Thursday, July 4, 2013

No more fixed charges after 15 days blackout –NERC CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

W

ith effect from today any customer of an

Amadi

Vol. 4 3 N0. 842 657

May Day:

electricity distribution company, DISCO, that has not received continuous or cumulative electricity supply for a period of 15 days in a month is not re-

quired to pay the monthly fixed charge, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has declared.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Confab: Yoruba elders advocate confederacy P.15

Kutigi

Thursday, May July 1, 4, 2013 2014

Poor welfare, wages worry workers IGP assures of adequate security at rallies

N150 N150 MESHACK IDEHEN AND OMEIZA AJAYI

F

or majority of the workers, the events marking another May Day is sad reminder of the challenges they still grapple including poor welfare, low productivity, prevalence of casual employment especially in the manufacturing sector and failure of labour unions to effectively protect their rights, National Mirror investigation has CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili and others protesting the abduction of the school girls in Abuja, yesterday.

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Women protest in Abuja, demand release of abducted school girls Senators delegation visit Aso Rock Villa Champions League: Chelsea 1, Athletico Madrid 3

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Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Women protest in Abuja, demand release of abducted school girls GEORGE OJI, OMEIZA AJAYI, INUSA NDAHI, JAMES ABRAHAM AND MARCUS FATUNMOLE

H

undred of women yesterday took to the streets in Abuja, demanding the release of the students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok by the Boko Haram sect two weeks ago.

This is even as the Senate President, David Mark assured the grieving mothers that the government and security agents would do everything within human capacity to ensure that all the abducted girls are freed from their captors.

The protest, labelled the “million-woman march”, was called by the Women for Peace and Justice Organisation.

The protesters said that government has not done enough to get the students released.

The grieving women, most of them wailing uncontrollably, urged the government to employ all that is needed to rescue the girls.

One of the speakers and former Education Minister, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili said the situation has become intolerable saying that nothing should be left to chance to save the children.

She reminded the government at all levels of their primary goals including the welfare and security of citizens.

One of the organisers of the protest, Mercy Abang said that the government should do whatever is necessary, even if it means holding negotiations with the abductors, to make sure the girls returned home “alive not in body bags.”

Addressing the protesters, Mark assured that the entire country stands with them in this their moment of grief, stressing that “with God on our side, the evil perpetrators would be defeated”.

Mark, in company of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha as well as other lawmakers defied yesterday’s downpour to receive the protesting women at the National Assembly.

Addressing the protest-

ers, Mark said: “Our hearts is with you at this critical moment. The senators and members of the House of Representatives wept over this abduction. We have reached an unbearable stage. We can no longer tolerate this.

“We are drenched, totally soaked in the rain. It is better to be beaten by the rain and get our children freed from their captors. If it

means standing in the rain until the girls are freed we are prepared to do so.

“We are lost for words.

We can only apologise that it is taking this long to get these girls released. We are not going to rest until the last of the girls is freed. All the security apparatus, all of us must get involved in this battle. There is no mistaking the fact that we are in a state of war. With God on

our side, we shall triumph over evil.”

The Senate President also led 21 other senators to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Aso Villa last night to discuss the fate of the abducted students Mark had announced at yesterday’s plenary session that the senators would depart his Apo mansion residence, to the Villa at 9.30 pm

for the meeting, which was scheduled for 10.00pm.

The meeting followed the serious concerns raised by senators on Tuesday during a debate on a motion on the abducted school girls.

In particular, it was Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, who made the suggestion on the necessity of the meeting with the President when he said: “No issue, barring any CONTINUED ON PAGE 48>>

L-R: Speaker House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Niger State Governor Babangida Mu’azu; Vice President Namadi Sambo and former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida at the 3-Day Fidda’u Prayer for the late Vice President’s younger brother Capt. Yusuf Sabo Sambo, in Abuja yesterday.

May Day: Poor welfare, wages worry workers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

revealed.

The consensus among labour analysts and workers who spoke with our correspondent on the significance of this year’s celebrations is that little has changed in terms of addressing the problems confronting the working class in spite of their critical role in growing the economy both as producers and consumers.

“Many issues, including those that can make the difference between life and career success or failure are confronting the Nigerian worker”, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress, TUC, in Rivers state, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, told National Mirror.

According to him, many of these issues have remained unresolved for years, leaving thousands of workers in a perpetual state of tension that has resulted in low productivity and unsatisfactory output, and in some instances, corruption, abuse of office and ineptitude.

Onuegbu, who is also the

National Industrial Relations Officer of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, explained that unresolved workers issues such as the practice of casualisation, non or partial implementation of the constitutionally-backed new minimum wage and failure of employers to ensure a secure future for their workers through compliance with the relevant pension laws are some of the numerous challenges Nigeria workers are contending with.

Author and industrial relations expert, Mr. Kunle Rotimi, who pointed out that May Day originally stemmed from the fight for an eight-hour work day in Australia in 1856, an idea that quickly spread around the world, said those ideals have since been lost as many workers now put in more than 14 hours daily at work with incommensurate compensation.

He said that the question of living wage or lack of it for the Nigerian worker in both the private and public

sector must take the front burner this year, insisting the average worker is in constant need of decent and affordable accommodation, affordable medicare and social security, particularly when jobs are lost or during old age.

He maintained that loss of workers purchasing power due to the increasing devaluation of the naira is also of concern for many workers.

For labour activist and President, Progressive Leadership Organisational International, Mr. Emmanuel Ezeume, the celebration of this year’s May Day should be an avenue for the Federal, state and local governments, and concerned private sector players to remember the nation’s pensioners, many of whom he said live in misery and penury.

Ezeume noted a situation where the vast majority of retirees stay for years without their monthly stipend having judiciously served the country for years for is not only frustrating but kill-

ing, saying it is on record that many of the retirees go to an early grave as a result of the inability of the various establishments where they worked to pay their stipends as and when due.

According to him, “Nigerian workers have been faced with a horde of problems many of which arose from the oppressive and obnoxious policies of previous administrations.

“Nigerian workers have had to struggle against casualisation, exploitative contract employment and out-sourcing of jobs even when competent hands are available within.

“There are some organisations in this country where employers deny workers their right to belong to trade unions. They work under sub-human conditions, and eventually are paid starvation rather than living wages and often, they receive such wages irregularly”.

To get out of the doldrums, the labour activist suggested that government and all those engaged in

policy formulation take the opportunity of the May Day to reflect on the plight of Nigerian workers.

Labour movements, he added, must reciprocate good intentions. “It is only when labour is backed with commensurate returns that the doctrine of dignity of labour can become fully realisable, and then Nigerian workers will have hope and a future”, he said.

The President of Construction and Allied Workers Union, Mr. Augustine Etafo, said lack of regular, modern and effective training opportunities that can broaden the scope and horizon of the Nigerian workers as another major problem confronting workers.

Etafo said the refusal of many employers to also make statutorily training contributions to interventionist agencies like the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, and the newly established YouWin Scheme are contributors to the bleak future the Nigerian worker faces.

However, the Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Promise Adewusi, said the trade unions have been able to fight for and protect the interests of Nigerian workers.

Adewusi said that the congress had intervened by forcing telecommunication providers in the country to bring down their tariffs.

He said while there have been some gains and pains, labour unions have been able to force some states to pay their workers what they should earn, just like their counterparts elsewhere.

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, in the same vein, said that the Federal Government had always supported the May Day celebration and that workers have more stories of success than of unending woes.

Pointing out that organised labour has no doubt played a major role in the race for the nation’s independence and phenomenal growth of the economy, the CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 1, 2014

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Photo News

Thursday, May 1, 2014

L-R: Assistant Secretary General, West Africa Business Association, Mr. Abdoulaye Kaba; Head of Trade Finance, NEXIM Bank, Mrs. Adaeze Ebegbulam; Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu and Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Mr. Waheed Olagunju during the African Business Summit and Business Association Conference in Abuja yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L -R: Deputy Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Obinna Nwosu; Group Managing Director, Mr. Herbert Wigwe and Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, at the bank’s 25th Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Adeola; Chairman, Alhaji Sulaiman Adegunwa and Company Secretary, Mrs. Justina Lewa, during the bank’s 52nd Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Group Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sanni; Chairman, Mr. Chika Mordi and Company Secretary, Mr. Leo Okafor, at the 1st Annual General Meeting of UBA Capital Plc in Lagos, yesterday.

National News

Some serving judges are worse than Boko Haram –NBA ...Says FG won’t win investors until judiciary is fixed ISE-OLUWA IGE

T

he Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday raised the alarm that the nation’s judiciary is still habouring corrupt judges, who are wreaking more havoc than members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

The President of the

NBA, Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, who stressed the need to uproot them before the conduct of the 2015 general election also declared that the Federal Government would not win any investors into the country until the integrity of the bench improves.

Wali spoke at the valedictory court session held in honour of Justice

Christopher ChukwumaEneh, who bowed out of the Supreme Court, having clock the mandatory retirement age of 70 years But he did not mention any name.

He however called on the Federal Government to stop jetting across the globe, seeking the ever elusive foreign investors but rather fix the nation’s ju-

diciary, which will in turn inspire confidence in whoever wants to come and invest in the country.

He said that the earlier the Federal Government appreciated that the judiciary is pivotal to the well being of the country, the better for everybody.

The NBA president noted that corrupt judges on the bench must be kicked

Fulani herdsmen kill two in Anambra CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

F

ulani herdsmen have allegedly killed two farmers and injured another in Anambra State.

The herdsmen were alleged to have invaded farmlands at Omasi in Ayamelum Local Government Area yesterday with their cattle.

Problems started when farmers, who were angry

over the destruction of their farm, confronted the herdsmen.

The herdsmen, it was learnt attacked the farmers with cutlasses and other weapons, killed one on the spot and inflicted serious injuries on two others. One of the surviving victims died later.

It was gathered that the killing compelled the state government to send its officials to the affected community.

The officials, it was learnt held meeting with community leaders and elders, including the traditional ruler, Igwe Boniface Okeji and the Chairman of the Local Government, Mr. Catchi Obiora, and urged them to prevent youths from embarking on reprisal.

Our correspondent also learnt that the officials assured the community that the situation would be properly

handled and that the perpetrators would be fished out and dealt with according to the law.

Spokesman of the state Police Command, Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed the incident.

He said that the police had swung into action to avert any possible escalation of the incident.

“We are on top of the situation and I can assure you, it will not escalate,” Chukwuemeka said.

out immediately.

He said: “There are still bad eggs on the bench, so bad that they have exhibited the potentials of destroying the judiciary and by extension this nation.

“They are worse than the mob. They are doing more harm to this nation than the worst terrorist group in the world, Boko Haram.

“As 2015 approaches, they are getting more daring. The sad thing is that the public perception is worse than this, because to the public, it is the judiciary that is letting Nigerians down.”

Wali noted that NBA, in its bid to get rid of bad eggs from the bar, has in the last one year, disbarred 11 legal practitioners, while two others were suspended for five years for professional misconduct.

He further stated that over 47 were being tried by the Legal Practitio-

ners Disciplinary Committee, while 126 are also under investigation.

In his own address on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, K.S Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, called for a reform at all levels of the judiciary.

He also observed that the role of governors in appointing and exercising disciplinary control over the chief judge of their states is subject to the participation of the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the House of Assembly of the states.

Inneh noted further that some members of the inner bar should be appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court, provided such appointee has not attained the constitutional retirement age of 70 years, adding that this is being practised in some advanced countries of the world.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Thursday, May 1, 2014

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No more fixed charges after 15 days blackout –NERC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who gave the order yesterday at a pressing briefing in Abuja, said this became necessary after the commission carried out investigations into complaints from consumers over continued payment of fixed charge even when the energy is not delivered.

“While the commission has determined that the fixed charge remains an essential component of the bill, it has however reviewed the continued retention of the fixed charge component in the tariff and payment of fixed charge in the light of consumer complaints, particularly with regard to continued payment of fixed charge even when the energy is not delivered to the consumer. Upon due considerations of these complaints by the consumers, and considering the role of NERC in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, the commission as provided under Section 32d, and Section 32f of the EPSR

Act 2005, it is hereby ordered that effective May 1, 2014, where any customer of a distribution licensee has not received electricity supply for a period of 15 days, in a month, such a customer shall not be required to pay fixed charge”.

Amadi, however, warned that the order stands provided the disruption is not due to nonpayment of electricity bill or other actions of the consumer like tampering with electricity infrastructure, vandalism, or it is totally unrelated to the fault of the distribution company.

Amadi stated that there have been several complaints from consumers over the fairness or legality of the monthly fixed charges which prompted the commission to embark on independent investigation that led to the stopping of payment of fixed charges after 15 days of no electricity supply.

“There have been a lot of comments from consumers about the fixed charge and the concern is whether it is fair, and le-

gal” he said.

He maintained that the fixed charge which is an element of customers’ electricity bill charged on monthly basis to allow for the recovery of costs associated with the fixed or permanent investments required for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity is a universal best practice, stressing that it is not peculiar to Ni-

geria.

Amadi, said that the section 32d of Electricity Power Sector Reform Act 2005, empowers NERC to ensure that the prices charged by licensees are fair to the consumers and are sufficient enough to allow the licensees to finance their activities and to allow for reasonable earnings for efficient operations.

According the NERC

boss, the commission had already published the monthly fixed charge in the Multi Year Tariff Order, MYTO 2, adding that no DISCO has the power to change it.

“There have been a lot of comments from consumers about the fixed charge and the concern is whether it is fair, and legal. The fixed charged is an element of electricity bill, it is fixed ir-

respective of what you consume. You that NERC issued Multi Year Tariff Order ,MYTO, that covers multiple of years, so each year has its own tariff that was published.

That DISCOs are not supposed to change them, we only do minor reviews if there is any, and the last two minor reviews that we have done, and we have not recorded any change.”

Goodluck Initiative for Transformation and other affiliates in a procession calling President Goodluck Jonathan to contest in 2015 election in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

May Day: Poor welfare, wages worry workers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

minister said workers will always occupy the priority list of government, considering the fact that they are the best assets the country possesses.

Nevertheless, many workers that spoke with National Mirror insisted that all is not well with them and that government and employers must give more attention to the workers’ welfare and other issues affecting them.

Team leader of the metal workers union in a foreignowned manufacturing firm in Lagos, Mr. Wilfred Igbido, told our correspondent there is no future for his likes, saying the day he sustains a major injury at work also means the end of his working life.

“We are not known by government”, he said “it is only recently that NLC commenced trying to make us an affiliate even though the foreigners that own and manage the company are totally against such moves”.

An employee of a South

African-owned retail outfit that boasts of low prices, Mr. Ephraim Ossai, said all efforts to unionise workers in order to better protect their interests has been resisted by the management, adding neither the government nor the congress have been able to anything about it.

“We are totally at the mercy of the owners. Our present state, not to talk about our future is not safe.

Anyone can be fired on the spot. Workers Day or not, we must work the way we have always done”, he lamented.

Laying the blame for a major part of the plight of workers on the doorsteps of trade unions and affiliates groups, former President of National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees, Chief John Uwagie, said that unions may not have left their mark on the economy in a very positive light.

Nevertheless, Uwagie said unions will continue to be significant forces that will shape the business and political environment, since

they exist in a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing, petroleum and in the government.

Pointing in particular at the problem of delayed salaries, he wondered why a good number of hardworking, diligent, dutiful, creative and energetic Nigerian workers are owed between five to eight months salaries by their employers?

According to him, “Many workers, because of the syndrome of delayed salaries have become beggars. They beg for transport fare from family and friends each day; they plead with their landlords not to evict them and the children’s school principals have to be pleaded with as well. How do you convince people, including your loved ones that the reason you have not been able to live up to your responsibilities is because you are owed by your employers. That is one area where unions have failed?

“Most companies with or without in-house

unions, insists there is deep recession in the country presently, and they use that as their excuse for the delay of salaries but the issue of the delay of workers’ salaries is morally wrong and unlawful.

Corroborating Uwagie’s views, union leader and member of a “dissident faction” of the TUC, Mr. Willie Igbafe, said it was true that some unions are not truly representing or protecting the interest of members.

“Some union leaders, particularly at the local branches are sadists. This is because after deducting union dues from their members they embark on irrelevant tours for their selfish interests. Instead of them helping workers, they hurt them and assist management to deny workers their rights and privileges.

Management expert and Fellow of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, Mr. Emeka Ifezulike, said the Federal

and state governments as the largest employers of labour, must take the lead in turning the fortunes of workers around.

He said though the loyalty of many workers to their employers and organisation was now in doubt, such traits can easily be traced to the years of difficulties, insecurity and workplace challenges that they have been subjected and exposed to, saying thousands of workers now engage in private practice in order to make ends meet.

“As we celebrate this year’s May Day, the union leaders need to sit up and work towards how to improve organisations and welfare of workers. Government has a lot of responsibility to promote the dignity of labour and enhance workers’ welfare”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar has assured workers of adequate security during the May Day celebration.

A statement issued

in Abuja yesterday and signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, quoted the IGP as saying that the Force will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian workers, as they participate in all lined-up May Day activities nationwide.

“In this wise, the IGP has ordered all Police Commands to put in place robust security measures aimed at ensuring a hitchfree event”, Mba said.

While congratulating the workers, Mohammed charged them to conduct themselves peacefully and ensure that they do not play into the hands of unpatriotic elements who may want to seize the occasion to foment trouble.

He further enjoined the workers taking part in the numerous events slated for the occasion to be vigilant at all the venues and to report any unusual or suspicious activities to the Police or other law enforcement agencies.

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Thursday May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gulak: We won’t tolerate arrogant members anymore –Mu’azu Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

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Polytechnic lecturers protesting non-implementation of their agreement by the Federal Government, in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Reps pass Pension Reform Bill Wole Oladimeji ABUJA

T

he House of Representatives yesterday passed the Pension Reform Act 2013 but it is at variance with the Senate that specified 15 years’ experience as requirement for the appointment of Director General of the National Pension Commission, PENCOM, The House version passed stipulates occupant of the position should be by cognate experience as the case with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Debt Management Office and Federal Inland Revenue Service The Senate had on April 8, 2014 passed the bill and lowered the post qualification years of experience of the Director General of Pension Commission from 20 to 15 years.

The bill, which was passed after a clause by clause consideration at the session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha stated in section 26 (2) (d) that “the Director General shall possess relevant and adequate professional qualification in pension matters with 15 years cognate experience”.

The DG is to hold office for a term of four years in the first instance and shall be eligible for reappoint-

ment for another term of four years and no more.

With the endorsement of the 15 year experience, the acting Director General, Mrs. Chinelo AnohuAmazu who does not have up to 20 years’ experience may be confirmed as substantive DG. While the bill retains the minimum of eight percent contribution of salary monthly by employees into the scheme as in the Principal Act, it stipulates a minimum of 10 percent monthly by the employer.

The bill also prescribed a 10 year jail term for anyone who misappropriates pension fund apart from refunding three times, the amount embezzled.

In addition, it stipulates that whoever attempted to misappropriate the fund on conviction will be liable to the same punishment as it is prescribed for the full offence in the Act. It also stipulates that all monies received as penalty by the Pension Commission shall be paid into the Pension Protection Fund which would have been established under section 82 of the Act. The Act also mandates anyone who misappropriate pension fund to forfeit to the Federal Government any property, asset or fund with accrued interest on the stolen money.

Also, a fine of N10m

will be imposed on any Pension Fund Administrator which failed to meet the obligations of the contributors while each of the directors of the firm would pay N5m each as fines.

The Act according to its explanatory memorandum “repeals the Pension Reform Act, 2004 and enacts the Pension Reform Act, 2013 to continue to govern and regulate the administration of the uniform Contributory Pension Scheme for both the public and private sectors in Nigeria and for matters conetted therewith.”

The objectives of the piece of legislation include amongst other things to: “establish a uniform set of rules, regulations and standards for the administration and payments of retirement benefits for the Public Service of the Federation, the Public Service of the Federal Capital Territory, the Public Service of the State Governments, the Public Service of the Local Government Councils and the Private Sector.”

Other purposes of the Act are “to make provision for the smooth operations of the Contributory Pension Scheme.”

Additionally, the Act will ensure that every person who worked in either the Public Service of the

Federation, Federal Capital Territory, States and Local Governments or the Private Sector receives his retirement benefits as and when due.

The new bill which has 121-clauses and 15 sections was passed after the Chairman of the House Committee on Pensions, Hon. Ibrahim Bawa Kamba moved for the consideration of the report of his committee on the bill titled: “ A bill for an Act to repeal the Pension Reform Act, No2 of 2004 and Reenact the Pension Reform Act, 2013 to make provision for Contributory Pensions Scheme and for other connected matters.”

n a veiled reference to the recent sack of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Political aide, Ahmed Gulak, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Mu’azu yesterday warned that ahead of 2015 general election the party will not tolerate arrogant members in its fold.

Mu’azu stated this while receiving a communiqué from the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the PDP on their stakeholders meeting held on April 22.

The communiqué had lambasted Gulak for coming to Akwa Ibom State and inaugurated a sectional and an unknown support group in favour of President Jonathan without calling on the state’s party leadership.

The communiqué which further advised Jonathan to caution his aides, who were bent on causing disaffections in various states of the federation, specifically warned “Gulak to desist from further interference in the affairs of the state as we do not need the assistance of any outsider to campaign here for Mr. President.”

Gulak was however sacked onTuesday.

However, Mu’azu while speaking on the communiqué, noted that

he has told the President Jonathan that the party can no longer afford to allow members who will cause disaffection remain in the party.

Although he said the incident has been overtaken by events, Mu’azu noted “I have told the president, whoever does not remain focused, cool nerved, humble cannot belong to this party.

Those who want to abuse me should do so one day it will be over.”

He added that what is paramount for the party now is for the party to win the 2015 presidential election and not engage in bickering.

He continued “I am ready to stoop to conquer. That is the spirit I want to put in us, to remain focused, calm and preserve through anything we are going through in the party. I don’t want anybody to imagine Nigeria without PDP.” Speaking earlier, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of PDP, Paul Ekpo, said the state has passed a vote of confidence on President Jonathan and Mu’azu based on the achievements he has made within three months of assuming office.

He added that Akwa Ibom is one party state under PDP and that Governor Godswill Akpabio has galvanised the party into one formidable unit in the state.

INEC suspends supplementary election in Ese-Odo/Ilaje Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday announced the suspension of supplementary election in the Ese-Odo/Ilaje Federal Constituency of Ondo state.

The commission premised its decision on a pending case at a Federal High Court in Akure.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday and made available to journalists, the commission recalled that it had con-

ducted a by-election into Ese-Odo/Ilaje Federal Constituency of Ondo State on April 5.

It said at the end of collation, the Returning Officer for the by-election declared the election inconclusive for the reason that election did not take place in certain polling units while results of the election at some other polling units were cancelled due to violence.

“The Labour Party had a total of 23,926 votes while the PDP had a total of 22,628 votes with a difference of 1,298 votes.

The total number of reg-

istered voters in the 59 polling units where election did not take place or was cancelled due to violence is 28,952.

“Consequently the difference in the number of votes earned by the leading candidate and the runner-up (1,298) is less than the number of registered voters who did not have the opportunity of voting at the election (28,952) representing over 16 percent of the total number of registered voters. The Returning Officer rightly declared the election inconclusive”, the commission said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National News

Thursday May 1, 2014

7

Reps wade into ASUP, COEASU-FG face-off TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

T

he House of Representatives has resolved to intervene in protracted industrial battle between members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic

(ASUP), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and the Executive.

The House took the decision after a motion on matters of urgent national importance raised by Hon. Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe was adopted in plenary.

The House, in its resolution, promised to interact with the presidency and the aggrieved industrial unions to resolve the issues responsible for the long-drawn strike.

Igbokwe, while leading debate on the matter, warned that the education

sector and security would worsen, should students of those institutions continue staying at home.

“It is worrisome that the polytechnics and colleges of education have been shut down for ten months, more-so that ASUP and COEASU began

L-R: President, Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa; retiring Supreme Court judge, Christopher Chukwuma-Eneh and his wife, Mariam, at the valedictory court session in honour of Justice Chukwuma-Eneh at the Supreme Court in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Lagos bags N7bn from land use charge FRANCIS SUBERU

T

he Lagos State Government yesterday said it generated over N7bn from payments on land use charge in the last one year.

It also revealed that about 4.2m residents in the state now voluntarily pay their taxes without coercion.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation and Revenue, Bola Shodipo, revealed this at a ministe-

rial press briefing to herald the seventh anniversary of the Governor Babatunde Fashola administration.

Shodipo said the state government in the last one year, focused on ensuring efficiency and fairness in the administration of land use charge in the state.

According to him, a total of 3,368 newly developed properties were captured and enumerated, in addition to the 642,905 properties enumerated previously, bringing the number of enumerated properties to

646,273.

On the number of residents who pay tax, Shodipo explained that the tax regime has seen the number of tax payers in the state move from 3,482,094 in 2013 to 4,216,751, resulting in a 21 per cent growth in tax revenue.

Shodipo, however, said that the tax compliance level was still far from being satisfactory as about five million taxable residents still default in tax payments.

He said many individu-

als, groups and corporate organisations were being prosecuted by the government for defaulting in tax payment.

The special adviser stated that the government had been given court orders to distrain 413 defaulting companies out of the 863 distrain cases it filed at the Lagos High Court.

Shodipo said out-ofcourt settlements were being discussed with defaulters who had shown willingness to pay.

Lagos Island: Council orders shoot-at-sight on criminals FRANCIS SUBERU

T

he Security Council of Lagos IslandEast Council Development Area has issued a shoot-at-sight order on criminals.

The directive, which came after an emergency meeting of the council, stated that people found carrying guns and other dangerous weapons capable of inflicting injuries on people should not be allowed to walk freely among the people.

It would be recalled that two people lost their lives while several others were injured and property worth several millions of naira were destroyed in violence on the Island during the Easter celebrations.

A statement released after the meeting, signed by the chairman of the council, Hon. Kamal Salau-Bashua, said the order to be enforced by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Lion Building, Oluwole Edger, became necessary to restore peace and order in

the council area.

It described the violence that marred the Easter period as condemnable, retrogressive to the relative peace enjoyed over the last two years, adding that security operatives were combat-ready to prevent recurrence.

According to the chairman, any form of violence on Lagos Island portends great danger to economic activities since major businesses are located there.

He added that such violence was also capable of sending wrong signals on

peaceful coexistence in the state.

The Area Commander, ‘Area A’, ACP Edger, warned criminals and hoodlums to steer clear of the island, saying that his men had renewed their commitment to stopping violence on any part of the island.

The police boss noted that residents and business owners also have responsibilities to alerting security operatives on suspicious movements and activities in order to prevent breakdown of law and order.

their agitation even before the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on their strike.

“And I remember that a platform was created by this House for its resolution, but surprisingly, nothing has been done about their agitations”, he said.

He added that, “the continuous closure of these institutions is inimical to the well-being of our society.”

In his reaction, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who presided over the plenary, admitted seeing protesting lecturers of the affected institutions at the entrance of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

He directed the Deputy

Chairperson, House Committee on Education, Hon. Rose Okoh, to make contact and report back to the leadership of the House on the way forward.

Ihedioha called on Okoh to brief the House on her findings.

In her response, she said that issues surrounding the agitation were poorly handled.

“Agreements reached between the Federal Government and the unions were not implemented, even when the unions agreed to make concessions on their demands and which they did. The government has allowed the crisis to linger,” she said.

The House resolved to intervene in the matter.

BPP saves N5.5bn in three months

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he Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has said it saved the country N5.5bn in three months, following its review of cost of various projects undertaken by the Federal Government.

The Bureau said the review was undertaken between October and December, 2013.

This was contained in the BPP’s 2013 Last Quarter Report on Public Procurement, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.

The report also showed that about 50 projects were approved by the Federal Executive Council during the period.

The reports signed by the Bureau’s Head of Public Relations, Mr .Thomas Odemwingie, indicated that the projects were for the rehabilitation of roads, construction of houses, training services and procurement of equipment.

A breakdown showed that the total project cost as requested by Millennium Development Agencies, MDAs, during the period stood at over N85.45bn, which was reviewed down by the BPP to slightly over N79.93bn.

“This showed a marked difference of N5.5bn as money saved from the

cost projected by the MDAs and what was approved by the BBP.’’ According to the report, the contracts were to be implemented through the Ministries of Defence, Works, Power, Transport, Niger Delta and Petroleum Resources.

Others are the State House, National Emergency Management Agency, National Population Commission, and the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

It also showed that Messrs Otumba Olutola Senbore was awarded the contract for the liquidation of NITEL/MTEL by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE. The report indicated that the contractor would take 1.75 per cent of the total proceeds of the sale, plus another N206.3m after the completion of the contract.

“The BPP was developing a Public Procurement Review Software (goPRS) to enable the Bureau effectively monitor public procurement solicitations and contracts awards by MDAs. “Nigeria has lost several hundred billions naira over the last decade due to flagrant abuse of procedures for the award of public contracts, inflation of contracts, among others.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MAY DAY

Rights groups flay workers’ ‘slave pay’ THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

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s Nigeria joined the rest of the world today to celebrate the annual workers day, the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, has described workers’ wages in the country as the cheapest in the world, urging the government to urgently review the situation.

FJHD in a joint statement with the Centre for the Vulnerable and Underprivileged, CENTREP, in Warri yesterday and signed by the group National Coordinator, Barr Oghenejabor Ikimi to mark this year’s celebration, said it is a shame that Nigeria still parades one of the most poorly paid workers in the world.

Ikimi said that Nigerian

minimum wage of N18, 000 was not only the cheapest, but also the most impoverished in the world.

The two groups therefore call for a living wage for Nigerian workers both in public and private sector.

“It is inexplicable that while the minimum wage of a Nigerian worker is put at N18, 000 per month, a Nigerian Senator receives the sum of N250 million annually in terms of salaries, allowance and other emoluments such that, it would take the Nigerian worker whose monthly wage is N18,000 per month more than a century to equal the one year pay packet of the Senator representing his Senatorial District at the Nigerian Senate. What a travesty of justice courtesy of the unjust system we operate as a nation.”

Yero urges workers to be peace advocates A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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aduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has called on workers in the state to continue to support the peace initiative of the present administration.

Yero charged them to become peace advocates wherever they reside.

The Governor in a state-

ment signed by his Director General Media and Publicity, Ahmed Maiyaki commended workers in the state for doing their best as the engines of economic growth and development.

He said: “We rejoice with all workers on this important occasion of the Workers Day celebration and we appreciate your collective efforts in growing the economy of our dear state through selfless hard work

and determination to contribute your individual best in building a peaceful and prosperous state.”

Yero also urged workers in the state to put in more efforts by imbibing the culture of discipline and genuine commitment to providing quality services to the people of Kaduna State.

He said “It is time for the civil servants as propellers that drive growth to evolve a more dynamic approach

to service delivery so as to support our collective efforts at improving the overall living conditions of our people.”

The governor assured workers in the state of improved welfare and better conditions of service in the days ahead saying “we are mindful of the need for consistent improvement of welfare of our workers and our administration shall not relent in this direction.’’

Union says privatisation of power sector has failed OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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labour group under the auspices of Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporations (SSACTAC) has criticised the recently concluded electricity privatization in the country, saying it had not achieved the desired result of constant electricity generation and distribution.

President General of the union, Comrade Mohammad Yunusa in a pre-May Day message in Abuja yesterday, regretted that the reform in the power, postal, telecommunications, railways, hous-

ing, and maritime sector had not been well taught out, hence their failure to achieve the best results for Nigerians.

He said,” So far the privatisation processes in the power and telecommunications are yet to achieve much except the clear handing over of our joint patrimonies at little or no costs to the favoured high directly or indirectly as the case in other developed and developing economies.

“Let us warn that the approval of partial commercialisation of NIPOST must move clear from this disturbing past and build a new NIPOST in terms of infrastructure and staff to meet our needs.”

Glo lauds workers’ resilient spirit

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ne of the country’s telecoms companies, Globacom, has felicitated with workers on the occasion of the International Workers’ Day and enjoined them to continue to amplify the virtues of hard work and excellence in the course of their duties.

Globacom Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mohamed Jameel, in a solidarity message to workers commended the resilient spirit of workers in spite of daunting odds and urged them to uphold and celebrate the dignity of la-

bour, adding that every legitimate job is intrinsic to the quest to build a vibrant society.

The company which operates in a number of African countries lauded the efforts of workers the world over in harnessing other factors of production to make life better for all.

Globacom stated: “We salute workers on this auspicious ceremony and commend them for the hard work, commitment, resourcefulness and industry which have continued to grow economies of nations.

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; General Secretary, Baptist World Alliance, Rev. Neville Callan; former Inspector General of Police, Chief Sunday Adewusi and Mr. Tunde Ponle, at the Baptist Church Convention in Ibadan, yesterday.

Dedicate May Day to Nyanya bomb blast victims-CAN OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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resident of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has extended good will messages to the Nigerian workers as they mark yet another edition of May Day celebration.

Oritsejafor, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday also enjoined the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC,

to dedicate this year’s May Day celebration to the memory of those who died in the recent Nyanya bomb blast and those who are recuperating in the hospitals.

Despite what they had suffered, he urged Nigerian workers to remain faithfulin the process of discharging their civic responsibility to the nation.

He also used occasion to urge Christians, Muslims and adherents of other faiths not to relent in prayer and continue

to dedicate themselves to the course of indivisible Nigeria.

According to him that is what Nigeria needs at this trying moment of the nation’s history.

The statement reads in part, ‘’I appeal to our teeming workers from Sokoto to Lagos, Kano to Calabar, Jos to Enugu and particularly those in the FCT, to put behind the recent bomb explosion in Nyanya that claimed the lives of many Nigerian workers.

My prayer is for God to continue to console the

families of the deceased and to grant speedy recovery to those still in the hospitals. I want all workers across the country to dedicate this year’s celebration to the memory of the dead and for the speedy recovery of the injured.

CAN, on its part will continue to identify with the Nigerian workers regardless of his or her social, religious or political status and will continue to support them through their unions and associations.’’ The statement reads.

Atiku hails workers’ sacrifices amid tough times

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ormer Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Atiku Abubakar has extolled the patriotism, unbroken faith in Nigeria and sacrifices of the Nigerian workers in the face of tough times.

In a statement released by his media office in Abuja on the occasion of

May Day, the former vice president said workers are the greatest assets of every nation because, the human capital is the pivot around which development revolves.

Abubakar extolled the sacrifices, perseverance and the indomitable spirit of the Nigerian workers in the face of grim and tough challenges of economic

survival.

He added that the weakening purchasing power of the workers might naturally affect morale, but urged the workers to soldier on and never lose hope.

The former vice president, however, advised political office holders to recognise the country’s economic realities before paying themselves sala-

ries and allowances, which show insensitivity to the economic and social conditions of the workers and other Nigerians.

Abubakar also advised governments at all levels to pursue job creation with greater vigour, adding that unemployment is a menace for any society because it breeds unpleasant consequences.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Thursday, May 1, 2014

9

Kidnapping: Policeman declared wanted

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Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (right) presenting the state plague to the Senior Vice President/Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria, Mr. Yaw Nsarkoh, during a visit to the governor in Abeokuta, yesterday.

Pray for Nigeria, Ekiti deputy gov urges Christians •Gowon preaches peace, unity

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kiti State Deputy Governor, Prof.

Modupe Adelabu, has charged Christians not to relent on their intercession for Nigeria to overcome its challenges.

She said in a statement by her media aide, Bunmi Ogumodede, that the call became imperative because challenges are threatening the peaceful co-existence and security in the land.

The admonition came at the opening of the 2014 National Board

Meeting of the Bible Society of Nigeria,BSN, at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Odo Ado, AdoEkiti.

Adelabu said God would always answer the prayers of His people, especially when they repent of their sinful ways and humble themselves.

The deputy governor, who noted that Christians can only correct the evils of the society by their lifestyles, charged them to live according to biblical doc-

trines and be the beacon of hope and restoration.

She commended the BSN for its efforts at expanding the gospel through the distribution of the Bible, especially in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and other major local languages.

In his remark, BSN Grand Patron and former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), commended philanthropists and governments for their donations and provision of logistics for

the mass production and circulation of the Bible.

He urged Nigerians not to be discouraged because of the series of challenges confronting the nation now, but remain steadfast and resolute to overcome them.

Gowon also charged Nigerians to continue to work for the unity and peace of the country through prayers, words and action.

The former military leader expressed optimism that Nigeria would overcome all its woes and emerge stronger and more united as a nation.

Veterans send SOS to FG over pension arrears K EMI O LAITAN IBADAN

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ilitary veterans yesterday sent a SaveOur-Soul (SOS) message to the Federal Government, urging it to effect immediate payment of their 53 per cent pension arrears and its harmonisation.

They said in a statement issued by their Ibadan chapter chairman, Comrade Gabriel Oaikhena, that there CHANGE OF NAME

ONYEANUNA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss May Chiagozie Onyeanuna, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. May Chiagozie Ezekiel. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

was the need for the government to pity their plight, considering their role in the unity of the country.

Oaikhena said it was unfortunate that government could be committing so much to the ongoing Constitutional Conference and neglecting the military veterans.

“It is regrettable if every member of the Conference could take away millions of naira for just three months, free accommodation, free food CHANGE OF NAME

OMOTUNDE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Omotunde Abiodun A., now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sanusi Abiodun O. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

and drinks, but ordinary 53 per cent arrears from 2010 till 2014 could not be paid to military veterans whereas they fought for the country and won the crude oil for this nation,” he said.

Oaikhena lamented that since the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, government has failed to protect and defend the integrity and welfare of veterans nationwide.

“It is very painful that veterans were treated CHANGE OF NAME

BELINDA: Formerly known and addressed as Belinda Amaitari, now wish to be known and addressed as Bernice Amaitari.

All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

like an axe which breaks firewood for cooking, but it could not partake on the table for eating. The arrears of 53 per cent is a task that must be done,” the veterans stated.

Oaikhena warned that veterans might undertake a ‘marathon protest’ should the government fail to meet up with the payment of the arrears.

He, however, appealed to the veterans to remain calm and wait for next directives on the next step to take.

CHANGE OF NAME

AGWUNEDU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Doris Ifeoma Agwunedu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Doris Chukwuemeka Akumonye. All former documents remain valid. NTA Yenagoa and the general public should please take note.

he Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it had sent out signals to police commands nationwide to track a fleeing policeman who allegedly kidnapped an eight-year-old girl.

Spokesman of the command, Ngozi Braide, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos that, so far, no police formation in the Lagos Command had identified the suspect as one of its officers.

NAN reports that an eight-year-old girl was allegedly found under the bed of the suspect, said to be attached to MOPOL 22 Squadron, GRA, Ikeja.

The suspect was alleged to have tied his victim’s legs and hands before hitting her on the head in an attempt to break her neck.

The girl was discovered under the suspect’s bed at his

residence located at 1, Olufowobi St., Ikosi-Ketu, Lagos.

“We will get him. His pictures are already in all the papers; whether he is a policeman or not is immaterial. We have sent signals to all police commands nationwide.

“We have gone to check for him at MOPOL 22 Squadron that is printed on his uniform, but nobody knows him. We have also checked other mobile police squadrons and still, nobody knows him.

“We have sent signals to every police post and division within the command.

“We are not resting on our oars. If he is in this command, we will get him; if he is not in Lagos command, we will get him with the signals sent to other commands,” Braide said.

Robbery kingpin nabbed in Oyo KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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he Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected robbery kingpin, Yemi Adeleke, at Ibadan, the state capital.

It said Adeleke has already confessed to being the mastermind of a robbery operation in which a four-man gang forcefully dispossessed a man in Kwara State of his Toyota Highlander car with registration number Lagos KJA 246 AX, as well as other items, including laptops, handsets and unspecified amount of money.

The man’s night guard was also shot and amputated in the gory encounter.

Adeleke was yesterday paraded before journalists at the state headquarters, Eleiyele, alongside 13 other suspects allegedly involved in other criminal activities.

Briefing journalists, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, said the interception of the robbery gangsters followed a distress call received CHANGE OF NAME

ABAYOMI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Abayomi Bolaji Victoria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okiji Akintoye Bolaji Victoria.

All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

last Sunday at about 11.00 a.m. from the Kwara State Command’s anti-robbery squad.

The call had said that the gangsters had just concluded their operation and were heading towards Oyo State.

The commissioner said sequel to the information, officers and men of the state command were put on the red alert.

The Officer in charge of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS in the Oyo/Ogbomoso area, Superintendent Olusola Aremu led two patrol teams to lay ambush for the robbers on the express road.

There, they encountered the fleeing robbers.

He said: “In the ensuring gun battle between the police and the robbery suspects, the gangsters fell to the superior fire power and fled into the bush with various degrees of bullet wounds, abandoning their vehicle.”

CHANGE OF NAME

MAHMUD: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Mahmud Kafayat Omowumi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Hassan Kafayat Omowumi. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AJAYI: Formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Ajayi Oluwakemi Olanireti, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ehinola Oluwakemi Olanireti.

All former documents remain valid.

Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) Plc and general public take note.

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South East

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gender inequality: VC calls for enhanced girls’ child education CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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Employees of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company checking for their names as the company lay off some workers after a sixmonth contract following the company’s privatisation, in Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

FIRS raises alarm over decline in non-oil tax collection

• targets N700b in May CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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he Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Kabir Mashi has raised alarm over the current performance of the establishment this year, saying that the sector had fallen short of the expected targets.

According to him, for the first quarter of this year, FIRS had a total non-oil tax collection of N418biilion as against a target of N558billion, indicating a shortfall of N140 billion.

The FIRS Chief Executive, who disclosed this at a two-day regional enlarged management meeting organised by FIRS for the South East region in Owerri, said that the nation’s non-oil tax collection dropped from N155 billion in January to N133 billion in February and further to N130 billion in March, 2014.

“These results are not impressive and we must do everything possible to ensure that we reverse this negative collection trend”, he cautioned.

Marshi explained that his emphasis on non-oil tax collection was because of government’s intention to raise non-oil revenue as a means of making up any shortfall from oil revenue and the fact that non–oil rev-

enue had become the basis upon which we are funded.

He urged his field officers to redouble their efforts on the tax collection, adding that the significant support already received from the Federal Government must be justified by meeting and surpassing the set targets.

Marshi also commended the Minister of Finance for assisting the FIRS in seeking technical support which has resulted in bringing in “Mckinsey and Company” to assist in the implementation of a non-oil tax revenue capacity enhancement programme.

The programme, he said is based on eight key initiatives such as audit, arrears and debt enforcement, tax exemption, evasion of rented taxes, taxing high net worth transactions, registration, filing and utilising communication as a means of enhancing compliance.

In addition to the Mckinsey project, Marshi said that FIRS had conducted the nationwide value added tax and withholding tax audit with positive result and implored the staff to continue to put in maximum efforts to ensure that the FIRS discharges its mandate of building a world class institution that would become a point of reference in Africa and globally.

The Coordinating Director/FOG of the FIRS,

Bamidele Ajayi in an address earlier said that the inability of the FIRS to meet its own non-oil revenue target as at the end of March this year was a negative variance of 27 per cent on annual collection trend performance, which he said would improve from the second quarter of the year.

To rectify the sordid situation, he said that the FIRS

had made a promise to the Finance Ministry to deliver about N700 billion to the coffers of the government in May this year.

“We are committed to delivering the target set for the group, we are also committed to ensuring that our field officers continue to exhibit high moral ethics in their dealing with tax payers”, he assured.

ice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Professor Comfort Ekpo yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital called for the encouragement of more quality education for the girl-children in order to begin the process of bridging the gap between women and men enrolment in higher educational institutions in the country.

Ekpo stated this on the occasion of the 2014 International Women’s Day Celebration organised by the Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) with the theme “Equality for women is progress for all”.

According to the university administrator, if women do not enroll in higher education, achieving equality in the work place, economic, political, and religious opportunities would be a mirage in the country.

She said empowerment opportunities such as increased enrolment of women in educational establishments, the acquisition of skills and the continuous self- improvement efforts are all processes in education involved in developing human ability and behaviour.

I’m not afraid of impeachment, says Ebonyi Speaker ALIUNA GODWIN EBONYI

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he Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku has said that he is not afraid of impeachment.

This followed the suspension of the Deputy Speaker and two others on Tuesday by the house.

The speaker made this known at his residence in Abakaliki while reacting on the rumour making round the state that some aggrieved members of the house was plotting to impeach.

He said the suspension of the Deputy Speaker, Blaise Orji, Eni Uduma Chima and Frank Onwe during Tuesday’s plenary in the house, was to en-

able the affected members retrace their steps and exhibit characters worthy of their personality.

According to him, a committee has been set up to look into the allegations against the affected members, stressing that the attitude of the members would determine the period of their suspension.

“If any person discovered that I have done something wrong, he or she should tell me and I will apologise.

“I am not afraid of any impeachment. Let me state categorically that no honourable is planning to impeach me. I’m saying this authoritatively, but the issue is that if you misbehave we will correct you and after that if

you refuse to accept correction, then we will use the diplomacy within the house to checkmate you.

“All of them elected me and so I am not afraid of impeachment; if two or three gathered against me, other will not be happy with them; the remaining members of the State House of Assembly will beg them to leave this man who was elected by the house. If they beg them and they do not agree they will use diplomacy to handle the matter.

I don’t have any problem with anybody; if anybody who is honourable decides to exhibit or behave in a manner not worthy of his or her status, decisions will be taken to put the person on the right course,” he said.

“It equally involves social process in which an individual achieves social progress, competence and growth and a systematic process of imparting or acquiring knowledge”.

She warned that it would be a major disservice to humanity if a significant part of the population is discountenanced, adding that equality for women has a multiplier effect on the society since women are known to transfer knowledge, resources and other benefits to their family members and the community.

“By ensuring that women have equality in the home, work place, policy or decision making avenues, economy, politics and others, women are motivated to complement their skills with those of the men to work for a better and holistic society”.

The Vice Chancellor advised that banks and other allied institutions should be involved in affirmative action of devoting a percentage of their credit facilities to women to grow their businesses since women are known to be great and astute managers of lean and fat resources.

Speaking further, the VC said “ We need more role models among mothers and teachers who can look down the ladder to encourage the young ones to come up and we need to work on imbedded personal and institutional mindsets that we cannot occupy certain positions or that we cannot take higher responsibilities”.

Acting Director, Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies (CWGDS) Dr. Mrs. Ihuoma Asiabaka in her address earlier stated that the celebration provides an opportunity to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who had played extra ordinary roles in the history of their communities and countries.

Speaking also, the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof.

Chigozie Cyril Asiabaka, called for a critical appraisal and elimination of all negative and unwholesome incidents such as rape, kidnapping, and abduction that are regularly unleashed upon women.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Thursday, May 1, 2014

11

Navy destroys 1.5 m litres of crude oil,in Dealta

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President, World Medical Association, Dr. Margaret Mungherera (left) taking the blood pressure of the Chairman, Egor Local Government Council, Mr. Victor Enobakhare, during the Nigeria Medical Association free medical treatment in Evbuotubu Community, Benin-City, Edo State, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Uduaghan calls for SMEs national master plan

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elta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has advocated a national master plan for the development of small and medium scale industries to stimulate economic growth and boost employment.

Governor Uduaghan who made the call Wednesday in Asaba while inspecting the Asaba Industrial Estate observed that SMEs can stimulate growth and development.

“There has to be a national master plan to encourage small and medium scale entrepreneurs to grow in the country especially with regards to funding and infrastructure as they will

provide employment for women and youths and enhance economic growth,” the Governor said.

He explained that his administration was partnering with the Bank of Industry to provide funding for the development of Small and Medium scale enterprises in the state as part of the “Delta Beyond oil” initiative.

“There is a lot we can do outside oil and gas and we are trying to encourage small and medium enterprises so as to generate employment for our women and youths as you know government cannot provide employment for everybody,” he said.

The governor charged investors especially small and medium entrepreneurs to take advantage of the investors’ friendly environment of the state especially the Asaba Airport, the growing commercial activities in Asaba and the nearness of the state to the commercial city of Onitsha to invest in the state.

While commending one of the investors in the Asaba Industrial Estate, Hon. Paul Okpue, for his contributions towards the industrialisation of the state, the governor assured investors that his administration would provide the needed infrastructure to ensure the smooth function of the

estate.

Hon. Okpue informed the governor that his factory specialises in the production of bamboo tiles and toothpicks and would soon start producing toothpicks for export.

He commended the state government and Bank of Industry for funding the development of his factory and encouraging small and large scale entrepreneurs in the state, adding that similar partnership should be extended by the Bank of Agriculture to farmers to enable them increase their yields and process their produce for the national and international markets.

Protesting workers, consumers turn the heat on BEDC SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

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rotesting disengaged staff of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) and dissatisfied consumers who joined them on Monday have turned the heat on the embattled company and its management.

The protesters have also rejected the 15-day fixed charge payment offer made in Abuja on Wednesday afternoon by the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi.

The offer is to be presented to Nigerian electricity consumers today, May Day, as

gift.

According to Amadi, who has not said anything on the crisis in the power distribution sector until now, electricity consumers would no longer have to pay the monthly fixed charge to their respective distribution companies (discos) in any month they experience 15 continuous or cumulative days without light. But he argued that a monthly fixed charge payment usually between N750.00 and N1, 800 was necessary to ensure the sustainability of the power sector.

He warned, however, that the new rule does not apply to non-payment of electricity bill or other responsibilities of the consumer.

Amadi said, “While the commission has determined that the fixed charge remains an essential component of the bill, it is, however, the continued retention of the fixed charge component in the tariff and payment of fixed charge in the light of consumer complaints, particularly with regards to continued payment of fixed charge, even when the energy and is not delivered to the consumer.”

“Upon due considerations of these complaints by the consumers, and considering the role of NERC in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), the commission, as provided under Section 32(d) and

Section 32(f) of the EPSR Act 2005, it is hereby ordered that effective May 1, 2014, where any customer of a distribution licensee has not received electricity supply for a period of 15 days in a month, such a customer shall not be required to pay fixed charge, provided the disruption is due to non-payment of electricity bill or other actions of the consumer like tampering with electricity infrastructure, vandalism, or it is totally unrelated to the fault of the distribution company.”

Amadi also spoke on complaints from consumers about the legality or illegality of fixed charges.

igerian Navy on Wednesday said it destroyed more than 1.5 million litres of crude oil along the shores of Gbekbo Creek in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta.

Reports said that other products destroyed by the Navy were 203 drums of illegally refined diesel and seven drums of petrol.

Reports said that the Navy personnel stormed the creek with two fortified gunboats in an operation that lasted about six hours.

Addressing newsmen at the scene, the Commander NNS Delta, Capt.

Musa Gemu, said the exercise was in compliance with the directive of the Chief Naval Staff to sanitise the creeks Ge.mu, who led the operation, said it was going to be a continuous exercise until illegal oil bunkering and other criminal activities were completely eradicated along the waterways.

‘’The exercise is successful and the fight continues. Like I said earlier, this is almost the fifth exercise and it is a continuous one.

“We will keep coming from time to time until they stop the illegal activities,’’ he said.

Gemu said that the Navy would continue to inspect illegal refinery sites it had destroyed to ensure that criminals would not resume illegal operations there. ‘’We will not just stop at inspecting the destroyed illegal refinery sites, the command will also take steps ahead and search for those sites where illegal businesses are perpetrated. ‘’Today, we saw and destroyed 12 illegal refineries, so we will sustain that momentum,’’ he said.

Reports said that two pumping machines, a generating set, an outboard machine and a saw were recovered in the operation.

3 injured, property destroyed as fire ravages building in Delta THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

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o fewer than three kids have been hospitalized from injuries in an early morning fire outbreak that gutted one storey building destroying properties worth several millions of Naira around 3rd Marine Gate yesterday in Warri.

National Mirror gathered that the three kids were of the same parents, owners of the apartment where the inferno started.

An eyewitness, Mr. Solomon Okoro, who narrated the incident to newsmen, said the fire incident was caused by a generating set by one of the occupants of the building. The fire razed the first floor. .

According to him:“The fire started about 8:30am in one of the flats in the building. There was a woman and her three children in the house.

Obviously when the fire started she did not alert people on time and not until the fire had reached

the roof top did she call for help and by that time it was too late to put out the fire. We have always been warning her husband about putting on his generator inside his apartment but he will not listen. Look at what he has done now. A lot of people have now been rendered homeless because of their careless act.”

A school matron who also resides in the building said: “My neighbor said she was having her bath and could not say how it started while the children waited in the sitting room. What we know is that the fire started from her apartment and spread fast to others.”

It a combined team of local fire fighters to prevent it from spreading to other nearby buildings before the arrival of the officials of Delta State Fire Service.

Tenants who lost properties wailed profusely, while the injured children it was learnt were rushed to undisclosed hospital for quick medical attention.

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North

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Police arrest chaplain with gun ...impound vehicle with army colours WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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he Kogi State Police Command has arrested the Commandant-General of Mission for African Chaplaincy -a Christian organisation, Sam Keddy Balogun, for illegal possession of firearms.

He was arrested with his bodyguard and a Toyota Hilux vehicle painted in military colours.

The police said the vehicle was being used to deceive unsuspecting people into thinking that the Christian organisation was a paramilitary body recognised by law.

Parading the suspects before newsmen at the Police Headquarters in Lokoja, Police Commissioner Seidu Madawaki said his men arrested one Saliu Mohammed, who claimed to be Balogun’s bodyguard, with a shot gun.

Madawaki stated that when his men interrogated the suspect, he confessed that the pistol was given to him by his boss, the commandant-general.

The police commissioner said when police detectives led the suspect to Balogun’s house, he admitted giving the gun to Mohammed for his protection.

Two cartridges were re-

covered from the suspect, with one already expended, while detectives’ gadgets and some para-military uniforms were also recovered, including the vehicle which registration number was concealed.

The commissioner said the painting of their vehicle in military colours and the concealing of the number plate portrayed intent of criminality.

The police boss said the activities of the chaplaincy had constituted a threat to the state as thousands of people, including the unemployed and civil servants had been brainwashed to join the organisation as a paramilitary organisation.

The commissioner said with the level of insecurity in the country, no group or organisation would be allowed to illegally carry firearms.

He said the organisation was purely a church-based one and should be seen as that.

It was gathered that at many public functions in the state, the chaplain members often kit themselves like military personnel.

They were alleged to be usurping the functions of the police and security agencies as they allegedly harass innocent citizens with their military camouflage uniforms.

OPC raises alarm over fake members in Kwara WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

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he Kwara State chapter of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, yesterday raised an alarm over what it described as the presence of fake members in its ranks.

State Coordinator, Mallam Maruf Salam, who alerted the Commissioner of Police about the impostors, said the fake members were using the logo, emblem and other identities of OPC with the intentions of deceiving innocent citizens.

“It has come to our notice that some unscrupulous elements are imposing our name, using our logo, emblem and all other things known to be used by us,” he said.

The intention of the alleged impostors, according to him, is “a calculated attempt to bring the good name of the

congress into disrepute, dishonour and disgrace.”

Maruf gave the names of some of the fake OPC men as; Kareem Eleji, Lukman Korede, Tunde Gbajamo and Gani Oladipupo.

He pleaded with the police to help unmask the men who had allegedly wreaked havoc on innocent members of the public.

The OPC chief said that, contrary to the ‘erroneous belief’ in some quarters about the group, it was out to protect the values of African cultures, protect lives and properties, as well as combat crime to complement the works of other conventional security agencies.

He added that, in line with this, the OPC in Kwara had helped in the arrest of a notorious armed robbery gang, smash planned violent crimes and rendered security services to individuals, communities and corporate bodies.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Reps probe concession of Ajaokuta Steel mill TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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he House of Representatives has mandated three of its committees to investigate the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill (ASRM).

The committees carrying out the assignment are: Steel, Priviatisation and Commercialisation, as well as Justice.

It also mandated the committees to probe the affairs and failure of ASRM and report back to the House for further legislative action.

The resolution followed a motion by Hon. Ben Nwankwo (PDP-Anambra), which

was unanimously adopted without debate when put to vote by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.

Nwankwo, while moving the motion, contended that the ASRM and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMC), in 2005 were concessioned to two Indian firms without the necessary details and due diligence on the ability of the concessionaires to profitably manage the companies.

According to him, the concessionaires, Global Infrastructure Holdings Limited and Global Global Steel Holdings Limited, allegedly proceeded to operate in ways contrary to the agreement.

Nwankwo said that due to complaints regarding the operations of ASRM and NIOMC by the concessionaires, the Federal Government revoked the concession agreement of ASRM in 2007.

According to him, that led to the protracted arbitration proceedings at the International Centre for Commercial Arbitration in London.

He said that the delay of the arbitration proceedings further compounded the woes of ASRM. He, however, said that recent disclosures indicated that the Federal Government had ‘successfully’ reacquired ASRM from Global Infrastructure Holding

Limited in unclear circumstances.

Nwankwo stated that the fate of NOIMC was still not clear.

He expressed concern that the employment potentials of the ARSM had not been exploited.

The lawmaker said that when fully operational, the rolling mill was estimated to be capable of generating over 15,000 direct employment.

He, therefore, urged the House to look into the matter so that the lofty ambitions of the ASRM founding fathers of meeting the nation’s steel needs and providing employment for Nigerians were achieved.

L-R: All Progressives Congress (APC) National Ex-Officio, Hajiya Fati Mohammed; Adamawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Halima Hayatou and the newly elected Adamawa APC Chairman, Mrs. Binta Masi, during her endorsement at the rescheduled state congress of the party in Yola, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Aliyu sends cabinet nominees’ list to Assembly PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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iger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has submitted a list of five nominees to the State House of Assembly for consideration and appointment as com-

missioners.

They are to replace those leaving the cabinet to contest for election in their constituencies.

The governor forwarded the names to the house in a letter entitled: ‘Nomination for Appointment as Commissioners in the State

Executive Council’, in compliance with Section 192 of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), yesterday in Minna.

The nominees include Danladi Mohammed Ndayebo from Gbako Local Government Area, who

is presently the chief press secretary to the governor.

Others are Abubakar Tukur from Shiroro, Isah Liman Kantigi, from Edati Local Government Area; Abdulkarim Suleiman Mazakuka (Mashegu LGA) and Lawal Abbas Mohammed (Munya LGA).

Rector escapes from abductors WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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he Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, Mathew Akpata, who was kidnapped at his residence by suspected gunmen, has escaped from the captivity of his abductors.

Akpata was said to have regained his freedom when the car of his kidnappers was involved in an accident.

National Mirror gathered that the kidnappers had stormed the rector’s residence at about 8.00pm on Monday after jumping the fence into the premises.

It was also learnt that the

kidnappers after getting hold of him, tied his hands and legs and put in him in the booth of their car and drove off.

Luck, however, ran out of the abductors as the rector escaped unhurt when the vehicle in which they were travelling lost control and veered off the road, before ramming into a tree with

the abductors sustaining serious injuries.

Our correspondent learnt that despite sustaining injuries, the abductors escaped immediately and abandoned their victim ins the car.

Villagers, who rushed to the scene of the accident, discovered the rector in the booth.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

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igeria is a mix of ironies, a pathetic paradox.

The states are the second tier of government while the local governments are the third. Every civilian administration in the country has always been comfortable with ‘handouts’ from past military regimes.

Only the military have created states There has been no serious attempt to democratise Decree 24 which is the same as the 1999 Constitution. The Shehu Shagari administration also operated a ‘military’ constitution with all its apparent defects.

Perhaps, because it does not really owe any allegiance to any partisan interests, the military are the only ones to have created states in Nigeria’s history, although by fiat.

Even the present 36-state structure was a creation of the military. No single state has been created under the civilian dispensation, but with present situation of things, perhaps, history may be in the offing.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Politics

Sixth state for S’East: Feasibility, hurdles Agitations for the creation of additional states for different zones of the country have been upbeat since 1999 but what has generated more heat since 2005 was the clamour for the creation of one more state in the South-East zone to bring it at par with other zones. OBIORA IFOH, GEORGE OJI, TORDUE SALEM, WOLE OLADIMEJI, OMEIZA AJAYI and UBONG UKPONG look at the feasibility and hurdles before the exercise, following the recommendation by the confab committee on State Creation agreed on the need for an additional state for the South East.

Why is the NASS obsessed with state creation?

There have been growing waves of demands for additional states across the country. In fact, the chairman of the Senate Constitutional Review Committee and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, once disclosed that of the 231 memoranda or so that the committee received, 56 of them had to do with agitations for new states.

Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution clearly sets out the procedures that must be followed by those seeking additional states in their areas. Is it now possible that the lawmakers want to amend that section or are they just trying to set an agenda for public discourse so that at the end of the day, public opinion would influence government policy?

The provisions in Section 8 are stringent and in fact, one can safely submit that no new state will be created.

It says: “An Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state shall only be passed if - a request, supported by at least two-thirds majority of members (representing the area demanding the creation of the new state) in each of the following, namely - the Senate and the House of Representatives; the House of Assembly in respect of the area; and the local government councils in respect of the area, is received by the National Assembly; “A proposal for the creation of the state is thereafter approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of the area where the demand for creation of the state originated; the result of the referendum is then approved by a simple majority of all the states of the Federation supported by a simple majority of members of the Houses of Assembly; and the proposal is approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.”

Even after all these, the issue of boundary adjustment would also come into play. All the above requirements would have to be met before boundaries can be adjusted. It is the same thing for local government councils.

State creation and National Conference Just last week, members of the National Conference Committee on Political Restructuring, and Forms of Government canvassed the creation of an additional state in the SouthEast to redress the apparent marginalisation of the zone.

At the committee sitting, Senator Femi Okurounmu underscored the need for the creation of an additional state in the South-East to strike a balance in the present number of states in the zones.

His views were shared by the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Iwo Igariwo. Interestingly, while, another

Nwachukwu

Ekweremadu

member of the committee, Mrs. Binta Masi Garba, supported the move, she had however called for the creation of Sardauna State in the north! This is more like dancing in circles.

Mr. Yinka Odumakin, a South-West delegate who also supported the idea of another state in the South-East, said such should be based on the principle of self-sufficiency as most states are not economically viable.

Though the committee chairman, General Ike Nwachukwu had expressed optimism that the proposal would scale through, but the spokesman of the Northern delegates and former Publicity Secretary of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Elder Anthony Sanni, described the

agitation as misplaced. He said injustice is not just when equals are treated unequally but when unequals are treated equally. He told National Mirror that the South-East cannot claim equality with the North-East or North-West in terms of population and landmass.

However, one of the South-East delegates and President of the Southeast Forum, Dr Ezekiel Izuogu, has called for the cancellation of the confab, saying except other delegates are ready to listen to the “reasonable propositions” of others, then the exercise is a waste of time and money, describing the stance of the north as “unfortunate” He said: “It is unfortunate. It means they (North) do not want us to remain as one country. The South-East is very big.

We are just asking for one more, after all, the North-West has seven. Let us be at par with others. We are reasonable. This is a reasonable proposition. If people want to reason as mad men, then there is no need for the conference in the first place.”

THE SOUTH-EAST IS VERY BIG. WE ARE JUST ASKING FOR ONE MORE, AFTER ALL, THE NORTHWEST HAS SEVEN. LET US BE AT PAR WITH OTHERS. WE ARE REASONABLE. THIS IS A REASONABLE PROPOSITION

Historical perspectives of state creation Prior to the British colonialism era, the entity now called Nigeria existed as autonomous kingdoms and empires, with each practising its various systems of government, not as a federation.

The amalgamation of the various territories in 1914 by Lord Frederick Lugard, evolved the new entity, Nigeria, with various provinces under it.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sixth state for S’East: Feasibility, hurdles CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 By 1954, the British colonial rule had created three federal regions, the Northern, Wester and Eastern regions with headquarters in Kaduna, Ibadan and Enugu respectively.

In 1963, ethnic minorities were separated from the Western region the Midwestern region came into existence by an act of Parliament. Afterwards, 12 federal states were created by the federal military government on the eve of the civil war in 1967.

The states were: North-Western with Sokoto as capital, Kwara with Ilorin as capital, Kano with Kano as capital, North Central with Zaria as capital, North Eastern with Maiduguri as capital, Benue-Plateau with Jos as capital, East Central had capital in Enugu, South-Eastern with capital at Calabar, Rivers with capital at Port Harcourt, Mid-West with capital at Benin, Western with capital at Ibadan and Lagos with capital in Lagos.

Successive military regimes, from Murtala Muhammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, up to the late Sani Abacha created new states, bringing us to the present 36-state structure and the Federal Capital territory.

However, some ethnic groups in the country have continued to clamour for states to be created out of the present entities for them, citing marginalisation as a common reason.

But it has been increasingly difficult to create new state as no successive democratic administration since 1999, had accepted to venture into the exercise.

Feasibility of additional state for South East One of the very shocking recommendations of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, which submitted its report in June last year was that of the 61 requests for creation of new states, none satisfied the conditions stipulated in section 8.

The South-East geo-political zone had looked forward to the constitutional review committee of the National Assembly with so much enthusiasm to grant their request for at least an additional state for the zone. More so, as aside the convincing logic that the zone needs an additional state to square up with the other zones of the country, two of their kinsmen, Senator Ike Ekweremadu (Deputy Senate President) and Emeka Ihedioha (Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives) chaired both review committees in the National Assembly.

At the zonal public hearings conducted by both arms of the parliament as part of efforts to seek public inputs into

Elechi

the constitution review process, the South-East trooped out en mass and put up strong presentations to support the agitations for additional state for the zone. Indeed, some of the lawmakers from the zone owed their electoral successes to the pledge to ensure additional state when they got to the National Assembly. That was how dear the project was to the people.

To demonstrate their complete disagreement with the recommendation of the Ekweremadu-led Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution that no state satisfied the conditions for the creation of additional state, in a well publicised paid advertorial in some daily newspapers, the agitators from Enugu State called on the Senate to make public their memoranda for the creation of Adada State, to let the people be the judge over the matter.

While insisting that they followed the laid down procedure in their request, the people under the aegis of Enugu State Committee and Movement for the Actualisation of Adada State followed the petition up with a protest visit to the National Assembly.

Led by Maj. Gen. Godwin Ugokwe (rtd), the delegation met with Ekweremadu and challenged him to make public the copy of the request it filed to prove that Adada State creation request met the constitutional provisions.

It was perhaps in realisation of the emotional and pas-

Why North’ll oppose additional state for S’East -Sani Anthony Sani, the immediate past spokesperson of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, tells OMEIZA AJAYI why he opposes an additional state for the South-East. Excerpts: What is your take on the submission by a conference committee that an additional state be created in the South-East to address the years of marginalisation they have suffered?

When people say we should create states to pacify the South-East, the impression one gets is that a wrong has been done. It is not so. To create states, there are so many conditions that must be met: homogeneity, population, landmass and lastly, viability. These are just few of the conditions. All these are there and they have to be met first. You cannot just

wake up and begin to create states.

Would you say the current number of states we have is good enough?

We have insisted that in the light of so many states created, and which have led to the under-development of the country with some not viable, will it be politically correct to still create states? We have to address that. I feel a bit worried when the South-East insists that on the basis of equality, there must be six states. When people say, appease, it is as if they have been wronged. South-West

was a region and it has six states. The old Eastern region has nine. The whole of the north which is half or even more than half of the country has just 19. You do not just create states like that.

So, are you going to frustrate such suggestion from making it to the final report of the conference?

If it is on the basis of equality that they are making that suggestion, we are going to counteract it. Have they forgotten that injustice is not just when equals are treated unequally but also when unequals are

treated equally? Can you honestly say that the SouthEast is greater in population and landmass than the North-East or North-West?

Sani

sionate attachment of the people to additional state for the zone that Ekweremadu quickly assured that: “We have not given up on state creation. What we are insisting on is that the steps for the process must be duly followed.”

Leader of the South-East delegation at the National Conference, Gen Ike Nwachukwu in an interview said: “With agitations from across the country, there is a need to listen to some of these demands with a view to eliminating marginalisation.

“For a very long time, Igbo ethnic nationality has been marginalised and over the years, there have been complaints to address the imbalance but unfortunately, successive governments in the country seemed to have tuned deaf ears to this. So if this conference in its wisdom decided to correct the imbalance by creating addition state in the South-East so that it could have 18 senators in the Senate like other zones, it would go a long way in solving the issue of marginalisation and other misgivings affecting the unity of the country.

“This country belongs to all of us, we must build it together and in doing that, there must be give and take. We are ready to negotiate and lobby to get what we are looking for.”

Hurdles before South-East’s sixth state In 2005, after the outcome of the then National Political Conference set up by Obasanjo, the issue of state creation particularly in the South-East went to the National Assembly for deliberations but it suffered a setback, as both chambers, with a Northern majority killed the idea.

Other factors militating against the idea, since 2005, have been the tedious constitutional process of creating a state.

Besides the democratic constraints in state creation, there is also a primordial hurdle: the seeming inability of the states of the South-East to eschew petty considerations of where the carving should be done and unite on the idea for an additional state.

Ebony State governor, Martin Elechi, for instance, is regretting that the South-East governors were not in agreement on where a proposed new state would be carved out from in the zone, though he supports the creation of Adada State.

He said: “We the governors of the Southeast should be blamed for not enforcing the demand for the additional state for the zone. This is because President Jonathan was ready to push our case of state imbalance to the National Assembly, but we the governors never agreed on which area of the South-East the new state will be carved out.”

There is also the raging inter-regional battle to contend with: the Northern part of the country insists that its 19 states are not sufficient or disproportionate to its land mass and population and with that, the state-agitation space might be too saturated for the good of any region.

Dr. Abubakar Mohammed, from the North, instead of supporting state creation in the South-East, however proposed merger of the existing states to allow regionalism to thrive. He argued that since delegates supported that power should be devolved among the federating units in the spirit of true federalism, such that the various zones would be allowed to develop on their own, so if there is need to create additional states, it should be the function of the zones. Thus, if the power is devolved, going by the recommendations to be submitted soon to the confab, the issue of creation of additional state would not be necessary.

But since all the six geo-political zones had before now clamoured for states creation in their areas and some had made representations to the National Assembly on the exercise, it would be difficult for the confab at its plenary to approve that a state be created in the South-East as recommended by its committee.

Fillers from the conference also indicate that the North comprising of North-Central, North-East and the North-West would not allow this recommendation to sail through. Even the South-West zone which has been busy watching the unfolding scenario met last Monday night and resolved to go against some of the critical issues, especially state creation.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Thursday, May 1, 2014

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Yoruba leaders drop demand for regionalism, want confederacy STORIES: OMEIZA AJAYI, WOLE OLADIMEJI AND CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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lder statesmen from the South-West who are delegates at the National Conference yesterday dropped their earlier demand for a return to the regional system of government, caving in to pressure by their younger colleagues for the establishment of a confederacy.

The change was necessitated by a Yoruba group, New Trend Movement, NTM, jointly headed by Chief Niyi

Akintola and Asiwaju Seyi Adegbuyi.

National Mirror gathered that the movement, which began its meeting, last Monday in Abuja, noted that the position being pushed by other zones across the country negates the principle of equity.

Opining that most of the zones would rather want the status quo to remain, NTM accused even the South-South of reneging on virtually all accord they had earlier struck with the Yoruba elders.

NTM argued that “since the entire component

parts of the federating units are fed up with the arrangement that ties them to the aprons of a central government, we believe in a system that would allow everyone to develop at their own pace.”

The group also canvassed that under the new arrangement, all component units must be given a right to cessation.

Also, delegates from all the six geo-political zones met on Monday night to articulate their position on the issue of resource control. While South-South delegates insisted on 50 per cent benchmark, the North

settled for the existing 13 percent derivation.

On its part, the SouthWest wants the benchmark raised to 50 percent but with a caveat that existing agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Niger Delta Ministry and the Amnesty Office be scrapped.

Chief Akintola said many of the delegates in the Committee on Devolution of Power had initially agreed to allow for the 50 percent but some delegates came up with different argument the following day, thereby

stalling the sitting.

Senator Ibrahim Mantu said the issue is still under discussion, adding: “We are going to put the interest of the nation first and foremost, no matter what view anybody holds, pure reason will take centre stage.”

Chief Ayo Adebanjo also said no one should attempt to undermine the unity of the country by being fanatical in their demands, urging delegates to be ready to make some compromises.

He said: “Many people have bent over to see how we can come to a compromise but there are some few with attitude that it is either them or

no one. We will do our best to accommodate the extremists, but if it is not, nobody has a monopoly of insistence.”

The committee later on reached a compromise on the vexed issue of resource control and exploration. Its chairman, Obong Victor Attah, told journalists at the end of the committee’s deliberations yesterday that there were a lot of compromises reached by both Southern and Northern delegates.

According to him, members agreed in principle that states where there are natural resources be carried along whenever the federal government wants to embark on exploration.

Nebo tasks delegates on sustainable power supply L-R: Members, Committee on Immigration and Related Matters, Emir of Yauri, Dr M. Abdullahi; former governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Alhaji Ali Kano during the committee meeting at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Committee adopts modified presidential system

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he Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government at the ongoing National Conference yesterday adopted a modified presidential system of government for the country.

Following a heated debate on the recommendations of an 11-member subcommittee chaired by AVM Mohammed Mukhtar, the committee resolved that the modified presidential system of government would still be okay for the country.

The sub-committee in its report noted that the need to evolve a novel system of government that would beneficial to Nigerians has became apparent considering the results of past and extant system the country has experienced and still going through.

Co-chairmen, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu and Hon Mohammed Kumaila, after the debate agreed and recom-

mended that there shall be a president that has one constituency, which is Nigeria.

The proposed modified presidential system also provided that the president would run for the office on a joint ticket with a vice president and another vice president that would be selected from the legislature by the president.

The committee rejected automatic ticket for the president that would have two terms of four years, with second term subject to election.

The president would have full responsibility for his government with full right to select his cabinet from among members of the legislature.

It was recommended that the President would select not more than 30 percent from outside the legislature, taking care of technocrats and other competences.

The committee has also

recommended a novel feature of a quarterly question time by the president before the legislature, for the purposes of enhancing accountability, while the cabinet can take theirs as the need arises.

State of the nation address annually by the president, was also recommended by the committee also for the enhancement of transparency and accountability.

In the event that the office of the president becomes vacant, it was recommended that the vice president be sworn in as acting president while election for a new president will hold within 90 days.

The committee also adopted the principle rotation of political power at the national and state levels and should be recognised by the constitution.

Another unique recommendation was that of unicameral legislature, of

proportion representation to guarantee minority and special rights on full time basis.

The committee opined that the current system encourages too much waste of government resources, adding that its decision was based on the need to reduce the cost of the Senate to government, in addition to its inability to be thorough in some of its responsibilities like the confirmation of presidential nominees for public offices.

Other recommendations include: tenure of office of four years; election into parliament has no term limit; election into parliament should not be staggered to disallow vacuum at any point in time.

However, the committee was unable to conclude deliberation on the recommendation for the establishment of an agency to be responsible for screening prospective public officers.

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inister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo has appealed to delegates at the National Conference to make recommendations that will lead to legislation for sufficient and sustainable power supply.

In a statement signed by the minister’s Special Assistant, Communications, Kande Daniel, Nebo made this call while making a presentation to the Energy Committee of the ongoing National Conference, in Abuja.

Calling for the understanding and cooperation of all Nigerians for the full actualisation of the reform of Nigeria’s power sector, Nebo explained that the privatisation exercise was necessitated by the huge volume of funding required for the sector and the need to speed up efforts for power supply to meet up with per capita supply that is comparable to other nations of the world.

He stated that local and foreign investors are eager to participate in the industry because they know that Nigeria

is in a leading position in terms of return on investment index.

On power generation status, currently hovering around 4,000MW status, Nebo assured that with on-going rehabilitation works on Kainji and Jebba Power Plants, more power will be made available to homes and businesses in the country, from the two facilities, before the end of the year.

The two plants which have not undergone maintenance for decades are now being serviced for optimum performance.

Fielding questions from the committee members, the Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Waki,l reiterated the call for the conference to come up with recommendations that will address the nagging issue of facility vandalism.

Speaking earlier, chairman of the Committee on Energy, Senator Rasidi Ladoja, described the power sector as a critical one, in view of its linkage to virtually all aspects of national life.

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Politics

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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inister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Abdul Jelili Adesiyan, has said that the security challenges facing the country would soon be a history based on collaborative efforts that would soon be embarked upon by the ministry and other international agencies.

The minister made the remarks in Abuja while receiving the Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, Ms. Riita Korpivaara and her delegates on a courtesy visit to his office.

He said he was very happy that the delegates paid a courtesy call on him to demonstrate their country’s capacity to help fight the security challenges cur-

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Police Affairs Minister seeks partnership in fighting terrorism rently facing the country.

He said: “It is an opportunity that we have to rub minds together because terrorism is a cankerworm that is affecting all facets of life based on the technological advancement in the world. Terrorism is not something any country can fight singularly because it is not a conventional war.

“Terrorism is a new germination in the security inclination of the world and every country now strives to train all her security personnel to combat terrorism throughout the world. The United States cannot sin-

gularly combat terrorism on her own; it has to work in collaboration with other countries of the world.

“It is an opportunity for us to work together with Finland because of the fact that the terrorists do not know religious boundary, they do not know citizenry, they do not know brothers or sisters and that is why we must work together, we must put up concerted efforts to fight terrorism in all ramifications.

Adesiyan further stated that the issue of Boko Haram did not start when President Goodluck Jona-

than became the President, adding that their activity only became pronounced in the last few years.

He added: “All the security agencies in the country are working together to ensure the issue of terrorism becomes a thing of the past and I am happy that political parties are now coming together to ensure that terrorism is properly addressed because terrorists do not know political boundary.

They only want to make the country ungovernable for whoever is in charge.”

Earlier in her speech, Ms. Korpivaara, said that

Adamawa State All Progressives Congress delegates at the rescheduled state congress of the party in Yola, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

APC parallel state exco emerges in Ondo OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

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faction of the All Progressives Party, APC, in Ondo State yesterday announced the emergence of a new state executive committee for the party.

The committee is led by a former member of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Ademola Ariyo, as state chairman.

Other members are former state chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Olalekan Obolo, as secretary and Yemisi Aladesaye as treasurer.

This came barely a week after the conduct of the state congress of the party, where a former Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Isaac Kekemeke, was elected as state chairman.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

were marred by fighting, maiming and eventual killing of our party members.

“This is not the kind of change the APC stands for.

A party that prides itself of being an alternative to the present impunity happening across Nigeria must learn to do things properly so as to meet the yearnings of the generality of Nigerians.”

the bilateral relationship between Finland and Nigeria was very germane, adding that her country was ready to assist Nigeria in fighting terrorism to a halt.

She said: “The mission of this courtesy visit is about the security challenges in Nigeria and we

Awoists in APC, PDP are betrayers -Akinfenwa BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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ational Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, yesterday described as “enemies of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo” all politicians claiming to be Awoists in both the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressive Congress, APC, presently.

Akinfenwa, who was in the Senate representing Osun East senatorial district between 1999 and 2003 on AD platform, said the late sage must have felt betrayed seeing those who fought him while alive, heavily relying on his goodwill to feather their political nests now.

Akinfenwa, who spoke in Iwo, during an event organised to welcome Senator Sunday Fajinmi back to the AD having dumped the party for PDP shortly after the 2003 governorship election, said he refused to be “lured” out of AD because of the unflinching believe he has in the legacies of the late premier of Western region, adding that all governors of South-West states between 1999 and 2003 but one contributed to the destruction of AD.

Speaking at a press conference in Akure, the group leader, Benjamin Akinbobola, said their action enjoyed support from the APC national leadership.

He criticised the recently concluded congresses of the party supervised by a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, describing them as “charade.”

Akinbobola said the congresses were characterised by monumental violation of the party regulations meant to guide them, adding: “The breakdown of law and order in the party was as a result of the way and manner congresses were conducted in various wards, local government areas and the state which

ALEX MOMOH

...Umar Doguwa emerges Kano chair

KANO

K

ano State Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa has emerged the chairman of Kano State All Progressive Congress, APC, at a congress of the party held in Kano yesterday.

The new chairman was elected unopposed at the state congress where other 35 other contestants for

various executive posts were elected.

The congress, which held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium complex in the state capital was attended by Governor Rabi`u Musa Kwankwaso, his deputy, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, top party notches in the state and almost all the state commissioners.

All the candidates who emerged unopposed under

consensus, following the reconciliation between the party elders and the contestants were elected by six delegates from each ward of the 44 local government areas of the state.

The Organizing Secretary of the interim Committee, Hon. Murtala Sule Garo, in his speech during the congress told National Mirror that the election was the best in series of

believe that the security staff will feel safe if they are well equipped. This is an opportunity for us to let you know about our finished product for the capacity building for the security staff so that they can understand the dynamics of combating terrorism.”

party congress in the recent time describing it as most hitch-free, saying that the commitments and efforts of Governor Kwankwaso depicted the success of the congress.

He said: “We thank God that both the atmosphere and the congress are peaceful which is dedicated to the amiable governor of the state to ensure a hitch-free and successful congress.”

He said: “All these governors apart from Adefarati used their influence and money, ironically made from being governors on the platform of AD, to destroy the political dynasty built by the late sage, Chief Awolowo. Till date, these governors are receiving their pensions with the name of AD. “They have hidden the truth since the crisis started in AD, but we are set to revive the party and bring back all those that were lured away into the APC. Today, 90 per cent of APC members in South West are former AD members.

But these people are ready to return to the right path founded by Chief Awolowo.”

Commenting on the leadership of Senator Bola Tinubu, Akinfenwa said: “Leadership cannot be bought. Leaders emerge over time. When Awolowo emerged leader of Yoruba race, he was neither the oldest nor the richest but his leadership trait distinguished him from the crowd and everyone respected him.”

Akinfenwa said the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, posed no threat to the chances of AD, saying his party remains the only party with the real legacies of late Awolowo, adding that the newly registered UPN has no link with the UPN founded by Awolowo, positing that the fact that no living Awoist can be found in the party was an indication that the current UPN does not belong to the Yoruba people.

In his remarks, Senator Sunday Fajinmi, said he was back in the AD to revive and reposition it ahead of the coming Osun governorship poll.

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Views

Thursday, May 1, 2014

17

Still on Nyako’s genocidal thesis EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

FRY

NDUBUISI Professor Ndubuisi is of the Dept of Philosophy, UNILAG fryndubuisi@nationalmirroronline.net (08023016709 SMS only)

T

he recent explosion by the Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako, on the Boko Haram insurgency in the country should have taken a lot of people by surprise. The President Goodluck Jonathan administration to which the entire thing was directed equally reacted almost spontaneously. Governor Nyako, one of the five rebel PDP governors that decamped to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), reportedly wrote a letter to all the 19 northern governors, alleging that the Jonathan administration was carrying out genocidal acts against the North. He made reference to issues bordering on serious security matters. He even claimed that there was nothing like Boko Haram! To give strength to his point he made allusion to our ugly past that we all have been struggling to forget.

It is amazing that this was coming from a high officer of the state, a former Chief of Naval Staff and a sitting governor. Governor Nyako has been having a running

battle with the Presidency since he jumped the PDP ship. His political fortunes and influence, especially at the centre, have consequently waned. In our part of the world, it is almost like a curse for one to lose his horizon of influence for whatever reasons.

Nigerians have been reacting to this allegation of genocide against the Jonathan administration. The former Governor of Kaduna State, Abubakar Umar, sees the statement as reckless and unbecoming of such a high officer of the state, while the Information Minister, Labran Maku, described the letter as anti-Nigeria with the potential of inciting the people against the Federal Government. He lamented that the security agencies are being hampered in their jobs by careless comments of highly placed Nigerians. Reacting to this too the former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Buba Marwa, stated that Nyako’s action was not only a calculated ‘’mischief and local blackmail ,but an insult on Nigerians that voted President Goodluck Jonathan into office’, stressing the governor’s letter ‘’apart from its incoherence, was to say the least disgraceful ,shameful, embarrassing to the military constituency and most unbecoming of a retired Admiral , former service chief and executive governor’’. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) wants the letter investigated.

There are a number of questions arising from the letter. The country has been saddled with unprecedented security challenges since this administration came to power.

WE ARE CURRENTLY FACED WITH A VERY CRITICAL SITUATION THAT IS CAPABLE OF UNDERMINING THE FUTURE OF THE

COUNTRY; IT REQUIRES ALL OF OUR MIGHT AND WIT TO OVERCOME IT There have been bombing of public buildings, churches and mosques and slaughtering of lives. Boko Haram has accepted responsibility for all of them. The existence of this militant group is no longer in contention. The general concern has been what to do with this monster. Governor Nyako cannot be serious to say there is no Boko Haram. It is also known that the Fulani herdsmen have been a new source of security challenge in the country. For anyone to say they are peace loving people that go about their business quietly is a big paradox.

It is sad that Boko Haram has proved to be intransigence. Some recent past security issues were successfully brought under control. Foremost was the Niger Delta crisis that lasted for a while. It took concerted national efforts involving the security agencies and elders of the region and mobilized by the late President Umaru

Musa Yar’Adua, to bring peace to the region. There was no allegation of genocide against the military then even when what the Niger Deltans were agitating for was very clear. At one time the level of armed robbery and kidnapping in Aba, Abia State was frightening. It took the intervention of the military and other security forces to bring the situation under control.

We are currently faced with a very critical situation that is capable of undermining the future of the country; it requires all of our might and wit to overcome it. Militancy is cancerous, it can spread to even unimaginable points as we are at present witnessing. It is thus significant we leave politics, ethno-religious differences out of it if we must contain it.

While it is true that the constitution guarantees Nigerians freedom of expression, we have to be circumspect in very sensitive matter that borders on security of life and property. Reckless statements can send dangerous signals and the consequences may be too awful to contend with. What the Islamic militants are capable of doing is not in doubt. They are sufficiently equipped to hit their targets and waste as many lives as possible. The government needs to muster the political will, source for men and materials that can tame this monster once and for all.

This requires the cooperation of all.

The northern elders and indeed Nigerian leaders should advise the FG positively on how to end this ravaging scourge. It is dangerous to play politics with a situation as critical as this.

As we celebrate Workers’ Day

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oday is International Workers’ Day! It is a day historically linked with working people in their struggles to actualise fair and auspicious working conditions within the gamut of workers’ rights as enshrined in international and national laws of civilised countries. The Nigerians workers would today join their counterparts in other parts of the world to mark this day.

A day like this, however, calls for a sober reflection on the plight of the workers in this country.

By and large, it is very disturbing that conditions of workers in this country are still very far from what they should be. They are still a long shot from what even an average capitalist system could offer. To start with, most of our laws on labour are archaic and, what is more, even the so-called archaic provisions are poorly enforced with the resultant negative impact on the industrial sector.

Conditions of employment in many Nigerian organisations are still appalling with a good number of employers cashing in on high employment rate to shortchange workers. Only a segment of the workforce could beat their chests for privileged membership of the “gainfully employed” club; majority of the workers are on subsistence mode, working laboriously to keep bodies and souls together.

A sizeable number of the workforce are under-employed while millions of other do not derive job satisfaction in what they do, working only for survival from pay day to pay day.

In the public sector, incessant industrial actions by the likes of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Nige-

THE SO-CALLED ORGANISED PRIVATE SECTOR IS EVEN WORSE AS MANY EMPLOYEES UNDER MULTIFARIOUS CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENTS ARE EXPLOITED AND DENIED CONVENTIONAL WORKERS’ RIGHTS rian Medical Association, etc, are an indication that all is not well. Only last Monday, a large number of electricity sector workers disrupted activities at the head offices of Benin and Ibadan electricity distribution companies over allegations of unfulfilled agreements, including payments of benefits, retrenchment of workers and collection of fixed charges without supplying power.

The so-called organised private sector is even worse as many employees under multifarious contracts of employments are exploited and denied conventional workers’ rights. This is not to talk of the culture of casualisation of workers, which seems to be soaring even in the otherwise strong institutions like banks.

Under the International Labour Organisation’s treaty to which Nigeria is signatory, the rights of workers, otherwise known as labour rights, include right to work no more than eight hours a day and forty hours a week, right

to collectively bargain with employers, right to occupational safety and health, right not to be discriminated against, and the right to strike. Moreover, section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees Nigerians the right both to form a trade union and to belong to any trade union of their choice.

There is certainly, a lot the Federal Government can do to improve the lots of Nigerian workers, for example, paying the least paid worker a paltry N18, 000 per month under the National Minimum Wage Scheme is callous and inhuman, when everybody knows that the sum cannot even feed a child for one month!

It is instructive to note that the 1999 Constitution gives an insight into the conditions of work envisaged for Nigerian workers when in section 17 (3), it provides, inter alia, “The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that- (a) all citizens, without discrimination whatsoever, have the opportunity for securing adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunity to secure suitable employment; (b) conditions of work are just and humane, and that there are adequate facilities for leisure and for social, religious and cultural life; (c) the health, safety and welfare of all persons in employment are safeguarded and not endangered or abused; (d) there are adequate medical and health facilities for all persons: (e) there is equal pay for equal work without discrimination on account of sex, or on any other ground whatsoever; (f) children, young persons and the age are protected against any exploitation whatsoever, and against moral and material neglect…”

Capitalism may be the best a form of

CRITICAL STROKES

KAYODE

KETEFE

kketefe@nationalmirroronline.net 08032147720 (SMS only)

government, but the most stable organised and progressive capitalistic states are those where broadsides of capitalism are whittled down with some dose of welfarism.

It is laudable that the National Assembly has empowered the National Industrial Court through an amendment to the 1999 Constitution, by enhancing its capacity to adjudicate more efficiently on the issues of labour disputes and industrial relations in Nigeria. It is, however, too early to judge the NIC on how well it is discharging its enhanced responsibilities towards fostering better industrial harmony in the country.

While calling on all the governments, organised private sector and other stakeholders to strive to improve the lots of workers in the country. Let me wish all our workers, Happy Workers’ Day! 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.

Editorial

18

Thursday, May 1, 2014

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KAFILAT OGBARA

MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO

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COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

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REGIONAL DIRECTOR, S/SOUTH

KING ODODORU

HEAD, GRAPHICS

FG’s task force on sexual abuse, violence against children

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he Federal Government, a fortnight ago, instituted the National Joint Task Force for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Violence against Children in Nigeria, which is aimed at addressing the growing cases of violence against children, especially child sexual abuse, rape and abduction of innocent children.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, while inaugurating the committee in Abuja, said the task force was coming on the heels of recent terror attacks and abduction of about 200 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by insurgents.

Maina said: “When there are economic problems in the family, children are made to hawk in the streets where they are exposed to all kinds of hazards, including child sexual abuse. The continuous and recent terror attacks and abduction of children from schools in the North-east region of the country is a clear demonstration of the extent of violence meted to the Nigerian child. This callous act highlights the need for government to employ a multi- sectoral approach to tackle the scourge that is eating deep into the fabric of the country”. The task force membership was drawn from the Nigeria Law

Reform Commission (NLRC), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Police, Legal Aid Council and the Public Complaints Commission. The ministries of Information, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Education and Health, as well as the Christian and Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria are also members of the new outfit.

Of a truth, the ongoing campaign of violence by insurgents expressed through cruel bloodletting and now the abduction of school girls is inhuman. There is equally no disputation of the fact that the most vulnerable people in time of crisis anywhere in the world are children and women.

Even in normal times, children are subjected to all kinds of abuse. Therefore, any step taken to protect the Nigerian child-girl from rape, labour and any form of inhuman treatment, is in order.

Studies have, for example, empirically confirmed that the effects of child sexual abuse, indeed any form of ill-treatment meted out to the child include fear, anxiety, depression, anger and hostility, aggression and sexually inappropriate behaviour. In the long run, the consequences would include depression and all

MORE

IMPORTANTLY,…

ITS SUCCESS WILL BE DETERMINED BY HOW SOON THE

FG

IS ABLE TO CONTAIN INSURGENCY IN THE

NORTH

sorts of self-destructive behaviour, anxiety, feelings of isolation and stigma, poor self-esteem, difficulty in trusting others, a tendency toward re-victimization, substance abuse and sexual maladjustment.

Incidentally, Nigeria cannot be said to be lacking official agencies, including civil society groups and activists that are keeping watch on child abuse.

The latest – the FG’s task force, is just an addition to the numerous existing agencies, apparently as a result of the harrowing experiences the girl child and other children are passing through in parts of the North. More importantly, therefore, its success will be determined by how soon the FG is able to contain the lingering insurgency in the North.

Under normal circumstances, however, the steps experts say could be taken to check child

abuse include proper parental nurturing to make the child understand that he/she is special, loved and capable of realising his/her dreams. Neighbourly help in child upbringing, developing religious, educational and community projects that can occupy children, teaching them prevention strategies – including dressing decently, etc, can help to keep the girl-child safe to some extent from rape, for instance. Other measures would include monitoring the television, video and internet programmes children indulge in, the kind of company they keep, as well as reporting any suspected abuse or neglect of any child to the relevant authorities and law enforcement agencies. When the challenges of life bite hard, parents should not feel overwhelmed to the point of neglecting or ‘taking it out’ on the child, but should remain calm, inspire confidence and extend love to children.

Yet, it needs to be emphasised yet again that the unpredictable fate of kids generally up North is mainly the product of the Boko Haram campaign of violence.

Curbing it seems to be the surest way to guarantee the safety of the child to a great extent, especially in that axis and elsewhere. This is the main challenge the FG should address.

ON THIS DAY May 1, 1956

May 1, 1999

The polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk, was made available to the public. Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis (or polio).

The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated (dead) poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin using attenuated poliovirus.

The body of British climber, George Mallory, was found on Mount Everest, 75 years after his disappearance in 1924. Mallory (June 18, 1886 – June 8 or 9, 1924) was an English mountaineer. During the 1924 British Mount Everest Expedition, Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew “Sandy” Irvine disappeared during their attempt to make the first ascent of the world’s highest mountain located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas.

May 1, 2011 Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the September 11 attacks was killed by United States special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Due to the time difference between the US and Pakistan, bin Laden had actually been killed on May 2. Bin Laden (March 10, 1957 – May 2, 2011) was the founder of alQaeda, the militant Islamist organization that claimed responsibility for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

19

Education Today

AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY, ADO-EKITI (ABUAD) “The setting of this University is ‘Superlative’ and ‘Impressive’, with nothing of its kind that I have seen so far in the country or anywhere else” (Gen. Dr. Yakubu Gowon, GCFR,)

SAIDAT ALAUSA

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arents and students have continued to express their displeasure over the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and their counterparts at the colleges of education.

The labour unions, civil society groups as well as well-meaning Nigerians have equally dissatisfied with the development.

They said they were fed up with the situation, which has grounded activities in both tiers of education for several months.

Today makes 195 days into the strike by the polytechnic lecturers as well as that of their counterparts at the colleges of education.

Interestingly, both teachers’ unions jointly went on the streets of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday protesting the inability of government to resolve the issue by now. But the Federal Government’s position on the strike so far, according to stakeholders, is not encouraging.

They accused both the government and the lecturers of what they called insensitivity to their plight and that of the education sector as a whole.

The Chairman, Parents/Teachers Association of Nigeria, South-West, Deacon Olusoji Adams said many students at this period are engaging in activities that could easily truncate their future.

He observed that the development was dangerous, especially now that political activities in preparation for the next general elections are gathering momentum.

“The implication of this is that politicians can easily lure these students into nefarious activities like hooliganism and thugerry without minding the adverse consequence,” he said.

The government, he pleaded, should therefore not allow things to get out of hands before they settle with the lecturers.

“It is not necessary for them to go on street protest before government should do something to resolve the crisis,” he concluded.

Similarly, Mr. Olusola Olayiwola whose daughter just secured an admission into the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State when the strike began, is at the moment not happy that the same daughter would still have to stay more at home idle.

Like Adams, he equally pleaded with

Striking lecturers protesting in Lagos

FG, lecturers warned as ASUP, COEASU continue strike POLITICIANS CAN EASILY LURE THESE STUDENTS INTO NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES LIKE HOOLIGANISM AND THUGERRY WITHOUT MINDING THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCE the government as well as the teachers to sheathe their swords and allow normalcy to return to schools.

He pointed that while polytechnics produce middle-level manpower to the economy, the colleges of education churn-out teachers

FG sets November deadline for unified payroll system for tertiary schools 26

who will in turn reproduce themselves and other professionals.

“But a situation where the two subsectors are neglected is a pointer that the country is preparing for a doom. So, I implore both parties in this issue to resolve their differences and allow our children to go back to school,” he pleaded.

Rukayat Adekanmi is a Higher National Diploma student of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos. She told National Mirror that the strike had already extended her stay on campus by one year having lost a semester.

Although, engaging in beads making for now to keep herself busy, Rukayat like her colleagues is eager to go back to school and complete her studies.

So for her, both sides should go back to a negotiation table and resolve their differences once and for all.

Confab committee: ‘Why I may reject my membership’ 24

Another student, Chuks Ogbonnya, who is in 200-level at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State said he was preparing for the one year mandatory industrial training when their lecturers declared strike.

“Now I don’t know when I will go back to school much less the time for the industrial training. I am at home doing absolutely nothing tangible. My daily routine is to sleep, eat and visit friends and I am tired of all that,” he lamented.

Nonetheless, ASUP Coordinator, South West, Mr. Babatunde Dosumu told National Mirror on telephone on Tuesday that they would continue with the strike until the Federal Government meets their demands, which borders on infrastructural development, salary, welfare, and development of polytechnic education in the country, among others.

50% tariff on books’ importation unacceptable, says NIBFT 20

20

Education Today

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

School opens free e-library for public GLORIA USMAN ABUJA

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L-R: Former Chairman, Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NIBFT), Mr. Dayo Alabi; Chairman, Mr. Samuel Kolawole and Secretary, Mr. Abiodun Omotubi at a media briefing to announce this year’s NIBFT’s international book fair.

financial and managerial elearning institution, Global Finance School (GFS), Abuja is offering members of the public free access to its online library to access relevant and interesting books.

The founder of the school, Solomon Simanovsky in a release, said the free e-books cover such subject areas as accounting, stock Market, finance, economics and statistics, among others and that readers have the opportunity to sit for the school’s exams online.

The founder noted that thousands of students from more than 65 countries have benefitted so far from the facility.

Be diligent, FEDPOFFA Rector advises youth corps members

50% tariff on books’ importation unacceptable, says NIBFT R TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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n umbrella body for the major stakeholders in the nation’s book industry, Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NIBFT) has called on the Federal Government to reverse its newly introduced 50 percent tariff on books, importation to the old regime.

The trust, comprising Nigerian Publishers’ Association, Booksellers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Book Foundation, Association of Nigerian Printers and Association of Nigerian Authors, among others said the call was necessary as the new regime had already pushing up the prices of books and other reading materials in the country beyond reach and consequently, worsening the reading habit of Nigerian youths.

The chairman of the organisation, Mr. Samuel Kolawole who made the call in Lagos at a press conference to announce the forthcoming 13th annual book fair, argued that the new policy as well as the low level of book production in the country could not support the new tariff of 50 per cent charges on each imported material in the industry.

He explained that about 80 per cent of books written for tertiary education in the country are produced abroad by foreign authors and hiking tariff on them would take many important books off the shelves of school libraries.

He said the government should therefore first of all provide favourable environment for the local manufacturers before it begins to talk on how to protect them.

“But as it is now, there is bound to be a serious problem in the book industry since

this is lacking. So, government should not compound the Nigerian education problem with not well- thought policy,” he stressed.

He said the situation whereby government just wake up to introduce tariff of 50 per cent on materials hitherto tariff free was not good enough for the industry.

Speaking about the forthcoming sixday book fair event billed to hold at the university of Lagos, Akoka from Monday, May 5, Kolawole said many new countries around the world such as Egypt and Pakistan were expected to participate, adding that the theme of the programme was “Emergence of e-book and the survival of physical book in Africa.”

He noted that the Registrar of the Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria, Dr. Victoria Okojie was a keynote speaker at the event.

VC lauds TETFUND’s intervention in varsities mended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its BAUCHI various intervention efforts in he outgoing Vice-Chan- developing universities in the cellor of Abubakar country.

Tafawa Balewa UniverHe gave the commendation sity, Bauchi, Prof Mohammed while fielding questions from Hamisu Mohammed has com-

EZEKIEL TITUS

T

newsmen at a press conference on his farewell programme last week.

The VC declared that his university had benefited so much from the TETFund money, especially in the areas

Pupils of Hill Montessori School in F.H.A, Kubwa, during their resumption in Abuja on Monday.

PHOTO: NAN

of capacity development for staff.

According to him, the fund sponsored some academic staff for Masters and PhD programmes locally and internationally.

Speaking about his challenges as a VC, he said the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities in 2009 when he assumed office and that of last year that lasted about five months had made the university losing a semester.

“And that is not good enough for the university,” he said.

He however, pointed out that his administration notwithstanding, made some significant contributions to the university, especially in the area of infrastructural development and the introduction of Mechatronics and System Engineering, Automobile as well as Computer and Communication Engineering in the School of Engineering.

ector, Federal Polytechnic Offa (FEDPOFFA), Dr. Mufutau Olatinwo has urged the newly deployed corps members into the polytechnic to be industrious in their primary assignments.

He gave the advice while welcoming them as members of the 2014 Batch ‘A’ corps to the institution.

Speaking through the Deputy Registrar in charge of Senior Staff Establishment, Alhaji Isiaka Agboola, the rector also advised them to be humble and wellbehaved during and after their one-year mandatory national assignment as demanded of them.

He said those attributes would help them as they go about their primary assignments since the exercise would be a training avenue for them.

Why Guineans prefer schooling at OAU -Envoy SIKIRU AKINOLA

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he Guinean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Sysavane Mory has disclosed that most Guineans seeking admission into foreign universities prefer to come to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife to study.

He made the disclosure recently when he paid a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Bamitale Omole in Ile-Ife. He said his country as well as its nationals cherished academic and moral excellence that OAU was known for over the years hence, the reason many Guineas prefer to send their wards to the institution.

The envoy in a release by OAU’s spokesman, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, urged the university leadership to keep the flag flying by not derailing from making the institution a world standard.

Responding, the host, said the university would continue to make its programmes available to foreign students from across Africa and the rest of the world.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Pass Fisheries Commission Bill now, don tells N/Assembly SAIDAT ALAUSA

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senior lecturer at the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Godfrey Ezeri has urged the National Assembly to pass without further delay the Fisheries Commission Bill before it into law.

He made the call during the inaugural

lecture he delivered at the institution recently, saying the major component of the bill which borders on Fish Health Management Programme (FHMP) would greatly help the country in the consumption of edible foods.

He spoke on a theme: “Fish diseases: A major hindrance to realisation of fish for all.” And the programme was 44th edition in the series.

Ezeri, a Professor of Fish Pathology and Health, said if the bill becomes a law, FHMP would be organised as part of each state

L-R: Chief Commissioner, Nigerian Girl Guides Association, Dr. Christie Toby; National Adviser to the association, Mrs. Olayinka Olaniyan and Liaison Officer, Zambia High Commission in Nigeria, Mrs Sipiwa Gogo-Peter at the opening ceremony of the guide’s entrepreneurial leadership training programme for young African women in Lagos PHOTO: TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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he number of UK students who would consider studying abroad is rising fast, according to the British Council.

A survey of more than 2,500 students found 37% would take up a degree overseas, compared with 20% in a similar poll last year.

Rising tuition fees at home was the main reason for contemplating an education abroad, as well as gaining academic credit and language skills.

The United States and Aus-

agricultural development programmes which other stakeholders such as the Fishery Departments in the state Ministries of Agriculture, veterinary departments, universities, research institutes and nongovernmental organisations could benefit from.

He said such law would give room for effective monitoring of eggs and fishes that are to be imported into the country to ascertain if they are edible.

“It will also give room for the control of registration of fish farmers and operators of cold rooms as well as strengthening network opportunities among policy management and research outputs in universities, research institutes and extension workers,” he added.

He however, pointed out that fish accounts for about 40 per cent of animal food that supplies proteins to Nigerians and 16 per cent worldwide.

He equally said the subsector contributes food and nutritional security for about 200 million Africans and provides income for over 10 million people making it one of the leading export commodities for Africa with an annual export value of $2.7 billion.

Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

Olusola Oyewole said the university would continue to produce graduates that would contribute significantly to food production in the country.

UK students consider study abroad tralia were considered the top study destinations.

It is difficult to establish exactly how many British students opt to study abroad as there is no central means of collecting this data.

However, UNESCO research suggests 28,180 British students (just over 1% of the total) were studying overseas in 2012.

The British Council survey polled 2,630 students in the UK for their views. Of these, two-thirds (67%) were aged between 18 and 24.

In total, 41% said they would not consider studying abroad; this compares with 65% last year.

Those who said they would consider studying abroad were asked if the increase in university tuition fees in England had affected them and over half (57%) said it had; this compares with 27% last year.

The poll shows the main academic reason for students wanting to study abroad was to gain credit for their field of study (33%), followed by the chance

to improve their language skills (26%).

There were also non-academic reasons, the British Council found, the most popular being the opportunity to travel overseas (chosen by 20%).

This was followed by the chance to have a “unique adventure” (19%), to improve job prospects (17%), building self-confidence (15%) and the opportunity to establish international careers (15%).

Culled: BBC

Monarch lifts Anambra schools with N2.6m books FRANCIS EKPONE ONITSHA

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Expressing worry over poor reading culture in the country as a whole, Eze Ilouno stressed that the only solution to ignorance is to make education affordable to people.

He used the medium to disclose to the audience that he was also building a modern library, science laboratory as well as hostels for two schools in the area to boost education in the state. He promised to do more so

as to leave a better legacy by the time he is no more.

The books were inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Oseloka Obaze who represented the governor, Dr. Willie Obiano, at the event.

Expressing appreciation, the secretary commended the monarch for the gesture, calling on others to emulate him.

traditional ruler of Ifitedune community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Eze Chukwuemeka Ilouno has distributed books worth over $15,000 (about N2.58m) to 18 primary schools and six secondary schools in the council area.

The books which are on different subjects including mathematics, history and sciences were shipped into the country from the United States at the cost of over N3 million.

The monarch who disclosed this urged other wealthy people in the state to toe his path, saying education is a strong weapon to curb crime in the society.

He noted that he was motivated to invest in education to reduce the level of ignorance facing the people of the area.

“I realised that most young men in Igboland don’t want to enroll in school anymore because they just want to make money quickly. So there is need to reverse the trend by re-orientate them towards education,” he The donor, Igwe Chukwuemeka Ilouno showing one of the books to his guests at the event. said.

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Lagos won’t relent on investing in education –Fashola TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has restated his administration’s commitment to improve education standard in the state.

He gave the assurance at the combined convocation ceremony of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Otto/Ijanikin, Lagos held last week.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Oluranti Adebule, Fashola promised that the state would continue to commit resources necessary to take the sector to the next level. A total of 8,366 graduands from the institution in the last three years were presented with their certificates at the event while Senator Oluremi Tinubu and a former provost of the college, Prof. Bashiru Oderinde were also conferred with fellowship award at the occasion.

The governor however, said it was only when people have access to quality education that they would be able to think right and render service that could improve the economy.

While assuring that all levels of education would be carried along in the efforts, he noted that education was the major way to take Nigeria to a prominence position in the comity of nations.

He congratulated the graduands and urged them to make positive impact as they move on with life.

Speaking earlier, the Provost of the college, Mr. Wasiu Bashorun had strongly appealed to Boko Haram members to release the abducted students of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Chibok in Borno State, in their custody now and unconditionally.

SWANSEA University seeks Nigerian scholars

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n official delegation from SWANSEA University, one of the top universities in the United Kingdom, is in Nigeria, attending education fairs in various cities beginning from Monday. They will be around till May 10.

A statement from the university described their visit as a “perfect opportunity to meet and speak to talented students who wish to study in the UK, because “we recognise the high calibre of Nigerian students choosing to study with us. Swansea University offers opportunities for world class learning and we are glad to be able to help train Nigerian students to become future leaders.”

The Swansea delegation is led by a senior lecturer, Dr Andrew Iwobi from the College of Law. Dr Iwobi will be meeting prospective law students as well as graduates of the discipline at the Abuja fair.

Elo Vivian Odede, Swansea University Regional Manager, will also be attending UKEAS, KOT and ESCC Education fairs at Port Harcourt, Accra, Calabar and Lagos where she would be spreading the Swansea gospel.

Swansea University is based in the UK and it is currently ranked as a top 50 university.

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Education Today

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Look beyond paid employment, monarch tells undergraduates KEMI BUSARI

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he Owa of Otan-Ayegbaju, Osun State, Oba Lukman Fadipe has advised students of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife to learn skills that would make them self reliance after graduation.

He gave the advice when the students, under the umbrella of National Associa-

tion of Otan-Ayegbaju Students (NAOS) visited him in his palace, recently.

He said this was necessary because selfemployment remains the best solution to the high level of unemployment in the country.

The monarch, who taught the students the cultural heritage and history of the town, said “Our culture has been eroded by foreigners and it is due to the neglect on our own part.”

He therefore told the students to be proud of their heritage wherever they find themselves.

The students used the medium to present the outgoing officers of the association with certificates of service while swearing-in their successors.

The new President of the association, Oluwabukola Ojo said his administration would consolidate on the good works of his predecessor.

Owa of Otan-Ayegbaju, Osun State, Oba Lukman Fadipe(middle) with the students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife during their visit to the palace recently

Crawford VC tasks Nigerians on societal problems annual distinguish conference organised by the institution’s College of Business and Social he Vice-Chancellor, Sciences in Igbesa, recently.

Crawford University, The event was themed: “ManIgbesa, Ogun State, agement and governance for Prof. Samson Ayanlaja has sustainable development in appealed to all Nigerians to the 21st Century.” join hands together and find The VC warned Nigeripermanent solutions to the perennial problems confront- ans of impending dangers if something was not done fast ing the country.

He made the call at a 3rd to address the lingering socio-

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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economic crisis and insecurity in the country, saying it was high time Nigerians sincerely pursue the course that would help move the country to the next level.

On the theme of the programme, the don said it was required that the country at this stage produces political leaders who would be concerned only on the people-oriented programmes

L-R: Dean, College of Business and Social Sciences, Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, Prof. Patrick Yalokwu; Director, Primary and Higher Education, Ogun State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samson Ayanlaja and others at the just concluded university’s 3rd Annual Learned conference in Igbesa.

and not those with selfish agenda.

He, however, expressed optimism for better Nigeria.

Similarly, the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela in his remark at the event, also called for joint fight against corruption and other social ills that he said thwarting the development of the country.

He said Nigerians must particularly fight corruption together in all it facets both among public officers and those in private sector for the good of the country.

Represented by the Director of Primary and Higher Education in the ministry, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye, the commissioner explained that every office holder at any level must be able to give satisfactory account of his/her stewardship.

He noted that all these were significant to the nation’s growth and development.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oprah Benson appeals to Boko Haram to release abducted school girls TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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n entrepreneur, Chief Oprah Benson has again passionately appealed to Boko Haram members to unconditionally release the students of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Chibok in Borno State, who have been held captive since 15 days ago.

She made the appeal in a chat with National Mirror in Lagos at the opening ceremony of the entrepreneurship training programme organised by the Girls’ Guide Association in Africa for young women on the continent. A total of 22 African countries were represented at the forum and Benson was there as an honorary-consul of Liberia.

Benson, the Yeye-Oge of Lagos said only God knows the emotional trauma these abducted students would be passing through in the forest where they are being kept.

“The development is a tragic one for this nation. That is why I am joining other parents and good people of this nation to appeal to Boko Haram members again to release those girls unhurt and without further delay,” she added.

She lamented that the incessant attack by insurgents on schools and students would continue to affect enrollment and educational development in the country.

She therefore called on government to arrest the trend from degenerated.

Govt tasked on cultural preservation

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he Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Mallam Yussuf Usman has called on the government, especially the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation to educate the masses on cultural preservation.

He made the call while delivering a lecture, titled: “The preservation of natural and cultural heritage for sustainable development” at the maiden edition of Dr. John Odeyemi Annual Lecture, organised by the Natural History Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

According to him, the preservation is necessary in order to improve employment generation and the economy as a whole.

He said in order to preserve natural and cultural heritage, the NCMM had collaborated with UNESCO, the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Nigeria National Park Service, OAU Natural History Museum and university departments that run courses on aspects of natural and cultural heritage.

He also said tourism that would help the public to appreciate natural and cultural heritage and earn a living from it should also be encouraged in the country.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today

Thursday, May 1, 2014

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WAEC supervision-malpractice personified?

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t was meant to be an informal social conversation over one of the communication networks in Nigeria, and this outcome could not have been predictable. The simple question was “how about the WAEC examinations, are you not participating?” The answer was “No, I hate malpractice……; WAEC supervision is malpractice personified.” It was an unexpected bombshell that suddenly exploded in my face! The respondent at the other end was an old student of mine, who now teaches biology in one of the secondary schools in my state. In her current position, she would have been one of the old, trusted and dependable candidates WAEC could rely on for examination supervision. She is however, totally excluded from the process because of the prevailing culture of examination malpractice. The discussion that followed this outburst revealed mind boggling details about the level of decadence in the hierarchy of our educational set-up.

While we may quickly dismiss this as the opinion of one individual, the number of teachers that are becoming disenchanted with the situation in our secondary schools, particularly during the examinations is growing.

The sad aspect of the conversation that followed is that the respondent and many others in her shoes are totally disillu-

Education as I see it

by Tosanwumi Otokunefor

info@alphaedufoundation.org 08030904461 (email/SMS only)

THERE ARE TALES OF PROSPECTIVE SUPERVISORS BEING ASKED TO PAY N10, 000 BY COMPROMISED CIES IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SUPERVISORS’ LIST sioned as they do not expect a change in the situation soon, as very highly placed individuals in the ministry of education are believed to be involved. Worse still, this group is treated with suspicion by their colleagues who are entrenched in this vice and simply stay away from the scene in order to maintain their sanity. A teacher cousin of mine with the same disposition as this respondent simply took a French leave just to avoid the insanity of the examination season!

These WAEC supervisors are not regular staff of the West African Examination Council; they are selected from among the teachers in the Local Government Area involved through the Chief Inspector of Educa-

tion (CIE) in-charge. There are tales of prospective supervisors being asked to pay N10, 000 by compromised CIEs in order to be included in the supervisors’ list.

Your name is simply replaced if you do not pay this bribe!

These corrupt examination supervisors are therefore the chief facilitators of examination malpractice in the different centres they are deployed to.

The stakes are even higher if the supervisor is deployed to one of the numerous ‘miracle centres’ that have sprung up in the states in recent times; all he or she needs to do is to play the “blind, deaf and dumb” game with the corrupt school administrators after collecting the reward upfront.

FG restates commitment on access to tertiary education SAIDAT ALAUSA

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upervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike has declared that Federal Government would continue to improve access to tertiary institutions to ensure that more Nigerians gain admission after their secondary education.

He stated this recently during the monitoring of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Abuja, saying access to tertiary education was one of the pillars of a fouryear strategic plan of the Federal Government for education, hence the establishment of 12 new federal universities by the present administration.

The minister noted that the Federal Government had made it possible for states and private entities who meet the criteria, set by the National Universities Commission, (NUC),

to obtain approval to establish new universities that could accommodate more students.

He urged Nigerian students to seek admission into polytechnics and col-

leges of education in order to build the nation’s technological base and the pool of highly qualified teachers that would drive development in all sectors of the economy.

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The thriving miracle centres in the country are clear indications of the failure of the inspectorate division of the state ministries of education to curb the criminal tendencies of their operators. This failure bothers on criminal negligence of duty and collusion with the criminal gangs that administer these institutions for personal gains, thus sabotaging the clearly defined policies of the state governments. Furthermore, in the absence of reliable statistics, the various state governments continue to commit scarce resources to payment of examination fees for the large number of SSCE candidates that are illegally enrolled in these government institutions that have metamorphosed into miracle centres. No wonder an exasperated Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State recently dismissed 41 Zonal Inspectors, Chief Inspectors of Education and Local Government Education officers for ineptitude and negligence of duty.

Heart-warming however was the assertion that the WAEC officials are generally not corrupt. As soon as they appear on the scene, the corrupt school administrators are said to make adjustments to their game plans to avoid detection.

Unfortunately, these officials do not stay long enough in any centre before moving to the next in

he University of Jos (UNIJOS) has received $8m (about N1.38bn) grant from the World Bank to establish an African Centre of Excellence to research on the production of drugs from plants (phytomedicine).

the course of their duty, and the ‘show’ simply resumes thereafter.

But even the stickiest problem certainly has a solution. The major national examinations bodies should jointly begin to recruit a core of incorruptible supervisors from the experienced teachers that are currently excluded from the process because of unbridled corruption in the system.

Their initial role would be to provide intelligence on hot spots of examination malpractice, so that concrete actions could be taken against the perpetrators.

Furthermore, they could also be empowered to gather reliable statistics on the student population of the secondary schools in every state of the country on a yearly basis, thus providing the initial data for the purpose of planning by all interested stake holders.

Finally, they could form the core of a new generation of examination supervisors who would eventually replace the corrupt and unreliable officials selected by the CIEs. Implementing these suggestions would at least bring some immediate relief to the troubled Nigerian educational system.

Long term solutions should include improvements in the quality of teachers and teaching fundamentals, provision of conducive learning environment and learning aids, and placing an unaffordable premium on examination malpractice.

World Bank offers UNIJOS N1.38bn grant The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Hayward Mafuyai, made this known in Jos recently while briefing journalists on the

L-R: Honourees, Prof. Bashiru Oderinde; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Dr. Oluranti Adebule and Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education((AOOED), Otto/Ijanikin, Lagos, Mr. Wasiu Bashorun with others during the institution’s conferment of fellowship award on the honourees and convocation ceremony, recently

research activities of the institution.

He said that the award was given based on the university’s entry called by the bank for research initiatives from African universities.

“We competed with about 52 universities in Africa and we were lucky to win the grant. It was given to the university to conduct researches to produce modern drugs from plants in Africa,” he said.

The grant will be used to conduct researches on leaves, roots and stems so as to extract their medicinal contents for the use of human beings.

He also said the team of researchers from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science would carry out the research.

“The money will be released to the researchers in phases so as to complete the work without hitches, “he said.

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Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Edited by: Saidat Alausa shinyan20022002@yahoo.com, 08027633686

Crawford matriculates 46 postgraduates

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he authorities of Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State has administered oath of matriculation on 46 pioneer postgraduate students of the institution.

Congratulating them on their admission, the VC told them to be committed to only those things that could boost their studies.

“I will urge you to face your studies and come out of this university as graduates who can compete favourable with peers around the world. Crawford is known for high and moral standard and I will like you to catch the vision,” he said.

He promised that the university on its part would provide basic things that would make their studentship worthwhile experience.

JABU confirms two new professors

Yinka Gbadebo (with microphone) presenting some of the items to the management of the orphanage

Confab committee: Why I may reject my membership, says NANS President • Celebrates birthday with orphans

SIKIRU AKINOLA Alo

SAIDAT ALAUSA

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oseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU, Ikeji- Arakeji, Osun State has confirmed two of its senior academic staffers as full professors to boost learning in the institution.

They are Professors Kehinde Eniola, an environmental microbiologist and Olubunmi Alo, who is a medical sociologist. Their appointment has increased the number of professors appointed by the seven- year-old institution since establishment to three with Professor Adedayo Olaleye as the first person.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

Sola Fajana in a release, said the appointment of the duo to professorial cadre was based on their credibility and integrity.

He noted that some other senior academic staffers including Noah Attah of History and International Studies; Festus Epetimehin of Actuarial and insurance Sciences; Moboluwaji Omole of Plants Entomology and Adekunle Eludire of Computer Sciences were also elevated as associate professors.

He noted that the university was proud of any of its products anywhere in the world.

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he representative of Nigerian students at the ongoing National Conference, Mr. Yinka Gbadebo has expressed his dissatisfaction over his appointment into the Committee on Environment of the conference.

He said he would likely reject the offer because he knew he would not be able to contribute meaningfully to the committee’s deliberations.

Gbadebo, who is the current President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said he didn’t know why the conference had to include his name in the Environment Committee when he is a students’ representative.

“I should be in a committee that con-

cern students and youths for me to be able to contribute effectively because I know the problems that are confronting Nigerian students as well as youths more than any other area,” he argued.

Meanwhile, the students’ leader last weekend took family members and friends to King’s Kids Children Village, an orphanage in Ibadan, Oyo State capital to celebrate his birthday.

He donated some items to the home during the visit. These include Computer sets, foodstuffs, beverages, vegetable oil, exercise books and some money. And the home has about 65 children in all.

He said he did that to put smile on faces of the children of the home and the development of the home.

Appreciating the gesture, the director of the home, Dr. Gregory Edeki, said

L-R: Graduating students from the Department of Transport Management, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Ayanyemi Damilola; Alabi Folashade and Ikudaisi Kabirat of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, during their graduation ceremony in Ogbomoso, recently.

he was particularly happy for the visit as well as the items that Gbadebo donated.

He said the donor had really shown that he had the interest of the less privileged in the society at heart.

Edeki explained that the home reforms and rehabilitates street children, displaced orphans and other vulnerable children in the society, calling for similar support from other well-meaning Nigerians.

Church fellowship sends off graduating members SIKIRU AKINOLA 400L, POL. SC. OAU

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t was celebration galore as The Apostolic Church Students Fellowship of Nigeria (TACSFON) of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife branch organised a send–off party for their colleagues who are graduating from the institution.

The highlights of the event include drama, novelty football match and the presentation of the winners of the 2014 TACSFON Got Talent, Tobi Obayomi and Tosin Balogun to the audience.

The football match between the graduating students and TACSFON FC ended 2-1 in favour of the fellowship team.

At a church service on Sunday to mark the end of the programme, Rev. Gbenga Kotila of Centre for Reality International Church, Ibadan, told the graduating students to take their future endeavours seriously so as succeed in life.

He also advised them not to allow their current situation to affect their future in a negative way but to use it to make impact as they enter into another phase of life.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Campus News

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Law students swear-in leaders

Students tasked on entrepreneurial skills

SIKIRU AKINOLA

400L, OAU, ILE-IFE

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he newly elected executives of the Law Students Society of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have been sworn-in.

Bola Okiji, a part four student of the faculty who emerged the president was sworn in by the outgoing president, Abiola Morakinyo, after which he administered similar oath on his executive members The event took place at the Faculty’s Moot and Mock Court.

In his inaugural speech, Bola called for the cooperation and support of all the students including the losers with his team so as to jointly move the association forward.

UK varsity offers masters’ programme online KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he University of Roehampton, United Kigdom has begun an online Masters of Public Health (MPH) programme which provides opportunity for people around the world, especially Nigerians, to enroll for the scheme without added cost.

A professor of biomechanics at the university and a key personality in the development of the online programme, Dr. Raymond Lee programme in a release, said the inter-disciplinarian programme would enable students to learn from one another and collaborate across geographic regions and disciplines to address health challenges.

He noted that the 29-month onlinebased programme was being offered by the university in collaboration with online learning expert, Laureate International Universities, a global network of high-quality, innovative and accredited institutions of higher education.

Roehampton University Masters in Public Health (MPH) programme, according to him, is designed for professionals and practitioners already working in specific areas relating to public health who are looking to advance their skills and knowledge in the field, as well as those looking to transition to a career in public health.

“Students may come from a wide range of backgrounds, including healthcare, education, business, government and charitable organisations. Participants in the programme are afforded the opportunity to learn from the diverse experience available within the global classroom while developing an international professional network outside of the classroom,” he added.

Lee said the programme would also allow students to connect with public health practitioners in other countries and regions, providing them with a global perspective and access to international expertise from a diverse range of disciplines, which won’t be available in a traditional classroom.

KEMI BUSARI

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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Middleman Incorporation, Osundare Ifeoluwa, a medical doctor serving in Ondo State said that Middleman was a company aims at connecting people to whatever trade they want to engage in.

Middleman is global, we hear of many trade companies in Eu-

rope but I envisage that Middleman is going farther than that.

The Obafemi Awolowo University medicine graduate stressed further that Middleman business is “an amazing opportunity to network and harness potentials of the growing market for large and small scale industries using the one on one

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networking media.”

Speaking on his experience at the event, Fagbemigun Isreal,the outgoing president of National Association of Ondo Students (NAOS) said that he was proud of the achievement made so far by the company, charging students to do likewise.

he youths in the country have been advised to learn entrepreneurial skills as a means of putting an end to unemployment in the country.

This advice was given by the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Mr. Segun Babalola.

He said this at the official opening ceremony of Middleman Company, advertising and networking firm established by a youth corps member, Osundare Ifeoluwa.

Noting that the youth of today are pre-occupied with studying which at the end of the day doesn’t earn them a job, Babalola stressed that it was high time the youths cared for themselves.

He said: “There is no family in China that doesn’t produce one thing or the other. China today controls the market in Saudi Arabia and other countries but the reverse is the case here in Youth corps member (2nd left) with others during the official opening ceremony of the Middleman Nigeria.

“The Nigerian government cares little about people and the They were asked questions on English Language, earlier we know this the better ABDUL GANIY SHEHU Islamic Studies and current affairs. it is for us as a nation, and no 200L, MATHS, UNILORIN Faculties of Pharmacy and Sciences came secamount of money is too small to he Business and Social Sciences Faculty, ond and third respectively. start a business.”

University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has The Public Relations Officer of the group, Blaming the current state emerged winner of the inter-faculty quiz Muhammad Salahudeen, a 300- level student of of insecurity in the country on competition organised by the Muslim Students’ Islamic Studies said the quiz was designed to imunemployment, the don advised Society of Nigeria (MSSN) of the institution. prove the knowledge of students on Islamic tenet youths to stop relying on governThe event, held last Friday, was among activi- and happenings in the society. ment for job. ties for this year’s Jihad Week organized by the The winners are expected to be presented with He applauded the founder of group. their prizes during the official opening of the JiMiddleman for bringing up such All the 12 faculties in the institution participat- had Week and launching of the The Luminiscent innovation. ed at the contest with two representatives each. Path magazine scheduled for Sunday, May 2014.

UNILORIN Muslim students produce quiz winner…to mark Jihad Week

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Thumps-up for FUTA on town planning training Technology, Akure (FUTA) the best in the nation’s universities.

The council gave the remark he Town Planners Regin its letter to the university’s istration Council of management.

TOPREC is the Nigeria, (TOPREC) has body mandated to regulate, adjudged the Department of among others the standards of Urban and Regional Planning knowledge, training and skills of the Federal University of

for prospective members of the urban and regional planning profession in the country.

Regional Planning Department, School of Environmental Technology the best in the league of accredited schools in The Registrar of the council, the nation’s universities.

Mr. I. M. Yunusa who signed the He said for this developletter said TOPREC had during ment, the council would be the 2013 accreditation exercise conferring an award on the adjudged FUTA’s Urban and university during the induction ceremony of new members scheduled for Abuja in July.

Reacting, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof.

Adebiyi Daramola, said the development was a further confirmation of the academic and moral excellence the university is known for over the years.

While commending both immediate and current dean of the school, Professors Deji Ogunsemi and Julius Olujimi, respectively for the efforts, the vice chancellor promised to ensure that the institution would continue to adhere to stanL-R: Secretary, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo branch, Dr. Adeyemi Suenu; dards that would set it apart South west coordinator, Dr. Nasir Adebayo and LASU branch chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris at a press conference organised by LASU-ASUU, recently.

PHOTO: TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE from the rest.

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Students’ apathy and academic performance M N ow that ASUU strike is over, concrete actions must be taken immediately to correct the lingering internal problems that have plagued the system for so long.

Specifically, the lack of enthusiasm for academic matters by students and staff, the extortionary tendencies of lecturers engaged in compulsory sales of handouts and text books at exorbitant prices, and the criminal offence of “sorting”, that is, the extraordinary practice of awarding undeserved grades by lecturers in exchange for money. All these in addition to the “humanitarian” practice of “grade padding” or “grade inflation” which attempts to whitewash poor students by “benevolently” inflating their original grades sometimes by over a hundred percent of the actual score in order to attain a pass mark. All these corrupt practices are now regular events in many tertiary institutions in the country even with Independent Corrupt Practices and related offences Commission’s offices now set up in many tertiary institutions.

Maybe nobody is aware of the degree of corrupt practices that are going on in the tertiary institutions and the potential impact on the quality of their products.

One of the paradoxical observations among some categories of Nigerian students is their perpetual absence from lectures after winning the battle to gain admission into a tertiary institution. The problem is more acute among students who because of poor performances have to spend additional one or more years to complete their programmes. This is notwithstanding the existing National Universities

AYBE NOBODY IS

AWARE OF THE DEGREE

OF CORRUPT PRACTICES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS Commission (NUC) and other institutional regulations that bar from the course examinations anyone that fails to attain the mandatory 75% attendance at lectures.

Obviously this situation is only possible because the individual institutions, faculties, departments and lecturers fail to implement this simple rule.

In a discussion of this sort, facts are often mingled with fictions and general conceptions, beliefs, positions and opinions may be elevated to the center stage at the detriment of truth.

In an actual observation in a class of 153 registered students, 99 candidates (approximately 64.7 per cent) fail to make the mandatory 75 per cent class attendance required to qualify for the course examination. The trend was more acute the “Carry-overs” who may be registering the course for the umpteenth time but

most often without attending lectures.

Only one of 46 candidates met the 75 per cent attendance requirement in this group of students.

Students do not attend lectures regularly these days for many reasons. Unmotivating, monotonous and ritualistic lectures are delivered by lazy lecturers who lack innovations, using the notes they acquired while they themselves were students long ago. A note copied by students at first registration of the course is the same note they would encounter if they attend lectures while repeating the course three years later.

The emphasis on copying of notes often eliminates the benefits of listening in the learning process.

Many students of course cannot copy notes because of their inability to spell common English words. Such students usually prefer to copy from someone who attended the lecture rather than face the potential embarrassment of been unmasked by their inability to take dictation in class.

More important is the fact that many students are actually fulltime workers or business men and women who consider their studies as part time and peripheral engagements.

I once knew a student who was a full time secretary in a company and barely attended lectures. She failed virtually all examinations that were properly conducted and graded until she was able to negotiate a study leave, started attend-

ing lectures regularly and finally graduated after two extra years! The case of repeating “carry over” is even worse. They feel that because they have less than full academic load of courses for the session, they can engage in business activities to supplement their incomes, but end up not attending lectures at all and fail the course again and again.

Others claim that their parents no longer sponsor them and hence have no money for transport to school and hence miss many of their lectures.

Two more reasons permit the students to abandon classes with impunity. The first is that nobody implements the attendance rule hence many can write their examinations without attending lecture even once.

Secondly, many departments literarily award pass marks to repeating students to allow them to pass without attaining the official pass mark. The students are aware of this! All they have to do is to appear in the examination hall, scribble something and just manage to score 20 per cent which is ultimately made up to 40 for this group of people!

This practice is widespread and does not encourage students to put in sufficient efforts to succeed.

We are all witnesses to the modern phenomenon of graduates of tertiary institutions who cannot read and write in English language. Non enforcement of basic regulations and corrupt practices are partially responsible for this aberration. The quality assurance units of the universities need to be alert to their responsibilities to safe the system.

FG sets November deadline for unified payroll system for tertiary schools TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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he Federal Government has commenced the processes of implementing the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in the federal universities with the inauguration of a committee to develop the payment template after taking due cognisance of the peculiarities of the Nigerian university system.

The committee which was inaugurated at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in Abuja by the IPPIS Coordinator, Mrs Fatimah Mede, had representatives from stakeholders in the university system namely, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities

(SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (NASU), among others.

The committee was also mandated to review the current Management Information System (MIS) of the universities, and evaluate the IPPIS in its current

form with a view of identifying the areas that needed to be reviewed to facilitate its streamlining with the features of the operating payroll system in the tertiary institutions.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mede said that currently, 318 Min-

istries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government had been integrated to the IPPIS platform, noting that their movement had been able to facilitate prompt payment of workers’ salaries.

For instance, she said in April, government was able

to pay 254,000 workers on the IPPIS platform, totalling N25 billion as salary before the Easter celebrations.

She said, “Now, we are here because our universities, colleges of education and polytechnics are yet to come on board. When members of staff of these

L-R: Former Nigerian Ambassador to Belgium; Prof. Cornelius Ogunsanwo; former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Peter Okebukola; Vice Chancellor, Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Onabajo; Registrar, Dr. Oyebola Ayeni, at the International Conference on Education, Entrepreneurship and Employability in Ibadan, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

institutions come on board, we believe that we can better manage salaries of our public institutions. The universities are sceptical about coming on board because we have not taken in their peculiarities.

“We have been on his project for four years and I will crave your indulgence to abridge all the protocols, to see if we can come up with a solution within the next two weeks to present.

We have been on the universities system since 2012 and we have gone round but unfortunately, the unions boycotted the meetings and we are willing to work with you to ensure the success of this programme”, Mede added.

The Federal Government had given universities and polytechnics a deadline of November 30 this year to migrate their payroll to the IPPIS platform.

Business Thursday, May 1, 2014

Okonjo-Iweala identifies lack of access to credit as 28 bane of SMEs

Uncertainty over broadband campaign take-off 31

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Digital LED billboards: Advertisers embrace new bride

Expert canvasses adjustment of naira exchange rate band TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

A

gainst the backdrop of dwindling revenues to government coffers and the implications for the nation’s macroeconomic stability, a leading financial expert, Bismack Rewane, on Tuesday canvassed the need for the Central Bank of Nigeria to adjust the naira exchange rate range to reflect the realities of the economy.

Making the call during his paper presentation at the 2nd Quarter 2014 Learning Series of the Securities and Exchange Commission,SEC, in Abuja, Rewane pointed out that holding the exchange rate band at all cost within the CBN’s target band of 150-160 naira to the U.S. dollar was no longer desirable given the pricing and real performance realities in the economy.

The seasoned financial consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Limited, who also spoke on the fuel subsidy, infrastructure funding gap, electricity tariff regime and oil production and revenue accruals and other economic outlook issues, noted that as hard as the apex bank may try to maintain the current currency exchange rate band, the imperatives of the domestic and international eco-

nomic developments would dictate its adjustment.

Rewane explained that efforts to grow the economy may continue to be undermined if consumption remain low despite the GDP size and therefore advocated policy measures that would ensure income redistribution between the rich and the poor in the country.

According to him, as desirable as the removal of fuel subsidy appears for the economy, the signals

are that the government may be unable to take any serious decision on it until after the 2015 elections.

He said: “The way to make an economy grow is to make an economy grow is to make people that don’t have must consume.

That is what we make us increase our supply and therefore what we look at is private consumption.

Private consumption growth Nigeria in relation to the GDP rate is that private consumption is

not growing as fast as our GDP is growing which means that the money is trapped at the top.

“So there has to be a way of releasing this money down for people to consume. So, when you hear all these anti-money laundering clamours from the external environment, it is not that they love you more than themselves; they want you to allow the money come down so that they can import their goods’’, Rewane added.

T

33

FLIGHT

SCHEDULE Arik Air Lag-Abj:07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 13.05, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50,18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun).

Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40, 10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun) Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri); 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (MonFri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) Abv-Beni:08.00, 12.10 (MonFri/Sat)08.56, 12.10 (Sun) BeninAbj:09.55,13.30

Aero Contractors Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun)Lag-Owe: 7.45am, 2pm daily

Med-View Airline

L-R: Director, Global Shapers Community, Mr. Yemi Babington-Ashaye; Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; Curator of the Abuja Global Shapers Hub, Ms. Joycee Awojoodu; and Curator of the Kano Hub, Mr. Salihu Yakasai at the Bell Ringing Ceremony of Global Shapers Community at the Exchange on Tuesday in Lagos.

Apapa Customs generates N22bn in April

he Apapa Area one Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said that the teething problem associated with Pre Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR, is gradually coming to an end even as it said it has raked a whooping N22.13bn.

The Command’s Area Controller last month, Comptroller Charles Edike gave the disclosure during a roundtable meeting with journalists under the aegis of Maritime Correspondense Organisation of Nigeria, MARCON, in Lagos on Tuesday According to the comptrol-

27

ler, the command’s revenue collection on a daily basis has been impressive attributing the improvement to technological advancement and dedication of the officers and men of the command.

The Apapa command boss reiterated that on a daily basis, the command has been generating above a billion naira which he described as a huge addition to the impressive revenue collection of the service.

Edike reiterated that the service is rolling out PAAR smoothly at the moment pointing out

that the teething problems of the PAAR regime is almost a thing of the past.

The comptroller said that from April 1st to 28th, the command has issued out 28, 861,000 PAAR as against what the service providers have issued when put together, and that the officers are highly compliant with the latest technological innovation.

The comptroller said ‘‘Initially when we were dealing with the 99,000 form M that were not perfected by the service providers alone is enormous task for us and when you add that the teeth-

ing problem of PAAR itself then you will agree with me that, certainly you will understand the kind of challenge the service will be faced with”, “We are happy that PAAR is coming out beautifully and I must say that we are coming out of the storm gradually and as we speak PAAR is now been transmitted with ease, PAAR is rolling out smoothly and before the importer gets home after processing his form M”, the PAAR will be ready before that same night” Edike stated.

Lagos- Abuja (Mon-Fri): 07.00, 08.50, 12.00, 16.30. Abuja- Lagos (Mon-Fri): 09.00, 14.00, 15.00, 18.30. Lagos-Yola (Mon-Fri): 8.50am. Yola-Lagos (Mon-Fri): 13.00. Lagos- PHC (Mon-Fri): 17.00. PHC-Lagos: 19.00. AbujaYola: 11.00. Yola-Abuja: 13.00.

Lagos-Abuja (Sat): 08.00, 08.50.

Abuja-Lagos (Sat): 10.00, 15.00.

Lagos-PHC (Sat): 17.00. PHC-Lagos (Sat): 19.00. Lagos-Yola (Sat): 08.50. Yola-Lagos (Sat): 13.00

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Business News

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Okonjo-Iweala identifies lack of access to credit as bane of SMEs ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

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he Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, has pointed to inability to access credit facility as the major bane of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria.

She also said about 27,000 jobs have been created through the implemented two phases of the government’s initiatives for the federal growth of small and medium enterprises, SMEs, the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria, YOUWIN. The minister made this known in Lagos on Tuesday at a PublicPrivate Dialogue on “Credit Bureaus and Access to Finance” by SMEs, jointly organised by Credit Bureau Association on Nigeria, CBAN, and Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, NASME.

The scheme, which was introduced in 2012, has been implemented twice and produced 2,400 new young entrepreneurs.

According to the minister who was represented by the DirectorGeneral, Debt Management Office, Abraham Nnwakwo, the objective of the scheme was to provide funds for the selected entrepreneurs to start and or expand their businesses ideas and also reduce the risk of starting a business.

“The main objective of YUOWIN programme including attracting ideas and innovations from young entrepreneurial aspirants, to provide a one-time grant for 3,600selected aspiring entrepreneurs to start or expand their business concepts and mitigate start-up risks, over three years in three phases of 1,200 entrepreneurs to be selected per phase to generate 80,000 to 110,000 new jobs for currently unemployed Nigerian youths. Winners of the

competition receive cash grants of between N1million and N10million, which solves the problem of access to finance for the winners.

So far two phases have been implemented and the enterprises have created about 27,000 jobs,” said the minister.

She also recalled the efforts of Federal Government and its agencies to intervene in various forms to enable the SMEs have access to much needed credit to boost their operations of which results have been mixed and probably fell short of accomplishment of the set objectives.

This, as the minister said, has made people believe that many of the schemes could not be successful without a well functioning credit bureau system.

She noted that this perception has made the government to come up with some initiatives to brace up the credit facilities to the Industries and SMEs such as the mandate given to banks to

up branches in the rural areas, the setting up of the Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry, Nigerian Development Bank, NIDB, and Nigerian Economic Reconstruction Fund, NERFUND, which were later merged in 2002 to become the bank of Industry, BOI, with the objective of providing affordable access to finance to the industrial sector including SMEs. The efforts also include the establishment of community banks, now microfinance banks, Nigerian export and Import bank, NEXIM, and the Nigerian Agricultural Credit Guarantee scheme.

Others are the small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme, SMECGS, the Small and medium Equity Investment Scheme, SMEEIS, which was a voluntary initiative in 1999 by the Bankers’ Committee through CBN’s moral suasion to assist in providing finance to the small enterprises and the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme, AC-

GSF. The minister also noted the part of the efforts to include those of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, which in the past provided far-reaching incentives to SMEs operators to list their businesses on the stock exchange in order to have access to finance from the capital market, the effort the minister said is still on-going.

Speaking on the status of access to finance by SMEs in Nigeria, the minister said one of the methods of measuring access to finance is the level of domestic credit to the private sectors by banks, taken as percentage of the GDP. As she said, “As 2012, the World Bank puts the ratio for Nigeria at 21 per cent, while that of South Africa was 71 per cent, United kingdom 176 per cent, Germany 101 per cent and United States 50 per cent. This shows that Nigeria needs to improve in this area’’.

NIM seeks cooperation of lottery, police commission in nation building

T

he Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, on Tuesday, said it would collaborate with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and Police Service Commission to promote nation building and good governance.

President and Chairman of the Council of Nigerian Institute of Management, Chartered, Dr Nelson Uwaga made the disclosure during a courtesy call to the lottery commission’s boss and the Police Service Commission chairman.

Uwaga, who said that effective training would promote quality service, explained that the institute was the foremost and largest multidisciplinary professional body in Nigeria.

He added that NIM, with its membership strength of over 200,000 individuals and 400 corporate members, had been making invaluable contributions toward nation building.

“We want to seek ways that will

enable us to work together in a mutually rewarding and beneficial way.

“We have recorded valuable achievements in the areas of professional management, capacity building, consulting, re-engineering and human capital development.

“Under this initiative, we have looked critically and in-depth at the issues of subsidy removal, national security and 2012 and 2013 national budgets.

“We have also looked at ways to revamp the industrial sector and power generation and distribution.

“Subsequently, we will be focusing on employment and job generation; transformational leadership; integrated governance and local content.’’

At the National Lottery Commission office, Uwaga said the institute was actively involved in public policy advocacy under the auspices of NIM Academy of Corporate Management.

L-R: Retail Trainer, Total Nigeria Plc, Mr. Osarobo Aigbogun; Managing Director, Mr. Alexis Vovk; Total’s Mr. Safety, Mr. Tunde Ita and General Manager, Health, Safety, Environment and Quality, Mr. Koleade Adegunle, during the launch of Mr. Safety by Total at World Day for Safety at Work, in Lagos, recently.

Boeing’s Q1 revenue climbs 8% oeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company has reported first quarter revenue of $20.5bn, up 8.3 per cent from the first quarter of 2013 as its number

of commercial plane deliveries took off.

The company reported net earnings for the quarter of $965m, down 12.7 per cent from the prioryear quarter.

“Disciplined execution across our production and development

velopment and empowerment.

Wada noted that the idea to develop a farm settlement, equipped with modern infrastructures that will support the practice of Agriculture will enable youths take to Agriculture.

He added that the farm system which will also be attractive would equally stem rural to urban migration, assured of the State Government support towards the realisation of the project.

While noting that the present

administration in the state has absolutely keyed into the Federal Government’s Agricultural transformation agenda, Wada assured that his administration will not rest on its oars in making Agriculture the fulcrum of developing the State.

He commended the Federal Government for choosing the State for the pilot program, assured the LR Group of necessary technical and other support in the realization of the Agro Industrial town concept.

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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Kogi State woos investors’ WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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he Kogi State Government has expressed its readiness to embrace investors who are willing to do business in the state.

The state governor Captain Idris Wada gave the assurance when he received in audience a Federal Government delegation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and LR, an Isreali Company con-

tracted by the Federal Government to explore and develop agro industrial towns in Nigeria.

Kogi State was selected as pilot states by the Federal Government for the LR Group of Israel to explore and develop an Agro Industrial Town fashioned in line with the Israeli Moshaf concept.

The Governor who was represented by his deputy Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, expressed happiness that the Agro Industrial Town project places emphasis on the youths de-

programmes produced strong first quarter results,” the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Boeing, Jim McNerney said in a statement.

“We measurably increased revenue, core operating earnings and cash flow, and expanded core operating margins. This financial and operational strength enabled the return of more than $3bn to shareholders in the quarter through share repurchase and an increased dividend, even as we continued to invest in our future.”

Boeing’s Hazelwood-based Defence, Space & Security division reported total revenue for the quarter of $7.6bn, down six per cent from the $8.1bn reported in the prior-year quarter.

The division’s total earnings from operations was $778m, also down six per cent from last year.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Thursday, May 1, 2014

‘Nigeria’s inland water transport potential grossly underutilised’ FRANCIS EZEM

N

early two years after the Federal Government spent billions of naira on the dredging of the Lower Niger River with a view to promoting movement of goods and persons, Nigeria Association of Master Mariners NAMM, says the effects of the project is yet to be felt, as inland transport potential is grossly untapped.

The government had in addition to the dredging of the river, also rehabilitated the Onitsha River Port, located in Anambra State to promote trade and commerce, especially within the eastern and northern flanks of the country, which has remained under lock and key more than one year after.

President of NAMM, which is umbrella body for retired indigenous ship captains, chief engineers and engineers, Captain Ade Olopoenia, who spoke in an interview, noted that Nigeria is blessed with a large network of inland wa-

terways and yet, she does not promote inland water transportation, which unfortunately remains the cheapest means of transportation.

According to him, during the colonial era, there were barges that moved goods from Warri in Delta State to Baro, Niger State and other parts of the north, regretting that all these schemes have collapsed.

“About 54 years after political independence, Nigeria is supposed to have developed a large network of inland water transport system. We were told that the Federal Government has dredged the Lower Niger River but we are yet to see the effect in terms of promoting inland water transportation”, he regretted.

He also said: “Nigeria’s inland water transport system is grossly under-utilised and if we tap all that, it will reduce the pressure on the existing road infrastructure because many of these goods being transported by road would have been transported by water”.

Olopoenia, who until his retirement was a director in the mari-

time safety department of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, also observed that this situation was made worse by the comatose state of the rail transport system despite the huge amount of money spent on it over the years to make it work.

He observed that the National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA, Nigeria’s apex regulator of the waterways has a lot of work, especially in terms of opening up the waterways in the country to proper transportation system.

“Normally, they should build jetties, mark the waterways, do dredging and also provide navigational charts to direct those traveling within the inland regions on the right course to follow”, he also said.

Experts had raised fears that Nigeria might be loosing over 30 per cent of her Gross Domestic Product GDP annually to the inefficient transport system in the country occasioned by the absence of a multi-modal transport system linking all the transport modes.

29

NCS says govt, stakeholders need more commitment over IT

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he Nigeria Computer Society, NCS, says the nation has not grown technologically, in spite of recent achievements and improvements recorded in the digital landscape.

The NCS, in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Tuesday in Lagos, said that more still needed to be done to enhance sustainable technological development.

In the statement, the NCS Chairman, Publicity, Events and Trade Services Committee, Mr Jide Awe said that only concerted efforts would lead Nigeria to the desired Information Technology realm.

“The role of technology is vital in empowering citizens economically and socially, and laying the foundations for sustainable development.

“However, talk is cheap. We have had more discussions on technology than ever before.

“Digital inclusion is still a challenge that cannot be covered up by empty sloganeering,” it quoted Prof. David Adewumi, the NCS President, as saying.

It said that the NCS was walking the walk through inclusive dialogue and strategic initiatives.

According to it, at the core of NCS strategy was practical engagement with partners and stakeholders on advancing Nigeria’s digital future for sustainable national development.

It said that the society felt strongly about its lack of inclusion, lack of professional representation in decision-making in critical sectors and absence of follow up.

“The nation fails when it fails to recognise those creating jobs faster and playing critical roles in developing Nigeria’s knowledge economy.

“There is certainly a serious need for adequate representation of Nigerian IT professionals in decision and policymaking in governance and critical sectors.

“For example, how in all seriousness can the future of any nation be discussed in the absence of the technological sector in the 21st century?” Adewumi queried.

DPR sanctions 18 oil marketers, suspends 7 licenses

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he Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has sanctioned 18 oil marketers in Abuja for their involvement in unethical sales practices, the Head of Operations of DPR, Abuja Zone, Mrs Muinat Bello-Zagi, said.

Bello-Zagi made the fact known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja on Tuesday, saying they were involved in hoarding, diversion, under-dispensing and adulteration of products.

According to her, licences of seven of the marketers have been suspended.

She attributed the regular occurrence of fuel scarcity in Abuja and environs to such activities.

She said that the activities of oil marketers were discovered by the DPR monitoring team between April 1 and April 28.

Bello-Zagi said that the offending marketers comprised 10 independent and seven major dealers’ as well one affiliated station to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

“In addition to the sanction, which is sealing of their stations, some of them who diverted or hoarded products were suspended for four months and if there is repetition of the offence they will have their licences revoked.

“You know that the last thing a marketer would want is to have

his licence suspended even for a day; it means a lot to him.

“Apart from that, they will also be charged the commercial value of the products; this is because the products are not supposed to go to where they were diverted to,’’ she said.

Bello-Zagi said that the agency had inaugurated a surveillance team to monitor the lifting of petroleum products from depots to their destinations in Abuja zone.

She said that the major offence of the marketers in Abuja was under-dispensing of products.

She explained that under-dispensing was the source through which the marketers cheat innocent motorists, “because they know that they cannot adjust pump price above the official price.

“We have five teams which monitor the marketers everyday to keep checks on them and prevent them from carrying out any nefarious activity.

“We have designed mechanisms to monitor the activities and we have checks to know if they are hoarding or not, and if we catch any defaulter, they are sanctioned appropriately.”

She said that DPR was collaborating with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies to tackle the challenge of black marketers in Abuja.

L-R: Director, Brands and Communications, Etisalat Nigeria, Enitan Denloye; two evicted contestants from the ongoing Etisalat-sponsored Nigerian Idol competition, Obed and Nex2 and competition Judge, Dede Mabiaku at the eviction party organised for them on Saturday, in Lagos.

Group urges FG to hasten completion of dry ports JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

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he Federal Government has been called upon to hasten completion of the Funtua, Gombe and Ibadan dry ports to facilitate trade and other related benefits.

The call was made by the National President of the Senior Staff Association of Communication, Transport and Corporation, Mr. Umar Omeiza in Katsina State.

Omeiza said the dry ports had been under construction

for many years and that they should be completed to improve economic activities in the three states.

He said completion of the three dry ports would also enhance industrial development and reduce pressure on the roads.

“We are calling on the federal government to complete dry ports in Funtua, Gombe and Ibadan to reduce unemployment problem in the country.

He further called on the federal government to improve electricity support at Lagos port,

lamenting on the continue interrupted supply of electricity to the port.

On the welfare of staff of Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, he said 750 staff were sponsored for training abroad and that management of the Authority has approved promotion of staff, with promise that same would be done twice in a year.

Omeiza, who was in the state for 32nd joint consultative council conference, noted that the conference created forum to discuss problems facing NPA and find a way forward.

30

Business News

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Stakeholders team up against quacks, substandard building materials BABALOLA YUSUF

I

nappropriate construction material and proper execution of construction work have been identified to be the remote cause of building collapse in the country, the chairman of the Lagos housing fair board, Ms Moleye Balogun has said.

Balogun disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the ongoing 14th Lagos housing fair ,LHF, tagged, “safety in housing delivery.”

She said that leaving construction work in the hand of quacks also added to the menace of building collapse which she said the country had recorded series of loses either in property or human life due to unsafe practices in the housing sector.

“You are aware of unsafe acts at many construction sites and

the implication of theses on the sector; we need to ponder on issues such as how conscious we are as a nation at curtailing or preventing fire outbreaks in our homes? Are we ready as individual or as a nation to do the needful as a way of reducing mishaps of any sort in the sector?”She asked rhetorically.

Balogun who is also the acting general manager of the Lagos state radio service said for the country to achieve safety in housing delivery, the supports of critical stakeholders in the sector are required.

“We are not unaware of the fact that to realise this dream, we require the full cooperation of key players. For instance, we require the support of manufacturers of building products whose effort have continued to stimulate the construction process.

“Researchers and profession-

als in the sector who are catalysts for progress as well as Real Estate developers who should be delivering large housing units. There are also bigger players and governments at all levels whose responsibilities are to initiate realistic policies for effective housing delivery.”

Balogun explained that the board decided to choose the above mentioned theme to ensure that the fair continues to be a showpiece and of benefit to all concerned.

“As the promoters of the Lagos housing fair, we are determined you may want to know the reason for our theme. The decision is hinged on the need to beam the searchlight on the implication of safety as it relates to the housing sector specifically we intend to direct the attention of the country to matters of safety in all aspect of housing’’, Balogun Said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Union urges new energy investors to avoid casualisation

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he Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, on Tuesday appealed to the nation’s new power investors to avoid casualisation of workers.

Secretary General of the association, Mr Abiodun Ogunsegha made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos.

Ogunsegha said that the union was closely watching events in the industry, as the six months contract the investors had with workers ends on April 30.

According to him, there are signs that the investors might use casualisation to maximise profit.

He said that casualisation of electricity workers would, however, not augur well for the power sector.

First Bank’s mobile solution subscribers hits one million JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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irstMonie, the mobile payment solution from First Bank of Nigeria Limited has surpassed the 1 million customer mark on its platform.

The bank introduced the solution less than two years ago to enhance service delivery for the unbanked and underbanked.

A statement from the bank yesterday quoted the Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, as saying that surpassing the onemillion mark on the FirstMonie platform, shows the extent the bank will go to ensure that our customers have more choices of

L-R: National Sales Manager, Personal Care, Fareast Mercantile Co. ltd, Jacob John;, Regional Sales Manager, Amarjeet Singh; Accounts Officer, Fubason Investment, Solomon Nlemigbo; Business Manager, West Africa, WiproUnza Oversees, Vishal Manwani, and General Manager, Fareast Mercantile Co. Anil Menon, during the Enchanteur Dealer Forum and prize distribution ceremony in Lagos, recently.

Nigeria, Sierra Leone to sign pact on improving trade –Envoy

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igeria and Sierra Leone will sign a new joint commission in 2014 to improve trade between both countries, Amb. Henry Macauley, High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria has said.

Macauley made this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on the sidelines of an event to mark the country’s 53rd anniversary on Tuesday in Abuja.

The envoy said that trade between both countries needed to be improved, adding that the trade surplus was in favour of Sierra Leone.

“The joint commission is being worked upon and we hope that later on in the course of this year, we would sign a new joint commis-

sion; we have one but it’s been almost a decade old.

“Sierra Leone has proven to be a very lucrative investment destination.

“Sierra Leone is barely three and a half per cent of the population of Nigeria; so you would expect that the balance will be leaning in favour of Sierra Leone.

“But very soon with all the investment protocols in place, we hope to improve on our own exports to Nigeria so that there will be some kind of equilibrium.

“Nigeria, of course, is very famous for its oil reserves and in Sierra Leone, we recently discovered some hydro carbon deposits.

“We’ll be looking to learn a lot from Nigeria in terms of guid-

ance, technical cooperation, learning from what has been working for Nigeria and implementing those actions as well.`` The high commissioner also said that the Sierra Leonean government was making concerted effort to fine tune the air services agreement it had with Nigeria.

He emphasised the need to improve sea transportation of goods, saying that developing the transport sector was crucial to attracting investment.

“In terms of the air transportation, we have the open skies agreement; Arik connects the two countries and on the side of Sierra Leone, we have Leone Air as a national carrier’’.

“It is believed that before the end of six months the investors would have determined those that they would work with and would have built their manpower within this period.

“Now six months is almost ending and we are expecting the investors to have determined their manpower level and by now, they would have known the number of workers they will employ.

“Subsequently, what we expect them to do now is to issue permanent letters of employment, because they have worked with them for a period of six months, which is probation period,” he said.

Ogunsegha urged the investors not to resort to casualisation through the back door.

accessing banking services from any location they find themselves.

“We are pleased by this achievement, which signifies the level of Firstmonie’s acceptance amongst subscribers. We believe that the tremendous growth it has recorded so far illustrates the important role it plays in providing easy access to financial services for customers on the go”.

She noted that the Firstmonie platform which was created to align with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s policy to promote a cashless or cash-lite economy in Nigeria offers an excellent medium for subscribers to disburse funds efficiently and securely to their loved ones across the nation.

FG commends MTN Foundation for economic empowerment KUNLE A ZEEZ

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he Federal Government has commended MTN Foundation, the corporate social responsibility vehicle of Nigeria’s leading Information and Communication Technology Company, MTN, for its continuous support of people with special needs in the society, including widows.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, expressed this commendation at the presentation of tools of trade to beneficiary widows, under the Foundation’s new initiative for empowering widows tagged, MTNF Widows Empowerment Scheme, in Abuja.

The Widows Empowerment Scheme is an initiative under the Economic Empowerment portfo-

lio of the MTN Foundation.

The project, which is being managed by Growing Businesses Foundation, is aimed at empowering widows who have existing businesses, across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Maina lauded the Foundation for the initiative and urged that such positive intervention be emulated by other organisations.

According to her, widows comprise a significant proportion of women, ranging from 7 to 16 percent of all adult women.

She, however, noted that this significant section of the population is neglected in the society, especially due to their state of widowhood and the various traditional laws and customs which work against them, thus preventing them from gaining access to resources that will better their lot.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Info Tech

Uncertainty over broadband campaign take-off The delay by the government in unveiling a number of campaign initiatives in the various mass media as a way of deepening communication for development of broadband may constitute an albatross in the quest towards achieving a 30 per cent broadband internet penetration target in the next five years, as set by government in its National Broadband Plan. KUNLE AZEEZ reports.

Broadband remains critical to the development of

Nigeria and to the individual. Anyone that is not able to use digital

devices, is not part of the digital world A broadband gadget

A

climate of uncertainty continues to surround the plan by the Federal Government to deepen broadband awareness among Nigerians through a nationwide sensitisation/publicity scheme through the mass media.

Already, industry stakeholders continue wait endlessly for the campaign to effectively take off, which the government had earlier in February promised to “unveil soon.”

Tagged: ‘’Connected Nigeria, Connected Nigerians’ launched in Lagos in February, the campaign was aimed at raising awareness of the transformational benefits of Broadband and will disseminate information on the benefits of broadband including what can be gained by adopting broadband access.

In its National Broadband Plan 2013-2018, the Federal Government, working with necessary stakeholders, hopes to deepen broadband penetration from the current 6 per cent to over 30 per cent in the next five years.

Auspiciously, the broadband campaign was also conceived to communicate the transformational benefits of broadband to all Nigerians to encourage its use and adoption. It will also share information on how broadband is creating economic and social value for Nigerians.

The Broadband Council was inaugurated on the 16th of July, 2013 and is made up of 19 members chaired by the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson. The Council is charged with the responsibility of working on implementation modalities for the approved Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2013 – 2018.

Speaking at the launch of the scheme, Johnson had stated that the objective of the broadband campaign was to get Nigerians to be aware of “what can happen when you have broadband access and what can happen when you use broadband.”

She said the campaign, mainly targeted at individual internet users, is to also sensitise end users on cyber security and online

protection, among others. “So, the campaign is not premature. We want people to understand and know what is possible and benefits about the broadband,” she said.

In his submission, the a member of the Broadband Council and President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, had also maintained that the broadband campaign would be useful in sensitising Nigerians about applications of broadband access when they have it.

Meanwhile, the broadband campaigns, is well implemented would bring about increased awareness among Nigerians as they would be more informed on the revolutionary power of broadband internet.

When this awareness becomes rife and the content of the messages in the campaigns are internalised, a more conscious population would be created where every citizens craves to have broadband aces to support its business and he is ready to expose any clandestine moves by anybody or group of persons with intent to cause dam-

age to broadband infrastructures.

Also, the awareness campaigns will also go a long way in helping each state government to want to ease telecoms infrastructure deployment process or bureaucracy for the telecoms companies or new investors since the state government would have become fully aware of the multiplier effect of having broadband on their state’s economy.

Telecoms sector has emerged a major contributor to the nation’s economy growth with eight per cent currently being contributed to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

Widespread access to broadband, not only the voice service, has thus been identified as the next frontier for bolstering the economy in terms of GDP contribution, transformation of businesses as well improving the living conditions of the citizens.

However, more than two months after announcing the plan to launch the broadband campaign with ‘soon to be unveiled” clause by the government, there is still a pent-up expectation in the industry created by the

palpable delay in rolling out the broadband campaign in the mass media.

While the reason for the delay may be connected with the volume of work that will go into the design of various campaign contents for various media, some industry stakeholders say the delay might not be unconnected with the reluctance of the Nigerian Communications Commission to release the money needed for the scheme.

“The ministry wanted the NCC to release the money for the campaign but it appears NCC is being careful not to throw huge amount of money at a programme that many had alleged was designed to scoop government coffer,” a source privy to the development told National Mirror under anonymity, When contacted, the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Mrs. Efem Nkanga, however, allayed the public fears on the perceived delay on the campaign while warning also against ‘unnecessary speculations’ on the broadband campaign.

According to her, “The ministry is working on the campaign and following the announcement on the broadband campaign, we have also gone ahead to set up a Media Advisory Committee and the objective of the 15-member committee, which is made of media professionals, is expected to assist the communications partners to create immense publicity for the broadband awareness campaign.”

Nkanga further disclosed that the ministry has been working tooth and nail to ensure that the campaign runs as soon as possible. “We are committed to this campaign as it is critical to creating understanding on the power of broadband and its transformation in every aspect of our life,” she said.

Also commenting, Vice Chairman of the Broadband Council, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, explaining that government was very much interested in making broadband available to Nigerians, through the campaign.

“Broadband remains critical to the development of Nigeria and to the individual.

Anyone that is not able to use digital devices, is not part of the digital world. We want to ensure that every Nigerian is a digital native, no matter how remote they may be located.

“Attention is often directed to urban and semi urban areas by those who provide infrastructure, but the broadband campaign is intended to reach out to those in rural communities as well,” Ndukwe said.

NCS seeks advancement of Nigeria’s digital economy Kunle Azeez

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he umbrella body of computer professionals in the country, the Nigerian Computer Society is working on strategies to collaborate with stakeholders towards advancing Nigeria’s digital future for sustainable national development.

Already, NCC has push this agenda further, as it recently met with the House Committee on Information and Communication Technology, Chairman, Engr.

Ibrahim Gusau; SystemSpecs Chief Executive Officer, Mr. John Obaro and Precise Financial Systems Managing Director,

Mr. Yele Okeremi in separate visits President, NCS, Prof. David Adewumi, who emphasised the need for digital economy during high level meetings with the critical stakeholders, said advancing Nigeria’s digital future is crucial for social and economic growth.

Speaking in a statement signed by NCS’s Chairman, Publicity, Events and Trade Services Committee, Mr. Jide Awe, the NCS President said though, Nigeria has come a long way, it was not far enough.

He said: “Despite some recent achievements and improvements in the digital landscape in Nigeria, we need to do more, practically, on the ground. The role of technology is vital in empowering citizens economically and socially and laying the

foundations for sustainable development.

“However, talk is cheap. We have had more discussions on technology than ever before. But NCS is concerned that there is too much talking the talk without walking the walk. Digital Inclusion is still a challenge that can’t be covered up by empty sloganeering. Technology must transform people’s lives.”

Adewumi noted during the meetings that words will not secure or advance our digital future, stressing that the visits and NCS’s upcoming conference were organised to sensitise stakeholders on the need to start embracing individual and organisational responsibility for technological growth that creates ‘a better, brighter future for the nation.’

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Info Tech

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Tech Box

CWG opens investor relations website Kunle Azeez

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igeria’s Information and Communication Technology conglomerate, Computer Warehouse Group Plc, has launched its new investor relations (IR) website.

The website, which was launched to meet the information needs of investors, Stock brokers and journalists, was developed, hosted and maintained by NASDAQ OMX. The NASDAQ OMX-hosted IR website incorporates the look and feel of Computer Warehouse Group’s corporate website, providing visitors with a seamless experience. It is targeted at increasing the benefits to investors, providing the investor with unparalleled transparency, combined with a personalized online experience, and facilitating return visits. It provides the exact

information for identifying opportunities and to advance valuation, a goal that all stakeholders share.

The contents of the website site incorporate such information as Financials and Press Room, which provides news releases, official logos, executive information, and corporate information, all in a robust media site; SEC Filings, which is a complete SEC page with filings made available as discrete categories of documents.

First Call analyst estimates is another feature of the website which provides the same industry recognized data that professional investors’ use when gaining a perspective on corporate financial earnings forecasts. The page includes Earnings Comparison, Price Earnings (P/E) Comparison, Analyst Ratings, Earning per share (EPS) Trends and Revisions, among others.

Older generation, active internet users – Report

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study by Africa’s first premium mobile advertising network, Twinpine Networks, has revealed contrary to the popular assumption, the older generation of internet users in Nigeria are more active than the younger generation.

The research survey, covering various demographics across Nigeria, was a comparative study taken from about twenty two thousand respondents which showed that internet users between the ages of 53 to 33 years(Generation X) were more active on the internet when matched against their counterparts aged 32 to 19 years of age (Generation Y).

This paints a different picture from the generally accepted idea that the internet is the medium of the younger generation.

Speaking about the findings,

Research Lead at Twinpine, Miss Eniola Moronfolu said, “This knowledge is an eye opener and shows how trends in internet usage are taking shape among consumers. This also means that marketing efforts can be more effectively targeted to reach the right demographics.”

Of the activities, which topped the list in terms of frequency of use for Generation X, were the use of search engines for research; news on current affairs, lifestyle, entertainment and sports; and online shopping.

According to the research, 50 per cent more people between the ages of 53-33, regularly purchased goods and services online and 6 per cent more of this demographic were more likely to share information on social media or lodge a complaint about a product/service via social media.

Etisalat widens recharge options

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igeria’s telecoms operator, Etisalat, has announced the introduction of Automated Recharge options to enable customers recharge their phones or buy data electronically no matter where they are or what time of the day it is.

The Automated Recharge Mandate service allows Etisalat subscribers who have bank accounts and are registered on the internet banking platform to leave an instruction with their banks for their Etisalat line or lines to be credited with the desired amount of airtime on specific dates or once a certain airtime-credit level is reached.

Customers can also buy credit for themselves, family and friends with the Automated Recharge In-

stant option, by filling in the details on the Etisalat transaction page provided on their bank’s internet banking platform.

Director, Business Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Lucas Dada, explained that these offerings have the backing of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS, to ensure safety.

Dada said “Etisalat has launched these innovative recharge solutions to ensure that our customers never worry about running out of credit again.

These options offer customers simple and convenient means of buying airtime and data bundles, as well as making postpaid bill payments directly from their bank accounts through internet banking.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Telecoms firms add 1.3 million new lines Kunle Azeez

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elecoms operators in Nigeria have added over 1.3 million new telephone lines on their networks according official data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. The new additions were recorded on mainly the Global System for Mobile Communications, GSM, operators between January and February, this year.

The latest industry data in the country released by the Commission was for the month of February, according to data obtained from the regulator.

The new subscriptions have, therefore, boosted the total active mobile subscriptions in the country from 127.6 million recorded in December, 2013 to reach 129 million active lines as at February, 2014.

In January, 2014, of the 129 million active subscriptions currently on the networks, the GSM operators including MTN, Airtel, Glo and Etisalat control 125.1 mil-

lion; CDMA, 2.42 million while fixed line operators have a paltry 365,433.

In December, 2013, the figures stood at 124.8 million active lines; 2.40 million lines and 360,537 lines for GSM, CDMA and fixed line operators respectively.

However, of the total connected telephone lines, from which 127.9 million are now active, currently stand at 172.6 million up from 169.6 million at the end o December, 2013.

According to the NCC latest data, of the 172.6 million total connected telephone lines, GSM operators have 162.7 million; CDMA networks control 7.6 million while the fixed line networks have just 2.2 million.

These figures stood at 159.7 million; 7.6 million and 2.2 million for GSM, CDMA and fixed line operators at the end December, 2013.

The latest industry data released by the Commission also showed that the country’s telephone penetration, technically called teledensity, has further increased to reach 91.4 per cent, according to the latest industry data

released by the Nigerian Communications Commission.

According to the data, as at the end of January this year, the NCC said telephone penetration in the country has moved from 91.15 per cent at the end of December 2013 to reach 91.4 per cent at the edn of January 2014.

Also, industry’s installed capacity currently stands at 247.2 million, according to the NCC latest official statistics.

Installed capacity is the total number of telephone lines which the telecoms networks put together can accommodate conveniently at a particular of time. IT is usually a function of network expansion.

Meanwhile, the latest data has shown that telephone density in the country has further increased to 91.4 per cent having hit 91.15 per cent at the end of December, 2013.

Telephone density or teledensity is the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area.

It varies widely across the nations and also between urban and rural areas within a country.

L-R: Director, Channel Department, Huawei Technologies Co., Nigeria Limited, Mr. Vincent Zhou; Associate Vice President, Computer Warehouse Group Plc., Mr. Dayo Abegunde and Assistant General Manager, DCC, CWG Plc., Mr. Gbenga Odegbami during a breakfast session on IP Surveillance Security organised by CWG in partnership with Huawei in Lagos on Tuesday.

Proliferation of ID cards to end soon – NIMC Kunle Azeez

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he National Identity Management Commission has said the era of proliferation of the identity card and biometrics data captures in the country is set to end, with the plan by the commission to launch the long-awaited New National Identity Card in the country soon.

The Director Corporate Communications, Mr. Anthony Okwudiafor, who confirmed this in a statement made available to National Mirror, said that the Card would be formally launched by President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to him, the launching would be an important development and would usher in the

formal and comprehensive identification of Nigerians and legal residents with the e-ID card embedded with the National Identification Number, NIN. However, the director explained that part of the reasons why the launch of the New National e-Identity card was delayed is to allow Nigerians distinguish, understand and appreciate the difference between the National Identification Number (NIN) and the National ID Cards.

He said. “Part of the reasons why we delayed the roll out of the Cards is because we deliberately meant to separate and distinguish between the National Identification Number (NIN) which is a person’s identity in the strict sense of the Universal Identification In-

frastructure and the National IDCards which will carry the National Identification Number (NIN).”

Okwudiafor said while the Commission worked on addressing the cynicisms which followed the past National Identity Card projects, research findings showed that there was need to distinguish between the NIN and the New ID Card in the minds of Nigerians.

He also explained that the Commission therefore delayed the Card launch, in order to allow Nigerians know that the unique identifier is not the Card which can always be replaced when it is lost, but the NIN, which would always remain the same, even when the card is lost and replaced are different, but the ID card carries the National Identification Number.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Brands & Marketing

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Digital LED billboards: Advertisers embrace new bride

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he digital billboard technology definitely has come to stay as a permanent and growing feature of the Out of Home, OOH, advertising in Nigeria. Reports by global industry analysts recently .noted that global outdoor advertising market may go up by as much as $43.8bn in 2017 and the digital boards is poised to account for a sizable portion of that ad spend However, in spite the fact that quite a good number of traditional static billboards are getting naked by the day, as a result of lack of patronage by advertisers, the digital business, the latest generation of outdoor advertising signage, also known as LED or electronic billboards, seems to be booming.

While reasons for the seemingly low patronage of static boards in preference for the LED are a result of several factors, no doubt there is a growing love for the ‘new’ interactive video LED display platform, its huge costs both to outdoor owners and advertisers notwithstanding.

This is evidenced by the rise in the numbers of such giant boards being erected in strategic points in urban centres in Nigeria. Experts say it is a clear pointer that the ‘digital’, as it permeates almost everything in modern society, may as well be the future of outdoor advertising.

Experts say the emergence of this electronic LED billboards as a new component of outdoor advertising is expected to have a significant impact on all aspects of businesses (manufacturing, operations and media buying) of outdoor advertising.

New market research reports suggest that Europe and United States accounts for a major share of the global Outdoor Advertising market. Taken by segment, Billboards is said to be the largest contributor to global market revenues. They say because oversized digital and static billboards tend to dominate the landscape they attract the desired levels of audience attention. The increased effectiveness of the ads displayed on large billboards including wall-sized displays is driving demand for oversized billboards, especially digital billboards.

‘They are easy to view day and night, easy to create content for and messages can be quickly reprogrammed. It now offers media planners and advertisers more effective ways of doing something they already do”.

The digital technology behind it features two major changes from the old “static” signage, which is graphics painted or printed on a surface. The image in the digital sign is displayed by a myriad of colored “lightbulbs” (light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, actually). So while the static sign is visible from daylight reflecting off it (or artificial lighting at night), the digital image shines out, like a television set. In the digital signs, the image is supplied to the sign by a computer; the image can be varied at will, right up to functioning as a Hi-Def television display According to recent reports on the outdoor industry, the electronic LED billboards make economic sense, both in terms of sign management inventory and in earnings potential. It is reported that if properly managed, an electronic LED billboard allows six to eight different advertising messages

Digital out of home billboards are becoming more popular in Nigeria’s advertising landscape in recent times as brands embrace the platform to optimise exposure. DAVID AUDU examines this new technology, which has become an advertiser’s status symbol.

Digital interactive billboards in Lagos

The LED out of home has come to stay. It is

expensive but

impactful.

The

advantage is that

it changes colour; it is well lighted up and very beautiful at night to share the same sign face, increasing multiple advertising awareness without the labour of continually replacing vinyl sign faces. In terms of earnings potential, they say evidence has shown that electronic LED billboards with its multiple advertising messages on a single sign face as being able to “out earn” their print counterparts.

Speaking to National Mirror on the emergence of the digital billboard, National President of Outdoor Agencies Association of Nigeria, Mr. Charles Chijide said “The LED out of home has come to stay. It is very expensive but very impactful. The advantage of it is that it changes colour; it is well lighted up and very beautiful in the night. The owner also has options of several advertisements messages from different advertisers”.

Good and innovative as it is, what is the cost implication of putting such structure and how much are advertisers expected to pay if the owner is to recoup his investment in time?

Chijide says, they are very expensive as it runs into several millions. “You will be surprised how much those boards cost. Some cost between $300,000 to $500,000; others are over a million dollars depending on the size.

For example, the one around Adeniji Adele in Lagos and the one being constructed around Ebute Metta link on the Third Mainland Bridge costs quite a huge amount of money. But nobody is going to tell the exact amount it cost.

“The costs of maintaining those structures are quite high. Some of them are mounted with 100 to 150 KVA generators, because in most cases public power supply is not there. You also talk of security for the generators and the structure itself, to protect it from being vandalized; they use air conditioning system that must be working to keep it cool always. And again, when you invest such huge sum of money, ideally, you must ensure that it is covered by insurance Corroborating Chijide’s position, Managing Director of Ezcomm Resources Limited, an advertising firm based in Port Harcourt, Eze Worde said LED digital billboard is one of the good thing that have happened to ooh business in recent times. He said the fact that it is new in this part of the world and yet contributes to about 20 per cent of ad spend is a factor to be considered on its relevance in the future.

Worde, who spoke on phone with National Mirror, said the LED is a cost intensive project, but it delivers results in terms of exposure for client’s ads.

“Just looking at the structure alone tells you that it a cost lots of millions to erect. The business plan is such that it will take years to recoup the money. On recouping investment, he says “that depends on the company and individual. Some set as target a payback

period of five years, some three years.

Shedding light on how LED boards maximizes exposure, Worde said a sing LED can accommodate as many as 20 clients, pointing out that the more the better for the owner to make profit. “If a board has fewer clients, it will be running at a loss because those on it will insist that their ad is exposed, and because it is one or two ads will not lower the amount of cost on diesel and other maintenance costs.

On why they are not disclosing the actual amount is because they are in business, an operative who wishes to remain anonymous said, “in this part of the world the moment people know how much you invest in such project, they will begin to count the profit for you; how much you make per display, per day and so on, and how long it will take to recoup your money. They will even take into consideration how much it cost you to maintain that structure. So, for now, in terms of cost, apart from what anybody can get from the manufacturers, it is good guess, because nobody is going to tell how much they spend on it. Those on the project ensure it is kept confidential.”

But how is government regulation impacting on outdoor business? Chijide says it is a marriage that must succeed. “Whatever we are doing, we must do it well. We are working well. They are managing us and we are working with them to ensure harmony between the regulators and the outdoor operators. We want a win-win situation for all of us, especially, that we are all in the same economy, and in the same business. If they want to tax, they should do it in such a way that it will not be too heavy on us to the extent that our advertisers would start complaining. They are already complaining that our costs are too high.

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Brands & Marketing

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

WMD: Reckitt Benckiser assures of consumer satisfaction, innovations

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Managing Director, Grand Oak Limited, Mr. Akshay Kumar (left) and representative of Zaibak Ventures during the presentation of Chief Ayo Rosiji Award for the Year 2013 to Zaibak Ventures at the Grand Oak Race 2014 Distributors Conference in Lagos recently.

eckitt Benckiser, has restated its commitment to continue to create innovative solutions for the consumers in Nigeria and around the world. Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili, gave this assurance in Lagos while speaking at a community engagement to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day. ‘‘The vision and mission of RB (Reckitt Benckiser) globally is actually providing consumers healthier lives and happier homes. To achieve that vision, we see that malaria is a serious threat to the health of the consumers and that is why we are taking it very seriously and partnering with government to fight against it’’ he said.

Why Nigerian agencies not winning Lions awards

Legend new bottle ignites rivalry in stout category A Stories: David Audu

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he recent launch of new Legend bottle has once again brought to the fore the old but persistent rivalry between Guinness Extra Stout and Legend Stout, both products of Guinness Plc and Nigerian Breweries Plc respectively In terms of historical pedigree, Guinness and Legend are miles apart. Guinness Stout started in Nigeria in 1962 while Legend was unveiled to the Nigerian stout consumers’ 30 years later in1992.

However, when it comes to satisfying consumer demand, history takes a back seat and gives way to the reality of modern brands that thrive on the power of connecting with the appropriate consumers, and going extra mile to stage what many have described as Black REAlvolution in the stout category in modern times.

At an event tagged Black Realvolution held at the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos recently, the stout brand was revealed with new premium packaging of Stanoil and metalized labels.

The unveiling was the culmination of several weeks of social media campaigns, which kept Nigerians guessing for weeks.

A tour bus traversing the length and breadth of Lagos, creating awareness about the unique packaging re-launch was also organised as part of events leading to the unveiling of the new look Legend.

What culminated in a night that promises a real future war in the Nigerian stout segment started just a few days before.

As hundreds of people gathered at the Eko Atlantic City (Kuramo Beach) venue of the event, it became clear that what most people in Lagos had been witnessing days before was all leading to the revelation of Legend’s new look.

A few days before, adverts appeared on the worldwide web saying there was “BlackREALvolution” going on in town. Soon, buses carrying this message began to drive around town. It was almost like the Three Orange Men that was used back in the early 90s to relaunch Mirinda soft drink in Nigeria.

When Legend finally chose to lift the suspense, it resorted to history; a history replete with the hits, pains and frustrations it had faced in its sustained bid to challenge for a pride of place in a market that seemed to recognise only one leader, a leader whose competitor seemed for long to have been itself.

Speaking at the event, the Sales Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Hubert Eze, said the launch marked a milestone for Legend Extra Stout. According to him, the rich history of Legend Extra Stout is one that is replete with innovation because the brand continuously focuses on optimum consumer satisfaction, one factor that is responsible for its status as the fastest growing stout brand in Nigeria. “This unique stout brand has undergone evolutions in times past since it was first launched in 1992: from being fortified with vitamins and reformulated to enhance its taste, to changes in its bottle

shape and labelling. Now, Legend Extra Stout has undergone a Realvolution. Not just any Realvolution but a BlackREALvolution”.

According to Eze, the new Stanoil and metalized label represents quality and the ‘premiumness’ of the brand.

“This affirms the unique positioning of Legend Extra Stout as the stout of choice for the sociable, modern, ambitious and courageous Nigerian yearning to enjoy the finer things in life and living life to the fullest and standing out of the crowd.

“Consumers that also purchase the newly packaged Legend Extra Stout can be rest assured that they are drinking the Legend Extra Stout which has been produced under the highest standard of quality using the best of the natural finest ingredients. So I urge you to go out there and enjoy the new Legend with the same unique bitter premium”, he said.

The launch attracted a huge turnout from loyal consumers of the brand, celebrities and the media. Sound Sultan, Bovi and DJ Exclusive were among guests at the event which was compared by Gordons and featured a choreographic performance by Spanfest, chronicling the story of Legend Extra Stout in the Nigerian market. Grammy award nominee, Femi Kuti also led a five-star performance with his band to bring the night to a close.

“What we just unveiled today is the culmination of one of the most successful social media campaigns which kept Nigerians guessing for weeks”

During the community engagement, held at Tego Barracks open field, Marine Beach in Apapa, hundreds of residents trooped out for malaria screening exercise conducted in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Health.

Also as part of the World Malaria Day, Mortein also presented certificates and baby gift items to some new babies at the General Hospital, AjeromiIfelodun and Primary Health Centre, Ijora. Among the beneficiaries were Mrs. Gift Odia and her baby boy and Mrs. KafayatTajudeen and her new born girl. The children were picked for being born on April 25, the day set aside globally to commemorate the World Malaria Day.

source close to Cannes Lions Festival has disclosed that lack of adequate entry of ad works by Nigerian agencies may be responsible for the dearth of awards, especially, at the Cannes Lions festival.

“You can’t win a competition you are not adequately represented. Before now Nigeria is not in the competition because they have not been entering it as expected. However, now we are beginning to enter.

“To my knowledge, we have only about 33 entries, but 33are just like a drop in the ocean in a competition where you are going to have about 66,000 entries.

“You have some countries like South Africa that will have over 700 entries; we have just 33 entries as of today, so tell me the few entries have to be exceptional to win such award as the Cannes

Lions, he said.

Explaining the reasons for the low entries by Nigerian agencies, he said it is partly because they do not want to spend their money if they realise they are not going to win. I also think that a lot of them don’t believe that their material can win at that level.

“Already they have judged themselves inside their own agency, and said look, if we spend about 600 dollars for just one entry, and we don’t win what will happen. If you don’t believe in something you can’t push it, unless they want to go and just give the money to Cannes Lions. So, I believe Nigerian agencies have few materials and that is the ones they have entered.”

Cannes Lions is the world’s biggest annual awards show and festival for professionals in the creative communications industry.

Grand Oak rewards regional distributors

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rand Oak Limited, marketer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages rewarded it distributors recently in Lagos during its Distributors Conference tagged: Race 2014.

Race 2014 an acronym which represents Revenue, Accountability, Closure and Execution is the strategic direction the company chose for the year 2014 to become an all time winner in the Nigerian competitive alcoholic and non-alcoholic sub-sector.

Presenting the Best Distributor Award for the Year 2013 Lagos Region to Mr. Ogbata, Managing Director, E.O Ogbata enterprises during the Race 2014 Distributors Conference and Gala Nite in Lagos, Mr. Akshay Kumar, Managing Director, Grand Oak Limited thanked Mr. Ogbata and other distributors who have been loyal to the company over the

years. He said, “This distributors’ conference is our family get together in order to build on our mutual understanding of how we intend to conduct our businesses and raise the bar in the industry this year. We believe our distributors have contributed immensely to the growth of our company and that has necessitated us to reward them.”

Speaking, Aare Fatai Odesile, Commercial Director, Grand Oak Limited who welcomed the distributors to the conference said, “We see our distributors as our loyal partners who we share our thoughts and business direction with. We also see them as critical members of our business whose investments have contributed enormously to the growth of the company. So, organising this conference is to ensure we engage their minds and improve on our activities’’.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigerian wins scholarship to French ad academy David Audu

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n undergraduate of Urban and Regional Planning of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Miss Bimtang Bishmang has emerged winner of this year’s scholarship to attend the Roger Hatchuel Academy in France.

Roger Hatchuel is a unique academy that admits about 35 international students worldwide on scholarship for training in advertising She scaled stiff opposition from advertising and mass communication students for the keenly contested slot for sponsorship to the world’s coveted advertising academy, and would also to be part of the biggest advertising festival of creativity, the Cannes Lions in France later in the year.

Bishmang, who was presented to APCON recently, said she developed interest in advertising while still very young as she watched television with her family.

“In my second year in school , I discovered that I was becoming very interested in advertising as I watch adverts on television.

Then I started finding out what I could do to enter the industry.

It was then that I heard of Chini Productions and the competition for young students interested in advertising.

She said she is looking forward to be part of the academy, and especially the Cannes Lions festival, adding that she intends to pursue advertising after her

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, May 1, 2014

graduation from Minna.

Explaining the role of Chini Production in sponsoring students to the academy, its Managing Director, Nnamdi Ndu, said as representative of Cannes Lions Festival in Nigeria, they conduct test that would select Nigeria participant for the event, states “we do it through competition”.

He said this year there were 20 participants from different parts of Nigeria.

On the winner, he said he would have preferred somebody who is into core advertising or mass communications to win.

“When I saw Bishmang’s entry form and credentials, I was actually hoping that she was not going to win. This is because I felt it was going to be very difficult presenting her to Cannes Lions.

The reason is that whoever wins, Cannes Lions would want to make sure is suitable for the industry; somebody that would be useful to the global industry; we are not talking of Nigeria alone, but the entire advertising industry.

But, looking at the results of all the tests, both the theory and the creative overseen by renowned creative directors, she was the clear winner.

On the role of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, he said, APCON is not only involved in sponsoring the student to the event, they are also involved in setting and marking the questions, and it is only proper to present the winner to them”, he said.

David Audu

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ccess Bank has been adjudged the best Nigerian company in Corporate Citizenship in the first ever competitive index on corporate social responsibility in Nigeria

by CSR-in-Action, a registered social enterprise devoted to the advancement of social ethics, social responsibility and corporate governance in Nigeria.

In the Corporate Citizenship Index (3C-index) released recently, a total of 117 private sector companies raked in the report were assessed using six ranking pillars: Human Right, Anti-Corruption, Community Investment, Economic, Labour and Reporting which reflect how companies are functioning in these areas of development.

On a scale of 100 per cent, Access Bank scored 83.3 per cent on Millennium Development Goals focus areas to emerge as the best

35

Access Bank leads in corporate citizenship Nigerian organisation in Corporate Citizenship. To emerge the best company, Access Bank outperformed Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Exxon Mobil, GT Bank and Procter and Gamble (P&G) in the top five category.

CSR-in-Action noted that it is no surprise that Access Bank scored in the highest in targeted community investment.

Speaking on the bank’s performance, its Group Managing Director, Mr. Herbert Wigwe said: “At Access Bank, we have set for ourselves the ambitious target of becoming the world’s most respected African bank. That means making sure that sustainability is part of everything we do; that it is in our very DNA. I am honoured that we have been named best organisation in Ni-

geria for corporate citizenship and want to thank everyone at Access Bank who has helped us to get this far. This ranking will spur us on to work even harder to lead the efforts aimed at building strong and sustainable institutions across Africa. ” Access Bank has earned recognitions for its roles in championing sustainability and responsible business practices in Nigeria and across Africa. Over the past seven years, the Bank has built a strong franchise by adhering to socially responsible goals and continuously displayed a strong commitment to global health issues by leveraging its people and financial resources to invest in successful health programmes in Nigeria and other African countries.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer Ofada Boy Incorporation, Tobi Fletcher and Partners: Ogunupebi Feyisayo and Akinlade Temitayo at the opening of Soup Lounge a subsidiary of Ofada Boy Incorporation in Lagos recently.

The Mamador Brand: Deepening equity through corporate sponsorship

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rands needs to deepen equity in order to communicate their values and build strong identity. This is essential to building a virile and vibrant image in the market place. Deepening brand equity has become a critical tool to maintaining a strong brand positioning in the minds of the consumers.

Mamador, a renowned vegetable cooking has continuously strive to maintain its edge in the market place. It is leveraging on its pedigree to occupy a premium place in the food industry. The goal of the Mamador brand is to bring high quality cooking oil to Nigerian consumers and this was recently underscored at the Nigerian Food Fiesta.

The brand has carved a niche as a highly rated vegetable cooking oil due to its top class quality. Its functional benefits resonates with the

target audience as Mamador is perceive as a very healthy and nutritious brand.

Mamador, which comes from the stable of PZ Wilmar showcased its pedigree and inimitable clout during the first Nigerian Food Fiesta. Mamador leveraged on its significant and competitive edge to provide corporate support and sponsorship for the fiesta. It was a veritable avenue for the brand to showcase its offerings to the consumers.

The Food Fiesta which was organised to raise the pedestal for food culture provide a strong platform for Mamador to deepen its brand equity and connect with the consumers.

Its was a concrete platform that afforded consumers to interact with a brand. This created touch points for positive consumer experiences.

Mamador has remained focused in delivering value

Brand X-Ray with Ayodeji Ayopo Tel: 08023448199 E-mail: mayomipo@yahoo.com to Nigerian consumers and this was further exemplified at the food fiesta. PZ Wilmar sponsored a table at the food fiesta which added colour and glamour to the festival. It was a key brand positioning spring board as PZ partnered with the largest cooking oil makers in the world, Wilmar to bring the high quality cooking oil-Mamador to Nigerian consumers.

A brand should have its own culture. The product is not only a concrete representation of culture but also

a means of communication.

The culture is the values that determine the continuous existence of the brand. It is imperative to state that culture is the source of the brand’s aspirational power to gain a competitive advantage.

Mamador’s brand culture reasonates more with the consumers as it aligned with the food fiesta as a key cultural symbol for the people. The food fiesta provided a vantage avenue for Nigeria food culture to be portrayed positively.

Mamador leveraged on this to

gain enormous edge to deepen its brand equity. The brand since its entry into the market has delivered exceptional product quality and guaranteed consumer satisfaction.

Mamador embodies high quality elegance (through its packaging) and healthy nutrition to retain a strong brand pedigree. Mamador though in its 15 months of existence in the Nigerian market has succeeding in conveying the image of quality and enjoyable brand to consumers.

The brand values play a key role in differentiating brands and the values of Mamador with its distinct taste and consumer appeal set its out from others. The Mamador brand thrives on the core values of quality affordability and convenience. It has been synonymous with superior quality and a compelling consumer experience.

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Global News

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Apple returns to bond market scaling biggest borrower ranks

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pple Incorporated is about to join the ranks of the biggest U.S. corporate borrowers as the company starts marketing bonds in what it says may rival last April’s then-record $17 billion offering.

The iPhone maker is offering securities in seven parts, according to a person with knowledge of the transaction. Apple plans to issue both floating- and fixed-rate notes with maturities of three and five years in addition to fixed-rate notes due in seven, 10 and 30 years, said the person, who asked not to be identified because terms aren’t set.

Apple said last week it will seek to raise an amount “similar” to what it issued in 2013. That would about double its debt load this year to put it within the 20 largest U.S. corporate borrowers excluding financial issuers and place it in the company of bond-market stalwarts Procter & Gamble Co. and Deere & Co., according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The world’s largest technology company by stock-market capitalization is returning to debt markets to fund a $30 billion increase to its shareholder-reward program that also prompted its unprecedented offering last year. Apple is opting to issue debt rather than use $159 billion of cash and marketable securities

Apple phone

that’s mostly held overseas and subject to repatriation taxes.

Deutsche Bank AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are managing the offering for the Cupertino, California-based company, according to the person.

Were Apple to double its $17 billion debt load, which ranks it as the 56th largest U.S. corporate issuer, it would rise to 16th, surging past Sprint Corp.’s $33 billion outstanding and less than P&G’s $36.4 billion and Deere’s $34.4 billion, Bloomberg data based on latest company filings show.

The figures compare with a median $9.4 billion among U.S. corporates with a market capitalisation above $25 billion, Bloomberg data show. Apple’s leverage, or debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation is 0.29 times, compared with a median 1.61 times.

Apple is issuing bonds even as its stockpile of cash and marketable securities expanded by $12 billion during the three months ended Dec. 28, according to a Jan. 28 filing. About 78 per cent of those holdings are held overseas and subject to repatriation taxes of as much as 35 per cent.

Consumer confidence Index in U.S. decreased from six-year high

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onfidence among United States consumers declined in April from a six-year high as Americans became less optimistic about the economy and labor market.

The Conference Board’s index decreased to 82.3 from 83.9 a month earlier that was stronger than initially estimated and the highest since January 2008, the New York-based private research group said on Tuesday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 78 economists called for a reading of 83.2.

Limited gains in the stock market this year, rising prices at the gas pump and a slowdown in

President Obama

the housing market tied in part to higher interest rates risk leaving Americans less sanguine about their finances. At the same time, more anticipated an increase in employment opportunities in the next six months, which would help keep sentiment and consumer spending from faltering.

“The wage picture hasn’t really shifted, and confidence in terms of assets -- whether it’s stocks or home values -- has really petered out,” Jacob Oubina, a senior U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets LLC in New York, said before the report. Still, with a decline in the number of firings and employers boosting headcount, “you have a backdrop in place where you could see a little bit of a grind higher in consumer confidence.”

Estimates of consumer sentiment ranged from 80.8 to 87.8 in the Bloomberg survey after a previously reported March reading of 82.3. The Conference Board’s measure averaged 53.7 in the recession that ended in June 2009.

Through last month, it averaged 62.9 during the current expansion.

Another report Tuesday showed property values cooled in February. The S&P/Case-Shiller

index of property prices in 20 U.S. cities increased 12.9 per cent from February 2013 after a 13.2 per cent gain in the year ended in January, a report from the group showed in New York.

The Conference Board’s gauge of present conditions dropped to a three-month low of 78.3 after 82.5 in March. The barometer of consumer expectations for the next six months was little changed at 84.9 after 84.8 a month earlier.

“Consumer confidence declined slightly in April as consumers assessed current business and labor market conditions less favorably than i n March,” Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board, said in a statement. “However, their expectations regarding the shortterm outlook for the economy and labor market held steady.”

The share of respondents who said they expected their incomes to rise increased to an eight-month high of 17.1 per cent in April from 15.3 per cent a month earlier. The proportion of Americans who said jobs would become more plentiful in the next six months climbed to 15 per cent from 14.1 per cent.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

German inflation misses estimates as ECB pressure mounts

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erman inflation accelerated less than economists forecast in April, increasing pressure on the European Central Bank to add stimulus in the euro area.

Inflation, calculated using a harmonized European Union method, was 1.1 percent, up from 0.9 per cent in March, the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden said Tuesday. Economists predicted a rate of 1.3 per cent, according to the median of 21 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. Eurostat, the EU’s statistics office in Luxembourg, will release consumer-price data for the euro area at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

ECB President Mario Draghi has signaled he’ll use unprecedented measures from negative interest rates to quantitative easing if needed to avert the risk of deflation in the 18-nation currency bloc. Inflation in the region was 0.5 per cent in March, the lowest rate in more than four years and well below the ECB’s goal of just under 2 per cent.

“Today’s German data are a clear downward surprise,” said Annalisa Piazza, a fixed-income strategist at Newedge Group in London. “It may not be enough to lift euro-area inflation to the expected 0.8 per cent. Downside risks to our call for euro-area inflation are now clearly prevailing.”

The euro dropped after the report and traded at $1.3812 Tuesday in Frankfurt, down 0.3 per cent.

The yield on the 2-year German bund slid 11 basis points to 0.161 per cent. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index was at 337.48, up one per cent.

Consumer prices in the euro area probably rose 0.8 per cent this month from a year ago, according to a separate Bloomberg survey before tomorrow’s data. Economic confidence in the bloc unexpectedly fell, while remaining near the highest level since 2011, a European Commission report showed today.

The ECB’s 24-member Governing Council gathers in Brussels next week and will announce its interest-rate decision on May 8. The Frankfurt-based central bank has kept its benchmark rate at a record low of 0.25 per cent since November and the deposit rate has been at zero since July 2012.

Angela Merkel

European stocks climb amid earnings; Nokia, Statoil gain

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uropean stocks rose for a second day on Tuesday, as companies from Deutsche Bank AG to Statoil ASA reported earnings that beat estimates.

Deutsche Bank climbed 2.5 per cent after Europe’s largest investment bank said first-quarter profit dropped less than projected. Statoil ASA gained 4.5 percent. Nokia Oyj gained 3.2 per cent after naming a new chief executive officer and saying it will spend about 5 billion euros ($6.9 billion) on dividends, share buybacks and debt reduction. ABB Ltd. lost 7.3 per cent after the world’s largest maker of power transformers posted quarterly profit that missed estimates.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained 1 percent to 337.29 at 3:34 p.m. in London. The benchmark measure advanced yesterday as companies from AstraZeneca Plc to Bayer AG rose amid an increase in mergers-and-acquisitions activity, offsetting new U.S. sanctions against Russian individuals and companies.

“There were a lot of earnings reports,” Ricciardo Ricciardelli, founder and managing director at Fero Capital in Dubai, said by telephone. “Most of the figures were

fine, except for ABB, which reported poorly. Ukraine is definitely one of the big challenges to stability, but the markets haven’t adjusted for the implications of a real conflict.”

Economic confidence in the euro area unexpectedly slipped in April, while a final consumer-confidence reading came in at minus 8.6, better than initially estimated. Separate data showed U.K. gross domestic product expanded 0.8 per cent in the first quarter from the final three months of 2013, when it grew 0.7 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The Federal Reserve held a two-day policy meeting, where it probably cut bond buying to $45 billion, according to the median of 43 economists’ estimates compiled

by Bloomberg. The central bank is winding down the most aggressive easing in its 100-year history and reduced asset purchases in March to a monthly pace of $55 billion from $85 billion in December, preparing to eventually raise the federal funds rate for the first time since 2006.

National benchmark indexes advanced in 16 of the 18 western-European markets Tuesday. France’s CAC 40 gained 0.5 per cent and Germany’s DAX rose one per cent.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global News

Thursday, May 1, 2014

UK economic growth quickens to 0.8% as recovery broadens

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nited Kingdom economic growth accelerated in the first quarter as the recovery broadened, leaving output excluding oil and gas back above its pre-recession peak.

Gross Domestic Product expanded 0.8 per cent from the final three months of 2013, when it grew 0.7 per cent, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday in London.

That compares with a median forecast of 0.9 per cent in a Bloomberg News survey. Growth from a year earlier was the most in more than six years.

Britain is on track to have the fastest-expanding economy of any Group of Seven nation in 2014, raising the prospect that Bank of England policy makers may raise borrowing costs by yearend. Storms depressed construction in the first quarter and BOE Governor Mark Carney said in a newspaper interview published Tuesday officials are “prudently optimistic” about the economy.

“With business surveys, employment and confidence all continuing to show significant strength we remain upbeat on the U.K.’s growth prospects,” said James Knightley, an economist at ING Bank NV in London. “The risks remain skewed toward earlier Bank-of-England policy tightening than the second quarter of 2015 point currently penciled in by markets.”

The pound was trading at $1.6830 Tuesday in London, up 0.1

per cent from Monday. The 10-year gilt yield was four basis points higher at 2.7 per cent.

Each of the main categories posted quarterly growth between January and March. Industrial production rose 0.8 per cent, with manufacturing expanding 1.3 per cent, the fastest since the second quarter of 2010. Construction grew 0.3 per cent amid evidence that storms in January and February forced builders to put projects on hold, though there are signs output is bouncing back. The ONS said the weather did not have a “significant impact” on growth.

Services -- the largest part of the economy -- increased output by 0.9 per cent, with finance and business services such as recruitment agencies making the biggest contribution.

GDP grew 3.1 per cent from a year earlier, the biggest annual increase since the fourth quarter of 2007. Output, up for five consecutive quarters, is now 0.6 per cent below its pre-recession peak in early 2008. The onshore economy climbed 0.3 per cent above its peak.

Britain lost 7.2 per cent of output during the biggest slump since World War II. It is “very likely” that the U.K. will regain all lost output in the current quarter, Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics Ltd. in London said.

Britain is the first G7 nation to report first quarter GDP. The International Monetary Fund forecasts

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Brent rebounds on Ukraine after biggest loss in month

rent crude rebounded amid additional U.S. sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis, after dropping the most in almost a month yesterday.

West Texas Intermediate advanced before fuel inventory data.

Brent climbed as much as 0.7 per cent after declining yesterday as Libya prepared to resume oil exports from the eastern port of Zueitina. The U.S. added seven individuals to its sanctions list yesterday, including the chief executive officer of OAO Rosneft, the staterun Russian oil company. U.S. crude

Oil reserve

supplies probably expanded by 1.1 million barrels last week while gasoline inventories dropped, according to a Bloomberg News survey before an Energy Information Administration report tomorrow.

“The crisis in Ukraine continues to pose a major risk,” Ole Sloth Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S in Copenhagen, said in a report. “It has not led to any interruption in oil supplies yet and this leaves the market exposed to downside risk.”

Brent for June settlement gained as much as 72 cents to $108.84 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange and was at $108.66 Tuesday in London. It fell $1.46 to $108.12 Monday, dropping the most since April 1. The volume of all futures traded was about 20 per cent below the 100-day average for the time of day. Prices are up 0.8 per cent this month.

WTI for June delivery rose 50 cents to $101.34 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercan-

David Cameron

the U.K. to outperform its majoreconomy peers, with growth of 2.9 per cent this year.

The rebound has made the pound the best performer among 10 developed-market currencies tracked by Bloomberg, with a gain of almost 10 per cent over the past year. WPP Plc, the world’s largest advertising company, said last week that first-quarter revenue rose 1.5 per cent, driven by increased U.K. business.

BOE officials meeting May 7-8 will have new economic projections prepared for the quarterly Inflation Report due May 14. Carney told the Bristol Post newspaper that the recovery is broadening, though there remains “‘considerable slack’’ in the labor market.

tile Exchange. U.S. futures’ discount to Brent on ICE was unchanged at $7.28, after narrowing the most in seven months yesterday.

The U.S. on Monday added Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft, to its sanctions list along with six other individuals and 17 companies linked to Putin’s inner circle such as InvestCapitalBank and Volga Group. The European Union added 15 individuals to its sanctions list on Tuesday, including Russian Deputy Premier Dmitry Kozak and separatist leaders in Ukraine, according to a statement in the bloc’s Official Journal.

Libya’s 70,000 barrel-a-day Zueitina terminal is ready to receive tankers for loading, Mohamed Elharari, a spokesman for state-run National Oil Corp., said yesterday. An agreement reached on April 6 provided for the rebels to hand over control of Zueitina and Hariga, two of the four ports they seized in July, in return for an official amnesty and salary payments claimed by defectors from Libya’s Petroleum Facilities Guard.

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U.S stocks rise as Internet, small-cap selloff reverses

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nited States stocks rose, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index erasing an earlier slide as a selloff in Internet and smaller companies abated amid optimism over deal activity. Treasuries declined for the first time in a week before Federal Reserve policy makers meet tomorrow.

The S&P 500 ended the day up 0.3 per cent, after dropping as much as 0.7 per cent. The Nasdaq 100 Index erased a decline of 1.2 per cent as the Russell 2000 Index of small companies pared its slide by more than half. Pfizer Inc. rallied 4 per cent after confirming it had made a bid for AstraZeneca Plc, Britain’s second-biggest pharmaceutical company. Ten-year Treasury yields rose four basis points to 2.70 per cent Tuesday in New York. Oil reversed losses while gold retreated.

U.S. equities rallied early in the session as large companies climbed on optimism over the outlook for merger activity. Pfizer proposed buying AstraZeneca for

about 58.8 billion pounds ($98.7 billion), while General Electric Co.’s bid for France’s Alstom SA gained steam. Stocks turned lower as the U.S. and European Union imposed new sanctions on Russia, while selling in Internet and small-cap stocks spread to the broader market. Major indexes recovered in the afternoon, turning positive during the final hour of trading.

“It’s remarkable how volatile the market can be on an intraday basis,” John Carey, a Boston-based fund manager at Pioneer Investment Management Inc., which oversees $220 billion worldwide, said by phone. “Most of the companies that have reported so far have exceeded expectations and there’s M&A that’s bubbling along and that could be causing some optimism, with big deals and restructuring.”

The S&P 500’s fluctuations on Tuesday took the gauge as much as 0.7 per cent higher before it retreated in the early afternoon.

Samsung mobile sales fall as Chinese rivals win customers

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amsung Electronics Co., the largest smartphone maker, posted the lowest sales at its mobile-phone business in five quarters as Chinese producers gain in emerging markets with cheaper, feature-packed devices.

Revenue at the mobile division, the company’s biggest business, fell to 32.4 trillion won ($31 billion) in the three months ended March, the lowest since the quarter ended December 31, 2012, Samsung said Tuesday. The Suwon, South Koreabased company’s share of the global smartphone market fell for the first time in four years, according to Strategy Analytics. The shares fell.

The sales decline comes as Samsung becomes more dependent on its mobile-phone business for earnings, which now accounts for 76 per cent of operating income.

Apple Inc. is boosting iPhone sales through China Mobile Ltd. to better compete with Samsung’s high-

Samsung Phone

end Galaxy S series, while Huawei Technologies Co. and Xiaomi Corp. are packing features into smartphones costing about $100 to target budget customers.

“Samsung’s heavy reliance on mobile is rising, posing persistent concern to the market,” said Oh Sang Woo, an analyst at Leading Investment & Securities in Seoul.

“The bigger-screen smartphone market is what Samsung pioneered and it enjoyed leadership in that segment, but the company now has to share that pie.”

Apple is said to be readying bigger-screen iPhones, a watch-like wearable device and a new Apple TV set-top box.

Shares of Samsung fell two per cent to 1,360,000 won in Seoul, wiping about $4 billion from its market value in its biggest decline in a month. The stock is little changed this year after dropping 9.9 per cent in 2013, its first annual decline since 2008.

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Insight

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Facing the reality of unemployment T

he widely reported news some years back that about 13,000 Nigerians with PhDs, Masters and Bachelor degrees in various disciplines applied to be drivers in Dangote Group of Companies was thought to be deeply troubling then, until the recently bungled Nigerian Immigration recruitment exercise when nearly a million Nigerians engaged in a deadly struggle to corner 3,000 jobs resulting into stampede and loss of precious lives, are enough testimonies to provoke far reaching national outrage.

The development confirms the woeful state of the economy, which has produced over 60 million jobless persons in a population of about 167 million, according to the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

Experts say the figure of 23.9 per cent unemployment published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has probably risen, swelled by thousands that have since left school, completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme or been retrenched since the data was collated in December 2011. Among the youths – the most productive segment of any population – over 50 per cent, according to the NBS, are said to be jobless though the World Bank puts the figure at 56 per cent.

The Ministry of Labour and Productivity acknowledged in 2011 that over 41 per cent of Nigerian graduates can’t secure jobs after their youth service year.

Unemployment has been growing globally following the ongoing economic recession. However, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), national governments have adopted various measures to tackle it. While the Nigerian government also acknowledges the problem, it fails to identify the fundamental causes of an unusually high jobless rate in the resource-rich country.

When over 20 million educated youths are roaming the streets in search of jobs, you go for bold moves, not palliatives to create jobs. Confronted with record unemployment on taking office four years ago, United States of America President, Barack Obama, did not set up committees like our Aliko Dangote-led National Committee on Job Creation. Instead, he devised a series of stimulus spending plans with the single-minded target of creating jobs.

Ours cannot be solved by the timid, bureaucracy-creating schemes that Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, is promoting.

The government needs to change the direction of its economic policies and spending and target what a former World Bank Vice-President, Jeffery Sachs, describes as jobs-led growth.

Commenting on the issue, Manager of Wordstail Telecommunications, Ikeja, Monday James, told National Mirror that government should create opportunities for the teeming youthful population in the form of loans for willing graduates that want to engage in small/medium enterprises. By so doing the rate of unemployment will be drastically reduced as the youth themselves will automatically become employers of labour through their

Unemployment in Nigeria is one of the most critical problems the country is facing. Years of negligence and adverse policies have led to the under-utilisation of the nation’s resources to yield maximum economic benefits. DARE AKOGUN reports that over 30 million youths are pounding the streets daily in search of the jobs that are never there while it is also obvious that the problem cannot be solved by timid, bureaucracy-creating schemes.

Abuja Stadium filled to capacity with applicants for Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment

EXPERTS SAY THE FIGURE OF 23.9 PER CENT UNEMPLOYMENT PUBLISHED BY THE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (NBS) HAS PROBABLY

RISEN, SWELLED BY THOUSANDS THAT HAVE SINCE LEFT SCHOOL small business ventures.

James equally advised youths to be skilled professionals in particular fields of endeavour in addition to their university degrees, in order to reduce the number of dependants on governments for jobs.

He said, “There are over 50,000 youth in this (Ikeja) Computer Village who survive by repairing phones on the road side, and some who bring buyers to the numerous shops to get whatever services they required.

“These guys make nothing less than N 5,000 in a day, more than what most of all these white collar job workers earn in a month.”

For Yomi Adeshina a National Diploma

holder, who sells phone accessories, he claims that the least he goes home with on a normal day is N7,000 and a day where there is much sales he gets about N15,000.

On why he didn’t seek for a white collar job with his certificate, he said he had been dealing in phone accessories business since he was In secondary school and when he left school to obtain his ND certificate the only thing on his mind was to acquire his certificate and return to his business.

“I am planning on getting a bigger shop and venture into mobile phone sales and probably add computer accessories. With God on my side I am sure I am going to achieve this dream very soon,” he prayed.

For Chijioke Eze, a mobile phone repairer, depending on government or getting a white collar job to make a living has never been in his thought as he stopped schooling after obtaining his Senior Secondary School Certificate to concentrate on learning the art of phone repairs.

“I make a minimum of N15,000 from repairing phones that cost much more; I don’t repair cheap phones and I earn more than the so called people working in banks or in some offices,” he boasted.

“Even if I eventually have children, I will send them to school as every parent will do but I will make sure they learn a particular trade to augment or serve as another source of income for them,” he added.

A petty trader, Mrs. Ifeoma Anuma, who claimed that her three sons had graduated from university without job said,

“When they were in school, my expectation was that they would be of help to me after their graduation and take me out of this present state of life I am living, but unfortunately that has not been so. I still have to fend for them with proceeds from my little business years after their graduation.”

Mrs. Anuma, who added that the frustration had forced one of her sons to take to commercial motorcycle operation and the other two working at a block making factory, called on the government to come to the rescue of the youth and their parents by providing employment opportunities for them.

But over the years, bothered by the growing unemployment challenge in the country, successive administrations have demonstrated their tenacity to solve the problem with each of them coming up with a strategy to stem the tide.

General Ibrahim Babangida established the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) with the aim and mandate to implement programmes that would combat mass unemployment, articulate policies aimed at developing work programmes with labour intensive potential, and to obtain and maintain a data bank on employment and vacancies in the country with a view to acting as a clearing house to link job seekers with vacancies in collaboration with other government agencies.

General Sani Abacha, came up with the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) to scale down the high rate of unemployment in the country. The

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insight

Thursday, May 1, 2014

39

in Nigeria

Unemployed graduate, Bamigboye Pius

BUT OVER THE YEARS, BOTHERED

BY THE GROWING UNEMPLOYMENT CHALLENGE IN THE

COUNTRY, SUCCESSIVE ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR TENACITY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH EACH OF THEM COMING UP WITH A STRATEGY TO STEM THE TIDE objectives of the programme included the provision of basic working capital for small scale farming and traditional processes as loans to the low income group; provision of facility for the procurement of machinery and equipment for Nigerians to set up and run cottage and small scale industries; encouraging the design and manufacture of appropriate plants, machinery and equipment; creating employment opportunities at ward levels through the establishment of enterprises and pilot projects in the wards; and encouraging producers of goods and services at ward levels to form co-operative societies.

Similarly, the Chief Olesugun Obasanjo civilian administration came up with both the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP). SMEDAN was saddled with the responsibility of serving as a vanguard for jobs creation and rural industrialisation while NAPEP was to tackle absolute poverty through the creation of employment opportunities which would be

Minister of Labour and Productivity Mr. Emeka Wogu

accomplished by training youths in diverse vocational trades, supporting internship and the provision of micro-credit support to those trained.

The current administration of Goodluck Jonathan came up with a number of programmes to combat unemployment in the country. One of these is the Public Works and Women/Youths Employment (PW/WYE) project, which was designed to absorb 10,000 people from each of the states and the Federal Capital Territory annually.

The government also established Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin), a collaboration of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Communication Technology to create job opportunities through businesses established by 3,600 youths with brilliant business ideas, who are identified through YouWiN and directly supported to realise their entrepreneurial ideas by the government.

There is also the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) as well as the Graduate Empowerment Scheme (GES). Apart from these interventions, some ministries have also created employment opportunities through their activities.

A frustrated unemployed graduate of Geology, Odunayo Durojaiye, told National Mirror that the government’s claim of creating employment opportunities is just fairytale, because he does not feel their impact.

“Where are the jobs they claim to have created?” asked Durojaiye, who graduated from the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State. “Who are the people that benefitted from the employment opportunities? Let them publish the names. It is a sham, they are not employing anybody. I finished youth service over four years ago and here I am still waiting to be employed. Is it a crime to be a graduate in Nigeria?”

In an address delivered to the World Cocoa Foundation in June 2013, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said about 2.5million new jobs had been created in the agriculture sector since 2011.

NLC President, Abdulwahab Omar

Explaining how this was accomplished, Adesina said, “We are driving a private sector agenda in the agricultural sector. Since this administration came into office in 2011, the private sector has committed over $8billion in existing and planned investments in Nigeria’s agriculture, agribusiness and food industry sectors.

“This is because the government is now executing a government enabled, private sector driven transformation agenda that ensures agriculture is being treated as a straight line business, not a development project. Indeed, the government now recognises there are significant financial returns to be realised in the sector, while at the same time, creating jobs and sustainable economic growth.”

A United States of America-based Nigerian economist, Dr. Owolabi Masha, blamed it majorly on the country’s successive leaders and their failure to implement workable strategic plans to address the situation.

“The worrisome rate of unemployment is nothing but a result of failure to plan.

The country over the years failed to plan, hence this crippling unemployment rate.

But you have to give it to the present administration, irrespective of what people may think, those who know how economies work will agree that it has done more to create employment opportunities than any other administration,” Masha said.

But why are the various intervention measures not giving the expected effect? “It is because of the backlog of past years. It is said that there are over 30 million unemployed youths in the country. If the government creates employment opportunities for five million, that is just one-sixth reduction. What effect would that have?” Masha queried.

Masha added that in real terms, creating five million employment opportunities is no mean feat. However, because of the high number of unemployed people in the country, the effort of the government seems to be insignificant.

For Mr. Adeyemi Adefajo, a publisher, it is quite disturbing that a country with an

economic growth rate of 7.1 per cent has such a high unemployment rate.

“What you would expect normally is that when you have a growing economy, you have a declining unemployment rate, but that has not been the experience in this country. This is simply because there are gaps that have been left over the years to widen, and it is very difficult for the government to close due to some certain powerful forces benefiting from the anomalies.

“One glaring gap is electricity generation, what companies and manufacturers spend to generate electricity is mind boggling. If the same resources were to be diverted to productive activities, the result will be awesome.”

Though the Federal Government is making some efforts in this regard, like the privatisation of the power sector of the economy, but until the rot is totally fixed the problem of high unemployment rate will persist.

A lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Babatunde Akinwale, said unemployment has been on upward swing in the country because the government has no serious plan to address the problem.

“The government is not serious about solving the problem of unemployment in this country. What you have is mere tokenism; throwing a few things at the people to keep them quiet, but unfortunately tokenism cannot solve unemployment problem.

This is a placebo treatment that will not take the youth out of unemployment and underemployment.”

On how to tackle the problem, Akinwale said the government has to fix the nation’s electricity problem first.

“We have to fix our power problem because it is the key to real industrialisation, the problem of unemployment has escalated because the industries are comatose,” he said.

“Most industries have relocated to neighbouring countries because the cost of production is way too much and expected returns are not being met. We need to revive the dead companies to create opportunities for our youths.”

40

Cocktail

Thursday, May 1, 2014

China to ban eating of protected animal species

C

hina will jail people who eat rare animals for 10 years or more under a new interpretation of the criminal law, state media reported, as the government seeks to close a legal loophole and better protect the natural environment.

China lists 420 species as rare or endangered, including the panda, golden monkeys, Asian black bears and pangolins, some or all of which are threatened by illegal hunting, environmental destruction and the consumption of animal parts, including for supposedly medicinal reasons .

Consumption of rare

animals has risen as the country has become richer, with some people believing spending thousands of yuan on eating them gives a certain social cache.

“Eating rare wild animals is not only bad social conduct but also a main reason why illegal hunting has not been stopped despite repeated crackdowns,” Lang Sheng, deputy head of parliament’s Legislative Affairs Commission said, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Thursday.

The new interpretation “clears up ambiguities about buyers of prey of illegal hunting”, the report added.

Driver stumbles onto 10-foot python

A

ustrian police are looking for the owner of a large python — and the driver who found it may think twice before picking the next spot to stretch his legs.

Police said Monday they were called to the scene about 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of

Vienna after the unidentified driver stumbled onto the 2.5-meter (nearly 10foot) reptile packed in a jute sack in a forest near a highway.

The snake was found late last week. A pet shop has volunteered to temporarily care for it while police look for its owner.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

New restaurant to sell $2000 per person meal

W

o rl d - re n ow n e d chef Paco Roncero will soon open his new restaurant, Sublimotion, at the Hard Rock Hotel in Ibiza, Spain where guests will be taken on a multisensory journey. Price of admission: £1,500, or just over $2000 per person. According to Eater, that hefty price, “is more than double the cost of America’s most expensive tasting menus.”

In a promotional video, Roncero, a chef awarded two prestigious Michelin Stars, says that Sublimotion has been in the works for a year and bringing it to reality is his dream come true. “I had to combine forces with talented other professions who could contribute technology, design, study the emotions, study the role of the senses,” the culinary artist said. Roncero’s team worked to create an experience for the diner that some may consider overwhelming.

“Working in Paco Roncero’s workshop, you realize that your work as a cook doesn’t end with what you put on the plate. The combination of tastes you can create. You can also perceive sensations,” said one of the Sublimotion chefs. An entire environment is created for the guests that influences how the dishes are experienced. “Eating on the beach is not the same as eating in a field. And that is what we have developed in the Paco

The new restaurant, Sublimotion

Roncero workshop,” said another of Roncero’s chefs.

Only twelve diners can be seated at a time in the stark white space designed as a backdrop to display visual elements. Restaurant-goers are surrounded by operator controlled wall and table projections, varying temperatures and humidity, customized aromas and music, and oh yeah, a 20-course tasting menu.

While one would assume the cuisine from the

acclaimed Roncero would be great, not much is said about the Sublimotion food specifically. However this tidbit is mentioned on the restaurant’s website, “Guests will travel in a world of sensations from the North Pole, where they will taste a cold snack carved out by themselves from their own iceberg, to the baroque Versailles.[sic] where the subtlety and elegance of a rose will melt in their mouths.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 1, 2014

41

PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT CONDOLENCE

Late Capt. Sabo Yusuf Sambo The Government and the good people of Plateau State wish to commiserate with you, Vice President Namadi Sambo and your family over the tragic death of your younger brother, Capt. Sabo Yusuf Sambo which occurred on 27th April, 2014 in a ghastly motor accident.

As you mourn the departure of your brother, we stand by you in prayers for God to give you, his immediate family members and his associates the strength and fortitude to bear the loss.

Please accept our deep condolences.

Jonah David Jang

Governor, Plateau State

42

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Index rises 0.01% as UBA Capital posts 29% return on equity JOHNSON OKANLAWON

I

nvestments in some companies with good earnings lifted the benchmark index of equities marginally on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday.

Specifically, the All Share Index gained 0.01 per cent to close at 38, 485.48 points, in contrast to the decline of 0.66 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 38,480.60 points.

Market capitalisation added N4bn to close at N12.67trn, in contrast to the loss of N85bn recorded the preceding day to close at N12.66trn.

Seplat Plc led the gainers’ table with N29.81 or five per

cent to close at N626.31 per share, followed by Union Dicon Salt Plc with 67 kobo or 4.99 per cent to close at N14.11 per share.

African Prudence Plc rose 14 kobo or 4.83 per cent to close at N3.04 per share, while Custodian Insurance Plc was up 10 kobo or 4.44 per cent to close at N2.35 per share.

On the flip side, Cadbury Plc lost N3.95 or five per cent to close at N75.05 per share, while Air Service Plc fell 11 kobo or 4.89 per cent to close at N1.19 per share.

RT Briscoe Plc dropped six kobo or 4.80 per cent to close at N1.19 per share, while Eterna Oil Plc dipped

18 kobo or 4.75 per cent to close at N3.61 per share.

A total of 300.3 million shares valued at N5.38bn were traded in 4,799 deals.

Meanwhile, shareholders of UBA Capital Plc have approved a dividend of N1.5bn at 25kobo per share as proposed by the board of directors of the company.

The board also extended the dividend to include additional shares bought during the company’s Rights Issue of 2013.

Speaking at the company’s first Annual General Meeting in Lagos yesterday, the Chairman, Mr. Chika Mordi said the company recorded gross earnings of

N4.6bn, up 241per cent year on year and a profit before tax of N2.6bbn, up 212 per cent year on year.

He said that the company’s total assets stood at N79.5bn, an increase of about 573 per cent, while an earnings per share of 44kobo and cost to income ratio of 46 per cent and a return on average equity of 29 per cent were posted in the 2013 financial year.

Also, the appointment of Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sanni and Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom as the Group Chief Executive Officer and Non-Executive Director of the company respectively were rectified at the meeting.

Access Bank to raise $1bn additional capital UDO ONYEKA

A

ccess Bank’s shareholders at the Annual General Meeting, in Lagos yesterday endorsed the bank’s plan to raise additional capital up to $1bn.

According to Group Managing Director, of the bank, Mr Herbert Wigwe, the funds will be raised in tranches when needed and will be used in priority growth sectors and in market segments that guarantee steady earnings in conformity with the bank’s sustainable growth agenda.

“This is in furtherance of the bank’s objective of being ranked as one of the top three banks in any of the markets in which it operates”, he said.

Commenting on the

plans, the bank’s Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode said, “The Board has considered a variety of available capital raising options and came to the conclusion that having the option of raising additional financing of up to $1bn or its equivalent in local currency via the issuance of debt instruments is the most cost-efficient option to meet the bank’s capital adequacy objectives.”

He said the injection of fresh capital into the Bank’s operations would accelerate its position as a leading African financial institution, adding that enhancement of the Bank’s capital base is a key imperative for the realisation of its developmental goals and commitment to society.”

The shareholders also unanimously approved the

re-election and election of new directors to the bank’s board. The new directors are Mr. Paul Usoro, and Dr. Ajoritsedere Awosika.

The shareholders’ commendation of the bank’s management and board for the performance recorded for the period under review.

Wigwe expressed his gratitude to the bank’s shareholders for their support for the institution and assured them of consistent superlative performance and growth year-on-year.

Analysis of the bank’s results for the year ended December 31, 2013 validated the bank’s capacity for sustainable growth.

The results showed an increase in the deposit base, from N1.201trn in 2012 to N1.33trn, an 11 per cent growth over last year’s figure while its loan book

rose impressively by 33 per cent, from N609bn in 2012 to N810bn in 2013, showing the bank’s commitment to empowering critical sectors of the ecomomy. Further analysis showed that the bank’s earnings grew to N206.7bn from N206.4bn in 2012.

Similarly, the bank recorded an improvement in its cost of funds from 4.5 per cent to 4.6 per cent, while non-performing loans, ratio dropped to 2.7 per cent from 5.0 per cent, which is dued to the bank’s enhanced risk management framework.

However, the bank posted a profit before tax of N44.9bn, a decline of 3.4 per cent when compared to N46.bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2012.

Sterling Bank shareholders give nod to 25 kobo dividend payout JOHNSON OKANLAWON

S

hareholders of Sterling Bank yesterday approved a dividend of 25 kobo per share for the financial year ended December 31, 2013, an increase of 25 per cent when compared to 20 kobo paid out in the same period of 2012.

They also agreed with the bank to increase share capital from N12bn to N16bn to enhance the bank ability to finance big projects.

Speaking at the bank’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos, the Coordinator of

Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sunny Nwosu, noted that the increase of share capital will enable the bank to finance big business.

“If the capital base is not robust, we will not be able to do big business. Go and increase the capital to be in the league of banks that can do big business,” Nwosu said.

The President of Nigerian Shareholders Solidarity Association, Mr. Timothy Adesiyan added that the increase of the share capital will accommodate future increase in share issue.

Analysis of the bank’s equity showed that between

2006 and 2013, shareholders’ equity grew from N26.bn to N63.5bn.

Speaking on the result, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Yemi Adeola said that despite the pressure on the earnings of banks arising from regulatory changes in the 2013 financial year, the bank recorded N91.6bn, as interest and other income outplaced interest expense and operating expenses.

He explained that the bank’s market share grew to three per cent from 2.7 per cent in 2012, while it achieved a non-performing loan ratio for 18 per cent, down from

N3.8 per cent in 2012.

Adeola, who said that the bank achieved earning per share of growth of 18 per cent to 52 kobo in the review period, stressed that it made incremental investments in key infrastructure in 2013 to drive business improvements.

“The bank upgraded core banking infrastructure to increase its capacity to meet the demands of an enlarged entity and ensure optimal system availability. Back up links were acquired for braches to ensure maximum uptime and improve service delivery across all channels,” he said.

Source: NSE

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 38,485.48 points Market capitalisation 13.10 trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

SEPLAT

596.50

626.31

29.81

% CHANGE 5.00

UNIONDICON

13.44

14.11

0.67

4.99

AFRIPRUD

2.90

3.04

0.14

4.83

CUSTODYINS

2.25

2.35

0.10

4.44

COSTAIN

1.41

1.47

0.06

4.26

DANGSUGAR

9.50

9.90

0.40

4.21

ZENITHBANK

21.92

22.70

0.78

3.56

JBERGER

68.89

70.90

2.01

2.92

ETI

13.15

13.50

0.35

2.66

INTENEGINS

0.53

0.54

0.01

1.89

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CADBURY

79.00

75.05

-3.95

-5.00

AIRSERVICE

2.25

2.14

-0.11

-4.89

RTBRISCOE

1.25

1.19

-0.06

-4.80

ETERNA

3.79

3.61

-0.18

-4.75

ABCTRANS

0.86

0.82

-0.04

-4.65

CUTIX

1.99

1.90

-0.09

-4.52

PRESCO

42.00

40.12

-1.88

-4.48

OKOMUOIL

35.00

33.50

-1.50

-4.29

NESTLE

1,080.00

1,040.00

-40.00

-3.70

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

22,057.31

11.50

07-Nov-13

182-Day

30,000.00

11.59

07-Nov-13

182-Day

47,786.39

13.05

07-Nov-13

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

178-Day

86,709.13

12.35

07-Nov-13

175-Day

95,368.69

12.35

07-Nov-13

-

-

-

-

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$350m

N/A

$343m

04-Nov-13

Thursday May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

43

Community Mirror NAFDAC destroys expired poultry products

48

I feel all gubernatorial elections petitions tribunal matters should terminate at the Court of Appeal, because as a result of those political appeals, other regular ordinary cases suffer at the Supreme Court.

CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA, JUSTICE MARIAM ALOMA MUKHTAR

Suspected kidnappers set ablaze in Ogun ...as NSCDC rescues suspected baby snatcher Femi Oyeweso and Dare Akogun

A

n irate mob protesting an alleged kidnap of a 26 year old lady has set ablaze, three suspected kidnappers on Ijoko Road, Sango - Ota in Ado-OdoOta Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The mob also burnt the suspects’ vehicle and rescued the victim identified as Oluwole Elizabeth.

An eyewitness said that luck ran out on the suspected kidnappers, when their victim shouted from the vehicle conveying her to their den, as that alerted people in the area.

The source explained

that the incident forced people to stop the kidnappers’ vehicle as they attempted to escape.

Angered by their brazen act,the crowd beat the three suspects to pulp before setting them ablaze.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident, said the incident took place before the police arrived at the scene.

Adejobi further said that the victim, Elizabeth, who resides at Ajegunle area of Atan-Ota, had boarded a vehicle to convey her to Atan on the Idiroko Border Road from Sona Breweries but later found herself at Gasline axis of Ijoko - Ota.

“Oluwole Elizabeth, 26, who resides at Ajegunle Street, Atan Ota said at about 7:40am,she boarded a vehicle whose number plate was not known from Sona Brewery, Sango-Ota to Ewekoro , but, unexpectedly found herself at Gas line in Ijoko”.

Emphasising that the charred bodies of the suspected kidnappers had been evacuated, Adejobi said the victim was undergoing interrogation at the command’s headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, the state capital.

“We are going to use multifaceted approach to know if there had been an interaction between the suspects and the victim. The jungle justice

affected our case and we condemned it in totality”.

“The people alerted us at the headquarters rather than calling the DPO in Ota, and immediately, we asked him to move to the scene, but before he got there, the suspects had been killed and set ablaze.

They put tyres on the suspects and set them ablaze.

We have evacuated their ashes”.

“We have taken over the matter and are still investigating. We condemn jungle justice, people should desist from such act”, he said.

In a related development, the Nigeria security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, said they have rescued a middle-aged wom-

an, Favour Okoye from being lynched by a mob over allegation of kidnapping a baby in Abeokuta.

In a statement by the Public Relations Officer,PRO, Kareem Olanrewaju, it said the incident happened at Totoro area of Abeokuta.

Olarewaju said the woman had been beaten to coma before she was rescued and taken to the hospital.

“A taxi driver alerted civil defence personnel at Akin-Olugbade/Pepsi/ Totoro area that a woman had been attacked and was about to be killed.”

“They quickly raced

Septuagenarian, chiefs jailed for environmental offences Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

A

Cultural dancers performing at the 2014 Vih-Mah-Yah cultural festival in Boi Bogoro LGA of Bauchi State.

Tanker crushes street sweeper in Lagos Francis Suberu

A

pregnant road sweeper with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has been crushed to death by a petrol tanker.

It was gathered that the petrol tanker with

registration number Kano NSR 592 YQ, crushed the deceased, Mrs. Kikelomo Bamidele while sweeping the BRT lane near the pedestrian bridge at Ojota area.

It was learnt that she died at the Lagos State Emergency Centre on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where she was

rushed to for urgent medical attention.

Witnesses blamed break failure for the accident, as they said the tanker driver made frantic efforts to stop the articulated vehicle before he finally lost control.

An eye witness who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “The

tanker driver had break failure and tried to manoeuvre the vehicle when he veered into the BRT lane and crushed the street sweeper”.

The driver who attempt to escape from the accident scene was apprehended and handed over to the police at Ogudu.

to the scene to rescue the woman but, all appeal to allow the suspected kidnapper face due legal process proved abortive as the mob insisted on killing her.

“The situation became more violent when the armed civil defence personnel arrived at the scene.

They threw bottles, stones at them, but they were able to rescue the woman from being killed.

“The woman was immediately taken to Federal Medical Centre,FMC, where she is receiving treatment. She regained consciousness after treatment was administered on her.

n Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 72year old woman, Monisola Falaye, to three months in prison for environmental offences, even as two Akure Chiefs, Omolewa B.O. and Ayodele Omolade, were similarly convicted.

In a suit number MA/0/21EC/2014, Falaye was accused of cooking in an unhygienic environment and failure to provide a sanitary waste bin in her house at No 34 Ajegunle Street, Akure.

She was also charged with keeping loads in the passage of her house contrary to the Ondo State Environmental Law of 2006 Cap 54.

The accused however pleaded guilty and prayed the court to temper justice with mercy.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Olayinka Omole, sentenced the septuagenarian to three months imprisonment with option of fine of N5,000.

Omolade and Omolewa were arraigned for failure to provide sanitary dustbins in their houses and failing to put their kitchens, toilets and bathrooms in good order. The accused persons pleaded guilty to the charges.

However, there was mild drama in the court, as one of the chiefs, Omolade, suddenly went on his knees, begging the court for leniency.

He pleaded: “Your Honour, I know I am guilty and aware that no sinner will go unpunished. Kindly pardon me. I have been on the sick bed at the State Specialist Hospital for some days now.

I promise to make amends.”

Presiding Chief Magistrate Omole, later convicted the chiefs to one year imprisonment each or N36,000 each as options of fine.

Two other people Mr. Samuel Ali of No 22 Oluwatuyi road, Akure and Mrs. Ola Olawumi of No 17 Sijuade Street, Akure also appeared before the court.

They are to pay fines of N7, 000 each or spend five months in jail for living in unkempt environment.

44

Young & Next Generation

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cassava stakeholders urge youths to embrace farming ...inaugurate Lagos chapter

Stories: Leonard Okachie

B

uoyed by the prospect in cassava farming, Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (CSAN), has urged young people to key into the new opportunities in cassava farming rather than roaming about the street in search of white collar jobs.

The group said that the youths have a lot to benefit from cassava farming even as it called the government at various levels to invest in cassava as a way of curbing unemployment for the teeming Nigerians youths.

The call was made recently during the inauguration of Lagos State chapter of CSAN, which held at the Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State.

National President of CSAN, Mr. Benjamin Adebayo, said the association has been involved in several training programmes for the youth, adding that it has also exposed them to the mechanised farming and as well as provided incentives for them.

He, however, noted that cassava farmers are faced with some challenges: “There is lack of information about cassava farming g in Nigeria. We want people to ask us a lot of questions.

“Another challenge is that there are no road networks to push our products to the right place at the right time. Cassava is 75 per cent water, it can’t stay long.

So we need good roads.”

Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and South West Coordinator of CSAN, Mr. Femi Oke remarked that the youths have a lot to benefit from cassava farming because it does not only create job

but has also become a veritable source of foreign exchange.

“Lagos State Government has just set up a cassava cottage industry at Igbodu for our youths. The place is free for every cassava farmer to plant.The Federal Government is trying to have cassava processing centres in the six geopolitical zones and we are saying thank you to them.

“We are making huge profit in exportation of cassava products. And these are in high demands in US, China and other countries in the world. It is fetching us good hard currencies. That is why we are urging our youths to embrace it rather than engaging themselves in scam and other vices.”

Corroborating, the Woman Leader of CSAN, Lagos, Mrs. Bickersteth Yususf said that young people should be actively involved cassava farming rather than leaving for the old one, stressing we want our youths to go and farm. It is not about going to office to work alone, there are other things that you can do. And as a farmer you can never go hungry.”

In his acceptance speech, Chairman of CSAN, Lagos, Mr. Bashuir Yusuf expressed joy for the inauguration and pledged his administration support for the progress of association.

He said: “We, the Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria Lagos Chap-

The new executive officers of CSAN, Lagos

ter, aligned our objectives and focus to partner with Federal Government on food sustainability through cassava production and processing and as at today we have over 300 members with over 500 hectares of farmland undergoing clearing and over 200 hectares of farmland already cultivated for cassava plantation at Igbodu/Isewo in Epe axis of Lagos State.

“We have done this much by ourselves, but all our effort is still like a drop in the mighty ocean, we need assistances from all relevant government agencies; among others we need farming equipment such as traitors, fertilizers, insecticides, storage facilities, more processing centres etc.”

The new executive officers include: Bashir Yusuf (Chairman), Mr. Titi Onalaja (1st Vice Chariman), Mr. Balogun Temitope (2nd Vice Chairman), Mr.

Lanre Olofin (Secretary General), Mr. Ogunyemi Taiwo (Assitant Secretary), Mrs Adeola Adewunmi-Malik (Treasurer), Mr. Sam Oparanozie (Financial Secretary), Mrs. Bickersteth Funmilayo Yusuf, Mrs Abiodun Ige(Assistant Womanm Leader).

Other are Pastor Kehinde Ajayi(Public Relations Officer), Mr Adeniyi Oyedeji (Assistant Public Reations Officer), Mr Solomon Orji (Youth Leader), Mr. Merayesa Olusegun (Inter Governmental Relation Officer), Mrs. Bickersteth Jacob (Diaspora Officer), Mrs. Tokunbo Ogunyemi (Ex-Officio 1) and Mr. Dikko Yaya (Ex-Officio 2).

Some of the guests at the occasion were the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lagos, Mrs. Abiola Komolafe; Head of Agric Service, Ikorodu Local Government, Mr. Bola Onigbanjo , many youths among others.

Slimestev Entertainment thrills youngsters

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or some children and youths in Ikorodu in Lagos State, this year’s Easter celebration would remain memorable as it was full of fun and excitement, thanks to Slimestev Entertainment.

The premises of Primelight Schools at Ajaguro, Ikorodu was a busy one on Easter Monday, as the group organised a party to celebrate Easter in grand style for the youngsters.

Interestingly, it was an avenue for upcoming artistes to showcase their talents and as expected artistes such as Oluwa Bamsel from Mushin, Thickest20 a rapper, DJ Ultimate, Cool Man, MDC Dancing Crew and many others gave the guest an overdose of entertainment.

With dance, drama, comedy and ribcracking jokes, the organisers ensured that their guests were glued to their seats till the end of the event.

Elated by the success of the programme, the Chief Executive Officer of Slimestev Entertainment, Mr. Stephen Chikoma thanked God, his crew mem-

bers and all others who made it possible.

He said: “I have seen a lot potentials among the young people in Ikorordu and I am bothered that many of them need a platform to showcase their talents. So I decided to organise the programme, to make them happy especially at this Easter season. I believe that if these talents are properly harnessed, they will become superstars in future.

“My major challenge is sponsorship and I urge corporate bodies to support programme like this so as to our youths off the street. If their talents are harnessed, they won’t think of committing crime and other social vices.”

A guest, Mrs. Faithlyn Ezeanah commended the organisers, adding that she was happy that they decided to engage the youth through such programme, rather than allowing them to go into crime.

She advised them not to wait for what Nigeria can do for them but rather they should think of what they can

The organisers and some guests

do for Nigeria, their family and society at large.

Another guest, Master Somtochukwu Agu said he was happy to come out to have fun, stressing that he enjoyed every segment of the programme, especially

the dancing competition and the games.

The group however, promised the youngsters that they would do much better for the forthcoming Children’s Day celebration as they prepare to host children from various schools in Ikorodu.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Young & Next Generation

Thursday, May 1, 2014

45

Summit: Utomi stresses role of youths in nation building Kunle A zeez

P

rofessor of Political Economy, Prof. Pat Utomi, has underscored the importance of empowering the Nigerian youths, saying they are critical to nation building.

Speaking on the first day of the 2014 Change Summit, an annual youth conference organised by The Capstone Church, in Yaba area of Lagos, Utomi highlighted the important role which young people had played in the Nigerian political history and the need for such transformational role to be sustained in the current and future generation.

Addressing a large gathering of youths at the conference with the theme “Shift..., The key”, Utomi said, the youths of Nigeria have always been key to the process of emancipation in the country.

“If you go back to the colonial experience of Nigeria, which was quite short-

lived actually, Nigeria’s colonial experience was very short-lived and it was short-lived because young Nigerians said “we will not continue to be oppressed.”

And they created groups such as the Nigerian Youth Movement, one of the earliest political parties; people like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe and all of those.

“One thing that is clear about that generation is that they understood very, very well something that Frantz Fanon was to capture very stoutly in his writings in looking at The Wretched of the Earth that every generation had a duty.”

He continued: “Every generation must discover its mission and either betray it or fulfil it. And a big challenge for every generation is to discover whether it has betrayed the mission of its generation or whether it is doing something to fulfil it.

“Youth is important in getting things done because young people have passion.

Young people are less prone to fear be-

Utomi

cause they really truly have less of a burden on their shoulders.”

Utomi argued that the large population of Nigeria, which is made of more young people , presents a huge opportunity that the government should tap into for economic prosperity.

“What economists have found is that yesterday, the population of a country was a limitation and so they told you about how to control birth, to do these kinds of things but they look at what is going on, they see a Japan that is dying because

it’s not having enough young people to produce the growth that will support the aging. And you see countries in the West that are now beginning to use visa lottery and all of that to attract young capable from our lands into their place.

“However, the economists now talk about a demographic dividend. That demographic dividend is the strength of Nigeria. All we need to do is invest appropriately in the education and the wellness of our youth and we will create an economic machine that cannot be stopped.

way which transcends cultural boundaries.”

MTV Base VJ and hype man for the event – EhizojiaOkoeguale popularly called Ehiz collaborated with DJ Skills to thrill consumers with classic and contemporary tunes into the wee hours of the following morning. The ambience on the beach was intriguing, colourful and youth-

ful as it transformed the entire shoreline of the Elegushi beach into an experience of relaxation, hugs and high-fives filled with creativity and Absolut funfair.

Mr Oke also announced that as part of the transformation, Absolut is giving its consumers a lifetime experience for their loyalty to the premium vodka over the years. The on-going activations include series of cocktail beach parties where inspiring and creative minds can mix and own their special and signature cocktails.

And as partners of the Transform Today category of the MAMAs 2014, Absolut Vodka is giving five lucky people a chance to win VVIP tickets to the MTV Africa Music Awards in South Africa.

To win the tickets, consumers who are 18 years and above need to buy 2 bottles of Absolut Vodka from any Shoprite Store, Park & Shop or other neighbourhood outlets and there opportunities to also win tickets when the Absolut Mystery Shopper spots consumers drinking a bottle of Absolut in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja.

Fun galore at Absolut beach party Leonard Okachie

I

t was celebrations and excitement galore as premium vodka, Absolut recently excited consumers with entertainment beyond imagination. The event was a showstopper designed for young consumers to create unique Absolut signature cocktails at the beach, sparked up with excitements and unlimited possibilities with the array of unique mixers made available at the popular Elegushi beach in Lagos.

Nearly 3,000 people had transformed over the weekend, embracing a world full of creativity and self-expression. The cocktail beach party, embodying the Absolut’s Transform Today spirit, inspired the power of creation with Absolut in a complete extra-ordinary way that depicts its rich flavour, smooth and mellow with a distinct character of grain. Absolut Vodka is great neat and ice-cold on the rocks or as base for hundreds of drinks and cocktails.

Youths having fun at the party

According to the Marketing Director PernodRicard Nigeria, Sola Oke ‘The activation gives us an opportunity to inspire a generation of creative Millenials who leave transformative marks and the Absolut brand certainly provides young people the right platforms to have unique experiences. We will continue to lead the pack in transforming the society creatively in a

Science For Kids

What causes bedwetting and how can it be stopped?

M

illions of kids and teenagers from every part of the world wet the bed every single night.

It’s so common that there are probably other kids in your class who do it. Most kids don’t tell their friends, so it’s easy to feel kind of alone, like you might be the only one on the whole planet who wets the bed. But you are not alone.

The fancy name for bedwetting, or sleep wetting, is nocturnal (nighttime) enuresis (say: en-yoo-ree-sus). Enuresis runs in families. This means that if you urinate, or pee, while you are asleep, there’s a good chance that a close relative also did it when he or she was a kid. Just like you may have inherited your mom’s blue eyes or your uncle’s long legs, you probably inherited bedwetting, too.

The most important thing to remember is that no one wets the bed on purpose. It doesn’t mean that you’re lazy or a slob. It’s

something you can’t help doing. For some reason, kids who wet the bed are not able to feel that their bladders are full and don’t wake up to pee in the toilet. Sometimes a kid who wets the bed will have a realistic dream that he or she is in the bathroom peeing — only to wake up later and discover he or she is all wet.

Many kids who wet the bed are very deep sleepers. Do your parents complain that it’s hard to wake you up? Could you sleep through a marching band parading outside your bedroom door? Or a pack of dogs howling at the moon? Trying to wake up someone who wets the bed is often like trying to wake a log — the person just stays asleep.

Some kids who wet the bed do it every single night. Others wet some nights and are dry on others. A lot of kids say that they seem to be drier when they sleep at a friend’s or a relative’s house. That’s be-

cause kids who are anxious about wetting the bed might not sleep much or only very lightly. So the brain may be thinking, “Hey, you! Don’t wet someone else’s bed!” This can help you stay dry even if you’re not aware of it.

The good news is that almost all kids who wet the bed eventually stop. So if you wet every night, don’t be discouraged. And don’t worry that you’re not normal, either physically or emotionally. Sleep wetting is not usually caused by a problem with your body or your feelings.

It’s likely that bedwetting will go away on its own. In fact, 15 out of 100 kids who wet the bed will stop every year without any treatment at all. But if you have this problem it’s still a good idea for you and your parents to talk to your doctor about it.

Your doctor will ask you some questions, and it’s important to answer them truthfully and not feel embarrassed. Remember,

bedwetting is so common that your doctor probably treats a lot of kids who do it. The doctor will examine you and probably ask for a urine sample to test.

Some kids who have other problems, like constipation (when you aren’t pooping regularly), daytime wetting, or urinary infections, may need some extra tests.

If you wet the bed, there are some things you can do to stay dry. Try not to drink anything after dinner and remember to go to the bathroom before going to bed. If you do wet the bed, help with the cleanup by pulling off the sheets and putting them in the laundry.

Source : KidsHealth

46

Media

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurgency: Military urges media collaboration Stories: Leonard Okachie

T

he General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Ahmed Mohammed, has called for cordial military-media relations in the fight against insurgency.

Mohammed, represented by Brig.Gen. Okon Udoh, Chief of Staff at the 7 Division, made the call at a workshop on military-media relations.

The workshop was organised for newsmen in Maiduguri by the Defence Headquarters and Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

He said that the role of the media in both government and the larger society was very important.

Mohammed said that the media did not only play a critical role in reporting events but also monitored the activities of institutions, the military inclusive, to protect the lives of citizens.

He said: “Both the military and the media have the constitutional role of protecting the citizens, and defending the national constitution.

“It does seem logical, therefore, that they should work together for national interest by complementing each other’s interest.’’

Mohammed said that the military was doing everything possible within its

A cross section of journalists at a workshop

power to execute its missions in a possible way.

On her part, Dr Fatima Akilu, Director of Strategic Communication in the office of the NSA, urged media workers to avoid speculation and exaggeration in reporting terrorism.

Akilu said that the media should also try as much as possible to report information from identified official spokes-

Royal father decries infiltration of junk journalists in Imo

NAWOJ presidential aspirant promises training for members

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Chris Njoku OWERRI

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nfiltration of junk journalists in print media in Imo State is now giving serious concerns to well meaning members of the society.

As such the leadership of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state has been asked to wake up to their society responsibility and weed the profession of such junk journalists who are hell bent to drag the image of the profession to the mud.

The passionate call was made by the Eze Imo, Eze Agunwa Samuel Ohiri at the Award ceremony of the Deputy Governor of Imo State Prince Eze Madumere, MFR, who was conferred as the best Deputy Governor in the South East of Nigeria by the Publisher of Newname Newspaper, at Rockview Hotels in Owerri.

He expressed sadness at the development, adding that he had always had issues with the quality of journalism being practiced in the state and had on some occasions drew the attention of the NUJ leadership in the state on the need to clear up the profession because “there are so many junk journalists in the state.”

He also called for investigative journalism which he said is lacking in Nigeria. “What we get here is Eze Imo

persons.

She said that in reporting conflict, there had to be synergy among those reporting the conflict and those trying to keep the nation safe. ``We thought we should come together and dialogue on understanding the constraints the media has and how to better inform them.’’

Earlier, Director of Defence Informa-

tion, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said that the essence of the workshop was to interact with journalists in Maiduguri and convey the appreciation of the strategic headquarters.

Olukolade said that the workshop was also organised to appreciate the journalists and acknowledge the unique circumstances in which they have had to manage to do their job.

He said: ``The terrorism we face in Nigeria at the moment has been acknowledged as unique, unusual and peculiar to our country. ``We want to appreciate the understanding that the media here in Maiduguri have expressed so far in the conduct of their affairs. ``For those on ground, we appreciate the fact that despite the situation, you have been able to stay on ground to do your job.’’

Olukolade said that the level of understanding and patriotism received from the media had been helpful and supportive.

He continued: ``We believe that this forum will give you a better understanding to do your work.You need to take into cognisance the factors that are necessary in the interest of our country and those that are necessary in the discharge of your duty as information manager.’’

Some of the participants said the workshop was apt and revealing.

said, they would rush to reproduce that without verifying whether Eze Imo said that.”

The royal father also observed the proliferation of newspapers in the country saying that “it is like launching a newspaper is now a prerequisite of becoming a candidate for a political office in the country,” According to him the biggest problem facing the country today is that of corruption. “I have seen criminals, crooks becoming governors and people are praising them and journalists are writing about them.

He said that it is high time people start identifying leaders who are actually doing well and encourage them to do more rather than sing praises to eulogise corruption The publisher of Newname Magazines, Dr. Rita Moses, said Madumere emerged as the Best Deputy Governor of the year, South East as a result of his exemplary life in service to humanity.

Speaking , the deputy governor thanked the Publisher of Newname Newspaper for finding him worthy for such award and promised to serve humanity with the resources and ability the Almighty has endowed him.

n aspirant to the presidency of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, has promised to train and retrain its members if voted in to office.

Omowole, who is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), made the pledge in Gombe during her campaign.

She said that as a career journalist, she considered training as very important to the profession.

“I am giving you my word, if given the mandate, I will make sure women journalists benefit from training that will improve their productivity.

“We are going to localise the training to zones so that a good number of women journalists will benefit, if not all,” she said.

Omowole said she would liaise with donor agencies to assist in organising the training programmes.

“We will also focus attention on reporting health and gender, sports, defence and security, investigative journalism, among other areas,” she said.

She explained that NAWOJ members would be made to acquire other skills so that they would be empowered economically, particularly those closer to retirement.

She further promised to open a website and a national secretariat for NAWOJ three months after her inauguration.

“We are in a digital world but NAWOJ is still analogue,’’ she said.

In a remark, Mrs Abia Abel, a NA-

Omowole

WOJ member, advised her to keep to her promises.

Also speaking, Mrs Ruth Absolon, the chairperson of NAWOJ in Gombe and also an aspirant for the vice president for the North East zone, promised the support of the chapter for her.

She also described the presidential aspirant as focused and determined person.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Media

Thursday, May 1 2014

47

Momoh, Anyanwu, others Ethiopia jails 9 journalists speak at The Cable launch T Media Abroad

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, The Cable online newspaper, Mr. Simon Kolawole; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Sen. Chris Anyanwu and Publisher, Thisday newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, during the inauguration of The Cable in Lagos.

Stories: Leonard Okachie

C

hief Executive Officer of Channels Television Mr. John Momoh has said Nigeria is a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly, adding: “It is the degree to which you put together those components that makes a great nation.”

He said values have “taken a plunge,” and there is “crass materialism,” with people of shady characters being accorded recognition both in the media and the political space, and even ending up making laws and being voted into other public offices.

The media guru said politics should be made less attractive. “Make it possible to work without pay. If you make political offices less attractive, the real people will step up.

“There is need for us to reset, go back to the basics and make sure we’re on the right to development.

Also Senator Anyanwu, a former publisher of now rested The Sunday Magazine (TSM), said she dreams of a time the country’s politics will no longer be “insular”, and everyone can run for public offices wherever they live irrespective of

their states of origin.

“We have to tap into the strength of our diversity. When someone from Lagos can go to Kano and become a governor, until we get to that point, we cannot become the giant of Africa ,” she said.

They spoke spoke in Lagos at the launch of The Cable online newspaper, published by a former ThisDay editor Simon Kolawole. The theme of the discussion was “Nigeria at 100” Similiarly, former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar appealed to politicians and all Nigerians to always put Nigeria first, adding “ I appeal to them to forget their differences when issues of security or Nigeria are at stake. Don’t play politics with security.”

“Perhaps our politicians can learn some lessons from America . Whenever there is an election, they identify themselves as Republicans and Democrats.

“As soon as election is over, they identify themselves as Americans. I understand that politicians will always be politicians, but politics should not be destructive.”

ThisDay publisher Nduka Obaigbena moderated it, while Alhaji Aliko Dangote sent a recorded message.

Chevron condoles with National Mirror on death of correspondent

T

he management and staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited has commiserated with the staff and management of National Mirror newspapers on the loss of her Bayelsa State Correspondent, Mr. Emma Gbemudu.` Gbemudu, 40, reportedly slumped and died on April 19, 2014 at his Agudama-Epie residence in Yenogoa, Baylesa State.

A condolence letter to the Editor signed by the Manager-Communications, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. A Adebawo read: “On behalf of the management and staff of Chveron Nigeria Limited, I wish to convey to you our heartfelt condolences on the loss of your Bayelsa State Correspondent-Mr. Emma Gbemudu.

“I know how difficult this must be for you and the entire organization, but I encourage you to draw your strength and the strength of friends, colleagues and compatriots in this period.

Gbemudu

“As you pass through this difficult time, be assured that you are in our thoughts and prayers. We pray that God will give you the fortitude to bear this great loss.”

he Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said it is alarmed by the Ethiopian government’s arrests of nine journalists in what it called one of the worst crackdowns against free expression in the country. ``With the latest arrests, Ethiopian authorities are turning the peaceful exercise of free expression into a crime,’’ CPJ East Africa Representative Tom Rhodes said in a statement on Tuesday. ``We call on Ethiopian authorities to halt their slide into paranoia and authoritarianism, and instead to allow critical commentary and public debate to thrive. ``These nine journalists should be released immediately,’’ Rhodes said.

On Sunday, a public prosecutor in the capital, Addis Ababa, accused the detainees-editor of working with foreign human rights organisations and using social media to create instability in the country.

The detainees are Asmamaw Hailegeorgis, freelancers Tesfalem Waldyes and Edom Kassaye, and bloggers Abel Wabella, Atnaf Berhane, Mahlet Fantahun, Natnail Feleke, Zelalem Kibret, and Befekadu Hailu.

Tesfalem, Asmamaw, and Zelalem will have their next court hearing on May 7, while the rest will appear in court on May 8.

The journalists have not been formally charged with a crime.

The bloggers are members of an independent collective called Zone nine, which publishes news and commentary.

Formed in May 2012 in response to the evisceration of the independent press and the narrowing of the space for free expression, the group’s name is derived from Kality Prison.

They are in the main jail where Ethio-

pia’s political prisoners, including several journalists, are held.

With the motto ``We Blog Because We Care,’’ the group has voiced concerns over domestic issues, including political repression and social injustice.

The Zone nine blogs were frequently blocked inside Ethiopia, but gained a following with Ethiopians in the Diaspora.

The arrests follow April 23 announcement on Facebook by the bloggers in which they said they would resume publishing after seven months of inactivity.

They had suspended publishing after being harassed by security agents.

The day before their arrest, security agents allegedly ordered Natnail to hand over contact details of all Zone nine members, a request he refused. ``These are not journalists. Their arrest has nothing to do with journalism, but with serious criminal activities,’’ Getachew Reda, an adviser to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, was quoted as saying. ``We don’t crack down on journalism or freedom of speech. But if someone tries to use his or her profession to engage in criminal activities, then there is a distinction there,’’ Getachew said.

The journalists, who were arrested in multiple raids on Friday and Saturday,

Al-Jazeera demands $150m from Egypt

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l-Jazeera Media Network has served Egypt with a $150m (£89m) compensation claim on the grounds that its investments in the country have been damaged since July 2013.

On Monday, the network lodged a formal “notification of dispute” with the country’s interim government.

It is based on a 1999 bilateral investment treaty between Egypt and Qatar, which stipulates the mutual promotion and protection of investments.

If there is no settlement between alJazeera and the Egyptian authorities within six months, al-Jazeera said it would send the case to international arbitration.

In the months following the overthrow of the government of President Mohamed Morsi by the Egyptian military, alJazeera’s journalists and staff have been subjected to a sustained campaign of harassment and intimidation.

The interim government’s actions have included the ransacking and closure of alJazeera offices, confiscation of equipment, jamming of the network’s transmissions and the arbitrary detention of journalists.

Its broadcast licence has been revoked and its Cairo branch was subjected to compulsory liquidation of assets.

Four al-Jazeera journalists remain in custody, and six have been tried in absentia.

According to the bilateral investment treaty signed between Doha and Cairo, investors from both sides should be afforded fair and equitable treatment by the governments of both countries.

As the treaty obliges Egypt to provide al-

Australian journalist Peter Greste of Al-Jazeera and his colleagues stand inside the defendants cage during their trial. Photograph: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty

Jazeera’s investments with full protection and security, the broadcaster considers the Egyptian authorities to be in violation of international law.

Al-Jazeera claims to have invested “substantial sums” in Egypt since it began broadcasting there in 2001, and its lawyers, Carter Ruck, said the effect of the sustained campaign against the network amounts to an expropriation of that investment.

An al-Jazeera spokesman said the company could not permit the situation to continue. “Egypt has severely disrupted alJazeera’s business activities,” he said, and accused the military regime of breaching “its obligation to respect the right of journalists to report freely.”

Sources: Al-Jazeera/Carter Ruck

48

Community Mirror

Firm to produce rice in Nasarawa Igbawase Ukumba LAFIA

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firm, Kerek Suk Investment Limited, has acquired 17,000 hectares of land in Tunga community of Awe Local Government Area in Nasarawa State for rice production.

This was disclosed by the firm’s project consultant, Mr. Palanikumar Sethu, at Tunga when some newsmen visited the farm.

Mr. Sethu said the firm has since commenced rice production using new technology, known as Systematic Rice Intensification, SRI. He said the technology does not require fertilizer, herbicide or pesticide but makes use of organic matters for rice production with an estimated yield of 20 – 24

tonnes per hectare.

He said, “Once we achieve that, we are making history in Nigeria as well as all over the world. This is because,the yield production in India is 21 tonnes while that of Chins is 19 tonnes.

The firm has put in place plans to go into tomato production and processing with a target of 70 tonnes per hectare, while it will convert the chaffs for production of electricity to be used by the company and host community.

Speaking at the farm, a community leader, Alhaji Yakubu Sabo Bulala, said they have leased the land to the firm for 99 years, with an agreement that it employs 60 percent of the workforce from the area.

Thursday May 1, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NAFDAC destroys expired poultry products Dennis Naku

PORT HARCOURT

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he National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, said it has destroyed 305 bags of decomposing frozen chickens worth N1.2million in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

NAFDAC coordinator in Rivers State, Mrs. Mercy Ndukwe disclosed this

in Port Harcourt, even as she called on frozen food vendors and cold room operators to always maintain adequate cold chain to prevent their products from going bad.

Ndukwe said that the products were voluntarily handed over to NAFDAC for destruction by ‘Saturn Frozen Food Limited’ located on the Trans Amadi layout.

She said, “The frozen chicken products val-

ued at N1, 207,800.00 was voluntarily handed over to NAFDAC for destruction when Saturn Frozen Foods realised they have expired.

“Saturn Frozen Food Limited approached NAFDAC for approval to destroy their unwholesome frozen poultry products”, Ndukwe explained.

The NAFDAC coordinator commended the company for voluntarily handing over the products

and urged cold room operators to always ensure that their cold chain are in perfect working condition to avoid the spoilage and contamination of products.

Mrs. Ndukwe said that the frozen chicken products were crushed and buried in a dump site at Iguruta, near Port Harcourt in presence of NAFDAC, state health officials and management of Saturn Frozen Foods.

Motorcyclists decry intimidation in Gombe Danjuma Williams GOMBE

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ollowing the arrest of hundreds of Okada riders by soldiers in Gombe, commercial motorcycle operators are calling on the authorities to save them from the brutality of army personnel.

According to them, no one could ascertain the cause of the arrest but some residents said the soldiers always humiliate those seeking their daily bread.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a resident said the soldiers have no powers

to arrest but to defend the nation in times of crisis.

Our correspondent who was at the scene of the incident reports that those who operate Bajaj brands of motorcycles were the only ones arrested during the operation.

All efforts to get the response of the Commandant of the 301 Artillery Regiment in Gombe, Col. LA Lebo proved abortive as his cell phone line was switched off.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Fwaje Atajiri, said the operation was a normal routine.

Students of Omu-Aran Secondary School, Kwara State cleaning their premises after ressumption on Monday.

PHOTO: NAN

Women protest in Abuja, demand release of abducted school girls CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

other calamity that will define the character of this Senate more than the subject we are discussing and it will define your Presidency.

“What we need, Mr. President is that every desperate situation calls for desperate solution. The time has come that this parliament as the representatives of the people needs to interface with our President.

And I say this with every due respect to the office of Mr. President.”

The meeting would afford the worried lawmakers to discuss the rising spate of insurgency and kidnapping in the country.

All senators who are

from affected areas are expected to reveal intelligence at their disposal at the meeting.

The Federal Government yesterday vowed to do everything in its power to rescue the abducted secondary school girls.

The government told a United Kingdom delegation in Abuja that it has adopted every available measure to rescue the girls alive and reunite them with their loved ones.

Interior Minister, Comrade Abba Moro, who stated this in his office, also announced the determination of the government to stamp out terrorism from the country, urging the UK government to extend more

support to Nigeria.

Moro also commended the UK for its suspension of the visa bond for Nigerian travellers, describing its earlier introduction as a worrisome development to Nigeria. He said its cancellation will go a long way in further cementing the relationship between both countries.

In Borno State, at least 12 people were killed yesterday, while several houses, shops, a church and a primary school were set ablaze in Kwapchi village, Damboa Local Government Area of the state.

Gunmen numbering about 100, using Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles were alleged to have invaded the community

at about 4a.m, when many residents were still asleep and ordered residents out of their houses.

The gunmen, armed with AK47 rifles, Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, and petrol bombs gathered almost 90 per cent of the residents in one of the primary schools in the area and opened fire on them, before setting ablaze the school and residential houses.

A source told our correspondent that already, 12 corpses have been recovered.

The injured were said to still be waiting for help, as people are afraid of taking them to hospital in nearby Lassa town, which is about 18 kilometres from the af-

fected village.

A resident told our correspondent on phone that the gunmen had a field day as they wrecked havoc on the entire village and fled without being arrested or confronted by security agencies.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Gideon Jubrin said he was not aware of the incident, but promised to make verification and get back to our correspondent before going to press.

In Yobe State, violence erupted again, as suspected members of the Boko Haram sect attacked Gujba town, torching Ekilisiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeriya, EYN, Church and Shuwarim Pri-

mary School yesterday.

Although, there was no loss of lives during the attack, the insurgents also snatched two Toyota Hilux vehicles belonging to a construction firm on the Damaturu-Buni/Yadi road.

Also, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, yesterday called on the Federal Government to deploy more troops to Sambisa forest.

A statement signed by National President and Secretary General of the union, Comrades Michael Alogba Olukoya and Ikpe Obong respectively, said the union was troubled by the conflicting reports over the abducted girls “and the slow pace of rescue efforts by the security agencies.”

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World News

19 killed in Syrian airstrike on school

50

If you understand by recession two quarters of negative economic growth then Russia is experiencing recession now –Head of the IMF mission in Russia, Antonio

‘South Sudan sides recruit 9,000 children to fight’

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ore than 9,000 child soldiers have been fighting in South Sudan’s brutal civil war, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has said.

Both the army and rebel forces had recruited the children, she said.

Ms Pillay said South Sudan faced the threat of a famine, but there was an “apparent lack of concern” on the part of its leaders.

She was speaking at the end of a visit to South Sudan, where the conflict has displaced about a million people.

Fighting broke out in December between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his sacked deputy, Riek Machar.

Mr Kiir accused Mr Machar of plotting a coup.

He denied the charged, but then mobilised a rebel force to fight the government.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of the possibility of revenge killings in South Sudan.

The two sides negotiated a truce in January and have resumed talks in Ethiopia, but fighting has continued.

Ms Pillay said that apart from

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Senegal’s rebels declare ceasefire

A top Senegalese rebel leader has declared a unilateral ceasefire, raising hopes of ending one of West Africa’s longest-running conflicts.

Salif Sadio said he wanted to give the peace process initiated by President Macky Sall a chance.

Sadio leads a rebel MFDC faction fighting for the southern Casamance region’s independence since 1982.

A number of peace deals and ceasefires agreed in the past have failed to end the violence.

Thousands of people have been killed in the low-level conflict.

Sadio told a local radio station that his decision to declare a ceasefire followed talks between the government and his Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) group in Italy.

Both sides had agreed at the meeting to take steps to facilitate the peace process and end the suffering of people, correspondents said.

‘Chinese premier’s Africa visit about more than just oil deals’ Navi Pillay (centre) met government and rebel leaders

recruiting child soldiers, both government and rebel forces have carried out “indiscriminate attacks” which killed civilians, including children.

She met both Mr Kiir and Mr Machar during her visit, and is now due to fly to Ethiopia.

“I was appalled by the apparent lack of concern about the risk of famine displayed by both leaders,” she said, a news agency reports.

“The prospect of widespread hunger and malnutrition being inflicted on hundreds of thousands of their people, because of their

personal failure to resolve their differences peacefully, did not appear to concern them very much.”

Pillay’s visit came amid growing foreign intervention in efforts to end the conflict in South Sudan, the world’s newest state.

US Secretary of State John

Egypt’s judges rebuff criticism of death sentences gypt’s Justice Minister yesterday rebuffed international criticism of a mass trial this week in which some 680 defendants were sentenced to death, saying the judiciary is not a tool of executive authority and that rulings can be overturned upon appeal.

“Egyptian judges are independent and there is no control over them,” Nayer Osman told reporters. “No one in the state is directing the judge — neither a minister, nor an official.”

After a death penalty ruling, the prosecutor must appeal along with the defendant in line with normal judicial process, he added. “The judge is a human being. He can make a mistake like any other human being,” he said.

Osman added that commenting on the verdicts “is not ac-

WORLD BULLETIN

ceptable by all means ... we don’t accept any intervention by any means.”

Later in the day, New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch condemned another recent Egyptian court decision: a ban on the April 6 youth organization issued two days ago. The group said it was an “escalation in the government’s campaign against all peaceful opposition.”

April 6 is an influential group, one of several that engineered the 2011 uprising against longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak that set off nearly three years of unrest. The court ordered the takeover of the group’s offices.

“Banning political dissent won’t make it go away,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

Also Wednesday, a court

sentenced 21 Brotherhood supporters including the group’s supreme guide and a prominent

Salafi preacher to a year in prison with labor for insulting judges during their trial.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is to visit four African countries, including oil-rich Angola and Nigeria, but will not be going simply for energy deals as China increasingly aims to boost African living standards, officials said yesterday.

Trips by Chinese leaders to Africa are often marked by big natural resource deals, triggering criticism from some that China is only interested in the continent’s mineral and energy wealth.

Africans broadly see China as a healthy counterbalance to Western influence but, as ties mature, there are growing calls from policymakers and economists for more balanced trade relations.

China is also keen not to be perceived as an imperial master.

Li’s May 4-11 trip will also take in Ethiopia and Kenya and Assistant Minister of Commerce Zhang Xiangchen told reporters there would be more than just oil agreements.

Mozambique extends registration deadline for election

Mozambique has extended voter registration for elections due in October by 10 days, after a request by the main opposition party, Renamo, the government said on Tuesday.

Renamo has conducted an insurgency over the past year in parts of central and southern Mozambique and its leader Afonso Dhlakama is holed up in the remote Gorongosa area, preventing him from registering as a presidential candidate.

The government agreed to push the deadline for voter registration to May 9 from April 29 after the election commission (CNE) found that bad weather, logistics and political reaIslamist preacher Safwat Hegazi speaks inside a defendant’s cage during his sons had hampered the process, the trial in Cairo, Egypt, yesterday.

Photo: AP deputy justice minister said.

50

World News WORLD BULLETIN

Antibiotic resistance now global threat, WHO warns Resistance to antibiotics poses a “major global threat” to public health, says a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

It analysed data from 114 countries and said resistance was happening now “in every region of the world”.

It described a “post-antibiotic era”, where people die from simple infections that have been treatable for decades.

There were likely to be “devastating” implications unless “significant” action was taken urgently, it added.

The report focused on seven different bacteria responsible for common serious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and blood infections.

It suggested two key antibiotics no longer work in more than half of people being treated in some countries.

One of them - carbapenem - is a so-called “last-resort” drug used to treat people with life-threatening infections such as pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and infections in newborns, caused by the bacteria K.pneumoniae.

India wants Russia arms supply to forces in Afghan India has signed an agreement under which it will pay Russia to supply arms and equipment to the Afghan military as foreign combat troops prepare to leave the country, in a move that risks infuriating Pakistan.

Under the deal, smaller arms such as light artillery and mortars will be sourced from Russia and moved to Afghanistan.

But it could eventually involve the transfer of heavy artillery, tanks and even combat helicopters that the Afghans have been asking India for since last year.

India has already been training military officers from Afghanistan, hosted a 60-member Special Forces group last year in the deserts of Rajasthan and supplied equipment such as combat vehicles and field medical support facilities.

But the decision to meet some of Afghanistan’s military hardware demands - albeit sourcing them from Russia - points to a deepening role in Afghanistan aimed at preventing it from slipping back into the hands of the Taliban and other Islamist groups that are hostile to India.

Ukraine’s restive east slipping from government’s grasp Pro-Moscow separatists seized government offices in more Ukrainian towns yesterday, in a further sign that authorities in Kiev are losing control of the country’s eastern industrial heartland bordering Russia.

Gunmen who turned up at dawn took control of official buildings in Horlivka, a town of almost 300,000 people, said a Reuters photographer. They refused to be photographed.

The heavily armed men wore the same military uniforms without insignia as other unidentified “green men” who have joined pro-Russian protesters with clubs and chains in seizing control of towns across Ukraine’s Donbass coal and steel belt.

Some 30 pro-Russian separatists also seized a city council building in Alchevsk, further east in Luhansk region.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

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19 killed in Syrian airstrike on school

A bulldozer removing the wreckage of the destroyed school that was hit by a Syrian government air strike in Aleppo, Syria, yesterday. Photo: AMC

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Syrian government airstrike hit a school yesterday in an oppositionheld district of the northern city of Aleppo, killing at least 19 people, including 10 children, activists reported.

A missile slammed into the Ein Jalout school in eastern part of Aleppo as teachers and students were preparing an exhibit of children’s drawings depicting Syria at war, activists said.

Activist videos of the scene showed bulldozers removing rubble from the smashed build-

ing, with the school’s name visible. They also showed some of the children’s drawings and paintings.

One showed a hanging skeleton surrounded by skulls with a child nearby being shot by a gunman in a ditch. The child has a speech bubble written above her head in broken English that partly reads: “Syria will still free.”

In another video by opposition activists, the bodies of 10 children wrapped in brown and blue sheets are seen on the floor of a hospital ward. A woman’s uncontrollable screams are heard in the back-

ground.

The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to Associated Press reporting of the events.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which covers the conflict through a network of activists on the ground, said at least 19 people were killed in the strike, including 10 children.

The local Aleppo Media Center put the toll at 25 killed, most of them children.

The United Nations’ children agency said in a statement it was “outraged by the latest wave of in-

discriminate attacks perpetrated against schools and other civilian targets across Syria.”

Thousands of Syrian children have died in Syria’s 3-year-old conflict, which began as an uprising against Assad’s rule, but has now become a civil war that has killed over 150,000 people and displaced millions.

Parts of the two-story Ein Jalout school appeared to have been completely smashed, according to the videos, which showed blood splatters, twisted metal and children’s items, like a little red-heart shaped box. A man speaking in one of the videos said the exhibition was for drawings by children from schools around the area.

Meanwhile, The jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant announced it had executed seven prisoners in its bastion in northeastern Syria on Tuesday, two of them by crucifixion.

ISIL, which has been disavowed even by Al-Qaeda, said it held the seven responsible for a grenade attack on one of its fighters earlier this month in the Euphrates Valley city of Raqa, which it rules with an iron fist.

US storm death toll now 37

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n the latest blow from a dayslong chain of severe weather across the South and Midwest, the Florida Panhandle and Alabama Gulf Coast were hit with widespread flooding early yesterday, with people stranded in cars and homes waiting for rescuers to find a way around impassable roads and others abandoning vehicles to walk to safety.

Officials in Georgia yesterday reported one death in Athens. Police say winds pushed over a tree that crashed into a car, killing its driver at a mobile home park. In Florida, with severe flooding in the Panhandle, the Highway Patrol said Wednesday that a woman who drove her car into high water died. Those deaths brought the total from four days of storms to 37.

Crews weren’t able to respond to some calls for help because of flooding in and around Pensacola, and one woman died when she drove her car into Vehicles resting at the bottom of a ravine after the Scenic Highway collapsed near Pensacola, Fla., US, yesterday.

PHOTO: AP high water, officials said. Boats and jet skis were moved from the beaches to the streets, authorities “We’ve seen pictures that people are wallop of a storm system that still packed planned aerial rescues, and the National Guard posting with water halfway up their doors, considerable punch days after the violent sent high-wheeled vehicles. front doors,” Grigsby said. “It’s going to be outbreak began in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Officials received about 300 calls for evacuation a big cleanup, looks like.”

More than 30 people have been killed, includin the Pensacola area and had completed about The widespread flooding is the latest ing the 67-year-old driver in Pensacola.

210, Gov. Rick Scott said at a news conference in Tallahassee. About 30,000 were without power.

Some people left their flooded cars and walked fghan troops ing blow to the militants province. to find help on their own. “We have people at the Interior Ministry spokesbacked by West- before foreign combat forcpolice department,” Officer Justin Cooper said in ern air power have es depart at the end of the man Sediq Sediqqi said AfPensacola. “They walked up here and are hanging ghan forces were already in killed at least 60 militants year. out until things get better.”

The National Director- position after receiving inAbout 22 inches of rain had fallen by midmorn- near the Pakistan border, ing in Pensacola, with 4 more expected Wednesday. Afghan security officials ate of Security, Afghani- formation about imminent Average annual rainfall for Pensacola is 65 inches, said on yesterday, in one stan’s main intelligence attacks by the insurgents.

“Hundreds of insurgents meaning much of that area was seeing about a of the single biggest as- agency, said in a statement saults against the Taliban- that about 300 Haqqani in- tried to take over the district third of that amount in just one day. surgents and foreign fight- centre but we were there In some neighbourhood, streets flowed like riv- linked Haqqani network.

U.S. officials say Wash- ers came under intensive and hit them with a huge ers as water reached mailboxes. Cars were submerged in driveways, and residents paddled by on ington has intensified its fire on Monday when they blow,” Sediqqi told Reuters, drive against the network tried to storm Afghan bases adding that five Afghan pokayaks. in an attempt to deal a last- in Ziruk district of Paktika licemen were wounded.

‘Afghan, foreign forces kill 60 militants near Pakistan’s border’

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Sport

NBBF unfolds ‘progress plans’ 53

I have not counted myself out and I would really not expect anyone to count me out just yet –Swiss tennis star, Roger Federer

Match-fixing allegation: Lulu

wants searchlight on PTF

Super Eagles’ players react to Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s open net miss against South Korea during the South Africa 2010 World Cup.

ADEOLU JOHNSON

F

ormer Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Sani Lulu Ahmed, has demanded a full-scale investigation into claims by a convicted Singaporean matchfixer, Wilson Raj Perumai, that he helped qualified Nigeria to the 2010 World Cup. Speaking to National Mirror on the telephone yesterday, Lulu said the claim is a deliberate attempt by some persons to undermine his achievements in office.

Even as he exonerated himself and his board, Lulu, however, called on the NFF to find out if any member of the Presidential Task Force for the 2010 World Cup chaired by Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, had contact with the Singaporean ex-convict.

Perumal, who recently confessed to match-fixing charges, had said in his book that he helped the NFF in 2010 to fix a qualifying match that ensured the Super Eagles qualified for the World Cup in South Africa.

The NFF has dismissed the match-fixing allegation, but Lulu, its former boss is not impressed, as he has insisted that somebody somewhere is up to mischief.

He alleged that those behind the match-fixing report were out to rubbish Super Eagles qualification for the 2010 World Cup under his leadership.

“I was directly in charge of everything that had to do with Super Eagles qualification for the 2010 World Cup. I have never met that man and I don’t know anything about match-fixing. I want the NFF to immediately commence investigation into

the serious allegations,” he told our correspondent.

He added, “This is not good for the image of the country and the football federation.

Everything we did to qualify Eagles for the 2010 World Cup is recorded. I want the NFF to try and find out if anybody in the name of Presidential Task Force engaged in such a criminal act without my knowledge.”

Lulu also wondered why the match-fixing allegation is coming so close to the NFF elections in August.

“It is also curious that this is coming at a time that elections into the board of the NFF are around the corner,” he said.

“I feel this is an attempt to undermine the credibility and integrity of some people who are seen as potential threats in the forthcoming elections.”

…as FIFA writes NFF, launches probe

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orld football governing body, FIFA, has launched a probe into claims that Nigerian matches were rigged for them to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. FIFA has written to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to convey a decision to watch the tapes of all the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches played by the Super Eagles, according to a report by AfricanFootball.com.

A top official of the NFF told the online medium that FIFA had written formally to inform the football house that it will watch the tapes of all the matches that were played by the Super Eagles as part of investigation into the allegations.

“FIFA have written to in-

form us of their intention to watch the tapes of the matches we played throughout our qualification series,” an official told the news agency.

“We have forwarded the letter to our match-fixing officer. Our integrity officers are in touch with the FIFA security committee on the matter too.

“In all, we are unperturbed and as we said in our earlier response, the claim is coming from a sinking man who should not be taken seriously. It is just fallacy and fiction.”

The Super Eagles played 12 qualifying matches on home and away basis against South Africa, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya and Mozambique to qualify for their fourth World Cup finals.

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Thursday May 1, 2014

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CBN Open:

Winners to bag N.7m IFEANYI EDUZOR

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ponsor of the 2014 Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Open Tennis Championship, yesterday said that winners of both men and ladies singles of the 36th edition will get N700, 000 while the runnersup will go home with N500, 000, even as they affirm that wheel -chair tennis will feature.

The competition serves off on May 7 and will end on May 17.

CBN’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okoroafor, said timing of this year’s edition would enable the Nigeria Tennis Federation to select players to represent Nigeria at the Da-

vis Cup tournament scheduled to hold in September.

“We will continue to sponsor the championship with a view of promoting and developing tennis to help the players build up their rankings in international tennis circuits,” Okoroafor said, adding that the competition has since inception in 1979 produced players that have represented Nigeria local and international tournaments.

President of Nigeria Tennis Federation, Sani Ndanusa, who was represented by a board member, Yemi Owoseyi, commended the sponsor for its consistency.

“We can only ask other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture,” he said.

Fatima Abinu will lead the women competitors at the CBN Open

W/Cup: Kanu frowns

NPFL Results

at Eagles’ list delay AFOLABI GAMBARI

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Kanu

ormer Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu, has expressed dismay at what he calls unnecessary distraction posed to Coach Stephen Keshi as Nigeria delays the release of the team list for camping ahead of the World Cup. The Brazil 2014 event is barely a month away but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is yet to release names of players expected to begin camping later this month in the United States.

“It is worrisome I must say and I least expect this kind of situation, especially as we are the reigning African champions,” Kanu told National Mirror in Lagos yesterday.

“The more the least is delayed, the more it could derail our plans because by now we should be talking about the players that are ready to represent us at the World Cup,” the

former African Player of the Year added.

“It would appear that we are taking some things for granted and this could prove counter-productive because I believe we are in a position in world football at the moment that so much will be expected from us in Brazil and we can’t afford to fall short.”

Kano Pillars 1 – 1 Heartland Rangers 3 – 0 Akwa Utd Warri Wolves 1 – 0 FC Taraba Enyimba 1 – 0 Crown FC Nembe FC 0 – 0 Sharks Sunshine 2 – 1 Bayelsa Utd

Champions League

Chelsea 1 – 3 Atl. Madrid

Ibile Games begins in Lagos

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agos State Sports Festival tagged Ibile Games 2014 got underway yesterday with activities across the centers in the state.

Among the sports held yesterday at Rowe Park, Yaba and Teslim Balogun Stadium include Ayo, Basketball, Darts, Table Tennis, Para Table Tennis, Deaf Table Tennis and Squash.

Swimming, Taekwondo, Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Tennis will hold today.

The tournament which will

end on May 10 will involving about 162 secondary schools (public, private, missionary, military and para military) competing in the Junior Category, while the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas will contest in the Senior/Open Category.

“Expectation from my school is for me to win a gold medal in this event and I’m ready not to fall short of this,” Ogunsanwo Emmanuel, who will feature in the Badminton event for Lagos City Senior High School, said.

A Gymnast for the same school, Akintola Otega, also said she was in high spirit to excel at the tournament.

Lagos’ DOS, Tandoh

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Thursday May 1, 2014

NBBF unfolds ‘progress plans’ STORIES: PAUL EREWUBA

F

ollowing its Extraordinary Board meeting in Lagos, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) said it has taken some decisions aimed at improving the league.

The NBBF resolved to work with teams’ sponsors and stakeholders in the league to introduce players’ insurance and uniform contract document from the 2014/2015 season.

It agreed also that the Premier League should be open to allow Nigerian and foreign players from international leagues to play in our local leagues to fast-track development.

The federation expressed worry over the talent exodus from the country and resolved to engage stakeholders to stem the tide while resolving to work with affiliate associations to ensure adequate flow of information and even development.

It also urged corporate or-

ganisations to encourage the endorsement of its talent with a view to helping the players develop their potential.

Meanwhile, the NBBF has received assurance from the Zenith Bank management that sponsorship of the national women’s league will continue after 10 years of partnership with the federation.

Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who received a delegation of the NBBF board, presented the Champions of the Zenith Bank League, First Deep Water Basketball Club of Lagos to the management.

“We are impressed with the development of the sport,” Emefiele said.

Executive Director, Ebenezar Onyeagu, who represented the managing director, said: “Whatever we do, we do with a deep sense of responsibility.

We are happy that the league is expanding while the players are getting international and regional exposure.”

DStv B/ball: Ahmedu faults poor match shifting ng

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resident of Dodan Warriors Basketball, Col. Sam Ahmedu (retd), has accused the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) of rescheduling matches without the knowledge of clubs in the league.

Players of Zenith Banksponsored Women’s Basketball League clubs are bitter about their inability to know ahead of time rescheduled matches involving them.

Ahmedu, who described it as unfortunate, said the NBBF could have done more.

Ahmedu

“We are never communicated when matches are rescheduled.

We have complained but the situation remains the same,” he said.

Ahmedu also criticised the condition of Lagos courts, describing them as unfit for basketball.

“My criticism is for the good of the sport because players get injured every day. When you are playing, the upright frequently shifts and this makes a mockery of the basket. We must improve,” the administrator added.

Ike Alvadogo of Dodan Warriors (l) trying to dribble an unnamed opponent during a recent game

Racist slur: Clippers owner gets life ban L os Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, has been banned for life and heavily fined by the National Basketball Association (NBA) over racist comments he made.

NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, told a news conference yesterday that Sterling was fined $2.5m and suspended from the league for life in the wake of his rant-in which he told his girlfriend he did not want her to bring black friends to Clippers games.

Sterlings’s comments have triggered outrage in the United

States with NBA stars and President Barack Obama condemning them.

“The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful. That they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal outrage,” Silver said.

“We stand together in condemning his views. They simply have no place in the NBA.” Silver said Sterling had admitted it was his voice in the recording, which was posted on the website TMZ over the weekend.

Sterling

54

Politics

STORIES: ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he police in Ekiti State have arrested three members of a political party for gun-running and illegal possession of firearms.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Felix Uyanna, said the culprits were arrested at about 6.30pm on Tuesday at Ikere-Ekiti by

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Police arrest three for gun running men of the police following a tip-off.

Uyanna said that four rifles and assorted charms were recovered from the suspects, who were currently being detained at the Criminal Investigations Department, CID, at the Police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.

Narrating how they

man capital development and growing the economy of the state through agroallied based industrialisation with public private partnership.

He said that he would restore the Oodua Textile industry to create more jobs for the teeming youth, adding that his ambition was borne out of his passion for the development

of the state and the welfare of the masses.

Earlier, the LP candidate and the party’s national and state leadership were at the palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, where the monarch, who prayed for Bamidele, charged all the candidates to make the contest a peaceful one.

suspects would be charged to court alongside other people that had been mentioned as their sponsors after conclusion of investigation and maintained that the police were on the trail of those who escaped during the raid.

But, the Ayodele Fayose Campaign Organisation, which said that those arrested with firearms were members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, urged the police to resist alleged pressure from the state government to effect the release of the suspects.

The Director General of the organization, Dipo Anisulowo, said at a press conference in Ado Ekiti yesterday that the arrest of the APC members for gun-running, confirmed the alarm by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that the ruling party was responsible for the orgy of violence in the state.

Anisulowo, who was represented by his deputy, Barr. Owoseeni Ajayi, urged the police boss to treat the suspects as robbers, having been found with dangerous weapon.

He said: “There is serious arm build-up in the state.

The aim is to create tension and destabilise the state.

What we learnt that there is a grand design by APC to spread arms to political thugs in all the 16 councils.

They have recruited thugs, purchased guns to unleash violence on the opposition.

But we will not join violence with them because we rely on the police for our protection,” he said.

In another development,

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

Dr. Daramola was a World Bank consultant and a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant before he was murdered in cold blood on August 14, 2006 during the administration of Fayose.

Fadahunsi, who was quoted to have exonerated Fayose of Daramola’s murder, maintained that he couldn’t have made the statement when the case is still in court.

He said: “When the news came, they said I exonerated him (Fayose) but that language was not mine and I didn’t exonerate Fayose because we are still in court.

“I cannot say directly that he is behind

Daramola’s death and I cannot say he is not, but it was during his tenure that Daramola was killed.”

Contending that he was reported out of context

by Nigerian Tribune, the monarch said that he only welcomed Fayose as a father to all when the former governor visited his community, adding: “I am solidly behind Dr. Fayemi. I admire his good works in Ekiti State. My town has benefited a lot from this administration in the area of 5 kilometre local government road, Ado/ Ijan road, the renovation of my palace and many more.”

The monarch added

were caught, Uyanna said: “Some members of the public heard a gunshot and alerted the police. My men after getting there raided the place and arrested the three men.”

He added that a driver working with Ilejemeje Local Government was among those arrested dur-

ing the raid, saying the bus bearing the number plate of the council had been impounded by his men.

He said that only three were arrested among the eight or nine persons that committed the offence, assuring that the police would soon arrest the others.

Uyanna said that the

Ekiti State PDP governorship candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose (left), with the former PDP governorship aspirant, Chief Dayo Adeyeye, addressing party supporters at Ogbese-Ekiti community in Ise/Orun Lga of Ekiti State recently.

LP woos stakeholders with reduction in school fees, improved standard

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he Labour Party, LP, has appealed to parents and students in Ekiti State to ensure they vote in its candidate, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, as governor in the June 21 governorship election to ensure improved standard of education.

LP National Chairman, Barr. Dan Nwanyanwu, said LP government in Ekiti State would also ensure reduction to the barest minimal, the fees being paid by all students as obtainable in Ondo State, so that children of the masses and the poor would enjoy good education, good health facilities and other democracy dividends.

Speaking at the party’s mega rally in Ado Ekiti, Nwanyanwu urged the people to vote for Bamidele for uncommon transformation of the state, saying that the LP was devoid of godfathers who would dictate the list of political appointees and as well facilitate capital flight from the state.

He berated the present administration in the state, saying: “Those who

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claimed to be progressives are not progressives in all their dealings with the people. So, shine your eyes and vote them out.”

Speaking at the rally which attracted LP national officials, chieftains and lawmakers, Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, who described Bamidele’s mission in Ekiti as divine to rescue the state, said: “I have no doubt in my mind that he will provide good leadership in line with the masses-oriented programmes of the LP”.

Mimiko urged Ekiti people to vote Bamidele, who he described as a man of character, integrity and a man who has a combination of uncommon virtue with experience to deliver democracy dividends, as governor.

In his speech, Bamidele, who promised to provide unusual leadership in the state, said he would not be the typical governor who would go to the capital market to borrow money to run the state.

Assuring students of qualitative education, hu-

51 DAYS TO GO the police boss took a swipe at the different political parties in the state over the consistent violence in the conduct of the parties’ campaigns and rallies ahead of the June 21 governorship election.

Speaking at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Uyanna said it was regrettable that since the commencement of campaigns for the election, political parties had failed to prevent violence in their campaigns, despite warnings and appeals for peaceful campaigns.

He said: “Incidents of politically related criminal cases such as malicious damage of posters, billboards, banners and other valuable property, assault occasioning harm, attempted murder, wounding have not abated.”

While saying the crime cut across the three major political parties, the police boss regretted intolerance among the members of the participating parties, saying “the level of intolerance exhibited by all political actors towards one another is unjustifiable.”

that he suffered a lot of humiliation from the Fayose administration, claiming that Fayose suspended his salary for more than a year and also demoted him to the rank of a Baale.

Dr. Fayemi in his campaign to communities in Gbonyin council area pledged to ensure the continuation of developmental strides being witnessed in the state if he is re-elected by the people in the June 21 poll.

He charged the electorate to vote massively for the APC in order to enjoy more goodies from his administration.

Monarch says, I’m in support of Fayemi’s re-election bid

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he Onijan of IjanEkiti in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Oba Samuel Oyewole Fadahunsi, has denied exonerating former governor, Ayo Fayose of complicity in the murder of an illustrious son of the town, Dr. Ayodeji Daramola.

The monarch made the clarification yesterday when he received the state governor and candidate of the All progressives Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in his palace as part of Fayemi’s campaign tour to the community.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Thursday, May 1, 2014

55

Committee passes solid mineral to exclusive list STORIES: OMEIZA AJAYI, WOLE OLADIMEJI AND CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

FG bows to delegates, extends confab by six weeks, two days

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he Federal Gover nment y e s t e r d a y acquiesced to pressure from delegates at the ongoing National Conference to extend the duration of the exercise.

The government has now extended the conference duration by six weeks and two days and barring any further change in schedule, the confab will now end on July 31.

National Mirror sighted a copy of the letter conveying government’s decision which was made available to all the delegates yesterday.

It was not immediately clear whether the delegates would be paid extra allowances but a source in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, told National Mirror that “the initial budget will take care of everything the conference needs to do its job.”

The conference which began on March 17 was initially scheduled to last for three months but delegates had predicated their demand on the numerous public holidays within the period as well as the forthcoming World Economic Summit in Abuja.

Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, had before

dissolving the plenary into committees, hinted of the readiness of the secretariat to make appropriate representations before the government on the need for an extension.

Although, Special Assistant on Media to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sam Nwaobasi did not pick the several calls to his telephone, one of the delegates and environmental rights activist, Ankio Briggs, said the extension was necessary to allow for more robust deliberations on the numerous thematic frames before the various committees.

She said the extension also became necessary in view of the need to make for the expected lost time as a result of the World Economic Summit that is billed to hold in Abuja from next week.

She said the confab will be halted during the summit and there will be need to make for the lost days, adding: “We need more time to address all the issues that brought us to this conference. We have been saying that the time was not going to be enough. I am sure the Conference Secretariat made a case and the federal government in their wisdom decided to extend the date.”

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he Committee on Power Devolution in the ongoing National Conference yesterday after a thorough debate on the solid mineral resources contained in the concurrent legislative powers list resolved that it should be in the exclusive list.

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he governorship candidate of Accord Party, AP, for the June 21 election in Ekiti State, Barr. Kole Ajayi, has assured Ekiti people that his government will have a totally home-based cabinet as against the present situation in the state.

Ajayi said that AP government will ensure that nominees

tained in the 1999 Constitution with a view to determining such items that should be altered in furtherance of the goal of reducing the perceived over concentration of powers at the centre.

The committee had retained Police Affairs in the Exclusive List contrary to the loud clamour that it should be moved to the Concurrent List to enable the states establish their own police services.

Senator Ibrahim Mantu said there was no justification for any delegate to draw the committee back after it had taken a decision on an item.

He said that having recommended that issue of solid mineral should be in the exclusive list mean that every part of the country would bring something to the table to share instead of relying on a particular part of the country on their wealth.

L-R: Hon. Babatunde Adejare; Chairman House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon Zakare Mohammed and Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon Adeola Olamiklekan at a press conference in Abuja.

Fayose plans burning own campaign office, blame it on APC –Daniels EBERE NDUKWU

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he Kayode Fayemi Campaign Oranisation has alleged plans by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Ayo Fayose, to burn

Accord promises home-based cabinet of operators of various sectors would superintend over the various key ministries in the state.

Ajayi, in an interview with journalists in Ado Ekiti, said that the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, would nominate the Commissioner for Education while the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee, NULGE, would nominate the Commissioner for Local Government

Members of the committee had argued seriously on the matter last Tuesday but could not agree; while some committee members believed that it should be in the concurrent list, others disagreed, saying that the concurrent legislative list but at the end of the day superior argument prevailed that it should be in the exclusive list.

The committee had a mandate to examine the Legislative Lists as con-

Affairs.

According to him, the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, in Ekiti will nominate the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice while the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, will as well nominate the Commissioner for Health.

Ajayi said that the decision was premised on the fact that round pegs must be put in round holes and that this would also prevent capital flight.

his own campaign office at Adebayo road and blame it on the All Progressives Congress, APC. This was contained in a statement issued by the spokesman for the organisation, Dimeji Daniels and made available to National Mirror.

Daniels said: “We gathered from reliable sources that Fayose, known for such stunts in the past will any moment from now set his campaign office on fire and rush to the press to blame it on the APC.” Going down memory lane, Daniels said that Fayose did something similar in 2003 shortly after he was sworn in as governor, when he allegedly caused his own official vehicle to be sprayed with bullets to give the impression that he was attacked, adding that he did that to justify his purchase of a bullet

proof vehicle immediately after the phoney attack!

The statement said: “Few weeks ago, he planned with his thugs to be shot so as to gain the sympathy of the electorate and this explains why he started wearing bullet-proof jacket to his campaign rallies. He only dropped the idea when he realised that it has leaked.

He would have blamed the premeditated shooting on the APC and Dr. Fayemi.

“His latest plan is to draw attention and public sympathy to himself.

We wish to state for the umpteenth time that the APC-led government under Governor Fayemi is peace-loving and this explains why the state has been peaceful in the last three and a half years until recently when Fayose’s emergence brought back the forgotten days of one

51 DAYS TO GO week one trouble.”

Daniles therefore declared that should Fayose’s office suddenly go on fire, he is responsible for it as the APC has nothing to do with it, adding: “The excellent performance of our candidate in the last 42 months in office is enough campaign for us, so we don’t need violence because Ekiti people are with us.”

WORLD RECORD

Largest human waterskiing pyramid The largest human waterskiing pyramid consists of 60 people and was achieved by Big Pull 2013 (USA) on Lake Wazeecha in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, USA, on 14 September 2013.

N150

Vol. 04 No. 842 Thursday, May 1, 2014

Awo and the present suffocating darkness

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n the twilight of his long, illustrious career, the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, expressed his frustrations with Nigerian democracy in what looked like his last major public statement before his demise. He told journalists who gathered at a press conference to mark his 78th birthday that they might never witness true democracy in the country for many years. In a sense, the political icon foresaw this present darkness that has enveloped the nation.

Most of the Chief ’s peers who were lucky to be alive in the ‘80s to early ‘90s would have been shocked to witness the turn of events that led to the abortion of the Second Republic. Of course, the controversial polls of 1983 and the general discontent that followed, set the stage for the New Year eve coup of December of that year, which brought the military back to power.

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marting from a past year that has been most troublesome for his career, British boxer, Amir Khan, has resolved to restore himself to reckoning.

Khan, who won his Olympic lightweight silver medal in Athens 2004

THE PRINCE OF NIGERIA PARADIGM Chris

Okotie

Okotie@revchrisokotie.com; twitter@revchrisokotie, 08078421451 (sms only)

The respected leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic famously predicted that when you think we are about to arrive at true democratic destination; from nowhere, some tsunami would just emerge to blow it away! Pointing to a young journalist from the defunct Daily Times, during the media chat, Awo said prophetically, “You! No matter how long you live, your generation will not know democracy in Nigeria!”

Like most predictions, it didn’t happen immediately. With the political colossus gone, it looked like the statement was like a doomsday prediction after all. Chief M.K.O. Abiola was coasting home to victory on June 12, 1993, in the political transition programme that should have launched the Third Republic when suddenly, it was annulled by the military. That election remains a benchmark till date. We were almost there, but the journey to true democracy was aborted; ever since, we have been in political wilderness.

We continue to wrestle with bizarre variants of democracy, led by strange bed fellows and poor players who are, at best, hustlers or politicians of fortune.

The democracy we have on our hands today is not worth the name because of the fruits it has produced: a fragmented polity constantly overheated by feuding politicians, under-development, growing poverty, terrorism and other forms of violent crimes.

Political succession remains a dangerous gambit. Poor governance practices and corruption with impunity continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

MY PREDICTION IS THAT NIGERIA WOULD NOT DISINTEGRATE, BECAUSE IT IS GOD’S CLIENT NATION, CHOSEN FOR A SPECIAL MISSION ON EARTH In this dispensation, what fuels intra-party and inter-party rivalries is not the contention of ideas about governance or the choice of political ideology, but rather the appropriation of power or juicy political offices with the aim of gaining control of the nation’s liquid assets.

Just a few days ago, the celebration of the rebasing of our GDP at $510 billion dollars, which the Federal Government proudly flaunted because it listed Nigeria as Africa’s largest economy ahead of South Africa at $370 billion dollars, was greeted with the bloody attack by Boko Haram terrorists on the Nyanya motor park near Abuja, which left over 70 people dead. As if that was not enough, the terror group stormed a girls’ secondary school in Chibok, Borno State and kidnapped over 200 students. So far, only a few of the girls had managed to escape.

Sadly, this latest dastardly act of the terror group, especially the kidnapping of the girls, has caused outrage across the nation and pitched the ruling party against the

leadership of the opposition APC. The political rivals have been trading blames over the handling of the insurgency as well as the root cause of it. Trading blames on an issue like this is unhelpful at this stage, as this would only create the kind of internal divisions that enables terrorism to thrive. It is counter-productive to allow Boko Haram exploit our differences for its selfish ends.

Not even the long military rule with all the inadequacies of the generals recorded the kind of dysfunctional state our beleaguered democracy has produced. Even, the National Conference that President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated to look into the structural problems of our federation has spent about 30 of its 90-day span bickering over feeding, committees’ membership and procedures. One only hopes that the conference would pick up steam after these initial teething problems and give some fillip to a polity in dire need of a new paradigm.

The ruling parties across the political spectrum are all burdened by internal squabbles mainly because of the recent political realignments that would shape the 2015 general elections. The primaries and the outcome of the presidential elections would be the climax of this simmering crisis.

Many observers have said that 2015 is the ultimate test of the survival of this dispensation, which must also contend with the conclusions of the National Conference and the review of the 1999 constitution.

There are many woods in the fire. President Jonathan’s crisis management skill and political acumen should come into play in all of these. He needs a large dose of his luck, which is behind his Cinderella run of good fortune, to survive this gathering storm. How he comes off it would define the true essence of his presidency.

My prediction is that Nigeria would not disintegrate, because it is God’s client nation, chosen for a special mission on earth.

This present darkness will not blow this nation away; it is just a passing phase.

Rev. Okotie, a presidential aspirant, wrote from Lagos.

Sport Extra

Boxing: Khan moves to restore sagging reputation Olympics at age 17, has subsequently won the world light-welterweight title in 2009 and moving to America before losing it two years later to Lamont Peterson after five successful defence bouts.

The Bolton pugilist has since endured front page newspaper headlines, most of which harboured on the extra-marital variety.

Now he is focused on this weekend’s fight against American Luis

Collazo.

“I’m glad I’ve been in camp in America and not around all that stuff,” Khan said yesterday.

“I’m focusing on just one thing–to get this fight done,” he added.

Khan had uncharacteristically withdrawn from a scheduled bout last December with Devon Alexander, believing he was on a promise with Floyd Mayweather Jnr. But Mayweather jilted him, preferring Argentine Marcos Maidana instead.

Khan

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