Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Edition.

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Tuesday, November 4, 2014 Muharram 11, 1436 AH

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204 Days after Will the abducted Chibok schoolgirls ever be rescued?

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Man, 32, commits suicide over N1,000 theft >> page

7

Court halts plot to reconvene House l Ihedioha, Mu’azu scheming to remove me – Tambuwal

>> page 2

R-L: All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential aspirant, and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Danjuma Goje and Senator Aisha Alhassan, during the world news conference on security addressed by the former vice-president, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

2015: PDP makes U-turn, says Jonathan no longer sole candidate We’ll resist any attempt to derail democracy – NSA >> page 3

Gunmen free 144 prisoners in Kogi >> page 3

>> page 2

Okorocha joins APC presidential race >> page 17

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 2

News

CONTENTS

News 2-10 Editorial 12 Op.Ed 13 Letters 14 Opinion 15 Politics 16-18 Business 19-22 Stockwatch 23 S/Report 24-25 Feature 26 Defence

27

Agric 29 Feature 30

1999 Constitution alteration: Why state lawmakers must veto govs – Page 4

Metro

32

Int’l 27-30 S/World

35

Sports 41 Columnist 48

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Court halts plot to reconvene House

By Umar Muhammad Puma

A

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday granted an injunction restraining lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from reconvening the House of Representatives.

Justice Ahmed Ramat Muhammed ruled that the PDP legislators cannot reconvene the House until Friday when the case will be heard.

The judge, ruled that all the parties in the suit must maintain status quo until Firday, November 7. The ruling followed suit by APC member in the House.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers had gone to court seeking an injunction after they suspected that PDP lawmakers were planning to illegally reconvene the House after it had been duly adjourned by the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Minority Leader of the House, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila (APC Lagos), said they suspected that PDP lawmakers were illegally planning to reconvene the House in defiance of its leadership.

“Following the defection of the Speaker to the APC in exercise of his fundamental and constitutional right to freedom of association and in conformity with the provisions of section 68 (l](g) of the Constitution. The PDP had resorted to self-help and using the police agency, turned accuser, judge and executioner and withdrew the Speakers’ security personnel.

“Let us make this abundantly clear, the legislature is a separate but equal arm of government. It is not inferior nor is it subservient to the executive. Their powers are separated under the constitution and it can never be an extension or department of the Presidency

or PDP. Just as the legislature cannot regulate the workings of the presidency or determine for the President when he should call FEC meetings and we note that there was a time he did not for months, so also can the presidency not determine for the House when to reconvene or meet.

“You are all too familiar with the relevant provisions of our House rules, which provides for how and when an adjourned House can be reconvened. The President cannot do it; a political party cannot do it; the deputy speaker lacks the powers and indeed it is beyond the signatures of 120,150, 250 or 350 members.

That power resides solely and exclusively with Mr. Speaker.

“We had hoped that the PDP and the Executive would at least this one time be decorous in its conduct and respect the rule of law and the legislature but we were wrong. We would like to use this opportunity to appeal to our colleagues in the PDP not to embark on a futile exercise but to put country first and self, second; and do only that which is right as, is our prayer every morning before sittings.

According to the House Standing Orders in pursuant to Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, the procedure for reconvening or re-assembly of the House, is at the discretion of the Speaker and it also empowers the House to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for Summoning and Recess of the House.

Order V , Rule 18(2) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives provides that “ whenever the House stands adjourned either to a date fixed by Resolution or the Rules of the House, and it is represented by the Leaders

of the Political Parties in the House to the Speaker that the public interest requires that the House should meet on an earlier or a later date or time than that on which it stands adjourned, the Speaker may give notice accordingly, and the House shall meet on the date and at the time stated in the notice.”

This means that the leaders of all the political parties in the House, especially the Majority and Minority Leaders respectively, must consent before the representation is made to the Speaker, who has discretion to agree or not.

Meanwhile, Hon. Tambuwal, has accused the PDP, its Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, and others of plotting to remove him from office by force.

Tambuwal, in a fresh application yesterday, before a Federal High Court in Abuja, alleged that the PDP and Mu’azu were working with the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, to carry out this plot.

The Speaker said that they plan to remove him by illegally reconvening the sitting of the House of Representatives before the lawful resumption date of December 3.

The Speaker also said that the withdrawal of his security details on October 30 by the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, was upon the prompting of the PDP, Mu’azu, House of Representatives and Ihedioha.

These allegations were according to an affidavit supporting an ex parte application, which Tambuwal filed yesterday before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The application followed a suit which he and his party, the APC,

had filed before the same court on Friday.

He instituted the suit following the withdrawal of his security details on the account of his defection to the APC from the PDP. Tambuwal stated that the plot to reconvene the sitting of the House was part of the bigger plan to forcefully remove him from office as Speaker and member of the House of Representatives.

The respondents in the suit, which is marked, FHC/ABJ/ CS/800/2014, are the PDP, Mu’azu, House of Representatives, Ihedioha, Inspector General of Police, Independent National Electoral Commission, and the AGF. The affidavit accompanying his application was deposed to by one of his lawyers, Ejura Ochimana.

In a related development, lawmakers under the platform of the APC and the national leadership of the party were engaged an emergency and strategic meeting meant to plan ahead of the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) over the alleged plan to remove Speaker Tambuwal.

At last night’s meeting, Tambuwal led all other members of the House to the party’s secretariat, presided by the national chairman, Chief John Oyegun.

Addressing the meeting last night, Oyegun, commended Tambuwal for coming into the party at the time he did.

Although the agenda of the meeting was not clear before press time, it is believed that the recent moves by the government to reconvene the House of Representatives and the withdrawal of the security details of the Speaker were top on the agenda of the meeting, which was still going on at the time of this report last night.

PDP makes U-turn, says Jonathan no longer sole Presidential candidate

By Ahmed Abubakar

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has finally decided to provide nomination forms for aspirants wishing to contest the presidential position within the party in 2015.

With this development, it is apparent that the PDP has rested its earlier decision endorsing President Goodluck Jonathan as sole candidate of the party.

The PDP had been accused of denying at least two aspirants nomination and expression of interest forms to contest alongside the party’s anointed candidate, President Jonathan.

The two aspirants, Dr. AbdulJhalil Tafawa-Balewa , son of Nigeria’s former Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Prof.

Akasoba Duke-Abiola had gone to the Wadata Plaza Secretariat of the party to obtain their nomination forms but were turned back.

Reports said they were denied the chance to obtain the party’s

nomination form because various organs of the party had already adopted President Jonathan as the sole candidate for the 2015 presidential election.

Specifically, Tafawa-Balewa had reportedly stormed PDP’s national secretariat with his supporters and bank tellers indicating a deposit of N22 million into a designated bank, hoping to purchase the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms, but was turned down by the party, reason being that the forms were not ready..

However, with the new decision by PDP to sell forms to other aspirants, it seems the duo of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the late Chief M.K.O Abiola’s widow and other candidates that would emerge, will now slug it out with President Jonathan at unprepared primaries by the PDP. The new decision was handed down in a press release by the PDP and made available to Peoples Daily yesterday, signed by the National Publicity Secretary of

the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh.

“According to the statement, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to inform all aspirants to all positions for the 2015 general elections that the deadline for the purchase and collection of all nomination forms has been extended to Thursday, 6thNovember 2014”.

It also stated that, “All aspirants who paid for nomination forms, including the Presidential form but yet to collect same, should come to the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja with verifiable evidence of payment for purposes of collection of their forms.”

It would be recalled that the PDP had adopted President Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2015 election.

The decision was announced at a NEC meeting chaired by Adamu Mua’zu, the national chairman of the party, and attended by Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark;

his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu; and deputy speaker of the federal House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal who was then rumored to be eyeing the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential ticket stayed away from the NEC meeting and offered no official reasons.

Tambuwal has presently joined the APC under controversial circumstances culminating into legal actions.

Governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido also stayed away from the meeting of the PDP governors.

Lamido, also rumored to be interested in contesting the 2015 presidential election, did not oppose the endorsement.

Jonathan has since formally picked his party’s nomination form, signifying his formal intension to contest the 2015 presidential election.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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Gunmen free 144 inmates, kill one in Kogi prison From Adama Omale, Lokoja

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o fewer than 144 inmates of the KotonKarfe Prison, in Kogi state, have been set free by gunmen, who invaded the prison yesterday. One of the prisoners, whose identity has yet to be made known, was also killed.

Peoples Daily reliably gathered that the gunmen arrived the area around 9 pm, in four Hilux vehicles and raided the prison for over two hours without confrontation from the security agencies while prison officers on duty were said to have fled, upon learning that the gunmen have invaded the serene community.

The source disclosed that the gunmen on reaching KotonKarfe town where the prison is located started shooting sporadically before attacking the prison formation, saying that the prison’s Record Office was vandalized before setting the inmates free.

The Controller of the Prisons

confirmed the attack.

The recent attack was the second attack on the prison in two years. The first attack was in 2012, where 114 inmates were also set free.

Meanwhile, the Koton-Karfe Prion Comptroller, Omale Ilemona has revealed that out of the 145 prisoners set free by the terrorist group, 12 have willingly returned while one was killed.

According to him, “Around 9:30pm, I received call that the prison is under attack. I call the governor and other securities operatives.

But before help could come from sisters agencies, the gunmen have overpowered us, freed all the inmate and escaped”.

The Prison Comptroller General, Aminu Sule, who also confirmed the story said the attack was the work of organized external forces.

He pointed out that the attack was the work of terrorists who forcefully entered the prison, adding that the attack was easy for the terrorists,

because the prison’s was overcrowded.

Sule, who appreciated the state governor for his concern, lamented the delay in concluding cases of awaiting trial inmates and urged the Executive to assist the Judiciary to hasten the process of longawaiting trials.

He stressed that, “Some of these prisoners are not supposed to be here in the first instance. It is saddened that out of the 145 inmates, only 26 of them were convicted”, maintaining that the remaining 119 are awaiting trial.

He, however, expressed

confidence that some of the flee inmates will return on their own either to the Koton-Karfe prisons or any other prisons in the country before they are declared wanted.

Also, the state governor, Idris Wada, who was at the prison for an on-the-spot assessment, decried the attack, but frowned at the condition of the prison.

“I must say that the condition of the prison is absolutely not conducive.

Though a criminal must be made to face the consequence of his sins, but not in this manner.

I will therefore purchase some

mattresses and other bedding which I will send to the prison.

We will also renovate this place as whatever happened to this place has effect on the state,” he pointed out.

He promised to use his prerogative power to release some of the inmates and also charged the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasiru Ajanah to do same as empowered by the law.

Wada, who later visited the site of the new prison building in the area, appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action towards early completion of the project, in view of its importance to the nation.

Kabo Air concludes airlift of 8,326 pilgrims to Nigeria

By Maryam Garba Hassan

K

abo Air, one of the designated airline carriers of Nigeria’s pilgrims to the holy land for this year’s Hajj exercise , has said it has concluded the airlift of its 8,326 pilgrims from the Holy Land back to Nigeria.

A statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the airline’s Manager, Corporate Affairs, Malam Aminu Hamza, stated this.

He said the 8,326, pilgrims cut across Adamawa, Kaduna, Kano and Kwara states.

The statement added that the last flight came into the country through Ilorin International Airport, with a total of 500 passengers on board, which comprises of 412 pilgrims and 88 officials.

According to the statement, the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Captain Sa’idu Muhammad, described the operation as yet another successful one in the company’s over three decades of existence.

He added that, apart from the conveyance of pilgrims to and back from the Holy Land together with their luggage, the company has made another history with its 580-seater B747-400 aircraft.

The B747-400, with registration number 5N-MDK, is the aircraft with the highest seating capacity in the country, the statement added.

Captain Sa’idu however, expressed his gratitude to all and sundry that contributed to the success of the exercise.

Suicide bomber kills scores at Shi’ite procession in Yobe From Uche Uche, Damaturu

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cores of people were suspected killed in a bomb blast at about 10am yesterday in Potiskum town, in Yobe state.

An eyewitness, who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity, said the explosion occurred when an Islamic sect, known as the Shi’ite, was returning in a procession from a yearly religious celebration.

The celebration is a commemoration of the killing grandson of the prophet and founder of the Islamic religion.

He said the explosion occurred at an area known as

SohuarKasua, along Kano road in Potiskum town, in Potiskum local government area of the state, adding that the bomb may have been planted earlier, as nobody was caught, and that were gunshots were heard.

He said because there were a large crowd and everybody was running for his life, the figure of casualties or injured, who are especially women and children could not be immediately confirmed.

Yobe state police Command spokesman, Mr. Markus Koleti Danladi, confirmed the incident but said investigation is going on and would give details later.

Children at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, yesterday in Damare village near Yola, Adamawa state.

Photo: NAN

We’ll resist any attempt to derail democracy, says NSA

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) yesterday raised the alarm that there are plots by ‘some unpatriotic politicians’ to derail the nation’s democracy assuring of the readiness of the government to resist such attempt.

Dasuki, who lamented the constant bashing of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, alleged that the opposition is using some section of the media to realize their dreams.

He, however, urged the teaming youths to take advantage of the numerous employment generation opportunities being provided by the government “to avoid being used by unscrupulous politicians, especially at this period.”

The NSA warned of the preparedness of the authorities to deploy all means to deal with whosoever attempts to derail the nation’s democracy.

“There will never be sacred cows; hence every Nigerian must learn to live by the rule, and strife to be his/her neighbors’ keeper,” Dasuki stated.

The NSA, represented by the Director (Policy and Strategy) in his Office, Ambassador Layiwola Lasehinde, issued the warning during the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop on “Security consciousness and awareness for Reporters” in both print and electronic media organizations in Abuja and environs.

The event was organized by the Special Services Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

According to him, ahead of the 2015 elections, there was

need for everybody to unite and forge a common front in the interest of the entire country and not in personal interest.

He commended the degree of support and encouragement in the fight against terrorism by many Nigerians which, he said, has engendered good result in the fight against all forms of insurgency including the menace of Boko Haram Islamic sect in the North-East.

While calling for unity and patriotism by the media to ensure peace and national development, the NSA assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was “committed to a free and fair elections.”

The government, he warned, will ensure that “political thuggery, assassinations, incisive, provocative and libelous publications would be decisively handled appropriately”.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 4 Report 1999 Constitution alteration: Why state lawmakers must veto govs

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he National Assembly recently transmitted the Constitution (Fourth Alteration) Bill, 2014 to the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures. This was done in compliance with the provisions of Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution.

This Section stipulates that for any alterations in the 1999 Constitution to become enforceable as a law, there is need for two/ third majority of the states, which translates to Houses of Assembly in twenty four states of the country.

Amendments to the Constitution was obviously arrived at after series of public hearings organized at the zonal, state and local government levels by both the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.

Therefore, the alterations recommended in the amendment exercise which the Senate President transmitted to the State Speakers, represent the yearnings and desires of the average Nigerians, which analysts have said would help deepen the democracy and good governance.

These alterations are summed up into 21 items, all of which the State Houses of Assembly are expected to vote either in affirmative to scale through, or in negative to terminate. These items and the reflected votes of the House of Representatives are as follows: [1] Should State Houses of Assembly be granted financial autonomy/Independence?

Yes - 324; No - 26; Undecided 10; Total: 360 [2] Should section 162(6) be amended to abolish “State Joint Local Government Account” so that allocations due to the Local Government Councils would be paid to them directly?

Yes - 295; No - 62; Undecided 3; Total: 360 [3] Should the Local Government Councils be accorded the status of a third-tier of government properly so called with its own legislative list?

Yes - 291; No - 66; Undecided – 3; Total: 360 [4] Should the Constitution be amended to deny revenue allocation to unelected Local Government Councils?

Yes - 277; No - 70; Undecided 13; Total: 360 [5] Should there be a defined tenure for Local Government Council Chairmen/Councillors in the Constitution?

Yes - 331; No - 26; Undecided – 3; Total: 360 [6] Should section 197(1) (b) be amended to abolish the State Independent Electoral Commission in order that all elections are conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission?

Yes - 261; No - 95; Undecided -

Senate President David Mark 4; Total: 360 [7] Should a provision be instead in the Constitution for rotation of Office of President between the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria?

Yes - 80; No - 275; Undecided – 5; Total: 360 [8] Should there be a provision for independent candidacy in elections?

Yes - 292; No - 66; Undecided – 2; Total: 360 [9] Should Nigerians living in the diaspora be granted voting rights?

Yes - 46; No - 311; Undecided-3; Total: 360 [10] Should the country abolish the existing bicameral legislature and allow for only one chamber National Assembly?

Yes - 47; No - 307; Undecided - 6; Total: 360 [11] Should the Constitution be amended to provide for a parliamentary system instead of the present Presidential System of Government?

Yes - 29; No - 236; Undecided – 5; Total: 360 [12] Should the derivation component of revenue allocation be increased to at least 20% Yes-125; No 224; Undecided-11; Total: 360 [13] Should a role be created for Traditional Rulers in the Constitution, such as their having representation in the National Council of States?

Yes - 202; No -155; Undecided 3 Total: 360 [14] Should the Constitution be amended to address issues of electoral reform, including the time for conducting bye-elections, time limit for determining election petitions, etc?

Yes - 259; No - 93; Undecided 8; Total: 360 [15] Should there be separate offices of the AccountantGeneral of the Federation and Accountant-General of the Federal Government?

Speaker Aminu Tambuwal Yes - 277; No -27; Undecided – 56; Total: 360 [16] Should the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation be separated from that of the Minister of Justice?

Yes - 282; No - 24; Undecided – 54; Total: 360 [17] Should the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission be empowered to forward proposals for revenue allocation directly to the National Assembly rather than through the President?

Yes - 257; No - 46; Undecided - 57; Total: 360 [18] Should indigenship of an area be defined to include person who have resided in an area for a continuous long period, and therefore entitled to accruing rights, duties and privileges?

Yes - 188; No - 167; Undecided – 5; Total: 360 [19] Should the aspects of the Constitution related to the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in Chapter II which deal with political, economic, social, educational and cultural objectives be made justiciable or enforceable like the Fundamental Human Rights in Chapter IV? Yes - 279; No - 78; Undecided - 3 Total: 360 [20] Should the Constitution be amended so the power to create Local Government Areas now rest exclusively with the states, such that states assume responsibility for the funding of Local Governments?

Yes - 78; No - 276; Undecided - 6 Total: 360 [21] Should Section 214(1) be amended to enable the establishment of a State Police?

Yes - 53; No - 307; Undecided - 0 Total: 360 However, with the National Assembly already voted in favour of these items aimed to improving democracy in Nigeria and bringing good governance closer to the

people, the hard nut to crack now is how the state lawmakers can rise above the parochial and political interests of the Governors, to do what is right.

From antecedent, it had been witnessed that any attempt to grow Nigeria’s democracy is often truncated by the state Governors.

There were also cases where the state lawmakers were forced by the governors to reject financial autonomy for the State Houses of Assembly.

Given the above situation, the fear among Nigerians has remained whether the state lawmakers would defy the odds and get it right this time around, irrespective of the pressures that would come from their Governors.

Buttressing the need for the state lawmakers to be objective and courageous treating this amendment, the Senate President, David Mark, urged the state lawmakers to make sacrifices while considering the proposed alterations to ensure that government is brought closer to the people.

He added that it is not right for local governments to be administered by caretakers, charging the state lawmakers to take decisions that would engender good governance, especially at the grassroots.

Speaking on the same vein, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, tasked his counterparts at the state level to do their best to meet the needs of the people while considering the proposed amendments.

He charged them to endeavor to get things right this time, regretting that previously, the state lawmakers were subservient to the state governors.

In his speech, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, emphasized that at no point did the Senate or the National Assembly impose its will on Nigerians.

“This Bill, being the product of

people’s will, it behooves on you to do all within your individual and collective capacities to ensure its smooth passage in obeisance to popular will. As lawmakers, this ranks as one of the highest compliments we can pay the people”, he said.

He added “I believe you would hasten to play your part as we all seek to consolidate democratic gains and continue to nurture a vibrant democracy”.

Meanwhile, analysts have continued to paint pictures of how governance would look if these proposals scale through in the State Houses of Assembly.

Observers have argued that if the state lawmakers can muster the courage to veto the interest of their Governors, and grant financial and administrative autonomy to the local government, there would be rapid development at the third tiers of government.

This is mainly because the governors would no longer have access to the funds meant for the development of the local governments.

Analysts have submitted that real development and democracy dividend would be better felt if the local governments are made autonomous.

This is most likely because the chairmen of these councils would be able to independently initiate programmes and policies that will make life better at the grassroots without the interference of the governors.

From the above scenario, there is no gain saying that transition of the Nigeria’s democracy to another level, now depends on the state lawmakers. It therefore lies on those concerned not to let Nigeria down at this critical stage.

They should endeavor to get it right in this invaluable and rare opportunity which time has provided for posterity to be fair on them.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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Jonathan, Sambo ask court to dismiss eligibility suit

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L-R: Director General, National Women Development Centre, Ms. Onyeka Onwenu, Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, eating made in Nigeria cassava bread, during the Public Affairs Forum on Jonathan Administration for Impactful Years in Agricultural sector, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Boko Haram can overrun Nigeria –Atiku

By Umar Muhammad Puma

F

ormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said Boko Haram fighters can overrun Nigeria unless government wakes up to its responsibility of protecting the citizens.

Atiku said this at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday while speaking on the humanitarian crisis caused by the recent territorial gains made by the insurgents.

He noted that it was pathetic that the Nigerian military, which fought a civil war and achieved total reconciliation and reconstruction within 30 months, was today unable to deal with an

insurgency which has lasted for five years.

The former Vice President argued that the nation was suffering from a leadership deficit because, five years was more than enough to re-equip the entire military.

According to him, the extremist sect currently controls two local government areas in Yobe, five in Adamawa and about nine in Borno State.

He said, “Ever since these terrorists have been taking over territories, there was never a time the Nigerian military has recovered one inch of any lost territories in these five years.

“Can you imagine a whole

country like Nigeria with its armed forces? Not one inch of terrorists territory recovered from the terrorists? How can you now convince me that this government has the capacity to recover an inch if, in the last five years, they have not recovered one inch?

“Government must rise up to its responsibility of protecting its citizens, otherwise, the whole of this country can be overrun.”, he stated.

The APC Presidential aspirant, who was flanked by legislators from both chambers of the National Assembly, including a former Governor of Yobe state, Buka AbbaIbrahim, accused government failing to rise to the occasion.

He noted that, “In addition to attacks on journalists integrated or tolerated by the authorities, African Journalists are now facing a new ruthless and non-state player in the form of armed militants, which comprise terrorists across the globe.

The NUJ president therefore, said it was in the light of the present challenges that the NUJ and Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) had become committed to the course of defending journalists by waging a resolute campaign at both African and global levels.

Speaking also at the event, UNESCO’s director of regional office in Abuja prof. Hassana Alidou stated that, “The society as a whole suffers from impunity.

When attacks on journalists

remain unpunished, this sends a very negative signal that reporting ‘embarrassing truths’ or ‘unwanted opinions’, will get ordinary people in trouble. Without freedom of expression and particularly, freedom of the press, an informed active and engaged citizenry is impossible.

According to the NUJ president “The panel of twelve members is expected to monitor and document cases of impunity. It was part of the resolution of the FAJ to monitor and document cases of impunity, so that we can have such cases well documented”.

“The committee will be responsible for ascertaining what really happened in any reported case of impunity”, the NUJ president noted.

UNESCO, NUJ inaugurate panel to access impunity against journalists

By Evelyn Okakwu & Aisha Biola Raji

T

he Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in collaboration with the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, (UNESCO), has inaugurated a national panel to access cases of impunity against journalists in the country.

Speaking during this year’s programme, to mark the International Day to End Impunity against Journalists, the NUJ President, comrade Mohammed Garba said the National Monitoring Network on Safety of Journalists will investigate the increasing cases of impunity against journalists in the country.

resident Goodluck Jonathan and his Vice, Namadi Sambo have filed a notice of preliminary objection at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, asking the court to dismiss the legal action challenging their eligibility to contest the 2015 Presidential election.

The objection of the duo is that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by one Mase Daphine Acho, and two others.

According to the Notice of Preliminary Objection filed by the legal team of the first and second defendants, led by Mr Ade Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, and Dr Fabian Ajogwu SAN, the plaintiffs lacked the requisite standing in law to institute the action.

Specifically, the President’s counsel cited the Supreme Court judgment in 1981 in the matter between Senator Abraham Adesanya and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and others, as reported in All Nigerian Law Reports part 1.

Accordingly, the court ruled “that to entitle a person to invoke judicial power to determine the constitutionality of legislative or executive action, he must show that either his personal interest will immediately be or has been adversely affected by the action or that he has sustained or is in immediate danger of sustaining an injury to himself, and which interest of injury is over and above that of the general public.”

The counsel relied on the Supreme Court ruling in the case between Agip Nigeria Limited and Agip Petroli International and Others decided in 2010 and reported in the Nigerian Weekly Law Report (Part 1187), in respect of their position that the facts constituting the Plaintiffs’ cause of action were “speculative, academic and conjectural as a matter of law,” The court held that: “It is trite principle also that a court should not decide a case on mere conjecture or speculation.

Courts of laws are courts of facts and laws. They decide issues on facts established before them and on laws. They must avoid speculation.”

The defence team also requested proof that the plaintiffs/ respondents had not disclosed any sufficient interest to warrant a claim in public or private law.

The particulars of objection stressed that the first and second defendants enjoy immunity from civil and criminal proceedings in their personal capacities.

It relied on Section 308 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution which rules out civil or criminal proceedings against the President, the Vice President, state governor and the Deputy Governor while they remain in office.

In their written address, the President and his deputy contended that the plaintiff/ respondents had on the processes filed not shown any private law nexus with the defendants with regard to the cause of action.

Gov Lamido inaugurates JSU, Kafin Hausa governing council From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

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overnor Sule Lamido has inaugurated the 10- Man Governing Council of Jigawa State University (JSU), Kafin Hausa in his office.

The 10-man council have Professor, Abubakar Rasheed as Chairman and Dr MD Nasir as Secretary while other members include Professor Lawan Sani Taura, VC JSU Kafin Hausa, Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, Dr. AbdulHamid Isa Dutse, Alh Aliyu Sambo, Professor Rukayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, Dr. Ummu Abdulwahid, Permanent Secretary, Education, Malam Abdullahi Hudu and that of Finance, Hajiya Habiba Isa Duste as ex- officio respectively.

In his remarks, Governor Sule charged the pioneer governing council to work hard and justify the conference reposed on them.

The governor, who reflected on the importance of education to overall development of humanity said his administration embarked on the project of setting off own university based on the need of the state on critical sectors of its economy.

Governor Lamido maintained that JSU, students will become a beacon of the development of Jigawa state and Nigeria.

Professor Abubakar Rasheed, in his acceptance speech, said

Jigawa state University is one innovation that would stand the taste of time, applauding the courage and foresight of Governor Lamido.

Prof. Rasheed posited that the University has started on the right foot, by producing a well detailed academic brief and excellent structures built in the university by the government, therefore assured that they would continue to build on the work of implementation committee which according him has done a remarkable job.

The chairman therefore assured governor Sule Lamido of his commitment, dedication on the projects, saying that he will perform his duties meticulously, with sense of responsibility and efficiency.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Haruna Wakili who gave the detailed history of the university, said was conceived to address the deplorable state of Education, Teachers shortage, Manpower need and eradication of poverty.

Professor Wakili, who chairs the implementation committee pointed out that the JSU Kafin Hausa was envisaging starting with three facilities and having 20 years maturity time of 20 facilities, 59 departments and 129 programmes.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 6

News

Giwa-Amu warns Nigerians against relying on Police From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

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pparently not too pleased with the manner with which the Inspector-General Of Police Sulaiman Abba masterminded the withdrawal of the security details of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Alhaji Waziri Tambuwal, after his defection to the opposition All Progressives Party (APC), Lagos-based Lawyer and Human Rights Activist, Chief Gabriel Giwa –Amu, has rhetorically advised Nigeria elite to employ the services of armed robbers than rely on the Nigeria Police.

He said he made these assertions against the backdrop of events of the past, where security details, most especially the Police are withdrawn for very flimsy excuses.

He specifically made mention of the situation where Police orderlies of High Court Judges are withdrawn for giving decisions or rulings deemed not favorable to government, and the situation where Police orderlies spun and scorn Judges on the instructions of their superior officers.

Bemoaning what he called inglorious services rendered by the security agencies, he rhetorically asked, “Was is it not alleged that the security details attached to the former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Late Bola Ige went frolicking while the No 1 law officer was murdered in cold blood?

“Harry Marshal was murdered in the full glare of his Police orderlies; that is why I am counselling that they employ armed robbers, who I am of the opinion, will guarantee their safety better than the Police”, he stated.

On the furore generated by the recent defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the subsequent withdrawal of his security detail by the IGP, Amu posited that the Speaker is within his rights to do so “because the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, entitles anyone to associate with who he or she so desired”.

Be that as it may be, “if Aminu Tambuwal elects not to dine with the devil any longer and rather, wish to seek the face of worthy angels, it is his choice to do so and should not be vilified by anyone. However, I am confident that Tambuwal would have expected this and would have made adequate preparation”, he enthused.

Ceasefire with Boko Haram a disgrace to military – Rtd army officer From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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retired military officer, Major Abdullahi Ibrahim has described the recent truce with the Boko Haram sect with the Nigeria military as a disgrace, because it portrayed the military on the defensive rather than on offensive.

He stated this while speaking to Peoples Daily in Kaduna, yesterday.

Major Ibrahim, who served

with the Nigeria Armoured Corps, said the step taken by the military leaders in respect of the ceasefire did more evil than good to the country, amongst the international communities.

According to him, the said ceasefire gives a physiological boost to the insurgents, who, according to him, ‘feels they are on top of the world; and that is responsible for their recent havoc in Mubi and other areas’.

The retired military officer,

who now runs a private security company based in Kaduna, said Nigeria military are combatantready but that planning and logistics are accountable for their present predicament.

“Our troops have excelled in international assignment; whether in Congo, Liberia , Cote D’Ivoire and Sudan; they are always rated as one of the best contingent, but what baffles me is that the same agile forces are trying to be ridiculed by insurgents that are not even

professional”.

“The Nigerian government has arm deals agreement with many countries across the globe; why is the government not asking such countries to supply them with up to date military hard ware?”

On the way forward, Major Ibrahim said there is a need for reorientation of the Nigeria military, because ‘in the Military overconfidence is a problem; so you have to balance it and that is what is lacking in the Nigeria military’.

Imo state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha (left), laying the foundation of Rochas Foundation School, yesterday in Zaria, Kaduna state.

Photo: NAN

Hijrah: Muslims urged to get closer to God From Alice Ajakaye, Lagos

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he Chief Missioner of Ansar-ud-deen Society, Egbe Branch, Alhaji Abdul Ganiyy Zubair, has instigated Muslims to worship Allah on daily basis, as according to him, it is one of the reason why they are created Muslims.

He gave this charge in Egbe,

during the Hijrah celebration of Ansar-ud-deen Youth Association, corresponding to Muharram 9, 1436 A.H. Zubair said Muslims should be rooted well in the religion, so as to bring progress to Islam.

“If we know our religion very well, nobody will confuse us; but if we don’t know our religion the way it should be known, people will

introduce many things that is not accepted by Allah to us”, he said.

Zubair explained that Muslims should have strong faith in Allah, in order to face any challenge that confronts them.

“Our faith is depressing when the call to salat is made and we don’t stand up to go and answer the call of Allah, but keep doing whatever we are doing”, Zubair said.

He noted that Muslims should dress moderately, so as not to lose their identity, adding that Muslims should be steadfast with their noble Quran, so as to conquer their enemies.

“The enemies want to collect Quran, hijab, Ka’abah from us; let us be careful with all this in order for the enemies not to collect it from us”.

Tambuwal’s constituents urge IGP to restore security aides From Raji Bello, Sokoto

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okoto House of Assembly yesterday received a petition letter submitted by some political stakeholders from Tambuwal/Kebbe Federal Constituency of Sokoto state, over the withdrawal of security aides of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

The letter was signed by Kebbe/ Tambuwal Peoples Forum, where it condemned the unconstitutional act of withdrawal of security details attached to the office of the

Speaker.

Two council chairmen, members of the State House of Assembly, ward councillors, as well as party elders from the two local government councils (Kebbi and Tambuwal) that made up the constituency presented the letter to the Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Lawal Zayyana.

The letter read on the House floor, described as ‘usurpation of powers’ of judiciary, by the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba to interpret the constitution.

“We condemn the muddle decision of the IGP and watery application of Section 68(1)(g) of the constitution in a manner beneficial to the presidency and PDP. “With this act, we clearly doubt the competence of the IGP to keep to his oath of office of doing to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or I’ll will,” it further stated.

The forum, however, posited that the pretence of the nonexistence of the proviso by the IGP concludes the story that the act was unconstitutional,

therefore illegal, null and void.

It also cited a verdict of a Federal High Court sitting in Sokoto in a case of Ibrahim Magaji Gusau and two others vs Lawal Muhammad Zayyana and 30 others (FHC/S/CS/2014), where Justice Aikawa interpreted the provision of Section 190(1) (g) of the constitution and allied same to circumstances that led to the defection of some state legislators from PDP to APC. “This is also in pari-materia with the judgment of His Lordship, Justice Faji of the Federal High Court, Ilorin Division in the suit

no FHC/IL/CS/6/2014, where His Lordship held that indeed, there was faction in PDP and therefore the members of the State House of Assembly have the right of defect to APC,” it explained.

The forum also called on the legislatures at all levels to be abreast with their responsibilities to the nation, adding that, it is legislature that is the symbol if democracy; the legislatures should understand the primary essence of the doctrine of separation of powers under the presidential system,” it explained.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

News Man, 32, commits suicide over N1, 000 theft A

32-year-old man, Mr. Simon Mbam, of Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State has committed suicide after he was tortured by some villagers for allegedly stealing N1, 000 from a shop in the market.

The victim, who jumped into a pond in the area last weekend, found himself in the mess when he left his house in the evening of the fateful day to buy drinks with his friends.

While late Simon and his friends were busy sipping their drinks, the owner of the shop raised an alarm over a missing N1,000 in his carton

of drinks, but no customer admitted to have taken the money.

The alarm raised by the shop owner attracted villagers who stormed the scene and gave the suspects till the following day to return the money or face the consequences.

It was learned that the said missing money was found at the door step of the shop, but when the villagers, who were determined to get to the root of the matter gathered, the owner of the shop insisted on knowing the person behind the act.

It was further gathered that

the suspect, who later confessed to the crime, was allegedly beaten by the irate villagers until he started bleeding and losing consciousness.

They demanded that he should be treated like a thief, even as he was fined two goats, two crates of beer and N5,000, which were immediately provided by the suspect’s mother (names withheld).

It was gathered that the village head rejected what the suspect’s mother brought, insisting that an additional N5,000 should be provided so that the matter would be completely resolved without

involving the Police.

This second demand by the villagers made the suspect, who felt humiliated by the entire process, escape from his captors and jumped into Aku Pond, which was not far from the market square.

All efforts to rescue him on time proved abortive as he drowned before his body was retrieved by the villagers.

Meanwhile, four persons including the village head had been arrested by the police after the mother of the victim reported the matter. (NAN)

Page 7

Man, 28, bags 7 months in prison for stealing ram

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n Upper Area Court sitting in Zuba, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced a 28-year-old man, Shamsuddeen Usman, to seven months’ imprisonment for stealing a ram.

The Presiding Officer, Malam Aminu Sa’ad, sentenced Usman to two months in prison or fine of N5, 000 for the offence of criminal trespass and five months, or pay a fine of N10, 000 for theft.

The convict, who could not pay the fines, was, however, taken to prison.

Usman, a resident of Kubwa, was charged with the offences of criminal trespass and theft.

According to the report filed at Dutse-Alhaji Police Station, Usman unlawfully entered the premises of the complainant, Mr Sebastine Sossou, and stole a ram.

Sossou, a Pastor, had the ram given to him by one of his church members in Kubwa.

The convict, however, took the ram to livestock market at DeiDei with the intention of selling it, but was arrested by the Police.

Usman pleaded guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Kelechi Echendu, informed the court that the offences contravened sections 287 and 348 of the Penal Code.

(NAN)

Mother of four docked for stealing N15m

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Assistant Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Sule Momoh (left), addressing officers at the Zone C zonal meeting in Jos. With him is the Comptroller, Plateau state Command, Mr. Raymond Akrah-Jaja (right).

Photo: NAN

I have lost count of cars I snatched - Armed robbery suspect From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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notorious armed robber who specializes in snatching cars, Aliyu Buhai, who is now in police custody,was arrested by men of Kaduna state Police Command has said that he has lost count of the numbers of cars he has stolen since about 5 years ago when ventured into his nefarious activity.

Buhai made the revelation at the Kaduna State Police Command headquarters, where he was paraded alongside other suspects for various criminal offences.

Buhai, who disguised under cover of a shoe-selling business so as not to arise any suspicion, said car-snatching was his main business and that he have a master key that can unlocks any car, adding that he has used the key

for carrying out his car-snatching business.

“I’m into the business of car snatching and robbery for the past 5 years. I use master key to steal. I can’t count the number of cars I have stolen,” he said.

When asked to narrate how he ventured into stealing cars, Buhai said it was a long story. “I was initiated into the business by someone called Garkuwa, who is

based here in Kaduna. I am based in Kano and I sell shoes. My boss sells the car in Niger Republic”.

Similarly, the Police Spokesperson, SP Aminu Lawan said two armed robbery suspects, Yakubu Hayatu, 27 years and Aliyu Buhai, 26 years were arrested with a Corolla car, with registration number AW 307 MKA, suspected to have been stolen from Niger state.

Ogun: Court remands 3 for murder during Gov. Amosun’s tour From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

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n Ilaro Chief Magistrate Court on Wednesday remanded three persons in prison custody over the death of a 21 year old, Olufemi Amosun, during a political violence which greeted Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s tour to Ilaro; the headquarters of Yewa-South local government area of the state.

The governor had just

concluded on-the-spotassessment tour of all the 20 council areas in the state The suspects according to the charge sheet obtained by Peoples Daily were Fatai Lamidi, Muyideen Salaudeen and Oyeyemi Semiu.

The case with charge number, M/O/156C/2014, the suspects were arraigned before Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Fafowora on a six-count charge bordering on murder, illegal possession of

firearms and conspiracy, among others.

According to the charge sheet, the suspects committed offences contrary to and punishable under sections 324, 319(1), 516(1), 88(1) (a) and 63 of criminal code law of Ogun State, 2006.

On the alleged illegal possession of firearms, the prosecution also said the suspects committed offence contrary to, and punishable under section 28(1)(C) of firearms Act Cap R11

law of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The Ogun State Police Command had arrested seven suspects in connection with the case while firearms including four pump actions and other dangerous weapons were recovered from the suspects.

Since the case has to do with murder, plea was not taken while the case, upon mention, was subsequently adjourned till November 16, 2014.

36 year-old mother of four, Ebele Okeke, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, for allegedly stealing N15 million under false pretence.

The defendant, an alleged Facebook scammer, from Nkpor, Onitsha, in Anambra State, was docked before Magistrate Adeola Adedayo on a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining by false pretence.

The Police prosecutor, Inspector Marcus Okon, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence in 2012, at Allen Avenue in Ikeja area of Lagos.

Okon said she obtained the said sum from one Sunday Okpere, with pretence that if he becomes her business partner, she would use the money to buy items to sell and make profit from it, which she knew to be false.

According to the prosecutor, the offence is punishable under Sections 312 and 285 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

Earlier, the defendant had pleaded not guilty to the two charges against her.

The defendant’s counsel G. Ojakovo, who prayed the court to grant the defendant bail in the most liberal terms, told the court that the charge before it was meant to divert attention from the initial case filed by the defendant at the Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi.

However, Magistrate Adedayo told the defendant’s counsel to file a formal bail application before the court could grant the defendant bail and adjourned the matter to today, November 3.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 8

News

Delta to construct N6bn rural access roads From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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L-R: Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and widow of Hon Peter Aliu, member, Edo state House of Assembly who passed on after a brief illness, Mrs. Maria Aliu, during the governor’s condolence visit to the widow, yesterday in Benin.

Plateau state varsity students barricade school over VC’s suspension

From Ado Abubakar Musa

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tudents of the Plateau state University, Bokkos, yesterday made good their threat to boycott examinations following the suspension of the vice-chancellor of the school, Prof. Danjuma Sheni.

Sheni was suspended by Governor Jonah Jang, over what he described as, “inappropriate conduct.”

The students, citing what they described as unnecessary and undue interference in the administration of the school,

barricaded the school gate and chased away all lecturers and students reporting for work on Monday.

Led by the Students’ Union Government(SUG), the students carried placards round the university and prevented their colleagues from 100 to 300 level, who were about to start their examinations from doing so. They went from hall to hall mobilising others.

They condemned a situation where their courses had not been accredited more than eight years

after the establishment of the institution and vowed to make the school ungovernable until the government stopped undue interference in the administration of the school.

The President of the SUG, Mr. Matthew Dafoum, who spoke to our correspondent, said the protest was peaceful as what the students demanded was legitimate.

He said the students were not happy at what was happening in the university and called on the authorities to expedite action on accreditation.

Also addressing newsmen at the Press Centre of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), some 400-level students of the school, expressed concern over what they described as improper staff mix, inadequate infrastructure, skill acquisition and poor funding, which has been militating against the university’s full accreditation.

The students, represented

by Michael Nunkop and Alex Lutnaan, said that all necessary efforts must be made towards ensuring that the school met the standard for accreditation.

Dutsin-ma federal varsity matriculates 519 students From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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ederal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina state has matriculated 519 students for the 2014/2015 academic session into the four faculties of the university.

Speaking at the matriculation ceremony at the weekend, at the university campus along Dutsinma- Katsina Road, Vice- Chancellor of the institution, Professor James O. I Ayatse warned the newly

matriculated against cultism.

Ay at se s t res s e d that the university administration would not spare any student cultist and any staff collaborator or anyone involved in such activities or any behaviour that violates the code of conduct of the institution.

He added “ sanction which include expulsion from the university also await those involved in cultism and other forms of misconduct such as fighting, stealing and disrespect to constituted authority of the

university”.

Similarly, Ayatse has also warned that the university had banned indecent dressing and students guilty of the immoral act would be prevented from participating in academic activities of the institution.

He therefore tasked the students on peaceful co- existence while according to him the university takes serious exception to activities, pronouncements and tendencies that affect the institution’s peace.

The Vice- Chancellor told the students that the university has a robust e-library with several hundreds of thousands of e- books and journals, warning against stealing or mutilation of such books.

Ayatse thanked the Katsina state governor, Alh. Ibrahim Shehu Shema and the federal government for the support given to the university since its inception which he said have assisted in the academic stability of the university.

s part of the effort to create access roads across the state aimed at realizing the “Delta Beyond Oil” Programme, Delta State Government is to construct rural access roads at the cost of N6billion.

The state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Funkekeme Solomon confirmed that the Director of Urban Rural Roads has been directed especially within the Delta North in the ministry to investigate the condition of 7km Ewulu road in AniochaNorth local government area and commence processes by which the roads can be constructed before the end of the present administration.

While dispelling as untrue, allegations of funds embezzlement in most of the roads construction approved by the state government, the commissioner disclosed that several attention have been drawn to the deplorable condition of 7km Ewulu road, Aniocha-North local government area of the state, adding that the state government was poised to construct the access roads in order to pave way for the realization of Delta Beyond Oil through the urban and rural integrated road programme.

According to the commissioner, “the presence of massive urban/rural road networks across the state would fast track the socio-economy activities of communities in the state, in order to reduce dependency on oil”, and appealed to residents of the area to exercise restraint in their criticism, as government was committed to full scale development across the state.

It was reliably gathered that the roads are usually inaccessible during the rainy season by both vehicles and motor cycles, A resident in the area, Justin Onyeweuwa, who spoke to Peoples Daily, however expressed confidence that the state government would assist the community to realize their dream, especially in the construction of the access roads in line with Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan three-point agenda.

Shekarau commends Unilorin’s judicious use of TETFund grants From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has commended the University of Ilorin over its judicious use of the grants it received from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Shekarau, gave the commendation while speaking with journalists in Ilorin after he commissioned few capital

projects in the institution.

According to the institution, the projects, which cost N1.76 billion, include the researchers’ lodge, which is the first of its kind in the country; the new faculty of education complex and lecture theatre, the ultra-modern multi-purpose hall, the central research laboratories, and the metallurgical engineering lecture and office complex.

Others are: the faculty of

agriculture lecture theatre, faculty of law lecture theatre, business school complex and a number of landscaped parking lots.

The Minister, who commissioned the projects on behalf of the visitor to the University, President Goodluck Jonathan, said that he was “greatly impressed by the single-minded commitment of the University administration, under the leadership of Prof. AbdulGaniyu

Ambali, to the advancement of the educational goals of the Federal Government.”

Shekarau noted that this virtue has indeed distinguished the University of Ilorin from some of its peers in the country and suggested a change in the University’s “Better by far” slogan to “Best by far”.

Conducting the Minister round the project sites, the ViceChancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu

Ambali, commended the Federal Government on the TETFund Initiative, which, he noted, was a good tonic for the nation’s educational development.

Ambali disclosed that all the grants received were judiciously expended on projects that the University administration believed would advance the attainment of its mandate of teaching, research and community service.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 9

News

Alleged N14 m tax scam: ICPC secures conviction of FIRS official, company

By Joy Baba

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he Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a senior staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Mubo Ikotun and a company, Messrs. Smith Nigerian Limited for bribery and tax evasion.

The conviction of the two was pronounced by a Lagos State High Court, presided over by Justice O.A. WiIIiams (Mrs.) in Charge No-LCD/17/2008/ FRN v John Fagbemi and 4 others.

Messrs.

Smith Nigerian

Limited was convicted for allegedly bribing Mrs. Mubo Ikotun (2nd Accused) and some other staff of FIRS to reduce its tax liability assessed at N13,938,985.00 to the sum of N441, 653.00 in fraudulent manner.

The company, according to ICPC, got the tax relief through a fraudulent means and was issued a Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) upon paying the sum of N441, 635.00 to the Federal Inland Revenue Services.

Mrs. Ikotun, a superior officer to Mr. Fagbemi (1st Accused) also of FIRS was alleged to have used her office to solicit and receive a

cash gratification of N2.5 million to grant the tax relief to the said Company. The court however acquitted and discharged Mr. Fagbemi.

The court also freed both Mrs. A. Temowo (3rd Accused) and Mr. K. Oduneye (4th Accused) the consultants who negotiated the bribe on behalf of the company.

The company, Messrs.

Smith Nigerian Limited was convicted for engaging in a conspiracy to effect the payment of the gratification and also for its failure to report the obtaining of the gratification.

According to ICPC’s testimony

at the court, the convict, Mrs. Ikotun of FIRS, upon receiving the gratification, proceeded to purchase a Skoda Octavia salon car, which she had converted to personal use. She equally concealed the ownership of the car while declining to produce the said car to the officers of ICPC, who made a request to that effect in the process of their investigation.

A petition detailing the tax evasion scam was submitted in 2006 to the ICPC. The court however, adjourned the imposition of sentences on both convicted accused persons.

R-L: National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Malam Mohammed Garba decorating the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Olugbemiga Bamidele, during the activities marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kebbi vigilante nab 25 suspected homosexuals, lesbians From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

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ver 25 homosexual and lesbians have been arrested and handed over to the Hisbah by the vigilante group of Nigeria Kebbi State Command.

Addressing newsmen on their preparation of one year anniversary and launching of N375 million Appeal Fund yesterday, in the state’s Command

office, Birnin Kebbi, the state commander, Sanusi Ibrahim Geza, said the arrests were made by his members this year, while the suspects were found guilty and handed over to the state Hisbah for further Islamic conjunction.

Geza, who was narrating their one year achievement, said that among the arrested criminals, over 200 people were arrested for house-to-house stealing of

property and that 150 drug addicts were also arrested and handed over to the NDLEA for persecution.

Among those arrested, twenty people were for human trafficking and that they have been handed over to the Immigration office for more disciplinary measures; Speaking earlier, the deputy chairman Board of Trustees of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Kebbi state Command, Alhaji Saminu

Turaki Masama commended the effort of the vigilante members for their numerous contributions to eradicate crime from the state.

He said the reason for the celebration of this one year anniversary and launching of the appeal fund is to purchase some equipment such as operational vehicles, communication gadgets, detective equipment and uniform kits and office accommodation.

Mubi attack: NEMA records 10,496 IDPs in five camps in Yola

By Mohammed Kandi

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ollowing the recent attacks on Mubi town by Boko Haram insurgents, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Adamawa state Emergency Management Agency (ASEMA) has recorded 10,496 internally displaced persons in five camps situated in Yola south and Fufore while more people are still pouring into the state capital.

Five women were safely delivered in the two of the IDP camps.

Leading a Special Team to the state, the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation of NEMA, Mr. Eugene Ezeh said that the agency had delivered adequate relief materials to all the established camps in the state and the new one would be provided with tents.

Receiving the NEMA team, the Adamawa state governor,

Bala Ngilari, said that the state government had sent vehicles for the evacuation of thousands of displaced persons who were scattered in various locations around Mubi and those that ran into Cameroon, to the established camps in Yola.

He said “the tragedy has really stressed us; we require your intervention for both short and long term”. He noted that the majority of the displaced persons live with their relatives in the host communities,

while appealing to them to come forward and register so that they too could benefit from whatever is provided.

The camps are in Dawarei, Girei, Malkwohi, Nyako Housing Estate, NYSC camp and COCIN Church.

The relief items provided at all the camps include drugs, rice, clothes, mattresses, maize, buckets, mats, soap, towel, cooking oil and sanitary items.

FERMA contractors threaten protests over non-payment of over N4 bn debt …Gives two weeks ultimatum

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

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ndigenous contractors handling the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) jobs have threatened a showdown with the management of the agency over the non-payment of over N4 billion owed them for jobs already completed since 2012.

The meeting of the Abuja chapter of the contractors ended on a rowdy note, as they accused their leadership of playing out a script written by the management of the agency.

They stated that despite assurances given to them by the Vice Chairman of the Abuja chapter of the indigenous contractors union, Engr.

Mohammed Musa they are giving the agency a two weeks ultimatum to pay them of face the mother of all protests which will see them marching to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja and the National Assembly.

According to a member of the union, who spoke to newsmen on a Monday on the condition of anonymity.

“The contractors who have executed several projects for FERMA worth over N3 billion, these are jobs duly completed since January 2013. The terms of our agreement with FERMA states that jobs completed must be paid for within 60 days of submission of certificate of completion by the contractor; but in reality, the jobs completed since 2013 are still yet to be paid for over a year after, “More worrisome is that that fact that despite the non-payment of these debts, we have it on good authority that more jobs are being awarded

by FERMA to date and advance payments being made for these contracts, while contractors who have completed their jobs languish in poverty as many of them have had to forfeit their properties which was used as collateral to secure loans to execute the contracts” he added.

He stated that “many of the contractors accepted these contracts based on the stance of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy that before any contract is awarded, the funds for the said contracts is released to the Ministry or Agency in question. Road contraction is one of the pivotal elements of this government’s transformation agenda, but the government is taking the credit of our labour without the necessary compensation.

“We are all determined to protest if nothing done to address our grievances are not met; that is why we gave them the two weeks at the end of which we embark of the protests” he said.

When contacted for comments, the Vice Chairman of the Abuja chapter of the Union Engr.

Mohammed Musa said that he has been in constant talks with the top management of FERMA for the past ten months and that the assurances he gave his peoples at the union were based on the promises which he received from the management of the agency he however stated that none of the promises were yet to materialize.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 10

News

Lagos seals off 40 illegal drug stores

From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

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Shi’a sect celebrating Muharram, the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) yesterday in Bauchi.

Photo: NAN

Benue evacuates students from Mubi T

he Benue state Government said it has commenced the evacuation of its students from Mubi, in Adamawa state following the recent attack on the town by Boko Haram insurgents.

Chief of Staff to the state governor, Saint Gbilekaa, disclosed this when he received the first batch of the students from Adamawa in Makurdi on Friday night. They included 17 students of Adamawa State University and Federal Polytechnic in Mubi.

Gbilekaa said that out of over 400 students in Adamawa, only 17 could be evacuated in the first batch.

He explained that the rest were scattered in the bush while some

were taking refuge in Cameroon.

He said the government would intensify efforts to ensure that all the students were brought back safely to the state.

He appealed to the students who were yet to be evacuated to assist the government by coming together in groups for easy evacuation and to make contact with their friends and relatives or notify the government for action.

“The plight of our children schooling in the Boko Haram affected states is immense, especially those in Mubi, Adamawa,” he said.

“The governor has resolved to evacuate all students from Mubi for their safety pending when the

situation would return to normal.”

Gbilekaa said if the situation persisted, the government may ask for their transfer to other institutions to ensure their safety.

Demonic Ekele, a Business Administration student of Adamawa State University, said Boko Haram militants had taken over the university and Mubi town.

Ekele said both the security personnel and the civilians were running for their lives.

“We spent three days in the bush without food, climbing mountains and running away from the insurgents,” he said.

“We walked over 100 kilometres before we were able to get people

that helped us. As I am talking with you now, some students are in the bush, while others are taking refuge in Cameroon.”

He commended the state government for coming to their aid within a short notice and pleaded for the rescue of others still in the bush and in Cameroon.

Christopher Alechenu, a Business Administration and Management student, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, said, “There are up to 200 of Benue students the school.”

Alechenu said that the majority of the students registered with National Union of Benue Students, NUBES, while a few others did not.

(NAN)

Transport minister commiserates with Gombe bomb blast victims From David Hassan, Gombe

M

inister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar has commiserated with the victims, who suffered various degrees of injuries when Bomb exploded on Friday, at

Gombe motorpark, leaving scores of people dead.

While commiserating with the victims yesterday, when he visited the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, the Minister said federal government is doing all that it can to stem the tide of insurgency in the country.

According to him Federal government had increased troops with more equipment with a view to helping them win the war against insurgency, and called on the people to be security conscious in their various areas and report suspicious movements to concerned authorities.

On the transport sector, the minister said a plan is in the offing by his ministry to organize a meeting with State Commissioners of Transport across the country, on the need to put hands on deck to find lasting solution to problems in the sector.

Politicians, watch your tongue, Bishop Akanya admonishes From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

A

clergyman, Bishop Desmond E. Akanya, in Kebbi state has called on politicians in the country to be mindful of their utterances so that they do not heat up the polity even as they contend with their opponents.

He said Nigerians, especially the politicians and people who believe in the development of the geographical entity called Nigeria,

should rise up to the challenges bedeviling the country and its corporate existence.

This entails shunning all negative things and embracing positive attitude like uniting the people so as to curb insurgency and other problems militating against the people.

He gave the indication in a speech delivered at the occasion marking the anniversary of the Six synod of the Anglican Diocese of Kebbi, in Birnin-Kebbi last

weekend.

Bishop Akanya, who berated the high level of destruction meted out to Nigerians by the insurgents, said the country belongs to all Nigerians irrespective of tribe or religion, noting that if the breaking-up of the country as predicted by the outside world is to be avoided, politicians should guard against their utterances and watch what they tell their supporters about their opponents.

The clergyman also called on

President Goodluck Jonathan to respect the wish of Nigerians by implementing what is contained in the submission by the National Confab, stressing that, it is a collective wish of Nigerians.

He paid glowing tribute to the Governor of Kebbi State, and traditional rulers for their efforts in uniting the people, and called on other governors and traditional rulers in other states to emulate them so as to move the country forward..

en and officials of the Lagos State Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods has sealed no fewer than 39 illegal drug stores at Alapere, Magodo; and Ikosi-Isheri environs in Kosofe and Ikosi-Isheri local government and local council development area of the state.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina, who disclosed this at the weekend, explained that government’s resolve to streamline the activities of operators in the drug sector was borne out of its zeal to stop the inherent dangers associated with the peddling of fake, substandard and expired drugs by unauthorised and unregistered drug and pharmaceutical outlets.

She listed the sealed drug stores as including Viewland Pharmaceutical Ltd at No 5,Palace Street, Ogudu; Goodhealth Supermarket at No 13, Agboyi road, Ogudu; E. Emodobi Patent Medicine store at No 15, Old Olowora Street, Isheri; Max Supermarket and Medicine store at No 23, Agboyi road, Ogudu; Sadus Pharmacy at No 51, Olowora road, Ogudu; Festina Pharmacy Ltd at No 2, Ogun River road, Isheri; Celens Pharmacy at Isheri Market Plaza and Spacon Healthcare at No 19, Ogudu road.

Others are Tolex Pharmaceutical Ltd at No 44, Ikosi road, Ketu; Amexco Pharmacy at No 1, Ikosi road, Ketu; Igba Stores at No 11, Oluyombo Street, Ikosi; Mr Kelechi store at No 10 Odun Street, Ikosi; Ademola Ologunagba at No 31,Oluwalogbon Street, Ikosi; Benkeson Pharmaceutical at No 16, Anibaba street, Ikosi; Danest stores at No 17, Jimoh Balogun street Ikosi; Patent Medicine store at No 6, Dairo street,Ikosi and two unnamed stores at Nos 73,Oluyombo and 35, Jimoh Balogun streets.

Adeshina noted that the affected shops were sealed off for offences ranging from sales of drugs without license from the regulatory authority; failure to relocate from a market area and adherence to the mandated distance between a patent medicine shop and market place as stipulated by the law; and sales of counterfeit and fake drugs amongst others.

The Special Adviser advised anybody interested in selling medicine to liaise with the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry of Health, the legitimate authorizing body for Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors License (PPMVL), located on the ground floor of Block 8, Old Secretariat, in Ikeja, just as she urged those interested in importation, distribution and sales of drugs to get their premises licensed by the appro p r i a t e authority, the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN).

The raid was conducted in conjunction with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Federal Taskforce, National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmaceutical Inspectors Committee (PIC), and Officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force from the state Command.

Page 11

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Money Sense How much money does the middle class need to get by?

By Katey Troutman

W

e set out to find the happy medium.

How much money do you need to maintain a comfortable lifestyle?

By “comfortable lifestyle” we mean an income level at which you can adequately cover your day-to-day expenses, and still have enough to work towards your long-term financial goals, not to mention take a vacation every now and again.

To do this, we looked at people across various life stages, from a single young professional just out of college, all the way to an older couple saving for retirement.

An obvious difficulty with tackling financial questions regarding income is that the “magic number” is going to be different for everyone; it depends so much upon one’s individual lifestyle and priorities, which will vary from one person to the next.

One way you can get an accurate idea of your own individualized ideal income level is by utilizing an online tool which helps you determine

about how much money you would need to live your ideal lifestyle.

That being said, young

professionals are less likely to be sharing income with a spouse, and many are living on their own, or else sharing

an apartment with several roommates.

Further, for most young professionals, buying a house

…and how much money do I really need to live?

by Jane McGrath

I

f you’ve ever been strapped for cash, you’ve probably thought about the value of a dollar and the importance of making it stretch.

Faced with a financial disaster or a hemorrhaging bank account, suddenly the memories of blowing savings on extravagant iPod accessories come rushing back. In the midst of researching the resale value of iPod gloves, it strikes you that it’s time to reduce expenditures and simplify your life to make ends meet. But just how much money does it take to get by? To find out, we have to distinguish needs from wants. That can be a difficult task.

Banking Pictures Even when headlines report bad news about unemployment rates and ballooning inflation, the poorest people in developed economies are doing better than most of their ancestors did.

Economist Julian Simon says that there may be no free lunch, but at least it’s getting cheaper and cheaper [source:Simon]. We don’t have to live like monks and take a vow of poverty to live comfortably.

But, on the other hand, as our standards of life skyrocket, so do our expectations.

For example, most of us couldn’t go without our cell phones for one day. When asked if we

isn’t high on the to-do list.

In other words, young professionals are likely to have fewer expenses than a young family, but still face their own set of challenges given their inexperience, and potential debt leftover from higher education.

Still, recent college graduates in their 20s are in a great place to start saving.

And while it may sound mundane, and be difficult to balance student loan debt with longer-term financial goals, experts say it’s worth the effort. Bankrate notes that putting away N320,000 a year beginning at age 25 will yield you N4,800,000 in 40 years time when you’re beginning to think about retiring.

“These years of saving in your 20s are your prime years,” notes Brian T. Jones, a financial planner and author of the book “Getting Started: The Financial Guide for a Younger Generation” says. “If you deny yourself the opportunity [to save] it will just set you back with retirement planning in the long run,” he adds, per Bankrate. “You’ve got to have balance.”

So what you would need to live “comfortably” as a recent college graduate? As a single adult, you need to make about N400,000 a year to “get by.”

Factor in a 20-30 percent “buffer” to allow for savings and spontaneity, and ideally, a recent college graduate would need to make about N60,000 to live “comfortably” in Nigeria. www.wallstcheatsheet.com

Money Tip:

B

really need them, we can argue “for my job” or “in emergencies.” We probably won’t die without them.

But such a utilitarian definition of “needs” arguably takes the life out of living.

So where do we draw the line when we budget? Do we make allowances for our physical and mental health? Although we may get rid of gym memberships and

days at the spa, should we cut healthy-but-pricey foods from grocery lists and stop the occasional trip to the movies?

Then there’s the saving face factor. Economics expert Adam Smith argues that social embarrassment plays a part in determining necessities of life [source: Smith]. For instance, if not owning a microwave oven

makes other people think you live in poverty, it counts as a necessity from a social persp¬ective. But people got along fine without microwaves for millennia.

Although it’s nearly impossible to determine a definitive dollar amount to answer our question, it’ll help to look at one standard: the United States Census Bureau’s poverty threshold.

uy used. Sure, we all like to buy new.

But there are huge money savings to be made in buying used. Typically cars lose one-third of their value in the first 24 months from new. Why not buy a car 24 months old? Other items such as clothes can be worth even less just the day after new. Look for ways to buy “as good as new” items and save money.

Typical products you might consider buying used to save money include: cars, clothes, electrical goods, garden items... tools and sheds, household items... pots and pans, the list of used goods where you can save money is endless.

Quote A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain – Robert Frost

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 12

EDITORIAL

ow that the FG/Boko Haram, announced with fanfare by the Presidency late last month, has fallen through following the latest Abubakar Shekau’s latest video denying there was ever a ceasefire agreed by the two parties, we urge the government to take former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, up on his unsolicited offer to act as an interlocutor. He had said he prepared to do his own bit to help end the over four-yearold Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east zone of the country. The violence has taken thousands of lives and ruined the economy of the zone. The high point of the rebellion was last April’s abduction of over 300 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state. Over 200 are still in captivity almost four months after their kidnap.

Gowon, Head of State between 1966 and 1975, put himself forward as a negotiator in his new capacity as Chairman, Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Peace Development, while addressing a dialogue and peace forum in Gombe, the capital of Gombe state. The forum was co-sponsored by Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other security agencies.

Hausa Service of BBC quoted the former head of state as having declared: “I am begging them (the insurgents), to please, because of God, stop this carnage; if it entails my meeting with them personally (I’ll do so). I am willing to mediate on behalf of the government, even if it means going as far as China, just to bring an end to

“

N

A chance comes begging…

All the same, we commend Gowon’s courage in ignoring the personal risk of possibly dying in the lion’s den. It is courage no other influential Northern leader has shown these rampant killings of innocent civilians by the sect in the North”.

He described the killings by Boko Haram as “everybody’s business”.

He said the war against terror must be won, but noted that the government alone could not do it. All of us have a collective responsibility to protect our destiny”, he said.

Gowon’s apparent frustration over the growing strength of

OUR MISSION “To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

Boko Haram and the military’s inability to end its campaign of killing and destruction is shared by all Nigerians who are lovers of peace. Initiator of a successful “Nigeria Pray” project, Gowon is a man of impeccable integrity.

This and his position as a former head of state successfully ended a 30-month civil war put him in a good stead as a negotiator.

He is different from other notable Nigerians who have tried unsuccessfully to mediate an end to insurgency. Unlike former President Olusegun Obasanjo whose offer to talk to the sect was tinged with a large dose of politics, Gowon has managed to stay out of partisan party politics. He should have no problem with the Jonathan Presidency. His only problem is whether the Boko Haram sect will trust enough to want to negotiate through him. They have insisted that the only thing that would make them return the kidnapped girls is the release of their fighters held in prisons across the country. So far, the government has not indicated whether it is well disposed to that.

All the same, we commend Gowon’s courage in ignoring the personal risk of possibly dying in the lion’s den. It is courage no other influential Northern leader has shown. We pray both the sect and the government will give him a chance.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

Chairman Malam Wada Maida, Oon, Fnge Director/Editor-in-Chief Rufa’i Ibrahim Managing Editor Abdul-Azeez Abdullahi

Chief Operating Officer Ali M. Ali

Deputy Manager, Production Abdul-Rauf Musa

Editor, Daily Hameed M. Bello

Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji

Head, Lagos Bureau Adesoji Oyinlola

Acting Editor, Weekend Lawal Sabo Ibrahim

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 13

Opinion

2015: The Tambuwal-Wamakko factor (II)

By Aminu Mohammed

I

n the political history of Sokoto state no incumbent has had the privilege of having his anointed choice elected because apart from Bafarawa who tried in 2007 and failed those before him never had the opportunity to do so. In 1981, Mohammed Shehu Kangiwa died in office and his deputy, Dr Garba Nadama took over and finished that tenure.

Nadama was however elected governor in 1983 but his tenure was short-lived because of a military coup. In 1991, Malam Yahaya Abdulkarim was elected governor but could not finish his tenure as a result of another military coup that brought Abacha to power. However, Bafarawa was lucky to complete two-terms in office but his anointed candidate Maigari Dingyadi was floored by Wamakko who had a running battle with Bafarawa when they were governor and deputy respectively.

Although, Wamakko is yet to officially endorse Tambuwal as his preferred candidate, political analysts believe there is no smoke without fire. A careful analysis of November 18, 2012 citation on

Tambuwal and recent political events in the state are pointers to the direction and very soon the political climate would be clear for those who predicted this union to be proved right and those who have been opposing it to be told that in politics, nothing is impossible. Going through the list of governorship aspirants in the APC, Tambuwal who is yet to officially declare appears to be the best of them all. So far, there are a about four aspirants whose posters have been visible at all the major roundabouts in the state capital while same number of aspirants in the PDP also have their posters floating at every available nook and cranny in the state but who among them has the qualities of Tambuwal as aptly described by Governor Wamakko?

In the APC, before October 20, 2014 when Tambuwal appeared on the scene, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Faruku Malami Yabo was at the fore-front while posters of the permanent secretary ministry of education Sokoto, Bello Abubakar Gwiwa and Abubakar Sanyinna who is heading the state Assembly Commission are everywhere.

The PDP also has aspirants like Senator Abdallah Wali Senator Abubakar Gada, former sports minister, Yusuf Suleiman and the deputy governor of the state Barrister Mukhtari Shagari in contention. These eight and Tambuwal are so far those praying to succeed Wamakko. Although, all the aspirants believe they have what it takes to win but in the end the people will decide and if by any chance there is a political survey now, Tambuwal would surely be the man to beat.

In fact, I once stated in an earlier article titled who steps into Wamakko’s shoes that there is no candidate like Tambuwal and that any day he declares for the race will be the end of campaign activities because as Wamakko stated, the Speaker does not need any introduction. He does not need any political marketing and in short he does not need any campaign but as a political virtual, his supporters will push him to do so. As we await Wamakko to anoint Tambuwal or perhaps as we await the APC and the PDP to come out with their consensus candidates, the news on the front burner in Sokoto and Nigeria entirely is the awaited official

defection of Speaker Tambuwal from the PDP to the APC and his eventual declaration to contest for the Sokoto state governorship election in 2015. For now, a committee headed by governor Wamakko has been appointed to come out with consensus candidates for the APC and if the party wants to floor the PDP at the 2015 polls, those contesting with Tambuwal should in the interest of the party allow the Speaker to run against whoever the PDP decides to nominate as its consensus candidate because there is no better candidate for the APC like Tambuwal and governor Wamakko should be commended for his foresight to bring Tambuwal into the APC family.

The Wamakko factor in Sokoto politics is still visible and dominant in Sokoto politics and it would be difficult for the PDP to break it now. In the last seven years, the governor has single handedly maintained a political structure that will be hard to crack. His performance in office, his humble nature, his magnanimity and compassion have all endeared him to the people and whoever he anoints

as his successor is sure to be the next governor. The PDP is a house divided and if Tambuwal is to contest under the PDP, in spite of his popularity, he may face difficult challenges internally because the Bafarawa factor is no longer relevant in Sokoto politics, therefore there is no better choice for him than to follow Wamakko who has firm grip of political dominance in Sokoto.

As for the APC aspirants who have shown interest before Tambuwal stepped in, they should know that “gratitude unlocks the fullness of life and turns whatever we have into enough and more!! They should be grateful to Wamakko for all of them are where they are today because he played a vital role for them to be there. As for Mr. Speaker, local politics is dirtier than what goes on in the House of Representatives because every local voter believes he is part of the success story and should be heard, so listen, think and act by applying the principle of fairness so that like your mentor, the story will have a happy ending.

Concluded Aminu Mohammed wrote in from Abuja.

Who is preventing passage of PIB?

By Edward Uhara

A

fter a tour of some oil producing communities in the Niger-Delta region, coupled also with the unacceptable state of poverty, underdevelopment and environmental degradation witnessed in the zone, I was compelled to join the campaign for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly in to law.

What I saw during the tour was more than what any lawmaker or politician in Abuja or elsewhere can imagine or give as reason for still opposing the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill into law!

It’s all about communities whose means of livelihood has either been completely destroyed or is on the verge of outright destruction if nothing is done urgently! For example; in Southern Ijaw, the Largest Local Government Area in Bayelsa State whose means of existence is fishing are beginning to curse the day oil was discovered in the area.

However, I heeved a sigh of relief when I downloaded the original copy of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly and studied it in a layman’s way. It was then that I discovered that, apart from the Niger-Deltans who will benefit from the bill, “Ibrahim”, my friend from Kaduna State who left school many years ago, but, is still without job will also benefit from it. This is not to mention the favourable business climate it will create for oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria. Especially now that

most International Oil Companies are leaving Nigeria because of the discovery of Shale Oil in the United States of America (USA).

The PIB will also promote the use of local content in the three subsectors of the oil and gas industry for the benefits of all Nigerians in terms of employment creation and procurement contracts for our local contractors. These three sub-sectors are; the downstream sub-sector, the midstream subsector and the upstream sub-sector.

The downstream sub-sector deal’s with the refining of crude oil, marketing and distribution of products like petro or gasoline,

“

diesel, aviation fuel, asphalt, petroleum coke among others. The midstream sub-sector deals with the storage and transportation of crude oil and natural gas. In a layman’s word, it is the movement of crude oil and allied natural gas from the production site to the processing plants or refineries.

While the upstream sub-sector usually referred to as the searching sub-sector deals with the searching, discovery and production of crude oil and natural gas. In other words, this sub-sector is called the “Exploration and Production” sector (E&P).

So, if the Petroleum Industry

Bill currently trapped in the National Assembly is passed in to law, Nigerians of all class; whether educated or not would be gainfully employed as well as secure various procurement contracts from dredging companies, seismic survey companies, depot construction companies, petroleum product haulage and marketing companies, gas development and conversion companies, marine survey companies, rig provision companies among other numerous opportunities the passage of the PIB in to law will bring to Nigerians of all class, creeds and regions. The employment this will provide for

The PIB will also promote the use of local content in the three sub-sectors of the oil and gas industry for the benefits of all Nigerians in terms of employment creation and procurement contracts for our local contractors.

These three sub-sectors are; the downstream sub-sector, the midstream sub-sector and the upstream sub-sector.

The downstream sub-sector deal’s with the refining of crude oil, marketing and distribution of products like petro or gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, asphalt, petroleum coke among others. The midstream sub-sector deals with the storage and transportation of crude oil and natural gas. In a layman’s word, it is the movement of crude oil and allied natural gas from the production site to the processing plants or refineries. While the upstream subsector usually referred to as the searching sub-sector deals with the searching, discovery and production of crude oil and natural gas

all Nigerians will go a long way in reducing the unemployment and crime rates in the country. It will also increase government revenue and services it will render to Nigerians!

However, some of those opposing the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill in to law are hinging their opposition on the taxing aspect where the Hydro Carbon Tax for the upstream sub-sector operators would be 50 percent while the Oil Companies Income Tax would be at 30 percent totaling 80 percent when the two are combined. Before I proceed, I want to categorically state that the PIB is a victim of misrepresentation of facts, because, the extant law governing the oil and gas sector which is the Petroleum Profit Tax Act (PPTA) makes oil companies to pay between 67 percent to 85 percent as tax plus other costs and settlements they have to make, but, here is a bill before the National Assembly that wants to make it simpler for operators, yet, some persons are saying the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill in to law would overtax oil companies.

I think that the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill in to law would be of great advantage to Nigerians because, as the current Amnesty Programme of the Federal Government expires in 2015, some treacherous ex-militants who are threatening hell if the programme is stopped next year, would have no reason for going back to the creeks with arms to continue with the armed struggle.

Comrade Edwin Uharavia edwinuhara@rocketmail.com

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 14

Opinion

Cultism in our educational institutions

By Gloria Eladoko

C

ampus cults have become the most potent cause of insecurity in the institution of higher learning.

It is elevating the challenges facing the average students to new and dangerous dimensions.

Several reports showed that between 1997 to 2012 hundreds of students were expelled or suspended from their various institutions, while some were arrested and detained by law enforcement agencies. Some of the arrested students were charged to court and eventually jailed. Cult could be defined as a religion or religious sect or movement generally considered being extremist or false, with its followers often living in unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian charismatic leader.

Cultism in Nigerian institution could be traced back to the 1953/54 academic session where by seven young men started an organization called the Pirates Confraternity at the University College, Ibadan now University of Ibadan. According to Awe, (2004) none of the six men is active in the organization any longer except one novelist whose views and current links with the confraternity are well known, while two among them are now dead.

According to Atolagbe, (2003)

observed that the objectives of the original seven founding the pirate confraternity were: “having identified the constraints militating against the attainment of a just society” they resolved to combat social ills such as colonial mentality, tribalism, corruption, elitism.

It was observed that for almost 20 years of the confraternity was the only student organization of its kind within the university system in Nigeria. It is however by 1972 as schism occurred within the confraternity, some of the members were expelled and they promptly started a rival organization, the buccaneer’s confraternity. About the same time an informal association of friends who got together in Nmadi Azikwe Hall of IU in 1965 was transformed into the Eiye Confraternity.

Anyone with spiritual insights will not fail to agree that the seeds of evil and the decent into decay violence have been planted even when the benign confraternities were being founded. The first fraternity identified itself with “pirates” and the breakaway association identified itself with “buccaneers”. Buccaneers belong to armed robbers operating on the high sea.

That is the history of cultism in the Nigerian institutions now let us dept into main concern.

Cultism in Nigerian institution play a major role in increasing the level of thuggery among Nigerian youths most especially graduates that engaged in doing violence act, especially criminal damage. They damage public property deliberately without afraid of any trial because they belief that their association or group will protect them from any persecution that will face them.

Students involved smoking and alcoholism, and no one can question them because of their authority in their cult group.

Strange marks in the body of student also shows sign of membership of cults association; for this reason parents should take good care of their children.

A cultist shows no respect to constituted authority, because he always thinks that he overpowered everybody, that’s why you will see many people or students doing what they like at any place they like. As cultism has been identify as the major factor responsible for the rising rate of violence and crime in Nigeria.

Students, who lack the confidence to face the rigors and challenges of academic work, seek refuge from cult group in order to obtain favorable grades through intimidating and blackmailing. The students lack the feeling and belief in their own ability to do things and be successful. That is to say the

students have no any confidence in their school in the aspect of learning.

Also, some parents don’t give good attention to their children, while some of their children bring home with them bad behavior that the parents suppose to investigate, they will end up turning blind eye on it.

Despite that, on the other hand, some parents are working so hard to see that they persuade their children to avoid and shun away from cultism and violent act in general but since most of the students that are studying in tertiary institutions most especially universities are staying in the campus, they find it difficult to regulate the behavior’s of their children.

Lack of parental care and lack of monitoring breed contribute immensely in the cause of these vices in the society.

The reasons behind the involvement of some students into cult group are to avoid harassment and intimidation by other cultist, to be regarded as super stars or high flyers, male cultist believe that no female student on campus can resist or refuse their love advances and that some also erroneously believe that they must pass their examination whether they work hard or not. While other people join cult group because of other reasons.

Consequently, the students

that are involved in the cult group whenever discovered are officially ask to leave the institution they are studying in after all the suffering they experienced and hardworking from primary to the higher institution. Cultist families are always in stage of danger as at any time the member of that group can sacrifice one of his family members.

Moral education should begin in the home. In other words the role of parents especially mothers is crucial in the proper upbringing of their children.

Some young people pick up bad habits like smoking, alcohol consumption and promiscuous life styles from home. Children from broken homes are victims or particularly vulnerable in matters of this nature.

The primary and secondary schools the boys and girls attend before they go to the university have a role to play in ordering the scale of presences of their students.

It is advisable for all students, lecturers, parents, government to join hand in resolving this menace by working together to bring up worthy and morally upright children who would lead our country in the future.

Gloria Eladoko wrote in from the department mass communication, Bayero University, Kano.

What is crippling the North’s economy N

By Amina Abdullahi Umole

igeria is designated as the largest economy in Africa outstripping the South Africa Republic, but some analysts warn that these interpretations of economic data may be untrue. As the Nigerian economic growth is largely driven by capital intensive sector, it has not translated into job creation and poverty remains high, hence Nigeria’s low Human Development index. However, the country has made some progress towards attainment of the millennium Development Goals so far.

Nigeria, a nation state of more than 176 million people with a strong cohesive cultural history, diverse languages and a shared history of nationalism is on the road to falling apart if it is allowed to be consumed by violence and oppression. In the words of Robert I. Rotberg, the author of when states fail “nation state fails when they are consumed by internal violence and when they cease delivering positive political goals to their inhabitants. Their government loses credibility and the continuing nature of the particular nation state itself becomes questionable and

illegitimate in the hearts and minds of its citizens. Therefore, the potential for violence hinders economic growth and development”.

At the moment, internal security is very crucial and since it is otherwise as the present situation maybe, so that the nation can develop further.

Nigerians need internal security to start with so that citizens and non-citizens can move freely and go about their normal businesses for the growth and development of themselves and the nation at large.

The issue of insecurity in Nigeria has its genesis from long lasting vendetta, hatred, enmity and bigotries among people with differences in tribes, political affiliations, ethnicity, and religious beliefs. In recent times, insurgent attacks whose operations are crippling the economy of mostly the North are bereted with insecurity and these are gradually affecting the developments of the country as a whole. It is no longer new that commercial activities in the northern trade hub are down by half because of the campaign of violence waged by the ‘insurgent’. Thus, the north is losing its stance and its economy is gradually falling.

“The North is losing greatly due

to the violent activities going on in the northern states. For example when you destabilized a state like Kano which is the commercial nerve centre of the north, you are threatening the socio-economic well-being of the North’’, the information Minister, Labaran Maku told reporters few years ago.

This is, however, bound to cripple the economy and development of the northern part of Nigeria since residents have suffered countless attacks on their lives and properties; people are left with no choice than to abandon the city.

Businesses have increasingly been closing down or relocating.

It is more so difficult to make ends meet as most of the times citizens spend a whole day in the market without making expected sales due to the violent attacks.

The north is widely seen as Nigeria’s bread basket and the implication of the worsening State of insecurity in the region is that famine might be looming for Africa’s most populous nation and biggest economy, analyst have warned. Perhaps no one saw it coming. No one also believed it would happen and no one took it seriously.

It first appeared to have taken the country unaware even as

it is considered very novel or fictional.

To many of us Nigerians, it is un-African. But surprisingly, what started like a bully at the thresholds of 2009 has grown and assumed a gargantuan dimension and uncontrollably destroying the economy and tearing the country apart.

The economic system in most affected northern states is biting hard on the citizens as traders and investors seem to be withdrawing and relocating to other parts of the country due to the state of insecurity.

Therefore, the economy is in total shambles and by extension it has however affected Nigeria as a nation in the sense that when people are distress in one part of the country, it goes a long way in affecting other parts of the country which in real sense may not have been affected initially.

What should ponder in every mind of a Nigerian citizen is that this is not a northern problem alone. This has become a Nigerian problem. It is crystal clear that it has affected the north. Whenever there is crisis, the first victim to fall is the economy. This clearly shows that people will be scared and cannot come out to do their normal daily businesses.

Over the years, hundreds of businesses have either closed or have been forced to relocate. In other words, without security people cannot talk business.

Having seen the indemnity done so far as one nation, drastic action is needed to restore our economic and financial independence and we must begin immediately to rebuild our industries.

Restoring our industry to world leading standards of competitiveness will require serious restrictions on trade and investment flow. The first essential is that our government should ensure a secure country for everyone to live in. governments should also do well in providing enabling environments for businesses to flourish. The citizens should embrace peace, thereby shunning violence as it is the root of our problems. If all these aforementioned fact which fever the country can be resolved; it is considerably that violence crippling not only the Northern economy but Nigeria at large is a mirage!

Amina Abdullahi Umole, Department of Mass Communication Level 400, Bayero University, Kano.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 15

Comment

Our emperor’s new clothes

By Ifeanyi Uddin

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n July 16 2014, crude oil (Brent blend) traded at circa US$115 per barrel (pb) on the global spot markets.

October 16 2014, it was trading at circa US85pb. In 3 months, our main export earner (and the largest contributor to official earnings) had lost a quarter of its price. The official response to what ought ordinarily to qualify as a dread scenario has been excessively optimistic. We have been invited by the minister responsible for these matters to believe that “all is well”. At first blush, nothing could be truer.

The Jonathan administration at the federal level has pursued a “Transformation Agenda” over the last five years, which according to its boosters has fundamentally changed the national economic ecosystem.

We have in this period (depending on whom you are in conversation with) eliminated dependence on the imports of major commodities, especially rice. We have seen changes to the power sector (especially the transfer of distribution assets to the private sector) that over time should see domestic power generation rise from the abysmal levels that it is at currently.

Similar changes have either happened (or are about to take place) in the railway, roads, inland waterways, and automobile sectors.

Taken together, the transformation agenda should have improved the resilience of the domestic economy to external shocks such as the current one provided by falling oil prices.

Indeed, whereas the Obasanjo administration simply built up

fiscal buffers to protect against such vulnerabilities, the Jonathan administration went several steps further through the rapid depletion of these buffers in order to support the improvements it claims to have wrought in domestic capacity. t a different level, the International Monetary Fund estimates that a 10% drop in global oil prices results in a 0.2% increase in global output over a 6 to 12 months period. Oil importing countries, facing lower oil import bills, spend the gains therefrom in a way in which oilexporting countries always fail to spend the windfall from higher prices. Therefore, if we are to believe the exchequer, we confront a win-win situation. Reinforced to absorb the shocks from lower oil prices, Nigeria is just as poised to benefit from the uptick in global economic output from falling oil prices.

“

“Alice in Wonderland” stuff? Not entirely. I am not sure whether the relationship is causal or correlated, but in the immediate aftermath of the plunge in oil prices, a number of sub-national governments have been reported as no longer able to meet their payroll obligations, as disbursements from the federation accounts, the main source of provincial and municipal revenues in this country appear to have dropped markedly. Even the exchequer may have conveyed new instructions to banks designed to limit the latter’s exposure to public sector obligors.

Certainly, the Central Bank of Nigeria has limited foreign currency borrowings by banks in the country, as it seeks to put a lid on the risks inherent in the foreign exposures of banks who have lent to the power, oil, and high-end property sectors. Other transactions now, reportedly,

require the approval of much more senior officers than previously.

What could be the matter?

Truth is no one knows. Moreover, these are not the only part of government’s activities that are shrouded in mystery. There are three break-even points, for instance, that have suddenly come to matter as oil prices have tanked. Given that oil is our major export earner, at what price does earnings from oil translate into a current account deficit? Given that crude oil exports also comprise nearly all of our public revenue, at what price does the federal budget become unsupportable? At what point, in other words, does the fiscal deficit begin to exceed the 3% target? Given the ruckus over reforms to the exploration and production of crude oil, at what price (whether at the joint venture cash level or with the production sharing contracts) do operations in the upstream sector become

Just about anybody you speak to has (often wildly differing) numbers for these three break-even points.

Nonetheless, all agree that at US$85pb, the three indices would be in bear territory. Back-of-the-envelope arithmetic supports this, too. Over the period in which oil prices have remained elevated (that is, for the most part of this administration’s tenure), the balance on the external reserves have fallen as rapidly as has the balance on the excess crude account. In addition, although it has kept faith with the letter of the oil price fiscal rule, by indicating a budget benchmark considerably lower than prevailing spot market rates for crude oil, we have not seen this difference show up anywhere

uneconomic?

Just about anybody you speak to has (often wildly differing) numbers for these three breakeven points. Nonetheless, all agree that at US$85pb, the three indices would be in bear territory.

Back-of-the-envelope arithmetic supports this, too. Over the period in which oil prices have remained elevated (that is, for the most part of this administration’s tenure), the balance on the external reserves have fallen as rapidly as has the balance on the excess crude account. In addition, although it has kept faith with the letter of the oil price fiscal rule, by indicating a budget benchmark considerably lower than prevailing spot market rates for crude oil, we have not seen this difference show up anywhere.

We must assume, therefore, that this difference has been spent.

The bible recounts an earlier version of this dilemma. But, whereas the King of Egypt was lucky enough to find a counselor who saved away in the “years of plenty”, our liege may have been persuaded to spend it all. The narrative about how positive the economy’s short- to medium-term health is may thus be conjured out of pure ether, like the new clothes of another fabled emperor!

In contrast, however, we have the example of the South Africans whose response (last month) to the effect of the recent lengthy mining strikes on their economy’s outlook was to slash GDP growth estimates for this year from the 2.7% that they had put forward in February, to 1.4%.

Ifeanyi Uddin is on the editorial boar4d of Premium Times.

Buhari and Nigeria’s 21st century electorate

By Bamidele Adeneye

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s the elections draw closer, emotions are rising.

Choices are being made and tents are being pitched. In our country, politics seems to be an enigmatic subject. Many are completely ignorant of what they think they have total comprehension of.

No ideologies, no left or right, we choose our political leaders on nothing more than trivial extraneous and selfish factors – popularity, ethnic, or religious affiliation. None of the reasons given by most Nigerians, literate or illiterate, lettered or unlettered, educated or uneducated, can be decidedly referred to as intelligent. People from all cadres of life, from the university professor to the illiterate night soil man have one emotionally important criterion or the other a candidate must fulfil to get their vote.

In 2015, we shall once again exercise our only political power,

our ability to choose who leads us and I am already seeing signs of our cyclical self-determined suffering rearing its head. The conditions shouldn’t be the same, one would expect that many Nigerians would have learnt from the reality experienced under the present regime, the same party that has been in power since 1999….16 years of nothing but a well fed bulldog named corruption to show for it.

There are already talks of who the candidates would be and Nigerians have begun the usual habit of pitching opinions against facts to justify emotiveness. Well, we’ve been on this road since 2009 and everyone can see where it has led us.

Muhammadu Buhari The claim is that he’s a religious extremist. They produce a written non-endorsed transcript of him saying Sharia must be implemented across the country. But let us take a look at the man. When he was the Head of State, when he had ultimate

power, was he less of a Muslim today than he was then? I would like to see anyone produce an evidence for that. If he wanted to implement his religious desires, wouldn’t he have done that when he had ultimate power?

His cabinet contained a sizeable number of Christians, atypical for an extremist. Some of his domestic staff, in sensitive roles, are Christians. He was never heard before venturing into politics to have said anything that could portray him as an extremist. He recently gave an interview which successfully dispels the allegation.

Given the facts above and the possibility of it being a smear campaign, it is only reasonable to demand better evidence of him making that statement. Why will he want to lose followership?

Why will he play into the hands of those trying so desperately to smear him so easily? He doesn’t have a history of it, why will he want to start now? Think about it!

Then there is the age issue.

Nothing much to say about this but a 20000 year old Buhari is far better than what we have as a president. Like the saying goes, wine gets better with age. Given his antecedents, he can only get better in his ability to lead.

Therefore, age isn’t consequential.

“He was a military leader that truncated the democratic process”. Given what has been widely written, widely reported and widely accepted as true about the Shagari administration, the intervention of Buhari’s regime at that time was more or less a much needed blessing in disguise. We are talking about the total absence of law and order cum endemic corruption….similar to what we have today. Thank God someone intervened. Who knows where we would be today otherwise.

As far as options go, we have very few that are viable available to us. As at the time of this writing, Fashola is not an option, Donald Duke is not an option. We only have those who have indicated interest to choose

from a la Goodluck Jonathan, Atiku Abubakar and Muhammdu Buhari. Who do you choose and why? Think about it.

For the change that we all pipe, the change we all parrot, to come about, there has to be a drastic turn in the democratic road we are taking. The “cycle of corruption” must be cut, severed along its major artery….an end must be put to impunity and institutionalized corrupt practices in our government.

We need to begin seeing elections as a recruitment process.

We need to begin making our choices as stoically as we can muster, devoid of all tribal, ethnic or religious sentiments. We need to choose leaders based on their antecedents and potentials.

We need to veer away from sentimentally motivated choice making. We have done this for years and it has never favoured us.

Why persist?

Bamidele Adeneye wrote in from Lagos

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 16

2015: Your voter card is your gun, weapon against corrupt leaders, Buhari tells electorate From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

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ormer Head of State and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday charged party supporters to ensure they register and collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs), describing it as a gun to be used against corrupt leaders come 2015 election.

According to Buhari without voter card, the electorates cannot bring the desired change and cannot vote out the ruling party from government come 2015.

The former Head of State disclosed this while endorsing former Minister of Federal Territory, Malam Nasir el_Rufai as the governorship aspirant for Kaduna State.

“As you have been told of the importance of your voter’s card by other speakers, let me urge you to ensure that you collect your voters’ card to use in the election come 2015. Your voters’ card is your gun and weapon against incompetent leaders and against destruction of Nigeria.

“Your voters card provide you will all the powers you need to vote out corrupt leaders and to provide change during the election. It will enable you to vote for your senators, your House of representative members, your governors and even the president,” he said.

On why he endorsed el-Rufai, Buhari said “I endorsed el-Rufai as your governorship aspirants because of his competency. elRufai has three qualities as a leader which is competence, integrity and courage,” he said.

According to Buhari, Kaduna State citizens would not be doing him a favour by voting el-Rufai as

•••endorses El-Rufa’i for Kaduna governorship their governor come 2015.

“Whoever is interested for electoral position in government must have integrity and we all know what el-Rufai did in Abuja when he was in government. I am not being arrogant, I am being honest to Kaduna people if you elect el-Rufai as governor you are not doing me a favour but doing yourself a favour,” he said.

He therefore urged the people of the state to fully support the former minister to become the state governor in the next election.

In his remarks, Malam Nasir el-Rufai said before picking the

nomination form to contest the state number one seat he consulted widely.

According to him, over the last few months he visited all the 23 local government areas of the state and visited tens of communities.

“Some of the places I visited were so remote, isolated and cut off from government that it would have been difficult to believe that they were part of Kaduna State.

“I consulted widely with people –from traditional rulers, respected elders and public officials that can speak out, as well as ordinary people who have no voice but rely

on someone to speak for them. My purpose was to listen to the people and understand what they wanted from the state government and how the government and the people can work together to develop our state.

“To say that I was shocked by the level of neglect is an understatement. Our road networks have fallen into disrepair; our schools have no basic teaching and learning tools; our teachers are not motivated; our hospitals and clinics lack essential resources to mitigate the challenges of healthcare and our civil servants are not being sufficiently motivated.

L-R: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, recently at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Kwara South PDP Forum insists on gubernatorial candidate From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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lders from Kwara South senatorial district of Kwara State have resolved that an aspirant from the zone should be given ticket as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 election.

The Kwara South elders’ resolution was the highlight of a

special consultative forum which attracted no fewer than 3,000 PDP members from the seven local governments in the Senatorial zone.

According to the spokesman of the group, Segun Olalere, the elders’ meeting was hosted by former deputy governor of the state, Chief Joel Ogundeji.

The resolution to support one of the five aspirants from the zone was

tabled by the secretary of the Elders Forum, Dr. Hezekiah Oyedepo and was affirmed by all those present through a unanimous voice vote.

Earlier, all the five gubernatorial aspirants had presented the highlights of their manifestos to the forum where they spoke on their strategies to improve the economic and social status of the state if they become the next governor in May,

next year.

Those present were Eng. Jani Ibrahim, Mr. Sunday Babalola, Deacon John Dara, Senator Makanjuola Ajadi and Senator Simeon Ajibola.

All the governorship aspirants pledged to work together and support whoever emerges as the PDP flag bearer.

Rep Kigbu submits nomination form, urges supporters to obtain PVCs

By Ali Abare Abubakar

A

member of the federal House of Representatives, Dr. Joseph Kigbu (PDP, Lafia/Obi) in Nasarawa State has called on voters to ensure they obtain their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs), which he said, will give them power to elect leaders of their choice come 2015.

Kigbu made the call yesterday in Lafia, shortly after submitting his nomination form at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noting that rigging only obtains when the electorates are not resolute enough to take part in the democratic process of electing the rightful leaders thereby leaving room for miscreants and other enemies of the state to take centre stage.

Giving an insight into why the incessant bloody clashes in the state have defied solution, the lawmaker alleged insincerity on the part of the political leadership in the state and politicization of the crises to have further deepened the ugly situation.

While maintaining that concerted effort must be made by all stakeholders, across party lines, to ensure that democratic process leading up to 2015 is aimed at restoring peace and security in the state, Kigbu noted that politicians who indulge in championing the fiendish course of religious and ethnic politics have also contributed in fuelling the ongoing cycle of communal clashes in the state, stressing that such divisive politics only breeds hate and impedes tolerance which is a cardinal virtue in ensuring peaceful co-existence.

The lawmaker, who is the House Committee Chairman on Malaria, HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Leprosy, called on people of the state to remain united and not allow themselves to be torn apart by the unbridled divisive propaganda of ethno-religious political champions who are currently working round the clock to ensure that the state remains in turmoil for their selfish gains.

He expressed confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is working hard to reclaim its mandate and called on party supporters not to waver in their commitment towards their goal come the general elections in 2015.

2015: Group denies donation for purchase of Jonathan’s presidential nomination form From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

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orthern Youth Assembly (NYA), has denied speculations that it donated the sum of N2million for the purchase of nomination form for the presidential bid of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan towards the 2015 presidential election.

This was contained in a statement signed jointly by the group’s national president, Ambassador Ibrahim Waiya and publicity secretary, Comrade Adikwu Omale Joshua, and issued to journalists in Kano.

According to the statement, the association does not in any form, engage in political activities in the country, but pursue appropriate

means to bring development to societies and fight societal ills among youth in the Northern region and the country at large.

The statement reads in parts, “ The National Leadership of the Northern Youth Assembly, on behalf of the Nineteen Northern States Chapters of the group, members and its affiliated organisations, wish to

categorically disassociate itself from the widespread speculation credited to the group by some individuals and groups in some quarters, on the purported and acclaimed financial contribution to the tune of two million naira, to support the purchase of a nomination form for the presidential bid of the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for the 2015 General Elections, at

a programme held on Saturday, in Kano on the 25th Oct. 2014.”

However, the statement pointed out that the association that held the programme was a different platform with different ideology and course from NYA, adding that the group’s name was Northern Youth Forum (NYF), not Northern Youth Assembly (NYA), as widely speculated.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 17

Politics

2015: APC wants chaos, not ready to win election -LP scribe

L-R: Members of Talba Success Movement, Hon. Shabudeen Isa, Hon. Bashir Abacha, and PDP Chairman in Chanchaga, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Gomnati, presenting the PDP Senatorial form to Niger state Governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, on Sunday at his residence, in Minna.

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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abour Party National Secretary Barr. Olukayode Ajulo yesterday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to cause chaos in the 2015 general elections going by their unguarded utterances and inciting statements against the country.

Ajulo in a statement blasted the APC for celebrating insurgency and terrorism, and fanning the embers of further chaos rather than finding ways of assisting the government to fight it.

“The APC campaigns rather than being issue-based are characterised by name-calling, baseless fault-finding and dirty diatribes devoid of plans for Nigerians.”

Ajulo, a constitutional lawyer who also doubles as the Chairman of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, said going by the statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Sunday in Lagos, the APC has finally revealed its evil intention against Nigeria.

“These unguarded talks and schoolboy lampoon show how myopic and selfish a party that claimed to be progressive is in issues of national security that hold dire consequences for the entire citizenry” the Labour Party scribe said.

He noted that while vibrant opposition was necessary for democracy to flourish, the nation’s unity and peace must not be sacrificed on the altar of do-or-die politics.

“Apparently the APC is not set out to win the 2015 general election as it lacks the vision, capacity and strategy to do so.

Rather, their mission is to make the country ungovernable going by the utterances credited to one of its major presidential contenders. It is instructive that the same bellicose posture and politically infantile proclamations presaged the violence that visited the outcome of the presidential polls in 2011. And what is more, certain parts of the country have remained virtually ungovernable since then!

“What stands out most is the fact that the party is playing politics with an issue like terrorism, an evil despised by the whole world.

When America fought terrorism, it was viewed by both the Democrats and the Republicans as a national concern of all and not an issue for pedestrian postulations and dirty politicking” the party further said.

It advised the APC to refrain from further inciting Nigerians and pay due attention to the much more palpable issue of their fast dwindling followership saying: “if the APC has nothing to sell to Nigerians, it should gallantly withdraw from the presidential race which in any case it is poised to lose.”

Rochas Okorocha joins APC presidential race

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he Governor of Imo State and a presidential aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Owelle Rochas Okorocha has said it is time for Nigerians to rise up and make sure that the sixteen years of painful and terror reign by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is stopped once and for all if the citizens want to lay a foundation for a better, united and prosperous Nigeria.

He stated this in Kaduna yesterday while receiving expression of interest form to contest the presidential seat purchased for him by the National Movement for Rochas Okoroacha.

The Imo State Governor said Nigerians have been living in a situation that is unacceptable

for fifteen years because poverty, insecurity and wanton loss of lives and property have become the order of the day.

According to him, the 2015 elections presents an opportunity for Nigerians to take their destiny in their hands by making a change.

“We have three major problems in this country; one of them is that of insecurity, dividing the country along ethnic and religious lines and the fallen standard of education.

“Unfortunately the present administration is not doing anything to stop it. Today, I your brother with the title Jikan Sokoto and a man who has lived in the North for all my life, I can tell you that those who are plunging the country into the present mess are doing so deliberately. I don’t want you to

believe that they’re only focusing in the North. We in the SouthEast and South-West are not left out. Anywhere PDP cannot find its way they destroy it.

“We’re blessed with enough resources to cater for our people if properly enhanced but unfortunately the so-called elites only care for themselves and families forgetting about the socalled down trodden. That’s why even before you, the masses called me out to contest for the president, my foundation has built many schools for the masses and today I was with the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris earlier where we performed the ground breaking ceremony for a new school for the Almajiri in Zaria because everybody deserves attention.

“Let me also say that those who

know me, know that I don’t believe in do or die politic if it’s the will of Allah that I’ll fly the flag of APC in the presidential race, so be it. But if another person emerges I call on you, my supporters to rally round such person because our aim is to remove this corrupt system from power in other to guarantee the future of our children.

Those who believe in Nigeria, peace and The National Coordinator of Rochas Okoroacha Movement, Comrade Kassim Mohammed Kassim said the support for Governor Okoroacha arise from his numerous achievements and care for the masses. According to him Governor Okoroacha has distinguished himself as the advocate of the masses and urged all and sundry to support his presidential bid.

Former Nasarawa AG declares intention to join guber race From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

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he Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Nasarawa State, Barrister Innocent Lagi yesterday in his country home Wamba, declared his intention to contest the governorship of the state on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

Addressing journalists shortly after a stakeholders meeting of the party, he said that the desire to contest for the seat was basically aimed at bringing a

better future for the state.

His words “I am happy today to make my declaration to contest as the governor of the state as well as inform the good people of Nasarawa State to support this “move” for a better future, right here and right now”.

Barrister Lagi who highlighted his top most priorities when voted to include involvement of stakeholders in designing factors that would aid development, run a fair, just and equitable leadership.

According to him, “Fulanis,

Eggons, Alago, Migilis and other tribes shall be protected and everyone will be carried along for the purpose of peace to reign.

The aspirant who lamented on the security challenges confronting the state, called for a mutual understanding amongst stakeholders and the government in order to bring an end to the crisis in some parts of the state.

He added that whether the government spends N 1 Billion Naira on daily basis to settle conflicts, it means nothing, except when all the parties involved

agree to settle within themselves to wave sentiments away then there will be peace.

“Time has come for us to stop all these crises. The Eggons, Fulanis, Alagos and Migilis are not doing well now because of the crisis. We must come together to respect each other and protect ourselves despite our diversity”.

Barrister Lagi further said if given the mandate, his administration will revisit the value of work where youth can be engaged on in order to earn them a living.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 18

Politics

Col. Kontagora joins Niger PDP guber race, denies being anointed

Plateau APC guber aspirant pledges to boost economic empowerment

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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Plateau State gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Emmanuel Garba has promised to boost economic empowerment among Plateau citizens.

Garba who made the pledge in a statement signed by his Media Director, Comrade Sadiq Agama, said top in his agenda if elected was to ensure the success of creating job opportunities and human capital development in Plateau State through “Multipurpose Cooperative Society.”

Garba during a joint inaugural meeting over the weekend of the founding members of the APC Multipurpose Cooperative Society and his campaign organization also pledged to providing quality education and social well being of people of the state.

He however said, “I joined the governorship race in the state to also bring Christians, Muslims and traditional religions together toward rebuilding a better image of the state.”

The statement also called on the people of the state to unite and salvage the state from poverty, insecurity, unemployment and other social vices.

ormer military administrator of Kano and Benue states, Col. Aminu Isah Kontagora has declared his intention to contest for Niger State governorship ticket under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) denying being an Abuja or Minna candidate.

Isah Kontagora in a press briefing at Alovera Hotels in Minna at the weekend, said his declaration was for the victory of his party in the state adding that he will accept consensus if the elders of the party considered him because his emergence was structured on the elders and consensus will reduced struggle as it’s not a battle “mine is to uplift my party first before any other interest”.

He said been twice a military administrator, a loyal and dedicated PDP member and the chairman of elders forum, he was conversant with all kinds of government challenges and not new to government structure which is a continued process.

Therefore, he remained the right aspirant to succeed Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State.

The aspirant stated that when voted into power will maintain the energy, momentum and cohesion of the good standard set by the present led PDP government in the state and ensure rural economic transformation to accelerate Niger State economy by the year 2020.

He reiterated his determination to consolidate on the present administration’s achievements in the areas of economy, health, education, security and social welfare of the people, create more job opportunities, improve agriculture, water supply, sports and electrification of rural areas as well manpower development, stressing that effort will be made to re orientate the citizenry on the challenges of modern economy in order to tackle the global economic crisis.

When voted in to power he said, he will establish modern green housing in each of the 3 senatorial zones of the state where youths can acquire skills on modern farming so as to have all year round green season, even as he called on the electorate to give him their votes come 2015 reiterating that politics is not a do or die affair as he urged his supporters to be peaceful and respect constituted authorities at all time.

Kontagora noted that Niger State has been one of the most peaceful and safest states of the federation mostly due to the effort of government on security, assuring to improve on the standard through reporting system and establishment of emergency centres.

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L-R: Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and a Caucus member, All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Abdulmumin Jibril, during the press briefing on the alleged plot by the Presidency/Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconvene the House of Representatives and impeach Speaker, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

PDP ward congress inconclusive in Ilorin West LGA From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has declared ward delegates congress in five wards of Ilorin West Local Government Area where election did not hold according to the party’s guidelines as inconclusive.

PDP State Publicity Committee Chairman, Chief Rex Olawoye who disclosed this weekend at the end of results collation of the ward congress held on Saturday to elect delegates that would determine the party’s flag bearers, adding that the affected areas were

unable to submit results.

It was learnt that the affected wards were unable to submit any result as at the time of submitting final results to the party’s national monitoring officers led

by Senator Iyiola Omisore.

It would be recalled that PDP chairmanship of Ilorin West Local Government was a subject of litigation leading an Ilorin High Court to restrain Olumegbon from parading himself as chairman and the party from recognizing him so.

It was gathered that there were protests against imposition, substitution or refusal to submit delegates to open ballot system

adopted at the congress led to hitches in some wards.

Some state executive members of the party accused of doctoring the election results from the field narrowly escaped being lynched by aggrieved party members who insisted on election or open affirmation of delegates allegedly picked by consensus.

The aggrieved party members claimed that those accused of attempting to do the bids of their masters by influencing the delegate congress was never popular in their wards and therefore the protests to resist candidates’ imposition.

Governorship aspirant demands cancellation of PDP ward congress in Kaduna From Mohammad Ibrahim and Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

F

ormer Aviation Minister, Felix Hassan Hyat has demanded for the cancellation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward congresses held on Saturday across the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State.

Hyat who recently picked PDP nomination form to contest the governorship election in the state, accused the state Governor of hijacking the exercise stating, “ All names of delegates were prepared by the government with all governor’s loyalists taking over the list”.

Addressing journalists on why fresh congress must hold in the state, the aggrieved former Minister described the entire ward congress held, particularly in his Zone 3 Senatorial District as fraudulent and undemocratic.

According to him, if there

is no proper election and consensus to elect delegates for future elections in the party, then the party’s internal democracy is dead.

“I can authoritatively inform you that there was neither a consensus nor election where members agreed that these are the delegates that would represent them.

And if that is the case, I don’t think those of us who are pioneer members of PDP would allow this reckless attempt to scuttle the party’s internal democracy ahead of the 2015 elections” Hyat said.

While accusing the state government and the state party chairman of overt plans to rig the governorship in favour of the incumbent governor, Hyat insisted the party must organize a fresh congress in Kaduna.

Similarly , a southern Kaduna based coalition of youth groups and Non-Government

Organizations has called on PDP leadership to cancel the recently held ward congresses of the party in the state since there were no level playing field for people to choose their delegates.

The group which made this call in a press statement signed by its National Secretary, Sunday Kasai , threatened that failure to cancel the congress and organize fresh one will lead to protest .

It maintained, “If PDP refuses to organize fresh congress then it will face pressure and protest from the aggrieved members of the party and other interested parties.”

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has commended members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the state for the peaceful and orderly conduct of ward congresses to elect delegates for the upcoming primary elections.

Speaking after taking part in the ward congress at his Kaura Ward in Zaria Local Government Area, the Governor said the peaceful conduct of the exercise is an indication of the unity and internal cohesion within the party.

He said “reports from across the state indicated that members of the party have once again demonstrated the fact that our great party remains a big united family. The ward congresses are foundation to successful elections and since we have got it right at this level, our party is clearly heading towards another resounding victory at the polls by the Grace of God.” Governor Yero expressed appreciation to all members of the party for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the congresses while urging them to continue to work hard for the success of the party and to ensure its victory in all the coming elections.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 19

business@peoplesdailyng. com 08142929046

FG won’t to shoulder PPPs risks alone- Okonjo-Iweala

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala has said that Nigeria would no longer enter into any partnership where it bears the

risk alone.

This was disclosed during her opening remarks at the African Development Bank workshop in Abuja.

Iweala said that the federal government was working out plans that would enable every part to the arrangement has a

fair share of the risk.

According to her, most Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) find it difficult to negotiate most Private, Public Partnerships as many of them do not have the legal skills.

She said: “Sometimes

the arrangements are too complicated. We would like to have a legal for this PPPs that is fairly straightforward and shares risks appropriately.

Some of the arrangements load virtually every risks on government while the Private Sector partner walks away

Lagos state Governor of, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (middle), in a group photograph with invited guests, participants, mentors, trainees and other stakeholders, during the opening ceremony of the 13th Annual Conference of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), yesterday in Lagos,

PTAD set to screen members on scheme From David Hassan, Gombe

T

he Director-General, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorates (PTAD), Nellie Mayshak has said that arrangement has been concluded to screen Pensioners across the country to identify authentic ones.

The Director –General who was represented by the director parastatals pension, Mr. Taiwo Ogundipe stated this yesterday in Gombe during a stakeholder

sensitization workshop on pension management under the defined benefit scheme for north-east zone.

The DG said the objective of the workshop was to interact with pensioners on the issue they are facing with government.

He said the workshop was aimed at sensitizing them on the need to be aware for the activities of pension transitional arrangement directorate where it had strategies in order to alleviate the suffering of pensioners across

the country.

Speaking at the event, Assistant Secretary –General National Union of Pension, Alhaji Ahmed Gazali commended the Federal government for approving the payment of 33 percent to its members which he said pensioners across the country are overwhelmed with the development.

He called on the government to do more in order to ameliorate the sufferings of retirees who had

MAN decries Internet service exorbitant diesel providers lament purchase to power industrial generating $2,000 cost of renting towers >>Pg 21 >>Pg 20 sets

service the country dedicatedly.

He added that the responsibility of government is to ensure that those who had retired from the civil service get sense of belonging in the society.

He therefore appealed to pension transitional arrangement directorate to look into the matter and consider pensioners who were employed in the civil service long ago and cannot find their letters of employment during the verification exercise.

with very little risk that is not going to work.”

Iweala also noted that the time for the completion of PPPs is too long saying that it has discouraged most infrastructure based MDAs to shy away from going into them.

“Ministries will not be rushing into PPPs when the time for delivery is so long and the time for policy maker is short.

If they are going to be in office for four years and PPP is not going to be realized, it means they are living office without having delivered,” she added. Okonjo-Iweala pointed out that in order to correct these seeming imbalance, there is need for MDAs to put in place not only their financial capacity, but also the legal and regulatory framework that hasten PPP projects.

For his part, Nigeria Country Director, Africa Development Bank, Ousmane Dore, posited that the Public Private Partnership is now a strong alternative to tackling the infrastructural deficiencies in the continent.

According to Dore, country’s budget and donor support have proved to be inadequate to fund infrastructural needs of most country’s in the continent.

“Government has started demonstrating political support for PPPs and the increasing regulation of PPPs as a means of accelerating growth and promoting economic equity.”

The Country Director explained that the workshop will help to strengthen the delivery of infrastructure in the public service through effective implementation of PPP projects by enhancing PPP knowledge and technical skills.

“This will also promote the implementation of global best practices through advisory support and provide capacity and institutional assistance to member countries.”

CBN Exchange Rates as at 3rd NOVEMBER, 2014

$ € £ Riyal YEN CFA

Buying

154.7 256.94 212.44 41.25 1.49 0.30

ICPC warns against fake tax clearance certificate

Selling

155.74 258.60 213.81 41.52 1.50 0.32

>>Pg 22

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 20

Energy

MAN decries exorbitant diesel purchase to power industrial generating sets …Seeks Tariff downward review for SMEs

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) has yesterday lamented the exorbitant purchase of diesel to power industrial generating sets, due to epileptic power supply in the country.

The MAN’s President, Dr. Frank Jacobs while speaking at the Ministry of Power’s Headquarters, Abuja observed that inspite of some noticeable improvements in electricity supply, industrial areas have not fared better as many depend on the purchase of exorbitant diesel to power industrial generating sets, saying that this practice is pushing up cost and out rightly uneconomical.

He acknowledged the positive role of the power sector for the performance of manufacturing

which has recently shown in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution and capacity utilization.

A statement by the Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Power, Timothy Oyedeji, quoted the MAN’s President to have commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for the bold steps taken in the Sector, stressing that with the support of the Power Ministry and other line agencies, the manufacturing sector is set for better performance.

MAN also requested the Minister to intervene in the reviewed MYTO II, released in June 2014, wherein NERC failed to address its discriminatory fixed and average charges, saying that it is either the rate is brought down or prorated on the amount of energy consumed, as the current regime is choking

Small and Medium Scale Industries.

Responding, the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo assured the NAN delegation that NERC under his watchful eyes will not be allowed to profiteer on Nigerians, as Government will put mechanism in place that will assist small and medium scale enterprises grow in leap and bound. He appealed to MAN to sensitize its members to think about investing in renewable, adding, “some companies can effectively power their plants using solar, it is now time for our business men to think outside the box; in the long run whatever they invest, will be recoup”. “Diesel is not the solution; we must utilize our God given potentials to drive our industrial revolution”, he said.

According to him, other climes like Germany, do not

have half the intensity, yet solar energy has been utilized effectively by companies, there is even integrated system now which is an admixture of biomass, solar and inverter.

Studies have shown that many industrial concerns in Nigeria today spend large crunch of their production cost on diesel. The Minister assured MAN that in a matter of years, money invested to build solar power plant could be recoup, after which industries will be using free electricity.

The Minister said Mr. President has shown incredible commitment to improving electricity generation, hopefully the leap in quantum will be sustained; he assured the visiting MAN delegation of working together on the synergy that is critical to taking the industrial sector to greater heights.

Kaduna refinery

Coal- to- Power will end pipelines vandalism in Nigeria – Nebo

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo has said that with the abundance of coal and other renewable including, Biomass, Solar, Wind, Small and Medium hydros, even Thermal, Nigeria has the insurance to deal with the monster called vandalism.

A statement by the Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Power, Timothy Oyedeji quoted the minister to have spoken during the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Atlas Petroleum Corporation yesterday in Abuja.

According to him, Nigeria

needs to harness all its potentials, in order to build a robust energy mix, hence this development would render ineffective any incident of vandalism on its electricity supply.

The coming into coal to power

by Atlas Petroleum is a welcome development, as history is about to be made. “While others are doing the talking, Atlas will do the action, he insisting that the promoter of Atlas Petroleum as a patriotic Nigerian”, is determined to put all the required fund to the development of this dream.

“Atlas will be the first, to deliver more mega watts from coal”, he said.

Professor Nebo promised

to help fast track other licences with various agencies, beginning with the Ministry of Mines, “we will also assist with the design of appropriate mining, as we must ensure everything works, adding that, the coal fired plant should start next year”.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of State, Hon. Mohammad Wakil said that today’s event is historic as the vast potentials of coal put at 2.8 billion metric tonnes of deposits has for years remained untapped.

He thus called on other genuine would be investors to catch in, into the new focus of coal to energy, insisting that such moves can only complement what

Government is doing.

Permanent Secretary Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali had earlier in his introductory remarks said that Atlas Petroleum acclaimed performance record in the oil and gas sector is about to be replicated in the power sector by this MoU as it translates to more mega watts of coal to power.

The Promoter of the venture, and Chairman of Atlas Petroleum, Chief Arthur Eze, after the signing of the document assured the Minister of the company’s competence to deliver, “we have the ability and where withal to deliver, we will move fast to invest in coal to power”.

EIA study removes final barrier to U.S. oil exports

G

asoline prices in all parts of the United States are tied to Brent rather than the domestic crude oil benchmark WTI, according to a detailed study recently published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The EIA study removed the last principled objection to lifting the ban on U.S. crude oil exports namely that it would lift domestic oil prices and through them the cost of filling up at the pump.

“While crude oil prices matter to those involved in producing oil or refining oil into products, most Americans and the policymakers who represent and serve them are mainly concerned with the price of gasoline and other refined products,” EIA noted (“What drives U.S. gasoline prices?” Oct 30). “The issue of which crude oil (Brent or WTI) matters most for U.S. gasoline prices is particularly relevant as policymakers in the executive branch and Congress consider the possibility of changes in current limitations on crude oil exports,” the agency added.

In 2013, the average U.S. household spent $2,600 buying gasoline, according to EIA. Legislators from both Republican and Democratic parties are worried that lifting current restrictions on U.S. crude oil exports raises fuel bills for voters.

Over the past 18 months, U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly called for more evidence about the likely impact on pump prices before deciding whether to ease the current curbs, which were enacted in the 1970s in response to the Arab oil embargo (“History of U.S. controls on oil exports” Oct 24).

EIA, a respected and independent statistical and analytical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy, has responded with a comprehensive study of the relationship between Brent and WTI and the wholesale cost of gasoline in four major U.S. markets - New York Harbor, U.S. Gulf Coast, Chicago and Los Angeles.

“Brent crude oil prices are more important than WTI crude oil prices as a determinant of U.S. gasoline prices in all four regions studied, including the Midwest,” the agency found.

“The WTI crude oil price lost much of its power to explain changes in U.S. gasoline prices after 2010, when its differential to Brent crude became wider and much more volatile.”

An even more detailed examination showed that U.S. gasoline prices were more closely tied to Brent both before and after 2010. The agency concluded: “The effect that a relaxation of current limitations on U.S. crude oil exports would have on U.S. gasoline prices would likely depend on its effect on international crude oil prices, such as Brent, rather than its effect on domestic crude prices.”

(Reuters)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 21

ICT

Internet service providers lament $2,000 cost of renting towers

By Chris Alu

I

nternet Services Providers of Nigeria (ISPs) has lament over the high cost of renting towers in the country, describing it as frustrating the effort towards expanding services to undeserved communities.

Mr.Sunday Folayan, president, Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) speaking at the Spectranet, Direct On PC and Mobitel meeting of operators, said that tower rental cost is much higher compared to other developing countries because infrastructure

providers face unique problems such as power, theft & security.

He explained that only in Nigeria that huge portion of ISP revenue goes towards connectivity charges and tower rentals, according to him, co-location facility providers charge operators $2,000 monthly for tower rental and each tower houses about five operators.

He said that tower rental cost in the country will not be cheap as it is determined by some factors which include number of users on the tower as well as power and security provided in the base

stations.

Also speaking Mr Lanre Ajayi, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), identified two factors as responsible for high cost of tower rental in the country, which are competition and service cost.

According to him, ‘competition in the co-location business is not deep enough to bring about reduced cost. Presently, there are few companies providing colocation facilities in the country’.

He added that high cost of tower rental is also occasioned by service cost provided at the

base stations such as power and security. “Most base stations are powered by generators and the cost of gas is high, they provide security at the towers. These are outside the control of co-location operators,” he said.

He however, urged government to set up an intervention fund to support the growth of ICT in the country just as she did in the entertainment industry, from where small operators could borrow to expand their network.

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators

ICT world

Smile telecom connects 50 public schools to internet in Nigeria

S

mile Communications Company has connected over 50 public schools to internet in order to enhance quality education in Nigeria.

According to its public relation officer, Mrs Alero Ladipo said the gesture was done to 25 schools in Lagos and 25 in Ibadan ,and would soon extend to other parts of the states .

She said that with 4G LTE, Smile communications would deliver affordable, high-quality and easy-to-use broadband internet access and communications services to its customers.

Adding that the company is given free 30gigbyte of internet bundles to each of the public schools. Also speaking, Mr Kenneth Esenwah, general manager, Sales

and Distribution at Smile, said that the corporate social responsibility of the company was driven by Irene Charnley, Smile group CEO,while urging to give back to the society in a measure that will address challenges associated with e-learning. He hinted that the process reflects the key agenda of Dr. (Mrs) Omobola Johnson’s led Ministry of Communication to connect schools, government institutions, businesses, homes and individuals tagged, “connected Nigeria”.

“We are out to pursue the course for e-learning in Nigeria and internet penetration. We have other plans in the offing which we will inform the public at the due date. For now, we shall continue to

partner with the States to ensure the schools already connected are not starved of internet subscription. Our CEO has demonstrated passion for this project,” he stated. The company has already launched services in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt and hopes to establish its presence in 13 cities before the end of 2014, while targeting 60 cities in 2015.

Mrs. Alero Ladipo, also expressed delight for being part of the teams that possesses enough spectrums to turn around customer experience as regards internet usage in the country.

According to her, she was attracted to the sourced for the best technology available in order to create the innovative solutions

required to provide world-class, yet cost-effective, communications services across Africa, after it was found in 2007.

She said, “I am delighted that Smile’s vision is encapsulated by its value statement: ‘Everything is possible when done with Humanity, Humility, Integrity and Inspiration’”.

Ladipo added that the statement puts in a nutshell the Company’s approach to every aspect of the services, “every service and product we offer and how we deal with our customers, partners and our staff”.

He promises to bring her experiences to bear in driving Smile’s marketing and communication strategies and ensure that customer experience rates high.

of Nigeria (ALTON), agreeing on local cost of services at tower as determinate factor, noted that cost of service provision in two different environments are not the same as in Nigeria and India.

“In Nigeria, tower operators are faced with problems of approval cost, multiple regulations, multiple taxations and maintenance cost. Power is a challenge as cost of diesel is high; today you buy N140 per litre tomorrow you buy it for N150.

These costs are not insignificant and affect the business,” he said.

Airtel partners Gemstone to tour institutions on “deliver the future” message

A

irtel Nigeria, in collaboration with Gemstone Group, has embarked on a tour of tertiary institutions across Nigeria aimed at constructively engaging and motivating students towards leadership development. The tour named ‘Deliver the Future’ will cover eight Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Mr Maurice Newa, chief commercial officer, Airtel Nigeria, noted that Airtel as a youth-centric telecoms organization gives priority to the needs of Nigerian youths, in supporting them to achieve their dream.

Newa said: “Airtel Nigeria through the ‘Deliver the Future’ programme has identified the timely need to re-orientate Nigerian youths because they are the future of this country.

The initiative provides them a rare opportunity to gain knowledge and wisdom from the activities and the motivational speakers.

It is practical that as forward-thinking individuals and organization, we need to encourage and motivate our future leaders in preparing them for the task ahead.”

Also Fela Durotoye, chief executive officer of Gemstone Group, said that the programme will “leave in its trail, academic excellence by engaging the academic and non-academic staff of the school to improve the standard of communication and process of knowledge impartation, thereby creating a more conducive learning environment.”

Speaking further, Durotoye, said that, “DTF’s mission is to raise leaders of excellence at every stage and age who will commit to the process of building Nigeria. DTF intends to build such leaders in every school; leaders who will commit to the educational, moral, social infrastructural growth and development of the school during their undergraduate years, and even more as part of the alumni. This program will also create a platform for past students of the institutions to come on board to support and contribute to the school’s developmental policies.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 22

Business

At last, Muhtar resumes as NCAA DG, promises safety From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

A

fter months of gerry meandering, Capt Muhtar Usman finally assumed office as Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Lagos with a declaration that his administration would focus on Safety, Security and Comfort in the conduct of flight operations in and out of Nigerian airspace.

In achieving this, he said he would be guided by Annexes of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) and other appropriate legislation and conventions in line with international standard.

Capt Usman commended the management and staff of the Authority for the hard work he said must have been put in for the retention of the American Federal Aviation Administration[FAA] International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category One. This has qualified Nigerian Registered Aircraft from flying directly to the Continental United States. He said at the brief ceremony.

He solicited for the support and co operation of all the staffers of the Authority for the achievement of the three point Agenda.

Earlier, the former Acting Director General and Director Airworthiness Standards (DAWS) Benedict Adeyileka handed over a prepared notes detailing the activities of the Authority to the new DG. He explained that the handover notes listed all the Directorates and their activities, Various Committees that have been raised and their job functions, Operating Airlines and their major routes, List of Airline Operating Certificate (AOC) holders, List of AOCs issued within his acting period. The handover notes also contained a brief on the Authority preparation ahead of the upcoming ICAO audit to which there is no date yet. The good news, he said was that NCAA is in full compliance in all ICAO critical elements, except in two areas that he said we would need to be buckled up.

Adeyileka also touched on all the challenges confronting the Authority in areas of being able to retained skilled and qualified staff in sufficient numbers, indebtedness to the Authority by Airlines, shortage of accommodation for staff, Shortage of funds for training and the ongoing efforts to review the subsisting Service Charge.

Apart from pledging his readiness to shed more light as may be required on all issues, the Director of Airworthiness however pledged the loyalty and support by all staff of the Authority and wish him a successful tenure.

Capt Usman’s aviation career dates back to 1981 at the College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria in Kaduna State, where as a flying instructor, he was involved in the training of students pilots from basics to attain commercial pilot license, multi engine and instrument ratings.

He had a Diploma in Aeronautical Electronics and Telecommunication and a City

and Guilds certificate in Radio, Television, Electronics and Telecommunications.

The new DG/CEO later bagged his qualification as a Commercial Pilot with multi engine and Instrument ratings from Burnside – Ott Aviation Training Centre,

Miami, United States of America in 1978.

Besides, he also qualified as a Boeing 727 Flight Engineer in Miami in 1980,and capped with a Flying Instructor s’ rating at Oxford Air Training School, United Kingdom in 1982.

He is currently a B737 pilot and has acquired over 8000 hours in his professional career.

Capt Usman, who until the current appointment, the Commissioner and CEO of the Accident Investigation Bureau[AIB], has undergone

Participants at the Women Economic Summit, yesterday in Dutse, Jigawa state.

various types of trainings locally and abroad on Aviation Safety, Management and Operations has also undertook various assignments that broadened his knowledge, capacity and capability for the current assignment.

Photo: NAN

ICPC warns against fake tax clearance certificate

By Joy Baba Yesufu

T

he Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has warned members of the business community and private citizens against using forged or fake Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) and Audit Reports to apply for contracts.

The ICPC in a statement signed by its media consultant,

Folu Olamiti in Abuja reiterated its commitment to bring to book public officials who abuse their offices in accordance with the provisions of the ICPC Act 2000.

The statement said ICPC has commenced investigation into the procurement of tax clearance certificates and audit reports by several companies to ensure that those bidding for contracts are not tax evaders.

Subsequently, ICPC is

prosecuting tax- related cases in courts especially those cutting corners to win contracts.

According to the statement “Section 25 sub-section (1) (a) empowered ICPC to investigate and prosecute anybody be it corporate or individual for making statement which is false or intended to mislead a public officials in course of discharging their duties. ”The section prescribed

two years imprisonment for making false statement which is “intended to mislead or its untrue in any material particular” to public officials”.

Olamiti further warned Tax Assessors, Corporate and private citizens against procuring and presenting forged or corruptlyassessed Tax Clearance Certificates and Audit Reports in order not to run foul of the provisions of the ICPC Act.

West Africa contributed 90.6% of global yam production -IITA From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

S

mall scale farmers in the main yam growing areas of West Africa are to benefit from a new project aimed at developing new varieties crucial staple crop and enhance yam breeding capabilities.

The 5-year project, called “AfricaYam: Enhancing Yam Breeding for Increased Productivity and Improved Quality in West Africa”, is to be led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) with key partners in the four main producer countries in West Africa: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria, and international research organizations and universities.

Director of West Africa IITA Research for Development, Robert Asiedu stated this at a conference held in Zaria said, West Africa contributed 90.6% of the total global yam production in 2013.

He said, “In West Africa, yam plays key roles in food security, incomegeneration, and the sociocultural life of at least 60 million people.

In 2013, the West Africa yam belt produced a total of 54.5 million tonnes of yam on 4.4 million hectares. This represents 90.6% of the total global production and 88% of the total world area planted to yam.

“The yam sector in the West Africa sub region, however, is plagued by low on-farm productivity, high production

costs, high losses due to pests and diseases, and unsustainable production practices.

High production costs are primarily driven by the high costs of seed and labour, with potential profit margins further reduced by moderate yields and post-harvest losses.

“The most important constraints are nematodes, viruses, and anthracnose which will continue to grow in economic importance as yam production systems are intensified unless resistant varieties and beneficial cultural practices are adopted.

“Yam breeding can make major contributions to addressing this situation. The new project AfricaYam will raise the capacity for yam breeding in West Africa

by developing high-yielding and robust varieties of white and water yams preferred by farmers and suited to market demands”. He said.

Asiedu added that, “the important traits for breeding include tuber yield, tuber quality, and resistance to yam mosaic virus (YMV) in white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) and Yam Anthracnose Disease (YAD) in water yam”.

The project partners are expected to work towards increasing yam productivity while reducing production costs and impact on the environmental by developing and deploying farmer-preferred varieties with higher yield, greater resistance to pests and diseases, and improved quality.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Stock Watch

Report as at Monday, November 3 2014

PAGE 23

Peoples Daily, Tuesday, NOVEMber 4, 2014

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

When NAWOJ took Ebola sensitization campaign to Utako Market, Jabi Motor Park

S

ince Ebola came into the country through a Liberian American national, the Late Mr. Patrick Sawyer, most Nigerians have been living in fear of the dreaded virus which took its toll in some parts of the nation. The fear was compounded by the fact that the virus has no known cure and to many, it is a death sentence.

It was against this backdrop that National Association for Women Journalists (NAWOJ) went all out to create the necessary awareness that will rekindle the hope of Nigerians that after all the virus is not a dead sentence and can be curtailed through being careful.

The group in their message told the traders at Utako market that although the virus has no known cure or vaccine, but said it has shown it doesn’t have to be a death sentence if treated early.

They admonished the traders to be watchful as early detection will always help in stopping the spread urging them to observe all preventive measures like constant washing of hands with running water, maintaining clean environment, living healthy, staying away from an infected person, avoiding bush meat, and having close contact with fruit bats.

They gave symptoms of Ebola as persisted fever, high body temperature which may nearly 40C (104 degrees Fahrenheit), diarrhoea, vomits, dysentery and hiccups, tiredness and uncomfortable.

On why they are embarking on the awareness

The recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country has created fear, panic and uncertainty occasioned by misinformation among citizenry. This, no doubt necessitated the need for different stakeholders to provide adequate enlightenment on the scourge. Ochiaka Ugwu writes on recent NAWOJ (FCT) Chapter’s sensitization on Ebola scourge. and sensitization rally, FCT, Chairperson of the association and host of the event, Felicia Chukwurah said there was need to mobilize everyone, educate them and increase the awareness on Ebola as it is the key in stopping the dangerous disease.

“Everyone should be mobilized. We need to educate people and increase the sensitization. This is the key to stop the dangerous disease Ebola”.

She said that many people have already died, but could have lived if they were privy to the information concerning the prevention, noting that they were embarking in the sensitisation to educate people. She urged people to report immediately to the authority when they notice anything Ebola like or go to the isolation and treatment centres if they experience the earliest symptoms of the disease, to increase their chance of being cured and surviving.

“Many people have already died, that is why we are educating our people. I urge people to go to the isolation and treatment centres if they experience the earliest symptoms of the disease, to increase their chance of being cured and surviving”.

Chukwurah said that everybody has a valuable role

Sandra Udeike, Fin-Sec, NAWOJ FCT

to play in dispelling myths and in gaining support in the fight against Ebola.

“Some people still have not accepted that Ebola is real. While many fear the unknown, some are now becoming aware of the disease through sensitisation being done by good spirited Nigerians and the government at all levels.

Continuing, Chukwura said that sensitization and mobilisation is a vital part of the Ebola response and these to her will help Nigerians to accept that Ebola is a serious illness that they must fight together.

She thanked the federal government and the federal capital administration for their effort in curbing the Ebola scourge. She said they reminded Nigerians of hope and survival in an otherwise deeply tragic situation.

The social activist informed that the organisation will continue to support vital social mobilization and communication efforts to ensure that people are correctly informed.

Messages about prevention, how to identify symptoms and how to seek medical support are critical.

She however, revealed that very soon they will back the activity up with their 25th anniversary saying that it was one of the activities lined up for anniversary.

“We will back it up with our anniversary and this is one of the activities we have lined up for the 25th anniversary. So what we are doing here now is sensitizing the public on Ebola, on the need for personal hygiene, general hygiene and environmental hygiene.

I know that most times, when issues like this come up, people normally apply the fire brigade approach and now go back, so we do not want them to do that, we still want to jump into their minds, into their heart, their whole body to know that there is always a price for self hygiene and that price is very positive.

“We are talking about a healthy nation you cannot separate wealth from health,

NAWOJ Members sensitizing general public on Ebola scourge it is when one is healthy that he can think of wealth; we also want to align with the federal government for containing Ebola. I want to let you know that in two days time, Nigeria will be given certificate for her effort and very important role they played in containing this disease that would have killed a lot of people, a lot of Nigerians.

“So, we still want to let them still be conscious and let them know what to do, you can see what I am wearing now (pointing at the Ebola awareness poster) it’s like a cloth on me so we want to let them know that you do not wait for something to come up before you now apply your measures; they say prevention is better than cure. on whether their action was not belated given the fact the virus has been there for over four months, she stated that no time is late as it is a topical issue informing that anything concerning health is viral that

has its line up like cholera, laser fever.

“You know this is a topical issue, anything concerning health, is viral, it has in its group cholera, laser fever, so we felt that this is the right time since two days from now Nigeria will be certified an Ebola free nation, so we would want something that would make us not to get the certificate, a lot of people are looking up to Nigeria to know the ways and measures we put in place to contain this”.

On why they choose Utako market, Chukwurah said that Utako became the preferred choice owing to its strategic nature and role market play in bringing people together in any given society.

“There is whole lot of activities in the market, people are coming to buy, people are selling and so you would find out that there is a whole lot of shuffling, movement, body contact and if one can contract

this by touching, I think the market is a very good place to start off”.

On their plans to reach the people in rural areas who may not to have heard about the dreaded virus, the NAWOJ FCT leader said they are about doing that after the Utako market

sensitization.

“Definitely, we will get to the rural area, we are in F.C.T here, and we are on ground. So, there is no way we can remove the rural areas from what we are doing, it would not be the first and it will not be the last. It is going to be continues.

Talking more on their 25th anniversary, she revealed that they have a lot of activities to mark the event.

“We had a workshop last week on effective communication, reason, we really have to make it right, dot the I’s and cross the T’s very well. We are journalists, we are communicators, so we have to be seen doing the right thing as in getting the stories from source, remember we are gate keepers and gate keeping starts from reporters. So that is what we are doing now and a day before yesterday, there was a lecture also in honour of Mrs. Onyeche there at Barcelona hotel. We will be moving to Abeokuta were we will have other activities and grand finale.

Speaking to Peoples Daily on the awareness, the FCT Financial Secretary of NAWOJ, Sandra Udeike said that sensitization was not belated owing to the fact that the virus came in through an outsider which means that the nation is at risk as it can happen again.

“You may think it’s too late but it’s not. The reason is because in the first place Ebola came in from an outsider, from a Liberian that means it can also happen again. So, we need to be prepared even though the Ministry of Health has declared that Nigeria is Ebola free, we cannot sit down and fold our hands. This disease is deadly and it spreads fast anytime it enters any country, that is why

we most to keep sensitizing those that do not know how to go about it.

“To sensitize them on the need for continues good hygiene, washing your hands consistently, often, it will help you. Even if the Ebola comes in, it will not spread but if people are not aware, that means they can eat food in the market, collect okpa, collect biscuit and eat when they have not washed their hands and this helps Ebola to spread. So the reason we are doing it now, is not that it’s out of place, is not, it is still to keep the sensitization so that Nigerians will remain free of Ebola.

On when they plan to go to rural areas of the capital territory, Udeike notified that it will be sooner than one expected saying that their aim was to sensitize the people in the market first and move to other places later on.

“We are just starting, this is a starting point. It does not end here; it will definitely not end here. We intend moving to rural areas, but we have to start somewhere and we choose the

Felicia Chukwurah, Chairperson NAWOJ FCT. market. Market is where many people, even from the rural areas come to buy and sell, and that is why we choose the market. So, we will still have that rural area in focus.

On their next line of action after the sensitization, the Enugu State born media practitioner promised that the

“

We are talking about a healthy nation you cannot separate wealth from health, it is when one is healthy that he can think of wealth; we also want to align with the federal government for containing Ebola NAWOJ member explaining a point to Suleman Mohammed

organisation will not relent on its oars towards sensitizing Nigerians on the Ebola scourge which is reigning havoc in most West African countries.

“Like I said, we will move from one place to the other and the major aim is to sensitize the public, especially women because when you educate a woman you have educated the society. So, we will move to places of interest where they buy and sell like this, to the villages, churches and the rest of them” she said.

A trader, Mallam Suleiman Mohammed who said he has never heard about the ravaging Ebola scourge thanked NAWOJ for educating him on the prevention which he said is better than cure. He promised to take the good news to his village for strategic planning on how to give the virus a bloody nose each time they notice it.

However, Ebola has no known cure or preventative vaccine – with a 50-90% case fatality rate. It spreads through contact with body fluids of infected people who have symptoms of the illness or through animal carriers like fruit bats, primates, antelopes and porcupine. Cases that report early to treatment centres have a greater chance of survival.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 26

Feature

Burkina Faso: Ghost of ‘Africa’s Che Guevara’

By Kingsley Kobo

O

uagadougou, Burkina Faso - In the early hours of a night in 1987, one of Africa’s youngest leaders, Thomas Sankara, was murdered and quietly and quickly buried in a shallow grave.

Now, the man widely believed to be behind it, Burkina Faso’s president, has watched as his parliament was set ablaze by furious protesters who want him gone.

Many of the protesters say the history of the slain 1980s leader partly inspired them to rise against Blaise Compaore, who has been in power for 27 years and was trying, by a vote in parliament, for another five.

Though some see Sankara as an autocrat who came to office by the power of the gun, and who ignored basic human rights in pursuit of his ideals, in recent years he has been cited as a revolutionary inspiration not only in Burkina Faso but in other countries across Africa.

In the weeks before the current chaos, Al Jazeera spoke to people in the capital, Ouagadougou, and found many who predicted that Sankara’s memory, and Compaore’s attempt to seek another five-year term, may soon spark an uprising.

While revolutionaries as individuals can be murdered, you cannot kill ideas.

At the time of his assassination Sankara was just 37 and had ruled for only four years.

But his policies, and his vision, are still cherished both by some locals who were around when he was in power and, significantly, by many young people who were born since his death.

His killing was the the fifth coup since the nation won independence from France and the main beneficiary was Compaore, who quickly took his place.

Until that night, the two had often been referred to as best friends.

Although there is less poverty now than back then, a growing number of Burkinabés had, in recent years, started to feel that Sankara’s nationalisation policies may have made the perpetually arid nation a more prosperous and self-reliant place than it is today.

“Sankara wanted a thriving Burkina Faso, relying on local human and natural resources as opposed to foreign aid,” retired professor of economics, Noel Nébié, told Al Jazeera.

“And starting with agriculture, which represents more than 32 per cent of the country’s GDP and employs 80 percent of the working population, he smashed the economic elite who controlled most of the arable land and granted access to subsistence farmers. That improved production making the country almost self-sufficient.”

In the weeks before violent protests, some Burkinabes’ thoughts turned to slain leader Thomas Sankara for inspiration.

Thomas Sankara, speaking one week before he was shot dead.

Naming a nation Initially known as the Republic of Upper Volta, after the river, in 1984 Sankara changed the country’s name to Burkina Faso, meaning Land of the Upright People, and he soon made that name the symbol of his nationalisation crusade.

Some say the fact he authored his nation’s name has kept his memory alive.

“When you wake up in the morning and you remember you are a Burkinabe, you automatically recall the person who thought up that local name and stamped it on us,” Ishmael Kaboré, a 47-year-old lawyer in Ouagadougou, told Al Jazeera.

“At first, people felt the name Burkina Faso was odd, awkward and far from the modern and foreign names other countries were bearing in Africa.

“But they realised after his death that Sankara wanted to give us a unique and special identity that tells our history and depicts our character.”

Sankara was a determined pan-Africanist, whose foreign policies were largely centred on anti-imperialism. His government spurned foreign aid and tried to stamp out the influence of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in the country by adopting debt reduction policies and nationalising all land and mineral wealth.

Self-sufficiency and land reform policies were designed to fight famine, a nationwide literacy campaign was launched,

and families were ordered to have their children vaccinated.

“Some families used to keep their children in hiding on the arrival of vaccinators for religious or ritual reasons, and that practice was sabotaging our efforts,” Fatoumata Koulibaly, assistant campaign director at the country’s health ministry under Sankara, told Al Jazeera.

“But when Sankara came he took a strong stand against it, which helped in the vaccination of close to three million children against meningitis, yellow fever and measles, etc.”

Vaccination has been common practice in Burkina Faso since then, she said.

Anger bubbles up Sankara was often referred to as “Africa’s Che Guevara” because

“

he regularly quoted, and said he drew inspiration from, the world famous revolutionary leader.

Sankara was also a good friend of former Ghanaian president, and fellow revolutionary, Jerry Rawlings.

Even for his most ardent of supporters it is impossible to know whether, if Sankara had not been killed, life would have been better, and some argue that it would not have.

Only very few people are enjoying the wealth of the country.

If you visit homes, or travel to the hinterlands, you will experience an appalling level of poverty.

But many people spoken to by Al Jazeera believed things would be better today if he was still alive, and that sentiment is partly responsible for Thursday’s events.

“Young people who were not alive during Sankara’s administration are beginning to look back more at that period because something is wrong in the country today,” 23-yearold University of Ouagadougou student, Ibrahim Sanogo, said.

“Sankara was not just fighting imperialism for the sake of politics but he wanted the Burkinabe people to develop themselves and their land and rely essentially on themselves instead of the West.

“Today, all the young graduates are dreaming to travel abroad to do odd jobs because of lack of employment opportunities here.”

Compaore, though, has had some success. The mining industry has seen a boost in recent years, with the copper, iron and manganese markets all improving. Gold production shot up by 32 percent in 2011 at six sites, according to figures from the mines ministry, making Burkina Faso the fourth-largest gold producer in Africa.

Growth is running at seven percent. But per capita income stands at just $790, and local people say the standard of living is very poor for most. Corruption and elitism are a problem, they say, with any wealth only in the hands of the few.

“Those World Bank and IMF figures are seen only on paper and not in the pockets of the Burkinabes,” Seydou Yabré, an independent rural development expert, told Al Jazeera.

“Only very few people are enjoying the wealth of the country.

If you visit homes, or travel to the hinterlands, you will experience an appalling level of poverty.”

Eerie prediction Perhaps Sankara’s anticorruption campaign and exemplary modest lifestyle could have forced wealth to trickle down if he had been left alive to lead, Yabré thought.

“Sankara was Africa’s most down-to-earth president then. He lived in a small, modest house, rode a bicycle and had $350 in his account at the time of his death,” Yabré said.

“He was also contested within his inner circle because he never wanted his army colleagues to embezzle public funds and lead a flamboyant lifestyle.”

Famously - and eerily - just a week before his death, perhaps sensing what was to come, Sankara said: “While revolutionaries as individuals can be murdered, you cannot kill ideas.”

Burkina Faso’s progress over the past 20 years was largely due to its stability, many observers say, but, as was made clear when a crowd of the country’s people converged on the parliament intent on destruction, an anger left to fester can take that away in an instant.

“Sankara had many enemies because he wrested privileges from looters in favour of the poor,” Yabré said. “Maybe he did this too radically and within too short a time.”

Source: Al Jazeera

Burkina Faso’s progress over the past 20 years was largely due to its stability, many observers say, but, as was made clear when a crowd of the country’s people converged on the parliament intent on destruction, an anger left to fester can take that away in

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Defence

Page 27

ANALYSIS

Can Nigerian military curtail Boko Haram’s onslaught?

L

ast week was another turbulent week for Nigerians especially those living in the north eastern part of the

country.

Residents of Mubi, the second largest town in Adamawa had it rough with the Boko Haram, as the town was taken over by the insurgents.

Reports had it that the insurgents who took over Mubi town entered Vimtim, the home town of Chief of Defence staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, where they burnt his house, after the Air Force and army personnel guarding it had successfully evacuated its occupants.

Reports from Mubi also indicated that the insurgents set the commercial border town’s main market on fire after looting banks and shops.

The insurgents reportedly stormed Mubi with no less than 14 trucks, with some conveying women and children, believed to be families of some fighters.

Hundreds of residents were killed; thousands fled. The sect’s fighters hoisted their flag at the palace of the Emir of Mubi. They burned down the police station and the Mubi Prison, which was built in 1920. All the inmates were set free.

They were said to have invaded Mubi at about 2.30pm on Wednesday, went on rampage, attacking 234 Army Battalion, police stations and the prison in Mubi.

It was alleged that over 450 inmates were set free after burning down a police station and overrunning the army barracks.

Eye witnesses said they heard the insurgents addressing the people on the streets, some soldiers lost their lives, so also the insurgents but eventually the insurgents overpowered the military and took over control of the town.

No fewer than 300 Nigerian soldiers were further reported to have fled to Cameroon after Boko Haram insurgents overran Mubi, Cameroonian military sources said that Nigerian soldiers would be moved away from the border areas to more secured locations, where they would be disarmed, fed and eventually repatriated to Nigeria.

This is the second time events have shown that these insurgents have taken over a town, hoisting their flags and operating from the emir’s palace.

How long will Nigerians keep going through this ordeal? Is it not high time those saddled with the responsibility of protecting us look for a permanent solution to this?

Events have degenerated so bad that our own Nigerian troops once again did ‘tactical maneuver’ into Cameroun after

This is certainly not the best of time for the officers and men of Nigerian military as the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists have vowed to give them a bloody nose in their quest to overrun the entire country. It came to a head when insurgents sacked Mubi and the country home of the Nigeria Defence Chief, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh making one to ask whether Nigerian military is capable of curtailing Boko Haram’s onslaught. Joy Baba-Yesufu writes on the recent development

Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh the insurgents over powered them.

The Nigerian military authority has at the moment detained five military commanders in Adamawa State for also abandoning Mubi and running for their dear lives following Boko Haram’s attacks in the region.

There is suppose to be a ceasefire agreement in place as announced by the Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, yet each week gets bloodier than the last since the announcement.

Leader of the Boko Haram group, in a recent video released on youtube denied having any ceasefire agreement with Federal Government, denied knowing any Danlandi Ahmadu then promised to unleash more deadly attacks.

Danladi Ahmadu has been on different Nigerian and international media claiming to be the person mediating between the Federal Government and Boko Haram.

According to the sect leader in the new video “we have nothing to do with him,( Danladi Ahmadu) our war is not ending, expect

more, what you are seeing is just a little. There is no retreat in Jihad; Allah is with us and we are succeeding”.

The above statement doesn’t show a group ready to relent in their activities. Events that chronicled after the CDS announcement of ceasefire do not show any form of seriousness from

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both parties.

The insurgents took the war right to his (CDS) doorstep shortly after the announcement by burning down his country home.

Moreover, the over 200 Chibok schools girls whom the military authority assured Nigerians will be back home a week after the ceasefire agreement

was announced are still at large after 204 days in the insurgents’ custody. In a similar development, no fewer than 23 people were reportedly killed in an early morning explosion that rocked the Gombe line park at about 9:30 a.m. last week leaving many dead and several others with various degrees of injuries. The explosion was said to have occurred during the morning rush hour when many passengers were at the park boarding vehicles to various destinations.

There was pandemonium around the area immediately after the incident as hundreds of youths from different directions descended on security personnel at the park.

Bodies of the victims were later conveyed to the Gombe Specialist Hospital, while those injured were also taken to other hospitals for treatment while the park and other surrounding areas were cordoned off as normalcy gradually returned to the area.

It is very unfortunate that no serious security measures have been put in place at motor parks even after series of attacks in different parks around the country, yet security men will want to search you to a point of looking out for your blood group and genotype at airports.

The nation has lost so much to this insurgency in manpower and properties. This serious loss is also reducing our strength as a nation. However, Nigerians in their millions are crying that more effort should be put in place in curtailing the insurgency before things get out of hands.

It is very unfortunate that no serious security measures have been put in place at motor parks even after series of attacks in different parks around the country, yet security men will want to search you to a point of looking out for your blood group and genotype at airports.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 28

Agriculture Examining the benefits of T Biosafety Law in Nigeria

By Mohammed Kandi

he benefits of having a biosafety law that will improve the livelihood of farmers and promote food security in Nigeria were brought to the fore recently when the National Assembly convened a public hearing on a bill for an act, to establish the National Biosafety law for the country.

Stakeholders and the law makers were unanimous on the importance of passing into law, the biosafety bill which has lingered in the country’s parliament, and how it will regulate the use of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) and other by-products of biotechnology in Nigeria.

Speaking at the public hearing, the President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, (AFAN), Mr. Kabiru Salman stated that the bill would improve the livelihood of small holders farmers in the country and further promote food security in Nigeria, saying “As farmers, we embrace biotechnology and the passage of the bill will make it possible for us to deploy technology especially GM, which we know will bring about high yields and ensure safety.”

According to Salman “farmers might resort to smuggling of GMO seeds that they consider will enhance their earnings without risk assessment being carried out on their activities if the bill is not passed into law.”

While urging that the bill should be passed into law, he said the country might not be able to guarantee the purity of its agricultural products for the international market, there by losing her international partners and also foreign earnings.

This position was supported by the representative of the Cotton Association of Nigeria, Mr Samuel Ishaku, who said Nigeria’s cotton farmers would become rich like farmers in Burkina Faso, another West African country, that has taken to the cultivation of BT cotton.

He urged the National Assembly to pass the bill, saying having a law in place for the regulation of their activities would enable members of the association to make more money from cultivating cotton.

Tracing the decline in production of cotton in the country, Ishaku noted that many countries have been cultivating genetically modified cotton commercially, but since Nigeria has no law in place, “cotton farmers cannot cultivate BT cotton which has led to the downfall in cotton production in the country.”

He revealed that Burkina Faso farmers and India farmers have benefited more from cultivating BT cotton that they now cultivate twice in a year and making good money.

“For instance, Burkina Faso announced that it had made at least 1.2 billion dollars in 2013 from its foreign exchange earnings accruing from use of transgenic seeds that boosted cotton production in the country. Before the country considered using Genetically Modified Cotton, it ranked 177th out of 182 world poorest countries in the UN Human Development Index, now in Burkina Faso, cotton is both the “heart” and the “hope” of Burkina’s economy.”

The Senate President, David

Senate President, David Mark Mark, said the issue of biotechnology remained an international one and Nigeria as a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, cannot shy away from having in place concrete regulations.

The Senate President, who was represented by Senator Atiku Bagudu, said global population was growing geometrically and would need to be fed. “This bill is going to provide guidance in the areas of agriculture, stable environment and wealth creation.”

The Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, said the essence of the National Biosafety Bill was to provide a regulatory regime and guidance for the sustainable development of the science of modern biotechnology.

While promising to see that the bill is passed by the present assembly, he noted that they would be neutral as the will of the people would be taken into consideration.

Similarly, the Senate Committee Chairman on Science and Technology, Sen. Robert Boroffice in his remarks commended the efforts of stakeholders and the President of the Senate on their efforts on the bill.

“We have a very exciting moment here looking at very important field and with the enthusiasm we have demonstrated today, I have the believe that this bill will pull through before the end of this assembly, especially as a scientist and one of the people responsible for developing of biotechnology in this country, I have a passion for this subject and I am committed to it. I want to use this opportunity to thank all of you, Government Agency, Department and NGOs that are geared to contribute to this bill and I hope that when it is passed Nigeria will be better for it,” he assured. Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdul Bulama said the Biosafety bill was in line with global standard and without this law “we cannot join the league of biotechnology developed country

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and our biotechnology effort cannot take off unless the bill is passed into law.”

He expressed concern on the misconception about the application of Biotechnology stating that a lot still need to be done to sensitize Nigerians on the benefit of this technology to food production.

Dr Bulama said: “Biotechnology has come of age, and it is one of the most misunderstood areas in science and technology and this, to a large extent, constitute a challenge to us, we need to do a lot of sensitization and awareness creation on this field of science. Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is a component of the world food programme and it will certainly make a dramatic change in the food security of the country, so this bill is a necessity for the development of science and technology programmes in Nigeria.”

Director-General of the National Biotechnology development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Lucy Ogbadu on her part said, “through our collective efforts we pray that this bill will go through as quickly as possible so that we don’t run into the problem we had during the sixth assembly, it is our prayer that this bill will be passed as quickly as possible and from the assurance we are getting, the bill will be passed before the end of this assembly.”

On what Nigeria is missing without the law in place, Prof Ogbadu said“ we are missing a lot as a country without this law, we have been saying that the practice of biotechnology has been hindered in the country without this law and apart from that, our scientists have not been able to operate at their highest potentials compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world because of the absence of this law, if this bill is passed into law we need to match this feat with commensurate infrastructures, we need to develop infrastructures so that our scientists can operate fully.”

Dr. Chiedozie Egezi of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, said a biosafety

law would enable trials for prospective and promising products.

Dr. Egezi, who is also the in-country Principal Investigator, BioCassava Plus, added that Biosafety law would provide capacity building of local expertise in Ag-Biotech that would engender ownership of technology and thereby build trust.

He said the law will provide strong outreach linkages and networking to rural areas and stakeholders especially local farmers; infrastructure for testing GM plants with appropriate biosafety measures in different ecologies.

The Coordinator of Nigeria Chapter, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Mrs. Rose Gidado disclosed that the issue of Biosafety Regulation in Africa was rapidly gaining momentum as more African Countries are embracing GMOs. She added that Republic of South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt already have biosafety laws and are currently growing and consuming GM crops while Ghana, Kenya, Togo, Tanzania and Mali also have

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Biosafety laws in place.

Nigeria signed and ratified an internationally binding Biosafety Protocol Known as Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in 2000 and 2002 respectively.

The Protocol entered into came into force on the 11th September 2003 and currently has 160 members. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety addresses the safe transfer, handling and use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) that may have adverse effects on conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity, taking into account risk to human health.

As a signatory, Nigeria made efforts at domesticating the Cartagena protocol with the National Biosafety Management Agency Bill 2011 which was initially passed by the 6th National Assembly but was not assented to by the President because it was passed a day before the end of the life of that Assembly. The bill was returned under this 7th National Assembly for reconsideration and possible passage.

For instance, Burkina Faso announced that it had made at least 1.2 billion dollars in 2013 from its foreign exchange earnings accruing from use of transgenic seeds that boosted cotton production in the country. Before the country considered using Genetically Modified Cotton, it ranked 177th out of 182 world poorest countries in the UN Human Development Index.

Page 29

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Agriculture

Nigerian farmers to get diseaseresistant beans by 2017 —Scientists

By Mohammed Kandi

T

he Scientists currently developing the Marucaresistant cowpea (beans) for farmers to surmount the problem of low yield, said Nigerian farmers will access a variety resistant to Maruca pest in 2017, if the country gets a biosafety law.

The scientists, Professors Prince Addae and Mohammed Faguji Ishyaku are currently working on a few projects in developing various crop varieties jointly sponsored by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

They disclosed that farmers yarning for maruca-resistant beans had prompted the effort but said the planned release of the resistant variety to farmers in 2017 would become a reality only with government authorization.

Addressing newsmen at a training organised by the AATF for science and agricultural journalists recently in Zaria, Prof. Prince Addae of AATF said that the foundation and its research partners were conducting all necessary research and testing to get the seeds ready for release by 2017 for planting by farmers.

“There are a lot more things to do before the seeds get to the farmer; first of all, the Biosafety Bill is very important,” Addae said.

“When the farmers saw this last time, they were happy and willing to take it but we couldn’t give them yet, because we do not have the Biosafety Law in place yet.” ``We have put ourselves in the forefront to say that we will try and get the seeds to the farmer by 2017: we are working so hard on it but we need the biosafety bill passed,” he reiterated.

Addae also informed that a multi-location testing of the resistant variety was currently on in three geo-ecological zones of Zaria, Kaduna state, Minjibir, Kano state and Talata Mafara, Zamfara state to examine how the crops can survive different stress.

He asserted that the AAFT would also have to carry out series of testing as demanded by industry regulations before the product is released.

In his remarks on safety of the crop, Prof. Mohammed Ishyaku of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and lead researcher in the Maruca-resistant cowpea project, said ensuring the protection of the crops in confinement was a top priority for them, as well as its

safety to the farmers.

According to him, the perceived risk and fear of the technology had called for a strict and meticulous handling of the trial processes saying “we tried about 1,500 varieties, trying to put the gene in the cowpea plant, only one was successful. If you are working on it, you get disappointed.”

“In the farmers’ field, the pod

borer reduces cowpea yield by 80 per cent and that is a lot; these you don’t see because you are not on the farm but the cowpea farmer sees it,” he said.

He said that the Marucaresistant cowpea variety has been developed, planted in confined fields, purposely infested with a lot of Maruca and yet produced great yields that have been harvested.

Bacterial infection on beans

EU holds 1st international trade fair in Nigeria next year

By Mohammed Kandi

A

mbassador of the European Union and Head of Delegation to Nigeria, and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), Michel Arrion, has announced the EU’s resolution to hold its 1st International Trade Fairs, agrofood Nigeria 2015, at the

Landmark Centre in Lagos state.

In a recent later to Nigerian government, The EU officially grants its support for the agrofood Nigeria 2015, slated for 28-30 April 2015, saying “Nigeria has a market of more than 160 million consumers and an increasing demand for packaged and readymade food products.”

Arrion describes the Nigerian

Cowpea experimental field

American President Barack Obama

market thus, “The food and beverage sector represents a very large segment of the Nigerian manufacturing industry. The sector generates over 1.5 million jobs in the country and therefore employs 5 percent of the Nigerian workforce.”

“Moreover, with a market of over 160 million consumers, and a constantly growing population, Nigeria has an increasing demand for packaged and ready-made food products. Against this background, European suppliers can play an important role in providing the Nigerian food manufacturing and agro-business industry with machinery, equipment and technological know-how meeting a high degree of food safety and compliance with international hygienic standards,” he explained.

He said the event will open major business opportunities for

international suppliers from the agrofood and food technology sector.

Arrion also informed that six months before its opening, adepta is about setting up an official French pavilion with a minimum of eight French companies and leading suppliers such as AlisCasa Rinaldi, BCE Food Service, Bosch, Döhler, GEA, Goma, Kautex, Konica Minolta, Pakona, Symrise (who recently opened their office in Lagos), Windmöller and Hölscher and many more have booked their stands.

To create valuable synergies for exhibitors and visitors alike, agrofood Nigeria is held in conjunction with plastprintpack Nigeria, the 1st International Trade Show on Plastics, Composites, Chemistry and Printing and Packaging Solutions and Material.

FAO-WFP report links food production decline with CAR displacement

By Mohammed Kandi, with agency report The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization of (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in a new report, found significant decline in agricultural production in the wake of the crisis in Central Africa Republic (CAR), that caused massive displacements and drove hundreds of thousands of people from the country making them to flee across its borders.

In a statement jointly released to over 200 news agencies, it informed while quoting from the Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) report that, production of the main staple cereals and cassava in 2014 (in cereal equivalent) is estimated at about 763, 000 metric tonnes, – eleven percent higher than the poor 2013 harvest but still 58 percent lower than the 2008-2012 pre-crisis average.

The country’s agricultural sector contracted by 46 percent in 2013, it further said.

Negative impacts on food production were tempered by FAO’s support to around 111, 750 households through the provision of seeds and tools ahead of planting to support crop production, accompanied by WFP’s delivery of seed protection rations to limit the risk of planting material consumption.

“While these efforts prevented the food and farming situation from becoming even more desperate, we need additional support to boost food production and the agricultural sector, which is the primary means of survival for many people and the backbone of the Central African Republic’s economy,” said FAO Country Representative JeanAlexandre Scaglia.

Compared to pre-crisis levels, livestock numbers are estimated to be down by as much as 77 percent, due to frequent raids and cattle-rustling, while the fish supply declined by about 40 percent, owing to insecurity in fishing areas along the country’s rivers and the loss of fishing equipment.

The WFP’s chief economist, Arif Husain said “WFP is particularly concerned about the situation of internally displaced people (IDPs) and isolated communities. Field surveys show about half of these households have critically low levels of food consumption and are at high risk of malnutrition and therefore rely largely on food assistance.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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Feature

Ebola crisis: Volunteers for a hardship mission

By Imogen Foulkes

T

hey are training for what one of their supervisors describes as “a unique hardship mission.”

These are health care workers, doctors and nurses, who have willingly volunteered for deployment to Ebola-affected countries, a job they all know carries risks.

Leah Feldman, an emergency ward nurse from New York City, is among them.

“I feel as though it’s a responsibility,” she says. “I have a set of skills that I feel I can offer. I really feel as though this is a region that deserves our attention right now. I think medical care is something we can provide that can actually make a difference in lives where oftentimes there is not adequate medical care.”

Ms Feldman says that, despite the high-profile cases of a few health workers who have been infected with Ebola, she is not worried about risks to her own health.

“That’s the first question people ask,” she says. “But no. [There are] protocols and rules to minimise the risk, and it’s my responsibility to stay as safe as I can.”

Painstaking regime Part of Ms Feldman’s responsibility, before ever setting foot in an Ebola-affected country, is to take part in the Red Cross training course.

In the tranquil grounds of the Red Cross in Geneva, a group of people are struggling to put on rubber overalls, face masks, goggles and not one, but two, pairs of gloves.

Thousands of volunteers are required to combat Ebola It is a painstaking, uncomfortable and often depersonalising regime, which regularly requires the volunteers to abandon many of the things they learned in their original medical training.

The smallest mistake when getting dressed could mean the volunteer gets infected

The precautions required leave little room for intimacy between medical worker and patient

Before even entering the anteroom to the Ebola ward, the volunteers have to put on several layers of protective clothing.

Watched by an experienced supervisor, each item has to be put on in the correct order and the correct way - no loose sleeves or cuffs. Ebola is spread through contact with body fluids, so the skin, and above all the eyes, nose and mouth must be covered.

“The interaction that is so important for nurses and doctors with the patient is almost completely absent,” explains Red Cross Emergency Health Officer, Panu Saaristo. “We are wearing the protective equipment, people look like aliens, you don’t recognise their faces.”

Working inside those suits is uncomfortable too, as Leah Feldman discovers. “It’s hot and claustrophobic in the suit,” she laughs. “And here I’m in Switzerland, so I can only imagine what it will be like in Monrovia.”

Slow down One of the hardest things the trainees have to learn, says Panu Saaristo, is to take every step slowly.

“People from western health care settings are used to always being in a rush,” he explains. “They run from patient to patient. This is probably the only workplace they will experience where you never are in a rush, because everything is focussed on safety and infection prevention.”

That focus means that just taking off the protective clothing takes a minimum of 15 minutes, with frequent pauses to re-disinfect particular items, such as gloves.

“I’m used to moving at a very

fast pace,” admits Leah Feldman.

“I think the hardest part here is going to be moving very slowly, very meticulously, and just paying really close attention to every action that you are making.”

But, once in the field for real, Panu Saaristo knows from his own experience, working with Ebola patients will take a psychological toll as well.

“There are a lot of deaths,” he explains. “Sad scenes with a lot of children separated from parents, and parents separated from children.”

“You won’t get a hug from your colleague,” he continues. “You don’t shake hands, you don’t share anything, you don’t even share a simple thing like a pen. It is draining, and that is what I mean when I say this is a difficult mission.”

Ebola Stigma Perhaps most difficult of all for

“

the volunteers, the recent cases of Ebola in some of their home countries, such as Spain and the US, means they now fear stigmatisation once their work with Ebola victims is over.

The moves by some American states to quarantine returning health workers is causing aid agencies like the Red Cross real concern, because they fear it could deter future volunteers, who are desperately needed in the Ebola affected countries.

“There have been some almost absurd reactions,” says Mr Saaristo.

“Misconceptions, fear, stigma, explanations that are not based on science.”

“We have to try to combat that in the home countries of these volunteer healthcare workers.”

Leah Feldman does not know what her reception will be when she returns to her native New York, but diplomatically says she is “more than willing, if the government makes certain decisions it thinks will protect its own people, that’s something I will of course abide by, any protocols and regulations.”

But she adds, “It’s about knowledge, it’s about teaching people what Ebola really is, and how it is actually transmitted.”

Training over, Ms Feldman can expect to be treating Ebola patients for real within the next couple of weeks. Undeterred by protection measures which have certainly frightened off some potential volunteers, she says she “can’t wait to go.”

“If it’s not something you feel comfortable with then it’s not for you,” she says. “But if you feel you want to help people, this is the closest you can come, where there is a need you are filling that void.”

Source: BBC News

Before even entering the anteroom to the Ebola ward, the volunteers have to put on several layers of protective clothing.

Watched by an experienced supervisor, each item has to be put on in the correct order and the correct way no loose sleeves or cuffs.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 31

Politics Extra

David Mark has held on to the Senate seat for too long- Onoja Analysis

By Chris Alu

T

here are strong indications that the Senate President, David Bonaventure Mark may after all not make it to the Senate this time around, following moves by some of his kinsmen who were his strong supporters before, to dump him for Chief Mike Onoja, who is also warming up to displace Mark and to stop him from returning to national assembly for the fifth time.

According to Ame Udo, campaign director to Onoja , David Mark’s cup is full and need not to run over, just as he alleged that Mark’s impact has not been felt at both the state and federal level ,since he became Senate President, arguing that changing him is the only way out in the zone.

Udo said that among the reasons for their agitations for a change and rotation of the Senate slot is that the Senate President’s stay in office for 16 years did not attract any meaningful development to the people from the zone, stressing that Otukpo, gate way to states like Enugu and Anambra, still remains inaccessible, with dilapidated roads filled with pot holes. Secondly, there is no single tapwater in the whole of Otukpo, the Senate President’s home town where he often receives guests and organizes gulf club competitions, with the zone said to have the highest rate of unemployment. Still lamenting, Udo said that the David Mark’s presence in the National Assembly has not been felt by the youth, old men and women who constitute over 75 per cent of the voters.

The campaign director explained that the situation made the elders, women and youth to say enough is enough, stressing that Mark should give way so that somebody else should be tested at least this time around. He explained that the statement to which people from the zone were said to have contributed money to purchase nomination form for the Senate President to go back to the Senate for the fifth time is the handiwork of sycophants and mischief makers who did not want the zone to move forward for the

sake of greediness and self aggrandizements.

There demonstration came to its climax last week Saturday in Otukpo, the head quarters of zone C, where the sons and daughters of the zone came to witness the endorsement of Chief Mike Okibe Onoja, a retired permanent secretary with the Ministry of Defence by a former Senate President, Ameh Ebute.

Performing the ceremony at Maximum Hotel Otukpo, the first republic Senate President, told both the Idomas and their Igede brothers to get ready to dethrone David Mark and enthrone Chief Mike Onoja by voting massively for him to take over from the Senate President.

According to him, this is the time to make history for a change; so that the people can feel the impact of quality representation at the national assembly. Ebute narrated that he spent one tenure while in office during the first republic and the elders called him to come back home and he heeded their call and came back, but for David Mark even with his 16 years in office, he is not satisfied with it and he is not ready to relinquish the seat to anybody, meaning that rotation is not going to be possible within the nine local government of the state just for the sake of one man .

Ebute stated that the people from the zone have been blaming the Tiv people for allegedly marginalizing them by not rotating the governorship seat to the Idomas and the Igedes, while they themselves are not showing examples of it, so how can the Tiv people take them serious, he queried.

‘How can a seat that is meant to be rotated be

Senate President, David Mark permanently occupied by one man for 16 years? That means the essence of democracy is defeated and it amounts to tyranny”, Ebute stated.

The former Senate President said that time has come for the people to rise and fight for a common cause by ensuring that rotation and change is achieved in the zone’s senatorial seat, adding that, Chief Onoja has touched the lives of both the Idomas and their Igede counterparts while in office and therefore need to be given a trial. He said that the most important thing for the people of the zone to do is to create history not only to the state but to the entire country by unseating

“

David Mark in order to tell the world that democracy strives in the country.

In his speech, Chief Mike Onoja, stated that the senatorial seat is not David Mark’ s birthright or a chieftaincy title for him to hold on to for the rest of his life, calling on the Idoma and the Igede people to vote him out in 2015 general elections.

He queried that since the seat is beneficial to both the Idoma and the Igede people, why should they allow one man to dominate them in this present democracy? Onoja also said that the power to push Mark out is vested in their hands by their voters card and they should stand to

In his speech, Chief Mike Onoja, stated that the senatorial seat is not David Mark’ s birthright or a chieftaincy title for him to hold on to for the rest of his life, calling on the Idoma and the Igede people to vote him out in 2015 general elections

defend it.

He said that as a strong member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party has a rotation in their constitution and is being recognized, so why should Zone C be an exception. Onoja maintained that the same thing should be recognized in Idoma and Igede land.

Onoja also said that since the return of democracy in 1999, Benue people have witnessed rotation at the national and state assembly levels except for the senatorial seat of Zone C, lamenting that only the zone has remained with one man continuing to hold on to power for too long.

According to him, Zone B, Benue North West senatorial seat since 1999 has produced Senator Joseph Waku, who was succeeded by Dr. Joshua Adagba who died and was succeeded by Senator Fred Otii and now Senator George Akume took over, while in Zone A senatorial seat known as Benue North East , Senator Daniel Saror, was succeeded by Senator Joseph Akaaghegher and now Engr Banabas Gemade which the incumbent governor is strongly contesting to take over from him . Only in Zone C, that David Mark has remained the senator since 1999 to date, explaining why the people are agitating for rotation and change to balance the system.

However, one of the campaign directors of the Senate President, David Mark dismissed those calling for rotation, saying that the his principal should be allowed to continue as long as the people continued to vote for him, adding that the Senate President has tried for the people in the state and for the entire country.

Chief Onoja on his part, promised to give priority to community services which he said are twofold; personal community service and the general community service.

According to him, he will concentrate more on the general community service by providing infrastructural development to the people, such as roads as well as providing social amenities.

He said that if elected he would give support for the creation of Apa State, as well as provide quality legislation to the people, adding that he will create employment opportunities for the teaming youth from the zone.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 32

Protesters blocking the entrance into the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), during the occupy investment house protest against the recent appointment of Mrs. Saratu Umar, as NIPC’s Executive Secretary, organized

by National Democratic Front (NDF) and its civil society partners, in Abuja.

Photo: Stanley Onyekwere

Community chief begs AMAC chair for provision of basic amenities

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Chief of Kado-Kuchi community (otherwise called Jahi 1), in Abuja Municipal Area Council(AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Suleman Dodo, has appealed to the AMAC chairman, Micah Jiba, to provide basic

amenities, needed to improve lives of people living in the area.

Specifically, the chief urged the council chairman to repair the dilapidated access roads leading to the community.

Also, he called on the chairman, to come to aid of the Jahi1 community, so as to improve the socio-economic growth of the

community.

Dodo,who made the request in an interview with Peoples Daily, stressed that thecommunity has a very poor road network, which urgently needs government intervention.

He expressed his dismay that the inhabitants of Kado-Kuchi, in Jahi 1, are being neglected

,in terms of provision of basic amenities .

While calling on the current leadership of the council to do something about the situation, he however assured that his leadership would continue cooperate with them for the overall development of the community and the FCT at large.

Kwali elders endorse Wowo for FCT senate

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he aspiration of a former special Assistant to FCT minister on political matters, Senator Usman Jibrin Wowo, for the lone senate seat to represent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the 2015 general elections, has received a boost, following his endorsement by the Elders of Kwali Area Council chapter of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Chairman of the PDP elders in the area, Mr. Baba Bulus Gbogun, who disclosed the endorsement at the end of the its elders meeting with Wowo, at Koroko village, in Kwali , recently, said elders of party decided to endorse him because of his good track records, in the past.

He said elders of the party

have taken their time to arrive at decision of endorsing him after they have carefully consider that he has good credentials as well as the capability to represent the people of the FCT and the party to greater heights. ‘’The Kwali PDP elders at both ward and council level have today come together and unanimously resolved and endorsed our son, who is nobody, but Senator Usman Jibrin Wowo, to contest for the seat of the FCT senate come 2015, after carefully examining his good track records, ‘’ he said.

Also speaking, the secretary of the party’s elders in Kwali ,Alhaji Musa Majaga, said elders of the party, which cut across the ten wards of the council, are solidly behind the candidature of Senator Wowo.

He said the coming of Senator Wowo, to accept the peoples call to contest for the senate seat would no doubt address some of the daunting challenges facing people of the FCT. ‘’As far as elders of the PDP are concerned, in Kwali area council, we are 100 percent behind the aspiration of Senator Usman Jibrin Wowo, because we have seen what he has done before for people of FCT, ‘’ he said.

Responding, Wowo, said he was elated by the decision of elders of the PDP across the ten wards to unanimously endorse him for the race to occupy the lone seat FCT in the senate, in 2015.

He said his endorsement by entire elders of the party in the area showed that they have accepted him, and supports his

course to represent them at the national assembly. ‘’I want to say that calling me here by elders across ten wards to endorse me for the senatorial bid goes to show that other candidates or aspirants should go and sleep, ‘’ he said.

He said his endorsement by the party elders would no doubt have a multiplying effect on remaining five area councils in the FCT, saying elders of the party would no doubt go to other councils to inform other elders of their reason for endorsing him.

Wowo therefore, called on members and supporters of the PDP to continue to live in peace with one another and be law abiding citizens to the constituted authorities, adding nothing could be achieve under the atmosphere of rancour and acrimonies but peace.

Service delivery: FCTA to set up physical document magt office

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n order to improve service delivery to the residents of Abuja, the nation’s capital, the FCT Administration intends to establish Physical Document Management Office under the FCT Development Control Department (FCDA) towards the automation and tracking of mails/complaints, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, has disclosed.

He made this disclosure after meeting with some senior staff of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), in his office.

Mohammed emphasized that his Administration would do everything possible by being proactive to ease service delivery to the resident of FCT, saying that this is all about the actualization of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Similarly, the minister revealed that the FCT Administration is looking at the possibility of imbibing the ideals of Green Building; noting that the Administration may sponsor some professional staff of the FCT Development Control, to attend the Annual Green Building Convention organized by the United States Green Building Council, in New Orleans, USA. He therefore charged the residents of the Territory to continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities under the FCTA, to take Abuja to greater heights.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 33

Photo Splash

A roadside mobile phone repairer attending to a client, on Saturday at Jabi Motor Park, in Abuja.

A young man hawking handbags and wallets along mechanic village, Gudu, in Abuja, at the weekend.

An auto mechanic repairing his client’s car, yesterday at Airport Road, in Abuja.

A Fulani cultural troupe entertaining guests, during a reception for the victorious Super Falcons by President Goodluck Jonathan, recently in Abuja.

A commercial motorcyclist taking nap on top of his bike, yesterday at Lugbe, in Abuja.

Photos: Joe Oroye

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 34

Metro

Bomb attacks: Victims protest over government’s abandonment

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

S

ome aggrieved persons, claiming to be the victims of the twin deadly bomb attacks that rocked in Nyanya in April this year, including recent Emab Plaza in Wuse

Zone II, Abuja, have staged a demonstration over their purported neglect by the government of the day.

Among them were victims of other blasts in nieghbouring Niger state, who converged at the Abuja Unity Fountain,

near the Millennium Park, the venue of the sit-out meeting of the Abuja Family group, who championing the #BringBackourGirls campaign, in the nation’s capital.

The demonstrators, amid other things accused the federal

Government of gross negligence and abandonment in several hospitals.

Specifically, they bemoaned the government’s failure to offset the accrued bills in the course of their treatments, thereby compounding their plight.

Recall that there had been repeated assurances to take care of them, made by top government officials and their representatives, during visits to the medical centres where the victims are being kept had promised.

NIS staff launch 1st gospel music album in kuje

By Usman Shuaibu

A

Some buses affected by bomb blast at Nyanya Motor Park, in Abuja.

Land swap: Full development of 9 districts to begin soon

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n order to hit the ground running in the development of the nine districts under the Abuja Land Swap Initiative, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said it would soon complete the final engineering design of all the districts.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, made this disclosure after meeting with some senior officials of the FCDA Engineering Services Department and Abuja Infrastructure Investment Centre (AIIC) in his office, at the weekend, in Abuja.

“The final engineering design of nine Districts under the Land Swap Scheme would soon be put to rest, with nine of the developers having completed their design, checked and approved.

“With these districts coming on board Abuja property would be made more affordable to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory in line with the vision of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan,” a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister,

Muhammad Sule, quoted the minister.

In the statement, Mohammed reiterated that the opening up of these new districts would not only make land more accessible but would also drastically reduce the skyrocketed house rents being charged by shylock Abuja land lords.

Also, the Minister assured that his Administration would not rest on its oars until the knotty issue of housing deficit prevalent in some major cities is adequately redressed.

He revealed that the construction cost and total project cost of these districts are being finalized with negotiation completed with five developers.

The minister further revealed that agreement has been signed with four of the developers, preparatory to the groundbreaking ceremony.

Meanwhile, the Minister said that the rehabilitation and expansion of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway (Airport Road) Lots I & II are 90% and 99.8% completed respectively.

According to him, the rehabilitation and expansion of

Murtala Mohammed Expressway (Kubwa Road) Lots I & II are also 96.5 and 94.5 completed respectively.

Senator Mohammed stated that the FCT Administration

has achieved 68% in the ongoing development of Idu Industrial Area 1B engineering Infrastructure; while Karmo Residential District Infrastructure is now 92%.

FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed

staff of the Nigeria immigration Service (NIS), in Abuja, Princess Ngozi Chukwu, has launched her first Christian gospel music album christened “Showers of Divine Favour” in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at the weekend.

Speaking with newsmen during the occasion, the Assistant Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr. Gerald Kanayo Dilibe, who was the chairman of the ceremony, congratulated its staff cum artist, for doing something that would help better the society.

Urging her to continue with her good work, he advised young persons to emulate the young gospel artist, so as to use their talents to touch the lives of others in the society.

He stressed the need for Christian gospel artists to always focus on churning out the music that can change the society for better.

Also, he called on the Christian leaders who are highly placed to deem it fit to assist gospel artists financially to encourage them to continue to glorify God with their talents.

According to him, Christian clerics should engage the gospel artists at their various churches as along as their gospel music albums are geared towards praising God. On her part, Princes Chukwu, pointed out that, she went into the gospel music due to the special joy she derives from singing. “‘Showers of Divine Favour’ is my first album, and I will not relent in glorifying God through putting together inspiring gospel music album,” she said.

Chukwu, who is also an undergraduate student of Education Management at the University of Abuja, however, pleaded with the government to assist the less privileged youth financially, to enable them to maximize their inherent potentials for the betterment of the society.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 35

International international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

#BeenRapedNeverReported ANALYSIS

T

his was our way of silencing the silencers and denying those who would deny us our voices, our justice.

We have never met in person, but we’ve learned much about each other over the years, through the bonding space that is social media.

We are both veteran, feisty journalists who don’t shy away f r o m c ont rove rs y . W e l o v e our dogs. We question our government.

We are both over 50. We are strong.

And last week, as Canadian media erupted with shocking tales of sexual violence alleged against a cultural icon whose victims never reported it, we shared with each other via Facebook that we’ve both been raped, sexually assaulted, abused, molested, messed with.

Several times.

And that we too, like countless women, never reported it.

The unnamed women who accused the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s star ratings draw Jian Ghomeshi of having punched, choked and bitten them, never took their stories to the justice system because, too often, there is no justice for sexual assault survivors.

So our anger grew.

It is estimated that more than 80 percent of women do not report their attackers because they fear humiliation or revictimisation in the legal process.

For women of colour, those concerns are heightened by the expectation of racism.

Not so much about what Ghomeshi was said to have done - we have heard those stories all too often while doing our jobs as journalists - but by the reaction of much of the public.

Why, people scoffed on the internet, screamed on social media, argued in bars, had these women not reported him to the police? Why had they waited years to come out against him?

Why were they not making their names public? Could this be a conspiracy of “scorned” women and cast-off girlfriends and Ghomeshi groupies whom he had ignored?

We both knew full well why these women - initially four, now more than double that - stayed mute. As did every woman - and man - who has ever been raped, sexually assaulted, abused, molested, messed with.

We are the silent, shamed majority, each with a horrifying,

Police are investigating former radio host Jian Ghomeshi on sexual assault charges after women came forward to complain

hu miliating I-should-haveknown-better it-was-all-my-fault memory and myriad reasons why we keep it all to ourselves, not even telling our closest friends.

Sometimes we keep these stories secret for a lifetime, empowering our attackers to revictimise us every time we blame ourselves for having worn the wrong clothes, or having had one too many drinks, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It was also becoming clear through the heated debates on social media that even people we considered enlightened, still don’t get it. They have no clue of how common it is for women to be flashed or to have a man masturbate before her while looking her up and down late at night on a subway train, both frightening violations whose impact is often minimised.

As for rape, there seems to be a widely held misconception that an attacker is most often a creepy stranger who jumps out of bushes or dark alleys.

The reality is, Statistics Canada figures show there are more than half a million sexual assaults a year in Canada. Eightysix percent of the victims are women, 60 percent are under 17 and most of them know their attacker.

According to the Ontario Women’s Directorate, it is estimated that more than 80 percent of women do not report their attackers because they fear humiliation or re-victimisation in the legal process. For women of colour, those concerns are heightened by the expectation of racism.

Midweek, one brave Ghomeshi accuser, actress Lucy DeCoutere,

“

stepped out of the shadows of shame and on to the front pages.

So, in the midst of a social media storm which cast doubt on her, the other Ghomeshi accusers and, indeed, all women (and men) who have silently suffered through sexual assault and experienced shame because of it, we decided people needed to hear the stories behind the statistics and why so few report the crime.

That’s how the Twitter hashtag #BeenRapedNeverReported was created, tweeted along with our own stories of sexual assault, in 140-character bites. This was our way of silencing the silencers and denying those who would deny us our voices, our experiences, our justice. We wanted them to understand just how pervasive the crime, how numerous the victims and how loud the silence

According to the Ontario Women’s Directorate, it is estimated that more than 80 percent of women do not report their attackers because they fear humiliation or re-victimisation in the legal process.

surrounding it are.

It’s true that, as writers, we are both used to living our lives out loud but we weren’t sure other survivors would speak out.

But a virtual dam of tears burst as millions around the world broke their long-held silence and shared their painful stories - some for the first time in their lives.

If anything good has come out of this sordid “Ghomessy” tale, as it has been dubbed, it is that myths surrounding the crime have been shaken.

Far too many people last week cruelly dismissed the women accusing Ghomeshi.

But we believed them. We believed Lucy. We believed because we had stood in those shadows with them. And we believe all the women around the globe who are stepping out of the shadows with us and bravely baring their souls.

Antonia Zerbisias is an award-winning Canadian journalist. She has been a reporter and TV host for the Toronto Star, the CBC, as well as the Montreal correspondent for Variety trade paper.

Sue Montgomery is a Canadian journalist who covers justice issues and courts for the Montreal Gazette.

Courtesy; Aljazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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International

Burkina Faso army to pick ‘consensus leader’

10 university students killed in car accident in Egypt

L

ieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida, Burkina Faso’s interim leader, has said that the military will cede power to a transition government headed by a “consensus” leader, in a bid to calm accusations that it had seized power in a coup.

“Our understanding is that the executive powers will be led by

a transitional body but within a constitutional framework that we will watch over carefully,” Zida told a gathering of diplomats and journalists in the capital Ouagadougou, without giving a timeframe for the changeover.

The army stepped into a power vacuum after Blaise Compaore was forced to resign the presidency

last week in the wake of violent demonstrations over an attempt to extend his 27-year-rule.

The political opposition and civil society organisations insist that the victory of the popular uprising belongs to the people.

Jean-Hubert Bazie, opposition spokesman Naming Zida as interim leader

A

total of 10 university students were killed and four others injured on Sunday in a car accident in Upper Egypt’s Sohag governorate, staterun media Ahram-Online reported.

The car carrying 14 students, including the driver, fell into a dried sluiceway when the driver tried to avoid a truck coming from the opposite direction. Nine students were killed at the scene and another died on the way to the hospital.

On Wednesday, 10 family members were killed and 17 others injured in a fatal car crash on a desert highway, 80 km away from the capital Cairo.

Since mid-August, over 110 Egyptians were killed and more than 120 others injured in similar tragic road accidents across the country.

Road accidents kill at least 12,000 people every year in the most populous Arab country, according to official reports. Lack of highway monitoring systems, poor road maintenance and negligence of traffic rules are behind the high rate of traffic accidents in Egypt.

Source; Xinhua

Burkina Faso’s opposition has raised fears that the military will expand its powers

on Saturday, the military said it was acting in the interests of the nation and that “power does not interest us”.

But its takeover has also sparked angry protests.

Zida was locked in negotiations with diplomats from France, US and European Union at the foreign ministry, while senior opposition figures were to meet later with their leader Zephirin Diabre.

The crisis will also be the subject of a meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council later on Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa, reporting from Ouagadougou, said that as of Monday afternoon the streets in the capital have calmed down after days of protests.

But she said that civilians are eager to see the transition haapen as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the opposition has raised fears that the military would expand its powers.

“The political opposition and civil society organisations insist that the victory of the popular uprising belongs to the people and therefore the transition government legitimately falls to them and should under no circumstances be confiscated by the military,” Jean-Hubert Bazie, a spokesman for the opposition parties, told Al Jazeera.

DR Congo town hit by protests over killings

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undreds of people have taken to the streets of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Beni after another eight people were killed overnight in new violence.

“Things are bad in Beni, there is the crackling of gunfire because the police are trying to disperse the demonstrators,” youth leader Chirac Katalya told the AFP news agency on Sunday, adding that the death toll from the latest killings could rise.

The reported killings in the city added to more than 110 deaths counted in the region since last month.

Allied Democratic Forces (ADF),

a Ugandan rebel group that has terrorised much of the region for more than two decades, are the prime suspects behind the bloodshed but there is still no confirmation that the group is responsible for the violence.

Katalya said police fired into the air to disperse the demonstrators, adding: “The people want to destroy the city hall at whatever cost.”

The demonstrators were dispersed outside the city hall, but the police and soldiers were chasing them down back alleys as they tried to regroup, Katalya said, adding that gunfire was continuing.

President Joseph Kabila has pledged to “vanquish” the ADF and asked the UN peacekeeping force for help

Rival Libyan PM calls for fresh elections T

Libya’s army has urged residents to evacuate a Benghazi central district as it prepares to fight armed groups

he head of Libya’s self-declared government in Tripoli has called for fresh elections to pull the country back from chaos, as fighting in the restive east pushes the country deeper into instability.

Omar al-Hassi called for a vote on Monday, less than six months after the country elected a new parliament, which fled to Tobruk in the summer, to end years of conflict and turmoil.

Hassi told the AFP news agency that the country needed to vote as the internationally recognised

Tobruk-based parliament had “lost its legitimacy”.

“This parliament is no longer accepted in Libya. It has lost its legitimacy. We need new elections,” the 55-year-old academic said.

Hassi’s Islamist-dominated parliament, the General National Congress (GNC), has refused to recognise the Tobruk parliament, which is dominated by liberals and federalists.

Libya is divided between rival tribes and political factions with two governments vying for legitimacy

since an armed group from the western city of Misrata seized Tripoli in August, forcing Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni to move east.

The political rivalry has been coupled with militia infighting, which has swept across the North African nation, and threatened to spill over into neighbouring countries.

On Monday, a Libyan navy ship docked at Benghazi port was hit during heavy fighting between the army and Islamist fighters in Libya’s second-largest city, residents said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 37

International

Bangladesh party official faces death penalty

B

angladesh’s Supreme Court has upheld the death penalty handed down for a Jamaate-Islami leader for atrocities committed more than four decades ago, the latest in a spate of rulings against the Islamist party’s officials.

Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, 62, assistant secretary-general of the party, was found guilty on Monday of genocide and torture of unarmed civilians during the 1971 war to breakaway from Pakistan, by a special war crimes tribunal in May last year.

“Under Bangladesh jail code, the execution of an accused could be carried out within 21 days and before 28 days of the Supreme Court’s latest upholding of a death sentence,” Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury reported from Dhaka.

“The jail authorities will start the process of his execution after getting the certified copy of the verdict,” our correspondent said, adding that Kamaruzzaman can only file a review petition to “buy a little more time, or hope for presidential clemency, which is unlikely to be granted under the present government”.

Leaders convicted and sentenced so far: November 2, 2014: Mir Quasem

Ali - tried on 14 charges.

October 29, 2014: Motiur Rahman Nizami - tried on 16 charges.

November 13, 2013: Ashrafuzzaman Khan - indicted on 11 charges (in absentia).

November 3, 2013: Chowdhury

Mueen-Uddin - tried on 16 charges (in absentia) July 17, 2013: Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed - tried on seven charges.

May 9, 2013: Muhammad Kamaruzzaman - indicted on one

charge.

February 28, 2013: Delwar Hossain Sayedee - tried on eight charges. Reduced to life sentence February 5, 2013: Abdul Quader Mollah - tried on six charges.

Executed on December 12, 2013.

Protests staged by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters over similar verdicts last year left more than 500 dead

ISIL ‘kills scores’ in Iraqi province T he Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has killed at least 200 people from the Albu Nimr tribe, which had taken

up arms against the fighters, police officers cited by news agencies said.

Women and children were said to be among those executed over the

ISIL has imposed its harsh interpretation of sharia law in territory it controls

past 10 days in western Iraq’s Anbar province which has been largely overrun by ISIL. Accounts varied as to the number and timings of the executions in Anbar, but all sources spoke of more than 200 people murdered in recent days.

Police Colonel Shaaban alObaidi told the AFP news agency that more than 200 people were killed, while Faleh al-Essawi, deputy head of Anbar provincial council, put the toll at 258.

News of the killings came as Canada conducted air strikes on ISIL positions in Iraq for the first time on Sunday.

“Today’s strike demonstrates our government’s firm resolve to tackle the threat of terrorism and to

stand with our allies against ISIL’s atrocities against innocent women, children and men,” Canadian Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said in a statement.

Canada joined the antiISIL coalition on Thursday and conducted two days of reconnaissance before sending two CF-18s to attack jihadist positions around the city of Fallujah.

Iraq is bracing for yet more violence in the coming days as hundreds of thousands of Shia prepare to travel to shrines in Karbala for a major annual pilgrimage.

ISIL, a Sunni group that has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria, is expected to target Ashura pilgrims; 19 people died in attacks on Shia Muslims on Sunday.

committee granted the final approval to the construction of a massive new neighborhood settlement, Givat Hamatos, in east Jerusalem, which is set to include 2,612 housing units.

The decision came just as Netanyahu arrived in the United States for a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. It heightened the already mounting tensions between the two countries.

During the 1967 Mideast War Israel annexed east Jerusalem

where more than 300,000 Palestinians live. The Palestinians and the international community are vehemently against the construction of housing units there, especially in areas that would make it difficult to form a continuing territory between the West Bank and east Jerusalem within a future Palestinian state.

Israeli officials, on their part, say Jerusalem is Israel’s “ undivided and eternal” capital and that Israel has the right to build there. Source; Xinhua

Israel OKs 400 new houses in east Jerusalem

J

erusalem’s municipal committee approved the construction of 400 housing units in an east Jerusalem neighborhood on Monday afternoon, the municipality spokesperson confirmed to Xinhua.

The 400 housing units are set to be built in the northeast Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and retiring Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar

both agreed to promote the construction in the neighborhood in a meeting last week and advanced the topic on the municipal commission’s agenda, the Walla! news website reported.

According to the Ha’aretz daily, the original plan included 640 housing units, but was reduced to avoid damages to natural reservoirs. The plan was condemned by the United States and the European Union, the newspaper added.

A month ago, the same

Asia & Middle East

Deadly blast on Pakistan’s border with India

A

suicide blast close to the Pakistan-India border has killed at least 55 people and left more than 150 wounded, police have told Al Jazeera.

The explosion took place at the Wagah border crossing near Lahore.

It happened at the end of a daily flaglowering ceremony as people were moving back to their cars.

The bomber set off his explosives at a security checkpoint outside the parade area, and about 500 metres from the actual border, the director general of the Punjab Rangers, Tahir Khan, said.

Khan added that it was a “success” that the Rangers had been able to stop the attacker at the checkpoint, as he had been seeking entry into the actual parade area, where scores of people were seated.

“The blast has taken place about 500-600 feet from the parade venue ... people were standing there and many people were leaving there at the time,” Khan told reporters.

“When the bomber saw that there was very strict checking at the security checkpoint, he decided to detonate his explosives as he began to pass through it.”

The Rangers are a paramilitary force that is responsible for border security at Wagah.

The Indian government requested the flag-lowering ceremony, which attracts spectators of people on both sides of the border, be suspended for at least three days.

When the bomber saw that there was very strict checking at the security checkpoint, he decided to detonate his explosives as he began to pass through it.

Tahir Khan, Director General of the Punjab Rangers Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting fromIslamabad,saidthateightmembers of the same family had been killed in the explosion.

“The ceremony normally has a very festive atmosphere and it seems that there were larger crowds than normal because it was a Sunday. We have been told the death toll is likely to rise,” he added.

Two Pakistani Rangers, who perform the flag-lowering ceremony, were reportedly among the dead.

Images seen by Al Jazeera showed ball-bearings at the scene - indicating it could have been an explosive vest packed with ball-bearings, our correspondent said.

There have been conflicting claims of responsibility following the attack, with at least three separate groups, including a breakaway faction of the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP), the Jamaat-urAhrar, claiming they had carried it out.

“We will continue such attacks in the future,” the group said in a statement sent to media, and released on Twitter.

“Some other groups claim the responsibility of this attack but these claims are baseless.”

The groups all stated the attack had been carried out because of the army’s continuing operations in Waziristan, where air raids are targeting armed groups using the area as their base.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 38

International

World Trade Center Moscow urges Kiev opens for business to stop Europe and Americas

military actions in E. Ukraine

R

ussia on Monday urged the Ukrainian government to stop military operations in the country’s restive east, where pro-independence insurgents have organized elections.

“Today it is important to take active measures in order to ensure a sustainable dialogue between Kiev and representatives of Donbass,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told reporters, referring to Sunday’s elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics.

Noting that Russia respects the choice made by the local residents, he said Moscow will “help in every possible way” to resolve the Ukraine crisis.

Karasin said the elected representatives of those regions “have enough powers to develop a stable and wide-ranging dialogue with Kiev authorities.”

“It is quite obvious for us that this work can yield results only on the condition of a dialogue based on mutual respect and equality and Kiev’s refusal of military operations,” he said, adding that both sides should honor their commitments to the Minsk cease-fire agreement signed in September.

The diplomat also said some Western officials’ warnings of new sanctions on Russia over its stance on the elections were “counterproductive.”

“The language of sanctions is an absolutely counterproductive method of tackling conflict situations. This has already been proven by history,” he said.

Self-styled local election commissions announced Monday that Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky have been elected “presidents” of the two self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics respectively.

Russia said earlier that it would recognize the results of the polls, while the United States, the European Union and the United Nations have condemned the elections.

The Security Service of Ukraine said it had launched a criminal investigation into the elections to punish “actions aimed at forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or takeover of government.”

M

ore than 13 years after the original towers were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks, New York’s World Trade Center has reopened for business.

Employees at publishing giant Conde Nast are starting to move into the 104-storey One World Trade Center.

The $3.8bn (£2.4bn) skyscraper took eight years to build and is now the tallest building in the US. It is 60% leased and the government’s General Services Administration has signed up for 275,000 square feet “The New York City skyline is whole again,” Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority, which owns the restored site, said in a statement.

The 1,776ft (541m) tall skyscraper is at the centre of the site, which includes a memorial in the footprints of the old towers and a museum, opened this year.

An observation deck at the top of the building will eventually be open to the public.

Mr Foye added the building was “the most secure office building in

A doorman opens the entrance for an employee entering One World Trade Center on Monday America”.

TJ Gottesdiener of the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill firm that produced the final design said the high-rise went beyond the city’s existing building code, and was

built with steel-inforced concrete.

About 170 of Conde Nast’s employees will be moving into the building this week, filling five floors. About 3,000 more employees will join them in early

2015.

Space has also been leased to the advertising firm Kids Creative, the GSA, and 191,000 sq ft for the China Center, a trade and cultural space.

media reported.

Six people were rescued and seventeen more were missing from the stricken boat, which had set off earlier from Istanbul

and had travelled through the Bosphorus Strait on its way to Romania, the reports added on Monday.

Eleven children, five women and one man were still unaccounted for, as authorities continued their search near the northern entrance of the Bosphorus.

Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith, reporting from Istanbul, said the chances of finding survivors was slim in the rough and cold water.

Those on board were Afghans who had paid several thousand euros each in search of a better life in the EU and had set off earlier from Bakirkoy, an Istanbul suburb on the Sea of Marmara side of the Bosphorus.

“The boat could have capsized either because it was overloaded or because of the weather being too windy,” our correspondent

said.

“Fishermen who first went to the rescue said it was a small pleasure boat designed to carry perhaps seven to nine people on tours of the water around Istanbul.

We know so far that more than 20 people have drowned and six have survived. Clearly the boat has been overloaded.”

A coastguard official contacted

by AFP news agency confirmed the accident but could not give the exact number of victims. The boat capsized due to overloading and bad weather conditions.

Turkey has become a hub for illegal immigrants who seek to reach Europe in the search for a better life.

But the journey is frequently perilous, and hundreds of immigrants have drowned en route to Europe in recent years.

Dozens drown after boat sinks near Turkey

A

t least 20 illegal migrants have drowned when a boat taking them towards the European Union sank in the Black Sea just off Istanbul, Turkish

Turkey has become a hub for illegal immigrants who seek to reach Europe in the search for a better life

Virgin Galactic crash: Descent system ‘deployed early’

A

ir safety chief Christopher Hart uses models to show how the “feathering” slowing device activated without a command from the pilots.

A safety device on the Virgin Galactic spacecraft that crashed on Friday killing a test pilot had been deployed early, US investigators say.

Air safety chief Christopher Hart said the “feathering” device, designed to slow the craft on re-entry, activated without a command from the pilots.

But he said it was too soon to confirm any possible cause of the crash.

Media reports had focused on the fuel tanks and the engine, but Mr

Hart said that both were found intact.

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson accused a “handful of British newspapers” of publishing “wild accusations” over the crash.

He said initial findings from US investigators had shown reports that suggested problems with the fuel or engine had caused an explosion were “garbage”.

“Rumours and innuendo from self-proclaimed experts can be put back in their box,” he told the BBC. Sir Richard said that he would not send tourists into space until he and his family members had made the trip. He described the accident as a “horrible setback”.

Peter Siebold, left, survived the incident but his co-pilot, Michael Alsbury, died

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 39

Strange World

Family exiles misbehaving teenage daughter to siberia

W

hile most parents punish kids by sending them to their room, Sofia Petrova’s mother went a little further than that – she exiled her misbehaving daughter to another country. The 18-year-old hasn’t been home in three years; her mother hasn’t permitted her to return in spite of repeated apologies and pleas.

So how does a parent actually convince a 15-year-old high school freshman to board a plane to Siberia? Well, it turns out that Sofia was tricked. Her mother and stepfather told her that they were sending her on a three-week vacation to visit her biological father for the first time. But when Sofia reached Novosibirsk city, she realised the chilling truth – there was no return ticket.

That’s when her mother and stepfather informed her that she was actually being ‘punished’ for her typical teenager behavior – flunking school, running away from home and stealing money. She was to remain in Siberia with her father until she learned to change her ways. Sofia was pretty much helpless; although she grew up in the US, she was born in Siberia and had a Russian passport. So she needed her mother’s consent to return.

Sofia’s mother, Natalia Roberts, is a Soviet-born US citizen with an American husband, Jim Roberts.

The couple had pretty much abandoned Sofia in a country that was alien to her, with a man she barely knew. To make matters worse, Sofia’s birth father turned

out to be a drunk who often beat her up and abused her. She had no money and was forced to work at a local hostel in order to cover her expenses.

Poor Sofia made repeated pleas to her family back in the US, begging them to bring her back. “I want to come home,” she wrote in a letter to her mother last year. “To come back to you. I ask you one more time, please take me back. Please find it in your heart to forgive my mistakes that I made as a pre-teen.

You are the only family that I have.

I need you.”

In spite of those heartwrenching words, Natalia still couldn’t bring herself to forgive Sofia. The girl ended up severely depressed and had to flee to a local children’s center to escape her poor living conditions. She even tried to take her own life at one point.

Meanwhile, her friends in the US caught wind of what was happening to her and organised protests and campaigns in her favor. But there wasn’t much they could do to help her return.

The local media began to cover the story extensively, and a Facebook page was set up where Sofia posted updates about her condition. She also issued frequent pleas on social media for her family to take her back. “I want to graduate from an American high school (and) I want to do it quickly, to finish within two years,” she wrote.

In response, her stepfather posted a very harsh message: “Sofia, from the time that you went to Russia, we have told you that it will be very simple for you to return.

Recognise that the path you were

going down would end badly for you and try to change it. That’s all.

We told you that trying other ways would not work for you. You have not tried the one thing that will bring you back, but you continue to try others.” It isn’t clear what exactly he was referring to, as Sofia seems to have apologised for her past mistakes.

But luck was eventually on Sofia’s side as her strange story took an even more bizarre twist. With the help of a few friends, she managed to track down her mother’s exboyfriend Farid Soulimani, who practically raised her as a child. In fact, she had actually believed that he was her father until the age of

13. However, they had lost contact for over six years after he had a bad breakup with her mother.

When Soulimani heard of Sofia’s struggles, he was heartbroken.

While he still lives in the US, he immediately arranged for her to visit his family in Morocco and flew there himself to meet with her. “It’s not a new family,” Sofia said. “I remember my grandma (presumably Soulimani’s mother) from when I was a little girl and she had come to visit. It was nice to see a familiar face.”

Under her grandmother’s care, Sofia grew stronger and happier within a month’s time. But when she returned to her father’s home

in Siberia, she found that she had lost her job and her boyfriend had dumped her. She was miserable once again, and that’s when she decided to make Morocco her permanent home. “Everyone is just so loving here,” she said. “It’s nice to wake up every morning to hugs and kisses.”

Now that she’s 18, Sofia has moved to Casablanca, and has decided to adopt Farid’s last name.

She is studying French in an attempt to integrate into society, and is also in the process of getting her official documentation completed to allow her to stay in Morocco indefinitely, so that she never has to return to Siberia.

A ride to die for – gothic couple love driving vintage hearses

D

eporah Hornberger and Stephane Langelier, from Kendallville, Indiana, have an unusual hobby – collecting vintage hearses. The gothic couple have three wellmaintained funeral coaches stowed away in their spacious garage – all are modified Cadillacs, two from 1949 and one from 1964.

Stephane, a talented artist and musician who runs a pipe

organ service, explained that he has always loved hearses. He met Deporah, a local realtor, in a gothic-style bar in Washington D.C. 10 years ago, and they have been inseparable ever since.

Among their many shared interests is a common love for hearses.

The couple are members of the ‘Just Hearse ‘N Around’ car club in Michigan, and participate in car shows around the country.

Whenever they show off their cars in these parades, they make sure to dress up – Stephane wears a top hat, black jacket and black leather pants, and Deporah shows up in a red satin and black lace gown.

Stephane said that he prefers to do all the restoration work on the hearses himself. He is currently working on the couple’s third vehicle, converting it into a ‘rat hearse’ – that means he’s

restoring the interiors and the engine, but he’ll leave the coppery exterior as is. The couple plan to name the car ‘Rusty Patina’ once she’s ready.

But Stephane doesn’t leave all his cars in their original condition – for Charcoal La Bete, the second 1949 Cadillac, he installed a plush red velvet interior and upholstery, with a silky gray exterior. He even put a coffin in the back with

a dressed skeleton in it, named ‘Skelly’. He previously added pipes that shoot flames out the back of the 1964 hearse, La Belle.

In its heyday, La Belle doubled as an ambulance as well. It has two jump seats at the back to accommodate medics, and the floor panels have rollers for the coffins, which can be flipped over to a flat surface for patient transport. According to Stephane, the arrangement was made for villages that couldn’t afford to have a hearse as well as an ambulance.

“That way, if you died on your way to the hospital, you were already in a hearse,” he joked.

When the couple go to car shows, they prefer to camp out in the back of La Belle. They’ve installed heavy curtains on the windows for privacy. No, they don’t actually sleep in coffins – they use sleeping bags instead and they say that it makes for a pretty cozy place to spend the night!

Page 40

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

SporT 41 Page

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

…as homebased Eagles regroup in Uyo for Black Stars

By Taofeek Lawal

G

ombe United goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim will lead the Super Eagles Team B in an international friendly to commission the eye –popping Akwa Ibom International Stadium, Uyo on Friday, November 7.

Coach Stephen Keshi has also called up Emem Eduok and Mfon Udoh, the two men in the hot chase for the Top Scorer’s award in this year’s Premier League, as well as Gbolahan Salami, Rabiu Ali, Christian Pyagbara, Bright Esieme, Umar Zango, Solomon Kwambe and Azubuike Egwuekwe in a 24 –man squad.

The players are to report at the Le Meridien Hotel, Uyo on Monday, 3rd November, 2014.

Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United); Daniel Akpeyi (Warri Wolves); Theophilus Afelokhai (Kano Pillars) Defenders: Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Idris Aloma (ElKanemi Warriors); Chimma Akas (Sharks FC); Nelson Ogbonna (Heartland FC); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Erhun Obanor (Bendel Insurance); Bright Esieme (Enyimba FC); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars) Midfielders: Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC); Charles Henlong (Giwa FC); Joseph Nathaniel (Sharks FC); Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Chinedu Udeaga (Enugu Rangers); Kingley Sokari (Enyimba FC); Tony Edjomari (Nasarawa FC) Forwards: Mfon Udoh (Enyimba FC); Christian Obiozor (Enugu Rangers); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Osaguona Ighodaro (Enugu Rangers); Emem Eduok (Dolphins FC)

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

AFCON 2015 qualification: Keshi expresses optimism

N

ations even though the odds are high against the Super Eagles.

The Big Boss who was last week recalled to lead the national team after being previously relieved of same position went a step further to say Nigeria will even retain the

FCT Badminton Mini Championships: Mambila Barracks Club emerges winners >>>Pg 42

title won 2013 in South Africa.

“We have the players who can do Nigeria proud in the remaining qualifier games and I know somehow we will make to the finals and retain our trophy” Keshi was quoted as saying in a press statement from ‘returning’ Eagles Media officer Ben Alaiya.

Sharing the same optimism

with Coach Keshi is the Super Eagles Team Administrator; Dayo Enebi Achor who assured that Nigeria will at the end clinch one of the tickets for the Morocco 2015 Nations Cup. “The entire team is back now and we have to make a statement as the defending Champions. God will see us through”, the Eagles

Scribe declared.

Currently, the Eagles are third in Group A and will need to beat Congo with a clear 2 goal margin or get a higher score line of victory than Congo got in Calabar to be ahead of the Red Devils in Group A after the November 15 clash.

Keshi

18th edition of NICEGA kicks off in Minna >>>Pg 42

Nigeria should approach Congo game with all seriousness – Babangida >>>Pg 46

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

PAGE 42

Sports

18th edition of NICEGA kicks off in Minna T From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

he 18th edition of the Nigeria Colleges of Education Games (NICEGA) has commenced in Minna, the Niger state capital with 42 colleges of Education participating.

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu while declaring the championship open at the weekend in Minna said the game which could not take place in 2013 due to strike action embarked upon by Nigerian colleges of education lecturers couldn’t have come at a better time than now in view of the current period of insecurity as the nation continues to search for national cohesion and unity. Aliyu said sports is a vehicle for unity and social mobilization stressing further that “given the abundant energy and enthusiasm of the youths, bringing together thousands of students athletes to compete in various games will go a long was in developing the spirit of accommodation, tolerance, perseverance and camaraderie and in promoting national integration”.

The governor noted that it was in the realization of this that the state government did not hesitate in granting approval for the games and pledging his support to ensuring the success of the games, despite the huge financial

implications because sports have proven to be a vehicle for the promotion of national unity, peace and harmony.

The Chief Servant however pointed out that despite the promotion of peace and unity among Nigerians which is one of the objectives of the games, the event will provide a medium of discovering and nurturing young talents for national and international sporting competitions.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Provost of the institution, Professor Farouk Haruna Abdulrasheed said the hosting of the game by the college has opened another chapter in the history of the college and the state as this is the first time the college is hosting the game.

Abdulrasheed disclosed that despite the hash economic reality in the country, the college decided to go ahead with the game believing that sports is an integral part of education in addition to fostering unity among the participating schools.

Speaking at the event the National President of NICEGA, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed while commending the Niger state college of education for putting up what he described as an excellent facilities in the history of the games, said NICEGA has been doing a lot to improve sports and fight social vices in the country.

Nigeria dominates 11th Africa Scrabble championship

N

igeria dominated Africa Scrabble with yet another s u p e r l a t i v e performance at the 11th edition of the Africa Scrabble Championship (ASC) held in Cape Town, South Africa from the 25th to 28th of October 2014. Nsikak Etim of Nigeria became the eleventh (11th) Africa Scrabble champion and the eighth (8th) Nigerian player to win the prize award of USD 5000 (five thousand dollars).

After thirty-two (32) rounds of Scrabble spanning three days in a field of 62 (sixty-two) players, he won 22 games with a cumulative spread of +1725 to beat compatriot Olatunde Oduwole (21 points +1436) to the second (2nd) position.

Prince Omosefe with 21 points and a spread of +1077 placed third (3rd) to complete Nigeria’s sweep of the top prizes at the ASC

2014. Mr Etim’s performance takes Nigeria’s ASC title haul to 10 (ten) out of eleven editions of the championship since it’s inception in 1994 in Kenya.

Nigeria took the top nine position with Messrs Dennis Ikekeregor, Ayorinde Saidu, Karo Eta, Moses Peter, Kabir Olaiya and Owolabi Lukeman in that order placing fourth to ninth. The feat earned Nigeria the overall best team award.

Dokun Esan carted home the highest win award of USD 100 for his 650-291 win against Dennis Ikekeregor.

Former African champion (2002) and the only non-Nigeria to ever hold the title, South Africa’s Hovelmeier Trevor took the 10th (tenth) position to complete the top ten best Africa Scrabble players at the end of the tournament. The next edition of the event will be held in 2016 in Gambia.

Gov Aliyu

FCT Badminton Mini Championships: Mambila Barracks Club emerges winners

By Taofeek Lawal

M

ambila Barracks B a d m i n t o n Club during the weekend in Abuja emerged winners of the FCT Badminton Mini Championships.

The championship which is in its second edition was organised by the FCT Badminton Association for both active and veteran players at the Mambila Barracks.

A total of five clubs in the FCT took part in the tournament, namely; City Gate, Head of Service, Kubwa, Gracious Hotel and Mambila Barracks Badminton Club.

The pair of Ayo Akoda and David Umar of Mambila Barracks combined well in the men’s doubles category to finish unbeaten in the championships.

They defeated the pair of Charles Gado and Abubakar Ado also of Mambila Barracks 3-1 in the final to win the championship’s first prize. They had earlier seen off City Gate Club’s pair of Benedict Nwakalor and Yerima Abubakar in three straight sets in the semifinals. Gado and Ado also of Mambila Badminton Club finished second, while the pair of Nwakalor and Abubakar of City Gate settled

for the third position.

The Chairman, FCT Badminton Association who spoke to newsmen at the end of the tournament said the purpose of the championship was to create awareness about the game in the FCT. ``We intend to organise a junior and veteran’s competition as well as a national competition where we will classify our professionals from number one to the lowest ranked player in the FCT. ``We will also organise grassroots development programs for primary and secondary schools in the FCT so as to catch them young,’’ he said.

Also, Ahmed Mabudi, the Chairman, FCT Hockey Association who was a participant at the tourney noted that he was impressed with the organization of the tournament ``I played in a demonstration match for veteran players who are above 50 years and it was really interesting. We hope to learn from this. ``I think there is a need for synergy between the Hockey and Badminton Association so as to ensure that FCT continue to progress in all sporting activities. ``I call on other associations in the FCT to join hands together for the growth and development of sports in the FCT. ``This is the Federal Capital of Nigeria and we want

nothing but the best here,’’ he said.

The championship is expected to be held every fortnight. A total of five clubs are expected to take part in the next edition namely; Gwagwalada, Suleja, Immigration, FRSC and Mambila Barracks Badminton clubs.

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Page 43

Sport

Van Persie in Man Utd exit rumour

M

anchester United striker Robin van Persie has been linked with a shock move to Turkey following a woeful start to the new campaign, reports Turkish publication Fanatik. Fenerbahce are allegedly looking to bring the former Arsenal man to Turkey in the near future, with the presence of former international teammate Dirk Kuyt thought to be an appealing factor.

After enjoying an outstanding first season with United, the Dutch captain has since struggled for form and been plagued by niggling injuries. Many thought new life would be breathed into the Dutch striker following the arrival of his compatriot Louis van Gaal, but with just three goals in nearly 700 minutes of football the new campaign is not looking any better than the one just gone.

The 31-year-old may be past his best, and like so many before he could be looking for a last big money move.

Van Persie

Enrique will lead Barca Oscar: Fabregas is phenomenal to trophies – Abelardo

F

ormer Barcelona defender Abelardo is adamant that Luis Enrique is capable of leading the Catalan club to silverware. The Blaugrana boss is under pressure after back-toback Liga losses but his old teammate Abelardo insists that the 44-year-old will thrive in 2014-15.

The Blaugrana failed to win a major trophy last term, resulting in the dismissal of Gerardo Martino during the summer.

Luis Enrique was installed as the Argentine’s successor and oversaw a fine start to the season, with Barca storming to the top of the Liga standings without conceding a single goal in their first eight games.

Enrique is now under fire after back-to-back Liga losses, with the Catalans slumping to a 3-1 defeat at Clasico rivals Real Madrid before suffering a shock 1-0 reversal at home to Celta on

Saturday.

Abelardo, though, says Camp Nou must stand by Luis Enrique, insisting that his old team-mate has already shown that he is the right man for the job. “He is fully capable of leading this club,” the Sporting Gijon coach is quoted as saying by Barca’s official website.

“You can see what he has done with his teams [in the past] and Barca have improved in many ways on last season. “It’s also better for these defeats to happen early in the season. The team has to go from less to more.

“He has an extraordinary squad and I’m convinced they’ll win titles this year.”

After consecutive defeats in La Liga, which have seen Barca slip to fourth in the standings, Luis Enrique and his troops now turn their attention to the Champions League and Wednesday’s meeting with Ajax in Amsterdam.

Fabregas

B Enrique

razilian international Oscar insists summer signing Cesc Fabregas has taken Chelsea to another level this season with his “beautiful passes”. Oscar heaped praise on his fellow midfielder, who has already racked up nine assists since joining from Barcelona during the summer.

The Blues finished third in the Premier League last term but have made an undefeated start to the current campaign and sit

four point clear at the top of the table after 10 games.

Oscar played an integral role in Chelsea’s latest victory, netting the opener in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat of QPR courtesy of a sublime finish with the outside of his right foot. However, the Brazil international was reluctant to take too much credit for his sublime goal, preferring instead to heap praise on Fabregas, who had provided the assist.

“Cesc gave a beautiful pass

to me,” Oscar told Chelsea TV. “It was perfect for shooting and when the ball came I decided now, I need to shoot. “I don’t know if it is my best goal - I need to see it again - but it was a nice goal.

“But Cesc helps the team so much and not just with the assists. In a game, he helps everyone, with beautiful passes like the one for me in this game.

“He has come in this year and played so well and I like playing together with him.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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Sport

Pakistan record victory over Australia

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akistan recorded only their second Test series whitewash against Australia after winning by 356 runs on the final day in Abu Dhabi to seal a 2-0 victory.

It was their largest win in terms of runs and their first Test series success against Australia since 1994.

The Australians resumed on 143-4 in search of an improbable 603 but lost their final five wickets for eight runs and were all out for 246. Pakistan now move above England to third in the world Test rankings.

Pakistan won the first match in Dubai by 221 runs, which had been their previous record-winning margin in terms of runs against Australia. The tourists lost only one wicket before lunch, but Steve Smith was lbw to the second ball of the afternoon session, just three runs short of a century.

This latest defeat was Australia’s 10th in their last 14 Tests in Asia.

Pakistan celebrate their victory

Kenya, Ethiopia athletes dominate New York Marathon

Runners Wilson Kipsang of Kenya (R) and Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia run the last mile during the New York City Marathon in New York

W

ilson Kipsang won a lucrative duel to the finish to join compatriot Mary Keitany in a Kenyan sweep of exciting men’s and women’s races at a cold, windy New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Kipsang, the London Marathon champion running the New York race for the first time, ran shoulder to shoulder with Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia over the last two miles. In the last half mile in Central Park, Desisa snuck ahead of Kipsang, who turned on a final burst to claim

a victory in the 26.2-mile (42.2-km) race that was worth $600,000 to the Kenyan.

Kipsang crossed the finish line in an unofficial time of two hours 10 minutes 59 seconds to win the $100,000 top prize and catapult past compatriot Dennis Kimetto to claim $500,000 as the World Marathon Majors champion.

Desisa, the 2013 Boston Marathon winner, finished seven seconds behind Kipsang, with fellow Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam, the 2010 New York champion, taking third place in 2:12:13.

Alonso close to McLaren deal

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ernando Alonso is on the verge of sealing a deal to join McLaren. The twotime champion, who is to leave Ferrari two years before the end of his contract, had been deciding between McLaren and taking a year off. But a deal for Alonso to return to the team he left after one acrimonious season in 2007 is now all but done.

Within McLaren the internal debate has switched to whether to retain Jenson Button or Kevin Magnussen alongside him, the Dane is emerging as favourite.

Negotiations between Alonso and McLaren over the fine detail of his new contract are not completely finalised but insiders say they have gone so far that it would now be a major shock if the 33-year-old did not sign The Spaniard had originally wanted a one-year deal, to keep himself free for 2016, but he is now thought likely to to ink a deal for 2015 and 2016 with a further year as an option, a so-called ‘two-plus-one deal’ as is common with many F1 driver contracts.

A move to McLaren, who are starting a new engine partnership with Honda next season, has long been considered Alonso’s most likely option since it became clear he was leaving Ferrari.

Alonso

Obudu Mountain race holds Saturday

By Taofeek Lawal

T

he 10th edition of the famous Obudu Mountain Race has been slated for November 8, 2014 in its usual venue, the Obudu Mountains of Cross River State.

According to the Local Organizing Committee for the event, this year’s edition shall be tagged “Mountain Race of the Stars; 6th African Mountain Running Championship”.

The Committee’s Chairman, Sir

William Archibong, revealed that this year’s event shall be restricted to stars only and participation based on invitation.

To this end, the LOC is currently working with the President, African Mountain Race to get the best stars from 5 African Nations to participate.

The essence of the latest innovation as stated by the committee is to ensure that the 10th edition coming at the terminal stage of the Cross River State administration will attain higher

level of achievement, and a stronger team of participants.

Obudu Mountain race usually a continental championship in the past 9 editions prides itself as paying the highest star prize in the history of the competition worldwide and according to the chairman of LOC, the star prize will be maintained in this edition.

Four former winners of the race, Abebe Dinkesa, Hunegaw Mesfin, Genet Yaw (all Ethiopians) and Philemon Rono (Kenyan) are expected to compete.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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Sport

P-i-c-t-o-r-i-a-l

1.Spain’s Alberto Contador has won the 2014 Velo d’Or, cycling’s rider of the year award. The Tinkoff-Saxo rider, 31, succeeded Britain’s 2013 Tour De France winner, Chris Froome.

2. Wayne Rooney on course to return for Manchester United’s derby trip to Manchester City 3. MTake that: Muhammad Ali (right) lands a punch on George Foreman in Zaire (now Conga) on October 10, 1974. This image is part of a photograph that appeared on the cover of the November 11, 1974 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine.

4. Tennis star, Caroline Wozniacki has proved there’s no rest for the wicked as she gets set for her marathon debut in New York on Sunday.

The 24-year-old only recently competed in the WTA finals 5.J A 94th-minute Genoa goal inflicted a first league defeat of the season for Juventus and ruined a landmark night for goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. The Italian custodian made his 500th league appearance for the Italian champions and wore a special captain’s armband.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

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Sport

Nigeria should approach Congo game with all seriousness – Babangida A

s events continue to unfold in Nigerian football, SL10.ng caught up with former Ajax Amsterdam and former Super Eagles winger Tijani Babangida and he talks about the return of Stephen Keshi as the Super Eagles coach, the crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa and much more. Enjoy.

What’s your take on the return of Stephen Keshi as the Super Eagles coach?

Babangida: Well…it’s a bit confusing at the moment because they said they sacked Keshi and brought in Amodu Shuaibu and now they’ve brought back Keshi. I really don’t know what is going and on and I don’t know what to say about that but I just hope it doesn’t affect the team in those games against Congo and South Africa. But I felt Keshi should have continued since he already started the campaign and since it was just two games left. Sacking him at that point made no sense but I guess it’s good that he’s back.

You mentioned the games against Congo and South Africa – but let’s start with that against Congo, a lot of people believe that will be the toughest of the two games.

Do you think so?

Babangida

Babangida: I think so maybe.

The Congolese have a very

strong team and I remember us playing them here in Nigeria at the 2000 AFCON and we couldn’t even beat them at home. I never played in Congo but I know they are naturally a strong team with very strong players and how they beat us here in the first leg is testament to that. We cannot underrate them because sometimes they tend to play on the defensive and it could be difficult breaking them down because they have some very strong boys.

is possible for us to get a win there. The players know what is expected of them and they cannot afford to fail because I remember what happened in Lagos when we played them in 2000. The fans were so displeased that we couldn’t beat them and that says a lot really.

And we are not talking about beating them for pride, but we have to beat to stand a chance to qualify and I’m sure the players know this and they are willing to give it a go.

So would you say Nigeria has the players that can break them?

What do you think of the current crop of Super Eagles players?

Babangida: Well we can’t sleep easy, at least not yet but I know we always come out victorious when we are pushed to the wall and we must believe that. It’s not going to be easy at all but we must beat them. Like I said, they won’t be easy to beat but it is possible for us to beat them.

Babangida: We have some very good players in the team.

But I know a lot of Nigerians still think of the class of ’94 and ’96, but it’s not always easy to get such teams. It takes time because the teams of ’94 and ’96 were products of work that started in 1989. Maybe we also do not have players in the same caliber as the ones we had back in my time but I believe we can get there again. We just have to stay focused and keep our eyes on the target. There are some young players coming through now, especially from the U20 because I’ve seen them play a

But the Eagles are yet to win away from home in this series Babangida in action

Babangida: Yeah I know but I still believe we get our best results when our backs are against the wall and I believe it

couple of times. Maybe we have to wait a little bit.

If you are to speak bold very honestly and without sentiments, would you say Nigeria can still qualify for AFCON 2015?

Babangida: If you look at the group you would see that all the teams can still qualify, even Sudan – at least mathematically.

If we win our two games it will give us 10 points and if Congo beats Sudan they will also have 10 points. But we just have to focus on beating them there so that we’ll have a better head to head record but honestly I think we can still qualify, of course it’s still possible.

What do you make of IK Uche’s recall to the team?

Babangida: Very good I must say. We have been calling for him to be invited and I’m glad he’s back now because it makes our team better. Hopefully we can score more goals because it seems like we have been struggling to score goals and I hope we can start scoring goals now that he has been recalled to the team. I’m very excited about that.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

I

Some Interesting Facts

t has NEVER rained in Calama, a town in the Atacama Desert of Chile.

It costs more to buy a new car today in the United States than it cost Christopher Columbus to equip and undertake three voyages to and from the New World.

The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

An eighteenth-century German named Matthew Birchinger, known as “the little man of Nuremberg,” played four musical instruments including the bagpipes, was an expert calligrapher, and was the most famous stage magician of his day. He performed tricks with the cup and balls that have never been explained. Yet Birchinger had no hands, legs, or thighs, and was less than 29 inches tall.

Daylight Saving Time is not observed in most of the state of Arizona and parts of Indiana.

Ants closely resemble human manners: When they wake, they stretch & appear to yawn in a human manner before taking up the tasks of the day.

Bees have 5 eyes. There are 3 small eyes on the top of a bee’s head and 2 larger ones in front.

Count the number of cricket chirps in a 15-second period, add 37 to the total, and your result will be very close to the actual outdoor Fahrenheit temperature.

One-fourth of the world’s population lives on less than

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$200 a year. Ninety million people survive on less than $75 a year.

Butterflies taste with their hind feet.

Only female mosquito’s’ bite and most are attracted to the color blue twice as much as to any other color.

If one places a tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion, it will instantly go mad and sting itself to death.

It is illegal to hunt camels in the state of Arizona.

In eighteenth-century

Leisure

English gambling dens, there was an employee whose only job was to swallow the dice if there was a police raid.

There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.

The human tongue tastes bitter things with the taste buds toward the back. Salty and pungent flavors are tasted in the middle of the tongue, sweet flavors at the tip!

The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley’s gum.

When you sneeze, air and particles travel through the

nostrils at speeds over100 mph.

During this time, all bodily functions stop, including your heart, contributing to the impossibility of keeping one’s eyes open during a sneeze.

Annual growth of WWW traffic is 314,000% %60 of all people using the Internet, use it for pornography.

In 1778, fashionable women of Paris never went out in blustery weather without a lightning rod attached to their hats.

Say what?

SUDOKU SUDOKU EASY 176

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A worker stands over a manhole watching his colleague work while knee-deep in sewage. The picture was taken in India at midday.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

tuesday, november 4, 2014

QUOTABLE QUOTE The National Assembly should consider legislation to force policy makers to take their children to public schools because a situation whereby they take children to private schools does not augur well for the education system.

-Gov. Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna state

SPORTS Between secularism and religious pluralism latest T Tuesday Column Sardauna Cup: Again, Zamfara wins 2nd edition From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Z

amfara State has again emerged the winner of the second edition of the Sardauna memorial unity cup competition which was concluded last weekend with five states participating aga i nst e i gh t as ea rli e r announced by the Zamfara State Veterans Football Club (ZVFC).

The contending states involved in the tournament were Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto and the host Zamfara.

In the opening match of the game at the Sardauna Memorial Stadium Gusau, Kaduna defeated Kano by two goals to nothing.

Subsequent matches have eventually witnessed victories in favour of Kaduna that defeated Kano by 2-1, Zamfara 2-1 against Sokoto, Kogi 1-0 against Sokoto state.

Other matches which staged Sokoto and Zamfara for the second round ended up 0-1, while the same Sokoto was able to defeat Kano by 1-0.

It would be recalled in 2013, the first edition of the competition was played in Kaduna when the Zamfara state football squad emerged winner, which qualified them automatically to host the just concluded 2014 competition.

Speaking with Peoples Daily Sports, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the ZVFC, Engineer Shehu Madawaki, called on the state government to intensify efforts in assisting the state veterans team as such would help to improve sporting activities in the state.

The PRO further announced that, it was unanimously agreed that the 2015 competition will hold in Kano state despite their loss in the tournament, adding that, the decision would encourage its participation as well as the expected high number of other interesting states.

Advert: 0806 business: 0704 news: 0814 lagos: 0805 0803

he ban on the use of hijab by the Lagos state government under the guise that Nigeria is a secular state, hence, that government must do everything to protect the secular nature of the state is untenable.

Secularism, the way it is conceived by the government seems to be used as a justification to deprive people the right to uphold their lawful religious tenet, which in actual fact it is not. This brings us to querying what secularism is?

What do the protagonists of secularism really intend to achieve? And how has it been applied by states across time? The term ‘secularism’ is invented by George Jacob Holyoake to describe his views of promoting a social order separate from religion, without actively dismissing or criticizing religious belief. Secularism does not imply that there is no light or guidance elsewhere, but maintains that there is light and guidance in secular truth, whose conditions and sanctions exist independently.

In the same vein, the National Secular Society of the United Kingdom defines Secularism as a principle that involves two basic propositions. The first is the strict separation of the state from religious institutions. The second is that people of different religions and beliefs are equal before the law.

Secularism according to them seeks to ensure and protect freedom of religious belief and practice for all citizens.

Secularism is not about curtailing religious freedoms; it is about ensuring that the freedoms of thought and conscience apply equally to all believers and non-believers alike. They further argue that secularism seeks to defend the absolute freedom of religious and other belief, and protect the right to manifest religious belief insofar as it does not impinge disproportionately on the rights and freedoms of others.

Secularism ensures that the right of individuals to freedom of religion is always balanced by the right to be free from religion.

In this manner, secularism is differentiated from atheism which implies the non-existent or lack of belief in gods. According to cotemporary philosophers like Brendan Sweetman, Bhargava and others in their like, secularism simply provides a framework for a democratic society, where equality of all is guaranteed and equality in all aspects of the society–in politics, education, law and elsewherefor believers and non-believers to operate.

There are many good examples of how governing bodies create secular laws that protect their citizens from oppression. In some cases, even former religious states like Italy, U.K and others have eradicated faith-based rule in favour of secular government, yet their citizens enjoy freedom to practice their belief. The leading secular countries include: United States of America, Canada, France, Italy, Australia, China, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Brazil, India, among others. In most of these countries mentioned, the secular laws they operate do not deprive or subjugate people from practicing their religious principles and duties. Even the type of secular society instituted during the 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia which repressed all forms of religious beliefs has since been abrogated. It is instructive to note

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Moshood babatunde Abdul-Wasi

Gov. Raji Fashola that the present wave of secular society after the defunct Soviet Union have a broader liberal world view, and the essence of separation of a state from the Church or any religion is to foster non dominance of a particular religion.

Rajeev Bhargava informed that the new wave of contemporary secularism follows two models. First, the French type, which in his conception, the state (as a matter of necessity) must be separated from religion, but the state, retains the power to interfere in religion. However, religion is divested of any power to intervene in matters of state. In short, separation means one-sided exclusion. The state may interfere in religion to hinder or suppress it, or even to help religion, but in all cases only to ensure its control over religion. Second, the American model of secularism, which interprets separation to mean mutual exclusion.

Neither the state nor religion is meant to interfere in the domain of the other.

This mutual exclusion is believed to be necessary to resolve conflicts between different Christian denominations, to grant some measure of equality between them, but most crucially to provide individuals with the freedom to set up and maintain their own religious associations. Mutual exclusion is believed to be necessary for religious liberty and for the more general liberties of individuals.

Rajeev offers the third type of model of a secular state which leans substantially to the Indian secular orientation which is an admixture of government involvement in the affairs of religion, where the latter also enjoys some level of autonomy.

The government in this context maintains what the author refers to as a “principled distance”. In this context, the state does not totally distant itself from religious activities in the sense of one-sided exclusion or mutual exclusion. The state in this context, while maintaining neutrality from

religious interference, also renders regular support and make policy pronouncement to assure everybody that their religious freedom within a secularised society is guaranteed. It is this last variant of secularism that captures the model followed by the Nigerian state.

This demand for non-interference is made on the ground either that the law requires them to do things not permitted by their religion or prevents them from doing acts mandated by it. For example, Sikhs demand exemptions from mandatory helmet laws and from police dress codes, in order to accommodate religiouslyrequired turbans. Elsewhere, Jews seek exemptions from Air Force regulations to accommodate their yarmulkes.

Muslim women and girls demand that the state not interfere in their religiously-required chador. Jews and Muslims seek exemption from Sunday closing laws on the ground that this is not required by their religion. Principled distance allows that a practice that is banned or regulated in one culture may be permitted in the minority culture because of the distinctive status and meaning it has for its members.

Religious groups may also demand that the state refrain from interference in their practices, but they may equally demand that the state interfere in such a way as to give them special assistance so that these groups are also able to secure what other groups are able to routinely procure by virtue of their social dominance in the political community.

It may grant authority to religious officials to perform legally binding marriages, to have their own rules or methods of obtaining a divorce, its rules about relations between ex-husbands and ex-wives, its way of defining a will, or its laws about post-mortem allocation of property, arbitration of civil disputes, and even its method of establishing property rights. Principled distance allows the possibility of such policies on the grounds that it might be unfair to hold people accountable to an unfair law.

Coming from this theoretical grounding, this brings us to the nature of Nigerian state which in essence and character is built around a plural society. Nigerian state is comprised of diverse ethnic and religious groups.

The realisation of the plural nature of Nigeria informed the adoption of federalism as a governmental arrangement to accommodate the different groups within the country.

This system Professor Oshuntokun advances will accommodate unity in diversity. In the same vein, Nigeria’s former Prime Minister Tafawa opined that our unity in diversity does not take away our differences, but affords us to appreciate our differences in language, religion and culture and cooperate on what brings us together.

It is against this backdrop that one queries the sincerity of the

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Nigerian government vis-à-vis Lagos state government in their resolve to disempowering a sector of the society.

The question here is: does secularism mean that the idea of a particular religion should be dominant on the others irrespective of their differential creeds? Does it imply that the right to dress modestly that individual religion prescribes should be violated? Does uniformity in schools preclude the right of people to express their differences?

And how does the use of Hijab which is the Allah-given right of Muslim women and girls impinge or intimidate or make inferior others who so desire to dress nude?

It is interesting to note that when the Christian missionaries came to Nigeria to establish school, they introduced dressing code that is suitable for the church. They also conducted assemblies in the Christian way, and made Muslims and nonMuslim alike to sing songs of praise.

They introduced some attire as part of school uniform. This includes the beret and choir-like gown for graduands on convocation day, and they still subsist till date.

Nigeria as a multi religious country recognises Christianity and Islam as a recognised religion in the state. This informed the reason why public holidays are granted to celebrate religious festivals. The belief in the existential theory of God is also reflected in the national anthem of the country, and several other activities of the state including the sponsoring of pilgrimage for both religions.

Thus the ban on the use of Hijab in Lagos by Justice Onyeabor, who is a non-Muslim, cannot stand the test of time, and is seen as discriminatory against the Muslims. Apart from the fact that the claim so made of Nigeria secular system is a perversion of what secularism means in it essence and purpose, the use of Hijab by a Muslim girl and woman is sacrosanct and cannot be disputed. The government of Lagos will do well if it reverses it position and allow Muslims their right of worship, because, this deprivation of right is becoming too many by the state, and it is unacceptable. Edmund Burke a political philosopher has warned that he, who makes peaceful change impossible, makes violent change inevitable. I hope the Lagos State government will listen to the voice of reasoning!

Moshood Babatunde AbdulWasi is the State Publicity Secretary of NACOMYO Lagos State Chapter.

DAN GAYE

Only oil thieves can support Jonathan in 2015 – Kwankwaso

If witches and wizards catch you . . .Hmmn!