Peoples Daily, Tuesday, May 3, 2016. Edition.

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Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / Rajab 25, 1437 AH

. . . putting the people first@pmlonline

UN scribe demands Buhari, Saraki, more freedom for Dogara mourn Ambassador Ahmadu journalists worldwide pAGE 10

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peoplesdailyng

Vol. 22 No. 69 N150

Yobe PDP congress hijacked by cabal- Waziri >> pg 3

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Power:

Expect 7,000 megawatts in 2017, says Osinbajo

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R-L: Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambawal in a handshake with sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, after the funeral prayers for late Amb Hamzat WalinSokoto at Gwadabawa, yesterday in Sokoto.

Man slits throat of 3 own kids, attempts suicide in Kebbi

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<< pAGEs 6, 16, & 40 >> Chibok 750 Days4,Will the18abducted schoolgirls ever be rescued? after:

Troops arrest suspected killer of Gen Shuwa page 27

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

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News

Primary school girl sues Fayose over N1,000 education levy From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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n a fresh suit filed before an Ekiti state high court by a pupil of Divine Academy in Ekiti state, Amidat Akingbolu by her counsel, Kabir Akingbolu, the pupil is seeking a determination of the court whether the Ekiti state government is not under a legal obligation to provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary age like the claimant, under the unambiguous provisions of Free Universal Basic Education and Child Rights Law of Ekiti State CAP C7.

Ekiti state is part of the south west region of Nigeria in which governments had provided free primary school

education since 1955 when the policy was introduced by the Obafemi Awolowo-led administration.

But Governor Fayose has abolished free education in the Ekiti by imposing a fee of N1, 000 (One thousand naira) and N500 (Five hundred naira) on pupils of private and public schools respectively.

Amidat who is challenging that decision of the government, said the policy contravenes section 2(1) of the compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004, and Section 15 of the Child Rights Law of Ekiti State CAP C7.

The Catholic diocese of Ekiti state had approached the court to cancel the policy.

Governor Fayose, described

as custodian of the law and instrument for safeguarding the interest of the citizens is accused of enforcing policies which run contrary to the provision of the law.

The governor is also accused of failure to pay counterpart funding, under the Compulsory Universal Basic Education Act 2004, to access federal government support to free primary and junior secondary education in the state.

He is also being accused of rather wasting hundreds of millions of state’s resources on sponsoring political newspaper adverts, radio and television jingles, renting/hiring of private jets for political rallies, The plaintiff in her affidavit of support, further claims inability of herself and her other siblings,

like any other indigent students of the state, to attend school since the introduction of the obnoxious fee, due to the financial burden the fee imposed on their parents has caused.

Considering the ongoing sealing of private schools not in compliance with the policy, the plaintiff is demanding among others, a perpetual injunction restraining the governor from locking or sealing off any private school for the purpose of collecting fee of the pupils/students or from further collecting any money under any guise from any child of primary and junior secondary school age in any of the school in the state.

The case, suit no HAD/27/16 is yet to be assigned by the Chief Judge.

Some of Boko Haram terrorists arrested by Nigerian Army at Murye village, yesterday in Borno state.

Aisha Buhari urges more enlightenment on environmental degradation From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

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ife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has advocated for more support to the environmental advocacy of the wife of Ogun State Governor, Dr. Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun urging wives of state governors in the country to embark on enlightenment campaign of the citizenry on the effects of environmental degradation.

Mrs. Aisha Buhari who spoke at the 50th birthday celebration of the wife of Ogun State Governor, Dr. Mrs. Olufunso Amosun held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, noted that entire Nigerians need to be enlightened

on dangers and effects of environmental degradation on human race.

She said, “the effects if not checked, will continue to adversely affect us, hence it is my advice that we have to take the advocacy to all States of the Federation”, saying that “wives of Northern states governors, wives of the South Eastern governors and other wives of South West governors should key into the programme of Mrs. Amosun on ‘going green project’ Earlier in his remark, the chairman of the occasion, retired General Theophilus Danjuma explained that environmental degradation was already a threat to Nigeria existence and called for more attention on the environment issue.

He stated that all Nigerians have roles to play in protecting the environment adding that the title “green environment” is very apt considering the economic challenges facing the country.

Key note speaker at the event, Dr Ayoade Alakija called on Nigerians to use their waste to better their livelihood.

She advised Nigerians to protect their lives, health, jobs and the future generation by protecting the environment.

Dr Alakija called on government to put in place policies to prevent waste, to protect the environment, produce energy from waste and put penalties and rewards mechanisms for environmental issues.

Late former envoy Hamzat Ahmadu buried in Gwadabawa

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he remains of a former diplomat Alhaji Hamzat Ahmadu was laid to rest on Monday in his hometown, Gwadabawa, Sokoto State.

Ahmadu died on Sunday in Lagos at the age of 92.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the prayer was led by chief Imam of Gwadabawa Central Mosque Malam Isa Atu. The funeral ceremony was attended by Gov Aminu Tambuwal, the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Saád Abubakar III and a former Minister of Defence Gen Aliyu Gusau Also in attendance was a former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Jubril Ayinla, Baba Addini of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez and a former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji.

In his tribute Tambuwal said the people of the state would continue to be proud of the deceased’s contributions to the development of Nigeria.

“He was active during independence struggle as a backroom staff to our founding fathers, and distinguished himself in the Northern Province civil service and later the Federal civil service.

“His most telling contributions, however, were in the foreign service. He lived a fulfilled life, and we pray to Allah to grant him eternal rest,” he said.

Alhaji Ahmed Gusau, a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto state described late Ahmad as a role model for Nigerians.

Gusau told NAN that the late Ahmadu served his country diligently. “ He was honest, sincere and complete gentleman and ever willing to help his country, state and community when he held various public offices “ he said.

Gusau called on the federal and state governments to honour the memory of the deceased for his tremendous contribution to the socio-economic and political development of the country.

The late Ahmadu left behind two wives, four children and four grandchildren.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

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News

Ag News Editor, Ese Awhotu

6 killed as Customs, smugglers clash in Ogun From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

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t least, three children and three other people were allegedly killed in Oke-Odan in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State when Customs officers were pursuing smugglers.

Peoples Daily reliably gathered that the Customs officers pursued some suspected smugglers who smuggled two vehicles loaded with rice coming from Igolo; a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic heading towards Sango in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Eye witnesses told our correspondent that the Customs officers had seized the vehicles

and were driving them to Idi-Iroko office when they were ambushed by some suspected smugglers.

The clash reportedly led to the death of three children, a roadside mechanic, panel-beater and a secondary school leaver, simply identified as Ade. The Customs officers reportedly called for reinforcement which got to the scene in a coastal bus and allegedly started shooting sporadically prompting stray bullets to hit some residents, resulting into death of six persons while some sustained various degrees of injury.

Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Image Maker, ASP Muyiwa Adejobi and his Customs counterpart, Usman Abubakar , however, said only two

people died in the incident.

Abubakar said three of their officers sustained injury during the attack by the smugglers, adding that three of their check points were burnt down.

He said, “Two people have been confirmed dead. Our officers were attacked by smugglers on their way to Idi-Iroko office after seizing two vehicles loaded with rice at Ajilete.

“These smugglers carried guns, cutlasses, axe, broken bottles and stoned our officers with a view to recovering their vehicles with the contraband and injured three officers.

“We had to call for reinforcement of Military and Police before we could escaped from the smugglers, they burnt down three of our check points”.

The customs Public Relations Officer however warned smugglers against obstructing officers on duty which he said attract two years imprisonment.

In his reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, said the command was aware of the clash between armed men and smugglers, but noted that only two casualties were recorded in the crisis and that the alleged mastermind of the incident identified as Oke Gbenro has been arrested.

The Police who have taken over the matter, said, “ as at now, we have recorded two people confirmed dead and we have taken the corpses to a public morgue for autopsy and for proper investigation.

L-R: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Gabriel Abayomi Olanisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and other senior military officers, during their meeting yesterday in Maiduguri Borno state.

Kano APC accuses INEC of truncating bye- election From Edwin Olofu,Kano

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he Kano chapter of All Progressive Congress ( APC), Monday accused the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) of deliberately truncating it’s victory by suspending last weekend state House of Assembly bye-election of Minjibir local government.

The state party chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas said that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Kaugama has overstretched his powers as guaranteed by constitution.

Mr Kaugama had last Saturday

cancelled the bye-election by midday following reported cases of ballot boxes snatches and other vital election materials by hoodlums.

Kaugama who was brought into Kano from Kaduna State to conduct the bye election told reporters that the Commission took the decision in order to avoid further spread of violence in the area.

Just Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas faulted his claim saying that “the decision to put on hold a peaceful exercise at a point APC was coasting home to victory was a clear case of sabotage by a man we suspected was a PDP card carrying member”

Abbas stated, “we as a party had expected consultation with relevant stakeholders especially the police that deployed over 1800 officers and men on ground” He further hinted that Minjibir has 156 polling units most it are located outside the town, adding that “it was high handedness for a Resident Electoral Commissioner to single handedly suspend a process that was largely peaceful except in just 4 polling units.

Alhaji Abbas argued that “in the worst case scenario, we expected the electoral umpire to apply appropriate measures where violence occurred by simply suspending the exercise in the

affected polling units” Abbas explained that “security reports suggested that the entire election was not under threat that could warrant possible cancellation against the backdrop that we had 1800 police on ground” The chairman further added that “to the best of my knowledge you cannot achieve 100 percent violent free election, but what usually justify such cancellation was general breakdown of law at the constituency.”

Alhaji Abbas disclosed that a protest letter had been lodged with INEC, while copies were made available to the Presidency and relevant security organs for action.

UN scribe demand more freedom for journalists worldwide

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he UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, on Monday expressed serious concern over the increasingly restrictive environment in which media workers operate in many countries.

In his message on World Press Freedom Day observed across the globe on May 3, Ban urged governments, politicians, businesses and citizens to commit to nurturing and protecting an independent and free media.

He said that constraints on freedom of expression placed shackles on progress itself.

“Each year, we observe World Press Freedom Day to protect the independence of the media and to honour media workers who risk and have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

“On this World Press Freedom Day, without this fundamental right, people are less free and less empowered.

“With it, we can work together for a world of dignity and opportunity for all,” he said.

Ban stated that this year’s celebration coincided with three important milestones - the 250th anniversary of the world’s first Freedom of Information Law, ``covering both modern-day Sweden and Finland’’.

The others are the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of Press Freedom Principles, and the first year of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Press freedom and the free flow of information are necessary not only to inform citizens about the Goals, but to enable them to hold their leaders accountable for fulfilling the pledges they have made.

“The media, including, and increasingly, new on-line media, serve as our eyes and ears.

“We all benefit from the information they provide. A free, independent and safe media environment is essential.

“Yet, all too often, journalists are threatened, harassed, obstructed or even killed in the pursuit of information.

“Many languish in detention, some in appalling conditions, for shedding light on governance failures, corporate malfeasance or societal problems,” he said.

He added that human rights, democratic societies and sustainable development depended on the free flow of information.

According to Ban, the right to information depends on press freedom.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a report released by Reporters without Borders (RSF) reveals that no fewer than 110 journalists were killed around the world in 2015 alone.

It said that 67of the journalists were killed in-the-line-of-duty, while 43 died in circumstances that were unclear.

It added that another 27 nonprofessional “citizen-journalists” and seven other media workers were also killed during the period.

In the report, the group warned that more journalists were being deliberately targeted for their work in supposedly peaceful countries.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 4 Report

Investing in agriculture to halt climate change

By Ese Awhotu

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n addition to reducing poverty and hunger, agriculture can play a crucial role in making the response to climate change responsible and more effective, Maria-Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General for Natural Resources has said.

Agriculture can help reduce the impact of climate change; thus fostering resilience among communities, she said during a High-Level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the UN Headquarters. Semedo was in New York to attend the signing ceremony of the Paris Climate Change Agreement as well as other high level events.

Some 175 countries recently signed the historic accord, agreed last December in the French capital, at a ceremony at UN headquarters hosted by Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, according to a statement by the FAO .

The Agreement recognizes “the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the impacts of climate change”.

It also highlights the need to “increase the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience (...) in a manner that does not threaten food production.”

Agriculture is one of the main sectors of the economy that is severely affected by climate change.

The recent El Niño phenomenon is a testimony to that, Semedo noted.

The support for the agreement comes at a time when some 60 million people around the world are being affected by the El Niño climate event.

It is important to note that the rural poor and small holder farmers are severely affected by climate change threats, Semedo stressed.

During speaking engagements at various high level events, the FAO Deputy-Director General reiterated the crucial role of family farmers in poverty and hunger eradication.

Poverty and hunger have similar causes and are often bound together - and must therefore be tackled together.

“Support to end extreme poverty, hunger and all other forms of malnutrition by 2030 - the key of SDGs 1 and 2. Nearly 80 percent of the extreme poor and hungry people live in rural areas, so let’s empower rural actors, small holders, rural women, youth, and indigenous peoples in our collective action,” said Semedo Climate change and agriculture are interrelated processes, both of which take place on a global scale.

Climate change affects agriculture in a number of ways, including through changes in average temperatures, rainfall, and climate extremes (e.g., heat waves); changes in pests and diseases; changes in atmospheric

Minister of Agriculture, Audu carbon dioxide and ground-level ozone concentrations; changes in the nutritional quality of some foods; and changes in sea level.

Climate change is already affecting agriculture, with effects unevenly distributed across the world. Future climate change will likely negatively affect crop production in low latitude countries, while effects in northern latitudes may be positive or negative. Climate change will probably increase the risk of food insecurity for some vulnerable groups, such as the poor.

Agriculture contributes to climate change by (1) anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and (2) by the conversion of non-agricultural land (e.g., forests) into agricultural land.

Agriculture, forestry and land-use change contributed around 20 to 25% to global annual emissions in 2010.

There are ranges of policies that can reduce the risk of negative climate change impacts on agriculture, and to reduce GHG

emissions from the agriculture sector.

Despite technological advances, such as improved varieties, genetically modified organisms, and irrigation systems, weather is still a key factor in agricultural productivity, as well as soil properties and natural communities. The effect of climate on agriculture is related to variabilities in local climates rather than in global climate patterns. The Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by 1.5 °F (0.83 °C) since 1880. Consequently, agronomists consider any assessment has to be individually considering each local area.

On the other hand, agricultural trade has grown in recent years, and now provides significant amounts of food, on a national level to major importing countries, as well as comfortable income to exporting ones. The international aspect of trade and security in terms of food implies the need to also consider the effects of climate change on a global scale.

“

According to an article published online by the Scientific American, titled,” Combating Climate Change: Farming Out Global Warming Solicautions”, changes to agricultural practice and forestry management could cut greenhouse gas emissions, buying time to develop alternative technologies The article reveals that saving the trees could slow climate change, new research shows. Each year, nearly 33 million acres of forestland around the world is cut down, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Tropical felling alone contributes 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon, some 20 percent of all man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to the atmosphere annually. If such losses were cut in half, it could save 500 million metric tons of carbon annually and contribute 12 percent of the total reductions in GHG emissions required to avoid unpleasant global warming, researchers recently reported in Science.

Agriculture contributes to climate change by (1) anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and (2) by the conversion of non-agricultural land (e.g., forests) into agricultural land. Agriculture, forestry and land-use change contributed around 20 to 25% to global annual emissions in 2010.

Forest depletion ultimately contributes more GHG emissions than all the cars and trucks in use worldwide, says Werner Kurz, a forest ecologist with Natural Resources Canada, who was not involved with the study. “What we are doing in these tropical forests is really a massive problem.”

Changes in forest management and agricultural practices could significantly reduce the threat of global warming much more quickly than can technological solutions such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) from coalfired power plants, according to experts. “We don’t know how to do CCS. These are things we could do today,” says Bruce McCarl, an agricultural economist at Texas A&M University in College Station.

“They are a bridge to the future.”

Among proposed changes: more widespread adoption of socalled no-till farming, a practice that involves leaving unharvested crop stalks and other plant matter behind in the field undisturbed by plows and other soil-agitating instruments.

“Anything that reduces soil disturbance increases carbon storage,” McCarl notes.

Basically, the carbon stored inside the remains sinks into the soil instead of being stirred up and into the atmosphere when the soil is prepared for planting using conventional means. Such no-till farming provides a double benefit for farmers: improved soils and reduced fuel use, because it negates the need to harvest the stalks with tractors and other equipment (although it can lead to short-term reductions in crop yields) says Chuck Rice, a soil scientist at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. The opportunity to pour carbon back into the soil exists because farming over the past century has depleted its levels of organic carbon, Rice notes. But, as with water, the soil can only hold so much carbon before it is saturated.

“Sequestration could be provided for the next 30 to 50 years,” before the soil will reach its limit and other actions will be needed, he says.

Growing crops for fuel, known as biofuels, represents another potential way of cutting GHGs by replacing fossil fuels (biofuels created underground by nature over millions of years). “Biofuel production also shows promise for directly offsetting some reliance on fossil fuels,” says Stephen Ogle, an ecosystem research scientist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. “This represents a direct reduction in emissions from the current trends, because dedicated energy crops will reassimilate some of the carbon dioxide emitted by energy use.”

Such changes, however, are not without peril. They could lead to higher food prices as well as to converting marginal lands back into crop production, which would, in turn, lead to GHG emissions.

Further, pursuing cellulosic ethanol (a biofuel brewed from stalks and other leftover plant material) could eliminate the same remnants and, therefore, their carbon storage potential that no-till practices would otherwise sequester, Rice adds, noting that the risks and benefits of any solutions must be carefully weighed.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

News

PAGE 5

Yobe PDP Expect 7,000mw of power in 2017 – Osinbajo congress hijacked by cabal, says Waziri

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

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By Ahmed Abubakar

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member of Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and 2015 governorship candidate of the party in Yobe State, Adamu Maina Waziri has decried the conduct of the party Congress in the state on Saturday, saying they have been manipulated by fifth columnists who do not mean well for the party.

Waziri who addressed a press conference in Abuja on Monday on the alleged irregularities condemned them, called on his supporters to reject them completely.

“As far as we are concerned, the congresses have either not taken place in Yobe and some other states, or were not held in accordance with our rules,” he said, adding that he has directed his supporters to withdraw from the exercise until arrangements have been made for a credible process.

“We need credible congresses that will usher in credible leaders that will steer the affairs of the party to provide a vibrant opposition ahead of 2019. We need to entrench internal democracy in the PDP to prevent the circumstances that made us lose election in 2015,” he said.

He called on the National Chairman of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff and the National Working Committee (NWC) to urgently set aside the faulty congresses and organise fresh ones that will be acceptable to all stakeholders.

According to him, the congresses were not held in line with the guidelines and conventions of the party and cannot be accepted.

He said there was no level playing field and that best democratic practices for which the PDP is known were not followed, adding that candidates were deliberately shut out while some individuals were given preferential treatment by the party headquarters in Abuja.

He cited the instance where aspirants for the Yobe congress were denied interest forms for various positions but that the forms were sold to preferential candidates in Abuja.

He also condemned the unilateral dissolution of the party leadership in some states including Yobe, saying they were contrary to the resolutions of party organs.

“The PDP has become intolerant and disdainful and such actions will undermine the electoral chances of the party,” he said.

he epileptic power situation currently prevailing in the country will ease in 2017, VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo has said.

The Vice-President said on Monday that the Federal Government was planning to generate 7, 000 megawatts of electricity within the next 18 months.

The vice president stated this at the presentation of a book “Nigeria: The Challenges of Growth and Development, an InDepth Analysis by Experts,” held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

Osinbajo said power remains a major challenge the Federal Government had been facing, and which the government was determined to solve.

He said the most important part of the budget would focus on ensuring that the weak aspect of the power value chain was restored.

Mr. Osinbajo said the nation was faced with the problem of conveying gas to the power plant, adding that the pipeline, which remained the easiest method, was frequently facing vandalism.

“Early in the life of this administration late last year and early this year, power generation was possibly at its best.

“Nigeria, for the first time

was actually generating 5,000 megawatts, which was the first time it will happen in the history of the country.

“On February 14, the Forcados Export Terminal was blown off, effectively ensuring that 40 percent of our gas that goes for power is no longer used for the purpose.

“This situation led to the immediate loss of 1,500 megawatts of power. It is our priority that the pipeline project is completed so that gas will be adequately supplied to the power plant,” he said.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had two weeks ago ordered full mobilisation of the military for the protection of pipelines in the country.

The Vice-President said that the Federal Government would, in a few days’ time, begin the implementation of the 2016 budget, which he described as the most ambitious in the history of the nation.

According to him, the budget is not only ambitious in size but also more in its broad range of fiscal policies.

“The action points cut across six political ties of security, governance, economic diversification, power, road and rail, oil and gas, ease of investments and social investment,” he said.

Mr. Osinbajo said for the first time in three years, the nation would have 30 per cent of the budget going for capital expenditure, a percentage that was three times higher than the last budget.

He said the capital expenditure would take care of several aspects of infrastructure, particularly rail, road and power.

According to him, the rail link between Lagos and Kano as well as the one between Lagos and Calabar will be captured.

The Vice-President said the government had budgeted that

by July, 65,000 youth would be trained in software and hardware aspects of computer, adding that the government’s aim was to build a reservoir of technologists.

Osinbajo also listed the training of 370,000 Nigerians in various vocations, conditional cash transfer to the poor and loan facilities for market women as part of the programmes to be expected.

He said that the administration would ensure that corruption has consequences, adding that no public officer who steals would go scot-free.

The vice-president described the moment as that which Nigerians must come together to ensure that things work in the building of the nation of everyone’s dream.

Reviewing the book, Prof. Jide Osuntokun, said that the writers

have carefully highlighted the various challenges bedevilling the nation and how they could be corrected for national growth and development.

“Nigeria’s problem is structural and systemic, and it could be structurally and systematically addressed,” he said.

Osuntokun said that the book articulates various ideas of the writers aimed at building an egalitarian society.

Also, Oba Otudeko, the Chairman of the event, said there was no other better time to discuss the development of the nation than now when they have the company of people who cares.

He described the “House of Lords, Nigeria” as a collection of people whom the interest of Nigeria and the welfare of the citizens were paramount in their minds.

The House of Lords, Nigeria was founded 50 years ago and presently parades 34 members, with Prof. Ayodele Desalu as the “Leader”.

“Let me tell them that they are on the right path and they should not lose sight of the development of the country.

“This book presents a compendium of opportunities. I think it is worth having,” he said.

The 209-page book is a collection of the speeches of 11 writers from various spheres of life.

President Muhammadu Buhari receives British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, at the State house, recently in Abuja.

Man slits throat of own kids, attempts suicide in Kebbi I From Ahmed Idris,Birnin Kebbi

t was calamity to the family of Alhaji Dankarami as one Mammman Dankarami who hails from a village called Goru village in Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State yesterday slit the throat of his own three children with a knife and thereafter, attempted to commit suicide.

The incident occurred yesterday around 8am and the three murdered children were all male.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Binin Kebbi ,the Sole Administrator of Arewa Local Government Area , Alh. Muhammadu Dan Kaku, said that, “They are all male children between 5 months to 3 years.”

He said that after committing

the dastardly act of killing his three children by slaughtering them with a knife, the man jumped into an open dug well with the aim of committing suicide but was saved by local government officials and the police. ”After slaughtering his own 3 blood children, he jumped into a well to also kill himself but he was saved by the local government officials and the police, “ Kaku

explained.

The Sole Administrator added that, following the incident, the man was taken to Jega psychiatric hospital because residents in the area said that the man had a recurring mental illness from time to time.

When contacted on the matter, the Police Public Relation Officer in the State, Nafiu Abubakar confirmed the incident.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

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News

NYSC, CBN, BoI to float loan scheme for corps members - DG Niger T Gov. mourns Oba of Benin he National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) says it is planning to introduce a loan package for corps members in view of the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DirectorGeneral of the scheme, Brig.-Gen. Sule Zakari, made this disclosure on Monday in Sokoto when he addressed the 2016, Batch ‘’ A’’ corps members.

Kazaure stated that the proposed

loan package is being packaged in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry ( BoI). ‘’The loan scheme will provide certain amount of interest-free loans to the corps members after the completion of their one year service. ‘” The money will be advanced to them with a view to establishing their various business ventures as the white collar jobs are becoming increasingly scarce. ‘’ The beneficiaries are expected

to be made self reliant and even become employers of labour,’’ Zakari said.

The NYSC, D-G urged the corps members to be passionate in whatever they do, saying, “doing so will help you to explore your potentials and capabilities.’’

Zakari further reminded the corps members that NYSC is all about national service and national integration.

He averred that the management of the scheme were encouraging

inter-marriages amongst the corps members.

The D-G said that the various activities lined up at the orientation camp were aimed at preparing them for the challenges ahead during and after service.

Zakari called on the corps to integrate with the host communities, dress decently, as well as respect their cultures and traditions.

He admonished the corps members to help in providing the needs of their host communities.

From Yakubu Mustapha,Minna.

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he Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has condoled with the royal family, the government of Edo state and entire people of Benin Kingdom over the demise of His Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary CPS, Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, who described the King as a true African leader, an exemplary monarch who brought uncountable progress and ensured lasting peace in the Benin Kingdom throughout his reign.

Governor Bello said the Oba, who lived a descent and honest life worthy of emulation, epitomizes the royalty and would be sorely missed adding that his demise has left a very big vacuum in which only faith in God would fill it.

“The Oba lived a glorious era, he was a father, helper and a wonderful leader who demonstrated unique and exemplary qualities as an uncompromising and revered monarch. The country has, indeed, lost one of its best within the traditional institution”.

He noted, with high regard, the way and manner the late Oba religiously held and promoted the rich and famous cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom adding that he was indeed a true reflection and custodian of the traditional institution of the Benin people.

Bello prayed Almighty God to grant his soul peaceful transition as he joins his ancestors and also the Government of Edo state and entire people of Benin Kingdom the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

He also prayed for the successful, long reign of the crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Ehenede Erediauwa.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (middle), switching from Analog TV to Digital TV while Deputy Governor of Plateau State , Prof. Sonni Tyoden (right) looks on during Launching of Digital TV Switch over, at the Government House, recently in Plateau State .

World press freedom day: Dogara urges enhanced investigative journalism

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has called on the Nigerian press to put patriotism first in the discharge of their responsibilities in order to constantly place the country in a positive light amongst the comity of nations.

In a press statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, to mark the World Press Day in Abuja, Dogara also admonished the media to adhere

strictly to the ethics of journalism so as to be competitive globally.

Dogara who praised the Nigerian press for the role it played in the struggle for and enthronement of democracy, however, called on media practitioners to shun ‘desk journalism’ and engage in qualitative investigative journalism that will promote national unity as well as expose rot and corruption in the system in line with the present administration’s change agenda.

“It is important that you continue to fight for a society

where free, empowered citizens can contribute in a democracy.

That is what democracy is all about, freedom to pursue happiness. When that is done, we should be able to deliver on the promise of change, which will lift Nigeria to a new pedestal, ” he stated.

The statement quoted the Speaker as asserting that the 8th Assembly is poised to promoting freedom of the press as one of the cardinal pillars of free society.

“This year’s anniversary is coming five years after we passed into law the Freedom

of Information Act (FOI) which placed Nigeria as one of the leading nations that have adopted the law” the speaker said.

He however, urged practitioners to exercise such freedom with responsibility so as not to endanger the public good, affirming that without a free press democracy will not thrive.

The Speaker wished the Nigerian press a joyous Press Day celebration and prayed for the repose of the souls of all journalists who paid the supreme price in the line of duty.

Zamfara assures security for NYSC members From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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overnor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara state has assured the 2016 Batch ‘A’ Double Stream members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) adequate security while staying in their respective host communities in the state.

Yari, who was represented by

the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Abdullahi Muhammad Gurbinbore at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2016 members of the NYSC said, the state government has taken decisive steps to ensure conducive atmosphere for legitimate living for both indigenes and non indigenes of the state.

He further informed that, a directive was given for all

ministries and agencies, 14 local government councils as well in the state, to offer a warm reception of the teeming members of the NYSC who were eventually deployed to serve the country in the state.

The governor also said, the state government has further directed all security agencies in the state, to provide security tips for the consumption of members

of the NYSC on how best they would stay in their hosting communities in a friendlyrelated manner.

He further called on them to consider Zamfara as their home state, thereby embarking upon services that would eventually assist in moving the state economy forward, adding that they should avoid engaging into any form of social vices.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 7

News

Gunmen kill district head in Sanga

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unmen on Sunday night killed Mr Bala Madaki, District Head of Fadan Karshi in Numana Chiefdom of Sanga Local Government Area.

Madaki was killed alongside his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, 19, at his residence in Fadan Karshi.

The Sanga Interim Management Committee Chairman, Mr Nuhu Audu, confirmed he killings and called for urgent investigation into their death.

He said that the community was in need of more security presence in the wake of threat by unknown gunmen.

Audu said the deceased contributed immensely to peace building in the area, adding that his death was a blow to the people.

Also, the Etu Numana, Malam Gambo Makama, described the death of Madaki as a great loss to the entire Sanga community.

Makama appealed to the people, especially the youths, not to take the law into their hands.

(NAN)

Police Recruitment: Commission receives 843,008 applications

T

he Police Service Commission (PSC) said it received 843,008 applications as at 1.00p.m May 2 from applicants seeking enlistment into the Nigeria Police Force.

This is contained in an update issued by Mr Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the commission in Abuja on Monday.

He said that 243,327 applications were received for Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) cadre.

Ani added that 197,990 and 401,691 applicants applied for the Inspector and Police Constable (PC) cadres respectively.

The commission recently said in a statement that it would recruit 500 Cadet ASP, 500 Cadet Inspectors, 1,500 Specialist Officers and 7, 500 Constables in the recruitment of 10,000 policemen.

NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the recruitment of 10,000 policemen into the nation’s Police Force to reinforce the police for better service.

NAN also reports that the exercise would close on May 13.

(NAN)

L-R: past leader, House Of Lords Nigeria, Prof. Kayode Oyediran; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; chairman of the occasion, Oba Otudeko; Deputy Governor Of Oyo State, Chief Alake Adeyemo at a book presentation, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

Delta police arrest injured robbery suspect From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

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olice detectives at the Delta State Police Command have arrested an armed robbery suspect identified as Abel Omagoruko, aged 27 of Igun village after he was shot by a patrol team during a gun duel at Oviere-Ovu village in Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state.

The arrest of the suspect was sequel to an alleged robbery of one Nenegi Ayebainaemi, a female student of a privately owned University, (name

withheld) Amai near Kwale, in Delta State.

The victim was robbed at Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, Abraka by three armed men who operated with a Toyota Camry Car with Reg. No. KPE694HB. She was reportedly robbed of her bag containing N200,000.00 and mobile phone by the arrested suspect, Abel Omagboruko and the other two members of his gang at gun point.

According to a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer in Delta State,

Mrs. Celestina Kalu, on receipt of information regarding the robbery incident, Police at Abraka Division mobilized patrol team, which gave the hoodlums a hot pursuit up to Oviere-Ovu Village along the Eku-Warri Road.

She said that on getting to the Oviere-Ovu village, the suspects alighted from their Toyota Camry Car, ran into the bush and reportedly engaged the patrol team in a gun duel. It was in the process, Abel Omagboruko was shot and arrested, while others escaped with bullet wound.

Group wants FG, Enugu Govt. to compensate victims of Nimbo attack

N

digbo Unity Forum (NUF) has urged the Federal and Enugu State governments to compensate the families that lost their loved in the April 25 invasion of Nimbo community in Enugu State.

The President of the forum, Augustine Chukwudum, NUF made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday.

Chukwudum said that government should be blamed for the invasion of Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area by suspected herdsmen.

He noted that the successful attack and killing of about 50 people in the community was as

a result of government’s inability to provide enough security in the area. ``The Federal and Enugu State government must bear the burden of the deaths and pay due compensation to the families of the deceased. ``This is because government has failed in its constitutional duty of protecting its people,’’ Chukwudum said.

He, therefore, called on South-East governors to pull resources together to put an end to unnecessary killings and terror within the zone.

He said that the forum condemned in strong term the ``criminal invasion and killing of over 50 Nigerians in a peaceful and quiet Nimbo community

without any iota of provocation. ``What we are seeing has shown that this crime against humanity is been committed with impunity. ``Security agencies have not taken concrete steps to apprehend and bring the perpetrators of these systematic killings in the South-East to book until the recent massive and breathe-taking one that happened in Nimbo community,’’ he said.

Chukwudum called on security agencies to arrest those involved in the crime, adding that the world and Nigerians were watching to see how the Nimbo case would be handled.

(NAN)

Electricity Coy records 56 cases of vandalism in S/ East

T

he Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) recorded 56 cases of power installation vandalism in the South East between January and April.

The Head of EEDC Communications Unit, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Enugu.

He said that sabotage was retarding the effective supply of power within the South East.

Ezeh said that the company had spent huge sum of money and man-hours in repairing the vandalised installations and power units within the first quarter of the year alone. ``This high rate of vandalism is purely an act of economic sabotage. ``EEDC calls for concerted efforts by members of the public and the law enforcement agencies to track these public enemies and vandals down and bring them to book,’’ he said.

Ezeh commended vigilante groups, Civil Defence, the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police for working tirelessly to ensure that those behind these acts were brought to book. ``In recent times, we have also recorded considerable success in prosecuting arrested vandals. ``We are appealing to members of the public to report any nefarious activities going on in or around power installations in the South East to act as a deterrent to those that are yet to get the message,’’ he said.

(NAN)

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

News

Jigawa emirate disburses N21.7M zakat for the needy

T

he Kazaure Emirate Council in Jigawa has distributed Zakat (alms) worth over N21.7 million to 11, 525 less privileged people in the area.

The Emirate’s spokesman, Malam Gambo Garba, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday.

Garba said that the Zakat consisted of over N4.13 million cash and N17.6 million worth of grains.

He said that the Emir, Alhaj Najib Hussaini, made the figure known at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Zakkat distribution exercise in Diwidi village.

The spokesperson explained that the food items were

distributed to deserving families in nine district councils under the emirate.

Garba said that the emir reaffirmed the commitment of the emirate council toward the propagation of Islam through wealth redistribution to reduce poverty in the emirate.

He quoted the monarch as urging wealthy persons to

always support the vulnerable and less privileged in the society to reduce poverty in the area.

The spokesperson added that the Chairman of the Zakkat Collection and Distribution Committee of the council, Alhaji Bala Muhammad, commended individuals who voluntarily gave out alms in support of the needy.

He said that the emir also presented gift to district, village and ward heads that excelled in the collection of Zakkat in their domains.

He said that the district head of Gwiwa, Alhaji Bello Adamu, was given a trophy, while that of Kazaure and Diwidi, Alhaji Ibrahim Hadi were given cash rewards. (NAN)

NDE empowers 430 graduates in Bauchi From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

N

ational Directorate of Employment (NDE), has given out cash loans and equipment to 430 graduates for vocational skills development programme in 17 states of the federation in order to enable them set up their business enterprises.

The Director General of NDE, Mr Kunle Obayan represented by Sani Mohammed Lawan disclosed this during the presentation of the loans to the beneficiaries in Bauchi where he stated that the gesture is one of President Muhammadu Buhari's programmes to create mass employments to the teeming jobless citizens.

According to him, "the 430 beneficiaries were trained on 13 various skills and occupations that included; video coverage, carpentry, vulcanizing, shoe making, welding, tailoring, computer operation, barbing, hair dressing, knitting, fashion design, phone repairs and catering services", promising that the exercise would be extended to the other 18 states of the country.

“I want to categorically say that the plan to create mass employment opportunities by Muhammadu Buhari led government for unskilled and unemployed Nigerians has fully started. After this event, 13 new small scale businesses would have been injected into the economy of the state.

I dare say that this is the stuff change is made up''. He said.

Also speaking, the Bauchi state Director of the NDE, Malam Abubakar Muhammed Jahun explained that the items distributed to the trainees included; sewing machines, weaving machines, hair dressers, gas cookers, refrigerators and generating plants adding that the beneficiaries would repay the loans within two and half years.

He therefore warned beneficiaries against selling out the equipment but to utilize them judiciously for the purpose they were given so as to enable them settle the loans within the stipulated period.

L-R: Kebbi state nlc Chairman, Comrade Murtala Usman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state and member, Kebbi state House of Assembly, Hon. Bello Yakubu, at the May Day celebration on Sunday in Kebbi.

Anglican Primate disagrees with N56,000 minimum wage demand

M

ost Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and Bishop of Abuja, has expressed disagreement with labour’s demand for N56,000 new minimum wage in the country.

Okoh made expresed his view at the dedication of St Peter’s Anglican Church and Vicarage at Paradise Hills Estate, Asokoro, Abuja.

He advised the government to provide more facilities like transportation and others that

would help to make life easier for Nigerians, instead of the demand.

“If we can try and manage what we have until the present economic crisis is over or until the time comes when we say we are out of the woods then we can talk about salary increase.

“If we talk about salary now and we cannot pay even the minimum wage of N18,000 then our problem will increase.

“The government should help in providing facilities such as transport that can make life better

instead of asking for increment in salary.

“Increment of salaries in the past has not solved all our problems; I will not support the demand for N56,000 at this time of economic and security crisis ,’’ Okoh said.

He further advised the government to try and control the security situation faced in the country.

“The government should also avert a situation where individual communities will be forced to

make security arrangements.

“No country can survive such situations so those in leadership position should do anything possible to take perfect control of security issues.

“There is no reason why a group of people will be carrying arms and roaming the countryside while others are at their mercy.

“The government should do everything to make sure everybody is equally safe; it will not promote unity, peaceful living and progress,’’ he said. (NAN)

FOMWAN seeks harmonisation of teachers salary with civil servants

T

he Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) has urged Plateau government to harmonise salaries of primary school teachers with other civil servants in the state.

The leader of FOMWAN, Mrs Mairo Sani, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on

Monday that it became necessary to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

According to her, it is logical to harmonise the salaries because they all buy from the same market.

“Why will the primary school teachers be paid less when they go to the same markets with the

state civil servants,’’ she said.

She urged the state government to ensure that salaries of workers were paid as at when due to alleviate their sufferings.

The association’s leader said “it is sad and it is gradually becoming a norm in Plateau to owe workers salaries’’.

Sani also advised the government to ensure that workers were trained and retrained to enable them compete with their contemporaries globally.

She called on the Federal Government to address cases of incessant killings in the country.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 9

News NUJ condemns attack on Sun Correspondent in Warri From Mathew Omonigho

Speaker, House of Representatives,Hon. Yakubu Dogara (middle), Chiroman Kano, Alh. Nasiru Ado Bayero (1stright) and Hon. Garba Ibrahim Mohammed (1stleft) during the Speaker’s visit to Chiroman Kano, recently in Kano State.

Polio: Zamfara, Dangote, Bill Gate in pact to provide storage facilities From Ibrahim Muhammad, Zamfara

Sidi

I

n efforts to procure $1 million full cold chain facilities, the Zamfara state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Bill & Millinda Gate Foundation, Dangote Foundation.

The development was announced by the State

Commissioner of Health, Sulaiman Adamu Gummi at a round-table meeting on gaps attached to immunisation exercise in the state, stressing the need for full cold chain with a view to ensure safety storage of vaccines.

Adamu Gummi further informed that, the whooping sum of $500,000 will be committed by the Bill and

Melinda Gate as Dangote Foundation will engage the sum of $50,00 while counterpart funding amounted to 109 million naira to be paid by the state government.

“I am glad to inform this meeting that, Zamfara state did not record any new polio case since 2012 as it introduced new vaccine called injectable Polio Vaccine(PVC), this, am sure is a

welcome development,” Gummi stated.

Earlier, the Advocacy and Communication Officer (ACO) of the Save the Children, Alhaji Isah Ibrahim Maru pointed that, the storage and distribution facilities were highly needed at both the state, local government councils down towards levels in order to keep the effect of the vaccines lively.

Edo Line workers’ protest unpaid 11 months salaries arrears, dismissal

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

S

ome staff Edo Line Transport Company have protested unlawful dismissal and unpaid11 months’ salary arrears, allegedly owed them by the Management of the company.

The 26 affected staff who said they were dismissed by the company last December, without any letters to the effect, however, appealed to the state government for reinstatement, stating that time was of the essence.

The workers, in a petition which emanated from Emmanuel Otaigbe Chambers, and endorsed by “Xulu Oigiangbe Iregbeyen, Esq. and made available to journalists in Benin City, alleged that since June 2015 when thier travail began and December year, they have not abandoned thier duty posts, while, the Management of the company, has equally not pay them thier

salaries.

The Edo state governmentowned parastatal which was establsihed during the defunct Western Region in Nigeria, was shutdown in 2010 and re-opened May 1st 2014, on order of the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

The petition read in part, said: “though, they reported for duty from the month of May 2014, they did not start receiving monthly salaries in that regard until January 2015...Meanwhile, since June 2015, we have been languishing in the consequent economic hardship occasioned by this act of inhumanity of man to his fellow citizens”.

The petition further alleged that attempts to get detailed explanation from the Sole Administrator of the company, Chief John Osamede Adun and the state Ministry of Transport in connection with the unlawfu dismissal of the 26 staff, were

unsuccessful.

They also claimed that the table of negotiation between them and the Sole Administrator Chief John Osamede Adun appointed by the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, following the declaration made by the supervisory state Transport for Ministry where they were informed that the decision to lay them off, was recommended by the Management of the Transport company.

The group also accused a highly place official in the company whom they accused of plotting to replace their cronies, as responsible for their travail.

They explained that “the wrongful and unlawful transaction is even being done without the authority or knowledge of the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole whose interest has brought about confort to them”.

But, the State Commissioner

for Transport, Mr. Esimeme Iriogbe who denied any wrong doing, challenged the affected workers who lost out at the state House of Assembly committee on Transport, to seek redress in court over the predicament.

Iriogbe, said the decision to disengage the staff, was based on the recommendation of an Independent audit carried out by the state government few years ago, which certified the 196 staff of the company fit.

He said the shocking revelations of the report indicted some of the staff who was already working elsewhere, while they were still laying claims to their former status.

“We did a very serious audit report and the biometric of staff was taken by an Independent auditors...If the House of Assembly had seen any ground”, they should have been recalled.

They can go to cour,t” he said.

The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents Chapel has condemned in strong terms the unwarranted attack on the Sun Newspaper Correspondent, in Warri, Elder Emmanuel Ogoigbe by men of the JTF at a checkpoint in Warri for allegedly passing information to them on a possible breakdown of law and order at a nearby location.

In a statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Union, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu and Comrade Akpokona Omafuaire respectively, the Union gave the army seven days ultimatum to tender an unresolved apology to the Union and Elder Emmanuel Ogoigbe for the unprovoked attack.

“We want to state our displeasure on the unwarranted attack on our colleague who was only carrying out his constitutional duties of collaborating with security agencies in the country to forestall the breakdown of law and order.”

The NUJ Warri Correspondents Chapel, also called on the Chief of Army Staff and the Commander, 3 Battalion to fish out the culprits and call them to order to forestall a reoccurrence of the act.

“We vehemently frown at the situation whereby military personnel who are meant to protect lives and property turnaround and begin to brutalize, molest and sometime kill the people they are meant to protect.”

Similarly, Comrade Norbert Chiazor Chairman, Delta State Council of the NUJ, described as unacceptable attack on any journalists for whatever reason, noting that the era of military brutalization of journalists were over.

“We want to make it clear that we are no longer in a military era where soldiers maim and kill innocent citizens at will. The NUJ will no longer stand and fold its hands and watch the military maim and kill the people they have sworn to protect.”

It would be recalled that the Sun Newspaper Correspondent, in Warri, Elder Emmanuel Ogoigbe was allegedly brutalized and and forced to swim in a stagnant drainage water by one Staff Sergeant O. Joseph and his colleagues on a check point duty in Okoribi Quarters, Off Uti street, Effurun, for passing on information of a possible breakdown of law and order.

Meanwhile, Elder Emmanuel Ogoigbe has been discharged from a private clinic where he was admitted for proper medical care over pains and psychological trauma he suffered in the hands of the overzealous military men.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 10

News

Buhari, Saraki, Dogara mourn Amb. Ahmadu

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi with Agency report

public servant and highly distinguished diplomat who spent most of his life in the service of his country.

Buhari, according to the condolence letter, said the demise of the former Nigerian ambassador, who served in London and Washington DC, was a great loss to his community and the entire country. ‘‘I have learnt with deep shock and grief of the passing away of Alhaji Hamzat Ahmad (Walin Sokoto). ``His death is a great loss to Sokoto State, the diplomatic and business communities and to the Nigerian public service. ‘‘Alhaji Hamzat served

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the Sultanate as well as the government and people of Sokoto State on the death of the Walin Sokoto, Amb. Hamzat Ahmad, on Saturday.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

The statement said the president in a condolence letter to the Sokoto State Government described Ahmad as a reputable

meritoriously as a senior civil servant in the old Northern Nigeria Government and with the Federal Civil Service. ``In Lagos, he held the post of Principal Secretary to the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, whom he served with diligence and loyalty.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, yesterday expressed grief over the death of former Ambassador to the United State, Hamzat Ahmadu and said he was an accomplished diplomat and technocrat per excellence.

Saraki in a condolence message to the government and people of Sokoto State, immediate family and friends of the deceased,

signed on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said death is an inevitable end but he quickly reminded the bereaved family to take solace in the fact that the departed diplomat lived a selfless life lived.

Also, yesterday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Yakubu Dogara, has condoled the government and people of Sokoto State and the Sultanate Council over the demise of Alhaji Hamzat Ahmadu.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Turaki Hassan, Special Adviser on Media to Dogara, in Abuja on Monday.

Dogara described Ahmadu’s

FG urged to pay 33% arrears of pensioners

R-L: Governor Adams Oshiomhole with Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Ambassador Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken n’Uselu, during the Governor’s condolence visit, yesterday, to the Edaiken on the transition of His Royal Majesty.

By Usman Shuaibu

A

retired public civil servant (name withheld) has called on the Federal Government as well as Pension Transitional Arrangement Doctorate (PTAD) to as a matter of urgency commence payment of the 33% arrears of pensioners.

He also charged the Federal Government as well as PTAD to always deem it necessary to pay full arrears of pensioners to enable them to meet up with basic necessities of life in the society.

The retired civil servant, who made the call in an interview with Peoples Daily at the weekend in Gwagwalada, Abuja to commemorate the Workers’ Day, 2016, recalled that since 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 the 33% arrears of pensioners was not paid to them until 2015, and was not paid fully.

He pointed out that non-payment of 33% harmonized arrears alongside short payment/ non-payment of monthly salaries of pensioners and other issues had defeated the aims in which the offices of PTAD as well as the National Pension Commission (Pencom) were created for.

He, however, appealed to the leadership of the National Assembly to expedite action to monitor the PTAD/Pencom to see that the funds of pensioners were not diverted.

death as a big loss not only to Sokoto State, but Nigeria in general.

He said that the deceased made valuable contributions to the development of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives.

The speaker described the deceased a consummate statesman and an accomplished diplomat who dedicated his life and time to the service of his country and people.

Dogara prayed God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss of former Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S. Ahmadu died at a private hospital in Lagos on Sunday at the age of 92.

Agriculture ministry to host Agro-allied state coordinators

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Minister of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe will be hosting the Agro-allied state coordinators of the co-operative societies including the Federal Capital Territory on the 5th of May, 2016.

The National Coordinator of the Agro-allied CSP Nigeria limited, Prof. Queen Victoria Abike Adesuyi, who disclosed this to Peoples Daily in an interview on Monday, said the management of Agro-allied and its state coordinators deemed it necessary to meet with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in order to

move towards boosting food production in the country.

Adesuyi charged the Agroallied state coordinators to turnup for the meeting on time to afford them the opportunity to channel the problems affecting them agriculturally at their various states to the honourable minister of agriculture.

She said that the

management of Agro-allied CSP Nigeria limited would continue to partner with the relevant agriculture sector in the interest of the co-operative farmers in the country.

She therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to carry the farmers along in the scheme of things, especially the Agroallied co-operative farmers.

Jiba pledges support for AMAC Transition Committee

By Osby Isibor

T

he outgoing chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Micah Jiba has promised to assist the Transition Committee set up by the chairman-elect, Hon. Abdullahi Candido, in order for them to successfully carry out their assignment and ensure a smooth transition process.

Hon Jiba made this commitment while welcoming

the Chairman of the Transition Committee, Hon Yakubu Adamu and his team who paid him a familiarization visit in his office in Abuja and also to request for information that would necessitate a smooth transition exercise.

According to him, AMAC under his administration has executed a lot of projects on ground for the members of the Committee to see, adding that execution processes of the projects were duly documented. He also promised

to avail the committee with the needed information to do their job effectively.

The chairman of the Transition Committee, Hon Yakubu Adamu commended the outgoing council chairman for the warm reception accorded the team and his promise to assist the committee.

Hon Yakubu stated that the purpose of the committee is to ensure a smooth transition from the present AMAC administration to the incoming one.

He explained that they were at the council secretariat to collate some data and information, and also to familiarize with the present chairman and his team, so that he can support them with the necessary documents and information that they need to undertake their assignment.

“We are happy that we have met him and he welcomed us passionately and obliged us all the necessary things that we requested, that they are going to comply with

them. So, we are confident that in a few days, we are going to complete our assignment.

“We intend to undertake a tour of some projects executed by his administration, especially the markets, Motor parks and we are going to visit the AMAC LEA office.

“He has promised to give us the necessary assistance that we need.

I believe that as we go along in the course of this assignment, we will find out if everything Hon. Micah Jiba told us is true,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 11

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 12

Opinion

Workers Day: The pains of Nigerian workers A

By Paul E. Michael

s we celebrate workers and their contributions toward nation building, it is prominent to take a critical look at the challenges and pains of Nigerian workers. It is true that the workforce of every country is as important as the country, hence nations seek innovative ways to protect, promote and guarantee the interests of workers. Schemes like pension plans, health insurance, gratuities, incentives, bonuses, promotion among others, are various ways designed to ensure the welfare of workers.

In Nigeria, while we can attest to the fact that many Nigerian companies are doing their best to secure the future of their workforce, it is verifiable that many establishments are merely out to extort workers, and take advantage of the unemployment crisis rocking our country to inflict unwarranted pains on workers.

Today, workers face a series of hidden challenges with their various managements in the course of their services. While some battle unpaid salaries, under-payment and excessive workloads, others experience delayed promotion, denial of pension/health insurance alongside unpaid gratuities, the frustration of pensioners and intimidation from their managements.

That apart, Nigerian workers are facing the threats

of job layoffs, retrenchment and unjustifiable dismissals.

Several companies are blaming these on the worsening economic situation of the country, which is obviously affecting employees in diverse ways. As we keep witnessing the steady rise of the dollar against the naira in the parallel markets, as well as fuel scarcity and hikes in pricing, alongside the inflation of the costs of goods and services in double and triple-folds, these are certainly detrimental to the welfare of workers, whose salaries are either the same dispite the alarming increases in the cost of commodities or they remain unpaid.

The government has done little or nothing to protect the interest of workers. A look at a few months back confirms that government has been multiplying the pains of workers. As we speak, several local governments workers across the country, like in

Edo and Delta States, are being owed up to five months salaries. How such workers are keeping up with family responsibilities in this era of inflation is what one can hardly explain. A few days ago, a group of pensioners had to protest in Asaba, the Delta State capital, over unpaid pensions. These are people who exhausted their energies working for the development of the State in years past. The government has not been fair in dealing with these our patriots.

Meanwhile, a brief timeout with some workers of the Delta Transport Service Ltd (Delta Line) revealed several inhuman treatment the company metes out daily to its workforce.

While it does not have pension plans for its workers, its health insurance scheme was scrapped sometimes ago, jeopardising the lives of its entire workforce. This is aside a four-month salary arrear that

the company has kept since last year, refusing to pay the workers for no just reason.

Honestly, no one will be wrong in describing the workforce of Delta Line, who do not observe public holidays and weekends, as a set of corporately abused citizens.

An insider account of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) also reveals a series of improper acts visited upon workers. Outside the delay in payment of salaries, an unimaginable number of staffs have been fired, increasing the number of Nigerians in the labour market. As if that is not enough, the salary of the few remaining workers was reduced by over 30 percent.

While workers were battling hard to recover from these undesirable occurrences, unrealistic goals set for the workers, which further attracted about 50 percent in salary cuts, if any worker is unable to meet the target. As

Although workers are experiencing situations worse than the above stated in several establishments, public and private, they find it difficult to express their frustrations for the fear of being suspended, made to work without payment or being dismissed, knowing the unbearable condition of the unemployed.

a result of these anomalies, the best hands in the company have kept resigning on a daily basis.

Although workers are experiencing situations worse than the above stated in several establishments, public and private, they find it difficult to express their frustrations for the fear of being suspended, made to work without payment or being dismissed, knowing the unbearable condition of the unemployed.

As we mark this year’s workers day, the government should try to design good policies that can guarantee the security of workers against abuse and also protect them from exploitation.

Additionally, a scheme should be designed to compensate workers in the event of unimaginable inflation, which is capable of jeopardising workers welfare. Ultimately, private establishments should avoid misusing and abusing workers for whatsoever reason. While this leads to unnecessary conflicts between employers and employees, it is more profitable to inspire workers than to intimidate them.

HAPPY WORKERS DAY. Paul E. Michael, a criminologist and civil activist, writes from Benin City, Edo State, and can be reached through paulebi4eva@gmail.com

Boko Haram: The end of a conspiracy?

By Gimba Kakanda

I

f the past administration took the Boko Haram for granted, making the disaster a justification for grand treasury theft and even failing to correct perception of its key figures as sponsors of the the group in conspiracy theories promoted to gullible and polarised citizens, the Muhammadu Buhariled administration, despite its controversial handling of the economy, clearly takes its predecessors as a bad model for conflict management.

A prominent politician once told me that the war on terror failed under former President Goodluck Jonathan because, aside from our popular ridiculing of the man as uncharismatic and clueless, he was “afraid of his service chiefs.”

This is interesting considering the involvement of heads of our security institutions in some of

the biggest heists in the history of Nigeria, diverting funds voted for counter-terrorism to their private causes and personal accounts. The region was thus allowed to be destroyed by the Boko Haram because of the evil benefits to these morally irresponsible public officers.

Quite unfortunate was the politicisation of counterterrorism, with the president even seeking to make it a Muslim agenda against his Presidency,

while conspiracy theorists in the North, indoctrinated by former Governor Murtala Nyako and even Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, portrayed the spate of killings as a covert operation of some Christian organisations or personalities eager to decimate the dominating North and its politically overpowered Muslims.

I have always seen the Boko Haram as a real conflict that emerged from our cultural flaws

I have always seen the Boko Haram as a real conflict that emerged from our cultural flaws and thrived on our institutional lapses. It’s not a conspiracy, it’s a reality to which many of us are firsthand witnesses.

and thrived on our institutional lapses. It’s not a conspiracy, it’s a reality to which many of us are firsthand witnesses.

I campaigned against Jonathan possessed by rage over his deliberate refusal to serve as a unifying figure at that critical point of our polarisation and distrust, for even making policy statements as he jumped from one pulpit to another, home and Israel.

I don’t think the past administration sponsored the Boko Haram, they just let it happen because of the billions allocated to our security agencies by the tricked and paranoid dispensation. Yet, the past few days, with the liberations of many towns previously sacked or occupied by the insurgents as announced by the Nigerian troops, internally displaced persons have been reunited with the only places they call homes,

giving another chance for them to breathe freedom again, and rebuild their lives.

The recent images of happy “returnees” posing for selfies with their liberators, the soldiers, were the most beautiful symbols out of Nigeria since 2009, the year the terrorist cult became an uncomfortable menace from a carelessly managed face-off with the security operations in Maiduguri.

The liberators are the same soldiers we once derided for their “tactical manoeuvres”.

What has changed? Leadership.

Responsible and effective leadership, not one that diverted the resources meant for the welfare of these rankand-file soldiers to causes other than counterterrorism.

May God save us from us!

Gimba Kakanda is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 13

Comment

The media, access to information and public audit

By Eze Onyekpere

E

ffective auditing, interpreted as good quality audits with followup mechanisms to implement recommendations, apply sanctions and recover funds to the treasury and impact on public policies, to a great extent depends on the decisive role of citizens and public opinion. It is the media that places at the disposal of citizens, the information they need to take informed decisions. It has been rightly stated in Saxbe v Washington Post (417 US 843, 1974) that any informed public depends on accurate and effective reporting by the news media. No individual can obtain for himself the information needed for the intelligent discharge of his political responsibilities. It is the means by which individuals secure the free flow of information and ideas essential to the intelligent self government. Thus, citizens will participate and follow up on audit issues to the extent that the media feeds the public with audit related information.

The constitutional freedom of expression (chapter IV, S.39), including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, coupled with the duty of the mass media to uphold the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy and the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people (S.22 of the Constitution) calls for increased media attention

to audit reforms. The media is a strategic partner in the audit reform process with a duty to explain, educate and inform the people. The mischief in the existing system needs to be highlighted while showing how new proposals will address the mischief and the public benefits derivable from reforms. The media can also facilitate informing people on what to do to ensure that reforms take place and point out the strategies to ensure that benefits accruing from the reforms are not reversed.

On the part of the office of the Auditor-General, the following has been noted as part of best practices (DFID How to Note – Working with Supreme Audit Institutions, 2005); identification of all major stakeholders and developing a communication policy for each; production of userfriendly reports and other outputs tailored to the needs of target audiences; senior management staff playing leading roles in formal and informal communication with stakeholders; and staff at all levels understand that they are ambassadors for the office in their interaction with external parties. Relating this to the work of the media means a specific policy and plan of the office of the Auditor-General to engage the media.

This could involve the yearly release of time tables for audit events, quarterly briefings on the progress of the work of the Office or any major findings, preparing media friendly versions of the annual audit report, having a

department in the office to deal with media issues, etc.

The work of the Public Accounts Committee of the legislature is another aspect of audit work that should be of interest to the media. It is for the media to publicise the content of their work, especially the recommendations of the committee, follow up with Ministries, Departments and Agencies to find out if audit recommendations have been implemented and if not implemented, the reasons for such a failure. Where grave violations of the law have been recorded by the Auditor- General and the Attorney-General refuses to prosecute the offenders, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission look the other way, the media has a duty to ensure that the matter is not swept under the carpet through updated media issues on the violations and the failure of constitutional or statutory duty holders to carry out their duties.

Experts have stated that transparency is central to quality audit work and this cannot be guaranteed without the intervention of the media.

Transparent audit work facilitates good public expenditure management and provides the feedback for informed debate. It helps prevent ministries, departments and agencies from doing things that cannot stand the test of scrutiny from outside and prevents the build-up of a crisis in secret.

Audit transparency increases faith in government as the citizens understand

how their resources are being used. To facilitate the work of the media, it is imperative that all unclassified audit documents, as public documents, should be available to the media and all citizens. This will help the media to do more detailed reports and provide informed opinion on the work of the Auditor-General. Information is the currency of accountability, and transparency allows accountability to be more effective.

It is recommended that the contents of the Model Audit Law prepared by ACCA on public access to information be adopted in the reform of the Nigerian audit process. The essential provisions are as follows: all reports issued by the Auditor General shall be considered public documents when the reports are presented to the legislature. As public documents, they shall be available to the public for a minimum cost recovery fee. The Auditor General will also make his reports publicly available in electronic format on the internet. The Auditor General shall provide copies of his published reports to the government archivist and National Library, all public and university libraries, the National Broadcasting Corporation and the press. In this way, audit reports become real public documents that will attract interest and debates from informed quarters.

The current practice where the Auditor-General of the Federation treats audit reports as confidential information is counter-productive and

will not lead to audit effectiveness.

Gone are the days when public officials plead confidentiality on reports on how public funds have been managed. It is even unimaginable that the AuditorGeneral somehow enjoys the contempt and levity that public servants attach to his reports. If the office actually understands the context of his work, he would have clearly opened up to the ultimate sovereigns – the citizens who indeed pay his salary and that of other public officers. To hide audit reports from the owners of the audit is simply untenable and cannot be justified under whatever guise. To even refuse to give out the audits on a Freedom of Information request is clearly against the clear provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and demonstrates a lack of understanding of the demands of the office. To even contemplate using public resources to defend a suit when one is brought is double jeopardy for the citizens. You do not get a report which you are entitled to and the same office denying you access to information is ready to defend the infraction with taxpayers’ money.

In conclusion, if the work of the Auditor-General is to become more effective, collaboration with the media is necessary. Wrongdoing should be exposed and good work commended and information should be available to the public through the mass media.

Eze Onyekpere, a practitioner writes in Abuja.

legal from

Borno: What lies ahead after Boko Haram

By Sam Ode

T

he news releases from Nigeria’s military are beginning to talk about clearing out “remnants” of Boko Haram. While this in no way implies a final end of the terror group and the dislocation they caused to the people living in the northeast of the country, it nonetheless marks a turning point in restoring order to the region.

One will talk of remnants only after the main body of the group and the threat it posed to Nigeria have been neutralised.

Evidence of the progress made in taming Boko Haram is in the group’s resort to aiming for soft targets and even this dimension has been largely tamed.

Many of its Amirs, commanders, have been killed, arrested or surrendered.

Its fighting militants have been pushed into enclaves and it is only a matter of time before something gives along the lines of surrendering, being arrested or killed.

But what lies ahead when Nigeria is able to announce a final victory over Boko Haram? No doubts, drawing from places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and other places that have battled fundamentalists, there is the reality that terrorists and the cells they have created do not just vanish back into the thin air.

There remains the risk that dormant sleeper cells will attempt reactivation while copycats may attempt to cash in on the notoriety created by Boko Haram for the kick of it. I believe the Federal Government through the various security services will come up with something to make Nigeria’s case an exception in the history of nations that had combated terrorism.

From my perspective, the biggest task ahead centers around the victims,

survivors and those affected by Boko Haram’s atrocities. Borno state happens to be the epicentre of the terrorists’ activities even though its neighbouring states also bore the brunt of the insurgency. This is why I think Borno state is the centre of rebuilding efforts in the post Boko Haram period.

In Borno state, same as its neighbours, some of the persons that were displaced by the insurgency are beginning to return to their communities while others are also giving thoughts to returning once they are certain that the armed fighters have been pushed farther away from their homes. Those who have been directly affected need psychological assistance, some have over stayed in the IDP camps but cannot go home due to the confusion of what to do and how to get their lives back on track, they require rehabilitation through useful ventures like farming and other ventures they were into before the disruption to the lives.

An immediate requirement is therefore the reconstruction of homes.

Many buildings were razed either by fighters or from bombardment during encounters. Other homes have simply fallen into disrepair after being abandoned by their owners who had to flee for safety. These homes have to be rebuilt and in rebuilding or repairing the homes, it would not be out of place to give them modern amenities as a way of ensuring that the residents that are returning have something to blunt the edge off the trauma and deprivation they have passed through both as victims of the insurgents and as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It would not be out of place to ensure that the new homes are better ventilated,

have basic toilet facilities and provision of potable water for communities that do not have it before.

We must also factor in how to strengthen the sense of community that existed prior to the disruption of life in this axis. To this end, facilities like markets, health centres, schools, public libraries and town halls should be seen beyond the function we know them to serve. They must be included in the rebuilding efforts as integral part of the social fabric that will create meeting points among returnees and as assets that will speed up the healing process.

Furthermore, efforts at rebuilding the northeast offer unprecedented opportunity at working with a new economic model that could later be adapted by other parts of the country.

Boko Haram’s reign of terror practically destroyed the economy of the region.

It is not enough to rebuild homes for those returning, it is as well important to empower them economically to begin contributing to the national economy.

My opinion is that the returnees should be set up to return to farming with the provision of the needed inputs. Those into business should be similarly empowered.

The additional layer to be added is to organise the willing ones into cooperatives to take up agro-processing to add value to the produce from those farming. Part of the amounts earmarked for rebuilding can be channelled into this venture in the form of a revolving fund.

Building houses and restoring economic activities would however not all that the affected persons need.

Till date, many of them are still in shock and would require therapy. If nothing is done to treat those in need on

intervention, the consequences of posttraumatic stress disorder could turn out to be overwhelming in the years ahead.

We must therefore leverage on the abundance of graduates in the relevant fields by asking youths to volunteer to serve in the rebuilt communities. Help must be available to those in need of it before they take a bad turn since the full impact of the trauma people have suffered will begin to manifest when the conflict died down. This must be backed up with Behavioural Change Communication to get the wider society to see things from the right perspective.

We can already see the dilemma of female Boko Haram abductees whose relations have ostracised upon their regaining freedom.

Similar to providing therapeutic services, we must immediately address what happens to orphans from the crisis. As the dust settles down in the wake of Boko Haram’s defeat, the true scale of children that have lost their parents and guardians would emerge. There must be a system set up for reuniting lost children with their families just as a system should be instituted for rehoming orphaned children. The various NGOs, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and relevant government departments in charge of preventing human trafficking must be part of this effort to ensure that vulnerable children do not leave the trauma of the war for the horrific ordeal that human trafficking is.

What about the youths? One assertion at the height of Boko Haram’s campaign of terror is that youths were easily recruited and radicalised because they were unemployed and in some cases uneducated. The interventions

listed above would provide some of these youths with employment but skill acquisition should be part of the rebuilding efforts. This will ensure that youths that want to seek their elsewhere will arrive in their new society already equipped to be able to seek jobs. As a safeguard measure, the security agencies must ensure that steps are taken to prevent re-radicalisation of the youths processed through the de-radicalisation and re-integration programme for former militants.

This raises the point of how security agencies must work with the communities to be re-established in creating early warning systems to flag extremism and other dangerous trends that could give indications if sleeper cells of the terror group attempt to activate or recruit new members. This must be put in place to ensure there is no resurgence of terrorism again.

All the itemised intervention will however require funding. The federal government, working with development partners, is working on funding the reconstruction efforts of the northeast. However, the extent of intervention as itemized requires more than whatever amount has been raised. Besides, the human contribution needed is beyond what money can buy.

Non-Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organisations, educational institutions and other bodies have roles to play in rebuilding the northeast. They must commit to helping the nation’s most vulnerable area at this time of their need.

I must confess that the task ahead is not a joyride but I appeal that we all give it our best.

Dr. Ode writes from Abuja.

PAGE 14

News Water minister gets consulting engineering honour

By Mohammed Usman

F

ollowing the water ministry’s efforts in manifesting the ‘Change mantra’ in its activities, the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN) has honoured the Minister of Water Resources, Eng. Suleiman H. Adamu.

In a statement signed by the Ministry’s Director of Information, Mrs. Margaret E. Umoh, the minister, who is also holding a traditional tittle ‘Danburam Kazaure’, at a grand Dinner Reception by the ACEN, remarked, “As an engineer, I am enjoying my profession in the ministry and promised to be the voice of the profession in Water Resources in particular and Nigeria in general” He however called on Nigerians to be patient with the present administration as they in the cabinet are poised to the change agenda of the administration.

Also at the dinner, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Musa Bello, said, “Today, we are honouring one of the best in this present administration as he has demonstrated on several fora his deep understanding of his calling as an engineer”.

Speaking on behalf of ACEN in his goodwill message, Vice President of ACEN, Engr. Charlse Yele Akindayomi thanked everyone for coming to honour the President who is the Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said that the President of ACEN represents the height of his professional calling which has presented him the opportunity to uphold the interests of the consulting engineering profession by giving direction to the 300 firm membership of the association.

He added that, Engr. Suleiman who is the current President of ACEN ascended to the position of President after 15 years of service to the association in various capacities, including that of the Vice President.

Also, he stated that as an accomplished engineer appointed as a minister of Water Resources, he will bring to bear, local content in doing business in government and a voice of the profession in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the President of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr. Otis Oliver Anyaeji, said that the minister being an engineer, business man and a public servant, has displayed resolute leadership that portrays intrinsic qualities as a perspective manager of men and materials.

He added that his position as the President of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria was therefore a deserved recognition that further confers trust and responsibility. “We are confident that he will discharge his duties creditably”, he said.

Various speakers extolled the virtues and professionalism of the minister and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing a sound professional, visionary and an achiever to head the Ministry of Water Resources.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

NASS restates opposition to grazing reserves

T

he Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, says the National Assembly will not support the creation of grazing reserves anywhere in the country.

Addressing newsmen on Sunday after a meeting of the South East governors and stakeholders in Enugu, Ekweremadu said that there was no bill on the creation of grazing reserves before the National Assembly.

He, therefore, said that the purported bill for the creation of grazing reserves was a ``hoax’’, adding that the press should strive to stop such rumours.

“There is no such proposal or bill on the creation of grazing reserves either in the Senate or House of Representatives.

“Nobody is considering it; not even at the executive level. I do not think they are considering it but we will not support it even if it has been considered,” he said.

Ekweremadu said that the meeting was convened in reaction to the attack on the people of Uzo Uwani by suspected herdsmen.

He said that the meeting reviewed all that happened since then and thanked all stakeholders who had shown sympathy to victims of the attack.

On the absence of Imo and Anambra governors, Ekweremadu said: “The South East governors proposed to meet today to review these matters but regrettably, the message did not get to Imo and Anambra governors.

“So you can see mainly the

PDP governors are here. So, they had to review the matter and more importantly, ensure that every governor will be in attendance in the next meeting.

“The meeting is rescheduled within the week where all the governors are expected to be in attendance,” he said.

Ekweremadu said that the meeting looked at a more regional approach to curbing the menace of the herdsmen so as to ensure that it did not happen again.

“We are looking at a concrete and more coordinated approach on how to protect our people from this carnage,” he said.

Also speaking, Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi said that there was no disunity among governors in the South East zone.

Umahi said that the governors would take a cursory look at the federal budget, when signed into law, so as to ensure that the zone got what was due to it.

He said that the governors would ensure the rehabilitation of federal roads in the zone if such arrangements were captured in the budget.

“I am sure the Federal Government’s budget is not yet signed. So when it is signed, it will be the duty of all zones to start agitating for attention,” Umahi said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Umahi, Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia attended the meeting.

(NAN)

• L-R: Chancellor Cathedral Church, Hon. Justice George Oguntade; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Diocesan Bishop and Dean Emeritus of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Most Revd. Dr. Ephraim Adebola Ademowu and his wife Mrs. Oluranti Ademowu and guest, Prelate Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Chukwumeka Uche during the 1st Session of the 33RD Synod of the Lagos Diocese at the Our Saviours Church TBS, yesterday in Lagos.

…As FG condemns quit calls for herdsmen from South East

T

he Federal Government has condemned calls by some individuals and groups in the south-east geo political zone for herdsmen to leave the region.

Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, made the condemnation on Sunday at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

He was addressing newsmen on the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) South-East stakeholders meeting.

According to him, the call is uncalled for, as President Muhammadu Buhari has directed relevant agencies to take appropriate actions in halting the

killings by suspected herdsmen.

“This situation is not pleasing to anybody but the Federal Government is desirous to achieve a peaceful, strong and united nation.

“The government appeals to south-easterners especially youths, not to take laws into their hands as a result of the development.

“The people should exercise patience, as the president has categorically condemned the herdsmen’s actions and directed that no effort should be spared in checking the situation.

“The Ibos are known globally to be peace loving and abhorrers of violence, as I enjoin them to

maintain such virtue,” he said.

The minister said that the meeting involved elected APC leaders, national leaders, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and other stakeholders from the zone.

“We discussed ways of consolidating on the party’s achievements and making it stronger because we want to start winning elections in the zone.

“We also discussed the disputed issue of state chairmanship of the party, as it will be resolved very soon,” he said.

Onu also urged Nigerians to be patient with the president on the issue of 2016 budget assent,

noting that he wanted to get things right.

“The president made promises to the nation; to ensure adequate security for the citizens, rapidly develop the economy, check unemployment, ensure the observance of the rule of law, among others.

“The budget estimate reflected all these promises but what was returned to the president did not conform with his intentions.

“He then demonstrated his resolve to ensure that things are done correctly, as continuing with the old ways of doing things has visible and dire effects,” he said.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 15

Political corruption, materialism bane of national development – Akinseye-George

T

he President of Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS), Prof.

Yemi Akinseye-George, (SAN), has identified political corruption, materialistic and unpatriotic tendencies as causes of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.

He stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the 50th birthday celebration of his wife, Mrs Olaide Akinseye-George, yesterday in Abuja. ``Political corruption is the mother of all corruption.

Wherever leaders are politically corrupt, they will do anything to get and retain power without considering national interest. ``Any kind of crisis we are having can be traced to political leaders having selfish interests.

``Unless we reform our political system, our democracy will not be sustainable,” he said.

Akinseye-George, a professor of Public Law stated that Nigerians need value re-orientation, in order to place priority on collective national interest for the nation to move forward.

According to him, we place too much emphasis on materialistic and mundane things, and this is affecting our priorities; we are too self-centered and materialistic.

“Let us think in terms of what we can do to help our country and not what we can get,’’ he urged.

The legal luminary also noted that the divisive tendencies of many leaders, which made them, promote what divide Nigeria must be stopped to give way to social harmony and national unity.

“Nigeria will only move forward if tribal and religious sentiments are taken out of decision making by leaders at all levels.

“We are all brothers, and we should work towards that sense of national brotherhood, patriotism and unity.

“Honestly, if we have a total political reform, have the right national value and a greater sense of patriotism, our future is bright as a country,” he asserted.

He, however, commended the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration for its effort in overcoming insurgency and other threats to national security.

“We have relative peace in Nigeria now, and we are grateful.

This shows that this Government is serious about security of lives

and property, and I know they can do more,” he said.

Akinseye-George, who saluted his wife’s achievements and contributions to humanity, said 50 years in the life of an individual was a milestone and therefore, moral lessons should be drawn from it.

“Because of the life expectancy in Nigeria, anybody who live up to 50 years and beyond should be most grateful to God. “I feel overwhelmed with gratitude to God as I celebrate my wife’s fruitful five decades.

“Nigeria should also draw lessons from this and be grateful to God. After over 50 years of independence, we have stayed together in spite all our challenges, and this tells me we have hope for a better Nigeria,”

Al-makura commiserates with Agara/ Jakonda family in Akwanga

R-L: Comptroller General Nigeria Prison Service, Mr. Peter Ekpendu, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Rep), Hon. Suleiman Kawu Sumaila, and Member House of Representatives, Hon. Mrakpo Onyenmachi, during a fact finding hearing on the alleged assault on Mrakpo Onyenmachi by some personnel of the Nigeria Prison Service, at the National Assembly, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

By Ali Abare Abubakar

G

Drama as NASC commissioner denies endorsing Efeturi as Clerk

By Umar Muhammad Puma

A

National Assembly Service Commissioner, Alhaji Idris Adamu Ningi has denied endorsing Efeturi as the Clerk of the National Assembly.

Adamu who is a commissioner representing the North East zone in the National Assembly Service Commission denied ever endorsing Mr. Ben Efeturi as Clerk to the National Assembly.

Alhaji Ningi was reported to have along with six other Commissioners endorsed Mr. Efeturi as Clerk penultimate week.

he assured.

NAN reports that the celebrant, Mrs Akinseye-George, also a lawyer, is a certified associate of the Chartered Institute of Mediators and Reconciliators and an Executive Director of the prestigious Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS).

NAN also reports that dignitaries from the public and private sectors, including the academia, as well as legal luminaries from the bench and the bar were present at the golden jubilee celebration.

Lawmakers, heads of parastatals and top government functionaries including the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang were also present. (NAN)

However in a hand written letter addressed to Chairman of the Commission, Malam Adamu Fika dated April 29th 2016, Ningi said he was fully in support of appointment of Barrister Mohammed Sani-Omolori as acting Clerk to the National Assembly.

The Commission is comprised of 12 members and the chairman making 13 in all. Ningi’s support for Omolori’s appointment, had reduced the number of those supporting Efeturi to six falling short of the required number of seven needed to reverse the appointment.

Ningi in the letter said on Tuesday 26th April 2016 alongside his colleague, Alhaji Rufai Tuta were invited for a meeting of the Commission with the Senate President Bukola Saraki at his residence around 7pm.

“There I met some of our colleagues already seated- Elder Yepwi, Funmilayo Lamuye, Paul Oweh and Joseph Oru. “At the meeting one of my colleagues walked towards my seat with a sheet of paper which he gave to my colleague sitting close to me, Alhaji Tuta to sign and thereafter gave it to me.

“I noticed that the paper was

merely to write our names, the zone we represent and signature to indicate our attendance at the meeting and I signed accordingly.

“I am therefore shocked and surprised to learn that I signed a document. No document was presented at the meeting and I did not sign any document but an attendance sheet.

“I could not have signed any document dissociating myself from the decision of the Commission as I had earlier on 19th April, 2016 in a hand written note expressed my support for the appointment of Alhaji Sani Omolori as acting Clerk to the National Assembly”.

overnor Umaur Tanko Almakura has called on the people of Nasarawa State to emulate the kind of life the late Mrs. Safiya Jakonda lived, and the selfless service she gave to the state, calling on all to take off from where she left.

Al-makura made this known yesterday when he led a high powered government delegation to Akwanga including his wife, Hajiya Salamatu Almakura to commiserate with the Deputy Governor, his wife and the entire Jakonda family over the loss of the their mother, Mrs. Safiya Jakonda.

He described the loss as one that could not be quantified in any way, stating it was a huge loss to the state due to her contribution and the entire Jakonda family to the state and to sustaining peace, since as far back as when Nasarawa was part of the old Plateau State.

The governor called on the family to take heart and be consoled knowing she lived a good life and her death was a calling by the Lord.

He prayed that her soul should rest in peace and all associated with the family be granted the fortitude to bare such a huge loss.

Responding on behalf of the family, Suleiman Jakonda thanked the governor for taking time off his official duties to come and console the family and the show of love he has shown to the family. He also appreciated the kind words the governor said about their mother.

He made it known that the family had scheduled the burial for Friday the 6th, of May. On his part, the Chun Mada, Mr. Samson Gamu Yare who also spoke at the venue, thanked the governor for his show of love to the family and prayed that the Almighty God continue to keep the governor and the bless him for his good deeds.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Politics

Hyat in PDP chairmanship race in Kaduna

F

ormer Minister of Aviation, Chief Felix Hyat, yesterday said that he would contest for the chairmanship position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna state.

Nationwide congresses of PDP began on Saturday at the ward level, with the local government and state cadres coming up on May 7 and May 10, respectively.

Hyat told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, Plateau, that he had consulted widely on his ambition and was determined to see it through. ``Yes, I will contest the PDP chairmanship seat in Kaduna State; that, I can tell you confidently,’’ he said.

The former minister, who was in Jos to monitor PDP’s ward congress, said that he had been convinced by his friends to go into the race. ``I have been convinced by my friends with whom we started the PDP together, to go for the top seat in the state. ``My friends convinced me that what the party needed was a very experienced and pragmatic leader to restart its building process,’’ he said.

He said that the party was ``down’’ and needed experienced hands to lift it up.

Hyat said that he had abundant experience in leadership and was well positioned to lead PDP’s rebuilding process having been a minister, Secretary to Kaduna State Government, chief of staff, local government chairman and legislator. ``I have also been Kaduna State financial secretary of the party, served in various committees and was also the state chairman of the unregistered Peoples Progressive Party in Kaduna State,’’ he added.

He promised to reposition PDP to meet the task of a credible opposition that would offer constructive criticism which would keep the ruling party on its toes ``for the benefit of Nigerians’’.

Hyat also said that he would run an all-inclusive administration if the party was entrusted into his hands, adding that he would address the issue of impunity which had affected the fortunes of the party over time.

He advised party leaders against arrogance and disregard for members, and suggested the need to take the party back to the members because ``ultimate democratic power belong to them’’.

He said that priority would be given to reconciliation of aggrieved persons, groups and interests, assuring that he would create an atmosphere where people would express their views so as to make for genuine reconciliation.

The aspirant decried the party’s leaders’ attitude of abandoning the practice of reaching out to losers after every election, and promised to bring back that policy.

According to him, the practice is always a vehicle for carrying every member along so as to ensure a sense of belonging to all.

He claimed that his chances of clinching the seat was ``very bright’’, saying that he was one elder that the party in the state could turn to, to effect genuine reconciliation ``even with those that have jumped ship’’. (NAN)

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu (middle), with APC stakeholders from the South-East zone after the stakeholders’ meeting, at Uburu in Abakalili on sunday.

Photo NAN

EFCC Probe: Allow security agencies to do their job- Prof Alkali

By Ahmed Abubakar

F

ormer Special Adviser to the former President Goodluck Jonthan on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali has advised the media and public to allow the anti-graft agencies to do their work and stop persecuting members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that have served in previous administrations.

Alkali stated this in a press statement yesterday signed and issued to Peoples Daily, indicating that he was compelled to react to attacks in the media against his party kinsmen over corruption charges levied against

them.

According to him, “I am constrained to respond to the continuous media reports in recent times concerning the ongoing investigations into the past administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the campaign funds of the Jonathan/ Sambo 2015 Presidential Campaign Organization (PCO)”.

Alkali declared that: “All this long, I have resisted the urge and temptations to join issues with the sponsors and writers of these stories, hoping that in good time, they will know the truth. However, it has become imperative at this stage, to urge writers of those stories to allow the security agencies, who are made up of highly competent

and well trained professionals, to handle the investigations diligently.

“My resolve to keep silent since these issues were first reported in the papers was mainly because of my fair understanding and respect of the system having served my country in various capacities over the years.

“The issues under investigation are within the powers of the relevant agencies charged with the constitutional responsibility to do so and I believe that the agencies have been doing their work without any interference by anyone.

I therefore have absolute confidence in the ability and capacities of the men and women who are saddled with this rather

difficult task of cleansing the system to do their work in line with their mandate”.

He advised that, “It is time we move away from the dramatisation of serious issues and focus our attention and energy towards consolidating on the gains of democracy in our country”.

Prof. Alkali declared that, “Contrary to popular notions, it is not PDP leaders that are on trial. It is not even the former PDP Government alone that is on trial. It is the ruling elite in the country that is on trial over our individual and collective failures.

And each and every one of us will, at some stage in life, face and hopefully past the integrity test.”

N56, 000 wage: Gov Ahmed urges workers to consider Nigeria’s economic situation From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

K

wara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed has urged Nigeria workers to base their requests for N56, 000 new minimum wage on current nation economic situation.

The governor promised workers in the state that his administration’s strategies in reducing the cost of governance and the renewed revenue generation mechanism will ensure prompt payment of salaries and pensions.

Governor Ahmed, represented by the State’s Head of Service, Hajia Zara Umar, gave this assurance at this year’s

Workers’ Day celebration held at the Metropolitan Square, Ilorin the state capital.

The governor noted that the state Internal Revenue Services (KWIRS) has been empowered to shore up the state’s internally generated revenue, adding that this will ensure the state government’s strive to meet up with its statutory commitments and infrastructural development are met satisfactorily.

Ahmed thanked workers and pensioners in the state for participating in the on-going verification exercise, promising that “the exercise is to give an accurate number of workers and pensions in its payroll, and to

block leakages.

The governor also said that data received from the exercise will be used for planning purposes which will facilitate growth and development in the state.

He commended the federal government for suspending monthly deductions at source for states who received bailout funds from the federal government.

According to him, “this will ease the financial challenges facing many of those states as we seek alternative measures to improve our economy”.

He however urged the labour unions to situate their request for upward review of minimum wage to N56, 000 within the

context of the economic challenges confronting all tiers of government in the country.

According to him, “As it is, most states can hardly pay salaries based on the current minimum wage not to talk of increasing it”.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Comrade Yekini Agunbiade listed a number of outstanding issues of labour awaiting resolution by the state government.

He called on the state government to increase the internally generated revenue of the local government councils so that that tier of government could meet their financial obligations to workers and pensioners.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 17

Politics

Herders Attacks: Security operatives must not limit investigations to a group - Sen. Abu Ibrahim Interview The clash between farmers and herdsmen have taken a more dangerous dimension in recent times, prompting federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wading into the matter.

Some people are of the opinion that perhaps, what we are having today is another form of insurgents, do you agree with them?

Senator Abu Ibrahim represents Katsina South in the Senate, in this interview with journalists, among other issues, calls on security operatives not to limit their investigations to a particular group in the quest to find lasting solutions to the alleged Fulani herdsmen attacks. Our Correspondents, Ali Abare Abubakar and Ikechukwu Okaforadi were there.

W

hen you are fighting insurgents and terrorist, the truth of the matter is that they can come in different forms. I come from a community that has a large number of Fulanis, two years ago we were all complaining about cattle rustling in my community and at the end of the day we were able to discover that these cattle rustlers are not even Fulanis. There has being cattle rearing for hundreds of years, but never a time did we have it this dangerous like what we experienced two years ago. About hundred people were killed in Faskari local government in my state, some people rode on motor cycles, stormed the place and opened fire on the community. Today, we have a development where the government of the day is flushing out Boko Haram from their hideouts, and truly they can take any form across Nigeria. We have terrorists flushed out in Mali, Libya is not stable, they are forced out of Chad and, obviously they would spread and take another form.

The Fulani cattle rustlers are very easy to identify, they live in the forests and their mode of dressing is very simple, but what is important for now is that we should not limit it to any particular group. If we limit it to any particular group, we would be limiting the scope of investigation by the security operatives. I must emphasize here that I am very pleased that President Muhammadu Buhari has given a clear cut directive to the security operatives to flush out and, that way we would know who they truly are and deal with them. They should not limit their investigations to a particular group. Secondly, if you do that, you would make the Fulani people become a target, because presently I learnt that they are just being killed everywhere now, some people now shoot and kill any Fulani person they see, so obviously you will need to find out what is going on through intelligence and my emphasis is that we should stop calling them Fulani herdsmen, let us call them terrorists, because that is what they are. They can be anybody,

at nights and move around the village to curb crime. So it is more advisable that all police men should be left in their local governments. But what we need to first of all do is to amend the constitution to accommodate community policing, because the law only recognizes that, even when we wanted to change it to Nigerian Police Commission , we could not do it, because in the constitution it is called the Nigerian Police Force. Yes we can amend the constitution to achieve that, but that process may take at least one and a half years, which would not address the present situation at hand.

Do you take into account fears in some quarters that some politicians might take advantage of the community police to outdo their political rivals?

Things are changing, we are going more scientific, elections are now going scientific, and the card reader is now in place, even if a politician wants to do anything, he cannot do much. I do not even think the politicians would just use the local police to clamp down on people, things have change.

Some of these people committing atrocities most of them are not even Nigerians, how do we get our boarders reinforced to stop this influx?

Senator Abu Ibrahim but for now, that is what they are. We should be careful, we should not go and complicate an already complicated situation, the security operatives should search everywhere, they should follow any possible clue and they should at the possibility of terrorists infiltrating our country too.

The situation has gone haywire, do you not think we should start looking at having ranches as a permanent solution for the cattle rustlers?

The issue is that as Nigerians we do not appreciate what we have, whether we like it or not meat is an industry and part of our food. Meat can create billions of naira for the economy and clearly meat is an economic activity, but unfortunately people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look at it that way because it is so common so much that one can easily get

without importing it. Meat is an industry that must be properly harnessed and provided with all that is required for it to flourish.

A Fulani herdsman is always at a lost, because you have allowed him to travel with his cattle through the bush and by the time he reaches his destination the cow would have lost half of its weight. So I completely agree with you that we have to go back to modern ways of farming methods. It is wrong to call the entire meat industry a Fulani business, because it is much more than Fulani, it is an industry because majority, if not all Nigerians consume meat. The ministry of agriculture should really think about what to do by modernizing our cattle rearing programmes. Our meat industry should be looked into properly; it should be provided the necessary enabling environment just like any other economic activity.

The rising cases of these attacks have provoked and renewed the conversation about the need for community policing, what is your view on this?

This discussion have being going on for a very long time, but we need to do is for it to go through the constitution amendment and it has always being my view that the Nigerian Police Force should be decentralized, my view is that all the rank and file in the Police should be left in their states of origin, because policing requires local language, local information and local connection and that is what is responsible for this view of mine. For instance, you take somebody from Katsina to work in Bayelsa where he does not understand the language, he is very far away from his family, he does not have enough salary cater for his divided family, how do you expect him to come out

Our boarders are very porous, we do not even have enough police men although they are not responsible for manning the boarders; we do not have enough policemen protecting over 170 million Nigerians, Nigerian Police should have being at least one million in number I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know the number of Immigration or Customs in the boarders . We are a large country with large boarders with other countries and to secure our boarders, we need understanding of our neighbours. Many countries now are destabilized, we have all manner of terrorists, the ISIS are operating in Libya and would like to expand to Niger and Nigeria , so they can do anything to establish a base here, so they can do anything that would cause havoc. That is why I am of the view that we should not limit what is happening to Fulani herdsmen, because that would amount to pronouncing somebody guilty when you are not sure of his level of involvement, that would also limit the scope of investigation.

The Boko Haram presently flushed out of Sambisa can equally spread into other parts of Nigeria, it could be people from Mali, Libya and any other country, so the security agents should look at every possibility not just Fulani herdsmen.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Politics

Emir of Keffi condoles with Etsu Nupe over his wife’s death

R-L: Assistant Director National Assembly Service Commission, Mr. Anefiong Samson, congratulating the Newly Elected Chairman of National Assembly Legislative Aide Forum, Comrade Darlington Udeh, and newly elected Vice Chairman, Mr. Salisu Zuru, during the election, at the National Assembly, recently Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

From Muhammad Lawal, Lafia

E

Adamawa PDP congress committee promises to be fair to all From Umar Dankano, Yola

M

embers of the state Congress Planning Committee of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have arrived Adamawa State capital with a promise to conduct a free fair and reliable congress for the party.

Acting Chairman of the

committee, Hon. Yusuf Barwa Gumel gave the assurance weekend at the party secretariat explaining to stakeholders of the party to be at ease that justice will be accorded to all manner of people involved in the national exercise with a view for their party to regain its lost glory in the scheme of things.

Gumel attested that they were

sent from the national secretariat of the party in Abuja to ensure leveled playing ground for all and sundry.

“Gentlemen and ladies as you see us here, we know the pains of loosing or winning election so we are assuring every one of justice in the exercise” he stressed.

Receiving the committee, state chairman of the party, Chief Joel

Madaki said Adamawa is the root of PDP as a party since all the founding fathers of the party emanate from the state urging them to do justice in their assignment.

Madaki also appealed to all in the party to accord them necessary support and corporation so that good result will be yielded at the end of the exercise.

APC to hold emergency meeting over Edo deputy governor’s attack From Benin

I

Osaigbovo

Iguobaro,

ndications emerged yesterday that the Edo state leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC), has concluded plans to hold an emergency meeting over the attack on the state deputy governor, Pius Odubu’s campaign team on Saturday evening at Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state.

The state APC chairman, Mr. Anselm Ojezua dropped the hint in a telephone interview with our Correspondent, in Benin, but however did not disclose the time and venue for the meeting.

He described the attack on the deputy governor as sad, urging the various governorship aspirants gunning to the party’s ticket and their supporters to exercise restraint and be circumspect ahead of the 10th September 2016 Governorship election.

According to him, “the meeting

is one of the possibilities that would come out of it.Nobody has fix the meeting yet to the best of my knowledge. Well, the point is that I got the report of the deputy governor’s attack Saturday, I felt very sad about it”.

Similarly, the state deputy governor, Pius Odubu, weekend narrated his ordeal in the hands of suspected assassins on his life at Auchi, Etsako Central Local Government Area, saying his security detail prevented him from receiving gunshots.

Odubu, who spoke through the Director of Strategy, Research and Planning for the 2016 Guber poll, Hon. Samson Osagie, said his security prevented him from receiving bullets.

He explained that the attack was a high point of a series of events targeted at his person and his governorship ambition, describing it as an act of cowardice perpetrated by people who fear a free, fair and credible democratic

contest.

He said Odubu, was on his way to Etsako Central, East and West councils to meet with party delegates when an unmarked vehicle broke into his convoy, causing his convoy to halt the journey for a while.

He called on the national chairman and members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives (APC) to pay more attention to the happenings in the Edo State chapter of the APC so that the party will not lose the only state it controls in the Southsouth geo-political zone.

He said six out of the people, who were injured during the incident, were receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital while two were still convalescing at a hospital in Auchi.

Meanwhile, the APC chairman in Etsako West Local Government Area, Alhaji Abubakar Akokhia, however, denied that the deputy governor was targeted in the

shootouts.

Akokhia, who spoke at the Edo State Government House in Benin, said he was with the deputy governor inside the venue of the meeting when they started hearing gunshots outside, adding that the shooting was carried out by Odubu supporters.

Similarly, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike has told journalists that some names have been mentioned over the attack and that he has given a marching order to his men to go after them and arrest them.

He insisted that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to book and advised all governorship aspirants to go about their campaigns peacefully even as he added that Edo 2016 governorship election will be very peaceful.

Peoples Daily reports that the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole has not made any official statement on the incident.

mir of Keffi in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Shehu CindoYamusa III has described the sudden death of the late Hajiya Fatima Bintu-Bagudu, wife of Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar as a big loss, not only to the people of his emirate but also to Niger State and the nation as a whole.

According to the traditional ruler, “the deceased showed love to people who live in her domain, irrespective of their tribe, religious inclination and in spite of these she was a Godly mother who has the interest of her subjects at heart above any other thing”.

Chindo-Yamusa III’s message was contained in a statement signed by his Personal Assistant, Abdullahi Isah-Maikeffi and made available to journalists weekend in Lafia The royal father said Etsu Nupe’s wife was a committed technocrat, patriotic woman leader and a detrabalised Nigerian.

According to him, “the deceased, wife of the Alhaji Abubakar showed love to her people who live in her domain, irrespective of their tribe, religious inclination and in spite of these, she was a Godly woman.

“Though God has his reason for taken her at this point in time, as the people of the state has enjoined her motherly advice, which will be greatly missed.

He said her death is a great loss not only to her people, Bida Emirate, Niger State, but to the entire country.

Chindo-Yamusa III averred that that the people of the emirate will however have consolation in the fact that late Hajiya BintuBagudu has left a legacy which would continue to be remembered by prosperity for generations yet to come.

The monarch however prayed God to grant her soul internal peace, Aljanna Firdausi and to as well grant the members of her family the power and ability to bear the irreparable loss.

NAN reports that late Haiya Bintu-Bagudu whose death occurred recently died after a protracted illness at the age 30, she is survived with 2 children and has been buried according to Islamic rites.

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

R-L: Chairman, Industrial Global Union, Sub-Sahara Africa, Comrade Issa Aremu, National President, Union of Textile Garment/Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, Comrade John Adaji with other comrades, during the Workers day/May Day on Sunday in Abuja

FG to pay subsidy on PMS T he Federal Government said it would pay subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit from the recoveries made in the first quarter of 2016.

This is contained in the latest Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) template released in Abuja.

It said that between

January and March, the Federal Government was able to save about N10 billion as a result of selling the product above the Expected Open Market Price.

According to the new template, the expected open market price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has risen to N99.38 per litre for independent and major oil marketers and N98.62 per litre for NNPC retail

outlets.

It added that the expected open market price was the actual price of the product without subsidy and it was based on the current exchange rate of N197 to a dollar.

It said that at the current price of N86 per litre at NNPC retail outlets, the Federal Government was paying N12.62 per litre as subsidy on the

product and N12.88 per litre as subsidy for other oil marketers’ price of N86.50.

A breakdown of the template revealed that for NNPC retail outlets and independent and major oil marketers, the Landing Cost of PMS imported into the country was N84.32 and N85.08 per litre respectively, It stated that the distribution margin, which include retailers,

transportation, bridging fund and dealers margin among others stood at N14.30 for both the NNPC and other marketers.

According to the statement, this brings the current Expected Open Market Price to N98.62 and N99.38 for NNPC retail outlets and other marketers respectively.(NAN)

ADB Potato value chain project to begin in Plateau - Coordinator

T

he African Development Bank (ADB) potato value chain project that will boost potato farming will commence in Plateau soon.

The Coordinator of the project, Mr Thaddeus Yelwa, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Monday.

According to him, once the project commences, the state will

be producing Irish potato three to four times annually.

Yelwa explained that the project aimed at improving the quality and quantity of potato farming in the state would empower farmers with improved seedlings and other farming tools.

He added that the value chain project would be an offshoot of Fadama ll programme which

ended in 2012. ``Plateau is rated the leading state in terms of execution and utilisation of funds made available by ADB for fadama ll projects. ``This is why the bank has also agreed to include us in the six states that will benefit from the additional funding. ``This time around the money will be channel into improving

potato farming because we produce it in high quantity here in Plateau. ``This project will soon take off, and it will cover the aspect of production, storage, processing, which is value addition and also marketing of the product. ``Let me assure you that with all modalities put in place, Plateau will be producing potato four to five times in a year once

the project begins,’’ Yelwa assured.

He further explained that with project on full course, potato farmers would smile home as ordeals they usually encounter would be taken care of by the project.

He urged Plateau citizens to go into potato farming, saying ``it is a very lucrative and viable business’’. (NAN)

Page 20

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Energy

FAAN boss assures airport users of befitting terminals T he Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, on Monday in Lagos said the agency was working toward providing the best terminals for airport users across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dunoma stated this while speaking with

aviation correspondents at the inauguration of the Aviation White House built by Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN).

Dunoma said that a lot had been done to improve on safety of both the airlines and passengers at airports.

He said that work had been completed on the air side in some

airports which could be attested to by pilots who used the facilities.

According to him, passengers will soon start experiencing better facilities as soon as the new terminals are put into use as works have reached advanced stage.

On the construction of cargo airports in some designated states, he explained that some equipment for the airports had arrived but

work had slowed down due to paucity of funds.

Dunoma said that FAAN would commence work by prioritising six of the cargo airports and completing them ``as soon as funds are available’’.

According to him, the revenue generated from the airports will be channelled toward completion of others.

He said that FAAN was discussing with other aviation agencies on how to recover debts owed by the airlines.

The FAAN boss commended the organised labour for the peaceful relationship with the management and congratulated ATSSSAN for successfully erecting the edifice.

(NAN)

Oil down 2% as OPEC output hike sparks profit-taking

O

il prices fell about 2 percent on Monday as production from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries was close to all time peaks and record speculative buying in global benchmark Brent sparked profit-taking on last month’s outsized rally.

OPEC’s crude production climbed in April to 32.64 million barrels per day, close to the highest level in recent history, a Reuters survey showed.

Iraq’s April exports from southern fields increased, as did seaborne exports from Russia, the biggest exporter outside OPEC. Traders also cited a bearish stockpile rise of 821,969 barrels at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery point for U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI)crude futures during the week to April 29.

Brent crude rose 21.5 percent in April, its largest monthly gain in seven years. Speculator bets on higher Brent prices reached all-time peaks last week, while

bullish bets on WTI futures and options rose to 10-month highs, feeding investor views prices may have risen too far, too fast.

“While such huge speculative length in the crude benchmarks isn’t capable of independently reversing the strong up trend of recent months, it will certainly act to accentuate price declines,” said Jim Ritterbusch of Chicago-based oil markets consultancy Ritterbusch & Associates.

Brent’s new front-month

contract, July LCOc1, was down 80 cents at $46.57 per barrel by 11:04 a.m. EDT, after hitting a session low of $46.14.

On Friday, the June contract for Brent expired as the frontmonth at $48.13, after setting a six-month high at $48.50.

WTI CLc1 was 50 cents lower at $45.42 a barrel, having slipped to $45 earlier.

Monday’s volume in Brent was notably lower with the market in London closed for the May Day holiday. The premium

until Friday in Brent’s frontmonth versus second-month, known as “backwardation”, also ended, with a discount, or “contango”, now in its place.

“We would not be surprised to see the rally pause for breath soon and feel that the risks currently lie more to the downside,” London-based Capital Economics said in note.

“We are leaving our end-2016 forecasts (for both Brent and WTI) at $45 per barrel, slightly below today’s levels.”(Reuters)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 21

ICT

Nigeria to become largest Free BCE TV platform globally – Expert to buy

N

igeria has been projected to be the largest free digital television platform globally with estimated 30 million TV households by the completion of analogue broadcasting switch off in June 2017.

The Deputy Chairman of Cable Channels Nigeria Ltd., Mr Mohammadu Bawa, disclosed this at a gala night attended by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Jos on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports CCNL is the official Nigeria contents aggregator for the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) which the country is expected to completely switch on to by the June 2017.

Bawa said that compared to the UK which had 10 million consumers, Australia with 13 million and New Zealand with three million, Nigeria would be in the lead with its 30 million free TV household by 2017.

He said the free TV broadcast

platform would offer home entertainment and educative channels to viewer through the DTT and Digital Satellite (DSAT) which would come on board at a later date. ``The responsibilities of the free TV included platform and contents management, consumer, audience measurement, signal contribution, branding and promotion and other services.

In addition to the free to air channels, he said the DSO would help in the development of more movie and music channels.

Bawa said there would be electronic programming guide to viewers on what were available for viewing and other public information. ``The free TV will comprise of existing national content and local free to air channels, selected thematic channels and selected international free to air channels,’’ he said.

He said the Federal Government

through the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had assigned the distribution of Free-Top Boxes to CCNL. Free-top box is the receiver to be placed on the television box to convert analogue transmission to digital.

Bawa said the boxes which ought to cost about N10,000 had been subsidised by government to cost N1,500 and it would be produced locally.

He assured effective and efficient circulation of the boxes in the entire DSO region to secure the widest possible reach with value for consumers.

The Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Alheri Saidu, said the journey to digital broadcasting started in 2006 with the target to conclude the process in 2012.

Saidu said the switch over failed twice - 2012 and 2015 - before the

deadline of June 2017 was given. ``It took the efforts of the new administration to pull the string to start the process of moving the country to digital television broadcasting. ``What we are witnessing today is the commissioning of Free TV, the vehicle to which we will be watching a new regime of digital broadcasting in the country,’’ Saidu said.

The Plateau Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mohammed Ahmed, thanked the Federal Government ``for singling out Plateau from many capable states to launch DSO’’.

He said with the dossier of being the state where the colour TV started in Nigeria, Plateau was setting another record on DSO. NAN reports that the minister commissioned the Free TV as a brand, stressing that DSO would democratise information in the country. (NAN)

Facebook hit with lawsuit over plan to issue new stock

A

Facebook Inc (FB.O) shareholder filed a proposed class action lawsuit on Friday in a bid to stop the company’s plan to issue new Class C stock, calling the move an unfair deal to entrench Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg as controlling shareholder.

The lawsuit, filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, followed the social networking company’s announcement on Wednesday of its plan to issue the shares.

The rejiggering of Facebook’s share structure is effectively a 3-for-1 stock split. Zuckerberg’s said in December that he intends to put 99 percent of his Facebook shares into a new philanthropy project focusing on human potential and equality.

The lawsuit contends that a Facebook board committee which approved the share deal “did not bargain hard” with Zuckerberg “to obtain anything of meaningful value” in exchange for granting Zuckerberg added control.

In a statement, Facebook said the plan “is in the best interests of the company and all stockholders.” The company has said keeping Zuckerberg at the helm is key to its future success.

Facebook plans to create a new class of shares that are publicly listed but do not have voting rights. Facebook will issue two of the so-called “Class C” shares for each outstanding Class A and Class B share held by shareholders. Those new Class C shares will be publicly traded under a new symbol.

Zuckerberg “wishes to retain this power, while selling off large amounts of his stockholdings, and reaping billions of dollars in proceeds,” the lawsuit said.

“The issuance of the Class C stock will, in effect, have the same effect as a grant to Zuckerberg of billions of dollars in equity, for which he will pay nothing,” it said.

Google settled a lawsuit in 2013 shortly before trial which cleared the way for that company to execute a similar plan. (Reuters)

Manitoba Telecom in C$3.1bn deal

C

anadian telecom and media company BCE Inc said it would buy Manitoba Telecom Services Inc for about C$3.1 billion ($2.5 billion) to expand in the western Canadian province.

Canada’s biggest telecom companies BCE, Rogers Communications Inc (RCIb.TO) and Telus Corp (T.TO) - are locked in an intense battle to increase their share of the wireless market.

BCE will pay C$40 per share, representing a premium of 22 percent to Manitoba Telecom’s Friday closing.

Montreal-based BCE will also assume the company’s outstanding debt of about C$800 million.

BCE said it would divest about one-third of Manitoba Telecom’s postpaid wireless subscribers to Telus Corp (T.TO) following the completion of the deal to allay regulatory concerns.

BCE, which is known as Bell to its customers, also said on Monday it plans to invest C$1 billion over five years after the transaction closes to expand its broadband networks and services in Manitoba.

The investment will be used to expand its broadband services in television and internet as well as to integrate Manitoba Telecom’s data center with BCE’s existing data and cloud computing centers, the company said in a statement.

Manitoba Telecom shareholders will have a choice of receiving C$40 in cash or 0.6756 of a BCE share for each share held.

BCE said it would pay 55 percent of the purchase price in stock and the remainder in cash.

The company will fund the cash component internally and will issue about 28 million shares for the deal.

The combined company’s Manitoba operations will be known as Bell MTS and Winnipeg, Manitoba will become BCE’s Western Canada headquarters, it said in a statement.

The deal comes about 5 months after Manitoba Telecom sold its unit Allstream Inc to U.S.based Zayo Group Holdings Inc (ZAYO.N) in November for about C$465 million to focus on its telecommunications business.

Page 22

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Business Fidelity Bank posts N34.4bn gross earnings in 2016

F

idelity Bank Plc., has posted gross earnings of N34.4 billion for the first quarter ended March 31,

2016.

This is contained in the first quarter unaudited report issued by the bank and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

The report shows that the figure was against the N36.4 billion recorded in the comparative period of 2015.

Its net interest income increased by 30 per cent to N16.1billion from N12.4 billion achieved in the first quarter of 2015.

Also, the bank’s net operating income increased by 6.2 per cent to N20.8 billion from N19.6 billion posted in the preceding period of 2015.

Its profit before tax stood at four billion naira in contrast with N4.7 billion in 2015, a decrease of 14.6 per cent.

The report said the bank’s profit after tax declined by 10.5 per cent to N3.6 billion from four billion naira in 2015. ``The bank’s total expenses increased by 15.7 per cent to N16 billion from N13.9 billion in the first quarter of 2015,’’ it stated.

The report shows that its total assets increased to N1.28 trillion from N1.23 trillion in 2015.

The bank said that the financial performance for the quarter was a reflection of the continued slowdown in business activities.

It stated that lower government revenues arising from depressed oil prices, lower interest rate regime and weaker macro-economic environment contributed to slowdown in business activities. ``We continued to improve the earnings capacity of our balance sheet (fund based income) despite the decline in fee income,’’ the report said.

It explained that the bank’s key objectives for the 2016 full year remained redesigning of its systems and processes to enhance service delivery and cost optimisation initiatives to reduce expenses by per cent.

The report added that the bank would ensure proactive risk management, increased customer adoption and migration to digital platforms and increase retail banking market share.(NAN)

A long queue of customers at automatic teller machine (ATM), Ikorodu, yesterday in Lagos

Economic crisis: Don urges FG to constitute a formidable Economic Team

D

r Aminu Usman of the Department of Economics, Kaduna State University, has advised the Federal Government to urgently constitute a formidable Economic Team to proffer solution to the current economic challenges.

Usman gave the advice in Abuja on Monday at the Annual General Meeting and Lecture of the 1988 Economics Set of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, with the theme: ``Winning Back the Strength of the Naira: Prospect and Challenges.”

The don said government should, as a matter of urgency, ``put in place an Economic Management Team that is not partisan but highly professional and a breed without greed. ``The government should select a team that will be committed and dedicated to the Nigerian Project to assist in designing appropriate economic policies for the country. ``The economic management team should ensure that export promotion incentives hitherto withdrawn, due to corruption and other vices, be restored. ``The team should cause certain tariffs and bans to be imposed on certain category of

items in order to protect the local industries,’’ he said.

Usman said government and stakeholders must realise the urgent need to keep the currency strong and save it from continued depreciation and bastardisation.

The don advised that the team should also implement the Fiscal Responsibility Act to enforce financial discipline in the country.

To discourage over reliance on imports, Usman said the government should offer incentives to manufacturing firms to promote innovation, local content development, foreign exchange earning potential and employment generation.

According to him, the government should give agriculture, education and mineral sector priority attention so as to diversify and address the problem bedevilling the economy. ``The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should address the recurring policy inconsistencies that characterised foreign exchange management and must be on top of policy issues. ``CBN should have in place a positive and complementary relationship between the fiscal

and monetary policy,” he said.

He advised the government to embark on vigorous campaigns for buying made-in-Nigeria goods to help conserve our foreign exchange reserves and ease the pressure on the Naira. ``Buying local materials has the added advantage of alerting the entrepreneurial community of the existence of a gap in the market to be filled. ``To achieve that, government should evolve proper orientation strategies to promote patriotism and nationalism through the relevant agencies like National Orientation Agency,’’ he said.

Usman further advised government to develop the fashion, entertainment and Information and Communication Technology industries for exports to other African countries. ``The ubiquitous fashion houses could be grouped for standardisation of their products and creating an export focused fashion industry. ``The government should encourage Diaspora Nigerians to make remittances home and support Nigerians schooling abroad to take up appointments there in order to increase the

inflow of foreign exchange to the country. ``There should be a structural shift in the economy and Nigeria should benchmark other successful developing countries,’’ he said.

Also speaking at same occasion, the lead discussant, Mr Aro Rasaq, the Managing Director of Nigerian Infrastructural Bank, urged the Federal Government to come up with monetary policies to strengthen the Naira.

Rasaq said that the country should concentrate on products that it has comparative advantage on to boost its foreign reserves, especially agricultural produce.

He said Nigeria should diversify the economy from oil, saying ``we don’t need to be solely an oil exporting country to be prosperous.’’

In her remarks, Dr Salamatu Isah, Head of Department, Economics Department, ABU appreciated the contributions of the set to the development of the institution.

Isah said the set had been registered in the Alumni of the University and solicited support from the group to move the department forward. (NAN)

World Bank donates 500 million dollars for food, livelihood project

M

r Tayo Adewumi, the National Project Coordinator, Fadama III Additional Financing (AF) said that the World Bank has donated 500 million dollars for its North-East Food and Livelihood Support Project.

Adewumi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that the project would assist the displaced persons from the North-Eastern part of the country that were affected by the insurgency to return to normal life. ``The project by the World Bank is aimed at supporting the intention of the Federal Government to deal with the situation in the NorthEast, through food security and livelihood. ``The project will help those who lost their livelihood from the Boko Haram insurgency and continued clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers.

``The Federal Government in 2015 launched a project to support their livelihood and bring back the displaced people to reunite with their family members”.

According to him, the outcome of that launch is how to restore their livelihood through agriculture. ``So, the project is an emergency one and we need to start it early to support the Federal Government’s agenda on bringing peace to the affected states, ’’he said.

He said that the states that would benefit from the project are Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe.

Adewumi said the project was simply to give give hope to the hopeless. ``We want to compliment government’s efforts by encouraging most of them into farming by providing fund and inputs such as fertilizer and

improved seeds to boost their production. ``President Muhamadu Buhari had mandated the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, some few weeks ago, to make sure that all IDPs return back to farming. This is a matching order on our honourable minister.

“We at Fadama III AF, a unit under the Ministry of Agriculture, has taken it upon ourselves that all our fadama farmers are fully involved in this business by encouraging them to join farming as their own venture,” he added.

Adewumi said that the World Bank and the Federal Government have agreed that the project was an emergency case and should be treated as one.

He said that the project started on March 1 in all the six states and all expenses incurred would be refunded. ``Another area of our focus is to

encourage more women and youths to take this project seriously.

We need to re-orientate the youths, even the young ladies, because they have passed through trauma. ``We need to create awareness, sensitisation, remobilise and refocus their attention into farming.

We are going to support them in terms of production activities, processing, create markets to sell their produce. ``We need to also encourage women on what they can do within their domain to give them a sense of livelihood and have bumper harvests, ‘’Adewumi said.

He said that Fadama III AF, was chosen for this project because it has proven to be efficient in delivering in a short time.

He, however, called for more support from the affected state governments for early execution of the project. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 23

Stock Watch: Monday, April 2, 2016 Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

7UP 170 170 170 170 170

MBENEFIT 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

0 6 151,035 25,675,959.95

MCNICHOLS

ABBEYBDS 1.25 - - - - 0 - -

1.21 0.03 2

ABCTRANS 0.5 - - - - 0 - ACADEMY 0.55 - - - - 0 - ACCESS 4.05 4.11 4.1 4.06 4.06 0.01 59 1,887,248 7,709,066.30 ADSWITCH 1.63 - - - - 0 - -

1.18 1.21 1.21 1.21 270,464 327,261.44

MOBIL 150 - - - - 17 10,350 1,521,554.60 MORISON 1.73 - - - - 0 - MRS 49.66 - - - - 0 - MTECH 0.91 - - - - 0 - MTI 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

AFRIK 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

MULTITREX 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

AFRINSURE 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

MULTIVERSE 0.5 - - -

AFRIPRUD 2.58 2.46 2.46 2.46 2.46 -0.12 26 979,264 2,412,030.84 - 0 - AFRPAINTS 2.59 - - - - 0 - -

NAHCO 4.02 4 4 4 4 -0.02 22 251,094 1,001,583.80

AGLEVENT 0.77 - - - - 2 5,500 4,165.00

NASCON 6.86 - - - - 9 80,100 560,610.00

AIICO 0.8 - - - - 6 62,998 50,338.15 AIRSERVICE 2.29 - - - - 1 4,588 10,001.84 ALEX 9.84 - - - - 0 - ALUMACO 7.75 - - - - 0 - ANINO 0.25 - - - - 0 - ARBICO 5.04 - - - - 0 - -

NB 99.99 99.94 99.94 98.5 99.9 -0.09 68

293,234 29,196,308.21

NCR 11.02 - - - - 0 - NEIMETH 0.72 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.69 -0.03 5

NESF 552.2 - - - - 0 - NESTLE 700 715.5 700 700 700

ASHAKACEM 24 - - -

0

-

NIG-GERMAN 4.91 - - -

15

109,227 2,671,023.97

ASOSAVINGS 0.5 - - - - 0 - -DUNLOP 0.5 - - - - 0 - EKOCORP 3.72 - - - - 0 - ELLAHLAKES 4.26 - - -

518,000 357,600.00

NEM 0.73 - - - - 6 134,441 99,520.75

41

75,818 52,951,924.47

- 0 - NIGERINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - NIGROPES 7.46 - - - - 0 - NNFM 6.65 - - - - 1 433 2,736.56 NPFMCRFBK 1.08 - - -

- 0 - ENAMELWA 29.78 - - - - 0 - -

-

1

4,760 4,950.40

NSLTECH 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

EQUITYASUR 0.5 - - -

OANDO 3.48 3.65 3.49 3.47 3.47

- 0 - -

-0.01

ETERNA 1.76 1.84 1.84 1.84 1.84 0.08 6 97,300 177,432.00

OKOMUOIL 30 - - - - 5 12,300 364,216.00

84

3,565,310 12,378,579.44

0.5 - - - - 0 - ETI 15.6 - - - - 14 177,450 2,635,288.67 OMATEK OMOSAVBNK 0.92 - - - ETRANZACT 3.1 - - - - 0 - EVANSMED 0.5 - - - - 0 - FBNH 3.79 3.93 3.86 3.8 3.8 0.01

184 90

PAINTCOM 1.04 - - - - 0 - PHARMDEKO 2.14 - - -

5,055,956 19,275,492.20

- 0 - -

FCMB 0.87 0.84 0.87 0.84 0.85 -0.02

- 0 - -

PORTPAINT 3.36 - - - - 0 - -

29,249,726 24,926,812.18

PREMBREW 2.95 - - - - 0 - -

FIDELITYBK 1.21 1.22 1.22 1.22 1.22 0.01 12 128,900 157,724.34

PREMPAINTS 10.93 - - -

FIDSON 2.69 - - - - 27 614,065 1,572,223.05 - 0 - PRESCO 34 35.7 - - - FIRSTALUM 0.5 - - - - 0 - 0.5 - - - - FLOURMILL 18.4 18.99 18.99 18.99 18.99 0.59 27 197,247 3,727,672.78 PRESTIGE PZ 21.9 - - - - FO 342 - - - - 6 15,200 4,938,480.00 RAKUNITY 0.5 - - - - FORTISMFB 5.15 - - - - 0 - REDSTAREX 3.8 - - - - FTNCOCOA 0.5 - - - - 0 - REGALINS 0.5 - - - - GCAPPA 14.46 - - - - 0 - RESORTSAL 0.5 - - - -

GLAXOSMITH

24.17 25.37 25.37 24.99

25.33 1.16

29

5 11,400 412,350.00 0 - 12 36,726 816,355.90 0 - 3 12,500 49,875.00 0 - 0 - -

ROADS 6.6 - - - - 0 - -

501,798 12,648,111.26

ROKANA 0.6 - - - - 0 - -

GNI 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

ROYALEX 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

GOLDBREW 0.97 - - - - 0 - -

RTBRISCOE 0.5 - - - - 1 941 470.50

GOLDINSURE 0.53 - - -

SCOA 3.96 - - - - 0 - SEPLAT 302.48 317.6 318 318 318

- 0 - -

15.52 30

GUARANTY 16.87 17.45 17.45 16.59 16.66 -0.21

149

388,650 123,626,470.56

SIMCAPVAL 103.24 - - - - 0 - -

3,576,744 59,751,776.00

GUINEAINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - -GUIN-

SKYEBANK 1.08 1.12 1.08 1.07 1.07 -0.01 39 1,959,858 2,104,852.11 SKYESHELT 100 - - - - 0 - -

NESS 118 - - - - 10 15,500 1,818,000.00 SMURFIT 1.02 - - - - 0 - HMARKINS 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 2 5,004,000 2,502,000.00 SOVRENINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - HONYFLOUR 1.37 - - -

-STACO 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

-

STANBIC 14.15 - - - - 5 37,001 523,343.90

4

20,000 27,916.00

IAINSURE 0.5 - - - - 0 - IKEJAHOTEL 2.89 - - - - 0 - INFINITY 1.42 - - - - 0 - INTBKPREF 13.5 - - - - 0 - INTBREW 20 20 - - - 6 14,700 284,197.00 INTENEGINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - INTERLINK 4.21 - - - - 0 - -

Top Gainers Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

1.73 1.73 1.73 1.73

1.73

13

0

1,104,932 1,911,701.10

STUDPRESS 2.19 - - - - 0 - TANTALIZER 0.5 - - - - 0 - THOMASWY 0.61 - - - - 0 - -

Top Losers Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

SEPLAT 302.48 317.6 318 318 318 30 388,650 123,626,470.56 GLAXOSMITH

STDINSURE 0.5 - - - - 0 - STERLNBANK

24.17 25.37 25.37 24.99 29

501,798 12,648,111.26

FLOURMILL 18.4 18.99 18.99 18.99 18.99 0.59 207,732 3,926,887.78

Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

AFROMEDIA 0.5 - - - - 0 - LENNARDS 3 - - - - 0 - RTBRISCOE 0.5 - - - - 1 941 470.50

WAPCO 80 80.5 80.5 80.5 80.5 19 14,337,554 1,154,154,991.51

DUNLOP 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

DANGSUGAR

ETI 15.6 - - - - 14 177,450 2,635,288.67

5.44 5.36 5.6 5.36 44 2,017,332 11,033,075.32

ETERNA 1.76 1.84 1.84 1.84 1.84 0.08 97,300 177,432.00

INTBKPREF 13.5 - - - - 0 - -

LEARNAFRCA 0.81 0.85 0.89 0.85 0.08 610,400 526,304.00

UBN 5.3 - - - - 8 24,412 126,491.00

UNITYBNK 0.6 0.63 0.63 0.63 0.63 0.03 501,617 316,018.71

PREMBREW 2.95 - - - - 0 - -

PAGE 25

Peoples Daily, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 24

Special Report

What made Papa Wemba so influential? boxers Muhammad Ali and George Forman fought in Kinshasa’s Rumble in The Jungle, artistic differences and money squabbles prompted Papa Wemba, along with fellow band members Bozi Boziana and Evoloko, to leave the band and form the successful Isifi Lokole and later Yoka Lokole.

But it was when he put together his band Viva La Musica in 1977 that Papa Wemba really came into his own.

Always innovative he introduced the lokole into the mix, a traditional instrument made out of a hollowed out tree trunk and hit with sticks.

There was more emphasis on his distinctive

“

Papa Wemba died after collapsing on stage at a music festival in Ivory Coast

T

ributes have been pouring in for Congolese musician Papa Wemba who died on Sunday morning after collapsing on stage.

African music expert Rita Ray looks at what made him so influential.

Papa Wemba, or Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, was rebellious, prolific, a style icon, at times notorious and always innovative, who was well known as one of the pioneers of modern Congolese soukous music.

But he was very clear about how he wanted to be remembered, according to the sleeve notes from his 1995 album Emotion.

“When people talk about Papa Wemba, I don’t want them to say I am an African singer, or a world music singer,” he said. “I would like people to say just ‘singer’. Because that’s

what I am. A singer. Full stop.”

Papa Wemba entered the competitive world of Congolese music in December 1969, 10 years after his country’s independence.

It had been a traumatic era of civil war, assassinations and political instability. Yet the music created there, a potent blend of Cuban, Latin American and traditional African sounds, made Kinshasa the music capital of the continent.

Rumba was all the rage.

It crossed boundaries and swept across Africa with the likes of Franco and TPOK Jazz, Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr Nico driving its popularity, their big dance orchestras harking back to the euphoric days of independence.

Then Papa Wemba and a group of forward-looking high school kids formed

Zaiko Langa Langa, a band that was to revolutionise rumba music and lay the foundations for the new era of soukous to come.

Influenced by Western pop and rock combos of the 1960s and no doubt a lack of money to buy instruments, Zaiko Langa Langa went against form, they stripped out the horn sections prevalent in the rumba orchestras of the time and pushed the electric guitar and snare drum to the fore.

The band was hip rebellious and became legends of the genre.

They featured several singers singing in harmony and tinkered with the sebene - the fast improvised instrumental section of soukous music.

The name Zaiko is a contraction of Zaire ya bokoko - the Zaire of our ancestors - the langa langa

mournful falsetto vocals which were inspired by his greatest musical influence, his mother, a professional funeral dirge singer.

He was amazingly popular at home, where his house became a hangout for the cool youth who followed his music and style.

Starter of the sapeurs He became the leader of the Sape - short for Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes d’Elegance or Society of Ambiance-ists and People of Elegance - whose members, the sapeurs, were known for their elegant style of dress.

“The Sapeur cult promoted high standards of personal cleanliness, hygiene and smart dress,

refers to an ethnic group from the equatorial region.

How prescient, President Mobutu Sese Seko was to change the country’s name to Republic of Zaire in 1971.

The officially sanctioned authenticity movement which followed also directed the band to look more into African heritage for musical inspiration.

In 1974, a month after

How prescient, President Mobutu Sese Seko was to change the country’s name to Republic of Zaire in 1971. The officially sanctioned authenticity movement which followed also directed the band to look more into African heritage for musical inspiration.

Cuban, Latin American and traditional African sounds all mixed to make Kinshasa the musical capital of the continent

to a whole generation of youth across Zaire,” Papa Wemba said.

“When I say wellgroomed, well-shaved, well-perfumed, it’s a characteristic that I am insisting on among the young. I don’t care about their education, since education always comes first of all from the family.”

To his dismay, the movement that started out as a means of establishing an identity for the youth at home and abroad was taken to extreme lengths and sapeurs begged, borrowed or stole to buy designer clothes they could not afford.

When he formed Viva la Musica he began to source and nurture a steady stream of the most talented musicians including the young Koffi Olamide and Reddy Amisi who would become household names in the world of soukous.

Papa Wemba was hugely ambitious but conflicted, he wanted to break into the World Music genre and sought the stature enjoyed by the likes of Yousou N’dour and Salif Keita.

But at the same time he wanted to preserve the sound he had worked hard to develop, so he maintained a band in the Democratic Republic of Congo to play his trademark brand of soukous keeping his African fans happy.

He did find global recognition and his 1995 Emotion album, released

by Peter Gabriel’s Real World records, sold more than 100,000 copies - but it was just one of his more than 35 recordings.

On Sunday morning, Papa Wemba, the King of Rumba Rock, died on stage doing what he loved best, and the last thing he heard as he lay dying was his own music being played.

Source: BBC

Massively popular at home in DRC, only one of his albums broke through internationally

Papa Wemba was a leading inspiration for the sapeurs - the elegantly dressed men on Kinshasa

As the father of Congolese rumba, soukous, Papa Wemba had many protoges including musician Koffi Olomide

Page 26

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Feature Double agony: Raped and then accused of bad behavior

W

hen a young American woman told police she had been raped, her university started to investigate whether she had violated its “honour code” before the attack took place. At some US colleges even having a man in your room or drinking alcohol is an offence.

What is an “honour code” and how is it supposed to work?

Madi Barney was so terrified she would be thrown out of Brigham Young University (BYU) she waited four days to tell police in the city of Provo, Utah, that she had been raped in her own flat.

“I just remember sobbing and telling the police officer I couldn’t go forward because BYU was going to kick me out,” Barney, 20, told the New York Times.

Her fears were borne out when she was summoned to the university weeks later. She learned her police file had been passed to university officials and they had launched an investigation into “honour code” violations.

BYU is a Mormon college, and in order to enrol there Barney had signed up to a strict code of conduct.

Very few US universities have expectations so misaligned with mainstream cultureTeresa Fishman, International Center for Academic Integrity By committing to the honour code, students promise not to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or take illegal drugs. They must refrain from drinking tea or coffee or wearing skirts or shorts above knee-length. And unmarried students must not have sex - even having a member of the opposite sex in their room is a serious offence.

Barney says was told she could not register for any future classes at BYU while its inquiry into her honour code violations was pending. When she complained publicly about her treatment, several other female students said they too had been subjected to investigations after reporting sexual abuse.

This sparked protests at the BYU and a US-wide debate about how victims of rape or sexual assault are dealt with on religiously conservative campuses.

Teresa Fishman, head of the US-based International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI), describes BYU’s honour code as “an extreme case”, which is “misaligned with mainstream culture”. Most US universities have an honour code to uphold ideals of honesty academic fairplay, rather than a dress code or sexual abstinence, she says.

The first honour code dates back to 1736, adopted by the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. During enrolment week, entering students still gather in the university’s

Protesters stand in solidarity with rape victims on the campus of Brigham Young University Great Hall and pledge not to lie, cheat or steal.

Brigham Young University Honor Code “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men... If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

• Be honest • Live a chaste and virtuous life • Obey the law and all campus policies • Use clean language • Respect others • Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse • Participate regularly in church services • Observe dress and grooming standards • Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code As most of America’s earliest higher education colleges

“

were founded by religious denominations, many codes have a “distinctly moral” focus, says Fishman. When they work, they can help students feel a part of their university system and encourage a process of self-policing, she adds.

Under Princeton’s honour system, in place since 1893, professors leave the room during exams - trusting students not to cheat and to report anyone who does. This system of students turning in others is a core principle of honour codes in most institutions. The accused will normally go before a panel of peers or faculty members, which then decides on a verdict and a punishment ranging from community service to suspension or complete expulsion.

I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I’m experiencingMadi Barney, Rape survivor Despite a number of cheating scandals at US universities in recent years, Lisa Trevino, a professor of organisational behaviour and ethics at the Pennsylvania State

University, says that over the past 20 years, honour codes have had a positive effect. How well they work depends on whether they become “integral to the culture”, she adds.

Some universities have adopted new honour codes as they struggle with preventing students from copying information from the internet. Harvard University introduced a more formal code last year after dozens of students were suspended for cheating.

Not all US universities have an honour code. And only a handful of privately run institutions, such as BYU, use the code to demand students live in accordance with religious beliefs.

Liberty University, a Baptist university in Virginia, has a code of conduct called The Liberty Way, which limits students’ hairstyles, clothes and any public displays of affection. Also against the rules are sexual relations “outside of a biblical ordained marriage between a natural-born man and a natural-born woman”.

Other universities, including the Southern Virginia University

Despite a number of cheating scandals at US universities in recent years, Lisa Trevino, a professor of organisational behaviour and ethics at the Pennsylvania State University, says that over the past 20 years, honour codes have had a positive effect.

How well they work depends on whether they become “integral to the culture”, she adds.

and BYU, espouse the teachings of the Mormon church, and this is reflected in their honour codes (which apply even to students who are not active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints).

BYU’s strict code has created headlines in the past, with basketball star Brandon Davies expelled in 2011 for having sex with his girlfriend.

The latest news about the treatment of sexual abuse victims has stirred up an even greater controversy.

Most outsiders see disciplining a student who has already suffered sexual assault as unnecessary punishment of the victim, says Ryan Cragun, a sociologist who specialises in Mormonism at the University of Tampa.

However the university’s Mormon administration separates the events - the student is not considered at fault for rape, but she is at fault for being intimate with a man, he says.

It comes down to the university interpreting its code to the letter, he says, rather than considering the overall aim to help and protect students.

BYU President Kevin Worthen has admitted a “tension” created by the honour code system and announced a review, following the protests at the university.

In a petition that has attracted more than 111,000 signatures, Madi Barney calls for immunity for students reporting attacks.

Her main objective is simply this: “I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I’m experiencing.”

Source: BBC

Page 27

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Defence

We will flush out Boko Haram remnants - Army Stories by Joy Baba-Yesuf

I

n compliance with the military high command’s directive which is to ensure that all villages and towns are cleared of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 22 Brigade Garrison in Operation LAFIYA DOLE, on Sunday 1st May 2016 cleared 4 villages of Boko Haram terrorists hiding in the area.

This was contained in a

statement signed by the Ag. Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR) Col Sani Usman in Abuja.

Col Usman said the terrorists hibernating in Cinga, Mallum Maja, Bosuma and Murye villages, were armed with dangerous weapons and have been terrorizing the communities.

He also said during the operations, 3 Boko Haram terrorists were killed, while 9 of them who tried hiding in foxholes and dug outs were identified and

Chief of Army staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai

captured alive.

The statement further said items recovered from them include 9 Dane guns, 3 machetes, 1 bow with arrows, 6 motor cycles used by the Boko Haram terrorists to ferry slaughtered cow meats to their hideouts were recovered and burnt.

Other items recovered according to the statement include: 1 tricycle, 4 x Tiger Generators and 1 solar panel.

The troops also recovered 300

herds of cattle rustled by the Boko Haram terrorists from Fulani herdsmen and handed over to their rightful owners.

“Similarly, 400 persons held hostage by the terrorists were rescued and set free. It is gratifying to state that we have not sustained any casualty to own troops and equipment and troop’s morale remain very high” the statement added.

Chief Of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas

Army arrests killer of General Shuwa From Edwin Olofu, Kano

O

peratives of the Nigerian military intelligence unit said they have apprehended two high profile members of outlawed Boko Haram members that includes the killer and mastermind of Nigerian civil war hero, Major General Mammam Shuwa.

The two high profile suspects who were paraded before Reporters at the headquarters of 3 motorized Brigade of the Nigerian Army Kano also includes 25 years old Boko Haram preacher known as Ali Mohammed aka Amir.

Briefing newsmen over the arrest the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Hamisu Hassan revealed that the two suspect were picked at their various hide out in Kano.

General Mamam Shuwa was gruesomely murdered in his Maiduguri residence November 2nd 2012.

Brigadier General Hassan said that preliminary investigation revealed that Mohammed Sani Nafiu mastermind the death of late General Mamam Shuwa in his Maiduguri residenceNovember 2nd 2012.

The Brigade Commander stated that a GSM and three hundred naira was recovered from Shuwa’s alleged killer, while a Golf car, a GSM and a total sum of twenty thousands naira was recovered from Ali Mohammed.

Brigadier General Hassan revealed that Ali Amir was a preacher of late Mohammed Yusuf’s sect in Baga, adding that he reportedly led his followers to reinforce Boko Haram fighter during its encounter with security forces in 2009.

He assured the readiness of the Nigerian troops to crush terrorists and commended the general public for their untiring support.

Navy moves to intensify sea patrol

I

n a bid to beef up security operations and patrols at sea, the Nigerian Navy (NN), said it is working towards acquiring a logistics vessel to service vessels and enhance Replenishment at Sea (RAS).

The out gone Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Logistics Command, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik, made this disclosure during his handover to his successor, Rear Admiral SAG Abbah, in Oghara, Delta State.

In his address during the

handover ceremony, Ofik said, “For the first time in the history of the Nigerian Navy considerable effort is being made to acquire large logistics vessel to enhance Replenishment at Sea (RAS).

Similarly, all professional schools now have special allocation of fuel AGO to ensure trainees/ UTOs learn and study under comfortable conditions.”

While enumerating the success of the command upon assumption of office in September 2015, he said he set out with the aim of enhancing

the capacity of the command towards delivering the required logistics support for the force’s operations as well as ensuring the enhancement of personnel welfare among others.

He said although the task had been quite challenging, considerable progress was made, especially with the commitment, zeal and support exhibited by the personnel attached to the command.

He said the personnel of the command have been working assiduously to ensure that the

Operations Commands got the needed support to deploy and sustain ships at sea in order to perform our statutory roles.

Ofik urged personnel of the command to maintain positive attitude to work and remain resolute in ensuring that the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Strategic Directive 2015-1 is strictly observed in the performance of our duties, adding that the strategic directive is a commitment to transforming the Navy and enhancing the overall welfare of officers and ratings.

The CNS Strategic Directive 2015-1, he said, has been a tremendous guide which should be adhered to at all times, if the command is to be on same page with other naval formations always.

While explaining that the bedrock of the military and other successful organisations is disciplined, Ofik enjoined all personnel to remain disciplined not to engage in activities that will bring the name of the Nigerian Navy into disrepute.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 28

Agriculture

Economic Diversification Guinea donates rice seedlings to Nigeria

By Doyin Ojosipe

In a bid to support the economic diversifcation of Nigeria policy , the Republic of Guinea has donated about 12 different species of rice seedlings to the Nigerian Government.

This wasrevealedin a statement made available to the Peoples Daily by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development over the weekend.

Presenting the seeds on behalf of

Guinea, and the Charge D Affairs Nigeria to Guinea, Ambassador Jerry Hassan explained that the seeds are meant to improve and or boost rice production in Nigeria adding that the seeds could be cultivated three times in a year.

He also explained that the gesture was “informed by the commitment of the present administration to diversify the economy from oil to other sectors particularly, agriculture.”

Receiving the donated seeds on

behalf of the Nigerian Government, the desk Officer, Rice Value Chain, Dr Victor Onyeneke commended the foreign government for its kind gesture noting that the use of the seeds will not only improve the lot of Nigerian farmers but will also boost food production in the country..

Onyeneke also said the seeds will be taken for research and analysis in order to ascertain it’s productivity on Nigerian soil.

In his words, “the kind gesture

from the Republic of Guinea was not only for the Ministry but for the entire country as it would go a long way in increasing food production and improving livelihoods, “these varieties of rice seeds would be handed over to relevant agencies of the Ministry namely; the Agricultural Quarantine Services; National Agricultural Seed Council and National Cereal Research Institute for analysis and confirmation,”he added.

Dr. Victor Onyeneke, Desk Officer Rice, FMARD, receiving the donated Rice seeds varieties from Nigeria’s Charge ‘d’ Affairs of the Embassy of Nigeria in the Republic of Guinea, Ambassador Jerry Hassan and Counsellor/ Head Chancery, Embassy of Nigeria Guinea, Conakry, Okoloho Ogbole during the ceremony.

Ministry of Agric to improve agricultural researchsays Minister

By Doyin Ojosipe

T

he Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development did has resolved to improve agricultural research institutes and colleges by enhancing their capabilities to deliver qualitatively.

This was revealed by the Ministry’s Minister, Mr Audu Ogbe while addressingagency heads in an interactive session.

According to him, there was also need to market research findings both in Nigeria and Africa reasoning that, “research is not good if no body knows about it.”

The Minister who noted that agricultural related issues were relegated since 40 years ago and urged the leaders to help resuscitate the sector also promised to use the research and institutes to encourage migration to rural areas.

“Nigeria relies on you to lift the country out of our disastrous situation,”he told the leaders.

They were further urged to work as scientists and not just as academicians.

As Heads of Agencies, you are expected to think and find solutions to problems, “advised, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who urged the research institutes to model their curriculum towards solving problems.

About $11m to be invested in agricultureas Minister woos Mexican company

By Doyin Ojosipe

T

he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbe has solicited the support of a Mexican company, Wells San-Carlos Green House Farm Limited as the company indicates intentions to invest about 11

million dollars of the green house vegetable project into the Nigerian Agricultural sector.

A statement issued by the Ministry at the weekend reveals the the intention was made known at a recent meeting between the Ministry and Representatives of the Mexican investor in Abuja.

At the meeting, the Minister

of Agriculture and Rural Development did not only welcome the idea but asked the Mexican company to help train Nigerian youths on farm management reasoning that there was need to create jobs especially at a time where the youths are becoming restive.

He said, “creating jobs should

be our priority now to avoid any result from the young people.”

Ogbe who noted that the Mexico supplies about 60% of fruits to Europe encouraged the Company to take advantage of the vast hectares of land left uncultivated and invest on plantain, banana and Snail cultivation adding that Nigeria does not only feed it’s

population of about 180 million but feeds an additional 70 million through export to other countries.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri commended the company adding that the green house vegetable project will create about 85,000 jobs.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 29

Agriculture Economic diversification: Kebbi govt set to back farmers From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

G

overnor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State has reiterated his immeasurable support for the farmers in the state in order to ensure food security in line with the federal government’s initiative.

Speaking at an NUJ’s meeting which was attended by Journalists from across the seven States of the North /West, the Governor noted that Nigeria’s land mass is not enough for farming as widely believed.

He said “we do not have the land. We are only imagining that we have land” According to him, most Nigeria’s land is threatened by either desertification or erosion.

He also said that, Kebbi which is one of the leading states in Rice production in Nigeria is being threatened by desertification which reduces it’s land mass.

The Governor further expressed his passion about ensuring realisable value for smallholder farmers.

His words, “My desire is for the federal government to create enabling environment for farmers, by making it so attractive to them, “more technical methods of agriculture are not known to farmers, modern method of planting, including spacing are not known to farmers and you don’t have the luxury of farming the way you are used to, if you need higher yields” He explained.

The Governor further urged farmers to exercise patience as his government is committed to helping out, especially by mobilising for soft facilities for them.

He said, “though government does not have enough to satisfy all your needs, we shall get in touch with financial institutions that would partner with us in that direction and as such in the next few years the state aims at millions of metric tonnes of rice per annum.”

Presenting a paper at the event which was titled “Revitalising Agriculture As a tool for Economic Growth” an Agric don, Professor Lawali Abubakar, who spoke on the need to revitalise the agricultural sector, said that the instability in international crude oil market, as well as local political realignments within the country has necessitated for diversification of the economy.

He added that it was best for government to move from solely depending on a mono economy to having additional sources of income.

“Agriculture in addition to solid minerals are two critical sectors been viewed for improvement, so that nation can actually express its full potential in this respect” he added

Corns Affected by Genetically Modified Organisms

New GMO Controversy: Are the Herbicides Dangerous?

By Rachael Rettner

A

lthough genetically modified organisms (GMOs) don’t appear by themselves to have ill effects on human health, the herbicides used on these crops could be an overlooked health threat, some researchers say in a controversial new opinion piece.

People have been manipulating genes in plants for centuries, but arguing that this means GMOs are safe “misses the point that GM crops are now the agricultural products most heavily treated with herbicides, and that two of these herbicides may pose risks of cancer,” Dr. Philip Landrigan, a professor of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and Charles Benbrook, a cr o p a n d s o i l s cie ntis t at Washington State University, wrote in an opinion article published in the Aug. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

Most of the corn and soybeans grown in the United States are genetically engineered. This means that products made from these crops are also GM foods, everything from soda to tofu.

Many of today’s GM crops have been engineered to be resistant to weed killers, and this has led to an overreliance on these chemicals, Landriganand Benbrooksaid.

The authors argued that because some studies have linked cancer risk to the herbicides used on GM crops — in particular, a widely used herbicide called glyphosate (sold under the brand name Roundup) — the United States should reconsider creating labeling requirements for GM foods.

Labeling is essential for “assessing effects of chemical herbicides applied to GM crops,” the two researchers wrote.

However, other experts disagreed with the opinion and said that the majority of studies have failed to find a link between glyphosate and cancer, and that this herbicide is much safer than chemicals used on crops in the past. “The whole [NEJM] article is dubious,” said Kent Bradford, a professor of plant science at the University of California, Davis. Bradford noted that one of the authors of the new article (Benbrook) has received funding from and served on the board of the Organic Center, a nonprofit organization that says it brings together “evidence-based science on the health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming.”

Landrigan and Benbrook wrote that the emergence of weeds that are resistant to herbicides led farmers to increase their use of these chemicals on crops.

And in 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the use of a new weed killer called Enlist Duo. This chemical contains glyphosate as well as an herbicide called 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), a component of Agent Orange used in the Vietnam War. (A different component of Agent Orange, called dioxin, has already been linked to cancer.) [7 Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe] The EPA estimates that the approval of Enlist Duo will result in a 3- to 7-fold increase in the use of 2,4-D in the United States, according to the NEJM article.

Landrigan and Benbrook argue that this approval was based on flawed studies,

which were commissioned by the manufacturer and did not examine whether the substance could have effects on people’s hormones, or the regulation of human genes.

In addition, earlier this year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as a “probable human carcinogen” and 2,4-D as a “possible human carcinogen,” the NEJM article says.

This decision on glyphosate was based mostly on research done in animals, with studies finding links between glyphosate and tumors in rodents. Some studies have also suggested that people who work with glyphosate may be at higher risk for nonHodgkin lymphoma.

The decision on 2,4-D was based mostly on studies done in lab dishes and in animals; this research found that 2,4-D could cause oxidative stress, which is thought to increase cancer risk by damaging DNA. “These developments suggest that GM foods and the herbicides applied to them may pose hazards to human health that were not examined in previous assessments,” Landrigana nd Benbrook said.

However, Bradford said that most review studies, including studies from the European Union and the U.S. EPA, have concluded that glyphosatedoes not pose a risk of cancer. “Glyphosate is well known to be a very nontoxic compound,” Bradford said.

Bradford also noted that herbicides are used on all crops, not just those that are genetically modified. For example, 2,4-D is used on U.S. wheat crops, which are not genetically modified, he said.What’s more, studies

from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have found that herbicides that were used in the past were up to 16 times more damaging to the environment than is glyphosate, Bradford said. “We should be happy that we were able to move to a much less environmentally impacting herbicide,” he said.

Margaret Smith, a professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell University in New York state, said she agreed with the authors of the NEJM article that use of GM crops resistant to herbicides, and use of glyphosate, have gone up in recent years.

“There’s no question” that there’s been an increase in these factors, Smith said.

But Smith also said that glyphosate has a relatively benign impact on the environment, and that its use replaced more environmentally hazardous products. In addition, the increased use of herbicides on GM crops has meant that farmers don’t need to plow their fields as often as a means of killing weeds.

This reduction in plowing has environmental benefits, because plowing increases soil erosion and runoff, Smith said.

However, the downside of herbicide use on GM crops is that when agriculturalists use the same pest management tactic for years, they start to see pests (such as weeds) that are resistant.

“As the use of Roundup has become broader and more common, we now see more evolution of weeds that are less susceptible to it,” Smith said.

“That’s a very predictable thing.”

The authors wrote that they believe that the EPA should delay the implementation of Enlist Duo until more independent

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Feature

Why an Indian lawyer tried to sue god

I

ndian lawyer Chandan Kumar Singh recently stunned many Indians when he tried to sue popular Hindu God Ram. Mr Singh told the BBC that he took the action because he felt “Lord Ram was unjust to his wife Sita”, and he wanted a court in the eastern state of Bihar to “acknowledge this fact”.

The court wasn’t convinced with his argument and rejected his plea last week, saying it wasn’t a “practical case”.

And to add to Mr Singh’s woes, a group of his colleagues have accused him of “seeking publicity”, and one of them has sued him for defamation.

Ram is the hero of the Ramayana, the Sanskrit epic of 24,000 stanzas.

He is revered by millions in India and around the world.

Disrespecting women Mr Singh is undeterred by the criticism, and believes strongly that he has a valid case.

He quotes from religious scriptures to support his argument.

“It’s well known that Ram asked Sita to prove that she was pure after he rescued her from the clutches of the demon king Ravana. He did not trust Sita,” Mr Singh told the BBC. “Ram’s treatment of Sita shows that women were not respected even in ancient times. I am aware that the case may sound ridiculous to many, but we have to discuss this part of our ancient religious history. I will file a case again because I really believe that Indians have to acknowledge that Ram mistreated Sita.”

Mr Singh also rejected allegations that he was merely seeking publicity.

“I filed the case because we cannot talk about respecting women in modern day India when we know that one of our most revered gods did not treat his own wife with respect,” he said.

But he admits the reactions have taken him by surprise.

Popular Hindu God Ram

“I expected some objection but did not anticipate that my colleagues would turn against me.

I was only talking about justice and had no intention of hurting anybody’s religious sentiments,” he said.

“Is it wrong to seek justice for women? The court’s acceptance of my plea would have sent a good message that respecting women was important to Indians.”

But his colleagues are not convinced.

Hurt sentiments Lawyer Ranjan Kumar Singh told the BBC that the plea “insulted Hindus”.

“He has a history of filing publicity-seeking pleas. But this time he has gone too far. He has hurt our sentiments,” he said.

Ranjan Kumar Singh has also filed a defamation case against his colleague.

“We have also requested the bar council to cancel his licence to practice law. All lawyers are united against Chandan, he needs to learn a lesson,” he told the BBC.

Sitamarhi has a famous temple for Sita and she is revered as a goddess by many in the town “We see Ram and Sita as one and worship them as a couple, there is no question of us believing that Ram mistreated Sita,” Ranjan Kumar Singh added.

But Chandan Kumar Singh insists that “his fight isn’t against Ram”.

“I too worship Ram. I am a practising Hindu. I apologise

“

Lawyer Chandan Kumar Singh wants equal rights for women in India

to people if they feel hurt, but I cannot ignore the fact that Sita wasn’t respected,” he said.

Source: BBC

Mr Singh also rejected allegations that he was merely seeking publicity.

“I filed the case because we cannot talk about respecting women in modern day India when we know that one of our most revered gods did not treat his own wife with respect,” he said.

But he admits the reactions have taken him by surprise.

“I expected some objection but did not anticipate that my colleagues would turn against me. I was only talking about justice and had no intention of hurting anybody’s religious sentiments,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 31

O k a d a rider on duty, along jikwai road, yesterday in Abuja.

Insecurity: FCTA to monitor uncompleted buildings in Abuja

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will embark on comprehensive surveillance of all uncompleted buildings in the Federal Capital Territory to ensure that such places are not turned into den of criminals.

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello dropped this hint while receiving a delegation of leaders of Christian community that paid him a courtesy visit in his office at Area 11, Garki I District, Abuja.

The Minister said that the Administration is concerned about the several uncompleted buildings across the Federal Capital City, Abuja and a number of unidentified persons

squatting in such places, which may pose security risk.

Malam Bello noted that his Administration has been able to tackle some of the people using the under-bridges as their abode and that the operation would continue until the city is rid of such activities.

He revealed that the Administration had earlier spoken to the Muslim community on the unfortunate cases of street begging in some areas of the city and urged the residents to join hands with the FCTA to eradicate that menace.

The Minister disclosed that his Administration intends to take the issues of rehabilitation very seriously to give those with such social problem a sense belonging, thereby making them useful to

themselves and the entire society.

He adds â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the 2016 fiscal year, the FCT Administration will upgrade Rehabilitation Centre for effective skill acquisition to make the rehabilitated persons independent and self sustenance.â&#x20AC;?

Malam Bello reiterated that the FCT Administration also intends take them back to their families for reabsorption into the society after successful rehabilitation.

According to him, the current FCT Administration will make Abuja friendlier to the populace by making them own all government policies and programmes.

He added that his Administration would encourage religious and moral education in

its schools to give reorientation to the younger generation.

The FCT Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Israel Akanji who led the delegation appealed to the Minister for land for church groups and for FCT Administration to spare church building where possible.

Rev. Akanji also asked that the government to re-consider its stance on sponsorship of pilgrims to Israel.

The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and other officials of the FCT Administration joined the Minister to receive the delegation, which included the Primate of Anglican Communion, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, the Executive Secretary of NCPC, John

Artisan jailed for stealing gum

A

Kado Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has sentenced a 23-year-old car washer, Prosper Mofor to two months in prison for theft.

The judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, however gave Mofor an option to pay N10,000 fine and warned him to desist from committing crimes.

He also ordered the convict to pay N30, 000 to the nominal complainant.

The convict, of Jabi Village, Abuja, was convicted for one-count charge leveled against him.

Mofor prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, claiming that hunger pushed him into committing the crime.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Salisu Khaleel, told the court that one Mariam Ibrahim of same address with the convict reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on March 19.

Khaleel said the convict criminally entered the complainant shop on March 18 and stole eight pieces of Orbit chewing gum valued at N1, 600 and two cans of Titus sardine valued at N300, He also told the court that Mofor stole a can of Malt drink valued at N120, and N80, 000 cash.

According to the prosecutor, the offence is punishable under Section 288 of the Penal Code.

(NAN)

PAGE 32

Photo Splash

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Teenagers carrying fire wood, at the Central Area, in Abuja.

Meat seller in Mararaba Nasarawa state on Saturday

Young boy hawking Sachets water in Nyanya, Abuja

A young boy hawking children wear, at Nyanya recently Abuja.

Photos: Mahmud Isa

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 33

Metro

Court jails 20yr-old Mechanic for stealing handset

A

Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court has sentenced a 20-year old mechanic, Jamilu Ahamodu, to threemonth imprisonment for stealing a mobile phone worth N11, 500.

The Judge, Mr Garba Ogbede, said that the court had no option than to sentence the convict accordingly since he had pleaded guilty to the charge.

Ogbede, however, gave the convict an option of N15, 000 fine and also ordered him to pay the complainant, N11, 500 restitution.

Garba said that the punishment would have been more severe if the convict had not pleaded guilty.

He said that convict’s plea saved the court the pains of prolonged prosecution.

The judge warned the convict to be of good behaviour and to desist from committing crimes after serving out his punishment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ahamodu, who resides in Lugbe Zone 2, Abuja, was charged under Section 288 of the Penal Code for stealing.

Earlier, the Prosecuting Counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imana, had told the court that on April 4 one Muhammed Isah of Lugbe Zone 2, reported the case at Lugbe Police Station.

Imana said that the convict broke into the complainant’s room at about 9.30 p.m. and stole his Tecno phone.

She said that the complainant raised an alarm when he came back to his house and discovered that his room was burgled.

Imana said that the complainant rushed to the station and reported the incident for proper investigation which led to the arrest of the convict.

The prosecuting counsel said that the convict admitted committing the offence during police investigation and interrogation.

Following the plea of the convict, the prosecutor prayed the court to try him summarily under Section 347 of the Administration of Criminal Justices Act, 2015.

(NAN)

Over loaded pick up van, along Gwarinpa road, recently in Abuja.

Your welfare remains our top priority, Bello assures FCT workers

By Stanley Onyekwere

W

orkers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been assured that their welfare will continue to receive the highest attention under the Muhammad Musa Belloled FCT Administration as necessary measures have been put in place to ensure the sustainability of an enduring welfare package for workers.

According to the FCT Minister, who gave this assurance at the Eagle Square, Abuja, during the marking of the first Labour Day celebration of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘change’ government.

A statement signed by the Minister’s Special Assistant ( Media ), Abubakar Sani, said while eulogising the workers for their remarkable contributions to nation building, Bello noted that Labour is the goose that lays the golden egg.

The Minister pointed out that the Federal Capital Territory Administration has therefore evolved various policies intended to ensure adequate welfare and conducive working environment for the workforce.

“I make bold to say that, because of the high premium we place on workers’ welfare, this administration ensures regular payment of salaries and allowances to our workers.

“In the same vein we have ensured that housing allowances are paid as at when due, while deserving staff have received their promotions. Aside these, my Administration places a high premium on staff training and retraining.

“This is with a view to giving incentives to our workers and ensuring optimal service delivery,” the statement quoted the minister.

Bello further explained that May Day is celebrated globally to mark the sacrifices of workers towards building a better world, adding that it highlights the contributions which workers have consistently made to ensure a world where values of social justice and employment rights are fully protected.

He also noted that the the theme for this year’s celebration which is “The Working Class and the Quest for Socio-Economic Revival.” is, indeed, very appropriate and timely, considering the state of our national affairs.

The Minister, however, lamented that

this year’s May Day is being celebrated at a time of serious downturn in the nation’s economy with international oil prices sliding downwards and adversely affecting our national revenue.

The situation, which according to him was further worsened by corruption and mismanagement of the past.

“Being mindful of this situation, President Muhammadu Buhari articulated a Change Agenda that focuses on anti-corruption, fiscal discipline and diversification of the economy.

“In line with this, the Federal Government has evolved several policy frameworks designed to breathe a new lease of life into the economy”, he said.

Bello therefore reassured that the FCT administration would continue partner with Labour in the efforts towards restoring the old glory of our great nation, stressing that his administration will not allow the issue of paucity of funds to “make us abdicate our responsibility to Labour as the FCTA will continue to be a front runner on the issues of workers’ welfare.”

Furthermore, Bello urged Labour to continue to support government in these difficult times.

Page 34

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Money Sense Five high-growth, high-paying careers

T

hese $75K+ careers are projected to experience rapid growth from 2012 to

2022.

Thinking about pursuing a new career, but not sure where to start?

Following your heart has its rewards, but going after jobs with high growth and pay potential may prove the wiser choice if you’re looking to pay the bills.

To help you sift through all the options, we looked through the U.S. Department of Labour data to identify some career paths that are projected to grow by at least 16 percent through 2022 and have a median salary of at least $75,000 per year.

Career 1: Information security analyst 37 percent If you have excellent analytical and problem solving skills and are a stickler for detail, you might be cut out for a career as an information security analyst.

According to the U.S. Department of Labour, these folks carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems from hackers and other cyberattacks.

Why they’re in-demand: The increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber-attacks have made it necessary for companies to seek protection, according to the Department of Labour.

You’ve seen the headlines about hackers getting the personal data of online shoppers at Target. “Employers are seeing the implications from what happens in the news, and their own IT people are telling them about how easy it is to break in

(to a computer system),” says Leto Papadopoulos, director of training and development for King & Bishop, a talent acquisition and human resources firm, in Waltham, Mass.

How to prepare: Most information security analysts have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming, or other related field, according to the Department. Sometimes, employers prefer applicants who have a master’s in business administration (MBA) in information systems. There are also a number of certifications that information security analysts could earn which many employers want job candidates to have, according to the Department.

Career 2: Civil Engineer 20 percent Those with strong leadership and decision-making abilities and a firm grasp of mathematics may be a good fit for civil engineering.

Designing and supervising large construction projects for infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and sewage treatment systems, are among the responsibilities of civil engineers, according to the U.S. Department of Labour.

Why they’re in-demand: Civil engineers are in demand for a variety of reasons, depending on the specialty, writes Erin Bushnell, SPHR, director of human resources at Pennoni Associates Inc., an engineering and design consulting firm based in Philadelphia, Pa. Among the top reasons is the need for improvements in the United States.

“For example, transportation engineers are highly sought after due to an increase in funding in

many states,” Bushnell says. “We have an aging infrastructure and engineers are critical to making those much needed major improvements.”

How to prepare: Civil engineers need to have a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or one of its specialties, according to the Department of Labour. To work as a professional engineer, one must be licensed, which means their degree must be from an ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredited program.

Career 3: Medical and health services manager 23 percent Analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills are as critical as the abilities to communicate and interact well with others for success as a medical and health services manager. If that sounds like it plays to your strong suit, then you might consider this role.

Also known as a health care executive or administrator, these managers coordinate medical services either for an entire organization, such as a hospital, or a sector, according to the U.S. Department of Labour. They must also be able to adapt to evolving health care regulations and technologies.

Why they’re in-demand: “Hospitals and doctors need someone to stay on top of the changes both in the law and technology, such as electronic records,” says Papadopoulos.

“They need someone to move them into the new century.”

How to prepare: Requirements for this type of position vary by facility, according to the Department of Labour.

Prospective managers should have a bachelor’s degree in health administration. Master’s degrees in health services, public health, public administration, long-term care administration, or business administration are also common, according to the Department.

Career 4: Software developer, systems 20 percent If you’re a creative type with strong analytical, communication, and problemsolving skills, you may be cut out for software development.

According to the U.S. Department of Labour, systems developers design computer programs, like the ones that allow you to do a specific task or run a device or network.

Why they’re in-demand: It makes sense that in an age when just about everyone has a smartphone and computer, this occupation is projected to experience high-growth.

“There’s a big grab for talent because of the speed of change in the field and the level of skill required,” says Papadopoulos.

How to prepare: The Department of Labour states that software developers usually earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field, though some employers might prefer a master’s degree. They must be skilled at programming and understanding new tools and computer languages.

The Department tells us that developers will also be expected to have knowledge of the industry in which they work. For example, one who develops bank software programs should have at least a basic understanding of finance.

Career 5: Financial analyst 16 percent Are you good with numbers and a great communicator, someone who is decisive and detail-oriented? Then you might be a match for a career in the financial industry.

According to the U.S. Department of Labour, financial analysts study the performance of stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments to help individuals and businesses assess potential and current investments.

Why they’re in-demand: Employers are looking for those who understand changing regulations, which are designed to prevent the type of crisis that happened in 2008 from recurring, says Greg Menzone, executive manager of the financial division of Professional Staffing Group in Boston, Mass.

Organizations, in particular, want people who can help them be as lean as possible but still have the necessary resources for growth, says Menzone.

“Companies want to hire the best of the best among financial analysts, so they can stay nimble and get ahead of the game,” he adds. “They’re demanding analysts who can give them a crystal ball to prepare for 2014, 2015, 2016, and beyond.”

How to prepare: Most of these professionals must have a bachelor’s degree. However, different fields of study could provide appropriate preparation for this position, including accounting, finance, engineering, economics, statistics, or math, according to the Department of Labour. www. usdepartmentoflabour.com

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 35

world news South Africa, EFF and political vulgarity

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

analysis

By Thembisa Fakude

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n April 2016 South African opposition politician Julius Malema said in an interview that he is willing take up arms and “remove the government through the barrel of a gun”.

The African National Congress (ANC)-aligned military veterans issued a similar statement against the government over benefits that have not materialised.

The governing ANC has since opened a treason case against Malema.

The lack of political leadership is presenting a serious political challenge for South Africa. The neglect of political leadership by the ANC, the oldest political party in Africa, is manifesting itself negatively in the current politics of the country.

South Africa’s Julius Malema draws huge crowds ahead of polls There is a widespread indiscipline and political naivete persisting in several political parties. And Malema’s recent statement demonstrates that naivete.

Carelessness in political speeches has had a devastating history in Africa. They have led to genocides, civil wars and economic collapse.

The economies of almost all developing nations - including South Africa - are vulnerable to any signs of political instability, and as a result foreign investors are still weary of the developing world.

Notwithstanding the endurance of South African democracy compared with many African countries, it is still not out of the woods.

Therefore, any political statements that suggest or point towards a possible political upheaval discourage foreign investment which the South African economy desperately needs.

Lack of political mentorship he lack of effective partysponsored political colleges and mentorship has culminated in political sophistry in South Africa. The government justification of the private residence of President Jacob Zuma is one case in point.

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The underperforming postapartheid political college of the

The underperforming post-apartheid political college of the ANC has failed to produce high-quality political leaders, writes Fakude [EPA]

ANC has failed to produce highquality political leaders who can do well in international politics.

The rise of Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters is a culmination of continued political vulgarity and misdemeanours.

Politicians wait until they reach government positions before they can be enrolled in international political crash courses in preparation for the office.

Most former leaders of the ANC Youth have courted radicalism and political vulgarity as a form of political engagement. It is widely regarded as the best method of upward mobility within the ranks of the party.

The rise of Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a culmination of continued political vulgarity and misdemeanours.

The EFF was formed by a group of disgruntled ANC Youth League members with Malema and Floyd Shivambu. Malema

and Shivambu were expelled from the ANC for bringing the party into disrepute and showing no remorse during the mitigation process in 2012.

Controversies alema once entered a rowdy exchange of words with the BBC journalist Jonah Fisher, subsequently yelling insults at the journalist during a press conference. He was later forced to apologise to Fisher by the ANC. Malema’s temperament and confrontational political rhetoric has on several other occasions landed him in trouble.

During the rape trial in 2006 of his erstwhile ally, President Jacob Zuma, he was quoted as saying that he was “willing to kill for Zuma”.

This statement invited a barrage of criticism from the public and the opposition parties in South Africa at the time.

M

Another five years of Jacob

“

Zuma ater in 2011 he was taken to court and later convicted of hate speech for insisting on singing a sensitive antiapartheid song Dubul Ibhunu (Shoot the Boer).

Shivamu, deputy president of the EFF, has not been clear from controversy either. He was taken, tried and later forced by the court to apologise for calling a white female journalist “a stupid white b***h”.

In November 2014, Shivambu w as cau g ht on camera showing his middle finger at the Deputy President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa in parliament.

These cases clearly demonstrate lack of political discipline, and it is this political trajectory that has characterised the rise of the EFF.

L

What needs to be done? hile in developing nations the tradition of political education and mentorship thrives, Africa is still lagging

W

Finally, the new power holders are reluctant to mentor owing to fear of raising political competition.

What most developing countries have to deal with as a result is regular political violence; and this circle continues unabated

far behind.

There are several reasons why this is the case in the developing world and in South Africa specifically.

The elongated struggle against colonisation by most African countries resulted in many African leaders missing the opportunity of political education.

Moreover, the sociopolitical imperatives of post-colonial dispensation have resulted in the neglect of political education and mentorship of future leaders.

Finally, the new power holders are reluctant to mentor owing to fear of raising political competition.

What most developing countries have to deal with as a result is regular political violence; and this circle continues unabated.

However, unlike those other African countries, South Africa has so far managed to establish a political system that encourages vibrant multi-party democracy.

Consequently Malema’s threat to take up arms against the government has been a great cause for concern in what most view as an African success story.

Thembisa Fakude is a researcher at the Al Jazeera Center for Studies.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.

Source: Al Jazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 36

News From Africa Papa Wemba’s death: Egypt journalists Thousands mourn in Kinshasa protest against arrests in ‘raid’ on union

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gypt’s journalists’ union has demanded the dismissal of the interior minister after two journalists were arrested at its headquarters in Cairo overnight.

The union also called for a sitin to protest against the security forces’ “blatant barbarism and aggression on the dignity of the press”.

The interior ministry has denied the union was raided, but confirmed the arrests of the journalists.

Amr Badr and Mahmoud alSakka are suspected of organising protests.

The two men work for the website Bawabet Yanayer (January Gate), which is critical of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi’s government.

In a statement issued on Monday morning, the journalists’ union condemned what it called a “raid by security forces whose blatant barbarism and aggression on the dignity of the press and journalists and their syndicate has surprised the journalistic community and the Egyptian people”.

It called for an “openended” sit-in outside the union’s headquarters running at least until a general assembly meeting on Wednesday.

Later on Monday, dozens of people gathered on the steps of the building, chanting “journalists are not terrorists”, the Associated Press reported.

Members of the union said dozens of police officers had been involved in Sunday night’s operation to arrest Mr Badr and Mr Sakka, and that a security guard had been injured in the eye.

But the interior ministry insisted that it had not been a raid, that only eight officers had been involved, and that there they had not used any force.

The opposition Egyptian Social Democratic Party denounced what it called “the storming of the press syndicate”, which it said was “an unprecedented move”.

The union’s headquarters has been a rallying point for protests in the past, including one on 15 April against President Sisi’s decision to hand back control to Saudi Arabia of two islands in the Red Sea - a move critics have condemned as unconstitutional and lacking in transparency.

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housands of people are attending the first day of official commemorations in the Democratic Republic of Congo to mark the sudden death of music star Papa Wemba.

His body is lying in the parliamentary building in the capital, Kinshasa, and will be taken later to his family home for the public to view.

Papa Wemba will be buried on Wednesday.

Known as the king of Congolese rumba, the 66-year-old collapsed and died on stage in Ivory Coast on 24 April.

What made Papa Wemba so influential?

African stars pay tribute to Papa Wemba In photos: Congo music legend Papa Wemba President Joseph Kabila delivered a tribute to the singer at the parliamentary building, and awarded him one the DR Congo’s highest honours for the “loyal and eminent services given to the nation” Fans from all over DR

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Three days of mourning have been declared in DR Congo

Congo are attending the official commemoration, the BBC’s Maud Jullien reports from Kinshasa.

A stage has been set up outside the building for people unable to get in, our correspondent adds.

Papa Wemba was considered one of Africa’s most influential

musicians.

He pioneered modern Congolese soukous music, which spread through the continent.

In his career which spanned over four decades, he collaborated with stars like Peter Gabriel or Stevie Wonder.

Kenya police arrest Nairobi collapsed building owner

The building collapsed after heavy rains

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he owner of a building which collapsed in Kenya’s capital Nairobi on Friday, killing at least 21 people, has been arrested, police have told the BBC. Samuel Karanja Kamau would appear in court on Tuesday, police added.

Earlier, officials said he did not have permission to rent out 119 rooms in the six-storey building.

Mr Kamau has not yet commented on the allegation.

More than 90 people are still feared trapped beneath the rubble,

British Army team in Somalia on UN peacekeeping duties

reports the BBC’s Abdinoor Aden from the scene.

Rescue operations are continuing, he adds.

About 134 people have been freed so far from the collapsed building, local media reports.

The governor of Nairobi, Evans Kidero, said that officials who approved the construction of the building in the poor neighbourhood of Huruma would be sacked.

Three days of rainfall caused landslides and flooded roads in Nairobi.

More than 800 homes were affected by the flooding, Kenya’s Red Cross said.

It criticised “chaotic scenes” as rescuers arrived after the Friday night collapse.

Nairobi’s police chief has said rescue teams were delayed on their way to the scene by hourslong traffic jams caused by flooded roads.

Huruma is made up of narrow streets, and this made it more difficult for rescue workers to reach the scene, local media reports.

British Army team has arrived in Somalia as part of a United Nations mission to counter Islamist militants.

An advance party of about 10 soldiers from Force Troop Command, 1 Div and Field Army training will support African Union peacekeeping efforts against the al-Shabab group.

About 70 personnel will eventually be in Somalia carrying out medical, logistical and engineering duties.

Around 300 troops are also be deployed to the conflict in South Sudan.

Al-Shabab - the Islamist militant group allied to al-Qaeda - is battling Somalia’s government for control of the country.

The group has carried out a string of attacks - including in neighbouring Kenya - and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was launched in 2007, and is mainly comprised of troops from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia.

In South Sudan, conflict between government and rebel forces has seen more than 2.2 million people flee from their homes in the state, which broke away from Sudan in 2011.

The British troops being sent to South Sudan will also carry out engineering work to strengthen infrastructure.

It follows a commitment by UK Prime Minister David Cameron at the UN in New York in September.

It formed part of a pledge in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to double the number of UK troops on UN “blue-hatted” peacekeeping tasks and support efforts to end some of the world’s most destabilising conflicts.

Speaking at the time, Mr Cameron said operations “will help to alleviate serious humanitarian and security issues... helping to bring stability to the region and preventing these challenges from spreading further afield”.

Announcing the arrival of the team in Somalia, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “This deployment is another demonstration of the flexibility and global reach of our armed forces.”

It showed the UK’s “determination to tackle terrorism wherever it rears its head”, he added.

The Ministry of Defence said the UK military’s contribution to UN peacekeeping reflects a long history of supporting the organisation, including a lasting presence in Cyprus.

Britain has long been a large financial contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and is the fifth highest provider of funds.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Indian boy dies after tragic gun ‘selfie’

Page 37

Asia&Middle-east

Syria conflict: Kerry hopes to salvage truce as new raids hit Aleppo

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schoolboy who accidently shot himself while allegedly posing with a handgun for a selfie has died in the north Indian state of Punjab.

Media reports said that Ramandeep Singh, 15, pulled the trigger of his father’s gun while posing for a picture at his home in Pathankot on Friday.

He died in a local hospital on Sunday due to severe head injuries.

A senior police officer told BBC Hindi that an investigation was under way into the death of the boy.

The superintendent of police in Pathankot, Rakesh Kaushal, told BBC Hindi that that “the family was in a state of shock”.

“The family has claimed that the boy died while trying to take a selfie with his father’s revolver. We will be able tell more after we conclude our preliminary investigations,” he said.

India has seen an increasing number of selfie-related accidents in recent months.

A teenager died in January in the southern city of Chennai (Madras) while taking a selfie on railway tracks.

Police in the western city of Mumbai also designated several “no-selfie zones” in the city after an 18-year-old girl drowned in the sea while taking a selfie in early January.

These include the iconic seafacing Marine Drive promenade and the popular Girgaum Chowpatty beach, both of which are major tourist attractions.

Thomas Piketty: ‘Indian inequality still hidden’

F

rench economist Thomas Piketty says there is still a “huge” gap in data about income tax in India.

Official figures just released show only 1% of Indians paid tax in 2013, while 2% filed a tax return.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that publishing the data was a “big step towards transparency and informed policy-making”.

But Mr Piketty told the BBC the data was too thin to draw significant conclusions about levels of inequality.

“Our Govt. has taken the landmark decision of publishing the income tax data. It is a big step towards transparency & informed policy making,” Mr Modi wrote on Twitter.

The data has prompted a lively debate about the extent of tax evasion in India - with commentators noting that there were very few tax returns at the highest end of the income spectrum.

Just six individuals were in the top-earning tax bracket - declaring an average income of $10.4m (£7.1m).

Trump accuses China of ‘raping’ US with unfair trade policy

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Aid agencies have warned that Aleppo is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster

U

S Secretary of State John Kerry says envoys meeting in Geneva are getting closer to an understanding on salvaging the cessation of hostilities in Syria.

He told reporters progress was being made on a plan to reduce the violence in the second city of Aleppo, which has threatened to sink the nine-week truce.

But he accused the Syrian government of “blatantly violating” the agreement to halt hostilities and allow aid in.

About 250 people have reportedly been killed in Aleppo in the past nine days.

On Monday, fresh government air strikes and artillery attacks on

rebel-held districts and suburbs of Aleppo left at least three dead, activists said.

Mr Kerry, speaking after a morning of talks in Geneva, said the conflict in Syria was “in many ways out of control and deeply disturbing”.

He said the cessation of hostilities had had “a profoundly positive effect” and saved many lives, but in recent weeks it had been “put to the test”.

“It has frayed in certain areas and fallen completely in a few areas,” he said.

“We are engaged in an effort with all members of the international Syria Support Group and with Russia, particularly, in an effort to restore that cessation of hostilities

in those places where it been most at risk or most shredded.”

The secretary of state also announced a beefing up of the negotiations in Geneva, with additional US and Russian officials posted there.

The UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura will travel to Russia on Tuesday and Mr Kerry said he would speak to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, later on Monday.

Mr Kerry’s trip to Geneva was hastily arranged after Mr de Mistura appealed to the US and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria’s five-year conflict, to rescue the cessation of hostilities they brokered in February.

Reckitt Benckiser sold deadly sterilisers in South Korea

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ritish-based firm Reckitt Benckiser has admitted for the first time selling a humidifier disinfectant that killed a number of people in South Korea.

Its Korean division chief Ataur Safdar was attacked by angry relatives as he made the apology at a Seoul hotel.

Reckitt Benckiser is among several firms whose products are blamed for the deaths. It has offered compensation.

About 100 people have died from inhaling the products. Hundreds more are reported to have been injured.

Reckitt Benckiser withdrew its product from the market after South Korean authorities suggested a link between chemicals to sterilise humidifiers and lung conditions in 2011.

“This is the first time we are accepting the fullest responsibility, and we are offering a complete and full apology. We were late, five years have passed,” Mr Safdar said.

He added that the company was setting up a multi-million dollar humanitarian fund for the victims

Emotional relatives rushed to the stage shortly after Mr Safdar took to the stage

and their families.

Many are said to be children or pregnant women.

His apology was rejected by relatives at the news conference, at least one of whom hit him shortly after he took to the stage, and he was jostled and heckled.

About 500 people are

reported to have died or been injured by poisonous chemicals used in humidifier disinfectants manufactured and sold by several companies in South Korea from 2001 to 2011.

Reckitt Benckiser has been criticised for earlier refusing to take responsibility.

epublican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has accused China of “raping” the US, in renewed criticism of China’s trade policy.

He told a rally in Indiana that China was responsible for “the greatest theft in the history of the world”.

Mr Trump, a billionaire businessman, has long accused China of manipulating its currency to make its exports more competitive globally.

This, he says, has badly damaged US businesses and workers.

“We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country, and that’s what we’re doing,” he told the campaign rally on Sunday.

“We’re going to turn it around, and we have the cards, don’t forget it,” he added. “We have a lot of power with China.”

Mr Trump, in his campaign manifesto, pledges to “cut a better deal with China that helps American businesses and workers compete”.

He sets out four goals that include immediately declaring China “a currency manipulator” and putting “an end to China’s illegal export subsidies and lax labour and environmental standards”.

Latest figures from the US government show the trade deficit with China reached an all-time high of $365.7bn (£250.1bn) last year. By February this year, it had already reached $57bn.

There was no immediate response from Beijing to Mr Trump’s comments, but he is seen by many in China as an inspiration rather than an antagonist, says the BBC’s Vincent Ni. Donald Trump has repeatedly accused China of manipulating its currency to make its exports more competitive, with what he says are damaging consequences for the US economy.

Rather than floating freely against the dollar, the Chinese authorities ensure the yuan maintains a closely fixed relationship with the US currency, and that it only trades in a narrow band either side of a fixed point selected by China.

Critics, including Mr Trump, claim China is keeping its currency at an unnaturally low level to boost its exports to the US, which also damages the prospects of US firms selling their goods to China. That, they say, has created in a huge trade imbalance.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 38

Europe & Americas Bin Laden death: CIA rapped for ‘livetweeting’ raid on anniversary

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he US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been criticised for live-tweeting the killing of Osama Bin Laden as if it were happening today.

It has shared details of the mission that led to America’s mostwanted man being found five years ago in Pakistan.

But reaction has been largely negative, with one Twitter user calling the move “grotesque and embarrassing”.

Others posted memes and gifs of people rolling their eyes and putting their heads in their hands.

The CIA’s usual tweets mostly concern historical trivia and artefacts.

Have we been told the truth about Bin Laden’s death?

The CIA’s first ‘live tweet’, hashtagged #UBLRaid, begins: “1:25 pm EDT-@POTUS, DCIA Panetta, & JSOC commander Admiral McRaven approve execution of op in Abbottabad.”

At 1:15pm “Helicopters depart from Afghanistan for compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan”. Just under 90 minutes later, “2 helicopters descend on compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. 1 crashes, but assault continues without delay or injury”.

Osama Bin Laden is “found on third floor and killed” at 3:39pm.

The last tweet, at 7:01pm, reads: “@POTUS [President Obama] receives confirmation of high probability of positive identification of Usama Bin Ladin”.

The tweets prompted an outpouring of criticism among Twitter users: Tweet: Thank to You Beloved Patriots for all You do For WeThePeople.Image copyright@ Fran_Neena20409 Tweet: good job!Image copyright@BegheldoM The leader of al-Qaeda, who was thought to have ordered the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, was shot dead at a compound in Abbottabad, in May 2011 after evading capture by the US and its allies for nearly a decade.

TTIP trade talks: Greenpeace leak ‘shows risks of EU-US deal’ E U standards on the environment and public health risk being undermined by compromises with the US, Greenpeace has warned, citing leaked documents.

The environmental group obtained 248 pages of classified documents from the TTIP trade talks, aimed at clinching a farreaching EU-US free trade deal.

Se cre cy surrounding the talks has fuelled fears that US corporations may erode Europe’s consumer protections.

But the EU’s top trade official denied any agenda to lower EU standards.

“I am simply not in the business of lowering standards,” said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem in her blog, after the Greenpeace leak was published.

TTIP’s supporters say a deal would create many new business opportunities.

TTIP stands for Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

It would harmonise regulations across a huge range of business sectors, providing a boost to exporters on both sides of the Atlantic.

The 13th TTIP negotiating

round took place last week and the European Commission says it hopes to achieve a deal later this year. That could avoid any political risk posed by the US presidential election in November.

The EU’s chief negotiator, Ignacio Garcia Bercero, said some

Refugees revive fading Italian villages

Venezuela raises minimum wage as high inflation bites

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People from 20 different nations live in Riace village in Calabria, Italy, Nearly half of the currentinhabitants are people who arrived on the shores of Italy from other countries. (Thomas Bruckner/Al Jazeera)

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Osama Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, was killed by US forces in 2011

Thousands of anti-TTIP protesters turned out in Hanover when President Obama visited Germany last month

of Greenpeace’s points were “flatly wrong”, and stressed that the leaked text “is not a reflection of the outcome of the negotiation”.

TTIP: Why the trade deal matters What is the future for UK-US trade?

Food fights block EU–US trade deal Mr Bercero said “it is not correct to say the US is pushing for lowering of the level of protection in the EU”.

Greenpeace Netherlands says it obtained classified documents covering two-thirds of the areas discussed.

“These leaked documents confirm what we have been saying for a long time: TTIP would put corporations at the centre of policy-making, to the detriment of environment and public health,” said Greenpeace EU director Jorgo Riss.

iace, Italy - As the continuous influx of refugees is seen as a cause for concern for many European nations, which are employing strict border controls to stop the unprecedented flow of people, one community in the southern Italian region of Calabria has taken a different perspective of the matter.

The village of Riace had seen its population drop from 2,500 to 400 since the 1990s, when people moved to northern Italy for better economic opportunities.

Lucano Domenico, Mayor of Riace, saw the flow of refugees in Italy as an opportunity. “We have

been welcoming refugees with open arms for the past 15 years.

[They have] saved our village,” Domenico explained.

The resourceful mayor first acted on this opportunity in 1998, when a boat with 218 Kurdish refugees on their way to Greece got stranded on a beach in Riace. This is when Domenico first proposed that the refugees should stay in the village and take over the homes and apartments that had been left vacant by the migrating former residents of the town.

The mayor helped to facilitate the integration by establishing a “refugees welcome” project,

which is now spreading through neighbouring towns.

Presently, people from 20 different nations live in Riace.

Bakeries and workshops have reopened. There is even a school for the children of the village.

The population of the village has bounced back to 2,500. The successes in the village have been noted in Rome, according to the mayor, and the Italian government has been promoting the settlement of refugees in other smaller, shrinking communities. The policy makes more economic sense than accommodating the refugees in reception or refugee camps.

housands of workers in Venezuela will receive a pay rise of 30 percent as the country’s socialist government works towards improving its deteriorating economy.

Sunday’s introduction of the minimum wage is aimed at calming tensions caused by runaway inflation and food shortages.

Nicolas Maduro’s government has been rocked by protests in response to the crisis and demands from the country’s opposition to stand down.

The embattled president spoke to Venezuelans in a televised address on Sunday evening.

The government, which models itself on the leftwing ideology of its late leader Hugo Chavez, still has significant support among the country’s poor.

However, even the most dedicated supporters are feeling the pinch these days.

Many have turned to government-sponsored, selfsustaining programmes to deal with the shortages.

Naudy Aliendref, a supporter of the government who helps out at a community-run allotment to grow the essentials, is confident Chavez’s ideology can weather the storm.

“I don’t get paid to do this. It’s an honour for me to teach what I’ve learned thanks to President Chavez,” he said “The knowledge I’ve gained has to be socialised ... for me Chavismo is like a brotherhood.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 39

Strange

world

Desperate parents plead for help after their son was born with 15 fingers and 16 toes

By Qin Xie

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baby has been born with a total of 31 fingers and toes to shocked parents who say there were no indications of his deformities on prenatal scans.

The three-month-old boy, nicknamed Honghong, has 15 fingers and 16 toes. Incredibly, he also has two palms on each hand, with no thumbs, according to People’s Daily Online.

His parents are now desperate to find medical treatment for him as doctors at their local hospital in Hunan, central China, tells them surgery will be extremely difficult.

Honghong has an extreme case of polydactyly.

The medical condition, where children are born with extra fingers or toes, appears in approximately one in 1,000 cases. But to have so many extra digits is extremely rare.

According to the report, Honghong’s mother also suffers from polydactyly and has extra digits on both her hands and feet.

She was worried about passing it on to her child so she had multiple examinations at hospitals in Shenzhen, south China.

When she was half way

through her pregnancy, she even visited Futian District Maternity Hospital in Shenzhen to get a four-dimensional ulltrasound.

She was again told that the baby had no deformities.

But the couple, who live in rural Hunan, were horrified to find that their son’s polydactyly is even more severe than that of his mother.

Both of Honghong’s feet have eight toes while one of his hands has eight fingers and the other, seven.

Liu Hong, a professor at Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital for Pediatric Orthopedics, told Honghong’s father Zou Chenglin that surgery will be extremely difficult.

The boy is currently too young for anaesthetics but he will need to undergo surgery between six months and a year before the bones set.

Unfortunately for the impoverished family, the surgeries are likely to cost in the to cost hundreds of thousands of Yuan (tens of thousands of pounds) - too much for them to bear.

Now, the three-month-old boy’s parents are desperately trying to find money to fund the treatment for their son.

Source: Dailymail.com

Extreme: Honghong from Hunan, China, is born with extra fingers and toes in an extreme case of polydactyly

Reality: Both of Honghong’s feet have eight toes while one of his hands has eight fingers and the other, seven

Genetic: Honghong’s mother also suffers from the condition and was worried about passing her genes on

Desperate: The baby is able to get surgery to correct the deformity but it will be too expensive for the family

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 40

Digest

How exercise makes your brain grow bigger

By Fiona Macrae

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egular exercise in old age could keep the mind young.

Evidence is growing that fitter people have bigger brains and better memories.

Keeping fit may even trigger the growth of new cells in the brain’s memory hub – helping protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

British experts say that what is good for the heart is also good for the head - and that even brisk walking is beneficial.

The latest evidence for that exercise boosts the brain as well as the body is in a special edition of the journal NeuroImage.

It includes a study from the University of Kentucky in the US, in which 30 men and women in their 50s and 60s were put through heart and lung tests while running on a treadmill.

They also underwent brain scans.

The results showed blood flow to the brain – and so the supply of oxygen and vital nutrients – to be higher in those who were fitter.

Keeping fit may even trigger the growth of new cells in the brain’s memory hub – helping protect against Alzheimer’s disease (file image)

Another study, by US government scientists at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, compared the

British experts say that what is good for the heart is also good for the head - and that even brisk walking is beneficial (file image)

brains of mice kept in cages with wheels with those housed without any exercise equipment.

Zeroing in on part of the hippocampus, the brain’s memory hub, and one of the first areas to be destroyed by Alzheimer’s, revealed that the mice with the wheels had up to three times as many new brain cells.

Study co-author Henriette van Praag told the Sunday Times: ‘For most people, physical health and brain health once seemed to have little connection.

‘This has been changed by discoveries in rodents that wheel-running increases producing of new neurons in the hippocampus.’

Other recent research has shown that even going for a brisk walk can help the brain grow.

The work, from the University of Pittsburgh in the US, found that going for a stroll three days a week boosted the size of the hippocampus and other key brain regions by up to 2 per cent.

While this might not

sound like much, it is equivalent to taking two years off the brain’s age – an ‘enormous’ effect.

In contrast, the same brain regions shrunk away in people who swapped going for walks for a stretching routine.

In an introductory article to the latest research on exercise in NeuroImage, Oxford University Neuroscientist Heidi Johansen-Berg said: ‘Studying how physical and cognitive activity affects brain structure and function is particularly pressing given the growing global health burden of age-related cognitive and brain decline.’

Other experts also back exercise as a way to stay mentally fit.

Professor Linda Clare, an Exeter University expert in ageing and dementia, said walking, running and cycling ‘can all give the brain the boost it needs to stay healthy for longer.’

Professor James Goodwin, chief scientist at Age UK, which as part of the Global Council on

Brain Health is compiling advice on how to best keep the brain sharp,added: ‘Brain deterioration is seen as inevitable and unpreventable.

‘But that is wrong – your lifestyle is intimately linked to the health of your brain.’

Dr Clare Walton, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘We know that what is good for the heart is good for the head and people who are physically active throughout their life have a reduced risk of developing dementia.

‘Of all the lifestyle factors known to impact your risk of developing dementia, taking regular exercise seems to be one of the best things you can do.

‘You don’t need to hit the gym to keep fit, try anything that gets your heart rate up for 30 minutes or more, like taking a brisk walk, a game of tennis or a dance class.

‘If you’ve not been active for a while, speak to your GP to find out which kinds of activities would be best to get you started again.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / Rajab 25, 1437 AH

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Vol. 22 No. 69 N150

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Power:

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R-L: Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambawal in a handshake with sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ad Abubakar, after the funeral prayers for late Amb Hamzat WalinSokoto at Gwadabawa, yesterday in Sokoto.

Man slits throat of 3 own kids, attempts suicide in Kebbi

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 2

News

Primary school girl sues Fayose over N1,000 education levy From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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n a fresh suit filed before an Ekiti state high court by a pupil of Divine Academy in Ekiti state, Amidat Akingbolu by her counsel, Kabir Akingbolu, the pupil is seeking a determination of the court whether the Ekiti state government is not under a legal obligation to provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary age like the claimant, under the unambiguous provisions of Free Universal Basic Education and Child Rights Law of Ekiti State CAP C7.

Ekiti state is part of the south west region of Nigeria in which governments had provided free primary school

education since 1955 when the policy was introduced by the Obafemi Awolowo-led administration.

But Governor Fayose has abolished free education in the Ekiti by imposing a fee of N1, 000 (One thousand naira) and N500 (Five hundred naira) on pupils of private and public schools respectively.

Amidat who is challenging that decision of the government, said the policy contravenes section 2(1) of the compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004, and Section 15 of the Child Rights Law of Ekiti State CAP C7.

The Catholic diocese of Ekiti state had approached the court to cancel the policy.

Governor Fayose, described

as custodian of the law and instrument for safeguarding the interest of the citizens is accused of enforcing policies which run contrary to the provision of the law.

The governor is also accused of failure to pay counterpart funding, under the Compulsory Universal Basic Education Act 2004, to access federal government support to free primary and junior secondary education in the state.

He is also being accused of rather wasting hundreds of millions of state’s resources on sponsoring political newspaper adverts, radio and television jingles, renting/hiring of private jets for political rallies, The plaintiff in her affidavit of support, further claims inability of herself and her other siblings,

like any other indigent students of the state, to attend school since the introduction of the obnoxious fee, due to the financial burden the fee imposed on their parents has caused.

Considering the ongoing sealing of private schools not in compliance with the policy, the plaintiff is demanding among others, a perpetual injunction restraining the governor from locking or sealing off any private school for the purpose of collecting fee of the pupils/students or from further collecting any money under any guise from any child of primary and junior secondary school age in any of the school in the state.

The case, suit no HAD/27/16 is yet to be assigned by the Chief Judge.

Some of Boko Haram terrorists arrested by Nigerian Army at Murye village, yesterday in Borno state.

Aisha Buhari urges more enlightenment on environmental degradation From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

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ife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has advocated for more support to the environmental advocacy of the wife of Ogun State Governor, Dr. Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun urging wives of state governors in the country to embark on enlightenment campaign of the citizenry on the effects of environmental degradation.

Mrs. Aisha Buhari who spoke at the 50th birthday celebration of the wife of Ogun State Governor, Dr. Mrs. Olufunso Amosun held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, noted that entire Nigerians need to be enlightened

on dangers and effects of environmental degradation on human race.

She said, “the effects if not checked, will continue to adversely affect us, hence it is my advice that we have to take the advocacy to all States of the Federation”, saying that “wives of Northern states governors, wives of the South Eastern governors and other wives of South West governors should key into the programme of Mrs. Amosun on ‘going green project’ Earlier in his remark, the chairman of the occasion, retired General Theophilus Danjuma explained that environmental degradation was already a threat to Nigeria existence and called for more attention on the environment issue.

He stated that all Nigerians have roles to play in protecting the environment adding that the title “green environment” is very apt considering the economic challenges facing the country.

Key note speaker at the event, Dr Ayoade Alakija called on Nigerians to use their waste to better their livelihood.

She advised Nigerians to protect their lives, health, jobs and the future generation by protecting the environment.

Dr Alakija called on government to put in place policies to prevent waste, to protect the environment, produce energy from waste and put penalties and rewards mechanisms for environmental issues.

Late former envoy Hamzat Ahmadu buried in Gwadabawa

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he remains of a former diplomat Alhaji Hamzat Ahmadu was laid to rest on Monday in his hometown, Gwadabawa, Sokoto State.

Ahmadu died on Sunday in Lagos at the age of 92.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the prayer was led by chief Imam of Gwadabawa Central Mosque Malam Isa Atu. The funeral ceremony was attended by Gov Aminu Tambuwal, the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Saád Abubakar III and a former Minister of Defence Gen Aliyu Gusau Also in attendance was a former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Jubril Ayinla, Baba Addini of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez and a former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji.

In his tribute Tambuwal said the people of the state would continue to be proud of the deceased’s contributions to the development of Nigeria.

“He was active during independence struggle as a backroom staff to our founding fathers, and distinguished himself in the Northern Province civil service and later the Federal civil service.

“His most telling contributions, however, were in the foreign service. He lived a fulfilled life, and we pray to Allah to grant him eternal rest,” he said.

Alhaji Ahmed Gusau, a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto state described late Ahmad as a role model for Nigerians.

Gusau told NAN that the late Ahmadu served his country diligently. “ He was honest, sincere and complete gentleman and ever willing to help his country, state and community when he held various public offices “ he said.

Gusau called on the federal and state governments to honour the memory of the deceased for his tremendous contribution to the socio-economic and political development of the country.

The late Ahmadu left behind two wives, four children and four grandchildren.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

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News

Ag News Editor, Ese Awhotu

6 killed as Customs, smugglers clash in Ogun From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

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t least, three children and three other people were allegedly killed in Oke-Odan in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State when Customs officers were pursuing smugglers.

Peoples Daily reliably gathered that the Customs officers pursued some suspected smugglers who smuggled two vehicles loaded with rice coming from Igolo; a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic heading towards Sango in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Eye witnesses told our correspondent that the Customs officers had seized the vehicles

and were driving them to Idi-Iroko office when they were ambushed by some suspected smugglers.

The clash reportedly led to the death of three children, a roadside mechanic, panel-beater and a secondary school leaver, simply identified as Ade. The Customs officers reportedly called for reinforcement which got to the scene in a coastal bus and allegedly started shooting sporadically prompting stray bullets to hit some residents, resulting into death of six persons while some sustained various degrees of injury.

Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Image Maker, ASP Muyiwa Adejobi and his Customs counterpart, Usman Abubakar , however, said only two

people died in the incident.

Abubakar said three of their officers sustained injury during the attack by the smugglers, adding that three of their check points were burnt down.

He said, “Two people have been confirmed dead. Our officers were attacked by smugglers on their way to Idi-Iroko office after seizing two vehicles loaded with rice at Ajilete.

“These smugglers carried guns, cutlasses, axe, broken bottles and stoned our officers with a view to recovering their vehicles with the contraband and injured three officers.

“We had to call for reinforcement of Military and Police before we could escaped from the smugglers, they burnt down three of our check points”.

The customs Public Relations Officer however warned smugglers against obstructing officers on duty which he said attract two years imprisonment.

In his reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, said the command was aware of the clash between armed men and smugglers, but noted that only two casualties were recorded in the crisis and that the alleged mastermind of the incident identified as Oke Gbenro has been arrested.

The Police who have taken over the matter, said, “ as at now, we have recorded two people confirmed dead and we have taken the corpses to a public morgue for autopsy and for proper investigation.

L-R: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Gabriel Abayomi Olanisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and other senior military officers, during their meeting yesterday in Maiduguri Borno state.

Kano APC accuses INEC of truncating bye- election From Edwin Olofu,Kano

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he Kano chapter of All Progressive Congress ( APC), Monday accused the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) of deliberately truncating it’s victory by suspending last weekend state House of Assembly bye-election of Minjibir local government.

The state party chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas said that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Kaugama has overstretched his powers as guaranteed by constitution.

Mr Kaugama had last Saturday

cancelled the bye-election by midday following reported cases of ballot boxes snatches and other vital election materials by hoodlums.

Kaugama who was brought into Kano from Kaduna State to conduct the bye election told reporters that the Commission took the decision in order to avoid further spread of violence in the area.

Just Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas faulted his claim saying that “the decision to put on hold a peaceful exercise at a point APC was coasting home to victory was a clear case of sabotage by a man we suspected was a PDP card carrying member”

Abbas stated, “we as a party had expected consultation with relevant stakeholders especially the police that deployed over 1800 officers and men on ground” He further hinted that Minjibir has 156 polling units most it are located outside the town, adding that “it was high handedness for a Resident Electoral Commissioner to single handedly suspend a process that was largely peaceful except in just 4 polling units.

Alhaji Abbas argued that “in the worst case scenario, we expected the electoral umpire to apply appropriate measures where violence occurred by simply suspending the exercise in the

affected polling units” Abbas explained that “security reports suggested that the entire election was not under threat that could warrant possible cancellation against the backdrop that we had 1800 police on ground” The chairman further added that “to the best of my knowledge you cannot achieve 100 percent violent free election, but what usually justify such cancellation was general breakdown of law at the constituency.”

Alhaji Abbas disclosed that a protest letter had been lodged with INEC, while copies were made available to the Presidency and relevant security organs for action.

UN scribe demand more freedom for journalists worldwide

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he UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, on Monday expressed serious concern over the increasingly restrictive environment in which media workers operate in many countries.

In his message on World Press Freedom Day observed across the globe on May 3, Ban urged governments, politicians, businesses and citizens to commit to nurturing and protecting an independent and free media.

He said that constraints on freedom of expression placed shackles on progress itself.

“Each year, we observe World Press Freedom Day to protect the independence of the media and to honour media workers who risk and have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

“On this World Press Freedom Day, without this fundamental right, people are less free and less empowered.

“With it, we can work together for a world of dignity and opportunity for all,” he said.

Ban stated that this year’s celebration coincided with three important milestones - the 250th anniversary of the world’s first Freedom of Information Law, ``covering both modern-day Sweden and Finland’’.

The others are the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of Press Freedom Principles, and the first year of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Press freedom and the free flow of information are necessary not only to inform citizens about the Goals, but to enable them to hold their leaders accountable for fulfilling the pledges they have made.

“The media, including, and increasingly, new on-line media, serve as our eyes and ears.

“We all benefit from the information they provide. A free, independent and safe media environment is essential.

“Yet, all too often, journalists are threatened, harassed, obstructed or even killed in the pursuit of information.

“Many languish in detention, some in appalling conditions, for shedding light on governance failures, corporate malfeasance or societal problems,” he said.

He added that human rights, democratic societies and sustainable development depended on the free flow of information.

According to Ban, the right to information depends on press freedom.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a report released by Reporters without Borders (RSF) reveals that no fewer than 110 journalists were killed around the world in 2015 alone.

It said that 67of the journalists were killed in-the-line-of-duty, while 43 died in circumstances that were unclear.

It added that another 27 nonprofessional “citizen-journalists” and seven other media workers were also killed during the period.

In the report, the group warned that more journalists were being deliberately targeted for their work in supposedly peaceful countries.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

Page 4 Report

Investing in agriculture to halt climate change

By Ese Awhotu

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n addition to reducing poverty and hunger, agriculture can play a crucial role in making the response to climate change responsible and more effective, Maria-Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General for Natural Resources has said.

Agriculture can help reduce the impact of climate change; thus fostering resilience among communities, she said during a High-Level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the UN Headquarters. Semedo was in New York to attend the signing ceremony of the Paris Climate Change Agreement as well as other high level events.

Some 175 countries recently signed the historic accord, agreed last December in the French capital, at a ceremony at UN headquarters hosted by Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, according to a statement by the FAO .

The Agreement recognizes “the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the impacts of climate change”.

It also highlights the need to “increase the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience (...) in a manner that does not threaten food production.”

Agriculture is one of the main sectors of the economy that is severely affected by climate change.

The recent El Niño phenomenon is a testimony to that, Semedo noted.

The support for the agreement comes at a time when some 60 million people around the world are being affected by the El Niño climate event.

It is important to note that the rural poor and small holder farmers are severely affected by climate change threats, Semedo stressed.

During speaking engagements at various high level events, the FAO Deputy-Director General reiterated the crucial role of family farmers in poverty and hunger eradication.

Poverty and hunger have similar causes and are often bound together - and must therefore be tackled together.

“Support to end extreme poverty, hunger and all other forms of malnutrition by 2030 - the key of SDGs 1 and 2. Nearly 80 percent of the extreme poor and hungry people live in rural areas, so let’s empower rural actors, small holders, rural women, youth, and indigenous peoples in our collective action,” said Semedo Climate change and agriculture are interrelated processes, both of which take place on a global scale.

Climate change affects agriculture in a number of ways, including through changes in average temperatures, rainfall, and climate extremes (e.g., heat waves); changes in pests and diseases; changes in atmospheric

Minister of Agriculture, Audu carbon dioxide and ground-level ozone concentrations; changes in the nutritional quality of some foods; and changes in sea level.

Climate change is already affecting agriculture, with effects unevenly distributed across the world. Future climate change will likely negatively affect crop production in low latitude countries, while effects in northern latitudes may be positive or negative. Climate change will probably increase the risk of food insecurity for some vulnerable groups, such as the poor.

Agriculture contributes to climate change by (1) anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and (2) by the conversion of non-agricultural land (e.g., forests) into agricultural land.

Agriculture, forestry and land-use change contributed around 20 to 25% to global annual emissions in 2010.

There are ranges of policies that can reduce the risk of negative climate change impacts on agriculture, and to reduce GHG

emissions from the agriculture sector.

Despite technological advances, such as improved varieties, genetically modified organisms, and irrigation systems, weather is still a key factor in agricultural productivity, as well as soil properties and natural communities. The effect of climate on agriculture is related to variabilities in local climates rather than in global climate patterns. The Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by 1.5 °F (0.83 °C) since 1880. Consequently, agronomists consider any assessment has to be individually considering each local area.

On the other hand, agricultural trade has grown in recent years, and now provides significant amounts of food, on a national level to major importing countries, as well as comfortable income to exporting ones. The international aspect of trade and security in terms of food implies the need to also consider the effects of climate change on a global scale.

“

According to an article published online by the Scientific American, titled,” Combating Climate Change: Farming Out Global Warming Solicautions”, changes to agricultural practice and forestry management could cut greenhouse gas emissions, buying time to develop alternative technologies The article reveals that saving the trees could slow climate change, new research shows. Each year, nearly 33 million acres of forestland around the world is cut down, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Tropical felling alone contributes 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon, some 20 percent of all man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to the atmosphere annually. If such losses were cut in half, it could save 500 million metric tons of carbon annually and contribute 12 percent of the total reductions in GHG emissions required to avoid unpleasant global warming, researchers recently reported in Science.

Agriculture contributes to climate change by (1) anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and (2) by the conversion of non-agricultural land (e.g., forests) into agricultural land. Agriculture, forestry and land-use change contributed around 20 to 25% to global annual emissions in 2010.

Forest depletion ultimately contributes more GHG emissions than all the cars and trucks in use worldwide, says Werner Kurz, a forest ecologist with Natural Resources Canada, who was not involved with the study. “What we are doing in these tropical forests is really a massive problem.”

Changes in forest management and agricultural practices could significantly reduce the threat of global warming much more quickly than can technological solutions such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) from coalfired power plants, according to experts. “We don’t know how to do CCS. These are things we could do today,” says Bruce McCarl, an agricultural economist at Texas A&M University in College Station.

“They are a bridge to the future.”

Among proposed changes: more widespread adoption of socalled no-till farming, a practice that involves leaving unharvested crop stalks and other plant matter behind in the field undisturbed by plows and other soil-agitating instruments.

“Anything that reduces soil disturbance increases carbon storage,” McCarl notes.

Basically, the carbon stored inside the remains sinks into the soil instead of being stirred up and into the atmosphere when the soil is prepared for planting using conventional means. Such no-till farming provides a double benefit for farmers: improved soils and reduced fuel use, because it negates the need to harvest the stalks with tractors and other equipment (although it can lead to short-term reductions in crop yields) says Chuck Rice, a soil scientist at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. The opportunity to pour carbon back into the soil exists because farming over the past century has depleted its levels of organic carbon, Rice notes. But, as with water, the soil can only hold so much carbon before it is saturated.

“Sequestration could be provided for the next 30 to 50 years,” before the soil will reach its limit and other actions will be needed, he says.

Growing crops for fuel, known as biofuels, represents another potential way of cutting GHGs by replacing fossil fuels (biofuels created underground by nature over millions of years). “Biofuel production also shows promise for directly offsetting some reliance on fossil fuels,” says Stephen Ogle, an ecosystem research scientist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. “This represents a direct reduction in emissions from the current trends, because dedicated energy crops will reassimilate some of the carbon dioxide emitted by energy use.”

Such changes, however, are not without peril. They could lead to higher food prices as well as to converting marginal lands back into crop production, which would, in turn, lead to GHG emissions.

Further, pursuing cellulosic ethanol (a biofuel brewed from stalks and other leftover plant material) could eliminate the same remnants and, therefore, their carbon storage potential that no-till practices would otherwise sequester, Rice adds, noting that the risks and benefits of any solutions must be carefully weighed.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

News

PAGE 5

Yobe PDP Expect 7,000mw of power in 2017 – Osinbajo congress hijacked by cabal, says Waziri

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

By Ahmed Abubakar

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member of Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and 2015 governorship candidate of the party in Yobe State, Adamu Maina Waziri has decried the conduct of the party Congress in the state on Saturday, saying they have been manipulated by fifth columnists who do not mean well for the party.

Waziri who addressed a press conference in Abuja on Monday on the alleged irregularities condemned them, called on his supporters to reject them completely.

“As far as we are concerned, the congresses have either not taken place in Yobe and some other states, or were not held in accordance with our rules,” he said, adding that he has directed his supporters to withdraw from the exercise until arrangements have been made for a credible process.

“We need credible congresses that will usher in credible leaders that will steer the affairs of the party to provide a vibrant opposition ahead of 2019. We need to entrench internal democracy in the PDP to prevent the circumstances that made us lose election in 2015,” he said.

He called on the National Chairman of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff and the National Working Committee (NWC) to urgently set aside the faulty congresses and organise fresh ones that will be acceptable to all stakeholders.

According to him, the congresses were not held in line with the guidelines and conventions of the party and cannot be accepted.

He said there was no level playing field and that best democratic practices for which the PDP is known were not followed, adding that candidates were deliberately shut out while some individuals were given preferential treatment by the party headquarters in Abuja.

He cited the instance where aspirants for the Yobe congress were denied interest forms for various positions but that the forms were sold to preferential candidates in Abuja.

He also condemned the unilateral dissolution of the party leadership in some states including Yobe, saying they were contrary to the resolutions of party organs.

“The PDP has become intolerant and disdainful and such actions will undermine the electoral chances of the party,” he said.

he epileptic power situation currently prevailing in the country will ease in 2017, VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo has said.

The Vice-President said on Monday that the Federal Government was planning to generate 7, 000 megawatts of electricity within the next 18 months.

The vice president stated this at the presentation of a book “Nigeria: The Challenges of Growth and Development, an InDepth Analysis by Experts,” held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

Osinbajo said power remains a major challenge the Federal Government had been facing, and which the government was determined to solve.

He said the most important part of the budget would focus on ensuring that the weak aspect of the power value chain was restored.

Mr. Osinbajo said the nation was faced with the problem of conveying gas to the power plant, adding that the pipeline, which remained the easiest method, was frequently facing vandalism.

“Early in the life of this administration late last year and early this year, power generation was possibly at its best.

“Nigeria, for the first time

was actually generating 5,000 megawatts, which was the first time it will happen in the history of the country.

“On February 14, the Forcados Export Terminal was blown off, effectively ensuring that 40 percent of our gas that goes for power is no longer used for the purpose.

“This situation led to the immediate loss of 1,500 megawatts of power. It is our priority that the pipeline project is completed so that gas will be adequately supplied to the power plant,” he said.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had two weeks ago ordered full mobilisation of the military for the protection of pipelines in the country.

The Vice-President said that the Federal Government would, in a few days’ time, begin the implementation of the 2016 budget, which he described as the most ambitious in the history of the nation.

According to him, the budget is not only ambitious in size but also more in its broad range of fiscal policies.

“The action points cut across six political ties of security, governance, economic diversification, power, road and rail, oil and gas, ease of investments and social investment,” he said.

Mr. Osinbajo said for the first time in three years, the nation would have 30 per cent of the budget going for capital expenditure, a percentage that was three times higher than the last budget.

He said the capital expenditure would take care of several aspects of infrastructure, particularly rail, road and power.

According to him, the rail link between Lagos and Kano as well as the one between Lagos and Calabar will be captured.

The Vice-President said the government had budgeted that

by July, 65,000 youth would be trained in software and hardware aspects of computer, adding that the government’s aim was to build a reservoir of technologists.

Osinbajo also listed the training of 370,000 Nigerians in various vocations, conditional cash transfer to the poor and loan facilities for market women as part of the programmes to be expected.

He said that the administration would ensure that corruption has consequences, adding that no public officer who steals would go scot-free.

The vice-president described the moment as that which Nigerians must come together to ensure that things work in the building of the nation of everyone’s dream.

Reviewing the book, Prof. Jide Osuntokun, said that the writers

have carefully highlighted the various challenges bedevilling the nation and how they could be corrected for national growth and development.

“Nigeria’s problem is structural and systemic, and it could be structurally and systematically addressed,” he said.

Osuntokun said that the book articulates various ideas of the writers aimed at building an egalitarian society.

Also, Oba Otudeko, the Chairman of the event, said there was no other better time to discuss the development of the nation than now when they have the company of people who cares.

He described the “House of Lords, Nigeria” as a collection of people whom the interest of Nigeria and the welfare of the citizens were paramount in their minds.

The House of Lords, Nigeria was founded 50 years ago and presently parades 34 members, with Prof. Ayodele Desalu as the “Leader”.

“Let me tell them that they are on the right path and they should not lose sight of the development of the country.

“This book presents a compendium of opportunities. I think it is worth having,” he said.

The 209-page book is a collection of the speeches of 11 writers from various spheres of life.

President Muhammadu Buhari receives British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, at the State house, recently in Abuja.

Man slits throat of own kids, attempts suicide in Kebbi I From Ahmed Idris,Birnin Kebbi

t was calamity to the family of Alhaji Dankarami as one Mammman Dankarami who hails from a village called Goru village in Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State yesterday slit the throat of his own three children with a knife and thereafter, attempted to commit suicide.

The incident occurred yesterday around 8am and the three murdered children were all male.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Binin Kebbi ,the Sole Administrator of Arewa Local Government Area , Alh. Muhammadu Dan Kaku, said that, “They are all male children between 5 months to 3 years.”

He said that after committing

the dastardly act of killing his three children by slaughtering them with a knife, the man jumped into an open dug well with the aim of committing suicide but was saved by local government officials and the police. ”After slaughtering his own 3 blood children, he jumped into a well to also kill himself but he was saved by the local government officials and the police, “ Kaku

explained.

The Sole Administrator added that, following the incident, the man was taken to Jega psychiatric hospital because residents in the area said that the man had a recurring mental illness from time to time.

When contacted on the matter, the Police Public Relation Officer in the State, Nafiu Abubakar confirmed the incident.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 6

News

NYSC, CBN, BoI to float loan scheme for corps members - DG Niger T Gov. mourns Oba of Benin he National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) says it is planning to introduce a loan package for corps members in view of the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DirectorGeneral of the scheme, Brig.-Gen. Sule Zakari, made this disclosure on Monday in Sokoto when he addressed the 2016, Batch ‘’ A’’ corps members.

Kazaure stated that the proposed

loan package is being packaged in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry ( BoI). ‘’The loan scheme will provide certain amount of interest-free loans to the corps members after the completion of their one year service. ‘” The money will be advanced to them with a view to establishing their various business ventures as the white collar jobs are becoming increasingly scarce. ‘’ The beneficiaries are expected

to be made self reliant and even become employers of labour,’’ Zakari said.

The NYSC, D-G urged the corps members to be passionate in whatever they do, saying, “doing so will help you to explore your potentials and capabilities.’’

Zakari further reminded the corps members that NYSC is all about national service and national integration.

He averred that the management of the scheme were encouraging

inter-marriages amongst the corps members.

The D-G said that the various activities lined up at the orientation camp were aimed at preparing them for the challenges ahead during and after service.

Zakari called on the corps to integrate with the host communities, dress decently, as well as respect their cultures and traditions.

He admonished the corps members to help in providing the needs of their host communities.

From Yakubu Mustapha,Minna.

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he Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has condoled with the royal family, the government of Edo state and entire people of Benin Kingdom over the demise of His Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary CPS, Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, who described the King as a true African leader, an exemplary monarch who brought uncountable progress and ensured lasting peace in the Benin Kingdom throughout his reign.

Governor Bello said the Oba, who lived a descent and honest life worthy of emulation, epitomizes the royalty and would be sorely missed adding that his demise has left a very big vacuum in which only faith in God would fill it.

“The Oba lived a glorious era, he was a father, helper and a wonderful leader who demonstrated unique and exemplary qualities as an uncompromising and revered monarch. The country has, indeed, lost one of its best within the traditional institution”.

He noted, with high regard, the way and manner the late Oba religiously held and promoted the rich and famous cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom adding that he was indeed a true reflection and custodian of the traditional institution of the Benin people.

Bello prayed Almighty God to grant his soul peaceful transition as he joins his ancestors and also the Government of Edo state and entire people of Benin Kingdom the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

He also prayed for the successful, long reign of the crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Ehenede Erediauwa.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (middle), switching from Analog TV to Digital TV while Deputy Governor of Plateau State , Prof. Sonni Tyoden (right) looks on during Launching of Digital TV Switch over, at the Government House, recently in Plateau State .

World press freedom day: Dogara urges enhanced investigative journalism

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has called on the Nigerian press to put patriotism first in the discharge of their responsibilities in order to constantly place the country in a positive light amongst the comity of nations.

In a press statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, to mark the World Press Day in Abuja, Dogara also admonished the media to adhere

strictly to the ethics of journalism so as to be competitive globally.

Dogara who praised the Nigerian press for the role it played in the struggle for and enthronement of democracy, however, called on media practitioners to shun ‘desk journalism’ and engage in qualitative investigative journalism that will promote national unity as well as expose rot and corruption in the system in line with the present administration’s change agenda.

“It is important that you continue to fight for a society

where free, empowered citizens can contribute in a democracy.

That is what democracy is all about, freedom to pursue happiness. When that is done, we should be able to deliver on the promise of change, which will lift Nigeria to a new pedestal, ” he stated.

The statement quoted the Speaker as asserting that the 8th Assembly is poised to promoting freedom of the press as one of the cardinal pillars of free society.

“This year’s anniversary is coming five years after we passed into law the Freedom

of Information Act (FOI) which placed Nigeria as one of the leading nations that have adopted the law” the speaker said.

He however, urged practitioners to exercise such freedom with responsibility so as not to endanger the public good, affirming that without a free press democracy will not thrive.

The Speaker wished the Nigerian press a joyous Press Day celebration and prayed for the repose of the souls of all journalists who paid the supreme price in the line of duty.

Zamfara assures security for NYSC members From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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overnor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara state has assured the 2016 Batch ‘A’ Double Stream members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) adequate security while staying in their respective host communities in the state.

Yari, who was represented by

the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Abdullahi Muhammad Gurbinbore at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2016 members of the NYSC said, the state government has taken decisive steps to ensure conducive atmosphere for legitimate living for both indigenes and non indigenes of the state.

He further informed that, a directive was given for all

ministries and agencies, 14 local government councils as well in the state, to offer a warm reception of the teeming members of the NYSC who were eventually deployed to serve the country in the state.

The governor also said, the state government has further directed all security agencies in the state, to provide security tips for the consumption of members

of the NYSC on how best they would stay in their hosting communities in a friendlyrelated manner.

He further called on them to consider Zamfara as their home state, thereby embarking upon services that would eventually assist in moving the state economy forward, adding that they should avoid engaging into any form of social vices.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

PAGE 7

News

Gunmen kill district head in Sanga

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unmen on Sunday night killed Mr Bala Madaki, District Head of Fadan Karshi in Numana Chiefdom of Sanga Local Government Area.

Madaki was killed alongside his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, 19, at his residence in Fadan Karshi.

The Sanga Interim Management Committee Chairman, Mr Nuhu Audu, confirmed he killings and called for urgent investigation into their death.

He said that the community was in need of more security presence in the wake of threat by unknown gunmen.

Audu said the deceased contributed immensely to peace building in the area, adding that his death was a blow to the people.

Also, the Etu Numana, Malam Gambo Makama, described the death of Madaki as a great loss to the entire Sanga community.

Makama appealed to the people, especially the youths, not to take the law into their hands.

(NAN)

Police Recruitment: Commission receives 843,008 applications

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he Police Service Commission (PSC) said it received 843,008 applications as at 1.00p.m May 2 from applicants seeking enlistment into the Nigeria Police Force.

This is contained in an update issued by Mr Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the commission in Abuja on Monday.

He said that 243,327 applications were received for Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) cadre.

Ani added that 197,990 and 401,691 applicants applied for the Inspector and Police Constable (PC) cadres respectively.

The commission recently said in a statement that it would recruit 500 Cadet ASP, 500 Cadet Inspectors, 1,500 Specialist Officers and 7, 500 Constables in the recruitment of 10,000 policemen.

NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the recruitment of 10,000 policemen into the nation’s Police Force to reinforce the police for better service.

NAN also reports that the exercise would close on May 13.

(NAN)

L-R: past leader, House Of Lords Nigeria, Prof. Kayode Oyediran; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; chairman of the occasion, Oba Otudeko; Deputy Governor Of Oyo State, Chief Alake Adeyemo at a book presentation, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

Delta police arrest injured robbery suspect From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

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olice detectives at the Delta State Police Command have arrested an armed robbery suspect identified as Abel Omagoruko, aged 27 of Igun village after he was shot by a patrol team during a gun duel at Oviere-Ovu village in Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state.

The arrest of the suspect was sequel to an alleged robbery of one Nenegi Ayebainaemi, a female student of a privately owned University, (name

withheld) Amai near Kwale, in Delta State.

The victim was robbed at Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, Abraka by three armed men who operated with a Toyota Camry Car with Reg. No. KPE694HB. She was reportedly robbed of her bag containing N200,000.00 and mobile phone by the arrested suspect, Abel Omagboruko and the other two members of his gang at gun point.

According to a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer in Delta State,

Mrs. Celestina Kalu, on receipt of information regarding the robbery incident, Police at Abraka Division mobilized patrol team, which gave the hoodlums a hot pursuit up to Oviere-Ovu Village along the Eku-Warri Road.

She said that on getting to the Oviere-Ovu village, the suspects alighted from their Toyota Camry Car, ran into the bush and reportedly engaged the patrol team in a gun duel. It was in the process, Abel Omagboruko was shot and arrested, while others escaped with bullet wound.

Group wants FG, Enugu Govt. to compensate victims of Nimbo attack

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digbo Unity Forum (NUF) has urged the Federal and Enugu State governments to compensate the families that lost their loved in the April 25 invasion of Nimbo community in Enugu State.

The President of the forum, Augustine Chukwudum, NUF made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday.

Chukwudum said that government should be blamed for the invasion of Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area by suspected herdsmen.

He noted that the successful attack and killing of about 50 people in the community was as

a result of government’s inability to provide enough security in the area. ``The Federal and Enugu State government must bear the burden of the deaths and pay due compensation to the families of the deceased. ``This is because government has failed in its constitutional duty of protecting its people,’’ Chukwudum said.

He, therefore, called on South-East governors to pull resources together to put an end to unnecessary killings and terror within the zone.

He said that the forum condemned in strong term the ``criminal invasion and killing of over 50 Nigerians in a peaceful and quiet Nimbo community

without any iota of provocation. ``What we are seeing has shown that this crime against humanity is been committed with impunity. ``Security agencies have not taken concrete steps to apprehend and bring the perpetrators of these systematic killings in the South-East to book until the recent massive and breathe-taking one that happened in Nimbo community,’’ he said.

Chukwudum called on security agencies to arrest those involved in the crime, adding that the world and Nigerians were watching to see how the Nimbo case would be handled.

(NAN)

Electricity Coy records 56 cases of vandalism in S/ East

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he Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) recorded 56 cases of power installation vandalism in the South East between January and April.

The Head of EEDC Communications Unit, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Enugu.

He said that sabotage was retarding the effective supply of power within the South East.

Ezeh said that the company had spent huge sum of money and man-hours in repairing the vandalised installations and power units within the first quarter of the year alone. ``This high rate of vandalism is purely an act of economic sabotage. ``EEDC calls for concerted efforts by members of the public and the law enforcement agencies to track these public enemies and vandals down and bring them to book,’’ he said.

Ezeh commended vigilante groups, Civil Defence, the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police for working tirelessly to ensure that those behind these acts were brought to book. ``In recent times, we have also recorded considerable success in prosecuting arrested vandals. ``We are appealing to members of the public to report any nefarious activities going on in or around power installations in the South East to act as a deterrent to those that are yet to get the message,’’ he said.

(NAN)

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, MAY 3, 2016

News

Jigawa emirate disburses N21.7M zakat for the needy

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he Kazaure Emirate Council in Jigawa has distributed Zakat (alms) worth over N21.7 million to 11, 525 less privileged people in the area.

The Emirate’s spokesman, Malam Gambo Garba, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday.

Garba said that the Zakat consisted of over N4.13 million cash and N17.6 million worth of grains.

He said that the Emir, Alhaj Najib Hussaini, made the figure known at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Zakkat distribution exercise in Diwidi village.

The spokesperson explained that the food items were

distributed to deserving families in nine district councils under the emirate.

Garba said that the emir reaffirmed the commitment of the emirate council toward the propagation of Islam through wealth redistribution to reduce poverty in the emirate.

He quoted the monarch as urging wealthy persons to

always support the vulnerable and less privileged in the society to reduce poverty in the area.

The spokesperson added that the Chairman of the Zakkat Collection and Distribution Committee of the council, Alhaji Bala Muhammad, commended individuals who voluntarily gave out alms in support of the needy.

He said that the emir also presented gift to district, village and ward heads that excelled in the collection of Zakkat in their domains.

He said that the district head of Gwiwa, Alhaji Bello Adamu, was given a trophy, while that of Kazaure and Diwidi, Alhaji Ibrahim Hadi were given cash rewards. (NAN)

NDE empowers 430 graduates in Bauchi From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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ational Directorate of Employment (NDE), has given out cash loans and equipment to 430 graduates for vocational skills development programme in 17 states of the federation in order to enable them set up their business enterprises.

The Director General of NDE, Mr Kunle Obayan represented by Sani Mohammed Lawan disclosed this during the presentation of the loans to the beneficiaries in Bauchi where he stated that the gesture is one of President Muhammadu Buhari's programmes to create mass employments to the teeming jobless citizens.

According to him, "the 430 beneficiaries were trained on 13 various skills and occupations that included; video coverage, carpentry, vulcanizing, shoe making, welding, tailoring, computer operation, barbing, hair dressing, knitting, fashion design, phone repairs and catering services", promising that the exercise would be extended to the other 18 states of the country.

“I want to categorically say that the plan to create mass employment opportunities by Muhammadu Buhari led government for unskilled and unemployed Nigerians has fully started. After this event, 13 new small scale businesses would have been injected into the economy of the state.

I dare say that this is the stuff change is made up''. He said.

Also speaking, the Bauchi state Director of the NDE, Malam Abubakar Muhammed Jahun explained that the items distributed to the trainees included; sewing machines, weaving machines, hair dressers, gas cookers, refrigerators and generating plants adding that the beneficiaries would repay the loans within two and half years.

He therefore warned beneficiaries against selling out the equipment but to utilize them judiciously for the purpose they were given so as to enable them settle the loans within the stipulated period.

L-R: Kebbi state nlc Chairman, Comrade Murtala Usman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state and member, Kebbi state House of Assembly, Hon. Bello Yakubu, at the May Day celebration on Sunday in Kebbi.

Anglican Primate disagrees with N56,000 minimum wage demand

M

ost Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and Bishop of Abuja, has expressed disagreement with labour’s demand for N56,000 new minimum wage in the country.

Okoh made expresed his view at the dedication of St Peter’s Anglican Church and Vicarage at Paradise Hills Estate, Asokoro, Abuja.

He advised the government to provide more facilities like transportation and others that

would help to make life easier for Nigerians, instead of the demand.

“If we can try and manage what we have until the present economic crisis is over or until the time comes when we say we are out of the woods then we can talk about salary increase.

“If we talk about salary now and we cannot pay even the minimum wage of N18,000 then our problem will increase.

“The government should help in providing facilities such as transport that can make life better

instead of asking for increment in salary.

“Increment of salaries in the past has not solved all our problems; I will not support the demand for N56,000 at this time of economic and security crisis ,’’ Okoh said.

He further advised the government to try and control the security situation faced in the country.

“The government should also avert a situation where individual communities will be forced to

make security arrangements.

“No country can survive such situations so those in leadership position should do anything possible to take perfect control of security issues.

“There is no reason why a group of people will be carrying arms and roaming the countryside while others are at their mercy.

“The government should do everything to make sure everybody is equally safe; it will not promote unity, peaceful living and progress,’’ he said. (NAN)

FOMWAN seeks harmonisation of teachers salary with civil servants

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he Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) has urged Plateau government to harmonise salaries of primary school teachers with other civil servants in the state.

The leader of FOMWAN, Mrs Mairo Sani, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on

Monday that it became necessary to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

According to her, it is logical to harmonise the salaries because they all buy from the same market.

“Why will the primary school teachers be paid less when they go to the same markets with the

state civil servants,’’ she said.

She urged the state government to ensure that salaries of workers were paid as at when due to alleviate their sufferings.

The association’s leader said “it is sad and it is gradually becoming a norm in Plateau to owe workers salaries’’.

Sani also advised the government to ensure that workers were trained and retrained to enable them compete with their contemporaries globally.

She called on the Federal Government to address cases of incessant killings in the country.

(NAN)