PEOPLES DAILY, Thursday, April 21, 2016. Edition.

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Saraki: Senate moves to redeem image

Thursday, April 21, 2016 / Rajab 14, 1437 AH

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l Suspends CCT Act amendment l Sets up reconciliation c’mtee l As anti-Saraki group kicks

Vol. 22 No. 61 N150

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Boko Haram lures youth with loans - Army

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L-R: Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred Ita-Oyo, Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo,; and President Muhammadu Buhari, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Why 2016 budget is not yet ready - FG l Says no currency swap deal with China Fuel queues to go next week - Kachikwu pAGE 5

Buhari orders payment of salaries by 25th pAGE 2

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Omolori succeeds Maikasuwa as NASS clerk >> pg 3

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739 Days after: Will the abducted Chibok schoolgirls ever be rescued?

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

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News CONTENTS News 2-10 Editorial 11 Op.Ed 12 Letters 13 Politics 15-18 Business Stockwatch

19-22 23

S/Report 24-25 Property 27 Motoring 28 Arts 30

Buhari orders payment of salaries by 25th of every month

T

he Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris, says the Federal Government plans to begins payment of staff salaries by the 25th of every month, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Idris, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday, said “this is going to be given a test, I believe, by this month’’.

The AGF also said that the government was working on a new arrangement, which, if approved, would ensure payment of the salaries before the monthly meeting of the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).

According to him, usually, salaries are paid after the FAAC meeting, where revenue accruing to the federation’s account are shared between the federal, state and local governments.

“There is a standing instruction of Mr President to pay salary on or before 24 or 25 of every month and we will try as much as possible to comply and to abide by that.

“We are taking a step further to make a provision whereby we can accommodate salary payments even before FAAC.

“This is going to be given a test I believe by this month.

“We will go to seek for necessary approval of our political masters to make sure that at least salary and other statutory payments are made even before FAAC. “Because we can project how much they are and therefore we can prepare and hit the ground running to make them realisable and actualised.

“Even where we delay FAAC, we can still pay salary.’’

Idris dispelled the widely held belief that the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy is responsible for the delay in the payment of salaries and attributed the situation to the crash in global oil prices, which has affected the inflow of income to the country.

“Nigeria is practically making about 30 to 40 per cent of what it used to make by way of revenue from oil and that has affected inflow generally.

“These inflows are what the federal, state and local governments receive to service the economy.

“It is when we receive these resources and sit at the end of the month for FAAC that the resources are shared among the three tiers of government.’’

Citing the benefits of TSA, Idris said that more than N2.7 trillion had been realised under a single account domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He also said that the cost of borrowing by government agencies had been reduced substantially and that the economy was already a beneficiary of the policy.

“The monies are stimulating the economy in a way that delivery of social goods, services and efficiency in government expenditure are being achieved.

“So I believe that they are already serving the purpose for which they are meant and they are within the economy.’’

He said he was optimistic having seen the benefits of the TSA policy to the Federal Government, states governments would key into it.

Idris said that any insinuations that the policy would lead to laying off of staff by deposit money banks was unfounded as the policy was not intended to disrupt the operations of those banks.

He, therefore, advised commercial banks to re-strategise on how to make profit without relying on government funds.

“I think banks need to really

Power challenges are surmountable - BPE boss

Arts

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Metro

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S/World

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Digest

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Sports 41 Columnist 48

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R-L: Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr. Waheed Olagunju, Minister of Agriculture and Rural development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, and Divisional Head, Large Enterprise of BOI, Mr. Joseph Babatunde, during minister’s meeting with BOI officials on the funding of young starters agro processing venture, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

focus themselves and re-direct themselves to face traditional banking business and not rely heavily on public resources.

“They should be more strategic and focused and I believe that they will be better for it.’’

NAN reports that the TSA policy was introduced in Sept.

2015 to ensure that government resources are centralised in a single account.

It was introduced to block leakages in the system to ensure transparency and efficiency in the management of government resources. (NAN)

ARCON gets approval from CJN to fight fake architects

By Ali Abare Abubakar

T

he Architects Registration Council of Nigeria( ARCON) yesterday said the association has gotten approval from the Chief Justice Of Nigeria( CJN) to eliminate quacks that have infiltrated the profession for over three decades leading to so many death through building collapse and fire out breaks in the country.

Briefing journalists on its readiness to host the 9th edition of the colloquium in Abuja, the president of the association, Arc Umaru Aliyu stated that the aim was to get rid of quacks that have taken over the profession leading to several lives lost as a result of collapsed building and market fire out breaks in the country.

He explained that with the approval the association will also use its 9th colloquium meeting to address some bottle necks including that of reviewing the modus oparandi of the association as well as introduce new techniques to the profession that would be practiced from theories to practical to which a competition would be organised with schools and health centers as demonstration.

Aliyu also said that the next meeting which will hold from 2428 at the Shehu Yar Adua Center will also discuss issues that allow only the academia to own private practitioners, and also the neglect by the federal government to involve them in world class architectural designs at home and abroad.

EFCC clears CCT chair, Danladi of alleged N10m bribe

By Usman Audu

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has yesterday conveyed a letter to the Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Hon Danladi Yakubu Umar, exonerating him on the alleged ten million naira (N10million) bribed by one AbdulRashid Owolabi, in his petition to the Commission.

The letter was addressed to the Secretary to Government of the Federation, captioned “RE: Investigation Report RE: N10million Bribery Allegation against the Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja” with reference NO: EFCC/P/ NHRU/688/V.30/99, dated 20th April, 2016.

The letter which was signed by Emmanuel Adegboyega Aremo, Secretary to the Commission

reads:, ‘‘kindly recall our correspondence of 5th March, 2015, (reference EFCC/EC/ SGF/03/56) with the above subject, please.”

It added: ‘‘We would like to reiterate the Commission’s position in regard to this matter as earlier communicated to you and stated that the allegations leveled against Justice Umar were mere suspicious and consequently insufficient to successfully

prosecute the offence.”

According to a statement

by Ibraheem Al-hassan, Head, Press & Public Relations, CCT HQ Abuja, yesterday’s clearance letter was second to the previous one sent on the 5th March,2015 during last of administration of President Goodluck Jonathan through the office of the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation Chief Pius Anyim.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

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News

Revenue: Reps summon FCT Minister over constitutional breaches

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mohammad Bello to appear before its Committee on

FCT. The Minister will explain to the Committee why the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS is collecting taxes in the nation’s capital and not the FCT Inland Revenue Service.

The resolution by the House was sequel a motion on matters of urgent public importance sponsored by Rep Abdulrazak Namdas (APC Adamawa).

Rep Namdas while moving the motion noted that the FCT

Inland Revenue Services and its Management Board Act authorises the FCT to establish a board that will collect all forms of taxes and levies.

“The Minister of FCT has signed a comprehensive agreement

with the Federal Inland Revenue Service to collect taxes for the FCT, in breach of the existing law, “he said.

The House adopted the motion after it was put to voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

The Committee is to report the outcome of its meeting with the Minister to the House within two weeks.

•••Probe use of N10bn approved

by Buhari to tackle insecurity

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T Katsina state Governor, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari (3rd right), his Deputy, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu (4th left), wife of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mrs. Agharese Arase (2nd right), Secretary to the State Government (SGS), Alhaji Mustafa Muhammed Inuwa (3rd left), Katsina state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abdullahi Usman (4th right), Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Muntari AbdulKadir (left), Katsina state Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Lawal Aliyu Daura (2nd left), and Commissioner of Education, Professor Halimatu Sa’adiyya Idris (right), during a visit by the IG’s wife to the governor, yesterday in Katsina.

Boko Haram lures youths with loans, says Army

By Usman Audu

I

n a clandestine dispensation, Boko Haram terrorists have resorted to providing loans to young entrepreneurs and artisans in the North east as a way of inducing them for recruitment, the army said yesterday.

A statement by Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General, Rabe Abubakar, In Abuja yesterday, said the major targets of the unholy

business engagement are youths in the North East, especially the butchers, traders, tailors, beauticians and other vocational entrepreneurs who could be easily enticed with such loan without paying attention to sundry inherent dangers associated with the acceptance of such goodies from this satanic group or unfamiliar source. After such loans, the beneficiaries are given the option of either joining the group or risk being killed if they fail to pay the loan as at when due,

whereas the payment has been surreptitiously programmed to fail by the benefactor, the Boko Haram.

“It is pertinent to state that having been effectively decimated and degraded, the remnant or surviving splinter groups of Boko Haram are desperate to recruit more people into their ranks and files as a result of sustained onslaught against them by the troops. The Defence Headquarters hereby advises the general public, especially those

in the North East, to constantly be weary and conscious of various tactics of the desperate Boko Haram. They should be guided to avoid loan or financial assistance from non-conventional source but from conventional financial institutions such as banks, organised trade unions or institutionalised savings and loans establishments.

Acting otherwise may lead to painful and untimely death from the bloodthirsty Boko Haram terrorists,” the statement said.

Chibok girls: Service chiefs shun Senate

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Service Chiefs yesterday failed to appear before the Senate to brief it on the successes and challenges of its operations in the north east region, particularly in their efforts to rescue the Chibok girls abducted two years ago.

Even though the Senate did not explain why the Service Chiefs did not appear, but after the closed

session with the Director General of Department for States Security (DSS), Lawal Daura and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, urged the Service Chiefs to double their efforts at rescuing the Chibok girls.

Recall that the Senate had on Tuesday summoned the Service Chiefs and the National Security Adviser to President Mohammadu Buhari, to appear before it at closed

session and brief it on the fate of the 218 Chibok school girls after two years of their abduction by the Boko Haram terrorists.

However, none of the Service Chiefs were sighted yesterday, but only the DG of SSS and the IG of Police came and met the senators behind closed doors.

Speaking after the closed door session, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said “The senate was briefed by the

Director- General of State Security Service and the Inspector- General of Police on the abduction of the chibouk school girls and efforts to rescue them between the last two years.

“We urged them to continue and should leave no stone unturned in achieving the rescue of the chibouk girls, thereafter they answered questions bothering on topical national security issues from very distinguished senators”, he added.

he House of Representatives has mandate its committee on police affairs to investigate the utilisation of N10 billion to fight insecurity in the country.

The committee is also mandated to investigate N8 billion for upgrade of police training schools and colleges in readiness for the forthcoming recruitment of police personnel in Nigeria.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion moved by Rep John Bulus Shekarau (PDP Plateau), who noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari had recently released about N10 billion to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr Solomon Arase to combat the spate of insecurity in Nigeria.

The lawmaker added that, the police boss in a recent interactive session with the House committee on Police Affairs claimed that more equipment including surveillance cameras had been procured and deployed across the nation for the purpose of checking the spate of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country.

Despite the police effort, he noted that the rate of kidnapping, high profile murders and other crimes in Nigeria are presently on the increase.

On police recruitment, the lawmaker expressed worry that despite the release of N8 billion to facilitate the recruitment of 10, 000 police personnel, the police training colleges are still in a dilapidated condition infested with rodents not conducive for the effective training of police recruits.

He, however, said that the police service commission whose jurisdiction it is to organise the recruitment have commenced the processes of recruitment without corresponding preparation by the Nigeria Police Force.

The motion was consequently passed when put to vote by the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara. The committee is to report back to the House within two weeks.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

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News

IGP mourns slain corps member in Rivers

R-L: Speaker, Adamawa state House of Assembly, Hon. Kabiru Mijinyawa, presenting tool box to a graduate trainee, Adamu Abdulraman, during the disbursement of resettlement equipment to NDE graduate trainees, yesterday in Yola.

By Albert Akota

T

he Inspector-General of Police Mr. Solomon Arase has commiserated with the National Youth Service Corps and the family of Corps member Okonta Dumebi Samuel, who was killed by unknown gunmen during the March re-run legislative elections in Rivers State.

Arase was speaking yesterday when the NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Sule Kazaure paid him a courtesy visit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

He said the Police had always collaborated with INEC and the NYSC with a view to ensuring the safety of all Corps members during elections, and expressed regrets that the murder of the Okonta occurred despite the security strategies put in place.

He expressed delight at the Director-General’s visit within a few days of the latter’s assumption of duty noting that it underscored the importance he attached to the relationship between the two agencies.

The IGP reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police to its collaboration with the NYSC, especially as regards safety during elections as well as orientation course periods. He said the commitment of the force informed its decision to assign a very senior officer to coordinate liaison with the Scheme.

He wished the NYSC helmsman a successful tenure while assuring him of his support.

Earlier, the Director-General Brigadier General Sule Kazaure said the visit to the InspectorGeneral was in recognition of the role of the Nigeria Police as a critical stakeholder in the NYSC, and went on to call for the strengthening of the existing relationship between the two agencies.

“I came to identify with the IGP because of the collaboration between our organizations. As the saying goes, ‘two heads are better than one’ so, there is strength in collaboration,” he said.

Kazaure thanked the Inspector-General for the support the NYSC had always been enjoying from the police, especially through the provision of security in all camps during orientation courses.

He informed him that the 2016 Batch ‘A’ Orientation course would commence on April 27, 2016 and solicited the usual support of the force in the protection of orientation camps.

Photo: NAN

Multiple taxation: Reps query FIRS over withholding of refund to coys

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Accounting Procedures of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) yesterday questioned the decision of the agency to withhold tax refund due to some companies who were victims of multiple taxation even though the sum of N7.5billion was approved and released by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation(OAGF).

The Committee chairman, Rep Michael Enyom raised the question as to why the FIRS would request and receive the said amount only to sideline some companies who should have benefited from the refund.

In raising the queries, he requested some documents from the agency which include: List of tax waivers and its beneficiaries, list of all taxable entities from 2007 till date; evidence of bank deduction from source from 2010

till date; details of outstanding payment by NNPC and other companies and explanations as to why withholding taxes were not returned as provided for in the nation’s statute book.

He said: “In the case of tax refund, the N7.5billion released on19th December,2014, report arising from the committee’s investigation reveals that some of the said approved cases were not implemented as monies received were not paid to all those who were listed in the request”.

Chairman of the FIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler said not all the monies were paid to those who made the request because they were criteria used for consideration and payment in other to avoid paying an earring company.

He said, he would have to look into the matter to see what exactly happened, adding that what happened came from the position of FIRS trusting the returns made to it by companies and promised that such would not be allowed

to happen again as the service will ensure that it knows exactly how much companies generate to determine how much of it is deducted as tax.

“There’s an ongoing internal reorganization focusing on staff training and retraining. We are also deploying a system where all outstanding taxes owed by companies are recalled using automated platform. Right now many companies on the basis of that are doing self assessment and have promised to remit all outstanding Value Added Tax (VAT) owed for a couple of months.

“One of the key things we did to ramp up the revenue base when I was in Lagos was to do a comprehensive audit, and I believe if we apply the same method, we will achieve the same result and even more. I know that those I met on ground did their best to enhance the process and we are currently building on what they put on ground”, he said.

On NNPC non-compliance

with the issue of tax return, the FIRS boss tied all unresolved matters to the conclusion of all ongoing audit exercises.

He said: “On the taxable profits of companies, I cannot give any specific information regarding the amount until the audit report for last year is ready for assessment”.

On that basis, the committee summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to appear before it at its next week sitting.

On why companies were involved in oil trading businesses in the country for over a decade without paying taxes, the FIRS told the Committee that the information regarding that could only be gotten from the Customs Service which handles import and export duty collection.

Mr. Fowler told the lawmakers that his agency was never part of the decision to grant tax waivers to companies doing business in Nigeria.

You can’t distract rights commission, Angwe tells critics

By Albert Akota

T

he Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Bem Angwe has vowed not to be distracted by groups or individuals who use various means in condemning the activities of the commission before well meaning Nigerians.

The Executive Secretary who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a courtesy visit

by New Nigeria Conversation (NNC) led by it coordinator, Samuel Odaudu, said the

commission would always stand to protect the rights of Nigerians irrespective of criticism by those who hate the smooth and legitimate activities of the commission.

“Let’s me tell you, the commission is encouraged with the criticism to protect the rights of Nigerians, we refuse to be distracted , we work for Nigerians not group or an individual, we work in manner that suit Nigerians and we will not join issues with anybody.

“We will not bow down to criticism, the commission will

continue to support and protect Nigerians when their rights are violated and the commission will work according to its guard and we want all well meaning Nigerians to support what human rights commission is doing, “ he said.

The Benue state born administrator further promised to work with NNC in aspects of awareness and advocacy in protecting and promoting the rights of every Nigerian especially in rural areas.

“The commission will work with you, our doors are open to every Nigerian, personally I am

ready to serve as a resource person in any of your events, my staff are willing, I will sign MOU with you, “he said.

Speaking earlier, the coordinator of the New Nigeria Conversation, Samuel Odaudu said the group is comprised of veteran journalists from various media houses who are ready to work with agencies in creating awareness on human rights abuses for the interest of Nigerians.

He solicited the partnership and assistance of the commission for the group to enable it succeed in its noble objectives.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

News

Fuel queues to go next week - Kachikwu

By Lawrence Olaoye

M

inister of Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu yesterday assured Nigerians who have been raising alarm over the persistent fuel queues nationwide, that the ministry of petroleum has handled the supply end of the crisis and as such the fuel queues would go away by the end of next week.

Kachikwu while responding to a question on why the fuel queues persist at a briefing with State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC)’s meeting on Wednesday, explained that more than enough products have been imported into the country just as the NNPC has resolved to ‘wet’ the market by increasing the number of trucks distributing fuel across the country.

He gave the assurance that the nation’s four refineries would commence production by next year and all products so produced would go into reserves to pave way for self sufficiency at the end of the year.

Commenting further on reasons for the persistent queues Kachikwu stressed “The queues are as a result of sabotage. Some people rather than sell products send them into hinterlands where they can sell at ridiculous prices and so you are having these price distortions where people are making a lot of money. Some are internal and some are external but a lot of it is marketers trying to make quick returns on their investments wrongly.

“We have asked DPR to deploy officials to ensure products are sold at the right because is only through price stabilization that these system queues will disappear.

As at today we are delivering about 1,200 trucks, by weekend we should be delivering same number of trucks, it will take a bit of days to even out but you can see improvement already. I hope by the end of next week with the refineries helping us to stay on course, every part of the country will get fuels.”

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Saraki: Senate moves to redeem image l l

...Sets up reconciliatory c’mttee as anti-Saraki group kicks ...Suspends amendment of CCT, CCB Act

By Ali Abare Abubakar and Ikechukwu Okaforadi

R

ising from an executive session that lasted for about three hours, the senate yesterday took steps to redeem its image having suffered severe criticism of recent from Nigerians over its activities.

In a move to launder its image following series of attacks from concerned groups and individuals, the Senate resolved to set up a reconciliatory committee to bring about amicable resolution of grievances among the lawmakers, just as the Upper Chamber announced the suspension of the much criticized amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu disclosed this shortly after the senate reverted to plenary from the prolonged executive session.

The Senate equally renounced its earlier plan to suspend Senator Kabir Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central), urging aggrieved lawmakers, particularly members of the Unity Forum to withdraw an ongoing case challenging the enactment of the 2015 Senate Rules that was used in inaugurating the 8th assembly.

The senators also vowed to support the Senate President, Bukola Saraki over his trial at the CCT “until he is proven guilty.”

However, in a swift reaction, an impeccable source belonging to the Unity Forum distanced the group from the purported reconciliatory move, stressing

that the matter to be considered is strictly an affair of senators belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The source who spoke under condition of anonymity categorically said the group will not withdraw its ongoing case in the court, just as he accused senators belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of interfering in a matter he said concern only APC senators.

“We are not a party to this reconciliatory move. How can a PDP senator reconcile APC senators? This is our party affair and we will not allow the opposition to divide our ranks” the source added.

Recall that the upper chamber last week, attracted public anger against itself when it in quick succession passed within forty

L-R: Two alleged fraudsters, Rilwanu Jamiu and Balogun Stanley Oyewole, arraigned by the Department of State Security (DSS) for cloning the mobile phone of Lagos state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, at Isolo Chief Magistrate Court, yesterday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

eight hours the bill seeking to amend the Act establishing the CCT and CCB, as well as the Administration of Criminal Justice System Act 2015, with the aim to reduce the powers of the agencies.

These amendments, Nigerians viewed as self serving and an effort by the lawmakers to protect themselves from corruption prosecution, as well as to protect the Senate President from the grip of the CCT. However, after the closed door session of yesterday, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, said the lawmakers have resolved to also stand with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, until he is proved guilty by the CCT, which is currently prosecuting him over alleged false asset declaration.

Ekweremadu also said the Senate has resolved to constitute a peace committee comprising of two senators from each of the six geo political zones to resolve all outstanding issues which had before now, divided the Senate.

In addition, the Senate, as part of the peace deal, resolved to abandon the plans to suspend Senator Kabiru Marafa from the Senate, for his criticisms against the leadership of the Senate under Bukola Saraki.

In turn for this, the senators of the Unity Forum, which had sued the Senate Leadership for alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules, is expected to withdraw the suit and embrace the leadership of the Senate until Saraki has been proven guilty by the CCT. Meanwhile, members of the reconciliation committee include, Barnabas Gemade, James Manager, Godswill Akpabio, Ahmed Sani Yerima, Gbenga Ashafa, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Hope Uzodimma, Sam Egwu, Abdullahi Adamu among others.

Why 2016 budget is not yet ready - FG

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has yet to take any decision on whether or not to assent to the 2016 budget as transmitted by the National Assembly.

This was made known yesterday by the Minister for Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, while responding to a question on budget at a briefing with State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC)’s meeting.

Asked whether the President would sign the budget and forward whatever reservations he may have on the passed act to the National Assembly as a supplementary draft as demanded by the Senate,

l

...Says no currency swap deal with China

Udoma answered “we are still talking” The minister, however, added that preparations have begun on the 2017 budget to ensure that it gets to the National Assembly earlier so that it could passed on schedule.

Udoma said “On the expectation that we will soon have a budget, the monitoring and evaluation mechanism to make sure that the budget delivers what it promises. That mechanism was looked at by the Federal Executive Council and approved.

To make sure that 2017 budget is done on time, a timetable was

approved for the 2017 budget.”

Also at the briefing, the minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, clarified that contrary to widespread belief, Nigeria had no currency deal with China.

He explained that China was under pressure to internationalize its currency based on the strength of its economy.

The minister said “It’s not really a swap. What it takes is that as the Chinese economy goes strong, there is some pressure on them from the trading partners, international financial institutions.

They agreed that the money should be internationalized. So, they

started that for a while. They were protecting it also. They did not allow it to be fully exchangeable.

But now, their economy is fully strong, they are looking for a way to internationalize the currency.

Now, they were saying essentially that they wanted to segment it.

“For Southern Africa, South Africa is going to be the sort of a hub for the currency. So, they are going to be the focal point for the Chinese to make that available for trade in that area.

“In west Africa, they are looking for a hub. Ghana is interested in being the hub for the currency to circulate it for those who want to

use it. It is not compulsory. But Nigeria is a bigger country with bigger economy. So that does make sense. And they became a kind of attracted to Nigeria to be the hub.

“So, for us, the benefit is that it gives us small flexibility. So, if Nigeria is buying Chinese goods, for instance, it will be in our interest to use the Yuan because we know there is a lot of squeeze for the dollar. But we still use the dollar. But if it is not enough and there are some people who want to invest in the country, instead of crying that they cannot take dollar out, there might be Yuan that they would be happy to take out because it is now internationalized as a currency and they can use it. So, it gives us a much larger option,” he explained.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

News

Fire destroys 50 shops in Ladipo market

N

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary Health, Senator Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman, National Immunisation Financing Task Team, Dr. Ben Ayene, Executive Director/CEO, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Muhammad, and Nasarawa state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Iya, during the workshop on Anglophone African Peer Exchange on Sustainable Immunisation Financing, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

24 shops, 7 houses burnt in fresh Plateau communal clash From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

F

ollowing a communal clash between the Kudung people and Pwel people of Dawaki both in Kanke local government areas of Plateau State, about twenty shops and seven houses were reportedly raised down by the warring parties.

This was revealed yesterday by the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Adekunle Oladunjoye while parading other criminals in the State, adding that four motorcycles and one vehicle were also burnt down in the two days clash.

CP Oladunjoye, said, the crisis started on the 17th of April, however, no life was lost in the incident.

According to him, the latest incident between the two communities over the Kudung masquerade during a festival by the Pwel people, but said the matter has been resolved and that security agents had been investigating the incident and got the perpetrators arrested.

When contacted on the matter,

the Operation Safe Heaven Media and Information Officer, Captain Ikedichi Iweha said that, Major General Tagbo Ude who is the commander of OSAH in the state had gone to affected areas, adding that he has established a peace process between affected communities.

International Court of Justice celebrates 70th anniversary

T

he International Court of Justice (ICJ), celebrated its 70th anniversary on Wednesday in a solemn ceremony attended by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki moon and King WillemAlexander of the Netherlands.

Ban noted at the celebration in The Hague that over the years, the ICJ as the principle judicial organ of the UN had made a central contribution to the rule of law.

He said that it had stepped in effectively where diplomatic or political measures had failed and had also helped countries to settle their disputes by peaceful means.

The UN chief called on all States to reaffirm their commitment to resolve disputes by peaceful means.

“The importance of resolving disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law has never been more urgent,’’ he said.

Ban described conflict as the most efficient method of derailing development known to humankind.

He said that it had therefore become essential that all States reaffirmed their commitment under

the Charter to resolve disputes by peaceful means.

Antonio Gumende, VicePresident of the UN General Assembly, commended the court as being “a world court, truly universal and its openness to all States.’’

He also salutes the courts courage in terms of the enormous range of issues with which it deals, which includes; boundary disputes, diplomatic protection, genocide, use of force, and even the development of environmental law and human rights among others.

China’s permanent representative to the UN and President of the Security Council for the month of April, Liu Jieyi, congratulated the anniversary of the Court in a video message.

“The world is undergoing fast and far-reaching changes. Never before have countries been so interdependent and bound by common destiny. ``Never before has the international immunity faced such common opportunities and challenges,’’ he said.

Jieyi said that the trend toward multi-polarity, the rise of emerging markets and developing countries, the deepening globalisation and the advent of the information age set the context of today’s world.

He said that the international community places high hopes in the Court.

Jieyi reiterated that the Council expected the Court, as a key guardian of the international legal order, to keep abreast of the times and continue to contribute to the lofty goals of the United Nations.

The ceremony was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Dutch government and other Dutch institutions, senior officials of international organizations based in The Hague and others.

The ICJ was established by the UN Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946.

Its role is to settle legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN organs and specialised agencies, in

accordance with international law.

In the past 70 years, contentious proceedings before the Court have involved some 91 States, among which 28 from Europe, 25 from Africa, 20 from Asia/Oceania and 18 from the Americas.

In this period of time, 200 decisions have been rendered, including 121 judgments handed down to States, and some 50 urgent orders handed down to States and 27 advisory opinions given to the UN, according to the ICJ. Half of the judgments have been issued during the past two decades and the ICJ settles 85 percent of cases between States in five years or less.

The Court consists of 15 judges of 15 different nationalities, who are elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council and have a term of office of nine years.

It has an annual budget of approximately 26 million dollars, which is less than 1 per cent of the UN’s regular budget, and a staff of approximately 115 people. (Xinhua/ NAN)

o fewer than 50 shops were destroyed by fire on Wednesday at Ladipo Auto Spares Market, Mushin, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goods, particularly assorted vehicles spare parts, were burnt at the Osoro section of the market.

Mr Nkire Ezeigbo, Public Relations Officer, Ladipo Auto Dealers Association, told NAN that the fire started at about 3.30 a.m. from the Osoro/Akinwumi area of the market.

Mr Felix Okoro, Chairman of the Osoro section of the market, said no casualty was recorded but goods worth millions of naira were consumed by the inferno.

The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe, said his men had responded promptly, adding that the fire was completely put out at 10 a.m.

NAN reports that the fire has temporarily slowed down business activities in the affected section of the market. (NAN)

Group honours Sardaunan Jimeta for philanthropic activities From Umar Dankano, Yola

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Philantropist and Sardaunan Jimeta in Adamawa state, Alhaji Haladu Mohammed, was yesterday honoured by Arewa Youth Consultative Council for his service to humanity.

Mohammed was presented with award of excellence as Icon of Societal Change and Garkuwan Matasan Arewa in recognition of his valuable contribution to youth empowerment, grassroots development and selfless service to humanity.

The Arewa Youth Consultative Council which is a non political association aimed at societal reorientation whose main objective is not just to extol but to instil and promote the virtues of the legacies laid down by Sardaunan Sokoto Sir Ahmadu Bello.

Presenting the award in a ceremony in Yola, the President of the council, Comrade Bole Ochai, said Mohammed has proven himself as a philanthropist whose contribution to the masses has been outstanding.

Ochai who was represented by his deputy, Mr Jude Mamman, said Mohammed has distinguished himself as a youth who subscribe to the ideals of Sir Ahmadu Bello hence his conferment of the tittle of Sardaunan Jimeta by his people.

Ochai said the association activities include creating youth awareness on the need for mutual coexistence and harmonious relationship through peace summit saw the need to identify people like Mohammed for recognition of their contribution to humanity.

“He has donated vehicles and tricycles to the poor to be able to carter for the needs of their family in addition to him being a man of truth and justice,” Ochai said.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

PAGE 7

News Suspected assassins kill mobile phones seller in Delta

L-R: District Governor, Rotary District 9125, Dr. Mike Omotosho, presenting the prototype of the world thickest book titled “My Dream Nigeria’’ to Acting Chairman, Economic Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, during the Rotary District Governor’s visit to EFCC headquarter, yesterday in Abuja.

From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

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Photo: Mahmud Isa

DSS arraigns 2 artisans for cloning Lagos Gov’s phone number From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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he Department of State Security (DSS) on Wednesday arraigned two artisans before an Isolo Magistrate Court for allegedly cloning the mobile line of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

The suspects - Rilwanu Jamiu and Balogun Stanley Oyewole who claimed to be a cocoa dealer, were said to have attempted to perfect a N50 million transfer with the said mobile line.

Prosecuting counsel from the

DSS, Mr. Peter Okerinmodun told Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo that the suspects were arrested after using the cloned mobile line of the Governor to send a text message to the Accountant General of the State requesting for transfer of N50 million.

He said the suspects conspired with others now at large to commit the crime on February 10, 2016 at about 10:02hours.

After the charges were read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty, while the prosecutor asked that they should be kept in protective custody pending the

outcome of the legal advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) in view of the fact that their lives could be endangered by other suspects who are on the run.

But Magistrate Adedayo overruled Okerinmodun, saying the DSS ought to have kept them in custody judging by the fact that their lives could be in danger.

She said since the offence for which the accused persons were charged to court was bailable and the fact that the Magistrate Court is a court of summary trial, she was inclined to grant bail to the accused persons.

She, therefore, admitted them to bail in the sum of N1 million each and two sureties in like sum.

Magistrate Adedayo ruled that one of the sureties must be a religious or community leader within the jurisdiction of the court, and that the accused persons must provide five years tax clearance certificates.

She further ordered the accused persons to be remanded in Kirikiri Prison pending the perfection of the conditions attached to their bail, and adjourned the matter to May 10, 2016.

Police arrest gunmen, hoodlums in Plateau From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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he Plateau state police command has arrested over 27 criminals alleged to have committed various criminal offences in the state.

This is even as the police said seven herdsmen were equally apprehended for unlawful possession of ammunition and locally made AK47 gun.

The State Commissioner of Police, Adekunle Oladunjoye

made this known at the state police headquarters in Jos while parading criminals arrested in the state.

Also during the parade, five herdsmen were arrested for cattle rustling and terrorising cattle owners in communities of Wase local government area of the State.

He explained that the seven herdsmen were arrested around Riyom-Ganawuri axis with 504 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition, three stolen motorcycles, nine handsets and four locally constructed

AK47 gun which they argued that they were taking it to a man in Bachit community of same LGA. The CP added that the investigation by the police had indicated that the suspects were taking the ammunitions to Ganawui axis to cause crises around Riyom and Barkin Ladi during the raining season.

In a related development, the CP around K/Vom had on the 17th of April also received information that armed had entered and were operating in a farm belonging to one

Ogunjime Abiodunm He said, “the hoodlums on sighting the police men engaged them in a gun duel and one of the hoodlums, Mr. Rwang Adams of Kuru was arrested with a military AK47 rifle and two handsets while the other hoodlums escaped.”

Other criminals paraded were members of a criminal gang known as ‘sara-suka’ who had been engaging in acts of criminality along the riverside behind the new stadium at Sabon Layi area of Jos north.

uspected assassins in the early hours of yesterday allegedly killed a 34 year-old mobile phones seller identified as Macaulay Okoro, in his shop around Uti Street, Effurun, Delta State.

It was gathered that the assassins allegedly killed the phones seller without asking for money after they had gained entrance to his shop at 8:30am.

The assassins were said to have allegedly shut him in the chest after they had pretended to have been buying phones.

A family member of the killed phones seller, Felix Okoro said: “The suspected assassins did not take any money from my brother they shot at him in his chest, and he died on the spot before I rushed to call the police when I was informed of his death”, disclosing his brother married two years ago with two months old baby and a young wife.

It was reliably gathered that the victim had last year 2015 escaped attack of armed robbers who allegedly visited his shop to rob him at gun point.

But the police officers at the Effurun Police Division who did not want their names in the print, confirmed the incident, adding that they were on the trail of the suspects.

In her reaction, the police image maker in the state, Mrs. Celestina Kalu said she was yet to be briefed on the incident.

Meanwhile, the police SARS patrol team in Effurun, Warri yesterday arrested four occupants of a tricycle along Jakpa road believed to be members of a robbery gang terrorizing the area(s). Mrs. Celestina Kalu, police image maker in the state, gave the names of the suspects as: Isaiah Etadefe, Happy Ege, Saifiasi, Mansure and Collins Otone, adding the police patrol team recovered one locally made patrol with 2 live cartridge, one dagger, knife and a wrap of weed believed to be Indian hemp from them.

She said the suspects would be charged to court on completion of investigation.

Delta lawmakers prescribe death penalty for kidnappers

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he Delta House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the Antikidnap Bill, prescribing death sentence for kidnappers and life imprisonment for accomplices.

The passage of the bill by a unanimous vote of the members present followed a

report presented by the house’s Committee on Rules, Business, Legal and Judicial Matters at plenary in Asaba.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the committee, Mr Rueben Izezi, said that the bill, when signed into law, would also give life imprisonment

and forfeiture of all property within the state for anyone whose property was used for kidnapping.

The bill, which was initiated by the Executive, also provides life imprisonment for persons who initiated a compromise, settlement or refused to give

testimony in court in respect of charges for kidnapping.

In his remarks, Speaker of the assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya, said that at the committee of the whole, the bill was considered clause by clause and section by section. ``I must also commend

members for giving considerable attention to this bill, which is to the benefit of the people of the state,’’ he said.

Igbuya, therefore, directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Lyna Ochulor, to forward a clean copy of the bill to the governor of the state for his assent. (NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

News

FG will partner stakeholders to deliver housing, says Fashola

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

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he Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, said the ministry is ready to partner with relevant stakeholders to deliver the housing needs of the country, noting the huge potential and economic value chain available in the sector.

Fashola disclosed this, when he received members of the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN), led by the President, Alhaji Mohammed Adamu in his office, the Minister said the Ministry is working hard to evolve agreeable and adaptable housing designs that would be replicated across the country and is thus ready to partner with cooperatives, housing associations and the private sector to expand on the housing delivery and bridge the gap.

This was contained in statement signed by the Director Information Mrs. Eno Olotu, noted that the provision of housing to Nigerians goes beyond construction alone but includes the industrialization of the various materials used in the construction of the houses such as windows, doors etc. in order to boost the nation’s economy and provide jobs for the people. He said he is also concerned about how the required building materials could be produced on massive scales locally and subsequently translated into “industrializing the delivery”.

The Association President, Alhaji Adamu, earlier in his remarks stated that his Association is not oblivious of the housing challenge facing the country, hence it has designed a programme tagged ERAHOMS and is proposing to develop 740, 000 housing units within the next five years at 148,000 units annually across the 36 States of the federation. He solicited the Federal and State Governments support to execute the proposed Programme.

Adamu requested for the inclusion of the association in the Ministry’s activities and the need to decentralize housing activities to both the state and rural level with trained manpower to address housing problems at the grassroots.

He also informed the Minister that the association has commenced training of its professionals to address the use of sub-standard materials in housing construction to curtail the incessant cases of housing collapse in the country.

L-R: Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Buari, and Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalong, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

Boko Haram: U.S. gives extra $40m for humanitarian needs T he U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, has announced nearly 40 million dollars in new humanitarian assistance to support people whose lives have been affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

Power said that she made the announcement in Cameroon during a trip to the Lake Chad Basin region to highlight the growing threat of Boko Haram.

The U.S. State Department made this known in a statement that was issued on Wednesday.

It said that approximately 7 million people were suffering displacement, deprivation, and disease from the consequences of armed conflict in Nigeria, including 2.2 million internally displaced persons.

“As a result of the prolonged crisis, communities, who have generously hosted IDPs, have also exhausted their resources and find themselves struggling to make ends meet,” it said.

There are nearly 170,000 Nigerian refugees, who have fled to Cameroon, Chad and Niger countries whose citizens have also suffered from Boko Haram attacks and consequent displacement.

The statement said that the funding would support the work of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and other international aid organisations in the region promise to provide essential protection and

assistance to those affected.

This new funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance for the Lake Chad Basin humanitarian response in the 2015 and 2016 financial years to more than 237 million dollars.

“Funding announced today will allow UNHCR to provide Nigerian refugees with essential assistance, such as access to clean water and sanitation facilities. ``Health care, essential household items, shelter, programmes, which protect children, and activities to prevent and respond to gender-based violence,” the statement said.

It will also support UNHCR’s protection efforts across the region, including maintaining access to asylum.

“The U.S. contribution will also

allow our partners to extend and expand the reach of emergency food assistance in north eastern Nigeria.

“By providing the most vulnerable people, including displaced persons, with cash and vouchers for food, the U.S. is promoting household food security while supporting local markets and trade,” the statement said.

In total, the UN estimates that there are 9.2 million people across the Lake Chad Basin region in need of immediate assistance and has requested 535 million dollars for the 2016 response.

The U.S. urged other donors to join us in responding to this humanitarian crisis. (NAN)

Union allegation on staff maltreatment false - JEDC boss From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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he Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) yesterday denied the allegation by the National Union of Electricity that the management of the company is maltreating the staff of the company, arguing that such claim plus any other allegation were baseless and uncalled for.

Muhammed Gidado Modibbo who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company was reacting at the company’s headquarters in Jos following the picketing by some members of the National Union of Electricity Employee on Monday in the front of the company.

According to Modibbo, all the

issues made by the union that there were no motivation, promotion and salary increment were issues of lies and untruth.

Reacting on the allegation on the salary increment, the MD said, the company has been harmonising the salary of its managers to 100 per cent and so the disparity of salary as claimed by the union was not true, adding that the harmonisation process is on-going.

He said, “It is not true that we have not been increasing the salary of our staff. When we came into the system, we realised it would be more appropriate to harmonise the salary of our staff which we have started doing that. What our staff is collecting now is two times of what they were collecting in

the past. So, to be frank with you, there is no salary disparity in our system.”

On the issue of promotion , Modibbo said, “ we promote our staff as at when due. Recently we promoted five of our staff with even cash reward to motivate others.

So it is unfair to say something that you don’t have evidential fact about it.”

While responding on the sacking of over 44 staff of the company, the GM said the company sacked 41 staff whom it felt that their services were no longer efficient and more hands needed to be engaged to ensure efficiency of service to the members of the public, adding that even those sacked were given the opportunity to be enrolled but could not perform well. He further

said that there were 5 other people whom were dismissed due to their fraudulent activities in the course of their duties.

On the complaint about harassment and beating of staff by the customers, Modibbo said, “yes, some of our staff could be harassed and beaten because of their fraudulent activities. They would often collect money directly from the customers on the ground that they would supply meters and poles and would not do so and that is why they often got harassed by the customers.”

Modibbo, however, call on customers wherever they are to reach out to the company for any complaint, praying that the leadership of the union would come back for dialogue as the company was often ready to listen to them.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

PAGE 9

News FG set to resolve Delta, Edo boundary dispute

Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello (left), receiving an Award of Excellence from President, Jacco’s Charity International (an NGO), Miss Jodie Frank (right), during a visit to the governor, yesterday in Lokoja.

With them is the Head of Social Welfare Department of Jacco’s, Miss Ada Omezue (middle).

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Photo: NAN

Nasarawa Assembly passes N79.3bn 2016 appropriation bill in to law From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

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he Nasarawa State House of Assembly yesterday passed the 2016 appropriation bill of N79.3 billion into law.

The Speaker of the House, Right Honorable Ibrahim Abdullahi announced the passage of the bill during the House proceeding at the hallow chamber in Lafia after presenting the reports by Acting chairman house committee on Finance and Appropriation, Honorable Sani Isah member representing (APC-Obi 1) at the assembly.

“The total amount approved was N79.301,850,598 billion comprising recurrent expenditure of N41,123,636,182 billion, representing 51.7 per cent, and capital expenditure of N38,178,214,416 billion, representing 48.3 per cent, for the 2016 fiscal year.”

In order to enhance the speedy passage of the bill, the Majority Leader of the House, Honorable Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North) who moved a motion for the speedy passage of the bill to enable the State Government deliver of dividends of democracy to the people of Nasarawa State.

He further implored the house members to pass the bill in order to enable the government execute development projects for the benefit of the people of the state and the country at large.

Seconding the motion, the Minority Leader of the House, Mohammed Alkali (PDP-Lafia North), seconded the motion for its rapid passage; adding that the passage of the bill would also enable the government to complete various ongoing projects and embark on new projects for the development of the state.

After paying attention to various

contributions from the members, the Speaker, Honorable Ibrahim Abdullahi directed the clerk to produce a clean copy of the bill for the governor’s assent.

Also contributing Honorable Abdullahi (APC-Umaisha/Ugya-), called on the executive to ensure proper implementation of the budget and prompt release of funds to various ministries and agencies for speedy development of the state.

The speaker who however applauded his colleagues for passing the budget into law, admonishing them to closely monitor its implementation.

12 states yet to domesticate child Right act in Nigeria From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

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hairman, Board of Trustee (BOT) of Linking the Youth of Nigeria through Exchange (LYNX), Olusegun Mayegun has said 12 out of 36 states are yet to domesticate the child act law in the country.

He frowned at the attitude of executives and Legislatures of the 12 states who according to him deliberately ignored the law even when Nigeria has already adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

since 2003.

He spoke at the Closing ceremony of a five day Training Camp and Project Launch of Aflatoun Child Rights Cooperative Project, at the weekend in Kaduna, organised by LYNX and Societal Socialis (SOS) Children Villages International, in collaboration with the European Union (EU).

The Human Rights activist also said Islam and Christianity are not against children rights.

He listed states that are yet to domesticate the child act bill as follows Kaduna, Enugu, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kano,

Katsina Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.

“There is no doubt that there is a war on children in Nigeria, and this war is not a war that will be fought with guns or advanced military artillery. It is not that will be fought in the streets with protest and with shouting.

“It is a war that must be fought in citadels of power, where those who make the laws and are charged with implementing the law and keeping the law, rest on their oars, not ready to take the struggle to give the most vulnerable in our society the chance they need to survive and thrive.

“This a war that will be taken up by the children themselves, they will be the ones to speak up and they will be the ones to make their voices heard.

The time is has gone when children will be passive recipients of what they hear and see, when they will accept their fate as leaders of tomorrow while they are dying today.”

On his part, Programme Development and Strategy Adviser, SOS Children Villages, Nigeria, Mark Nwankada, explained that the Aflatoun Child Rights Cooperative Project use social and financial literacy to empower children to understand and achieve their rights.

he Federal Government is set to resolve the boundary dispute between Delta and Edo states, Director-General, National Boundary Commission, Dr Mohammed Ahmad, has said.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Resident Information Officer of the commission, Mr Kabir Bala, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The director-general said that resolution of the dispute was part of effort to advance the definition and determination processes of boundary between both states.

He said that there was need for the two states to maintain peace and concord in their border communities prior to the conclusion of the exercise.

“Boundary dispute is not a door-die affair. The lines are not walls; they are only identified and drawn for administrative purposes,’’ he said. Ahmad said that a joint meeting of officials of Edo/Delta Interstate Boundary Committee was held in Asaba few months ago to deliberate on ways to resolve the dispute.

He said that the meeting deliberated on grey areas constituting challenges between both states.

According to him, the meeting resolved to continue the enlightenment and sensitisation of border communities through the involvement of traditional rulers, chairmen of local government areas and other stakeholders.

Ahmad said that the states would maintain ‘status quo’ pending final determination of their boundary by the commission, adding that field work on the grey areas would be undertaken from June 6 to July 22.

The statement said that Deputy Governor of Delta, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, in his remark said that the states were one and the same, notwithstanding the ``artificial boundary’’ between them.

Otuaro, however, called for urgent resolution of the boundary dispute to avoid unhealthy commotion between the border communities and the states.

Similarly, Deputy Governor of Edo, Mr Pius Egberanmwen, commended the resolve of boundary commission to settle the dispute.

Egberanmwen said that Edo would complement the efforts of the Federal Government by supporting and cooperating with the officials of the commission for the successful completion of the exercise. (NAN)

Benue Trade Fair: Participants lament over poor organization, patronage From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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he harsh economic realities has had a big toll on the ongoing 8th Benue State trade fair as participants complained bitterly of poor sale.

Peoples Daily investigation

revealed that few participants who came from Northern and south western part of the country to sell their wares, lamented over the dismal organization of the fair.

They also, noted that the fair is ill-timed coming at a time

when the economy is at its lowest ebb.

“If I had known I would not have attended the fair because it is just a waste of time. I have come all the way from Ibadan with my wares and have not sold much”, Oluwale Ade who sells

native wares complained.

It is further observed that local government areas, who erected stands at the fair also complained of poor patronage.

Some of their leaders who spoke on grounds of anonymity, expressed dissatisfaction at

the organization of the fair by the State government and the Benue Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, BECCIMA, maintaining that it is coming at time when the economy is poor especially, that salaries of workers are not paid.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

News

Institute trains Adamawa stakeholders on peace building

Members of the Delta Security Network protesting over security problems in the area, yesterday at Summit Junction, in Asaba, Delta state.

From Umar Dankano, Yola

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he Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has commenced training of Adamawa stakeholders comprising community leaders, religious leaders, women and youth leaders on peace building.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a one day workshop on community peace building organised by the institute in collaboration with UNHCR and Adamawa government yesterday in Yola, the Director General of the institute, Prof. Osita Osita, said the institute would also train 650 peace volunteers in the state.

Osita who was represented

by Chief Research Fellow in the institute, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, said the volunteers would serve as promoters of peace among their people.

Osita noted that volunteers would be provided with needed skills in peace building, conflict resolution and conflict management, among others.

He said that with the restoration of peace and recovery of areas occupied by insurgents in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, peace building among returnees became necessary.

Osita lauded Adamawa Government for its commitment to peaceful coexistence among the diverse people of the state, and reiterated the commitment of the institute to partnership with the government and other stakeholders in that direction.

Also speaking, the representative of UNHRC, Mrs Veronica Yohanna, tasked stakeholders on the need to be steadfast in ensuring peaceful coexistence for meaningful development.

Adamawa Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Mohammed Barkindo, who also spoke, lauded the project which he said would create the needed momentum for increase engagement in peace building initiatives.

“This will lead to community resilience in terms of increase trust, respect for diversity, and decrease fear between groups as we gradually transit into early stages, after such massive displacement,” Barkindo said.

Photo: NAN

Why Nigcomsat can’t track insurgents, criminals - MD

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he Nigerian Communications Satellite (Nigcomsat) cannot be able to track and detect terrorists activities by insurgents in the North East and other criminal elements around the country due to its design specification which is purely for communication purposes.

The Managing Director of the company, Mrs. Abimbola Alale stated this while answering questions from journalists when members of the House of Representatives Committee on

Information and Communications Technology paid an oversight visit to the organisation.

Mrs. Abimbola said the mandate of Nigcomsat is basically to facilitate digital communication ranging from provision of bandwidth to mobile phone service providers, providing backup services for companies into communication in the event that they fibre optic dependent platform fails as an assurer of continuity.

She said: “We do not have the capability to pick activities in the field regarding monitoring of insurgents, and other criminal

elements because of the design specification of the satellite which is purely a communication platform”.

“The task and capability of imaging and tracking of activities in parts of the country is the duty of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) using the Nigerian Sat One which was launched before Nigcomsat to monitor weather pattern, natural disaster and other earthly activities being carried out in different locations within the country”, she said.

She revealed that if availed the necessary funding for facility

upgrade and procurement of the ones lacking, the company can double its revenue base in the 2016 fiscal year.

Speaking on the company’s involvement in the N76billion police Close Circuit Television (CCTv) project, said, “we were not part of the award process. We were only called in to ensure that the contract was executed in line with specification”.

She added that her organisation has the staff strength of about 376 work force who cut across the length and breadth of Nigeria with no issue whatsoever with the Federal Character Commission.

Group faults moves to recall Lawmaker

From Ahmad Ibrahim, Lokoja

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outh organizations in All Progressives Congress in Kogi local government have described as empty threat the attempt by some faceless politicians to recall the member representing Kogi/KotonKarfe constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Mohammed Zakari Osewu.

The organizations, All Progressives

Youth Forum and G11 in a joint statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja yesterday, said those behind the purported plan to recall the lawmaker are on a futile mission, because it would surely meet a brick wall.

The statement which was signed

by Ahamed Muhammed and Suleiman Ibrahim, opined that the lawmaker is being persecuted for his commitment to good governance and rule of law.

It further alleged that the former chairman of Kogi local government council, Hon. Shaaban Shaibu and other selfish politicians are behind the evil plot to recall the lawmaker, describing them as “political wanderers” who have nothing to offer the people.

The statement stressed that no amount of blackmail, treachery or intimidation can change the position of Hon. Osewu who is focused in

discharging his constitutional duties, insisting that the “faceless politicians are papertigers who are merely seeking for relevance”.

It further posited that the desire by the lawmaker to ensure strict adherence to democratic ethos in the hallow chamber of the state assembly should be commended, rather than condemned, saying those working against the collective interest of the people would surely fail.

EFCC refutes media reports on Ekweremadu as anti-corruption ambassador

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday refuted media reports that it has decorated Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu as its “anticorruption ambassador”.

The Spokesman for the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, explained in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday that the statutory mandate of EFCC was to investigate and prosecute all economic and financial crimes cases and not to decorate any

individual as anti-corruption ambassador. ``The award and title are unknown to EFCC and could not have been invested as purported, on behalf of the Acting Chairman, Management and staff of the EFCC. ``The commission is not in the habit of awarding titles to individuals. ``Those who seek titles for reasons of waging a counteronslaught against the war on corruption in addition to massaging

inflated sense of influence, know the quarters to approach, not the EFCC,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the purported report of Ekweremadu’s decoration by the commission was published in the print and online media of April 20.

It said that the report was attributed to a statement issued by Mr Uche Anichukwu, the Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President.

The statement further said that the purported decoration,

was carried out by the EFCC National Assembly Liaison Officer, Mr Suleiman Bakari, who was quoted to have said the decoration was done on behalf of the acting chairman of the commission. ``The EFCC totally dissociates itself from the purported action of Bakari as he acted entirely on his own and clearly outside his liaison officer brief. ``He was never instructed by the Acting Chairman nor mandated by the management and staff of the commission to decorate

Ekweremadu or any officer of the National Assembly as Anticorruption Ambassador. ``The commission views this highly unprofessional conduct of the officer as yet another manifestation of corruption fighting back,” the statement added.

It, therefore, advised members of the public to disregard the socalled decoration, adding that stern administrative action was being taken on the ``clearly misdirected officer who acted without authorisation’’. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

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Opinion Financing our future

By Kemi Adeosun

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riting this, my third article on the economy, I’m keenly aware that the question Nigerians want answered is: What is government doing to address our economic challenges? The first thing to state is that there are no quick fixes, but our strategy is clear and the expected outcomes are pretty compelling.

Our immediate economic imperative is to provide a Keynesian stimulus to reflate the economy. The 2016 focus is underpinned by a desire to radically reposition Nigeria’s economy. This administration believes very strongly that the previous direction was far from optimal. We are pursuing afresh direction consistent with our belief in building a resilient economy.

The strategy itself is worth reiterating.The 2016 Budget is being debt funded and the borrowings are targeted at the financing of capital projects to address the infrastructure deficit, create jobs and build the platform for optimisation of the non-oil economy that will see Nigeria prosper. To this end, we have commenced an aggressive programme of fiscal housekeeping: increasing revenues and reducing recurrent expenses. This will ensure that we move towards our objective of financing recurrent expenditure from revenue, rather than borrowing as obtained before now.

In addition, we have signaled through our financial decisions that we are moving away from oil. Government investment in oil will be limited. We are inviting private sector participation in the funding of cash calls for our Joint Ventures rather than tapping the Federation Account.

This is guaranteed to improve our cash flow. As I have stated previously, oil is important but oil is not enough. Therefore, if faced with an option to invest borrowed funds in our railways or power or fund oil cash calls, we will strategically fund nonoil. This is in the knowledge that there are private sector solutions to the funding needed for oil, but few sources other than government for investment in physical infrastructure.

The debate about whether Nigeria should borrow is wellintentioned and cannot be dismissed without a careful analysis, given our antecedents as a nation. I am in agreement with those who argue that Nigeria should not borrow simply because its debt to GDP level is low enough to accommodate such borrowing.

There must be a clear business case backed by justifiable benefits. I believe that Nigeria has such a case at the present time. Simply put, we need capital investment to grow our economy. At 13 per cent debt to GDP, we compare favourably with the threshold of 30 per cent for developing economies.

Our low debt to GDP ratio is not exactly a positive attainment because it is accompanied

by critically low level of infrastructure investment. It is actually a false economy.

Low capital formation is a risk which, if uncorrected, hinders future economic growth and this is already evident.

Borrowing, as we propose, will increase debt to GDP to 16 per cent and still leave us significantly lower than our peer group including Ghana at 70 per cent, South Africa at 50 per cent (2015) and Angola at 31 per cent (2014). Appropriate levels of fiscal deficit have been used to grow many of the most successful global economies.

As ours develops, our sources of revenue will grow, diversify, and become less susceptible to external shocks. Our need to borrow will reduce accordingly.

It’s important to note that capital spending creates an asset, and this gives a return over time in the form of growth.

Infrastructural projects such as rail and roads create jobs, generate taxes and stimulate further spending. This is the economic multiplier effect that capital spending brings.

Therefore, while an increase in public spending may create a deficit in the short term, the resultant increase in productivity will lead to a higher rate of economic growth and greater tax revenues. According to the International Finance Corporation, for every $1bn invested in infrastructure in developing economies, between 49,000 and 110,000 jobs are created.

Our borrowing policy

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

will remain conservative and will see us access the lowest available funds, hence our decision toapproach multilateral agencies in the first instance, for budget support at concessional rates as low as 1.5 per cent per annum. We have also secured commitments from export credit agencies that are tied to specific capital projects including key initiatives in power, transport and other infrastructure, and at semiconcessional rates. The balance will be sourced commercially to create a blended cost of capital that’s as low as possible. We are addressing the relatively high debt service to revenue ratio which saw 28.1 per cent of our 2015 revenues devoted to debt. This will be done through a systematic restructuring of inherited debt portfolio into a profile that is aligned with our medium term outlook as well as an increase in our revenues.

Borrowing is not our primary focus. Increasing our Internally Generated Revenue is critical because it is sustainable; and because much of the funds collected went unremitted to government – something we are tackling now. Our Revenue Team holds daily revenue sessions with the MDAs during which clear targets are set and agreed; monitoring and evaluation are continuous.

We are deploying cashless revenue collection processes in our high earning agencies to ensure maximisation of our receipts. We are working through the Treasury Single

Account balances with a view to identifying monies that can potentially be used to fund the budget and reduce borrowing.

Other costly leakages are being blocked. We have completed a detailed review of tax and duty waivers and discovered that in some cases, Nigeria lost significant revenues and with limited benefits. We are set to begin consultations with stakeholders on a revised policy aligned with the best interests of Nigeria. Furthermore, we are identifying funds that can be released from hitherto untapped sources, including idle and underutilised government assets that have commercial potential including real estate.

To this end, Ministry of Finance Incorporated is to become a professionally operated asset manager, rather than a passive holder of government assets.

It will be actively managed to “sweat” Nigeria’s very valuable global asset portfolio. This will generate earnings and constitute additional budget funding.

Gradually and with the requisite safeguards, we will authorise the investment of part of the estimated N6tn currently held in pension funds into key infrastructure that will provide workers with higher returns on their pension funds while enhancing capital formation and economic growth. Nigeria’s first ever Project Tied Infrastructure Bonds are being designed.

Mrs. Adeosun is Minister of Finance

the

In Bauchi State, every life counts

By Ismaila Garba

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arrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, Governor of Bauchi State, was a two-time Commissioner of Justice and a legal practitioner of note before his foray into politics.

Looking at his resume, one would pray to be as lucky as he is.

In line with the objective of his administration in having a healthy society free from communicable and non-communicable diseases, he launched the Five Point Health Agenda in September, 2015 which is aimed at strengthening of the Primary Health Care services with particular emphasis on diseases affecting the maternal, new born and child population as well as routine immunization exercise.

Since then, the Bauchi State helmsman has been doing his best in building a high performing health care system that will be the best in terms of accessibility

and meeting the vast majority of peoples’ health needs.

He has shown a rare commitment to addressing the gaps in health care system with a strong focus on primary health care which is the frontline of health care delivery.

His current efforts reinforce his avowed commitment to citizens’ right to health, especially Basic Health Care Provision which explains why he is taking deliberate steps to pursue public health improvements and ensure rapid progress towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in line with the National Health Act enacted in 2014.

The state is also confronting headlong, the problems of lack of accurate data and vital statistics that made proper planning difficult in the past.

Some of the problems that

were faced in the past include lack of accurate data and vital statistics which made planning very difficult. The Governor Abubakar administration in Bauchi State has put in place robust health information system that will ensure effective resource allocation and utilisation.

Nothing gives credence to the seriousness of the current administration than the fact that adequate provision has been made in the 2016 budget that would ensure better health outcomes, going forward.

The move has motivated the health sector workforce in the state and has caused corresponding improvements to the health management system, thereby repositioning Bauchi State to deliver significantly improved health outcomes.

An instant revelation is the Payment of 160 Million Naira as

part of the State Government’s commitment in the MoU with Bill and Melinda Gates and Dangote Foundation respectively aimed at setting up emergency operation centres on polio; and the sponsorship of maternal, neo-natal and Child Health Week and rapid response to outbreak of diarrhoea in some parts of the State; Patient-feeding and fuelling of generators in general hospitals and other health facilities in the State have been resuscitated to ensure efficiency in the running of health facilities in the state.

That’s not all. The Governor Abubakar administration has facilitated the accreditation of courses offered at the State College of Nursing and Midwifery; as well as Dental Health Services training at the State College of Health Technology Ningi.

The state has also benefitted

from collaboration with Al-Basar International Foundation which has so far organised free eye treatment to about 10,000 eye patients.

The modest achievements of the Governor of Bauchi State in the last 10 months in the health sector have already started attracting acclamation from key stakeholders in the sector.

Only a few weeks ago, Governor Abubakar received an official commendation from Mr. Bill Gates, the proprietor of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in which he appreciated the effort of the State Government in the routine immunization programme and the implementation of Primary Health Care under One Roof.

Garba, a health worker writes from Toro, Bauchi State.

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Eradicating women trafficking

By Asta Mala

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omen trafficking have become a global threat to vulnerable women and young girls. It is an injustice and violation of human right that affect millions of people and socio economic level of a particular country.

Women trafficking is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights. Every year, thousands of women fall into the hands of traffickers in their own countries and abroad. Almost every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit, or destination for victims.

Therefore women trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, or harboring, of women by means of threat, use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception of the abuse of power, position of vulnerability, giving or receiving of payment and benefits to achieve the consent of a women having control over the traffickers, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation includes, prostitution, forced labor, slavery or practices similar to slavery, victims are trafficked across both national and international countries of the world.

The primary victims of trafficking are women and young girls, the majority of whom are trafficked for the purpose of sex and labor, which is a complicated phenomenon with many forces that affect women’s decision to

work abroad. Traffickers primary target women because they are disproportionately affected by poverty and discrimination, factors that impede their access to employment, and educational opportunities. The strongest factor is the precarious economic situation, which impact the availability of satisfactory employment in many countries for women.

Traffickers recruit commonly potentials victims who are socially or economically vulnerable; these include, women and girls who are susceptible to drug addiction, violence in family, sexual abuse, family dysfunction, school failure, or a history of criminal behavior.

It also include orphans, women with physical disability, and those who are innumerate and illiterate.

Women become the victims of trafficking when they seek for assistance to obtain employment, work permits, visas and other travelling document. Traffickers’ prey on women’s vulnerable circumstances and may lure them into crime networks through deceit and false promises of decent working conditions and fair payment. Women go to abroad not knowing that they will work in the sex industry and without awareness of the terrible work condition and violence that accompany the trafficking business.

Other women answer job advertisement for positions abroad such as dancers, waiters, and nannies, only to find themselves held against their

will and forced into prostitution and sexual slavery. In abroad, women are subjected to physical violence, sexual assault, rape, battery, threats and other forms of coercion.

Women trafficking have a direct effect on the physical and mental well- being of the victims, during the initial trafficking; women are deceived usually through the exploitation of their current circumstances, as most victims have a history of abuse and are already living in precarious circumstances.

Victims are forced into unsanitary, stressful living condition and receive little health care service, movement is often restricted and their personal document withheld, and most experience significant physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological violence. Must times escaping from such slavery is extremely difficult and dangerous, putting the victims in personal risk. If rescued, integration back in to society is incredibly difficult because of the shame, stigma, threat of retribution, and trauma experienced during enslavement.

Most victims are promised good job, education, or citizenship in a foreign country or offered a false marriage proposal, which is turned into bondage, traffickers unwillingly and forcibly kidnap others. The most common tactic of coercion used among victims is depth bondage, an illegal practice where the victims has to pledge personal services in order to repay some form of depth, such as transportation into the foreign

country or living expenses.

Woman traffickers often approach families living in poverty and seek for girls or young women with the promise of better life in a richer country or may approach women who are engaged in prostitution to be transported overseas.

Women are recruited through either finesse or guerrilla pimping.

Finesse pimping involves using compassion, kindness, and psychological games such as luring victims through small gift of cash, cloths, shelter, food and drugs that make them feel obligated or indebted to the pimp, while guerrilla pimping involves using violence, threat, intimidation, or aggression in order to recruit and then enslave the victim.

Victims are particularly susceptible to sexually transmitted infection such as gonorrhea, urinary, tract infection, syphilis, and public lice,including, human immune deficiency virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome HIV/AIDS which is known to be prevalent, they may also experience pelvic pain, virginal tearing, rectal trauma, and urinary difficulties as a result of commercial sex work and hard labor.

One overriding factor in the proliferation of trafficking is the fundamental belief that the lives of women and young girls are expendable. In societies where women are undervalued or not at all, women are at great risk for being abused, trafficking,

and coerced into sex slavery.

Women trafficking promotes societal break down by removing women from their families and communities, trafficking fuels organized crime group that usually participate in many other illegal activities, including drug, weapons trafficking and money laundering. It negatively imparts local and nation labor markets, due to the loss of human resources.

Women trafficking burdens public health systems, and trafficking erodes government authority encourages widespread corruption and threatens the security of vulnerable populations.

Organization crime is largely responsible for the spread of international women trafficking.

Women trafficking along with its correlative elements,kidnapping, rape, prostitution and physical abuse is illegal in nearly every country in the world. However, wide spread corruption and greed make it possible for women trafficking to quickly and easily proliferate.

Though national and international institutions may attempt to regulate and enforce, may in fact be participating in women trafficking rings. If women experienced improved economic and social status, trafficking would in large part be eradicated.

change for the country.

I always shook my head with disbelief few occasions I visited Kaduna metropolis in the recent past and passed through the frontage of the once popular textile companies and saw how grasses and reptiles had over taken the places. I do not know why the hotels and the textile companies collapsed but in the spirit of present administration mantra on economic diversification, some entrepreneurs out there should seek to take over the management of the places.

The Command Guest House Kaduna has survived all odds and stand out as one of the best managed hotels in Nigeria today. I remember in the late 1990s when I relocated from Lagos to Zaria, it was the Guest House that we found most befitting for classical workshops and seminars we organized.

Overtime, the fortunes of the Guest House dwindled that it

became a shadow of its old self.

The Guest House would have gone like other failed enterprises in the country if not that Nigerian Army Authorities took a firm decision to lease out the management of the Guest House to an international reputable business firm, A.I.A International Ltd .

Barely two years ago, the Army Authorities entered into contractual agreement with A.I.A International Ltd for the management of the place.

The Chairman of A. I A International Ltd, Chief Sunny Arusuraire who is well groomed in business management with international record in investment portfolio once disclosed to news men that as soon as his company took over the management of the Guest House: the company sourced and made huge financial investment to turn around the place for excellence and utilized its vast expertise in hospitality industry to reposition the hotel for business exploits

A visit to the Command Guest House now shows that the company has invested wisely in providing state of the art facilities to meet the customers` satisfaction in affordable accommodation of various standards such as presidential , diplomatic, villa, royal suites and standard rooms; 24 hours security surveillance and armed personnel on duty; wireless internet facility; swimming pools/ tennis court; well equipped and spacious banquet hall; conference rooms; state of the art fitness center decorated with modern Gym equipment, massage and aerobic classics, 24 hours power supply; regular car hire services; barbeque and shawama; restaurant for local and international dishes; bar; garden bar; night club; live band and well trained staff among others.

The lost glory of the Guest House is now restored and it is now a befitting home away from

the home of all its esteemed guests.

Life is back to the place and it is once more booming with activities.

The repositioned Guest House is now providing employment opportunities for Nigerians and it provides suitable accommodation for investors visiting Kaduna and its environs for business and other related activities. The Guest house is equally generating revenue for the government in terms of taxes and dividends for their owners and managers.

Entrepreneurs and investors should look in-wards and replicate the Command Guest House examples by taking over the management of ailing industries and business concerns and by so doing complementing the efforts of government in economic diversification.

Asta Mala is of department of mass communication, University of Maiduguri.

Economic diversification: Kaduna Command Guest House example

By Innocent Ebirim Okadigbo

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he oil economy has collapsed not only in Nigeria but globally due to gross decline in oil revenue. President Muhammed Buhari has been emphasizing the diversification of Nigeria Economy to delist the country from the group of countries grossly affected by the collapse of oil economy.

The diversification means that managers, entrepreneurs, investors and business oriented men and women should bring out their creative abilities and talents and mainstream them into versatile and new productive ventures.

When APC campaigned for change, it did not limit agents of change to the government.

Private entrepreneurs are equally agents of change. The combination of government policies and programes and individual entrepreneurship bring about the much desired

Comrade Innocent Ebirim Okadigbo is a prodemocracy activist and media practitioner.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

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Why we can’t hold Trade Fair now, Delta Commissioner From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

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ntil core elements relevant for the hosting of credible and befitting trade fair that could arouse the interest of viable investors were put in place in Delta State, the hosting of trade fairs in the state has been put on hold, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Mary Iyasere had said.

Speaking with our correspondent in her office in Asaba, yesterday Iyasere particularly disclosed that the state is not prepared to host this year’s trade fair, citing the bad State of the trade fair centre in Osubi as the core reason for the decision.

It would be recalled that the state government’s recent policy on the hosting of trade fairs in the state, particularly from the immediate past administration, and bad economic, this year’s trade fair supposed to have been held this month April, 2016, will not.

But, Mrs. Iyasere, said investors should not expect trade fair in the nearest future, particularly this year until the structure(s) at the permanent trade fair centre, Osubi were rehabilitated, stressing that the structure(s) were at present in dilapidated shape.

Her words, “Trade Fair”, as it were, are the responsibility of the chamber of commerce. It is not entirely the function of the state Ministry of Commerce and Industry. However, the ministry collaborates with the chamber of commerce in this regard.

The approval to organize any trade fair is actually given by the National Associations of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agricultures (NACCIMA) to the state chambers of Commerce.

This is so because; it is NACCIMA that has the right to organize trade fairs in the country.

“NACCIMA on its part gives franchise to the different states chambers of commerce to organize trade fair while the different state chambers of commerce collaborate with the state Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Remember that I was formerly the state President of Chambers of Commerce. So, I want a situation where we do things properly.

OMUROTA foundation empowers 53 women in Bwari

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

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n Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), JOMUROTA Community Care Initiative has empowered 53 women in Bwari Area Council.

Speaking during the exercise yesterday at the Bwari Area Council Secretariat, Executive Director of JOMUROTA, Talatu Shanwa, said the exercise was aimed at empowering vulnerable women and children in the area.

She said incentives which was

given by their partner, Institute for Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) ranging from N10,000 to N20,000 was given to encourage the women in their various businesses.

“Most of the people we have today at this programme are orphans and widows who are having various challenges. The money we are giving them today will assist them in their business”.

She said the target of the NGO was people who need urgent assistance in the society.

“We have been doing this and will continue to reach other locality so that people everywhere

will benefit from the programme.”

On her part, IHVN, Senior Technical Officer, Dr. Fadimatu Yunusa, said the institute was concerned about plight of people in the area and has mapped out ways to help them.

She said the plight of the less privileged and and the downtrodden in the society has been a major concern of the institute, hence the incentives to assist them in their businesses.

Also speaking, representative of the Etsu Bwari, Timothy Dikoyi, urged the beneficiaries to ensure proper use of the funds given to

them.

“I urge you to use the money wisely and educate you children and also provide food and shelter for them.

“Do not use the money to things that will discourage the NGO from assisting others. You should extend your hands of fellowship to other people in the society”.

One of the beneficiaries, Lami Dikko, a widow and a Yam seller, thanked JOMUROTA and said she will use the money to train her children in school and also assist other people who need her assistance.

Polio: Adamawa apologizes to WHO over misinformation From Umar Dankano, Yola

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he Adamawa state Ministry of Health has retracted its earlier announcement on the status of the state on polio disease tendering apologies to the public Expressing regret, the Ministry in a statement signed and issued by the Ministry’s information officer in Yola, Mr. Abubakar Muhammad apologised to the World Health Organization (WHO) Management over the

incorrect information.

It could be recalled that, in an earlier press statement issued by the Ministry announcing that the WHO has declared the state as Polio free which later found to be erroneous and misleading.

“We regret to inform WHO and general public on the publication in some national dailies that WHO declared Adamawa as a Polio free state.

“The statement contained in the publication as stated by Dr

Nuhu Ningi was later confirmed as misleading and didn’t convey the intended message.

“We highly apologized and regret all the inconveniences this misinformation might have caused “ the statement said.

According to the statement, the state government and it’s partners especially WHO would continue to work hand in hand to ensure all the children in Adamawa are protected against polio and other vaccine

preventable diseases “Our ministry through Director of information , Malam Abubakar Muhammed, had last Friday April 15, 2016 , in a statement claimed that Dr Nuhu Ningi, a former WHO Coordinator in the state, has confirmed that Adamawa was free of Polio virus since 2009 which not correct and hereby retracted with unreserved apology to WHO and the public”.

The statement regretted.

People hawking Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) as scarcity of the commodity persists, yesterday at the Central Business District, in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Group seeks Nigerians support to end pipeline vandalism

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) has urged Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in its determination to rid the nation of pipeline vandals.

In a statement issued yesterday by and signed by

the coordinator and secretary Muhammad Labbo and Cassidy Madueke the group condemned the unpatriotic activities of some persons who have taken it upon themselves to cause pain to all Nigerians by blowing up pipelines supplying gas to the power projects.

The BMSG notes that this economic sabotage leads to power

outages across the country with its attendant hardship on the entire nation.

It is regrettable that despite the federal Government’s efforts at stabilizing power, some persons have continued to sabotage these efforts.

The BMSG urges all Nigerians to lend their support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s

administration in the measures it is taking to safeguard Nigeria’s critical infrastructure including the oil and gas pipelines.

The BMSG calls on the perpetrators of these heinous acts to desist henceforth and seek peaceful ways of addressing their grievances. We call for dialogue, rather than some persons resorting to damaging the

economic life wire of the nation under any guise or pretence.

The BMSG believes that further damage to the pipelines will lead to further degradation of the environment in the Niger Delta and appeals to the perpetrators to key into President Buhari’s ‘’change” agenda aimed at bringing development to all Nigerians.

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Oshiomhole, Edo assembly on collision cause over LG tenure From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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do state House of Assembly and Governor Adams Oshiomhole, appear to be at daggers drawn over the House resolution on tenure of local government chairmen in the state.

This followed Tuesday resolution of the House, directing the 17 Local Government Council boss to hand over administration to their respective councils to their Heads of local government at the expiration of their three years tenure (today) Thursday, April 21.

The governor in a letter he personally signed and sent to the House, described the House of Assemboy resolution as “inappropriate and unacceptable”, a development that angered the Lawmakers.

The governor’s letter reads: “my attention has been drawn to the resolution of the House directives, asking local government chairmen to hand over administration on April 21, 2016.

Oshiomhole, in the letter, said: “the resolution is a usurpation of the powers of the executive. The house does not have the power to give such directives “I have already directed the local government chairmen to submit their handing over note and transmit such to the office of the governor,” the letter stated.

Kabiru Adjoto, member representing (APC Akoko-Edo) constituency in a swift reaction to the letter, said the house derived its powers from the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria which made it an independent arm of the government.

According to him, “Mr Speaker, I want to state clearly that the house has the powers to make laws for the state and any other matter not included in the exclusive list.

“We did not dissolve the councils, what we did was to remind them that their tenure expires on Thursday, April 21, 2016 and directed them to hand over administration to their various head of local government as there can be no vacuum in government.

“I want to move that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Henry Idahagbon be invited to explain why he has misinformed the governor on constitutional matters,” Adjoto said.

The House, however, ruled that they acted within the ambit of the law and the powers conferred on her by section 4, 6 and 7 of the 1999 constitution as amended and section 10 (1) of the Local government law 2000 as amended, confer autonomous powers to the House to pass such resolution.

L-R: Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, Director General of DSS, Alhaji Lawal Daura, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, (House of Reps), Hon. Suleiman Kawu , before the Service Chiefs briefing of the Senate on the abducted Chibok school girls by Boko Haram, yesterday at National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Enough political persecution of Saraki, Senator Ighoyota Amori tells APC From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

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former Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ighoyota Amori yesterday in Asaba, Delta State asked the All Progressive Congress (APC) to focus on delivering on electioneering promises to Nigerians and stop further political persecution of the Senator President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Amori, Special Adviser, Reconciliation and Conflict Management to the PDP National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sherriff fingred many forces within the APC as behind the ploy to unseat Saraki as Senate President at all cost.

“The persecution of Saraki is all based on his emergence as Senate President, against the

expectation and plan of a cabal in the APC but, with majority support of senators who were committed and united to jettison the old order, where the executive arm dictates the leadership of the senate” Amori stated.

He wondered why the APC that is clamouring for change in the politics of the country is interested in having a rubber stamp leadership at the National Assembly, urging the party to desist from further actions that were capable of creating an unhealthy relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government.

Reminding the APC that, he who must go to equity, must come with clean hands, Amori noted that the selected persecution and prosecution of members of the opposition party, the PDP is the guise of fighting corruption is not

in the best interest of the nation.

Saraki, he emphasized has charted a new direction for the senate and the National Assembly, accounting for the immense support he has continued to enjoy across party lines, despite his present travail.

“Any attempt to remove Saraki as Senate President will spell doom in the senate, with its attendant consequences on the political landscape of the nation.

The APC should allow the current stability in the senate to continue to reign, while it takes measure to rescue Nigerians from the present harsh economic situation”.

Senator Amori further drew the attention of the APC to a seminar scenario which played out in the House of Representatives under the PDP led government of Goodluck Jonathan, where Aminu Tambuwal emerged as Speaker

against the wish of the party, but he was allowed to reign and not persecuted throughout his tenure in the Green Chamber.

According to him, “what Nigerians require at his crucial time of the nation’s political evolution is a robust and purposeful legislature that is free from the executive’s interferences.

Saraki’s has so far distinguished himself as a team player needed to foster harmony amongst senators in the onerous task of making laws for the good governance and security of the nation”.

He advised the APC to resort to political solution in resolving issues it has against Saraki, stressing that the party will still not have its way in installing its puppet as Senate President, even if it eventually succeeds in removing or forcing Saraki to resign.

NGO tasks politicians on grass root development From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

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he Director-General of Grassroots Leadership Centre, Abuja (NGO), Mr Yinka Awoyinka, has tasked political office holders in the country to live up to expectation by providing infrastructures to the grass root.

Mr. Yinka stated this at an

event recently at the Sheraton Hotel Abuja on the presentation of award to former chairman of Akwanga Local Government Council Honorable Abashiya Koto for the leadership qualities exhibited while in office.

According to him “Honorable Koto was awarded with a Commonwealth Leadership Prize for his outstanding performance

in office as well as the best performed local government chairman in the North Central Zone of Nigeria for 2016”.

Explaining further, Yinka said: “We sent out serving youth corp members to various local government areas to assess council chairmen’s performances and bring information of projects executed with pictures as evidence

to merit the award”.

Addressing pressmen after receiving the award, Koto said the recognition would spur him to continue to contribute his quota to national development.

Koto further recalled that he promoted peace, fought poverty and unemployment as well as boosted the socio-economic development of the area during

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Politics

Group faults moves to recall lawmaker From Ahmad Ibrahim, Lokoja

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L-R: Chairman APC Enugu state, Dr Ben Nwoye, Enugu- East Zonal Chairman, Chief Anike Nworga, member, Chief Gbazueagu Gbazueagu, and APC Isi-Uzo Local Government Chairman, Mr. Titus Nnamani during the inauguration of APC Isi-Uzo Local Government at the party secretariat, on Sunday in Isi-Uzo, Enugu state.

Photo: NAN

PDP stalwart to take legal action for exclusion from performing hajj From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Bauchi, Alhaji Nasiru Ibrahim Darazo has threatened to sue Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board over his alleged exclusion from performing this year’s hajj for instituting court action against Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.

It could be recalled that Darazo had filed a suit against the governor and the state for allegedly collecting N4 billion loans from United Bank for Africa UBA without the approval of the state lawmakers.

A protest letter written by his counsel, Barrister Jaldi Mohammed Jima of of Mukhtar Abubakar and Co Royal chambers to the Chairman Bauchi State Muslims Pilgrims welfare Board and distributed to newsmen in Bauchi gave the board 48 hours

from the receipt of the letter to recognize their client as a potential pilgrim from Darazo local Government Area in Bauchi state and accord him all his rights associated with the trip under the board care to Saudi Arabia.

Jaldi said his client who hails from Darazo LGA purchased his hajj 2016 intent form on 31/03/2016 and obtained the form and his receipt which qualify him to participate in the raffle draw organized by the board for intending pilgrims and he successfully picked the right raffle for hajj, and was given the customized Skye Bank deposit slip to make payment of N850, 000 which he did like other intending pilgrims in the state on 08/04/2016.

He said after Darazo received the customized slip before he makes payment he received a phone call from the Head of administration of Darazo LGA who instructed him to return the

deposit slip he had been given on the ground that the local government Amirul Hajj had been instructed to prevent and prohibit their client from participating in this year’s hajj irrespective of the due procedure he followed like other pilgrims and followed by saying that our client is a state antagonist that instituted court action against the state government.

Jaldi said his client after he received the deposit slip considered the dateline given for making deposit, he liquidated some of his fixed assets into cash to meet the deadline for payment as directed by the board in his desire to fulfill his intention of observing the fifth pillar of Islam.

Counsel to Darazo said his client went to Darazo to submit the evidence of his payment for this year’s hajj as required but it was refused by board officials and the Amirul Hajj called Darazo and told him that he should forget

going on hajj this year to save the Amirul hajj’s Jobas the order was coming from above.

The counsel urged the board to take fast and assertive steps in rectifying the huddles created by the board agents in a bid to frustrate his client and threatened that if the board didn’t take any action within 48 hours they will seek for legal redress before a court of law for an unlawful cum, political discrimination and a denial of his client’s right to religious practice protected by the ground norm of Nigeria.

The letter was copied to the Mr Lawan Mato, Amirul Hajj Darazo, National Hajj Commission Abuja, National Human rights commission, the Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Chairman Federal House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, State Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Security Services, SSS.

Northern Youths slam APC over Saraki, condemns Falana’s stand on CCT From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

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ollowing what they described as ‘’continued persecution of Dr. Bukola Saraki at Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT)” the Arewa Youth Vanguard has again condemned the process saying both APC and the President have betrayed the embattled Senate President.

In a statement signed by the group’s North-West Zonal

Coordinator Mallam Abdullahi Ibrahim made available to newsmen in Kaduna said Saraki’s trial is witch hunting, not in accordance with due process and in compliance with the act that establishing the Court of Conduct Tribunal.

“It has come to our notice that some powerful politicians are behind the witch hunting of Dr. Saraki, we as a group also condemned the silence of the party and Mr. President over the trial of

Dr. Saraki if not witch-hunting, how can a number three citizen be brought before the court over his asset declaration form 13years ago and the party he belongs to will not come out to show solidarity or support him’’ The youths also condemned Femi Falana SAN for opposing the Senate invitation of CCT Chairman , pointing out that the senate is the highest law-making body in Nigeria can has legitimate powers to invite anybody to the Senate.

According to the group, ‘’due process has never being followed in the trial process, and renowned legal practitioners like Falana should know that’’ It could be recalled that Falana, in an open letter to the Senate, noted that apart from the fact that the committee lacked the powers to extend such invitation to the judge, that there was a pending case at the High Court sitting in Abuja rendered such invitation invalid.

outh organizations in All Progressives Congress in Kogi local government have described as empty threat the attempt by some faceless politicians to recall the member representing Kogi/KotonKarfe constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Mohammed Zakari Osewu.

The organizations, All Progressives Youth Forum and G11 in a joint statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja yesterday, said those behind the purported plan to recall the lawmaker are on a futile mission, because it would surely meet a brick wall.

The statement which was signed by Ahamed Muhammed and Suleiman Ibrahim, opined that the lawmaker is being persecuted for his commitment to good governance and rule of law.

It further alleged that the former chairman of Kogi local government council, Hon. Shaaban Shaibu and other selfish politicians are behind the evil plot to recall the lawmaker, describing them as “political wanderers” who have nothing to offer the people.

The statement stressed that no amount of blackmail, treachery or intimidation can change the position of Hon. Osewu who is focused in discharging his constitutional duties, insisting that the “faceless politicians are paper tigers who are merely seeking for relevance”.

It further posited that the desire by the lawmaker to ensure strict adherence to democratic ethos in the hallow chamber of the state assembly should be commended, rather than condemned, saying those working against the collective interest of the people would surely fail.

The statement therefore lauded Hon. Osewu for his effective representation in the state assembly as well as ensuring good governance in the state, maintaining that he lawmaker has always carry his people along in the scheme of things.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 33 17

Politics

Return our appointment slots before retirement, ward chairmen tell Sylva

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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ard chairmen of All Progressives Congress (APC), in Bayelsa state yesterday stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, asking the leadership of the party to correct the alleged manipulation of political appointments by the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The protesters are demanding that the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva should return political appointments meant for the APC members in the state.

The protesters who were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions like; “Lokpobiri says APC is Boko Haram,” “Bayelsa APC says in Tiwei we trust,” “Lokpobiri must go” among others were however, not allow into the party secretariat.

While addressing newsmen, leader of the ward chairmen, Jephta Iyekuruwe, said “We are here for a simple project, which is, we are not here to fight our leader, APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa state.

“Five executive chances were given to APC Bayelsa state in order to strengthen APC, because for now we don’t have a governor to take care of the party and by the special grace of God, Presidency through the national secretariat gave this five executive chances to Bayelsa state, but at the end of the day our candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva cornered all of them, use his own letter headed paper and sent

five names without consulting the state executive, led by Chief Timipa Tiwe’s administration.

“So based on that, as ward chairmen of Bayelsa state APC, we have labored, from inception of APC, we were tagged the Boko Haram party and supporters of Boko Haram party by some of the PDP people because then the President of Nigeria was from

Bayelsa.

“We were told that our candidate Chief Timipre Sylva said he is retiring from politics, if he is retiring from politics, he shouldn’t retire with our five chances, because we want to use these five chances to strengthen APC Bayelsa State to take us to the promise land of Bayelsa state.”

Iyekuruwe, however,

debunked insinuations that Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson, was sponsoring the crisis, saying, “There is nothing like Governor Dickson sponsoring APC, I have rightly explained that five chances are given to the party and we don’t have a governor, nobody is taking care of the party.”

R-L: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara exchanging pleasantries with Senator George Akume, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

PDP adjusts time-table for 2016 congresses, national convention

By Ahmed Abubakar

T

he National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adjusted the timetable for its Congresses and National Convention.

The national Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement said the ward congresses have been rescheduled from 23rd of April to Saturday, April 30, 2016.

He said ward appeal will hold on Monday, May 2, 2016 while LGA congresses will hold on Thursday,

May 5, 2016.

According to the new date LGA appeal will take place on Saturday, May 7, 2016.

The state congresses will hold on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 while the State Appeal on Thursday, May 12, 2016 while the zonal congresses

will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2016 with the zonal appeal scheduled for Tuesday, May 17, 2016.

The national convention would hold on Saturday, May 21, 2016 stressing that the new timetable supersedes the former.

Edo 2016: I will hold my successor to task – Oshiomhole From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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do state governor, Adams Oshiomhole has said his successor would consolidate on the pace of economic progress recorded by his administration.

He however warned that the state under his watch will never slide to the path of retrogression again ahead of the Governorship election billed for 10th September 2016.

The governor dropped the hint when he inspected the 30-feet deep underground drainage system at the Second East Circular and Sokponba Roads in Benin City, the state Capital.

He assured residents of that his administration was determined to

complete the gigantic project before the rainy season sets in.

Already, a section of the dual carriageway road on Second East has been asphalted.

“I want to thank you for your support; I thank you for your prayers; I thank you for your love.

I want to assure you as we are winding down, my tenure is coming to an end, but my determination is not coming to an end. We will ensure that the next governor will continue from where we will stop so that the progress of this State will never reverse again”, he said.

He said: “Before the rain starts, we want to finish that Second Circular so that if you are coming from New Lagos Road, you pass

through Akpakpava, straight you pass through Sokponba to Sapele Road.

“We are re-doing this drainage so that the water coming from that side can flow across. We are going to remove that old drainage and make it wider so that it can take all the water to the moat, so that the flooding problem is solved once and for all.

The Commissioners for Works, Hon Osarodion Ogie and his Information and Orientation counterpart, Prince Kassim Afegbua, and other aides, were among the entourage that accompanied the Governor to inspect the project.

Peoples Daily reports that an elated resident of the area who

could not hide his joy, Mr. Vincent Onaghise told the Governor that “the road has been bad for twelve years even before” the state Government intervened in their plights.

He said: “Now, whoever is going to Lagos from Warri can take here to Lagos. It’s not only this road. I went to Egor, Upper Mission, Queen Ede. So, we have seen it all. There is no way someone will buy my vote for two thousand naira or five thousand naira and then I will now suffer afterwards”.

Other residents of the area poured encomiums on Governor Adams Oshiomhole for his landmark achievements and assured him of their continued support for his administration.

Omolori now acting Clerk NASS

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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ormer Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Sani Omolori has been appointed as acting Clerk of the National Assembly.

Omolori is to replace Salisu Maikasuwa who is billed to retire on May 13 this year.

According to the appointment letter signed by the executive chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Dr.Adamu Fika issued at the end of its 440th meeting held yesterday 20th April 2016, approved the appointment of acting Clerk to the National Assembly with effect from 13th May 2016 to August 15.

2016.

“The appointment is in recognition of your hard work, dedication to duty and very responsible conduct since joining the service.

“I have no doubt in my mind that you will justify the confidence reposed in you by the commission and the leadership of the National Assembly” the letter stated.

Gulani/ Gujuba/ Damaturu/ Tarmuwa Fed Constituency bye-election holds Saturday

By Ahmed Abubakar

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the bye-election for the Gulani/ Gujuba/Damaturu/Tarmuwa Federal Constituency of Yobe state for Saturday, 23rd April 2016.

The Federal Constituency is made up of Four (4) Local Governments, namely: Gulani, Gujuba, Damaturu and Tarmuwa; forty three (43) Registration Areas (RA); and 341 Polling Units.

This was contained in the INEC in-house bulletin stressing that the election is to be supervised by the National Commissioner in charge of the North East geo-political zone, Baba Shettima Arfo.

To man the election, the Commission will deploy: one (1) Returning Officer, forty seven Collation Officers (COs), thirty four (34) Supervising Presiding Officers (SPOs), 341 Presiding Officers (POs), 1431 Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs I, II, III), 242 Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs VP) and 84 Reserve APOs.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 18

Politics

Sen. Nyako offers FUT Yola best graduating student grant to study Pipeline Engineering in UK

By Eileen Ihemadu

S

enator Abdul-Aziz Murtala Nyako, APC member representing Adamawa Centra senatorial district has offered Mr. Salihu Usman the best graduating student of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Federal University of Technology Yola , financial grant to study post graduate degree (MSC) in Pipeline Engineering at Newcastle University , United Kingdom.

Performing the ceremony in Abuja, Nyako said the offer was to encourage other students as well toward hard work, adding that the course is a professional one that needs to encourage student from his constituency to study.

“I need to encourage students from my

constituency to study such professional courses, he stated.

He also said that Salihu graduated with an accumulative grade point average of 4.43 which made him the best graduating student from the university and as well informed his decision to offer him financial assistance to study Pipeline Engineering in the United Kingdom.

Responding, Mr. Usman said he was moved by the offer and promised to do his best to perform well at the UK. According to him, he just rounded up his compulsory National Youth Service Corp and was offered admission to study Pipeline Engineering at the Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.

PIB draft: Group kicks against removal of 10 percent equity From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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L-R: Senator Abdul-Aziz Murtala Nyako, in a hand shake with Salihu Usman the best graduating student from Federal University of Technology Yola, whom Nyako offered to sponsor his post graduate degree in Pipe line Engineer at the Newcastle University UK.

Senate set to pass Bill establishing Peace Corp

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Senate yesterday held a public hearing on the Bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps, an agency that will provide security for schools and colleges across the country.

The Bill which progressed to public hearing in the 7th National Assembly, however could not be passed before the expiration of the tenure of the 7th Session of the National

Assembly.

Speaking to journalists after the public hearing in the Senate, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Peace Corps, Dickson Akoh, said the objective of the corps was to provide security to schools and colleges.

He added that the agency will create an opportunity for Nigeria to tap into the potentials of the youths in volunteered services to the fatherland, adding that Peace Corps is in existence in other advanced countries such

as United States of America, United Kingdom, Malaysia, among others.

Akoh, who noted that the agency will not bear arms but operate to provide security at social functions and secondary colleges, said they will, unlike other security agencies, not depend solely on government for funding.

He said they will generate money for its operations through the services they will render to the organisations and

individuals that may need their services.

Meanwhile, he said the corps is seeking legislative backup because the other security agencies infringe on their rights to function as a civil security organisation.

He said most times, such agencies usually write to organisation to discourage them from hiring their services, adding that with the legislative support, they can function optimally without hindrance.

Ex Ogun lawmaker, 2 others docked for stealing PDP membership register From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

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-two term member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Sikirulahi Ogundele and two others were on Wednesday arraigned before an Abeokuta Magistrate Court over an alleged stealing of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party’s membership register.

The accused persons that included Steve Oliyide and Ogunseye Olabode were docked before Justice O.A Sofowora on a three count charge of conspiracy, stealing and causing breach of peace in the state.

The prosecutor, Sunday Egbajuile at the mention of the case with suit number MC/218/c/2016 told the court that the accused committed the crime on April 10,2016, at the State Secretariat of

the party located on Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta, while other suspects were still at large.

The three count charge reads; “that you Ogunseye Olabode ‘m’ ,Steve Oliyide ‘m’,Sikirulai Ogundele ‘m’ and others still at large on the 10th of April 2016 at about 2200hrs at PDP secretariat Abeokuta in Abeokuta Magisterial District did conspire together to commit felony to with, attempt to steal and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the criminal code laws of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you Ogunseye Olabode, Steve Oliyide, Sikirulai Ogundele and other still at large on the same date, time and place at the aforementioned magisterial district did conduct yourselves in a manner to cause the breach of peace and thereby committed and

offence contrary to and punishable under section 249(d) of the criminal code law of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you Ogunseye Olabode, Steve Oliyide, Sikirulai Ogundele and others still at large on the same date, time and place at the aforementioned magisterial district did attempt to steal two hundred and thirty-six(236) PDP membership registers which belong to Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 508 and punishable under section 509 of the criminal code law of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006”.

However, the complainant, which is the leadership of the party was absent at the court, while the accused were in court and said they were not guilty when the charge was read to them.

The defense counsel, Kayode Akinsola, who fought tooth and nail to secure bail for the accused argued that the offence was bail able.

Akinsola while arguing for the bail of his clients told the court that, all of them are of reputable character that have no record of criminal offence, profusely made reference to one of them, Sikirulai Ogundele, who he said was a two time member of the Ogun State House of Assembly and a former local government chairman.

The Judge, O.A Sofowora in her ruling granted the accused bail in the sum of N250, 000 each, with sureties who must be resident in Abeokuta, adding that both the accused and sureties must also submit their passport photographs with the court.

She thereafter adjourned the case till April 28 for further hearing.

group, Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, Edo State chapter has urged the leadership of the National Assembly to shun the proposed removal of the 10 percent equity for host communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) draft report to avoid returning the country to the dark days of rancor, restiveness and instability.

The group’s demand was contained in an open letter to the leadership of the National Assembly signed by Deacon Friday Osazuwa, Chairman, Edo State chapter of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas yesterday in Benin City, the Edo state Capital.

The group said the dangerous voyage and manipulations by a few anti- progressive elements that lacked faith in the Nigeria project would always create a rancorous atmosphere, mayhem and general instability in the Niger Delta region.

It recalled that it was former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory that muted the idea of 10 percent equity to host communities as a way out of the perennial problems of instability and restiveness in the Niger Delta as a result of decades of neglect of oil producing communities by government at all levels, oil companies as well as government agencies and departments.

It also lamented that oil producing companies have watched helplessly as multi oil producing companies have continued to deny indigenes of Niger Delta employment, provision of social amenities on the excuse that they were granted license to operate by the Federal government and that they paid royalty to the government.

“They watch helplessly for decades as the mighty hands carted away with their resources under the principle of national unity with their farm lands desecrated, their waters where they fish polluted and the human population dehumanized apparently as a result of oil production and associated issues of oil spill, gas flaring to mention but a few.

“As a peace loving Nigerian, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory initiated the 10 percent equity to balance the lopsided oil production and revenue sharing equation by integrating the host communities. But for the antiprogressive elements penchant for seeing that the Niger Delta people never reap any benefit from their God given wealth, the late President Yar’Adua’s plan and paradigm makes no meaning.

“Whatever is their reason, we dare to say to the sponsors and protagonists of the 10 percent equity removal from the draft PIB that the plan is nonsensical, cruel and retrogressive.

In our opinion, it is calculated to return the country to the dark days of rancor, restiveness and instability as we will never fold our hands and watch the anti-progressive forces destroy one of the greatest initiatives and legacies of the Yar’Adua administration.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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ir passengers were left stranded yesterday at the General Aviation Terminal, as aviation industry unions closed all access gates to Arik Air flights to various destinations in Nigeria over alleged N12.5 billion debt the airline owe the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The airline operates its domestic flight operations from the terminal and has over 30 percent of the domestic market share.

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), arrived the aerodrome as early as 6.30 am yesterday with placards bearing various inscriptions.

They read: “Arik pay your debt, enough is enough”; “Arik Air Must pay its debt to FAAN for peace to reign”; “Arik Pay Your 12.5billion Debt! FAAN can no longer pay salaries, pension, staff claims due to your debt”!!; “Debtors pay all you owe FAAN now!!!; Arik if you can’t pay don’t fly”!!, among others.

The union members stated that they decided to shutdown the airline after years of negotiations between the airline and FAAN authority yielded nothing.

Reacting to the development, the airline confirmed the incident and regretted the untold hardship it passengers went through.

Arik Air spokesman Mr. Adebanji Ola told journalists its staff were prevented from gaining access to their duty posts thereby disrupting the day’s operations. “ The action by the workers’ union is connected with the longstanding and unsubstantiated claim by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) of spurious indebtedness of the airline to the agency which is now

Page 19

Passengers groan as Unions disrupt Arik flights over alleged N12.5bn debt Airline suspends domestic services before a Federal High Court in Lagos at the instance of FAAN. For several months, the management of Arik Air and FAAN have been meeting to reconcile payment accounts between the two institutions.

The reconciliation process is still ongoing until the latest actions by

the union.

This is not the first time that FAAN workers’ union will be taking the laws into their hands by disrupting operations of Arik Air.” His statement said “The current situation is deeply out of control of Arik Air and the management of the airline has

been compelled to suspend all domestic operations for today.

This will remain in force until such a time the unfortunate situation is resolved.

Arik Air sincerely apologize for the inconveniences the FAAN workers’ union action may have caused its esteemed passengers.

We live to serve the needs of the people of the great nation Nigeria.

We look forward to working collaboratively with FAAN and other aviation agencies to resolve the impasse and return to our core purpose of providing essential world class services to the people of Nigeria.

L-R: Country Manager, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr. Jason Lambe, Executive Director, Business Development of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Adam Nuru; official of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Alhaji Salisu Abdulsalam, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Traditional Ruler of Abaji town, Abuja, Alhaji Adamu Babayunusa, Chief Executive of Nestle Waters, Mr. Marco Settembri, and Managing Director of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Chief Dharnesh Gordhon, during the commissioning ceremony of Nestle Waters Factory, at Abaji, in Abuja.

Power challenges are surmountable- BPE boss

By Etuka Sunday

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he Acting Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr. Vincent Onome Akpotaire has said that with the commitment of the power operators and the political will of the Federal Government, the present power challenges in the country are surmountable.

Dr. Akpotaire who spoke during an interactive session with the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the 11 Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in Abuja, noted the challenges but opined that with concerted efforts by all critical stakeholders in the sector, these were surmountable.

The BPE boss therefore, called for an enhanced synergy between the Successor Companies (SCs) of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and the Bureau to boost efforts

towards actualising the full objectives of the power sector privatisation.

A statement by the Head, Public Communications, BPE, Alex E. Okoh said, while acknowledging that there were fundamental challenges within the sector, Dr. Akpotaire stated that these were not insurmountable if given time; inter-agencies collaboration; and adequate investment.

He enjoined the SCs to improve on their efforts to honour the performance agreement in the power privatization, stressing that “I am optimistic that with the required synergy, periodic reviews with stakeholders and commitment to the performance agreement, the objectives for the nation’s power sector would be achieved.”

Akpotaire said that the lack of investment in the sector in the past 40 years had now come to the fore with the privatization

of the sector and that immediate solutions would not be achieved within two years of privatization.

He however said with the steps taken by the Federal Government so far to address the prevailing challenges there was a hope of efficient and effective power supply in the country.

On the prayers sought by the SCs, the Acting Director informed them that the Bureau was not an approving agency but the Secretariat of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP). He said the essence of the interaction was to look at the contending issues with a view to escalating them to the NCP. Speaking on behalf of the Successor Companies (SCs), the Managing Director of the Ibadan Electricity distribution Company (IBDEC), Mr. John Donnachie, acknowledged the Federal Government’s efforts at managing the issues militating against the

sector.

He said that the DISCOs and GENCOs had benefited from such efforts through the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET) and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN)’s N213 Billion intervention fund.

The MD called for additional intervention through the Bureau to secure more investment from the Federal Government by financing the 40% equity held in trust by BPE for the Federal Government.

On the implementation of a cost reflective tariff, the MD. IBDEC said that it was a step in the right direction but that the deadline by the Federal Government to the DISCOs to meter 1million customers within a year was not realistic.

He added that the cap on the DISCOs’ Capital Expenditure

(CAPEX) was a hindrance to meeting the deadline. The IBDEC Chief Executive explained that metering was a capital intensive venture and a key component for implementing the new tariff which only massive investment in the sector would bring Nigeria closer to the Promised Land.

Also speaking, the Country Director, Energy Market and Rates Consultants (EMRC), Mrs. Rahila Thomas, lauded the Federal Government’s efforts in the sector so far.

She recommended among others, subsidy from the Federal Government and a resizing of the bond allocated to the sector to adequately accommodate the financial implication of the gap in power generation as ways to cushion the effects of the impending tariff increase. She urged the Bureau to consider the options in the post-privatisation minor review in June, 2016.

Page 20

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Business Fuel Scarcity: ‘Kachikwu needs the support of all Nigerians’ Interview

How would you assess Dr Ibe Kachikwu as minister of State for petroleum?

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o doubt on the credentials of Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu. He is a square peg in a square hole. He is coming from one of the biggest and best oil companies in the world.

There he rose to one of the highest offices. The minister of state is well grounded in oil matters. However, I personally do not think that he is well grounded in oil politics especially as it is played in Nigeria. He could be said to have the best intentions for the country. His policies are sound and his vision for the industry in Nigeria is equally fantastic. What I do not know is whether he is on the same page with the civil servants that is expected to implement the policies on a daily basis. But I want to believe that at the end of the day, Nigerians would be glad that they had a minister in charge of oil in the person of Dr Ibe Kachikwu.

I think he needs the support and cooperation of all Nigerians especially the civil servants who are saddled with responsibility of implementing government policies.

What can you say about the current fuel situation in the country?

The recurrent fuel scarcity in Nigeria is very unfortunate. What is happening is like the man in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, who has three wives and yet does not have enough soup to swallow his fufu.

Nigeria is the sixth world producers of crude oil, but regrettably the country depends on imported refined petroleum products to oil its economy. The fact is that since we import our refined products, once there is a disconnect in any leg of the process, there will be a problem and that is exactly what we are facing now. However, I think this current fuel crisis is the worst Nigerians are witnessing in most recent times. I would also like to point out that it is this type of situation (fuel scarcity) that the Association of Mega Filling Station Owners of Nigeria (AMFSON) set out to avoid in the first instance. But unfortunately, our association is yet to receive the type of cooperation promised by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

How is the relationship between AMSFON and NNPC? Like the name implies, we are owners of filling stations that are branded with NNPC colours and logo. Sometime in the past, the former management of NNPC as part of strategies to end perennial fuel scarcity in the country decided to adopt the Brazilian model of building its own filling stations. Towards this end, NNPC set up 36 mega stations in the 36 state capitals and the federal capital territory, bringing the mega stations to 37. However, over time, government discovered that these 37 mega stations is like a drop in the ocean as far as readily making fuel supply available to Nigerians in times of fuel scarcity is concerned.

Nigerians have in the past few months suffered the worst fuel crisis in the country’s history. Ambassador Kenneth Nwachukwu, National Secretary of Association of Mega Filling Station Owners of Nigeria (AMFSON) in this interview with Sunday Etuka submits that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has not been faithful to Nigerians as far as the issue of fuel supply and distribution is concerned.

higher costs, the top officials in the corporation involved in racket smile to the banks at the detriment of majority of Nigerians. That is why Nigerians should support moves by government to dismantle NNPC as presently constituted.

The corporation should be broken into several companies. As it is now, NNPC is both a player and at the same time a regulator in the oil industry. There is no way you can expect NNPC to be fair in dealing with other stakeholders in the industry when it is both an active player and an umpire in the same industry.

How can we permanently solve the perennial fuel scarcity in the country?

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu NNPC thus invited independent petroleum marketers to enter into a relationship with it. Their terms looked simple on the surface; we are to make available our filling stations complete with all necessary facilities and staff and in addition we deposited N10 million with NNPC. On their part, NNPC promised to supply our stations with petroleum products. At the end, we have over 600 members scattered across the country. However, midway into the relationship, NNPC started reneging on its part of the bargain. Our members were starved of products and because we have branded our stations with NNPC colours, the public started accusing us of deliberately hoarding products. This is what led to our coming together to see how we can engage NNPC to solve the problem of unavailability of products in our stations. I think the move to have a united front angered some elements at the corporation.

Several moves to meet NNPC as represented by NNPC Retail Limited hit the rocks. They (NNPC) told us that they are not going to deal with us as an association but as individual stations. At a point, we took our case to different places including the National Assembly.

Interestingly, each place we go, NNPC will be directed to deal with AMFSON. Come to think of it, which one is easier; NNPC dealing with representatives of AMFSON or dealing with 600 stations?

And the current situation?

The situation has not changed.

NNPC is still bent on shutting us out. We are all stakeholders in the petroleum industry. The excuse that some of our members are indebted to the corporation is not enough

reason for NNPC to refuse deal with AMFSON. We have gone as far as meeting the new minister of state for petroleum. He directed NNPC to deal with us. But as I speak, the corporation is yet to comply with the directives of the minister.

My worry is that NNPC is daily manifesting tendencies that it is a law onto itself. NNPC is behaving like it is a government onto itself.

That even reminds me of a remark made by one of the lawmakers when we (AMFSON and NNPC) met members of the past National Assembly. The lawmaker then noted that it is regrettable that in Nigeria, there are there republics; the republic of Central Bank of Nigeria, the republic of NNPC and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

NNPC has been carrying on as if we are not part of the stakeholders in the Nigerian project. NNPC has consistently carried on as if other Nigerians do not matter. And that attitude partly explains the situation Nigerians find themselves today.

Take for instance, this issue of fuel supply. AMFSON members were deceived into a relationship with a promise that they will flood our stations with petroleum products.

But what do we see today, our stations are starved of products.

How can AMFSON help stabilise fuel availability and supply in Nigeria?

I think that without sounding arrogant, our association is in a better position to help NNPC and by extension the government to make fuel readily available to Nigerians.

With over 600 members scattered all over the country, our members

are best suited to distribute fuel to Nigerians. But like I said earlier, NNPC is yet to keep its own part of the contract. The promise to wet our stations with products is not being kept. In fact, as I speak to you now, there are some of our members who have not received even a liter of fuel in the past two to three months. At the same time, the mega stations belonging to NNPC but rented out to their cronies are stocked with products. You go to these (NNPC) stations, you see up to 10 trucks of petroleum products parked.

Let me tell us as a marketer of petroleum products in the last two decades, there is no filling station in the country that can dispense up to five trucks in a day even if that station has 100 pumps.

So what happens? These trucks disappear at night. And the result is what is generally called “Black market”. That is why you may drive into a filling station and you get fuel at say N160 and in some extreme cases N200 per liter. This is not to talk of the boys on the streets that sell fuel in jerry cans.

The question Nigerians should be asking is where do these stations get their supply that made them to sell at rates far above the official pump price? The answer is not far-fetched.

The supply comes from the excess supplies to the NNPC stations.

Because of the ulterior motives of some NNPC officials, these products rather than to be supplied to our members as we were initially made to believe, these products are now sold at a higher rate and because Nigerians are desperate to have these products, have no option than to buy it at whatever cost. So when these products are sold at

It is unfortunate that Nigeria that is a global net producer of crude, imports its refined products. The situation is like the man who lives by the bank of a river but washes his hands with spittle. No amount produced will be enough to wash the hands clean. So solving the problem of fuel scarcity in Nigeria should be approached through three routes, the long, medium and short term. In the long term, Nigerian government should consider massive investment in building new refineries. The refineries we have now are not only old, but inadequate to serve the needs of Nigerians. Remember that these refineries were built when the population of Nigeria was far less than what we have today. So even if these refineries are functioning at full capacity without breaking down, the refineries will still not meet local demands. So government should build more refineries and also create the enabling environment for the private sector to also invest in building more refineries. Nigeria and Nigerians will even be better for more functional refineries to be built. You are aware that daily production limits as imposed by OPEC are only applicable to crude production. There is no limit to the quantity of refined products you can export. In the short to medium term, government should rejig the distribution network in the country and fix the refineries.

It is not economical for trucks to be ferrying products from Lagos to Sokoto or to other parts of the country. The pipelines should be fixed so that products will be easily pumped to these far locations. It will also minimize road mishaps on our roads and prolong the life span of our roads.

What is your final Word sir?

Nigerians should continue to keep faith with the government. I think Dr Kachikwu means well for Nigerians. His policies are sound and if properly implemented would transform the oil industry in the country. On the part of AMFSON, we are ready to deliver products to Nigerians. NNPC should see us as partners in progress. If NNPC works with us as initially envisaged, Nigerians will not be subjected to this long agonizing hours of sleeping at fuel stations just to get fuel for domestic and industrial use.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 21

Business SEC moves to promote Commodity Trading, boost agriculture

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said efforts are on to roll out various initiatives to provide an enabling environment for commodities trading in the country.

This, the Commission said would be done to also boost agriculture and promote commodity exchange in Nigeria.

Already, the Commission is reviewing the Warehouse Receipt Bill currently before the National Assembly and has assured that it will actively advocate its passage.

SEC said, the initiative was in support of the policy thrust of the Federal Government to encourage investments in the agricultural and solid minerals sectors in a bid to ensure economic diversification and deepen capacity across the agricultural value chain.

Bank Criminal Syndicate: Customers appeal to AIG for help From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

B

ank customers in Birnin Kebbi have called on the Inspector General of Police (AIG) to investigate some criminal syndicates who are terrorizing the customers and collecting money from them.

Our reporter gathered that several attacks took place at the front of Zenith and GTbank, where they would follow the customers and collect their money.

An eye witness, Mallam Mohammed Jika who spoke to newsmen yesterday in Birnin Kebbi lamented over the act, saying that the Bank Managers supposed to have raised alarm over the ugly activities of the criminals.

He explained further that the so called Bank robbers followed his friend yesterday Nasiru Mohammad, who is the NUT National Treasurer.

He said Mohammad withdrew two million naira from Zenith Bank while the Bank robbers followed him and smashed the glass and removed the money opposite the state NUT office.

“The security agencies should send the beggars (Alimajiri) that are staying in front of the Banks away.

Some of them are the informer to the Arm robbers,” he added.

In a related development, one of the affected victims who withdrew money from GTbank and was robbed in front of the NUJ office recently where the same people park their car and they smashed the glass of the car and removed the money after leaving the Bank.

He said the issue is becoming too alarming as all most every week they would attack one or two persons who visited the Bank.

Confirming the incident to newsmen when contacted, the Polic Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Nafiu Abubakar said that the command was aware of the attacks by some hoodlums but assured that very soon they will put their surveillance around the area.

Director General of SEC, Mounir Gwarzo was quoted in a statement to have stated this while delivering a Keynote address at a Training Seminar organized by Africa Exchange Holdings (AFEX) on Commodity Trading and Risk Management in Abuja.

Gwarzo said the 10-year capital market master plan which the Market is currently implementing is the blueprint for the growth and development of the market over the next decade and acknowledges commodities exchanges as critical for enabling investment diversification, risk management, price discovery and transactional efficiency and expressed strong belief that to boost Nigeria’s competitiveness, a thriving commodities trading ecosystem must be developed.

The DG said: “We believe this can be achieved by implementing the following strategic initiatives:

Build a supporting and functional ecosystem for commodities trading; “Others are: Build Centre of Excellence in areas of comparative advantage such as for oil & gas, cocoa, etc Develop efficient commodities exchanges and trading platforms, Sponsor legislation to ensure Nigeria’s crude oil sales are traded on local exchanges and build capacity in commodities trading at the SEC and among market operators”.

He said that as Nigeria pursues policies aimed at diversifying the economy, creating jobs and hastening socioeconomic development, it is becoming increasingly clear that Commodities Exchanges can play a crucial role in actualizing these lofty objectives as a detailed empirical study by the United Nation’s Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) analyzed the impact

of commodities exchanges on development in emerging markets.

Gwarzo said Countries that were part of the study are also emerging countries with the most vibrant commodities markets such as India, Brazil, China, Malaysia and South Africa. Among the many insights in study’s report is the fact that commodities exchanges play a central role in facilitating economic development especially by helping farmers to enhance their marketing and risk management capacity (such as reducing their exposure to price and other production risks).

Nigeria he said, ranks number one (1)in global export rankings for commodities such as kolanut, shea nuts and shea butter, cassava, and yams and also feature in top exporters for other commodities such as cocoa, rubber, oil palm, cashew and sesame seed.

“Our ginger is reputed to

possess the best aroma in the international markets. Export opportunities also exist for a wide variety of other agricultural commodities.

This simply magnifies the potential of our agricultural sector to contribute significantly to economic growth and development” he said.

The DG said that considering the important role commodities exchanges will play in advancing Nigeria’s economic diversification goals, the capital market community has taken steps to prepare the stage for vibrant commodities exchanges to emerge in the country.

Gwarzo commended Afex for organizing the Seminar and assured that the SEC will support any laudable initiative aimed at enhancing the capacity of the Capital Market to develop a robust ecosystem for commodities to thrive.

L-R: Snr VP EMEA, Stuart Ponder, MD, Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS), Bukar Kyari, Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Gwarzo, Managing Director, AFEX Nigeria, Ayodeji Balogun, and Managing Partner, G-Consulting, Godfrey Ajayi, during the Commodity Trading and Risk Seminar organised by AFEX, yesterday in Abuja.

Lagos: Community wants Tarkwa Bay beach upgraded to boost tourism

C

hief Francis Olatunji, the Community Leader of Tarkwa Bay, Iru Local Government Development Council (LCDA) Lagos, has called for the upgrade of the community’s beach to boost its tourism potentials.

Olatunji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that the beach could be developed into a viable tourism hub that would in turn boost the revenue profile of the community. ``Most importantly, the beach is what the government can make a standard tourism centre, at least people can come; from there the community can start gaining their revenue from that. ``Hence that one is there,

there will be market places and most importantly, this community has no market place which is one of the most important things for our women. ``Our women have only access to market place only on Sundays that is when they go to the beach because of the visitors that comes in. ``During the week, the few ones that deal in coconuts sell in markets only on Thursdays; they won’t sell their market until another Thursday. ``Unlike the fishermen, they go everyday depending on the water. ``Most importantly, here, it is that issue of coconut, the fishing and the other thing we are fully hoping on that can

actually raise this community is the beach.’’

Olatunji also appealed to the Federal Government to provide an environment that would engender economic activities and provide employment opportunities for its residents. ``We will be open for the kind of development that will actually raise the morale of this community because there are no jobs in the community. ``Most importantly, that job opportunity is what we need mostly for our boys. Here, most of our men depend on fishing. ``If actually people could be helped to have fishing associations, the Federal Government could be supporting people after the

trade. ``The coconut product rate is not moving fast as it was in those days. ``I don’t think Tarkway Bay will be too local if some kind of factory is built here for boys to work.

The monarch told NAN that one of the reasons that kept most of the tourist away from Tarkwa Bay was the quality of the boats. ``Some of the tourists complain that the boats are too small and that they fear that they might fall into the water during the ride to the beach.”

Olatunji, however, noted that all the boats that plied the route usually provide life jackets for every passenger who boards the speed boats. (NAN)

Page 22

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Business NUPENG commences training of 3,000 tanker drivers

T

he Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Wednesday started a two-day training programme for 3,000 tanker drivers across the country.

Alhaji Salimon Oladiti, the National Chairman of PTD Branch of NUPENG, who flagged off the training in Lagos, said the country was divided into four zones for the programme.

Oladiti listed the zones as Lagos, Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt.

He said that the tanker drivers needed the training to ensure safety and reduce carnage on the highways.

“We believe that without training, our drivers may misbehave on highways, thereby causing fatal accidents.

“We spare no money to ensure that our members are adequately and regularly informed and educated for personal and organisational growth, development and productivity,” he said.

Oladiti commended the Federal Government through Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for its National Summit on Haulage Operation held on June 15, 2015.

“I am so pleased today and can boldly say that the efforts of last year have not been in vain. We have recorded almost no major accident of such since then.

“It shows that our campaign on safety on wheels is yielding the desired results,” he said.

Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South West Chairman of NUPENG, said that 800 tanker drivers would be trained in Lagos, while 200 would be trained in Ibadan.

He said that 2,000 tanker drivers would undergo training programme in Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt, respectively.

The Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) are also participating in the exercise.

Others are the Lagos State Transport Management Authority, State Fire Brigade,FRSC, NSCDC and some medical personnel.

(NAN)

R-L: Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, and Director- General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Dupe Atoki, during the working visit by the Council to the Minister, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

NSE market indices appreciate by 0.51%

T

he market indices of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) appreciated by 0.51 per cent on Wednesday due to gains posted by some blue chips.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the market capitalisation rose by N43 billion or 0.51 per cent to close at N8.525 trillion from the N8.482 trillion recorded on Tuesday.

The All-Share Index, which opened at 24,659.17, grew by 125.78 points or 0.51 per cent to close at 24,784.95.

Analysts attributed the growth to capital appreciation by Flour Mills, GTBank, Zenith Bank, Seplat and Nigerian Breweries.

Seplat led the price gainers’ table with N2.85 to close at N335 per share.

Nigerian Breweries followed with 64k to close at N103.14, while Flour Mill also appreciated by 64k to close at N20 per share.

GTBank gained 46k to close at N16.16, while National Salt increased by 34k to close at N7.74 per share.

On the other hand, Mobil Oil

topped the price losers’ chart, shedding N2.25 to close at N149 per share.

Okomu Oil Palm trailed with a drop of 48k to close at N30, while Custodian and Allied Insurance lost 19k to close at N3.71 per share.

Portland Paint and Product depreciated by 13k to close at N2.75 and Air Service shed 10k to close at N1.90 per share.

The volume of shares traded closed lower with 159.26 million shares valued at N1.11 billion transacted in 2,698 deals.

This was against the 228.29 million shares worth N1.44 billion traded in 3,239 deals on Tuesday.

FBN Holdings was most active for the day, trading 19.18 million shares valued at N64.23 million.

GTBank followed with 19.13 million shares worth N305.39 million, while Zenith Bank traded 15.98 million shares valued at N187.24 million.

Access Bank sold 12.36 million shares worth N45.87 million, while United Capital accounted for 10.09 million shares valued at N14.84 million. (NAN)

Power Generation: Delta approves 8.5 MVA Asaba Integrated Power Project From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

T

o boost power supply in Asaba and environs, Delta State Government has approved the development of a 8.5 mega watts Integrated Power Project (IPP) in Asaba through Public-Private Partnership.

Speaking on Tuesday in Asaba, while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council Meeting (EXCO) presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the Commissioner For Information,

Mr. Parick Ukah flanked by his colleagues, Barrister Newworld Safugha (Power) , Engr.

Jude Sinebe (Higher Education) and Chief James Augoye (Works), said that EXCO has approved the development of an Integrated Power Plant project in Asaba through public- private partnership with Bastan-Cherry Power.

Solutions Limited to generate 8.5 mega watts to power government establishments, estates and infrastructure.

Mr Ukah said that the project was in fulfilment of

the government’s campaign promises, and would be developed in conjunction with a private investor, Messrs. Bastan Cherry Power Solutions Limited to improve power supply in Asaba and environs, stressing that government would only provide guarantee to utilize the 8.5MVA generated for a period of ten years.

Mr. Safugha, Commissioner for Power,on his part, stated that the project would be beneficial to Deltans as it would not only generate jobs for the youths but also reduce electricity tariffs paid by government as it (power plant)

would power government offices, estate and infrastructure, and in turn improved electricity supply in Asaba.

Other decisions reached, according to Mr. Ukah, include the appointment of Messrs. ZOPAC Consulting Limited to provide Revenue Cycle Management and Consultancy Services [RCMCS] to the state government; the Public Private Partnership for hostel development in the state owned tertiary institutions; the Construction/Rehabilitation of the 5.12km Edgborode – Elume Road and the Kwale

Township Roads and Drainage in Sample and Ndokwa West Local Government areas respectively and the infrastructural development and supply of furniture to some selected schools in the state.

Mr. Ukah further disclosed that the appointment of Messers Zopac Consulting Limited to provide Revenue Cycle Management and Consultancy Services (RCMCS) would help government block loopholes existing in revenue collection in the state and generate enough money for governance.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 23

Stock Watch: Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Company Previous Closing Price

Opening Price High

Low

Close

Change Trades

Volume

Value

Company Previous Closing Price

Opening Price High

Low

Close

Change Trades

Volume

Value

7UP 170 170 170 170 170 6 151,035 25,675,959.95

MBENEFIT 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

ABBEYBDS 1.25 - - - - 0 - -

MCNICHOLS

ABCTRANS 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

MOBIL 150 - - - - 17 10,350 1,521,554.60

ACADEMY 0.55 - - - - 0 - ACCESS 4.05 4.11 4.1 4.06 4.06 0.01 59 1,887,248 7,709,066.30 ADSWITCH 1.63 - - - - 0 - AFRIK 0.5 - - - - 0 - AFRINSURE 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

1.18 1.21 1.21 1.21 0.03 2

270,464 327,261.44

MORISON 1.73 - - - - 0 - MRS 49.66 - - - - 0 - MTECH 0.91 - - - - 0 - MTI 0.5 - - - - 0 - MULTITREX 0.5 - - - - 0 - MULTIVERSE 0.5 - - - 0 - -

AFRIPRUD 2.58 2.46 2.46 2.46 2.46 -0.12 26 979,264 2,412,030.84 NAHCO 4.02 4 4 4 4 -0.02 22 251,094 1,001,583.80 AFRPAINTS 2.59 - - - - 0 - -

NASCON 6.86 - - - - 9 80,100 560,610.00

AGLEVENT 0.77 - - - - 2 5,500 4,165.00

NB 99.99 99.94 99.94 98.5 99.9

AIICO 0.8 - - - - 6 62,998 50,338.15 AIRSERVICE 2.29 - - - - 1 4,588 10,001.84 ALEX 9.84 - - - - 0 - ALUMACO 7.75 - - - - 0 - ANINO 0.25 - - - - 0 - -

-0.09 68

293,234 29,196,308.21

NCR 11.02 - - - - 0 - NEIMETH 0.72 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.69 -0.03 5

518,000 357,600.00

NEM 0.73 - - - - 6 134,441 99,520.75 NESF 552.2 - - - - 0 - NESTLE 700 715.5 700 700 700 41 75,818 52,951,924.47

ARBICO 5.04 - - - - 0 - NIG-GERMAN 4.91 - - - 0 - ASHAKACEM 24 - - - 15 109,227 2,671,023.97 NIGERINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - ASOSAVINGS 0.5 - - - - 0 - -DUN-

NIGROPES 7.46 - - - - 0 - -

LOP 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

NNFM 6.65 - - - - 1 433 2,736.56

EKOCORP 3.72 - - - - 0 - ELLAHLAKES 4.26 - - - 0 - ENAMELWA 29.78 - - - - 0 - EQUITYASUR 0.5 - - - 0 - ETERNA 1.76 1.84 1.84 1.84 1.84 0.08 6 97,300 177,432.00

NPFMCRFBK 1.08 - - - 1 4,760 4,950.40 NSLTECH 0.5 - - - - 0 - OANDO 3.48 3.65 3.49 3.47 3.47 84 3,565,310 12,378,579.44 OKOMUOIL 30 - - - - 5 12,300 364,216.00 OMATEK 0.5 - - - - 0 - OMOSAVBNK 0.92 - - - 0 - -

ETI 15.6 - - - - 14 177,450 2,635,288.67 PAINTCOM 1.04 - - - - 0 - -

ETRANZACT 3.1 - - - - 0 - -

PHARMDEKO 2.14 - - - 0 - -

EVANSMED 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

PORTPAINT 3.36 - - - - 0 - -

FBNH 3.79 3.93 3.86 3.8 3.8 184 5,055,956 19,275,492.20

PREMBREW 2.95 - - - - 0 - -

FCMB 0.87 0.84 0.87 0.84 0.85 90 29,249,726 24,926,812.18

PREMPAINTS 10.93 - - - 0 - -

FIDELITYBK 1.21 1.22 1.22 1.22 1.22 0.01 12 128,900 157,724.34 FIDSON 2.69 - - - - 27 614,065 1,572,223.05 FIRSTALUM 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

PRESCO 34 35.7 - - - 5 11,400 412,350.00 PRESTIGE 0.5 - - - - 0 - PZ 21.9 - - - - 12 36,726 816,355.90 RAKUNITY 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

FLOURMILL 18.4 18.99 18.99 18.99 18.99 0.59 27 197,247 3,727,672.78 REDSTAREX 3.8 - - - - 3 12,500 49,875.00 FO 342 - - - - 6 15,200 4,938,480.00 REGALINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - FORTISMFB 5.15 - - - - 0 - RESORTSAL 0.5 - - - - 0 - FTNCOCOA 0.5 - - - - 0 - ROADS 6.6 - - - - 0 - GCAPPA 14.46 - - - - 0 - -

ROKANA 0.6 - - - - 0 - -

GLAXOSMITH

ROYALEX 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

24.17 25.37 25.37 24.99 29 501,798 12,648,111.26

GNI 0.5 - - - - 0 - GOLDBREW 0.97 - - - - 0 - GOLDINSURE 0.53 - - - 0 - GUARANTY 16.87 17.45 17.45 16.59 16.66 149 3,576,744 59,751,776.00

RTBRISCOE 0.5 - - - - 1 941 470.50 SCOA 3.96 - - - - 0 - SEPLAT 302.48 317.6 318 318 318 15.52 30

388,650 123,626,470.56

SIMCAPVAL 103.24 - - - - 0 - -

GUINEAINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - -GUINSKYEBANK 1.08 1.12 1.08 1.07 1.07 -0.01 39 1,959,858 2,104,852.11 NESS 118 - - - - 10 15,500 1,818,000.00 SKYESHELT 100 - - - - 0 - HMARKINS 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 2 5,004,000 2,502,000.00 SMURFIT 1.02 - - - - 0 - HONYFLOUR 1.37 - - - 4 20,000 27,916.00

SOVRENINS 0.5 - - - - 0 -

IAINSURE 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

-STACO 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

IKEJAHOTEL 2.89 - - - - 0 - INFINITY 1.42 - - - - 0 - INTBKPREF 13.5 - - - - 0 - INTBREW 20 20 - - - 6 14,700 284,197.00 INTENEGINS 0.5 - - - - 0 - INTERLINK 4.21 - - - - 0 - -

STANBIC 14.15 - - - - 5 37,001 523,343.90 STDINSURE 0.5 - - - - 0 - STERLNBANK

1.73 1.73 1.73 1.73

1.73

13

0

1,104,932 1,911,701.10

STUDPRESS 2.19 - - - - 0 - TANTALIZER 0.5 - - - 0 - THOMASWY 0.61 - - - 0 - -

IPWA 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

TIGERBRANDS 1.26 1.25 1.26 1.21 25 3,285,439,119 4,073,967,894.07

JAPAULOIL 0.5 - - - - 2 24,262 12,131.00

TOTAL 145 - - - - 3 3,296 480,630.96

3.51 - - - - 0 - JBERGER 41.5 42.73 - - - 12 31,470 1,386,784.78 TOURIST TRANSCOHOT 5.51 - - - 0 - JOHNHOLT 0.88 - - - - 0 - JOSBREW 1.51 - - - - 0 - JULI 1.75 - - - - 0 - LASACO 0.5 - - - - 0 - LAWUNION 0.67 - - - - 0 - LEARNAFRCA

0.81 0.85 0.89 0.85 0.08 12 610,400 526,304.00

LENNARDS 3 - - - - 0 - -

Top Gainers Company Previous Closing Price

Opening Price High

1.15 1.18 1.18 1.13 -0.02 57 6,563,730 7,435,456.87

TRIPPLEG 1.69 - - - - 1 500 805.00 UAC-PROP 5.2 - - - - 3 20,251 110,165.44 UACN 20.47 21.44 - - - 13 65,995 1,344,425.15 UBA 3 3 3 2.9 2.9 121 6,406,693 18,969,767.92 UBN 5.3 - - - - 8 24,412 126,491.00

Top Losers Low

Close

Change Trades

Volume

Value

SEPLAT 302.48 317.6 318 318 318 30 388,650 123,626,470.56 GLAXOSMITH

TRANSCORP

TRANSEXPR 1.21 - - - - 0 - -

24.17 25.37 25.37 24.99 29

501,798 12,648,111.26

FLOURMILL 18.4 18.99 18.99 18.99 18.99 0.59 207,732 3,926,887.78

Company Previous Closing Price

Opening Price High

Low

Close

Change Trades

Volume

Value

AFROMEDIA 0.5 - - - - 0 - LENNARDS 3 - - - - 0 - RTBRISCOE 0.5 - - - - 1 941 470.50

WAPCO 80 80.5 80.5 80.5 80.5 19 14,337,554 1,154,154,991.51

DUNLOP 0.5 - - - - 0 - -

DANGSUGAR

ETI 15.6 - - - - 14 177,450 2,635,288.67

5.44 5.36 5.6 5.36 44 2,017,332 11,033,075.32

ETERNA 1.76 1.84 1.84 1.84 1.84 0.08 97,300 177,432.00

INTBKPREF 13.5 - - - - 0 - -

LEARNAFRCA 0.81 0.85 0.89 0.85 0.08 610,400 526,304.00

UBN 5.3 - - - - 8 24,412 126,491.00

UNITYBNK 0.6 0.63 0.63 0.63 0.63 0.03 501,617 316,018.71

PREMBREW 2.95 - - - - 0 - -

Peoples Daily, THursday, April 21, 2016

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

How one charity is working to prevent child sacrifice in Uganda

C

hild sacrifice in Uganda is more common than authorities acknowledge.

Children disappear frequently, murdered or mutilated by witch doctors as part of ceremonial ritual.

According to Ureport, SMS-based reporting system supported by Unicef and Brac: “10,317 youth in Uganda, representing every district in the country, confirmed they have heard of a child being sacrificed in their community”.

A 2013 report from Humane Africa said that during their four-month fieldwork period from June to September 2012 there has been an average of one sacrifice each week in one of the 25 communities where the research was based.

The practice is rooted in the belief that blood sacrifice can bring fortune, wealth and happiness. The “purer” the blood, the more potent the spell, making innocent children

Simple solutions like loudspeakers and bicycles can protect children from abduction by witch doctors, a UK NGO has found. Esther Smitheram who is a communications officer at Children on the Edge writes on rising child sacrifice in Uganda.

a target. Witch doctors look for children without marks or piercings, so many parents pierce their children’s ears at birth and get their boys circumcised in an effort to protect them.

Children are either abducted from, or in some cases actually given to, witch doctors by relatives out of desperation for money. The rituals involve the cutting of children and the removal of some body parts, often facial features or genitals.

These brutal acts are done while the child is still alive, and few survive.

According to Ugandan police records, incidences of child sacrifice are on

the increase, with 10 cases recorded in 2013. The Ugandan Internal Trafficking Report estimated the number was 12, whereas first-hand interviews

by Humane Africa detailed 77 incidents. Current research by KidsRights states that these varying statistics are most likely the “tip of the iceberg, as data is insufficient and the real scope of child sacrifice is not yet visible”.

Evidence that reflects the true scale of the problem is hard to find, as many cases go unreported and, as a result of corruption in the police and judicial system, few perpetrators are convicted.

Unicef stated that “task forces

... lack resources to convene and exist often in name only”.

Masese II, a small community of displaced people on the outskirts of Jinja in eastern Uganda, has suffered many ritual attacks on its children.

The police cite eastern Uganda as having the highest incidence of child sacrifice cases; and blame the high infiltration of unregistered healers. With little protection from the authorities, communities like Masese II were seemingly powerless. In partnership with a Ugandan NGO, Adolescent Development Support Network (ADSN), UK charity Children on the Edge

started a programme there in 2012, after an assessment identified the children in this slum as particularly vulnerable.

The only industry at the time was the brewing of potent alcohol (waragi), which did not generate enough income for parents and carers to feed their children or send them to school. With many adults inebriated and a prevalence of grandmother- and childheaded households, children were particularly exposed to being taken.

To bring the abduction rates down, a “child friendly space” was established in the community, using a donated local council building. This centre is a safe place, where children from the ages of three to six receive a daily meal, learn, play and receive care from trusted adults. When they reach primary school age their parents/carers are supported through income-generating schemes to enable them to send their children to school. As part of the project, a patch of land was donated to grow food for the children at the centre and to enable many adults from the community to develop agricultural livelihoods as an alternative to breweries.

The most important component of the programme

has been the establishment of a community child protection committee (CCPC). At the height of a a spate of killings in July 2012, 10 responsible adults were identified within the community and were trained on all aspects of child protection.

Part of this process was to raise awareness of the issue of child sacrifice, tackling the beliefs, mindsets and behaviour that sustain the practice. These workshops were held together with local leaders and police.

The CCPC then began raising awareness of child protection issues within the community, holding meetings and visiting door to door. They were equipped with a loudspeaker system so that when a child went missing the community could be alerted. This, along with a bicycle so that members could immediately report cases to the local police, has proved to be a remarkable deterrent to the perpetrators.

Children have participated in the process by helping to identify the area by the railway tracks where they are at most risk of abduction. Children used to collect scrap around these tracks, but the committee taught them to avoid it and not to wander too far from home.

All of these measures have resulted in a rapid decrease in

Creating a child-friendly space for vulnerable children in Masese II community in eastern Uganda has reduced abductions in the area. abductions, with seven cases in 2011, eight in 2012 and no incident in Masese II in the last 18 months. The CCPC reports

that there was one attempted case nine months ago, when a four-year-old girl was taken, but she was “swiftly rescued by

community members”.

ADSN programme manager Edwin Wanede says the CCPC has made an impact by building relationship and trust, while the government’s poster, radio and TV ads do not get the message through. This is because many poorer communities are illiterate, and people respond

better to the advice of their friends and neighbours, rather than that of strangers and authorities.

With work in Masese II proving effective, Children on the Edge and ADSN have started developing the programme in two neighbouring communities.

Two weeks ago, we heard that

“

Equipping the community child protection committee with bicycles meant they could report missing children to local police more quickly. Photograph: Edwin Wanede/Children on the Edge

Children on the Edge ran a social mapping workshop with children to show them the safe places to play.

The practice is rooted in the belief that blood sacrifice can bring fortune, wealth and happiness. The “purer” the blood, the more potent the spell, making innocent children a target.

Witch doctors look for children without marks or piercings, so many parents pierce their children’s ears at birth and get their boys circumcised in an effort to protect them

two children in the Jinja area had gone missing. The mother found two skulls which she suspects are her children’s.

Previously her partner had suggested one child be given to a witch doctor in exchange for 200 million shillings (£45,000). It’s clearly time to begin some work on replicating the Masese II project in other areas.

One of these places is Wandagu, which is situated off a main highway and consequently prone to passersby stealing children. Isolated parts of the sugar plantations here also provide hiding places for perpetrators. Just four months ago a five-year-old girl was found murdered amongst the sugar canes, with parts of her body missing. A CCPC is already being formed here, and a few bicycles and loudspeakers bought. The hope is that soon the Wandagu community will form a safety net as strong as that in Masese II. Source: UK

theguardian

Mother Earth

Rights group wants audit of Agip’s safety procedures following frequent explosions

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna, with agency report

T

he Environmental Rights Action and Friends of Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN), has called for a comprehensive audit of safety procedures at Agip oilfields in Bayelsa following frequent fatal explosions.

This was contained in its field report on pipeline explosions in the company’s facility, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recently in Yenagoa.

According to the report signed

by Mr. Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Resources at ERA, the incidents had resulted in 11 deaths within the past nine months.

The NGO, therefore, called for strict sanctions including revocation of operational license of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), if found culpable. ``The authorities should set up an investigative panel of inquiry to follow up this incident to its logical conclusion and; there should be a public hearing of the report of such a panel. ``Community representatives and the Civil Society should be

given an opportunity to also contribute towards such an effort to bring out the truth of the matter. ``The oil industry is too important to the nation and, it would be gross disservice and negligence on the part of three tiers of government not to accord proper investigation of such incidents the importance they deserve,’’ the report said.

The NGO further recommended that autopsy be carried out on the victims to determine the actual cause of death, adding that the deaths recorded during repairs at NAOCs oil fields was alarming.

It said that sanctions were necessary to make operators in the industry more serious and professional especially in the areas of safety and oil fields management.

The NGO also urged the regulatory agencies to ensure that Agip clean up and re mediates the affected areas.

NAN recalls that DirectorGeneral, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, Dr. Peter Idabor had confirmed the death of three oil workers in the explosion.

Idabor identified poor safety procedures as cause of explosion

REDD+: Nigeria formulates forest monitoring systems plan

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igeria is putting finishing touches to its National Forest Monitoring Systems (NFMSs) blueprint as it relates to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

At a two-day forum recently in Abuja, the federal capital city, stakeholders attempted to tidy up a 68-page plan to implement the NFMS, which is a key element of the REDD+ mechanism.

Essentially, REDD+ implies an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

REDD+ covers five activities, which were operationalised in 2010 during the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC in Cancun, Mexico.

These include: Reducing emissions from deforestation, reducing emissions from forest degradation, Conservation of forest carbon stocks, Sustainable management of forests, and Enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

Towards devising and implementing the NFMS, countries are requested to establish, according to national circumstances and capabilities, robust and transparent national forest monitoring systems that: • Use a combination of remote sensing and groundbased forest carbon inventory approaches for estimating, anthropogenic forestrelated greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks, forest carbon stocks and

forest area changes; and, • Provide estimates that are transparent, consistent, as far as possible accurate, and that reduce uncertainties, taking into account national capabilities.

The Nigerian NFMS action plan document comprises eight chapters, which include: Introduction, Action plan development methodology, National circumstances, Capacity assessment, Implementation of the national system of monitoring forest, Risk assessment, Budget and work plan, and Annexes.

The action plan to implement a NFMS for REDD+ under the UNFCCC is an operational document with a standard list of activities that a country can implement to develop its NFMS. The document sets out for Nigeria a potential approach for the implementation of the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) based on the guidance and principles by the UN-REDD Programme.

According to a source, the REDD+ mechanism represents a valuable opportunity for Nigeria to contribute to climate change mitigation through improved forest conservation and enhancing sustainable community livelihoods.

The objective is to build the REDD+ mechanism in Nigeria, using Cross River State (CRS) as a demonstration model.

“The NFMS represents a key element of the REDD+ mechanism by which reliable information on the forest-related GHG emissions and removals are provided and communicated to the UNFCCC,” said the source.

The UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations collaborative initiative on REDD+ in developing countries.

Association calls for review of tree felling policies in Nigeria A cross section of participates at the workshop in Abuja.

The Programme was launched in 2008 and builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The UN-REDD Programme supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation.

Similarly, the NFMS action plan is intended to inform the government of Nigeria’s National REDD+ Strategy, and follows the

National REDD+ Roadmap, as a guide for the implementation of the technical elements of REDD+ required for monitoring, measuring and reporting the outcomes of REDD+ activities and their performance in mitigating climate change.

One of the requirements of the NFMS is that it must be implemented in phases.

“There are three phases, starting with a readiness phase, followed by a second phase where based activities result will be implemented by predictable funding and finally the full MRV system in phase three with payments for verified performance,” he said.

Source: environewsnigeria. com

NESREA to sensitise agencies on clean environment

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna with agency report

T

he National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) said it has plans to meet government agencies over the promotion of clean environment.

The Director-General of the agency, Dr Lawrence Anukam, made this known in an interview

with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja recently.

Anukam reiterated that the visit was necessary because a healthy environment prevents deadly diseases and enhances development.

According to Anukam, the judiciary will be the main focus of the agency because the arm of government remains the interpreter of the law. `` The judiciary is the one that

at the oil field.

When contacted, NAOC officials and its parent company, Eni, declined comment on the explosion.

Mr Fillippo Cotalini, Media Relations Manager at Eni is yet to respond to an email requesting the company’s reaction to the March 26, 2016 pipeline explosion.

NAN recalls that three explosions had occurred at oilfields operated by NAOC in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa between July 9, 2015 to March 26, 2016.

The July 9, 2015 blast at Azuzuama area left 14 people dead, three were killed on March 26, 2016, but no casualty was recorded in the earlier explosion recorded in February.

interprets the law and metes out the punishment for violators.

“The judiciary needs to appreciate and be part of environmental issues as well to achieve the set goals. ``We will also sensitise other government agencies on the importance of promoting and keeping our environment clean to protect the lives of the people,’’ he said.

He also said that there was need

for proper planning, capacity building and sensitisation for different sectors of government to achieve the desired goals.

He said the sensitisation programme, which was mandatory for all, was in line with the United Nations programme on environment.

The director general urged Nigerians to support the government in the promotion of the environmental sanitation exercise to keep the environment clean.

T

he Processed Wood Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (PROWPMAN) has urged governments at all levels to review tree felling policies in the country, to meet international best practices.

The President of the association, Mr. Christopher Oyalake, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Oyalake expressed dissatisfaction that tree planting was not being accorded the needed attention.

He, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to mandate states as well as local governments to budget funds for tree planting, to encourage afforestation. ``I want to appeal to governments at all levels to put some policies in place so as to mandate all the states to plant trees every year. ``We are consuming every day; so, we need to replace.’’

The president said that the association, in its efforts to encourage tree planting, was planning a massive tree planting exercise in selected states of the country.

He said that wood business was capable of generating millions of employment for the teeming youths and increase forex in the country.

Oyalake, however, urged the government to also formulate environmental policies that would enhance wood processing in the country. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 27

Mother Earth

AU ECOSOCC, Ministry of environment collaborate on Green Heritage Guards

By Albert Akota

A

s part of efforts to cushion, the effect of Climate Change in Nigeria, the African Union, Economic, Social and Cultural Council, (AU ECOSOCC), and the Federal Ministry of Environment are set to collaborate on an initiative themed Green Heritage Guards of Nigeria (GHGN) which will empowered Nigeria youth to known about ecological heritage preservation and development ambassador.

The commitment was made recently in Abuja ,when a delegation of AU ECOSOCC Nigeria chapter led by the Nigeria

representative and chairperson, Health and Social Affairs cluster committee of the Council, Dr Tunji Asaolu, paid a courtesy call on the visited the Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed.

Addressing the Minister, Dr. Asaolu, said the initiative is meant to saddle young Nigerian men and women with the responsibility of protecting Nigeria’s ecological heritage through sensitization from a civil society perspective.

He lamented that with the effect of climate change on Africa countries, the council felt that there is the need to bring some young men and women in Nigeria together, that will be saddled with

the responsibilities of protecting the country’s ecological heritage through training and sensitization.

Asaolu, said there is the need to impact the consciousness on some young Nigerians that Nigeria ecological heritage must be protected and their own responsibility is to impact the same on the general public. “So it becomes collective. It is part of our duty to the entire world to make sure that the green heritage of our communities is maintained and that is the kind of orientation that the guards will spread.”

Responding, the Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, said the ministry is willing to be part of the campaign

that will ensure that ecological heritage of the country is preserved saying the ministry will ensure that the campaign goes beyond a day tree planting within FCT, state and local government’s capitals alone but that every Nigerians must be aware of the need to protect the country’s green heritage.

She said both will share ideas on how to go about it because going green campaign is part of the ministry’s mandate.

“Therefore I hope that we can share ideas to see how you can be part of our campaign. We will have campaign on going green because we don’t want it to be just one day tree planting. We need to start the campaign to make sure

that beyond Abuja every state and local government capitals can do something about it.

“On the other side, we want to be involve in the summit as well so we can see how to bring the youth on board, so both your programme are in line with what we want to do.

So let’s see what you have and see how we are going to support it. Climate change is becoming everyone’s concern, so we should think of what we need to do.

“But civil societies and interfaces like yours are important for us because if we are going to drive our own destiny in Nigeria it has to be within the context of the leadership that we have on the continent,” she said.

Agency plans massive tree planting in areas affected by insurgency

T

he National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) says it will embark on massive tree planting in the North-East region in 2016 to restore green society lost to insurgency. The Director General of the agency, Dr Ahmed Goni, disclosed the plan in Abuja on Monday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NAN reports that the GGW states are Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara. According to Goni, about three of these Great Green Wall states have been badly affected by insurgency. He, however, assured that government was equal to the task of restoring green society in the states affected by insurgency.

Goni said the agency would plant no fewer than 30km of shelter base in 2016 in the 11 states where it is operating. ``We are now going back to those areas to restore and cover places we have not covered. ``Those 11 states in Nigeria are those bedeviled by drought and desertification. ``Desert is overrunning homes lands, degrading lands, chasing the people out such that to rear livestock is now difficult and agriculture, which used to have reasonable yields have depreciated,’’ he said. The director general said about N1.5 billion was spent in executing

various GGW projects in 2015.

He listed some of the projects to include construction of 160 boreholes, 415km shelter belt and skills acquisition centres to train members of the community on off-land livelihood improvement.

Shelter belt is a row of trees planted to give protection to farmland. ``We are having challenges in acquiring the land because some of the lands belong to farmers and they are expecting compensation. ``We want the state governments to acquire these lands and hand it over to GGW so that it will be their own contribution to the development of the projects,’’ he said. On the European Union Action Against Desertification in Nigeria, Goni said the agency had identified about 200 communities where the programme would be implemented. ``These states constitute about 43 per cent of Nigeria’s land areas and about 40 million people. ``It is in these areas that you get the bulk of livestock and most of the vegetables that people consume come from there also. ``Out of these 11 states, we have established several infrastructures, about 160 boreholes and communities are currently benefiting, livestock now have water, the livelihood of the people have improved,’’ he said. (NA N)

Typical tree planting

Heavy storm ravages Britain, leaves 1,100 homes without power-- Environment Agency

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he Environment Agency in a statement on Wednesday in London warned communities in parts of north and southwest of England to be prepared for flooding due to heavy rain and high tides.

It said further in a statement that rain was expected in these areas on Wednesday, while more rain would hit north England on

Friday and Saturday.

It said the storms which battered the U.S. had migrated to Britain, bringing heavy rain and gusts and leaving more than 1,100 homes in Wales suffering outages.

The agency said they had deployed temporary defences and pumps across the country, while in Cumbria, one of the worst-hit counties by previous deluges,

preparation had been done across a valley to remove gravel and reduce flood risk. ``Agency rescue teams are on the ground in other counties in Cumbria and Yorkshire. ``In Wales, more than 1,100 homes have been hit by power cuts after gales and downpours this morning. ``700 properties in southwest Wales have had power

restored,’’ it said.

Meanwhile, the Metrological office has issued yellow warnings for rain and more than 100 flood warnings and alerts are in place.

“We are now preparing for further flooding as rain is expected to fall on ground left saturated after the wettest month on record.

Neil Davies, National

Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, warned that there would be high tides on the coast of Cumbria and Lancashire.

He said the tides would be so heavy and expected to cause large waves and spray.

Davies, therefore, warned that people should take care near the coastal paths and pro menades.

Emergency Update

Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Malam Muhammad Sani-Sidi (left), presenting some NEMA publications to Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire (2nd left), during the visit of the minister to NEMA headquarters, on Tuesday in Abuja. With them are, Director, Trauma Emergency Response, Ministry of Health, Dr Joseph Amedu (2nd right), and Senior Technical Assistant to the Minister of State, Dr Shuaibu Belgore (right).

Epidemics the leading cause of deaths in Nigeria-NEMA, Ministry of Health

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Federal Ministry of Health have commenced the process to strengthen community resilience against epidemics, which has been the leading cause of deaths in the Nigeria.

The Director General of NEMA Muhammad Sani Sidi disclosed this in Abuja, when he received a delegation from the World Economic Forum.

He said the move has become imperative in view of discovery that epidemics and diseases are leading causes of deaths in Nigeria.

“Compiled data of top ten natural disasters in Nigeria by Emergency Management Data Base, (EM-DAT) sorted by number of people killed, indicated that the ten were exclusively epidemic.

Indicators have also shown that the high rate of infection and fatality from the epidemics arises due to illiteracy, ignorance, poor state of personal and

environmental hygiene and absence of functional, community based early warning detection, reporting and surveillance systems,” he said.

Sidi said the agency, “realizing the inevitability of pandemic and the attendant grave consequences, sought for support of the United States of America Africom to develop the Nigeria National Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan, Armed Forces of Nigeria Pandemic Contingency Plan and the Military Assistance to Civil Authorities (MACA).”

The epidemic support plans obtained with the assistance of the American authorities, according to him were unveiled and submitted to the Health Ministry in 2013 were capable of galvanizing all relevant organs and the society against the outbreak of any epidemic.

He said about 8 months after the unveiling, there was outbreak of Ebola which “Nigeria achieved high degree of success in containing the pandemic partly because we did not start at a zero level. We knew it was a possibility,

we have a plan that recognized the need for the society wide preparedness and action and that was exactly what we did.”

Earlier, leader of the delegation Mr. David McLachlan-Karr said the visit was aimed at interacting with the agency to explore how the private sector could be engaged in emergency response as they were presently underutilized or not properly recognized.

He commended the response of Nigeria in containing the Ebola pandemic as the response was decisive and well coordinated.

in the country.

“We think that there is plenty of room to improve emergency response system in this country.

In some advanced countries, you will hear of 911, 999 and every citizen knows that if you have problems, you could call those numbers and help will come.

“There must be a response mechanism [in Nigeria] because the earlier you can attend to an emergency, the more lives you can save.

“Presently, there are many agencies managing these emergencies and responses

but we are looking for a way of coordinating and bringing all these groups together to be able to work and create one national efficient response system,” he said.

Ehanire noted that the ministry has been in contact with all the agencies responsible for emergency and disaster management, adding, “We have consulted the Nigeria Road Safety Corps, the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service and we are here at NEMA today.”

He also said the ministry

would work with the ministry of communications to develop the emergency response number very soon, lamenting that the existing one has not been effective.

While acknowledging the improvement in the humanitarian situation in the Northeast, the minister promised his ministry’s readiness to partner NEMA in rebuilding and replacing damaged health facilities as well as meeting the psychological and emotional needs of the victims of insurgency.

Responding, the Director General of NEMA said though the

country has the capacity to handle all emergencies and disasters, she can only achieve the best result if all stakeholders involved in emergency management in the country work together.

Sidi therefore, pledged NEMA’s continued collaboration with all stakeholders in the area of emergency and disaster response.

“We also believe it is time to have a coordinated response to disaster and emergency by harnessing all the resources that we have and be able to respond effectively and efficiently,” he added.

FG to establish national emergency response system

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he federal government of Nigeria is set to establish a national emergency response system to promptly cater for all emergency cases in the country.

This was disclosed by the Minister of state for health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, when he visited the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mohammad Sani Sidi in his office, said the effort would help to improve emergency services

Feature PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Once a seaside getaway for Cuba’s wealthy and the honeymoon home of Che Guevara, Tarara is now becoming a centre for kitesurfing and other water sports.

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hortly after the Cuban revolutionaries took power in Havana, Ernesto “Che” Guevara suffered an acute asthma attack. To recover, he moved out to a house in a small resort outside the capital called Tarara.

Pristine Caribbean beaches, crystal-clear waters and - crucially for Che’s lungs - clean coastal air, Tarara’s unique microclimate was the perfect setting in which to recuperate from the months of jungle warfare against Fulgencio Batista’s army. By all accounts, Guevara didn’t rest much, holding long meetings late into the night with his comrades.

Still, his wife, Aleida March, remembers their few weeks in Tarara fondly: “We only lived in that house for two months and, although it never became much of a home, I have happy memories of that time,” she wrote in her autobiography.

Built in the 1940s and 1950s, Tarara began life as a seaside getaway for Havana’s wealthy families and the military elites of Batista’s government. In fact, the house where Che Guevara stayed had previously belonged to “a customs official with links to the dictatorship”, wrote March.

But once Fidel Castro took over, most of the residents fled into exile or were forced out.

Today most of the 500 homes in Tarara belong to the state.

Many are in disrepair, frozen in time as though the families who lived in them in 1959 had only just gathered together their belongings and made their hasty exit to Miami.

The small town has played a number of roles over the years.

At the height of the Cold War, it housed Soviet officials working as government advisors in Cuba. But after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the resort was used by an altogether more needy group of visitors from the former Soviet bloc.

Thousands of children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986 came to Tarara as part of a government-run treatment

Page 29

How Che Guevara’s home became a kitesurfing haven

A group of Ukrainian children in Tarara in 2006 - they were affected by the Chernobyl disaster programme. From 1990, the wards of the Tarara Paediatric Hospital were full of children from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, many suffering from cancers and incurable skin conditions, hoping to benefit from the same restorative airs as Che Guevara decades earlier.

More recently, patients from Venezuela have received cataract treatment at the resort as part of the renowned “oil-for-doctors” agreement in which Cuba pays for Venezuelan oil with healthcare.

But take a drive around Tarara today and you’re unlikely to find many Venezuelan eye patients or children from Ukraine, but rather kitesurfing enthusiasts from around the world. The small resort boasts the ideal wind conditions for water sports and gradually word is getting out.

“There’s very big potential for kite-surfing in Cuba, but especially here in Tarara,” says Matteo Gatti, a tousled-looking 40-something Italian who’s the brains behind the town’s new surfer identity. “We want to make this a sports village where people come to do kitesurfing, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, yoga and cycling.”

“During the hurricane season in Cuba, there is a very good side-on wind and the beaches are empty,” says Gatti, his CubanSpanish inflected with Italian.

“By day you can kitesurf and at night you can go dancing, go to restaurants or see a concert because Havana is just 10 minutes away. They’re perfect conditions.”

Gatti may be right. As holiday destinations go, the location could hardly be better.

But it won’t be easy to realise his dream of turning Tarara into a Caribbean hub for extreme water sports.

He’s got the timing right, as Cuba gradually opens its doors to foreign investors, especially in tourism. But he has had to wade through layers of bureaucracy and paperwork to obtain the rights to operate his fledgling business,

“ Matteo Gatti set up his kitesurfing club in 2012

So much so that the couple returned to the resort for a short honeymoon a few months later.

Havana Kitesurf Club, out of a little office in Tarara.

“We have this permission from the government because I use Cuban people, Cuban instructors,” he explains. Later, one of them, Julio, gives me my first lesson on the shore.

At the height of the Cold War, it housed Soviet officials working as government advisors in Cuba. But after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the resort was used by an altogether more needy group of visitors from the former Soviet bloc.

He shows me how to manoeuvre the vast multicoloured kite by imagining the hands of the clock in the sky and weaving it back and forth around the 12 o’clock position.

The idea of manipulating the cumbersome frame while riding a surfboard out at sea seems pretty daunting. For now, I just focus on avoiding bringing it crashing down on the few sunbathers enjoying a picnic on the beach.

“We’re organising an international kitesurfing competition here next year,” Gatti tells me, his enthusiasm infectious.

One wonders what Che would make of a worldwide surf contest in his honeymoon home. Then again, one wonders what he’d make of all the recent changes in Cuba.

Source: BBC

Feature Page 30

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Why an Indian lawyer tried to sue god I ndian lawyer Chandan Kumar Singh recently stunned many Indians when he tried to sue popular Hindu God Ram. Mr Singh told the BBC that he took the action because he felt “Lord Ram was unjust to his wife Sita”, and he wanted a court in the eastern state of Bihar to “acknowledge this fact”.

The court wasn’t convinced with his argument and rejected his plea last week, saying it wasn’t a “practical case”.

And to add to Mr Singh’s woes, a group of his colleagues have accused him of “seeking publicity”, and one of them has sued him for defamation.

Ram is the hero of the Ramayana, the Sanskrit epic of 24,000 stanzas.

He is revered by millions in India and around the world.

Disrespecting women Mr Singh is undeterred by the criticism, and believes strongly that he has a valid case.

He quotes from religious scriptures to support his argument.

“It’s well known that Ram asked Sita to prove that she was pure after he rescued her from the clutches of the demon king Ravana. He did not trust Sita,” Mr Singh told the BBC. “Ram’s treatment of Sita shows that women were not respected even in ancient times.

I am aware that the case may sound ridiculous to many, but we have to discuss this part of our ancient religious history.

I will file a case again because I really believe that Indians have to acknowledge that Ram mistreated Sita.”

Mr Singh also rejected allegations that he was merely seeking publicity.

“I filed the case because we cannot talk about respecting women in modern day India when we know that one of our most revered gods did not treat his own wife with respect,” he said.

But he admits the reactions have taken him by surprise.

“I expected some objection but did not anticipate that my colleagues would turn against me. I was only talking about justice and had no intention of hurting anybody’s religious sentiments,” he said.

“Is it wrong to seek justice for women? The court’s acceptance of my plea would have sent a good message that respecting women was important to Indians.”

But his colleagues are not convinced.

Hurt sentiments Lawyer Ranjan Kumar Singh told the BBC that the plea “insulted Hindus”.

“He has a history of filing publicity-seeking pleas. But this time he has gone too far. He has hurt our sentiments,” he said.

Ranjan Kumar Singh has also filed a defamation case against his colleague.

Popular Hindu God Ram

Lawyer Chandan Kumar Singh wants equal rights for women in India

“

Sitamarhi has a famous temple for Sita and she is revered as a goddess by many in the town

Mr Singh also rejected allegations that he was merely seeking publicity.

“I filed the case because we cannot talk about respecting women in modern day India when we know that one of our most revered gods did not treat his own wife with respect,” he said.

But he admits the reactions have taken him by surprise.

“I expected some objection but did not anticipate that my colleagues would turn against me. I was only talking about justice and had no intention of hurting anybody’s religious sentiments,” he said.

“We have also requested the bar council to cancel his licence to practice law. All lawyers are united against Chandan, he needs to learn a lesson,” he told the BBC. “We see Ram and Sita as one and worship them as a couple, there is no question of us believing that Ram mistreated Sita,” Ranjan Kumar Singh added.

But Chandan Kumar Singh insists that “his fight isn’t against Ram”.

“I too worship Ram. I am a practising Hindu. I apologise to people if they feel hurt, but I cannot ignore the fact that Sita wasn’t respected,” he said.

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 31

Why 2016 FCT Area Councils poll was not peaceful – Wulus INTERVIEW

By Stanley Onyekwere

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s a stakeholder in Nigerian politics, what’s your take on the just concluded FCT Area Councils election?

Elections in the FCT have been very peaceful, with high sense of fairness for the past 16 years. It is not to say that it has been a very perfect one, but it has been fairly peaceful. But this one is as terrible as it could be because it is like saying that there is a difference between All Progressives Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP). Maybe different human beings of Nigerians that are driving the process. One can categorically say that the FCT Election is not worth the stuff it is made of. The Independent National Electoral Commission probably is handicapped there.

Take the totality of the election you call it one of the worst elections that has been conducted in FCT. Several factors and diseases came into play. Call it disease of corruption, inducement, the disease of the umpires and participants and all that, put them together now you find out why politicians are not performing for the society because politics which is supposed to be an idea driven thing, that people believe in but the poverty, the thinking from the stomach rather than from the head. It is obvious. INEC seems not to have the power to address the issue. You can categories it in two ways and say INEC, what decision have you taken? You can also ask a very clever question “where the run-offs are taking place, what really happened?

What really transpired? What was the crime, face-off, what was the reason for the run-off? What was the behavior of the people who participated in the election?

You see, the disease of corruption has been transferred from the old people to the youths, the Youth Corps members who conducted the election and everybody stands and watch, no person wants to take responsibility. This is one of the horrible elections that is filled with glaring financial inducement.

Poverty is all over the place and you make immediate decisions based on what your stomach is telling you. People seem to think from the stomach and your decision is based on what your stomach is telling you than what your head is saying. Then you go through the election process and you spend money and you think that the person who is spending all these money will do it on charity;

An Abuja based prominent politician and economist, Mgborogwuorji Olisa Uzoewulu popularly known as Wulus has described the just concluded Area Councils election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the worst since the dawn of politics in the country.

Baring his mind during a chat with newsmen in FCT recently, the seasoned politician stated that the entire exercise was marred with glaring regularities and urged relevant agencies to sanction those culpable in line with electoral laws. He observed that the disease of corruption and inducement infiltrated the ranks of the umpires and participants during the just concluded election and condemned in its ramifications the brazen display and distribution of money at polling units by political parties shopping for votes with the intention to win by all means and at all cost. He however insists that the ‘evil’ cannot stand, as there must be an unconventional approach to it. EXCERPTS: no way. He is going to expect his money back and the cycle of poor leadership continues. Probably after the election, INEC will declare the election and I think we will go into the second phase and see how we will go through the justice system and you know like great men, you talk about the journalists and I ask myself, have they done a thorough job, do they have the boldness and the fearlessness to investigate. It moves down to INEC and I say will INEC do a thorough job and have the gut to say this is wrong and then the lawyers and judges; everybody in this society becomes a partaker of corruption and the fear to rectify and put the nation on the right direction, I think to me and others, the election is not close to being free and fair.

In specific terms, what do you think really went wrong?

There is this attitude of people believing they can win all the time. Put it on one side, and you think that you are in government and supposed to win, then this attitude comes from people that make up to 99% of politicians who are jobless. Then this attitude of holding unto power and you think that power is not transient. There is this attitude of people saying that this is our own turn because the President is our own. These are just based on injustice because the president might not be aware, but working with President might play the Presidency and the man doesn’t even know and this is about name dropping. People now think that is where ideas thrive. In a nation that is not driven by ideas, it is driven by poverty and people tend to make temporary decision because of their stomach rather than the future, and immediate decision is criminality and it is imprisonment for you because you have made a choice over X and Y and put it cumulatively. If somebody spends X amount of money during an election, it is not what he declared but what he spent during the election and

Mgborogwuorji Olisa Uzoewulu everybody stands their watching, the first thing he does is to go in there and recover his money to the detriment of the people.

Everybody that keeps quiet there, be him the journalist, lawyer, judge and participants are bound to suffer. That is why we don’t have a nation and that is also why what we are driving is monetary induced. That is also why the area councils, apart from the huge allocation they collect, and the accruing revenue, end up doing nothing.

How would you evaluate the activities of political parties during the election?

We have information of what really happened, I mean what people did. Even watching at it at the polling booths, do you think that will be objective enough?

You see buying over people with little resources, I mean giving them money and making people exposing themselves on what is

supposed to be secret election, you know what that means and we are waiting for the conclusion of that exercise and we will get to the real thing. You see INEC has the right to offload and if you take a look at what happened at Karu, Karshi, Gwarinpa and Garki among others, those were the very obvious ones, the other ones I don’t want to dabble into them because it will overwhelm them. That takes me to the Judiciary, let’s assume that you don’t have the resources to go to court, I mean hire a lawyer the case becomes a dead one.

But all these are happening simply because we don’t have a nation, if we do, people should care about what happened. It is such a hopeless situation. How do you face it, it can’t be through due process, the due process thing is a bundle of wahala. How do you do due process thing for an item that is unreceipted? You see the due process thing becomes

an incentive for corruption. So what do you do? You have to use unconventional means to tackle it.

That is why in some places people give a rot to it because they don’t have what it takes for due process, I hope we don’t get to that stage otherwise it becomes a crisis situation. I do pity the President for fighting corruption, it is a herculean task for him because it is like chasing a rabbit from one point and it takes off from the other way. It is a complex situation and the cycle keeps going on.

What the cycle means is poverty; underdevelopment, corruption and it starts from the electoral process because of monetary inducement and the society is the loser. INEC should make a categorical statement because there is corruption here and you can’t cancel the election without corruption like what happened in Asokoro, where some of the agents ran with the election. An unconventional means should serve as a panacea to this malaise.

Let us agree that the guy who stole your money put up an application indicating that. It would have been an easier task for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission because he used a conventional means. But the guy used unconventional means and the law harps on due process, is it possible?

Okay, somebody who earns about N500,000.00 in a year and an allowance of about same amount and the guy suddenly becomes the owner of housing estates worthing about N20 billion. You and I know that he stole the money and the law says due process in getting back the money. Perhaps in the process, part of the more is recovered and dumped in the court, and the people, the real owners of the money are suffering. If we are serious, we should deal with this corruption of a thing once and for all. As For the election in Federal Capital Territory, that wasn’t an election.

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Photo Splash

A young man eking living with his wheel barrow, yesterday at Garki market, in Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

A scavenger searching for valuables in a refuse dump, yesterday at Area 2, in Abuja.

Young women hawking yam, yesterday in Utako District of Abuja.

A woman hawking Igbo delicacy (abacha), yesterday at Jabi, in Abuja.

Truck driver off-loading fire wood from his vehicle, yesterday at Kubwa, in Abuja.

Photos: Justin Imo-Owo

Petrol scarcity persists in Abuja

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nvestigations have revealed long queues are still present at filling stations within the Abuja city centre and along major expressway in Gwagwalada, Zuba, Nyanya and Kubwa axis of the nation’s capital.

Our correspondent, who monitored the fuel situation in the city yesterday, observed that most

filling stations were not selling as they closed shop to motorists, looking for the product.

Further investigations revealed that at a few major petrol outlets sell at the approved pump price, there are the ever lengthy unending queues while some others purportedly stockpile the commodity, and sell to black

marketers at night.

It was also suspected that some of the major petrol outlets used the cover of darkness to sell the products to some desperate motorists at higher prices.

The situation has forced most of the motorists to park their vehicles at home while some residents have resorted to

either stay indoors or trek during morning and evening rush hours to and from their various places of work.

Expectedly, there are fewer vehicles plying the road, and few commercial operators along the major routes inside and outside the FCT have doubled or even tripled their fares to various

Metro destinations.

And woes of commuters in the nation’s capital and environs have continued feeling the impact of the situation, as reflected in hikes in transport fares, as the scarcity keep widening.

Also, they have started experiencing difficulties on their usual route to work, as they had to

Two women hawking groundnut at Apo Mechanic Village, in Abuja.

Minister admonished to check fraud in land allocation Stories by Stanley Onyekwere

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inister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Musa Bello has been urged to sanitize the land department of the FCT Administration, in order to curb reoccurring fraudulent practices in land allocation process.

This call was made by an Estate developer based in the nation’s capital, Chief Tobias Obiechina, who is also the Managing Director of the Tobel technologies limited.

In a recent interview with Peoples Daily in Abuja, Obiechimi, stressed the urgent need for the Minister to checkmate the activities of the directors and

other staff in the FCTA land department, to ascertain what they had done during the previous regime.

He specifically expressed worry over the way the past FCT minister allocated land to people and re-allocated to some government functionaries without compensation being paid

to the original owners, stressing it must be allowed to continue.

He accused the leadership of the land department of the FCT Administration of corrupt practices during the past regimes, especially during Senator Bala Mohammed’s administration (the immediate past FCT Minister) He therefore pleaded with the

current FCT Minister to work with only the directors who are ready to shun corruption.

He noted that the FCTA land department and the estate developers should work together, to avoid allocating a piece of land to many people, saying that this had caused a lot of problems in the Territory.

Disaster: NEMA doles out relief items to victims in Kuje

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he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) doled out assorted relief materials to some residents of Kuje Area Council, who were affected by disaster caused by recent rainstorm in the area.

Speaking during the distribution of the items recently, the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Sidi, said that the administration of NEMA would continue to assist the victims of the natural disaster in the territory.

The NEMA boss, who was

represented by the Coordination in charge of the FCT NEMA office, Mr. Bitrus Samuel, specifically instructed the officials and leadership of Kuje Area Council to only distribute the relief materials to those people whose houses were affected during the disaster.

Also speaking, the chairman

of the Area Council, Hon. Ishaku Shaban Tete, said that he would sure that the relief materials are distributed to the right beneficiaries (those people displaced by the rainstorm).

On his part, the District head of Agwai, in Kuje Area Council, Alhaji Shuaibu Agwai, appreciated

NEMA for the donation of the items to victims of the natural disaster in the area.

Not left out, some of the victims of the disaster in their separate interviews with PeoplesDaily, also expressed joy for the succor brought to them by NEMA.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Money Sense

Business idea center: Kitchen facelift service Overview

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f you launch a kitchen facelift service, your most powerful sales argument could easily become, ‘Why spend N2,000,000 to replace your kitchen, when we can give you an entirely new look for a fraction of the cost?’ The average cost of a complete kitchen replacement now tops N2,000,000; out of the reach of many homeowners. Yet many of these same homeowners have the financial resources to part with a few thousand dollars to get the next best thing

‘a professional kitchen facelift.

Leaving the wall and floor cabinets in place, install new doors, countertops, hardware, tile backsplash, accent lighting and trim to make even the dullest kitchen look new and exciting for a fraction of the cost of a total kitchen replacement.

Exhibiting at homeand-garden shows with the aid of a before-andafter kitchen facelift display will enable you to generate sales leads from people interested in having their kitchens updated.

Traditional forms of advertising in

newspapers, on the radio, site signs and via direct mail will also get the telephone ringing.

The market Homeowners looking to revamp their kitchens without the cost associated with completely replacing their kitchen. You can also target apartment complexes who need to update kitchens in their units.

Needed equipment You will need carpentry skills, woodworking tools and equipment to successfully start and operate this service.

…You can also start a consignment furniture store

Business overview

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furniture consignment shop can stock everything from a 100-year-old highboy to a 10year young sofa. Just as in clothing, the trend these days is toward recycling, finding delightful ways to make everything old seem new (or just beloved) again. Furniture is one of the fastest-growing segments of the resale industry, with more and more non furniture consignment stores either adding furniture to their inventories or opening a second, furnishings-only location.

So if you love interior design, you’ve got the nose for sniffing out both antiques and good quality, then a consignment furniture shop could be the business for you.

You’ll take clean, well-loved furniture and accessories, and display and merchandise them for

their owners, splitting the profits when you make a sale. You can take on more than sofas and tables-like any good home furnishings or antiques shop, you’ll also stock prints, paintings and decorative.

You’ll also spend a fair amount of time going out to people’s homes to appraise furniture pieces, then taking them back to your shop.

Because you’re taking the items on consignment, you don’t pay anything for your inventory until it’s sold, which makes this business ideal for the startup entrepreneur. Some consignment shops mark items at a set price, then have the owners pick them up if they don’t sell within a given period of time.

Others mark down merchandise 10 percent for every month it remains unsold. The advantages to this business are that it’s creative, your startup costs are small compared

to most retail operations, you get the satisfaction of helping your customers get great buys for little money, and you never know what fascinating piece is going to walk through your door at any moment.

The key to a successful consignment shop is an atmosphere that’s clean, fresh and stylish, so you’ll need a talent for display and merchandising. You should also have a good eye for quality as well as current fashion, and you’ll want to know something about antiques and collectibles. And you’ll need the savvy to properly price your merchandise so that shoppers get the discount they expect and you and your consignors make a profit. To complement all this, you’ll need people skills, and last but definitely not least, you’ll need the muscle--or the on-call assistance-to load heavy furniture onto your truck from consignees’ homes and

then from the truck into your shop, then back out to customers’ vehicles.

The market Your customers will be the same sorts of people who shop at antiques stores and other home furnishings outlets. The trick is to attract their attention and sell them on the benefits of shopping with you. Besides routine advertising methods like local radio and newspaper ads, you can host furniture and collectibles shows or talks for local women’s groups, give seminars or workshops on furniture design, antiques and collectibles for colleges and community centers, and hand out fliers in front of your shop. Shopper ads in your local Pennysaver-type publication are also a terrific advertising tool.

Needed equipment

You’ll need a shop and not a whole lot else as far as display furnishings--a few glass cases for small collectibles should do it because you’ll have plenty of tables and dressers on which to display larger items. You’ll also need sales tickets and tags, a supply of shopping bags and tissue paper for wrapping collectibles, and a cash register. A computer with an inkjet printer and retail operation software will be a big help but aren’t necessary for starters if you can’t afford these things. Stock up on antiques and collectibles reference books; you’ll also need a reliable pickup truck for collecting furniture from consignees’ homes and a few furniture dollies and carts.

In some states, it’s illegal to sell used mattresses, so be sure to check with local authorities before doing so. www.entrepreneur.com

news world Israel rabbi to paramedics: PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 35

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

ANALYSIS

By Jonathan Cook

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here is mounting evidence that Israeli ambulance crews are withholding treatment from Palestinians injured during a wave of attacks over the past six months, according to rights groups.

Physicians for Human Rights in Israel, a medical watchdog group, found that wounded Palestinians had been left untreated for as long as two hours.

In some cases, medical teams are suspected of failing to tend to the injuries of suspected attackers as revenge, in the expectation that they will die from their wounds.

In parallel, says the group, Israeli soldiers regularly deny Palestinian crews in the occupied territories access to injured Palestinians in violation of international agreements.

Palestinian ambulances have been regularly fired on and paramedics attacked as they tried to reach the scene.

Physicians for Human Rights accused Israel’s leading medical bodies - the Israeli Medical Association, which lays down ethical codes, and Magen David Adom, which supervises ambulance services - of ignoring the evidence it has collected of such abuses.

“We have seen no serious response to our complaints, no investigations, not even an attempt to meet us. They don’t appear to want to give answers,” Mor Efrat, a researcher for the rights group, told Al-Jazeera.

Concern that some ambulance crews are adopting a policy of denying Palestinians treatment has been heightened by the increasing role of medical teams located in illegal Jewish settlements.

These paramedics appear to be openly flouting internationally established principles of neutrality that all medical staff are supposed to observe.

In December the leaders of United Hatzalah, a settler ambulance service implicated in several cases in which Palestinians have been refused treatment, visited a leading ultra-Orthodox rabbi, Chaim Kanievsky, to receive instructions on what to do with Palestinians injured during attacks.

According to a report on the settlers’ website Israel National News, Kanievsky told them that if the injured Palestinian “was in a life-threatening condition, they should leave him or her to die”.

Other rabbis have made similar calls.

The issue of Israel’s treatment of injured Palestinians was thrust into the spotlight late last month when a soldier from the Israeli army’s medical corps was caught on videoexecuting a badly injured Palestinian in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, aged 21, had been shot and wounded during a suspected knife attack on a checkpoint. Before the medical corps soldier, identified as Sergeant Elor Azaria, executed him by firing a bullet into his head, al-Sharif was left bleeding on the ground for more than 10 minutes.

Both army medics and two civilian ambulance teams, one of them United Hatzalah, refused to treat him. After the video was publicised, Sgt Azaria was arrested.

‘Leave Palestinians to die’

Israeli ambulance crews adopt a policy of denying injured Palestinians treatment, say rights groups.

Israeli soldiers regularly deny Palestinian crews access to injured Palestinians in violation of international agreements, say rights groups [Nasser Nasser/AP] On Monday, an Israeli military court charged the soldier with manslaughter and inappropriate military conduct. However, there has been an outpouring of support for him, from the Israeli public, politicians and rabbis. Efrat, of Physicians for Human Rights, said the failure by both the Israeli Medical Association and Magen David Adom to speak out against abuses committed by Israeli medical staff created the climate that made possible the events in Hebron.

Leonid Eidelman, head of the Israeli Medical Association, told Al-Jazeera the criticisms were “unfair” and that his organisation had “stated clearly that no political or personal preferences should influence treatment” of wounded Palestinians.

The criticisms of ambulance crews follow a heated debate among Israel’s medical authorities about whether staff should abide by the Geneva Conventions, which require them to remain neutral at all times and prioritise treatment based solely on the severity of injuries.

ZAKA, an Israeli organisation of community medical volunteers, has backed members who refuse to treat Palestinians before Israeli Jews. By contrast, Eli Bein, the head of the Magen David Adom, has said he expects ambulance staff to follow international humanitarian law.

Nonetheless, Magen David Adom has justified the failure of its paramedics to treat al-Sharif in Hebron last month, claiming they were waiting for authorisation from the Israeli army.

Army commanders told the Haaretz newspaper the claim was

unfounded and was being used as a “pretext for delaying treatment”.

The stance of the Israeli Medical Association has been equally ambivalent, according to critics.

In 2008 the Association adopted an ethical code - based on a Talmudic injunction that “Charity begins at home” - to treat Israelis before Palestinians. Under pressure from Physicians for Human Rights, the code was quietly revoked in December.

Doctors told the Times of Israel website that the Association was afraid of a political backlash if it publicised the change. “Whatever their official positions, these bodies are not speaking out clearly against violations of medical ethics. And they are certainly not taking any action,” Efrat said.

In addition to last month’s incident in Hebron, Physicians for Human Rights have highlighted several other clear cases of medical violations. One of the most disturbing relates to 19-year-old Muhannad Halabi, who was shot during an attack in the Old City of Jerusalem last October. Witnesses, including an Israeli medic, told the watchdog group that Halabi was left untreated for two hours before paramedics pronounced him dead.

Israeli soldiers fired stun grenades at a Palestinian crew that tried to reach him. A request from Physicians for Human Rights to Israel’s justice ministry to investigate the incident has gone unanswered.

In a second incident, a week later in the Old City, a video shows Palestinian paramedics being beaten and pushed away as they try to reach Basel Sidr, aged 19.

Their medical equipment was also damaged. Witnesses said an Israeli ambulance crew looked on for 20 minutes before a medic approached Sidr to check his pulse and declare him dead.

In another video, paramedics are shown denying treatment to Sa’ad al-Atrash, who was shot at least six times last October by soldiers at a checkpoint in Hebron.

Witnesses say he was left for half an hour lying in the street before being evacuated to hospital, where he died of his wounds. There are strong suspicions that al-Atrash was shot by a trigger-happy soldier, in what Amnesty International called an “especially egregious” example of unlawful killing.

In another case, last November, 21-year-old Mohammed alShawbaki was left untreated by three Israeli ambulance crews for 30 minutes, while a Palestinian crew was blocked from approaching.

Efrat said they had also filed complaints to the Israeli police and army about 18 incidents in the past six months where Palestinian medical teams had been prevented from caring for the wounded. Only one investigation had been opened.

Euro-Med Monitor, an international human rights group based in Geneva, has collected evidence of a further four cases where Israeli paramedics violated the Geneva Conventions by denying Palestinians treatment.

They include Ahmed Manasreh, a 13-year-old Palestinian accused of a stabbing attack in East Jerusalem last October. Videos show a Magen David Adom ambulance driving past Manasreh as he lies bleeding in the street, having earlier been run

down by an Israeli vehicle.

Evidence of denial of treatment is likely to add to the pressure on two global organisations - the World Medical Association, and the International Committee of the Red Cross - to investigate the actions of their Israeli partner organisations.

A group of UK doctors launched a campaign earlier this year demanding that the World Medical Association expel the Israeli Medical Association for failing to act against Israeli doctors involved in the torture of Palestinians.

A number of reports by human rights groups suggest that, in violation of medical ethics, Israeli doctors are treating Palestinians who have been tortured in Israel’s prisons and interrogation centres.

The documented abuses range from physical and sexual assaults.

A spokesman for the World Medical Association told AlJazeera it was not aware of the new allegations and would be discussing them with the Israeli Medical Association.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Magen David Adom was an “independent” emergency service and any issues would be “addressed internally” by the movement.

Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian politician and physician, said there was overwhelming evidence that Israeli ambulance crews were “consistently and systematically” denying treatment to wounded Palestinians.

Source: Al Jazeera

News From Africa

South Sudan peace at risk —Monitors

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he peace deal in South Sudan is at risk after the failure of rebel leader Riek Machar to return to the capital, Juba, the monitors who brokered the agreement have warned.

He had been due on Monday to take up the post of first vice-president in a new unity government.

This is a key part of the deal aimed at ending more than two years of conflict.

The US said it was disappointed

by Mr Machar’s “wilful decision” not to abide by his own commitments.

His team said the delay was caused by logistical and administrative issues and that he planned to return on Wednesday.

A statement from the government on Tuesday had said Mr Machar’s return was delayed as “he wanted to come with an arsenal of arms... antitanks, laser guided missiles and heavy machine guns”.

Chairman of the regional monitors, Botswana’s former President Festus Mogae, urged both sides to “ensure that the spirit of reconciliation, compromise and dialogue embodied by the agreement” be protected.

This view had been echoed by US State Department spokesman John Kirby, who said that the US and other partners had gone to great lengths to facilitate Mr Machar’s return.

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Riek Machar (R) is to be vice-president in a new unity government led by President Salva Kiir (L) “His failure to go to Juba despite efforts from the international community places the people of South Sudan at risk of further conflict and suffering,” he said.

It also undermined “the peace agreement’s reform pillars, which are demilitarising South Sudan, injecting transparency of public finances, and

Us ambassador to un pledges $40 million to aid Lake Chad region

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he U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, says the United States will provide nearly $40 million in new humanitarian assistance for nations in Africa’s Lake Chad region, to provide aid to people whose lives have been affected by Boko Haram violence.

Power made the announcement Tuesday in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde, after meetings with President Paul Biya, Prime Minister Philemon Yang, and Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo.

She said that during those meetings she told the officials that the United States is committed to partnering with Cameroon to defeat the Boko Haram militant group, which operates mainly in the Lake Chad Basin where the borders of Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and Chad meet.

Power said defeat of Boko Haram must be accomplished on multiple fronts, and not by military

Ethiopia declares two days of national mourning

means alone. she said she urged all the officials with whom she met to consider that the grievances of the population in Boko Haram areas must be addressed; inclusive governance needs must be promoted; and human rights must be protected and respected.

She said it is very important that the fight against Boko Haram be carried out in a way that does not alienate local populations on whom long-term success depends.

Power also noted that she attended on Tuesday a ceremony for burning illegally trafficked ivory and congratulated Cameroon for taking a stance against the illegal ivory trade.

On a sadder note, Power expressed condolences for a traffic accident involving her convoy on Monday in which a young boy was killed. She said all the members of the U.S. delegation are “heartbroken by this tragedy.”

pursuing justice and reconciliation, all of which offer South Sudan a chance for renewal,” the spokesman added.

The civil war broke out over tensions between President Salva Kiir and Mr Machar, who was sacked as vice-president in July 2013.

Then, in December 2013, Mr

Machar was accused of trying to organise a coup. He denied the accusation but it set off a round of tit-for-tat killings, which developed into a full-blown conflict.

The government and the rebels have been slow to implement the peace deal, with reports of ceasefire violations on both sides.

Zambia xenophobic riots: Two burned alive in Lusaka

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wo people were burned to death on Monday during xenophobic violence in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, police have said in a statement.

The riots started after rumours that Rwandans were behind recent ritual killings in the city.

The two were Zambian nationals killed “in the confusion” Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila reportedly said.

More than 250 people have been arrested after more than 60 Rwandan-owned

shops were looted in two days of violence.

The two Zambians had been burned with firewood and vehicle tyres, according to police quoted by the AFP news agency.

Six people have been murdered since March and their body parts removed.

Rumours circulated that the body parts would be used as charms to ensure success in business.

Police spokeswoman Charity Munganga urged Zambians not to believe “false rumours”.

“No baby or human body parts were found in any fridge belonging to any foreign national. These statements are coming from people with criminal minds to create alarm among the members of the public and justify their criminality,” she said in a statement.

She warned that it was an offence to spread rumours that caused alarm and the police would not hesitate to arrest those doing so “regardless of the medium they are using”.

ddis Ababa declares state of mourning for Gambela victims, gives no new information on fate of 100 kidnapped children.

Ethiopia has declared two days of national mourning for 208 people killed in cross-border cattle raids during which the government says more than 100 children were also kidnapped.

Parliament said in a statement carried by state media that flags would be flown at half-mast across the country, and in its foreign missions, from Wednesday.

It gave no further information about the missing children.

The raids last week happened in three districts of Gambela, in the country’s west, when attackers from neighbouring South Sudan crossed into Ethiopia.

Gambela straddles the border of the two nations and is home to more than 280,000 South Sudanese refugees fleeing a civil war that has raged for more than two years, forcing at least one million people from their homes.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said on Monday that his government was working with the government in South Sudan to hunt down the attackers.

The attackers were not South Sudanese government forces or rebels, according to Hailemariam.

“The atrocities committed by armed militants from South Sudan’s Murle tribe claimed the lives of 208 mothers and children. They also abducted 102 children,” he said, giving a lower figure for the kidnappings than the 108 previously given by government officials.

Ethiopia’s Information Minister Getachew Reda told Al Jazeera on Sunday that the army had killed at least 60 of the attackers, and that the government was willing to pursue more across the border.

Cross-border cattle raids, often involving Murle tribesmen from South Sudan’s Upper Nile and Jonglei regions, are not uncommon in the area. Previous attacks, however, were much smaller in scale.

Ethiopia mourns raid victims Kenya’s Chase Bank to reopen

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thiopia has begun three days of national mourning for more than 200 people who were killed in a deadly cross-border attack in the western region of Gambella at the weekend.

Flags across the country and at Ethiopia’s embassies abroad are flying at half-mast.

M e s s a g e s of condolences have also been

streaming in from different countries and international organisations which have criticized the killings and the abduction of more than 108 children during the attack carried out by heavily armed men from the Murle tribe in neighbouring South Sudan.

The Ethiopian army has said it is still pursuing the attackers with the

aim of rescuing the children.

In an address to the nation, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said 60 of the attackers had been killed in the ongoing rescue mission and that his government was coordinating the military operation with the South Sudanese government.

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he Central Bank of Kenya has announced that all 62 branches of Chase Bank will be reopened by Wednesday 27 April.

Chase has been closed for two weeks after it was put into receivership on 7 April.

An audit had shown the bank had loaned its directors $80m (£55m) , and its bad debts had skyrocketed to $100m.

The day before Chase

closed, the central bank said “inaccurate” rumours on social media had led customers to do panic withdrawals and had caused a run on the bank.

Kenya Commercial bank will hold the largest stake in Chase and will spearhead the restructuring of the bank.

Customers will be allowed to withdraw up to one million Kenyan shillings ($10,000; £7,000) when the bank reopens.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 37

Asia & Middle East China internet US to Focus on Islamic star Papi Jiang promises after State, Iran at GCC Summit ‘corrections’ reprimand

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.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter called on Gulf Cooperation Council nations to engage more in the fight against the Islamic State.

Speaking Wednesday at the GCC Defense Ministerial in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Palace, Carter said the United States and GCC nations were “building on that strong partnership” that has lasted for decades.

A senior defense official said the two major focuses of Carter’s visit are countering Iran’s destabilizing activities and defeating the Islamic State.

Carter is urging GCC nations to be more engaged in helping the Iraqi government fight Islamic State and to rebuild areas where the militants have been pushed out.

The GCC nations have, so far, been hesitant to help Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi because “with all the Gulf states, there’s always a concern about the politics and about Iranian influence there,” according to a senior defense official.

“Our point to them has been, if you are concerned about outside influence in Iraq, the best way to counter that is to get in and engage yourself,” the official added.

On Monday, the United States announced it was sending 217 additional troops, Apache attack

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A man walks past images of Saudi leaders on a building under construction in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April 19, 2016. helicopters and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to Iraq, along with $415 million in aid for the Kurdish peshmerga, whose government has struggled to pay its fighters due to a harsh drop in oil prices.

“We are leading by example ahead

Mitsubishi Motors admits falsifying fuel economy tests

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itsubishi Motors has admitted falsifying fuel economy data for more than 600,000 vehicles sold in Japan.

Tyre pressure figures were falsified by employees to flatter mileage rates, the company said.

Almost 470,000 vehicles that Mitsubishi made for Nissan were affected and the issue was uncovered after Nissan found inconsistencies.

The announcement sent shares in Mitsubishi down more than 15% in Tokyo.

Mitsubishi said it would investigate whether data were altered for vehicles sold overseas.

Company bosses, including Mitsubishi Motors president Tetsuro Aikawa, bowed deeply at the start of a press conference on Wednesday afternoon in Tokyo.

“The wrongdoing was intentional. It is clear the falsification was done to make the mileage look better. But why they would resort to fraud to do this is still unclear,” he said.

Although he was unaware of the irregularities, Mr Aikawa said: “I feel responsible.”

The issue was reported to Japan’s transportation ministry and Nissan told dealers to stop selling the affected vehicles.

Nissan was considering ways to help owners of the cars already sold.

Mitsubishi, Japan’s sixth-largest car maker, sold more than one million vehicles last year, but has less than 1% of the UK market.

It struggled for years to regain consumer trust after a defects scandal in the early 2000s that covered up problems such as failing brakes, faulty clutches and fuel tanks that fell off vehicles.

The inaccurate tests involved 157,000 of its own brand light passenger cars and 468,000 vehicles produced for Nissan.

Shares closed down 131 yen at 733 yen in Tokyo - their biggest one-day fall in nearly 12 years.

of this summit with the announcement we made,” a senior defense official said.

Carter said Monday during his visit to Baghdad that the additional troops, equipment and aid were to “enable” local forces in their fight to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city

and the hub for Islamic State forces in the state.

“The Kurds are the single best example we have out there of a force on the ground that is holding the line.

They are taking back territory from ISIL,” said the defense official, using an acronym for the Islamic State.

India says 330 million people affected by severe drought

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he Indian government has told the Supreme Court that 330 million people are affected by drought in the country.

It said that nearly 256 districts across India, home to nearly a quarter of the population were impacted.

Authorities say this number is likely to rise further given that some states with water shortages have not yet submitted status reports.

India is heavily dependant on monsoon rains, which have been poor for two years in a row.

The drought is taking place as a heat wave extends across much of India with temperatures exceeding 40C for several days now.

Schools have been shut in the eastern state of Orissa and more

than 100 deaths due to heat stroke have been reported from across the country, including from the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh which saw more than 2,000 deaths last summer.

The western state of Maharashtra, one of the worst affected by the drought, shifted out 13 Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches due to be played in the state next month because of the amount of water needed to prepare pitches.

There is growing public concern over the lack of water in many parts of the state following two successive years of drought and crop failures.

The government has asked local municipalities to stop supplying water to swimming pools and, in an unprecedented move, a train

carrying half a million litres of drinking water was sent to the area of Latur.

Another train carrying 2.5 million litres of water is scheduled to reach there on Wednesday.

States like Punjab and Haryana in northern India are squabbling over ownership of river waters.

In water-scarce Orissa, farmers have reportedly breached embankments to save their crops.

Water availability in India’s 91 reservoirs is at its lowest in a decade, with stocks at a paltry 29% of their total storage capacity, according to the Central Water Commission.

Some 85% of the country’s drinking water comes from aquifers, but their levels are falling, according to WaterAid.

Lebanon ‘to free Australian TV crew’ held in kidnapping case

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deal has reportedly been reached in Lebanon in the case of an Australian mother and TV crew accused of abducting two children in a custody dispute.

Channel Nine said the children’s Lebanese father, Ali Elamine, had agreed to drop all charges against Sally Faulkner and its four employees.

They are expected to be released soon.

But Channel Nine said Mr Elamine wished to proceed with the prosecution of two Britons who allegedly oversaw the failed attempt to seize the children.

Ms Faulkner says her estranged husband moved the children to Lebanon from Australia last year without her permission - something he denies.

On Wednesday morning, Ms Faulkner and Channel Nine journalist Tara Brown appeared before the judge at a hearing in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

Later, Nine News correspondent Tom Steinfort wrote on Twitter that a lawyer had emerged from the hearing and announced that the TV crew and Ms Faulkner would be released from custody once Channel Nine had paid “compensation”.

Mr Steinfort quoted the judge as saying: “I release all the Australian crew on bail because Ali Elamine has dropped the charges.”

However, the judge said that the state would still need to decide whether to proceed with criminal charges. If they were filed and the Australians did not return to face them, they would be tried in absentia, he said.

Mr Steinfort said Channel Nine’s lawyer had confirmed that the journalists were free to leave Lebanon and that the broadcaster hoped to have them on a flight out of Beirut on Wednesday night.

ne of China’s biggest internet stars Papi Jiang has promised to “correct” herself, following warnings from government officials.

The video blogger had reportedly been reprimanded for the use of foul language by the media authority.

It comes as China tries to clean up the Chinese internet, with measures from stricter censorship to urging users to behave better online.

President Xi Jinping this week called for a “clean and righteous” cyberspace.

The 29-year-old, whose real name is Jiang Yilei, is a hugely popular internet comedian and video blogger.

She won fame through her humorous short videos, usually of herself talking in rapid-fire Mandarin, making light of topics ranging from dating woes to regional Chinese accents.

The videos on her Youku channel have had about 100 million views, while on microblogging network Sina Weibo she commands a following of at least 11 million people.

She is so big that she is believed to be the first in China to receive funding from private investors, to the tune of nearly $2m.

But she is not known for delving into sociopolitical issues or other sensitive topics that usually invite scrutiny from authorities.

On Monday, the Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece People’s Daily published a short report quoting media authorities as saying she had been “disciplined and corrected” for using foul language.

It is not clear to what extent she had used swear words in her transmissions.

The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television said it had taken offline the relevant clips to “get rid of the vulgar and coarse content”, and that it could be made available online again only when it adhered to content regulations.

A check on Papi Jiang’s Youku channel on Wednesday found only five videos displayed, none of which worked. In comparison, her Youtube channel features scores of clips.

On Monday evening, Papi Jiang issued a short statement on her Weibo page where she thanked fans for support and hinted at being disciplined.

“As a self-made media figure, I will also be more careful of my words and image, resolutely responding to requests for corrections in internet clips, and broadcast positive energy for everyone,” she said.

Fans have flooded her Weibo and Youku pages with supportive comments while cursing or criticising the authorities.

“Not everyone may like Papi Jiang, but definitely everyone hates the state administration,” said one Weibo user.

A commenter on Youku criticised officials for having “the kind of weak regulatory attitude where it’s afraid of just a little bit of vulgar language”.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Europe & Americas

Queen’s 90th birthday: Prince William pays tribute

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rince William has answered criticism of his commitment to royal duties, saying he is willing to take on more responsibility when the time comes.

He was speaking in a BBC interview in which he paid tribute to the Queen on the eve of her 90th birthday.

She had been a “guiding example” of what a good monarch should be, he said.

Meanwhile, a picture of the Queen, the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince George, for stamps to mark the monarch’s birthday, has been released.

Prince William told BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell: “I think the Queen’s duty and her service, her tolerance, her commitment to others - I think that’s all been incredibly important to me and it’s been a real guiding example of just what a good monarch could be.

“And it’s been incredibly insightful for me growing up, watching her leadership in that role.

“I think it’s important to grow into a role with the right

characteristics and the right qualities, and I think she’s exemplified that in everything she’s done.”

The prince’s own commitment to royal duty has been questioned in some quarters in recent months - there have been headlines in some newspapers which have referred to him as “workshy William”.

He said he did not ignore such criticisms but did not take them completely to heart.

“I take duty very seriously. I take my responsibilities very seriously.

But it’s about finding your own way at the right time and if you’re not careful duty can sort of weigh you down an awful lot at a very early age and I think you’ve got to develop into the duty role,” he said.

William emphasised the importance he attached to his role as an air ambulance pilot and to the time he spent with his family.

He said both his father and grandmother fully supported the fact that he was not yet fully engaged with royal duties, but that when the time came to accept more responsibilities he would be the first person to put up his hand and take them on.

UN drugs summit opens with worldwide divisions laid bare

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UN meeting on worldwide drugs policy has opened in New York in what has been billed as the most significant such conference in years.

The summit will try to rethink global strategy but divisions among members have immediately been laid bare.

While some countries favour decriminalisation, others still punish drug-taking with the death penalty.

Leading figures sent an open letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon before the meeting calling for a more liberal approach.

Among the signatories were several former presidents, US politicians and businesspeople, who argued that prohibition has done more harm than good.

The three-day special session was requested by Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala who have seen spiralling drugs violence.

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto warned that harsh penalties “create a vicious cycle of marginalisation and crime”.

Several delegates called for the death penalty to be abolished for drugs crimes.

But Indonesia, one of the countries where capital punishment takes place for such offences, said it was a matter on which individual states should decide for themselves.

A document adopted at the session calls for “proportionate” sentencing but does not refer to the death penalty.

While no major decisions are expected at the summit, activists hope it will be an important step towards reform.

Four generations of the Royal Family - this photo was taken for a stamp sheet to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday

US election 2016: Trump and Clinton win New York primaries

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onald Trump has won the Republican presidential primary in New York while Hillary Clinton has triumphed in the Democratic race.

With the majority of votes counted, Mr Trump looks set to extend his lead over rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich.

Meanwhile Democratic hopeful Mrs Clinton, a former senator for New York, is on course for a victory over Brooklyn-born Bernie Sanders.

Wins will put Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump closer to securing their nominations.

With more than 98% of the results in, Mr Trump is leading with just over 60% of the vote while Mrs Clinton has just under 58%.

US networks projected that Mr Trump had won in his home state barely seconds after the polls closed at 21:00 EDT (01:00 GMT).

Speaking at Trump Tower in Manhattan, he said: “I have to say to the people that know me the best - the people of New York - when they give us this kind of a vote it’s just incredible.”

He said he was going to get more delegates than “anyone projected even in their wildest imaginations”.

The big question is whether the billionaire businessman will make a clean sweep of all 95 Republican delegates at stake in New York by earning the majority of votes.

This would reduce the chances of a contested nomination at the Republican party convention in July.

Donald Trump needed a commanding victory, and he got it. Although the results in the state’s 29 congressional districts - which allocate three convention delegates apiece have yet to be finalised, it appears likely that Mr Trump will claim the lion’s share of the 95 delegates at play.

Perhaps even more importantly, however, is the new, restrained Donald Trump on the campaign trail in the past few days. Gone are the incendiary tweets bashing his opponents (and their spouses).

Instead on Tuesday night the candidate gave a short speech hammering home his economic message, emphasising his delegate and vote lead, and laying the groundwork to argue that he should be the party’s nominee even if he doesn’t win the 1,237 delegates necessary to claim the nomination outright.

France seeks state of emergency extension for Euro 2016

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he French government plans to extend a state of emergency imposed after the Paris attacks in November to cover the Euro 2016 football tournament, Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said.

Given the scale of the event, security has to be ensured, he said in a radio interview.

The proposed two-month extension will require parliamentary approval.

The European football competition involves 24 national teams and runs from 10 June to 10 July.

The coordinated gun and bomb attacks in Paris on November 13 killed 130 people and were claimed by so-called Islamic State.

The Stade de France football stadium, which was targeted by suicide bombers, will host the opening match of Euro 2016 and the final.

The current state of emergency, which gives police extra powers to conduct searches and put people under house arrest, runs until 26 May. It was last extended for three months in February, despite concerns raised by rights groups that which said police had abused their powers.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve will seek other ministers’ approval of the extension later on Wednesday, before asking parliament to vote on it, Mr Valls said.

“The state of emergency cannot be permanent, but on the occasion of these big events… we have to prolong it,” he said.

Ecuador quake deaths pass 500 with hundreds still missing

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he death toll from Saturday’s devastating earthquake in Ecuador has risen to 525 and could increase by many more, authorities in the country say.

Figures given by officials for the number of people missing ranged from 231 to 1,700.

Thousands of people have been left homeless, making them vulnerable to dirty drinking water and disease.

Meanwhile a new 6.2 magnitude quake struck off the Ecuadorean

coast, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The quake was centred 70km (44 miles) west of Esmeraldas at a shallow depth of 10km.

More than 4,000 people have been injured in the disaster, officials said, The World Food Programme and Oxfam are sending supplies, while the UN said it was preparing a “major airlift”.

Deputy Interior Minister Diego Fuentes said 2,000 people had been

reported missing since the quake struck. He said that 300 had been located since.

Ecuador’s Defence Minister Ricardo Patino later said that 231 people were still missing.

The cost of rebuilding could be up to $3bn (£2.1bn), President Rafael Correa said during a visit to the worst-affected region.

Sniffer dogs and mechanical diggers were being used to search for survivors in areas and the smell of rotting bodies was filling the air,

witnesses said.

Some people have been pulled out of the rubble alive but, despite the efforts of emergency teams, hope is fading that others will be found.

From Tuesday, rescue efforts would become more of a hunt for corpses, Ecuador’s Interior Minister Jose Serrano told Reuters.

Foreign nationals from the UK, Ireland, Canada, Colombia, Cuba and the Dominican Republic have been confirmed among the dead.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 39

Strange

world

The heartbroken baby elephant who got lost from his mother... and was rejected by his family ‘because he smelled of humans’

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andering alone in the forest, this heartbroken baby elephant was rejected by his family after being reintroduced to the wild.

The three-month-old baby, called Gold, was first separated from his mother after falling into a well dug by illegal loggers 20 miles from Buon Don in Vietnam.

Rescuers spent two weeks nurturing the young animal back to health in the hope he could be reunited with its family.

British wildlife expert Dr Jake Veasey tried to encourage Gold to rejoin his herd by pushing the baby towards them - and at first it seemed like his attempt had been a success.

But his team’s joy turned to devastation when he was found alone less than twelve hours later, some distance from the area where he had been left.

Dr Veasey said that Gold’s mother may not have been in the herd at all, or she may not have recognised him as he had been away for two weeks and smelt of humans and human baby milk.

‘Maybe her milk had dried up and she was no longer lactating,’ he added.

Gold lost his family in March after he got trapped in a well dug by illegal loggers, who cut down rainforest trees to sell timber.

While the adult elephants were large enough to reach the

Heartbroken: The three-month-old baby, called Gold, was first separated from his mother after falling into a well dug by illegal loggers 20 miles from Buon Don in Vietnam

well’s water supply with their trunks, Gold’s smaller stature meant he fell in when he tried to drink.

Rescue workers had to move the rest of the family away from the well to save Gold without being attacked themselves, as elephants in Vietnam are nervous around humans and view them as a threat.

Despite hopes that the herd would eventually return and find the baby, the adult el-

ephants had been scared off by the human presence.

Now Gold is living in temporary accommodation while Animals Asia build a sanctuary to care for him and other elephants.

‘Gold was so depressed and lonely that we worried he might not survive,’ said Dr Veasey, who explained that the team were at first reluctant to ‘smother him with affection’ for fear of giving him ‘a human imprint’

Rescuers spent two weeks nurturing the young animal back to health in the hope he could be reunited with its family

and compromising his chances of a life in the wild.

Gold had been showing signs of chronic stress - pacing back and forwards diagonally and trying to suckle everything because he misses his mother’s teat.

But Veasey has now ordered specialist bottles for the baby elephant, and hopes that when the sanctuary is built, his health and wellbeing will improve.

Currently there is just one

other elephant in the temporary corral with Gold, but Veasey and his colleagues are planning on building herds there by rescuing elephants from Vietnam’s tourist trade.

‘Often the females have strong maternal instincts,’ he added.

‘It would be great to see Gold in a social situation where he can interact with other elephants and thrive.’

MAILONLINE

Volunteers have ordered specialist bottles for the baby elephant, and hope that when a new sanctuary is built, his health and wellbeing will improve

Page 40

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Digest

Expert reveals his 6-step plan to get you running

By Lisa Ryan

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ith its warmer temperatures and longer days, spring is the ideal time to get out running.

But, for beginners, the idea of lacing up their old running shoes and heading out the door can be daunting.

From breathing to form to pace, there is so much to think about and it often leaves people unsure of where to start.

Finding the motivation to get out of bed early or get off the couch after work can be a challenge in itself.

And so, many novice runners quit before they even begin – or resign their trainers to the back of the closet before giving their new hobby the chance to becomes a habit.

Jeff Knight, chief exercise physiologist at sports apparel giant Under Armour, told Daily Mail Online he believes almost anyone can become a runner – if they follow a few key steps.

‘Running is right for everybody in varying degrees of running – not everybody can be an Olympian,’ Mr Knight said.

‘It’s such an accessible sport – all you really need is a good pair of shoes.’

Here, Mr Knight revealed how people can start running – and actually stick with it.

1. Plan, plan, plan Many people assume that when it comes to running, all they need to do is put on their work out clothes and shoes – and head out the door.

But according to Mr Knight, for beginners, it’s not quite that simple.

‘The best thing you can do when you’re first starting is to do a little bit of planning,’ he explained.

The trainer recommended people find a training schedule online or download a fitness app – such as MapMyRun. Such apps provide you with nearby running routes – and also track your pace, distance and progress – which helps prevent people from just jogging aimlessly.

Mr Knight said: ‘Beginner runners run faster when they have some place to go.’

Furthermore, finding a training plan to follow takes away the guess work of running.

‘If you could plan or remove some barriers like your mapping, that’s a great thing to do,’ he said.

‘With training plans, it’s like you have this amazing decision-making process all figured out – they’re telling you what to run every day of the week, how far and how fast.

‘It’s like having a little person in your ear – your headphones – telling you what to do.’

2&3. Find a running buddy or sign up for a race People have a far easier time letting themselves down than others.

That’s why, when it comes to starting to run, a lot of people end up sabotaging themselves.

It is all too easy to sleep an extra hour instead of wake up early for a run – or watch their favorite television show or go out for drinks instead of hitting the pavement.

And so, Mr Knight suggested novice runners find a workout buddy.

In its latest running report, Under Armour found that 50 per cent of people work out harder with friends than they would on their own, while 65 per cent find running with a buddy to be more fun ‘You can let yourself down

Starting to run as a beginner can be intimidating - and many people end up giving up before they even start, or quitting after their first couple of difficult jogs. Jeff Knight, a running expert from Under Armour, shared with Daily Mail Online his best tips for starting to run - and sticking with it morning after morning, but when you’ve got a friend or a buddy that you know is waiting for you, then you’re going to get out of bed or make sure that you get to work on time to meet them to run,’ he said.

But for those who would rather run alone, setting a goal is another way to hold themselves accountable.

The fitness expert said: ‘The best goal is to find that local 5K that costs $25 and sign up for it.

‘Put some money down, and have that financial investment as well.’

4. Get the right gear For the most part, running is a no-frills sport – with no fancy equipment required.

But, running with your old pair of athletic shoes can lead to injury, Mr Knight cautioned.

‘One of the great things about running is that there’s not really a ton of gear that you need, but the gear that you do need is super critical,’ the physiologist said.

‘At the minimum you need good

shoes.’

In his previous career as a running coach, Mr Knight said he’d see a lot of beginner runners come in with shoes they had owned for years.

The novices would tell him that they never really ran in them – but he would inform them that they probably put 400 to 500 miles on those shoes anyway, just through walking.

‘When you’re first starting out, running a mile can take almost 2,000 steps for some people,’ he said.

And, if you were to use those shoes to run, you could end up with shin splints, or they could hurt their Achilles tendons or knees, he warned.

Mr Knight recommended that beginners go to a sports apparel store and have a trained professional find a pair of good quality running shoes.

But when it comes to the clothes needed for running – depending

on the weather – simple athletic apparel is generally good enough.

5. Set realistic goals Many of us have illusions of grandeur – overestimating our abilities.

So, when it comes to running, novices have a tendency to set unrealistic expectations for themselves, Mr Knight said.

Before even embarking on their first run, beginners vow to be able to run a 10K in mere weeks – or believe they can run faster than other joggers in the park.

Beginner runners, therefore, often get discouraged when they realize they aren’t the track superstar they imagined.

‘The truth is, when you’re first starting out, your body is just not ready for running every single day for three, four or five miles,’ Mr Knight said.

‘You might walk a little bit at first – and that’s totally okay.

‘You just have to get started somewhere, and if you bite off more

It’s important for runners to plan their route before they head out the door - since people tend to run faster when they know where they’re going, Mr Knight said. And, signing up for a 5K race or finding a running buddy is a good way for a beginner to hold themselves accountable, so that they won’t blow off running

than you can chew, it can become really evident really fast.’

He suggested people set realistic goals for themselves, from a training standpoint, so that they don’t become discouraged and quit before they really get started.

Mr Knight added that every person is different, but on average, it should take a beginner runner around eight weeks of training to be able to run a 5K race.

Mr Knight said: ‘Realistically if you’re coming off the couch and you’ve never done any running whatsoever and you maybe feel like you’re carrying around 20 extra pounds, I would really give yourself like three to four months for a 10K.’ He explained that he’s referring to being able to merely complete – not win – a 10K. ‘If you push yourself too hard and get hurt or you push yourself so hard that you really suffer through that first race experience…. It’s going to be terrible,’ the expert said.

‘You’re going to hate it, and when you hate it, you’re never going to want to do it again.’

It’s quite common for beginners to find running to be a struggle.

In fact, lower-mileage runners in general are more likely to say running is a huge struggle than high-mileage runners, the report found 6. Don’t focus too much on form One of the daunting things about starting to run is that people generally aren’t sure about proper form or breathing.

They find themselves questioning how to hold their head and their shoulders – and whether they should breathe out of their nose or mouth.

‘The crazy thing about form is that when you go and dig into the research, and you’re looking at what the optimal running form is – the truth is, there’s no such thing as a golden stride,’ Mr Knight explained.

Instead of focusing too much on what different websites say running form should look like, people should just focus on what form works best for them.

Mr Knight recommended that beginner runners avoid slouching or taking big, lumbering strides.

He also warned people against working too hard from the get-go.

‘Probably one of the biggest mistakes that new runners make is that they go out with the idea that it should be hard. I’m working out and it should be hard,’ he said.

‘If you’re running really fast the second you get out the door, you’re not going to make it really far.’

Beginner runners should expect to start with 140 to 160 steps per minute at a leisurely pace – and should also ensure their body is relaxed.

‘On top of that, imagine that through your spine is a cable pulling up to the heavens, and try to run tall,’ he said, noting that standing up tall is key to good running form.

Additionally, when it comes to breathing, Mr Knight explained that there’s no proper way to do it – some people breathe in and out of their nose, and others switch from nose to mouth.

He said the best sort of breathing when it comes to running, however, is belly breathing.

‘You should practice belly breathing [before you start running] – when you breathe in, make sure that your belly is going out,’ Mr Knight said.

‘Do that a handful of times before you start running and try to bring that out as you run.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

thursday, april 21, 2016

Page

41

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Only presidential intervention can resolve NFF crisis —Abba Yola

Ronaldo to sign Real Madrid extension until 2020

>>Pg 43

Scott opts out of golf event at Rio to focus on PGA Tour

Egyptians demolished Eagles in Alexandra

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n 2014 there was a high profile meeting at the instance of the then President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan when it became obvious that the football crisis will eventually lead to a disgraceful end with FIFA threatening Nigeria with sanction(s) following a court case instituted

by Ambassador Chris Giwa against the election of Mr Amaju Pinnick as President of the Nigeria Football Federation.

Ambassador Chris Giwa was through a presidential intervention asked to withdraw the case from the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State while Mr Amaju Pinnick was asked to parley with Ambassador Chris Giwa and agree on some give and take measures with a view to ending the impasse.

The two gladiators have no option but to accept the presidential intervention but then with time Amaju Pinnick became reluctant to pursue peace and also became unwilling to negotiate peace with Ambassador Chris Giwa.

All through the last days of President Jonathan probably thinking or believing that there will not be a change of government. And if this happens then Ambassador Chris Giwa can as well jump into River Niger for all he cares.

The poor Ambassador Chris Giwa had no op-

tion other than to pray for a change so that he can go back to the trenches and revisit his court case.

And not only did God answered Ambassador Chris Giwa’s prayer, He also gave his bossom friend and town’s man Barrister Soloman Dalung the sports portfolio as Minister. To God be the glory.

Ambassador Chris Giwa knows the sector and especially football administration and politics more than his novice friend. He quickly capitalised on that and got the new Minister to allow him reopen his case with Amaju Pinnick which he has put on hold/suspended because of the Presidential intervention.

And without due diligence and proper briefings the new Minister summoned a meeting to hear the two parties. What happened at the meeting is better imagined than said. Nothing was achieved other than widening the gap between Mr Amaju Pinnick and Ambassador Chris Giwa.

So sad that both parties were able to clearly seen that Solomon Dalung has lost the capacity to broker peace and understanding. He cannot therefore give any one of them what they wanted.

The Minister has failed to address the issues raised by Ambassador Chris Giwa while Mr Amaju Pinnick is not willing to even listen to Giwa. So, the

only option now left is for the Ambassador Chris Giwa team to go back and reopen the Jos case where they could at least be listened to and possibly get fair hearing.

Barrister Solomon Dalung has said he is a disciple of the Rule of Law and FIFA has ruled against taking football matters to ordinary courts and here are two Nigerians in ordinary courts talking football.

Ambassador Chris Giwa has obtained a ruling in his favour from a Federal High Court sitting in Jos and thereafter, Mr Amaju Pinnick has instituted an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Jos. And on the other hand FIFA is saying we are watching.

While your body language is implying sitting on the fence. Because both Ambassador Chris Giwa and Mr Amaju Pinnick are your friends but with Ambassador Chris Giwa having an upper hand as your town’s man and political godfather.

This situation if not properly handled may put a stain on Mr Presidents effort to up the image of the country. For I can see a breakdown of law and order and eventual intervention by FIFA. To all well meaning and discerning Nigerians especially lovers of football we have had peace in that sector for almost 1½ years until recently.

>>Pg 44

Sport YSFON needs private sector for grassroots football development - Nasir

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outh Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) president, Alhaji Nasir Yusuf Gawuna has urged the private sector in the country to rally round the body towards discovering great talents for the country.

Nasir made this call during a parley with media at the ongoing 15th edition of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) U-14 boys and Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) U-17 girls football competitions staged at the Old Parade in Area 10, Abuja.

According to him, continuous roaming of streets by Nigerian youths in search of non-existing job, investing in grassroots sports development is the only way to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian youths and reposition the country for utmost performance.

He urged all hands to be on deck in order to engender youth development through sports – while urging corporate bodies and individuals to support YSFON towards bringing back Nigeria’s glorious moment in sports.

“We hope to discover football stars like Kanu Nwankwo, Tijani Babangida, Emmanuel Amunike, Austin Eguavoen, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and many other international stars who were products of YSFON’s competitions,” he said.

He said outstanding talents discovered during the one week long event will be groomed and exposed, adding that the players will form the crux of the new YSFON Stars that will feature at the Dallas Cup in the USA and Norway invitational tournament.

The administrator also commended the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas in re-activating the competition, saying the event would avail youths in the nation opportunities to develop their talents and contribute their quota to the development of the society.

YSFON match

Galadima agrees to reconcile NFF factions

F

ormer Nigeria Football Association (NFA) chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, has been made the head of a seven-man reconciliation committee which was inaugurated yesterday by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, at the conference room of the National stadium Abuja.

The committee which is charged with restoring peace to the crisis ridden Nigeria Football Federation has as members Dr Tijani Yusuf, Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Paul Bassey, Barrister Musa Amadu, Barrister Okey Obi and Mrs Carol Nkem Ojukwu.

Inaugurating the committee, the Minister charged the group with a single term of reference: to find a way forward in the present NFF crisis.

Dalung empowered the group to coopt members, interface and reach out

to anybody who can be of assistance to achieving their mandate.

“Every member of this committee is here on merit and I think people like you can rescue the country. The number of young people that are enlisting in each camp on a daily basis on the social media is alarming.

“Nigerians are gradually being factionalised into these two camps so you must put the country’s interest above personal interest. You must set aside your sentiments. If we continue like this, where will football be by next year? Can we even qualify for the World Cup?” Dalung said.

In his acceptance speech, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima thanked the minister for counting the committee members worthy of the service they’ve been called upon to render. He recalled that Nigeria’s football

crisis had started way back in 2006 when he was President.

He promised that the committee will do its best to restore peace in the football federation.

The Reconciliation Committee has one week to submit its report Meanwhile, Chief Effiong Johnson, the chairman of chairmen in a telephone chat laughed heartily and retorted, “Certainly, that committee is not meant in the real sense of it to reconcile anybody. They are a fundamental part of the crisis, so how do they reconcile? Who are they going to reconcile?

He added, “We are smelling a rat.

Dalung is up to something sinister with that committee. We shall by tomorrow (today) issue a comprehensive response from our group but surely, this is not the path to peace.

NFF confirms Eagles friendlies with Mali, Luxembourg

By Albert Akota

T

he Super Eagles will take on Mali in a friendly at the Stade Robert Dichon, France on May 27, 2016.

This was confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation via their Twitter handle.

The Super Eagles last faced the Eagles in February 2003, when Stephen Keshi’s men silenced Mali 4-1 in the semi-final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia with

Brown Ideye, Elderson Echiejile, Emmanuel Emenike and Ahmed Musa finding the back of the net with Cheick Diarra getting the consolation at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban L u x e m b o u r g will provide a stiffer competition for the threetime African kings five days later , as Nigeria look to get a formidable team for the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers after missing out of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

83 teams ready for Federation Cup competitions

By Albert Akota

A

Dalung congratulating Ibrahim Galadima

total of 83 teams are slated to enter the pot at the National Draws for the men and women Federation Cup competitions on Thursday, 5th May 2016.

Head of Federation Cup unit of the NFF, Emmanuel Adesanya, said yesterday that a total of 61 teams would be involved in the men’s version, while 22

teams would be involved in the women’s event.

There are a total of 18 NPFL clubs, 19 Nigeria National League clubs, nine Nationwide League One clubs and 15 non League clubs in the men’s draw, while 16 Premier League clubs, one Pro League and five amateur division teams would take part in the women’s competition.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 43

Sport Ronaldo to sign Real Madrid extension until 2020

C

ristiano Ronaldo will sign a new contract at Real Madrid which will see the striker remain in the Spanish capital until 2020, reports El Confidencial.

The Portuguese star - who currently tops the Liga scoring charts with 31 goals - is expected to besmirch stories linking him with a Santiago Bernabeu exit by signing fresh terms which will keep him at the club until he retires.

According to Spanish press, the 31-year-old’s relationship with the club has strengthened in recent weeks, resulting in the former Manchester United attacker agreeing to formal talks with los Blancos.

Ronaldo will be 35 years old by the expiration of his proposed new deal but has reportedly made it clear he would be open to an additional one-year extension at that point.

Buy stars or leave —Gustavo tells Wolfsburg

W

olfsburg midfielder Luiz Gustavo has challenged the club to bring in more star names or risk losing

him.

The Bundesliga outfit appeared on course for their first Champions League semi-final after a 2-0 first-leg victory over Real Madrid last month, but crashed out of the competition after going down 3-0 at the Bernabeau in the return.

And the Brazil international has challenged the club to keep their word of consistent investment in the squad, suggesting failure to do so could tempt him to seek an exit this summer.

“When I came here, I was told to try and help build a great team,” the 28-year-old, who arrived from Bayern Munich in 2013, told Bild.

“If we really want to be a top team, then those responsible must also play their part.

Previously they have always invested in the squad and if it stays that way then will remain here.”

After charging to a second-place finish in Germany’s top flight last season, just two points from their last five domestic outings has the club languishing down in eighth place this term.

The Volkswagen-sponsored club splashed out around €60 million on new players this season, including a record €36m outlay on Julian Draxler, but brought in more than €100m as the likes of Kevin De Buyne and Ivan Perisic left.

With just eight games remaining, Wolfsburg sit ten points off Germany’s final Champions League qualification place.

Luiz Gustavo

Cristiano Ronaldo

Bernat wants Bayern to win treble for Guardiola

J

uan Bernat hopes he and his Bayern Munich team-mates can give Pep Guardiola the ideal send-off when he departs for Manchester City at the end of the season.

Guardiola is set to take over from Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium, with Carlo Ancelotti the man to replace the Spaniard at the Allianz Arena.

Any concerns over a lack of focus for Guardiola and Bayern in the closing weeks of 2015-16 have been quickly dispelled, with the club looking in good shape to record a second treble in four seasons.

Bayern hold a seven-point lead over Borussia Dortmund with four Bundesliga games remaining, booked their spot in the DFB-Pokal final with a 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin, and have a Champions League semi-final clash with Atletico Madrid to come.

And versatile left-sided player Bernat wants to give his compatriot the perfect conclusion to bow out on.

Xabi Alonso is a vastly experienced customer when it comes to the last four of the Champions League, and the midfielder believes that can only aid his team’s cause when they face Atletico in the first leg in Madrid next week.

Bernat

FCT FA board visits new FCT acting director of sports

By Albert Akota

T

he Board of the FCT Football Association yesterday visited the new FCT Acting Director of Sports Chief (Mrs) Dilichukwu Onyedinma in her office.

The former NFF Executive Board Member assumes the position on Monday following the retirement of the former Director Malam Alim Musa on Friday 15th April, 2016.

Speaking at the occasion, the FCT FA Chairman Alhaji Musa Talle

congratulated the Acting Director for her appointment into the position.

He expressed optimism that with her records in Sports Administration in the country, that there is no doubt that the FCT Administration would surely confirm her as the substantive Director of Sports in the Capital City.

The FCT FA boss urged the new Director to use her wealth of experience to turn sports around in the FCT “it is a known fact that Sports in FCT is at the lowest realm. In the past, FCT was a force to reckon with in various

Sporting competitions in the country and beyond, but today, that cannot be said.

The Board of the FA has a lot of confidence on you, so also is other Association and we believed very much in your abilities”.

He finally appealed to the new Acting Director to start thinking of revisiting the issue of disbandment of the FCT Queens, as this would help greatly in empowering the girl child, and taking them permanently out of the streets.

Responding, the Acting Director Chief (Mrs) Dilichukwu Onyedinma was full of appreciation to the Board of the FCT FA. She said that the Board remains very vibrant and made up of men and women of good and great ideas. She promised to work closely with them and other Sports Associations to return FCT where it rightly belongs in the country.

She appeals to the FA to always feel free to approach her office with those ideas that would develop football firstly in Capital city and beyond.

Sport

B

Cavendish wins second stage to lead Tour of Croatia

ritain’s M a r k Cavendish has won the second stage of the Tour of Croatia.

The 30-yearold Team Dimension Data rider got the better of Italian Giacomo Nizzolo in a reverse of the result from Tuesday’s opening stage.

Cavendish’s Australian team-mate Mark Renshaw was third in Wednesday’s hilly 240km stage from Plitvicka Jezera to Split.

Manxman Cavendish now holds the overall lead from Nizzolo in the event, which continues until Sunday.

Manxman Mark Cavendish now leads the Tour of Croatia

Scott opts out of golf event at Rio to focus on PGA Tour

A

ustralia’s Adam Scott has announced he will not compete at the 2016 Olympics, in order to focus on the PGA Tour.

The world number seven, who won the 2013 Masters, had previously described Olympic golf as an “exhibition”.

The sport returns for the Games in Rio after a 112-year absence.

“My decision has been taken as a result of an extremely busy playing schedule and other commitments, both personal

Blackwell ponders boxing exit

and professional,” the 35-yearold said in a statement.

Australia had hoped to pair Scott with world number one Jason Day. Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt said: “We’re obviously disappointed Adam will not play because he’s one of the best players in the world but we understand his position.”

Fiji’s Vijay Singh, a threetime major winner, announced last week that fears over the Zika virus would prevent him competing in Brazil.

Blackwell was making the third defence of his title

N Adam Scott is ranked seventh in the world

Britain to G face Serbia on clay at Belgrade in Davis Cup

ick Blackwell says he will not fight again after sustaining serious head injuries in his British middleweight title loss to Chris Eubank Jr. Blackwell, 25, was placed in a coma with bleeding in his skull after his 10th-round defeat at London’s Wembley Arena on 26 March.

“No that’s me done,” the Briton tweeted after being

reat Britain will continue the defence of their Davis Cup title by facing Novak Djokovic’s Serbia team on clay at the Tasmajdan Stadium in Belgrade.

The quarter-final tie takes place outdoors from 15-17 July.

“Now we know the surface and venue, our preparations can go to the next level,” said GB captain Leon Smith.

Serbia, winners in 2010, beat a GB side containing Andy Murray the last time they met in 2006, with Djokovic winning both his singles rubbers in a 3-2 win.

GB began this season’s campaign with a 3-1 victory over Japan in Birmingham, while Serbia defeated Kazakhstan 3-2.

asked on the social media site if he would be making a comeback.

“I can’t put my friends and family and self through that again.”

Blackwell wants to stay in the sport in some capacity and said he holds “no hard feelings” towards Eubank Jr as he continues his recovery.

Andy Murray led GB to victory over Belgium in last year’s final

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Sport

Page 45

P-i-c-t-o-r-i-a-l

Newcastle recovered from Sergio Aguero’s controversial goal to earn a valuable draw with Manchester City.

Holders TP Mazembe of the DR Congo are eliminated from the African Champions League by John Toshack’s Wydad Casablanca

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams claimed the top accolades at this year’s Laureus World Sports Awards.

From a first-time runner fighting against the odds to taking part in 36 consecutives London Marathons, there are many inspirational stories from people lacing up their trainers for this year’s event.

Six of England’s Grand Slam-winning squad are among the nominations for the 2016 European player of the year award.

Sport

Reasons behind Barcelona poor performances

Having lost their last three matches in La Liga and got knocked out of the Champions League, Barcelona’s season is in danger of completely falling apart. Goal runs down the 10 reasons why it has all come unstuck so quickly.

Barcelona did sign Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal last summer and the two finally made their debuts when the transfer ban came to an end in January. However, they missed a total of 30 games and have been unable to adapt to the team since finally making their bows at the beginning of the year.

Xavi departed after winning the treble and Pedro chose to join Chelsea in August, leaving Barca short of quality options on the bench and unable to replace them straight away, still banned from fielding new players in 2015.

Luis Enrique is a big admirer of Rafinha, a player he took to Celta on loan and who looked set to feature heavily this season. However, the youngest of the Alcantara brothers was seriously injured against Roma in September and sidelined for six months, meaning he was unable to provide cover for the midfield and attack as planned. Barca lost a very good player and also one who would have provided much-needed depth from the bench.

With Pedro gone and nobody to replace him, Barca set their sights on Nolito in the winter window but was unable to find the funds to sign the Spain striker. That has seen a large burden placed on the shoulders of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, with the sheer volume of games taking their toll on Barca’s fantastic forward line.

Luis Enrique has handed debuts to seven youngsters - Juan Camara, Gerard Gumbau, Aitor, Wilfrid Kaptoum, Romera, Carles Alena and Sergi Samper. The latter is easily the most talented of those, but has been largely overlooked and is also now sidelined through injury. In the meantime, the talented Alen Halilovic was allowed to join Sporting Gijon on loan for the season.

This season, Luis Enrique described his famed forward line as the best trident in the history of the game and such was their brilliance, it was hard to disagree. However, Neymar has looked out of sorts since the Ballon d’Or and Lionel Messi has been a shadow of his usual self over the past few games.

Luis Enrique seems strange to announce that the trip to Anoeta is “the most difficult away match of the season” yet then pick Rafinha and Arda Turan in midfield for the game against Real Sociedad. The Barca boss has also been unable to rotate his MSN attack with any real success and has largely failed to change games with his substitutions when things have been going against his side. He must take a significant share of the blame.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday, april 21, 2016

Page 47

Leisure

Some Interesting Facts 1. 9. South Africa is rated 3rd in the world in supplying safe, drinkable tap water.

3. 10. The Palace of the Lost City resort hotel is the largest theme resort hotel in the world as well as the largest building project undertaken in the southern hemisphere.

5. 11. Walt Disney serves South African wine exclusively at its 73-acre Animal Kingdom Lodge in the United States.

7. 12. South Africa has the cheapest electricity in the world.

13. The deepest mine is a gold mine in South Africa. in 1977 the Western Deep Levels Mine reached a depth of 11,749 feet. Most mines descend to about PUBLIC NOTICE

EDENSQUARE CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORM THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CAC FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DEGREE NO.1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. PASTOR BASIL CHUKWUEZI (CHAIRMAN ) 2.PASTOR (MRS)VAL ESTHER CHUKWUEZI (SECRETARY ) 3.MRS PATRICIA ONUORAH (MEMBER) THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CAC, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

WINDING-UP THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 PRIVATE COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES TECHNOBRAIN WEST BLUE NIGERIA LIMITED PURSUANT TO SECTION 468(1) 2 OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED METTERS ACT, 1990.

NOTICE OF FINAL GENERAL MEETING. Notice is hereby given in pursuance to section 468(1) & (2) of the companies and allied matters Act, 1990 that a general meeting of the members of the above named company will be held at the registered office of the company at 25b, Rhie street, off Ibrahim Babangida way, Wuse 11, Abuja at 10pm prompt on the 1st June, 2016 for the purpose of having an account laid before them showing the manner in which the winding up has been conducted and property of the company disposed off and hearing any explanation (s) that may be given by the liquidator Dated 19th day of April, 2016. thank you. signed: DR. GBENGA ODEYEMI CHATTERED ACCOUNTANT (Liquidator)

SALISU

I, formerly known as Sefina andy isah now wish to be known and addressed as isa sophia andy. All former documents remain valid and the general public should please take note.

3,300 feet.

14. South Africa is the only country in the world to voluntarily abandon its nuclear weapons program.

15. South Africa has 19,004 miles of railway track - 80% of Africa’s rail infrastructure.

16. South Africa generates two-thirds of Africa’s electricity.

17. The Tugela Falls is the second highest waterfall in the world, where the water tumbles down 2,789 feet. First place goes to the Angel Falls in Venezuela at 3,212 feet.

18. Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world - and the largest green one. The Grand Canyon in the U.S. is the biggest, and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia the second, but both are very dry.

19. South Africa is home to the world’s smallest succulent plants (less than 0.39 inches) and the largest (the baobab tree).

20. Kimberley may have the biggest man-made hole in the world, but did you know that the southern Free State town of Jagersfontein has the deepest vertical man-made hole?

The Nigeria Senate of Bukola Saraki’s Show Contd from page 48

naivety of Nigerian politicians that an elected officer could be going to head the senate from the accused dock box. At least for the period the case may last the Senate should have respected themselves even when they have no respect for most of us. I happen to know many respected Nigeria Senators. We may recall the President of Kenya case who had to go to the Hague in the dock box. A temporary arrangement was made to have another seating President for Kenya different from the one in the dock box. Hence even if 100% everything is political the needful steps should have been followed to avoid docking the entire or over 70% of the house.Nigeria‘s democracy and politics have no other means of growing except through its daily experience and happening of intrigues and counter intrigues. How we address each case successfully will produce the growth but each failure will produce the unwanted growing to enthroning the mafia the more. Hence while the show may have some political undertones it is not unusual in politics.

The unknown actor, who may really be the main actor yet to be unmasked, may come from the presidency or the executive arm of government.

Nevertheless, while we pursue such a possibility someone said recently that the enemies of each house always live in the house. Saraki may be advised to check his own house and so called loyalists. Hence what we are seeing may not just be from the executive arm fueling and fanning unsettled senate arm of government but individual senators fighting it dirty using all means. They

link theemergence of Saraki as the Senate President to its current woes. The allegation claimed that some unknown supporters of Saraki at that time, diverted the attention of the yet to besworn in senators away from participating in the selection. Unlike the Senate the House of Representatives conducted an election that saw a winner, even though different from the choice of the party.

The major actor may finally emerge from this underlying thought. They do not think that politicians from Kwara State could so oppose their former governor and his godfather family. But don’t underestimate any actor in a new film.

It will be an unending film show. The actors have no show of same or sense of decency hence the film will be in series with replacing casts.

The public expectations will be dashed as usual. Nigerians are used to their leader’s’ disappointment, institutional failures, miscarriage of justice and the like. For example, what is the effect of “Abacha Returned Loot” that is not transferable to infrastructural improvement but rather more contracts for western governments and cash in the hands of Nigeria leaders only? We read about $90 billion, $20 billion, politicians returning looting but no conviction so far, no list of loobting returnees,

no disclosure of what to do with such loot. Yet we hear of more of borrowing from IMF and from others. Nigeria has a unique opportunity to impress on their government to be serious for once and stop playing with our common sense. We went to the same schools with children of these established families but they perpetually perpetuate their own generation in government and national treasuries while the gaps between the poor and the rich families wideningcontinually.

What the film is campaigning for is not that there shouldn’t be established families living side by side with less established other families. It has been written that life should be like that. What we rather abhour is a situation of lack of development in the midst of natural abundant blessing simply because a few prefer to live stealing or unable to identify those that can rule the nation and develop it well. We lack not only the legal document to use in building our national but even the individuals to write such documents. Those who find themselves acting in this film must act well knowing that their own very existence depends on their performance.

The world is watching with keen interest.

Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi is of the University of Ilorin

www.peoplesdailyng.com

THURsday, april 21, 2016

SPORTS latest

Mourinho to manage charity game at Old Trafford

J

ose Mourinho will soon get to test out life in the manager’s seat at Manchester United sooner than many expect.

Mourinho and Leicester City’s Claudio Ranieri were announced yesterday as the managers for Soccer Aid, a match which raises money for Unicef to be played at Old Trafford on June 5.

Former Chelsea boss Mourinho will take charge of the England team while Ranieri will be in charge of the Rest of the World side.

Mourinho has been linked with several jobs since being sacked from a second stint at Chelsea in December.

But before he starts any new job, he will lead a team of English celebrities and football legends, with Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce and singer Robbie Williams, co-founder of the event, as assistants.

“I want to be the first one to win the Soccer Aid trophy for both teams,’’ said Mourinho, who guided the Rest of the World team to victory in 2014.

Neuer signs contract extension with Bayern Munich

B

ayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the German champions until 2021, the club confirmed yesterday.

The 30-year-old Germany No 1, who joined Bayern from Schalke 04 five years ago, has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in Bavaria that includes a Champions League triumph in 2013 as part of a treble-winning season.

Neuer, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany in Brazil, has also won the Bundesliga three times and the German Cup twice in his five years at Bayern.

The Bavarians can clinch a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title if results go their way on Saturday.

Chasing another treble this season under Spaniard Pep Guardiola, Bayern are also through to the German Cup final and face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last four next week.

Bayern, have already extended deals for several other players to 2012, including Jerome Boateng, Thomas Mueller and David Alaba.

Advert: business: news: lagos:

. . . putting the people first

QUOTABLE QUOTE Government wants to curb extremism associated with religious beliefs and not to stop evangelism in the state or stop people from practicing their faith — Governor Nasir el-Rufai

The Nigeria Senate of Bukola Saraki’s Show

I

t may not have come to the minds of many Nigerians that what we currently have ongoing in the Senate arm of Nigeria Government is nothing but a film show. The principal actors are beginning to unmask but we need to wait to the end of the show before we can find an appropriate title for the show and tag the actors. What we see or hear so far is just the very beginning of a show that may not end until past the midnight. While the show plays on we already notice lots of flaws and inconsistencies of the immoral and unsustainable wealth inequality and poverty distribution prevailing in Nigeria.

This is a background of the show and whether the show can provide a clue to the ill economic perpetrators if not the solution of getting out of it. At least we may be able to identify the national enemies. Are they the politicians, the judiciary, the elites represented by over 80 lawyers, the police unable to find tangible evidence to make a conviction, the executive always ready to play game or even the masses always ready to be settled on few naira notes and a small meal?

Majority of Nigerians have been forced to live with unnecessary hardship which nature has not created for us but brought by the mindless politicians turned commedy actors. We are not interfering with any of the court, CCT, EFCC, police investigations nor do we have additional information that may assist them. But we know that Nigeria could have been spared this unnecessary delay of programme implementation that could positively affect the lives of ordinary people. We also note that Nigeria has always had bad luck in selecting its leaders.

Nature has been most kind to Nigeria in all areas like natural resources, human resources, geographical location, annual weather, intellectual distribution, etc but the wrong persons always get enthroned to lead. Our students may like to study this claim “the mafia rules in Nigeria“.

Otherwise when you bring in a world economist to be in charge of financial affairs,and that becomes the very moment for looting and the looters, something is amiss.

Thereby you destroy not only the economy and Nigerians but the

0806 564 8620 0704 385 9705 0814 292 9046 08074420617

Thursday Column

By Prof R. A. Ipinyomi

Senator Bukola Saraki very so called excellent Nigerian world economist is destroyed forever just because they serve at home. It is a plague.

Back to the show where more than 80 of the 109 (over 70% of them) Nigeria Senators thought that they need to appear in the show of “their leader”. Senators please let us assume for a moment that the battle is between two ideologically different political parties. But in this case there seems to be no major ideological difference between the former PDP in power and the new APC there now except a Buhari. This same Buhari had been rejected more than thrice hitherto. They decided to settle on him, not for their love for the country, but because they ran out of looting ideas and reached the end of the rope within them as PDP. This is one scene of the show. Hence the over 70% of Nigeria Senators who thought that they were elected to attend court cases with their colleague are doing so for many undisclosed reasons best known to them individually. If you can burn the night candle you might get a bit from the free film show.

Another scene is the judiciary system where the same case can be heard in different courts, different towns, different levels of courts etc. There will be a day to address the Nigeria law, the Nigeria lawyers and the entire law system. I have interest in the law system not just because my daughter is a PhD lawyer but much more because even between

me and the said Dr Mrs lawyer there is a big disagreement. But in this show of wigs let many a lawyer know that they are major stakeholders in the Nigeria law system beyond money making.

Right now many of them think that success is measured by the fatness of the bank accounts or the acquisition of physical and material wealth. Hence a former Nigeria Antony may take up any case against the very system and government it once served. Today a lawyer can argue against but tomorrow he is ready to argue in favour. There must have to be a sense of moral justice, consistent pursuing a goal by each lawyer (eg specialisation or goal and objectives of service). The whole drama should not be just about money and who can buy justice or who can twist it base on any amount of cash on the table. In this unfolding show, and many like it that may come up in this Buhari’s tenure, many lawyers are going to destroy themselves by how they choose to interpret the same law and the different circumstances. We may be able to see shining examples but this is a dirty rated film where anyactor is more likely to soil their reputation.

The public court and the news media is probably the most vocal and the actors to watch. Without all the evidence and counter evidence on the table the public court already reached its on conclusion and recommendations.

You can get to them on Facebook, and others. Each actor is playing to this public forum, may be to win some sympathy and possible support. Their support is crucial for the accusers and the accused, for the judges and the lawyers, for the senators and those of them involved in both false asset declaration and those who didn’t know that they should properly do so. Many people take form filling for granted. For example when you applied for a university admission, or applied for a job, or a loan a friend, your parents or a brother might have completed

the form for you and signed, with or without your permission.

This case would help our system that wherever an error has been introduced into a system, that error will make us culprits and culpable. How we plea, when confronted with the truth, also maters at the end. We may remain adamant, repentant andshameful truly, or remain blind to the system as before. The court of public opinion has no effect or power to award a conviction but they can make their government ungovernable and their perceived “guilty person” live in hell the rest of its life. The court of public opinion is a big stakeholder even when the mafia is strong and brute. Fairness, openness and justice are the only elements that can tame the court of public opinion anywhere and even here in Nigeria. Yet public opinion may not always be right.

There is an allegation that the fight is actually between two established godfathers from Lagos and from Ilorin. We have since dismissed such insinuations but it may carry a little percentage of truth. Suppose the allegation has 5% of truth. The case also claims that the entire exercise is politically motivated. If that also is true and there was no falsehood in asset declaration the exercise will kill itself in time. However if there was a gross asset declaration and opponents are taking advantage of the situation to cut the wings of their opponents it is still a healthy politicking. It is because of the Contd on page 47

DAN GAYE

Fuel queues to go by next week - Kachikwu

We are tired of promises

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