Monday 11th november, 2013

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Vol. 12 No. 30

Monday, November 11, 2013

..

. putting the people first

Al-Muharram 8, 1435 AH

Victorious Eaglets get N2m each

N150

>> Pg 3

Spanish police bust Nigerian sex slave ring

By Hassan Haruna Ginsau, with agency report

S

panish police said they have busted a gang of 25 Nigerians who were running a sex slave ring, conducting online scams and laundering money.

Also, five female victims of sex slavery were released during the crackdown on the gang’s underground operation in Spain, the police said in a statement yesterday.

According to the statement, the gang was using Spain as a platform to send Nigerian women to be exploited in other countries, the group also laundered profits by buying luxury products that were shipped back to Nigeria, in vans with tinted windows and sealed doors.

The police seized 94 vans near Madrid and 26 loaded ones at Valencia port containing goods with an estimated value of $6.7 million, the statement said, adding that they had to use heavy machinery to open the vans, which President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd left), lifting the Under 17 World Cup trophy won by the Golden Eaglets, during the contained items such as expensive Presidential reception for the players, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. With him are Minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi (2nd right), Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (right), and NFF Chairman, Alhaji television sets and cases of premium Aminu Maigari (left).

Photo: Joe Oroye

Cont on page 2

Oyinlola’s reinstatement

Security siege on PDP

l G7 governors in crucial talks l Resume reconciliation meeting with Jonathan l Our doors still open to APC, says Baraje group >> Pg 2 No agitation for Man ‘sets self Nigeria’s break-up, ablaze’ in says Indabawa >> Pg 5 Katsina >> Pg 6

IPMAN monitors sale of cheap kerosine nationwide >> Pg 19

News

CONTENTS News 2-10 Editorial 12 Op.Ed 13 Letters 14 Opinion 15 Metro 16-18 Business 19-22 Stockwatch 23 S/Report

24-25

Education 27-28 Health

29-30

Whereabouts of Abu Dankure still unknown – Police

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he Sokoto State Police Command yesterday declared that it had yet to ascertain the whereabouts of Alhaji Abu Dakure, a Sokotobased business tycoon, who was kidnapped by unknown persons.

Dankure was kidnapped by unknown persons last Wednesday in Sokoto.

The spokesman of the police command, Al-Mustapha Sani, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto that the command was, however,

monitoring the situation ``very keenly.

“We are on top of the situation but the kidnappers have not made any call as yet; there is nothing about ransom for now,’’ he said.

“His (Dakure’s) GSM handsets are still off and the lines cannot be reached by anybody,’’ he said.

Sani, however, assured relations and anxious members of the public that the police were working round the clock to unravel the mystery behind the

abduction of the businessman.

Alhaji Mamman Dangaladima, an elder brother to the abducted business mogul, who also spoke with NAN, said that prayers had been intensified for God’s intervention in the incident.

“We have prayed and shall continue to pray that God will bring him back in perfect peace,’’ he added.

Dangaladima, who noted that the abductors had not called family members or security agencies, expressed

optimism that God would soon bring the family’s harrowing experience to an end.

NAN recalls that four unknown gunmen on Wednesday night seized Dankure around 9 p.m. at the Kupper neighbourhood of Sokoto, where he is constructing a new plaza.

His car, a Toyota Camry car, was, however, recovered by the police in a farmland near Durbawa village in Kware Local Government Area of the state.

(NAN)

Spanish police bust sex slave ring, arrest 25 Nigerians cont from page 1

liquor.

The police said the gang was originally formed around 1990 at Nigerian universities and was responsible for sending a large number of “Nigerian letters” that tried to fraudulently extract money from recipients.

The group “captured”

women in Nigeria, flew them with false identity papers to airports in Mexico and Brazil, then sent them to Paris, from where they were driven to Spain, police said.

Eight of the 25 suspects were illegal immigrants, and the arrests occurred in Madrid, Toledo, Cantabria and Palma de Mallorca. The statement

didn’t state when the arrests were made.

The ring recruited their victims in Benin City, many of whom were widows, orphans, and others who were looking for “greener pastures”.

Before leaving Nigeria, the gangs often take their victims to shrines where they swear to pay their debts to the group

and not to denounce them to the police.

Spanish police have broken up many of these rings in past years. The women were forced to work as street prostitutes in Barcelona and Malaga.

Italy is also a major route for other Nigerian sex rings where thousands of women are forced into prostitution.

to avoid attracting police attention.

The group’s meeting which held recently at the same venue was disrupted by a detachment of policemen led by the Asokoro Divisional Police Officer, CSP Nnana Ama. A similar meeting earlier scheduled for Sokoto House had to be relocated to Kano Lodge when the venue was surrounded by a detachment of riot policemen.

At the end of the meeting which lested up to early hours of this morning, Niger state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu told newsmen that they were pleased with the reinstatement of Oyinlola as National Secretary of the PDP. He added that Oyinlola would resume as scribe of the party as soon as the normal procedures were concluded.

But a source close to one of the governors told our reporter that: “Though a few of the governors are disposed to dumping the PDP with a view to joining either the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general elections or forming a new party to go into alliance with the opposition, others cautioned against rushing to take such decision more so when they had been counseled by stakeholders in the party to embrace negotiation and shun confrontation.”

The source added that the G7 governors also examined all the conditions tabled before Jonathan and resolved to make concessions where necessary in order for peace to reign.

The source said the recent court verdict reinstating Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP was hailed and it is expected that his reinstatement would be one of the conditions for reconciliation with the

mainstream of the party.

Although the resignation of the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, was examined as one of the conditions to be tabled for reconciliation, the source could not confirm whether the governors still maintain their initial consensus.

Other conditions earlier listed by the G7 for reconciliation with the mainstream PDP are that the party structure in Adamawa be returned to Murtala Nyako’s loyalists; that issues in Rivers state be resolved and Governor Rotimi Amaechi recalled from suspension.

It was not also clear whether the aggrieved governors would demand that Jonathan should drop his 2015 presidential ambition as a condition for peace in the party.

Meanwhile, the breakaway PDP led by Baraje yesterday restated its determination to decamp to the opposition APC should its negotiations with President Jonathan fail.

This is coming just as the group, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, announced the replacement of its National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola with National Organising Secretary, Hon. Nasir Isa Abubakar.

It also announced the setting up of a 6-member Reception Organising Committee to organise a party to welcome the other five governors the group said were willing to join the seven aggrieved governors (G7) already in its fold.

The committee is expected to be chaired by its National Vice Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja.

According to the group, with the pronouncement of Oyinlola as the authentic National Secretary

of the Tukur led PDP National Working Committee (NWC), the vacuum which has been created with his exit from the breakaway group must be filled.

The group, which praised President Jonathan for allegedly directing Oyinlola’s immediate reinstatement, also took a swipe on Tukur, accusing him of fomenting trouble in the party.

It said: “NWC commended the nPDP leadership, including both the Caucus and NWC members, for turning the party into the beautiful bride of Nigerian politics in view of the fact that we hold the key to decide the next President of Nigeria come 2015. The NWC considered other options in case our talks with President Jonathan fail to produce the desired result and concluded that our door should be opened to the APC option, while not ruling out other options that would give us the leverage in reshaping the polity come 2015.

“The NWC commended and congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan by once again improving on his democratic credentials by directing for the immediate reinstatement of Prince Oyinlola as the duly elected National Secretary of PDP not minding the plots by some undemocratic elements within the system who want to portray our party in bad light by embarking on an exercise in futility by trying to lure the South-West PDP to write a petition against Prince Oyinlola and use it to invite him to the Alhaji Dikko’s Disciplinary Committee and after suspend him.

“To us this plot, apart from being childish exposes Tukur and his cohorts as true enemies of PDP and the force behind the continuous crisis in the party,” the statement stressed.

Security siege on PDP headquarters

By Lawrence Olaoye

T We would ensure Jonathan never returns as President, says FaniKayode– Page 39

Int’l S/World

31-34 35

Digest 36 Politics 37-38 Newsxtra

39

Sports 41 Columnist 48

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he national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was under heavy security siege to forestall the threat by the breakaway group led by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje to storm the party to ensure the reinstatement of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the National Secretary of the party.

The splinter group had last week threatened to storm the party’s headquarters today to ensure that the court order reinstating Oyinlola as the PDP scribe is complied with.

The headquarters of the party was surrounded by heavily armed and stern looking riot policemen apparently to stop any attempt by the Baraje group to gain entrance into the premises.

In a related development, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, has denied the statement from the splinter group that President Goodluck Jonathan had directed the immediate reinstatement of Oyinlola.

Metuh said the leadership of the party did not receive any such directive from the president and leader of the party.

He urged the public to discountenance the report just as he dismissed the leadership of the splinter PDP as empty propagandists.

Meanwhile, the seven aggrieved PDP governors yesterday held a secret meeting to brainstorm ahead of a scheduled parley with President Goodluck Jonathan this week in continuation of their reconciliation efforts.

The meeting, which held at the Kano Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, lacked the usual fanfare ostensibly

News

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

By Albert Akota

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday treated the victorious Golden Eaglets to a warm reception in the Presidential Villa in Abuja where he announced the conferment of national honours on them and cash reward of N2 million to each player.

Also yesterday, the head coach of the team, Manu Garba was given the sum of N3 million, while his assistants, Emmanuel Amunike, Nduka Irabor, Emeka Amadi, Deji Olarinoye and Gabriel Oyegunna were rewarded with N2.5 million each.

Other team officials, made up of Suleiman Abubakar, Tayo Egbaiyelo, Mohammed Kafa and Morakinyo Abodunrin received between N500,000 and N300,000.

Jonathan however promised to confer national honours of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) management and other

Gombe airlifts 314 Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem From David Hassan, Gombe

N

o fewer than 314 intending Christian pilgrims were airlifted from the Gombe International Airport to Jerusalem.

The Chairman Gombe state Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Tulfukut M. Kardi made this known at the weekend during the send-forth programme for the 2013 Intending pilgrims to Jerusalem held at the International Airport Gombe.

He also explained that out of the 314 intending Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem, Gombe state government was able to sponsor 95 percent pilgrims to the Holy land.

He thanked governor Dankwambo for his uncommon magnanimity and kindness in sponsoring many Christians to this year Holy pilgrimage.

The chairman charged the intending pilgrims to go with a great expectation of spiritual transformation as they join the body of believers in Israel.

Speaking at the event, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo advised the intending pilgrims to shun all forms of temptations associated with indiscipline that may tarnish the image of the state and the nation in general.

He urged them to be law abiding citizens while in the Holy land, adding that they should consult medical team whenever they need medical attention in order to remain healthy throughout the period of the pilgrimage.

PAGE 3

Victorious Eaglets get N2m each sports stakeholders during annual honours award ceremony later in the year.

Speaking at the reception, President Jonathan said this is a

golden era in Nigerian sports and assured that his administration would provide the enabling environment for the Golden Eaglets to thrive and be the best in the world.

He called on the private sector stakeholders to support him in rewarding members of the victorious team.

Nigeria won a record fourth

U-17 World Cup in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Friday, when they defeated Mexico 3-0. The country previously won the tournament in 1985, 1993 and 2007.

Adamawa state Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako (6th right), with Bishops and Eminent Clergymen from the Niger Delta, who visited the governor, at the weekend in Yola.

Photo: NAN

Senate raises alarm over degradation in Niger Delta

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he senate committee on Environment and Ecology, has raised concern over what it described as unrelenting degradation of environment in the Niger Delta region, calling for immediate implementation of the United Nations Environment Protection (UNEP) report.

In a statement to mark the 18th anniversary of late environment activist, Saro Wiwa, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Bukola Saraki, said 18 years after, the struggle and message for which Wiwa was killed still resonates with us.

According to him, “Today, I join environmentalists all over

the world and Nigerians of goodwill to celebrate and remember a unique Nigerian, Ken Saro Wiwa.

A frontline environmental activist, who devoted his life to fighting environmental injustice in the Niger Delta especially Ogoniland.”

Saraki, who recalled the excitement that trailed the UNEP report when it was submitted in 2011, however regretted that the hopes have been shattered by the non implementation of the report since it was submitted.

“For the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology which I chair, this is still a cause for concern. Our committee’s findings which is congruous to the recently released report by Amnesty International and the

Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) which lead us to table the NOSDRA amendment bill before the National Assembly that there is a regulatory and legal failure lending itself to the environmental impunity we see in the Niger Delta”, he said.

Saraki therefore called on those who are offended by the level of degradation going on in the Niger Delta to corporate with the committee to ensure that the environment bill becomes law.

He expressed hope that the committee will get enough support to pass the bill, saying it will bequeath to Nigerians wherever they are, a comfortable environment.

“We must keep in mind that

the weakest among us bear the greater brunt of this on going environmental injustice. They deserve better. As the Chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, I will continue to insist on the complete implementation of the UNEP report as a basis to begin reversing the environment degradation in this part of the country and ensure that oil exploration in Nigeria is carried out in a manner that respects our environment.

While pointing out that collectively, Nigerians and stakeholders in environment must not allow Saro Wiwa’s effort vanish in vain, adding that the polluter must be made to take responsibilities as it can no longer continue to be business as usual.

NNPC denies allegation of unfair industry practices

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over the weekend dismissed the recent report by Swiss -based NGO (The Berne Declaration) which accused the Corporation of conspiring with some local and international oil traders to carry out unfair industry practices.

In a chat with Journalists in Abuja, the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Di-

vision of the Corporation, Tumini Green, said the publication is not only bogus but strewn with inaccurate and poorly researched data which defies common sense and verifiable evidence on ground in Nigeria.

The NNPC Spokesperson said in practice, the Corporation sells Nigerian Government equity crude oil to Lifters/Traders engaged on Annual Term Contract basis. She stated that at present there are about 50 such term contracts.

“No company has a monopoly or exclusive right to lift any quantity of Nigerian crude oil. The process of selection of Traders/lifters is competitive and transparent.

Traders lift crude oil according to the terms of Contractual agreements applicable to all traders, among others on (Free on Board) FOB basis and proceeds paid directly into designated Central Bank of Nigeria Crude oil sales accounts,’’ She said.

On the allegation that Nigeria’s crude is sold to some com-

panies at special discounted rate, Green countered “Nigeria Crude Oil is sold at published Official Selling Price (OSP) which is not only bench-marked against the internationally recognized pricing institution, Platts daily publications, but also fixed after a critical analysis of market fundamentals and price determinants at global level. OSP differentials are crude stream determined and cannot favor an individual or group of traders as being insinuated,’’ he explained.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Page 4 Report Assessing government’s poverty eradication programmes

P

overty alleviation and wealth creation are two priority areas of the Federal Government’s effort at improving the living standard of Nigerians.

Feelers from international organisations seem to suggest that government’s efforts are yielding the desired results.

According to the World Bank Vice-President for Africa, Mouktar Diop, the level of poverty in Nigeria has actually declined from 48 percent to 46 percent.

Diop, however, noted recently that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of eight per cent was not sufficient to reduce poverty, and urged that government could further reduce poverty by tackling inadequate electricity supply.

On its part, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) echoed that Nigeria’s poverty reduction programmes were yielding the desired results. It made the assertion at its 38th session held recently in Rome.

Nigeria was given an award for reducing hunger in the country from 19.31million people to 13.38 million people, a figure below the MDGs target of 9.7 per cent set for 2015.

Also, a statement from the office of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) showed there had been a decline in the prevalence of under nourishment in Nigeria from 19.3 per cent to 8.5 per cent. The MDGs said this is below the targeted 9.7 per cent set for 2015.

The MDGs said its office played a central role in the success of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) through interventions that aimed at enhancing food security.

It listed the programmes as Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) being implemented under the Conditional Grants Scheme. “The 56,000 low-income households engaged in CCT scheme across the states will be given the sum of N100, 000 as principal startup capital for agricultural enterprise at their exit from the programme.

“The condition for the release of this sum is the completion of a three-month training organised

by MDGs in an agro-business as part of commitment to ensure that poverty is reduced.

“Households are supported to invest in poultry, fishery, backyard vegetable production, amongst other areas,” it said.

It noted that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had in the past three years trained 5,000 youths in 10 different value chains and provided start-up packages for 6,000 youths.

NAPEP’s National Coordinator has said that the programmes had assisted in reducing poverty level in the country

The National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) is one of the key programmes of the Federal Government for poverty eradication. The key programmes of NAPEP include Village Economic Development Solutions, In Care of the People (COPE), Conditional Cash Transfer, The Village Trust Fund Scheme, Promise Keeper Programme, Giveback and Community Economy Sensitisation Scheme (COMESS).

Malam Mukhtar Tafawa-Balewa, NAPEP’s National Coordinator, said that the programmes had assisted in reducing poverty level in the country.

He said that COPE provides grants to poor households on the condition that they engage in investments in human capital development of their children or wards.

“Specifically, qualified households are expected to fully participate in all free government basic education and healthcare programmes. COPE would help to break the inter-generational transfer of poverty.

“Usually, these conditions

“

President Goodluck Jonathan

are tied to primary school attendance and the utilisation of public basic healthcare facilities, realising that a high poverty rate has made the government to intervene and put strong efforts for a better change,’’ he said.

The Village Solution is a local community-driven development programme that is designed by the Economic Growth Development Centre in partnership with

NAPEP to reduce poverty at the grassroots level.

Tafawa-Balewa explained that the programme had helped to encouraged villages to engage in community development as well as see poverty eradication as a joint responsibility to which every stakeholder should be an active participant.

He also stressed that the local government areas are the focal

The National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) is one of the key programmes of the Federal Government for poverty eradication.

The key programmes of NAPEP include Village Economic Development Solutions, In Care of the People (COPE), Conditional Cash Transfer, The Village Trust Fund Scheme, Promise Keeper Programme, Giveback and Community Economy Sensitisation Scheme (COMESS).

points for all collaboration activities of NAPEP. According to him, the Village Economic Development Solutions scheme is designed to serve as engine of growth at the community levels.

The national coordinator said that this year alone, NAPEP had anchored about 5,289 projects under the Village Economic Development Solutions across the country.

He also said that COPE, a conditional cash transfer programme, is designed for the “poorest households’’.

He said that the programme had also ensured that children who would have been out of school had access to education.

The coordinator urged stakeholders to support the COPE programme which, he noted, had brought succour to the poorest of households in Nigeria.

“In view of the assistance rendered to address the plight of poorest households, Nigeria must create gainful employment to her teeming unemployed youths, especially graduates who had acquired skills.

“Poverty must be fought to a standstill because as we fight poverty, poverty is also fighting back,’’ he said.

Indeed the war against poverty must be sustained; it is in the realisation of this that the UN declared Oct.17 of every year as the World Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

The main aim of the celebration is to remember the plight of the poor, and ensure eradication of poverty. (NAN)

News

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 5

Traditional rulers assure Army, other Dankwambo accuses security agencies of maximum support Goje of N5.7bn fraud

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

T

raditional rulers in Nigeria have assured to give maximum support and cooperation to Nigerian Army and other security outfits so as to curb the scourge of terrorism, insurgency and other forms of violent crimes, especially in the North Eastern part of the country.

The Mai of Tangale Kingdom in Gombe State, Dr. Abdul Buba Maisheru gave the assurance when he visited the Commander, Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Major General Sylvester Audu in Kontagora, Niger State at the weekend.

The royal father said he was in Kontagora immediately after a meeting of some select traditional rulers in Northern states held at Sokoto to express his appreciation and those of his colleagues for the efforts of Nigerian army in the arduous task of frontally attacking what he called forces of evil.

“You people made it possible for Nigerians to enjoy the relative peace we are enjoying today.

I have nothing to say than to thank you and wish you God\s blessings” The Mai of Tangale commended the role of Nigerian army in bringing peace to Gombe State, saying, “If not for you people, those of us in Gombe State would have

been in similar mess that some states have found themselves now” he said.

Mai Sheru assured the Commander that royal fathers in the country would continue to cooperate with the security agencies in fishing out trouble makers in their domains.

Major General Audu in his remark assured that his centre will continue to give requisite training to soldiers being deployed to fight terrorists and other perpetrators of evil in Nigeria.

The Commander however noted that he was highly honoured by the royal father’s visit to the centre as a young officer, he then described the traditional ruler as a source of inspiration to him.

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

G

ombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, has accused his predecessor, Danjuma Goje, of milking the state of N5.7billion.

Dankwambo who made the accusation recently, said the surprised missing figure was discovered while reconciling the states’ account.

“We have attempted to reconcile the contributions and refunds we received from the federal government. As at the last time, we received refunds in various ways; for roads, for airport construction and so many other things.

Now, we cannot trace some monies to the extent of N5.7 billion. This we cannot trace its where about in the records of Gombe state.

“These monies have gone into

various accounts. Some have gone into third party accounts.

They have been diverted from the accounts of the state government.

“We will continue to reconcile these monies and at the appropriate time, we will take the necessary measures required to be taken by us”, he said, adding that, “As the Accountant General of the federation then, I have my records; that I have reimbursed Gombe state in the excess of N10 billion and N5.7 billion has been diverted,” he said.

He urged the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to immediately report to Gombe state government the reconciliation of all monies that were lodged in respect of refunds that were received from the federal government into Gombe state account to the extent of N5.7 billion, after its investigation.

No agitation for Nigeria’s break-up, says Presidential Advisory Committee

S

L-R: Kano state Governor, Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, and his Imo state counterpart, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, inspecting the International Conference Hall nearing completion, on Saturday in Owerri, Imo state. Gov. Kwankwaso was in Owerri to receive the Honorary Fellowship Award of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners.

ecretary, Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference, Dr Akilu Sani-Indabawa said the committee, had not received any submission calling for the ‘breakup’ of Nigeria.

He stated this yesterday in Zaria in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), shortly after members of the committee paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris.

“From our consultations in 11 states visited so far, there is no single submission that agitated for the break of Nigeria.

“We are happy that Nigerians have indicated interest to live together in peace and we equally appreciate Nigerians for their enthusiasm and absolute support for the success of our committee,” he noted.

The secretary appreciated the role of the media in promoting

activities of the committee since its establishment.

NAN reports that some Nigerians had expressed concern that convening the Conference could give room for calls for the break-up of the country.

Earlier, during the courtesy call, Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Femi Okorounmu, had told the Emir that they were in his palace to seek for his blessing before consulting with the people of Kaduna State.

“We want Nigerians to tell us how large the conference should be, how the delegates should be chosen, duration of the conference and whether or not, they want our recommendations to be part of the constitution.

“We want every Nigerian to have a sense of belonging. I want to restate that from North to South and from East to West, nobody wants Nigeria to break.” (NAN)

the Commission constitutes an independent medical team to evaluate the true state of her health. The NHRC has no any form of medical competence to establish the health status of Mrs Chime or any other person.

The investigation is still ongoing”, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Mrs Chime faulted the report of the National Human Rights Commission on her alleged incarceration by her husband. She said the report was set to damage her reputation.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe told journalists on Friday that a five-man investigative

panel from the commission had met with those most concerned with the issue and inspected the said apartment.

Angwe said the bone of contention between Chime and his wife was a disagreement over the procedure for the treatment of her occasional hallucinations and depression.

Angwe confirmed that for the last two weeks, Clara had been confined to her apartment on medical advice for purposes of medical maintenance and security. He further disclosed that the panel learnt that the First Lady was allowed access to her son after his school and lesson hours.

Human Rights Commission yet to conclude investigation on Mrs Chime’s petition

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it is yet to reach a determination on the Petition received from the First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs Clara Chime, alleging violation of her rights by her husband.

A statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Communications, Muhammad Nasir Ladan yesterday said Mrs Chime’s complaint is currently being investigated and will be subjected to the commission’s Rules of Procedure.

While denying media reports which suggested that the

Commission had established that the First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs Clara Chime suffers from health challenges, Ladan said the report implies that the commission is biased and has already taken a decision on her complaint which is far from the truth.

“The Commission is a credible National Institution that will never be biased or compromised in case management or any matter before the commission”, the statement noted.

“It became necessary for the commission to address the press on Friday 8th of November, 2013 in respect of the complaint received from Mrs Chime, because it had attracted

considerable media attention and generated a lot of public interest. The purpose of the briefing was to inform Nigerians that the commission’s team of investigators visited Enugu and held a meeting with the complainant and her husband and is taking further investigative steps in respect of the matter. “ The Commission wishes to place it on record that it has never claimed to have established that Mrs Chime has health challenges. It was clearly stated during the meeting with the press that the issue of Mrs Chime’s health status came up in the course of investigation and it was mutually agreed that

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 6

News

Ethiopian Airlines to start 10-weekly flights to Kano, says official

T

he Ethiopian Airlines is to begin 10-weekly flights to Kano, Nigeria, within the next few weeks, following an agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Col. Wesenyeleh Hunegnaw, the Director-General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA), told newsmen t h a t the agreement was signed on Wednesday, Nov. 6, in Addis Ababa between the Government of Ethiopia and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement by the two governments would increase operations from the current 18 weekly flights to 31 weekly flights in the coming weeks.

The Ethiopian Airlines would operate seven weekly passenger flights and three weekly cargo flights to Kano, in addition to its current flights to Abuja, Lagos and Enugu.

NAN reports that part of

the agreement would allow one Nigerian airline to equally fly the Ethiopian route to Addis Ababa and other cities in Ethiopia, while enabling the training of Nigerian

aviation staff by the Aviation Institute in Addis Ababa.

Mrs Precious Mbupka, who led officials from the Ministry of Aviation, signed for the Federal

Government, after several negotiations on the terms and financial benefits of the flight operations between the two countries. (NAN)

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos with agency report

F

ive Nigerian youths are among the 53 candidates from 21 countries standing for nine executive posts including Chairperson, Vice Chairpersons, regional and special interests representatives of the Commonwealth Youth Council.

In the CYC election which begins yesterday during the Commonwealth Youth Forum, Hambantota Sri Lanka, National Youth Councils/ Bodies in the 53 Commonwealth countries and Overseas Territories are eligible to vote in these elections.

The Commonwealth Youth Council is an autonomous youthled body, which aims to further advance the youth development agenda and strengthen young people’s participation in the Commonwealth. Its Executive will be responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the Council.

The young person’s vying for Chairperson of the Council are: Ahmed Adamu – Nigeria; Kesaobaka Pharatlhatlhe – Botswana; Francesca Temitope Danmole – UK and Ngen Yves Riyuh – Cameroon.

Ahmed Adamu from Kastina State is a graduate of Bayero University Kano with a PhD in Economics, from Newcastle University, United Kingdom.

Man ‘sets self ablaze’ in Katsina

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina Grade Level 13 officer serving with Katsina state ministry of health, Sani Salisu has been confirmed dead following burns sustained when he reportedly set himself ablaze.

He was confirmed dead at the Katsina General Hospital where he was rushed for treatment after sustaining first degree burns.

It was gathered that the deceased bath self with petrol and went straight to an open field in Dandagoro area of Katsina municipal where he set himself ablaze.

An eyewitness who admitted he took part in putting off the fire, Aminu Abba said the incidence occurred around 7:30 pm, Saturday night when residents saw the decease on ground with fire all over his body.

“We met him on ground with fire all over his body so we rushed and put off the fire. We seek to know what happened but he told us that he is fed up with life and set himself ablaze because his wife ran away with his kid and abandoned him” the eyewitness said.

A staff Nurse at Katsina General Hospital’s Accident and Emergency ward, Aminu Suleiman, told our correspondent that the deceased was brought in with 100% first degree burns.

When contacted, Katsina Police Spokesmen, DSP Aminu Sadiq Abubakar told our correspondent that he was not aware of the incident.

5 Nigerians in race for Commonwealth Youth Council seats

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Residents of Ilorin queue to buy Kerosene sold by IPMAN at N50 per liter, in Ilorin at the weekend.

Turaki urges peaceful coexistence, security in Nigeria

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Aminu Turaki has said, for Nigeria to play a leading role in peace initiatives in African continent, it must show the resilience of country able to manage its own affairs, in terms of peace and security.

Turaki, who was speaking at the weekend in a paper he presented at the monthly meeting of the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said the leadership of the country must understand that in recommending any framework for ten promotion of security and the sustainability of democracy, emphasis must be on the need to urgently alleviate mass poverty and increase the welfare of the people by ensuring its wellbeing and vitality.

“This is necessary if the people

are to participate fully and effectively in the national development process”, the Dan Masanin Gwandu said in his paper, titled, “Security challenges in a democratic Nigeria: The way forward”.

According to him, the federal government, under President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to, “pursuing those values with a view to ensuring adequate social, economic and political security of the Nigerian state”.

He said to ensure security in the country; there is the need for proper funding of security agencies for policing and enforcement of laws, internally and building adequate military arsenal to guard against external threats.

“The first set of measures towards realizing set security objective, the framework for national security must be based on a sound security strategy, timely intelligence, training structure

and resource coordination”, he noted.

Turaki noted that Nigeria looms in the global initiatives for peace and security and equally remain relevant in the equation as regards promotion and maintenance of peace in Africa.

This he noted is better explained in Nigeria’s recent appointment as a non-permanent member of the Security Council in the United Nations, adding also that, “all efforts at checking out internal flash points is and will remain cardinal concern of Nigeria if it is to be taken more seriously by the International community”.

In his speech, the Chairman of the Abuja chapter of the NBA, U. M Yamah commended the leadership of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory for its prompt response to the demand of the association, in the area of addressing the deteriorating facilities in the Maitaima High Court complex.

Maku’s campaign posters flood Nasarawa

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

C

ampaign posters of Minister Information, Mr Labaran Maku have flooded parts of Nasarawa state.

Although the posters did not indicate which position he is aspiring for, they apparently herald his bid to contest the governorship of Nasarawa state come 2015.

Our conrespondent who conducted a survey saw such posters pasted along major roads, particularly in Akwanga, the neighborhood of the country home of Mr Maku.

Along the Akwanga/Abuja road, several of such posters were seen, carrying the inscription, “Sai Maku, Mutumin kirki”, meaning “Only Maku, kind person”.

However, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Yunana Iliya,in a phone chat, told Peoples Daily that the party is not aware of such moves.

According to Iliya, the party is yet to be notified by any of its members seeking to contest for the campaign.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the general public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, and Illegal/Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the following number – 08091626747. Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754 and 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833 and 08191778888.

122th KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

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residing over the one hundred and twenty-second (122nd) sitting of the Kano State Executive Council today Wednesday 6th November, 2013 (3rd Muharram, 1435 AH), Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE expressed his gratitude and that of the entire Council, to Almighty Allah for granting the entire Muslim Ummah the longevity to enter yet another year in the Islamic Calendar. Prosperity and fruitful existence in the year ahead was prayed for from the divine mercy and bounties of Allah for the entire citizenry in Kano State and the country at large.

With this in view, Council received thirty-two (32) memoranda from eleven (11) MDAs for deliberation among which nineteen (19) were approved for execution with an expenditure of Three Billion, One Hundred and Sixteen Million, Five Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven Naira, Seven Kobo (N3,116,576,787.07) covering ten (10) projects. Thus: 1. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT Only one (1) among five (5) of the memoranda submitted on behalf of some MDAs from this Office was approved for execution after deliberation

by Council. Thus: Memorandum on the Need to Appoint a Renovation and Revival Committee for Kano State Race Course and Horse Racing Respectively in Kano State:The Special Adviser (Sports) intimated Council, as endorsed by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, through the contents of this memorandum that existing facilities at the Kano Race Course have dilapidated to a stage with negative consequence on Traditional Horse Racing in the State.

Four (4) problems were identified, which informed the Special Adviser on Sports to present the following four (4) observations for the consideration of Council; i. That Government at various times on the reactivation of the Race Course and Horse Racing in Kano set up several Committees. ii. That there appears to be a deadlock on who is in charge of the Race Course Community and Horse Racing in Kano State. iii. That some stakeholders in Kano Race Course and Horse Racing shy away from the game due to some negative activities by some misguided persons in the area. iv. That the residents at the Race Course are not united, which causes threat to peace and security coupled with distrust and misinformation on the Race Course and Horse Racing activity.

In view of these observations/problems, the Special Adviser on Sports forwarded the following two (2) suggestions for consideration by Council. Viz; • That there is need for Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE to pay a visit to the Kano Race Course and witness the dilapidated condition of the monumental Sports arena.

• That there is need to appoint a 24 – Member High Powered Committee to be known as Kano Race Course and Horse Racing Renovation and Revival Committee to operate under twelve (12) Terms of Reference.

The details on the 24 – Members, which is to be chaired by Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu (Walin Dutse) and twelve (12) Terms of Reference for the operations of the Committee were appreciatively acknowledged and approved by Council.

2. OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR/HON. COMMISSIONER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Five (5) memoranda were submitted for deliberation by Council from the Office of the Deputy Governor/Hon. Commissioner for Local Governments. Only one (1) of them was approved for execution as follows: Presentation of Report on Urban and Rural Solar – Powered Infrastructure Proposed and Executed by Copious Energy Nigeria Limited and Request for Funds for the Implementation of the Solar – Powered Electricity to Ten (10) Boarding Secondary, Science and Technical Schools in Kano State:The Deputy Governor/Hon. Commissioner, Ministry for Local Governments reminded Council of its approval for the release of the aggregate sum of N9,689,000.00 to execute the pilot project on: i.

Solar Irrigation Solution N8,350,000.00 ii.

Solar Powered Deep Freezers N1,339,000.00 Total N9,689,000.00 Success with the execution of the pilot project informed the Office of the Deputy Governor/Hon. Commissioner for Local Governments to suggest extending the project in phases to our Boarding Secondary, Science and Technical Colleges by the installation of Solar – Powered Electricity Supply.

A list of ten (10) Schools spread across the three (3) Senatorial Districts in Kano State was obtained from the Ministry of Education for the purpose. The Schools include; GSS Bichi, GGC Dala, GSS Dambatta, GSS Ajingi, GGC Kachako, GGC Kura, GSS Zakirai, Science College D/Tofa, Science College

to Council for consideration and approval.

Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso D/Kudu and GSTC Karaye. Each School is to be provided with 6KW Solar Electricity System at the cost of N12,635,095.00 totaling up to the aggregate sum of N126,350,950.00 for the ten (10) selected schools, which was requested for release by Council.

Significance of the project to the upliftment of Education, prompted the granting of approval by Council for the release of the requested sum of N126,350,950.00 to enable the installation of 6KW Solar Electricity System to each one (1) of ten (10) Schools.

3. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION Presentation of the Need and Request for Funds to Enable the Renovation of Some Existing Physical Structures at GGSS Shekara:The Honorable Commissioner for Education notified Council, through the contents of this memorandum that GGSS Shekara is the only Boarding Secondary School in the Kano Municipal Local Government Area.

Physical inspection of the School recently conducted revealed that some existing physical structures require urgent renovation. Again, an abandoned storey block of four (4) Science Laboratories with two (2) Offices stands desolately requiring completion for occupation/utilization. The scope of works required for the renovation and completion of the physical structures and the storey block were assessed at the cost of N29,297,825.34, which was requested for release by Council to enable the execution of the stated projects.

Considering the significance of the project/request to the resolve of the present administration to provide qualitatively for the upliftment of education in all ramifications, Council approved the release of the requested sum of N29,297,825.34 to the Ministry of Education to enable execution of the stated project at GGSS Shekara.

4. MINISTRY OF JUSTICE Presentation of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Integrated Vital Registration into National Healthcare Delivery System:The contents of this memorandum referred to a letter with reference number MOH/OFF/249/1/160 of 3/10/2013 from the State Ministry of Health to the State Ministry of Justice soliciting for professional advice/opinion on the cited issue (Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Integrated Vital Registration.

Candid opinion of the Ministry of Justice on the issue communicated to the Ministry of Health, as Council was notified, was that the MoU could be signed considering the fact that responsibilities of the parties to the MoU were clearly stated. Further, the contents of the MoU shows that the capacity of the Health Workers to be involved in the program will be enhanced to enable them carryout the objective of the agreement.

Notably, the MoU made no mention of the financial implications on the part of the State Government. Therefore, the Ministry of Justice suggested that such an aspect should be clearly spelt out to avoid conflict in implementing such a vital program.

Council appreciated the presentation and approved a joint follow up on the issue by the Ministries of Justice and Health and the submission of the outcome

5. MINISTRY OF HEALTH Three (3) of the four (4) memoranda submitted for deliberations by Council from the Ministry of Health were approved for execution as follows: a) Presentation of Information Memorandum (IM) on Post Graduate School (Family Medicine), Ministry of Health, Kano: Situation Report:The Honorable Commissioner for Health reminded Council, through the contents of this memorandum, of its directive to his Ministry to study a request submitted for the release of overhead in 2013 for the Post Graduate School (Family Medicine) and submit its findings/recommendations for consideration and approval by Council.

Responding to the directive, the Ministry of Health set up a Technical Team of experts to apprise the School and submitted the six (6) requirements stated below: • Renovation and furnishing of Office accommodation, • Providing the Library at the School with relevant required textbooks and journals along with ICT equipment (Desktop Computers) and regular Internet Services, • Provision of funds for the running cost (overhead) to run affairs of the School = N290,136.60 monthly (i.e. N870,410.00 quarterly), • Provision of two (2) vehicles (one (1) Official Car for the HOD and one (1) Utility Bus for Residents), • Employment/deployment of two (2) additional Consultants for the School, and • Recruitment/deployment of Supporting Staff (one (1) Librarian, one (1) Confidential Secretary, one (1) Electrician, one (1) Plumber and one (1) Female Sub – Staff/Cleaner).

Essentially, Council was requested to approve the execution of the following two (2) prayers immediately: i. Directing the State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to assess the renovation/cost implication of the Schools’ Office Complex and Outpatient Clinics for Resident Clinical activities; and ii. The release of the sum of N870,410.00 for the provision of the immediate requirements of the School for the rest of 2013.

Council noted, considered and approved the immediate execution of the two (2) prayers specified above. b) Re-submission on Procurement and Provision of Cold Chain Equipment under the Tripartite MoU Arrangement (Kano State, Dangote, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations) to all Wards of 44 LGCAs in Kano State:The re-submission resulted from the Executive Council resolution on the cited issue during its sitting of Wednesday 30th October, 2013 when deliberating on the earlier submitted memorandum on the procurement and provision of Cold Chain Equipment for which funds had already been provided under the tripartite MoU arrangement. Council resolved that the memorandum/ request should be resubmitted along with the following: i. Detailed rationale for the choice of the preferred Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) type (Domestic TCW 2000 Solar Direct Drive), ii. Evidence of recommendation of this particular CCE type by WHO, UNICEF, NPHCDA and the Dangote and Gates Foundations, and iii. Justification of Sole – Source procurement.

The contents of this resubmitted memorandum amply substantiated choice of Domestic TCW 2000 Solar Direct Drive for the preservation of vaccines in the 484 Wards across the 44 LGCAs in Kano State.

Considering the details presented, Council approved: • The selection of Domestic TCW 2000 Solar Direct Drive as the Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) for Kano State, • Authorization to the SPHCMB to procure 208 units of Domestic TCW 2000 Solar Direct Drive from Prezzo Shed Investment Ltd. as the exclusive agent for the equipment for a total value of $2,412,000.00 c) Presentation of Request for Permission to Handover the Funds Accumulated as Financial Support to Bereaved Families of Ten (10) Polio Immunization Workers Shot to Death by Unknown Gunmen in Kano State:The contents of this memorandum solemnly reminded Council of the unfortunate killing of Polio Vaccinators by unknown gunmen at Tarauni and Nassarawa LGCAs in February, 2013. A total of ten (10) victims were shot to death including nine (9) Polio Vaccinators and one (1) pregnant woman who was at the Clinic receiving medical attention. The Honourable Commissioner for Health informed Council that the President of Nigeria had graciously reviewed Contd on Page 9

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 upwards the total donation of N5,000,000.00 to each of the bereaved ten (10) families of the deceased in the incidence. Earlier the deceased families had received N1,000,000.00 from the NPHCDA (Federal Government), N500,000.00 each from the Kano State Government and Dangote Foundation respectively.

Further, Council was concertedly informed that N30,000,000.00 had been released and received into the account of the Kano State Ministry of Health from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) as balance to add to the earlier approved N10,000,000.00 from the same source.

This translates to the following: i.

N40,000,000.00 from NPHCDA (Federal Government) ii.

N5,000,000.00 from Kano State Government iii.

N5,000,000.00 from Dangote Foundation Total = N50,000,000.00 As such, the NPHCDA and the Kano State Ministry of Health solicited for permission by Council and the acceptance of Governor to symbolically and ceremoniously handover the financial support of N5,000,000.00 to each of the bereaved ten (10) families of the deceased victims.

Council acknowledged the solemn presentation/request and approved the granting of permission for disbursement of the financial support of N5,000,000.00 to each of the bereaved families of the deceased victims and await fixation of a suitable date for the event by Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. 6. OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF CIVIL SERVICE One (1) of the two (2) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from the Office of the Head of Civil Service was approved for execution as follows: Request for Funds to Enable the Payment of Salary and Book Allowances in respect of 287 Bonded Medical Students studying at Various Universities within Nigeria:The laudable policy of Bonding Medical Students by paying them bona-fide salaries while undergoing their studies, by the State Government, warranted the decision of the Kano State Hospitals Management Board to channel the cited request, through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, for consideration by Council.

Specifically, the following three (3) prayers were forwarded in respect of the 287 Bonded Medical Students: i. Council to approve the release/payment of twelve (12) months’ salary arrears to three (3) omitted Bonded Medical Students to the tune of N1,065,801.60 and books allowances (2012 and 2013) amounting to N307,461.60. These totaled up to the sum of N1,373,263.20. Again, the three (3) students should be included in the State payroll with effect from November, 2013. ii. Council to approve the release/payment of the books allowances for the year 2013 to 203 Bonded Medical Students at the rate of N51,243,60 totaling N10,402,450.80. iii. Council to approve the release/payment of six (6) months’ salary arrears to eighty-one (81) Bonded Medical Students to the tune of N14,383,127.20.

Total = N26,163,841.20.

The request was considered in order as Council granted approval for the execution of the three (3) prayers forwarded and the immediate release of the requested sum of N26,163,841.20 to the Office of the Head of Civil Service to enable the execution of stated purposes by the State’s Hospitals Management Board.

7. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY, CO –OPERATIVES AND TOURISM The three (3) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from this Ministry were approved for execution as follows a) Presentation of report on Wrongful Duplication of Payments Approved as Empowerment Package for Members of Kano State Petty Traders residing in Lagos State:The Honorable Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Co–operatives and Tourism reported returning the sum of N6,820,000.00 back to the State Government Treasury. The money was paid twice for the same purpose.

Details were presented to Council for consideration. Council acknowledged the presentation in appreciation and commended the honest gesture while encouraging all serving Officers to emulate.

8. MINISTRY OF LAND AND PHYSICAL PLANNING One (1) of the two (2) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning was approved for execution as follows: Presentation of Request for the Revalidation and Release of Funds for the Execution of Contract for the Construction/Dualization of Dakata – Kwanar Inusawa Road:The contents of the memorandum informed Council that the cited road construction contract was initially awarded to Messrs. SKY Technical and Construction Co. Ltd. by the previous administration under the Ministry of Rural and Community Development on 24/9/2010 at the initial sum of N1,373,049,253.03 with the length/distance of 11.9KM as a single carriage way.

Accordingly, the Contractor was given advance payment of N600,688,521.62 net. Nevertheless, interim valuation certificates numbers 2 and 3 in the sums of N74,466,521.85 and N15,551,426.22 respectively were raised in favor of the Contractor and were confirmed not to have been paid.

Specifically, the permanent works on the ground were valued by the Management Consultants, Messrs. Integrated Engineering Ltd. in the sum of N501,058,834.00, which was discounted by 10% (i.e. N50,105,883.40). Thus, the value of the previous executed permanent works stands at (N501,058,834.40

PAGE 9 – N50,105,883.40) = N450,952,950.00.

But, the sum of N600,688,521.62 was paid as advance payment to the Contractor, which implies that the sum of N149,735,571.62 (i.e.

N600,688,521.62 –N450,952,950.00 = N149,735,571.62) is still with the Contractor.

Importantly, reviewing and revalidating inherited projects in the State, the Fact Finding Committee identified the Dakata – Bela Road Project for completion. The road is a single carriage way situated in Nassarawa/Ungogo LGCAs with a total length of 7KM. It starts from Hadejia Road (Yan’ Kaba Junction) passes through Kawaji – Dakata – Dawaki Dakata – Zango – Rangaza and terminates at Inusawa under phase one of the project.

Additionally, there is renovation/repairs of Sama’ila Mai Biscuit 820M link road, which is of importance as it serves as a vital connection to Hadejia Road, Independence Road and Bela Hospital. The 820M link road also enhances economic activities within Bompai Industrial area and its surroundings.

Cognizant of the desire of the present administration to upgrade the status of the road from single carriage way of 7.3M width to dual carriage way of 14.6M width, crash barrier and reinforced concrete drain from Hadejia Road (Yan’ Kaba Junction) to Dakata through Kawaji – Dakata – Dawakin Dakata – Zango – Rangaza – Zango – Kwanar Inusawa at the adjusted 100% completion within new Contract sum of N2,824,816,285.53 wasproposed.

As such, the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning requested Council to approve the execution of the following two (2) prayers in respect of the revalidation and award of the project cited. i. Approve revalidation and award of the Contract for the construction of Dakata – Kwanar Inusawa Road at the sum of N2,824,816,285.53 within 100% completion of revised scope of works to Messrs. SKY Technical and Construction Co. Ltd. ii. Approve the payment of 30% of the reviewed Contract sum amounting to N847,444,885.66 (i.e. Net payment of N847,444,885.66 – N149,735,571.02) = N697,709,314.64.

Council considered the relevance of the project to the Community in the area and approved the execution of the forwarded two (2) prayers to enable the execution of the revalidated Contract on the construction/Dualization of Dakata – Kwanar Inusawa Road by Messrs. SKY Technical and Construction Co. Ltd. according to the presented specifications.

9. MINISTRY OF WORKS, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT Three (3) of the four (4) memoranda submitted for deliberation

by Council from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport were approved for execution as follows: a) Presentation of Update Report on the Execution of Erosion Control Project at Guushi Bridge along Karaye – Kwangawa Road:The Honorable Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport reminded Council, through the contents of this memorandum, of its approval granted for the award of Contract for the execution of Erosion Control at Guushi Bridge to Messrs. MDA Engineering Construction Nigeria Ltd. via Executive Council Extract Number SSCA/CA/EX/10/I/345 of 10th June, 2013.

The contents of this memorandum notified Council that before the contractor mobilized to site, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport received a petition from another/different Contractor Messrs. Saami Nig. Ltd, through the Office of the Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Environment, claiming to own the Contract as awarded earlier by the previous administration.

Reacting to the situation a meeting was convened with the concerned Contractor who agreed to mobilize back to site and complete the remaining works in view of which the following two (2) prayers were forwarded to Council for consideration and approval: • Withdrawal/cancellation of the approval granted for the award of Contract for Erosion Control at Guushi Bridge along Karaye – Kwangawa Road to Messrs. MDA Engineering Construction Nig. Ltd. at the cost of N48,228,320.19 as contained in Council Extract referenced SSCA/CA/ EX/10/I/345.

• Revalidation of the initial Contract award to Messrs. Saami Nig. Ltd. and settlement of all outstanding valuation certificates to enable the Contractor complete all outstanding works in accordance with project’s scope of works.

Council attentively acknowledged the presentation and granted approval for the execution of the two (2) prayers forwarded on the cited issue and directed that all payments should be made from the Ecological Funds. b) Request for Funds to Enable Payment for Diesel (AGO) and Lubricants Consumed by the Task Force Committee on Installation/ Repairs/Reactivation of Street and Traffic Control Lights for the Month of September, 2013:Details on the cited request were presented to Council for consideration and granting approval for the release of the aggregate sum of N60,865,860.00 to the Task Force Committee on Installation/Repairs/Reactivation of Street and Traffic Control Lights to effect payment of Diesel and Lubricants consumed in the month of September, 2013.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the requested sum of N60,865,860.00 to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to enable the Task Force Committee on Installation/Repairs/Reactivation of Street and Traffic Control Lights to effect payment for Diesel and Lubricants consumed in the month of September, 2013. c) Presentation of Review of the Value of Some Sold GPs:The Honorable Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport concertedly notified Council, through the contents of this memorandum that, the Consultants assigned for the project of sale of GPs to Civil Servants resident in them, reported that twenty nine (29) of the GPs have been reappraised and realized to have been over valued due to the following: • Wrongful inclusion of common driveway land area in the valuation, • Wrongful inclusion of carve – out area as part of some of the GPs. • Erroneous inclusion of renovation cost in the valuation of some GPs that

were hitherto in dilapidated state, Details on the twenty-nine (29) GPs under review were presented to Council for consideration along with their new/reviewed values. Council acknowledged the presentation.

10. MINISTRY OF FINANCE Presentation of Report on Multiple Taxation across the Federation at various Levels and its Effect on the Nigerian Economy:The Chairman Board of Internal Revenue notified Council of the following six (6) items on the cited issue. Viz: • That the National Economic Council (NEC) is currently handling harmonization of Taxes and Levies.

• That NEC is streamlining Taxing activities across the levels of Government.

• That NEC proposed amendment of Taxes and Levies (Approved list for collection) Act 21. T2 LFN 2004.

• That NEC has mandated the Inspector General of Police to ensure that no State or LGC mount Road Blocks on the highway for Tax purposes.

• That Tax Authorities should enhance their abilities to enforce Tax Laws within their jurisdiction by creating and empowering Legal and Enforcement Units with powers to enforce Tax Laws within administrative structures.

• That Ministerial Implementation Committee comprising the Honorable Minister of Finance, Representative from the Federal Ministry of Justice, National Planning Commission, Honorable Minister of Trade and Investment, Representative of the Inspector General of Police, Acting Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), State’s Honorable Commissioners of Finance, State’s Chairmen Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), Secretary Joint Tax Board (JTB) and Chairmen Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) will continue deliberations and implementation of modalities from 12th – 15th November, 2013.

Invitation for representatives from Kano State was presented to Council for consideration. Council acknowledged the presentation appreciatively.

11. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, YOUTHS, SPORTS AND CULTURE Request for Funds to Enable Preparation and Participation of Kano State Contingent in the Maiden Edition of the National U – 17 Youth Game (5th – 15th December, 2013) in Abuja:The Honorable Commissioner for Information, Internal Affairs, Youths, Sports and Culture notified Council of receipt of an invitation letter from the National Sports Commission to Kano State Government to sponsor its contingent to participate in the Maiden Edition of the National U – 17 Youth Games scheduled to hold in December, 2013 in Abuja.

Details were presented to Council for consideration on the proposal from the Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture for the State to sponsor 210 contingent to compete in eleven (11) Games at the aggregate sum of N25,045,000.00, which was requested for release by Council.

The request was considered to be in agreement with the Sports policy of the administration as Council approved the release of the trimmed down sum of N16,000,000.00 to the Kano State Sports Council to enable the participation of 210 contingent from Kano State to participate in eleven (11) Games at the Maiden U – 17 Games (December, 2013) in Abuja.

UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE 122ND EXCO SITTING 1. FORMAL COMMISSIONING CEREMONY OF THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOSTEL AT THE SCHOOL OF BASIC AND REMEDIAL STUDIES, FUNTUA Council delightfully acknowledged the successful formal commissioning ceremony of the newly constructed Hostel at School of Basic and Remedial Studies (SBRS), Funtua by the State Government held on 31stOctober, 2013, which will ease accommodation problem being faced by the Students. Council urged the students to utilize the facility and wishes the School authority success.

2. FORMAL COMMISSIONING OF TWO(2) SETS OF HAND BAGGAGE SCANNERS AT MALAM AMINU KANO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MAKIA) Council appreciatively acknowledged the successful commissioning of two (2) Sets of Hand Baggage Scanners at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA). The two Scanners cost the Kano State Government over N43million. The scanners are meant to assist security operatives at the Airport in the checking of illegal arms and ammunitions.

3. RUMFOBA OFFICIAL VISIT TO GOVERNOR ENGR. RABI’U MUSA KWANKWASO, FNSE Council acknowledged the visit by the officials of Rumfa College Old Boys Association (RUMFOBA) commending the Governor for his giant stride towards educational development within and outside the State. Similarly, Council called upon other Old Boys Associations in the State to continue supporting their Alma – Mata (Old Schools).

4. PRESENTATION OF AWARDS Council witnessed presentation of Awards to GovernorEngr.

Rabi’uMusaKwankwaso, FNSE as follows: i. A Special Award to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE for his Statesmanship and wisdom in Governance by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria; ii. A Special letter of Award for Appreciation to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE by the 100 students newly admitted into Bells University Otta, Ogun State sponsored by the Kano State Government.

Signed: Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Kano State

News

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PDP chieftain accuses Goje for sponsoring thugs to disrupt peace in Gombe

From David Hassan, Gombe

T

he Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barr.

Abdullahi Jalo has accused the former Governor of Gombe state, Sen. Mohammed Danjuma Goje for sponsoring thugs to disrupt

the peace of citizens in the state.

The PDP chieftain made the allegation yesterday in Gombe while briefing newsmen, adding that it is unconstitutional as a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to engage himself in such act.

He said his representation

in the Senate is to ensure that good people of Gombe state get the dividend of democracy than causing havoc to distabilise the image of the citizens.

According to him, time without number, Goje and his political thugs are found of disrupting the peace of innocent people whenever he is in the

state.

He called on the citizens in the state to be watchful and not to allow any group of person or individual to mislead them as Gombe state is known as PDP state under the leadership of Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, led by Bamanga Tukur.

Max Air completes airlift of 41,300 pilgrims today

By Stanley Onyekwere

M

ax Airline will today complete the airlift of its allocated 41,300 pilgrims for the 2013 hajj operations back home from Saudi Arabia; with Pilgrims from Rivers state expected to be flown to Port Harcourt from Jeddah.

However, as at yesterday evening (Sunday) the airline operated 78 flights into various destinations in the country, bringing the total number of pilgrims flown home by the airline to about 40,000 in the last three weeks.

Also 0n Sunday, Max air completed the airlift of pilgrims from Sokoto Benue and Plateau States respectively.

Similarly, the airline had since completed the airlift of pilgrims from Lagos, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano,Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe, Nassarawa, Kogi, Kaduna and FCT respectively.

All the five Boeing 747 aircraft in the fleet of Max air were fully involved in the hajj operation this year.

Auto accident claims 7 in Bayelsa

L-R: Director, Protection and Investigation, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Abdulrahman Yakubu, Executive Secretary, NHRC, Professor Bem Angwe, and Director, Public Affairs and Communication, NHRC, Mr. Nasir Ladan, during the commission’s presentation of interim report on the investigation of alleged incarceration of the wife of Enugu state Governor, Mrs. Clara Chime, on Friday in Abuja. Photo Justin Imo-Owo

5 killed,2 injured in auto crash on Bauchi-Jos road From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

F

ive people feared death while two others sustained injuries in a ghastly auto crash, along Bauchi-Jos road in Nabardo village, Toro local government area of Bauchi State.

Our correspondent gathered that the accident occurred around 2.20pm, at the weekend involving a Toyota Carina Vehicle

with registration number: AA184GYD and articulated truck with registration number NA1707B0.

The state Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander, Mr Sunday Henry Olatunji who confirmed the incidence to news men in Bauchi, said out of the ten victims of the crash, five persons were confirmed dead on the spot while two others sustained injuries.

He said, “out of the ten people that were affected by the crash, we have eight males and two females. Among the dead are three male and two females”.

According to him, when FRSC officers attached to the Toro unit command received the information, they went to the scene and evacuated the dead people victims to the mortuary of Toro General Hospital while the injured were receiving treatment.

He attributed the cause of the accident to over speeding and dangerous overtaking, The Sector commander however cautioned motorists to adhere to traffic rules and regulations always.

“The scene of the accident is usually known to be a dangerous spot because the road is very narrow and any miscalculated attempt by any vehicle can be very fatal, particularly when on a very top speed” he said.

sustained other injuries while trying to restore order.

Gimba confirmed, however, that nobody died from the violence. ``But the command has drafted a police contingent, including a patrol team, to the area to stop the fight and restore peace,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the violence followed a clash between youth groups over the renaming of an airport on May 3 after the late Chief MKO Abiola, in Ido-Osun, Ede North/

Egbedore local government areas.

According to the commissioner, ``violence erupted when some disgruntled youths removed the signpost bearing `Proposed MKO Abiola International Airport and re-wrote it as Ido-Osun/ Ede MKO Abiola International Airport’.’’

Gimba said the irate youths, who were armed with guns, cutlasses, axes and cudgels, had earlier kidnapped the traditional ruler of Ido-Osun.

The commissioner said the traditional ruler was held hostage in Ede, but that the police swiftly moved to the place where they rescued him.

She, however, expressed regrets that some hoodlums descended on the police and injured some of them when the law enforcement agents intervened to restore peace.

Gimba said that the command was already investigating the circumstances surrounding the clash, to bring those involved to book. (NAN)

Communal clash: Police arrest 5 suspects in Osun

T

he Osun Police Command said on Sunday that it arrested five people suspected to be involved in Saturday’s communal clash between Ede and Ido-Osun communities in the state.

Mrs. Dorothy Gimba, Commissioner of Police, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo that the incident was ``an unfortunate clash’’.

Gimba also said four policemen suffered severe machete cuts while ``a handful’’ of the law enforcement officers

T

he Bayelsa Commissioner of Police, Mr Hilary Opara, said seven persons died in a motor accident near Yenagoa at Okosu River on Saturday.

Opara, who announced this to newsmen on Sunday in Yenagoa, said that the ten people who survived the accident were receiving treatment in hospitals.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the accident occurred at about 8.30pm on Saturday near Sampou junction on Bayelsa axis of the East West road.

However, an eyewitness who identified himself as Eddy, told NAN that ten passengers, including the driver, died in the accident.

He said the 18-seater bus was conveying commuters from Delta to Yenagoa after attending a traditional marriage ceremony when the accident occurred.

The eyewitness, a commercial driver, said the bus somersaulted and veered into the river after its driver lost control while overtaking an oncoming vehicle.

According to him, the bus is floating on the river as the driver and nine others died in the crash. ``I saw a nursing mother who managed to swim from the river but, however, lost her baby in the process, ‘’ Eddy said.

He said the deceased were later recovered from the river by local divers.

NAN gathered that most of the occupants of the vehicle were women and children. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense E

veryone asks me what sort of camera they need to buy to go pro or what sort of photography jobs is available.

These are all wrong questions!

Would you like to photograph anything you want, anywhere you want, anytime you want, any way you want, with a great professional camera system? Would you love to travel to luxury destinations and photograph whatever, whenever you want?

The only way to do this is to keep your real job and do photography on your own time.

If you want to photograph professionally, you’ll make less money, have to shoot the boring stuff in crappy locations for which you’re hired, shoot it the way the client wants, and probably have to shoot everything as if it’s some big emergency every time.

Making a buck in photography is a lot tougher than keeping a real job. The photo jobs and locations that pay the most are the most boring. Think you’re going to have people hiring you as a travel photographer? Guess again.

It’s exactly like golf or surfing. Golf is fun, and it’s almost impossible to get people to pay you to do it. Only one guy in ten million makes lots of money in surfing, photography or acting. Everyone else who makes the money does it in something allied to the field, like making or selling product or the dream.

We all know the few actors who pull in N2 million per movie. Did you know the average annual income of the many AG (Actors’ Guild) members, the majority of whom we’ve never heard, is something more like N20,000?

A person who studied stage management in University and worked in Nollywood discovered that almost no one makes it in the fun job of stage management.

The people who make more

Money Tip:

S

Ways to save money

eek professional independent financial advice. If you are looking for further advice or information as to how you can keep your money even safer, then perhaps its worth talking to an independent financial advisor, they may be able to offer some guidance with regards to your specific situation, they may be able to offer a more personalised service, providing you with information and advice on such areas as bonds and trusts.

Quote

The desire of knowledge, like the thirst for riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it– Laurence Sterne

How to start professional photography and still keep your job

money more regularly are those who become stage salesmen.

Who makes more: an actor, or an agent who earns 10% from each of the 20 clients they represent?

If you want to make money in photography, it’s probably not by doing photography.

You can become a super star photographer, but it’s all in your self-promotion and luck. If you want it hard enough you can do it.

Everyone thinks selling photos gives them the green light to buy a fancy new camera but the answer is NO. If you’re doing this for money you can’t afford expensive equipment unless it makes business sense.

See What Makes a Professional Camera.

Better cameras only make it easier for you to produce results. They don’t make photos any different from the camera you already own. See Why Your Camera Doesn’t Matter.

…and why jobs in photography pay poorly There are very few full time jobs in photography. The few out there are working at a photo lab or running the portrait booth.

Your local paper might have one spot for a photo editor.

Everyone else is stringer. Big city papers may have a couple of photographers on staff. Great; that’s five jobs in a city of a million. Most newspapers get much of their photos from people paid by the shoot or the shot, typically N100 to N150 per copy.

Newspaper work is fun, but pays poorly.

To make more money, you’re far better off as a trucker, personal trainer, bug sprayer, massage therapist or secretary, and there are forty times as many secretary jobs as there are for photographers!

Get a real job like a cop or fireman and make twice as much and there are also ten times as many of those jobs. Try being a farmer, who also makes twice as much as a photographer, and there are ten times as many farmer jobs as photographer jobs.

Other real jobs like electricians do much better than photographers.

Honestly, it’s difficult to find a lower paying job than being a photographer, and there are so few photographer jobs, good luck!

More people do photography for fun than do it for money.

Because it’s fun, people looking to hire photographers can always find someone to do it for less.

Jobs pay based on how badly the jobs are needed and how many qualified people are available to fill them. If a job makes the employer money, he’s going to pay more to fill the spot.

You don’t need training to become a professional: Photography is self-taught: Ansel Adams’ only formal education came from working one summer in a San Francisco photo lab. I and everyone I know who does this for a living taught theirselves. I read books and practiced.

It’s nice to have a degree from a photo school, but costs more in money and lost career time than it’s worth. If you have what it takes you can teach yourself faster. If you don’t have the eye, no schooling will teach it to you.

Far more important than learning photography, this is self-taught and not particularly difficult, is to learn what you really need to know, which is to learn how to run your own business in a very competitive world.

Manage the business on your own: Sorry folks, but here’s the important reality: to make it as a photographer you must become your own small business. You don’t have the luxury of working for someone else: there are almost

no jobs in photography. As a small business you’re in charge, which is great, but you have almost no one to whom you can go for advice or direction. You’re on your own in the jungle.

Your success depends almost entirely on your ability to run a successful small business. Almost nothing depends on the quality of your photography.

It’s sad to see people get laid off from an office job and think that they can just wander into creating a small business. Some can, but only if they develop competitive survival and differentiation skills.

If they had those instincts they’d be the ones still working, not the ones let go.

Keep your day job and take your time planning your business: The longer you plan, the more likely you are to succeed. You won’t be making money for some time and you’ll need your day job. Six months of planning is a minimum, two years is better.

Don’t just quit and say “Bingo, I’m now a pro photographer, yeah!”

Plan for some time and know exactly what you’re going to do.

Business is competitive. It’s a jungle. People win and people lose. It’s not like a job working for someone else. You have to plan to win, otherwise you will die.

Weddings: This is the easiest way to make money on weekends.

You’ll pull in a few hundred nairas to start, and today decent guys pull in at least a few thousand just to give a CD with photos to the bride. That saves them from having to deal with prints later.

Old timers still try to charge for shooting and then to take print orders for profit. People hate that.

Sell them the CD, let them print their own, and get on to the next job.

The client is always right: Always do what the client wants, even if he is an idiot. He may be stupid, but that’s too bad. I’ve heard stories about photographers who thought they were right and the customer was wrong. They lost the jobs.

Know when to call it quits: Small businesspeople are great.

Ask them about their baby (their business) and they’ll talk you ear off with free advice.

One pearl I learned was to know when to give up. Set a time table before you start. If you’re not profitable within that time, give it up before you lose everything.

One person told me how sad it was that they saw friends finally get into the businesses of their lifelong dreams, and they didn’t know when it was time to give up. They threw everything they had at the dying dream and lost everything.

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

EDITORIAL

We made it clear from day one that the award is an award for excellence in leadership. It is not pension for anybody who retires. It is an award for excellence for people who are clean, who changed things around them, moved their country forward, have clean hands, no blood on their hands, no illegal money in their pocket and who left on time without manipulation or a messy legacy or hanky panky”. This was how the Sudan-born billionaire, Mo Ibrahim, summarised what it takes for African leaders to win the coveted prize for leadership instituted in 2007.

The award had been instituted by the billionaire business man to reward democratically elected African leaders, who not only led a clean administration and governance, but left at the end of their tenure, without tinkering or manipulating the constitution to stay longer in office. Besides respecting tenure of office, prospective awardees of the prize would run a clean and efficient government with measurable impact on the lives of the people.

Since the award, with a cash prize of 5 million US dollars and two hundred thousand US dollars annual benefit in 2007,

it went to President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, Festus Mogae of Botswana in 2008, with no one winning the award in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Mr Pedro Verona Rires of Cape Verde won the award, with no one winning in 2012. In the six-year life of

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African leaders and the Mo Ibrahim Prize

We bemoan the scarcity of true and genuine leaders in Africa, evident in the three occasions in which the award was not given out. the award, it has only been won thrice by leaders of small and less endowed African countries.

Having been won in less resource-endowed and small countries, we are constrained to ask, is it a case of little to steal?

However, we believe it is not so, because even much less endowed and small countries like The Gambia have had the misfortune of sit-tight leadership, who wantonly trample on basic rights, including curtailing press freedom. The fact that Mr. Mo Ibrahim would have to shove his money back into his wallet three times since the

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

institution of the award speaks volume of the rickety tapestry that African leaderships have travelled in recent times. We know that Mr. Mo Ibrahim’s generous cash award would pale into irrelevance compared to what would be looted from public treasury. The award nonetheless carried with it, a life long-and even after life reward of integrity and honour than the gold pillage from public office can give. We bemoan the scarcity of true and genuine leaders in Africa, evident in the three occasions in which the award was not given out. No wonder, inspite of resource-driven growth for which Africa is acclaimed to be rising, nothing significant has happened to raise the quality of the lives of the majority of Africans. Many are still mired in excruciating poverty, while youths wallow in unemployment and underemployment thereby redirecting their energies to crime, terrorism and all manner of anti-social vices. We decry Africa’s incompetent and corrupt leadership and urge the current leaders in the continent to rise to the challenge of overcoming the perennial woes of poor leadership. It will be a pity if the Mo Ibrahim prize for leadership is not won for a fourth time in 2013.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

Chairman Malam Wada Maida, Oon, Fnge Director/Editor-in-Chief Rufa’i Ibrahim Managing Editor Abdul-Azeez Abdullahi

Chief Operating Officer Ali M. Ali

Head, Advert/Marketing Hussaini Abdulrahman, Cna

Editor, Daily Ahmed I. Shekarau

Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji

Deputy Manager, Production Abdul-Rauf Musa

Editor, Weekend Hameed M. Bello

Head, Lagos Bureau Adesoji Oyinlola

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

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 13

Opinion

National Dialogue: Omokri’s convoluted logic (I)

By Adeolu Ademoyo

R

ecently, some members of President Jonathan’s media team and others have attempted to defend President Jonathan’s national dialogue. I have argued that Mr. Jonathan called the dialogue as one of the political tactics in his party’s PDP-package to distract the public from the series of ethical violations his government is implicated in, and to give his administrationwhich is badly weighed down by his own complicit with series of ethical violations- a breathing space.

But I am interested in the aspect of the defense of President Jonathan’s media crew, which intersects questions of ethics in Africa’s public life and governance. I have decided to call this the ethical question in Africa’s public life and by extension Nigeria’s public life.

There are two categories of defenders. They are the regular Aso Rock media crew-Messers Doyin Okupe, Reno Omokri etc. The second category is the non-Aso Rock defenders who in my reckoning have allowed themselves to be caught in a version of false cause and category mistake.

This is because the two sets of defenders use the same defense.

Beyond these presidency advocates the relevant questions are: does the national question resolve the ethical question in our lives? Or does the ethical question resolve the national question?

A false cause is an empiricist problem whereby an appearance is used to explain a problem.

For example, Aso Rock media

crew says “eh Nigeria is in this deep crisis because we have not dialogued.” So? “The problem of corruption as part of the crisis is because we have not dialogued.”

Therefore, the dialogue is prior to the ethical question!

A category mistake is an error in thought where things that belong to one group are mistakenly placed in another.

In this regard, they believe wrongly that when they defend President Jonathan’s “dialogue”, they are defending the “national question” and its resolution.

Hence, these defenders claim the “national dialogue” is prior to the ethical question in Nigeria! Nothing can be farther from reason.

For example, among the Aso Rock media crew, Mr. Reno Omokri came out recently to articulate and defend the view that President Jonathan’s national dialogue is prior to the ethical question facing the country.

Ordinarily one would have ignored the comments of presidential aides given the thinness in the substance of their defense of policies, the near zero quality and the slimness of reflection if any that goes into their often hurried

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defense of hastily packaged policies. However, we engage them only because they speak on behalf of a presidency that is ethically challenged, and because of the historical need to put the records straight and leave the rest to history.

The usual hurried defense of a hurriedly packaged “national” dialogue shows in the conceptual flaw in the equivocation on national question and national dialogue such that the two are portrayed wrongly to mean the same. It is only in an African context driven by emotional appeal-rather than the rational- in public life that such wooliness in thought would happen.

Put simply a national question is a problem. National dialogue is not. Where it arises the national question is an ethical challenge in multicultural, multi-racial, multiethnic, multi-national, multilingual, multi-religious societies.

It is an ethical question precisely because solving its symptoms –national, moral and social questions- is about articulating moral terms of justice with which peoples and groups relate. The national question is therefore meaningless if

There are two categories of defenders.

They are the regular Aso Rock media crew-Messers Doyin Okupe, Reno Omokri etc. The second category is the non-Aso Rock defenders who, in my reckoning have allowed themselves to be caught in a version of false cause and category mistake.

framed in any other context, i.e. if framed outside the relational moral terms of justice, and need for a morally just society because the ethical is the very foundation of things, and of life.

But national conference or dialogue is not a problem. How can it be? National conference is a tool with which to solve the national question, which is a serious moral problem in any country where it occurs. It is a result of an ethical violation, and we shall talk about this shortly.

To raise a national dialogue/ conference above the ethical question is to make a toolnational conference/dialoguewith which to solve the effectnational question- of a causeethical question prior to the cause itself! Such explanation is a total collapse into a category mistake and into false cause.

Such error is a combination of the fallacies of equivocation and a straw.

It is a straw precisely because media aides like Reno Omokri, and others –especially the NGOs and NGIs-who claim to be General Sani Abacha era defenders of “national conference” equivocate on national dialogue/national question while thinking that they are the same. They are not for the reasons we already adduced. So to claim like Omokri has done that national dialogue is important and is therefore prior to solving ethical questions that face us daily misses the point. These defenders engage in a straw man’s fallacy and a false cause because they turn an effect into a cause.

I do not think that it should

be difficult to see that a tool –national conference/dialoguewith which to solve the effect of a cause cannot be made prior to the cause without violating basic thinking.

But the media spin-doctors in the presidency have not shown that they are disposed to any serious engagement of our problems. So when Mr. Reno Omokri and other defenders- in familiar places – of President Jonathan’s national dialogue rely on the thoughts of Nigeria’s founding fathers and mothers on the national question to justify President Jonathan’s national dialogue they stray.

Nigeria’s founding fathers and mothers such as Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aminu Kano, Ahmadu Bello, Margaret Ekpo, Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti, Gambo Sawaba and others all have systematized and un-systematized thought and reflection on the national question. But that the founding mothers and fathers thought about the national question is one thing and that an irredeemably unethical regime such as President Jonathan called for a national dialogue is a different thing. Why? President Jonathan’s regime is deeply and negatively implicated by the ethical question, which is the cause of the national, moral, social questions in today’s Nigeria. Therefore how can a regime, which stands in serious violation of the ethical in our life and refuses to see this be able to solve a problem it did not see in the first place?

Adeolu Ademoyo aaa54@ cornell.edu is of Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

A Prophet is not accepted in his hometown—but a thief is

By Dr. Peregrino Brimah

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he scare of the “missing N500bn Sure-P” funds from the 50% hike in fuel prices, brings to fore a most disturbing and distressing exposition of the mien of the Nigerian masses.

Sifting through the comments in media articles, the reactions of the people were docile, subdued, resigned, diplomatic at best and frankly hopeless overall.

People retired to God. People described this possibly gravid act of misappropriation as simply, “the nature of the corruption.”

Nigeria’s media moved on to the next story and the masses enjoyed football.

It is no news that Nigeria is at a stand-still… actually in reverse, because they are looting all the nations’ wealth, but when we do find evidence of the robbery, as we did in the Oduah-Coscharis case, and the “missing N500bn,” should our best response be milquetoast resignation? What has our history of protracted irresponsible and opprobrious

governance done to us? Stolen our humanness? Made us impotent?

If I find out that I got robbed, will my reaction not be to wail in grief and anger? If I find the thief, will I not “go for his head” (or “her head,” as the case may be)? So why is it that when we Nigerians are certain that we are getting robbed by those who are in positions of authority over us, we “turn the other cheek?” Do we not know that Nigeria’s money is our money? That our local business depends on the running of our national business? How about we leave our doors open at night to “turn the other cheek” for the

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robbers? And why then don’t we in fairness, ask that the jails are opened and the petty thieves let loose? When the military imposed themselves on us and robbed us, we said they had to use guns to do that; what’s our excuse now that civilians in Agbada and blouse and wrapper are looting us silly and we are radically acquiescent?

I think the reason is because we do not realize that Nigeria is our business.

We do not recognize that those in authority have no rights of office. Public service officials right up to the president do not have rights, but only have duties; duties to serve us and protect

If I find out that I got robbed, will my reaction not be to wail in grief and anger? If I find the thief, will I not “go for his head” (or “her head,” as the case may be)? ....

our rights as citizens. There are absolutely no rights of office holders, this you can verify from our constitution.

It is important and exigently so, that we realize that the Nigerian “company,” is our company. The treasury of Nigeria is our treasure vault. We own the money of the federation, not the elected officers. Their duty is to protect our interests, safe-guard our rights and do our bidding.

The same way we protect our businesses, the same concern we show at/for our jobs, our companies, this same concern we must show for Nigeria, our larger company. The same way we will never hire rascals to manage our businesses, even if they bribe us, so also, we should never elect rascals to run our bigger business, the nation, regardless of their monetary or ethnic bribes.

We select only those who can best perform when we staff our businesses. We never ask their ethnicity, religion or wealth status. All we are looking for

is those who have the requisite skills to hold the seat most efficiently. This must be the same standard and requirement we set for those we screen and support to hold government jobs. We never hire thieves to run our companies, so what is wrong with us that we hire renowned thieves to run our bigger nation?

We all know that at the day’s end, the governments we have selected, be they from our parts or others, have never really showed real concern for our regions, same applies to the north and same to the south.

After all, the north (includes Middle Belt), which has had about 63% of rule, has most of the poorest people in the nation and even the world. There are no standard rail lines linking the landlocked north to the ports in the south (a set-up that serves the interest of the truck-owning cabal), and the textile and farming industries up north are all nonexistent. So much for us loving “our” people who ran our cont on page 15

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Opinion

Tackling youth unemployment in Nigeria

By Mahmud Lawan Bakura

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nemployment is a condition whereby people do not have jobs to do.

It refers to people in a country, who are willing and able to work but are unable to get jobs. The rate of unemployment in Nigeria is alarming, with an estimated 60 million unemployed persons representing nearly one third of the country’s population.

The unemployment situation is becoming worse every day as thousands of graduates are being churned out of tertiary institutions to join those already hopelessly waiting for jobs and roaming about the streets, searching for a means of livelihood. Recently, out of the 13,000 applications received by Dangote Group of companies for truck drivers, there were six PhDs, 704 Masters and over 8,460 Bachelors Degree holders.

Though the company only needed 100 drivers, it received 13,000 applications. According to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, more than 41% of Nigerian graduates are without employment after the mandatory National Youths Service Corps, (NYSC) engagement.

The National Bureau for Statistics, says, over 50% of youths in Nigeria are jobless, while the World Bank puts the figure at 56% considering the country’s estimated population of about 167 million and 60 million jobless, these figures are alarming and dangerous to economic growth and development of a nation with

the highest concentration of black people on earth. President Goodluck Jonathan has come up with an initiative of youth entrepreneurship in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Education Communication and Technology, Ministry of Youths Development, and Ministry of

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Women Affairs called on Youth enterprise with innovation in Nigeria (YOU WIN)’’ This is supposed to help generate jobs by encouraging and supporting ambitious and creative enterprising youth to develop and implement business ideas for job creation.

There are also women and

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youth’s employments projects carried out under subsidy of reinvestment and empowerment programmes targeting employment of over 30,000 unskilled youth women and the disabled each year.

Some experts doubt the sustainability of these initiatives and whether they can be

If the Federal government is sincere with promises being made to provide millions of jobs for the unemployed youths, then the nation should be seeing signs towards that direction.

Alumni, take back your schools

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

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unday, 3 November, was the end of the mid-term break for the public (read private) schools system in the United Kingdom. How do I know? All flights leaving Nigeria on that day for European destinations were fully stuffed with the children of Nigeria’s great, good, and comfortable. They were returning to school.

Education is big business and the net losses we incur from having run down our schools are incalculable.

As Nigeria seeks to resolve the lingering strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a bigger issue looms in the horizon: how can we sustainably fund investment in education and human capital development in Nigeria?

Evolving an adequate and serviceable funding model to sustain education in Nigeria is an issue that cries out for urgent attention by policy makers and all interests groups in the education sector. The time to confront it is now.

Education is both high politics and a high national security

interest. The future of the country depends on it.

The Universal Basic Education Act guarantees basic education as a right to every Nigerian child; makes it a duty on all parents to ensure that their children go to school and obliges government at all levels to fund it. The Courts at the highest levels have upheld the rights of private providers to participate in providing education at all levels.

In the distribution of responsibilities between the federal government and the states under the constitution, education is on the concurrent legislative list. So, state governments as well as the federal government

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all appropriate for education, maintain ministries of education, and also service various extraministerial agencies and parastatals in the education sector.

With considerable public money dispersed in the public sector between various ministries of education and their agencies, no one has been able to accurately compute how much Nigeria spends annually on education.

Invariably, the ministries of education at both federal and state levels are home to the largest number of extra-ministerial departments in government.

Together, they employ more people than any other

With considerable public money dispersed in the public sector between various ministries of education and their agencies, no one has been able to accurately compute how much Nigeria spends annually on education.

permanent, bearing in mind the failure of the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) and the Micro Finance Bank launched in 2005.

If the Federal government is sincere with promises being made to provide millions of

jobs for the unemployed youths, then the nation should be seeing signs towards that direction. A Statistician, named Dr. Yemi Kale, was reported in the media to have said that, “it remains a paradox that despite the fact that Nigeria’s population is growing, the proportion of Nigeria living in poverty is increasing every year”.

And according to Paul Tuoyo, 2006 Graduate of Accounting, of University of Benin, since he left school till date, he is still looking for a job. Another graduate of Engineering from University of Ibadan, who has spent over five years looking for employment said the situation is highly frustrating and embarrassing.

Have you ever heard or read where the leaders of Countries like U.S.A, Britain or Germany, are asking their young graduates to go and create jobs for themselves? It is very unfortunate that it has become a slogan on the lips of almost all the political departments or ministries in the public sector.

Most of the appropriations to education are spent on overheads and very little on programmes, research, or teacher or skill enhancements. As a result, the value system that underwrites education as a public good has been uprooted.

What value the country gets for what it is supposed to put in debatable. Indeed, what the country puts into education is also uncertain because, as Transparency International pointed out in its Global Corruption in Education Report, 2013, in relation to Nigeria, “much of the money they do allocate disappears.” The same report details a long list of the dysfunctions that afflict our educational system, including “copying from other students and cheating during examinations to more serious behaviours, such as impersonation, falsifying academic records, ‘paying’ for grades/certificates with gifts, money or sexual favours, terrorising examiners and assaulting invigilators…violence.”

All these, the Transparency report concludes “undermine educational opportunities for all Nigerian students and produce graduates less equipped to thrive in future careers.” In one

appointees and office holders in Nigeria, whose responsibility it is to create jobs for the unemployed youths of this country. It is indeed laughable because these same leaders had jobs waiting for them then, after school and what they earned monthly could employ or sustain thousands of people. Every reasonable and focused government of the world strives and does all it takes to reduce the numbers of their unemployed graduates and even face serious criticism anytime unemployment figures go up. This shows that getting people, especially young graduates into gainful employments is the responsibility of the government at all levels.

So what are the major causes of unemployment, and what are the ways out? The following are key (1) Population explosion (2) Corruption and Mismanagement and (3) The Ghost workers’ syndrome.

The way out of unemployment in Nigeria is for governments to begin to collect the names and qualifications of all unemployed youths in the country from ward to ward; set up task force to deal with falsification of age by people, and Ghost workers in government, and finally as a matter of national importance, government should begin to pay unemployed graduates monthly allowance of at least 30,000 irrespective of their location.

Mahmud Lawan Bakura, Department of Mass Communication, Baze University, Abuja,Mahmud653@ bazeuniversity.edu.ng sentence, our schools have ceased to be learning environments and have become a danger to both learners and the society.

Up to two decades ago, the best products from the schools system here came from the public schools. They were affordable and produced competitive outcomes.

Today, they are worse than a poor shadow of themselves and many of those charged with making them work have themselves become proprietors of the most expensive private schools.

But the private providers are no substitute for an effective public schools system. For one, private education is prohibitively priced. Only very few in Nigeria can afford it. The overwhelming majority who can’t face a choice between stealing and patronizing the public schools. For another, the regulatory systems for private schools exist in the public sector. Governments that cannot guarantee a serviceable public school system are almost invariably unable to ensure an effective regulatory system for private schools.

So, it is that our public schools don’t work; significant parts of appropriations for public schools are lost to corruption, the regulatory system for education is mortgaged, and, therefore, the cont on page 15

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 15

Comment

Tribute: Adieu Madu West, newsman per excellence

By Prince Memaiyetan JP, FNIPR

F

ew days to his dramatic exit from this earth, Augustine Madu- West, who died on September 12, 2013, walked into my office sweating profusely.

He quietly took his seat while I enquired from him, what was the problem? “Good afternoon sir, Oga, I just received an insulin injection and I feel drowsy”, he said, responding to my question. ‘Then what can we do”, I asked. ‘Just a bottle of coke”, he demanded. With a lightning speed I ran out of the office to get him a bottle of coke since there was no one around when he called. Little did I know that he came to bid me farewell because Auggy Madu-West as I fondly called him hardly visited me but we talked regularly on phone.

His visit was a premonition of his death because he knew I welcomed him with open arms in the late 70s, when he got to Kano in search of reporting job.

During my first encounter with Auggy, he showed me the press cuttings of his report in Daily Star-the defunct South East government owned newspaper.

What caught my attention were his reports while in Malabo in Equatorial Guinea. Working as a freelance reporter but disguised as a farm hand on a Cocoa plantation, he exposed the slave labour and maltreatment of Nigerian labourers on the Island. I quickly introduced cont from page 14 private schools system is itself largely an exercise in hollowing out profit from public good.

This is why we need a design conversation on how to make education work in Nigeria. This conversation must involve all possible stakeholders: government, the regulatory system, private and faith providers, providers, parentsteachers associations, alumni

him to Buhari Paida otherwise known as Gabs Manual, whom I brought into the act of news gathering. Paida was employed

by Innocent Adukwu, the first Editor of the Sunday Punch on my recommendation.

By then he was to take his exit from Punch to the state ministry when Auggy came to me. He immediately started freelance reporting for the Punch newspapers where he showed starling qualities which exemplified him on beats. He later became the diligent and indefatigable staff correspondent of the newspapers in Kano, where he retired after 15 years of service.

He proceeded to establish a Media Consultancy firmMadu-West Ventures, along the same Galadima Road-the “Fleet street”, where most of the newspapers’ offices are situated.

Members of the Galadima

“

Chapel, now Correspondents’ Chapel formed the nucleus of the existing Kano state Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), through my humble self as the state secretary, and later state chairman under the Trade union Decree. Auggy as embodiment of human relations and magnetic character with friendly disposition, humble and diligent in his ways, from Media Consultancy, he took up appointment with the Daily Independent Newspaper as a Special correspondent. As his close ally and elder, I talked Auggy into taking part in the Diploma course at Bayero University Kano (BUK), which was set up through the initiative of NUJ in collaboration with the University to assist working journalists without a formal professional education. He thus became one of the first set of the course.

It is not a pleasant task to write the obituary of one’s junior colleague, and a reporter par excellence from Imo state, who served in Kano state. His death was painful to both friends and foes alike. The younger generation has been robbed of wise counsel and good hands.

A reporter with nose for news, he churned out acerbic writings repudiating the depravity and ruthlessness associated with the military rule till his demise. We continued to relate even after my secondment from Kwara Government owned publishing company- the publishers of Nigerian Herald, where I was northern Bureau Chief to Kano State Government owned Triumph Publishing Company as Managing Editor between 1993-94.

Having known Auggy as a man who respects himself, on several occasions, I took him to task over the misconduct of other correspondents, some of whom passed through his tutelage. As a result, he became an Activist, which he earlier abhorred as a gentleman, who never cared to hold any position in the Chapel or in the state NUJ. As a shining star, the correspondents’ Chapel relied on his wisdom and advice as a result of which the state council occasionally invited him to head reconciliation panels when correspondents were in disagreement.

During one of his interventions, Auggy threw in the towel and I had to call him to order, reminding him that as a welfarist, democrat and fearless journalist, who knew his onions, he should not keep away from his responsibilities by taking care of affairs of other younger journalists.

By his professional exposure, he played important roles in

Alumni, take back your schools networks, national security institutions, and communities.

As its own contribution to this conversation, the Unity Schools Old Students Association proposes on 19 November 2013, in Abuja, to launch a One Billion Naira Endowment to fund investment in the improvement of educational inputs in public schools in Nigeria. The USOSA

Endowment for Education in Nigeria will seek to provide a model of impact investment and advocacy to bridge relationships between private sector, alumni, and communities in reforming education.

One area in which the fund proposes to make an impact is in teacher improvement and incentivisation in basic and

secondary education. The Fund will also seek to contribute to the overall improvement of the skills, dignity, and confidence of teachers by supporting models of risk investment designed to guarantee growth and commitment to and recognize excellence in teachers.

The USOSA Endowment Fund for Education in Nigeria is intended to catalyse in a practical way the

advancing the value of the media. His love for journalism and devotion to the finest standards of practice were the mute evidence of his dedication.

Infact, I never heard that his newspaper ever paid for libel damages on any story by Auggy.

He was snatched away by the wicked hands of death on the night of September 12, 2013, as the Bureau Chief of National Mirror newspaper in Kano.

It is not a pleasant task to write the obituary of one’s junior colleague, and a reporter par excellence from Imo state, who served in Kano state. His death was painful to both friends and foes alike. The younger generation has been robbed of wise counsel and good hands.

We, who knew him, shall take solace in the dictum, that death buries everyone but reveals the eminent. We shall remember his eminence as an ace newsman, who left his footprint on the sand of time in Kano-as I remained in the pain and shock of his terminal exit.

As a colleague and brother, I shall also miss his large heart, his boldly interrogative impulse, calm and easy going nature.

His image will be difficult to duplicate as a person who advanced the value of the media and made an impact. Auggy’s body will be committed to mother-earth in Owerri, Imo state on November, 16, 2013.

Prince Ajayi Memaiyetan, email:spinsociety@hotmail.com partnerships we need to make our education system serviceable.

Investments by the fund will be based on a risk model of stakeholding. All those who desire to make our educational system work must put something into the pot. Government cannot be relied on to do so alone. And donations are not enough to guarantee that the funds donated will be used properly. To put our schools back on track, Alumni must be prepared go back and take them back.

A Prophet is not accepted in his hometown—but a thief is cont from page 13 Nigeria business, but had only the interests of their and their friends’ pockets at heart.

The same applies to Yoruba land, pauperized as ever. And now to the core south, the NigerDelta, which has more poverty, more pollution, more crime and more desperation than ever in history, under the regime of a son-of-the-soil. Maintaining political relevance by starving the people and nation of funds, so they beg the “owner” thieves for employment and handouts to feed is an old and continuously repeated trick in the books. It is the same principle of the “Robber Barons” of 19th century American history. It’s the reward we all get in

each part and the whole. So what is the justification for our servility?

If we react appropriately, things like stopping to give bribe to police officers, like demanding our rights anytime a business or government office acts inappropriate, every time an airline delays without courtesy to explain why; every time a “VIP” cuts your line, these type of things. If we all did and told others to do these things.

To watch the government, to expose thieving officials and their associated cabal, if we called them “thief,” whenever they or those that know or partner with them ventured our way, it is guaranteed that we will get our Nigeria to run much more admirably.

Our complacence and resignation has made government officials and their coterie of private sector “business” men, actually proud to steal; showing off their stolen wealth in cars and planes without an ounce of shame. Thieves brag and compete for better ratings in the global lists of “achieved” billionaires.

Evidently, to the verse (Luke 4:24, ISV), “a prophet is not accepted in his hometown,” we can append, “but a thief is.”

There are 160 million frustrated, disunited, broke masses and a handful of united, rich cabal, who in their armored cars and private jets, laugh at us, the owners of the Nigeria business, who are too nonextant

to react and reclaim our company.

Anytime you recognize and have a problem with them stealing your money and mismanaging your nation, your reaction must be action. You need to immediately say, “I must do something about it to protect my interests,” and then your next course of action should be a meeting to discuss and strategize what you can and will do about it.

Ecclesiastes (ESV)3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to

weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

“The best Jihad is a speech of truth in the presence of a tyrant ruler.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi) Dr. Peregrino Brimah http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something] Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Gwagwalada council intensifies effort on scholarshipto students

By Usman Shuaibu

T L-R: Guest Speaker, Mr. Olawale Rasheed, Executive Director, Care for Youth Foundation, Mrs. Roseline Abumchukwu Aghabalu, and Special Guest, Professor Victoria Mngember, during the Foundation’s 5th Anniversary and 2013 Life Lifter celebration, at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

AMAC denies financial plunder allegations against Jiba

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has denied alleged wide financial plunder of the council’s treasury by Micah jiba’s ledadministration, in a spate of nine months, saying rather the leadership is committed to good governance.

Reacting to last Monday’s publication by an FCT based weekly paper, Abuja inquirer,

under a screaming headline: “AMAC: The story of Jiba’s plunders, where it reported a wide spread financial misappropriation by the administration between the period January to September 2013, the council described it as an unfair attempt to impugn on its chairman’s esteemed reputation by those on a voyage of blackmail and mudslinging.

This, AMAC said, ordinarily the administration would have regarded the publication as diversionary but for the

magnitude of the allegations, its therefore constrained by its averred commitment to transparency and good governance, to debunk the purported plunder going on in the council.

According to a statement signed by S A media and Publicity to the chairman, Ephraim Audu , at the weekend, it argued that the figures quoted in the report was merely what the newspaper extracted from the council’s 2013 1st – 3rd Quarter budget performance

submitted to the House of Representative Committee on FCT area councils and ancillary matters.

The council however added that it is not unaware of a few statistical anomalies contained in the document forwarded, which when its attention was drawn to it by the House committee, it promptly provided some explanation and took responsibility for the anomaly in the areas ,which had no pecuniary bearing had since been sorted out.

Community leader lauds FG over immunisation

T

he Esu of Bwari, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ibrahim Yaro, has expressed hope in the ongoing immunisation against polio and meningitis, saying it would help in improving Nigerians’ health condition.

Yaro said this on Saturday in Bwari while addressing participants at the flag-off of the FCT Immunisation against Meningitis at the Esu Palace.

“This exercise which starts from today and will end on Monday, Nov. 18 is being carried out in the various communities in Bwari for people who are between the ages of 1 to 29 years.

“The disease is an inflammation caused by

infection with viruses, bacteria or other micro-organisms.

Yaro, who was represented by the Secretary of Bwari Area Council, MrLuktaZamishi, adds: “It thrives more during the dry season, which is why this immunisation is important to protect Bwari residents from the scourge.’’

He said the exercise was a right step towards the early protection of people from disease infections, such as meningitis and polio, and an improvement on their health.

Yaro however said he was happy with the kick-off of the immunisation in his area because it would help to protect the residents from the outbreak of the disease.

“I believe that this exercise will also help to improve the health of not only the residents, but it will also boost their immunity and ensure a better future for them,” he said.

The community leader also urged parents and guardians to ensure their wards got immunised against the scourge with the dry season fast approaching, so as to avoid disease infection.

Speaking in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stakeholders in the health sector have advised that immunising against meningitis enhances productivity and reduces sickness in rural societies.

Some other stakeholders called for awareness on the need for early immunisation, so as to reduce the spread of infection in the area.

Director of Disease Control, FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Mathew Ashikem, told NAN that regular immunisation against meningitis and polio could help boost immunity against such infections.

“When people within a particular community are immunised, it will create room for a healthy population and ensure productivity. Health is all about the welfare of the people in the community, which can bring about development”, he added. (NAN)

o pave way for the smooth conduct of scholarship/ bursary awards to students in Gwagwalada area council, the Abubakar Jibrin Giri led-administration has inaugurated an 11-man committee on scholarship, as part of its effort to encourage and promote education in the area.

Inaugurating the committee, the chairman charged the committee to carry out their responsibilities diligently, in the interest of all.

“I want to believe that the council considered each and every one of you worthy of this job, hence your nomination, therefore your very best is expected”, Giri said.

Responding, the chairman of the committee, Alhaji Sule Sumail Dobi, commended the leadership of the council for considering the scholarship award very serious at this present time.

According to him, to educate the children who are the future leaders of tomorrow is necessary but very expensive.

He recalled that the previous administration of the council had attempted to award the scholarship to the students but did not yield any positive result.

Yuletide: FRSC to drill motorists on safe driving

By Usman Shuaibu

A

s the peak of ember season draws nearer, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) will in two weeks enlighten motorists inGwagwalada area council on safe driving during the season,the corps unit commander in charge of the area, ACC Abubakar Ahmed has said.

Ahmed, who disclosed this in an interview with Peoples Daily in his office, said that the two- weeks special patrol enlightenment campaign tagged ‘Operation Octopus’ was aimed at reducing accidents on the roads.

He said that the plans were underway by the leadership of the command to enlighten motorists at the grassroots who might be difficult to control on the highway.

The Unit Commander, however, revealed that two persons were jailed by the mobile court instituted by the command, adding that 20 commercial motorcyclists (okada riders) were arrested for various degrees of offences.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Metro

PAGE 17

The condition of one of the deplorable roads at Jikwoi village, in Abuja.

Vehicles loading in an illegal motor park, yesterday at Apo round about, in Abuja.

An over loaded pick-up van with plastic products along Karu-Jikwoi road, yesterday in Abuja

Keke NAPEP over loaded with yam, yesterday at Apo, in Abuja.

Scavenger going about looking for useful items from refuse dump-sites, yesterday at Area 2, Garki, in Abuja.

Photos: Justin Imo-Owo

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Metro

INSIDE FCT COURTS Police arraign housewife for trespass, mischief

A

Children hawking sachet water in Bwari, Abuja, recently.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

How court jailed 10 residents 1 month for violating environmental law in Gwarinpa

A

Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kubwa, Abuja has sentenced 10 residents of Adkan Estate in Gwarinpa District, to one month imprisonment each for violating environmental laws.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the court had earlier ordered the sealing off of 52 houses in the estate as the occupants failed to appear before it to answer charges of violating environmental laws against them.

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) had taken the residents to court for failing to provide waste bins in their premises, contrary to the

Board’s Act. Magistrate Jubril Kutigi, in his ruling, convicted those who acquired waste bins after their houses had been sealed off and jailed them to one month in prison with an option of N5,000 fine.

Those who had yet to acquire the waste bins were equally jailed one month with an option of N10,000 fine.

Earlier, one of the residents, Danlami Abu, pleaded on behalf of others and appealed to the court to tamper justice with mercy.

NAN reports that the offenders were not represented by any lawyer.

In her remarks, Mrs Lola Balogun, the AEPB prosecutor, said hearing on the matter would continue and warned the offenders to adhere to the sealoff order.

According to Balogun, the board will inspect the houses of those who had yet to appear before the court.

She also warned those who had not paid their fines to keep off their premises until they had complied with the court judgment.

NAN reports that the offenders have adhered to the seal-off order as they did not have access into their houses.

One of the affected people,

who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, said that the AEPB should be considerate in their approach.

He argued that he was never served with any court summons.

“I am a worker and I go to work every morning and close late. I cannot imagine being served with a court summons and I will not honour it.

“I am really embarrassed by this action and I have found it most challenging that my family is squatting in a friend’s house; we have to take the judgment in good fate because we are good citizens of this country,’’ he said.

(NAN)

Trespass: 23-year old docked over theft

T

he police have arraigned one Christian Nnamdi, 33, of No 5, Kigo Road, Kaduna, in a Kado Grade 2 Area Court, Abuja, on charges of joint act and cheating.

The prosecutor, Simon Ibrahim, told the court that Paul Chia of No 25, TangoTaula, Ikeja, Lagos, reported the matter

at the Utako Police Station on September 1.

Ibrahim told the court that sometime in July, the accused and two others, now at large, collected N2.3 million from the complainant to issue him two Canadian visas.

The prosecutor alleged that the accused got fake Canadian

visas for the complainant, and that during investigation, he denied committing the crime.

Ibrahim said the offence contravened sections 79 and 322 of the Penal code respectively.

The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The presiding judge, Ahmed Ado, granted the accused bail in

the sum of N500, 000 with two reliable sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and that one of them must be a civil servant not below grade level 7.

The presiding judge adjourned the case to January 14, 2014. (NAN)

Intimidation: 2 men arraigned for resisting arrest

O

ne Ahmed Ali, 30, and Christopher Bassey, 53, of New Nyanya Motor Park have appeared before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Mararaba, Nassarawa State, for alleged intimidation, resisting arrest and wrongful restraining.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Samuel Okoro, told the court that Atiku

Ochicho of New Nyanya Transport Company, Mararaba reported the matter at Sani Abacha Road Police Station in Mararaba.

The prosecutor told the court that Ali, a security guard, intimidated the complainant by saying he would him, he would hand him over to a native doctor in Jos.

Okoro said that on receiving the complaint, a police officer, Cpl. Hassan Usman, was sent to arrest Ali, but he resisted arrest and Bassey, a loader in the park, padlocked the gate thereby preventing the officer from leaving the premises.

He said the offence is contrary to provisions of sections 397, 172 and

256 of the Penal code respectively.

The accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The chief magistrate, Mr Habila Abundaga, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 each and a surety in like sum.

He adjourned the case till November 20 for further hearing.

(NAN)

housewife, Iyoor Titus, of Zone C’ Aso Pada, Mararaba is standing before a Senior Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly trespassed into a land and destroyed a building under construction, belonging to one Yusuf Salifu.

Titus was arraigned by the police, on two counts of criminal trespass and mischief.

The prosecutor, Const. Jacob John, told the court that Mr. Yusuf Salifu of Vision School, Kabayi, lodged a report against the accused at the police station, Mararaba on October 31.

He said the complainant reported that the accused trespassed into his land located at Aso Pada, Mararaba and destroyed a building under construction.

Jacob said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 348 and 327 of the Penal Code.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against her.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr. Iliya Akuf, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N100,000 and a surety in like sum.

He ordered the accused to deposit N40, 000 as security for her bail, and adjourned the case to November 12(tomorrow) for proper hearing. (NAN)

Man arraigned for cheating

T

he police have arraigned one Benjamin Anum, 35, of IBM Haruna Street, Utako, Abuja charged with criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The Prosecutor, Cpl. Buba Irimiya, told the Magistrates’ Court that one Charles Hul of Plot 763 Durumi Phase 1, Abuja lodged a report against the accused at the Utako Police Station on November 4.

Irimiya said that sometime in October, the complainant entrusted his truck to the accused to use for commercial purposes on the understanding that Anum would remit N53, 000 weekly to him.

He alleged that the accused criminally converted the money to his own use and fled to an unknown destination.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The magistrate, Mr. Musa Jobbo, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N50,000 with a surety in like sum.

He also ordered that the surety must deposit recent utility bills to the court and adjourned the matter to November 20 for hearing proper.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 19

INSIDE

Isa_abdulwahab@yahoo.com, Isaabdulwahab@gmail.com 08033045613

Customs CG, Dikko calls for inter-agency cooperation on trade hub - Pg 20

L-R: Former President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, presenting the Best African Central Bank Governor Award to CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, at the weekend in Pretoria, South Africa.

Photo: NAN

IPMAN to monitor sales of kerosene nationwide From Ayodele Samuel and Akinleye Olusegun,Lagos

T

he Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has announce plans to ensure kerosene is not sold beyond the approve price of N50 per liter nationwide.

IPMAN, National President, Alhaji Aminu AbdulKadri speaking at the launched its N50 per liter Kerosene product at different filling stations in Lagos said that IPMAN will not relent to make sure people have access to kerosene at the affordable price of N50 per liter.

“The plan of IPMAN is to make sure that product availability is being created and how do we do that? It is by given the various

states vis-a-vis the population.

If you look at Lagos today, within the twinkle of an eye, I’m commissioning 2 stations and I am going to commission about 20 other stations just in a day; So you can imagine what will happen if we do it for about a month. It is a programme that has come to stay and we are going to succeed.

“What we are doing today is a right step in the right direction.

This has been the yearning of the people and I want to assure the people that at any given time they will get to buy kerosene at the government stipulated price.

Today we have started in Lagos, we will move to Kano, from Kano to Sokoto, Enugu, Jos, Yola and the rest. So this is just the beginning of the exercise

“I have directed the zonal chairman South-West to go to Ibadan, Ilorin and other places in Lagos to monitor on our behalf. So it is going to be a continuous thing and at least fortnightly, we will be moving out to making sure our zonal chairmen do what they are instructed to do.”

He noted that “IPMAN members control 85% of the total retail outlet in Nigeria, so if IPMAN moves out, the game is over. The days of hoarding kerosene is over, now that IPMAN has come out to make sure that the product is available to the common man. We have this programme is Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin and Ore. It is not possible for some filling stations to sell above this price because we have met with the

PENGASSAN condemns attacks on PPPRA

By Etuka Sunday etroleum and Natural Gas senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) under the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has condemned the recent attack against the Agency

by Ledisi Dagogo-Jack.

In a statement signed by its Branch Chairman, Comrade Stephen Lazi Akhere and Acting Branch Secretary, Comrade Ghide Muhammad, PENGASSAN said “we condemn in the strongest terms possible, the recent attack and campaign of calumny by Ledisi Dagogo Jack and his cotravellers against the Agency. We have also resolved to resist any move to discredit the operational achievements of the Petroleum

P

Products Pricing Regulatory Agency under the watch of Mr. Reginald Stanley as Executive Secretary.

“It was obvious Ledisi DagogoJack and his traducers are out to smear the hard earned image of the Agency and its leadership.

The Union therefore wishes to encourage the Executive Secretary, Mr. Reginald Stanley to remain focused with his transformation process, which has helped sanitise the petroleum downstream sector since the events of 2011 in the administration of the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF).

The statement said “It is worth noting that the PPPRA under Mr. Reginald Stanley has recorded significant achievements in the operation of the subsidy scheme

which resulted in saving the nation over N409 billion in 2012 alone, drastic reduction on daily fuel consumption in line with actual national demands, the introduction of certified product inspectors, under the 3-3-2 system and eventually 2-2-1 system which among other things, thinned the possibility of collusion in product discharge and distribution.

Given our most recent experience, particularly the excitement that greeted the various probe and investigative panels in the wake of the 2011 fuel subsidy brouhaha, the Union is of the opinion, that the introduction of the Independent Inspection System was conceived in the best interest of the petroleum downstream sector.

various Zonal chairmen in the South West to lead this particular exercise and if there is anything to the contrary which I don’t because with the kind of person I have here, I have confidence in him, in his integrity and therefore, I don’t not expect anything to be contrary but should it happen, it will not go unpunished.”

Speaking on consumption of gas in the country, Aminu said “what we are seeing today is a factor that affects so many things.

By now, the whole world has diverted from DBK (kerosene) to gas and already by the Federal Government policy, our own commercial people have already ventured into gas, they have switched off from kerosene to gas and gas is the future of the world and I want to assure you that under this administration, a lot of things have been done to ensure that gas has come to stay.”

NSE: Investors wealth up by 0.28% - Pg 21

NPA workers tackle NIPCO over proposed tank farm at port - Pg 22 Exchange Rates

CBN as at 7th November, 2013 Buying

Selling

$

154.7

155.7

€

248.64

£

209.10 210.36

Riyal

41.24

41.51

YEN

1.56

1.57

CFA

0.299

0.319

250.25

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY Smart use of LinkedIn can lead to your next hire

T

houghtful use of LinkedIn can help you make your next brilliant hire. To find exactly what you’re looking for, clarify your thinking: Search for LinkedIn profiles that come closest to your ideal candidate, without regard to geography, availability, or other such factors.

Exploring the work and experience of real people in the field will give you a better mental picture of whom you’d like to hire. Then reverseengineer your posting to clearly specify your ideal qualifications.

With a very targeted LinkedIn search for what you want (for example, M&A specialists based in Chicago), you can identify who in your LinkedIn network might know the kind of person you’re looking for.

Investigate the connections you have in common with potential candidates, or if they’ve been recommended by someone you know and trust. Once you find your preferred candidate, you can use LinkedIn to get thirdparty verification of her talents.

Source: Harvard Business Review

Business PAGE 20

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Customs CG, Dikko calls for inter-agency cooperation on trade hub

By Dapo Olalekan

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he Comptroller General of the Nigeria Custom Service; Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde has said that the success of the Nigerian Trade Hub and the Single Window platform championed by the service will depend largely on strong inter-agency corporation.

Dikko also harped on the need for a down-the-line collaboration among officers of various government agencies in tackling smuggling and other security matters.

Speaking at a three days retreat organized for Customs Public Relations Officers in Asaba, Delta State, Dikko who was represented

by Deputy Comptroller General, John Atte called for a regular capacity building programmes for

government agencies in order to educate them on the need for team work The conference with the team “Team Work: Necessity and Mechanism was put together by the service in collaboration with the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Dikko stated that the custom is ready to set the ball rolling on its newly developed trade hub, even as he revealed that the Nigerian Trade Hub has been exposed to the European Union.

Speaking, he said “There are two levels of corporation visible in the agencies; at the top most where the CG’s and the heads of agencies meet, there is very high level of understanding” “But when you come down to where the line officers stay, this

is where the issue is, so capacity building for officers should be concentrated at that level” “There are portals that are being developed all over the place; here the important thing is for heads of agencies to have capacity building programmes” “If you are a fraudulent person you cannot access the portal because it is internet based, whatever information you put there will be the one used to access it, if you put in a fraudulent document in the trade hub it cannot work” According to him, the Custom management just came from the Netherlands where its trade portal was exposed to the EU. He said that the service feels highly encouraged by the positive feedback on the project from home

and abroad.

Dikko charged the officers to use the workshop as an opportunity to build strong network among themselves and other government agencies in order to make the portal a success.

Also speaking at the event, Chief of Defense Staff, Major General Henry Ayoola assured that the army is concretizing its relationship with the Nigeria Customs Service.

According to him, the insurgency in the northern flank of the country has further pointed out that only one agency cannot do the job of national security.

“The era of inter-agency rivalry is gone, Boko Haram in the northern axis has brought to the fore the need for security agencies to work together” he said.

L-R: Commissioner, Government Consumer Assembly of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Abba Ibrahim, Senior Manager, Minna Business Unit, PHCN, Engineer Zayyan Mai-Arewa, and Senior Manager, Customer Services, Alhaji Sada Salisu, during NERC Consumers’ Assembly, recently at Shiroro Local Government Secretariat, in Minna, Niger state.

By Chris Alu

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he African Media Leaders Forum, has awarded Mr. Donald Kaberuka, the Group President of African Development Bank with 2013 African man of the Year Award, in recognition of his role in spearheading the Africa 50 Fund for infrastructural development in the African continent.

Speaking at the award ceremony in Tunis, former Secretary-General of the Organization of African Union (OAU) Mr.Salim Ahmed Salim said that the award was given based on His track records of bringing to fruition a domestically financed and developmental

AfDB president bags 2013 African man of the year award projects in the African continent.

He explained that the Africa 50 Fund seeks to finance infrastructural developmental projects from African central bank reserves, pension and sovereign wealth funds of African countries.

He noted that the Funds were endorsed in May 2013 by African Finance Ministers during the Bank’s Annual Meetings in Marrakech, where Kaberuka played a vital role in carrying out the projects plan. Adding

that, No country in the world has been able to maintain 7% GPD growth unless the infrastructure bottleneck is overcome.

Mr.Salim said that In July, African institutions including the African Union Commission, UN Economic Commission for Africa, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), regional Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency endorsed the Africa50 Fund as the continent’s vehicle for facilitating

large-scale mobilization of resources to unlock international private financing with a view to addressing Africa’s $45-billion infrastructure gap.

Receiving the Award Kaberuka said that African Development Bank will continue to play a lead role in the continent.

According to him, AfDB would give financial strength to investors of both local and international that will leverage on and build infrastructures for developmental projects.

Association to release comprehensive shippers’ register

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he Lagos Shippers Association has assured the Nigerian Shippers Council of its support in ensuring that the Council gets comprehensive shippers register to work with.

The association has also assured that it is going to unite shippers all over the country with a view to bringing back Nigerian bound cargoes that has been diverted to Cotonou port and other neighbouring ports in West Africa.

Newly elected President of the group, Reverend Jonathan Nicole gave the assurance in Lagos while speaking at the end of the association’s elections.

Nicole who until now was the Secretary General of the association assured that the new executives will rally all shippers together under one umbrella in order to speak with one voice.

Speaking, he promised that the association will Parley with the Nigeria Shippers Council “so that they will have a very huge shippers register with their addresses across the country, so that if you need a shipper you can just go through the directory and know that you are talking to an accredited shipper, we will contribute to the economy of this country” “We will see what we can do to bring back our cargo to Nigerian ports, by the time government removes the bottlenecks, people will want to come back to their country, Cotonou can rise up tomorrow and say they don’t want Nigerians again, what will now happen to their investments? It is better you do your business in Nigeria” Nicole maintained.

He expressed the intentions of the newly elected executives to visit existing associations, as well as other government agencies in the maritime industry with a view of working together towards a permanent goal.

“We will visit the associations, we are doing the same job so I don’t see why we should be segregated, we will bring them under this umbrella for dialogue with government” he said He however lamented that one of the major problems confronting shippers at Nigerian ports is bureaucracies in port processes which according to him has led to the failure to get cargoes out of the ports within 48hours as propagated by the government.

He said that cargoes are being delayed unnecessarily at the ports by Customs, Terminal operators and Shipping companies and that this is costing shippers a lot of demurrage.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Capital Market PAGE 21

NSE: Investors wealth up by 0.28% Stories from Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

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ollowing price gains by major blue chips, equity transactions on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) has sustained an upbeat tread as last week, the twin market indicators, the All Shares Index and market capitalization inched up by 0.28%respectively, even as the market gained a total of o0.121 billion shares as a turnover of 1.834 billion shares worth N22.961 billion in 23,840 deals were traded this week by investors in contrast to a total of 1.713 billion shares valued at N16.473 billion that exchanged hands in 22,925 deals the previous week.

Specifically, the NSE All-Share Index gained by 0.28% to close on Friday at 37,870.87. Similarly, the market capitalization appreciated by 0.28% to close at N12.100 trillion.

All the indices appreciated this week except two. The NSE 30, NSE Consumer Goods, NSE Insurance, NSE Oil/Gas and NSE Lotus II appreciated by 0.17%, 1.82%, 2.68%,14.16% and 1.88% respectively. However, NSE Banking and NSE Industrial Goods indices depreciated by 0.34% and 0.98% respectively while NSE-ASeM closed flat.

Review of events in the market showed that the Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 1.338 billion shares valued at N12.801 billion traded in 12,795 deals; thus contributing 72.93% and 55.75% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates Industry followed with a turnover of 313.368 million shares worth N820.513 million in 1,948 deals; contributing 17.08% and 3.57% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The third place was occupied by the Consumer Goods Industry with 38.266 million shares worth N3.755 billion in 3,777 deals. Trading in the top three

equities namely Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, Wapic Insurance Plc and Zenith Bank Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 737.807 million shares worth N5.010 billion in 3,369 deals, contributing 40.22% and 21.82% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

Thirty eight (38) equities appreciated in prices during the week, the same as Thirty eight (38) equities of the preceding week. Forty three (43) equities depreciated in prices lower than Forty four (44) equities of the preceding week, while one hundred and sixteen (116) equities remained unchanged higher than one hundred and fifteen (115) equities of the preceding week.

Forte Oil led the gainers table in percentage terms, enhancing by 47.68 per cent or N33.87 kobo to close at N104.90 kobo, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) followed

with a gain of 20.86 percent or N0.39 kobo to close at N2.26 kobo while Eterna Oil appreciated by 18.0 percent or N0.45 kobo to close at N2.95 kobo. Other stocks that appreciated in price were Mansard Insurance Plc 12.38 percent, Conoil Plc 10.24 percent, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc 10.00 percent, Nestle Nigeria Plc 8.48 percent, Cutix Plc 7.56 percent, Cadbury Nigeria Plc 16.18 percent, Learn Africa Plc 6.78 percent.

Conversely, International Energy Insurance Company Plc topped losers chart, declining by 14.93 percent or N0.10 kobo to close at N0.57 kobo, UTC Nigeria Plc trailed with a loss of 10.45 percent or N0.10 kobo to close at N0.96 kobo while Wema Bank Plc loss 9.23 percent or N0.12 kobo to close at N1.18 kobo. Other companies that recorded price appreciation were Port Land Paints & Products Nigeria Plc 7.60 percent, Paints and Coatings Manufactures Plc 5.0 percent,

Staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Ilorin branch, donating food and clothing items to people of Kpavun village in Pategi Local Government Area of Kwara, on Saturday.

Skye Bank explores opportunity in un-banked market

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s a way of bringing the teeming percentage of the unbanked population on board the banking train, Skye Bank Plc has intensified efforts to provide financial services to this class of people through a range of product offerings.

The Executive Director in charge of South-South Business Development/Retail Banking, Skye Bank Plc, Mrs. Ibiye Ekong, who disclosed this during an interaction with the press, said

Ekocorp Plc 4.87 percent, A.G Leventis Nigeria Plc 4.85 percent, Courteville Business Solutions Plc 4.76 percent and Fidson Health care Plc 4.76 percent.

Also traded during the week were a total of 2,025 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), valued at N4.096 million executed in 2 deals compared with a total of 1,594 units, valued at N3,866 million transacted last week in 6 deals.

Similarly, 723 units of FGN bonds valued at N749, 976.07 were this week traded in 3 deals compared with a total of 515 units valued at N588, 502.89 transacted last week in 6 deals.

Report of the OTC market for FGN bonds equally revealed that a turnover of 193.766 million units valued at N210.137 billion in 1,053 deals were recorded last week, in contrast to 141.149 million units valued at N150.882 billion in 751 deals recorded in the preceding week ended November 1, 2013.

the bank had perfected plans to enhance opportunities in the retail segment of the market.

“There are about 64 million unbanked adult population in the country, and another 16 million youth population that is unbanked. So, a lot of opportunities abound out there for players in the industry”, she said.

Ekong said the bank has customized savings products for various categories of people to take care of their

peculiar banking needs. Such products, she said, include Skye Save, Skye Wise Account, Skye Rainbow account, Skye Treasure account, among others.

She also disclosed that the bank’s customer loyalty programme known as Skye Dreams, has been enhanced with additional benefits for customers of the bank who win points based on the number of transactions they carry out. Such customers stand

the chance to win air tickets to some destination, among others.

Ekong, who noted that some entrepreneurs have been unable to access bank facilities due to the structure of the businesses which are without accounting and book keeping, said Skye Bank has responded to the challenge, by organising seminars for customers to make them better business people and entrepreneurs.

She disclosed that the bank would hold other capacitybuilding seminars for customers in various parts of the country as part of its efforts to provide technical and advisory support to its customers.

JP Morgan recommends UBA shares over 45% upside potential

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nvestors that take position on United Bank for Africa (UBA) shares now have the chance of making as much as 45% return over the next 12 months writes US based Investment banking giant, JP Morgan, in its latest analysis of Nigerian banks.

“UBA offers an attractive 45% upside potential over 12 months, among the highest in CEEMEA banks” according to the JP Morgan report released October 2013. CEEMEA is an acronym for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa. It is used by investment analysts to refer to reports that cover economies or businesses in this region.

“We think UBA’s valuation, despite a strong rally since the beginning of the year, offers an opportunity to buy into probably the deepest valuation discount in CEEMEA banks at current levels” states the JP Morgan Report while explaining the rational for recommending UBA’s shares.

The report noted that investors may be missing out on the opportunity presented by UBA shares despite improving fundamentals of the bank.

“However, consensus is catching up fast - UBA has the best buy, or hold, or sell ratio on Bloomberg consensus.”

The JP Morgan report also explains that UBA benefits from significant balance sheet liquidity noting that the bank’s loan to deposit ratio of 37% as at half year 2013 was the lowest among CEEMEA banks covered by the investment bank.

JP Morgan expects that the Nigerian government’s reforms agenda in oil and gas, power, agriculture and infrastructure sectors will drive the future banking growth, the sector which UBA has recently been highly bullish on with new loan growth targeted at these sectors.

UBA last week released its third quarter 2013 financial results which shows a significant 26.7% growth in loan portfolio, as the bank positions to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the power and oil and gas sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The nine-month results put the bank’s new loan portfolio position at N870.4 billion as at September 2013, representing a 26.7% increase on N687.4 billion loan portfolio for full year of 2012.

“We increased our exposure to the power, upstream oil and gas and telecoms sectors of the economy” explained Phillips Oduoza, Group Managing Director.

Business PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

NPA workers tackle NIPCO over proposed tank farm at port

By Dapo Olalekan

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he senior staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Communication, Transport and Corporation, NPA branch, has raised an alarm over a proposed construction of tank farm by NIPCO Plc at the Dockyard, Apapa Port.

The association, which spoke through its branch chairman, Comrade Omeiza Umar, revealed that the service company is planning to commence a petroleum pipeline of 1.5km

stretch from Waziri jetty to NIPCO jetty at the NPA Apapa Dockyard water front.

Comrade Umar stated that the NPA staff were compelled to raise the alarm over the proposed project which if allowed to commence, will not only choke the Dockyard and disrupt the operations of the NPA in the area, but expose the residents of the area to another impending disaster.

Umar disclosed that the proposed project is capable of undermining a lot of NPA operations at the area which include the pilotage district

located at the Dockyard, the activities of the NPA joint venture known as the Continental Shipyard Limited and the existing dolphin used for ship anchorage.

More alarming , according to the worried NPA staff, was that the proposed project is capable of blocking the navigational channel of about 1.5km which may lead to possible collision of vessels and the NPA tug boats using the channel. ‘’If NIPCO is allowed to go ahead with her obnoxious intention, the navigational channel of about 1.5km will be blocked and any attempt to deck

vessels and NPA Tug boats shall lead to collision with the pipe and of course there will be explosion, fire and spillage of products.

Umar disclosed that NPA workers, the Apapa community, the Ijora settlement which is the host of the proposed project and the Lagos state government are not disposed to the project for the obvious danger it portends to the environment and the people. ‘’We all know the hazard and the danger of indiscriminate citing of tank farms has done to the Apapa residents, we have severally in the past spoke against the citing of these tank farms

at the port due to the inherent danger but government would not listen.

We are living witnesses to the pockets of explosions witnessed from these tank farms in recent times and to allow NIPCO cite another one at the busy Dockyard will be a disaster in the waiting’’ the association boss declared.

It could be recalled that NIPCO has an existing tank farm at the Dockyard while the controversial proposed project is meant to expand the existing facility.

However, the NPA workers said they had to cry out for intervention on the matter in view of the obvious powerful power brokers who are said to be pushing the project despite its unpopularity with the Apapa community. ‘’But it is obvious that the management members are under pressure to accept the proposal despite their conviction against it because they did not want to lose their job’’ Umar disclosed.

The workers therefore warned NIPCO management to halt the planned laying of the pipeline or risk the wrath of the workers.

Jumia Online stores offer Christmas Bonanza for Shoppers

By Chris Alu

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Chairman, Omatha Holdings Ltd, Nnewi, Chief Mathias Onwugbenu (2nd left), with the Chairman, National Automotive Council, Alhaji Abdulkadir Saleh (right), and other members of the council, during their visit to Nnewi recently.

Photo: NAN

IPMAN sells 99,000 litres of Kerosene to Ilorin residents at N50 per litre From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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undreds of residents of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital at the weekend troop emass to buy Kerosene which are being sold at the rate of N50 per litre by Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria(IPMAN) against N120,N140 in some Filling Stations.

The product worth about 99,000 litres was distributed among six filling stations in Ilorin for easily sales to residents in Ilorin.

While speaking with Journalists, IPMAN Chairman, NNPC Depot, Ilorin Alhaji

AbdulRasheed Olapode, said “We have brought kerosene down to Ilorin to be sold at official rate of N50 per litre. It is not limited to this station. It covers about other 6 stations. Each time IPMAN has this official volume from PPMC through our national body to the unit level, make sure that the product is sold to the public at the official rate of N50 per litre unlike the one marketers go to buy in Lagos.

“When you buy at thermal price with transport, that one can never be sold at official rate but if it is given the way this one was given, we promise the public that the volume will be sold at the official rate of N50 per litre as we

are doing now.

“Generally the whole depot that has serves nothing less than 6 states loading in this depot, we are given just three trucks of kerosene and the total volume is 99,000 litres. All these things were distributed evenly among the marketers for easy buying by the public.”

IPMAN disclosed that the product was distributed to six filling stations in Ilorin which includes; Rasas Petrol Station, Zango; Bekind Petrol Station, Tanke; Olu-Ola petrol Station at garage Offa, Ajasa Ipo Road and Emmanuel Petrol Station at Geri Alimi, Asa Dam. Others are Yarotan Petrol Station at Itamu, Ilorin and Ibrolak

Petrol Station at Oloje Road, Ilorin.

Chairman, IPMAN, Western Zone, Mr. Olumide Ogunmade who was represented by the Zonal Auditor of IPMAN, Mr. Jimoh Bakare in his reaction said the development was made possible through the collaboration of PPMC and National IPMAN to ensure that the kerosene is sold at the official rate of N50 per litre to the grassroot to enable things get better as we are approaching yuletide period.

“This is to enable the people enjoy the benefit of the product.

The product was distributed for about 6 stations of 33,000 litres each.”

s the year is coming to an end Jumia Stores an online retailer has reduce all prices of its product as offers for those who would like to do Christmas shopping for their families.

Jumia public relations and events officer, Mr.Olamide Amosu said that the bonanza starts from 8th November and end December 31th.

He said that the Christmas offer is indeed amazing and a great experience for customers who would come to buy things for themselves, adding that the sale promotion attracts 30% reduction of specific items.

Amosu explained that, Shoppers can now take advantage of the amazing offer to purchase freebie items they are shopping for on a moderate price, according to him, items on offer are specifically Fashion and General Merchandize goods, with 30% Off HP Dual Core 500 GB and Free laptop bag for every Purchase made.

Anybody interested canClick on its website; www.jumia.com to order for any of these products of their choice with 30% Off HP and 655 AMD Dual Core 2GB as well as Male and Female Apparel and Shoes.

The public relation officer also said that Jumia offers 20% Discount on Blackberry Z10 and 30% discount on the New Nikon L320 Camera exclusive.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Stock Watch

Report as at Friday, November 8, 2013

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Special Report PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Kaduna conference: Peace confab or jamboree?

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he five-day conference organised by Forum for Cities in Transition, FCT, in collaboration with Kaduna State Government, held at Murtala Square, with the aim of building a sustainable peace among citizens of Kaduna state, according to its organisers.

The conference was declared open by VicePresident Namadi Sambo, who was represented by the state Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero at the famous Murtala Mohammed Square on November 4, 2013, under tight security.

Heavily armed soldiers, police, Civil Defense and other Para –military personnel were seen at the gate of the square searching vehicles and people going into the premises.

The conference was said to be the first of its kind to be hosted in the country; Kaduna in particular, whereby delegates from 11 cities of the world were said to have participated at the conference.

The countries whose representatives attended and participated at the conference were Italy, USA, Germany, Iraq, Turkey, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Rwanda ,Ireland, Kenya and Ghana. Although one of the countries was said to have withdrew its representatives few days to the conference citing insecurity as the basic reason for its withdrawal.

There were also representatives from states in Nigeria that suffered insecurity. States like Borno, Yobe, Plateau and Kaduna.

The foreign delegates, during an interactive session shared experiences with their Nigerian counterparts from states and mentioned whose citizens face challenges of either tribal or religious crisis.

Some participants, who spoke on the event to Peoples Daily, said they felt the conference was a step forward towards achieving a sustainable peace in the state whose people have in recent past been living along religious and ethnic divides for years.

The recently concluded 4th International Conference of the Forum for Cities in Transition (FCT), hosted by Kaduna state government, generated different views with regard to how it was conducted and the impact it will have on ordinary Nigerians, particularly indigenes of the state. Muhammad Ibrahim reports.

Participants at the peace conference held in Kaduna

However, for some other category of people who said that, given the caliber of people that participated at the conference, particularly only the elites, they did not think the objectives of the conference will be achieved.

This is because, according to close watchers, the ordinary people were not allowed into the venue even to listen to speeches, leading many to believe that it may perhaps have been because of the fear of the authorities that thugs and disgruntled youths might be exploited by a segment of the same elites to cause violence.

No, doubt Governor Ramalan Yero’s love and commitment to peace is what made him to support the peace conference, which is commendable but the general consensus of stakeholders is

that a lot still need to be done before the objective of the conference become a reality or achievable.

According to some participants who spoke to our reporter, said even though the governor may have a good intention with regards to achieving peace in the state must know that all factors that led to the past crisis in Kaduna state are well known even to the ordinary person on the street and are still there and goes beyond inviting few white men to come and share experiences on how they were able to tackle their own crisis in their countries.

They say that until those factors are addressed the division and lack of trust among the citizens of the

state will continue. They maintained that the ordinary people, especially those unemployed youths on the streets that were denied access to the conference are very important tools needed to achieve the sustainability of peace in the state. This

is because they are directly involved in the crisis, unlike their rich counterparts or elites who only sponsor them to cause such violence.

For instance, youth in areas like Gonin-Gora, Sabon-Tasha, Angwan-Romi, Rigasa, Tudun-Wada, Kawo,

“

For instance, youth in areas like Gonin-Gora, Sabon-Tasha, Angwan-Romi, Rigasa, TudunWada, Kawo, Rafin-Guza among others are known to be flash points each time there is crisis in the state; unfortunately their representatives were not at the conference

Rafin-Guza among others are known to be flash points each time there is crisis in the state; unfortunately their representatives were not at the conference.

Therefore, many people are of the opinion that the organizers should have invited some of these youths to participate at the conference for them to share their own experience too on how they are being sponsored to cause violence in the state.

Failure to do so, according to some analysts who spoke against the conference, therefore described it as just another jamboree or a means of diverting people’s attention from real happenings in the state.

“The people that are supposed to attend the conference were not allowed into the venue and they have

said the conference is aimed at building peace; how can you build or promote peace without talking directly to the masses, especially the youth?”, a public affairs commentator who does not want his name on print queried.

“In fact, most of the youths on the streets were not even aware of the peace conference taken place during the whole five days they spent. Therefore, it will be difficult to achieve the actual objectives of the conference without directly involving the masses,” he stated.

He said if the governor provides jobs opportunities to the youth he need not invite those ‘white men’ to come and talk about peace because according to him, idleness among the youth was responsible for all the problems Nigerians are currently facing.

“Give these youths jobs and see if they will allow themselves to be used by any selfish politician or rich man.

But as long as that is not done, such conference will be just a waste of time,” he added.

However, a Kaduna-based lawyer Muhammad Bello Umar, on his part, had this to say: “I am of the view that the just concluded conference is a good step in the right direction.

“But it is important to draw the attention of the government to immediately commence the implementation of the recommendations of the Conference and also to resolutely and regularly engage the people that are directly affected by the conflicts in similar platforms”, he further advised.

Malam Aliyu Dallajia, a trader said, as far as he was concerned the conference will not yield any positive result.

“The conference and similar conferences held in the state have not yielded any positive results that have bettered the

lives of the people; so, Ido think this conference will be any different,” he said. Aliyu added that even though he didn’t attend the conference he knows that nothing positive will come out of it.

“The government can only bring peace if they fight poverty; poverty is the number one factor that brings instability in the country.

If they rule with justice and equity there will be peace in the land, which means there will be no need for such conference,” he stated.

However, Governor Ramalan Yero, in his speech at the closing ceremony, said he was confident that the experiences the delegates brought to the conference will surely be of mutual benefit to all the participating cities.

“Our common goal is to entrench the culture of dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts in our various cities. This can best be achieved through sharing our individual experiences for the purpose of developing an all-inclusive model of conflict resolution.

“There is no doubt the

Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero

best way to resolve conflicts is by agreeing, individually and collectively as a people, to dialogue over issues that create divide among us, so as to further build trust and understanding.

To achieve this, there is need for further action, which is practical implementation of the recommendations of this Conference,” Yero said.

“Let me assure you that, as a Government we are ready to implement there port of this conference to further enhance our peace building process in Kaduna. Our administration is committed to engendering permanent peace and genuine reconciliation among the diverse people of the state.

“We have since declared that in Kaduna state all

citizens are equal partners, there is no indigenes-settlers dichotomy in our state, all citizens have equal rights to achieve their full potentials as long as the laws of the land are obeyed,”, the governor further stated.

The initiators of the conference, Ustaz Mohammad Ashafa and hisco-partner, Pastor James Wuye also commended the state governor for his political will towards promoting peace in the state.

Ustaz Ashafa had this to say: “Kaduna state government, as part of its political will help us to bring in the international delegates from different parts of the world with lot of diplomatic initiatives

A cross-section of some participants during the All-Stakeholders conference on “Youth Education and National Unity” which held in 2011 (Source:diamondcrestfoundation.org)

and from civil society levels to build a bridge to make Nigeria great.”

On the lessons to learn from the conference, he said: “ We have cities divided along religious and ethnic lines and these cities have comeback to live together. Today, those cities have built trust and they are working toward building a better future.

“In Kaduna too, we can say there is hope for us as a people, as a community and as a city. That indeed after a genocide city like Rwanda can be developed. They were at the conference and told us how they got there. These are practical tools for peacemaking; practical tools to pick up our lives again; because if a city like Kigali in Rwanda can pick up again, then Kaduna will rise to a greater proportion” he said.

Pastor Wuye, on his part, said their expectations with regards to the conference was uniting Kaduna, by building trust across previously divided groups. He also said he hoped Kaduna state will serve as model to other cities in the country in terms of peace.

The state government, having spent a lot to organize the conference can only convince its critics by implementing the outcome of the conference as promised by the state governor, through transforming and leading the state towards achieving a lasting peace; if not, the conference will remain a mere jamboree instead of a peace conference, as speculated.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

NASARAWA: THE GAINS OF CBCRS

BY RAYYANU BALA

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ommunity Based Conflict Resolution Strategy, CBCRS for short, as the name suggests, is a novel idea created by Al-makura led administration for the main purpose of resolution of conflicts amongst the communities of the state. This Community Based Conflict Resolution Strategy is made up of Traditional rulers, Opinion and Religion leaders, Community and Political leaders as well as Youth and Development Associations in all the 13 local government and 19 development areas of the state. Undoubtedly Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura upon assumption of Office in 2011 met on ground litany of problems which the state was forced to contend with by the previous administrations. These problems range from dearth of infrastructures, low morale in the civil service as a result of poor take home, corruption in the management of state finances as well as conflicts/ disputes amongst the existing communities of the state, to mention but a few.

However, even the usual feud over chieftaincy stool amongst our people and amongst our community which was very rampant then in the state is now assuming friendly dimensions as through CBCRS both the actors involved in chieftaincy dispute across the state are gradually seeing reasons why there should be peace in their domain.

And just as an Hausa would say: Zaman lafiya yafi zama dan sarki, figuratively means ‘Peace is more in need than any other things on earth’ Many of our people have through CBCRS started realizing the necessity for peace as sine-qua non for any forms of development, Against this background and as we observed elsewhere here, it is only this Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-makura issue of Ombatse cultism that remains to Executive Governo of Nasarawa State be tackle, which of-course, the conclusion of Judicial Commission of Inquiry shall determine how government should go about getting at its solution.

But within two years in office, the Al-makura led administration is able to, despite lean financial position of the state; provide some relief to all the above mentioned problems. However despite these efforts, crisis arising out of Ombatse cultism mostly in Southern Senatorial district of the state, has placed the state in a very unpleasant situation necessitating the support of all the people for government to overcome it, hence ensuring security is the business of all. However on its part, government of the state has through its novel idea Community Based Conflict Resolution Strategy (CBCRS) has achieved a lot in the areas of resolving conflicts in the state, since it was set-up.

But in the meantime, government apart from creation of Community Based Conflicts Resolutions Strategy (CBCRS), has also came up with a well elaborated plans for youth empowerment in the state, geared towards taking them (youth) off the street, as it is the believe of this government that youth restiveness is a contributing factor to all the unrest we have being experiencing across the state. Already the Al-makura led administration had secured a partnership with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to train some thousands of Youth on various skills in the state. The training is right now undergoing at four centers, namely Lafia, Wamba, Doma and Nasarawa. Part of the plans is, after the training, they would be form into cooperatives and provided with working tools to enable them be It is worthy to note that since this strategy was put in place by the on their own. government, inter- communal violence which was hitherto, the name of the game amongst some communities in the state has indeed, become a In addition, government has also concluded plans to, in the first phase thing of the past. Except for Ombatse activity, communal crisis between of the programme; recruit more than ten youth from each electoral ward various tribes of the state, one can confidently say has almost die- of the state for a job placement at their respective local government area down, What is in place now amongst our community is but reasoning, offices. In this regard, forms have already been distributed to all the youths understanding and appreciations which to a very large extend always take that would participate in the programme, soon afterwards the second front burner in all matters relating to any dispute amongst the various phase would then follow, since government plans to make the programme tribes and communities in the state. Of course we must admit the fact a continue exercise. There are other plans by the government to recruit and that conflicts and disputes are part of human existence. And perhaps there train more youth on KEKE TA’AL driving and repairs, hence government are of-course, nothing one can do to avoid occurrences of conflicts and intends to purchase more of the tricycle machines to provide skilled jobs disputes amongst communities, since we all speaks different dialects and as part of efforts of government at taking our youths off the street. shares different cultural affinity and professes different religious beliefs as well as possesses different political orientations, In such scenarios Indeed, these youth Empowerment programmes and many more therefore, there are bound to be conflicts and disputes. efforts in the government pipelines for advancing the cause of youths in the state could help in no small measures in stamping out youth restiveness However in Nasarawa today, whenever such conflicts and disputes in our polity. It is also our believe that these government efforts could rear its ugly head, reasoning, understanding and appreciations of each to a very large extend compliment the efforts of CBCRS in creating and others position do overrides any other considerations thus, paving the way sustaining the peace in the state, since youths are very critical segment, for peace to reign. Indeed through Community Based Conflict Resolution hence the ones being used to unleash violence on the people. These focus strategy, inter-communal tension in Nasarawa state has reduced drastically of government on Youths could at best be describe as right step in the right when compare to what obtainable before the setting up of this conflicts direction. resolution mechanism. For example, the lingering feud between Farmers We must in Nasarawa state tried as much as possible to avoid all vices and Fulani herdsmen which hitherto constituted a serious treat to peace that could lead us to perish as fools, just as Martin Luther King (Jr) once in the state is now on its way to become a thing of the past, as there were observed: ‘ We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together serious understandings as well as appreciations of problems of each other. as fools’ Equally through CBCRS, mutual suspicion which hitherto dominated interactions between some communities is now gradually fading out.

Rayyanu Bala writes from Lafia, Nasarawa state.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 27

Education

wallybabe2010@gmail.com, 08050639900

Informed individuals aid in societal transformation-Prof. Jerry Gana

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

F

ormer Minister of Information, Prof.

Jerry Gana, has said that the society could only be transformed by informed individuals who utilise their knowledge.

Gana said this at the weekend

in Abuja while chairing a book launch titled “You are a Gem”.

He said there was every need for Nigerians to develop themselves and increase their reading habit so as to transform the society.

“Our problem stems from lack of thinking. This goes a long way to creat noise in the

environment we live. We should learn to meditate creat and move forward”.

“People who read are well informed. And when people are informed, their society will be focused and move forward.

We all have something in us to contribute to the society. But we need to realise that thing first

before creating an impact”.

He challenged the youths to satisfy their thirst for knowledge by increasing their reading habit, adding that there were several books written by scholars of repute which could enhance great development in the society.

Author of the book, Olive

Nebo, said the book was part of her experience and challenges in life adding that everyone has a potential but until it is not utilised, it is of no use, charging all her contemporaries in the country not to under estimate themselves but keep pushing forward to realise their potentials.

L-R: ViceChairman, Senate Committee on Education, Sen. Sola Adeyeye; Supervising Minister of Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike, UNESCO’s Director-General, Irina Bokova, Nigerian Ambassador to UNESCO, Dr. Mariam Katagum, and another official, during the launch of a book titled: “UNESCO-Nigeria Cooperation in the Education Sector from 1960-2013”, recently in Paris.

Photo: NAN

World Bank to assist Unilorin on projects From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

T

he World Bank has commended the excellent leadership style evolved by the management of the University of Ilorin under its Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

AbdulGaniyu Ambali, saying this has largely accounted for the Breton Woods institution’s interest in assisting the University to realise its objective of becoming an international centre for academic excellence.

The Bank’s Senior Education Specialist and Co-Task Leader of STEP-B Projects, Dr. Tunde Adekola, made this known during the commissioning of the N95 million campus-wide Fibre Optics Network sponsored by

ECWA Theological school graduates 250 students

the World Bank assisted Science and Technology Education PostBasic (STEP-B) Project.

Adekola expressed happiness that the University had demonstrated transparency and diligence in all its activities, saying, “Such a university deserves to be assisted and supported to encourage her to do more.”

The World Bank Chief charged those managing public universities in Nigeria in particular and in Africa as a whole to be prudent with funds and embrace accountability, which he said are “the basic elements of public morality.”

“Any institution that wants to benefit from World Banksponsored projects must be

accountable. In Nigeria, we have a problem because those who are accountable are not responsible and those who are responsible are not accountable.”

The World Bank representative stated further that the University of Ilorin was one of the few universities in Africa that have been able to achieve the objectives for which the STEP-B project was initiated.

Adekola commended the management of the University for the achievements it has recorded with the little funds it has received under the STEP-B scheme.

In his remarks, the ViceChancellor of the University, Ambali, acknowledged the World Bank representative

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

C

hairman Governing Board of ECWA Theological Seminary, Igbaja,Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State ,Dr. Samson A. Opaluwah, has disclosed that the institution graduated 250 students in various Christians studies.

Opaluwah, who is also a Director at the Niger-Delta Ministry Affairs in an interview

stressing that the management of the institution are proud of the contributions of the University to the educational sector in Nigeria and beyond.

The Vice-Chancellor said that the stable academic calendar of the institution has continued to endear it to admission seekers.

“In the last Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Examination, 97,000 students chose this University as either their first or second choice.

Unfortunately, only 7,000 can be admitted and that tells a lot about access.

“At Unilorin, we plan ahead.

Beginning from this session, all our students will have PC tablets. This is to prepare them for the challenges ahead because

with journalists during the 49th graduation ceremony of the school at the weekend said the Theological Seminary awarded degrees ,Masters and Doctorate degrees to 250 graduate students.

The institution which was established 71years ago graduated students in Bachelor of Arts Degrees, with 32 in Christian Education, 38 in Pastoral Studies, 24 in Theology and 10 in Missions.

we know ICT is taking over every field of human endeavor.

“The Senate proceedings at the University of Ilorin are paperless. Every Senate member goes to the meeting with his laptop. All our activities are digital. Also during the last Council meeting, it was decided that Council activities would become paperless. “ We are expanding our paperless infrastructure, and very soon we shall have smart boards in strategic locations on campus so that student leaders, union leaders, Heads of Departments, lecturers and staff can communicate more effectively. Sooner or later, our notice boards will become obsolete.”

It also graduated students in Master of Arts level with eight graduands in Divinity; 12 in Christian Education, 6 in Missions and Evangelism, 2 in Theology (Old Testament), one in systematic Theology and 14 in Theological studies.

The Chairman of the institution, Opaluwah added that 28 students graduated with prestigious Doctor of Ministry (D. Min) Degrees.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 28

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

B

auchi state chapter of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) has appealed against the judgement of the National Industrial Court, Jos, in a case brought before it by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on a 13-year old tussle over deduction of the union dues.

The two sister organisations have been in a legal tussle since the membership withdrawal of secondary school teachers from the NUT on August 13, 2000 to form the Academic Union of Secondary School (ASUSS).

It would be recalled that ASUSS won the case of withdrawal from NUT on July 8, 2002 at the Bauchi High Court presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, when he declared that secondary school teachers have the Constitutional right to peaceful assembly and association and to form or belong to any trade union or association.

The Secondary school teachers similarly won an appeal in

Education ASUSS appeals industrial court judgement against NUT the same case before the Court of Appeal in Jos brought by the NUT and presided over by Justice I.M.M Saulawa who dismissed the appeal having been withdrawn.

The National Industrial Court in Jos on October 2, 2013 presided over by Justice J.T. Agbau Fishim declared that ASUSS is not a trade union under the Trade Union Laws of Nigeria and therefore, not eligible for recognition by the Bauchi state government and enjoyment of check-off dues from its members.

The Court also in its ruling ordered the Bauchi state government (BASG) to forwith stop remittance of check-off dues to the defenders or any of their members with immediate effect, and restrained the BASG from rec-

ognizing ASUSS as a registered trade union.

State Chairman of the union, who unveiled the Union’s appeal against the Industrial Court judgment to newsmen in Bauchi at the weekend, said the Bauchi High Court and the Industrial Court judgments are in sharp variance with each other.

Tanko said based on the provision of section 40 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and the Bauchi High Court judgment of July 8, 2002, secondary school teachers have Constitutional right to freedom of assembly and association.

He observed that the Industrial Court did not proscribe ASUSS, but rather declared that the Bauchi state government should not recognize the union, and should not release to it check-

off dues, as only registered trade unions are eligible to collect such monies from their members.

Comrade Abdullahi Tanko recalled that ASUSS was granted approval for registration as a full=pledge trade union by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity, an issue that NUT national body is challenging since 2008 upon the grant of the approval.

Tanko described as violation of the Bauchi High Court Order the monies being deducted monthly by the state government from salaries of secondary school teachers as check-off dues which collection, he stated, is also a violation of the Labour Act and the Nigerian Constitution.

He enjoined NUT to instead of bringing ASUSS down, face its internal problems as some of its

members have for the past ten months not been paid their salaries while appointments of others were wrongly and illegally terminated by the state government.

The ASUSS Chairman who noted that membership to NUT is by conscription, coercion and cajoling, said the judgment by the Industrial Court contradicted that of the Bauchi High Court, and the position of the appellate court, and also compelled secondary school teachers to become members of NUT. Tanko explained that secondary school teachers are people obsessed not only by knowledge but also integrity, hence court judgment no matter how deliberate and erroneously passed is a judgment unless set aside by a superior court, hence the ASUSS appeal.

L-R: Lucia Mogbolu oF Queens College, Yaba, contesting with Joshua Oyedeji, Randle Junior Secondary School, Apapa, during the Lagos state Secondary Schools Scrabble Competition, recently in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

Redeemer’s University wins World Bank award, gets $1.54 million research grant From Akinleye Olusegun, Lagos

R

edeemer’s University of Nigeria (RUN) has been rated as the most suitable among 15 other universities from West and Central Africa for the establishment of African centre of Excellence project funded by the World Bank.

This announcement was made at the end of African Centre of Excellence Project Steering Commit-

tee meeting held recently in Dakar, Senegal, where the university won the World Bank grant to fund the establishment of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomic of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID).

Speaking at a press conference RUN Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Debo Adeyewa quoted the Secretary General of Association of African Universities, Prof. Etienne Ehouan Ehile, saying “the choice of ACEGID was based on the positive recommendations of interna-

tional experts on the fields after a transparent and rigorous evaluation exercise of all the 52 proposals that were submitted by various universities in Africa to the continental body”.

Adeyewa expressed his delight on the achievement and used the opportunity to dedicate the award to the redeemer, proprietors and the visitor to the University, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, for his support that enables the university to rank among the best.

He said “out of the 52 proposals submitted, RUN emerged overall with 82% and I want you to know this is not a mean feat.

Presently, we are partnering with the University of Ibadan on this project”.

Meanwhile, the university also won a grant of 1.54 million USD over the next four years to support research and training of Africans in the field of genomics and building scientific infrastructure under the Human,

Hereditary and Health in Africa (H3Africa) programme funded by a partnership between the United States National Institutes of Health and the United Kingdom’s Wellcome Trust. “ For the university to emerge among its peers in Nigeria and Africa and won such a highly competitive grant award shows that it is gradually warming up to occupy a place of pride in the comity of universities” Adeyewa however charged all academic staff to continue to work towards providing a cutting-edge research that will distinguish the university as one of the renowned centres of excellence and destination for research grants.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

By Abbas Aminu Bamalli

F

ollowing the just concluded sensitization training of schedule officers in uniformed services in the NorthEast geo-political zone by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the scheme has further undertaken a User Satisfaction Survey in the zone, to determine the effectiveness and quality of services rendered by healthcare facilities.

In a statement signed by Mr. Ayo Osinlu, head of the media and public relations unit, NHIS said, this is the concluding phase of a nation-wide Comparative User Satisfaction Survey among enrollees in public and private healthcare facilities that took place in four states of the region, which includes, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe states.

PAGE 29

Healthy Living

Enrolee satisfaction survey, key to quality healthcare delivery –NHIS The statement said that the survey is expected to be a feedback strategy for the purpose of assessing the quality of services rendered, as enrollees and their dependents access care in public and private primary healthcare facilities, so as to determine their level of satisfaction under the scheme.

“The scheme is embarking on the comparative user satisfaction survey, because of reports in its custody, to the effect that enrollees are not getting maximum services from providers”, the statement

said, adding that similar exercises had earlier been conducted in the other zones of the country”.

It further said the survey, which is one among the key regulatory functions of the scheme, is a routine programme aimed at determining that enrollee’s rights to qualitative healthcare service delivery are honoured.

The Deputy General Manager in the department of Planning, Research and Monitoring, NHIS, Dr Thomas Adeoye, who led one of the monitoring

teams, reiterated the Scheme’s commitment to ensuring that enrollees have access to qualitative healthcare services at affordable cost.

According to him, the data analysis that will result from the survey will inform future policy decisions of the scheme, as they relate to enrollee satisfaction.

He therefore assured that the project will increase the scale of user satisfaction, as the application of the report of the exercise will deepen decision making, leading to greater

enrollee service satisfaction.

Dr. Adeoye also said that the expected outcomes of the survey include generating statistical data of the level of patronage at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care, as well as the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of enrollees with the quality of healthcare services at public or private facilities.

The comparative enrollee survey was conducted among enrollees from federal Ministries, Departments, Agencies as well as para-military institutions.

LG trains 500 women on child nutrition in Jigawa

T

he Birniwa Local Government Council in Jigawa said that it had trained more than 500 women on child nutrition to enhance family health in the area.

The council’s Chairman, Alhaji Ali Dinginsa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birniwa that the women were trained in the last two years.

Diginsa said that the women were exposed to basic skills on how to prepare high quality nutrient meals for their children.

He said that the council had deployed health workers to major towns in the area to teach mothers about food nutrition.

Diginsa also said that the council had distributed food supplements to the beneficiaries to enable them to feed their babies well.

“Mothers were trained on how to utilise local food items to process feeds for the babies.

Groundnut, maize, beans and other grains are rich in vitamins and nutrients but they are not being used to improve the health of the children,’’ he said.

Diginsa said that the beneficiaries were also encouraged to imbibe good personal hygiene to improve their health status.

He said that this would protect them from contracting diseases associated with poor sanitation.

He said that the council had established two maternity centres, while rehabilitating several clinics to enhance health care delivery in the area. (NAN)

Former Minister of State for Health, Dr Muhammad Ali Pate (2nd right) presenting midwifery kits to a beneficiary, Hajiya Zainab Umar (left), during the SURE-P subsidy reinvestment and empowerment conditional cash transfer pilot programme, on Saturday in Soro, Ganjuwa local government area of Bauchi state. With them are Chairman, Bauchi state Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Nisser Ali (right), Bauchi state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sagir Saleh (middle), and other government officials.

Photo: NAN

300 benefit from hospital’s LG to immunise free eye treatment in Kano 147,000 children

T

he ECWA Eye Hospital, Kano, said it carried out free eye operations for 300 adults at Gezawa, headquarters of the local government.

Dr. Abu Sunday, Medical Director of the hospital, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kano that another set of 11 children were operated in the ongoing free eye camps.

“Many of such operations are done solely by the hospital or in conjunction with both local and international partners.

“Most of our free eye camps are conducted outside this facility; we go out to meet with those in need of

help to save them from going blind.

“It is part of our policy of reaching out to the poor of the poorest in the society.”

Sunday advised people to always go for medical checkup “at least once in a year when you have attained the age of forty”.

He also cautioned people against local couching (eye operations by local doctors), warning that the damage from it was irreversible.

“When you allow yourself to be a victim of couching or any other unethical practice, then you have sentenced yourself to a life of perpetual darkness.” (NAN)

against CSM in Kebbi

Institutions, Dr Salisu Ibrahim, who told newsmen in Kano, said the affected facilities included hospitals, clinics, laboratories and nursing homes.

He, however, disclosed that 29 of the affected health institutions had since been reopened

after making all the necessary corrections regarding their operations.

According to him, the office is established to monitor the activities of all private health institutions as well as register them along with other traditional medicine

operators.

The adviser said the office had also screened and registered 4, 013 traditional medicine operators in the state since it was established about two years ago. ‘’We have conducted training for them to enable them to carry

T

he Jega local government area of Kebbi has recently said no fewer than 147, 000 children would be immunised in the ongoing immunisation against Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).

Its Director of Primary Health Care, Alhaji Musa Kwaifa, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jega, Kebbi.

Kwaifa said 153, 000 doses of vaccines had been acquired for the exercise, adding that there were

adequate vaccines to go round.

He said the council sourced enough vaccines to ensure that all the children were immunised.

The director said another 78, 000 children were expected to be immunised against polio, stressing that 680 health personnel had been trained for the exercise.

Kwaifa thanked the local government, traditional rulers and stakeholders for supporting the programme and appealed for support to sustain exercise. (NAN)

Kano govt closes 45 private health institutions

T

he Kano state government has said it had closed down 45 private health institutions for allegedly operating contrary to laid down rules and regulations within the last one and a half years.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Private Health

out their activities in accordance with the laid down rules and regulations in the state.’’

Ibrahim said about 29 traditional healers had been arrested and prosecuted for hawking drugs in mosques and churches in the state. (NAN)

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Healthy Living

The 7 dangerous acts to perform after a meal

•Don’t smoke- Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).

• Don’t eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.

• Don’t drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.

• Don’t loosen your belt Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.

• Don’t bathe - Bathing after meal will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.

• Don’t walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.

• Don’t sleep immediately The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.

(Source: My Health Tips)

Amazing health benefits of coriander

C

oriander is a herb that is used by many. Not only does it look and smell good on your food, it also has many health benefits to offer.

Coriander helps you digest food better. It prevents gas from forming in the stomach.

- It lowers blood sugar by stimulating insulin production.

- Coriander is a good source of magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorous, vitamins A and C, phyto-nutrients and flavanoids.

- The anti-inflammatory properties of coriander help against arthritis.

- It helps in lowering the LDL levels. It also helps increase the

HDL level.

- Its anti-microbial and antiseptic properties fight against all sorts of infections and ulcers. It is also useful in healing wounds.

- It helps regulate menstrual cycles properly. It is also great for obese people as it helps reduce fat resulting in weight loss.

- Coriander prevents involuntary contraction of muscles and hence as a result there are no body cramps.

- It helps in the proper functioning of the liver and helps prevent cancer - It also prevents nausea and urinary tract infections.

(Source: My Health Tips)

Do you sip juice from tin cans? Have you heard of Leptospirosis?

T

wo family members were admitted to the ICU as they fell sick during their weekend picnic. One of them died some time later.

The autopsy revealed that they suffered a very rare infection called Leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is highly fatal and spread mainly by

contact with water or soil contaminated by the urine of infected animals.

Investigations revealed that “Leptospira” bacteria was stuck to the tins cans they consumed without using glasses.

These cans were contaminated with the urine of the infected mice which

had dried on them. These cans were not washed and were used as they were, leading to the infection.

So next time if you have to consume aerated drinks or juice from tins, make sure you wash them and pour liquid in mugs and then consume.

(Source: My Health Tips)

Amazing benefits of RAGI

R

The tasty benefits of tasty chickoo!

T

he presence of vitamin A in chickoo helps keep the eye healthy and improve eye

sight.

- Chickoos are rich in fiber, anti-oxidants and nutrients because of which it prevents many types of cancer. The fiber also helps prevent constipation.

- Chickoos are full of calcium, iron, phosphorous and help in

strengthening the bones.

- The vitamin E and B content in chickoos help keep the skin and hair healthy. Vitamin B also helps against stress and fatigue.

- Chickoos are rich in tannins and hence reduce any inflammation that may be present in the body such as gastritis and bowel disorders.

- This fruit is rich in glucose

and acts as an energy booster.

- Chickoos are good for pregnant women as they have high dose of carbohydrates and essential nutrients.

- A decoction made of boiling chickoo in water can help against piles, dysentery and diarrhoea.

- Its diuretic properties help in removing waste from the body.

(Source: My Health Tips)

agi is an integral part of the diet mainly, in the south Indian kitchens. Known as finger millets to most of the world, ragi is a diabetic’s best friend and has lot of other helpful qualities.

- Ragi is rich in fiber which makes it a good laxative and helps much in constipation.

It also helps lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

- Ragi helps in the production of breast milk for lactating mothers.

- If you want to lose weight, eat ragi as it reduces the appetite. Substituting ragi for rice can help you shed weight

much faster.

- It is a very rich source of calcium and helps in the development of bones and maintenance of healthy bones.

- It is a diabetic’s best friend as it helps slow the digestion process, thereby releasing sugar into the blood stream much slowly.

- Ragi is loaded with iron and cures anemia. It is one of the grains richest in iron content.

- These grains are rich in proteins and help build muscles.

- Ragi also helps relax the body and cures migraines, anxiety and depression.

(Source: My Health Tips)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

ANALYSIS

M

ore than three decades, and a whole lot of bitter history, after the Iranian revolution of 1977-1979, high ranking Iranian and American officials are openly meeting and exchanging more than glances.

The 1979 Iranian revolution, the very raison d’être of the Islamic Republic, was launched with fierce anti-American slogans woven into its ideological foregrounding. The hostage crisis of 1979-1980 was the defining moment of the Iranian revolution whereby the militant Islamists out-manoeuvred all their domestic political rivals, and by appearing to fight a foreign enemy, silenced and eliminated them and established and consolidated an Islamic republic.

The Iran-Iraq War of 19801988 pitted the two Muslim nations against each other with the Reagan administration aiding and abetting Saddam Hussein to curtail any revolutionary appeal of Iran to its Arab neighbours, while the Iran-Contra Affair revealed that the US was arming Iran too. Ever since the launch and success of the revolution, the chanting of “Death to America” has been as definitive to Muslim Friday prayers in Iran, as the invocation of Allah-u Akbar.

Muslim revolutionaries leading the Islamic Republic, of course, did not sit still inside its borders. After the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, they began to actively spread the sphere of their militant influence into the immediate vicinity of Israel - the chief US military base in the region. The line of resistance - though now much weakened in the aftermath of the Arab revolutions - that eventually emerged among Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas has been a thorn in Israel’s side for decades.

The catastrophic aftermath of the US-led invasions and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq has created even more fertile grounds for the extended Iranian influences.

What has brought the Iranians and Americans together today is not just the fabricated question of “the nuclear issue” and the crippling economic sanctions that the US, the EU and the UN have imposed on Iran. The far more strategically significant issue is the unfolding Arab revolutions that have destabilised the region to the detriment of both the US and Iran.

The two historic enemies have a common interest in micromanaging a very volatile region - and Iran and the US can offer each other help not available in the Saudi and Israeli (US-made) arsenals.

What has brought the US and Iran together is their shared interests in a vastly changing region. President Barack Obama is winding down and thinking of his proverbial place in history, while the Islamic Republic thinks itself eternal. There is fierce opposition to any rapprochement with the US in Iran as there is in the US. While Israel and Saudi Arabia lead the cause of anti-Iran in the US and around the world, their

PAGE 31

International What can we really expect from a US-Iran thaw?

Kerry (L) with Zarif (far right) and members of the Iranian delegation in Geneva on Friday

counterparts in Iran, the vested interests of the ruling regime for over three decades invested in anti-Americanism, do the same in Iran. But the force of history pushes forward.

Iran has put forward its most diplomatic and conciliatory face, and Obama is in no mood for another war on his watch. The region is in radical turmoil. Syria is bleeding, Egypt is going wayward, the Saudis see their immediate and long-term interests in the region radically modified. They have no clue on whom to place their bets, as Egypt’s deposed president Mohamed Morsi now faces trial in the country in which he was democratically elected.

Yemen and Bahrain and Tunisia are unstable. From Morocco to Jordan monarchies wonder and wobble. Israel is the grand loser of this game, and does all in its power to grab more Palestinian lands and create more chaos and confusion, and delay the democratic fate of a region that spells out trouble for the

apartheid state.

The Iran and US are poised to strike a deal (if not a “Grand Bargain”), and strike a deal they will.

Sanctions will be eventually eased, Iran will happily reduce enrichment and increase transparency. It will lose nothing. With the current condition of nuclear knowledge and infrastructure, and within the NPT regulations and even additional protocols, Iran’s nuclear program can be weaponisable within a year, and there is very little (nothing in fact) that either Israel or the Saudis or the US can do to alter that historic fact. In addition, Iran can and will offer Obama substantial help in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Syria and where ever else he is in trouble.

Years ago, at the commencement of the Green Movement in Iran, I suggested that the ruling elite in Tehran cornered a lucrative market for themselves so that if the US attacks them they will win, and if they sit down to negotiate with them they will win too. Their weakest spot

“

is their domestic front - which they seem to be addressing - but so far the operative word is “seem”.

In these cautious steps towards détente between Iran and the US, we are witness to the decreasing power of the US to rule the world at whim, and the inability of the Islamic Republic to deny the democratic rights of an entire nation. Neither can the US rule the world at whim, nor can the regime in the Islamic Republic deny a vastly cultivated people their democratic demands.

The ruling regime’s success or failure is entirely contingent on the democratic measures it yields to its own people. There is no gimmick here. President Rouhani and Foreign Minister JavadZarif can only negotiate from the position of strength that their nation affords them: All its political prisoners freed, its journalism liberated, its freedom of assembly guaranteed, fair and free elections institutionalised, obscene oligarchies dismantled, independent labour unions allowed, women’s rights recognised and

This optimism is contagious and Rouhani’s administration is deliberately targeting a younger generation of Iranians who are quick to forget and forgive.

student assemblies unfettered.

The fact is that there is a clear air of hope and optimism about Iran and Iranians these days - they now sport a smiling president and even a handsome foreign minister whose wide grin and silvery goatee and fancy footwork on his Facebook page, has put a positive twist to Iranian politics. The warmongers among the ruling regime and the expat opposition alike fear for their future. These are not small feats.

The supporters of Rouhani and Zarif, in their millions, are militant in their kindness and gentility towards their elected officials. Any word of caution and emotive balance sounds positively anti-climactic to them.

This optimism is contagious and Rouhani’s administration is deliberately targeting a younger generation of Iranians who are quick to forget and forgive. This transforms the critical discourse from one of aggressive hostility to critical intimacy. The result drives both the Zionist warmongers and the fanatical ideologues inside Iran berserk. It is a changing atmosphere, and thus ever more necessary becomes the solid core of a caring intellect that is neither entirely dismissive of the air of optimism, nor is entirely beholden by it.

The Obama administration has a lot to gain from this thawing season with Iran and very little to lose, and so does the ruling regime in Iran - both sides of this seasoned and cautious optimism indices of a deeply volatile and perilous world in which the two historic nemesis are exchanging glances across the chess - or is it backgammon - board.

Source: Al Jazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

International

Al- Shabaab takes responsibility for Mogadishu bombing

before, and said they deliberately targeted government officials and security forces.

Police suspected the militants were behind the blast, the latest

in a series of frequent attacks in the Somali capital that highlight the challenge the government faces in restoring order to a nation torn apart by two decades

of war and chaos.

“We were behind the two explosions at the hotel,” Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, told Reuters. “We targeted government officials and forces, and killed 15 of them.”

A senior police officer said on Friday night at least six people, including four policemen, were killed when a suspected car bomb went off outside the Hotel Maka, a popular meeting place for officials.

He said at the time the death toll could rise because some injuries were serious, but there was no official word of more deaths on Saturday.

Al Shabaab, which was driven out of Mogadishu by an African peacekeeping force in 2011, has said it would keep up its campaign of attacks against the government in the capital.

In September, al Shabaab rebels killed at least 15 people and wounded 23 others in an attack on a popular restaurant using a car bomb and a suicide bomber.

They were said to have complained of severe stomach aches on Thursday, The orphanage’s principal, Johanna Mashapa, told local media the children had been given a powder with their lunch.

“We were so worried. They were vomiting and crying. They had

runny stomachs and were so sick,” she told South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper.

Police say a woman has been charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and is due to appear in court today.

The Malerato Centre houses more than forty abandoned children

and orphans whose parents died from Aids.

Two of the children were reported to have been found in a critical condition; one of them was airlifted to a Johannesburg hospital.

Government inspectors were sent into the orphanage to investigate.

Somali policemen inspect the scene of an explosion outside the Maka Al-Mukarama hotel in Mogadishu.

I

slamist al Shabaab rebels claimed responsibility on Saturday for a bomb that killed six people outside a popular Mogadishu hotel the day

South Africa orphanage worker charged in poisoning

A

n orphanage worker in Pretoria has been charged after 20 young children were rushed to hospital with symptoms of poisoning, police say.

The children are mostly Aids orphans living in the Malerato Centre for Hope in Mamelodi township outside Pretoria.

Kenya set to repatriate 1 million Somali refugees

T

he Kenyan government will repatriate 1 million Somali refugees living in refugee camps in the northern region under a tripartite agreement that was inked in Nairobi yesterday.

Deputy President William Ruto said in a statement on Saturday that the East African nation had borne the brunt of terrorism and welcomed Ethiopia’s decision to join Africa Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in order to fight terrorism.

“As part of a campaign to eliminate the threat of terror, an estimated 1 million Somali refugees would be repatriated under an agreement to be signed in Nairobi tomorrow (Sunday),” Ruto said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

“Recently we had a terror attack ... and we welcome every effort to fight terror,” said Ruto citing the recent terror attack on the Westgate shopping mall in which at least 67 people were killed and 175 others wounded.

Kenya hosts an estimated 650,000 refugees from the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region. Somali refugees in Kenya are estimated at 500,000 and the

number has increased due to turmoil and recurrent droughts in the Horn of Africa state.

The country been torn asunder by factional fighting since 1991 but has recently made progress in stability.

The conflict has left some 1.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and over 1 million more living in exile in neighboring countries, mostly in Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen.

With parts of Somalia showing signs of increasing stability, countries hosting Somali refugees are considering the potential to encourage them to return, while some Somalis have spontaneously decided to move back to areas under government control.

Ruto said the repatriation program is being undertaken by the Kenyan and Somali governments together with the UN refugee agency UNHCR. “The refugees in Kenya continue to pose a security threat to us in Kenya and we hope to eliminate that threat through repatriation, “ Ruto said who held a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in Addis

Somali refugees

Ababa.

During the meeting, Desalegn said Ethiopian troops will join AMISOM as part of renewed efforts to combat terrorism in the Horn of Africa region.

Desalegn has said Ethiopian troops will join the Kenya and Uganda troops that are part of the AMISOM mission fighting AlShabaab insurgents inside Somalia.

He said his country’s security chiefs were already engaged in strategy talks with their Kenyan

counterparts on the joint operation to eliminate terrorism.

Desalegn said there was a renewed terror threat in Ethiopia and this called for a joint security operation to eliminate the threat.

“The threat is real and the war against terror should continue in all fronts,” Desalegn said.

The two leaders also discussed border security that they said continued to undermine development along the Kenya/ Ethiopia border.

Lampedusa migrants ‘raped and tortured’

P

eople traffickers tortured and raped African migrants whose boat later sank off Lampedusa with the loss of more than 360 lives, Italian police say.

The police have arrested a Somali man on Lampedusa accused of committing crimes with the armed gang.

Most of the victims on 3 October were Eritreans and Somalis. Their fishing boat capsized near Lampedusa, a tiny Italian island off North Africa.

The migrants each paid thousands of dollars to the gang, police said.

The gang moves people across the Sahara to Libya, where they are detained in a camp until they pay at least $3,000 (£1,866), police said.

The migrants have told the police that torture and rape goes on at the camp, the BBC’s Alan Johnston reports from Rome.

Once the migrants make their payment, they are handed on to another organisation which - in return for more money - arranges a boat journey to Europe.

The alleged captain of the Lampedusa boat, a Tunisian man named Khaled Bensalam, is being held in Sicily.

The 24-year-old Somali suspect was arrested after arriving on Lampedusa on 25 October with a group of migrants.

As he entered a migrant reception centre, he was attacked by some survivors of the disaster, police said. There were 155 survivors of the tragedy.

The migrants said they recognised him as one of the leaders of the group that had arranged their long and disastrous journey. He is now facing charges relating to kidnapping, sexual violence and people smuggling.

It is not yet clear why the suspect made the journey to Italy and put himself at risk of being identified by migrants that he allegedly mistreated. But the police say he might have been fleeing tensions within his peoplesmuggling network.

Survivors of the Lampedusa boat tragedy

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 33

International

Iran nuclear talks: US ‘not stupid’ – Kerry …Rouhani: ‘We’ll not give up rights’

U

S Secretary of State John Kerry has said that Washington continues to be sceptical about Iran’s willingness to roll back its nuclear programme.

“We are not blind, and I don’t think we’re stupid,” Mr Kerry told NBC’s Meet the Press programme.

His comments come a day after talks between Iran and six world powers on the programme ended without resolution.

The Israeli PM said he was trying to persuade leaders of the powers not

to rush into a “bad agreement”.

Benjamin Netanyahu said he recognised that there was a “strong desire” for a deal with Iran, but that governments should wait and “seriously consider things”.

The West has long suspected Iran of aspiring to have nuclear weapons but Tehran says it is only enriching uranium for civil purposes.

Under the deal floated in Geneva, Iran could freeze expansion of its nuclear activity in return for limited relief from international sanctions which have been in place for years.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said his country will not give up the right to enriching uranium, in his first comments since talks broke down with world powers over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Rouhani said yesterday that his nation had acted rationally and tactfully during three days of nuclear negotiations in Geneva, which concluded on Saturday without agreement.

“We have said to the negotiating sides that we will not answer to any threat, sanction, humiliation or

Kerry

discrimination. The Islamic Republic has not and will not bow its head to threats from any authority,” he told the National Assembly, reported by the ISNA news agency.

His speech came a day after France apparently stopped a deal because it felt Iranian concessions were not sufficient to relax sanctions.

According to reports, France wanted a shutdown of enrichment facilities, something Iran was not prepared to concede.

“For us there are red lines that cannot be crossed,” Rouhani said in yesterday’s speech. “National interests are our red lines that include our rights under the framework of international regulations and enrichment in Iran.”

Diplomats from the P5+1 group of world powers - US, UK, France, China, Russia, Germany and the EU - were searching for a preliminary agreement that would restrain Iran’s nuclear programme and make it more transparent for UN anti-proliferation inspectors.

The France’s foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, raised objections to a draft to which his country had previously agreed.

Fabius spoke of “several points that ... we’re not satisfied with compared to the initial text,” telling France-Inter Radio his nation did not want to be part of a “con game”.

Talks will resume on November 20 but will involve lower-level officials.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said yesterday that the deal France rejected was “bad and dangerous”.

Saudi police clash with foreign workers

A

t least two people died and scores were injured as Saudi police clashed with foreigners in a poor district of Riyadh, nearly a week into a visa crackdown in which thousands have been detained.

Security forces in riot gear fired into the air and used truncheons to disperse large crowds on Saturday in Manfuhah, as scores of men ran through the streets, some throwing stones and other objects at cars and police, according to Reuters witnesses.

The Saudi police said late on

Saturday that two people were killed, one of which was a Saudi while the other was unidentified.

The police added that 68 people were injured, and 561 people arrested.

Most of the foreign workers involved in the clashes appeared to be Africans.

In some streets in Manfuhah, men in Saudi dress had also gathered in small groups, some of them carrying knives and iron bars, saying they were protecting their property.

Authorities this year said they would no longer ignore foreign workers breaking visa rules by working for companies that had not sponsored their entry into the country The intention is to end a black market for cheap imported workers, cut the foreign labour force, reduce the flow of remittances to other countries and make more private sector jobs available for Saudi citizens.

Foreigners were given a sevenmonth amnesty to rectify their

visa status without penalty or leave the country, prompting hundreds of thousands to leave. Thousands more have been arrested since the amnesty expired on Monday.

On Wednesday, an Ethiopian was killed in a raid after he tried to grab a policeman’s weapon, the Arab News English-language daily reported on Friday.

Many expatriate workers say they were unable to take advantage of the amnesty because of bureaucratic difficulties or disputes with their original sponsors.

looking for food,” said Jenny Chu, a medical student in Leyte. “It’s like a movie.”

Most of the deaths appear to have been caused by surging sea

water strewn with debris that many said resembled a tsunami, leveling houses and drowning hundreds of people in one of the worst disasters to hit the typhoon-prone Southeast

Asian nation.

The national government and disaster agency have not confirmed the latest estimate of deaths, a sharp increase from initial estimates on Saturday of at least 1,200 killed by a storm whose sustained winds reached 195 miles per hour (313 km per hour) with gusts of up to 235 mph.

“We had a meeting last night with the governor and the other officials.

The governor said, based on their estimate, 10,000 died,” Soria told Reuters. “The devastation is so big.”

About 300 people died in neighboring Samar province, where Haiyan first hit land on Friday as a category 5 typhoon, with 2,000 missing, said a provincial disaster agency official.

Survivors struggle as Philippine typhoon kills 10,000

O

ne of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines, a senior police official said on Sunday, with huge waves sweeping away coastal villages and devastating one of the main cities in the region.

Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of structures in its path as it tore through Leyte province on Friday, said police chief superintendent Elmer Soria, before weakening and heading west for Vietnam.

As rescue workers struggled to reach ravaged villages along the coast, where the death toll is as yet unknown, survivors foraged for food or searched for lost loved ones.

“People are walking like zombies

Survivors flee further winds following the typhoon

Asia & Middle East

Hamas appoints first female spokesperson

T

he Hamas government of the Gaza Strip has appointed their first female spokesperson to represent the group’s communications with the international media.

The hiring of Isra al-Modallal, a 23-year-old who speaks fluent Britishaccented English, as a spokeswoman for Hamas is part of a long-running push by the group to present a newer and friendlier face both to its own citizens and internationally.

“We are looking forward to having a different and unique language,” said al-Modallal in an interview in her Gaza City office, on her first week in the job. “We will make the issues more human.”

Al-Modallal, a divorced mother of a four-year-old girl, does not have her roots in the Hamas movement. Unlike many other Hamas officials, her office does not bear a photo of Gaza’s Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. Along with the Quran, she keeps a book on American history as well.

She takes a slightly different line than many Hamas spokesmen. She refers to “Israel” rather than the “Zionist entity.” She does not consider herself a Hamas loyalist but says she would be equally willing to work as spokeswoman for the rival Palestinian government in the West Bank.

“I am not Hamas. I am a Palestinian activist who loves her country,” al-Modallal said.

Al-Modallal was raised in Gaza but spent five years in Britain as a teenager, studying at Grange Technology College, a high school in Bradford in the UK. Upon returning to Gaza, she studied journalism at the Islamic University, and worked as a television reporter for a local station and an English-language satellite channel, which she said taught her how to present herself on camera.

The change in policy began six months ago when a new head of the Hamas government’s media department, IhabGhussein, took over.

Ghussein hired younger media people, started a new official government website, began extensive use of social media and started conducting seminars and workshops.

Ghussein said he appointed alModallal in an effort “to be more open to the West.” He said many women were among the dozens of applicants considered for the position.

al-Modallal

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 34

International

Tomatoes hurled at Dutch royals in Moscow

A

Russian opposition group has said its activists threw tomatoes at Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife, Queen Maxima, as tahey arrived for a concert in the capital, Moscow.

Eduard Limonov, the leader of the banned National Bolshevik party, said two of its activists hurled tomatoes at the royals.

Russia’s state security agency said they missed their target.

Limonov said the action

was intended to attract public attention to what he called the Netherlands’ failure to properly investigate the death of the group’s member, Alexander Dolmatov, who committed suicide in January at a Dutch deportation

centre.

The royal visit was aimed to celebrate the two nations’ historical ties, but it came amid tensions caused by Russia’s seizure of a Dutch-flagged Greenpeace ship and other disputes.

Venezuela troops seize shops over high prices

V

enezuelan soldiers have been sent into a chain of electronics stores in a campaign by President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government to stop an “economic war” of what it says are unjustified spiralling prices.

Authorities arrested managers of the Daka chain, sent troops to occupy its five shops and forced the company to introduce cheaper prices.

That brought crowds to Daka’s shops and sparked looting at one store in the central city of Valencia.

Maduro, who accuses rich businessmen and right-wing political foes backed by the US of waging an economic war against him, said the occupation of Daka was simply the “tip of the iceberg” in a nationwide drive against speculators.

In a speech to the nation on Saturday evening, he said looting in Valencia was an isolated incident and the real criminals were unscrupulous businessmen exploiting Venezuelans with unjustified price rises.

“The ones who have looted Venezuela are you, bourgeois parasites,” Maduro said, accusing Daka of raising some prices of products beyond 1,000 percent

A security official cordons off an area around the shops

of cost.

“We’re going to comb the whole nation in the next few days. This robbery of the people has to stop,” Maduro said. “You’ve not seen anything.”

He showed particular astonishment at a washing-machine on sale for 54,000 bolivars - $8,571 at the official exchange rate of 6.3 bolivars to the US dollar.

Maduro’s move against Daka,

after weeks of warnings of a preChristmas push against private businesses to keep prices down, recalled the sweeping takeovers during the 14-year government of his predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

Soldiers organised hundreds of people into queues at Daka’s store in Caracas, then called them in one by one.

“Inflation’s killing us. I’m not sure if this was the right way, but

something had to be done,” said Carlos Rangel, 37, who was among the shoppers. “I think it’s right to make people sell things at fair prices.”

Ve nezu e la’s annu al rat e of inflation is now 54 percent, the highest since Chavez came to power in 1999. Critics of the government say that is due to economic mismanagement rather than unscrupulous retailers.

he says in the next few days,” Mr Morris told the newspaper.

His comments come a day after Mr Ford apologised for a video of him threatening to kill an unknown person.

The 44-year-old married father of two said he was “extremely, extremely inebriated” at the time it was filmed and he was

“embarrassed” by it.

Toronto police said last week they have a separate video apparently showing Mr Ford smoking crack cocaine, which has not been made public.

His older brother, Doug Ford, told a radio broadcaster on Friday that his brother could benefit from “a little bit of counselling”.

“If Rob goes away on a vacation, for a week or two weeks, Rob loses 50, 60 pounds, stays on the straight narrows,” he said, “it’ll be tough to beat Rob Ford.”

Thursday’s release of a video showing an agitated Mr Ford during a foul-mouthed rant was a defining moment for the mayor, Mr Morris has told reporters.

The context of the clip is not clear, nor is the target of Mr Ford’s wrath.

He vows to rip out the person’s throat, poke out his eyes and ensure his victim is dead.

On Thursday, Mr Morris said he had been in talks with Toronto police to view the crack-smoking clip.

Police say the video is not enough to charge Mr Ford but they have not made it public as it is evidence before the courts.

Allegations of drug use by Mr Ford surfaced in May when journalists reported seeing footage of him smoking crack cocaine.

The mayor acknowledged for the first time on Tuesday that he had taken the drug “probably a year ago” while in a “drunken stupor”.

He said he was “embarrassed” by his behaviour, though he vowed to run for re-election.

Mr Ford has faced mounting calls from even his political allies to resign, saying they have lost confidence in him.

But officials in North America’s fourth-largest city cannot legally remove him unless he is convicted of a crime.

Toronto Mayor ‘may seek treatment’

T

oronto Mayor Rob Ford, under pressure to quit after admitting he smoked crack cocaine and had a drink problem, could enter rehab, his lawyer says.

Dennis Morris told the Globe and Mail that the mayor of Canada’s largest city was “considering options”.

“And we’ll stay tuned to see what

Ford

Europe and Americas

Argentina’s president gets medical clearance to work

D

octors have given Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner medical clearance to return to work.

A month ago President Fernandez underwent surgery to remove a brain clot on her brain.

A government spokesman, Alfredo Scoccimarro, said the results from scans she had had been satisfactory.

Ms Fernandez, 60, is expected to resume her official duties on Monday.

“On Monday there will be a medical re-evaluation to determine the pace at which she can resume her daily tasks”, said Mr Scoccimarro.

Ms Fernandez won’t be allowed to fly for at least another 30 days, and she’ll undergo further tests on 9 December.

The Argentine president had surgery on 8 October to remove blood that had pooled on the surface of her brain after she fell and knocked her head.

While she has been receiving treatment, her allies have suffered heavy losses in mid-term elections that reduced her majority in congress, ending any speculation that she may try to amend the constitution to allow her to run for a third term in office.

She is due to leave office in two years time.

Ms Fernandez was first elected in 2007 and then returned to power by a comfortable majority in 2011.

Her health has been followed closely since the sudden death of her husband, former President Nestor Kirchner, from a heart attack in 2010.

She has been admitted to hospital on a number of occasions while serving as president. She has low blood pressure and had to have a thyroid gland removed in 2012.

Kerchner

PAGE 35

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Strange World 21-year old woman has never eaten a piece of vegetable or fruit

F

aye Campbell, of Suffolk, UK, has been exclusively eating junk food for the last 16 years. While most women would probably have serious weight problems by sticking to this eating habit, Faye is actually regular-sized and weighs just 9 stones and 12 pounds (a bit over 62 kilos).

The woman doesn’t just avoid eating fruit and vegetables, but also avoids thinking about it, as the mere thought of putting produce anywhere near her mouth makes her nauseous. “The thought of eating vegetables or any sort of fruit makes me physically sick,” Faye says. Well, actually, she is more tolerant to fruit, as long as it comes in the form of a juice or soft drink. Without any fruit, vegetables or homemade meals, Faye’s daily diet consists only of chips, pizza, toast, cheeseburgers and basically any type of junk food you can imagine.This affects her family life the most. “It’s got to the point where I’d be happy to sit in the lounge with a pizza, while they sit in the kitchen with their roast – it has become a normal routine for us now,” the English woman

complains.

Apparently, even the smell of vegetables and homemade meals is intolerable for this fussy eater, who admits that “if mom is cooking a roast dinner with vegetables, I have to go in to a different room because I can’t stand the smell.

Sometimes I have to open all the windows to get rid of it”. Faye’s love life has also been affected by her strange eating habits, as romantic dinners can only take place in fast-food restaurants. “Once, a guy booked a lovely Italian place but we ended up in McDonalds because I couldn’t face eating anything on the menu,” she says.

Campbell’s eating habit didn’t start as a teenager’s whim, but during her toddler years, when she was a very picky eater. In fact, until the age of 15, she ate nothing but chips. Faye’s parents had no idea what was wrong with her until they took her to the doctor, who diagnosed her with gastroesophageal reflux, a condition that causes heartburn and indigestion. As expected, Faye’s problems weren’t only physical, but also psychological.

Seeing a child psychologist is what

Campbell

made the 15-year-old add pizza and burgers to her chip diet. “It took me a good couple of years to get used to the other foods and I’m still fussy with that, ” Faye says.

Today, Faye is aware of her food phobia. “There’s just something

in my brain that says <ugh!> whenever I’m faced with new food”, she tries to explain her repulsion towards food. ” As soon as the phobia kicks in I just can’t bring myself to eat”. Despite her unhealthy diet, Faye doesn’t

have any health problems. Oh, did I mention that she hates going to the gym? Ladies, don’t be jealous, because she would “like to eat like a normal person”, but, as she states, “that day won’t happen for a long time”.

240-year old writer automaton is Chinese man walks in the ancestor of today’s computers shoes weighing 405 kg

“The Writer”

T

he Writer” is a clockwork automaton created in the 1770s by the Swiss-born famous watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz. The mechanism, designed to write words and sentences of up to 40 characters, still works perfectly after almost 240 years, baffling everyone with its complexity. The very concept of a machine that could mechanically reproduce the human act of writing was well ahead of its time. Moreover, it must have taken a lot of time, patience and resourcefulness not only

to put the idea into practice and build the mechanism, but also to give the machine the look of a boy.

The Writer uses cam technology: as the cams move, the cam followers interpret their trajectory and move the boy’s arm accordingly. The cams play an important part in the mechanism because they control not just the strokes of the pen, but also its pressure on the paper.

Indeed, as Professor Simon Schaffer states in BBC Four’s documentary “Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams”, The Writer is “one of the

most remarkable realizations of cam technology”. Another fascinating detail regarding the mechanism of the automaton is that it can write any word (and, therefore, any sentence) and follow the text with its eyes.

What makes this possible is the fact that the wheel controlling the cams is composed of signs and letters that can easily be re-arranged in any order to form various combinations. Actually, the fact that it is “programmable” makes The Writer the ancestor of modern computers.

The mechanism contains around 6000 parts, each hand-crafted, miniaturized and adapted to fit into the body of the boy. Thanks to the technologies used by the watchmaker, namely homeostasis (the process through which a system self-regulates) and miniaturization, The Writer does not require an external source of energy to work, as the mechanism found inside its body produces the necessary force to function by itself.

The Writer is one of the three automatons designed and manufactured by Jaquet-Droz that have continued to fascinate ever since they were displayed in front of the European Royal Courts. The Writer, the Musician and the Draughtsman together form the Jaquet-Droz automata, which can be admired at the Art and History Museum in Neuchatel, Switzerland.

H

eavy footwear is usually considered uncomfortable, but for Zhang Fuxing weight is definitely not a problem. The 51-yearold from Tangshan, China, spends every morning walking in a pair of iron shoes weighing 405 kilograms.

For over seven years, Zhang Fuxing has spent his morning exercising on a pair of impossible shoes made of heavy iron blocks.

The factory worker designed and created the bizarre footwear himself by welding pieces of iron 30-cm-long and 20-cm-wide. At first, the shoes weighed only 70 kilograms, but as his workout intensified he kept adding more weight. Now his shoes are 40-cm-high and weigh a whopping 405 kg, about seven times his own

Fuxing (R)

body weight.

It seems impossible that a person could even lift their feet off the ground wearing such weights, but Zhang says he usually manages to walk around a dozen meters in 20 minutes, every morning. He keeps the unusual shoes in his courtyard and says they are so heavy he isn’t even worried they might be stolen.

Zhang Fuxin has developed his own walking technique which actually allows him to lift the 405-kg-heavy shoes off the ground, and says he plans to add even more weight to them early next year. This Chinese superhuman told Xinhua News he wants to contact Guinness World Records to have his name mentioned in their famous book.

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Digest

The best way to prepare for a stressful day

By Robin Yapp

E

xercising after work and then getting a good night’s rest is the best way to prepare for a stressful day, according to a new

study.

Researchers said the combination of a physical workout followed by plenty of sleep is the key to avoiding emotional exhaustion or burnout in the workplace.

So, while workers with a packed schedule the next day might be tempted to head straight for the sofa, the expert advice is to go for a jog, swim or bike ride first and then aim to sleep longer than usual.

Lead author Dr Inga Nagel, of the University of Konstanz in Germany, said: ‘Our study points to the possibility of positively

influencing an individual’s own personal resources in their daily life.

‘When, for instance, an employee faces a stressful or important day at work, the employee should consciously engage in beneficial activities the day before.

‘The results of our study suggest that employees should exercise and sleep more than usual when facing a stressful day at work.’

The researchers, whose findings are published online in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, said exercise has benefits on mood and efficiency but consumes energy and requires recovery time.

Therefore, the combination of exercise and good sleep is able to energise a person in a manner superior to that achieved by either one alone.

The study involved 144 workers;

the vast majority of whom worked in the private sector, while a small proportion were civil servants or freelancers.

They were aged from 22 to 64, just over half were women and they worked for 38 paid hours per week on average with all doing exercise at least once per week.

Participants completed diary entries for five consecutive days, Monday to Friday, both after work and at bedtime about what exercise they had done, how long they had slept for and questions designed to measure their ’personal resources’.

These included items to measure resilience (feeling able to handle many things at a time), ‘pathway thinking’ (feeling able to solve problems even when others are discouraged) and optimism (expecting more good things than bad things to happen).

Exercising after work and then getting a good night’s rest is the best way to prepare for a stressful day, according to a new study

Exercising boosted personal resources the following day if the person had slept for longer than they did on average - but not if they had slept for less than average.

People who had higher personal resources in the day were also less likely to complain of emotional exhaustion or burnout come the evening.

Participants exercised for 24 minutes per day on average and slept for six hours and 40 minutes per night.

The authors said sleeping for longer than this after exercise and before a busy day was likely to give the benefits of sleep a chance to ‘unfold’

Exercise boosts our mood and efficiency - but because it consumes energy, more sleep is needed to prevent it from becoming counterproductive

but said the optimal duration will vary between individuals.

They said the benefits of exercise and sleep for keeping employees physically and mentally healthy meant that working too much overtime should not be expected.

‘According to our study, personal resources are important for preventing employees from becoming emotionally exhausted,’ Dr Nagel and colleagues wrote.

‘Thus, especially in demanding jobs, it seems important to engage in activities that build up personal resources.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Could a low-salt diet help stop you snoring?

By Roger Dobson

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witching to a low-salt diet could help tackle snoring, suggest Brazilian researchers.

A clinical trial is underway to test the theory on patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea or OSA. In this condition, which is thought to affect one in 20 adults, the throat closes repeatedly during the night, blocking air-flow into the lungs. These pauses, known as apnoeas, cause the patient to temporarily stop breathing as they sleep.

The problem is caused by the muscles and soft tissues in the throat relaxing and collapsing. The airway is blocked for ten seconds or more before the brain acts to get the muscles moving again.

Symptoms include heavy snoring and daytime tiredness because the apnoea disrupts sleep. The condition is also associated with high blood pressure and related heart problems.

It’s often first picked up after the patient’s partner notices the snoring, as

well as alarming pauses in breathing.

Risk factors for sleep apnoea include being overweight, drinking, smoking, being over 40, having a large neck, the menopause (because hormonal changes can lead to throat muscles relaxing), and some medicines, including sleeping pills.

OSA is also three times more common in people with diabetes, and twice as likely in those who suffer chronic nasal congestion.

In the trial, which started last month at the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, 54 patients will take a diuretic pill every day, switch to a low-salt diet, or have no treatment.

The number of apnoeas the patients suffer will be compared after one week.

The diuretic pill and low-salt diet will both reduce the patient’s salt levels. It’s thought excessive salt intake leads to a build up of fluid in the body - when the patient is lying down, this fluid shifts into the neck during sleep, leading to a narrowing of the upper airways, and sleep apnoea.

Diuretics work by causing the kidneys to increase the amount of salts, such as potassium, which are filtered out of the blood and into the urine. Water is drawn out alongside the salts, so diuretics also increase the amount of fluid removed from the body.

Previous research on heart failure patients at the University of Toronto found reducing dietary salt has a positive effect on sleep apnoea. The researchers said salt intake in sufferers

was almost twice that of the other patients.

The new trial will compare the effects of a low-salt diet with a diuretic pill. Commenting on the study, Professor Jim Horne, of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, says: ‘The idea is that these treatments will reduce the swelling around the throat and thus reduce snoring and apnoea. The diuretic will, however, cause more visits to the toilet during the night and thus create

Hold off on the salt: Too much can lead to a build up of fluid in the body, leading to a narrowing of the upper airways when the patient is horizontal

another form of sleep disturbance.

‘And for those with a fat neck, the weight of the fat further compresses the throat when lying, so sleeping propped up in bed with more pillows can be helpful, as this helps take this weight off the throat - I suspect this would be an easier, effective and quicker method.

‘Heavy snorers with OSA should see their GP to get referred to a sleep clinic.’

However, recent research has found the NHS is failing to fully address the widespread problem of sleep apnoea. A study, published in the journal Thorax, found 80 per cent of people with sleep apnoea are never treated because of a shortage of sleep clinics.

The condition was found to be most common in Wales, East Anglia, East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North-East - yet NHS sleep centres are concentrated in cities where the condition is less common.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 37

Niger Delta clerics carpet FG for victimising opposition From Umar Dankano, Yola

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he Bishops and Eminent Clerics Forum of Nigeria Niger Delta Chapter has blamed the government of the day for using police and other government apparatus undemocratically to victimize their perceived enemies stressing that as men of God, they will stand in the way of such politicians.

The forum which paid a courtesy call on Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state at the weekend in Yola, said although clerics are known to be apolitical, but they should ensure justice and fairness prevailed in Nigeria’s political setting as they have congregations of people of that should be well served through the equitable distribution of resources and wealth.

The President of the Forum, His Eminence Bishop Jones Ode Erue, lauded the fight against impunity, injustice, and lawlessness embarked upon by Nyako and other governors within the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and for their resilience against all odds and persecution.

Jones said “Nigeria has two laws one is selective. Olagunsoye Oyinlola was removed as the National Secretary of the PDP based on court judgment and another man was sworn in less than 24 hours when another court reinstated him, the second law applies and they refused to honor the court order. I met somebody in Ghana when I went for a seminar who told me that Nigeria has invented a new mathematics formular where 5 is greater than 27 and 16 is greater than 19.”

He also alleged that the traditional institution has failed the country by not calling those leaders

that are beating war drums to order because of selfish interest.

He added that 500 clergy men in the country under his organization has dedicated their lives to the unity of the country stressing that they are ready to sacrifice their lives because they may go against the powers that be in the process.

“We are bishops, the highest body in the Christiandom which comprises about 500 bishop, we are troubled in our minds with the situation in the country. Without mincing words, our traditional rulers have failed; we clergy men must wake up to our calling and join forces with those who are fighting impunity in the nation’s interest”.

The leader of the group said that one of the reasons they visited

Governor Nyako was due to his leadership trait stressing that when Nyako was a young man, he joined the military to protect the sovereignty of the nation and as a political leader he has championed war against impunity in the country.

“We Christian believe that there are three judgments: Judgment of the people, judgment of posterity and Judgment of God. We don’t want God to condemn us because we have only one life to live; that is why we stand by you in the fight against evil.”

Governor Nyako, who played host to the eminent clerics forum, declared that Adamawa state has resolved to ensure peaceful coexistence of the people as its cardinal principle and ensuring

that no political issue is allowed to degenerate into ethnic or religious warfare or violence.

“We are all fully aware that the glue to our peace and security is justice, equity, fair play, rule of law among others. Impunity, lawlessness, culture of wrong doing have no place in our society and the state”, Nyako, said Governor Nyako also faulted the extension of the emergency rule in the state describing it as the hand work of “the evil few” Abuja politicians from the state who are hell bent on causing calamity and destruction in the state.

He said the people of Adamawa state are tired with moving alongside the evil men who will never be tired of causing havoc and calamities in the state.

R-L: Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and Ekiti state Deputy Governor, Professor Modupe Adelabu, during the Ekiti “Parapo” Day, on Saturday in Lagos.

Opposition interested only in regime change, nothing else – Abba Moro

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

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inister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has said that the opposition party in the country causing disunity in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were only interested in regime change and not to bring development to the Nigerian people.

“What will the opposition bring that is new to this country.

They are only fighting for their personal gains and not the interest of the masses. The bulk of the problems we have that this government is trying to fix were there for a very long time.

It takes time to solve than create problem.

“The President is working assiduously to transform this country in the interest of the common man while some people are trying to seek personal gains at the expense of the Nigerian people” “The event in the PDP is a pointer to what is possible.

Enemies will use whatever means to cause disharmony.

The fight must be resisted by youths and continue to champion democracy.

Moro who spoke at the weekend while in audience with the PDP Youth Vanguard, said

the party will come out strong in the midst of the current crisis, saying challenges were natural and would be solved.

He said the party always had a way of resolving its internal problems, assuring that all will soon be a thing of the past.

“The party has a way of resolving its internal problems and anyone who thinks he is going to benefit from the crisis is not a student of history. This is not the first time we are having problems. I assure you that the crisis will soon be over”.

The minister further said that the challenges will not hinder the administration

from delivering dividends of democracy to the people, urging the youths to support the present administration and educate other people in the society about activities of government.

Responding, the youths who were at the Minister’s office to confer on him, an award as their North Central patron said the award was in recognition of his achievements in the area of youths development.

The National Coordinator of the Youth Vanguard, Beke Apere while presenting the Award to him, said the body was proud of his achievements, urging him to continue his good work.

Amaechi’s claim of submission to Jonathan, deceptive - Rivers PDP From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

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he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers state Chapter, has said Governor Amaechi’s declaration of his submission to President Goodluck Jonathan was deceptive and should not be taken seriously.

The party, which was reacting to the Governor’s speech during the opening ceremony of the Port Harcourt Centenary Celebration last week said the governor was only playing to the gallery as the series of rebellious activities engaged in by him do not reflect such position.

The PDP says rather than making any commitment to justify such statement, Amaechi has consistently demonstrated acts of disrespect and insubordination to the President and the leadership of the party on which platform President Jonathan stands and also serves as the national leader.

The Party’s statement signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to the State Chairman, further noted that it is only a fool that would believe such sarcastic statement by Amaechi, wondering why someone who does not respect the President’s wife would profess to be loving the President and submitting to his authority.

The PDP recalls that Governor Amaechi has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is opposed to the programmes and policies of Mr. President, a position he has upheld since the inception of Jonathan’s administration, and to which he (Amaechi) has continued to fight against through his sponsorship of the activities of the opposition parties, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

To further attest to his insolence against Jonathan, Amaechi does not only identify with, but he is a prominent financier of any group of “aggrieved” politicians, particularly the rebel Governors (G7) and the Baraje led so called “New PDP”, who are bent on destroying and ridiculing Jonathan’s administration.

“And for us as a Party, we have positioned ourselves formidably from being deceived by his (Amaechi’s) empty claims, and we would do everything legitimately possible to ensure that the President and Leader of our dear Party is not molested by a selfish and drowning Governor, part of which is our position in welcoming the long awaited defection of the Governor and his co-travelers to the Party (the APC) which they have continued to waste our state’s resources and tax payers’ money in funding”, the PDP explains.

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Politics

Sambo flags-off PDP governorship campaign in Anambra

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ice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo at the weekend officially in Akwa officially flagged-off the Anamabra State gubernatorial campaign for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Tony Nwoye.

The Vice President, who was the chairman of the Gubernatorial Campaign Committee described the PDP candidate in the state as the leader of the youth, who, undoubtedly, was ready to take over the governorship seat of Anamabra .

Arc Namadi Sambo added that the People of Anambra state would be making a wise decision on the choice of the PDP gubernatorial candidate for he was youthfull, developmental, progressive, forward-ever and possesed the wisdom to lead the state on the path of development.

The Vice President promised the candidate of overwhelming support and full cooperation of the PDP government led by President Goodluck Jonathan such that Anambra State would transform into the most industrialised state in the nation.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Party Bamanga Tukur stated that by looking at the mammoth gathering at the arena that converged for the rally, the Anambra people had already spoken that Anambra was for PDP. He described the candidate as a young man who has served the party well as state chairman for his role in building and consolidating the party in the state.

Those present at the rally were all the members of the PDP National Working Committee, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, Former Governor of Zamfara State Mahmud Shinkafi, former PDP National Chairmen Ahmadu Ali and Ezekwesili Nwodo and other party stalwarts High point of the Event was the Official handing over of the PDP Gubernatorial Flag to the candidate Tony Nwoye by the National Chairman of the Party Bamanga Tukur.

L-P: Vice-President, Mohammed Namadi Sambo, presenting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Anambra state, Mr. Anthony Nwoye, during the inauguration of the party’s campaign for Anambra governorship election, on Saturday in Awka.

Thugs attack Bugaje, Rep, others From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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ozens of suspected political thugs at the weekend disrupted Katsina Dialogue for Change lecture session organised by a Katsina based non governmental organisation, Sustainable Development Initiative.

The thugs also smashed the windscreen of the vehicle of Hon Ahmed Babba Kaita, member Representing Kankia/Kusada/ Ingawa at the lower chambers of the national assembly.

They invaded Makera Hotel venue of the dialogue lectures and were chanting pro PDP slogan but half way into the lecture proper, they disrupted the entire proceedings forcing organisers to halt the event.

Proceedings of the lectures were almost moving without hitches when the thugs started shouting and chanting different slogans including throwing invectives on the organisers and some notable figures present.

It was while the guest speaker and former gubernatorial candidate of defunct ACN, Dr

Usman Bugaje, was delivering his paper that the thugs forced their way into the hall and caused disruption. Some of them were heard shouting “Ya isa haka” meaning it is ok.

Bugaje was billed to speak on the theme of the dialogue which is: ‘The Future of Opposition Politics In Katsina State: What Went Wrong and What Needs To Be Done’ Reacting to the disruption, Secretary of the Organisation, Barrister Muhammed Aliyu Dutsin-ma accused the state government of sponsoring the disruption insisting that the

organisation was not deterred.

Dutsin-ma said the organisation would meet and look at the possibility of instituting legal actions against the thugs.

In a telephone interview, Hon Ahmed Babba Kaita, whose vehicle was smashed by the thugs said the action of the youths has confirmed the fears that Katsina state government was behind the attack.

“It is ironic that the youths, whose interest the organisation sought to defend, are those who allowed themselves to be used in disrupting the dialogue session”.

Uduaghan bags award on exemplary leadership in West Africa From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

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elta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, at the weekend, in South Africa, bagged a Golden Star Award for Exemplary Leadership in Governance in West Africa (SWA) conferred on him by Security Watch Africa.

The award was presented to the Governor by the National Security Advisor (NSA) of Ghana, Brig.

Gen. Joseph Mensah at a colourful ceremony in Johannesburg.

President of SWA, Patrick

Agbambu, explained that the award on Uduaghan was informed by his exemplary leadership in the governance of Delta State.

Agbambu, who informed that the award committee travelled round 23 African countries before coming up with winners of various categories, added that Uduaghan’s diligent prosecution of his threepoint agenda of peace and security, infrastructural and human capital development had brought smiles on the faces of the people of Delta State.

He emphasised that Uduaghan’s support for the police and other

security agencies in the state has helped to provide security of lives and property in the state.

The State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN who received the award on the behalf of the Uduaghan said that the gesture would inspire and spur the governor to pursue his three-point developmental agenda with greater vigour.

Utuama added that the administration of Uduaghan was also committed to bequeathing a Delta State Beyond oil by focusing on agriculture and agro-

based industries, tourism and industrialisation.

Political Adviser to the State Governor (Delta Central ), Chief Fred Majemite, who was on the entourage of the Deputy Governor, described the award on the governor as a well-deserved one.

Majemite explained that Uduaghan came into office in 2007 with a three point agenda of peace and security, infrastructure and human capital development, noting that the award was a pass mark on his achievements by the international community.

Ekiti killings: Group accuses Fayemi’s aide of complicity

From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

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group in Ekiti State, the Save Ekiti Coalition (SEC), has said that Governor Kayode Fayemi’s Chief of Staff, Mr Yemi Adaramodu has something to hide on the series of politically motivated killings in the State, saying; “Adaramodu’s petition to the State Security Service (SSS), alleging plot to implicate him in the murder of Foluso Ogundare in Emure Ekiti last

Sunday is an indication that he is afraid of something concerning the murder.”

Convener of the SEC, Mr Lere Olayinka, who made this known in a release issued in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to order a thorough investigation into the alleged involvement of Adaramodu in the series of killings in the State.

He said; “If Adaramodu’s conscience is clear on the killings in Ekiti State, especially

the murder of Foluso Ogundare, he will definitely fear no accusation.”

In Adaramodu’s petition dated November 8, 2013, he claimed to have written the petition as a pre-emptive measure to stop the alleged plan to rope him in and send him behind bars by some politicians, particularly in connection with the brutal murder of Foluso Ogundare in Emure Ekiti.

However, SEC said in its reaction that the petition written to the SSS and IGP by

Adaramodu’s was a pointer to the fact that “he has something to hide!”

The statement read; “If Adaramodu does not have anything to hide, why did he rush to the SSS and the police with such an allegation that some people in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and those opposed to the second term ambition of Governor Fayemi within the All Progressives Congress (APC) were planning to frame him up?

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Nasarawa crisis: Lawmaker, SMEDAN empowers 300 youth From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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ver 300 youths from across Nasarawa state have benefited from the skills acquisition programme organized by Hon. David Umbugadu (APC), member representing Akwanga/Wamba/ Nasarawa Eggon federal constituency, in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

In a remark at the closing of a weeklong intensive entrepreneurial session, cutting across the three local government areas of his constituency, which held in Nasarawa Eggon, Umbugadu, traced the prevailing unrest across the state to the high level of unemployment among youths, who he said, serve as veritable tools in the hands of self-serving members of the society.

While noting that the exercise would be a continuous process, the lawmaker disclosed that the trainees who have been certified in various areas of interest such as personal and business visioning, basic marketing and sales techniques among others, would be exposed to requisite job opportunities in collaboration with relevant government agencies.

Furthermore, Umbugadu revealed also that he has opened ICT training centers in five locations in his constituency with the aim of training youths in ICT and computer appreciation and to mitigate the sufferings parents undergo in paying for e-transactions such as exam registrations, checking of results, application for jobs, research by students and many others by offering free services to his constituents.

One of the trainees, Bulus Sunday Ojiga, said the training has exposed them in no small measure to the concept of starting a small scale business and nurturing it to a large scale enterprise.

“Before we had the idea that you must have hundreds of thousands as capital before you start a business but now, we have come to realize that N10,000 can start a business venture”, Ojiga enthused.

On her part, Kadijat Ayuba, said she would waste no time in putting the knowledge acquired to practice since she is now better enlightened on the rubrics of running a successful small scale business.

News Extra

We would ensure Jonathan never returns as President, says Fani-Kayode

From Dutse

Ahmed

Abubakar,

F

ormer Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has asked all political stakeholders to join forces, irrespective of political affiliation to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan’s ambition to be re-elected as Nigeria’s president come 2015 is not realised.

Speaking with a team of journalists in Dutse, FaniKayode said it is high time for Nigerians to start thinking of

positive change in leadership, especially looking at the terrible situation the Jonathan led government has thrown the country into total dearth of peace, security and abject poverty among those who elected him.

“I have nothing against Jonathan but we still need effective change in leadership”, he said.

The former minister who was in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital to see things for himself on Sule Lamido’ s giants stride in making Jigawa

one of the pride states among its counterpart, said he was a member of the PDP but left the party to APC last six months because of what he described as betrayal of trust and lack of focus of the PDP. He enjoined the state governors to join hands with all patriotic citizens in any party aimed at salvaging Nigeria from the untold hardship.

Commenting on the recent face off between the G7 governors and the Asokoro DPO for disrupting their meeting, FaniKayode described the action as

disgraceful and unconstitutional, saying for the presidency to have directed a DPO to disgrace astute politician like Sule Lamido who happens to be amongst those who fought for the party, starting from G9-G13-G34 which gave birth to PDP only to be victimized and harassed.”

He expressed the hope that if Governor Lamido will be given chance in 2015, he will deliver the yearning and aspirations of Nigerian’s masses going by what he has seen in terms of physical developments and other areas of human endeavours.

Kaduna state Deputy Governor, Ambassador Nuhu Audu Bajoga, taking salute from NYSC Batch ‘C’ corps members, at the NYSC orientation camp, recently along Kaduna - Abuja road, in Kaduna.

No salaries for ghost workers in Kogi From Omale Adama, Lokoja

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he recent screening exercise in the twenty-one local government areas of Kogi state was meant to detect ghost workers on fat pay packages and instil sanity in the councils, state Algon chairman, Aloysius Okino has said.

The screening has also helped the councils to know that some dubious people are milking the councils of millions of naira monthly through ghost workers thereby thwarting the planned

giant strides of the councils.

The chairman of Kogi Association of Local Governments of Nigeria,(ALGON) said the exercise was not to victimize anyone as it was misconstrued in some quarters but as a way of eliminating wastages in the councils.

He maintained that a situation where money is paid to wrong persons and nonexistent people through the connivance of some unscrupulous staff can no longer be tolerated, saying that such wasteful ventures are already hampering developments in the councils.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to ALGON on Media and Strategy, Ibrahim Obansa, Okino regretted that fictitious names are inserted into the vouchers to siphon the scarce resources of the councils monthly by some unpatriotic persons.

“Imagine that people who are working in other organizations, under aged children, wives of people who are not working with the councils are drawing salaries from the councils. This should be condemned by all. The councils cannot make progress with that

type of arrangement” the statement stressed.

The chairman promised the readiness of the leadership of the councils to continue to deliver the good dividends of democracy to the people and appealed for the support of the members of the society.

He equally promised to support and remains committed to the transformation programmes of the state governor, Captain Idris Wada, adding that the governor’s agricultural revolution and youth empowerment is already yielding positive results.

Meningitis: Two mild cases recorded in Mikang LG From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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he ongoing Meningitis A vaccines immunisation exercise in Mikang local government of Plateau state has recorded two mild cases of Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI).

This was made known to journalist on Saturday by Dr. Pede Elias, the caretaker chairman of Mikang Local Government area of the state, who explained that apart from the two cases recorded during the exercise, his council had never recorded or experienced any case of Meningitis, adding that the recent

one recorded has been tackled by medical personnel with immediate effect. ``We have recorded two mild cases of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI), which have been expertly handled by our medical personnel. ``It is normal for people to react

to drugs and when that happens, it helps both the manufacturers and medical experts in knowing the efficacy of such drugs, ’’ he declared.

The chairman said, the campaigns for the exercise were still on to ensure that everyone is vaccinated, adding that the exercise is free to all.

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

News Extra

German govt to support Nigerian renewable energy initiative

By Etuka Sunday

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he German Government at the weekend presented a proposal to provide Green Credit Facility for Nigerian small and medium scale enterprises.

This is with the aim of promoting the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the

country.

A statement by Timothy Oyedeji said the details of the proposal were discussed in Abuja by the two countries represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, and a development partner KfW of Germany respectively.

The statement said the Green facility when finalized would be utilized to provide low cost loans to SME’s in Nigeria in an effort to promote efficient use of electricity and the use of Renewable Energy by them.

“Against the back ground of the handing over of assets of successor PHCN companies to private

owners, this initiative is expected to support current efforts at promoting Demand Side Management (DSM) in the electricity industry and increasing the proportion of Renewable Energy in the nation’s energy mix,” statement said.

On their part, KfW of Germany - a development Bank, assured the Ministry of Power of continued

Public-private partnership crucial to health care delivery, says Ajimobi

L-R: Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, Kogi state Governor, Captain Idris Wada, Sole Administrator, Ajaokuta Steel Company, Engineer Isa Joseph, and other government officials inspecting some steel products, during a visit by members of the Good Governance Tour, on Saturday to Ajaokuta Steel Company, in Kogi state.

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Photo: Joe Oroye

20 died in auto-crashes along Ore-Benin expressway From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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ver twenty lives have so far been lost to road crashes within a period of four weeks along Ijebu ode Ore-Benin Expressway.

The accident which often occurred at Ijebu- Itele axis of the highway was been caused by interstate commercial bus drivers who took one-way.

The Federal Road Safety Commission RS2.21 Ijebu-ode unit command who disclosed this to journalists on Sunday expressed great worry over the recklessness of motorists who by their care-free attitude sends innocent people to their untimely death.

Ijebu-Ode Unit Commander, Isa Seidu who lamented the

support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s Power Sector Reform through the provision of financing such as the proposed Green Credit Facility.

The facility, when approved by the Federal Government would provide additional 40 Million Dollars ($40 m) investable funds for the sector.

reckless of the inter-state bus drivers said several others were also injured in the crashes.

Seidu said most of the reckless driving were perpetrated at night while officials of the commission have left the road.

He said, the command has deployed plain clothes officers along the road to arrest erring motorist who will be tried in a mobile court.

According to him, offenders if found guilty will not be allowed option of fine but will be sent to various jail terms.

Seidu said, last Monday around 4.15am an accident occurred involving a TOYOTA Hiace bus with registration number EPE 304 XB who followed one way and had an head on collision with upcoming

vehicle.

He said the culprit was heading from Lagos to the Eastern part of the country and took the one way facing those coming from Ore axis at the Ijebu Itele axis which resulted into the death of five occupants of the vehicle while six was critically injured.

According to him, ’this act of following one way is totally unacceptable to us and we cannot continue this high level of impunity’.

‘Anyone found guilty shall be tried in our mobile court and will be sentenced to jail without option of fine’ the FRSC boss stated.

He berated the reasons expressed by the drivers for taking for taking one way noting that it is not justifiable.

He said ’that the road is bad

are not enough reasons to take one way adding that the bad road itself doesn’t caused accident but bad driving habit.

He said impatience of the drivers and bad driving habit and desperations of most commercial drivers to make as many trips as possible are the reasons for their impatient and killing of promising Nigerians.

He said had all the transport owners who vehicles ply the road have been warned to caution their drivers and call them to order or risk sending them to the prison.

He also urged the people to desist from night journey noting that recent accident on the way occurred mostly during the night when the road safety officials are not on the road to monitor the drivers recklessness.

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Sunday pledged that his administration would continue to collaborate with private organisations for effective health care delivery, especially to the rural dwellers.

A statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Wale Sodiq, in Ibadan said Ajimobi made the promise when he received officials of ABC Foundation, a group offering free health care services in Ibadan and environs.

Ajimobi said such partnership had even become more inevitable because government alone could not shoulder the responsibilities of the health care delivery to the citizens. ``We need the support of private organisations, especially strong outfits like ABC Foundation, because that is the only way we can improve health care,’’ he said.

The governor, however, stressed that his administration had embarked on a comprehensive rehabilitation of hospitals and health centres across the state, as part of measures put in place to transform the health sector.

Ajimobi advised the management of ABC Foundation to extend its network beyond the 10 local government areas where it was currently operating.

He also called on the foundation to partner with the Ministry of Health and the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, to broaden the scope of its activities for greater efficiency.

Ajimobi urged the group to seek financial support from both local and international agencies as well as development partners so as to garner more resources to widen the scope of its activities. (NAN)

Drivers, passengers groan in traffic grid-lock on Lokoja-Abuja road

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ravellers on Abuja-Lokoja road were stranded in a grid-lock on Sunday.

The problem that lasted for many hours was caused by the blockage of one of the two lanes

on Murtala Mohammed Bridge.

The breakdown of a truck on the free lane used by travellers on both sides of the road added more to the problem.

A Federal Road Safety

Commission (FRSC) official said that the impatient among the drivers created confusion and blockage of movement on both sides of the road.

The News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN) reports that by 6.30 pm, the traffic had extended to Koton-Karfe at Abuja end and many kilometres at Lokoja end.

Drivers expressed frustration over the situation

and urged the Federal Government to establish an alternative road because of the increase in population and vehicular movement on the road. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

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How Eaglets were rated against Mexico

MTNFootball.com rates new U17 world champions Golden Eaglets after their triumph over defending champions Mexico in the final.

Stories by Albert Akota

9 Musa Muhammed: He is Captain Fantastic, a workaholic rightback who defended well and joined attack. He assisted a goal and scored one, a superb free kick goal that could win any match in the world, the shining star of the final.

8 Dele Alampasu: He was outstanding in between the sticks. He made some big saves to ensure another clean sheet. Little wonder he was picked as the Best Goalkeeper of the competition.

7 Abubakar Aliyu: He formed 7 Samuel Okon: He was a delight to good watch as he defended and even tried partnership his luck in front of goal on a number with of occasions.

Zarradine in the heart of defence. He thwarted many moves by Mexico.

One of the unsung 7 Idowu Akinjide: A workaholic midfielder who shielded the defence line well. hero of the He is a great marker and gave good passes upfront. team.

7 Musa Yahaya: 7 Abdullahi Alfa: Nicknamed Iniesta, 8 Kelechi Workaholic he was great in the midfield like Iheanacho: He was striker, he didn’t Spain star, doing the play making and the heart beat of score but made supplying passes to the attack. the team, make the Erick Agguire team played. He to score an own scored one of the goal. He made the goals in the final.

Mexico defenders He also helped out to be on their in the defence and toes as he was was named the Most a thorn in their valuable Player of flesh anytime he this World Cup. headed for goal.

No houses for triumphant Eaglets Dike replaces Uche Nwofor

W

orld champions Golden Eaglets will get cash and national honours, but no houses after they made history in UAE at the weekend.

The country’s U17 team clinched a record fourth World Cup on Friday to become the most successful team in the world at this level.

They also set a new goals record for a single tournament, while Kelechi Iheanacho and Dele Alampasu were picked as the MVP and best goalkeeper of the

tournament, respectively.

A top government said “They will get cash and national honours, but no houses.

“Precedence was set when the Eagles also did not get houses when they won the AFCON earlier this year. Instead, they were given plots of land on the outskirts of Abuja.”

Players and officials received cash, national honours and houses in an estate in Abuja when they won the same competition six years ago.

S

uper Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has replaced SC Heerenveen of Netherlands’ striker Uche Nwofor, with power-playing Bright Dike of Toronto FC of Canada in his squad to face both Ethiopia and Italy in the next eight days.

Dike, who was brought into the squad only last year and scored a fabulous goal in a high-profile friendly against Catalonia in Barcelona in January, missed

the cut for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations that Nigeria won in South Africa.

“We are bringing him into the squad because we know what he is capable of doing and we believe he is fully fit to deliver,” Coach Keshi said.

The Super Eagles lead the Ethiopians 2-1 from the first leg and are expected to conclude the assignment successfully at the U. J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, to bag one of Africa’s

7 Nwakali Chidiebere: He was a smooth operator in midfield as he complimented the efforts of his mates in the midfield.

five tickets to the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.

Two days later, the Eagles take on four-time world champions Italy at the Craven Cottage ground of England Premiership club, Fulham FC, in London, in a high-profile friendly match.

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Sports NFF charges Super Eagles to emulate Eaglets

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he President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari has charged the Super Eagles to emulate the Golden Eaglets in the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals qualifiers against Ethiopia in Calabar on Saturday.

He noted that the Golden Eaglets has set a world record of four wins in the FIFA U-17 World Cup competition.

“It has been an exceedingly great year for Nigerian football.

We started the year with a trophy (Africa Cup of Nations) and are ending the year with another trophy (U-17 World Cup). By Saturday, we will pick up the ticket to the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.

“The Super Eagles have done the hard job in Ethiopia, but we cannot afford to be overconfident and leave our guards. The team will play the second leg game as if it is the World Cup final.

“We really appreciate the prayers, support and encouragement of all Nigerians, starting with His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR. Our triumph at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates, even while we were absent from the 2011 edition, is testimony that with hard work, perseverance, team work, purposefulness, dedication and doggedness, so much is possible.”

The Golden Eaglets’ victory in UAE, after a no-show in Mexico 2011, is the most enthralling zeroto-hero, absence-to-eminence story in the history of the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals.

Maigari added: “We celebrate the Eaglets’ triumph but we have to now focus on the 2014 World Cup qualifying match in Calabar.

It is most important for our team to be at that biggest showpiece, in a year that mour nation will be celebrating her Centenary.”

African champions Nigeria edge the fixture from a 2-1 win in the first leg in Addis Ababa and are favourites to sing ‘Brazil Here We Come’ in Calabar on Saturday.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

NGF’s new president pledges to take golf to grassroots

Stories by Albert Akota

T

he newly-elected President of Nigerian Golf Federation (NGF), Dr Peter Deshi, on Saturday in Abuja promised to take the game of golf to the grassroots.

In a statement issued by Deshi, he said his mission was to demystify the game of golf in Nigeria by taking it to the grassroots.

Deshi was elected at the sports federation elections held in Abuja on Nov. 5.

“I promise to take the game to a level where it will become

a household name in every community in Nigeria.

“This is to correct the erroneous impression that it is a game for the rich or that it is an elitist game,’’ Deshi, who is the Special Adviser to the Senate President on Sports and Youth Development, said.

He said the sport was for all categories of Nigerians, and would be introduced to the schools to disprove the wrong notion. ``Contrary to this view, golf is a game for all ages and seasons. We are going to ensure that the game is introduced to both secondary and tertiary

institutions during my tenure,’’ Deshi said.

He called for the co-operation of all Nigerians to make the idea a reality.

“The election is over and, like true sportsmen and women; there is no victor, no vanquished.

We are all united by this game,’’ the new NGF president said.

He however assured that Nigeria would make an appreciable impact in the golf event of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

Deshi was the immediate past captain of the IBB Golf and Country Club in Abuja.

2013 fitness test successful by 75 per cent, says president

One of the successful ref, Joseph Okeke

T Falconets wallop Sierra

Leone 6-0 in Free town

F

alconets over the weekend at Freetown, Sierra Leone defeated the side opponents 6-0 in the 2013 Fifa Women’s World Cup qualifying matches.

Falconets penultimate Saturday at the Abuja National Stadium pummeled the same side 10-0 in the first fixture in the race for a place at next year’s global football showpiece in Canada.

The side scores three goals in each half to advance to the next stage of the qualifiers on 16 goals aggregate.

The coach Peter Dedevbo

Falconets

tutored side will wait for the outcome of the encounter between the two North African sides, Morocco and Tunisia to know the side they will confront in next stage of the qualification matches.

An official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire said the side is gradually etching their foot strongly towards qualifying for the biennial football fiesta in Canada next year.

“Of course, Falcons won 6-0 in Freetown against their Sierra Leonean opponents to make it an aggregate victory of 16-0 which is massive and testament that

they side will sure qualify for the World Cup proper irrespective of the sides they meet in the next stages of the qualifying series.

“We’re happy with the series of victories our national teams are recording against their various opponents.

“Falconets won’t rest on their oars until the ticket is won and head to the mundial to further make Nigerians proud.

“We’re happy with the result and wish to congratulate the side for excellent performance,” Olajire said to supersport.com.

Falconets made it to the semifinals stage in the immediate past edition in Japan.

he President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Ahmed Maude,said that the just-concluded 2013 Referees’ Fitness Test was successful by more than 75 per cent.

Maude, who spoke at the end of the five-day test to newsmen in Abuja, said that the purpose of the test was achieved.

He said this was in spite of the fact that the exercise recorded a casualty in the death of Lagosbased referee Osita Nwadiohashi on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

“I cannot really give the precise number of those referees who passed, as against the number of those who failed.

“We will have to collate the result, before I can do that. But one thing is that we recorded more than 75 per cent success, though there was a casualty,’’ the NRA president said.

He however said weather was a factor in the performance of the referees during the test.

“One factor which militated against them is the weather, which was harsh and sunny, and this made us hold the test in two sessions of morning and evening.

“However, it has so far been so good. They (the participants) have all done well,’’ Maude said.

The NRA president said he was also sure that Nigerian referees were ready for the 2013/2014 season, going by the success recorded with the test.

“With the success recorded in this year’s test, I want to say that we are ready for the 2013/2014 season.

“We only need to hold the preseason seminar to educate them on developments in the laws of the game.

“And I can assure that everything being equal, we expect a good outing for our referees when the season starts,’’ he said.

The 2013 edition of the preseason test was held from Nov. 4 to Nov. 8 at the Abuja National Stadium.

During the exercise, Nwadiohashi who referees in the Nigeria National League (NNL) had slumped and died on Wednesday.

The test had involved about 300 of the referees who officiate in the various tiers of the league.

Sports

PAGE 43

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Mourinho defends Chelsea’s penalty against West Brom

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he controversial penalty Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insisted the controversial late spot-kick from which Eden Hazard earned a 2-2 draw with West Brom was a “clear penalty”.

Baggies boss Steve Clarke was outraged by Andre Marriner’s decision to penalise Steven Reid for a collision with Blues midfielder Ramires.

He added: “It is always a difficult situation to accept for the team that is winning, but when they go home they will see on their screens that it was a situation where the referee did not make a mistake.”

The pivotal moment arrived in the last minute of stoppage time when Ramires’s rampaging run took him deep inside the Baggies’ box.

With Reid closing in, Ramires appeared to lean towards the

former Republic of Ireland international and went to ground upon contact.

“It is ridiculous to have to take it because it wasn’t a penalty.

That’s five points my team have lost because of late decisions on penalties.

“I’m sad and I’m angry but I’m also very proud because we were magnificent today.

“This is a difficult place to come. Chelsea is one of the teams that are going to fight for the title.

We suffered a disappointment losing the goal before half-time and in the second half we were really good and deserved all three points.”

Marriner’s decision was disputed by West Brom’s players before Hazard calmly sent goalkeeper Boaz Myhill the wrong way to keep Mourinho’s unbeaten home Premier League run intact.

The Portuguese manager said the goal was just reward for Chelsea’s response to West Brom’s second goal, which he believed should have been disallowed due to a foul on Branislav Ivanovic in the build-up.

“It should have been a clear free-kick against West Brom when they scored the second goal,” he said.

“So I have reason to be very upset with the referee’s work. I believe he is a great referee, one of the best in European football, but he had a very unhappy game today.

“It was dramatic because the home team was losing and in the last 15 minutes our reaction was very strong.

“We put everything into the game to try to score and at least not to lose. In the end, it was even more emotional than technical and tactical.”

Ronaldo hat trick lifts Real Madrid

C

ristiano Ronaldo netted another hat trick in Real Madrid’s 5-1 win over Real Sociedad over the weekend, as the Portugal forward extended his scoring run to nine goals in his past four games.

Ronaldo’s latest bundle of goals took him three past Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa as the leading scorer in La Liga with 16 through 13 rounds. Ronaldo also tops the Champions League with eight goals.

Madrid’s win pulled it to within two points of Atletico and three points behind league leader Barcelona before they have matches on Sunday.

Ronaldo opened the scoring, adding another goal from the penalty spot and a third with a well-placed free kick.

Karim Benzema also kept up his good form by scoring while Gareth Bale set up Sami Khedira for a goal.

Ronaldo has eight multi-goal performances, including three hat tricks, in 17 matches for

Liverpool win sends EPL title message - Skrtel

Madrid this season.

Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao rallied past Levante 2-1 to provisionally move even on points with Villarreal in fourth place.

The hosts trailed to David

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iverpool defender Martin Skrtel insists his side sent a stern warning to their Premier League title rivals with a convincing 4-0 win over Fulham.

Skrtel added his name to the scoresheet, with a Fernando Amorebieta own goal and Luis Suarez’s brace moving the Reds back into second place.

Liverpool’s title credentials came under question after last

Negredo: Messi may move to England

M

anchester City striker Alvaro Negredo believes Lionel Messi could be tempted to move to the Premier League within two years.

Negredo has made a successful transition into English football since his summer signing from Sevilla, scoring four league goals and helping City qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

Messi has often stated his desire to finish his top flight career with Barcelona, where he made his senior debut in 2004, but Negredo insists the Argentine could join the recent influx of players moving to England from Spain’s La Liga.

“I could see someone like Messi coming to England and following players like David Silva, Juan Mata, Santi Cazorla, David de Gea and myself,” Negredo is quoted in the Sunday People. “He could play well in any league in the world. Maybe in two or five years he will get bored with La

Messi Liga, want a change and come over here.”

Negredo also revealed his surprise at the quality of the Premier League, insisting he has been impressed by the standard of football at City.

Barral’s 33rd-minute strike but came good inside the final 20 minutes as first Mikel Rico popped up to level before Aritz Aduriz nodded in the winner six minutes from the end.

Bilbao’s win was the fifth time in as many games at their new San Mames Stadium that the Basque club has come from behind to stay undefeated at home.

Rayo Vallecano won 2-0 at Celta Vigo through goals from Jonathan Viera and Joaquin Larrivey to escape last place and push Real Betis down into the cellar overnight.

Rayo kept Celta winless at home in seven matches at Balaidos Stadium this season.

Elche earned a 1-1 draw at Getafe to remain unbeaten in their last four away matches.

Pedro Leon Sanchez netted his fourth goal of the season midway through the first half before Elche struck back through Richmond Boakye to claim just their second point from the last four matches.

my Fearn has become the first female to referee an FA Cup game in the main draw in its 142-year history after taking charge of Dover’s firstround victory at Corby.

Fearn booked four players, including ex-England star Lee Hendrie, in the 2-1 win for Conference South side Dover.

The match at Steel Park was the second landmark achievement in Fearn’s career.

In February 2010, she became the first woman to take charge of a Football League fixture.

Fearn, 35, made the record books after stepping up from her role as senior assistant to replace the injured Tony Bates with 19 minutes to go in Coventry’s 1-0 Championship win against Nottingham Forest.

She also came to prominence in February 2007 after then Luton boss Mike Newell was fined £6,500 by the Football Association over his comments regarding her performance as an assistant referee in the previous November’s match against Queens Park Rangers.

Fearn currently officiates in the Conference.

On Saturday, the accountant oversaw a tie in which secondhalf goals from Nathan Elder and Chris Kinnear was enough to see Dover triumph despite a late Chris Carruthers consolation effort for their Southern League Premier Division opponents.

Fearn will not be able to progress to the third round of the FA Cup as only referees on the national list are allowed to take charge from that stage.

week’s defeat to league leaders Arsenal, but Skrtel is confident the Reds’ season is back on track.

“We wanted to send a message - we are here and we are ready to fight,” he told Sky Sports. “We are happy with the three points today. We wanted to keep a high tempo. Even after the first half and it was 3-0, we wanted to play our game.”

Steven Gerrard’s pinpoint cross allowed Skrtel to head home Liverpool’s second goal and the Slovakian praised his captain for providing him with yet another assist.

“It was a brilliant cross,” he added. “I have scored 10 goals and maybe three quarters of them have been from a pass from Stevie. I’m happy because that was my first goal (of the

season) and hopefully I can get a few more in the future.”

Manager Brendan Rodgers praised Liverpool’s ability to collect points against teams below them in the table, which proved to hamper them last season.

Rodgers also reserved some plaudits for Gerrard, who has come in for criticism at times this campaign.

A

Amy Fearn

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Sports

Dubuisson goes 5 ahead at Turkish Airlines Open

F

renchman Victor Dubuisson enhanced his claims for a maiden European title with a 63 to go five shots clear after three rounds of the Turkish Airlines Open.

The 23-year-old, who began the day in a four-way share of the lead, birdied the first four holes and finished 21-under.

Ian Poulter is second, with world number one Tiger Woods six behind after seven birdies and three bogeys in a 68.

Raphael Jacquelin equalled

the European Tour birdie record with 12 in his course record 62 and is also 15-under.

The 39-year-old Frenchman had three runs of four consecutive birdies mixed with a double bogey at the par-three fifth at the Colin Montgomeriedesigned course on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya.

Jacquelin is the sixth man to post 12 birdies in a European Tour round, following Fred Couples in 1991, Ernie Els (1994), Russell Claydon (1995),

Darren Clarke (1999) and Dane Jeppe Huldahl in 2010.

Dubuisson, who has finished in the top four on three occasions this year, also began with four successive birdies and when he holed from the edge of the green at the par-three eighth he was three strokes ahead.

On the back nine he drove the green at the 337-yard parfour 15th for a third successive birdie and he added another at the closing par-five in a bogeyfree round.

Victor Dubuisson

Sochi 2014: Christie crashes twice in one minute

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eading British short-track skater Elise Christie crashed twice and set a British record on an eventful third day of Olympic qualifying in Turin.

Christie, 23, collided with another skater at the first corner of her 500m quarter-final, then fell again after the restart, blaming a damaged skate.

Racing in Turin concludes on Sunday with Christie’s favoured event, the 1000m, in which she won a world bronze medal earlier this year.

Short-track involves four to six skaters racing each other in laps of a standard ice rink, in a sport which shares similarities with track cycling’s keirin and ski cross. Competitors must progress

Skater Elise Christie

through knockout rounds into the final, then the first over the line wins.

Outright speed is no guarantee of winning a race - short-track is an intensely strategic sport where positioning is vital, making sure you are in the right place to seize split-second opportunities as you dash for the line, without exhausting yourself at the front for the whole race.

Collisions are fairly common.

You can be disqualified for impeding a rival or unsportsmanlike conduct, or automatically advanced to the next round if you were unfairly disadvantaged in your race.

Elise Christie races in all three individual events - the 500m,

1000m (in which she has topped the world rankings and won a world bronze medal) and 1500m.

That translates into 4.5 laps for the 500m, nine laps for the 1000m and 13.5 laps for the 1500m. Those distances are the same for men, who also race in a 5,000m (45-lap) relay, while there is a 3,000m (27lap) relay for women.

Reaching the last 16 in each of short-track’s three individual distances had been her target in Turin, a goal she had achieved before Saturday’s racing.

The British team believe last-16 finishes at either of the two Olympic qualifiers will earn enough points to secure a berth at Sochi 2014. The second qualifier is in Kolomna, Russia, next week.

Hughes retains Flat racing title

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ichard Hughes said winning the Derby at Epsom remains his ambition after retaining his champion jockey title.

The 40-year-old was presented with a trophy on the final day of the Flat racing season at Doncaster Many of his winners have been provided by Richard Hannon, who is set to hand over training duties to

Richard Hughes

his son Richard junior.

In a highly successful season, Hughes became the first rider since Kieren Fallon in 2003 to notch up 200 winners in a season, comfortably holding off the title challenge of Ryan Moore.

The rider was accompanied by his son and daughter, Harvey and Phoebe, to the podium at Doncaster to receive his trophy, after which the champagne flowed and he was hoisted on the shoulders of his weighing-room colleagues.

Hughes, who also had his wife Lizzie in attendance, said: “It’s a fabulous day and this is why you do it. I wanted to show last year wasn’t a fluke.

The day’s feature race, the

November Handicap, was won by 8-1 chance Conduct, ridden by Seb Sanders for trainer William Haggas.

Hannon claimed his fifth trainers’ title while Jason Hart was named champion apprentice in a field which includes promising youngsters such as Thomas Brown and Oisin Murphy.

The champion owners’ accolade went to Godolphin for a ninth time despite a season which saw 22 of its horses suspended after a doping scandal.

Racing manager Simon Crisford told the Godolphin website: “We are delighted to be British champion owner again and it has been a fantastic team effort by the whole operation.

Olympic athlete burgle during mum’s funeral

O

lympic athlete Andy Turner has been left “devastated” after his home was burgled during his mother’s funeral.

The sprint hurdler appealed for help on Twitter in finding those responsible for the break-in, which happened on Thursday in Hucknall, Nottingham.

He tweeted: “Whilst at the function, we were burgled and everything was stolen including my car, laptop, phone plus loads of other stuff.”

Turner’s 58-year-old mother, Yvonne, died on 29 October.

He said: “My mum would have wanted people at the funeral so we put it out there on Facebook and Twitter.

The hurdler said his white Range Rover Sport, with the number plate L10 RUN and his name below, was taken, as well as a personalised bag.

A Nottinghamshire Police spokeswoman said thieves gained entry via the back of the house between 14:00 and 20:30 GMT on Thursday.

The Nottingham-born athlete is the third fastest British sprint hurdler of all time behind Colin Jackson and

Tony Jarrett and won gold medals at both the Commonwealth Games and European Athletics Championships in 2010.

He also took bronze in the 110 metres hurdles at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu.

Andy Turner

Lance Armstrong

Doping in 1990s difficult to stop, says Armstrong

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ance Armstrong says the authorities of cycling and other endurance sports were powerless to stop doping in the 1990s.

The American was banned for life and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles by the United States Anti-Doping Agency last year over drug use.

In an interview with American chat show host Oprah Winfrey in January this year, Armstrong admitted his central involvement in a sophisticated doping conspiracy.

He took the banned performance-enhancing substance EPO (erythropoietin), which was undetectable until a test became available in 2000.

During the first part of an

interview with Cycling News, Armstrong explained the circumstances behind his decision to use more serious substances.

“In ‘95, we just decided to make that next step. It’s not my style to name names. There were certainly as a whole us American guys, to generalise that group, who made that decision together.

“Perhaps there were people on the team, older riders who we knew had done that, and there were others - we had to have help from the team doctor - but these are all people who have avoided any consequences. Totally.”

International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson is also thought to be keen to speak to Armstrong as part of his independent inquiry into doping.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

P-i-c-t-o-r-i-a-l

PAGE 45

Sports 1. Marcello Lippi became the first coach to lift the Asian Champions League, UEFA Champions League and World Cup after guiding Guangzhou Evergrande to continental glory 2. Ahead of their WC playoff showdown, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are in prime form.

3.Roger Federer is happy to be the underdog going into Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s semi-final against Rafael Nadal at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

1

4. A fiercely disputed 96thminute Eden Hazard penalty gave Chelsea a 2-2 home draw with West Bromwich Albion to save Jose Mourinhoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unbeaten home record, while Liverpool cruised at home to Fulham.

5. European champions Bayern Munich set a new record for the longest unbeaten run in Bundesliga history with a 3-0 victory at home to Augsburg, while Borussia Dortmund went down 2-1 at Wolfsburg.

2

3

4 5

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MS BADEWA ADEJUGBE-WILLIAMS-CHAIRMAN 2. MR BOB OLUKOYA –SECRETARY 3. MR JUSTIN WILLIAMS –MEMBER 4. DR CHARLES CUDJOE –MEMBER 5. PROF MANNY ANIEBONAM-MEMBER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR KIDS TO YOUNG ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR- GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198,GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY-EIGHT ( 28) DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: CHAIRMAN 08039530275

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. GODWIN JACK UDOM PRESIDENT 2. ROSE UGBAJA SECRETARY 3. IBARALANYO THEOPHILUS 4. EMMANUEL NDIYO EKA 5. JULIANA OJEABUO 6. MFON OKPONGETTE 7. GEORGE IKPOTT 8. LAWRENCE ONYECHE 9. FRANCIS IYAJI 10. EDEMUDO TOM UDONGO THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO ENCOURAGE FARMERS ASSOCIATIONS FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE AS A BUSINESS 2. UTILIZE THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR TO CREATE JOBS, CREATE WEALTH AND ENSURE FOOD SECURITY 3. FOCUS ON VALUE CHAINS WHERE THE REGION HAS COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE 4. DEVELOP STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS TO STIMULATE INVESTMENTS TO DRIVE A MARKET-LED AGRICULTURAL REFORMATION 5. TO ORGANIZE, CO-ORDINATE AND SANITIZE FARMING BUSINESS IN NIGERIA THEREBY PLAYING A COMPLIMENTARY ROLE TO GOVERNMENT TOWARDS FOOD SUFFICIENCY 6. TO CREATE AWARENESS BETWEEN MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FARMING AS A BUSINESS, THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA AND INTERNET 7. TO RESTORE AND DIGNIFY THE DEVASTATED IMAGE OF FARMERS TO ITS ORIGINAL STATUS IF NOT BETTER ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: ENO UDONGO ESQ. 08163280087

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. AJEDEGBA EKUNDAYO 2. ADEBUKOLA AJEDEGBA 3. ANTHONIA UCHE OBIAJUNWA 4. CHIMDINMA QUEEN AJEDEGBA 5. MUNDAY IKWULONO 6. HOPE CHINENYE UBA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROVIDE FREE MEDICAL HEALTH SERVICES TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN THE SOCIETY 2. TO PROMOTE FREE MEDICAL CONSULTATION TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN THE SOCIETY ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: PRESTIGIOUS LEGAL SERVICES; 08035581170/08025290393

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HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

SHARELIFE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

GREAT NOBLE YOUTHS ASSOCIATION OF EBONYI STATE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1, OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PRINCE ISAAC DANIEL OMOLUA 2. ANTHONY EJEH OBEKPA 3. ADEKOLA ADETOMIWA 4. ENGR. (DR.) UCHE CHRISTOPHER NWADI 5. HON. LEWIS ABAH 6. FRANK OSAS IGBINEDION 7. AIYEGORO OLALERE FRANK 8. JAMES OLOBO THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF MEMBERS 2. TO FOSTER UNITY, PEACE, PROGRESS AND PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS 3. TO SET STANDARD AND REGULATE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198,GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY-EIGHT ( 28) DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. DIKE JUDE ONYEBU - CHAIRMAN 2.MADU ALOYSIUS - MEMBER 3.NGENE TIMOTHY CHIBUNDU - MEMBER 4.EBERE OKOYE NGOZIKA FLORENCE - MEMBER 5.DIKE GABRIEL UDOCHUKWU - MEMBER 6.ALOZIE LOUIS MADUFORO - MEMBER 7.AKACHUKWU GODWIN ONYEBUCHI - MEMBER 8.PASTOR IWU CYRIACUS - MEMBER 9.AGADA EUGENE - MEMBER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO EMPOWER YOUTHS IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SKILL PROGRAMS. 2.TO FOSTER DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOCIETY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR AUSTIN OGBU 2. HON AWAM EMMANUEL OGODO. ( SECRETARY) 3. HON IGWE UKPAI OKORO 4. BRO AMAOBI ANYATA ( CHAIRMAN ) 5. HON ENGR NDUBUISI OFE 6. BARR IBE SUNDAY 7 MR OGBONNA IKECHUKWU ELI 8. BARR IRUKA NWAKPU 9. MR CHARLES OLE 10. HON NKAMA UDE UDUMA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (1) TO PROMOTE UNITY AMONG MEMBERS (2) TO BRING THE YOUTHS OF EBONYI STATE TOGETHER AND CHANEL THEM ON THE PART OF PROGRESS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: NWANKWO JULIET 08037511490

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UNDENIABLE HOPE HOME FOUNDATION

ANAMBRA STATE DREDGER OWNERS ASSOCIATION

SPINAL CORD INJURIE VICTIMS WELFARE FOUNDATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MRS. STEPHANIE CHINYERE KOMOLAFE 2. MR. AKIN PAUL KOMOLAFE 3. MR. ONYEMA MADUAKOLAM CHIDIEBERE 4. MRS. OGBERIGBE NGONADI 5. MISS ONYIA JOYCE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: TO CATER FOR THE WELFARE OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED 2. TO ASSIST IN REMOVING THE DESTITUTE OUT FROM THE STREET 3. TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION TO THE POOR. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: EMMANUEL NWAGWU ESQ

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. CHIEF GILBERT OBI CHAIRMAN 2. MR. GILBERT UDEMMADU 3. MR. JOHN ADABANYA 4. MR. ONYEKACHI IGWEJIM SECRETARY 5. MR. IKENNA NWABUEZE 6. MR. SIMON NWAEGBE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO FOSTER UNITY AND TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS VIA COLLABORATION WITH STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. MRS. ROSE OKEGBE 08036117016

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. SUNDAY MAKINDE BABAWALE 2. TUNDE OLADIPO 3. OLAYEMI LUCKY ADELEYE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO CARE FOR THOSE WITH SPINAL PROBLEM. 2. TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE FOR SPINAL CHECK UP ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

PAGE 47

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THRONE ROOM ASSEMBLY INT’L

CALVARY FREEDOM APOSTOLIC MINISTRY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. REV. OBOKHALU PETER OAHIMIRE - PRESIDENT/GENERAL OVERSEER 2.PASTOR EVANS EBOLE - PASTOR 3.MR. JOSEPH ELIMIHELE - MEMBER 4.PASTOR ABRAHAM MORA - PASTOR 5.ELDER OMOLEWA FASUYI - MEMBER 6.DEACONESS MEG ONO ABIEBHODE - MEMBER 7.EVANGELIST FRANKLY IKHELOA - MEMBER 8.JAMES OKOOBOH - MEMBER 9.AROME SULE - GENERAL SECRETARY THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. 2.TO LIBERATE MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL FORMS OF SPIRITUAL BOUDAGE WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. 3.TO WIN SOULS FOR CHRIST JESUS BY PREACHING SALVATION. 4.TO PRAY FOR MEN AND WOMEN FOR OPENING DOORS OF THEIR ORIGINAL DESTINY CREATED BY GOD ALMIGHTY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR PEACE AKINGUNSOYE 2. PASTOR JOHNSON ORIADE 3. PASTOR SUNDAY AKINMOLADUN 4. PASTOR MICHEAL ARIBIGBOLA 5. MRS FUNMILAYO AKINGUNSOYE

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS NGWU EUCHARIA CHIDIEBERE NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OGBONNA EUCHARIA CHIDIEBERE ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, COLLEGE OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY BAUCHI AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE

CHANGE OF NAME

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHURCH GROUPS IN EVERY CITY OF NIGERIA AND ACROSS THE WORLD , TO BUILD AND EMPOWER WORSHIPERS UNTO GOD. 2. TO PROCLAIM THE SOLE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST AND TO FULFILL HIS GREAT COMMISSION, 3. TO ESTABLISH CARE FOR AND SUPPORT MISSIONARY OUTREACHES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS THOMPSON ESTHER CHIDINMA NOW WISHES TO BE CALLED MRS OLEKA-GODWIN ESTHER CHIDINMA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, NYSC AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY KNOWN AS MR OLAOYE HENRY NOW WISHES TO BE CALLED MR OLAOYE BABATUNDE HENRY. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

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CHANGE OF NAME

CHRIST HOLY CHURCH INTERNATIONAL

CENTRE FOR PEACE ADVOCACY AND STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS ADEMOLA IBUKUN ABOSEDE NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADEYEMI IBUKUN ABOSEDE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ZENITH BANK PLC AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO NOTE.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MOST REV. DANIEL CHUKWUDUMEBI OKOH 2. RT. REV. GABRIEL ONUORAH CHIEMEKA 3. VERY REV. CLEMENT OBI OKOYE 4. MRS. NGOZI IFEYINWA OKOH NEW TRUSTEES: 1. RT. REV. NATHAN OKEKE UMEH 2. MR DAVID ORANYE OKOH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME: ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. EUGENE IKE EZE

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. APOSTLE DANIS PAUL OKEY AGBO 2. MRS. OLIVIA NNENNA MBADIUGHA 3. BARR. MRS. BLESSING IBENEME EZE 4. BRO EMEKA EZE 5. BRO. ONWUKA AGBONWAEZE 6. MISS CHIOMA EZE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF FAMILIES ON PEACE BY THE WORD OF GOD 2. TO PROMOTE LOVE, UNITY, PEACE AND LOVE AMONG NIGERIANS ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. MRS. BLESSING EZE

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AGAPE EVANGELISTIC FELLOWSHIP

THE LAND OF HAPPINESS ZION CHURCH

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATION WITH THE HEADQUARTERS IN KADUNA STATE OF NIGERIA HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS DECREE 1990.

THE INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE: 1. EVANGELIST CLARA OMOLARA SHADO CHAIRMAN 2. MRS. LADI JACOB YUSUF SECRETARY 3. MRS. SEFI MINEH AGBAJE MEMBER 4. PASTOR EMMANUEL IBIDOKUN MEMBER 5. MRS. FOLASHADE ADEBOLA ADEGUN MEMBER THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) TO PREACH THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD AND EMPHASIZE THE REALITY OF HEAVEN (2) TO WIN SOULS AND HAND THEM OVER TO LIVING CHURCHES AROUND. (3) TO ENGAGE IN HOSPITAL VISITS, PRAY FOR, ENCOURAGE AND GIVE TO/ BLESS THE SICK. (4) TO ORGANIZE PRAYER RETREATS AND PREACH IN TOWNS OR VILLAGES AS GOD DIRECTS. (5) TO ENGAGE IN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES FOR NEW CONVERTS, WOMEN AND WIDOWS. ETCANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. RUTH OLAJIDE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1 OF 1990..

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IMEX-TOM INTERNATIONAL HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. DR. IME THOMPSON UDO 2. DR. KINGSLEY NELSON ESSIEN 3. BISHOP JOSEPH UDOM EKONG 4. MRS HAPPINESS IME JOSAIAH UDOTONG 5. MRS BLESSING ELIJAH JOSAIAH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. CLEAN ENVIRONMENT AND PERSONAL HYGIENE ADVOCACY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARRISTER BASSEY ETUKUDO LEGAL TEMPLE AND TEMPLAR ABUJA, 08037045394

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR MRS CHRISTIANS EDET 2. PASTOR MICHAEL EDET WILLIAM 3. EVANG. JOY UDOH 4. EVANG. KINGSLEY ENE 5. ELDER JOHN JONAH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL AND EVANGELISE THE WORLD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARRISTER BASSEY ETUKUDO LEGAL TEMPLE AND TEMPLAR ABUJA, 08037045394

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CAPITAL SHAREHOLDERS ASSOCIATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR. EZECHUKWU AUGUSTINE 2. MR. NWANZE CHARLES 3. MRS. EZECHUKWU VERONICA 4. MR. OMACHI JONAH 5. PATIENCE IGWE

- PRESIDENT

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF SHAREHOLDERS IN QUOTED AND UNQUOTED COMPANIES IN NIGERIA. 2. TO CAUSE SENSE OF BELONGING AND PROMOTE SENSE OF PROGRESS AMONG MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY 08035909381

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS JAMES AMEH EJE NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS JOEL AMEH EJEH, ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS YUSUF BOLANLE RASHIDAT, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ABE BOLANLE EMMANUELA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, N.Y. S. C AND GENERAL PUBLIC TO TAKE NOTE.

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

SPORTS LATEST

Ronaldo scores 23rd Real Madrid hat-trick

C

ristiano Ronaldo scored his 23rd Real Madrid hattrick as they swept aside Real Sociedad to move within three points of La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Ronaldo opened the scoring early with an angled finish before setting up striker Karim Benzema for the second.

The Portuguese forward’s penalty put the game beyond the visitors and Gareth Bale fed Sami Khedira for the fourth.

Antoine Griezmann pulled one back with a rising finish but a Ronaldo free-kick wrapped up the win and his hat-trick.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have scored 15 goals in the last three league games, with Ronaldo scoring eight of them.

The 28-year-old former Manchester United player now has 27 goals in 19 appearances for club and country this season, including four hattricks.

It was the perfect warm-up for his showdown with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who also scored a hat-trick for Paris St-Germain, when Portugal face Sweden in a World Cup qualifying playoff, the first leg taking place in Portugal on 15 November.

Ronaldo was unlucky not to open the scoring in the seventh minute when his 25-yard effort hit the bar.

But he did not have to wait long to celebrate as he pulled down Benzema’s deep cross before drilling past goalkeeper Claudio Bravo from a tight angle after 12 minutes.

Ronaldo then returned the favour six minutes later with a pull-back that the France international side-footed past Bravo to make it 2-0.

It was 3-0 after 26 minutes, Ronaldo winning a penalty when his low shot went through Markel Bergara’s legs and hit the defender’s trailing arm.

It was tough on Bergara but Ronaldo was not about to waste the chance as he fired home his second from the spot.

The game was as good as over for Sociedad at that point, but the agony was not and Bale set up Khedira to rifle home Madrid’s fourth from the edge of the box with nine minutes of the first half remaining.

Madrid continued to push for more goals but it was the visitors who netted next when Griezmann neatly lobbed home a through-ball from Carlos Vela after 61 minutes.

ADVERT: 0803 BUSINESS: 0805 NEWS: 0814 LAGOS: 0805 0803

“

The approval value is above the limit of Ministerial Tenders Board. Whereas the aproved revised thresholds for service wide application pursuant to section 16(2) 2009 (as amended) a minister’s limit is N100 million, in approving N564,665,000 as evidence Ref. No. /FMA/T44555/S.6/ T2/136. She was in breach of the law – Reps panel on Oduah

2013: Some year

I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for hours will take care of themselves.” P.D. Stanhope At the beginning of this year, I published a projection of what I thought will be issues that will give the year its character. I just had a glimpse at the material again, and I will leave you to judge the manner events played out against the projections. Almost at the end of the year, these are my views on them. i) President Jonathan has failed to restrain massive official corruption, and his political ambition has split his party and is raising tensions across the country; ii) Governors are now in many camps, but they will still be major determinants of what happens in the PDP, the APC and in 2015; iii) The opposition has waxed stronger, and today poses the greatest threat to the PDP’s stranglehold on the nation’s politics. But it has many sensitive issues to resolve, and very little time to resolve them; iv) Insecurity and crime have grown in the year, feeding off a weakening state policing infrastructure and a military which appears to be adopting a strategy of chasing an insurgency around while its leadership speaks with the government; v) The Stella Oduah saga says all there is to say on corruption under the Jonathan administration; vi) The National Assembly has had a tough year overseeing a leaking executive and walking around minefields which challenge its integrity at every turn; vii) We did not learns our lessons from the floods of 2012. In 2013, we lost as much as we did in 2012, and spent even more. The rains are proving lucrative sources for financial accumulation and major drains on public resources; viii) The Super Eagles won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, restoring some credibility to the quality of our football. The nation is ending the year with an even greater achievement: the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. Lets be chainable to the administration. Nigeria won two cups in one year under it.

The makers of 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan says 2013 will be the year of his greatest impact. Most Nigerians will hope so. Leaders of the opposition and sceptics who hope he will disappoint again will pay for their hostility with higher costs for diesel for their generators, higher costs to protect and secure life and limbs, and uncertainties over whether a President who performs badly all through this will allow a free and fair election to determine his fate in 2015. If 2013 will be the year President Jonathan will affect our lives most, what factors will be at play in shaping it?

1.

President Jonathan The President’s character will be a major factor in terms of what he does in 2013. It cannot

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FIFTEEN MINUTES with Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed drbabaahmed@yahoo.com

President Jonathan escape him that the vast majority of Nigerians are resigned to his rating as the least effective Nigerian leader in history, and their levels of cynicism over his capacity to alter it are alarming. He could transform his persona and generate new levels of personal courage, commitment and zeal to deal more decisively with many problems threatening to swamp the nation. If he can do that, he will then focus on overhauling his decision-making machinery.

Key Ministers involved in managing the economy and infrastructure are now serious liabilities. Many others are content to just tag along without adding value to the quality of governance. He has too many powerful people without specific responsibilities but massive influence over decisions and policies.

Some of these are what Alhaji Asari Dokubo recently lashed out at. The President needs to clean up his Augean Stable which is now a veritable source of corruption, tardiness and incompetence. If he does not do this, he will achieve even less in 2013 than he did since 2012.

It is also important that he evaluates his position in relation to running again in 2015. The more he keeps the nation guessing, the more he will attract latent and active hostility and opposition from members of his own party, especially governors from the north nursing ambitions; south-east politicians and an opposition receiving a major boost to merge from his perceived ambition. The President’s best bet is to renounce any ambition to run in 2015, and make that decision public. He can then tackle serious problems with a single-minded devotion, and step on toes which will otherwise hide behind his ambition.

2. Governors Governors will constitute a

major influence in shaping 2013.

Together, they can frustrate the President’s plans on Sovereign Wealth Fund and other key policy instruments around the economy, and possibly around constitutional amendments. They have many sources of conflicts among them, principally around resource allocation and constitutional amendments. These will reduce their potency as a group, but only slightly.

Some PDP governors among them have presidential ambitions, and if they can lean on each other and trade favours, they will be the most decisive influence in determining the outcome of the fight for the PDP flag. They are likely to be influential in determining President Jonathan’s plans towards 2015 which will have to be made clearer in 2013.

3.

The opposition The opposition will be influential in 2013, provided current talks end up producing a genuine merger, and leaders that can threaten the PDP and Jonathan’s ambitions.

Sticking points in negotiations such as who will emerge leader and flag bearer in 2015 will be difficult to resolve, but if they go beyond 2013, they are unlikely to result in any serious challenge to the PDP’s dominance.

4.

Insecurity and Crime Threats to national security from the insurgency of JASLIWAJ (Boko Haram) are likely to continue to challenge the nation.

If the administration sustains its current basic strategy of deploying large numbers of security personnel around locations and highways in 2013, it will expose them to more localized hostility, with little impact over the capacity of the insurgency to continue to threaten citizens and the state. If, on the other hand, government undertakes a radical review of its strategy with focus on intelligence gathering as well as involvement of communities in managing the crisis, it could substantially limit the capacity of the insurgency to wage war in 2013.

Review of strategies may include tapping into communities to build bridges with the insurgency, and engaging it in discussions within the year.

Serious crimes such as kidnapping, crude theft, armed robbery and piracy will most likely escalate in 2013, unless the administration addresses major weaknesses in its law and order assets, particularly the police. Substantial part of this asset has been compromised by corruption and chronic incompe-

tence, and violent crimes are feeding off its weaknesses at alarming rates. Small arms availability is now a bigger threat than even the Boko Haram insurgency. Unless major steps are taken to restructure the nation’s policing capacity and improve discipline and professionalism, life for most citizens will become even more insecure in 2013. The military is being stressed and exposed to dangerous levels, and the year will likely highlight the impact of this exposure.

5. Corruption The image of the administration as weak when it comes to dealing with corruption will be made worse unless genuine results show in the efforts to prosecute subsidy and pension scams and other reported cases of corruption around official circles. The perception is that the administration harbors too many untouchables with powerful positions and intimate relationships with the presidency. Of all the issues which the President needs to stamp his authority on, none is more important than dealing with run-away corruption. 2013 will be decisive in this respect, because 2014 will be a campaign year, and tills will be seriously raided for resources to prosecute the 2015 elections, whether Jonathan is a candidate or not.

6.

National Assembly 2013 is likely to witness more frictions between the presidency and the legislature, particularly the Representatives. Disputes over budget performance and implementation, the P.I.B, constitutional amendments and corruption will pitch the executive against the legislature in more noisy and untidy disputes. As the year runs out, political ambitions will tamper with these quarrels, and both sides may sheath swords or raise voices over the accumulation of resources for campaigns, or in deference to considerable muscles of the party and governors.

7.

The Media The administration has been fighting a losing war with the Nigerian media. Its perception of being assessed by a biased and intrinsically-hostile media may make it less-disposed towards improving its own image, or performance. A marked improvement in performance in the first half of 2013, though unlikely, will alter the manner the media portrays the administration. Failure to do so will leave the administration even more poorly-assessed by the nation’s media.

8.

The elements 2012 was a bad year for millions of citizens affected by the floods. It was only a matter of good fortune that massive losses were not compounded by severe food shortages.

The nation cannot pay the same price for another disaster in 2013.

9.

The Super Eagles If the Super Eagles win the Africa Cup of Nation in South Africa in 2013, they will redress the alarming decline and waste which is now a feature of the nation’s sporting fortunes. If they fail, as the nation’s Olympic Team did to justify the huge cost of supporting their campaigns, more and more Nigerians will write off our sporting legacies in 2013

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