj. Michael Etete, said the Nigerian registered vessel was arrested while illegally tapping

crude oil from a pipeline.

The commander said the nine male crew members, who were arrested during a raid, were Nigerians.

He said: “Following military intelligence report on Saturday, December 29, 2012, troops of Sector Two deployed in Bonny, arrested a vessel registered MT Atlantic Star illegally tapping crude oil from a pipeline.

“At the time of the arrest, the vessel had loaded about 1,000 tonnes of stolen crude oil and nine crew members on board the vessel were also arrested.

“Further investigation is ongoing and the suspects

will be handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, for prosecution.

“JTF restates its commitment toward stamping out oil theft, oil bunkering and other criminal activities within its area of responsibility, in line with its mandate.”

Buratai called on the public and organisations to support and provide useful information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of oil thieves in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Captain of the vessel, Mr. Rauf Rasak, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that the vessel was hijacked by six

gunmen, who threatened to kill the crew members if he refused to corporate.

Rasak claimed that the gunmen immediately took over navigation of the vessel and anchored it in Bonny and loaded the vessel with the illegal crude oil.

He said: “The gunmen had threatened to kill us if we did not corporate; we had no choice than to obey.

“While loading the vessel with the crude oil, men of the JTF approached us and the gunmen fled the scene.”

The captain said the crew members were innocent of the charges brought against them by the JTF.

ire yesterday destroyed five houses near the Ikoku spare parts market in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

A witness said the fire started about 10a.m. at the dump site of the market in Gambia Street, Port Harcourt.

At press time, the cause of fire was unknown.

The witness said the fire destroyed unused cars and other spare parts at the dump site and later spread to surrounding buildings.

The residents and store owners were evacuated their goods and belongings from buildings near the raging fire.

Fire fighters from the Agip Oil Company responded to distress call to put out

the fire.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, who confirmed the incident, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that policemen had been sent to the area to ensure security of lives and property.

He said: “The command received a report of the fire incident at Ikoku motor parts market. We have sent our men to ensure that hoodlums do not capitalise on the incident to steal from the stores in the neighbourhood.

“We have also told the residents of the area and owners of stores to report to the police any incident of stealing or acts that could lead to breakdown of law and order.”

Bayelsa: Contractors get N8.5bn mobilisation fee for airport, road projects

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eyelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has presented N8.5 billion cheques as mobilisation fee for the construction of two roads and an airstrip in the state.

The roads are Sagbama - Ekeremor and Yenagoa -Oporoma senatorial roads as well as the construction of the airstrip.

A breakdown of the figure shows that N3 billion was paid as mobilisation for the Sagbama - Ekeremor Road, which is being handled

by Dantata and Sawoe Plc, while N2.5 billion was paid as mobilisation fee for the construction of an airstrip by the same company.

A cheque of N3 billion was presented to the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCCEC, as mobilisation fee for the Oporoma -Yenagoa Road.

Presenting the cheques on Monday in Yenagoa, Dickson disclosed that adequate funds had been earmarked for the projects and charged the contractors to ensure timely completion.

On the Nembe - Brass Road, the governor said the project would be awarded in early 2013, as new designs had been developed raising the road as high as seven metres in view of recent floods that ravaged infrastructure in the state.

According to him, both the Nembe - Brass and Sagbama - Ekeremor roads would be executed at the cost of N90 billion.

On the airstrip, Dickson said the project, which is situated in the Amassoma, Ogobiri and Egbedi axis, was expected to be completed within one year, adding that clearing on the site had since commenced.

In their responses, representatives of the Dantata group, Mr. Hamza Nasco, and the Project Manager of CCEC, Mr. Gillio Costa, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, commended Dickson for his commitment to the development of the state.

They both assured the government and people of Bayelsa State that they would deliver the projects on schedule, according to government’s expectation.

Wife of Rivers State Governor, Mrs. Judith Amaechi cuddling the New Year baby delivered by Mrs. Nkiruka Onuzuluike, at 12:05am weighing 3.4kg at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital in Port-Harcourt, yesterday.

Anenih’s NPA appointment, insult to Nigerians –Cleric •Says God is angry with nation’s leaders SAM OLUWALANA PORT HARCOURT

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ppointment of former Minister of Works, Tony Anenih, as the chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has been described as in insult to the hundreds of unemployed Nigerians.

A Port Harcourt-based preacher, Apostle Eugene Egwuatu Ogu, said this in Port Harcourt yesterday.

The cleric also advised President Goodluck Jonathan to urgently rise up to the security challenges in

the country.

He said: “Anenih’s appointment is an insult to young and intelligent Nigerians roaming the streets looking for job.

“For President Jonathan to still recycle the same old people is an indication that he has lost touch with the modern reality of happenings in the country.

“We have younger Nigerians who are intelligent enough to handle any sensitive positions in this country. Why then should we continue to recycle the same old faces?

“Nigerians should look out for God’s fingers that will soon visit the country.

People in places of authorities will be removed for others to take over. If Nigerians decide to stage a protest, government can never stand it.”

In his New Year prediction at the “Cross Over Night” in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Ogu, who is the General Overseer of the Abundant Life Evangel Mission, ALEM, also predicted that Nigerians occupying positions of authority would be

exposed to more calamities in 2013 except they began to use their positions to work for the good of the common people.

He said: “God is angry with those in position of authority who have refused to do the right thing.”

Ogu predicted that there would be more calamities that will come upon some governors and other elected leaders for their inability to harness God-given resources to better the lot of Nigerians.

He said: “In 2013, God will punish any leader who deprives Nigerians the good things of life. The

finger of God will visit the leadership of this country in 2013.”

Quoting extensively from the Book of Exodus, Ogu said there would be an invincible force that would propel Nigeria to its desired position.

“It is either the yoke is broken or the leadership will break,” he added.

Preaching to a crowd of over 10,000 worshippers including the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Mrs. Judith Amaechi, lawmakers, etc, Ogu said the recent flood which ravaged some states was a warning from God.

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North

Wednesday January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Car theft: Jos residents send SOS to police JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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esidents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, are crying to the police to save them from the grip of armed robbers who specialised in dispossessing them of their cars.

The residents said the suspected armed robbers had infiltrated the city to cause untold

hardship to them.

These days, it is common to hear report of car theft from residents who now cry out for help from the police.

National Mirror gathered yesterday that the criminals often storm strategic locations within the city as well as public functions to rob residents of their cars.

Narrating her ordeal,

one of the victims, Mrs Faith Hamza, whose Honda CR car was stolen along Rukuba Road in Jos, said that the way the criminals operated left no one in doubts that they had been long in the business.

She said: “I just parked my car in front of our Reverend’s house to carry some chairs meant for my son’s dedication. When I came out a few minutes

later, the car was gone.’’

Another victim, Mrs Aisha Zagun, said: “Just this weekend, the criminals made away with my Toyota car where I parked it to attend a wedding reception at Police Children School in Jos. Since then, I have not seen the car.’’

National Mirror further gathered that the criminals also operated at Rock Haven recently

where they snatched another car at gunpoint.

When contacted, the Plateau State Police Command Spokesman, Abuh Emmanuel, could not be reached as his phones were switched off, but another police officer, who did not want his name mentioned, asked victims who have genuine cases to report to the nearest police station for appropriate action.

Kano shuts drug shops at Abubakar Rimi market AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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he Kano State Government on December 31, 2012 carried out its threat to shut patent medicine dealers’ shops at the popular Abubakar Rimi Market.

Following the closure, the Kano branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) assured members of the public that adequate provision had been made by the government for better access to quality drugs.

It will be recalled that the state government took the decision following the alleged concentration and sale of adulterated drugs in the market.

According to a statement made available to journalists in Kano by the PSN Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Gana Mohammed, he said that the decision by the government to close the market was in the best interest of members of the public.

Mohammed said: “We assure you that the decision by the government to close the market is in the best interest of Kano people and all beneficiaries of pharmaceutical services.”

He, however, explained that the people could buy drugs prescribed to them from government hospitals and registered pharmaceutical shops.

The chairman added that list and address of registered importers, wholesalers and distributors would be announced on radio and published in news papers for those who wished to buy drugs in bulk.

Members of St. Michael’s Anglican Church addressing inmates at the Kaduna Prisons to mark the New Year Day celebration, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Gunmen injure two policemen in Gombe DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

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unmen on New Year eve injured a Constable and an Inspector in an attack in Gombe State.

The two policemen were immediately rushed to the Federal Medical

Centre in Gombe.

According to a source, the gunmen attacked the policemen between 8:30pm and 9:00 pm on Monday while they were conducting routine check.

As at the time of filing this report, the policemen were still in the hospital.

The Gombe State Police Command spokesman, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the attack, but did not disclose whether any of the suspected attackers was arrested.

Atajiri said the police had begun investigating the incident.

He called on members

of the public not to panic, but go about their normal activities.

It will be recalled that early Sunday morning, a member of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Jalo Ganga, was abducted by some gunmen and his whereabouts are still unknown.

Kwara PDP flays Belgore over criticism of govt

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has accused the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate in the last election, Dele Belgore (SAN), of insensitivity and naivety in his criticism of the state government.

In a statement signed by the PDP Publicity Secretary, Mas’ud Adebimpe, the party regarded call by the ACN candidate for reduction of the state’s work force as retrogressive and insensitivity to the plight of the civil servants.

The statement reads: “By criticizing the 51 per cent of recurrent expen-

diture over the capital expenditure of 49 per cent, Belgore is indirectly calling for retrenchment in the state civil service knowing full well that recurrent expenditure is almost synonymous with staff salary and other overhead costs.

“Pray, is Mr Belgore saying Kwara State workers salaries should not be paid? Is he asking the state government to retrench workers in order to reduce the recurrent expenditure”?

“PDP is not surprised bearing in mind that Belgore neither stays in the state nor ever related with the grassroots.

“Belgore has never worked in the public sector where he can garner enough knowledge about the complexity and dexterity of public service administration.

“It is laughable to describe as window dressing the unprecedented infrastructural development in the state in the last decade which has visibly resulted into mass influx of people from various parts of the country into Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

“It is instructive to note that in less than two years, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s administration, despite poor finances, has rehabilitated 400 class-

rooms at basic education and senior secondary education levels with 720 sets of furniture supplied to pre-primary, primary and junior secondary schools; 210 urban and rural electrification projects implemented in first and second phases of electrification.

“PDP in Kwara State has an advice for Belgore.

It is good to criticize, but it is better and more responsible to provide viable alternatives through criticisms.

“PDP wishes to inform the public to ignore Belgore’s comments as he is a drowning politician looking for relevance at all cost.”

Shettima pardons 30 prisoners INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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overnor Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday pardoned 30 prisoners following the recommendations of State Advisory on Prerogative of Mercy on the review of the jail terms of inmates serving in various prisons in the state.

Of the 30 inmates, 20 were released by the governor at the Maiduguri Maximum Prison on Baga Road.

He said the inmates needed not to remain in prison, adding that the government would register them for skill acquisition so as to be useful to themselves.

Addressing them, Governor Shettima said: “Your release does not mean that you should go back and commit criminal activities because your being in prison was the act of God. “So today, 20 of you are going home with transport money. The comptroller of prison will be paying you monthly of N10, 000, until all of you are trained in various skills and traders.”

He said after the training, the government would provide them with a take-off grant.

The released inmates are Musa Salisu, Hamidu Babagana, Musa Kyari, Mohammed Ibrahim, Ali Isa, Abubakar Fannami and Ibrahim Kaka, among others.

Speaking on the feeding of prison inmates and the acute shortages of potable water, Shettima said that dilapidated borehole would be rehabilitated by the Ministry of Water Resource, adding that 100 bags of rice, 10 jerry cans of vegetable oil and two cows had been delivered to the prisons.

He said N600, 000 had also been paid for the immediate release of those who could not pay their fines.

Shettima

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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World News

US Senate approves fiscal cliff deal

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“An important issue in putting an end to the division of the country and achieving its reunification is to remove confrontation between the north and the south”

- NORTH KOREAN LEADER, KIM JONG-UN

61 killed in Ivory Coast New Year stampede PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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t least 61 people were killed yesterday in a stampede following a New Year’s fireworks display in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s commercial center, said officials.

The death toll is expected to rise, according to rescue workers.

The majority of those killed were young people between eight and 15 years old who were trampled after the fireworks festivities in Abidjan’s Plateau district, at about 1 a.m. Tuesday, said Col. Issa Sako, of the fire department rescue team.

Thousands gathered at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium to see the fireworks and after the display the crowds moved out onto the Boulevard de la Republic by the Hotel Tiama, said Sako, on Ivory Coast state television.

“The flood of people leaving the stadium became a stampede which led to the deaths of more than 60 and injured more than 200,” said Sako.

President Alassane Ouattara has visited some of the wounded

An Ivory Coast troop standing next to the belongings of people involved in a deadly stampede in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, yesterday.

Photo: AP

in hospital and he pledged that his government would pay for the costs of their medical treatment, according to the president’s office.

Ouattara’s government organized the fireworks to celebrate Ivory Coast’s peace, after several months of political violence in

early 2011 following disputed elections. It was the second year that Abidjan had a New Year’s fireworks display.

Desperate parents went to the city morgue, the hospital and to the stadium to try to find children who are still missing.

Mamadou Sanogo was search-

ing for his nine-year-old son, Sayed.

“I have just seen all the bodies, but I cannot find my son,” said a tearful Sanogo. “I don’t know what to do.”

The governor of Abidjan, Robert Beugré Mambe, said he had also visited the wounded and the families of those who had lost loved ones. “We bow our heads respectfully before the memory of all those who died,” he said.

The site of the crush was littered with abandoned clothes and blood stains as light dawned.

Relatives went to the scene to get news of missing loved ones.

The distraught mother of a nine-year-old boy told local media: “I have just seen all those bodies, but I can’t find my son.”

The Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium was named after the founding president of Ivory Coast.

The fireworks event had been organised to celebrate the peace recently re-established after a period of unrest triggered by former President Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to recognise Mr Ouattara’s victory in 2010 elections.

CAR president urges rebels to let him finish his term

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entral African Republic President Francois Bozize yesterday urged rebels threatening to enter the capital to lay down their arms and let him complete the last three years of his term.

Fighters encamped within 75 km (45 miles) of the capital Bangui accuse Bozize of reneging on a 2007 deal to give money and jobs to former rebels, and their leaders are now split over whether to accept an offer of new talks.

The rebellion poses the biggest threat yet to Bozize’s near 10-year rule over the former French colony - one of the world’s poorest nations despite its rich deposits of uranium, gold and diamonds.

“I repeat that I will not be a candidate in the 2016 election, so let me finish my mandate, I only have three years left,” Bozize said in a New Year’s Day address broadcast on state radio in the

Soldiers from the Congolese contingent of the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) stand in formation as they arrive at an airport in Bangui.

country’s Sango language.

Bozize criticized his own army for a string of defeats during the Seleka rebels’ three-week advance on the city, and thanked troops from neighbouring Chad for reinforcing.

“The army has not played its role. Without the Chadian army

we would no longer be here ... I ask forgiveness from all the people in areas occupied by the rebels,” he said.

The criticism was a potentially risky move in a country whose history has been marked by a series of coups and mutinies.

The European Union called

on the government and rebels to reach a deal and condemned reports of attacks on Bangui residents over the past few days.

“I call immediately on authorities to take all necessary measures to end, without delay, all exactions against populations in Bangui neighbourhoods that undermine chances of a peaceful dialogue,” said EU High Representative Catherine Ashton in a statement on Tuesday.

She did not give any further details, but a rebel spokesman said there had been reports of security forces and pro-government youth militia targeting opposition supporters. Bozize’s government has not commented on those reports.

Bozize came to power in a 2003 rebellion and has depended on military support from France, Chad and other countries to ward off a succession of rebel assaults.

WORLD BULLETIN

UN imposes sanctions on DR Congo rebels The UN Security Council has imposed sanctions on leaders of the M23 rebel movement in DR Congo.

Under the measures, those linked to the group will have their assets frozen and be barred from travel. Similar measures were taken against Rwandan FDLR rebels.

Made up of deserters from the army, the M23 captured Goma - on DRC’s eastern border with Rwanda - from government and UN troops last month.

It later withdrew from the city, following international condemnation.

The New Year’s Eve sanctions come the day before Rwanda joins the Security Council for a two-year term.

The UN and DR Congo government accuse Rwanda and Uganda of backing the rebels, an allegation they strongly deny.

Ethiopian court finds 10 guilty of terror charges Ten men were found guilty yesterday by an Ethiopian court of plotting terror attacks with Islamist extremist rebels from neighbouring Somalia.

Judge Bahiru Darecha said the group was making plans and getting supplies to attack political and economic targets in Ethiopia. Eleven men were originally charged with the terror-related crimes but the judge acquitted one person.

Six of the men found guilty were charged in absentia. Sentencing will be carried out on Jan. 15.

Prosecutors said the suspects, who include one Kenyan national, formed a cell that worked with Somalia’s Islamist radicals, alShabab. Al-Shabaab is affiliated with al-Qaida.

The verdicts come amid signs of increasing militancy in the East African nation. Ethiopian troops moved into Somalia last year to fight al-Shabaab.

Three die in South Africa inferno South African media say three people died and 4,000 were displaced when fires swept through shacks in poor settlements in the Cape Town area on New Year’s Day. Citing disaster management officials, the South African Press Association says the blazes broke out in Khayelitsha and Thembeni, densely populated areas where many residents live in makeshift homes.

The worst fire started just before 5 a.m. in Khayelitsha, when many people were still asleep.

Three people died, and another suffered serious burns and was taken to a hospital.

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World News

Briefs

Pope convinced of peace in 2013 despite world woes Pope Benedict XVI said yesterday he is convinced that peace will prevail in 2013, despite the inequality, terrorism and “unregulated financial capitalism” that afflict the world today.

Benedict celebrated a New Year’s Day Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark the church’s world day of peace. His target audience was in the front pews: diplomats accredited to the Holy See, who next week will attend the pope’s annual address about the plight of the world’s poor and its war-torn regions.

In his homily, Benedict said that despite today’s terrorism, criminality and the inequality between rich and poor, he is convinced the “numerous works of peace, of which the world is rich, are testimony to the innate vocation of humanity to peace.”

He cited “unregulated financial capitalism” as evidence of an “egotistical and individualistic mentality” that is rife in the world.

Clinton will survive blood clot in head –Doctors U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s blood clot is between her skull and brain, her doctors said, predicting she would make a full recovery.

The clot did not result in a stroke or neurological damage, they said.

The clot, or thrombus, was discovered during a routine MRI Sunday as Clinton was recuperating from a fall and concussion, a statement from spokesman Philippe Reines and Clinton’s doctors said.

“The scan revealed that a right transverse sinus venous thrombosis had formed,” the statement said, explaining Clinton’s clot formed in a vein “in the space between the brain and the skull behind the right ear.”

Drs. Lisa Bardack and Gigi El-Bayoumi said Clinton was on blood thinners and would be released after her medication regimen is established. They didn’t say when they expected that would be.

Iran warns off foreign planes during naval drill –Report Iran has warned off foreign surveillance planes that have tried to approach its forces during naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian military spokesman said on Tuesday.

The drills, which began on Friday, are aimed at showcasing Iran’s military capability in the shipping route through which 40 percent of the world’s sea-borne oil exports pass.

Iran has threatened to block the strait if it comes under military attack over its disputed nuclear program. The United States has said it would not tolerate any obstruction of commercial traffic through the strait.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

US Senate approves fiscal cliff deal

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he US Senate has approved legislation aimed at averting the “fiscal cliff ” by stopping most tax hikes and across-the-board spending cuts that were due to begin with the new year.

The deal was approved early yesterday, about two hours after the midnight deadline at which the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts came into effect.

Al Jazeera’s reporter in Washington DC, said the 89-8 vote sent the measure to the House of Representatives, which was scheduled to meet later on Tuesday to consider it.

“I do want to stress that there will not be a law on this until the people’s house, the House of Representatives, votes on it and they are not going to convene until 17 hours GMT on Tuesday, January 1,” our correspondent said.

“So we have an important signal coming out of the Senate right now but no law until the House

votes and it is not certain - though I think it is probably likely - until the House votes.”

Late on Monday, the White House and congressional legislators reached the agreement to avoid the “fiscal cliff ” that would delay harsh spending cuts by two months, an Obama administration source said.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi have also reportedly signed off on the agreement, which would extend Bush-era tax cuts for family incomes below $450,000.

The agreement includes a balance of spending cuts and revenue increases to pay for the delay in the automatic spending cuts that would go into effect without a deal.

Of those spending cuts, 50 percent would come from defence and 50 percent from non-defence areas.

US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (centre) walking to his office after speaking to the media in Washington, on Monday.

Photo: Reuters

Terrett said, “We’ll be back here in two months’ time dealing with the issue of sequester, budget cuts and the debt ceiling.”

Aljazeera added, “Yet the vote sends a signal around the world that, when push comes to shove, there is finally an agreement even if it’s New Year’s Eve.” Earlier, the US president had said a deal on the “fiscal cliff ” was within sight, but that it was not completed yet.

Thousands march against Hong Kong’s leader

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ens of thousands in Hong Kong protested yesterday against the city’s leader Leung Chun-ying as pressure mounts against the Beijingbacked politician who has been embroiled in an illegal construction scandal since taking office in July.

Thronging the streets on New Year’s Day, crowds of people, some dressed in black with colourful banners and wearing long-nosed Pinocchio masks, chanted “Leung Chun-ying step down” in a rally that snaked several kilometres towards government headquarters.

While Hong Kong is a largely stable financial hub with a strong rule of law, the political heat has risen over Leung’s failure to adequately explain seemingly innocuous building work on his home, corroding public trust and raising suspicions he may have covered up the scandal last year as he campaigned for the leadership.

“CY Leung does not have the ability and credibility to handle even his own personal scandals.

How can he lead Hong Kong in a proper way with political and economic development?” said protest organizer Jackie Hung.

Leung said last month he had been negligent and apologized for how he handled questions over his illegally built basement. Such work is common to maximize living space in spacestarved Hong Kong, but similar minor violations have ensnared several prominent officials over

Speaking to an audience of middle-class taxpayers at the White House, Obama on Monday said the deal would extend unemployment benefits for Americans “who are still out there looking for a job”.

Under the Senate plan, those with a household income above $450,000 or individual income above $400,000 would be taxed at 39.6 percent, up from 35 percent.

Gunmen kill seven aid workers in Pakistan

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Thousands of protesters demonstrating on a street in Hong Kong’s shopping Causeway Bay urging Hong Kong’s leader to step down, yesterday.

Photo: Reuters

the past year.

By the evening, organizers put the turnout at the protest at around 130,000, though police said 17,000 had showed up.

The demonstration was largely peaceful, though police maintained a heavy presence after two journalists were roughed up by pro-government supporters at a rival rally on Sunday.

In a statement, Leung said the government would “humbly” listen to the public’s views.

Several thousand of Leung’s supporters also staged a progovernment New Year rally.

China’s senior leaders including premier Wen Jiabao have warned of Hong Kong’s “deep rooted conflicts” in the past, though Beijing has so far publicly endorsed Leung’s administration when he made a duty visit in December.

In a stormy half year since taking office, Leung has also had to contend with a raft of

policy challenges including an unpopular pro-Beijing education curriculum that was later shelved, high housing prices, and a massive influx of mainland Chinese visitors.

Leung, sometimes dubbed the “wolf ” for his perceived abrasive style and close ties to the Communist Party, has a chance to assuage some public discontent in a policy address in midJanuary, though populist measures aimed at cooling a red-hot property sector and alleviating poverty have so far had only a limited impact on the public mood.

While Hong Kong is generally considered an open and liberal business haven, its leaders since 1997 - when the former British colony reverted to Chinese rule - have sometimes struggled politically in the face of mass popular demands for democracy and more accountable governance.

unmen ambushed and shot dead six Pakistani women aid workers and a male doctor yesterday, police said, and the charity they worked for said it suspected the attacks were linked to recent murders of polio vaccination workers.

Their vehicle was raked with gunfire as they returned home from work at a children’s community center run

by Pakistani charity Ujala, or Light, said district police officer Abdur Rashid Khan.

Their driver was seriously wounded in the attack.

The shooting in Swabi district, about 75 km (45 miles) northwest of the capital of Islamabad, was the first attack on aid workers in the area.

The victims worked at the center for aid agency Support With Working Solutions, whose head Javed Akhtar said they had told their other 160 staff to suspend work following the killings.

The organization is involved in health education in underdeveloped parts of the country, Akhtar said. It had run a school and dispensary in Swabi and helped vaccinate children against polio, a disease that can cripple or kill within hours of infection.

He suspected the shootings might be linked to a string of attacks on polio vaccinators last month.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

55

Two women collapse onto the pavement

Police were called to a number of incidents involving drunk people across the city

Couple take the weight off of their feet after a hard night at the bar

A woman under the influence of alcohol dragging an uprooted plant through Swansea

Shameful scenes of booze-fuelled New Year’s chaos in Britain

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A policeman getting a New Year’s kiss from a young reveller

A man injured during a fight, lying in a heap, bleeding.

Photos: Daily Mail

or those that didn’t go out last night you can comfort yourself in the knowledge that you saved a fortune and didn’t end up like this.

Pictures from last night show that drinking culture in UK continues to get out of hand whenever there is an opportunity to let ones hair down.

From Swansea to Newcastle, Birmingham to Liverpool, partygoers can be seen looking drunk and dishevelled as they spilled out of bars, clubs and parties and onto the streets.

In Swansea a drunken girl could be seen dragging an uprooted plant through the streets as a couple locked into a passionate embrace.

A more sober affair, meanwhile, was taking place along the Thames, as fireworks display kick-started Britain’s New Year celebrations last night.

About 250,000 people lined the banks of the Thames to witness the

incredible display of pyrotechnics and lights.

Up and down the country, millions of people packed into towns and cities to celebrate 2013 following the astonishing success of 2012.

Revellers came out in force to celebrate the New Year in Newcastle, where one girl dressed in a body hugging mini-dress fell into the window of a takeaway before collapsing, legs splayed, onto the pavement.

The young woman, in high heels and red dress was helped away by a police officer in the city’s notorious Bigg Market.

As the clock struck midnight a young man clutched his bleeding face before also seeking the help of officers.

Elsewhere, a reveller was attended to by paramedics before being stretchered into an ambulance and driven away.

WORLD RECORD

Longest marathon playing kickball Vol. 03 No. 526

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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hroughout history, it has been the rare privilege of Homo sapiens to record and annotate the progress of human civilization. This is because of his superior intellect, which is far above that of other creatures that also inhabit this same planet. It was man who designed the means for recording his sojourn on earth, by what is now universally known as the civil calendar, which was commissioned and decreed into existence by Pope Gregory X111, for use by the Catholic Church and the world.

Since then, mankind has relied on calendar to wage wars and even make peace.

Without it, the world as we know today would have been a distant dream, and even though we see mayhem and destructions all around us, the alternative would have been perpetual anarchy on unimaginable scale.

It is in this wise that we can see the passing of another year in the annals of Nigerian history as epochal. As we step into 2013, it

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he history-making feat of Nicola Adams at the London 2012 Olympics has earned her an MBE in the New Year Honours list.

Leeds flyweight Adams became the first woman to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games when she

N150

The longest marathon playing kickball was 51 hr 00 min by students at Padua Franciscan High School (USA) in Parma, Ohio, USA, from 27-29 May 2011. The game lasted 474 innings and resulted in a final score of 431-306.

Welcome 2013!

Okay Osuji (okayosuji@nationalmirroronline.net) 08034729256 (sms only)

is pertinent to know that the country would soon be celebrating 99 years of amalgamation by the British colonialists and would be only one year shy of a centenary. Going down memory lane, one could aver that the survival of the country all through these years is nothing short of a miracle, even though ardent centrifugal forces are relentlessly working to tear it apart.

Curiously, there is a tendency for some people to make a fetish of comparing the present state of anomie with the brutal days of military interregnum. The danger here is that such persons are always coming to the conclusion that while there was drastic curtailment of freedom and liberty by the ruling soldiers, the security situation at the time was predictable, unlike the wrenching mass dislocation now being witnessed all over the country from religious jihadists and kidnappers.

But what those apologists forget to acknowledge is that even the worst civilian government is still better than the most benevolent military dictatorship. That we are allowed the luxury of criticizing the government and not ending up in jails or being assassinated at the least provocation, remains an ode to the rambunctiousness of democracy and signals how far we have come from the early days of democratic dispensation in 1999. Despite all fits and starts that heralded that civilian administration, and in spite of betrayals and blood curdling subterfuges that became its mode of political operation, it still

WE LACK A PROTEST CULTURE LIKE THEY HAVE IN THE ARAB WORLD, WHERE

CITIZENS HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS TO DEPOSE THEIR OPPRESSIVE RULERS gives cause for celebration that we survived.

However, question is, can the country go on surviving into the foreseeable future in the midst of the seeming anarchy? The present bedlam has been accentuated by the fiendish activities of religious extremists and social miscreants, hell bent on bringing the country to its knees. Their success so far, is informed by the fact that our political class is too craven, corrupt and lacking in morals to offer competent leadership. These anarchists see nothing that gives any present or future hope, especially when what they see are a few people in position of authority stealing the country blind. And confronted with such overwhelming helplessness, they convince themselves that the only way out is to take the country with them down the road of destruction.

Unfortunately, we lack a protest culture like they have in the Arab world, where

citizens have taken to the streets to depose their oppressive rulers. Rather, Nigerians are passionately consumed in the ethereal belief that some mythical gods would leave their heavenly abodes and come to fight on their behalf. Even so called civil society organizations now wage wars against societal ills from the comfort of their offices, where they are ever busy soliciting for donations from foreign agencies and sharing out such monies among themselves. And because of pervasive corruption within these groups, they lack the moral compulsion to hold our leaders to account.

Is it any wonder that the only New Year message from President Jonathan is his bland promise to do better in 2013, even when we are yet to see anything done in the past?

As for the legislators, they have constituted themselves as cogs in the wheel of the nation’s progress. What, with their mindless looting of the country’s treasure through atrocious salaries, emoluments and other undeserved financial perquisites, which they employ to bully and subjugate political opponents in their constituencies. If the past is any guide, then the country must be in for a bleak future, in view of the creaky state of the infrastructure. And without rehabilitating and building new ones like power stations, roads and other vital facilities, there is no guarantee that stress within the environment would not increase.

And with the parlous state of the economy, the outlook for job creation and employment would remain mere wishes. Therefore, what the New Year holds in store for the country is aggravated strife in the form of more bombings, kidnappings, child trafficking and other anti-social activities that are bound to condemn the lives of ordinary citizens to that of hopelessness.

In all, it is not only the poor who will suffer, as the rich and powerful are going to live perpetually in the shadow of kidnappers and other unrequited tragedies resulting from their refusal and nonchalance to make the country citizen-friendly and livable.

Sport Extra Boxing: Adams ends remarkable year, makes Honours List beat China’s Ren Cancan in a thrilling final at ExCeL. Victory ended a frustrating run of silver medals in major events for the 30-year-old, whose career was set back after the 2008

World Championships in China where she was beaten in the final by Poland’s Karolina Michalczuk.

Adams spent several months recovering from a back injury but returned for the 2010 Worlds, where

Cancan beat her in the final.

She was also included on the shortlist for Sports Personality of the Year after claiming the Boxing Writers’ Club of Great Britain’s Joe Bromley

Award for outstanding services to boxing.

“It is really good to receive such a prestigious honour,” Adams said yesterday, adding, “Everything is all a bit surreal for me.”

Nicola Adams

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