Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Edition

Wednesday, December 6, 2017/ Rabi’ul Awwal 17, 1439 AH

Vol. 27 No. 78 N150

1329 Days after

peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Commuters groan as fuel queues resurface in Abuja >>>page 21

@pmlonline

2,778 Nigerians in Libya detention camps -FG

>>>page 5

NASS raises oil bench mark to $47pb page 5

• Approves MTEF, FSP • Senate passes budget Dec. 19

Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State (middle) presenting the 2018 Finance and Appropriations Bills on the floor of the State House of Assembly, yesterday in Damaturu

Troops arrest B/Haram top commander, kill 4 insurgents in Borno pAGE 6

Senate wants Police SARS scrapped pAGE 2

World Cup: Nigeria to spend N3bn on Super Eagles pAGE 29

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

News CONTENTS News 2-10,14 Editorial 11 Op.Ed 12

Gov. Muhammadu Bindow of Adamawa (Middle) introducing some state officials to Vice President Yemi Osibanjo who just arrived for a reconciliation visit to the state, at Yola International Airport, yesterday in Adamwa.

Comment 13 Politics 15-17 Business

19-20

Photo: NAN

Makarfi

PDP convention: Confusion looms over South West PDP delegates Page 4

Int’l 22-24 Metro

21

Feture 26 Sports 29-30 Columnist 32

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Senate wants Police SARS scrapped ...As lawmakers join Nigerians in #EndSARSNow protest

By Christiana Ekpa Ikechukwu Okaforadi

and

S

enate yesterday mandated the Ad-hoc Committee on security to investigate the alleged extra-judicial killing and human rights abuse by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and make useful recommendations.

This was just as senators lent their voices to Nigerians protesting for the scraping of the police department SARS This followed a Motion moved

by Senator Isah Misau (APC Bauch Central) who cites orders 42 and 52 and speaks on the recent happenings with the SARS and the public which he said calls for urgent intervention.

He also says there have been a lot of complaints about extraJudicial killings and brutality by SARS. According to him, “The police Act and regulation, the force criminal investigation and intelligence department, force CID is the highest investigative arm of the Nigerian police and for effective and efficient administration, the department

is divided into 14 sections for which the special anti robbery squad (SARS) is one of them.

“The special anti robbery squad is supposed to be a section in each state command CID with sole responsibility of handling armed robbery cases and answerable to the state commissioner for police.

“I have in the last few months received several petitions from my constituency both online and physically against SARS on violence from extra judicial killing, brutality, torture, arrest from bribe and other menacing conduct by the men of the unit.

My findings have shown that this incidences are not isolated as many people have been sharing their experiences online.

“We are a civilized society, the majority of the Nigerian police is manned by men and women of great integrity, discipline and commitment. However, this unit is not one of them. It is dangerous for us to have a unit of the police force to act as if it is above the law and empowered to so behave.

“We must now make a major decision to end SARS until a

more civilized unit build around the rule of law and human right observant is created by the police. “ I am aware that in 2015, the then IG of Police, Solomon Arase had due to incessant reports of abuses by the force split SARS into two units with a view to check human rights abuses. This indeed by ensuring that officers cannot make arrest and investigate the same case. However the abuses have continued irrespective of that. The police high command had earlier said that it no intention to scrap the squad and contrary” He said.

He said, Nigerian police has a major obligation to ensure protection of human rights in all the states of the federation as well as prevent and investigate corruption misconduct by law enforcement officers and provide accountability for the excersise of their powers.

“I call on this chamber to mandate the committee on security to investigate this issue of human rights abuses

by SARS and make relevant recommendations.

Ruling on the point of order,

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, stated that the Senate has already set up an a Ad-hoc Committee to look at the security infrastructure in the Country, adding that it is appropriate for the same committee to look into the matter as an additional mandate.

“It is appropriate we send it the committee for them to consider it, it is clear that something wrong is going on than needs urgent attention. It is happening in all our constituency, we must be seen to be responsive to some of these needs He adviced the Committee on security to take action, to quickly find a solution to the problems.

Prayer mandates ad hoc committee on security to investigate issues of human rights abuses by SARS and make relevant recommendations.

Recall that #EndSARSNow has generated a lot of debate about the unwholesome acts of the Special Antirobbery Squad prompting the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris to order reorganization of the Unit rather than scrape it.

Abdulsalami, others charge Nigerians on peaceful coexistence

By Musa Adamu

D

ignitaries at the celebration of the 80th birthday of Amb. Shehu Malami urged Nigerians to emulate the celebrant by building friendship across ethnic and religious divides.

Leading the pack was a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, who extolled the virtues of the celebrant by describing him as a

self made man who made friends across the country.

Adding that it was people like him Nigeria needed to show others that there was more to bind the country than what divides it, the former Head of states, noted that for a Prince of the Sultanate he could have chosen to live through successive government but that he instead chose to dig it out in the business world.

Also speaking, Governor of IMO state, Rochas Okorocha,

described him as detribalised Nigerian who had done much for the country.

While wishing him more healthy and fruitful years, the Governor thanked God for Malami’s life.

The celebrant, who is also the Sarkin Sundan of Wurno, turned 80 years old last month.

As part of the celebration, a new book authored by Malami titled: Shehu Malami: A Prince of the Caliphate: Selected Speeches

and Commentaries.

Reviewing the Book, Prof.

Ibrahim Gambari, commended the author for succeeding in documenting his experiences through life.

Dignitaries who graced the occasion include Gen. Abdulsami who chaired the occasion, Governors of Imo and Sokoto, Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbenedion, Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, former Governors and Ministers and so on.

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

News

Buhari commends Villa’s Guards Brigade

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has commended the Guards Brigade for demonstrating a high-level of discipline and professionalism expected from officers and men of the Nigerian Army.

Speaking at the decoration ceremony of the Commander, Guards Brigade, Brig-Gen. Musa Yusuf as Major-General, Buhari said it was instructive that the senior officer displayed a high level of discipline during his two-year stint as Commander. ‘‘I congratulate the Brigade Commander for his achievements these past two years. ‘‘I never received any serious report of indiscipline in your formation that is in-charge of my security. ‘‘I hope you will get a command that will complement your experiences in the political headquarters. ‘‘I congratulate you very much for making it to this new rank at a very competitive time. I know there are so many Generals but when you go to the records you pick the best and place them at very strategic appointments,’’ he said.

The President expressed confidence that Yusuf will bring his experience in the field as a former Guards Brigade Commander to his next posting, as directed by the Defence headquarters.

Recounting his days as a military officer, Buhari said officers earned the respect of their colleagues because of their intellectual disposition and experience in the field. ‘‘An officer is what he is when he gets into the field. Certainly, there was the need for intellectual officers but then what you do in the field is what earns you respect from those who are under you,’’ he said.

In his remarks, Yusuf while reaffirming his ``unalloyed loyalty and that of his troops to the President and Commander-in-Chief,’’ thanked President Buhari for the honour of decorating him with his new rank.

He conveyed the appreciation of his troops in Keffi, Nasarawa State and those at Gwagwalada, in the Federal Capital Territory to the President for the renovation works in the barracks.

In Keffi, this is the first time in the last 25 years that 14 blocks of accommodation for soldiers are being renovated; he said adding that in Gwagwalada, the Chief of Army Staff approved funds for renovation works in the barracks to make it habitable.

Born on November 6, 1966, Major General Yusuf had served as a member of Nigerian contingent to UN peacekeeping missions abroad including United Nations Mission in Eritrea-Ethiopia (UNMEE) and United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNAMID).

He also served in ECOMOG and Operation Harmony in Bakassi, among several other appointments in army units and formations in the country.

A graduate of Chemistry from the Nigeria Defence Academy, he holds Master’s Degree in Transport Management and additional Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies.

Ag News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Troops arrest B/Haram top commander, kill 4 insurgents in Borno From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

T

he Nigerian Army yesterday said it troops launched an onslaught on the hideout of members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, in various areas of Borno state, killing four insurgents and arrested a top commander of the group, Ameer.

Director, Army Public Relations Sani Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri, saying 212 civilians abducted by the militia group

were equally rescued by the troops.

Usman, a Brigadier General said the operations were carried out by troops of 3 Battallion under the 22 Brigade.

“Troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade Nigerian Army, Sector 1, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, in furtherance of the ongoing clearance operations in conjunction with 22 Mobile Strike Team and some Civilian JTF, has on Tuesday, 28th November 2017 achieved a remarkable feat in an operation

against Boko Haram elements” “During the operation, they were able to clear Boko Haram terrorists from their hideouts located at Kala, Jawara, Mada, Mika, Gakulba and Kutilax (Sanga), northern fringes of Sambisa forest and fringes of Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State”, the statement said.

“At Sanga, the terrorists on sighting the approaching troops from their observation post, they dashed into the adjoining Amchada forest. The relentless

troops pursued them further and neutralized 4 Boko Haram terrorists terrorists after a serious exchange of gun fire, captured one of the terrorists commanders, the “Ameer” of of Chawa, Amman Judee alive and rescued 212 persons held hostage by the terrorists”.

“The captured terrorists leader is undergoing further interrogation while the rescued persons are being documented and the underage children were administered oral polio vaccines”, it further added.

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) and wife of the Brigade Commander, Hajiya Amina Yusuf (right), decorates the Commander, Guards Brigade from Brigade General to the Rank of Major General Musa S Yusuf, at the State House, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: State House

Reps to probe suspension of SEC DG, 2 others By Umar Puma

T

Muhammad

he House of Representatives said it will investigate all allegations of corruption in the Security and Exchange Commission, SEC which led to the suspension of its DirectorGeneral, Munir Gwazo by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

To this end, the House has asked the parties in the matter to maintain status quo pending the outcome of the investigation.

The resolution was sequel to a motion raised under Matters of Urgent Public Importance titled “Need to intervene on the conflict between Minister of Finance and the Suspended Director-General, Security and Exchange Commission”, sponsored by Hon. Diri Douye representing Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/Opokuma of Bayelsa State

Douye in the motion canvassed that there were allegations of interference by the ministry of finance in the discharge of responsibility by SEC particularly the Oando Forensic Audit Matter which was largely responsible for the DG’s suspension.

He called the House to investigate the matter to ascertain the through situation in the Commission.

He said: “The House notes the conflict between Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and the suspended Director-General, Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, Munir Gwazo over Oando’s Forensic Audit and corruption allegations “Still notes that the conflict has led to the suspension of the DG, SEC, alongside Head, legal Department and Head, Media on the 29th November, 2017.

It has also led to the setup of an Administrative Panel of Inquiry and appointment of Ag

DG by the Minister of Finance “Equally notes that the conflict has been allegedly lingered for several months between Ministry of Finance and Securities and Exchange Commission but the matter of Oando disagreement brought it into public domain.

“Also observes that the intervention by the House will put the matter into proper perspective and amicable resolution of the conflict in order to protect the image of the security and exchange commission in the interest of both local and foreign investors.”

Contributing to the motion, Rep Toby Okechukwu (PDP Enugu) said that the rot SEC apparently contributed to the collapse of the capital market in Nigeria.

“What is happening in SEC is symptomatic of the collapse of capital market. I wouldn’t know why infractions should be swept under the carpet.

The Nigerian people should be told why the infractions of Oando will be swept under the carpet. Nigerians should know why the minister cannot be investigated. Nigerians should know why the DG was sacked.

A total panel of inquiry is needed in SEC”, he said Also speaking, Rep Sani Kaita (APC Katsina) said that the Commission was too sensitive and important to be left be unattended.

“SEC is very sensitive and very important to Nigeria and international community.

Should we allow the investigation to go on without knowing what happened?”

Securing the nod of the House when the motion was put to a voice vote, the presiding officer, Speaker Yakubu Dogara adhered to its prayer of mandating the Committee on Capital Market and Institutions to investigate all allegations and report to the House within two weeks.

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Page 4 Report

PDP convention: Confusion looms over South West PDP delegates Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of Peoples Democratic Party

Olabode

By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

T

he two conflicting orders given by two divisions of the Court of Appeal have led to serious confusion over South West PDP delegates to the Saturdays planned national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja.

The conflicting orders from the two divisions of the Appeal Court have thus led to an air of uncertainty around the delegates to the convention.

While the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday adjourned two motions seeking to relist two appeals it had dismissed till 12th April, 2018, the Ado-Ekiti Division same day granted an order for a stay of execution of the order and proceedings in a matter seeking the enforcement of an earlier judgment.

The confusion arose out of the interpretation being given to the two orders.

While Olafeso claims the order for stay of execution from the Ado-

Dokpesi Ekiti Division of the appellate court has conferred legitimacy on him, the Ogundipe-led exco says it remains the authentic exco that should go to the convention by virtue of the fact that it has a subsisting judgment that is yet to be stayed or set aside on appeal.

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal had on the 4th of May, 2017 dismissed two appeals against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos recognising the Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe-led South West zonal exco as well as the Engr.

Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State PDP exco.

Specifically, two PDP matters came up Monday at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal.

The first one CA/L/863/2016 was between PDP Vs. Pegba Otemolu & Others. while the second case CA/L/864/2016 was between PDP vs. Engr. Adebayo Dayo & others.

The two matters came up for the hearing of motions filed by Dr. Yemi Oke on behalf of the Appellants to vacate Court of Appeal ruling which dismissed the appeals.

However, despite all the efforts mounted by appellant’s counsel, Oke, the Court of Appeal refused to hear the application as other respondents in the matters were not served the hearing notice.

Consequently, the court adjourned the two appeals till the 12th April, 2018, for hearing of the motions.

On the same Monday, the Ado-Ekiti Division of the Court of Appeal granted an order for a stay of execution of the order restraining Dr. Eddy Olafeso-led group from participating in the December 9 National Convention.

Reacting to the rulings, Ogundipe said, “The attention of the authentic South West Zonal Executive under my leadership has been drawn to the Monday, 4th December, 2017 order of the Court of Appeal, Ekiti Division and a press statement credited to one Eddy Olafeso who has continued to contemptuously lay claim to the leadership of the party in the zone.

“First, it should be made abundantly clear that the order for a stay of execution relates to the orders

in Suit No. FHC/AD/CS/18/2017.

“Let all our notable leaders, elders and supporters, it does not in any way detract from the implications of the orders and judgment of the court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/605/2016 which specifically nullified the sham congress from which Olafeso claimed to have emerged and then went ahead to confirm my four years tenure as expiring in October 2018 having been elected on the 11th of October 2014.

“I wish to state that in spite of the inexplicable decision of the Court of Appeal, Ado-Ekiti Division, to make an order even when there was evidence that we (the defendants) had NOT been served and had no legal representation in court, my Exco remains strong and undaunted.

“Even our former lawyers who handled the matter at the trial court said they were served at about 4pm on Thursday, the 30th of November, 2017 and parties were summoned to appear in court on Monday, the 4th of December, 2017. It is a matter of public knowledge that the 1st of December, 2017, is a public holiday in Nigeria, while the 2nd and 3rd of

December, 2017, were non-working days, being Saturday and Sunday respectively. The implication of this travesty of justice was that we were unable to brief a lawyer to file any response to the two motions before they came up yesterday and an order for stay of execution granted. Clearly, this violates our right to fair hearing.

“It was on the basis of this that in addition to the letter I had written to the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ekiti Division and copied to the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) and the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), I was personally in court to plead with the justices to give us an adjournment of a day or two for our new counsel to respond to the motions filed before the court.

“But, the court in its wisdom brushed aside my plea and went ahead to grant the stay of execution without affording us the benefit of a legal representation and fair hearing.

“Although my confidence in the judiciary as the hope of the common man is unwavering, I cannot say the same thing of the panel sitting over this matter. The haste with which it has handled this matter against the principles of justice and fair hearing, the panel seems to have descended into the arena of partisan politics.”

It will be recalled that the Federal High Court had ordered the Olafeso faction to stop parading itself as executive members of the party in the South-West.

The order of the Ado-Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court was based on the fact that the Lagos Division of the court had on the 17th of May, 2016, held the congress that produced the Olafeso group was held in violation of subsisting order of the court.

Even the appeals filed against the judgment as well as the one on Ogun State PDP executive were dismissed by a three-man panel of the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on the 4th of May, 2017. The panel comprised of Hon. Justice M.L. Garba, Hon. Justice A. O. ObasekiAdejumo and Hon. Justice J.Y. Tukur.

The court had also held that the four years tenure of the Ogundipeled zonal exco expires in 2018 having been elected in October 2014.

In a ruling delivered in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/605/2016 on the 17th of May, 2016, the court held “That an order is granted nullifying the South West congress conducted on the 14th of May, 2016 in Akure, which was so conducted in defiance of the order of this court made in this action on the 11th of May 2016 restraining the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants from conducting or permitting or recognizing any election into the offices of the South West Zonal Executive Committee pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons…Everything built on actions in defiance of a court order is a nullity.”

Furthermore, in a final judgment delivered on the 24th of June, 2016, the court categorically stated, “That an order is granted to the plaintiff restraining the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants from conducting or permitting or recognizing any election into the offices of the South West Zonal Executive Committee until October, 2018, when the four years term of the current officers, including the plaintiff would have been spent.

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

News

NASS raises oil bench mark to $47pb Approves MTEF, FSP Senate passes budget Dec. 19

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi, Christiana Ekpa and Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he National Assembly has it raised the oil benchmark for the budget from $45 per barrel proposed by the executive to $47 per barrel.

This just as the senate yesterday hinted that it will pass on December 19 the 2018 budget proposals submitted by President Mohammadu Buhari.

The senate also yesterday passed the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by the executive for the budget parameters.

Similarly, the House of Representatives has approved the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), and Fiscal Strategy Paper(FSP), They also pegged crude oil benchmark price at $47 per barrel for the 2018 fiscal year, against the recommended $45 by the executive arm.

The decision of the senate was sequel to the consideration and adoption of the reports and recommendations of the Senate Committee on Finance which arrived at the recommendations after a joint session with the House of Representatives committee on Finance.

The senate also barred the executive from altering the oil benchmark as approved by the senate for the 2017 budget without recourse to the lawmakers, warning that doing so would amount to illegality.

However, the senators retained majority of the parameter in the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) as submitted by the President, including the exchange rate of N305/$1, 2.3 million barrel per day, non oil revenue of N5.79trillion, and Gross Domestic Product growth rate of 3.5, among others.

The senate also adopted the recommendation which

mandated the executive not to expend any money in the excess of the adopted oil benchmark of $47pb to the excess without the approval of the National Assembly.

They also resolved to constantly and diligently oversight the various ministries, departments and agencies of executive to ensues that they execute the budgets approved for them without any let or hindrance in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act. The senate further adopted the resolution of the committee that the new borrowing plan of N1.69trillion be adopted.

Meanwhile, the senate has adjourned plenary for two weeks to enable the chairmen of the various standing committees of the upper chamber to commence budget defence which will end before December 19.

The senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his remarks after the debate, told the committees

to expedite actions on the Budget defence by ensure that the timetable and the deadline is followed strictly, just as he charged the Heads of the MDAs to endeavor to be available the day they are expected at budget defence as the senate will not condone dilly-dallying as usual by the MDAs. The House also adopted a growth rate of 3.5 percent, saying the latest figures indicating a doubting growth rate of 1.4 percent in the third quarter of 2017.

The approval was sequel to the adopting of recommendations of its joint Committee on Finance, Appropriations, Aids, Loans and Debt Management, Legislative Budget and Research, and National Planning and Economic Development.

The committee while depending the increment explained that “this is in consideration of the current positive outlook in the global

oil market and expectation that OPEC and the other allied oil partnership countries will sustain oil production ‘cuts deep’ into 2018”.

Others indices in the document include 2.3 million barrel per day oil production estimate, as proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2018 budget, an exchange rate of N305 to the dollar, and a projection of N5.279 trillion nonoil revenue.

Also, the proposed borrowing plan of N1.699 trillion for 2018 was approved, as the cautioned that pioneer status for investments and tax incentives must be beneficial to the economy of the country.

Recall that President Mohammadu Buhari had in October submitted the 2018 budget of N8.6trillion before the joint session of the National Assembly, where he urged the lawmakers to expedite action on the passage of the budget.

2,778 Nigerians in Libya detention camps -FG

T

he Federal Government says it has a record of 2,778 Nigerian migrants registered in “accessible” detention camps in Libya, ready for repatriation.

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement signed by the spokesperson, Tiwatope Elias-Fatiile, on Tuesday, said the country’s embassy in Libya had been visiting detention camps to identify Nigerians for registration.

The ministry stated that those registered were issued Emergency Travel Certificates.

The ministry also explained that the embassy in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) repatriates 250 migrants weekly and had returned 3,000 of them so far.

“From the 2,778 registered Nigerians who are still in detention camps, another set of 250 Nigerian migrants will be arriving on Tuesday Dec. 5, at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos at 7.00.p.m. to be received

by NEMA officials.

“The Embassy, in collaboration with the IOM repatriates 250 Nigerian migrants by flight to Lagos weekly – each flight can accommodate only 250 passengers.

“The repatriation is a continuous exercise and the Embassy routinely issues the requisite travel documents to the migrants.

“The Embassy will continue to engage the legitimate government in Libya and other stakeholders in addressing the plight of Nigerian migrants in that country.”

The Ministry further said that the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, had invited the Nigerian Embassy’s Head of Mission, Iliya Fachano, to Abuja for consultations.

“He is in Abuja already and during the period of the consultations, arrangements have been made for him to address press conferences on the issue.

“This would afford the Nigerian public the opportunity to hear from him directly,” he said.

The ministry, however, advised intending Nigerian travellers to “avoid Libya at this period, because of the dangers they may encounter in the process of their journey”.

The ministry also urged citizens to reach the Nigerian Embassy in Libya for assistance through these emergency numbers: +218910144487, +218925099384 and +218917953365.

“The contact email addresses for the embassy and the ministry are: nigeria@nigeriantripoli.org and help@foreignaffairs.gov.ng.

It said that the embassy had received requests for intervention from some relations of the victims based in Nigeria through these contacts.

While condemning the slave market in Libya, the ministry said it would engage the UN, African Union, European Union and other stakeholders to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice.

“It violates the fundamental human rights of the victims and it is unacceptable to the civilised world.”(NAN)

L-R: Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State; former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; Wife of the Celebrant, Hajiya Asma’u Shehu Fodio; Celebrant, Ambassador Shehu Malami, OFR, CON, Sarkin Sudan of Wurno; Alhaji Muhammad Indimi and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, during the launch of the Book: Shehu Malami: A Prince of the Caliphate, at the 80th birthday of Ambassador Malami, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Ganduje, Sanusi urge peaceful conduct as Buhari visits kano today From Edwin Olofu, Kano

T

ens of thousands of the citizenry in Kano State would today throng out e-masse to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari who is on two days state visit to the state.

President Buhari is visiting Kano state which remains his strong hold since joining politics in 2002 as well as since he assumed the helm of affairs of the country in May 29, 2015.

The Kano state Commissioner for Information, Comrade Muhammad Garba disclosed that President Buhari would commission some completed and uncompleted projects being executed by the state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Stating that the President would also lay the foundation of new projects, he explained that among the projects to be commissioned includes: the newly constructed Pediatric Hospital in Zoo road, the Specialist Hospital at Giginyu within the Kano metropolis.

He added that, the president would also commission the new fertilizer blending plant at Ladin Makole, Dawakin Kudu Local Government area and the Panshekara underpass within kano metropolis.

The commissioner further stated that the President would also meet with members of the business community, civil society groups, Ulamas and politicians.

Governor Ganduje and the

Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi ll, urged the citizens to give the President a splendid reception, calling on them to be of good manner throughout the presidential visit.

Kano State Police Commissioner, Rabi’u Yusuf, also called on the citizens of the state to exhibit good conducts during the remarkable visit of the president.

While restating commitments to restore law and order during the 2-day presidential visit, the CP also warned that any person found wanting in destbalising the peace of the state would be dealt with.

Checks by our reporter revealed that security operatives were deployed around the metropolis to maintain law and order.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

PAGE 6

News Union solicits support from security agencies

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in charge of the long journey branch II in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Adeniyi Adebowale, has urged the security agencies to support the union in chasing out the touts who are extorting money from the motorists in the area.

Adebowale, who stated this while presenting his speech during the swearingin of the newly elected officials in Gwagwalada, Abuja also commended the Gwagwalada FRSC Unit Commander as well as Gwagwalada DPO for the necessary assistance rendered to the union so far.

He pleaded with the executive members to join hands with him to move the park to the next level, appreciating the long journey unit members as well as unit officers for their co-operation.

He, therefore, thanked the past leaders of branch II for their contributions towards the progress of the union during their tenure.

Speaking earlier, the state secretary of NURTW, Elder Oluabade Olagunju, said his administration would continue to support the long journey branch II in Gwagwalada any time of the day.

Adamawa attack: Killed villagers given mass burial From Umar DankanoYola

V

illagers killed in an alleged reprisal attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Dung and Lawuro villages have been given mass burial.

A source who witnessed the mass burial of the killed villagers in Dong and Lawuro villages yesterday told our reporter that sixty eight dead bodies were

buried in Dong village.

Recall that about two weeks ago some suspected Bachama militia attacked three settlements of Fulani families killing over fifty women and children.

The Chairman of Numan Local Government Area in Adamawa state, Rev.Arnold Jibila has also yesterday confirmed the destruction of eight villages by suspected Fulani militia.

Arnold told journalists in a

mobile phone interview in Yola Tuesday expressing fear many have lost their lives in what seems to be reprisal attack in the area. ‘’ At least eight villages were attacked by the rampaging attackers, six in Numan while two in Demsa local government respectively. ‘’Though we are yet to established the exact figures of casualty for now, however many

were reported to have been killed but only security can give you the number. ‘’As I am talking to you now, people are living in an atmosphere of agony, Numan town is quite and deserted but security are on the top of the situation. ‘’Normalcy is being restored and we are calling on the fleeing residents to come back,’’ he urges.

Wife of the former Vice President, Hajiya Titi Abubakar (2ndright); representative of the President of Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Hajiya Bilkisu Mohammed (right) and others inspecting an exhibition during the 2017 Daily Trust Women Entrepreneurs’ Summit and Exhibition, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Robbers raid Benue Govt House, cart away properties From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

A

rmed robbers yesterday broke into the residents of the Aide De Camp APC to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and carted away several household items including electrical appliances and food items.

This is the second time armed robbers would gain access into the government house and steal

property since Governor Samuel Ortom assumed.

It would be recalled that in May this year robbers burgled the maintenance department in Government House as well as the residence of the Chief Detail to the Governor and carted away over N75, 000 and two mobile phones belonging to his wife.

During that incident, the burglars pulled out the air

conditioner and used an instrument to remove the said amount and the phones.

But in the latest one, the thieves were reported to have carted away one refrigerator, a television set and four bags of rice among other items.

Peoplesdaily gathered from a reliable source that already, some cleaners in government house whom security operatives suspected had knowledge about the

theft have being reportedly arrested and handed over to the police and were been quizzed over their alleged involvement in the matter.

Reacting to the incident, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Terver Akase denied any knowledge of the theft, maintaining that the security within and outside government house has been adequately beefed up as is normal with how any government house can be secured.

“I am not aware of this particular incident, but I can say with confidence that the security within and around Government House has been very adequate and tight,” he said.

When contacted on phone to confirm the incident, Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Moses Yamu did not pick his calls as at press time.

Plateau grazing bill is incitement of trouble - MACBAN From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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he Miyyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Plateau state chapter, has warned that the proposed ant-open grazing

bill submitted to the Plateau State Assembly would incite trouble in the state, calling on the members of the state Assembly to shun agitation seeking for law to ban open grazing.

The MACBAN said this yesterday in a press release signed

by its Chairman, Nura Abdullahi that , “citizen bill by G17,” seeking for a law banning this open grazing was, “politically motivated bill.”

A group of youth known as ,G17, Peace and Progressive Forum had yesterday presented a private bill

tagged: “Anti-Grazing Citizens Bill,” to the Speaker Plateau State House of Assembly Rt Hon., Peter Azi, to end farmers, herders clashes in Plateau state .

But MACBAN in a swiftly reaction, said it viewed “the

Enugu monarch nominates Adesina for chieftaincy title

By Lawrence Olaoye

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monarch from Enugu state, Igwe Cyprian Nevobasi, the Igwe Omeluenyi 1 of Aguneese, Ezeani 111 of Nmaku Kingdom, has nominated the Special Adviser on media and publicity to President Muhammadu

Buhari, Femi Adesina , for a chieftaincy title, as part of the 1st Grand Ofala to mark his 14 years on the throne, next month.

According to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday

by Attah Esa, Deputy Director (Information) in the Presidency, the

Igwe was personally at the State House to present the nomination letter to the Special Adviser yesterday.

He disclosed that his traditional cabinet chose Adesina “because of the good work you have been doing for the country. President Muhammadu Buhari is God-sent, to bring change to

Nigeria, and you have been supporting him in the assignment, to the admiration of myself and my cabinet members.”

The Igwe said he looked forward to a positive response from the nominee, noting that his first Ofala festival in 14 years promises to be a grand event.

agitations for the ban on the open grazing in the state as trying to incite trouble.”

It said the bill also negate all international, regional and subregional laws, conventions, charters and treaties.

With Igwe Nevobasi during the visit were Hon USA Igwesi, a former member of the House of Representatives, and Chief Emmanuel Okeke.

Adesina thanked the Igwe, his entire kingdom, and members of the delegation, saying:”I am simply short of words.”

Buhari requests Senate to consider Ojukwu as NHRC boss

By Christiana Ekpa

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday wrote to Senate, requesting the Upper Chamber to consider appointment of Anthony

Ojukwu as Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki read the President’s letter dated 27th October, 2017 at the plenary.

“In accordance with provisions of Section 8 of the National Human Rights Commission Act 2010, I have the pleasure to present Mr . Anthony Okechuwku Ojukwu for confirmation as the Executive Secretary of the

National Human Rights Commission by the Senate .

“While looking forward for your usual expeditious consideration, please accept, Mr. Senate President, the assurances of my highest esteem,”

the letter stated. it is expected that the Senate will take carry legislative action on the matter, whether to give its nod on the appointment or not, in the subsequent legislative days.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

CRIME News Suicide attack: Borno to recruit 500 Civilian JTF to secure Biu From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguru

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orno state Governor Kashim Shettima has said 500 youths would be recruited into the Civilian JTF to boost the security of Biu township and safeguard the community against insurgents.

Governor Shettima stated this when he paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Biu, Umar Mustapha Aliyu, over the last week suicide bomb attack which killed 17 persons.

“We are going to recruit 500 youths within the township as security volunteers to safeguard against insurgency attacks and these youths will be thoroughly screened by the Department of the State Security Services”.

“Biu town has not experienced any attack in the last three years and now that, the insurgents have tested and succeeded then, we should not let our guards because, they may likely want to strike again.

“Therefore, I urge parents in the five communities that made up Biu who have grown up children to volunteer 500 of them, 100 in each community”, the governor said.

According to him, in each community, 250 Civilian JTF will work in the day time while, the other 250 should work in the night.

He added that the security plan will also be extended to Jere local government area and Maiduguri Metropolitant Councils.

“We will be starting with Biu and later spread to the rest of the other local councils in the State”, he declared.

Shettima implored people of the area to support security operatives in the fight against Boko Haram by alerting them on the movements of suspicious individuals.

Responding, the emir thanked the governor for the visit, saying itsignified his concern for the people.

JIBWIS begins nationwide campaign against drug abuse From Yakubu Minna.

Mustapha,

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slamic clerics from the Jama’ atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa IkamatusSunnah, JIBWIS , have begun nationwide sensitization of youths in the country on the consequences of drug abuse, alcoholism, gambling and immoralities in the society.

The association noted high rate of drug abuse has reached alarming proportion in various communities in Nigeria hence the need to join hands to curtail the menace The National Chairman of JIBWIS, Shiekh Bala Lau disclosed this in Kontagora local government of Niger state during the sensitization lecture and fund raising for the building of Skills

Acquisition Centre as well as an Islamic school (Sudan Islamic Center) Lau said that smoking, drug abuse and gambling are forbidden in Islam and even considering the danger to the lives of the people involved hence it should be resisted in all ramifications.

He urged the people to always obey God and follow the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah as that was the only way to have peace and tranquility.

Represented by the Chairman Council of JIBWIS Ulamas, Dr Ibrahim Jalo Jalingo, charged the youths to acquire knowledge both formal and informal, advise them to avoid drug that is harmful to their lives.

He also appealed to the

people to make use of knowledge gained.

The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso called for generous donation from the people.

He urged other organizations to emulate JIBWIS as he decried the current drug abuse cases that is getting rampant.

He challenged them on peaceful coexistence adding that no meaningful development can be achieved in an atmosphere of rancor and acrimony hence must sustained the tempo.

He said that, the present administration was ready to support organizations that preach peace and love for one another.

The Chief Launcher and National Assembly member representing Rijau, Magama Federal constituency, Hon. Shehu Saleh Rijau (Slow) stated that the National Assembly was making dome moves to enact laws to assist in controlling drug abuse in Nigeria.

The lawmaker promised to build an ICT center in the school and lamented over the involvement of youths in drug abuse and the consequences of the future generations if not curtail forthwith and donated N2 million.

The occasion was attended by several dignitaries which includes politicians, captain of industries, clerics, traditional leaders, businessmen and political office holders.

R-L: Former chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Barrister Boss Mustapha, Chairman, Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) Governing Board, Professor Shekarau Aku and Member of NNMA Governing Board, Professor Mohammed Hassan, during the 10th Annual forum of NNMA Laureates award winners Lecture and Investiture 2017, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin ImoOwo

N1bn fraud: Court discharges Senator Yarima From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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he Zamfara State High Court V sitting in Gusau has discharged Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima on the allegation filed in by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) upon diversion of over N385m meant for the repair of collapsed Gusau Dam while in power as the state governor.

Ruling on the alleged diversion of the state funds, the Presiding Judge, Justice Bello Tukur Gummi said, the plaintiff has declined to prove that the ‘accused’ (Senator

Yarima) had diverted the state funds, adding that, “Therefore he is hereby being discharged by this honourable court”.

The Presiding Judge further said, “ Based on available evidences before the court on the No-CaseSubmission which was tendered by the counsel to Yarima, over alleged diversion of state funds by ICPC, the court found it formidable to no further action than to discharge the accused former governor.

It would be recalled that, having listened to the submissions made by both the defence and the prosecution, the trial judge adjourned the

case to yesterday (Tuesday) for ruling on the no-case submission.

Speaking to newsmen outside court shortly after the ruling, the discharged Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima praised Almighty God for vindicating him and therefore called on his supporters not to be discouraged from having confidence in his political running.

“Alhamdulillah, today is historic as I have been vindicated. I thanked Allah for this because I did not pocket any money meant for the repair of the dam, all money were used for the purpose they were meant for,” he said.

Also speaking, Counsel to Senator Sani Yarima, Barrister Ifeanyi Augustine Azuamah, has described the court ruling as a victory for the rule of law.

“Every crime has essential ingredients that if they are present, could lead to a crime.

However if one or more of these ingredients are absent, the law provides that, there is no need for the dependant to enter a defence, “ Barrister Azuamah.

A Counsel to ICPC while accosted, has declined comment but only could uttered that, he is not in a position to talk on behalf of the Commission but, strongly believes that the ruling will be

appealed.

Senator Yarima had earlier been arraigned in 2016 by ICPC before Justice Bello Shinkafi of High Court 4, Gusau, Zamfara State on a 19-count charge bordering on alleged diversion of N385.5million and other sums from the N1bn loan meant for the repair of a collapsed dam and rehabilitation of flood victims while he was the state governor.

The case was subsequently transferred to Justice Gummi with the agreement of both the defence and prosecuting counsel on account of several adjournments because of the judge’s records of ill-health.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, December 6, 2017

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

N EWS Foundation tasks journalists to end maternal, child mortality in North From Mohammad Ibrahim Kaduna

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frica Media Development Foundation, AMDF, is to hold a conference on maternal, neonatal and child mortality in Northern Nigeria.

This is even as the AMDF has called on journalists to help end the menace in the region.

The second annual Media Conference tagged “MediaAfrica” will be held in Kaduna state on December 12th, 2017 .

The organisers in a statement signed by its Coordinator Sekyen Dadik believe that no development project can effectively achieve its desired goals without the involvement of the media.

Hence, AMDF came up with a Media Conference tagged ‘MediaAfrica’, a platform for national discourse to bring to the fore development issues affecting Nigeria and Africa at large and the place of the media in addressing such.

“With the ever increasing focus of the global community on issues of maternal and child health amongst other sustainable development goals, the media as well as other development stakeholders must rise to the challenge and effectively contribute in curbing the increasing menace of maternal, neonatal and child mortality especially in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“MediaAfrica 2017 with the theme “MNCH in Nigeria: Progress, Opportunities, and challenges: The role of the Media in Curbing Maternal Death” is meant to draw the attention of media practitioners to deeply understand their role in reducing maternal death rate, especially in northern Nigeria, as well as help partners and government on media engagement strategies for effective result,” the statement reads.

Participants are drawn from Media, Government, Development Partners, Nongovernmental Organizations, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Page 9

Alleged molestation: Shi’ite drags El-Rufai, 7 others to court

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ite has dragged Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai before a Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna for a declaration that the incessant harassments, molestation and open violent physical attacks on its members, by security agents is depriving them of full opportunity of performing or observing their religious obligations/activities as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria.

The suit brought before the court via a motion on notice No.FHC/KD/10/126/2017 was filed by Engr. Yahaya Gilima Karofi, Muktar Abdullahi Muhammed and Aliyu Umar against the Government of Kaduna State, Governor of

Kaduna State, Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaduna State; Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State; Director, State Security Service, Kaduna State; DirectorGeneral, Department of State Security Abuja, Inspector-General of Police and Chief of Army Staff.

The Movement also seeks for the court’s declaration that the Kaduna State Gazette No.21 of 7thOctober, 2016 and its contents thereof which purportedly banned Islamic Movement in Nigeria and their religious activities in Kaduna state constitutes a deliberate attempt at amending section 38(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) and Article 8 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act LFN 2010 by the 1st to 3rdrespondents acting

in concert and same constitutes an infraction and a deliberate effort at limiting the applicants’ Fundamental Right as entrenched in the within mentioned laws.

The group also seeks another declaration that the applicants are entitled to equal level of fair treatment and protection like any other citizens of Kaduna State by the respondents jointly and severally under all circumstances pursuant to Section 42(1) – (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act LFN 2010.

In view of the above, the IMN is asking for a perpetual injunction by the court restraining the respondents jointly or severally from any further harassment, molestations and violently

attacking and/or arresting and detaining the applicants during their peaceful religious activities/ processions in Kaduna state.

“An order on the 4th to 8threspondents to henceforth provide security for the applicants during their major public religious activities and processions in Kaduna State.

“An order for compensation in the sum of N100,000,000 and public apology in favour of the applicants for the excruciating pains and embarrassment suffered from the unlawful acts of the respondents against them.”

The motion on notice is supported by three paragraphs statement disposed on by Bar. A.U. Ajodo Esq. It is also backed up by a 21 paragraph Affidavit by the 1st applicant Engr. Yahaya Gilima Karofi.

Governor Of Niger State Alh Abubakar Sani Bello (Left) During a condolence visit To The Emir of Lapai, Engr Umar Bago Tafida (middle) and the people of Lapai, over the robbery attack on the community which t ook place last Week. Emirs Palace, Lapai, Yesterday In Niger State.

Senate moves to harmonize legislations on water sector

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he Senate has commenced legislative activities to harmonize and consolidate the several disparate legislations that regulate and govern the water sector thus making its legal framework friendlier.

At a one day public hearing yesterday on two bills relating to water resources development, Senate President Bukola Saraki affirmed need for the protection, development, conservation and managent of the nation’s water resources which he said must be controlled in ways which will promote equitable and affordable access to water and improved public health.

Two Bills subjected to the

public hearing are; River Basin Development Authority Act (2004) Bill 2016, and National Water Resources Bill 2017.

Saraki who was represented by the Senate Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, while recalling that “among the numerous natural resources in Nigeria, the rational use of water resources poses a great problem and challenge to the nation, and have been seriously tackled by the River Basin Development Authorities which were set up to manage the resources, even as expenditure on various water projects by the federal government has run into billions of Naira since the establishment of the River Basin Development Authorities, the objective of the water resources

bill is to ensure that issues relating to the allocation and use of water resources are properly identified and managed.”

The Bill provides for the establishment of the Nigeria water resources commission (NWRRC) with the mandate of developing standards, water allocation, pricing and providing technical guidance to the water sector.

The Bill on River Basin Development Authority Bill seeks to realign the jurisdiction of the various River Basins Development Authorities for ease of reference and administration and provide a legal basis for some existing River Basin Development Authorities that had no law creating them like

the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority.

According to Saraki, “the bill would divide the existing Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority into two , namely an Imo River Basin Development Authority catering for Imo and Abia States and an Anambra River Basin Development Authority providing for Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States.”

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources, Senator Muhammad Ubali Shitu, observed that the National Water Resources (Establishment) Bill, 2017 has been drafted to actualize the policy direction of the current administration as approved and more importantly represents

current global trends and best practices in the integrated water resources management.

He described the bill as one of the most revolutionary legislation to be considered by the 8th parliament, especially bearing in mind that when passed into law “it is expected to trigger change that will see the water resources of this country unbundled to encourage publicprivate participation that will build a strong synergy between the national water resources and the value chain in the environment, agriculture, health, inland waterways, solid minerals, forestry, electricity generation, emergency management, meteorological and hydrological sectors. “

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

PAGE 10

News EU/UNICEF distributes N2.4bn health equipments, medicines to Bauchi LGAs From Bauchi

Ahmed

Kaigama

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he Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) has flagged off the distribution of N2.4b health equipment and medicine donated by Eropean Union/UNICEF to 20 Local Government Areas in the state.

Speaking while flagging off the distribution at BSADP store, Dass road Bauchi Executive Chairman of PHCDA Bauchi, Pharmacist Adamu Gamawa said the commodities will be distributed to 110 health facilities across the state.

He said “we will distribute the commodities to 10 wards in Bauchi and Katagum Local government while 5 wards will get the commodities in other local government.

“We are starting the distribution from 7 local governments that are not participating in the measles campaign this week while we will move to the remaining Local governments next week because we don’t want the distribution to affect the measles campaign,” he added.

Adamu Gamawa said the agency has trained 600 community Oriented Resources persons that will be responsible to administer the drugs to the beneficiaries in the hard to reach areas “we don’t have to wait until they bring a child to the hospital for treatment, we want to treat and manage them at community level,” he said.

According to Gamawa, the drugs to administer to the communities are for diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia, antenatal, child spacing among others adding “we want to make sure that the drugs are available in all the health facilities”.

It could be recalled that EU/ UNICEF donated the health equipment and medicines toBauchi state government as part of its effort to improve the health status of women and children under the European UnionMaternal and New-born Child Health and Nutrition project.

The project titled “Strengthening Primary Health Care and Community Resilience for improved Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCH) is a four year programme being implemented in the state.

Lagos begins bursary, scholarship disbursement From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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he Lagos State Government yesterday said plans has been concluded to commence disbursement of bursaries and scholarships before the end of the month of December.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had given approval for the disbursement, adding that it was in line with the continued commitment of

his administration to ensure that Lagos State students continue to thrive and excel in the academic field.

“Our commitment to education across the sphere is unparalleled, but specifically, with regard to tertiary education, this administration over the past two and a half years has been deliberate about increasing the capacity of our institutions,” Bank-Olemoh said.

The Special Adviser said that despite the challenging economic situation across the country,

Governor Ambode has continued to invest in a range of initiatives to upgrade the status of institutions in the State.

Bank-Olemoh disclosed that to date, a total of 2,500 final year students have trained and exited into the workforce; and up 10,000 students in their penultimate year have participated in the Ready.

Set.Work online program (www. readysetwork.com.ng), which qualifies them for the full-fledged program in their final year.

Besides, Bank-Olemoh added that the CodeLagos, a program

aimed at teaching coding skills to one million Lagos residents, has entered its next phase, with centers opened across the State to train interested learners at no cost to them.

“These initiatives demonstrate this administration’s unalloyed commitment to the welfare of our students. In view of this administration’s investment towards their success, we urge our students to make the most of these opportunities and continue to be good ambassadors of Lagos State,” the Special Adviser said.

R-L: Director General, Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF), Mr. Asishana B. Okauru discussing with Director General Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, during the NGF DG visit to NBC DG, yesterday in Abuja

Nasarawa govt assures of prudency in 2018 budget implementation From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

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asarawa state Commissioner of Finance and Economy Planning Mr. Ayuba Dogora Ayenanjeh has assured people of the state of government’s commitment to ensuring accountability, transparency and prudence in public finance management in full compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS).

The commissioner who gave the assurance yesterday while presenting breakdown of the 2018 Budget of “sustainable development” of the state to newsmen in his office in Lafia the state capital.

According to him, “The 2018 appropriation bill of One Hundred and Twenty-Two Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty Million, Nine hundred and forty-three

thousand, two hundred and eighty four Naira (122,820,943,284) only was laid before the Nasarawa State Assembly recently”.

Giving sectorial highlights of the 2018 fiscal year, according to IPSAS guidelines and classified based on the various sectors which include both recurrent and capital expenditure as follows: Administrative sector/ legislation N19,75 billion, Pension and gratuity N2.80 billion, information and culture N1.13 billion, Agriculture N2.39 billion, Finance and investment N10.03 billion, works and housing N37.30 billion, water resources and rural development N3.93 billion others include lands and physical planning N7.90 billion, Judicial service commission 0.173 billion, ministry of justice N0.280 billion, High court of justice N3.02 billion as well as education N24.23 billion, health N8.76 billion, Youth

and sports developmentN1.08 billion, women affairs and social development N0.235 billion and ministry of environment and solid minerals N1.41 billion respectively.

Mr. Ayenajeh re-echoed that the 2018 budget presented by governor Umaru Tanko Almakura would focus on the completion of all ongoing projects in the state, encouraging and supporting agricultural production, creating conducive environment for informal participation in income generation as well as government will continue to work closely with security operatives to ensure protection of lives and property of the citizens.

He continued “completion of Kwandere-Keffi Road, construction of bridges and culverts across the state, construction of Township roads in Obi, Karu, Wamba, Keana,

Toto, Garaku, Akwanga, Doma and amongst others”.

The commissioner who further assured that the 2018 fiscal year will dwell on sustaining the solid socio-economic foundation laid by the administration of governor Almakura since 2011; added that the state government is determined to ensure that all ongoing projects started by the present administration were fully completed and paid for the 2018 fiscal year.

“New projects and programmes that would turn the fortunes of our people for better living and economic prospects will be started and completed within the period of this administration. Government will ensure strict implementation of the programmes and projects enumerated in the appropriation bill”. He maintained.

achieved without women.

Earlier in her speech, the UN Women country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Comfort Lamptey, said , “ the He for She Campaign is intended to bring men on board as partners to end violence against women, to promote women’s right and

gender equality in the world.

“As UN women, we support women empowerment as our mandate. To empower women to be full citizen in the society, we need men to be partners in this process and that is why we don’t want to leave them behind, “ she added.

Women critical for development - Lalong From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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he Plateau State Governor, Barrister Simon Bako Lalong, has said that women did play a significant role in the development of every society and in the absence of them, no nation

would attain its developmental goals.

Lalong who was represented by his Director of Research and Documentation, Professor John Wade, said this yesterday in Jos during the second lunch of the Plateau State Action Plan on “He for She Campaign”

According to Lalong, “ for every successful nation, women have in one way or the other contributed a lot considering the fact that they are the first and best teacher of every child. Women ensure that their children are protected even during ward or communal clashes and so therefore, life cannot be

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

Cross River: Isn’t something missing?

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are dependent on allocations from federal e start by saying that we are revenue receipts for survival. As it is, many impressed by the size of Cross are unable to pay the salaries of their River state government’s workers for months on end, not to talk of spending estimates for the 2018 fiscal year. pensions, also years in arrears.

The appropriation bill just presented to the state’s House of Assembly proposes a budget of N1.3 trillion. This makes Cross If the Cross River government is able to finish work on the deep sea port and highway River the biggest state spender in the which, we have learnt, has started in earnest, country. Previously, Lagos state held that demurrage and other tolls should boost its record. This outgoing year, it budgeted IGR, thereby enabling it to cut the financial N812 billion. And next year, it hopes to hit apron springs of the federal government in the N1 trillion mark too. The federal budget for next year is slightly over N8 trillion.

The size of the Cross River budget also puts it in the special league of the biggest state spenders. The older ones are Lagos, Rivers and Akwa Ibom. Of this number, only Lagos is not an oil producing state.

It is for that reason that The other 32 states present smaller we consider the state budgets that average between N150 billion and N300 bn. government’s decision to It is not just the size of the 2018 budget de-emphasise recurrent of the Cross River government that has caught our attention. The shift of expenditure in favour emphasis is another. A hefty 70 percent of capital spending a of the budget goes for capital projects while a mere 30 is for recurrent spending, courageous one. Surely, including public servants’ salaries. Two there will be social pains very critical capital projects are listed in but, hopefully they will the appropriation bill: a deep sea port and a so-called super highway. Gov. be momentary.

Ben Ayade said of the two projects: they would “create room for potential Abuja. Today, the lion’s share of the state’ s investors” and “drive the economy of the annual buget is financed through its share state to an enviable height”. of federal revenues, mostly earned from The shift of emphasis from recurrent crude oil exports. expenditure to capital projects will, hopefully, kickstart Cross River’s However, price volatility on the international oil market and recent production industrialiasation and put it on the road disruptions by militant groups in the to becoming economically viable. The oil producing delta region have reduced unviability of most of the 36 states has earnings from the “cash cow”. This raised questions over state creation. also means less money coming into the The states, with the exception of Lagos,

“

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”

OUR PEOPLE Chairman Malam Wada Maida, Oon, Fnge Chief Operating Officer (Ag) Editor, Daily

Hameed M. Bello Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji

coffers of the states. The case of Cross River is worsened by rising debts that have virtually wiped out its monthly allocations from the federation account since 2013, according to a recent NEITI report.

It is for that reason that we consider the state government’s decision to de-emphasise recurrent expenditure in favour of capital spending a courageous one. Surely, there will be social pains but, hopefully they will be momentary. The two big projects captured in the 2018 budgets should more than make up for the pains through new jobs and higher earnings.

Besides, the government has taken steps to ensure people of the state do not suffer unnecessarily. For instance, the budget, titled “Budget of Kinetic Crystallisation”, sets aside.

“N7 billion for the state’s job centre “with a view to helping us train our unemployed youths with marketable job skills.” This is in addition to the government’s plan to increase the number of apprentices in its garment factory from the present 1,000 to 3,000 in 2018 “as part of a drive to engage the unemployed in the state.”

However, in spite of the laudable things the budget has going for it, one important element that is missing is how the government intends to fund it. This is important because, with an almost zero allocation from the federation account, the only way out is increasing IGR. This is not mentioned in the appropriation bill before the House of Assembly.It is important the people of the state are told this and are persuaded that the government means to walk its talk.

Otherwise, the governor will be seen as campaigning early for votes in elections due in 2019.

OUR VISION

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

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Youth, leadership and the future of democracy

By Muhammad Muntasir Adamu

I

n today’s world, everywhere you look these days, from books to seminars, conferences, magazine stories, someone is trying to peddle his version of tomorrow.

Historians, economist, demographers, businessmen etc embark upon long range planning by looking at dates, detecting trends and estimating from the facts already known so as to tell in advance what is expected to happen. In fact in some part of the world, the year 2000 is practically over for the futurist, they now have their minds on the year 3000 and beyond.

In the history of the world, change often starts with the young. Young people look at the world with fresh eyes. They see the world as it is and ask “why?” and imagine a different world and ask “why not?” George Bernard Shaw and Robert Kennedy asked these questions long ago, but young people today are asking them again.

As it is today there exist a certain degree of tension between what the youth of this nation has already achieved and what it should become. As far as we can see the people are unanimous in their conviction that economic and sociopolitical performance of this nation is far below its potential and expectations.

As one of my political mentors Late Sen.G.N.S Pwajok opined, Nigeria is a compelling paradox. On the other hand, a nation endowed with vast natural and human resources. But, on the other hand, a nation that has consistently, yielded to the curious paralysis of the will when it comes to judiciously harnessing the resources for her good. The Nigerian condition suggests a history of raised hopes and unrealized expectations; of want in the midst of plenty; of poverty in the midst of affluence and ‘doom’ in the midst of ‘boom’. There is today in Nigeria a conflict between the past and the present as well as between the present and the future.

As a nation, we have experienced years of civilian government and military rule through coups and periods of intense political strife. When there was increasing in oil earning, we witnessed influx of the petro-naira. However, the huge inflow of financial resources has not come close to solving the basic problem of mass— poverty. But unfortunately as we speak now, we don’t have such petro-naira anymore due to the fall of crude oil in the global market. In the present Nigeria, most States can’t even afford to pay salaries talk less of embarking on infrastructural projects.

Professor Chinua Achebe in his book “The Problem with Nigeria” has insisted that “the problem of Nigeria is simply and squarely the failure of leadership”. Thus beyond the past and present leadership, Achebe’s x-ray also posed fundamental questions about the potentials of the so called “new breed” or younger politicians to transform Nigeria into an economic prosperous country.

Young people have a major role to play in all of these by ensuring that democratic politics is not played along undemocratic lines so that the hope of political freedom and economic betterment does not continue to elude the people. In addition to their intellectual contribution and their ability to mobilize support, young people must maintain unique perspectives on issues bordering on the survival of Nigeria. This is more so in a situation where the capacity of democratic institutions has continued be whittled and citizens are turning their backs on politics. It is only a matter of time before the little advances recorded become consumed in the waters of unfolding contradictions if the youth are not oriented on the importance of peaceful coexistence, social growth and development. How our communities progress is determined to a large extent, on how much the youth are

involved in building and designing the future. As Senator Pwajok observed, as we prepare for the future to avoid failure we need to take consideration of the following: 1.We must realize the future is rushing on us as breakneck speed 2.A leader’s concentration must not be on the past nor on the present but on the future 3.Vision is an effective leader’s chief preoccupation 4.This country can be reinvented with new generations of dreamers.

It was Malcom X that said “…they got to be a changed. People in power have misused it. A better world has to build and for it to be built, it has to be with extreme measures. I for one will join with anyone.

I don’t care who you are, what colour who are or where you are from, as long as you are ready to change the miserable condition we found ourselves on this planet”. This is a call on my fellow Nigeria youth for us decide the kind future we want to see ourselves and generations to come.

The future is now and it is far becoming yesterday.

Muhammad Muntasir Adamu is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Franchising electricity distribution for improved service delivery

By Odion Omonfoman

M

ore than two years after the conclusion of the power sector privatisation process, the sector seems to have gotten much worse.

Generation is at an abysmal low level; system collapses are now more frequent, and the much-touted investments and efficiency in the power sector are yet to materialise. Even worse, the sector is faced with huge liabilities that require urgent government intervention to avert a financial collapse of the sector.

Under the CBN-Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (CBN-NEMSF), the CBN has injected over $1billion (N197/$) just to cover liabilities in the power sector from November 2013 to December 2014, as well as legacy liabilities to the gas sector. The CBN is looking at an additional injection of over $600 million to cover further liabilities from January 2015 to February 2016. The CBN-NEMSF financing to the power sector is at an interest rate of 10 percent per annum and will cost electricity consumers over N124 billion in interest payments alone, over the next 10 years. In addition, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) seeks to raise a minimum of $1.5 billion debt financing in long-term bonds to finance future liabilities in the power sector.

Without any significant improvement in power supply in the near horizon, electricity customers have to pay back these huge loans that have already been factored into their electricity tariffs!

The irony of the privatisation exercise is that the power sector has received far more funding from government post-privatisation than when the power sector was wholly owned and controlled by the government.

It is a big irony not lost on members of the House of Representatives, who are opposed to further government bailout of the power sector.

To be fair to the Buhari government, it is worth stating that prior to February 2016, power generation had peaked to a new level of 5,070MW never before attained. The unexpected resurgence of militancy resulting in large-scale sabotage of oil and gas facilities in the Ijaw areas of the Niger Delta is largely responsible for

the low generation levels experienced from February 2016 till date. Clearly the issue of militancy and pipeline sabotage may not be addressed any time soon except the militant groups responsible for the bombings toe the path of peace and halt further sabotage to oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta.

On the other hand, efforts to add the much needed generation capacity have been constrained by the poor financial condition of the DISCOs to service such investments. DISCOs are faced with huge challenges, which are clearly visible in their operations and service delivery.

Some of these challenges include a lack of sufficient energy supply from grid, high technical and non-technical losses, obsolete networks, lack of maintenance of network equipment, poorly trained manpower, poor customer data, low metre penetration, health, safety and environmental issues and a near absence of investments due to poor revenues, inadequate tariffs, huge liabilities, particularly from MDAs and external funding constraints.

It is important to state that these challenges were precisely the reason why the privatisation of the power sector was done in the first place. It was believed that the privatisation of DISCOs would solve these challenges. Two years after, DISCOs are yet to deliver the supposed gains/benefits of the privatisation. Notwithstanding, we must emphatically state that this is not a rush to judgment about the power sector privatisation. The privatisation process was legally carried out, even though the outcomes have been disappointing so far.

DISCOs need to do more to improve their operational efficiencies in order to improve their revenue profile. Indeed, beyond the inherited challenges enumerated above, DISCOs are faced with self-inflicted problems as well. A few of these include the rapid reduction and downsizing of experienced workforce, such that the remaining workforce is insufficient and relatively unskilled. Other self-inflicted challenges were the reluctance to commence their metering programmes early enough and perhaps, more difficult to understand, their inability to properly enumerate their customers so far within the first two years of

operations.

Geographical Coverage Areas of DISCOs A factor not usually considered in the poor service delivery of DISCOs is their geographical coverage areas. There were two schools of thought at the onset of the unbundling and privatisation of PHCN Successor Distribution Companies. One school believed that DISCOs should be unbundled according to geographical states.

The other school of thought preferred their unbundling in line with existing PHCN regional centres. In the end, we’ve ended up with privatised DISCOs whose geographical coverage areas are quite extensive for efficient management. All DISCOs, with the exception of Eko and Ikeja DISCOs, cover a minimum of four states. Lagos State has the unique advantage of having two DISCOs. Enugu DISCO operations cover the five states of the South-East.

In our view, the current geographical coverage of DISCOs is unsustainable to allow for efficient operations and customer service delivery. Had the companies been unbundled along geographical state coverage i.e. one DISCO per state, we would have had at least 36 DISCOs, with the resources of each DISCOs serving a state dedicatedly as opposed to being spread too thinly across four states to provide efficient customer services. We also would have had the opportunity of individual state governments to actually partner with the DISCOs to improve electricity access to its people. For instance, the current structure of DISCOs hinders a state like Akwa Ibom State from partnering with Port Harcourt DISCO in providing electricity to rural communities in the State.

In addition, while not readily admitted, business districts of DISCOs that are located outside of the city or state wherein their headquarters are located, struggle to receive funding and materials to efficiently carry out their operations. They often have to escalate and wait for decisions and even minor issues to be resolved at headquarter levels.

The Concept of Electricity Distribution Franchise Electricity Distribution Franchise is an emerging PPP model pioneered in the Indian electricity distribution sector. Under

the electricity distribution franchisee arrangement, specific functions for a demarcated area within the total licensed area of distribution is franchised out by the distribution utility to a private sector entity, while the Distribution Company retains the ownership of assets.

The appointed Distribution Franchisee provides certain services to consumers in the service area on behalf of a Distribution Company, including the corrective and preventive maintenance of network, breakdown rectification and other routine operation and maintenance of the distribution system, attending complaints, metre reading and bills distribution, as well as attending to the commercial complaints of the consumers within the service area as set out by the main agency. The Distribution Franchisee is responsible for the collection of money in the service area and commits to reduce the collection and distribution losses as per terms and conditions of franchise agreement between both parties.

Initially, such an arrangement was restricted to the outsourcing of basic functions such as billing, collection and repair and maintenance (R&M) of transformers. Over time, it evolved into incentive-based arrangements for the private sector to invest in the distribution network and be responsible for all functions after receiving energy from the utility right up to collection of revenues from consumers.

In India, Distribution Franchise is a middle ground between government ownership and full privatisation of electricity distribution networks (please see “The Bhiwandi Electricity Distribution Franchisee Model: A Resolute Step in Distribution Reforms”, IDFC Policy Group Quarterly, 2009).

Odion Omonfoman is an energy consultant and the CEO of New Hampshire Capital Ltd. He can be reached on orionomon@outlook. com

PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Comment

On justice sector reforms

By Sesugh Akume

T

he Nigerian justice system requires a thorough reform and in fact reconstruction from scratch, but it’s not more the laws, rules, statutes, procedures that first need to be fixed, it’s first the people operating the system.

That’s where the real rot lies. I shall illustrate with one example to underscore this point.

In the first place, the principle of the rule of law means that every individual and institution is equal before the law, but in Nigeria it’s clear that the law is skewed in favour of the high and mighty, and it has always been so. As far back as 1967, Oba Cladius Dosa Akran then finance minister for the Regional Government of Western Nigeria, and Prince Adeleke Ademiluyi, chairman of Western Nigeria Development Corporation were sentenced to prison for just 7 years each for outright stealing £504,750. The judge Justice Kayode Eso ensured that the oba’s term was without hard labour. The context must be made clear, £504,750 was 2.4% of the £21 million budget for the enter Western region for 1966 which is what 2 men stole, tell me about when Nigeria was great again. Yet, I know of someone who got 45 years for stealing a phone!

John Yakubu Yusuf the police pension thief who stole 33 billion naira, was given 2 years or a fine of 750,000 naira which he paid and went home.

James Ibori facing criminal trial for defrauding Delta state when he served for 8 years as governor was declared guiltless in all the Nigerian courts he was arraigned. In fact, Justice Marcel Awokulehin of the Federal High Court Asaba said Ibori had no case to answer in the

170-count charge brought before him, and so was acquitted. It’s this very same James Onanefe Ibori who himself pleaded guilty to a 10-count charge of defrauding Delta state before a British court, was sentenced and served a prison term. What is the difference between the Nigerian and British system that produced vastly different results in the same matter involving the same individual?

It’s the people operating the system, their personal values, and the philosophy that drives the way the reason and operate.

Ibori’s lawyer (and accomplice) Bhadresh Gohil had earlier been sentenced to prison by the same court. Judge Anthony Pitts of the Southwark Crown Court in his judgement said to him, ‘You were a solicitor of the Supreme Court and holding out as a man of integrity… You have brought shame on your family, your profession and your country.’ How many Nigerian judges do you know see things this way? How many will look a fellow Big Man in the eye and say this? After Gohil was sentenced, it was clear to Ibori that the prosecution had done such a thorough job that he needed not waste the court’s precious time, he pleaded guilty.

The Metropolitan Police, the prosecuting counsel, and everyone involved went all out diligently. No hype, no media trials, no stone unturned. The other argument of the prosecution was that James Ibori was a petty thief who had earlier had run-ins with the law being jailed in London in 1991 should for no reason have been allowed to run for governorship, much less become a governor which allowed him to steal more mightily. His Nigerian lawyer, Alex Izinyon, SAN began a silly argument in defence, the sort

of chicanery they get away with in Nigeria, and in fact judges rely on to give judgements in their favour, to which Judge Pitt told him clearly that what he was saying made no sense. How many Nigerian judges do you know would tell a Big Man lawyer that he’s making no sense, when indeed he isn’t? The prosecuting counsel, Sasha Wass QC so made mince meat of Izinyon, and so Ibori was sent to prison as a thief, and rightly so. Come over to Nigeria and the same Alex Izinyon, SAN will be part of a justice sector reform think tank.

In Nigeria, the judge, the one facing trial, his high-priced lawyer usually a senior advocate, are all friends, belong to one class, possibly belong to some social or leisure club, and therefore owe each other unalloyed allegiance. They collectively ‘own’ the system they operate for their exclusive benefit.

The Big Man defence always goes scot-free or gets a ‘soft landing’. This philosophy and operating mindset has to be pulled down and destroyed with a proper one methodically reconstructed.

Typically in Nigerian courts criminal cases are first mentioned before civil cases. The accused persons in jail are usually brought in by prisons officials most times late for various excuses, maybe because it rained or something, after their matter must have been already called in their absence and adjourned till whenever. They’re then taken back only for the same thing to repeat the next time. And nobody faces any consequences for this. If you wonder why 75% of prison inmates in Nigeria are on awaiting trial some for up to 10 years, here’s one reason. And you don’t want to see how the they look or are treated, the clothes they wear, with the ankle- and handcuffs they struggle

in, some walk barefooted. When it’s a celebrity thief you need to see how early they are brought in and saluted as they alight from the vehicle in their well-starched designer’s kaftans and are escorted to sit casually in court reading the day’s newspaper. It appears in Nigeria the real crime is to steal under a billion naira.

We need Renewal. We absolutely need it.

At ANRP (Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party) we envision and are working towards an entire justice system (both substantive and social justice system) and value chain that treats everyone equally, justly, fairly, humanely, with dignity, and professionally; lawyers know their limits and the consequences of crossing them with technicalities and shenanigans, judges fear no one, and owe no one any favours or loyalty, the system is modern and dynamic. We foresee and are working towards a time when judgments are balanced, deep, cerebral, and evoke confidence such that including British courts seek the judgements to study and apply. We’re working towards when the entire justice architecture will not be hinged only on what is legal according to the book, but more importantly what is morally right, just, proper, fair, equitable, and builds for us a great society giving life and meaning to the spirit of the eternal words of Nigeria’s first indigenous lawyer Christopher Alexander Sapara Williams (born in 1855, enrolled in 1888, died in 1915) that, ‘A lawyer lives in the direction of his people and the advancement of the cause of his country.’

Sesugh Akume is a Public Policy Analyst.

Major threat to the economic recovery and growth plan

By Uche Uwaleke

A

t long last, the much-awaited Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of the Federal Government, which contains the road map for Nigeria’s economic development, has been unveiled by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning. The four-year plan (2017-2020), envisages that by 2020, “Nigeria would have made significant progress towards achieving structural economic change with a more diversified and inclusive economy”. Real GDP is projected to grow by 4.6 per cent on average over the Plan period from an estimated contraction of 1.54 per cent recorded in 2016 reaching seven per cent at the end of the Plan period while inflation rate is projected to trend downwards to a single digit by 2020.

The Plan outlines bold initiatives such as ramping up oil production to 2.5mbpd by 2020, privatising select public enterprises/assets, and revamping local refineries to reduce petroleum product imports by 60 per cent by 2018.The country is expected to become not only a net exporter of refined petroleum products by 2020 but also a net exporter of key agricultural products such as rice, cashew nuts, groundnuts, cassava and vegetable oil that take up a lot of foreign exchange.

Following the implementation of the Plan, unemployment is expected to reduce from 13.9 per cent as of Q3 2016 to 11.23 per cent by 2020 which translates to the creation of over 15 million jobs during the Plan horizon or an average of 3.7 million jobs per annum. By 2020, it is hoped, Nigeria will have become a well-diversified economy having multiple streams of revenue.

Without any shred of doubt, the 140-page document has been well-packaged just like similar previous Plans considering that the development of the Plan according the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo-Udoma, “went through a rigorous process, including wide consultations and robust engagements with stakeholders from a range of relevant fields, economic experts from the public and private sectors, academia, organised private sector, civil society groups, organised labour, sub-regional governments, international development partners, the National Economic Council and the National Assembly”. Similar Plans in the past toed the same path. In recent time, Vision 2010, NEEDS as well as Vision 20:2020 readily come to mind.

This time round however, the minister assures the story would be different citing sufficient “Political

Will” on the part of the government to drive the process. This assurance is comforting but there are considerable threats. Mindful of these risks, the ERGP document in section 8.1 (pg 112) highlights the “downside risks” associated with the Plan to include “the uncertainty in the current global economic environment” which could jeopardise Nigeria’s ability to achieve its high growth projections. It recognises that the “challenging global economic conditions associated with rising interest rates and protectionism in developed country markets or a continued slowdown in emerging markets such as China, could reduce the attractiveness of Nigeria as an investment destination”. Adding that “if the measures being put in place by government to address disruptions to oil production resulting from crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and Niger Delta militancy are ineffective, then the nation may face the challenge of not achieving the crude oil production forecast in the Plan and this would create additional implementation risks for the ERGP.” Indeed, numerous other vulnerabilities remain but the biggest threat to the ERGP, in my view, is the political risk which received no mention under the section. Nigeria’s experience over the years has shown that implementation of Development Plans suffers neglect whenever there is a change in government. This point was recently buttressed by Chief Philip Asiodu who blamed the country’s lack of economic development on the abandonment of Development Plans by successive regimes. Against this backdrop, the “Political Will” argument holds water only in the context of stability in government which is guaranteed where the Visioner (the President) is in office throughout the Plan period.

This condition must be met for any National Plan to succeed.

During the occasion ofthe annual Daily Trust Dialogue which held on January 19 2017 in Abuja, Chief Asiodu told the audience that Olusegun Obasanjo was a member of the Yakubu Gowon Administration which approved the Third National Development Plan (1975 to 1980) and was therefore in a good position to superintend the implementation process but this Plan, which was aimed at diversifying the economy, went up in flames after the Gowon Administration was toppled. By implication, a Plan can be jettisoned once there is a change of baton even within the same ruling party.

By releasing the timetable for the 2019 general elections two years before the conduct of the polls,

the Independent National Electoral Commission seems to be telling politicians to be on their marks and get set. Expectedly, the country will enter into an election mode soon after this administration clocks three years in office on May 29, 2018, barely one year from now.

A review of key economic variables over the years indicates that penultimate and ultimate election years impact economic performance.

Government spending usually goes up in an election year which tends to fuel inflation rather than spur growth, suggesting that the extra public expenditure ahead of polls was largely wasteful. In its communiqué No 77 of July 2011, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria observed that inflationary pressures remained elevated during the first quarter of 2011 largely on account of “high expenditure levels associated with the April 2011 general elections”. In March 2015 also (another election year), the MPC had “noted withconcern, the gradual increase in the year-on-year headline inflationduring the first two months of the year from 8.0 per cent inDecember 2014 to 8.2 per cent in January and further to 8.4 per centin February 2015,” pointing out that the major risks to inflation in 2015 was the “elevated aggregate spending in the run-up to the 2015 general elections”. By extension, the forthcoming election poses a threat to the ERGP goal of subduing inflation to a single digit level by 2020. In fact, the economy typically slows down every time there is a general election. The ERGP acknowledges this fact by stating that “the slight dip in growth in 2019 is projected to result from the general election in that year”.

As earlier pointed out, the success of the ERGP will depend not only on how well it is implemented through the penultimate and ultimate election years (2018 and 2019), but also on the commitment of the succeeding administration to see it through to the terminal year. If President Buhari does not run for a second term or power slips from the ruling All Progressives Congress, chances are that the ERGP will go the way of the National Confab report which was jettisoned not least because the government that conceived it left office. Many agree that the 2014 National Conference involving 492 delegates was one of the boldest attempts in recent times in appraising the operational structure and system on which the country is run. Understandably, the PDP which is the major opposition party will not be disposed to continuing with the ERGP hook, line and sinker, in the event that it clinches power at the

centre come 2019.

From a broader economic and political perspective, the following question is pertinent in relation to the ERGP: will the Federal Government receive the cooperation of the state governments if a majority of states become controlled by the opposition party in 2019? Allied to this is whether the National Assembly will continue to play a supportive role if majorities in the House and Senate are held by the major opposition party.

Having identified political risk as the major threat to the ERGP, what then is the safeguard? A cursory look at Puerto Rico’s Fiscal and Economic Growth Plan provides the answer. In order to ensure the success of the country’s FEGP, the National Parliament of Puerto Rico passed the Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Revitalisation Bill into law. The FRER Act established a Board independent of government, with oversight authority over most government entities having powers to levy sanctions for non-compliance with measures contained in the FEGP. By the same token, Nigeria needs an enabling law to back up the ERGP. With elections in 2019 fast approaching, the government seems to be racing against time given the fact that the ERGP was late on arrival. The idea of setting up a Delivery Unit in the Presidency to assist the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in overseeing the ERGP implementation is good but not sufficient. If the Delivery Unit is not a creation of the law, it lacks the capacity to discharge its duties.

To this end, the Federal Government as a matter of urgency, should forward a bill to be known as the “Economic Recovery and Growth Bill” to the National Assembly. This bill should take care all issues specific to the ERGP distinct from the current Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007 which focuses on annual budgets and the threeyear Medium Term Expenditure Framework. The government has barely one more year to prove that the ERGP will not go the way of its forebears.

One of the key deliverables of the Plan is to reduce petroleum product imports by 60 per cent in 2018.

Quickly putting in place an enabling law as well as passing the Petroleum Industry Bill is one sure way of safeguarding the country against the major threat to the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

Uche Uwaleke is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

PAGE 14

News

99 killed in boat accidents in Kebbi, Niger, Lagos

N

o fewer than 99 persons died in six boat mishaps that occurred in Kebbi, Niger and Lagos States between April and September, according to a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The survey was conducted in Kebbi, Niger and Lagos States.

Two boat mishaps each were recorded on River Niger, Niger and Lagos State, within the period.

The survey also revealed that 47 people were rescued, while some unspecified number of persons got missing.

The worst of the mishaps was recorded in Kebbi on Sept.

14 when 53 persons , who were mostly traders ,lost their lives on River Niger.

It was gathered that the traders were among 100 persons going to Poll market in Bagudo Local Government Area when the incident occurred.

However, 47 of the victims were lucky as they were rescued alive by divers.

The Chairman of the Bagudo Local Government, Muhammad Zagga, who confirmed the incident said that about 500 divers were deployed to rescue the victims.

Also in Kebbi, seven persons had on April 15 died when the overloaded boat in which they were traveling on River Niger hit a tree trunk , forcing it to capsize.

The passengers believed to be about 150 were returning from Malali market in Ngaski Local Government Area of the state.

In Niger, 30 persons died in two boat mishaps recorded in the state within the period.

The mishaps occurred on River Niger which passes through Borgu Local Government Area and River Kaduna which passes through Shiroro Local Government Area.

Ibrahim Inga, the DirectorGeneral , Niger State Emergency

Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed this to NAN. In Lagos State, 9 persons died in two boat mishaps recorded on the lagoon between April and September.

The Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority ( NIWA), Mua’zu Sambo, who confirmed this to NAN, said that one person got missing in one of the incidents.

Mr. Sambo described the figures so far, as an improvement when compared with 2016 when 26 deaths were recorded in five boat mishaps.

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said that the only way accidents could be reduced on Waterways was for users to comply strictly with safety guidelines from the organisation.

On its part, the Lagos State Government said it would continue to clamp down on illegal

jetties and unregistered boats to stem the tide of mishaps on waterways in the state.

The Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, who stated this, said that strict enforcement of relevant laws would be enforced across the state.

Also speaking on the development, Tarzan Balogun, National President, Association of Tourist Boat Operators Water Transporters of Nigeria, observed that mishaps on Waterways had reduced drastically in the country.

He attributed the development to the concerted efforts of the regulators and operators whom he said, had been insisting on proper use of life jackets by passengers.

The Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and

Zamfara States, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad, said that the rescue of boat mishap victims in the zone had always been through combine efforts of stakeholders.

He identified the stakeholders to include fishermen, local divers, NIWA and state governments.

Muhammadu Audu, a local diver in Birnin Kebbi, called for enforcement of life jacket on boat passengers to make rescue easy.

A boat passenger, Joy Chimezie, told NAN that mishaps would not stop her and others from traveling by boat.

Chiemeze, a civil servant resident in Lagos, said that traveling by road was stress-free and cheap, thereby making it attractive to passengers.

Another passenger, Cletus Abhareyi , said the hectic traffic situation in Lagos would continue to make traveling by water inevitable for him and others.

(NAN)

Gaidam presents N92.18bn 2018 budget to Yobe assembly From Uche Uche, Damaturu.

Y

obe state Governor, Alh. (Dr.) Ibrahim Gaidam has presented the state’s 2018 Fiscal Appropriation Bill of N92.18 billion for consideration and approval, before the state House of Assembly at the Assembly’s chamber in Damaturu the state capital.

The budget tagged, “Budget of consolidation and socio-economic re-juvenation” shows there is an increase in the 2018 budget over that of 2017, in that, while the sum of N69.39billion with a supplementary budget of N13.18 billion, bringing the up to the sum of N82.57 billion, was earmarked in 2017, the government has budgeted to spend the sum of N92.18 billion which represents an increase) of N9.62 billion or approximately 10.4%, above last year sum of N69.39 billion.

Speaking while presenting the budget at the chambers of the state House of Assembly yesterday, the governor pointed out that, out of the total budget, the sum of N44.73 billion or 48.5%would be used to finance the capital expenditure while the sum of N47.45 billion or 51.5% would be devoted to recurrent expenditure.

The revenue to fund the budget would come, as the governor stated, from sources such as statutory allocation estimated at the sum N36.87 billion, value added tax N8.58 billion, excess crude oil and exchange rate differential expected at the sum of N 4.2billion, among other sources.

While reviewing the 2017 budget, the governor stated that out of the N82.57 billion estimated for the year, the total revenue actually received from all the sources covering the period of January 2017 to 30th November,2017 was N67.49 billion which is about 82% of what was targeted for the year 2017.

R-L: Chairman, Federal Education Sector Games (FEDUGAM) Steering Committee, Mr. Arthur Onyeachu, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arch. Sonny Echono, Deputy Governor, Nasarawa state, Mr. Silas Agara and other officials during the unveiling of the Mascot of the Maiden FEDUGAM 2017, at the Lafia Township Stadium, yesterday in Nasarawa state

Yuletide: Police urge Lagosians to celebrate moderately From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

L

agos State Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal has assured residents and visitors of safety amid tight security across the length and breadth of the state during the yuletide season.

The CP urged residents to be vigilant and celebrate moderately during the festive period, just as he restated that additional batches of arms police officers would be deployed throughout volatile areas in the State to ensure safety.

He also warned that the

command would not tolerate lawlessness or any act that may conflict with peaceful conduct that the State is known for.

The CP commended the support from the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode as well as the cooperation the Police received from other security agencies including the Neighbourhood Safety Corps.

While assuring of maximum security during the One Lagos Fiesta and other events slated throughout December across the State, Edgal said it was important for the people to be vigilant, celebrate moderately and

pass on useful tips to security agencies.

He also said that all emergency numbers will be fully operational and solicited the cooperation of the citizens in ensuring a safe and crime-free December in Lagos State.

The CP, at the last monthly Security Council Meeting chaired by Governor Ambode assured that adequate security measures have been put in place for residents and visitors to experience a peaceful yuletide season.

Already, Edgal said arrangements have been made to increase police presence across

the State especially in areas experiencing traffic congestion due to ongoing construction in various parts of the State.

He added that due to influx of people into the State during the festive period, there is likely to be criminal elements who may want to take undue advantage of such to perpetrate crime, but that efforts have been made to nip such incidents in the bud.

He also threatened that any resident who sell, distribute or use industrial fireworks would be arrested and charged to court, saying that the ban on such is still very much in force.

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DEcember 6, 2017

Atiku’s exit will not lead to ‘massive defection’, Says Oyegun

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun has dismissed fears in some qourters that the exit of former vice President Atiku Abubakar will lead to massive defection from the party.

Atiku has last week announce his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress and subsequently joined the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Oyegun made the assertion while speaking during his investiture as the national life grand patron of the Association of former chairmen, councilors and ward leaders in Nigeria, at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

Oyegun said: “Let nobody fears that the

defection of the former vice president is going to lead to any deluge. If anybody wants to defect, the day you are defecting is the day you bring out your heavy guns, not later, like the papers are speculating. When you stand and they look at your right and left, they say ‘ah this man has done something great’.

“So don’t ever be afraid that there is going to be any massive defection. As a matter of fact, the contrary is the case. The APC is growing in strength on a daily basis,” Oyegun said.

Present at the investiture were the Party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawal Shu’aibu; Deputy National Chairman (South), Engr. Segun Oni and National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu.

He charged the group not to be deceived by

the ‘screaming’ and opposition’s rhetorics.

“Anybody who is anybody is virtually with the APC today. The reality is, outside the APC, there is no other party that is truly settled, not even the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is. They are still fighting about how to get a chairman and the rest of it. Today, they say money has come to buy the chairmanship position. So is it something you should take pride in? It is just that the remnants of the PDP have found their voice, so they are screaming very loud; and we think that the whole country is upside down. It is not. The country is making steady progress, and your party is growing on a daily basis.”

The APC National Chairman, while thanking the association for the investiture,

said the group’s association with the APC has come at the right time, as the party has begun preparations for the 2019 elections.

He urged the group to position themselves as key drivers of positive change in the country and shun unwholesome practices and conducts which have bedeviled many similar groups.

Speaking during the investiture, the Association’s National Coordinator, Hon. Mike Omohimua described the APC National Chairman as a man of high intellect and political pedigree who used his political doggedness and experience to rescue Nigeria from collapse in the hands of the immediatepast PDP administration.

2019: INEC develops technology to transmit poll results electronically

By Ese Awhotu with agency report

B

aring any hitches, the results of the 2019 elections would be transmitted electronically direct from polling units to its state headquarters.

This would be made possible as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has developed a technology that will enable it transmit election results electronically direct from polling units to its states’ headquarters.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ebonyi, Godswill Obioma, disclosed this at a meeting with faith-based organizations yesterday in Abakaliki.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, Obioma said that, the new technology is part of efforts by the commission to eliminate rigging, electoral frauds and other irregularities and to ensure the enthronement of credibility and transparency in the electoral process.

Obioma reassured the electorate that their votes would count in the 2019 general elections and urged them to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

“INEC is strengthening the process of transmitting election results electronically direct from polling booths to INEC Headquarters.

“We hope that the latest technological innovation will be perfected and deployed in the 2019 general elections.

“The new strategy will discourage politicians from ballot box snatching, stuffing of ballot boxes and indulgence in other forms of electoral irregularities.

“The commission will do everything to ensure that votes count in 2019 and that those who will emerge will emerge through popular votes.

“We have only one message and the message is that you come out and register and ensure that you collect your PVC to qualify you to exercise your franchise,” he said.

The REC explained that the meeting was part of conscious efforts

by INEC to build strategic partnership and alliance that would be harnessed to mobilise the electorate.

“This meeting is aimed at jointly charting strategic paths for a credible 2019 elections and to see in what best ways we can partner with the organizations to reach out to their members.

“It is also to mobilise those who are 18 years and above to come out and register and collect their PVCs,” he added.

Obioma explained that making

the electoral process more inclusive by getting more people involved in civic responsibilities would reduce political tension and those chosen in elections would be better accepted as representatives of the people.

He said the commission had embarked on aggressive sensitisation and voter education since he resumed office as REC in Ebonyi on July 12.

“We have undertaken

stakeholders’ town hall meetings in all the 13 local government areas of the state where we met with the people in their localities and sensitise them to the continuous voter registration.

“We followed the town hall meetings with the stakeholders’ village square meetings in the wards across the local government areas.

“We listened to their views on how we can do better in our programmes

to achieve greater penetration in the society,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 50 representatives of faith-based organisations, including Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs attended the meeting.

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John OdigieOyegun (R) receiving an award from the National Coordinator, Association of APC Former Chairmen, Councillors and Ward Leaders in Nigeria, Elder Mike Omohimua (L), during the latter’s visit to APC National Secretariat, yesterday in Abuja With them is the Deputy National Chairman of the party, North, Sen. Lawal Shuaibu.

More APC members will join Atiku, Timi Frank warns party

A

chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank has warned of massive defections from the party.

Frank, in a statement yesterday, pointed out that many of those who left the PDP for the APC prior to the 2015 general elections, had now realized that the ruling party was the worst place to be as it had no regards for laid down democratic tenets According to DAILY POST, Frank said “The lack of internal democracy, disregard for the party’s constitution, irregular schedule of meetings, inability to conduct a convention, the absence of a Board of Trustees and arrogance of the party leadership will bring about the impending doom.

“Nigerians will remember that I predicted what is happening and I am still saying that if this party continues in this direction, an end will come to it so soon.

“Though the truth is bitter, but I will continue to sacrifice myself in speaking the truth because I know I am speaking the minds of a lot of members who cannot speak out”, he stated.

Frank said the leadership of the party should be remorseful following the resignation of Atiku and many others from its fold.

He added, “The beneficiaries of the flagrant disregard for the constitution of the party, impunity, and silence of some leaders are responsible for the misfortune befalling the APC.

“Nigerians should note one very interesting thing in the politics of Nigeria today; in the past, it used to be that people decamp or leave the party that has lost election or that is in opposition to the party that is ruling.

But, here we are today, people are moving from the ruling party to the party in opposition.

“It is saddening but interesting the way politics is played out in Nigeria because here we are, people leaving the comfort zone of government and the corridors of power to the opposition party and this should signal danger to those leading the ruling party.”

“It was high time APC realised that politics is about numbers, every youth, man or woman is important.

The kind of arrogance going on in the party led some of us out of PDP in those days, but we have now realized that it is even worse in the APC. “Though it is already getting late, but if this impunity is not tackled between now and early next year, APC may witness the mother of all defections to opposition parties.

“I believe I have worked hard to bring about the ruling party as a young man, but if the impunity does not stop, I will be left with no option. Not only me, but some other serving governors, members of the National Assembly and other known party leaders across the country have to decide their political future elsewhere.”

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

POLITICS

2019: Atiku begs PDP defectors to return • As Makarfi says party intends to sweep all elections

By Lateef Ibrahim

F

ormer Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who few days ago defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has appealed to all past leaders of the party, who have left for one reason or the other, to “return home” as he (Atiku) has done.

This, the former Vice President argued, was imperative in order to build a stronger, more united PDP that can again return the party back to government and continue to deliver the dividends of democracy. Atiku spoke when he visited the national leadership of the party at its Wadata Plaza headquarters, Wuse, Abuja on Tuesday afternoon.

Some of the PDP defectors

include; former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Hon Rotimi Amaechi among others.

Atiku was received by the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee, NCC, of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi among other leaders of the Party. The visit, which lasted for about thirty minutes, threw the entire

PDP national secretariat into frenzy.

According to him, “Over the years, like any or every human organisation, it (PDP) has faced its challenges, but I want to pay tribute to those who have stayed steadfast through thick and thin to see us through to this point. “Now that we have learnt our lessons, I hope that we will be guided by the lessons we have learnt. And that is to make sure that we build an all inclusive

Nigeria in dire need of governance reforms - Prof. Jega

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), Prof.

Attahriu Jega, said Nigeria is in dire need of governance reforms due to weakness in public structures and institutions.

Prof. Jega made the disclosure delivering keynote address at the 10th Annual Forum of the Laureates of the Nigeria National Order of Merit (NNOM) Awards winners’ lecture yesterday in Abuja, saying there is a need to struck balance in our governance.

He said the theme “Governance Reforms and Human Security” is an apt for a time as now. There are no better and appropriate thematic issues than these, which deserve a serious attention. Our daily life in general revolves around and is affected by governance, misgoverance, security and insecurity.

“Fragile democracies, such as Nigeria ought to be paying attention to this global trend; but somehow they don’t. However, it is better to address the challenges of governance and human security in Nigeria more concretely than ever before - before it is too late. When we allow things to get so bad for so long, getting out of the quagmire is overwhelming and difficult.”

According to him, poor leadership begets bad governance.”Bad governance has consequently eroded professional and ethical standards in public sector governance - by ignoring checks and balances, by undermining due process and rule of law, and by exclusion and restricting the space for democratic participation in the decision and policy making.

“Reforms are required in order

to reposition government, improve its quality and enable it to satisfy the fundamental needs and aspirations of citizens; paramount amongst which is human security.

Reforms are also required to cover four fundamental aspect of governance which are structure, institutions, Agents /actors and attitudes and behaviors. If only Nigeria could begin the governance reforms process with urgency, as well as serious commitment that it deserves, we can in a reasonably short term deescalate tension in the polity and begin to strengthen the foundation of good governance for human security, “ Pro Jega emphasized .

Consequently, the Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Chief Host Barr.

Boss Mustapha who declared the 3days event opened, stated that the annual forum of Laureates of the NNOM is immensely important to our nation, especially as we are passing these trying times.

“Nigeria needs radical increase in the degree of enthusiasm of it citizens. Our country needs patriotic citizens making outstanding feats in their various endeavors. Nigeria has to intensify its productivity in order to assert itself as the giant of Africa.”

President Buhari said Federal Government fully supports the theme of this year’s forum titled “Governance Reforms and Human Security in Nigeria “We commend the efforts of the Laureates of the NNOM to critically assess the state of the nation with the view in lending their credible voices to suggest proactive ideas in

bringing about desired socioeconomic turnaround which the nation is presently in dire of.”

Earlier, the Chairman Governing Board of NNMA, Prof. Shekaraku Aku, in his welcome address said that the forum collectively harness the intellectual prowess of our Laureates and other members of Nigerian academia, other researchers, policy makers and private sector in our collective effort to seeks meaningful solution to salient issues of national interest.

“It is my hope that ideas generated from our disclosure at this forum will assist our country in creating awareness on how the nation can use the information generated in its economic development, as proposed here in the National plans of the federal government.”

L-R: Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development, Oladipupo Adebutu; and a member of the House of Representatives (Lagelu/Akinyele), Temitope Olatoye, during the visit of the Committee to Gov. Ajimobi, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

Galadima lacks capacity to run Kuje Area Council - Residents

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he reason for whom the chairman of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Abdullahi Galadima was voted for, has been defeated because the chairman has been using the Area Council resources to enrich himself, some residents of the area have said.

In an interview with Peoples Daily correspondent in Kuje, residents accused the chairman of failing to focus on the developmental projects in the area.

They said: “The chairman was

elected to provide the dividends of democracy for the electorates, but his administration had failed to move the Kuje and its environs to the next level”.

A resident, Mr Yohanna Zakari, said the chairman seemed to be lacking the experience and wisdom to run the affairs of the council towards meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the masses who voted him into power.

Another resident who identified himself as Audu Awuta, expressed dismay that the administration of Galadima had neglected the people of

Kuje and its grassroots level in terms of provision of basic necessities of life.

Similarly, a farmer who also identified himself as Mohammed Zafiwo, alleged that the Galadimaled administration had not provided fertilizer for the farmers since he took over the leadership of the Area Council.

Zafiwo said most farmers in Kuje and its environs were not happy with the chairman due to the bad administration of the council.

Also speaking, a business man, Mr John Emma, noted that the administration of Galadima had done

nothing about the dilapidated roads within the Kuje Area Council.

On his part, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area who pleaded for anonymity alleged that the Kuje council boss had diverted the resources of the council to purchase a gigantic house in Abuja.

The

aggrieved

APC

member

said the chairman had not executed tangible projects since he took the mantle leadership of the council.

party, where every part of this country will have a sense of belonging and sense of participation.

“To achieve all these, there must be sacrifices, understanding and compromises in the process of achieving that. And that is what I speak to members to imbibe.

“But as you know, one thing that I will never compromise is the internal democracy process in a given political party. And I hope we all must have learnt our lessons.

“I therefore want to pledge to you Mr Chairman and members of the National Working Committee that my returning home is to help continue with the work you have started, reforming, re-branding this very party which is the only party in this country.

“Let me pay tribute to past leadership of this great party; where ever they may be and to call upon them to please return home as I have done.

“It is only by their returning home that we will build a stronger, more united party that can again return to government and continue to deliver the dividends of democracy.

“I can bet you the records we have achieved so far in governance no government has yet even done 50 percent of what we have achieved in government, not to talk of equalling our performance in government”, he said .

The Chairman, NCC of the PDP, Senator Makarfi, in welcoming Atiku to the party’s headquarters, stated that he (Atiku ) has opened the flood gates and “we expect many more high profile returnees and new entrants into the PDP”.

Makarfi added , “So, PDP must be prepared for this, and be ready to reconcile and reiterate in such a way and manner that everybody will be treated and given a level playing field to purse his or her personal aspiration.

That is what PDP must stand for if it has to survive”.

He dismissed claim that there was a secret deal with the Atiku for him to return to the party.

His words ,”Waziri (Atiku) is not one that goes for secret deals: This PDP will be a reformed party which will give everybody level playing fiend”.

Makarfi stated that Atiku has returned to the party in good time and urged him to continue to contribute in “this reinvention, remodeling of our party so that come 2019, we can reclaim what we can claim is ours.

Because we still remain the only true democratic party in the true sense of the the word.”

He added, “We thank you for coming before the convention so that you can contribute to what we have started going forward.

We will continue to consult you to “You will also help us reinvent the vehicle that will take us to Aso rock in 2019, we are not just targeting Aso Rock, we are targeting the federal legislature, the states, both the executive and legislature. We are targeting the local governments.

“We want to sweep elections all across the party. As a United party we have the capacity and we have the ability to do so”.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, December 6, 2017

POLITICS

Imo Assembly crisis: Three principal officers resign

T

hree principal officers of the Imo House of Assembly, in Owerri, have on Tuesday resigned their positions following alleged controversies surrounding the 2018 appropriation bill.

The principal officers who resigned their positions are the Majority Leader, Lugard Osuji; his deputy, Kenneth Ibe; and the Chief Whip of the House, Marcel Odunze; all of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Tendering their resignation, the former majority leader said the action was in the `collective interest’ of the assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 17 of the 27 members

of the assembly boycotted the plenary session and observed proceedings from the press gallery.

NAN also reports that there was a heavy presence of armed security personnel at the assembly earlier, prompting members to converge at the Speaker’s lodge.

Meanwhile, the Speaker, Acho Ihim, announced the appointment of the member representing Ikeduru, Uche Oguwike, as the new Majority Leader and Chinedu Offor as the new Deputy Minority leader.

Mr. Ihim also replaced the chief whip with Arthur Egwim, APC, representing Ideato North.

The speaker said the action was in a bid to get over the `intrigues and counter intrigues’ in the house.

He said that the former principal officers were relieved of their duties before their resignation following a request by the APC in a letter signed by the state chairman, Hilary Eke, calling for their recall.

Addressing journalists at the lodge, the minority leader of the House and representative of Ahiazu Mbaise, Ken Agbim, said that the lawmakers were acting in defence of democracy.

Mr. Agbim described the presence of armed military and

police officers at the assembly as an `attack on democracy’.

According to him, the legislators had sought clarifications from the executive regarding the 2018 budget which was presented to the assembly on Dec. 28.

“We needed some clarifications from the Executive concerning the budget and it is clear our questions did not go down well with the governor.

“We believe what happened today is an attack on democracy and for the first time in a long time, we are trying to ensure our nascent democracy does not suffer,” he said.

He also urged the state government to give the legislators the opportunity to work for their people, lamenting that they had been unable to execute constituency projects in their areas.

Mr. Agbim, however, stressed that they were not fighting with the state government but to ensure that things were done the right way.

NAN recalls that all the legislators boycotted the presentation of the 2018 appropriation bill on November 28. (NAN)

PDP convention: South-East will take common position – Umahi tells Dokpesi

A

head of the December 9 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, national convention, the Chairman of the South-East governors’ forum, Chief David Umahi said delegates from the Southeast region will take a common position on who to vote for as the national chairman of the party.

Umahi made this known while addressing one of the party`s chairmanship aspirants, Mr Raymond Dokpesi, who stormed Abakaliki to canvass for votes.

He said delegates from the region would meet in Abuja before Saturday to take a common position.

DAILY POST reports that the governor, however, told Dokpesi that he would inform him the position of the region after the scheduled meeting whether the pendulum swung to his (Dokpesi) side or not, adding that he was not ready to deceive anyone.

He said: “We just had a meeting in Umuahia, Abia State. They agreed to give us direction; that we are going to meet in Abuja and take a common position, common position in the sense that in the past, we voted blindly. Now, we will seek negotiation with any one they want us to vote for.

“The person will agree what he will do for us. But I want to assure you that whatsoever decision we come up with as a zone, I will let you know. I am not a politician but a child of God. I don’t play politics of deceit”, Umahi stressed.

Meanwhile, Dokpesi and his campaign team were received during an enlarged PDP stakeholders meeting held at the state party’s Secretariat located along Abakaliki-Enugu expressway.

The chairman further noted that Dokpesi is not only a committed

chieftain of PDP but has shown a rare interest in leading the party to greatness, adding that for him, to have toured round the 36 states of the country, plus Federal Capital Territory Abuja clearly showed his readiness to lead the party.

Umahi, however, emphasized

that anybody who would gain the votes of the south east zone must be someone who is experienced and committed to the course of the party.

Earlier in a remark, Dokpesi said he was in the state to seek their votes as he would be presenting

himself for election into the national chairmanship of the party come Saturday’ s PDP convention.

Dokpesi, however, appraised the governor of Ebonyi state chief David Umahi for his leadership strides, adding that he deserved a second tenure.

L-R: Ambassador of Ethiopia to Nigeria, Amb. Samia Zekaria Gutu; Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu; and Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, at a meeting on Nigeria-Ethiopia Joint Ministerial Commission, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

PDP will emerge stronger after convention – Okowa

By Our Correspondent

G

overnor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, expressed optimism that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will be more united after its upcoming convention on December 9.

Okowa, who is also the Chairman of the party’s National Convention Committee, said PDP will be a much stronger force to contend with in the 2019 presidential election.

He made this known on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ while addressing issues that have so far been raised as the convention date draws near.

He said: “Our party is building much stronger and this convention definitely is going to lift us up into the future, I believe so because this convention is purely conciliatory and unifying and we believe that the resource will lead us strongly into the future.”

Reacting to reports that the

Chairman of the electoral panel, Gabriel Suswam, who is also the former governor of Benue state, had declared support for a candidate, he said: “I’m not aware that he has declared support for any particular candidate but even if he has any sentiments for anyone, he will not be in a position at all, on the convention day to do anything that is unjust.

We are going to adopt the open secret ballot system of voting.

“We have also put in place a credible team to ensure

reconciliation of party members who may feel aggrieved going forward after the convention,” he added.

Speaking further and reacting to the defection of a former Head of State, Atiku Abubakar, to the PDP, Governor Okowa noted that there was strength in numbers and that the party will always welcome as many persons as possible.

“We believe that as many persons that come into the PDP is good for us because it will help

to strengthen the party because politics is one that is inclusive, the more persons you get into the party, the greater the strength of the party.

“So we will welcome him into the party just as we will look forward to many more persons who will want to come over to join us as a family it will be a welcome idea because it will help to strengthen us going into `2019.”

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Health

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Acupuncture, a new medical alternative in Nigeria W

ith the constant ineptitude of many health practitioners and failure of the system to provide quality medical services to Nigerians, many believe that acupuncture is a new alternative that could bring succor to those in need of medical services.

But despite its existence in the country for many years, many Nigerians are not aware of its effectiveness. This lack of awareness has made so many to suffer in their quest for medical solutions at the hands of conventional medical practitioners.

Currently in Nigeria, most medical facilities are ill-equip, poor medical services, unqualified practitioners and their nonchalant attitude towards patients’ has already hastened so many to their early graves.

In the midst of all these, top government officials and those with the financial muscle prefer to relocate abroad to seek medical solutions, while the poor are placed at the mercy of God. However, few people who tried acupuncture believe that it is a way out of the current challenges in the country.

“I didn’t know my situation could be treated with acupuncture. I have been having waist pain for over 6 years. I exercised frequently, but due to the waist pain, I reduced amount of kilogramme. I also sought various medical solutions but to no avail”, Tony Bosie, an Abuja resident said.

He continued: “After some time, the pain became serious, I felt as if I was going to break. I decided to try an acupuncture expert, Dr. NanchakNimzing about the waist pain and he invited me to his medical facility. When I explained to him, he inserted the acupuncture needles on my back and two small glass cups, after 15 minutes, I started feeling heat on my waist -the cups were there for 30 minutes. When he removed it, I stood up feeling relieved. I laughed thinking it was a trick or something. But the pain was really gone. It has been five months now since the pain left me. Am still surprised at what happened. It felt like magic. ” Also sharing her experience, Veronica Eseni said acupuncture helped her feel relieve froma serious medical condition.

“I have been going to the hospital for some time but no relieve. The doctor said I have post stroke fatigue.

I feel heavy on the affected parts. He said the brain nerves controlling those parts have suffered some

Acupuncture expert, Dr. Nanchak Nimzing

damage. Those parts are not feeling a part of me. They are different from other parts of my body”, she said.

But when administer acupuncture, Eseni said she felt relieved.

“I felt very calm after 30 minutes

“

It is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine use to treat musculo- skeletal condition, neurological conditions, psychological conditions, and respiratory system conditions.

“Others are; gastrointestinal conditions, gynecological conditions, cardiovascular conditions, including conditions of the eye, ear, nose and mouth”.

On its effectiveness in other parts of the world, the expert said, “in some developed countries, the diseases for which patients’ seek help for acupuncturists tend to be beyond the scope of orthodox medicine.

of acupuncture. I felt as if I had long hours of rest, much better from the way I was feeling before I came to the facility.”

Speaking on the treatment, an acupuncture expert, Dr. NanchakNimzing who holds a Phd in acupuncture said acupuncture is a Chinese ancient traditional method of treatment and healing created and developed by the Chinese people more than 300 years ago in their struggle with diseases and pestilences.

“This ancient Chinese art of healing, has become popular the world over. Apart from being free from the side effects commonly encountered in drug therapy.

Therefore, slowly but surely, it has been integrated in to the main stream of modern medicine. Many prestigious hospitals, universities and medical schools around the world have now established departments of acupuncture research, therapy and analgesia.

“Acupuncture could serve as a valuable alternative treatment for many diseases or conditions for which modern conventional treatments are unsuccessful. It is also valuables in situations where the patient is frightened of the

potential risks or adverse effect of modern conventional treatments”.

He said it is a form of alternative medicine in which thin needles are inserted in to the body.

“It is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine use to treat musculo- skeletal condition, neurological conditions, psychological conditions, and respiratory system conditions.

“Others are; gastrointestinal conditions, gynecological conditions, cardiovascular conditions, including conditions of the eye, ear, nose and mouth”.

On its effectiveness in other parts of the world, the expert said, “in some developed countries, the diseases for which patients’ seek help for acupuncturists tend to be beyond the scope of orthodox medicine.

“But in Nigeria, acupuncture is fairly new because of scarcity of qualified practitioners despite its effectiveness and accepted worldwide. In the USA for instance, there is approximately 10,000 acupuncture specialists.

“In Nigeria, the first attempt at introducing and encouraging this art of healing by the World Health Organisation(WHO)was in 1977 when it sponsored a Nigerian medical doctor, Dr. F.I. Fasheun while he was working at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) to Peoples Republic of China to study acupuncture.

Speaking on the way forward for acupuncture in the country, Nimzing said “We have tried one system for long and it is time to wake up and try other forms of medicine. The system we have been trying have certain serious disadvantages. And because life is expensive, we don’t have to overlook those disadvantages. We need to take drastic measures so as to save lives.

“The government must wake up to urgently reestablish the Collage of alternative and complementarymedicine that will train Nigerians who will solve most of the challenges we are current facing.

“These trained experts will also embark on research to produce various acupuncture medicines that will bring succor to many Nigerians.

“Your health is not in the hands of any doctor or health personnel, try other alternative and get healing.

Knowledge is not the preserve of any group of people. Always try to find out the best way to get healing. This system has been improved by WHO, lets get the best out of it and help many Nigerians who are in need”.

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Revenue Leakages: Rep directs NPDC to Pay DPR $1.5bn royalty debt in 3 Years

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives Adhoc Committee investigating over N1.6trillion revenue leakages has demanded that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), to pay accumulative $1.5 billion unpaid royalties on oil and gas activities of the company.

Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Rep Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (PDP, Cross River), disagreed with a payment plan of $10million monthly instalment, agreed between the company and the DPR, asking what happened to the money over the years leading to the accumulated outstanding?

Responding to the queries, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Upstream of the NNPC, Bello Rabiu told the panel that, though, the NNPC set up the company, the NPDC is hundred percent an independent entity, adding that the royalties being owed was not the making of the current management of both entities.

On his part, the managing director of NPDC, Yusuf Matashi said the royalty debts piled up due to the failure of the company’s strategic partner, Atlantic Energy to pay its liability.

He said Atlantic Energy, owned by Jide Omokore “is fond of presenting different companies which has made it difficult for NPDC to extract compliance on contract agreements, disclosing that the case is in court and would be subjudice for it to be treated in public.

The panel members who insisted NPDC look for the money by whatever means to pay DPR outrightly disagreed with his submission.

They expressed disappointment in the behaviour of NPDC as a government entity which starves government of needed funds in an economy that just experienced recession, and a budget deficit of over N2trillion that would be financed by borrowed funds.

They wondered why such money should be kept away when more than half of government’s earning will go into debt servicing due to excessive borrowing to finance to budget.

The panel informed the organisation’s that a technical committee would be set up to handle all areas of differences as a last resort toward addressing the problem.

The panel also engaged chief executive officers of international oil companies (IOCs) who took turn to give updates on their interface with the DPR with a view to reconciling differences on royalt payment.

Present at the hearing were CEOs of: Shell, Osagie Okunbor, that of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NOAC), Massimo Wsulla, Paul McUrath, MD of Exxon Mobil, Nicholas Terrag, MD of Total and Jeff Ewig, the MD of Chevron Nigeria.

Having pointed out areas needing further reconciliation, the committee chairman stated that the IOCs be part of the technical committee to meet in Lagos next week for final reconciliation.

80 million Nigerians lack access to electricity-World Bank

next in Kenya hosted 150; in Myanmar

people joined us; …today we are ...we expect mini-grids to bridge the gap-MD, REA 300 expecting 600 participants at this

By Etuka Sunday

T

he World Bank Group yesterday disclosed that 80 million Nigerians still lack access to electricity, even as it said, millions more suffer from poor service.

World Bank Country Director, Nigeria, Mr Rachid Benmessaoud gave the data at the 4th Mini Grid Action Learning Event: Upscaling Mini Grids for Low-Cost and Timely Access to Electricity” holding in Abuja.

Mr Benmessaoud who was represented by the Work Bank Global Lead, Energy Access, Mr Mac Cosgrove-Davies called for closer collaboration with stakeholders especially government to bridge the electricity gap in the country.

“We know what is at stake: Globally, more than 1 billion people still lack access to electricity; Sub Saharan Africa is home to about 600 million of these. In Nigeria, 80 million people are without access, and millions more suffer from poor service.

“This is not a job for any one of us alone. As mentioned, The Government of Nigeria is pushing hard toward universal electrification. The Nigerian government has asked the World Bank’s support for a National Electrification Project that focuses on off-grid opportunities including mini grids and the World Bank is delighted to respond to this request. We know that our development partners – many in this room - are also standing shoulder-to-shoulder with government

on this effort.

“For the World Bank’s part, the National Electrification Project fits well into a broader energy portfolio in Nigeria which aims to holistically support sector development. Together with all of you, we are seeking to help our Nigerian colleagues make the most of international expertise and experience as it fits the Nigerian setting.

“We must all contribute, each in our own way.

Success for this learning event, for all of us, will be measured in how far, how fast, and how high we can take this sector,” he said.

The global bank boss expressed joy that, “each meeting has doubled in size from its predecessor: the first one in Tanzania welcomed 75 participants; the

R-L: Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN and Representative of Nigeria Country Director, World Bank,Mr Mac Cosgrove-Davies, during the Opening of the Nigeria Mini Grid Roundtable at the 4th Mini Grid Action Learning Event, with the theme,” Upscaling Mini Grids for Low - Cost & Timely Access to Electricty” at the Sheraton Hotel, Ladi Kwali Hall, yesterday in Abuja.

event.”

Meanwhile, the Management Director/CEO, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mrs Damilola Ogunbiyi, said the Agency expects mini grids to fill a substantial portion of the 80million gap covering up to 8000 villages nationwide.

Mrs Ogunbiyi assured investors that the gap is an opportunity in the sector, saying that “Nigeria is the biggest and most attractive off-grid opportunity in Africa and one of the best locations in the world for minigrids and solar home system.”

Speaking on the authenticity of the data she said, “We have the world bank backing us, and Rock Institute, we have done independent study of the people to come up with substantive data on that.

Apart from being the largest economy in the sub-saharan Africa, our population of about 180 million again is a very attractive opportunity.

“From our study, we discovered that Nigerian businesses spend about $14 billion (5 trillion) annually on inefficient generation. We believe that off-grid alternatives, like mini-grid and solar home systems could bring in $9.2 billion a year business which saves Nigeria public and citizens $4.4 billion.

“Even though we have 80% of our population limited on low grid access, and we do have significant amount of the population using small scale generators which relates with something in the region of 10 Gigawatts to 12 Gigawatts, this can be translated to sustainable power supply,” she said.

The event was sponsored by the World Bank Group, Climate Investment Funds, Department for International Development, Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and Engery Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMPAP).

Dangote, only African among Bloomberg’s 50 world best

By Etuka Sunday

P

resident of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has emerged one of the selected best 50 persons in the world in 2017 to be honoured by Bloombergpp.

Bloomberg on Monday announced The Bloomberg 50, a new, annual, multi-platform initiative that honor 50 icons and innovators who have changed the global business landscape in measurable ways over the past year.

The first Bloomberg 50 honorees were selected by the Bloomberg Businessweek team after months of input from many of Bloomberg’s 2,700 journalists and analysts around the globe, leveraging the resources of the Bloomberg Terminal, and represent the most influential thought leaders in business, finance, technology and science, politics, and entertainment.

The executives, entrepreneurs, experts, and entertainers on the Bloomberg 50 all have a quantifiable metric underpinning their inclusion.

“What sets The Bloomberg 50 apart from other lists is that each person chosen has demonstrated measurable

change over the past year,” said Megan Murphy, editor of Bloomberg Businessweek.

“Readers will find many names they recognize, but will also discover new visionaries—people who are impacting the world in significant ways, and are rapidly gaining the attention they deserve.”

Other prominent honoree on the Bloomberg 50 include – Mohammed bin Salman, Crown prince, Saudi Arabia, a primary proponent of an initiative that would allow women to drive, a decision that is forecast to add $90 billion to the economy by 2030; Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla Inc. and Space Exploration Technologies with a market capitalization of over $50 billion.

Elon Musk nurses the ambition to establish human colony on planet Mars by 2022; Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon, the biggest global retailer, with a major interest in sending tourists into space in Blue Origin rockets; Masayoshi Son, Founder, Softbank Groups Corp., who engineered the largest ever technology investment fund, $93billion, to fund ride-hailing, artificial intelligence, connected devices, satellites, and the

integration of computers to humans; Diane Greene, CEO, Google Cloud and the brain behind integrating advances in artificial intelligence and quantum computing to market; Ken Frazier, CEO, Merck & Co., a leader in drug makers market with an innovative drug for advanced lung cancer treatment.

Dangote who only last week inaugurated his $300 million 1.5 mtpa capacity cement plant in Congo Brazzaville, has remained a top notch in various global ranking.

Dangote said: “I am very delighted with this selection and I see the recognition as a call to do more towards youth empowerment, job creation, better health for the people and economic emancipation of the African continent” As of February 2017, Dangote, according to Forbes Magazine had an estimated net worth of US$12.5 billion.

He is ranked by Forbes magazine as the 67th richest person in the world and the richest in Africa, and peaked on the list as the 23rd richest person in the world in 2014.

Bloomberg is a global information and technology company, that connect

decision makers to a dynamic network of data, people and ideas – “accurately delivering business and financial information, news and insights to customers around the world.”

Bloomberg in the preface written

by Paul Wallace synopsized Dangote’s person and business in the following words: “the quiet billionaire for his relatively frugal lifestyle, Dangote fasttracked plans to help his country of 180 million people import less of what it eats. Dangote, who made his fortune in the cement industry, is turning his attention to dairy and sugar farming; he’s earmarked $800 million to buy 50,000 cattle in the hope of producing 500 million liters of milk annually by 2019.

“He’s also racing to finish a 650,000-barrel-a-day oil refinery near Lagos, set to be one of the world’s biggest, and says he intends to spend as much as $50 billion in the next decade on renewable energy and petrochemical refineries, including investments in the U.S. and Europe. Which is all fine, but not quite his grand ambition: buying Arsenal, his favorite soccer team”

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Page 20

Business

Vessels participating in the 2017 annual sea inspection, known as ‘Exercise Eagle Eye 2’ flagged-off by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, at Fot Jetty, yesterday in Rivers. Photo: NAN

Forex: CBN lifts market with $210m

By Etuka. Sunday

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday opened the foreign exchange market with the injection of another $210,000,000 to sustain liquidity.

Disclosing this to news men today, the Acting Director,

Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor said the sum of $100million was offered to the wholesale segment, while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) segment got an allocation of $55 million.

The invisibles segment (i.e.

tuition fees, medical payments and Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), among others) was also allocated $55 million.

The Acting Director noted that the releases to successful bidders which have since been concluded are part of effort aimed at further enhancing ease of doing business

in Nigeria.

Hence, beside boosting liquidity in the forex market, facilitating trade and remittances for legitimate personal commitments are also expected to improve tremendously.

Speaking on market conduct, Mr Okorafor enjoined authorized dealers to abide by the extant rules

of the forex market as CBN would continue intensify monitoring of the market.

Meanwhile, the naira maintained its steady rate against the United States Dollar, exchanging for N361/$1 in the BDC segment of the market on Tuesday, December 5, 2017.

Delta Air Line celebrates 10 years of operations into Nigeria

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

U

nited States Delta Air Lines said it flown more than 1.

12 million in 6,300 flights between Nigeria and continental US over the period of it 10 years operations into Nigeria, with over 80,000 passengers flown in 2017 alone.

The Atlanta based carrier, the only US airline operating into Nigeria also restated the importance of the Nigeria route as a strategic one in the Africa market.

Delta launched it maiden service to the country on December 4, 2007 and remains the only airline from the US still operating into the Africa giant after United Airlines stopped flying into Nigeria in June 2016.

At the 10th year anniversary in Lagos the Delta Air Lines, Senior Vice President, Network Planning, Bob Cortelyou said, “It’s an honour to serve Lagos. For 10 years it has been an important route in our transatlantic network not only for the business community, but also for customers reuniting with

friends and families across the United States.”

“With this milestone comes a new flight to New York-JFK starting in March and our customers can be sure we remain as committed as ever to delivering the very best in terms of network, schedule and on-board experience in Nigeria, “he added.

Cortelyou disclosed that the airline would commence daily flight operations between Lagos and the United States, with four weekly services to Atlanta complemented by three new

weekly flights to New York-JFK on March 26, 2018.

Both routes, he stated would be operated using A330-200 series aircraft, recently introduced onto the Lagos-Atlanta route, adding that it would more seats and also offer an enhanced on-board experience.

Also, Delta Vice President on Sales, Shane Spyak , stated that in addition to having fully flat-bed seats in Delta One, Wi-Fi access, screens at every seat and freemobile messaging throughout the aircraft, Delta’s services between

Lagos and Atlanta are tailored to meet the preferences of local customers.

Speaking at the event, the Commercial Director, East and West Africa, Bobby Bryan,stated that Nigeria is a very important market and that it would continue to benefit from incentives that are coming from the airline.

He added Lagos forms part of Delta’s Africa network which also includes service to Accra, Ghana, Dakar Senegal and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers pays retirees N279bn From Lagos

Ngozi

Onyeakusi,

S

tanbic IBTC Pension Managers says it has paid over N279bn to retirees inception in 2006.

According to the firm, between

January and June this year, over 5,000 new retirees also received their benefits from the PFA, increasing the number of individual retirement savings accounts holders nationwide with the firm to over 1.5 million.

It added that a total of N16.6bn

was paid to retirees from January to June this year.

The firm said the figures were reeled out as it examined its 2017 half year performance with a view to retooling for higher performance in the years ahead.

Commenting on this, the

Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, Mr. Eric Fajemisin, stated that the company had more than N1.7tn in assets under management, an evidence of its proficiency at ensuring safety and return of value on investment to RSA the

holders through higher standards of service delivery.

It added that the performance demonstrated the potential of the pension industry to pool the requisite funding to support Nigeria’s economic development.

Pension Funds: PFAs invests N5.38bn in infrastructure From Ngozi Lagos

T

Onyeakusi,

he total pension funds invested by the Pension Fund Administrators in infrastructure have risen to

N5.38bn.

According to the National Pension Commission (PenCom) total assets under the management of the Contributory Pension Scheme rose to N7.09tn at the end of

August 2017.

In May 2015, the operators invested a sum of N568m in infrastructure for the first time and increased it to N1.35bn in December 2015.

They invested N1.82bn

in infrastructure bond in September 2016, and had gradually increased the pension funds invested in the portfolio.

The Chairman, Pension Fund Operators Association

of Nigeria, Mr. Eguarehide Longe, said the pension funds were active in different investment portfolios.

According to him, the bulk of the funds have been invested in government bonds

Page 21

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Commuters groan as fuel queues resurface Stories by Stanley Onyekwere

C

ommuters in the FCT are groaning over the seemingly return of dreaded fuel queues, following the sudden disappearance of the product from some major petrol outlets within the nation’s capital city.

A situation which some commuters said portends serious danger to their wellbeing, given the usual nightmarish tales that accompanies it.

Checks revealed that since Monday evening, a handful of filling stations in the Territory, started ran out of stock, while some simply refused to sell Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, to motorists, thereby resulting in long queues.

The development, is coming after barely two years of relief from horror of reoccurring fuel scarcity in the country, especially during festive seasons.

Notorious places experiencing the long queues include MRS petrol in AYA, Conoil opposite NNPC Towers in Central Area and

Area 10 respectively.

Also, at Total filling station near Police Force Headquarters in Area 11, many motorists queued for hours, and disrupted vehicular and human movement in the area.

And black markets that disappeared on the streets of Abuja, have again resurfaced, as young boys are seen carrying jerry cans of PMS for patronage by motorists.

As usual, transport fare has already increased by about 100%, from Mararaba to AYA, in Abuja that was N100 now N200, from Mararaba to Wuse that was N100 before now N200.

A commuter, Ibe Uchedu, who was seen waiting to board a bus from Nyanya to Berger, lamented that the huge man-hours wasted fuel scarcity period.

He expressed dismay over what he described as the greedy nature of transporters to hike fare at the slightest difficulty in getting petrol.

Another commuter, Lilian Adeboye, said the situation if not reversed would subject

the people to more hardship, given the harsh economic realities in the land.

She therefore called on the government to quickly intervene, by unraveling and addressing the cause of the return of queues, especially before the peak of the Yuletide season.

Similarly, a driver, Umar Ali, who described the situation as unfortunate, urged the government to halt it before it escalates into a full blown crisis.

‘Some filling stations have already stopped selling to motorists in the bid to hoard the commodity.

“The few stations that are selling have a long queues of motorists, waiting to buy the product, this is not good, as great man-hours are being wasted,” he stressed.

It would be recalled that the pockets of fuel queues that started in Lagos on Monday Morning, emerged few days after the Independent Petroleum Markers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of

under-supplying its members with petrol.

The association alleged that the NNPC was not only under-supplying its members with the PMS, but was also frustrating them by reneging on the bulk purchase agreement it signed with its members to supply the product to them at N133.28k per litre.

Meanwhile, the NNPC maintained that there was no plan to increase the prices of petroleum products both at the ex-depot level and the pumps ahead of the forthcoming Yuletide.

They insisted that the ex-depot price of N133.38 per litre and the pump price of N143/N145 per litre of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, had not changed, adding that it had enough stock to ensure seamless supply and distribution of products across the country.

The corporation urged motorists and other users of petroleum products to disregard rumours of an impending fuel price hike on some online news platforms.

FCTA Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa (5th from left), FCT Commissioner of Police, Malam Sadiq Bello (4th left), Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) FCT Chapter, Reverend (Dr) Jonah Samson (right), Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Adamu Abdullahi Candido (3rd right), Executive Secretary, FCDA, Engr.

Umar Jibril (5th right), and other officials, in a group photograph, during the emergency security review session of the FCT Security Committee in Abuja…Tuesday.

Yuletide: Be security conscious -FCTA charges residents, religious leaders

A

s activities for the Yuletide season pick up, residents and religious leaders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are advised to be conscious of their environment and promptly report suspicious movements within their neighbourhoods to law enforcement agents.

In particular, leaders of churches and mosques are implored to galvanize their faithful for increased security alert, as it has become imperative especially during the festive seasons.

This caution was handed down by the FCT Security Committee at the end of its emergency security review session yesterday, in the wake of recent heightened terror alarms.

A statement by FCTA’s Chief Press Secretary, Cosmas Uzodinma, explained that the security emergency was convened, by the FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello against the backdrop of travel

terror alerts issued by some foreign diplomatic institutions to their citizens about Abuja.

According to the statement, the Minister however assured residents that the police and other security agencies have been placed on heightened alert, to combat crime and ensure effective surveillance in the Territory.

He also reiterated that the ban on the use of fireworks in the Territory is still in force and cautioned against the use of fireworks this season.

Represented at the meeting by the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Chinyeaka Ohaa, said the police and other security outfits have stepped up patrol of reported flashpoints of crime as well as enhanced surveillance on supermarkets, malls and gardens among others.

He called on community and religious leaders as well as the public to be very watchful over the traffic and use of illicit

drugs around them and to report such to the security agencies.

Similarly, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Malam Sadiq Bello reinforced the assurances given by the FCT Minister, as the Police was working with other security agencies to ensure visibility policing, intelligence gathering and sharing as well as joint patrols.

“The Security Committee also commended the Ministerial Task-force on Illegal Motor-parks and Other Forms of Nuisance Around the City for controlling the development of shanties around the city and for the proper designation of motor parks.

“According to them, this has enhanced security surveillance and control within the city in particular and the Territory at large.

“The Committee also expressed resolve to check the activities of unpainted taxis and their implication in kidnap crimes around the city.

“The Nigerian Army at the occasion released a quick response number of 193 to the public as well as the Road Safety Corps which released the number 122 for traffic control calls.

“The Nigerian Army disclosed that the number 193 (available on all the networks) could be used to alert the Army call centre and give locations on crime, insurgency, fire, drug or even of any soldier molesting a civilian.

“The Committee, it was revealed has also commenced security audit of the hotels, especially those patronized in the FCT to ascertain their security preparedness.

“This, is with a view to assist them on security preparedness and awareness to assure tourists and investors that our hotels are safe,” the statement said.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Page 22

world news

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Jerusalem: Turkey warns Trump against crossing ‘red line’

No country has recognised Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem Turkey’s president has warned it could sever ties with Israel if the US recognises Jerusalem as its capital.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said such a move would cross a “red line” for Muslims.

Donald Trump called Middle Eastern leaders on Tuesday amid growing warnings against taking the step.

Reports say the president will dramatically shift the US position on the status of Jerusalem this week. Its fate is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israel has always regarded it as its capital city, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusa-

lem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

If Washington recognises Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, it would be the first country to do so since the foundation of the state in 1948.

What did Turkey say?

In a televised speech, Mr Erdogan addressed the US president directly, saying “Mr Trump!

Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims.

“We could go as far as cutting diplomatic ties with Israel over the issue,” he added.

Turkey and Israel restored diplomatic relations last year, six years after Turkey severed ties in protest at the killing of nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists in clashes with Israeli com-

mandos on board a ship trying to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

Israeli minister Naftali Bennett rebuffed the Turkish president, saying: “Unfortunately, Erdogan does not miss an opportunity to attack Israel.

“There will always be those who criticise, but at the end of the day it is better to have a united Jerusalem than Erdogan’s sympathy.”

Mr Trump has been having conversations with Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian leaders a day before his anticipated announcement.

A Palestinian spokesman said President Mahmoud Abbas had told Mr Trump that moving the US embassy to Jerusalem would have dangerous consequences. He said Mr Abbas gave the warning after Mr Trump informed him of his intention to move the embassy.

What is so contentious about Jerusalem’s status?

The status of Jerusalem goes to the heart of Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians, who are backed by the rest of the Arab and wider Islamic world.

The city is home to key religious sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially in East Jerusalem.

Israel occupied the sector, previously occupied by Jordan, in the 1967 Middle East war and regards the entire city as its indivisible capital.

The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and according to 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.

Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognised internationally, and all countries, including Israel’s closest ally the US, maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.

Since 1967, Israel has built a dozen settlements, home to about 200,000 Jews, in East Jerusalem. These are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

If the US recognises Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, it will put it out-of-step with the rest of the international community and reinforce Israel’s position that settlements in the east are valid Israeli communities.

What has been the international reaction?

French President Emmanuel Macron told Donald Trump he is “concerned” the US leader could unilaterally recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, saying any decision on its status must be “within the framework of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians”.

The European Union, part of the so-called Middle East Quartet of mediators which includes the US, the UN and Russia, warned of “serious repercussions on public opinion in large parts of the world”.

Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit warned it would be “a dangerous measure that would have repercussions”.

Saudi Arabia said such a move before a final settlement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would “have a detrimental impact on the peace process”.

Jordan, custodian of Islamic sites in Jerusalem, has warned of “grave consequences”.

Trump-Russia probe: Mueller ‘demands Deutsche Bank data’

U

S special counsel Robert Mueller has ordered Germany’s Deutsche Bank to provide records of accounts held by Donald Trump, according to reports.

The revelation is being seen as an indication the former FBI chief’s investigation is directly focusing on the US president.

Mr Mueller is investigating alleged collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia.

Deutsche Bank has previously rejected similar requests from Democrats.

Mr Mueller issued a subpoena to Germany’s largest bank several weeks ago demanding data on transactions linked to the US president, Reuters news agency and a German newspaper say.

US investigators are said to be demanding information on dealings linked to Mr Trump as part of an investigation into alleged Russian influence in the US presidential election, according to Handelsblatt and Reuters.

Deutsche Bank, which is one of the Trump Organisation’s major lenders on its real estate projects, said it would not comment on any of its individual clients.

However in a statement to NBC News, it said: “[Our bank] takes its legal obligations seriously and remains committed to co-operating with authorised investigations into this matter.”

In June, the German bank rejected requests for account records by Democrats in the US House of Representatives to provide details of the president’s finances, citing privacy laws.

Mueller paves way for possible showdown Until now, Robert Mueller has appeared to be operating on the periphery of President Trump - focusing on former campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s previous foreign lobbying efforts, the Russian contacts of George Papadopoulos, a relatively minor foreign policy advisor, and the post-election actions of Mr Trump’s confidant Michael Flynn.

While the charges are serious, the president himself has been removed from the most heated prosecutorial action.

That all changes if the Deutsche Bank reports are true. The German institution, which also has ties to Russian oligarchs, was a lifeline for the Trump Organisation’s businesses in the early 2000s, when US lenders turned their backs on the thenstruggling business tycoon.

How closely did Mr Trump and his associates follow the letter of the law at a time before he was a serious political candidate?

The president’s defenders will argue that his past business dealings are not relevant to the special counsel inquiry, tasked with probing possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election.

A high-stakes showdown over whether Mr Mueller is exceeding his mandate could be brewing.

What power does Mueller have?

As special counsel Mr Mueller, who headed the FBI for more than a decade, has the powers to subpoena records and bring criminal charges.

He can also prosecute anyone who

Mueller is investigating alleged links between the Trump campaign and the 2016 election interferes in his investigation through crimes including perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence and intimidation of witnesses.

Mr Mueller’s office has so far spent about $3.2m (£2.4m) on attorneys, special agents and other expenses as part of its investigation, the US Department of Justice revealed in a report on Tuesday.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow tried to sway the presidential election in favour of Mr Trump.

It is alleged that Russian hackers stole information linked to the campaign of his rival Hillary Clinton and passed it to Wikileaks so it could

be released to undermine her.

Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia, calling the allegations a “witch hunt”.

Who has been charged?

Four people have so far been charged by Mr Mueller over alleged links between Moscow and the Trump team.

• October 2017: Mr Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his business associate Rick Gates are charged with 12 counts of money laundering, undisclosed foreign lobbying, and lying to government investigators over alleged links to pro-Russian groups in Ukraine (both deny the charges)

• October 2017: George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators about his contacts with Russian nationals and connected individuals while he was serving as a foreign policy advisor with the Trump campaign • December 2017: Michael Flynn, the Former general who later became the shortest-serving member of Mr Trump’s cabinet, resigns after pleading guilty to making “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to the FBI about his contact with a Russian official Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Page 23

N e w s F r o m A f r i c a Migrant crisis: ‘I was sold three times by slave traders’

H

arun Ahmed is one of thousands of young Ethiopians who have attempted the journey across the Sahara to Libya - and from there to Europe.

He eventually made it to Germany, but only after surviving months of torture and starvation at the hands of three separate slave traders who bought and sold migrants as if they were cattle.

Here, he tells Bekele Atoma from the BBC’s Afaan Oromo service his remarkable story.

Harun, 27, was born in Agarfa, in the province of Bale, some 240 miles (390km) south-east of the capital Addis Adaba.

Bale has some of the highest rates of emigration in Ethiopia and, in 2013, he joined the exodus, pushed by a lack of jobs at home.

First, he travelled to Sudan, before deciding to set out on the next part of his journey to Europe.

“After living a year and a few months in Sudan, I started a journey to Libya with other migrants - paying $600 each to smugglers,” he explained.

“We were 98 on a lorry. People had to sit on top of each oth-

er and the heat was unbearable.

“We had encountered a lot of problems on our way. There are these armed people in the desert who stop you all of a sudden and steal everything you have.”

His real troubles began at the border. After six days travelling through the Sahara Desert, the group reached the border of Egypt, Libya and Chad.

It was here the smugglers met to exchange migrants, Harun said. But something went wrong.

“At the border place, a group of gangsters kidnapped us all and took us to Chad,” he said.

“They drove us for two days through the Sahara and led us into their camp.”

Once there, the heavily armed group - who spoke Arabic and a number of other languages - explained what they wanted.

“They brought a car and said those of us who can pay $4,000 each can get into the car and those who can’t have to remain there.

“We didn’t have that money but we talked to each other and decided to pretend we had and to get into the car anyway.”

Harun and his friends were

Harun Ahmed Image caption Harun Ahmed dreamed of a better life

driven for another three days, before arriving at another place where they sell migrants - including Harun.

“Those who took us over told us that they had bought us for $4,000 each - and that unless we paid that money back we wouldn’t be going anywhere,” he said.

Their fate if they did not come up with the money was hauntingly clear.

Smugglers take people vast distances across the Sahara - for the right price

Unlucky groups will find themselves in the hands of slave traders

“There were migrants, mostly of Somali and Eritrean origin, who had been there for more than five months. They had suffered a lot and they didn’t look like human beings.

Media captionHow I smuggle people from Nigeria to Europe “We suffered a lot too. They forced us to drink hot water mixed with petroleum to make us pay them quickly. They gave us a tiny amount of food, and only once a day. They tortured us every night.”

‘Too bony to buy’ Harun was unable to get the money to pay his new captors, and he remained trapped in the camp with another 31 Ethiopians for 80 days.

Eventually, the traders became fed up. “’You are not going to pay us, so we will sell you,’ the traders told us,” Harun recalled.

“We had no food for more than two months and we were very bony. As a result the man who they brought to sell us to refused to buy us, saying: ‘They don’t even have a kidney’.”

Finally, the traders found a buyer, a man from the Libyan city of Saba, who paid $3,000 each.

“We get into his car convinced we couldn’t see anything worse than we’d already seen. But in Saba, after four days of travel, we faced a suffering that was inhuman.

“They tortured us, putting plastic bags on our faces, tying our hands behind our backs, and throwing us upside down into a barrel full of water. They beat us with steel wires.”

Harun and his friends endured this torture for a month before finally managing to reach their relatives and beg them to send the money.

“They let us go but before we had got very far, some other people ambushed us and took us to their warehouse. They

told us that unless we pay $1,000 each they wouldn’t let us go.

“The torture and beating continued. We called our families back home and asked them to send us money again.

They sold their cattle, land and whatever possessions they had and sent us the money.”

Refugee status Finally, Harun made it 480 miles north to the capital Tripoli, a major hub for those wanting to risk the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean.

“The situation there was a bit better,” Harun said. “We worked for a few months, whatever jobs we could get, and then crossed the Mediterranean to Europe.”

But even that is not safe.

“Unless you are lucky, the police will catch you and take you to prison. And they will sell you to smugglers - sometimes for as little as $500.”

Harun was one of the lucky ones: he reached Italy, before crossing into Germany - where his refugee request was accepted.

“Life is good now,” he says, but what he endured to reach Europe - and those he lost along the way - will forever remain etched on his memory.

“We buried one of our friends at the border between Egypt and Libya. Two more of them left us in the city of Saba; I don’t whether they are alive or not. Another girl fell into the Mediterranean but some others managed to reach Europe.”

But would he make the journey again, knowing what he knows now? “No,” he says.

“Frankly speaking, I lacked nothing but knowledge when I left my country. I could have gone to school or worked there.

“I saw people leaving and this, in addition the political situation, persuaded me to flee.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Rohingya crisis: UN rights chief ‘cannot rule out genocide’

Nosuba Khatun and other Rohingyas who have escaped to Bangladesh bear bullet wounds he United Nations human rights chief has militants. said an act of genocide against Rohingya Mr Zeid said no Rohingya should be sent back Muslims by state forces in Myanmar cannot unless there was sustained human rights monitorbe ruled out. ing on the ground.

Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein was addressing a HuHe listed alleged abuses against the Rohingya, man Rights Council session in Geneva. including “killing by random firing of bullets, use of More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled to grenades, shooting at close range, stabbings, beatBangladesh to escape violence since August. My- ings to death and the burning of houses with famianmar’s army says it has been targeting Rohingya lies inside”.

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The rights chief then asked: “Considering Rohingyas’ self-identify as a distinct ethnic group with their own language and culture - and [that they] are also deemed by the perpetrators themselves as belonging to a different ethnic, national, racial or religious group - given all of this, can anyone rule out that elements of genocide may be present?”

Myanmar’s ambassador to the rights council, Htin Lynn, denied atrocities had taken place and said his government and Bangladesh were working to ensure the return of displaced people.

“There will be no camps,” he told the emergency session.

He added that UN agencies would be involved but stopped short of guaranteeing the immediate, unimpeded access to Myanmar for UN investigators that the UN has demanded.

Until now, UN officials, including Mr Zeid, have described the violence in northern Rakhine state as “textbook ethnic cleansing”.

The use of the term genocide increases international pressure on Myanmar (also called Burma) and reflects deep concern at what the UN describes as decades of discrimination and violence against the Rohingya.

“Ultimately, this is a legal determination only a competent court can make,” Mr Zeid told the council session in Geneva.

“But the concerns are extremely serious, and clearly call for access to be immediately granted for further verification.”

He urged the council to request that the UN General Assembly set up a mechanism “to assist individual criminal investigations of those responsible”.

Genocide - an attempt to wipe a group of people out of existence in whole or in part - is a legally specific term understood by most to be the gravest crime against humanity.

The UN first defined it in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948. Ethnic cleansing is not recognised as an independent crime under international law.

The Rohingya are a stateless minority who have long experienced persecution in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s government rejects the term Rohingya, labelling the community “Bengalis”. It says they migrated illegally from Bangladesh so should not be listed as one of the country’s ethnic groups.

Bangladesh also denies they are its citizens. After the latest wave of arrivals it now hosts about a million Rohingya.

Rohingya inside and outside Myanmar Last month, Bangladesh signed a deal with Myanmar to return hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who fled the army crackdown, which began after deadly Rohingya attacks on police posts in Rakhine.

A statement from the Bangladesh foreign ministry said displaced people could begin to return within two months. Few other details were released.

Australia unveils laws Korea exhibits delicacies, cultural dances on National day to prevent foreign interference

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he Australian government has proposed a wideranging crackdown on foreign interference in political activity.

PM Malcolm Turnbull said rules policing espionage, counter-intelligence and political donations would undergo the most significant overhaul in decades.

Proposed new laws, which need parliamentary approval, would target “covert, coercive” activities, he said.

He noted recent “disturbing reports” of Chinese influence, but stressed the laws would not target any one country.

The prime minister cited allegations of Russian meddling in the US election as one justification for reform.

“We should not be naive about this,” Mr Turnbull said in Canberra on Tuesday.

“Foreign powers are making unprecedented and increasingly sophisticated attempts to influence the political process, both here and abroad.”

Criminal penalties The proposed laws would include: • New offences that target foreign interference in domestic politics and economic espionage, or theft of trade secrets • A ban on foreign donations in Australian political campaigns • Broadening espionage laws to target those who possess or receive sensitive information, rather than simply those who

pass it on • A US-style public register where foreign lobbyists must declare who they are working for.

“Being registered should not be seen as any kind of taint, and certainly not as a crime,” Mr Turnbull said.

“If you fail to disclose your ties, then you will be liable for a criminal offence.”

The foreign interference offences would target covert, deceptive or threatening actions by foreign actors, the government said. These are actions that fall short of espionage but are intended to interfere with democratic processes or provide intelligence to overseas governments.

The proposed laws will be introduced to parliament through separate bills this week.

Increased debate The possibility of foreign influence has been widely discussed in Australia in recent months.

In October, high-ranking intelligence and government officials warned universities to be vigilant about the stifling of debate on campuses - remarks widely interpreted to concern alleged Chinese interference.

The debate has also crossed into politics, after a senator was criticised over his dealings with a wealthy Chinese businessman.

Mueller is investigating alleged links between the Trump campaign and the 2016 election

By Ikechukwu Okafoardi

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he Republic of Korea at the weekend trilled hundreds of guests comprising diplomats, Nigerian politicians and leading business people to an elaborate exhibition of the local delicacies, cultural dances and drums in Abuja, as part of activities to mark the country’s National Day. The event which held in Abuja, attracted cultural enthusiast, during which the Popular Brass Drum team who came from Korea entertained the guess with flute songs and drum beats to celebrate the 4350th Korea National Day celebration and Korean Cultural Festival.

The event which lasted for about three hours, started with the national anthem of both Nigeria and Korea, which symbolizes the long affinity between the two countries in the areas of culture, technology and humanitarian aids.

Addressing guests at the event, the Charge’d’ Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Yongmin Song, appealed to Nigerian government for support in restoring peace, security and a stable economy to the Korean Peninsula.

Yong-min Song made the request on Wednesday during the celebration of the 4350th Korea National Day celebration and Korean Cultural Festival in Abuja, during which he noted that Korea has enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Nigerian Government in the last 37 years.

He said Korea was committed to deepening its ties with the country both at the national and state levels, with the aim of achieving better results beneficial to both countries.

“As we witness another round of great threat to international peace and security at the peninsula, we call on our friend Nigeria along with international communities to make

her best effort towards the peace and prosperity of the peninsula.

“This year marks the 37th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Korea; during these periods the two countries have built a cordial and friendly relations.

“I anticipate some opportunities that could further strengthen the relationship in the weeks and months to come. We will also continue to make utmost efforts to strengthen the mutual beneficial relationship with Nigeria including the cooperative partnership with state governments,” he said.

Appreciating the rich, colourful and diverse culture of Nigeria, Song noted that the Koran Cultural Centre Nigeria, KCCN, the only one in Africa, was committed to sharing a bit of Korea’s culture to the Nigerian people.

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Photo News

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Ambassador Shehu Malami, OFR, CON, Sarkin Sudan of Wurno Celebrates his 80th birthday with the launch of a book titled ‘ShehuMalami: A Prince of the Caliphate’on Tuesday 5th December 2017, in Abuja. Our Photographer Mahmud Isa captured the event.

L-R: Chaiman, Jaiz Bank Plc, Alhaji Umar Mutallab, Wakilin Adamawa, Ambassador Hassan Adamu, Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mamman Nasir and Justice Alfa Belgore.

Celebrant, Ambassador Shehu Malami with Oba Otudeko, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.

L-R: Hon. Halima Tukur, Hajiya Hadiza Aliyu, Wife of Celebrant, HajiyaAsma’uShehu Fodio, Hajiya Inna Koguna and Hajiya Hassana Ibrahim.

L-R: Executive Chairman, Safari Book Ltd. Chief Joop Berkhout with AlhajiTankoYakassai.

L-R: Wakilin Sokoto, Alhaji Bello Maccido, Magajin Garin Sokoto, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba, Sarkin Fulanin Gombe, Alhaji Umar Kwairanga and Danmassanin Kabi, Ambassador UsmanBaraya.

Former Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), AlhajiYayale Ahmad with Director General/CEO, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Engr.

Earnest Mupwaya.

L-R: former Head of State, Gen. AbdulsalamiAbubakar, Minister of Transport, Mr.RotimiAmeachi and Celebrant, Ambassador Shehu Malami.

8L-R: Former Governor of Jigawa State, Senator SaminuTuraki with Former Governor of Kano, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.

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Feature

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, NOVEMber 8, 2017

The battle against deadly fake goods goes hi-tech H er parents worry about the risks facing 11-month-old Yiyi when she has baby formula “I have strong concerns over infant formula,” admits Zeng, mother of 11-month-old Yiyi.

She is worried about the health risks her daughter faces from fake baby milk. Her concerns illustrate the human aspect of a lucrative global scandal which has seen millions of dollars-worth of different dodgy products hit the market.

And while fake jeans may only prove to be a fashion disaster, counterfeit medicines can prove extremely harmful.

But technology is coming to the rescue; specifically blockchain. It’s being used to verify the authenticity of baby formula, medicines and even to help reduce the harmful trade in blood diamonds. It’s also being used to help keep our fish supply fresh.

Zeng and her husband Shi live in Jiaxing, a city of 1.2 million not far from Shanghai. Like other new parents, they worry about using formula baby milk after a number of high-profile contamination incidents in the last decade.

Melamine is sometimes added to fool government protein tests. But it also causes kidney stones and renal failure. Some 300,000 babies fell ill in 2008 from melamine-tainted formula, with occasional scares since.

“I cannot fully trust the baby store, supermarkets, or the internet. I know cash sometimes drives people to do evil,” says Zeng, who asked for her full name to be withheld because of the sensitive subject.

But she discovered that blockchain could be used to verify the safety of formula - by using her phone to link a chip containing proof of the formula’s authenticity.

A small wire in the formula label wraps around the container, explains Alexander Busarov, chief executive of blockchain startup WaLiMai. “You cannot open the can of baby food without breaking the label,” he says.

The wire acts as an antenna for a signal from an RFID chip, which a smartphone can read. The chip, like some bank cards, generates a new code each time it is scanned. Authenticating takes about two seconds, says Mr Busarov, then you get the result, the logistics details, a picture of the product and where it was labelled.

The label slightly increases the cost of the product but it is a cost consumers are willing to bear, says Mr Busarov. “With jeans you don’t really care if they’re fake. But under no circumstances would you want you or your baby to consume fake food or baby formula.”

Blockchain offers a powerful way to verify pharmaceuticals, says Suzanne Somerville, from a project called MediLedger, a joint venture between San Francisco start-ups, TheLinkLab, and Chronicled.

It uses a blockchain to track the movements of pharmaceuticals and “help deliver truth in these transactions in decentralised way - parties who don’t necessarily want to work together can agree on the authenticity of these events,” says Ms Somerville.

So far, three of the 10 largest US pharmaceutical companies have signed up. Two wholesalers responsible for more than 50% of prescription drug movements in America have, too.

But what if some of this data is proprietary, and a company doesn’t want it all shared? In August, MediLedger’s team discovered a way to verify a drug’s provenance history, without revealing logistics and price information to competitors, says Ryan Orr, chief executive of Chronicled.

“Traditional, centralised databases are like castles with moats,” says Mr Orr, “a hacker will always find a clever way to sneak inside.”

With blockchain, he says, so long as a majority of players and actors are trustworthy, they can keep malicious ones from tampering with the system.

Blockchain is also being used to combat armed groups in the Central African Republic which are making $3m-$6m a year from conflict diamonds, according to the Washington DCbased Enough Project.

In 2003, the United Nations set up the Kimberley Process to establish standards, in force in 81 countries, to ensure traded diamonds aren’t “blood diamonds” mined to finance armed groups. But it involves governing the $80bn a year world diamond market with a paper-based certification system.

And fake paperwork can be obtained for a bribe.

Leanne Kemp, an Australian who in 2015 founded a company called Everledger, has now encrypted the distinguishing features of 1.8 million diamonds and their provenance on a blockchain.

More than 40 features are logged to create a fingerprint for each diamond, logging it from mine to ring.

“I see it as a technical rewiring of trust - a gentleman’s handshake and a promise about a diamond’s authenticity or coming money is no longer enough,” says Leanne Kemp.

More Technology of Business

In Dublin, blockchain is being used to battle a tide of fake and less-than-fresh fish.

A quarter of the cod and haddock for sale in the Irish city’s supermarkets, takeaways and fishmongers are a completely different species than advertised, researchers found. Another problem is tracing fish that has gone off, and warning vendors they may have received bad fish.

“All food comes out of the ocean healthy - it’s what you do with it when you take it out of the

water that causes problems,” says Ron Calonica, a seafood industry veteran who co-founded Earth Twine, which traces seafood movements using RFID chips and creates a blockchain.

A major retailer’s recall can cost $10m, and take six days to trace, says Mr Calonica, but using a blockchain you can pinpoint where all of a particular shipment ended up.

So not only can blockchains give us better fish, but they can make other supply chains less fishy, too.

Zeng uses her phone to check the authenticity of formula she buys for her daughter

“

Blockchain is also being used to combat armed groups in the Central African Republic which are making $3m-$6m a year from conflict diamonds, according to the Washington DCbased Enough Project.

In 2003, the United Nations set up the Kimberley Process to establish standards, in force in 81 countries, to ensure traded diamonds aren’t “blood diamonds” mined to finance armed groups. But it involves governing the $80bn a year world diamond market with a paper-based certification system.

Fake medicine can prove extremely harmful

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DECember 6, 2017

P

r o p e r t y

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

An overview of the building and construction sector in Nigeria The Building and Construction sector is very crucial in any nation’s social and economic development. There are many factors responsible for this. This article gives an overview of the building and construction sector in Nigeria.

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part from the Building and Construction sector’s potential with respect to employment generation, the various activities undertaken in the sector are very germane to fostering effective sectorial linkages and enhancing, as well as sustaining economic development.

For instance, efforts at ensuring sound and sustainable national and economic development cannot ignore the importance of infrastructural development (transportation-road, rail, air, sea modes), industrial development (construction of industrial parks and factories), construction of institutional buildings, and provision of accommodation with respect to construction of various types of buildings, among others. These are areas where the building and construction sector is indispensable.

The Building and Construction sector has been relevant in the development of the Nigerian economy. Housing is a major component of the building and construction sector.

As noted by Kissick et al (2006), “housing is a key input in economic, social, and civic development. Many housing-related activities contribute directly to achieving broader socio-economic development goals; it is a major driver of economic growth; worldwide and especially in lowincome countries, housing construction creates job opportunities”.

Housing matters to economic development as it enhances economic performance. Similarly, in Nigeria, the construction sector has provided employment for different categories of employees, especially in major Nigerian cities where construction activities have been immense.

These include the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, the various State capital cities like Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, among others. The sector is also pivotal in sectoral linkage as its activities have multiplier effects on the growth of other sectors, especially the building materials industry, real estate transactions, among others.

Efforts at transforming the power, transport, housing and industrial sectors are not likely to bear the desired fruits without the active participation of the actors in the building and construction sector as well as the effective and efficient

building and construction industry in Nigeria and cohesive communities that themselves performance of the sector.

There are challenges associated with have recognised ‘function’ and identity the performance of the building and (not shanties, squatter settlements and construction sector. These have always slums) can inspire confidence in an area adversely affected the sector’s contribution as well as provide a secure base that offers real opportunity enabling people to lead to economic development.

In view of the importance of the sector fulfilling lives. Such a community is likely and the role it is expected to play towards to deliver economically active residents.

Housing and Labour Markets achieving the country’s vision, there is This has to do with the need for certain need to address those challenges and put the sector in a good stead for effective and skills to be available in steady and reliable supply to meet the needs of local businesses. efficient performance in the years ahead.

Housing is a major component of the Where housing is not affordable, there is building and construction sector. In problem getting low paid workers which this regard the relationship between the can restrict economic growth.

Low paid workers live elsewhere and housing sector and the economy is used to illustrate the importance of the building they have to be transported at high cost which may increase cost of doing business. and construction sector to the economy.

Housing within Areas of ‘Growth’ and There are various conceptualisations about the relationship between the housing Regeneration In areas designated for growth and sector and economy. The linkage is regeneration, increased supply of housing highlighted below; Housing as a residence and a basis for is pivotal in leading development, to support the economic growth taking place place shaping and to ensure greater sustainability of Housing and labour markets Housing within areas of ‘growth’ and development of the overall area.

Housing and the Construction and regeneration Housing and the construction and design Design Sector The construction industry has sectors Housing as a service provider within contributed significantly to national and local economies. Housing development and local economies Housing as a medium for capital refurbishment programmes provide a major contribution to economic activity, creating investment.

Housing as a Residence and Basis for a range of employment opportunities. For example construction workers, project Place Shaping It is opined that decent homes in safe and site managers, designers, architects,

surveyors, engineers, etc Housing as a Service Provider within Local Economies As a business, the housing sector contributes to local, sub-regional and regional economies. There are several services and activities associated with housing. There are real and estate business, housing and neighbourhood management services, parks and gardening services, among others. Many people are engaged in these services to earn a living.

Housing as a Medium for Capital Investment Housing provides an attractive form of capital investment. Such investments drive the development of particular forms of housing that seems to be attractive and successful in increasing quickly in value which at times could lead to ‘buy and leave empty’ phenomenon as is experienced in Abuja, where the increase in capital value alone makes the investment worthwhile.

For every $1 million of construction output, tens of thousands of dollars are spent on primary materials, transport, and property services Pepple, the former Nigerian Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, also notes that housing is universally acceptable as the second most important human need, after food and that under the Nigeria’s Transformation Agenda and Vision 2020, the provision of accessible and affordable housing is one of the strategic national imperatives for guaranteeing the well-being and productivity of the citizenry.

The Former Minister also acknowledged the job creation potential of the housing sector. According to her, the construction of housing unit requires the services of Architects, Engineers, Draughtsmen, Bricklayers, Tillers, Carpenters, Moulders, Plumbers, Electricians, Iron Benders, Painters and various vendors.

She also opines that the funding of sustainable housing delivery promotes investments in the production of building materials and boosts linkage businesses, all of which generate employment in the economy Nigeria has always made efforts at improving its economic status but there should be more emphasis on the building and construction sector.

Source : nigeriarealestatehub

Sales and prices see strong growth in Spain with years of further rises predicted Residential property sales in Spain have recorded a robust rise of 8.6% in the 12 months to September with prices up 2.4% over the same period, according to the latest figures to be published.

By property type, apartment sales went up by 7.7% and prices by 8.9% but new build sales fell by 1.9% while detached home sales saw an annual increase of 12%, the data from the Association of Spanish Notaries shows.

The average square metre price of properties bought in September was €1,331, some 2.4% higher than the same month last year. The price of detached homes increased by 1.4% and apartments by 3.8%.

It comes at a time when mortgage lending is also rising. The data shows that in September the average loan was €163,330, some 4.6% higher than 12 months earlier while lending to buy a home went up by 8.2% while those for other properties rose by 1.4%.

The six most watched house price indices in Spain are all indicating that the market has recovered. The Fomento index based on valuations was up 2.7% in the third quarter of the year, the Association of Spanish Registrars up 6.82%, Notaires up 2.4% in September, Idealist up 5.6% in November and Tinsa up 4.3% in September.

‘The national indices don’t tell

us anything about the direction of prices in local markets, but they do at least give us an idea of where we are in the property market cycle,’ said Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight.

‘Whereas a few years ago they were all in negative territory, they are all now in positive territory and pointing up, showing that the years of price adjustment are behind us,’ he pointed out.

‘Indeed, the price data published in November was the most positive in more than a decade. If the current cycle performs like the past, we can expect several years of rising Spanish property prices ahead of us,’ he added.

Other recent figures reveal that

some parts of Spain are seeing robust growth. For example, for a second month in a row, average property prices in Palma de Mallorca were higher than those before the economic crisis.

In October asking prices reached €2,578 per square metre, some 3.4% higher than at the end of 2010, according to the latest report from property portal Idealista. But in some locations prices are still down considerably from their peaks before the economic downturn.

Even in places like Barcelona prices are 8.4% below their peak, in Madrid they are down 20.4%, San Sebastián down 21.5% and Malaga down 25.6% while in provincial capitals such as Lleida,

Zaragoza and Castellón prices are still over 50% down.

There are also more new homes being built in Spain, expected to reach 75,000 this year, some 15% more than in 2016, according to an industry sector report by consultants DBK Informa.

The report suggests that the upward trend in the Spanish property market will continue over the short term in the main property market segments, driven by a positive economic situation with more foreign investment coming into property development.

Source: property wire

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, DEcember 6, 2017

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Digest M

any people feel tired or run-down at some point during the day.

A lack of energy could affect your daily activities and make you less productive. The fact is that the type and quantity of food you eat play an essential role in determining your energy levels during the day. Even though all foods give you energy, some foods contain nutrients that could help increase your energy levels and maintain your alertness and focus throughout the day.

Here is a list of foods that have been proven to help promote energy levels: 1. Bananas Bananas may be one of the best foods for energy.

They are an excellent source of carbohydrates, potassium and vitamin B6, all of which can help boost energy levels in your body (1, 2).

One study showed that eating a banana before a 75-km cycling trial was as efficient as a carbohydrate drink for improving the performance of endurance athletes (1).

Additionally, bananas could provide a decent amount of tyrosine, an amino acid your body uses to produce dopamine and norephedrine. These hormones have been proven to improve mental performance and reduce fatigue (3, 4).

2. Fatty Fish Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are good sources of protein, fatty acids and B vitamins, making them great foods to include in your diet.

A serving of salmon or tuna provides you with the recommended daily amount of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 (5, 6).

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body, which is a common cause of fatigue (7).

In fact, some studies determined that taking omega-3 supplements could decrease fatigue, especially in cancer patients and those recovering

8 foods that can give you more energy

from cancer (8, 9).

Furthermore, vitamin B12 works together with folic acid to produce red blood cells and help iron work better in the body. Optimal levels of red blood cells and iron in the blood can reduce fatigue and increase energy (10).

3. Brown Rice Brown rice is a very nutritious food. Unlike white rice, it is less processed and retains more nutritional value in the form of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

One cup (195 grams) of cooked brown rice contains 3.5 grams of fiber and provides about 88% of the RDI for manganese, a mineral that helps your enzymes break down carbohydrates and proteins to generate energy (11, 12).

Additionally, thanks to its fiber content, brown rice has a low glycemic index. Therefore, it could help regulate blood sugar levels and help you maintain steady energy levels throughout the day (13).

4. Sweet Potatoes Besides being delicious, sweet potatoes are a nutritious source of energy for those looking for an extra boost.

One medium-sized sweet potato could pack up to 23 grams of carbohydrates, 3.8 grams of fiber, 28% of the RDI for manganese and a whopping 438% of the RDI for vitamin A (14).

Thanks to sweet potatoes’ fiber content and complex carbs, your body digests them at a slow pace, which provides you with a steady supply of energy (15).

Sweet potatoes are also a great source of manganese, which helps in the breakdown of nutrients to produce energy (12).

5. Coffee Coffee might be the first food you’d think to consume when you’re looking for a boost of energy.

It’s rich in caffeine. This compound can quickly pass from your bloodstream to your brain and inhibit the activity of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that quiets the central nervous system (16).

In consequence, the production of epinephrine increases. This hormone stimulates the body and brain (17).

Even though coffee only provides two calories per cup, its stimulatory effects on the body can

make you feel alert and focused (18).

6. Eggs Eggs are not only a tremendously satisfying food, but they can also provide energy to fuel your day.

Eggs are packed with protein, which can give you a steady and sustained source of energy because it does not cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin when it is digested (19).

Additionally, leucine is the most abundant amino acid in eggs, and is known to stimulate energy production in several ways (20).

Leucine can help cells take in more blood sugar, stimulate the production of energy in the cells and increase the breakdown of fat to produce energy (21).

Moreover, eggs are rich in B vitamins. These vitamins help enzymes perform their role in the processes of breaking down food for energy (20, 22, 23).

7. Apples Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the world, and are a good source of carbs and fiber.

A medium-sized apple (185 grams) contains about 5 grams of carbs, 19 grams of sugar and up to 4 grams of fiber (24).

Due to their rich content of natural sugars and fiber, apples can provide a slow and sustained energy release (25).

Furthermore, apples have a high antioxidant content. Research has shown that antioxidants could slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, so they release energy over a more extended period of time (26).

Lastly, it is recommended to eat apples whole.

Juices and purees, from which fiber is removed, are ingested faster and can only provide you with quickly digested energy (27).

CLASSIFIED AHMED

ELUI

BABAYO

I, formerly known as MOHAMMED ADAMU now wish to be known and addressed as AHMED ADAMU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS BOATENG WILLIAMS ELUIONOCHIE Now WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ELUI ONOCHIE VICTOR. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known as BABAYO ALI now wish to be known and addressed as BABAYO ALIYU . ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. FCMB Bank, Bauchi Branch, AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

COMFORT

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS COMFORT OGUH NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS COMFORT IYOBA OGUH. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAINS VALID, AUTHORITY CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

ALIYU I, formerly known as ALIYU MAIRAFI now wish to be known and addressed as ALIYU AHMED MAIRAFI. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known as MOHAMME IBRAHIM now wish to be known and addressed as MOHAMMED IBRAHIM BALA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

This is to notify the general public of the loss of original following documents do to fire outbreak: Waec certificate at Government secondary school Sabo Kaduna state and government secondary school Akum nasarawa state. LEA Primary school Ushafa bwari abuja.

Indigene certificate bwari abuja. Statement of result From nasarawa state University, Keffi.

Birth certificate and other properties. Belonging to Godiya Danladi. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE LIGHT OF GOD LIVING WORD AND DIVINE PROPHETIC MINISTRY

GAMES VILLAGE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION ABUJA

GOOD SEEDS BROTHERS AND FRIENDS EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION

MOHAMMed

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.EGBODOR MAGARET OFA 2.NUNOO ROBERT BENNETH 3.EGODOR LUCKY 4.ISNAYA NAOMI 5.ZAGNI ZEPHANIAH ANYIBO 6.EGBODOR ROSELINE OMOYE 7.JIMOH SUNDAY STARRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE AMENDMENT IS A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE PREVIOUS CONSTITUTION OF THE FOUNDATION

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE ABD DELIVERANCE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN ALL PARTS OF NIGERIA AND AROUND THE WORLD AT LARGE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

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PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Wednesday, DECEMBER 6, 2017

World Cup: FG to spend N3bn on Eagles -Minister

Eagles

By Lawrence Olaoye

M

inister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, has disclosed that the federal government has earmarked the sum of N3 billion to prosecute the Super Eagles campaign at the 2018 World Cup billed to hold in Russia.

Dalung made this disclosure yesterday in an interaction with State House correspondents after a meeting behind closed door with President Mohammadu Buhari.

Asked what the budget for the Super Eagles was ahead of the mundial, the minister said “Well, we have a conservative budget of about N3 billion but out of that N3 billion, FIFA is going to raise about N900 million, our sponsors and partners are also going to put about N600 million, government will conservatively raise about N2 billion or N2.5 billion to compliment.”

He added that the government would

mobilize strong federal government delegation to give the team the required support.

He said “This time, we also intend to mobilize a very strong federal government delegation that will support the team because sports are also about number.

The number of people you have on ground can also give support to the players and intimidate. So, we intend to go with at least a good size of the federal government delegation to give the team support. We intend to make it more inclusive so that Nigerians will participate in this particular victory.”

On the level,of preparation of the Super Eagles Eagles of the World Cup tournament, Dalung said “After the groupings, Nigeria falls within Group D and we appear to be the underdog going by the ranking of the teams. But I think ranking is more or less a paper job.

What is very important is how you will perform and I believe that we are

comfortable with the team because having tested Argentina, which is a highly ranked team in the group, we can say confidently that with good work, good training, good welfare for the players and team spirit, we will top that group going by the disposition of our national team.”

He continued “Some people who been arguing that Argentina did not present their best, but we also have some players we didn’t invite and we also intend to invite them. It is an issue that is going to be determined practically by the level of preparation of the Nigerian team. Don’t forget that the Nigerian team had enjoyed a formidable home support and they are inspired to deliver.

So we will engage in more friendlies to try, determine our strength and areas of improvement before the final competition.”

On what Nigeria are supposed to do to ensure that the nation’s team get to the final, he said “When you have a problem, for you to successfully address your

problem, you have to review the history of your problem. One of the challenges we have been having in sports administration especially competition is the welfare of the players and the officiating team and we intend to set a new approach to the question of welfare.

By March, we intend to start paying the players their allowances, camping allowances upfront. Now, that will go a long way to boost the morale of the players and confidence too. The new method of governance in football has taken the pattern of change. We will also ensure that there is unity within the football family.

Finally, we will also ensure that government makes funds available on time. That has been why the budget for the competition has since been sent to the President for a special intervention so that government can make provision for some of the funds we need for training now before other things can come up.”

Nigeria in Russia, Argentina afraid -Moses believes>>pg 30

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, november 1, 2017

S p Cup loss won’t hurt Lobi NPFL chancesAgbaji

L

t

Nigeria in Russia, Argentina afraid -Moses believes

N obi Stars captain and central defender Anthony Agbaji says their Gold Cup loss will count for nothing when the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) starts in January.

The Pride of Benue were beaten 0-1 by the former Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars, in the Gold Cup final on Friday at the Kwara State Stadium in llorin.

Agbaji said the fact the side were able to take their Gold Cup title defence to the final showed the stuff the Makurdi side were made of.

“Our participation in the just concluded 2017 pre-season tournament in llorin, Kwara state, was a worthwhile exercise.

“As defending champions going as far as the final is something to be happy and proud about, it equally showed our capability and strength?

“We lost to a good side in the final.

We were not disgraced.

“It was a good tournament and even though we failed to defend the title we achieved a lot as the new players in our midst showed promise.

“The Gold Cup loss will count for nothing when the new league season commences in January.

“The Gold Cup is a pre-season tournament only. We are going to be better and stronger when the top-flight season starts.

“We are still rebuilding for the new league season and I’m confident we will get it right in time for the new season,” said the Lobi Stars strongman.

r

igerian international Victor Moses has stated that Argentina will be scared to take on Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

The Super Eagles were pitted against Argentina, Iceland and Croatia in Group D during the draw.

Argentina were stunned 4-2 by Nigeria in an international friendly matchin Russia last month and the two sides are set to meet in a Group D game on 26 June 2018.

“We keep getting Argentina for some

reason,” Moses told Mirror Online.

“We don’t want to play against Messi, but it is what it is. We’ve got to go and play our football and see what happens.

“After what Iceland did last year [beating England in the last 16 of the Euros], football nowadays, there’s no easy game,” he continued.

“Argentina is going to be scared of us as well. It’s all about football at the end of the day.”

The defender-cum-midfielder disclosed

that his Chelsea FC teammates have ruled out Nigeria from reaching the knockout stages in Russia.

“Everyone at Chelsea was saying we’re going to get a thrashing and we’re not going to make it through the group stage,” he added.

“Hopefully we can go out there and make the nation proud and get out of the group,” he concluded.

Alli sets to recover form in Spurs team

D

ele Alli will start Tottenham’s Champions League dead rubber against Apoel Nicosia as he bids to play his way back into form even though a clutch of other top players will be rested.

Harry Kane will be among five key men rested for the match at Wembley along with Christian Eriksen, Eric Dier, Kieran Trippier and Hugo Lloris.

Spurs have already secured first place in Group H, meaning the likes of Fernando Llorente, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and Juan Foyth are expected to be given a chance.

However, Alli, who missed the first three group games through suspension, will play as the attacking midfielder bids to recover form and confidence following recent struggles.

“I think I am my own biggest critic,” Alli said. “Every time I know when I’m not playing well and if it’s not going well for me. It’s important that I keep working hard and trying every day to learn and improve as a player.”

The club’s exploits in the Champions League – including a 3-1 home win against European champions Real Madrid – are in sharp contrast to their struggles in the Premier League, where they are have fallen 18 points behind leaders Manchester City.

PAGE 31

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. . . putting the people first

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun

SPORTS Libya: The slave-trading capital of Africa

A

latest

Neymar happy to avoid Nigeria at World Cup draw

T

he Brazilian superstar expressed delight after they were handed a group bereft of an African side, most importantly the Super Eagles Neymar has revealed that he his ‘happy’ Brazil avoided all five African teams, especially Nigeria in the Russia 2018 World Cup group stages.

The Selecao will slug it out with Serbia, Costa Rica and Switzerland in Group E of the global showpiece as they aim to erase memories of their 2014 outing that ended awfully.

And the PSG star who admitted they got tough oppositions, believes ‘African teams like Nigeria’ would have been an absolute nightmare.

The fleet-footed Neymar noted the physical and energysapping approach of a typical African side as his main reason.

“We [Brazil] have to be at our best to get a good result particularly in our first game of the tournament. The teams in our group are difficult to play against,” Neymar said.

“I am happy it wasn’t a group where we had to play against African teams like Nigeria. They run a lot and are very physical in their approach. We are no doubt still up against strong sides at the World Cup.” However, the Super Eagles were handed the Selecao’s eternal rivals, Argentina for the fifth time in the finals while Croatia and debutant Iceland complete the Group D setup.

Gernot Rohr’s start their World Cup campaign against the Fiery Ones in Kaliningrad on June 16.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

Advert: business: news: lagos:

ctivities of slave merchants trading off migrants stuck in Libya has earned the country a reputation only an exclusive preserve of countries like Italy, France, Portugal, Britain and Spain, who shipped Blacks from Africa in 1492 to work in farms as slaves. While it was marginally understandable for the Whites to subject Blacks to slavery based on repugnant concept of racial superiority, the Libya notoriety is abysmal, condemnable and bereft of explanations. Their victims are sold for as low as $400 to a lifetime of hard labor.

Libya has an estimated one million migrants locked up in various dungeons across the country. Funded and equipped

by European Union, Italy to keep them off crossing the precarious Atlantic ocean where estimated 5,000 refugees have died in recent years. The administrative will power of Libyan government is put to question amidst accusation of complicity in the heinous slavetrading. The quest to get free labor to make extra money from migrants has made the slave market lucrative, with cartels expanding in the bestial trade on daily bases.

The quest for greener pastures has always been the driving force behind migration of Africans to largely hostile territories. In recent times, the fear of terrorist activities has escalated economic back turn experienced in many African countries like Sumalia, Sudan, Boko Haram menace in parts of northern Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. Other countries known to migrate through the channel include Ghana, Zambia, Senegal and Gambia. Oblivious to most migrants who are often deceived by so called travel agents, their countries of dream are very hostile, just as their transit terrains in parts of Africa. The unyielding sea, the unforgiving dessert all add up to bring death to migrants often running from lesser tragedy in their African home base.

Slavery is not the lowest point of the migration tragedy in Libya, but the level of killings and prostitution that characterize daily living in Tripoli and environs is escalating and quite disheartening. Most of the traffickers have offices located in parts of West Africa. Agadez and Zinder are notorious haven for the syndicate who often promise their victims better fortunes in

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Europe. Slave traders collect $750 to $1500 to cargo humans across the treacherous dessert to Sabha, near Libya – where most migrants begin a journey of torture, horror and death.

It is curious to note that Libya has joined other slave markets of the modern world. India tops the list of notorious countries engaged in legal slavery with an estimated slave population of 14.3 million people. Other countries include, China with 3.2 million, Pakistan with 2.1 million, Uzbekistan with 1.2 million estimated modern slaves. With the exception of the medieval kind of slavery in Libya characterized by torture, prostitution and murder, afore m e n t i o n e d c o un t r i e s h a v e people working to keep food in their stomachs in the harshest conceivable condition for a human.

“

What many migrants miss out in their travel-to-do plan is the risk factors. While some will be overtly desperate to exit their deplorable life in their home countries, many are only told of the George Orwell “sugar-candy mountain”, which often turns out to be their El-Dorado of none existent treasures. President Mohammadu Buhari has joined other leaders of the world to condemn the bestiality against African migrants in Libyan, which is the right thing to do, but very short-term in nature. A long term plan is indeed instructive and a full time duty.

It is important for government in affected countries to educate its citizenry through all possible media outlets of the evil involved in illegal migration. The most bizarre revelation from victims fortunate to return after their ordeal is the fact that fellow

Reasons for migrations in Africa are associated with bad governance; corruption, poor administrative policies, poverty, insecurity, unemployment, absence of social amenities, healthcare, infrastructures, just to mention a few.

If leaders in African countries take to patriotism, avoid self seeking agenda, resources will definitely be used to improve the wellbeing of ordinary citizens.

Nigerians, fellow African country men and women are involved in the trade. Those who experienced the horrible slave business aside losing their integrity, mostly came back losing everything including limbs, vital organs. Most will never recover, as some are inching to their graves on account of permanent medical impairment.

Reasons for migrations in Africa are associated with bad governance; corruption, poor administrative policies, poverty, insecurity, unemployment, absence of social amenities, healthcare, infrastructures, just to mention a few. If leaders in African countries take to patriotism, avoid self seeking agenda, resources will definitely be used to improve the wellbeing of ordinary citizens. In Nigeria, politicians are supper rich (they account for only a fragment of the entire population), while the larger population scratch to eat. The migration debacle will continue if there are no green pastures in home countries of desperate Africans. It is therefore necessary to assert that dearth of leadership is to blame for the Libya slave market.

For the aggrieved world, words of discontent alone may only amount to hoopla, and not necessarily end the slavery except sanction is deployed to stimulate positive action. Gadhafi exit after forty years of power in Libya has left the country without a true leader. Libya is sadly a failed state.

Cartels of miscreants have become the law and government is with its tail between its legs only capable of belching a bark like a sick puppy. The world must fix Libya to contain the menace of savagery fast become a way of life among its crime syndicate.

DAN GAYE Senate wants police SARS scrapped meters – News

-Hope armed robbers and kidnappers not behind the agitation

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