Friday, January 20, 2017 Edition

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Friday, January 20, 2017 / Rabi’ul Thani 21, 1438 AH

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Fuel: N145 per litre remains - NNPC

Police storm Premium Times, arrest publisher, reporter

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Gambia:

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Vol. 25 No. 20 N150

Why we won’t release Zakzaky - Presidency >> pg 3

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Jammeh era over - Barrow As new president takes oath in Senegal UN backs ECOWAS military action

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President Muhammadu Buhari departs Abuja for UK on 10 days leave from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

1012 Days after The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Osinbajo steps in as Buhari leaves for vacation pAGE 4

Summons: NASS perfects plans to jail ministers

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

News CONTENTS News 2-10 Editorial 111 Op.Ed 13 Letters 14 Politics 15-18 Business Stockwatch

19-22 23

S/Report 24-25 Property 27

Accidental bombing: Death toll rises to 54 From Mustapha Maiduguri

Isah

Kwaru,

T

he death toll in the Air Force misfire on Rann, Borno State rose by two as additional casualties were recorded at hospitals in Maiduguri.

Going by the death toll initially given by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Doctors Without Borders of 52, the figure has now risen to 54.

In an update in Maiduguri, the Borno State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia said hospitals in the Borno State capital have discharged five hospitalized victims even though two died out of the 80 severely injured victims moved from Rann in Kala-Balge

to the town by the United Nations Humanitarian Air Services and the Nigerian Air Force.

He disclosed that both provided seven helicopters for the evacuation that ended on Thursday.

Mshelia, said the State Specialist Hospital currently has 68 of the victims after those initially hospitalized at the military hospital at 7 Division of the Nigerian Army were all moved to the State Specialist Hospital on Thursday. He noted that five victims are at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, (UMTH) bringing the figure to 73 persons.

He said two of the victims were unfortunately loss, one died at the State Specialist Hospital while

the other died at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

He said: “Happily, five have been discharged by doctors after they were certified to have fully recovered. We are also hopeful that all the rest will be fine by the grace of God, Nigerians should pray for their speedy recovery.”

Mshelia, however, said 42 victims with minor injuries still remained in Rann given the fact that medical teams from the MSF, the ICRC and the State Government and other partners have enough medical supplies and health workers which make them capable of addressing their health needs.

The Commissioner lauded the efforts of the MSF, the ICRC and

the UN for their extraordinary commitment to meeting the emergency humanitarian needs of the victims.

On the total death toll, Mshelia said it will be announced soon after all stakeholders harmonize their records based on number of bodies buried and those recovered.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it has set up a board to investigate Tuesday’s bombing of an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Rann, a remote village of Borno state by one of its fighter jets.

Spokesman of the Nigeria Airforce Force, Ayodele Famuyiwa, a group captain, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

Mr. Famuyiwa said the investigation board consisting of senior officers had been mandated “to investigate the accidental air strike on 17 January 2017 at Rann, Borno State”.

Motoring 28 Arts 30

L-R: Gov Simon Lalong of Plateau State with the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Plateau State Chapter, Comrade Jibrin Bancir, during a visit to the Governor at the Government House, yesterday in Jos. Photo: NAN

Give us value for our patronage, Dogara tells Chinese Govt Metro

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Int’l 39 S/World

39

Digest 40 Sports 41 Columnist 48

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Buhari, service chiefs in closed door meeting

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resident Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, met behind closed doors with service chiefs, before his departure to London on a 10-day vacation.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, a general, said the service chiefs updated the president on the country’s military operations at home and

abroad.

He said they specifically briefed him on the involvement of Nigerian troops in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Standby Force for the Gambian crisis.

“The meeting was to give Mr. President an update on our operations within and outside the country especially our involvement in the ECOWAS Standby Force that is being inducted into Senegal so that the

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”

mandate of Gambia’s PresidentElect is respected and sworn in.’’

Mr. Olonishakin said the operational mandate of the Nigerian Army in the ECOWAS Standby Force was in line with the decision of the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS with regard to the mandate of Gambia’s President-elect, Adama Barrow.

He assured that the Nigerian Army would ensure that the decision of the people of the

OUR PEOPLE Chairman Malam Wada Maida, OON, Fnge Chief Operating Officer Ali M. Ali Editor, Daily Hameed M. Bello Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji

Gambia was respected.

Answering a question about his vacation, President Muhammadu Buhari said there was nothing new about it.

The president, who was about boarding the presidential jet en route London, reminded journalists that at about the same time in 2016, he had gone on holiday.

“What’s wrong with going on vacation? Didn’t I go last year at the same time?’’ he asked.

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

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

News

Ag News Editor Ese Awhotu

Recession: We must live within our means – Adeosun

By Ochiaka Ugwu

T

o remain afloat in this economic difficulty, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has advised Nigerians to live within their means.

Adeosun who gave the admonition during the 14th Daily Trust Dialogue with the theme “Beyond Recession: Towards A Resilient Economy” in Abuja, said the economy is rebuilding from tough challenges occasioned by rising dept profile and depreciated oil price.

She informed that recurrent expenditure took almost 90 percent

of the annual budget before they came into government, and the present government was able to reduce it to 70 percent and thereby increasing capital expenditure to 30 percent through due diligent and planning.

Adesoun while noting that falling oil price affected government cash flow which in turn led to slow pace of development, stated that poor infrastructure is holding the nation back given the fact that our past resources was mismanaged by successive administrations.

The former Ogun State Finance Commissioner revealed that the

present administration is building an economy that will guarantee the future of our children. She also stressed the need for financial discipline among Nigerians, saying it is the only thing that will bring the much needed economic development.

Adeosun debunked the claim that Nigeria is an oil rich nation, stating that Nigeria with almost 188 million people produces approximately 2.2 million barrel per day while Saudi Arabia with 40 million population produces over 10 million barrel per day.

She concluded by assuring that 2017 will witness a great improvement

in infrastructure and in non oil sector of the economy to drive the much need economic growth in all sectors.

In his opening remark, Chairman of the occasion, Chief Philip Asiodu thanked Daily Trust for choosing an important topic that borders on the economy of the nation and for constituting great individuals of letters as presenters in its dialogue which he said wouldn’t have come at a better time than this, when the nation was trying to rebound economically.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Board, Daily Trust, Malam Kabiru Yususf in his welcome address said

the theme was chosen to reflect the economic realities of the moment, asking rhetorically whether Nigeria as a nation is rising or sinking?

Chairman of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Atedo Peterside in his presentation pointed that the present government is reluctant to break from the past stressing the need for positive action which he said must be done for us to make any meaningful progress as a nation.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara pledged to support legislations that will encourage economic growth.

Reps urge FG to establish crèche facilities in govt offices

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T Front row: Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari (3rd,L); Co-Chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates (3rd ,R); wife of the Governor of Imo and Chairperson of APC Governors Wives Forum, Mrs. Nkechinyere Okorocha (2nd, R); and wives of other State Governors after a meeting with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Give us value for our patronage, Dogara tells Chinese Govt

Jos: NSCDS arrests 4 for illegal mining

By Umar Muhammad Puma

This is a responsibility we owe to or people and that which you owe to the people of China.”

While expressing gratitude for the several support offered to Nigerian, including the war on terrorism, he also assured the Chinese delegation that the House of Representatives will support the executive’s agreement on ‘One China’.

The speaker also expressed gratitude to the People’s Republic of China for supporting Nigeria’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

T

By Lawrence Olaoye

colleagues, family and friends of the legal luminary in commemorating the unique milestone, which by all standards, has been preceded with years of service to his fatherland and humanity, culminating in the prestigious national awards of the Commander Order of the Niger and Grand Commander Order of the Niger.

He wrote “As a public servant, who variously served as a Judge, Chief

T

he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has charged the Chinese Government to give the required value for projects for which Nigeria has taken huge loans , saying that only then will the high debt profile owed China be justified.

The speaker, who made this statement when he received the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Deng Boqing, in the National Assembly, also disclosed that though there have been concerns about the rising profile of debt owed by Nigeria to China, it will all be for good if the assets for which they were acquired are delivered for the benefit of Nigerians.

“There have been concerns about the debt hangover that perhaps we may leave it for generations to come.

But I always say that doesn’t matter if debt is left for posterity as long as we have the assets on ground,” Dogara said, adding that the Chinese Government must ensure that “projects are delivered to prevent future generations from losing faith in the relations between Nigeria and China.

From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDS) in Plateau State has apprehended four persons for carrying out illegal mining activities around the Lamingo dam, in Jos North local government area of the State.

According to the state NSCDC Public Relations Officer Naomi Cishak, the corps also arrested three suspects for vandalising a GSM mast around Zarmaganda, in Jos South and are to be charged to

court.

Chishak warned residents to desist from mining around the Lamingo Dam which she said was detrimental to the health of all residents of Jos city and stressed that the NSCDC will intensify efforts to arrest such illegal miners.

The Acting General Manager, Plateau State Water Board Lambert Gonzuk said due to the mining activities, the board had already commenced increasing the treatment chemicals in the water to make it safe.

he House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to establish crèche facilities in government buildings to support nursing mothers in its employment in order to set example for private sector employers.

The House in a motion sponsored

by Rep. Sergious Ogun (PDP-Edo) noted that the importance of a mother’s love and attention to a new born baby cannot be over emphasised and a plethora of scientific studies had confirmed the fact.

Ogun explained that no nation can strive to really develop if it failed to take into cognizance, the importance of its female workforce and the physical/mental development of infants and children.

According to Ogun, “very few government agencies have made provisions for creche facilities for babies in their offices which greatly hampers the ability of female staff who are nursing mothers.

The House further mandated it committees on Public Service and Governmental Affairs to ensure implementation and report back within eight weeks for further legislative input.

Buhari congratulates Belgore at 80

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated erudite lawyer, administrator and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Salihu Modibo Alfa Belgore, on his 80th birthday.

The President, in a statement made available to newsmen by his Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, joined all professional

Judge, Justice of the Court of Appeal, before being elevated to the Supreme Court Bench in 1986, from where he reached the pinnacle of his career as Chief Justice of Nigeria, President Buhari believes Justice Belgore’s passion for jurisprudence should continue to inspire the younger generation of lawyers in making the right choices for nation building.”

The President recalled the octogenarian’s versatility in issues of

culture, language and history, and his penchant for research, assuring that the former Chief Justice, who was also Chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, has already booked an honorable place in the history of Nigeria.

He prayed that the almighty God will grant Justice Belgore longer life, good health and more prosperous years to continue in the service of his country.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

News

Buhari proceeds on 10- day vacation *Mandates Osinbajo to take over

By Christiana Ekpa

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari will on Monday, January 23 proceed on a ten-

day working vacation as part of his 2017 annual leave.

This is contained in a letter to the Senate and read by the senate President Bukola Saraki on the

floor of the Senate The letter reads in part: “In compliance with section 145(1) of the 1999 constitution. I want to inform the distinguished senate that I will be away on a ten-

day working day short vacation as part of my 2017 annual leave from Monday 23rd January to Monday 6th February 2017.

“And while I’m away, the Vice

President, Yemi Osinbajo will perform the functions of my office.

“Please accept Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Mpape Killing: Trigger-happy cop gets 12-year jail term Accidental

By Stanley Onyekwere

J

ustice Silvanus C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High court sitting at Apo, Abuja on Wednesday sentenced a police officer, Olotu Owoicho, to twelve (12) years imprisonment for causing the death of one Mrs. Doris Nonye Okere.

The judgment came barely six years after late Mrs. Okere was hit by a bullet released from an AK47 in the hands of Owoicho, a police officer attached with the Police headquarters, but posted to the Mpape branch of Zenith Bank PLC, a suburb of Abuja.

Owoicho, father of four children was arraigned on 28

June, 2011, on two-count charge of culpable homicide punishable with death and also causing grievous by reckless use of firm arm. He pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

However, the court convicted Owoicho, for the offence of culpable homicide not punishable with death (manslaughter) contrary to section 222 (7) of the Penal Code punishable under section 224 thereof which prescribed life imprisonment or lesser term.

Also, the judge found the convict not guilty of culpable homicide punishable with death, as the prosecution had during the trial failed to establish that he intended to cause the death of the

deceased.

After listening to the plea of Owoicho Counsel, Barrister Noah Imoni, urging the court to temper justice with mercy as he had been in prison custody since December 31, 2011 when the incident occurred, the judge sentenced him for the term of 12 years, running retrospectively from 28 June, 2011.

PeoplesDaily recalls that Late Doris, who was a cashier with the then Bank PHB, Wuse zone1 branch, became another victim of the many incidences of extrajudicial killings by some triggerhappy security operatives in the Nigeria, in the excuse of trying to enforce the law.

The incident happened the

early morning of January 31, 2011 when the convict, of the Squadron 44, who was the chief security officer in charge of all security operatives in the bank, opened fire on a taxi conveying the deceased to her work place when her son was barely eleven months old.

Owoicho, was said to had reacted angrily by firing bullets at vehicle when the driver allegedly ignored his warning not to make a U-turn around the vicinity of the bank; and the bullets from his gun instantly snuffed the life out of late Doris, an incident which aggravated sympathizers who besieges the bank and set it ablaze.

L-R: Representative of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Ustaz Isa Okonkwo, Representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Peter Ogunmuyiwa, Charge the affaires, Tolerance Programme, U.S. Embassy, Mr. David Young, Imam Interfaith Mediation Centre, Mohammed Ashafa, o-Executive Director, Chief of Party, Interfaith Mediation Centre, Dr. James Wuye and Imam OF FCDA Mosque, Imam Abdullahi Karshi, during a round table discussion by Nigerian religious leaders at the U.S. Embassy, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

bomb: Death of IDPs, aid workers, a monumental loss – Danjuma

By Ese Awhotu

T

he Chairman of the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI), General TY Danjuma RTD has described as tragic, the death of civilians that occurred due to the accidental bombing by the Nigerian Air Force in Rann, Kala Balge, Borno State.

He said the monumental loss at the camp in Rann, was not only tragic but highly regrettable.

In a statement released by the PCNI ‘s Head of Media and Communications, Alkasim Abdulkadir, he expressed his heartfelt condolences to the people and government of Borno State “Our thoughts and prayers are with IDP families, the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC, Medicines Sans Frontiers MSF, Nigerian Red Cross NRC and other volunteers affected by the illfated incident”.

Danjuma further stated that the protection and stabilization of vulnerable people fleeing the Boko Haram conflict and also safe guarding the lives of aid workers bringing medical and relief items to IDP families remains the utmost concern of government and a thorough investigation will be carried out to avoid similar mishaps in the future.

Abdulkadir Alkassim Head of Communication

We’re committed to promoting religious freedom in Nigeria - US

By Ochiaka Ugwu

T

he United States will partner with Nigeria to promote religious freedom and tolerance, the United States Charge d’ Affaires in Nigeria, Mr. David Young has said.

Mr. Young who made the statement Wednesday in an event to commemorate Religious

Freedom Day in Nile University in Abuja, noted that religious freedom is key to American identity and values.

His words, “We at the U.S. Embassy and U.S Government as a whole are committed to partnering Nigeria to uphold religious freedom. One of the central topics in our conversations, including that

between President Buhari and President Obama has been our support for a holistic effort by the government of Nigeria to counter Boko Haram, a terrorist group which destroys the lives of both Muslims and Christians”.

While admitting that much has changed in America since a former president and one of the founding fathers, Mr. Thomas

Jefferson declared American Independence and the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, he stated that such laws no longer exist.

“Our constitutions- Nigeria and America are united on the this principle. Together we support individuals’ freedom to choose, practice, propagate or

change their religion. However, practicing that constitutional freedom must be a daily and deliberate exercise. There is no room for violence or the threat of it, destruction of property or discrimination in a free society.

And when those violations do occur, they require timely legal action to punish the perpetrators for the crimes committed”.

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

News

Gambia: Jammeh era over -Barrow

By Ese Awhotu with agency report

G

ambia’s president-elect, Adama Barrow has said that the era of incumbent President Yahya Jammeh was over, as he took oath of office as president yesterday in Senegal.

Holding a Qur’an and looking solemn, Barrow was sworn in at the Gambian embassy in Dakar, where he has spent the past few days, and delivered his inaugural speech as president.

According to a port, Barrow told a crowd of official and diplomats that, “This is a day no Gambian will ever forget “This is the first time since the Gambia became independent in 1965 that the Gambia has changed the government through the ballot box.”

The report mentioned sources

•As new president takes oath in office in Senegal •UN backs ECOWAS military action close to the government as saying that Jammeh, who ruled the West African nation for 22 years and tried to extend his tenure despite losing to Barrow, is still in State House in the capital and is attempting to make a last-minute deal to ease his way out.

Earlier this week, he imposed a state of emergency in a final attempt to hang on to power.

Nevertheless, the report said that celebrations in the Gambia began as soon as Barrow had made his speech, with drivers beeping their horns in elation and people leaning out of car windows, waving their arms, in scenes reminiscent of the outpouring of joy after the

election result was announced, shortly before Jammeh rejected it.

Significantly, Barrow called on the UN to enforce his electoral win. “I hereby make a special appeal to Ecowas, AU (African Union) and the UN, particularly the Security Council, to support the government and people of the Gambia in enforcing their will, restore their sovereignty and constitutional legitimacy,” he said.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has unanimously backed ECOWAS efforts to force Gambia’s leader Yahaya Jammeh to hand over power President-elect Adama Barrow.

AFP reports that a resolution drafted by Senegal won the support of all 15 council members including Russia, which stressed that the measure did not formally authorize military action in The Gambia.

This is just as the Nigerian air force began flying over The Gambia, an official said Thursday, as African troops seemed ready to force incumbent Yahya Jammeh to quit after his December election defeat.

Jammeh initially acknowledged president-elect Adama Barrow as the victor in the December vote but later rejected the result.

Police storm Premium Times, arrest publisher

R-L: can President, His Eminence Samson O.A Ayokunle, presenting some publications and books to representative to the governor of Gombe/ secretary to Gombe state gonernment.

Mr. James Pisagir, during the can president visit, yesterday in Gombe. Photo: nan

P

olicemen have stormed the head office of Premium Times in Abuja, arresting the publisher, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, and a female journalist, Evelyn Okakwu.

The arrest is believed to be in connection with a feud between the online newspaper and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Tukur Buratai, according to Premium Times.

The online medium in a report on its website said it had written reports on the planned invitation of Buratai by the Code of Conduct Bureau for asset verification, the disappearance of a high number of soldiers after a Boko Haram attack and an investigation detailing how soldiers allegedly killed a kidnapped pastor and labeled him kidnapper.

The report said the Nigerian Army had last week threatened to take action against the newspaper if it failed to retract the stories.

However, Premium Times responded with a scathing editorial against the army authorities, a move which it said irked the military.

“I confirm that the armed reconnaissance air force are over Gambia,” Nigerian Air Force spokesman Ayodele Famuyiwa told AFP. “They have the capacity to strike.” Famuyiwa said that negotiations were still ongoing with Jammeh, a leader who has ruled the West African country for 22 years.

“What we understand right now is that it appears he’s trying to reconsider his position, he may stand down,” Famuyiwa said, speaking from Abuja.

“But we have our troops there and they are there to enforce the mandate.”

Summons: NASS perfects plan to jail ministers

By Umar Muhammad Puma

M

inisters and other members of the executive face jail, as the National Assembly has perfected plans to throw them into prison should they fail to henceforth honour summons by the legislature.

The reality of this plan manifested yesterday as a Bill that seeks to jail officials of the executive arm of government if

they fail to honour a summon by the legislature has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

However, the bill also recommended an alternative fine of up to N1 million for any official found guilty of contempt of the National Assembly.

The sponsor of the bill, Sunday Karim, said during plenary yesterday said that lawmakers were frustrated by frequent refusal

of members of the executive arm of government, especially ministers and directors-general, to honour invitations of investigative committees in both the Senate and the House.

According to Karim the bill seeks to strengthen the provisions of the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act of 2004 that has been repeatedly defiled by officials of the executive.

His words; “This bill is meant to

assist our oversight functions,” The bill indeed had a smooth sail as two lawmakers, Mohammed Soba and Iduma Igariwey, who were said to have opposed the bill lost out as Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, who presided over legislative activities for the day over ruled them .

Sources close to the senate hinted yesterday that the senate has similarly perfected plans to endorse the bill if passed by the House of Representatives.

Parents, teachers condemn kidnap incident at NTIC, Ogun

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he Parents and Teachers of the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) Ogun State, have condemned the circumstances which lead to the kidnapping of three students of the NTIC School Ogun state, alongside, a Turkish teacher, a Cook, two assistant supervisors and the House Mistress on January 13, 2017.

The NTIC parents and teachers said that they stand resolute in unshaken faith that their daughters and teachers

would return without harm.

This is even as they extended their appreciation to the relevant security agencies for their effort so far.

They made their position known in a statement made available to the Peoples Daily yesterday, saying that, “ We are aware that those behind the evil act have made contacts with some relatives of the victims and we are quite optimistic that the kidnappers would have a change of heart and release from hostage

our daughters and their teachers.

“Much as this is a very trying period for us, our strength is in God for his intervention.

“We also wish to appreciate the efforts of the school management, the state government of Ogun and Lagos in collaboration with Federal Government in ensuring that the students and teachers are set free to reunite with their families in the shortest possible time.

“The school has always taken the security of students and

staff seriously, hence there were resident armed mobile policemen and some internal security officers on ground on the day of the incident.

“The erroneous claim that the school had being warned three weeks before the attack is totally false. Our focus now is the release of our students and staff.

We are not to be drawn into any unproductive arguments.

“Those who claimed to warn the school of imminent attack ought to be suspects of complicity.

9. In order to focus on the effort to free the abducted victims and to show solidarity with them, the school declare a break and this was deliberately twisted to claim parents are withdrawing their children.” .They however, appealed to the press and the general public to disregard most of the rumours currently making the rounds on this unfortunate development, and rely on the police and the school authorities for information on the matter.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

PAGE 6

News

By Christiana Ekpa Ikechukwu Okaforadi

and

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he Senate yesterday, opposed President Muhammadu Buhari’s deployment of Troops to Gambia without approval of the National Assembly.

The Federal Government had deployed Troops to Gambia following President Yahya Jammeh’s refusal to leave office and handover to President-elect, Adama Barrow by January 19.

This followed point of order

by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDPEnugu) who said that President Buhari violated the constitution by deploying troops to Gambia without approval of the National Assembly.

“Section 5 of the constitution says, “subject to the provisions of this constitution, the executive powers of the federation shall be vested in Mr President. ``Section 4 “notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section (a)President shall not declare a state of war between the Federation and another country except with the sanction of a

Senate opposes Buhari deployment of Troops to Gambia resolution of both Houses of the National Assembly sitting in a joint session (b) except with the prior approval of the senate, no member of the armed forces of the federation shall be deployed on combat duty outside Nigeria.

“I am saying this because the happenings in our friendly country in Gambia, the ECOWAS countries have been discussing on this issue on how to ensure that democratic crisis of the people of Gambia are protected.

But to ask that this country will go on a warfare in another country without a recourse to this constitutional provisions is an affront of the 1999 constitution and it is a breach of the constitution and we have fail even when the senate have been cooperating with the executive but let it be on record that if anything of this nature happen

in this country that this national assembly have to be informed properly in writing” The deputy senate President Ike Ekweremadu in his contribution said “War comes in when you are talking about section 5 and the president does not need our approval, he can go to war on our behalf and come back later. But for you to deploy them to Gambia you must seek the approval of the senate.

“Not for today but for future because this is not about us it is about this institution sir. If you look at section 5(4) by the constitution it says “Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the president shall not declare a state of war between the federation and other country except with the sanction of a resolution of both houses of the national assembly

sitting a joint session” The operational one as it affects us here is the (b), except with the prior approval of the senate no member of the armed forces of the federation shall be deployed or combat duty outside Nigeria. This has to do with war and we are not at war with anybody but for you to send the Nigerian armed forces outside Nigeria this senate must be told.

But it is happening in the Gambia they need the approval of the senate because that is not war.

Responding, the senate, Bukola Saraki, cleared the point of order raised by senator Utazi using subsection (4) as well as order 42.

“Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, the president, in consultation with the National Defence Council, may deploy

members of the armed forces of the federation on a limited combat duty outside Nigeria if he is satisfied that the national security is under imminent threat or danger” “Provided that the President shall within seven days of actual combat engagement, seek the consent of the Senate and the senate shall thereafter give or refuse the said consent within fourteen days.

“If Senator Utazi had come under 42 I would allow contribution but I will not allow any contribution because he came under order 43.

The point he has made is noted but the explanation has concerning the constitution also I believe gives room for the president within seven days if such an action to come before

Assistant Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in-charge of Zone “C”, Abubakar Ahmad (Left) being introduce to officers of Adamawa Command of NIS by Comptroller Sule Wunti (2nd, Left), at the Zonal meeting of Comptrollers of Nigeria Immigration Service, yesterday in Yola.

Photo: NAN

El-Rufai launches emergency nutrition for malnourished children Mohammed Ibrahim, Kaduna

K

aduna state government yesterday launched its State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan,KADENAP, to tackle over one million malnourished children in Kaduna, Governor Nasir El’rufai has said.

The governor said that action plan was one of his administration’s step to address hunger and starvation in the state adding that his administration had last year set

aside 300 million naira to take care of 50,000 malnourished children through UNICEF. El-Rufai, called on the people to invest at least 6,000 to 8,000 naira to save a malnourished child: “If a child is not given the right nutrition within the first 1,000 days he or she is most likely to be incapable to think well. A malnourished child may not finish primary school. Investing in the life of malnourished children is to save us from insurgency” the governor

said.

Speaking at the emergency nutrition action plan summit held in Kaduna,the governor’s wife,Hajiya Aisha Garba ElRufai,said in the past pictures of malnourished women and children were seen in distant countries but now the menace has either directly or indirectly within people of the state.

Hajiya El-Rufai, noted that despite Kaduna been ranked as first in the production of maize,

soya,tomato and ginger the state faced with the challenge of using the best natural and human resources to feed people in the most proper and acceptable manner.

El-Rufai’s wife maintained that her concern centred on the helpless women and children who were affected by malnutrition from under nutrition: “Because they more less do not have a choice in this affliction” According to her: “malnutrition strives more in impoverished

homes due to inadequate supply of the balanced diet or inappropriate form of cooking methods leading to the destruction of the nutrients plus lack of knowledge” The National Nutrition Health Survey,NNHS, of 2015 confirms that 42% of children in Kaduna State are termed wasted from acute under nutrition while a further 52.1% of children under 5 years old are termed stunted from chronic under nutrition”

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

News

Zamfara: Police begins crackdown on banned volunteer security groups From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

T

he Zamfara state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shaba Alkali, has reiterated commitments by the Command to enforce the state government order on the ban of volunteer security groups across the 14 local government councils of the state.

Mr. Alkali, who gave the directive while addressing men and officers of the Police at the Bungudu Divisional Police headquarters Tuesday, being part of familiarization tour to the 17 emirate councils of the state, strongly warned to actively scout and arrest all members of the voluntary security organizations.

Mr. Alkali said, the decision by the state government to clear the illegal voluntary movements in the fake name of providing security especially to the most affected communities in the state has become necessary following filthy measures of taking laws into hands against simply suspected cattle rustlers and armed banditry.

“It has been noted that, there were some illegal movements by some members of the public who fiercely embarked upon attacking Fulani communities in the name of fishing out bad eggs, it was against the law and could be described as another form of terrorism in disguise as only court has power to define the fate.

“Again, the nasty action continues exactly when dialogue with the armed bandits has eventually yielded fruitful outcome, peace is returning as numerous markets were opened after became abandoned for some years, farmers were able to move down to forest to freely harvest their farm products”, Alkali stressed.

Earlier, the Emir of Fulani Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru informed that, multitude number Fulani clans who fled his emirate for safety of lives and cattle, have contacted the emirate as preparations for their return to initial settlements reached advanced stage.

The emir further said, his emirate has set up committees that would handle the receipt of the returning Fulani communities, adding that, “The committees which involved district, village heads and Police would verify to ensure the claims by each returning family on abandoned farms and houses are genuine”.

R-L: Chairman of the Board, Daily Trust, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed and Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, during the 14th Daily Trust Dialogue theme: Beyond Recession: Towards a Resilient Economy, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Why we won’t release El-Zakzaki-Presidency

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Presidency has said that security and public interest has made it impossible for the federal government to release the incarcerated leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky despite a court order.

The IMN leader has been in detention since his arrest

following the clash of his movement with the Nigerian Army in Zaria in 2015.

An Abuja high court had last year ordered E-Zakzaki’s release from detention but the government has yet to obey the order.

There have also been advocacies, especially spearheaded by Amnesty International (AI), for the government to obey the

court order by releasing the incarcerated cleric.

A competent source in the Presidency who preferred anonymity yesterday said the “major constitutional policy objective of government as stated in section 14 (2) (b) is public and not individual security.

“The issue of the release of zak zaky is not exclusively legal. It has security and public interest as against individual

Drama as motorcycle thief defecates in courtroom

A

38-year-old unemployed man, Hussein Mohammed, defecated in the dock at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday while standing trial for alleged theft of a motor cycle valued at N65,000.

The accused was arraigned before Magistrate G. O. Anifowose on a charge of stealing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused was panting in the dock and when his plea was to be taken, he defecated and urinated uncontrollably right in the courtroom amid tears.

The court was forced to adjourn briefly, while the accused was immediately taken to the toilet to clean up.

Some 20 minutes later, the court relocated to another room where his plea was finally taken.

The accused, who said he resides under the bridge at

Iyana-Ipaja, a suburb of Lagos, summoned courage and entered a “not guilty” plea.

The magistrate granted the accused a bail of N60,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Racheal Williams told the court that the offence was committed on January 13 at Aina George Junction, Ilupeju, Lagos.

Ms. Williams said the accused stopped the complainant, Abdullahi Hassan, at the junction and asked him to give him a ride to the market area, claiming he was also a motorcyclist.

“The accused told the complainant that his motor cycle was faulty and he was going to buy the part.’’

She said on their way, the accused offered to ride the motorcycle while the complainant took the passenger’s seat.

“It was from their conversation that the accused got to know that the complainant just came to Lagos and that they are from the same state.

“When they were about getting to a police check point, the accused told the complainant that the police will arrest him for carrying a passenger and asked him come down.

“The accused told the complainant to meet him after the checkpoint.

“Shortly after passing the checkpoint, the accused sped off,” she said.

Ms. Williams said the accused was apprehended with the help of the police.

The offence violated Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The case has been adjourned to Feb. 8 for mention. (NAN)

interest undertones.

“Public interest and national security implications must be factored into consideration in line with international practices that conventionally place national security and public interest above any other individual claim of right. The fedaral government of nigeria is looking into the case with the public and security interest dimensions into consideration,” the official said.

On the said detention of the religious leader’s wife along side her husband, the official stated that El-Zakzaky’s wife was not of any security interests and therefore was merely keeping her husband company in the apartment in which he is kept.

“She is not under detention.

If it is her wish, that of her husband or of the IMAN, she will be allowed to go home in a matter of hours,” he asserted.

The source explained that ElZakzaky’s spouse was picked up by the Department of Security Services (DSS) beside her husband with bullet wounds following IMAN’s encounter with the army.

“They took her along with the husband, treated her wounds and allowed her to care for her husband. Upon his request on an occasion, the children joined them during Ramadan. That is what happened.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017

News

Power supply: ITF partners stakeholders on capacity building

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n furtherance to effort towards resolving the perennial epileptic power supply bedeviling the country, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has engaged stakeholders in the sector on intensive training, aimed to enhance efficiency in the sector, deemed as very critical in the process of development in any

nation.

Speaking yesterday at a One-Day interactive forum for stakeholders in the power sector, in Abuja, the Director General (DG) of ITF, Mr. Joseph Ari disclosed that the forum was to roll out modalities that would galvanize the plans of the government towards a 24 hours power supply.

According to him, the presence of power supply will

strengthen Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), which are boosters of the economy and engine of any economic growth of any country.

Ari added that 24 hours power supply will reduced rural-urban drift as many Nigerians will become engaged and employers of labour.

He noted that the ITF is aware of challenges bedeviling the power

sector such as generalisation of gas pipelines, breakdown of equipment as well as lack of skilled manpower.

He decried that when the government in Nigeria wants to fix a problem in the oil and gas, it goes to other countries to bring Nigerians that are based there.

He, however, reassured that ITF has the capacity to supply the required skills needed to enhance

efficiency in the sector but requires the cooperation of the operators who are mandated to pay one percent annual pay roll of their employees.

In a goodwill message, the representative of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Mr. Shitu Shuaibu thanked the ITF for the organising a forum professionals in the power sector.

Court to hear Patience Jonathan’s suit against EFCC February 13

A

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), with his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule (left) and Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I (right) during the 1st Quarter 2017 Town Hall meeting (6th in the series) to render account of stewardship of Governor Ambode’s administration, at the Ajelogo Housing Scheme, Akanimodo, Mile 12, Ketu, yesterday in Lagos,

Buhari wants Erediauwa reconfirmed as NDIC boss by Senate

By Christiana Ekpa

P

resident Muhammad Buhari yesterday forwarded the name of Mr Aghatise Erediauwa to the senate for the confirmation of reappointment as the Executive Director of Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation

(NDIC) Buhari in a letter to Senate President, Bukola Saraki, dated 17 January 2017 appealed to the senate to give his request the usual expeditious consideration.

“In accordance with the provisions ofsection 5 (4) and 8(3) of the Nigerian Deposit

Insurance Corporation Act, I hereby forward the name of Mr. Aghatise Erediauwa for kind consideration and confirmation by the Distinguished senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for reappointment as Executive Director of Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC)

“ It is my hope that, this will receive

the

usual

expeditious

consideration of the Distinguished Senators” “Please

accept,

my

Distinguished senate president, the assurance of my highest regards”

Army parades alleged killers of colonel

T

he 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, on Wednesday paraded six suspects who allegedly killed Anthony Okeyim, former Commandant, Command Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the lifeless body of Mr. Okeyim, a colonel, was found at the premises of the school on December 12, 2016.

The command had earlier informed the public that the late Mr. Okeyim died as a result of

rise in intracranial pressure from intracranial haemorrhage caused by fracture of the skull.

Presenting the suspects to journalists, Timothy Antigha, spokesperson of the Division, said that investigation conducted showed that the suspects played varying roles in the killing of the officer.

Mr. Antigha, a colonel, said that the alleged killer of the senior officer stole his Samsung X4 phone and this helped in arresting the suspects.

He said that the suspects went to the Command Secondary School, Apata, with their Toyota Camry Car to kill the officer in his house.

Mr. Antigha said that one of the suspects was a student of the school who was expelled earlier by the school authorities for alleged theft.

He said that the student gave the other suspects the logistics leading to the death of the senior officer.

Mr. Antigha said that the

Army was able to arrest the suspects with active collaboration of the Oyo State Police Command and State Security Services, SSS. Also speaking, Abdullahi Ibrahim , Commander 2 Division Provost Group, advised parents to monitor their children over the type of friends they related with.

Mr. Ibrahim, a colonel, assured the public that despite the sad incident the Command Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan, was a secure environment.(NAN)

Federal High Court Lagos, on Wednesday fixed February13 to hear a suit by ex-first lady, Patience Jonathan, against the EFCC seeking to unfreeze her account.

Also joined in the suit are Skye Bank Plc, and a former Special Assistant to ex-President Jonathan, Waripama-Owei Dudafa.

Others include Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Globus Integrated Service Ltd. Mrs. Jonathan is demanding $200 million from the commission as damages for infringing on her rights.

She also prayed the court to issue an order discharging the freezing order, as well as restrain the EFCC and its agents from further placing a freezing order on the said accounts.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyers, Ifedayo Adedipe, sought an adjournment to enable him serve his client’s amended claims on the companies.

He added that other defendants had been served with copies of the processes, while they have also served their counter-affidavits on the plaintiff.

In the absence of any objection from the EFCC counsel, the matter was eventually adjourned to February13 for further hearing.

In an affidavit in support of Mrs. Jonathan’s suit and deposed to by one Sammie Somiari, he said that on March 22, 2010, Mrs. Jonathan had opened five different accounts with Skye Bank, with the aid of one Damola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi.

He averred that the account mandate forms were duly completed and signed by her.

Mr. Somiari stated that Mrs. Jonathan subsequently discovered that apart from one of the accounts that bore her name, the other four accounts were opened in the name of four companies which belonged to Mr. Dudafa.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Page 9

News

Abuja Light Rail 84 per cent complete – Official

T

he Acting Secretary of Federal Capital Territory’s Transport Secretariat, AbdulHamid Suleiman, says Abuja Light Rail is 84.33 per cent complete.

Mr. Suleiman made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja on Tuesday.

“The total length of the completed double track as at today is 45.245 kilometres.’’

He said the project was awarded on May 25, 2007 to China Civil Engineering

Construction Corporation for the final construction of Lots 1 and 3.

He said the cost of the project was $841. 645 million with completion period of 48 months.

“This consisted of approximately 60.67 kilometres of standard gauge double railway track and associated permanent way within FCT. “In Aug. 2012, due to deficiencies noticed in the estimations, the scope of the contract was varied to $823, 540 million for the final design and construction of Lots A1 and 3.

“The project has attained about 84. 33 per cent completion as at Dec. 2016,” he said.

The acting secretary stressed that the total length of double tracks of 45.245 kilometres has reached 98 per cent completion.

Mr. Suleiman said 12 stations had reached 75 per cent completion, 50 culverts 100 per cent completion, nine pedestrian overpasses had also reached 85 per cent completion.

He said 13 railway bridges were 100 per cent completed, 15 flyover bridges 80 per cent completed,

locomotive and rolling stone stock depot also reached 85 per cent completion, communication 67 per cent and signalling at 87 per cent completion.

Mr. Suleiman said “the projected date of the completion of the project is Dec. 2017.

“The feasibility study and conceptual design for the remaining lots 4, 5 and 6 are under procurement.

“These lots are available for concession under a Design, Build and Operate (DBO) basis,” he said.

L-R: Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi, Chairman, Hon. Namdas Abdulrazak and member of the Committee, Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, during a Press briefing on the air mishap in Rann Borno State, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

20, 000 unjustly killed in Kaduna since 1980-El-Rufai From Mohammad Ibrahim Kaduna

K

aduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai,said on Tuesday that no fewer than 20,000 persons had been lost lives in various crises in the state since 1980.

The governor noted that of all the crises that had taken place in the state over 35 years ago, nobody has been prosecuted for the killings.

The solution to killings with impunity in the state, the Governor said is enforcement of the law and prosecution of perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the state has further relaxed the curfew Imposed on in Jema’a, Kaura, Zangon Kataf LGAs in the wake of the recent crisis in southern part of the state.

El-Rufai spoke when he received a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association who

paid a solidarity visit on him at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

The delegation was led by the President, NBA, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud (SAN), first Vice President, Caleb Dajan, National Executive members and other prominent lawyers in the state.

El-Rufai told the lawyers that apart from the Justice Benedict Okadigbo Tribunal on the Zango-Kataf Religious Crisis no government had prosecuted anybody over their involvements in the various crises in the state.

“The administration of former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida established the Benedict Okadigbo Tribunal to try all those that were implicated in the 1992 Zango-Kataf crisis in which Babangida himself, described as hundreds of lives perished and property worth million of Naira destroyed in that crisis”, El-Rufai, however, vowed

to prosecute all those found to be behind the recent killings in the three local governments of Jema’a, Zango-Kataf and Kaura.

He said a number of arrests had been made and more people in connection with the crisis would soon be picked.

He said there was no need of setting up of any Commission of Inquiry over the southern Kaduna crisis: “but we need to enforce the rule of law in the state. I read all the reports which recommended the way out but there is no single person ever prosecuted to the later.

He noted that those encouraging the crisis should be mindful that there are consequences for their actions.

El-Rufai said: “ Since 1980, about 10,000 to 20,000 were killed in Kaduna State during crisis and government did not prosecute anybody. We are determined to end the killings in Kaduna. Henceforth, the law will

fully apply without fear or favour.

We have made some arrests and you will be shock to see the caliber of perpetrators that we are going to arrest and prosecute. No matter highly the person is we will bring him or her to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others whom may want to sponsor crisis.

“Some of the things you are hearing are not true. Some people have made up their minds to spread hatred and falsehood especially in the media. We thank you for your visit to Kaduna.

Don’t stop at Kafanchan go to communities to see things for yourself and also interact with all the stakeholders to have correct and accurate facts. By doing so your delegation will know the truth. Let me correct this impression, it is not the entire Southern Kaduna that is under attacks, we have problem in three local government areas now under control”

Gov Al-Makura, Ortom urge Agatu, Fulanis to reconcile From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

G

overnors Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa state and Samuel Ortom of Benue state yesterday appealed to members of Agatu community in Benue state that were attacked by Fulani herdsmen in the recent to bury the past and embrace dialogue with the herdsmen and live togetherin their domain.

Al-Makura made the plea in his remarks at a peace and reconciliatory meeting at Obagaji Town, Headquarters of Agatu local government area of Benue state.

According to him, “We are here today to find lasting solutions to problems that erupted between farmers and herdsmen in Agatu kingdom that has brought disunity and acrimony. I want us to see ourselves as one nation and people.

We need to live together for development to strive” Also in his speech, Governor Samuel Ortom said that the governments of Nasarawa and Benue held security council meeting aimed at resolving the friction that existed between Agatu and herdsmen.

“Today we have come to dialogue and live together. Fighting cannot bring us development. Let us forget the past by restoring peace in our land so that we can live together and sleepwell,” he maintained.

40 illegal revenue collectors face trial in Edo

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

P

olice in Benin have charged 40 persons involved in the unauthorised revenue collection in Edo state to court.

The accused were said to have shunned the state government order, suspending ticketing and all forms of revenue collection in the state including markets and motor parks in the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu disclosed this during a Press briefing at the Police headquarters in Benin City, the state Capital where 27 suspected cultists, bank fraudsters and armed robbers were paraded before newsmen.

He said about 80 percent of revenue collectors in the state complied with the government order of indefinite suspension of 80 taxes, while, about 20 percent who were involved in the illegality already arrested were being prosecuted.

According to him, “up to 40 of them have been arrested and charged to court for illegality. We did not arrest them for revenue collection, which is the responsibility of Edo state Inland Revenue service (EIRS)”.

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

News

L-R: National President, National Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, National Vice President, South East Zone NULGE, Prince Patrick Igwe, National Vice President, South-South NULGE, Obong Ini Okon and National treasurer of the Union, Mr. Ambali Akeem, during NULGE National Executive Council meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

CSO’s give Ajumobi 7 days ultimatum to reopen LAUTECH

By Umar Muhammad Puma

C

ivil Society organisation (CSO), the platform of Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN), has given the governor seven days ultimatum to apologise for his ‘embarrassing comments and reopen Ladoke Akintola University.

Last week, a video showing altercation between the Oyo state governor Abiola Ajumobi and the protesting students of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), where the governor was said to have descended heavily on the students.

A statement signed in Abuja on Wednesday by the Co-convener of CATBAN Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, described Ajumobi encountered with the protesting

students as “act of executive rascality & irresponsibility in the strongest terms.”

“We at Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) have watched in utter disgust & disbelief, a video in which the Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Abiola Ajumobi addressed protesting students of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) few days ago. The video first uploaded by online news website, SaharaReporters, brought to fore some ugly truths about the concept of leadership in this country, which should worry every patriotic Nigerian.

“In the unfortunate video, the following observations were made: Governor Ajumobi in clear terms wanted everyone to

worship him as the ultimate god of Oyo State, with a warning that he could do whatever he wished at any time, even if such actions were against the wishes of his people, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

“Governor Ajumobi was surrounded by heavily armed security personnel who were positioned to shoot without provocation, an obvious sign that the governor’s arrogant inciting remarks were fuelled by his belief that he is well protected by security agents paid with proceeds of tax paid by those who voted him into office, who also look up to him for protection & better welfare.

Governor Ajumobi’s open show of disdain towards the students points to a deliberate

desperate attempt to incite/ provoke them into action, thus enabling him the opportunity to unleash retaliatory violence against them.

“It should be recalled that LAUTECH has been shut down for over 8 months due to lack of funding to the University, and as a result lives of thousands of students temporarily placed on hold.

“Therefore, we are giving Governor Abiola Ajumobi of Oyo State 7 days to withdraw his insulting remarks and apologize to LAUTECH students for treating them with such disdain. We are also demanding that LAUTECH be re-opened in the next 7 days, failure to which we would be forced to #OCCUPY & shut down Oyo State.

Adamawa: N4.8bn Paris Club refund’ll be used on workers-Official From Umar Dankano,Yola.

T

he indebted local government workers in Adamawa state have cause to smile as the committee set up by state government for the payment of their outstanding salary liabilities from Paris Club refund has commenced sitting in Yola.

Affected workers across the local councils in the state includes; Local Government staff,primary school teachers and primary health care workers and some political appointees in Local Councils in the state.

Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Abdulrahman AbbaJimeta, said that the state government had received N4.8 billion out the N12.8 billion being expected.

Abba-Jimeta who doubles

as the Chief of Staff to Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla said that his boss (Governor Jibrilla) has approved the utilization of the entire N4.8 billion for the settlement of salary arrears of those local government workers indebted.

He said that all stakeholders were represented in the committee which was given six weeks to complete it assignment.

He assured all concerned to be relax as their legitimate arrears will be paid to them judiciously.

Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner of Finance, Mr Mahmud Sali, said that the liabilities compiled by his ministry comprised that of teachers N2.9 billion; primary healthcare, N907 million; Local Government staff, N1.7 billion; and Local Government Political

Office holders, N116 million.

Also speaking at the occasion, the state chairman of NLC, Mr Dauda Maina, lauded the state government for it commitment to transparency in utilizing the fund by involving all stakeholders.

Maina who is also a member of the committee assured that the organized labour would accord all necessary support to the committee to succeed in its assignment.

The committee at the inaugural meeting resolved to constitute a subcommittee which was given up to Monday to come up with verified data to be used in paying the arrears to beneficiaries.

However reacting to the development, a civil activist in the state,Mr. Sunday Yusuf Emos said the formation of this committee was needless noting

that the vouchers and financial officials of all involved workers can take care of the disbursement professionally.

Emos opined that the committee is more of a strategy of wood hooking the monies of innocent workers under the guise of transparency predicting that at the end they will claim ghost workers are found false fully .

He cited the aborted Mr. Maurice Vonoboky’s committee which claimed to under took the verification exercise of state workforce with and exposing over 3000 ghost workers but later facts emerged that it was not so.

Emos called the Government to scrap the said committee for more meaningful adventure unless if there is a hidden motive to defraud the workers by the state government.

Madagali blast: Presidency donates N60m drugs to victims From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he Madagali bomb blast victims receiving treatment at General Hospital Michika in Adawama state have been supported with drugs donation worth N60million by the presidency through Federal Ministry of Health.

Making the presentation on behalf of the Federal Government,On behalf of the Federal government,Director Foods and Drugs federal ministry of health Abuja, Pharmacist Chukwuma Modupe Omatie said,the drug is part of federal government quick intervention to provide medical attention to the victims of the blast.

She noted that Mr. President has commiserated with the government and people of the state over the unfortunate incident.

“Mr President prayed for quick recovery of the victim of the blast “.

Receiving the donation, Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla assured of judicious distribution of the drugs, appreciating the efforts of president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in assisting Nigerians.

“Government would ensure judicious use of the drugs the governor explained”.

Jibrilla praised the administration of president Mohammedu Buhari in the fight against insurgency in the country,especially the NorthEastern Nigeria.

Expert urges FG to tackle energy crisis with solar

T

he Federal Government has been urged to massively tap into solar energy towards addressing energy crisis in the country.

Solar energy expert, General Ademola Fadunsi (RTD) made the call in Abuja while responding to questions from newsmen on the sideline of the 2016 annual thanksgiving and dinner of solar energy giant, AO Demarg.

Fadunsi who is also the chairman of AO Demarg, described solar as the cleanest and environmental friendly source of Energy, saying Nigeria is blessed with enormous sunshine that can be tapped to make significant contribution to the national grid.

He emphasized that there was no limit to what one can get from the sun depending on how much one wants to invest in it. ‘Solar has come to stay and it’s reliable.”

Page 11

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

MR. JOHNSON

ZAKARI

ADESINA

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR. MACKSON SUNDAY NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR. JOHNSON EJEH MATTHEW. ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. THE NIGERIA POLICE AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known as GODWIN AUDU now wish to be known and addressed as ZAKARI AUDU LANGA. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known as ADEDEJI OLUWATOYIN OPEYEMI now wish to be known and addressed as ADESINA OLUWATOYIN OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

MAMMAN I, formerly known as CELESTINE DAVID now wish to be known and addressed as MAMMAN CELESTINE DAVID. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

TITILAYO I, formerly known as TITILAYO EMELIFE now wish to be known and addressed as TITILAYO DANIEL OTARU. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

HOPE I, formerly known as HOPE AYUBA now wish to be known and addressed as HOPE SUNDAY CLEMENT. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note. nwafor I, formerly known as nwafor njideka maryrose now wish to be known and addressed as nwafor njideka rosita. All former documents remain valid.

All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

MRS OLUWATOSIN I, formerly known as MISS OLUWATOSIN ANUOLUWAPO HASSAN NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS OLUWATOSIN ANUOLUWAPO IHENACHO. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE. PUBLIC NOTICE

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THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1)MR UZODINMA ENYINNA IFEANYI (President) (2)MR AHMED ABUBAKAR (3)MR ONUOHA AMARACHUKWU EDOZI. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (1)To protect the interest & welfare of members (2)To preserve & protect human Rights values (3) To foster relationship among members.

ANY OBJECTIVE TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION NO 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET PMB 198 MAITAMA DISTRICT ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : Barr. Francis Ameh

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THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1*KHADIJA ALIYU LAWAL (president) 2* TALATU MUHAMMAD MUSA 3* SHEIK HAMZA ADAM ABDULHAMID 4*HAUWA’U IBRAHIM 5*FATIMA MUHAMMAD MUHAMMAD 6* ZAINAB ALIYU MUSA 7* AMINA ALIYU IBRAHIM 8* .RABI ALIYU MUSA 9*ABUBAKAR MARYAM 10* AISHATU MUHAMMAD YUSUF (secretary) Aims (1)To provide Educational Support Services to The Teachers And less Privileged Students (2) To provide Assistance to the Less Privileged Members Of the Association Through Skills Empowerment Programs ANY OBJECTIVE TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION NO 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET PMB 198 MAITAMA DISTRICT ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : BARR. UGOCHI PEACE NWOSU FOR KAODI ONUOHA & CO.

mrs minagkur I, formerly known as miss minagkur jantiku mamza now wish to be known and addressed as mrs minagkur joel obidah yusuf. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note. mrs ibrahim I, formerly known as miss zainab b muhammad ahmad now wish to be known and addressed as mrs ibrahim zainab muhammad ahmad. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note. jemima I, formerly known as jemima yohanna now wish to be known and addressed as jemima yohanna hassan.

All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note. faseluka I, formerly known as idowu omolola lydia now wish to be known and addressed as faseluka omolola lydia. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note. abdulbaki I, formerly known as aminu abdullahi idris now wish to be known and addressed as abdulbaki khalid shu’aibu. All former documents remain valid.

All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note. change of name

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PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Recession: Between popular perception and reality (1)

By Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

T

he story of how Nigerians are coping with the recession is typical of what one of the nation’s dailies recently reported about Mr Tunde Akinpelu, a banker with one of the first generation banks in Ota. According to the report, Mr. Akinpelu said he had stopped eating in eateries where he had been spending a lot of money. Akinpelu recalled that he used to spend at least N2, 500 per meal in eateries and usually more when out with friends.

“Now, I manage to eat in some clean roadside restaurants where I spend between N400 and 500 for a nice meal,’’ he said. “I used to spend about N30,000 monthly on dry cleaning, but I now spend about N7,000 monthly.’’ He added that he has also resorted to washing his shirts and trousers by himself.

If there is anything that the recession we are facing in Nigeria tells us, it is this: we have for decades been living above our real means. This is very true of us as individuals and as a nation.

Our growth and development have all along been built on sands. An economy based on export of finite natural resources is an economy with weak fundamentals. We have all been dwelling on the exportation of a single commodities export — the crude oil. Crude oil, almost solely, depends on the consumption patterns of our client nations. Whenever they change their pattern of consumption, we are impacted. Add this to price fluctuations. Any downward drive of the price will create a hole in our forex kitty.

This is exactly what happened that led to the recession we are facing today. Our total reliance on export of oil as a means of forex earnings collapsed on our face when the price of the commodity nosedived to less than $10 per barrel. Today, we cannot adequately finance our import needs or even pay school fees for our student studying abroad or get the foreign medical services we need. The scarcity of the forex naturally led to high cost of production.

Experts believe, Nigeria is experiencing stagflation

and cost-push inflation which have been caused by increase in cost of production due to devaluation of the Naira occasioned by drop in price of crude oil.

As of October 2016 the inflation stood at 18.3%.

The situation we found ourselves today is not a sudden occurrence. It is partly our handiwork and partly that of neo-colonial powers that imposed on us a crooked model of development that is commodity export-based. If you choose to go far back then it started in the mid-seventies during the oil boom years. At that time, we failed to use the money we were making to lay a solid foundation for our future. If you choose not to go as far back, then you could say the writing on the wall about this current recession became visible since early 2013.

The squandering of the excess crude oil account, chiefly by state governors insisting that it must be shared, is a significant watershed in the current crisis we are facing.

In effect, the state governors were intent on squandering their tomorrow even before it arrived.

Today many state governors cannot pay salaries. It is quite interesting that it is the Federal Government that the state governors once threatened with court action over the excess crude oil that is bailing them out now.

What happened with all the billions the governors of the last Republic collected? It all evaporated because they left their states mired in internal debts. The only explanation is that the monies were flagrantly mismanaged. Enter corruption, one of the twin issues the Buhari administration is hell bent on fighting. The other twin is, of course, the state of the economy we have been discussing.

The war on corruption being waged by the Buhari administration is a very difficult one. This is for the simple that vast majority of Nigerians are beneficiaries of the corrupt practices that having taken over the ideal transparent ways of conducting business and governance. We are so much immersed in corruption that it has lost its repugnance as a way of life. This is why when leakages were plugged by

the Federal Government through, for example, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system, it was not only the direct beneficiaries of the leakages cried but even the indirect ones down the ladder on the streets.

The Buhari administration deserves credit for choosing to confront this twin malaise debilitating the country and for the success so far recorded. It is instructive that so far the Federal Government has not failed to pay its salaries; it has been able to bail out state governments and propped the economy despite the dwindling forex earnings occasioned by low price of crude and low production caused by the ferocious attacks on oil installations by the so-called Niger Delta Avengers, which caused production to drop from 2.2 mbpd to 1.1 mbpd.

Since the Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, was pushed to publicly admit that we are in recession last July, the Federal Government has been listening and responding appropriately to many voices of Nigerians on what needs to be done to extricate us out of this quagmire. It is instructive to note the words she chose. She said Nigeria is technically in recession. Underline the word technical. The ability of the Federal Government to still stand tall and pay its bills is casting shadows on the entire notion of recession in Nigeria. Why, exactly, as this admission made? Did it have to do with the prospects of securing a loan from the IMF? There is a problem here between popular perception and reality on ground and we need to be careful.

An economic recession is typically defined as a decline in gross domestic product (GDP) for two or more consecutive quarters. GDP is the market value of all goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time. The truth is GDP is an impossibly complex thing to accurately measure. But for lack of better tools, all countries use it to forecast their economy’s viability. Basing the definition of recession on contraction in GDP pushed some experts to believe we are not sincere when we said we are in recession for the

simple and revealing fact that oil, which is our sole source of foreign exchange, has declined. After all it contributes only 15% of our GDP. The major contributors to our GDP are agriculture, services and trade.

Whatever is the case—recession or no recession—inflation is one reality that is undeniable.

And the Federal Government is working to address the issue. But even here, one needs not to rule out sabotage by the regimes’ detractors who have hoarded goods to create artificial scarcity. This can been seen in the way last bumper harvest quickly evaporated from the local markets—mopped up by moneybags.

No doubt our economy is diversified by GDP contributions, but we over dependent on hydrocarbons for foreign earnings and government revenue. So any external shocks or even internal insurgency around our production facilities can adversely impact our source of foreign earnings (77%) and government revenue (74%). Of course we have failed to deal with bloated government recurrent expenditure, where most of the corruption is taking place.

For a way out Nigerian experts have variously suggested: massive spending on infrastructure to kick-start the economy, a flexible exchange rate policy; a devalued Naira; policies to attract foreign investors; a development bank to rejuvenate lending, especially to SMEs—the sector capable of effectively mopping of excessive labor and a reorientation of Nigerians’ attitude.

Contrary to the image of rigidity painted, the Buhari regime has been listening and responding positively to Nigerian experts. The recent announcement to invest N600 billion on infrastructure is a case in point. A flexible exchange rate is finally in place after some foot-dragging to protect the Naira.

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan is a Public Policy Analyst.

Jammeh, save The Gambia from avoidable bloodshed!

By Jide Ojo

T

oday, January 18, 2017 marks the last day of legitimacy of Yahya Jammeh as the President of The Gambia.

From tomorrow, Thursday, January 19, the megalomaniac dictator who calls himself His Excellency, Sheikh, Professor, Alhaji, Doctor ceases to be the president of his country. Since 1994 when he ousted the first president of The Gambia, Sir Dawda Jawara in a coup as a Lieutenant, Jammeh has ruled his country with iron hand and a lot of repression. He curtailed human rights and was fingered in a lot of atrocities including drug and arms trafficking. He has won four controversial presidential elections but surprisingly lost his fifth attempt on December 1, 2016. Though he initially conceded defeat and actually called to congratulate the opposition candidate, Adama Barrow, Jammeh changed his mind a week later and unilaterally declared the election which he had initially praised as being rigged-proof, null and void. Though he did not declare himself the winner of the poll, he has called for a re-run.

Since his volte-face, a lot of efforts have been made to appeal to him not to plunge his country into an avoidable crisis. The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States, in particular, Mrs. Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson of Liberia, who is the current chairperson of the body, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, immediate past Ghanaian president John Dramani Mahama, who lost election a week after Jammeh’s electoral defeat as well as Sengalese President, Macky Sall, had embarked on several diplomatic shuttles up until last Friday, trying to persuade Jammeh

to honourably and peacefully leave power but he has consistently rebuffed all overtures.

Nigeria’s House of Representatives even passed a motion last week asking the country to offer him asylum. Morocco too had similarly offered him asylum, yet he remained adamant claiming that he would not step down until there was a judicial review of his case at the country’s Supreme Court.

Ironically, the court which relied on Nigeria and Sierra Leone majorly for her judges does not at present have sufficient judges to form a quorum. In fact, Emmanuel Fagbenle, a Nigerian judge, is not only the Chief Justice of The Gambia but also the lone judge of the apex court.

Last week, the Chief Justice had urged the aggrieved parties to settle out of court since the earliest time the court could have a full complement of judges to sit over the political matter was May 2017. Initially, it will seem Jammeh agreed to that option by naming a mediator. However, he has gone further to ask the country’s parliament to extend his tenure in office as well as pass an amnesty bill which will ensure that no one involved in the political impasse from November 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017 is persecuted or prosecuted.

This bill is meant to shield the autocrat and his accomplices from answering for their political and economic crimes. Furthermore, Jammeh’s party, Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction, attempted last Monday to stop the inauguration of the president-elect. Fortunately, the Supreme Court refused to hear the application for an interlocutory injunction seeking to stop the inauguration.

Since all appeals have fallen on Jammeh’s deaf ears, the African Union and ECOWAS

leaders have decided on a number of actions.

First is to go ahead with the inauguration of Barrow as the third president of The Gambia on Wednesday. Concomitantly is the nonrecognition of Jammeh as The Gambia’s president from January 19.The weightiest option being considered is the ECOWAS military intervention force in The Gambia.

Already, the Chiefs of Defence Staff of Nigeria, and some other West African countries like Ghana and Senegal have started planning the troops deployment to flush out Jammeh from his presidential villa.

All these have heightened tension in the tiny West African country of about two million people. Thousands of people have been fleeing from the country’s capital, Banjul, to the provinces and to neighbouring countries to seek refuge. The chairman of The Gambia’s Electoral Commission, Alieu Momar Njai, was among those who first took to their heels while the country’s Information Minister, Sheriff Bojang and Foreign minister, Mrs. Neneh MacdouallGaye, have also resigned. Jammeh’s goons had reportedly shut down a number of radio stations and arrested some journalists and opposition political leaders before and after the December 1, 2016 election.

On Monday, January 16, 2017, I was on the Nigerian Television Authority News at 12 noon to analyse this ugly development.

My take is that I fully endorse military action against Jammeh in as much as he has scorned all entreaties from the ECOWAS leaders. He has made his choice to go the way of Laurent Gbagbo of Cote D’Ivore who in 2010 plunged his country into a needless civil unrest leading to his capture with his wife and party youth leader. He’s currently being tried at the

International Criminal Court in The Hague.

I am a pacifist and will rather not want war in The Gambia, a poor country managing to survive on peanuts and tourism. However, Jammeh must be taught a lesson to respect the wishes of his people. A rat that challenges the cat to a duel must prove its superiority.

What more can West Africa and indeed Africa do for this megalomaniac? He’s been offered asylum so he could be in company with infamous African presidents like Idi Amin of Uganda who fled to Saudi Arabia after his ouster in 1979; Ben Ali of Tunisia who like Amin took asylum in Saudi Arabia after the 2011 Arab Spring; Mengistu Haile Mariam of Ethiopia who became a refuge from law in Zimbabwe after his removal from office in 1991; Hissiene Habre of Chad who fled to Senegal in 1990 after his ouster by the incumbent president Idriss Deby; Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire who was toppled

by Laurent Kabila forces in 1997 only to die as a refuge in Morocco as well as Blaise Campaore of Burkina Faso who in 2014 ran to Cote D’Ivore after the people’s uprising of that year.

If Jammeh is not very careful and retrace his step before it is too late, he may end up like Saddam Hussein of Iraq or Moamar Ghadaffi of Libya or Samuel Doe of Liberia.

He would be lucky to have Hosni Mubarak of Egypt’s treatment. I urge The Gambian people to stand up to Jammeh and take their destiny in their hands. Rather than run away, they should mobilise like the Burkinabes did in 2014 and march on the Jammeh’s presidential villa and chase him out.

Jide Ojo is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

PAGE 13

Comment

2019: Borno North/Central and matters arising 2019

By Hassan Zanna Boguma

I

had kept mum for sometimes due to so many reasons. Firstly, I am not a politician and I don’t speak for political reasons. Secondly, I am a die hard Bornuan and an advocate of peace and security with the interests of Borno as my reasons for this write up.

It is a known fact that we have been tested with calamities and our society rendered into suffrage and hardship. The insurgency has taken its toll on almost every facet of our society.

Our towns and villages destroyed beyond repairs and our psyche traumatized with a lot of internally displaced persons created. In the last seven years or so, businesses and agriculture were totally neglected due to the destruction of communities and their sources of livelihood.

It was on this premise that, the last regime deliberately manipulated the situation and rendered us as the conduit pipe for money making. The regime and its collaborators from within connived to orchestrate this insurgency by carefully selecting Borno as the epicenter for obvious reasons.

However, with the change in mantle of power, the Buhari regime whose main philosophy is to secure the country and an end to the insurgency immediately dispatched and relocated the defense headquarter to the Northeast to effectively contain the madness called Boko Haram.

Within the first and a half year of the administration, much of the conquered lands were liberated and people were relocated back to their communities. The most reported case of the Chibok girls which to many was like the 9/11 attack on the twin towers, a planned and well design conspiracy was finally put to rest with so many of the abducted girls being found/released (curtesy of our armed forces).

It was on this note and since normalcy is gradually returning to Borno and the Northeast, and with the emboldened attention to the area by the International communities especially the INGs,

I felt it a duty as a citizen of Borno to caution our people on the clandestine activities of groups and people who surreptitiously cover under the pretext of an unsecured society whose majority tribe has been systematically stereo-typed and reduced both in person and in character, thinking that they have been greatly frightened to a level of silence.

It was on this basis again that these groups and persons thought they can advance their cause which has been the issues of marginalization, lopsidedness in political representation or distribution.

These agitations were said to have been stage managed by an influential federal legislature in Southern Borno with some few others living in Kaduna and else where in the country (a development forum from southern Borno). These persons and groups have been holding series of meetings as we were informed in various locations in Maiduguri and in Abuja.

The question then is, Borno has three Senatorial districts, and ten federal constituencies with twentyeight state constituencies. We have twenty seven local governments and eight Emirates. Therefore, how fair the for some people to be discussing matters of political interests without harmonizing all the groups in this collection of interests?Borno as an entity is endowed with so many resourceful people. Agreed every group, tribe and community has their rights to be respected as citizens and can vie for any opportunity available to them. But at the risk of contradiction, I believe they too can’t attain such interest without the cooperation of all other community that makes up Borno.

Therefore, we should be cautious in discussing issues that will divide us along partisanship. Of particular note is the issue of regional divides and parochialism. We should discuss issues only on collaborative and fraternal affinities than thinking about sectional differences.

Of special note is the position taken by our brothers from Borno south and the current discussions going on among their various groups.

The political office distribution which has been

dragging on is of importance. From the introduction of party politics to date, the political offices were distributed among the two major tribes of Borno.

The predominant Kanuri tribe producing the office of the Governor while the Babur Bura producing that of the deputy.

If anything is to go by as established, this arrangement has provided a healthy democracy and equal distribution of power sharing in the state while the others were also considered for other offices. But any thinking along parochial interests will jeopardized his arrangement and if care is not taken, the remaining tribes will also rise to challenge the arrangement which will compromise the hitherto well established arrangement.

In southern Borno for example, the Biu emirate has four local governments with Babur and Bura being the lingual Franca of the people. However, there is also other tribal groups of Terawa, Fulani, Marghi, Shuwa and some sprinkle of other minority tribes as indigenes. Shani emirate has the Kanakuru, Bura, Terawa, Fulani, Hausa and other minorities.

Gwoza emirate which is a large local government has so many ethnic nationalities divided along clannish settlements. They have over seventeen different dialects spoken by them and each clan’s dialect is not understood by many. In Gwoza emirate despite the many and varied tribal groups, it was ruled by a particular tribe and has effectively provided the much needed leadership. Besides the many divisions in Gwoza, places like Takwabare and Bita has a large population of Kanuri and marghi people.

In Askira and Uba emirates, we have the marghi as the predominant tribe with Fulani, Kanuri, Bura and other indigenous tribes.

However, in the case of Chibok and Damboa local governments, both were districts of Borno emirate but for administrative convenience fell within the southern Borno senatorial district.

This division does not really separate them from the emirate because of obvious reasons based on culture and long standing relationships. In Damboa

for example, old settlements of Kafa, Azir, Nzuda, Multe, Ajigin etc were all Kanuri settlements of the B3rni stock. While Chibok too despite being a kibaku community are more of Kanuri than any other tribe.

This arrangement was firmly established and its restructuring will demand a lot of statutory discussions.

Equally, the Central and Northern Borno which many are scheming against has eighteen local governments with the other two i.e. Damboa and Chibok aligned with the south for geographical convenience. These local governments whose population is predominantly the Kanuri has both the advantage of landmass and population.

This then is the determining factor for any political arrangement to be effected in the future.

Whatever agitations we have and for whatever motive, one shouldn’t just wish away this very vital component of collaborative politics.

On a final note, Borno has suffered enough.

Conspiracies and machinations of whatever circumstances color will be seriously resisted. The insurgency only destroyed our communities and the economic viabilities of our people, but our collective resolve and will power has not been shaken.

The Lawan Ningi era whose preoccupation was to systematically destroy our ranks was then effectively resisted despite all odds. Our people are the most peaceful of all. The insurgency was orchestrated for that purpose. Our name and person was intended to be dented but this mudslinging was not successful and will never be successful.

It was on the strength of this that I decided to call on our brothers from the other zone to be cautious and be civilized in their dealings with the rest of the zones. Those politicians in Abuja and elsewhere should do the needful and avoid overheating the polity. We are yet to recover from our problem and are in the process of healing.

Hassan Zanna Boguma is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Kachikwu’s diplomacy and outlook for the oil industry

By Idang Alibi

O

ne of the most significant developments in the world oil and gas market last year was, certainly, the landmark deal that was reached in the 171st meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) held at the organization’s headquarters in Vienna on Wednesday 30th November. The cartel reached a deal that effectively cut production by about 1.2 million barrels per day, or about 4.5 percent of the then existing production, to 32.5 million barrels per day. This agreement followed an earlier meeting of OPEC held in September in Algeria where each member country reached a consensus on the need to cut production.

This deal was considered significant partly because that was the first time since 2008 that OPEC achieved such a feat which was aimed at tackling the key challenge of glut and subsequent low price of crude oil in the international market, a situation which had greatly affected the global economy with most OPEC member countries, including Nigeria, feeling much of the negative impact.

For Nigeria in particular, the breakthrough deal was especially significant because the Nigerian delegation led by the country’s suave Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, had managed to persuade the body to exempt Nigeria, alongside Libya and Iran, from the production cut. This development means in effect that from this year, all things being equal, oil production will rise in the country and Nigeria will be able to earn more revenue from this resource upon which it is much dependent.

One is recalling the happy event of Wednesday November 30 in Vienna, Austria today with a sense of deep pride and accomplishment on the part of Nigeria not only because of the very positive impact the outcome of that meeting is having on the global economy in general and the Nigerian economy in particular, but also because our own man, Ibe Kachikwu, played a role that contributed in no small measure to that singular success achieved by

OPEC in 2016.

Those who were in Vienna and watched Kachikwu’s maneuvers paid tribute to his adroitness which enabled him to get OPEC members from the Arab world who are riven by the Sunni-Shia rivalry to even get down to talk when there was a deadlock for their mutual benefit and the overall benefit of the organization. Then there is the case of the exemption of Nigeria from production cut. While the case of Iran and Libya seems clear cut, making a case for Nigeria was not so clear cut for Nigeria’s woes seem self-inflicted. Her pipelines and other crude oil infrastructure were being vandalized by her citizens. It was only the astuteness of Ibe Kachikwu and the enormous goodwill he enjoys among his colleagues that made it possible to successfully sell Nigeria’s story in order to secure that concession.

Then there was the case of non-OPEC oil producers led by Russia. For those who are familiar with the Russians negotiating techniques, they are said to take one position favourable to their national interest and to repeat it several times without yielding an inch until their opponent is worn out and compelled to yield to their position. But Kachikwu trudged through all this and achieved for Nigeria and OPEC the consensus that has led to the bright outlook for oil in 2017.

Kachikwu also brought to bear his diplomatic skills when again last year he led a team of his Ministry of Petroleum Resources and one his key parastatals, the NNPC, to negotiate and eventually sign an agreement with International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria, a new sustainable funding framework for Joint Venture operations. Following the negotiation, Nigeria secured a discount of 25% with each JV Partner on the pre-2016 Cash Call Arrears resulting in a final settlement in the sum of US$5.1 billion payable from incremental production over a five-year tenor without any interest charges during the repayment.

The immediate effect of the new cash call policy is that it will increase net FGN Revenue per annum by about $2billion. The new framework will also

lead to an increase in national production from the current 2.2mbpd to 2.5mbpd by 2019. There will also be a potential reduction in unit technical costs from $27.96/Barrel Oil Equivalent (boe) to $18/ boe just as net payment to the Federation Account is expected to double from about $7Billion to over $14Billion by 2020.

In a speech Kachikwu delivered on December 15 last year when his ministry presented its achievements and those of its parastatals to the Nigerian public, he told Nigerians what his commitments for growing the oil and gas industry will be in 2017. He said, among others, that this year, he will try to get the oil and gas policies hatched by his ministry gazetted and get the PIB passed; significantly increase FGN revenues via collection of outstanding royalties and renewals of oil production leases expiring in 2017; resolve Niger Delta militancy issues and stabilise oil production; develop agreement/framework for attachment opportunities with IOCs and partners and conduct oil blocks allocation and marginal fields award.

He also said that he will seek to attract investments, and complete the MOUs and investment drives for oil; start the revamping of our refineries and the racking of oil production and destination; track gas flare and commercialization and develop gas infrastructure and investments, among other very ambitious laudable pursuits.

Some of these troubling issues dogging the oil industry require great negotiating skills of which Kachikwu has proven to possess in great abundance. The first major test for Ibe Kachikwu and his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, is the growing cry by oil marketers in the country that they can no longer import petroleum products, especially the critical Premium Motor Spirit, at sustainable prices if we continue to stick to the official pump price of N145 per litre.

When the pump price of petrol was pegged at N145 per litre last year, many industry watchers said the government ought to have gone the whole hog by completely deregulating the downstream sector of the oil industry because if later in the

future there was a rise in the price of crude oil at the international market, Nigeria will have to go back to subsidy payment to marketers again. That future has now arrived.

Will the Buhari government summon the political will to do what will let the nation avoid a return to subsidy payment and risk the political consequences or can a creative solution be worked out to save this country from long queues at filling station which will have a deleterious effect on an economy that is yet to get out of a recession?

From my own little reading of the mood of Nigerians right now, I humbly think that the path of honest but unpalatable talk with Nigerians will be the only way out. The President and his able assistant, Ibe Kachikwu should immediately commence series of sessions with critical stakeholders in the oil and gas industry and in the Nigerian polity as a whole—labour unions, oil marketers, the press, etc—and lay bare to them nothing but the stark truth. And that naked truth is that the country cannot afford to subsidise the consumption of petroleum products. This will obviously be a hard sell but it looks to me like the only viable option confronting our nation.

Apart from this no small challenge, the prospect of Nigeria getting out of her recession through the ‘’generosity’’ of oil is very bright. At many public fora, Buhari and Ibe Kachikwu have always said that Nigeria needs oil in order to get out of oil. That is what I think will happen if we all keep a cool head over the impending subsidy challenge and rely on the obvious commitment of Buhari and Ibe Kachikwu to increase the country’s earnings from oil.

Followers and admirers of Ibe Kachukwu’s diplomatic management style are looking forward to how he will use his diplomatic skills to tackle the looming subsidy crisis as oil prices have risen in the international market thereby leading to higher landing charges for imported products in Nigeria.

Idang Alibi is the Director, Press and Public Relations, of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

PAGE 14

News

Reps to IGP: Probe unpaid entitlements of 3,000 slain officers

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives has urged the Police hierarchy to probe unpaid entitlements to relatives of more than 3,000 dead officers and men of the force.

The resolution of the House followed a motion moved by Rep. Oghene Egoh (PDP-Lagos) which was unanimously adopted through a voice vote.

Egoh said that Police authorities’ disclosure that the entitlements of over 3,00,0 personnel who died in active service over the years had not been

paid to their relatives, called for urgent attention.

Egoh expressed concern that the dependent relatives of the deceased personnel had been unable to pay their rents and school fees for their children as a result of the nonpayment of the entitlements.

He expressed worry that the nonpayment of the entitlements also made it difficult for their relatives to feed and provide for other necessities of life in the face of the harsh economic situation in the country.

Egoh explained that the reason for the

nonpayment of the entitlements was that the Insurance Companies were not paid premium to cover the police personnel.

In his contribution, Rep. Jones Onyereri (PDP-Imo), expressed displeasure over the treatment being meted to bereaved families of dead police personnel.

“I think this is most unfair, I believe that the committee on Police Affair should look into the police budget and ensure persons affected are adequately compensated,” he said.

Other legislators highlighted the demoralising effects of nonpayment of

entitlements of personnel who died in the line of duty on those still in active service.

The House therefore called on the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the matter with a view to ensuring the payment of the entitlements within the shortest possible time.

The House also mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to ensure implementation of the resolution and report back in four weeks for further legislative action.

Aisha Buhari urges more support for underprivileged

By Umar Muhammad Puma

W

ife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has called for more support from Nigerians and friends of Nigeria to Federal Government’s effort in reviving the North East region, which has suffered severe

devastation from insurgency. stating that four years without economic activity has subjected the affected people to victimization and extreme poverty.

Speaking during a courtesy call by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China,

Mr. Zhou Pingjian, Tuesday, 17th January, 2017, at the State House, Abuja.

Mrs. Buhari noted that the worst hit by the insurgency are women, many of whom have been widowed and children that have been orphaned; she therefore urged for support from all

Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in ameliorating the challenges.

Speaking on her flagship programme, Future Assured, Mrs. Buhari said a lot of effort has been made in terms of helping internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as those of them that have returned to

their

communities;

and

said

the programme has intervened in 15 local governments and 500 families and is doing more, especially in the area of assisting the

150,000

unaccompanied

children in the region.

FCE Pankshin provost warns staff against indolence, bickering From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

D

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Protection Plus Services Limited, Ubong King; Chairman of Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce, Foluso Phillips; Managing Partner, law firm of Olaniwun Ajayi, Konyinola Ajayi (SAN); and Vice President, African Capital Alliance, Kikelomo Alonge, during Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce’s breakfast meeting, yesterday in Lagos. Photo: NAN

Fear grips Katsina LG workers over planned rationalisation From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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planned rationalization of staff at the local government level has thrown workers of the 34 local governments of the state into panic over the possible loss of their jobs.

The state Local Government Service Commission has last week issued a circular notifying heads of local government administration over the government plan to rationalized workers over what it called

effective service delivery.

As soon as the circular went public, insinuations begin to fly that the Masari led administration has concluded arrangement to sack local government workers in the state.

When the rumour began to spread like wild fire across the state, the government quickly issued a statement through the state radio, clarifying that there was no intention to sack any worker of the 34 local government.

However, worried by the

development, local government service commission, through a circular with reference number LGSC/ GEN/ 37/T/ 199 signed by the Permanent Secretary of the commission, Alhaji Isyaku A. Karofi denied any plan to sack local government workers.

The circular stated “ further to our letter No. LGSC/ GEN/ 37/T/ 114 dated 11th January, 2017 , I am directed to inform you that the commission had received reports of insinuation that government is in the process of retrenching staff of local government councils’.

The circular assured all local government staff of the security of their jobs as according to it government had no intention to retrench any staff, assuring of the government commitment to improve their welfare.

When contacted, the state president of Nigeria Union of LocalGovernment Employees, ( NULGE) , Comrade Aliyu Haruna Kankara assured workers that the union would not accept any move that would lead to the retrenchment of workers.

r Amos Cirfat, new Provost, Federal College of Education (FCE), Pankshin, in Plateau has warned the college staff against indolence and bickering.

Addressing the staff of the college at the college auditorium yesterday, the Provost said a situation where staff don’t take their jobs serious would no more be tolerated nor bickering, which he described as ``damaging and cancerous.’’

Cirfat told the staff that he would not entertain any sycophancy but prefers people to come to him with beautiful ideas on how best to move the college forward. `` We must be all seen to adhere to work ethics and tackle all problems of inefficiency and capacity collapse by acting justly and fairly to due process not only paying lip service to ethical conduct. ``I am aware that staff welfare in the college is very critical and important for quality service delivery, therefore proper mechanisms would be put in place to ensure that welfare services are adequately provided to improve their morale for improve productivity in workplace. ``The college mission and vision which is toward best quality teachers in basic and post basic education in Nigeria and improve the quality of teaching and teacher development package must compete globally, ’’ he assured.

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Another PDP Senator, Nelson Effiong, decamps to APC

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*We will take back your seat, Akpabio threatens Effiong

senator representing Akwa Ibom South, Nelson Effiong, has cross-carpeted from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. The lawmaker announced his defection to the ruling party on

the floor of the red chambers at today’s plenary.

Effiong, who cited party crisis as his reason for defection, said, “Over the past one year this party has disintegrated; because of the crisis in the party, I have decided to resign from the PDP and join

the APC.” In his reaction, the senate Minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, frowned at the decision, saying the lawmaker has automatically lost his senate seat because he became a senator under the platform of the PDP.

Akpabio warned that the party will contend Effiong’s continued stay in the senate in court.

Recall that a senator from Ondo South, Omoyele Omogunwa, had in November 2016, defected from the PDP to the APC.

Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara (2nd right), Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian (2nd left), Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Relations, Hon. Nnenna Ukeje Elendu (1st right) and Chairman, Nigeria - China Parliamentary Friendship Group, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub (1st left) during a courtesy visit to the Speaker by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

No mega party can be bigger than APC – Party Chieftain

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he Deputy National Chairman, South, of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Segun Oni, has affirmed that efforts to form a mega party ahead of the 2019 general elections will not work.

Oni, who said this in Abuja, affirmed that the ruling APC would produce the next governor of Ekiti State.

There were reports earlier that some aggrieved members of the party were planning to form a mega party with the aim of ousting the APC from power in 2019.

DAILY POST reports Oni saying, “We have always been saying it; this is a party that is going to turn Nigeria around completely. Any attempt to form any mega party, we can predict clearly, will end up in failure. This is the party that will turn Nigeria around, and we are prepared, we are prepared.

“If the PDP dies, there will be another opposition party.

So, we are not saying that the

PDP will not come back, we are saying, don’t call whatever political party that is coming a mega party, it cannot be bigger than the APC.” Speaking on the state of the economy, the party chieftain assured Nigerians that the economy would get better in 2017 to demonstrate what he described as the ‘human face’ of the APC. He stressed that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration had been making efforts to encourage state governments to pay workers’ salaries through the release of bailout to the states.

“Ekiti people should expect a government that will be different from Ayo Fayose’s and that will come from our party because it is not going to be Fayose’s party again, it should be our party.

“Our party should produce the next governor, that is our prayer, that is our hope and that is the hope of everybody on the street”, he added.

Bayelsa polls: Dickson remains governor, no reversal of judgment – PDP

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he Bayelsa State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, has dismissed claims that the Supreme Court has reversed its decision that reaffirmed Henry Seriake Dickson as the governor of the state.

Recall that the apex court had in November 2016 declared Dickson as governor of Bayelsa State.

Just recently, reports resurfaced, saying the apex court had reversed its November ruling.

In a statement signed by the state Chairman of the party, Hon. Moses Cleopas, PDP alleged that the rumour was a ploy by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to create unnecessary fear and security breach.

The statement quoted Cleopas as saying the reports making the rounds that, Chief Timipre Sylva of the APC was coming to take over as Governor was not true and a “figment of the imagination of the APC and their supporters, who are bent on truncating the existing peace and security in the State, through spurious claims.”

The statement reads in part, “Chief Timipre Sylva has been roundly beaten at the polls and the defeat was expressly affirmed at the Governorship Election Tribunal, the Appeal and Supreme Courts and Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson’s position as the duly elected Governor of Bayelsa State is not under any contest.”

Cleopas urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the APC leaders in Bayelsa State, Sylva and the “clueless junior Minister, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri to order.”

The party noted that both Sylva and Lokpobiri have always attempted to breach the peace and security of the State, which the current governor has restored.

“But for the leadership of the Governor, the vigilance of security agencies and the cooperation of Bayelsans, these desperate politician(s) would have thrown our state into senseless crisis, which would have resulted in the destruction of National assets, a situation that could have worsened the depression in the country,” the party stated.

Why card readers will not be used during LG polls in Oyo - Commission

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he Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), has declared that it will not make use of card readers during the forthcoming February 11 Local Government election in the state.

The commission also said with the assistance of the security agents, it will restrict human and vehicular movement during the election period.

Chairman of the commission, Mr. Jide Ajekigbe made these disclosure on Thursday while briefing journalists at the commission’s headquarters on the amended timetable of the election and the preparation of the commission for the election.

Ajekigbe while answering questions from journalists informed that the local government law has not yet recognized the use of card readers, hence, the commission will not make use of it to avoid unnecessary problems.

He said the commission was ready to conduct free and fair election in 4783 polling booths and 5620 polling points in all the 33 LGs and 35 LCDAs in the state.

He said, “We are not using card readers for the election. The usage of card readers will not be tolerated, so we are not using card readers. Even the local government law does not permit the usage of card readers.

“We want to avoid unnecessary problems and questions during the election. I don’t want a situation where someone will be mentioning my name, saying his or her fingers were not captured and all that.

“On the day of election, there will be restriction of movement for that day, we want our people to stay indoors and come and vote during the election hours.”

Ajekigbe said despite the economic challenges in the country, the commission is confident that it will conduct the election without any financial challenges.

“However, it is important to stress that Oyo State as a member of the Nigerian Community cannot be insulated from the adverse consequences of the Global Economic Crisis. We, therefore, wish to assure all stakeholders and citizens that these situations will not in any way affect the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. ”The commission has been taking necessary steps towards a successful and credible election.

We have met with the leaders of the political parties, non-governmental organizations like National Orientation Agency and State Security Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

“The commission has also gone round the thirty-three (33) Local Government Areas and thirty-five (35) Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to inspect Oyo State Independent electoral Commission offices and ascertain their level of preparedness towardS ensuring a free, fair and credible poll.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Politics

PDP demands independent investigation on Rann bombing

By Ali Alkali

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he Ahmed Makarfiled faction of Peoples Democracy Party (PDP), has called for independent investigation into the accidental bombing of Rann IDPs Camp in Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State, saying government would hide the truth.

“The excuse by the Nigerian military that the camp was mistaken to be a gathering of Boko Haram members is a show of unprofessionalism and lack of intelligence regarding operations of such magnitude.

“This is totally unacceptable

and we demand a thorough and independent investigation into the matter to unravel the mystery behind the accident.

The party said the investigation would help to unravel the mystery behind the incident, which led to the death of scores and injured more than 120 others in the camp.

A statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Dayo Adeyeye on Thursday, said the PDP was shocked and dismayed at the news of the accidental bombing of the IDPs Camp by the Nigerian Air force jet, on Tuesday, January 17.

“We are very worried that the military after several successes

against the sect in recent times will display such provocative conduct capable of rubbing-off on its past achievements as a professional organisation”.

While condoling with with President, Muhammadu Buhari, the Governor of Borno State, Mr Kashim Shettima, agencies and the families of those who lost their lives in the incident, PDP was of the opinion that the accidental bombing of the IDP camp was a reaction to false alarm and that the military was misled by the informant to cause the killings of those innocent Nigerians.

“Consequently, Nigerian military must talk less on

its modus operandi and also carry out sufficient intelligence gathering in order to avoid such costly mistakes in the future.

“While we appreciate that Nigerians are being informed of the operations of the military, it is very important to conceal some vital and critical security information to aviod opponents using such information to infiltrate their ranks.”

“It is unfortunate and regrettable as we pray their souls to rest in peace.

“We are equally calling on government at all levels to provide the needed support for the injured persons and pray for their speedy recovery,” PDP said.

L-R: Professor of Political Science, Debaul University Chicago, USA, Prof.

Clement EME Adibe, Chairman, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Dr. Kole Shettima and Country Director, Plan International Nigeria, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, during the Trump Presidency on Nigeria Conference on Tuesday in Abuja Photo: Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

N1.64bn fraud: Ex-Taraba Governor Nyame knows fate February 14

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former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Gudu on a 41-count charge of criminal misappropriation of N1.64bn state funds will know his fate on February 14, 2017.

The court will on that day decide whether he has a case to answer or not.

The prosecution had on November 22, 2016 closed its case against Nyame after presenting 14 witnesses.

The trial, however, witnessed a twist on the same day, as the defence told the court that it intended to file a “no case” submission, as it believed that there was no prima facie case established against Nyame.

At the resumed sitting Wednesday, both the prosecution and the defence adopted their written addresses, and gave oral arguments.

Charles Edosomwan, SAN, counsel for Nyame, alluded to the fact that “crucial elements are missing in this case”, and urged the court to “hold that the testimony of prosecution witnesses have been so damaged and can’t be relied on”.

He further argued that there was no direct link between Nyame, and a house allegedly procured by him using the diverted state funds, noting that “nobody tendered registered documents linking him to it”.

According to him, the trial was “an unnecessary waste of time through which an ordeal was inflicted on Nyame, just because he was a former governor”.

Prosecuting counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi, however, countered

Edosomwan’s submission, noting that “a prima facie case had indeed been established against Nyame after the prosecution called 14 witnesses who testified to how they assisted him to divert state funds”.

“In the course of this trial, the defendant did not at any time deny that he received some of the money in question, and in fact, he has even said that he is ready to return the money,” Adeniyi said.

He reminded the court that some of the witnesses had confessed in court admitting their several roles during which funds were withdrawn from the state treasury for Nyame’s use.

He said: “Those who took part in purchase of stationery have come to court and explained their roles through which the money was instead, transferred to bank account belonging to close confidante of the

defendant, and all these were not contended.”

Citing Exhibit Z6, Adeniyi reminded the court that another witness testified to how money purportedly earmarked for the purchase of grains, were never utilized for what it was pencilled for, but instead, “the money was brought to the defendant”.

He further argued that: “All your lordship will do is to see whether there’s ground upon which your lordship can ask the defendant to enter his defence, not that he is guilty or not, or whether evidence is good enough to convict him, but to say he should defend himself.”

After listening to the arguments, Justice Banjoko, urged both parties to submit the authorities cited in their submissions, adding that “I want to go through all the evidence, and will give my ruling on February 14, 2017.”

PDP will return to power in 2019 – Makarfi

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he National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sen Ahmed Makarfi, has declared that the opposition party is in a better position to rule Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja when he received syndicate reports of the strategy review committee led by former Information Minister, Jerry Gana, Makarfi said PDP would become the ruling party in 2019 if its members did the right thing.

He said, “It is in the interest of Nigerians that opposition exists and is strong.

“Nigerians will not expect opposition that behaves in unruly manner; one that will be there to talk down on government all the time.

“I think we should not be unreasonable in our opposition.

“We should use our brains so that when we criticise and bring out alternative ways of doing things, we will convince Nigerians that we are better set of people to rule Nigeria.

“But, if we show that there is no difference, Nigerians will say ‘no, they are birds of the same feather’.

“That is why we must criticise, using our brain to actually connect with Nigerians so that we can convince them that we are what we say we are.”

The former Kaduna State Governor advised party members not to withdraw from any opportunity to reconcile with its members.

“We must not close door for reconciliation and negotiation but we must reconcile based on strong position. A unified judgment by court of appeal will place us in good stead,” he said.

On the crisis rocking the party, Makarfi maintained that the party was only waiting for the judgment from the court of appeal in Port Harcourt.

“We are waiting for judgment that will restore hope.

“How the court will restore that hope is for the will of PDP members to be respected, and we are giving the legal right for us to go ahead to build a virile party,” he added.

I have no governorship ambition – Sen. Ndume

F

ormer Senate Leader, Muhammad Ndume, revealed yesterday that he is not nursing any ambition to become the governor of Borno in 2019.

Ndume, who is representing Borno South, was reacting to rumours that he planned to take over from Governor Kashim

Shettima in 2019. He explained that his decision was based on the fact that he was getting old for the position.

Ndume said the governorship position required young personalities that were vibrant in nature.

He said, “I personally feel that anybody approaching 60 years

should not go and contest for governorship election.

“This is because governing a state in Nigeria requires somebody that is vibrant, strong, that can withstand the enormous pressure associated with the office,” he said.

The lawmaker said he was already 58 years old and will be about 60 years in 2019.

“I am 58 years old now, and by the time we will be leaving the senate I will be close to 60.

“I think that will be an old age for a governor of a state,” Ndume said.

He said that aside from the issue of age, governing a state required lots of responsibilities.

“I want to say without any fear

of contradiction that I do not envy anybody aspiring and struggling to be the governor of Borno in 2019.

So, I do not envy persons aspiring to be the governor, I do not have interest.’’

Ndume, however, said that if it was God`s wish for him to be the governor of the state, then he would have no objection.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Gaidam harps on loyalty as he swears-in new commissioner From Uche Uche,Damaturu.

Y

obe State Governor, Alh. Ibrahim Gaidam, has sworn-in a new commissioner in order to fill the vacancy created following the sacking of the former commissioner in the ministry of home affairs, information and culture.

In his speech during the swearingin ceremony at the government house, Damaturu, the governor described the appointee as an experienced politician who once served as legislator in the state house of assembly, as well as in positions of senior special assistant, two times local government management committee chairman of Gulani local government, and was recently nominated as chairmanship candidate for the local government council election scheduled for 11th February, 2017.

He urged the new commissioner to always put the interest of the people first in the discharge of his duties and strive to restrain himself in all activities and discussions that would bring disrepute to the office and the government.

While calling on the new appointee, as well as other political and public officers to maintain strong grassroots political links, Governor Gaidam stressed the importance of demonstrating high degree of loyalty, honesty and commitment towards discharging their assigned duties and functions.

“Let me repeat that our demand for loyalty from all public office holders who have voluntarily agreed to serve under this administration, is not a subject of compromise or negotiation,” the governor stated.

Politics

Adamawa: Activist accuses Gov Jibrilla of using DSS to harass opponents From Umar Dankano, Yola.

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Civil activist and former Gubernatorial candidate of the People’s party of Nigeria, PPN, in 2015 General Elections in Adamawa State, Mr.Sunday Yusuf Amos, has accused Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla of using security agents to harass perceived political opponents in the state.

Mr. Amos disclosed the development in an interview with journalists in Yola Thursday over his arrest by the Operatives of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) on Wednesday over his comments on the Paris club refund to the state Government in a Television programme, criticizing Governor Jibrilla’s composition of a committee to disburse the said refund money to local Government workers .

Peoples Daily recalls that Mr. Amos made an appearance at a famous morning talk show ‘”SAFIYA” at Gotel Television Yola expressing reservations over the involvement of Government separate committee noting that the said committee was needless until the Jibrilla’s Government has a hidden motive as what happened to the initial CBN bailout funds which the Government is yet to give proper account to the public.

This was a development the Government felt embarrassed and detailed DSS to go after Mr. Amos on Wednesday, even thought he was released on same day after spending some hours at command Head quarters which was greeted with viral protests on the social media and the capital city.

He said the Director of the DSS interviewed him in his in office, challenging the reasons why he granted

such statements on Live TV programme against the state; but Amos replied him saying he has his freedom of expression.

Amos described his invitation or arrest as “impunity and intimidation using instruments of Government “lamenting that, the tanents of democracy are endangered by few corrupt politicians in the state.

Reacting to the allegations in a telephone interview , the state Commissioner of information and strategy, Comrade Ahmad Sajoh, said the interview by Mr. Amos exposed his ignorance over the workings of Government, saying the action is nothing more inciting the people against the government which must be resisted.

Sajoh expressed satisfaction with the security action, stressing that they were doing their work by inviting him (Amos) for questioning and it has

nothing to do with Governor Jibrilla nor his Government.

He said Amos should be ready to face the consequences of his mischief not to blame anybody for his ordeals in this matter.

The commissioner enjoyed the public to disregard the statement of Amos, as the state government is working round the clock to pay the arrears of all local government workers; maintaining that the government has received N4.8billion out of N12.6 for the payments.

Efforts to get the side of the Department of Security service in Yola was not fruitful, as spokesperson of the Command, Mrs. Jummai Zira, was indisposed and her mobile phone was not going through when called severally at the time of filing in this report.

L-R: Member, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYIEC), Mr Sunday Aborisade; Chairman of OYIEC, Mr Jide Ajeigbe; Secretary, OYIEC, Mr Paul Ogunola; at a News Conference on the forth coming Local Government Election into the 33 Local Government Councils and 35 Local Council Development Areas, yesterday in Oyo

Bauchi: The worsening rift between Gov. Abubakar and Yuguda From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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t appears the rift between Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar and his predecessor, Mallam Isa Yuguda would continue to worsen, as the incumbent administration continues to slam lofty accusation on the former Governor.

Political pundits in the state observed that as the accusations between the former governor and the incumbent governor is thickening, that would not argue well for the political climate of the state come 2019.

Recently, the incumbent governor, Mohammed, has accused Yuguda through a high-powered committee set up to carry out forensic audit of all major contracts awarded by Yuguda administration from June 2007 to May 2015 in the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board, Ministries of Local Government Affairs, Bauchi Specialists Hospital and other MDAs. The committee has asked Yuguda to account for over 213 billion naira said to have been expended by his administration within the period under review.

The Governor constituted a white Paper Committee under the Chairmanship of the State Attorney General and Commissioner

for Justice, Barrister Ibrahim Umar to look in to the Committee reports for possible prosecution of those found guilty.

The High Committee reports said most of the major contracts awarded by the past administration in all the MDAs investigated were either not competed, while payments have been made, not executed at all, overinflated, poorly executed or due process was not followed in the award while in other contractors were overpaid without any acceptable reason or explanation.

The Committee report doesn’t go well with supporters of the former Governor Yuguda , his spokesman and former Commissioner of Information in Bauchi State, Alhaji Salisu Barau has accused the state Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi of non-performance stating that he has so far failed the electorates.

Salisu Barau condemn their probe was a witch-hunt and that the committee was illegal ‘because it was not constitutionally constituted’.

He claimed that the actions of the committee are therefore null and void pointing out that a Bauchi state high court had recently ordered that any probe committee set up by Abubakar should stop raiding the houses of the ex-government

officials or seizing their belongings as the matter is still pending before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC]. ‘’It is laughable that the Bauchi State government would release this report after they have already petitioned the EFCC. When has the committee which is illegal turned to a court of law or anti graft agency where people will be indicted? I think they just want to black-paint us and our principal with baseless allegations. Yuguda is ever ready to honour EFCC’s invitation because he has records of everything,” he said.

Barau further claimed that his boss was more careful and prudent in his expenditures than the incumbent governor because he was a banker and financial expert, alleging that Governor Abubakar was merely trying to divert people’s attention from the series of public outcries on his poor performance since assumption of office for almost two years now.

Buttressing his point, the excommissioner stated that Yuguda constructed an international airport at N13 billion, 100 kilometer Ningi-Burra road at the cost of only N7 billion while the present governor has allegedly awarded a just four kilometer road at the colossal amount of N4 billion which ‘he is yet to commission up to

now’.

Barau alleged that since the emergence of the APC administration in the state, it has continued to persecute the ex governor and his aides, pointing out that the government in collaboration with the security agents have humiliated Yuguda when he recently returned home by banning him from holding public gatherings, rallies and barricading his residence thereby preventing his supporters from visiting him and forcing him to leave the state abruptly.

That, he decried was a violation of the former governor’s inalienable right as a bonafide citizen of the state and the nation.

Barau, also accused the governor of sponsoring the publication and circulation of posters of the former governor campaigning for the presidency in 2019.

In the eve of the visit of President Buhari to the state recently, residents of the state woke up to find posters of former governor Isa Yuguda and the incumbent Senator, Bauchi South, Ali Wakili for President and governor in 2019 respectively.

He alleged that the act was an attempt by the state government to smear the relationship between the President and Senator Ali Wakili, describing it a “blatant disregard for decorum”.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Stock Watch: Thursday, January 19, 2016 Company

7UP

Previous Closing Price

185.06

184.5

Opening Price

184.5

High

Low

184.5

Close

184.5

Change

Trades

-0.56 25

Volume

Value

Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

233,796

43,137,315.02 MAYBAKER 1.26 - - - 1.26 5 26,078 32,955.18

ABBEYBDS 1.25 - - - 1.25 0 - -

MBENEFIT 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

ABCTRANS 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 4 505,000 252,500.00

MCNICHOLS 1.2 - - - 1.2 5 154,383 176,896.62

ACADEMY 0.59 - - - 0.59 0 - ACCESS

4.46

4.46

4.64

4.46

4.5

0.04 321

28,060,764

126,589,999.78

ADSWITCH 1.63 - - - 1.63 0 - AFRIK 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - AFRINSURE 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

MOBIL 138.99 - - - 138.99 20 6,378 854,115.18 MORISON 1.73 - - - 1.73 0 - MRS 49.66 - - - 49.66 1 500 23,590.00 MTECH 0.91 - - - 0.91 0 - MTI 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - MULTITREX 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

AFRIPRUD 2.65 2.7 2.7 2.61 2.61 -0.04 35 553,581 1,479,349.55 MULTIVERSE 0.5 - - - 0.5 1 10,000 5,000.00 AFROMEDIA 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 1 550,000 275,000.00

NAHCO 4.38 4.17 4.17 4.17 4.17 -0.21 19 203,175 850,145.97

AFRPAINTS 2.59 - - - 2.59 0 - -

NASCON 7.18 7.5 7.3 7.16 7.3 0.12 26 1,031,170 7,479,398.60

AGLEVENT 1.02 0.97 -

-

1.02

8 48,971 46,330.44

AIICO 0.9 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.01 18 983,972 898,207.23 AIRSERVICE 1.91 - - - 1.91 3 1,505 2,918.35 ALEX 9.84 - - - 9.84 0 - ALUMACO 7.75 - - - 7.75 1 200 1,474.00 ANINO 0.25 - - - 0.25 0 - ARBICO 5.04 - - - 5.04 0 - -

NB 135 135.2 135.2 129.51 129.51 -5.49 105 1,220,085 161,842,702.19 NCR 11.02 - - - 11.02 0 - NEIMETH 1.03 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 -0.05 6

126,800 124,264.00

NEM 0.69 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.01 16 1,774,600 1,241,859.00 NESF 552.2 - - - 552.2 0 - NESTLE 814

822.99 822.99 822.99 822.99 8.99 73

115,282 94,401,035.72

NIG-GERMAN 4.91 - - - 4.91 0 - NIGERINS 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

ASHAKACEM 22.5 - - - 22.5 16 55,698 1,233,876.58 NIGROPES 7.46 - - - 7.46 0 - ASOSAVINGS 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

NNFM 8.99 - - - 8.99 0 - -

AUSTINLAZ 2.09 - - - 2.09 0 - -

NPFMCRFBK

AVONCROWN 1.52 - - - 1.52 0 - BECOPETRO 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - BERGER 9.6 9.61 9.61 9.61 9.61 0.01 9 379,696 3,674,398.56 BETAGLAS 48.51 - - - 48.51 0 - -

0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0

6

174,000 170,510.00

NSLTECH 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - OANDO 8.5 8.92 8.92 8.48 8.48 -0.02 364 7,671,197 65,761,034.51 OKOMUOIL 28.82 - - - 28.82 21 108,772 3,056,214.60 OMATEK 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - OMOSAVBNK 0.92 - - - 0.92 0 - -

BOCGAS 4.18 - - - 4.18 0 - PAINTCOM 1.14 - - - 1.14 0 - CADBURY 20.1 - - - 20.1 15 82,240 1,655,764.64 PHARMDEKO 2.14 - - - 2.14 1 5,000 10,850.00 CAP 38 39 39 39 39 1 16 166,666 6,492,031.87 PORTPAINT 3.53 - - - 3.53 0 - CAPHOTEL 4.07 - - - 4.07 0 - -

PREMBREW 2.95 - - - 2.95 0 - -

CAPOIL 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

PREMPAINTS 10.93 - - - 10.93 0 - -

CAVERTON 2.63 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 -0.13 7 145,913 366,122.50 CCNN 8.73 9.16 -

-

8.73

7 51,560 458,087.60

CHAMPION 4.17 4.17 -

-

4.17

11 146,282 587,170.36

CHAMS 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - CHELLARAM 3.76 - - - 3.76 0 - -

PRESCO 30.5 - - - 30.5 6 32,910 1,045,950.40 PRESTIGE 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - PZ 25.5 25 25 25 25 -0.5 33 567,539 14,195,538.05 RAKUNITY 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - REDSTAREX 4.2 - - - 4.2 2 19,785 83,097.00 REGALINS 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

CILEASING 0.5 - - - 0.5 2 4,000 2,000.00

RESORTSAL 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 1 100,000 50,000.00

CONOIL 27.41 26.04 -

ROADS 6.6 - - - 6.6 0 - -

-

27.41

8

13,350 330,799.00

0.6 - - - 0.6 0 - 1.06 1.01 1.06 1.01 1.06 0 11 3,520,635 3,661,166.09 ROKANA ROYALEX 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - CORNERST 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - RTBRISCOE 0.5 - - - 0.5 3 78,164 39,082.00 COSTAIN 0.5 - - - 0.5 1 5,000 2,500.00 CONTINSURE

COURTVILLE 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - CUSTODYINS 4.1 - - - 4.1 6 16,101 64,845.03 CUTIX 1.45 - - - 1.45 1 26,666 38,665.70 CWG 2.67 - - - 2.67 0 - DAARCOMM 0.5 - - - 0.5 1 4,000 2,000.00

SCOA 4.16 - - - 4.16 0 - -

SEPLAT 230.04 225 225 225 225 -5.04 20 77,862 17,490,790.00 SIMCAPVAL 103.24 - - - 103.24 0 - SKYEBANK 1.9 1.9 1.99 1.9 1.99 0.09 75 2,020,105 3,920,083.45 SKYESHELT 100 - - - 100 0 - SMURFIT 0.98 - - - 0.98 0 - -MAY-

DANGCEM 162 163 163 163 163 1 33 156,759 25,532,904.96

BAKER 1.26 - - - 1.26 5 26,078 32,955.18

DANGFLOUR 2.31 - - - 2.31 16 31,484 75,328.68

MBENEFIT 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

DANGSUGAR

- - - 1.2 5 154,383 176,896.62 6.52 6.32 6.51 6.32 6.51 -0.01 26 343,221 2,210,542.55 MCNICHOLS 1.2 MOBIL 138.99 - - - 138.99 20 6,378 854,115.18

DEAPCAP 0.58 - - - 0.58 0 - -

DIAMONDBNK 2.87 2.8 2.8 2.74 2.74 -0.13 43 1,315,800 3,645,250.00 IPWA 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - JAPAULOIL 0.5 - - - 0.5 1 10,000 5,000.00 JBERGER 39.5 - - - 39.5 4 1,180 44,879.00 JOHNHOLT 0.96 - - - 0.96 0 - -

MORISON 1.73 - - - 1.73 0 - MRS 49.66 - - - 49.66 1 500 23,590.00 MTECH 0.91 - - - 0.91 0 - MTI 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - MULTITREX 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - MULTIVERSE 0.5 - - - 0.5 1 10,000 5,000.00

JOSBREW 1.51 - - - 1.51 0 - -

NAHCO 4.38 4.17 4.17 4.17 4.17 -0.21 19 203,175 850,145.97

JULI 1.75 - - - 1.75 0 - -

NASCON 7.18 7.5 7.3 7.16 7.3 0.12 26 1,031,170 7,479,398.60

LASACO 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 1 300,000 150,000.00

NB 135 135.2 135.2 129.51 129.51 -5.49 105 1,220,085 161,842,702.19

LAWUNION 0.54 0.53 0.53 0.52 0.52 -0.02 14 910,610 481,548.30

NCR 11.02 - - - 11.02 0 - -

LEARNAFRCA

0.68 0.65 0.65 0.65 0.65 -0.03 10 1,074,871 699,416.15

LENNARDS 3.15 - - - 3.15 0 - LINKASSURE 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - LIVESTOCK 1.4 1.41 1.41 1.41 1.41 0.01 9 134,400 192,410.51 MANDRID 5.35 - - - 5.35 0 - MANSARD 2.62 2.55 -

-

2.62

8 37,850 99,859.50

Top Gainers Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

NEIMETH 1.03 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 -0.05 6

126,800 124,264.00

NEM 0.69 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.01 16 1,774,600 1,241,859.00 NESF 552.2 - - - 552.2 0 - NESTLE 814

822.99 822.99 822.99 822.99 8.99 73

115,282 94,401,035.72

NIG-GERMAN 4.91 - - - 4.91 0 - NIGERINS 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - NIGROPES 7.46 - - - 7.46 0 - -

Top Losers Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

ALUMACO 7.75 - - - 7.75 1 200 1,474.00

MULTITREX 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

FORTISMFB 5.42 - - - 5.42 0 - -

NNFM 8.99 - - - 8.99 0 - -

UNHOMES 5.23 - - - 5.23 1 3,750 18,637.50

MCNICHOLS 1.2 - - - 1.2 5 154,383 176,896.62

INFINITY 1.42 - - - 1.42 0 - -

UTC 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

OMOSAVBNK 0.92 - - - 0.92 0 - -

UNIONDICON 11.84 - - - 11.84 0 - -

MULTIVERSE 0.5 - - - 0.5 1 10,000 5,000.00

MANDRID 5.35 - - - 5.35 0 - -

ASOSAVINGS 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

CADBURY 20.1 - - - 20.1 15 82,240 1,655,764.64

ABBEYBDS 1.25 - - - 1.25 0 - -

JULI 1.75 - - - 1.75 0 - -

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Staff of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), in a group photograph, during the Brand Champion Seminar, recently in Abuja.

Recession: NDIC re-assures depositors of safety net

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has reassured depositors of Banks, safety net against loss of their deposits in the event of banks’ failure in the face of the current economic recession in the country.

Speaking on the implications of Economic Recession on Deposit Insurance System (DIS), the Director, Research, Policy and International Relations Department, NDIC, Mr Umar M. Y. said, the recession has adversely affected not only the public sector but also the private sector.

Umar said, the financial sector appeared to be having its own fair share

of the effect of economic recession, as a number of banks are experiencing poor asset quality and increase in nonperforming loans, resulting in downsizing of staff, reduction in staff salary.

According to him, the effects of the recession also manifested in commercial lending as banks are unable to lend as much as they have done in the past.

He however, assured depositors of banks, of protection through Deposit Insurance System (DIS) against loss that may result from the heat of the recession.

Deposit Insurance System (DIS) is a financial guarantee whereby depositors are protected against the loss of their deposits in the event of a bank(s) failure.

It is an integral part of the Financial

Safety Net of the country.

Mr Umar said that NDIC and other regulatory agencies need to be more vigilant in terms of regulation and supervision in order to address any problems that could arise as a result of the consequences of recession on the insured institutions.

He said, in order to address the likely issues of reduced collection of premium payable by the insured institutions and by extension the growth of its insurance funds as a result of economic downturn and the fluctuations in the treasury bill rates, the NDIC needs to begin to explore other investment avenues/channels in which to invest its funds.

He said, government needs to remain

focused on its efforts at diversifying the economy and other policies put in place to ensure quick recovery from the current recession. When that is done, the economic environment will be conducive for the banks to operate safety which reduces the risk of failure and hence negative consequences on the NDIC. According to him, the Corporation needs to prepare for any eventuality in case some insured institutions fail as a result of the general economic downturn in the country.

This he said was important in order to ensure that the failures are resolved fast enough and in a seamless manner without causing any disruption to the system.

No plan to increase price of petrol-NNPC

...warns against Panic Buying

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has enjoined motorists in Abuja and its environs, and indeed the federation, not to engage in any panic buying of petroleum products, saying there was no plan to increase the pump price of petrol as being speculated.

NNPC said the plea was necessary due to the reports that some motorists have begun panic buying of petrol, following

rumours that the government is about to increase the pump price of the white product from N145 per litre.

NNPC assures motorists that the Corporation has 1.3billion litres stock of PMS, otherwise called petrol, which is sufficient to serve the nation for more than 38 days.

A statement by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu said the Corporation wishes to assure Nigerians that there was no iota of truth in the

rumour that government was scheduled to adjust pump price of petrol.

The statement said, indeed, with the resumption of production by the Corporation’s three refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri, complemented by imports, there is enough stock of PMS, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), diesel and kerosene.

This much was explained yesterday

by NNPC Chief Operating Officer of the Refineries, Mr. Anibor Kragha while briefing the Senate Committee on

Petroleum Downstream in a presentation on the current status of the refineries at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

In the presentation, Kragha told the legislators that the nation’s three refineries produced additional volumes of 4.6 million litres of kerosene and 7.7 million litres of diesel, in addition to millions of litres of petrol being refined daily at the nation’s refineries.

The assurances of availability of stock by the NNPC Chief Operation Officer of the Refineries yesterday still stand.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Page 20

Business CBN Policies: We Act in the Best Interest of Nigerians -Emefiele

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele has debunked the insinuations in some quarters that policies of the government were meant to favour the few in the society. Instead, policies were always designed to serve the best interest of majority of Nigerians.

Mr. Emefiele, who was

responding to concerns raised by a panelist at the Annual Media Trust Dialogue in Abuja on Thursday, noted that “policies were put in place to help Nigeria pull through the hard time.”

He observed that the country found itself in the present situation due to lack of appropriate commitment to economic diversification, especially when the earnings

from oil were as high as $140 per barrel, just as he noted that earnings of the government had risen to height of $3.2 billion and fell to about 500m per month recently.

According to the Apex Bank Governor, there was also a time when the crude oil price stabilized at $105 per barrel over a period of five years. “What did we do with the huge accretion to

the reserves then?” he queried.

Mr. Emefiele therefore, counseled the critics of the CBN and government policies that “priority will be given to Nigerian masses by managing the limited resources to provide for industrial raw materials, plants and equipment and agricultural inputs in order to create employment and generate wealth.”

One of the panelists, Mr. Atedo Peterside, had raised concern that the foreign exchange polies of the CBN is hurting business interests to which the CBN Governor responded that policy makers don’t make policies in isolation or designed to hurt the citizenry but with the objectives to improve the life of all concerned nit just for a few powerful and rich individuals.

Kaduna Electric apologises for erratic power situation

By Etuka Sunday

T

L-R: Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbata; Chief of Staff, NCC, Mr. Usman Malah; Director, Centre for Telecommunication Research and Development, Kwara State University, Dr. Abdulwaheed Musa and Director, ICT Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, during the NCC inaugural meeting with academia on International Communication Union (ITU) study on Tuesday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

SEC, EFCC sign pact for effective policing of Capital Market

By Etuka Sunday

I

n order to ensure an effective policing of the capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The signing ceremony took place Wednesday at the EFCC office in Abuja.

The MoU serves to among others promote the efficient investigation and conclusion of all cases reported by either Institution to each other, promote the integrity, efficiency and soundness of the Nigerian Capital Market and the Economy in general.

It also seeks to promote collaboration in the areas of training and secondment of middle cadre officers of the SEC to the EFCC and those of the EFCC to the SEC; or in the alternative, the establishment of a liaison desk in both Institutions as well as promote collaboration

in other areas beneficial to both Institutions.

Going by the provisions of the document, the Institutions shall provide each other with the utmost mutual assistance in any matter falling within the competence of the Institutions, including in particular the following areas: Secondment of middle cadre officers, Training to enhance the investigative skills and capacity of personnel of the Institutions and consequently increase the general output and performance of the Institutions and facilitate better understanding of each others’ functions through capacity building programs and human capital development in the areas of investigation of fraud in the capital market.

Both institutions will also collaborate in the areas of exchange of information to assist the performance of the Institutions’ respective functions, reporting, investigation and prosecution of fraudulent/ manipulative practices in the Nigerian Capital Market and any

other activity as agreed between the Institutions from time to time.

The MoU serves as a basis of cooperation between the institutions and does not create any binding legal obligation, nor does it modify or supersede any laws, regulations or regulatory requirements in force or applying to the institutions.

Furthermore, the MoU does not create any rights enforceable by third institutions nor does it affect any arrangement under other MoUs. Only recently when the SEC paid a visit to the EFCC, the Director General of SEC, Mounir Gwarzo commended the close relationship between both organizations, adding that the Commission cannot discharge its responsibility effectively without collaborating with the anti graft agency.

He said, “We are by provision of our law mandated to protect investors on developing the market but the way our law is structured we have limitations

over criminal cases and that is why in the last 10 years there has been a very great collaboration between both agencies.

“We hope that when this MoU becomes fully operational, it will assist in reducing market infractions to the barest minimum.”

Gwarzo remarked that the collaboration with the EFCC has been of tremendous benefit to the SEC especially in areas of investigation and enforcement, adding that effective policing of the market is one of the ways of reviving investor confidence.

“One of our agenda is to bring back the retail investors to the market and there is no way they will agree to return if they are not sure of the safety of their investments,” the DG stated.

Responding, Magu expressed delight that the collaboration between both agencies has yielded enormous benefit for the growth of the capital market, adding that his agency will continue to provide assistance where required.

he Management of Kaduna Electric, has inform its esteemed customers in Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States that the prolonged power outages currently being experienced across the country was as a result of low generation.

The Company said, “in the past one week, the power allocation to our Company has been hovering around 50megawats. This is a far cry from the 200-250 megawatts hitherto being allocated to us.

“We sincerely regret the hardship and inconveniences this unfortunate development is causing our esteemed customers.

“We hope the generation Companies will overcome the challenges confronting them soon and resume full operations.

“While we sincerely thank our valued customers for their patience and understanding, we are quick to assure all concerned that this announcement is made with deep sense of responsibility.”

Recall, the national electricity grid lost 728 megawatts in the first 12 days of 2017, after peak power generation dropped to 3,432mw.

The grid which had peak power generation of 4,160mw on January 1, 2017 dropped to 3,432mw last week, and further declined to 3,098mw on Sunday, causing a total loss of 1,062mw.

According to industry report, the drop was attributable to the partial system collapse that occurred on January 12, 2017.

The report said, “Partial collapse occurred on January 12, 2017. At 8:41hours, system frequency dropped from 51Hz to 43Hz. Lagos, Osogbo, Jebba, Kainji and Shiroro lost supply, while other areas survived. The total load loss was 1,899.7MW. “As of 6am on January 13, the following plants were still shut down: Geregu NIPP and Sapele NIPP, in addition to the plants previously reported as shut down.

Plants previously reported as shut down include Alaoji NIPP, Ihovbor NIPP and Gbarain.

“The following plants lost turbine functionality as of 6am on January 13, 2017: Okpai (GT11, out due to flame monitor problem; the ST18, out due to hydraulic valve problem) and Olorunsogo I (GT2, out since partial collapse on January 10, 2017).”

Page 21

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

AEA: Women get special attention in skill acquisition

T

Business activities at wuse market recently in Abuja

NHIS tasked on improved services in FCT Hospitals

Stories by Stanley Onyekwere

T

he management of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has been urged to ensure delivery of improved quality of services to enrollees of the scheme in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) hospitals.

According to the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, who made this call, the feedback he has been receiving from enrollees of the Scheme has not been encouraging, especially with regards to the quality of drugs being provided to them.

He Minister, who spoke last week, when the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf paid him a visited in his office, urged the organization to also tackle the issue of the perception in the public that drugs in the NHIS system are always of low quality types because this is what the feedbacks usually reveal.

He wondered why patients would be asked to purchase

drugs from third parties outside of the scheme, despite making part payments to hospital managements in addition to their contributions to the National Health Insurance Scheme.

He said: “If the funding or contribution being made by the enrollees is the issue, then it is very important for us to tackle that because it is not appropriate for them to pay for portion of the services in the hospitals and then they go outside to pay for other services.

“That makes it difficult for the physicians and for you the agencies moving these services to really profile your patients properly, because parties that are under your supervision as well as parties that are not under your supervision are giving services. So, it becomes difficult for you to detect issues of maybe wrong diagnosis or wrong prescription.”

On the suggestion that Desk Officers should be assigned to healthcare facilities nationwide to monitor the services being provided to subscribers of the

NHIS, the Minister said the FCT Administration would give full support to any idea that could help improve services to the residents.

“The bottom line is service delivery and the feedback from the general public, not only in FCT but so many other States has not been encouraging. For the Scheme to succeed, we as the operators, the policy makers and more importantly, those in enforcement and supervision are the key and that’s why we whole heartedly support your vision and requirement to assign Desk Officers in all the hospitals nationwide.

“The FCT will naturally key into it and provide you the necessary support. The advantage you have is that being stationed in the FCT, you could always use the facilities you have in the FCT to try all the new ideas and interventions you want to do and we will support you so that the FCT will be a model that you will always showcase to other states when you go for advocacy or when you invite them to Abuja,” the Minister stressed.

Bello therefore, directed the Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, General Manager of the FCT Hospital Services Management Board as well as the FCT Health Insurance Scheme to sit down with the NHIS team and discuss issues on how to improve the situation.

Speaking earlier, the NHIS Executive Secretary, Professor Usman Yusuf said, “Our enrollees nationwide have not been treated with the respect and dignity they deserved as many of our patients go to hospitals and they complain to us that drugs are usually out of stock.

“That is why I solicit the support of the FCT Minister to allow NHIS to deploy Desk Officers in FCT hospitals to advocate for patients. So that when our patients go to hospitals and are told they encounter problems, they have somebody to go to and complain, which is the NHIS Desk Officer. The Desk Officer will get direct access to me just as I have direct access to the Hon. Minister of FCT.”

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) is vigorously training several women in various skills in the Territory.

This was disclosed by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, while receiving the National President of the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria Laraba Shoda that paid him a visit in his office.

The Minister said that since the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, the FCT Administration has initiated useful skill acquisition schemes through the Abuja Enterprise Agency where women from all the nooks and crannies of the Federal Capital Territory have benefitted.

Bello reiterated that his Administration intends to continue along that line because the women constitute a large population of the nation.

He further revealed that the FCT Administration has also keyed into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme whereby two crops namely, rice and soya beans in which the FCT has comparative advantage is being promoted with women in the forefront.

He noted that very large population of women turned out to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and appreciated the uncommon support they have been giving to the government.

While promising to foster the interests of women in the Territory, he told them that his Administration is working to complete all ongoing projects in the areas of health, education and so on, which have direct bearing on the common man.

“As soon as the on-going projects within the Federal Capital City are completed, the focus will shift to the Satellite Towns and the Area Councils,” he stressed.

The Minister therefore charged the women to continue to support the government of President Muhammadu Buhari whilst promising to continue to have a robust relationship with the NCWS. Speaking earlier, the National President of the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria Laraba Shoda noted that the FCT Minister has brought in strong vigour in the area of sanitation, land administration, healthcare delivery, security and other positive developments that have positive impact on the lives women.

The National President commended the Minister for his willingness to continue to support women in the area of wealth creation thereby improving their overall well being.

world news

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Page 22

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Five thoughts to sober up the morning after Trump

By Marwan Bishara

I

f you’re depressed, whatever you do, don’t go for the easy escapes. Don’t bother taking up yoga, watching soap operas or shopping for expensive stuff. And for all you disgruntled Americans, forget about moving to Canada. It’s too cold.

If you’re religious, don’t bother praying for divine intervention. As former senator George Mitchell famously remarked 30 years ago: “Although he’s regularly asked to do so, God does not take sides in American politics.”

And do spare yourself more of the same self-help nonsense.

For the self-help nation that it has become, America’s helplessness today comes not from a lack of enthusiasm and drive; it comes from a lack of fairness and too much drive.

Hyperbole won’t bring about fairness.

What then could be done about the Trump presidency?

That’s a long story; perhaps a four-year ordeal; perhaps more, perhaps less. At any rate, plenty of time to think for the long term. As for this week, here are few good reasons why good people shouldn’t feel too bad or mad “the morning after” the inauguration.

Driving conservatives mad The Republican vote for the man their leaders called a vulgar, braggart lose cannon is the ultimate demonstration of how the liberal elites have finally driven conservatives totally and utterly mad.

Once upon a time, conservatives used to be

the “reasonable” lot, the cautious, steady bunch. Those who deliberated, avoided abrupt change, and espoused “traditional values”.

But since FDR’s New Deal Society, Republican leadership have defied Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Instead of choosing better leaders, they’ve consistently devolved, starting with Dwight Eisenhower and ending with George W Bush and Donald Trump.

Trump’s hyperbole and bravado is bound to accelerate this process downwards.

Once, his base realises that the security, economy and wellbeing of the nation requires more than 140-character tweets, Republicans will understand they need change, AGAIN. Driving the liberal elites mad Americans have turned to Donald Trump only after Barrack Obama failed to change a rigid American establishment because he acquiesced to the liberal elites with high stakes in the rigged system.

Despite their championing of liberal values, these elites are as equally responsible for squashing the “American dream” as their conservative counterparts. Clearly, much of the country has had enough of their hypocrisy, surplus morality and so-called political correctness.

Trump’s humiliation of the likes of CNN and The New York Times, the mouthpieces of the liberal establishment, is only the beginning of what promises to be a roller-coaster ride.

But once all is said and done, humiliation might bring a

“

US President-elect Donald Trump is to be inaugurated on January 20 [Reuters] certain humility to those snotty elites, and eventually make way for the more authentic liberal voices in American society.

Driving the left mad …

The left, which lost its way after Bernie Sanders lost to Hillary Clinton, has a chance to find its bearings again and return to its progressive roots.

It can build on the momentum gained by Bernie, instead of lamenting the momentum lost

by Hillary.

The left also has a chance to unify its ranks after it turned on itself over the past year. It tore itself apart in disagreement over whether or not to embrace “the lesser of the two evils”,

Americans have turned to Donald Trump only after Barrack Obama failed to change a rigid American establishment because he acquiesced to the liberal elites with high stakes in the rigged system.

Clinton over Trump, and over taking sides between Hillary and Vladimir Putin, and between Trump and the CIA. OPINION: Small hands big missiles - Trump’s dangerous adolescence OK, not exactly taking sides, but certainly getting politically invested in losing propositions.

As the Clintons depart and Obama no longer president, the left may finally focus on the ever-more needed progressive agenda as democrats try to find their footing in Trump’s America.

Driving white Evangelicals mad The holier-than-thou attitude of white Evangelicals was exposed in this election to be no more than a false cliche.

Their 80 percent vote in favour of known-to-be a “serial liar”, casino owner, thricemarried women groper, who appeared in Playboy videos, is a testimony to their hypocrisy.

Yes, they hated Clinton and what she stood for in terms of abortion rights and women’s rights, but they also liked and embraced Trump’s xenophobic and indeed racist statements about Latinos and Muslims.

I don’t usually prescribe literal interpretations to theological terms, but Evangelicals, who think Trump is their saviour, might discover that he is in fact a version of their much-anticipated

“antichrist”.

Driving Obama mad The Donald presidency will relieve much of the pentup tension, bitterness and disappointed by the Obama presidency.

The no-drama Obama is telling his base that everything will be OK, when he knows nothing is OK with Trump reversing his legacy; or becoming his legacy.

He once remarked that Trump may only deliver the inauguration speech in a Saturday Night Life comedy sketch. Delusional.

But as soon as he opens his mouth to deliver the inauguration speech, people of all walks of life will be nostalgic for the days of Obama, the commander-in-speech. Those who dislike disliking Obama will rejoice the morning after the inauguration for having someone they will genuinely like to dislike.

And as I always, say/cite, in the end everything will be OK, if it’s not OK, it’s not the end.

And one extra thought to survive ‘the morning after’ is to watch The Reckoning, from Obama to Trump, Empire’s film that is airing on Al Jazeera English the night and the morning of the inauguration.

Marwan Bishara is the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Page 23

News From Africa

Gambia crisis: Barrow inauguration in Senegal as Jammeh stays put

T

he man who won The Gambia’s disputed election says he will be sworn in as president at the country’s embassy in neighbouring Senegal.

Adama Barrow also invited the general public to attend the ceremony.

Last-ditch efforts by regional leaders to convince Yahya Jammeh to quit as president failed overnight. They have warned they could remove him by force.

Mr Jammeh, 51, lost elections last month, but wants the results annulled citing errors in the electoral process.

Mr Barrow, who is also 51, made the announcement in a message posted on his social media accounts on Thursday.

The message said he would be “sworn in today at 4pm (16:00 GMT)”.

West African military forces, stationed at the border, are ready to enforce a transfer of power in The Gambia, a popular beach destination among European holidaymakers.

UN Security Council backing

for intervention is being sought

by Senegal and the regional bloc Ecowas, but some diplomats said if Mr Barrow requested help after his inauguration such approval would not be needed.

It is eerily quiet in The Gambia’s capital. Most streets are deserted; shops, petrol stations and banks are all closed.

People are mostly staying home uncertain about what may happen as European tourists continue to evacuate their hotels.

Why is Mr Barrow in Senegal?

Mr Barrow, a property developer who has never held public office, has been in Senegal since the weekend following an invitation to attend a summit of African leaders who back his victory.

He did not even go back home when his eight-year-old son died after being mauled by a dog. He missed the funeral on Monday as he was advised to remain in Senegal for his safety.

The president-elect tweeted and posted on Facebook that his inauguration would take place at

16:00 GMT at the embassy in the capital, Dakar.

He has joined at least 26,000 Gambians, fearful of violence, who have sought refuge in Senegal.

His spokesman says Mr Barrow’s team is keen for a peaceful resolution, but accepts military intervention may be inevitable.

“Ecowas is on the side of President Barrow - and if he’s sworn in obviously he has to be at the State House. If the other side refused then you are simply talking about a state of war,” Halifa Sallah told the BBC’s Newshour programme.

He said that President Jammeh had been given a letter promising that he would be given the same rights and privileges as Dawda Jawara, The Gambia’s only other ex-president.

Why is Mr Jammeh refusing to stand down?

Mr Jammeh, who first came to power in a bloodless coup 22 years ago, initially accepted defeat, but later reversed his position.

The electoral commission has

US Bombers Target IS Training Camps in Libya

Adama Barrow has been in Senegal since the weekend accepted that some of the results it initially published contained errors, but said they would not have affected Mr Barrow’s win.

His legal challenge to have the vote annulled cannot be heard by the Supreme Court until May because of a lack of judges, so parliament has stepped in and extended his term in office by 90

Extensively Drug-Resistant TB on the Rise in South Africa

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FILE - A B-2 stealth bomber is shown in undated photo.

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.S. B-2 bombers and military drones carried out airstrikes on Islamic State group military camps late Wednesday about 45 kilometers southwest of the Libyan city of Sirte, defense officials said.

“The ISIL terrorists targeted included individuals who fled to the remote desert camps from Sirte in order to reorganize, and they posed a security threat to Libya, the region, and U.S. national interests,” Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said,

using an acronym for Islamic State.

Officials say the strike hit two camps. The military is still evaluating the results of the strikes, but the initial assessment indicates the attack was successful, Cook said.

A defense official said “several dozen” IS militants were killed in the attack, adding that no women or children were present at the camps.

“The militants were seen immediately beforehand carrying

weapons, wearing tactical vests, carrying mortars, and standing in formation,” the official said.

The strikes were authorized

by President Barack Obama, in what likely will be the last military operation approved by the outgoing president.

Cook said the attack was in conjunction with Libya’s U.N.backed Government of National Accord as an extension of the U.S. operation to support Libyan forces who freed Sirte from IS control last year.

days and imposed a three-month state of emergency.

Human rights groups accuse Mr Jammeh, who has in the past claimed he can cure Aids and infertility, of repression.

Retaining power would also ensure he was not prosecuted in The Gambia for alleged abuses committed during his rule.

xtensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, the most dangerous form of TB, is on the rise in South Africa, according to a new study. So-called XDR-TB does not respond to four or more drugs typically used to treat tuberculosis, making the condition potentially lethal.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, say extensively drugresistant tuberculosis has spread from person-to-person in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, contributing to a tenfold increase in the number of cases in the country since 2002.

The finding explains why it has been difficult to contain the epidemic, despite improvements in diagnosis and implementation of a system to ensure tuberculosis patients take all their prescribed medications.

XDR-TB does not respond to two firstline drugs commonly used to treat TB, and it is resistant to at least two second-line drugs. Without treatment, the condition is fatal.

Researchers studied 404 patients with XDR-TB to determine whether their TB had become resistant due inadequate treatment, or whether the disease was contracted through contact with another person.

Reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine, co-author Sarita Shah said 69 percent of the cases were transmitted person-to-person.

“What this really means is that we have got to focus our attention on breaking the cycle of transmission by evaluating people who are in close contact in households, in

health centers, in people who are in the community where we have been able to show in this study that the disease is being transmitted,” said Shah, associate chief for science in the Division of Global HIV and TB at the CDC. Tuberculosis is a common infection in people living with AIDS. In recent years, drug resistance has begun to emerge, particularly among those who do not take their medications as prescribed. Usually, however, drugs can be found to fight the illness.

With XDR-TB, the choices become much narrower and the drugs that can be used are less effective. That makes the condition expensive and very hard to treat.

By entering the community unchecked, drug-resistant TB becomes very difficult to contain, according to Shah, which puts the lives of tens of millions of people at risk.

Public health officials must try to identify who is infected to keep the disease from spreading further, Shah says.

“In about 30 percent of our [research] participants, we were able to identify specific links between people showing transmission occurs from person-toperson,” she said. “Half of these were occurring in hospital settings and the other half were in households ... among family members or close members in the community.”

Investigators used social network analysis and genetic fingerprinting to trace cases of the disease to their source.

But the work was time consuming, adding to the already difficult task of disease containment and treatment.

Cameroon Cuts Internet in English-speaking Regions

I

n Cameroon, internet connections appear to have been cut in the major towns of the country’s two Englishspeaking regions. The action comes as a months-long strike by local lawyers and teachers intensifies.

Agbor Gideon owns a shop that provides internet services to students and researchers

at the University of Bamenda in the northwest region of Cameroon. He says his suppliers disconnected internet connection to his neighborhood Tuesday.

“They are stepping on our rights. They are stepping on the rights of the people to use internet because it blocks so many things,” said Gideon. “There are people whose businesses are based on

the internet so it is going to add to the hardship.”

The northwest is one of two English speaking regions in Cameroon that has seen violent demonstrations and waves of arrests in recent months related to the strike by teachers and lawyers. Those professionals say the government is letting French sideline English in the bilingual

country.

Authorities have been sending out warnings this week via SMS, which Libom Li Likeng, Cameroon’s minister of post and telecommunications, says are part of a civic education campaign.

She says social media has become an important communications instrument, which unfortunately is used by

people with evil intentions to propagate false information to threaten the public and create panic. She says the president ordered them to pass the message that the irresponsible use of social media is punishable by the law.

She says prison time of up to two years and fines of up to $4,000, or both, await offenders as per Cameroon’s penal code.

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Asia&Middle-east Report warns Trump against scrapping Iran nuclear deal

By Megan O’Toole

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hould the Iran nuclear deal fall apart, the consequences for the Middle East region would be “unfathomable”, according to a new report from the International Crisis Group.

The report, coming on the eve on Donald Trump’s inauguration, urges the US president-elect to preserve and strengthen the landmark agreement, rather than tear it up as he has threatened to do.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which took effect one year ago, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment programme in return for sanctions relief - a pact derided by Trump as the “worst deal ever negotiated”.

“Any attempt by the Trump administration to undercut the deal in the hope of ‘fixing’ it is likely to backfire ... Moreover, by destabilising the JCPOA, the new administration could usher in what it says it seeks to prevent: greater Iranian assertiveness, more regional instability and lower odds of resolving the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen - places where Iran is part of the problem and thus ought to be part of the solution,” states the International Crisis Group’s report, released on Monday.

The report, which provides a status update on the first year of the JCPOA’s implementation, notes that ongoing enmity between the United States and Iran has left the agreement vulnerable.

Since January 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified on six occasions that Iran was complying with its JCPOA obligations, the International Crisis Group found. But the report also acknowledges the bumpy road of implementation over the past year, including several minor technical violations by Iran, subsequently remedied, and problems with sanctions relief.

The relaxation of sanctions by the US, the European Union and the United Nations has allowed Iran to regain oil market share, with oil production and exports rebounding to pre-sanction levels of 3.85 million barrels a day. The country has also absorbed more than $11bn in foreign direct investment, the highest level in two decades - but Iran still lacks normal international banking ties,

Italy Rigopiano avalanche: Dozens missing under snow and rubble

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The hardliners in Iran would welcome any excuse to scrap the nuclear deal, and through that undermine President Hassan Rouhani’s chances for a second term’ [AP] “hampering its reintegration into the global economy”, the report notes.

The threat of sanctions “snapback”, if the agreement falls apart, along with the possibility of new sanctions, continues to hang heavy amid concerns over Iran’s regional ambitions and its ballistic missile tests.

“The agreement’s collapse appears neither imminent nor inevitable. What seems more likely is its gradual erosion under the new US administration that could, deliberately or by neglect, undermine it,” Ali Vaez, a senior Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera.

Vaez noted that the deal’s destabilisation could increase regional tensions and “push Iran to double down on policies it presents as essential to its national security, [such as] the ballistic missile programme ... and ‘forward defence policy’ of bolstering regional partners and proxies in Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut.”

Despite Trump’s bluster, the Iranian government has pointed out that the nuclear deal is non-negotiable and that no country would be allowed to affect its implementation.

The International Crisis Group’s report, which suggests that the best path forward could be a mutually beneficial renegotiation

of certain aspects of the deal, calls on Washington to give the treasury department more resources to roll back sanctions, while urging Iran to “stop using nuclear or regional brinkmanship as leverage”. One option could be to strengthen some of the JCPOA’s nuclear provisions in return for rolling back the US primary embargo, the report notes.

Other members of the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) should discourage Iran from overreacting to a possible change in US tone, “but also clearly tell Washington that if it unjustifiably walks away from the accord, it will do so alone,” the report adds. “[The deal’s] unravelling now would have unfathomable consequences for the region, nonproliferation and multilateral diplomacy. To imagine a stronger pact can be built on its ruins is a chimera, as destroying it - even if gradually - would also destroy the hint of trust that led the parties to compromise,” the report says.

Massoumeh Torfeh, a research associate at the London School of Economics specialising in Iran, told Al Jazeera that while it remains unclear how Trump may proceed, his vow to quit the Trans-Pacific Partnership has

highlighted his disdain for multilateral deals.

Although national security experts have asked Trump to walk back his hostility towards the Iran deal, he would have to be seen to be taking some action amid pressure from Israel, Torfeh noted: “So he would probably strike a new unilateral deal with Iran that would include carrots and sticks, extending the period in which Iran would not be allowed to enrich uranium. For that to be acceptable, the carrots would have to be substantial.”

Failing that, Trump should steer clear of the deal entirely in the run-up to Iran’s presidential election this spring, which will pose a test for the country’s moderate government, she added.

“The hardliners in Iran would welcome any excuse to scrap the nuclear deal and, through that, undermine President Hassan Rouhani’s chances for a second term,” Torfeh said.

“They have already threatened that their plans for a return to nuclear enrichment are ready to be put to the parliament for approval.”

Source: Al Jazeera

escuers have removed three bodies from a hotel engulfed by an avalanche in central Italy as a desperate search for up to 35 other people continues.

Heavy snow and disruption caused by multiple earthquakes have hindered rescue efforts in the rubble of the Rigopiano hotel, in the Abruzzo region.

Rescuers say they have heard nothing in the rubble while sniffer dogs are reportedly unable to locate victims.

Two people who were outside the hotel at the time of the avalanche survived.

Four earthquakes above magnitude 5 rocked central Italy on Wednesday, with tremors continuing into the night.

The quakes compounded problems resulting from snow and freezing weather, with power lines brought down and villages temporarily cut off.

Rescue operations are under way across central Italy and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said the EU is ready to help.

“Heartfelt condolences to those who lost loved ones in #Italy,” he wrote in a tweet, in English and Italian. “Europe is ready to help.

Siamo tutti vicini all’Italia [We are all Italy’s neighbours].”

What happened?

It appears the guests had gathered on the ground floor of the four-star spa hotel, close to the Gran Sasso mountain, to await evacuation following the earthquakes.

Twenty guests and seven staff were registered as being at the hotel, among them children, but rescuers say the actual number could be 35.

The avalanche struck some time between 16:30 (15:30 GMT) and 17:40, when the first known appeal for help was made.

It partially brought down the roof and, according to some reports, shifted the building 10m (11 yards) off its foundations.

Syrian Activists: IS Killed 12 Captives in Palmyra

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he Islamic State group has killed 12 people it held captive in Syria’s ancient Palmyra by shooting and beheading them, with some of the slayings carried out in the city’s second-century Roman amphitheater, activists said on Thursday.

The extremist group had recaptured the city in December from government troops — nine months after IS was expelled from there in a Russia-backed offensive and while Syrian government forces were focused on retaking the eastern half of the city of Aleppo from rebels.

When they previously controlled Palmyra, IS militants had used the Roman amphitheater for public killings, including those in a video showing 25 boys with pistols shooting captured Syrian soldiers, the ancient colonnades visible in the background.

The Islamic State group has also destroyed ancient temples and

other relics in the past, triggering fears among experts for remaining antiquities in the city. The city has been largely emptied out of its residents, following the government offensive in March last year.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and another activist network, the Palmyra Monitor, said the 12 captives were killed on Wednesday. They were captured as they tried to escape the IS offensive on Palmyra last month.

The Observatory said four teachers and government employees were beheaded in the courtyard of the Palmyra museum. The Observatory and the Palmyra Monitor said the others — four opposition fighters and four pro-government troops — were first shot, then beheaded in the Roman amphitheater or in a former Russian base in Palmyra.

The Observatory also said Thursday that IS militants during

an ongoing assault in eastern Syria’s Deir el-Zour province, hung the heads of six pro-government fighters in public, in different parts of the town of al-Mayadeen. There were no bodies attached to the heads, and it was not clear if the six were killed in battle or after they were taken captive.

Over the past year, IS has suffered defeats in both Syria and Iraq, losing several towns and cities it had captured in 2014. Its surprise re-taking of Palmyra came weeks before it went on a wide assault in Deir el-Zour, against the government controlled part of the city. Activists said it was the IS group’s most aggressive onslaught on the government area and a nearby military air base in a year.

The Islamic State group is feared for its reign of terror and gruesome killings, including beheadings, often carried out in public.

FILE - This image posted Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016, by the Aamaq News Agency, a media arm of the Islamic State group, purports to show a general view of the ancient ruins of the city of Palmyra

PAGE 25

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017

Digest

Exercise made easy - and pain free, delicious dishes the whole family will love and how you can still enjoy curry and kebabs

By Dr Xand Van Tulleken

W

hen you’re trying to lose weight, the easiest and most effective thing you can do is change your diet.

However, there is another element that will speed your slimming and make you look — and feel — great.

Yes, I’m talking about exercise. Many of us shy away from the idea, put off by memories of school PE lessons or the feeling that we’ve let ourselves go, so getting back into physical activity will be simply too hard.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. In the same way that my Definitive Diet helps you shed weight effortlessly without gimmicks, I’m here to tell you that getting active really doesn’t have to be difficult.

My plans are flexible and easy to use, and the recipes created specially for the Daily Mail by chef Georgina Davies are delicious.

But when it comes to sustaining your weight loss in the long-term, I’m just not convinced that dieting is enough on its own. You need to add exercise into the mix.

Numerous studies show that the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is to combine a healthy diet with regular exercise. It is certainly how I shed my excess weight, and it’s how I ensure those lost pounds of fat never return. There are times when I feel my waistband beginning to tighten. If I’ve been spending a lot of time travelling between home in the UK and my work at Harvard University in the U.S., jetlag can get the better of me, making it hard to choose healthy food.

If my weight starts to creep up, though, I’ll be on it like a shot — I’ll cut back to one meal a day as soon as I get the chance, and waste no time hopping on my bike to burn off those extra calories.

I’m lucky that sport has always been part of my life, so I’m more than happy to go for a run or jump on my bike, but even if you hate the idea of joining a gym or slinking around in Lycra, I urge you to consider your exercise options and find space in your day for some sort of activity.

The dieting industry makes exercise sound like it has to be difficult. But just doing anything that elevates your heart rate — such as vacuuming or a brisk walk to the shops — can help.

Keep track of how many calories you burn (see the calorie guide on the following page) and make certain you don’t eat more than that number to compensate or treat yourself as a reward.

Go gradually and, as you lose weight, you’ll start to find exercise far easier.

Perhaps go for a ten-minute jog, then every other day from then on, run for another five minutes. It really doesn’t have to be all-ornothing at the beginning. This will help you stick to your diet goals, too.

Numerous studies show that exercise improves mood, which means there’s less chance of descending into an emotion-fuelled cake binge.

You will function better and feel better (all your aches and pains will improve) and, most importantly, you will boost the motivation that drives you to keep going with this diet.

If you’re eating healthily, you’re more likely to feel inclined to get out for a brisk walk on a sunny day. And if you’ve made the effort to do a yoga class, you’ll be far less likely to ruin all that spiritual awareness with a cream-based cocktail (or two).

The bottom line is that exercise is so incredibly good for you. In fact, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said in its recent report, Exercise: The Miracle Cure, that if physical

activity was a drug, it would be classed as a wonder drug, so numerous are its positive effects on the body.

See the free diet diary we also gave away with Saturday’s paper (call 0808 272 0808 for a copy) for tips on getting started if you’ve never exercised before, and make a commitment to do something, anything, active every day.

As a rough guide, here are the calories you’ll burn during day-to-day activities: 1 hour slow walking.......... 150 calories 25 mins brisk walking ............160 cals 30 mins jogging .................... 300 cals The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said in its recent report, Exercise: The Miracle Cure, that if physical activity was a drug, it would be classed as a wonder drug, so numerous are its positive effects on the body The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said in its recent report, Exercise: The Miracle Cure, that if physical activity was a drug, it would be classed as a wonder drug, so numerous are its positive effects on the body 45 mins cycling, no incline .... 300 cals 30 mins running up stairs.......285 cals 1 hour aerobics ..................... 480 cals 20 mins skipping ...................285 cals 45 mins ballroom dancing .... 200 cals 40 mins golf .......................... 190 cals 20 mins badminton ............... 105 cals 30 mins yoga .........................135 cals 30 mins stretching ................. 90 cals 30 mins vacuuming ................ 90 cals 30 mins ironing .......................70 cals 30 mins raking leaves ............225 cals 30 mins digging ................... 300 cals Delicious dishes the whole family will love It’s not always easy to lose weight when you are part of a family. You’ll find everyone has advice and everyone has an opinion. They’ll fill your fridge with banned foods, make demands on your time and emotional energy and object to change. But the best way through this maze is to serve up deliciously hearty family meals that fit your diet plan and boost everyone’s health, but which won’t cause grumbling or rows. Try these fabulous recipes, created specially for the Daily Mail by chef Georgina Davies — each one is perfect for my diet plan. One-pan pan pasta with kale and fennel Serves 2 (455 calories) 2 tbsp olive oil ½ bulb fennel, chopped 150g wholewheat pasta 3 cloves garlic, sliced 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped Juice and zest of 1 lemon 400ml water Salt and pepper 150g kale 25g bsil, roughly chopped Parmesan shavings, to serve Heat half the olive oil in a casserole dish, add the fennel and saute for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add oil, pasta, garlic, tomatoes and lemon zest and juice. Pour in water and season.

Cook for 10 minutes. Add kale and basil and simmer for 3 minutes. Serve with Parmesan.

Sausage and fennel seed ragu Serves 2 (557 calories) 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 small white onion, diced 1 stick of celery, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp fennel seeds

4 pork sausages (approx 250g), meat squeezed out of their skins 400g chopped tomatoes 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper Salad or courgette, to serve Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Saute the onion and celery for 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a further minute.

Next, add the sausages and turn up the heat. Brown the meat, stirring occasionally to coat it in the rich flavours from the onion and fennel seeds. Add the chopped tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper, then stir well. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes. Serve with a crisp green salad or spiralised courgette.

Turmeric tandoori chicken thighs Serves 4 (493 calories) 2 tbsp natural yoghurt 1 heaped tsp ground turmeric 1 heaped tsp garam masala or curry powder When it comes to sustaining your weight loss in the 1 red chilli, sliced long-term, Dr van Tulleken is just not convinced that 4 garlic cloves, sliced Finely grated zest and juice of 1 dieting is enough on its own. You need to add exercise into the mix unwaxed lemon Salt and pepper the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 201 red onion, sliced 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of Drizzle olive oil the stock has been absorbed and the quinoa is a 4 chicen thighs Make a marinade with the yoghurt, turmeric, creamy consistency. If it looks like it’s drying out, garam masala, chilli, garlic and lemon zest and just add a splash more water. Turn down the heat juice, and season with salt and pepper. Lay the and add the lemon zest and juice, goat’s cheese, sliced onion in an ovenproof dish, drizzle with peas and spinach. Cook for a further 2-4 minutes olive oil and top with the chicken, stabbing the until the peas are cooked, the spinach has wilted skin with a sharp knife to allow the marinade to and the goat’s cheese has melted.

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder permeate the meat. Pour the marinade over the Serves 6 (515 calories) chicken and onion and give it a good mix. Cover 3 onions, sliced with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 1 bulb garlic, cloves roughly crushed under 1 hour, or, if you have time, overnight. When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180c/ the blade of a knife Source: Dailymail.com gas 4. Remove the chicken from the fridge and ensure that each piece is still well coated in the marinade. Bake for 30 minutes, turning and basting a couple of times as the joints cook.

Increase the oven temperature to 200c/gas 6 and cook for another 15 minutes to crisp up the skin.

These are delicious served hot or cold.

Pea, spinach and goat’s cheese quinoa risotto Serves 2 (510 calories) 1 leek, trimmed and sliced 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 tbsp olive oil 120g quinoa 1 tbsp cider vinegar 600ml vegetable or chicken stock Juice and zest of 1 lemon 50g soft goat’s cheese 150g peas 150g spinach, roughly chopped Saute the leek and garlic in the oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Add the quinoa and stir for a couple of minutes.

Pour the vinegar into the pan and cook until it has evaporated. Add

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2017

Feature

Yemen refugees choosing to return to a failed state

“Refugees and migrants”, a recent report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) noted, “arrive after many hours at sea often traumatised and exhausted, with little or no personal belonging, and in urgent need of food, water and emergency healthcare.”

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his, however, was not about what is happening on the shores of Mediterranean countries, but to do with the thousands of people fleeing in another direction from the fighting in Yemen, and landing on the Horn of Africa.

The United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, estimates that since Yemen’s conflict began in March, some 70,000 people have fled to Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Most have been making the perilous journey by boat across the Gulf of Aden or the Red Sea. In pictures: The Somalis fleeing home from Yemen Even the shortest crossing - the strait between Yemen and Djibouti - is traditionally called “the gates of grief” because of its notoriously choppy waters.

Then there is the added problem that none of those countries in the Horn of Africa are really equipped to absorb large numbers of refugees.

Back to Somalia Perhaps the most striking thing about this particular refugee crisis is that many of those fleeing Yemen originally went there to get away from problems in their homeland.

Before it descended into violence, Yemen was a host country to 250,000 Somalis. They had originally fled the civil war in Somalia in the 1990s and had crossed the sea in search of safety and work.

Now a substantial number of them are retracing their steps back to Somalia because it is more attractive than staying in an even worse war-torn country.

The irony is not lost on Nicoletta Giordano, Chief of Mission for the IOM in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

“We have a paradoxical situation,” she says. “These are refugees who would have originally been smuggled into Yemen. But now we have 26,000 Somalis who are returning home.”

This presents huge logistical problems for the Somali government, which is not used to dealing with a refugee influx - in fact, rather the reverse.

A recent UN report pinpointed the biggest problems in trying to reintegrate the returning Somalis: “Widespread conflict and political strife [in Somalia] have crippled essential infrastructure and more than three-quarters of the population lack access to healthcare, proper sanitation and safe drinking water.”

In an attempt to prepare, a delegation of Somali officials is visiting Yemen soon to try and ascertain whether more of their nationals will be expecting refuge in the coming months.

The UN says numbers fleeing to the Horn of Africa will continue to grow over the next year Desert camp Djibouti may be more stable than Somalia but it still faces huge challenges in dealing with refugees.

It is thought around 24,000 have arrived in this tiny country in the last few months -

“

Perhaps the most striking thing about this particular refugee crisis is that many of those fleeing Yemen originally went there to get away from problems in their homeland. Before it descended into violence, Yemen was a host country to 250,000 Somalis. They had originally fled the civil war in Somalia in the 1990s and had crossed the sea in search of safety and work.

Now a substantial number of them are retracing their steps back to Somalia because it is more attractive than staying in an even worse war-torn country.

around half of them are Yemenis.

The UN is forecasting a total of 36,000 refugees may have arrived in Djibouti by the end of 2016 if the situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate.

The impact of so many people on such as small country is tangible, says Nicoletta Giordano.

“The Djiboutians have managed as best they could and a refugee camp has been set up at Obock but it’s very hostile terrain - the weather is harsh and there are desert conditions.”

Conditions in Djibouti’s Obock refugee camp are harsh As well as sandstorms and 50C heat, the residents of the camp at Obock have to contend with no electricity and shortages of drinkable water.

There is also no surgeon there and a midwife was only recently recruited.

Indeed, life is so harsh in Obock that

many Yemenis have decided they want to avoid at all costs going anywhere near it.

Aid agencies fear that means many refugees are not registering with the authorities and may be putting themselves and their children into even more risky situations as a result.

For seven months now the fighting in Yemen has raged. Aside from civilian casualties, the prospect of famine and the lack of economic opportunities are added reasons to flee the country.

Winter weather and the blockades on Yemen’s ports may mean the numbers trying to cross the Gulf of Aden temporarily subside.

But the UN’s forecasts suggest that in a year’s time there could be 200,000 refugees in the Horn of Africa - a part of the world not used to seeing an immigration influx.

Source: BBC

Conditions in Djibouti’s Obock refugee camp are harsh

PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

friday,JANUARY 20, 2017

Page

27

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Tunisians in action

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unisia yesterday boosted their chances of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon with a 2-1 win over neighbours Algeria in Group B. The match’s first half was a cagey affair as both sides probed each other’s area in search of an opening goal.

But, both teams failed to take their chances as the first half ended 0-0.

They took the lead when Algeria’s Aissa Mandi directed Youssef Msakni’s right-wing cross into his own net in the 50th minute.

The Tunisians grew in confidence afterwards and continued to pile pressure on the Algerian defence.

Some dreadful defending by Faouzi

Ghoulam led to his bringing down Wahbi Khazri for a penalty kick which Naim Sliti coolly slotted into the right corner in the 66th minute.

Combined with Tunisia’s 2-1 win over Algeria earlier, the Teranga Lions’ victory secured by first-half goals from Sadio Mane and Henri Saivet assures them of progression to the knockout stages.

However, Senegal defeated Zimbabwe 2-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash in Franceville last night to become the first team to book a place in the quarterfinals.

Senegal was on the front foot from the first whistle and it was no surprise when Sadio Mane put them 1-0 up in the ninth

I left Chelsea for China to ensure my place in Super Page 28 Eagles - Mikel

minute. The Liverpool player turned Keita Balde’s low cross into an empty net after a swift counter attack from the West Africans.

Four minutes later it was 2-0, with Henri Saivet scoring one of the best goals of the tournament thus far. The midfielder found the back of the net direct from a free kick about 25 metres out, giving Zimbabwe goalkeeper Tatenda Mkuruva no chance.

Zimbabwe took a while to find their feet in the game, but they bossed the last 15 minutes of the first half in terms of possession and territory. However, they were nowhere near as dangerous in attack and Senegal’s defence looked more than capable of soaking up whatever was thrown at them.

The Warriors made a double change at the start of the second half, sending on Tendai Ndoro and Evans Rusike, but it was Senegal who returned to attacking dominance and would have extended their advantage were it not for some sub-par finishing from Mame Biram Diouf.

Senegal created further chances for the likes of Mane and Balde, while Zimbabwe threatened only sporadically – though Nyasha Mushekwi did force a sharp save out of Abdoulaye Diallo with just under 20 minutes to play.

The teams will play their final Group B matches on Monday 23 January: Senegal will battle Algeria in Franceville, while Zimbabwe will tackle Tunisia in Libreville.

Nigeria drawn against South Africa, Libya, Seychelles in 2019 AFCON qualifiers Page 28

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Page 28

Sport FIFA appoints Pinnick into Organising Committee for Competitions

Amaju Melvin Pinnick

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orld football ruling body, FIFA, has named the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, into one of its most important committees – the Organising Committee for Competitions.

Hitherto, the world body had different committees for organization of its several competitions, including the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup, FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA U20 World Cup, FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, FIFA U17 World Cup, FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Pinnick was a member of the Organising Committee for the FIFA U20 World Cup. However, at its 66th Congress in Mexico City on 12th – 13th May 2016, and in accordance with the revised FIFA Statutes that came into force on 27th April 2016, the model of the standing committees was reviewed, cutting the number from 26 to 9.

The new model has only the following committees: Governance, Finance, Development, Member Associations, Referees, Players’ Status, Football Stakeholders, Medical and Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions.

Pinnick’s letter of appointment, dated 18th January 2017 and signed by Fatma Samoura, the Secretary General, read inter alia: “We are very pleased to inform you that you have been appointed member of the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions. We wish you our sincere congratulations on this appointment.

“The FIFA administration is at your disposal through the following Administration Officer, who will be in contact with you regarding the upcoming meetings and any further aspects relating to your office as member of this committee: Colin Smith, Chief Competitions Officer.

“We wish you great success and enjoyment in this role at FIFA and look forward to welcoming you soon to Zurich.”

The Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions is headed

by Aleksander Ceferin, President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The tenure of members is for 20172021.

In line with the new FIFA reforms, each proposed member of any of the committees was made to go through a comprehensive integrity check conducted by several organisations of global relevance and stature.

Pinnick’s appointment, and in particular the thorough and painstaking checks that he passed with full marks, is a big thumbs –up for Nigerian Football, and puts out the light on the unsavoury innuendoes and deliberate mischief of a few individuals intent on putting the country’s game under a cloud.

As a member of the CAF Organising Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations, Pinnick is presently at the 31st Africa Cup finals ongoing in Gabon, and will be match commissioner for Saturday’s potentially –explosive West African derby between Mali and Ghana.

The new member of the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions, who swivelled through the ranks of football administration (from board member to second vice chairman, first vice chairman and chairman of Delta State Football Association, to Executive Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission before his election as President of Nigeria Football Federation in September 2014), is also a candidate for election into the Executive Committee of Confederation of African Football.

The CAF elections will take place at the 39th Ordinary General Assembly of the organization in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 16th March.

Ighalo to join West Brom for 17 million pounds

N

igeria striker Odion Ighalo has been linked with a 17 million pounds switch from Watford to another Premier League side West Bromwich Albion.

According to Sky Sports sources, Ighalo could hope to resurrect a rather wretched season with a move to The Hawthorns.

He has also been lined with a big-money move to China after he twice rejected such offer last season.

Ighalo, 27, has already played in Udinese and CF Granada.

He has only netted twice in all competitions this season after rattling in 17 goals last season.

Nwankwo Kanu, Brown Ideye and Osaze Odemwingie are other Nigeria strikers who have turned out for ‘The Baggies’ with varying fortunes.

Watford forward Odion Ighalo

Djokovic out of Australian Open

I

t was the shock of shocks yesterday as World Number 2 Novak Djokovic was beaten in five sets by David Istomin, ranked 117.

The six-time Australian Open champion had no answer to the defensive action of the wild card entrant. Djokovic had the quickest exit from a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in five years.

After the miraculous win, Istomin told journalists he “surprised” himself with how well he played.

Novak Djokovic

Rivers United winger Ovoke sets sight on 20-goal mark Bernard Ovoke was the pin-up boy of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club Rivers United last season.

He finished as the club’s top scorer last season and has taken two league games to get off the mark this term.

His well-taken goal earned Rivers United a priceless point at the ‘Nest of Champions’ against a very welldrilled Akwa United side.

Ovoke believes his strike against the Promise Keepers is potentially the first of many to come and has now set a 20-goal-target for himself for the 2016/17 season.

“The game against Akwa United was not a bad game. I enjoyed myself and it was important to score.

“I set a target of 20 goals even before we played our first game against El-Kanemi Warriors.

“I cannot do it on my own as I will need the support of my teammates and our coaches to achieve it but I will work even harder than I did last season to achieve this,” the winger told the club.

Page 29

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Special Apostle Michael Folorunsho Awojayi - Chairman 2. Special Apostle Adebisi Nataliel Jacobu 3. Special Apostle Theophilus Adebayo oyewale - General Secretary 4. Most Senior Apostle Samson Oke 5. Special Apostle Samson Aderemi olare waju 6. Apostle Abiodun Gabriel Folorunso 7. Apostle Zachariah Kayode Olorunsesan 8. Special Apostle Joseph oladokun olatunji THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To propagate the gospel of the lord Jesus christ, throughout the domestic territory and to all nations using such purposes as writing and speech means, promoting public meetings at its main offices, open air and in any premises whatsoever deemed suitable 2. To render social services to any person or group of persons without distinction as to creed, race, nationality and position.

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Page 30

MRS EKWUGHA

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Craniomaxillofacial care foundation

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TRUSTEES : 1. idehen osaro kelvin - chairman 2. idehen abidemi motunrayo - secretary 3. ali otejiro clement - member THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. to engage in facial treament.

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Abuja ‘fleet-street’ and that Kuje ‘mother of two’’ cont. from page 32

paying for some far-flung garden for Iyawo to continue her food business. Mr. Adebayo got a job at a local bed-andbreakfast in Garki Village –which, although it kept him round the clock, yet from it he could send some ‘chop money’ to the family before his off day when he visited them.

Since business was new and slow in Kuje, any little sum from Garki was ‘manna from Heaven’. And so it was on that fateful day of the blast. ‘Manna came, but it had to be micro-managed. So at the close of the food business that day, Iyawo the family must walk the distance back home. Esther who didn’t like the idea –especially because she had he double jeopardy of shouldering her elder sister’s little baby- sulked as she trailed behind them. Ironically this was to make the difference between ‘life and death’.

Because as fate would have it, by the time the procession of Iyawo, Christy and Seun entered the lethal blast zone -where they breathed their last- Esther and the little baby survived. One in a comma, the other with two missing toes.

Epilogue I managed to make it to Abuja from Minna in time for the burial of Christy and Seun on the 16th of October 2015 at the Lugbe Cemetery. Regrettably, I missed Iyawo’s which took place five days after. We drove from the Morgue of the National Hospital, through to the famed Karmajiji village, where, ironically, an ‘only-military-heroes’ cemetery abides.

And although Shakespeare may be right,

that “the heavens” only “blaze forth the death of princes”, yet it cannot be wrong to say ‘To everyone, their ‘prince’ and to everyone, their ‘princes’. Iyawo and her children may not have been blue-blooded when they walked this earth; but to us they were no less princely. They may not have been rich or powerful, but their deaths to us were no less ‘tragic’. After all, we said to them what is said to all who die: ‘May your Souls Rest in Peace’.

RE: BEWARE THE ONE-SIDED MEDIA +2348088339398 – I just read your Column from the Peoples Daily Newspaper. May Allah bless you abundantly and increase your knowledge and skill to continue to do more for Islam and the truth. Nuruddeen AbuHuraira. +2348131928213 – Your Thursday Column was a wonderful piece! I wish everybody will read the article, perhaps some people would have eventually changed their perception about HausaFulanis, Northern Nigeria and Islam in general… Thank you so much!!! +2347060524022 – Thank you for your efforts aimed at putting the records straight against the backdrop of ethnoreligious drum-beating of the dominant media of misconstrued and fabricated journalsm against Muslims and Islam and Hausa/Fulani vis-à-vis the breaking away of Nigeria. Once again thank you sir for your efforts. +2348035295252 – May Allah subhanahu wata’ala reward you with Aljannat Firdausi for that piece in Peoples Daily. More grease to your elbows.

That was awesome.

+2348059961999 – On your latest Thursday Column: Allah ya saka maka da alkhairi. A Suddiq Sulaiman. +2348031923528 –Allah SW yak kare mana kai. More grease to your elbows for your insightful articles. Allah SW has already told us that “they will never love you except you leave and follow their ways”. Since we know this will never happen then we can say you have got your job cut out for you, by you. mun gode. Asad +2348033111666 – Salam, your Thursday column was a masterpiece.

You have said it all. But please I will like you to do the same for the Southern Kaduna killings and Plateau. People from the Southern part of Nigeria don’t know what’s going on here. Blaming fulanis as the aggressors but actually everyone knows an ordinary Fulani man is always in the bush with his cattle minding his business. He doesn’t vie for any elective post. Nor vote on election days. So when you follow him inside the bush, kill him, steal his cattle, what do you expect?

Retaliation and self defense. But the Southern Kaduna people and those from the southern part of Nigeria always make it look like the fulanis are after Christians to kill. They need to be educated.

Thank you. +2348127773131 – A friend just Whatsapp’ed me a Thursday column article you wrote on the ancient bias of the media against Islam and the Hausa/ Fulani. No Nigerian of good conscience will fail to be touched by that article. (especially the Muslims). Nonetheless sir, have you considered whose fault

led to this lopsidedness? When one is vilified, he should gear up and retaliate or present his case as tenaciously as the villifiers – that is if he has the means! If he hasn’t, he should just stand there and be slapped about! What should be asked is ‘what did the leaders of the North do, or are doing and intend to do? Leaders in government, robust politicians, revered traditional rulers, technocrats, seasoned administrators, world renowned scholars and ulamas as well as well as multi billionaires abound in the North. All the indignities and vilification of the Muslims and the Hausas should be squarely and justifiably laid on the doorsteps of these people. The few among them (God bless them) who have good intentions are restricted to writing articles such as yours.

Those who have the means but won’t use it are those who should be ashamed.

I always feel like puking whenever I see them on telly or any media calling for calm and patience! The North and the Hausa/Fulani do not deserve our kind of leaders. The Southern media has the instruments and know how to use it. +2348036047337 – Assalam alaikum, I read your article on Peoples Daily, jazakallah khair. Kabiru Abdullahi. +2347031211008 – “Thanks so much Mohammed Adamu on your ‘Beware the One-sided Media’. The worst is the AIT. Check out most discussions, interviews and news on those issues you mentioned.

Dokpesi (AIT) is anti-Islam. Please dig more” (Tanko)

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

Some Interesting Facts 1. Benin Kingdom: The high quality and highly sophisticated bronze work of the Benin Kingdom dating as far back as the 13th century is a world wonder.

Great works in iron, wood, ivory, and terra cotta products also highlight the empire’s history.

2. Benin Kingdom: Lourenco Pinto, captain of a ship that carried missionaries to Warri in 1619, described Benin kingdom, ‘Great Benin where the king resides is larger than Lisbon, all the streets run straight and as far as the eyes can see….’

3. Rivers/AkwaIbom: King Jaja of Opobo,

Page 31

Leisure

(1821–1891) JuboJubogha, an Igbo from Imo state founded Opobo city-state in 1867 and shipped palm oil to Britain independently of British middle men.

4. Ancient Greeks appear to have Nigerian roots as supported by the Benin Haplogroup or Haplogroup 19. According to JideUwechia, ‘The Benin Haplotype (which originates from Nigeria, West Africa) accounts for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily Northern Greece.’

5. Ilorin’s ‘Oba’ Afonja utilized Fulani warriors to help rebel against the Oyo Empire. The warriors after defeating Oyo took over Ilorin and Sheikh Alimi, their leader became the first Emir.

6. Much of north Nigeria was part of the Songhai Empire.

Muhammad Kanta annexed Kebbi and other states between 1512 and 1517.

7. The Obasanjo military regime converted Nigeria from a Parliamentary system to a Presidential system of government.

Say what?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Primal fear by Jabruson Specially commended in The World in Our Hands Award

www.peoplesdailyng.com

QUOTABLE QUOTE

“It will be extremely difficult to attract good and competent men and women to the bench, and to make them independent when the salaries and allowances of judges are not regularly and punctually paid.”

. . . putting the people first

friday, JANUARY 20, 2017

SPORTS latest

Highest paid Nigerian Player fires hat-trick for Chinese club

N

igeria international Obafemi Martins bagged a hat-trick in Shanghai Shenhua’s 5-0 rout of YSCC Yokohama in a preseason friendly.

Zhu Jianrong and Mao Jianqing each scored a goal for Shanghai Shenhua, who are preparing for their first competitive game of 2017, an Asian Champions League tie in February.

After a slow start to his career in China, Martins ended the 2016 season with 15 goals (4 assists) and was rewarded with a new deal on the back of those performances.

The former Inter Milan and Newcastle United is the highest paid Nigerian professional player, with wages of nine million dollars per season.

Enyeama retirement near as Lille line up replacement

F

ormer Super Eagles captain and goalkepper Vincent Enyeama is reportedly inching closer to the end of his career as a professional footballer.

The 34 year old Lille shot stopper has been number one for the french side since 2012, and report has it that he could quit active football in three or four years time.

Lille have already identified his long term successor in France U-20 shot stopper Bingourou Kamara who keeps goal for second division side Tours.

Kamara comes highly recommended with 63 Ligue 2 games for Tour and lots of international games and honour with the French U-20 national team.

He is presently favoured ahead of Enyeama’s deputy at the club Mike Maignan and third choiceTaiwo shot stopper Jean Butez.

Taye and Oduamadi

Advert: business: news: lagos:

—Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, in an open letter sent to President Muhammadu Buhari

Abuja ‘fleet-street’ and that Kuje ‘mother of two’ “Do not seek death. Death will find you” - Dag Hammarskjöld.

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fter their burial, I did a tribute titled ‘Iyawo: Requiem for the Kuje ‘mother of two’ (Nov/3/2015) in honor of late Mrs. Adebayo (Iyawo or Mama Dolapo) who was tragically cut down along with two children in the Kuje bomb blast of October, 2 2015. I missed an opportunity last October, 2016 to do a remembrance piece on them –even though I had promised myself I would. But even as I rued that, a pleasant Facebook event happened which now requires a revisit of that tribute’: Vanguard’s Photo-Journalist Adeshida Yomi recently on his Facebook wall posted a material reminiscing on the Abuja ‘FleetStreet’ of old –a bed-and-office media block of sixteen flats- in Area 3, and which reminiscing evoked not only fond memories of the good old cob reporting days in the nation’s capital, but also brought sad recollections of the tragic and the not so tragic fates of some fringe, nonjournalist personalities that made life tick at that famed hub of Abuja Correspondents –FleetStreet- where no journalist was worth the name unless he lived at or daily came to pick his bearing.

The late ‘mother of two’ (Iyawo) was one of those nonjournalists without whom life at ‘Fleet-Street’ would have been ‘nasty’, ‘brutish’ -even if not necessarily ‘short’. They provided sumptuous food, cold drinks and hot pepper soup to journalists who were either fatigued from the field of battle or fresh as they prepared to draw on to new assails. And soon these non-journalist-families became one with us, en famile.

El-Rufai it was who got the ‘credit’ for the balkanization of Fleet Street; and with it the dislocation of these fringefamily-friends of ours: Mama Dolapo (Iyawo), Mama Itohan, Mama Chukwudi and Mama Bobo. And as one nostalgic backslap greeted another over Adeshida Yomi’s initial post, many colleagues were eager to know the whereabouts and the lot of these families -particularly Iyawo’s surviving husband, Mr. Adebayo (Papa Dolapo) and that once-vivacious, street-wise Edo woman Mama Itohan. A two-man delegation of Adeshida Yomi and Yours Sincerely soon brought these families to our humanitarian radar -for the assistance of Diaspora Fleet-

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dankande2@gmail.com Street members. And it is as we do so that I serve you this week, the tribute I wrote on the tragic fate of the Adebayos: ‘IYAWO: REQUIEM FOR THE KUJE ‘MOTHER OF TWO’ The Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, at his deathbed rhetorically asked “How do peasants die?” The answer is simple: ‘alone and unsung’.

Without pomp and without pageantry. And their ‘names’ thereafter live in everlasting oblivion. Because the graves of the poor, like Turkish mutes, are not marked by ‘waxen epitaph’.

It must be about the lot of the poor that Shakespeare, in the tragic play ‘Julius Caesar’ said “life is but a walking shadow; a poor player that struts and frets its hour upon the stage and then is heard no more”.

And maybe the reason that the ‘epics’ had no peasants as ‘tragic characters’. Only nobles suffered ‘tragic ends’. And only they were subjects of ‘tragic stories’.

Thus when mighty potentates die –especially in non-natural, ‘untimely’ manner- it is ‘tragic’.

But when peasants suffer the same fate it is a ‘disaster’ Reason also Shakespeare said “When beggars die there are no comets seen”; but that “the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes”. I was in Minna when the most recent signature bomb of boko haram went off in Kuje on the 2nd of October 2015.

And the bloodied fields of that Prison-town that is notorious for its ‘princely inmates’ were soon littered, ironically, with the un-princely bodies of the poor.

Neither ‘comets’ were seen nor did ‘the heavens blaze forth’ the death of these peasants. In fact for them -and especially for that poor ‘mother’ widely reported to have died alongside two of her children- life had simply strutted and fretted ‘its hour upon the stage’ and was to be ‘heard no more’. And because these were poor ‘victims’ of a ‘disaster’ and not ‘heroes’ of a ‘tragedy’, even the media reported them merely as ‘numbers’: ‘MOTHER, TWO CHILDREN PERISH IN KUJE BLAST –GRANDSON

SURVIVES WITHOUT TOES’!

Plus they said she was ‘survived by a critically-wounded daughter still lying at the National Hospital, and a son and a husband. Even the poor, un-princely identities of these victims were not of interest to the media.

If they were I would’ve known that the poor ‘mother of two’ was after all my improvised property agent, 40-year old Mrs. Adebayo –who lived with us on ‘FleetStreet’ in Garki Area 3. If the media had reported ‘names’ and not ‘numbers’, it should not have taken five days before I would know that the two kids who perished with her were 10-yearold Seun and his 24-year-old sister Christy who was combining motherhood with polytechnic education at Nasarawa. I should’ve known also that the other survivor reportedly lying critically wounded at the National Hospital was 22-yearold Esther, -more chip-offthe-old-block than her older survivor-brother, Dolapo who was the foot soldier between mom and I whenever there were documents to be passed in the one business of property agency that had taken my relationship with the Adebayos beyond mere neighborliness.

Mama Dolapo or Iyawo –as few of us who knew her bridal days called her- did anything legit on the fringes to support her junior-staff Commerce Ministry husband. From selling ‘food and drink’ to hawking ‘chinchin and doughnuts’. And when her husband was retired, this poor un-lettered mother added property agency to the list of her side hunts -even though all she did was run errands for principals to make some extra bucks.

Sunrise to sunset, Iyawo was on the move; rushing back home at night to serve food and drinks.

Occasionally she queued all day at AEGIS to file documents or at the bank to make payments for her gratuitous Principals who, beyond assisting her to make some extra bucks, also benefitted from her modest charges. Long before the family moved to Kuje, Iyawo had been there thrice

-through thick bushes and muddy gullies, to trace a land allocated to me by El-Rufai.

And as life got even tougher, destiny beckoned the Adebayos to relocate to Kuje where the cold, stealthy hand of death was waiting to claim three of its members. Yet the move to Kuje was deftly strategic -to cushion the effects of the hard times. As indigent and unlettered as the Adebayos were they never lacked the mental clear-headedness to make the right decisions either in preempting hard times or in tackling present challenges. Over a decade ago the sale of Federal Government houses under ElRufai was one in many of such trying times deftly handled by this meek and humble family from the State of Osun . Many civil servants failed to utilize the ‘right of first refusal’ to buy their houses -and had to sell the chance to others. But Mr. Adebayo, legitimately was determined to do all that it took to own his. And although his measly salary was rejected as candidate account for mortgage, because it could not withstand the vagaries of monthly deductions, he accepted a mortgage offer from a private bank with a rate that was a virtual stranglehold; especially for such indigent family. It became even worse after Mr. Adebayo went into retirement.

The family had either to come up with something fast or lose the house. And so they decided to rent it out on condition that they ploughed back most of that rent sum in renovating it for the new tenant. Which they did, and moved to Kuje to square up the little balance between renting some make-shift house and cont. on page 30

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