Tuesday, july 2, 2013binder1

ASUU declares indefinite strike

Budget 2013: FG may owe salaries from Oct –Okonjo-Iweala NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

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he Federal Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations, espe-

Vol. 31 N0. 655 115

cially to public servants, following the disagreement between the executive and the National Assembly over the proposed amendments to the 2013 Appropriation Bill.

The legislators have rejected the amendments, citing constitutional grounds.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

...as oil workers commence industrial action P.4,7

Rufai

Tuesday, Tuesday,June July 7, 2, 2013 2011

N150 N150

Newswatch: Ekpu, Agbese, others lose legal battle P.5

...court restrains them as directors, awards fine

17 SOLDIERS FACE COURT MARTIAL FOR MURDER P.51

‘Civilian JTF’ sets ANPP chair’s house ablaze Security operatives save Sheriff’s P.6 mansion

Court sacks A service chiefs Members of Joint Task Force facing trial at 3 Armoured Division, Nigerian Army, Jos, for sundry offences yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

ISE-OLUWA IGE AND ROTIMI FADEYI

NGF crisis is about tenure elongation of President Jonathan –Junaid Mohammad P.14,15

EFCC, ICPC, BPE, others to be merged

P.7

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday nullified the appointments of the nation’s security chiefs.

Those affected by the judgement are the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. AzuCONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Police re-arrest 54 inmates in Ondo jailbreak

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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Court sacks service chiefs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

buike Ihejirika; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba.

The court held that their appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan without the consent of the Senate was illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

In law, when an act is nullified as in the present case, it implies that the act, like the appointment of the service chiefs, can be treated as nothing, as if it did not exist or never happened.

Incidentally, their appointments were nullified yesterday while they were holding a crucial meeting with President Jonathan on the security situation in the country.

The judge, Justice Adamu Bello, which frowned at the breach of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) also issued a separate order restraining “the President from further appointing service chiefs without first obtaining the confirmation of the National Assembly.”

He gave the verdict yesterday while delivering judgement on a five-yearold suit instituted by Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo.

Keyamo had dragged the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua before the Abuja Federal High Court for failing to get the consent of the Senate before appointing the service chiefs. Yar’Adua had inherited the illegality from his predecessor.

President Jonathan had also towed their path when he was elected to office.

The suit, which specifically faulted the practice, was, however, not regimespecific and time bound.

By implication, all such appointments made before now without the confirmation of the National Assembly were affected by yesterday’s verdict of the court.

Keyamo had argued that the practice of sidestepping the constitutional requirement of getting the consent of the National Assembly in the appointment of service chiefs was unconstitutional.

He said he was worried because the provisions of the organic law of the land were being breached with impunity.

Keyamo had in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/

CS/611/2008 sought a determination of the following questions: * Whether by the combined interpretation of the provisions of Section 218 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and Section 18 of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the President can appoint the service chiefs of the federation without the confirmation of the National Assembly first sought and obtained. *Whether Section 18 (1) and (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 is not in conformity with the provision of the 1999 Constitution so as to fall within the category of existing laws under Section 315 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, that the President, may, by order, modify its text, to bring it into conformity with the provisions of the Constitution.

He also sought the following orders: *A declaration that the appointment of service chiefs for the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the President, without the confirmation of the National Assembly is illegal, unconstitutional and void. *A declaration that Section 18 (1) & (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, is in conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution so as not to fall within the category of existing laws under Section 315 (2) - of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, that the President, may, by order, modify its text, to bring it into conformity with the provisions of the Constitution. *An order restraining the President from further appointing service chiefs for the federation without first obtaining the confirmation of the National Assembly.

Parties to the suit had filed written briefs on the legal issues raised and adopted same.

In a judgement yesterday, Justice Bello upheld Keyamo’s arguments and determined all the questions in his favour even as he granted him the two

declaratory and one of the injunctive reliefs sought.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan yesterday held a meeting with the security chiefs at the Presidential Villa to review the security

situation in the county.

After the meeting, the security chiefs declined to speak to State House correspondents on the issues discussed but it was gathered that the meeting

was to review the efforts and progress made so far in curtailing the menace of the deadly and violent Boko Haram sect.

The President had on June 4 formally approved

the proscription of Boko Haram and authorised the gazetting of an order declaring the group’s activities illegal and acts of terrorism.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

L –R: Chairman, CEO Roundtable of South Africa, Ali Mufuruki; President, African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka; Executive VicePresident, US Overseas Private Investment Counci, Mimi Alemayehou; Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu and Group Managing Director, United Bank for Africa Plc, Phillips Oduoza, at a panel discussion on investing in Africa organised by the Corporate Council on Africa in Dar es Salaam, during President Barack Obama’s visit to Tanzania.

Budget 2013: FG may owe salaries from Oct –Okonjo-Iweala CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, gave this hint while fielding questions on a radio programme in Abuja on Monday.

Okonjo-Iweala said if the situation, which started since January continued beyond a certain timeframe, it would affect the ability of the Federal Government to pay its workers.

The minister gave September as the time limit for this to manifest.

During the interview monitored by National Mirror, Okonjo-Iweala blamed the situation on the re-distribution of funds already appropriated for 2013 to less important projects by members of the National Assembly.

“Everybody will agree that the country has not ground to a halt. I haven’t come shouting about the budget because we have been able to implement it to a point with the strong support of Mr. President.

“We have got to a point where some amendments have to be made. This is why Mr. President sent these amendments to the National Assembly.

“I think we can continue for a little while longer, but at some point, we will need the amendments to pass because come September,

October, we may not be able to pay salaries.

“We will need to restore N32bn for salaries that was moved around (in the budget); we will also need to restore the SURE-P money which is experiencing some difficulties now, so that we can continue with the community services, which has generated 178,000 jobs already as well as money for the women and physically challenged people.

“These are the specific details that were requested for in the amendments.

We are working with the National Assembly, trying to make sure that this gets done. That is why we are trying to handle it in a very collegial manner for the overall benefit of the country.”

Explaining the kernel of the rift, she said: “The issue with the budget has been spelt out in the press.

The thing is that we have a situation in which monies were moved around from certain categories to others and that means that in those categories from which they were moved, we will not be able to continue implementation after some time.

“We have been talking with the leadership of the National Assembly and the various committees, try-

ing to handle the situation.

One specific example is salaries. By September or October, we will need to have N32bn that was moved out of that category to other areas. If it is not restored we will have difficulties paying salaries.”

The House of Representatives had last week rejected President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposal to amend the 2013 Appropriation Act on the grounds that the proposal contradicts Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution.

The lawmakers noted that from their reading of the proposal, the President was seeking a supplementary budget, which had earlier been signed into law.

The decision had followed the report of a Joint Committee of Rules and Business, Justice and Judiciary, which was presented by the House Committee Chairman on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa.

The report, jointly signed by Sam-Tsokwa and the House Committee Chairman on Justice, Ali Ahmed, had declared that “the journey and story of the amendment aptly and effectively began and terminated” in President Jonathan’s communication dated March 14, 2013.

It said: “The document,

the Appropriation Act 2013 Amendment Bill, which Mr. President’s communication forwarded to the House, apart from carrying the title ‘Appropriation Act 2013 Amendment Bill’ and the bill’s long title, has nothing again in it to show that it is a document seeking to amend or repeal and re-enact the 2013 Appropriation Act. “The purported Amendment Bill, a five-clause bill, is completely and totally silent on what and which sections of the 2013 Appropriation Act it seeks to amend and or repeal.

“So also is it silent on the schedules or what aspects of the schedules to the 2013 Act it seeks to amend and/ or repeal.” Citing Section 81 subsections (1), (2) and (4), the House added that this creates a very strong impression and feeling in the mind that the constitution does not favour, admit of or even contemplate the amendment of an Appropriation Act, save vide a Supplementary Appropriation Act.” The House also noted that the Amendment Bill appeared to be seeking for an additional N161,771,089 funds, pointing out that while the 2013 Appropriation Act appropriates the total sum of CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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PhotoNews

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

L-R: US State of Georgia’s Senator Steen Miles; wife of former Kwara State Governor, Mrs. Toyin Saraki; her husband, Senator Bukola Saraki; Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed; Ambassador Geoffrey Teneilabe and Hon. Uche Ekwunife, during the conferment of Honorary Georgia Citizenship on Saraki in Atlanta, US at the weekend.

L-R: Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Ade Bajomo; Managing Director, FSDH (Fund Manager), Mrs. Mayowa Ogunwemimo; Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema and Managing Director, UPDC , Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, at the Listing of UPDC REIT shares on the Daily Official List of the Exchange in Lagos, yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Wife of Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Mrs. Beatrice Kolade; her husband, Dr. Christopher Kolade, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu and Founder, Center for Value in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, at the 1st Annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity in Lagos at the weekend.

L-R: Former President of Ghana, H.E John Kufuor; Dr. Orji Kalu and HRM Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, Ashantehene Kumasi, Ghana, at a dinner hosted by the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion at Claridges Hotel, Mayfair, London recently

NationalNews

Oil workers commence strike over alleged anti-labour policies Transport Owners, Long queues resurface in Abuja Road NARTO, to implement the

CHIDI UGWU, MESHACK IDEHEN KEMI OLAITAN

AND

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ong queues have resurfaced in most petrol stations in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and its environs, following the commencement of a three-day warning strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, over alleged unfair labour practices by oil mul-

tinationals.

The NUPENG strike is coming few days to the expiration of the ultimatum issued by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, which has also threatened to embark on an indefinite strike, citing anti labour policies and poor working conditions amongst several issues.

The three-day warning strike by NUPENG is also to protest the refusal of the National Association of

CNPP tasks presidency to recover over $400bn Nigeria’s looted fund

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onference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has tasked the presidency to recover the over $400 billion Nigeria’s looted fund.

This is contained in a communiqué signed by CNPP’s spokesman, Mr Osita Okechukwu and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.

“We demand as a matter of urgency national importance for President Goodluck Jonathan to re-

quest for the recovery of over 400 billion dollars fleeced off our treasury in the last two decades,” he said.

Okechukwu said that the CNPP was reacting to a report by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, that the Federal Government had recovered about N5.5 billion looted fund.

The report added that negotiation had reached advanced stage to recover N36.7 billion fund looted

by Sani Abacha.

signed collective bargaining agreement that was reached with the tanker drivers, in addition to protest the poor state of roads across the country.

In a statement in Lagos, NUPENG General Secretary, Mr. Isaac Aberare said the union’s call for a stakeholders’ meeting in the oil and gas sector in order to address the various issues had also been ignored by the government and companies involved.

According to him, the union has directed all its members in the depots and loading bays to stop loading petroleum products for the next three days.

Aberare emphasised that if after the three-day warning strike, nothing was done to address the situation, the oil and gas workers will be forced to embark on an indefinite strike.

The National President of NUPENG, Comrade Agbase Igwe, who spoke with journalists shortly after a brief meeting with the key members of the union in Abuja, also said the warning strike was declared to bring government to the negotiation table with a view

to addressing some critical challenges facing the country’s oil and gas sector.

According to him, some of the crucial issues that require urgent government attention include unfair treatment of Nigerian workers by the IOCs and the need to evolve policies that conform to the international best practices.

He alleged that rather than calling the IOCs to order, the Federal Government was giving them tacit support.

For instance, Agbase stated that the offices of Shell and Chevron had been condoned by the military the police, who are being financed by taxpayers’ money to protect them.

The labour leader lamented that while President Goodluck Jonathan meant well for the Nigerian people, the ministers through whom he is expected to deliver on his promises are working at derailing the process.

He therefore called on the President to weed the bag eggs in his cabinet in the overall interest of the people.

On the way forward, he said the union would have a council meeting with

the leadership of PENGASSAN today to review the strike.

The long queues in Abuja led to many commuters being stranded at bus stops as the few long buses that replaced the banned small buses, otherwise known as Araba were not on the road, allegedly owing to lack of diesel.

Mr Ibrahim Isa, the station manager of Conoil, Central Area, told our correspondent that the queues started building up at about 9am.

Isa attributed the development to panic buying, saying people rushed to filling stations to fill their tanks before scarcity starts.

Our correspondent reports that product is available in most major fuel stations like Oando, Total, Mobil, Forte Oil among others as attendant were seen busy selling to motorists.

Meanwhile, a meeting called at the instance of the Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs. Diezani Madueke to parley with the striking union was disrupted by protesting staff of the ministry.

In Oyo State, motorists may be in for a hard time as the state chapter of NUPENG said its mem-

bers have embarked on an indefinite strike over the arrest of a tanker driver by the state environmental officers.

NUPENG Chairman in the state, Otunba Salmon Oladiti, made the disclosure while speaking with journalists in Ibadan yesterday.

He maintained that there will be no going back on the indefinite strike until the arrested tanker driver identified as Olaolu Fakunle is released from Agodi Prison “unconditionally”.

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Barrister Lowo Obisesan, accused the tanker drivers of attempting to hold the state government and its people to ransom.

He said the jailed tanker driver was convicted by the state Environmental Tribunal duly put in place by the state House of Assembly, insisting that if members of NUPENG are dissatisfied they have option of appealing against the conviction.

Obisesan maintained that members of NUPENG in the state cannot be above the law as the state government is committed to restoring sanity into the state.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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Newswatch: Ekpu, Agbese, others lose legal battle K AYODE KETEFE

ASSISTANT JUDICIAL EDITOR

A

Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained the former directors of Newswatch Communications Limited from parading themselves as directors of the organisation.

After nine months of intense legal battle, the new management of Newswatch Communications Ltd, publishers of the Newswatch titles, yesterday secured a historic victory against the former directors of the company.

The former directors – Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed and Soji Akinrinade – who have been at loggerheads with the new management led

by Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, OFR, were also restrained from acting on behalf of the minority shareholders, who hold 49 per equity, either by themselves or by their agents.

The court also invalidated the notice of intention to declare a trade dispute (which the former directors had earlier issued before the suit was brought against them) on the grounds that they lacked the capacity to do so.

Newswatch, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim and Global Media Mirror Limited had brought the suit through an origination summons in September 2012, praying the court to declare that four former directors of Newswatch magazine had since ceased to be directors and, therefore, could not legally do anything on behalf of the company.

The plaintiffs were also asking the court to declare that the former directors had no competence to declare a trade dispute under the Share Purchase Agreement, SPA, between them and the NCL. They are, therefore, praying the court to restrain Ekpu and the others from taking measures that may be inimical to the interests of NCL. The plaintiffs also asked for a declaration that the former directors had no power to represent or purport to act as representatives of the 49 per cent minority shareholders of the company since their combined shareholding amounted to a meagre 6.3 per cent.

It was this substantive originating summons that was determined on all scores in favour of the plaintiffs and against the four former directors yesterday.

In his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, granted all the six reliefs being sought by the plaintiffs.

He declared: “That the defendants have ceased to be directors of the 1st plaintiff (Newswatch Communications Ltd) since May 5, 2011, when they resigned their appointment which resignation was affirmed at the general meeting of the company held on Monday, August 20, 2011, at the Energy House, No. 159/161 Broad Street, Lagos.

“It is further declared that having voluntarily resigned, the directors cannot continue to act on behalf of the company.

“In the view of form CAC7 and NA6 which are exhibits before the court, the defendants are not directors of the 1st plaintiff (NCL).

“The defendants, having a total of 6.3 per cent of the entire shareholding, cannot act on behalf of the 49 per cent minority shareholders.

“The defendants, being neither directors nor employees of the 1st plaintiff (NCL), they cannot issue notice to declare a trade dispute. The notice of a trade dispute issued by the defendants is hereby declared null and void and of no effect whatsoever and I so hold.

“Accordingly, the defendants are hereby restrained either themselves or through their agents or privies from declaring a trade dispute on behalf of the 49 per cent of the shareholders.

“A cost of N20,000 is awarded in favour of the plaintiffs and is payable jointly and severally by the defendants.”

Justice Abang had earlier in its judgement awarded a cost of N25,000 against the defendants on the grounds that they filed a motion which he adjudged to be an abuse of court process, bringing to N45,000 the total cost awarded against the defendants.

The defendants in their motion dated April 23, 2013, had prayed the court to invite the parties to supple-

Ekpu

Agbese

Akinrinade

Yakubu

ment their affidavit with oral evidence.

Justice Abang, however, held that the defendants brought this motion just to delay the proceedings and to frustrate the plaintiffs from getting judgement.

The judge added that he had already dealt with the issues the defendants were raising in their sham motion in a ruling he delivered on March 6, 2013 on the preliminary objection filed by the same defendants.

The judge held: “The learned senior advocate for the defendants was not unaware that the issues they were raising in their motion had already being dealt with in the ruling of this honourable court delivered on March 6, 2013. I don’t see the reason why the learned counsel for the defendants, Mr. Adekunle Oyesanya,

SAN, still brought the same issue in the motion dated April 23, 2013.

“That to me is not a good advocacy; it is an abuse of court process.”

Giving reason for arriving at his judgement, Justice Abang held that by the evidence before him, it was clear and uncontroverted that the defendants had been duly paid their terminal benefits and that they resigned voluntarily.

The court added that it was clear that Ekpu was paid over N79.5m; Yakubu was paid N77.7m; Agbese was also paid N77.7m while Akinrinade was paid N60.5m, and that none of the defendants led evidence to refute these facts.

The judge also stated that the claim by the defendants that they were reappointed as non-executive

directors at the same meeting at which they voluntarily resigned could not be proved by evidence before the court.

“The defendants claimed that they were appointed as non-executive directors at the same meeting of May 5, 2011, when they resigned as executive directors. But the pertinent questions are: Who appointed them? Is it the former management of the company led by Chief Alex Akinyele or the new management led by Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim?

“If it was made by Chief Akinyele, then it would be illegal as it would run contrary to Section 248 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act. Even under Section 249, casual appointment of directors made still have to be ratified at a later general meeting. It was not

proved that this was done.

“From the evidence before this court, it would appear that the defendants held another meeting on May 5, 2011 at which the new Chairman, Barrister Ibrahim was not present.

This is shown because the minutes of the meeting of May 5, 2011 which was tendered as exhibit by the defendants did not list the name of Jimoh Ibrahim in the list of those who attended the meeting.”

The court also faulted the purported minutes of May 5, 2011 board meetings tendered by the defendants on the grounds that it was not counter-signed by any chairman and the person who purported to sign as a secretary merely appended his or her signature without putting his or her name.

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Budget 2013: FG may owe salaries from Oct –Okonjo-Iweala CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

N4,987,220,425,601.00 for the financial year 2013, the purported 2013 Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill 2013 seeks to appropriate a total sum of N4,987,382,196,690.00.

“Clearly, what the Amendment Bill 2013 seeks to appropriate is more than what was appropriated for the fiscal year in the 2013 Appropriation Act, that is to say, the executive would appear to be seeking ad-

ditional funds. Obviously, this cannot be achieved through an Amendment Bill,” the report said.

President Jonathan, however, wrote another letter to the House complaining that certain projects, including major roads, power, health and SUREP, would be left underfunded if the lawmakers stuck to their position.

Specifically, he said SURE-P budget, cut from N27bn to N9bn, “will

have the adverse effect of severely undermining our capacity to create the jobs needed for our teeming unemployed youths, women and physically challenged citizens.”

He wrote: “I crave your cooperation to restore the SURE-P budget; a copy of its amendment proposal is attached herewith.

“You will further recall that the personnel cost was cut across all MDAs, which will make

it difficult to meet government’s obligations to its workers.

“I, therefore, seek your kind understanding for the restoration of the said cuts in order to maintain industrial harmony.

“It is my hope that this submission will help the work of the House of Representatives to consider and pass the 2013 Amendment Budget proposal expeditiously.”

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Civilian JTF’ sets ANPP chair’s house ablaze INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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igilante youths, popularly known as Civilian JTF, who have been assisting security agencies in arresting suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect in Borno State yesterday set ablaze the residence of the Chairman of the All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP, Alhaji Mala Othman.

The house is situated in the New GRA area of Maiduguri metropolis.

This is even as security operatives prevented the multi-billion naira home of the former governor of the state, Ali Modu Sherrif, from being razed as they stopped the rampaging youths, who were already advancing towards the house within the same GRA. National Mirror learnt that Othman, who was at home prior to the incident, narrowly escaped death as he was whisked away in a Toyota Camry saloon car before the angry youths arrived.

An eyewitness, Mr. Mohammed Bukar Gana, said: “We were in a taxi, driving along the Lagos Street to the University of Maiduguri.

When we reached the NUJ/ GRA junction, all roads were blocked by the Civilian JTF. “We spent more than 50 minutes inside the hold-up before we saw smoke coming out from the direction of the ANPP chairman’s residence.”

Our correspondent saw some of the Civilian JTF members chanting in Hau-

sa, “Mun kona gidan Mala Othman sora na Ali Sheriff don suna cikin masu taimaka ma yanta’ada”, meaning: we have burnt the residence of Mala Othman, we are now going to Ali Sheriff’s house and do the same because both are among the sponsors of terrorism in the state.

Another eyewitness, Mallam Musa Kaigama, said: “We were trapped in a holdup along the busy Lagos Street for over an hour. We saw many Civilian JTF advancing towards the Lagos

L-R: Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Chukwudi Orizu; representative of Anglican Church, Archbishop Christian Efobi; Governor Peter Obi; representative of Catholic Church, Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor; Secretary to the State Government, Oseloka Obaze; Igwe Rowland Odegbo and Commissioner for Education, Uju Okeke, during the presentation of N730million cheques to the churches for the rehabilitation of mission primary schools in Awka yesterday.

Newswatch: Ekpu, Agbese, others lose legal battle CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

“In my own view, the minutes of the meeting the defendants relied upon to prove they were appointed as non-executive directors when they resigned is void, because it was signed by an unknown person and was neither counter-signed by a director or the chairman,” Justice Abang held.

The court finally held that the moment the new core investor, Dr. Ibrahim, acquired 51 per cent majority shareholding after paying N510m for the acquisition, the management of the company passed to Dr. Ibrahim.

“If the directors are saying the management of the company had not passed to him prior to May 5, 2011 when the contract was completed why they sign the Share Purchase Agreement?

Why did they admit him to the Board of Directors and why was he made the Chairman of the Board of Directors?”

Before finally losing this substantive suit, the defen-

dants had lost a number of interlocutory decisions, which included a preliminary objection they had filed to the suit which was dismissed on March 6, 2013.

It will also be recalled that Justice Abang had earlier quashed the two appeals filed at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal by the defendants on the grounds that they were invalid and incompetent.

The court had also dismissed the application brought by the said directors to stop the proceedings indefinitely on the grounds that the premise upon which they based their application was faulty.

The court had accused the directors of engaging in “indecent haste” by rushing to file the appeals without obtaining the permission of the court as stipulated by the law.

In his ruling on the said appeals by the court, Justice Abang had said: “A trial court should not tremble; a trial court should not be shaken; a trial court should not be frightened if a party says an appeal has

be filed against its decision and that it should hands off the matter before it.

“Rather a trial court should have the courage of the Biblical Elijah by looking into the validity of the appeal itself.

“If the appeals are valid, I will certainly adjourn the proceedings pending the outcome; if not valid I would make distinction to the cases cited by the learned counsel to the defendants.”

In his reaction to the judgement, Dr. Ibrahim said: “Well to us here, what we believe in is the remembrance of my Lord’s quotation, Lord Justice Williams, in 1876. My Lord had the cause to say that ‘the prophecy of what the court will do is nothing pretentious, is what I mean by law.’

“So, we must commend the judiciary for the great opportunity of reinstating the law. The judge is not a prophet, and if he decides in his wisdom to become a prophet, he cannot prophesy beyond the law. So, he is a prophet with limitation;

the limitation is the law.

“To my colleagues in Newswatch, the truth has come out that after collecting N510m, they should go home and rest. So, coming to approbate and re-approbate at the same time could be done elsewhere but not within the ambit of law and justice.

“So, I can only wish them the best of luck. We will look forward to the cost of N45,000 awarded against them by the law. And we will collect the money and enforce the judgement of the court.

“To those critics who used to write articles based on what they didn’t know - because I have read so many opinion articles now you can see it clearly that this is a judicial interpretation of the contractual agreement between me and these gentlemen, and the truth has come out.

“I take it as a lesson to avoid litigation. For us, we celebrate total victory.

Regrettably, we are not going to be magnanimous in this victory; we take it all,” Ibrahim added.

House road, leading to Ali Sheriff’s house.

“In fact, they were chanting songs, saying we have burnt the residence of Mala Othman, it remains that of Ali Modu Sheriff.

“Later, we started hearing gunshots from the area, which scared the youths and prevented them from torching the house of the former governor.”

Security operatives guarding Sheriff’s house shot sporadically into the air to disperse the youths when they attempted to raze the house.

The youths have been commended by Governor Kashim Shettima and other individuals for their efforts that had led to the arrest of many Boko Haram sect members in Maiduguri and Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

They had vowed to arrest the ANPP state chairman and Sheriff and hand them over to security agencies for appropriate action.

National Mirror last week authoritatively reported that some of the youths had gone to the residence of the ANPP chairman with the intention of arresting him but security operatives guarding the residence begged the aggrieved youths not to carry out their mission as Othman had travelled to Abuja.

A reliable source told our correspondent that the ANPP chairman had been on the run when security reports indicted him of possessing firearms in his house.

The source said: “This is not the first time Mala Othman has been on the run for his alleged possession and supply of arms and ammunition to terrorists.

“In fact, during that period, Othman had to flee from the state to unknown

destination for almost eight months to avoid being arrested.”

One of the youths said: “We knew most of the members of Boko Haram sect and their families. We have vowed to ensure that Othman and Sherriff will never escape arrest as we have evidence that they have been supplying firearms to terrorists in the state.”

In a related development, a middle-aged woman suspected to be member of the sect, who attempted to plant an improvised explosive device, IED, in Baga Road market square of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was critically injured as the bomb detonated before she reached her target on Sunday.

This is even as the Civilian JTF arrested two women with AK 47rifles at Monday Market of the metropolis.

An eyewitness, Abubakar Kundiri, living about 300 metres away from site of the incident said: “ We were sitting under this tree with two of my friends when the woman came and passed by carrying something in her bag that looked like a tin of cowbell milk and when she got to a place, she bent over and put the thing she was carrying on the ground.

“No sooner had she stood up than we heard a loud sound and she was blown off.

“In fact we are very lucky to be alive as we never knew she was carrying a deadly explosive device, which could have exploded here and killed all of us.”

Our correspondent also gathered that hundreds of people, who heard the sound of the blast trooped to the site to glance at the mangled body of the woman before security operatives removed the body.

Court sacks service chiefs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

It was also learnt that the issue of crude oil theft, which is affecting revenue accruing to the Federation Account from the sale of crude oil was also discussed at the meeting.

Jonathan recently summoned stakeholders in the oil industry, state governors and security chiefs to discuss the issue of crude oil theft with a view to mapping out strategies to address the economic prob-

lem.

At the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting last Thursday, the council, after an extensive discussion on the persisting problem of crude oil theft and its negative effect on the revenue from the sector, set up a committee to assess the challenge and draw up a roadmap to guide further actions that would be taken

by NEC towards finding a lasting solution to the problem.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

FG ready to merge EFCC, BPE, wages, complaints commissions, others

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he Federal Government may have finally agreed to scrap or merge some of its agencies as a cost saving measure based on the recommendation of the White Paper Committee to review the Stephen Oronsaye Committee’s report.

The Oransaye committee report had recommended the scrapping of about 220 agencies including the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, which it noted was a replication of the mandates of two existing bodies namely: the Highway Department of the Federal Ministry of Works with respect to the maintenance of safety and orderliness on the highways and the role of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring law and order on the roads.

It also recommended the scrapping of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, among other agencies, stressing that they were performing the traditional role of the police.

However, some of the agencies to be scrapped are the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, and the Public Complaints Commission, PCC. While the NWSIC is to be merged with the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal

•Rejects scrapping of FRSC Allocation Commission, RMFAC, the PCC will be subsumed into the National Human Rights Commission.

“The government has directed the PCC be merged with the Human Rights Commission, which has the capacity to perform the functions of the PCC. It further directed that the PCC Act to be removed from the constitution by amending sections 153 and 315.

“The NSIWC is to be abolished and its law repealed, while its functions are to be transferred to Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC. “The government has directed that a ‘Sunset Clause’ should be introduced to the BPE to conclude its assignment and wound down,”

the recommendation said.

The Federal Government also accepted the recommendation for the abolition of the Utilities Charges Commission and repeal of its enabling law.

The staff of the commission are to be deployed to the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, provided they are civil servants.

Government also accepts the scrapping of the National Poverty Eradication Programme, NAPEP and directs that the functions of the agency should be merged with that of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE. Among the agencies to be merged is the EFCC, which will be merged with

the ICPC. The two bodies will be consolidated into one anticorruption agency and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice has been directed to initiate necessary action in respect of the proposed merger.

Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works are to be transformed into an extra-ministerial department, while the enabling law of FERMA is to be amended to reflect the change of status.

However, according to the report, the government Federal Government rejected the Presidential Committee’s recommendations that the Act setting up the FRSC be repealed.

L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Anti-Corruption Commission, Mr. Yusuf Ali (SAN); Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar and President, NBA, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), at the NBA Seminar on Anti-Corruption in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

World Bank approves N47.4bn for Nigeria’s agric projects TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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he World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved two International Development Association, IDA, credits totalling $300 million (about N47.4 billion) to support Nigeria’s efforts to expand its agricultural sector.

The support has specific targets of achieving food security and improved nutrition of the rural poor in the country.

According to a statement by the World Bank Office in Nigeria yesterday, the IDA credit of $100 million will fund the Nigeria Agriculture Sector Development Policy Operation, the first of two projects that will support the ongoing government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

The operation of the first project will include efforts to strengthen policies and capacity to raise yields, promote market access among farmers, and improve overall management of the country’s rapidly expanding agriculture industry.

The second IDA credit of $200 million will fund the Third National Fadama Development Project (Fadama III).

These funds will support smallholder farmers, organised in clusters in six states, activities designed to increase their production of food staples, including cassava, rice, sorghum, and processing them for deliv-

ASUU begins indefinite strike over N12,500 allowance KEMI OLAITAN AND TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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he Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, said it would from today paralyse academic activities in public universities nationwide.

The National President of the union, Dr. Nasir Issa Faggae, who announced the industrial action while addressing journalists yesterday in Lagos, noted that the strike would be total and indefinitely.

He said the strike was called over the non-payment of the Earned Allowances for lecturers

since 2009 when the Federal Government and the union agreed to meet certain conditions concerning university education, including the allowance at stake.

Faggae explained that the decision to down tools was taken at a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the union comprising 51 out of the 53 ASUU branches across the country held over the weekend at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, OUU, Ago- Iwoye, Ogun State.

He warned that the union would not call off the strike until the Federal Government paid the allowance.

The ASUU president said the Earned Allowance, which covers inconvenience and work overload, among others, was an average of N12,500 per month per lecturer.

Faggae, however, said it was disheartening that the Federal Government had refused to pay the allowance to any lecturer in the last four years.

He said: “ASUU has met the government several times on this allowance issue and other ones as contained in our Memorandum of Understanding in 2011 which was the fallout of the 2009 agreement.

“It has always been promises upon promises and we can no longer tol-

erate the action, thus the need to embark on the nationwide strike until our allowances are paid fully.”

While appealing to students, parents and other members of the public for understanding, Faggae said the union was left with no option than to embark on industrial action.

Lecturers at the University of Ibadan yesterday received a text message that ASUU had “declared a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike...”

Immediately the text was received, academic staff who had been expectant, lauded the decision of the National Executive Council, NEC, of the union to proceed on strike

7

to improve the condition of the nation’s universities and improve quality of service delivery.

A source at the NEC meeting said ASUU took the decision after “observing all possible means of making government implement the agreement”.

Meanwhile, immediately the text message was circulated at the University of Ibadan, some of the lecturers who had lectures did not attend classes while the students waited in vain.

Undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan resumed for the second semester only last week.

ery.

The funds will also link the farmers to better-organised markets and to small and large-scale food processors.

Speaking on the importance of agricultural sector to socio-economic development of the country, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, said “Nigeria has an enormous opportunity to promote a vibrant, competitive and technologypropelled agricultural sector, which today employs 70 per cent of the population”.

Marie-Nelly said: “The new project focuses on providing opportunity to Nigeria’s growing ranks of agribusiness entrepreneurs in a way that will generate higher incomes for farmers while also enhancing expansion in the industrial sector, ensuring food security and enhancing foreign exchange earnings.”

In his remarks on the second project to which $200 million has been approved, World Bank Director of Sustainable Development for the African Region, Jamal Saghir, also described the Fadama Development Project as an innovative approach to leverage private sector investments and to establish business linkages between large investors and smallholder farmers.

He projected that the fund would assist the Nigerian Government in its efforts to expand employment, raise household incomes and enhance skills and capacity.

The IDA, which is the private sector lending arm of the Breton Woods Institution, is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 82 poorest countries, 40 of which are in Africa.

Resources from IDA bring positive change for 2.5 billion people living on less than $2 a day.

Since its establishment in 1960, IDA has supported development work in 108 countries with its annual commitments increasing steadily over the past years.

In the past three years, IDA’s commitments averaged about $15 billion, with about 50 per cent of commitments going to Africa.

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News

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Judiciary: FG’s action may scuttle fight against graft –CJN ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

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he Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, yesterday raised the alarm that the Federal Government might have inadvertently set to scuttle the on-going fight against graft in the judiciary Justice Mukhtar cited the recent depreciation in budgetary allocation to the judiciary as the reason, saying the action portends great danger in the fight against the rot in the judiciary.

This is even as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Okey Wali (SAN), said there would be no end to the scourge of

graft in the country until the government began to exhibit political will to tackle the menace.

Both the CJN and the NBA President spoke yesterday in Abuja at the opening session of a two-day seminar on “practical ways to combat corruption in the justice sector in Nigeria,” The event was organised by the NBA Anti-Corruption Commission.

They agreed that the nation must redefine its approach to fighting corruption to avoid being consumed by the scourge.

The CJN regretted that despite the nation’s growth potential, corruption and impunity had made it impossible for it to develop.

Justice Mukhtar, who noted that judiciary has also succumbed to the effect of corruption, suggested an inclusive approach to fighting the menace.

Promising to sustain efforts to sanitise the judiciary, the CJN advocated an improved funding for the sector.

She said corruption could be stamped out if the judiciary was adequately funded as well as ensuring that judicial officers entrusted with the sacred duty of dispensing justice do so with uprightness and utmost sense of integrity.

In his welcome address, Wali said: “If Nigeria must survive, there must be concerted efforts to fight corruption at all levels of public and

private life”.

Wali said the most important practical way of combating corruption in the justice sector is the development of a strong political will and commitment, saying: “without this at the national level, little can be achieved.”

He also urged the Federal Government to provide sufficient funds for the judiciary for effective service delivery.

Wali observed that judicial appointments in the country lack merit and therefore called for review of the criteria for appointments and promotion, adding that intellectual and professional integrity must be the chief criteria for bench candidacy.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Flood: Jonathan gives MDAs wake-up call

•Says no excuse for recurrence measures.

ROTIMI FADEYI

ABUJA

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday read the riot act to heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) whose functions are relevant to flood prevention and control.

The heads of agencies are to ensure that necessary actions are taken to prevent a recurrence of the flood which affected many parts of the country last year.

At a meeting with ministers and officials of agencies at the Presidential Villa to review ongoing flood containment measures, Jonathan warned that he would not tolerate any excuse for a repeat of the disaster.

“We have no excuse to be caught unprepared again after the floods of last year,” the President said, adding that he expected all relevant MDAs to be proactive in speedily implementing required flood prevention and management

Jonathan also directed the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Flood Prevention and Control, including the Ministers of Environment, National Planning, Water Resources, Finance, Health, Transport and Aviation to establish effective liaison with governors of all flood-prone states and ensure that there is proper coordination between the MDAs and the states in the implementation of flood control measures.

The President stressed the need for greater public enlightenment and advocacy to ensure compliance with measures that have been evolved to prevent a recurrence of devastating floods across the country.

A technical team established by the Inter-Ministerial Committee presented a National Climate and Flood Control Framework to the President which detailed short term, mid-term and long term measures recommended to tackle the problem.

N25.7bn theft: You have case to answer –Court tells Atuche, others KENNY ODUNUKAN

A L-R: Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Calleb Olubolade; Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar and VicePresident Namadi Sambo, during the inspection tour of facilities at the newly renovated Police College in Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

1m voters engage in multiple registrations –Jega •Says 200 offenders prosecuted EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that nearly 1 million eligible voters were found to have engaged in multiple registrations thereby committing electoral fraud.

This is even as the electoral commission has successfully prosecuted 200 offenders since the 2011 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, spoke yesterday on a morning programme popularly called Sunrise Daily on Channels television.

He said: “On registration alone, we do have evidence to prosecute close to a million people for clear cases of mul-

tiple registrations.”

Jega said contrary to public outcry that the electoral body was yet to prosecute those that were arrested over sundry electoral offences, the commission has tried 200 of such persons with varied judicial pronouncements.

According to the INEC boss, the development was a noble and commendable.

Jega said: “I want to say categorically that we have done our best. We have prosecuted over 200 people successfully.

“Before our commission was inaugurated, there was no record of a single successful prosecution of electoral offences.”

While acknowledging the lack of adequate funds to prosecute the litany of electoral offences, he, however,

disclosed that INEC had concluded plans to partner with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

This, he noted, was with a view to shifting the burden to another body for speedy trial.

Jega said: “We are partnering with the NBA. In fact, we have been discussing this partnership and now we are taking it a level higher and our hope is that before we commence the process of continuous voters’ registration, which we hope will commence by the third quarters, which is July to September...

“We will do it, but it is very challenging. The best thing is to have another agency that can actually handle prosecution of electoral offenders.”

Speaking on the usual logistics challenges during elections, which often culminate in the late arrival of person-

nel as well as materials, Jega said: “I want to assure you that globally, there is no country where you can say it is 100 percent free of this challenge of late arrival of materials.

“Where it is necessary to move material by aircraft or helicopter, the navy helped us during the 2011 elections.

Where it was to move it in the coastal areas, the navy helped us, and even provided security to minimise challenges arising from the activities of militants groups”.

Also baring his mind on the implication of staggered elections in the polity, the INEC boss said: “Certainly, some staggering helps the process. The... staggering we have now, in terms of saying this kind of elections should take place now and then you sequence it; that kind of sequencing of major elections, I think has been helpful.

n Ikeja High Court yesterday dismissed the no-casesubmissions made by the former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche; his wife Elizabeth and the former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu, in respect of the N25.7 billion theft charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Lateefat Okunnu held that the defendants should provide explanations on the evidence presented by the prosecution.

The judge said there were much more evidence before the court brought by the prosecution and which warranted the defendants giving their own explanation.

She said: “A lot has been said about each of the defendants. I cannot by now deal with all the evidence before me. Enough has been said to warrant the defendants to open their defence. There are 27 charges and 272 exhibits before me.”

The judge said that evidence had been laid that Atuche converted the bank fund into his personal use and there was nothing yet

to evaluate the evidence.

Justice Okunnu said: “What has been said requires explanations from all the defendants to warrant fair hearing. The nocase-submissions cannot be upheld. I have found that the two applications before me cannot succeed. They are hereby over-ruled and the defendants are hereby called to open the defence.”

The suit was, however, adjourned till July 17.

It will be recalled that the defendants allegedly stole N25.7 billion belonging to the bank, but they had, through their counsel, urged the court to dismiss the 27-count charge filed against them. They claimed they had no case to answer.

In the said no case submissions filed through their counsels, Anthony Idigbe (SAN) and Sylva Ogwuemor, brought pursuant to sections 35(3), 36(5) of the constitution and Section 239 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of Lagos State.

The defendants asked the court to either dismiss or acquit them of the charges.

They also alleged that the evidence provided by the prosecution was circumstantial, contradictory and was not strong enough for them to be put in the witness boxes to defend themselves.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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Ondo jailbreak: 54 inmates re-arrested –Police HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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olice in Ondo State yesterday said about 54 prison inmates set free by gunmen who invaded the Olokuta Medium Prison in Akure, the state capital, had been rearrested.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Wole Ogodo, disclosed this yesterday while speaking with journalists on efforts of the command in arresting inmates set free by the gunmen in the early hours of Sunday.

Ogodo said the police were working in conjunction with other security agents in the state to make sure that all the prisoners who escaped were brought back to the prison.

The PPRO, however, denied reports that 10 travellers were killed during the attack.

He said: “The publication is complete misrepresentation of facts of the incident as no such was recorded during the jailbreak or the attack on the prisons. But it was mainly aimed at liberating some

members of their gang who were in prison custody.

“No death was recorded whether on the side of the security agents, inmates or any travellers. Members of the press are hereby advised to crosscheck their information before publication.”

Gunmen numbering about 30 had on Sunday invaded the Olokuta Medium Security Prison in Akure and set about 175 inmates free.

The attackers arrived at the prison about 12:05am and started shooting sporadically into the air to scare away some of the prison officials on duty.

The gunmen gained entrance into the prison by breaking the key leading to the prison and attempted to blow off the main entrance which was unsuccessful before they blew off the wall leading into the cells and shot an officer of the prison who was on duty.

The police, however, said the incident had nothing to do with terrorism and called on the people to continue with their normal duties.

Court nullifies Imojo-Ekiti monarch’s appointment ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

A

n Ikole-Ekiti High Court presided over by Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi has nullified the appointment of the Olumojo of ImojoEkiti, Oba Samuel Olatunji, saying the selection process was fraught with irregularities.

Ogunyemi ordered the appropriate authorities in the community to commence fresh, credible and fair selection exercise.

He said: “I find and hold that the process leading to the selection of the Olumojo on 22nd January, 2009 especially what transpired during the second round of Ifa consultation showed that it was marred by irregularities and lack of fairness and transparency.”

Olatunji’s installation was challenged by Prince Oluwadare Ayeni from Atoriseya Sokunrin Ruling House who had approached the court to up-

turn the appointment.

Ayeni’s counsel, Mr. Dayo Adewumi, had in 2010 prayed the court to nullify the said appointment, stressing that it was not in accordance with the provisions of the Chiefs Law 1984 as amended.

But Christopher Omokhafe, who represented the chairman of the kingmakers and the monarch, had submitted that Ayeni had waived his right having opted for Ifa divination instead of the voting system by the kingmakers and urged the court to dismiss his application.

Also, counsel to the Ekiti State Government, Mr. Adegboyega Morakinyo, who said the appointment of the monarch was done in substantial compliance with the provisions of the Ekiti State Chiefs Law 1984 as amended, had told the court that it was the duty of the state government to make public whatever appointment so made after an approval by the State Executive Council.

L-R: Osun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Wale Adedoyin; his Regional Integration and Special Duties counterpart, Hon. Bashiru Ajibola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission, RMFAC, Mr. Elias Mbam and Federal Commissioner, RMFAC, Mr. Frank Nnamdi Ekweogwu, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Osogbo, at the weekend.

£3,000 visa bond a slap on Nigeria –Ekweremadu, Akiolu FRANCIS SUBERU

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he Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Oba Rilwan Akinolu, yesterday berated the British Government over the proposed £3000 bond for Nigerians applying for visa to the United Kingdom.

Akiolu and Ekweremadu described the proposal as a slap on the country’s face.

The monarch and the deputy Senate president said this at the opening ceremony of a five-day workshop entitled; “Corporate Fraud: Insider Abuse in Financial Institutions and the Implication on Developing Economy,” organised by the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, of the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with the City of London Police.

The Deputy British High Commission, Mr. Peter Carter, was also at the event.

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has reiterated the need for Africans to show greater commitment to the promotion of the African culture.

Ajimobi made the call yesterday while declaring open the third Toyin Falola Annual International Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora, TOFAC. The governor, who spoke through the Commissioner

Akiolu had in his opening remark urged Nigerians to join hands with the SFU and other anti-graft agencies to stamp out corruption in the country.

He said: “The SFU as presently constituted needs the support of everyone to get to the promised land. All Nigerians must support anti-graft agencies to ensure that the primary purpose for which they were set up is achieved.

“I am happy that the deputy Senate president is here. Let us ask ourselves, what happens to Halliburton probe? What happens to power probe in the National Assembly? All this contributes to the increasing rate of corruption in the country.

“That is the truth but many are not ready to speak the truth. They have all been swept under the carpet. If we know what we are doing, Nigeria is a very good place to live in. You can take a time out but Nigeria is a good country.

“I am happy that the Dep-

uty British High Commission is here. When you get home, let your people know that this £3000 bond does not go down well with Nigerians.”

Ekweremadu on his part expressed surprise that Britain was still harping on visa for Nigerians despite the close ties that had been established between the two countries over the years.

He said: “It baffles me that after so many years of our relationship with Britain, we are still talking about visa regime.

“I think the time has come for Britain to consider free visa regime for Nigerians and other citizens of Commonwealth nations. In fact, I am advocating free visa regime not only among the Commonwealth nations but also among the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, countries.”

Responding, Carter noted that nothing had been finalised yet, adding that if the

proposal was eventually accepted by the British Government, it would not affect all visa applicants.

He said: “I am aware that the media report in the last one week on the proposed £3000 bond has upset many people. But, I thank you for the opportunity to explain what the issue is all about.

“The British Government is considering a pilot scheme in a number of countries but nothing has been confirmed yet.”

Ekweremadu, who also presented a paper entitled: “The social impact of corruption and related crimes on a growing economy,” described fraud and corruption as a global phenomenon; saying a global front must be created to combat it.

He advocated strict enforcement of anti-corruption laws, creation of special courts for corruption trial and application of Information Communication Technology, ICT, in crime fighting and detection as a way out.

Let’s promote African culture –Ajimobi

for Culture and Tourism, Princess Adetutu AhigbeAdeyemi, said the rich African culture faced the risk of extinction and urged stakeholders to embrace the drive to promote the values of Africa.

Ajimobi urged TOFAC to do its best in setting agenda for the promotion of the Yoruba culture.

He said: “I am very happy about the whole idea and the personalities behind this programme.

“I am expectant that the conference will, without doubt, offer recommendations and suggestions that would be beneficial to Oyo State and the entire nation.”

The convener of TOFAC 2013 entitled: “Ethnicity, Race and Peace in Africa and the African Diaspora,” Prof. Ademola Dasylva, said the forum engaged the mind in matters of serious concern on Africa and the African Diaspora.

He said: “The main objectives are promotion of excellence in Africa and the African Diaspora cultural studies.

“We create general awareness and proffer enduring solutions on matters that concern Africa.

“TOFAC is originally designed to go round African countries to engender a network of budding scholars, to facilitate effective mentorship, global exposure and visibility.”

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South West

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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Ondo election: Appeal Court upholds Mimiko’s victory •Oke, Akeredolu vow to challenge ruling HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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he Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday dismissed the appeals filed by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the October 20, 2012 governorship election, Chief Olusola Oke and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Rotimi Akeredolu, in which they were challenging the judgement of the Election Petition Tribunal that declared Governor Olusegun Mimiko as the duty elected governor of the state.

The court presided over

by Justice Muhammed Garba upheld the ruling of the Andovar Kaakan-led election petition tribunal by dismissing the appeals.

In separate statements, the two candidates have, however, vowed to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court. They said that the judgement of the election tribunal was in variance with that of the Court of Appeal on issue relating to the voters register.

The judges - Justice Gana Mishella, Justice Martins Eko and Justice Emmanuel, Justice Obietonbara Kailo - unanimously said the tribunal erred in treating the issue of voters register as pre-election, but held that the appellants failed to establish that the complaints about the voters register substantially affect the conduct and outcome of the election.

The court said the tribunal has jurisdiction to entertain the suit, but frowned at the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to display the hard copy of the voter register as stipulated by the law particularly with complaints that parties were unable to open the soft copies given them by the commission.

In the 90 minutes judgement, all the judges unanimously held that the appellants failed to prove the allegations of substantial non-compliance of the governorship poll with the Electoral Act beyond reasonable doubt.

The court also said the ACN candidate also failed to establish that the noncompliance with the Electoral Act substantially affected the results of the

October 20, 2012 poll.

Dismissing the PDP suit, Justice Daniel Kalio, who read the judgement, said the party’s candidate failed to list what constituted noncompliance in an election, saying the person contesting the results of an election must show how his allegation substantially affected the conduct and the outcome of an election.

The court also faulted Oke's claim on his submission on the allegation of irregularities and malpractices.

Justice Eko agreed with the submission of the lead counsel to Mimiko, Wole Olanipekun, on the evidence of Oke, who is PW45 that for the PDP candidate to have given the type of evidence he gave, he must demonstrate that he was present in all areas that he listed in his evidence and which was not possible.

The Justice Andovar Kaka’an-led tribunal had, on May 3, 2013, affirmed that the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, was duly elected as the winner of the election as declared by INEC on October 22, 2012.

Not satisfied with the judgement, appellants approached the Appeal Court to challenge the ruling of the tribunal.

Reacting to the judgement, Mimiko described it as another victory for the people of the state.

Mimiko called on the opposition to join hand with him in building a new Ondo State, saying: "I think it is time to sheath the sword, I think it is time to be humble and accept the mandate given to us by the people. I think it is time for them to join hands with me in lifting our people from the morass of poverty and wants" But PDP said the judgement of the Court of Appeal fall short of the expectation of the people with a promise to challenge it.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Wale Ozogoro, the party said: "It is heartwarming to note that the learned jurist authenticated the validity of voters register as a process and not a pre-election matter. They equally agreed that there were injections, but that we refused to prove how the injection had substantially affected the result of the election.

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Mr. Taofeek Tijani; his Works and Infrastructure counterpart, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat, Governor Babatunde Fashola; General Manager, Lagos State Electricity Board, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi and other during the switching on of the Carter Bridge Road light public lighting from Idumota to Iddo Ijora Olopa, Mainland Bridge, Adeniji, Ebute Ero and Ofin in Lagos, yesterday.

Boko Haram: Bodija market shut as traders mourn colleagues KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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raders at the popular Bodija food market in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday mourned 25 of their colleagues allegedly killed by the dreaded Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri.

During a visit to the market, no fewer than 150 shops were put under lock and key while their owners gathered to discuss the incident.

The beans, palm oil and Hausa fish sections of the market were shut as the traders were seen in groups

discussing the unfortunate development.

National Mirror leant that those killed were said to have travelled to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to buy beans and fish before they were attacked by the Islamic sect.

It was gathered that of the 25 killed, nine were Yoruba beans sellers while the other 16 victims were Hausa smoked fish sellers.

The news of the incident was broken by those who narrowly escaped the attack.

Majority of the Yoruba victims were said to be ap-

prentices serving their various masters.

A trader, who did not want her name mentioned, urged government at all levels to protect the lives of Nigerians.

She said: "I have told those killed to stop going to Maiduguri until peace returns to the city. How can you lose your life while trying to stay alive? These young people have bright future ahead of them, but cut short at their prime by some members of God-forsaken Boko Haram sect."

A suitor to one of the deceased wept profusely and

lamented that his fiancée served her master meritoriously.

All the traders, however, called on the Federal Government to invest in efforts that would guarantee security of lives and property across the country.

Speaking on the effect of insecurity, a trader, who identified himself as Mutiu Jamiu, said that beans, which was sold for N300 before, is now sold between N450 and N500.

As at the time of filing this report, there were no commercial activities at the affected sections of the market.

Terrorism in Nigeria not comparable to Somalia’s –Spanish Ambassador SEGUN ADIO

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panish Ambassador to Nigeria, Alvaro Castillo Aguilar, has said that the act of terrorism confronting the country has not reached the proportion of that of Somalia and other countries in Africa, as he expressed his country’s readiness to partner Nigeria to combat the menace.

Ambassador Aguilar

spoke yesterday at a press conference held at the Naval Training Command in Apapa, Lagos State.

The conference was organised by the Nigerian Navy and the visiting Spanish warship, MV Rayo.

Aguilar though expressed his country’s concern over the rising wave of terrorism in the country, he stressed his country readiness to partner with Nigeria to checkmate the menace.

He said: “There is no doubt that the issue of terrorism is a source of concern to us, but in no way can we compare the situation in Somalia with that of Nigeria in that regard. Even piracy in that part of the continent cannot be compared to what we have here. It is not potentially as dangerous as in Somalia.”

The envoy also expressed his country’s readiness to jointly fight piracy in Nigeria’s waters.

He also commended Nigeria’s efforts in tackling the menace of piracy and supporting peacekeeping operations within the African continent.

Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Navy, Captain Abraham Adaji said that the problem of piracy is not limited to Nigeria, but it extends to all other African maritime nations.

He said that efforts are now at advanced stage to combat piracy in Africa.

Investors should give priority to indigenes of host communities –Fashola MURITALA AYINLA

L

agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has asked investors doing business in the state to give priority to indigenes of their host communities.

This is just as the state government rewarded some communities with four Hiace buses for hosting the state’s two crucial

infrastructures - the Lekki Free Zone (LFZ) and Lekki/ Epe International Airport.

The state government assured that efforts would be geared towards ensuring timely implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the parties involved, promising to sustain cordial relationship with host communities.

Presenting the buses

to the leaders of the communities, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Olusola Oworu, assured that the government would continue to sustain the good working relationship with host communities of its infrastructures.

She added that all other issues that would ensure a rancour-free relationship between the government

and the host communities were being looked into.

She said: “Governor Babatunde Fashola has mandated all interested investors in the zone to give priority to the indigenes of the host communities.

So, we urged the youths in various communities to support the administration in creating enabling environment for businesses to thrive.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South East

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

11

Obi releases N730m for rehabilitation of 700 mission schools CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha flanked by members of his cabinet, during a press briefing over the outcome of the Oguta State constituency rerun election yesterday.

Rerun: Okorocha alleges PDP plans to set Imo on fire •Governor is mischievous –Party CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

I

mo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains of planning to set the state on fire by deliberately encouraging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withhold last Saturday’s House of Assembly rerun election held in Oguta Local Government Area.

The governor told journalists at the Government House in Owerri, the state capital, that it beat his imagination that the election, which was conducted and the result collated by the INEC returning officer was declared inconclusive by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Selina Oko. But Prof. Oko insisted that the election was inclusive because out of the 11 wards where elections were expect-

ed to have been conducted, elections did not hold in five wards simply because hoodlums did not allow INEC officials to carry out their duties there.

The governor described Prof. Oko’s claim as a recurring decimal as the last governorship election was declared inclusive in the same Oguta when it was clear that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) w as ahead of PDP. Okorocha said: “The same happened during the governorship election when they observed that I was leading Ikedi Ohakim, the INEC officials abandoned the count-

ing to answer a telephone call. It was the strategy they used in the governorship election. As they returned back, they declared the election inclusive.

“The same recurred at the Saturday re-run election when they saw that APGA candidate, Walter Uzonwanne, won the election by clear margin. They abandoned the result and declared the election inclusive.

“Let them take the remaining booths, they will still lose because PDP is politically inconsequential in Imo, they can never win election again.

“I have personally endured humiliations in order that peace may reign in the state. I believe that the election is not worth the blood of any Imo indigene, but PDP will not allow peace to reign.”

But the state PDP Chairman, Mr. Eze Duruiheoma, alleged that the governor was being mischievous, even as he accused his administration of invading Oguta with hoodlums.

Duruiheoma said: “The state government created the situation; we are the victims of its criminality. The government invaded Oguta with thugs.”

ONITSHA

I

t was an exciting moment at the weekend for officers and men of the 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support), Onitsha, Anambra State, as they took to the streets to participate in the monthly sanitation exercise.

Tagged: “Civil/military relationship,” the clean-up exercise, which lasted from 8:0am to 10:am, was jointly carried out by the soldiers

Land dispute: Abia Assembly demands survey document from varsity

ANSIEC releases guidelines for LG poll

GEORGE OPARA

CHARLES OKEKE

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AWKA

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he Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, (ANSIEC) has released the guidelines for the local government elections sched-

uled to hold on October 5, 2013.

The 10-page guidelines and timetable for the election was released yesterday in Awka by the ANSIEC Chief Electoral Officer, Hon. Sylvester Okonkwo.

Okonkwo, however,

urged the political parties to ensure that they do not present multiple candidates.

He said that the electoral body would disqualify and sanction any candidate or political party that violates the law.

Army Day celebration: Soldiers participate in monthly sanitation NWABUEZE OKONKWO

overnor Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday released N730 million for the rehabilitation of 700 mission primary schools that were handed over to their former owners by the government last year.

The two cheques containing the N730 million were handed over to the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocess, Most Revd Paulinus Ezeokafor and the Anglican Bishop of Aguata Diocess, Bishop Christian Efobi, at a ceremony held at the Governor’s Lodge in Awka, the state capital.

While Bishop Ezeokafor got N430 million for the rehabilitation of 400 primary schools returned to the Catholic church, the Anglican Bishop of Aguata Diocese, Bishop Efobi, was given N300 million to rehabilitate the remaining 300 primary schools.

Obi said that his sustained financial support for education was borne out of the desire to develop the sector for effectiveness.

The governor, who decried the destruction of education in the past, promised that his administration would continue to rehabilitate and rebuild the schools wrongly taken over from the churches.

Shedding light on the

and officials of LAGA International, a contractor currently handling sanitation project in Onitsha North and Onitsha South local government areas.

While the exercise lasted, the soldiers, dressed in white T-shirts and army uniformed trousers and boots, formed three lines as they moved about the streets of Onitsha with military band, while some of them carried shovels, brooms and cutlasses as they cut grasses, clear

bushes, sweep the streets, picked refuse and dumped them into the slow-moving LAGA truck.

From the Army barracks, the soldiers, beating their drums and dancing to the rhythm, trekked to Zik Roundabout, Awka Road, Savoy Bus Stop and Ogboli Road, before retiring to the barracks a few minutes past 10am.

Addressing the soldiers at the military cantonment before and after the exercise, the Commander of the

Regiment, Col. T.A, Gagariga, said that the exercise was part of the activities marking this year’s Army Day Celebration, which was carried out simultaneously in other military formations in the country.

Gagariga, flanked by his Second-in-Command, Lt. Col. John Majevi and the Co-ordinator of LAGA International, Mr. Lawrence Uboh, stressed the need for environmental clean-up of Anambra State, particularly Onitsha and its environs.

import of the schools’ rehabilitation programme, he said: “What we are doing is symbolic, our position is that we are doing the right thing.

Until recently, schools owned by the missions were owned by the government as they were taken over by the government, that was a wrong decision, they collapsed in government hands, everything was destroyed and now they have been returned to the original owners, government must help to ensure that they are maintained, we must rebuild the schools we wrongly took over from the churches and nothing will stop the decision.”

Obi said that his administration is committed to the rebuilding and development of the education sector, which he said is critical in the development of the human infrastructure.

The governor urged the bishops to ensure that the funds released to them were judiciously spent, adding that what was done yesterday was the first stage of the three stage mission primary schools rehabilitation programmes being executed by the government.

Commending Obi for the gesture which they described as very exceptional, the bishops promised not to disappoint the governor while spending the money for the purpose for which it was meant.

ABIA

he Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Boundary and Security mediating in the land dispute between the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, (MOUA) and one of its host communities, Amaoba Ime, has directed the management of the university to produce the institution’s survey document.

The directive is to enable the committee compare it with the survey document of the land presented by the community.

The committee also directed both the university and the community to stay away from the disputed land until the issue is resolved.

The House Deputy Speaker, Hon. Alwell Asiforo Okere, gave the directive after he led members of the committee and the Abia State Surveyor-

General on inspection of the portion of the land in dispute.

The committee and the Surveyor-General were conducted round the disputed portion by the traditional ruler of the Amaoba Ime community, King Otuwa and some principal officers of the university.

The issue in contention is eight hectares of land.

The community is claiming that it donated 171.1 hectares of land to the university while the institution claimed that the community gave them 179 hectares.

The community alleged that the university fraudulently adjusted the boundary of the land. The development prompted youths in the community to threaten violence against the university.

But the community’s leaders prevailed on the youths to maintain peace and, therefore, petitioned the House of Assembly to intervene in the matter.

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South South

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Contempt: Rivers LG chair wants IG, others jailed SAM OLUWALANA PORT HARCOURT

A

Port Harcourt High Court has been asked to jail the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, the AIG, Zone 6, the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu and a Divisional Police Officer.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Obior/ Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chikodi Dike, made the request following their refusal to obey a subsisting court order directing them to vacate the premises of the council to allow the workers resume duties.

This is as the court pre-

sided over by Justice Suleiman Aliyu adjourned the suit between Dike and the Nigeria Police to September 30 for hearing.

The suit was re-assigned after the former trail judge, Justice H. A. Oganjiwa, withdrew on the grounds that counsel to the council the suspended chairman wrote a petition against

him for refusing to join them in the matter.

When the suit came up for hearing yesterday, counsel to the claimant, Mr. Emenike Ebete, told the court that counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Donald Denwingwe (SAN), had written a letter seeking adjournment because he was

travelling.

Ebete told journalists after the sitting that his client was instituting a committal process against the police officers for contempt of court.

He added that he had filed forms 48 and 49 on behalf of his client to facilitate the process of their committal to prison.

According to the lawyer, Form 48 is for the defendants to explain why they refused to obey court order, while Form 49 is a warrant form, to ask the defendants to explain why they should not be sent to prison.

He said they decided to start the process because the police had refused to obey the court order directing them to vacate Obio/ Akpor council secretariat premises and provide minimum security.

Ebete said the defendants had filed a motion seeking stay of the court proceedings on the grounds that they had appealed the refusal of the former court to join the suspended Chairman, Mr. Timothy Nsirim, pointing out that the order of the court was yet to be vacated.

Bayelsa has declared war on cultism –Dickson EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

B Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi (left) and the project supervisor inspecting the new Ultra-Modern Sports complex under construction at the new Greater Port Harcourt City, yesterday.

JTF arrests 25 oil theft suspects

ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, yesterday said his administration had declared war on individuals or groups involved in cultism in the state.

Dickson regretted that

he Joint Task Force, JTF, war on oil theft in the Niger Delta has led to the arrest of 25 suspected oil thieves in the creeks of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.

The JTF said it was still conducting preliminary investigation on the suspects currently in its custody.

The JTF Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement yesterday that the suspects would be handed over to relevant prosecuting security agencies at the end of the investigation.

Nwachukwu said the se-

curity outfit’s patrol team of 146 Battalion of Sector 2 at the weekend intercepted two self-propelled barges plying around Bonny anchorage in Rivers State.

The spokesman noted that the barges lacked the necessary registration documents indicative of their activities in the waterways of the region.

He said: “The arrest was made during a recent antioil-theft patrol operation that saw the troops comb the general maritime area of Peterside, Kalaibiama community, Bonny anchorage and Onne.

“During the interrogations that followed, the crew members on board the barges christened MT

one each at Igbematoru, Oyeregbene and Mbikiba respectively.”

The media coordinator added that a patrol team of the JTF also arrested 11 suspects conveying illegally distilled petroleum products in three large wooden boats at Otuama flow station in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The spokesman said the JTF operatives discovered and scuttled nine illegal refinery camps in Gbekebor, Okpogbene, Issaba, Agedeben and Ajudaibo in Warri South West Local Government where suspected oil thieves connected a pipe from a wellhead to a large wooden boat.

He said: “The troops also arrested six suspected

illegal oil bunkerers with six large boats loaded with product suspected to be illegally distilled Automated Gas Oil, AGO. Eleven Cotonou boats were also scuttled by the patrol team at Aruton Open River also in Warri South West in Delta State.

“In the same vein, antioil-theft patrol troops of 19 Battalion of Sector 1 of the JTF at Ekpemu community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have arrested two suspects caught reactivating a previously scuttled illegal oil bunkering and crude oil distillation camp.

“The suspects were arrested with two pumping machines and one welding machine while attempting to resuscitate the camp.”

RICHARD NDOMA

NSCDC trains 310 personnel on arms’ handling

anyone caught in the act will be dealt with accordingly.

“You should not see yourselves as rivals to other sister security agencies but as partners in our determination to ensure good governance and the realisation of government transformation agenda.”

Also speaking at the event, 13 Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army, Calabar, BrigadierGeneral Okwudili F. Azinta, commended the NSCDC for the initiative.

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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CALABAR

T

he Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has trained about 310 of its personnel on how to handle firearms and ammunition in Cross River State.

The state Commandant of the NSCDC, Dr. Benito Eze, disclosed this at the weekend during the passing out parade of the second batch of the trainees at the 13 Brigade of the Nige-

rian Army in Calabar.

Eze said the training was in fulfilment of the provisions of the NSCDC (Amendment) Act of 2007 which mandated personnel of the corps to bear firearms and ammunition The commandant said the training was in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s initiative and approval in 2007 where he mandated the corps to use firearms and ammunition.

That mandate, Eze said,

ASKJA and MT IBINABO failed to tender the required documents and could not explain their mission in the waterways.

The six crew members and the barges have been taken into custody for preliminary investigations.”

Nwachukwu disclosed that a patrol team of 343 Regiment of Sector 2 of the JTF operating along Akasa and Sangana rivers of Bayelsa State intercepted seven large wooden boats with stolen crude oil at Igbomotoru, Oyeregbene, Lagosbene and Mbikiba communities.

He said: “During the operation, the troops also discovered three new illegal crude oil loading points,

informed the decision of the NSCDC to embark on the training of its personnel to ensure that they were well-equipped with the basic skills on the use of firearms.

The NSDC personnel underwent one month training on stripping and assembling of AK47 rifles and ammunition, life firing of ammunition, checkpoint patrols and basic principles of internal security among others.

They were trained by the

officers of the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Calabar.

Eze added that some personnel of the corps had also been trained on counter-terrorism attacks at the Nigerian Army Training School Centre in Niger State.

The commandant also urged the trained officers to desist from intimidating and molesting civilians.

He said: “As a grassroots security outfit, you are to shun any act capable of diminishing your rating as

cult-related activities had led to the killing of innocent persons and responsible for political violence in the state.

The governor, who spoke at an interactive session with journalists in Yenagoa, said he would go hard on any person who derived pleasure in shedding the blood of innocent people.

Dickson said his administration would use the instrumentality of the law against any person found culpable.

He said: “I want to fight any act of cultism to a logical conclusion. I want Bayelsa State and its environs to remain safe. I detest cultism and political violence.”

About 11,000 cultists in the state had renounced their membership, as the state government promised to empower 10,000 of the new converts through skills acquisition programmes.

The governor also said that flood was ravaging the state because the state was located below the sea level.

He said: “There is need for citizens of the state to be more conscious on issues of flood. We shall take the issue of flooding very seriously to safe our communities.”

To achieve this, Dickson said the government had released N500 million to the state infrastructural committee to commence building of shelters in rural communities to check flood.

The governor also disclosed that government would spend about N8 billion to procure modern chairs and tables for the public schools in the state, adding the supply of the furniture to schools had commenced in a few schools.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

SUPER TUESDAY NGF crisis is about tenure elongation of President Jonathan –Junaid Mohammad

14,15

FELIX NWANERI writes on the recent directive by President Goodluck Jonathan to state governors to sign execution warrants of death row prisoners despite Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international treaties.

Politics PDP can’t afford to depart from South-West –Atiku

44

Politics of death warrant

D

eath sentence, as part of Nigeria’s penal laws, has always been a subject of controversy. Some have argued that it be retained, while others vehemently denounce it as being outdated and not in conformity with modern standards.

This perhaps explains why few state governors have signed the death warrants of convicted criminals since the return of civilian rule in 1999. The last known executions were carried out in 2006, when seven men sentenced to death in Kano State were hanged in Kaduna, Jos and Enugu prisons.

It was therefore surprising to many when President Goodluck Jonathan penultimate week called on state governors not to shy away from signing death sentences passed on convicted criminals. He said as leaders, the governors responsibilities include doing both the “sweet and the ugly part” as long as it is sanctioned by law.

The President, who spoke at the Villa Chapel to commemorate this year’s Fathers’ Day celebration, expressed worry that discipline which used to be the hallmark of the family is gradually being eroded because of negative influence of modernism.

His words: “These days, because of modern life, discipline is almost gone.

Discipline can be in various forms. In the states, it could be admonition. Magistrate can just admonish and allow to go. From admonition to various forms of punishments, it could be imprisonment. The extreme is capital punishment.

“In the case of capital punishment, the state governors will sign. Even governors sometimes find it difficult to sign. I have been telling the governors that they must sign because that is the law. The work we are doing have a very sweet part and a very ugly part and we must perform both. No matter how painful it is, it is part of their responsibilities.”

Hardly had the President done with his instruction that rights groups and activists went to town, protesting the directive.

Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), particularly faulted the order, saying: “Having not signed a single death warrant while he was the Bayelsa State governor, the President knows there are many factors which militate against the signing of death warrants by governors under a democratic dispensation. Unlike military governors who were trained to kill, civilian governors are usually reluctant to sign death warrants of convicted and sentenced to death. When Nigeria was under military rule there was

13

Jonathan

Oshiomhole

TOP STORY I HAVE BEEN TELLING THE GOVERNORS THAT THEY MUST SIGN BECAUSE THAT IS THE LAW.

THE WORK WE

ARE DOING HAVE A VERY SWEET PART AND A VERY UGLY PART AND WE MUST PERFORM BOTH no right of appeal from special military tribunals set up by military dictators to try people charged with treason, armed robbery and other capital offences.

“But the situation is totally different under a democratic dispensation where anyone sentenced to death is entitled to the constitutional right of appeal.”

Falana added that the call made by the President did not take cognisance of the moratorium placed on the death penalty in 2006 by the United Nations. “As a responsible member of the international community, Nigeria has so far honoured the terms of the moratorium. Indeed, it is on the basis of the moratorium and the recommendations of the Prerogative of Mercy Committees of the states that a number of condemned prisoners have had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment by some state governors.

“I will therefore like to call on President Jonathan to withdraw the directive for the immediate execution of condemned prisoners. However, if the directive is carried out in utter violation of the constitutional

Noose

right of appeal of the over 900 convicts and they are killed before the determination of their appeals, it will be tantamount to crime against humanity for which the President may be charged and tried before the International Criminal Court.”

Falana noted that instead of asking for the blood of the victims of socioeconomic injustice in the land, President Jonathan should declare a state of emergency on official corruption which has become a component part of the Transformation Agenda, saying: “It has become immoral to continue to execute victims of official corruption while the perpetrators of the heinous crime are allowed to enjoy their loot under dubious plea bargain deals arranged for them by the Federal Government.”

Despite the dissent, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, in a rare display of courage went ahead to sign the death warrants of four convicts de-

scribed as “unmanageable death row inmates” despite global appeal from human rights activists.

The quartet, who have been hanged by officers of the Nigeria Prison Service in Edo State were convicted of crimes ranging from murder, rape to armed robbery. They include Chima Ejiofor, Daniel Nsofor, Osarenmwinda Aigbonkhan and Richard Igagu.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Henry Idahagbon, who confirmed their execution, said they were convicted 15 years ago, noting that the Edo State Government had nothing to do with the execution.

He said: “These people were convicted 15 years ago. I was only informed this night (June 24) by the prison authorities that they had been hanged. One of them was convicted in Kaduna, while their matters had gone up to the Supreme Court and came back to the Federal High Court, Benin. It really has nothing to do with us as a government.

“The governor only signed the death sentence of two, while previous governors signed that of two others. The information I got was that they went to the Federal High Court, which refused their plea for leniency and I believe what the prison authorities did was to execute them immediately after they left the court. Edo State government has no hand in it. I was only informed that it had been done.”

In the suit before the Federal High Court, the death row prisoners had contended that to execute them after over 16 years of trauma, suspense and imminent death would amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and therefore asked the court to order Oshiomhole to commute their death sentences to terms of imprisonment.

Expectedly, condemnations have trailed the development with Amnesty International, AI saying “the executions mark a sudden, brutal return to the use of the death penalty in Nigeria, a truly dark day for human rights in the country.”

Lucy Freeman, AI’s deputy director for Africa said: “We again urge the Nigerian authorities to stop all executions immediately and return to the moratorium on executions in the country. We oppose the death penalty in all cases without exception, as it is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.”

According to AI’s Death Sentences and Executions 2012 report, Nigeria sentenced 56 people to death last year, and approximately 1,000 people are reportedly on death row in the country.

The European Union, EU, on its part said the act represents a break of a sevenyear moratorium on the death penalty and most regrettable setback to Nigeria’s huCONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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Politics

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NGF crisis is about tenure elongation of Says Jonah Jang not qualified to hold public office in Nigeria

Dr. Junaid Mohammad is the Convener, Concerned Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen. In this interview with AYODELE OJO, he speaks on the leadership crisis rocking the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, the desperation of President Goodluck Jonathan for re-election and his face-off with Governor Rotimi Amaechi, among other national issues. Excerpts: What is your take on the leadership crisis rocking the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF? As far as I am concerned, the crisis amounts to much about nothing. First, the so-called Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, is a voluntary organisation of the governors to discuss what is supposedly common to them. The whole thing amounts to nothing. Second, the Nigerian constitution which is the true law of the land does not make provision for the so-called Governors’ Forum; it has no power, it has no privileges, and it has no prerogatives. Nobody can persuade anybody that should the government of the day at the national level decide to do one thing and the Governors’ Forum decide to do another thing, what the governors decide must prevail over what the government of the day decided. As far as I am concerned, the issue amounts to so much about so little. But the crisis in the Governors’ Forum is about the tenure elongation project of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Rightly or wrongly, which I believe is wrong, his handlers and cronies around him and those who believe his government must continue indefinitely, are the ones engineering the crisis. But somehow, he has to continue to be the president of this country whether or not the people like him, whether or not the people appreciate his performance, whether he has done well or not, whether he is competent to hold the position of the president beyond 2015 or not.

And the anxiety to do that is what is happening in the country. This will overheat the polity. If he succeeds, which I don’t see coming, the country will be so badly hurt and it will take another decade or two decades to heal.

So, what is happening now are the skirmishes in the struggle for post-2015. But there is an easy way out; Jonathan should approach the issue with a greater sense of responsibility, he should approach the issue in the spirit of the constitution of Nigeria; he should approach the issue in the spirit of the constitution of his party which provides for zoning and in the spirit of his 2010 single term agreement with the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to which he signed.

Apart from this, there is nothing to talk about this so-called Nigerian Governors’ Forum and it is only for the tenure elongation project of Jonathan. And when former President Olusegun Obasanjo tried the tenure elongation, the country was badly hurt.

But how do you see the partisanship of the Presidency in the NGF crisis; I mean in recognising the factional chairman, Jonah Jang against Rotimi Amaechi?

Apparently there is somehow a strange

relationship between President Goodluck and Governor Jang. That tends to explain the late close relationship between the two of them, but if knowledge were to be given consideration, and giving the way Governor Jang has governed Plateau so far; Plateau State is the most highly unstable state out of the 36 states in Nigeria. There is nothing he has done in Plateau other than to unleash sectarian violence on the state.

In a sane society, Jang has no moral right to hold any public office.

I had expected the Presidency and nd the PDP to have put a better candidate in terms of track record than Amaechi; clearly y Jang does not measure up to Amaechi.

Also, in a country like Nigeria, peace is very important; because without peace, there would be no development and d without development, I can’t see how the e economy or even the society can move forward. rward.

I am of the view, I may be wrong, that hat all Nigerians want development economically mically, politically, and socially. All these are impossible unless people holding sensitive ve government positions are decent, trustful ful and willing to do one or more good thing for the country which I don’t think Jang can an do.

When you look at his antecedents; where he is coming from, he is not that competent. petent.

Why must someone insist on him m being the chairman of the NGF? I don’t understand. Officers before Jang are saying ying it louder that the man is lousy, incompetent petent and irresponsible. Recently, the former Defence Minister, Gen. Domkat Bali li gave an interview to one of the national newspapers where he said Jang knows nothing, othing,

THE CRISIS IN THE GOVERNORS’ FORUM IS ABOUT THE TENURE ELONGATION PROJECT

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN... THOSE OF

WHO BELIEVE HIS GOVERNMENT MUST CONTINUE

INDEFINITELY, ARE THE ONES ENGINEERING THE CRISIS

but Jang believes he knows everything more than anybody including the politics of Plateau, the area and various communities.

So, President Jonathan has a reason in fighting all of these people. If you look at most of the appointments in his government and party, he has preference for mediocre; he does not like people who are smart, who are very serious people, who will be competent leaders for the party and for the government.

But Jang has been a military governor and a retired general; are you saying he is not competent enough to hold republic office or what?

We are not talking about the military regime; we are talking about democracy.

In democracy, a track record is important.

When you are talking about a track record in a democracy; Jang was a participant in a coup detat and for that he was rewarded with the position of a military governor.

As a military governor, he couldn’t cope in the old Benue and was later sent to Gongola State. He was a lousy and divisive military governor. If we have been practising true democracy, the fact that he participated in a coup would have disqualified him from being a governor in a democratic setting. But that is Nigeria for you. Many people who were serious coup plotters like David Mark and others are holding important positions in a democracy.

At the Presidential dinner last Wednesday, the security aides of the President prevented Amaechi from greeting him. How do you feel with the development?

It shows the president is irresponsible and it is very childish; no security man in his right mind would ever have prevented a governor from greeting the President. So, the security man who did that is not to be blamed; he did that base on specific instructions from the president.

So, the President behaved childish and irresponsibly. Hav-

ing said that, if in a country of 160 million people the President believes everybody must agree with him on everything; then something must be wrong. Even in your own family there are few people who will disagree with you. Does that make them your enemies? Even you shake hands with your enemies. If you disagree with somebody you try to persuade him, you don’t go out of your way to diminish him. Because by diminishing Amaechi, you are diminishing the five million people of Rivers State and you cannot afford to do that in a democracy.

Look, we have to be very careful to nurture our democracy. If the President doesn’t want to shake hands with Amaechi, he shouldn’t have invited him for a dinner. What happened shows that President Jonathan is small-minded. That attitude is not good for a president of a country with population of over five million people.

The First Lady seems to have taken the front row in the fight against Amaechi and has literarily relocated to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

I have issued a statement in which I condemned the activities of the First Lady. Dame Patience Jonathan comes from Okrika in Rivers State. But perhaps because of her limitation in education and exposure, she is behaving this way.

Our constitution does not recognise the position or office of First Lady.

How do you take

Mohammad

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

15

President Jonathan –Junaid Mohammad NO SECURITY MAN

away the security of a state from the governor and hand it over to the First Lady? The report now is that the State Commissioner of Police withdraws security of the government officials at will.

The question now is: who is in charge of the state. If Dame Jonathan wants to be governor, she should contest for the position; there can’t be two captains in a ship.

She should be restrained either by her husband or by the law enforcement agents.

How do you see the involvement of the Police Commissioner in Rivers State in the crisis?

It is irresponsible of him to dabble into politics. It is only an irresponsible police officer who will be listening to the dictates of a woman who has no recognition in the constitution. So, he should be called to order. And I call on MD Abubakar, the Inspector General of Police, to call this man to order if he doesn’t want to leave the police the way Hafiz Ringim left the police in a very disgraceful manner. The law must be upheld and neither the Inspector-General of Police nor the Commissioner of Police must be made to be above the law and they should call the man to order because he is behaving in a very disgraceful and embarrassing manner. The way the First Lady is behaving and interfering in the affairs of Rivers State is very unfortunate.

You literally said the First Lady is an illiterate, but she is a university graduate.

Oh my God! I don’t think you can think this way, Ayodele. First and foremost giving the way Nigerian education had been bastardised, the fact that you are a graduate does not make you educated. As we say during our undergraduate days, you can go through the university but the university might not actually go through you. So, if I call you illiterate, it does not mean you cannot write or read because it is behaviour and behavioural pattern that determines whether you behave like an educated person or like an illiterate person. As far as I am concerned, the First Lady behaves like an illiterate person. So, for all I care, she is an illiterate.

And by the way, I knew her when I was in Port Harcourt. So, the fact that she is a graduate does not make her literate.

For the fact that I have many de-

IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD EVER HAVE PREVENTED A GOVERNOR FROM GREETING THE

PRESIDENT... WHAT HAPPENED SHOWS THAT

PRESIDENT

JONATHAN IS SMALLMINDED

Mohammad

grees does not make me an educated person; it is my behaviour, my manner of thinking, my mode of interacting with people, my respect for other people’s opinion and for rule of law, that is what make me an educated person and not the university degrees. And I am surprised that at your level, you are talking this way.

How much of the First Lady do you know?

It is not important. How important is that?

Because you said you knew her.

Everybody who knew me except you, perhaps knows that I was in OMPADEC between 1992 and 1993. And everybody knew she was coming around to ask for small small contracts. Jonathan himself was recruited through my effort as an Assistant Director at OMPADEC. Who is she when you compare my status with her and that of her husband? Who is she in politics? The fact that we are having interview does not mean you should insult me.

I’m not insulting you. I only want to know how much of her you know.

What I said is in public record, so I don’t bloody care about her. When I graduated in 1975, where was she?

Earlier, you said NGF crisis is more of post-2015 and you said the President is also refusing to honour the pact he signed in 2010 with the governors about one term.

The Presidency has denied the existence of any pact, so also Chief Edwin Clark even when Governor Babangida Aliyu insists of the pact. How do you reconcile this?

Is it my duty to reconcile what the governors have said because it was not only the governor of Niger State who said there was a pact; the governor of Jigawa State has also said there was a pact. And none of the governors had denied there was a pact.

I don’t know if you have become the agent of the government. The president has not denied it. So, I don’t know the game you are trying to play.

Some of his aides like the Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, have denied the pact.

I repeat there was a pact and that pact

was written. The fact that one Gulak said there was no pact does not amount to the President saying there was no pact. Edwin Clark was not at the meeting; so how can he say there was a pact or there was no pact?

Edwin Clark does not have a position in the Presidency, so when did he became spokesman for the Presidency. I have been in this game for over 40 years, so I should no what I’m saying.

Clark even described Governor Aliyu as a liar over the one-term pact.

Excuse me, please. Edwin Clark cannot speak on behalf of the Presidency. He can use whatever gutter language he likes. For the fact that he is denying it does not mean that the pact doesn’t exist.

So you believe the President must honour the pact?

Yes, that is what we are saying. And if that pact does not exist, he should come out and say it does not exist. Then, Nigerians will be left with the option of determining his fate.

Former Defence Minister, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma recently lamented the leadership failure in the country, saying that Nigeria has not been able to move forward because of this.

What do you think about leadership crisis in Nigeria and what is the way forward?

First of all, do you admit that there is leadership failure in Nigeria?

Yes, I admit.

Alright, when you talk about leadership, you are talking about political leadership.

If you are talking about political leadership in Nigeria today, who is the number one leader?

President Jonathan.

So, if you want to consider what Danjuma said and I know him very well, Danjuma does not mince words; there has been political leadership failure in Nigeria and the number one political leader in the country that has failed is the President. And if the leader has failed, what do you do with him? If you fail in something you should be removed. In agreeing with what General Danjuma said, there are two options open to us: one, in a free and fair election, you vote Goodluck Jonathan out. Two, if he is becoming a threat, what you should do is to get the National Assembly to impeach him. I know that General Danjuma knows

what he is talking about. He knows more than you and I. General Danjuma, as a true patriot, has put his life on the line to save the corporate existence of Nigeria and I think people should listen to him carefully and draw a rightful conclusion from what he said.

Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, recently came out rejecting President Jonathan for 2015 and even accused him of dividing the North. Do you share this sentiment?

Don’t they have the right to reject Jonathan? What is wrong in rejecting Jonathan? I rejected him before he contested the last general elections, so that is not new.

ACF speaks for those who are in ACF; they don’t speak for the North or me. I have never been a member of ACF and I will never be a member of ACF. I have my group and I have never claimed to speak for the whole North and if ACF claims they are speaking for the whole North, it is a lie because they are not speaking for me.

In their claim that there are attempts to divide the North subtly or otherwise, that is very true because billions of naira are changing hands, people are being giving appointments because they believe that the North should be humiliated and that is the main reason why all those governors who are having some discordant views about the North like the ones in Bauchi, Governor Isa Yuguda and that one in Katsina, Ibrahim Shema. They are doing whatever they are doing on behalf of the president.

How about the proposal that all elections should be conducted in one day in 2015?

As someone with over 40 years experience in politics, I think that even using internet, computer or supper human effort or whatever, you cannot conduct election in one day in a very big country like Nigeria.

Indians hold their elections in about 30-40 days and nobody doubts the fact that India has the best democracy in the world; bigger than Nigeria with the population of about 1.2 billion. In Nigeria, holding all elections in one day is not feasible. The last election was a disaster.

INEC recently banned political campaigns ahead of 2015. Even at that there are series of endorsements for the president. Do you think it is right to ban campaigns now?

As far as I am concerned, the part of the electoral law which states that there should be no electioneering prior to 90 days or thereabout is a stupid provision. First and foremost, politics itself is about continuous campaign. Anytime you do something and you imagine that what you do will be appreciated by people, you are campaigning whether you say it or not. And the whole idea of government going round to commission projects, going to do this or that or even travelling out of the country to go and contact some foreign countries for new technology, new people and investments abroad or thereabout, you are publicising the government. That is also a form of campaign. So, when you talk of campaign, it depends on who is talking. As far as I am concerned, INEC is talking nonsense because they are made up of agents of the PDP, who don’t know anything about politics because if it knew anything about politics we won’t CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

16

Politics

As FG mulls scrapping research agencies

ASO ROCK FILE

T

with

Rotimi FADEYI

When NEC meeting brought Amaechi, Jang together

T

he controversy over the Chairmanship seat of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, is yet to be resolved as Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and Jonah Jang of Plateau State are both laying claim to the position.

The situation has polarised the forum of the governors; they now have two camps and factions of the Governors’ Forum. One faction is led by Amaechi and another one headed by Jang. They both have different venues and agenda for meetings and no one is ready to recognise the leadership of the other after the May 24 election held in Abuja.

But last week Thursday was different as the state governors including Amaechi and Jang all attended one meeting which was held at the same venue, presided over by one chairman.

It was the meeting of the National Economic Council, NEC, held at the Presidential Villa under the chairmanship of VicePresident Namadi Sambo.

The sitting arrangement was done in alphabetical order according to states, starting with the seat of Abia State governor, Theodore Oji. This created a situation which made the seat of Amaechi to be placed next to Jang since there was no state starting with the alphabet Q that could be placed in-between the two contenders of the NGF chairmanship.

Amaechi and Jang sat side by side on the right side of the Vice President and this would be the first time they would sit together with other governors in a meeting after the May 24 election of the Governors’ Forum Before the NGF crisis, the sitting arrangement at the NEC meeting was made in such a way that the seat of the Chairman

of the NGF was the first to the left after the seat of the Vice President.

The Rivers State governor arrived the venue of the meeting before Jang and took his seat which was placed near that of Jang in alphabetical order. The Rivers State governor later stood up to exchange pleasantries with other governors with pumping of hands and patting each other on the back When Jang later arrived at the meeting to take his seat near Amaechi, both of them exchanged pleasantries, shook hands and smiled at each other without any sign of animosity Some governors including Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) gathered around Amaechi and Jang to exchange greetings.

Amaechi and Jang were both laughing as they shook hands with other governors and exchange banters.

T

he report of the Steve Orasanyeled Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies which recommended the scrapping and merger of some agencies of government has generated a lot of controversy.

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, which began discussion on the white paper on the report a forthright ago concluded deliberations on the recommendations of the committee last week at its weekly meeting at the Presidential Villa.

At the meeting of all the ministers with President Goodluck Jonathan presiding, the Council decided that there was need to align some research institutes and agencies with existing universities while the private sector should be involved in the management of river basins across the country.

That is not all, the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, also said that major decisions would be taken in many of the key sectors to reduce the number of agencies particularly those that are performing duplicating duties and whose functions have elapsed.

According to him, this would ensure efficient performance, saying that the

details of the final decisions on the white paper would soon be released after it must have been cleaned up by making necessary inputs.

While specifically speaking on the need to align research agencies with universities, Maku stated that there are so many research agencies under the Ministry of Science and Technology that their functions could be better coordinated by universities.

The council also set up a committee headed by the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman to look at the section of the white paper report that has to do with research agencies, institutes and centres spread across the country.

On the commercialisation of river basins in the country, Maku explained that in order to make the best use of river basins to drive mechanised agriculture, there was need to involve the private sector in the utilisation of the various river basins in the country.

There are 12 River Basin Development Authorities in the country, namely: Upper Benue, Yola; the Lake Chad, Maiduguri; Benin-Owena, Benin; Sokoto-Rima, Sokoto; Hadejia-Jema’are Basin, Kano; the Lower Benue, Makurdi and the Cross River, Calabar.

Others are Ogun-Osun, Abeokuta; Anambra-Imo, Owerri; the Lower Niger, Ilorin; Upper Niger, Minna and Niger Delta, Port Harcourt.

Presidential Villa’s visitors

L-R: Factional Chairmen of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Governors Jonah Jang (Plateau) and Rotimi Amaechi PHOTO: NAN (Rivers), at the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja, last week.

Help for the Police Force he Nigerian Police Force is regarded as the most poorly funded security agency in the country, a situation which has made it difficult to effectively and efficiently discharge its constitutional duties of fighting crime and maintaining law and order in the society.

There has been problem of inadequate facilities, lack of training and equipment as well as poor remuneration and incentives for the police to perform which has made many people resort to self help or the employment of private security personnel.

In order to ensure that there is total reformation in the Police Force, the Federal Government set up a committee to look into the issue of adequate funding for the Police Reform programme.

Already, the National Economic Council, NEC, has endorsed the reduction in the total cost of the fund for the Police Force Programme from N2.8 trillion to N1.5 trillion while state governors agreed to contribute one per cent first line charge of their allocation from the Federation Account to ensure adequate fund for the police.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Council also approved the extension of the reform from five to six years to ensure government’s commitment to the transformation of the Police Force for effective security service delivery.

NEC also agreed that the funds deducted would be used exclusively in the states while the modalities would be worked out.

The decision followed the presentation of a memorandum on the funding of the Police Reform Programme by Anambra Governor, Peter Obi, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Reform Police Interim Implementation Committee.

Obi disclosed that the memo also recommended a joint funding of the revised cost of N1.5 trillion with 60 per cent coming from the three tiers of government while the organised private sector and International Development Partners would contribute 40 per cent.

He stated that the Council also supported a statutory funding of the police reform programme in line with the provisions of the constitution and agreed to provide extra funding for the police.

1.

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia

2.

President Joyce Banda of Malawi

3.

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar

4.

Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim

5.

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar

6.

Senate President David Mark

7.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi

8.

Governor Jonah Jang

9.

Governor Liyel Imoke

10.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole

Nigeria and stronger economic ties with South America

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan last week said that Nigeria would remain at the forefront of efforts to promote greater economic and trade relations between Africa and South America.

Speaking at an audience with Venezuela’s outgoing Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Enrique Fernando Arundell, the President declared that Nigeria remains fully committed to developing the Africa-South America Summit into a more productive platform for the expansion of areas of cooperation between the two continents.

While recalling his interactions with late President Hugo Chavez at the 2nd Africa-South America Summit at Margarita, Venezuela in 2009, Jonathan said that it was apparent that the late Venezuelan leader was also very committed to establishing mutuallybeneficial economic relations between

Africa and South America.

Expressing the belief that Maduro would follow late President Chavez’s footsteps in this regard, Jonathan said Nigeria was ready to work with him and other Heads of State and Government to maximally exploit the potentials for mutual economic benefit inherent in closer ties between Africa and South America.

The President praised Mr. Arundell’s efforts to enhance the cordial relations between Nigeria and Venezuela.

“Thank you for the services you have rendered here. You have done wonderfully well. We will always remember you and your contributions to development in our country,” he told the outgoing Ambassador.

MORE POLITICS STORIES ON PAGES 41-43

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

17

Simulated conference on governance J.K. RANDLE

I

never cease to be amazed how often world leaders save their best speeches for foreign soil. For example, the late John F Kennedy’s most memorable speech as President of the United States of America was delivered in Berlin, Germany on 26th June, 1963 when he spoke in German at the Brandenburg Gate, “Ich bin ein Berliner”, meaning, “Me too, I am a Berliner”.

On 12th June, 1987, another US President, Ronald Reagan, spoke at the same Brandenburg Gate and delivered the unforgettable line: “Mr. Gorbachev, bring down this wall.” Shortly afterwards on 19th November, 1989 the Berlin Wall duly crumbled! That was the beginning of the end of communism. This was right in the midst of the Cold War. Therefore, it was not entirely surprising that our President Goodluck Jonathan chose Magdalene College, Cambridge University, England to deliver his most brutally frank address before his chief host, the Rt. Reverend Dr. Rowan Williams who recently retired as the Archbishop of Canterbury and as is now Master of Magdalene College, one of the most prestigious positions in the British Establishment.

Jonathan’s address titled, ‘Be The Change You Want To See’, read in part: as follows: “The entire Nigerian society (not the nation) has failed hence the country is experiencing killings, kidnapping, and cultism, among other crimes. We have lost

MATTERS SEEMED TO BE RUNNING ON AN EVEN KEEL UNTIL THE

DELE MOMODU RAISED “A

IRREPRESSIBLE

POINT OF ORDER our moral values and principles. Much has gone wrong in the family life, schools, churches and society in general. It would appear we have the society we deserve. Indeed, the teachings in some churches have turned the Bible upside down.

“We have every reason to be disgusted as we witness schools that have failed as well as teachers who are not committed to teaching. We are equally disappointed with the escalating reports of sale of handouts by lecturers before students could pass examinations and asking favours from students to award them pass marks…Our priorities are misplaced. The values of hard work, respect for elders, truthfulness, contentment, humility, patience, compassion, fairness, love, justice, obedience, etc are all lost…We need to return to God, study and obey the word of God, which is able to cleanse us…”

The chief host’s intervention was both subtle and discreet: “My wife Jane joins me in welcoming you all. Africa (especially Nigeria) is always in our prayers. We commend to you the sanctity of the Bible: Where two or

three are gathered, the Lord would be with them. May the Lord be with you as you gather here to pray for your country…”

At this point, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor intervened by declaring: “We can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. I thank the Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams and his charming wife. It is a pity that Nigeria is in trouble and that the country after (nearly) 53 years of independence is still trying to find its feet. Nigeria is a confused nation that needs God’s intervention. Corruption has become a way of life. This should not be.

“If you look at Nigeria in the eyes of the spirit, you will see a great Nigeria.

But if you look at Nigeria with natural eyes, you see a confused nation. Forgive my language, but that is the truth. We are yet to know who we are. Nigeria is in trouble, but God will bring us out of it…”

President Goodluck Jonathan played it very cool. He rose to the defence of his government: “We are practising democracy and constructive criticism is always welcome. We have even extended the hand of friendship to the opposition. Last week I was in Lagos to commiserate with the former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the loss of his mother Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji. I could not but notice that in one of the tributes to her, mention was made of the fact that in the 1957 election she was instrumental to the success of Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu who succeeded the late Chief J.K. Randle.

“Also, when I return to Lagos I shall

attend the 50th Birthday Party of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), the current Governor of Lagos State. Both AsiwajuTinubu and Governor Fashola are our political opponents… “ Matters seemed to be running on an even keel until the irrepressible Dele Momodu raised “a point of order”!!

“To say we are on auto-pilot is an understatement. The simple truth is that the ship of state is rudderless and drifting perilously with those at the helm of affairs drunk and in stupor from the potent liquor that is power. The innocent performers in government, mainly technocrats, are watching in utter amazement as their good works are being rubbished by those who see the attainment of authority as a god to be worshipped.

“By focusing more attention on politics than service to the people, the President has allowed the wrong persons to take over our affairs. The President should have concentrated more on his avowed Transformation Agenda by offering leadership and guidance to some of the bright folks in his government. But wrong signals are being sent when governance is being handed over to people who see no reason to try and persuade people with superior logic but instead prefer the use of rude and uncouth language and aggression to intimidate well-meaning critics.

To be continued Bashorun Randle (OFR, FCA), jkrandleintuk@gmail.com, is chairman & CEO, JK Randle Professional Services, Lagos

Countdown to Delta killer floods BOBSON GBINIJE

J

ean Louis Agassiz (1807-1873) once observed that “the study of nature is an intercourse with the ‘Highest Mind’.

You should never trifle with Nature”. However, man has horrendously abused Nature over the years and now Nature is vengefully fighting back with and through climate change. The climate change phenomenon has led to the horrid depletion of the ozone layer, which has also precipitated disastrous climatological consequences on the planet Earth. The result is a deluge of floods, droughts, tornadoes, gales, hurricanes, dermatological cancer, optical diseases and other multidimensional socio-economic aftermaths.

In Nigeria, meteorological bodies have warned of the coming of floods in over 30 states of the federation. In the last flood disaster, the Federal Government doled out billions of naira to statutorily institutions and state governments to alleviate and checkmate the post flood effects. Indeed, the federal Ministry of Works got N3.156 billion and an additional N556 million; NEMA got N2.34 billion; Ministry of Environment got N345 million; National Committee for Refugees was given N150 million and Technical Committee on Flood Impact Assessment got N100 million. These financial dollops were exclusive of what the FG disbursed to the states, and what the various state governments on their own injected into the fight against floods.

The fight to checkmate the coming killer floods is on-going in Delta State, as illegal

structures along drainage paths and waterways are being pulled down in Asaba, Warri, Sapele, Ughelli, Effurun, Agbor, Orerokpe, Aladja etc. In Warri, the opening-up of culverts, bridges, waterways, gutters etc has gained intensive acceleration.

The bridge along Lower Erejuwa Road Ogboru/Nelson/Deco/Avenue/Okandeji/ Ope/Omoine and Father Healey Streets are receiving commendable attention and personally supervised by Chief Omare, the Commissioner for Environment. In short, I saw the Commissioner hired an engine boat and went to superintend the quenching of a fuel barge conflagration on the Warri River, opposite Warri Club/Naval Base, and there were two water hyacinth tractors doing cleansing of the Warri River. These efforts must be commended.

But we must admonish Chief Omare and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan that this is a tip of the iceberg. They must note that Delta, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Edo, Ondo, Lagos states etc, as litoral states, experience more rainfall and hence more floods than other states in Nigeria, and must be fully prepared for the in-coming killer floods. The sand filling and building of a Model School on the Warri Prison Rice Farm along Esisi Road by the Okere Bridge is wrong. That Rice Farm acted as a shoreline protection measure, rain chamber and speed breaker to floods. We also wish to draw the attention of the state authorities to the Warri drainage plan brought from Holland by the late Chief (Dr) Esiri in 1963 and being executed by the then Warri Divisional Council, the Igberaja/Abeke Drainage plan for Sapele Urban Area of 1961 and the 1962 Chief Fes-

THE FIGHT TO CHECKMATE THE COMING KILLER FLOODS IS ON-

GOING IN

DELTA

STATE, AS ILLEGAL STRUCTURES ALONG DRAINAGE PATHS AND WATERWAYS ARE BEING PULLED DOWN tus Okotie-Eboh sponsored bill on flood exigencies and the creation of the Mid-Western Region etc.

Attention should be given to the Delta Development and Planning Authority Area Effurun (DDPA) and the NPA/Niger Cat/ Ugbuwangue/Ughoton/Jeddo/Ubeji and Ogbokodo – they have no viable and functional drainage systems as existing ones are blocked by dirt. There is need for the channelization of the area and its environs. The Upper Ogunu, Okere Road/Ajamimoghan, Esisi, Pessu, Alawuru, Agbassa, Mccliver roads should also be channelized to the Warri River.

There must be massive sensitization based virtually on propaganda hype through Delta Television, Pointer newspapers, Delta FM Radio and other communication medium to the people of Delta State

on how to get prepared. We call for the construction of flood/wave breakers in all Delta State rivers to forestall inundation.

The Methuselah Market Sapele that has been undergoing reconstruction for over eight years should be dredged and beveled into the Sapele River to avoid the flooding of the town in the event of River Ethiope overshooting its banks. The Sapele Urban Area should be channeled to the Sapele River, while Ughelli town and its environs should be adequately channelized.

All hands must be on deck to forestall the in-coming devastating and killer floods.

We still call on government to set up Delta State Flood Monitoring, Emergency, Rehabilitation and Refugee Assistance Body [DSFMERAB] to work with the people and all relevant government agencies to ameliorate all post flood problems.

Finally, the tidal surge of force majeure is no respecter of lives and properties. We admonish the Delta State government and FG to do their best. We hope their best will be good enough this time around. We deserve the best from an oil producing state and its leadership.

Chief Gbinijie is founder of Mandate Against Poverty, Warri, Deltat State Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs.

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

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Oil theft and JTF’s performance

hevron Nigeria Limited’s (CNL) recent outcry that the purported Joint Task Force’s (JTF) war against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta was not yielding impressive results seems an indication that the Federal Government, rather than containing illegal oil bunkerers and thieves, is losing the battle. The oil firm’s observation that despite the efforts of the security agency to combat the menace, sharp practices associated with crude oil in the region was on the rise, is a vindication of the suspicion not quite long ago by Shell, one of the multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, of possible connivance of the security operatives with local oil thieves in the region.

Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, the Managing Director of Shell had stated that his company was losing about 60,000 barrels of crude oil per month to oil thieves. Chevron, on the other hand, had said it was losing about 35,000 barrels per day because of the activities of oil thieves, especially to the operators of illegal refineries in Escravos. A surveillance team raised by the company has already identified 45 bunkering points in Escravos, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, according to reports.

Contrary to JTF’s claim that it had substantially reduced the menace, Chevron’s General Manager in Escravos, Mr Jide Ajide, says its Escravos location has become a beehive of activities by operators of illegal refineries and pipeline vandals. “JTF has been here this year… I think more than 10 times. But if you go all around us here, you will see illegal refineries… they devised a new method of starting their operations at night… Between 2007 and 2008, they were stealing between 30,000 and 35,000 barrels of crude oil per day from our pipelines. It later came down with the assistance of security personnel, including the JTF. It was brought really down three years ago, but this year, it has gone up”, he lamented.

It should be recalled that the FG had awarded N5.6 billion oil pipeline protection contracts (now expired) to former militant leaders in the region.

Reports at the weekend, however, said the FG was negotiating a new contract with the ex-militants. Recent industry estimates indicate that the country loses $6.1bn (N965bn) annually to oil theft. The loss is thus competing with the N1.621 trillion voted as 2013 capital budget, for example.

Oil theft has been fingered as a major setback to oil revenue and by implication,

July 2, 2010 The South Kivu tank truck explosion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) killed at least 230 people. The 2010 South Kivu tank truck explosion took place late in the afternoon of July 2, 2010 in the DRC. A tank truck travelling from Tanzania overturned in the village of Sange in South Kivu, and later exploded, resulting in at least 230 deaths and 196 injured. The village of Sange is located near the Congo-Burundi border.

WHY IS IT THAT THE MORE SECURITY OPERATIVES ARE DEPLOYED TO CONTAIN THE DANGEROUS

TREND, THE MORE IT FESTERS?

budget implementation. Little wonder the FG is finding it rather difficult of late to pay monthly statutory allocations to states. Indeed, so notorious was the crime last year that The Economist magazine of London mocked Nigeria as “the world’s capital for oil theft...”

In addition to multinational oil corporations, several credible organisations, including the media, had repeatedly drawn the attention of the government to the possible complicity of security forces in the worsening oil theft crisis. If the hands of the security agencies are as clean as they claim, why have oil thieves and illegal oil refiners become closedoor neighbours to Chevron in Escravos, despite the presence of the JTF in the area? Why is it that the more security operatives are deployed to contain the danger-

ON THIS DAY

July 2, 1993 About 37 participants in an Alevi cultural and literary festival were killed when a mob of demonstrators set fire to their hotel in Sivas during a violent protest. Alevism is a religious group combining Anatolian folk Shi’ism with Sufi elements such as those of the Bektashi tariqa. Believers live almost entirely in Turkey, with minorities in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Crimea, Greece, Tatarstan and the Turkish Diaspora.

ous trend, the more it festers?

Except the long suspected complicity of security operatives in oil theft is enjoying tacit official cover from the top, we see no reason the government has not mounted a high powered investigation to confirm the veracity or otherwise of the claim, instead of the recriminations being traded by oil companies and the security outfits.

Besides, on what basis is the FG negotiating the renewal of pipeline surveillance contracts with ex-Niger Delta militant leaders? For the excellent job they did or for the reported upsurge in oil theft? Has the FG taken the pains to determine whether or not the ex-militants are fanning the embers of oil theft to justify their being awarded yet another contract? The FG should ensure the ex-militants convincingly justify the billions of naira they collected for the expired pipeline protection contracts that exacerbated oil theft instead of reducing it, before wasting the nation’s resources again on contracts that do not return value for money.

Instead of throwing money about, the FG should diligently find means to unravel the reasons responsible for the failure of designated security agencies to reduce or eliminate oil theft. It would seem government’s commitment to halting the trend is non-existent as yet.

July 2, 1964 United States’ President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meant to prohibit segregation in public places. It is a landmark piece of civil rights legislation in the US that outlawed major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and women. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and public facilities.

FAAN, Bi-Courteny: Unending war over concession

Nigeria’s insurance firms can’t compete in oil, gas sector 37

SUPER TUESDAY

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Nigeria risks global trade isolation over poor seaport security

T

he decision of the United States Government to issue a 90-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Government to fix its seaport lax security situation or face global trade sanctions, might not be unconnected with the rising wave of insecurity in the country, especially in the last two years.

The country had following the conclusion of its 2011 general elections held in April been experiencing serious challenges, following the emergence of Islamic insurgents, who have wrecked havoc in many public places, including the United Nations Organisation building located in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Houses of worship and other public places such as markets and motor parks and markets have had their unfair share of these bombings, through which scores of innocent people including women and children were killed.

The US Government had therefore through its Embassy in Lagos in May, warned the Federal Government to improve on its ports security system within 90 days or face the stoppage of of vessels visiting the nation’s seaports.

What this means is that if after the ultimatum Nigeria fails to comply, no shipping line that calls at any of US seaports or any of her trading partners including the European Union, will be allowed to sail to Nigeria.

What this means is that Nigeria’s crude oil will not be taken out of here, imported goods can

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About two weeks to the expiration of the six-week deadline given by the United States to Federal Government to comply with the International Ships and Ports Security (ISPS) Code or face serious trade sanctions. It is not yet clear if Nigeria will escape an effective shipping embargo. FRANCIS EZEM reports.

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 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) AbvBeni:08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/ Sat)08.56, 12.10(Sun)

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) LagBenin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat)

IRS

Apapa sea-port

also not come into the country since the nation has no vessels to do any of these.

Apart from the worsening general security, the ultimatum was also informed by a security audit report from the officials of the United States Coast Guard who were in Nigeria early in May to inspect security of the Nigerian seaports.

It was in reaction to the report, which indicated the porous security situation at Nigeria’s seaport facilities that the embassy sent a diplomatic memo to Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in Nigeria, which in turn contacted the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other relevant agencies. It was

gathered that that the US Coast Guard operatives were piqued at the poor security situation at some Nigerian ports, especially the Tin Can Island Port Complex, Apapa.

The ultimatum of the American Government almost coincided with the selection of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) as the designated agency for the enforcement of the ISPS Code, which is the International Maritime Organisation regulation in charge port security.

Prior to the selection of NIMASA, there was no designated agency to enforce the ISPS, which follows the dissolution of the Presidential Implemen-

tation Committee on Port Safety and Security (PICOMSS). PICOMSS was an adhoc committee created in 2004 at the coming on stream of the ISPS Convention to ensure that Nigeria complied with the new regulation.

The security code, which Nigeria had initially complied with but later slowed down, was in response of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre, New York in September 2001, was designed to forestall a repeat of such attacks on ships and ports facilities across the globe.

It was probably in reaction to this ultimatum that NIMASA organised a one day programme

Lagos-Abuja 7.30 8.30 7.45 8.45 09.30 10.30 10.30 11.30 12.30 13.30 14.30 15.30 16.30 17.30 Lagos-Kano 08.00 09.15 10.30 11.45 14.30 15.40 18.15 19.30 Los-Maid&Yola (Mon-Thur) 09.30 11.30 Fri- Sun 10.30 12.30 Kano-Lagos 07.30 08.45 14.00 15.15 17.30 18.45 Kano-Abj 10.45 11.30 Abj-Lagos 09.00 10.30 11.00 12.00 12.00 13.00

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

NHF contributions hit N22bn in two years -FMBN

Why workers shouldn’t trust labour leaders

Tribunal asked to take urgent action on building collapse

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Business & Finance

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria risks global trade isolation over poor seaport security CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 with the theme ‘Reviving ISPS Code Implementation in Nigeria, to announce its appointment as the new designated agency and also to sensitise the port community on the need for Nigeria to forestall any sanction on accounts of her inability to meet the deadline.

It was also gathered that NIMASA had before now set up an ISPS Code Implementation Committee, on which critical stakeholders in the port security issues were represented to facilitate the smooth implementation of its new mandate of forcing the code as the new designated agency.

President Goodluck Jonathan has also not hidden the fact that Nigeria cannot at this point in time not afford any possible trade sanctions when he gave marching orders to NPA and NIMASA, particularly to do everything humanly possible to ensure that the nation complies.

Special Adviser on Maritime Services to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Leke Oyewole, who spoke in Lagos, warned that Nigeria cannot afford any international sanction at this time of her political and economic history.

According to him, following the dissolution of PICOMMS set up in 2004 to enable Nigeria comply with the ISPS Code, NIMASA has been designated to enforce the provisions of the code.

It was gathered that the decision of the government to dissolve the committee and re-designate NIMASA to takeover the job was because the President needed an agency that has good knowledge about ships and ports operations.

Oyewole said: “90-day ultimatum is to say that hence forth, if a ship that is not ISPS complaint comes to Nigeria, such ship will not be allowed again to sail into the United States or her allies again, which portends great danger for the Nigerian economy”.

This, according to him means that fewer or no ships will be allowed to sail into Nigerian waters, which in turn means that the few ships that might come to Nigeria will hike their freight rates because Nigeria is a security risk, to international shipping community, which cannot be tolerated by any responsible government.

He disclosed that six weeks have passed since the ultimatum was issued, an indication that Nigeria has just 45 days for the ultimatum to expire and therefore instructed that the issue must be approached with the greatest urgency, as the ultimatum must be complied with.

The President, who also frowned at the influx of all manner of people, most of whom do not have any business at the ports, insisted that NPA must enforce strict access control at the major seaports in the country.

“I have not seen any reason why NPA should put security personnel at the major entry points to the seaports, who look at faces before they determine who goes in or not. Time has come for NPA to install electronic card system at the ports to control access to un-authorised persons.”, he said further.

This new measure is also in reaction to government’s earlier approval granted the private jetty operators in 2011

President Goodluck Jonathan

CG, Nigerian Customs, Umaru Dikko

DG, NIMASA, Ziakede Akpobolokemi

I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REASON WHY NPA SHOULD PUT SECURITY PERSONNEL AT THE

MAJOR ENTRY POINTS TO THE SEAPORTS, WHO LOOK AT FACES BEFORE THEY DETERMINE WHO GOES IN OR NOT.

TIME HAS COME FOR NPA

TO INSTALL ELECTRONIC CARD SYSTEM AT THE

PORTS TO CONTROL ACCESS TO UN-AUTHORISED PERSONS.

numbering over 75 spread across Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt Onne and Calabar among others to receive and handle deep sea going vessels, which many stakeholders then expressed fears that it might be abused.

Security sources, who spoke in an interview, disclosed that apart from trying to secure the nation’s seaports in line with the ISPS Code, the Federal Government is worried by the seeming unregulated nature of the various private jetties in the country, which might be used for bringing arms and ammunitions into the country.

The source also hinted that the government is currently uncomfortable with an earlier approval for the private operators to handle ocean going vessels, with which the government is making serious consultations with a view to reversing the approval.

It was also gathered that government believes that most of the arms used by these suspected terrorists may have come through the private jetties.

“You remember that the operatives of the US Coast Guard, who inspected seaport facilities, also visited some private jetties, where they also raised security issues and that is why the government should not fold its arms over such reports, especially given the security challenges in the country”, a security source had disclosed.

It was probably worried by this fact and the seeming uncontrolled theft of petroleum products both refined and unrefined that the government set up the Stevedoring and Jetty Review Committee to

take a critical look at the operations and activities of these private jetty operators as well as those of stevedoring contractors that operate in the maritime industry.

Beyond the lapses at the jetties, stakeholders have continued to wonder why the relevant authorities have over the years failed to instill sanity at the seaports by checking influx of unwanted and unauthorised persons.

But a senior officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, who pleaded anonymity, noted that the Tin Can Island Port, which was mentioned in the US Coast Guard security is a special kind of seaport because it handles Roll –On-Roll-Off (RORO) operations, which does with vehicle imported into the country.

He noted that some times, more than five different clearing agents would be clearing one used vehicle at the port.

He also disclosed that in addition to these, the presence of some artisans like mechanics, battery chargers and vulcanizers, whose sometimes are required to move a used vehicle out of the port helps to worsen the situation.

It was gathered that it was in line with this that the service, once in a while, carries out raids at the ports to control access.

But Captain Solomon Omotesho, a council member of Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, an umbrella body for retired indigenous ship captains, chief engineers and engineers is optimistic that Nigeria will meet the deadline.

Omotesho, who spoke in an interview in Lagos, noted that security is a continuous thing, arguing that before now, Nige-

Special Adviser on Maritime Services, Leke Oyewole

ria had met the ISPS requirements.

He also ruled out the possibility of any trade blockage championed by the US, arguing that the country has serious economic and political interest in Nigeria and might therefore not want to do anything funny.

He also argued that what Nigeria needed to do now is to touch on some areas, especially access control at some places TCIP Complex, which still has huge human traffic.

While it is dangerous to take the ultimatum for granted, efforts should be made to install electronic gatting systems at the nation’s seaports.

Ghana, which has less access control issues than Nigeria has recently installed electronic access systems at her habours. This is what the Nigerian seaports need now to control crowd, especially given that the miscreants that were arrested in the past have all returned to the ports given the lapses in the nation’s judicial system.

The earlier this is done the better for the port industry, gateway to Nigeria’s economy.

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Business & Finance

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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NHF contributions hit N22bn in two years -FMBN OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

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espite the constraints trailing the establishment of the National Housing Fund (NHF), the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, (FMBN), Chief Bisi Ogunjobi, yesterday said the scheme has made tremendous progress in the last two years, with contributions hitting N22billion.

He said through the bank’s aggressive pursuit of more contributory states, the scheme’s contributions rose from N17bn in 2011 to N22bn in 2012, accounting for about 40 per cent of total collections since inception about 21 years ago.

Ogunjobi gave the statistics at a workshop in Abuja. T he workshop is part of the bank‘s strategic campaign aimed at enlightening the general public and the stakeholders on the role, rules and operations of the National Housing Fund in providing affordable housing to the people.

However, despite the gains of the last two years, the FMBN’s board chairman lamented that the scheme had failed to achieve its

L-R: Chairman, Idea Board, Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman; Chairman, Techlaunchpad Board, Mr. Kyari Bukar and Vice-Chairman, Idea Board Mr. Pius Okigbo, during the Techlaunchpad induction ceremony of software developers, an initiative of the Ministry of Communication and Technology managed by Accenture in Lagos on Saturday.

set target as a window of housing provision in Nigeria.

Some of the limiting factors, according to him, are the failure of some states and organisations contribute to the scheme, lack of finance from the banks and insurance companies and poor management of the funds.

He said, “With the establishment of the NHF 21 years ago,

like a child it should have become an adult having reached the age of puberty and be eligible to vote and be voted for and ready to take on responsibility for building his or her own family. Unfortunately, the high hopes enshrined in the NHF Act have

Minister tasks host communities on privatised firms’ investments TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

Nigeria’s digital media industry worth $3bn annually – DafTech KUNLE A ZEEZ

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igital Access Foundation for Technology Development (DAFTECH), a registered not-for-profit organisation has said that Nigeria’s digital media industry was worth N155 billion in annual revenue if properly harnessed.

This was disclosed at the weekend by the Programme Officer, DafTech West Afica, Ms Adebisi Bakinson, who said DafTech, as an NGO was ready to unleash the industry potential to boost job creation and entrepreneurship in the country.

Speaking during a facility tour of the state-of-the-art digital equipment already deployed

by DafTech to train people on digital media activities, Bakinson said the organisation would simplify technology, empower educators and inspire students to enhance their technology potential.

According to her, DafTech would leverage its modern facilities to provide free technology educational services, digital learning and new media services to contribute to job creation in the country.

As such, the organisation said it would offer services to developmental organisations, students,

civil society groups, educational institutions and individuals alike under its Skills4Life scheme.

According to Bakinson, through transparency and high integrity, DafTech objective was to provide a technology hub where learning and skills’ development thrives with the overall goal of reducing unemployment and creating technology entrepreneurs in Nigeria and Africa.

“To bridge the widening skill-gap and create employment opportunities, DafTech has developed a program called Skills4Life. The aim of the program is to provide basic and advanced courses in iOS, Android and Windows App Development, Digital Effects, Classical Character Animation, Film and Video Editing, Graphic Designs, Web and Mobile Publishing.”

She said the potential of the digital media industry in Nigeria was worth N3 billion in annual revenue if properly harnessed but it is evident that we lack the high technology skills required to fully build the industry.

“To this end, starting July 2013, DafTech will through its Skills4Life Program select ninety participants quarterly to undergo an intensive six weeks of free training in the highlighted areas in our fully equipped classroom and digital studio.

not all been realised.

“For example, while NHF is a mandatory contributory scheme for all Nigerian workers, to date not all states and organisations are contributors while the investments expected from the banks and insurance companies

are none existent. At the same time, the management and performance of the Fund have been less than optimal.”

Amidst these constraints, the chairman stressed that the focus of the bank is to increase the NHF base, coverage, collection, remittance and achieve overall efficiency and persuade the non-compliant states and organisations to join the scheme.

On the whole, Ogunjobi identified lack of access to funding, “difficulties with property registration; titling; the cost and time of foreclosing; high interest rate; and lack of housing supply - new construction,” as the major challenges confronting the housing sector.

The board chairman however, noted that as part of the bank’s moves to broaden the bank’s clientele base and create product varieties, efforts were on the way to introduce new products such as the Rentto-Own Housing Model and a Housing Scheme for Nigerians in Diaspora.

T

he National Planning Minister, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, has advised host communities of privatised companies located within their domains to cooperate with owners of such companies in order to enhance optimum capacity utilisation and improve industrialisation in the country.

The minister, who stated during his facility visit to Dangote Cement Plant in Gboko, Benue State, with other members of the Policy and Monitoring Committee of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), stressed that host communities stood the chance of benefiting more if such companies are provided the enabling environment

required for them to operate optimally with the attendant implications for their profitability and sustainable growth.

Usman, who is the Chairman of the Committee, said further that such host communities would gain through more employment opportunities and other social services that would be provided by such entities in furtherance of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) functions to the society.

While pointing out that the visit was a fact-finding one aimed at ascertaining the true state of things at already privatised public enterprises, especially in view of the feeling in many quarters that many of them were not performing well, the minister commended the management of Dangote Ce-

ment for the progress recorded with expansion and facilities upgrade which, he observed, had improved cement production and supply across the country.

The minister said: “I know that many privatised companies are doing well. I believe this (Dangote Cement) is one of them. If this has remained under government control, it wouldn’t have done better.

“The whole essence of privatisation is to improve efficiency and promote investment. Here (Dangote Cement), capacity has been tripled and is about being quadrupled, since privatisation.

We, as members of this committee set up by the vice president, are using the opportunity to go round the country and see how privatisation is doing.

YouWin 1st phase survey records 15,000 jobs – Okonjo-Iweala TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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he Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday said at least 15,000 jobs had been created in the first phase of the YouWin entrepreneurial initiative even as she charged the beneficiaries to work harder in order to meet the 80,000 jobs target within the first year of the programme’s implementation.

The minister, who disclosed this during the visit of some of the beneficiaries of the programme to her office in Abuja

during which a variety of their manufactured products were also displayed, said with the entrepreneurial capacities exhibited so far by the 1,200 winners, the introduction of the programme by the present administration was not misplaced after all.

An elated Okonjo-Iweala, who commended the young entrepreneurs for their creative ingenuity and managerial capacities, expressed the hope that if all stakeholders give the needed support to them, then they would become the bedrock of a new Nigeria, where people will know that fairness, merit

and equality will remain crucial to creating a glorious future for the country.

The minister said: “So far, the first survey shows that you have created from the first batch of 1200, 15,000 jobs and you know our target for this programme is 80,000 to 110,000 jobs. So, this is your first survey, by the second survey, we want you to double that, and then there’s a new group coming in and very soon we are going to get all of you together, if you create 40,000 jobs out of this, if they too can create 40,000, what do we have? That is 80,000 jobs.”

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Business & Finance

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Stakeholders raise alarm over AOCs issued by former NCAA Ag. DG OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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takeholders in the Nigerian aviation industry have raised an alarm over the recent issuance of Air Operators’ Certificates, AOCs, to some new airlines recently by the former Ag. Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Mr. Joyce Nkemakolam.

The stakeholders said that the certificates issued by Nkemakolam to the airlines did not meet the required safety standards as set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, and NCAA, thereby warned the flying public against patronising such airlines.

Hak Air, Sky Bird and Westline Airlines were hurriedly issued AOCs recently after the

removal of the former DirectorGeneral, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren by the presidency.

The stakeholders also challenged the supervising ministry to direct the new DG, Capt.

Folayele Akinkuotu, to recertify those certificates, maintaining that not doing so indicated that the safety of passengers could no longer be guaranteed.

Speaking on the issue, the President, Aviation Round Table, ART, Capt. Dele Ore, said that the sector had been bastardised by “the cabals,” emphasising that since the ouster of Demuren, any AOC issued within the period did not meet the required standards.

He insisted the main reason Demuren was removed was to pave way for the issuance of some of the AOCs, which he (Demuren) had consistently turned

down, claiming that their promoters did not meet the set out standards.

Among the standards by Demuren was the compulsory demonstration flight of minimum of 50hrs, which Ore said the new AOC owners did not demonstrate.

He explained that such demonstration flights enable NCAA to know the readiness of the operators and their adherence to safety, but lamented that some of these safety factors were not observed by the new licensees He said, “Since Demuren left this place, you can be rest assured that any AOC issued within the period is fake. Those AOCs issued do not meet the standards and it is something that the world should not even hear about.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airtel battles Glo for second place KUNLE A ZEEZ

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igeria’s third largest telecoms operator, Airtel, may soon displace the second placed market leader, Globacom, as the Kuwait telecoms firm is now closing in on Globacom to become the operator with the second largest subscriber base in the country.

This is one of the major revelations in the latest official data released by the industry umpire, the Nigerian Communications Commission, on the status of each operator.

The much-awaited first quarter industry report offers insight into the state of play in the telecoms market, market performance of operators using key indicator of subscriber numbers, indicated that Airtel is now an inch away from overtaking Glo in subscriber base.

The official government

figure showed that though as at the end of April 2013, Glo had approximately 24.2 million mobile subscriptions on its network, while Airtel Nigeria had 24 million with a difference a difference of 201, 148 lines between them.

While both operators have been running neck-to-neck since 2011, when Globacom outstripped Airtel due to the continuous ownership quagmire that wrecked efficiency in Airtel’s operations, stunting its subscriber growth.

The development worked in favour of Globacom in March, 2011 when Glo’s triumph over Airtel firmly places the second national operator in number two place, as it recorded 19.6 million subscribers as against Airtel Nigeria’s 15.8 million then.

Already, the industry regulator has maintained that the two operators now has 21 per cent market share each in its market share of mobile operators as at April.

NAPA commends dissolution of AON executive OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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L-R: Group Managing Director/CEO, Mainstreet Bank, Faith Tuedor-Matthews; Chairman, Mallam Falalu Bello and Ag.Company Secretary, Mr. Tayo Ogunbanjo, during the bank’s first Annual General Meeting in Lagos at the weekend.

TCN’s new transmission bypass restores electricity to Kebbi, Sokoto others CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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ower supply has been restored to the Kebbi and Sokoto States including Niamey in Niger Republic, following the construction of a bypass for the transmission towers that collapsed under heavy rainstorm on May 25, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN has disclosed.

The General Manager (Public Affairs), Mr. Dave Ifabiyi, in a statement, said the transmission line bypass which was completed and energized on June 18, 2013, is to serve as a temporary source of power supply to the affected areas pending the completion of four new transmission towers currently being erected.

Ifabiyi said that the temporary bypass that has bridged the affected portion of the 330kV

transmission line from Kainji in Niger State to Birinin Kebbi in Kebbi State is currently wheeling 103MW out of which 60MW is allotted to Niamey, Niger Republic. He added that the speedy construction of the temporary transmission line bypass, the statement explained, was informed by the urgent need to restore power supply to the affected customers whose socio-economic activities were negatively impacted by outage caused by the incident.

According to the TCN spokesman, the contract for the re-construction of the damaged towers has already been awarded to a TCN contractor, who has mobilised to site and commenced work on the new towers. Reconstruction work, it said, is expected to be completed by the end of July, 2013.

He added that the bypass which involved the erection of

poles and stringing of the 330kV transmission lines was successfully carried out through effective collaboration between TCN and engineers of the Republic of Niger.

He said TCN will ensure the effective supervision of the firm handling the construction of the new towers which would permanently replace the collapsed towers and assured that it would continue to work hard at enhancing the transmission capacity in the area.

In the statement, Ifabiyi also disclosed that emergency re-construction was carried out on the terminal tower along the Ahoda - Yenegoa 132kV Double Circuit line, which collapsed on May 17, 2013, when a tree outside the transmission right of way fell on the line.

TCN said one of the double circuit lines was energized on the 1st of June, while the second line was energised on the 7th of June 2013.

he Nigerian Aviation Professionals’ Association, NAPA, has hailed last week’s dissolution of the executives of the Airline Operators’ of Nigeria, AON by its members, saying that this will further propel the industry forward.

The Secretary General of the association, Comrade Saidu Abulrazaq, speaking through an online statement signed by the Special Assistant, Media to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi stated that the removal of the excos was a good omen for the sector, alleging that the industry had been misled by the dissolved Exc o.

It will be recalled that the dissolved excos led by Dr. Steve Mahonwu

as the chairman was elected in 1993 without any new election to usher in new excos for over 20 years since they took over the mantle of leadership.

An Election to bring in new executives is expected to be conducted by June 12, 2013 while a five-man electoral committee is headed by Mr. Abiodun Famudimu (Arik Air). Other members are Mr. Kayode Odukoya (First Nation), Mr. Yemi Dada (IRS), Capt. Steve Rhodes (First Nation) and Mr. Akin Olateru of Omni Ai r.

Also, a three-man Board of Trustees was inaugurated and expected to conduct the affairs of the association till a new exco is ushered in. Members of the three-man trustees are Dr. Steve Mahonwu, Mr. Kayode odukoya and Capt. Mohammed Joji.

Amosun tasks AAAN to articulate ideas for government ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

T

he governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, has challenged the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN, to articulate clear ideas on how the government can effectively communicate its policies to the populace.

Amosun said this during associations Conference and Annual General Meeting hosted by the governor in Abeokuta over the weekend in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of advertising in Nigeria.

Speaking at the conference themed “Advertising in Nigeria: 40 years done, the next 40” the governor acknowledged that it’s been

40 years of creative excellence for the profession and challenged the practitioners to brace up for the challenge of globalisation.

He promised that the state will continue to contract the services of the registered AAAN member agencies while the state will always be willing to host the association’s events and activities.

The Chairman, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi said AAAN has made a great impact in its 40 years of existence.

“Although established as a trade group, it has professionalised the practice while acting as catalyst for trade and commerce. Member agencies have built many brands and partnered with governments in numerous social mobilisation campaigns,” he affirmed.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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Why workers shouldn’t trust labour leaders From the struggle to make the Federal and state governments comply with the constitution-backed new minimum wage, to unending casualisation and unfair work place practices, signs that workers should not trust Nigerian labour leaders continue to emerge, writes MESHACK IDEHEN.

T

he recently concluded 9th Triennial National Delegate’s Conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the intrigues that surrounded the election of a new president general has again shown why workers in the country should not put complete faith in labour leaders.

Before the elections that produced Mr. Bobboi Kaigaima as the president of the TUC,workers in the country were already grappling with several leadership induced challenges, most of which were traced to the double standards with which labour leaders is said to have been representing workers interests.

Some of the issues, according to observers, include allegations of labour leaders going behind workers to negotiate and collect huge sums of money from government and some private sector players in order to shelve plans for strikes, and the inability by union leaders to put up a solid defence for unjustly retrenched workers has lingered for a long time.

Moreso, it was also widely speculated not too long ago, that the reason why calls for a new national labour centre was mooted by some affiliate unions, was due to almost irreparable divisions within the leadership of both the Nigeria Labour Congress,(NLC) and the TUC all happening at the expense of the workers.

Be that as it may, the final straw that is likely to break organised labour, alongside why the workers trust may be completely lost by the leadership of organised labour, is in the way and manner that the national labour centres picks its leaders, irrespective of the opinion of the vast majority of members.

Making reference to the recently held TUC elections that produced a new president, labour activist and President of the Progressive Leadership Organisation International, Mr. Emmanuel Ezueme, said the TUC, like the NLC have no right to consistently criticise the government, when putting its own house in order is a big challenge.

Ezueme said the manipulations and shenanigans that delegates to the TUC elections at the international conference centre witnessed is enough to erase whatever trust or loyalty that previously existed between union leaders and members, adding trust and loyalty lost is difficult to regain.

According to him, “There is no reason why member’s views should be relegated to the background because of the desperation of some people to ensure that their favourites emerge as winners in the election. The omen

xxxxx

Omar

Kaigaima

THERE IS NO REASON WHY MEMBERS’ VIEWS SHOULD BE RELEGATED TO THE BACKGROUND BECAUSE OF THE DESPERATION OF SOME PEOPLE TO ENSURE THAT THEIR FAVOURITES EMERGE AS WINNERS IN THE ELECTION.

THE OMEN

SPELLS DOOM FOR THE FUTURE OF ORGANISED LABOUR UNIONS IN THE COUNTRY spells doom for the future of organised labour unions in the country”.

Alleging behind the scene moves, including subtle threats of blackmail and expulsion, he said the events that led to the stepping down of the President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions,(ASSIBIFI) Mr. Olusoji Salako for the President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, (PENGASSAN), Mr. Babatunde Ogun was more than meet the eyes, adding it was the untidy manner Salako was forced to step down for Ogun that made him (Ogun) to lose the election to Kaigama.

He also accused out gone president general, Mr. Peter Esele, of orchestrating moves that led to the defeat of Ogun, saying all along that Esele has been running TUC more like a personal estate.

Speaking in the same vein, while making reference to the strike that oil workers have called for this week, Industrial Relations Expert, Dr. Peter Okhiria, said in the not distant future that workers will no longer respond to calls for strikes and protest by their leaders.

Okhiria explained it is an open secret amongst Nigerian workers that whenever the government calls labour leaders for a meeting, it is best to assume that any strike or protest being planned or ongoing has come to an end.

He added many workers though not having the power and means to challenge their leaders are aware of all that usually goes on in such meetings with government, its officials or private sector employers, saying workers including those in the private sector are fed up with these inconsistencies.

Inconsistencies in union leadership; poor election process and inability to put up a good defence for workers aside, others said the finances of organised labour which has witnessed massive rise in recent years, and which many workers don’t see being utilised for their benefits is another reason why the nation’s workers do no longer trust their leaders.

An employee of a national union, who insisted on speaking with National Mirror only on the condition of annonimity, explained career development initiatives have been relegated to the background and that productivity also have dropped all because labour is not spending money to develop workers or compelling employers to do so.

On his part, the President, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, (NUTGTWN), Mr. Oladele Hunsu, bemoaned employers disregarding minimum safety standard, saying there are worsening safety concerns at workplaces in Nigeria.

He said this is an area that union leaders need to focus.

NAMA, MHWUN chiefs, 61 others bag leadership awards TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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or their dedication to service and contributions to national development in their areas of callings, 63 Nigerians, including the Director, Human Resources and Administration of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Dr. Uwem Akangson, and the Chairman of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna Chapter, Comrade Emmanuel Atule, were awarded leadership award.

The awardees, who cut across diverse sectors of the so-

ciety, were bestowed with the Distinguished Leadership in National Development Gold Award (D’LINGA) at the weekend in by the Corporate and Media Africa Communications Limited, as part of the activities to commemorate the 10th Edition of the award in Abuja.

Speaking at the award conferment ceremony, the Editor in Chief of the media outfit and organisers of the event, Mr Alex Omordia, said the honours were bestowed on the awardees for their positive contributions to the growth and development of the country despite the multi-dimensional challenges the country is going through now.

He described the awardees amongst the few Nige-

rians who continue to adhere to highest level of discipline, transparency and fearlessness in the discharge of their responsibilities, adding that with 10 years into the journey of recognising individuals who without political clout have demonstrated patriotic zeal to build the country, the organisation is well satisfied that the D’LINGA has continued to enjoy increasing national and international recognition.

Omordia said: “Thus gathering, to me, is one of the few moments in our lives when we see the golden colours of life with our own eyes. In fact, nothing can compare with the joy of witnessing the appreciation of one’s value and efforts while still alive.

24

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

How to deal with work-related stress

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n today’s economy, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make a career change and find that job of your dreams. Still, you do have some options when you think you can’t take one more day at your job.

Sometimes, lining up another job or different career options is in order. It might take some time, but you can work towards it slowly. Alternatively, if you want to stay with your current employer, you might just need a fresh perspective on where you stand. Here are eight things you can do when job-related stress has become overwhelming: Take some time off- Take a few days off to enjoy a long weekend away from the office and make sure you log in plenty of “me” time. Taking a breather can help you put some things that have been aggravating you recently into perspective.

Breaking away from your usual schedule could also help you reframe some negative parts of the job and help you see the positives.

Use up some of that vacation time you haven’t taken so you can enjoy a much-needed break from the routine.

Even using a sick day is advisable if you can’t take one more day on the job. After all, if you’re at your breaking point, your health really is at stake—your mental health, that is.

Polish up your résumé- Use some of your time off to polish up or rewrite your résumé. If you don’t have strong writing skills, consider hiring someone to write it for you. Remember that your résumé is one of the main items that many prospective employers will use to learn about you. Make sure yours really stands out and truly represents who you are and where you are going in your career.

Build up your network- Use networking tools like LinkedIn to see what employers in your field are hiring, and what types of jobs might be a good fit for you. LinkedIn does have a job listing section and many employers post open positions right on the site regularly. You can also contact people in your network to see if there are any open positions available.

Don’t neglect your offline networking too- Are there important industry conferences, meetings and social events that you’ve neglected? If so consider, attending them to open up your career prospects.

Talk to your supervisor-Do you think you might be qualified to apply for a different position? Is it time to move up in the company?

If you think a position change would do you some good—instead of a whole career change or leaving your current employer—set up a meeting with your supervisor to discuss your options.

You never know what might be available and your supervisor might be open to recommending you for a newly opened position.

Create a list of positivesWhat are the things that you really do enjoy about your job? What do you, or could you, look forward to each day or week? If changing jobs isn’t an option right now, you’ll need to at least see some positives in your current situation.

Draft a list of bright spots about your work (OK, so maybe it’s only one or two things!). But whatever good point(s) you can identify, reference it regularly to keep things in perspective and make the most of your current position.

Adopt some healthy stress management strategies- If you tend to get overwhelmed by job-

related stress very easily, make sure you’re setting aside some time for yourself to reduce that negative stress.

Take up yoga, hit the gym regularly, or indulge in a hobby when you get home. Even just taking a hot shower or bubble bath each night may be the stress-buster you need to better cope. Do things that fulfil you so that you aren’t constantly focused on the negative parts of your day job.

Talk it out- To alleviate workrelated stress, try talking to a trusted friend or family member about your job situation. Pick someone who won’t disclose your business to others, but refrain from choosing a colleague on the job (you never know how office gossip could spread).

But do take time to share your work difficulties with a responsible confidante who can give you some outside perspective—or even just allow you to vent.

Source: www.yahoojob.com

8.5 million Nigerians to enter active labour force by 2015 -NBS MESHACK IDEHEN

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n estimated 8.5 million Nigerians are expected to emerge as new entrants into the active labour force by 2015, figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed.

NBS said the active labour force which ranges from persons between the ages of 15-64 years is the age group of ablebodied persons available for paid employment where in existence in the country, although constitutionally, only persons who have attained 18 years of age are allowed to seek employment in the country.

In the release, the NBS explained that the inclusion of persons, aged 15 was deliberate,

Kale

especially in view of the need to capture the reality of population growth and to adequately advice government on the trend.

According to the projec-

Latest Job vacancies

NERC is recruiting

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Human Resource expert, Kunle Rotimi

tions made in the General Household Survey Report (1999-2011), 92,384,738 out of an estimated Nigerian population of 164,385,56 in 2011 were economically active. This was in contrast to 89,520,095 million who were economically viable in 2010.

The statistics further showed that while 1,505,997 million Nigerians were newly employed in 2010, the figure doubled in 2011, reaching 2,127,691 in 2011.But the figure of the unemployed indicated that 13,946,515million people were unemployed in 2010, whereas, in 2011, it rose to 16,074,205.

Those who were employed, the data showed, were 51,224,115 in 2010, but it reduced slightly in the following year (2011) with 51,181,884.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is the independent regulatory agency mandated by the Federal Government to monitor and regulate the electricity industry in Nigeria.

To achieve this mandate, the commission seeks to recruit qualified professionals for vacant positions in the office of the chairman and its 6 specialised divisions.

Thus, a large number of job vacancies are available at the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission. Interested and qualified job seekers are advised to visit (www.nercng. com) for assessment and downloading of the forms.

Also available this week is the position of a Female Procurement Manager (www. findjobsafrica.com). She will be working closely with the selected supplier and managing the company’s procurement activities.

Alongside that duty, she is providing leadership for the procurement department and motivating staff to achieve maximum performance and efficiency, and ensuring that the procurement department works within all of the companies operational procedures Other roles and responsibilities for the incoming are to maintain records of goods ordered and received, develop and manage the procurement department including setting targets and monitoring performance, develop and deliver a procurement strategy across the company and deliver the target benefits and financial savings Qualifications and required skills and competencies include a comprehensive understanding and experience of purchasing strategies and also inventory management. Resourceful and well organized. Extensive knowledge of purchase order systems and related software.

Deep understanding of the principles of vendor management.

Ability to manage multiple priorities. Others are excellent analytical, critical thinking and strategic skill. Making decisions planning and organising ability.

Accuracy and attention to detail Leadership and teamwork problem-solving commercial and construction awareness, strong negotiating skills change and process management Business acumen. Minimum of 10 years post qualification experience 6 of which must be in a Construction environment. A good university degree in purchasing and supply; supply chain man-

agement, quantity survey, engineering or related discipline MBA or additional professional qualification would be an advantage.

Still from www.findjobafrica.com is the post of a Business Development Manager who is to be based in Port Harcourt The business development manager will concentrates on developing new revenue streams from existing and new products and services through, identification of project opportunities, analysis of the market marketplace for pertinent strategic opportunities, and optimisation of income from existing lines through innovative marketing and rapid exploitation of changing customer needs.

Others are building and nurturing relationships with existing and potential clients in liaison with senior management to position the company in new markets and harvest new business opportunities and preparation of technical proposal writing and interface with the marketing staff amongst other responsibilities.

Qualifications required are the Ideal person must have considerable sales experience, must be an organized and strong negotiator, and be aware of and responsive to economic trends, government policies and developments within the work environment. The person must have exceptional communication, presentation, and writing skills.

Individual should have 5 years of business development and/ or related contract management experience. A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or construction management is required, while knowledge of the oil and gas industry and previous engagement in this sector will be added advantage.

From (www.jobberman. com) is the post of Tax Graduate Trainees who are expected to be based in Lagos.

The recruiting company said in summary that a career in tax regulatory and people services (TRPS), will certainly help candidates to achieve your full potential, stretch analytical ability, build an in-depth and thorough understanding of various client businesses Minimum qualification required is a degree, must Be 26 year old or below, have a First Class or Second Class (Upper) degree, have 5 O’level credits (including English & Math) at one sitting and have completed the NYSC program. Positions for Audit Graduate Trainees from www.jobberman.com is also available requiring the minimum qualification of a degree.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

25

Real Estate & Environment dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com 08033312578

Tribunal asked to take urgent action on building collapse ....Experts canvass effective housing finance, mortgage systems

Stakeholders in the housing/ construction sector say urgent solutions are required to halt the prevalent cases of building collapse in Lagos and Nigeria as they urge the Lagos State Building Collapse Tribunal to shun rhetoric as it commences sitting. DAYO AYEYEMI, reports.

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he spate of building collapse and failures in Lagos State has become an endemic problem that has defied solutions in recent past.

These incidences have resulted in loss of lives and properties, and have caused disabilities to many.

Until government and stakeholders shun rhetoric and look beyond the usually indentified factors for structural failures, experts who spoke during the inaugural sitting of the Lagos State Government Tribunal of Inquiry on Collapsed Buildings at the weekend said the problem would remain.

They want the tribunal to focus on ways to achieve effective housing finance and mortgage systems for the building industry while considering roles of various government institutions in the state, the procurement system and urban renewal strategies.

To nip the prevalent collapse building cases in the bud, government and major stakeholders need to work on the nation’s housing finance system, a lecturer at the Department of Estate Management, University of Lagos, Akoka, Professor Timothy Nubi, has said. Nubi stated that apart from encouraging housing finance that is long-term in nature, a virile mortgage system must be put in place to enhance home ownership among Nigerians.

He explained that owing to lack of housing finance and virile mortgage system, most Nigerians bear the burden of building their house which takes them longer period due to paucity of fund.

In his calculations, he said it takes average Nigerian 15 years to build a house.

Scene of a collapsed building at Ojodu, Lagos recently.

THERE IS NEED TO CONSIDER REGENERATION SINCE CITY GROWS AND DECAYS. SEVENTY PER CENT OF LAGOS BUILT UP AREAS HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS SLUM Within the period of 15 years, the university lecturer pointed out that some components of the building structure such as cement, reinforcement and blocks would have been exposed to weather, affecting their strength and stability, leading to structural failure in the future.

He said, “It takes 15 years for average Nigerian to build a house. He will first construct the foundation, leave it for five years until he gets money before moving to site to lay the blocks and leave it again until he gets money to roof. During these periods, the reinforcement has been exposed to weather condition. So, the house has

become weaker before completion.

“But if there is housing fund in place and where he can access mortgage, he does not even need to build.

All he needs is to buy a house. Individuals, except the rich don’t build abroad because there is mortgage for you to access and buy your house without going through the stress associated with building construction.”

Nubi described building collapse as a symptom of a failed system, saying that until government and stakeholders look beyond indentified factors for structural failures, the problem would remain.

The professor of estate manage-

ment at the University of Lagos said there was need to work on various government institutions, procurement system and urban renewal of old central business districts in Lagos.

He said, “There is need to consider regeneration since city grows and decays. seventy per cent of Lagos built up areas have been described as slum.

There is need to empower the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA) to clean these slums the way it was done some years back in Chicago.

Nations are consciously built.”

He said it has become expedient for the Local Government Planning Authority to be empowered to enforce the Urban and Regional Planning Law of 1992 . Town Planning Decree 88 should be revisited.

“There is no point coming to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to seek approval for a building located at Badagry. The CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

26

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How foreclosure law weighed down mortgage, real estate investment – Experts

One of the housing estates nearing completion in Abuja

DAYO AYEYEMI

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awyers under the umbrella body of the Real Estate Lawyers Association of Nigeria (RELAN) recently gathered for the association’s 2013 summit.

The day-long conference held in Lagos, had the theme, “Foreclosure Law and Processes in Relation to Mortgage Security in Nigeria” in which lawyers, developers and financial experts lamented the way foreclosure law weighed down real estate investment and the operations of the nation’s mortgage sys-

tem.

They argued that in order to improve home ownership among Nigerians, it would require the establishment of a robust mortgage system and the review of land tenor policy.

They pointed out that the process of foreclosure in Nigeria is cumbersome, attributing it as one of the obstacles to real estate investment.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, said the ease and clarity in the process of enforcing mortgages particularly the foreclosure process are significant catalyst for achieving the nation’s housing targets, saying it is important that investors are able to take possession of their collateral and recover their loans as quickly as possible.

He said, “The current complicated procedures in our law courts and the unduly slow pace of proceedings cast a dim path on the chances of achieving growth in these areas. Several options have been canvassed such as specialized property courts and the demutualiza-

tion of mortgages, to facilitate non-judicial foreclosure.

“In my view, there is also need to focus on manpower and technology deficits in land registries and cognate institutions to complement any reform in the legal framework.”

Foreclosure is a specific legal process in which a lender attempts to recover the balance of a loan from a borrower who has stopped making payments to the lender by forcing the sale of the asset used as the collateral for the loan.

Earlier, President of RELAN, Prof.

Charles Udenze Ilegbune, SAN, pointed out that the present global challenges require a new understanding of growth and innovation in the nation’s property law legislations and ways of securing and effectively recovering mortgaged property.

According to him, the continuous growth in the world’s population and the global economy as well as the increasing demand for mortgages as a form of secured lending would continue to place a huge demand on real estate transaction.

Tribunal asked to take urgent action on building collapse CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 local planning authority in Badagry should be able to grant the approval,” he said, enjoin town planners to seriously embark on planning advocacy in the state.

Other professionals such as President of the Association of Consulting Architect of Nigeria, Mr. Fred Coker and Chairman, African Planning Association, Mr. Waheed Kadiri, who spoke at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal corroborated earlier speaker, canvassing for vibrant building construction sector They listed some of the causes of frequent building collapses in the state, suggesting urgent steps to be taken to halt the trend.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Toyin Ayinde and his counterpart in the Ministry Of Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye assured the tribunal of their support.

Chair man of Lagos Building Collapse Tribunal, Mrs Abimbola Ajayi, an architect, told the audience that the tribunal would commence sitting as from Monday, July 1, 2013, adding that the task before the tribunal among other things, was to assist the state gover nment to judiciously act on cases that are not in compliance with the existing regulations and standards.

She explained that many Memoranda have been received from key stakeholders, urging them to be part of the public hearing which will commence on Monday, July 1 to Friday, July 12.

She said, “You are enjoined to testify in accordance with your Memorandum. Witnesses are free to have legal representatives; evidences have to be given on oath in accor-

dance with the law setting up this Tribunal of Inquiry. Interpreters will be provided when necessary.

Where documents are used as evidence, we expect that original documents will be tendered for viewing.

Copies will then be made and originals retur ned to the owner.”

She disclosed that the tribunal has a short time frame of three months to submit its report; hence it would not be able to entertain adjour nments and late submissions.

Gover nor Babatunde Fashola had on June 24, 2013 set up a tribunal of enquiry into incessant collapse of buildings in Lagos State.

The tribunal is chaired by Mrs. Abimbola Ajayi, while other members are Mr. Joseph Adewale, Mrs. Roli Craig, Mr. Segun Adedeji, Mr. Moses Ogunleye and Mr. Biodun Rufai.

Inaugurating the tribunal, Fashola said he expected the tribunal to diligently inquire into the immediate and remote causes of collapsed buildings in the state, especially those that recently collapsed.

Giving the tribunal three months to submit its report, the gover nor said the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development would provide for the panel detailed infor mation on recently collapsed buildings and look into the quality of building materials and building methods employed in the state.

“It is expected that the tribunal will come up with recommendations and measures to avert building collapse in the state; advise on the roles of persons involved in collapsed buildings and recommend appropriate legal actions,” he said.

Some of the scenes of building collapse in Lagos.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

Sport

“My rich vein of form isn’t beyond ordinary.

I think it’s only a result of hard work and resolve” –USA athletics star, Tyson Gay

My best is yet to come -Akwu 30

Omeruo to join Chelsea’s pre-season

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igeria’s defender, Kenneth Omeruo, will join Chelsea pre-season training on July 25, according to his representative.

“An agreement has been reached for Kenneth to join Chelsea for pre-season training on July 25,” one of Omeruo’s un-named agents informed MTNFootball.com.

“His travel papers are now being processed and he will join the club in time for preparations for the new season.”

Comebacking Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, has already expressed his admiration for the highly-promising Eagles defender after he watched him in action at the recent AFCON in South Africa.

The 19-year-old Omeruo spent a season and a half at Dutch club, Ado Den Haag.

His younger brother, Lucky, is currently on trials at the Dutch club, while club officials have given up on the older Omeruo staying back.

Kenneth though is currently nursing a shoulder injury he suffered at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, but it is believed he will be fit in time to join Chelsea.

Glo League: 3SC to beef up squad JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

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head of the second stanza of the 2012/2013 Globacom Premier League, Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, will fortify its strikers with no fewer than five players.

Chairman of the Ibadan-based club, Mr. Toyin Akinsola, told National Mirror that the measure was part of efforts to strengthen the team as well as replace players who have dipped in form and those nursing injuries.

At the end of the first stanza of the league, the Oluyole Warriors are occupying 14th position with 25 points, having only three to five points away from Akwa United, Wikki Tourists and Shark of Port-Harcourt that are swimming in the relegation water.

Akinsola was optimistic that the club would remain focused in it is bid to be among top finishers at the end of the season.

“We had some of our players who were injured in the first phase of the season and that set us back knowing that injuries take time before healing. In spite of that we are still struggling to make up. We played more away matches in first stanza. With more home games for us in the coming phase, we stand a better chance to meet our target which is finishing among the first top four “We will sieze the opportunity of current transfer period to sign new players. We are already negotiating with new players who will be brought to beef up the team.

About five players have been penciled to join the club,” he assured.

GOLDEN: Brazil’s Neymar displaying the Confederations Cup trophy his country won at the expense of Spain on Sunday and his personal adidas Golden Ball award.

AFCON 2013 fallout: Eagles receive Abuja plots AFOLABI GAMBARI

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frica Cup of Nations victorious Super Eagles’ players and coaches can heave a sigh of relief after the Federal Government fulfilled its pledge of a plot of land each to members of the team, four months after President Goodluck Jonathan announced the package at a reception in Abuja.

Spokesman of the Eagles, Ben Alaiya, who confirmed the development to National Mirror, said only players not domiciled in Nigeria had not received their share.

“The papers are ready and we must

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

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he home-based Super Eagles’ squad will leave Abuja for Kaduna tomorrow to keep Saturday’s date against their counterparts from Cote d’Ivoire in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier.

The players invited by Coach Stephen Keshi for the two-legged qualifiers started arriving in camp on Sunday.

Yesterday, 23 players out of the 24 invited were in camp and trained in the morning. Only Elkanemi

commend the Federal Capital Territory Administration for fast tracking the document and we wish to acknowledge the effort of the office,” Alaiya remarked.

“We discussed the matter with the foreign-based players during the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil and I think the land issue is now behind us as we move towards qualification for the World Cup finals.

“It is a good thing, though, that all members of the team got the plots unlike at previous times when beneficiaries of such gesture sparingly received theirs,” he added.

Alaiya said the government’s gesture

had boosted morale in the national team, stressing that the football administrators had welcomed the development as they continued to motivate the players.

“We are entering a crucial period on our way to Brazil and need total focus to scale the Malawian hurdle into the final round of the qualifiers. So, we have to avoid all forms of distraction,” he further said.

The Jonathan administration has seemed to entrench a policy of exacting commensurate reward to the country’s athletes in various sports.

The latest redemption of the plots of land pledge to Eagles is one of the manifestations of the policy.

…Team off to Kaduna today for CHAN Warriors’ Haruna Babalo, who was a late replacement for Tony Okputu of Lobi Stars that recently signed a contract with a Libyan top division side, was not in camp during training.

Similarly, Kano Pillars’ Zango Umar did not train with rest of the squad and has been asked to leave camp after scan showed that injury he picked up in his club’s last Glo League clash against Dolphins of Port Harcourt would not heal before Saturday.

Eagles’ Media Officer,

Ben Alaiya, informed National Mirror that Zango’s Pillars teammate, Adamu Murtala, has been invited as his replacement.

Monday morning’s training featured 22 players and was supervised by Keshi at the training pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.

Keshi told the players before training commenced that they have herculean task of becoming the first set of Nigerians to play in the CHAN tournament in South Africa next year if

they can surmount the Ivorian hurdle.

“Let me say I have absolute confidence in you to achieve the feat of defeating Cote d’ Ivoire, but you must have belief in yourself more to achieve the set goal,” he charged them The team will train twice today before departing Abuja for Kaduna tomorrow morning and will resume its build up in the evening in Kaduna for the game scheduled for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium on Saturday.

28

Sport

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Why we lost to Brazil–To

Tit bits...

K. Toure Kolo Toure has received a ringing endorsement from a former Manchester City team-mate who believes he will prove a hit at Liverpool.

City midfielder Gareth Barry is convinced the veteran defender will prove his worth at Anfield.

“Kolo will be a great signing.

I think it’s an astute signing by Brendan Rodgers because he has got so much experience,” Barry said, adding, “He will always give 100 per cent.”

Winner of the Adidas Golden Shoe at the 2013 FIFA Confede Cup, Fernando Torres, has practically seen it all during his tim international stage. He spoke to FIFA.com on the latest disap ment of failing to land the Brazil 2013 event What is your take on what is quite a surprising result?

The key was losing a goal in the second minute of the match. From that point onwards, our approach and our game plan had to change. We were close to getting caught on the counter-attack a few times. We failed to adapt to the situation and we lost our head a bit. We didn’t know whether to push forwards or hang back; we were in a bit of disarray. To make matters worse, they scored again on one of their break aways to make it 2-0 just before half-time.

Tevez

Juventus signing, Carlos Tevez, says there is more to his game than goals.

The former Manchester City hothead has quit England for Juve this past week.

“I am not desperate to score goals, as I prefer to work for the team,” the Argentine said yesterday.

“I do not have a favourite goal.

The important thing is that it goes over the line.”

Casillas

Spain coach, Vincente del Bosque, admits he was unhappy with the treatment of Iker Casillas at Real Madrid last season.

“I have concerned myself with the unfairness towards a boy who is a son of Real Madrid and whose behaviour has been irreproachable, both in goal and out of it,” Del Bosque said.

“There are people who simply don’t realise what he means to Real Madrid, but there are many, many more who do.”

Bent

Aston Villa striker, Darren Bent, hopes to move to Newcastle United, according to various reports.

The reports said Toon is the number one choice of Bent, who has been identified by boss Alan Pardew as a top target for the summer.

Although Villa has said that there is no official bids yet, Derek Llambias had made contact with officials at the Second City club about a bid before he resigned in the wake of the Joe Kinnear appointment.

Cabaye Newcastle United expect offers to soon arrive for midfielder Yohan Cabaye.

Latest reports suggested that Newcastle had braced for interest to be formalised in Cabaye over the next few weeks.

Paris-Saint Germain and Monaco are both interested, in addition to AS Roma, who is now managed by his former Lille boss Rudi Garcia.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Paulinho

Paulinho delays Corinthians’ exit B razilian star, Paulinho, has reiterated that a decision on his future is yet to be made, with talks set to continue yesterday.

The 24-year-old is the subject of interest from Tottenham, whilst Spanish club Real Madrid has also been linked since Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment as boss.

Paulinho played a star-

ring role in Brazil’s Confederations Cup success and a decision is imminent about whether he will leave Corinthians, and if he does which club he will sign for.

“I can’t give you any details at this moment, it’s impossible,” he said yesterday.

“I will still talk with Corinthians and with my agent before making a decision. When I decide, I’ll tell everyone.”

It was strange to see Spain concede a goal early in each half…

We were confident we could raise our game and come back, but we started badly again and let in a third goal. Things got worse, as we then missed a penalty and had a man sent off.

It was one of those days when nothing goes your way, right from the start.

Did you learn anything from the defeat?

Everybody thinks that Spain should win every match and reach every final, but it’s not as easy as that. What we’re trying to do is very difficult, and you can’t win all the time.

Was this just a temporary setback, then?

Of course, yes; a blip against a team that played better than us. We’ve already experienced similar matches: we played badly versus England, Portugal and Italy. Some of

Moyes begins Devils’ job

Could the 3-0 result serve as a w or motivational spur?

This team doesn’t need a wak do we need a defeat to regain ou If there is something positive to the match, it is that it confirm that we already knew, that it’s n easy to beat Brazil on their ow said, in one year’s time we’ll be world champions to defend wha

On a personal level, what do you the tournament?

When you play for Spain, thin at any moment, in a good and ba ed on the bench, and then I got time under my belt and scored s though they served little purpo Obviously I value the top goal but it’s an award that you can o joy when you win. As far as I’m we’ve not won, it’s not much use

How do you see the team a year We’re doing well; we’re a co God willing, the team will ha look to it. We’ll have Xabi A

Sturridge foresees

L

M

anchester United Manager, David Moyes, has resumed work as he prepared to meet unsettled striker Wayne Rooney.

Moyes arrived at Carrington shortly after 8am yesterday, confirming the start of a new era for United following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in May. The former Everton boss will have just over a week to settle into his new role before the Premier League champions head to Thailand for the first leg of their tour of the Far East and Australia.

United takes on the Singha All Stars in front of a sell-out 48,000 crowd at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on July 13.

Moyes has appointed Steve Round as his assistant manager, reprising their relationship at Goodison Park, with Chris Woods joining the staff as goalkeeping coach and Jimmy Lumsden taking on a coaching role.

those games we still managed some we even won by a few go they were friendlies and this w won’t change how we approach future. Brazil was better than u match fair and square.

Gomis

Gomis enters Swansea radar

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yon Chairman, JeanMichel Aulas, yesterday confirmed that the club held talks with Swansea City over the sale of striker Bafetimbi Gomis.

However, the 27-year-old has so far refused to accept a move away from the club, which in turn forced the sale of Anthony Martial to Monaco over the weekend.

To report a balanced financial set of results for the year, Lyon had to sell by the weekend and with Gomis hesitating the club had to look elsewhere for money, and Monaco came in for the

highly-rated Martial.

Aulas says that Swansea has already agreed terms for the French international striker.

“I had the feeling and I was even almost sure we could have convinced Bafetimbi to leave,” Aulas said.

“The Swansea chairman came to Lyon to sign the commitment and we checked the offer was superior to what Bafe earns at Lyon.”

Aulas insists that they are looking to sort out Gomis’ future, but it is down to the player’s behaviour.

iverpool striker, Daniel Sturridge, believes the future looks bright for the Reds, hailing the philosophy of Manager Brendan Rodgers as the key to the club’s fortunes next season.

The Anfield side finished seventh in the Premier League last season, which was the manager’s first at the club.

“I think it’s going to be great for us in the future and we can move forward,” Sturridge, who arrived on Merseyside in January for a fee of £12m, said yesterday.

“I think we did things last season, both prior to me coming

Sturridge

here a delive than w years tackin “Wh mier is to l celebr you’ve champ

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

29

rres

Tribute: Ahmed mourns Oliha

rations me on the ppoint-

ILORIN

WOLE ADEDEJI

K

wara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, yesterday described the sudden death of Ex-Super Eagles midfielder, Thompson Oliha, as painful and shocking The governor, in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, also described the late Oliha as a footballer who excelled for Nigeria during the Eagles glorious era of the 1990s.

Ahmed said Oliha’s passion for football development had motivated him to become a coach, after which he contributed to the development of Kwara State Football Academy, Ilorin.

d to win, and oals. Although was a final, it h things in the us and won the

wake-up call

ke-up call, nor ur motivation. be taken from med something not going to be wn pitch. That e back here as at’s ours.

r from now? omplete unit. ave a similar Alonso back,

Governor Ahmed

Handball: Bala canvases athletes’ bonus Bruma

JOEL AJAYI

u take from

ngs can change ad way. I startsome playing some goals, alose in the end. l scorer prize, only really enconcerned, if e to me.

“Oliha belongs to the class of Nigerians who have etched their names in the national consciousness through commitment to national good and he will not be forgotten by generations to come,” the governor asserted while praying God to grant his family fortitude to bear the loss.

ABUJA

F Torres

while the U-20 and U-21 players will be pushing for a place. And the U-23 guys are already first-team regulars in top teams across Europe. If you add in the experience that we got from this tournament, which is a major bonus, there are reasons for us to be optimistic.

Wimbledon 2013…

s sunshine

and then with my help, to r some better statistics we have had in previous in terms of goals and atng play. hen you play in the PreLeague, everybody’s goal ift that trophy, to have the rations and to know that e succeeded and been a pion.

“So the main aim for next season and the seasons ahead is to try and help the team do well in the Premier League.

“I’m sure with the philosophy that the manager has, we’ll be able to do that.”

Will you come back to Brazil with a desire for revenge?

Football is great for that, because you always get another chance. One year from now, hopefully we’ll be here and have a chance to make up for today, not necessarily to gain revenge on Brazil, but for our own sake.

Serena joins casualties

Serena

G

erman Sabine Lisicki yesterday ended Serena Williams’ long winning streak, knocking world number one and defending champion out of Wimbledon.

Lisicki jumped on Williams early, survived a nine-game drought in the middle, then came back from a break down in

the third set twice on her way to a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory.

“I’m still shaking,” an emotional Lisicki said in a post-match interview, covering her face with her hands to wipe away tears.

“I’m just so happy,” she added.

Williams was up a break twice in the third set but Lisicki fought back both times and broke again to go up 5-4. She converted her second match point with a forehand winner.

“I didn’t play the big points good enough. I didn’t do what I do best,” Williams said.

“Sabine played really well, she always does well at Wimbledon, so I knew it would be a tough match going in. I had opportunities, but I didn’t take them.”

Williams had won 34 consecutive matches before running into the bigserving Lisicki, who matched her power as well as exploited her nervous mistakes.

Lisicki, who reaches the quarterfinals at the All England Club for the third time and stamps herself as a favorite in the depleted women’s draw, has defeated the reigning French Open champion at Wimbledon three years in a row and four times in the last five years.

ormer handball player and current Head Coach of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) handball team, Bala Mohammed, yesterday called for an enabling law that would penalise any team that defaults in settling athletes’ allowances.

Bala who spoke to National Mirror at the final of FCT handball competition in Abuja, decried the situation where athletes who represented states got less remunerated.

Federal Capital Territory Ad-

ministration (FCTA) is among the states owing athletes’ six months arrears after they represented the area at last year’s National Sport Festival in Lagos.

“Athletes should not be used and dumped,” Bala, who is also Coordinator for the Centre for Children and Youths Excellence in Sport, insisted.

About 200 handball players have been exposed through the programme organised in conjunction with FCT Handball Association.

“I want to rekindle the interest that handball enjoyed way back in the 1980s,” he said.

W/Cup 2014: SA, Botswana get lifeline

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IFA yesterday gave South Africa and Botswana a lifeline in their bid to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup next year in South Africa.

The world governing body confirmed that Ethiopia would be docked three points from its qualifier win over Botswana in early June, cutting its lead in the pool to two points.

It means South Africa and Botswana could overhaul Ethiopia in the final round of qualifiers with a win when they meet in September, if Ethiopia trips up against Central African Republic.

“FIFA can confirm that the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has been sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player in the preliminary competition match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil between Botswana and Ethiopia played on 8 June 2013,” a statement said yesterday in Zurich.

“The match is declared to be forfeited and awarded 3-0 in favour of Botswana, with the EFF also receiving a fine of CHF 6,000 after the FIFA Disciplinary Committee considered the EFF liable for having breached art. 55 paragraph 1 of the FIFA Disciplinary

Code and article 8 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Regulations.

“The sanction relates to the Ethiopian player Minyahile Teshome Beyene failing to serve the automatic one-match suspension imposed on him following two cautions received in two different matches (article 17 paragraph 3 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code).

Beyene picked up yellow cards against South Africa last June and Botswana in March, but was then fielded again in the next match against The Zebras when the teams met again last month, despite the fact he should have sat out a one-match suspension.

Parker

30

Sport

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

On the track with

YEMI OLUS danyella172003@yahoo.com

My best yet to come–Akwu

Our plans for Adekoya–Nesiama

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N

ot much was heard about national athlete, Noah Akwu, prior to the national trials which took place in Calabar, Cross River State recently. But he stunned everyone to claim the 400m title with a personal best of 45.61secs.

Akwu’s feat singled him out as the only Nigerian man to have qualified for the 400m event at the forthcoming International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships holding in Russia in August.

The Middle Tennessee State University undergraduate also anchored the 4x400m relay team to a qualification time of 3:04.26secs during last month’s Warri Relays and a gold medal at the national trials last week.

Akwu believes that his outstanding performance is only an indication of the hard work he has put in this season but stated that his best is just around the corner.

“The national trials were a nice experience for me to regain the title I won in 2010. There were a lot of ups and downs after my triumph three years ago so I am happy that I won it once again. Prior to the championships, I was a hundred per cent sure of making an impact because I worked hard for it.

“The target was for me to peak at the right time. I was at the background because I didn’t want to let anyone in on my strategies. I had also monitored progress of other colleagues who are doing the 400 so I was prepared.

“I expected to hit my personal best because I knew I was in a better shape to do it. I haven’t run a lot of 400m races because I was taking it one step at a time but I believe that I’m still going to run faster.”

Making a ‘B’ Standard for the World Championships is a dream come true

Akwu (in green trunk) at the London 2012 Olympics

for Akwu who barely made it into the team for the London 2012 Olympics last year. He was also delighted in the role he played towards securing a qualification ticket for the 4x400m relay.

“From the beginning of the season I didn’t think we could make the standard in the relay because all members of the team were doing poorly. We ran this time (3:04.26secs) at the 2012 African Championships in Benin Republic. But if you take a general look at the 400m, the men

are not running fast all over the world including world and Olympic champions.

“Nigeria has one of the best times in the world but the time we ran in Warri to qualify us was a good time. This would be my second time at the World Athletics Championship so I have a little experience.

The first time was in Berlin in 2009 where I only ran the relay and we made it to the final. I’m planning to train in Lagos with my coach because I want to, at least, make it to the semis.

Greene shrugs off surgery

F

ormer European champion and British hurdler, Daniel Greene, has revealed that he is on the road to recovery after undergoing a hernia surgery in March.

The reigning world and Commonwealth champion in the 400m hurdles believes he still has enough time to give it his best shot at the World Championships.

“I have six weeks until Moscow to get ready and I still have enough time to reach 100 per cent,”

Greene said.

“The hernia had set me back for a time from running at full speed, but I’ve been doing full sessions for about two-and-a-half weeks now.

“What would really put the cat among the pigeons is if I encountered another problem between now and the World Championships. There is really no margin for error, but I’m still confident I can improve my times and get in good shape for Moscow.

Dai Greene

I’d rate myself at about 7.5 out of 10 at the moment.

“I take heart when I look at Felix Sanchez who, last season, didn’t perform that well until he got to the Olympic Games. He won gold in London to show it can be done.”

echnical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, says the federation plans to consolidate on the budding career of young hurdler, Kemi Adekoya.

Adekoya won the 400m hurdles in all four legs of the Solid Works/AFN Golden League this season and put up a spirited fight against national record holder in the event, Ajoke Odumosu, at the Warri Relays/Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Grand Prix.

The athlete, who runs for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, eventually placed second with an ‘A’ standard of 55.30secs though she was unavailable for the national trials due to academic commitments. She, however, made it into the list of the 19 athletes who would represent Nigeria at the World Championships.

“Adekoya could be adjudged as the most outstanding athlete produced consistency,” Nesiama said. She proved it by running against the national and African champion. We are working on trying to arrange a special programme.

“There is the possibility of getting her engaged abroad as we want to take her to a higher level, just as we have come up with a system of managing our athletes so that greedy managers don’t just engage them and run them out.”

Nesiama also stated that AFN would consolidate preparation ahead of the World Championships.

“The AFN/CRS All-Nigeria Athletics Championships was initially billed for July but we wanted to follow the current trends because other countries had theirs last month.

“After the trials we still have a bit of time to fine tune our preparation instead of just going straight to the championships from there.

Odumosu sets Moscow target

N

Odumosu

ational record holder in the women’s 400m hurdles, Ajoke Odumosu, says she has a chance to get to the final of her event at the World Athletics Championships holding in Moscow, Russia in August.

The reigning African and Commonwealth Games champion hit an ‘A’ qualifying mark of 55.10secs at the Warri Relays/ Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Grand Prix last month but won the national trials with a lower time of 56.35secs while Ugonna Ndu trailed in second place with 56.87secs.

Though Odumosu’s winning time fell short of expectations,

the London 2012 finalist has targeted glory in Moscow.

“My goal is to make it to the final and I will give God the glory for whatever happens next. Every time I run, I try to be more aggressive from the blocks, attack every hurdle and hopefully my strength will come in for me to finish strong,” she said.

“I won’t say I’m a hundred per cent ready but I know that I have improved a lot. I am ready psychologically but physically my body is beat down; no pain no gain. We all work hard to be where we are today so it’s part of the job so I’m just trying to take it a race at a time.”

Odumosu also canvassed an end the medal drought that has trailed Nigeria’s participation at the World Championships.

The last time a Nigerian won a medal at the championships was at the 1999 edition in Spain.

“We just want Nigerians to support us in whatever we do because it’s not easy being up there,” she pleaded.

“We have millions of athletes all over the world and making it to the final of a major competition is a plus while getting a medal is the best. We all want to get medals. I don’t like to lose but if we don’t win medals, there is nothing we can do.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

31

Energy efficient lighting: Nigeria could save over $1.4bn per year – UNEP DAYO AYEYEMI

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f a full transition to energy efficient lighting takes place in Nigeria, the nation could realise savings of over $1.4 billion per year, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Achim Steiner and Executive Director, ECOWAS’ Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), Mahama Kappiah, have said.

In an editorial co-authored by the duo and made available to National Mirror at the weekend, they stated that for ongrid lighting, the shift to energy-saving replacement products for all of the major lamp types in the residential, commercial, industrial and outdoor sectors would result in a savings of 1.4 terawatt hours in annual electricity consumption in which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of over 690,000 households.

According to them, this would save 7 per cent of total national electricity consumption each year, equal to the power output of 2 medium (100 MW) power plants.

For off-grid lighting, the maintained that Nigeria could avoid 2.3 litres of kerosene, 1.3 billion candles and 314 million batteries used for flashlights with a transition to energy efficient solar LED light sources.

“This is equivalent to over 17 million barrels of crude oil energy equivalent every year,” they said.

Between off-grid and on-grid lighting, the duo explained that the transition to energy efficient lighting for all applications in Nigeria would lead to a reduction of over 6.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

They said, “These significant carbon emissions could be reduced with the phase-out of inefficient lighting, as one of the most effective and economically advantageous ways to mitigate climate change for the country and for the world.”

Overall, that is great news. Children can study at night without breathing harmful or environmentally damaging

Solar energy for outdoor lighting

SIGNIFICANT CARBON EMISSIONS COULD BE REDUCED WITH THE PHASE-OUT OF INEFFICIENT LIGHTING, AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICALLY ADVANTAGEOUS WAYS TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE FOR THE COUNTRY AND FOR THE WORLD kerosene fumes; the sense of security in poor communities, where people live in fear when night falls, is hugely increased; productivity for businesses improves as they can stay open later; and commonplace fires, caused by fallen candles or spilt fuels, become rare.

However, Steiner and Kappiah stated that unless energy efficient lighting is adopted, carbon emissions from an expected increase in electricity consumption of between 60-70 per cent by 2030 could lead to disastrous effects on efforts to fight climate change globally.

“Few actions could reduce carbon emissions as inexpensively and easily as the phase-out of inefficient lighting and making sure that any new lighting uses environmentally sustainable technology,” the duo said.

West Africa has become the latest re-

gion to drive efforts to promote energy efficient lighting. A complete transition in that area could produce annual energy savings of 2.4 terawatt hours, approximately 6.75 per cent of total electricity consumption. The savings would be enough to supply the total annual electricity needs of at least 1.2 million households.

This decision came after ministers representing the 15 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in Ghana last October adopted a regional energy efficiency policy on the occasion of the ECOWAS High Level Energy Forum of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative.

The ECOWAS member states agreed to eliminate inefficient incandescent lamps and adopt more efficient lighting,

Green vehicles, win-win option for EU - Report

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urope will gain up to a million new jobs and reduce its dependence on foreign oil by supporting “green” technologies for cars and vans, and then build its own fleets of high efficiency, hybrid and electric vehicles, said a new report.

Far from it being too costly to embark on developing low-carbon vehicle options during an economic crisis, a consortium of companies contends that adopting the new technologies can only increase jobs, economic activity and wealth − as well as improving air quality and health.

The report, Fuelling Europe’s Future, was produced by Cambridge Econometrics along with other independent energy and climate change consultancies following a research project commissioned by the European Climate Foundation to assess the economic impact of decarbonising cars and vans.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the report is that it has the support of some of Europe’s biggest manufacturers, along with heavyweight trade union and environment groups. Rarely do these organisations agree on the

core issue of transport.

At a time when Europe’s economy is in crisis, the report estimates that savings of between €58 billion and €83 billion a year in oil imports can be made by improving vehicle technology in addition to creating jobs and new exports.

Among the organisations that reviewed and approved the report are Nissan, General Electric, the European Association of Automotive Suppliers and the European Aluminium Association. All of them, and many other stakeholder groups, provide support-

a move that would save the region an estimated $220 million per year in energy costs. Lighting currently represents 20 per cent of electricity usage.

They are supported by en.lighten, a global project established to accelerate worldwide market transformation to environmentally sustainable lighting technologies. This initiative is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with leading global lighting manufacturers, Philips and OSRAM, and the National Lighting Test Center (China).

ECOWAS was designated as a pilot region for en.lighten’s Global Efficient Lighting Partnership Programme – an unparalleled voluntary initiative, now backed by 48 countries, providing support for policies and actions aimed at a coordinated phase-out of inefficient lighting. The Programme supports the global phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps by 2016.

For West Africa, the strategy is being formulated in collaboration with ECOWAS’ Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) as part of ECOWAS initiative on efficient lighting.

About 60 per cent of the population in ECOWAS countries does not have access to electricity. Replacing the millions of kerosene lamps, candles and flashlights used in countries in the region with modern solar lighting would provide an increasingly low-cost solution to reducing carbon emissions, indoor air pollution and health risks, and boost green jobs.

It is a further contribution to the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative and a way for developing countries to demonstrate in practical terms their commitment to a new universal UN climate agreement by 2015.

“The transition is underway, the challenge now is to maintain that momentum so that as the lights go on across Africa , they go on in a way that builds another foundation towards a Green Economy and significant step towards the future we want and the future we need,” they expressed.

ing testimony for the report.

The report said there have been concerns that the EU’s plans to cut transport emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 would damage an automobile industry already in the doldrums because of the economic crisis.

There were uncertainties about which technology would emerge the winner from the current low-carbon options of hybrid, battery and fuel cell vehicles, but all of them offered more jobs, fuel import savings, and a healthier economy. There were also the fringe benefits of cleaner air and better health for European citizens.

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Plant trees, cut your energy bills Learn how to plant summer shade trees and a winter windbreak to save money on energy bills all year long, experts at www.thedailygreen.com have advised.

D

id you know that just three trees properly placed around a house could save up to 30 per cent of energy use? This is according to the U.S. Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research. One study found that trees planted on the south and west sides of houses in Sacramento, Calif, reduced summertime electricity bills by an average of $25.

Trees provide many benefits to all of us, every day. They provide cooling shade, block cold winter winds, attract birds and other wildlife, purify the air, prevent soil erosion, clean our water and add grace and beauty to our homes and communities.

In Chicago, the city’s 3.6 million trees reduce air pollution by about 890 tons annually, a $6.4 million benefit, according to the Forest Service. And in Portland, Ore., street trees growing in front of or near a house added an average of $8,870 to its sale price and reduced time on the market by nearly two days.

Planting the right trees in the right places conserves energy and reduces your energy bills, while helping to fight global warming.

Plant deciduous trees on the east and west sides of your home Deciduous trees (ones that lose their leaves), planted on the east and west sides, will keep your house cool in the summer and let the sun warm your home in the winter, reducing energy use, according to the Energy Department.

Large deciduous trees planted on the east, west and northwest sides of your home create soothing shade from the hot summer sun and reduce air-conditioning costs by up to 35 per cent.

You use less energy.

The utility company uses less energy, especially at peak demand times. Less fossil fuel is consumed by the utility to create the energy.

Less fossil-fuel consumption means lower carbon-dioxide emissions.

Plant deciduous trees to shade highheat spots Trees or shrubs planted to shade air conditioners help cool a building more efficiently, using less electricity. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.

Trees shade patios, sidewalks and driveways cool the concrete, the entire yard and even the neighborhood.

PLANTING THE RIGHT TREES IN THE RIGHT PLACES CONSERVES ENERGY AND REDUCES YOUR ENERGY BILLS,

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Riverine states need N4.3trn to protect shorelines -Oniru DAYO AYEYEMI

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Devastsated Alfa Beach, Lagos

He said the restoration works, which start from the back of Eko Atlantic City project to Alpha Beach, covered 7 kilometres stretch of the shoreline.

The theme of the lecture is entitled, “Nigeria’s Coastal Erosion: A case study of the Lagos State Coastline.”

Despite the fact that the shoreline being ravaged by coastal erosion is the boundary of Nigeria, the commissioner disclosed that the Federal Government has been passive as regards finding the last solution to the problem.

According to him, the Federal Government has not contributed anything to help the state government to solve the problem.

“President Goodluck Jonathan was at scene of coastal erosion of Alpha Beach two years ago and promised to help the state government to solve the problem, up till now, we are still expecting the promise,” he said.

One unique solution embarked upon by the state government to combat coastal erosion of Lagos shoreline , the commis-

sioner said was the Eko Atlantic project.

According to him, without the Eko Atlantic City project, the whole Victoria Island and Ikoyi would have been swept away by ocean surge.

The commissioner explained how wild storm from the Atlantic ocean, as a result of rise in sea level, ravaged the Bar Beach in 2006 and how the state government came to the rescue.

He said, “We all saw what happened at Kuramo Beach last year; strong wave from the ocean swept away people and their makeshifts. We don’t want a repeat of this and that is why the state government is passionate about finding permanent solution to ocean surge of the entire area.”

Oniru suggested ways to combat erosion of the shoreline which include the use of sand saver, sand reclamation, sea wall , X-bloc, sand bags, floodgate and groynes protection.

In Lagos State, he said the method adopted by the state government to solve Bar Beach erosion was the use of groynes.

Lagos moves to tackle flood in Apapa ....Orders removal of cables from drainages MURITALA AYINLA

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orried by the frequent incidences of flooding in the area whenever it rains, the Lagos State Government yesterday commenced strategies to combat perennial flooding in Apapa axis of the state, it also ordered the removal of all underground cables obstructing the free flow of water in the drainages on the axis.

It also warned that it would not allow anyone to undermine its efforts at ensuring flood-free Lagos through improper sewage disposal and building of structures on drainage channels.

Speaking while inspecting the de-silting and dredging of canals and drain collec-

Fashola urges children to support climate change initiative DAYO AYEYEMI

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he problem of shoreline erosion and environmental degradation in Nigeria is threatening the survival of people living in coastal communities in 8 littoral states in Nigeria.

The states with high risk of coastal erosion occasioned by ocean surge include Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

Speaking during the 2013 Annual Lecture of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers in Lagos last week, the Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Adesegun Abiodun Oniru, said the 8 littoral states would require N4.3 trillion to combat coastal erosion of the entire 853 kilometres stretch of shoreline.

To combat the problem of coastal erosion head-on, the commissioner suggested that there must be a special budget provision to face the challenge.

Besides, he stated that there must be concerted efforts by all stakeholders and governments to put an end to the menace.

He said, “There is need for the littoral states to work together; Federal Government needs to play its part in finding permanent solution to the problem; Federal Government must recognise that littoral states are natural boundaries of Nigeria.”

Oniru disclosed that the Lagos State Government would require N440 billion to protect its shoreline, covering 87 kilometres, from coastal erosion and degradation.

He hinted that the erosion of Lagos’s shoreline degenerated as a result of 200 abandoned vessels/shipwrecks littering the coastline and that efforts to persuade federal agency in charge to remove them have not been successful.

These abandoned vessels, he noted portend a great danger to the shoreline and marine environment.

He revealed that the state government had spent over N38 billion for the restoration of its shoreline damaged by coastal erosion occasioned by frequent ocean surge.

33

tors projects in the area, the State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello who gave the warning described the development as a pro-active approach to aggressively tackle the problem confronting the residents and workers along the axis.

Bello who defied the early morning downpour to inspect the project with other top officials of the state Ministry of the Environment, said the challenges confronting the engineers working at the various flood prone areas in the axis, were service pipes and underground cables which have blocked the drain as well as indiscriminate dumping of refuse into the drains by some residents.

He said: “The construction of drain with service pipes and cables couple with the usual dumping of refuse into the drains,

Fashola

littering of surrounding with tyres and erection of illegal structures and around the drainage alignment by the people are the major challenges”.

e must all support government’s initiative aimed at combating climate change because in truth and in fact, we will be assisting ourselves, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has said, urging school children to be responsible and responsive to the clarion call to save the Earth.

Speaking during the 5th Anniversary of the Climate Change Club consisting pupils from public and private primary and secondary schools across the state recently the governor, called for support of members of the public including school children in the implementation of government policies and programmes aimed at combating climate change.

Fashola maintained that the responsibility of saving the earth from the menace of unstable climate lies on everyone.

The theme of this year’s World Environment Day (WED) celebration is, “Eat, Think and Conserve for the Future”.

Highlights of the event included a calisthenics display by students of Queens College, presentation by students on the State Government’s sponsorship to the Republic of Germany under the School Exchange Programme, presentations to winners of the 2013 Quiz Competition in the senior secondary, secondary and primary school categories and performance by the popular musician, Olamide, who thrilled the pupils Governor told the students and their teachers as well as other members of the public that the war against climate change is a cause to which every member of the society must be committed.

He said, “It is a challenge that transcends boundaries, affecting every sector of our lives”.

The governor explained that decision to involve the children in was against climate change in the state has yielded significant results in the last five years as evidenced by the number of children now involved which now stands at 21, 893 spread across 654 private and 2116 public primary and secondary schools and the clear demonstration by the children that they are indeed change agents.

He said, such demonstrations included students’ engagement in community service and cleaning drains in their neighbourhoods, encouraging their parents to sort out waste for recycling purposes and involvement in tree planting among others.

Recalling the story of Quadri Oshiyemi of Ajayi Crowder Senior Grammar School, Bariga, who singlehandedly cleared a blocked drainage in his neighbourhood and erected signage to stop people from dumping refuse in the place, Governor Fashola declared, “These children recognise that climate change is a challenge for the human race, transcending boundaries, affecting every sector of our lives”.

“The effectiveness of children as change agents cannot be underestimated. The energy, inquisitiveness and enthusiasm are critical to the fight against climate change”, the governor said.

34

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 2 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ripples in Enugu as govt demolishes Onoh’s property DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

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o their astonishment, the family Late Chief C.C Onoh, former governor of old Anambra state in the second republic, woke up at about 7 am on June 18, 2013 to see that one of their numerous properties at Onoh quarters in Enugu GRA has been pulled down by the Enugu State Capital Development Authority(ECTDA).

Onoh, even in death is still the acclaimed highest single individual property owner in the coal city with numerous blocks of flats, bungalows and duplexes scattered at Ekulu-West layout, Old GRA, Enugu.

Observably, there has been tussle within the family even before the old sage died on the property, with the two surviving sons of the late CC, as Onoh was fondly called, at dagger draw on issues relating to the property.

But Karastan Company Limited, represented by the wife of the late sage, Caroline Onoh and his second son, Dr. Josef Onoh went into remodelling of a section of the estate for construction a hotel and applied to the state Ministry of Lands and Survey for new access road known as Ngwo close to accommodate a parking space through a letter dated October 16, 2012. On December 2, 2012, the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Dr. Emeka Ujam, gave the approval and work commenced on the realignment and was completed.

Surprisingly, on March 20, 2013, the same Ujam wrote to Karastan Company and said it has withdrawn the realignment approval which work was already completed.

The commissioner said the withdrawal was because Karastan did not get the approval of Rockonoh Property Limited of which all members of Onoh family are board directors.

The commissioner also said that the realignment was causing untold hardship to other residents of the estate and that it granted the approval in error.

Inquisitively, the withdrawal letter was copied to Mr. GB Onoh who is not a member of Karastan Company but Chairman of Rock Onoh Property Limited, raising the suspicion that government officials may have been influenced by GB Onoh who has been in conflict with his young brother, Josef, over issues relating to the estate.

Sequel to the withdrawal of approval, the Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, immediately placed a notice of “Remove by Order” which was meant for seven days notice but was given three days.

It was also observed that the notice was abinitio dated 08-03-2013 (a date earlier than the withdrawal letter was written on 20-03-2013).

The Onoh family through their attorney wrote to the ministry demanding explanations on the confusing development but said they were never replied till date.

They stated that even before the construction started, a deputy director in the lands ministry inspected the proposed realignment to ensure compliance but that before the notice of withdrawal was issued on March 20, the commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory, Iyke Ugwegede came to the site on March 6, with furious rage and threatened to stop the work.

Dr. Josef Onoh alleged that Ugwegede’s rage iwas due to his refusal to sell a landed property to him for personal use, adding that he had sold two other property to Ugwegede.

Onoh alleged that Ugwegede used his office as the commissioner for ECTDA and pulled down his on-going hotel construction on June18, 2013.

Ugwegede, however, contended that the building was pulled down because the fence and security housed rested on a public road and obstructed the liberty of residents living behind the structure being remodelled for commercial purpose, denying that he was propelled by personal vendetta over their unfinished personal business to demolish the property.

Onoh insisted that what the commissioner did was an act of abuse of office him. He demanded for immediate

The demolished structures at Enugu.

sack of the commissioner by Governor Sullivan Chime to serve as reprimand for other public officers who may want to engage in conflict of interests with their positions.

The commissioner however said that the ECTDA is only an enforcement agency that executes the order of state Ministry of Lands which he said initially certified Onoh’s property but turned around to withdraw the certification.

Ugwegde said his agency gave one month notice to Onoh against the official one week notice and washed his hands off the allegations being touted by Onoh.

“I am not perturbed by allegations because it is part of the job. It is not a personal vendetta but an onerous duty. I have to work to the dictates of the job. My oath as a commissioner has taken care of all these allegations.

Karastan was not aware that the authority given to him by the ministry of lands was withdrawn. Until the tenants vacate the premises, they are entitled to protection,” said Ugwegede.

Meanwhile, the Onoh family has instigated a law suit

at the Enugu State high court against the two commissioners, and ECTDA for the demolition.

Plaintiffs of the suit, Karastan Company Limited and its Director, Mrs. Caroline Onoh are also asking the court to make a mandatory injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies or workmen from further interfering with or disturbing in any manner whatsoever their rights of ownership/possession of the plots that has certificate of revalidation dated 12th June 1985.

The Onoh family is also praying the court for a declaration that the purported withdrawal of approval earlier granted them for introduction of parking space and realignment of a road on the property by the commissioner for lands and survey and the reason contained in the withdrawal letter of 20th March 2013, become null and void and of no effect.

They also seek that the court declare as illegal the invasion and destruction of the property on plots 6-14 Ekulu West layout, GRA Enugu registered as No14 on page 14 Volume 1607 in the Enugu Land registry office with power of Attorney dated 10th December 2008, which is the subject of the suit.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aviation

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

35

FAAN, Bi-Courtney: Unending war over concessions The concession agreements between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, BASL, have witnessed more hitches than progress since it was conceptualised.

OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes on the latest ‘war’ between the two organisations.

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he Federal Government during the first term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo lamented the wasteof government resources and revenues by public workers, agencies and those appointed to ensure prudency, in the management of public facilities. The government at the time accused its officials of diverting public funds and resources to private use.

So, in a bid to curb corrupt practices and inefficiencies among government workers, it came up with Public-Private Participation, PPP scheme, which enables private investors to invest in hitherto governmentowned ventures. Although, at the time, the scheme was novel to the Nigerian environment, but supporters itemised countries that have adopted such system and are benefiting from it.

The scheme, according to its protagonists was the best thing to have happened to Nigeria as they argued that more Nigerians would be employed, government facilities would last longer, government would continue to enjoy some revenues even without investing any amount of money and that such funds spent on public facilities would be put into other urgent and more important use.

At the signing of most of these agreements, both parties smiled and shook hands, but few years after the commencement of PPP in Nigeria, crises crept in.

Less than a year after Obasanjo left office, accusations and counter-accusations took centre stage as some unionists, stakeholders and professionals in all the sectors accused the government of favouritism in the award of most of the concessions. Some even claimed that over 80 per cent of the agreements were skewed in favour of the private investors at the detriment of the Nigerian people. So, they called for reversal of most of the concession agreements.

Among such PPPs is the concession agreements between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, BASL, operators of the Murtala Mohammed Airport Two, MMA2. The antagonists claimed that due process was not followed while the contracts were tilted in favour of the concessionaire.

But BASL, in its own arguments insisted that its several concession agreements with the government were of mutual benefit to both parties.

Parts of the agreements still under contention are MMA2, which the promoters claimed is for 36 years, while FAAN insisted it was for 12 years, the newly remodelled General Aviation Terminal, GAT, MMA, Lagos, the ongoing construction of a conference centre within the premises of the Mur-

FAAN officials tearing down a billboard at MM2 Lagos.

I DON’T BELIEVE THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN’T BE RENEGOTIATED. WHEN YOU HAVE CONTRACTS, PARTIES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DISCUSS, BUT IN OUR OWN CASE, WE JUST WANT TO DESTROY ONE AND OTHER, RATHER THAN AN AMICABLE SETTLEMENT, BUT WHO NORMALLY SUFFERS? OF COURSE, IT IS THE STAFF THAT WILL SUFFER tala Mohammed Airport School and the construction of a four-star hotel opposite the MMA2 terminal.

As at now, most of these agreements are subject of litigation in different law courts in the country waiting for judgements.

However, the latest of such crises between FAAN and Bi-Courtney was the erection and removal of billboards and advert flex by the two parties. While Bi-Courtney accuses FAAN of illegality in removal of its billboards and advert flex within its “properties,” FAAN described such exercise as a means of getting rid of all illegal adverts both indoor and outdoor, which are conspicuous within the airport environments nationwide.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati in an interview insisted that placement of adverts on the controversial hotel building and the link bridge by BASL was contrary to the agreement it had with the concessionaire, saying that the years given BASL to complete the construction of the hotel has since elapsed. He in fact said the land in question now belongs to FAAN. He added that the removal of all “illegal adverts” within the airport was not only targeted at BASL, but at all advert agencies operating illegally at the airport.

Dati said the exercise would continue nationwide and would soon move to other airports in the country.

He said, “The placement of such advert material infringed on advertisement rights of FAAN, since the company or organisation responsible for the placing of the advert material did not receive FAAN’s permission to do so.

“The exercise to remove all illegal advertisements at all airports was informed by the fact that the companies that have advert concession with FAAN have all refused to honour the terms of agreement for the concession, and in defiance, have continued to collect money from third party companies for advert placement without paying its due.”

However, in a swift reaction, BASL said issues on the controversial hotel project were still pending in the court and insisted that it has legal right to place adverts on the land and even the link bridge between the terminal and the hotel.

The Head of Litigation, BASL, Mr. Tola Oshobi, emphasised that the Federal High Court, Ikeja Division in its judgement had told FAAN that it had no power to destroy or tamper with any of its properties.

Oshobi said BASL does not need the approval of FAAN before putting its adverts on its structures within the airport, adding that by the virtue of its concession agreement with the agency and the lease agreement on the hotel under construction, it has the right to place adverts within its complex

without interference from the agency or any other government agencies in the country unless ruled otherwise by the court.

Oshobi emphasised that BASL had dragged FAAN and its managing director before Justice Stephen Jonah Adah of the Federal High Court in 2010, seeking the following reliefs: “A declaration that the defendants are not entitled to unilaterally remove, pull down, destroy, dismantle and/ or interfere with the adverts placed on the plaintiff’s overhead pedestrian bridge at its terminal in the MMA2, without first referring same to the dispute resolution mechanisms set up under Article 22 of the Concession Agreement dated 24th April, 2003.

“In a comprehensive judgement delivered by Hon. Justice Stephen Jonah Adah, the court decided that under the agreement, FAAN had no right whatsoever to take laws into its hands. If there are any dispute between FAAN and Bi-Courtney, this dispute must be resolved by arbitration in accordance with Article 22 of the concession agreement.

“In 2009, the Federal High Court sitting at Abuja ordered the Federal Government of Nigeria and FAAN to hand over the General Aviation Terminal to Bi-Courtney in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/50/2009 delivered on Tuesday 3rd March, 2009. There have been four appeals against this judgement all resolved in favour of Bi-Courtney.”

But, aviation stakeholders and professionals warned that the consistent controversies between FAAN and BASL might spell doom for the country as private investors, especially foreign ones will see the government as inconsistent with its policies.

They challenged both parties to renegotiate and settle their cases out of court for the benefit of the country at large and the industry in particular.

The President Aviation Round Table, ART, Capt. Dele Ore enjoined both parties to embrace dialogue in the interest of the workers and the nation in general.

He said, “I don’t believe there is nothing that can’t be renegotiated. When you have contracts, parties should be allowed to discuss, but in our own case, we just want to destroy one and other, rather than an amicable settlement, but who normally suffers? Of course, it is the staff that will suffer.”

Besides, the Secretary-General, the Nigeria Aviation Professional Association, NAPA, Comrade Abdulrazak Saidu, urged government to always obey the contractual agreements it enters into with concessionaires.

Saidu urged both parties to reach an agreement on how the grey areas in the agreements could be settled, saying that this would go a long way in ensuring sanity in the sector.

An aviation stakeholder, Mr. Chris Eboigbe, also called on both parties to embrace peace and warned that the act would continue to drive away potential investors in the sector.

Eboigbe mentioned the abrupt termination of the contractual agreement between the government and Maevis Nigeria Limited and the sending away of Pan Express Limited as a concessionaire to FAAN on port charges by FAAN as some of the recent cases, which had further put the sector into disrepute.

36

Aviation

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

NAHCo wins 2012 Handler of the Year Award

MD, NAHCO, Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo

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he leading ground handling company in Nigeria, Nigerian Aviation Handing Company Plc, NAHCo aviance, has been recognised as the 2012 Ground Handling Service Provider of the Year.

NAHCo was awarded the award recently by the African Airlines Association, AFRAA, at its Suppliers and Stakeholders Conference, ASASC, held in Nairobi, Kenya.

AFRAA said the ground handler was awarded for its exceptional and exemplary service delivery to the continent’s aviation industry.

An online statement signed by the Head, Corporate Com-

munications, NAHCo, Mr. Sanya Onayoade stated that the award was presented to the company by the Secretary-General of Africa Civil Aviation Commission, AFCAC, and Deputy Director (Eastern and Southern Africa) of International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Ms Sosina Iyabo to its Executive Director, Business Development, Mr. Gordon Gofwan.

AFRAA said the award was given based on the company’s adherence to international safety and security standards, attainment of IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations, ISAGO, and investment in ground handling equipment and facilities at all its

operational bases.

The statement reads in part, “Egypt Air Training Centre was presented with the award of Training Service Provider of the Year for its investment in stateof-the-art facilities and its dedication to developing the aviation industry; Serviar got the Aviation Catering and In-flight Service Provider of the year, while SITA was presented with the Aviation Service Provider of the Year for its heavy investment in research and development of new technologies and solutions.

“AFRAA is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union, AU. It was founded in Accra Ghana in April 1968 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya for the primary purposes of fostering commercial and technical cooperation among African airlines and to represent their common interest. Its membership which cuts across the entire continent of Africa, includes all the major intercontinental African operators and represents over 80% of the total international traffic carried

by African airlines.”

Onayoade added that by this award, NAHCO aviance became the first Nigerian ground handling company to be so awarded, stressing that this was in addition to other international awards received over the years by the ground handler.

Lufthansa invests €1m daily in Business Class refurbishment

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leading foreign carrier operating into Nigeria, Lufthansa Airlines has disclosed that it currently invests about one million euros daily in the refitting of its new Business Class Cabin.

This was disclosed last week by the Senior Vice President, Product and Marketing, Dr. Reinhold Huber in Paris, France when he received prizes on behalf of the airline at the Air Show in Le Bourget.

An online statement signed by the media consultant to the airline in the country stated that the airline received accolades for its First Class Lounges, voted the “Best Western European Airline” and “Best Transatlantic Airline in the world in the Skytrax survey.

“We are investing around one million euros a day in the refitting of our new Business Class alone.

We have made significant improvements to our in-flight meals and have opened a large number of new lounges on the ground.

We are currently in the process of expanding our entertainment service, and innovative products such as FlyNet, which we are the only airline worldwide to offer on longhaul flights – round off our range of services.

“We have a clearly defined goal;

Lufthansan Boeing 747 aircraft SAA Airbus A380 aircraft

to become the first Western Five Star Airline by 2015. We still need our fifth star in Business Class to get there, and that is what is driving us forward,” Huber stated.

The statement added that the honours were bestowed on the airline by over 18 million passengers from over 100 countries who participated in the world’s largest aviation passenger survey, adding that its First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport received top marks in the survey while the First Class Lounges at the hubs Frankfurt and Munich were also highly ranked by customers.

The assessing institute, Skytrax stated that this reflects the high standard and service of the facilities, stressing that the fact that additionally Lufthansa was awarded best airline in Western Europe

and on transatlantic routes was a clear sign that the airline’s standards were satisfying customers.

“We are working hard to make our customer services even better and even more comfortable.

These awards are further confirmation of the investments we have made in the passenger experience and in our employees’ training. With our exclusive First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, we offer a tailored premium service on the ground – we are delighted that our guests appreciate this,” said Huber.

The customer survey was handled by the airline quality assessment institute Skytrax, an aviation specialist. The study examined over 40 different customers and satisfaction service.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

Now that Senate has confirmed Capt. Akinkuotu

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t was a cat and mouse affair before the Senate last Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Capt. Folayele Akinkuotu as the substantive DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. Akinkuotu was appointed as DG NCAA by President Goodluck Jonathan on March 14, 2013 after the unceremonious removal of the erstwhile DG, Dr. Olusegun Demuren. His name was immediately sent to the Senate for confirmation, but the powers-that-be in the hallow chambers sat on his file, which prevented him from being screened at the appropriate time.

After his grilling by the Senate on April 30, 2013, the Senate Committee on Aviation kept mute on his recommendation until the

media and stakeholders mounted pressure on the Senate for his confirmation or refusal.

However, Airside thinks this is the time for Akinkuotu to continue from where his predecessor stopped and write his name in gold. Unarguably, Demuren has set a standard that will be difficult to match by his successor. Demuren brought style and vigour into the regulatory authority and his voice was a law to all and sundry in the sector. Can Akinkuotu maintain or even surpass this record? Time will tell.

However, for Akinkuotu to succeed, he needs to step on the so called powerful toes in the industry, just like his predecessor did while in office. He needs to maintain sanity in the sector. Airside wishes him all the best as he resumes.

FAAN, AIC; who blinks first?

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he concession bickering between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and one of its many concessionaires, AIC Hotel Limited owned by the business mogul, Chief Harry Akande over a large parcel of land proposed for the construction of a five-star hotel at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos was once again in the news courtesy of a court judgement.

Justice Buba of the Federal High Court had set aside the verdict of the Late Justice Kayode Eso’s Court of Arbitration ruling that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, hindered the firm from its concession pact it had in 1998 and ordered FAAN to pay

the concessionaire $48million being damages for the refusal of the agency to allow the company to execute the project as stipulated in the contractual agreement.

But Justice Buba’s ruling has halted all that, but both parties still lay claim to the expanse of land. While FAAN said that by the ruling, the land has reverted to it, AIC insisted that there was nowhere in the judgment where Justice Buba directed FAAN to repossess the land, maintaining that AIC Limited remains in full possession of the project site. AIC has since appealed the High Court Judgement.

With the current scenario, who blinks first? Airside and other interested parties are watching with keen interest.

Delta, Virgin announce codeshare agreement to cover 108 routes

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he giant American airline, Delta Air and a leading British carrier, Virgin Atlantic Airways yesterday detailed a codeshare agreement across 108 routes that offers customers seamless connections to 66 destinations across North America and the United Kingdom.

The codeshare announcement coincides with Delta acquiring a 49 per cent stake in Sir Richard Branson’s airline marking the next step towards a full joint venture between the two carriers.

An online statement signed by the Delta’s media consul-

tant in Nigeria stated that Virgin Atlantic will place its code on 91 Delta routes, including both trans-Atlantic and domestic U.S. routes while Delta will place its code on 17 Virgin Atlantic routes, including the recently launched Little Red domestic U.K. services connecting London to Manchester, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

According to the statement, Virgin Atlantic customers will now enjoy a vast network of connecting North American destinations while Delta customers will gain an additional six daily frequencies between London to New York.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurance

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

37

Nigeria insurance firms can’t compete in oil, gas sector Local insurance companies lack the capacity to effectively challenge foreign underwriters in the lucrative oil and gas sector. In this interview with MESHACK IDEHEN, Group Executive Director, Royal Exchange Assurance, Mr. Auwalu Muktari, speaks on the issue amongst other issues this in the industry.

Would you say there has been any noticeable improvement in the level of insurance awareness in the country?

Not really. The level of insurance awareness is still low, considering that we are a country of over 140 million people, you cannot talk about 10 million people taking one insurance policy or the other, under both the corporate and retail products.

Part of the vision of our company is to raise awareness all over the country. We want to be visible all over the country so that the common man and the uneducated will know what insurance is all about.

We are currently doing radio programmes on insurance to enlighten people about insurance. We are introducing the mobile phones to develop insurance.

We are having alliances with the GSM operators to create more awareness on insurance.

Is it true that there is increase in claims in the industry and what do you think is responsible for it?

There are many things that lead to increase in claims. There is the high mortality rate in the environment; insecurity in the country, lack of power generation where everybody has to use generator.

Claims differ from company to company, depending on the policy that is underwritten. Some firms may tell you they are recording a lot of crazy claims, some may tell you the claim is on a downturn, so, it depends on the perception of company.

For Royal Exchange, it’s neither on the increase nor on the decline; but we are able to keep to our promises; we settle our claims within 48 hours of claims documentations. All insurance companies are in the business to settle claims so we are not thinking or running away from claims. When there are genuine claims, we are ready to look at them and settle them objectively, so that we can win the confidence of our clients.

What about the introduction of guidelines on oil and gas insurance, has the move improved local participation?

There has been an increase in oil and gas participation following the enactment of the oil and gas content law. The regulators also are pursuing the full compliance of that bill, and so the local market must be fully saturated before any is ceded abroad.

Also, the other people who are into oil and gas businesses are mandated to insure them. Generally, it has been on the increase within the insurance market in Nigeria, and it will continue to increase. But there is the need to build capacity within the industry. The capacity is not enough now to take all businesses within the oil and gas; we are calling for alliances within the industry so that we can improve the capacity instead of sending most of these businesses to other countries so that we can accommodate all our risks within the Nigerian insurance industry.

Do you think insurance firms are selling more compulsory insurance policies presently?

Insurance firms are selling these products and each insurance company has ways it is selling these products. Awareness is still very low; some people are still not aware of the need for them to insure their buildings. The economic environment in which we relate is also harsh; people cannot afford three square meals.

Muktari

CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALSO CAUSING A LOT OF ISSUES SUCH

AS ENVIRONMENTAL POLUTION, TYPHOONS AND FLOODING.

THAT IS WHY THE NEED FOR YOU TO INSURE YOUR HOUSE AND PROPERTIES AGAINST

SUCH PERILS IS IMPORTANT.

IF ANY LOSS OCCURS, THE

INSURANCE COMPANY WILL COMPENSATE AND TAKE YOU BACK TO NEARLY THE POSITION YOU WERE BEFORE THE LOSS But with the branding Royal Exchange is doing, the publicity we are doing, we are getting to the root of the masses. We are doing radio programme to educate the masses. The National Insurance Commission is also campaigning to increase awareness. I think with time, everybody will know better and it will improve.

What are the benefits of these policies?

If you insure your house, you are covering your house against loss of damage by fire and destruction of different construction losses. Loss from strike, riots can also be extended. If there is any damage, you stand to get covered. Climate change is also causing a lot of issues such as environmental pollution, typhoons and flooding. That is why the need for you to insure your house and properties against such perils is important. If any loss occurs, the insurance company will compensate and take you back to nearly the

position you were before the loss. There are cases of collapsed buildings in Lagos and some parts of the country, and all over the world. It is only in Nigeria that when those buildings collapse, there is no insurance. In other parts of the world, there is insurance.

The government has made it compulsory for all public buildings to be insured. In the case of third party damage, it is not for you to recover your property, but for the third party that may be affected.

What is the impact of no premium no cover regime?

Insurance companies in the country are thankful to NAICOM for coming out with this. It is tough for the industry but it is a welcome development. For any policy that is made, it is for the interest of the entire insurance industry. For Royal Exchange, it is a welcome development and at the end of the day, it is in the interest of the entire insurance industry. If we continue giving covers for free or on credit, at the end of the day, you will keep pilling up debts in your book, and it can lead to the collapse of insurance industry.

With this development, we are heading for a bigger, better, and recognised industry, not only in Nigeria, but Africa in general.

Has the policy in anyway reduced business underwriting?

It has not for now; but you cannot book businesses on credit, it has to be as when due. The only thing we are experiencing today is if a client is supposed to pay you now, but he is unable to pay in full premium, you can agree to “prorated covers”; you give him a cover for three months, he pays for three month. Before the expiration of the three months, he will pay you the remaining premium and you can extend the cover. Unlike before when he had not been able to pay you in full and you put the figure in your book, expecting him to pay you. This is not a clean book because if you are carrying debt in your book and you can’t get the money, it is going to be a problem for the industry.

38

Insurance

Tuesday, Ju;y 2, 2013

Insurance industry has 3,500 professionals in Nigeria MESHACK IDEHEN

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he President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, (CIIN), Mr. Fatai Lawal has said Nigeria has only 3,500 insurance professionals out of a population of over 160 million, Lawal said that the figure is very poor, considering that the only way the industry can get insurance to penetrate every nook and cranny of the country is to get more people involved as crusaders and vanguards.

Speaking on how to promoting insurance education in Nigeria recently, he said the industry can only create the necessary awareness when people are educated on the subject, explaining the less than optimal financial literacy in Nigeria is at the cause of poor patronage of financial services.

He said his tenure as president of CIIN shall focus attention on the empowerment of selected institutions offering insurance programmes to enhance their capacity to offer quality education and reinforcement of activities including at the College of Insurance and Financial Management.

According to him, “Strengthening the professional qualification of the institute for global relevance, completion of the restructuring of the institute’s secretariat to en-

Lawal

hance its service delivery, greater attention to funding and prudent management of the institute’s resources, resolution of the Victoria Island Building Project and promotion of the Insurance Industry Consultative Forum.

“These institutions will be accredited by the CIIN based on their capacity to deliver quality insurance education. The institute will support these institutions in books, infrastructure, scholarship, and exposure to international seminars to ensure access to latest information about insurance.

“Luckily, in recent time, the Federal Government has approved insurance as a subject in secondary schools. The institute will provide the necessary support for the Ministry of Education to actualise the

scheme one of which will be in the area of production of text books for this course and provision of training facilities for insurance teachers.

He further said the institute has conducted the examination over the years, producing associates and fellows that are unquestionable in skills and character noting that the institute needs to move a step further by ensuring that its associates could trade their certificates for the well-known Associateship Diploma of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London, even if it means just writing one paper, adding the on-going discussions with the CII London would be pursued to a logical end.

“It would interest you to know that CIIN is the only professional body conducting insurance examinations in the whole of Africa except South Africa. We should be a centre that others can log on to.

Because we had always thought that our certificate is needed only in Nigeria, we have not been able to explore this viable option and a gaping opportunity to expand our horizon.

“The point also needs to be made that because of globalisation, the institute should be able to give its qualifiers the freedom to move around anywhere in the world and, I think this is good for every professional with his or her bidding”, he added.

Lost adjusters urge FG to build more forensic labs

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he President of the Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN), Mr. Lebi Omoboyowa, said the institute is calling on the Federal Government to build more forensic laboratories in the country.

He said the situation where only one science laboratory exists in Nigeria affects the quality of work of forensic experts in arriving at accurate judgments following investigations.

Speaking in Lagos recently, Omoboyowa said there is only one forensic laboratory in the country which is the science laboratory at Oshodi, Lagos, noting in advanced countries, that there are other forensic laboratories, such as accounting, engineering and others.

On the promotion of professionalism among loss adjusters, Omoboyowa said ILAN members have begun to improve themselves by going for local and international trainings while they also network with their professional colleague.

He noted that the idea of holding meetings in the underwriters’ office has gone; explaining adjust-

ers must have their own office and necessary equipment so that at the end, an accurate result is produced without time being wasted.

“The objectives of the institute are to establish and sustain a professional body of practising loss adjusters in Nigeria and engage in activities that will ensure the general welfare and well-being of insurance loss adjusters and to take necessary actions for the advancement of education in the field of loss adjusting in Nigeria.

“It is being pursued by establishing and maintaining institutions, libraries, schools, and recreation centres for the succour, assistance or education of its members, and the public in Nigeria in loss adjusting.

“It also includes applying the funds of the institute in the purchase of proprietary or other interests and the establishment of projects the proceeds of which shall be appropriated wholly and entirely for charitable purposes and public wellbeing of Loss Adjusters in Nigeria.”

He said as part of their code of conduct, a loss adjuster must not

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health Insurance: How to communicate with your insurance company

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nowing your insurance benefits and communicating effectively can increase your chances of having equipment and services covered and reimbursed by your insurance. The following are helpful hints for dealing with your insurance company.

Be confident when calling your insurance company- As a valued customer, you have the right to receive complete information regarding your health benefits. Your insurance company’s customer service representatives are there to assist you. Part of their job includes answering questions to your satisfaction.

Communicate clearly and calmly- Remember that your ultimate goal is to get coverage for what you and your baby need.

If you are met with resistance, simply restate your request.

Don’t give up. Don’t take “No” for an answer- If you have tried discussing your request with your health plan’s customer service representative, but are not satisfied with how your insurance matter was handled, ask to speak to: a Supervisor in the customer service department or the manager or director of customer service or member services.

Know your benefits.

Health insurance plans can be confusing. However, you are responsible for knowing what benefits you are entitled to un-

der your policy. If you do not fully understand something, ask your insurance representative or your employer’s benefits administrator.

Keep track of all communications with your insurance company- Be sure to keep detailed, written records of each conversation you have with your insurance company representatives. Record the date the conversation took place, the first and last names of the representative with whom you spoke and make notes regarding any information that was provided to you. Also, remember to keep copies of all written correspondence that has taken place between you and your insurer.

Follow up in writing after speaking with a health plan representative on the phone. Keep your correspondence simple and to the point. Include relevant dates, names of representatives with whom you spoke and what they told you. Also, be sure to include your name, policy number and any other identifying information.

Carefully follow the steps outlined by your health plan for requesting prior authorization, submitting claims or filing appeals- Not following these steps may result in a delay in processing or a denial of your request for coverage.

Source: www.medelabreastfeedingus.com

Tips for working with insurance brokers

I

Omoboyowa

accept nor give secret commission in connection with his profession, must not accept any part of the profits or the professional work of a solicitor or any commission or bonus thereon, nor shall he be actively engaged in any firm of insurance broking, insurance agency or underwriting; shall not directly or indirectly accept from an auctioneer, broker or agent, any part or proportion of any remuneration commission or bonus on the charges payable to such auctioneer, broker or agent.

f you are in the market for new insurance or about to make a claim, then you will need to work with an insurance broker. For most people, this is a new or unfamiliar experience. Here are tips on how you can have an effective working relationship with an insurance broker.

Know what you need-Before working with an insurance company, you should have a clear idea of your needs. Whether you are interested in purchasing an insurance policy or are trying to get money from an insurance company, you should know how much coverage you want or how much you want the insurance company to pay. Similarly, you should convey how much you are capable of paying for insurance or damage that may have occurred. By knowing where you firmly stand, you will be able to clearly convey your needs, which will strengthen your bargaining position.

Talk to multiple insurance brokers-Additionally, if you are shopping for a new insurance policy, you should consider speaking with multiple insurance brokers. You can then compare quotes, and are in a better negotiating position, since insurance brokers will likely lower your rates or increase the return on your policy to make a sale.

Know what documentation you will need to file a claimFinally, you should ask the insurance broker questions about what documentation you will need to file a claim, even if you are only in the market to purchase an insurance policy.

Knowing what burden of proof you must meet to get money from an insurance claim can help you to decide between policies. It will also help you to swiftly obtain money when injury or damage has occurred.

Source:www.ask.com

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Index begins H2 in negative note, gains 28.8% in H1 JOHNSON OKANLAWON AND DAMILOLA AJAYI

T

rading in equities began the second half of the year on negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as the All Share Index lost 0.92 per cent to close at 36, 164.31 points.

However, the index gained 28.8 per cent in first half of the year, buoyed by increasing participation of local investors in the market.

Also, market capitalisation rose by N2.55trn to close at 11.4trn on Friday, from the opening figure of N8.87trn on January 3, the first trading day of the year.

Lotus Islamic Index led the sectorial indices with 42.3 per cent to close at 2,517.57 points, followed by

the NSE 30-index with 27.4 per cent to close at 1,701.93 points.

The Consumer Goods index increased by 21.4 per cent to close at 1,018.47 points, while the Banking index was up by 18.5 per cent to close at 402.34 points.

The Insurance Index appreciated by 16.9 per cent to close at 138.52 points, while the Oil and Gas index increased by 12.2 per cent to close at 171.54 points.

The index would have performed even better in the period under review, but the bearish run in the last two weeks dragged the index downwards.

Speaking on the performance, the Managing Director of Trust Yields Securities Limited, Alhaji Rasheed Yussuff attributed the result to good corporate

actions from companies, return of local investors to the market and good corporate governance maintained by the companies.

Local investors have piled into Nigeria’s stock market, accounting for 57 per cent of trades in March, compared with 39 per cent in all of 2012.

Net foreign inflows into Nigerian equities amounted to N29.3bn in March, compared with N93.8bn in 2012, according to the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms. Arunma Oteh, last week said that despite the downturn recorded towards the end of the second quarter, the Nigerian capital market did very well in the first half of the year.

Trading of non-listed securities begins today JOHNSON OKANLAWON

A

n alternative securities trading market for non-listed securities open today.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos yesterday, the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr. Suleyman Ndanusa, said the market will create more opportunities for investors to trade.

According to him, the commission primary aim of introducing the NASD Over The Counter (OTC) market is to further deepen the capital market by increasing listings, and also creating more opportunities for investors to participate in the market.

He said, “The NASD OTC market is therefore of interest to the SEC and when fully operational, will function

to expand opportunities for all market participants, investors and for the rapid development of the economy.

“In particular, it will offer the opportunity for trading on wide range of instruments including unlisted securities and derivatives like options and futures.

This will further deepen the Nigerian Capital Market; bringing about healthy competition that will make for openness and greater transparency and efficiency in our markets.”

He noted that a credible and stable capital market is one of the basic preconditions for a vibrant economy, saying that the lunch of the NASD OTC is a major building block for the rapid transformation of the economy via the provision of stable long term funding for industries and infrastructure.

Ndanusa, who pointed

out that the G-20 and the European Union have introduced changes to its derivative market that institutionalize more transparency and liquidity, said it is expected that such reforms could impact on volumes of business traded on OTCs, product offerings, pricing, market liquidity and even the type of trade venues.

“The launch, though long-awaited is a step in the right direction. The commission’s continuous support is embedded in its dual functions of regulation and development.

“This underscores its critical concerns for transparency, protection of investors, requirements for a strong, healthy and robust capital market and dematerialisation,” he said.

The Managing Director of NASD Plc, Mr. Bola Ajomale said the company

Hiers Holdings commits $2.5bn to power sector

A

s part of his commitment to deliver affordable and accessible power to the continent, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu is committing U$2.5bn to the power sector in Africa.

The investment is being made through his pan-African proprietary investment company Heirs Holdings – the single largest investor included in the

Capital Market

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

White House statement announcing the Power Africa initiative.

Power Africa is a multistakeholder partnership between the United States, the governments of Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Ethiopia, and the African private sector, with the shared objective of accelerating investment in Africa’s power sector over the next five years.

The initiative was launched in South Africa during Obama’s town hall at the University of Cape Town.

Earlier this year, Elumelu’s holding company, through the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), purchased the Ughelli power plant, one of Nigeria’s largest power assets, which it plans to restore to its full generat-

She said that indicators in the market showed that the market would likely close positive at the end of the year, as investors were still showing increased interest in the market.

“The market has done very well in the first-half of the year. The market capitalisation of the listed equities hit a new height of N12.85tn last month and it still remains among the top 10 best performing markets of the world.

“We see the market doing better even up till the end of the year, because the opportunities in the Nigerian market are vast, and investors, especially the portfolio investors are looking for where to invest their funds to earn good returns,”she said.

She added that the regulators are coming up with a lot of initiatives meant to reposition the market to play its role in the development of the economy.

39

Source: NSE NIBOR QUOTES 28 JUNE 2013 & 1 JULY 2013 16.00

15.00

14.00

13.00

12.00

11.00

10.00

9.00

8.00

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 28,956.83 points Market capitalisation 9,254trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS

vision is to harness trading in West Africa.

He said, “We want to be the hub of first cal in capital market activities, provide platform for shareholders to get information on last deal, price, range of assets class, financial performance and opportunities for shareholders to sell their shares.”

Ajomale, who said the company offer opportunity to buy and sell non-listed securities in an organised and transparent market, pointed out that there is possibility of getting liquidity for shares that are not listed on the NSE. For the issuers, he said large corporate companies with a history of good performance and corporate governance will be able to showcase their performance and deliver better value to their shareholders by providing them with liquidity. ing capacity of 1000 megawatts.

“The investment we are making demonstrates our intent to become a significant player in the power sector. It also shows in a clear and meaningful way that African capital can and should be part of the solution to Africa’s challenges. We need more African companies to step up and get involved in Africa’s development” Elumelu said on the development.

COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

UTC

0.60

0.66

0.06

10.00

ABCTRANS

1.01

1.11

0.10

9.90

AGLEVENT

1.40

1.53

0.13

9.29

ETERNA

3.15

3.40

0.25

7.94

BETAGLAS

9.50

10.00

0.50

5.26

IHS

2.00

2.10

0.10

5.00

UNITYBNK

0.62

0.65

0.03

4.84

REDSTAREX

4.80

4.99

0.19

3.96

NEIMETH

1.37

1.40

0.03

2.19

UAC-PROP

14.51

14.81

0.30

2.07

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CAP

53.91

48.52

5.39

-10.00

CUTIX

2.02

1.85

0.17

-8.42

NAHCO

7.27

6.66

0.61

-8.39

DNMEYER

1.45

1.34

0.11

-7.59

PRESCO

40.89

38.00

2.89

-7.07

LIVESTOCK

5.45

5.11

0.34

-6.24

FLOURMILL

85.00

80.00

5.00

-5.88

UACN

57.00

54.12

2.88

-5.05

HONYFLOUR

3.50

3.33

0.17

-4.86

WEMABANK

1.22

1.18

0.04

-3.28

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

34,888.90

12.88

24-Jan-13

182-Days

60,000.00

14.94

24-Jan-13

-

-

-

-

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

133-Days

95,617.20

10.24

4-Jul-13

121-Days

40,996.60

10.50

4-Jul-13

-

-

-

-

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$300m

N/A

$300m

1-Jul-13

$300m

N/A

$300m

26-Jun-13

40

Capital Market

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at July 1, 2013 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 man rights record, urging state governors to refrain from further signing of execution warrants of death row inmates.

Speaking through its High Representative, Catherine Ashton, the EU noted that the execution went against the commitment repeatedly made by the Nigerian authorities most recently at the EU-Nigeria human rights dialogue held in Abuja in March and at the annual Ministerial meeting in Brussels in May, to maintain the de facto moratorium on executions.

She was emphatic that “executions can never be justified.” Her words: “I reiterate the longstanding opposition of the European Union to the use of the death penalty and recall the importance of UN Resolutions calling for the establishment of a moratorium as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty.”

“I urge the Nigerian authorities to refrain from further executions and urge state governors not to sign execution warrants. I call on Nigeria to join the strong abolitionist trend which prevails on the African continent. As a first step towards abolition, I strongly encourage Nigeria to amend her legislation in order to end the use of the death penalty as sole sentence for a number of crimes,” Ashton added.

The question against the backdrop of the condemnations is: Was Oshiomhole wrong to have signed the death warrants even when the country’s law recognises capital punishment for heinous crimes like the one committed by the foursome?

A political school of thought is of the view that the Edo State governor has not acted ultra vires, as Section 33 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.”

Again, section 12(1) of the same Constitution provides that “No treaty between the Federation and any other country shall have force of law except to the extent to which any such treaty has been enacted into law by the National Assembly.”

These imply that where any of the treaties has not been enacted by the National Assembly, it only has the force of persuasion and not law. And even where the National Assembly has taken further steps to enact the above treaties into law, such law still remain invalid by the virtue of section 1 (3) of the Constitution which provides that “If any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail, and that other law shall to the extent of the inconsistency be void.”

This perhaps explains Oshiomhole’s standpoint. He averred that the convicts deserved to die, and that he has no apology over his stance which he said was in exercise of his duty as governor.

Defending his position in a recent interview, Oshiomhole said even with the choice of exercising his prerogative of mercy on the convicts, he had chosen not to do so, given the nature of the offence of Agbomien and Nsofor whose convictions, he pointed out, were upheld by the Supreme Court.

He said: “God can have mercy on them, but I am unable, having regard to the overall circumstances of the case, namely, killing and dismembering the body of your victim and wanting to sell some of the

Adoke

Falana

Politics of death warrant parts and you ask me in the name of human rights to let him live. I am convinced that those people need to die. In the interest of the society, they need to die under the law. The rule of law is different from resolutions by some NGOs and nations are not governed by NGO resolutions.

“As a governor, I subscribed to an oath of office which says that I shall obey the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including all laws without fear or favour. I cannot be afraid to sign the death warrant of a man who has been found guilty of murder.

“I have no apologies; I didn’t sentence them to death. I am not the one who accused them; they were accused by those they harassed. They have been tried, they have taken advantage of the appellate courts all the way to the Supreme Court and they were found guilty. The law also says that having been found guilty and sentenced to death, the governor could exercise prerogative of mercy, but I say that I have no mercy on those who kill. Why should you compel me to have mercy on those who kill?

“We must have a balanced view of human rights in which the rights, not only of the man they killed, but the right of his relations and much more importantly, to send a clear message to would-be murderers, that when you kill a human being and you are caught, you are likely to die.

If you don’t want to die, then abstain from killing. If criminals abstain from killing, fewer people would be killed by robbers and other murderers and that is the truth.

If you tell me that the man killed and has a right to life, I refuse that. Amnesty should not be hypocritical about it.”

Analysts who shared the governor’s views were quick to add that death penalty deters crime, prevent recidivism and that it is an appropriate form of punishment for the crime of murder. They also argued that even the Mosaic Law recognises death sentence by the rule of “eye for eye and tooth for tooth.”

They justified their position with the fact that about 90 countries still have the death sentence as part of their criminal laws. The United States, Russia, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, India, Egypt, United Arab Emirates top the list.

According to this political school, a

GOD CAN HAVE

MERCY ON THEM, BUT

I AM UNABLE

... I AM CONVINCED THAT THOSE PEOPLE

NEED TO DIE. IN THE INTEREST OF THE

SOCIETY, THEY NEED TO DIE UNDER THE LAW...

I HAVE NO APOLOGIES; I DIDN’T SENTENCE THEM TO DEATH killer should be killed. It therefore called on all governors to exhibit Oshiomhole’s courage and sustain the ongoing effort to confront impunity to sign death warrants.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), who corroborated this view, said last Thursday that governors are under statutory duty to sign death warrants of criminals condemned to death by courts of competent jurisdiction which are piling up on their desks.

The minister, who spoke in Abuja at the 2013 ministerial platform, noted that while the Federal Government was aware of the increasing global campaign against capital punishment, its hands were tied because “offences that carry the capital punishment in the country are state offences created by state laws.”

Adoke said that except such state laws, which created the capital offences and the death penalty, were amended, the Federal Government had no powers to unilaterally abolish the death penalty.

He added that as far as the law stands, criminals on the death row in prison formations do not enjoy prerogative of mercy from the executive.

The AGF stressed that serving governors could not shy away from performing their constitutional duties, noting that death penalty remained part of the nation’s laws and is still active and that the

41

global campaign against it had not metamorphosed into its abolition.

Also, Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, said that the Nigeria’s criminal code being condemned by the Western countries was handed down by them.

Ashiru insisted that Oshiomhole acted within his constitutional responsibilities.

“The constitution is supreme, and the criminal code we follow was handed down to us by the colonial powers at the time. So until the status books are reviewed, until the constitution is reviewed, there is nothing anybody can do. The governor acted within his constitutional powers,” he said.

Chief Orientation and Mobilisation Officer of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Matthew Odonor, who also spoke on the issue at the weekend, described the presidential directive as beneficial to the country.

According to him, signing of death warrants would among other things help to decongest prisons in the country.

Odonor said the country’s legal system recognised death penalty and so it must continue to be practiced, adding that the NOA would soon begin orientating citizens of the country on the importance of maintaining death warrants and other forms of capital punishments.

To him, every country has its cultural values, norms, and laws enshrined in its legal system to preserve and regulate the behaviours of every member of the society. “We have value for human life and our law says that whoever kills must be killed.

This is just the position of our legal system and we should not shy away from doing the right thing. I believe that violent crimes will reduce when those in charge of enforcing our laws start doing what is expected of them.”

But opponents of death sentence on the contrary argued that it does not deter criminals more than life imprisonment; it violates human rights and leads to executions of some who are wrongfully convicted. They further argued that Nigeria being a member of some international organisations has adopted some treaties which make death penalty outdated and not in tune with present day international realities.

These treaties recognise the right of individuals to life. Examples of such treaties include Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1948, which recognises each person’s right to life. Articles 4 and 5 of African Charter also reinforce this inalienable right to life.

Nigeria also ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which provides life imprisonment as the maximum penalty that the court can impose.

The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights described this right as: the right to life is a fundamental right in any society irrespective of its degree of development or the type of culture which characterizes it.

While the argument on capital punishment will continue to rage, the fact remains that there may never be any form of punishment that people will not criticize because lives are involved. However, as it stands, those who disprove of capital punishment in Nigeria would be wasting their time and energy until the National Assembly repeals it from the country’s statute books.

42

Politics THE

PARLIAMENT GEORGE OJI ABUJA

S

enate President David Mark yesterday announced that as a mark of respect for their dead colleague, Senator Pius Akpor Ewherido, the red chamber of the National Assembly would suspend plenary sitting today.

Ewherido died on Sunday at the National Hospital Abuja.

Mark made the disclosure when he led the Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and a host of senators to the residence of the late Ewherido in Asokoro, Abuja, on a condolence visit.

“In line with our tradition and as a mark of respect for our departed colleague, the Senate will suspend plenary tomorrow (today). We share in your bereavement, pains and sorrows at this moment of grief,” Mark told Ewherido’s wife, Doye.

The Senate President urged the members of the Ewherido’s family to continue to have faith in God, stressing that death always subject our faith in God to test.

“As Catholics, it is easy to say the creed that I believe in God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. But when death comes, we question God. This is the time to increase our faith in God.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Ewherido: Senate Suspends sitting today As Mark, Uduaghan visit late Senator’s family

ing been a Deputy Speaker and later an Acting Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.

“In the last two years, he has brought this experience to bear on the floor

of the Senate, we have lost a strong voice in Delta,” he submitted.

Receiving the delegation, the elder brother of the late senator, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ewherido, expressed the family’s gratitude to Mark, Governor

“If there was anything we could have done to save the life of our distinguished colleague, we would have done it but the Lord owns his life,” he counselled.

Also extolling the virtues of the late Ewherido, Delta State governor, Uduaghan described the late Senator as “a strong voice from Delta. He was an experienced lawmaker hav-

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU AND MURITALA AYINLA

Atiku, ACN, Ashafa, Keyamo mourn

F

ormer Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has described the death of Senator Pius Ewherido from Delta Central as a great personal loss to him because the deceased was one of the finest gentlemen he had ever known.

In a condolence message released by his media office in Abuja, the former Vice President recalled that the late Ewherido was a remarkable good, tolerant and patient neighbour, stressing that few men could demonstrate these rare virtues.

According to him, since he had known Ewherido as his neighbour, the gentleman had never approached him to complain about any inconvenience caused him as a result of activities in the houses of his neighbours.

“Losing such a great gentleman,” said Atiku, “was a personally touching experience.”

He said the late Senator’s spirit of good neighbourliness was exemplary, adding that his humility despite the aroma of power and

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

S

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

enator Akpor Pius Ewherido was born into the family of Pa Joseph and Paulina Ewherido on May 4, 1963 in Ughelli, Delta State. The third child in a family of eight, all males, Ewherido had his elementary education at St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Ughelli and Ekwerigbe Primary School, Ozoro, form where he proceeded to the Notre Dame College, Ozoro and Urhobo College, Effurun, all in Delta State. After his secondary education, he proceeded to the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, where he studied Philosophy and emerged the best graduating student of his class.

The senator representing Delta Central on the platform of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, had his compulsory national youth service in the then Ogun State University, now Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, before venturing to a full time business in Warri. At the same time, he enrolled into the University of Benin for Law and was called to the Nigerian Bar after the completion of his law programme and the mandatory Law School programme.

Ewherido began his foray into politics

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, signing the condolence register at the residence of late Senator Pius Ewherido in Abuja yesterday.

wealth didn’t turn his head.

“Anyone that lived peacefully and respectfully with his neighbours without a hint of suppressed grudges must be one in a million, especially in a country like ours where some big men spare no efforts to be noticed,” Atiku further stated.

Also, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has described as a great national loss the death of Ewherido.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the

party commiserated with the family of the senator, his constituency in the Delta Central Senatorial District as well as the entire Senate over his untimely demise.

It said the death of such a man of sterling achievements at the age of 50 is a big blow to all, and that he will be sorely missed.

“We pray that God will strengthen the family he left behind and also grant repose to the soul of the departed,” ACN said.

Speaking on his demise, the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial Dis-

trict, Gbenga Ashafa, described the late Ewherido as a loving neighbour, a soft spoken and indefatigable soldier of democracy.

Ashafa said that he received the news of the his demise with a heavy heart.

He said: “Just last week Sunday, Ewherido among other lawmakers at the National Assembly came to Lagos to commemorate with our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the death of his mother. So, hearing his untimely death is too shocking to bear.

“Senator Ewherido was

The man Pius Ewherido

when he joined the United Nigerian Congress Party, UNCP, in the botched Third Republic. But he made a return to his business after the Third Republic was aborted by the late Gen. Sani Abacha. He returned to politics when he joined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 1998, the platform on which he contested for the Ughelli South state constituency seat in April 1999 into the Delta State House of Assembly.

He was elected the Deputy Speaker when the House convened in 1999 and from May 15, 2000 till March 2001, Ewherido was the leader of the Delta House of Assembly.

He made a return to the House in 2003 and was re-elected the Deputy Speaker, a position he held until the end of the lifespan of the Assembly in 2007.

In 2006, he contested for the governorship of Delta State, but could not progress beyond the primaries and as the 2011 elections approached, he left the PDP for the DPP to contest the Delta Central Senatorial seat.

He was elected the DPP candidate by a very narrow margin, beating his closest rival with 125 votes to 108 and went on to defeat the PDP candidate in the 2011 senatorial election, Amori Ighoyota, by 102,313

Ewherido

to 85,365 votes.

Courageous with leadership qualities and self assurance, the story was told of how he wanted to confront the soldiers who overran and sacked Ughelli in the then Midwest Region as a four-year old, when he allegedly told his elder brother: “Let’s go home, after all, they (soldiers) are men like us.”

During his stint in the Delta State House of Assembly as both acting Speaker and Deputy Speaker, he left indelible mark on

Uduaghan and senators across party lines “for standing by us as this means so much to us.”

“He was your distinguished colleague. I have always been proud of him but am more proud of him in death,” he said. a true Nigeria, a soft spoken seasoned professional, an indefatigable soldier of democracy and a committed, magnanimous brother and motivator.”

Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo, said he received with rude shock and utter surprise the untimely passing away of “my elder brother, friend and leader, Senator Pius Ewherido on Sunday, June 30, 2013 in Abuja.”

Keyamo said as a mark of respect, his political group, the Delta Forces United, will suspend all town-hall meetings for the time being.

In a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday, he said: “Before his untimely death, the distinguished senator shared the same dream with me and my numerous followers to rescue our dear Delta State from the iron-grip of a small clique that continues to appropriate our common patrimony to themselves and their families.

“I eagerly looked forward to working with him one way or the other to realise this dream. But alas!

God had other plans.”

the sands of time. He also did not forget the people whose mandate he held in trust, serving them faithfully and diligently, attracting sizable projects spread all over the nooks and crannies of the constituency.

Acknowledging his contribution to the state constituency, he was honoured by his Urhobo people, as his paternal homestead conferred on him the chieftaincy title of Otemunoruemu of Ewu Kingdom, while his maternal hometown honoured him with the title of Adjerese of Effurun-Otor Kingdom.

He was the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Maritime Transport and also a member of the Senate Committee on Trade and Investment.

Senator Ewherido was an ardent lawn tennis player and a soccer enthusiast, married to Doye Ewherido (nee Bozimo) and the union was blessed with four children, Oghenefejiro, Oghenero, Eguono and Eloho.

An ardent supporter of the emerging merger party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ewherido would probably have flown the flag of the new party in 2015, if he were alive and the party scaled through the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, hurdle.

He died on June 30, 2013 at the National Hospital, Abuja, he was rushed to after he was said to have collapsed in his home.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

THE

PARLIAMENT

State of the Nation Address Bill: Jonathan, lawmakers on collision course

President Goodluck Jonathan last week returned the state of the nation address bill to the National Assembly after its earlier passage and transmission to him for his assent. This development signals a possible confrontation between the President and the parliamentarians, writes GEORGE OJI.

T

he mood of the Senate was visibly opposed to the action of the President last Tuesday. As was the usual practice with the Red Chamber, the day had begun with the filing-in of the presiding and principal officers with the accompanying banters. Some senators, who had some issues had gone to see and brief the presiding officer. Consequently, the Chief Whip called the Senate to order and informed the presiding officer. The votes and proceedings of the previous sitting was read and adopted. Thereafter, the Senate President David Mark proceeded with the reading of the letters to the Senate.

That Tuesday, as was the usual practice, Mark began with the letter from Mr. President. It was entitled, “Re: State of the Nation Address Bill 2013.” There was initial silence when Mark began to read the letter as the lawmakers listened most attentively to assimilate the contents of the communication. But down the line as the President’s message began to sink and as he marshalled out his reasons for objecting to the draft bill one after another, the lawmakers began to chuckle. Some were even murmuring, while yet some others kept saying No! No!! No!!! and Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! in muffled tones.

Immediately the Senate President finished reading the letter and before senators could raise hands to state their observations to the letter, Mark quickly put the letter aside and proceeded to the next ones.

On Thursday of the same last week, the bill was listed for debate in the day’s order paper. Unfortunately, the bill was stood down for another legislative day.

Mark’s reason for his action was that the bill was very important and needed to be discussed on a day the Senate would be in fuller number.

Watchers of the National Assembly believe that the return of the bill by President Jonathan was significant in many ways.

For instance, that was the first time President Jonathan was taking such an action since he became the elected President of the country, including the brief period he acted as the President following the death of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Before now, the practice, which had infuriated the lawmakers so much and had accounted in part to the altercation between them and the President was that after the lawmakers would have gone through the whole hug of rigorous lawmaking process, including extensive debate on bills and public hearing too and passed the bills, and forwarded same to

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Jonathan

the President for his assent, he (President) will simply hold onto the bills without assenting to them or even communicating to the lawmakers to state his reasons for holding unto the bills. At the last count, there were over 16 of such bills unattended to still in the kitty of the President.

But if the truth must be told, the action of President Jonathan last week regarding the state of the nation address bill, even though considered very resentful by some lawmakers, is a sign of better relationship to come. What was more important was that the President did not out rightly reject the bill, but merely stated his observations with aspects of the bill. He made the point very succinctly that if the lawmakers effect the amendments, which he suggested, he would go ahead to append his signature to the bill for it to become law.

However, the observations and concerns raised by the President regarding the bill, no doubt, are critical and farreaching enough to generate broad and robust debate on the bill by the congress and the general public. Such debates will no doubt enrich the legislative process and further strengthen the principles of separation of powers in Nigeria.

Against this background, what needs to be done now is for the issues raised by the president regarding the bill to be thrown open for debate by both the lawmakers and the Nigerian public, particularly those versed in areas of constitutional law.

The state of the nation address bill, makes it mandatory for any sitting president to periodically address a joint sitting of the National Assembly on issues including but not limited to national security, the economy, foreign policy and social justice.

The bill also provides that the president shall be compelled to present such periodic address by the National Assembly through summons should he fail to do as required by the bill.

It, in addition, provides that such address must be delivered in the first week of July after the commencement of every legislative session.

The draft bill states in part: “The Na-

Mark

I AM INCLINED TO ACCEDE TO THE BILL SUBJECT TO THE INCORPORATION OF SOME FUNDAMENTAL AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TO BRING THE BILL IN CONFORMITY WITH THE DICTATES OF THE CONSTITUTION tional Assembly shall have powers to regulate its procedures for this bill, including the procedure for summoning the president to address the state of the nation address.”

But the President in the letter to the two chambers of the National Assembly said he had examined the bill and the objectives for which it is being proposed and drew the attention of the lawmakers to section 67 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which provides as follows: “The President may attend any joint meeting of the National Assembly or any meeting of either House of National Assembly, either to deliver an address on national affairs, including fiscal measures, or to make such statement on the policy of government as he considers to be of national importance.”

In view of the said section 67 of the constitution, Jonathan said he was of the considered opinion that the 1999 Constitution has made ample provision for the kind of address contemplated by the bill and that it will amount to a duplication to enact legislation on the same subject matter.

This, the President further reasoned, would amount to circumscribing his (Jonathan, or indeed any other president’s for that matter) discretion, regarding whether or not the President should attend the joint meeting of the National Assembly or of any meeting or either

House of National Assembly; the time to present the address; his determination of which policy of government is of national importance for the purpose of an address; in addition to the threat of the use of coercive powers in the event of non-compliance.

In view of the foregoing, the President submitted that his humble opinion was that, the bill as presently couched was not only inconsistent with the doctrine of separation of powers but also the letter and spirit of the nation’s constitution.

To demonstrate his intentions and lack of opposition to the bill, Jonathan stated in the letter to the Senate that: “The foregoing notwithstanding, I am inclined to accede to the bill subject to the incorporation of some fundamental amendments proposed to bring the bill in conformity with the dictates of the constitution, especially the discretion conferred on the President by section 67 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.”

Some of the suggested changes the President made included clause 1(20) which he opined should be re-drafted to make it more flexible by substituting it with the following words: “The state of the nation address shall be delivered to a joint sitting of the National Assembly within 30 days of the commencement of the legislative year.”

In the draft bill, the lawmakers specified that the address shall be made on the first week of July of the commencement of the legislative year.

Regarding clause 3 of the draft bill, which purports to empower the National Assembly to summon the President where he decides not to make the address, Jonathan proposed that that clause should be substituted with the clause that accords with the language of the constitution.

Consequently, the wording should read as follows; that, “Where for any reason the President is unable to present an address in accordance with section 1 of this act, the President shall in writing, inform the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives and either; (a) designate the Vice President to present the address on his behalf; or (b) transmit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the text of the address.”

The President further suggested that to ensure symmetry with the above proposed changes as well as give effect to their general intendment, clause 5 of the draft bill should be amended to read: “The National Assembly shall have power to regulate its procedure with respect to the provisions of this act.”

Finally, the President suggested that clause 6 of the draft, which talks about summoning the President should be deleted, as the provision will no longer be consistent with the proposed amendment to clause three above.

As the Senate, albeit, the National Assembly opens debate any time soon on the President’s proposed changes to the state of the nation address bill, it can only be subject to speculation, how the lawmakers would react to the suggestions put forward by the President on the bill.

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Politics

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PDP can’t afford to depart from South-West –Atiku Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar writes on the leadership challenge in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the declining fortune of the party in the South-West.

A

t the onset of the present democratic dispensation, it was clear to the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that the major challenge confronting our nation was the establishment of an enduring democratic platform with a sustainable legitimacy. We were also convinced that such platforms should possess credible internal capacity to produce leaders who will be committed to the public purpose and whose leadership will be informed by a common good and sustained by the popular will of all citizens.

The PDP was conceived as a national party not only because of the desire to provide responsive leadership, but also because it is within such a national party that we can guarantee national harmony, promote human development and safeguard the freedom and dignity of all citizens. The constitution of the party was designed to promote collective leadership that is inclusive and upholds the principles of justice and fair-play without denigrating the legitimacy of dissent.

I have said it and I will continue to say it that the party is headed in the wrong direction as it moves from one crisis to the other. It appears that in the pursuit of our personal ambition, we have continued to trample with impunity on the rights not only of the members, but also on the freedom of Nigerian citizens who deserve a right to choose who should govern them and for how long.

Sometimes, progress involves step-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 be in the mess we are now as a country.

With the directive, are they saying that the President should not appear on television again? Would INEC stop spokesmen of the President from talking? You mean Gulak or the attack dog, Doyin Okupe, should not speak about the government and its activities? Or you mean the Minister of Information should not speak or appear on the NTA? It is a stupid law. And that aspect of the law that should not be there should be expunged by the National Assembly. Once you do that, you give everybody a level playing ground, which is very important in politics What is your take on the state of security in the country as regards the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states?

I will rather ask that you ask the people from Yobe, Adamawa and Borno states what they are encountering and if it has solved the problem. As far as I am concerned, the military is not telling us the truth. You will see that the state of emergency was declared for the purpose of manipulating information for people to think that we have security now because nothing is happening. There is no improvement in relation to the declaration of the state of emergency.

The reality on the ground is that there is no improvement in the security situation.

ping backwards. In the South-West, this is such a moment for the Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDP became a very strong political party in the South-West as a result of the efforts and commitment of leaders who commanded the respect of the generality of the people of the South West.

By the year 2009, the party had five of the six governors in the zone, 14 of the 18 Senators, 46 out of the 71 House of Representatives seat, 102 members of the State Houses of Assembly, and 115 local governments. Members of the PDP also occupied all commissionership and special adviser positions, in addition to all statutory board membership.

However, the fortunes of the PDP in the South-West took a startling reverse from 2011 such that today, the party has no governor in the region, has only one senator, seven members of the House of Representatives and only 18 members in all the State Houses of Assembly. Of course, not a single local government administration is PDP-controlled in the entire region.

It is not only in the interest of PDP, but indeed that of the nation that this trend be reversed.

As a founding member of the PDP, the prevailing situation of the party in the

THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PARTY MUST HAVE ABANDONED THE PARTY AND NEGOTIATED THE VICTORY OF THE

PRESIDENT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PARTY

Atiku

South-West is very disturbing.

I am sure that our party didn’t come to this sorry state in the region because the party men failed to deliver good governance to the people. Landmarks of achievements by PDP governments dot the region.

It still remains a paradox to me how the presidential candidate of the party would win massively in all but one state of the South-West, yet the party failed to produce a single state governor in the region and could only produce 18 state Assembly members in the same election. My experience in politics tells me that this paradox can only be explained in one way that is the leadership of the party must have abandoned the party and negotiated the victory of the President at the expense of the party.

Recent events have shown that the leadership of the party has demonstrated insufficient sincerity in resolving the numerous crises which are pitching the par-

ty members against themselves. Political manoeuvring that relies on the politics of patronage and arbitrary application of sanctions will not sustain the popular will of the people through which the party can recover the lost ground.

A group of concerned professionals with PDP interest from the South-West carried out a study in which a state-bystate analysis of the crises in the party was made. The body made far-reaching recommendations in their document which was submitted to the leadership of the party. If the party leadership had paid attention to some of their recommendations, the outcome of the election in Ondo State could probably have been different.

It will be useful for the incoming SouthWest Executive Committee to study this report and prepare a blueprint for the reversal of the dwindling fortunes of the party in the region.

The eloquent silence of respected leaders on the various crises is a disturbing sign which leaves majority of the members confused.

The national leadership of the party needs to respect the democratic wishes of party members in the zone and discourage the deliberate creation of factions, and upturning the results of duly conducted elections at the various congresses and the national convention.

In all we do, the adherence to the constitution of the party in the conduct of the party’s affairs is the only hope for sustaining the existence and legitimacy of the party. Also, the legitimacy of the party can only be sustained if the provision of the welfare needs of Nigerian citizen takes precedent in the heart of the leaders rather than primordial politicking.

There is need to reverse the declining trend of PDP in the South-West. PDP cannot afford to depart from the South-West.

‘President Jonathan is small-minded over NGF crisis’ THERE ARE ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE THE

NORTH SUBTLY OR OTHERWISE. THAT IS VERY TRUE BECAUSE BILLIONS OF NAIRA

ARE CHANGING HANDS, PEOPLE ARE BEING GIVEN APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THE NORTH

Mohammad

Besides, security is not about the prevalence of violence. Are you comfortable moving around; is your house secured, are the children, patients in hospitals, schools and other higher institutions of learning in the country secured? There is no security. Nigeria has never seen this kind of lawlessness since the time of the civil war.

Your party has been deregistered by INEC; are you considering merging with other parties?

That decision would be taken by the

SHOULD BE HUMILIATED leadership of the party. I don’t take such decision. When INEC was planning to deregister us, they gave us pass mark as the most democratic party in the country in terms of internal democracy. I know Prof.

Attahiru Jega has taken the deregistration of my party personal because I have been attacking him because I don’t think he is competent for the job. I have a stake in Nigeria and I have spent my entire working life in public life.

One had expected you to be one of the major supporters of President Jonathan given your relationship with him, especially in helping him to secure a job. Why are you not supporting him?

I have no regrets recommending him for the position of an Assistant Director of Ecology at the OMPADEC. One, I believed that he was minimally qualified.

Two, he comes from an educationally disadvantaged area in the old Rivers State. I believed people who come from that area ought to be given consideration when it came to recruitment in OMPADEC. So, I recommended him for the post of an Assistant Director of Ecology. The chairman of the commission then was Kalabari; Ijaws and Kalabaris are like first cousins, he wanted to make his brother the Assistant Director of Ecology but I opposed to it. So, that is the end of the story, my own candidate, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became the Assistant Director and later he became something greater but do not blame me for what he turned out to be: deputy governor, governor, vice president and president. I recommended him and I stand by my recommendation.

Don’t expect me to look for favour from Jonathan. I criticise him base on facts, principle and out of pure conscience.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

45

World News

Wildfire kills 19 US firefighters in Arizona

46

“We are recovering from the worst economic crisis for the best part of a century. The last thing we need now is massive levels of uncertainty in the business community” –SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE PRO-EU LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, VINCE CABLE

Egypt’s army gives Morsi 48 hours to solve crisis PAUL ARHEWE,

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

E

gypt’s powerful armed forces issued a virtual ultimatum to Islamist President Mohamed Morsi yesterday, calling on the nation’s feuding politicians to agree on an inclusive roadmap for the country’s future within 48 hours.

A dramatic military statement broadcast on state television declared the nation was in danger after millions of Egyptians took to the streets on Sunday to demand that Morsi quit and the headquarters of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood were ransacked.

“If the demands of the people are not realized within the defined period, it will be incumbent upon (the armed forces)... to announce a road map for the future,” said the statement by chief-of-staff General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. It was followed by patriotic music.

The people had expressed their will with unprecedented clarity in the mass demonstrations and wasting more time would only increase the danger of division and violence, he said.

The army said it would oversee the implementation of the roadmap it sought “with the participation of all factions and national parties, including young people”, but it would not get directly involved in politics or government.

Anti-Morsi demonstrators

Supporters of Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi standing in formation with sticks as they prepare to protect the presidential PHOTO: AP palace with protective equipment in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday.

outside the presidential palace cheered the army statement, and the main opposition National Salvation Front, which has demanded a national unity government for months, applauded the military’s move.

It was the second time in just over a week that the armed forces had issued a formal warning to the politicians, and it appeared to pile pressure on Morsi to concede power-sharing with the liberal, secular and left-wing opposition.

After the destruction of its offices, the Brotherhood which operated underground until the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in

2011, said it was considering how best to defend itself.

Cities were quiet after Sunday’s mass rallies that were bigger than anything seen since the Arab Spring uprising. But the ransacking of the Brotherhood’s office highlighted deepening political polarization, prompting the movement to talk of acting in self-defence.

Five non-Brotherhood government ministers tendered their resignations from the cabinet, apparently in sympathy with the protesters, underlining a sense of isolation for the party that won a series of elections last year.

“Both sides are still in their trenches,” a senior European diplomat said just before the military statement.

Cairo’s Tahrir Square was filling again in late afternoon, with thousands of people gathering for a second day.

For those who declared the protests a continuation of the revolution that toppled Mubarak, images of young men waving national flags at the scorched and shattered windows of the Brotherhood compound recalled the fall of Mubarak’s ruling party offices, whose charred hulk still looks out over the Nile.

In a speech on the last leg of his Africa tour, the US president said Tanzania had the potential to transform the region.

Trade is expected to top the agenda as he holds talks with business leaders.

Asked whether the US had done enough to help the continent, he said: “Ultimately the

goal here is for Africa to build Africa for Africans.

“Our job is to be a partner in the process and Tanzania has been one of our best partners.”

Obama has been faulted for lacking a grand programme and many Africans have been disappointed at what they see as his lack of engagement with the continent, despite his African ancestry.

The president said he wanted to move away from traditional forms of international development and work more closely with businesses in Africa.

BBC reported that American influence can be found in Tanzanian sport, music and fashion.

“We are looking at a new model that’s based not just on aid and assistance but on trade and partnership,” he said.

“Increasingly what we want to do is use whatever moneys that

we’re providing to build capacity.”

Examples he gave included investment in health systems, food self-sufficiency and sustainable power sources.

During his first visit to Tanzania, Obama will also visit an USowned power plant following his announcement over the weekend of a multi-billion-dollar electricity initiative.

The $7bn (£4.6bn) five-year initiative is intended to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, in partnership with African countries and the private sector.

He made the announcement at South Africa’s University of Cape Town after the US first family had visited Robben Island, the former jail where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his 27 years in captivity during his fight against the apartheid regime.

Obama backs new model for Africa during visit to Tanzania

U

S President Barack Obama has said he wants a “new model” for development during his first visit to Tanzania.

Obama and his family were greeted by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and troupes of dancers as they arrived in the main city of Dar es Salaam.

L-R: Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete and U.S. President Barack Obama greeting Tanzanians during an official welcoming ceremony in Dar Es Salaam, yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS

WORLD BULLETIN

Mandela remains in hospital, condition unchanged

Ailing anti-apartheid leader and former South African President Nelson Mandela remained in hospital yesterday in a “critical but stable” condition, the government said.

Mandela has been in a Pretoria hospital for more than three weeks receiving treatment for a recurring lung infection, his fourth hospitalization in six months.

The faltering health of the 94-yearold, a figure admired globally as a symbol of struggle against injustice and racism, has reinforced a realization that the father of the post-apartheid South Africa will not be around forever.

While he lies in hospital, many South Africans are looking ahead to his 95th birthday on July 18.

“We must all be able to do something good for humanity on this day in tribute to our former President,” President Jacob Zuma said in a statement.

Mandela’s health also dominated a two-day visit to South Africa by U.S. President Barack Obama over the weekend.

UN’s Mali peace force begins operations The United Nations is beginning its military mission in Mali by bringing the 6,000 West African troops already in the country under its command.

By December it will reach full strength with 12,640 uniformed personnel.

The UN will take over security duties from the French forces which led an operation to oust Islamist militants from the north in January.

Its first mission will be to secure the north so that Mali can hold a presidential election on 28 July.

Taking advantage of a coup in March 2012, an al-Qaeda group and its allies took control of the north of Mali, including major cities such as Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu where they imposed a strict form of Islamic law.

Mugabe’s party criticises Obama

The Zimbabwe president’s party says U.S. President Barack Obama’s calls for more democratic reforms ahead of elections in this southern African nation are “hypocritical.”

Zimbabwe state radio reported Monday that Christopher Mutsvangwa, a former ambassador to China appointed by President Robert Mugabe, said Obama, currently visiting Africa, voiced “a sinister plan” to influence Zimbabwe’s elections to oust longtime ruler Mugabe, 89.

Speaking in Cape Town Sunday, Obama criticized Zimbabwe for bad governance and said the country is unlikely to have fair elections later this month due to fear and insecurity among voters and bias by the police and military.

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World News

WORLD BULLETIN

New Australian PM packs cabinet with women

New Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has unveiled his cabinet, bringing in a record number of women and switching the focus to the economy.

“I am delighted that in this cabinet of ours we will have the largest number of women in any cabinet in Australian history,” Rudd announced yesterday.

Rudd had wrested back the leadership of the Labor Party on Wednesday, three years after losing it to intra-party rival Julia Gillard.

But with Labor trailing badly in the polls, the party dumped Gillard and has seen an immediate popularity bounce.

Victorian senator Jacinta Collins enters the cabinet as minister for mental health, Catherine King will be minister for regional Australia and Julie Collins takes the portfolios of housing, homeless and the status of women.

The number of women in the cabinet climbs from nine under Gillard to 11.

Rudd said the appointments were made purely on merit, not gender, and pledged to boost the economy.

‘Iran arrests Slovak tourists over photos’

Iranian judicial authorities have opened an investigation into eight Slovak citizens, arrested on suspicion of taking photographs of “restricted areas”, Iranian media reported yesterday.

Slovak media reported last week that a group of Slovak tourists had been arrested three weeks earlier and accused of taking aerial photographs, including some of military installations, from hang gliders.

Some Slovak reports said they had been paragliding.

Iran has repeatedly levelled accusations of espionage against foreign nationals and Iranians in recent years. Last year, an IranianAmerican Amir Hekmati was sentenced to death for spying for the CIA but judges overturned the decision and ordered a retrial.

“Nine people, including eight Slovak citizens and one Iranian have been arrested ... for bringing illicit equipment into Iran in pieces and using it illegally,” Mehr news agency quoted judiciary spokesman GholamHossein Mohseni-Ejei as saying.

U.N. nuclear chief warns of dirty bomb threat More action is needed to stop militants acquiring plutonium or highly-enriched uranium that could be used for atomic bombs, nuclear experts and government officials said yesterday.

Speaking at a meeting in Vienna, Yukiya Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warned against a “false sense of security” over the danger of nuclear terrorism.

Amano, holding up a small lead container said to have been was used try to traffic highly enriched uranium in the former Soviet Republic of Moldova two years ago, said it showed a “worrying level of knowledge on the part of the smugglers”.

“This case ended well,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot be sure if such cases are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wildfire kills 19 US firefighters in Arizona A t least 19 US firefighters have been killed battling a wildfire in central Arizona, local officials said in a report from the BBC, yesterday.

They died while fighting the blaze threatening the town of Yarnell, about 80 miles (130km) northwest of Phoenix.

The fire was started by lightning on Friday and spread rapidly amid high heat, low humidity and strong winds. At least 200 homes were burned.

Arizona and other parts of the western US - including California - had near-record temperatures over the weekend.

US President Barack Obama said the firefighters were heroes who had “put themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens”.

Arizona Senator John McCain said the families of the dead firefighters were in the thoughts and prayers of all Americans.

“This devastating loss is a reminder of the grave risks our firefighters take every day on our behalf in Arizona and in communities across this nation. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he said in a statement.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said it could take “days or longer” to reveal how the deaths occurred.

“This is as dark a day as I can remember,” she said.

“It has been confirmed that 19 wildland firefighters have lost their lives on the Yarnell Hill fire Arizona,” the US Wildland Fire Aviation said in a statement.

The firefighters were part of a specially trained “hotshot” unit who had battled other wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona in recent weeks, officials say.

They were forced to deploy emergency tent-like structures meant to shield them from flames

Toby Schultz laying flowers at the gate of the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew fire station.

after becoming trapped and “something drastic” happened, said Dan Fraijo, fire chief in the nearby city of Prescott.

“One of the last fail-safe methods a firefighter can do is literally to dig as much as they can down and cover themselves with a protective fire-resistant material, with the hope that the fire will burn over the top of them and they can survive it,” he said.

“Under certain conditions there’s usually only sometimes a 50% chance that they survive.

It’s an extreme measure that’s taken under the absolute worst conditions.”

Fire chief Dan Fraijo: “They were the finest most dedicated people” Two other members of the elite unit who suffered severe burns have been flown to a burn treatment centre in Phoenix.

Dwight Devlin from the Arizona Sheriff ’s Office told the BBC that the firefighters were carrying fire blankets but they were

ineffective in this case.

“Some were actually found with those blankets over them but unfortunately it appears the flames and the heat were too much,” he said.

Devlin added that they were on their way on foot to an area where they had been directed to clear brush to prevent the spread of the fire.

The tragedy is the worst in a wildfire since 1933, when at least 25 firemen died battling a fire in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.

Some 200 firefighters are still battling the fast-moving wildfire, which has grown to 1,000 acres.

Additional reinforcements have been called in.

The western US states are baking under an extended heatwave, with high temperatures threatening to spark more wildfires. Stav Danaos explains why.

The blaze has forced the evacuation of local residents.

An estimated 200 homes were destroyed in Yarnell, the Associ-

Putin tells Snowden to stop US secrets leak

R

ussian President Vladimir Putin has told fugitive former CIA-analyst Edward Snowden to stop leaking US secrets if he wants to remain in the country.

He said Moscow had never extradited anyone before and “has no intention to do so”, adding Snowden was free to go if granted asylum elsewhere.

Snowden

Edward Snowden, 30, is believed to be holed up in a Moscow airport hotel.

The US wants to prosecute him over the leaking of thousands of classified intelligence documents.

The leaks have led to revelations that the US is systematically seizing vast amounts of phone and web data under an NSA programme known as Prism.

Meanwhile, former US President George W. Bush has weighed in on the Edward Snowden saga, telling CNN the former National Security Agency contractor threatened the security of U.S. citizens by leaking information about the surveillance program his administration created after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

“I know he damaged the country,” Bush said in an interview from Zambia, where he and his

wife, Laura, are on a humanitarian mission. “The Obama administration will deal with it. I think he damaged the security of the country.”

Furthermore, Rafael Correa, Ecuador’s president, has said his country will take a “sovereign decision” to consider US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden’s request for asylum, but added that his fate is not in the hands of Ecuadorians.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Correa said Ecuador could not take any steps because Snowden was not on Ecuadorian soil and had not approached an Ecuadorian embassy.

The former National Security Agency freelance analyst is believed to be in Moscow’s international airport and is wanted by the US for leaking confidential information about a surveillance programme called PRISM.

PHOTO: AP

ated Press reported, almost half the properties in the town.

In recent days, dozens of people across western US states have been treated for exhaustion and dehydration, as the heat wave continues.

Spying allegations threaten EU-US trade pact –Hollande

F

rench President Francois Hollande has said allegations that the US bugged European embassies could threaten a huge planned EU-US trade deal.

He said there could be no negotiations without guarantees that spying would stop “immediately”.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said he did not know the truth of the claims but sought to down play them.

Meanwhile, Russian and US security agencies are reportedly discussing how to deal with the man behind the leaks.

Former CIA-analyst Edward Snowden is believed to be at an airport in Moscow, seeking a destination safe from the US where he is wanted for prosecution over the leaking of thousands of classified documents.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and US’s President Barack Obama have ordered the chiefs of their respective agencies, FSB and FBI, to find a way out of the impasse, a senior Russian official said.

The allegations that US security services bugged EU missions and the embassies of friendly European countries - including the French, Italian and Greek embassies - were published at the weekend by Der Spiegel in Germany and the Guardian in Britain.

There is a moment in the classic film Casablanca when Claude Raines - playing the chief of police in the city - marches into a building he well knows is a casino and utters the immortal line “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” A moment later an employee hands him his winnings.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

Community Mirror “We believe so many criminal activities have taken place in the name of many other religions, but Islam has been singled out.”

Flooding: Ohaneze wants riverine dwellers to relocate valuables 48

SULTAN OF SOKOTO; ALHAJI MUHAMMAD SA’AD ABUBAKAR

Amuwo-Odofin battles monarch over land deal FELIX NWANERI

C

risis looms in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State over the sale of a piece of land earmarked for the building of a mosque by the Baale of the community, Akeem Rabiu Ijaoye.

The said piece of land, about one and a half plots, located at the entrance of Lake View Estate, Amuwo Odofin, is said to have been reserved for the project by the five families that make up the community.

A member of the community, who does not want her name in

print for fear of being attacked by hoodlums, told Community Mirror that one Rauf, also a member of the community claimed to have introduced the land’s buyer on the recommendation of the Baale.

She also noted that Rauf and some hoodlums working for the monarch pulled down a signpost erected by the community to show that the land was allotted for the mosque project, threatening to deal with anyone who dared to stop the buyer from developing the property.

She said: “We have five families that make up Amuwo Odofin community, namely: Ijaoye, Idewu, Omola, Amogun and Ero-

gun. These families unanimously agreed to crown Akim Ijaoye as our Baale. We mapped out the piece of land for the building of a community mosque, but were shocked that the Baale gathered some youths and sold it for N58 million.”

Vowing to resist any attempt to wipe out the remaining traces of the community by those who do not mean well for the area, the family member alleged the involvement of the Onitire of Itire, Oba Lateef Dauda in the land deal.

Her words: “Rauf claimed that they bought cars for themselves and the Oba of Itire from the proceeds of the land deal, which the

royal father, who is also a member of our family, acknowledged before us, but promised to return.

“Do they want to wipe our name from history because of money? They have mobilized area boys to harass us and even our tenant, because we leased the land to someone who pays annually to the community, but I cannot be intimidated to allow our remaining ancestral heritage to be sold by children who don’t even know how the land came about.”

She disclosed that the threat by the hoodlums and their sponsor has been reported to FESTAC Division of the Nigeria Police Force, which advised interested parties

to maintain peace pending when the matter is resolved.

Oba Dauda, who absolved himself off the land deal, however told Community Mirror that it was done by some youths of the community without the consent of his palace; saying the dispute would soon be resolved.

“Some youths sold the said piece of land without our consent, but we have stepped in to make sure that the land was not used for any other purpose other than the mosque project,” he said, adding that “once the youths do what we asked them to do; we will resolve the matter and that would be soon.”

475 women get working tools in Katsina JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

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Women selling fish at the end of Akata Fishing and Cultural Festival in Katsina-Ala, Benue State on Sunday.

PHOTO: NAN

Army takes over sanitation exercise in Onitsha NWABUEZE OKONKWO AND CHUKWUDI IDIGO, ONITSHA

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he 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha, Anambra State yesterday took over the monthly clean up exercise in Onitsha.

The clean up exercise, tagged “Civil/Military Relationship” lasted from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and was jointly carried out by the soldiers and officials of LAGA International, a sanitation contractor currently handling sanitation project

in Onitsha North and Onitsha South Local Government Areas of the state.

While the exercise lasted, the soldiers, dressed on white T-shirts and army uniformed trousers and boots, formed three lines as they moved about the streets of Onitsha with military band, while some of them armed themselves with shovels, brooms and cutlasses as they cut the grasses, clear the bushes, sweep the streets, picked refuse dumps and threw them into the slow moving LAGA

truck.

Addressing the soldiers at the military cantonment before and after the exercise, the Commander of the Regiment, Col. T.A, Gagariga disclosed that the exercise was part of the activities marking this year’s Army Day Celebration, which went on simultaneously in some other military formations in the country.

Flanked by his Secondin-Command, Lt. Col. John Majevi and the Coordinator of LAGA International, Lawrence Uboh; Gagariga stressed

the need for environmental cleanup of Anambra State, Onitsha in particular.

Gagariga added that the Army partners with Anambra State Waste Management Authority and LAGA as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) He therefore urged the soldiers to always ensure that their apartments and blocks in the barracks are kept clean since man is expected to inhabit in a clean environment for the promotion of his health.

bout 475 women from less privileged homes in Katsina State have been empowered with working tools to enable them start small scale businesses.

The tools include 100 sewing machines, 50 grinding machines, 200 spaghetti making machines, 50 knitting machines, 40 refrigerators, 20 motorcycles and 200 bags of wheat and groundnut The women, who hail from Malumfashi and Kafur Local Government Areas, were empowered by a philanthropist, Umar Abdullahi-Tata.

The items were personally distributed by Tata to beneficiaries in Malumfashi council area.

Speaking to newsmen after the presentation, spokesperson to Tata, Bishir Danmaliki said beneficiaries selected items they got via ballot bearing description of the tools they eventually received.

Danmaliki described the gesture as a “good step toward supporting indigent families in dire need of assistance,” especially when considered “in context of peoples’ living condition” in present day Nigeria.

He however cautioned beneficiaries against selling the working tools, tasking them to utilise same to improve their respective families’ well being.

He called on wealthy individuals in the state and beyond to emulate Abdullahi-Tata’s initiative on youth and women empowerment.

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Community Mirror

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Flooding: Ohaneze wants riverine dwellers to relocate valuables FRANCIS SUBERU

WITH AGENCY REPORT

A

prominent member of Ohaneze Ndigbo, an apex Igbo socio-cultural body, has warned people living in riverine areas in Imo and Anambra States to relocate their movable valuables in order to avoid loses.

Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, a prominent member of the group in Anambra, gave the warning while speaking with journalists in Onitsha on Monday.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had listed riverine and low land communities in parts of Imo and Anambra as likely areas to witness flooding this year within the South-East.

Ezeonwuka, who sympathised with victims of last year’s flood disaster, advised that those within the riverine and lowland areas to move out all their moveable property as the river Niger was gradually reaching its peak.

“A stitch in time saves nine; a stick cannot pluck somebody’s eyes twice. The flood last year

came as a surprise. But for this year, the meteorologists have predicted, and thank God for their warning; and it is good that our people start working on time and not lose their valuables anymore.”

He noted that individuals and communities could not do much to stop the magnitude of flooding that the scientists had predicted.

“It is only government and corporate bodies in their capacity that can build heavy embankments and sand fill the water bank. Or dredge the rivers and

its tributaries as well as build dams to check the increase in volume of water from oceans and seas into the River Niger and River Benue. Individuals keeping their drains clean and opening them is good but the present prediction of devastation is beyond what an individual and community could contain,’’ he said.

It would be noted that there has been increase rainfall for over two weeks now in the SouthEast while the volume of water in River Niger and Oguta Lakes has continued to grow daily.

Aged Abian indigenes set for free medical care GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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ged indigenes of Amachara in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State will henceforth enjoy free medical care under the auspices of Amachara Free Medical Scheme.

Coordinator of the scheme, Mr. Ezekwem Odigbo, said this in Umuahia last week after the flagging-off of the scheme.

He said that the main beneficiaries are indigenes of Amachara who are fifty years and above, adding that treatments will be entirely free.

According to him, prior to the flagging-off of the programme, the scheme had treated over 500 patients.; adding that medical personnel attached to the scheme would also embark on house to house treatment in exceptional cases.

Odigbo described the sponsors of the programme, Mr and Mrs Chikwe Onyekwere, a family based in the United States of America as good spirited people with keen desire to give back to the society.

“This scheme is devoid of any political intension as the sponsors have made it clear that they did not want to deal with the government in discharging this humanitarian gesture.

Most of our aged people are dying due to ignorance and lack of commitment on the part of our medical personnel.

“The sponsors of this scheme witnessed two of such deaths within the short time they were at home and decided to save indigenes of this community from untimely death,” he said.

He said that non indigenes of Amachara can benefit from the scheme by paying 20 per cent of the cost of treatment.

Residents of Bachaka in Arewa Gabas Development Area of Kebbi State watching from a tree top, the inauguration of the Great Green Wall Programme on desert control by the Minster of Environment.

FRSC mobile court convicts 31 for traffic offence ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

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sun state sector command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has convicted 31 traffic offenders in the state through its mobile court.

The FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Imoh Etuk, told newsmen in Gbongan headquarters of Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state that the move was to curb reckless driving by motorists.

Etuk said the court, presided

over by Mr Ademola Ayeni, a senior magistrate, convicted the 31 traffic offenders, comprising motorists and motorcyclists, during a special operation of the corps along Osogbo-Gbongan road.

He said the convicts were charged with offences ranging from reckless driving to over load and high speed, adding that some motorcyclists were prosecuted for not using, crash helmets.

However, he disclosed that the convicts were given option of fine of between N2, 000 and

N5, 000 depending on the gravity of their offence.

He added that one of the offenders was cautioned and discharged by the mobile court as his offence was not strong enough for conviction.

Etuk urged motorists to always obey traffic rules and regulations, stressing that the commission would not fold its arms and watch careless drivers waste lives of innocent people.

He said the exercise would be continuous and therefore appealed to road users to help reduce accidents in the country.

Rep empowers constituent with 11 cars, others KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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he federal lawmaker representing Surulere/Ogo Oluwa Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Hon. Segun Odebunmi, has been commended for empowering the people of his constituency through a multimillion naira poverty alleviation programme.

At an event held at the Baptist Secondary School, Oko, Surulere Local Government Area, poverty alleviations materials distributed include 11 brand new cars, motorcycles, deep freezers, sprayers, generating set, mobile phones, radio sets, grinding machines, cash awards to 231 people and bursaries to over 200 students of tertiary institutions.

Former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, lauded Odebunmi for demonstrating good sense of leadership and love for his constituents, adding that he was amazed by the quality and quantities of materials and equipments distributed through his pet projects, Bunvic Foundation.

He said through his deeds and actions; the lawmaker has truly demonstrated that he is a grassroot politician who has been tested and trusted.

Akala urged the beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation programme in the state to make good use of the equipment and cash awards to them, admonishing party members and indeed, the electorate in the federal constituency to continue to support Odebunmi who he joyfully described as a worthy ambassador of not only the PDP but Ogbomosoland.

He enjoined members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) who decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the ceremony to feel free, adding that PDP did not believe in imposing candidates on its members.

He assured that PDP would come out of its present challenges more vibrant and stronger stressing that all hands must be on deck to boost the electoral fortunes of the party.

Hon. Odebunmi thanked party members and the electorates in the constituency the confidence reposed in him which earned him the position. He reiterating his avowed commitment to the welfare of the people of the constituency as he would always accord their welfare the topmost priority.

Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of award of excellence to the chairperson of Bunvic Foundation, Yeye Oluwatoyin Abimbola Odebunmi, by the students of tertiary institutions from the federal constituency.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

N

ational Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned of a looming outbreak of epidemic in Kebbi State and other parts of the North-west zone. Zonal coordinator, NEMA North-west zone, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, at a one day seminar titled, "Epidemics with teachers, district heads and health workers at local level" in Birnin Kebbi.

He said epidemic looms as rains and floods create conditions for diseases to spread faster and further in affected communities.

"Therefore there is need for urgent action to be taken in these critical areas to help stop the spread of these diseases, especially cholera which has infected and killed thousands of people in the country," he added.

Ilallah further noted

NEMA Update

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

49

Epidemic looms in Kebbi, NEMA warns that with this year's prediction on rainfall, the situation will be worse in rural areas, where safe drinking water and sanitary facilities are scarce.

"In many villages, sanitation is often compromised during the rainy season, allowing wastes to contaminate communal wells," he said.

He said the looming epidemic, if not checked, will spread through food and water contaminated with bacteria, adding that the workshop is part of the agency's efforts to mitigate disaster in the country.

Meanwhile, in another development, the Head of operations of NEMA in Gombe and Bauchi States, Mr Apollo Jediel,

has said that that 562 people died of cerebro spinal meningitis throughout the country in the last five years.

Jediel spoke at a one day public awareness and sensitization campaign on meningitis in Bauchi State.

On measles, cholera and Lassa fever, Jidiel said that the northern states, including Bauchi, Jigawa, Kano, Yobe and Katsina were currently among the worst hit by the disease which normally breaks out at the beginning of each rainy season.

He said: “As at 2010, the North East zone recorded the highest rate of casualties of 22 deaths in Bauchi. Jigawa which had 139

reported cases recorded 19 deaths. Borno State, 48 reported cases and four deaths; Gombe State, 61 cases reported and four deaths; Adamawa, 51 cases and nine deaths while Taraba State had 18 cases with three reported deaths”.

NEMA predicts above normal floods in Northwest, Southwest Individuals living in north western and south western states should prepare for above normal floods this raining season, the National Emergency Management Agency has said.

NEMA has urged residents of areas vulnerable to floods in the states to relocate.

The Deputy Director,

Planning Research and Forecasting, NEMA, Mr. Alhassan Nuhu, said this in Abuja during a meeting with the Regional Director, International Rescue Committee, Mrs. Nicky Smith.

While commenting on regions that should be prepared for heavier floods this year, Nuhu said, “More emphasis is being given to the north western and some south western states. But the prediction generally shows that we are going to have something similar to 2012 in most of the states except for these few areas where we are expecting something above normal.”

According to director, the agency has contacted

the state governments on the fate of communities at risk of excessive flooding.

He said, “We have, in collaboration with our critical stakeholders, conducted a flood vulnerability mapping of 15 states in Nigeria, giving emphasis to states that are likely to be flooded.

And we are also going forward to have the mapping for the whole country.

“We have distributed this map to all the states that we have concluded, showing them the highly vulnerable areas that must, as a matter of necessity, be relocated. And those who are in low key vulnerable areas also were given relevant recommendations.”

...Set to tackle floods, meets with stakeholders on disaster response

M

Scene of multiple accident at the Air Force Base bus stop along Local-International of Murtala Mohammed Airport on Sunday.

Disaster victims receive aids in Kaduna, Kano

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sent relief assistance worth millions of Naira to the victims of a recent attack by unknown gunmen in Kaura Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State to ameliorate their plight.

The supplies, consisting of food items and building materials, were officially presented to the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency in Kaduna, Hon. Ishaku

Dogo Makama, by the NEMA North West Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah. They will be distributed to residents of Zangang, Tangan, Afan Zangan, Zakum and Tsokong, the five Kaura LGA communities that were affected.

The Executive Secretary took possession of 150 bags of rice, 100 bags each of maize and millet, 100 bags of cement, 200 bundles of roofing sheets, 50 bags of zinc nails and 50 packets of roofing nails.

In a similar develop-

ment, NEMA also presented relief items to Kano State’s Hon. Muhammad Sani A. Rano, the member representing Rano, Bunkure and Kibia federal constituency in the House of Representatives, to aid victims of the recent windstorm in Rano and Sumaila.

The relief items included 300 bags of cement, 100 bundles of roofing sheets, 100 bags of roofing/zinc nails, 100 bags each of rice, maize and guinea corn, 10 bags of sugar, 10 jerry cans

each of palm and vegetable oil, and 150 pieces each of shadda and wax prints. Other items were 100 pieces each of mattresses, towels and mosquitoes nets; 200 pieces of mats, 50 cartons of detergents, and 100 pieces each of buckets, plates and spoons.

Alhaji Ilallah said the relief items will be shared to the two affected localities with the worst hit Rano victims receiving 80 percent while the Sumaila victims will take the other 20 percent.

r Ishaya Chonoko, the Coo r d i n a t o r, Abuja Operations Office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said NEMA had put in place measures to respond promptly to disasters in states under its operations.

Chonoko said this recently in Abuja at an experience-sharing meeting with relevant stakeholders in emergency response.

He listed states under the Abuja operation office to include Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Kaduna and the FCT. He said the experience-sharing meeting was part of efforts by the office to respond to the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET) rainfall predictions for 2013.

"This meeting is part of what we are doing this year in order for us to brainstorm and share experiences on common incidences that are normally associated with downpours.

"Apart from flooding, the biggest challenge we normally experience, especially when there is too much rainfall, has to do with building collapse.

"The essence of this meeting, therefore, is to put stakeholders on

alert and build their capacity, especially in terms of response and to look at global best practises of responding to collapsed building cases."

Chonoko said the exercise was also aimed at achieving acceptable disaster response time in line with global best practise.

"It is also to identify and re-emphasise the lead agency structure in emergency response, as well as build the capacity of stakeholders in emergency response," he said.

He said the meeting was also intended to make stakeholders in disaster management proactive, as well as increase their level of preparedness.

The coordinator added that the meeting was crucial "so that stakeholders will be on the alert as the country approaches the peak of the rainy season."

Sidi

Cocktail

50

x

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (171)

“It is those very things that we are most afraid to do that provide the greatest liberation and growth for us.”

–Jack Canfield * * * Conquer Your Fears Fear is the wicked tyrant that keeps people away from launching out to fulfil their dreams in life. Fear of this and that is the prison that keeps locking many people away from their rightful places.

I once read the story of a man that fell into a well. Before he got to the bottom of the well, he hung onto a rope. He looked down and saw the water. He did not want to get drowned.

He began to shout for help. No one answered.

After 8 hours of shouting with no help, he decided to brave it and jumped down. Alas, the water below only reached his knees. FEAR NOT! TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

Oddities

Airplane accused of dropping faeces on vehicles

T

wo Ontario families said they are convinced passing airlines dropped faeces on their properties, but aviation authorities disagree.

The Sullivan family of Mississauga said their driveway and three cars were splattered with what appeared to be faeces dropped from a plane Wednesday, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Friday.

"It just covered the top of my mom's car, dripped down the side, splattered onto my car and back onto my dad's," Lindsay Sullivan said.

"It smelt really bad," George Sullivan said. "It

smelled like it was faeces."

The family said they are convinced the foulsmelling substance was frozen to the side of an aircraft and fell from the plane on its way to or from Toronto's Pearson Airport.

"There's no way one bird

could have done it, unless it was a pterodactyl," he said.

"It came from an airplane."

A similar incident took place in another Mississauga family's back yard last week. Both families said they blame planes for the mess.

Woman asked W k d tto prove she’s h ’ ffemale l tto g get driver’s license

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37-year-old Georgia woman whose birth certificate mistakenly labeled her as male had to jump through some major hoops to get her driver's license renewed.

Fox 5 Atlanta spoke with Nakia Grimes of Clayton County about her odyssey to get the typo cleared up.

Grimes said she never really had occasion to look closely at her birth certificate, so she never noticed the mistake.

"You only look at the name, the date and the year," Grimes told Fox 5.

"I've never seen that."

The woman working at Georgia's Department of Vital Records did notice

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

and came to Grimes with an unusual request. "She said I needed to go have a PAP exam, have a doctor write a note verifying you're a woman and bring it back notarized," Grimes explained to Fox 5. That was something Grimes said she was unwilling to do. Instead she reached out to the station for help.

A woman covering her nose because of the stench.

However, Transport Canada said analysis of samples from the first incident indicated "the debris that fell on the Mississauga residence last week did not fall from an aircraft. Consequently, the investigation is now closed."

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday rejected the notion of the North being poor, saying that northerners were too lazy and depended on oil money from the South for survival.

Maku was the guest speaker at a memorial lecture in honour of the pioneer Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Abdulrahman Okene. It was organised

by Northern Youth Forum (NYF) in Kaduna.

The minister said that every state in the North could support itself if its resources were properly harnessed.

North

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Indolence, bane of the North –Maku He lamented that the problem of the states and their people was that of over dependence on the Federal Government to do everything for them.

Speaking through his representative, Dr. Salisu Mohammed, the minister called on the northern leaders to talk with hope, saying the era of lamentation had gone.

He said: “What we have in the North is not poverty, but indolence, because we have failed to open our minds and think of the way out of our problems.

“In Kaduna State, for ex-

ample, every year, we lose 780 million tonnes of tomatoes, equivalent to more than N270billion. And the budget of Kaduna State is only N210 billion.

“So, what is our problem?

And for the state to get that N210billion, the commissioner for finance and the state accountant-general have to go to Abuja every 28 days and attend a meeting call ‘the Federal Account Allocation Committee’ to beg for their own share.

“This is a disgrace for a state that has the capacity to do hundred times better than

that. So, why are we where we are?

“For us to remain who we are in Northern Nigeria, we must make sure that when our leaders are talking, they must talk with hope. The time for lamentation is gone, time for crying over spilled milk is gone, time for calling names is gone, the time for insulting people who find themselves in government is gone.”

Meanwhile, former presidential aspirant of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, Alhaji Lema Jibrin, said that the creation of

states and local governments was responsible for lack of development in Nigeria.

Jibrin noted that 80 per cent of national budget was being consumed by the political appointees, leaving only 20 per cent for development.

He said government should go back to the old four regions to accelerate development.

Jibrin said that President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda was antiagriculture in the North.

He said: “The transformation agenda of the Fed-

51

eral Government is not good enough because agricultural sector, which still contributes 44 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Products, GDP, has been characterised by low productivity, low input in terms of fertiliser, herbicides and pesticides.

“Without mincing words, what I will advocate is to roll back on creation of states and local governments.

“Today, we have 774 local government areas, we have 36 states out of which the North constitutes 19 states and Abuja.

“Today, the recurrent budget of every state and that of the Federal Government is almost 80 per cent of the annual budget.

Igbo leaders in Kano differ over Kwankwaso’s performance AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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L-R: Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Governing Board, Chief Dominic Gambo; Prof. Riskuwa Shehu and State Coordinator, Mr. Steven Ehoda-Adi, during their visit to the NYSC orientation camp in Jos, Plateau State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

17 soldiers to face court martial for murder, others JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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he 3 Armored Division of the Nigerian Army is to court martial 17 members of the Joint Task Force (Operation Restore Order) and Special Task Force (Operation Safe Haven) for murder and cowardly behaviuor.

This was disclosed yesterday by the General Officer Commanding 3 Armored Division, Maj-Gen. Ebiobowei Awala, during the inauguration of the court martial held at the 3 Division Rhino Officers Mess Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos. Maj-Gen. Awala said: “ “The offences include communication with the enemy, cowardly behaviuor, murder and manslaughter, among others.

“The court martial is one of those instruments conferred on me by vir-

tue of the Armed Forces Act Chapter A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria to address problems like this.”

He said it is with heavy heart that he is convening the court martial, barely four months after he assumed duty as GOC of the division.

Maj-Gen. Awala said: “I must state that if the Division is witnessing this court martial, it is because I want to sustain high level of professionalism required to confront the mounting security challenges in the Division.

“I therefore enjoin all parties to this court martial to discharge their duties expeditiously and with a degree of commitment that will ensure the accused persons know their fate in good time. To be effective, however, the legal system must be fair and just.

“Discipline is the foundation on which the military career rests. As a matter of fact, discipline and loyalty are two essential requirements no officer or soldier who wants to succeed in professional soldiering can afford to

lack.”

The GOC urged them to give due consideration to first-time offenders and those who plead guilty, saying: “While bearing in mind the gravity of the offence, justice must be seen to be done”.

actional leaders of Igbo community in Kano State have disagreed over Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso’s performance in the state.

One of them, Chief John Chiejina Nnaji, accused the governor to neglecting the Ndigbo resident in the state.

The Onye Ndu Ndigbo told National Mirror at the weekend in Kano that the Ndigbo had suffered more under Kwankwaso’s administration Nnaji alleged that the governor had been grossly misled to take some unpopular decisions on issues affecting the Ndigbo, especially decisions affecting the Sabon Gari area of the city predominantly populated by non-natives and nonMuslims.

Apparently disturbed over appalling state of roads in Sabon Gari where he

claimed Ndigbo constitute about 80 per cent of the populations with huge economic investments; he said the community suffered serious neglect, adding that it lacks potable water and other facilities, including healthcare centres required for robust healthy living.

The Igbo leader noted that by the huge investments of the Igbo community in Kano, the Ndigbo had assumed the status of a major stakeholder.

Nnadi, however, accused a factional chieftain of Ndigbo, Chief Boniface Ibekwe, of feeding the governor with lies.

But in a press conference yesterday, Chief Ibekwe defended Kwankwaso, describing him as the best leader Ndigbo in Kano has ever had.

He, however, disassociated the of Igbo resident in Kano from the “unguided” and “inciting” statement by Chief Nnaji against Kwankwaso’s administration

Tofa backs Bisi Akande as APC chairman AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

P

residential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), Alhaji Bashir Tofa, yesterday threw his weight behind the nomination of Chief Bisi Akande as the interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also hailed the nomination of others listed to work in Akande’s executive, describing their choice as good enough to give the party the desired character.

Tofa, in a text message sent to National Mirror, de-

•Seeks major positions for South-East

scribed the interim chairman as a perfect gentleman of impeccable character and incredible humility and integrity, adding that he is sure that his wealth of experience and sense of fairness and justice would see this party through While re-affirming the fitness and confidence he has on those nominated to the position, Tofa particularly expressed confidence in the ability of Chief Akande as the interim chairman.

Tofa said that Akande,

who is a gentleman of incredible humility and integrity, had consistently piloted the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to its enviable position in the political landscape of the country.

He said: “What I must advise is that these interim leaders, who are among the best fruits of the party, must be encouraged to contest those or other positions at the National Convention.

There cannot, for example, be a better publicity secretary than Lai Mohammed.

The fact that they are the

interim leaders now must not be a reason to preclude them from the next permanent executive of the party.

“But I will have to advise additionally, that key positions must be reserved for the South-East and the right people be encouraged to contest them.”

Tofa emphasized that the party must to ensure that all factors of its national coloration are taken into equal account when allocating national offices to be contested for at the convention.

52

North

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Kogi commends Assembly for passing N20bn bond bill WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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L-R: Representative of the wife of Benue State governor, Mrs. Elizabeth Alla; Miss Akata 2013, Stephanie Azer; representative of the governor, Dr. David Salifu; former Miss Akata, Jennifer Agashua and Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs. Comfort Ajene, at the award ceremony of Akata Fishing and Cultural Festival in Katsina-Ala, Benue State, on Sunday.

PHOTO: NAN

Unity Schools: ‘FG must reduce cut-off marks for North’ A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Chairman of School Based Management Committee, Federal Government Girls College, FGGC, Bakori in Katsina State, Alhaji Mahmoud Ahmad, yesterday called for the reduction of cut-off marks for northern candidates seeking admission into Unity Schools.

Addressing a news conference in Kaduna ahead of FGGC fundraiser, the

former member of the Katsina State House of Assembly said the call became necessary in view of the wide educational gap between the North and the South.

Ahmad said northern applicants should not be given uniform points as requirement for admission.

He also called on Federal and state governments to reactivate the adult education programme in literacy and domestic skills.

Ahmad urged government to reintroduce the

teacher training programme for the grade two teachers certificate which was cancelled in the country, adding that the scheme was still relevant in the primary school system.

He said: “You can’t compare the performance of a child from Katsina State with the one from Lagos State and other states in the South so there is need to relax cut-off points in Unity Schools’ admission for candidates in the North.”

Pregnant women to get N5,000 each for attending antenatal PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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ny pregnant woman who attends full Antenatal Care, ANC, will automatically qualify for an incentive of N5,000 in the country.

The Head of Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT, Operation Unit under the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, Maternal and Child Health, MCH, Dr. Chidimma Aigbe, disclosed this during the inauguration of the Niger State Steering Committee on CCT in Minna.

Aigbe said this became necessary as statistics showed that only four per cent of pregnant women usually seek antenatal care from qualified healthcare personnel.

This, according to her,

explains the high rate of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in the country.

Aigbe said those qualified would be reimbursed through a mobile bank in two instalments.

She said: “Any pregnant woman that registers with CCT will get N1,000, for attending three stages of ANC is 1000, for being attended by a skilled birth attendant is N2,000 whereas for postnatal and immunisation is N1,000.

According to her, the inauguration of the committee is the formal commencement of the pilot CCT service scheme on MCH in some selected nine states, including Niger State.

In Niger State, the scheme is expected to take up in what she described as the first cluster health

facilities with two Primary Healthcare Centres in Idati, Enagi Local Government, one in Mokwa and Lavun, while one General Hospital would serve as a referral centre in Kutigi council.

Aigbe explained that the whole effort was geared toward reducing maternal mortality to the barest minimum.

The selected states for the pilot programme are Anambra, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Ogun and Niger states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Earlier, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ibrahim Sule, stressed the need to upgrade the Midwives Service Scheme, MSS, in Niger State for the programme to achieve the desired impact.

Ahmad also spoke on the proposed fundraiser for the FGGC. He said: “FGGC, Bakori in Katsina State has produced wives of governors, serving and former, and female ministers among others.

“We are raising funds to improve the quality of infrastructure in that school because it belongs to all of us.”

ogi State Government has commended the state House of Assembly for its speedy passage of a N20 billion bond bill.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, gave the commendation yesterday against the backdrop of insinuations from the opposition parties over the intention of the government concerning the bond.

Edi said the essence of the bond was to provide dividends of democracy to the people.

The special adviser also condemned the statement credited to the state Interim Chairman of the yet-to-be registered All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Goodman Akwu, on the bond issue.

He accused Akwu of trying to mislead the good people of the state.

Edi disclosed that the N20 billion bond was a wellthought out packaged that would cater for all the sectors of the economy of the state.

He said Governor Idris Wada whose personality, because of his remarkable antecedent in the past, could even serve as collateral, ought to have been com-

mended rather than being vilified as done by the opposition parties in the state.

The governor’s aide stressed that the bill, which gave teeth to the bond, went through proper scrutiny at the Assembly populated by eminent indigenes of the state.

He disclosed that a public hearing was also held before the bill was passed into law.

Edi, therefore, wondered what might have necessitated the hues and cry from the APC which, he said, had enough problems on its hands.

He explained that the Wada administration was working towards total economic redemption of the state through the provision of the needed social and economic infrastructure for the people.

Earlier, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Austin Akubo, disclosed that the bill had “what it takes to assist the transformation agenda of the government”.

Akubo, therefore, called on the opposition parties not to throw the state into anarchy through false alarm.

The CPS also urged the people to ignore the opposition parties, who he said were making frantic efforts to distract the Wada administration.

Borno seeks Chinese firm’s assistance to train engineers INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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orno State Government will soon partner with China Construction 18th Bureau Group Limited on the training of civil engineers and other construction experts in the state Ministry of Works and other government establishments.

The partnership, according to a statement issued in Maiduguri yesterday by the Special Adviser on Communication to the governor, Alhaji Isa Umar Gusau, is to enhance the capacity of the beneficiaries in the construction and repairs of rural and urban roads and other civil construction in different parts of the state.

Gusau said the decision followed Governor Kashim Shettima’s visit to the company’s headquarters at Liulin Hexi District in Tianjin, about 100 kilometres away from Beijing, the capital of China.

Shettima, who was on the trip with top government officials including the Secretary to the State Government, Ambassador Ahmed Jida, also met with Counsellor of Nigerian Embassy in China, Mr. Eche Abu-Obe, who represented the Nigerian Ambassador to China, Ambassador Aminu Bashir Wali.

At the meeting, the governor told the President of the construction firm, Mr. Hao Chenyi, that it was the desire of his administration to set up a highly skilled team of construction experts among its citizens.

The experts, he noted, would have the best practical knowledge in construction of roads and drainage network, bridges and other civil works with special focus on opening up of rural areas across the 27 councils of the state.

This, according to him, is to link villages to make the movement of agricultural produce easy for farmers af-

ter harvest.

The governor said through a worked out arrangement, the government would send experienced graduates of Civil Engineering to China to work with Chinese experts in different construction sites being managed by the company within and outside China.

This, he said, would enable them gain practical skills in civil construction works to help in remodelling the state.

Shettima said though peace was returning to the state, the security challenges which made some foreign experts to abandon projects being handled by them, had taught the government a lesson that it should prepare its citizens to be technically sound to handle complex construction works in the future.

Chenyi expressed happiness over Shettima’s visit and promised to partner with the state government in areas requested by the governor.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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Features

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Controversy trails demolition of houses in Abuja More than 100 houses, categorised as “illegal structures”, were demolished recently in Bwari, a satellite town in Abuja, by the Department of Development Control of the FCT Administration (FCTA). But the demolition has continued to generate controversy, as CHIJIOKE OKORONKWO writes.

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he word “demolition’’ has deeper meanings to Nigerians, particularly those living in Abuja -the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) - and other urban cities, where people take delight in owning houses.

Demolition is a word that provokes panic in tenants and house owners alike; and in many instances, several persons whose houses were demolished died of heart attacks arising from the shock.

While some residents believe that their houses should be close to Abuja city centre at all costs, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) insists that the city’s master plan must not be compromised under any guise whatsoever.

In the light of this, the demolition of illegal structures has become an accepted tool for controlling the patterns of property development in Abuja and its satellite towns.

Recently, the controversies about houses’ demolition resurfaced again when the Department of Development Control of the FCT Administration (FCTA) marked more than 100 houses in Bwari, one of the satellite towns, for demolition.

All the marked structures were eventually demolished because the development control department categorised them as ``illegal structures’’.

However, the owners of the property claimed that they were just victims of a ``wicked’’ plot between an operator of a block-making industry in the neighbourhood and some FCDA officials.

Mrs. Maureen Ihorebe, whose house was demolished during the exercise, said that trouble started when some residents had a misunderstanding with a woman who owned a block-making factory in the area.

She said that the husband of the woman who owned the block industry then threatened to get all the houses in the area demolished.

Ihorebe explained that afterwards, the development control personnel came and marked some of the houses, adding that the officials asked the residents to remove structures that were close to the pipeline chamber, which they did.

She said: “They gave us two weeks for the first time; they said we should measure 25 metres away from the chamber; we complied with the directive and removed structures within the 25 metres.

“After that, we suddenly saw them with soldiers and policemen, and they demolished everything without giving us the chance to remove even our personal effects.

“There is a woman around here who operates a block industry and she once had problems with two residents who wanted her to remove the industry.

“The husband of the woman, who works with the water board, swore that his wife would never vacate the place,’’ she said.

Another affected landlord, Mr. Bakare Dauda, a police officer, said that he obtained customary approval for the land and the building that was demolished.

Dauda said that he asked the woman

FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed

Residents of Mpape, Abuja protesting over the demolition of structures the area.

Abuja Mpape Market.

who had a block industry in front of his house to make some space available, adding that the woman and her husband then threatened to instigate the demolition of the houses.

“At their first marking, the FCDA officials didn’t mark my house but suddenly they came; marking and demolishing at the same time,’’ he said.

As the controversies rage, no fewer than seven affected landlords have petitioned the Public Complaints Commission, alleging that one Malam Sanni Abubakar, whose wife owned the block industry, masterminded demolition of their houses.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Sanni Abubakar, the block factory’s operator, denied the allegations linking her and her husband to the houses’ demolition, although she conceded that her husband worked with the FCT Water Board.

She said that while it was true that she had some misunderstandings with some residents; she or her husband did not have the power to dictate to the FCDA officials on what to do.

“I knew from the onset I was operating the blocks’ industry on the pipeline so I did not buy any land and I did not erect any structure.

“One of them built a shop and said he didn’t want me in front of his house but I told him that I was there before he came and built the shop.

THE DEMOLITION OF ILLEGAL STRUCTURES HAS BECOME AN ACCEPTED TOOL FOR CONTROLLING THE PATTERNS OF PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IN

ABUJA AND ITS

SATELLITE TOWNS “I told him I could only make space for a driveway for him but he refused and they mobilised and reported the matter to the police.

“Actually, the police wanted to settle the matter peacefully but they insisted that I should quit and police advised them to go court.

“The allegation against my husband is a big lie; he doesn’t have the power to ask the authorities to come and demolish their houses and he never threatened them.

“The very day they demolished these houses, they carried out same operation at Jegede Market, also in Bwari, and they have previously carried out similar operations in Jigo and other communities around Bwari,’’ she said.

However, Bwari District Office of the FCTA Department of Development Control rejected the allegations that the houses’ demolition was masterminded by someone.

The head of the office, Mr. Mohammed Zaiyyam said that the exercise was carried out because of the complaints by FCT Water Board regarding the structures erected on the pipeline.

He said that due notice was given to the residents and owners of the structures before their demolition.

“When we got the notice from FCT Water Board that people were building on the pipeline, we asked them to give us the distance they needed from the pipe, which they did.

“We then served the owners of the structure notices accordingly before the demolition which affected over 100 houses. The exercise has nothing to do with what the residents are speculating,’’ he said.

Irrespective of the reasons given for the demolition of houses in the FCT, concerned observers urge the relevant authorities to always consider the plight of the poor by giving affected residents enough notice.

They also appeal to the authorities to provide temporary alternative accommodation for those whose houses are demolished after giving them adequate compensation for the pulled-down structures.

Okoronkwo is of News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

55

Hezbollah suspects arraigned in Abuja.

Hezbollah and fresh security challenges in Nigeria

...Some of the weapons concealed in food coolers.

Recent discovery of asserted weapons of mass destruction in Kano, linked to an international terrorist organisation, Hezbollah, has raised fresh concerns about security challenges in the country. National Mirror Correspondent, MADU WEST, reports:

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he discovery recently in Kano of a bunker in which assorted weapons of mass destruction were concealed and its link to the international terrorist group Hezbollah, raises serious concern about the security and safety of the country in the face of the Boko Haram insurgency.

It also fuels the suspicion that the Boko Haram militant group, which had held sway in the Northern part of the country, is also being backed by some foreign terrorist organizations.

Director of the State Security Service, SSS, Mr. Bassey Etang, while briefing newsmen on the shock discovery at the scene of the discovery on May 30, 2013, admitted that the Hezbollah fighters can lend support to the Boko Haram extremist organization. He concluded however that at the moment it is not certain whether the two have any link in this incident but that investigation now ongoing will determine that.

National Mirror investigations over the Kano raid, which led to the discovery of massive secret weapons cache, showed the items intercepted in the bunker which includes anti-tank missiles, up to a ton of high explosive materials and a range of other lethal military hardware, followed an intense investigation by Nigerian counterterrorism and police authorities, during the course of which three Lebanese men living in Nigerian were detained.

This discovery by security agents sheds lights on how Lebanese Hezbollah is operating in Africa in order to prepare ground for terrorism on a startling scale. It includes widespread use and exploitation of local Shiite communities, Lebanese Shia abroad, and a cynical use of diplomatic and cultural outreach by experienced Hezbollah operatives.

The security operatives it was gathered began inquiries into these individuals after they uncovered terror activities being pursued by a number of Iranian cells to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Quds Force in Nigeria in recent months.

With their shared radical Shiite roots and worldviews, Iran and Hezbollah make no secret of their close political and military strategic cooperation around the world. Indeed, Hezbollah was originally set up by the Iranian regime and has coordinated terror ac-

tivity with its Iranian sponsors for decades.

Further enquiry shows that the SSS-led investigation on the Quds Force agents led to the arrest of Moustafa Reda DarwishFawaz, 49, a wealthy businessman and significant donor to the Lebanese Hezbollah organization.

A joint Nigerian-Lebanese passport holder, Darwish-Fawaz owns the AMIGO Supermarket and the Wonderland Entertainment Park in Abuja where he lives. However, he also works for Hezbollah’s Islamic Jihad Organization (IJO) – the special section of the Lebanese militia group that conducts terror attacks abroad (sometimes referred to as Hezbollah’s External Security Organization or by its codename: Unit 910). In this capacity, Darwish- Fawaz relayed information to his Hezbollah colleagues about potential targets for attack, including the U.S Embassy in Abuja.

Darwish- Fawaz was arrested on May 10, 2013, after which he disclosed details to the SSS about various Hezbollah activities. This included information about the other members of his cell and also about a specific property belonging to his IJO co-operative, Abd-elHasan Taher Fadlallah, in the northern city of Kano, that they were using to advance terror activities. Fadlallah, aged 60, a citizen of Lebanon and Sierra Leone, owns the Fantazia Supermarket in Kano. Fadlalla spends his time between Nigeria and the U.S. Fadlalla was out of town when the SSS raided his home in Kano and discovered the Hezbollah military arsenal. The arms were being guarded by a third IJO cell member, Talal Ahmed Reda, aged 50, who holds joint Nigerian-Lebanese citizenship.

Reda provided further details to the Nigerian security services, that Hezbollah had supplied the weapons and that he personally had been assigned with the collection of information and attack targets from his Hezbollah commanders. He also confirmed the “secret hideout” in large purpose-built storage bunker buried beneath a prayer room in the house, camouflaged by layers of ceramic tiles, flooring and concrete plates.

The military inventory discovered by men of the Kano Joint Task Force officials upon penetrating the bunker is both ex-

Hezbollah arms cache discovered by the military in Kano.

IT ALSO FUELS THE SUSPICION THAT THE

BOKO HARAM MILITANT GROUP, WHICH HAD HELD SWAY IN THE

NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, IS ALSO BEING BACKED BY SOME FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS tensive and diverse, offering great flexibility to Hezbollah in the kinds of terror activity it is able to pursue in the continent of Africa. Among the weapons confiscated are anti-tank missiles, 81 mm and 120 mm rockets, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), launchers, military-grade hand grenades, sub-machine guns, hand pistols, AK-47 assault rifles, and over 10,000 7.62 mm bullets. In addition, 1,545 packages containing as much as a ton of the chemical explosive TNT were found stored in protective cases.

The third Hezbollah operative to have been detained as a result of DarwishFawaz’s interrogation is Abdalla Asad Tahini, 48, a veteran in the organisation and a longtime fundraiser. Tahini too is a joint Liberian-Lebanese passport holder.

However, unlike the other three Hezbollah operatives- all of whom belong to the same terror cell of the IJO, Tahini is a permanent representative of Hezbollah’s so called “Foreign Relations Division” based in Abuja.

The division claims to be responsible for “community relations” wherever Lebanese citizens or Shiite Muslims live around the world, but this is essentially a façade intended to create an image of legiti-

macy for the organization. In reality, its main purpose is to spot recruits for special military units of the organization and help create a supporting infrastructure for the elite overseas terror units of Hezbollah in Africa and all other regions of the world in which it is operational.

This successful counter-terrorism operation by the Joint Task Force (JTF) points to the need for the utmost vigilance by the people of Nigeria in order to maintain security in the face of these persistent threats from radical Shiite terrorist groups. Efforts have been stepped up in recent months among African nations and internationally in the ongoing fight against global terror, and this latest operation is a testament to how new counter-terror measures are working effectively.

The development no doubt created some kind of disquiet within the Lebanese community in Kano, which weighed the implications of the involvement of the kinsmen in the country in terrorism related activities. Apparently worried over the arrest of some of their nationals, the Lebanese community promptly issued a statement disassociating the community from the incident and pledged total support to the federal government in its effort to bring the culprits to justice.

The statement reads in part “The Lebanese community in Kano in particular and Nigeria in general state unequivocally that it condemns crime in whatever form and manner and in the strongest possible terms irrespective of who the culprits may be.”

The statement signed by the chairman of the community in Kano, Mr. Tahir Fadlallah stated further that the Lebanese community in Kano has been living in Nigeria for about a century and has been noted as peace loving with its members conducting their lawful business in a manner mutually beneficial to all and has never been associated with any crime during this period of stay in Nigeria.

WORLD RECORD

Most powerful laser weapon

Vol. 03 No. 655

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Obama’s ‘Power Africa’ initiative

arack Obama’s in his tour as the first African-American President to visit his roots raised the stakes when he announced a $7 billion Power Africa’ initiative to assist in the provision of electricity to some sub-Sahara countries. Without any doubt and in spite of the controversies that have trailed his visit to the continent, the first black to occupy the White House knows what the immediate needs of the people are.

Like he rightly observed too in his speech at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, with adequate supply of electricity, at least one ma-

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N150

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The most powerful laser weapon is the Airborne Laser (ABL), developed by Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Gruman. It is designed to fit inside a modified Boeing 747 and will ultimately be used to track and destroy ballistic missiles.

uper Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has launched a move to get Everton striker Victor Anichebe back for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Malawi in September.

Anichebe had in May declared that his English Premier League club would come before the country after he was allegedly overlooked

TALKINGPOINT Seyi Fasugba

seyifasugba@yahoo.com 08053069514 (sms only)

jor burden would have been lifted off the neck of governments and the people will be able to attain their full potential. Given the challenges confronting the economies of countries on the continent which have virtually turned most of the leaders to beggars from foreign nations, adequate supply of electricity will go a long way in providing the much expected leap.

Unlike some others from the West who have turned African countries to appendages of their economy in Europe, Obama’s proposition is a clear indication of the son of the soil who clearly identifies with the need of the people impoverished beyond any reasonable limit simply due to lack of appropriate infrastructure to develop their talents and to make them productive. With adequate support which will turn the fortunes of the locals and a market big enough to sustain their activities, the Obama initiatives will remain the life wire that the continent has long been waiting for.

It is a known fact that sub-Saharan Africa has not been lucky to have visionary leaders out to serve the people and not to exploit them for their selfish desire to cling to power even when they are not making any meaningful contributions to the welfare of the people and enhancing the plight

THE RESPONSE FROM THE SENEGALESE PRESIDENT, MACKY SALL WAS INDEED THE AFRICAN POSITION ON THE ISSUE THAT IS TOTALLY ALIEN NOT ONLY TO OUR CULTURE of those they claim to govern. The initiative which promises the continent huge benefits has overshadowed the politics of his visit.

Apart from shunning Nigeria the second time in his visit to Africa, Obama also did not include his native Kenya in his itinerary this time around but of a significance is the initiative that will mostly benefit the Anglophone countries of the continent that have been neglected by their colonial masters years after exploiting their resources and having largely contributed to the underdevelopment of the continent in human and material resources.

Good as the Obama’s initiative may appear, it must be carefully consid-

ered and examined to be certain that the initiative is coming from a genuine heart willing indeed to assist the countries of the continent that are in need of this infrastructure. One major reason for this caution has to do with the recent covert campaign against the continent on gay rights for which the western nations have been making subtle efforts to force on the continent. The move was further ventilated with the comment of President Obama while on the first leg of his tour of Africa to Senegal. He was quoted appealing for the recognition of gay rights as it obtains in the US particularly with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court in California which legalizes same sex marriage.

The response from the Senegalese President, Macky Sall was indeed the African position on the issue that is totally alien not only to our culture but also a threat to human existence and what else a subtle way to wipe out the human race out of existence.

Apart from it being against the plan of God, what pleasure does it provide above that of heterosexual relationship?

Africa has taken a stand based on a rich culture that promotes the need for procreation to preserve the human race. This is not limited to Africa alone but ditto for the Asian continent where their culture also encouraged a robust human family setting. It is therefore not a surprise that while the population of the West keeps shrinking, these continents continue to grow. It can therefore be deduced that the same sex campaign is also a plot to limit the potential of Africa in ruling the world in numbers.

In Nigeria, the law is not a respecter of any gay, the penalty is 14 years imprisonment. Period.

Sport Extra

W/Cup 2014: Keshi plots Anichebe’s Eagles return

by Nigeria when he suffered a longterm injury while playing for the Eagles in 2011.

But Keshi, who is bothered about his team’s apparent lack of firepower at the FIFA Confederations Cup, has initiated moves to get the burly

forward to rescind his international retirement.

“Keshi has met with some NFF top officials and has asked that everything be done to convince Anichebe to return to the Eagles,” a top NFF official who pleaded anonymity

said in Abuja yesterday.

“The move would involve Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi talking to Victor to put the past behind him and come back to the team.”

Anichebe, 25, has won 11 international caps and scored a goal.

Anichebe

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