Tuesday, February 17th, 2015 Edition

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Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Rabi Al-Thani 28, 1436 AH

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Policemen inadequate for polls, says Sambo

DHQ to Obasanjo: You lied on tenure elongation charge

>> page 6

>> page 11

peoplesdailyng

N150 Vol. 15 No. 58

FG to sell Nigeria Communications satellite- BPE >> page 19

I’ll liberate Borno from Boko Haram – Buhari l As Maiduguri stands still >> page 2

L-R: All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, and Borno state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, during the party presidential campaign rally, yesterday in Maiduguri.

I left PDP because of illegalities – Obasanjo l You acted irresponsibly – BoT scribe l Exit a plus for APC, says El Rufai >> page 2

309 Days after ECOWAS cautions Jonathan, Will the abducted Chibok Buhari against hate speeches schoolgirls ever be rescued?

>> page 5

PAGE 2

News

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

CONTENTS

I’ll liberate Borno from Boko Haram- Buhari

News 2-11

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

Editorial 13

ll Progressives Congress, (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) on Monday vowed that if elected, he will tackle the persistent insecurity challenges bedeviling the north east and liberate all areas which were conquered by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Buhari, who was in Maiduguri, Borno state capital for the campaign rally made the statement while paying a courtesy visit to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi at his palace, even as he assured that, his administration will do everything possible to end the nasty activities of insurgents.

Our correspondent reported that security was beefed up in the entire Maiduguri and surroundings as they were shut down following the APC presidential candidate’s visit as markets, shops and other business premises were locked, as thousands of residents trekked for about 15 kilometers to get to the Maiduguri International Airport to welcome him.

Buhari who arrived the airport aboard a chartered flight, landed at about 10.30am and was received

by Governor Kashim Shettima, members of his State Executive Council, (SEC), top government

Op.Ed 14 Letters 15 Politics 16-18 Business Stockwatch

19-22 23

S/Report 24-25 Feature 26 Defence 27 Agric 29 Feature 30

A

officials and party chieftains.

However, due to the large number of people who came out to welcome the presidential candidate, it took the convoy two hours for a 15 kilometers drive before getting to the Shehu of Borno’s palace.

While at the palace of the monarch, the former head of state said that, “It was painful that the insurgency eventually turned enterprising north-eastern states to a hell-hole which compelled thousands of innocent citizens of the country into taking refuge across neighbouring countries.

“If elected, I will focus on tackling the persistent insecurity affecting north-east. It is not an easy task as the damage has been done.

Your royal highness, God willing, if APC government is elected, all towns under Boko Haram control will be liberated and rebuilt. It was unfortunate that commercial activities were paralysed following the insecurity, in the past, hundreds of trailers loaded with goods took off from Maiduguri to various neighboring countries, but presently the reverse is the case”, Buhari said.

He noted that the activities of Boko Haram were unIslamic as Islam is a religion of peace which forbids shedding blood of innocent people.

He said: “Boko Haram ideology

contradicts Islamic principles, because it does not allow senseless killings of innocent souls. It is unfortunate that innocent persons were being killed in mosques, churches and their houses. God willing, if APC government is elected, we will restore confidence in governance”.

Buhari, who expressed delight over the mammoth crowd that welcomed him, equally promised to focus on job creation and youth empowerment so that they can be self reliant.

In his remarks, the Shehu of Borno said if elected, the presidential candidate should focus on restoration of peace, massive investment, re-construction of federal roads, revamping of Lake Chad and ensure success of oil explorations in the lake Chad region.

However, while at Ramat square, venue of the rally, Buhari was unable to speak as he was overwhelmed by the large crowd, but simply waved the crowd after stepping on the podium.

Those who accompanied the presidential candidate to the rally included APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, APC Secretary, Alh Mai Mala Buni, Rivers state Governor Rotimi Ameachi, former PDP national Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbe, Senator Lawal Sha’aibu, Umar

Faruk Aliyu, Senator Hadi Sirika, , Gen. Lawan Dambazau (rtd) and Hadiza Bala Usman, among others.

At the scene of the rally, thousands of supporters of the presidential candidate overwhelmed security operatives manning some gates of the popular Ramat Square in Maiduguri to attend the rally.

As early as 6am, the Square located in the city centre was nearly filled to capacity by men, women and children including the blind, the crippled and other physically challenged people.

The gates to the Square were therefore locked by heavily armed soldiers and policemen, who cited security reasons as basis for the closure.

Meanwhile, angry mob burnt down the campaign office of the former governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, along Kashim Ibrahim road in Maiduguri metropolis.

The incident happened before the arrival of Buhari, as hundreds of mob, started vandilising the PDP campaign billboards, flags and other structures in the office, before setting it on fire.

Similarly, another group of mob mobilised to the campaign office of President Goodluck Jonathan and attempted to set it on fire, before being dispersed by soldiers and riot policemen.

I left PDP because of illegality How Kwara politicians are treading on path of violence – Page 18

Metro

32

Int’l 39 S/World

39

Digest 40 Sports 41 Columnist 48

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From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta, Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna & Lawrence Olaoye

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has formerly dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party; PDP, on which platform he ruled the country between 1999 and 2007.

Obasanjo, who took the action ostensibly in order to avoid being expelled by the national secretariat of the party said, “they want to expel me from PDP, saying that although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground”.

The former BoT Chairman of PDP, while receiving the executives of the ward 11 in Abeokuta north local government area of Ogun State at his Abeokuta residence officially tore the card while vowing to remain as a statesman.

He said, “They said they want to expel me from PDP, although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river. I have told you before that I became president on the platform of PDP. Once I leave PDP, I will not join any party”.

He said, “I will only be a Nigerian. I am ready to work with anybody regardless of political affiliation.

“Why would some people say they want to send me away? They don’t need to border themselves.

Here’s your membership card, take it. (Handing it over to the ward Chairman, Sunmonu Oladunjoye who subsequently tore it).This is

my PDP’s membership card. My stand is that Nigeria belongs to everybody including babies.”

Obasanjo said, ‘From today on, in the presence of all of us and with your support, I am not going to be a member of any political party in Nigeria.

“Am no more a politician but a statesman both internally and externally”, he declared.

While dispelling any claim that he intends push for interim government, Obasanjo said, “How can anybody in his right senses talk of Interim National Government.

ING in a democratic setting? Some of them are working for it. God will not allow it. In my ward, we’ll be meeting time to time to discuss and interact on whatever you want and what I want”.

Meanwhile, few hours after former President Obasanjo formally dumped the PDP, the Ogun State chapter of the party announced his expulsion from the party.

A release signed by the State Chairman of the Party, Engineer Bayo Dayo, said the decision to expel the former President followed series of unabated anti party activities which he said was unbecoming of a highly celebrated party man like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

“On behalf of the totality of the executive members, leaders and members of the PDP family in Ogun State, I hereby state categorically that as from today, Monday 16th February, 2015 Olusegu Aremu Obasanjo stands expelled and excommunicated from the party; thereby losing

all rights, previous privileges and respect of our teeming party members.

“The general public especially the media are to take note that whatever Obasanjo does or says must no longer be seen from the prism of a PDP leader.

“His Ward 11 Abeokuta North Local Government has earlier sent in letter dated 12th February, 2015 expressing serious concern at his numerous anti party activities and uncomplimentary utterances targeted at the leader of the party, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,” Dayo said.

Also yesterday, secretary to the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin described the open resignation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the shredding of his membership card of the party as an act of irresponsibility.

Jibrin, while reacting to Obasanjo’s action after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and other stakeholders of the party, said “should Obasanjo, a former head of state behave that way ?

Even if you want to take a decision like that will you do it that way? As a responsible person will you do it that way? Responsible one should do it in a very neat way. There is a process of coming out of PDP; you go to your ward, submit your card; give some explanations why you are doing so. Not just in the public.

Why should the chairman tear the card? Is he supporting him?

On Obasanjo’s comments, Jubrin said “you have to consider the kind of people making utterances. There are some

utterances that are not worthy of leaders. You have to make very responsible utterances. There other past Presidents in Nigeria, have they behaved that way?”

On what was expected of the former President, he said “he should have behaved responsibly; do it nicely and maturely. If he wants to leave PDP is it wrong for him to do so?”

However, the campaign council of APC governorship candidate in Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has described the action of Obasanjo as a boost to the fortunes of the opposition party in the rescheduled March 28 and April 11 elections.

The APC Kaduna state chapter said the former president’s decision to tear his PDP membership card calls for concern.

According to the party, obasanjo’s decision needs to be celebrated by all Nigerians even though he was yet to join any political party.

Fielding questions from newsmen, the Chairman APC council in Kaduna state Alh. Othman Suleiman Hukuyi disclosed this shortly after the APC council meeting yesterday in the state.

“Obasanjo being a highly respected figure in this country and today for someone of his caliber to tear his PDP membership card of a party that got him on power for 8 years, it is a very serious issue to ponder about “His decision calls for concern and we in APC we will humbly accept him,” he said.

PAGE 3

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

News

Obasanjo’s exit: ‘We remain focused’ - PDP

By Ahmed Abubakar, Lawrence Olaoye & Stanley Onyekwere

T

he leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said it has received the news of the decision of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to withdraw his membership the party and are . We have also carefully examined the circumstances and the reasons adduced for this unfortunate decision.

A statement issued and signed by the. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh said, “While we concede to the inalienable rights of every citizen to hold opinion and to decide who to associate with, we are however deeply saddened that Chief Obasanjo, a revered leader of our party, our first Presidential flagbearer whom the PDP offered

...admits it’s a monumental loss to the party the platform to rule our nation for eight years, could decide to abandon this party at this critical point in time.

“This is especially as Chief Obasanjo, who was also the Chairman of the highest advisory organ of the PDP, the Board of Trustees (BoT) discountenanced all pleas by elders and leaders of our great party with regard to his reservations on certain issues within our fold”.

The PDP party leadership. Who condemn the action of the former president opined that, “Many Nigerians are still bewildered as to what manner of provocation could have led a former President to lose his composure and go to the extent of tearing the membership card of

the party that he once led”.

“Indeed, the PDP is hugely at loss as to how the decision and action of the former President who had enjoyed the benefits of being elected to the highest position of leadership will assist in deepening our democracy and stabilizing the polity.

It is our considered opinion that no matter the provocation, a statesmanly disposition from a person of Chief Obasanjo’s status could have encouraged our citizens and help in stabilizing system.

We believe however, that what this country needs now is patriotic actions that engender national unity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence of our people irrespective of political, ethnic

and religious persuasions. The overall interest of our nation and wellbeing of our citizens must remain paramount and above all personal and group interests.

Finally, we direct all our members across the country to remain focused on our campaigns and not to be distracted on this issue. With an array of credible candidates led by our Presidential flagbearer, President Goodluck Jonathan, we are sure that we will emerge victorious come March 28 and April 11, 2015 general elections.

We won’t miss Obasanjo, says PDP BoT Chair Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief

Tenure elongation: Northern elders tell off Clarke, others

By Ahned Abubakar

T

he Northern Elders Forum (NEF) yesterday condemned the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) over plot to scuttle the 2015 elections and promote tenure elongation for the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

NEF which was reacting to SNPA’s allegation that the NEF was collaborating with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the outcome of 2015 presidential elections in favour of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) said President Jonathan was unhappy with the group over their refusal to endorse him.

According to the Deputy leader of the NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo, “The SNPA levelled the baseless and bizarre allegations against the NEF in order to sway public opinion in the South and emotionally turn them against the NEF and Buhari.

Let it be known that therefore that there is absolutely no collusion whatsoever of any kind, between NEF and INEC. NEF rejects the wild allegations of SNPA in their totality. They are completely false, irrational and irresponsible.”

Unongo said that the NEF had acted in many ways that shows that the organisation is driven by people of integrity and honour who have patriotic zeal to promote national unity and harmony.

L-R: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, watching as the PDP Chairman Ward 11 Ita-Eko, Abeokuta, Alhaji Sumonu Oladunjoye, tore the former president membership card, yesterday in Ogun state.

Jonathan didn’t say Chibok girls will return in six weeks-Presidency

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he presidency yesterday refuted claims that President Goodluck Jonathan promised the return of the over 200 school girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok.

The Presidency said President

Jonathan at no time made any commitment on when the abducted girls would be rescued.

Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Monday saying that it will be wrong to insinuate that the girls will return in six weeks time..

Okupe was reacting to the comment by a former Minister of Education and a leader of the Bring Back our Girls Group, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, to the effect that President Jonathan has made an affirmative statement that the girls would be returned in about six weeks.

Okupe said this was not correct.

Tony Anenih, yesterday described the resignation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the party as a non-issue.

Anenih, while responding to questions from State House Correspondents on whether the party would miss the former President, said the leadership of the party remains intact in spite of Obasanjo’s exit.

Anenih said as a free Nigerian, Obasanjo has the right to leave and join any party he so desires.

He said “He (Obasanjo) has the right to leave any party, and he has the right to join any party. He is a Nigerian.”

Asked if PDP would miss him, the PDP BoT Chairman replied: “why should we miss him.”

On whether the exit of the former president was not a big loss to the party, the BoT chairman said “to us, leaders, it is not a loss.”

The former president had been at a loggerheads with President Goodluck Jonathan, resulting into the duo engaging in tirades.

Obasanjo had been critical of Jonathan’s style of governance fueling speculations that he may be sympathetic to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the March/April general elections.

A critical appraisal of Obasanjo’s latest comment indicating that Jonathan was afraid of the consequences of his losing the Presidential election showed that the former President may have concluded that the APC’s candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, would clinch victory at the March poll.

Pro-democracy group calls for probe The Executive Secretary of the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, Comrade Ola Oluwasanmi, has called for the investigation of former president Olusegun Obasanjo by security agencies over recent comments in the press attributed to him.

Comrade Oluwasanmi who described Obasanjo ‘ s comments as “divisive and inflammatory, capable of causing public unrest”, called on the State Security Services and the Nigerian Police to investigate the tone and manner of the former president’s pronouncements.

The pro - democracy activist, who addressed the press in Abuja, yesterday berated Obasanjo for comparing President Goodluck Jonathan to Mgbabo, saying “such comment was not expected of a statesman he claims to be”.

“In the interest of national unity and sustenance of our hard earned democracy, it will be only right and safe for the State Security Services and Nigerian Police to swing into thorough investigation of these divisive and inflammatory comments that are capable of causing unrest in the nation”. He appealed.

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Page 4 Report

Over one million face death from hunger in W/Africa-Report

By Ese Awhotu

I

n a concerted push to revive agriculture and avert hunger in Ebola-hit countries, the World Bank Group has mobilized up to $15 million in emergency financing to provide a record 10,500 tons of maize and rice seed to over 200,000 farmers in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in time for the April planting season.

More than one million people could go hungry unless they have reliable access to food and emergency measures are taken immediately to safeguard crop and livestock production.

A World Bank Group report shows that the Ebola crisis has taken a heavy toll on the economies in all three countries, and the agriculture and food sectors have been particularly hard hit. The funds, in the form of grants financed by the International Development Association (IDA) and the Ebola Recovery and Reconstruction Trust Fund will also be used to purchase fertilizer required to multiply foundation seed to meet tight planting season deadlines and help lay the foundations for sustained recovery.

“Agriculture is the lifeline of the economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa. “By speeding supplies of urgently needed seeds of major food crops to communities in West Africa, we are jump starting recovery in rural areas and preventing the looming specter of hunger in the countries hardest hit by Ebola.”

According to the latest estimates by FAO and the World Food Programme, in Guinea, 230,000 people are food insecure and that number could rise to more than 470,000 by March 2015.

Similarly, 170,000 people in Liberia are food insecure and absent interventions, the number of hungry people could top 300,000. Ebola’s onset coincided with the cropping and harvesting periods, and rural flight led to large-scale shortages of farm labor. In Sierra Leone, over 120,000 people are food insecure and their numbers could climb to more than 280,000. Kailahun, an epicenter of the epidemic, is the country’s most fertile, food-producing area.

The World Bank Group’s push marks an unprecedented effort through one of its

Health worker in action against Ebola

regional programs, the ongoing West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) that spans 13 West African countries, including the three Ebola-hit countries.

With support from this program, country teams fanned out and identified seed suppliers in neighboring countries.

Advance preparations ahead of the planting season include elaborate plans to source seeds from eight countries, completion of needs assessments, sourcing of seed suppliers, collaboration with AfricaRice (a CGIAR Center) to multiply rice foundation seed, and organizing in-country distribution of seeds and fertilizers to farmers in a timely manner.

To enable free movement of seed-laden trucks, travel routes have been pre-arranged and the intergovernmental Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has authorized customs and border control authorities to let the trucks pass without difficulty.

Truck movement will be monitored in real time through a short messaging system (SMS) especially at border check points.

Farming is essentially a social activity, and movement restrictions have severely dented farmers’ ability to harvest crops, market produce, prepare fields for planting and maintain a steady supply of seed for planting in the next season.

Reports show that desperate farming families have resorted to eating stored seed originally intended for use in the next cropping cycle. Rural flight has

caused harvest-ready crops to wither in the fields.

“At its best, agriculture is a risky enterprise and timely availability of critical inputs such as seed, fertilizer, irrigation and extension services are vital for securing a good harvest,” said Juergen Voegele, Senior Director of the World Bank Group’s Agriculture Global Practice.

“While Ebola has had devastating economic consequences in affected countries, we are confident that focused efforts on reviving agriculture will not only help feed people, unleash economic growth and strengthen food production capabilities but also arrest the precipitous deprivation and deepened poverty caused by the disease.”

Available data shows that the World Bank Group has mobilized about $1 billion in financing for the countries hardest hit by the Ebola crisis.

This includes $518 million from IDA, the World Bank Group’s fund for the poorest countries, to provide treatment and care, contain and prevent the spread of infections, help communities cope with the economic impact of the crisis, and improve public health systems; at least $450 million from IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to enable trade, investment and employment.

For farmers in West Africa, the high price of fertilizer and seeds, their limited availability and their poor quality are major barriers to agricultural growth.

To increase farmer choice, improve buyer confidence and otherwise make crop industry

trade easier, faster and cheaper, West African governments have been working together through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other regional bodies for several years to develop harmonized trade rules and quality control procedures.

A new World Bank Group (WBG) working paper, Towards an Integrated Market for Seeds and Fertilizers in West Africa, examines the region’s efforts to build integrated regional markets for seed and fertilizer.

After extensive consultations, new regional regulations based on advanced international standards for seed and fertilizer have mostly been agreed upon and are already helping to guide quality improvements in some countries.

Getting improved seeds to small farmers and increasing fertilizer use is critical to raising agricultural productivity and reducing poverty in Africa said Paul Brenton WBG Lead Economist with the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice.

Despite these positive developments, most countries are a long way from having the required capacities and institutional structures needed to implement the new trade rules, and it will likely be many more years before true harmonized trade can begin.

Rather than rely so intensively on regional harmonization and efforts to implement advanced international standards, therefore, the analysis points to a need for pragmatic solutions

and simple changes that would have direct impact in the near term while longerterm progress towards full harmonization continues.

Soil types and rainfall patterns cut across West Africa mainly in east to west bands, meaning that neighboring countries are often the nearest source of supply and/or best market outlet for adapted seeds and appropriate fertilizer types.

The new seed and fertilizer rules are based on international best practice. These systems are highly effective as quality control instruments, but are technically demanding and require specialist skills, advanced laboratory equipment, and other resources to implement that are generally lacking in West Africa.

As a result of the harmonization process, some countries have already begun to implement new systems that are benefiting farmers even now. In Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria, seed inspectors are carrying out at least some certification visits using newly developed manuals that follow the regional guidelines. In Mali, in addition, licensed fertilizer inspectors have started to sample at least some subsidized product all the way to the distributor level.

Without waiting for the complete ECOWAS system to be in place, any country could already make a unilateral decision to accept proven varieties of seed from neighboring countries. Use of lighter standards for seed certification such as the FAO’s rules for quality.

However, the cheering news is that schools are set to reopen Monday across Liberia after the deadly Ebola outbreak forced them shut last year, and the principal of West Point township’s only public elementary and junior high school said all the furniture needs to be burned.

As recently as last month, the N.V. Massaquoi school was used to screen sick people for Ebola, which has killed more than 3,800 people in Liberia and ravaged the neighboring West African countries of Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The school has been disinfected, it smells heavily of chlorine, but Principal M. Gleh Mason II said that’s not enough. Patients sat on the wooden benches and chairs, and he wants all the furniture replaced.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

PAGE 5

News Election: ECOWAS cautions Jonathan, Buhari, others against ‘hate speeches’

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has cautioned the frontline Presidential flag bearers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressive Congress (APC) and others against delivering hate speeches ahead of the March 28 a Presidential Election.

Briefing newsmen after meeting with the President in Aso Villa yesterday, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman, said “One of

the issues is that our long term observer missions said there was a lot of hate media, hate speeches being distributed. It was not good for our polity which was heating up. And the President has spoken to all stakeholders to look into lessening this aspect in the electoral process and I think it is an aspect the media can help greatly in addressing.

“This is a very important election for Nigeria; Nigerians are concerned, ECOWAS Community is very much concerned that it all comes out very well and that we all owe it as a duty to say very positive things that can move this nation forward.”

Earlier in his comments,

the ECOWAS Commission’s President, Kadre Desire Ouédraogo, said the body set up a fact finding mission led by the former Ghanaian President, John Kuffour to study the political situation in the country.

Despite the postponement of the election, Ouedraogo said the Commission found it necessary to discuss their findings with leading political gladiators in the country prompting to their resolve to meet with Jonathan, Buhari and other notable presidential candidates in the country ahead of the general election.

Similarly, Santiago Fisas, Chief Observer, European

Union (EU), also told newsmen that he had a useful discussion with the President on the conduct of the general election.

Fisas expressed satisfaction that Jonathan assured him and his team that the inauguration of the next President would take place unfailingly on the 29th of May. He said “I’m very happy to be assured that by the President that the inauguration of the next president will take place on May 29th. I think this is very good news because this is constitutional” On whether he doubted what Jonathan told him, the EU chief observer said

“I don’t see why I should doubt that. The President said that publicly and also to us.

We asked questions on security and he said to us that in a very short period of time the security situation will improve a lot.”

But Jonathan was said to have used the opportunity of the meeting with the EU delegation to say that those alleging that his administration was planning to put in place an Interim National Government (ING) were only being mischievous.

The President reportedly told his guests that he would not take such step because ING is alien to the nation’s constitution.

He therefore urged his guests, Nigerian and other stakeholders to discard the rumour which is fast gaining ground.

Boko Haram: Central African leaders meet on joint strategy

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

L

R-L: President Goodluck Jonathan, and President, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, during the latter’s visit to the president, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

How ABU professor, Falaki was killed From Edwin Olofu. kano

M

ore facts has emerged over the killing of a professor of Agronomy and Director, Institute for Agricultural Research, ABU Zaria, Professor Ahmad Falaki, who died on Saturday in Kibiya local government in Kano State.

According to a family source who doesn’t want his name in print the unfortunate incident happened after late Falaki’s official vehicle was snatched by some gunmen when they were returning from Yadagungume in Ningi LGA of Bauchi State.

The account added that the late Professor was traveling with his junior brother, Abbas and his official driver, during the attack Abbas was injured on the head but the driver escaped unhurt, Incidentally, around the same time, Boko Haram attacked

Kibiya police station.

The source further stressed that the vehicle was recovered and one of the rug amen was arrested.

On sunday and he allegedly confessed at the Ninigi Divisiinal Police Headquarters that they didn’t harm any of their victims.

He stated that the body of

Professor Falaki was brought

by Kibiya police to Kano along with Abbas and the driver under arrest, adding that Falaki’s body was released only around 3pm on Sunday, while Abbas and the driver were released only after a lot of pressure from some ABU and BUK academicians.

But the Kano State Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Magaji Musa Majiya, who confirmed the incident, said that the two men were mistakenly arrested based on initial report, but were later released when they realised that they too were victims of the attack.

Gov. Aliyu urges Court to quickly determine cases of defectors From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

N

iger state Governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu has urged the judiciary to as a matter of urgency determine the cases of defection to other political parties by elected political office holders to bring stability and morality

to politics.

Governor Aliyu made the call yesterday in Minna when he received the 2014 hajj report from the leader of the state delegation to the Holy land Professor Sheikh Abdallah.

“We need morality in politics, we need the courts to properly interpret the section of the constitution on defection,

i believe that you cannot go to another party with the mandate given in another political party “If you are dissatisfied with what is going on in your party and you an elected politician resign your position before joining another political party otherwise the public will see politicians as people who should not be respected”

eaders of central African nations on Monday began talks in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde to devise a joint strategy to tackle Nigeria’s armed Islamic group Boko Haram, officials said.

AFP reports that six heads of state attended the meeting that began at 10am under the auspices of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), while four other countries sent delegates.

Apart from Cameroon and Chad, most countries taking part have not been directly affected by the bloody jihadist insurgency, which is estimated to have claimed 13 000 lives since Boko Haram launched its uprising in 2009.

Nigeria, where elections have been postponed by six weeks until late March – mainly because of Boko Haram activity in swathes of the northeast – was absent from the talks since it is not an ECCAS member.

The aim of Monday’s discussion was to come up with “an agreed solution” concerning the fight against the extremists, a source close to the Cameroonian government told Agence FrancePresse.

According to AFP, Presidents Paul Biya of Cameroon, Catherine Samba Panza of the Central African Republic, Idriss Deby Itno of Chad, Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon were gathered in Yaounde.

Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sao Tome & Principe were represented by government ministers.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

News

Zamfara Police warn against political violence From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Representatives of political parties at stakeholders’ forum with INEC, yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo state.

T

Photo: NAN

No enough police manpower to cover elections- Sambo

From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

V

ice President, Arch.

Muhammad Namadi Sambo has revealed that Nigeria has no adequate police manpower to provide sufficient security for the march 28 and April 11 general elections in the country.

The vice president revealed this yesterday on the Hausa Service of the BBC monitored in Jos, in an interaction on why shouldn’t the police be enough to provide adequate security for the conduct of the polls since it had not been

the duty of the military to guarantee security for any election or rather than to wait for the soldiers to crush the six years Boko Haram insurgency in the north east.

Sambo in the interview emphasised that the inadequacy in the police manpower was the sole reason for involving the military in the upcoming general elections, and therefore “soldiers must be used to help the police in the conduct of the polls.”

He said, “The main reason behind the postponement of the February poll was the inadequate of police manpower to provide enough

security during electioneering period. That was why it has become necessary for the soldiers to be used to ensure hitch free polls. “ However, on the issue of the six weeks given to trash the north east insurgency before the commencement of the March and Aprirl poll, Sambo responded that ,” The Federal Government has never for once promised to wipe Boko Haram in the next six weeks in total.

“What the president said in the next six weeks there would relatively free atmosphere to conduct the elections and that the

insurgency would not be completely wiped out on the surface of the earth.

“From the look of things our troops are improving day by day.

We believe that before the six weeks expire, the environment would be better. Already, our soldiers have launched massive attacks on Sambisa forest and are advancing.

They are currently destroying that area.

The vice president however accused some politicians of using the insecurity of the country to tarnish the image of the Federal Government, calling on Nigerians not to believe in such comment.

Sokoto govt, airline sign Mou on commercial airlift From Raji Bello, Sokoto

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okoto state government has entered into an agreement with a commercial airline that would enable flight schedules in the state, en route Sokoto-Kaduna-Kadua-AbujaLagos.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko on Media, Mallam Sani Umar, and made available to Peoples Daily yesterday.

He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the airliner was part of the state government’s continued

…As group sensitizes communities on mosquitoes’ net usage effort to create an enabling environment for business activities to flourish in the state.

Sani stated that the airline, Azman Air Services would operate flight services six times a week starting from Wednesday, 18th February 2015.

“The airline would operate flight services from Sokoto to Kaduna, Kano, Abuja and Lagos six times a week starting from this Wednesday, 18th of this month.

“The flights which would be

on every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday would cost N18,000 to Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and N25,000 to Lagos, one way only.

“It is hoped that the introduction of the flight services would increase the tempo of trade and commerce in the state and ease movement of goods and services,” the statement said.

Meanwhile,the Principal Consultant/Project Director, AMSAG Development & Public Health Consulting Limited,

Abdullahi Maiwada said no fewer than 200,000 communities have been targeted for sensitisation on the usage of insecticide treated mosquito net in Sokoto state.

The exercise, according to him was part of Federal Government’s efforts to roll back malaria in the country.

Maiwada disclosed this during an advocacy visit to Gagi community, on how the use of treated net could help prevent the spread of malaria and other killer diseases in the state.

yesterday in Gombe following the recent attack of residents by Boko Haram sect, some residents said their lives are on danger as long as Boko Haram sect has decided to shift their mission to Gombe,where there is now clear possibility of further attack by the sect.

One of the residents who

wouldn’t want his name mention said most residents had suffered set back as some of them were killed during the attack by the insurgents.

According to him, the present administration had not done enough in terms of combating crime, noting that it is sad for security forces assigned to protect

lives and properties of citizens are running for safety living residents in danger, in the hands of insurgents.

He said something had to be done to ensure that residents are fully protected in their domains to enable them have access to dividend of democracy in the country.

Boko Haram: Gombe residents cry for help

From David Hassan,Gombe

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esidents in Gombe has decried that the state is not longer safe even as they called for the intervention of security forces to ensure the protection of lives and properties of citizens in the area.

Speaking to our correspondent

he Zamfara state Police yesterday warned politicians to avoid inflammatory statements capable of sparking political violence as the command has intensified efforts in protection of lives and property of the teeming populace across the state.

This was announced by the newly deployed Commissioner of Police (CP), Olufemi David who resumed duty yesterday. David emphasised that the Command is eventually ready to exercise its mandate to ensure law and order, especially during elections.

The CP further urged politicians to without hesitation embarked on activities that would help to curb the rate of political thuggery in the state, adding that, the political parties would be held responsible over any violence virtually traced against them.

Council urges traditional rulers to be security conscious

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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he Council Chairman of Bauchi Local Government Area (LGA), Umar Aliyu has urged traditional rulers in the state to always be on security alert.

Umar who gave this urge in a statement signed by his Assistant Information Officer, Babangida Hassan Jahun said the traditional rulers should always check the movement of strangers or visitors in their domains.

“The village heads should direct their villagers and ward heads to be more security conscious, considering their closeness to the generality of the population and to report any person of questionable character to the authority concerned.

Over 40% of Bauchi Christians may be disenfranchised – CAN

From Ahmed Kaigma, Bauchi

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he Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bauchi state chapter has raised alarm that over 40 percent of Christians in the state are yet to receive their Permanent Voter Cards,PVCs. The state CAN Chairman, Rev Ray Maina stated this yesterday while addressing newsmen in Bauchi.

He expressed worry that “these people may be disfranchised if INEC conducts election without giving them their PVC to enable them vote.

“We are worried that 40%of our members are yet to collect their PVC and they were duly registered

by INEC, we received complains everyday about the issue.

“We have received complaints from our people in Ganjuwa, Dass, Bogoro, Tafawa Balewa, even my wife is yet to receive her PVC and she was duly registered by INEC. “We believe that shifting of the election is appropriate to enable our people get their PVC’s”.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

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News

Unlawful arrest, bail denial: Lawyer seeks gov’t intervention From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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arrister Aliyu Suleiman Jatua has called on relevant government authorities to intervene on the unlawful arrest and bail denial of his client Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed.

Alhaji Ibrahim was arrested

on the 3rd February, 2015 over alleged use of force and violence during the Kaduna State presidential rally of President Goodluck Jonathan on the 31st January, 2015.

According to Barrister Jatua who spoke to Journalists in Kaduna after efforts to seek the

bail of his client failed, the arrest of his client was facilitated by the Coordinator Goodluck/Sambo campaign organization of Kaduna State, Hussaini Jallo. He said, it took the complainant Alhaji Jallo nine days before coming to give his statement which he said was an abuse of the fundamental

human right of his client. “The sitting was conducted at the police commissioners’ conference hall at the Kaduna police command headquarters in the presence of the police, state prosecutor and accused relatives while the complainant was conspicuously absent. “The kangaroo court

Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (4th left), Lagos Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Gabriel Abafi (3rd left), and others during the visit of Abafi to Governor Fashola, yesterday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

presumed our client guilty and denied bail because of alleged interest from above, while the issue was being looked into, the presiding magistrate was called upon and properly ordered not to sit on the case and grant bail.

“This to me is a bridge on my clients’ constitutional right as contained in session 36 subsession 5 of the constitution of 1999 as amended which is explicit that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty including my client but unfortunately the Kangaroo court presumed my client guilty and denied him bail because of interest from above.

“Our next line of action is to appeal the ruling denying our client constitutional right in an appropriate court and demand the earlier ruling set aside.

“We will also explore the right of bail pending trial at the Federal high court where we hope government interest or involvement from above will not interfere with the dispensation of justice.”

He lamented that his client while on detention fell sick and was taken to the police clinic, P.T.S. Barracks Independence way, Kaduna on the 11 February, 2015 and was given treatment.

“We are calling on vice President Namadi Sambo to intervene on the matter and see to the release of his client, my client is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) so how can he be engaged in such an act against his party leadership” he queried.

32-year-old man drugs girlfriend, shaves off pubic hair

By Osahkare Erese,Asaba

I

n the spirit of valentine, a 32-year-old suspect ritual lover-boy ( name withheld) in Umunede community, Delta state, on Saturday allegedly drugged his girl, and after what was described to be marathon sexual intercourse with her, shaved her pubic hair.

Reports said that the girl after over three hours sleep in a hotel where herself and the loverboy retired to, was said to have discovered her pubic hair shaved and her private part injured as it gushes out blood that stained the bed spread in the hotel room.

It was reliably gathered that suspect had been on the wanted list of the police for serial

offences, especially in alleged rape.

The two “love birds” were said to have started their relationship right from the state owned university Abraka where they were both undergraduates,, before the said man was allegedly checked out for sundry offences.

Expectedly, most of the places visited during Saturday’s

celebrationwere filled to capacity as residents of Asaba, Warri, Umunede and Agbor wore red/ white and green to show case the saint Valentine’s day.

The man and the victim fondly called Julie were said to have retired to a hotel before Agbor community where the bubble bursted.

Speaking to our

correspondent, the victim currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital said “I was wooed into the hotel by my boyfriend, we know each other in the university, but I was surprised that I slept for several hours and when I recovered I discovered my body with injures and the public hairs shaved”

Kebbi Police investigates killing of foreign agent by customs officer From Ahmed Idris Brinin Kebbi

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ollowing the recent killing of a foreign clearing agent by the two custom officers last week, the Kebbi State Police Command has commence the investigation.

The shooting incident which

occurred on Wednesday at Bunza / Maidihini road in Kebbi State by a Custom officer which lead to the death of a foreign clearing agent who is from Niger Republic.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, ASP Nafiu Abubakar confirmed this to

newsmen in Birnin Kebbi yesterday, saying that the command received information that some custom officers on patrol along Bunza /Maidahini road intercepted car smugglers and in an effort by the relatives of the smugglers to approach the customs, one of the Custom

officers misfired and shot the said victim. The Police image maker further explained that the law will take its course on anybody found wanting even if such a person is a security personnel “You see nobody is above the law even the police themselves, he said.

But while reacting on the

Bauchi:Police nab two armed robbery suspects, recovers Toyota Hilux From Ahmed Kaigama,Bauchi

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auchi State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers, recovered a Toyota Hilux vehicle.

A press statement by the command’s Public Relation Officer, Haruna Mohammed and made available to newsmen in Bauchi, said, the suspects arrested are Mohammed Musa male, 32 years of Adamawa State and

Jamilu Idris male, 33 years of Kunchi local government area of Kano State.

According to the statement, ‘On the 14/2/2015 at about 5:40pm, gunmen suspected to be armed robbers numbering about four snatched a white Toyota Hilux with reg no-45H 07FG, Chasis no: AHTFX 22G708020343, property of Institute of Agricultural research ABU Zaria” “Suspects snatched the Hilux

at gunpoint from one Professor Mustapha Falaki of ABU Zaria,now late at Sumaila area after attacking Kibiya Police Station in kano State” The DSP Haruna said in a bid to escape, the armed robbers followed through Burra Town in Ningi local government of Bauchi State, where they were pursued by the Police. As a result, they abandoned the vehicle, snatched a motorcycle and escaped into the forest.

He said that the entire surrounding was cordoned off by combined Security Forces leading to the arrest of two suspects who confessed to have killed the Professor and snatched the Hilux vehicle.

Haruna said the investigation is in progress and urged members of the public to assist the police with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspects.

incident, Mohammed Lawal , PRO Gamzaki Motors who is also Acting PRO Car Dealers Association , Kebbi State said one of our clearing agents who is a Nigerien was shot by the Customs. ”According to the report reaching me, on their way Customs on patrol stopped them and even confiscated some vehicles from them , so they followed the Customs for negotiations to plead for release of the vehicles. On sensing that they were trailing them, one of the officers opened fire which resulted in the death of the victim. The bullet pierced through the plate number and hit the victim.” , he said.

He said as soon as the investigation was concluded and the Customs involved found wanting, the association would not hesitate to prevail to call for the prosecution of the offenders.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Page 9

News

Poll: Mbu reckless, irresponsible on order to kill offenders – NOPRPRIN

From Matthew Aramunde,Lagos.

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or ordering his men to kill any one perceived to be fomenting trouble before, during and after the forth -coming election, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria NOPRIN has described the

Stop heating up the polity, group tells Obasanjo

By Patrick Andrew

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has been advised to against acting like a bull in a China shop instead should comport himself like statesman and patriot as a model for upcoming leaders to emulate.

In swift reaction to the outburst of the Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, the Nigeria Prosperity Project (NPP) against President Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian Prosperity Project (NPP), said Obasanjo’s recent comments and actions betrayed that of a jealous former leader who is uncomfortable with the achievements of his successor.

The NPP claimed Obasanjo’s unrelenting attack on President Jonathan and his administration “is uncalled for and unbecoming of a statesman. Obasanjo has no moral justification to continue in his tirades against the present administration. It is an unnecessary outburst,” the group said claiming that the former leader has a lingering penchant to criticise every other leader except himself.

Consequently, the group said rather than further heat up the polity by unsubstantiated claims against his predecessors and successor, Obasanjo should concentrate efforts at being a statesman, a patriot, and father to all thereby contributing to building a virile democratic country.

The NPP said Obasanjo should acknowledge the strides of the Jonathan’s administration pointing out that it has built 12 new Federal Universities; nine in the North and three in the south under his administration that built only two private universities.

“During the eight years rule of Obasanjo / Atiku Abubakar administration, they built only two private universities, Bells University in Abeokuta, Ogun state for Obasanjo and ABATI University in Yola, Adamawa state for Atiku,” the release signed by the National Coordinator, Louis Ebodaghe said.

According to them, inflammatory comments from a former leader belies his claimed love for the indivisibility of the nation as it tends to incite, is divisive and betrays his deep-seated selfish interest.

statement of the recently deployed Assistant Inspector -General of Police to Zone 2 Mr. Joseph Mbu as not only reckless, irresponsible but unbecoming of a Police officer who is paid with tax payers money In a press statement made available to pressmen , the body maintained that it vehemently condemn without reservation, the statement credited to Mr. Mbu Joseph the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2 comprising Lagos and Ogun States on Thursday in which he threatened that ‘We’ll Kill 20

civilians for each Policeman’s life lost during elections’.

‘This is a very reckless and irresponsible statement amounting to an incitement of the police to shoot citizens at will hiding under the guise of ‘self defence. Mbu by this reckless utterance has simply handed a blank cheque to police officers within the zone, that are already notorious for extrajudicial killing, to kill more citizens’ It stated Speaking further, it said that Mbu’s directive to police officers that ‘If they shoot you,

shoot back in self-defense.

Anybody who fires you, fire him back in self-defense could easily be exploited by the police and politicians who control them to target political opponents.

In the light of the development, the body argued that this incendiary statement and directive by Mbu to his men to kill must be viewed very seriously as it represents a very dangerous development and a foreboding of tragic things to expect in the days to come under Mbu praying that they hope it

is not Mbu’s mission to cause more controversies in Zone 2 as he did in Rivers and the FCT as Commissioner of Police.

They pleaded with the IGP to call Mbu to order and direct him to retract his dangerous directives to the police to kill for whatsoever reason noting that Mbu to them seems irredeemable, and so called for his immediate removal.

‘There must be an end to this never ending Mbu controversy as it is doing very serious damage to the image of the police and the country at large’ it stated.

Kebbi: PDP guber aspirant assures Yauri emirate of development From Ahmed Idris Brinin Kebbi

T

he kebbi State People Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate General Bello Sarik Yaki (rtd) has expressed satisfaction over the success recorded during his campaign tour of Yauri

emirate.

He stated this yesterday while speaking to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi adding that Yauri people have demonstrated maturity of purpose by giving them full support throughout their campaign in the area.

The governorship candidate therefore assured the people

of Yauri emirate that his administration would continue from where the outgoing governor stopped in terms of developmental projects.

“I would not disappoint anybody, I assure you people that more dividends of democracy would surely be provided” he added.

Bello Yaki also said that agriculture, education, health care, construction of more roads and provision of water would be priority of his administration for the people of the area, adding that more emphases would also be on agriculture as Yauri is known to be an agrarian community.

L-R: Former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs now ECOWAS Commissioner, Hajiya Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman, and President, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, jointly briefing journalists after their meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja Photo: Joe Oroye

NTI to collaborate with institute of education, UniMaid in teachers training

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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he National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) has pledged to share it’s wealth of experience in education in general and teacher training in particular with individuals or organizations that approach it for such.

Director General of the institute- Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, stated this when he received a delegation from University of Maiduguri Institute of Education, in his office in the institute’s headquarters in Kaduna recently.

Dr. Sharehu said the NTI has over the years acquired experience in teacher education having being in existence when the country had a handful of tertiary institutions.

“You have come to the right place where you will see how education is being arranged.

When you talk about education, you are talking about training and re-training of teachers. And of course, we in the NTI, it has being our business to train and re-train teachers. “ “Our uniqueness has to do with our spread, because ours’ is about the nation, we have centers in all

states of the country. In fact, we have over 400 centers across the country.”

“Of course we are not the only one in the business of education; we have a number of universities that conduct education courses with a number of institutes of Education, we have so many colleges of Education also who are in the business of education, but of course, if you look at the age of our institute, which started factually when there were about six universities in the country, and also about six colleges of education to now when we have over 120 colleges of education

in the country and also over 127 universities across the country, so looking at our age, it is better that you start with us, though this does not mean you will not go to other places to study what they do.”

He said the institute will give adequate support to the visiting institution to enable it take-off on a sound footing.

Earlier, leader of the delegation, Acting Director, University of Maiduguri Institute of EducationDr. Dugje Kadiri, said the visit is a study tour, which is to avail his university the needed knowledge for the new institute being established by the university.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

News From Ayodele Samuel,Lagos

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised alarm over a strange directive ordering the withdrawal of Customs, Immigration and other security personnel from the country’s border posts in Kebbi and Katsina States, wondering what purpose such a directive was meant to serve.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the verbal directive led to the total withdrawal of the state personnel from the border posts in the two states, leaving the posts unmanned.

It wondered who gave the order and for what purpose, and asked the Federal Government to immediately tell Nigerians what

APC decries withdrawal of customs, immigration from border posts …Customs dismisses allegations happened. ‘’It will not be enough for the government to tell Nigerians that it is not aware of such a development, because that will be more egregious than what happened in the first instance, and will amount to the government not being able to secure the country’s borders. ‘’It is also necessary to tell Nigerians how many states were affected by such orders. We were only made aware of two, but there is the possibility that the

directive could have been more widespread,’’ APC said.

Meanwhile, in a swift reaction yesterday the Nigeria Customs Service said reports in the media alleging that Customs Operatives deployed at Border Stations in Kebbi and Sokoto States have been withdrawn was false.

Customs said in a statement yesterday that,” There was no directive whatsoever, verbal or written to Officers of Nigeria Customs Service posted to Kebbi/ Sokoto and Kaduna/Katsina

commands to withdraw from the borders or their patrol bases.”

The statement said,” In the same vein, there was no directive withdrawing Customs Operatives from duty posts in other border stations across the country.”

According to Customs,” In view of the security situation in the country, the ComptrollerGeneral only last week directed a reinforcement of Patrol Teams across the country. The Sokoto/ Kebbi axis was beefed up with the deployment of a Special

Squad in view of a reported incident between Customs and smugglers.”

The statement said that the Service is in consultation with Nigeria Immigration Service and other sister Government Agencies on this issue. They confirmed that they did not receive any such withdrawal directive.

“We are similarly in consultation with the State Governments in the North West axis, to reassure them that our Officers are at alert on their duty posts, and should regard the withdrawal allegation as baseless and mere speculation.

Utilize your resources for development, Switzerland envoy advises FG

From Umar Dankano, Yola.

T

he Switzerland Ambassador to Nigeria, Chad and Niger, Dr. Hans-Rudolf Hodel, has advised Nigerian leaders to use the God given natural and human resources in developing the country from all ramifications, stressing that Nigeria is an important nation in the globe.

Dr. Hodel gave the advise at the diplomatic lecture to staff and students of American University of Nigeria Yola, AUN held at the University library auditorium yesterday saying that Nigerians especially the youth must stride hard in ensuring that the country gets it right this time around considering the national election about to commence.

He urged the Nigerian youth to be peaceful during the election observing that any disagreement or challenge is best addressed through dialogue and consultation, while fielding questions on the success story of Switzerland democracy from staff and students of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) Yola.

Hodel said violence in any form most be avoided and dialogue was always the best solution to resolving any conflict.

Hodel lauded the quality education opportunity being From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maidiguri

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orno state government has denied molesting Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) loyal to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), who are taking refuge at various camps in Maiduguri, the capital city.

The government position was in response to an earlier allegation made by member of the House Representatives for Bama, Ngala and Kala-Balge Federal Constituency of the state, AbdulRahaman Terab, saying his supporters and other PDP supporters in the IDPs camps were being harassed and starved of food.

Terab, who spoke at a press conference, accused government

provided by AUN to students, adding that education was the bedrock of all developments.

He observed that an educated population would ensure peace and prosperity of a nation.

The ambassador who presented a paper on democracy in

Switzerland at the university said that his country has a population of eight million people out of which two million were foreigners.

Hodel explained that the Swiss federation founded in 1848 by 26 cantons has a federal government, canton and municipality.

On bilateral relations with Nigeria, Hotel said Switzerland supported Nigerian independence in 1960 and established it embassy in Nigeria in 1961.

He said currently Switzerland has about 60 companies doing business in Nigeria with Nestlé

Children looking for water, yesterday in Gombe metropolis.

being the most popular among them.

While in Yola, the Swiss ambassador visited Internally Displaced Persons camps and held meeting with members of Adamawa Peacemakers Initiative (API).

Photo: NAN

Borno denies molesting PDP loyalists in IDPs camps officials of sidelining IDPs from his main town, Bama, in the areas of feeding and other welfare incentives.

However, in a swift reaction, Special adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima on comunications, Isah Umar Gusau, in a statement dismissed the allegations as a mere calculated attempt to tarnish the image of the government.

The statement reads in part:”The Borno State Government has noted with disappointment, baseless allegations levied by a member of House e of Representatives, representing Bama, Ngala and Kala-Balge Federal Constituency of Borno State, Honourable AbdulRahaman

Terab, saying his supporters from Bama who by his claims, happen to be among internally displaced persons taking refuge at some of the camps established by the State Government in Maiduguri are being starved of food and molested for simply aligned to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is Terab’s new party.

Borno State Government is surprised that an educated person like Terab has chosen to make very childish allegations that he knows are without basis simply because apparent defeat stares him on the face ahead of the March 28 rescheduled elections”.

The statement further tasked the legislator to concentrate more

on campaign to woo support og the electorate rather than peddling rumors to attract cheap popularity.

“We advise Terab to please direct his energy to face based campaign and not a plan that is dead on arrival. IDPs have problems; they should have spoken about them. NEMA, SEMA and security agencies are there in all the camps. It is really unfortunate that with all the problems Borno is facing, some citizens of the State have chosen to undermine the people of the State through different means all in the name of politics”, the statement concluded.

The statement further alleged that the lawmaker is making the

baseless claims as he has been against allowing IDPs to vote in the general elections.

“From what we know, Terab is one of those representatives of Borno citizens who are opposed to IDPS being allowed to vote during elections. For instance, during a stakeholders meeting organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) in Abuja barely two months ago, Honourable Terab was the shock of all participants at that meeting, clearly opposed to IDPs taking part at the elections even when most members of his constituency have unfortunately been displaced and constitute a good percentage of the APC.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

News

Tenure elongation: Obasanjo lied - DHQ

By Joy Baba Yesufu

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efence Headquarters have termed as false, assertions by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the essence of the recent postponement of the 2015 general elections earlier scheduled to hold in February was to enable President

Goodluck Jonathan use Service Chiefs to plot elongation of his tenure.

In a reaction posted on its blog: www.defenceinfo.mil.ng, the Defence Headquarters said Obasanjo should by now have realised that the military he left behind years back had developed far better than he left it.

The statement gave

assurances that it remains, and will continue on its path of professionalism in the discharge of its duties at all times.

Obasanjo had last week criticised President Jonathan, accusing him of using the military to subvert the wishes of Nigerians to have the general elections as scheduled.

He said the position of

the military that it could not guarantee the security of lives and property during the elections was a shame to the military institution.

He said if it was not possible for the military to crush the Boko Haram insurgency in six years, he does not see it doing it in six weeks.

He said the plot was to use

the Service Chiefs to achieve tenure extension for President Jonathan.

But in its reaction on Monday, the military said: “Much as the military desires to respect the old General and his views, it has become necessary to point out that his conduct and unguarded utterances of late has fallen short of the standard of discipline expected of an individual who has had the privilege of service in the military and risen to the status of a General.

The military advised Obasanjo to retrace his steps and follow the path of honour.

I will not relent on gender equality, Mrs Yero vows From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T Head, Provost Marshals, Onitsha Military Cantonment, Major T. Ibrahim (right), and Principal Staff Officer, NDLEA Drug Demand Reduction Department, Mrs. Chinwe Thompson (2nd right), looking at NDLEA drug chart table, during a lecture organised by the agency, yesterday in Onitsha.

Photo: NAN

Election: Sambo charges Islamic clerics on peaceful sermon

By Lawrence Olaoye

A

head of the March/April general election, Vice President Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo, yesterday charged Muslim scholars to continually preach violence free and peaceful conduct during and after the forthcoming general elections.

In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Umar Sanni, the Vice President made the appeal at a Sensitization and Town Hall meeting organized for Muslim preachers, Imams and Islamiya school teachers from across the North-west zone by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to

the President on Islamic Affairs in collaboration with Coalition of Islamic Organization of Nigeria, which held on Sunday at the Umar Yar’ Adua Hall, Murtala Square, Kaduna.

Sambo, who noted the important role Muslim scholars play in shaping the moral values of the Muslim Ummah, said it had “become incumbent upon our Ulamas to imbibe the fear of the Almighty among the faithfuls and to continuously lead the Ummah as exemplified by teachings of the Prophet SAW.” He also tasked them to “imbibe the right kind of training, education and proper upbringing of our children as well as continuous preaching and sensitization on the importance

of peace and peaceful coexistence amongst us as well as respect for the law and authority of the State. “ Sambo emphasized that Islam is peace and abhors violence in all its ramifications, lamenting the post election violence of 2011 in some parts of the country, where the youth were the main perpetrators. He therefore emphasized that this placed a moral burden on parents, teachers and Ulamas to ensure that such needless incidences were prevented in the future, adding that violence of any form was never a means of expressing grievances.

Stressing that President Jonathan was a peaceful and peace loving man who had

repeatedly said his reelection was not worth the blood of any Nigerian, he maintained that it was the wish of the Almighty that Nigeria was composed of people of different faith, urging the need for the citizenry to respect their leaders and the beliefs of others.

Different speakers at the event from the Kaduna state governor,Mukhtar Ramalan Yerio ,Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubair JIbril Maigwari, and the representative of the Sultan of Sokoto, Mallam Maccido Baban Makaranta, Sokoto, as well as Sheikh Musa Assadussunah, among others, urged the people to be respecters of their leaders

Okonjo-Iweala affirmed the commitment of the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to support the displaced persons while expediting efforts towards the restoration of security in their communities to enable them return home soonest.

In a statement by Manzo Ezekiel, Press Officer at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Minister who was accompanied by the Director

General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Muhammad Sani Sidi said government was also concerned about the education of children affected by the security challenge in the North east therefore has concluded arrangement to move some of them to various Unity Schools in the country under its Safe School Initiative.

She assured the IDPs from Chibok of continual

humanitarian supports of the Federal Government through NEMA, noting that other displaced persons including those living in the FCT are already benefitting from similar gesture.

Responding on behalf of the IDPs, Spokesperson of Chibok community in the FCT Mr Gapani Yagana appreciated the Federal Government for the continued supports given to them.

FG affirms commitment to assisting IDPs

By Mohammed Kandi

T

he Federal Government at the weekend distributed assorted relief assistance to the IDPs from Chibok and Askira/Uba of Borno State that are presently in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Flagging off the relief distribution in Kuje, a satellite town in the FCT, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance Dr Ngozi

he wife of Kaduna state governor, Hajia Fatimah Mukhtar Ramallan Yero has said she will never subscribe to the notion that the place of women is in the kitchen rather they should be given equal opportunities and training to contribute to the society.

She stated this in her speech at the graduation ceremony of students of Initiative for Muslims Women in Nigeria (IMWON) held over the weekend in kaduna .Mrs. Yero said it is time women are given their rightful place in the society for them to contribute their quota to the development of the society, adding that the women themselves have to show that they are as capable as their male counterparts; “We are not saying that you should disrespect the male whom Allah has made to be your husband or father but be a source of help to them in your own way” She said “ Since this organization is a faith based one, let me remind you that early women during the prophet time contributed to the development of Islam , I am talking of enterprising women like Khadijat, Aisha, Fatimah and Zanaib and we as women should strive to be like them.”

The Kaduna state first lady challenged the graduating student to make the best use of the skill they acquired in their training.

As a support to the organization Mrs. Yero donated two set of griddingmachine, deep freezer noodles making machine and two desktop computers.

Earlier in her remark the founder of the Center Hajia Rabi Sani said120 students completed the nine months training in computer operation.

PAGE 12

Money Sense

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

5 simple ways to make DIY more affordable

By Nina Nelson 1. Start small It’s tempting to jump into the DIY lifestyle and start making everything yourself. Fight the urge! Starting off with one project at a time not only saves you money, but it saves you the frustration of having several (potentially unfinished) projects at once.

Simple projects to start with would be homemade laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent because they mostly use the same ingredients (and you could potentially sell the extra).

2. Raise the capital I have a few family members who love the idea of using a more natural laundry detergent.

However, they’d rather buy it than make it themselves. So, I offered to make it for them for a little bit less than they would spend at the store and they happily agreed.

Doing this covers the cost of ingredients for their batch and mine, and gives me a little extra money to save for another project.

(They’re also happy to buy other items like bar soap, lip balm and ointment).

3. DIY parties One person approached me

the other day, concerned about the cost of all of the ingredients necessary for a DIY project.

However, she offered a fun solution – DIY parties. I love this idea! Not only do you get to split the initial cost with a few different people, making your project much cheaper, but you also get to spend time with a like-minded community.

4. Get free ingredients There have been several times when I’ve asked friends if they had a little extra of a certain ingredient I needed and they were happy to give it to me.

When I mentioned to a friend that I was going to make my own soap, but I couldn’t find the lye I needed, she happily gave me a small container of it. She said that she wasn’t going to use it anymore and asked if I wouldn’t mind giving her a bar or two of the finished project. Of course, I was happy to do so.

5. Create a DIY budget This is so simple but so effective. Create a budget for your DIY ingredients/materials. Mine is actually pretty small (about $30/month) because I buy items in bulk that don’t cost much and last a long time, so I only need to replace them every few months.

Also, part of my budgeted gift

money gets diverted into my DIY budget because I make so many gifts myself.

Any item that you sell, or money that you save by getting free ingredients can go into the budget for more costly projects.

…Top wealth building ways of ordinary people

By Silicon Valley The real estate investor There’s this guy who took “Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad” series to heart and actually embarked on a real estate investing rampage starting in 2003. It was prompted by a family crisis involving his disabled child, during which he realized the worries of a parent who wondered how his child would be taken care of once he and his wife could no longer do so. Being in California, it was easy for him to build up equity, take it out and apply it to real estate ventures all over the nation. He now owns around 15 houses in various states and is somehow managing this “empire” on his off days from his engineering job.

Stock market investor Everyone’s doing this as far as I know, simply by investing in their retirement plans. With the huge number of plans available these days: 401Ks, 403Bs, IRAs, pension plans and such, there’s no way you’ve escaped building wealth in the last 20 years. What I do find a little frustrating is that while people invest well in their retirement plans, they don’t do so well with their disposable income.

Some of my acquaintances view their retirement accounts as their “serious money” while their disposable income is treated as “play money”.

Stock market trader

This other guy does stock trading part-time and seems to be quite successful at it. Sure there was a time (circa late 1990’s) when lots of people tried their luck at day trading and eventually fizzled miserably. But this guy is good. But that’s because he’s some kind of software genius and mathematical whiz.

Serial start-up hopper (or juggler) Now here’s the typical way people try to get rich around Silicon Valley and it was the norm in the 1990’s. It actually worked for a few former colleagues. I admit, I joined a start-up myself but that didn’t pan out. Instead, I lost out on the amount of money I spent to own my stock options on the penny in order to maximize potential return in case the startup I joined actually succeeded.

It didn’t work for me, but it did others, who amazingly went from one successful start-up to another, raking in stock options that made them millions with every stint. There was this regular engineer who managed to build a massive fortune by just being at the right places at the right time.

He then eventually bank rolled his money into a company he founded that netted him at least double his net worth in a span of 8 months. Life flies around here I guess and some were born with a clover leaf tattooed on their bum. Of course that is the exception, but you can’t help but find inspiration in that.

Consultant (or Contractor) This has worked well for those who ride any kind of job boom such as the tech wave in Silicon Valley in the previous decade.

Depending on the job market, this can be a lucrative strategy.

During a tougher job market, then your skills and knowledge will be responsible for getting you those higher consulting fees.

If you want a big income as a consultant, it’s all a matter of being an expert in a competitive field or being the only one offering such a service.

Website creator / internet Guru We are saturated with web sites everywhere but the internet

is something I’ve always loved.

It’s a source of great alternative income for those who care to stay committed to it. It’s also the new-fangled way that people are building their wealth. Just check out the domain hoarders out there, some top bloggers or web site creators who’ve found success. Lots of small business owners are earning a good living this way.

Traditional Business Owner There was this guy who repaired our fence one time, and he told me how he now owned a bunch of real estate in some affluent areas. A couple of enterprising friends who graduated with landscaping

degrees now own thriving businesses serving the wealthy.

There’s a market to be tapped here — a lot of financially successful folks actually own businesses who service wellpaying clientele.

Start-up founder I’ve already mentioned how regular people can try to launch a start-up on their own, though success here is sporadic. People who get into this somehow enjoy the journey regardless of how things turn out. My spouse is involved in an entrepreneurial scheme right now at a start-up.

He’s been at it for a year full-time and bootstrapping it through our savings.

Frugalist/coupon clipper You can’t go wrong with being frugal. No matter how much you make, if you aren’t living within or below your means, you won’t be getting too far ahead. We’ve got teachers in our family who saved and scrimped all their lives. It allowed them to buy real estate many decades ago. Their ways allowed them to trade up with time and ride the real estate boom here. With their teachers’ salaries, it wouldn’t have been possible without their frugal saving habits to bank on. Given the much tougher cost of living situation we have today, I’d offer a suggestion (not an original one by any means): find a cheaper, promising, developing part of the nation, move there, work a decent living and be frugal.

PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

EDITORIAL

Still on the non-violence pact of respected statesmen and women, traditional and religious leaders; all institutions of government including INEC and security agencies must act and be seen to act with impartiality; and to forcefully and publicly speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence whether perpetrated by our supporters and/or opponents.”

The agreement was signed in the presence of notably former United Nations

“

W

e feel compelled, by the long trail of blood and destruction that campaigning for elective office has left and the rescheduling of the elections to March/April, to remind Nigerians, particularly politicians, of the non-violence pact President Goodluck Jonathan, the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and his main challenger for the Presidency, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) signed on Jan. 14 in Abuja. They committed to keeping the peace during and after the polls, now pushed back from Feb. 14 and Feb. 28 to March 28 and April 11. The two were joined by the presidential candidates of 9 other parties.

The document read in part: “We the undersigned presidential candidates of the underlisted political parties contesting in the general elections of 2015; desirous of taking proactive measures to prevent electoral violence before, during and after the elections; anxious about the maintenance of a peaceful environment for the 2015 general elections;… “Hereby commit ourselves and our party to the following: To run issue based campaigns at national, state and local governments levels; in this, we pledge to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious incitement, ethnic or tribal profiling, both ourselves and agents acting in our names; to refrain from making or causing to make our names or that of our party, any public statements, pronouncements, declarations or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence, before, during and after the elections; “To commit ourselves and political parties to the monitoring of the adherence to this accord by a national peace committee made up

It will take more than a pious commitment on paper to nonviolence to achieve a peaceful vote.

Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Anan, Nigeria’s Chief Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki and INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. On paper, the nonviolence commitment of the contestants in the upcoming elections is the best thing to happen in the history Nigerian elections. Anything that will prevent a repeat of the widespread post 2011 election violence, particularly in the North, is welcome. Already, some citizens from other states residing in the North are voting with their feet, fearful that next month’s elections will not be peaceful.

It is not only important that we respect the sanctity of the ballot but also that we don’t give doomsday prophets cause for celebration. Mr. Anan said on the occasion of the signing of the pact that Nigeria could not afford to get it wrong.

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”

“Nigeria doesn’t want to repeat the experience of Kenya where violence took them back several years. 2015 will confirm Nigeria’s progress in the eyes of the world. The stakes are high but I know Nigeria can rise to the challenge.

Nigeria’s success is Africa’s success.

Nigeria has the future of Africa in its hands, make Africa proud”.

As we said earlier, it is easier for the political gladiators to put their good intention on paper but harder to apply it on the ‘field of play’. Already the electioneering campaigns are getting more violent by the day. In Port Harcourt, Rivers state, where APC’s Buhari launched his campaign, his supporters were attacked by irate crowds on their way to the rally.

And in Jos, Plateau state, the buses of President Jonathan’s campaign organization were attacked and burnt.

These incidents do not, at all, signpost truly peaceful polls. The language of the contestants isn’t healthy either.

It will take more than a pious commitment on paper to nonviolence to achieve a peaceful vote.

As Jega said, “politics is at the heart of electoral violence and it behooves on all to seek solution to electoral violence within the same politics itself.” He listed “ten tenets of peaceful party politics” to include “internal party democracy, effective intra-party conflict resolution, accountability, supremacy of rules and uncertainty of electoral outcomes, trust in institutional redress, promotion of inclusiveness.” According to him, “a willingness on the part of politicians to accept election outcomes is at the centre of peaceful elections.”

We hope and pray the gentlemen, obviously, who on Wednesday, Jan. 14, put pen to paper, committing themselves and their parties to peaceful elections will be able to also walk their talk.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

Chairman Malam Wada Maida, Oon, Fnge Director/Editor-in-Chief Rufa’i Ibrahim Hameed M. Bello

Editor, Daily

Chief Operating Officer Ali M. Ali

Deputy Manager, Production Abdul-Rauf Musa

Acting Editor, Weekend Lawal Sabo Ibrahim

Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji

Head, Lagos Bureau Adesoji Oyinlola

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

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

PAGE 14

Opinion

Sokoto under siege by NSA

By Muhammed Kabir Hassan

A

n ugly development has emerged in Sokoto politics orchestrated by the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Plans have been perfected to destabilize APC in Sokoto to pave way for a PDP ‘victory’ in the March/ April elections. A series of meetings were held recently between the former governor of the state, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, the governorship candidate of PDP, Senator Abdallah Wali, and National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki where they fashioned out means of capturing Sokoto state for President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP. The kernel of their strategy is use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest key players in the opposition APC to keep them away during the elections. True to that permutation some prominent figures in APC in Sokoto have been invited by EFCC and may face an arraignment or be detained as planned on phantom charges to weaken the morale of APC supporters in Sokoto.

Consequently, Bafarawa and Wali now go round to assert victory for the PDP and President Jonathan.

It is an ugly craft that does not augur well for peaceful conduct and outcome of the elections in the state.

We are worried that a Sokoto son has decided to be a destabilizing factor in his own state. He is expected to be an instrument for ensuring fairness and equity, the hallmarks of the old Caliphate. We see his actions as amounting to sell out against

Sokoto values exhibited by the late Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sarduanan Sokoto) and former President Shehu Shagari). Sambo Dasuki, a prince of the Sokoto Caliphate should sustain the cherished good governance traits that always project Sokotoas a model in clean politics.

Good governance is what APC stands for and a victory for the party shall be a continuation of the giant strides in the development of Sokoto state and Nigeria for the benefit of citizens including Sambo Dasuki and his descendants. Against this backdrop, it is strange why the NSA should be working against his own state and people. He should be cautioned not to allow his personal ambition override the interest of his home state where he will eventually be active through divine providence, after retirement from active public service. Probably the NSA does not want to retire and walk into the warm embrace of Sokoto people, hence his resort to intimidation by unleashing the EFCC on the good people of Sokoto state.

It is not surprising that he is becoming more and more unpopular here at home. His appointment has not brought anything positive to Sokoto. For a man hardly known in Sokoto before his appointment, his meddlesomeness in politics and desperation in trying to unseat Sultan Sa’ad to become the next Sultan of Sokoto, there is no way he can convince the people of Sokoto to change the negative impression they have about him. By choosing to align with what people consider

forces of darkness whose main objective is to desecrate Sokoto and its sacred traditional institution, SamboDasuki would continue to be isolated, rejected by Sokoto people.

History shall not be kind to him because he will be remembered as someone who was picked from the caliphate to destroy the very essence of its cherished values.

It could be recalled that he attempted to lure Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to become governorship candidate of PDP in Sokoto. It appears he has not lived down that failed garrison entreaty. His boast for a spoiler’s game against the ambitions of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Sarkin Yamman Sokoto) should be seen as puerile ranting that shall not alter their determination to improve the quality of governance in this country.

Change has become inevitable to rescue the drift to misery prevalent in Nigeria.

Sokoto cannot understand why her son in charge of security of Nigeria remains unconcerned over the daily waste of blood of innocent Nigerians through bombs and rampant kidnapping of women and children in the northern part of the country. He looks askance as unemployed youths perpetrate looting and violence across the land. Employment generation could have staved off much of criminality perpetrated by adolescents. They could not have been enticed to toe the path of terrorism if they are gainfully employed. This is the argument of

APC towards insecurity which our NSA shuns or ignores its reality as a failure of the administration he is neck deep to sustain.

In Sokoto, APC is a bulwark that cannot be removed. The party is laid on a foundation of focus towards good governance that shall provide employment for the youth.

It is envisaged administration that shall keep faith with the people in development of agriculture to diversify the economy, pursue greater attention to education of the youth (boys and girls), step up development of critical infrastructure, encourage industrialization to utilize abundant natural resources in the state, carter for the vulnerable of the society, sustain our traditional values, accelerate ICT innovation in all facets of life, especially in bureaucratic management. More efforts shall be geared towards better management of the ecosystem especially desert encroachment and clean environment close to sustenance of vitality of life. There shall be more input to boost health care delivery system which shall cover difficult terrains. To maintain the status of Sokoto as a peaceful state, and conducive environment for overall development, the administration shall secure lives and property of citizens of the state.

The total profile of APC is mass oriented coupled with character of sincere delivery capacity and capability. The masses of Sokoto State enormously rally round APC based on antecedents of the party’s leader, Governor Wamakko who is

a pace-setter in actualization of good governance.

Tambuwal, the governorship candidate of APC in Sokoto state, is a leader of unusual capacity which is evident in his management of the House of Representatives, as Speaker. He enjoys the support of the legislators of the lower chamber, made up of young and energetic lawmakers, because of his management ability and broadmindedness. His principled character that made him to walk away from the NSA overtures endeared him to his colleagues to assert principles of separation of powers as provided by the constitution. The lower chamber sustained the necessary checks on the excesses of the executive. Their tenacity prevented more impunity in the total governance of the country.

Sokoto shall benefit from a focused Tambuwal administration.

He has remained in close touch with the grassroots to appreciate development needs of the state. This contrasts with the character of PDP apologists that are self centred, aloof to the yearnings of Sokoto people.

They mainly pitch their abode in areas of personal economic returns for aggrandizement. Sokoto State is in a hurry to continuously be at par with other developed states and definitely shall not ally with forces of retrogress. And this is a clear message to our NSA. Muhammed Kabir Hassan resides at 87 Gidan Dare Western Bye Pass Road, Sokoto.

Institution of Zakat, Sadaqah in Nigeria

By Ahmed Ghali Muhammad

T

here is no doubt that there exists a strong demand for an institution to effectively manage and apply financial services to benefit the poor in Nigeria. However, the concept of Zakat/Sadaqah in the hearts and minds of the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria has been characterized by a “schism,” or debate, between two camps that represent broadly different approaches to efficient and effective management of this fundamental Islamic finance on poverty alleviation. The Institutionists and the Welfarists, however, on this debate resolved crucial implications for the future role of Islamic finance and its guiding principles, its objectives, its clients, and its impact on the poor and for the overall poverty alleviation from Islamic perspective in Nigeria.

Zakat (mandatory alms giving) and Sadaqat (voluntary donation) are the primary responsibilities of the state on how, when, whom and for what these concepts are applicable. The institutionists approach, with its emphasis on financial self-sufficiency and institutional scale, appears to have gained ascendancy over the welfarists approach, with emphasis on direct poverty alleviation among

the very poor by the state. The institutionists, however, based their arguments on a number of factors, that the role of the state in poverty alleviation is paramount to the success and stability of the state.

Hence, it argues that the state has the capacity to creating financial institutions to serve the large population of its clients who either are not served or underserved by the formal financial systems. The center of attention in this regard is the institution, and institutional success is generally gauged by the relevance of institution’s progress toward achieving financial selfsufficiency and accessibility by the target audience.

Zakat and Sadaqat are the primary objectives of Islamic finance of which the state creates a separate system of “sustainable” financial intermediation for the poor, rather than profitseeking financial institutions as is applicable in Nigeria today. The belief is that successful poverty reduction requires massive contributions from private Muslims, business organizations, and Muslim philanthropists based on Waqf fund which is 2.5% annual deduction before profit and dividends. Given both worldwide prevalence of poverty and the estimated demand for Islamic finance services, furthermore,

created the only way to attract the requisite financial resources, according to the Institutionists, is by tapping into private sources of capital. But widespread access to private capital in turn may require that Islamic financial institutions be well run, operate efficiently, and most importantly, be re-invested in social institutions like hospitals, schools and skill-acquisition centre.

As such, it is necessary to create an entirely new Islamic financial system in Nigeria consisting of a large number of privately financed (individuals), large-scale financial intermediaries (Industry/business organization) in order to generate and provide financial services to meet the high demands of the poor. It should be borne in mind, however, that the concept of Zakat/ Sadaqah from Islamic perspective is spiritual principles linked to sound financial principles must be a central tenant of the Islamic finance movement so that this noble effort to eradicate poverty does not become simply business as usual, with money at the bottom line, both in terms of outreach to the very poor and in terms of impact and effect of recipients, most Islamic finance institutions shift their focus into sustainable credit programs.

Though there are state Zakat & Endowment institutions in some

states, however, there is need for Islamic Institution on Zakat as a centre of collection in Nigeria that collates Zakatable funds from those Muslims that are ready and willing to clean up their wealth as instructed by Almighty Allah (SW).

Meaning, wealth in its millions of Naira that is not Zakatable is not clean and not acceptable by Allah as it reaches and passes NISAB (limit). The concept of Zakat, on the other hand, was mentioned 28 times in the Holy Qur’an sideby-side with the concept of Salat/ prayers, starting with Surat alBakaratvs 43 and ended with Surat al-Bayyinatvs 4 respectively.

Although, this has been taken lightly by the Islamic intellectuals, academia and opinionist for so many years without critically examine the significance and application of Zakat/Sadaqah in the Nigeria’s socio-economic system.

The concept, furthermore, has been ignored and taken for granted by many Muslims in Nigerian without paying cognizance attention on the implications and consequences it might cause due to lack of application and implementation of Zakat institution in Nigeria.

Though there are opinions on the concept expressed in newspapers on Fridays, they are superficial; they fail to critically examine its socio-economic importance to

the society. The concept of Zakat/ Sadaqah has been significantly translated by Muslim intellectuals in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Gulf Countries via institutional approaches and has transformed the socio-economic lives of their citizens positively. While in Nigeria, the largest Muslim country in the African region is yet to collectively identify the importance of the above institution. This is the right time for such institution to get introduce to the hearts and minds of the Muslim Ummah and set the stage for its takeoff with the need to put in place Islamic financial institution’s activities that are centrally controlled by Shari’ah Supervisory Board (SSB), it would, however, been expected that implementing an important concept like Zakat/Sadaqah should not face much obstacles.

Both institutionalist and the welfarist approaches are very relevant in this regard as it will bring about significant intellectual input to the application and servicedriven Islamic financial services to the poor in Nigeria. The system creates a beneficial Zakat today to be the contributor tomorrow in a cyclical virtue system that brings sound socio-economic benefits to all in the society.

Ahmed Ghali Muhammad via ameeng94@gmail.com

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Comment

By Mukhtar Imam

N

igeria no doubt has had its share of this political maneuver by these power thirsty elites. Forty years agoon October 1 1974 when General Yakubu Gowon made his famous or infamous broadcast in which he said handing over the rein to a civilian government on October 1 1976 was ‘no longer realistic’ – by then he was already eight years in office, in other words he was trying to go for a third term even though that was not the name then – was the foundation for it. Obasanjo’s second coming launched another wave of this ill-conceived, ill-designed grandstanding and manipulation intended to rob Nigerians. This trend is what is unfolding the unfortunate reality confronting us today. It is either this or when they are forced out they try to replace themselves with their children, all thanks to our very expensive like – kind of democracy that seems a very lucrative venture.

To tackle these numerous problems and liberate Nigeria, the ordinary people have to be empowered to take control through popular democratic institutions.

They, not the political and military elites should receive most of the

For the liberation of Nigeria (II) benefits of the nations’ resources.

This can only be realized if we the people let go of our religious bigotry, ethnic chauvinism and unnecessary affiliation and allegiance to individuals or groups rather than to the nation, we must forget about ethnic politics and religious differences and see ourselves as Nigerians working to develop national political parties which have a national base; we cannot do it if we allow the military to interfere with our political life, because if Kaiserism or Military despotism is dead, Bolshevism is still very much alive and we are been governed by it. We must abolish all colonial laws that benefits Nigerian elites, we must work towards abolishing the institution of tribalism, sectionalism and nepotism which our military and political elites use in order to reward allies or punish dissidents.

The liberation of Nigeria will be meaningless without the struggle to liberate and empower women socially, politically, and economically.

Nigerian rural women produce a lot of food, but they will be the last

to know about agricultural policies of Nigeria. The economic crisis of Nigeria has more negative impact on women, because they tend to be less educated. In order to sustain the oppression of women, an exploitative society requires the establishment of a corresponding ideology and culture, together with an education system to pass them on. It is a process that have evolved over thousands of years to deliberately keep women in ignorance, obscurantism and superstition with a view to making them resigned to their position, of instilling in them an attitude of passivity and servility. Due to this, women have not been involved in the planning and decision making processes in society. The antagonism does not necessarily lie between women and men, but between women and the social order, in fact between all exploited people; both women and men and the social order, because men and women are products and victims of the exploitative societies which have created and formed them.

In keeping with the aspiration of job creation and by extension youth

empowerment, the government must revive agriculture as a way of curbing unemployment and youth restiveness and only then shall we speak of ever joining the ranks of the fastest growing economies and largest markets’ in the world. The government must take seriously the standardization of the nations’ educational system which has in fact reached its lowest ebb in recent times, for no nation in the world ever attained greatness without taking its education, health and agriculture seriously. But as a nation of belligerent ruler-ship with an even more confused followership our rulers will opt to act in the direct opposite way.

For Nigeria to lead Africa, we must first of all reduce the cost of governance – because we are among the most expensive democracies’ in the world – so as to make public office less attractive and open only to people worthy of it. We must destroy the institution of corruption and military-dominated politics; there is no country in the world with good polity if their political institutions

were governed by its military.

Nigerians will have to build a united front and build genuine organs of a democratic power base in order to challenge the present military and political elites. The survival of all Nigerian working and poor classes can only be assured through national unity, not tribal unity or loyalty.

For the liberation of Nigeria, I hope the younger generation will work towards this national unity, political freedom and economic justice for all Nigerians.

My message here is simple: For Nigeria to begin to address its internal and external crisis, it first needs committed leadership which aims at unifying the nation. Tribal differences should be put aside because the poor and the uneducated are among every tribe in Nigeria.

We should work towards a humane society building, which gives political and economic justice to all Nigerians.

Concluded Mukhtar Imam via mukhtarimam01@gmail.com (08065723203)

The economic cost of Jega’s election postponement (II)

By Nasiru Suwaid

B

ecause, generally and appropriately, a subservient and loyal armed force, only offers advice to the constituted authority, which is either accepted or rejected but, the onus of taking, proclaiming and pronouncing decisions, must lie with the civil authority. Indeed, it is the reason why the name of the Office of the National Security Adviser, has a title ending, confirming its role as a ‘personal’ security advisor to the president, thus only answerable but most especially, ‘loyal’ to the individual occupying the Office of Nigerian President, not necessarily interchangeable and substitutable with being or always acting patriotically in the greater national interest.

Perhaps, it is in the understanding of this constitutional norm and practical conventional scenario, as it operates in the

United States of America, which made Senator John Kerry, the United States Secretary of State, in his statement condemning the moving of the general elections to a later date, to ‘ignore’ the contrived warning and advice of Sambo Dasuki to the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, which he gave in a Chatham House lecture urging a postponement and a shift in the polling day.

The question then is what should be the next line of action, for an experienced international interlocutor in the mould of the United States Government, that has the latitude and means to punish any errant party and most especially, it had promised ‘sanctions’ in case of breach by any of the two parties. Surely, involving and tainting the military in purely civilian political supremacy games, requires at the very least, a visa withdrawal privilege and barring of such unprofessional and reckless

officers from any visit to the United States.

NIGERIA’S EMERGING PERCEPTION BURDEN For any student of philosophy and jurisprudence, there is no word that has greater meaning, than the sociological public opinion measure called ‘perception’, indeed, within the more narrow legal jurisprudence, it is said, for there to be an equitable system of the administration of justice, the greater citizenry, “must not only feel that justice was done, it must ‘seem’ to have been done”, thus, it is not only necessary for an umpire (judge) to exhibit fairness, forthrightness and clear impartiality, it should be openly conveyed ‘practically’ unto the viewing and hearing of the interested parties in dispute.

Fortunately, for the Nigerian electoral umpire, it is this ‘onerous’ characteristic that is required of it at all times and to be showered towards every political party, as

strategic participatory stakeholder.

Unfortunately for the Independent National Electoral Commission, while a judicial courtroom is only required to satisfy the ‘perception’ of its litigants, their relations and interested parties, for the electoral body, it has Nigerian nation as its primary constituency to impress.

Thus, it is not just about ‘satisfying’ the ‘perception’ of political parties but, it must also ‘satisfy’ the perceptive vision of the hundreds of millions of the Nigerian citizenry. The problem that arises here is when an electoral body suspends and postpones the date of an impending election, which by all opinion polls published, has tilted towards an opposition party’s victory, yet it was ‘delayed’ to gratify the ruling party to gain a momentum.

Now, if at the rescheduled polls, the ruling party were to emerge victorious, how on earth, could you convince ‘anyone’, that

the election was not ‘delayed’ to achieve a ‘predetermined’ end, remember, majority of Nigerians are neither educated scholars nor men and women of letters or even academically inclined, to rationally juxtapose and reasonable contextualize what had happened and that it is the courtroom, rather than the streets, which could remedy the feeling but most especially, the ‘perception’ of injustice meted out to them.

After all, we are a nation with a known ‘notorious’ history of post election violence, the question is whether anyone, within the cliques of security chiefs, election managers and government officials, had contemplated this cataclysmic scenario, as for me, all I would say is; ‘may God save us from our own contrived follies’.

Concluded Follow Suwaid on twitter: @neeswaid

Is Jega now a civil servant for purpose of forced or subtle removal? (III)

By Jiti Ogunye

A

ssuming (without conceding) that the power of suspension can be imported into the Constitution, the question is, who can exercise the power of suspension and how can it be exercised? Clearly the answer is not far-fetched. The Senate and the President are both the appointing and removing authority. Thus, that appointing authority, the Senate and President, shall jointly exercise the power to suspend the Chairman and members of INEC .

We submit that even if it is being suggested that the rule of suspension from office pending investigation of allegation of act of gross misconduct, as provided by Rules 04302-04306, and 04402 of the Public Service Rules, can be invoked by the President in suspending the Chairman or any of the members of INEC, we declare that the President cannot invoke that rule; it is only the Federal Civil Service Commission that can invoke these disciplinary powers.

For the avoidance of any doubt, Rule 04305 provides that ” suspension should not be used as a synonym for interdiction.

It shall apply where a prima facie case, the nature of which is serious, has been established against an officer, and it is considered necessary in the public interest that he should forthwith be prohibited from carrying on his duties. Pending investigation into the misconduct, the Federal Civil Service Commission or the Permanent Secretary/ Head of Extra Ministerial Department ( if within his delegated powers0 shall forthwith suspend him from the exercise of the powers and functions of his office and from the enjoyment of his salary” If Jega cannot be suspended from office by the President, can the President or the Presidency advise him to proceed on leave before the end of his tenure? The answer is no.

Rule 100238 of the Public Service Rules provides that ” officers are required to give three months notice to retire from service before the

effective date of retirement. At the commencement of three months, officers should proceed immediately on the mandatory one-month preretirement workshop/seminar.

For the remaining two months, retiring officers are expected to take necessary measures to put their records straight so as to facilitate the speedy processing of their retirement benefits.”

As we have stated above, the Public Service Rules do not regulate the appointments and tenures of the Chairman and members of INEC. Rule 100238does not apply to the tenure of office of members of INEC. When their term of office ends, they do not retire. They cease to hold office. And although they may earn severance or terminal benefits, they do not earn pensions and gratuities, unlike the employees (staff members) of INEC who have the same right and obligation as provided for in the Pension Reform Act. See Section 8 (4) of Electoral Act, 2010, a section that accords with Section 173 of the Constitution , which guarantees the right of a

person in the public service of the Federation to receive pension or gratuity, as may be regulated by law.

It can, therefore, be seen that it cannot be reasonably suggested that Jega should proceed on terminal leave or pre-retirement leave, three months to the end of his tenure in INEC. The Public Service Rules do not support such a suggestion. Any circular on the applicability of the three month pre-retirement leave to all categories of public servants or officers, emanating from the Head of Service, even if such a circular is circulated to INEC, is useless, as far as the appointments and tenures of the Chairman and members of INEC are concerned.

That circular, even if it is a law, will be in conflict with the supremacy clause in the Constitution ( Section 1(3), and will, to the extent of its inconsistency, be null and void and of no effect whatsoever. Even if the Chapter on Leave in the Public Service Rules is applicable to Jega, he cannot be asked to proceed on leave when a general election is being conducted, an

election in which he is the returning officer in respect of the office of President. Under Public Service Rules, provisions are made for Deferred Leave and Return From Leave on Government Request whenever a serious assignment is at stake.

Nigeria is in the middle of an acute intra-ruling class power struggle. And every course of action may be contemplated by the combatants. Organizations and nations in history have been destroyed by ruling class power struggles. In the instant political power contestation in Nigeria, we enjoin all to remember that there is a Constitution and there are laws, which must be obeyed. And “the purpose of law”, according to Ovid, a 1st Century Roman Poet, “is to prevent the strong from always having their way”.

Concluded Mr. Ogunye, lawyer, legal commentator, author, and essayist, is the Legal adviser of Premium Times.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Jonathan lacks capacity, courage to fight corruption - APC Campaign

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has reiterated that the Jonathan administration lacks the capacity or the moral courage to fight corruption, and cannot therefore, be trusted to govern Nigeria again.

The campaign said in a statement issued by its Directorate of Media and Publicity in Abuja yesterday that a government with a notorious record of indifference to corruption should not be taken seriously to fight corruption.

Citing the Nigerian Railway Corporation, which it alleged is creaking under the weight of corruption; the statement wondered how the so-called success story of the railway corporation could be sustained under the influence of corruption.

The statement alleged that a car wash company with no experience in railway construction was awarded a railway rehabilitation contract at N24 Billion Naira. It also mentioned another case of N44 billion consultancy contract awarded at N488billion and jacked up by extra N2 billion overnight.

The APCPCO disclosed that despite repeated petitions, which were investigated and confirmed by the state security service, corruption and inflation of contracts continues to grow unabated at the railway corporation.

According to the APCPCO, most of the individuals involved in these shady deals cannot be touched because of their connection to powerful people in the presidential villa. The statement alleged that the Managing Director of the Railway Corporation has become so powerful that he boasted to board members that any of them fighting him “are fighting the First Lady.”

Suspecting that the board members were behind the DSS investigation, the statement accused the managing director of using his alleged connection to the First Lady, to award contracts without due process, and intimidates board members with impunity.

The APC presidential campaign noted that with this level of corruption and impunity at the Railway Corporation, it would be difficult for the Jonathan administration to convince Nigerians it has the will or the capacity to rid Nigeria of the scourge of corruption.

According to the statement, only in a country like Nigeria would a security agency indict a department of government of corruption and the government of the day would ignore the report.

All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Adamawa Central Senatorial Zone, protesting the arrest of their candidate, yesterday in Yola.

Photo: NAN

INEC distributes 100% PVCs in Zamfara From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

T

he Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Zamfara State over the weekend announced that it has succeeded in the ongoing distribution exercise of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) by 100 percent as required ahead of the oncoming general elections in the state.

This development was disclosed

by the INEC national commissioner in-charge of Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, Hajiya Amina Zakari shortly after a meeting with the staff of the Zamfara commission, stressing that all PVCs have been distributed across the state only to wait for the oncoming general elections.

Hajiya Zakari, further informed that the remaining of about 100,000 PVCs still under the custody of the commission, were confirmed

to be the belongings of those that either died after registration or federal civil servants that have been transferred to other states before the commencement of collection as scheduled.

“We have discovered about 100,000 PVCs left uncollected as recorded by the commission that were believed to have been registered by those were already died after the registration exercise and those of federal civil servants already

transferred to other states. And in addition to that, the commission is ready in terms of all required electoral facilities”, Hajiya Zakari stated.

She clearly dismissed the allegations by some politicians in the state that a vehicle was arrested by the state police command laden with original ballot papers thumpprinted in favour of the PDP, saying it was a bunch of samples meant for voter education for the party’s supporters.

APC campaign alerts lawmakers on anti-democratic antics

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has cautioned members of the National Assembly against taking any action that might affect the foundation of democracy in the country.

A statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APCPCO, Garba Shehu, yesterday noted that the members of the National Assembly are returning to plenary at a time when the country is passing through a phase of some surreptitious attempt to tamper with the sanctity of the election date and the hand-over date.

The statement observed that the commentaries coming from leading members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) about a sinister plot to compromise on the sanctity of the May 29 hand-over date portends a great danger to the integrity of

Nigeria’s democracy.

According to the statement, “We wish to welcome back to plenary distinguished members of the National Assembly. We also wish to call their attention to the fact that their resumption is coming at a time when some senior members of the ruling party are mouthing overtures over a surreptitious attempt to compromise on the sanctity of the election day and the handover date.

“To the extent that the parliament is the heart of any democracy, our National Assembly members have a duty to ensure that they protect our democracy from the archeries of its enemies.

It added “It is on this note that the we in the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation call on every member of the National Assembly to add their voices to that of millions of other Nigerians and stand resolute that the general elections hold between March 28 and April 8 as scheduled and also that the

May 29 hand-over date remains sacrosanct.

“In light of the foregoing therefore, the APCPCO is standing at the side of millions of other Nigerians to say that any form of government beyond the May 29 terminal date of this incumbent administration, whose authority is not legitimised by the ballot box is unacceptable, unconstitutional and, in effect, null and void.

“We call on the National

Assembly to similarly lend its voice to that of the overwhelming number of Nigerians by proclaiming that any illegal government before or after May 29 is unacceptable”, the statement said.

The statement also reminded the Jonathan administration that it could not fight corruption by shielding corrupt people from prosecution, a situation, which it said, might embolden crooks to ruin the country with impunity.

Gunmen kill APC ward chairman in Plateau From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

U

nknown gunmen on Sunday killed a ward chairman of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Rev. Samuel Davo, in Kura Falls of Barikin Ladi local government area of Plateau State.

Emmanuel Abu, who is the

Police Public Relation Officer in Plateau, confirmed the incident, adding that the police had begun investigation to ascertain the circumstances behind the killing.

The ward chairman was said to have been killed on Sunday night by gunmen who invaded his compound, adding that details on why the man was killed was still not available.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

APC youth vanguard to resist interim govt From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Vanguard have sounded a note of warning to those pushing for a possible Interim Government in Nigeria, stressing that the youth and all well meaning Nigerians would resist the plan, even as they described the postponement of the general elections as a blessing in disguise.

The national coordinator of the group, Comrade Jubrillu Gadzama,

disclosed this while addressing the media in Kaduna yesterday.

The vanguard warned that politicians should tread with caution and should not for the sake of their ambition push the country to a situation of anarchy.

“Nigeria is greater than anybody’s ambition and therefore, nobody should engage in any action or inaction that would throw the country into a state of confusion.

In fact, Nigerians are ready for the upcoming election, even before

the postponement, and with the shift in the date; I want to believe Nigerians are more prepared and ready for the polls. Why would some people be nursing an odious plan that could lead to a possible interim government, when they realized their defeat is almost sure?” he queried.

“Initially, we were worried about the shift in the polls date, but now we’ve realized the shift is like a blessing in disguise that has giving us the opportunity to garner more support for General Muhammadu,

the APC presidential candidate” the group said.

Also speaking at the press briefing, Publicity Secretary of the group, Gideon Gajere, who said their support for the former army general, Muhammadu Buhari remained intact, stressed that this is because only Buhari can guarantee the nation good leadership, tackle lawlessness and insecurity among many plights that have stunted the nation’s growth and development.

On her part, Hafsat

Abdulhameed, a member of the vanguard, described General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) as an upright man determined to rescue this country from fraudulent leaders who have milked this country dry.

She said “Buhari remains the right man for the job who has the ability and the will to move this nation out of the present quagmire.

I therefore, call on Nigerians to cast their ballots for Buhari, because he is the man for the job”.

… As group says Yero has not abandoned Yakowa’s projects

Y

ouths from 23 local government areas of Kaduna State have described as untrue and misleading statements making the rounds that Governor Alhaji Mukhtar Ramallan Yero has abandoned protects initiated by his predecessor, the late Sir Patrick

Ibrahim Yakowa because of some interests.

The group stated this during a press conference held in Kaduna yesterday.

The group, under the auspices of Kaduna Youth Support Group said contrary to the insinuation, the

Yero’ administration has ensured the completion of the 31 road projects awarded by the late Yakowa administration which cut across 15 local government areas of the state.

Chairman of the group Mr. Hadwyah Samuel John said the group took an independent tour

of the road projects and they were convinced that the projects have been completed and some have already been commissioned.

“As youth from the state, we sat down to brainstorm on the way forward for our dear state and we came to the conclusion that our

R-L: Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, exchanging pleasantries with Chief Observer, European Union Election Observation Mission, Mr. Santiago Fisas Ayxela, during the Mission visit to the Senate Leader, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

governor has not abandoned any projects as been propagated in some quarters in the state. We plead with people with contrary views to take a trip round the projects and make their judgment instead of been brainwashed for political gains.

“The administration of Governor Yero has also been honest in dealing with the security issues in the state.

Two areas Birnin Gwari and Sanga/ Zango kataf axis has witnessed some peace as the government of Yero has put in strategy to curb the menace which includes a stationed military base, Kaduna security outfit “Operation Yaki” and these areas have known peace.

“Without any apology, we as youth from Kaduna State can testify that the Yero administration has been the most proactive in terms of education development. The government has built and renovated dilapidated classroom and laboratories in all the schools in the 23 local governments in the state.

“In view of the above it is important to let our people to be aware that the government of Yero is moving Kaduna State forward in the positive direction and we have to support him to do more, but more importantly is the fact that election campaign should be issues-based and not of calumny because this will do our dear state no good” John said.

Mr. John called on the good people of Kaduna State to ensure that the forth coming elections are conducted in an atmosphere devoid of rancor and violence because no state can develop amidst crisis.

Opponents using violence against me - Taraba SDP guber candidate

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Taraba State, Chief David Sabo Kente (DSK) has denied speculations that two people were killed in Suntai town of Bali local government area by his supporters, insisting that his opponents are using violence against him.

Kente speaking with our correspondent on phone after his Southern Taraba zonal campaign rally blamed his opponents for laying ambush and using violence against

him.

He expressed disapproval on the idea of killing, laying of ambush and using violence against one another during campaigns.

According to Kente “after our successful rally in Baissa, headquarters of Kurmi local government area, we came to Mararraba in Donga local government and advanced to Suntai town of Bali local government. In Suntai, while the town was agog with our arrival, opponents went ahead and laid ambush against us near a military checkpoint.

“We had already passed a checkpoint before the rain of stones came. I am sure the soldiers reacted because they were at the checkpoint when we were passing. I am sure it is the quantity of stones that were coming on them that they decided to fire and in that course; I learnt two lives were lost.

“Even though it was reported that we were the people that killed those boys, but I thank God, people of Suntai have come to apologize that they were not directly involved in that attack, that the attackers were miscreants sponsored to come and lay ambush for us. Governor Danbaba’s

younger brothers and sisters came to the house and apologized to me for being attacked in Suntai and they also agreed that those guys that were even shot by the military were miscreants.I felt so bad when that thing happened, I don’t believe in laying ambush or using violence when my opponent is performing better than me” he said.

The SDP candidate also disclosed that his convoy came under gunshots when they visited Donga, headquarters of Donga local government in continuation of his campaign rally across the state. According to him, “In Donga, we were under fire for one

hour. The one hour our programme lasted in Donga, we were being fired at with assault rifles but by the grace of God, only three of our boys sustained injuries, no life was lost”.

Chief Kente described his level of acceptability by the people of the state, having visited fifteen out sixteen local governments, as overwhelming and encouraging, attributing it to his antecedents. “We were being ranked very high in the state, majority of the people of the state now go for people and not political parties, people are bothered about who can deliver services to them”, he added.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

How Kwara politicians are treading on path of violence Analysis From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

D

espite the peace accord signed by all political parties in Kwara State, the reported cases of violence especially between the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have become a source of worry to the people of the state. While the Nigeria Police, Kwara State Command and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continue to appeal to politicians to caution their supporters, destruction of billboards, posters at different locations within Ilorin metropolis and outside continue unabated.

There were also reported cases of attacks on Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s campaign train and on members of the APC in state. It was gathered that vehicles parked at Share, Ifelodun local government area of the state which is home town of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, were destroyed by suspected political thugs of the main opposition party on their return from campaigns.

While accusing the PDP of being behind the attacks, state chairman of the APC, Hon Ishola Balogun-Fulani during a press conference in Ilorin, alleged that the mastermind of the attacks were members of the PDP, noting that the APC has strictly abide by the INEC regulations on campaign since commencement of it campaigns and wondered why suspected thugs of the PDP allegedly attacked Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed during his campaign at Isaja, Ekiti local government area of the state, home town of Senator Simeon Ajibola, PDP gubernatorial candidate.

He said: “till today, neither the PDP governorship candidate nor his party has deemed it necessary to condemn the unprovoked attack on our members. This singular act of irresponsibility displayed by the PDP clearly shows that the PDP does not only sponsor violence but also a proud promoter of violence.

“On Thursday, another gang of PDP thugs sponsored by the Kwara South senatorial candidate of the PDP, Mr Lola Ashiru, and attacked APC members in Oyun. Five members of our party were shot while many others sustained severe injuries.

We have properly reported these unfortunate incidents to security agencies. The attack on Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s convoy at Kaima and the attack on APC members in Asa local government

by PDP sponsored thugs are other violent activities the PDP has coordinated in recent times”.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed “As we speak, a gang of thugs led by one Dawuda Ijamode have either destroyed or defaced APC billboards erected in Adeta area, Garin-Alimi roundabout, Offa garage area and many areas in Ilorin metropolis. These agents of destruction, we gathered, are working for Senator Simeon Ajibola, Mr Yinka Aluko and one Sheriff Shagaya”.

The APC alleged that it was not the first time PDP agents would embark on such journey of destruction, stressing that the main opposition party had destroyed its billboards in August 2014 in Ilorin metropolis. The party which expressed it worry over inability of the Nigeria Police, Kwara State command to deter suspected PDP thugs from rampaging, said the command should show and assure people of the state that the it’s fully in charge of security of the state.

The party also appealed to the police to call the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Ajibola and others to order and in order to stem the tide of political violence in the state, saying “incessant attacks on our party members must be brought to book and their sponsors made to face justice”.

But the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Saliu Garba who lamented over the strike by the judiciary, said most of those accused in the attack were arrested but the police had to release these suspects on bail because the law did not permit the security agencies to keep suspects beyond 24 hours. Garba observed those suspects arrested were also sighted in APC and PDP campaign rally which portrayed them as “political thugs in trade”.

The command also disclosed that it has recovered about

108,806 weapons from suspects arrested at Kosubusu, a town in Kwara North Senatorial district as the election approach. The CP, who confirmed this in Ilorin during a general meeting with candidates of all political parties in the state ahead of the general election, said some suspects have been arrested in connection with the ammunitions recovered. He accused both the APC and PDP of being behind the destruction of billboards and other property belonging to each other, noting that their actions could be only be described as parties at war.

“As a law enforcement institution, we have resolved to use all legally permitted means to prevent any breakdown of law and order and all offenders shall be dully prosecuted as there will be no sacred cows. It has equally been decided that appropriate action will be meted out on any one no matter highly placed that is penciled out to be involved in sponsoring any act of thuggery and political hooliganism through any direct or indirect action traceable to him or her”.

The police boss also disclosed that those behind the incessant violence in the state were either locally based or imported to unleash terror on innocent people, stressing that the command has put effective machineries on ground to deal with the situation.

The representative of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Hon Yinusa Yahyah in his remark, however said his party would continue to be peaceful in it activities, stressing that they would not engage any party in violence as a way to leave good legacy for young generations. He noted that his party would not be happy if it billboards and vehicles

Senator Simeon Ajibola were damaged by the suspected political thugs. The former House of Representatives member, who is now the PDP senatorial candidate for Kwara North senatorial district, said a normal legacy that should be left behind for young generations are peaceful and harmonious elections, noting that previous elections had been held in the state without violence.

At the Kwara State Security Council meeting, the council also resolved to put hotels across the state under surveillance as part of measures to curb incessant attacks on innocent people by suspected political thugs. They came with the resolutions bordering on the security ahead of general election based on the increase in violence and proliferation of ammunitions among political thugs in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold who briefed journalists at a press conference after the Security Council stated that the meeting was attended by all security heads including Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim SuluGambari.

Gold, who said the council reviewed the current security situation in the state, came out with fresh resolutions to ensure the protection of lives and property as well as promote public order.

“While expressing confidence in the capacity of the security and law enforcement agencies to secure lives and property, council resolved that the Kwara State government should sustain its policy of zero tolerance for thuggery and other politicalrelated violence in the state.

Therefore, council directed the police to prosecute all pending cases of thuggery to serve as a deterrent to others

and to reassure the public of government’s readiness to uphold public order. Council also directed the establishment of a Special Task Force to curb thuggery and other politically related violence in the state.”

The SSG also disclosed that the council resolved that ahead of the forthcoming general elections,” council recommended that all candidates for elective posts should sign a covenant with security agencies to maintain peace and order before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.

“Council noted that those who perpetrate thuggery and other forms of political violence often organise these illegal activities in hotels and similar establishments.

To discourage these activities while also stemming the proliferation of illegal arms in the state, council recommended that the state government and law enforcement agencies should engage with owners and operators of hotels to ensure vigilance and scrutinize lodgers in order to prevent the use of such premises for planning criminal activities”.

The SSG added that the council would reconvene within the next two-three weeks to appraise its decisions and fashion out additional strategies to ensure the security of lives and property as well as promote the well being of the people of the state.

Nevertheless, as the accusation and counter accusation continue among the political parties in the state, many political pundits believe that the neutrality of the Nigeria Police in the state could only curb political violence in the state since the security agency ought to protect life and property in the state without being biased.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

NIGCOMSAT privatisation won’t compromise Nigeria’s security-BPE

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, has said that the plan privatisation of the Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) would not compromise the nation’s security.

Dikki however said that the Bureau would strategize and evaluate how much private sector participation would be required in the company to drive growth.

He said that Information and Communications Technology that

encompasses satellite systems and telecommunications was key to the growth of any nation.

DG who spoke when the Management Team of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) led by its Director General, Prof.

Seidu Mohammed paid him a courtesy visit.

A statement by the Acting Head, Public Communications, BPE, Alex E. Okoh said the need to privatise the Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) is borne out of

the need to inject entrepreneurial spirit into the company and make it more commercially viable.

He explained that in privatising NIGCOMSAT, the security of the nation would not be compromised but that the Bureau would strategize and evaluate how much private sector participation would be required in the company to drive growth.

The Director General stressed that the BPE would rely on informed guidance from key stakeholders to determine the model of privatization to be

recommended to the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) for adoption in the privatisation of NIGCOMSAT. He said that in executing the transaction, a Joint Project Delivery Team (PDT), comprising the BPE, the Ministry of Communication Technology, NASRDA and other key stakeholders would be empanelled for the purpose.

Earlier, the Director General of NASRDA, Prof.

Seidu Mohammed said the purpose of the visit was to intimate the BPE

of the activities of his agency and to seek more clarification on the planned privatisation of the NIGCOMSAT. Mohammed explained that there was need for communication satellite for all Nigerians as it was vital for not only telecommunications but for earth characterization to support the agricultural sector of the country.

He lamented the poor funding of the science and technology sector of the country and called for more investment in the sector to boost the competitiveness of Nigeria.

Naira hits N210, 213 to dollar at BDC, black market

T

he Naira on Monday lost N2 to the dollar to sell at N210 at the Bureau De Change (BDCs) segment of the official market.

It also depreciated by N4 at the black market, selling at N213 to the dollar.

A dealer, who preferred anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the depreciation might not be unconnected with the closure of trading at the interbank market by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The dealer also said that the CBN’s decision which was meant to control speculations in the market might be responsible for the depreciation.

NAN reports that the Naira against the pound at the BDCs and black market sold for N307 and N314 respectively.

It, however, exchanged against the Euro at N235 at the BDCs, while it sold for N237 at the black market.

NAN recalls that the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, said that only BDCs and banks with genuine demand for foreign exchange will get forex allocation.

The CBN on Jan. 28 put up measures to calm the strong volatility observed in the forex market to save the naira from further depreciation.

It increased the weekly supply of dollars per BDC operator from 15,000 dollars to 30,000 dollars and also set aside extra 30,000 dollars to the BDC sector.

The banking sector regulator said the move was part of measures to deepen the BDCs segment. (NAN)

Business activities in Wuse Market yesterday.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Customs unit in Lagos impounds goods valued at N2.06bn T he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (F.O.U), Zone `A’ Ikeja, says it recorded 2,914 seizures of prohibited goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2.06 billion in 2014.

The Controller of the Unit, Alhaji Usman Turaki gave the figures in a statement made available to newsmen in on Monday Lagos by the Public Relations Officer of the Unit, Mr

Uche Ejesieme.

It said that the Duty Paid Value of seizures in 2014 was higher than the N1.52 billion for such seizures in 2013.

The statement said that from January to December 2014, the unit intercepted smuggled frozen poultry products totaling 58,611 cartons at a Duty Paid Value of N316.49 million.

It also explained that in the period under review, the unit

seized bags of rice with a Duty Paid Value of N921.35 million.

The statement said that in the period under consideration, the unit seized 445 assorted vehicles, 579 units of fairly-used vehicles and 95 scraps with a Duty Paid Value of N451.43 million.

It quotes the controller as saying that all officers and men should gear up for the challenges ahead as deliberate efforts must be made to surpass the

achievements of the previous years.

The statement mentioned the zero tolerance stance of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Adbullahi Dikko, toward importation of frozen poultry products and rice through the border areas, among others.

It advised those engaging in smuggling to look for genuine means of livelihood and desist from illegalities. (NAN)

Page 20

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Energy

Over 500 hairdressers to benefit from 20kw installed solar based station at Wuse Market

By Etuka Sunday

N

o fewer than 500 hairdressers are to benefit from the newly installed Kilowatts (kw) solar based station at Wuse market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

This was in furtherance of the Ministry of Power’s Operation Light-up the Rural Nigeria (OLRN) initiative to bridge the current power deficit in the country.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo while commissioning the station yesterday said the project was to provide electric power through Solar panels for hair driers, fans, clippers and ovens often in use by various customers that throng the market daily for hairdo.

He added that the project will also provide electricity to grocery shops around, so also hair dressing saloons, promising that the project

will be replicated in other markets across the country.

The focus of the project he said, is to discourage the use of Petrol/Diesel powered generators that could infuse poisonous gases when attending to customers, adding that the project will empower market women and youth operating in the market.

The Minister of State, Hon. Mohammed Wakil said the project is in line with global trends, as

everyone is conscious of green energy, now than ever before.

He assured that with the renewed interest in solar and other renewables, more jobs would be created, especially with the Operation Light-up Rural Nigeria (OLRN) initiative.

Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Amb. Godknows Igali said the initiative would be replicated in all the major markets in the

country.

Raphael Okorie who spoke for beneficiaries of the solar station assured of protecting the facility while putting it to maximum use.

Present at the commissioning were, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zanaib Maina, Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Philip Aduda and Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Mr. Micha Jiba.

Oil rises on Libya violence, Kuwait sees prices supported

O

L-R: Head, Product Management, West Africa, Transactional Products and Services, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Nnenna Okoro, Chief Legal Officer, Oando, Ngozi Okonkwo, and Head, Transactional Products & Services, Financial Institution Sales, West Africa, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Abimbola Akerele, during the 6th annual West Africa Trade and Export Finance Conference, recently in Lagos.

Oil Managers bunk down at U.S. refineries, as strike enters third week

U

.S. oil refinery managers are going to the mats, literally, during the biggest fight with union workers in 35 years, bedding down for a third strike week that experts and some employees say raises concerns over safety and operations.

At the 135,000 barrel-per-day refinery just outside of Toledo, Ohio, run by BP Plc and Husky Energy Inc, most of the nearly 300-person staff have been calling the refinery home since Feb. 9. For the lastweek, they have slept on recently purchased mattresses inside rental trailers to rapidly respond to any problems and avoid striking workers, sources say.

On Tuesday, a van full of washing and drying machines gingerly cut through about a dozen United Steelworkers carrying pickets and walking a strike line at the facility’s front gate.

Those efforts underscore how far operators are willing to go to retain normalcy in the face of the largest national U.S. refinery strike since 1980. And as more replacement workers join the ranks here and the other eight

refineries where strikes have occurred, more questions are arising about potential safety and production risks from an extended walkout.

While such warnings may seem a self-serving negotiating tactic, even some on the other side of the line are concerned.

John Ostberg, a non-union control engineer who works in the main computerized control center at Toledo, quit his job on Monday weeks before he was scheduled to retire.

For months, Ostberg has been warning his bosses in emails about their plans to rely on replacement workers and supervisors if a strike occurred.

He feared they were not properly trained, or too far removed from the frontlines, to respond to unit upsets and other problems that can escalate quickly without experienced intervention.

“Management says it’s safe.

I disagree,” Ostberg said in a phone interview on Thursday.

BP spokesman Scott Dean said the company does not discuss publicly discuss personnel issues, but did provide highlights of the refinery’s safety record, such as how workers

logged 15 million man hours, or 39 months, without a serious injury by June 2014. Husky Energy deferred all questions to BP. In dozens of interviews with local USW workers, craftsman and experts, a portrait of the dayto-day role they play emerges: monitoring large electronic boards that detect problems, turning valves, checking the quality of refined products and overseeing work permits.

But their biggest contribution, the people say, is serving as the refinery’s frontline defense when things go wrong.

Chad Coburtson, president of the USW local at the Toledo refinery, described his members’ role this way: “The steelworkers are like the nails in the frame.

Without us the structure will crumble.”

At least three of the nine U.S. oil refineries targeted by a nationwide strike of USW members have reported upsets and unplanned repairs since their workers walked out on Feb 1. There is no indication of what caused the upsets, none of which resulted in any harm or serious damage to equipment. (Reuters)

il rose to near $62 a barrel on Monday, supported by concerns over escalating conflict with Islamic State militants in Libya and predictions of lower supply in the second half of the year.

Egypt bombed Islamic State targets inside Libya on Monday and Cairo renewed calls for a U.S.-led coalition to confront militants there, a day after the group released a video appearing to show the beheading of 21 Egyptians.

“The geopolitical risk is not something to write off,” said Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix in Zug, Switzerland.

Libya’s oil production has mostly shut down, falling to 350,000 barrels per day (bpd), from 1.6 million bpd before the 2011 ousting of leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Crude flows from the El Sarir oilfield remained disrupted after a pipeline was attacked and set on

fire.

Further supporting the market, Kuwait’s oil minister said oil prices would continue to rise this year as supply fell.

“Hopefully in the second half of 2015 we will see better prices,” said the minister, Ali al-Omair.

Benchmark Brent futures traded at $61.75 a barrel, up 23 cents, at 1440 GMT. U.S. crude was up 5 cents at $52.83 a barrel.

Trading volumes were reduced as U.S. markets remained closed for a public holiday.

Oil markets rose strongly last week after another drop in the U.S. rig count, pushing Brent back above $60 a barrel for the first time since December.

The price of Brent has increased by more than 30 percent since January, supported by signs of lower oil industry spending. In January it hit $45.19, the lowest in almost six years, down from $115 last June.

(Reuters)

KPDC set to partner with Sokoto govt on power distribution From Raji Bello, Sokoto

T

he Kaduna Power Distribution Company (KDPC) is to partner with Sokoto state government as part of its efforts to improve power generation and distribution to its customers.

The Managing Director of the company, Engineer Garba Haruna disclosed this in Sokoto, while on an assessment tour of the state’s Independent Power Project (IPP) on Sunday.

The power plant still ongoing was awarded at the cost of N3.8 billion since 2008 and latter incurred variation claims to the tune of N1.2 billion due to shortfall in Dollar rate.

Speaking with Newsmen, Haruna expalined that the company is one of the 11 distribution companies unbundled from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) with mandate to provide power service four states, comprising Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto.

He said the partnership became necessary to the due to power shortfall being experience from the national grid.

According to him, the KPDC is

currently receiving between 100 and 150 megawatts from national grid to service the jurisdiction states, as against the required 600 to 700 megawatts needed for distribution.

“With the additional 38 megawatts from Sokoto state Independent Power Project (IPP), our consumers from the state will have an improved power supply.

So, we going to work out the modalities on how to partner the state’s IPP, he explained.

He disclosed that the company is to embark on the distribution of no fewer than pre-paid meters, meant to ensure accurate billing to the customers in the state.

The Managing Director, however commended the foresight of the state governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko on the establishment of the power plant in state.

He urged the Sokoto residents to desist from illegal connections and non usage of reading meters provided by the company for accurate billings.

The Managing Director was accompanied by the company Head, Corporate Affairs and Publicity, Mallam Abdul’Azeez Abdullahi, among others.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

ICT

NIPOST collaborates Konga .com on goods delivery T

he Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and Konga.com, announced a partnership for the use of NIPOST post offices as pick up locations for Konga orders.

The partnership deal include a shortage of secure and conveniently located places where customers can pick-up their purchases, and also return items that do not meet up to their expectations.

The eCommerce agreement will be on delivering items to people living in institutions , such clients are often moving between different locations within the campus and several attempts at delivery are usually required.

The partnership to establish collection centres in tertiary locations is therefore a welcome development for both customers and e-tailers; and will result in the roll-out of a total of 47 collection

centres nationwide over a period of two months.

Tertiary institutions provide a captive and sizeable market of consumers that are digitally savvy and comfortable with buying online.

The collection centres will therefore serve not only students but a broad spectrum of the population including the larger academic, business and social community in and around the campus.

Remarking on the launch of the partnership between NIPOST and Konga, Dr (Mrs) Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming NIPOST into a viable, socially conscious yet profit-orientated entity.

The minister represented by Dr. Abiodun Jagun, said, “the

first Post office in Nigeria was established over 160 years ago and NIPOST has been fulfilling its mandate of providing universal access to postal services ever since. Furthermore, the Post office has grown to become the most extensive retail network in Nigeria. It is only logical that the eCommerce industry leverage the experience and facilities of NIPOST to provide secure and more convenient services to their customers.”

“Through this partnership, NIPOST will be contributing its own share to supporting the growth of retail businesses in Nigeria.”

Mallam Mori Baba, post master general (PMG) of NIPOST, represented by the Deputy Post Master General (DPMG) Osadolor I.P Eboigbodin further expressed his anticipation for more

partnerships with Konga “To our partners Konga, it is our hope that this is just the beginning of greater things to happen between us” he said. This is also in line with NIPOST’s goal of creating quality partnerships and customer base for its services.

Wale Adisa, director of Fulfillment Operations Konga, said the company has always pioneered new strategies to further the growth of Trade and Commerce in Nigeria. To achieve our vision, Konga believes in the power of strategic partnerships with other reputable organizations such as NIPOST. With this move, we are leveraging on NIPOST’s incredible reach of about 5,000 locations across the country. We are also giving our customers more flexibility to choose the shopping options most convenient to them.

L-R: GMD/CEO UAC of Nigeria Plc (UACN), Mr. Larry Ettah, GMD/CEO Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr. Paul Gbededo, UACN Executive Director, Corporate Services, Mr. Joe Dada and UPDC Managing Director, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, during UACN’s 2015 Business Retreat, recently Lagos.

Microsoft Nigeria to empower 5 entrepreneurs with N3.5m on mobile App

By Chris Alu

M

icrosoft Nigeria plans to dolls out N3.5m in other to support five entrepreneurs on mobile devices and Services on brilliant business ideas in its Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM activation, tagged from “Passion to Empire”, which would run from today February 16, 2015 to March 31, 2015.

According to Joseph Umunakwe, general manager, Microsoft Mobile Devices and

Services, West Africa, “Passion to Empire” would help young entrepreneurs push their boundaries and test the strength of their ideas.

Running a start-up is challenging in any environment, so Microsoft wants to empower entrepreneurs in Nigeria who have great business ideas, he stated “Passion to Empire” would not be about cash grant only. The winners will also be mentored by highly successful celebrity entrepreneurs, Umunakwe said.

“Our amazing range of Lumia smartphones and tablets, and the Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM, specifically, provide the business support every entrepreneur needs on the go.” He added.

Giving more details about the specifications of the new Lumia 535 Dual SIM Smartphone, Olumide Balogun, senior marketing manager, Microsoft mobile devices and services, West Africa, disclosed that the new device offers five great integrated Microsoft experiences, a wide-

angle 5 megapixel front facing camera, and a spacious 5 inch display protected with Gorilla Glass 3.

“With the new Lumia 535 Dual SIM, one can now make memorable Skype video calls likewise seamlessly switch between voice and video with built-in Skype integration; access, edit and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents and OneNote notebooks wherever one is, with the pre-installed Office suite” he noted.

World Radio day harps on youth creativity

T

he world radio day, organized this year by UNESCO and EBU in collaboration with the United Nations Office in Geneva, and ITU brings attention to the theme: “Youth and Innovation”, looking ahead to new and innovative means to connect the world.

The programme which was anchored by a BBC correspondent Imogen Foulkes, brought together high-level debate which includes the Director General of the United Nations Office in Geneva Mr Michael Møller; Mr Engida Getischew, Deputy Director General of UNESCO; Ms Ingrid Delterne, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union; and ITU Secretary-General Mr Houlin Zhao.

The highlights of the discussion poundered on the importance of radio to the world’s 1.8 billion young women and men,” said United Nations Secretary-General Mr Ban Kimoon .

“As the international community shapes new sustainable development goals and a new global agreement on climate change, we need to hear the voices of young women and men, loudly, strongly and urgently, he stated.

He also said that radio is a lowcost medium, specifically suited to reach remote communities and vulnerable people and has a strong and specific role in emergency communication and disaster relief.” Adding that the importance of encouraging young innovators, SMEs and start-ups in developing new, forward-looking technologies for the sustainable growth of radio.

Mr François Rancy, Director of ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau: “The ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences, and the ITU assignment and allotment plans and procedures ensure that spectrum is available for this medium and that it is available in every country.

The ITU study groups develop the global standards that ensure the lowest costs through economies of scale and the most efficient use of spectrum for the sustainable development of radio in the future, in particular to reach the one billion people who still do not have access to radio today, he stated.

ITU study group also examines new trends and innovation in radio including hybrid interactive digital radio, traffic information on DAB radio, emergency radiocommunications and personalized radio which will transform the way people will listen to radio programmes.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Business

N250bn required to recapitalize Federal Mortgage Bank-MD In this interview with journalists in Abuja, the Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Yaú Kumo makes known the plans of his new administration and efforts to revitalize the industry.

By Evelyn Okakwu

A

lot of efforts have been made towards recapitalizing the bank.

How soon will that happen?

Very soon, timing is very essential. There are few issues now. You know we are in politics so government will concentrate more in that area now but we have been promised as soon as possible.

To the tune of what are you looking at?

What we have requested for is N250 billion. But at the moment there are a lot of competing needs, security, infrastructure but I know that they will do it.

To what extent have you been able to resolve the issue of NHF concerning some of the states that pulled out?

As at today, we have only six states that are not in NHF and most of those states, particularly Lagos, what happened is that they have formed co-operative societies by on their own, they have registered with us, so they are contributing indirectly to NHF. The other states, we are talking to them and as soon as possible we will see what we can put on the ground. This is because workers want to see actual action; they want to see the mortgages created. This is what we are trying to do in all the 36 states, to be able to build the houses, create the mortgages and at the end of the day we will be able to convince them.

But I can assure you that in the next 10 to 11 months all the states will be back.

Within the next four years how many mortgages are you looking at creating?

It depends on availability of funds, but I hope to create based on the memorandum of understanding with NLC, TUC and NECA, we should be able to do at least four million.

Developers are not really giving Nigerians affordable houses.

What are the problems?

The houses are expensive in the sense that cost of materials for constructing these houses are also high. So, there is need for reduction in the cost of cement, there is need for a reduction in the cost of iron rod and other accessories that will make up the houses.

Once that is done, I think it will

go a long way in reducing the cost of the houses.

These are the issues we are trying to address, it has been an area that I have laid so much emphasis and concern because if you look at the earning of Nigerians particularly somebody who earns N18, 000.

N18, 000 today is not up to 100 dollars going by today’s exchange rate. That person is not in a position to buy even a one bedroom apartment going by the present structure. So what we are trying to do, we are working together with the ministry to see if we can have discount on some of the inputs that make up the house like discount on cement, discount on rods for construction and also hat we are trying to do on our own is to introduce new building methods that will now reduce the cost of houses.

We just came back from Thailand with officials of FCDA, Ministry of Lands, and Housing and Urban Development. After the Tsunami, they put commissioned line seven universities to do research on affordable and sustainable housing. We have seen the development in that country.

We took sand from Kuje here and they took it to three of the universities it was discovered that it is even 17 times better than their own sand.

So they are producing some blocks for us with less than 5 per cent cement content. So if we do that, that issue of affordability will be addressed. Because apart from addressing the issue of affordability, we want to address that issue of delivering quality houses. This is because most of the houses particularly in Abuja today for which some of the mortgages have been created; you will end up paying for a mortgage for 20, 25 years. How are we sure that these houses will also up to that time?

We want to check that aspect because for us to be able to give you mortgage for a particular tenor, we have to make sure that the house will be able to stand within that period. With the support of Nigerians, these are some of the things we want to do.

Accessibility to land is still an issue, how do you plan to tackle it?

I agree with you, but we have put a MoU in place whereby we are working with various state ministries of land and we are also working with the various labour organizations for the land to either be allocated to us as a government

bank or to be allocated to labour directly. Why we are doing that is to reduce the cost because if you allocate it to the developer directly he will put any cost he likes on the property. And we insist that particular government that is allocating whether it is a state, federal of even a local government that the land should be allocated freely particularly on the houses that we are building for NHF contributors. I am happy to say that as at today in all the six zones where we have pilot projects we are doing on the ministerial pilot scheme all the land that have been given to us is donated free by the various state governments. I want to call on other state governments that if we approach them or if the labor leaders approach them, they should please make land available to us.

You just got re-appointment for a second time in office, how do you intend to improve the fortunes of the bank?

We will work to continue to provide quality and affordable houses to Nigeria and strive to improve the bank’s balance sheet to modify its standing as a financial institution.

Our strategy will involve developing pro-active and effective strategies to attract offshore funding for affordable housing to Nigerians as well as improving service delivery to NHF contributors across the country. We also plan to look at improvement of members of staff welfare across board to ensure a well motivated workforce and profitable operations.

The new management will also ensure the completion of ongoing housing estate projects under the Ministerial Pilot Housing Scheme nationwide and the completion of the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Estate in Kaba District in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT will be vigorously pursued.

I also want to assure the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the sector, of our determination to sustain the cordial relationship we enjoyed in the previous years.

I use this opportunity to request that the same support and cooperation enjoyed by the previous executive management team be equally extended to the present team. As a returning member of the team, I have had the privilege of experiencing the various challenges facing the FMBN as well as the housing sector in general.

We have tried to improve

Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Yaú Kumo on the little we find on ground, people say we did well but we are just starting and we hope within the next few months we will be able to do more so that the results of the efforts will be realized.

We have set an agenda for ourselves and chief among them is the recapitalization of the bank.

We have made substantial progress on that, in the next few weeks we will see results on the table. We will work hard to continue to satisfy the yearnings of Nigerian workers.

Do you think a single digit mortgage rate can be feasibly sustained given available economic indices?

Yes, our rate have always been single digit, our estate development loan or construction loan is 10%, our mortgages are at 6% and we also intend to extend that same rate to the informal sector so that we can make the houses affordable to them. Nigerians cannot afford any anything above single digit because the average income is very low that’s why we are providing a buffer whereby they are able to pay.

Like we took the minimum wage of N18, 000 as a base, with that you can be able to do a mortgage of N450 monthly so this is the minimum the informal sector beneficiaries are expected to pay but this will be difficult for some of them so we are

looking at a subsidy.

Is there any way that PMIs can be prevailed upon to charge single digit interest rates?

If you say government, you are talking I terms of agencies that delivers mortgages. On the government side for now it is only FMBN that is really delivering mortgage. And our mortgage is single digit, six percent. That is what President Goodluck Jonathan has told us and that is what we are doing.

We charge our mortgage at the rate of 6 per cent on a long tenure basis, 15, 20 and even up to 35 years.

How would you describe the mortgage industry in Nigeria at the moment?

The mortgage industry in Nigeria is just starting if you look at the size of our contribution to the GDP its less than 1% but my target before I leave here is that we should be able to contribute at least 15%.That is why we are putting a lot of issues on ground to be able to drive this process. And how do you do that? If you look at the National Housing Fund NHF that we are managing, out of the 170 million population less than 1% are the one contributing so we said this is not good, how do we reach the other segment of the society that are not in formal employment.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Stock Watch

Report as at Monday, February 16 2015

PAGE 23

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Peoples Daily, Tuesday, February 17, 2015

PAGE 24

Special Report

Letter from Africa: Giving Kenyans a voice

W

hen I clipped on my lapel microphone, plugged in my earpiece and turned to the camera this week, I said hello and goodbye for the last time to more than four million Kenyans who have followed this radio and TV programme or used it each week to hold their leaders to account.

The aftermath of the 2007 election was traumatic for my country.

People were felled by bullets and machetes because the ballot exercise failed us miserably.

Neighbour turned against neighbour, and in the words of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan “we nearly lost Kenya”.

The BBC Sema Kenya programme was born out of a desire to prevent a repeat of 2007 in the next election of 2013.

“Sema” is Kiswahili for speak and the show has been a platform to defuse tension and focus on development, by letting Kenyans speak out.

Healing wounds Since its launch in 2012, Sema Kenya has travelled to a different part of the country each week, bringing people face to face with local and national leaders and using the national language Kiswahili.

As the show’s moderator I have learned a number of things about my nation.

It became quickly apparent that the wounds of 2007 were yet to fully heal.

I recall one woman who was displaced by the violence, which also claimed her brother’s life, expressing the pain of being unable to visit his grave because of security concerns.

In the same programme in the town of Nakuru I learnt something else: The desire for reconciliation remains strong among Kenyans.

A woman from a rival community sitting close to the displaced person told her: “I’ll go with you to visit your brother’s grave.”

It was a touching moment.

Everyone went quiet and then exploded into applause.

My third observation was that many Kenyan leaders are still invisible to their electorate.

You see them when they need your vote, and then you never see them again until the next election.

Scrutiny and arrogance There was a powerful moment in the town of Naivasha, when one woman told her local member of parliament to his face: “I’ve never seen you before.

I’m glad I came to this

In our series of letters from African journalists, Joseph Warungu, the presenter of a BBC debate programme on governance in Kenya that is ending, reflects on what he has learned in nearly three years travelling around the country. programme, because I’ve now met you!”

The embarrassed MP shifted uneasily in his chair as he gave his excuses.

I also observed another thing: That in a country where many value higher education as a means of escaping unemployment, there is one corner of Kenya that has a disproportionate share of professors.

In the western town of Siaya, local people debated with their leaders about the paradox of poor standards of school education in a region full of learned people.

I picked up the local joke that if you threw a stone randomly in the air in Siaya, there was a high probability it would land on a professor.

Sema Kenya has taught me something else.

That old habits die hard.

Although people have a constitutional right to question their leaders, those in power do not usually welcome the scrutiny and they sometimes display the arrogance of the past.

In the town of Narok, the county governor was under fire for questionable management of the lucrative local wildlife park and resorted to intimidation.

Halfway through the programme, he turned to me and asked rather threateningly, “Hey you, what’s your name again?”

We had to stop the

programme at one point as his helicopter hovered noisily above the debate location, as if ready to airlift him should the people persist in their questioning.

In some areas the local governors appeared too frightened to face their voters and skipped the debate at the last minute.

Fierce rows And Sema Kenya taught me a bitter lesson as a presenter: Be prepared always.

Kenya does not have a great record on maternal health.

According to World Bank figures, the country loses over 300 mothers for every 100,000 live births.

So a recent debate to tackle the issue of maternal health took me by surprise when two senior doctors with opposing views, suddenly set aside their professional demeanour and engaged in one of the fiercest rows I’ve witnessed as a journalist.

It was almost impossible to calm them down.

During our travels I also noticed how 51 years after independence there are still many Kenyans marginalised by poverty with no voice.

When we reached Turkana, one of the poorest and most remote parts of Kenya close to the border with South Sudan, it was the first time the people had had a chance to speak openly

Some people gathered to review the post election violence that nearly destabilized the country

People in Narok have recently staged protests demanding the county governor steps down

with their leaders on national television.

Yet this region contains huge deposits of oil and underground water, which the government says could supply the country for 70 years.

We have inspired other local governance shows, and with the training and mentoring the BBC has provided, the local partner, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), is now ready to take over Sema Kenya.

So as I hand over my microphone and earpiece to the KBC presenter, I have one final lesson to share with him.

Turkana is one of the poorest areas of Kenya people there feel their problems are ignored

Source: BBC Some politicians would skip a scheduled debate at the last minute to avoid questions from their constituents

Sema Kenya wanted to encourage understanding between rival groups to avoid more post-election violence

Sema Kenya travelled to hear from communities across the country

In Naivasha, one woman told her MP: “I’ve never seen you before”

Some participants in the programme complained about poor educational standards in Kenya

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Feature

Xenophobia: Soweto still burning

T

here is a romanticism attached to some of southern Africa’s most famous townships, time and history have lent them a golden sheen in the chapters of our liberation struggles.

After all, these townships gave birth to resistance and incredible leadership and, over the years, oppressive regimes had trained the full might of their weaponry on them.

And so townships matter in the collective memory.

You may be eating goat head in the bars of Namibia’s Katutura Township, as I once did, and be blissfully unaware that in the local Herero language the name means “The place where people do not want to live” - after South Africa’s colonial administration shunted people out to make way for white homes in the middle of the last century.

Or you could be a tourist in the South Western Townships of Johannesburg wandering the streets in search of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela’s first home and have a vague feeling that the people changed this unimaginative geographical name into Soweto that blood and guts were spilled in its defence and that singers were inspired to write tunes like “Fire in Soweto” in the seismic clash to end apartheid.

But a quick glance at Soweto’s 21st century headlines tells us that none of that illustrious history matters - the fires still burn and the scourge of xenophobia - which claimed 62 lives in 2008 - is back, while the police have been replacing tourists in South Africa’s famous township with their own tense and armed presence.

What is more, the old white enemy is nowhere in sight in Soweto - which encompasses many parts, some historical some middle class and some very poor - as dark people target each other.

Reports suggest that the death of 14-year-old Mthetheleli

In our series of letters from African journalists, Zimbabwean film-maker and columnist Farai Sevenzo looks at the latest wave of xenophobic violence to hit South Africa.

People began stripping groceries from shops in Soweto Siphiwe Mahori at the hands of a foreign shopkeeper, who was allegedly being robbed, prompted widespread looting and violence.

The word foreigner is applied to Somalis, Malawians, Zimbabweans, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and a clutch of other nationalities who had made their homes and, more importantly, their businesses in the townships.

By midday last Thursday, the police were urging the public “not to take the law into their own hands” and said that 81 shops had been looted.

The shops, it must be remembered, are informal conversions like shipping containers or garages, which form part of the kiosk economy of any township.

Pictures show crowds emptying shops of maize-meal, soft drinks

Policemen arresting one of the looters

and other groceries being carted away.

There are suggestions that even light bulbs and some shop gates disappeared with the brutal efficiency of soldier ants on the march.

By the time the attacks on foreign-owned stores had calmed down, 120 shops had been looted and the police had made 178 arrests, among them many school children.

Rainbow nation?

The police were at pains not to mention the “x” word.

The police chief in South Africa’s economic heartland of Gauteng, Joel Mothiba, claimed that what was taking place in Soweto was “criminal and not xenophobic” despite the overwhelming numbers of non-South Africans fleeing their shops and seeking police protection from the attackers.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation disagreed with him and said: “We consider these attacks to be xenophobic and condemn them as such. We urge all community leaders to rally residents around the ideals upon which our constitution… is founded - there should be a fundamental respect for human life and property without discrimination.”

The word xenophobia seems to shame the politicians into the realisation that the world recognises South Africa’s rampant intolerance of others, despite the nation’s subtitle of “rainbow nation”.

Africa’s most liberal constitution, born after apartheid, has nothing to do with the simmering hate in ordinary people’s heads. It is a hate over their lot in life, the slowness of economic transformation, the daily struggle to survive.

In my recent travels to this stunning country, the presence of other Africans is obvious. From the Congolese barbers and Tanzanian taxi drivers to the Zambian

“

But a quick glance at Soweto’s 21st century headlines tells us that none of that illustrious history matters - the fires still burn and the scourge of xenophobia which claimed 62 lives in 2008 - is back

masseuse and Zimbabwean waiters - all perceived by the townships’ poor to be stealing their jobs. Those with such entrepreneurial flair will keep a low profile.

A spokesman for the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Patrick Craven, tried to give a history lesson to the angry mobs: “If we see foreigners as

scapegoats we will be on a slippery slope… We must never forget that many of those who risked their lives in our liberation struggle were migrant workers from all over the world.”

But the crowds on the township streets forcefully taking what they have not paid for are far removed from the ideals of that struggle;

Foreigners run small businesses across South Africa, like this barbers in Cape Town theirs is the basic politics of the stomach, exacerbated by the weight of apartheid’s denial of opportunity and education.

The fires may be doused in Soweto for now, but South Africa’s

2015 leadership must protect all who work and live in these townships which only the past seems to hold holy.

Source: BBC

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Defence

Air Force incorporates new system to fight insurgency T he Nigerian Air Force last week in Lagos said it had incorporated some new systems and ammunition aimed at the continuous fight against insurgency in the country.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun, made the disclosure while speaking with journalists at the National Air Defence Corps in Ikeja.

Amosun said that the new systems and ammunition were currrently being tested in Lagos to bring additional capabilities to the ongoing fight against insurgency in the north-east. “We are incorporating some new systems and some new ammunition to the platforms we have. “We also need to intensify the day and night operations and we are here essentially to flag off the operations,” he said.

Amosun urged the citizens not to panic as occasionally there might be gun fires and ammunition being delivered, adding that the Air Force had been on air, notifying the public accordingly. “’We have been notifying the public that there is an ongoing operation to recalibrate

our weapon system and to fine tune our tactics,” he said.

Amosun also said that the operation was an opportunity to take a look at the maritime environment, adding that challenges were not only in the north-east but also in the maritime environment. “We have some new ammunitions to test and the range here in Owode, Lagos, is the most ideal for this operations, so, we have to make use of the facility. “’Everything that the nation has in terms of land space, equipment and capabilities, must be brought to fight insurgency, terrorism and to take care of emergening threat all over the country,” he said.

Amosun, however, said that the Air Force was not in the operations alone, adding that the Nigerian Navy and the Arny were also part of the operations. “All the various leadership of the forces are here to ensure that these operations are carried out successfully,” he said.

Amosun said that fighting insurgency and terrorism was not an easy task, however, there were well trained military to fight and conquer insurgency. “Although, we are aware of the variables which may not be disclosed, that could prevent an operation from being completed in a spade of time.

“But we are satisfied with the period allocated to us now and

we should be able to carry out the exercise within the period. “I am optimistic that capability wise, we are good to go and the six weeks is more than adequate,” he said.

He said that there were collaborations from the French forces from Chad, Niger and Cameroon, adding that there had been support even before now which was still ongoing. “’Don’t forget that we have capable armed forces that should do the fighting but then, these days, worldwide, you hardly fight alone,” he said.

On the coming general election, Amosun said the Air Force would also play its role by moving materials from major locations

like Abuja and Lagos to other areas where you have airports.

“We have biscraft aircraft when it comes to some maritime areas and some difficult areas to penetrate. “’We have also deployed our soldiers to mount the unmanned airfields so that they can have materials and prevent the bad ones attempting to bring in bad materials to mess up the election,” he said.

Amosun thanked the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Goodluck Jonathan, for his support because he is the reason why we can achieve all these. (NAN)

Troops clear terrorists from Munguno, other communities

By Joy Baba Yesufu

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roops in a military operation spearheaded by highly coordinated air assaults yesterday morning completed the mission of clearing terrorists from Monguno and environs.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, (DDI) Major general Chris Olukolade in Abuja.

Olukolade said a number of terrorists as well as truck loads of rice, beans and other logistics meant for resupply to the terrorists operating around Baga have been captured in the course of operation.

The statement also said casualty inflicted and arms recovered as well as other outcome of the operation in Munguno, Marte and other communities already secured, will be determined after the ongoing cordon and search in the environs.

“The air and land operation is continuing with aggressive advance towards other designated communities and locations meant to be cleared in the ongoing offensive against the terrorists”, the statement added.

L - R Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Cheif of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Usman Jubrin, Chief of Air Staff Marshal Adesola Amosun.

Jonathan to commission 4 newly acquired warships

By Joy Baba Yesufu

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resident Goodlluck Jonathan will later this week commission fourwarships recently acquired by the Nigerian Navy to compliment the force effort at improving security in different

parts of the country at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island Lagos.

The Naval Director of Information, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu in a statement said the recently acquired warships are; NNS CENTENARY, NNS OKPABANA, NNS PROSPERITY and NNS SAGBAMA. The

statement further said the new ships will enhance the Nigerian Navy’s ongoing and acknowledge effort at improving security in the nation’s maritime environment.

He also said the acquisition is a landmark achievement for the Nigerian Navy and the Federal Government since this is the

first time in the history of the Nigerian Navy that four capital warships will be commissioned at once.

“It is a demonstration of the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition the Nigerian Navy to meet ontemporary security challenges” the statement added.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Agriculture

IITA DG gets Nigerian certificate of excellence

By Mohammed Kandi

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he Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dr Nteranya Sanginga has been awarded a certificate of excellence for his support to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.

The certificate of excellence, according to a statement by Godwin Atser, IITA Communications Expert, was presented to the DG the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akin Adesina recently in Abuja.

The statement said, “Dr Sanginga and his team embarked on institutional reforms that have

accelerated agricultural research with emphasis on impact on farm levels. The vision is to raise over 11 million people out of poverty, and to reclaim 7.5 million hectares of degraded land and put that land into sustainable use.”

“To realize this vision, IITA and partners including public and private institutions and national

governments are working more closely than ever before,” it said.

According to the statement, “Over the years technical assistance and improved varieties developed by IITA and national partners have been delivered to government institutions including the Agricultural Development Programs (ADPs) for onward

delivery to farmers, though in some cases, farmers receive direct support from IITAAA.” “These efforts have made Nigeria to become top world producer of IITA researchedcrops such as cassava, yam and soybean. For a crop such as maize, improved germplasm from IITA has increased production by more than tenfold from a million ton in 1984 to 10 million tons in 2013,” it stated.

Agriculturalist urges rural farmers to embrace mechanised farming

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A farmer test-running a tractors in Zamfara state recently

500 farmers to benefit from N1bn loan facility in Kaduna

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total of 500 farmers in Kaduna State would benefit from N1 billion loan facility being provided by the Bank of Agriculture in partnership with the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that out of the amount, N500 million was provided by the state government while Bank of Agriculture provided the balance.

Gov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State on Thursday inaugurated the committee that will disburse the loan in Kaduna.

According to him, the loan

facility will go a long way to finance massive agricultural produce and agro allied businesses in the state.

The governor said it was also a conscious effort by the government to generate revenue from agriculture in view of dwindling earnings from oil.

Yero said that the loan had an interest of 5 per cent, adding that it would be made available to qualified beneficiaries without delay.

He pledged that the government would increase its investment in necessary technology to drive the agricultural sector to greater heights

According to him, 10 cooperative groups from each of the 23 Local Government Areas would benefit from the loan.

He also said that 92 small scale farmers, 69 medium scale and 46 large scale farmers had also been screened and cleared to benefit from the facility.

Yero warned that the loan was not largesse to political cronies but an intervention to genuine farmers, adding that the farmers must repay the loan.

He told the beneficiaries that the Bank of Agriculture and the

state Ministry for Agriculture would monitor the utilisation of the loan and ensure the recoveries at the appropriate time.

The Managing Director of the bank, Mr Babatunde Sadiku, said the collaboration with the state government started six months ago.

He said it was meant to harness the huge agricultural potential in the State and create jobs and wealth for the people.

Sadiku said that the facility was expected to support the production of rice, maize, wheat, ginger, tomato, onion and livestock. (NAN)

As 15, 000 farmers register with NAPI in Zamfara

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he National Agricultural Payment Initiative (NAPI), Zamfara office says that no fewer than 15,000 farmers have so far registered under the initiative in the state.

Alhaji Abdullahi Nakwada, the

representative of NAPI, made the information known at the formal presentation of awards to best stakeholders of the programme in the state.

Nakwada said under the initiative, farmers enjoyed services

in the areas of agricultural input, tractor hiring insurance, among others.

He said, “15,000 registered farmers have procured their e-wallet cards which they will use in buying agricultural inputs and to patronise

some other services, including agricultural cashless transactions.”

Nakwada explained that the programme which commenced recently in the state was targeting to reach between 400,000 and 500,000 farmers. (NAN)

n agriculturalist, Mr Simeon Oyinloye, has advised farmers at the grassroots to embrace modern agricultural methods to boost food production.

Oyinloye, the Director, Sodak Farms Omu-Aran, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area, Kwara.

He said that a lot of human hours and resources were being wasted by rural farmers due to their non alignment with mechanised farming.

Oyinloye said the modern practice of farming had gone beyond mere hoes and cutlasses, due to many scientific breakthroughs to enhance food security.

He said that ignorance of modern system of farming has deprived most farmers of numerous incentives under the Federal Government Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

Oyinloye said the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme under ATA was a good platform to boost agriculture production at the grassroots and ensure food security.

“This is an initiative where the government had embarked on registration of farmers nationwide to boost agriculture production through distribution of subsidised inputs to farmers.

“Every registered farmer, under the scheme, is entitled to highly subsidised seedlings, fertilisers, tractor hiring as well as credit facility to boost their capacity.

“But, regrettably most farmers at the community level, probably due to lack of exposure and illiteracy are yet to embrace the scheme,”he said.

Oyinloye urged council chairmen to key into the agriculture transformation initiative of the Federal Government to assist the local farmers benefit from the scheme.

He also tasked the official of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) within the councils to enlighten and educate the farmers on the need to adequately register to benefit from the programme.

Oyinloye decried the insinuation that the programme was an affiliate of one political party.

He said that all eligible registered farmers stand a chance to benefit from the scheme now or in the nearest future. (NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Agriculture FG distributes inputs to 14,721 rice farmers in Bauchi—Director

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he Federal Government on Monday said it distributed 44, 163 bags of assorted fertiliser to 14,721 registered rice farmers in Bauchi State for the 2015 dry season farming.

Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf, a Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi that the gesture was to ensure food security in the country. Yusuf said that each farmer received three 25kg bags of fertiliser, improved rice seeds and 2kg of agrolyser or 1litre of AG Zyme at subsidised rates. “In addition to that, irrigation water pumps and rice reapers at subsidised rates were also distributed to the farmers.

“Redemption was exclusively through the e-wallet system under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme,’’ he said.

The director added that the decision to continue the dry season farming programme this year was informed by the success recorded in 2013 and 2014 in selected states, including Bauchi. According to Yusuf, a total of 4,374 farmers across the state benefited from the programme in 2013, while 11,000 registered farmers benefited last year. “With more than 14, 000 farmers this year, we intend to triple last year’s production. “One of the key mandates of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda is to achieve self-sufficiency and a complete stop to rice importation this year.

“It is hoped that this year, Nigeria will be able to totally depend on locally produced rice as well as develop the capacity to export,’’ he said. Yusuf implored all registered farmers to collect the inputs and utilise them for the purpose they were provided to achieve the set goals of job creation, poverty reduction and food security. He equally encouraged the farmers on early land preparation to ensure high yield. The director commended the state government for providing all the needed support for the GES programme to succeed in the state. Meanwhile, Dr Yahaya Adamu, the Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Bauchi State Chapter, said that marketing had remained the greatest challenge of farmers. According to him, if this problem is not addressed, many farmers will dump dry season farming for lack of profit. “Sale of the harvest remains our greatest challenge and the fall in the price of paddy has made the situation even worse. “Last year a bag of paddy sold for N6, 500, this year the price has fallen to N4,200 a bag, this is very discouraging. “As a result of the poor price, many farmers decided to keep their produce at home.

“The Federal Government promised to open paddy warehouse as well as establish rice mills in Bauchi to make it easier for farmers to dispose of their produce, but up to now nothing has been done.

“If steps are not taken to address this problem, many farmers will be discouraged from participating in this year’s exercise,’’ Adamu said. (NAN)

A typical poultry farm in Plateau State

FAO partners SIB to develop high tech tools against bird flu

By Mohammed Kandi, with Agency report

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ollowing the recent resurgence of bird flu attacks on some Nigerian farms, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has chosen the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) as a designated reference centre to expand its access to stateof the-art technology in combating dangerous viral infections.

This is contained in a statement issued by the FAO Chief Veterinary Officer, Juan Lubroth, recently.

FAO said viral infections such as avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease, in farm animals and wildlife.

According to the statement, SIB is equipped with high performance computers, software, databases and a knowledge base used for screening and monitoring zoonotic diseases.

According to Lubroth, the new technology helps us understand biological threats in order to help countries better prevent, respond and ultimately protect the health of humans, animals and the environment “These are like avian influenza, also known as bird flu, it strikes animals but can also be transmitted to humans.

“Working closely with FAO, SIB experts have developed tools to improve early detection and

fast alert systems to prevent and respond to transboundary disease emergencies in poultry or livestock, it stated.

SIB specialises in bioinformatics, a relatively new science which employs computer technology to study biological data.

Scientists use bioinformatics to gather process and analyse information on the genomes of pathogens, the genetic material peculiar to specific micro-organisms, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi that cause diseases in their hosts.

This lets them compare genomes, understand protein structures, and identify how diseases work at the molecular level.

Such information enables scientists to develop new drugs and targeted treatments as well as improve the effectiveness of existing medicines.

The new technologies play an important role in understanding the nature and dynamics of biological threats.

FAO, in collaboration with SIB, has developed online e-learning courses on bioinformatics in viral pathogens that could help laboratory technicians, physicians, veterinarians and researchers improve their work while increasing access to this emerging field of competence.

(PANA/NAN)

Nigerian rice value-chain to receive boost with $3.3m grant

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n a bid to improve food security and advance agricultural development in the continent, four African countries – Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tanzania have been selected as beneficiaries of $3.3 million grant.

The funds are provided by Bill and Melinda Gates (BMGF) and the German Development Cooperation (BMZ), under their Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) project.

The project which has been scheduled to end in 2017 has been designed to reach about 120,000 small scale rice producers, as well as rural service providers and rice millers as secondary beneficiaries.

The initiative, which is geared towards improving their sourcing capacity of quality supply, has the following implementing institutions selected as grant facilitators led by GIZ, Technoserve, the John A. Kufuor (JAK) and Kili Trust (KT).

Speaking on the establishment of the Nigeria/ECOWAS Rice Sector Policy and Regulation Advocacy Platform in Abuja, CARI’s project coordinator, Mr. Stefan KachelriessMatthess, stated that the main instrument for the implementation

of CARI across the four countries on the matching grant will be on the basis of Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Kachel-Matthess said: “The projects are implemented at two levels of support, we support up to 40 percent of implementation cost and our Nigerian partners in the private sector have to provide 60 per cent of the implementation cost.”

In her remarks, the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, who was represented by Mrs. Jael Kpatuwak expressed the hope that the CARI project will address coordination failures, create better linkages among rice value chain actors, the result which, she said, will lead to increase in the economic returns for all stakeholders.

She said the sector holds the key to getting Nigeria out of poverty as it provides food security, employment for the teeming population and creating the platform for a diversified economy towards an industrialisation revolution.

Njeze said: “this focus on rice

commodity is most strategic for Nigeria and the West African subregion which imports close to 50 percent of rice from foreign countries outside the shores of the African continent.

“In the last couple of years, Nigeria spent approximately N1 billion daily on rice importation.

This has led to the export of our jobs and financial resources meant for the transformation of the domestic rice sector in order to achieve selfsufficiency and exports.”

According to her, the German Development Cooperation has been a major partner to NEPAD in the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), adding that GIZ had supported the organisation Nigeria’s CAADP country team orientation workshop in 2011.

Also speaking at the event, the ECOWAS Commissioner of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Lapodini Marc Atouga, represented by a Director at the Commission, said rice consumption in the last two years in the sub-region had increased from 7 to 7.7 million tons, pointing out this

clearly shows that production is not matching up with the consumption as it has to depend on international imports for 40 per cent of its rice supply with Thailand and Vietnam as the leading suppliers of the commodity to the region.

As a way of achieving its regional Agriculture Investment Programme (RAIP), he said the Commission went a step further to develop projects and programmes that will increase rice production and productivity in the region.

While commending the various initiatives, he said ECOWAS welcomes the setting up of an advocacy platform for rice in Nigeria.

He said: “I will like to commend GIZ/CARI foor this timely initiative.

The need to have a permanent and functional platform to promote rice development cannot be overemphasised.

“With the current interventions on rice in the West Africa region we must all endeavour to build sustainable rice value chains with access to finance, technology and knowledge to move the region from a rice deficit to a rice surplus one.”

Source: Agronewsonline

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Page 30

Feature

Has Julius Malema’s EFF become one-issue party in South Africa?

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ut has the time not come for the party of red overalls and berets to focus on the substantive issues affecting their rank-and-file members?

Huge matters such as education, health, inequality, jobs and other issues of national importance needing urgent attention seem to have been put on the back burner.

The EFF, a break-away faction from the governing African National Congress’ (ANC) youth wing, has been harping on the Nkandla saga for the last year.

They campaigned on it. They demanded that President Zuma must pay back the money for unduly benefiting from security upgrades which cost the taxpayer an astronomical figure of $23m (£13m).

Even by South Africa’s standards of opulence, usually reserved for the most expensive properties on the Atlantic seaboard in Cape Town, this was still ostentatious.

The homestead has a swimming pool, chicken run, clinic and a hall that doubles as a cinema.

All these items were listed in the findings of a scathing report by the Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.

She asked the president to refund the money to the state for those items which had nothing to do with security.

President Zuma is challenging these findings in the courts. He is adamant that he never asked for the refurbishments.

One-issue party?

So, it is understandable when a party - which claims to represent the poorest of the poor - can be so furious.

However, there are many people who said the scuffles seen inside the chamber on Thursday were too much - they embarrassed the nation.

There are many voices, some coming from circles within Mr Malema’s kitchen cabinet, which are beginning to question whether the EFF has become a one-issue party.

Media analysis by BBC Monitoring South African newspapers are

Julius Malema and his colleagues wear red workers’ clothes in parliament

Following the chaos in parliament, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and their leader Julius Malema have succeeded in sending a clear message to President Jacob Zuma that they want him to pay back the money for the controversial taxpayer-funding renovations to his private home in Nkandla.

The Nkandla homestead pictured in 2012

“

There are many voices, some coming from circles within Mr Malema’s kitchen cabinet, which are beginning to question whether the EFF has become a one-issue party.

appalled by the events. “House of Shambles” reads the front-page headline of tabloid Sowetan, while Daily Maverick runs the headline “SONA: Shame of the Nation 2015”.

“The day started sunny, but it ended with rain: a fitting metaphor for the course of events”, the latter remarks.

But in the view of Times Live: “For a solid hour last night South Africa resembled a messy, dysfunctional state being held together by the security forces”. It believes much of the blame “must be shouldered by the EFF... But the truth is that Zuma... is a deeply polarising figure”.

Under the headline “Sona disintegrates into chaos”, City Press notes “the state of the nation address lived up to the hype and delivered more drama and chaos than was expected”.

And IOL feels “the scenes in Parliament were farcical, beginning with the institution’s

transparent attempts to muzzle both the media and MPs by jamming the mobile signal in the chamber”.

But Business Day fears for the future. “Something is deeply wrong if a country that claims to be democratic experiences this kind of paralysis while its citizens get used to a culture of thuggery at the highest levels”, it opines.

More than one million people voted for the EFF in last year’s general elections. This gave the EFF 25 seats within the 400-member legislature.

Andile Mngxitama, once hailed as a possible successor to Mr Malema said: “We find it unethical, we find it reactionary and we find it part of the culture of corruption and part of abusing legitimate issues of the people for narrow ends.”

Mr Mngxitama was attacked by a faction of Malema supporters.

Musi Maimane, the leader of the official opposition in the house

of assembly and a vocal critic of President Zuma, disagreed with the EFF’s approach.

Before the chaos in parliament he had said: “This is not the state of Nkandla address. This is the state of the nation address. The nation is in a difficult space at the moment. We want to deal with more substantive issues now.”

But he also led his Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus out of parliament in protest. He said it was unconstitutional for the speaker to call the police into the chamber.

Change of gear The majority of Mr Malema’s support base are black underprivileged people, largely deprived by the legacy of apartheid.

Uppermost in their minds is the energy crisis gripping the country’s power grid.

They’re equally concerned about the corruption allegations engulfing President Zuma and his Nkandla residence woes - but more importantly they want to improve their own quality of life.

Even if Mr Zuma “pays back the money” it will not make any difference to their desperately poor lives.

Those who voted for Mr Malema must be wondering whether their issues will be raised in parliament as their MPs dig in on one issue.

This year’s budget for the state of the nation was slashed from $400,000 under the theme “Moving South Africa Forward”.

The EFF said it wanted to “rescue” parliament from being a “fashion parade” - and they did.

The problem is they never raised issues such as land redistribution, which they campaigned about and listed on their election manifesto.

Land ownership in South Africa is still very much skewed along racial lines. Large chunks of land are still in the hands of whites, while the majority black population remains largely landless.

So EFF supporters will be

President Zuma’s state of the nation speech was interrupted by the scuffles hoping for a change of gear as the nation’s fifth parliament picks up where it left off.

Hoping that their elected representatives will focus on the

key issues affecting them in the dusty townships dotted across South Africa and not just one man’s bloated house.

Source: BBC

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Vote only credible candidates, urges APC group From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Mr. Nyesom Wike (left), presenting a car to the traditional ruler in Ikwerre Land, Elele Alimini, Chief James Welekwe (2nd right), yesterday in Port Harcourt.

Photo: NAN

Sokoto UPN alleges plan by PDP to rig March elections

From Raji Bello, Sokoto

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he Sokoto State Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, has said the recent call for the use of temporary voters’ cards was a plot by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to cajole the electoral body to abandon its plan to use Card Readers so as to pave way for election manipulations.

Addressing newsmen in Sokoto yesterday, Abdullahi also alleged attempt by the ruling party to remove the chairman

of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega.

He noted that the desperation to remove Jega was to pave way for them to rig the 2015 general elections, calling on Nigerians to resist such move.

He maintained that democracy is a game of numbers and the only way for a party or individuals to win election in Nigeria is through legitimate votes of the electorate.

He described the postponement of the 2015 election because of the insurgency

in the North-east as laughable and unacceptable.

The party also decried the deployment of military to the residence of some APC leaders, saying this would further create tension in the polity.

He underscored the need for INEC and President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that elections were conducted on the rescheduled dates.

“INEC and the President must ensure that the new dates for the general elections are not rescheduled again under any circumstance.

“The handover date of May 29, 2015 is sacrosanct and any attempt to tamper with it will amount to truncating our democracy and putting the peace, unity and political stability of our nation at risk.

“But with the introduction of Card Readers for the 2015 election and issuance of Permanent Voters’ Cards, it will be difficult for the PDP to rig the election and that is why they are calling on INEC to abandon its plan for the use of Card Readers,” Abdullahi explained.

Zamfara police warns against political violence From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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he Zamfara State police yesterday warned politicians to avoid inflammatory statements capable of sparking political violence as the command has intensified efforts in protection of lives and property of the teeming populace across the state.

This was announced by the

newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi David who resumed duty yesterday, emphasizing that the command is ready to exercise its mandate to ensure the maintenance of law and order with a view to make the atmosphere under the current political era conducive.

Mr. David further urged politicians to without hesitation embark upon activities that would help to curb the rate

political thuggery in the state, adding that the political parties would be held responsible over any violence virtually traced to them.

The commissioner further dismissed allegations by some politicians that the police have arrested a vehicle loaded with thump printed INEC’s ballot papers in favour of the PDP, saying it was only samples designed to educate the party

members on how best they would cast their votes during the oncoming general elections.

“According to our investigations, the papers were only samples meant for voter education for the teeming members of the PDP, and it is constitutionally allowed for all registered political parties to issue samples with a view to educate their supporters on voting”, the CP stated.

ll Progressives Congress (APC) alliance group, under the platform of the Good Governance in Bauchi State said they will only vote for credible candidates from any political party in the state, just as they called on APC presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari to reverse his campaign slogan of voting for APC at all levels.

Addressing journalists in Bauchi yesterday, chairman and secretary of the group, Sabiu Ismail and Nura Zungur respectively said “we will only vote for credible candidates in from any political party in the state”.

He explained that some of the APC candidates in Bauchi State are not qualified both professionally and in experience.

He said “we have resolved to only support and vote for experience and qualified candidates that will develop the state, for instance the PDP senatorial candidate in Bauchi South, Mallam Isa Yuguda who has served as minister two times and governor of Bauchi State for 8 years is more qualified than the Bauchi South APC Senatorial candidate, Mallam Ali Wakili.

Responding, APC Bauchi South senatorial candidate, Mallam Ali Wakili described the group as misguided and fun seeking political group doing the biddings of their masters who are aggrieved because they lost the primary election.

He said: “it’s unfortunate that their brothers and sisters that contested for APC primaries lost, most especially their mentor, the former Minister of Police Affairs, Yakubu Lame who failed to get the gubernatorial ticket for the APC. So as a backlash on Mallam Ali Wakili, who they felt was the architect of the failure, they engage in anti party activity. It is sad for them to indulge in such shameful ventures if they claim they are members of APC. “I am still watching the situation, at the appropriate time I can take legal action on them because politics do not give them the leverage to go about scandalizing my name. It’s sad because I am not supposed to join issues with them because by their education and exposure, they are only touts, so I want to assure you that they cannot do anything and they cannot influence anything”.

Igbo leaders in Lagos endorse Jonathan, Agbaje

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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he traditional heads of Ndigbo led by Eze Ohazulike has endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje for the governorship race in the state.

The traditional leaders also

urged the Igbo people to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP at all levels.

The Igbo community leaders announced the endorsements after a meeting of the traditional leaders at the Palace of Ohazulike which had in attendance Eze John-Greg Ezebuadi, Eze Benjamin Eluii, Eze Ikem Agbasi,

Eze Jonathan Ekwem and Eze Samuel Udo. Addressing newsmen on their deliberations, Ohazulike said that the group took the decision after studying the manifestos of the various political parties vying for the election in the state.

“After exhaustively studying the manifesto and matters

concerning our interests, we resolved that the interests of the Ndi Igbo in Lagos will be better protected under a future Agbaje led administration.

“Accordingly, we endorse him as the candidate of Ndi Igbo in the coming governorship elections on behalf of our subjects and igbo people in the state” he said.

Uwazulike however urged Igbos in Lagos to vote for Agbaje.

He described Agbaje as a man of character and integrity whom he believed would deliver his campaign promises.

He said that so much has happened in the past 16 years in the state that necessitated change.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

People buying eggs, yesterday at Lugbe, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Electricity coy links poor power supply to shortfall in allocation

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he Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) says the poor power supply being experienced in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs is as a result of the shortfall in load allocated to it by the system operator.

The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Neil Croucher, disclosed this in Abuja on Saturday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). ``The issue of load-shedding being currently experienced in the FCT and other parts of its franchise area is as a result of the shortfall in

power allocated to the company in recent times,’’ he said.

He appealed for the understanding of customers over the development, saying the average daily allocation to the company from Feb. 1 to February 13 was 290 megawatts as against 390 megawatts in January.

Croucher also said that since November 2013 when his company took over energy distribution, it had never fallen short of the 11.5 per cent of the load allocated to it by the system operator.

He said the company had taken

load in excess of its allocation every month in order to meet customers’ demand, adding that this often attracted imbalance penalty.

“When there is extra load in the system, we have always taken it with the consequence of payment of imbalance penalty,” he said.

Croucher said that in spite of the shortfall in power allocation to the company, it was compelled to give special consideration to certain strategic institutions in Abuja that required uninterrupted power supply.

“As a result of the foregoing,

when there is limited power available to AEDC, there is extensive load-shedding to other customers in the FCT as well as other states in the company’s franchise area,`` he said.

He, however, assured that the company would continue to optimise its load-shedding to ensure that electricity consumers were are given fair consideration in the distribution of energy.

The managing director expressed optimism that government’s transformation plans would lead to actively increased levels of generation to meet the needs of customers.

``We as a Disco will also be aggressively exploring methods of embedded generation within our network coverage area to augment power supply from the national grid,’’ he said.

On estimated billing, he said that the company had always done its estimation in strict compliance with the methodology approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

He said investigations had shown that most customers on estimation had always consumed more than the units allocated to them by the company. (NAN)

NGO donates relief items to IDPs in Abuja

By Stanley Onyekwere

S

ome Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Durumi and New Kuchingoro, in Abuja, the nation’s capital had cause to smile, when an Abuja based NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) paid them a visit, bringing relief materials with them.

The NGO, an arm of Baking Bee Cakes visited the IDPs penultimate Saturday, and donated assorted relief items to them, aimed at ameliorating their plights.

The items include; bags of

rice, cartons of Indomie, sachets of Milo and Milk, cartons of sanitary towels (for women), Lux soap, Vaseline, Pampers (for babies), children clothes and wrappers for women.

At the Durumi Camp, where the leader of the IDPs there, Malam Bala, expressed delight at the support and goodwill they have been receiving from NGO and wellmeaning people in the society.

“Where we are staying is not conducive but we have been receiving assistance from well-meaning Nigerians and

government agencies.

“We are grateful and pray that the almighty rewards them,’ he stressed.

While at New Kuchingoro IDPs Camp, which was second point of call, the NGO stumbled on a celebration of sorts, as one of their own just escaped the clutches of the insurgents, and was celebrating her escape.

While presenting the relief items to the leaders in the Camps during the visit, the owner of Baking Bee Cakes, Miss Hadiza Kaugama, who was accompanied

by her Mother, Hajia Binta Kaugama, her siblings and some staff of FCT Emergency Management Agency, charged the IDPs to make judicious of the items instead of selling them Her words: ‘These items are meant for your use; Please do not sell them.”

Urging them to eschew violence and embrace peace, she noted that they have experienced firsthand the after effect of violence, and are in a better position to preach peace and live in harmony until they can return to their homes.

Miss Kaugama also prayed for peace to return to North Eastern part of Nigeria as soon as possible so the IDPs can return to the comfort of their homes.

According to her, the motivation behind the gesture was the need to give back to society especially the less privileged.

Miss Kaugama explained that when her business clocked one year; she visited the Karu Orphanage as a way of thanking God for a good business year, adding that since then she has not looked back.

PAGE 33

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Photo Splash

A young boy operating grinding machine, yesterday at Lugbe, in Abuja.

A pick up van over loaded with goods, yesterday along Airport Road, in Abuja.

A man hawking the women wears, yesterday at Zone 4, in Abuja.

Women buying children’s wears, yesterday at Zone 4, in Abuja.

A labourer at work, yesterday in Federal Housing, Abuja.

Photos: Joe Oroye

PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Metro

Community leader laments lack of secondary school in Angwan Dodo T

By Usman Shuaibu

he Village head of Angwan Dodo Community in Gwagwalada Area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed, has decried lack of a junior secondary school in the community, for the benefit of their children seeking continuous education.

He noted that due to the absence of a secondary school, children from community are forced to be crossing the busy Abuja-Lokoja expressway, in order to attend schools outside, on a daily basis.

He therefore appealed to the chairman of the council, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri as well as the leadership of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) to try and build

a secondary school in the area.

He also urged the Giri-led council to build a health care centre in the community, so as to enable the inhabitants have access to proper medical care.

The Village head, in a recent interview with Peoples Daily, in Gwagwalada, further pleaded with the council chairman to provide them with transformers, to boost

electricity supply in the community.

He added that the people of the community are in dire need of boreholes, to enable them to have access to potable drinking water, at all times.

Again, he urged the chairman to deem it fit to repair the dilapidated roads at the various communities in Gwagwalada, so as to ameliorate the plight of

commuters plying the roads.

Furthermore, the community leader called on the chairman and the leadership of the FCT police command to build a police outpost in the community, so as to arrest the rising security challenges facing his people.

He however assured that his leadership would continue to join hands with other tribal chiefs, for the promotion of peace in the area.

Meanwhile, the village head advised the entire youths in Gwagwalada to shun any acts capable of generating crisis in the area.

Suspended traffic officer docked over impersonation

A

A young man pushing wheelbarrow loaded with orange, yesterday at Mararaba orange market.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

SURE-P: 3,000 youth, women set for harmonized online registration

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

total of 3,000 youth and women across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are to be provided with a direct platform that will update their biometrics nationally, as beneficiaries of the Community Service for Women and Youth Employment (CSWYE) of the Federal Government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

According to the Chairman of the CSWYE Project of SURE-P in the FCT, Alh. Yahaya Suleiman, aside

providing the participants with a direct platform, it would provide accessible data base for official use and facilitate faster payments of monthly stipends directly to their personal accounts in designated banks.

He disclosed this at a recent two-day sensitization workshop for Area council Desk Officers and supervisors of the project, in the FCT. Suleiman said reiterated that the CSWYE Project under the Federal Ministry of Labour remains one of the success stories of President GoodLuck Jonathan transformation agenda as it has regularly and consistently put food on the

table of the 3,000 families in the FCT for the past twenty four (24) months.

Represented at the workshop by the CSWYEFCT Vice Chairman and Coordinator, National Directorate of Employment (NDE) FCT, Mrs. Edna Ofordile assured the Desk Officers and Supervisors that the data which will be forwarded as SMS to the designated number has been simplified to enable them teach their participants.

He stressed the participants are expected to register individually by forwarding their profile via SMS using their personal handsets.

Suleiman therefore assured them (the participants) that every participant will after successfully completing the process receive a confirmation text message reply with their Programme Identification Number (PIN) which will be confidential and only known to them.

He advised all the beneficiaries of the CSWYE Project the Territory to ensure that they register via SMS and keep their PIN numbers safe and confidential, as it will be their instrument of identification in all their future dealings with the project in FCT.

suspended staff of Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) , Usman Abubakar, have been arraigned before a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ court, in Abuja, for alleged impersonation.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Police prosecutor, Cpl. Sani Yusuf, told the court that the33-year-old accused had been suspended since February 2014 but was still performing his duty.

Yusuf said that Abubakar was reported at the Mabushi Police Station by a Provost Officer of the VIO, Mr. Rimdan Naribul, on February 10.

According to the prosecutor, while the complainant was on surveillance patrol within Wuse area, the accused was seen performing VIO duty within Berger Junction roundabout, Abuja.

The prosecutor said that when the accused was confronted, he was unable to give a satisfactory account of his action.

He said that such an offence contravened the provision of Section 132 of the Penal code.

Meanwhile, the accused denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However, Senior Magistrate Chukwuemeka Ubani granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety who must live within the court’s jurisdiction.

He adjourned the matter to March 30 for continuation of hearing.

Page 35

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

International international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

How will the new King Salman change Saudi Arabia?

ANALYSIS

B

ut where will that path take the kingdom?

Onwards towards further limited reform or a retreat into greater conservativism?

And with the high-profile case of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for “insulting Islam” - once again drawing attention to the country’s record on human rights, four expert witnesses offer their insight into what the future might hold.

‘Power will be consolidated’: Ali Al-Ahmed, director of the Institute of Gulf Affairs Ali Al-Ahmed is a Shia, born in Saudi Arabia’s eastern province.

His parents, siblings, nephew and uncle all spent long periods in jail, so he emigrated to the US. He now runs the Institute for Gulf Affairs in Washington, a think tank critical of the Saudi government.

“I think he will expand power to the ruling family and will concentrate it within his own allies within the ruling family,” he says.

Prince Mohammed bin Nayef (file) King Salman’s nephew Mohammad bin Nayef has been blamed for the killing of protesters He points to the sweeping changes made by King Salman in his first 10 days.

In a smattering of royal decrees, ministers were sacked, others appointed and councils abolished.

The king has concentrated power within the region of Najd, seen as the monarchy’s natural constituency.

“So loyalty and trust is the name of the game here,” Ali AlAhmed says.

“He would make sure to keep the family happy.

“That’s why you will see more members of the family getting greater share of the pie, the political, economic pie, at the expense of the people.”

Ali Al-Ahmad says history offers a stark warning if the family is not happy.

“Starting in 1932 onward, the Saudi ruling family had had a problem with infighting,” he says.

“King Saud, the son of Abdulaziz, was overthrown and deposed by his half-brothers...

King Salman was part of that operation.

“The Saudi ruling family is now larger than ever, and naturally there will be tension.”

King Salman also abolished the 14 supreme councils that covered various different areas such as media, Islamic affairs, health and so on, with the responsibility and authority of these councils being rolled into just two, one run by his son and the other by his nephew Mohammad bin Nayef.

King Salman transformed Riyadh into a sprawling city during his 50-year tenure as governor When the 79-year-old King Salman took over the Saudi throne in January, he promised security and stability. “We will adhere to the path this nation has followed since it was established,” he said.

The controversial minister of the interior, Mohammad bin Nayef, is now second in line to the throne.

Ali Al-Ahmad says he has a “really dark record” on human rights.

“The fact that he has imprisoned even woman drivers, that has never happened in the country’s history, and established a terrorism court... you will see that... the new king now is really concerned about security,” he says.

Many also hold Mohammad bin Nayef responsible for the killing of protesters by security forces.

Ali Al-Ahmad argues his nephew’s promotion suggests King Salman will take Saudi Arabia in a different direction to his predecessor: “I think he will change it in some ways,” he says.

“He also will become much more conservative in terms of social policies and will be harsher in terms of security and political policies.”

‘No middle ground for peaceful protest’: Saudi film-maker Safa Al-Ahmad Last year the Saudi filmmaker Safa Al-Ahmad made a documentary about a largely unknown uprising in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The government had tried to suppress the protests since they began in 2011, while the world’s attention was focused on activists in Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

She says: “It was really heartbreaking to see other countries getting full coverage of what’s happening, yet this huge thing is happening [here].

“It’s historic: this has never

“

happened where protests in Saudi Arabia last for three years.

“The last time there were protests in the eastern province was in 1979, and it lasted maybe a week.”

Safa Al Ahmad Safa Al-Ahmad went undercover to gather evidence of the uprising in the east of Saudi Arabia The protesters demanded the release of political prisoners and more economic and political rights for the Shia minority. “[The protests] were massive initially and people weren’t covering their faces,” Safa AlAhmad says.

“Everybody felt that there was a moment in 2011 of hope, like genuine hope, that peaceful protests would bring change.

“I think this was an inspiring moment.”

“The fact that he has imprisoned even woman drivers, that has never happened in the country’s history, and established a terrorism court... you will see that... the new king now is really concerned about security,” he says.

But these hopes came to nothing.

“They realised this was not going to be the response of the Saudi government,” Safa AlAhmad says.

“I ended [my film] in the cemetery, where they had a special plot for what they called the martyrs of the movement.

“The government has quite successfully silenced most of the protests.”

About 20 protesters were killed while hundreds were injured or jailed.

Safa Al-Ahmad has herself been warned not to return. She is left fearful for her country’s future: “I think the crux of what 2011 in the whole Arab world and specifically in Saudi Arabia revealed [was] the huge schism between our governments and the people, and the inability of the two to communicate in a way that’s conducive of genuine deep reform in the country,” she says.

“The government has left very little space for peaceful protest and reform.

“That is the real danger of continuing to clamp down on activists and putting them in jail you are leaving no middle ground for people to reform.

“And so the more estranged the young feel, both Sunni and Shia in Saudi Arabia, across the board, you are pushing them towards something that is truly frightening.”

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Page 36

International

West African leaders vow ‘zero Ebola infections’ in 60 days

Mysterious death of Liberian whistleblower being investigated

T

he director of the Liberia National Police said an investigation into the mysterious death of a prominent lawyer and whistleblower is underway. Counsellor Michael Allison, former consultant to the National Oil Company of Liberia, was found dead on a Monrovia beach Friday morning.

Allison reportedly had a role to play in the ongoing investigation involving the speaker of the Liberian House of Representatives.

Some suspect foul play. One report said Allison had complained to friends that his life was in danger.

Police Director Chris Massaquoi said a pathologist has arrived from neighboring Sierra Leone to help in the investigation.

“Investigation by homicide investigators is ongoing and we have decided to bring in a foreign pathologist and he just arrived Sunday from Sierra Leone to be able to assist the Liberia National Police in the investigation,” he said.

Massaquoi said the police received no complaint from Allison or anyone related to him. He said the alleged corruption case had been taken over by the Liberia AntiCorruption Bureau.

“We absolutely have no record of such complaint. Apparently this matter was directly handled by the LACC (Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission), and the Liberia National Police has not been a part of the investigation,” he said.

The police director said had a threat been brought to the attention of the police they would have probably assisted in providing protection to Allison.

FrontPage Africa, a local Liberian online news service, reported that a woman claiming to be a friend of Allison said the two of them went to the beach “around late evening hours.” She said he decided to swim in the ocean. A few minutes later, she said, she saw him drowning.

Liberian Police Chief Chris Massaquoi.

F

oreigners will be banned from owning land in South Africa under new proposals outlined

by President Jacob Zuma.

Locals will have limits set on the size of their farms under the proposals.

MrZuma first announced them in a state of the nation speech on Thursday overshadowed by violence in parliament.

Two decades after the end of apartheid, land is still concentrated in the hands of a largely white minority, and remains a sensitive issue.

The government is under growing pressure to put more land in the hands of the country’s black majority.

“Land has become one of the most critical factors in achieving redress for the wrongs of the past,” said Mr Zuma, elaborating on the plans on Saturday.

“In this regard, the regulation of land holdings bill will be submitted to parliament this year.”

In the future, foreigners will only be allowed to lease land, not to own it, he said, adding that local farmers would not be able to own more than 12,000 hectares.

That is presumably aimed at white farmers who still own much of the best farmland a generation after the end of racial apartheid, says the BBC’s Andrew Harding in Johannesburg.

There are many reasons for the

Three Mano River Union leaders. slow pace of change in the country, says our correspondent, and these new proposals will face strong legal challenges from farmers who argue that smaller plots will not be commercially viable.

But the governing African National Congress is looking for votes, and is wary of being outflanked by more radical voices calling for

white-owned land to be seized without compensation, he adds.

Parliamentary brawl On Thursday, parliament descended into chaos as leftist MPs scuffled with security during MrZuma’s key annual speech.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, repeatedly interrupted MrZuma,

demanding answers over a spending scandal.

The speaker of parliament then ordered their removal, prompting scuffles.

The EFF used President Zuma’s annual State of the Nation speech to question him about a state-funded, multi-million dollar upgrade to his private residence.

Kenyan TV channels off air after digital migration row

T

hree of Kenya’s main private TV stations are unavailable in most of the country due to a row over the switch from analogue to digital

transmission.

The analogue signal for KTN, Citizen, NTV and its subsidiary QTV was turned off over the weekend.

Television is the main source of news in Kenya’s towns and cities

The TV stations then switched off their digital signals in protest.

This is the latest twist in a longrunning dispute over the switch to digital broadcasting, which has led to several court battles.

The BBC’s Anne Soy in Nairobi says most Kenyans have been left confused and in the dark.

State-run broadcaster KBC and K24 TV, which is owned by the family of President Uhuru Kenyatta, remain on air.

Global deadline The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the digital migration must continue, rejecting the TV stations’ request for a three-month delay.

The companies say they want more time to import their own set-top boxes that would distribute their content.

Two providers - one owned by the

Kenyan government and the other by a Chinese firm - are already in operation.

About a t h i r d o f K e n y a ’ s households own a television set, the main news source in urban areas.

The Communications Authority of Kenya says 60% of those have now acquired a set-top box to receive a digital signal.

But the media houses say up to 90% of Kenyans have been left without access to television.

Neighbouring Tanzania went ahead with its digital migration on 31 December 2013, the first country to do so of the five members of the East African Community.

The group had agreed to an early switchover to fix any glitches ahead of the June 2015 global deadline to end analogue transmissions.

EU resumes direct aid to Zimbabwe

T

he European Union is giving close to $270 million to Zimbabwe, the first direct aid to President Robert Mugabe’s government since the bloc imposed sanctions in 2002.

The aid package, unveiled Monday in Harare, will fund health care, agriculture and good governance projects over the next six years.

For years, the EU has funneled aid to Zimbabwe through third party groups because of documented corruption and human rights abuses

by Mugabe officials and allies.

Following pressure from African nations, the EU has gradually lifted

travel and financial restrictions on some Zimbabwean officials, but, the sanctions for President Mugabe and his wife Grace remain in effect.

At Monday’s signing ceremony, Zimbabwean Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa welcomed the EU aid but asked that the sanctions against the Mugabes be lifted immediately.

Zimbabwe has endured years of political turmoil and weak economic growth since the early 2000’s. The government angered donors with a series of controversial moves, including the alleged rigging of the 2002 elections and the confiscation of commercial farms owned by whites.

Map of Zimbabwe

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Page 37

International

Egypt bombs IS in Libya after beheadings video

There was open grief in Al-Our, Egypt, where many of the Coptic Christians were from

E

gypt says it has bombed Islamic State targets in Libya, hours after the militants released video of apparent beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians.

State TV said the dawn

strikes had targeted camps, training sites and weapons storage areas. A second wave of strikes was reported hours later.

Libyan officials said Egypt hit targets in the militant-held

city of Derna.

The strikes came amid widespread condemnation of the killings. The US and UN described them as “cowardly”.

A video emerged on Sunday showing militants forcing a

group of men to the ground and decapitating them.

The kidnapped Egyptian workers, all Coptic Christians, were seized in separate incidents in December and January from the coastal town of Sirte in eastern Libya, under the control of Islamist groups.

The video of the beheadings was posted online by Libyan jihadists who pledge loyalty to IS. It was one of the first such videos to come from an IS group outside its core territory in Syria and Iraq.

The video describes the Copts as “crusaders” and refers among other things to two women, wives of Coptic priests, whose alleged conversion to Islam triggered a sectarian dispute in Egypt in 2010.

IS militants claim to have carried out several attacks in Libya, which in effect has rival governments.

Screams of grief come from several houses in the dusty back streets, and groups of blackclad women go from house to house to offer condolences.

One woman, wailing in the street, tells us she has lost five

Japan comes out of recession but growth still disappoints

J

apan came out of recession in the fourth quarter of last year, but the world’s third largest economy grew at a slower than expected pace.

The economy expanded by an annualised 2.2% in the three months to December in a preliminary reading, compared to forecasts for a 3.7% increase.

Japan’s growth in the fourth quarter comes after the economy contracted for the two previous quarters.

Japan has been recovering from a sales tax hike, which dampened spending.

The economy grew 0.6% in the period from the previous quarter, but that also fell below forecasts of 0.9% growth.

Weak growth Nearly two years after “Abenomics” what has really changed?

Vast amounts of money have been shovelled in to the Japanese economy. That has had two big

impacts.

It has pushed up real estate and stock prices, and it has pushed down the value of the yen. The first has made rich Japanese richer; the second has made big Japanese exporters richer. But there it has stopped.

There has been virtually no trickle-down to the rest of Japan.

Stagnant wages and rising prices through most of last year mean most Japanese actually feel poorer.

One sign of hope is that

unemployment has fallen to just 3.5%.

A tightening labour market could finally force Japan’s corporations to start parting with some of their vast cash piles in the shape of real wage increases - but don’t hold your breath. line Business investment lags Th e mos t dis appoint ing component of the gross domestic product (GDP) figures was the “paltry” increase in business investment.

UN resolution: Restore Yemen government

T

he United Nations Security Council is demanding that Shi’ite Houthi rebels in Yemen restore the Sana’a government and immediately release U.S.-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

Hadi and his ministers were detained last month when rebels toppled the government.

The demands are included in a resolution adopted unanimously Sunday by the 15-member Council. The measure also calls on the Iran-backed rebels to engage in “good faith” in U.N.-brokered peace talks.

The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a bloc of energy-rich Gulf states, earlier urged the Security Council to adopt a resolution under Chapter

7 of the U.N. Charter, which permits such measures to be backed with economic sanctions.

The GCC also threatened to take action on its own if the Hadi government is not restored.

Sunday’s resolution stops short of either sanctions or direct intervention, and would require new Security Council action for any eventual penalties to be applied.

Houthis won’t cede power There was no immediate rebel response to the U.N. move. But Houthi leaders have said they will not cede power in what they describe as “the face of threats.”

Since seizing power in January, rebels have dissolved parliament and set up their own ruling body.

They say they are carrying out

a “revolution” against corrupt officials and economic ruin.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of Yemenis protested against the

country’s takeover. In the central town of Ibb, Houthi gunmen fired on protesters, wounding at least four people.

Workers salvage boat which sank after colliding with ferry near Lamma Island off the southwestern coast of Hong Kong.

Asia & Middle East

Kim Jong Il’s Legacy celebrated at home, debated abroad

N

orth Korea honored its former leader Kim Jong Il on his 73rd birthday Monday with fawning praise for his political achievements and for his opposition to the United States.

Outside North Korea, human rights groups want the world to remember the late dictator’s legacy of rights abuses, forced labor and mass starvation.

The celebration for the late Kim Jong Il began with a massive fireworks display in Pyongyang.

The former leader of North Korea died of an apparent heart attack in December of 2011 after ruling North Korea for 17 years. His birthday is now a three-day-long national holiday called the “Shining Star Festival.”

On a day of festivities that included synchronized swimming and figure skating exhibitions, North Korea’s current leader, Kim Jong Un, paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which commemorates his father and grandfather, Kim Il Sung.

The celebration also includes the distribution of free food.

Family legitimacy Ahn Chan-il, president of the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said these holidays are important to bolster the Kim family’s legitimacy and hold on power.

He said North Korea is effectively utilizing these days to reinforce its citizens’ loyalty toward their leaders by offering them gifts on these birthdays.

At a meeting of party, state and army officials, a leader of the Workers’ Party of Korea gave a speech praising the late leader for turning North Korea into a “worldclass military power and dignified nuclear weapons state that no one dares provoke.”

International negotiations to end North Korea’s nuclear program ultimately collapsed during Kim Jong Il’s time in power, resulting in the imposition of harsh diplomatic and economic sanctions from the West.

In the West, the former leader has been a subject of ridicule and derision over the internal North Korean propaganda that lauded his so-called achievements: how he wrote 1,500 books and three operas over three years, or how he sank 11 holes-in-one the first time he ever played golf.

But Phil Robertson, with the independent organization Human Rights Watch, said both the glorification and the mockery of Kim Jong Il overlook his legacy of repression.

“Kim Jong Ill ruled North Korea based on human rights abuses. Full stop. His repression, his ruthlessness his prioritizing of the maintenance of his power over the welfare of his people is his real legacy,” Robertson said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Page 38

International

Ukraine accuses rebels of increased attacks on key town

T

he military said Monday the number of attacks on the town of Debaltseve has increased compared with previous days, with the rebels using all types of weapons.

A Reuters correspondent in Vuhlehirsk, about 10 kilometers to the west of Debaltseve, reported heavy shelling in the vicinity of the town and blasts about every 10 seconds.

Most of this month’s fighting

in eastern Ukraine has taken place in Debaltseve, where thousands of Ukrainian troops are believed encircled by rebel fighters.

Next stage of cease-fire Withdrawal of heavy armor from the frontlines in Ukraine is set to begin Monday under terms of the cease-fire.

On Sunday, the first full day of the truce, rebel commander Eduard Basurin said separatist fighters would not observe the cease-fire

in Debaltseve. In comments to Reuters, he called the contested town “our territory.”

In a statement late Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the start of the cease-fire based on the terms agreed to last week in the Belorussian capital, Minsk. But he voiced serious concern about reports of continued hostilities in areas, including Debaltseve, and reiterated his call for all parties to

Ukraine’s military said Russian-backed rebels are not complying with the cease-fire intended to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine and are stepping up attacks on a key railway town.

abide by the truce.

Elsewhere along the jagged frontline separating the two sides, witnesses and officials on both sides on Sunday reported relative calm.

The four leaders who brokered last week’s truce -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande -have agreed that fighting should end in Debaltseve as well.

The devastated town has seen major fighting on a daily basis since earlier truce efforts failed last month.

Poroshenko ordered his forces to comply with a cease-fire that went into effect at midnight Saturday.

As commander of Ukraine’s military forces, he also said he wants peace. But he warned Russian-backed separatist rebels against breaking the deal, while saying they were likely to do so.

Ukraine and a host of Western governments accuse Moscow of stoking the rebellion in Ukraine’s Russian-speaking east with arms and fighters. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied providing direct support, and claims that Russian troops seen fighting alongside rebels are volunteers.

Ukraine accuses rebels of increased attacks on key town

U

kraine and Russian-backed rebels are accusing each other of violating a ceasefire intended to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military said on Monday that its forces have come under fire 112 times in the past day, with 88 attacks registered on the key railway town of Debaltseve.

Five soldiers have died and 25 have been wounded in the latest attacks, which occured despite a European-brokered truce that went into effect Saturday at midnight.

On Sunday, pro-Russian rebels battling Ukrainian forces near

Russian border said terms of ceasefire did not apply to Debaltseve, where thousands of government troops are said to be encircled by separatist fighters.

A Reuters correspondent in Vuhlehirsk, about 10 kilometers to the west of Debaltseve, reported heavy shelling in the vicinity of the town and blasts about every 10 seconds.

“You can hear there is no ceasefire,’’ said a rebel fighter with a black ski mask who gave his name as Scorpion, his nom de guerre, and blamed the fighting on Kyiv’s forces. “Debaltseve is our land.

And we will take Debaltseve.’’

Kyiv insists that the latest truce deal put Debaltseve under government control.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on Sunday its monitors in eastern Ukraine were turned back from Debaltseve.

Other flashpoints in the latest fighting Monday included the regional centers of Donetsk and Luhansk as well as the towns of Dokuchaievk and Horlivka.

Next stage of cease-fire Withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontlines in Ukraine is set to begin at midnight Monday under the terms of the cease-fire, negotiated

late last week in Minsk, Belarus, by the the leaders of Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia.

But a Ukrainian military spokesman said such a move would be unlikely.

“One hundred and twelve attacks are not an indicator of a cease-fire.

At the moment we are not ready to withdraw heavy weapons,’’ Andriy Lysenko told a news briefing in Kyiv.

In another development, the European Union included two Russian deputy defense ministers on its latest Ukraine sanctions list Monday, hitting them with travel bans and asset freezes for their role in the conflict.

T

to travel eastwards this week, bringing further snow and sub-zero temperatures to the north-east.

Nearly 2ft (60cm) of snow was reported in parts of New England after the latest storm this weekend.

Meanwhile, 13in (33cm) of snow was recorded in Boston.

The bitingly cold weather in the US north-east and Canada is expected to continue well into March.

According to Peter Sloss, duty forecaster at the BBC Weather Centre, the prolonged cold conditions are the result of a variation in the movement of the jet stream, a high-altitude ribbon of cold air that would usually be expected to travel from west to east.

This year, however, the jet stream has followed more of a north-south route, bringing Arctic air deeper into the US and Canada.

Report: Obama, Khamenei exchange letters

he US north-east is reeling from the latest in a series of blizzards, with low temperatures - up to 17C below normal - exacerbated by strong winds.

A fourth major snowstorm in Boston, Massachusetts, made February the snowiest month in the city’s history.

Almost 2,000 flights have been cancelled so far, mostly from airports in Boston and New York.

Heavy snow and freezing rain is also forecast further south, in the inland states of Indiana and Kentucky.

The separate weather system developing in that area is expected

A couple pass through snowy woods in Piscataway, New Jersey

Europe and Americas Washington eyes Denmark attacks amid debate on authorizing fight against IS

T

he U.S. Congress is in recess this coming week, as President Barack Obama prepares to host a summit on confronting violent extremism in American neighborhoods.

Attacks in Denmark once again underscore the need for vigilance, and could impact forthcoming congressional deliberations on President Obama’s request for authorization to battle Islamic State militants.

Attacks in Copenhagen targeting a Jewish synagogue and a free-speech event appear eerily reminiscent of last month’s deadly terrorist shootings in France. As violence flares anew in Europe, U.S. officials worry radicalized Muslims who joined Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria could slip back into the United States.

Keeping track of the flow of potential terrorists to and from the Middle East is proving a daunting challenge, according to FBI Assistant Deputy Director Michael Steinbach.

“I don’t know every person there (with the Islamic State). And I do not know everyone coming back,” he said. “So it is not even close to being under control.”

It is in this atmosphere of uncertainty that President Obama asked Congress for formal but limited authorization to battle Islamic State.

“It is not the authorization of another ground war, like Afghanistan or Iraq,” said Obama.

“At the same time, this resolution strikes the necessary balance by giving us the flexibility we need for unforeseen circumstances.

For example, if we had actionable intelligence about a gathering of ISIL leaders, and our partners did not have the capacity to get them, I would be prepared to order Special Forces to take action.”

Congress is united in wanting Islamic State defeated. But many Republicans think President Obama - and his successor - should have a freer hand in the fight.

House Speaker John Boehner: “There is a war underway and we are in the midst of it, but the president has tied his own hands and wants to tie his hands even further with the authorization he has sent up here,” said Boehner.

By contrast, the proposed authorization is too open-ended for some Democratic lawmakers, like Congressman Adam Schiff.

“I think it is very important we find a way to get to ‘yes’ on an authorization,” said Schiff. “But I also think it is very important we not write another blank check. We did that 14 years ago with the 2001 authorization.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Mother who was tortured for seven hours and slashed across the throat in front of her sons by her ex-boyfriend is forced to write to him in prison and give him updates on his kids - or face jail herself

Page 39

Strange World

Mum gets tattoo made out of her dead daughter’s ashes

A

mother who was tortured for seven hours in front of her twin sons has been forced to write to her attacker, or face the prospect of being sent to jail herself.

Natalie Allman, 29, was battered with a dumb-bell and slashed across the throat by Jason Hughes, 42, because he wanted to make her look ‘ugly’ after she dumped him.

Former Territorial Army soldier Hughes was jailed for nine years in 2012 for the brutal attack at the couple’s home in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire which was witnessed by their twin sons.

But now a judge has ordered Ms Allman to send three letters a year to Hughes, updating him on their five-year-old boys and including photographs of the children every Easter, September and December.

The order has been made under parental rights laws, and if Ms Allman does not comply she will be in contempt of court - and could be imprisoned.

We are the victims, not him. I thought he was going to kill me that night for no reason and my boys saw that. They were terrified,’ she told the Sunday People.

‘I’m so angry that the law still defends his parental rights and that he is still being allowed to control us from behind bars.’

Ms Allman had met Hughes, who was already a father-of-two, in 2008, when they were both home carers.

They became engaged in 2010, and she discovered that she was expecting twins.

But Hughes had a drink problem that was spiralling out of control and in February 2011 Ms Allman ended their relationship just two months before they had planned to marry.

She has said previously that he was drinking as much as a litre of vodka day or six litres of cider.

He lashed out after she told him she was seeing someone else.

On February 3, 2011, as Ms Allman lay in bed, Hughes launched the terrifying seven-hour attack on his ex, attempting to smother her with a pillow before repeatedly bludgeoning her with a dumb bell.

The tattoo one of Maria’s sons got, featuring the name of Sophie and her unborn daughter

A

grieving family of a woman who perished in a car crash have had tattoos added to

their bodies using her ashes.

Pregnant Sophie Williams died on Valentine’s Day last year, and while doctors struggled to save both

her life and the life of her unborn child, they were sadly unsuccessful.

Now her mother Maria, 41, and her sons Shane and

Skyle have mixed Sohpie’s ashes into tattoo ink and used it to adorn their bodies with tributes to her.

Maria, from south Wales, had three roses tattooed on her wrist as they were her daughter’s favourite flower, while Shane had two theatre masks done for Sophie’s love of drama, and Skyle had a winged heart and the names ‘Sophie’ and ‘Kayleigh’ (Sophie’s unborn daughter) tattooed on his arm.

Maria said: ‘I believe everything has happened for a reason. We miss Sophie dreadfully but she was taken to a better place.

‘For us, Valentine’s Day means broken hearts.’

To add to her heartache Maria was also pregnant at the time of Sophie’s death, and the two often compared ‘bumps’ and talked about raising their children together.

Sophie’s boyfriend Ben survived the car c r a s h l a s t year, and is now raising the couple’s first child Mia on his own.

‘We should reveal the fact we met aliens,’ says top Obama advisor

A

top advisor to President Obama has dropped what UFO enthusiasts believe is an enormous hint that aliens exist – and we’ve been in contact with them.

Outgoing aide John Podesta, a known fan of the X Files (and a self-described ‘curious sceptic’ about UFOs) said that his ‘big regret’ was not securing the ‘disclosure’ of UFO files.

The Tweet has sent shockwaves round the world.

UFO experts such as Steve Bassett have described it as ‘Very significant.

Believers in UFOs suggest that 2015 might be the year of ‘disclosure’ – when governments admit that not only do aliens exist, but we’ve been in contact with them for years.

Podesta’s Tweet – which may or may not have been a joke – has reignited rumours that the U.S. government is about to ‘come clean’.

Website the UFO International Project says, ‘People often say to us here at UIP, ‘So when are the Aliens coming to see us?’

Please note, conspiracy theorists: this is not evidence that aliens exist, it is a still from the film Alien Autopsy (2006), starring Ant and Dec

Man ‘shoots’ friend in the head to test strength of military helmet Ms Allman, was battered with a dumb-bell and slashed across the throat by Hughes, 42, (left) because he wanted to make her look ‘ugly’ after she dumped him. The pair are pictured before their split in 2011

A

bonding session between these two friends involved one of them shooting the other in the head.

Luckily the person on the receiving end was wearing a

military grade helmet so the ‘bullet’ was deflected safely away.

The Russian video, uploaded to LiveLeak, shows the man taking aim at his companion from several feet away with what

appears to be a real gun.

He then fired the pistol, with the impact causing his friend to jolt his head back.

At the end he seems to be unharmed, and if anything, looked as if he had enjoyed it.

But there is some dispute over whether the man had actually fired a real bullet or a blank (both can be deadly).

Let’s hope they can find better ways to spend their time together in the future.

Page 40

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESday, February 17, 2015

Digest

Butter isn’t bad for you after all: Major study says 80s advice on dairy fats was flawed

The guidelines – the first of their kind – were introduced when as much as one-fifth of the average British diet was saturated fat such as butter, cream and fattier cuts of meat.

G

uidelines that told millions of people to avoid butter and fullfat milk should never have been introduced, say experts.

The startling assertion challenges advice that has been followed by the medical profession for 30 years.

The experts say the advice from 1983, aimed at reducing deaths from heart disease, lacked any solid trial evidence to back it up.

Britons were advised by an official dietary committee to cut their fat intake to 30 per cent of total energy and saturated fat intake to 10 per cent, while increasing the amount of carbohydrate they ate.

This led food makers to create low-fat spreads, including cholesterol-lowering products, while consumers shunned cheese, milk and cream.

However, now some scientists even say the advice is responsible – in part – for the obesity crisis because it encouraged an increase in carbohydrate in our diets.

A new review says evidence from trials did not support the advice. It says it is ‘incomprehensible’ that such advice was introduced for 56million Britons in 1983 and 220million Americans six years earlier ‘given the contrary results from a small number of unhealthy men’.

‘The present review concludes that dietary advice not merely needs review; it should not have been introduced.’

However, many public health and nutrition scientists criticised

the conclusions of the review in the online BMJ journal Open Heart, saying wider evidence at the time and since has justified the advice and heart deaths have fallen dramatically.

The researchers carried out a review of data from trials that would have been available to UK and US regulators at the time.

These trials were regarded as the ‘gold standard’ of medical testing.

Six relevant trials were found, spanning an average of five years, and involving 2,467 men – most of whom had survived a heart attack or similar event.

The trials looked at the relationship between dietary fat, cholesterol, and coronary heart disease. The review found no difference in heart deaths,

regardless of whether people were on a high fat or lower fat diet. Professor Iain Broom, of the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, said there was now mounting evidence against the introduction of low-fat diets to combat heart disease.

Yet governments in both the US and UK have ‘practically destroyed the dairy industry by suggesting that butter, cheese and full fat milk increased cardiovascular disease risk, when the contrary is true,’ he said.

Professor Broom also said advice to increase carbohydrate consumption to 50 per cent of energy intake was blamed by some experts for an epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

He said: ‘It is now time for

Guidelines from the 1980s that told millions to avoid butter and full-fat milk, should never have been introduced and experts say it lacked any solid trial evidence to back it up

the UK Government to grasp the nettle and stop an uncontrolled experiment, which has gone global and may have had bad outcomes in terms of the obesity explosion and creating a more unhealthy nation with the current idea of “healthy eating”.

The review was led by Zoe Harcombe, Institute of Clinical Exercise and Health Science, University of the West of Scotland, Hamilton, and Dr James DiNicolantonio, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City.

In 1983, the country was told to reduce its overall fat consumption to 30 per cent. Official guidelines were changed in 1991 raising this to 35 per cent, but saturated fats remained at 10 per cent.

This advice has remained unchanged even though new studies have continued to suggest that there is no association between heart disease and those fats. Britain’s saturated fat consumption is currently around 12 per cent.

Last year a US research scientist called for a campaign telling people they had been taken down the ‘wrong dietary road for decades’ in avoiding saturated fat while not being warned about eating too much carbohydrate and sugar.

It is not the first time experts have blamed faulty interpretation of studies for creating a ‘myth’ around the role played by saturated fat in heart disease. Researchers last year conducted a ‘metaanalysis’ of data from 72 studies involving more than 600,000

participants from 18 countries.

It is a statistically powerful technique to reveal trends that may be masked in individual small studies, but which become obvious when they are amalgamated.

A key finding was that total saturated fat, whether measured in the diet or the bloodstream, showed no association with heart disease.

But cardiologist Dr Rahul Bahl, of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, also writing in Open Heart, said: ‘There is certainly a strong argument that an over-reliance in public health on saturated fat as the main dietary villain for cardiovascular disease has distracted from the risks posed by other nutrients, such as carbohydrates.

‘Yet replacing one caricature with another does not feel like a solution.’

Professor Tom Sanders, of King’s College London, said in the 1970-80s the UK and other Western countries were facing an epidemic of coronary heart disease.

He said: ‘It was effectively a policy choice between sitting on the fence and doing nothing or opting to follow what the evidence suggested – that cutting total fat intake would help prevent obesity and reducing saturated fat would lower blood cholesterol.

Anyway it seems to have turned out okay… between 1997 and 2007/8 cardiovascular disease mortality under the age of 75 years fell by 55 per cent.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

SporT 41 Page

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY

17, 2015

Meadows wins seventh British Indoor title at Sheffield >>>Pg 44

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Don’t ignore football for politics, LMC warns governors

League players

By Albert Akota

T

he League Management Company (LMC) has drawn the attention of state governments that fund Nigeria Premier League Clubs to the need to provide the clubs’ Management needed funds to prepare for and participate in the 2014/15 football league season scheduled to kick off March 7.

In a recent interview, the out-going Chairman of the league body, Nduka Irabor, said the LMC recognizes that elec-

tion campaigns have occupied the time of most political office holders including the respective state Governors but pleaded that they should also consider the exigency of the clubs meeting the requirements which includes financial to participate in the league.

“The feelers that we are getting right now is that officials are neck-deep into campaigning, please if you are serious about professional football all these proprietors who happen to be the State Governments should make out time and give the clubs

CAF CL: We are through to second round - Enyimba >>>Pg 42

money they need to prepare,” Irabor said.

The LMC has led an advocacy for expanded revenue generation by clubs and championed a switch to Community Ownership of Clubs from the government funding that has seemingly not met requirements for the business side of football.

“We know the peculiar environment we operate in, we do not have the best infrastructure and we do not have the best funding system for our clubs but we do hope those who own these clubs live up to their responsibil-

ity and make funds available to the clubs,” Irabor added.

Speaking about the clubs that will represent Nigeria in continental tournaments, Irabor said the LMC is confident the teams will do well.

He also charged the clubs to work hard on attracting fans to the stadium as this remains a big revenue option.

“We are talking to the club managers, it is their business, it is their business to earn money…to understand the business side and how it affects them.

Hopefully they will add that

Toure confirms international retirement

point’s beyond game, its entertainment; it ought to be a full entertainment package. Hopefully, they will get it right and begin to add all those elements that make a full entertainment package.

“But (existing) infrastructure doesn’t support providing good entertainment. Abuja stadium is for the elites but how many other venues do we have like this? We need to begin to redesign our infrastructure to suite modern day footballing and entertainment purpose,” he said.

>>>Pg 43

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY

Sport

CAF CL: We are through to second round - Enyimba

17, 2015

Eaglets begin competition in grand style

By Albert Akota

N

igeria made a perfect start to the 2015 African U17 Championship with a 2-0 victory over hosts Niger at the 30,000 capacity Stade Général Seyni Kountché (SGSK) on Sunday.

It was a perfect start for the Golden Eaglets who were dominant in the opening match of the 11th edition of the cadet competition.

Enterprising Victor Osimhen put the Nigerians ahead in the 19th minute with a sublime finish.

The two-time winners

proved strong in midfield and were untroubled by Niger.

With twelve minutes to spare in the first half, team captain Kelechi Nwakali added the second to put the match beyond the hosts.

Nigeria has taken a huge step in their quest to reach the semi finals of the competition.

The African U-17 Championship will take place in Niger from 15th February to 1st March 2015.

The semi-finalists from the eight-nation tournament will qualify to the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile.

Enyimba vs Buffles

E

nyimba chairman Felix AnyansiAgwu and Coach Kadiri Ikhana have assured the club are through to the next round of 2015 CAF Champions League after they beat Buffles du Borgou 3-0.

The packed Enyimba International Stadium in Aba had to endure a long spell of anxious moments as the largely unknown Benin side held on for almost the duration of the

match after falling behind to a Daniel Etor’s 8th minute goal.

But they later capitulated through two late strikes by Kingsley Sokari and Peter Onyekachi in the 85th and 90th minutes after Nzube Anaezemba missed from the spot on 80 minutes.

“No doubt the fact that the league has yet to start affected the rhythm of our game to avery large extent.

However, we showed great

determination and desire to win which gave us the victory,” said Ikhana.

“I don’t see our opponents defeating us in the return leg because, before now, we knew next to nothing about them but with what we have seen of them, I do not see them stopping us from qualifying for next round of the competition.”

Anyansi added: “I knew it was going to be a difficult match due to the fact that

they know much of us while we knew little about them.

“I was very confident we will win by three goals even when the goals refused to come till the last five minutes when we scored two of the goals.

“We are going to Benin for a win. This is not a team who could threaten us.

We shall take the teams as they come with our target being the last four of the competition and from there anything goes.”

Eaglets, Guinea eye semi final ticket

Osimhen

Emordi satisfied with Kano Pillars’ victory

Emordi

K Amuneke

By Albert Akota

G

olden Eaglets and Guinea started the 11th African U17 Championship with a win, Nigeria down host, Niger with a 2-0 win while Guinea secured a lone goal victory over Zambia in Group A.

With a guaranteed World Cup ticket for the semi-finalist at Niger 2015, the clash between Nigeria and Guinea on Wednesday will set a semifinal tone for the winner.

Both teams are on three points each so a win for either side will put them in six points and a secured spot in the semi-

final which tantamount to a World Cup ticket in Chile later on this year.

The Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke’s reaction after the victory showed that the Eaglets are ready to come all out in their next match with an intention to score plenty goals..

“The most important

thing in football today is to win. It was important for us to win our first game.

We took our chances and defended well. Now we have to see how we can grow from strength to strength,”Amuneke stated.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will battle Guinea on Wednesday.

ano Pillars coach has described their 2-0 win over Al-Malakia of South Sudan in the first preliminary round game of the CAF Champions League as satisfactory.

Goals from Gambo Mohamed and Christian Obiozor sealed an important away win for the Nigerian champions, and their coach, Okey Emordi has expressed his thoughts.

“It is just the first game of the competition, so it was nice seeing the players play as well as they did.”

It was Kano Pillars’ first game in this season’s

competition, and their first away win in the competition in four years, but Emordi says they are not getting carried away by the feat.

“We cannot afford to get carried away and I have already said that to the players and they understand. It was only our first game and not even the second leg.

“We know we still have a long way to go because the target is to get to the group stage and continue to make progress.”

Pillars were semi finalists in 2009, losing both legs to their Nigerian rivals Heartland.

Peoples Daily, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY

Sport

17, 2015

Shakhtar Donetsk ponder Bayern Munich fall

T

he Spaniard saw the Bundesliga champions return to top form with Saturday’s 8-0 hammering of Hamburg, claiming his side are now “back in the groove” following a sluggish return after the winter break Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller both grabbed braces at the Allianz Arena to help set Bayern up for their return to European action.

The Ukrainian champions have not beaten Bundesliga opposition at home in the Champions League since 1980, and Philipp Lahm knows his side “have to make the next round”.

Guardiola could see Xabi Alonso (hamstring) join

Shakhtar Donetsk striker Luiz Adriano

Lahm (ankle), Javi Martinez (knee) and Thiago Alcantara (knee) on the sidelines but still has plenty of strength in his squad.

The cause for Mircea Lucescu’s hosts will also likely be made all the more tricky by the fact that they have not played a competitive fixture since December’s 1-1 draw with Porto.

Shakhtar without suspended midfielder Taras Stepanenko - do not get their domestic title defence back under way until later this month but Luiz Adriano, the Champions League’s leading goalscorer this season with nine, is confident there will be no signs of rustiness from his team-mates.

Bayern have not found Ukraine a happy hunting ground in recent years, with just one win, one draw and three defeats from their visits to the country.

Lucescu’s side have also been given backing by former player Henrikh Mkhitaryan to cause an upset.

He has witnessed firsthand the quality that Bayern have at their disposal, and the Borussia Dortmund playmaker feels his former club have the capabilities to take a positive result into the second leg in Munich on March 11.

Ibrahimovic is not selfish anymore, says Drogba

PAGE 43

Toure confirms international retirement

Kolo Toure

L

iverpool defender Kolo Toure has confirmed his retirement from international football with Ivory Coast, a week after helping the Elephants to a Nations Cup triumph.

The 33-year had indicated that the recent competition in Equatorial Guinea would be his last for his country.

Toure, who made his debut against Rwanda in April 2000, played

in all six matches as the Ivorians secured their second African title after a dramatic 9-8 penalty shootout win over Ghana in the final.

Toure was part of Ivory Coast’s 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cup squads, but played in only one match at last summer’s finals in Brazil, in the final group game against Greece.

He also played in seven Africa Cup of Nations,

losing two finals on penalties - to Egypt in 2006 and to Zambia in 2012.

“Sometimes it plays in your mind, but with this incredible success you have to forget the past and enjoy the moment,” he said.

The veteran defender says he wants to bring an end to his 15-year international career by leaving the current Ivory Coast manager boss Herve

Renard with a smile and not a major headache as he searches for his successor.

Having begun his career at ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan, Toure moved to Arsenal in 2002 and was part of the ‘Invincibles’ side who went through the whole season unbeaten in 2003/4.

He was signed by Manchester City in 2009 before joining Liverpool on a free transfer last summer.

Champions League: Chelsea faces PSG’s test today

T Drogba

C

helsea striker Didier Drogba believes Paris Saint-Germain star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has changed for the better since shedding his selfish streak on the pitch.

The Sweden international has developed into the Ligue 1 champions’ undisputed star player since joining them from AC Milan in 2012 and Drogba has hailed the way the 33-year-old has matured over the years.

Ibrahimovic received his fair share of criticism in the early years of his career at Ajax for his tendency to chase individual glory rather than play for the team, while he was unable to make an impact at Barcelona as Pep

Guardiola felt his style of play did not suit his philosophy.

Drogba then went on to stress that Chelsea should not underestimate PSG in their Champions League round of 16 tie, irrespective of the Ligue 1 side’s injury problems, which sees them go into the game without Lucas Moura, Marquinhos, Yohan Cabaye and Serge Aurier.

The two sides met in the quarter-finals of the competition in 2013-14, with Chelsea eventually progressing to the final four.

The Premier League side were beaten 3-1 in Paris in the first leg, only to record a 2-0 win at home and advance on away goals.

hiago Silva has urged Paris Saint-Germain fans to stir up an intimidating atmosphere when the injury-hit Ligue 1 champions attempt to gain Champions League revenge over Chelsea.

A late Demba Ba goal at Stamford Bridge ensured Chelsea knocked PSG out of the competition on away goals at the quarter-final stage last April.

Laurent Blanc’s side held a 3-1 lead after the first leg at the Parc des Princes but the current Premier League leaders produced a stirring second-leg fightback and progressed courtesy of goals from Andre Schurrle and Ba both of whom have since left the club.

PSG’s preparations for Tuesday’s first leg of the round-of-16 tie in the French capital were rocked by a dramatic 2-2 home draw with Caen on Saturday, which could prove costly in the Ligue 1 title race and also leaves Blanc with a depleted

squad.

David Luiz scored an own goal when Chelsea were beaten in Paris last season and the Brazil defender will hope to find the back of the Chelsea net again after leaving the London club to join PSG in a big-money move back in June.

Chelsea make the trip to France after a weekend off having been dumped out of the FA Cup by Bradford City in January and they will be striving to end PSG’s 32-game unbeaten home record in Uefa competition.

Mourinho’s side hold a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League and are in the hunt for three trophies, as the Portuguese attempts to become the first manager to win the Champions League with three clubs.

Chelsea, who has reached the last eight of the Champions League in six of the last eight seasons, will check on the fitness of midfielder John Obi Mikel (knee).

Silva

Peoples Daily, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY

Sport

PAGE 44

17, 2015

Flanagan earns world title shot after Ormond’s defeat

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ritish champion Terry Flanagan has earned a world title shot after taking the WBO European lightweight crown.

The 25-year-old beat Ireland’s Stephen Ormond, 31, in a world title eliminator in Wolverhampton on Saturday, by virtue of disqualification for head

butting.

It sets the Manchesterbased fighter up for a title bout with either Juan Diaz or Takahiro Ao this summer.

The WBO title is vacant with reigning champion Terence Crawford soon to step up to light welterweight.

Meadows wins seventh British Indoor title at Sheffield

J

enny Meadows won the 800 metres at the British Indoor Championships in Sheffield.

The 2011 European indoor champion, 33, clocked two minutes 1.43 seconds for her seventh title at the event.

She will be joined at next month’s European Indoor

Championships in Prague

by Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, who finished second in a personal best 2:02.91.

Laura Muir, 21, took the women’s 1,500m gold in 4:13.06, while Nigel Levine won the men’s 400m title for a record fifth successive time.

He clocked 46.86 seconds to meet the

Lawrie claims fizzy drinks battle behind slump

Lawrie

P

eter Lawrie says he suffered a huge slump in form while trying to address what he calls a fizzy drinks addiction.

The Irishman said he was drinking several litres of cola a day and had a near breakdown when he tried to quit.

Lawrie slumped from just outside the world’s top

100 players to a ranking of 896 at the end of 2014, such was his dramatic dip in form.

Lawrie, who has one win on the European Tour - claiming the Open de Espana in 2008 - has made the cut in his last three starts and finished tied for 16th at last week’s Malaysia Open, his best result since the Irish Open.

European qualifying standard, as did Allan Smith in the high jump with a personal best 2.29m and Serita Solomon in the 60m hurdles with 8.04secs.

World junior 800m silver medallist Jessica Judd, 20, finished third in 9:09.67 and world silver medallist Hannah England was sixth.

Jersey’s Commonwealth

Games finalist Zane Duquemin successfully defended his shot put title with a winning throw of 17.72m, while Guy Learmonth took the men’s 800m title in 1:49:00.

The European Indoor Championships in Prague will take place between Friday 6 March and Sunday 8 March.

NBA All-Star Game: West beats East in highestscoring game

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u s s e l l Westbrook led Western Conference to a 163-158 victory over Eastern Conference in the highest scoring NBA All-Star Game in history.

Oklamhoma City point guard Westbrook, 26, hit 41 points to claim Most Valuable Player honours, with LeBron James topscoring for East with 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The mid-season exhibition showcases star players from both NBA conferences.

The 64th edition of the event saw a number

of point-scoring records broken in an attacking game that had little emphasis on defence.

Westbrook’s 27 firsthalf points were the most ever in an All-Star half and Western Conference’s 25 three-pointers were the most for one team in an All-Star game, as was the combined total of 48 for both teams.

Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, 30, surpassed Michael Jordan on the all-time All-Star scoring list and is now just two points away from equalling Kobe Bryant’s record of 280 career AllStar Game points.

Terry Flanagan and Stephen Ormond

Wawrinka beats Berdych at Rotterdam final

Wawrinka

S James

witzerland’s Stan Wawrinka came from a set down to beat last year’s winner Tomas Berdych in the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament final in Rotterdam.

The fourth seed and world number eight won 4-6 6-3 6-4 against the Czech, one place above him in the world rankings.

It was Wawrinka’s sixth straight win against Berdych and the ninth title of his career.

The Swiss, 29, secured

a break at the end of the second, went 4-1 up in the third and survived a late fightback.

Berdych, 29, bidding for this 11th career title, saved one match point when serving at 5-3 down, before Wawrinka clinched victory at the next opportunity on his own serve.

Britain’s Jamie Murray and Australian partner John Peers were beaten in the final of the doubles 3-6 6-3 10-8 by third seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY

Sport

17, 2015

Page 45

P-i-c-t-o-r-i-a-l

1Wales boss Warren Gatland says Scotland fly-half Finn Russell could have been red carded for upending Dan Biggar in the visitors’ 26-23 win in Edinburgh.

2.Eden Hazard says Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants him to score as many goals as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

1

3.Welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather says he is “hopeful” of a fight with Manny Pacquiao, but a deal is yet to be agreed.

4. Enyimba beat Buffles du Borgu from Benin Republic Sunday in a CAF Champions League preliminary round match at home.

5. Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has voiced his admiration for Lionel Messi in the wake of his recordbreaking performance against Levante.

2

3

4 5

PAGE 46

Peoples Daily, TUESday, FEBRuary

Sport

17, 2015

Good footballers are prone to injuries, says Michael

Michael

S

uper Eagles midfielder Babatunde Michael has been out of his club’s recent games.

The 22-year old has suffered several injuries since breaking

his wrist at the last FIFA World Cup, and continues to suffer more setbacks.

In this exclusive interview, the Volyn Lutsk midfielder spoke to SL10.ng of his injury woes.

He also speaks on reports linking him to several other clubs outside Ukraine, and he also talks about the Super Eagles. Enjoy.

Hello Michael, thank you for giving us your time. How

are you doing?

I’m good. I thank God for the gift of life, but just been battling injuries.

I was going to ask you that. How has it been struggling with the injuries?

It’s not been funny I must tell you. I am a professional footballer and all I want is to be on the pitch doing what I know best, but the injuries won’t allow.

It has been a difficult period for me obviously, but I am really hoping and praying that I recover fully soon.

You seem to suffer these setbacks when you’re on your way to full recovery.

What’s the problem?

It is quite unfortunate to be honest. The other time I recovered and returned to training, only for me to get injured again a day before a match.

The doctors are doing their best but I just don’t want to rush it again. They have advised that I take my time for it to heal properly and that is what I’m doing. I will be back soon though.

A lot of people believe Nigeria would have been successful at the Africa Cup of Nations if they had qualified, do you agree with that?

Yeah, sure. The teams have given their best, but we would have done better had we qualified.

I think it would have been a big opportunity to retain the title if we had qualified. But it’s unfortunate that we did not, so have to look forward now, and focus on the next edition.

The qualifiers will start soon, so that should be the focus now.

What do you make of reports linking you with clubs outside of Ukraine?

I heard about them. But I just have to focus on my team for now.

If a bigger club comes in with a bigger offer and if they agree terms with Volyn, then I’ll move.

But for now, my concentration is on helping my team do well and hopefully things will get better.

Thank you so much for your time.

You’re welcome.

PAGE 47

Peoples Daily, tuesDAY, february 17, 2015

Some Interesting Facts

T

oilets in Australia flush counter clockwise.

315 words in the 1996 Webster’s dictionary were misspelled.

If you are locked in a completely sealed room, you will die of carbon dioxide poisoning first before you will die of oxygen deprivation.

If you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on your right side. Awesome! If you are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on your left side If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. For when a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.

Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying. Interesting!!

Your tongue is germ free only if it is pink. If it is white there is a thin film of bacteria on it.

5. The Mercedes-Benz motto is ‘Das Beste oder Nichts’ meaning ‘the best or nothing’. Cool!!

6. The Titanic was

Leisure

the first ship to use the SOS signal. Amazing 7. The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing. Interesting!!

The average person who stops smoking requires one hour less sleep a night.

Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day.

Say what?

SUDOKU SUDOKU EASY 246

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Friends like these: Daphne walks fearlessly up to a group of African elephants (warning: don’t try this at home) and one solitary zebra.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

tuesday, february 17, 2015

SPORTS latest

Champions League: Mikel ruled out of PSG clash today

N

igerian and Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel, has been ruled out of Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League clash between his club and French giants Paris Saint Germain.

Mikel was conspicuously missing in training on Monday as his Chelsea teammates rounded off preparations before they set out to Paris for the crucial Round of 16 tie against PSG. According to information on Chelsea’s official website, Mikel was yet to fully recover from a knock on his knee which he copped in the win against Aston Villa few weeks back.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc will be growing grey hairs following injury concerns for both Yohan Cabaye and Marquinhos who had to be taken off in Saturday’s Ligue 1 clash against Caen.

Also Serge Aurier could not complete the game either as he limped off the pitch in the 71st minute, before Lucas joined him on the sidelines with a groin problem.

All the four players are likely to miss out today while Javier Pastore is also doubtful with a thigh injury.

John Obi Mikel

Advert: 0806 business: 0704 news: 0814 lagos: 0805 0803

QUOTABLE QUOTE When the APC presidential candidate [Muhammadu Buhari] recently visited Christian leaders from the North-east, [he] showed every Nigerian that peaceful co-existence is possible. They even presented him with a gift of the Bible which he accepted. He never said he was a Muslim and would not take it.

– Vice President Muhammad Namadi Sambo

The A B C of perjury W

hat is ‘perjury’? The ‘Black’s Law Dictionary’ defines it as: “The act or an instance of a person’s deliberately making MATERIAL false or misleading statements while under oath”. But Rupert Cross and Philip Jones in their Fifth Edition of ‘An Introduction to Criminal Law’ are even more detailed. They define it in relation to a person lawfully sworn, who “WILFULLY makes a (MATERIAL) statement which he (either) KNOWS to be FALSE or (he) DOES NOT BELIEVE to be TRUE”.

Meaning that a person lawfully sworn can ‘willfully’ make a statement which although is true in all material sense, but may be proved by evidence that at the time he was deposing to that statement, he did not believe it to be true. He will be guilty of perjury (lying under oath).

An ‘affidavit’ is defined as a “voluntary declaration of facts written down and sworn (usually to the best of the knowledge of the declarant who is also known as the deponent) before an officer authorized to administer oaths, such as a notary public”.

The offence of perjury is committed by either a ‘witness’ or an ‘interpreter’ in a judicial proceeding before a judge or by any person in an affidavit of document (as defined above) sworn for the purpose of judicial proceeding. And by ‘judicial proceeding’ is meant any such proceeding either before a court or a tribunal or simply whenever a statement “is made before (any) one authorized to administer oaths -as in the case of affidavit of document. Thus a statement made before anyone who is authorized to administer oaths (as in affidavit of document) may be treated as made in a judicial proceeding.

It is prima facie (on the surface) perjury when what has been deposed to is later proved in evidence to be false; -and is thus, in law, a misdemeanor or a crime less serious than felony(e.g. murder) and can fetch the offender 7 years imprisonment with or without a fine. Nonetheless proving the offence of ‘perjury’ before a judge is not in all cases as the Americans would say, ‘a piece of cake’. Proving perjury is not as easy as simply proving that the accused has made a statement under oath and that statement is found to be ‘false’.

In fact being a criminal offence, the proof of perjury is equally as demanding as the proof of any other criminal offence under the law because the ‘standard of proof’ is equally ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’

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TuesDAY Column Mohammed Adamu (08035892325 sms only)

dankande2@gmail.com -not merely that it has been proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that an accused’s statement in an affidavit is ‘FALSE’, but that in spite of its falsity, there is proof beyond reasonable doubt that it is tantamount to perjury or that it is not; not merely that it has been proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that the accused’s statement in the affidavit is ‘TRUE’, but that in spite of its TRUISM, there is proof beyond reasonable doubt that it is tantamount to perjury or that it is not. That is the fluid nature of this specie of crime (perjury). It is proved as much by true statements as by untrue ones.

Thus first and foremost to prove perjury, any statement alleged to have been ‘falsely’ sworn to, whether by a ‘witness’ or an ‘interpreter’ or by any person in an affidavit of document, must be proved to have been duly made before the relevant authority (that is before a court, a tribunal or an oath officer) or else the offence of perjury cannot be proved upon it.

Secondly to prove the offence of perjury any such ‘false statement’ must be ‘MATERIAL’ “to any question… in that proceeding”; ‘materiality’ in this case being ‘relevance’. For example, in ‘R versus Baker’ an accused was charged with selling beer without a license and who denied on oath that on a previous occasion he had instructed his solicitor to plead guilty to a similar charge. The court held that the denial (on oath) that he had previously instructed his solicitor to plead guilty to a similar charge, was ‘material’ to the current proceeding because it affected his credibility as a witness.

However if a candidate for any election affirms in an affidavit that he possess a qualifying School Certificate, the original of which ‘to the best of his knowledge’ was in the custody of his former employer, and his employer denied such custody, the question will then arise: which of the claims in the accused’s affidavit will be ‘materially relevant’ in a proceeding on a charge of perjury? Is it the claim that ‘falsely’ attributed custody of the certificate to his former employer or is it that which impliedly

asserts that he has a certificate (even if disputed)?

The former is materially irrelevant in a proceeding which impugns his qualification to contest since the fact of the controversial ‘certificate’ being in the custody of his former employer or not is NOT the essential qualifying criteria for electoral contest; rather it is the proof of the existence of a certificate (wherever it may be) that is.

If it is proved that he has a certificate (wherever it may be in the material time), it then obviates the fact that he has nothing to gain ‘lying’ about the custody of the original. Conversely if it is proved that there was neither a certificate anywhere nor any basis for believing that there should be a certificate somewhere, then a portent ground for perjury can exists.

Thirdly to prove perjury, any ‘false statements’ by an accused person must not only have been ‘WILFULLY’ made by him but it must be shown that irrespective of whether the statements are true or false, at least he (the deponent) does not believe them to be true. This is why Cross And Jones in their definition of perjury refer to “a person lawfully sworn, who “WILFULLY makes a (MATERIAL) statement which he (either) KNOWS to be FALSE or (he) DOES NOT BELIEVE to be TRUE”.

Mere “inadvertence” will not suffice to prove that a person has lied on oath (who when he was taking that oath believed wholeheartedly that what he was deposing to was true) even if it turned out to be false. And thus the question will arise whether the candidate who claimed his certificate was in the custody of his former employer (when in actual fact it was not), could he have ‘willfully’ made that claim believing it to be ‘false’ or believing it to be ‘true’? Herein lies what is perjurious from what is not. Mere inadvertence’ in willfully believing a thing to be true which turns out not to be true, will not find an accused guilty of perjury.

For example if our candidate for election was misled ‘inadvertently’, by a general

belief held mostly amongst former compatriots of his that all certificates of serving and retired personnel were in the custody of their former employer, such an accused person would not have perjured for the reason that he willfully affirmed on such inadvertent belief.

Fourthly, no accused person can be convicted of perjury or any kindred offences unless there is corroborative evidence proving that the falsity of a statement by him is borne out of a deliberate misrepresentative mind. For example where there is evidence that proves that a person deposed to an affidavit affirming a particular state of affairs but which, before that affirmation, he had believed differently.

In ‘R v Hook’, the accused had sworn in a judicial proceeding that he did not see anyone leaving a certain public house after 11 o’clock on a particular night.

However three witnesses gave evidence to the effect that the accused had told them (before the oath) that he had seen four men leave the public house after 11 o’clock on the night in question.

And other witnesses also proved that four men did leave the house at that material time.

If we concede, without admitting, that our candidate’s original certificate truly was not with his former employer (but which he had affirmed it was), it must be proved by corroborative evidence that he knew this state of affairs not to be true at the time he was swearing to assert it as true.

Our candidate will not be guilty of perjury for the mere ‘inadvertence’ in believing, to the best of his knowledge, that his original certificate was with his former employer; even if, in fact, it was not!

DAN GAYE Obasanjo finally dumps PDP – News

I thought he had quit since

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