Nigerian observer 06 01 2015

The Nigerian

THE NIGERIAN

1

TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vo l . 39 • NO. 157 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 20 15 • N100.00 PERSPECTIVE Pages 16-17 The role of regulatory institutions in the management of capital flows

EIRS boss applauds staff commitment

By VICTOR OMOALU BENIN CITY – The annual get-together/end of year party of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) has been held with the Executive Chairman, Chief (Sir) Oseni Elamah applauding the EIRS staff

for their unalloyed commitment to duties which he said has helped to enhance the internal revenue generation of the state.

Addressing the staff at

the corporate headquarters of the EIRS, venue of the ceremony which attracted workers from EIRS offices across the state, Chief Elamah

noted that the occasion was aimed at appreciating staff for their commitments, dedication and diligence to duties, review EIRS strategic plans for the past year and move beyond such that will bring about an Continues on page 2

February Polls

Police are ready - IGP

MATTERS IN FOCUS Page 32

That gathering of PDP failures in Iguobazuwa

ABUJA - The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, yesterday, pledged the readiness of the force to tackle all security issues concerning the forthcoming general elections. ensure the safety of He made the Nigerians at all pledge in a statement signed by the force Spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, an Acting Commissioner of Police, made available to newsmen in Abuja.

The inspector general also expressed the determination of the force to take “all lawful measures to

times.’’

He said the police and other security agencies had d e p l o y e d strategically

nationwide to ensure that law abiding Nigerians go about their lawful businesses without fear and molestation.

Abba also assured those who had travelled for the New Year and Maulud celebrations of their safety and security

Edo civil servants begin duties

By ROLAND OSAKUE/ ADEZI EGHOSA BENIN CITY – As work resumed yesterday for the New Year, Civil Servants in Edo State Ministries and Parastatals were not left out as they were seen in their various offices, adjusting to their assigned duties.

When The Nigerian OBSERVER went round Benin City yesterday, most offices were open

for business as premises were filled with members of staff who went about their duties.

At the different ministries and parastatals in the city yesterday work was seen to have started in full force as workers were seen exchanging pleasantries having been out of duty for some days.

At the Ministry of Information along Ezoti Street, off Airport Road in Benin City, workers were Continues on page 2

TIT BIT “Stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the creator of your own destiny. All the strength and succor you want is within yourself.”

- Swami Vivekananda

COURTESY VISIT: Governor Fashola of Lagos State (right), welcoming the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Olutayo Oguntoyinbo, during his courtesy visit to the Governor in Ikeja yesterday.

Elections:

PORT HARCOURT The Traditional Ruler of Ogbaland in Rivers, Dr Chukwumela Nnam-Obi II, has called on politicians to avoid making inflammatory statements as the

as they return to their various destinations across the country.

2015 Polls

Experts express concern over economy LAGOS - Some financial experts yesterday expressed concerns that the impending general elections might stall economic activities till second quarter of 2015.

They told newsmen in Lagos that uncertainties in the nation’s economy would normalise by June after the general elections.

Prof. Sheriffadeen Tella, Head, Department of Economics, Onabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun, said that economic activities would be determined by the outcome of the elections.

Tella said that the outcome of the general elections was strategic to economic growth and development in 2015 for both local and foreign investors.

He said that devaluation of the naira Continues on page 2

Monarch cautions politicians

country prepared for elections in February.

Obi, who made the appeal in a statement on Monday in Port Harcourt, also warned youths to resist being used as tools by desperate politicians to cause confusion during

or after the elections.

Obi, a former President of Traditional Rulers of Oil and Gas Producing

Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), called on Nigerians irrespective of status, tribe, sex, religion and political

affiliations, to pray for peaceful conduct of the elections.

“Politicians should cast their minds back to the 1953, 1963, 1983, and 1993 elections-episodes and stop using Continues on page 2

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

News

EIRS boss applauds staff commitment system any where around the world,” stated Chief Elamah.

He therefore promised to offer scholarship to any staff who intends to aspire in ICT. While expressing his administration’s determination to take the revenue system to

an unmatched level, the EIRs boss thanked taxpayers for their support so far, while reaffirming his commitment towards ensuring a sustainable tax-friendly environment where taxpayers are expected to voluntarily pay their taxes.

Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of Excellence awards to some deserving staff.

Amongst those honoured were Areghan Emmanuel as an outstanding member of staff for the year 2014 as well as Monday Adezeli as a Well Behaved/Dedicated to duty staff for the year 2014 and amongst others. f

Continued from page 1

free from their duties stressing that the holidays afforded them the opportunity to unwind and get rejuvenated spiritually.

Although schools may not have resumed, both teaching and non-teaching staff were sighted at their different school environments indicating that the staff had resumed ahead of the students expected to officially resume next week.

Meanwhile, the holidays

have come and gone but not all civil servants have resumed duties as it seems some are yet to report for duty as their office were still under lock and keys.

A civil servant, Gabriel Idahosa told our reporters that although not all civil servants have resumed but they were expected to be fully back to their offices before the end of the week as some were still having hard time resuming duties.

Continued from page 1

enhanced revenue system which would ensure the much needed even development in the state.

Chief Elamah who harped on human capital development as a critical factor to any successful administration, assumed the staff of better incentives/ remuneration as well as welfare packages for them in the year 2015.

This he said would help discourage corrupt practices in the system.

He pointed out that their contributions have brought to bear in the lives of the common man in the society through the unmatched infrastructural developments anchored on transparency, accountability, honesty and value for taxpayers money.

“For us to put new strategies in place, it goes beyond what we have achieved during the period under review”.

We really appreciate your technical skills as we intend to place you in a position where you would be seen as professioners in the taxation

Edo civil servants begin duties

seen in their offices with some of them still busy cleaning their chairs and tables.

Also at the civil service secretariat along the Benin – Sapele road, the premises was a beehive of activities as staff were noticed to be going about their normal duties.

When our reporters spoke to civil servants across the state yesterday, some said the New Year and Eid malud holidays gave them an opportunity to be

Experts express concern over would likely be upbeat in the second and third quarters if economy would lead to high inflation, the elections were free and

Continued from page 1

high cost of borrowing and rise in production cost because of

Monarch cautions Continued from page 1 c o m p l i m e n t a r y politicians un

language that can cause confusion and make innocent people suffer.

“There are some elements amongst us whose stock in trade is geared towards causing trouble through negative actions such as rumours and incitement for their selfish gains at the detriment of Nigerians.

According to the monarch, people should resist these dirty politicians by using the occasion of the new year to dialogue, tolerate and promote understanding in resolving issues that could negatively affect the generality of Nigerians.

Obi urged Journalists not to give publicity to individuals and groups who were bent on heating up the polity by making inciting statements for their selfish

gains.

He described the daily hurling of abuses on President Goodluck Jonathan by some respected elder statesmen as a dangerous development that had ridiculed the country’s image in the comity of nations.

He urged President Jonathan not be intimidated; but should continue to remain focused, determined and ignore all side-talks aimed at distracting him.

Obi called on the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council to bury their differences by working together to address the nation’s security challenges, poverty, corruption, sliding rate of the naira and unemployment.

nation’s dependence on importation.

According to him, Nigerians should be prepared for tougher times in the year because there will be increase in cost of goods and services.

He said there was a need for the country to diversify in its economy and not to focus attention on only oil production.

Tella called for more support for the non-oil sector, to enable it to contribute effectively to the growth of the economy.

He said that developments in the crude oil markets called for serious adjustments in spending by the three tiers of governments.

Mr Adebayo Adeleke, National Secretary, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), said that the nation’s bourse would experience high volatility and unpredictable fluctuations in 2015 due to over reliance on foreign investors.

Adeleke said that the capital market would witness cautious trading during the first quarter due to the elections.

He said that the market

National Quoranic Recitation Competition holds Jan 8

By MORRISON HAYBLE

AUCHI - Final preparations for the 29th edition of the National Quranic Recitation Competition to be hosted by Edo state government beginning January 8, 2015 have been harmonized.

His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, is expected to be Chairman of the opening ceremony.

Other guests expected at the ten day event are the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, State Governors as well as eminent traditional rulers and personalities across the country.

At a meeting at the palace

of the Otaru of Auchi, the Local Organising Committee, LOC of the event received the protocol and medical committees with a charge to display a high sense of maturity in the discharge of their assignment in a manner expected of good muslims.

Chairman, LOC and the Otaru of Auchi kingdom, HRH, Alhaji A.H. Momoh, Ikelebe III urged the various committees to intensify efforts at ensuring a successful hosting.

The National Quranic Recitation Competition was last hosted by Edo state in 2009.

Meanwhile, the annual

celebration of the 18th edition of Auchi Day comes up on the 8th of January 8, 2015, to be hosted by the Otaru of Auchi, HRH Alhaji A. H. Momoh, Ikelebe III, the event is due to commence at 1.30pm.

His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, is to be the chairman of the occasion, while the Governor of the state, Comrade. Adams Oshiomhole is to be the Executive Guest of Honour.

Other guests expected at the occasion include, Chief Omamofe Boyo, Deputy Chief Executive of Oando Group and Chief Alhaji Abu Inu Umoru, Chairman, Setraco Nigeria limited.

fair.

Adeleke also said that developments in the world economy, Nigerian fiscal and monetary policies and companies’ mid-year results were critical to economic growth in 2015.

Meanwhile, a turnover of 1.25 billion shares worth N15.89 billion were exchanged by investors in 12,018 deals last week.

This was against 1.86 billion shares valued N12.76 billion, exchanged in 13,469 deals in the preceding week.

The Financial Services Sector remained the most traded, accounting for 1.01 billion shares worth N6.86 billion traded in 5,992 deals.

The Consumer Goods industry followed with a turnover of 117.78 million shares valued N5.35 billion transacted in 2,459 deals.

The third place was occupied by the Conglomerates sector with 59.91 million shares worth N338.99 million, achieved in 762 deals.

The All-Share Index rose by 228.33 to close at 34,657.15 compared with 34,428.82 achieved in the corresponding week due to price gains.

Also, the market capitalisation appreciated by N76 billion to close at N11.478 trillion against the N11.402 trillion, posted in the previous week.

Vono Products led the gainers’ table for the week in percentage terms, appreciating by 24.44 per cent or 22k to close at N1.12 per share.

Champion Breweries trailed with 18.31 per cent or N1.08 to close at N6.98, while Continental Reinsurance increased by 17.24 per cent or 15k to close at N1.02 per share.

On the other hand, Oando topped the losers’ chart in percentage terms, shedding 19.33 per cent or N3.86 to close at N16.11 per share.

Transcorps came second with a loss of 18.14 per cent or 72k to close at N3.25, while Conoil declined by 14.24 per cent or N6.33 to close at N38.11 per share.

Strike remains last option - NLC scribe

ABUJA - The General Secretary, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, yesterday in Abuja, said strike remained the last option to addressing industrial disputes in the country.

Ozo-Eson told newsmen in an interview that incessant strikes in the country were as a result of non-implementation of agreements reached between government and workers.

He, however, noted that “strike is always the last resort; what the worker has is his labour power and what distinguishes a worker from a slave is that he or she has the freedom to withdraw the labour power at any given time.

“When that freedom is not there, then you are no longer a worker but a slave and compulsorily, you must work.

“Therefore, the issue of strike in this country is unfortunate because people only hear when the announcement of strike is being made and not the procedures that led to the strike.’’

The general secretary said it was sad that the public did not take cognisance of meetings held before agreements were reached.

“The public does not hear of how many meetings have taken place and the agreements reached and the authorities’ refusal to implement them.’’

According to him, such meetings may go on for a year or two without public notice.

Fashola inaugurates 57 traditional heads for councils IKEJA – Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday administered the oath of office on 57 Executive Secretaries that would run the affairs of the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the state.

Fashola said that the executive secretaries would run the affairs of their respective councils for the next three months.

The former elected chairmen of the various councils vacated their offices on October 18, 2014, following the expiration of their statutory three-year tenure.

Since then, the council managers had been overseeing the day-to-day activities of the councils.

Fashola said the appointment of the executive secretaries was to ensure there was no vacuum in service delivery at the grassroots.

He said that each of them would oversee the council assigned to him or her with four other officials for a transitional period of three months, after which the state government may renew their tenure or do otherwise.

Fashola said the state had tentatively fixed March for the council elections and that

tenure extension would be subject to whether the Independent Electoral Commission would sort out all the necessary issues ahead of the election.

The governor urged the new appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them by serving conscientiously and working with other people to uplift the people at the grassroots.

He charged them to strengthen education at the grassroots and work assiduously to improve primary health care delivery system in their areas.

“We expect the new appointees to focus on their primary responsibilities at the councils. The first duty of any government is to secure lives and properties.

“Also, my mandate to you is to go and intimate all members of your committees that they are part of us, they are Lagosians, and we must integrate everybody and we must live in peaceful co-existence,“ he said.

Fashola urged people who might have been aggrieved by the selection of the appointees to work with them, pointing out it that it could not have been possible to give responsibilities to every deserving person.

LAGOS - Dr Osahon Enabulele, the ViceP r e s i d e n t , Commonwealth Medical Association, West African Region, on Monday identified the containment of the Ebola Virus Disease as a major achievement in 2014.

Enabulele told newsmen in Lagos that the collaborative efforts to combat the scourge were “remarkable”.

He said that the signing into law of the National Health Bill was a landmark development that would resolve the many issues in the health sector. · Cue in audio “There have been some remarkable developments particularly the passage of the National Health bill and the subsequent signing of

the bill into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Another development that occurred towards the last quarter of 2014 was the submission of the report of the Yayale Ahmed-led Presidential Committee of Experts on InterProfessional Relationships in the Public Health Sector in Nigeria.

‘But again, Ebola crisis created a new opportunity for Nigeria, sort of turned out to be a blessing in disguise towards the second half of the year. It looked like a turning-point in the nation‘s health sector.

“It provided opportunity for the government at Federal and state levels to give the long sought priority to the health sector through political and professional m

Containment of Ebola A Major Achievement in 2014 - Expert

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

Explosion Kills 2 In Adamawa

India To Facilitate Collaboration Between Bollywood, Nollywood ABUJA - India’s Acting High Commissioner in Nigeria Kaisar Alam has said the commission will facilitate collaboration between Bollywood and Nollywood, the Nigeria’s and India’s movie industries, respectively.

He told newsmen in Abuja that the two countries’ film industries had a lot to contribute to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Alam said that stakeholders in the film industries from Bollywood and Nollywood could partner or exchange programmes that would yield mutual benefits and promote better understanding between the two countries.

According to him, India is the second largest producer of films in the world, next only to Hollywood.

“Indian films are very popular in several countries like Russia, China, Indonesia; and even in Nigeria.

“India can use its more than 100 years of experience in Bollywood to assist Nigeria if the people in the industry can communicate exactly what they need to us.

“The people in the industry have to come forward to tell us exactly where they need assistance and in what form.

“The film industry contributes significantly to the GDP of India. I understand that Nollywood also contributes significantly to the GDP of Nigeria,’’ he said.

He said collaboration between Nigeria and India in the movie industries will boost both country’s economies.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Chief Oseni Elamah (left) congratulating a staff of the agency, Areghan Emmanuel after receiving the Award of Excellence as an outstanding member of staff for the year 2014.

object they picked by the roadside containing a strange object.

He said the leather object suspected to be an abandoned IED exploded, killing two of the youths.

“The development was followed by an explosion which killed one person on the spot while the second died shortly before admission at the Yola Specialist Hospital.

“Two other injured youths are now on admission in the hospital.’’

Jibrilla advised the public to be vigilant and to report any strange object to the authorities.

Reports state that Maiha Local Government was one of the Local Governments recovered recently from insurgents by the military.

When contacted, the Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP. Othman Abubakar, confirmed the incident but did not give details.

Eschew Selfish Ambition, Cleric Advises Nigerians

Children enjoying rides at ‘Wonderland’ Amusement park in Abuja recently..

Religious Leaders Urge Nigerians To Live In Peace

LOKOJA - Nigerians have been urged to continue to live in peace for the country to realise its potential.

A cross section of religious leaders who spoke with newsmen in Lokoja urged Nigerians to create an enabling environment for peace to reign in 2015 and beyond.

The clerics reminded Nigerians that no meaningful development could take place in an atmosphere of rancour and disunity.

David Popoola, the Provincial Pastor of Living Faith Church, Lokoja, urged Nigerian leaders to be honest and faithful in their

responsibilities.

Popoola reiterated the need for politicians to shun all forms of violence and utterances that could cause disunity among people in the country.

He said “I urge politicians and stakeholders in 2015 general elections not to heat up the polity, but to allow peace and harmony to be their watch words.

“In spite of the insurgency and insecurity facing our country, we are still one indivisible nation, Nigeria will surely surmount all her

challenges.

“We are a great people, a great nation; God loves our country and His absolute peace will reign in our nation this new year and beyond.’’

Malam Abubakar Mohammed, a Muslim cleric, said Nigerians should continue to celebrate the unity of the nation, irrespective of religious, tribal, cultural and political differences.

He commended the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and stressed the need for

Fire Destroys 300 Shops In Zaria Samaritans and men of aduna State) - An buildings, sheds and Market the fire service to put off early morning fire on property worth millions the fire and prevent its SABONGARI

(K

weekend has destroyed no fewer than 300 shops at Sabongarin Zaria main market in Sabongari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Correspondent who visited the scene, reported that the fire burnt down

YOLA - A blast suspected to be from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) had claimed two lives in Dahlehi Community in the Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa.

The Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji Mohammed Jibrilla, confirmed the development in an interview with newsmen in Yola.

He said the incident occurred when some youths lit fire to warm themselves because of hammatan cold but mistakenly added a leather

of naira.

In an interview with newsmen the Vice Chairman, Butchers’ Association, Sabongari market, Malam Adamu Ibrahim, said the cause of the fire was unknown.

Ibrahim said: “Reports

received from eye witnesses so far, indicated that the fire started either by midnight or early morning of Saturday and it is suspected to be caused by electricity problem.

“It took the intervention of good

escalation.

“However, more than 300 shops have already been destroyed. We are therefore appealing to government to come to our aid.”

Reports state that areas affected included butchers and fish stalls.

Nigerians to give him total support to succeed.

He added that “no one can get to any leadership position in life without the consent of Almighty Allah.

“I urge all Nigerians to unite and support the President in the fight against insurgency and insecurity ravaging our nation.

“We must create an atmosphere that will allow peace and unity to reign,’’ Mohammed said.

Mr. John Aboyeji, the Presiding Pastor of The Potter’s Porch International Churches, enjoined Nigerians, irrespective of their affiliations, to learn to accommodate one another and embrace peace and harmony.

He advised Nigerians to live in peace with one another, pointing out that peaceful coexistence would engender rapid development of the country.

“I advise Nigerian leaders and government at all levels to get closer to God and have the fear of God in their hearts.

“Imbibing the spirit of love and unity will surely help us to surmount insurgency and other challenges facing the country.

“I am optimistic that the insurgents terrorising our beloved country will soon meet their waterloo,’’ Aboyeji said.

KUJE (FCT) - Rev. David Yako of ECWA Goodness Church, Kuje, has called on all Nigerians to eschew selfish ambition.

He made the call in a message to mark the first Sunday service of the year and to unveil the ECWA theme for the year —For I am Persuaded — quoted from the book of Romans 8: 38.

He called on Nigerians to forgive one another always and shun selfishness to attain greater heights in their spiritual fulfillment.

“When you forgive your neighbour, God will intervene in whatever situation you are in life and our current challenge will be a thing of the past.

“Love, peace and forgiveness are requirements for attracting God’s divine presence in whatever problem we are facing today,’’ he said.

He advised Christians to be careful with distraction from the enemies and evil doers and to remain with Christ even at trying moments.

Reports state that hundreds of worshippers attended the service that featured intercessory prayers and gospel praises.

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TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

News LG Revokes Revenue Collection Contracts

Labour Party Governorship Candidate Makes Promises

“The challenge I have now is on how to generate

ASABA - Chief Ejaiefe Odegbala, Chairman, Sapele Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State said the council had revoked all contracts for revenue collection in the area.

Odegbala also advised people in the area to stop making payments to any individual or organisation but to the council’s bank accounts.

In an interview with newsmen after a church thanksgiving in Asaba for his victory, the council chairman said the decision was taken to block all revenue leakages.

According to the chairman, the LGA is struggling to pay its workers salaries because of its poor revenue.

He said that his administration would do all that was necessary to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the council in order to provide social amenities to the people.

YENAGOA - Some residents of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital, have commended the Nigeria Police for ensuring security during the recent festivities.

The three major festivals that were just concluded were the Christmas, New Year Festival and the Eidel-Maulud.

The residents told newsmen in Yenagoa that the security operations carried out during the just concluded three festivals

ASABA - Mrs. Bridget Anyafulu, Executive Director, International Centre for Women Empowerment and Child Development (ICWECD), said the nongovernmental organisation, had embarked on tree planting campaign in secondary schools in Delta.

Anyafulu disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Asaba, Delta State.

She said that the campaign was aimed at educating the youths, especially secondary school students, on the need to imbibe the culture of

planting trees in their environment.

According to her, the campaign would also help the students to contribute their quota toward addressing the challenges posed by climate change which mostly affects them.

She called on youths in the country to imbibe the culture of planting trees, adding that trees would help to curb flooding in the country.

Anyafulu noted that

revenue. So, we are trying to introduce measures to enable people to pay through the banks because before now some people collected on behalf of the council.

“The allocation that comes from the Federal Government to the LGA is merger and can hardly pay the workers’ salaries and as I speak our workers are being paid half salaries.

“If we can raise revenue, we can plan with that one; but now revenue from the federal allocation is nothing to depend upon,” he said.

government to step up plans in ensuring that the state was safe for residents. “ We had security during the festive period; we did not witness any criminal incident as the security apparatus put in place in Yenagoa during the just concluded three festivals was a welcome development,’’ he said.

Also speaking to newsmen Mr. Asinim Butswat, the spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, said that the command was ready to check crime and ensure the safety of the people.

“It is our duty to protect lives and property and we will continue to work hard in ensuring that the state remains safe.

“The festive period was safe because our men were on patrol; thank God we are moving forward in ensuring security,’’ Butswat said.

PORT HARCOURT - The governorship candidate of the Labour party in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, has said that his administration would invest in Housing and Transport sectors to impact on the people.

Princewill told newsmen in Port Harcourt that if elected his administration would use the Private Public Partnership to invest in the two sectors.

“We will create the environment for which Private sector enterprise can get involved. My plan is to make Port Harcourt a lot freer and traffic less hectic.

“It is to make it in such a way that people can move from one point to another with ease. It is about flexible steady transport planning,’’ he said.

According to Princewill, his administration will create bus lanes to make it easier for public transport operators. “ We will also invest in transport infrastructure. We will have rail that can move people within the city to lessen traffic on the major roads,’’ he said.

The candidate also said he would improve security and water transportation to ensure free movement of goods and people to different coastal communities.

On housing, Princewill said if elected, his administration would invest in low-cost housing for the people.

He said some major arms of government would be decentralised and made to operate outside the state capital.

“As the ministries and parastatal agencies move government will use the opportunity to build houses for workers in the rural areas.

“This will ease transport in the state capital and make people live in their own houses,’’ he said.

Princewill said past administrations in the state had paid lip service to transport and housing sectors which made the costs of accessing the services prohibitive.

“Housing and Transport form some of the basic needs of our people.

“If we can make transportation cheaper and more efficient, if we can bring house rent down, you are affecting the lives of the common man,’’ he said.

I think the company should be commended for this and we expect more of such performance this year,’’ he said.

Mrs. Ekaette Effiong, a hairdresser, who lives in Parliamentary Area, also said that there had been regular power supply in the area in recent time.

“It started some weeks before Christmas and this has enabled me to make some money from my business.

“I pray that it will continue this 2015 so that we will stop buying fuel for our generators; the situation will improve my business,’’ she said.

Effiong said that frequent use of generator had increased her cost of doing business, commending the Federal

Government for privatising the power sector.

“I thank President Goodluck Jonathan for this improvement in power supply in this area. This will help us, the poor, to continue with our small scale businesses,’’ she said.

Mr. Chris Awom, a farmer and resident of Eight Miles Area, also told journalists that the area experienced constant power supply during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

“Some of us who did not go out to watch the carnival procession watched it on television because there was steady light.

“It was a remarkable improvement, I hope it will continue this way,’’ he said.

L-R: Member, Ibadan Foundation, Chief Abayomi Sanu; President of the Foundation, Chief Bayo Alugbin, representative of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Prof. Femi Lana and Chairman, University Press, Dr. Lekan Are, at the annual Ibadan Foundation Luncheon and Awards in Ibqadan recently.

Yuletide: Bayelsa Residents Hail

Police On Security

were impressive compared with previous years.

Mrs. Ann Ayibatonye, a resident of Obele Ovom community in Yenagoa Local Government Area, commended the security agencies over its operations during the period and called for sustenance.

Ayibatonye said that if such security measures could be maintained, the

NGO Embarks On Tree Planting Campaign - Official increasing severe floods and storms world over, had devastating effects on homes and livelihoods of families.

The executive director noted that the problems of developing countries like Nigeria were compounded by climate change, compelling the people to remain in poverty.

She called on government at all levels to initiate policies and programmes that would ensure the protection of the environment.

The Eatries at the Federal Secretariat as workers resume from new year and Eid-ElMaulud Holidays in Abuja yesterday.

state would attract more investors while the state’s economy would improve.

“My street has been known as the most dangerous and one that was prone to crime within the capital city, but throughout the celebration period, the street was safe.

“I commend the security agencies, especially the police who took it upon themselves in ensuring that the people were protected during and after the period,’’ she said.

A resident of Amarata in Yenagoa Local Government Area, , Mr Kenneth Perezi, also said his area was calm within the period and urged the police to sustain the momentum.

Perezi, who described security as “ pertinent,’’ advised the state

Calabar Residents Applaud Disco, Over Improved Power Supply CALABAR - Some residents of Calabar have commended the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company on the improved power supply in the city.

They gave the commendation in separate interviews with newsmen in Calabar, Cross River State.

Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong, a politician, said there was constant power supply in Calabar South Local Government Area throughout the yuletide.

“To be honest with you, throughout the Christmas period, I did not spend one kobo on fuel for my generator because there was constant light.

“Even when the light went off, it was restored within few hours.

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TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

News FG Blames Borno Black Out On is thus Sabotage Insurgency using“Thethisministry medium to alert MAIDUGURI - The Minister of State for Power, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil, has blamed the prolonged power outage in Borno on sabotage and insurgency.

Wakil made the announcement in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media Mr. Olawale Rasheed in Maiduguri.

The statement said that government had made several attempts at restoring the power supply, which was cut off in June 2014 after a suspected terror attack on the Damboa Power Substation.

“The Federal Ministry of Power has repeatedly moved to reconnect Maiduguri to national grid but insurgency and sabotage have so far delayed the realisation of that goal.

“In the last seven months when the power lines and sub-station at Damboa were attacked, the ministry through the Transmission Company of Nigeria made at least seven attempts to rectify the problem but on each occasion the officials were attacked.”

The statement said that two other attempts to restore power were successfully accomplished with parts of Maiduguri enjoying electricity supply.

It, however, noted that the power supply was shortlived as the lines were again vandalised less than five

hours after.

The statement said that the development prompted the ministry of power to seek assistance from the military on reconnection.

It said further that Wakil in a meeting with military chiefs requested for special security cover which was granted and this led to the latest attempt by the ministry to reconnect the state.

The statement quoted the minister as saying that “it was widely reported that the insurgents again attempted to attack the TCN staff but were ambushed by a military team.

“In that brave defense of the power officials, the military lost an officer and two soldiers with seventy five insurgents killed and many others sustaining injuries.”

It said that the power lines covered a large area, making it difficult to police.

“It should be put on record that power lines run several kilometers across the state.

“It is practically impossible to physically police the lines from Damboa to Maiduguri which is also widely known as an insurgency belt.

“It was due to the bravery of our officials and the military that the Damboa Sub-station has been repaired but the power lines remain susceptible to vandalism.

the public that sabotage and insurgency are two evils, stalling the restoration of power to the state.”

The statement expressed shock that the blackout had been politicised by some individuals trying to score cheap political points.

“There is strong evidence suggesting that some disgruntled forces are deliberately vandalising power lines as a weapon of blackmail against the Federal Government.

“The blackout crisis has thus become politicised with those dark forces deriving joy in stopping power supply to Borno in other to score cheap political points.”

The statement noted that to embark on systematic destruction of power lines and other utilities for political end was uncharitable and an action that should be condemned by all and sundry.

It said the protection of public utilities in Borno or elsewhere should not become instrument of politics as the welfare of our people was at stake.

The statement said the ministry would not relent in its efforts to reconnect the state and defeat insurgency and sabotage.

It commended the people of Borno for their understanding, assuring them that efforts were being made to restore power in the state.

Over 335 Displaced Persons Live In Niger, Says Official MINNA - The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has said that more than 335 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were residing in the state.

NSEMA’s General Manager, Alhaji Mohammed Shaba, said this in an interview with newsmen in Minna, Niger State.

He said majority of the displaced persons were victims of terrorism from the North-East.

“There are 107 displaced persons from Kalaah, Hong and Madagli in Adamawa State living in Gurara Local Government area, while 288

from Gwoza in Borno are in Shiroro Local Government.

“Those living in Gurara local government, said they are with their Christian relatives under the leadership of Rev. Enoch Mark, camping in Dikko central Primary School.

“Those in Shiroro local government who are predominantly fishermen, women and children from Doron Baga, chose the area to enable them continue their fishing trade.”

Shaba disclosed that some of the victims residing in Gurara lost their sight from bomb blast, while some

suffered from tuberculosis.

He said the Agency in collaboration with Gurara local government contacted some health workers to conduct medical test and treat them accordingly.

The general manager however said the IIDPs still require urgent medical care and relief materials.

He called on the state government to build a permanent IDP camp to accommodate those from the state.

Shaba said the agency had taken measure to encourage the IDPs to return to their states.

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Lagos

Eye Lashes: Optometrists LAGOS - Some and if anything causes it to optometrists have advised women against indiscriminate use of artificial eye lashes to avoid damage to the cornea.

The optometrists, in separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos, also advised women to patronise experts, if they must wear the lashes.

The use of eye lashes has taken root in the Nigerian fashion scene, especially during festive periods.

A Consultant Optometrist, Dr Eniola Ajayi, said: “If one must wear eye lashes, you have to follow the laid down procedures as approved by professional anesthesiologists”.

Ajayi said that the laceration of the cornea could cause a scar and in turn impair vision.

“The issues lie with the technical fixing of the lashes, which can affect the front cover of the eye, the cornea.

“It is a transparent tissue

lacerate, that is, cut or bruise, and it fails to heal well, it will cause a scar which will affect vision in terms of clarity.

“If in the process of fixing the lashes, proper hygienic measures are not taking, one can develops infection.

“The physical attributes of the lash, if not properly fixed, that is, if it is not correctly turned up, it can begin to abrade the eye causing an erosion of the cornea over time,” Ajayi said.

Another consultant optometrist, Dr Susu Enang, expressed concern over the use of super glue to stick the lashes.

“Although, I don’t have the authority to say people should not use these artificial lashes, I advocate sticking it with the natural ones.

“People come to my clinic with complains associated with injuries sustained from the use of artificial lashes.

“I have a patient who her

cornea suffered burns when super glue accidentally got into her eye.

“When these artificial lashes are fixed by a non professional, it can turn inward and abrade the cornea.

“Also, when glue is applied on the eye lid margin, it blocks the sebaceous glands that secrete oil to moisturise the eye.

“It consequently denies the eye of the antibiotic properties it provides, resulting in infection of the eyelid and the sebaceous glands itself.

“Interestingly, artificial lashes create room for infections because people who wear these lashes do not wash their eyes well, and also when the lashes fall out, dust and bacteria will accumulate around the eyes,” Enang said.

In his comment, Dr Sandra Aigbe, said that glue contains chemicals like formaldehyde, which could have adverse effect on the eyes.

“Glue can cause allergic

Chief Education Officer, Government Junior College, Eric Moore, Surulere, Mr. Odukoya Kofoworola, addressing students as school resumes after new year and Eid-El-Maulud holidays in Lagos yesterday.

Advise Women

reactions causing stinging, burning, swelling and rash.

“The use of super glue is just wrong, It can also result in temporary and

containers of different goods.

It stated that five other ships were expected to arrive with petroleum products like petrol and diesel, while four different ships would bring in fresh fish.

The document stated that the remaining 10 ships would arrive with vehicles, buckwheat, bulk charcoal,

bulk salt, bulk ethanol, bulk rice and general cargo.

It further indicated that 10 other ships had already arrived the ports, waiting to berth with food items such as; bulk rice, fresh fish and bulk fertiliser.

It explained that nine other ships containing various petroleum products were also waiting to berth at the various oil terminals

any form of discomfort in the eye.

“Avoid fixing lashes if you have any eye infection or disease,” she said.

Workers resuming at the Federal Secretariat after new year and Eid-el-Maulud holidays in Abuja yesterday.

Civil Servants Urged To Renew Commitment To Service IKEJA - The Lagos State Head of Service, Mrs. Oluseyi Williams, yesterday charged civil servants to renew their commitment to service in the New Year and work assiduously to move the state forward.

Williams gave the charge at the Inter-religious Thanksgiving Service organised by the state government in Ikeja to usher in the First Working Day of the year.

According to her, the workers can only justify the confidence reposed in them through more efficient service delivery and greater impact on the state and its people.

“In the New Year, you should work together more as a team. You should shun envy and other things that

41 Ships Laden With Foods, Petroleum LAGOS - Forty one Products Expected In Lagos ships laden with containers, foods, petroleum products and other goods would arrive Lagos ports from January 5 to January 20.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said in its daily publication ‘Shipping Position’ – made available to newsmen on Monday in Lagos, that 22 of the expected ships would arrive with

permanent loss of natural lashes.”

She further advised women to be wary of using artificial lashes if there was

in the ports.

The document stated that seven of the nine ships contain petrol, while the remaining two would berth with base oil and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO).

It noted that 22 other ships were discharging buckwheat, general cargo, fresh fish, bulk fertiliser, containers, bulk sugar, bulk gypsum and petroleum products.

do not promote harmonious working relationship.

‘If anyone is doing well in your office, do not envy him, rather learn from him and let him be an inspiration to work harder. Envy is not good, it causes problems in the workplace,’’ she said.

Williams said the state government was committed to the welfare of workers and would continue to take steps to improve the lot of civil servants.

She said the state was one of the few states in the federation that paid workers their wages promptly, adding that it did not only pay salaries but paid its workforce bonuses.

The Head of Service urged the workers to reciprocate the gesture by putting in their best, adding that the state’s service has the wherewithal to deliver on its statutory obligation.

In his message at the service, Rev. Veras Alawale of the Chapel of the Light Church, Alausa, admonished workers to improve their attitude to work in the New Year.

According to him, one’s attitude is a defining factor in any undertaking in life and people fail or succeed because of their attitude.

“Also you need to dedicate your lives to God more in the

New Year, you need God to do better on your job.

“Always do the right thing and seek God’s guidance in all you do through fervent prayers,’’ he said In the same vein, a Muslim cleric, Alhaji Ibrahim Olorungbebe, urged workers to live in peace with others and always show compassion to their fellows.

“You should show mercies to others if you want mercy from God. This is because Almighty Allah always shows mercies to those who love their brothers and show compassion,’’ he said.

Prayers were offered for the country, the state, the state’s executive council as well as all workers in the service.

Prayers were also offered for the success of the forthcoming general elections as well the peace and security of the nation.

Five new buses were inaugurated by the Head of Service to ease transportation challenges of workers from their homes to work.

Williams said the buses were part of measures to improve the lot of workers and urged users to ensure efficient use of the vehicles.

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News Yero Condemns Attack On Village Kaduna - Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State has condemned the attack on Ambe-Madaki Village in the Sanga Local Government Area of the state.

The governor also decried the murder of the District Head of Zangang in Atakar Chiefdom, Mr Yohanna Daniel Shinkut, describing the acts as “devilish and unwarranted’’.

Yero, in a statement by his Spokesman, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, said the recent wave of attacks in Southern Kaduna was instigated by some desperate people for their selfish gains.

He urged people in the affected communities to

remain calm as government had taken measures to restore law and order.

“Security surveillance has been intensified in the affected communities to ensure adequate security for the people.’’

The governor said that government would be responsible for the payment of medical bills of all injured victims while the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency had also been directed to provide relief materials to those affected.

“Though we have

APGA Presents Maku AS Guber Candidate LAFIA - The All Progressives Grand Allaince (APGA) has presented the immediate past Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, as its governorship candidate in Nasarawa State.

The party also presented Mr. Ibrahim Abu as Maku’s running mate in February’s governorship election.

The Chairman of the party in the state, Chief John Amako, presented Maku and his running mate in Lafia to the party’s officials and supporters from the 13 local government areas of the state. ”By this pronouncement, all rumours making the rounds that Maku is not the governorship candidate of APGA in the state should be disregarded,” Amako said.

He said the APGA national headquarters and all the stakeholders of the party in the state had endorsed the decision to present Maku as governorship candidate.

Responding, Maku expressed gratitude to the party for the confidence reposed in him and his running mate, promising to ensure that the different ethnic groups in the

state live in peace.

The former minister said he left the PDP because of the “ irregularities ’’ that characterised the party’s primaries in the state, adding that he opted out “to seek for justice.’’

He promised to transform the state to a model where every ethnic group would enjoy equal rights and opportunities.

Maku, however, called on the people to support the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan in order to ensure the consolidation of the ongoing transformation agenda in the country.

He said the president had been able to tackle the various problems facing the country.

The former minister said that in spite of the current challenges in the country , the president had been able to boost the economy.

Children enjoying at Trans Park in Ibadan

Children having fun at ‘Wonderland Amusement Park in Abuja.

...Says Ambition Intact

LAFIA – Mr. Labaran Maku, the immediate past Minister of Information, on Thursday, said that his ambition to contest in the

Vote Wisely, Former Lawmaker Tells Nigerians LAGOS – Mr. Adekanbi Kabir, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly has urged Nigerians to vote wisely in the forthcoming general elections.

He gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, saying that Nigeria requires pragmatic leaders.

Kabir said that the phenomenon of selling votes for gratification should be cast aside, saying “this is not the time to do that’’.

He advised Nigerians not to vote for anybody that could not provide maximum security, jobs for the youth, stable power

recorded tremendous progress in ensuring unity and peaceful co-existence in the entire state, it is obvious that some enemies of our dear state are bent on sowing seeds of discord in order to score cheap political points.

“The entire people of Kaduna State should remain united in the face of this calculated attempt at dividing us, we must work together to put our common enemies to shame.

“Enough is enough, government is ready to take decisive measures to protect the lives and properties of its citizens,’’ he said.

supply and other social amenities.

He also raised concern on the dependence of the country on oil as the nation’s main revenue source and called for diversification of the economy.

According to him, it is imperative to exploit other resources such as solid minerals, cocoa and rubber, among others, to ensure stability of the economy.

Kabir, while commending the role of traditional rulers at the grassroots, enjoined them to ensure that peace reign in their communities during the elections.

2015 governorship election in Nasarawa State is intact.

The former minister said this while delivering his New Year Message at St. Williams Cathedral, Lafia.

Maku said that in spite of what happened recently at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election, he was still moving on with his ambition to contest in the 2015 governorship

election.

He disclosed that the Appeal Panel had yet to respond to the petition he submitted to it on the outcome of the state’s governorship primaries conducted by the PDP. “I want to assure my supporters that no amount of conspiracy by a few people will stop me from contesting the 2015 general elections,” he said.

He advised the electorate not to vote for candidates on religious or ethnic basis, but to choose those with dispositions to tackle the challenges confronting the state.

He urged all his supporters to support the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, even though he might not contest on the platform of PDP. The former minister said

Jonathan deserved a second term because of what he had done in transforming all the sectors of the nation’s economy.

Maku said “Jonathan is the best President this country has ever produced.’’

While calling on his supporters to remain law abiding, he said he would, in a matter of days, unveil his new platform to the public.

Mangu (Plateau) - The Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area in Plateau State, Mr. Caleb Mutfwang, has confirmed that seven persons killed in recent attacks on some parts of the area.

Mutfwang told a news conference in Jos that the area witnessed some security challenges in which lives were lost.

He said the attacks occurred in Maitumbi, Jwak-Maitumbi, Kyampus, Mai-Rana, Sarbot and Kantoma villages and their

immediate environs.

According to him, the enemies struck in the night of December 26 and shot one Mr. Yoila Micah dead in his residence in Jwak-Maitumbi.

He said that while the community was recovering from the attack, the gunmen struck again on Tuesday and shot two men riding on a motor-cycle, killing and beheading one Longji Mikyes while another unnamed person escaped with gunshot wounds.

Mutfwang said the killing precipitated violence in parts of the local government and attracted the attention of the Special Task Force (STF) which moved in to ensure peace.

He, however, said that following the killings, some youths tracked the killers by tracing the blood mark to the house of one Alhaji Wada, a Fulani resident of the community.

“Upon their request to search the house, someone came out with a gun and shot randomly at

the youths injuring some of them.

“Angered by this reaction, the youths went on rampage and burnt some house belonging to Fulani residents and causing the death of a Fulani man on a visit from Barkin Ladi.

“Not surprising, the Fulani mobilised at night and attacked some of the other communities, resulting in the death of four people, burning of houses and properties, and throwing up a lot of internally displaced persons,“ he said.

LG Boss Confirms Deaths In Attack

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Business + Economy Wireless Network Org Deploys 79 Base Stations To Nigerian LAGOS - The Universal Communities

Service Provision Fund (USPF) has said that it had deployed 79 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) in unserved and underserved communities across the country.

The Secretary of USPF, Mr. Abdullahi Maikano, told newsmen in Lagos that the deployment of the base stations was to bridge the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) gap between viable and non-viable areas in Nigeria.

Maikano said that the USPF implemented its mandates through its two main programmes of Connectivity and Access.

He said that projects designed under the ‘Connectivity Programme’ were being implemented to facilitate the rapid deployment of ICT infrastructure in areas where services would not be commercially viable.

According to him, projects implemented under the programme include BTS Project, Backbone Transmission Network (BTRAIN) Project, Rural Broadband Infrastructure (RuBI) Project and University Inter Campus Connectivity (UnICC) Project.

“The BTS project is an intervention of the USPF through the facilitation of wireless network coverage expansion to the rural, unserved and underserved areas and communities across the country.

“Under this project, the USPF provides incentives through subsidies to industry operators to

deploy the BTS infrastructure and associated equipment that will provide access to voice telephony and data services.

“This is important since most of the time, deployment of telephone and other ICT services by operators are often concentrated in urban areas for economic reasons.

“So far, 79 BTS have been deployed across different communities and providing access to about 10 million people,” he said.

Maikano said that another project undertaken by the fund under the Connectivity Programmen was the ‘RuBI project’ which was aimed at facilitating wireless broadband network rollout in rural, semi rural areas and towns.

He added that the project was to ensure that end users had internet access at broadband speed.

According to him, the project will also provide an efficient bandwidth distribution network that will serve as a platform for extension and distribution of broadband internet access in rural areas.

The secretary said that the service would be offered at both wholesale and retail rates and at the same time serve as a catalyst for the uptake of other technologies centred around the internet such as e-library, ehealth and e-government.

“Thus far, 11 pilot RuBI sites have been completed across the six geo-political zones.

‘The outcome of the project is the wide spread availability of broadband internet services such as internet browsing, email, VoIP and electronic testing services,” he added.

Assistant Director, Training, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mr. Zakari Sabo (left), speaking during the Skill Upgrading Training of Artisans and Craftsmen in the construction Industry in Abuja yesterday.

Kaduna Education Sector To Gulp N205b In 2015 -Gov Yero ZARIA (KADUNA STATE) - Governor Muktar Yero of Kaduna State has said that the education sector in the state would consume more than N2.5 billion in the 2015 fiscal year.

Speaking at the 22nd Annual General Meeting of the Zaria Education Development Association in Zaria, Kaduna State, Yero said his administration had placed education second to security which has made the sector to receive allocation of N20.5

Restore Power Maiduguri, Residents Pleads MAIDUGURI - Some He said that the situation had With FG residents of Maiduguri on New forced some residents to rely Year’s Day appealed to the Federal Government to reconnect power supply to the city, reports state.

It will be recalled that electricity supply was cut in June, 2014, after a suspected insurgents attack on a power station in Damboa, headquarters of Damboa Local Government Area.

A cross section of residents interviewed by newsmen in Maiduguri, expressed reservation over the delay by the government

in restoring power supply to the city.

Alhaji Mohammed Zarami, a businessman, said that the lack of electricity in the city had caused severe damages to social and economic life of citizens.

“It is sad that we have had to stay for this long without electricity supply in Maiduguri.

“It is even more sad with the current improvement in power supply in the country where some states enjoy uninterrupted supply for days,” Zarami said.

on power generating sets for power supply.

“Most residents depend on power generating sets for power supply daily, but those who cannot afford the high cost of maintaining the sets end up sleeping in darkness,” Zarami said.

Alhaji Bukar Bulama, an artisan, who spoke in the same vein, said that the situation had forced many artisans to look for something else to do for their survival.

Bello said the association also awarded scholarships and bursaries to indigent, disabled and brilliant students in the area.

The chairman called on the government to support and partner with the association to resuscitate its cyber cafe to impart information and communication technology to students and teachers.

The Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, described education as the foundation of human development.

He said this necessitated the spirited efforts of the emirate to support the government and non-governmental organisations to ensure the provision of quality education.

He called on politicians to eschew rancour and violent during their campaigns and the February elections.

billion.

“This amount will be expended on construction and rehabilitation of physical structures, employment of additional teachers, capacity development for teachers and provision of modern facilities in public schools at all levels,” he said.

He recalled that the government had last year constructed and rehabilitated 187 junior secondary and primary schools, 38 senior secondary schools and 58 laboratories while 46 libraries were furnished.

The governor also said that 26 games villages for developed for early child care development, construction of 470 cubicle toilets and 75 offices and furnishing of 509 classrooms in both primary and secondary schools.

He said that his administration had expended more than N960 million on overseas scholarships.

While applauding the association for its efforts to rescue education in the Zazzau emirate, Yero called on similar associations to emulate the gesture for societal growth and development.

The Chairman of the central working committee of the association, Dr Alimi Bello, had said it had since inception 22

years ago geared its energy toward the development of education in the emirate.

Bello identified some of the association’s activities to include organising remedial programmes that give intensive coaching to secondary school students with deficiency in GCE, WAEC and NECO and organising JAMB clinics.

He said the association also organised vocational training programmes for boys and girls who could not cope academically or were interested in acquisition of practical skills.

“We train the youth in trades like welding, tailoring, automechanic, weaving, knitting, electric wiring and a host of other technical skills.”

The Public Relations Officer of the board, Malam Mohammed Yola, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano.

He said the affected beggars were brought to Kano from Lagos state in December, 2014. ‘’The street beggars were arrested by the Lagos State Government which banned street begging and sent them back to Kano. ‘’The Kano State Government then directed the board to return some of them to their respective states of origin’,’’

Yola said.

He said 29 of them were from some local government areas in Kano state while the remaining 52 were from other states in the North.

Yola further said that 13 of those affected came from Jigawa, 12 from Katsina, three from Niger and four each from Zamfara and Kebbi.

Others, he said, included seven from Kaduna, two from Borno, six from Niger Republic and one from Ghana.

LAGOS - Some residents of Lagos state have looked into the New Year, listing their expectations from government at all levels in the country.

In separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos, the residents said that political office holders should endeavour to restore hope to the Nigerian masses.

Mr. Gift Wejem, a furniture dealer, said that government ought to raise the hope of the Nigerians by reducing the level of poverty in the country.

“Government should give us hope and create employment opportunities for the teeming youths who roam the streets without jobs,’’ Wejem said.

He decried the influx of substandard materials into the country, stressing that their proliferation had affected the indigenous products markets and relieved a lot of people of their jobs.

Wejem said he looked forward to a brighter 2015.

Dr Nkechi Asogwa, a medical practitioner, called on government to prioritise health care at all levels and make it more accessible.

“Government at the local, state and federal levels should give attention to health issues,’’ she said.

Asogwa urged the governments to stem the tide of

losses to communicable and noncommunicable diseases in the country.

She called for improvement in the public health sector, noting that many Nigerians do not have the wherewithal to pay for expensive health facilities at private hospitals.

Mr. Deji Makinde, an Insurance Marketer said that government should intensify its fight against terrorism to restore peace and security to the affected areas in the North.

Makinde expressed sadness over the innocent Nigerians whose lives had been terminated by the activities of insurgents.

Kano Board Returns 52 Beggers Home

Lagosians List Expectations

R-L: FRSC Sector Commander for Delta, Mr. Rindom Kumven, Commanding Officer InCharge of Anambra, Delta and Edo State, Mr. Charles Akpabio and the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi during the visit of the Corps Marshal to see officers and men overseeing the Niger Bridge Patrol of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha road corridor.

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Personality

Engr Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi, A Blessing To APC and Edo People

By EGHAREVBA IGBINERHA

THE coming of Engr.

(Dr.) Chris Ogiemwonyi into the All Progressives Congress, APC on Friday 28 November, 2014 is quite significant not only to the party, but to Edo State in general. barely two years to the end of the second term of Comrade Governor Adams Aliyu O s h i o m h o l e ’ s administration in Edo State, the declaration of Engr. Ogiemwonyi for APC is quite germane, because Edo People are already thinking and scouting for who will take over from Comrade Oshiomhole, especially in the continuation of peoples oriented projects and transformation of Edo State, already started by the Comrade Governor.

Therefore, the coming of Engr. Ogiemwonyi into APC is a sign of good things to come in Edo caliber of people who declared with Engr.

Ogiemwonyi into APC, including a cross section of Palace Chief led by Chief Obaseki, Chief Osula, the Arala of Benin Kingdom, some former chieftains in the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, Youths and Women groups. the stage is set for that to be achieved. Besides, the entry of Ogiemwonyi into APC has assumed public debate, with majority of the, people supporting his declaration urging him to aspire for the number one seat in the state, which is the Governorship position.

According to the people, including Hon. Edoba

Asemota, Hon. Osbert Agho, Hon. Emy Eke and Mr. Gold Idehen, Engr.

Ogiemwonyi will make a good candidate for APC in the 2016 gubernatorial elections. They said Engr.

Chris Ogiemwonyi shares the same idea, vision and mission with the Comrade Governor, and he would be able to continue from where Oshiomhole will stop. Indeed, there is no vacuum in governance, and the most important thing is the transition process.

Continuity of government policies and programmes is very crucial in order not to have myriads of abandoned Projects, which had been the bane of previous administrations in the state.

For the Comrade Governor, Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, the formal declaration of Engr.. Chris Ogiemwonyi is a plus for the APC in Edo State. He described Ogiemwonyi as a technocrat whose wealth of experience at the NNPC and as Minister of’ State for Works will no doubt add value to governance in the state.

Comrade Oshiomhole disclosed that Engr. Ogiemwonyi is a selfless man, \\ho has been supporting the party even before he became member of the party.

He commended Ogiemwonyi for taking a bold step to dump PDP for APC and urged Ogiemwonyi to join forces with him to develop Edo. The APC Chairman in Edo State, Barrister Anselm Ojezua said the

coming of Engr.

Ogiemwonyi into APC was quite significant as it will boost the winning capacity of the party in the state.

Across the three senatorial districts of Edo State, Engr.

Chris Ogiemwonyi seems to be their choice to succeed

Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi on 28 November, 2014, many individuals and interest groups have been paying solidarity’ visits to pledge their support for him and the APC. Engr.

Ogiemwonyi on his part has been engaging in series of consultations and talks with the APC Leaders in

state. Towards this end, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi mobilized voters during the last round of voters registration exercise. He has equally gone to his ward (Ugboko ward 5) in Orhionmwon Local Government Area to formally meet with his

Engr. Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi Comrade Oshiomhole.

According to the people, this is because of his humanitarian disposition, leadership qualities and e x p e r i e n c e s , entrepreneurial and managerial skills, political competence, humility, accessibility and open handedness. These are indeed the good qualities a leader should possess, especially in a democratic setting such as ours.

Since the declaration of

the state to determine the next line of Action and the way forward for APC in the state, especially as it concern the 2015 general elections.

Engr.

Ogiemwonyi is very passionate about APC and ensuring victory for all its candidates in the 2015 elections. According to him, he is ready to do everything possible and within his powers to secure victory for APC in the

“Comrade Oshiomhole disclosed that Engr. Ogiemwonyi is a selfless man, who has been supporting the party even before he became member of the party. He commended Ogiemwonyi for taking a bold step to dump PDP for APC and urged Ogiemwonyi to join forces with him to develop Edo.”

people, party leaders and supporters where he was officially issued the APC membership card. The Chairman of APC in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Hon. Matthew Ehigie led other party executives and leaders to receive Ogiemwonyi. According to our local parlance, a masquerade must dance at home before going to dance outside.

That was demonstrated when Engr.

Ogiemwonyi met APC members in his ward. He did not only receive the blessing of his people, he equally got their support, and he was certified fit and proper to represent them and the good people of Edo State.

In a game of politics, where you have many people aspiring for the same position, there is no

doubt that the coming of Engr. Ogiemwonyi into APC has caused panic in the spine of some aspiring politicians. Many feel threatened and intimidated by the unbeatable credentials of Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, to the extent that they have began to cast aspersions on his character and personalities.

Such politicians are feeble minded and lack the maturity to play politics according to the principles of fairness, honesty, equity and justice. This time around, Edo people are wiser by the purposeful leadership and outstanding performance of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and they are not ready to compromise good leadership for mediocrity in 2016. It is going to be a case of who the cap fits, let him wear it if it is Engr.

Chris Ogiemwonyi that will be better for APC and Edo State, so shall it be.

The Comrade Governor himself would not want less a person to take over from him, he would not want a person who will come and lower the standard of leadership and development after he has completed his 8 year tenure. He could not want anyone who will destroy the foundation he has laid for development to thrive in Edo State. Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi is the change that Edo people would seek for in 2016. He is the one who will be able to wear the ‘big shoes” of Oshiomhole in terms of actual development of Edo State. He is the one who will be able to continue with the campaign for “one man, one vote. He is the one that will not relegate the people to the background, but ensure that the .people continue to lead in line with democratic principles.

Engr. Ogiemwonyi is a man with impeccable character, with a vision and mission for a better Edo State for all to enjoy.

THE NIGERIAN

12

TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015 FOLLOWING the recent global crash of the price of oil per barrel in the International market, the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced austerity measures inorder to mitigate the crushing effect on the economy which is largely run on proceeds from oil exports, as its mainstay.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER strongly believes that no other time presents itself than now for the government to diversify its economy through appropriate financing of agriculture, which for now, holds the greatest future for the country, outside oil.

CONCERNED citizens of Nigeria have continued to warn on the dangers of continued dependence by the nation on crude oil which is today the main stay and sustaining source of the Nigerian economy.

THE traditional focus of the Nigerian economy before the discovering of crude oil in commercial quantity was agriculture and it played a fundamental role in shaping the economy of the nation and regions as Nigeria was then constituted in its immediate post independence era.

IN the 1960s, each region of the country was noted for producing some cash crops such at cocoa, groundnut and palm oil as well as rubber in commercial quantities. Basically, the Western region, now the political South West except Lagos which was the Federal Capital, was noted for producing cocoa in large commercial quantities for export The revenue from cocoa helped in shaping the infrastructure and economic environment of then Western Nigeria and its legacies and landmarks were very very visible, as they affected virtually all aspects of life of the people.

IN the Northern region, groundnut was the mainstay of the economy, to the extent that the volume produced in the region was typified by the “groundnut pyramid”. It symbolized the success of the crop as a veritable earner of revenue which impacted economically on the life of the people.

IN the Eastern region, palm oil was its predominant feature and similarly it was a success in boosting the economic atmosphere of the country and the region.

Interestingly, it is now an irony that Nigeria has been relegated to the background in palm oil production and has been overtaken by Malaysia, a country which took the Nigerian specimen of the plant, palm kernel, and adapted it to its own climatic condition and is today a leading producer of palm oil, which is a major derivative of palm kernel, SIGNIFICANTLY, the Midwest region was noted for its rubber plantation and was quite a huge success as the crop played its role as a major economic

THE NIGERIAN

Imperative Of Financing Agriculture transformation agent to shore up principally the economy of the region.

WE are concerned that there is slow progress in returning to the traditional focus of reviving these cash crops as major sources of revenue for the Federal Government.

HOWEVER, we are aware that not too long ago, the Federal Government launched the Cocoa Rebirth Initiative, as launch pad to regenerate interest in the crop and encourage farmers who have abandoned the plant to come back on the scene to make cocoa play its rote in the national economy.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER implores the Federal Government to similarly create avenues for other cash crops as well and sensitise farmers to take proactive action towards their cultivation.

WHILE the Federal Government has shown the interest to refocus attention on agriculture, there appears to be some disinterest in the way it has pursued the goal. For instance only about N20 billion or 2.0 per cent of the 2006 budget was allocated to agriculture.

There was however another N8.7 billion allocated to the sector from the gains of the debt relief granted Nigeria in order to meet the Millennium Development Goats (MDGs).

THERE is no conscious effort to empower small scale farmers to undertake mechanized farming for greater yields, as this is still the exclusive preserve of the elite tanners. Thus farmers who are interested in expansion have no way of coping with the financial demands to undertake mechanized farming. Access to bank loans is uncertain with high interest rate, serving as enough scare to discourage the desire for any expansion.

NOTWITHSTANDING the shortcomings. The NIGERIAN OBSERVER commends the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo for taking paramount

interest in agriculture to see that it really plays a crucial role in the economy. It is noteworthy that the Presidential Committee on Agriculture Financing has been able to mobilize N50 billion in the financing of the sector.

ACCORDING to the Committee, N30 billion and N20 billion of the fund would be made available to large scale farmers respectively. Also state governments have agreed to contribute N200 million each white the local governments are soon to come up with their contributions.

BESIDES, a minimum of 10 per cent of the fund had been set aside for women farmers in rural areas.

This is also commendable and inspiring to women farmers. Remarkably, President Obasanjo pointed out that deploying N50 billion into agriculture this year could surpass the entire budgetary allocation to agriculture in the last five years. He noted the role of the commercial banks which raised N30 billion of the fund and for the non stringent conditions that wilt be attached to loans from the funds.

WHILE these step are positive measures which should he commended, the initiative of bringing in the banks in partnership with the Federal Government is a major achievement.

WHILE the banks may have played significant roles in the past in assisting farmers, they did to purely on the initiative of the individual farmers and therefore we expect in the new arrangement as already envisaged, a friendly lending terms that will encourage investment in the agricultural sector.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER also calls on the Federal government to consider upward review of allocation to the agricultural sector in the 2007 budget, as the N20 billion allocated to it this year’s budget was indeed paltry. Amounts always allocated in the budget have been a pointer of the genuineness of government’s commitment to the agricultural sector.

WE are further elated by President Obasanjo’s position when he solicited for massive publicity by the implementation committee to enable farmers, especially small scale ones know shout the availability and accessibility of the fund.

WE assert that improving the national agricultural output should be devoid of any prohibition that will limit access to the fund by small scale farmers whose contributions to agricultural development term pare of the concerted effort of the production chain that will lift the nation out of the continued dependence on oil.

THE NIGERIAN

13

TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

Commerce And Industry

INTRODUCTION Do you ever wonder why businesses came on full bloom once and suddenly go under? Do you know why one shop opens and the other closes?

The reasons are several, ranging from various forms of competition, quality and quantity of goods and services, to the shortcomings of the retailer themselves, writes Ayodele Asaolu.

HERE, we shall discuss some of those factors that might contribute to the likely elimination of the small retailers. Some of the factors are: Competition From the Large Retailers Such competition could take different forms: (a) Price competition: Although the large retailers might have large over-head costs they are still able to offer lower prices because of large stocks and large sales turn In addition, some small retailers buy in small bulk from the large retailers; since the former must sell at a profit, their retail prices are usually higher. (b) Provision of Facilities: The lists of facilities offered by large retailers are impressive and constitute an eliminating factor to the small retailers. For instance, there are customers’ parking spaces in the departmental stores and super markets, with security guards watching over safety of customers’ vehicles. They deliver some bulky packs to customers’ houses. They also help with the pre-packaging of foods etc.

There are other non-shopping facilities like repair of shoes, televisions and radios; buying postage stamps, purchase of air or railway tickets or tickets for the local football match or cinema.

2) Lack of Varieties: A working housewife who has much to buy within a limited lunch period would prefer the facilities offered by the supermarkets or departmental stores for the purpose of shopping under one

Why Small Retailers Don’t Survive Competitions

By AYODELE ASAOLU

they therefore appeal to customers.

Where purchased goods are found to he unsuitable or defective in one way or the other, large retailers would usually replace them if they are unsoiled. The small retailers are not able to perform this feat.

4) Limited Capital Resources: The capital finance of the small retailers is thin and narrow based. The slightest “financial ill-wind’ could blow a smallretailer out of business.

5) Lack of Proper Accounts Keeping: Some small retailers are illiterate and can not keep accounts of their business. Some have no records of accounts of their trades and merely rely on memory which fades with time and quantity of information to be remembered.

6) Lack of Established Premises: Many small retailers operate from illegal stalls which are constantly demolished by local government authorities.

7) Lack of Insurance Security Measures: the small retailers take no insurance covers as such on their trading assets. This renders them helpless when accidents happen to their trading fortunes.

8) Creation of Self-Retail Outlets by Producers and Wholesalers: Some manufacturers market their own products and sell directly to the final consumers.

This militates against the business of some small retailers.

For instance, the Bata Shops and Boots Chemist Shops belong respectively to shoe and drugs manufacturing companies.

In conclusion all we discussed in both volumes of this text book point to one direction: i.e. while on the one hand, there are some positive factors helping the small retailers to remain in business at

disadvantages of branding and pre-packing. In addition a list of other modern trends in retailing would be mentioned for discussion; i.e. after- sales service, use of trading stamps, auto-vending or slotting machines, discount stores, party selling and cash and carry practice.

Reasons for Modern Trends in Retailing

I) Higher Income Level and Standard of Living: in modern times income earned by an individual worker or employee has risen considerably and this has led to considerable rise in standard of living.

2) Varieties of Consumption Goods: A high standard of living has widened the scope of consumption goods; therefore there is pressing need for shops that could stock a variety of

many goods as possible within the short shopping period at her disposal. The type of retailer that could meet her need is the shop where different stores display many goods under the same roof with self facilities.

4) Higher Cost of Labour: in an age of higher salaries it costs more wages to keep shop

of branded tea) Typhon Tea; PG. Tips tea; or Lipton tea. The idea is to generate the impression in the minds of consumers that a certain type of branded good is different from and superior to the others; this will be reflected in the prices associated with the different brands. The Gillette shaving razor blade Is different

assistants. Modern trends in retailing therefore focus attention on how to cut down to the barest mini mum the labour costs.

Examples of this are the selfservice facilities, the use of autovending machines, etc.

5) Force of Competition: Competition among large retailers Point to the direction of devices that would lead to increased sales and net margins.

Such force of competition

from the Naccet shaving blade, and one is promoted as being superior to the other.

There are advantages and disadvantages of branded goods to different commercial units.

Advantages to the Retailer (a) Easy for placing order: Branded goods can be ordered easily from the manufacturer or wholesaler by mere reference to the “branded” name. (b) Adequacy of casual knowledge: Since “brand” names usually stand out and are associated with long-established states of quality, retailers need no specialist or expert knowledge before ordering such goods, (c) Relief in weighing and repacking: Branded goods are usually pre-packed; therefore there is no need for repacking by retailers for whom they are easy to handle. (d) Relief of advertising function: The manufacturers invariably handle the advertisements of their branded goods and therefore relieve retailers the expenses of advertisement. (e) Maintenance of fixed retail price: The manufacturer advertises fixed prices for his branded goods thereby maintaining ruling prices all over a given sales area. This guarentees a selling price for all retailers. Group competition is

“Lack of Proper Accounts Keeping: Some small retailers are illiterate and can not keep accounts of their business.

Some have no records of accounts of their trades and merely rely on memory which fades with time and quantity of information to be remembered.” roof, and in the comforts of a neat and comfortable environment to the likelihood of having to visit many small retailers under the intensive heat of the sun.

3) Quality of Goods: The large retailers (the departmental stores and the supermarkets) are usually more reliable for the quality of their goods. Some of the goods sold by large retailers are “branded’s and have trade marks;

all costs and in the face of all odds there are some other factors which might contribute to the elimination of the small retailers.

Some Modern Trends in Retailing (I) I. For instance the use of self service, branding and prepacking department stores, and supermarkets were mentioned.

Here we shall re-examine in greater detail the advantages and

consumer goods. This accounts for the emergence of department store and chain stores.

3) Working Wives: The change in social and economic status of modern married women who now work and earn income suggests speedier shopping facilities. If a working married woman has to shop to meet the high standard of living of her family she will have to collect as

accounts for the adoption of the modern retailing trends as demonstrated in discount stores, Party selling, trading stamps, auto-vending machines; in addition to self- service facilities.

Branding: A branded good is a good that is differentiated from I other goods of its type by giving it a special name. For instance, a customer who wants to buy tea might prefer (among the classes

therefore in other fields other than in pricing. (f) Window display materials: — The manufacturers of branded goods usually provide materials to retailers for window displays.

The Disadvantages to the Retailer (a) Lack of competitive prices; Prices of branded goods are usually the same in all retailers’ shops. The very efficient therefore could not increase his turnover by selling at cut-down prices. (b) Large stock of different branded goods: Since customers prefer to compare different brands of the same goods, the retailers who hope to meet the immediate demand of their numerous customers must keep large stocks of a variety of branded goods. This involves large capital. (c) Difficult persuasion function: Even when one branded good A is a near substitute for another branded good B, a retailer might have problem in persuading a customer that this is so, especially when good B is out of stock and good A is available in great quantity as a substitute.

Advantages to the Customer (a) Guaranteed quality: Qualities of branded goods are guaranteed and are the same in all shops and markets. Branded goods therefore are standard all over the world. (b) One ruling price: - Consumers are assured that at any given period of time in the market, the same price obtains for a specific branded good (c) Ruling price and retailers’ interference: Once the selling price is advertised by the manufacturer, retailers cannot arbitrarily increase the price.

‘Disadvantages to the Consumer (a) Lack of competitive prices: Because the prices of branded goods are fixed, consumers cannot enjoy the advantages of large scale turnover in form of lower prices resulting from the performance of large markets. (b) Likely higher prices: It is likely that the cost of the manufacturer’s advertisements would have been passed on to consumers in form of marked-up prices resulting in higher selling prices. For instance about 75% of the selling prices of patent medicines and cosmetics is traceable to costs of advertisement.

Pre-Packing As a modern trend in retailing, pre-packing is predominant in the self-service shops.

By pre-packing all goods that are to be sold in a shop are graded, weighed, packed and well wrapped by the manufacturers before such goods show up on the selling counters.

Pre-packing has tremendous advantages for manufacturers, retailers and the consumers.

To be continued

THE NIGERIAN

14

TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

Nutritional Health And Dietetics

Managing Your Prostate Health

STUDIES have shown that men who consumed more of caffeine each day were more likely to experience urinary incontinence compared to men who drank the least amount of caffeine.

So, try reducing your caffeine intake by cutting back on coffee, soda or energy drinks to see if it makes a difference in your urinary health.

If you suffer form prostatitis, certain drinks and foods can make prostatitis, urinary and pain symptoms worse. The list includes caffeine, alcohol and acidic drinks like certain juices.

Studies show that both alcohol and caffeine irritate the prostate and bladder, resulting in frequent urination knowing the top drinks for prostate health and the beverages you should avoid can help you manage your BPH and prostatitis. It can also, help you lower your risk for prostate cancer. In addition to eating a healthful diet, drinking the right kind of liquid can have a powerful effect on your prostate and urinary health.

There are a few drinks and substances that can irritate the bladder and prostate. Caffeine is a culprit, especially, for men with BPH. Try to drink most of your water spread out over the earlier part of the day and less after 7pm before bedtime, so, you can avoid getting up during the night.

Once men find themselves facing any kind of prostate health issue, whether it is prostate cancer, enlarged prostate due to benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) or prostatitis, they immediately want to know what action to take, while the best plan is to prevent prostate problems through a healthy, lifestyle, the goodness is that there are actually many natural ways that a man can use to promote better prostate health, even if he already has symptoms or a diagnosis of a problem.

It makes sense that a man’s lifestyle, exercise habits and diet have a tremendous impact on his prostate health. Good

habits can help prevent and lower risk factors for prostate disease and produce better health for other areas of the body. If a man is already experiencing prostate

benefits your cardiovascular health and can help prevent other health and sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction.

If you are overweight,

men have lower prostate cancer rates, they have very different diets from the typical American male. They eat fish and plant based sources of protein. They do not eat a lot

troubles, these natural changes can help keep these conditions from getting worse, help relieve symptoms and even help cure them.

It is important to choose caffeine free sources of tea, though caffeine can irritate both the prostate and the bladder. If you have urinary or pain symptoms due to prostatitis, caffeine can make these symptoms worse, so, if you have BPH or prostatitis, make an effort to reduce your caffeine intake.

Another important drink for your prostate is water stay hydrated and do not try to drink less to reduce your urine. For more, the writer will be of help to you.

Exercise and weight loss are some of the best things you can do to promote prostate health. Exercise also,

losing, weight is one of the most important natural changes you can make in improving your prostate health, study published in journal of urology found that overweight men especially, men with a high amount of abdominal fat, have an increased risk of BPH. Losing weight can help you reduce your prostate size and help relieve annoying and frustrating urinary symptoms and help relieve prostates too.

In areas of the world where

of sugar or processed foods that are so easily found in an American diet.

The best diet for prostate health is one that is low in sugar. Processed foods and saturated fats, the Mediterranean diet is one diet worth looking into, because it is also, a lifestyle and health way of eating that you can follow for the rest of your life.

Reduce stress, it negatively affects prostate health infact, some, men unknowingly tighten their

With

O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608 pelvic muscles when stressed.

The chronic tightening can create pelvic floor muscle problems and can be one of the causes of chronic prostatitis.

Stress can also, affect men with BPH, it can worsen systems of urinary urgency and urinary frequency and pain.

Having a prostate problem can also, increase your stress and anxiety, which can make your condition worsen because, stress impairs the immune system’s ability to fight illness. That is why, it is important to manage your stress level, release tension and take care of your emotional health techniques that maybe worth looking into include therapy, meditation, deep breathing or activities like exercise, yoga. Also, maintain social relationships.

Red and processed meat is among the worst foods for men which is difficult for men to accept, because, these foods are very popular.

Processed meat includes deli meat bologna and bacon.

Many deli meats are being injected with growth hormones, given antibiotics and living in diseased living conditions. Many processed foods have dyes, chemicals and sodium nitrate. Nitrites have been linked with certain cancers. The preservatives in the processed meat are associated with an increased prostate cancer risk.

Fried foods-who doesn’t love French fries, chips and doughnuts? Well, your waistline and your prostate don’t. these unhealthful food have no nutritional value and contain a possible carcinogen called acrylamide which is formed by an amino-acid that

is foamed during hightemperature cooking. These foods are also, high in calories, which can lead to weight gain. Instead of these foods choose nutritious foods.

Bread is bad for your prostate health. It seems so harmless, but, white flour products, like bread, pancake and crackers can cause inflammation in the body plus additive in the bread called potassium bromate. Food experts are concerned about potassium bromate because, it has been found to cause cancer in animals and is known to be toxic in human cells.

Wheat-free diet has been recommended for men dealing with prostate problems and pelvic pain.

Drinking large quantities of milk or eating a lot of diary products may increase cell proliferation in the prostate.

This can lead to prostate cancer. Even the hormones in dairy can also, lead to prostate cancer. Dairy products and meat contain hormone called insulin like growth factor that may increase a man’s risk for prostate cancer.

So, if you cannot do without some diary, choose fat-free or low fat options because, drinking high-fat whole milk has been found to increase a man’s risk of progressing to fatal prostate cancer.

Instead of eating meat every night, experiment with adding some plant based protein and fish.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables.

The key to affecting positive change in the prostate is specific foods high in zinc.

Alternative medias, especially lycopene maybe effective at preventing prostate.

“Many processed foods have dyes, chemicals and sodium nitrate. Nitrites have been linked with certain cancers. The preservatives in the processed meat are associated with an increased prostate cancer risk.”

THE NIGERIAN

15

Salvation and calling are not on the basis of God’s purpose only but on the basis of grace. Grace is free and unmerited favor manifested by the sovereign God on those He purposed to save.

This word for grace is appropriate to designate the relationship and conduct of the sovereign God toward the elect through Jesus Christ. The grace of God has appeared: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11 NASB). In another translation it reads, “For the grace of God’s saving appeared to all men.” It is doubtful whether it is correct to attach the statement “to all men” to the verb, thus asserting the universality of the manifestation.

Bringing salvation to all men must be understood in the sense of all classes of men. The appearance of the grace of God refers to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Justification is by God’s grace: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). Grace can flow to us only through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

If grace were dependent on man’s faith, it would come through the mere offer of Jesus Christ or the gospel. If it gave a free offer, grace could not reign: “...sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal righteousness by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom..5:2l).

Grace reigns in election, because it was given the elect in Christ before the world began. Grace reigns in redemption. It brought Jesus Christ into the world to die for the elect. Grace reigns in regeneration. By grace, the elect are born of the Spirit. Grace reigns in sanctification. By grace, the elected, redeemed, regenerated person embraces Jesus Christ as Lord by faith.

Grace reigns in glorification. The elected, redeemed, regenerated, converted person will be glorified.

We rejoice in what God has done for us, but we also rejoice in the results of what He has done for us. Thanking God for what He has done for us is a manifestation of grace. Gracious ness toward others is a manifestation of the grace of God that has been wrought in one’s heart by the Holy Spirit, called “the Spirit of grace.” Liberality, which is another translation of the Greek word for grace, demonstrates God’s grace within (1Cor 16:3). Self-centeredness does not manifest grace. But liberality, graciousness, thankfulness, and pleasure in the things of God are manifestations of grace having been wrought in our hearts.

The Greek word for grace is also translated “benefit” in II Corinthians 1:15. This verse does not teach what the Charismatics say about it. Paul was talking about the benefits of his oral and written teaching. There is no substitute for the oral ministry and teaching of God’s word at God’s appointed time in God’s appointed place by God’s appointed man. The gift of II Corinthians 8:4 comes from the same Greek word for grace.

TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015 Among the different translations of the Greek word charis, “grace” is the most outstanding.

Grace signifies what God has purposed to do and what God does do in time in the heart of every person He purposed to save by His unmerited favor. The other translations are simply the fruit of the grace of God having been wrought in our hearts.

Absence of fruit indicates that there is no grace.

Grace is an appropriate designation of the relationship

The activity and purpose of grace are demonstrated in the first chapter of John. The Lord Jesus Christ came not merely to expose the world’s d but to reveal the Father: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1.18). Since there is no capacity in man to receive light from God, the ability comes from the grace of the sovereign God. Therefore, the Lord Jesus was at home even

Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

and conduct of God toward the elect through Jesus Christ.

Election is the first moving of God’s grace looking toward salvation. God’s purpose and grace were given to the elect in Christ Jesus before the world began (Eph. 1:4). The sheep were in God’s eternal covenant, and they are Christ’s by gift (John 6:37) and purchase (John 10:11,15). The grace of God will search and find all who have been elected to salvation until the last one is brought into the ark of safety (John 6:37). The grace of God brings salvation planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and applied by the Spirit.

Grace is an act of favor wherein no mention can ever be made of obligation. This element of spontaneoU5l is not prominent in the classical use of the word charis, although it is traceable even in classical Greek.

However, in the New Testament, the element especially emphasized is God’s dealing with His chosen ones that He purposed to save by His grace.

We are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). We believe through grace (Acts 18:27). One does not believe in order to get grace; but having already received grace, he is enabled by this grace to embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The apostle Paul set grace in contrast with debt (Rom. 4:4,16), works (Rom. 11:6), and law (Rom. 4:13-16). Grace has been manifested by the appearing of Jesus Christ (11 Tim. 1:10). He is full of grace and truth for the benefit of those the Father gave Him in the covenant of redemption (John 1: 14,16).

A person cannot believe in grace without believing in Divine election (Rom. 11:5). The statement “a remnant ac cording to the election of grace” means the choice of grace proves that salvation is in the purpose of God and not in the determination proceeding from the so-called will of man. Salvation, therefore, is not man’s choice of God, but it is God’s choice of man. If man were left in the enmity of his depraved nature, he would not and could never choose Jesus Christ. A message on grace may be tolerated in any congregation, but the depraved heart is always enraged at grace illustrated. As man has the right to choose the woman he desires as his wife without being arbitrary in his choice, God has the right to choose the objects of His love to be His bride without being arbitrary in His selection.

while He was in the world, since there were some in whom He abode. Al though He is now at the right hand of the Father, there

to save. To save them, He must satisfy Divine justice. Since God has satisfied His own justice, we are justified freely by grace

are some on earth in whom the grace of God dwells who constitute the abode of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is a total stranger to the world. The little company of John, Andrew, and Peter of John 1:37-51 demonstrate what the Lord Jesus Christ is now doing by the work of the Holy Spirit, as the chosen of God are being called out of this world. John illustrates affection, Andrew illustrates testimony and service, and Peter illustrates the structure of living stones. Such is the company that is now being gathered out of the world by the grace of God. They constitute the abode of Jesus Christ in the world (Matt.

18:19,20).

Grace and gift are distinct. The grace of God and the gift of grace prove the distinction: “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” (Rom. 5:15). Grace came from the infinite love of His heart when the sovereign God of the universe stepped down from His throne to save those He purposed

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, He can be just in justifying the ungodly.

He maintained Divine government and He made it possible to save those He elected to save. Conclusively, we can say the Greek word charis includes Divine election, redemption, regeneration sanctification and glorification.

Grace is conferred freely with no expectation of return. It finds its only motive in the bounty and freehearted of the giver. Grace is both unearned and unmerited. It 15, in its highest sense, God working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. It is the freely-given presence of the Holy Spirit of God in man, thus applying Christ to him and manifesting Christ in and through him.

Grace and mercy are distinguishable: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). In the Divine order of salvation, mercy precedes grace (Luke 1:78,79; Eph. 2:4,5). However, in the order of the manifestation of God’s purpose of salvation, grace

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Salvation On The Basis Of God’s Grace must go before and make way for mercy. Grace gives man what he does not deserve. When God sought to bestow grace, He did not see some worthiness in someone and then decide to bestow grace on him. Mercy is forgiving man for what he deserves in the way of punishment. Grace is obtained, giving one the blessed privilege of having his sins forgiven.

Grace, unlike justice, is not a necessary attribute of God. Since it is optional, it includes an eternal choice. Justice is different. God is just, and He deals justly with all, even those He forgives. Jesus Christ satisfied justice, making it possible for God to justify the elect sinner and remain just in so doing (Rom. 3:24-26). God chose whom He desired out of His own good pleasure. Grace finds nothing iii the best to attract and nothing in the basest to hinder God from making such a choice. Had God not chosen some and treated men as He did the fallen angels, He would have manifested justice but not grace.

Had God saved all men, there would have been no display of Divine justice. But justice and mercy combined at Calvary.

According to God’s justice, all deserve to die. How ever, some are saved to the praise and glory of grace while others perish in theft sins to the vindication of Divine justice. This is God’s good pleasure, and it cannot be questioned.

Grace and love are very much alike, but there is one main point of difference. Grace is love manifesting itself and operating under certain circumstances.

Love, however, has no limit or law such as grace possesses.

Love may exist between equals.

There is equality of love between the three Persons in the Godhead.

This is love manifesting itself between equals. Love may rise to those above and descend to those beneath. Since we are recipients of God’s love, we manifest love by loving Him who is above us. But this love can also be manifested by loving persons who might be denoted as being beneath us. A king may love his equals and also his servants. He can love God who is above him, those equal to him, and his servants beneath him.

Therefore, love can be extended upward, and it can flow downward. But that is not true with grace. Grace flows in only one direction—downward.

Grace has appeared bringing salvation. By grace we are saved

through faith. We believe through grace. The grace of the sovereign God that has flowed down to us enables us to manifest love upward to God and downward to men.

Grace transcends law, mercy, and majesty. Grace is love which passes all claims of love. After fulfilling the obligations imposed by law, grace has an inexhaustible wealth of kind ness. Mercy forgives and rescues the sinner; but grace floods the sinner, who deserves wrath, with affection. Eternal righteousness is that which constitutes dignity and majesty, but grace adds dignity, ineffable charm, and affection. God in grace resolves that the elect will not perish. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.

Where sin abounds, grace super abounds “...the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 5:20,21). The law entered to make sin manifest itself— to develop sin. But where sin abounds, grace overflows.

Historically, the exposition of the entrance of the law b preceded with the discussion of the entrance of sin. The word “entered” (pareiselthen, aorist active indicative of pareiserchomai) in Romans 5:20 does not come from the same Greek word as “entered” (eiselthen aorist active indicative of eiserchomao) in Romans 5:12.

The word is connected with sin in verse 12. It is a compound word in verse 20, which means alongside of. The entrance of sin with Adam does not indicate that sin had its beginning with Adam, but sin entered the human family in Adam. This indicates that sin existed before it entered. Sin originated with Lucifer (Is. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:12-18).

Adam and Eve entered the world creatively upright. Sin entered.

Adam fell, and we all fell in him.

Death entered by means of sin.

The law entered alongside of sin and death to develop sin and show its heinousness. Christ entered to pay sin’s debt. Grace entered to save all for whom Christ died. The recipients of this grace shall enter into the kingdom of glory.

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Perspective 14.0 Introduction RECENT changes in technology, along with the opening up of many regions previously closed to investment, have led to explosive growth in the international movement of capital. Flows from foreign direct investment and debt and equity financing can bring countries substantial gains by augmenting local savings and by improving technology and incentives. But, as was underscored recently by the economic and financial crises in several Asian countries, capital flows can also bring risks. Hence the need to evolve appropriate policies that will enable the monetary authorities to determine the optimal level of the capital flow that will support any economic agenda being pursued at a point in time.

In Nigeria today, there is no doubt that the economy requires an optimal amount of capital flow (net) in or to bridge the gap between the desired level of investment and domestic savings in to accelerate the pace of economic growth and development on a sustainable basis under the ongoing macroeconomic reform programme — National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). However, because of the inherent risks involved in such flows, there is therefore the need for the relevant regulatory institutions to devise means and ways of managing such flows o as to minimize such risks bearing in mind the overall objective of seeking o promote rapid economic growth and development.

Apart from this introduction, this chapter is divided into four other sections. In Section 2, we examine some conceptual issues and experiences of other countries. In Section 3, we review the legal framework in Nigeria while Section 4 highlights development with respect to capital flows in Nigeria. In Section 5, the regulatory institutions and capital flows in Nigeria were discussed. Section 6 summarizes and concludes the chapter .

14.1 Conceptual Issues and Experience of Other Countries 14.1.1 Composition of Capital Flows Capital flows basically consist of foreign direct investment (FDI), portfolio equity and debt flows, commercial lending and official flows. Available data from the World Bank shows that whilst medium income countries experienced more portfolio equity inflows as a percentage of total capital inflows in recent years, low income countries like Nigeria and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa relied heavily on official debt flows.

There is no clear consensus on reasons for the existence of different forms of capital flows or why some form are dominant in one region or the other. Most empirical studies available tend to examine the composition of flow from the position of desirability. Pontes (1999) argue that FDI is a desirable form of capital flow to the host country as it may bring position externalities such as technology and management expertise.

Griffith-Jones (2003) concurs with those reasons and adds that FDI tends to be more long-term and less easily reversible. On the other hand, a foreign investor may be motivated to invest in another country other than his own by other non-financial strategic reason such as market share.

Portfolio equity flows to countries with well-developed macroeconomic policy instruments and strong banking institution though they can be less stable than FDI. Short-term bank lending are often ranked the most volatile whist long-term bank flows are considered least volatile though there has not been any statistical support for such ranking.

14.1.2 Causes of Capital Flows Beyond the primary motives of higher returns and risk diversification, several potent factors have motivated the rapid growth of capital flows among nations. Chief amongst these reasons are the removal of statutory restrictions on capital account transactions, macroeconomic stabilization and policy reforms in the developing nations, the multi-lateralization of trade and the revolutionary changes in information and communication technologies.

These factors and many more are discussed below under broad categories of internal and external factors. a. Internal Factors One of the key internal factors driving capital flows especially to recipient emerging economies is the improved private risk-return characteristics in these countries Pontes (1999) identifies two of such characteristics to include the improved credit worthiness in most recipient countries as a result of debt restructuring and productivity gains occasioned by structural reforms in these countries. The latter led to reduction in large deficits, depreciation in the local currency and overall decrease in the rate of credit expansion in these economies. In some of the countries which enjoyed rapid capital flows, adjustment policies were followed by measures that opened the economy foreign trade and also reformed financial system. Generally and as also evidenced by the World Bank (1997),view this development as being due to structural factors because in spite of the failure experienced in some emerging economics like Mexico, capital flow from developed economices to LDCs have been on the increase. Pontes (1999)and Lopez Mejia (1999) identify some of the structural developments that drove capital flows to include falling communication costs, strong competition, technology and the growth of derivative markets amongst others. Particularly, revolutionary changes in information and communication technologies have played a tremendous role. Computer links enable investors to follow developments affecting different countries and companies much more efficiently. The advent of new technologies also makes it increasingly difficult for governments to control either inward or outward capital flow.

Another development

The Role Of Regulatory Institut identified was the growing importance of institution investors in the industrial nations.

These investors were more willing and able to invest abroad because of higher long-term expected rates of return in developing countries and to wider opportunities of risk diversification.

14.1.3 Benefits of Capital Flows Economists tend to favour the free flow of capital across national borders because it allows capital to seek out highest rate of return. Beyond that unrestricted capital flows may also offer several other advantages. First, international flows of capital reduce the risk faced by owners of capital by allowing them to diversify their lending and investment. Second, the global integration of capital markets can contribute to the spread of best practices in corporate governance, accounting rules, and legal traditions. Third, the global mobility of capital limits the ability of governments to pursue bad Policies.

In addition to these advantages, which in principle apply to all kinds of Private capital inflows, Feldstein (2000) and Razin and Sadka (forthcoming) Rote that the gains to host countries from FDI can take several other forms: • FDI allows the transfer of technology particularly in the form of new varieties of capital inputs — that cannot be achieved through financial investments or trade in goods and services.

FDI can also promote competition in the domestic input market.

• Recipients of FDI often gain employee training in the course of Operating the new businesses, which contributes to human capital development in the host country.

• Capital mobility creates valuable opportunities for p o r t f o l i o diversification, risk sharing and intertemporal trade.

By lending to foreign countries, households and firms can protect themselves against the effects of disturbances that impinge on the home country alone. Companies can protect themselves against cost and productivity shocks in their home countries by investing in branch plants in several countries Capital mobility can thereby enable investors to achieve higher riskadjusted rates of return. In turn, higher rates of return can encourage increases in saving and investment that deliver faster rates of growth.

14.1.4 Risk of Capital Flows Despite the strong theoretical case for the adv of free capital flows, the conventional wisdom now seems to be that many private capital flows pose countervailing risks. Hausman and Fernande (2000) suggest

By GANIYU ADEWALE

why many host countries, even when they are in favour of capital inflows, view international debt flows, especially of the short-term variety, as “bad cholesterol”.

Most recent empirical works including Grabel (1995), and Clerke (1996), Corrigam (1989), argued that the processes of deregulation globalization, and innovation have increased both the efficiency of, and volatility in, the financial markets. Volatility adds another source of risk’ not only making the pricing of financial assets more difficult but also generating portfolio flows that are potentially more unstable.

Tesar and Werner (1995) have also argued that some components of capita flows such as short-term lending is driven by speculative consideration based on interest rate differentials and exchange rate expectations, not on long-term considerations.

According to them, “its movements are often the result of moral hazard distortions such as implicit exchange rate guarantees or the willingness of governments to bailout the banking system. It is the first to run for the exits in times of trouble and is responsible for the boom-bust cycles of the 1990s”.

Capital flow in form of FDI is not only a transfer of ownership from domestic to foreign residents but also a mechanism that makes it possible for foreign investors to exercise management and control over host country firms that is ,it is a corporate governance mechanism. The transfer of control may not always benefit the host country because of the circumstances under which it occurs, problems of adverse selection, or excessive leverage.

Krugman (1998) notes that sometimes the transfer of control occurs in the midst of a crisis and asks: Is the transfer of control that is associated with foreign ownership appropriate under these circumstances? That is, loosely speaking, are foreign corporations taking over control of domestic enterprises because they have cash and the locals do not? Does the fire sale of domestic firms and their assets represent a burden to the afflicted countries, over and above the cost of the crisis itself?

Even outside of such fire-sale situations, FDI may not necessarily benefit the host country as demonstrated by Razin, Sadka, and Yuen (1999) and Razin and Sadka (forthcoming). Through the FDI, foreign investors gain crucial inside information about the productivity of the firms under theft control. This gives them an informational advantage over “uniformed” domestic savers, whose buying of shares in domestic firms does not entail control. Taking advantage of this superior information, foreign direct investor will tend to retain high-productivity firms under their ownership and control and sell low-productivity firms to the uninformed savers. As with other adverse-selection problems of

this kind, this process may lead to overinvestment by foreign direct investors.

Excessive leverage can also limit the benefits of FDI. Typically, the domestic investment undertaken by FDI establishments is heavily leveraged owing to borrowing in the domestic credit market. As a result, the fraction of domestic investment actually financed by foreign savings through the FDI flows may not be as large as it seems (because foreign investors can repatriate funds borrowed in the domestic market), and the size of the gains from FDI may be reduced by the domestic borrowing done by foreignowned firms.

Beyond the points explained above, there are some other cases in which FDI might not be beneficial to the recipient country

eased the external debt burden and led to an agreement with creditor banks that were concluded in April 1994 with the exchange of instruments that covered over $50 billion in debt stocks and arrears.

Since 1992, net foreign capital flows to Brazil have been sufficient to finance small current account deficits while contributing to an increase in foreign reserves (Cardoso, 1997).

During this period the capital consisted primarily of short-term resources tied to portfolio investments and other short-term investments. In 1995, for instance, net capital flows amounted to more than US $40.2 billion, of which US $20 billion was short-run capital: US $2.3 billion was equity and special investment funds, and approximately $18 billion consisted of short-run capital not classified under a specific

Fina Kenya and in liberaliz Offshor resident since e capital i restrict while s instituti be full banks re compe limited to eva liberaliz in K accomp structur financi provide the ove strategy Finall that suf

category.

In Chile, strong and well designed prudential regulations complement capital account restrictions in protecting the financial system from capital flow swings. Banks cannot lend domestically in foreign exchange, with the exception of the foreign trade-related credits.

Moreover, there is a limit on the open foreign exchange position set at 20 per cent of banks’ capital and reserves, and there are other limitations on maturity mismatches (Eyzaguire and Lefort, 1998). Some observers have argued that the combination of these prudential measures and capital account restrictions has accomplished two objectives.

First, it has limited the foreign exchange exposure of both bank and non-bank entities. Second, in the event of sudden capital outflow the limitation on maturity mismatches would allow the central bank to defend the exchange rate parity by raising the interest rate, without damaging banks’ Profitability.

recent commo term for reserve Russia 1999, g of the Republ in 1997 owed m cases th short-te internat these vulnera and rev instanc reversa collaps exchan 14.2 L Capita Nigeria control to dere exchan the St program Since th as (Domic

Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC Boss. for instance, when such investment is geared towards serving domestic markets protected by high tariff or nontariff barriers. Under these circumstances, FDI may strengthen lobbying efforts to perpetuate the existing misallocation of resources. There could also be a loss of domestic competition arising from foreign acquisitions leading to a consolidation of domestic producers, through either takeover or corporate failures.

14.1.5 Experiences of Selected Countries in Capital Flows After the oil shock of 1973, Brazil’s reliance on commercial loans to finance both public investment and the more expensive oil led the country to the debt crisis of the early 1 980s.

Following a trend common to other emerging markets, private capital inflows to Brazil disappeared in the 1980s and increased dramatically after 1991. By 1993, the fall of international interest rates had

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Perspective

tions In The Management Of Capital Flows

ancial liberalization in is a recent development nternational financial zation is even more recent. re borrowing by domestic ts has been permitted only early 1994, and portfolio inflows from abroad were ted until January 1995 supporting structural and ional reforms have yet to ly implemented. Many emain publicly owned and etition among them is . Although it is too early aluate the success of zation of capital account enya, the lack of panying institutional and ral reforms suggest that ial sector reforms will e only modest benefits to rall Kenyan development y. ly, almost all the countries ffered financial turmoil in

years had one thing in on: large ratios of shortreign debt to international es. In Mexico, in 1995, in 1998, and Brazil in government owed the bulk debts. In Indonesia, the lic of Korea, and Thailand 7 private banks and firms most of the debt. But in all he combination of large erm liabilities and scarce tionally liquid assets made countries extremely able to crises of confidence ersals of capital flows. For ce, the capital account al in East Asia caused a se in asset prices and ge rates in that region.

Legal Framework for al Flows in Nigeria a operated an exchange regime, which gave way egulation of the foreign ge market in the wake of tructural Adjustment mme adopted in 1986. hen, other legislation such Foreign Currency ciliary Account) Act, the

Second Foreign Exchange Market Act governed capital flows management.

However, with the enactment of the Foreign Exchange (monitoring an Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1995 all previous legislations were repeal The FEM Act sought to make Nigeria attractive for inflow of foreign investment. It established and Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (AFEM). Some of its salient provisions include: 1. Non –disclosure of sources of imported foreign currency except as may or be required under any enactment or law (e.g. Money Laundering Act). ii. Transaction at mutually agreed rates between the parties involved. iii. Eligible transactions should be Supported by appropriate documentation iv. Investment in any enterprise or security in foreign currency permissible v. Authorized dealers must issue certificate of capital importation within 24 hours and advise the CBN within 48 hours thereafter. vi. Guaranteed unconditional transferability of foreign currency invested in freely convertible currency in the form of: a) Dividends or profits (net of taxes) attributable to the investment; b) Payment in respect of loan servicing where foreign loan had been obtained and c) Remittance of proceeds (net of all taxes) and other obligations in the event of sale or liquidation of the enterprise or any interest attributable to the investment The FEM Act is largely foreign investor friendly It is further complemented by the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NJPC) Act, 1995, whose primary mandate was to encourage, promote and coordinate investment in the Nigerian economy. In particular, NIPC was expected to initiate and support measures which shall enhance the investment climate ‘a Nigerian for both Nigeria and non-Nigerian investors.

An objective appraisal will suggest that the legal provisions are largely adequate if faithfully implemented by all stakeholders However, concerns have been expressed with regard to inadequate infrastructural facilities such as power, water supply, motorable roads as well as insecurity of life and property as inhibiting factors in attracting capital flows.

14.3 Developments in Respect of Capital Flows in Nigeria Like in other LDC’s the desire to accelerate the pace of economic growth and development in Nigeria necessitated the quest for external capital flow to complement the variable domestic capital. By 1950s, industrial nations and multilateral agencies also started extending official assistance to Nigeria.

In recognition of its importance and role in the nation’s economic growth process, the government has over the years put in place series of policies and incentives to attract external capital into the country For instance, the government expressed its readiness in the 1997 budget, to

enter into investment protection agreements with foreign governments or private organizations wishing to invest in Nigeria, as well as discuss additional incentives with prospective investors. In that regard, the government established the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, as a one-stop agency that would facilitate the inflow of FDI into the country.

The industrial Development Coordination Committed ( IDCC) was established in 1998 for the purpose of fostering a conducive regulatory environment and serve as the first port of call to potential investor.

The Nigeria Investment Promotion Act No. 16 of 1995 reflected the new enhanced liberal foreign investment policy of government. There were also tax related incentive measures such as: pioneer status; tax relief for research and development, which provides for a graduated amount of tax-allowances to be deducted from profit; company income tax, which has been amended to encourage potential and existing investors; tax-free dividends as well as tax relief for investments in economically disadvantage local government areas (Salako & Adebusuyi, 2001).

The Debt Conversion Programme (DCP) was also introduced as vehicle for the inflow of foreign investment. The Privatization and Commercial in Programme through which government disengaged activities that could be effectively undertaken by private sector was others meant to encourage the inflow of foreign investment.

Similarly, the establishment of export Processing zones was aimed at attracting foreign investments through provision of infrastructural facility elimination of bureaucratic bottlenecks. The repeal of the Nigeria Enterprises Promotion Decree (NEPD) of 1972 and the Exchange Control. Act of 1962 were aimed at making the investment climate more cot for foreign investors.

The recent debt relief by the Paris Club was a major development management of the country’s capital flows. With that development country should be able to free itself from the huge debt burden the hitherto impacted negatively on the country’s credit rating, slowed the rate of growth and development as a result of huge resources devote debt servicing among others.

However these measures are observed not to have yielded the desired results in terms of attracting FDI inflow, in particular. For instance, aggregate FDI inflow into Nigeria through existing foreign/ jointly c companies during the l970’ averaged US$562.3 million yearly in normal terms (Salako & Adebusuyj, 2000). As a proportion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it accounted for 3.6% during the period.

Before the production of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986, total foreign investment inflow for

1980s averaged US$178.2 million annually j represented 4.3% of GDP. During the period 1987-1990 average annual reign investment inflow rose to US$183.6 million, representing 3.0% GDP, while the average inflow was US$15,402.5 million or 1.4% of GDP during 1991 1998 (Salako & Adebusuyi, 2001). Specifically, Nigeria has not benefited significantly from this vital resource during the last two cades in spite of its high potential for the attraction of foreign vestments because some aspects of its investment policies have not been generally investorfriendly.

14.4 Regulatory Institution and Capital Flow Management In order to appreciate the role of the regulatory institutions in the management of capital flows in Nigeria, it is pertinent to identify the relevant regulatory institutions involved in the issues of capital flows, their broad objectives in relation to capital flows, the associated risks posed by capital flows and the role of the institutions in managing such risks. In view of the et that capital flows involve cross — border transactions and are carried it mainly through the financial system, particularly, the banking system, the main regulatory institutions in the case of Nigeria will include the Federal ministry of Finance, the National Planning Commission, the Nigeria customs Service, the CBN, SEC, FIRS and the Debt Management Office well as the law enforcement agents such as the Nigeria Police and the economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) among others. These regulatory institutions would aim at achieving the following objectives in relation to capital flows: a. Attain optimal level of capital flow that will ensure the achievement of the desired investment level with a view to accelerating the pace of economic growth and development; b. Ensure the safety soundness and stability of the nation’s financial system; c. Ensure price stability that is, ensure the stability of general prices of goods and services, exchange as well as interest rates in the domestic economy; d. Ensure the protection of investors; and e. Minimize the incidence of financial crimes associated with capital flows.

Having identified the regulatory institution and their broad objectives in relation to capital flow, the next logical step is to highlight inhibiting factors (both direct and indirect) against capital flows and which could threaten the achievement of the regulatory objectives. Some of these factors include: i. Money Laundering; i Weak corporate governance in banks; iii. Malpractices in Foreign Exchange operations; iv. Over-invoicing or underinvoicing of imports; v. Overheating of the economy; and vi. Financial system instability

In order to promote capital flows, the regulatory institutions should evolve appropriate means of monitoring and verifying the genuineness of capital flows. The role of the institutions in that regard will involve the adoption of the following tools: 14.4.1 Adoption of Sound Monetary Policy Where the net capital inflow into a country exceeds the absorptive capacity of the economy, the monetary authorities should adopt appropriate monetary policies to sterilize the excess funds in order to forestall overheating of the economy, which directly threatens the attainment of price stability. The use of open market operation, and reserve requirement become instruments of monetary policy to manage such excessive net inflow.

14.4.2 Effective Supervision All the relevant regulatory institutions, particularly the CBN and the NDIC should strengthen their supervisory capability by ensuring strict compliance with the applicable regulations on capital flows. In particular, restrictions could be placed on the quantum of short-term capital as this is highly volatile and could threaten stability of the banking system. A good number of large banks in the East Asian countries were driven to the brink of insolvency in the 90s as a result of large volume of inflow of short-term capital, which turned out to be highly volatile. Besides, where banks engage in cross border transactions, the regulatory institutions should ensure that the capital base of such institutions is adequate to support the additional risks being carried by such financial institutions. In other words, the regulatory institutions should enforce sound capital requirements. This is in addition to the fact that banks should be compelled to put in place appropriate risk management systems in order to align their regulatory capital more closely to their economic need for capital.

The ongoing strengthening of risk management capability of banks through the issuance of guidelines by the CBN for the development of risk management frameworks in banks is a step in the right direction.

Given the critical role of banks in the management of capital flows certain measures were adopted since the late 1990s to promote optimal capital I in the financial system. Such measures included: • establishment of open foreign exchange positions for each bank • mandatory issuance of certificate of capital importation within 24 hours; • Approval of money transfer products such as Western Union, Money Gram, et cetera.

• uninhibited remittance of dividends; • access to foreign currency loans from multilateral institutions like IF C,

ADB, Afrexim Bank, US Exim Bank for on — lending; • Utilization of unconfirmed letters of credits for industrial raw materials.

In spite of the afore-mentioned measures, foreign exchange leakages thro’ the parallel foreign exchange market constitute a major challenge to effective management of capital flows.

Combating the unwholesome pare market foreign exchange activities requires close collaboration between the bank regulators and the lawenforcement agencies.

14.4.3 Strengthening of the Financial Superstructure A healthy domestic banking system is a pre-requisite for ensuring an optic capital flow in any economy as it improves a country’s attractiveness foreign investors. The Nigerian economy, like many other developing countries, prior to the on—going banking reform programme, had many weak banks and a relatively underdeveloped financial system. The banks F small capital base. The banking system was also prone to carrying excess credit risks by having large proportions of non-performing loans a advances. As a consequence it would not take more than a marginal shift of funds in the massive and fluid international markets to overwhelm the absorption capacity of these banks. In fact, a handful of individual private institutions can also recall the Asian crisis when as the funds flowed in the prospect of healthy expansion soon became a bubble.

Something triggered an outflow, lenders ran to the door, and a financial crisis resulted.

The on-going banking sector reform programme which aims at strengthening Nigerian banks to more meaningful protect depositors, play developmental roles in the nation’s economy, and become a competent and active player in the Africa regional and global financial system will enhance the capacity of banks to absorb shocks that cross-border transactions could cause. The banking sector reforms have occasioned the increase in the required capital base of banks to N 25 billion through consolidation. The reform will among other things, promote soundness, stability, and enhance the efficiency of the institutions. A stable, sound and efficient banking system will, overtime, guarantee higher returns to shareholders or portfolio investors.

14.4.4 Strengthening Corporate Governance Practices Responsive corporate governance remains a critical success factor for the viability and survival of banking institutions. Many banks in the country are yet to imbibe the cannons of good corporate governance. The apparent lack of transparency and accountability on the part of some operators may make tracking of capital flow a lot difficult therebymaking its management a herculean task.

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Point-Blank

YOU ASK ME, Were there not churches in scripture? I answer, there were; but what are churches? The effect of the question is to bring out the state of the mind. Most Christians would immediately think of what are called churches in the religious world, perhaps in Christendom at large. They would think of the Presbyterian church, or Congregational and Baptist churches, or else of the Church of Rome, or the like.

The person who lived habitually in the mind of scripture would think of Corinth or others which we meet with in Scripture. Are then the facts which exist in Christendom, or the thoughts there current, different from the facts found in Scripture, or the thoughts formed by it? Let us inquire into this, not with a haughty heart, but if we find all gone far away from the scriptural state in principle and practice—if we find all ruined, instead of power in the Holy Ghost and unity—a fair show in the flesh, let us mourn in heart, and cry to the Lord. He will meet us in our need.

What were churches in scriptural times? “Church” means simply an assembly, or, from local use in Greek, an assembly of privileged persons, of citizens. The whole multitude of believers gathered into one by the Holy Spirit formed the assembly or church. Only here of course it was God’s assembly; of course those in Rome or Corinth could not meet in Jerusalem. Hence there were assemblies in different places, forming each locally God’s assembly in the place. It may be well very briefly to examine how the assembly is viewed in scripture as a whole, before we speak of local assemblies. It is viewed first as the habitation of God; and then as the body of Christ. In one sense the church is not yet formed, not complete. All that shall be united to Christ in glory form part of it.

“I will build my church says Jesus, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

This will be infallibly accomplished. So Peter, evidently alluding to this, says, “to whom coining, as unto a living stone, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house”; so Ephesians 2: 21, “in whom the whole building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” This is yet unfinished, and still goes on;

and, though at first a public and evident body (the Lord adding daily to the church such as should be saved), it is become what is called the invisible church. It is invisible: though, if it was to be the light of the world, it is hard to tell the value of an invisible light. If it is acknowledged to have fallen for ages into corruption and iniquity, a very Babylon in character, that has not been the light of the world. The persecuted saints—for God has surely had a people—gave their testimony; but the public body in the world was darkness, not light in it.

But there is another way in which God’s assembly is spoken of, and still first as the house, a habitation of Gods that is, as established by the instrumentality of man, and under the responsibility of man. “As a wise masterbuilder,” says Paul, “I have laid the foundation, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon.” There is human instrumentality and human responsibility. It was a large body formed on earth which was God’s house or temple, the Holy Ghost dwelling in it down here as descended on the thy of Pentecost 1 Cor. 3:16, not the body; there can be no wood and hay and stubble, which is to be burned, in that. Again, “ye are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Eph. 2:22.

This is a very interesting and precious truth. I mean God’s dwelling down here in His house prepared for Him according to His will. God never dwelt with Adam innocent, though He visited him, nor with Abraham though He visited and singularly blessed him; but the moment Israel was redeemed out of Egypt, God came and dwelt among them. The dwelling of God with men is the fruit of redemption. (See Ex. 29: 46).

The true redemption has been accomplished, and God has formed a habitation for Himself where He dwells by the Spirit. It is so indeed as to the individual 1 Cor. 6:19; but I now speak of the assembly, the house of the living God. This is now on the earth, the habitation of God by the Spirit. He dwells and walks among us. We are God’s building. Man may have built in wood and hay and stubble; but God has not yet executed judgment to remove the house out of His sight, though

Between Churches And The Church judgment will begin there.

The assembly is also the body of Christ (Eph. 1:23). It is by one Spirit we are

Thessalonians. So in the seven churches; so John writes to the assembly. So everywhere there was God’s assembly in

had none; the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; and hence they met in houses where they could; but all formed one assembly. God’s assembly in that place, the elders being elders in the whole as one body. The local assembly represented the whole

baptized into one body. This, though the final completeness of it will be in heaven, yet is established on earth, for the baptism of the Holy Spirit was His coming down—the thy of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 1 Cor. 12 13). That this is on earth is further clear, for in the same chapter we find He has set in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, where we have miracles; gifts of healing, clearly on earth. Where, remark also, they are set in the whole church, members of such or such a kind in the one whole body. Such is the church or assembly as depicted in Scripture.

What were churches or assemblies? These were local.

The apostle could say, “To the church of God which is at Corinth.” It represented the whole unity of the body in that place. “Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” Two bodies of Christ, even in one place, representatively there could not be. In Galatia, which was a large province, we read of the churches of Galatia. So in Thessalonica, a city of Macedonia, we have the assembly of the

any given place which could be distinctly addressed as such. In Acts 20:17 he calls for the elders of the assembly.

There were several appointed by the Holy Spirit to be overseers of God’s flock.

Hence Titus was left in Crete to ordain them in every city.

We have (Acts 11: 22) the assembly which was in Jerusalem, though it was exceedingly numerous; in Acts 13:1, the assembly that was at Antioch. So Paul (Acts 14: 21-23) returns to Lystra, Derbe and Iconium, and chooses for them elders in every assembly. All Scripture clearly shows there was one assembly in a place, which was God’s assembly.

Churches as buildings they

assembly of God, as 1 Corinthians shows us plainly.

The position which Christians who composed it held was that of members of Christ, of the whole body of Christ. The only membership known in Scripture is membership of Christ’s body; as an eye, a hand, etc.; ministry was directly connected with this last thought. When Christ ascended up on high, He gave gifts to men, apostles) prophets: they were the foundation Eph., 2:20; evangelists, pastors, teachers: these were set in the whole church or assembly. (1 Cor., 12).

If a man was a teacher at Ephesus, he was such at Corinth. Even as to

By J. N. DARBY

miraculous gifts, a man spoke with tongues where he was.

The gift belonged to no particular assembly, but was that member or gift in the whole body on earth, wrought by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor., 12), and by which a man was a servant of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:11, we have

the Holy Spirit on earth distributing them as they then were. In Ephesians 4 they are given from J Christ on high, and only such referred to as ministered to the perfecting of the saints and edifying of the body till we all grow to the stature of Christ. They were the talents with which a man was bound to trade, if he knew the master, in virtue of having them: “as every man has received the gift, so minister the same, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter, 4:10. They were to wait on their prophesying or exhorting. Rules are given for their exercise in Scripture.

Women were to keep silence in the assemblies.

To be Continued

“What were churches in scriptural times? “Church” means simply an assembly, or, from local use in Greek, an assembly of privileged persons, of citizens. The whole multitude of believers gathered into one by the Holy Spirit formed the assembly or church. Only here of course it was God’s assembly; of course those in Rome or Corinth could not meet in Jerusalem.”

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

Drumbeats

Who Is A Wealthy Man? Continued from last week

GATES did not have a definite study plan while a student at Harvard and spent a lot of time using the school’s computers. Gates remained in contact with Paul Allen, and he joined him at Honeywell during the summer of 1974, The following year saw the release of the MITS Altair 8800 based on the Intel 8080 CPU and Gates and Allen saw this as the opportunity to start their own computer software company. Gates dropped out of Harvard at this time. He had talked this decision over with his parents, who were supportive of him after seeing how much Gates wanted to start a company.

Microsoft Main articles: History of Microsoft and Microsoft BASIC MITS Altair 8800 Computer with 8-inch (200 mm) floppy disk system After reading the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics that demonstrated the Altair 8800, Gates contacted Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS ), the creators of the new microcomputer, to inform them that he and others were working on a BASIC interpreter for the platform. In reality, Gates and Allen did not have an Altair and had not written code for it; they merely wanted to gauge MITS’s interest. MITS president Ed Roberts agreed to meet them for a demo, and over the course of a few weeks they developed an Altair emulator that ran on a minicomputer, and then the BASIC interpreter. The demonstration, held at MITS’s offices in Albuquerque was a success and resulted in a deal with MITS to distribute the interpreter as Altair BASIC. Paul Allen was hired into MITS, and Gates took a leave of absence from Harvard to work with Allen at M1ITS in Albuquerque in November 1975. They named their partnership “Micro-Soft” and had their first office located in Albuquerque. Within a year,

The Bill Gates Story

the hyphen was dropped, and on November 26, 1976, the trade name ‘Microsoft was registered with the Office of the Secretary of the State of New Mexico. Gates never returned to Harvard to complete his studies.

Microsoft BASIC was popular with computer hobbyists but Gates discovered that a pre-market copy had leaked into the community and was being widely copied and distributed.

In February l976, Gates wrote an Open Letter to Hobbyists in the MITS newsletter saying that MITS could not continue to produce distribute, and maintain highquality software without payment. This letter was unpopular with many computer hobbyists, but Gates persisted in his belief that software developers should be able to demand payment Microsoft became independent of MITS in late 1976, and it continued to develop programming language software for various systems.

The company moved from Albuquerque to its new home in Bellevue, Washington on January 1,1979.

During Microsoft’s early years, all employees had broad responsibility for the company’s business. Gates oversaw the business details, but continued to write code as well. In the first five years, Gates personally reviewed every line of code the company shipped, and often rewrote parts of it as he saw fit.

IBM partnership IBM approached Microsoft in July 1980 regarding its upcoming personal computer, the IBM PC. The computer company first proposed that Microsoft write the BASIC interpreter. When IBM’s representatives mentioned that they needed an operating system, Gates referred them to Digital Research (DRI), makers of the widely used

CP/M operating system.

IBM’s discussions with Digital Research went poorly, and they did not reach a licensing agreement. IBM representative Jack Sams mentioned the licensing difficulties during a subsequent meeting with Gates and told him to get an acceptable operating system.

A few weeks later, Gates proposed using 86-DOS (QDOS), an operating system similar to CP/M that Tim

system. They did, and the sales of MS DOS made Microsoft a major player in the industry. Despite IBM’s name on the operating system the press quickly identified Microsoft as being very influential on the new computer, with PC Magazine asking if Gates were “The Man Behind The Machine?”

He oversaw Microsoft’s company restructuring on June 25, 1981, which reincorporated the company in Washington state and made

With Apostle Dr. Raphael O. Ayemere 08035459593

led Microsoft to develop a version of OS/2 independently from IBM. Management style Bill Gates in January 2008 From Microsoft’s founding in 1975 until 2006, Gates had primary responsibility for the company’s product strategy.

He aggressively broadened the company’s range of products, and wherever Microsoft achieved a dominant position he

interests at risk.

He often interrupted presentations with such comments as, That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” and, “Why don’t you just give up your options and join the Peace Corps?” The target of his outburst then had to defend the proposal in detail until, hopefully, Gates was fully convinced. When subordinates appeared to be procrastinating, he was

vigorously defended it. He gained a reputation for being distant to others; as early as 1981 an industry executive complained in public that “Gates is notorious for not being reachable by phone and for not returning phone calls.”

Another executive recalled that after he showed Gates a videogame and defeated him 35 of 37 times, when they met again a month later Gates “won or tied every game. He had studied the game until he solved it. That is a competitor.”

As an executive, Gates met regularly with Microsoft senior managers and program managers. Firsthand accounts of these meetings describe him as verbally combative, berating managers for perceived holes in their business strategies or proposals that placed the company’s long-term

known to remark sarcastically, “I’ll do it over the weekend.”

Gates’s role at Microsoft for most of its history was primarily a management and executive role. However, he was an active software developer in the early years, particularly on the company’s programming language products. He has not officially been on a development team since working on the TRS-80 Model 100, but wrote code as late as 1989 that shipped in the company’s products. On June 15, 2006, Gates announced that he would transition out of his day-to-day role over the next two years to dedicate more time to philanthropy. He divided his responsibilities between two successors, placing Ray Ozzie in charge of day-to-day management and Craig Mundie in charge of long-term product strategy.

Bill Gates

Paterson of Seattle Computer Products (SCP) had made for hardware similar to the PC Microsoft made a deal with SCP to become tile exclusive licensing agent, and later the full owner, of 86—DOS. After adapting the operating system for the PC, Microsoft delivered it to IBM as PC DOS in exchange for a onetime fee of $50,000.

Gates did not offer to transfer the copyright on the operating system, because he believed that other hardware vendors would clone IBM’s

Gates President of Microsoft and Chairman of the Board.

Windows Microsoft launched its first retail version of Microsoft Windows on November 20, 1985, and in August, the company struck a deal with IBM to develop a separate operating system called OS/ 2. Although the two companies successfully developed the first version of the new system, mounting creative differences caused the partnership to deteriorate.

It ended in 1991, when Gates

“During Microsoft’s early years, all employees had broad responsibility for the company’s business. Gates oversaw the business details, but continued to write code as well. In the first five years, Gates personally reviewed every line of code the company shipped, and often rewrote parts of it as he saw fit.”

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

MANILA’S poor live in tiny shacks of scrap wood and rusting tin on mud. Even those not in squatters’ settlements are in tiny houses of one or two rooms One home was no more than a few weathered boards between the branches of a tree.

Like their counterparts in other countries Manila’s poor left the land where they were often exploited and headed to the city looking for a better life only to be disappointed. In the poorest areas morality is low, sometimes non-existent. It is not unusual for a youth to have seen several murders before he has reached maturity.

The Philippines has been a troubled country since the 19th Century when it began to strive for independence. Most recently the country has suffered from a stifling dictatorship.

It was against this background that the People’s Power revolution came about in 1986.

After the dust of the uprising settled the effects of the years of dictatorship remained. One figure tells the story: 70 per cent of Filipinos live below the poverty line.

At my lodgings in Manila, a small apartment building in San Juan, one of the oldest areas of the city, there was an armed guard in blue stationed at the entrance. His presence was a reminder of the desperate poverty all around.

Confronted with this suffering many Christians assume the only choice is between doing what Mother Teresa of Calcutta does—going out into the streets and ministering directly to the poor themselves—or giving to those who do. But even Mother Teresa recognises charity is only a temporary cure. Another response to the problem actively promoted by the Church is the way of social justice based on Christian social principles. It is a way that seeks to avoid the extremes of exaggerated profit capitalism on one hand and totalitarian systems on the other.

It was this alternative, the challenge proposed by the Church’s social teaching, which a small band of Filipino university students had taken up long before the 1986 revolution.

When they came together in the mid I 960s, they were aware that although the Philippines was a predominantly Catholic country, it had paid little heed to the Church’s social teachings. They were young men, without social, political or economic influence; all they had was their education and their youth. Two members of that initial group were Dr Bernardo Villegas and Dr Jesus Estanislao, both economics graduates from Harvard.

“We wanted to create a social service which would be both professional and secular and which would answer the most pressing social needs,” Jess said.

“It had to be educational, apostolic and open to everyone because we wanted to reach out

Issues Tourism The Philippines Poor Of The Third World

to as many people as possible.”

The group set out to show that corporations could be socially responsible. But one of the first hurdles was the fact that the government was going one way and business was wading in another. While the government spoke of social and economic programs, it had very little communication with private

money they had available to give their families food and shelter; if the employers did not have the figures the CRC supplied them.

Bernie explained: “What we have always said to the different firms is: ‘This is what your employees get and this is what they need to live as human beings’. Then we have gone one step further. Take rural

to expand into rural areas to contribute to rural development; others established foundations for the training of technical workers or farmers; some produced high quality products which helped the poor economise. Meanwhile the CRC pressed for land reform, encouraging large landholders to divide up their lands into parcels for small farmers.

viewed as a joint venture between the lower level people the owners and top management. As a result, productivity increases.”

The social doctrine of the Catholic Church has always rejected the notion that the solution to economic ills lies in ideologies such as socialism, capitalism or liberation theology.

What the CRC was doing was

enterprise. On the other hand business was only interested in making profits, not in social and economic development.

“We wanted to have a center which would research these things and communicate to both government and private enterprise,” Jess said.

The result was the Center for Research and Communication, which opened in 1967 at rented premises at 1607 Jorge Bocobo, Malate-a far cry from the centre’s latest home, a modern building at Pearl Drive in Manila’s Ortigas Commercial Complex, with its modern seminar, rooms, lecture halls and offices. Soon after its birth, the CRC gained a reputation as a dependable business training center offering courses in economics and as a think tank giving economic forecasts. (The center’s economic forecasts came to be resented by the government which did not appreciate an independent body highlighting the ailing country’s poor economic performance).

The CRC trained businessmen to run their businesses on sound economic principles. And then it urged them to try to identify areas where they could help Combat poverty—to respond to the Church’s “preferential option for the poor”. For instance, it asked each company to find out the real incomes of its own workers, the

development for example. If a client is operating a sugar mill we tell him he must make sure he is helping to develop the community, by putting up schools, hospitals, and so on.

There is a common belief around that capitalism is without any conscience. That is what we have been seeking to disprove. We are trying to make business aware of everything that the Church has

“The message we have always tried to put across,” said Jess, “is that in business before we start looking into the distance, into the future, we must remember the poor are with us, that they are our drivers, our janitors, our clerks, our farmers. We have insisted that corporate executives must take care of these people first, give them an opportunity for further education, treat them very well,

based on three basic pillars. First, the principle of subsidiarity, which says what can be done competently and efficiently by individuals or by small groups should not be absorbed by larger bodies, least of all by the State.

(This is the approach which has become popularly known as the “small is beautiful” approach. It requires that all workers should be part owners in the great work

society.

“This is where CRC’s distinctive competence comes in,” Bernie said. “There are other institutions like CRC doing economic business research but I think we stand out for the emphasis on the principles of subsidiarity solidarity and the common good. We are making it very clear to businessmen that there is no invisible hand, notwithstanding what Adam Smith said, that automatically promotes the common good if you encourage individuals to be selfish. That is the biggest lie in economic history. Each individual must consciously and actively contribute to the common good through each decision they make.”

All of this might seem attractive idealism but not really practical in a world where businesses strive to extract as much profit from their workers as possible to survive. In fact the opposite is true. Companies which exploit workers and make big profits in the short term are sowing the seeds of their own demise. The CRC has been able to convince enough hard-headed businessmen of this fact of life to attract widespread support. A tour of the building on a busy day reveals packed lectures, seminars and conferences. Every six months briefings are given at the Manila hotel to hundreds of businessmen.

Even though the people at the CRC are united in promoting basic principles, they sometimes have different views about how these can be put into practice. The centre stresses that the economic opinions of its staff are their own responsibility. For example, though Jess and Bernie have worked together for many years they have different views on how

“The Philippines has been a troubled country since the 19th Century when it began to strive for independence. Most recently the country has suffered from a stifling dictatorship. It was against this background that the People’s Power revolution came about in 1986. After the dust of the uprising settled the effects of the years of dictatorship remained. One figure tells the story: 70 per cent of Filipinos live below the poverty line.” said about wages, about labour unions, work, cooperatives and all the social problems that a third world country like the Philippines has. We have found that those businesses we have been able to reach are ready to listen once they understand the problems and that they can do something about them.”

Businesses which came to the CRC for economic advice soon began to respond. Some began

provide for their necessities in terms of their cultural, spiritual, professional, educational development; to take care of their material adv too, within the resources of the company. Those who have looked into it closely have found this approach works both ways. When corporations take good care of people a close affinity is established between the corporation and its employees.

The corporate operations become

bench of production.) Second, the principle of solidarity, which says that individuals and private groups and associations should always work in unity and Cooperation. The third principle is that each individual and group in the community should try to work for the common good. This does not mean seeking the greatest good for the greatest number, but rather the total good of each and every member of

to tackle the Philippines’ economic problems in several areas.

Bernie believes “agribusiness” is the key to the future. Jess emphasises rehabilitating industry and Preparing for a new phase of industrialization. They also have different opinions about tariff protection. Each respects the others opinion but they have agreed to disagree.

To be continued

THE NIGERIAN

21

Issues Media

VOICE THE best microphones can cause a slight distortion of the human voice but modern engineer has reduced that distortion to a minimum. It has been noticed with fair degree of honesty that the voice of an actor or singer can be heard in the home in normal or natural state unless we deliberately alter it. The high fidelity of good FM reception will often cause announcer to sound like some one actually in the room. In the average drama, voice IS heard without distortion. it is only on special purposes it is passed through a filter or given extra reverberation provided by an echo chamber (see chapter on Microphone) In the musical programme the voice of a soloist or chora group is sometimes enhanced by the use of echo or artificial reverberation a device often used by the record industry.

In a nondramatic anti nunmusical programmes we may assume that studio voices will be as natural as possible.

A filters or variable frequency: Filter is an electronic device in the control room which permits the audio engineer to subtract or filter out high or low frequencies of the voices passing through the audio console Taking out the lowest sounds and most of the high sounds give us familiar sound of a voice heard over a telephone and taking out other frequencies can create the effect of an intercom system or a loud -speaker in a terminal.

ECHO Originally, echo is an added reverberation given to voice or sound by the use of an echo chamber, a long narrow passage or a twisting labyrinth with concert or plaster walls. The sound originating in studio enters this chamber through a loudspeaker and the resulting sound waves bounced their way between the reflecting walls to be picked up by a microphone and then fed back into the audio console which was mixing the programme-and this in a fraction of a second.

Modern studios have mechanical or electronic methods of inducing this added reverbration. Echo will be used to suggest that the actors were speaking in a huge cave, a large railway terminal or a meeting hall. Echo can be manipulated to suggest a gaint’s shout, the voice of a ghost or other obnormal originations. Echo is used to recording live music to augment the richness of a choral group.

ARTIFICIAL PITCH CHANGE The method of speeding up the frequencies of the voices is to raise Pitch but without

TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

Broadcast Journalism

Instrumentality Of The Voice speeding up the rate of delivery was accompanied by recording normal voices singing slowly but recording at a slower than normal recorder rate. When played back at normal speed the singing came up to proper tempo and the pitch of the voice and television drama.

This high pitch is Used to

opportunity for multiplying his voice PRE-RECORDING All the variations in the use of human voice listed so far can be used equally by radio and television. The television may

his countenance. It is used in any situation in a play in which we need to know what is running through a characters mind, whether it be his own thoughts in his own voice or his recollection if the voices of

suggest extreme smallness in the owner of voice, and at times, when the hero voice is gradually growing higher and higher and higher as he grew smaller and smaller pitch change is always a suspense in drama involving a Variation to shrink down toward a micropic size.

M U L T I P L E RECORDING In the recording industry, a number of singers have developed styles in which they record a melody then harmonize with their own voices. By dubbing and redubbing, it is possible to create a one a man quartet or a two person chorous televisions case of multiplying the images of a performer suggests

pre-record the voice of an actor for certain situations. It is a necessary device in a play that at times the characters are speaking aloud and hear each other, at other moment, one of them is thinking and his thoughts are not audible to his companions In the theatre, this concept was established by the device of having all other characters at the stage a given moment “freez” while one of them thought aloud. In such a film, and television versions, this same effect would be created more convincingly by showing in the screen a close-up of the face of the person thinking, while his own voice comes to us from a tape, expressing the thoughts which we also see reflected on

others. It is a soliloquy in a drama.

CLARITY OF VOICE Clarity of voice depends on: a. Timbre, or tonal quality the richer the voice in its harmonics lying between 300 and 7,000 Hertz, the more suitable it is as a conveyor of words. No where is this more true than on short waves. A woolly voice is a bad carrier of meaning. The timbre can however be improved by training or up to a point by boosting the higher frequencies at the expense of its lower in its passage from microphone to loudspeaker. b. Accuracy of enunciation e.g in English, pair, bare (bear) tare (tear) and dare being spoken in such a way as to be

By PICK NNABUIKE ODOH

“In most languages, it is the consonants and not the vowels which carry most of the meaning in the tone languages and ‘tone’ of course is as important as consonants in the conveyance of meaning and without the vowel the ‘tone’ cannot be established the Edo-Bini Language in Nigerian is a ‘tonal’ language and without the vowel, consonants are meaningless and consonants cannot form any grammatical word as it is in English.”

distinguishable one from the other.

It is often said that broadcasters on short-wave should speak more slowly then normal to be better understood by listeners, that is half truth because a person who is slovenly in speech will not become noticeable more

comprehensible by showing down his rate of delivery longer than normal pauses between sentences, may give the listener split second moment to puzzle out what had just heard but the listener should have been puzzled in the first place.

In most languages, it is the consonants and not the vowels which carry most of the meaning in the tone languages and ‘tone’ of course is as important as consonants in the conveyance of meaning and without the vowel the ‘tone’ cannot be established the Edo-Bini Language in Nigerian is a ‘tonal’ language and without the vowel, consonants are meaningless and consonants cannot form any grammatical word as it is in English.

In slow down speech by lengthening the vowels is therefore useless in some languages.

But if speech is slowed down because consonants are being more carefully emanated, then it will be more intelligible, for the carefully enunciated consonant is richer in upper frequency harmonic than the one said slurred Hills (1973) said that “far more careful enunciation is necessary than

the domestic broadcasting or in broadcasting to expatiates when a broadcast is intended for listeners to whom the language of the broadcast is a second language and not their own Even where there is a community of language eg as between USA and Britain, the listener may find a non standard accent incomprehensible, and marked accents with which the listener is not familiar should not be used” A speaker might have the finest timbre and enunciate perfectly and yet be incomprehensible.

More fundamental than timbre or enunciation in the following:“The idea to be conveyed must be said in away in which the listening mind can accept and therefore understand that idea”.

There are two factors i. How words and sentences are spoke and the ii. Conversation HOW WORDS AND SENTENCES ARE SPOKEN. Broadcasters on short wave are advised to speak more slowly than normal, so that he might be better understood by listeners. This has led programme directors and others to guide broadcasters to speak so may words per minute. But the ear is not a computer. The listener does not know how many words broadcasters are made to speak per minute and it is of no importance for him to know. What matters for the listeners is that the broadcaster should be understood, and that he has interest of the listeners.

This can be Varied from speaker or broadcaster to broadcaster and between one passage and another.

PHRASING Let us study tile following sentences. The main victims of the present strike are said to have been the leader of the government in Nigeria. That could be said at 50, 100, 150 words per minute in this way.

The —main- victims — of- the - pre-sent- stri-ke —are-said-to — have- been——If the sentence is broadcast or said in this manner, it wou1d not be understood easily on short or any other wave. It would be understood if said rapidly:The main victims of the present strike-are said to have been—the leaders of the government-in Nigeria.

If it is spoken in ‘sense groups’ or in correct phrasing, it is the key to intelligibility in all broadcasting stations whether local or external.

A broadcaster who speaks in ‘sense groups’ can give impression that he is speaking ‘slowly’ even when not, and one whose phrasing is poor can appear to be going fast even when going slowly.

To be continued

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

Society ISRAELI-DESCENT HYPOTHESIS As early as 1789 precisely 213 years ago the view that Igbo originated from Israel was not only held but had actually been published and documented in London. Olauda Equiano an Igbo ex-slave in London was not only the first documented Igbo historian and ethnograpist, but also the first to ask and answer the question, “What is the origin of Igbo?” Equiano having obtained his freedom from slavery through the rigours of hard work had undertaken to educate himself and write his own autobiography. In that autobiography he proceeded to answer the question of Igbo origin by insisting that Ndi-Igbo are among the lost tribes of Israel. Equiano went on to confirm his Conviction by appealing to the many identical cultural and religious elements practical among the Jews and the lgbos.

Whether or not Equtano was right, his view (which might represent popular opinion in his day) has come to prevail among many Igbo people as the most probable explanation of their history of origin. The view has mostly prevailed not just among the elders and illiterate but also among the elites in Igbo society and beyond.

Dr. Dozie Ikedife, Ikenga Nnewi, an elderly medical consultant (Ikedife Hospital Nnewi) said that “the feeling in our blood suggests that we actually originated from Israel.”

Tempo, a widely circulated, Nigerian newspaper in one of its editions put the following question to Emeka Ojukwu, the crowned Eze Igbo-gburugburu: “The Igbo have the Jewish blood. Some of us respect that.

They are enterprising and intelligent. In this country, they are among the most intelligent people no doubt.”

“We’ve heard so much about the link between the Israelites (the Jews) and the Igbos. Are there really a historical connection between the two peoples?” Ojukwu responded in the following words: “Increasingly, researchers are beginning to unearth linkages between the Israelis and the Igbo people. I don’t know how to explain that to you, but, biblically, we know there is a lost tribe of Israel. Biblically, we know that that tribe were kindred of ERI. Biblically, we know that they went down South. Our contemporary and current understanding tells us they could be the originators of the various Eris that we found in Igboland.

The people of Aguleri in Igboland maintain that they are the origin, but that apart, if you speak Jgbo, I ask you, what is the meaning of Eri Mgbe Eri?’ The Igbo concept of the beginning of time encapsulated in that concept: Eri Mgbe Eri (since the

Igbos And Concept of Eri Mgbe Eri beginning of time or since the time of Eri.” Gani Fawehinmi, a foremost human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said that “The Igbos, by their contribution to the economic development of this country are otherwise called

the JEWS of this country.”

Sarah Jibril, former Presidential aspirant on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) believes Igbo-Israeli connection. Her testimony: “The Igbo have the Jewish blood. Some of us respect that.

They are enterprising and intelligent. In this country, they are among the most intelligent people no doubt.”

Recently in one edition of African Readers Digest Godfrey Chukwuneke and M. Okoye advocated. That the Igbos are part of the lost tribes of Israel or at least mixed with some Jewish tribes in remote antiquity.” Godfrey and Okoye went on to identify, apparently based on Equiano’s proposition, many cultural and religious Igbo and Jewish elements as suggestive of common ancestral descent.

Both the Igbos and Jews have common belief in the unchangeable existence, of a Supreme Being known as Chukwu and Yahweh (Jehovah) respectively. Both the Igbos and Jews make sharp distinction between God the creator and the devil (known as Ekwensu in Igbo). The punishment for deliberate murder, life for life. (Exodus chapter twenty one), or injuries are characteristic of both the

Igbos and Jews.

The term Abia or Abiah, an Igbo word, consequently, the identity of the present Abia State is found in the Jewish Bible. It is a Jewish name given to the second

Scripture. (Genesis 4: 19-20).

Interestingly the word Adah (sometimes spelt Ada) among the Igbos remains till today the title of the first daughter in Igbo families. The expression

- that a victim of violence may resort to the altar (alusi in Igbo) for divine protection, (1 Kings 2:28-30). Both the Igbo and Jews have a common tradition of lengthy funeral ceremony (Genesis 50:1-3), though some of Igbo communities have started quite recently to minimise in this area.

Jews circumcise their male children and present them to Jehovah on the eighth - day.

son of Samuel, one of the most illustrious of the Hebrew prophet (1 Samuel 8:2, see also 1 Chronicles 2:24; Luke 1:5 KJV).

This word Abia found both among the Igbos and Jews perhaps explain why the first executive governor of Abia State, Ogbonnaya Onu, decorated Umuahia arid the State capital with the inscription, “God’s own State”. It remains the pride of Abia

Umuadah or Umuada in Igbo generally refers to the daughters of the paternal kindred or extended families. The Umuada is a power to reckon with in Igboland.

Both Igbo and Jewish customs allow a man to raise children from his brother’s widow. Alter committing a serious crime unavoidably or inadvertently both the Jews and Igbo provides

The Igbo as well circumcise theirs and unfailingly have the eighth day as the day for both circumcision and the naming ceremony. The similarities seem to extend to the use of intermediaries in marriage negotiations. The Igbos, even of today use intermediary, onyeaka-ebe, in marriage contract.

So did Abraham the father of the Jews in negotiating Rebecca

By UCHECHUKWU IFEANYIBE

Egypt, arrived at the confluence of the Rivers Niger and Anambra now known as Ezuna Omambala, lived there as alien among the people he met, got assimilated and became their Samuel - King, high priest, Judge, etc.”

In my book, Hebrew and Biblical Sources of Igbo History, the following summary is presented about ERI: “The man GAD was the seventh son of Jacob whom God renamed ISRAEL Gad was born to Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant in the ancient City of Padda-aran (Northern Mesopotamia) probably 1749 BC, Gen. 30:9-13, 35:26. He was about forty Years old when he and his family moved to Egypt along with his father, Jacob in 1728 BC, Gen. 46:6,7 Before settling there finally GAD had accompanied his brothers in two trips to Egypt to get grain from Joseph who was the prime minister of that Land, Gen. 42:15. When their father moved to Egypt, all his family including GAD settled in the City of Goshen, were Israelites lived for 430 years, Gen. 45:10, 47:27, Exo. 12:40.

It was from this City of Goshen that Eri the fifth son of GAD migrated to the interior part of what was later known as Africa.

ERI and his entourage continued his movement south ward until he finally settled at a place known to us today as Aguleri i.e.

AGULU-ERI. In Aguleri today, there is a place called AGBANABO-EZUNAOMAMBALA (The confluence of the rivers, Ezu and omambala, which form the Anambra River).

Here it is believed, ERI landed with his entourage before moving to settle in OBI-GAD, Aguleri.

Today the people of Aguleri in Anambra State still claim that the site of OBI-GAD (i.e. GAD’s memorial palace) is still visible.

The palace is said to have been built by ERI in memory of his

“Dr. Dozie Ikedife, Ikenga Nnewi, an elderly medical consultant (Ikedife Hospital Nnewi) said that “the feeling in our blood suggests that we actually originated from Israel.” Tempo, a widely circulated, Nigerian newspaper in one of its editions put the following question to Emeka Ojukwu, the crowned Eze Igbogburugburu: “The Igbo have the Jewish blood. Some of us respect that. They are enterprising and intelligent. In this country, they are among the most intelligent people no doubt.” people of Igbo to always claim that their name is found in the Bible. The word Umuahia, actually is properly pronounced Umuabia (children of Abia).

Another word shared commonly by both Jews and the Igbos is the word Adah. Adab is the name of the Second woman mentioned in the Bible – Old Testament Hebrew

that such a man may take refuge in his mother’s natal home (known as Ikwunne in Igbo).

Compare Okonkwo’s exile in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart with Genesis chapter twenty-eight, especially verse one and two.

The Jewish sanctuary concept and the Igbo Osu caste system seem to serve common purpose

for Isaac. Genesis chapter twenty four.

Ikpo Ezenri, Nri Enweleani II traced the arrival of Eri, a man of Israel reputed to have founded Igbo nation, in the following words: “By the power of the covenant between God and Israel, Eri travelled from (among Israelites in)

father GAD. As for ERI himself, his grave is still located at the Ancient Eri Kingdom, Aguleri, Anambra State.

It is important to note, “that the Eri of Igbo legend and the Biblical Eri refer to the same person is not a subject of contention.”

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

International Japan’s Leader Says He Will Express Remorse For World War II

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said Monday that his government would express remorse for World War II on the 70th anniversary of its end in August.

Abe is known for his nationalist views, and many analysts have speculated that he may downplay Japan’s responsibility for the war. At a

year-opening news conference, he sought to reassure the world that he wouldn’t veer from past official statements on Japan’s wartime responsibility.

“The Abe Cabinet will uphold the general stance on history of successive prime ministers, including the Murayama statement,” he said, referring to the 1995

apology made by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama on the 50th anniversary of the war’s end.

He said the government

would draft a new statement “that includes Japan’s remorse for the war,” though he stopped short of saying it would apologize.

What Abe will say is being closely watched not only in Japan but also in neighboring China and South Korea, both victims of Japanese aggression in World War II. They would be angered by any backtracking by Japan.

China Urges ‘Relevant Parties’ To Avoid Tension On Korea Peninsula BEIJING - China has called on “relevant parties” to avoid action that would escalate tension on the Korean peninsula after the United States imposed more sanctions on North Korea last week.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks at a daily news briefing. The sanctions came in the wake of a cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, which the White House has said was supported by the reclusive country.

“The relative stability on the Korean peninsula has not come easy,” Hua said. “We hope that the relevant parties act with caution and avoid taking measures that could worsen or escalate the current situation.”

The U.S. government named three entities, including North Korea’s military intelligence agency, and sanctioned 10 people with links to weapons sales and proliferation last week.

Financial sanctions have

been effective in bringing pressure on Iran and Russia, but they have had limited impact on North Korea, which has been sanctioned by the United States for more than 50 years.

North Korea has denied involvement in the cyberattack. The United States said there was no evidence that any of the three entities or the individuals were linked to it.

UN Brokered Libya Dialogue Again

UNITED NATIONS - A new round of U.N.-brokered peace talks aimed at ending the escalating political crisis in Libya has been delayed once again and will not take place early this week as originally planned, diplomatic sources said.

The United Nations had planned to hold a second round of talks on Monday to end a confrontation between two rival governments and parliaments. It has been working for months to organize Libyan peace talks but has said previously that a military escalation was undermining its efforts.

“Consultations to hold the second round of dialogue

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

OKOH – I, formerly called Okoh Endurance Oseghale now wish to be known and addressed as Okoh Ernest Oseghale.

All former documents remain valid. United Bank of Africa Plc (UBA) and the general public should please take note.

OSAWARU – I, formerly called Miss Omorotionmwan Rosabel Osawaru now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omorotionmwan Rosabel Omoregbe Igbinosa. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME IZEKOR – I, formerly called Miss Margaret Oghomwen Izekor now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Margaret Oghomwen Babalola. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani speaks during a event in Kabul.

-Diplomatic Sireen

continue with the parties to reach agreement on the timing and venue. So, not tomorrow,” one diplomatic source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Another diplomatic source confirmed the remarks.

It was not clear when, and if, the new dialogue would take place.

The new talks have been repeatedly delayed due to difficulties getting the parties to agree to meet. U.N. special envoy to Libya Bernadino Leon told the Security Council last month that the parties involved had agreed in principle to meet

on Jan. 5.

Libya has had two governments and parliaments competing for legitimacy since a group called Libya Dawn seized the capital in August, installing its cabinet and forcing the government of recognized Prime Minister Abdullah alThinni to the east.

World powers fear the Libyan conflict will lead to civil war as former rebel groups that helped oust the country’s former leader, the late Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011 fight for power and a share of its vast oil reserves.

Leon has said that the Libya dialogue would include members of the General National Congress, the country’s previous assembly reinstated by the new rulers in the capital Tripoli.

Hundreds of civilians in Libya have been killed in fighting since late August, the United Nations has said, warning commanders of armed groups that they could face prosecution for possible war crimes, including executions and torture.

The conflict has driven at least 120,000 people from their homes, according to a joint report by the U.N. human rights office and U.N. Support Mission in Libya that also documents shelling of civilian areas.

CHANGE OF NAME AGENMONMEN – I, formerly known as Miss Ivie Cynthia Agenmonmen now wish to be known as Mrs. Ivie Cynthia Ehiemua.

Former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

Fighter from the Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn) militia prepare to fire an anti-tank cannon mounted on a vehicle during clashes with forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government near the wetia military air base.

The prospect also worries the United States, which fears it would add to tensions in the region.

Hollande Rules Out French Intervention In Lybya PARIS - President Francois Hollande has said that France would not intervene unilaterally in Libya and urged the international community to take action to stem the deepening crisis in the country.

“We are acting to contain terrorism in the south, but France will not intervene in Libya because it’s for the international community to live up to its responsibilities,” Hollande told French radio.

Asked if France would take action in a United Nationsmandated operation, Hollande said there would have to be a “clear mandate”, “clear organisation” and the “political conditions” would have to be in place.

“We’re not yet going down that road,” added Hollande.

The president of neighbouring Niger said on Friday that a solution to the crisis in Libya was not possible without international intervention.

“I do not see how the armed terrorist militias can create the conditions for reconciliation among Libyans,” said President Mahamadou Issoufou.

“An international intervention is essential to the reconciliation of all Libyans,” including supporters of former dictator Moamer Khadafi, who himself was deposed and killed in 2011 after an international military intervention.

Since the overthrow of Khadafi’s regime, Libya has collapsed into a chaos of warring militias and rival governments, and is awash with weapons that travel in an arc of unrest through northern Mali and Niger.

Later Monday, ambassadors from the Arab League will meet to discuss the Libyan crisis, at the request of Libya’s internationally recognised government.

French Defence Minister Yves Le Drian recently visited the region and paid a surprise visit to northern Niger, to see a base being built to combat the growing flow of weapons and jihadists from Libya.

Le Drian said his visit demonstrated France’s “determination... against the jihadists, terrorism and those who want to transform this ancient caravan route into a route of violence and trafficking.”

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TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

International

Former Minister Nominated AS New Tunisia Premier TUNIS - A former Tunisian interior minister has been nominated as prime minister to form the country’s new government after an

agreement among political parties, the parliament chief Mohamed Nacer said on Monday.

The premier, Habib Essid,

worked in the government of Tunisian autocrat Zine ElAbidine Ben Ali but was also interior minister after the 2011 revolution that ended Ben Ali’s one-party rule and forced him into exile.

Syria’s Western - Backed Opposition Elect New Leaders ISTANBUL — Syria’s western-backed opposition group has elected a new leader.

Khaled Khoja was elected president in a close vote late Sunday night during a three day meeting of the National

officers are associated with a moderate Islamic movement led

by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, which it accuses of attempting to topple the government. It says the movement is behind a corruption probe against four former government ministers and a series of leaked recordings suggesting corruption by Erdogan and family members.

Last month, police raided media outlets close to Gulen, increasing concerns over media freedoms.

Coalition in Istanbul, where it is based.

The coalition is seen as remote from the military opposition fighting the government of Bashar al Assad. But it is involved in talks with international negotiators looking for ways to end the civil war that has left more than 200,000 dead.

Khoja replaces Hadi al Bahra, who did not run for reelection.

The meeting comes amid a push by Russia, a key supporter of Assad, to try to bring the Syrian government and the opposition together in Moscow for talks. The coalition has not ruled out participating, but has so far insisted on conditions.

intensifying war with Taliban insurgents in 2014, making it the deadliest year on record for noncombatants, the United Nations said in a recent report.

Ghani added that he was concerned about the Islamic State militant group and its potential threat to Afghanistan “because the past has shown us that threats, that networks change their form.” The group

has taken over parts of Iraq and Syria.

But U.S. General John Campbell, who leads the remaining coalition forces in Afghanistan, said in an interview on the same program he did not see Islamic State “coming into Afghanistan like they did into Iraq. The Afghan Security Forces would not allow that.”

Turkey Policemen Detailed For Illegal Eavesdropping

Nouri Abusahmain, the head of Libya’s General National Congress (GNC) (right) meets with Bernardino Leon (left) Special Representative United Nations (UN) for Libya in Tripoli.

Imprisoned Taivenese Ex-President Chen Given Medical Parole TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s former President Chen Shui-bian was granted a one-month medical parole Monday for treatment of neural degeneration, more than four years into his 20-year prison sentence for corruption.

Chen, 64, rolled down a car window and waved to about 200 supporters while a police escort took him out of the main gate at Taichung prison on Monday afternoon.

Chen, whose election in 2000 ended a 50-year monopoly on power by the island’s Nationalists, or Kuomintang, and who moved to expand Taiwan’s de facto independence from mainland China, went on trial shortly after the end of his 2000-2008 tenure.

He was convicted in September 2009 of more than $12 million in embezzlement

and bribe-taking in what he denounced as a persecution driven by his political opponents.

Chen has reportedly suffered from depression, sleep apnea, heart ailments and neural degeneration while behind bars, and authorities say he has attempted suicide.

The one-month medical parole was granted for treatment of his neurodegeneration, which was worsening despite efforts to treat him while in prison, the Justice Ministry said in a statement.

“It is believed that only on medical parole can his life and health be ensured,” the ministry said.

Neurodegeneration is an umbrella term for the loss of function of the neurons as experienced in diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and

Bomb Wounds 4 Policemen In Egypt’s Sinai AL-ARISH, Egypt - Four Egyptian policemen were wounded by a bomb in the volatile Sinai Peninsula, security sources said.

The device was planted at the entrance to an apartment building in the provincial capital of AlArish, the sources said.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country, faces a jihadist insurgency that has killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen since the army toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.

Most of the violence has been in the Sinai, which borders Israel and the Gaza Strip. But some attacks have occurred in cities and towns.

In a separate attack in Cairo, a bomb exploded in the car of a police officer who was not in the vehicle at the time, security sources said.

Security officials say Sinaibased militants are inspired by Islamic State, the al Qaeda offshoot that controls parts of Iraq and Syria and wants to redraw the map of the Middle East

Huntington’s. The ministry did not specify what kind of neurodegeneration Chen was suffering from.

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s state-run news agency says police have launched a new wave of raids and detained 15 more police officers suspected of conducting illegal wiretaps.

The Anadolu Agency said the officers were detained Monday in raids at their homes in eight Turkish cities.

Dozens of other policemen were arrested in 2014 for allegedly illegally wiretapping President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials.

The government says the

US May Re-Examine Time Table -Afghan President

Troops Withdrawal: WASHINGTON - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said in an interview broadcast that the United States might want to “reexamine” the timetable for removing the remaining U.S.-led coalition troops in the country by the end of 2016.

“Deadlines concentrate the mind. But deadlines should not be dogmas,” Ghani told the CBS program “60 Minutes” when asked about the issue.

“If both parties, or, in this case, multiple partners, have done their best to achieve the objectives and progress is very real, then there should be willingness to re-examine a deadline,” added Ghani, who was elected last year.

Asked if he had told that to U.S. President Barack Obama, Ghani said: “President Obama knows me. We don’t need to - to tell each other.”

The White House National Security Council, the State Department and the Pentagon had no immediate comment.

Afghanistan assumed full responsibility on Thursday for security from departing foreign combat troops, in a test of the readiness of 350,000 Afghan forces who will bear responsibility for fighting Taliban insurgents.

The U.S.-led coalition troops formally ended their combat mission more than 13 years after

the Islamist Taliban government was toppled in late 2001 for sheltering the planners of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

About 13,000 foreign troops, mostly Americans, will remain in the country under a two-year mission named “Resolute Support” to train Afghan troops.

At least 3,188 Afghan civilians were killed in the

Members of the Shi’ite Muslim Houthi movement and onlookers gather at the site of a blast outside a building belonging to the moverment in Sanaa.

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TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

International 2 Saudi Border Guards Killed In Dawn Attack RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia says two armed men, including one with a suicide vest, attacked a patrol of border guards near the kingdom’s frontier with Iraq, killing two guards and wounding a third.

The Interior Ministry says the attack occurred at dawn Monday near Arar, the provincial capital of the Northern Borders Province, along the border with Iraq.

It describes the attackers as “terrorists” and says they opened fire on the patrol. The

guards returned fire, killing one of the attackers. The other detonated his explosives and blew himself up.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Saudi Arabia has joined the U.S.-led alliance against Islamic State militants and is participating — along with Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates — in airstrikes in Syria, with logistical support from Qatar.

2 Dead As Unknown Aircraft Bombs Greek Tanker In Libyan Port ATHENS, Greece— Greek authorities say an unidentified warplane has bombed a Greek-owned tanker ship in the eastern Libyan port of Darna, killing two crew members and injuring two more.

Citing a briefing by the ship’s managers, the Merchant Marine Ministry says the Liberian-flagged Araevo was attacked Sunday while it was anchored in the harbor.

Darna is a base for Islamic extremists, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Widespread militia violence has plunged Libya into chaos less than four years after a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

The Araevo’s crew of 26 consisted of 21 Filipinos, three Greeks and two Romanians.

The ministry said Monday

the vessel had 12,600 metric tons of fuel on board. Damage is still being assessed.

Taiwan’s jailed former President Chen Shui-bian stands next to his wife Wu Shu-chen, bottom right, as he attends mourning rites for his mother-in-law in Tainan, southern Taiwan after authorities allowed him to briefly leave prison.

Divers Resume Search For Victims

SURABAYA, Indonesia — The weather improved and divers will attempt again to locate large objects on the ocean floor believed to be the fuselage of the AirAsia flight that crashed more than one week ago, killing all 162 on board.

At least five ships with equipment that can detect the plane’s black boxes have been deployed to the area where the suspected plane parts were

spotted, said Suryadi B. Supriyadi, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue director of operations.

“If it cannot be done by divers, we will use sophisticated equipment with capabilities of tracking underwater objects and then will lift them up,” Supriyadi said.

Five large objects — the biggest measuring 18 meters (59 feet) long and 5.4 meters (18

feet) wide and believed to be the fuselage — have been detected, and Supriyadi repeated that officials expect that many passengers and crew will be found trapped inside.

“But today’s searching mission is still, once again, depend on the weather,” he said.

Divers tried to reach the site on Sunday, but rolling seas stirred up silt and mud, leaving them with zero visibility.

2 Die After Another Building Collapse In Kenya NAIROBI, Kenya — A police official says two people died and 38 others were

rescued Sunday night when an eight-story residential building collapsed in Nairobi.

Rescue workers look for survivors at the site of the collapsed building in the capital Nairobi, Kenya.

Nairobi police official Benson Kibue said one of the victims died on arrival at Hospital and a child’s body was retrieved from the rubble in the lower-income Huruma area.

Kenya Red Cross official Nick Thiongo said dozens of the building residents cannot be traced. Nairobi County Chief Planner Tom Odongo said the upper floors were being built in quick succession, putting pressure on the lower floors. Last month eight people died when a building collapsed in Kaloleni another lowerincome area of Nairobi.

Because of high demand for housing in Nairobi, some property developers often bypass building regulations to cut costs and maximize profits.

Divers resume search for victims and fuselage of AirAsia jet

Also Sunday, emotionally exhausted family members sang and cried at a tiny chapel in Surabaya, the city where Flight 8501 departed from Dec. 28. The Rev. Philip Mantofa, who heads the congregation at Mawar Sharon Church — where more than a quarter of the victims were members — urged those gathered to find comfort in their faith.

“If God has called your child, allow me to say this: Your child is not to be pitied,” Mantofa said, locking eyes with a grieving father seated in the front row.

“Your child is already in God’s arms. One day, your family will be reunited in heaven.”

It is not known what caused the Singapore-bound plane to crash into the Java Sea 42 minutes after taking off on what was supposed to be a two-hour flight. Just before losing contact, the pilot told air traffic control that he was approaching threatening clouds, but was denied permission to climb to a higher altitude because of heavy air traffic.

Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, has been gripped by grief as bodies, one by one, continue arriving in simple, numbered coffins after being painstakingly pulled from the water. Four more bodies were brought to shore on Sunday, raising the total to 34.

The crash of Flight 8501 has triggered an intensive international search-andrecovery operation involving 20 planes and helicopters along with 27 ships from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and the

United States. All have been desperately searching for the allimportant black boxes, pieces of the Airbus A320 and corpses.

The investigation got a boost over the weekend when sonar equipment identified five large objects on the seabed in the search area, but no images have been captured confirming they are part of the aircraft. Suspected plane parts also were seen scattered on beaches during an aerial survey.

While it remains unclear what caused the plane crash, bad weather appears to have been a factor, according to a report by Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

Indonesian authorities have also announced the grounding of AirAsia flights from Surabaya to Singapore, with the Transport Ministry saying the airline did not have a permit to fly on Sundays. However, Singapore’s Civil Aviation Authority said that from its end, the airline had been approved to fly the route daily.

AirAsia, which began operations in 2001 and quickly became one of the region’s most popular low-cost carriers, said it was reviewing the suspension.

The crash was the airline’s first.

While Indonesia is predominantly Muslim, many of the plane’s passengers were Christians of Chinese descent.

The Rev. Mantofa’s congregation was hit particularly hard, with 45 of the crash victims — from 13 families — belonging to his large Pentecostal church.

THE NIGERIAN

27

ACCORDING to Onyido (1991), Monetary Policy could be defined as the combination of measures designed to regulate the supply of Money to an economy. Specifically, it is designed to the availability (or quantity), cost, and direction of credit in order to attain stated national economic objective.

Monetary policy usually involve the expansion or contraction of money supply, the manipulation of interest rates to make borrowing easier and cheaper or more difficult a dearer depending on prevailing economic condition and channeling of fund to growth sectors for increased to put monetary policy is an integral part of the overall economic policy that regulates the level of money or liquidity in order to achieve some desired policy objective it ensure that the supply of money and cost of credit to an economy is adequate to support desirable and sustainable growth without generating inflationary pressure that could lead to undue depreciation in the value of the local current. A country’s monetary policy is usually economy the monetary system adopted in the economic.

OBJECTIVE OF MONETARY POLICY Generally of monetary policy, include:(1) The control of inflation and maintenance of relative price stability.

(2) The maintenance of a healthy balance of payments Position for the country in order to safeguard they external value of the national currency. (iii) The promotion of a fast and desirable rate of economic growth and development. (iv) The maintenance of a low level of unemployment. (v) The mobilisation of

Development Nigeria’s External Debt Problems: TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2015

The Genesis sectors of the economy.

Because conflicts do arise when all these objective are pursued simultaneously, choice has to be made by the authorities as to which objective(s) to lay emphasis upon at any point in time and

By PICK NNABUIKE ODOH

national output. This tends to contradict the objectives of full potential output and balance of payment equilibrium.

Also there is possible

achieve policy objectives could be grouped into two for simplicity.

They are (I) market intervention and (ii) portfolio constraints. The Market

Minister of Finance, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala the type of instruments tote adopted in the achieving the selected objective(s).

It is therefore, clear that some of the objectives of

strain’ between the objectives of growth and external balance. Growth increase the demand for import, capacity to produce exports and import

Intervention relies on the power of the Central bank as a dealer in financial assets in the financial markets to influence the availability and

“If on the other hand, the policy pursued is contractionary then the opposite holds. That is to say, that the CBN sells Securities in the market to the public. The public rush for payment by drawing cheques on their accounts with the Commercial Banks. This action tends to reduce the reserve base of the Commercial banks and thus limits the ability to lend to the public.” increased domestic savings to facilitate domestic capital formation. (vi) Increasing the flow of credit to the priority sector of the economy especially the agricultural and manufacturing sector.

Other broad objectives of n policy in Nigeria include protecting local from unfavourable foreign competition and smugglers, reducing indebtedness aboard and generating more revenue especially from the non - oil

into quantitative and qualitative tools. Quantitative tools operate primarily by influencing the cost, volume and availability of bank reserves and thereby the supply of credit. Their effect is general, impartial and impersonal The instruments: Open Market Operations (OMO), Discount Rate Policy; and legal Reserve Requirement. Thee are

monetary policy are only achieve at the sacrifice of others. For instance, there is a trade off between inflation and unemployment i.e the goal of full employment conflicts with the goal of stabilisation of domestic prices. An adverse balance of payments may require a restrictive policy which is not always conducive or appropriate to the domestic situation - balance of payments deficits can be narrowed by reducing

substitution. Invariably; growth will bread deficits in the external balance of the countries with higher propensities to import.

However, certain economic objectives are mutually reinforcing. Thus, full potential output and economic growth are compatible objectives 2.3 TOOLS OF MONETARY POLICY AND CREDIT CONTROL The main techniques by which a Central bank may

the rate of return on assets in a general way, thus affecting both the desire of the public to hold money balances and the willingness of banks to take deposits and lend.

Portfolio Constraints, on the other hand, place restrictions on a particular group of Institutions (banks) limiting their freedom to acquire assets and liabilities according to Crocket (1973).

Ranlett (1969) as cited by Onyido (1991), Classified Monetary Policy Instrument

indirect tools of credit control.

Qualitative tools on the other hand; typically, seek to regulate the demand for credit for specific selected users, and therefore are selective in nature. The emphasis here is on direct credit control. These instruments are discussed as follows: Open Market Operations (OMO) This is the buying and selling of government securities e.g. development bonds, treasury bills, treasury Certificates etc. in open market by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on the behalf of Federal Government of Nigeria, with the intention to control the quantity of money.

With this tool, a policy of monetary expansion or contraction is carried out by altering the reserve base of the commercial banks thereby enhancing or limiting their credit creating capacities.

If the policy pursued is expansionary, the CBN purchases government securities from the Public made up of individual, Business Organisations etc

with CBN cheque. These individual and Business Organisations lodge these CBN cheque to their respective accounts with commercial banks.

The implication is that the cash base of the commercial banks increase by the amount of credits from Central Bank.

This makes it possible for the Commercial Banks to lend money and thereby create money.

If on the other hand, the policy pursued is contractionary then the opposite holds. That is to say, that the CBN sells Securities in the market to the public.

The public rush for payment by drawing cheques on their accounts with the Commercial Banks. This action tends to reduce the reserve base of the Commercial banks and thus limits the ability to lend to the public.

In a t Developed Economy, Open Market Operations have two Impacts on the Financial System. First, the immediate effect of a purchase (Sale) of securities is to increase (decrease) the reserve base dollar for dollar.

In America, the Federal Reserve System (CBN in the Case of Nigeria) does not Conduct Open Market Operations to make profit and will simply bid up the price on securities to a high enough level to purchase the securities from either banks, bond dealers or individuals.

The question is where does the Federal Reserve System get the Money. It simply “creates” the funds to purchase I the securities by increasing the reserve accounts of the 1 banks involved in the transactions.

In the same vein, the Federal can continue to sell any amount of securities it possesses because it will continue to lower the price until :1 the securities are purchased.

Second the effect of the Federal as the net purchaser or seller of securities shifts the demand or supply function of securities in the open market and immediately affects bond prices and interest rates.

In developing economy, like Nigeria, the effectiveness of this instrument is highly constrained because of the undeveloped nature of our money market and capital market. People in rural areas do not have ideas of the workings of treasury bills and treasury certificates.

Therefore, public subscription is limited because of poor education of financial market investment and availability of alternative and probably more attractive investment channels.

To be continued

THE NIGERIAN

28

TUESDAY , JANUARY 6, 2015

Kogi United, Confluence Queens’ FC Of Lokoja Get Kudos

Super Eagles Will Get A Good Test Against NYSC Chilavert Ezeaku THE promising goalkeeper has said his side will give Daniel Amokachi’s men a run for their money when they face in Monday friendly billed for Abuja Captain and goalkeeper of the Abuja National Youth Service Corp Chilavert Ezeaku has said that his side is prepared to give the Super Eagles a good test when they meet in Monday’s friendly billed for Abuja.

Daniel Amokachi’s side are currently intensifying preparations as they get set to face Cote d’Ivoire and Sudan on January 11 and 19 respectively in the United Arab Emirates.

In a chat with Goal, Ezeaku assured to be at his best against the Super Eagles that will parade the of Mfon Udoh and Emem Eduok in the attack.

“We hope to have a good game tomorrow. The Coaches have confidence in us and God’s willing we shall do our best tomorrow,” Ezeaku told Goal.

“Well, I hope and pray for a cleansheet. They’re obviously the best in the league. It would be a thing of great joy to have a cleansheet against such attacking force.

“Well, it’s not going to be an easy game but we hope to give our best shot and hope something good comes out of the game. I can’t predict the scoreline but I pray for a good outing,” he concluded.

Goal understands the Super Eagles will depart the country for Abu Dhabi on Thursday January 8 while the NYSC team is expected to face the Nigeria U20 side on Friday in Kaduna

BAFANA Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba says they must look forward and aim for more after beating Zambia 1-0 in an international friendly at Orlando Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

An 81st minute strike by we can start dreaming of the Thuso Phala ensured the World Cup,” said Mashaba.

“We have set standards for hosts extended their unbeaten record to eight ourselves, we have given the matches since ‘Shakes’ took impression that we can make it all the way to the top and over.

Mashaba said they must we can only achieve that by not drown in these kind of winning games.”

Both Bafana and achievements, but must put it behind them, look forward Chipolopolo used the match and aim for more, because if to prepare for the Africa Cup we dwell on the past it will of Nations in Equatorial Guinea which starts later this cause problems.

“It is a good record but it’s month (17 January to 8 all in the past, we have to February 2015).

Mashaba added that the now work hard and win the AFCON tournament, then 2012 AFCON champions

DESPITE securing them a ticket in the Nigeria topflight, the management of the Afonja Warriors have dismissed its technical crew Newly promoted Nigeria Premier League side, Kwara United have fired coach Samson Unuanel and his technical crew barely a month after they guaranteed the team a return to the Nigeria topflight.

Unuanel, who joined the Afonja Warriors from Ocean Boys in 2012 in topflight was hired to return the Ilorin based club to the elite division after they were relegated in 2013.

The management also confirmed the disengagement affects other technical members including chief coach Ali Zubair, assistant coach Jimoh Balogun, trainer Rasheed Badmus and goalkeeper trainer Tunji Abubakar.

Kwara edged Ranchers Bees to the promotion ticket after been award three points and three goals by the Nigeria National League board following two inconclusive games in which Ranchers were faulted for an assult on match officials.

In a statement to Goal, the general manager of the club, Mohammed Haruna Maigidansama said the decision of the management were in desire to restructure the technical crew to encourage quality competition and instill discipline.

Maigidansama said the expelled coaches are free to submit their interest alongside fresh applicants into various vacant technical crew positions.

As I am talking to you now, we have asked all technical crew members to go, but they

Shakes Mashaba

Mashaba Eyeing The AFCON Trophy

played very well because all their players wanted to impress the coach and make the final team to the tournament.

“To take them lightly will be very dangerous because the score was not a true reflection of the match, they did very well - they showed character,” added Mashaba.

“Fatigue was starting to take its toll on our players in the last 10 minutes or so, with the defence complaining about muscles.

“But we are happy we managed to get that goal, and this was a perfect sendoff for the team. It was a good thing to put a smile on the faces of the fans.”

Kwara United Sack Coach Samson Unuanel have the opportunity to reapply if interested,” Maigidansama said.

“They have been asked to go, and to re-apply if they are still interested. You know they signed contract for one season, which has ended. We thank them for their service, sacrifice and support when in charge.

“We really need to restructure the technical department to avoid the kind of ugly incidences witnessed last season.

“We had many shortcomings, and we need to correct that. We need a more vibrant and disciplined technical department,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the management of the have announced that players of Kwara United will resume on Monday, January 12, 2015 ahead of the 2015 Nigeria

Professional Football League season.

Samson Unuanel

MALAM Abdul Adama, the Chairman of Kogi United FC and Confluence Queens FC both of Lokoja, has commended the team’s performance in 2014.

The chairman, in a press conference in Lokoja on Sunday, commended the two teams for maintaining standard.

Adama tagged the last season as “Season of Restructuring and Repositioning’’ for the teams, especially for Kogi United which had been relegationbound in the previous season.

He said that Kogi United FC made a miraculous recovery to become one of the teams to be reckoned with in 2014.

He attributed the feat to the new management team and a new indigenous technical adviser invited from Denmark to assist the team.

“The teams achieved significant results with Kogi United finishing seventh in the last Nigerian National League season while Confluence Queens made the fifth position.

He also praised the management team for

working in conjunction with the new technical adviser to reposition the team.

He said that the management had proper records of the team’s players and had begun screening of new players to be added to 15 old players retained from the last season to fortify the team.

He said that the criterion for retaining the old players was that they had consistently played 25 out of 30 matches.

He expressed delight that one of the players, Ameh Wilfred (Angel De-Maria), was called to the national team.

He added that three players of the Confluence Queens were also playing at the national Under-17 and Under20.

The Confluence Queens FC, according to him, is being reinforced with new players including three from Ghana and one each from Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

Adama thanked Gov. Idris Wada for the prompt payment of salaries and allowances to the players and for adequate accommodation for the club players and coaches

Perrin Confirms Arsenal Approach THE 29-year-old has spent his entire professional career at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard and has again been a mainstay for a side that sits fourth in Ligue 1, just five points behind leaders Marseille.

Centre-back Perrin’s performances saw him to receive a call-up to the France squad in November, although he did not feature in either of the friendly matches with Albania and Sweden.

Premier League Arsenal have been linked with a

move for Perrin, speculation that led the Saint-Etienne fans to display banners pleading with him to remain at the 10-time French champions before Sunday’s Coupe de France clash with Nancy.

But Perrin has revealed that the London club have contacted him personally, although there have been no discussions with SaintEtienne.

“I have been contacted personally,” Perrin said.

“Arsenal is interested but for now there is still no contact with Saint-Etienne.”

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Ramsey And Flamini In Contention For Stoke Clash WENGER’S men eased to a straightforward 2-0 win over Hull City in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, goals from Per Mertesacker and Alexis Sanchez enough for the hosts in a game that served as a repeat of last season’s final.

Now attention switches back to the Premier League as Arsenal welcome Stoke to the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

The north London club will be aiming to avenge their 3-2 loss to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium last month, and Wenger indicated that they could have the midfield duo back in action for the encounter.

Ramsey has not played since picking up a hamstring injury in last month’s 4-1 UEFA Champions League victory against Galatasaray

while Flamini has missed the last two games with an unspecified knock.

But for fellow midfielder Mikel Arteta, who has been on the sidelines since late November due to a calf problem, the game will come too soon.

“Mathieu Flamini could be back, Aaron Ramsey has a little chance. Nobody else.

Mikel Arteta will be longer,” Wenger said.

“I think Flamini should be available for selection and maybe Ramsey has a little chance to be back.”

Meanwhile Wenger allayed fears over Alex OxladeChamberlain, who appeared to be limping versus Hull after coming on as a secondhalf substitute.

Wenger added: “It’s just a knock, he [OxladeChamberlain] should be alright.”

Van Gaal Confirms lnjuries To Shaw And Rafael

LOUIS van Gaal has confirmed that Rafael and Luke Shaw both sustained injuries in Manchester United’s FA Cup win at Yeovil Town.

Both players were taken off at half-time of Sunday’s FA Cup third-round clash at Huish Park, to be replaced by

Jonny Evans and Juan Mata respectively.

The alterations meant United were forced to switch from a back five to a four, but the changes had little effect as a stunning strike from Ander

Louis Van Gaal

Henderson Can Be Liverpool’s New Gerrard -Rodgers BRENDAN Rodgers has backed Jordan Henderson to fill the void left by Steven Gerrard when the Liverpool captain leaves at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old confirmed star set to head to Major on Friday that he will not League Soccer.

Henderson has flourished renew his contract and will leave in the summer, with the under Rodgers’s tutelage

alongside Gerrard after initially struggling in his early days at Anfield, and his manager is confident the 24year-old can step into the exEngland skipper’s shoes.

“I think Jordan Henderson

I Will Fight For My Liverpool Spot

LIVERPOOL defender Kolo Toure is willing to pay the price of fighting for his position at the club since he will be away with Ivory Coast national team in the African Nations Cup. Toure will be in Equatorial Guinea between January 17 and February 12 representing his country for one last time.

Kolo Toure

The 33-year-old could miss about eight club matches if his country goes all the way in the event. Speaking to Liverpool Echo, Toure admitted that he is aware of the consequences he will face as he will not be available.

“I know that while I’m in Africa other players will play [for Liverpool] and I won’t be

Herrera and Angel di Maria’s late goal earned the Premier League giants a 2-0 victory over their League One opponents.

And Van Gaal later revealed that Rafael had suffered a

-Toure

able to help the team. All I can do is go there, do my best, then come back and fight to show that I’m still a top player,” he told the Liverpool echo.

Despite the fact that he comes with vast experience having played for Arsenal and Manchester City before, Toure’s concern is that his contract with Liverpool is coming to an end this season.

However he said he will focus on the games at hand and make sure that he makes every moment count.

“If I get the chance to stay for another year, I will be happy - but it’s not up to me.

If I was going to stay, I would maybe have expected to hear something by now. I don’t think too much about the future. I will enjoy every single minute at this club and keep giving 100 percent.

“My career has been great.

I’ve played for three fantastic clubs. If I can continue playing for this amazing club, I would love that - but if I need to go somewhere else to keep playing then I will,” he said.

has all the leadership attributes, that was one of the reasons I made him vicecaptain...he had no greater captain to learn from than Steven,” Rodgers told reporters.

“He was benefiting from his example even before he was vice-captain, but certainly in that new role he has been in pole position in terms of learning from a great, how the job works on and off the field.

“So when the day comes that Steven does move on we feel we have someone there to offer the same wisdom and knowledge even if he is a different type of player.”

With Gerrard the current Liverpool captain, Rodgers will be looking to appoint a new leader in the summer but the manager insists he has no concerns regarding a dip in onpitch desire.

He continued: “We’ve got players that are keen and hungry to progress. I see leadership qualities even in the likes of young Raheem Sterling. This is a kid that will go on and develop into a world-class talent.

“We have enough leaders in that changing room that will now step up and hopefully grow into the type of captain a successful team needs.

“At times when Steven was on the bench I felt the players were looking for his leadership, looking for the captain to come on.

“This is an opportunity now for the players from within to take a step forward, because from the end of the season Steven won’t be here.”

fractured cheekbone while Shaw had picked up an ankle problem, though he was pleased with the way his side played against the minnows.

“I had expected this. It is always difficult to play against a team like this - play long balls - you have to fight and they gave us a lot of pressure,” the Dutchman told BBC Sport.

“We did not have time to play the ball around, we changed things a little bit in shape in the second half but that was necessary as Shaw was injured, as was Rafael.

“We then had more of the ball and that is why we could score the winner.

“We had more chances in the second half and our first goal came as a consequence of that. Then Yeovil attacked and we were able to score on the counter.

“It [the FA Cup] is important for every club, not just Manchester United. We want to win the FA Cup, we know it will be difficult but that is our goal.”

Mourinho Confirms Schwarzer Departure THE 42-year-old has fallen to third in the pecking order since Thibaut Courtois has established himself as Mourinho’s first choice, with Petr Cech preferred as reserve option.

Speculation had begun to mount that Schwarzer would be on his way to Leicester, who have recently been shorn of the services of number one Kasper Schmeichel due to a broken metatarsal.

Ben Hamer has played in the Dane’s absence and Schwarzer will add to manager Nigel Pearson’s goalkeeping options at the King Power Stadium.

Mourinho confirmed the news following his side’s 3-0 victory over Watford in the FA Cup third round at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and paid tribute to Schwarzer.

“I want to publicly thank Mark Schwarzer because he’s leaving us and he was a fantastic guy for us,” he said.

“As a goalkeeper, when we needed him he was there for us, and as a person and a professional he was an amazing guy in our group.

“On behalf of myself, my staff and my players I want to say we are going to miss the big guy and we wish him all the best in his new life at Leicester.

“We’ll bring Jamal Blackman back from Middlesbrough, he was on loan there but he wasn’t playing so for them it’s not a problem.”

After being frustrated by Watford in a first half that ended goalless, Chelsea made the breakthrough shortly before the hour through Willian’s sublime

finish, before further goals from Loic Remy and Kurt Zouma wrapped up the win.

Mourinho introduced both Willian and Diego Costa at the break, and the Portuguese was pleased with the impact his substitutes had on proceedings.

“It was difficult. In the first half we didn’t play well and Watford were well-organised defensively,” he told the BBC. “The second half was different, we gave a different dynamic to the game. We created and we deserve to win.

“I don’t need to be angry to try to change things. I did the changes that I thought could help me change the dynamic of the game.

“Diego Costa and Willian played very well and in the second half the team followed them.

“If I don’t have on the bench players which can help me change the game, probably I don’t win.

“A tired Diego, with 90 minutes of Southampton and 90 minutes of Tottenham, changed the game.”

Mark Schwarzer

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PastoreJoins AC Milan On Loan Cerci Wants

ALESSIO Cerci has joined AC Milan on loan from Atletico Madrid, the Serie A club have confirmed.

Diego Simeone’s desire to bring Fernando Torres back to the Vicente Calderon, where the Spanish striker was struggling to find form after leaving Chelsea on loan at the start of the season, fuelled speculation that Cerci might return to Serie A in a player switch.

Like Torres at San Siro, Cerci failed to impress in his fleeting appearances in Rojiblancos colours this season after impressing with Torino in 201314.

As a result, rumours suggested he was keen to return to Italy in the January transfer window and the reports gathered pace when Torres’ move from Stamford

Cabaye To Stay At PSG

Cerci

Bridge to Milan was made permanent, meaning the club were able to send him out the striker on loan.

And the Rossoneri confirmed via Twitter on Monday that Cerci had put pen to paper on a loan move until at least the end of the

season, although there are unconfirmed reports the deal will last 18 months.

Cerci spent two years with Torino until the end of last season, having come through Roma’s youth system before leaving for Fiorentina in 2012.

THE world and European champions looked set to extend their sensational run of competitive victories to 23 in a row when Cristiano Ronaldo put them in front at the penalty spot after 14 minutes at The Mestalla on Sunday.

Valencia had other ideas, as second-half goals from Antonio Barragan and Nicolas Otamendi stunned the La Liga leaders in their first game of the year.

Second-placed Barcelona were unable to take advantage as they were beaten 1-0 at Real Sociedad later in the day, so Real remain a point clear at the top of the table.

Defender Ramos was philosophical about Real’s defeat and turned his attention to getting back on track ahead of a hectic January schedule.

The Spain international told the club’s official website: “There were several phases to the game and we had chances to kill off the match, but we didn’t manage it.

“Valencia are an opponent who play very good football, it’s a

very difficult ground to come to and we mustn’t take anything away from them. We have to congratulate them on their win.

“You come away from it hurting because after such a good run of wins, and being top of the table, we would have liked to get the year underway with the three points. It wasn’t to be, but we’ll carry on working as we have been.

“We’re used to winning by a healthy scoreline in almost every match. We knew that it was going to be a hard-fought game and they gave everything they had too.

“This is where the team has to show how strong it is, it’s a really tough month ahead and that motivates us all the more.”

Romas Wants Real Response

Sneijder Would Cost Juventus - 20m Euros

WESLEY Sneijder would cost Juventus +20 million should they want to buy him in the January transfer window, according to the Galatarasay midfielder’s agent.

The 30-year-old made the move to the Turk Telekom Arena in 2012-13’s mid-season transfer window, having fallen out with Inter, but in recent weeks the Netherlands international has been linked with a Galatasaray departure.

Juventus have been among the most prominent clubs mentioned in reports and head coach Massimiliano Allegri even commented that Sneijder would be a luxury, albeit hinting one that the Scudetto holders could not afford.

Wesley Sneijder

Sneijder ’s agent, Guido Albers, stressed the former Ajax and Real Madrid star is not pushing for a transfer away from Turkey, but said that if Juve are serious with their interest then forking out +20m is a necessity.

“The Galatasaray board told me that they won’t sell Sneijder,” the agent told Bugun TV. “Wesley loves Galatasaray and the fans. Both he and his wife Yolanthe want to stay in Istanbul.

“If Juve are really interested in him then they’ll have to negotiate with the Galatasaray board, not with me.

“Also, any club who wants him will have to pay the +20m release clause in his contract.

Not +5m, +10m or +12m.”

Luis Enrique’s

Barca Caught In Between Luis Enrique And Messi

ANOTHER year, another new line-up from Luis Enrique - and this time things didn’t end well for the Barcelona boss.

The Asturian coach has yet to Munir El Haddadi is still pick the same side twice in 25 struggling to live up to his early different matches this season and promise and looked did the unthinkable on Sunday as uncomfortable as he drifted wide. he left Lionel Messi on the bench. Pedro, meanwhile, failed to The Argentine was left out emulate his promising along with Neymar and Dani performances prior to the winter Alves as the trio had trained less break. after spending their holidays in After a desperately South America, but in a fixture disappointing first half, Luis that is traditionally one of the Enrique did send on Messi. But toughest for the Catalan club in Barca barely improved and a La Liga, it seemed a strange solid defensive display from decision.

David Moyes’ men kept the For Barca, it was the Catalans at bay through a late opportunity to overtake fierce onslaught. rivals Real Madrid at the top of “I have watched Barcelona in the Primera Division after the the past and wondered how to get league leaders lost at Valencia earlier on Sunday. But the Blaugrana were behind after just two minutes to a Jordi Alba owngoal and looked lost without their shining star on the pitch.

SOUTHAMPTON In his absence, Luis Suarez manager Ronald Koeman fluffed the chance to stamp his authority on Barca’s three-man confirmed the injury forward line, while youngster following his side’s 1-1

a result against them,” Moyes said afterwards. “Tonight I got that opportunity and it was great to get a result.”

Alves and Neymar were also introduced by Luis Enrique later in the second half, but those two and Messi would have helped Barca had they been in the team from the outset. As it was, the Brazilian forward was unfortunate to be penalised as he kicked the ball out of goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli’s hands and poked it into the net in the dying seconds.

“Messi, Neymar and Alves had long trips and they had trained less,” Luis Enrique said after the match. “I didn’t want to take risks by playing them for the whole 90

minutes.”

However, it is not only a matter of personnel and perhaps more worrying for Luis Enrique is the fact that, whoever is in the team, this Barca side seems to lack any clear identity. Win or lose, Barca gained renown in recent years for playing with a certain style. Now, they are neither winning nor playing pretty football - and not even Messi could save them on Sunday.

And so a chance was missed.

Barca stay second, but are still a point behind Madrid and have played one game more than Carlo Ancelotti’s men. With or without Leo, things are already looking messy for Luis Enrique.

“Maybe the [Senegal] Federation will call him to come and see the player, but he will not play and will be out for at least four weeks.”

Mane has shone for Southampton this season since his move from Red Bull Salzburg, scoring four goals in 14 Premier League matches.

His absence was felt as Southampton struggled to convert their chances against Ipswich, with the Championship side holding on for a replay.

Southampton were behind after 19 minutes at St Mary’s as Darren Ambrose gave the visitors the lead.

levelled things up before half-time but Koeman was left frustrated.

“I am disappointed about the final result,” he said. “It means a replay and already we play a lot, it wasn’t what I wanted today.

“We didn’t start the game well, we didn’t have enough concentration, and they were totally focussed so the difference was not so big, and it’s always difficult to change that.

“I am happy about how we played the second half, we had total control and a lot of ball possession.

“Maybe we didn’t have the quality to break it open and create possibilities, but that is part of football.”

Mane To Miss Africa Cup Of Nations Morgan Schneiderlin

draw with Ipswich Town in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

Mane missed the game having limped out of the 20 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League on New Year’s Day and Koeman revealed he will not be available for the continental showpiece, which begins on January 17 in Equatorial Guinea.

“Sadio has a calf muscle injury,” he told the club’s official website. “He will be out for four-six weeks and he don’t (sic) play the Africa Cup.

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Badstuber Ready For Full Training BADSTUBER was the first of Pep Guardiola’s squad to get back on the pitch at Bayern’s Sabener Strasse training facility on Sunday, with the rest of the senior team set to join him on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old has not played since September 13 due to torn tendons in his thigh but Badstuber insisted he will be ready for the second half of the Bundesliga season, which begins on January 30 at Wolfsburg.

“I’m fit enough for the full [training] programme,” Badstuber told Bayern’s website.

“Even while I was on vacation I was really looking forward to being back again and making the trips with the rest of the group.

I’m looking forward to the hard work.”

Badstuber added: “The first workout after a holiday is always a bit tough but it was fun.”

The Germany international is desperate to regain a spot in Bayern’s starting XI. “I’m heading into the second half of the season with renewed energy,” Badstuber said.

“I’m looking to make best use of the next few weeks and continuously improve, so I recover the level I’d like to have.

But I know I’ll have to work hard for that.”

Real Sociedad Loss A Missed Opportunity For Barcelona - Xavi

THE Blaugrana could have overhauled Real Madrid at the summit of the Primera Division with a win at Anoeta but they succumbed to a “killer” own goal from Jordi Alba Xavi was left frustrated by Barcelona’s failure to move top of La Liga on Sunday night, with the midfielder left to lament the fact that the “ball didn’t want to go in” during the Catalans’ 1-0 loss at Real Sociedad.

The Blaugrana started with both Lionel Messi and Neymar on the bench at Anoeta and found themselves a goal down after just two minutes of play, with Jordi Alba putting through his own net.

Barca dominated possession thereafter but, even with their star South American duo on the park for the majority of the second half, they were unable to take advantage of Real Madrid’s surprise 2-1 loss at Valencia earlier in the day.

“It’s a missed opportunity,” Xavi is quoted as saying by his club’s official website. “The ball just didn’t want to go in.

“We had all the chances and missed some very big ones. We started off on the wrong foot; the own goal was a killer.

“Real Sociedad played a good game, especially defensively. But we did play well despite the loss.”

Xavi’s sentiments were echoed by fellow midfielder Andres Iniesta, who also felt that Barca could have easily got something out of the game.

“We had a shot to get closer to Real Madrid and it’s a shame because the own goal was early and we had time to turn things around,” he added. “We controlled the match for the most part.

“The only thing we didn’t do was score. The team played well, good rhythm, we passed well, we just couldn’t finish.”

Barca will be desperate to bounce back when they host Elche in the first leg of their Copa del Rey last16 tie on Thursday.

Pogba Raring To Go With Juve In 2015 THE France international has won back-to-back Scudetti since moving to Italy in 2012 and he is keen to continue that run this year, while also challenging for a first UEFA Champions League title.

Serie A returns after the mid-season break this week with Juventus top of the table by three points from Roma.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side host Inter in their first game back on Tuesday.

Pogba is looking forward to getting back to action, and knows it is important they start with a victory to provide early momentum.

“We must start 2015 on a winning note, that’s the most important thing,” the club’s

official website quoted him as saying to Sky Sport Italia.

“Last year we beat Roma in our first game back and we hope we can follow this up.

“In 2015 I hope to win the Scudetto again, and we’ll need to give all we’ve got to

do it, as well as going further in the Champions League than we managed two years ago.

“I need to improve at everything. I know that I can give more and need to do so without being pushed on.”

Juventus fell in the quarterfinals to eventual winners Bayern Munich in 2013 and did not get past the group stage last term, with Pogba expecting a tough last 16 clash against Borussia Dortmund this time around.

He added: “We’ll need to be at 100 per cent in both games against Borussia because they will be tough encounters that we’ll have to tackle with great intensity.”

Ajax Showed Disrespect To Barcelona - Zubizarreta

David Moyes

Tough To Plot Barca’s Downfall - Moyes

JORDI Alba’s own goal in just the second minute eventually gave Sociedad victory in San Sebastian as they held on against Barcelona.

Moyes compared the feeling in United. I’ve watched them with the lead-up to Sunday’s clash to admiration and we used to his time with Everton in the wonder how to possibly get a Premier League, claiming that it result against them.

“Tonight I had the opportunity. is difficult to spot weaknesses It was a long night, we scored with Barcelona.

“The win feels similar to the early and I would like to have early days at Everton,” he said at given them a harder game. We his post-match media conference. did make it very difficult for “How was I ever going to get them, though.

“I would like to be competing a result against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United against Barca, Real Madrid, Atletico, Valencia and Sevilla at at that time?”

The Scot added: “We’ve talked the top of the league. To do that about Barcelona at my past clubs, we have to make the squad at Everton and at Manchester stronger.”

Barcelona had 69 per cent

possession at the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta, while the visitors took 12 shots to Sociedad’s five, prompting Moyes to praise his defenders.

“We worked hard defensively and defending is a big part of football,” he said.

“You don’t win games if you don’t defend well. The way that we played at the back gave us the chance to win this game.”

The victory saw Sociedad move up three positions to 13th in La Liga with 18 points, while Barca missed the chance to overhaul Real Madrid - who lost 2-1 at Valencia - at the top of the table.

That missed opportunity prompted criticism of Barcelona

coach Luis Enrique, who chose to start Lionel Messi and Neymar on the bench, but Moyes backed the decision of his counterpart from the Catalan capital.

“I expected Neymar and Messi to maybe be on the bench,” Moyes said.

“I’ve managed a very big club, you have a big squad and a lot of games. The big games come later for these teams April time - and you have to give the big players rest to keep them fresh for then.

“I thought Luis Enrique made the right decision and the players that played tonight are really good players. He knows his squad the best and in his position I would probably have done the same thing.”

Pepe Philosophical After Valencia Defeat:

Madrid Were Never Going To Win THE Blancos’ bid for a 23rd of both Barcelona and Atletico at consecutive victory in all Every Game the top of La Liga with a game in competitions came to halt at Mestalla but the defender remains upbeat about their Liga title hopes Pepe insisted that Real Madrid did not deserve to lose at Valencia on Sunday but felt it was naive to think that the European champions’ winning run would continue until the end of the season.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men had arrived at Mestalla looking for a 23rd consecutive victory and they

made a fine start, with Cristiano Ronaldo opening the scoring from the penalty spot just 14 minutes in.

However, Madrid’s clubrecord run was left in tatters after second-half strikes from Antonio Barragan and Nicolas Otamendi.

Pepe was frustrated by the manner of the defeat but was quick to point out that the Blancos remain one point clear

hand.

“We did not deserve to lose,” the defender is quoted as saying by AS. “It’s true that we did not play well in the second half of the game but we had chances.

“There is a lot left to play for in the league and we are still fighting for it.

“It is difficult to win every game; you have to assume there will be mistakes along the way, and assume there will be defeats.

Pepe

BARCELONA sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has branded Ajax as “disrespectful” over the signing of goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The Cameroonian, 18, is out of contract at Camp Nou this summer and therefore had permission to discuss terms with other teams, despite Barca having offered him an extension.

Onana was subsequently confirmed having agreed to join Ajax over the weekend, signing a three-year deal which will begin on July 1.

Zubizarreta has now hit out at the conduct of the Eredivisie giants, claiming they should not have made the announcement so early.

“The contract of Onana runs out this year so he was allowed to talk to other clubs,” the former Barca goalkeeper, who is responsible for the club’s transfer activity, told reporters on Sunday.

“We offered him a contract extension but we heard nothing more from him. The next thing I know, Ajax have announced his impending arrival at their club.

“The attitude of Ajax is disrespectful towards us. They should’ve waited to reveal that until June. But every club’s responsible for their own actions.”

Onana joined Barca’s La Masia academy in 2010 and was part of the Under-19 set-up this season.

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That Gathering Of PDP Failures I In Iguobazuwa

T was a gathering of failures, persons who have been rejected by their constituencies, those rejected by other political parties, Igbo smokers, cocaine sniffers, fake pastors, Barristers that have never appeared in court one day, dubious contractors, desperate Pharmacists, excouncil chairmen who stole Ovia South West blind best described as oyi of oyi, and other dregs of the society who converged on Iguobazuwa to present themselves to the electorate as candidates and supporters for the February general elections.

Led by the loquacious, boastful, but never-do-well Chief Dan Orbih, some of them said they will take over the repairs of Upper Siluko road being constructed by the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s administration. Others claimed they would make laws to better the lots of Edos. Some said they will make laws that would transform Nigeria in Abuja.

Expectedly, they went there with all their lies, false allegations, wayo and dgibiti. They tried in vain to tell the people what was not possible and promised to build bridges where there are no Rivers as if Edo people do not know them.

But Edo People are marvelous people who understand politics more than the deceivers who converged on Iguobazuwa.

PDP cannot fool anybody again in Edo land as we approach next month’s general elections.

Once the rally of a few persons got underway, the piri piri Chairman, Dan Orbih was quick to release two forged documents, alleging that the Edo State Comrade Governor spent N142million to host General Muhamadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when they came commissioning some projects in Edo State recently. But the good news is that Edo people understand that Dan Orbih was telling white lies using fake documents as back up.

Some persons in the crowd even hissed at his comments was perceived as misleading. Even during the party primaries, Dan Orbih did a lot of abracadabra that

shocked most members who have been defecting in droves to the All Progressives Congress (APC) since they ended their wayo primaries.

They shifted from that he said the Siluko Road was not constructed and that a PDP government would construct the road that is nearing completion by the Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole. The questions to ask the PDP never-do-wells are: When they were given the opportunity for ten years, with a governor from Ovia, why was the Upper Siluko Road not constructed? Why is it now that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is constructing the road that Dan Orbih is saying the PDP will construct the road? Oshiomhole has made tremendous progress in the construction of the road as the contractor and workers are on site, who should Edo people believe as we go into next month’s elections: An administration that has awarded the contract for the construction of the Upper Siluko road, mobilized the contractors on site and construction work in progress or a party that had a governor from the area who ruled for eight years and another governor for two years without doing anything now promising that when Ovia people vote for them in February, they will consider constructing the road from November 2016 when perhaps they become governor?

Is it in the administration of the two local governments in Ovia? Those PDP waifs had the opportunity of governing Ovia South West and Ovia North East for many years.

What did they do for our people? Ovia people cannot be fooled by that illicit gathering. These are well known characters that have had ample opportunity to play their roles and that is why we can safely conclude that these persons are out to deceive Ovia people because of the February elections and they must be rejected at the polls.

The two persons who were said to have left APC for PDP at the rally are not even known within the APC fold and there is every likelihood that they would collect the monies being thrown around

by the PDP, but we are certain that they would still vote APC. Going by one of my articles when the PDP converged on Uromehe, Orhionmwon Local Government Area in October for a similar mission, I made

be shocked how candidates would emerge and that is when they would know that the APC they know, is better than the PDP that have never known.” This was my comment in October, after the PDP primaries, have I not been vindicated? Aspirants were shocked to their bones how the godfather doctored and manipulated the process.

Today there is widespread

Chief Dan Orbih some prophecies which have come to pass. I recall stating that “as we approach next general elections, the nation’s political landscape is daily becoming interesting with increasing dumping of the Peoples Democratic Party by its erstwhile loyalists. In the PDP of today, there is apathy, distrust, hatred, oppression, favouritism, impunity, dog eat -dog, and several other negative attributes. That is why those who know what is in the offing for them are already having a rethink in Edo and are daily moving in droves into the APC.” I also stated that “all those public show of going to obtain forms by PDP aspirants would collapse like a park of cards because already, the names of PDP candidates for each position were already being compiled in Uromi. All those who troop to PDP party secretariat to obtain nomination forms would soon discover the truth that intrigues and godfatherism rule the PDP. They would all

apathy, cry of discontent, deceit, and distrust in Edo PDP. It is important to state that the APC own Edo State and other parties, including the PDP are spectators! I say this because of the Oshiomhole administration has crushed opposition in the state through visible developments going on in all parts of the state, not just in Ovia South

MATTERS IN FOCUS WITH DAN OWEGIE West and North East, but in all parts of the state. It is unprecedented in the history of Edo State and Ivbi Edo Nuzomon would not want to risk their fate in the hands of the pathetic PDP led by garrulous gangsters who would stop at nothing in frittering the state’s resources.

This is why the APC will sweep the 2015 polls in Edo. We have done it before and we would repeat our winning streak again. Edo people would turn out again to give APC massive votes as usual because the party under Adams Oshiomhole has established confidence in their hearts over the years. Edo people cannot also forget in a hurry their bitter experiences in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Some aptly call them People Deceive People. As a party, the APC has been keeping its own side of the contract with Edo people in spite of obvious attempt by the Federal Government to deprive it of its statutory entitlements.

Also, events of the last six months have seen the PDP high and mighty already jittery as we approach the February election where the APC hopes to take over the leadership of the nation. The emergence of Muhamadu Buhari and Pastor Osinbajo as the APC Presidential and VicePresidential candidates has presented the needed alternative for a positive change Nigerians have been clamouring to have. People are sick and tired of the PDP government that cannot provide electricity, employment, and manage the economy in a way that is

beneficial to the common man. Nigerians are tired of a PDP government that cannot end insurgency and other crimes in the land. A nation where Boko Haram will move into a secondary school with seven 911 trucks and loaded them with 258 Chibok girls and for over 282 days cannot be rescued by government is not safe and the government cannot be trusted to guarantee anyone’s security.

An administration that cannot fight corruption, rather rewards corruption cannot be trusted with our destinies. Every January 1st, President Goodluck Jonathan has habitually promised to fight corruption.

As many times he promised to fight corruption, in such numbers he fails to fight corruption. Can such a government be trusted to fight corruption? The answer is; no.

As a people, what do we do? We need to keep our voters card ready by February and vote out this inept government at the centre that has caused Nigerians more pains and despair than any other regime. We need to vote out this corrupt government that cannot guarantee our development and security but have stolen so much of our common wealth. We need to enthrone the APC government that would be led by Buhari and Osinbajo who have impeccable records to develop Nigeria and fight corruption head on. ·Mr. Dan Owegie is a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.

“The questions to ask the PDP never-dowells are: When they were given the opportunity for ten years, with a governor from Ovia, why was the Upper Siluko Road not constructed? Why is it now that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is constructing the road that Dan Orbih is saying the PDP will construct the road?”

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