Friday, December 23, 2016 Edition

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Friday, December 23, 2016/ Rabi’u Awwal 23, 1438 AH

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

. . . putting the people first

FG rehabilitates 110 health centres with N550m pAGE 5

@pmlonline

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Vol. 24 No. 100 N150

Military formations for troubled areas in S’ Kaduna page 5

Paris Club:

Buhari releases N553bn debt refund to states Urges govs to pay salaries page 5

Vice President Prof Yemi Osibanjo(2ndleft) Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed (3rdleft) Chairman Pinnacle Broadcast Limited, Sir. Lucky Omoluwa and Minister for Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, during the Digital Switch Over Roll out, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Rivers re-run: IGP begins probe of Wike’s leaked audio pAGE 2

Civil Defence arrests 2,000 pipeline vandals in Rivers pAGE 3

Taraba workers shut secretariat over unpaid salaries >> pg 3

pAGE 10

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, december 23, 2016

News

CONTENTS News 2-10 Editorial 11 Op.Ed 12 Letters 13

Ikoyi, Victoria Island, others to experience power outage – Eko Disco

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he Management of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc, EKEDP, has announced that there will be an interruption in power supply to some areas within its network on December 29 for routine maintenance.

The company’s General Manager, Communication, Godwin Idemudia,

made this announcement in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

Mr. Idemudia said that the power outage would occur between the hours of 10 a.m. in the morning and 2 p.m. in the afternoon.

He said that the planned power outage was occasioned by routine maintenance work to be carried out

on Ijora-Alagbon 132kv line.

According to him, areas to be affected by the outage are Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Obalende, Banana Island and Lagos Island.

The EKEDC spokesman said that the routine maintenance to be carried out was for better efficiency of power facilities so as to enhance improved

Kogi Govt budgets N174bn for 2017 fiscal year

Politics 15-17 Business Stockwatch

service delivery to the company’s customers.

He appealed to customers to bear with the company for the inconvenience the outage might cause, adding that power supply would be restored immediately the maintenance work was concluded.

(NAN)

19-20 18

From Ahmad Ibrahim Lokoja

G

Yuletide:FG declares Monday, Tuesday public holidays Page 8

Int’l 23-24 Metro

21-22

Feture 26 Sports 27-28 Columnist 32

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R-L: Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, his Sokoto and Kebbi counterparts, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu respectively in the Council Chamber of the Kaduna State Government House, during the meeting of the Forum of State Governors of North West, yesterday in Kaduna .

Rivers rerun: IGP begins probe of Wike’s leaked audio

By Ese Awhotu with agency report

A

pparently disturbed by the ugly developments in Rivers State following the last election rerun, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has constituted a 15-man panel to probe allegations involving phone calls received by Governor Nyesome Wike as well as the violence that trailed the exercise.

The probe panel is headed

by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Damien Okoro.

Other members of the panel include intelligence,

investigative and forensic experts from the police and the Department of State Services.

The IGP who disclosed this during the inauguration of the panel yesterday in Abuja, said that, “The panel members are to among others, conduct a thorough investigation into the role of security agents before, during and after the election; examine the role of any police officer or security agents whose actions or activities individually or collectively affected the conduct of the election.”

He gave the terms of reference of the panel to include, conducting a forensic

OUR MISSION “To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

analysis on the audio report

by Sahara Reporters against Wike as it concerns the election; examine any other matter that is relevant to the conduct of the elections and make recommendations and implementation strategies to guide future elections.

The IGP also charged the probe panel members to consult all relevant stakeholders, including the Rivers state government, citizens, the Civil Society Organizations and the Independent National Electoral Commission in carrying out its duties.

The panel has 30 days to work and submit its findings.

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

overnor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has presented a budget of N174, 851,544, 523 before the state House of Assembly for the next fiscal year.

Addressing the lawmakers yesterday, the governor disclosed that the budget tagged “Budget of New Direction” is over N74 billion higher than that of the out-going year.

He said out of the total amount budgeted, N81, 666, 321, 024 is estimated as recurrent revenue, consisting of N32, 181, 492, 459 from internal sources, N35, 309, 699, 767 as state’s share from the federation account while over N8 billion s expected as revenue from Value Added Tax. The governor also disclosed that the estimated capital receipts is N93, 185, 232, 499 while N116, 320, 140, 269 are funds expected to be available for capital development projects, even as recurrent expenditure is N58, 531, 404, 254.

He said the objective and target of the budget is aimed at completing the on-going projects and incrementally add new projects in the critical areas of need, enhance greater transparency and proper accountability in the state’s public expenditure management as well as reduce the domestic debt profile of the state among others.

The speaker of the state assembly, Rt. Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam had earlier in a remark, decried the nonpayment of large number of staff arising from the screening exercise, urging the governor to take decisive action in tackling the ugly trend.

He also commended the governor for the renovation of the assembly complex, assuring that they would continue to partner with him in ensuring that democracy dividends are delivered to the people.

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

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, december 23, 2016

News

…Deploys 3,000 personnel in Kaduna for peaceful yuletide From Femi Oyelola, kaduna

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he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is to deploy over 3,000 personnel comprising uniform and under-cover operatives for a peaceful celebration of the Christmas in the state .

The Commandant of the Corp in kaduna state, Alhaji Modu Bunu stated this in a press statement made available to the media in kaduna yesterday.

Alhaji Bunu added that this has become necessary because the state is plagued with challenges in the areas of kidnapping abduction, cattle rustling, armed robbery and thuggery (Sara-suka) among other forms of criminalities.

He called on the residents of kaduna state to be vigilant and report suspected acts, gatherings, objects and persons to security agencies before, during and after the yuletide The measure, he added, is expected to yield optimum protection of lives and property in the state. He said he has directed a mass deployment of over 3,000 personnel comprising uniform and undercover operatives.for a peaceful celebration. “ The command has already commenced routine patrol of suspected black spots in all the LGAs and Kaduna metropolis to prevent the breakdown of law order. I “t is therefore in the interest of parents and guardians to caution their children and wards to shun violent acts. All perpetrators of criminal and violent acts will be arrested and sanctioned accordingly.

“The command is calling on the good people of Kaduna State who love peace to cooperate with us and other sister agencies to protect the people better. “ We remain resolute in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure with your support through timely reports and urge you to continue.

As a strategy for effective disaster management, we urge residents to exercise caution in the usage of electrical appliances.

“This would no doubt reduce incidence of fire disasters especially as we are in the hamattan season. On the menace of cattle rustling, we have held a meeting with Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and measures are being put in place to respond appropriately to the problem. “ It is therefore hoped that if proactive measures are taken seriously with peculiar consideration in certain areas, we would have attained optimum security that is desirable.” he said

Ag News Editor Ese Awhotu

NSCDC arrests 2000 oil vandals in Rivers

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he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Rivers Command, said it had arrested more than 2000 persons for alleged oil pipeline vandalism and other crimes between January and December.

The command’s spokesman, Oguntuase Michael, a Chief Superintendent of Corps, said on

Thursday that out of the figure, 44 had been convicted.

He said others were being tried in court.

He warned the youth to shun pipeline vandalism as according to him, the pipelines were being heavily guarded 24 hours.

He also advised them to engage in

legitimate activities to earn a living.

He said, “They should not go near any pipeline as the pipelines are heavily guarded 24 hours by the Corps.”

Michael disclosed that more than 6000 Corps had been deployed to flash points in different locations in the state.

He said the objective was to nip pipeline vandalism among other criminal activities in the bud, especially during the Christmas festivities.

He recalled that the command had embarked on a sensitisation campaign in the State, especially in Omoku and Ahoada areas to educate

SGF corruption charge: Senate plans to frustrate 2017 budget – Group alleges

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

RL-: Yobe Information Commissioner Aji Yerima Bularafa, Emir of Fika Alhaji Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, Emir of Damaturu Alhaji Shehu Hashimi II Ibn Umar El-Kanemi and Emir of Machina Alhaji Bashir Mai Bukar Machinama after the presenting of a trophy and awards won by Yobe contingents to the 201`6 Abuja Carnival at Government House, yesterday in Damaturu

Nasarawa Govt receives N8.4bn refund from Paris club

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overnor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State on Wednesday acknowledged that the state had received the sum of N8.4 billion as refund from overdeduction from the Paris Club loan.

Mr. Al-Makura acknowledged this while receiving report of the Tripartite Committee involving the state government, organised labour and the Federal Ministry of Labour and productivity in Lafia on Wednesday.

The committee was naugurated

on September 1 to resolve the lingering crisis between government and organised labour in the state over issues of salary and other entitlements.

He explained that N5.4 billion of the money was for the state while local government areas got N3 billion.

According to Al-Makura, 50 per cent of the refund would be dedicated to the payment of staff salaries as directed by the Federal Government.

The governor said that in accordance with the directive, N2.7billion would be used to augment salaries and pension of workers and pensioners owing to the dwindling allocation.

He expressed hope that the financial situation of the country and of the state improved in the coming year.

Mr. Al-Makura, therefore, urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the present administration as better days lie ahead.(NAN)

Police rescue kidnapped traditional ruler in Delta From Asaba

Osakhare

Erese

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he Delta State Police Command has rescued kidnapped traditional ruler of Agbarha kingdom, HRH Orhifi Enemor II. Mr. Andrew Aniamaka, Police Image Maker in the state who confirmed the rescue of the traditional ruler, yesterday in Asaba, said: “The traditional Ruler of Agbarha, HRM Orhifi Enemor II who was kidnapped by suspected herdsmen was rescued by men of the Ossisa vigilante group and the police.

He was rescued unhurt and no ransom paid”.

As it were, the traditional ruler, Orhifi Enemor II, of Agbarha kingdom was on Wednesday kidnapped by unknown persons on his way to Asaba for the monthly meeting of traditional rulers, around Ossisa Bridge, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the state as his abduction laid ambush for him unsuspectingly.

It was gathered that the king’s abductors had demanded for a N50 million ransoms as they consistently made contacts with family members.

Unconfirmed sources

said his abductors allegedly removed the king’s crown and buried it inside the bush, this act that was, however, dispelled to be untrue by the Police Image Maker, Mr. Andrew Aniamaka.

Among other things, our informed sources said HRM, Okukeren III, Ovie of Arhavwarien in Urhobo kingdom escaped during the kidnap melee, but his car was shot at and riddled with bullets.

Speaking on a telephone, the rescued king said: “I thank God for his mercies, security agents, vigilante men, my story with my abductors was untold”

T

he Civil Society Desk has accused the Senate of planning to frustrate the 2017 budget submitted recently to the National Assembly by President Mohammadu Buhari, alleging that this was the agenda behind the recent call by the lawmakers for the sack of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, for purported contract inflation.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, the coordinator of the group, Emeh Friday Eleojo, said the call for the sack of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) by the Senate is not only unacceptable, but also condemnable.

“For such call to come at this time when all efforts are geared towards reversing the hardship imposed on Nigerians by bad economy; when Nigerians are focused on stabilized democratic governance, is implicative of the set of self serving leaders in the Nigeria Senate.

“It is worrisome that certain self acclaimed leaders in the Senate would find time to make chaffy decisions and indulge in irrelevant statements like the worthless call for the sack of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)”, he said.

It said that such pointless attacks at the office of SGF are undesirable in the Nigerian polity at this time of her political development, adding that the call for the sack of the SGF smacks of personal grudges and acrimony by the Nigerian senate which he said will not move the country forward.

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News

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, December 23, 2016

Isyaku Bukar replaces Soladoye as Air Force technology institute commandant From Femi Oyelola:kaduna

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he Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), based in Kaduna. has a new Commandant in the person of Air Vice Marshal Isyaku Bukar who replaced Air Vice Marshal Musibahu Soladoye who proceeds on his retirement from the Service, Air Vice Marshal Isyaku Bukar who took over the mantle of leadership in a hand over parade in kaduna yesterday is the 23rd Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), AVM Isyaku Bukar, a graduate

of Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, was the pioneer Head, Department of Aircraft Engineering AFIT and Director, Air Engineering, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force until his appointment as 23rd AFIT Commandant.

Speaking during handing and taking over ceremony at the institute’s headquarters, the outgoing commandant said, the institute has achieved various milestones since he took over as commandant on the 7th August, 2015, as evident in passage of the AFIT enactment

bill by the National Assembly and the registration of over 65 engineering officers with Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigerian (COREN).

Aside from its obligatory mandate of logistics personnel training, AVM Soladoye said that, the institute is involved in vigorous research and development activities in diverse areas of aircraft and aerospace ground equipment development.

He then appreciated the Institute’s personnel for their assistance when he was commandant and we implored them to extend the same gesture

the incoming commandant.

In his remarks, AVM Bukar said, a training institution cannot be static, but has to be dynamic in order to move the Air Force and the country security forward.

“We have to keep pace with all the challenges bedeviling the country because training institutions are what maintain and provide the personnel that carry out all the duties within the Service. The best we can do is to add value to whatever we meet so that those that will come after us do the same,” he said.

Governor Muhammed Abubukar of Bauchi State; Attorney-General of Bauchi State, Mr. Rabi Umar; and other officials during 2016/2017 Legal Year Ceremony, at the High Court complex, yesterday in Bauchi. Photo: NAN

Lawmaker, Zoro wants more funding for IPCR

By Ochiaka Ugwu

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he Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Hon Sanni Zoro has called for more funding for Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR).

Zoro who made the call yesterday in Abuja at the stakeholders’ consultative meeting and unveiling of the infrastructure for peace programme organized by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), said the role peace plays in our national development demands that we fund the institute more to domesticate peace building and peace infrastructure in our nation.

“Peace is the condition for everything. It should not be taken for granted. We risk self annihilation if we don’t do something fast to restore peace in our nation. It is a pity that we have undermined peace building that is why the hall is virtually empty.

This calls for greater funding of IPCR,” he said.

The former Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) President also called for the Refugee Commission

to be moved from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to Ministry of Interior for proper monitoring and activity.

Zoro stressed the need to have a Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to cushion the suffering of refugees in our society and given the fact that we have generalized violence in the country. We need to invest on peace building” he said.

Speaking earlier, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim represented by Amb. Ahmed Bala said the IPCR has partnered

with several state and non-state institutions and actors in building peace, saying these people and institutions will provide a ready structure for the infrastructure for Peace programme which the Institute is unveiling.

Continuing, she noted that at this critical moment of our history with incidences of frequent and recurrent violent conflicts in several parts of the country and the world, the imperatives to reinforce and strengthen structures of peace in our communities is of topmost priority and requires the muchneeded urgency of action.

Mrs. Ibrahim noted that the Infrastructure for Peace programme is very timely as the government is committed to bringing peace to all the conflictaffected areas in the country.

The Director-General of the Institute, Prof. Oshita O. Oshita in his welcome address informed that the Institute in pursuit of his mandate as National Peace Building and Conflict Management Institution from beginning adopted a collaborative approach and accordingly built robust and diverse partnerships with many state and non-state organizations.

We’re committed to resolving Southern Kaduna Crisis – Tagwai

By Ochiaka Ugwu

W

e are meeting with stakeholders from Southern Kaduna to know how best we can resolve the crises engulfing the region since 1987, the Head of Programme, Development and Peace Initiative Kaduna (DPI), Mr. Emmanuel Sunday Tagwai has said.

Mr. Tagwai who made the statement in Abuja in a media chat with newsmen yesterday said the aim of bringing stakeholders from Kaduna was to make them see reason for permanent peace in the area.

Tagwai noted that they brought mostly traditional rulers from the affected areas given the fact that they are community based.

The leader of the group also known as JDP/CARITAS blamed climate change and pressure on land for the remote causes of the crisis. He informed they have complimented the effort of government through Community Peace Partnership towards ameliorating the crisis.

He regretted that the conflict which emanated from land tussle has taken a religious dimension which if allowed to escalate will degenerate to mega conflict that will be hard to contain.

His words, “We have had meetings with both Christian and Muslim youth on how best to douse tension and settle the conflict. There is a lot of mistrust among the conflicting parties which is heightening the violent conflict. People also came from outside to fight. Government suppose to beef up security to fully protect the people as part of their responsibilities to the citizens” he said.

On the best way to resolve the conflict, Tagwai stressed the need for both farmers and herders to reenact their old relationship which saw them as friends and not foes, tasking the media to always go into investigative journalism and responsible reportage which he said will bring the violent conflict to the barest minimum.

Buhari congratulates new Tor Tiv, Ayatse

By Lawrence Olaoye

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Prof. James Ornguga Ayatse, on his election as Tor Tiv, the paramount ruler of the Tiv people.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday

by Buhari’s Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

Prof. Ayatse, a former Vice-

Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, is also the pioneer and immediate past ViceChancellor of the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State.

The President believes that Prof. Ayatse’s emergence as the paramount ruler of the Tiv people, is an affirmation of his strength of character, integrity, and moral authority, garnered over the years as a lecturer, erudite scholar and

administrator.

While urging all his subjects to rally round the new monarch to make his reign as Tor Tiv the fifth, a resounding success, the President Buhari urges the paramount ruler to use his revered office as a veritable platform for conflict prevention, peace building and development in the grassroots.

Commending the transparent process leading to the emergence of

the royal father after the demise of his predecessor, HRH, Alfred Akawe Torkula, Tor Tiv IV, last year, the President offers his best wishes to the new monarch as he prepares to ascend the throne of his ancestors.

President Buhari pledges that his administration will continue to recognise traditional institutions as key partners in progress in finding lasting solutions to sensitive issues in the country.

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, december 23, 2016

News

Buhari releases N553bn Paris Club debt refund to states

By Lawrence Olaoye

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has approved N552.74bn to be paid in batches to all the states of the federation, being Paris Club debt refund.

The president has therefore requested state governors to pay outstanding workers’ salaries with at least 25 percent of the refunds released to them from

FG rehabilitates 110 PHCs with N550m

•Urges govs to pay salaries excess deductions for external debt service.

Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this in a statement said that the 33 affected the states are to receive 25 per cent of their approved sums in the first instance before this week ends.

Garba said the President wants the issue of workers’ entitlements, particularly salary and pensions not to persist and to be treated with

utmost urgency.

He said President Buhari is of the opinion that the payment of salaries and pensions must be given priority to save both serving and retired workers and their families from distress.

He said a directive has already been issued on this issue through the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

Garba explained that , “When he assumed office last year, the President declared an emergency

on unpaid salaries, following the discovery that 27 out of the 36 states had fallen behind in the payments to their workers, in some cases for up to a year.

“Following this, a bailout loan was issued to the states twice, with a first batch of about N300bn given to them in 2015 in the form of soft loans.

“The administration also got the Debt Management Office to restructure their commercial loans of over N660bn and extended the

L-R: Representative of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, Chairman Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Board of Directors, Ambassador Shehu Malami; Minister of Federal Capital Territory Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and Managing Director, AEDC, Engr. Ernest Mupwaya, during the inauguration of AEDC metering project at APO, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

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he Federal Government on Thursday said it has committed N550m to renovate 110 primary healthcare facilities in the country as a pilot programme for the revitalisation of Primary Health Care Centres in Nigeria.

The Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole, made this known while briefing newsmen after inspecting the renovation of Kuchingoro PHC in Abuja.

Adewole said that the revitalisation of the PHCs was one of the key components of the Rapid Result Initiatives of the government.

He said the pilot phase comprised of 109 of the clinics across the country, stressing that we will pick one per senatorial district.

He added that additional one centre was in Fuka village of Niger where Lassa fever case was first recorded in 2015.

He said government has spent N7m on the renovation of PHC Kuchingoro in Gwarinpa Ward of Abuja Municipal Area Council.

He added that the revitalisation of the PHCs is the cardinal agenda of the Buhari administration.

He said, “We want to bring the healthcare services to the door step of our people and the only way to do that is to deliver health through a network of functional PHCs. “We are working with the state governors and development partners to replicate it in 10,000 electoral wards in Nigeria during the second phase of the initiative.

“When we have them working across the country we will be able to serve majority of Nigerians and provide an improve access to healthcare services to them.”

According to him, many of the ailments that take people to hospitals can be addressed at the PHCs, thereby decongesting the tertiary health facilities.

He said it is a partnership between the ministry, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and General Electric.

life span of the loans.

“Because this did not succeed in pulling many of the states out of distress, the Federal government this year gave out a further N90bn to 22 states as yet another bailout loans under very stringent conditions.”

Garba further explained that the refunds came about following the claims by the states that they had been overcharged in deductions for external debt service between 1995 and 2002.

S/Kaduna crisis: FG to establish military formations in hot spots-El-Rufai From Mohammad Ibrahim and Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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overnor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has disclosed that plans are underway to establish two military formations in the southern parts of Kaduna State.

Briefing newsmen yesterday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed door, El Rufai said the President was in support of his actions to bring normalcy to the troubled area.

Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i, urged the people of the state to hold the perpetrators of violence in Southern Kaduna responsible for the curfew the government slammed on them few days to Christmas.

The governor also gave the assurance that all the perpetrators of the violence would be apprehended and brought to book.

The Kaduna state government had yesterday slammed 24-hour curfew on the three local governments in the area including Zangon-Kataf, Kaura

and Jema’a.

Asked why he came to see the President, the governor said “I came to brief the President about the situation in Southern Kaduna. What happened in the last few days and outlined to him the measures we have been taking as state government with the support of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Security.

The President has given us unqualified support to stabilize the state and bring all those responsible for the violation our laws to justice.

So, we have the full support of the President to move on and we are quite confident that things will return to normal very soon.”

On his plans to continue imposition of curfew on the area even on Christmas day, the governor said “Well, we have curfew even on Christmas day but it is for twelve hours. People will be able to get out in the morning at 6am and be back at 6pm.

It is because of the security situation. I don’t think the state government should be blamed. Those

responsible for the violence that broke out in those parts of the state should be held responsible for that.

We have not imposed curfew in other parts of the state. We had to impose curfew here because of the situation that was caused by irresponsible behavior by certain people.”

The governor has during a media chart on Wednesday night in Kaduna, said that the state government got assurances of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Ministry of Defence and Chief of Army Staff on the request to site the military formations.

The proposed military formations will be sited in Fadan Karshi, in Sanga Local Government and Kauru Local Government Areas, the governor said: “We are talking with the President, the Minister of defense and the Chief of Army Staff to site two military formations in Southern Kaduna; one in Fadan Karshi in Sanga and the second one in Kauru local government area. And I will meet the President on Thursday (22/12/2016) in continuation of the project.

“The presence of these two military formations will help in securing lives and properties and provide rapid response to any act of criminality and the maintenance of law and order.

Two other military formations will be established in Birnin Gwari and Kubau local government areas.”

On the present security situation in Southern Kaduna, the governor further said: “The presence of security personnel has been beefed up in the area as part of measures to stem the tide of violence in the region. Two squadrons of mobile police have been drafted to the area. In addition, more military personnel have also been deployed to tackle the raising insecurity in the region.

“This is part of the state government’s effort to provide adequate security for the people during this Christmas and new- year celebrations.”

Meanwhile, the Council of Emirs and Chiefs in Kaduna State has vowed to proffer solution to the crisis bedeviling the southern part of the state.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECember 23, 2016

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News

Triumph Publishing Company comes upstream soon-Kano govt From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

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arely three years after the immediate past Governor of Kano State, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso shut down the Triumph Publishing Company, the present administration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said that preparation are on top gear to reopen the firm.

The state’s Commissioner of Information, Youth and Culture, Mallam Muhammad Garba made this known at the re-launching of a Kogi State based newspaper, The Graphic, held at the Royal Tropicana Hotel in Kano yesterday.

He said, “Arrangements have reached an advanced stage for reopening our state owned publishing company, the Triumph newspaper which was closed down by the immediate past administration of Kano state, under Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso. We will therefore speed up the arrangements to revive the newspaper company in order to showcase the enormous projects being provide for the people of Kano State by the administration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.”

Garba noted that reviving the Graphic Newspaper would not only be to the benefit of the government of Kogi State but would go along way in facilitating the dissemination of Information to the large and heterogeneous society.

According to him, as a product of state owned newspaper he was very much aware of the roles such medium plays in educating, informing and enlightening the society, pledging that the Kano State government would patronize the Graphic newspaper for further development.

In his remarks, the

Director General Kogi State Information Services and Grassroots Mobilization, Alhaji Abdulmalik Abdulkareem expressed satisfaction with the long existing cordial relationship between Kano and Kogi states especially by accommodating the indigenes of Kogi State without any discrimination.

He added that his state was

now trying to emulate Kano in allowing people from across the country to live and engage in their respective businesses and other activities in Kogi without any discrimination.

It would be recalled that Ganduje, in several occasions during his 2015 gubernatorial campaigns promised to revive the 36-year old Triumph Company.

People shopping for Christmas, yesterday in Lagos. Photo: NAN

Peace Corps commandant urges Nigerians to imbibe true spirit of Christmas

By Albert Akota

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he National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria Dr. Dickson Akoh has urged Nigerians in respective of religious affiliations to imbibe the true spirits of Christmas season with humility, tolerance, forgiveness, peace, generosity with exchange of gifts and love for the weak as well as the helpless during the yuletide.

Amb. Akoh who disclosed this in Abuja during media interaction to mark the end of 2016 activities at the Peace Corps of Nigeria headquarter, implored Nigerians to be vigilant and security conscious during and 0after the festive period to ensure smooth celebration.

The commandant, who extolled the virtue of Peace Corps of Nigeria corporate development and social responsibility to well meaning Nigerians, said the Corps visited Suleja prison earlier this year with relief materials and forty inmates with pardonable crime were set free.

He further said that the Peace Corps of Nigeria has signed MoU with Hajiya Hadiza Buhari’s Africa support and empowerment initiative for the rehabilitation of the released 21 Chibok girls as well willing to give N3.5m for the noble course.

Buhari felicitates with Niger: 60- year old beggar in police net over homosexualism Oyebola, veteran From Yakubu Mustapha,Minna.

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he Niger State Child’s Right Agency has arrested a 60 years old blind beggar identified as Idris Usman (Bagobiri) over homosexual activity committed against two young boys.

The suspect Bagobiri who was arrested while trying to escape from the state when he got the information that he is being trailed, confessed that he used to give his victims between N50 and N150 depending on the availability of resources in his possession.

He stated that it’s a bad habit that is not acceptable by God and humanity but was pushed by devil (Satan).

He also disclosed that he had no wife of his own but had a child with a woman in Lagos.

The two victims simply

identified as Mustapha 10 years old and Zangina 12 years old both JSS 11 students in their separate interview confirmed the incident saying that he used to invite them for the devilish act.

Zangina who is sick and went to Minna General Hospital for treatment was reported to be infected with bacteria in his body sequel to homosexualism and was referred to the agency for investigation hence the discovery.

The mothers of the victims, Umaima Umar and Fatima Umar said, however, that they were not aware that such a thing was going on, but thanked God that the law of the land has caught up with him.

The two further stated that these has been going on for about one year now and explained that they The Director General of

the agency, Barrister Mairam Haruna Kolo while speaking with the journalists in his office, said that when the case is established in the court of law after police investigation, the offender would face life in prison or 14 years imprisonment.

According to her, “this is a homosexual case with underage just as pinal code law stipulates live in prison while Child’s Right Act stipulates 14years in prison and compensation to the victim”.

He challenged parents on negligence on their part, insisted that they must be watchful over the kind of people their wards associate with and asked them questions when they are seen with money or other gifts.

He said that the present administration of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello was concerned with the protection of children’s rights

journalist at 80

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated a renowned journalist, author and publisher, Chief Areoye Oyebola, as he clocks 80 years onDecember 23rd, 2016.

In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, his Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President joined the entire media industry, publishers, family and friends of Oyebola in celebrating the lofty achievements of the octogenarian, who variously served as Editor of Daily Times, Commissioner in Western State of Nigeria, Oyo State, and the board of many public and private institutions.

He reiterated that the patriotism and commitment

displayed by Oyebola in nation building has been clearly demonstrated in his early participation in politics, and relentless pursuit of justice and fairness in joining NADECO and Afenifere during the troubling times in Nigeria’s democracy.

Buhari commended the untiring efforts of the veteran journalist and publisher in contributing to the development of Nigeria through the writing of many articles and books over many years, and most recently his courage to start an NGO, Movement for Nigeria’s Total Transformation (MNTT).

The President prayed that the almighty God will grant Oyebola longer life, good health and more strength to continue serving the country he loves, and humanity in general.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, December 23, 2016

News

Policeman docked for murder at checkpoint A

n Osogbo Magistrate’s Court in Osun on Thursday remanded a 48-year-old police officer, Pius Felix, in prison for alleged murder.

Mr. Felix, who is attached to Awo Police Station, Ede, is facing a count of murder.

The Magistrate, Olubukola Oluwolagba, ordered the accused kept in prison custody because

of the magnitude of his alleged offence.

The prosecutor, Mireti Wilson, told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 20 at Ara Junction, in Awo, Ede. He said the policeman killed one Micheal Ishola, who allegedly refused to stop his vehicle at a check point.

He told the court that the accused had threatened to shoot the deceased, if he failed to stop, and later did so.

He said the offence contravened Section 316 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. 11 Laws of Osun, 2003.

The plea of the accused was not taken and the case was adjourned to February 9, 2017 for mention. 7

L-R: Governor Chief Dave Umahi of Ebonyi; his Enugu State counterpart, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, during the South-East Economic and Security Summit, yesterday in Enugu. Photo: NAN

Ex LG boss arrested for possession of arms in Benue From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

I

mmediate past Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, Mr. Ijachi Udeh is been quizzed by the Benue Police for alleged possession of firearms, pump action rifles and pistols which were recovered from him last weekend.

Udeh who was said to have been arrested in Ogobia, Ugboju, alongside Sunday Ologum and Christian Ogah are currently being detained at the state CID in Makurdi, the state capital.

Several members of the community who preferred anonymity, in separate statements,

called for the prosecution of Udeh as a result of his past nefarious activities perpetrated against the community.

Some of his activities, they said, included the mobilisation of militant youths who went about killing, maiming and burning down property of those Mr Udeh perceived as his political adversaries.

They noted that since nobody is above the law, Mr Udeh should be made to face the consequences of his actions to serve as a deterrent to others.

However, leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the state, particularly from the

Idoma speaking area are said to be making frantic efforts to secure the release of the ex-council boss.

Reliable sources at the state police command informed Peoples Daily that the police is not disposed to the idea of granting bail to Mr Udeh and therefore, remand him at the Makurdi Minimum Prison to enable them exhaustively investigate the matter which poses serious threat to the security of the state and the country in general.

When contacted, the state police spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu said confirmed that the arrested ex-chairman is in their custody.

Yuletide : FRSC redeploys 800 personnel, prosecutes 22 traffic offenders in Adamawa From Umar Dankano,Yola The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Adamawa state sector command has deployed eight hundred (800) personnel to ensure traffic control during this year’s Christmas celebrations across the state.

Sector Commander, Mr. Adegoke Adetunji disclosed the development in an interview with newsmen in Yola Thursday

explaining that the command moblised 500 of its personnel and 300 special marshals for maintaining strict compliance with traffic rules to ensure safe driving in the state.

Mr. Adetunji said the command had organized special sensitization programs aimed at enlightening and educating motorists on the importance of obeying traffic regulations for safe driving.

Answering a question on defaulters of traffic laws in the state he stated that the command has prosecuted 22 offenders of various road traffic violation for traffic offences.

He said that the offenders were arrested by the command and convicted by a special mobile court on road traffic violation. “ The command’s mobile court has convicted 22 road traffic violators in Yola.

Zamfara CP vows to harmonize police service From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusaus Following Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris directives, the Zamfara State Police Command has launched the ‘Change begins with Me’ campaign to transform the Police to become accountable and responsive in the discharge of their duties.

Launching the campaign at the Zamfara State Police Command, the Commissioner, Alhaji Shaba Alkali said the ‘Change begins with Me’ campaign is aimed at achieving better service delivery in the Police.

“The campaign is aimed at enabling the Police to discharge its constitutional responsibilities and other duties based on International best practices of policing with integrity, and zero tolerance for corruption and ensure that the rule of law prevails in our day to day constitutional duties,” he said.

Alkali called on officers and men of the command to be diligent and ensure that they

create harmonious working relationship with the public, adding that, there could not be achievements without perfect understanding with the general public.

“It is my believe that as police officers, our duties are more of partnership, and that is why the command embraced the doctrine of community policing, and since assumption in office, I adopted an open door policy and also directed my officers to do same, so that members of the public can reach us with all forms of reports, observations or enquires for effective and efficient policing of the state,” he said.

The CP also launched Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) which he said is saddled with receiving and resolving all complaints of Police professional misconduct emanating from policing activities and operation.

He appealed to the public to cooperate with the Police and other security agencies in the fight to overcome the prevailing security challenges in the state.

Niger-Delta: Gov. Okowa urges stakeholders’ synergy to tackle insecurity From Osakhare Erese

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elta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has called for synergy among stakeholders in the Niger Delta region in the tackling of the myriad of security issues.

Speaking when he received the General Officer Commanding [GOC], 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt Major General Kasimu Abdulkarim and his team yesterday in Asaba, Governor Okowa said that it was imperative for the stakeholders including the security agencies, traditional rulers, opinion leaders, elders and youths to partner together to improve peace and security in the region.

“I am glad that a new division has been established to take care of the security issues in the region, also that a new brigade will be established in Asaba, Delta State, this will help improve security in the state, I want to commended the synergy among the security agencies in the state which has led to improved security and ensure peace”, he said, adding “ I

want to call for increased partnership between the security agencies and the traditional rulers, opinion leaders, elders, youths and other stakeholders in the region in handling the various security challenges”.

Governor Okowa commended Major General Abdulkarim on his appointment as the GOC of the new Division and assuring him of government’s support in the provision of the necessary infrastructure for the takeoff of the Division and the brigade in Asaba.

Earlier, Major General Abdulkarim said that they were in Asaba to brief Governor Okowa on the establishment of the new 6th Division with Headquarter in Port Harcourt and the new brigade in Asaba and to seek his support in meeting the challenges of the establishment.

He explained that the new Division which would cover Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta States would handle the security challenges in the region and help improve security.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, December 23, 2016

News

L-R: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewole; Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige; and Minister of Interior, retired Lt.Gen. Abdulrahaman Dambazzau, during the Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Yuletide:FG declares Monday, Tuesday public holidays

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Federal Government has declared Monday 26th, Tuesday 27th December, 2016 and Monday 2nd January, 2017 as Public Holidays to mark

the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year 2017 Celebrations respectively.

Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), made the declaration in a statement issued yesterday by

Youth group alleges disparity in SGF resignation letter

By Albert Akota

T

he National Youth Reform Group (NYRG) has alleged that the Senate forged the resignation letter purported submitted by the Secretary to the Government of the federation (SGF) Engr. Babachir David Lawal, to Rholavision Engineering Ltd. Disclosing this in Abuja during a press briefing, the chairman of the group Charles Olufemi Folayan, said investigation by his group had shown that Babachir resigned from the company August 18, 2015, before his appointment, while the letter from the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, is reading 2016 because the group has the original letter and the one with the Senate.

Folayan said: “It has been revealed that the allegation against the SGF has some elements of misinformation, lies

and forgery that the Senate leadership has once been accused of and the allegation is the handiwork of some agents of corrupt people, who have been prevented by the SGF from having their ways in government.

“We can no longer fold our arms and watch the people who are supposed to work for us now working against us and for their selfish interest.

The emergency of the current leadership of the senate led by Dr Saraki has always been a threat to this administration especially on the anti-graft crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari, considering the antecedents and character of the Senate President who is currently on trial for fraudulent declaration of asset and widely criticized by the people of his state for alleged diversion of public funds and property to his private pocket,” he said.

LECAN given 21-day ultimatum to announce election results

By Usman Shuaibu

A

member of the Licensed Electrical Contractor Association of Nigeria (LECAN), Abuja Chapter, Comrade Ayorinde David Ayeni (Chairmanship Candidate), has given a 21-day to the executives of the association a well as the electoral empire which conducted the 2016 chapter election to declare him as the true winner of the election.

He stated this in an interview with newsmen after the election was

conducted peacefully and votes were counted at the venue of the election on Saturday in Abuja, expressing with nostalgia as the electoral empire complained about over voting without announcing the chairmanship result.

Ayeni pleaded with his supporters to continue to maintain peace within the association, assuring them that his mandate will be given to him in due cost.

He called on the entire members to always obey the laid down rules and regulations guiding the association.

the Acting Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido.

He enjoined all Christian faithful and Nigerians in general to remain committed and supportive of the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari, in his

sustained efforts towards building a peaceful, united and prosperous nation.

Gen. Dambazau also urged Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for peace, unity and peaceful co-existence across the country.

FG urged to sign traditional medicine bill into law

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he herbal practitioners across the country have called on the Federal Government to deem it necessary to sign into law the Traditional Medicine Bill which has been pending before the National Assembly for so long now.

This was contained in a communiqué and made available to Peoples Daily at the end of the three days seminar tagged “The Skills Acquisition workshop on production and marketing of Traditional Herbal Medicine” which commenced on the 13th to 14th December, 2016.

The communiqué further asked the Federal Government to gear up towards promoting and developing the herbal medicine to acceptable international standard in order to meet up with orthodox medicine in the society.

“Government should also look into export potentials of herbal medicine with a view to boosting national economy and enhancing socio-economic growth and rural transformation”, the communiqué said.

The communique pleaded with the government of the day to establish the herbal research

gardens across the states of the federal including the FCT, so as to boost capacity building of the herbal practitioners through the workshops.

It is said that the skill acquisition workshop should be held frequently across the six geo-political zones of the nation to update the knowledge of the herbal practitioners, while calling for adequate funding for the training of herbal scholars as well as practitioners.

The communiqué, however, appealed to the government to put a stop to bush burning and uncontrolled deforestation so as to preserve medicinal bioresources.

Speaking during the workshop, the Desk officer at the FCT Department of Science and Technology, Hajiya Aisha Adamu, advised participants to use the knowledge they had acquired at the workshop to better the society.

Meanwhile, the workshop was organized in conjunction with the Academy of Natural Medicine Ibadan, the FCT Department of Science and Technology and the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners. (NANTMP).

AsabaOnitsha road auto crash claims 13 persons From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

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t least thirteen persons were on Wednesday confirmed dead by authority of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) while nine were said to have been injured and two others currently in coma in a multiple auto-crash along Asaba-Onitsha Expressway.

Mr. Random Kulven, Delta State Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps who confirmed this to our reporter on telephone, said the accident occurred around Okpanam Community Junction along the Expressway when the driver of a green coloured Toyota Car with registration number AA 231 XX heading towards Onitsha allegedly veered out of his way after losing control of his driving to several somersaulted into incoming vehicles, thereby killing thirteen persons with nine injured and two others rushed to the hospital still in coma.

Insisting that deviant drivers have confirmed to flout orders of the Road Safety Officials, Mr. Kulven warned motorists against flouting safety rules, disclosing that victims of the accident were trapped inside the car after it somersaulted severally to veer out of its way as no help come their way.

It was gathered that sympathizers who later trooped to the scene after long battle to survive by the victims’ failed, forced the car doors opened with axes before the corps were moved out to the Federal Medical Center (FMC Asaba) mortuary.

Eye witness, Kate Okafor said the driver of the car was on top speed with he allegedly slept-off and the car veered out of its way after severally somersaulting.

But residents within Okpanam community who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity said it was the sixth times in the month of December, 2016 severally vehicles had crashed into others on the same spot and blame the frequent act on over speeding on the part of the drivers.

Only last Monday, a trailer load of goods reportedly crashed into a stationary vehicle in Ubulu-Okiti community along the Expressway and damaged beyond recognition the vehicles after the driver claimed to have lost his break, fortunately no life was lost.

With the hue and cry of frequent accident on the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway, respondents who spoke to our reporter however called on the Road Safety Corps Officials to readable their efforts with a view to arresting and bringing to book road offenders.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECember 23, 2016

News

Zamfara workers protest nonpayment of 32 months salaries From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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u nd r e d s o f Z a m fa r a state w o r ke r s wh o c l a i m e d no n pa y m e n t of 3 2 mo nth s sa l ar i e s s i n ce May 2 0 14 y e ste r d ay s t o r m ed the sta te H o u se o f A s s em b ly being p ar t o f e f fo r t s t o ventila te th e i r gr i eva n ce s to the h o no r a bl e S pe a ker , Sanu s i Gar ba R i k i j i .

Addressing the protesting cr owd i n th e abse n ce o f t h e Speak e r h o u se o f a s s e m b ly , the Ch a i r m a n Co mm i t t e e o n Hou se S e r v i c e s, Ho n o r a b le Law ali A tta h i r u D og o n ka d e s aid me asu r e s h a ve b ee n taken to e nsu r e th a t a ll t h e 3 2 month s sal ar i e s a r e pa i d .

“I am p l e ad i ng wi t h y o u to exe r c i se p a ti e nc e a s t h e s tate h o u se o f a s s e m b ly cou ld no t f o l d ar m s t o wa t ch the t e e mi ng l e gi t i m a t ely empl o y e d w o r k e r s o f t h e s tate go v e r nm e n t are s u f f er i ng no np a y m e n t o f s alari e s, I d o no t wa n t t o u n mask th e l e v e l o f o ur ef f or t i n e nsu r in g t h a t the pr o bl e m i s s o lve d ,” Dog on k ad e a ssu r e d .

I n a n i nte r vi e w wi t h t h e Chair m a n o f 1,4 0 0 un pa i d Zamf a r a w o r k e r s, M a la m Lu qma n M a j i d ad i s a i d , t h ey were e m p l o y e d by t h e s t a t e g over nme nt af te r fo llo wi n g du e p r o c e ss and po s t i n g letter s to th e i r wo r ki n g places si nc e Ma y 2 01 4 , b ut u p til l no w c o u l d n o t b e paid e v e n o ne mo nt h s a la r y .

Ma l am Lu qm a n fur t h e r chal l e nge d th at, t h e i r d ue pay ments w e r e a n n o un ced to be co ntai ne d i n t h e 2 01 4 , 201 5 a nd 20 16 b ud g et s bu t, su r p r i si ngl y th e y wer e n ot amo ng th e o ther s a la r y ear ning w o r k e r s o f t h e s t a t e , ad d in g th at, th e r efus a l to pa y th e i r sal a r i e s d i d n ot di sc o u r age th em fr o m reporti ng to th e i r a s s i g n e d wor k in g m i ni str i e s.

I t w o u l d be r e c a lle d t h a t , the s tate go v e r nmen t fa ce d s imila r gr i e v anc e s la s t y ea r over no np a y m e nt o f s a la r i e s s in c e 20 14 by o v er 5,000 wor k e r s u nd e r Z a m fa r a Road Traffic Control Agen c y [ ZAR O T A ] wh i ch was e v e ntu al l y si g n ed i n t o law by Go v e r no r A b d ula z i z Y ar i A bu bak ar .

Page 9

FG needs N1trn to implement Niger Delta action plan-Minister

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani, has disclosed that the federal government has purchased plots of land in the Cross River state for the purpose of building an ultramodern industrial park, which he said will serve to engage the non militants and militant youths in the Niger Delta region.

Usani made this disclosure yesterday during a press conference to present the ministry’s scorecard for the year 2016, where he revealed further that section five of the East - West road contract was awarded in dollars, rather than in naira, which he said implies that the project has no fixed cost but increases based on the exchange rate realities.

Speaking on the outstanding projects in the region and the completion date for them, the Minister revealed further that the Ministry requires about one trillion naira to enable it meet the developmental needs set out in the Niger Delta Action Plan.

According to him, about two hundred billion naira was an outstanding amount to be paid to for the other sections of road, even as he lamented that work has not yet commenced on section five of the massive road project, which he said can negatively affect the other sections even when they are completed.

While stating that so far, the ministry had released about four billion naira to mobilise contractors back to site, he said those contractors who are genuinely owed by the ministry would be paid, but warned those

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2ndleft), his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (2ndright) with a 10kg Lake Rice, during the official launch at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, on Wednesday in Ikeja,Lagos. With them are Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule (left) and Chief of Protocol, Kebbi State, Mr. Umaru Shehu Baiti (right).

who come to collect money without executing projects that the ministry will stop at nothing to forestall such occurrences.

Uguru also said that the ministry, which has now taken the additional responsibility of supervising the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), will have to harmonise the various interventions of the ministry and its affiliate agencies to avoid the spate of project duplication and abandoned projects in the region.

While pointing out that of the nine skill acquisition centres

spread across the region, only one has been completed and handed over to the Federal University in Otuoke, Bayelsa state, where it is being used for training of students.

He added that the ministry will soon commence erosion control and land reclamation in the region for estate development programme of the government in the area.

Speaking also, the Minister of State for Niger Delta, Claudius Daramola, disclosed also that the committee set up by the Ministry to evaluate the contracts earlier awarded by the ministry during the immediate past administration

had reported that some of the contractors who got contracts failed to execute them, but took away the money budget for the contracts without mobilising to site.

He said that only insignificant number of projects has been completed compared to the volume of contracts which the ministry had awarded, especially by the past administration, while others are still hanging uncompleted.

He expressed hope that the ministry will get more funds from the government to enable it sustain and complete ongoing projects scattered in the ministry.

Governor Abubakar Priest charges outgoing presents N145.4bn 2017 church leaders on budget to assembly commitment to God’s doctrines From Ahmed Bauchi

B

Kaigama,

auchi state Governor, Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar has presented a budget proposal of 145,447,258,160 billion Naira to the state House of Assembly for the 2017 fiscal year.

Governor Abubakar christened the budget proposal, tagged ‘Budget of Sustainable Development’ consist of recurrent expenditure of N58,845,256,77 representing 40 percent and a 60 percent Capital expenditure of N86,602,02,86 billion.

He said that the 2017 budget will ensure that fiscal policies including all revenue projections are arrived reflect the state’s economic status vis-a-vis the nation and global economy.

“The budget will focus on our priority areas of health services, education, water supply, youths and women empowerment and infrastructural development.

Government is implementing the National Policy guideline for Primary Healthcare under one roof.

Consequently, government has again allocated over 16% of the budget to the health sub-sector,”he added.

Governor Abubakar assured that all ongoing projects in the 2016 budget will be completed while the new ones in the 2017 budget are expected to be adequately executed for the development of the state.

On the implementation and performance of the 2016 budget, the governor noted that challenges were faced in 2016 due to fall in expected revenue projections.

By Abba-Eku Onyeka

T

he parish priest of St Matthew’s Catholic Parish of Karmu in Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Rev Father Benedict Udemba has advised the outgoing council leaders from different outstations in the parish to remain committed in the work of God in the church.

He equally spoke on the essence of burning petitions from those who participated in any crusade.

Speaking during the end of year 2016 party organised last Sunday to mark the end to the tenures of the council vice chairmen both from the central parish and the outstations, Rev Fr Udemba commended them for their selfless services in the parish. He therefore reiterated on the need for them to know that God still needs there services in the parish, adding that

their successors will need to learn from them. He urged them to ensure that they fortify their lives.

The parish priest, however, informed that he has given until January the 6th 2917 for each group in the parish to forward the names of its candidates for the replacement of the outgoing leaders.

The chief security officer in the central parish, Ajegena Godwin also in a speech said that he observed that enough awareness was not created during the year’s harvest, just as he gave advice on how to go for a future harvest in the central parish.

Earlier, the parish priest spoke at length on the need to be organising crusade, even as he added on the essence of making written petitions to God and setting fire on them.

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECember 23, 2016

News CAN cautions Nigerians against borrowing to celebrate Christmas

T

he Coordinating Chaplain, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Peter Ogunmuyiwa, has advised Christians to eschew borrowing money to celebrate yuletide.

He gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.

The bishop also urged them learn to manage the little resources at their disposal to achieve best result, reminding them that the nation was passing through economic challenges.

“We should learn to revere God; we should embrace him, appreciate him, don’t do things to impress people and don’t do it to the extent of going into debt.

“We are not just doing a birthday party but we are also celebrating the birth of Christ, because He came into this world as God’s special gift to mankind.

“We should be conscious of the presence of God, no matter the situation and the challenges we are facing at this time,” he said.

Mr. Ogunmuyiwa called on Nigerians to keep praying for peace to reign in the country, noting that some parts of the nation were still facing security challenges.

Also speaking with NAN, Daniel Kadzai, President, Youth Wing of CAN called on Christians to celebrate Christmas with love by extending hands of fellowship to the less privileged, orphans and needy.

“We pray for peace in Nigeria and Africa, in spite all our tribulations; let’s stay together in love and unity.

“I call on the youth to give the country a chance for peace to reign.

“Let’s see Christmas as something that we should celebrate no matter how difficult the past years have been.”

He called on Christmas to see Christmas as the best moment for families and friends to come together in brotherhood.(NAN)

Taraba workers shut down state secretariat over unpaid salaries W

orkers in the employment of Taraba State Government under the auspices of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, JPSNC, on Thursday shut down the state secretariat in Jalingo to protest the non-payment of their salaries.

Addressing the workers, Peter Gambo, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, said the state government had continued to be insensitive to the plights of the workers.

Mr. Gambo said that they were protesting against other irregularities in the payment of salaries of workers and pensions of

retirees in the state.

He said that local government workers and teachers had not been paid for eight months, pointing out that they had been subjected to untold hardship.

The chairman listed such irregularities as illegal deductions from salaries, and subjection of workers to meaningless screenings and futile verifications by the government.

Mr. Gambo also alleged that the union dues were deducted indiscriminately without being remitted to the respective accounts of the unions and that government had given no explanations for this.

“Government has shown that the welfare of workers in the state is not its priority.

“Workers have been subjected to all kinds of belittling treatments in the name of screening and verifications that have not yielded any fruits apart from subjecting them to extreme hardships.

“The consultant has proven to be very incompetent in handling payment of salaries while the bank handling payment has clearly shown that it is confused. All these must stop now”, he said.

The state Head of Service, Samuel Angyu, addressing the protesters said that the state government was

aware of the workers’ complaints and was already taking steps to address them.

Mr. Angyu appealed to the workers to end the protest and make way for “peaceful and civilized discussions on the way forward.”

The protesters carried placards that read: “One year of impunity and insensitivity must stop’’, “salary is a right not a privilege”, “Starter Up must go” and “pensioners have right to a dignified living.”

Footballers under the state’s employ, also besieged the Government House on Monday, to demand the payment of their 21 months’ salaries.(NAN)

R-L: Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni presenting the Agency’s publications to the Emir of Gujba Emirate Council, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muktar Ali Gangara, during her recent working visit to Yobe State

5 killed in accident on Ife-Ibadan Expressway

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o fewer than five people lost their lives, while others sustained various degree of injuries in an auto crash on the Ife/ Ibadan Expressway, at Akinlalu, Osun State.

Alhassan Abu, the Ife Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Wednesday in Ile-Ife. Mr. Abu said those that sustained

serious injuries had been taken to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife, while bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital mortuary.

A truck driver, Akeem Olatunji, who narrowly escaped death, narrated to NAN at the scene how the accident happened.

Mr. Olatunji said that a Toyota Previa car coming from Ibadan end of the road rammed into an oncoming

articulated vehicle loaded with logs of wood from Ile-Ife axis.

Also, Aderibigbe Odogiyan, the Head of Operations, FRSC, IleIfe, who was at the accident scene, attributed the crash to the deplorable condition of the road.

Mr. Odogiyan said that this forced motorists to ply only one side of the dual carriage way.

“Also, the dew that covered the cloud did not allow motorists to see

clearly, and instead of being patient, they tried to overtake each other recklessly “We have been warning drivers to stop driving against traffic on the expressway,” he said.

Mr. Odogiyan appealed to road users to desist from speeding, dangerous overtaking, overloading, and intake of alcohol while driving, especially during the festive period.

(NAN)

FG gives succor to victims of Boko Haram in Adamawa

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Government through the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI) has donated the sum of N1, 000, 000.

00 and Medical supplies to offset the medical bills of victims of the recent bomb blast in Madagali LGA of Adamawa State.The Chairman, sub-committee on economic development, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub made this donation while visiting the victims at the General Hospital, Michika and Mubi LGA of Adamawa State.

A statement by the PCNI’s

Chief Information Officer (CIO), Odutayo Oluseyi, said the subcommittee Members who are on an on – the - spot assessment and stakeholders engagement in Adamawa and Taraba State were also accompanied by the CEO of Hethrone USA, Mr. Donnubari Gbaanador had earlier visited the state, met with the Executive Governor, Permanent Secretaries of Ministries, Agencies and technocrats in the state on the challenges being faced as a result of Tribal, Communal clashes and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of insurgency.

The Chairman applauded

the effort and commitment of the Federal Government at substantially degrading insurgency and enhancing the economy of the North East.

At a town hall meeting with stakeholders at Madagali, Michika and Uba, he explained the economic development of the Buhari plan as channeled towards enhancing health facilities, agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, Job creation and rural infrastructure development of the region as a priority of the administration.

While inspecting the extent of damage done by insurgency at Government Day secondary

school, Government Secondary schools and Central primary school Madagali, Buba assured stakeholders that the findings in areas of the challenges of the people will be factored into the comprehensive plan of the President for immediate implementation.

It added that the subcommittee Members also paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Mubi HRH Isah Ahmadu who said he will appreciate Federal Government quick intervention particularly in the building of the Yola - Mubi Road, Healthcare facilities and provision of food to

his people.

The sub - committee members visited Maiha and Gombi and also interacted with stakeholders there and commissioned a bridge that was blown up by the Boko haram insurgents but rebuilt by the Federal Government along Hong-Mubi Madagali road.

The sub-committee members include; Engr. Muhammad Umar Gambo, Mr. Aliyu Kamara, Brig.

Gen. Habila Vintenaba, Hajia Asmau Joda, also visited some affected villages in Hong LGA before proceeding for a stakeholder’s engagement at the LGA Secretariat.

Page 11

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, december 23, 2016

Suoyo

IBRAHIM

oyekunle

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Njomo Ngonsikwe Helen.

NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Suoyo Helen Turner.

ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS IBRAHIM DANIEL. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS IBRAHIM JOHN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS oyekunle oluwasegun ezekiel. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS oyekunle oluwasegun sogo. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

QUEEN

ASIYA

enyi

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS QUEEN AMADAERE ENAMAMU. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS QUEEN AMADAERE LULUOTIEDE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ASIYA MOHAMMED BELLO. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS ASIYA YUSUF IMAM. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS egon richard. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS enyi richard egon. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

EBIZIMOR

MRS REBECCA

VERSHIMA

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS APEKE ROBERT. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS EBIZIMOR TAMARADINEPRE .S. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS BECKY BAWA. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS MRS REBECCA SHEKWODUZA LUKA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS DAVID GBAMWUAN. BUT NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS VERSHIMA GBAMWUAN. FORMER DOCUMENTS SHOULD REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

VICTOR

ISIOMA

ALHERI

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS VICTOR MOSES VIVIAN. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS VICTOR GODIYA VIVIAN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known as ISIOMA JUDITH DIJi now wish to be known and addressed as ISIOMA CHUKWUKA - NWODO. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS GRACE ALHERI ISHAYA. BUT NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ALHERI SHAYABU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS SHOULD REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE

Ifueko

Samuel

Adamu

I, formerly known as Ifaeko Mary Emmanuel now wish to be known and addressed as Ifueko Mary Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Agbonluae Ohonmeame G NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Samuel Ohonmoeame. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known as Ali Mohammed Hamidu now wish to be known and addressed as Adamu Muhammad Nafi’u. All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 23, 2016

Nigeria’s sovereignty too precious to sacrifice

By Kolawole Anthony

A

German-born poet and physiognomist, Johann Kaspar Lavater, about five centuries ago, envisaged the dynamism of the world early enough. It’s like this intellectual acumen had Nigeria of today in mind, when in solo mood, insightfully challenged himself; “What do I owe to my times, to my country, to my neighbors, to my friends? Such are the questions which a virtuous man ought often to ask himself.”

Not listed in order of importance, but the likes of Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Marculay, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Chief Anthony Enahoro held the British imperial lords on the heat of furnaces, just to ensure the dreams of not only a free Nigerian nation, but a democratic and prosperous country for all citizens irrespective of ethnoreligious mix or affiliations.

Plus or minus, today’s Nigeria is a descent into everything not just odd, but against the spirit and soul of great fathers and leaders of this nation, from whom the same contemporary Nigerians tie their ancestry. The succeeding leaders and the ruled have become so corrupt and wicked to Nigeria to the extent no positive virtue is worth any attention. Just very few Nigerians today sit and think about a Nigeria of tomorrow; the majority unashamedly shun the progressive path for this nation.

No Nigerian can convincingly explain the violent assault on Nigeria, from within, these past years, from various geo-political angles. Before now, Boko Haram Terrorists held Nigeria for nearly seven years undeterred, and rather waxed stronger, with weapons which dwarf

arsenals of Nigeria’s security forces, compelling soldiers to flee at the warfront.

Niger Delta militants have weapons which make mockery of Nigeria’s security agents and when bombs detonate on any oil facility or installation, whole communities go into flames, symbolically burning the economic wealth of their country. Oil bunkering is so freely done and the ready markets are outside the shores of Nigeria from supposedly saintly nations.

Armed bandits and cattle rustlers violently besiege rural communities in Nigeria, kill and maim, loot and curse the owners of the looted properties. And in calm, dissipating shadows, voices in the recess of their hearts murmur “go to hell, Nigeria”. But have these incidents not woken country people to consciousness or expressed enough, the external conspiracy against the Nigerian state?

But Nigeria, this beloved country, cherished and adored by millions of her citizens, far in number than the few armed miscreants, displaying incendiary madness, is the same country denied legitimate sale of these lethal weapons by the same western nations who manufacture them.

The natural question is; how do Nigerian outlaws acquire these weapons from the same West, which deny Nigeria legal purchase of same? These are not weapons sold for peanuts; it requires mouth-watering sums of foreign exchange and so, who is the sponsor of these outlaws for the serial acts of violent aggressions on the Nigerian state?

Instead of acts of progression, some Nigerians connive with foreign allies to mortgage the prosperity of their country; sell their own conscience, pride and peace, preferring to return home as Princes or

Princesses without thrones to inherit.

It is to these prodigals that German poet, Kaspar Lavater asks the probing question that after all the brutal and beastly adventures on their own nation and by implication, their very selves, what they would tell their consciences and souls, in sober reflection when they honestly ask, “What do I owe to my time, to my country, to my neighbors, to my friends” in the 21st century Nigeria?

The answer to a conscience, usually untainted by any external force would sincerely tell them with a silent voice, “You have wronged your country, your neighbours, and friends and failed ultimately to impact on your world in your life-time.” Despite its status since independence, Nigeria, an oil-rich state on the African continent, cannot compare herself to lesser Arab nations with same natural wealth. Nigeria ranks foremost on chat of developing countries in the world, years after independence. She keeps borrowing from either the World Bank/ IMF or Paris Club to augment internal expenditures.

Even with external borrowings, some disgusting Nigerians loot the borrowed funds to stash it in bank vaults of the same western countries. At best, what they give back to Nigeria nay Africa is pittance in the guise of foreign aides in health, power supply sectors and some community borehole projects. These are disguised ways the West have tried to economically re-colonize Nigeria.

The West has now convinced them to bring the economic sabotage closer home.

Therefore, the endless militant agitations in the Niger Delta and the refusal of both the ethnic militias and their leaders to listen to the entity called Nigeria, expresses

the extent of the steepness into it. It is the prime reason Nigeria has remained a giant of Africa in name.

The Western nations know, allowing a black nation so richly endowed as Nigeria to flourish, is simply just harmful to the rest of the World. And to keep this giant tied to the stalk, they must have to destroy its coherence, by cashing in on the prevailing divisions. So, smaller African countries, which got self-rule after Nigeria, are far ahead of Nigeria in development, while her citizens are not proud enough to preserve the little they have, but shamefully prefer to destroy it.

So, if western imperialists are not sponsoring internecine wars among us, they romance disenchanted groups in the country and arm them with weapons against the state. The singular mission is to shatter the peace and unity of the country to create excuses to impose neocolonialism on Nigeria.

As Africans, Nigerians have always cherished their age-long customary virtues of honesty and love for one another.

Imperialists of any configuration should not be allowed to erase these values. And until Nigerians re-embrace them, the dream of a great country would forever elude the people.

It must not be forgotten that some elements in our nation are being satanically armed to stimulate the sort of Arab spring rebellions. But thereafter, these countries have never found peace and joy either as divided nations or same countries. The time to cherish this sovereignty is now under President Muhammadu Buhari.

Kolawole, PhD, a university lecturer, writes from Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Why every Nigerian must know about MMM (1)

By Sunday Adelaja

A

bout the time our church, the Embassy of God, that used to be called the Word of Faith Church in the 1990s, was making its strides on the historical landscape of the former Soviet Union, out of nowhere, the name MMM hit the air waves.

Ponzi Schemes and Pyramids – What Are They?

The terms ‘Ponzi schemes’ and ‘pyramids’ were new in the former Soviet Union. Ponzi schemes and pyramids are a long known fraudulent way of getting money from rather ignorant people, whereby operators pay returns to participants from fresh money coming in from newly recruited members.

A legitimate business, on the other hand, must be involved in the production of goods or services, from which profit is made. A profit, therefore, is made legitimate through the exchange of goods or services produced. When it comes to Ponzi schemes and pyramids however, they do not produce goods or services, so there is no process of production whatsoever, therefore there is no legitimate means of making a profit.

Ponzi schemes and pyramids like MMM base their operations on the greed of men to make quick money without paying the price of hard work.

They entice new members and participants purely on the basis of the desire of these participants to make quick money. Sergey Mavrodi himself is quoted as saying, MMM is a business built on exploiting people’s vice of greed and lust for money. Thanks to my ability to

understand and speak Russian language fluently, I personally listened to Mr. Mavrodi saying this in an interview. According to him, his philosophy is, as long as greed and lust for money is part of human nature, MMM will live. He says that there is nothing anybody can do in any country to stop his business, because people still want to have quick and easy money. Even today, on the MMM website, he gives a clear warning to all the participants that they could lose their money and yet people still go ahead and get involved. In Mr. Mavrodi’s mind, he is not cheating or robbing anyone, because according to him, he is sincere enough to tell them exactly what he is doing. So he says, I tell people what I am doing, they know they are involved in criminal acts, they know they are involved in pyramids, they know they are involved in fraud, so what am I doing wrong then? People are intentionally getting involved in something they know is evil and could go catastrophic at any time.

15 Million Mavrodi Causalities In Russia, by the time his company was shut down, he had succeeded in attracting about 15 million people who put in and eventually lost their money. MMM is a known pyramid and Ponzi scheme network all over the world. More so, the founder of the organisation, Sergey Mavrodi has been convicted for running a Ponzi scheme and has served a jail term of four years.

As a matter of fact, he is right now in hiding and operating MMM Nigeria and others while on the run from his own country, Russia. Hence when you go to the page of MMM Nigeria, you will see where there is a warning that this MMM is not allowed in Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus,

because the founder is wanted in these countries.

Why Every Nigerian Must Fight Against Get Rich Quick Schemes “We who have means and a voice must use them to help those who have neither.” ― Jennifer Donnelly There are some points that we need to underline, specifically for the Nigerian public, that could help answer a lot of unanswered questions.

1. Sergey Mavrodi, being a mathematical genius and winner of several mathematical Olympiads while still a student in school, uses his knowledge and his superior intellect to manipulate the rather gullible populace; 2. Thanks to his intellectual prowess, it is not difficult for him to realise the power of mass media on the people. Sergey Mavrodi’s strength is in pouring a large percentage of the money he gets from people into advertisement and publicity; 3. The greatest attraction to MMM is the thirty percent promised returns on a monthly basis. This is the standard Ponzi and pyramid percentage in almost every such scheme throughout history. To my Nigerian brethren, I want to ask: What have you done for you to warrant a reward or profit of thirty percent a month, which could be up to three hundred and sixty percent in a year? Have you asked yourself where the money is coming from? Is it coming from heaven or dropping from the trees? Of course you know the answer – the money is not coming from production or sales, it is coming from your down line, the new people like you who are bringing in money; 4. If you are being paid from the money other people are bringing in, to a thinking mind that

is enough reason for you to know that the whole project will collapse sooner than later. This is because whenever the input becomes less than the output, that means more people are collecting their thirty percent from the company than those who are bringing in money, and that marks the end of the system; 5. Right now, the operators of MMM in Nigeria and all over the world are busy pushing their guiders, managers and participants to keep on recruiting new members who would bring in fresh money. That which first appears to them as success also carries in itself the seed of its demise.

This is because the more people bring in money, the larger the amount of money that is asked for as thirty percent returns. Sooner or later, you will have more people taking away from the system than are bringing into it, marking the end of the whole scheme; 6. Why is this bad as far as some people have made some money from the system? Let’s say the first one million people brought money in, for them to continuously be paid thirty percent, they need to bring in at least another three million people. So if the system collapses, even though one million people have been paid, three million people will be left hanging, looking for where to be paid from. The bigger such a pyramid grows, the more catastrophic it becomes eventually.

When three million people lose their money, that equals more sorrow and pain, than if it is one million people who lost their money.

Sunday Adelaja is a Nigeria born leader, transformation strategist, pastor and innovator.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, December 23, 2016

PAGE 13

Comment

Buhari at 74: Echoes of a day in Africa’s leadership Renaissance

By Uche John Madu

W

hen news of President Muhammedu Buhari’s three decades, a score and a half birthday assailed me a few days ago, I was caught off guard. As a Nigerian and now her president, Buhari has stolen a special space in my heart, occupying it permanently.

What else, Buhari is still the upright, straightforward, hardworking, stern, disciplined and incorruptible man he was over three decades ago. Admirable virtues no doubt, but these are qualities which crave for attention in Nigeria or Africa, where men of his breed are scarce. The sophistication of Buhari’s life at 74 has left me pondering all day, about Nigerians and Africans.

But as thoughts about Africa’s years of leadership void, flashed through me in rivulets, my heart nearly melted. Why not? A continent, the land of my birth, so richly blessed in human and material resources, did not only submit itself to the rape by colonial imperial powers, but has refused to rediscover herself, decades after the dissipation of shadows of colonialism.

Nearly in the whole wild world, it is only in Africa that poverty, hunger and disease mindlessly ravage its populations. It’s only in Africa that one can find sit-tight leaders either democratic or military. Africa bubbles with pervasive and reverting corruption. It is yet a continent which clearly has no focus or development agenda even on the dawn of the 21stcentury. Its development indices rank lowest in the world. Its peoples depend on foreign aid on virtually everything, including the crops, we are endowed to cultivate on our fertile lands.

In Africa, like painfully reflected in the creativity of the Ghanaian playwright, Ama Aidoo in the collection, “No Sweetness Here,” most leaders are half saints and half devils even when they stand on the pulpit, in the harrowed presence of God. But it’s just today! Yesterday was different.

Great Africa patriots and nationalists like Kwame

Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba and Zik of Africa, among others held the strew so positively strong for Africa. But the treasures are all lost in the fading shadows of the continent, which advances more in fantasies than reality.

Yet, this is the same continent, the Senegalese poet, David Diop painted endearingly in his poem, “Africa, My Africa,” much as his other intellectual contemporaries in literary works.

But today, we are still on the apron strings of Western powers or the North, the East and the Asian continents. We have ignored the counsel of Late Captain Thomas Sankera of Burkina Faso who admonished us that “We must learn to live the African way. It is the only way to live in freedom and dignity.”

It is for this singular reason I hold Buhari’s appearance on Nigeria cum Africa’s political scene in high esteem. Nigeria, Buhari’s country of birth has gone through excruciating pains.

It is a country that has experienced leadership failure since independence. It is a nation heavily afflicted by corruption since the first republic. It is a country that ignores her enviable human and natural resources to cringe before foreign nations for all manner of aids. Nigerian indeed, suffers the most awful internal hemorrhage of poverty, misery and suffering.

Apart from the short-lived first republic and Buhari’s equally short hibernation with power from 1983 to 1985, Nigeria grovels before every phase of its existence as a nation raped and deprived. But Buhari feels the country ought not to be this afflicted.

Thus, when Nigerians decided in 2015 to once again allow Buhari the chance of leading them, it was a challenge one could say, he hated and loved at the same time. And in the last 19 months, Buhari has proven to be both a leader of Nigeria and Africa with desperate songs of rejuvenation.

A political analyst once said, Buhari has always leeched on Nigeria’s political scene in her worse moments. In 1984, much as in 2015, every Nigerian or African knew Nigeria was not only in

chaos, but on the brink of total collapse. While accepting the challenge to lead Nigeria, Buhari was optimistic that the country can salvage itself despite the enormous damage.

Like his media adviser, Femi Adesina wrote, Buhari has come; “To serve humanity, serve his country, and make a huge difference. He was sent here to show that it is possible to be squeaky clean, play according to the rules, and live for others, not for primitive accumulation.”

But as Nigeria howls under his therapeutic surgeries, Buhari has shown that he is truly an African statesman. He thinks more about Africa like his home country, Nigeria. So, when the Gambia exuded signs of a political implosion recently, with incumbent, but ousted President, Yahya Jammeh’s belated decision to contest the outcome of the election, after conceding defeat to President-elect, Adama Barrow, Buhari was on the team of ECOWAS mission led by its chairperson and Liberian President, Dr. Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to assuage frayed nerves.

Alongside, Presidents John Mahama and Ernest Bai Koroma, accompanied by Dr. Mohamed Chambas, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to West Africa and the Sahel, Buhari’s first and last concern was to lay the template in Banjui that would ensure the will of majority of Gambian people as expressed through the ballot is not violated by power monks.

It explains why the coalition of seven political parties that backed Adama Barrow beckoned on Buhari when it became obvious ousted President Jammeh plots to rock the boat. “He also knows how the opposition thinks. He can feel what we feel. We are quite glad that President Buhari is here, it gives us a lot of hope,” the coalition optimistically opined.

Much as Buhari is concerned about cutting the cost of governance in Nigeria, he feels African nations deserve such cost-saving measures more than anything elsewhere. It was this spirit that informed his call to ECOWAS for a reduction in

PMB: South East as fertile ground

By Louis Okoroma

T

o all intents and purposes, President Muhammadu Buhari is a great man.The mark of this greatness is the way he doggedly contested for the Presidency, a record four times before victory. He has that inner push,sustained by a desire to make changes in the life of Nigerians and encourage them to do things differently.

Like his counterpart in the United States who would be sworn in on January 20, 2017, Muhammadu Buhari, when he was to contest against the former ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its then incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan, his candidature did not excite bookmakers. In fact, few people gave him a chance.

However with the dogged support of the progressive political coalition, the All Progressives Party (APC) which was new on the political stable, coupled with his personal integrity, determination and focus, and with the commitment and sacrifice of his foot soldiers and party faithful, Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the APC surpassed and surprised themselves. The rest is history.

Since he took office in May 2015, PMB as he is popularly called has courageously implemented policies that no leader in Nigeria’s democratic history so far has been able to do and the people of Nigeria have largely agreed with him even when the outcome of those policies have been painful.

Nigerians understand nonetheless, that though they are practically swallowing the bitter pill of unemployment, job loss, delayed salaries and pensions, inflation and recession, the condition of the nation and its people would have been practically unbearable had Buhari not come the time he did. For this reason, all patriotic Nigerians chief among whom are the hardworking people of the South east geo- political zone, have come to see

in PMB, the type of leader that complement their industrious and entrepreneurial disposition.

PMB is a leader that brings out the best in people. He is honest and straight and does not play games with the resources of the country. As a man who believes that Nigeria should strive to be self- sufficient and less dependent on importation, the leading component of his Change mantra is diversification.

President Buhari believes that Nigeria cannot continue to claim to be a rich country based on its dependence on a single natural resource, crude oil, whose price she does not control and which over the years she has been unable to develop a reliable refining ability and capacity. It was for this reason that not long ago, the President declared that Nigeria is broke and not a rich country urging the people to change their expectations and lifestyles for something more realistic.

President Buhari expects Nigerians to work hard to develop their country. He also wants the people to form the habit of self- reliance which is second nature of the people of the South east. The South east zone is the home of self- reliance and indigenous technology and manufacturing and with the proper encouragement and leadership has the capacity to emerge as a manufacturing and technological hub in Africa. Policies being put in place by PMB in the long run, will challenge the creative ingenuity of Nigerians and enhance the survival instinct. These would pave the way for progress in industry, agriculture and commerce.

There is however a huge deficit in infrastructure, notably roads, railways, seaports, airports and special economic zones. It has been found out by Nigerians since the coming of PMB, that previous governments have only been paying lip service to the provision of infrastructure across the nation. Under PMB, whose government is to a large extent transparent, it has become clear that

most parts of the country especially the South east is in dire need of reliable infrastructure like roads, bridges and railways. Previous governments before now, used the slogan of infrastructure for political purposes while budgets made for the purpose were largely stolen. There have been suggestions that in view of the dilapidated nature of infrastructure including power for industry and daily living which are grossly lacking, Ministers of Works and Power since 1999, should be summoned to give account of what they did with budgetary allocations in these areas.

The failure of previous governments to provide a reasonable level of infrastructure for the people, is a criminal disservice to the people of Nigeria.

Without infrastructure, economic activities will remain at best, rudimentary while large sections of the hardworking population of the country would be cut off from one another thereby stifling economic activities and robust economic interaction which encourages production on a large scale.

The South east is the most neglected in this politics of infrastructure provision. Most of the infrastructure in the zone predates the civil war and not much effort was put into their rehabilitation or reconstruction. In fact, at the end of the civil war, the then Federal Government under now retired General Yakubu Gowon deliberately failed to honour its own commitment to embark on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure in the war- ravaged South east thus making the area to lag behind other parts of the country. The effect of this beggar policy was also to reduce the contribution of the war- ravaged South east to national development and generally set the nation back by failing to harness and galvanize all its potentials.

The South east people who are enthusiastic Nigerian citizens who do not discriminate about where the call home and where they invest in

the cost of governance by African nations.

While addressing the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York recently, Buhari never concealed his passion for the development of Africa. He raised a voice in favour of reforms and the under representation of Africa in the United Nations Security Council, insisting on “equitable and fair representation and greater transparency, legitimacy and inclusiveness in its decision making.”

I dare say, Africa has been haunted by decades of despotic leaders in civilian and military garments. From Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire; Omar Bashir of Sudan; Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe; Paul Biya of Cameroun to Blaise Campaore of Burkina Faso and a lot more, who have pilloried their people and their countries while in leadership.

But Buhari feels African nations and their peoples deserve a better deal. He feels Africa is a great continent that should be in the avant garde of progress and development. The sort of progress exemplified by a few great African leaders, who inspire hope, such as Nelson Mandela of South Africa or the late Captain Thomas Sankera of Burkina Faso.

Therefore, poised to lead the crusade for Africa’s leadership renaissance at the dawn of the 21st century, Buhari has begun his symbolic emancipation mission in Nigeria, a country he leads. He believes Africa has no business to piteously depend on Western nations for survival, as it could harness its numerous resources to place itself in a conspicuous position on the world map.

It explains his passionate attachment to things that essentially define the African spirit and endowments. He schemes endlessly to ensure the continent utilizes its own resources for survival.

He has sufficiently reflected this inclination in his second coming as leader of Nigeria to a rousing applause by a depressed people.

Madu writes from Badagry, Lagos State.

the Nigerian federation appear set to witness exciting and meaningful changes under President Muhammadu Buhari. Interestingly, President Buhari took part in the civil war as a young combatant and this writer believes that as one who was a witness to all the tragedy that befell the nation on account of the war, heis in a good position to appreciate the clarion call of the South east people for the Change which he espouses as a philosophy of governance to be applied to the South east to end the double- standards and neglect of the area.

It was for this reason that the President visited the Southeast region of the country to see things for himself recently to attend the South East Economic and Security Summit meeting and to bond with the people first- hand. The visit was like an embrace between a great leader and an equally great people who share much in common in their philosophy of life but who largely misunderstand and suspect one another because of the intricate and complex nature of party politics.

Such a visit served as a veritable opportunity for the President to savour the hospitality and love which the people of the zone have for him but which has remained dormant because of a past that did not reckon that a great future lies ahead of a nation and its people no matter what has happened.

PMB has always made reference to his experience during the civil war and has pledged that such a violent exchange between brothers and sisters which led to much waste and neglect would never happen again. In fact, President Buhari may end up as the only one of the combatants in our past history who did the most to weld the people of Nigeria together by showing them how caring and responsible, a government should and can be.

Louis Okoroma, a Public Affairs Analyst wrote from Abuja. He can be reached on iheokoroma@yahoo.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DEcember 23, 2016

PAGE 14

News

NAFDAC calls for increased monitoring of drugs

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he National Agency for Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said that no medicine is 100% safe.

NAFDAC boss, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, stated this yesterday in Abuja during a media chat on Pharmacovigilance and Malaria.

The acting Director General who was represented by Samson Adebayo said “ due to the inherent nature of medicines, no medicine, no matter how skillfully produced to meet specified quality standards, properly distributed

and stored, rationally prescribed and used is 100% safe. This includes orthodox and herbal medicines.

“Medicines are double aged swords that can have tremendous benefits or untoward effects on the health.”

She called for continues monitoring of all medicines in the country, saying that “it is possible to detect those causing unwanted Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR), understand why the cause them and prevent them from further causing harm to users. This can only be done effectively if health

care providers detect and report all suspected ADRs and other medicine related problems”.

On ensuring safety of medicine in the country, the agency’s boss said NAFDAC has been collaborating closely with relevant stakeholders and private sector such as health care institutions, the academia, public health programmes and nongovernmental organisation.

“Through support from these partners, we have been able to develop a Pharmacovigilance policy, and have trained over 5000 healthcare providers across

the country on how to report ADRs; undertake massive public awareness in mass media”.

The NAFDAC boss assured that the agency will ensure the safety of all regulated products including medicines by undertaking comprehensive evaluation of their quality, and efficacy before they are registered for use in Nigeria.

“For medicines, this entails review of product dossier, conduct of clinical trials, laboratory testing of products and review of all available safety data. In spite of all these efforts

some safety issues can only be picked up after registration, when the product is in use by the general public. That is why it is imperative to continuously monitor all medicines throughout their life cycle but particularly after registration to ensure their continued safety”.

Oni, called on the members of the public to be vigilant and about the possible harmful effects of medicines and take active steps to direct, report and prevent them, adding that “every stakeholder has a role to play in this, particularly the media”.

kidney failure, liver malfunction and other elements.

The agency has also carried out enlightenment of cereal merchants and market unions in the area of storage of cereals using triple bagging system which is a non-chemical method, 100% safe and effective, pointing out that hitherto, cereal merchants engage in the use of chemicals for storage throughout the state, and that the residues of these she said causes

kidney failure, liver damage and various ailments.

Other successes recorded by the agency in the state is on routine surveillance on drug and drug related products across the state which led to sanctioning of some patent medicine stores and on provision store owners who indulge in the sale of expired condiments in areas such as Potiskum town, Gashua and Nguru.

… links kidney failure to use of chemicals for food storage From Uche Uche, Damaturu.

U

se of chemicals for food storage and for preservation of fish and food adulterated with chemicals have been identified as the major causes of kidney failure, liver malfunction and other ailments in the society and in Yobe state, as is found especially in parts of Nguru local government and Gashua in Bade local government

respectively.

The Acting Director General, NAFDAC, Mrs Yetunde Oni, disclosed this yesterday while briefing the State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam on her visit to the state, at the government house Damaturu, adding that a more serious danger of possible use of nuclear, biological and chemical agents on food stuffs and public water supplies by elements of Boko Haram to launch attacks

on unsuspecting members of the public has prompted the agency to swing into action to prevent such from happening.

The agency, she said, has done a lot in the state to ensure the protection of lives of the people from drug related issues that endangers the lives of the people that includes the closure of Potiskum palm oil market due to adulteration with dye colorant; a carcinogen substance which causes

First Bank to re-open branches in Yobe

R-L: Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni presenting the Agency’s publications to the Emir of Gujba Emirate Council, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muktar Ali Gangara, during her recent working visit to Yobe State

From Uche Uche, Damaturu

T

he First Bank management has stated its readiness to re-open its branches that were closed in Yobe state following insurgency attacks in which some of its branches were either burnt down, seriously damaged or looted.

The Executive Director of the bank representing Borno and Yobe state, Abba Gana Hassan, disclosed this yesterday while presenting a donation by the bank to the state government for distribution to the internally displaced persons in the state.

He said the bank felt that following the destruction of lives and properties in the state, it should come to the aid of the people as a demonstrated of its social responsibility to the communities where it operates and to commiserate with families of those who lost their loved ones during the attacks.

He assured the governor that soon, with the return of peace in the state, the management of the bank would work to reopen the branches to ease commercial activities in the state, pointing out that First banks has the largest bank network than any other bank in the state.

Rights commission partners police for human protection

By Albert Akota

T

he National Human Rights Commission has pledged to strengthen the existing partnership with the Nigerian Police Force in its bid to deliver on its statutory mandate of promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in the country.

The Ag Executive Secretary

of the Commission, Mrs Oti Ovrawah who disclosed this yesterday while receiving the FCT Commissioner of Police Muhammad Mustafa said the partnership will go a long way in protecting human rights in Nigeria.

Mrs ovrawah stated that the police remains a reliable allay in the fight against human rights violation since they are the

first respondents to victims of human rights violation.

“We recognise the Nigerian police as the first line human rights defender by virtue of its constitutional responsibility’.

She said the visit will avail the Commission the opportunity to work on other areas of partnership with the police.

While congratulating Mrs Ovrawah on her appointment

as the Ag Executive Secretary, the FCT, CP. acknowledged that the Commission has done a lot of work in the area of promotion and protection of human rights in the FCT. He pledged the support of the police for the work of the commission, adding that his men will be committed to the observance of human right tenets during their operations.

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECember 23, 2016

Passage of Peace Corps Bill best legislative action in 2016 – Saraki T

he President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has spoken further on the reason the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill 2016 was passed into law by both chambers of the National Assembly, this year.

Speaking at the end of the year ceremony/gala night organised by the Peace Corps of Nigeria in Abuja, Wednesday night, Saraki said, though there were a lot of other Bills that the National Assembly passed in 2016, the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill was outstanding, saying both chambers of the National Assembly took into cognizance, the socioeconomic benefits of the Bill to Nigerians, especially the youths.

“I believe that, after the Appropriation Act that was passed, the next most important Bill that was passed by the National Assembly was the Peace Corps Bill,” he said.

The Senate President who was represented by the Senate Committee Chairman on Interior, Senator Bayero Usman Nafada, also said that the process of harmonization of the Bill by the joint committees of both chambers has also been completed, adding that “the Bill is now ready for the President’s assent.”

He,therefore, urged the executive arm of government to give the Bill the necessary attention it requires, as the Nigerian youths earnestly wait for positive response from the federal government.

Responding, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Barr. Solomon Dalung said his ministry would gladly work with

Governor Muhammed Abubukar of Bauchi state presenting the 2017 State Budget at the House of Assembly yesterday in Bauchi. Photo: NAN

the Peace Corps Officers after the President’s approval.

Dalung noted that the youths of Nigeria had long be neglected and the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps would help rejuvenate the position of the youths in the education system and youths development.

“There was a time when a youth leader of a political party was 62 years. That means, me that is 52 years old now, would still be a youth in ten years to come “, the Minister fumed.

While charging the youths to take advantage of the orientation

I am under pressure to contest for president in 2019, Jonathan reveals

I

mmediate former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has revealed he is under enormous pressure, to contest for president in 2019.

According to NewsDay, Jonathan has been receiving calls, messages and mails from home and abroad, urging him to contest in the next presidential elections.

He revealed this while addressing his kinsmen, who paid him an end-of-the-year visit in his hometown in Otueke, Bayelsa State.

It is also understood that some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, want Jonathan to consider contesting. They believe it was the party who failed in the 2015 general elections and not the former president.

The 59-year-old Jonathan ruled from 2011 to 2015 and lost his bid for re-election last year, to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Jonathan, however, said he was not thinking of running for office now, as he believes he has done his best for Nigeria.

programmes of the corps and be integrated into the scheme, Barr.

Dalung also promised to do all within his capacity to facilitate the signing of the Peace Corps Bill into law.

In his welcome address, the National Commandant of Peace Corps, Amb (Dr.) Dickson Akoh, on behalf of the entire Staff Officers, expressed, “appreciation to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Principal Officers and the entire members of the National Assembly, for ensuring that this all-important Bill got an

accelerated passage.”

Dr. Akoh assured Nigerians that the corps will adequately empower, develop and provide alternative employment for the youths with a view to facilitating peace, volunteerism, community services, nation-building and other related matters, when signed into law.

“We are confident that, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari will grant a speedy assent to this Bill, even as we are mindful of the present excruciating economic realities

confronting our beloved country,” he added.

Highlights of the event was the colourful Christmas Carol performance by the Peace Band; Keynote Address by Femi Falana (SAN); unveiling of the 2017 Peace Corps Calender; presentation of Senior Advocate of Peace (SAP) Awards and International Peace Medal (IPM) Awards to the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief of Army Staff, governors, members of the National Assembly, Traditional Rulers and Captains of Industry.

Rivers poll: Call Wike to order- CDC tells FG

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Concerned Democrats of Conscience (CDC) has slammed the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, over his violent comments before and after the recently held Rivers legislative elections, saying it fuelled the killings witnessed in the state during the election.

Speaking in Abuja, the National President of CDC, Ibrahim Modibo, said there is need to call the Governor to order, adding that if urgent action is not taken the trend of violence as being campaigned by the governor, the 2019 elections will be marred by violence.

Modibo who said that in this era of change, politicking should not be taken as business as usual by politicians, also warned that there is no alternative to a viable and vibrant democracy, where government is held accountable to its people and where the electoral process must be seen to be credible for the common good of Nigerians.

While emphasising the need for politicians, irrespective of political divide to be committed to the Nigerian project, he recalled how the military toppled the Nigerian democracy due to political crisis, even as he promised that CDC will remain resolute and determined in educating Nigerians towards consolidating the gains

of democracy by abhoring brazen political impunity in the country.

The CDC boss however expressed concern that the statement credited to Governor Wike that the 2019 election will be Tsunami, constitutes a threat to democracy in Nigeria, just as it accused the governor of mobilising thugs openly, describing this as a civil disobedience to the federal government.

To this end, Modibo, called for strong caution to be sent out to the governor, adding “If not checked by the powers that be, Governor Wike has the phenomenal capacity to truncate this democracy as his new found love of violence as electoral strategy will see Nigeria return to the Stone Age”.

Ondo: Jegede makes U-turn, decides not to challenge Akeredolu’s victory andidate of the Peoples circulated. of good sportsmanship. decision to move on and I wish come for me to do so at another

C

Democratic Party, PDP, in the recently concluded governorship election in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, has decided against challenging the outcome of the election in court, as widely

DAILY POST reports that Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, disclosed to that he had accepted the victory of Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in good faith and had moved on in the spirits

The PDP candidate said that there was no need to continue to fight over the matter since the people of Ondo State had decided on who they want to serve them at this time.

In his words, “I have taken a

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu success, promising to release an official statement later in the day.

“I speak for myself. I believe that if I cannot serve the people of Ondo State now, another opportunity will

time. I have a profession and I am returning to my law practice.

“There is always need to demonstrate true statesmanship and that is what I have done,” Jegede said.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECEmber 23, 2016

Politics

Trump’s appointment of Bayo Ogunlesi a smart decision – FG T he Federal Government has hailed the appointment of Mr Bayo Ogunlesi by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as an economic adviser, saying the decision is a smart move.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, told the News Agency of Nigeria in New York that Ogunlesi is an outstanding professional who has accomplished a lot.

“He (Trump) is very wise to have appointed Bayo because Bayo is really an outstanding person professionally and really, I think in many ways.

“It is almost paradoxical that we in the country will certainly need people with the caliber of Bayo Ogunlesi and that it should be the U.S. rather, that is now going to be benefiting from his amazing talents.

“But I think the U.S. can only

benefit from somebody of Bayo’s talent,” he said.

Notwithstanding the misgivings of some people about the policies of Trump’s administration concerning Africa and Nigeria in particular, Onyeama hoped that Nigeria would have a cordial diplomatic relations with Trump’s administrations.

“We are looking also optimistically to working with the new U.S. (President-elect Donald

Trump’s) administration.

“We hope that we would be able to find common course. At the moment, we have very good relations, this particular (President Barack Obama’s) administration has been extremely supportive of Nigerian’s policies.

“And we would like to build on that with the incoming administration,” he said.

The minister also expressed

Recession: Jonathan shared money to silence governors, says S/South PDP chieftain

• L-R: Former Deputy of Plateau State, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Plateau State governor, Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, and National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, during the Reception of Decampees to APC Plateau State, at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium on Wednesday in Jos.

Photo: NAN

V

Rivers rerun: Dakuku laughs over Wike’s panel of inquiry

A

Chieftain and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dakuku Peterside has dismissed as laughable the Judicial Commission of Inquiry of the State Government on the rerun elections.

DAILY POST reports that the Peterside said the action by Governor Wike is like the proverbial witch who cried at night and a child dies the following day.

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency noted in a statement released by his media team that Governor Wike continues to ridicule the office he occupies.

He wandered if the Governor does not have people around him who should be telling him the truth.

He said it amazes him how Governor

the hope that with the presence of Ogunlesi in Trump’s team, he could be able to bring positive policies about Nigeria and Africa to bear on Trump’s administration.

“And who knows, maybe the presence of Bayo in the team in the U.S. might hopefully be able to bring to the administration positive perspectives with regards to Nigeria,” he said.

NAN

Wike would be taken seriously in his inquiry after he told Rivers people not to attend an investigative panel set up by the Nigeria Police Force.

Peterside also questioned the motive of Governor Wike’s Commission of Inquiry when he accused the Police of having predetermined aim of investigating acts of violence during the rerun elections.

The APC chieftain advised members of the panel led by Justice Chiwendu Nwogu not to allow themselves to be used by Governor WIKE to achieve a dubious end.

He said the same mission was intended with the Justice Omereji Panel on the aborted rerun on 19th March.

According to him, “are there no people telling the governor the truth.

Here is a governor who told Rivers people not to attend an investigative panel set up by Police to probe issues surrounding the election and an audio that went viral where the governor threatened INEC officials with death.

“Is it not laughable that the same governor has now set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe issues surrounding the election and he expects Rivers people to obey him. What manner of a governor is Nyesom Wike?

“How can a responsible governor be urging Rivers people to be lawless, how can such a governor call Rivers people not to obey police investigation and yet expects the same people to obey his own kangaroo judicial commission?

“The same Wike accused police of

seeking to achieve a predetermined goal in its investigation to nail PDP members and I ask, what goal is the governor seeking to achieve with his own panel of inquiry, to exonerate PDP members and pronounce APC members guilty?

“I call on the Justice Chinwendu Nwogu-led panel to be very careful not to be used by Wike to achieve a dubious end. We all recall the Omereji panel and what the governor wanted to use it to achieve. In the end, his evil plan failed.

“Justice Nwogu was only recently made a judge by Nyesom Wike. I hope the he is not being used to do the bidding of the governor and PDP. My admonition to the judge is that he should know that posterity awaits him if he allows himself to be used by the governor.”

ice Chairman of the People Democratic Party, PDP, South-South zone, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, has admitted that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan never wanted any issues with the governors in his administration, which led to his sharing of the country’s treasury with them.

He said the action had brought Nigeria to this current economic recession, but called on the All Progressive Congress, APC-led government to proffer solutions to the situation.

Ogidi maintained that the APC should have known the problems on ground before campaigning for change, adding that there was recession in Jonathan’s time.

Speaking in Warri, Delta State, at the God’s Kingdom Society, GKS’ Feast of Tabernacles, Ogidi told reporters that although recession was global, the country was in economic trouble because there was no savings.

According to him, “When Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said we should save for the rainy day, the governors took on then President Goodluck Jonathan. He did not want to have issues with them, so they shared the money.

“If your campaign was based on change, it means you know what is on ground and will make a difference. So, why blame the previous government instead of doing your job? There was recession in Jonathan’s time. The difference is how you manage it.”

James Ibori under house arrest despite release from prison

F

ormer Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, has been placed under house arrest in London following his release from prison.

Ibori had spent six years after

being convicted for stealing and laundering Nigeria’s money.

He was jailed for 13 years but was due for release on Tuesday, December 20, 2016 upon serving full six years.

It was gathered on yesterday that the London court which released him on Wednesday morning has restricted him to his St. John’s Wood residence.

However, Ibori will be reporting

to the London Metropolitan Police every week.

Ibori’s case was re-opened in 2010 after a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba had discharged him of all 170 charges.

The former Governor had resisted arrest and fled to Dubai, but was later extradited to the UK. Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has begun the process of extraditing the former governor.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECEmber 23, 2016

Politics Constitution amendment: The task before Lasun committee

By Umar Muhammad Puma n December 9, the House of Representatives special ad hoc committee on the review of the 1999 constitution held a retreat to formally begin work on the fourth alteration of the constitution, with a theme “the imperatives of Constitution Review/Amendment in Nation building.”

The retreat which took place at the Kuta cultural centre Abeokuta, Ogun state, with the Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun taking charge of the proceedings, has left no one in doubt that the members of the committee are committed on delivering, in the shortest possible time, amendments to the Constitution that will stand the test of time.

The journey to alter the 1999 Constitution, for the fourth time, started years after the attempt by the 5th Assembly of the 4th Republic, during President Olusegun Obasanjo administration to amend the Constitution failed on May 16, 2006 following the alleged attempt by the then President to smuggle his third term agenda into it.

However, there appears to be a break through by the 7th Assembly with the passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill by the two chambers of the parliament.

The Fourth Alteration Bill was then forwarded to the then President for his assent. After some time, the Bill was returned to the National Assembly by the President who alleged the usurpation of presidential powers and constitutional breaches in the process of the amendment.

This development triggered anger, lamentation and threats by the lawmakers to override the President’s veto. One of the contentions of the National Assembly members was that the executive and, by extension, the Presidency was carried along during the process of the amendment and the public hearings where the Attorney General of the Federation was represented.

With the failure of the then President Goodluck Jonathan to assent amendment Bill by the two chambers of the National Assembly, citing instances where the National Assembly had failed to prove that it had complied with the stringent requirements of Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as it had not accompanied the requisite votes and proceedings of both Houses with the Fourth Alteration Act that was transmitted to him to prove that the alterations were

O

supported by at least two-third majority of all the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives in line with the aforementioned Section.

While the 6th and 7th assemblies failed to amend the constitution, after huge funds were expended on it, the 8 assembly has shown the willingness and determination; and has vowed to complete this all important National assignment of fourth alteration before its tenure expires.

In his remark at the opening session of the retreat, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, tasked the

committee to embark on other areas identified by members and other ideas from the Political Conference Report of 2014, and re-examine all the issues and proceed in the best way possible to achieve the commitments they made to Nigerians.

The Speaker, while expressing confident that the Retreat is a very positive move to achieve the goals set out above, urged the committee to critically look into about 36 more Bills that have scaled 2nd reading in the House, to determine the best way to process them in line with the mandate of the Committee.

“It is not every matter that is

referred to your Committee that must necessarily see the light of day. Your Committee is fully empowered to process all the referred bills and where necessary amend, reject or recommend as you may deem fit for the peace, progress and stability of our nation, Nigeria. You must be guided by national interest and not parochial, sectional or religious considerations in your assignment.

“The Boko Haram insurgency has given need “for some form of decentralized policing in Nigeria. I believe that this may be achieved by allowing a decentralized police force within

one national police organization or existence of several localized police structures. This is a matter for Nigerians to ponder and debate,” he said.

He tasked the committee to discuss possible amendment of contentious areas, such as the Local Government funding, functions, structure and elections should be reformed.

On his part, chairman of the constitution review committee and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sulaimon Lasun Yusuff, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the retreat disclosed that there are some important bills

Kano Central contest: Kwankwaso wins at Court of Appeal

T

R-L: Vice National President, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Mr. Mukhtar Sirajo decorating Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau as a Patron of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, Plateau Chapter, yesterday in Jos. Photo: NAN for review, which includes; same sex marriage, resource control, local government autonomy and issues of the country’s electoral process amongst others.

According to him, “the committee has also held numerous consultations with various stakeholders on the procedure to be adopted in the passage of the Bill. Having considered the reasons why the Alteration Bill in the 7th Assembly was declined by the President, we have decided that the process should commence de-novo and fast-tracked to ensure a timely passage of the Bills,” he said.

“This retreat is, therefore, a very important event as it avails the Committee an opportunity to meet with stakeholders in the State and deliberate more on how to come up with a Constitution that will positively impact the country’s democratic process.

“The exhaustive amendments to the Constitution by the 7th Assembly cannot be ignored, as it is on their framework that the 8th Assembly is working to address some unresolved issues and secure the assent of the President this time.

“The constitution is a living document; it changes to adopt to changing historical and social circumstances and contemporary issues for constitutional review (such as) the issue of legalizing some sex marriages, which has been the subject of debates in several jurisdiction of the world.”

He noted that to cater for “exigencies in governance” and enhance “development processes”, countries amend their constitution for that purpose.

List of bills considered for 4th Alteration of the constitution The bills have been subdivided into 15 bills, and they

as follows; Creation of Office of the Attorney-General/ Minister of Justice, Financial and Administrative Autonomy of Local Government Councils, Separation of Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Authorisation of Expenditure, Judiciary and Devolution of Powers.

Others are; Citizenship and Indigenship, Human Rights, Pension of Presiding Officers, Mode of Altering the Constitution, Electoral Matters, New States and Boundary Adjustment, Nigerian Police, Assent on Ordinary and Money Bills and Separation of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation and the Auditor-General of the Federal Government.

Furthermore, given his vast experience in the legislature, the House appears ready to deliver on its agenda of amending the constitution.

he Abuja division of the Court of Appeal yesterday, in a unanimous decision, threw out an appeal challenging the nomination of Rabiu Kwankwaso as the APC senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District. Kwankwaso is a former governor of Kano State.

Justice Peter Ige in his lead judgment resolved all the issues against the appellant before throwing out the appeal.

Suleiman Ibrahim Halilu had filed a pre-election case, saying that he was the right candidate having come second position during the primary.

Halilu had joined the APC, INEC, Alh. Ababa Kabiru Yusuf and Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano State as respondents.

A High Court judgement delivered by late ES Chukwu on November 5, 2015 had dismissed Halilu’s case.

The Federal High Court upheld a preliminary objection and dismissed the case.

The APC had conducted primaries for its aspirants to the Senate.

The 3rd respondent and Halilu contested for Kano Central Senatorial district on December 8, 2014.

Yusuf scored 2, 609 compared to 271 scored by Halilu. Yusuf was declared a winner. But before the election he (Yusuf) voluntarily withdrew from the race and the APC consequently nominated Kwankwaso as its candidate for the election.

Halilu, in the case, said that Yusuf was not qualified to stand for the election as he did not resign his post as Kano State commissioner for works, 30 days before the election.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECEmber 23, 2016

Stock Watch: Thursday, December 22, 2016 Company

7UP

Previous Closing Price

185.06

184.5

Opening Price

184.5

High

Low

184.5

Close

184.5

Change

Trades

-0.56 25

Volume

Value

Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

233,796

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

ABBEYBDS 1.25 - - - 1.25 0 - -

MBENEFIT 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

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

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

ACADEMY 0.59 - - - 0.59 0 - ACCESS

4.46

4.46

4.64

4.46

4.5

0.04 321

28,060,764

126,589,999.78

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

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

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

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

AFRPAINTS 2.59 - - - 2.59 0 - -

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

AGLEVENT 1.02 0.97 -

-

1.02

8 48,971 46,330.44

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

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

126,800 124,264.00

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

822.99 822.99 822.99 822.99 8.99 73

115,282 94,401,035.72

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

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

NNFM 8.99 - - - 8.99 0 - -

AUSTINLAZ 2.09 - - - 2.09 0 - -

NPFMCRFBK

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

0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0

6

174,000 170,510.00

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

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

PREMBREW 2.95 - - - 2.95 0 - -

CAPOIL 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

PREMPAINTS 10.93 - - - 10.93 0 - -

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

-

8.73

7 51,560 458,087.60

CHAMPION 4.17 4.17 -

-

4.17

11 146,282 587,170.36

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

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

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

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

CONOIL 27.41 26.04 -

ROADS 6.6 - - - 6.6 0 - -

-

27.41

8

13,350 330,799.00

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

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

SCOA 4.16 - - - 4.16 0 - -

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

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

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

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

MBENEFIT 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

DANGSUGAR

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

DEAPCAP 0.58 - - - 0.58 0 - -

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

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

JOSBREW 1.51 - - - 1.51 0 - -

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

JULI 1.75 - - - 1.75 0 - -

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

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

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

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

NCR 11.02 - - - 11.02 0 - -

LEARNAFRCA

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

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

-

2.62

8 37,850 99,859.50

Top Gainers Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

NEIMETH 1.03 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 -0.05 6

126,800 124,264.00

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

822.99 822.99 822.99 822.99 8.99 73

115,282 94,401,035.72

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

Top Losers Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

Company

Previous Closing Price

Opening Price

High

Low

Close

Change

Trades

Volume

Value

ALUMACO 7.75 - - - 7.75 1 200 1,474.00

MULTITREX 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

FORTISMFB 5.42 - - - 5.42 0 - -

NNFM 8.99 - - - 8.99 0 - -

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

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

INFINITY 1.42 - - - 1.42 0 - -

UTC 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

OMOSAVBNK 0.92 - - - 0.92 0 - -

UNIONDICON 11.84 - - - 11.84 0 - -

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

MANDRID 5.35 - - - 5.35 0 - -

ASOSAVINGS 0.5 - - - 0.5 0 - -

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

ABBEYBDS 1.25 - - - 1.25 0 - -

JULI 1.75 - - - 1.75 0 - -

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, december 25, 2016

By Etuka Sunday

A

ll Electricity Customers under Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) can now comfortably breathe a sigh of relieve as the company yesterday flagged-off free mass metering project, cost in a region of $150 billion.

The launch of the project which was done in Apo, Abuja by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has brought to a close the hitherto Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) Scheme introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

From this day forward, no customer would be made to pay for meter up front before he or she is metered, as it was the practice in the CAPMI Scheme.

Flagging off the mass metering project, the FCT Minister said the project was apt since the customers especially FCT residents could no longer pay on estimation.

He appealed to AEDC to consider FCT

AEDC flags-off $150m Mass Metering Project to end estimated billing as the Capital of the country with constant supply power to the customers and to light up the city at night.

He pledged his support and partnership with the company, and advised the customers to protect electricity infrastructure in their areas since the company could not do it alone.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Board of Directors, Ambassador Shehu Malami said, the project would help to reduce losses. “...one of the ways by which we can reduce ATC&C losses is by metering all our customers. It is therefore a big relief that we are harvesting the mass metering project today for residential and other customers

who belong to the small power users’ group. Before now, we had undertaken the metering of the maximum demand customers or large power users and that project is expected to be completed by the end of this month,” he said.

Amb. Malami said, “one of the sources of friction between our Company as well as other DisCos and our dear customers is the issue of lack of meters and estimated billing. For a very long time, AEDC has been accused of supporting or at best paying lip service to the vexed issue of estimated billing because customers and other members of the public think that as a Company, we benefit from it. Honourable

• General Manager/Regional Bank Head, Abuja 1, Fidelity Bank PLC, Hassan Imam (right) assisted by the Regional Bank Head, Abuja 2 (left), Halilu Malabu to present a cheque of the sum of N 1 Million to Rahama Tahir, a Corps Doctor, during presentation of prizes to winners of Fidelity Bank PLC’s ‘”Get Alert in Millions Saving Promo”, yesterday in Abuja

Minister Sir, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, nothing can be farther from the truth. Let me therefore use the opportunity of this flag off to debunk that allegation and the fact that we are commissioning this project today clear validates that point.

Estimation is not an exact science. Often times, we underbill the customers while in some others, the customer is over billed.

But while customers cry foul when they are over billed, nobody has ever come forward to complain that he has been underbilled. This mass metering will cure that controversy and lay it to rest fully by the time all customers are metered.

“As a Company, this project will cost us 150million United States Dollars (USD) and it will span 3years, covering a customer population of over 300,000. It is expected that on completion, the ATC&C losses would have been reduced by about 17% and this will make energy audit and accountability a lot easier for us. Currently, ATC& C losses is sitting at 40% distinct from over 50% when we took over on November 1, 2013,” he said.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the flag-off, the Managing Director of AEDC, Engr. Ernest Mupwaya said, the ceremony symbolise the start of mass metering in the catchment areas of Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi.

He said with the ongoing customer enumeration exercise, a lot of unregistered customers would be captured. However, he disclosed that a region of 5000 customers would be metered in Abuja.

Speaking on the cost implication for customers, he said, “there is no cost implications to average consumers because meters are being deployed free of charge.

We are the one bearing the cost.

On CAPMI, he said, “the CAPMI Programme as you are aware has come to an end and we made a commitment to wind-up CAPMI by the end of the year.

What is remaining now is just few pockets here and there, by and large, the CAPMI is finished,” he said.

The MD said, all the meters were sourced from MOJEC, a local Manufacturer.

2017 Budget: Abuja Chamber recommends external deficit financing

By Etuka Sunday

T

he President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Mr Tony Ejinkeonye has said that the deficit of N2.35 trillion in the 2017 Budget could be overcome if its financing is externally sourced and focused on the productive sectors of the economy.

Ejinkeonye in a statement said, the 2017 budget of N7.29 trillion as presented

by President Muhammadu Buhari, which represents an increase of 20.4 percent over the 2016 budget estimate, is predicated on the following key assumptions: · exchange rate - N305 against one US dollar ($1) · production of crude oil - 2.2 million barrels per day · crude oil price - $42.5 per barrel However, a report - Nigeria, Dollar and Euro forecast indicates that the average exchange rate in 2017 will be about N333.1 to $1. Similarly, according to OPEC report,

in 2017, world oil demand growth is forecast at 1.15 mb/d to average 95.56.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will contribute some 0.15 mb/d to oil demand growth in 2017, while non-OECD will contribute the bulk of growth with 1.00 mb/d. Based on the above forecasts, the demand for OPEC crude in 2017 is expected to stand at 32.6 mb/d, which is slightly higher than the 32.5 mb/d level referred to in the most recent OPEC Ministerial Conference.

This, combined with the joint cooperation with a number of non-OPEC countries in adjusting production by around 0.6 mb/d, will accelerate the reduction of global inventories and bring forward the rebalancing of the oil market to the second half of 2017.

Furthermore, global crude oil price forecasts from the OECD shows that oil prices will be flat at $50 per barrel in

2017; while the estimate by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) indicates that oil prices will go up in 2017, because oil consumption will outstrip production.

“In view of the above, the crude oil price benchmark of $42.5 per barrel is conservative and good for budget purposes. The higher crude oil prices rise, the more positive is the economic outlook for petroleum exporters like Nigeria; and a better inflow of foreign exchange will definitely reduce the current pressure foreign exchange supply.

“Thus the parameters of the 2017 budget are in order. But the key success factors will include security and the curtailment of production disruptions by the militants especially in the Niger Delta region.

“The increase in funding to the judiciary in order for them to function better is long overdue; likewise, focusing on the development of infrastructure,

especially rail, road and power will not only stimulate the economy, but will accelerate economic development.

“However, the provision for capital expenditure at N2.24tn is only about 30 percent of the budget if implemented.

“In addition, the estimated aggregate revenue for 2017 is N4.94 trillion which implies a deficit of N2.35 trillion. We know that external source of deficit financing, non-banking public source of deficit financing and exchange rate has significant and positive implications on economic stability, while ways and means source of deficit financing, banking system source of deficit financing and interest rate has negative implications on economic stability in Nigeria.

“Therefore, we, recommend that the deficit financing should be externally sourced and focused on the productive sectors of the economy,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, december 23, 2016

Page 20

Business

Aero returns to the sky From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

A

ero Contractors Airlines has resume its suspended flight operation across cities in Nigeria following a near four month self-imposed suspension, which was embarked upon in what the airline described “as a strategic business realignment to reposition

the airline and return it to the part of profitability” Announcing the resumption of its scheduled services across the country today Wednesday, the airline said “Aero is re-launching schedule services to Lagos, Abuja, Warri and Port Harcourt, using its Boeing 737-400/500 and the Dash8-Q400, with the expectation that as more aircraft return to service, more routes will be

reopened.

Confirming the resumption of operations, the Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu said: “We are delighted to inform our esteemed customers that our schedule operation is back. Full flights will commence on Thursday December 22, 2016 with consistent passenger demand despite the suspension of schedule services.

This patronage reinforces the strength of

our brand and the quality of our service”.

“We are aware of the impact the four month suspension had on our staff and our highly esteemed customers. Hence our move to return to operations is to continue to offer the most reliable, safe and secure operations, which the airline is renowned for.”

We urge our passengers with existing tickets prior to the suspension to contact our Ticket Desks/Call Centre to rebook their tickets free of charge. However, those who would prefer a refund may send in their refund requests from the 9th of January, 2017.”

Enelamah joins World Economic Forum

By Abba-Eku Onyeka

M

inister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah has joined the stewardship board of the World Economic Forum (WEF) system initiative on Shaping the Future International Trade and Investment (SFITI).

This latest development was contained in a release from the ministry yesterday signed by Constance C Ikokwu, the Strategic Adviser to Minisrer.

Dr. Enelamah, according to the release was invited last month to join the board, adding that each comprising 20 to 40 global leaders drawn from the public and private sectors The board members are however expected to provide leadership on selected issues.

According to WEF, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR) is transforming the way we live, which necessitates a wider set of actors, experts and resourcefulness to make progress It went on to explain that emphasis was being placed on a set of major issues called System Initiative (SI), in which multistakeholder collaboration is required By design, according to the release, each SI focuses on specific issues, while engaging a cross section of WEF’s interested business and no-business constituents.

WEF therefore said that the role of the Stewardship Board was to guide the work of the SI, take stock of the state of publicprivate cooperation on the issue at hand and explore collectively how cooperation could be strengthened.

In addition, it said that the SI was the only platforms where such high level exchange about opportunities to strengthen collaboration between public and private partners on these critical issues occurs on

an ongoing basis.

Accepting the invitation, Enelamah said that the initiative was timely in a global economy undergoing rapid and dynamic transformation, accentuated by the FIR as earlier noted.

The changes, underway, according to him posed challenges, accompanied by nonetheless with abundance of opportunities, even as he said that he shard the views that progress in the area would benefit hugely from a range of

• L-R: Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Tunde Fowler with Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora , Abike Dabiri-Erewa during a meeting between the office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President and Federal Inland Revenue Service on Tuesday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

FRC lists benefits of NCC From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

T

he Financial Reporting Council (FRC) yesterday assured that the National Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) would enhance Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) into the country among other benefits.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer FRC, Mr Jim Obazee gave the assurance at the occasion of the 13th Annual Financial Reporting Summit and dinner held in Lagos.

stakeholders’ consultations that cut across the public and private sectors. “I am pleased to join in the efforts that you are steering,” he added.

The Stewardship Board, the release added meets twice a year.

According to him, the theme of the summit, ‘National Code of Corporate Governance and New Audit Report: A paradigm Shift’ was apt especially this period when some unspoken questions were yearning for answers.

Obazee who maintained that investors would like to invest in any jurisdiction if they knew that they will be entitled to keep the reward thereafter noted that Nigeria economy would benefit from NCCG through its demand for enhanced transparency and accountability in

financial reporting and mandatory corporate codes.

He debunked the allegation that NCCG was the cause recession saying that it has the capacity to build confidence that could assist the economy’s normal recuperative mechanism to engage.

“The FRC job in this period is to ensure that we are able promote confidence, to promote assurance, create an enabling environment whereby recuperative mechanism will begin to engage” He equally cleared the air of the

popular belief that the NCCG would be at the detriment of shareholders, rather, the code was put in place to protect the minority shareholders, he said.

Speaking further, Obazee assured that NCCG could not impede the ease of doing business in the country adding that a good corporate governance code is a means of whereby a society could ensure that business were well organized, not only managed, to which investors and lenders both domestic and foreign could safely and confidently commit their funds.

Page 21

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECEmber 23, 2016

Kurudu relocation market 75% complete AMAC-IPDC boss

Stories by Onyekwere

Stanley

A

MAC Investment and Property Development Company (AMAC-IPDC), has reassured FCT residents especially traders that the ultramodern Kurudu Relocation Market would be delivered on schedule, as the market is about

Yuletide: Marshals' Chief urges residents to be security conscious

75% completed.

The Managing Director, AMAC-IPDC, Yakubu Mohammed Adamu who stated this yesterday in his office while giving an update on the level of development of the market in Abuja, assured that existing allottees and those who make 100% down payment would be given a first choice of refusal in allocation of the shops.

Adamu urged residents and visitors into the FCT to key into the project by owning a shop at

the market.

He reiterated that certificate of allocation would be issued to any subscriber that makes 100% down payment on any of the shops, pointing out that allocation papers of allottees who fail to pay for their shops within the specified period would be revoked.

“We gave our promise that the markek would be completed in six months’ time, but Í can assure you that with the level of work at the site, in less than six months,

the market will be completed and delivered to shop owners who have made 100 per cent down payment. We are doing everything possible to achieve our mandate of boosting the revenue base of the area council.

“On December 7th we also held a groundbreaking of an ultra-modern AMAC City Mall, which is a destination mall to shop, dine and relax, with a total land space of 288 square meter.

The mall comprises of a total let able space of about 39 shops,

varying from 30msq to 200msq on a 4 suspended floors and a basement.

“This City Mall would be first of its kind in AMAC and the entire Federal Capital Territory.

Our desire is to deliver affordable modern market towards bettering the lives of residents, especially the low income earners,” he said.

The managing director used the opportunity to wish residents of FCT a merry Christmas and prosperous new year in advance.

By Sani Abubakar

T

he Marshal general of the AMAC Marshal, Kasim Isyaku Chicha, has urged residents of the council to be security conscious within and outside their environment during the Christmas and new Year celebrations.

Chicha in a statement revealed that festive season are usually times where high rate of criminal activities are recorded in communities and urge AMAC residents to always report any suspicious movement to the appropriate security agencies go ensure prompt security response.

While congratulating the Christian faithful for the Christmas celebration, He therefore, called on motorists to cultivate the habitat of parking their vehicle in a stipulated and designated area meant for parking to avoid wrong that usually abstrupt free flow of traffic in the council.

He said wrong parking and not using pedestrians cross way still remains prohibited in the council.

The Marshal boss noted that the AMAC Marshal institution will continue to support the conventional security agencies to maintain the zero level of wrong parking in the council.

Chicha revealed further that the AMAC security outfit will apprehend persons who refuses to make use of pedestrian bridge in order to reduce daily lost of life in high ways during the yuletide.

He said that this effort of the AMAC Administration is geared towards ensuring that law and orderliness is strictly abide by AMAC residents and visitors.

He stated that the formation of the AMAC Marshal was to provide all the necessary security support to the entire council and ensure that the programmes earmarked for the sustenance of the agenda the council chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido are fully implemented.

According him, the AMAC Marshals terms of reference is to ensure effective coordination of all parking activities by the AMAC.

• Motorists await passengers travelling for Christmas, at the Jabi Park, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

2017: Candido presents N6bn budget to AMAC legislative council

T

he Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Adamu Candido has presented 2017 budget proposal in the tune of six billion, one hundred and ninetytwo million, six hundred and fiftyone thousand, six hundred and sixteen Naira (N6,192,651,616.00) for consideration and approval by the Legislative arm of the council.

A breakdown of the document show that N2, 986, 596,729 was earmarked for recurrent expenditure while N3, 206, 054, 887 was apportioned as capital expenditure, representing 48.23%

and 51.77% respectively.

Also, the recurrent expenditure is further apportioned into personnel cost-N1, 868,361,729, which represents 30.14%; and overhead cost of N1, 120,235,000, representing 18.09% respectively.

In particular, the makeup of proposed income for the budget reveals that net statutory allocation from Federation account- N3, 192,651,616 (51.56%); N2.5bn from AMAC Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) and N.5bn expected from 10% FCT IGR, representing 40.37% and 8.07% respectively.

Presenting the budget labeled ‘Budget of Consolidation’ on Tuesday; Candido said the total sum represents an increase of 23.86% from that of the out-going year.

He stressed that the 2017 budget will build on the solid foundation his leadership has laid for accelerated grassroots development.

He disclosed that the council adopted a zero-based budgeting system, to eliminate inefficiency and focus on activities that have direct bearing on the people as well as guaranteeing tax payers’

value for their money.

According to him, “As an allinclusive document, I can assure you that it reflects the wishes of the people.

“It was ideated and present by both councilors; drawn from the twelve electoral wards and executive Arm at the just concluded budget Retreat convened by my humble self.

On his part, the Speaker of the AMAC Legislative Council, Hon. Daniel Michael assured that there would be judicious and timely legislative action on the budget estimates.

world news

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECEmber 23, 2016

Page 22

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Turkey - Africa cooperation makes a giant leap analysis

By Charles Onunaiju

T

urkey’s love affair with Africa since 2005, when its then Prime Minister (now President) Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered an intensified rapprochement with the continent, has blossomed beyond even Erdogan’s wildest dreams, if attendance figures at the first-ever Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum, held in Istanbul on 2-3 November 2016, are any guide.

Over 3,000 people attended, more than 2,000 of them Africans who were prepared to leave their businesses in 45 African countries to fly to Istanbul to interact with their Turkish counterparts and strike business deals.

The Forum – jointly organised by the Turkish Ministry of Economy, the African Union Commission, Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), and the Turkish Exporters Assembly – was meant to provide a platform for businesses in Turkey and Africa to network and create longlasting relationships for their mutual interest.

The format was ideal. Over two days, business-to-government, and business-to-business meetings were organised. The duration was short and sharp, leaving no room for feet dragging. As a result, a high number of trade agreements were signed between African and Turkish businesses.

Taking into consideration that Turkey (with a population of 80 million) has made remarkable economic progress over the last decade, to the point of becoming a major economic power in the region, it has committed itself to sharing its development experience with Africa in order to strengthen cooperation between them.

Tellingly, trade relations are more to Turkey’s immense advantage than Africa’s. For example, from a mere $3.6bn in 2003 before the start of Turkey’s “Africa Partnership Policy”, trade with Africa has shot up to $20bn today. In 2003, Africa’s exports to Turkey made up only 3% of Turkey’s overall global trade. By 2014 the amount had increased marginally to 5%, not much to write home about. It is one of the reasons why the Business Forum was organised, to encourage more African trade to Turkey and enhance the bilateral relations and make it less one way.

But whatever happens, Turkey’s impressive economic advancement means that its trade figures with Africa will always be lopsided against Africa.

The country that geographically is a bridge between Europe and Asia is on a roll, economically.

In 10 short years, the Turkish economy has boomed in such a way that the faces of the country’s two most important cities – Ankara, the political capital, and Istanbul, the

commercial capital – have changed dramatically. Years of economic growth have seen investments in infrastructure nationwide, such as new roads, airports, and a highspeed train network.

Turkey is building the largest airport in the world outside Istanbul.

Called the Istanbul New Airport, it will have 6 runways, an annual passenger capacity of 200 million, and the world’s biggest duty-free shop, when all four phases of the construction work are completed in 2028. Phase one, to be completed in December 2018, will be the largest terminal under one roof in the world, able to serve 90 million passengers a year.

When Erdogan became prime minister in 2002 (he morphed into president after the country’s first election that directly elected a president in August 2014), Turkey was “a basket case”, owing $35bn to the IMF, according to Mehmet Akarca, director general of press and information in the Turkish prime minister’s office. But the great economic strides the country has made under Erdogan’s government have seen the $35bn repaid and Turkey even becoming a net lender to the IMF, to the tune of $500m.

Sitting on the ruins of great empires of yore (Byzantine and Ottoman), and now the 17th largest economy in the world, Turkey wants to move up the ladder to become the 10th largest economy by 2023 and a major global power by 2071, which is the 1000th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert, when the Seljuq Turks (the ancestors of modern Turks) decisively defeated the Byzantine army on 26 August 1071, a defeat that led to a gradual Turkification of the Anatolia peninsula, where Turkey is currently located.

Turkey’s development assistance to Africa has touched lives across the continent. The monetary value exceeded £3.6bn in 2014.

About 250 miles across the Mediterranean Sea to the south of Turkey lie the northern edges of the African continent – the Maghreb – which used to be Turkey’s traditional haunt in Africa, where it conducted much of its African policy, until Erdogan decided to change matters.

That “policy” has since given birth to an exponential increase in Turkey’s diplomatic representation in Africa, from 10 embassies in 2008 to 39 today (Erdogan says Turkey will have embassies in all 54 African states in the next few years), an increase in Turkish Airlines flights from 10 destinations in Africa in 2008 to 48 today (taking the passenger volume from 150,000 in 2003 to two million in 2014), an increase in African embassies in Turkey from three in 2008 to 32 today, an increase in Turkish direct investment in Africa from a “statistically negligible” position in 2003 (according to the Turkish foreign ministry) to $6bn today, and since 1992 Turkey has given over 6,000

scholarships to Africans to study in Turkish universities.

There has also been a sharp increase in the Turkish development assistance to Africa, administered by its Cooperation and Coordinating Agency (TIKA). In 2008, TIKA had only three offices in Africa, today it has 21. TIKA is now active in 54 African countries, quietly helping in all sectors of African life, and most prominently in Somalia, a country where only the brave tread.

According to Dr Serder Cam, president of TIKA, Turkey has become the world’s leader in terms of giving development assistance, while being third in Africa. Turkey gives 0.54% of its GDP to official development assistance, a feat that gives Dr Cam enormous satisfaction: “Although Turkey is the 17th largest economy in the world, we give more in ODA per capita than the richest countries.

Our giving comes from our culture.

We give without expecting anything back. Unlike the other rich countries, we don’t give a spoonful and expect to reap a bucketful. We provide aid not to destroy the pride of our recipients.”

TIKA’s work in Somalia has been massive and exemplary. A nation that many rich countries would not touch even with a long barge pole, Somalia somehow touched the heartstrings of President Erdogan who, according to Dr Cam, ordered TIKA in early 2011 to go and help Somalia. Later, Erdogan himself followed by paying a state visit to Somalia on 19 August 2011.

Since then, the Turkish Relief Operation in Somalia (run by TIKA) has seen $350m given to Somalia in development assistance, the construction of 34km of new roads in Mogadishu and the rehabilitation of existing ones (all provided with solar streetlights), and the building of a 200-bed hospital in Mogadishu, fully equipped and with Turkish doctors to boot. The Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, joyfully acknowledges that: “TIKA is not the agency that puts the most money in Somalia, according to statistics. But in terms of impact on the ground, on the life of ordinary Somalis, I can say that there is no other agency we can compare it with.”

• Mr.Hakan Cakil, Turkish ambassador to Nigeria Sudan welcomes Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan to Khartoum on a state visit a 150-bed training and research hospital in Darfur, Sudan, which is now the most advanced and bestequipped hospital in Darfur.

Operating on the principle of “African solutions for African problems”, TIKA’s assistance to Africa has touched lives all across the continent. The monetary value exceeded $3.6bn in 2014, in contrast to $73m in 2002. One of the highlights of the assistance is a 150-bed training and research hospital in Darfur, Sudan, which is now the most advanced and best equipped hospital in Darfur.

No wonder, with such a pedigree in Africa, President Erdogan felt he was speaking to real friends when opening the Business Forum in Istanbul. “We share a common fate,” he told the Africans. “We consider the priority of the African continent as our priority.

There is a nice African proverb that says that one day’s rain cannot get deep into the soil. We would like to remain friends forever.”

“The culture of our African brothers is not taken into consideration.

Globalisation is a new form of colonialism, of modern slavery.”

“

In order to be part of the global system, you have to obey the current system unconditionally. The culture of our African brothers is not taken into consideration. The contemporary globalisation is a new form of colonialism, of modern slaver y.

Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan Said by his critics to be “an autocratic leader intolerant of dissent who harshly silences anyone who opposes him”, Erdogan feels betrayed by his European neighbours and American friends in the wake of the abortive but bloody coup d’état against his government on 15 July 2016, allegedly staged by followers of the USbased Turkish Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Erdogan.

As many as 246 people were killed and 2,194 others injured during the abortive coup, but America has refused to extradite Gulen to stand trial in Turkey. Thousands and thousands of suspects, including journalists, have been arrested or sacked from their jobs in the wake of the coup.

Thus, Erdogan was in an uncompromising mood as he spoke at the Business Forum, reminding the Africans present that they needed allweather friends like Turkey for bad and good days. He said the West was still furthering its colonial agenda by using globalisation as a control mechanism.

“In the name of globalisation,” he said, “one growth model has been dictated to different countries. If you want to grow your economy, you need to find the IMF, the World Bank or an interest rate hike. You cannot go beyond the limits they set for you in the infrastructure projects and defence industry. You must obey the definition of democracy.

“In order to be part of the global system, you have to obey the current system unconditionally. The culture of our African brothers is not taken into consideration. The contemporary globalisation is a new form of colonialism, of modern slaver y.”

Urging Africa and Turkey not to depend on others, Erdogan said: “Turkey and Africa’s modern history has been rewritten but only through resistance. We have declared that we will not be cursed of the earth.

“Africans have won their freedoms with their teeth and fingernails, not with grace. Our friends in Africa have reached where they are today with brave and visionary leaders like Nkrumah, Lumumba, Kenyatta and Mandela … So we cannot accept the system where certain countries are in the producers’ position and others are just to consume. We should never compromise on our achievements.”

Erdogan assured Africa that Turkish investors would continue to show keen interest in the continent, and together with their African counterparts, work to ensure that the relationship becomes win-win for all. He illustrated his point by paraphrasing an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, we will go together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, and side by side.”

Nothing could better his illustration.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECEmber 23, 2016

Page 23

News From Africa

DRC: Church calls for peace after deadly clashes T he Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has appealed for a resolution to the ongoing political standoff over the future of current President Joseph Kabila.

The call by the church comes after 34 people were reportedly killed and 45 others wounded in clashes between police and protesters who took to the streets to protest against Kabila’s refusal to step down from power.

The protests took place in Kinshasa and the eastern city of Lubumbashi.

Kabila’s second term officially ended on Tuesday. He is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term but under a controversial recent constitutional court order, he may stay on until a successor is chosen.

“Our wish is to end before Christmas,” said Episcopal Conference (CENCO) chairman Monsignor Marcel Utembi. “If the political and civil society actors do not reach a compromise by then ... CENCO will draw the consequences.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday urged the government and opposition to work constructively to reach a deal.

The UN backs the CENCO-facilitated dialogue.

So far the mainstream opposition has called for “peaceful resistance” from the country’s 70 million people, pinning its hopes on a deal at the negotiating table.

Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Adow, reporting from the Congolese capital Kinshasa, said officials have been widely criticised for the heavy-handed nature of their crackdown on protesters.

On Tuesday, the South African government expressed concern “about

the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and condemned any outbreak of violence.

“These incidences threaten the hardwon democratic gains made by the DRC through the past two elections,” the department of international relations and corporation said in a statement.

But in what Kabila’s opponents dubbed a provocation, a new government was announced overnight on Monday, headed

by Samy Badibanga.

The freshly appointed cabinet is part of an October deal struck between the ruling party and tiny fringe opposition groups, enabling Kabila to remain in office pending elections in April 2018.

The main opposition bloc headed by 84-year-old Etienne Tshisekedi rejects the plan. It wants elections next year - along with a pledge that Kabila will not stand.

Maman Sambo Sidikou, the head of the UN mission in Congo, had voiced alarm on Tuesday about a wave of arrests of opposition leaders, rights campaigners and journalists since December 16.

Similar concerns were raised by Ida Sawyer, Central Africa director of Human Rights Watch in a blog published on the watchdog’s website.

In a YouTube video, Tshisekedi launched “a solemn appeal to the Congolese people to no longer recognise the authority of Mr Joseph Kabila, to the international community to no longer deal with Joseph Kabila in the name of the Democratic Republic of Congo”.

He urged people “to peacefully resist the coup d’etat”.

The message was not available in DRC, where authorities have since Sunday imposed strict controls on social media

Protests have taken place in various parts of the country, notably Kinshasa and Lubumbashi [Reuters]

networks.

According to Sawyer, authorities had blocked the signals for the Congolese news outlets seen to be close to the opposition, including Canal Congo TV (CCTV) and Radio Liberté Kinshasa, on Monday.

“The signal for Radio France Internationale (RFI), the most important international news outlet in Congo, has been blocked in Kinshasa since November 5,” Sawyer said.

The president has been in office since his father Laurent Kabila’s assassination in 2001. He was elected in 2006, and again in 2011.

Two decades ago, the country collapsed into the deadliest conflict in modern African history. Its two wars in the late 1990s and early 2000s dragged in at least

Opposition Rejects Amendment for Kenya’s Voting Law

T

he opposition in Kenya has rejected a controversial new amendment to the electoral law and vowed fresh protests in the new year.

The legislation passed Thursday gives the electoral commission the ability to manually identify voters and release results if biometric voter verification technology fails, which the opposition says may compromise nationwide elections planned for August.

Tensions were high at parliament Thursday. Despite heavy security, there was commotion inside the chambers with both sides reporting lawmakers injured.

The opposition then walked out of the special session before the vote, leaving legislators from the ruling Jubilee coalition to pass the amendment to the electoral law that would allow hand counting of votes.

Debate on the proposed legislation had adjourned Tuesday amid fistfights on the parliament floor.

National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale blamed the opposition,saying “just because they believe in a culture of violence. You have seen their intention

is to fight democratically established institutions.”

Opposition members say the government wants to use the manual voter verification system to rig the August 2017 presidential election, a claim denied by the Jubilee administration.

As parliament voted Thursday, opposition members walked to the courts to challenge the legality of the special sitting.

Justice George Odunga ruled the judiciary cannot stop the work of the parliament, but left the door open to a challenge after the vote.

“Having considered the issue raised before me in this application at this stage, I do not find any compelling reasons why parliament is stopped from proceeding with the debate,” he said. “Thereafter, depending on what it [parliament] decides, this court will be at liberty to scrutinize its process to say whether it did actually comply with the law and constitution.”

The law now awaits the signature of President Uhuru Kenyatta. Opposition co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka is calling for protests.

“January the 4th will be the beginning of civil action so that at least we can face the next election in August with certainty,” said Musyoka.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga warned the opposition will boycott the election if there is doubt it is free, fair and credible.

He said the opposition does not want violence, it wants the election process to be transparent.He says the people are using the power given by the constitution to call on Kenyans to peacefully demonstrate.”

Protests in May and June turned violent as opposition supporters demanded the electoral commissioners resign, accusing them of favoring the ruling Jubilee coalition.

The commissioners have since stepped down and a joint committee was appointed to work on electoral reforms that were approved by parliament in September.

Jubliee lawmakers say the electoral commission then recommended the amendment passed Thursday.The opposition has requested proof of that request.

six African armies and left more than three million dead.

3 Killed in Mogadishu Explosion

S

omali government officials say two civilians and a government solider were killed after an explosion near one of Mogadishu’s busiest junctions known as Black Sea, late Thursday.

Spokesman for the Mogadishu administration Abdifatah Omar Halane told VOA Somali that the explosion was the result of an Improvised Explosive Devise “IED” which was detonated near a garage where security forces are based.

“The enemy of Somali people have caused this tragedy,” Halane said.

Halane confirmed that the same garage has been the target of several grenade attacks recently since the national security forces took it over in late November.

The government deployed the security forces in the garage after investigations revealed that other Al-Shabab attacks were allegedly planned there.

“This is where they readied the truck which was detonated at the vegetable market, that is when the security forces took over the garage,” Halane said.

Meanwhile, the African Union Mission in Somalia known as AMISOM says one of their soldiers “deserted” his defensive position at Qoryoley town, 150km south Mogadishu, Wednesday.

“Once it as realized he was missing a search party traced his footsteps for about 3km from the camp before disappearing in the thickets,” AMISOM said in a message on twitter.

AMISOM said it will continue to search to find the missing soldier.

The base where the soldier reportedly deserted is run by Ugandan forces. The AlShabab militant group claimed it captured the soldier in a “special operation”.

Al-Shabab is already holding captive at least one Ugandan soldier captured following an attack on AU military base in Jannaale on September 1, 2015. Nineteen UPDF soldiers were killed in the same attack.

Page 24

Jerusalem: 19-year-old shot protesting home demolition

I

sraeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian teen during clashes that erupted when soldiers arrived to demolish the home of an alleged attacker.

Soldiers opened fire on a crowd and fatally hit Ahmad al-Kharoubi, a 19-year-old Palestinian, during clashes with youth before dawn on Thursday in occupied East Jerusalem’s Kafr Aqab neighbourhood.

Including Kharoubi, the AlHaq human rights organisation has documented the killing of at least 107 Palestinians by Israeli security forces or settlers.

“Perpetrators include soldiers (regular and so-called border police), settlers, police, settlement guards, settler escorts, private security company personnel, light train guards, undercover units and municipality guards,” Al-Haq’s Tahseen Elayyan told Al Jazeera.

An Israeli army spokesperson said the soldiers were sent to raze the home of Misbah Abu Sbeih, a 39-year-old Palestinian who was killed by Israeli security forces after he carried out a drive-by shooting on a police station in East Jerusalem, leaving an Israeli woman and a police officer dead.

“During the activity, suspects shot and hurled improvised explosive devices at Israeli forces,” the spokesperson told Al Jazeera.

“In response to the threat, forces fired towards the suspect throwing an IED, resulting in his death.”

At least nine Israeli civilians were killed by Palestinian assailants between January and October of this year, according to United Nations statistics.

Al-Haq’s Elayyan argued Israeli soldiers and settlers who kill Palestinians are rarely held accountable.

“Impunity is continuing,” he said, pointing to the case of Israel Shomer, an Israeli soldier who was acquitted after he shot dead 17-year-old Muhammad alKusbeh near a military checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah in 2015.

According to the Israeli rights group Yesh Din’s most recent statistics, only 3.5 percent of legal complaints about Israeli soldiers harming or killing Palestinians led to an indictment in 2014.

“We believe that the Israeli judicial system is not impartial when it comes to the rights of the Palestinians,” Elayyan added.

“This system is part of the occupation enterprise in general. The goal of these socalled investigations is to shield perpetrators.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documented the destruction of at least 986 Palestinian-owned structures between January and October of this year. At least 1,501 people were displaced during that period.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, DECEmber 23, 2016

Asia&Middle-east

Pakistan to Issue Visas to Afghan Romania Patients at Torkham Entry Point could see

P

akistan has decided to issue entry visas to Afghan nationals who want to visit the country for medical treatment.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced the decision this week during a visit to the northwestern Torkham border crossing where he inaugurated new immigration facilities.

Despite prevailing bilateral tensions over mutual terror allegations the Pakistani minister accompanied by senior military officials as a goodwill gesture stepped across the frontier and shook hands with Afghan border forces.

The Afghan commander welcomed Khan and informed him that patients seeking medical treatment in Pakistani hospitals are facing serious problems in seeking urgent visas due to new Pakistani border regulations. Khan assured him the issue will be resolved and told him Afghans visiting Pakistan for medical treatment will be granted visas at the Torkham entry point.

Pakistani authorities have recently tightened border controls on its nearly 2,600 kilometer long porous frontier with Afghanistan in a bid to deter terrorist infiltration. The new measures require all Afghans to enter the country with valid travel documents and Pakistani visas.

For decades, divided Afghan

first female Muslim prime minister

R Afghan families arrive at the border crossing in Torkham, Pakistan, Saturday, June 18, 2016. families and millions of refugees have enjoyed the freedom of undertaking cross border travels on special permits and cards issued to families displaced by the Afghan conflict or fleeing persecution.

Khan said, “We welcome them (Afghans) to visit us and we want to visit their country. When more than 3.5 million Afghans were in difficulty and needed our help (as refugees), Pakistanis generously welcomed them and will do so if, God forbid, they (Afghans) faced such problems in future. But the freedom of movement they were enjoying until now was being misused by terrorists.”

Khan again alleged that after

fleeing military operations on the Pakistani side, terrorist groups have established bases in Afghan border areas and are plotting subversive acts in Pakistan.

“We have to focus now on them (anti-Pakistani militants),” he said.

“These people sneak across the border, enter our country, and attack our people like cowards.” .

Afghan officials reject allegations they are allowing anti-Pakistan militants to operate from their soil and in turn accuse Islamabad of harboring Taliban and insurgents linked to the Haqqanii network of terrorists fighting U.S.-led coalition and local forces in Afghanistan.

Berlin attack: Family urge suspect to surrender

M

edia captionAbdelkader Amri said he was “in shock, like all Tunisians” His brother, Abdelkader Amri, said he was sure Anis was innocent.

If he was not, “it will be a dishonour for us”.

German officials have confirmed Amri’s fingerprints were found inside the truck that was used to kill 12 people and wound 49 others on Monday evening.

Breitscheidplatz market has reopened, with dimmed lights and no music.

Candles and flowers have been laid for the victims, who include at least six Germans, an Israeli tourist, an Italian woman and the truck’s Polish driver. Police have installed concrete barriers to prevent a repeat attack.

“If my brother is listening to me, I want to tell him to surrender, even for our family. We will be relieved,” Abdelkader Amri told reporters from the family home in Tunisia.

“If he did what he is suspected of having done, he will be sanctioned,” he went on.

But he added: “I am sure that my brother is innocent. I know why he left home: he left for economic reasons... to work, to help the family, he didn’t go for [terrorism] reasons.”

Both Abdelkader, and another brother, Walid, admitted that Anis had got into trouble in Europe and came out of a three-and-a-half year

The family of Anis Amri sit around a portrait of him in their home in Oueslatia, Tunisia jail term in Italy with a “totally different mentality”.

But Walid said he had spoken to Anis just 10 days ago, and he had said he hoped to return to Tunisia in January. “He was saving money so he could come here, and buy a car and start a business. That was his dream.”

The German federal prosecutor’s office said Amri’s fingerprints had been found in a number of places around the lorry’s cab. “At this point in the investigation, we assume Anis Amri drove the truck,” said spokeswoman Frauke Koehler.

She also confirmed police raids had been carried out “in various locations” in Berlin and in North Rhine-Westphalia state where the

suspect “was living and staying for some time”.

“Based on a tip-off, we have also searched a coach near Heilbronn [in south-west Germany]. We have not had any concrete results so far,” she added.

Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier said she was hopeful for a “quick arrest”, and said she was “very proud of how calmly most people” in Germany had reacted to the attack.

Media captionA short video of Anis Amri in Berlin in September uncovered by investigative website Bellingcat Amri was named as a suspect on Wednesday after his identification papers were found in the truck.

omania could have its first female prime minister, an economist who is a member of the country’s small Muslim community.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday he would appoint a prime minister designate after Sunday as he needed time to assess a proposal made by the Social Democrat Party (PSD), the winners of a December 11 parliamentary election.

Liviu Dragnea, chairman of the PSD, proposed that Sevil Shhaideh take the post of prime minister. The announcement was a surprise because her name is not widely known in Romania.

Shhaideh, 52, is a party member but did not run as a member of parliament in the election. She was the minister for regional development for six months in 2015, and is currently an official in the regional development ministry.

If approved by parliament, she would also become the country’s first Muslim prime minister.

Dragnea is banned from taking the role because he has a conviction for election fraud.

On Wednesday, Dragnea called his April 2016 conviction “unjust” and said the law that stops him from being prime minister was “profoundly unconstitutional”. The new parliament could vote to change the 2001 law that bans anyone with a conviction of holding a ministerial post.

Later Wednesday, Dragnea was elected speaker of parliament’s Chamber of Deputies while the former Senate speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, was re-elected.

If voted through, Sevil Shhaideh will be #Romania’s first #female, first #Muslimprimeminister. Romania has a historic #Tatar minority.

Dragnea, who continues as head of the party, is expected to have significant influence over a government headed by Shhaideh.

“If appointed, she would be prime minister, but the political responsibility stays with me first of all,” Dragnea said, praising Shhaideh for her knowledge of public administration and for being hard-working and loyal.

The left-leaning Social Democrats easily won the December 11 parliamentary election, but did not secure a majority and will govern with a minority partner.

PAGE 25

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, december 23, 2016

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FRIDAY 23, 2016

Feature Niger: Repositioning schools for conducive learning T

here is no doubt that education provides us with knowledge about the world. It paves the way for a good career. It helps build character.

It leads to enlightenment. It lays the foundation of a stronger nation. It was based on this that Niger State government embarked on massive school renovation with a whopping N3bn to promote scholarship. Yakubu Mustapha writes from Minna.

No fewer than N3 billion to be spent on nine (9) boarding Secondary and Science schools in the three senatorial zones under ‘Whole School Rehabilitation Project’ as part of solution to dilapidated school structures inherited in the state.

It may look like a dream but a visit will be an evidence that it is possible as every structure in the schools were fully rehabilitated, hence no building is left untouched which is the first of its kind in the history of the state. It goes a long way to sure the commitment of the government on promoting education.

One may see it as surprising that upon the fact that we are in recession, a state government like Niger state can go extra miles with such tremendous projects and actualize them accordingly as these school were eyesores before now.

In an exclusive interview with the Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, he stated that Gov. Abubakar Sani Bello inherited a very dilapidated structure in most of the sectors of development despite huge amount accrued to them at the time.

Vatsa who decried the level of decay they inherited called for the needed overhaul in schools assuring that other sectors also waiting would be looked into despite the current recession being experienced as the present government will be transparent, accountable and prudent to impact positively within its limited resources.

According to him, the benefiting schools under the 1st phase are Government Girls Secondary School, Bida and Legbo Science College, Kutigi, Niger South Senatorial district (Zone A), Government Science Secondary School, Izom and Maryam Babangida Science Girls Secondary School, Minna from Niger East district (Zone B) and Government Girls Secondary School, Kontagora and Day Secondary School, Rijau in Niger North Senatorial district (Zone C).

Niger State government said N940 million is to be spent for the 2nd phase of the “Whole School” renovation and upgrading project of three additional secondary schools in the state.

In same vein, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hajiya Fatima Madugu made this known at a press briefing in Minna, that the renovation and upgrading of nine secondary schools in the state will cost about N3 billion.

Details of works to be carried out on the schools showed that the sum of N308.3 million would be spent

Yakubu Mustapha

“

The school principals appreciated the state government gesture and for selecting their schools, but shared almost same challenges of lack of teachers in the core subjects like English language, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and Religious studies for moral upbringing of children.

“

for the renovation and conversion of Day Secondary School, Baro to a fullfledged boarding school.

Government Day School, Tegina that was affected by a heavy storm will under-go total rehabilitation, including the provision of perimeter fence at N270.1 million while Mu’azu Ibrahim Commercial Secondary School, Kontagora will require

N361.4 million for total overhauling.

According to the commissioner, N2.1 billion is to be expended on the on-going “Whole School” rehabilitation programme of six secondary schools, two each in the three Senatorial districts.

“Earlier, state government has embarked on the Whole School renovation project in six schools, two

from each of the three geo-political zones at the cost of N2.1billion. Three new schools of Baro, Tegina and Kontagora were added to the initial six for renovation at the cost of N940 million,” Madugu declared.

The priority attention given to the renovation of the three new schools was informed by the deplorable condition of the schools when Governor Abubakar Sani Bello paid unscheduled visits to the schools.

The Niger state government has further approved the sum of N869, 250, 555 for the provision of various items and equipments to the nine (9) schools undergoing overhaul rehabilitation in the three Geo political zones of the state.

The Commissioner of education, Hajiya Fatima Madugu made the disclosure in another post Exco press briefing in Minna, she said the sum of N214, 143, 810 will be used for the procurement of science equipment and 15KVA solar power plant. She added that another N655, 106, 745 was approved for the provision of furniture, textbooks and electronic gadgets for staff in the nine boarding schools which are spread across the three senatorial zones .of the state.

“The electronics will be for the staff quarters of the nine schools that are undergoing rehabilitation so as to make the lives of the teachers very comfortable”, she added.

Madugu also said that the government is revisiting the free uniforms for female students, adding that “this time around, we want it to be for both junior and senior school students across the state”.

Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani has emphasized his administration’s resolve to provide qualitative incentives for both teaching and learning in all its Primary and Secondary schools to boost the standard of education in the state.

The Governor, who gave the indication in Minna, said his administration would never compromise on its resolve to provide functional and standard education until the desired result is attained.

He noted that by making teaching and learning conducive and more attractive, education would reclaim its rightful place as the driver of development in the state.

According to him, the ‘Whole School Rehabilitation Project’ would simultaneously encapsulate the free school uniform for the girl-child, which has now been extended to cover up to senior secondary school level, as well as the free school feeding programme.

“We are presently doing nine schools spread across the three geo-political zones. Our emphasis has been on boarding schools, but in the next phase, Gods-willing, more Technical and Day Secondary

Schools would be massively captured.

We have also identified two Teachers’ Training Colleges to be resuscitated in our deliberate effort to bring back efficient and qualitative teaching in our schools”.

The school principals appreciated the state government gesture and for selecting their schools, but shared almost same challenges of lack of teachers in the core subjects like English language, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and Religious studies for moral upbringing of children.

Although the projects is ongoing in different stages of completion they assured to reciprocate the enabling environment for teaching and learning created by doing more in raising the standard of education especially at the end of the session with better results in the state, demanded for improved overhead for the running of the schools.

The principal of Kutigi Science College, Mallam Saba Katu Mohammed and his counterpart Mallam Bala Shaba Muhammad of Science College Izom established in 1975 each in a separate interview decried lack of adequate water supply, electricity in their schools and access roads to staff quarters and hostels as well transport service plight especially during excursions.

They were of the view that the schools have been in the mercy of the Parent Teachers Association PTA for years hence these have brought relief from the burden, they described the projects as ‘unbelievable’ but said it is dividend of democracy and appealed for the extension of same renovation to other schools in the state.

The Principals of the benefiting Girls schools in an interactive session with journalists also appreciated the state governor for the foresight in education and the renovation which includes fencing of these colleges to ensure security and encroachment of school lands hence had never witnessed such projects since the inception of those colleges built decades ago.

The renovation cut across every existing structure of the benefitting schools which includes: administrative block, class rooms, hostels, library and laboratory, staff quarters, clinic, dining hall and other structures that surprisingly turned the colleges like a new schools.

Consequently, the nine schools currently been rehabilitated include; Gov’t Girls Secondary School Bida, Justice Idris Legbo Science College Kutigi, Gov’t Day Secondary School Baro, Maryam Babangida Girls Science College Minna, Gov’t Science College Izom, Gov’t Girls College Kontagora, Gov’t Secondary School Rijau, Gov’t Girls College Tegina, and Mu’azu Ibrahim Commercial Secondary School Kontagora.

PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

friday, december 23, 2016

Page

27

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Federal government orders NFF to audit account

John Mikel Obi

By Albert Akota

T

he Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung says he is yet to receive a report of an audited account of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Dalung had directed the NFF to appoint an independent auditor to look into the books of the federation and also provide minutes of nomination by the Congress of its President, Mr Amaju Pinnick to vie for a CAF seat during its Congress on Sunday.

“I received a communiqué of the Congress which referred to my action as uninformed. Instead of providing me with

the minutes, the Congress went ahead to endorse its president, two weeks after its Secretary General had sent a letter of his nomination to CAF” The Minister emphasized that government was yet to nominate anybody to contest for the CAF seat.

“The Ministry of Youth and Sports wants to make it clear that Nigeria has not endorsed anybody to contest. The Ministry will constitute a committee to screen and recommend to government, a suitable candidate who will represent Nigeria”.

Dalung also stated that since the Federation has failed to appoint an independent auditor to audit the accounts

>>Pg 28

Meanwhile, the world football governing body, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has detected discrepancies in the use of funds it provided the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the development of the game in the country.

The discovery was contained in the report on the 2015 review on the use of FIFA Development Funds. In the report of the review prepared by a globally reputed audit firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

FIFA said it detected that the sum of $801,229 was spent by the NFF without evidence supporting the disbursement.

Egbuchulam ponders Etoile deal

>>Pg 28

Falcons’ captain joins another Swedish club

of the federation, government has no option than to embark on a full scale investigation of those issues raised at the congress.

“FIFA’s forensic audit has raised concerns about documentation of the federation’s accounts. 19 grave issues were identified in FIFAs audit report which needs to be looked into.

The federal government has already set machinery in motion to embark on a full scale investigation of those issues.

“We are committed to getting rid of all obstacles capable of destroying probity, credibility, transparency and accountability in sports administration in Nigeria” the Minister said.

Sport

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, december 23, 2016

Page 28

Nigeria finishes 2016 in Africa top-10 despite AFCON disaster N igeria have finished the outgoing year among the top 10 teams in Africa even after they failed to qualify for a second straight AFCON. The latest FIFA Rankings show that Nigeria are now eighth in Africa and 61st in the world, a spot below what they achieved in November.

However, the Super Eagles World Cup rivals Algeria remain ahead of Nigeria as they are fifth best team in Africa.

Senegal are the best ranked team in Africa with Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia and Egypt in the top 5.

Nigeria’s FIFA ratings are expected to take a huge bashing after the 2017 AFCON in Gabon as they will not be busy there having not qualified for the competition.

Eagles

Egbuchulam ponders Etoile deal R angers may have raised several red flags for Chisom Egbuchulam to join Etoile du Sahel, but the star striker has fallen in love with the Tunisian champions and will very much wish to sign for them.

It appears transfer negotiations between Rangers and Etoile have broken down after the Nigeria champions claimed their Tunisian counterparts were trying to poach the player and that they never gave their blessing for him to fly out to Tunisia.

However, the player himself is eager to play for Etoile because he has been offered a very financially rewarding deal, which could also be a springboard to a move to a bigger club and a bigger league.

“Chisom wants to play for Etoile,” said a source who is familiar with the entire negotiations.

“They have offered him a very lucrative three and half year deal and at 24 he knows he has to make the move outside Nigeria now.”

The Tunisians are expected to reopen transfer discussions later this month as they are not deterred in their pursuit of the star forward, who fired 16 goals last season as Rangers won the Nigeria league.

Falcons’ captain joins another Swedish club

Rita Chikwelu in action

T

Chisom Egbuchulam

he Captain of the Nigeria women’s team to the last African Women’s Nations Cup, Rita Chikwelu, has joined another club in Sweden.

Swedish women top division outfit, Kristianstad DFF, confirmed the signing of the Nigerian international on a twoyear deal on Wednesday Chikwelu, who was an integral part of the Falcons squad that conquered Africa in Cameroon few weeks ago, was formerly playing for another Swedish side Umea IK. Kristianstad in an official statement on its website wrote: “We are very pleased

Amapakabo calm over CAF CL draw Enugu Rangers have been handed an extremely tough draw and must navigate extremely treacherous waters if they are to reach the group stage of the 2017 Caf Champions League.

Rangers will face Algerian club, JS Saoura over two legs in the preliminary stages of the competition.

Head coach of Rangers, Imama Amapakabo is calm ahead of the tie and believes the ‘Flying Antelopes’ can subdue the North Africans over two legs.

“I am extremely confident about the chances of my team progressing to the first round of the competition at

the expense of JS Saoura.

“It is my belief that most Nigerian football fans have this fear of clubs from North Africa because they think their leagues are better organized and their clubs, better run than ours.

“That fear is something I or my team do not have because we know we will win over two legs against JS Saoura,” Amapakabo said.

Amapakabo readily concedes that Saoura will be extremely well organized as a unit when the two sides clash in February 2017.

that we reached an agreement with Rita.

Rita has been one of Damallsvenskans best midfielders in recent years and has also been the captain of her former teams.

“There have been many clubs that have showed interest for Rita’s signature but Rita chose KDFF, which we are very happy and pleased.”

The 28-year old star who was in Finland for three seasons, starring for Pietarsaari and TPS Turku has played 140 matches in the Swedish women League, and so she heads to her new side with a wealth of experience that will strengthen Kristianstad’s midfield.

loss of document THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY WITH REGISTRATION NO. 035491. AFTER A THOROUGH SEARCH OF HIS HOUSE AND OFFICE FOR THE TITTLE DOCUMENTS TO ALL HIS PROPERTIES, THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE FAMILY COULD NOT FIND THE ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY WITH REGISTERED NO. 9/9/1995C AT LAND REGISTRY ALAUSA, IKEJA LAGOS. THE SAID PROPERTY WAS NOT SELL OR MORTGAGE BEFORE HE DIED BECAUSE A CAVEAT WAS REGISTERED ON THE REFERRED PROPERTY EARLIER THIS YEAR AND ITS NOT BEEN VACATED TILL DATE. WHO DIED ON 14th OCTOBER 2016. GOT MISSING. ALL EFFORT TO TRACE THE SAID DOCUMENTS PROVE ABORTIVE. IF FOUND RETURN TO THE NEAREST POLICE STATION. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Page 29

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, december 23, 2016

Digest

The surprising two-ingredient snacks that are ALL under 200 calories - including guacamole, parmesan crisps and even oaty ‘cookies’

By Imogen Blake

A

s hard as we might try to stick to just three meals a day, inevitably most of us will reach for the snacks to beat the mid morning or mid afternoon slump.

It’s all to easy to nibble on a biscuit, a packet of crisps or a bar chocolate - but eating these unhealthy treats could be secretly piling on the pounds.

There is a way to curb your hunger pangs and eat healthily however, thanks to Harley Street registered nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, who has shared her top 10 healthy snacks that are all under 200 calories.

And best yet, they’re all incredibly simple to make - containing just two ingredients each.

1. Avocado Devilled Eggs Scoop out the yolk of two boiled eggs and mash it with two spoons of avocado to make this healthy snack that tastes indulgent.

‘Eggs contain Vitamin D amongst other wonder nutrients and, of course, an egg is an excellent source of protein,’ says Rhiannon, who blogs about making food as nutritious as possible.

‘Coupled with skin-loving Vitamin E from avocado, this is a tasty snack with less than 200 calories.’

2. Houmous And Crudités ’ This is the perfect low calorie, high nutritional value snack,’ according to Rhiannon.

‘It’s fibre rich, with an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Raw veggies when coupled with a protein like houmous will keep you full as fibre may slow down the emptying of the stomach and increase digestion time.’

3. Banana Almond Discs Slice one banana, dipping each segment in almond nut butter, and then freeze.

‘Almonds have been proven to raise our levels of good cholesterol,’ she says. ’A study found that 42g of almonds per day lowered “bad” LDL cholesterol while maintaining the “good” HDL cholesterol.

‘This snack is less than 190 calories if you use 15g of nut butter.’

4. Berry Yoghurt Blend 80g raspberries or blueberries with 170g Greek yoghurt for a pink treat.

‘Full fat dairy is very beneficial for health, especially as it contains live bacteria known as probiotics,’ she says.

5. Cucumber And Cheese Sticks Cut the cucumber in half and remove the middle of the cucumber. Then fill the cucumber with some cottage cheese.

‘This snack is high in protein and needs to be kept refrigerated,’ says Rhiannon.

6. Rice Cakes And Guacamole ’ With a light spread of guacamole and brown rice cakes, you have a light and tasty snack full of healthy fatty acids and fibre,’ says Rhiannon.

7. Oat Cookies Simply mash a banana, mix it with 27g oats and mould into little balls for the fridge.

Rhiannon says: ‘They taste better than they look and will be a healthier pick-me up than some chocolate.

‘Oats are high in the soluble fibre beta-glucan, which has numerous benefits.

‘It helps reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, promotes healthy gut bacteria and increases feelings of

fullness.’

8. Turkey Rolls Wrap up some leftover turkey with lettuce for a light and crisp snack.

‘Eighty-five grams of roasted, skinless turkey breast contain about 24g of protein and 115 calories.

‘Turkey is also high in vitamin B6, selenium, phosphorus and zinc.’

9. Chicken And Tomato Skewers ‘One hundred grams of cherry tomatoes is about 18 kcals and contains lots of vitamin C - an essential nutrient and antioxidant,’ says Rhiannon.

‘One medium sized tomato can provide about 28 per cent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin

“

‘One hundred grams of cherry tomatoes is about 18 kcals and contains lots of vitamin C - an essential nutrient and antioxidant,’ says Rhiannon.

‘One medium sized tomato can provide about 28 per cent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Use tofu for a vegan alternative to chicken.’

C. Use tofu for a vegan alternative to chicken.’

10. Parmesan And Thyme Crisps Combine Parmesan cheese and thyme leaves in a bowl before heaping teaspoons of the mixture onto baking sheets.

Lightly press with your fingers to flatten them into circles which are 2 inches in diameter.

Bake until slightly browned and crisp in under 10 minutes. Leave to cool before loosening edges with a spatula.

‘Most cheeses are excellent sources of calcium. 28g of parmesan cheese has 33 per cent of your recommended daily intake.’

Could this be the perfect chunky guacamole recipe?

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, december 23, 2016

Some Interesting Facts 1. Benin Kingdom: The high quality and highly sophisticated bronze work of the Benin Kingdom dating as far back as the 13th century is a world wonder.

Great works in iron, wood, ivory, and terra cotta products also highlight the empire’s history.

2. Benin Kingdom: Lourenco Pinto, captain of a ship that carried missionaries to Warri in 1619, described Benin kingdom, ‘Great Benin where the king resides is larger than Lisbon, all the streets run straight and as far as the eyes can see….’

3. Rivers/AkwaIbom: King Jaja of Opobo,

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Leisure

(1821–1891) JuboJubogha, an Igbo from Imo state founded Opobo city-state in 1867 and shipped palm oil to Britain independently of British middle men.

4. Ancient Greeks appear to have Nigerian roots as supported by the Benin Haplogroup or Haplogroup 19. According to JideUwechia, ‘The Benin Haplotype (which originates from Nigeria, West Africa) accounts for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily Northern Greece.’

5. Ilorin’s ‘Oba’ Afonja utilized Fulani warriors to help rebel against the Oyo Empire. The warriors after defeating Oyo took over Ilorin and Sheikh Alimi, their leader became the first Emir.

6. Much of north Nigeria was part of the Songhai Empire.

Muhammad Kanta annexed Kebbi and other states between 1512 and 1517.

7. The Obasanjo military regime converted Nigeria from a Parliamentary system to a Presidential system of government.

Buhari, bigots and the anticorruption war Cont. from back page Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS. Yet like a rejected prophet, we dismissed the man as a medical heretic. Good enough also, even the medical world paid no heed to the storm in our little pharmacological tea-cup that Abalaka created. But strangely the formula was raising many Lazaruses from the dead. In fact AIDS-ravaged victims on taking the ‘serum’, were bouncing back to life with chubby-cheeks like choirboys. The Army, the hardest hit by the plague then, in open endorsement of Abalaka’s strange cure, had detailed a regiment of soldiers to guard the doctor -as he was said to be on a contract to raise their many ‘deads’.

Alas what Abalaka’s formula did was merely to scotch or disable the virus and not kill it. The ‘serum’ would knock the virus into a prolonged coma necessitating a sudden ‘ease’ to the ‘dis-eased’ host-victim who would now miraculously manifest a sudden regenerative recovery; until the comatose virus itself regained full consciousness; and now with the anger and vengeance of a wounded lion fought back; and it was now said to hit at its host victim so hard that the celebrated convalescence suddenly became a perplexing relapse that he never ever got over from. And so everyone was amazed how no sooner than Abalaka’s patients were healed and fleshed-up, than they were also dead like dodo!

Abalaka’s ‘serum’ ended up merely reminding us about a simple rule of selfdefense or self-preservation: ‘never let the enemy recover from the impact of your first assault’; or better still ‘do not take on the enemy until you are ready to take on the enemy’. The moral is like getting the iron-fisted Klitchko ‘down’ on the canvass but not completely ‘out’ in the head. It is called scotching the snake but not killing it. First you’ll need prayers so that Klitchko does not survive the referee’s count. And if he does, you’ll then need prayers so that he does not survive the time keeper’s bell which will end a round in which your opponent is supposed to be drunk with the impact of your punch. Because again if he survives, you might now have to deal with his fists and his fury.

Buhari is the proverbial challenger in this anti-corruption title fight. The victims of his feeble anti-corruption jabs now seem to be fighting back as much with loaded fists as with hearts full of hate and charged with fury! Unless the President ups his jabs above the subversive gambit of his angry opponents, his anti-corruption formula might just prove an ineffectual Abalaka ‘serum’ which the more it purports to kill the more itself is inviting death. The Judiciary is already on a tactical ‘rope-a-dope’ with Buhari. And now with the NASS throwing its sullied hat in the ring, the fight of two arms against one can only get nastier.

And you bet, even against the grains of law and morality the NASS is always ready to draw. Buhari is constrained by both law and morality not to deploy without tact and without circumspection. It is such an unfair rule of engagement that whereas the devil may hit below the belt, the avenging angel must be compassionate in both offence and in defense. The bad guy may use ‘fair and foul’ to subvert society, but the good guy must be slave of a hamstringing due process.

“Pity” as Shakespeare would say “that the eagle should be mewed while kites and buzzards pre at liberty”!

And now like Michael Jackson’s scary ‘Thriller’ in a mystical night of vengeance, the zombies that the Buhari anti-corruption ‘serum’ should long have killed, are breaking free from their gory sepulchers. They have been in an eerie menacing dance that started with mass defense and is now coalescing into mass attack. Yes, a thriller night it may seem, but a decisive one at that. Will these scotched demons return to the grave or will the anti-corruption war itself at last be entombed! Only Buhari can tell.

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friday, DEcember 23, 2016

QUOTABLE QUOTE

No more room for corruption in the academic sector. Very soon, we will tour all projects executed by our new federal universities to ensure that funds allocated to them are judiciously utilized.

Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC)

SPORTS Buhari, bigots and the anti-corruption war latest

Mahrez, Mane battle Aubameyang for CAF African Player award

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lgeria star Riyad Mahrez and Sadio Mane of Liverpool and Senegal will challenge reigning CAF African Player of the Year Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for this year’s top individual accolade.

Aubameyang was the shock winner of last year’s CAF Player of the Year ahead of the favourite Yaya Toure.

The Gabon and Borussia Dortmund star will this year be challenged for the top continental gong by Mahrez, who helped little Leicester City win the Premier League against all odds, and Mane, who has shone at Liverpool after he moved from Southampton.

Mahrez has already been adjudged the best African player of the year by BBC. For the best African-based player award, 2016 CAF Champions League Mamelodi Sundowns stars Khama Billiat and Denis Onyango will slug it out with Zambia skipper Rainford Kalaba, who has been outstanding for CAF Confederation Cup winners TP Mazembe.

The awards ceremony will be staged next month in Nigeria’s capital city Abuja.

Lukaku is not for sell- Koeman claimes

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elgian international striker Romelu Lukaku may not see out his time at Everton even if he signs a lucrative new contract, the Premier League club’s manager Ronald Koeman claimed yesterday.

Lukaku, 23, is reportedly set to become the first Everton player to earn over £100 000 a week if he puts pen to paper on the new offer.

His agent Mini Raiola who is also the representative of the world’s most expensive player, Paul Pogba claimed the deal was “99.9 percent done”.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

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The ‘do-nothing’ advocates on corruption say that unless Buhari is able to net corrupt persons all at once, he has not the moral right to net any corrupt person at all.

That if he cannot catch them all, he must free them all. They say: ‘do not arrest anybody, unless you can arrest everybody’. Or put another way, ‘unless you can arrest everybody, you must not arrest anybody’. Which is as dumb for example as saying that unless you can arrest all armed robbers, you must not arrest any armed robber.

And by the way, since they have also argued that virtually ‘everybody’ except Buhari is corrupt, maybe what they are advocating by default is a ‘government-by-one puritan, for all’. Or if –as others insistBuhari himself is corrupt, maybe then what they are advocating is an ‘auto-piloted government’!

Isn’t that wonderful? A nation of sinners with a hypocritical mind for the puritanical. They will neither be governed by any with a chink on his moral armor, nor one with a blot on his moral escutcheon!

Now even a thieving NASS arrogates to itself a moral edge.

It has placed an asphyxiating stranglehold on the jugular of Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade –sourly therefore invoking the adage: ‘if you do not know how to catch a thief…’Now it is thieving lawmakers that are on the pulpit thumping like anointed ‘men of God’ that: ‘except his righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees, Magu shall by no means ride the anti-corruption sputnik over us!’. It is as good as saying that the anti-corruption crusade is not to the diligent; it is to the sinless.

Nothing more advocates for ‘doing nothing’ against corruption (in a nation where ‘all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God), than the hypocritical search for the biblical ‘saint’ of Jesus’ specification -who alone should be the one to ‘cast the first stone’! Ironically it is the NASS , the very hub –nay the nest above all nests- of corruption, that now -with righteous indignationthrusts itself as the self-anointed anti-corruption Caesar of Nigeria– warning Buhari not to come to the throne of its ‘equity’ unless his hands are clean. Now it is the NASS that is about to exalt the nation. Halleluiah!

And every ‘do-nothing’ advocate is saying yes, ‘no sinner shall take our confessions!’You can always tell ‘do-nothing’ advocates on corruption by the questions that they ask: ‘why Metuh, why

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dankande2@gmail.com not Tinubu?’; ‘why Dasuki, why not Dambazau?’; ‘why the Army Chiefs, why not Amechi?’; ‘why Jonathan’s government, why not Yaradua’s?’ In fact a certain ‘nut’ from Kaduna recently said that unless Buhari was ready to go as far back as 1966, he does not have the moral legitimacy to probe anybody. It is the ‘do-nothing’ advocates that say ‘innocent’ Dasuki must be granted bail even though they’ll not speak for the ‘innocents’ awaiting trial in police and prison cells. They are the ones who say that a ‘righteous’ Saraki should be allowed to keep his ‘loot’ and ‘his seat’ even though they’ll not speak for workers un-paid by corrupt governors who take lifelines from a compassionate Buhari but put them in their private bank accounts; and they are the ones who said that a ‘virtuous’ Metuh should not be handcuffed, although they never condemned the jungle justice daily meted to petty pick-pockets and phone-thieves.

Those who are happy Diezani has escaped the long arm of the law with billions of dollars of our patrimony are the same who insist that a dutiful Magu must be punished for living in an officiallyfurnished quarters duly allocated to him. Those who want the banks to unfreeze the many private accounts in which Fayose stashed the stolen patrimony of the people of Ekiti, are the ones shamelessly on the moral high-ground chastising private businessmen for paying ‘offensive amounts’ as dowry for their suitor-sons. Those who say that ‘corrupt judges’ have a right to free every politician accused of corruption, are the same who are eager to score Buhari’s anti-corruption war low committing none yet to prison.

Those who are ‘intelligent’ to believe that Patience Jonathan’s late mother was rich enough to bequeath to her a whooping 15million dollars, are those who say that it beguiles all common sense that Aisha Buhari should afford two return-tickets to the United States for her daughters –bringing home yet another sour adage that ‘prejudice although it sees what it pleases, it ignores what is plain’. It reminds of Adlai Stevenson’s hypocrite who would

‘hew down a rosewood tree and then mounting the stump to make a speech for conservation’.

Buhari alone is up against a self-righteous legislature that robs the nation of its patrimony even as it makes laws strictly for its own protection. Buhari alone is up against a pretentiously-indignant judiciary that gives justice only to the highest bidder, even as it demands to be reverenced for being the last hope of the common man. Buhari alone is up against geo-ethnic and ethno-religious bigots of the North even as he is up against geo-ethnic and ethnoreligious bigots of the South – jingoists whose only definition of what is right is the rallying call ‘to your tent Israel’.

The Buhari Temerement Truth is Buhari must be our ‘sword’ and our ‘avenging angel’ first before he can be the ‘shield’ or the ‘knight’ and ‘shining armor’ that we crave. He is in the habiliments of battle and cannot be expected to bear the comeliness of victors until the war is won.

We should not expect Buhari to mind the wet mattress when the whole edifice is in the grip of a rampaging flood. He cannot be laden with the weight of arms and be the democratic defender of laws which may not conduce to victory in the end. ‘Silent legis’ jurists say, ‘inter arma’: ‘the laws are silent amid the rumbling of arms’.

Besides there is a Buhari temperament that we cannot change but have only to live with.

He is taciturn and inarticulate and therefore cannot be expected to smooth-talk an agonizing citizenry out of the excruciating pain of economic recovery. Yet he makes up for that by being Shakespeare’s ‘plain-dealing villain’ –from whom you get ‘only what you see’ and you see ‘only what you get’ Buhari is not your ‘honestflattering man’ from whom ‘the more you look, the less you see’, or ‘the more you see, the less you understand’. He may not be your ‘medicine man’ with the requisite Hippocratic empathy, yet it cannot be denied that his healing mojo works. He may not be deft in the art of political governance, yet it cannot be denied that he knows where not to turn the rudder of

the ship of state and where to pull the mighty engine to a desirable anchor –a virtue which cannot be said for the many touted as experts who have brought us where we are.

Pro-Buharis believe that ‘of sufferance soon comes ease’, antiBuharis bicker over wet mattress when they should focus on efforts to halt the raging flood. ProBuharis keep the calm in the eye of a storm -which is not to suggest that they do not know the gravity of the situation-, anti-Buharis claim to know the gravity of the situation but have not the stamina to keep a steady mind. Pro-Buharis although hated the decadence of yesterday, still believe that omelet cannot be made without breaking eggs; anti-Buharis although many were beneficiaries of the profligacy of yesterday, still believe in the Quixotic that ‘you can eat your cake and still have it’. Anti-Buharis measure the heat of their livers with the bitterness of their galls; pro-Buharis believe their agonies should not rule their ‘reason’.

The best-run capitalist economies have suffered recession.

Some even depressed. How much less an economy run by Jonathan and his army of thieves. It is to the credit of Buhari that we are still away from depression’s door. Our recessive economy will recover when it will recover; and we all have a role to play in it; even if that role only requires the humility of our patience or the courage of our endurance or maybe even merely the charity of our silence –especially if we have nothing important to say.

Postscript Buhari, Beware This Eerie Dance Years back, a strange ‘serum’ developed by a Nigerian physician, Abalaka was touted as cure for the dreaded Acquired Immune Cont. on page 31

DAN GAYE

Bauchi to hold promotional exam for workers – News

Hmmm… After leaving school for 20 years?

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