Friday, December 8, 2017 Edition

Friday, December 8, 2017/ Rabi’ul Awwal 19, 1439AH AH

Vol. 27 No. 80 N150

1331 Days after

@pmlonline

peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

APC stakeholders endorse Buhari, Ganduje for second term

>>>page 15

Damishi Sango, ex sports C minister kidnapped

hief Damishi Sango, Plateau PDP Chairman and former sports minister, has been kidnapped by by yet to be identified persons. Plateau Police Command spokesman, Terna Tyopev, who confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Jos, said that Sango was abducted alongside four others around JereGarkawa road in Kaduna State.

Continued on 2

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (5th, R); renowned artist and award recipient Bruce Onobrakpeya (3rd, L); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha (5th, L); Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita; other Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) recipients and their family members after the investiture at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

I’m shocked PDP wants to come back to power -Buhari page 5

…As IBB, Atiku meet for 3 hours

PMB orders Insecurity: ECOWAS needs strong 1 million tonnes of rice laws to combat proliferation crackdown on awaiting smuggling in drug traffickers of weapons – Dogara Benin Republic -Senator pAGE 2

pAGE 5

pAGE 7

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

News CONTENTS News 2-10,14 Editorial 11 Op.Ed 12 Politics 15-17 Business

19-20

R-L: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara exchanging pleasantries with Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Moustapha Cisse Lo, during the official opening ceremony of Parliamentary Conference on Legislative Actions for Containment of Small Arms Proliferation and Terrorist Financing in ECOWAS, organized by National Institute for Legislative Studies ( NILS ), yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Damishi Sango, ex-Sports minister kidnapped Buhari and the mammoth crowd of Kano Page 4

Int’l 23-24 Metro

21-22

Feture 26 Sports

29-30

Columnist 32

We want to hear from you The Peoples Daily wants to hear from you with any news and pictures you think we should publish.

You can send your news and pictures to: adverts@peoplesdailyng.com pictures@peoplesdailyng.com contact@peoplesdailyng.com

Phones for News: 08142929046 08024432099

Continued FROM FRONT PAGE “They were on their way from Jos to Abuja on Wednesday evening when the kidnappers abducted them,” he said.

He said that the Plateau Police Command had reached out to the Kaduna Command on the matter.

“The spokesman of the Kaduna Police Command has told me that the Commissioner there has ordered ordered his men to comb everywhere to rescue them,” he said.

He said that the Plateau Command was working in synergy with the

Kaduna office to rescue the victims and possibly arrest those behind the incident.

Tyopev urged members of the public with any useful information to contact the Kaduna or Plateau formation.

A family member, Mr Jonathan Mapis, who spoke on the issue, said that the victims were abducted “around 5.30 p.m.”

“Sango and his entourage were on their way to Abuja for the Saturday PDP National Convention when the abductees got them. “He left home

around 4 p.m. for Abuja, but at about 6 p.m., when someone called one of the persons Sango traveled with, a policemen picked the call and told him (caller) that they found the phone in a vehicle abandoned on the road.

“Apparently, the kidnappers took them to an unknown destination and left the vehicle just by the road side,” he said.

Mapis, however, said that no one had contacted the family so far.

“We are actually anxious for their (kidnappers) call. We want to know if they (abductees) are alive and in

good condition. We are just so worried and confused,” he said. He urged security agencies to intensify efforts to ascertain the fate of the victims and rescue them.

PDP Deputy Chairman in Plateau Amos Gombi, who also confirmed the incident, said that Sango and his team were abducted on their way to Abuja.

“We have not heard anything since they were abducted; all we know is that the vehicle in which they traveled is now at the police station,” he said.

NYSC to Provide Corp Members with farming facilities From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

he National Youth Service Corps [NYSC] said plans are underway to provide facilities for the training of Corps members on farming.

The NYSC Director General [DG] Brigadier General Sule Zakari Kazaure stated this yesterday when he visited the 2017 batch B stream 1 corps members posted to Bauchi State at their orientation camp in Wailo, Ganjuwa local government area of the

state.

The DG who was represented

by Director human resources of the NYSC headquarters Abuja, Mrs Comfort Makinde ,explained that the gesture was in line with the federal government’s policy on local food production adopted by the scheme adding that government and nongovernmental organizations could no longer provide jobs to all the teeming graduates being produced annually by universities and polytechnics across

the nation. ‘’ The NYSC Scheme has also adopted the Federal Government policy on local food production by revamping all NYSC Farm settlements in the six Geopolitical zones. Facilities will be provided for the training of corps members who are interested in farming and also take advantage of the Agricultural value chain’’. He said.

The NYSC boss added that the management of the scheme has shown ‘tremendous concern for the future

of the youths’ by putting in place a skill acquisition program tagged Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development [SAED] in response to the problem of graduate unemployment.

Earlier speaking the state coordinator of the scheme Mr Afolayan James said the total of 2, 210 corps members were registered ,adding that 104 out the number applied for relocation from the state on marital and health grounds.

Buhari orders crackdown on traffickers

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has expressed worry over growing challenge of drug abuse in the country.

The President, according to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by his Spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, has therefore instructed law enforcement agencies to deal decisively with all those who import, distribute and sell illicit drugs in the country.

Speaking at an interactive meeting with religious leaders in Kano yesterday in the course of his twoday State visit, the President strongly assured the religious leaders that his administration was determined to do something urgent to deal with the

narcotics challenge facing the country.

“The Customs is already doing a good job and I’m happy that I got someone who is efficient, strong and trusted to lead it in the person of Hameed Ali, a former governor of Kaduna State. ‘‘I have charged them and other law enforcement agencies to go after those trafficking in illicit drugs that are causing much harm especially among young people,” he said.

Buhari also assured the religious leaders that the war against corruption will be prosecuted with the highest regards to due process and respect for human rights.

He asked Nigerians to be patient on this issue, saying that as an elected President he was bound to follow the constitution.

“When I came in uniform as military Head of State, we locked every suspect in Kirikiri prisons until they proved that they were not guilty. ‘‘Under the constitution, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That is the constitution and we will abide by it,” he stressed.

Reaffirming his strong support for the proposed anti-corruption courts, the President said to strengthen judicial integrity and the rule of law, such courts must be manned by ‘‘incorruptible judges.’’

The President used the occasion to counsel leaders to rise to the challenge of the country’s growing youth population.

“Leaders at every level must pay attention to this. We must give everything we have including

education, vocational skills and training for our large youth population so that they can grow to be responsible citizens,’’ he said.

On the provision of infrastructure, the President restated that his administration will ensure increased investment in infrastructure across the country to stimulate the economy and job creation.

He praised the Chinese government for proving the funds for some ongoing projects in the country including railways, roads and the Mambilla hydro-power project.

The President welcomed the suggestion from some of the religious leaders for the setting up of a religious advisory committee made up of Muslim and Christian leaders to meet periodically to advise the government.

Page 3

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

News

Ag News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Zamfara to vaccinate over one million against Yellow Fever

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

T

he Zamfara state government in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, SCI and MNCH has Flagged off vaccination exercise against Yellow fever across the identified local government areas of the state comprising Maradun, Anka, Maru and Gusau the state capital.

Speaking during Flagg off

ceremony at Gusau emirate council yesterday, the state Acting governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala said, Zamfara state has been confirmed by the Dakar laboratory of taking 67% of Yellow fever cases across the country out of the 260 suspected cases earlier recorded.

“A total of 260 cases were linelisted from 12 states, out of which 122 suspected cases have had their blood samples collected and sent to laboratory for confirmation

of Yellow fever, 27 samples were confirmed positive by the Dakar laboratory and 18 out of the 27 confirmed cases are from Zamfara state”, Wakkala stated.

Earlier, the state Coordinator World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Hamza Kankiya pronounced that, 612,000 out of over one million targeted have already been vaccinated during the just concluded first phase of the exercise, assuring that, the second phase will cover the

required number across the state.

“Adequate number of vaccines were provided as well as vaccination personnel covering multitude number of centers across the 14 local government councils of the state aimed at ensuring that, the state is Yellow fever-free within scheduled time as level of cooperation given to the exercise by the targeted communities is commendable”, Dr. Kankiya assured.

Also speaking, the state

Commissioner of health and the emir of Gusau, Alhaji Sulaiman Adamu Gummi and Alhaji Ibrahim Bello respectively called on people in the state, to attend the vaccination exercise with a view to achieve the desired goals, adding that, the vaccination is absolutely free, therefore, should spare time to for the exercise to be successful.

Maryam Sanda, a house wife who was alleged to have stabbed and killed her husband, Bilyamin Bello arriving FCT high court, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Insecurity: ECOWAS needs strong laws to combat proliferation of weapons –Dogara

By Umar Muhammad Puma

S

peaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has called for the enactment of stronger laws which would combat the proliferation of small arms across the West African sub region.

THebe Speaker also identified the high rate of youth unemployment and its attendant consequences such as mercenary trading, insurgency and illegal mining – as contributory factors.

This, he said, while giving opening remarks at the Parliamentary Conference on Containment of Small Arms Proliferation and Terrorist Financing in ECOWAS, which held in Abuja on Thursday.

The Speaker, while making reference to a report of the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime which described West Africa as paradise for organised crime due to weak borders , corruption and other such factors, also lamented the adverse effect of widespread insecurity on efforts towards meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The sub-region has suffered from intra- and inter-communal feuds, local wars, armed insurrections, armed rebel activities and terrorism, all of which have led to the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW).

Small arms and light weapons are

dangerous tools of violence in West Africa for obvious reasons. Small arms are durable, highly portable, easily concealed, simple to use, extremely lethal and possess legitimate military, police and civilian uses. In addition, the weapons are lightweight and so are used by child soldiers, who play a significant role in most crises afflicting the sub-region.”

“As legislators, one area we need to address our minds to is the enactment of laws making gun possession difficult. It has been observed that during conflicts, some ECOWAS Member States liberalized laws on gun possession in order to stimulate gun possession by civilians. Arms were directly distributed to paramilitary groups by governments in order to fight rebel forces.

“In addition, gun possession legislation was liberalized.

This development, therefore, enhanced diffusion of small arms in the subregion.

However, after conflicts, small arms are recycled for use in new conflicts and crimes at home, or sold to other West African countries for use in new conflicts or to prolong ongoing conflicts.”

The Speaker stated that the current situation is in direct contravention of a Declaration on a Moratorium on the Importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Small Arms and Light

Weapons in West Africa which was adopted by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on 31 October 1998, and became a legally binding and permanent convention in June 2006. He identified youth unemployment and the resultant trade of mercenaries as one of the factors responsible for this.

“Eleven years after the adoption of the Convention in 2006, the issue of containment of small arms proliferation remains a challenge. It is unfortunate to note that there is a thriving trade of mercenaries in West Africa, aiding the circulation and proliferation of small arms in the region, especially along the Sahel area.

“Levels of youth unemployment are high and there are many ablebodied, disgruntled persons available, ready and willing to be trained and armed to fight. Some of the youth who do not serve as mercenaries illegally migrate to Europe through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea. Some of the West African youth are currently trapped in Libya where slave trade business thrives. Still on small arms proliferation, illicit mining, oil bunkering and insurgency are also responsible for enhanced diffusion of small arms and light weapons in the sub-region.”

He further highlighted the link between terrorist financing and the

proliferation of small arms, and stressed the need for all parliaments to ratify the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials.

“A related issue that aids proliferation of small arms and light weapons within ECOWAS is terrorist financing. The March 2017 report from Global Financial Integrity, Transnational Crime and the Developing World, notes that transnational crime is a global business. It is valued at an average of $1.6 trillion to $2.2 trillion annually, out of which Small Arms & Light Weapons Trafficking accounts for $1.7 billion to $3.5 billion annually. Other illicit activities include counterfeiting ($923 billion to $1.13 trillion) and drug trafficking ($426 billion to $652 billion).

“It is worth noting that revenues from transnational crime finance violence, corruption, and other abuses.

Very rarely do the revenues from transnational crime have any longterm benefits to citizens, communities, or economies of the sub-region.

Instead, the crimes undermine local and national economies, destroy the environment, and jeopardize the health and wellbeing of the public.”

“As Members of Parliament, we need to ensure that our national parliaments ratify the ECOWAS

Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials. I am happy to report that as at 10 November 2017, thirteen out of the fifteen Member States of ECOWAS had ratified the Convention.

I call on the remaining two ECOWAS Member States (The Gambia and Liberia) to accelerate the ratification of the Convention. Beyond ratification, I call on national parliaments to ensure the domestication of the convention into their national laws.”

In order to effectively combat the proliferation of small arms and terrorist financing, the Speaker suggested legislative interventions which will require that registered companies doing business within an ECOWAS Member State declare the names of ultimate beneficial owners, flag financial and trade transactions involving individuals and corporations in secrecy jurisdictions as high-risk and require extra documentation; scrutinize import and export invoices for signs of misinvoicing, which may indicate technical or physical smuggling; and share more information between agencies and departments on the illicit markets and actors that exist within a country’s borders.

He also reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to working with other stakeholders to enhance security in West Africa.

PAGE 4

Villascope

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

with Lawrence Olaoye e-mail: lawrenceolaoye8@gmail.com Text: 08036236703 (SMS only)

Buhari and the mammoth crowd of Kano

Buhari resident Muhammadu Buhari this week was on a two-day working visit to Kano state. The visit was the first since he garnered about 2 million votes from the state in 2015 Presidential election to defeat the then incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Prior to the visit, there have been insinuations that the people of the state were unhappy with Buhari for not finding it expedient to pay them a ‘thank you’ visit since he emerged the President in 2015.

Some of the politicians in the opposition in the state have begun to inebriate the gullible that the Buhari’s administration was contemptuous of them by not initiating and executing federal projects in the state.

The public perception was that Buhari’s popularity in the ancient city had ebbed due to his alleged neglect of the people who have always braved the odds to support his ambition since he began to run for the presidency in 2003.

But the mammoth crowd which welcome the President on Wednesday showed that the people of Kano are not done with the Buhari’s brand yet. If the multiple heads shown on the tube were anything to go by, there are indications that the opposition elements needed to do more than sloganeering ahead of 2019 Presidential election.

Before the visit, analysts have argued that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ancient city was divided and lacked unanimity. The perceived division between Governor Abdullai Ganduje and his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso, they argue, was bound to reflect in the reception to be accorded the President whenever he chooses to visit.

Scaremongers also warned about possible clash between supporters of the governor and those of his predecessor who has never hidden his ambition to run for the Presidency in 2019. But the visit came with no report of violence.

The Kano visit, of course, has become a barometer for the measurement of the President’s popularity among the

P

Okorocha ‘talakawas’ who have continued to keep faith with his leadership. The President, who cut a cult followership among the masses owing to his simplicity and aversion to corruption, may have further endeared himself to the people with his style of governance.

With the crowd consisting mostly of eligible youths, Buhari’s support base remains unshakable in Kano. But dissent argue that crowd sometimes don’t translate into votes considering the shenanigans of some politicians who, in a bid to impress their guest, spend humongous amount of money to hire people from neighbouring states. It is sincerely hoped that this is not the case in Kano.

The implication of the reception accorded Buhari in Kano was well captured in his words while speaking at the state dinner held in his honour as he said ‘‘I am overwhelmed with the massive reception I have received and definitely since this is partisan politics, I think it has sent a clear message to the opposition.

Even going by the details of the election results in 2003, 2007 and 2011, it was very clear that nobody could even dare to rig my scores from the elections in Kano. It has been so consistent and I don’t think I have the vocabulary to express my thanks to the people of Kano. I am very grateful to God and the people of Kano for the complete trust you have in me.”

It has indeed sent a signal to the camp of the opposition. But those who are not convinced that the crowd amounted to support urged us to be on the lookout to see whether same crowd will not welcome opposition elements during campaigns ahead of 2019. We are watching.

Fuel scarcity? Not again ike a thief in the night, queues crept back into the filling stations this week. No one was prepared for the sudden shortage in the supply of petroleum products to the marketers.

The queues came with its attendant consequences bringing with it untold

L

Kachukwu hardship on the beleaguered people.

Considering the harsh economic reality in the country, the poor masses must be spared the brunt of fuel scarcity. At least, for now. The masses, already cracking under the weight of non payment of salaries by various states and organisations, are obviously not prepared for any added burden occasioned by fuel scarcity.

Although the government has debunked claims that the situation was contrived to prepare the ground for further increase in the pump price of petroleum products, especially the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), critics still maintain that arguments coming from independent marketers, who had since stopped fuel importation on the ground that the landing cost of the product was far costlier than the N145/liter regulated price, indicate that a jerk in the pump price was inevitable to guarantee supply.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that it had enough fuel in stock for supply for the Yuletide. But the scary news from independent marketers that the landing cost of fuel exceeds the capped price and their call for full deregulation has got discerning minds thinking that another pump price increase may just be around the corner except the government reconsiders its stand to stop subsidy on petroleum products.

Considering the delicate state of the nation’s economy, another pump price increase would be totally unsavory. The government must find a way to ensure that the products are available at the prevailing price. Contemplating another increase, especially at this critical time, when majority of Nigerians are despondent, may attract resistance from the people who are already pushed to the wall.

Therefore, Mr. President should signify more than passing interest in the resolution of the crisis around importation of fuel by clearing every bureaucratic obstacle placed before independent marketers pending the time the much expected Dangote Refinery

would come on stream to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of Shylock oil dealers.

The President should also do the needful to make the nation’s refineries work because over dependent on fuel importation would only expose the people to the uncontrollable vagaries of the price of crude at the international market.

Okorocha never ceases to amuse mo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, is in the news again! The maverick politician has created the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment, the first of its kind in Nigeria. He also found in his sister, Ogechi Ololo, sterling qualities required to direct the affairs of the newly created ministry and made her the commissioner in charge.

The Imo state governor seems to have unending capacity to amuse people. His creation of an alien ministry when the fire of criticisms trailing his statute erection of the South Africa President, Jacob Zuma and his Liberian counterpart, Helen Sirleaf, has yet to be doused, indicated only that Okorocha revels in controversy.

Same Okorocha it was who once suggested that his workers should work for only three days and go to farm for the remaining two days weekly. His reason: so that the workers would be productive and make food available! His queer innovations and ideas are quite interesting!

Who will save Okorocha from himself?

This man whose state has yet to pay workers’ salaries is creating a happiness ministry. How else can one make the people happy than to empower them and make them productive. A citizen denied his wages cannot be happy; an unemployed man obviously cannot be happy.

Come to think of it, Imo is home to so many intellectuals and captains of industry in this country. They should get interested in the politics of their state and offer Okorocha quality governance ideas so as to save them public opprobrium.

I

Page 5

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

News

L-R: Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Bukar Hassan; and Director, Cereals and Agricultural Development, Dr Opara Obinna, during a stakeholders consultative meeting on illegal importation of food items into the country, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

I’m shocked PDP wants to come back to power- Buhari

…As IBB, Atiku meet for 3 hours

From Edwin Olofu and Mustapha Adamu, Kano; Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has said that he is still at a loss that despite the atrocities the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) committed against Nigerians, the party is making frantic and desperate efforts to return to power in 2019.

Buhari who was speaking during an interactive session with community leaders in Government House Kano yesterday, as part his 2-day working visit to the state, said Nigerians would never forget PDP’s 16 years of misrule.

According to Buhari, corruption thrived during the administration of PDP, lamenting that the Nigerian treasury was rendered empty during the party’s reign, adding that the party performed woefully on Security and economy. “we are all living witness of how Boko Haram brought commercial activities to a halt in Northern Nigeria.

They killed worshippers at mosques and churches and be chanting Allahu Akbar. They kill people in schools, markets and other public places at will. This clearly is attributed to corruption and bad governance.

“Whoever perpetrates this evil act is either that he person doesn’t fear God or lacks the knowledge of Islam.

And he shall face the wrath of God in the hereafter,” President Buhari also reminded Nigeians that “Crude oil price was at over $120 per barrel but all the monies we realized they squandered it. These are the kind of atrocities committed in this country, and these kind of people have the guts to say they will return to power,“ he wondered.

“In this country we found a judge, hiding foreign and domestic currencies running into millions and 4 diplomatic passports in his house.

This is the man that sends people to 20 years in jail for committing corruption, now he is found wanting.

Is this how PDP wants to return to

power?, he asked rhetorically. He also recalled that from 1999 to 2014, Nigeria produced 2.1 million Barrel of crude oil per day at the rate of at least $100, lamenting that the money were nowhere to be found under the opposition PDP. “Unfortunately, when we came on board, the price of oil crashed to $28.

From $28, it rose to $37 up to $40. I went to the Central Bank of Nigeria, because everybody in the world knew what Nigeria got at that time. I then asked, what about what has been saved for the country, I was told at the CBN that nothing was left in the treasury but liabilities.

“I couldn’t believe it, because it is lie. They said the money was used in food and fuel importation, while we produce our own food in the SouthEast, South-West, North-East and North-West. Most of the people in these regions produce their own food because they are not government workers; as such, they can’t buy foreign food. This is a lie.

“When we investigated how the fuel was imported, sadly, we found that more than half of the money were going in bogus deals between the importers and the buyers in connivance with the CBN officials.

They don’t care about the plight of the remaining Nigerians,” Buhari lamented.

He said the change agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was to fight Boko Haram insurgency, corruption and revamp the economy, adding that his government was recording successes, admitting that fighting corruption was the most difficult among the three agendas.

He called on Nigerians to understand the difference between democratic and military administration, noting that since his military regime, corruption was fighting back, as he himself ended in jail for about three years.

“When I was a military headof-State, I arrested and jailed some politicians for stealing. Among them only two of them, late Bilyaminu Usman and Mallam Adamu Ciroma

were found clean. But since at that time, corruption has been fighting back, as I myself was jailed for more than two years.

Buhari also said that when the insurgency took its toll in the northeast region, not only did it destroy commercial activities, people in the region were also forced to migrate to other states because the insurangents sacked their towns.

He added that when his government came on board, he put special strategies to decimate the insurgency, adding that everybody was witness that Boko Haram had been defeated.

President Buhari also recalled when he was a minister of petroleum, he signed the Memorandum of Understanding for construction of Kaduna, Portharcourt and Warri refineries, adding that the refineries were functioning well and produced about 100,000 BPD of oil and refined the crude oil imported from middleast.

He added that after he served his jail term, he found that all the refineries stopped functioning, lamenting that the government then deliberately rendered the refineries dysfunctional.

“On my return, as military man, i pounced on some oil pirates and took to their heels, leaving their vessels and canoes used for foe stealing the crude oil. After this operation, Nigeria continued to sell 100,000 BPD of petroleum, after domestic consumption on daily basis.

Buhari boasted that with the changes being brought by the ruling APC, coupled with the multy-party system in the country, the return of PDP to power was a mere mirage.

Buhari also disclosed that he ordered that the recovered properties from looters should be sold and the money be kept in the Nigerian treasury, recalling that during his military regime, when he recovered some properties from the looters, they were returned to the looters when he was in jail.

On agriculture, Buhari said when

he came into power; he met with the minister of agriculture, Audu Ogbe, and came up with plans on how to revive the nation’s agricultural glory.

He added that the government introduce the Anchor Borrower programme, and to reduce the price of fertilizer.

He commended governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for his commitments towards fertilizer production, acknowledging that the state was even blending the commodity.

Buhari also said the programme aided the farmers in recording bumper harvest, adding that he received a report that most of the Nigerian pilgrims this hear were farmers.

Reacting to the request by emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, to ban importation of exotic foods, Buhari said the ban on rice importation by his government had reached 90%.

On the emir’s advice for Buhari to ask ECOWAS to ban rice importation in the whole West Africa, aimed at boosting local production, the president said relationship between countries must be cordial, otherwise there were some implications attached to that.

He said “That is why when I was voted into power, I travelled to Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic and Benin Republic, to ask for their cooperation to fight insurgency and asked them not to import food to us because we are producing it.

“But our western neighbours still smuggle rice via the borders into Nigeria, but we are working to end this trend also,” he assured Buhari however expressed delight on the warmth reception he was accorded by the people of Kano, saying “I saw how people came out in mass, including small children, just to catch a glimpse of me. I never expected that would happen. Thank you for your support.”

Meanwhile, former Vice president Atiku Abubakar yesterday held over three hours closed door meeting with former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida in his

Hill top mansion in Minna.

Although Alhaji Atiku shun the journalists who waited for over three hours to interview him on his mission to the elder statesman, one of the founding fathers of the PDP. Investigation revealed that he came for consultation ahead of the PDP National convention which begun today and his presidential ambition come 2019 to seek for his support.

Atiku however arrive at IBB house by 12:34pm from Minna airport aircraft T7AAA in his company were the Niger state deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, former governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu and state Head Of Service HOS Alhaji Yabagi Sule to IBB resident.

Apparently, the deputy Governor and HOS immediately zoom off from the house as the former Vice President was ushered into the house hence Atiku was drove in a black colored Lexus jeep LX570 with registration number MNA 740 LD left the house by 3:50pm same yesterday Thursday.

The meeting according to findings revealed that former military President Ibrahim Babangida was set to give maximum support to ensure that Atiku Abubakar get the ticket to fly the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party come 2019.

The PDP state Chairman Bar. Tanko Beji and other officials as well as party loyalists were part of his entourage just as if he is able to get the sympathy of general would mark the entire sympathy of the Niger delegates but Atiku came out wearing a long face showing he might not be happy with the out come of the automatic ticket he is seeking for in the party hence must pass through procedures.

Consequently, Atiku’s security aides however pushed the patiently waiting journalists depriving them from interview despite their efforts even when they threw questions at him, he deliberately declined to answer hence he drove off to the airport for Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PAGE 6

News

State assemblies to blame if LG autonomy fails- Dogara

By Musa Adamu

T

he Speaker of the House of Representives, Yakubu Dogara has warned that the state Houses of Assembly are to blame if the attempt to grant local government autonomy in the ongoing Constitution amendment fails.

He also drew nexus between the exodus of young Nigerians to Europe to seek for greener pastures and failure if local government to function, saying ongoing scourge of human trafficking and slave trade would become impossible if local governments were given opportunities to provide developmental activities in the grassroots.

Speaking when he received a delegation from National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in his office, the House of Representatives Speaker said most Nigerians seeking greener pastures via the Mediterranean Sea were in pursuit of a better life and conditions that would help

them achieve their God-given potentials in life, having lost all hope.

Calling for developmental activities in the grassroots, which he maintained can only be achieved when local governments were granted independence, he sought the support of all stakeholders and Nigerians to lobby their state Houses of Assembly to approve the proposed law seeking to grant independence to local governments.

He said: “Recently, I was in Rome where we discussed about human trafficking and modern slavery. You need to see the kind of conditions that our citizens are subjected to. Some of you may have watched the footage on CNN where human beings like us were auctioned, some for as low as 400 Dollars. For me, I have never seen something that has jolted me really as this inhuman treatment of others by human beings. Some have even disputed it, but when I went to Rome, we attested that these things are real because I met first hand with the authorities that are charged with combating these

crimes.

“But the fact is that Nigerians even form a disproportionate number of individuals or persons that are being trafficked. So, we have the responsibility to address that, and how do we address that when some of these our brothers and sisters are running away, first of all, from conditions that are even worse than death and for some of them, like I said before, death is even better than life and when an individual reaches that conclusion, it is very difficult to tame him. And all because of lack of opportunities.

“So, if we don’t free the grassroots, we don’t free the local government to provide developmental activities in the grassroots, chances are that opportunities will continue to narrow and instead of providing conditions that make human trafficking impossible, we will be lagging behind and whether we like it or not, people will continue to flee conditions that they think will not offer them opportunity in life. Everyone is in search of opportunities to realise their God

given potential in life.”

He informed that the House had sacrificed a lot to grant financial independence to local governments in the just concluded Constitution amendment exercise, adding that the responsibility to make it a reality now lies with the state legislature.

“We have sacrificed a lot at this end. I believe that if the voting records are published today, some members may not even come back to this House on account of that single decision to vote for local government autonomy.

“That is not to say that all governors are against it. I have spoken with quite a number of them, they really want local governments to go, they want local government to be if that will crystalise the kind of development that we anticipate at the local level.

But that is not to say all of them will want that to take place but as lovers of democracy, we have been bothered by the condition at the grassroots and if we don’t address those conditions at the grassroots by generating more opportunities, certain ills that we seek to

Ember month: FRSC sensitizes motorists on safety

L-R: Deputy Director, Tax Policy and Advisory Department, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Gabriel Ogunjemilusi; Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mr Tunde Fowler; and Secretary of the Joint Tax Board, Mr Oseni Elama, at a media workshop on Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he unit commander in charge of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Acc. Sunday O. Attah, has sensitized the motorists on the need to be safety conscious during this ember month.

Attah, who stated this in an interview with newsmen during the flag-off of the end of the 2017 safety campaign tagged “Right to Life on the Highway not Negotiable” which took place at the motor park of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Gwagwalada.

He also charged the drivers to deem it necessary to avoid over speeding while plying the road in this year’s ember month.

He further pleaded with the drivers to get good tyres for their vehicles for the sake of their safety, noting that accidents are man-made.

He said the leadership of FRSC had deemed it fit to partner with other security agencies to checkmate the activities of the motorists for better, adding that the FRSC are in good relationship with other transport unions in Gwagwalada.

The Assistant Corps Commander (ACC) Attah, however, advised the drivers to avoid night journey.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Corps Commander (CC) of FRSC in the area, Olagoke O. Familoni, urged the road users to always obey the laid down traffic rules and regulations on the road.

On his part, the chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Alhaji Akawu Muhammadu Liman, commended the leadership of FRSC for the step being taken to enlighten the road users in this ember’s month.

overcome will not be overcome.”

Earlier, the leader of the joint delegation, Mr Ephraim Iyke, described the Speaker as a reliable man of integrity and a man of the people who has shown serious commitment towards the development of local governments.

He added that it was as a result of all his contributions to the upliftment of the grassroots that the joint union decided to give him an award as a sign of their appreciation.

He said: “The way you have been so highly committed towards the affairs of local governments as it concerns our desire for local governments to be granted autonomy, you will agree with us, Mr Speaker, that the speedy passage of this bill is a testimony.

We cannot do anything for you, but we know that God certainly will reward you. You may not know what you have done but we want to assure you that this effort of yours will never go unnoticed.

God certainly must reward you.

Numan killings:Bwatiye federation demands suspension of Sultan, two Emirs From Umar Dankano, Yola.

A

socio-cultural organisation, Pene da Bwatiye of Numan Federation has urged the Federal Government to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate and proffer recommendations in to the recent killings of over hundred people due to herdsmen/Farmers clash in Numan Local government of Adamawa state.

The group made the demand at a press conference in Yola, Thursday accusing the Fulani herdsmen of launching coordinated attacks that resulted to brutal killings of their people with support of hired mercenaries.

Spokesman of the group, Mr. Griffith Kpakai said it is becoming increasingly clear that, there is a programme to annihilate or at least subjugate the Bwatiye Nation, alleging that a new twist is the involvement of Nigeria Air Force by providing air cover and conducting

air raid on their people.

It also requested for the immediate suspension of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Kano,Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,and the Lamido Adamawa, Dr.Muhammadu Barkido Mustapha for alleged inflammatory statements that fuelled the crisis.

They claimed that, recently at the official commissioning ceremony of Pula’aku FM radio in Yola the three traditional rulers encouraged their Fulani brothers to attack Bwatiye people as a reprisal “These traditional rulers are not above the law. Government should suspend them and investigate the role they played in the invasion of our land by the killer herdsmen”, they said.

Apparently angry, they described the perennial conflicts between herdsmen and farmers as having become a plague on the nation and its unity.

Says Pere Da Bwatiye, “The herdsmen have become arrogant, audacious and full of impurity having regard to the apparent license they have from the government to kill at will and to step this clashes, we demand the passage of an anti-grazing law in Adamawa State”.

“This has been confirmed by the skirmishes in Koh, Kodomon, Kwayime and several Bwatiye communities in the past”, they lamented.

The spokesman said the random killings by herdsmen bearing advance military hardware including AK 47 sub-machine guns, Rocket propelled grenades etc, have been noticed in increasing number indicative that it involves conspiracy of highly technical people that are perpetrating conflict in the area.

More astonishing is the fact that a military aircraft carried out air raid on innocent villagers in their homes and environs.

They accused the Police Public Relation Officer of telling blatant has about the number of deaths while accusing security agencies of threats on the council chairman of Numan for painting the tare picture of what happened.

The Bwatiyes did not spare the Commissioner for Information Comrade Ahmed Sajoh who they accused of alleged propagation of falsehood to a national television to downplay the extend of killings and causing the dastard killings by the herdsmen hence they want him sacked. “We also condemn in unequivocal tenure the threat made by the Brigade Commander of the 23 Armoured Brigade and the Commissioner of Police to deal with the Chairman of Numan LGA for speaking the truth about the paucity of troops on ground”, says Kpakai the groups spokesman.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

C R I M E N EWS Zamfara to vaccinate over one million against Yellow Fever From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

T

he Zamfara state government in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, SCI and MNCH has Flagged off vaccination exercise against Yellow fever across the identified local government areas of the state comprising Maradun, Anka, Maru and Gusau the state capital.

Speaking during Flagg off ceremony at Gusau emirate council yesterday, the state Acting governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala said, Zamfara state has been confirmed by the Dakar laboratory of taking 67% of Yellow fever cases across the country out of the 260 suspected cases earlier recorded.

“A total of 260 cases were line-listed from 12 states, out of which 122 suspected cases have had their blood samples collected and sent to laboratory for confirmation of Yellow fever, 27 samples were confirmed positive by the Dakar laboratory and 18 out of the 27 confirmed cases are from Zamfara state”, Wakkala stated.

Earlier, the state Coordinator World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Hamza Kankiya pronounced that, 612,000 out of over one million targeted have already been vaccinated during the just concluded first phase of the exercise, assuring that, the second phase will cover the required number across the state.

“Adequate number of vaccines were provided as well as vaccination personnel covering multitude number of centers across the 14 local government councils of the state aimed at ensuring that, the state is Yellow fever-free within scheduled time as level of cooperation given to the exercise by the targeted communities is commendable”, Dr. Kankiya assured.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner of health and the emir of Gusau, Alhaji Sulaiman Adamu Gummi and Alhaji Ibrahim Bello respectively called on people in the state, to attend the vaccination exercise with a view to achieve the desired goals, adding that, the vaccination is absolutely free, therefore, should spare time to for the exercise to be successful.

Reps summon oil firms, over missing pet products

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representaives Adhoc Committee on the review of Pump Price of Petroleum has summoned the Managing Directors Carter Petroleum limited and Energy Network IBG limited to appear before its and explain the whereabout of missing petroleum products traced to them.

Chairman of the adhoc Committee Rep. Nnanna Igbokwe

(PDP-Imo), said thosr invited has cases to answer, and urged them to show transparency and honesty in responding to their questions.

The lawmaker dislcosed the level of culpability of the oil firms, flowing from available records before the committee which showed that they were engaged in various forms of transactions.

He added that from the transactions they were expected to pay some funds to government but to no avail.

The committee also observed that some oil companies gave fake office addresses which also called to question their credibility.

Prior to the summon, the committee which interfaced with some of the companies under probe, expressed displeasure in the habit by the CEOs to send low level officers to the hearing.

Lanre Alabi had announced his appearance on behalf or Stars Energy limited, saying that he received a text late, the previous

evening and had to come and find out why they were being summoned by the panel.

Also Okoye Ifeoma of Dutch Masters Limited and Adeola Adeleko of T-Time Petroleum said they also got the information via a text message and a phone call from somebody at the PPMC. In his ruling, Igbokwe directed that the companies make available all records and certificates issued to them in all their transactions.

L-R: Regional Manager, Leadway Assurance Company Ltd., Mr Ibrahim Bonnet; Divisional Director for Abuja/North, Mr Olufade Allah; and the Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Sharon Ikeazor, during Leadway Regional Managers’ courtesy visit to PTAD headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

1 million tonnes of rice awaiting smuggling in Benin Republic – Sen. Lokpobiri

By Eileen Ihemadu

T

he Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lopkobiri has said that one million tones of rice in Benin Rep[ublic waiting to be smuggled in to the country.

He stated this yesterday at a press briefing for stakeholders on a consultative meeting on illegal importation of food items into Nigeria.

He said the government also decided to engage stakeholders to the activities of smuggling which sometimes comes with unemployment.

“The time has come for stakeholders to sit together to find a common solution, we want the stakeholders to work out modalities with a view to solving these problems.

We did market research to check the difference between imported and local rice and there

wasn’t much difference. Out of that over a million tonnes of rice is in Benin Republic waiting to be smuggled into the country. We also discovered that the poultry products been smuggled contains formalin used to embalm dead bodies. Poultry industry has the capacity and capabilities to meet the poultry needs of Nigeria, most of the economy rely on import when they don’t have enough to that regard”. on his part, a representative of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Okafor, said he’s highly excited with the bold initiative adding that rice in Nigeria is about the best rice in the world.

He stressed that rice farmers in Nigeria would join hands in making the advocacy; he suggested a committee should be set up to forestall the increase.

Delta oil-producing communities flay FG’s alleged refusal to release N198bn Palpable tension of alleged

nonchalant act, and refusal on the part of the Federal Government to release N198billion penalty fine over the worsening gas flaring in Delta State oil-producing communities, may continue to be unabated if urgent steps are not taken to ensure the fund is released to the affected residents by the Federal Government.

The aggrieved oil producing communities who spoke to journalists yesterday in Asaba through one of its leader, Chief Power Enebeli, alleged that over 73 persons were killed in 2016 following the deepening situation of gas flare pollution, adding that the entire Ndokwa communities have been allegedly under siege of gas flaring over the years.

While urging the Federal Government to look into the problem of gas flaring within the oil-producing Delta communities, Chief Enebeli explained that releasing the money (N198 billion) would help

to sustain in the existing peace development, particularly at the Niger-Delta region most affected.

Investigation revealed that farm crops in where the gas flaring had continued unabated, have been destroyed with the farms’ owners in hue and cry for governmernts assistance.

It will be recalled that the National Chairman of Oil-Producing Communities Organisation, Mr. Mike Emuh had at a media conference recently disclosed that it was an international law that a 3.5 dollar fine should be paid by oil-companies for every 1, 000 standard cubic feet of gas flared, adding that the law was required that the fund be paid to the host communities for environmental degradation, pollution and plundering of oil-producing communities as a results of gas flaring, instead, the oil companies pay the fine to the department of petroleum resources.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PAGE 8

News

Delta Police arrest community leader over alleged misappropriation From, Osakhare Erese, Asaba

T

he Police in Ogwashi-Uku Community, near Asaba Delta State has arrested a leading member of OgbeUbu Quarters (name withheld) following allegedly mismanaged fund running into millions of naira.

Although the suspect was arrested on Wednesday night at his residence, but has been granted bail following the intervention of some highly placed chiefs in the community.

It was reliably gathered that crisis has been brewing over the alleged mismanagement of Ogbe-Ubu community fund by a group of the community leaders, including the suspects; a situation that also caused the lives of some unidentified persons.

The suspect was allegedly defiled by the Onu-Diokpa of the Quarters (name withheld) to visit some of the Quarters’ satellite town, and collect levies due to the Quarters when the bubble burst.

Investigation revealed that the suspect was arrested, following a petition that was forwarded by an opposition group in the quarter who allegedly had been against the Onu-Diokpa leadership.

But Police Officers attached to the Ogwashi-Uku Police Division who did not want their names in the print, confirmed the arrest of the community leader, adding that though he was granted bail, he was still under investigation for alleged mismanagement of funds belonging to the Ogbe-Ubu Quarters in the community.

Meanwhile residents of Okpanam have raised the alarm following the frequent cases of breaking and entry into houses in the community by armed robbers.

Some of the residents one of them, Agnes Okonkwo said the situation of the frequent attacks by armed robbers on them as residents, was becoming too unbecoming, adding that many of them had lost valuable properties, including cash to the hoodlums.

They however called on the police to redouble its efforts to ensure the robbers are brought to book as they presently sleep with their two eyes open.

Okowa charges stakeholders on curbing security challenges Osakhare Erese, Asaba

D

elta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has called for the cooperation of all stakeholders in tackling the various security challenges facing the country.

Speaking yesterday in Asaba, at the opening ceremony of the Federal and State Security Administrators’ Meeting [FSSAM], Governor Okowa who was represented by the Head OF Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko said that “security is of great importance to the socio-economic

and political development of any society”.

“I must make it clear that security is the responsibility of all, this role should not be left to the security agencies alone, we, as parents, religious bodies, clerics and the society at large, have special roles to play in moulding the character of the youth so that they do not become criminals”, he said, adding “let me assure this gathering and indeed the good people of Delta State, that government will not relent in its commitment to ensure adequate security in the State”.

He charged the gathering to x-ray the myriad security challenges and come up with recommendations stating “This meeting is most appropriate, as the country is facing various security challenges and I believe it will provide a veritable platform to seriously address such issues as terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery, among others, and come up with far reaching recommendations”.

The governor assured security agencies in the state of his administration’s continued support in maintain the existing

peace and security.

Earlier, The FSSAM Chairman, represented by Mrs Emi Ogungboye advocated for increased sensitisation of Nigerians on ways of improving security in public places especially churches, mosques, bars and shopping malls.

She decried the various security challenges like kidnappings, pipeline vandalism and cultism in the country and urged Nigerians to always provide useful information to security agencies to curb these menace.

Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State (middle) looking at a microscope in a science laboratory at GSS Nangere when he paid an inspection visit after the completion of renovation, furnishing and equipping of the school. With him are State Assembly Speaker Adamu Dala Dogo (second right) and State APC chairman Adamu Chilariye (first right) while Education Commissioner Muhammad Lamin (first left) explains a point to the governor.

Women charged to be drivers of economy through entrepreneurship From Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

W

ife of Benue State Governor, Mrs. Eunice Ortom has challenged women to be drivers of the economy through entrepreneurship.

Mrs. Ortom who gave this charge at the second edition of Benue Women Economic Summit

held in Makurdi yesterday, stressed that women have to evolve new ways of surviving the economic times.

She explained that the summit with the theme, ‘Women As Drivers of Economic Growth:The Africa Experience’ is aimed at exploring prowess of Benue Women for economic value.

She said over 600 women have been trained in agriculture and

other trades, intimating that a loan of over 160 million has been obtained for women willing to expand their businesses.

Mrs. Ortom also, urged the women to be determined to carry out economic ventures that would add value to the economy and their families.

While declaring the even open, Governor Samuel Ortom restated the determination and

commitment of his government to uplift the lives of women through entrepreneurship.

He averred that government procured 2 billion naira Bank of Industry Loan to boost economic growth of the State. The Governor expressed delight at the participation, noting that the showcasing of different produce, indicates the rich Agricultural potentials of the State

Gaidam assures Nangere residents of electrification, water From Uche Damaturu.

Y

Uche,

obe State Governor, Alh. Ibrahim Gaidam has assured to approve contract for full electrification and provision of water supply facility to ensure that the newly renovated and expanded government secondary, Nangere in Nangere local

government area of the state gets all what is required to function very well and for the well-being of both students and teachers in the school.

He gave the assurance yesterday when he inspected the school which costs the state government the total sum of N490.1 million, and called on the teachers to reciprocate by ensuring that the students are

taught adequately.

He also assured that renovation and expansion of about 5 more of such secondary schools is in the pipeline, pointing out that improving the schools is part of his administration strategy to bring the sector to where it supposes to be before the end of his tenure.

Responding to the request

made by the state Commissioner for Education, Mohammed Lamin for more laboratory equipment to augment the ones already procured, he asked the commissioner to submit the request as soon as possible promising to give approval for the procurement of the needed equipment.

The principal of the school, Mohammed Wakil,

who spoke to our reporter at the premises of the school expressed appreciation for the renovation, expansion and supply of laboratory equipment, furnishing of the school, saying the school leadership would ensure that the teachers reciprocate government gesture by hard work and dedication to ensure proper teaching and learning in the school.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

Page 9

News

Expert calls for scrapping of NYSC Scheme From: Femi Kaduna

Oyelola,

A

n expert in youth Entrepreneurship Mr. Chima Daniel has called on the Federal Government to immediately scrap the National Youth Serving Corp (NYSC) Scheme because it is not adding value to the economy.

He stated this during the Kaduna Food Industry Annual Event/ Award held yesterday.

According to him, the programme might have brought Unity in the country but economically it is a waste of resources because the money paid to Corp members can be channeled into developing them and making them more productive to the society.

Mr. Daniel advocated that the programme should be replaced with skill acquisition training that will make the Graduates to become selfreliance instead of job seekers.

He disclosed that in China similar project is ongoing and

most of the products imported from the country are produced by such graduates who were trained in skill acquisition apart from their University degrees.

MR. Daniel who is the General Manager MAGVOILE Vocational Centre said empowering the youth depends on the youths saying no one would come from outside to do that.

“I met a lady who was trained in cake making and she is very good at it, but complained of lack of capital to start up. “when I asked her how much she needed, she replied, about N50,000.00.

In the cause of our discussion I observed she was using a handset of about N75,000.00.

I told her, she was not ready to empower herself because the money she used to purchase the handset is enough as a start -up capital”, He said.

Giving credence to this, the publisher of National Bakers Trust Magazine,

Prince Ayodele Arokoyo said it is dishearten seeing youths waiting on politicians or government appointee to empower them whereas they have all opportunities to startup a business.

Prince Arokoyo who is the organizer of the event said it is a platform to honour organisations and individuals who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours in contribution to the sustenance of the food industry as well as contributions to the nation’s economy.

“This is to ensure that there is stable and sustainable development in the sector and takes its challenges to the authorities so that the needful is done to ensure that the role of the industry’s being seen as they are feeding the nation and enhancing favourable policy and by government”, he said.

Group expresses dismay over calls for scraping of SARS From Femi Kaduna

Oyelola,

A

group under the auspice of Unified Nigeria Youth Forum, UNYF, has condemned the continuous campaign for the scrap of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Nigeria Police Force as a misplacement of priority on the side of the agitators.

The President of the group Abdulsalam Mohammed disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday.

According to him those calling for the abolishment of SARS should book a date with history and have a critical look inward on the role Special Antirobbery Squad is playing in reducing crime rate nationwide.

“No security agency in Nigeria today that is 100% perfect, and at such, we must bear with them on their short comings, the problem of their imperfection can be attributed to bad training and selection process.

“There is also the problem of training and re-training of personnel, lack of adequate manpower, lack of adequate logistic and better welfare package for its personnel.

“The Unified Nigerian Youth Forum call on all progressive minded citizens and Civil Society Organizations to rather pressurize the present administration to either sack all security chiefs or give them ultimatum on when to bring all these security challenges to a logical conclusion.

“It is on record that in the past

administration under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, we were confronted with severe bombing under the coordination of Boko Haram.

Today the country under the leadership of General Mohammadu Buhari of all Progressive Congress, APC, is witnessing sporadic cases of continuous kidnappings of innocent citizens and herdsmen attacking communities with the sole aim of destroying lives and properties in Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna and Nassarawa States.

“What have the securities chiefs done to curb these series of security threat to our national unity? Population must never be seen or use as an excuse for their inability to protect the lives and properties of their citizenry.

Gaidam’s 2018 budget is people oriented- APC National Secretary From Uche Damaturu.

T

Uche,

he 2018 budget as presented by Yobe state Governor, Alh. Ibrahim Gaidam, has been described as a people oriented budget, that as usual, tailored towards people oriented projects that is geared towards improving the lives of the people.

The National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Maimala Buni, who stated this while fielding questions from newsmen, said the financial prudence and budgetary discipline of the Gaidam administration has promoted transparency in governance with massive infrastructural development.

“Yobe state had through financial commitment, budget

discipline and transparency made great achievements in health sector, road construction, education and employment opportunities and in spite of the security challenges and global economic recession, the Gaidam-led administration had consistently paid salaries, pension and gratuities even without the federal government financial bailout,” Maimala said.

He also described as a great success the 82% budget performance of the2017 outgoing year with great impact on the lives of the people pointing out that the continuity of the state in completion of all on-going projects had made government more responsible and responsive to the needs of the people.

He also stated that the N4, 4 billion treasury open balance for the year 2018 is a testimony to the prudence of the state government “when some state accounts are in red, Yobe state will be getting into the New Year with this huge amount shows the prudence of government.”

He commended the state assembly for the good synergy existing between the two arms of government and commitment to serve the people effectively.

“The good relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government is commendable and worthy of emulation for the collective good of the people” he said.

BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO (Office of the Registrar)

INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION/TENDER FOR PROJECTS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY CENTRE FOR DRYLAND AGRICULTURE, BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO 1. INTRODUCTION The Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano, (an Africa Centre of Excellence), intends to rehabilitate some of its facilities to meet the challenges of teaching and research to combat the problems of agriculture in the Dryland areas of the West African sub region. The components herein relate to 2017 budgetary provisions financed by the World Bank.

In compliance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Bureau of Public Procurement guidelines, the Centre invites interested, competent and reputable Contractors/Companies to bid for the procurement of the “goods” as described below.

S/No 1

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

TENDER FEE (N)

Supply and Installation of Equipment and Consumables to Molecular Biology Laboratory of the Centre for Dryland Agriculture.

N10,000.00

2.

PREQUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Prequalification exercise is open to all capable and competent contractors who are required to submit the following documents; a) Evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); b) Evidence Tax clearance certificate for the three (3) years ending in December 2017; c) Current Certificate of compliance by National Pension Commission (PENCOM); d) Current Certificate of compliance by Industrial Training Fund inline the with the

provision of ITF Act, 2011; e) Current Certificate of compliance by Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) f) Current Evidence of registration with Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) by attaching

the Interim Registration Report (IRR) as provided in part II section 5(h) of PPA 2007; g) List of Plants/Machinery and Equipment with evidence of ownership or lease agreement; h) List and type of personnel working for the Company with copies of their qualifying

Certificates, and evidence registration with professional bodies; i) List of verifiable and similar projects completed within the last three (3) years with

completion certificates; j) Evidence of financial capability to handle the project from reputable bank; k) Unabridged company Audited Report for the immediate past(3) years; l) Sworn affidavit affirming that none of the officers of the University or BPP is a former

or present Director or Stakeholder or has pecuniary interest in the Company and that

all the information being provided by the Company are true and correct; m) Letter of consent to allow for verification of all the documents submitted in the bid.

3.

COLLECTION OF TENDER DOCUMENT Tender documents should be collected from the office of the Director, Centre for Dryland Agriculture, New Campus, Bayero University, Kano, upon presentation of evidence of payment of non-refundable Tender fee made to the Bursary Department, Bayero University, Kano.

Payment should be made through Remita by generating RRR. 4.

SUBMISSION/OPENING OF DOCUMENTS Two copies of Technical and Financial bids must be in separate envelopes and clearly marked appropriately enclosed in a sealed large envelope, clearly marked with the name of the Tender and addressed to: The Director, Procurement Unit, Bayero University, PMB 3011, Kano – Nigeria.

Submission should be made 12:00 noon of 22nd January, 2018 to the office of the Director, Procurement. Bid opening shall be carried out immediately on the same day at the Boardroom of the Procurement Unit, Bayero University Kano, New Campus. Only the technical bids will be opened on 22nd January, 2018. The financial bids of the successful bidder(s) in the technical evaluation would be opened at a later date, while the financial bids of the unsuccessful bidders would be returned to them un-opened.

Interested applicants are to note that; a) Nothing in this advertisement shall be construed to be a commitment on the

part of the University, b) The University reserves the right to reject any/or all bidding packages at any

stage of the procurement process, c) The University is neither committed nor obliged to short-list any contractor, and d) Successful bidders will be notified formally. e) Professional bodies and NGOs are cordially invited to the bid opening.

The general public is cordially invited to attend the opening.

Signed FATIMA BINTA ISIAKU MOHAMMED REGISTRAR BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PAGE 10

News

Osinbajo Confers 2017 National Merit Award on Adesina, Onobrakpeya

By Lawrence Olaoye

V

ice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday conferred the 2017 Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) on a notable Nigerian scholar, Professor Adesoji Adesina and a celebrated artist, Mr. Bruce Onobrakpeya at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Osinbajo, who made the conferment on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on a two-day official visit to Kano, lauded the research and intellectual qualities of the recipients, promising that the federal government would continue to support research innovation in the country.

The Vice President said posterity would not forgive government functionaries if they fail to provide support for research activities, just as he added that every winner of NNMA was unique, describing the recipients as “milestones of Nigeria’s checkered history.”

Submitting that the duo bear awesome responsibilities, Osinbajo hailed the recipients for the intellectual feat they attained

as he challenged them to further deploy their huge experiences to advance the course of the society, recalling the words of Bernard Baruch that “man can’t retire his experience but must use it.”

While praising the Governing Board of NMA, Osinbajo said so far, the board had identified 75 recipients of the award, observing that the award “epitomises the finest of Nigerian innovation” as he welcomed Adesina and Onobrokpeya into what he described as the “prestigious league” of Nigerian National Order of Merit Investiture.

Extolling the sterling qualities of the recipients, Osinbajo observed that the works of Adesina in engineering and technology span over three decades in various fields including mining, defence, manufacturing, among others, with over 400 publications and competitive research grants.

Osinbajo also said Adesina had trained a number of students including 42 PhD holders whom are now professors, executives in petro-chemical industry and captains of engineering designs in various parts of the world.

“To date, Prof. Adesina is

credited with nearly 450 refereed publications, patents and books. He has supervised more than 100 graduate students to completion, including 42 PhD alumni with a truly global hue.

Among these former students are university professors in highly-ranked institutions, executives of the petrolchemical processing industries, government dignitaries and captains of engineering design and consulting firms located throughout China, South-east Asia, Middle East, Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. He has won over $15 million in competitive research grants from government and industry sponsors,” Osinbajo said.

Similarly, the Vice President said the works of Onobrakpeya in arts and humanities have spanned six decades, even as he described the celebrated artist as a painter, initiator of art, author and philantropist.

According to him, Onobrakpeya had received over 30 awards and appointments in recognition of his excellent and intellectual contributions to humanity as well as lifetime

awards.

He further described Onobrakpeya as a social commentator, whose works of art date back to 1957, the period he described as the early development of arts in the country. He further described him as an advocate of social causes who focuses on social developments.

Furthermore, Osinbajo said Onobrakoeya’s art works included painting on divine prayer for help. According to him, his works also address political instability, sociological problems while his contemporary works border on the murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa and broken pipes.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, Adesina said they were thankful for being recognised at the highest level of government award and described the episode as memorable. He also expressed appreciation for all the efforts made by the Governing Board of the Nigerian National Merit Award towards the success of the award.

Born in April 1952, Adesina obtained first class honours in Chemical Engineering in June,

NotTooYoungToRun: CSO to luanch database

L-R: Head of Foreign Desk, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Sadiya Hamza; Head of Nigerian Mission in Libya, Mr Iliya Fachano; and the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Tiwatope Fatile, during their visit to NAN headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

By Umar Muhammad Puma

C

ivil Society Organisation, Not Too Young To Run Movement, said it will launch ready to run platform that will serve as database and resource centre for young people ready to run for elective offices.

Briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja, leader of the group Laz Ude Eze said group will also convened a citizens town hall on constitution review on December 11, this year, which he said will provide a platform interface between high-level policy makers and citizens on the ongoing constitution review process.

He furthet disclosed that the town hall meeting will a veil citizens with upportunity to engage speakers of the state assembles on pathways for ensuring the outcome of the constitution review meets the aspiration of the people.

The group urged citizens to contact their state lawmakers through phone calls, text massages, laetters, visit and social media to vote yes to the age reduction bill.

The group also thanked the National Assembly, media, and the Nigerian youth for their continued solidarity and support.

1980 at the University of Lagos, later obtained PhD in University of Waterloo in Canada in 1986.

He left the University of Port Harcourt as a lecturer in 1989 for the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and became a professor in 2004.

He initiated and developed an internationally renowned group in reactor engineering and technology.

Onobrakpeya, on his part, was born in August 1932 and obtained Diploma in F.A. of London University and post graduate Art Teachers’ Certificate in Zaria.

He has participated in over 68 exhibitions in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America with his works found in the most prestigious museums and galleries such as the Vatican Museum in Rome, Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC., the Suomi in Finland and Victory Museum in Baghdad.

His works are used to decorate notable places in Nigeria such as the office of Nigeria’s President in the Presidential Villa, Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Photo: NAN

Almakura releases over N200m to settle 2000 retired civil servants From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

G

overnor Umaru Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa State has released the sum of two hundred million Naira for the payment of gratuity to two thousand retired state civil servants.

Disbursing the money to the beneficiaries at the Abacha Youth Center Lafia, yesterday,

the state Director Pension Bureau Alhaji Abdullahi Oseze opined that governor Almakura’s administration since inception accorded top-most priority to retired civil servants in the state for their enormous contribution rendered to the state.

According to him “over two thousand retirees in the state are to receive their gratuities. The governor has directed the Board

to pay the beneficiaries within 10 days”.

Oseze further applauded Governor Almakura for his kind gesture extended to pensioners in the state as well as promised to do same to retired civil servants viewed from the sacrifices rendered to the development of the state during their service years.

The payment according to the director general would be through

e-payment in order to curtail the hardship being experienced by the retirees in recent time.

According to him “The state government is doing everything possible to ensuring that all those who retired from 2011 to date get their gratuities”.

He urged retirees in the state to exercise more patience, as the gradual process will benefit them all.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

Super Eagles Russia 2018 campaign

A

Bulgaria and virtually retired Andoni ll is set for the Super Eagles Zubizarreta, the Spaniard all-time great to participate in world’s most goalkeeper who fumbled with the ball and glamorous sporting event, the allowed Eagles to run away with 3 – 2 win World Cup which opens in Russia over Spain. next year with the likes of five-time winners Brazil, defending champions After USA 94, the Eagles managed to put up mainly admirable, and at times shambolic, Germany, Belgium and Colombia performances in subsequent appearances participating. Other participants are at the world cup in the first round almost Australia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, always qualifying for the second round. They Egypt, England, France, Iceland, Iran, always stopped and that is why the Eagles Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Peru, are in greater trouble with their compatriots Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, who follow the game with dizzying passion.

Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia and Uruguay and Argentina.

After qualifying for the mundial, the Eagles proceeded to beat Argentina in a remarkable friendly encounter. Though a friendly match, Argentina did put out a fairly strong line-up that included the Rohr must be given the free likes of Aguero, Mascherano, Otamendi, hand to select his team.

Pavon, Di Maria, Banega, and Dybala.

The role of the Football The legendary Diego Maradona had described the defeat of Argentina by federation must be limited Nigeria in the friendly match thus: ‘I am to contingency support angry because they have taken away our prestige” Indeed that famous victory has from the background while cast the Super Eagles in a new light and government officials who football aficionados across the world, including coaches and players who will be have enough money to playing in the world, cup now see Nigeria go to Russia must confine as a formidable opponent that should not be toyed with. themselves to designated So Nigeria’s opponents in Russia will not spots. take matches against the Super Eagle with levity. They will go all out to tackle the team that humbled Argentina in a So this time around the Eagles and their friendly. handlers must know that second round From the first appearance in 1994 the qualification is not enough.

Eagles led by the Late Stephen Keshi almost created the biggest upset when The success at Russia 2018 will be measured by at least a quarter final appearance. Anything they faced Italy in the second round and short of that May not be too impressive. And led by 1-0 until the very last moment when a momentary lack of concentration this Eagles Class of 2018 has what it takes prevented them from caging the Roberto to shake the world. They have as Technical Baggio-led squad in the second round.

Adviser a man who seems to know his Italy eventually prevailed by 2-1. Prior to onions and has weathered the politics of that, the Eagles had humiliated Greece, the football federation and the interference

“

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

from high and low quarters. The coach Gernot Rohr has been inspiring and has engineered the team to deliver at critical times. He cannot afford not to deliver in Russia. Luckily for him he has a group of experienced players and new intakes who want to show that they have all it takes to become world beaters.

The Captain of the team, John Mikel Obi, is a veteran of sorts and he has shown that he has the support of his mates which is critical and the character of a team leader off and on the field of play. The likes of Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Ogenyi Onazi, Odion Ighalo, Abdulahi Sheu, Alex Iwobi have enough experience and fire in their belly to hold their own against any opposition. Emerging key players like Kelechi Ihenacho, Leon Balogun and William Troost Ekong and new kid on the block Brian Idowu could also contribute to an anticipated success story in Russia.

However, forces must not be allowed to infiltrate the team and preparations.

Before now, those who played little or no role in the qualification race will want to reap from where they did not sow by dividing the team.

Rohr must be given the free hand to select his team. The role of the Football federation must be limited to contingency support from the background while government officials who have enough money to go to Russia must confine themselves to designated spots.

The team can go on to win the World Cup next year if the right things are done-part of which is giving them quality matches to play to prepare them for the task ahead.

The same Argentina we beat 4-2 may meet us at World Cup and beat us silly. The team look good but they need reinforcements to enable them to keep up the performances and do better. The players should guard against being overconfident because they have defeated Argentina.

OUR VISION

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

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

The water ways in Northeast Nigeria

By Ahmad Salkida Amsatu is in her mid – 20’s and has just gone into labor for her fourth child.

News has begun to go round in the village in Yunusari Local Government Area.

Amsatu’s husband was seen walking breathlessly to the scene of the delivery in the house with the prominent traditional birth attendant in the village. On hearing the arrival of newborn, the women began to take their empty water cans to embark on a walk to the neighboring village to fetch water. Water would be the most precious article in Amsatu’s home and the women would trek the 11-kilometer distance to fetch water.

The trek to the next village has in the past years been strewn with lifethreatening possibilities. It took the women about six hours to present various water cans to Amsatu’s house, their first present traditionally reckoned with in honor of the newborn. Water cans of various sizes and designs flooded Amsatu’s house from fellow women folk.

It was a solidarity show. The underlining importance and scarcity of water in this locality has become legendary and its acuteness increases with the year.

In northern parts of Borno and Yobe, the raging water scarcity has led to the creation of new “water culture.” The Lake Chad region is facing multi-pronged human emergencies that are grossly under reported.

Severely short official attention span in these life threatening conditions is not only embarrassing, it questions every of their claim to humanness. We have heard sing songs made on the bond between water and life. Nothing dramatizes the living threat to life in these communities better than the rapidly receding Lake Chad waters.

The water basin of the lake is drying up. So also the economic activities that are indigenous to the people in the region.

People tie their most benevolent show of humanity in these communities to water

gift. Water is also loaned in the manner a cash-strapped business or indeed an innovative business start-up gets money loan. Water is the currency of life and economic activities in the Lake Chad region. There is even a local lingo for contributions of water to a distressed neighbor: Adashen ruwa as exemplified by the response of the women to Amsatu’s child delivery.

As soon as Amsatu has weaned her baby and is back on her feet it becomes incumbent on her to contribute water to the families of other women in the village that have gone into labor. Ceremonies such as wedding attract similar water contributions. Vegetation and water that have been a common attribute of the Lake Chad region are disappearing before our very eyes. “Climate change, both by nature and precipitated by man is deemed responsible for the drying up of the Lake Chad and rivers in the region,” says Professor Abbas Gisilanbe, an official with the Centre for Disaster Management, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Abbas, a respected Biometeorologist in the region, said human activities such as damming of the rivers and the dumping of refuse on water channels are among the main causative factors of this emerging environmental catastrophe. In Borno and Yobe States in particular, “the potential evapotranspiration is more than five times the total annual rainfall and temperatures are generally very high during the hot dry season” hence the drying up of the rivers.

In recent years, the region has witnessed both the drying up of rivers and drought, the result of this is an ensuing competition by locals to migrate to communities in areas where there are pastures. The visitors, when armed face little or no resistance at all, but when they are desperate and vulnerable villagers they may be forced to migrate.

Nothing ever gets reported of these little wars because they get swallowed up in the bigger conflict that is the Boko Haram insurgency.

Investigations by this reporter also reveal that availability of vegetation and water are often a motivation for Boko Haram insurgents’ invasion of communities in the past four years. The incidence of clashes between villagers that are mainly farmers and armed herdsmen in areas where there is water resource has refused to go away. There are also other villagers that are either fleeing from insurgency or drought, but on arrival in new settlements, are turned back. Often, in such situations with their backs against the wall, such situations stir further conflicts.

These sub-conflicts have often resulted in the destruction of communities with attendant loss of human lives.

In April and May alone, the two factions of the insurgents in the region have clashed over control of locations with greener pastures around MeineSoroa, around Damboa and in old Marte earlier documented by this reporter.

As the population grows around rivers, streams and wetlands in the Lake Chad region incidences of dumping of refuse in the channels that cause downstream hemorrhage on the environment increases.

Abbas has warned that, “Irrigation water abstraction on the banks and from digging wells and puddles on the dry bed lead to an unprecedented drying up of rivers.”

A villager, Abubakar Grema said, the situation in his village close to Banki town at the border with Cameroon was very dire, “sadly, we have resisted other villagers from settling in our village in order to safeguard our scarce water resource.”

They have often used the water in their village to appease the insurgents who also are in need of it, and because of this arrangement, they were hardly attacked by them. “If we have used water and other resources that come with water to buy peace, we can’t afford to accommodate other visitors that may speed up the drying of our stream. As long as we have water resources our survival is secured,” Grema concluded.

Long before Boko Haram’s terror reared its head the impact of the vanishing Lake Chad and surrounding rivers and streams in the region was so severe it created a string of untold calamities. The unemployment that came with it was an easy fuel for the Boko Haram doctrinaires.

According to experts, it is too late to educate villagers to avoid harmful practices that are worsening the environmental landscape in the region. There are hardly any official or conservative groups that can move freely in these communities, barely populated now to engage and share new ideas and safety measures with them such as efficient water utilization because of insecurity and the fear of terror.

Communities such as Grema’s are becoming more conscious of their rights to the common resource and are easily agitated when these rights are infringed upon. At a higher level, the fears of the Yobe State government over the proposed Kafinzaki dam on the Kumadugu Yobe River in Bauchi State has been a source of official tension between the two state governments. In these North-eastern states, particularly in Borno and Yobe, potable water is already a very scarce commodity and the drying up of rivers in the already water deficient Sudano – Sahelian parts of Northeast Nigeria are moving beyond scarcity to catastrophic levels. People, especially women and children are seen trekking hundreds of kilometers in search of water. In some places, wells are hundreds of meters deep and water can only be fetched by the use of draught animals like camels and donkeys.

Many families have to rely on water gifts or contributions like in the case of Amsatu.

Lately, it has become too risky for men to travel in search of water, firewood or food. “You may either be killed by armed groups or arrested by security forces,” said Bana, Amsatu’s frail looking husband.

Salkida is an Independent Journalist and a conflict analyst.

PMB, Ndoma-Egba and NDDC Board

By Tamuno Phil Brisibe

N

iger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been in the news of late for not very good reasons. A faceless group has been round about town sponsoring media publications with the intent of casting the action of President Muhammadu Buhari in appointing the Senator Victor NdomaEgba SAN led board in bad light, and this is very worrisome. It is worrisome because the interventionist agency came into being to heal the wounds of the past, assuage the feelings of the inhabitants of Niger Delta area, help calm the restive youths that have taken to militancy due to the age long neglect and degradation of the environment occasioned by the exploration activities of oil companies and address the infrastructural deficit in the region. Over the decades, the oil companies have carried on with little or less recourse and adherence to global acceptable standards and best practices for such operations elsewhere the world over. Air, water and land pollution to mention but a few. Endless decades of struggle which has resulted in death of frontline activists from the area, youth militancy, armed struggle and agitation gave rise to the enactment of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by the government of Olusegun Obasanjo.

As a growing boy, my father bought us

a football. There were 11 of us in the family, 6 of which are boys and the football was meant to do us good, but in no distant time fight ensued over who keeps custody of the ball after each day’s play. The fight was so severe that we ended up tearing the ball apart with razor. This didn’t go down well with our father whose ultimate aim for purchasing the football was to provide means of play for his sons. He never bothered replacing the torn football for us as we have disappointed him in no small way by showing that we can’t handle and manage our affairs without squabbles.

Will this become the fate of Niger Delta Development Commission? Hell No. We shall not allow this to happen. This faceless group that is playing this bad politics which has injected bad blood into the fabric of Niger Delta should henceforth sheath their swords before they do further damage to the fragile peace in our region.

Before I digress further, let me delve into the bone of contention. “Appointment of Chairman, Managing Director and Board Members of NDDC” . To serve as guide, I refer us to the relevant sections of the NDDC Act. The enabling law that guides the operation of Niger Delta Development Commission. In Part 1, Section 3 (1) states as follows,@ Chairman and Members of the Board shall hold office for a term of 4 years at the first instance and may be reappointed for a further term of 4 years and

no more.

Section 5 sub-section 3 also states that “Where a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Board it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of office of his predecessor, so however, that the successor shall represent the same interest and shall be appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces subject to the confirmation of the Senate in consultation with the House of representatives”. The law is very clear on this and there’s no ambiguity as evidenced above.

Since it says here that where vacancy occurs in the membership of the board, it is crystal clear that there was no vacancy in the board because there was no board. Be mindful that the Senator Ewa Henshaw led board ceased to exist weeks after President Buhari was sworn as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thereinafter Messrs Ibim Semenitari was appointed as sole administrator of NDDC. She ran the Commission solely without Board, until a substantive Board was appointed and inaugurated on November of 2016.

You therefore cannot stand something on nothing. The present Board led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN is not a continuation of the former Board. It is a brand new Board. Except if the dramatis personae in this dirty politics are trying to

perhaps make us believe the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is a continuation of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government. Or that APC led Federal Government of Change is a continuation of PDP’s inglorious administration. And since this can’t be so, the present Board cannot be a continuation of the former Board appointed by former government.

Nigeria is a Country of laws and procedures, reason we have our law courts which stretched up to Supreme level.

Because the champions of this ignoble act knows that it is an exercise in futility, they resorted to use of threats, militant actions and media war, else I will advice them to test this enabling law of NDDC in the relevant court of competent jurisdiction for further interpretation. We cannot toy with the already existing peace in the Niger Delta, which has seen the increase in oil production and stability in National economy. I implore my brothers from Niger Delta to focus more on how to help the present Board to achieve it’s aim clearly evidenced in it’s unprecedented developmental strides which was fostered by transparency in the manner the Board conducts it affairs.

Tamuno Phil Brisibe resides in Port Harcourt Rivers State.

PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

Comment

Bring back our history

By Moses E. Ochonu

T

he minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said recently that the Nigerian government plans to restore history to the secondary school curriculum. For inexplicable reasons, history was excised from the curriculum several years ago. The government’s decision is commendable but they should get started on its implementation because historical illiteracy and amnesia is slowly killing the country. We are a country afflicted by an epidemic of forgetting and “moving forward.” We move forward without understanding and resolving our past only to realise at great cost that our unfinished businesses are holding us captive and stalling our forward mobility.

The absence of historical consciousness in Nigeria hurts and haunts the country in multiple ways. Take corruption. Many Nigerians believe that corruption only entered the Nigerian political lexicon during our latest flirtation with democracy, that is, post-1999. A few may cite the military era that preceded the Fourth Republic. Very few remember or are familiar with the corruption of the Second Republic, let alone the fact that the First Republic was rocked by multiple corruption scandals.

The absence of historical memory in the domain of corruption is the reason many Nigerians say Nigeria should “move forward” instead of investigating past crimes. Grappling with the past and addressing its tragedies and residual pains is seen as moving backwards, opening old wounds.

It is the reason many are willing, even eager, to

forgive past political crimes against the Nigerian people. It is the reason we are too quick to move on to new scandals, the reason we get bored with old crimes, and fail to see a trans-regime tapestry of corruption and abuse of power. It is the reason we see political malfeasance and misbehaviour in isolated blocks rather than as continuities, rather than as a continuum needing to be disrupted.

This dearth of history in our public discourse is the reason old criminals are quickly ignored and manage to sneak back, unnoticed, into the orbit of power, their crimes forgotten. It is the reason that politicians delay their corruption trials, knowing that our legendary short memory and disconnection from history will buy them time, enabling their troubles to fizzle out.

It is as though our baseline of remembering is yesterday. It was the literary icon, Chinua Achebe, who said perspicaciously that, if we are going to fix Nigeria, we should go back to when the rain started beating us. This was a compelling statement on the value of retrospective reflection, of history, in our search for diagnostic and ameliorative ideational tools. The irony and problem is that many Nigerians believe that the proverbial rain started beating us in 2010, 1999, or with the annulment of the June 12 presidential election in 1993. We have historical shortsightedness.

There are Nigerians who believe that election rigging, political opportunism, incompetence, and leadership indifference are phenomena associated with the post-1999 period, or that, at worst, they go back to the Second Republic. The First Republic is often understood in simplistic terms of the “good old days.” But those days weren’t so good, at

least not politically. There are Nigerians for whom even the Obasanjo administration is a distant and irrelevant past, unrelated to the challenges of the present.

A Dangerous History?

Some people say Nigerian history is too contentious and that teaching it would create more problems that it would solve. All histories are contentious — and contested. This argument against the teaching of Nigerian history is founded on a naively simplistic notion of history. History is not a single, consensual story about an event, nation, or people, or an attempt to produce such a monolithic narrative. History is the sum of many stories, all of them purporting to explain the same thing. Every historical work tells just one out of many possible stories. The notion of narrating the past “as it happened” is passé, a futile quest that no historian I know subscribes to.

This complexity does not, however, take away from history’s importance to nation building. It enhances it. The idea that it would be dangerous to teach Nigerian secondary school students and university undergraduates about the Nigerian Civil War, to use an oft-cited example, is responsible for the unforgivable ignorance of Nigerians about this recent war that continues to haunt and plague the nation. This idea, too, rests on the erroneous notion that we must find a consensus on how to teach Nigerian history or that we must teach it uniformly across the country or we shouldn’t teach it at all. We have boxed ourselves into a corner of self-annihilating historical ignorance with this allor-nothing logic.

We are now producing secondary school and

university graduates who cannot make sense of Nigeria beyond 1999 or 1993, graduates whose only knowledge of the troubles of the First Republic and the Civil War is filtered through contemporary ethno-religious politics detached from a history of British conquest, amalgamation, colonisation, and the troubled, colonially stagemanaged march to independence.

How can we build a nation with generations buried in a depth of historical ignorance?

Speaking of nation building, no nation is to be taken for granted, and the imperative of building and rebuilding the nation is precisely why serious countries invest in the study of history, including the United States, where some American history is taught in middle school, is compulsory in secondary school, and is among a set of humanities and social science courses university students, regardless of their Majors, must take.

Nigerian history is no more dangerous than other histories. The disruptive crises and events that seem to proliferate in Nigerian history are offset and positively negated by a long history of associational, marital, mercantile, cultural, political, linguistic, and genetic comingling by Nigeria’s many ethnic groups and kingdoms.

We seem to perpetually grope for symbols and histories upon which to posit and defend the basis for Nigeria’s oneness, but we prohibit the teaching of a history that demonstrates a long, precolonial period of intertwinements between Nigeria’s many constituencies.

Moses E. Ochonu can be reached at meochonu@gmail.com

Addressing the challenges of African businesses

By Chimezie Uzoigwe

B

usinesses are important for wealth creation and development of any society because they undertake huge risks to innovate, create and market value bringing prosperity to themselves and society. The impact of businesses is not just limited to creativity and wealth creation, they foster interactions in communities and ensure the survival of people tied to the business activities. Many believe that business entrepreneurship is Africa’s best bet to attain economic and social development.

Leading entrepreneur, Mr. Tony Elumelu, who professes the Africapitalism philosophy believes that “entrepreneurs will play a central role in bringing together private wealth and public need and that the transformative impact of economic growth unleashed by a fully empowered, socially conscious entrepreneurial class will dwarf the results achieved by the previous aid-driven approach to Africa’s development.”

Businesses are contributing immensely to Africa’s development. The African Development Bank estimates that Africa’s private sector accounts for over four-fifths of total production, two-thirds of total investment, and three-fourths of total credit to the continental economy, and employs 90 percent of the employed working age population. Given this position, the optimal performance of African businesses is important as it becomes clearer that the aspiration for a transformed Africa can only be achieved through effective partnership between the public and private sectors.

Africa is attractive for business. Six African countries – Ethiopia, Congo DRC, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Tanzania and Rwanda are among the thirteen fastest growing economies in the World, according to the World Bank. Africa’s demographics also promise a huge dividend for business. The continent’s one billion, mainly youthful consumers are an increasingly compelling market as consumer spending per capita already matches that of India and China and is expected to reach $1.4 trillion in 2020.

Mckinsey, in a June 2010 article, had noted that the rate of return on foreign investment in Africa dwarfs that of any other developing region. Thus, Africa has continued to draw attention not only from businesses abroad, but also from existing players in the continent.

Despite Africa’s attractiveness for business, there are still many challenges facing businesses in the continent. Doing business in Africa remains largely difficult. Sub-Saharan Africa had a regional average score of 56.28 points out of 100 and a regional rank of 114 out of 189 ranked economies in the 2016 World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index. There are still challenges, with respect to the environment, for business, policy, corruption, access to resources, political and economic stability and uncertainties, which hurt business competitiveness.

While many businesses have fallen on the way, the thriving ones have grown to be resilient to these challenges. But this still comes at a huge cost – a loss in business and social prosperity that could have been attained if businesses do not have to invest in adaptation strategies.

Challenges Facing African Businesses Nigeria is a good case study of how business potentials are unnecessarily undermined by state ineffectiveness. With a youthful population, a growing middle class and a huge consumer base, Nigeria’s business environment is naturally favourable for businesses to excel.

But government’s overwhelming presence in some aspects of the economy (doing what she should not be doing) and underwhelming presence in other aspects of the economy (failing where she is needed) is hurting the ability of entrepreneurs to utilise these favourable natural conditions to create wealth. Largely due to state ineffectiveness, entrepreneurs in Nigeria continue to face difficult challenges in the following areas: • Access to Resources Finance is key to running any successful enterprise. Lack of access to finance is perhaps the biggest challenge for intending entrepreneurs and a constraint to growth for existing enterprises. Banks generally prefer to invest in government bonds and treasury bills and to lend to influential and billionaire businessmen, most of whom invest majorly in somewhat ‘sterile’ activities like oil importation, rather than lend to SMEs. Thus, government’s overwhelming presence in the economy partly crowds out financing for private enterprises from the banks. Although there are many government intervention schemes for enterprise financing, these schemes are not unified, are

poorly co-ordinated and implemented and thus, do not achieve set objectives. For example, many MSME operators have continued to lament the hurdles they face in accessing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ₦220 billion MSMEs development fund and funds from the Bank of Industry (BOI).

• Weak Enabling Environment The enabling environment for business in Nigeria is poor. Insecurity is still a major threat to businesses. For example, the Boko Haram insurgency has crippled economic activities in the North-Eastern part of the country. A new wave of militant insurgency in the Niger-Delta has led to the destruction of major oil and gas pipelines and facilities, and caused production shut-in. The implication of this for the national economy can best be imagined. Nigeria also continues to suffer from a severe infrastructural deficit. From poor transportation networks to epileptic power supply, the story is the same.

While most businesses operate by generating their own power at huge costs, the situation is usually worsened due to frequent scarcity of petroleum products and the attendant long queues in gas stations. Only a few months ago, many businesses could not run because there was no public power supply, and the state oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) which superintends over a corrupt oil subsidy regime was unable to meet the demand for petroleum products as private oil marketers were unable to access foreign exchange to import the products.

• Policy Challenges One of the key challenges facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria at present is unfavourable government policies. For example, the ideological posturing of the government on the issue of devaluation and the rationing of foreign exchange by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for about sixteen (16) months denied many entrepreneurs access to foreign exchange to purchase critical goods that serve as inputs in their operations. Nigeria’s land tenure system is also a key constraint to business success. Getting a governor’s consent for a land an entrepreneur intends to acquire takes many months and years in some states. Even the process of registering a business is very tedious.

• Corruption and Multiple Taxation The high level of bribery and corruption and a culture of patronage increases the cost of doing business in Nigeria and reduces efficiency in business operations. For example, the foreign exchange crisis which is harming businesses would have been better managed if the country saved and grew its foreign reserves amidst high oil prices instead of mismanaging the oil windfall. Multiple taxation is also harming entrepreneurs, making many to seek to invest in tax havens. In Nigeria, once you set up shop for business, you are confronted with taxes, rents, rates and levies to be paid to different levels of authorities.

• Uncertainty Nothing kills businesses more than uncertainty but in Nigeria, entrepreneurs face many uncertainties. It took the newly elected President Muhammadu Buhari up to six months to constitute his cabinet. It took a lot of unnecessary drama to get the 2016 budget passed. Thus, the Nigerian stock market that surged and led the gains among world equity markets on the back of the president’s electoral victory almost collapsed due to the uncertainty created by the halt in governance for almost six months. At present, the government’s policy direction remains unclear as many final business and investment decisions are put on hold.

How I Would Address the Challenges Facing Africa’s Businesses Doing business in Africa is difficult largely because Africa’s leadership has not succeeded on the whole in using the tools of governance and policy to complement the ‘natural’ factors that make Africa attractive for business.

Although, modest gains have been achieved through some outstanding reforms in a few countries, the challenges facing businesses remain enormous. Africa’s businesses hold the promise of significant further growth opportunities if these challenges are addressed.

With a bolder, stronger and smarter leadership, these challenges can be tackled and the full potentials of businesses unleashed.

Chimezie Uzoigwe writes from the University of Benin, and can be reached through Chimezie.uzoigwe@gmail.com

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PAGE 14

News BSG vaccinates over 2,000 NYSC members against meningitis From Ahmed Bauchi

Kaigama,

O

ver 2,000 National Youth Service Corp members, Batch B stream 1,deployed to Bauchi state have been vaccinated against meningitis.

The Executive Chairman of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Adamu Ibrahim Gamawa stated this in an interview with news men in his office.

He said that the exercise was conducted by the state government in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

Gamawa said that the aim of the vaccination exercise was to protect corps members against meningitis as many of them were coming from other parts of the country where the weather conditions was not as hot as Bauchi state.

He explained that it was the tradition of the agency to administer the vaccines to corps members at the camp before deployment to their respective places of primary assignment.

“It is our tradition to ensure that corps members are vaccinated against communicable diseases such as meningitis because some persons may have low immunity that may not be able to withstand the virus” “Some of the corps members will be deployed to rural areas where they are not used to. We want to ensure that our corps members are hale and hearty throughout their one year stay in the state. Apart from ensuring their security, we also want them to be healthy in order to give a good testimony of the state when they leave,” he said.

Benue Govt sets up Committee to probe state Varsity From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

I

n a bid to reduce the over bloated wage bill of the State, Benue State government has constituted a seven (7) man visitation panel to probe and ascertain the staff strength and actual wage bill of the Benue State University (BSU).

It would be recalled that during an interaction with newsmen recently, Governor Samuel Ortom had fumed at the high wage bill of the University, decrying the adamant refusal of Staff of the institution to undergo screening exercise.

“They are not above the law.

I must probe the institution no matter what it takes. We spent over 600 million to pay salaries

of the staff which is one of the highest in the country. This is unacceptable, “the Governor fumed.

Hence, this necessitated the constitution of the panel which was inaugurated yesterday by the Deputy Governor Benson Abounu.

Swearing in the panel, Abounu who is also Chairman salaries verification committee, said the panel is saddled with the task of ascertaining the records of the inflow and out flow of money into the institution.

He added that government had in the last few months been working tirelessly to establish the true wage bill of the state which was currently over bloated, to enable it pay salaries as at when

due.

He said “We are making progress in that direction which will ensure that the issue of backlog of unpaid salaries is put to rest in no distant time” The Governor directed the panel to carry out an audit of the university’s payroll in the last three years to ascertain the actual burden, the current expenditure liabilities and suggest any sustainable measure to ensure timely payment of salaries.

“I also urge you to come out with suggestions on any other issues that would strengthen the university to help the institution realize its objectives.

“The exercise is not a witch hunt or intended to sack any staff but to strengthen the institution

for better service delivery”, the governor said.

He noted that the panel was set up in line with the law establishing the university which is vested on him as its visitor.

Responding, chairman of the panel, Chief Tony Egwu assured that members would justify the confidence reposed in the panel by diligently carrying out the assignment in line with the policy of the administration.

The panel which has three weeks to complete the assignment and submit its report has Prof.

Emmanuel Apedzan, Prof.

Alamveabee Idyorough, Mr. Timothy Dim, Raphael Ogah, Mrs. Kukase Garuba as members while Mr. Bem Amenger would serve as secretary.

Programme Officer, Livelihood and Recovery of Victim Support Fund (VSF), Mr Emmanuel Ojo, presenting a bag to a primary school pupil, during the presentation of education materials and furniture to some schools in Madagali and Michika Local Government Areas, yesterday in Adamawa.

Photo: NAN

UNIBEN/Schlumberger move to cut waste in oil, gas industry By Osaigbovo Benin

U

Iguobaro,

niversity of Benin (UNIBEN) authorities in partnership with Schlumberger technology have wielded a handful of initiatives, leading to the deployment of plug-in software operation to curb wastage and avoidable errors of the value-chain in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

The Slumberger technology engagement programme (STEP) is in collaboration with the University of Benin, cutting across students from the Departments of Geology, Geo-physics, computer Science, computer Engineering and Petroleum Engineering in the Institution.

The plug-in module is expected to increase the market value and put the research on global scale and make it acceptable worldwide and it was powered by the Centre

of excellence in Geo-Sciences and Petroleum Engineering, University of Benin.

The Group Managing Director, Schlumberger Nigeria, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwagbogu spoke at the close-out meeting of selected nine final year undergraduate students from the Faculties of physical Sciences and Engineering who have successfully completed the plug-in software basic training programme.

According to him, “what we are doing through the STEP programme is about developing a problem-solving skills for brilliant minds and mentor them properly to develop a lot of solutions which have potential economic and commercial value within our industries.

“We try to spread it around for people to interact with this software.

It focuses on the Exploration and production (A & P) industry which also include the life circle

of drilling, petrol fundamental, Geology, Geo-physics and how to do convincing presentation”, he said.

He said the scheme would be expanded to other Nigerian Universities in no distant time based on the availability of funds.

The Vice-chancellor, University of Benin, Prof.

Faraday, directed the various Heads of nine Departments and the Deans in the Faculties of Physical Sciences and Engineering to workout a template on how to further develop the research.

The VC who was represented by the Deputy Vice-chancellor, Administration, Prof. Jacob Ehirobo, said the Institution is plannijg to establish a Centre for Research development.

The Operations Manager of the Schlumberger, Prince Abangwu, said, the University lecturers, mentors and Supervisors will monitor the

progress of implementation of its recommendations for operational improvement for the knowledge gained ahead of the first quarter of 2018 when the students will take up another challenge.

The Programme Manager of the programme, Miss Oluwatoyin Ogedengbe, in a brief presentation, said the six weeks training programme was conceived in July 2017 and started on September 18th 2017.

She said the programme was launched at the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Geo-science and Petroluem Engineering (UNIBEN), using the STEP Curricula as an alternative for advanced technologies which is beyond the reach of most third word Countries.

In his goodwill message, the Director of the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Geo-science and Petroluem Engineering (UNIBEN), Prof. Joseph Ebeniro, challenged the students and the

Management of the Institution to work as a team without loosing sight of the prospects and challenges that lie ahead of them.

High point on the occasion was presentations by the students on Software Technical Demonstration: Fluid Mapping on surface and Software Technical Demonstration: Seismic Zone Mapping.

Peoples Daily reports that Schlumberger, is the world leading provider of technology for reservoir characterization, drilling, production, and processing to the oil and gas industry across over 85 Countries.

Besides, the concept encourages data-sharing among the selected students led by their supervisors and mentors to bridge existing gap between the Academia and industry for the purpose of enhancing the employability skills of graduands from the Nigeria Universities.

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

APC stakeholders endorse Buhari, Ganduje for second term From Edwin Olofu, Kano

S

takeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, have adopted President Muhammadu Buhari and governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as their candidates for second term.

The party leaders passed the vote of confidence at the state Government House, yesterday.

The president did not indicate whether he accepted or decline the endorsement in his speech, even after the party leaders promised to provide the nomination forms for him.

Buhari merely beamed with

smiles and went on to underscore the need for unity in the party and among the diverse peoples of Nigeria.

The APC stakeholders meeting, held on the margins of the President’s state visit to Kano, was attended by Governor Ganduje, his deputy, Professor Hafizu Abubakar, the state APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas and the members of the state executive committee, among others.

Also in attendance were two of the state’s senators; Senator Kabiru Gaya and Senator Barau Jibrin, chip whip of the House Alhassan Doguwa and other members of the House of

Representatives from the state; the Speaker and 34 of the 40 members of the Kano State House of Assembly and the 44 party Local Government Chairmen, their deputies and the Local Government Area secretaries of the APC. Others are Governor Muhammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa and other leaders of the party in his state.

Speaking, he State’s Chairman of the APC, Abbas said they endorsed the President on his achievements in the last two years especially in the fields of security, war against corruption and the restructuring of the economy.

“Security is important for everyone, not just for Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

“It even more so for us as a commercial and industrial state.

We are convinced that you are best for these times when the country has begun to muster energy and resources to develop agriculture, infrastructure and empower the younger citizens,” Abbas said.

Speaking on a humorous note, Governor Ganduje said the party was prepared to drag the President to court to force his acceptance of the second term ticket.

In his response, President Buhari said he understood the

clamour by the ordinary people on the streets who raised four fingers on each arm, ‘’meaning four-plus-four’’.

He, however, stressed the need to sanitize party politics by ridding it of vote buying and violence.

“What I saw in the elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers, the use of money and those headless bodies really upset me. I don’t wish to see that anywhere. I would not have won if money and killing was the modus of operation.

That is my view of politics,” the President said.

What will happen if South-West fails to produce PDP national chairman –Kashamu

T

he Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, has warned the members and leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against shutting out the SouthWest from producing the next national chairman of the party.

Kashamu warned that such action would turn the PDP to a regional party.

He, therefore, urged chieftains of the PDP to speak and move against the attempt by some people to stop the South-West from getting the chairmanship position which had been zoned to it before the botched Port Harcourt convention.

Kashamu, in a statement issued ahead of the party’s national convention slated for tomorrow, said the attempt to frustrate the zoning arrangement entrenched in the party’s constitution might reduce the PDP to a regional party.

He said, “If those trying to scheme out the South-West succeed in their effort, the zone would be rendered irrelevant in the PDP. Without prejudice to anybody’s right to contest, irrespective of the established zoning arrangements, it is an open secret that the PDP national chairmanship had been conceded to the SouthWest pre-Port Harcourt convention.

“As a consequence of this, other positions zoned to the South-West are innocuous deputies to substantive offices except the National Treasurer.

Even the Deputy National Secretary that is a member of the National Working Committee is not included. All these are because of the vital national chairmanship already

conceded to the South-West. In fact, if elections were to hold then, a particular promising young politician from Lagos, South-West could have won.”

He added, “If a consensual stand is to be changed, it is only reasonable and fair that a new all-inclusive stakeholders’ meeting be called, where necessary re-zoning of key party posts from the South would be discussed to enable the national chairmanship to become open to all the southern zones. Similarly, the previously held consensus of the VicePresident coming from the South-East in 2019 would accordingly be revoked for all southern zones including the South-West to contend as it is happening now.”

While calling on the SouthEast to join the South-West in fighting the injustice being meted to the latter, he said, “The PDP South-East needs to be categorical now in support of the South-West on the ongoing national chairmanship tussle between the South-West and the South-South.”

He added, “The logical implication of this avoidable tussle is to make uncertain, the settled South-East vicepresidential quest in 2019.

If the South-East expectedly takes a principled stance in rightful support of the South-West, naturally as a reliable race in adherence to agreements, the Yoruba PDP would reciprocate without any prompting. What is currently happening is glaringly an orchestrated assault on the South-West to end up with nothing in 2019, with the disgusting connivance of the national party administrators.

This is a dangerously illogical political permutation for the 2019 national elections.” NAN

Supporters climbing up to catch a glimpse of President Muhammadu Buhari during his 2 Day State Visit on Wednesday in Kano

PDP Nat. Chairmanship Race: Ladoja steps down to boost S/W chance

By Our Correspondent

A

head of the December 9,National convention of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, one of the aspirants for the National Chairmanship slot, Sen.Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja has agreed to step down from the race in order to boost the electoral chances of Prof Tsoheed Adedoja from Oyo stste thereby brightening the chance of south west geo- political zone to produce the next National chairman of the party.

Sen.Ladoja,announced his decision to step down during a marathon meeting held amongst aspirants from the zone in Abuja yesterday Wednesday hosted by him,saying his decision was based on his conviction that the south west must produce the next National Chairman of the party for the sake of equity and fairness. It was also gathered that all the deputy chairmanship aspirants from

SOUTH WEST have withdrawn from the race in the overall interest of South West and the party. ‘”My ambition to seek for the National Chairmanship position of our great party,the PDP,is not in doubt,but l feel l have to sacrifice this ambition for the overall and collective interest of the south west to produce the next National Chairman of PDP. “Since the inception of this party,the PDP, the South West geopolitical zone is yet to produce the Party’s National Chairman and l believe is now or never if the party wants to make any serious electoral impression in 2019. ‘’it is a against this backdrop and conviction that my stepping down will boost not only the chances of our zone,but garner up more votes for the zones preferred candidate. ‘’I therefore urge my other brothers to do likewise and let’s support a candidate that is acceptable and non controversial.

It was reliably gathered that

other aspirants though welcome Ladoja’s gesture,but still insisted that all must go to the field to test their popularity and acceptability.

Other aspirants who attended the meeting include Prof.Taoheed Adedoja(Oyo),Prof.Tunde Adeniran(Ekiti),Otunba Gbenga Daniel(Ogun),Chief Olabode George and Jimi Agbaje(Lagos).

It will be recalled that the PDP had earlier zoned the position of the party’s National Chairman to the south,but the South West are yet to produce a National Chairman.

Also in the from the South south are High Chief Raymond Dokpesi( Edo ) and Uche Secondus (Rivers ).

However,with this development,a staunch member of the party ,Malàm Haruna Bamali from Kaduna state has therefore urged the South West National Chairmanship aspirants to ensure that a consensus candidate emerges to brighten the chances of the zone towards producing the next National Chairman of the party.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

POLITICS

PDP Convention: Challenges, Intrigues, horse trading and glitz

By Ali Alkali

A

s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, prepares for its tomorrow’s National Convention, Abuja is already agog with the presence of party chieftains, about 3,000 delegates and thousands other party members. Hotels are full to capacity, while food vendors, general goods hawkers including pick pockets and sex workers are seen excitingly taking strategic positions around Eagle Square, the venue of the event.

A total of 774 delegates have been elected, while the rest, over 2,000, are statutory delegates for the elective national convention to be held for the purpose of electing national officers for the opposition, PDP, tomorrow Saturday, December 9.

Briefing the press this week, the Chairman of the planning committee of the convention and Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, said, “The convention is going to be for delegates; and we are expecting a little less than 3000 delegates. And those delegates have been properly accredited by the accreditation committee.

“And for those our party members that are going to come are welcome to Abuja, but they will not be allowed to come to the eagle square; and this is because we want to be sure that we are in a position to deliver a credible elective convention. Movement will have to be somehow restricted to some important personalities who ordinarily will love to be around. We are trying to put all these processes in place so that we don’t over crowd the venue,” he said.

Campaign posters banned at convention Political campaigns are known for their glitz and glamour. Apart from party flags, banners and colourful attire that usually identify delegates and their states, campaign posters for candidates for various elective offices also add colour to the events, as well as the information they convey.

But tomorrow’s PDP national convention will have no such campaign posters, if the party’s warning is adhered to by the members.

The planning committee of the Convention had this week issued a directive forbidding the display of campaign posters for any of the offices being vied for at the venue of convention.

Chairman of the planning committee of the convention and Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, announced the ban at a pre –convention briefing in Abuja.

Governor Okowa urged aspirants to the various positions to keep their campaigners away from the convention venue as and all campaigns must have stopped by Friday.

Sounding the warning firmly, he said, “I will not expect any aspirant, especially presidential aspirants to bring their campaign posters, campaigners, men or women to the venue, because it will not be allowed.

And we want to appeal to all of them campaigning to desist from doing that.

“For those who want to campaign for future election, possibly the presidential aspirants, this convention is not the place to display campaign posters or to display their intentions.

I believe there will be an appropriate convention for that. I want to urge them to cooperate with

Atiku us as a committee,” he said.

Micro zoning The office of the national chairman has been zoned to the South in anticipation of its Presidential candidate coming from the North, in line with its tradition of North/South zoning arrangement.

But, barely one week to the convention, the issue of which area among the three zones in the Southern part of the country will get national chairmanship slot, became a burning issue threatening to create divisions among party stakeholders from the North.

While some of the leaders were supporting micro zoning of the chairmanship seat to the SouthWest, others were stoutly resisting it, saying that the North should not take part in enforcing micro zoning of offices in the South where there is no agreement.

The protagonists of this agenda based their analysis on the fact that South-West is the only geo-political zone that has never produced the party’s national chairman.

They also said that whereas the party does not allow for outright micro zoning, it does not forbid it either. They are of the opinion that certain interests within the party who are perceived to be interested in flying its flag for the 2019 general elections and might not be favoured with micro zoning are the ones against the arrangement.

The idea of leaving the stage for the entire South has however put the race between South-West and SouthSouth.

Hence, in the last few months the likes of former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George; former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran; former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, all from the South-West, have been traversing the length and breadth of the country canvassing for delegates to elect them for the position.

Other aspirants from the SouthWest include former Education minister, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode; former governorship

Makarfi candidate for Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje; among others.On Wednesday, Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the party, Senator Walid Jibrin declared that it is too late to micro zone the position of the National Chairman of the party, advising the various aspirants to accept whoever emerges as the National Chairman at its national conventional.

Chair for the highest bidder?

Considering the crises that befallen PDP spanning over two years, most stakeholders are of the opinion that the party must reinvent and re-enact itself. The new leadership must therefore be one that enjoys the confidence of the majority stakeholders and members in order to have a seamless transition.

But as PDP stalwarts are known for using money to influence political outcome, former military head of state, Ibrahim Babangida, IBB, early this week, warned leaders of the party to soberly reflect on the challenges confronting the party, identify their flaws and seek plausible ways to correct them in order to come out stronger in subsequent elections.

He said as founding fathers and stakeholders, there is urgent need to collectively assure Nigerians that the party has learnt bitter lessons.

The former Head of State indicated worries over possible monetization of the electoral process in the party, which he described as “disturbingly eroding” the power which should ordinarily reside in the people.

In a statement issued last Sunday, signed by his spokesman Prince Kassim Afegbua, IBB said: “In the last few days, I get frightened by the monetary consideration that is likely to dictate who emerges as the National Chairman of our great party, rather than what the people truly want. The discussion is more on the side of heavy monetization of the process and ultimate “procurement” of the position of the Chairman by the highest bidder.

“This approach, in my humble view, defeats the whole essence of participation, free choice and voting which are the essential attributes of any democracy without inducement

and outright manipulation.

IBB pleaded that the party leaders “tread on the path of caution and common sense, conscious of our recent history of avoidable political crisis.”

“Following the defeat of the party in the 2015 election, it is incumbent upon us as leaders and stakeholders to use the opportunity of the convention to sober reflect on the challenges confronting us, identify our flaws and seek plausible ways to correct them in order to come out stronger in subsequent elections.

“At this point of our political history as a party, we need a National Chairman who is driven by uncommon initiatives, creativity in ideas and a rich content of character to lead and stabilize the party in line with the laudable ideals of the founding fathers of the party. Such an individual must possess national recognition to be able to galvanize political opportunities and transform them into tangible outcomes in our democratic engagements.”

He called on all delegates to use the rare opportunity presented by the convention as veritable platform to elect in a holistic manner “a credible, tested, down-to-earth and truly urbane candidate with enough stamina, distinguished character and national acceptability who is driven by incurable optimism and passion for a united Nigeria.

“At this critical stage of our political secretions, we need men of stature, discipline, character and commendable conduct to breathe fresh air into our party and not persons whose political relevance is the product of naira and kobo bargain across the counter.

“We need a National Chairman that would not bend to the vagaries of individual selfish interest but one who is strong enough to apply the rule of law without fear or favour. We must begin the process of interrogating processes that lead to outcomes and not just the outcomes. We must interrogate our leadership recruitment process and encourage our delegates to exercise the power of their thumbs in making their preferred choice among the candidates.

Peace Accord Few weeks to the tomorrow’s event, seven of the eight national chairmanship aspirants signed a peace accord, with a resolve to abide by the outcome of the elective convention, solemnly abiding by and upholding the tenets of the National Chairmanship Election according to which they voluntarily subscribed.

In the accord, the aspirants resolved as follows: “Support whoever emerges amongst us as the National Chairman of our great party as long as the process is transparent, free and fair in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the party and guidelines of the elective national convention; “No aspirant shall leave the party or encourage his or her supporters, promoters etc to do so, as a result of the outcome of the national chairmanship election at the elective national convention; “Any breach of the 2015 zero expenditure policy of the party, which prohibits the use of monetary inducement, including lodging of delegates and providing money for votes, shall not be tolerated in the 2017 national elective convention and shall be a ground for disqualification on or before the 9th December, 2017; “Any aspirant/sponsor/ supporter/financier, proven to have done anything contrary to the agreements reached herein and in circumstances that suggest the knowledge of the undersigned persons shall be disqualified from contesting the national chairmanship election.

The seven aspirants who endorsed the peace accord included Professor Tunde Adeniran (former Education Minister), Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Rashidi Ladoja, erstwhile governors of Ogun and Oyo States respectively, Prince Uche Secondus (ex- Acting National Chairman of the party, Professor Taoheed Adedoja (one time Minister of Sports and Special Duties), media tycoon, Raymond Dokpesi and Jimi Agbaje, the PDP governorship flag bearer in Lagos State in the 2015 gubernatorial elections.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

POLITICS

Who emerges the National Chairman of PDP tomorrow?

By Lateef Ibrahim

T

he stage is set for the Saturday’s elective national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, slated to hold at the Eagles square, Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The primary assignment of the national convention, under the chairmanship of the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, is to elect national officers for the opposition party, which has virtually be in political limbo since losing election to the incumbent All Progressives Congress, APC, government headed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

There is no doubt that the convention will be both intriguing and interesting. The high point of the convention, where a little less than 3,000 delegates will be voting, will be who emerges the National Chairman of the party, out of the various aspirants jostling for the office. Who will get the position of the National Chairman of the PDP? On the list of those jostling for the number one party position are; Commodore Olabode George, a retired Naval officer and former military governor of Ondo State from Lagos State, Prince Uche Secondus, a former acting National Chairman of the PDP from Rivers State, Prof Tunde Adeniran, a one time Minister of Education from Ekiti State, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, the Chairman of African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power Radio from Edo State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, a two-term former Governor of Ogun State, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, former Minister of Sports and Youth Development from Oyo State, Mr Jimi Agbaje, the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State during the 2015 general election, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, former Governor of Oyo State and Mr Olusegun Aderemi from Ekiti State.

Interestingly, the jostle for the various positions, particularly that of the National Chairmanship, has aroused the most attention from different quarters, more than even before. Some have even likened the contest to that of a general election, judging from the rigorous campaign by the aspirants across the nation.

Who will lead the PDP to the 2019 general elections among the various aspirants? Will the next National Chairman of the party come from the South Western part of the country or the from the South- South? Will it be Prof Tunde Adeniran, who is strongly believed to be enjoying the support of former Military President Ibrahim Babangida or Prince Uche Secondus, who is being backed by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyeson Wike among others? How prepared are the members of the Senator Okowa-led national convention planning committee in terms of logistic arrangements and accommodation among others?

Governor Okonwa, at a

Bode George

pre-event press briefing, said, “The venue of the convention is the eagle square. It has been secured and we have had a lot of discussions concerning the need for accreditation, securing the venue and also the electoral process.

“We are very confident that a lot is being put in place and between now and friday (today) we would have been able to achieve every other thing that we need to do to deliver a credible convention.

“We need to make this announcement to all our party members and well wishers that the convention is going to be for delegates and we are expecting a little less than 3000 delegates.

And those delegates have been properly accredited by the accreditation committee.

“And our party members who are going to come are welcome to Abuja but they will not be allowed to come to the eagle square and this is because we want to be sure that we are in a position to deliver a credible elective convention. Movement will have to be somehow restricted to some important personalities who ordinarily will love to be around.

“We are trying to put all these processes in place so that we don’t over crowd the venue”, he said.

The convention planning committee however introduced something somehow new and strange when it announced the banning of the display of posters at the venue of convention.

According to Governor Okowa “I Want to urge aspirants to the various positions to please keep their campaigners away from the convention venue and we believe all campaigns would have

uche Secondus

stopped by friday.

“I will not expect any aspirant, especially presidential aspirants, to bring their campaign posters, campaigners, men or women to the venue because it will not be allowed. And we want to appeal to all of them campaigning to desist from doing that.

“For those who want to campaign for future election, possibly the presidential aspirants this convention is not the place to display campaign posters or to display their intentions.

“I believe there will be an appropriate convention for that.

I want to urge them to cooperate with us as a committee”, he said.

One issue which had dominated discussion over the National Chairmanship issue is whether the position should be further micro zoned, after it has been originally zoned to the Southern part of the country.

Opinions have been divided on this with some pushing for it to be micro zoned to the south west, while others believe that is should be for the three geo-political zones in the South to contest for.

But the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin pointedly declared that it is too late to micro zone the position of the National Chairman of the party.

Rather, Jibrin advised the various aspirants for the National Chairmanship position to accept whoever emerges as the National Chairman at its national conventional on Saturday.

The aspirants, he stated, should be allowed to test their fame through the primaries that is about to start on the 9th-10th December 2017, assuring that the BoT is ready to cooperate

and work with whoever emerges the National Chairman.Senator Jibrin reiterated that the BOT has not anointed any candidates for now.

His words, “The BOT believes that it is too late to microzone the position of National Chairman considering that after more than Eight [8) aspirants have purchased the forms and are right now about to be Screened by the Special Screening Committee.

“They should be allowed to test their fame through the primaries that is about to start on the 9th-10th December 2017.

“I want to assure our party members that whoever emerged the National Chairman, the BOT is ready to cooperate and work with him for the progress of the party. I would like to reiterate our position that BOT has not anointed any candidates for now”, he said.

The PDP has however raised the alarm that some elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, are trying by any means to disrupt it.

The Publicity Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee, NCC, of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who raised the alarm at a press briefing in Abuja, claimed that the governing APC is afraid that if the PDP should hold a successful convention, that their days in government are numbered.

The opposition party thus called on President Buhari to carry out his investigation as well as call those who are trying to cause the problem to desist because “it is capable not only of destroying this democracy but also capable of destroying the country”.

The National Publicity

Secretary of the NCC of PDP said, “ I want to draw your attention to an issue that bother us. We have a credible information that some overzealous elements in the government are trying by any means to disrupt the convention of the PDP; to make sure this convention does not hold successfully.

“They have been trying every effort but we are happy that we have no information that it is coming from the very top.

“But some overzealous elements in the administration are bent...It is a very credible information and they are doing everything possible to make sure that this convention is disrupted.

“They are afraid that if the PDP should hold a successful convention, that their days in government are numbered.

“By the time we hold this convention and our officers are elected and they take office next year; there will be a floodgate of people even from APC to the PDP. This is a credible information and that is why we are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to please rein in his aides.

We have no evidence that the President is aware of this. It is happening and we are calling on him to do his own investigation and to call those who are trying to cause this problem to desist because it is capable not only of destroying this democracy but also capable of destroying the country”, he said.

The success or otherwise of the PDP national convention will go a long way in determining the direction the opposition party will go ahead of the 2019 general election in the country.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

No plan FCT tops, as Nigeria records 2, by govt to 478 road crashes in Q3 2017-NBS review fuel pump price R -PPPRA

By Etuka Sunday

By Etuka Sunday

P

etroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has assured fuel consumers nationwide that there is no plan by the federal government to review the pump price of fuel.

PPPRA said it would continue to monitor the supply situation and take every step required to ensure that there is no disruption whatever in the system.

In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Abdulkadir Saidu, the agency assured all stakeholders and members of the public of un-interrupted products supply and distribution, pursuant to the over all goal of facilitating a vibrant and robust Downstream Oil and Gas sub-sector.

PPPRA said, it was aware of the sudden appearance of queues and attendant discomfort felt by the public and stakeholders across the country, and assured speedy resolution.

The agency advised Nigerians especially motorists not to engage in panic buying, assuring that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) being the major supplier of the products would ensure the availability of the products.

oad transport data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the country recorded 2,478 road crashes in the third quarter of 2017.

NBS said, speed violation was the major cause of road crashes in Q3 and it accounted for 44.51% of the total road crashes reported.

The Bureau said, loss of control and dangerous driving followed closely as they both accounted for 10.41% and 9.52% of the total road crashes recorded.

According to the data, total of 6,803 Nigerians got injured in the road traffic crashes recorded.

6,419 of the 6,803 Nigerians that got injured, representing 94.4% of the figure, are adults while the remaining 384 Nigerians, representing 5.7% of the figure are children.

It said, 5,110 male Nigerians, representing 75%, got injured in road crashes in Q3 while 1,693 female Nigerians, representing 25% got injured. Similarly, a total of 1,070 Nigerians got killed in the road traffic crashes recorded in Q3.

NBS said, 981 of the 1,070 Nigerians that got killed, representing 91.7% of the figure, are adults while the remaining 89 Nigerians, representing 8.3% of the figure are children. 815

male Nigerians, representing 76.2%, got killed in road crashes in Q3 while 255 female Nigerians, representing 23.8% got killed.

It said, estimated vehicle population in Nigeria as at Q3 2017 was put at 11,547,236 with the total population of the country puts at 193,392,517 in 2016.

Nigeria’s vehicle per population ratio is put 0.06.

Data on the category of vehicles involved in road crashes in Q3 2017 reflected that 58% of vehicles are commercial (2,000), 40.6% are private (1,401), 1.4% are government (48) and the remaining are diplomat (0).

It said, FCT recorded the highest number of road crashes

in Q3 2017 and closely followed

by Kaduna and Kogi States while Borno and Bayelsa States recorded the least.

“A total of 200,565 national drivers licenses were produced in Q3 2017. Lagos and FCT produced the highest number of drivers’ licenses while Zamfara and Kebbi States produced the least numbers of national drivers’ license.

“Similarly, a total of 75,958 vehicle number plates were produced in Q3 2017. Delta and FCT state produced the highest number of vehicle plate numbers while Ekiti and Rivers States produced the least numbers of vehicle plate numbers in Q3 2017,” it said.

L-R: Chairman, Board of Fellows, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Chris Okoye, National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engr..Obiekwe Anaduaka and the Vice President NSE, Engr. Joseph Akinteye, during the 2017 National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Highway and Transportation Engineers, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

WorldRemit raises $40m to target 5 million customers in Africa

By Etuka Sunday

L

eading digital money transfer service, WorldRemit has raised $40m to drive its next phase of global growth, aiming to serve 10 million customers connected to emerging markets.

A statement by the Global Lead for PR and Media Relations at WorldRemit, Lucas Germanos said, the $40million has brought the total amount WorldRemit has raised to $220 million.

As part of the expansion, WorldRemit will enable

customers in Africa to transfer money to 148 countries as easily as sending an instant message, using the WorldRemit app.

Countries in Africa which now receive remittances through WorldRemit, will become send countries. Most importantly, the new service will make sending money within Africa faster, easier and low cost.

According to the World Bank, inter-Africa transfers are amongst the most expensive in the world.

Money transfers to Africa account for more than half of

WorldRemit’s total volume of transactions.

The company currently handles 74% of remittances to popular mobile money services across Africa like MTN, Ecocash, Tigo Pesa, Vodafone M-Pesa and Airtel Money, making it the global leader in mobile-to-mobile international money transfers.

The founder and CEO at WorldRemit, Ismail Ahmed said: “This new funding will fuel our growth, and help bring our service to millions more customers across the globe. Africa is a crucial

market for us and over the next few years, we will expand our services so customers can send and receive with WorldRemit, getting the benefits of our fast, secure online service.”

Since its last funding round in 2015, WorldRemit has launched 206 new services across the globe and has grown its transaction volume by 400%. Last month WorldRemit became Arsenal FC’s first-ever online money transfer partner.

The Series C round was led

by LeapFrog Investments, a

dedicated equity investor in emerging markets, supporting fast-growth firms that deliver social impact alongside commercial returns. The round also had significant participation from existing investors Accel and Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV).

This latest funding round follows a Series B investment raised from TCV in 2015 and a Series A from Accel and Project A in 2014 - then one of the largest ever Series A rounds in Europe.

Page 20

B u s i n e s s

BUA using militia, soldiers to mine site allocated to Dangote – Ministry

T

he management of BUA Group has been using armed militia, soldiers and policemen to mine marble and limestone in mining sites allocated to the Dangote Group, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has alleged.

In a statement signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Abass, and made available to our correspondent, the ministry said the company had been using a combination of armed militia, soldiers and policemen to obstruct the ministry’s team from executing the stop work order issued to the company in October.

The ministry’s statement was in response to an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari by the company alleging that a minister was involved in sabotaging its operations.

Abass said that the records of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office, the BUA Group did not have a mining lease over the contentious site (No. 2541ML) and was therefore engaged in illegal mining.

He stated, “The ministry stands by the stop work order issued to the BUA Group and signed by the Permanent Secretary dated 17th of October, 2017.

“The letter was issued after thorough investigation confirmed that the BUA Group was indeed engaging in illegal mining of marble/limestone at a mine pit located on geographical coordinates N070 21’ 47.4’ E0060 26’ 51.8’, while the run-of-mine is stockpiled at an area with geographical coordinates N070 21’ 48.4’; E0060 26’37.2’.

“Clarification provided by the Mining Cadastre Office shows that the coordinates of the mine pit and RoM stockpile area fall wholly within the area of mining Lease No 2541ML belonging to Messrs Dangote Industries Limited.”

Abass added, “The ministry had earlier in 2015 issued a stop work order on this same disputed site but the BUA Group disregarded the order and went ahead with its illegal mining activities, under heavy cover of armed soldiers, policemen and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”

“The management of BUA also resisted the enforcement of the latest stop work order issued on October 17, 2017 using a combination of armed militia, soldiers and policemen to obstruct the team from the ministry in effecting the stop work order.”

He added that the ministry would not compromise due process in its commitment to promote local and global investments in the Nigerian mining sector.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

CBN tasks traders on selling local products

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has urged traders to change from selling finished mechanize to producing what they sell.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department of the Bank, Mr. Isaac Okorafor said this on Monday, December 4, 2017 to Traders at Mile One Market during the CBN sensitization fair in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mr. Okorafor said the traders transforming from selling

finished and imported goods to selling what they produce will ensure a sound economic footing for the economy translating into job creation for the youths.

The CBN Spokesman told the traders that with the changing dynamics of doing business (buying and selling) and more consumers preferring to patronizing malls and plazas, it was expedient that they involve themselves in what would guarantee better economic well-being.

He urged them to take advantage of various

development initiatives of the CBN such as the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) to cultivate crops like rice and reduce the high cost of import.

Continuing, Mr. Okorafor explained how the drop in the global price of oil and depleting foreign reserves led to the Country going into recession.

He stated that with a combination of carefully selected monetary policy and development finance initiatives, the CBN helped to steer the economy out of recession.

Okorafor informed the traders that there has been

more reserves accretion, the country is already witnessing the convergence of officials and parallel market Forex rates.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Mile One Market Traders, Hon. Okechukwu Olu expressed appreciation to the visiting CBN delegation for choosing to sensitise traders in the market on the various CBN initiatives noting that they it was a welcome development and opportunity for traders to arm themselves with necessary information from the apex Bank to improve their business.

An aerial view of the 2017 Carnival Village, located at the Municipal Council headquarters on Marian Road, yesterday in Calabar.

Photo: NAN

Privatisation Allegations: SERAP got it wrong-BPE

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has faulted the claims by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to revisit the allegations of corruption made against the privatisation agency by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Investigation of the Privatisation and Commercialisation Activities of the BPE from 1999 to 2011.

BPE said, it is curious that SERAP would dredge up a sixyear report and attempt to give it the air of infallibility. However, the Bureau would address issues raised in the report again just as it did six years ago when the report was first published. We again reject the conclusions of the report which may have been aimed at tainting the activities of the reform agency.

Recall that Muhammadu Buhari administration, on April 13, 2017, appointed a new Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex A. Okoh, with the broad mandate to address the challenges in the privatisation

programme.

The current BPE has a new programme philosophy aimed at rediscovering its core values of transparency and integrity. This has resulted in the introduction of a raft of changes that are already addressing some of the gaps of the past and repositioning the Bureau towards a new vision of the future.

An exemplar of these changes is a robust corporate governance framework for the Bureau’s representation of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) on the Boards of enterprises in which the FGN retains shares, and a strict code of ethics that guides the rules of engagement with the enterprises.

A statement by the Head, Public Communications, BPE, Chukwuma Nwokoh said the Bureau is supremely confident that the comprehensive change programme put together by the current leadership will ensure a future of disciplined and responsible privatisation and an effective post-privatisation management regime that ensures that the objectives of the programme are pursued with courage and conviction

and that the government and people of Nigeria are the ultimate beneficiaries.

The current Bureau of Public Enterprises has learned valuable lessons from the past and is confident that the future of the programme shall be better positioned.

On the issue of monitoring privatized entities, the BPE has routinely monitored the performance of privatised enterprises through its Post Privatisation Monitoring Department.

The present monitoring framework was established in late 2006 and monitoring activities effectively took off in 2007.

In establishing the monitoring framework, BPE consulted widely and benefited from the expertise of a consultant provided by the Department for International Development (DFID), UK, under its support to the privatisation program.

The agency has moved further in its post-privatisation activities and strengthened its processes.

BPE’s lock-in period has been strengthened such that, even at its expiry, a core investor that has not fulfilled its post-acquisition

plan is not discharged from the mandatory monitoring programme. This development debunks the claims on postprivatisation by SERAP. On the claim that the Senate Committee found that abuse of due process in the selection of core investor, valuation of public enterprises, appointment of consultants, pricing of shares/ assets, determination of workers’ terminal benefits, establishment of proceeds accounts and use of proceeds, handing over of public enterprises and payments by core investors adversely affected the performance of privatised public enterprises, the statement is rather sweeping without making any specific references and denigrates and devalues the efforts of BPE to implement the government’s policy on privatization.

It would have been apt if SERAP had contacted the Bureau to be apprised of the latest developments in the privatisation agency and its activities. Our doors are still open to SERAP should they seek further information and enlightenment on the reform activities of the BPE.

Page 21

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

Primary Healthcare: FCTA moves to settle contractors’ liabilities

Stories by Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed conclusion of every arrangement to settle outstanding liabilities to all contractors handling various Primary Healthcare service projects in the Territory.

This assurance was given by the Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Barr. Amanda Pam during a crucial meeting with contractors handling projects in the FCT Primary Healthcare Centres, in

her office.

Pam stated that the purpose of the meeting was to appeal to the conscience of all those that abandoned their sites to return to work as every step is being taken to settle all outstanding debt after verification of claims.

She emphasized that due process would be thoroughly followed in arriving at those qualified for payments.

The Secretary however praised the contractors for keeping faith with the FCT Administration, under the Minister Muhammad Musa Bello, and assured the residents

of the Territory, the Administration’s commitment towards better health care services delivery in the Territory.

Also speaking, the newly appointed Director of Administration and Finance Alhaji Surajo Ado Faskari said that the Health Secretariat is lucky to have as it’s head an experience lawyer, teacher and a politician who understand the philosophy behind the change mantra of President Buhari’s Administration.

He commended the HHSS boss for using her wealth of experience in piloting the af-

fairs of the secretariat with probity, accountability and transparency.

Responding on behalf of the contractors, Arc. C. Ekeh, whose company is handling one of the PHCs projects commended the Secretary for being pragmatic in her approach to the plight of contractors.

He therefore assured that all contractors handling PHCs projects will meet their contractual responsibilities for the betterment of the Administration and above all the communities where such projects are located.

ACSS boss vows to ameliorate plight of local gov’t employees

M

andate Secretary of FCT Area Councils Services Secretariat (ACSS), Mallam Adamu Abubakar Bappah has promised to resolve myriad of challenges facing the Abuja chapter of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE).

Bappah made this assertion when he received leadership of NULGE on a courtesy visit to his office, in Area 11.

He said the Administration will work hand in hand with the Union that he has gone round to the Area Councils and heard some of their challenges concerning the issue of their pension of which some of the retiree have no access to.

He added that the Secretariat will work hand in hand with the Area Council Service Commission to make sure they put smile on the faces of the retirees.

Bappah however disclosed that a monitoring committee would be setup in all Area Councils to ensure that all payment are made to the designated councils.

The Secretary noted that a Tabulated Template for payment has been made to ease the payment process to various councils, and by the end of December it will all be sorted out.

He also assured the NULGE president that he will not sit down and watch the officials and staffs rundown the Area Councils.

In his remarks, the President of the FCT NULGE, Abubakar Yakubu thanked the ACSS for accepting to receive them and assurance to ameliorate their plight, adding that their November salary has not yet been paid to them, and they are also been owed pension arrears.

He noted that though problems facing local government employees in FCT did not start today, but with proper management and good governance they can be resolved.

He therefore expressed optimism, as the Secretary has gone round all the Area Councils, and is now aware of the problems they are facing.

Queue of motorists opposite NNPC towers, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Development Control clears roadside building dealers in Gudu

I

n furtherance of its reinvigorated effort to curtail illegal developments in the FCT, Development Control Department of the the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), yesterday cleared roadside building materials dealers in Gudu District.

In particular, officials of the Department stormed and dislodged building materials dealers and other petty businessmen, trading on the walkways and corridors of the busy Oladipo Diya Road (Ring road II), in Gudu.

Also, some dealers were arraigned before a mobile court sitting in the area, where three persons were fined twenty thousand naira each.

Speaking during the exercise, District Monitor for Gudu, Bolatito Babatunde, said the clearance followed several sensitization and service of abatement notices to the affected dealers.

She said the exercise was to restore the environment to its original designated purpose.

According to her, the Department had observed that traders have taken over the walkways and the road corridor, thereby causing causing obstruction of human and vehicular traffic in the area.

She therefore reiterated that the Department will not relent on its effort to sustain and restore the FCT environment, as it intends to take it up with arrest and prosecu-

tion of defaulters.

“We have closed and open markets for the traders to display their wares, not the walkways in the area.

“We have Gudu market, building materials market and many other markets in Gudu and environs. So, we plead with them to move into these markets and continue their trade,” she stressed.

On his part, Chairman, Gudu Building Materials Traders Association, Ambrose Ahamefuna, who disclosed its over fifty members were properly warned and asked to leave the walkways.

“We were given adequate warning, so I’m not surprised about what happened today.

“But I’m still pleading with the government to consider allocating a land for some of us, who don’t have any other place to relocate to, so so as to continue doing business.

“We are part of the Gudu Market, but due to the nature of our business, there is no adequate space to store or display our wares.

This explains why most of us are on the streets,” he stated.

He however praised the officials for the manners with which they carried out the exercise, as they were allowed to removed their goods during the process.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

Page 22

world news

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Trump Jerusalem move sparks Israeli-Palestinian clashes

O

ne person is in a critical condition.

Mr Trump’s announcement - met with worldwide dismay - reversed decades of US policy on the sensitive issue.

Israel deployed hundreds of extra troops in the West Bank as Palestinians went on strike and took to the streets.

Protesters set tyres alight and threw stones, and Israeli troops fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live bullets.

Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel but fell short, Israel’s army said.

In Gaza, according to Reuters news agency, Palestinians threw stones across the border fence at Israeli soldiers who responded with live fire.

Many of Washington’s closest allies have said they disagree with the move, and both the UN Security Council and the Arab League will meet in the coming days to decide their response.

There are fears the announcement could lead to a renewed outbreak of violence. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has already called for a new intifada, or uprising.

Why did Trump reverse US policy?

The US president said on Wednesday that he had “determined it is time to officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel”.

“I’ve judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” he said.

He said he was directing the US state department to begin preparations to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Despite warnings of regional unrest over any such move, the decision fulfils a campaign promise and appeals to Mr Trump’s right-wing base.

Recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was “nothing more or less than a recognition of reality”, he added. “It is also the right thing to do.”

Trump’s speech in full Media reacts to ‘slap of the century’ Five key takeaways from speech How are capital cities chosen?

Mr Trump said the US would support a twostate solution - shorthand for a final settlement that would see the creation of an independent Palestinian state within pre-1967 ceasefire lines in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, living peacefully alongside Israel - “if agreed to by both sides”.

The president also refrained from using Israel’s description of Jerusalem as its “eternal and undivided capital”. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of any future Palestinian state.

What has been the reaction?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was profoundly grateful to Mr Trump, who had “bound himself forever with the history of the capital”.

At least 31 Palestinians have been wounded in clashes in the Gaza Strip and across the occupied West Bank, during protests against US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Image copyrightAFP, Image caption This Palestinian man and Israeli soldier were photographed outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem He also said Israel was “in touch with other countries to follow suit. I have no doubt other embassies will move to Jerusalem - the time has come”. He did not name any of these countries, although the Philippines and the Czech Republic have been mentioned in Israeli media.

The mood has been very different on the Palestinian side.

The leader of Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, has called for a “day of rage” on Friday and said it should “be the first day of the intifada against the occupier”.

“We have given instructions to all Hamas members and to all its wings to be fully ready for any new instructions or orders that may be given to confront this strategic danger,” Ismail Haniya said in a speech in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ rival Fatah movement is seeking to protest through diplomatic means, by filing a complaint to

the UN Security Council and pushing for a strong stance by the Arab League.

“We are going to declare the United States disqualified as co-sponsor of any peace process or political process,” spokesman Dr Nasser Al-Kidwa said. “In our mind, it has lost its ability to do or perform any efforts in this regard.”

Which countries condemned Trump’s move?

There has also been widespread condemnation across the Arab and wider Muslim world, with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning Mr Trump that he was “throwing the region into a ring of fire”.

The leaders of the UK, France and Europe have all said they disagree with the US announcement.

French President Emmanuel Macron said it contravened international law and UN Security Council resolutions.

The EU’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, said the move had “the potential to send us

backwards to even darker times than the ones we are already living in”.

Why is the announcement significant?

Jerusalem is of huge importance to both Israel and the Palestinians. It contains sites sacred to the three major monotheistic faiths - Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognised internationally, and all countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.

What are the alternatives to a two-state solution?

Why settlement issue is so difficult East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, was annexed by Israel after the Six Day War of 1967, but before now it has not been internationally recognised as part of Israel.

According to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, the final status of Jerusalem is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.

Russia-Trump: FBI chief Wray defends agency

F

BI Director Christopher Wray has launched a staunch defence of the agency following criticism by US President Donald Trump.

Mr Wray told a committee of lawmakers that there was “no finer institution”.

Mr Trump recently lashed out at the federal law enforcement agency, saying its reputation was “in tatters”.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, is investigating alleged Russian interference in the US election to help elect Mr Trump.

Mr Trump denies that his team colluded with Moscow.

“There is no finer institution than the FBI and no finer people than the men and women who work there and are its very beating heart,” Mr Wray told the House of Representatives judiciary committee.

FBI Director Christopher Wray was the man testifying before the committee on Thursday

morning, but - at least for the Republican congressmen present - it was special counsel Robert Mueller in the spotlight.

In particular, the Republicans honed in on a former member of Mr Mueller’s team, Peter Strzok, a top FBI counterintelligence officer removed from the investigation this summer after the agency discovered he had written negative text messages about Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The strategy is clear - to raise doubts about the impartiality of Mr Mueller’s investigation.

The president’s supporters for months have been pointing to perceived Democratic leanings of some of the investigative team, including a handful of donations made to Democratic candidates.

Mr Strzok - who participated in the interview of Trump confidante Michael Flynn as well as the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state - has now become the most-cited example of possible bias.

Conservative officeholders and commentators are steadily sharpening their criticisms of Mr Mueller, a former Republican-appointed head of the FBI. As his investigation proceeds, and the list of presidential associates facing criminal charges grows, this partisan pressure is sure to mount.

Republican committee members pressed Mr Wray on alleged bias within the FBI. He responded by saying that all organisations made mistakes but “independent processes” at the FBI would look into the facts surrounding any mistakes and FBI employees would be held accountable if “appropriate” Reports emerged last weekend that Mr Mueller had dismissed an FBI officer from the investigation after he was discovered to have made anti-Trump remarks in text messages.

The president seized on the officer’s dismissal and, in a tirade on Twitter, said the FBI’s “reputation is in Tatters - worst in history! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness”.

Mr Trump also reiterated his denial that he asked former FBI director James Comey to drop an investigation into the conduct of Michael Flynn, the president’s former national security adviser.

Mr Flynn announced a week ago that he was co-operating with Mr Mueller’s investigation.

He admitted lying to the FBI and, in return for pleading guilty to a lesser charge, was offered a reduced prison sentence of six months.

Analysts say the deal indicates Mr Flynn has incriminating information about one or more senior members of the Trump administration.

Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised the FBI for not taking action against his election rival Hillary Clinton.

Mrs Clinton was investigated by the FBI after it emerged she had used a private email server to conduct state department business. No charges were brought against Mrs Clinton or her team.

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

N

e w s

F

r o m

Page 23

A

f r i c a

After IS, Libya yearns for normality M

onths of fighting left scenes of devastation similar to those seen recently in the Syria city of Raqqa, where IS was pushed out in October.

The IS reign in Sirte was known for its brutality. But the euphoria and celebration in the wake of the military offensive that succeeded in ousting the jihadists in December 2016 have dissipated into frustration and a yearning for life to return to normal.

Battle scars remain Towards the end of 2017, residents from areas of Sirte that were hardest hit by the fighting staged protests against the lack of reconstruction efforts.

They blamed both of Libya’s rival authorities - the eastern-based parliament and the UN-backed Tripoli Government of National Accord (GNA) for the situation in the city, though Sirte falls under the authority of the GNA. Some 1,600 homes were destroyed in the bid to push IS out, Libyan media have said.

Demonstrators, including children, held up posters in front of battered buildings. “Dear government, why have you ignored our city?!” read one.

“Reconstruction first,” said another.

Struggle for a normal life “I can’t speak for the protesters, but most Sirte residents just want life to return to normal as quickly as possible,” one local, Abdullah, told the BBC. He preferred to be identified only by his first name, “because IS continues to pose a threat to us”.

“Sirte’s residents lived for many months under IS’s oppressive rule.

We all suffered huge losses. IS killed our relatives and our friends, and left destruction in our city,” said Abdullah, who helps run a local Facebook page.

“After all this fear, we need a long time for our wounds to heal and to rebuild our city.”

Under IS’s brutal rule, people had posted images on social media and shared fond memories of life before the jihadists controlled Sirte.

Analysis

By Mary Fitzgerald, Libya analyst The reconstruction of Sirte is one of

One year on from a military campaign that successfully expelled socalled Islamic State (IS) from its Libyan stronghold of Sirte, residents have complained of the scale of destruction that remains.

The Giza al-Bahriya area of Sirte, days after the entire city was captured from IS in December 2016 a myriad of challenges faced by Libya.

With the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli still struggling to impose its authority and too many factions determined to torpedo the entire UNmediated dialogue process, the prospects of Sirte receiving the attention it needs anytime soon are slim.

Libya’s second city Benghazi has also been devastated by fighting and it too faces the enormous task of rebuilding and reconciliation. As long as Libya’s power struggles continue, its citizens will bear the brunt.

Life has become desperate for many.

Some find it so unbearable that they have started taking the smugglers’ boats

Protesters gathered in October calling on the authorities to rebuild Sirte

to Europe. At least 600 Libyans have made that journey this year.

Return of IS? A serious challenge to Sirte’s recovery is that the threat of IS still looms large.

The group appears to be trying to regroup and attack Sirte from nearby locations Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES Image caption Forces loyal to Libya’s GNA fought for around seven months to expel IS Losing the city was a major blow to the group’s propaganda efforts to portray it as a foothold on the doorstop of Europe.

Though it is unlikely to retake

territory, IS has continued to wage sporadic attacks. In October it released an upbeat video of its fighters in Libya, saying that the group was making a comeback.

“Many people who fled the city have returned now. But we are still worried that the IS terrorists will return. For that we need help and support, so we can guarantee IS isn’t able to come back, and to ensure a safe life for us and our families,” Abdullah told us.

Authorities divided One obstacle to reconstruction is the seemingly irreparable political crisis.

Rounds of negotiations sponsored by the UN and Libya’s neighbours have so far failed to heal the political rift between its rival authorities. The operations to recapture the city were led by militias sympathetic to the GNA, and supported by US air strikes.

The GNA has not responded to a BBC request for comment. But in November, GNA Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj instructed the authorities to urgently resolve the dire living conditions.

“The government has a vision for Sirte to be one of the main cities prioritised for reconstruction as soon as the financial situation has improved,” his media office said.

From Sirte, Abdullah told us progress could be achieved, but only through unity.

“We are sure that we can get back to normal - it is our duty. The best way to eliminate the danger of IS is to work together in the spirit of partnership.

Every day we see volunteer initiatives by the young men and women of Sirte to contribute to reconstruction. We must all encourage them,” he said.

Haniya, from the local council, echoed his words: “The city needs everyone to rally around it, locally and internationally.”

Source: BBC

PAGE 24

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

N e w s F r o m E u r o p e & A SI A

Capital cities: How are they chosen and what do they represent?

T

he city - home to holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims - is a unique and symbolic place, and its status is one of the key issues that divide Israel and the Palestinians.

Jerusalem is Israel’s declared capital and seat of government, but no other country has recognised it officially as so until now.

But the discord over the US decision raises questions about what capital cities represent, and why they are located where they are.

Here are four reasons: 1. A means of control, and a symbol of unity The word “capital” originates from the Latin capitalis, meaning “of the head”.

As the city at the head of the territory, it is linked to the state and hosts the seat of government and, if they exist, usually royalty too.

The capital needs to be protected, but also able to exert control and project unity.

For that reason many capitals are built in the centre of countries - they need to be seen as representative and accessible.

Madrid is located at almost the dead centre of the Iberian peninsula, while Abuja, which became Nigeria’s official capital in 1991, was built as a brand new, geographically central city to signify the unity of a nation divided along religious and geographic lines.

Likewise, Brazil moved its capital from coastal, crowded Rio de Janeiro to inland Brasilia in 1961 - the idea being to build a brand new capital “to bring progress to the interior of Brazil”, as architect Oscar Niemeyer described it.

2. Political compromise Unlike the deeply divided Washington of today, the founding of the US capital in Washington DC in 1790 was grounded in political compromise.

Alexander Hamilton and the northern states wanted the federal government to take on states’ debts and struck a deal with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who wanted the capital in the South.

George Washington chose the exact spot on the Potomac River and the rest is history.

In Australia, curious tourists are often shocked to find Sydney is not actually the capital city, and usually told the inland city of Canberra was built as the “bush capital” as a compromise somewhere between Australia’s largest city and its competitor to the south, Melbourne.

Some historians say, however, that this is not exactly true, and that the scorching heat in Sydney and Melbourne in summer is one of major reasons that cool Canberra

All eyes are on Jerusalem, which US President Donald Trump has officially recognised as Israel’s capital despite warnings not to do so from within and beyond the Arab world.

The pyramid that reveals Kazakhstan’s ambitions Image copyrightREUTERS Image caption Astana - one man’s dream city was chosen.

Australia debates ‘city to visit’ Canberra “The most significant reason, which all politicians agreed with at the time, was that whites could only really thrive and lead by living in a cold climate,” historian David Headon told the Australian Geographic.

3. Complicated history Berlin or Bonn? That was the question when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and Germany reunified and had to decide on a capital.

During the years of Cold War division, Bonn was the capital of West Germany and east Berlin was the capital of East Germany (the German Democratic Republic).

Today, few of the travellers thronging Berlin’s nightclubs and taking pictures of the wall’s colourful remnants may know about Bonn - but the decision on which two cities became the capital actually came down to just a few votes in the Bundestag

on 20 June 1991. Berlin triumphed with 337 votes to Bonn’s 320.

And while Germans fought over two prospective capitals, South Africa actually has three.

The branches of government are split between Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative) and Bloemfontein (judiciary), though the Constitutional Court is in Johannesburg.

This dates back to the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910 after four British colonies were unified and agreement could not be reached on where the capital would be located.

In 1994, after apartheid ended, there was a movement for a new capital to be created à la Canberra or Brasilia - to allow a fresh start, but this never happened.

4. The whims of strongmen Astana - which became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997 - is a gleaming futuristic

playground and a totem to the ambitions of authoritarian president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled since 1991.

Among the landmarks are the Palace of Peace and Harmony - a concrete and glass pyramid designed by Norman Foster that boasts a 1,500-seat opera venue.

This windswept city in the frozen steppe was briefly called Akmola but changed to Astana because the former means “white grave”.

Another country - Myanmar (formerly Burma) - also has a remote capital city, and its one is four times the size of London.

Nay Pyi Taw was built in 2005 as an isolated refuge for the paranoid military government, at a time before the country began its rocky transition to democracy.

The huge capital has everything - huge roads, a zoo and golf courses - but few people.

Source: BBC

E N T ER T A I N ME N T

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PAGE 25

BY Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Dexter Fletcher to replace Bryan Singer as director of Bohemian Rhapsody I

Eddie the Eagle director Dexter Fletcher

n yet another unexpected plot twist for the potentially doomed Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, actor, director and Guy Ritchie favourite Dexter Fletcher has jumped on board to take over from beleaguered director Bryan Singer.

Fletcher, whose directorial work includes the musical Sunshine on Leith and last year’s Eddie the Eagle, will direct the remaining two weeks of shooting and orchestrate the film’s post-production work, which may involve further reshoots.

The director was previously attached to the project in 2014, going so far as to casting Ben Whishaw to play Freddie Mercury. But he dropped out soon after, with reports claiming he “did not see eye to eye” with producer

Graham King. King is still producing the project.

Fletcher has been roped in following the firing of Singer, who was declared “unexpectedly unavailable” by studio Twentieth Century Fox. A Hollywood Reporter article reported that Singer had gone missing from the set following weeks of difficulties, including clashes with star Rami Malek, who plays Freddie Mercury in the film, and the actor Tom Hollander, who at one point walked off the set in protest. © Provided by The Telegraph Singer later claimed in a statement that Fox had refused to permit him time off from the film to take care of a “gravely ill parent.”

“Unfortunately, the studio was

unwilling to accommodate me and terminated my services,” Singer wrote.

“This was not my decision and it was beyond my control.”

According to Deadline, Fox had been canvassing for a replacement director long before Singer vanished from the set. While Fox has denied the claim, sources told the industry site that “the film didn’t appeal to everyone” and that Fletcher has been handed a project that needs “a lot of work”.

They also reported that it is unknown whether Fletcher will be credited on the finished film, or whether Singer will retain director credit.

Record-breaking painting of Jesus sold for $450million to be moved to Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum

L

eonardo da Vinci’s painting of Jesus sold for a whopping $450 million last month will go on display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the museum announced on Twitter. A painting of Jesus believed to be by Leonardo da Vinci that shattered auction records when it was sold for $450 million last month will go on display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the museum announced on Twitter.

The museum tweeted that “Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi is coming to #LouvreAbuDhabi,” which was confirmed by Christie’s, the auction house that handled the sale of the painting. Christie’s declined to say whether the museum bought the painting.

The New York Times reported Saudi Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud purchased the painting at the Nov. 15 auc-

tion.

The painting, the title of which means “Savior of the World” in English, was the

most expensive painting ever sold at auction. The previous record was Pablo Picasso’s Les Femmes d’Alger, which sold

for $179 million.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is affiliated with the Paris original, opened in No-

vember, costing more than $1.3 billion to construct. It has more than 600 artworks in its permanent collection.

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga Duet in a New ‘A Star Is Born’ Photo

A

lthough the Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga remake of A Star Is Born is months away, slated for a May 18, 2018 release, fans are slowly getting more clues of what to expect from the power duo’s film.

This new still from the movie features Cooper on guitar and Gaga with a microphone, singing head-to-head (literally).

Cooper, who’s making his directorial debut with this movie, broke down the remake in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

Here’s what we learned: Both Gaga and Cooper composed original music for the movie. But they also worked with other musicians and songwriters like Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Jason Isbell, and even Mark Ronson, who helped write Lady Gaga’s Joanne album.

The singing was recorded live.

All of the music in the film is original, and all of it was recorded live.

“There’s no singing in playback, which was terrifying, but it’s key to the movie!” Cooper told EW. “Stefani [Germanotta, Lady Gaga’s real name] was adamant about that: she said, ‘We have to record everything live,’ and I’m so glad she did.

It’s night and day.”

Cooper prepped by performing in real life. To help with his portrayal of musician Jackson Maine, the actor and director played some gigs in real life, even if it meant crashing sets at Stagecoach and

Glastonbury festivals. He also got help from vocal coach, Roger Love, and other musicians.

The music is a rock-inspired mix. “If I had another year of prep, it would have been complete rock, but now it’s some sort of hybrid,” Cooper said of the movie’s original songs.

Cooper sang a folk song with Gaga when he first met her for the movie. The actor and director said the superstar “made me so comfortable, from day one.” The day he first met her for the film, he recalled, he asked her to sing a folk song together to test their chemistry. Gaga “just sat down and made me feel comfortable, and from then on it was that way,” Cooper told EW. He was also able to avoid getting starstruck by being so invested in his portrayal. “I had the benefit of preparation,” he added. “By the time we shot the movie… in some ways I was able to hide in him, so I never had to deal with the reality of asking myself, ‘Are you nuts, putting yourself on stage with Lady Gaga?’ That never really entered into my head, thank God!” The close-up photo isn’t the first we’ve seen from the A Star Is Born set. One dimly-lit still showed Gaga taking the mic while Cooper strummed along behind her.

And another, taken by paparazzi while they were filming, shows the stars kissing atop a motorcycle.

Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga,

PAGE 26

Feature

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

Rescuing the lost children of IS T

ens of thousands of foreign fighters joined so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria - many of them from Russia. What has become of their families now the self-declared caliphate is crumbling?

In the breakfast room of Baghdad’s grandest hotel, among the businessmen and official delegations, they look so out of place - four palefaced children, aged between about three and six.

They’re wolfing down their bowls of cereal with determination, but in silence. You can tell they’re not on a family holiday. There are two women sitting with them, one nursing a small baby. But unlike the children, the women look Iraqi - and the body language is strangely distant. The children seem lost, mistrustful.

Suddenly, several important-looking men in suits at the next table glance at their watches.

They stand up and motion to the women and children - who hurry off behind them as they stride down the hotel’s marble-lined corridors.

Outside, two big cars are waiting. Security men in camouflage fatigues and dark glasses mutter into walkie-talkies as they hustle the children in, along with one of the women they’re hired nannies - who’s holding the baby.

The guards jump in too, the doors slam, and the cars head off in close convoy for the airport.

The children in the hotel What I’ve been watching is Russia, its diplomats and intelligence agents - plucking some of its youngest citizens from the maelstrom of

post-war Iraq - and taking them home.

They’re three brothers and two sisters - and I’ll see them again that evening, on Russian television, at the end of their journey, being led or carried down the steps of a plane by one of the men who was at the next table at breakfast.

Cameras flash, the children, looking completely dazed, are handed over to relatives wailing with joy, and the man - in his 50s, tall and imposing with a clipped white moustache but strangely soft, diffident face - struggles through an interview until he too is overcome by emotion.

His name is Ziyad Sabsabi - a Russian politician and official envoy to the Middle East of the president of Chechnya, Russia’s southern, Muslim republic. Late the night before, I sat with him on a sofa at the hotel as he scrolled through pictures and videos on his phone - footage of the boys and girls in the Baghdad orphanage he’d taken them from - and of scores of other children, a few he’s already rescued, many more still missing.

Ziyad Sabsabi brings back a child from Syria to Chechnya They’re the children of men who left their country to bring death and destruction to Iraq and Syria, volunteer fighters for so-called Islamic State, guilty of or complicit in horrific crimes.

But, as this weirdly unofficial-seeming official asks again and again, what have they, the children, done wrong?

Their mothers, he says - young Russian

Muslim women - were usually tricked by their husbands into travelling to join IS. They apparently thought they were going on holiday, or to work, in Turkey - but were then taken across the border into Syria or Iraq.

Now, with IS largely defeated on the battlefield, those husbands are mostly dead or imprisoned, their wives and children missing without trace. Hundreds of families of foreign IS fighters are detained in Iraq, but their names haven’t all been disclosed yet, even to relatives.

Children like the ones I saw, who were taken to orphanages, whom Ziyad Sabsabi has been able to identify and get permission, after long negotiations, to repatriate - are the lucky ones.

As for the others, I’ve talked by phone to some of their grandmothers - middle-aged women in Chechnya desperate for news of daughters and grandchildren.

One is a woman I’ll call Zamira. Her daughter Seda called her regularly for two and half years - first from Syria, where she was living with one fighter husband, and then, after he was killed, from Iraq where she lived with a second.

But as Iraqi forces advanced steadily towards the centre of Mosul, in July - and bombs rained down - the phone went silent. Since then, Zamira has had no idea whether her daughter, and two small grandchildren, are alive or dead.

Even now, she doesn’t doubt her daughter’s innocence. “Seda tried again and again to persuade her husband to come back,” she insists.

“But once they were there, they were trapped.”

When Seda is found - if she is - the Russian state might not agree. Some repatriated IS widows have been arrested on arrival back home.

And yet Chechnya’s repressive leader Ramzan Kadyrov insists it’s a point of honour to bring back all children of the fatherland.

But the campaign may take years. In the Baghdad hotel he returns to on mission after mission, Kadyrov’s envoy Sabsabi, scrolls on through the chain of angelic faces he’s searching for - and wipes away another tear.

Source: BBC

Children like the ones I saw, who were taken to orphanages, whom Ziyad Sabsabi has been able to identify and get permission, after long negotiations, to repatriate - are the lucky ones. As for the others, I’ve talked by phone to some of their grandmothers - middle-aged women in Chechnya desperate for news of daughters and grandchildren. One is a woman I’ll call Zamira. Her daughter Seda called her regularly for two and half years - first from Syria, where she was living with one fighter husband, and then, after he was killed, from Iraq where she lived with a second.

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PUBLIC NOTICE

WORDFIRE INTERNATOINAL HEALING CHURCH

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB 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. DR. PST FAVOUR AIGBEGBEA - GENERAL OVERSEER. 2. PST. MRS ANTHONIA PRINCE - TREASURER. 3. BRO. AKINNOLA OYEKANMI - SECRETARY. THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ANY OBJECTION TO FORWARDED TO THE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

MADRASATUL NURUL ISLAM FOUNDATION

PUBLIC NOTICE

WINDING-UP

This is to inform the general public that the above name foundation has applied to the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the companies and allied matters act No 1 of 1990.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF LIQUIDATOR MORLAP GROUP OF COMPANIES LTD VOLUNTARY WINDING-UP

The Trustees Are: 1. ISMAILA ABDULRAHMAN 2. MALIK TUKUR 3. ADAMU USMAN 4. AHMED USMAN 5. GARBA, SULAIMAN KURA

PURSUANT TO SECTION 464 OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN OF MY APPOINTMENT AS LIQUIDATOR TO MORLAP GROUP OF COMPANIES LTD

Aims and Objectives To facilitate worship, Islamic propagation and education, moral guidance and the strengthening of fraternal bond and brotherly relations among the Muslims in the community Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar general, Cooperate Affairs Commission Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

ALL CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF THE COMPANY ARE

BY THIS NOTICE ADVISED TO VERIFY AND CONFIRM SAME WITH ME. THE ABOVE IS ALSO FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

Signed Ismaila Abdulrahman

ELIZABETH EKANEM ESQ LIQUIDATOR TEL: 08032823843

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

SYLVESTER AND CATHERINE IBENEME’S FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION 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.REV. SIS. MARY CONCILIA MBEONWU 2.REV. SISI. ANULICHUKWU UDOKA OLIAKU 3.REV. SIS. JUSTINA AZUKA IBENEME THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.VISITATION OF OUR AGEING PARENTS. ANY OBJECTION TO FORWARDED TO THE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Omofa John 2. Towonifini Mosiko 3. Aledare Jide Sunday 4. Oni Emmanuel 5. Meseko Ayodele Alfred

6. Chief Joe Elebiyo (Chairman ) 7. Prof. Mrs Emily Alemika 8. Dr Ade Abanida 9. Hon (Bar) Oloruntoba Kehinde 10. Mrs Elizabeth Atte.(Secretary)

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. Sensitization and campaigns for good governance that can largely benefit Bunu.

2. A body that can speak with one voice and put hands together for communities development.

3. Foster a relationship with government at all levels, corporate organisations and international agencies to attract development to Bunu 4. To promote Bunu culture by organising cultural festivals and programs.

5. Human capacity development and awareness drive through town hall meetings, seminars, workshops, press conference and symposia.

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 : BARR.MRS UCHENNA ANYANWU

SIGNED : by Oyewumi Kehinde Dayo 08032875034

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

BLESSING SMART CARE FOUNDATION

THE SEED OF ABRAHAM APOSTOLIC CHURCH INT’L

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION 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.Blessing Ene Hassan 2.Hassan Ibrahim 3.Taiwo Amos Oludele THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : Educating,empowering and promoting the welfare of children in need in the society for better tommorow.

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

PUBLIC NOTICE

Abia Young Professionals Initiative

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE 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. Kelechi Kelly Ogbonna 2. Onyekachi Uka Iro 3. Alex Obinna.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To build a strong network of Abia Residents and indigenes home and abroad who are professionals in their fields of interest.

2. To pursue a united front to encourage peace, progress and unity of all Abians .

3. To engage out professional expertise towards the progress of Abia State and Nigeria.

4. To offer mutual support and provide a forum for discussion for members.

5. To pursue humanitarian and philanthropic projects to assist the less privileged in the society.

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

WINDING-UP

Bunu Peoples’ Forum

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH 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. Vessel Aderounmu Olubayo Julius -General overseer 2. Lady Vessel Aderounmu Abiola Olukemi -secretary 3. Mrs Adeleye Shola Bose -treasurer 4. Deacon Olamigoke Bola Festus -member 5. Mr. Adeleke Timileyin Abe -member THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To worship our lord Jesus Christ.

2.To preach the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ 3.To act and live by the word of God we preach 4.To plant churches across all nations 5.To win soul for Jesus Christ through aggressive evangelism.

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.

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990 COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES IN THE MATTER OF MORLAP GROUP OF COMPANIES LTD RC: 412844 VOLUNTARY WINDING-UP SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS AT THE EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE COMPANY HELD AT 27, DUALA ROAD, APAPA, LAGOS STATE ON 4th DAY OF DECEMBER 2017, THE FOLLOWING WERE DULY MOVED AND PASS a) “THAT MORLAP GROUP OF COMPANIES LTD BE AND IS HEREBY APPROVED TO WIND-UP VOLUNTARILY” b) “THAT CONSEQUENT TO VOLUNTARY WINDING UP, ELIZABETH EKANEM A LEGAL PRACTITIONER OF NO. 21 HUNPONU-WUSU STREET, LEKKI PHASE 1, LAGOS STATE, BE AND IS HEREBY APPOINTED LIQUIDATOR FOR THE PURPOSES OF WINDING-UP THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY PURSUANT TO SECTION 464 OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990” c) THAT THE BOARD BE AND IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO FIX THE LIQUIDATORS FEE AND TO REMAIN IN OFFICE UNTIL THE END OF THE WINDING-UP EXERCISE “.

DATED THIS 4th DAY OF DECEMBER 2017.

DIRECTOR.

DIRECTOR

PUBLIC NOTICE

MUSIC PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION 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.Olumide Mustapha -chairman 2.Isioma Idige -Secretary 3.Michael Odiong 4.Toju Ejueyitchie 5.Justice Ige

6.Eze Ezegozie 7.Osikoya Abiodun 8.ASA Asika 9.Ibukun Abidoye 10.Audu Maikori

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To protect and further the interests music publishers in Nigeria 2.To uncover the importance of music copyright to users,government and the public.

3.To raise and maintain the value of music copyrights in the market.

4.To provide music publishers with a collective voice on issues of policy and engagement with music users 5.To maintain healthy relationships with other music copyright organizations locally and internationally, including collective management organizations and collecting societies 6.To provide continuous training, education and upskill music publishers and provide them with knowledge resources.

7.To assist in establishing best practise in the music publishing industry and monitor adherence thereto.

8.To promote diversity in a free market and adapt to changing market conditions.

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

SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

SUREAID DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

LAGELU GRAMMER SCHOOL, IBADAN(1977-1982 SET) OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE 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. Mrs. Bidekere Rose Dakolo: Chairman 2. Mr. Iwerikumo Osuoto: Secretary 3. Mr.Tari Nimitei THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : To serve as a platform for Financial Inclusion in Nigeria with special focus on rural communities and to empower low income earners through business development activities 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

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION 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.Dr.Kayode Akintola Afolabi 2.Prof.Ayobami Salami 3.Mr.Oluniyi Oyewole Oyedokun 4.Mr Godwin Iheanacho Okorie 5.Pharm.Kayode Sikiru Odediran 6.Mr Abiodun Sunday Amoo 7.Barr.Oluwole Adeyemi Adeosun THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To promote unity and fraternity amongst members and other old boys of lagelu grammar school, Ibadan in general.

2.To provide a forum for continuing dialogue and intellectual exchange amongst members on issues concerning our alma matter as well as other national issues which bear relevance to the association’s interests.

3.To aim at the restoration of lagelu grammar school, Ibadan to its primary level in intellectual dimensions as well as with regards to beauty of the school environment 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 :-Charles Donglong,esq.

Albert & co.No28,3’rd Avenue,Gwarimpa estate, Abuja

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

PAGE 28

DIGEST

Researchers combat gender and racial bias in Artificial Intelligence Companies use AI to predict everything from the credit worthiness to preferred cancer treatment. The technology has blind spots that particularly effect women and minorities.

W

hen Timnit Gebru was a student at Stanford University’s prestigious Artificial Intelligence Lab, she ran a project that used Google Street View images of cars to determine the demographic makeup of towns and cities across the U.S. While the AI algorithms did a credible job of predicting income levels and political leanings in a given area, Gebru says her work was susceptible to bias — racial, gender, socio-economic. She was also horrified by a ProPublica report that found a computer program widely used to predict whether a criminal will re-offend discriminated against people of color.

So earlier this year, Gebru, 34, joined a Microsoft Corp. team called FATE — for Fairness, Accountability, Transparency and Ethics in AI. The program was set up three years ago to ferret out biases that creep into AI data and can skew results.

“I started to realize that I have to start thinking about things like bias,” says Gebru, who co-founded Black in AI, a group set up to encourage people of color to join the artificial intelligence field. “Even my own Phd work suffers from whatever issues you’d have with dataset bias.”

In the popular imagination, the threat from AI tends to the alarmist: self-aware computers turning on their creators and taking over the planet. The reality (at least for now) turns out to be a lot more insidious but no less concerning to the people working in AI labs around the world.

Companies, government agencies and hospitals are increasingly turning to machine learning, image recognition and other AI tools to help predict everything from the credit worthiness of a loan applicant to the preferred treatment for a person suffering from cancer. The tools have big blind spots that particularly effect women and minorities.

“The worry is if we don’t get this right, we could be making wrong decisions that have critical consequences to someone’s life, health or financial stability,” says Jeannette Wing, director of Columbia University’s Data Sciences Institute.

Researchers at Microsoft, International Business Machines Corp. and the University of Toronto identified the need for fairness in AI systems back in 2011. Now in the wake of several high-profile incidents — including an AI beauty contest that chose predominantly white

faces as winners — some of the best minds in the business are working on the bias problem.

The issue will be a key topic at the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, an annual confab that starts today in Long Beach, California, and brings together AI scientists from around the world.

AI is only as good as the data it learns from.

Let’s say programmers are building a computer model to identify dog breeds from images. First they train the algorithms with photos that are each tagged with breed names. Then they put the program through its paces with untagged photos of Fido and Rover and let the algorithms name the breed based on what they learned from the training data. The programmers see what worked and what didn’t and fine-tune from there.

The algorithms continue to learn and improve, and with more time and data are supposed to become more accurate. Unless bias intrudes.

Bias can surface in various ways. Sometimes the training data is insufficiently diverse, prompting the software to guess based on what it “knows.” In 2015, Google’s photo software infamously tagged two black users “gorillas” because the data lacked enough examples of people of color. Even when the data accurately mirrors reality the algorithms still get the answer wrong, incorrectly guessing a particular nurse in a photo or text is female, say, because the data shows fewer men are nurses. In some cases the algorithms are trained to learn from the people using the software and, over time, pick up the biases of the human users.

AI also has a disconcertingly human habit of amplifying stereotypes. Phd students at the University of Virginia and University of Washington examined a public dataset of photos and found that the images of people cooking were 33 percent more likely to picture women than men. When they ran the images through an AI model, the algorithms said women were 68 percent more likely to appear in the cooking photos.

Eliminating bias isn’t easy. Improving the training data is one way. Scientists at Boston University and Microsoft’s New England lab zeroed in on so-called word embeddings — sets of data that serve as a kind of computer dictionary used by all manner of AI programs. In this case, the researchers were looking for gender bias

that could lead algorithms to do things like conclude people named John would make better computer programmers than ones named Mary.

In a paper called “Man is to Computer Programmer as Woman is to Homemaker?” the researchers explain how they combed through the data, keeping legitimate correlations (man is to king as woman is to queen, for one) and altering ones that were biased (man is to doctor as woman is to nurse). In doing so, they created a gender-bias-free public dataset and are now working on one that removes racial biases.

“We have to teach our algorithms which are good associations and which are bad the same way we teach our kids,” says Adam Kalai, a Microsoft researcher who co-authored the paper.

He and researchers including Cynthia Dwork — the academic behind the 2011 push towards AI fairness — have also proposed using different algorithms to classify two groups represented in a set of data, rather than trying to measure everyone with the same yardstick.

So for example, female engineering applicants can be evaluated by the criteria best suited to predicting a successful female engineer and not be excluded because they don’t meet criteria that determine success for the larger

group. Think of it as algorithmic affirmative action that gets the hiring manager qualified applicants without prejudice or sacrificing too much accuracy.

While many researchers work on known problems, Microsoft’s Ece Kamar and Stanford University’s Himabindu Lakkaraju are trying to find black holes in the data. These “unknown unknowns” — a condundrum made famous by former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld — are the missing areas in a dataset the engineer or researcher doesn’t even realize aren’t there.

Using a dataset with photos of black dogs and white and brown cats, the software incorrectly labeled a white dog as a cat. Not only was the AI wrong, it was very sure it was right, making it harder to detect the error.

Researchers are looking for places where the software had high confidence in its decision, finding mistakes and noting the features that characterize the error. That information is then provided to the system designer with examples they can use to retrain the algorithm.

Researchers say it will probably take years to solve the bias problem. While they see promise in various approaches, they consider the challenge not simply technological but legal too because some of the solutions require treating protected classes differently, which isn’t legal everywhere.

What’s more, many AI systems are black boxes; the data goes in and the answer comes out without an explanation for the decision. Not only does that make it difficult figuring out how bias creeps in; the opaqueness also makes it hard for the person denied parole or the teacher labeled a low-performer to appeal because they have no way of knowing why that decision was reached. Google researchers are studying how adding some manual restrictions to machine learning systems can make their outputs more understandable without sacrificing output quality, an initiative nicknamed GlassBox. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, is also funding a big effort called explainable AI. The good news is that some of the smartest people in the world have turned their brainpower on the problem. “The field really has woken up and you are seeing some of the best computer scientists, often in concert with social scientists, writing great papers on it,” says University of Washington computer science professor Dan Weld. “There’s been a real call to arms.” www.bloomberg.com

PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

Page

29

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

friday, December 8, 2017

Adamu invites 10 players for COPA Lagos/AFCON Beach Soccer

Beach Soccer team

T

en players have been selected at the Birnin Kebbi camp of the Super Sand Eagles for the COPA Lagos Beach Soccer Tournament, opening in Lagos on Dec. 8.

The Head Coach of the team, Audu Adam said yesterday that the new team would represent Nigeria at the CAF Beach Soccer tournament, billed for Egypt next year.

“These selected players will represent us at the World Cup qualifiers in Egypt. I have so much hope in them and I’m confident that they will deliver.

“Our performance in COPA Lagos will further reveal to us where we need to work on and improve on,’’ Adamu said.

The players selected are Paul Danjuma of Kastina United, Arome Isah of Sambrin FC Kogi, Victor Tale (Captain) of Kogi United FC,

Emmanuel Oweferia and Taiwo Adams both of Owibeseb FC Ojo. Others are Ekujumi Eganosi and Emeka Ogbonna both are of Lead UTD FC in Ojo, Lagos, Abu Azizz of Rangers FC Enugu, Suleiman Muhammed of Ifeanyi Uba FC and Bulangi Umar of Kebbi Beach Soccer.

The four new players, who made the team, are Muhammed, Umar, Eganosi and Ogbonna.

The Managing Director of Kinetic Sports, Samson Adamu, the organizers of COPA Lagos, said that this year’s event would be huge because of the partnership with the Lagos State Government.

“We have come a long way and with our partnership with Lagos State, we know things will only get better.

“Already because of this partnership, one of

the most renowned coaches in the world Tehina Rota of Tahiti would help train our home-based coaches,’’ he said.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, said that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode was partnering with the tournament organizers as part of his commitment to making Lagos a centre of attraction.

“Tourism, arts and sports are sectors that our amiable governor understands to be the oil sector, we have seen Kinetic Sports manage COPA Lagos and the tournament has all these traits.

“We believe in the future of COPA Lagos and we are ready to continuously work harder to ensure that we tap into every area this tournament comprises of.

“Talking about sports, fashion, music,

tourism, all these and more are embedded in COPA Lagos and will keep our youths engaged during the festive period,’’ he said.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports, Deji Tinubu, said that Lagos State was proud to be a part of the success story of Kinetic Sports.

“Samson is a Nigerian youth that has single-handedly organised a tournament of this magnitude for almost a decade now; because of his consistency he is a success story.

“I want our youths to challenge themselves, nothing is too small as long as you have passion for it and you have a vision that sees beyond your challenges.’’

The COPA Lagos tournament is to hold from Dec.8 to Dec. 10 at Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Brussels loses right to host Euro 2020 matches

>>pg 30

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

S p Brussels loses right to host Euro 2020 matches

B

russels has lost the right to stage Euro 2020 matches following delays in the development of its new Eurostadium and the four games it was due host will go to London’s Wembley instead, Uefa said yesterday.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said those four matches would be in addition to the two semifinals and final already scheduled to be played at England’s national stadium.

The 2020 tournament is being played in 12 cities across Europe, instead of there being one or two host nations, as a oneoff to celebrate the tournament’s 60th anniversary.

Uefa also announced that Rome’s Stadio Olimpico would host the opening match.

The building of the Brussels Eurostadium had run into delays involving the Koen De Brabander, chief executive of the Belgian Football Association, said in a statement that they did everything they could to make Uefa hold off.

r

t

Messi wary of Nigeria ahead of 2018 World Cup

A

rgentina attacker Lionel Messi has admitted that he is wary of Nigeria after the teams were pooled together in last week’s draw for the 2018 World Cup. The Super Eagles and the South American heavyweights were placed in Group D alongside Croatia and debutants Iceland.

Messi said that Nigeria are a dangerous team who have powerful attackers, as demonstrated in their 4-2 friendly win over Argentina in Russia during the last international window.

“Nigeria is like that, they have two faces. If they have their day, they score four goals,” Messi said.

“They have very good players it was clear in the second half [of the friendly]; but they also allow you to play, they leave gaps and many spaces are generated.”

Messi also expressed his respect for Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel, who voted for the Argentina in the Best FIFA Football Awards Men’s Player of the Year category.

Lionel Messi

Williams may return to tennis January -tournament director

S

erena Williams won her seventh Australian Open in January while newly pregnant Serena Williams has entered the Australian Open in January, tournament director Craig Tiley has said.

The 36-year-old won this year’s event in Melbourne while in the early weeks of pregnancy

and gave birth to a daughter in September.

Tiley told the Herald Sun the 23-time Grand Slam winner is “very likely” to return to tennis in Melbourne.

“She’s got her visa, she’s entered, she’s practising,” he said. “There’s no question she’ll be ready in our view.”

Williams, who has won the Australian Open seven times, has posted on social media that she has returned to training.

Australia’s Margaret Court, with 24, is the only player still ahead of Serena in terms of Grand Slam singles titles.

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 8, 2017

CLASSIFIED

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

WORGU ANTHONY HELPING HAND FOUNDATION

SA-ADATU CENTRAL MARKET TERE-AMA TRADERS ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION 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. HARRETH OGBANGA (CHAIR PERSON) 2. IBARAKUBIEYE ABBEY-KALIO (SEC) 3. TAMUNOALALI SOMIARI (TREASURER) 4. MARYLENE GEORGE 5. SOYE ANN GABRIEL GEORGE 6. GLORIA ALEX SOMIARI 7. FAMILY MINAFURO OWAUPA 8. ESTHER SAMUEL SOMIARI 9. MARGARET OGBANGA 10. ARIBIBIA HOPE OGBANGA

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.ANTHONY WORGU chairman 2. KINIKACHI FELIX sec 3. HARRISON BESTMAN 4. AMADI CHIKA HECTOR 5. SAMUEL OKECHUKWU KELVIN THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. To assist the less privileged.

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

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : (1).TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR MEMBERSHIP INTERACTION. 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.

PUBLIC NOTICE

HOPES & DREAMS CHILDCARE FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION 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. JEBOSE ARINZE 2. MAUREEN ARINZE UJUNWA 3. LUCAS AKAPA 4. REV. FR. VINCENT IDANWOJO THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To cater for the general welfare of its members.

ANY OBJECTION TO FORWARDED TO THE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS

SIGNED : SECRETARY

SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

EDUCATION VALUES PROMOTION IN NIGERIA

SA-ADATU CENTRAL MARKET TERE-AMA TRADERS ASSOCIATION

Glory Orphanage And Rehabilitation Home

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED 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) Dr. Danlami Arabs Rukujei 2) Mr. Benjamin Dangoma Tanglang 3) Maryam Mustapha 4) Abubakar Hassan Othman 5) Barr. Rhoda Usman Kadama, 6) Godiya Samuel Kantoma, 7) Sati Benjamin

-Chairman

-Secretary

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To imbibe reading culture in the life of students and yout hs.

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

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION 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. HARRETH OGBANGA (CHAIR PERSON) 2. IBARAKUBIEYE ABBEY-KALIO (SEC) 3. TAMUNOALALI SOMIARI (TREASURER) 4. MARYLENE GEORGE 5. SOYE ANN GABRIEL GEORGE 6. GLORIA ALEX SOMIARI 7. FAMILY MINAFURO OWAUPA 8. ESTHER SAMUEL SOMIARI 9. MARGARET OGBANGA 10. ARIBIBIA HOPE OGBANGA THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : (1).TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR MEMBERSHIP INTERACTION. 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.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Gloria O. Middleton 2. Nneoma Princess E. Ogbuenyi 3. Mr. Bitrus Tanko Kura 4. Precious Nkem Ogbuenyi 5. Adamu Abubakar Idris 6. Pastor Uche Eleke 7. Ikenna Elvis P. Ogbuenyi 8. Peter Z.U. Anyanwu 9. Stella Ngozi Osadebe

BALA

Omoniyi I, formerly known as Omoniyi Faith smart Now wish to be known and addressed as Omoniyi Faith I’d jaguar. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note

Members.

1. Michael A. Middleton 2. Jidechukwu A. Ogbuenyi 3. Paul Akohol T. 4. George Chibuzor Alfred.

Aims and objectives; 1. To take care of the Orphaned and abandoned children 2. To help the destitute.

3. To take care of the aged 4. To help the physically handicapped 5. To assist widows and single parents.

6. To give physical and medical help to the mentally ill.

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

I, formerly known as IBRAHIM BALA MOHAMMED, now wish to be known and addressed as BALA MUHAMMAD BAUCHI. DATE OF BIRTH IS 2 OCTOBER 1964 NOT 2 OCTOBER 1962. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

Mohammed

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

SIGNED : Gloria O. Middleton Founder/General Overseer

PUBLIC NOTICE

Mrs Donald

I formerly known as Abdulmumini Muhammad now wish to be known and addressed as Mohammed Saleh Gwani. All former documents remain valid.

Authority concerend and General public should please take note.

I, formerly known as Miss Ogonodi Lawreen Wariebi. now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Donald Lawreen Wariebi. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note

IFEOMA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS IFEOMA FLORA SAMUEL. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS IFEOMA FLORA INNOCENT. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

enang I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS enang gloria. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS enang ngozi gloria. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Manchester United can do without Pogba – Mata

M

anchester United has the talent to cope with Paul Pogba’s absence during their top-ofthe-table showdown with Manchester City, fellow midfielder Juan Mata said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash.

Pogba, who has scored three league goals and provided five assists in eight appearances for United this season, impressed in the 3-1 win at Arsenal last weekend but was dismissed in the second half for a reckless tackle on Hector Bellerin.

As the Frenchman serves the first of his three-match suspension, Spaniard Mata is confident his teammates can

step up and help second-placed United reduce the eight-point gap to their local rivals atop the table.

“He’s a fantastic player... He’s a very complete midfielder, he can do all things. He will be a big miss but another player will play and try his best,” Mata told the British media.

“I think we have a good squad and have good players to replace any other player. Hopefully we can win for him.”

Mata underlined the importance of a United win at Old Trafford, saying that it was vital for the club to build momentum ahead of a busy festive period.

QUOTABLE QUOTE

. . . putting the people first

friday, December 8, 2017

“Our national chairman ought to know that politics is a game of numbers; so we expect him to take responsibility for everyone leaving the ruling party to opposition party under his watch. This is a national chairman who has never won election for APC, even in his ward. How can he challenge a former vice president of Nigeria who has added value to democracy and even to the ruling party before he left?”

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank

SPORTS Budgets and public trust (4) latest

FIFA needs 1.3 million tickets in 24 hours at World Cup

L

ess than 24 hours of resumption of sales of the 2018 FIFA World Cup tickets, a total of 1,318,109 tickets have been requested for.

Ticket sales for the world football tournament in Russia resumed exclusively on FIFA.com/tickets and the excitement sparked by today’s final draw brought another wave of worldwide interest.

As the randomselection draw sales period goes on until January 31,2018, fans are able to apply for individual match tickets for all matches (except for the opening and the final), venue-specific tickets and supporter tickets.

In the event that the number of tickets requested exceeds the available inventory, allocation will be based on a random-selection draw procedure.

Fans are advised that during the current sales period, ticket applications could be submitted at any time until midday (Moscow time) on January 31, 2018.

No preference was given in respect of the date of submission.

Submissions would not be preferred or have better chances of success than later submissions).

Currently, most applications have come from Russia while international demand remains high and accounts for 34 per cent.

Fans from Argentina, Peru, Mexico, USA, Colombia, Brazil, Morocco, Egypt, China and Poland all currently ranked in top 10.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

Advert: business: news: lagos:

FRIDAY Column BY

You can’t be rich in politics unless you are a crook- Harry S Truman, Former US President

B

uhari took over in May 2015 with the three arms of government used to abusing public trust. It was and is still normal and why not.

The Executive collaborated with the Legislative arms to see what is in it for me. The budget rituals where the President or in the states where the Governor as “Excellencies” present to the “honourables” called Senators and the members of the House trusted with doing “justice” to the budget for “their” people see it as something else. In the UK that colonised us and they taught us how to respect budgets coded in General Orders (GO) and Financial Instructions (FI) sanity prevailed. In the UK the budgets are effective April 1st to March 31st every year. Before 31st March the incoming budget must have gone through all the readings and scrutinies and will have been passed. Effective April 1st government and their people get it approve and on track.

In Nigeria, the Federal budget that is supposedly to be effective January 1st of a fiscal year goes through vested interests and self serving so-called “elected representatives of the common man”.

They deliberately waste time because the interests of Nigerians are first and foremost not in their dictionaries.

The goodness to Nigerians is not in any real sense in their heart of hearts.

They contrive delays and squabbles for no reason within themselves and the Executive and the user MDAs. With a crooked Senate President and Speaker the stage is set for direct and indirect stealing. So far the beautiful ones are yet to be born. As it is the key functioneries have cases to answer with the ICPC and the EFCC and manyn that served as Governors have skeletons in their cupboards in their states they served.

So how can Nigerians get a fair deal? What is at stake is that they want Buhari to sack Magu. This would appear to a sensible Nigerians that the statement of Harry Truman for branding politicians as crooks instead of honourables would appear as if he had Nigeria in mind. Of course most of the user MDAs are birds of the same feather all “me” or what is in it “for me” first. Head or tail any constitutional arrangement, the common man in Nigeria suffers.

The common man too out in the street is also something else. While he accuses his leaders for corruption, also given a small chance will abuse trust. However, the onus of getting the led on track lies on the leaders.

Obasanjo had the privilege of becoming the President of Nigeria in the second Executive US type Presidential democratic system America style. This followed Shagari that Obasanjo’s tribes men never allowed to function out of tribal and especially religious anti-Islamic stance by a narrow minded noisy and yet to get out of bloody poverty negroes of Africa. The Executive

0806 564 8620 0704 385 9705 0814 292 9046 08074420617

Engr. Abubakar A. Fari mofari@hotmail.com under Obasanjo lacked democratic balance and respect for the rule of Law. He saw himself as messiah which never he was. With old brigade military backgrounds behaved like an army commander seeking loyalty from all. The separation of powers was to Obasanjo only on paper. The budget I learnt in his first year that he “spent four times over”. I should like to believe Ghali Naabba for calling Obasanjo “the most corrupt Nigerian” could shed more light under the circumstance. But when Obasanjo was accusing the Abuja lawmakers they charged him back as a no better person.

The worst was when Obasanjo as a President at any flimsy chance in London and New York was accusing Abatcha of looting. Most believe that Abatcha gave Nigerians better deal in keeping the Trust with the budget.

A fact remains he gave Buhari the opportunity to manage PTF to his credit and the small budgets were used effectively for the good of Nigerians.

During Obasanjo there were missing NNPC funds, the proceeds of the sales of the houses and the huge oil and gas revenues were not effectively used to develop basic infrastructure.

Obasanjo awarded US Chevron an oil deal at the expense of Shell with much better offer for Nigeria and Nigerians. Billions were wasted in power but with nothing to show. The highways cutting across Kano-Lagos; Abuja—Port-Harcourt; Abuja-OndoLagos; Kano-Maiduguri; Railways; Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto etc airports till he left were undeveloped.

Most important food self sufficiency was treated with a joke.

Cassava a none-starter since it favoured the south-west was naively raised to the centre stage of the agricultural policy with no positive result. EFCC was more for blackmail of those who were “disloyal” to Obasanjo and his third term ambitions. To compound Nigeria’s problem he did not allow for proper democratic election but a do-ordie contraption that imposed the

“

Yar’adua-Goodluck ticket. President Yar’adua did his best under the circumstance but was schemed to be an ineffective President and die for a clueless Jonathan to take over. That was what happened so that public trust went to the dogs and budgets were personalized as private bank accounts under the clueless GEJ and uncultured grandees largely, from his enclave.

The legislators blackmail Executive by going to recesses and gallivanting abroad for nothing.

The Nigerians are at the receiving end. Their lives and progress could go to the dogs. Meanwhile the “honourables” are riding new cars and getting alerts in their handsets for doing nothing. Six month down the line shamelessly the clueless “honoroubles” pass the budget and is ready for President to sign. Just imagine the FCT budget only passed in November 2017 slated for 2017 and they have received the 2018.

Many come from poor homes and distressed villages with no good roads and portable water. Diseases abound but that is not their living interests.

The technocrats in the civil service are no better patriots and intelligent.

This demonstrates clearly, there appears no hope for a blackman. We still live with slave mentality to steal FX and dump in the West. What is the difference when the local police in the colonial days went to the villages and confiscated eggs and foul to cook for Oyibo.

The Judiciary was co-opted in the swindle and they got neck in deep. The opportunity arose with the judicial summersault when billions were at stake in deciding who won the governorship elections and other strategic positions for the President, Governors and the party in the LGs, states, Senate, the state and the federal Houses. The do-ordie remains the Governorship and the Presidency. Illegal drawings from state and federal funds to bribe Judges, fat fees for the SANs and party chaps and myriads of jokers.

In Nigeria, the Federal budget that is supposedly to be effective January 1st of a fiscal year goes through vested interests and self serving so-called “elected representatives of the common man”. They deliberately waste time because the interests of Nigerians are first and foremost not in their dictionaries.

Federal allocations meant to be employed in the budgetary process were diverted through the Bureau de Changes to purchase US Dollars to turn justice upside down and inside out. The media houses and journalists and the spiritualists, traditional rulers and area boys and yaan daba and sara suka you name it became beneficiaries in these behind the doors illegal diversion of state and federal allocation meant for the budgetary process for Nigerians.

We conclude with white elephant projects or projects that are in the thin air. The mother of all hypothecation of oil and gas cahs proceeds as done when GEJ and DIEZIANE WERE BETWEEN THEMSELVES CALLING THE SHOTS AT THE NNPC AND THE JOINT VENTURE OIL AND GAS DEALS BETWEEN NIGERIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET. ZOBE WHITE ELEPHANT IN D/MA ELECTIC POWER PROJECTS THAT MONEY WAS STOLEN DIRECTLY In Katsina state at Dutsin-ma there is a Zobe dam was established during Shagari era there typical type of projects about nation wide. The since early 1950 over 30 years down the line has been lying in productive, the communists do not benefit from the irrigation to produce food from irrigation. Nor do they enjoy water supply for consumption and sanitation.

There a huge concrete dam erection at the junction of the Katsina ……since over 30 years and billions have been paid but still lying waste near the Dutsin-ma dam there are so many huge water distribution pipes also dumped that were budgeted and paid for, how can intelligent people behave this way. Public trust abused with impatiently and the trustees get away with it.

The beneficiaries just which helplessly for donkey years, this sorry state of affairs and when a patriot leader calls those who contributed the “bogus” project to come and account they ran to the senate house of representative to block entry further with no shame would wish to evade justice.

DAN GAYE

Buhari pardons 500 inmates in Kano – News

- That’s 500 sure votes in 2019

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: contact@peoplesdailyng.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141