More feared infected with Ebola virus

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62203

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

IMPEACHMENT: Panel South-South govs, leaders endorse dismisses allegations against Al-Makura >9 Jonathan for 2015 >12

More feared infected with Ebola virus

By Sola Ogundipe, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Chioma Obinna, Monsur Olowoopejo & Gabriel Olawale

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•Medical team tracking families of primary contacts •Striking doctors volunteer to treat Ebola patients •Emergency units set up; infected doctor in intensive care •FG contacts US for experimental drug; World Bank pledges $200m

AGOS—THERE were fears, yesterday, that six of the eight primary contacts of the late Patrick Sawyer, may have tested positive to the Ebola virus, but are yet to show signs of the disease.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has said that the seven remaining primary contacts currently in quarantine are showing no signs of the Ebola Virus Continues on page 5

COLUMNISTS:

Echoes of Chibok and female suicide bombers •P.19

For Bamidele •P.19 Aturu: 1964-2014

Mr & Mrs APC MEGA RALLY IN OSUN—From left; Gov Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governor of Osun State; Gov Abiola Ajumobi of Oyo State; Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Deputy Governor Lagos State, Adejoke Orelope, at the APC Mega Rally in Osun State, yesterday. More on Page 50.

Adeboye ordains 2,435 assistant pastors >>60

See 8-page pull-out inside

Robbers, kidnappers take over Igbariam Farms

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 3

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 —5

POCKET CARTOON

VISIT—From left, Chief Judge of Sokoto State, Alhaja Bi likisu A. Bashir; Chief Judge of Oyo State, Hon. Justice Badejoko O. Adeniji; retired justice of Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, during a courtesy visit to the Gbongan home of Justice Babalakin, in Osun State on Monday.

More feared infected with Ebola virus Continues from page 1 Disease, EVD. A source, who confirmed this to Vanguard, said the six feared to have tested positive are among those who had serious contact with the late Liberian Ebola victim.

According to the source who pleaded anonymity, the situation is becoming a big challenge even now that the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, is on strike.

The source advised the Federal Government to take the matter more seriously and deploy all

available resources to curtail further spread of the virus, adding, however, that efforts are being made to create more centres for possible isolation of the latest victims.

Already, unconfirmed reports have it that the Lagos State Government was considering setting up an Ebola Centre at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, following the facility’s capability to cater for such situation.

“As I am speaking to you this morning, (yesterday) six of the eight contacts that were quarantined have tested

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

If you limit your choice only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise — Robert Fritz

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HE path of least resistance is an alluring op tion to accomplish goals in a simple and easy fashion and we tend to choose this path towards the accomplishment of our aims. Choosing the path of least resistance does not involve the “regular” conscious decision making process, such as evaluating what tasks need to be done and trying to figure out what possible obstacles and barriers could limit you from reaching your goal and it does not involve the creation of your own strategies to accomplish the aim.

Whenever you are confronted with the option to choose the path of least resistance, try to keep in mind that it is not always the most conscious choice!

However, it can in some cases save you a lot of time, so try to choose the path that fulfils you most, even if it is the consciously chosen path of least resistance.

positive to Ebola virus, but are not showing signs or symptoms yet.

But they are still being monitored. Right now, they cannot be treated because Nigeria has no specific viral drug, and we cannot use the American viral drug.

“There are efforts now to ensure that the country comes up with possible viral drug within the next month to treat infected Nigerians. For now, we are only boosting their immune systems by giving them healthy foods. There is problem on ground and we should be doing what is needed to put an end to it.”

Govt tracking families of infected doctor At a press conference in Lagos, a medical team comprising officials of federal and state governments in collaboration with World Health Organisation, WHO, said they have commenced tracking of families of the Nigerian doctor, who tested positive to EVD, and seven others under surveillance and monitoring.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said the infected doctor, who at-

tended to late Patrick Sawyer at a private hospital in Lagos, was the only confirmed case of EVD to date out of the eight primary contacts under clinical surveillance and care. “She is currently being administered on intensive medication,” he noted.

“Her being infected is largely due to the fact that she was a primary contact when the index case presented itself. At this point, the disease was not known to have been imported into the country, " he said.

Giving an update, Idris disclosed that experts have confirmed that not all persons infected by the disease may die as there are chances that victims detected early may live, depending on how they are managed.

He said that the fatality rate is between 40 - 90 per cent.

Idris, along with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba and his Special Duties counterpart, Dr. Wale Ahmed, also debunked rumours about the mode of spread of Ebola, saying transmission is only through secretions from an infected person and contact.

He stressed that the essence of the briefing was to harp on the mode of transmission of EVD

for education of the general public, stressing that the disease is transmissible through direct contact with broken skin, mucous membranes and secretions of an infected person or through direct contact with materials and surfaces that have been contaminated by an infected person.

Idris warned the public to be very careful in the treatment of sick people by alerting the necessary authorities of any severe cases of illness.

Tracking “Out of 70 contacts from the airline to the hospital, we found out that 14 had serious direct contact with victims; eight of them developed symptoms. Initially, we were following them through telephone conversations, we are checking their temperatures periodically.

“That is why we need people to carry out these activities. We need to train a lot of people. If people refuse, then who is going to do it? We need to trace these people and what they do. Once anyone of these people develops symptoms, he or she is taken back to the place because it is possible they have reached the period of infectivity.

“Having done that, we have to go back to secondary contacts, which are the immediate family members. Right now, we are following them up one after the other. We cannot carry all the fami-

lies into quarantine. We are developing links with all the secondary contacts for follow up.

“On hazard allowance, this happened in Guinea when it first started.

There were issues of cultural practices and, at a point, their medical workers abandoned the patients and it was people from outside that helped.

“This is a serious disease; we are seriously considering proper hazard allowance for all the people who will volunteer to work with us. We are working with the Federal Government on how best to work it out and design proper incentives. We are doing it fast, this is a health emergency.

“This is a call for vigilance as human-to-human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from Ebola virus through body fluids such as blood, urine, stool, saliva, breast milk and semen. Burial ceremonies where mourners, including family members have direct contact with patients who died of Ebola, have also played a role in the spread of the disease”, Idris said.

Idris noted that in Africa, infection has also occurred through the handling of infected chimpanzees, monkeys, guerillas, fruit bats, antelopes and porcupine, adding that there has been no case of transmis-

Continues on page 53

6 — Vanguard , WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 6, 2014

Clearing agent docked for defrauding NRC of N7.4m

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS –A clearing agent, Oluwaseun Mcdede, was yesterday, arraigned before a Lagos Chief magistrate’s court, sitting in Ebute Meta, for allegedly defrauding Nigerian Railways Corporation, NRC, of N7.4 million.

Oluwaseun, 46, who runs a company named Bamalak Commercial Agency, at Apapa area of Lagos State, was alleged to have committed the offence sometimes between July and September 2011, on the pretext that he was in position to clear some goods for the corporation.

He was alleged to have collected the said sum from a company, Polamp Nigeria Limited that shipped in the goods for the NRC. The defendant is facing a one-count charge of fraud preferred against him by the police.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Moses Uadevmbo, told the court that the offence is punishable under Section 312 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.

Counsel to the defendant, A. O. Akinlaja, informed the court that his client never jump the administrative bail granted him by the police.

He said his client fell ill after the police told both parties to find an amicable way of resolving the matter.

Akinlaja, however, urged the court to grant the defendant bail in the most liberal terms.

MURDER OF SAN: Court remands killer-son in prison custody

BY Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA— THE Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, arraigned the 21year-old student of Redeemers’ University, Tola Ajayi, who killed his 60-year-old father, Charles Ajayi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, before a chief magistrate's court sitting in Owode-Egba in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state for murder.

The suspect, who was arraigned on a count charge of murder, was called to the dock at 9:58 am in suit number MOO/276c/2014.

Tola, a 300 level student of History and International Relations, was said to have stabbed his father to death at about 4 am at Canaanland Street, Redeemed Christian Church of God Camp, Mowe in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state.

He was subsequently arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command for unlawfully killing his father during an argument.

The prosecutor, Sgt Evidence Onyekachi, told the court that the suspect’s action was contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.

The suspect’s plea was not taken as his defence counsel was absent from court.

The casefile was, however, duplicated by the Investigating Police Officer, IPO and sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for legal advice while the accused was remanded in prison custody.

Senior Magistrate Bolaji Ojikutu ordered that the suspect be remanded pending the advice from the DPP. Ojikutu, who also ordered that the case be returned to the

IPO, Sunday Omopariola, for onward transfer to the DPP for legal advice adjourned the case till October 10.

The charge sheet read thus: “You, Tola Ajayi, 21, on July 3 2014 at about 4 am at

Cannanland Street, RCCG Camp, Mowe in the Owode Egba Magistrate Court District did unlawfully kill one Charles Ajayi, aged 60, by macheting him with knife and cutlass and

thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.”

Traders carrying out their businesses at the flooded Mile 1 market in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

NAFDAC arrests 3 for counterfeiting cosmetics, food items

By Chioma Obinna

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AGOS — THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has paraded three suspects in Lagos for illegal production and sale of wine, food processing aids, additives and

Batch B corps members arriving the Oyo State Permanent Orientation Camp, Ogbakuta, in Iseyin, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

cosmetic products.

The cosmetic products are said to be poisonous to the skin and could pose the risk of skin cancer to unsuspecting users.

Those paraded were Mr. Emmanuel Ume of 9, Oshogbo Street, Itire, Surulere for illegal production and counterfeiting of NAFDAC regulated products in an apartment; Otutu Federick of shop D043, Akwa Ibom Plaza, Trade Fair complex and Mr. Okoye Chikeluo of Shop C004, Kaduna Plaza, Tr a d e Fa i r c o m p l ex f o r counterfeiting cosmetic products.

Speaking on the arrest of the suspects, Dr. Paul Orhii, Director General, NAFDAC, warned that the counterfeit products which were produced without compliance to principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and standards of hygiene could pose serious threat to public health.

Orhii said that Ume was arrested in his residence last Sunday, where he was using one of the rooms to produce adulterated, counterfeit and

unwholesome brandy among other regulated products.

According to the DG, the suspect used to carry out his underground activity on Sundays and the fake products are secretly distributed via his corner shop in Oke-Arin market, Central Lagos during week days.

According to Orhii, the arrest of Federick and Chikeluo was the result of successful surveillance and monitoring of the activities of the two suspects, who have become notorious for counterfeiting popular and fast moving cosmetics.

Some of the items confiscated from Federick and Chikeluo are 672 packs of unlabelled cosmetic of different colours, 300 packs of Dove essential nourishment body cream, 60 packs of vaseline men cooling body cream and other variant of dove cosmetic products.

The two suspects have been interrogated and the offending products sampled against them for full laboratory evaluation, Orhii said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 7

Man, 24, in court for defiling 7-year-old girl

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS — THE Police, yesterday, charged a 24year-old man, Matthew Edidi, before an Ebute-Meta Chief magistrate’s court for allegedly defiling a sevenyear-old girl (name withheld).

The defendant, who is a resident of 11, Adeleye Street,

in Ojo area of Lagos State and a neighbour of the victim, was said to have committed the offence on June 20, at about 7.30 pm.

The defendant, who is facing a one count charge of rape, was arraigned before Magistrate A. Demi-Ajayi.

According to the prosecutor,

DSP Ekankum Etim, the offence is punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, of Nigeria 2011.

The defendant, however pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him. Counsel to the defendant, Ali Abba, urged

the court to grant him bail in accordance with Section 36(6) of the 1999 constitution.

Magistrate, A. Demi-Ajayi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She also adjourned the matter till September 24.

Ilorin pastor drowns in flood water after heavy downpour

By Demola Akinyemi

Five killed in P-Harcourt cult attack

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT – AT least five persons were shot dead on Monday night at a drinking joint on Aggrey Road, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Sources who spoke to the Vanguard said the incident was cult-related, adding that the gunmen stormed the drinking joint close to the popular Agip filling station on Aggrey Road at about 9.30pm in search of their target.

But unknown to them, their target had left before they got there. So in their frustration, they shot some persons they met drinking at the joint.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, who confirmed the incident in his response to a text message from Vanguard, said only two persons were confirmed dead, noting that the issue was cult related.

The incident came barely two days after two cult groups clashed in Khana Local Government Area leaving three persons dead.

Two of them were allegedly murdered in Bane community.

According to community sources, the killers fled with the head of one of those they murdered.

Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, Mr Hyacinth Nwiye, who condemned the incident said the rampaging cultists also shot dead a lady in Kpaa

community.

He said: “When I heard about the incident I quickly called the DPO to find out what happened. When I got there, I discovered that the

corpses had been brought to the police station. I went with them to the mortuary where the corpses were deposited.

"I later discovered that one of the cultists that took part

in this act was shot dead and beheaded. His head was taken away. We took the headless body to the mortuary.”

Land slide at Sabon Tasha bridge in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

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LORIN—Tragedy struck, yesterday morning in Ilorin, when a Pastor who was a volunteer member of his Community Development Association, was drowned in a flood while creating pathway for the water’s free flow in front of his house.

The over 10-hour rain in the state capital started about midnight lasting till about 11am, yesterday The deceased, according to residents in Kilanko area of the state capital, where the incident happened, used to create water channels whenever there was such heavy rain.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the Pastor whose name was yet to be ascertained at press time, was going about his past time when he slipped and fell into the gutter and the flood carried him away.

Unfortunately, there was nobody to rescue him.

It was when the rains subsided some 30 minutes later that the residents discovered that the pastor was missing.

A search party was quickly set up which later found him dead inside a gully, about 500 metres from his house.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident.

He said his remains had been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH, morgue.

KIDNAPPING: Anambra govt demolishes church, 3 other buildings

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA— FOUR buildings, including a church, said to belong to suspected kidnappers were yesterday demolished in Anambra State.

It was part of the state government’s continued clampdown on criminals in the state.

Governor Willie Obiano has already revoked the Certificates of Occupancy, C of Os of the four buildings.

Two of the buildings, including the church, belonged to one Pastor Ifeanyi Nwaezeagu, General Overseer of Unchangeable God Ministries, Awkuzu, while the other two

were located at Dusogu and Ifite villages also in Awkuzu.

The officer in charge of SARS in the state, Mr. James Nwafor; Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. Olafimihan Adeoye; Command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Chief Chikaodi Anara, led a high powered team to the demolition sites and the parade of the suspects.

The DCP said Pastor Nwaezeagu had generated millions of naira as kidnap proceeds and was involved in

the kidnap of many wealthy Anambra men, including a priest.

According to him, “Pastor Ifeanyi Nwaezeagu is fake and was engaging in kidnapping unnoticed until he was caught in 2013.

“His confessional statements led to the exposure of his gang before Governor Obiano revoked his C of O, leading to demolition of his church and buildings.”

One of his houses was marked Ozo Igbo Ndu (life saver) suspected to be his shrine, while the church was marked ‘’Unchangeable God,” with some Biblical quotations to go with it.

An indigene of the area, Mr. Chukwuchebe Nweke, said Pastor Nwaezeagu started his church in 1999, adding that they never knew he was into kidnapping and robbery until lately when police invaded his home and the church.

Police parade 15 suspects

The demolition came as the Anambra State Police command paraded 15 suspected kidnappers and robbers who were caught with sophisticated arms and ammunition. They were paraded at the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters, Awkuzu.

Among the weapons

displayed by the police include one rocket launcher, one rocket, 50 magazines for AK-47, 300 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, among others Addressing newsmen in Awkuzu, the PPRO said 10 of the suspects were kidnappers, while five were robbers and car snatching syndicate members using fake number plates.

He explained that the police had been diligent and applying due process in investigating the cases and smoking out kidnappers and robbers who have been terrorizing the state.

Two of the suspects, a dismissed army officer, one Prince Ndubuisi Friday and Ifeanyichuukwu Onuchukwu confessed to the crime.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

No database for federal pensioners — PTAD boss

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

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HE DIRECTOR -GENERAL, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, disclosed, yesterday, that there is no credible database of federal government pensioners.

She disclosed this at a one-day sensitisation workshop for Treasury-Funded Parastatals and members of their Pension Board of Trustees, in Abuja.

There had been several attempts by various administrations to establish a dependable pensioners' database, but each of such attempts was frustrated by officials of the Pension Office in the office of the Head of Service, HoS. Alhaji Abdulrahman Maina, who headed the Task Force on Pensions tried to clean up the terribly corrupt federal government system, but he was, himself accused of dipping his hands into the coffers.

Although Maina cried out that those whom he had disclosed to have stolen several billion of Naira from the system were the ones accusing him of wrong-doing, he was removed and the administration of pension was reverted to the Pension Office of the HoS. According to Mrs. Mayshak, there was no database for her office to rely on and as such, her team needs to embark on a data gathering exercise throughout the country to capture the biometrics of pensioners.

A fully developed database, she said, would assist the Federal Government in its efforts to eliminate ghost workers."

MEETING: President Goodluck Jonathan, flanked by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Aminu Wali and the Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Professor Adebowale Adefuye (2nd right); former President, Nigerian Diaspora Organization, NIDO, Alhaji Ganiyu Dada (left) and 'The Mayor,' Dr. Ignatius Ukpabi (right), during a 'Town Hall Meeting' between the President and Nigerians in the Diaspora, at the Nigerian Embassy, Washington D.C., United States of America. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

War crimes allegation against military not verified, says FG

BY Kingsley Omonobi & Caleb Ayansina

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BUJA — THE Federal Government, yesterday, said it did not believe that details of the accusations of extrajudicial killings leveled against Nigerian military by Amnesty International had been properly verified.

The report released, Monday,

by Amnesty International, accused Nigerian troops of extrajudicial killings of over 600 persons in the North-eastern part of the country.

Coordinator of National Information Centre, NIC, Mike Omeri, who stated this during the routine security briefing in Abuja, said Nigerian armed forces have never been accused of perpetrating such acts in the past.

“Although, we have great respect for Amnesty International,

if such allegations are to be deemed credible, the sources of the claims and their possible political motivations should and ought to be examined and carefully considered.

“We want to assure that justice will be done once we have all facts. In the meantime, every soldier fighting this battle deserves our support and gratitude and not unverified accusations.

“While we appreciate the contribution of persons and groups towards ending insurgency in the country, including those of recognised human rights organisations, we wish to state in unmistaken terms that the Federal Government of Nigeria maintains strict zero tolerance policy for violations of the rules of engagements,” he said.

The Defence Headquarters on its part reiterated that the allegation by Amnesty International were unfounded as the video foot-

age pointed at as evidence, was alien to Nigeria's military operations.

Addressing a press conference on the allegation, in Abuja, Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade said the military treats issues of human rights with all seriousness and will not condone any proven case of abuse by its personnel.

Olukolade disclosed that investigations are on to unravel veracity of the video, insisting that the footage was alien to operations and doctrines of the military.

According to him: Military authorities are deeply concerned about the set of video footage being circulated and which unfortunately has become reference data for Amnesty International in its report.

"Much as the scenes depicted in these videos are alien to our operations and doctrines, it has to be investigated to ensure that

Nigeria targets 8bn cubic feet of natural gas production

By Sebastine Obasi

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INISTER of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, yesterday, said that the Federal Government is set to grow natural gas production to eight billion cubic feet per day, as well as sustain crude oil and condensate production at 2.388 million barrels per day.

The minister, represented by Mr. Emmanuel Bekee, a deputy director in the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, stated this at the three-day Nigerian Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, SPE, holding in Lagos.

She also said that in order to reduce gas flaring, supply to the domestic market was increased.

“As part of our strategy to reduce gas flare, supply to the domestic market grew to an all time high of 1,500 million cubic feet per day, of which about 70 per cent was deployed to the power sector and the balance in support of the manufacturing sector such as cement. This ultimately reduced our average gas flare to less than 12 per cent,” he she said.

According to the minister: “As part of our resilient effort to boost infrastructure development for gas supply, we have completed and commissioned 150 kilometres of pipeline Escravos-Lagos ex-

pansion project and the remaining 250 kilometres section is in advanced stage of completion.

“Work has also commenced on the 120-kilometre East-West OB3 gas pipeline, intended to boost gas supply to the power industry.

"We are continuing with the pilot compressed gas project in Benin with 2,500 cars, mostly taxis, now running on natural gas and many more being converted daily.”

She explained that the government wants to consolidate on the gas supply expansion with an additional 500 million cubic feet per day to support about 2,000 mega-watts of power generation,

while continuing with the Ogidigben Gas Industrial Park designed to host fertiliser, petrochemical and methanol plants in Delta State.

“It is common knowledge that the oil and gas industry has been plagued with a plethora of challenges that have negatively impacted on our ability to meet national crude oil production target, loss of revenue to investors, environmental degradation and sometimes loss of lives. The most prominent among these is theft related vandalism leading to significant production deferments, theft and decline in revenue to the investors,” she added.

such practices have not crept surreptitiously into the system."

He maintained that the allegations were too grievous to be associated with Nigerian troops, considering the doctrinal and operational contents of the training imparted to personnel on continuous basis, adding that it could be a case of impersonation.

His words: "Notwithstanding, the cases of impersonations that have pervaded counter-terrorism operations in Nigeria, and many other related issues which cast doubts on the claims made in the video, the Defence Headquarters views those grave allegations very seriously, more so as they border on the integrity of the ongoing counter-terrorism operation, which must be sustained in the interest of our national survival.

"Consequently, the Defence Headquarters in addition to the already existing Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has constituted a team of senior officers and legal cum forensic experts to study the video footage and the resultant allegations in order to ascertain the veracity of the claims with a view to identifying those behind such acts."

"This will further determine and stimulate necessary legal action against any personnel or anyone found culpable in accordance with the provisions of the law."

On suspects in military detention facilities, Olukolade explained that based on the earlier allegation by amnesty body, the authorities had released some suspects and forwarded names of those to face prosecution to the Ministry of Justice in line with the recommendation of JIT.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 9

OSUN ELECTION: APC decries

plan to arrest its leaders

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HE ALL Progressives Congress, APC, has decried the plan by the PDP-led Federal Government to commence a mass arrest of its leaders in Osun State as a ploy to destabilise the party and intimidate its members and supporters ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

In a statement issued in Osogbo, Tuesday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the arrests, which were earlier scheduled to start, tomorrow, was fast forwarded because of the runaway success of the APC’s rally in Osogbo, Tuesday.

“The mammoth crowd that turned out for the rally today (yesterday) so destabilised the PDP and the Federal Government that they have now decided to fast track the arrest of our leaders in all the local government areas of the state.

“Already, a special team from Abuja has arrived in Osogbo solely for this purpose, while at least one of our leaders, Hon. Oke, has been arrested,” the party said.

It said the arrest and intimidation of opposition members put a question mark on President Goodluck Jonathan’s assurance to the international community that the Osun election will be free and fair.

IGP vows to change attitude of Police rank and file

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA — THE newly appointed InspectorGeneral of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba, yesterday, vowed that he would devote considerable energy to ensure that he changed the attitude of the rank and file of the Police.

Speaking, yesterday, when he paid a courtesy visit on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, IGP Abba stressed that he would take measures to change the way Police officers relate with one another and the way they relate with the people they serve.

He added that when he concluded his attitudinal reform of the Police, the men and officers would be more ethical and committed to duty.

He said: "We need to have a change of attitude.

When we do that, we will see new Police that are mindful of values of hard work, loyalty and ethics.”

“As we have always said, election is a process. Rigging is not restricted to voting day alone.

Arrest and intimidation of the opposition ahead of voting constitute rigging. Therefore, by engaging in the mass arrest of our leaders in Osun, by deploying highly-partisan security agencies to the state, the Federal Government has already kick-started the process of rigging Saturday’s election “We are, therefore, alerting election observers, the international community and indeed all Nigerians to the evil machinations of the PDP and the Federal Government for the Osun election."

RALLY: Deputy Speaker, House of Reps, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (right), acknowledging cheers from his supporters, during the Deputy Speakers' rally, at Ideato-South Local Government Area, Imo State, weekend.

IMPEACHMENT: Panel dismisses assembly's allegations against Al-Makura

By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru & Abel Daniel

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AFIA — THE seven-man panel set up to investigate allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State by the state House of Assembly in a bid to impeach him from office, yesterday, dismissed the 16-count charge for lack of evidence.

The investigating panel led by Mr. Yusuf Usman arrived at the decision following the refusal of the State Assembly to appear before the panel to give evidence in prove of their allegations.

The Assembly had earlier petitioned the Chief Judge, Justice Umar Dikko, who constituted the panel asking him to dissolve the panel on the ground that two members were card carrying members of a political party while another member was a board member of the Nasarawa State Christian Pilgrim Board contrary to sub section 188 (5) At the first sitting of the panel, Monday, the Assembly refused to show up to present their evidence prompting the panel to issue an-

other hearing notice served on the Assembly to appear, yesterday.

Appearing before the panel, Mr. Ocha Olegede, who led other lawyers for the assembly said: "We are appearing before the panel in protest because the House had submitted a petition to the Chief Judge, Justice Umar Dikko challenging the constitution of the panel. The constitution of the panel is in breach of 188 (5) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

"The House of Assembly is challenging the membership of some members of the panel on the grounds that they are members of a political party and hence should disqualify themselves as members of the panel. I urge the panel in view of the above to disqualify itself from conducting the proceeding."

The Assembly further faulted the panel for formulating rules of procedure contrary to the provisions of section 188 (7) (8) of the constitution.

Mr. Olegede submitted that the assembly's legal team only ap-

peared before the panel to honour the notice served on the Assembly and that the House of Assembly "does not intend to and would not be part of the proceedings of the panel" and therefore, urged the panel to allow them to leave.

The panel, however, refused to grant Mr. Olegede and his team permission to leave until counsel to the governor has responded to his submissions and the panel had ruled on the very fundamental issue raised.

In his submissions, Chief Udechukwu Udechukwu, SAN, argued that from the submission of the counsel to the House of Assembly, it was clear that there was not only proof of service, but acknowledgment of service coupled with appearance of the legal team on behalf of the Assembly.

"The conduct of the Assembly in the present circumstances clearly establishes an abandonment of their allegation leveled against the governor," he said, and therefore, urged the panel to dismiss the entire allegations submitted by the Nasarawa State

....Nasarawa Impeachment: A historic escape NEWS ANALYSIS

By EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

I

T TOOK the calm and courage of a partly disabled Governor Umaru al-Makura to disarm the impeachment bug that only recently struck down a former Nigerian general, Admiral Murtala Nyako.

Al-Makura, who was acquitted by the impeachment panel constituted by the Nasarawa State Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, became the first governor in Nigeria’s history to escape the gauntlet at the point of an impeachment panel.

His tact towards the impeachment process was remarkably

unique. Only last weekend, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, in a remarkably pugnacious outburst, had rebuked the Nasarawa governor for towing the path of peace in his response to the impeachment action lodged against him by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP dominated House of Assembly.

“On our volition, we suggested to him to allow us mobilise our foot soldiers. He refused. We also appealed to him to allow us come in physically. He refused; always distancing himself from such expertise that would assist him,” Kwankwanso said as he blamed the predicament of the embattled governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on the Presidency.

Al-Makura, who is partly disa-

bled in hearing and has fronted the cause of Nigerians living with physical disabilities, apparently did not hear well the drum of war beaten by Kwankwaso.

His robust defence coupled with quiet diplomacy eventually paid off. The panel’s acquittal of the governor of all the allegations leveled against him by the House sets him free from any further accusation based on the charges as filed against him.

Section 188 (8) of the Nigerian Constitution detailing the procedures for the removal of a Nigerian governor or deputy states thus: (8) Where the panel reports to the House of Assembly that the allegation has not been proved, no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of the matter.

House of Assembly against Governor Al-Makura in the notice of impeachment dated 14th July, 2014 and published in the Daily Trust newspaper of 17th July, 2014.

He submitted that failure by the Assembly to provide rules for procedure to guide the panel has rendered proof of the allegations impossible and asked the panel to dismiss each and every allegations contained in the notice of impeachment and submit its report to the Nasarawa House of Assembly in compliance with section 188, 7b of the constitution.

The panel in its resolution stated that the grounds of protest as stated by the counsel to the Assembly raised allegations of serious breach of the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It said: "It is beyond the powers of this panel to resolve this issue.

We are, therefore, of the view that this matter can only be resolved by a court of competent jurisdiction. We, therefore, refrain from deciding on the merit or otherwise of that issue.

"Secondly, the panel also refers to the provision of section 7c of the guideline dated 4th July, 2014 and which we have also served on both counsel. The section provides that where the House of Assembly fails or neglects to appear and lead evidence in proof of the allegations, the panel upon proof of service may dismiss the allegations.

"The panel which though may proceed under subsection c of the guidelines to dismiss the allegations as Mr. Udechukwu asked us to do today, the panel decided not to proceed as suggested.

"The decision by the House not to appear before the panel simply means the Assembly would not present any evidence before the panel to assist in the final report of the panel."

The panel, therefore, dismissed the allegations against the governor for want of diligent prosecution.

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Lagos debunks Omole Phase II residents' position on new houses

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

L

AGOS—THE Lagos State Government, yesterday dismissed allegation of illegality and impunity against it by residents of Omole Phase 11 Residential Scheme over construction of some blocks of flats at the Estate.

The government insisted that it had done nothing wrong by constructing the flats as part of the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme, Lagos HOMS. Some residents of the Estate, who protested at Lagos State House of Assembly had accused the government of breaking its own laws and manifesting impunity by erecting the blocks of flats, claiming that the government had earlier been written on the matter but refused to respond.

But at a briefing, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Town Planner, Toyin Ayinde, explained that there was nothing wrong in the government ac-

tion which, according to him, “is an initiative to increase housing stock for the benefit of the entire public and citizenry of Lagos State.”

The Commissioner, who was accompanied at the briefing by his counterpart in the Information and Strategy Ministry, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, among other members of the State Executive Council, said government “has operated within the provisions of the Physical Planning, Urban Development, Urban Regeneration and Building Control Law 2010 which allows for the Governor to give assent to Special Building Projects”.

He said in due regard of that provision, Governor Babatunde Fashola issued an Executive Order to empower such projects to be located in pursuant of the authority vested in him as Governor “that any Lagos HOMS project within an existing Government Scheme/Built-up area is Special Building Project under the Lagos State Urban and Re-

gional Planning Law 2010”.

According to the Commissioner, the Governor’s Executive Order also empowered all concerned Agencies of the State Government to give priority to all matters relating to Lagos HOMS Project, reiterating that the project was a housing initiative of the Government meant to address and solve the State’s inadequate housing problem.

Noting that the State was constrained of land with just 3,577 square kilometres against a population of over 22 million people, the Commissioner declared, “This population cannot be accommodated in low density development; it is not sustainable”.

He said to adequately address the problem, government “must begin to shift from the policy of low density development to increase density as done in all other places in the world if we must accommodate the people and their activities” noting that the Ikoyi and Lekki axis had been experiencing increased density over the last few years.

The Commissioner, who ap-

pealed to citizens to be tolerant in the process of change, expressed the commitment of government to increasing the housing stock in the state and the determination to continue to seize every opportunity to do so pointing out that the plots upon which the HOMS were erected were abandoned parcels of land taken over “for overriding public purposes”.

The Commissioner, who added that he had also attended the meeting of residents of Omole Phase 1, assured that if he was invited by the Residents Association of Phase 11, he would attend to them because as a public servant, he was ready at all times to attend to the needs of the public who employed him.

Fielding questions from newsmen after the briefing, Ayinde appealed to the residents to be tolerant of each other including the new families that would be coming in through the Lagos HOMS. According to him, the way the HOMS was structured government was committed to building a society where the children of the rich and the poor would interact and grow together.

Gynaecologist advises expectant mothers against coffee, alcohol

L

AGOS—A consultant gynaecologist, Dr Oliver Ezechi, on Tuesday advised expectant mothers against coffee and alcohol consumption to prevent birth defects.

Ezechi, who is also a medical researcher at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said exposure to alcoholic beverages during pregnancy could damage the unborn baby’s brain and affect the child’s behaviour and general development.

“Coffee is not safe in pregnancy. It contains some stimulants which are vaso-constrictors which reduce blood supply to the baby. So, it’s not safe in pregnancy. Alomo Bitters, all those bitters, are popular in the motor parks because of their alcohol content; and in most of the herbs, they use alcohol to extract them. And usually, what is done in western medicine, even if you use alcohol as extractor, when you finish, you also reduce the content of the herbs.

“So, what makes some of these things attractive is the historic effect caused by the alcohol contained in them. That is why some of the cough syrups are not available in the market because some of them contain either alcohol or something that will make you high and that’s what makes them very popular.

Why our govt is suceeding — MIMIKO

L

AGOS—GO V E R NOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, yesterday in Lagos, identified the need to seek the widest spread of material well-being by engaging in policies that facilitate wealth creation as the driving idea behind the success of his government.

Governor Mimiko spoke, while delivering a lecture at the Yoruba Tennis Club’s Business Luncheon where he delivered a paper on: ''Progressivism as an Ideological Instrument for Social Integration: The Ondo State Example.''

Held at the Greetings Hall of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Yaba, Lagos, Governor Mimiko at the lecture posited that the terms “state” or “nation” and “government” were among the most significant products of centuries of political evolution in human societies, noting that “today, it is taken for granted that the state and the government in power should protect the citizens and provide that type of good governance that will promote happiness, enhance the material conditions of the people, and provide the enabling conditions for individual ambitions and enterprises to mature and flourish” He said as demonstrated by his administration “government should seek to ensure the widest spread of material well-being by engaging in policies that facilitate wealth creation by manufacturers, factories, small-scale businesses, and other entrepreneurs, and yet supportive of the causes of the common man so as to minimise, or at least ameliorate, sharp economic and social cleavages in the society”.

Because of unequal access to the opportunities and privileges arising from nobility of births, preferment, and special privileges, Mimiko said “it is the business of any responsible government to seek to narrow the class differentiations that tend to exist among the people as a result of the undemocratic access to the good things of life.''

Historically, societies in which this class differentiation was pronounced were prone to civil agitation and social unrest because of manifest and perceived economic inequalities.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 11

2015: INEC plans 30,000 more polling units

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—AHEAD of the 2015 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday said additional 30, 000 polling units would be created across the country, bringing the total number of polling units to 150, 000 as against the present 120, 000 units.

Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, said this in Akure while addressing a stakeholders’ forum organised by the commission on the forthcoming distribution of Permanent Voters Card, PVC, and the continuous voter’s registration exercise.

Orebiyi said the need for the new polling units arose as a result of the increase in the population of the country.

According to him, the expansion in the geographical areas occupied by people also led to the decision to create more polling units, saying this would further bring the voting centres nearer to the electorate.

Orebiyi said a committee had already been put in place at the national level for the exercise, which he said would be

By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

BRIEFING: From left: Eyad Khamis, Business Development Manager, Dubai World Trade Centre; Dr. Vincent Olatunji, Deputy Director, Corporate Strategy and Research, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA and Bilal Al-Rais, Commercial Director, Exhibition & Events Management, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) in a media chat with Information Technology journalists at the just concluded Nigerian Computer Society, NCS, national conference held in Enugu State on Nigeria's participation at this year's Gitex Exhibition show in Dubai, UAE. completed before the commencement of the 2015 general election.

The REC noted that the creation of the new polling units would ensure that no more than 300 voters were accommodated in a voting centres.

He said the distribution of PVC would take place in Ondo state between August 15 and 17, while the continuous registration exercise would take place between August 20 and 25.

Orebiyi said the commission had put necessary machinery

in motion to ensure a hitch free exercise in the state and urged people of the state to take advantage of the opportunity to collect their PVC or register newly to enable them exercise their civic duty of voting during elections.

Deliver dividends of democracy to the people, Fayemi charges new council chairmen bosses that they would be held

By Gbenga Ariyibi

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DO EKITI—GOVER NOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State yesterday swore in caretaker chairman of the 16 existing Local Governments and 19 newly-created Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, urging

them to ensure dividend of democracy got to the people at the grass roots.

Speaking at the ceremony, Fayemi charged the new council chairmen to carry the process of transformation to all the nooks and crannies of the state, saying “I have no doubt that

going by the pedigree of the leaders being sworn in today; there will be accelerated progress in meeting the needs of our people at the grassroots. ''They were carefully chosen not only on account of their competence but also their closeness to the grassroots whose yearning they are expected to meet.”

He reminded the new council

Dwindling allocation from Federation Account worries Ondo govt

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—ONDO state government yesterday expressed concern over the dwindling allocation to the state from the Federation Account.

Addressing newsmen in Akure to mark this year’s Public Service Day celebration, Head of Service, HoS, Toyin Akinkuotu, described it as worrisome.

Akinkuotu said the state received on monthly basis an average of N5 billion and paid about N4 billion as salaries to workers in the state, noting that N6 billion was allocated to the state before the recent development.

The HoS however explained that despite the worrisome development, the state was

Osun pays pensioners N37.9bn in 3 years

not owing workers salaries as the case in many states.

According to him, 7847 public servants would benefit from promotion exercise this year while the state was not owing any arrears of staff promotion to date.

Also, N514 million was provided by government as vehicle loan to 1131 workers this year.

On the controversial staff verification exercise, the HoS said 1484 public servant found guilty had been recalled; explaining that those reinstated were found to have falsified their birth records during the exercise.

According to him, the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt, downsize or retrench workers, but to evolve

a proper database and create a new value system for effective human resource management.

Akinkuotu said those reinstated admitted to the offences but the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko ordered that they should be pardoned, especially those supposed to still be in service due to the number of years they still have to spend.

On the contributory pension, he said a pension commission would soon be inaugurated to perfect the implementation of the policy and assured workers that their contribution would be safe, adding that government would contribute 12.5 percent as against workers contribution of 7.5 percent.

accountable by God and the people, imploring them to ensure equity and justice in managing the affairs of the councils ”I therefore charge you all to live up to expectations of our people in serving them with all diligence and honour. Above all, remember that all power belongs to God and to Him shall we all ultimately give account”, he said Speaking more on the creation of the new councils, Fayemi said it became expedient for his administration to take necessary legal steps towards meeting the aspiration of the people.

He added that the new chairmen would be playing a pioneering role in the establishment of structures and processes as well as programmes and policies that would drive the dividends of good governance closer to the grassroots Speaking on behalf of the new council bosses, the caretaker Chairperson of Ado West LCDA, Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi, pledged unflinching loyalty to the people whom they were appointed to serve, saying the Fayemi-led administration had shown example of good governance needed to be carried to the grassroots.

Fajuyi also promised that they would not let down the Fayemi-led administration but would justify the confidence reposed in them.

SOGBO—OSUN State Government has paid N37.9billion as pension and gratuity to retired workers in the state since coming to power about four years ago.

Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, who stated this at a briefing in Osogbo, said N24.3 billion was paid to retired workers in the state while N13.6billion was paid to those at the local government councils.

According to him, “despite challenges posed by the dwindling revenue to the state from the federal government, the state government has paid a total sum of N24.3 billion to pensioners as pension and gratuity to retired workers in the state. ''The administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola has paid to the state’s pensioners the sum of N24.3 billion as pension and gratuity, while the local government staff, including teaching staff of primary schools and nonteaching staff of the local governments had received N13.6 billion’’.

Pa Benedict Akinbola dies at 85

T

HE Akinbola Fam ily of Ondo West LGA has announced the death of Mr. Benedict Akintayo Akinbola. He died Saturday, 26th of July 2014, at the age of 85.

According to the family the funeral arrangement will begin today with a Service of Songs, while a Christian wake keep will hold next day at Eko Club, Eko Court, off Bode Thomas Road, Surulere.

Lying-in-state, burial service and reception hold on Friday at his residence and at The Grandeur Events Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, by The Deeper Life Bible Church respectively.

Internment is at Ikoyi Cemetery.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Aggrieved Bayelsa communities shut 5 Agip oil wells

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

E N A G O A — AGGRIEVED indigenes of Biseni clan in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have reportedly shut down oil wells 3, 6, 8, 11 and 12 in Idu Oil field operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC. Though Agip could not be reached to verify the claim, it was learnt that the protesting communities, Egbebiri I and II and Akudonu, carried out the action Sunday night, following the alleged refusal of the company to provide a power generating set for them over a year after it made the promise.

The aggrieved indigenes were said to have erected barricades on the roads leading to the oil wells, in protest over alleged insensitivity of the company.

An indigene of the area, Mr. Solomon Ogiama, yesterday, said that at a meeting last April, the company promised to supply the communities the generating set in May, but had reneged.

Other grievances, he said, include non-award of contract for the building of doctors and nurses quarters in the area, which was part of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, the company signed with the communities in 2001.

He added that Agip had not paid for several surveillance contract jobs executed by indigenous contractors in the area for over nine months.

S'South governors, leaders endorse Jonathan for 2015 T

HE South-South governors and leaders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 presidential election.

The endorsement of the President was the highpoint of a stakeholders’ meeting called by the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Ahmadu Mu’azu as part of his zonal tour of the South-South.

The leaders of the region, in a communiqué at the end of the meeting by Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), and read by former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Chibudom Nwuche, justified their endorsement of Jonathan on the giant strides recorded by his administration in all sectors of the country.

The communiqué read: “We acknowledge the giant strides of Mr. President in the areas of education, agriculture, health, tourism, re-invention of the railway systems, roads and other infrastructural development across the country.

“It is also notable that there is tremendous focus on economic empowerment of Nigerians.

“In view of Jonathan’s doggedness in pursuing his transformation agenda for Nigeria, the South-South is in full support of his administration.

We, therefore, endorse Mr. President for the forthcoming 2015 presidential election, to enable him continue with his transformation agenda, which transcends all spheres of our lives.”

On security

The meeting, which had thousands of party faithful in

Dickson approves N250m for Bayelsa students abroad

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA— GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has approved N250 million to offset the state government’s foreign scholarship obligations in Russia, Malaysia and other parts of the world.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-

Markson, the approval is coming after the state government had only a few weeks ago done same for its students in the United Kingdom.

Dickson, who also ordered the immediate release of the money, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of all Bayelsans under government scholarships.

PDP TOUR: From left— Chief Tony Anenih, PDP BoT Chairman; Dr. Adamu Mu’azu, PDP National Chairman; Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State; Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, at Mu’azu’s zonal tour of South-South in Cross River State, where President Goodluck Jonathan was endorsed for re-election in 2015. attendance, also condemned the spate of violence and insecurity in Nigeria, which they observed was being tackled headlong by President Jonathan.

They pledged their “unalloyed and unwavering support for the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and to be strong advocates of the continuous unity of the Nigerian state, as co-existence of the various nationalities

remains non-negotiable.”

Urging Nigerians to keep identifying with the PDP, they praised the current leadership of the party, attributing current electoral successes recorded in places such as Ekiti State to the leadership style of the national chairman.

During the meeting, speakers praised Jonathan for his achievements, saying that no past president of the

country achieved more than President Jonathan in their first terms.

Others at the meeting were Chief Tony Anenih, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP, Governor Ibrahim Dakwambo of Gombe State, the SouthSouth in the National Assembly, state chairmen of the party from the six SouthSouth states, amongst others.

Bayelsa govt slams FG, oil firms over UNEP report

By Samuel Oyadongha & Chris Ochayi

Y

ENAGOA—BAYELSA State Government has slammed the Federal Government and multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region over nonimplementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programmes, UNEP’s report on Ogoni areas and remediation of areas devastated in the region.

This is even as the Federal Government has scheduled a meeting with Ogoni elders and community leaders as part of moves to commence implementation of the report.

The Bayelsa government, through the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Inuiro Wills, said though the release of UNEP report was backed with the inauguration of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, HYPREP, by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources in 2012, the lack of political will and failure of the Federal Government, its agencies and

the oil multinationals to start the process of implementation puts the oil communities in jeopardy.

Wills in a statement in Yenagoa to mark the third anniversary of the release of the UNEP report, said though Governor Seriake Dickson had tried to draw the attention of the world to the rising environmental terrorism through oil exploration and devastation, the non-implementation of the report had placed a heavy burden on the state government.

He said: “The rigorous scientific study along with the ensuing report and recommendations by UNEP, the leading global environmental body, on the effects of 50 years’ continuous oil pollution in Ogoniland represented a template for application or replication across hydrocarbon host communities in the country.

“In Bayelsa State, the scourge of oil-based environmental degradation is in its worst manifestation, earning Nigeria and the Niger Delta the tragic distinction of being the oil pollution capital of the world.”

FG wakes up

Meanwhile, following the protests trailing delay in implementation of the report, the Federal Government has commenced moves to implement it.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, it was gathered, has been mandated to open dialogue with the Ogoni elders and community leaders of Rivers State, Friday.

The meeting is scheduled to hold in Bori, Ogoni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The meeting was earlier scheduled to hold today, but was rescheduled.

A statement by Mr. Kingsley Agha, Director, Information (Press and Public Relations) in the ministry, said: “The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has mandated the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, to open dialogue with the Ogoni people of Rivers State to fashion out modalities for the implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoniland.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014—13

IYC mobilising for 2015

By Festus Ahon

U

G H E L L I — NATIONAL President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, yesterday said the group was mobilising its people ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Eradiri, in a statement after the group’s election of a new executive for the western zone, said the poll was in fulfillment of its mandate to conduct election at the clan and zonal levels in preparation for the 2015 elections.

Those elected include Freeborn Atigbe, Chairman; Preye Koremene, Vice Chairman; Iwabi Ebidaubra, Secretary General; Napoleon Kenerekedi, Information Officer; Ms. Patience Inigha, Women Leader; Augustine Ebi-Okporu, Assistant Secretary, Ms. Esther Ukulor, Treasurer, among others.

Sheathe your swords, Bayelsa monarchs appeal to Boko Haram

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

E N A G O A — TRADITIONAL rulers in Bayelsa State have called on members of the Boko Haram sect to sheathe their swords and embrace amnesty like the former militants of the Niger Delta region did.

The royal fathers, under the

aegis of EA/EJA Oil Field Traditional Rulers Leadership Forum made the call in Yenagoa after a meeting with management of Shell Petroleum Development Company.

The group is made up of traditional rulers from Bassan, Mein and Iduwini kingdoms in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw Local Government areas

of Bayelsa State.

Spokesman of the forum and paramount ruler of Amatu 1 community in Ekeremor council, HRH Decca Keredei, described the insurgency as senseless.

Keredei argued that the oil wealth of the Niger Delta region was more beneficial to the North than the South, saying “the unity of our dear

Ex-Attorney Gen cautions Edo lawmakers on court orders Edosomwan, who is one of lawmakers by the House,

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN— FORMER Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Charles Edosomwan, yesterday, warned members of the state House of Assembly to stop making mockery of judicial pronouncements, saying that such trends were capable of endangering democracy in the state.

the Edo State delegates at the national conference, also described the gale of impeachment of governors in the country as good for democracy, warning however, that the constitution must be followed to the letter.

He regretted that some governors had failed to carry their Houses of Assembly members along in running the affairs of the state.

Speaking to Vanguard in Benin, Edosomwan, who described as shocking the seeming abuse of court orders by members of Edo A s s e m b l y, following the suspension of four

stressed the need for respect of the judicial system to avoid anarchy in the state.

He said: “The issue of the state House of Assembly is in court, so I will not like to comment on it. But I will sound a note of warning to all those involved to obey the court order. They should not make mockery of judicial pronouncements.”

country is more beneficial to the North than the South because they are enjoying oil resources more than the communities where the oil is found.”

He said 11 communities comprising Amatu 1 and II, Bilabiri 1 and II, Letugbene, Orobiri, Azamabiri, Ogbeintu, Agge, Ezetu and Ekeni produce over 120,000 barrels of oil per day, but suffer neglect and abject poverty.

He condemned the recent attack on the convoy of former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari(rtd.) and other acts of terrorism by the sect, describing it as unfortunate and inhuman.”

Ex-Delta justice commissioner debunks allegation of anti-party activities

F

ORMER Delta State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Andrew Orugbo, has described the allegation of antiparty activity levelled against some Udu Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leaders as laughable and cheap blackmail.

He spoke in reaction to reports suggesting that Chief Austine Ogbaburhon, member representing Udu/ Ughelli in the House of Representatives, and others, who attended a stakeholders’ meeting at the lawmaker's house, to unite the party ahead of the forthcoming polls, were involved in antiparty activities.

Chief Orugbo, who was a state Legal Officer of PDP, said the meeting was imperative because of the need to arrest a “one-man leadership situation” that lacks grassroots support.

He called on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, PDP leadership in Delta Central and the state at large to listen to the voice of the majority of Udu people so that PDP can build on its impressive outing during the last senatorial by-election.

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 15

MASSOB leader warns Igbo resident in north to return home

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA—THE leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has again warned Ndigbo resident in any part of northern Nigeria to relocate to Igboland with immediate effect to avoid falling victim to the raging Boko Haram insurgency in the region.

Uwazuruike said he was so worried about the constant killing of innocent Igbo sons and daughters doing legitimate businesses in the north, to the extent that he decided to warn them for the last time to return home.

He added that although it was painful for them to abandon their life-time investments in the north to relocate home, their lives were more precious than their wealth.

Uwazuruike, who sounded this note of warning at the MASSOB headquarters, Okwe, near Okigwe, Imo State, regretted that his previous calls for his kinsmen to return at the beginning of the insurgency,

were not heeded.

According to him, this is the reason many Igbo sons and daughters have been killed by the insurgents.

Warning that this might be his last time to make such a call, Uwazuruike insisted that their lives could no longer be guaranteed by the Nigerian security forces, adding that the only option left for them was to

return home for now.

He recalled that the late Biafran warlord, Chief Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu, had in like manner warned Ndigbo to return home before the outbreak of the Nigerian/Biafran civil war, adding that those who heeded the warning returned and saved their lives, while those who disobeyed it perished with their

investments.

Meanwhile, MASSOB has closed all its torture camps at Okpoko area of Onitsha, Anambra State, which it alleged had been taken over by a group, Igbo Ga-Adi Nma. MASSOB alleged that the group had turned the camps into a hideout to extort innocent citizens, using its name.

Police quiz Ebonyi NASS member, 2 others over alleged assassination plot identified as a.k.a Togo.

A

By Peter Okutu

BAKALIKI—A member of the House of Representatives, Linus Okorie, ex-coordinator of Okposi Development Centre, Mr. Mark Onu and one Jerry Ude-Aja are being quizzed at the Police force headquarters, Abuja,over alleged complicity in the alleged assassination plot against an Abuja-based industrialist, Dr. Eze Anoke.

The trio had allegedly threatened to assassinate Dr.

Anoke, if he dared declare his intention to contest the Ohaozara, Ivo and Onicha federal constituency election in 2015 general election.

It was learnt that the incumbent National Assembly member, Okorie, was invited by the police in Abuja, while Onu and Ude-Aja were arrested at Okposi.

Vanguard learnt that the confessional statements of the accused persons led to the arrest of another suspect,

They have all been released on bail, while the police is still investigating the matter.

The 10 paragraphed petition written by one Chinedu Okoli of Anoke & Co (Suis Juris Chambers) and addressed to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force CID, Garki, Abuja, stressed that the assassination plot was targetted at the Abuja-based industrialist.

2015: Group plans rally for Jonathan in Awka

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—ANOTHER pressure group, Oriental Peoples Movement, OPM, has joined the army of groups campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 presidential election with a rally planned for August 15, 2014, in Awka.

Participants at the rally will come from all the states in the former Eastern region and the federal capital, Abuja.

National coordinator of the group, Mr. Andy Onyeachonam, told reporters in Awka yesterday that the group would, on that day, tell Nigerians why they must vote for Jonathan, saying as far as the group was concerned, there was no vacancy in Aso Rock Villa in 2015.

According to him, August 15 is significant because it is the day the issuance of the permanent voters’ cards would commence in Anambra State.

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

NBA gives Abia govt 14 days ultimatum to reinstate sacked CJ

By Eric Ugbor BA—FOLLOWING the purported removal of Abia State Chief Judge, Justice Nnenna Otti, by the state government on the recommendation of Abia House of Assembly, Aba branch of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has given the state government a 14-day ultimatum to reverse the action or face civil disobedience.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Aba, chairman of the branch, Mr. Chidozie Ogunji, narrated how one Gideon Nwamuo had petitioned the Abia State House of Assembly

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against the Chief Judge, claiming that Justice Otti during her recent jail delivery, released two persons, John Barah and Mohammed Bukar.

Ogunji said the petitioner alleged that since the release of the two men, incidence of crime had soared in the state, leading to the killing of his uncle and former state Commissioner for Agriculture.

He said that based on the petition, a committee of Abia House of Assembly reportedly invited the Chief Judge to appear before it after which she was recommended to be sacked,

which he said the state government approved.

The NBA chairman stated that the Chief Judge’s decision to release from detention John Barah and Mohammed Bukar, who had been incarcerated for over eight years, was in agreement with the police and the prisons reports and, therefore, said her removal was unacceptable.

He said: “We are giving Abia State government a 14-day ultimatum to reverse that

decision failure of which we shall appeal to all civil society groups and to the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, and all people of goodwill to join us in ensuring that this travesty of justice does not stand.

“This is the first time we are having a female chief judge in Abia State. We see this move as a male agenda to disgrace the Chief Judge in the discharge of her functions.”

Ogunji, who led other lawyers to march round the streets of Aba in black attires in protest, said while they were doing all these, they would also seek the relief

of the court to see that the judicial arm of government was not trampled.

“Because by the time this arm of government referred to as the last hope of the common man is subjected to ridicule, we would have automatically lost it all in a democratic setting,” Ogunji said.

The NBA chairman, who said the association took the decision at its emergency meeting, pointed out that the removal of the CJ was illegal, ultra-vires, against the constitution of Nigeria and must be condemned in its totality.

Ekwunife, 4 Anambra APGA Reps seek waiver to return to PDP

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By Henry Umoru

BUJA—FORMER Anambra State governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and member of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, Mr. Chris Azubogu and three

other lawmakers elected on the platform of APGA in Anambra State, have written the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Ahmed Muazu, begging for waiver to return to the party.

Other members of the House of Representatives who

POLLS: Ex-commissioner chided over alleged imposition of candidate

By Eric Ugbor

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BA—A group, Umuhu Ezechi Youths Vanguard, UEYV, has chided a former commissioner in the state, Paul Mba, for attempting to foist his brother as a councillor to represent Umuhu Ezechi Ward in the soon to be reconstituted legislative arm of Bende Local Government of Abia State.

Leader of the group, Chief Ndukwe Kalu while addressing journalists in

Aba, said they were opposed to Mba imposing someone from Umuokwe village to be councillor, since it was the same village that produced the immediate past councillor in the person of Igwe Okereke, also his blood relation.

He said since Umuhu Ezechi was made up of six villages, the councillorship positions should rotate among the villages in accordance with the sharing formula of the people.

NASS aspirant makes case for citizens' welfare

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MUAHIA—A House of Representatives’ aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, Mr. Uko Nkole, has said he would concentrate on addressing the welfare of people of his constituency, if voted into office in 2015.

He spoke as a group, Friends of Uko Nkole Ndukwe, handed over six vehicles to the party in Aro/ Ohafia to enhance mobility of its officers in the federal constituency.

Nkole noted the high poverty level and infrastructure deficit in the area, and promised to give them prime attention.

On the vehicles, he said the officials would need them to traverse the constituency for meetings and campaigns, being a large territory which covered two rural local government areas, adding that he was still consulting with principal officers in the community and would make his intentions known soon.

wrote Muazu include Deputy Chairman, Media and Public Affairs Committee, Victor Afam Ogene; Cyril Egwuatu and the Chairman, House Committee on Culture, Tourism, Pilgrimages and Religious Matters, Chief John Olibie.

The lawmakers in their separate letters obtained

by Vanguard, addressed to the PDP national chairman, through Anambra State chairman of the party, Prince Ken Emeakayi, and copied the leader, South East PDP and National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, attributed their decision to the lingering crisis in APGA and the relative peace that the PDP was witnessing in Anambra State and in the country.

Mrs Ikoyi Ajuwaghan for burial

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RS IKOYI Christiana Ajuwaghan, aged 73, is dead. She died on July 16, 2014. There will be funeral service at her Lagos residence on Thursday, August 7, while she will be buried the following day in Lagos. She is survived by many relations. Reception holds at Maryland Comprehensive High School, Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos.

Late Christiana Ajuwaghan

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014— —17

18— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 PERENNIAL presidential friends, public supporters of launchings and newer arrivals who preferred to dissolve in anonymity, shelled out over N58 billion in one night for the Terror Victims’ Fund.

The performance exceeded the President’s expectations by N8 billion.

We shall reser ve our praises until the pledges are redeemed and the fund is committed to the comfort of victims of ter ror. We have solid grounds for our scepticism about the event.

On 8 November 2012, a similar gathering raised N11.35 billion for victims of Nigeria’s worst flooding in more than half a century. More than 20 months after, most donors have not paid. Last year, the Presidential Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee threatened to name them after a June 30 deadline. The committee had asked them to “ respect themselves and maintain their honour and integrity ”, by redeeming their pledges.

Nothing happened. The committee failed to name them, covering their crime.

It is possible that some of the fraudsters, who masqueraded as philanthropists at the November 2012 fund raising, turned up

Terror Victims’ Fund

at the latest dinner and promised money they have no plans to pay.

President Goodluck Jonathan was effusive with praises for the pledgers. It was a total replay of his ebullience at the 2012 event. He made no mention of the botched relief fund for flood victims, though those who should account for it were present.

We do not know what the President promised the diners this time. He promised tax incentives to the November 2012 “philanthropists”.

The committee made a public complaint that without contributing their pledges, some of the pretenders cashed the presidential incentives, a criminal offence that should have been punished under

appropriate laws. They were not punished.

Unfortunately, the matter appears rested. The management of the resources for flood victims is over-due for investigation. Default in pledges is only a part of it. Some victims in Adamawa State complained that they got only N200 each from the State.

It is time we started treating criminals in high places with the ignominy they deserve. It would not be adequate to receive their pledges whenever they pay.

How did they get away with the criminality involved in benefitting from incentives for which they did not qualify? Why the silence over the fraud? Is the President unaware of the crime?

Those who received tax incentives without paying their pledges should be punished for fraud. It is not late for the committee to publish a statement of accounts of the 2012 donations and their beneficiaries.

If they do not, it would be only a matter of time before more lamentations trail the Terror Victims’ Fund. Stringent measures, including sanctions, are necessary to deter shameless fraudsters in high places.

OPINION

By Chuks Iloegbunam

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UST as the war against Biafra was not General Yakubu Gowon’s war, the fight against terrorism is not President Goodluck Jonathan’s war. The Nigerian civil war was of those who vowed to keep the country one and the others who swore to make it two.

The Boko Haram war is against Nigeria, not against the individual called Goodluck Jonathan. Despite the ostensible religious orientation that initially beclouded its operations, Boko Haram has clearly mutated into an extremely violent movement similar in all respects to the appalling bestiality of the Islamic state currently tearing hearts and boundaries to bits in Syria and Iraq.

This is Obi Nwakanma in an article entitled "Time For The Liquidation Of Boko Haram" (Vanguard of Sunday July 27, 2014): “Imagine this scenario: Boko Haram grows more sophisticated; more daring, recruits wider, establishes better training facilities, acquires deadlier arms and more potent military capacity, enough to subdue and carve out a wide swath of Nigeria from the Chad basin, to the Adamawa hills. It secures swaths of land from parts of Chad, parts of Cameroon, and parts of the Central African Republic, and it creates an effective new country in the very heart of Central West Africa. This scenario is not too far-fetched, and ought to worry Nigeria’s security analysts, because it seems to me that we have a new scale of a vast and unthinkable problem shaping from this insurgency.”

If things escalate along the fears expressed above by Dr. Nwakanma, every talk of eventual containment and reversal of the problem would largely border on the academic. However, Boko Haram in its current state, is liable to comprehensive defeat.

The main obstacle to the realisation of this hope is The Flank, a pathetic collective that

Not

Jonathan's

has deluded itself into believing that the fight against Boko Haram is solely that of President Jonathan. The Flank has three main appendages: the politicians who think that Boko Haram atrocities are a vehicle destined to transform them into tenants of Aso Rock; the grinning spectators who expect terrorism to lead to the ascendancy of their religion; and the coterie tweeting, posting, writing and broadcasting rubbish under the guise of aiming for a better society whereas their agenda is unambiguously partisan. The Flank is traitorously roasting rodents while the homestead is on fire.

The Islamic State may murder and chase Christians out of Mosul in Iraq. But it is impossible to wipe away or convert the over 80 million Nigerian followers of Jesus, just as only delusion can generate the thought that a similar fate could befall Nigerian Muslims. Any Nigerian not attuned to these realities belongs to The Flank sabotaging the war against Boko Haram. The remorselessly strident pillorying of President Jonathan in the wake of every terrorist outrage was configured by The Flank to be deleterious to his political fortunes. That has not happened for the simple reason that Nigerians are far more sophisticated than the average politician ever imagines. “Jonathan has run out of excuses for not ending Boko Haram terrorism”, was the chant previously in vogue. But The Flank made little traction from it because not on one single occasion of its criticisms did it posit any options for quelling terrorism.

From the third appendage of The Flank composed of journalists and social media commentators have emerged the twopronged infamy of deceit and hypocrisy.

Take the United States. If MSNBC railed

war against a Republican politician or policy, it is because, as everyone acknowledges, its media outlook is irreversibly Democratic. Similarly, if Fox lambasted a Democratic policy or politician, it is because, as is general knowledge, its truck is unremittingly tied to Republicanism. Not so with the laughable lot, whether inside or outside Nigeria, that has put itself up as quintessentially allknowing. “There is no power supply in the country. The roads are deplorable.

Insecurity is chronic. Corruption is rife. The Ministers are inept. The citizenry is docile.”

Day-in and day-out, these professional critics, toneless and tuneless, belt out the baleful litany of their personal and collective futility. In truth, had they a fraction of the brains they claim, it would long have occurred to them to ask why scarcely any notice is being taken of their rants.

The cacophony of their criticism amounts to a simple proposition: This Child is sick!

Which is where the train left them, because there is a consensus on the Child’s sickness.

What is required and what, unfortunately, they are not making any effort to address is this question: What should be done to enable the Child to shake off the sickness and return to good health? Chibok girls have been in terrorist captivity for months. Dreadful.

But what suggestions have they got for their rescue? Blank! “Politician A is corrupt.

Politician B is epically corrupt.” Indeed, the country acknowledges the existence of corruption, not just in government circles but inside other sectors of national life. But, what actions do these critics propose for subduing the cankerworm? Blank! The raison d’etre of government is the provision of the good and meaningful life for the citizens. The role of the opposition, whether

political or media, is to provide alternatives for righting society’s wrongs. But because the professional critics have neither time nor space for options, all they do is quibble.

In wasting everyone’s time, The Flank is incapable of considering one crucial truth.

This is that, if anything was ever arduous, it is the fight against terrorism. Moving against terrorism is like carrying out brain surgery at the ocean’s bottom. Boko Haram has cadres already trained in making improvised explosive devices. The existence of just one cell of the bomb-makers in any one town could guarantee its residents exposure to sporadic or incessant explosions.

Combating this unconventional war is not as easy as brewing a cup of coffee. If rescuing the Chibok girls was ordinary, they would since have regained their freedom. The screams of “Bring Back Our Girls” may be unimpeachable. But, months ago, the Americans, the British, the French and the Israelis, et cetera, introduced their expertise into the struggle. Yet, all there is for now is the ardent hope that the spectacular rescue will eventually come to pass.

The country’s current security challenge does not lend itself to irrational criticism and opposition. Had General Gowon experienced a hundredth of the partisan obstacles and opposition needlessly strewn on President Jonathan’s path by The Flank, the 1967 to 1970 fight to keep Nigeria one would have ended in ignominious capitulation. That is why the call for all hands to be on deck cannot cease.

Nonetheless, the government should remain single-mindedly focused in the prosecution of this war against terror, learning from past mistakes and reducing collateral damage to the barest minimum.

This war is winnable. *Mr. Iloegbunam, a journalist, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014— —19

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With the suicide attempt on Mohammadu Buhari and other biggies, it should be clear that both the monkey and the baboon would indeed soon be covered in blood

Echoes of Chibok and the female suicide bombers like Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and other parts of the North East is more or less a suicidal act today.

People, it would seem, live in these places at their own peril. One wonders if there should not now be a ‘residency advisory’ warning Nigerians about the danger of living in certain parts of the country, the same way we are told smoking or ingesting alcohol is dangerous. This may be very reasonable even if difficult proposition a government, like Abuja’s which deliberately downplays the seriousness of our insurgency problem, would be very loath to imagine much less embrace.

The reality of death in parts of the country being taking over by terror is too obvious to be ignored.

It has an in-your-face quality that tells inhabitants of the affected places they live in these places simply at their own risk.

But then what can people do? Will they cease to live because of fear they could be killed anytime and without warning? Hasn’t that been part of our reality long before the rise of insurgency? Is it something new that a Nigerian could leave their home and become the mortal victim of police

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stray bullet? Or they could be caught in an exchange of fire between police and armed robbers? Or be beaten within an inch of their lives by soldiers who would rather go on rampage than pay a mere N20 bus fare?

What is the difference living in the insurgency-ravaged parts of Nigeria and other parts of the country free of this menace? Is ours a mere case of existence or are Nigerians really living in many parts of the North today? And what are we to make of the gender dimension of our besieged existence?

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refer to the phenomenon of female suicide bombers. There is a steady and increasing involvement of women in the series of deadly terror attacks that have taken place in recent times. Within a space of five consecutive days these last week there were reported four separates cases of suicide missions in Kano, all involving women. There was even the reported case of a 10-year-old girl on one such aborted mission.

Where are we going with this?

What should we make of it? With

For Bamidele Aturu, 1964-2014 (Who Raged Against the Darkness and the Dying of the Light!)

E was not a poet, and I doubt that he H ever knew of a Welshman by the name of Dylan Thomas who famously enjoined

his dying father not to “go gentle into that goodnight” but to “rage, rage against the darkness and the dying of the light.” Physics educationist by first training, lawyer after, and crusader for democracy and justice, he was inclined to think in more prosaic terms. Still, his all-too-brief life exemplified the best form of poetry by constantly seeking to distill beauty out of the chaos and ugliness of our existence, much of that ugliness a direct product of the astonishing propensity of our so-called leaders to greed, corruption, and visionlessness.

Aturu raged against the dying of the light over Nigeria. If Thomas thought that courage alone distinguished our brief time on earth, then Aturu announced his existence to benighted Nigeria by a quintessential act of courage. The year was 1988. Picture this: A 24-year-old man at the passing-out parade of the National Youth Service Scheme, NYSC. Presiding over the occasion, rendered more military than civic, is a military governor. His name, Lawan Gwadabe, a lieutenant-colonel of the army. His khaki starched to an arrogant stiffness, his boots polished to a perfect shine reflecting his image as he viewed the parade of young citizens about to be thrust with little more than their service uniforms into a society under the grip of military tyranny. The colonel-governor exemplifies illegitimate and brute power, but he gives it a flimsy human face with platitudes about national service, how these young men and women testify to our credo of “unity in diversity,” and how the nation looks up to them to build the future. Something like that. And then in recognition of merit, he

begins to hand out awards. That for the best corps member in his state goes to one Bamidele Francis Aturu. In a flash, military starchiness is matched by a stony stare.

Aturu, rather than be immeasurably glad for the honour and privilege of shaking the hand of his excellency, the Soldier-Governor, marches up, refuses to extend his hand and leaves the soldier’s hanging mid-air.

And then he opens his mouth and says, “Sir, I cannot accept this award from you because you represent a government with which I have irreconcilable differences.”

Words to that exact effect.

Let’s give the devil his due: Aturu was not marched off and tied to a firing stake, was not clamped indefinitely into a dark and airless dungeon. But he did have his national youth service discharge certificate withheld. Still, it took exceptional courage for a young man to look in the eye of a henchman of military dictatorship, with the power and licence to do him incalculable harm— in short, to blight his future for good—and yet speak in no uncertain terms the truth that he knew; the truth that all of his fellow citizens, old and young, rich and poor, in or out of the corridors of power knew, but which many would not dare utter to public hearing.

Of the thousand and one things I could have written about to eulogise my (learned) friend, brother, and comrade, I have chosen this one and I hope the reason is clear by now. That singular act drew an indelible portrait of the young man as a revolutionary, an image that he never sullied. Till the end, Aturu walked the path of radical progressive politics. Even in an inherently conservative profession, he viewed law and legal advocacy as a tool of social engineering, following in the footsteps of his older

compatriots like Alao AkaBashorun, Gani Fawehinmi, Kanmi IsholaOsobu, Femi Falana, Itse Sagay and Olisa Agbakoba, among others.

It was, I believe, his quest for a transcendental “embodiment” of his radical egalitarianism, a foun-

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T’S a very difficult thing to admit but it all looks now like murderous insurgency has become a routine part of existence in many parts of Northern Nigeria. And the new face of terror is female. But more of this later. What we should not forget is that there is a clear message the insurgents want Nigerians to understand by this precipitous steep in terror attacks.

The m essage here is that the best Nigerians can do is to run but they cannot hide from terror. Wherever we may be and whatever we may be doing, the terrorists are saying, they will visit their wrath on us and smoke us out. They are telling Nigerians not to be deceived by Abuja’s martial rhetoric. Their fight with Nigeria, they are gloating to anyone attentive enough, is theirs to win. They want the message accepted that we are not protected. They have upped their game and raised the bar of criminality at a time Nigeria is yet lost as to what it should do to contain the fire of terror that threatens to engulf us all.

Many parts of Nigeria that have come directly under the evil climate of terror are now clearly besieged spaces. To live in places

the stinking saga of the abducted Chibok girls getting more putrid with the money-induced controversy that trailed their visit with President Jonathan, shouldn’t it be a matter of concern that women are being recruited into the campaign of terror? Hitherto seen as victims of terror, women on suicide missions can still be seen and read as victims of male manipulation.

They are clearly being suborned into these deadly missions.

This takes us back to the matter of the Chibok girls. There was a clear danger in the abduction of these girls which our so-called leaders in Abuja failed to appreciate but which was evident to many of us from the moment of the abduction. This was the probability, even possibility, of they being sent on suicide missions as we are now witnessing. When people pointed out the foolishness and irresponsibility of giving up on bringing these girls back, when many Nigerians called for speedy action on how to rescue the girls, blinded stalwarts of the Jonathan administration who saw every such call as an attack on President Jonathan saw only crude partisanship in such calls.

Such calls, for them, could only come from bribed commentators or card-carrying partisans of opposition parties. What they couldn’t see then is, hopefully, getting clear as daylight to them now.

Of course, we never hinged calls for the rescue of these girls on fear they might buy into the vision of their abductors and become terrorists. No, the call for the return of the girls and indeed ensuring their actual return is the least that could be expected of any civilised people and their governing authority. This was the primary reason many

Aturu’s death reminds us, yet again, of the rapid decimation of the ranks of radical humanists who have fought against military and civilian misrule with their integrity intact

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dation beyond the contingent claims of mortals, that led him to God and pastoral work with an evangelical zeal that you couldn’t fail to appreciate, however much you might dispute some of its moral and eschatological premises.

Aturu’s death reminds us, yet again, of the rapid decimation of the ranks of radical humanists who have fought against military and civilian misrule, corruption and mass impoverishment of the people with their integrity intact. In just under a decade, the progressive forces in Nigeria have lost eight giants of the struggle, none of whom had reached the end of their natural days: Chima Ubani, Fawehinmi, Aka-

Nigerians have insisted on the return of the girls. Yet we also didn’t discount the lessons of history with regards to kidnap victims which teaches that such victims, over time, tend to become sympathetic to the cause of their abductors, especially where they have been brainwashed. It explains why kidnap victims many times fail to make good their escape even where there are opportunities.

Following terrorist attacks caused by suicidal women, Nigerians, including relations of the Chibok girls, have reportedly expressed fear the abducted girls could have been recruited into the infernal army of Abubakar Shekau. This would make them double pawns of terror- first as victims and thereafter as perpetrators. Should this be the case, let nobody blame the girls who have been more sinned against than they have sinned. They are not responsible for this, more or less abandoned and taken for either dead or lost, as they are.

Should the Chibok girls or other girls abducted before them be among those now sending many to their deaths on suicide missions, the chickens would not only be coming home to roost, this also would be the ‘left hand of God’s judgement’ on the irresponsible people exercising power over us as leaders, people now looking for billions of dollars to borrow to combat insurgency but who cannot rise to the demands of their position. Let them not think anybody is safe even in their gilded cages and dungeons called mansions. With the suicide attempt on Mohammadu Buhari and other biggies, it should be clear that both the monkey and the baboon would indeed soon be covered in blood.

Bashorun, Bala Usman, Beko RansomeKuti, Olaitan Oyerinde and Festus Iyayi, the last two assassinated by agents of the darkness that rules the land. I bear witness to Aturu’s ceaseless raging against this darkness not only at the barricades but also during those quieter moments when, still cutting his teeth as lawyer with my former dean at the University of Benin, he would come down to my one-room apartment in the “Boy’s Quarters” of Itse Sagay & Co at the slightest opportunity, often before going to his office in the main building on a day he was not in court, for conversations on the state of the nation. Especially, in those heady “June 12” days when that oneroom apartment served as the underground secretariat of the Campaign for Democracy, CD and Ubani more or less moved in with me, and we would have daily tripartite debates on tactics and strategy in anticipation of, or reflections on, the “expanded secretariat” meetings of the time.

Wild for truth and justice as Aturu was, we may say of him that he “caught and sang the sun in flight” — the sun setting too soon on the flower of Nigeria’s youth. He may have died of complications resulting from a stealth case of leukemia, but we owe the duty of righting the many wrongs that he fought against so we may, at the very least, hope to stay the impatient hands of death too frequent a visitor among us in recent times.

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Fear of Ebola, beginning of wisdom (1)

Escape from ritual killers: The story of two students

BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

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•Dooyum Moar the Wurukum motor-park in Makurdi, where he boarded a vehicle to Gboko to resume school.

He said he would have accompanied his son to school that morning but for his busy schedule.

“Moreover, Dooyum has been going to school on several occasions unaccompanied without problems considering that Gboko is not far from Makurdi. ”But at that particular instance, it became clear that entrusting your child into the hands of anyone, especially a

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VEN as he ponders the mystery behind his recent near-death experience, 13-year-old JSS two student of Government Secondary School Gboko, Dooyum Moar, strongly feels that his escape from the den of ritual killers in Gboko, Benue State calls for celebration.

The promising teenager who, alongside another female student of Ggoko High School, narrowly escaped being beheaded by a ritualist after being kidnapped by a commercial vehicle operator, is still traumatized by his experience.

Narrating his ordeal t o Vanguard Metro, VM, Dooyum said he erroneously believed that the transporter who conveyed him from Makurdi to Gboko was a good man who should have treated him like a son. ”I actually wept when I discovered that the driver of the vehicle masterminded our kidnap shortly after he pretended that he cared for my safety and that of the girl who was also returning back to school.”

Dooyum who was still in shock, however, acknowledged that it was God who rescued them from their abductors. ”God saved me and the girl. When they tied us up and took us to a forest to kill us, we started crying and calling on to God to come and save us. ”Miraculously, when they took us to where they would behead us, the person they took us to refused to kill us but asked our captors to take us away and kill us by themselves. ”When they took us away, the men who abducted us started quarrelling among themselves; and at that point none of them could summon the courage to behead us as they were told.”

Corroborating the story of his son, an elated father of Dooyum, Mr. Ephraime Maor told VM that on the said day, he had taken his son to

•Ephraime Maor, Dooyum’s father became obvious that nothing was wrong with the bus. The driver adopted the decoy to ensure that other passengers aborted their trip with his vehicle in order to provide him a platform to execute his evil plot, but the God who gives children never allowed it. ”My son said, at that point most of the passengers opted to board other vehicles, but the driver urged my son and another female student of Gboko High School to wait for another vehicle he contacted to take them

When they tied us up and took us to a forest to kill us, we started crying and calling on to God to come and save us

stranger, could have its dire consequences. ”I had prayed with him before putting him in the commercial vehicle which had other passengers and was heading to Gboko, a trip that was less than 80 kilometres from Makurdi. ”I gathered from my son that when they were less than five kilometers to Gboko town, just at Yandev, the driver of the vehicle complained that the vehicle had developed a fault. ”He was said to have parked the vehicle, ostensibly in the pretense that the vehicle was immovable and would require repairs. ”But moments later it

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to their destination. ”He said, few minutes later, a Toyota Hilux van came and the two of them were asked to board the vehicle; but on getting to their destination, the driver of the van refused to stop, the occupants of the van tied up the children and blindfolded them. ”My son said they were taken to a forest in Gboko, where the kids were tied up and presented before an aged women in a shrine. ”According to him, the woman had wanted to behead them for rituals, but later changed her mind after she discovered that they were not

the category of children that would suit the sacrifice,” he informed.

Maor continued: “At this time, my son said they were crying and begging for mercy; my son said, the woman however handed a machete to one of the kidnappers and instructed that the two kids should be killed on their way back. ”However, along the way, by divine intervention, instead of killing the children, their abductors engaged each other in a heated argument and they could not be able to agree among themselves on how to kill the children. ”Eventually the kidnappers could not reach a compromise hence the kids were not killed as instructed by the ritualist. ”While still engaged in this heated argument, their abductors dumped them at Apir in the outskirt of Makurdi town were a good Samaritan picked them up and took them to a safer place at Ikayonge from where I was called.”

He said he hurried off to Ikpayonge where he met his son crying uncontrollably after which he narrated his bizarre ordeal .

The elated father said he immediately established contacts with the parents of the female abductee who also rushed to the scene after which the children were brought back to Makurdi where the incident was reported to the police.

BY EBELE ORAKPO EBOLA! Hmm, the almighty HIV has “OGA become a child’s play. God please save the

poor woman and us too!” said Nneka, a commuter in the Tin-Can Island-bound commuter bus this Tuesday morning as the bus approached the notorious Second Rainbow Bus-stop along the everbusy Apapa-Oshodi Expressway where the usual hold-up had built up. The radio presenter had just announced that the female doctor who was in contact with the Liberian that died of ebola in a Lagos hospital has tested positive to the virus.

“Oh, and to think that she was just doing her job of saving lives! God have mercy,” lamented Jide to which Pat replied thus: “She will survive; after all, the American doctor who got infected is recovering so there is hope for her and others.”

“Ehn, how come the American doctor survived while Sierra Leone’s Dr. Humarr Khan died? Just asking oo,” noted Jide.

Replied Pat: “I heard the American was given an experimental antibody serum. Moreover, Khan must have been overwhelmed and he died before help could come. It’s also possible he has had longer exposure to the virus than the Oyibo doctor.”

“Why wasn’t Khan given same serum or didn’t they bring it to Africa? Oyibo people with their abracadabra, the more you look, the less you see,” quipped James.

Said Mercy: “They said it’s experimental serum which means it is still on trial. It has not been approved by the FDA; so it must have been administered under FDA’s "compassionate use" regulation.

But then, desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Busybodies: Continuing she said: “Come to think of it, ebola was identified in 1976 and has not caused us so much pain as it is doing now. Something must have gone wrong. One of my lecturers told us that man is the architect of most of his problems, especially microbial diseases. These microbes have their natural habitats where they are quietly minding their business, but our busybody nature would not let them be. We disrupt their life pattern and they strike. It’s as simple as that. You break the hedge and the serpent strikes, as the Bible puts it.

Ebola virus has been living in bats, monkeys and other animals for centuries without problem; so wetin come happen?”

Said Nneka: “You are right. It’s possible that just as they messed with AIDS virus and people got infected, so they are messing with ebola virus. I read somewhere that the United States’ bioweapons laboratory in Sierra Leone which has links with the Soros and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,is at the centre of this latest ebola outbreak.”

Said Pat: “Kai, but Oyibos no good oo. I wouldn’t be surprised if they already have a cure for ebola disease just as they did with HIV. They had the drug but decided not to release it to Africans until the anti-retroviral drugs they made have been sold or given out to Africans in so-called aids then they will sell the real drugs to us at very exorbitant price to recoup their money. It’s a big conspiracy against Africa.”

“Ha! Tatafo! Radio without station! Who told you all these? You will never cease to amaze me with your conspiracy theories. Don’t say what you don’t know oo,”admonished Tina.

“Conspiracy indeed! Are the Asians not being conspired against, if indeed there is any conspiracy?

Why are we always the ones complaining instead of doing something to help ourselves,” snorted Mercy. ”I get really pissed off with the way some of us reason. For God’s sake, let’s get our acts together and solve our problems by ourselves. Even if we will need help from Oyibos, let us at least do something first and then they can support us. Don’t we have researchers in the field of Virology and Microbiology as a whole? What are they doing?” asked James angrily.

“The truth is that viral infections generally have no cure. The body fights the viruses with antibodies; drugs are just to fend off secondary infections,” said Mercy.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 21

BY PETER EGWUATU

N

igeria and other subSaharan countries will need N48 trillion, about $300 billion to boost power supply in the African continent, according to the International Energy Agency, IEA latest report.

The Agency further stated that electricity is more expensive in Africa than anywhere else in the world, just as it emphasized that Africa’s power deficit is a major constraint on economic growth and social development of the continent.

The report from the Agency noted that “Excluding South Africa, per capita consumption of electricity in sub-Saharan Africa is 10 KWh (Kilowatt Hours) per month, while in high income countries this figure is almost 1000 KWh. In some countries in Africa,it added that backup generators supply is up to half total generation capacity, explaining, in part, why electricity is more expensive on the continent than anywhere else in the world; up to three times as much as those in the United States or Europe. This is a social disaster, reducing Africa’s ability to create jobs or industrialise its economies. At a basic livelihoods level, there are 600 million people on the continent with no regular access to power, relying solely on charcoal, wood and biomass for cooking.”

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that The Global African Investment Summit (‘TGAIS’) in London has concluded arrangement to bring together African governments and the international finance community to tackle this critical issue.

With government delegations presenting bankable investment projects to global investors, TGAIS noted that it will help secure funding needed to transform Africa’s economies from some of the world’s largest financial institutions and in-

Keith Williams (third from right), Executive Chairman, British Airways, with students from the Nigerian Aviation College of Technology‘as part of a 'Leaders of Tomorrow’ internship at British Airways at London Heathrow.

Investment in power: Nigeria, other sub-Saharan countries need N48trn vestment funds.

TGAIS is working with African governments to bring those bankable projects to the international market. Organised by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and led by the Presidents of Rwanda, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania and

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

T

3,193.00 -14.00 16.32

-0.03

105.20

0.36

98.01

0.13

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.73 260.4415 207.3691 170.4263 1.5028 0.2966 236.1789 25.0351 41.2569 27.8076 236.9071

155.23 261.2831 208.0392 170.977 1.5077 0.3066 236.9421 25.1165 41.3903 27.8975 237.6727

realised - will revolutionise the supply of power to Africa by providing as much as 40,000 megawatts to southern Africa.

The electricity will be far cheaper than current supply and, critically, comes from a renewable source. The energy produced by just this one dam

could power homes and businesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and possible other countries in the region. The dam already has World Bank support through technical assistance funds to help make the project bankable for investors.

Nigeria rejects EPA to avert N208trn revenue loss

-2.50

189.85

Togo. TGAIS will present major power projects from across the continent including greenfield gas, solar and wind plants as well as national distribution networks and privatisation opportunities.

One such project is the Grand Inga Dam, a project that - if

155.73 262.1247 208.7093 171.5277 1.5125 0.3166 237.7053 25.1978 41.5236 27.9873 238.4382

CBN Exchange rate as at 04/08/2014

he Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), yesterday, hailed the Federal Government’s decision not to join other West African States to endorse the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union, as this action would prevent the country from losing N208 trillion ($1.3 trillion) revenue.

The Economic Partnership Agreement is a reciprocal preferential trade Agreement being promoted by the European Union to create a Free Trade Area (FTA) between the EU and the African, Caribbean and pacific Group of States [ACP] through six regional economic communities into which the ACP is divided’ Signing the EPA in its present form, would cost Nigeria alone $1.3 trillion revenue losses from finished goods coming from the European Union while the negative effects EPA would have on local manufacturing range from shutdown of local industries and job losses due to unfair competition.

MAN, in a statement signed by its director general Remi Ogunmefun,

said Our commendation is sequel to the briefing to stakeholders by the Honorable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, July 24, 201’4, where he reiterated the determination of Nigeria to continue to pursue the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NlRP), local content policies, and transformation in Agriculture sector amongst others.

The Minister was categorical that based on the mission of Government in these areas, it is inconceivable that the Federal Government will ignore national interest, particularly genuine concerns expressed by stakeholders in the country and go ahead to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement.

It will be recalled that the Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at their meeting in Accra, Ghana on July I0, 2014 approved the EPA and instructed the regional chief Negotiators to take steps to start the process of signing and implementing the agreement.

Nigeria, at various stages in the EPA negotiation process, had voiced strong opposition to the agreement and raised concerns that the Agreement could only lead to deindustrialisation in West Africa, with serious economic and employment consequences for Nigeria because of her 60 per-

cent share of the regional market and Gross Domestic Product (77 per cent).

MAN opposition is also premised on the fact that from all parameters, West African States, including Nigeria are not at the same level of economic development with any European country to warrant the conclusion of a reciprocal trade relationship espoused in the trade agreement with EU. MAN is therefore advising that notwithstanding the status of EPA and ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET), Nigeria should continue to insist on the incorporation of the 196 tariff lines which the country had earlier recommended for reclassification in the CET regime in addition to the urgent need to design appropriate instruments that will take care of the 241tariff lines that currently enjoy various levels of levies as protective measures in Nigeria’ Earlier, Chief Kola Jamodu, President of MAN, noted “no country can develop without protecting its industries; he added that Nigeria stands the risk of having its market flooded by European goods with resultant negative effect on our industries and economy” if the EPA is approved in its present form.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

The prime focus of pension fund is safety, security and the ability to pay pensioners as at when due

,

INSURAN C

,

No real growth without strong insurance sector — Ezeh T here would be no real growth or development in the Nigerian economy unless the insurance industry is strong, reliable, and plays its role as a major mover of the economy.

Chairman, NEPAD Business Group Nigeria (NBGN), Chief Chris Ezeh who made this assertion, noted that insurance has been described as tool for wealth creation and a key to economic transformation of the country.

Ezeh therefore said that there is need to deepen insurance culture among Nigerians, particularly the vast poor and rural dwellers in conjunction with government and other stakeholders.

According to him, with a population of over 150 million, Nigeria is far from fully maximizing its huge insurance potential.

“The insurance sector has the key to the transformation of the entire economy as it presents vast opportunities for citizens, the industry and the financial services sector,” he said.

He said that the country would be able to attain rapid and sustained

economic growth if it deepened its insurance penetration whereby more members of the population buy one or more of the available insurance products.

“Despite the current reforms and innovation by National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and operators, Nigerian insurance industry’s performance remains below potential as only 800,000 adults have insurance policies,” he stated.

He disclosed that NEPAD Business Group Nigeria was formed in response to the need to galvanize the private sector to support and actively participate in the implementation of the programmes of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) at national, regional and continental levels, adding that, key objectives of NEPAD include promotion of sustainable growth and development, eradication of poverty and ending the marginalization of Africa in this era of globalization.

STI targets additional N1bn through rights issue T

he Management of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc has announced its intentions of raising additional capital of about N1.1 billion from existing shareholders through a rights issue.

Head of Corporate Communications and Brand Management Department, Mr. Segun Bankole explained that the rights issue is a necessary step towards accomplishing its five year strategic blue-print which amongst others, will reinforce its competitiveness in the Nigerian market and improve its market share.

The company is placing on offer by way of rights, 2,290,585,798 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at 50 kobo per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every three ordinary shares of 50 kobo each subject to approval of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Managing Director/CEO of the company, Mr. Wale Onaolapo also encouraged existing shareholders in the company to see this as a vista of opportunity to take up their rights during the offer and buy into the growth objectives of the company. He said that in addition to ensuring the actualisation of the company’s goals, the exercise will further boost the aspiration of the company to creating exceptional values for all its stakeholders.

In his words, “In achieving the huge tasks that have been placed before us, we have identified that a very robust capital base is critical to the realisation of our strategic objectives, hence the need to call on shareholders to exercise their rights C M Y K

when it eventually opens.

“In today ’s challenging economic environment, the company is continually poised to enhancing its capital structure and fortifying its investments portfolio for better positioning in taking advantage of the burgeoning opportunities in the Nigerian Insurance Industry.

Sovereign Trust has been growing its business in the last five years, achieving outstanding revenue growth and delivering superior profitability,” he said.STI targets additional N1b through rights issue The Management of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc has announced its intentions of raising additional capital of about N1.1 billion from existing shareholders through a rights issue. Head of Corporate Communications and Brand Management Department, Mr. Segun Bankole explained that the rights issue is a necessary step towards accomplishing its five year strategic blue-print which amongst others, will reinforce its competitiveness in the Nigerian market and improve its market share.

The company is placing on offer by way of rights, 2,290,585,798 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at 50 kobo per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every three ordinary shares of 50 kobo each subject to approval of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

From left: Mr Jaideep Ghosh, Partner, Telecommunications, India; Mr Emeka Mba, Di Commission and Dr Abiola Jagun, representing Minister of Communication Technolog Digitisation Breakfast Seminar, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Increase in statutory contribution should not affect pension remittance — FUG

T

he management of FUG Pensions addressed insurance and pension reporters on the effect of the recent amendment to the Pension Reform Act and other happenings in the pension industry

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

Complying with the statutory monthly increase Observers have been wondering if employers and employees would be able to comply with the increase in the statutory monthly contribution to 18 per cent from 15 per cent. Now in reality, it is a difference of 3 per cent of which only ½ per cent is going to the employee, while 2 ½ per cent goes to the employer. Although there are complaints in some quarters, in actual fact there are employers that are doing 20 per cent and not even 18 per cent, that is 7 ½ per cent for the employee and 12 ½ per cent for the employer, making 20 per cent.

So for all those who are in compliance at

present, one will expect them to continue to be in compliance. Those who are not in compliance apparently are not complying because of the differences in the percentage or for other reasons. Generally you will find employers who fail to remit PAYE, which is taxes deducted from their employees’ salaries; they fail to remit company tax which they deduct from their suppliers and contractors. It will therefore not be surprising if they also fail to remit pension. Such employers will have this increase as an excuse but it’s really not an excuse. Therefore, we really don’t expect significant reaction because of this 3 per cent difference.

Transfer window We’ve been hearing about this issue of transfer window for a very long time. One of the excuses given by the National Pension Commission, PenCom, was biometrics, which entails creating a platform that will make it easy to identify

GAINERS FOR EQUITIES Company

2014-08-01

25/07/2014

01/08/2014

Close price(N) Custodian & Allied Prestige Assur

Close price(N) 3.90 0.52

Difference 3.96 0.54

0.06 0.02

LOSERS FOR EQUITIES Company Continental Re Wapic Insur NEM Insur

1.13 0.90 0.82

1.13 0.88 0.76

-0.01 -0.02 -0.06

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 —

irector-General, National Broadcasting gy, Omobola Johnson during the KPMG

those that are transparent. However, the transfer window is taking like two years to become operational. When is it going to happen?

Everybody in the pension industry will survive as long as you key into the industry standard. We are very ethical, we respect every contributor and participant, we understand that we need to first of all guarantee the issue of trust because every Pension Fund Administrator, PFA, notwithstanding is selling safety of funds.

That is what is striving the industry, the safety of funds, being able to pay retirees as and when due. That safety is what we are selling and that is our guarantee. We don’t play with training and not just training anyhow, we train prospects. There are seminars we do for prospects, there are the ones we do for our customers, and we try to educate them.

Lessons from world pension summit Clearly, what the world pension summit brought to us is that we had opportunity of investing in a much wider classes of investments outlets that presently exist.

We have to meet certain international best

practices. We have to meet certain requirements. The prime focus of pension fund is safety, security and the ability to pay pensioners as at when due. That is what the summit expects from all of us. It is within that value that we have to work out how to be able to invest in all those other classes. PFAs have not yet started investing in mortgage other than of course investing in real estate trust. However, we have to come up with special packages that will not only meet our internal regulation locally but will also meet international best practices in such industry then we will be in a position to invest for the best returns and the best security.

At present I would say there is work in progress. PenCom along with operators, consultants and interested parties in those areas are working to come up with acceptable ways and means of variables of carrying out such investment. It is the major take away from the forum and it is the means to where we are going. We are aware that it has not been ideal in putting some part of the fund into government income securities only. It also has to serve to grow the economy. It has to serve the pensioners in terms of being able to access a way of getting housing. it has to serve the society generally, the economy, in terms of being able to attain funding for infrastructure particularly given our infrastructure deficit in this country.

Biometrics database On the issue of biometrics database and transfer window, this is really a question for PenCom. However, I am aware that PenCom has set up a committee to start work on it.

PenCom is looking at various options like partnering with the banks and so on. But the new board has come up with new ideas and a committee has been set up by PenCom to work with the operators on fast tracking the biometrics infrastructure so that we would commence converting all the existing data into biometrics and then be in the position to confidently open the transfer window without standing the risk of creating problems for contributors. So I will not say when the window is opening but I know a lot of effort is being put in to ensure that it is opened as soon as possible.

,

CE & YOU

Generally you will find employers who fail to remit PAYE, which is taxes deducted from their employees’ salaries; they fail to remit company tax which they deduct from their suppliers and contractors. It will therefore not be surprising if they also fail to remit pension

23

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Deliberate positioning of insurance will transform sector — Report As a result of the deliberate recent survey carried out by collaborative strategy and individual AAccenture has revealed that actions by banks to focus on specific insurance industry will tap into huge revenue potential only through a deliberate transformation and positioning of the sector.

The survey tagged: Consumer Innovation Survey on Insurance, demonstrates convincingly that insurance customers want relevant, convenient and cost-efficient products that address their buyer values and needs.

The survey shows that the predominant insurance product uptake by 1.5 per cent of the population that is insured is motor value insurance.

Another survey across several geographies indicates that 67 per cent of customers would consider buying insurance from organisations other than traditional insurance companies, while indicating that insurers must take the offensive, make some bets and take some calculated risks to attract and acquire new customers and to retain the customers they already have.

According to the survey, “The revenue potential that is at play for the insurance industry is significant but will only be realised through deliberate transformation and positioning that enhances all channels and experiences.

“Companies that transform their technologies as well as underlying business models will be equipped to deliver the experiences that customers will increasingly expect and demand.

Only true digital transformation at a strategic level will let customers define their own experiences rather than simply provide products for them to buy.”

Accenture recall that the EFInA Access to Financial Services in Nigeria 2012 survey confirm that: while 28.6 million adult Nigerians are currently banked, representing a banked population of 32.5% of the adult population, only 1.3 million adults, 1.5% of the population have personal insurance;

un-banked and under-banked groups, the banking sector is well on track to dent the financial exclusion trap and to increase banking inclusion to 80% by 2020. The insurance industry in Nigeria is over-concentrated on intensively competitive, over-sold and narrow-margin corporate underwriting, dominated by brokers while underserving and under developing personal risk underwriting.

The same report indicates that the areas where risks are experienced which in turn imply a high need for insurance have extremely low insurance uptake.

Accenture said, “There is an opportunity for the insurance industry to translate the areas of acknowledge need to effective demand for risk cover.”

Some of its key finding shows that insurance must be ‘sold’ and the driver for growth in insurance is effective selling predicated on clear customer segmentation and customer centric strategies, also that optimal sales performance insurance is achieved by knowledge-based customer insight, enabled by the combination of distinctive sales methods and supporting sales tools.

On youths and insurance, accenture said, “With the demography of the Nigeria population, clearly a successful digital positioning will be necessary for insurers to realize the opportunities offered by the younger generation.”

Accenture is an outsourcing company, with approximately 289,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments

ECOWAS brown card takes off next year T

From left: Wale Onaolapo, MD/CEO, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc; Kalada Apiafi, Managing Partner, Decision Process International,DPI, and Samuel Ogbodu, ED/COO, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc at the Owners Manager Meeting/ Half Year Budget Review Session of the Underwriting Firm, in Lagos.

he Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) has said the implementation of the new Brown Card for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) would take off 1st January 2015.

According to the Director-General of the NIA, Olorundare Thomas, the aim was to eradicate fake cards. The card is a creation of the ECOWAS protocol to facilitate transportation within the West Africa sub-region.

It helps in claim payments by insurance companies to motorists involved in accidents.

Thomas said, “The sub-regional secretariat in Lome, Togo, had standardised the operations of the scheme with the design of a new consensual card.

“The secretariat is also designing an online claim management software that will reduce the time for claims processing.”

Thomas said that the need to review the protocol in line with current realities was among the challenges confronting the ECOWAS card scheme.

He said that the Nigerian National Bureau had continued to face challenges of delay in payment of cross border claims management.

Thomas said that other challenges faced by the bureau, included issues with the police formation of some member countries to get motorists released on time. According to him, this happens when accidents involves loss of life.

C M Y K

24—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Why telecom operators may not invest much more in Nigeria

DIARY z HP Anti-

Counterfeit Conference Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja August 6, 2014

z Cisco Connect Sun City, South Africa Nov. 2 - 4, 2014

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

C

onsidering the continued devaluing telecom services in the country, the solution readily available on the lips of many Nigerians would be for operators to make more investments, especially in optimising and upgrading their facilities.

However, industry experts are not looking at the situation as an open and close case of throwing in more money. Some believe that certain level of transparency and support must come from government to guarantee the operators that such investments would not end in futility.

Among those who think that it would be difficult for operators to make more investments without a more conducive environment than obtainable at the moment included a Deputy Manager, Financial Advisory & Investment Banking at a Lagos based Financial Derivatives Company, Mr Dubem Arah.

Arah’s points seem tenable but it is also left for the Nigerian people to evaluate.

Preview

New inventions shaping life and living

3D controller that uses squeezable user interface tech

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ecently Cambridge Consultants have presented one of their most interesting inventions - Suma sensor controller, a prototype 3D controller that is based on so-called “squeezable” user-interface technology.

Duncan Smith, the company ’s spokesman, said that the new invention works by conveying the 3D deformation of a squeezed item into a software-readable form.

High sensitive control is provided by finger movements and wholehand grip; thus the user can easily manage various programs, informs TG Daily. The new invention could be used by companies that develop different products and applications, be it gaming and design or creative arts.

Smith believes that till now the full possibilities of the human hand have not yet been explored.

“Emerging trends like 3D displays and augmented reality are bound to stimulate interest in Suma’s unique capabilities,” said Smith.

Drop in ARPU Ordinarily, the fundamental shift in the industry from a voice dominated environment to a data dominated environment is a threat to the viability of most operators. As at December 2012, the national monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) was N912 (~$6), an 87.5% decrease from its 2003 level of N6,384 (~$48). The Nigerian people need to appreciate the fact that justification for additional capital investment becomes a harder sell for the management of telecom operators due to the lower ARPU. The operators’ cost structure is equally unfavorable and a major drawback in the quest to increase capital expenditure in the country. A key component of telecoms infrastructure is the Base Transceiver Station (BTS), which essentially connects mobile phones to the network. About 15% of all BTS in the country are connected to the powergrid, which leaves operators dependent on fuel-powered sites. Fuel costs associated to

I N S I D E

New sof tw are softw tware update for Nokia X series

operating BTS in the country account for about 60% of operators’ network costs. To put it in perspective, network costs in Nigeria are about two to three times more expensive than in other African markets due to fuel costs.

It is estimated that Nigerian operators spend about N10bn a year to power their base stations.

Vandalism of telecom facilities Apart from the financial difficulties, the current state of security for telecom infrastructure is not encouraging for any potential investor. Every savvy rational investor considers the safety of its assets when making an investment decision.

Unbeknownst to most Nigerians, vandalism of telecoms infrastructure is a major problem.

About 2% to 3% of Nigeria’s BTS are shut down at any point in time due to vandalism, resulting in a loss of about $50m to $100m every year. Vandalism on Telecom infrastructure occasionally occurs in error during excavation, but for the most part is perpetrated through acts of sabotage and theft of equipment. In 2013, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) noted that it had recorded about 1200 fibre cuts in just a few months. These acts of vandalism are common in rural areas of the country, which are characterized by high poverty and

unemployment rates. The low standard of living and lack of opportunity leads youth to revert to such actions to extort telecom operators. The actions of vandals create significant expenses for operators in terms of repair and replacement costs, lost revenue, and also “appeasement” fees.

From a decision-making standpoint, rolling out more equipment in an environment where the assets are not protected presents a significant risk.

Delays in investment are also encouraged by market uncertainty due to the current antagonistic environment between operators, regulators and government.

Investors in the Nigerian economy are not new to theses uncertainties, in the petroleum sector about $100bn worth of investments is being delayed due to the delayed passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) according to the international oil companies (IOCs).

Such uncertainty in the telecoms sector can

Leverage on IT policy for national development, NITDA tells ssttat vts atee go govts

Continues on pg 27

Galaxy Backbone commits to youths entrepreneurship training

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014—25

HP mobilises support against counterfeiters

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

New software update for Nokia X series

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icrosoft is not leaving any stone unturned in the quest to put Nokia back into the top spot of global market place. Just a few months after the release of the Nokia X series, it has announced the release of a new Software update for the series.

The company said it was to provide customers using the Nokia X range of affordable devices a more thrilling experience.

Speaking on this new development, Communications Manager, Nokia West and Central Africa, Fred Oriunuebho said customers can now update their Nokia X, Nokia X+ or Nokia XL devices as the new software will arrive on their device as an over-the-air update.

He added that “to update Nokia X devices, users will receive a push notification which will be sent when the update is ready and waiting for download. Alternatively, users can manually check by navigating through the settings on the devices.”

According to him, the new update comes with a whole lot of new and exciting features which would make user experience seamless. Some new and improved features include the new App Switcher, which makes it easy for users to use different apps simultaneously. With the new update, customers will get free access to Outlook and OneNote which come preinstalled as they update the software.

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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ew study by Terragon Group released for the second quarter of 2014, has revealed tremendous growth in the state of digital media and users’ online behavior in Nigeria over the past twelve

•Nokia X Other benefits include a quick access to use and access multiple Outlook accounts, including Outlook Calendar and Contacts, Microsoft OneNote 2010 notebooks on OneDrive with OneNote Mobile, view notebooks on OneDrive amongst others.

In addition to the fantastic features that come with the new update, the Nokia Store comes with a search button which makes it easier to search, find and download games or apps on the device.

The Nokia Store also integrates other third-party app stores, which means that customers can explore apps under one roof, making for a consistent experience.

There is also a new Home screen Spotlight widget for app discovery and one-click downloads for faster access to apps.

Study shows high growth of e-commerce in Nigeria …as Nigerians increase online presence

months.

The report which was compiled after a recent survey from a pool of online participants across various locations in the country, showed heightened growth in the area of internet usage, social media participation and e-commerce, and the opportunities the trend presents for marketers.

The comparative study shows growth patterns from 2013 to 2014, with focus on mobile phone and internet usage, broadband penetration, Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and Mobile money.

Interesting to note were the insights presented for e-commerce which showed that there had been a 15 per cent increase in users’ purchases online from results in 2013.

By end of June 2014, 63 per cent of Nigerian internet users had bought at least one item online. 60 per cent of these buyers claimed to have used their mobile phones for these purchases.

Considered to have influenced this increase in e-commerce activities, are increase in internet penetration through mobile, increase in data bundle purchases and online activities such as search, social media interaction, downloads and emails, within the period.

Intelligence Lead, Terragon Group, Eniola Moronfolu, while highlighting on the findings explained that, “the increase in e-commerce activities is very encouraging for an environment such as ours. It was interesting to note that a huge number of these purchases were mobile driven,

and that mobile is the first and major point of access for all internet activities. Hence, marketers need to start thinking first of mobile for online campaigns.”

Moronfolu said that relevant content should be of utmost priority to advertisers and marketers in a manner that the mobile audience feel a personal connection to the brands.

“Marketers need to take advantage of the growing usage of smartphones. They need to work with their partners and agencies to develop innovative marketing products and strategies that will keep the smartphone users engaged and loyal to them,” she said.

Other factors considered in the research include 86 per cent of respondents who claim to carry out research about an item before making a purchase, and 80 per cent who pointed at mobile as their major platform for research.

These numbers forecast a boom in the advertising and digital marketing industries will approach their marketing strategies over the next twelve months, especially as it pertains to mobile marketing.

Terragon Group, a new media business focused on Africa with strong competence across the new media ecosystem, carries out periodic research on internet usage across multiple platforms. Its research reports address the need for local, relevant data to help the digital sphere and streamline advertisers’ marketing efforts.

s you are reading this, the Transcorp Hilton Hotels, Abuja is agog with deliberations on how to nail the counterfeit scourge which is ravaging economies worldwide. Almost all stakeholders in the Nigerian Information and Communications Technology, ICT sector are putting heads together with security agencies and other counterparts around the world to come up with a potent weapon to nip the menace in the bud.

Host of this deliberations is renowned Original Equipment Manufacturers, OEMS, Hewlett Packard, HP in a conference tagged AntiCounterfeit Conference .

The conference, according to HP, is primarily to make people understand the impact of illicit trade in counterfeit products on Nigeria’s economy and hear about best practices to combat it.

To that extent, it lined up quality resource persons who would speak at the conference, including representative from Nigerian Customs Services, Chilalire Davie Louis of InterPol’s Regional Specialized Officer responsible for financial crimes.

Professor Sodipo, President, International Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN), Uche Nwokocha, Secretary of a non-political, non-governmental, non-profit making coalition Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration, ACC,.

Also representatives from Microsoft, Unilever, GSK Pharmaceuticals, British American Tobacco, BAT and other premium brands are also involved one way or the other, as special invitees by HP to discuss the increased threat that illicit trade in counterfeit products represents to the well-being and health of Consumers.

Each year, businesses worldwide lose in excess of $550 billion due to counterfeiting and piracy.

As many as one in ten IT products sold globally may be counterfeit. Counterfeiting has increasingly become a more organized, trans-border, and sophisticated criminal activity on a global scale, where operations take place in virtually every region and economy.

Inlaks strengthens data centre capacity with Uptime Institute’s Data Centre Accreditation RICHARD UDOFIA

F

oremost information technology services provider, Inlaks Computers, has been certified

by Uptime Institute as a data centre design .

Uptime Institute is recognized in the industry as world leading standards body for data centre, awarding Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) Certificate.

Breaking the news to the media, Director, Managed Services for Inlaks, Mr. Oladimeji Koyejo said, with this award, Inlaks’ Datacenter design, implementation and services have met the Uptime Institute’s rigorous criteria for Concurrent Maintainability and Fault Tolerance.

The Accredited Tier Designer certification is an independent assessment of Inlaks’ knowledgebase in the design and construction of a resilient, robust and fault tolerant data centre This development, according to the Sales Director, EMEA, Uptime Institute, David Sandars, makes Inlaks the only company with ATD certified engineer in Nigeria.

Certifications such as the ATD for design engineers and Accredited Tier Specialists (ATS) for data centre administrators and managers are meant to re-assure customers that the certified personnel and organizations meet global data center best practices, having been independently assessed by the industry’s leading authority.

According to Tope Dare, Director, Sales & Strategy, Infrastructure Business of Inlaks, “ with this notable achievement, Inlaks’ customers could be assured that any data centre designed and implemented by the company would deliver on its intended purpose and at international standard” he said. He added that, “ we are conscious of the sensitive nature of our customers’ servers, storage systems, backbone switches and network operating and management Centre. We therefore house these infrastructure in a facility designed and operated to achieve the Tier level jointly adjudged adequate to support our customers’ business cost effectively.”

26—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Le ver age on IT policy ffor or Lever verage national development, NITD A ttells ells ssttat vts NITDA atee go govts

BY EMEKA AGINAM

I

n apparent bid to fast track the process of making the country a capable 21st century knowledge economy, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has urged state governments to leverage on the IT policy for states initiative, it recently rolled out for national development.

The development agency had written to thirty six states of the federation asking for their collaboration to drive the policy which is expected to further push Information Technology penetration to the grass roots However, state governments appear to be showing little interest as only three states including Enugu, Niger and Osun states respectively have responded to the call.

Although NITDA is upbeat that the states would surely adopt the policy, it also frowns at the low pace of implementation. Meanwhile the agency has announced that it has started the second phase of implementation of the policy in about five states including Ebonyi; Yobe, Sokoto, Kogi and Kaduna.

NITDA believes that one of the fastest ways to achieve national development would be for states to formulate their own IT policy based on local needs to grow their markets.

Areas where the agency believed states could leverage with the IT policy included poverty reduction, education, health among others..

In developing IT policy, each state, according to NITDA, must focus on many things including visioning the role of ICTs for development; development of ICT policy and e-strategies; identifying priority areas and developing action plans; management, monitoring and evaluation arrangements and financing and resource mobilization.

Highlighting the importance for states to

develop their own IT policy based on their local demands, recently, Director General, of NITDA, Mr Peter Jack said that, “the intention is to extend this initiative to all the states of the federation in order to encourage them to position IT as the main driver of their priority areas”.

Also corroborating his DG,the agency's Director of Corporate Strategies and Research, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, said that it was imperative for states to have a definite IT policy to accelerate economic development. “Though, it is

not compulsory, but we believe that it is necessary for states to have a definite ICT policy, which can ginger them to accelerate development.

“We are currently facilitating an eReadiness award, targeted at measuring the level of technology development across the states. The policy is being currently implemented but it is a gradual thing. I can say there has been serious improvement in its implementation.

“We had earlier written a letter to all the 36 states of the federation, but only three states responded. We have more five states that latter indicated interest. Hence, we decided to begin with them in the pilot phase of the project.

“It is our belief that if we do not drive IT policy from the federal to state and to local government levels, we might just be scratching the surface.

The plan is to encourage states and local governments on how to drive ICT from the federal level, irrespective of their various priorities, and in doing so, we will be spreading ICT deployment to every part of the country, and that is why NITDA is collaborating with the states to drive the initiative.

Blue Gate stirs fresh competition in air conditioner segment

BY EMEKA AGINAM

T

he entry of Blue Gate into Air Conditioner segment of the market is expected to stir more competition in the market. More so is its product’s eco-friendly feature. At the launch of the new products recently in Lagos, Business Development Manager, Air Conditioner segment of Blue Gate, Mr. Rolland Emuobor, told Technology Journalists that the Blue Gate Conditioner was borne out of the need to offer the right and needed qualities in an AC specially configured to suit the local power and environmental conditions.

Following the entry of the product into home appliances, he informed that the Blue Gate Air Conditioners were built with innovative Low Voltage Technology (LVT) that consume about 70% less energy for optimum performance even in areas of low voltage supply.

“This optimized COP (coefficient of performance) also helps in reducing electric bills. the Blue Gate AC comes with a Wide Input Voltage window (170V-260V) to withstand power fluctuations. “ If you are in the market for a durable and reliable Air conditioner, then you are most likely going to come across the newly launched Blue Gate Air Conditioner another product added to the enlarging BLUE GATE range of products” he explained.

Explaining further, Emuobor enumerated other features of the BLUE GATE Air Conditioners, to include power surge protection, lowest noise performance, auto restart functions, heat-exchange efficiency and timer function that allow users set the AC to desired runtime. “It also comes with a strong and durable rotary compressor, special fin treated anti-corrosion outdoor unit and a highly efficient internal thread copper pipe as against aluminium pipe common in many other Air Conditioners.

He stressed that the copper Pipe used in the Blue Gate Air Conditioner is unique and ideal for optimum heat transfer, which ensures rapid cooling.

ICT media group targets Jonathan, others for centenary awards

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

A

group of Nigerian reporters in Information and Technology, ICT sector, under the aegis of Information Technology Media Alliance has concluded plans to bestow President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and other eminent Nigerians with honours at a forthcoming event tagged the Nigeria Broadband Business Forum and ICT Centenary awards billed for October, 2014 in Lagos.

The event, according to the group is in commemoration of the ICT development in Nigeria in the last 100 years. It will kick start with a conference with the theme: Broadband Business as Catalyst for Development and a Connected Nigeria and thereafter wind with an award night.

The wife of the President, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan is also on the honours list in recognition of her role as the ambassador of the Child Online Protection following her appointment by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) last year. The IT Media Alliance said there are several indisputable reasons, many of which are in the public space, why the president and his wife qualify for the centenary award.

Speaking on the event which

•President Jonathan coincides with the ground finale of the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria’s former Southern and Northern protectorate under the previous British colonial masters, the Chairman of Information Technology Media Alliance, Mr. Aaron Ukodie stated that the conference and the Night of Excellence during which awards would be given to distinguished Nigerians is intended to celebrate the beautiful journey so far in the Nigerian ICT ecosystem.

He noted that the Nigerian ICT industry has been growing both in networth and size. Specifically, he

stressed that Telecom has continued to be a major contributor to the nation’s GDP in a manner never before witnessed.

“For five consecutive years, ITU adjudged Nigeria as the fastest growing mobile market in the world, a testimony to the mobile telecom revolution which has seen a pervasive mobile telephony deployment across the country” underscoring the essence of the broadband focus for the conference, he admitted that in spite of the monumental success in mobile telephony, there has been limited deployment of broadband services.

However, he said that broadband has nonetheless become the oxygen of the 21st Century business environment.

“It is against this background that we have convoked a conference to sustain the current and momentum of discourses and actions that would culminate in the cost-effective deployment of broadband. This fittingly complements the efforts of the Federal Government as exemplified by the inauguration of the National Broadband Initiative,” he said.

The Award will specifically reward persons and corporate bodies who have distinguished themselves as regulators, users, equipment manufacturers, service providers or administrators since 1888 when the telephone first arrived on the shores of Nigeria.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014—27

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

M

anaging Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Galaxy Backbone Ltd, Gerald Ilukwe, has reiterated the commitment of his company, as the ICT service provider of the Federal Government, to the success of the Enterprise Platform for Entrepreneurship in the ICT sector.

Illukwe made the comment in expression of happiness to the recently launched Enterprise Platform for Entrepreneurship in the ICT Sector by SURE-P Technical Vocational Education and Training, SURE – P TVET. The project which was launched and midwived by the Project Implementation Unit in partnership with Galaxy Backbone, according to him, ushered in a new era in the pursuit of knowledge based economy. He said that “the launch heralds a new dawn in our collective desire to harness ICT as a tool of empowerment specifically for our youths and bring about the much needed development of our nation”.

He added that “the Enterprise Platform for Entrepreneurship in the ICT sector is not about providing internet access to Ministries, Departments and Agencies;

From left: Pius Ekeh Junior, Managing Director, Mobile Software Solution, Enyika Iheanychukwu, Software Developer, also of MSS, Yemisi Oladipo, Graphics Artist, Yinka Tanimowo, Director, MSS and Chris Uwaje, Chief Executive Officer of Mobile Software Solution and Chief Software Architect/ Originator of The Malaria Destroyer Game(MDG), yesterday in Lagos during the flagging off of The National Competition for Malaria Destruction (NCMD).

Galaxy Backbone commits to youths entrepreneurship training rather it represents a significant milestone towards setting up an enterprise platform which will be used to train Nigerian youths to

acquire specific IT-related skills which will enable them start their own businesses at the end of the program”.

He expressed his delight

that the launch and commencement of the training of 2000 participants marks the culmination of effort and synergy between SURE –

P TVET PIU, Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Galaxy Backbone for the benefit of the youths and nation.

The program, which is leveraging on Galaxy ’s connectivity infrastructure nationwide, is designed to equip non-graduates and graduates with the necessary and essential skills for establishing enterprises and maintaining jobs and careers in the ICT sector.

Why telecom operators may not invest much more in Nigeria have a knock-on effect for the consumer. The US in the early mid 1970s was a perfect example of what market uncertainty can do. According to Jerry Hausman, a professor of Economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), regulatory issues delayed the introduction of cellular telephones in the United States for 7 to 10 years.

The delay purportedly cost consumers about $31- $50bn (1994 dollars) each year. In recent times, telecom operators have been attacked by regulators or government through fines and unregulated tax charges. This does not provide the incentivizing platform needed for investors to commit more funds to capital expenditure. The story of the telecoms sector will mirror that of the Nigerian petroleum industry if a proper regulatory and fiscal structure is not designed and enforced by relevant stakeholders.

Solutions for costs, Security & Uncertainty Evaluating the dynamics of the telecoms environment, it is clear that there is still a strong need for increased capital investment in the industry. The publicized customer satisfaction levels with telecom operators serve as enough evidence for the need for improved services. However, until a solution is provided for the operators to deal with issues surrounding its operating costs, security, and uncertainty, Nigeria

of power supply.

Unfortunately, the benefits of the electricity reforms of the Goodluck J o n a t h a n administration are not realizable in the short term. However, it is important for the government to show

,

Continues from page 24

paramount need for operators.

There have been recent talks of the potential passage of a bill by lawmakers, which seeks to give telecommunication infrastructure the status and legal protection of Critical National Infrastructure as well as other critical infrastructure such as power. The bill is a step in the right direction; however a delay in the passage

It is fair to say that telecom operators are generally evaluated by consumers without consideration of the rough operating and financial environment

its commitment to the blueprint of achieving significant Dr. Juwah... Telecom growth in the Chief Regulator generation and distribution of electricity across the may not achieve the telecoms country. True commitment and investment per capita observed observed improvements in the in some of the emerging power sector should serve as economies such as South Africa stimulus for increased and Brazil. The ICT industry is investments in the Nigerian critical to support the economic economy. The envisaged cost growth needed to maintain savings should be reallocated to Nigeria’s status as the largest improvement and deployment of African economy. Hence, all infrastructure for more efficient stakeholders should participate service delivery to the customers. in providing a conducive environment for the required Critical National capital investment to improve the Infrastructure telecom industry’s quality of Protection of telecommunication service. infrastructure in the country, A key win would be in the area especially in remote areas, is a

,

will endanger the $25bn investment in the ICT industry as well as future investments will be endangered for the foreseeable future. It is also important to acknowledge that passage of the bill is not sufficient; awareness and enforcement are the true determinants of the effectiveness of the bill. A comprehensive plan is needed to communicate to Nigerian residents the need to protect all critical infrastructures and the penalty for violating the law in the country.

Lastly, a well-defined and legally backed fiscal and regulatory framework is needed to eliminate uncertainty about the telecom companies’ operations and potential investment. There is need for a uniform tax and levy framework

across the nation which has a legal backing. This would protect the operators from exploitative charges as well as the creation of unbudgeted new levies/taxes.

Ultimately, a properly designed tax and levy framework will increase the positive perception of due process in the industry.

Consequently, investor confidence in the environment will be improved which will in turn increase the probability of more capital investment in the industry.

Roles govt should play It is fair to say that telecom operators are generally evaluated by consumers without consideration of the rough operating and financial environment. However, if the government and all other stakeholders can play their roles to provide a more suitable environment, then it will become crucial that each operator provides world class and cutting edge service. High expectations of a telecom investment per capita at par with countries such as South Africa will be the norm.

As Edward Teller said, “The Science of Today is the Technology of Tomorrow”. The delayed action to improve the effectiveness of the industry will only lead to a lag in the technological and economic development quest for Nigeria.

We have attained the status of the largest economy in Africa; ICT should be supported to play its role in making us an economic power on the global front.

28—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Why Osun poll will be better than Ekiti – Ben Obi •We must not play politics with Chibok schoolgirls Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs to the President, Senator Ben Obi, spoke with journalists after organizing a sensitization workshop for Osun state political stakeholders. Says with recent experiences gathered by stakeholders, the Osun election will be more peaceful and freer than recent elections. He also spoke on the yet to be rescued Chibok school girls and controversies at the National Conference among others.

violence in the South-West?

All the people that spoke at the workshop spoke in favour of peaceful and violence-free election. But again, until the campaigns wind down, this temperature will remain high.

The candidates themselves, all of them are big boys on the political terrain; they are very senior players on the terrain. I think the temperature will drop as the campaigns wind down.

I am not a soothsayer but I believe it would be so. Even the necessary agencies are doing their best to ensure that nothing goes wrong.

On comments that scuttling the report of the National Conference may split Nigeria given the derivation controversies that led to abrupt adjournment of the delegates and comments by Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha that Niger Delta was facing earthquake because of oil exploration Nobody wants Nigeria to split because they know that the strength of this country is her size and unity.

Strength of the country

By Clifford Ndujihe

T

HE workshops, on the face value, appear to aid peaceful election where they were held. In Ekiti, the election was peaceful but the APC complained of scientific rigging before the election…

After many years of being in this game, it is difficult to flog a child and tell the child not to cry. The rhythm of the cry will always be different from one child to the other. There is nothing you do that a political party will not have reason to say this is why we lost this election.

What I am trying to say here is that we are going through a process of re-engineering and at the end of the day we would come to the reality that we have to understand that the style that was adopted by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State is probably a civilised and modern day approach, that when you lose an election and you are convinced, you congratulate the winner.

Kayode is not a baby. Kayode is one of the best brains in this country. So, he must have given a deep thought before

he made his broadcast to the good people of the state.

Some observers say that the presence of the military was the reason for the violence-free election in the state…

There are places that are volatile and when you identify such places you need to beef up security to make sure you don’t allow people to disrupt the activities on ground and then guide and protect the votes of the people.

Heavy military presence Yes, they have been complaining of heavy military presence on ground but the complaints did not come as using the military presence to promote party A or party B. When you notice areas that are volatile, your duty will be to beef up security. There are some other states where you do not need to deploy the military because they are not as volatile as others.

If we adopt that as a pattern, during the general election, if we have six to seven volatile states, what do we do?

There is what they call operational order within the

security services. If they have made it an operational order, I am sure that they would go back to the drawing board to see how they will be able to do virtually the same thing in 2015. You will look at the flash points across the country and that would help or guide you on how to deploy your men.

What I am trying to say here is that you have to keep improving as time goes on.

We have not arrived there yet.

People were skeptical about INEC particularly after the 2011 elections but Anambra was better last year, Ekiti was better last month. You could see the improvement after seven months.

Negative intervention The lapses you noticed in Anambra were completely covered in Ekiti. When you try to make sure that you cover such lapses, it reduces the possibility of manipulation or intervention negatively.

From what you saw in Osun, could you predict the outcome of the election given the history of Osun as another hotbed of political

So, I don't think there is anything wrong with the decision to end the National Conference the way it ended.

The president has set up a small technical committee to cross the 'T's' and dot the 'I's, so to say.

,

•Ben Obi

of the South-East has become a clear case of injustice. It is an issue of give and take. People must be allowed to vent their views and disagreement, so that you know where they stand and how they feel about the issue.

Over 100 days since our girls were abducted at Chibok they have not been rescued even with the aid of the international community. What do you make of the situation?

We are talking about a very delicate assignment. Even the international community sees it as such. The intention of every one of us is to rescue the abducted girls alive. So even when you have information of the exact location of where the girls are kept, and the inclination to attack, you don’t intend to storm it because what they (terrorists) will do is to use them (girls) as shield.

So it is a very delicate assignment that requires a lot of experience and a lot of tact to subdue and overcome the terrorists. It is painful that we are talking about 100 days after the abduction, but we want these girls back safe and that is what the president has been concerned about by having regular meetings with the service chiefs and security agencies again and again. It is not an easy task because of that peculiar nature of the assignment. There is no magic to it than to be very careful and tactful in approaching it.

So far, the reports have been indicating the possibility that

We have not arrived there yet. People were skeptical about INEC particularly after the 2011 elections but Anambra was better last year, Ekiti was better last month

Nobody wants this country to split. Even from the confab, you saw how they were able to manage themselves from the inauguration till the end of it.

DSP may be conveying the message of his people to the National Conference; they will listen to him and look at it. DSP is also a leader of that zone (South-South) by every stretch of imagination that you may look at it.

At the appropriate time, other leaders may sit together and be able to say, are we doing the right thing? And if not, let us do the right thing.

However, this is not the way we want to go about things. It is give and take. Whatever we do, we will end up reaching some understanding. Before reaching the decision on the issue of state creation, all of them in the Confab had reached an agreement that that

,

they would be rescued sooner than later. I believe that this matter is very sensitive and once we talk about it, we have to also remember that their parents are there. Anytime we raise this matter, we also raise their feelings one way or the other. So we have to be very careful and continue to pray.

Anybody who is attaching politics to this matter is making the biggest political blunder.

This has nothing to do with politics. This is a challenge that we all have to live with.

We must be realistic and understand that the only way you can defeat terrorism is that we must unite as a people and not play politics with it. We are talking about the North-East today; it could be any other zone tomorrow. So I plead with all of us not to bring politics into this matter.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014—29

Kwara 2015: New twist in the PDP race After the initial challenge of finding a replacement as the state’s representative in the federal cabinet, the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP still has the onerous task of finding a competent candidate to face the presumptive nominee of the ruling party, that is Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed

By Demola Akinyemi

T

HE shape of things to come in 2015 general elections in Kwara State is already gathering momentum as political gladiators have started reaching out to the stakeholders to make their intentions known.

There are two major political parties in Kwara? State, the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

The opposition party in the State of Harmony, PDP appears not to be leaving any stone unturned to take over the state from the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC).

Needless to say that the election battle in Kwara State in 2015 would be interesting and laced with intrigues, given that the principal actors and actresses in both political parties had at different times worked closely with one another.

Majority of the key players in PDP did not only work with the immediate past governor, Dr Bukola Saraki while he was at the helm of affairs for eights years, they also held various elective and appointed political offices when the late elder statesman, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki held sway as the political leader in the state for over four decades.

The implication is that members of both political parties are not strangers to themselves in terms of intrigues and political subterfuges with which they had in the past used to win elections and also stay in government.

But unlike the ruling APC which is continuing in the political tradition of the legacy of the late Dr Olusola Saraki as being currently led by the scion of the political dynasty, Senator Bukola Saraki in the ruling APC, the opposition PDP is charting an entirely different political pattern, which culminated into the political slogan of wrestling the state from the Saraki dynasty even though the daughter of the late elder statesman, Senator Gbemisola Saraki is interestingly one of the forerunners in the PDP, opposition camp in Kwara.

Central leader The challenges for the PDP emanating from not having a central leader like Saraki in the APC were initially devastating for the opposition party, though the PDP is now gradually getting over the problem.

Indeed, the battle to replace Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi as minister caused serious

•Jani: Changing permutations

•Babalola: Was second in 2011 division among interested stakeholders as there was no central political leader to guide the party on the issue.

Following that agitation to replace Abdullahi, the PDP in Kwara has now resorted to the more energetic battle of picking a gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 elections.

Among the major aspirants known to be jostling for contention are Engr. Sunday Adebayo Babalola, Senator Makanjuola Ajadi, Alh Jani Ibrahim, Senator Simeon Ajibola, Deacon John Dara, Alh Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq, Pro Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, Mohammed Dele Belgore, Alh Bio Ibrahim.

One of the distinguishing factors between the present

contest and that of the one that led to the emergence of the present governor in 2011 is the emergence of some new faces.

Two outstanding faces are Belgore who came over from the former Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and the business mogul, Jani Ibrahim.

Remarkably, the 2011 contest had Babalola as runner up to the eventual winner and incumbent governor of the state.

Babalola has already positioned himself for another run with the emergence of strong support groups cutting across the state and he has been involving himself in noticeable political and nonpolitical ventures that would win him approval.

Business mogul

OSUN: The change to come

By Seun Babajide

A

LL eyes are on Osun State as the people go to the polls on Saturday to elect a new governor. There are concerns that incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola, seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), may not return to office. Justifiably so, the incumbent is facing a strong challenge from Senator Iyiola Omisore of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). If feelers on the Osun election come to reality, it will be the second time an incumbent governor is losing re-election to an opposition candidate within two months.

In June, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State lost re-election to the PDP candidate Ayo Fayose. Aregbesola is coming to the Saturday election on the strength of some achievements that are at best controversial and capable of being his nemesis.

The governor claims to have done so much to move education in Osun forward. He talks about reclassification of schools that is opposed to the national policy on education. Under his own policy, one year is taken away from

primary school and added to the junior secondary.

How this enhances the quality of education in the state is still a matter of conjecture. It would seem all this is to achieve is that the governor wants to be seen as opposed to anything national because his party is not in control of the Federal Government.

He took this path immediately on his assumption of office when he, unconstitutionally, caused the name of the state to be changed from Osun State to the State of Osun. And in the course of implementing his so-called reclassification of schools policy, Aregbesola ended up instigating religious crisis in the state. Schools were merged indiscriminately and without recourse to religious backgrounds. Students protested the merger in a manner that put Osun on edge for many months.

The state has never been divided on the basis of education than it has been under Aregbesola.

The Opon Imo- tablet of knowledge- distributed to students and which the government is claiming to be a star project has been found to be a fraud after all. The contents are apparently riddled with errors while the project, allegedly contracted to

Continues on page 30

However, the emergence of the business mogul, Jani Ibrahim is believed to be shaking the political landscape given the alleged overwhelming influence he has won through his business and other non-governmental activities.

Jani who is also the Chairman of LUBCON, a lubricant company based in Illorin, the state capital, is believed to be the second largest employer of labour in the state, second only to the government.

Jani who is an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, and a past national president of the Alumni, as the association of grandaunts of the school are called, is also a past managing director of Nigeria Airways.

Among the advantages Jani is bringing to his testimonial as an aspirant is his past engagements in the real sector. He is the past

president of Kwara Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA) and past chairman Conference of Northern States Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA), and presently National Vice President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA), where he is the Chairman of the Power Sector Group of NACCIMA.

Business empire One strength Jani is believed to be framing his campaign on is that he built his business empire in Kwara, that he lives among his people and is therefore in a good position to understand their needs and challenges.

The focus of his campaign is said to be derived from his name JANI standing for JobsAgriculture-Natural ResourcesInfrastructural Development.

Though he is yet to openly make a declaration, the unexpected entry of Jani into the race is believed to be reshaping political permutations of interest groups in the contest.

One of the major factors under consideration is zoning. Kwara South which is enjoying its first opportunity to produce a governor of the state under the present dispensation is agitating that it should serve out two terms. Kwara Central which has the largest population in the state is also craving to have its right place as the decider while Kwara North which has never produced a governor for the state is also bidding to have its man occupy the office.

30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

We punished Nyako for his arrogance – Kumdisi, Adamawa House whip MR. Jerry Kumdisi is the Chief Whip of the Adamawa State House of Assembly.In this interview, the onetime aide on Legal and Constitutional Matters to former Governor Boni Haruna provides insights on why the House removed the state's immediate past governor, Rear Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd).

He also spoke on his governorship ambition and why APC members in the House defected to PDP.

By Okey Ndiribe

T

HE House has been ac cused of being used to do a dirty job against Nyako and being paid for it. How true is this?

Reward from who? What favour or rewards were we looking for? As far as I know we didn't do it because we wanted a favour from anybody.

We impeached Nyako because he was not doing well for the state.

Secondly as people who were supposed to be working together, he didn't think that we mattered in the administration of the state. As our governor, we had the right to ask for certain things from him. One of such things was our constituency projects. We expected that every member ought to get it so that he or she can execute some projects in his or her constituency and remain relevant.

Constituency project Since Nyako came to power a little more than seven years ago, he awarded contracts for constituency projects only once. I was part of it. I have been in the House since 2003.

I know the governors that were there. I can tell you what they did and what they didn't do.

You are mentioned among those interested in running for governor. Did your interest develop before Nyako's impeachment ?

Yes I have been nursing the ambition. I had expressed my interest in the position long before the impeachment. I was doing my campaigns, although it was not in the open.

I have won election three times and I have gone round the state and I know what the problem of Adamawa is . The people of Adamawa also know the kind of person I am. They know how I have represented them at the House of Assembly. I also know that I will give Adamawa a new direction, totally away from what used to be the case. My chances are

really good.

What do you mean by what the situation used to be ?

You know that we impeached our governor recently. You don't impeach someone who is doing well. If you do that, the people of the state would chase you out of your house. He was out of tune with the people.

But you gave Nyako a vote of confidence some months ago?

I agree that there was a vote of confidence but we all know how that confidence vote came about. It may be of no value to begin to dissociate myself from the action because if the House takes a decision, whether you voted for or against such decision it is binding on you. You are bound to be part of it.

Praise singing Some of us didn't agree with the confidence vote but we were in the minority. We didn't have the voice to say that this vote of confidence cannot stand.

The way our democracy operates is that sometimes when some members want to get favours from the executive, they engage in praise singing.

It happens in all the states.

Why did it take the House more than seven years to realise that they needed to fight Nyako over his administration?

Everything has its time. When things like that were going on, the Governor had his own men.

But gradually, those members fell out with him and joined some of us that had not been with him from the beginning.

How do you disprove claims that the presidency influenced and induced the House with money to remove Nyako?

I don't know what you mean by being induced or influenced. Nobody asked us to do so. I am not aware of any inducement from anywhere.

If you talk of those that worked with Nyako in his early years I was one of them. But we fell out because he didn't do what we expected he would

my council during his bid for a second term in office. He told me that he did everything he could to ensure that I was defeated in the election. He told me he was sorry for doing all that and pleaded with me to return to PDP for all of us to work together. Election was coming and he needed everybody around at that time to help him to win. That was how I returned to PDP. You have named one mistake that Nyako made, are there other mistakes he made that you will avoid if elected ?

One of the major mistakes Nyako made was to involve his family in government and governance. His wives were in government fully.

Family and friends

•Nyako: Accused of running a private government do. Even before his ouster, there had been previous moves to impeach Nyako. I was part of those who wanted to impeach him when President Yar'Adua was still in power. We served him impeachment notice then but because he was still in PDP and the party was one family, we were called to a meeting in Abuja and told to stop the impeachment move.

We told them what the governor was doing and yet he was not being called to order by the party. We tried to resist the intervention but the late President Umar Yar'Adua asked the then Vice- President, Goodluck

Jonathan to sit with us because he was traveling abroad. We agreed on certain things with the governor. He was asked to implement the agreement while we were asked to drop the impeachment moves. We did as agreed.

When I was coming for the third term , the same Nyako denied me ticket in PDP. I went to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and won my election. I returned to PDP after our inauguration. It was the same Nyako that begged me because he knew that if I was not there in my local government he would not have won

His first son left the navy where he was a commander to come and become a de facto deputy governor to his father.

His children were playing one role or the other in government.

Our MDGs unit was headed by his younger brother's son.

So it was a government for the family. The government was popularly referred to in Adamawa as 'Family and Friends'. If you tell any Adamawa person family and friends he or she will tell you that is Nyako.

When you involve your family in governance you cannot change anything because they will dip their hands in so many things and places . And because you didn't stop them, you may not have the moral fibre to prevent others from dipping their hands in places that you don't like.

OSUN: The change to come Continued from page 29 Aregbesola’s son, was said to have been hugely inflated. The youths need to be empowered. But all we have seen under the APC government in Osun is mere pretension to empowering the youths under the guise of O’Yes scheme. Youths participating in the scheme are paid N10, 000 monthly. Whereas the allowance is meagre, it does not come as and when due. Projects that ordinarily would have provided jobs for the teeming youths are contracted to people outside the state. For instance, the contract for the sewing of students’ uniform which could have provided jobs for local artisans was reportedly contracted to a Lagos based APC chieftain. This pattern is apparently replicated in many other sectors resulting in capital flight from Osun. No achievements are being celebrated in many other sectors including health because there is nothing to showcase. Omisore represents the change Osun needs when the people vote on

Saturday. The PDP candidate is bringing to this election 16 years of experience that saw him being deputy governor and the senator representing Osun East at the Senate. Omisore acquitted himself in the Senate where democracy dividends were delivered to his people in good measure while also chairing crucial committees including the committee on appropriation. The PDP candidate has an eight-point agenda covering all sectors to deliver good governance to Osun people.

A vote for Omisore in the Saturday election is a vote for functional and qualitative education without religious coloration in the state; it is a vote for empowerment of all segments of society in a manner that is not pretentious as we have seen in the last three and a half years under the APC government; it is a vote for good governance in Osun

*Seun Babajide wrote this piece from Ede, Osun State

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014—31

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Navas ready up for Real challenge C

Falconets skipper eyes trophy T

he setting for anything from joyous celebrations to intense team-talks, the team bus – much like the dressing room – is usually a very private place. Making a special exception for FIFA.com, however, Nigeria captain Patience Okaeme invited us on board for a fascinating insight to her side’s preparations for

the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014.

“We don’t normally listen to music on the bus or in the changing room before games, but we do sing,” said Okaeme with a broad smile, before revealing the identity of the team’s number one chanteuse: “Sarah (Nnodim) is the best out of all of us. We follow her, we clap along and we dance. It’s fun.”

With Nigeria about to play their opening game at Canada 2014, coach Peter Dedevbo and his charges are finalising their preparations, and the aforementioned bus is headed straight for the training ground, where the Super Falconets will undergo their second practice session of the day.

Van Gaal happy to beat Liverpool V

an Gaal felt Manchester United’s performance against Liverpool on Monday evening was less impressive than in their victory over Real Madrid two days earlier.

United’s 3-1 win over Liverpool brought to an end their pre-season trip to the United States, with Steven Gerrard’s first-half penalty giving Brendan Rodgers’ side the lead only for Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and

*Van Gaal

C M Y K

Jesse Lingard to respond after the break.

But new United manager Van Gaal was not getting carried away, following their unbeaten five-match tour, saying: “Today ( Monday) was not so good.

“Against Madrid it was fantastic when we dominated the game against the Champions League winners – then I was very pleased.

“Today we have struggled.

It was too much playing two in two days and all the travelling. But we have pleased our fans.”

Van Gaal recently said he will make his decision on who to keep at Old Trafford – and who can leave – when they return home to Manchester.

As for giving clues, the Dutchman was remaining tight-lipped: “I won’t tell them through the media. I’ll speak to the players and will say it honestly. I won’t come with the axe – it’s not like that.”

With regards to United’s trip across the Atlantic, Rooney added: “We’ve worked hard in training to adapt to the way the manager wants us to play and had some good results.

osta Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas has said that he was ready to compete for places at Real Madrid after completing his move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“I know I will have to work extremely hard.

Madrid have the best players in the world in every position, they have two excellent goalkeepers,” said Navas as he was unveiled to fans and the media at the home of the European champions.

Navas is tipped to get the nod ahead of club legend Iker Casillas to start in goal for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, while Diego Lopez looks likely to be forced out.

“Only God knows what will happen. It is up to me to train hard every day so that I am ready if my opportunity comes around,” said Navas.

*Navas

Mexico vs N

Falconets against M N

igeria U-20 women team the Falconets, have moved into their FIFA designated hotel ahead of the kick off of the 2014 FIFA women’s World Cup today in Canada.

The Nigerian team had been on precompetition tour in Moncton Canada since July 27th.

While on the tour, the team stayed at Crowne Plaza Hotel Downtown Moncton.

The team is now at Delta Beausejour hotel, where they are expected to stay till 10th August where they will play their first two matches against Mexico and Korea Republic before leaving for the venue of their 3rd round match in Edmonton.

The Nigerian team has been training at Bernice Mcnaughton

Chelsea move for Real’s Varame

C

helsea are set to revive their interest in Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane.

Jose Mourinho is preparing a bid for the France international after missing out on his main target Joao Miranda - who has also attracted interest from Manchester United.

According to the Express, Chelsea made a £20m bid for the Atletico Madrid defender earlier in the summer, but he is now set to stay at the Vincente Calderon stadium and will sign a new contract at the Spanish champions.

That has lead Mourinho to move for Varane, who he originally brought to the Bernabeu when he was in charge of the current Champions League holders.

Lopez not boun for Milan

D

*Varane

iego Lopez’s agent has denied rep that the Real Madrid goalkeeper c be on his way to Milan.

The former Sevilla stopper was the subjec speculation linking him with a move to San Sir yesterday, having also been linked with Monac and Chelsea.

Costa Rica international Keylor Navas’ arriva the Santiago Bernabeu has raised questions ov Lopez’s future, with Iker Casillas also vying to be Carlo Ancelotti’s first choice keeper.

It was claimed that Milan and Real had begu negotiations over a deal to take Lopez to Serie A the 32-year-old’s representative, Manuel Garci Quilon, has insisted his client is going nowher

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 33

Tearful Valbuena defends Russia move

Rodwell joins Sunderland from City

E

F

rance international playmaker Mathieu Valbuena broke down in tears as he bade farewell to Marseille yesterday but said he had not agreed to go to Dynamo Moscow “by default”.

Valbuena said in a press conference that he had been seduced by the desire Dynamo showed to recruit the 29-year-old.

“It was a carefully thought-out decision. I liked what they had to say. They have a genuine sporting project,” said Valbuena, who has signed a three-year deal with Dynamo which will earn him a reported 10 million euros (£7.9m, $13.4m) altogether.

“I am ambitious and I want to help them progress. I did not choose to come here by default,” added the player who had no offers on the table from any of Europe’s leading leagues with the reported exception of Premier League sides Queen’s Park Rangers and West Ham United.

Nigeria Kick off time Midnight

s set to rumble Mexico High School pitch.

Nigeria is one of four teams - the others being Brazil, Germany and USA - who have been omnipresent at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. After failing to advance to the knockout stages at their first two attempts, they qualified for the quarterfinals in 2006 and 2008, but lost to Brazil and France respectively. The Super Falconets came of age in the last two tournaments, both times making it to the semi-finals. In Germany 2010 they were beaten just once - in the final by the hosts.

Two years later the west Africans topped their group and beat Mexico in the last eight, before being beaten by USA in the semi-finals. While the Americans went on to win the tournament, Nigeria lost the play-off to

nd

ports ould

ct of ro co

al at ver

t-

un A, but ia re.

*Lopez

Japan 2-1 to finish fourth.

Without doubt, Nigeria will have one of the most experienced teams in Canada with many of their players used during qualifying having already participated at various global competitions. At least a dozen of the players who represented the country at the FIFA U-17 tournament in Azerbaijan two years ago are in contention for a place in Peter Dedevbo’s squad for Canada 2014, while the star of the team Uchechi Sunday represented the Super Falcons at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2011, and was in the U-20 squad when Nigeria finished second at Germany 2010.

*Rodwell

*Valbuena

nglish midfielder Jack Rodwell will attempt to resurrect his career at Sunderland after the Premier League club yesterday announced his arrival from Manchester City on a five-year contract.

“Sunderland have completed the signing of midfielder Jack Rodwell from Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City,” the northeast club announced on their website.

Rodwell, 23, spent two years at City after signing from Everton in 2012, but injuries prevented him from making an impact at the Etihad Stadium.

Sunderland did not disclose the fee they had paid for Rodwell, who has won three England caps, but British media reports said that it was around £10 million ($16.9 million, 12.6 million euros).

Rodwell made his Everton debut at the age of only 16 in 2007 and was tipped for a bright future.

He made 109 appearances for the club before moving to City in a £12 million deal, but a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the 2012 European Championship was an unfortunate precursor of things to come.

Ongoing injury problems restricted him to just seven Premier League appearances for City, obliging him to put his international ambitions on hold.

Liverpool’s £100m spending can’t replace Suarez — Trevor

F

ORMER England striker Trevor Francis has blasted Brendan Rodgers for not properly replacing £75million star Luis Suarez.

The Reds boss has splashed out £90m on six signings already this summer.

And Rodgers is set to to take his spending past £100m with the expected signings of Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo.

But ex-Three Lions international Francis believes the balance of Rodgers’ spree is off.

“There’s £100m spent and only £4m put aside for a striker, that being Rickie Lambert,” Francis said.

“I just think that somewhere along the line the balance is not right. He (Rodgers) needed a £30m striker.

“Ultimately it might come back to bite him.

Whatever he’s going to do, he has got to be positive and I believe he’s got to do it before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Francis also believes 32-year-old striker Lambert is struggling fit into his new team.

“I’ve watched him in three or four games and in one game he was taken off at halftime and today he struggled throughout,” Francis added.

*Suarez

C M Y K

34—V anguard 34—Vanguard anguard,, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

NAFDAC and sanity in herbal medication

By Martins Ikhilae

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By Abdulwahab Abdulah

A

SENIOR Advocate, Mr. Femi Falana has called on African Heads of State and governments to query what he called manipulation of the economy of Africa by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank at the on-going economic summit hosted by the United States of America.

President Barack Obama of USA is expected to host the summit which focuses mainly on trade and investment in Africa involving African leaders which opened in Washington this week.

The theme of the summit is: “In- United States president, Obama with African leaders vesting in the Next Generation” and a number of signature and side events have resources Africa should no longer be a dumping been organized to acknowledge the role of civil ground. Having been on the receiving end Africa society, women and youth in the development of should champion the struggle for a new world Africa.” economic order based on justice and fairplay.”

Already 15 civil society organizations from Africa Falana pointed out that apart from condemning had signed an open letter dated August 1, 2014, the level of corruption in Africa, the United States as part of the run-up to the summit. The letter was government has not deemed it fit to ensure that signed by Pamela Timburwa on behalf of the CSOs the stolen wealth is repatriated. “While countries and addressed to the U.S. and Heads of African risk losing aid for enacting laws against same State and Governments, which urged the leaders sex marriage the Obama Administration has not “to ensure that serious consideration is given and even imposed a travel ban on corrupt African firm commitments are made towards ensuring an leaders. Or is America not aware of the fact enabling environment for the participation of civil that some of the leaders who are attending the society, women and youth in Africa’s development.” summit have endangered the development of The 15 Civil Societies include Action for Souththeir countries on account of grand corruption?” ern Africa (ACTSA); Human Rights Watch; HRW, The activist contended that the summit should International Commission of Jurists (ICJ); Africa provide Africa with the opportunity to remind Regional Programme; International Federation for her leaders of their collective duty under Article Human Rights (FIDH); Lawyers for Human Rights, 21 of the African charter on human and people’s Regional office; Liga Moçambicana dos Direitos rights which stipulates that “All peoples shall Humanos (LDH), Mozambique; Liga Guineense freely dispose of their wealth and natural dos Direitos Humanos (LGDH), Guinea-Bissau. resources. This right shall be exercised in the They also include Open Society Initiative for exclusive interest of the people. In no case shall Southern Africa (OSISA); Southern African a people be deprived of it. Without controlling the economic resources in the Africa must challenge the manipulation of the interest of Africa the human to development economy of the continent by the International right guaranteed by article 24 of the monetary fund and the world bank?

African chapter can never be realized”, he added.

Litigation Centre (SALC), South Africa; Swaziland Falana also noted that the letter of the civil Coalition for Concerned Civic Organizations, societies was also silent on the dismal state of Swaziland ; Women and Law in Southern Africa human rights in West Africa and cited as (WLSA), Malawi; Women and Law in Southern examples the case three journalists in Nigeria Africa (WLSA), Mozambique; Women and Law in who have been charged with the forgery of Southern Africa (WLSA), Regional office and President Jonathan’s signature for refusing to Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), Zimbabwe. disclose the source of information in respect of Falana, in his reaction to the letter which was an official letter published by them and that of copied to him by Pamela Timburwa, observed The Nation and Leadership newspapers which that though the letter is good but disagreed with had thousands of copies of their newspapers the issues tabled by the civil societies before U.S. seized by the armed forces in June this year in and Heads of African States and Governments. the interest of “ national security".

The activist stressed that the letter of the 15 civil He also stated that in exercising its human societies was silent on the economic system in the rights jurisdiction, the community court of justice, 54-member states in the African continent ECOWAS sitting in Abuja has upheld the human emphasizing in addition that the African Union rights of community citizens and awarded (AU) and the regional economic groupings have monetary compensation to many victims of not addressed the empowerment of the people of human rights abuse. He noted that apart from Africa pointing out that without addressing the Niger Republic which implemented the crises of unemployment, poverty and insecurity, judgment of the Court on the abolition of the majority of the African people cannot enjoy any slavery, no other member state has complied with aspect of human rights in any meaningful way. the decisions of the Court.

“Africa must challenge the manipulation of the “In the same vein, only about seven countries economy of the continent by the International have made declarations accepting the monetary fund and the world bank? The lower competence of the African court on human and interest rates in the west and the very interest rates people rights in line with the Protocol establishing in Africa being endorsed by the Bretton wood the court. This means that only the victims of institutions should be seriously challenged. Instead human rights violations from the seven countries of aid the emphasis should be on trade. After can access the court for legal remedies”, he hundreds of years of crude exploitation of her noted.

,

,

Agenda for Obama's economic summit for Africa, by Falana

IGERIA is endowed with numerous herbal plants suitable for medicinal purposes. This explains why preventive and curative medication was herbal based before the coming of western medicine. However, the suitability of medicinal herbs for the curing of numerous ailments have necessitated the global clamour for the integration of herbal/traditional medication into western/orthodox medicine practice.

Just as fake, substandard and counterfeited pharmaceutical products are harmful and highly destructive to human health, traditional/herbal products induce similar effects. Indeed, the Nigerian alternative medicine market is in dire need of modernization, dynamic development and critical overhaul for global competitive practice.

The use of herbal products in the cure and prevention of numerous diseases and ailments is ancient in practice. Despite the enormous technological and scientific sophistication that have characterized modern medical practice, it remains an improvement on the age old traditional approach to medicine practice.

Such is the near universal acceptance of herbs in Britain, United States of America, Germany, India, China, Indonesia, etc. and Nigeria is not lagging behind. This explains the current posture of Government in this regard as exemplified in the Dr Paul Orhii led National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC. Ideally, ability and competence must be substantiated

put across for public consumption are non poisonous and in accordance with globally acceptable/specified good manufacturing practice standards.

It is in an attempt to guarantee safety for the human life that NAFDAC has urged all herbal medicine practitioners nationwide to forward to it, herbal preparations and products for scientific and medical examination before being accorded a partial approval status. This status which is known as NAFDAC listing status constitutes the first approval stage but is not a guarantee on herbal products curative and preventive capacity or effectiveness.

Herbal products advertisements In the same vein permission/ authorization is required from the agency before practitioners can advertise their products in the mass media – radio, television, newspapers, magazines, bill boards, electronic boards, etc. This, the agency believes will entrench sanity in herbal products advertisement. Similarly, the agency is putting in place a dynamic second and final herbal products approval phase which comprises scientific based herbal products efficacy/effectiveness verification mechanism which will involve series of clinical trials. Already, a high powered committee comprising seasoned intellectuals and scientists from both the academia and research agencies has been constituted for the purpose.

The Agency has also

The agency is putting in place a dynamic second and final herbal products approval phase which comprises scientific based herbal products verification mechanism which will involve series of clinical trials

through necessary laboratory analysis and other relevant medical experimentation for curative and preventive assurance before favourable public pronouncement can be made on its capacity. It is only by so doing that herbal medicine can be integrated into the nation’s healthcare delivery system.

It is noteworthy that some herbal practitioners and marketers have resorted to unauthorized advertisement in a deliberate attempt to fraudulently garner mass patronage from unsuspecting buyers including using NAFDAC numbers as guarantee for products efficacy and reliability. These obnoxious practices have in turn made herbal medicine practice an allcomers affair with an attendant negative consequence on innocent consumers.

NAFDAC has evolved modernized scientific techniques to regulate and promote herbal products manufacturing and marketing to accord it due relevance and acceptance locally and internationally. The agency is determined to ensure that herbal medical products being

,

strengthened its public enlightenment approaches and measures aimed at ensuring that herbal medicals are effectively and efficiently regulated thereby ensuring that they are safe for use.

On enforcement, the agency has striven to ensure that herbal practitioners complied with its directives in accordance with its legal mandate. Its commitment towards effective and efficient enforcement operation led to the recent apprehension of an alleged expert in herbal products faking and NAFDAC listing numbers falsifier, a professor of medicine and chief consultant of a medical centre.

Aside boosting foreign exchange earnings, creating employment opportunities, empowering government to provide social amenities, it will help to ensure that our pride as a progressively focused nation is maximally sustained through the production of standardized life saving herbal medical commodities.

•Ikhilae is a Lagos based Public Affairs Analyst

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VANGU ARD, WEDNESD A Y, A UGUST 6, 2014 —35 ANGUARD, WEDNESDA AUGUST

I regret my decision To abandon my children Dear Bunmi, Y husband and I divorced four years ago and I was so bitter that I left my three children behind. They had noticed the nasty way my husband spoke to me, and they were treating me the same way - like dirt. I tried to discipline them but their dad was always antagonizing me.

They were all teenagers when I left, which is probably the worst time for them to cope - but I was at an all-time low and bitter. Now I regret my decision not to take them with me and I miss them badly.

I’ve just discovered that my husband has made them believe they were the reason I left and didn’t want to see them again. How do I go about making contact with them?

Edughe, by e-mail.

M

He has children from three different women Dear Bunmi, got married to my husband ten years ago. In all the years we’d been married, he’d had numerous affairs, three of which resulted in pregnancy.

We have two children together.

Each time I’ve forgiven him because I thought I could change him. He had a tough childhood. His mother was a single parent, who did what she could to raise her three children. He never knew his dad, who was one of his moth-

I

er ’s ‘helpers’ when things were tough for her.

I’ve tried to give him the love and stability he needs, but I’m sick and tired of being treated like a doormat. Is there any chance of him ever growing up or should I cut my losses?

Zainab, By e-mail.

Dear Zainab, I admire the way you’ve tried to help your husband, but this has got to stop. By putting up with his affairs,

you’re just allowing them to continue. He’s treating you with a complete lack of respect and he has to learn that his actions have consequences - and in this case, it could mean losing his family.

Sadly, men like him seldom change. Ten years of marriage and a long-suffering wife should be enough for him to try and be on the right track. He has five children - you have two. The earlier you start thinking about the future of your children, the quicker you’d make up your mind to kick him out.

Can I get pregnant easily at my age?

Dear Bunmi, am in my mid-thirties and got married recently to a man who was married before. My husband is ten years older and we agreed to have one or two children.

He already has three from his previous marriage.

I was pregnant before I got married but miscarried in my fifth month.

I’ve read a lot about how difficult it could be to start a family when you are over thirty.

I will really love to have children and am going through fertility treatment. Just how good are my chances?

Eno, By e-mail

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Dear Eno, According to a reputable obstetrician, gynaecologist, there is a small decline in women’s fertility from 30 to 35. Then the drop accelerates. If you take 100 women aged 25, having regular intercourse (two to three times a week), you’d expect 90 to 95 to become pregnant in a year. At 40, you’d expect this figure to fall to 50. The risk of miscarriage increases with age. At age 25 to 30, around 15 per cent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. By 40, 25 per cent. By 50, the ‘ risk are far higher.

The specialist went on to say that a third of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities. The contents of a woman’s eggs deteriorate as she ages. For men, the sperm count remains reasonably the same as he ages if he stays sexually active. If not, his testosterone levels drop significantly. Older C M Y K

women are moire likely to be over-weight or have higher blood pressure, which can lead to problems in pregnancy. Ligaments in the pelvis are less elastic as they age, which could cause labour problems. Problems arise if a woman waits until 30 to fall pregnant, but doesn’t. By the time she’s

had tests, she may already be 35 before considering avenues such as NE I have taken pains to outline all the facts behind late parenthood because I receive a lot of inquiries from time to time. Keep on with your treatment and I’m sure with time, you’ll get pregnant again.

Too old for a player Dear Bunmi, I’m in my early 60s and very youthful, fit and forward looking; I’ve lived in my own house for over ten years. My wife died and the two children of the marriage are now happily married.

About three years after my wife died, I met this divorcee who was an assistant principal in a secondary school in my home-town. She was a lovely looking woman and encouraged my friendship~ We met as often as we could and telephoned regularly.

Even though I made her believe I wasn’t loaded. I spent a lot of money on her and her two sons. It was then decided that she should ask for a transfer to Ibadan where I was based. To my utter surprise~ she stopped any contact with me and when I went to her school, I was told she had resigned.

You can then imagine how amazed. I was when I heard from her recently. She carried on as if nothing had happened,. telling me she had to relocate because her exhusband was harassing her~ She told me none of her feelings have changed and would

want to be with me for the rest of her life. She was definitely nice to have around when we had a relationship, but at my age, I don’t know if I want to go through the heartache she caused me the first time.

Walter, by e-mail.

Dear Walter, This woman of yours recognizes your vulnerability. A lot of lonely men would have responded to the fact that an attractive and apparently welleducated woman is interested in them. Who knows how many other men this schemer had strung along?

An unscrupulous person could ‘adopt many personalities to easily persuade an admirer to part with their hardearned money. I bet for her, the temptation to take you for as much money as she did was hard to resist.

You obviously would have loved to share a stable relationship again and you should look closer at your surrounding as there are women all around who long for the friendship of a decent man like you. Instead of a fraudulent long-distant lover, reach out for a mo”e decent, down-to. earth one.

Dear Edughe, Getting in ouch with your children may not be as hard as you think, Although children do suffer if a parent leaves during the teenage years, younger children find it far harder to cope. Plus, as teens, your children are old enough to realize there are two sides to every story - you are not the devil, and your husband is not an angel.

Besides, your children may have matured into nicer kids than you remember and they will certainly have missed you. They could even appreciate you more.

I can’t promise you a happy ending - but you’ve no chance if you don’t even try to contact them. It’s best to do this when their dad is not around to give you time to get to know them better. Later, they could even tell their dad they would want regular visits by you.

Now he has his son, he ignores mine Dear Bunmi, got married for the second time two years ago. My son, nine, from my first marriage dotes on my husband - he’s never met his real dad who lives abroad. When I gave birth to another boy last year, I thought it would bring us even closer together as a family.

Sadly, while my husband is obsessed with his new son, he’s completely turned his back on my eldest, who is distraught. I love my husband, but I don’t like the way he’s behaving.

Nana, by e-mail

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Dear Nana, It takes a man with a big heart to take a stepchild into his heart in the same was as a biological child, but there are men like that out there. It’s obvious your husband is overwhelmed by the strength of his feelings for his son and obviously didn’t feel the same natural bond with his stepson.

You need to let your husband know how hurt you are by his attitude. Find time alone with him and explain how left out your eldest feels and how unhappy you are about his neglecting your son. Then give him time to adjust to re-establishing his old relationship with his stepson. Realising how unfeeling he is, I’m sure he’ll be willing to change.

My randy seven-year old!

DearBunmi, ECENTLY, I keep catching my daughter masturbating.

The problem is she’s only seven years old! So far, I’ve just made a joke of it, telling her she should do so only in her bedroom as it is a private thing to do. Have I handled the issue well and is my daughter ’s libido going to be uncontrollable in the future’?

Jare, by e-mail.

R

Dear Jare, You should remember that your daughter doesn’t see what she is doing as a sexual thing. To her it is just a part of her body, which gives her pleasure just like some kids suck their thumb.

What you want to do is distract her with games, stories or treats. Don’t give her the impression that you think what she does, is dirty and wicked as this could affect her later on in life. I’m sure when she finds other interests she’ll forget all about her ‘fiddling’!

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

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Orji dismisses APGA's claim of taking over Abia in 2015

AWARDS: From left, Managing Director, Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC, Limited, Mr. Ben Langat; Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, CCHBC, Mr. Dimitris Lois and Founder, Dangote Group of Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (GCON), at CCHBC's award presentation to Dangote Sugar Refineries, as the Group's Most Improved Supplier of the Year, in Athens, Greece.

By Anayo Okoli

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Okorocha accused of giving church N50m dud cheque It's not true — Gov

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI — GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has again come under fire as a fiery Catholic cleric, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has accused him of giving a N50 million dud cheque to the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Anthony J.V. Obinna.

Mbaka told the congregation that Okorocha allegedly gave the dud cheque when the Archbishop wanted to re-roof Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, that was leaking at the time.

“A lot of funny things are happening in Imo State now. Workers are sacked with impunity.

Okorocha gave the Archbishop a N50 million cheque that bounced and this is supposed to be a Catholic,” Rev. Fr. Mbaka said.

He recalled with grief how Catholics and all Christians rose with anger when a story rent the air that Chief Ikedi Ohakim flogged a Catholic priest.

“I recall vividly that not long after I released a song to that effect, I invited the priest at the centre of the alleged beating, Rev. Fr. Eustace Okorie, and sought to know the truth from him.

“He denied that Ohakim

flogged him and since this is the true position, I must also tell the world that Ohakim never dehumanised a priest,” Mbaka said.

Reacting to the allegation, Governor Okorocha’s media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said Imo State government never gave Archbishop Obinna N50 million dud cheque.

“Let us simply aver and solemnly too, that the claim is not only false, but also spurious and

curious in many respects.

“There is no iota of truth in the wild allegation. You can call it an unholy blackmail, taking into account the person behind it,” Onwuemeodo said.

He challenged Rev. Fr. Mbaka to go beyond his claim and provide the proofs since cheques were not invisible objects, adding that “since the false claim on the N50m dud cheque didn’t come from the Archbishop of

Owerri Archdiocese or from any of the priests in the Archdiocese, it becomes reasonable for us to make do with our candid denial.”

Onwuemeodo further stated that with this latest blackmail, Nigerians of goodwill would now begin to appreciate the orchestrated and politically motivated lies being unleashed against Governor Rochas Okorocha’s government by those vividly desperate to take over power from him.

2015: APC calls for Gov Elechi’s impeachment

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI — EBONYI State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, called for the impeachment of Governor Martin Elechi for alleged incompetence, gross financial misconduct, reckless borrowing, loss of focus and abysmal performance.

Briefing newsmen on the prolonged crisis rocking the State House of Assembly and Governor Elechi’s performance, secretary of the party, Mr. Bernard Ebele, said the only person eligible to be impeached was the gov-

ernor.

According to him, impeachment process against the Governor should commence with immediate effect.

He said: “The members of Ebonyi State House of Assembly should stop victimising themselves and come together to enact laws that would move Ebonyi State forward. The most eligible person to be impeached is the governor of Ebonyi State. ”The axe of impeachment should descend on Elechi for imcompetence, gross misconduct, reckless borrowing, loss of focus, abysmal performance and pres-

ence of uncompleted projects.”

Ebele, who is also the State Coordinator of Sam4Nigeria Campaign Organisation, stated that the governor had imposed the four vices of starvation, taxation, deprivation and victimisation on the people of Ebonyi State.

He added that for over seven years, the governor was yet to complete and commission any single project in the state.

“Ochudo city and International market are yet to be completed, likewise Oferekpe water scheme.

The road leading to the House of Assembly is in a deplorable state,” he added.

ALLEGATIONS: Enugu CJ inaugurates 7-man panel to investigate Dep Gov

By Tony Edike

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NUGU — CHIEF Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, yesterday, inaugurated a seven-man panel to investigate allegations against the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, by the state House of Assembly.

They are to start sitting today.

The panel inaugurated at the State High Court Complex in

Enugu has Mr. Franklyn Uche Oraeke as Chairman.

Other members are Pastor Uluakanwa Okoh, Elder Nnamdi Martin Onyenwuru, Mr. Marcel Eze, Mrs. Praise Anyim, Aroh Perfectis and Dr. Anthony Iguh.

In his inaugural address, the Chief Judge said he was under a constitutional obligation to inaugurate the panel to investigate the allegations leveled against the deputy governor, pointing out that the chairman and members

of the panel had been very carefully chosen to ensure there were no cleavages that could hinder the effective and impartial performance of the functions they were assigned to perform.

“I am under a constitutional obligation to inaugurate this panel to investigate the allegations leveled against the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi.

“I must pause here to point out that the Chairman and members of this panel have been very

carefully chosen to ensure that there are no cleavages that could hinder the effective and impartial performance of the functions they are about to perform,” Justice Umezulike said.

He told the chairman and members of the panel that “the glue that holds you together is your uncommon integrity and nonpartisanship in political activities; with this coalescence of chemistry and symmetry I am entitled to hope that you will discharge your functions without fear or favour.”

MUAHIA — ABIA State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has dismissed claims by All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to win the 2015 general elections in the state, describing it as wishful thinking.

Governor Orji maintained that Abia would remain a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP state, and a no-go area for any other political party.

National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, last week in Umuahia, boasted that his party would win Abia in next year’s election.

Though he acknowledged that Governor Orji had done well in office thus far, Umeh, vowed that his party would take over all the South East states which the PDP took over through electoral fraud in 2003.

But speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Ajunwa, Governor Orji dismissed APGA’s claim and maintained that Abia was 100 per cent PDP. According to him, there is nothing like APGA in Abia State.

Orji said he would deliver the state to the PDP as usual and assured that there was no space for any other political party in the state.

Naze-NekedeIhiagwaObinze road threatened by erosion

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI — POSSI BLE loss of precious lives is imminent if nothing urgent was done to remedy the erosion now threatening users of the ever busy Naze-NekedeIhiagwa-Obinze road.

Vanguard investigations revealed that the worst hit portion of the road is located a few metres away from the entrance into Riverside Hotel, Nekede.

A resident of the area, Mrs. Immaculate Odor, lamented that “the only available space at this dangerous point, can no longer accommodate two vehicles at the same time.”

She complained that long queue of vehicles could be spotted at this point everyday, irrespective of the weather condition.

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C M Y K

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FG offers support to 247,000 farmers in Kebbi

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IRNIN-KEBBI — THE Federal Government has supported 274,000 farmers in Kebbi State with fertiliser, improved seedlings and chemicals to boost food production.

A Director in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Kelvin Tekpat, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi that the farmers were among the 340,00 registered under the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) in the state.

He said 58 redemption centres had been established through which each farmer would receive two bags of subsidised fertiliser, two packs of chemicals and 50 kgs of improved seedlings.

According to him, the improved seedlings would enable each farmer to produce at least seven tons of crops per hectare.

Tekpat urged the Kebbi State Government to assist the ministry with vehicles with which to monitor farmers to ensure the success of the programme.

Plateau NMA seeks punitive measure for medical tourism

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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OS — THE Plateau State chapter of the striking Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has called for a law by the National Assembly to make it an offence for Nigerians, especially public officials, to travel abroad for medical attention without a referral from qualified hospitals in the country.

Chairman of the s state NMA, Dr. Pokop Bupwatda and a consultant with the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, contended that such measure will make relevant government agencies pay attention to health care delivery system in the country.

Speaking, yesterday, after being sworn-in as the new state chairman of the asssociation,

Bupwatda, however assured that the impasse between doctors and government would be resolved soon because “we are worried over the situation patients find themselves.”

He urged Nigerians to support the “NMA which is only striving to ensure that the health sector is made efficient and responsive to the plight of the people” and advised government against blackmailing the doctors as doing that would breed anarchy in the country.

Bupwatda said even while the doctors were on strike, “doctors have been humanly sympathetic to the plight of Ebola victims and also those of bomb blast as part of efforts to uplift the sanctity of human lives by the caring doctors.”

On his vision for the NMA in the state, he assured that the association was ready to partner with well-meaning individuals and groups to bring health care services to the door steps of the needy and also ensure that “the rot in the sector is halted for good.”

Others swore in were Mayowa Kingsley Okonoda, Vice Chairman; Jatau Meshak, Secretary; Solomon Raphael, Assistant Secretary and Funmilayo YomiOlugbodi, Financial Secretary.

Also sworn in were Solomon Dawal, PRO; Danat Mark, Treasurer as well as Yilgwan Christopher and Yildam Fabong who will serve as exofficio I and II respectively.

By TinaAkannam

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UTSE— THE Jigawa Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has returned N495,000 recovered from an alleged 75-year-old fraudster, Alhaji Aliyu Yahaya, in Ringim Local Government Area of the state, to the owners.

The suspect, alleged to have defrauded 11 unsuspecting graduates who wanted to work as task force officers with the state government, was arrested by officers of NSCDC following a tip off.

The suspect had confessed during interrogation that the money he collected was remitted to one retired police officer in Kaduna State after taking his commission of N5,000 per person.

The Jigawa Commandant of the NSCDC, Dr. Mohammed Gidado, said the suspect would face prosecution and warned that extortion of the people would not be tolerated in the state.

Oshimili South PDP suspends Marian Alli

FG links 7,000 graduates with firms — SURE-P

A

A

BUJA — THE Federal Government has engaged 7,000 graduates under its SURE-P Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS).

The Chief Project Officer of SURE-P, Mr Istifanus Bargo, said this at a threeday orientation programme for interns and firms under GIS. Bargo explained that over 170,000 graduates had registered in the scheme’s database of which 7,000 had been matched with firms.

According to him, the scheme was a deliberate effort by the Federal Government to link unemployed graduates with firms with a view to enhancing their skills and employability.

He said Federal Government paid N30,000 monthly stipends to each intern for one year.

Bargo appealed to private firms yet to key into the programme to register with the GIS. He said this would offer opportunities for unemployed graduates already registered under the scheme to acquire skills from them.

Jigawa NSCDC returns N495,000 recovered from fraudster to owners

BRIEFING: From left: Air Commodore Paul Jemitola; Principal Staff Officer Coordination, Air Commodore Chinwendu Onyike and Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology, AFIT, Kaduna, Air Vice Marshal Toni Amu Adokwu at the AFIT 43rd graduation press briefing, in Kaduna, Monday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Bauchi govt designs mechanism to assist victims of insurgency

By Suzan Edeh

B

AUCHI — THE Bauchi State Government has designed a quick response mechanism to assist victims of religious, communal and other disasters in the state.

The measure followed the influx of more victims from the crisis prone areas to the state due to insurgency and other disasters.

Stakeholders at a meeting, yesterday, in Bauchi designed a framework on how to effectively manage the programme and resolved to conduct a feasibility study at the places the displaced persons were residing to ascertain the number of the victims for necessary assistance.

Speaking, a representative of the International Resolve Committee, Mrs. Elizabeth Bawu, said the programme would focus attention on rendering support to health, education and social needs of victims.

Mrs Bawu said: “Statistics has shown that more than five million insurgency victims were displaced to Bauchi State and some neighbouring states, hence there is the need to provide support and intervention from government and development partners.

"Apart from rehabilitating the victims, they need to be empowered with skills, in order for them to be financially dependent as they are starting life all over again.”

On the increasing number of

school drop-out children due to conflict and natural disasters, Chief of Party, Northern Education Initiative, Mr Ayo Olademi, lamented the attitude of parents who denied their children the right to education and called for attitudinal change in that direction.

According to him,”when you educate a child as a parent, you have empowered an entire community because that child will in turn educate another person.”

He advocated more investment in education, youth development and as well as the implementation of policy programmes of the government.

NEW chapter in the fight between the Delta State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi and wife of former national chairman of PDP Dr Marian Alli, was opened, yesterday, as the leadership and stakeholders of the party in Oshimili South Local Government Area, suspended Mrs. Alli.

The party also passed a vote of confidence on the state chairman, Chief Nwaoboshi; the local government party chairman, Ebielim Maduemezie, and party executives at the local and state levels.

The party took the resolutions during an enlarged executives, leaders and stakeholders meeting in Asaba to review the protest by a purported PDP stakeholders in Abuja on Monday.

“The action of Mrs. Alli is an embarrassment to the good and loving people of Oshimili South, Oshimili South PDP stakeholders, Delta North Senatorial District and indeed PDP Delta State.

"We, therefore, urge the national party leadership to discountenance, disregard and reject the so-called Oshimili South PDP stakeholders petition/protest as they are not true representative or stakeholders of Oshimili South PDP,” they stated.

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BIRTHDAY: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (left) with the Olota of OtaAwori Land, Oba Moshood Adetoro Oyede during the 70th birthday and 17th Coronation Anniversary celebration of the monarch at Ijemode Event Centre, Ota, Ogun State.

VISIT: Prof Godwin Onu, Rector, Federal Polytechnic Oko, (middle) with members of Atani Community who came on a solidarity visit to the main campus of Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

WEDDING: Hon Tim Owhefere, member representing Isoko North in the Delta State House of Assembly (2nd left) tied the nuptial knots with his heartthrob, Miss Eniwoareke Ilaye (3rd left). The ceremony, which took place in Ofagbe, Isoko North LGA of Delta State was attended by who is who in Delta State led by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN (left).

PARLEY: DG, Technical Aid Corps, TAC, Dr Pius Osunyikanmi with 34 Volunteers, who departed Nigeria for Namibia yesterday in Lagos.

PRESENTATION: From left; Rot Ayo Olumoko, District Governor, Dele Balogun, Rot Tolu Onalaja, President, Rotary Club, Lagos West, Mrs Yemisi Balogun, Rot Lai Abidoye, District Secretary and Mrs Ebele Onyiye, a beneficiary during the presentation of grinding machines to Ml2 Estate Market women by the Rotary Club of Lagos West, District 9110 at the Estate market, Lagos yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

The couple flanked by members of the Delta State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Hon. Peter Onwusanya. From left; Princess Pat Ajudua, Chief Monday Igbuya, Mr. speaker, the couple, Hon. Azuka Azaka and Prince Johnson Erijo.

INAUGURATION: From left; Secretary, Sangotedo Baale Council, Alhaji Okeowo Adisa; Chief of Staff to the Chairman, Eti-Osa East LGA, Mr. Olugbenga Arowolo; Chief Executive Officer, Protection Plus Services Limited, Ubong King and Executive Director, Mrs. Ivy King, during the inauguration of Borehole Water Project donated to Sangotedo Community in Eti-Osa, Lagos by Protection Plus services.

CLUB TOUR: From left; Mr. Adetoro Shobawale, General Manager; Mr. Adeleke Oki, Admin/HR Manager, Mr. Shina Peller, Chairman BRIEFING: From left: ED, Finance and Administrations, CoreMedia Services Ltd, Mr. Hakeem and Miss Darince Hawkins, PR/Marketing Manager, all of Quilox Night Yusuf; MD/CEO, Mr. Jide Adediran; PR Manager, NTA-Star TV Network Ltd, Mr. Anetor Irete; and Head, Marketing, CoreMedia, Mrs. Shakirat Bello during a press briefing to introduce the birth of Club at a Special Brunch and Club Tour by Media Executives.

Coretv News on Startimes Channels, held at Isheri, Ogun State yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

OSUN STATE APC'S MEGA RALLY FOR GOV AREGBESOLA'S RE-ELECTION IN OSOGBO, YESTERDAY

From left: Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Governor Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and his predecessor, Prince Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, and Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, during the Mega Rally for the re-election of Governor Aregbesola, at Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo. Olagunsoye Oyinlola (right on top of the bus).

From left: Former Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, National Chairman, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Chief Bisi Akande, former Interim Chairman of APC.

Crowd of party faithful at the event.

From left: Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

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American woman infected with Ebola arrives U.S.

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N American woman, Nancy Writebol infected with Ebola virus in Africa arrived Atlanta yesterday, making her the second human Ebola patient ever in the country.

A specially equipped air ambulance delivered the missionary to Georgia’s Dobbins Air Reserve Base late Tuesday morning, having left Liberia earlier in the day. She will be taken to Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital, where the other American Ebola patient, Dr. Kent Brantly, also is being treated.

Writebol and Brantly were caring for Ebola patients in Liberia last month when they became sick, and the same plane brought Brantly from Liberia to Georgia on Saturday.

Emory is just blocks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helped Emory design an isolation unit — one of four of its kind in the United States designed to optimize care for those with highly infectious diseases.

“We’re just grateful and very cautiously optimistic about how she’s doing right now,” Bruce Johnson, president of SIM USA, a Christian mission group Writebol is affiliated with said.

•Suspected Ebola case in Saudi The global concern over the spread of Ebola has reached Saudi Arabia, where a man is in critical condition after recently returning from Sierra Le-

one.

The 40-year-old man has symptoms of a viral hemorrhagic fever, the Saudi Health Ministry said Tuesday. The source of his infection is unknown, but Ebola cannot be ruled out, the ministry said.

Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia are at the center of an Ebola outbreak that has already killed more than 800 people.

“This is the biggest and most complex Ebola outbreak in history,” Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a statement.

“It will take many months, and it won’t be easy, but Ebola can be stopped,” he said. “We know what needs to be done.”

The virus has already been confirmed outside of the three main countries.

Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza

A

72-hour humanitari an ceasefire brokered

by Egypt has gone into effect in the Gaza Strip, with Israel pulling its forces from the Palestinian territory on the 29th day of the offensive.

The start of the truce at 05:00 GMT on Tuesday was preceded by a barrage of rockets from Gaza, with air raid sirens sounding throughout southern Israel, including in the cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon and Beersheba, as well as around Jerusalem.

Israel immediately launched air strikes on Gaza City and on southern and central parts of the Palestinian territory. Al Jazeera’s Imtiaz Tyab, reporting from Beit Hanoun in the territory’s north, said he could hear the Israeli air strikes just before the clock struck 8am local time.

“We haven’t heard anything outgoing or incoming since 8am,” he said.

Tyab said large numbers of Israeli ground forces had left the Beit Hanoun area, and residents were returning. Israeli troops had also left the southern Rafah area, according to Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford.

As well as brokering the truce the Egyptian government invited Israel and the Palestinians to attend indirect talks in Cairo aimed at securing a permanent end to violence

that has killed 1,867 Palestinians as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers.

Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner, Israeli military spokesman, earlier said Israeli troops would “be redeployed in defensive positions outside the Gaza Strip and we will maintain those defensive positions”.

He said the army overnight destroyed the last of 32 tunnels located inside Gaza. “Today we completed the removal of this threat,” he said.

Three similar ceasefire

agreements have collapsed since the violence began, and Israel had resumed air strikes on Gaza after a patchy and limited seven-hour humanitarian truce ended on Monday, with one attack killing two people and wounding 16.

Both Hamas and Israel earlier confirmed the deal to Al Jazeera, with officials from each side pledging to commit to the truce and warning the other against violating it.

U.S. general killed in Afghanistan

A

N American gener al was killed Tuesday after a shooter wearing an Afghan military uniform opened fire at a training facility in Kabul, a Pentagon spokesman said.

“Perhaps up to 15” coalition troops, including other Americans, were wounded in the attack, said Rear Adm. John Kirby.

The gunman, who was killed, was believed to be an Afghan soldier who had served for some time, Kirby said.

The general’s killing marks the “one of the highest-ranking deaths in the war since 9/11,” Kirby said.

The general was not being identified pending notification of relatives, Kirby said.

The bloodshed happened at Marshal Fahim National Defense University in Kabul, said NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in a statement, clarifying earlier information from ISAF which reported that the shooting happened at Camp Qargha.

The German military said that the violence broke out during a “key leader ” event. It also said that one person was killed and 14 were injured, including a German brigadier general.

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POLIO—Former President , Alhaji Shehu Shagari (L) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, at a meeting with traditional rulers on the fight against polio in Sokoto, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

More feared infected with Ebola virus Continues from page 5 sion by domestic animals like pigs.

He called for precautionary measures such as hand washing, adoption of appropriate waste management and enhanced personal and environmental hygiene as relevant, especially when large congregations are expected with a mix of people from other parts of the world.

He said the committee set up by the Federal and Lagos State governments was taking necessary precautionary measures to stop the spread of the disease.

For effectiveness in handling the emergency, the commissioner said the committee had been divided into five units including contact and surveillance tracing, case management, point of entry unit, publicity and data management unit.

The contact tracing unit, he stated, is saddled with the responsibility of tracing contacts of infected person; case management unit has the role of managing established cases while the point of entry manned by Customs and Immigration personnel is charged with the examination of persons entering Nigeria from the various borders.

FG contacts US for

experimental drug As part of moves to mitigate the situation, the Federal Fovernment has reached out to the Centre for Disease Control, in the United States of America, for access to the experimental drug being administered on the two American missionaries infected with Ebola Virus disease.

Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, who disclosed this, said government was in consultation with the US health body over the possibility of Nigeria getting access to the trial drug, for administration on victims of Ebola in the country.

American doctors, Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, who worked with the aid organisation Samaritan’s Purse, and contracted Ebola from another healthcare worker at their hospital in Liberia, have been flown to the Emory Hospital in Atlanta for treatment with the experimental drug. The experimental drug, known as “ZMapp”, was developed by a San Diegobased biotech firm, Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. The treatment had never been tried before in a human being but had shown promise in small experiments with monkeys.

Chukwu who ex-

pressed optimism about the consultation, noted: “We are in touch with the Americans. Yesterday, I spoke on telephone with the Director of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Tom Freiden. We spoke at length, and we have exchanged emails. Yesterday, I inaugurated the Treatment Research Group and one of its Terms of Reference is to collaborate with similar working groups across the world. Now that they have started work, they will get in touch with the Americans and understand what they are doing and whether we have access to similar opportunity.”

Further, he said members of the Committee had opportunity of looking at their own options and developing something on potential cure for Ebola.

Nigerian doctors can develop cure “Nobody says that new, fresh ideas cannot come out of Nigeria. We should not underestimate the intelligence of Nigerians. I do not underestimate the intelligence of our professionals, I believe something positive is going to come out."

Chukwu, however, noted that the committee was set up specifically for Ebola. It is a standing

committee. Its time frame is indefinite and as long as Ebola is an issue, it will work on it. As long as Ebola is relevant they have work to do. If, it develops a treatment, or Ebola goes we will give the members other responsibilities.”

NMA volunteers In a related development, the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has said the ongoing nationwide strike of the Association would not stop doctors in Lagos from volunteering to participate in the treatment of possible Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, patients.

This is coming on the heels of the appeal by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris on the need for striking doctors and other health workers like; nurses, environmental health workers and phlebotomists to complement the state health workforce.

At a press conference in Lagos to enlighten the general public on mode of infection, symptoms and preventive measures for Ebola, the Lagos State chapter chairman of the NMA, Dr. Tope Ojo, confirmed that already doctors in the state have volunteered to join the team of experts managing patients at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba,

Lagos.

Ojo said already, some of its members had volunteered to join seven of the sub-committees on Ebola.

“Strike or no strike, we must respond to emergencies. Our doctors are at Mainland Hospital, Yaba, where isolated contacts are being monitored. There are seven committees working on the management of the disease at the centre in Lagos and our members are part of of the various committees.

“When there is disaster outbreak, you find out that there will be response by NMA. The issue of strike will not affect our involvement. The NMA is a responsible body and I can assure you that in as much as we don’t pray for natural disasters, NMA will definitely respond. We worked all through the night trying to find out who should be here or there today. It is not a question of if the hospital is on today we work more than what we have been doing,” he added.

“But the committee where we are having challenges getting volunteers is case management. This is the people that work directly with confirmed and suspected cases.

“Look at the protective measures that doctors in Liberia and Guinea wear.

They are well protected, yet some of them still caught it. Our doctors are worried about the danger it poses to their lives and they need to be reassured. We understand their fears and we are making moves to confirm the level of preparedness of the government for doctors.”

He further stated that even with the ongoing strike, nothing was lacking in terms of the intervention of doctors. “As I am talking to you, more doctors are volunteering to participate in all the committees that are working on the preventive spread of Ebola."

He, however, lamented that the NMA strike was a fallout of inability of government to accede to the reasonable demands of the doctors, adding that several negotiations since the beginning of the strike, more than one month ago, have consistently broken down based on government's inability to accede to the demands.

Hospital matron shows symptoms Ojo further disclosed that the infected doctor, who is presently on admission at the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, is responding to treatment.

“We know that the infected doctor is stable, however, the matron is now showing symptoms.

But everybody including the experts from the World Health Organisation are doing all they can.”

He announced that Lagos NMA has set up another committee comprising doctors to work out modalities on informing the public on preventive measures on Ebola and other endemic diseases.

He also announced that the doctors will be carrying out advocacy visits to the markets and public places to also enlighten people on the dreaded disease.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the NMA Lagos, Dr. Babajide Saheed, said the doctors were working closely with the WHO and other stakeholders to contain the risk of the infection to others.

Saheed said: "Not all doctors can attend to an Ebola patient. In fact, you must limit the number of health workers treating affected persons just to contain the risk. “We will be escalating the situation if doctors rush to Mainland Hospital just to attend to patients."

World Bank Group mobilizes $200m to fight Ebola Meanwhile, with the latest death toll from the West Africa Ebola epidemic now at 887, the World Bank Group has pledged the sum of US $200 million as emergency funding to help Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone contain the spread of Ebola infections, help their communities cope with the economic impact of the crisis, and improve public health systems throughout West Africa.

Announcing the package in Abuja, World Bank Group President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, said the new financing commitment was in response to a call from both the three African countries hardest-hit

by Ebola and the World Health Organization, WHO for immediate assistance to contain the outbreak.

54 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014—55

Unending traffic snarl on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway

How culpable are tank farms?

• FG versus LASG controversy over EIA

BY JUDE NJOKU WITH REPORTS FROM VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG, OLASUNKANMI AKONI, MICHAEL EBOH & SEBASTINE OBASI

W

HEN Yemi woke up Thursday morning and remembered that he had an appointment at 12 noon with his Shipping company in Apapa, he became apprehensive. Two weeks earlier, he had kept a similar appointment at Apapa and the harrowing experience of that trip to the Port town, is better forgotten than re-lived. He thought of going through Ijora but quickly jettisoned the idea because “if you are trapped in the traffic in that axis, you may stay there throughout that day”.

After navigating his way through the traffic bottleneck around Cele Bus-stop on the ever-busy Oshodi-Apapa express-way, Yemi ran into

another gridlock around the Second Rainbow Bus Stop.

Before he could navigate through the smoky traffic at Mile Two and Berger Yard, he had spent approximately two hours.

The journey to Wharf Road where his shipping company has its office took Yemi another two hours.

Indeed going to Apapa from any part of Lagos has become a commuter’s nightmare due to the perennial traffic jam that spans several kilometres. The reconstruction of the OshodiApapa expressway by Messrs Julius Nigeria Plc which is progressing at a rather snail’s speed and the parlous state of the link roads, have aggravated the already bad situation.

But perhaps, the greatest problem of Apapa which directly and indirectly impacts on the traffic situation in the area, is the location of tank farms and

seaports in the neighbourhood.

Apapa is the home of two major sea ports -Apapa and Tin-Can Ports and no fewer than 20 tank farms.

Plethora of tank farms: The plethora of tank farms in Apapa became necessary following the collapse of the refineries and the massive importation of refined petroleum products through the seaports. Lagos which enjoys a near monopoly of fuel importation in the country, thus became the preferred destination for fuel dealers who send their tankers from all parts of the country to lift the product.

Functional refineries at Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri would have lessened the quantity of fuel imported into the country and the number of tankers that come to Lagos to lift the product.

EIA of tank farms and the unending buck-passing

Vanguard Features, VF learnt that no fewer than 36 tank farms are currently operating from Apapa. But the recurring questions are: Who approved the construction of these tank farms in Apapa and environs? Did the owners carry out the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, required by the law, to determine the effects of such projects on their neighbourhood and how they would be mitigated before the construction of such projects are commenced? If the EIAs were done, were the reports/ recommendations subjected to public scrutiny and open debate as required by the EIA law?

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OSHODI-APAPA EXPRESSWAY:

“The question should be asked, who did they contact for EIA before they located the tank farms? The problem is that the Federal Government has refused to see the state government as a coordinating partner in all its ventures in the state. The point is that the Federal Government has failed to realise that they do not have the capability to achieve urban renewal; it rests on the state. They should not just dabble into every department, all in the name of Federal might”.

An operator of one of the tank farms who would not want to be identified, confirmed that they do not have an EIA on their farm.

“What do you mean by EIA?” he

The plethora of tank farms in Apapa became necessary following the collapse of the refineries and the massive importation of refined petroleum products through the seaports

What are the measures put in place by the operators of the tank farms to cushion the horrendous impacts of their activities? The Lagos State government which is engaged in a buck-passing game with its Federal counterpart, alleged that it was not carried along by the Federal government on the EIA issue.

Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Information and Strategy, Alhaji Lateef Raji maintained thus: “The Lagos State Government was not contacted for Environment Impact Assessment, EIA.

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asked. When VF explained what it meant, he retorted: “No! We didn’t do anything like that. I guess there was nothing like that requirement when we started.

But if there was, then the agency of government concerned did not enforce it, because they did not envisage what is happening now”.

Recent calls by both the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government for the relocation of petroleum tank farms from within Apapa have called to question

Continues on page 56

56—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Danger posed by tank farms in Apapa Continues from page 55 the approval processes and the environmental impact assessment that were conducted before the construction of petroleum storage facilities in the area.

Currently, there are about 20 companies with tank farms and petroleum storage facilities around Apapa, with each storage facility capable of holding between 20 million litres to 50 million litres of petroleum products. According to data of petroleum products’ allocations released by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, Nigeria currently imports about 4.8 billion litres of petroleum products per quarter.

Almost all of these importations are done through the Apapa ports, as about 90 per cent of the tank farms in the country are located around the Apapa area.

To evacuate these 4.5 billion litres of petroleum products from the tank farms in Apapa per quarter, about 136,364 tankers, with an average capacity of about 33,000 litres are required.

This translates to about 1,515 tankers with a capacity of 33,000 litres plying the Apapa axis on a daily basis to lift petroleum products from these tank farms to different parts of the country.

In addition to risks posed by locating these tanks close to the ports and residential areas, the tankers also pose serious risks to road users, the environment and the society.

Worst of all the negative impacts of the tankers, is the perennial

Tank farm in Apapa Government.

LASEPA agreed with the oil companies that a consultant will be employed to conduct a postimpact assessment of the area to ascertain the extent of environmental pollutions that may have been impacted.

The Lagos State Government also mandated the oil companies, as part of numerous safety measures, to construct water hydrant in front of their depots and purchase fire engines to fight any outbreak of fire in the area.

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LASEPA disclosed that the oil companies were shut for siting tank farms less than 200 metres away from residential area

traffic situation around the Apapa area. Over the years, the tankers have made life unbearable for other road users and businesses around the area, leading to questions over the approval process of these tank farms in Apapa.

The issues of the approval process for these tank farms were called to question in 2012, when officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, sealed the premises of five of the oil tank farms’ owners for violation of the state’s environmental laws.

LASEPA disclosed that the oil companies were shut for siting tank farms less than 200 metres away from residential area and operating tank farms without submission of Environmental Impact Assessment report to the relevant government agencies.

However, the premises of the tank farms owners were reopened after one week, after the companies signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, with the Lagos State

However, nothing else was heard about the issue ever since, despite the fact that the oil companies have failed to abide by the spirit and letters of the MOU. A couple of months ago, when a tanker discharging fuel went up in flames, at Emordi Street in Olodi-Apapa area of AjeromiIfelodun Local Government, near the vicinity of the tank farms, it took divine intervention to save the entire community from been gutted by fire.

The International Association for Impact Assessment, IAIA, defines an environmental impact assessment as the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made. In his own view, a lecturer at the University of Lagos, Abdullahi Sobola, said: “EIAs are unique in that they do not require adherence to a predetermined environmental

outcome, but rather they require decision makers to account for environmental values in their decisions and to justify those decisions in light of detailed environmental studies and public comments on the potential environmental impacts of the proposal.”

In the light of these facts, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, called for the relocation of all the tank farms from within the Apapa area.

He said: “Government must understand that its business is the welfare of its people and it cannot deliver that by amateurish

standard. This place was not designed for fuel discharge, but they have converted it for that, with all sorts of permits given by regulatory agencies, such as the DPR and the PPMC.

To be concluded

Provisions of EIA Act 86 of 1992

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he Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA Act 86 of 1992 (formerly Decree 86 of 1986) outlines what individuals and corporate organisations wishing to set up projects of the magnitude of a tank farm should do. Excerpts The objectives of any environmental Impact assessment (hereafter in this Decree referred to as “the Assessment”) shall be *to establish before a decision taken by any person, authority corporate body or unincorporated body including the Government of the Federation, State or Local Government intending to undertake or authorise the undertaking of any activity that may likely or to a significant extent affect the environment or have environmental effects on those activities shall first be taken into account; * to promote the implementation of appropriate policy in all Federal Lands (however acquired) States and Local Government Areas consistent with all laws and decision making processes through which the goal and objective in paragraph (a) of this section may be realised; *to encourage the development of procedures for information exchange, notification and consultation between organs and persons when proposed activities are likely to have significant environmental affects on *The public or private sector of the economy shall not undertake or embark on public or authorise projects or activities without prior consideration, at an early stages, or their environmental effects. *Where the extent, nature or location of a proposed project or activity is such that is likely to significantly affect the environment, its environmental impact assessment shall be undertaken in accordance with the provisions

of this Decree. •The criterion and procedure under this Decree shall be used to determine whether an activity is likely to significantly affect the environment and is therefore subject to an environmental impact assessment project before the commencement of the project the environmental assessment process may include * a screening or mandatory study and the preparation of a screening report; An environmental impact assessment shall include at least the following minimum matters, that is * a description of the proposed activities; * a description of the potential affected environment including specific information necessary to identify and assess the environmental effects of the proposed activities; * a description of the practical activities, as appropriate; * an assessment of the likely or potential environmental impacts on the proposed activity and the alternatives, including the direct or indirect cumulative, short-term and tong-term effects: * an identification and description of measures available to mitigate adverse environmental impacts of proposed activity and assessment of those measures; *an indication of gaps in knowledge and uncertainly which may be encountered in computing the required information: *an indication of whether the environment of any other State, Local Government Area or areas outside Nigeria is likely to be affected by the proposed activity or its alternatives; *a brief and non technical summary of the information provided under paragraph (a) to (g) of this section.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 57

Oyegun, APC leaders warn against rigging •Why Osun must shun PDP – Oyinlola

By Dapo Akinrefon

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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HE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun has warned that any attempt to rig Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State will lead to violent protest.

Speaking at the final mega rally of the party in Osogbo, the APC chairman warned of dire consequences if the August 9 election is manipulated.

He said: “In Osun state, I have seen what it means for a governor to be popular. For those who have ears, let them not tamper with a single vote in Osun State. We will not let them. Let me warn further that from now on, the battle line is drawn. The APC will no longer recognise any government arising from fraud. The APC will no longer accept any stolen mandate.

After Ekiti, it must not happen again.

“I want to warn particularly as it concerns February 2015. This country wants change, the APC is prepared for free and fair elections. I must warn that if anybody dares to steal the people’s mandate in February 2015, then we in the APC, will not recognise that government and then, we will proceed to set up a people’s government that the people of this country need. For those who have ears to hear, let them hear that there will be consequences if they fail to hear.”

Also speaking, former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu encouraged the electorate to protect their votes.

Jonathan has no say in Osun — Akande Immediate past National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, said “Jonathan has no say in Osun State because he cannot point put at any project his

A

•Governor Aregbesola acknowleding cheers from supporters administration has done in Osun state. There is no denying the fact that Aregbesola has won Saturday’s election, I want you all to go out and vote.”

I was used in PDP — Oyinlola On his part, Oyinlola said: “I want to talk about the Federal Government after which I will tell you why we cannot vote for the PDP. In June 2010, Jonathan called me and said he wants to vie for the presidency in 2011. I told him to speak with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to discuss his ambition.

There is an agreement between the North and South regarding power shift. President Jonathan used some of us to achieve his aim and thereafter discarded some of us who worked for him. We have been cheated in the PDP. If you look at all the principal offices in the country, the South west has no position. “I want to tell you why you should not cast your vote for the PDP. All the former governors are presently in the APC. The

candidate of the PDP is self centered. I don’t know how Bola Ige was killed, only God knows.

Omisore was arrested for the death of Bola Ige. One other reason you should not vote for the PDP is that the party is divided. It is now left to us to decide who we should vote for. By the grace of the God, we will emerge victorious.

You must defend your votes — Oshiomhole Speaking on behalf of the APC governors, the Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole encouraged the people of Osun State to defend their votes on Saturday.

“On Saturday, you must defend your votes, you must move away from those who ought to be in prison but for the lapses in our legal system. Democracy is about numbers it is not about force, on Saturday, after voting, you stand by your votes. Your task is simple, mobilize your people. The other people will come with their money, when they give you, take it. But

when you take it, vote for your choice and do not feel guilty. You must defend your votes, I know you can even do better.”

In his brief remarks, the first civilian governor, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, charged the electorate: “On Saturday, go with your food to the polling unit and cast your vote. Do not be intimidated when you see the security operatives.

After voting, ensure you stand by it and go with it to the collation centre.”

Receiving the APC flag, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola cautioned security operatives not to betray the people of the state but to ensure security of lives, adding “we know that the security operatives will not betray the people of Osun state.”

APC leaders at the rally included Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun State), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State), Rochas Okorocha (Imo State), and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara State).

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INISTER of Police Affairs, Alhaji Abdul Jelili Adesiyan, has said that the massive turn out of people during a mega rally organized by the Peoples Democratic Party in Osogbo at the weekend, has sent jitters into the spines of the leadership of APC in the state, especially the incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of the next Saturday governorship election.

The APC had in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, claimed that the PDP was planning to rig the governorship election in 10 local councils of the state. It listed Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ife South, Olurunda Iwo, Ifelodun,

Osogbo, Odo Otin and Aiyedade as the councils the PDP wanted to win at all costs. Reacting to the allegation, the minister, through his Chief Press Secretary, Wale Akinola, said the claim was not only baseless but also lacks logic in its entirety, adding that PDP did

not need to rig to win the election.

“The APC’s claim that PDP wants to rig the next Saturday election in 10 local governments out of the 30 local governments and one area office that make up the state, is not only baseless but a self confession of

its intended plan to rig ahead of the Saturday’s decisive election.

“To say that APC is not popular in Osun State and good people of the state are tired of bad governance, is an understatement and that the party is making frantic efforts to win the next election at all costs is just to say the obvious.

APC, PDP are mischievous – Akinbade

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ABOUR Party Governorship Candidate, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of mischief- making and denied having any pact with any of the parties.

Akinbade in a statement by his Director of Media, Mr. Kayode Oladeji, said APC was toeing the line of the PDP in name dropping,

noting that the two parties had sensed their imminent defeat, necessitating the ploy to confuse the electorate. His reaction is coming on the heels of a news item aired on a radio station that the LP had allegedly endorsed Aregbesola for second term, as authored by one Raji Adeyinka “We see this as a jittery strategy.

Those behind this are faceless and we challenge them to come out in

HEAD of the Saturday governorship election in Osun State, the State Police Command has banned all categories of vigilante groups as well as non-governmental security agencies operating in the state from engaging in any form of activities henceforth.

The command also warned all war-mongers, trouble shooters, persons, groups or groups of persons with the intent of carrying out any act that could lead to threat to peace before, during and after the gubernatorial election to steer clear of the state.

The ban was contained in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Folasade Odoro (DSP).

The police said that the ban became imperative in order to forestall any breach of security and acts capable of causing breakdown of law and order in the state before, during and after the governorship election in the state.

“The police and other law enforcement agencies in the state will secure a level playing ground for all parties, politicians as well as the electorate to exercise their civic responsibility.

In doing so, we will not hesitate, however to deal decisively and within the ambit of the law, with anyone or group of persons who attempt to foment trouble and in the process disrupt the smooth conduct of the election.

FRSC deploys I,550 officers

APC jittery over impending defeat – Police Minister Stories By Gbenga Olarinoye

Police ban vigilante, non-governmental security outfits

the open. The LP is one big invincible party that will take over power as from next Saturday when the people shall elect me, Akinbade as new governor” The LP candidate wondered why a ruling party APC and the PDP could go to the extent of dropping his name, stressing, ‘’ I am sure that Aregbesola and his PDP counterpart have already seen the hand writing on the wall’’.

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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HE Osun sector Head of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Mr. Muhmmad Husaini, said the commission will deploy 1,550 officers for election duties on Saturday to complement other security operatives already deployed to the state.

Speaking on the preparation of the organization for the election, the FRSC boss said the headquarters of the body would reinforce the Osun sector with 1,000 officers to join 550 officers already on ground to provide security during the August 9 poll.

58 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 Edited by: Emma Nnadozie emmadozie@hotmail.com 08023145281, 08111813021

Appointment of New IGP NIGERIANS SPEAK: What we expect of Abba T

he mantle of leadership in the Nigeria Police Force changed hands on August 1, 2014, after President Goodluck Jonathan, announced that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7, comprising Abuja, Kaduna and Niger States, Suleiman Abba, will take over from Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar who proceeded on statutory retirement, having completed 35 years in service. The Acting IGP immediately assumed responsibility and came out with a heart-warming pledge: “I will do whatever is necessary to bring excessive violent crimes in the country to a halt.”

Coming in the face of security challenges facing the country, Crime Alert went to town to feel the pulse of the people over the development. They also rated the performance of retired IGP, MD Abubakar. Excerpts:

Mr. Biodun, car dealer: VERYBODY knows what is good from what is bad; the new Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba should do his work, carry out his duties as the Police boss diligently so that Nigeria can be a safe country again. The last InspectorGeneral of Police,MD Abubakar, initially when he started, performed, he removed road blocks but the problem we have in this country is that there is no followup on laws or policies. After he removed the road blocks, within a couple of months, they returned as we started seeing them on the roads again.

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Mr Bright Jegbefun, lawyer: The new IGP should

take training and re-training of officers and men as a paramount area of his agenda. This is because of the dimension insecurity has taken.

It is so disheartening to hear that policemen who are supposed to protect lives and property of the citizenry are being killed like chicken. Training should be hinged on counterterrorism. It is not just about training alone but kitting these men who are usually at the fore front. It is so appalling to see policemen on patrol without bullet-proof vests.

Sometimes, you will find that among a team of five policemen , only two of them are armed. How do you expect them to face the enemy at any given opportunity?”

Miss Pricilla, student:

I don’t know we have a new IGP but now that you have informed me about it, I want the new man to do all within his power as the Police boss to equip and empower police officers and ensure that kidnapping in the Eastern part of the country is reduced to the bar-

est minimum. The Police Force is trying but they need to do more to protect the life of citizens. If it is within his power, he should ensure that the Chibok girls are rescued.

Come 2015, the new IGP should do all he can to ensure maximum security of lives and properties because if these security issues continue, people will be afraid to come out to vote.

Mr. David Eze, trader:

I don’t know that we have a new IGP. I think the new IGP is living in Nigeria and he is familiar with the security challenges. Every one of us is aware of what is happening.

By virtue of his new position, he must have to step up from where his predecessor stopped. He has to map out strategies to tackle the security challenges in Nigeria.

Most importantly, he should put the (Police) house in order. As a human being, the outgoing IGP performed his best and gave his all, maybe his all is not good enough.

•Acting IGP Suileman Abba: Much expectations from Nigerians

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By Evelyn Usman & Esther Onyegbula

I want the New IGP to do all his best regarding 2015 election to ensure that it is not rigged but free and fair, security at every level must be improved

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Caleb Omose, lawyer: I charge the new IGP to look into the area of extra-judicial killings. I know his pedigree and I want to believe he will take the force to an enviable height. He should look into the area of torture of suspects in order to get information.

Most suspects have died in the process without anything being done. There is need for total re-orientation of police-

men. Only then will the public see the police as a friend indeed.

O k e c h u k w u Nwanguma, Coordinator , Network on Police Reform in Nigeria,NOPRIN : My an-

swer is that the performance or otherwise of any I-G of the Nigerian Police does not depend so much on the individual dis-

position or the personality of the appointee, as it is on the system and institutional structures in place, as well as the political interest and ideology of the ‘ regime’ or government in power.

Permit me to ask , Is the Nigerian Police structured for efficient performance and effectiveness?

What is the foundational philosophy and doctrine guiding the Nigerian Police? Force focus or service orientation? Is it regime policing or democratic policing? Is ours a predatory police- a force of occupation or a ‘police force for democracy’a people’s police? What are the leadership qualities and the procedure for the appointment of an IGP? Who determines who becomes the IG? Are there stakeholder-involvement and public input in the appointment process? What are the criteria or considerations for determining who becomes IGP —

political or professional considerations? Are educational qualification, leadership qualities, experience and ‘proven integrity’ considered?

Does the IGP have security of tenure? Who holds policy and operational control of the police? To whom does the IGP answer or beholden? Put succinctly, where does the loyalty of the IGP lie? To whom is the IGP accountable: is it to the people via elected representatives (parliament)? Is it to the law, to the executive or to the president who appoints and can fire him/her at will (as is the status quo)? Does the IGP have the independence and operational autonomy to discharge his duties impartially and professionally?

How effective is police external oversight? In so far as the organizational structure, institutional culture and the legal

Continues on page 59

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 59

Appointment of New IGP NIGERIANS SPEAK: What we expect of Abba Continued from page 58 and normative frameworks governing the Nigeria police promote partisanship, corruption and human rights abuse, it will remain difficult for any IGP — even if he is an angel borrowed from heaven- to perform professionally and effectively.

Mr. Fredrick--Self employed:

Mr. Suleiman Abba, as a matter of urgency, should start with the re- training of officers in intelligence gathering. He should address the issue of corrupt officers, as well as flush out corrupt police officers who dent the image of the force with their scandalous attitude and open show of shame, collecting bribes from motorists instead of checkmating crime.

The Police Force is suffering from the actions of corrupt officers. We still have good officers but the corrupt ones are more in number. The Police Force should be empowered to enable officers be committed to their work of providing security of lives and property. He should stop the employment of officers that are not educated, some of the police officers are not educated, when they ask for your vehicle documents and you give them, they can’t differentiate a valid document from a non- valid one, it is so pathetic. Many of the officers are just interested in what they want to collect from ordinary citizens.

Stephen Ugochukwu, self employed:

I want the New IGP to do all his best regarding 2015 election to ensure that it is not rigged but free and fair, security at every level must be improved. If the officers on ground are not enough, they should provide more men and maximum security. Also the IGP should train his officers.

When it comes to life, it is dynamic and things change, the first IG has performed his best, what we expect from the new IGP is to start from where he stopped in order to make sure that what is required of him is well implemented.

Chief Uzor Okolie, Businessman:

Though I have met the new IGP, Suleiman Abba, a couple of times, I don’t know him very well. But the way he sounds, I believe he will do a good job and give the Police Force a facelift. The first thing I want him to do is to combat crime properly. For instance, in Lagos State presently, in as much as we have several security outfits, there is no security in the whole of Lagos state, likewise in other states. I went to Anambra the other day, kidnappings here and there and snatching of cars everywhere, so people are not safe.

He should beef up security, because right now there is no security of lives and properties.

Even if that is the only achievement he can record, we will be

•Mr Biodun

•Fedrick-- Self employed

•Dr Dafe Akpocha--

•Miss Pricilla -- student

•Mr David Eze -- trader

•Stephen Ugochukwu

•Chief Uzor Okolie -businessman

•Okechukwu Nwanguma -- NOPRIN

okay with that.

Dr Dafe Akpocha: We have always had IGPs that have done very well; we have never had a dull IGP. But the problem is not the IGP, it is the implementation of his ideas and what he intends to give into the Nigerian Police, how is he going to push it through, because he also has people he is submissive to.

This time around, we want to see the new IGP coming out with coercion and aggressiveness that will rebrand the Nigerian police and tackle the security issues confronting the country right now. Let us see how the government will be able to give total support, give him the required support to help. MD Abubakar did very well; I don’t want to be too specific on that, but I would have expected an extension for him to conclude 2015 elections, because what happened in Ekiti State is an indication that he was really up to the task. I wished he would have stayed longer to conduct the 2015 election.

policeman. The whole problem of this country is the corruption of the police. A thief cannot catch a thief. To succeed, he would need to be transparent, he should search and weed out the criminals in the system, those who take bribe to pervert the course of justice, those who collect huge sums from people to keep their adversaries in cells, those who

take bribe from suspects and turn the victims of crimes to suspects. He has started talking of changes like his predecessors, he failed to know that it is not the uniform of the police that needs reform but the man in the uniform. Who uses the gun mearnt to protect the citizen to rob him. To succeed, he must wipe out the thieves in the system. The corrupt

ones and those that back up real criminals in the society.

Also, those on the pay roll of criminals should be detected and pushed out of the system.

Can he do this? It is not an easy task. He got there vide political appointment. Can he work without political influence for the security of the Nigerian man and for him alone?

MR Benjamin Iluobe, lawyer

Implementation is what is required, not talk. Others have come and gone after much talk.

They talked much on Police reform and policies. They changed uniforms and the likes and abandoned attitude of the average Nigerian

Police kicks off ‘stop kidnapping campaign’ in P.H •N1 0m signature agreement launched •N10m

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

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HE Nigeria Police, Rivers State Command, weekend, unveiled a sensitization campaign against kidnapping in Nigeria with a N10m signature agreement as part of the voluntary information to delist it as a crime in Nigeria.

During the occasion, Commissioner of Police in the state, Tunde Ogunsakin reported that since his assumption of office, several research efforts has been put in place to know why kidnapping has become the order of the day in the SouthSouth zone. The commissioner said in Rivers alone, close to 10 cases of kidnapping were daily recorded, adding that today, the command has managed to cut down cases of kidnapping by 60% from what he earlier met in the state when he resumed. He stated that the motive of the campaign was to follow a new path in police which no police officer has done

and emphasized on the preventive police status.

According to him, “I must state that “STOP KIDNAPPING CAMPAIGN” is not just a mere action campaign, it’s our noble effort in taking policing above the present bar of arresting and prosecuting, with emphasis on prevention. The campaign is set to be launched in Area Commands with mind-set of adequately informing the public on prevention activities so as to encourage citizens to file their complaints with utmost trust. Let me take you back; when a person is kidnapped, men and officers of this force easily come to mind, the public discussion that often follow such is centred on the perceived effectiveness of the Nigeria Police to fish the kidnappers out of their den.”

In his speech, the Governor of Rivers State who was represented by his Deputy, Engr.

Tele Ikuru, announced that Rivers State Police Command has won a gold medal award with this campaign.

60 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

RCCG 62ND CONVENTION

2 pr ofs among profs Bible College graduands

Adebo dains 2,435 deboyye or ordains assistant past or pastor orss

By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona

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O effectively cope with the challenges of rapid expansion, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, yesterday, ordained 2,435 assistant pastors to assist the church leadership manage the growth. The figure which is slightly higher than last year’s figures is drawn from various formations of the church across the globe. Last year, the church ordained 2,402 assistant pastors.

General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, simply pronounced his blessings on the ordinands by declaring: “I ordain you assistant pastors in the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the name of God the Father, in the name God the Son and in the name of God the Holy Spirit. By this ordination, anything you bind on earth, will be bound in Heaven and anything you loose on earth, will be loosed in Heaven....”

In a short exhortation, Rev. Joe Olaiya of the Living Faith Foundation, Kaduna, congratulated the new ordinands, charging them to always remain steadfast in the Lord by identifying with the Pauline ministry in the Bible.

Speaking on what he titled; ‘The Apostle Paul: The vision and pursuit of Apostle Paul’, Olaiya emphasized the need for all Christians including the newly ordained assistant pastors to be Heaven focused as Apostle Paul

shelved all other pursuits to focus all his attention on the need to know Christ more and the power of His resurrection.

According to him, many ministers of the gospel today re afraid to go home to their maker, “because probably there’s no home to go back to. Not until the Bible has much more value than your physics, economics, political science or any other subject, you have not started and your ordination is in vain.”

Olaiya maintained that those who have know of the scriptures have been known to rule the world around them. Paul said I want to know Him and the power that can bring life to a decomposing body and it comes alive, stressing that instead of Paul pursuing his career in Bench, he opted to preach the gospel. ”My brothers and my sisters, money is good but let me tell you, it is a distraction because you may gain all the wealth in the world which amount to nothing if you go to hell. My God says He will supply all yours needs in your journey,” he noted, pointing that none should be bitter whenever they get transferred to other parishes leaving the millionaire friends they had made in their former parishes.

Do you know how many millionaires that are waiting for you in the next station?” he said, enjoining the new assistant pastors to always pursue the things that are of eternal value.

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WO university professors are among the over 6,374 candidates who will graduate from the Redeemers Bible College today as part of the ongoing 62nd annual convention at the Redemption Camp of the church.

The graduands who will collect their scrolls this morning include Prof. (Mrs) Olufunmilayo Tumininu Sotonode, Head of Faculty of Education at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye and Prof. A. O. Dasilva of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan.

Out of the 6,374 graduands who will be donning the familiar college gowns, 53 will graduate with masters degrees in Theology, 49 will receive Bachelor of Arts degrees (B.A.), the remaining 6,272 graduands are expected to receive diPastor plomas and certificates.

According to a source close to the church, the Bible College where church ministers are prepared, has turned out several eminent Nigerians including a Pastor Enoch Adeboye, The General Overseer, Redeemed former vice chancellor of the Federal Christian Church of God and his wife Pastor (Mrs) Folu Ade- University of Technology, Akure, Prof. boye during the second day of the week-long 62nd Annual Lawrence Babatope Kolawole, former Convention of RCCG Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Patricia Etteh, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and two traditional rulers - HRM the HE day three of the ongo p.m. and 4.00 p.m. include; The Oba of Ikire and the Oba of ing RCCG annual conven- divine prayer-partners; Let the Osu. tion will feature 13 special semi- wind blow; The Pentecostal ExMeanwhile, reports indicate nars will focus on the following perience; The consuming fire; The that the University of Ibadan topics: The gift of the Holy Spirit; fruit of the Holy Spirit and Unhas approved the affiliation of The office of prophet; Mountain- derstanding the anointing (minthe Bible College though a moving faith; The healing minis- isters only). licence to that effect is yet to try; How to work miracles; DelivImmediately after the seminars be received by the rector of erance ministry; Knowing the will come Melody Hour which the college. mysteries of God. begins at 4.30 p.m.

Other topics that will treated at the seminars which between 2.30

Special seminars begin

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Ebola scare: A debo vir onments Adebo deboyye advises on clean en envir vironments

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S panic grips the Nigerian medical sector following reports of a second case of the dreaded Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), religious organisations may have begun a process to be proactive by educating their members on the need to update their personal hygiene.

The General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Monday evening, charged Christians attending the ongoing 62nd annual convention to make cleanliness their watch word by ensuring that they clean their environment during the convention.

Speaking during the first day of the convention, Adeboye who prayed that the dreaded Ebola virus will not rear its ugly head on the country or at the camp, warned that any province of the church, consistently found wanting on environmental sanitation will be expelled from the ongoing convention programme.

Linking the spread of the virus to filthiness among others, the trained mathematician said: “We are sure that we are always very clean here and take sanitation seriously. I pray that there will

not be any outbreak of sickness, or disease here. There will only be shouts of joy.”

He emphasized the need for every province to keep the camp clean for the Almighty God is against uncleanliness, before sleeping at night tidy up your surroundings, adding “during the cause of the convention any province that scores below 90 per cent consistently will be provided a bus that will take them home because they will not finish the convention with us.”

Installation of sanitizers Vanguard checks also revealed that the church took some measures by installing sanitizers in all the toilets within the camp to checkmate any viral infection during and after the convention.

Our source said there was no way anybody can determine whether delegates came from the affected West African nations, adding that the onus really is on government to screen people entering the nation at the various border posts.

On the proposed new auditorium which is under construction, Pastor Adeboye informed the con-

gregation that free buses will be provided by the church to convey interested members to visit the site.

In his sermon of the day, he commended members of the church who made their homes available for house fellowship, praying that God will turn their houses to power houses.

He, therefore, enjoined other members who are not releasing their houses for fellowship to have a change of heart.

Mr

Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili and his wife Pastor (Dr) Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of Education at the camp.

Pastor Sunday Akindele, Special Assistant to General Overseer, Technical anointing the newly ordained Assistant Pastors during the second day of the 62nd Annual Convention of RCCG. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 61

C M Y K

62— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

Continues from BP the secretariat of the NFF hoping to purchase the forms which is the first demonstration of interest to be part of the process but all their efforts came to naught as the earlier thinking that the committee could extend the date to cover-up for the lost time have been jettisoned by the latest development.

It was also not clear whether the acting president of the federation, Chief Mike Umeh eventually succeeded in purchasing the form before the close of the exercise.

Recall that Umeh was said to have been presented with the form of a vice president which he instantly rejected insisting that he wanted to contest as the president.

Biambo also hinted that the screening of candidates who were able to purchase the forms has already started yesterday and will run till tomorrow to also give everybody the much talked about level playing ground.

The chairman also expressed dismay over remarks by certain people

Continues from BP “complete revolution” in the administration of Nigerian football.

Amiesimaka reckons that things have not been going according to script and identifies the current crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)

as “a perfect example” to buttress his point.

Aminu Maigari was impeached as NFF

president on July 24 on the grounds of alleged “financial misappropriation, misapplication and maladministration.”

However, chairmen of the state football associations moved to reject the impeachment of Maigari on July 31 stating that a consensus had been reached to “to reject the resolutions of any alleged board meeting of the executive committee.”

Amiesiamaka says he’s “not surprised” at the turn of events but argues that it does not paint the country’s football in good light.

“I am not surprised (at the developments). I have said it severally and categorically that the

NFF election that made it look like his committee was hoarding the forms from some people who failed to indicate interest since the sale of forms began early enough and those who went to Brazil even bought. He said that the nomination forms were released on 24th of June and ended on 15th of July.

“Some people thought that the former board may not have given the chance to run but after the impeachment of Maigari, most of them started showing interest and these are the very people giving us bad name, saying we were hoarding the forms. I have no special interest on any particular candidate, we in Nigeria should begin to do things the right way like it is elsewhere” Bbiambo stated.

According to him, “the issue of sale of forms is an old story and we have started the screening of aspirants that that will run to say Thursday so as to give everybody the opportunity to clarify issues if any. Let me also add that we are not inviting

Adokiye structure for our football administration is flawed.

“The problems at the NFF is a perfect example of what I am talking about.

There must be a complete revolution and overhaul of the system if things are to change,” Amiesimaka exclusively told supersport.com.

Amiesimaka, a practicing lawyer since 1979, then took the time to critically examine Maigari’s impeachment and the fallout of the development.

The executive committee of the NFF resolved to impeach Maigari “after thorough and exhaustive deliberations on the uncalled-for secrecy surrounding all financial dealings of the federation and failure to call meeting of the executive committee for the past eight months, during which so many weighty decisions on Nigeria football had been taken by a small cabal within the board.”

Amiesimaka said things do not add up with just Maigari falling on his sword.

everybody to travel form far and wide to come to Abuja, it is only those that may have issues with their documents that we are going to invite and at the end we will make our findings known to everybody concerned”.

But in a statement issued yesterday, NFF expressed serious concern over the handling of the electoral process ahead of elections which has drawn complaints and attracted widespread criticisms from members of the Nigeria football family.

“We have received phone calls, phone messages and emails, and there have been media reports of persons being denied forms for unclear reasons.

“The litany of complaints and widespread condemnation has been deafening. The best legacy that this team can give to Nigeria football is a flawless electoral process leading to credible elections,” Chief Mike Umeh, NFF’s Acting President, said on in Abuja yesterday.

“Who are ‘the small cabal within the board’ that were taking the ‘ weighty decisions?’ Why are they still on the board?

“Well, just as Maigari betrayed former president of so-called ‘NFF,’ Sani Lulu, on whose board he was finance committee chairman, so too has he been betrayed by his lieutenants.

“If the board members who now betrayed Maigari and conveniently pointed accusing fingers to him were not complicit in the alleged misappropria-tion, misapplication and maladministration, why did none of them raise his voice in protest or resign,and why were they always saying that all was well with football administration in Nigeria and consistently insulted any member of the public that tried to draw attention to the rot?

“Our football doesn’t need such charlatans that are obviously without honour and are only in office to serve themselves,” Amiesimaka said.

•Chief Onigbinde (r) with former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia.

Let those with knowledge of football run it — Onigbinde

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ORMER Nigeria coach Chief Adegboye Onigbinde has called for knowledgeable people to run for office as the Nigeria Football Federation elections coming up later this month.

Citing the dearth of technocrats in the football industry as the bane for the country ’s lack of progress in the sport, Onigbinde said that it is high time Nigeria got the best hands to run her football.

“A lot of so-called football administrators are into football because of what they can get from it, not for what they can put into it. Actually they have nothing to put into it,” Onigbinde said.

Continues from BP Canada.

The Falconets were in dire straits when Fifa suspended Nigeria from all football activities and were in danger of missing the tournament but after the impasse, the Falconets flew out to Canada where they have been in camp ahead of the big kickoff.

Coached by the experienced Peter Dedevdo, the Falconets will look to improve on the fourth place finish at the last tournament held in Japan in 2012.

Halimatu Ayinde and Chinwendu Ihezou will lead the line for Nigeria, ably supported by the impressive Asisat Oshoala. Ayinde and Ihezou represented

“If you then come out to say you want to do the right thing you may also risk persecution and

molestation which is another problem facing the administration of football in the country.”

President Jonathan Continues from BP gloriously dominated the female sprint events, and other athletes who won medals for the country at the games.

“The President believes that the athletes’ very impressive performance at the games which resulted in Nigeria ranking 8th out of 71 participating countries is a further demonstration of the indomitable spirit of Nigerians and the great heights they can attain

Falconets Nigeria at the last Fifa Under-17 female World Cup in Azerbaijan where they scored 10 goals between them and they will look forward to adding to those numbers in this tournament.

Coach Dedevdo has also picked up US-based Courtney Dike who he hopes will add more experience and guile to the squad.

Dike, who is the younger sister to Super Eagles striker Bright Dike, is a sophomore at the Oklahoma State College in the United States of America.

If the Falconets want to beat the fourth place finish of the last edition in Japan in 2012, they will have to navigate

with hard work, commitment, dedication, courage and patriotism.

President Jonathan assured the athletes and their handlers that his Administration will continue to do its best to encourage them and support sports development in the country.

“He looks forward to receiving and honouring the medal winners and their coaches at the Presidential Villa, Abuja” the statement added.

past a strong South Korea side, who are well drilled, European heavyweights England and Mexico, who will provide the first real test for the girls in the first group game.

Nigeria topped Group B of the last edition in Japan with 7 points from 3 matches, beating both South Korea and Italy and drawing with the Brazilians The Falconets defeated a resilient Mexican side 1-0 in the quarter-final before losing 2-0 to eventual winners the United States in one of the semifinals of the competition. A 2-1 reverse against hosts Japan saw the Falconets finish fourth in the competition.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 — 63

Siasia, Eguavoen, Taribo for TAN Clinic

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Nigerian Universities Staff Games start in UNIBEN SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

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HE Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Osayuki Oshodin, has declared open the 11th edition of the Nigerian Universities Staff Sports Association (NUSSA) games open, saying that the sports event will cement the existing relationship among universities in the country.

The Vice Chancellor who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics, Prof (Mrs) Obehin Okojie, stressed the need for government at all levels to supports sports in tertiary institutions, so that the country will be able to groom young sports men and women that will represent Nigeria in i n t e r n a t i o n a l

competitions.

According to him, “It is a cocktail of emotion for me and the University as we host this games, it is out of our desire for the promotion of sports in Nigerian Universities and Nigeria in general which is a symbol of unity that made us agree to host this games because we want sports to grow in Nigeria our fatherland.

Juliet Imoh receiving her ARS 4 National Championship Golden Boot Award (Female category) from Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah

Hope competition begins August 30

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OPE Sports Competition at the weekend had a successful seminar to step up plans for the main competition billed to kick off on August 30 as former Lagos State Governor Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Etim Esin, Chaief Segun Odegbami and top Lagos officials took part in the seminar.

The competition organised for the less

privileged and orphanage homes is targeted at bringing out the talents in them and exposing them to i n t e r n a t i o n a l opportunities.

At the seminar, the athletes were made to understand the rules and regulation guiding this year’s event and what to expect as dignitaries at the seminar also saw the

forum as a good opportunity for them to rub minds with organizers and participants.

Initiator of the competition, Segun Lateef Jakande said the competition which will run through September 7 will feature following sports: swimming, table tennis, athletics, chess, scrabble and monopoly City of Lagos and football.

ORMER Eagles coach Samson Siasia will lead other ex-internationals to a three-day football clinic organised by the Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) in Abuja.

According to Waidi Akanni, the clinic, which will involve about 2000 kids, will also have exEagles’ coach, Austin Eguavoen and Taribo West serving as coaches.

Akanni stated that the clinic, holding later this month, is to enhance young players’ skills.

Akanni said that the clinic would also help in churning out talents that would benefit the country in future. He added that the clinic would take place in five other zones with the best 15 selected from every zone.

According to him, those selected will be camped in Abuja, where they would be further groomed and taken through life skills training.

“What we are doing is to help boost the talent base in the country by organizing a football

clinic that will enhance the development of the participants. And that is why we have assembled former internationals who will work with the kids.”

He also said that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under 13 and 16 teams would benefit from the clinic.

“I am sure that by the time the exercise is concluded, the NFF can be sure of talents that would make up its under 13 and under 16 teams.”

•Waidi Akanni

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014

NFF election: Screening of candidates begins •As Electoral Committee ends sale of forms

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

E

VEN as many interested aspirants

FIFA U-20 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

Falconets target victory over Mexico N

IGERIA’S Under20 female national team, The Falconets, will start their seventh Fifa Under-20 World Cup campaign today against Mexico at the Moncton Stadium in Continues on Page 62

•Dedevbo

Continues on Page 62

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ORMER Nigeria international winger, Adokiye Amiesimaka wants a Continues on Page 62

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Today’s Matches

England v France v Mexico v N/Zealand v

night in Abuja. He said the committee regrets that some people who wanted to be part of the process were not able to buy the forms due to what he described as the confusion that trailed the exercise which also culminated in the locking of the committee’s office located at Number 9 Arusha Crescent, Wuse Zone 1.

Many aspirants were also seen yesterday at

2014 Glasgow C’wealth Games: President Jonathan applauds Team Nigeria

Adokiye wants change for Nigerian football

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into the board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were yet to purchase the forms the electoral committee says it has concluded the sale of forms for the election slated to take place on August 26 in Abuja.

In a telephone chat with Sports Vanguard, the chairman of the electoral committee, Amoni Biambo said the decision to stop the sale of forms was taken after a meeting of the committee Monday

Koear Republic Costa Rica Nigeria Paraguay

9;00pm 10:00pm HIGH EXPECTATIONS: Members of Nigeria U-20 Wom12:00am en's soccer team, The Falconets celebrate a goal. Inset: Coach 1:00am Peter Dedevbo

RESIDENT G o o d l u c k Jonathan has applauded the exploits of Team Nigeria at the XX Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

A statement by the special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati quoted the President as particularly applauding the elating

•President Jonathan accomplishment of Blessing Okagbare who Continues on Page 62

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Additional (5) 7 Bridge (4) 8 Figurine (6) 9 Demise (5) 11 Delve (3) 13 Vegetable (3) 15 Monster (4) 16 Label (3) 18 Grub (4) 19 Well-liked (7) 20 Relation (4) 22 Stupefy (4) 23 Performer (7) 25 Whirlpool (4) 27 Shy (3) 28 Group (4) 30 Owing (3) 31 Parched (3) 33 Moor (5) 36 Short (6) 37 Jot (4) 38 Deserve (5)

DOWN 1 Shoot (5) 2 Finish (3) 3 Beverage 3) 4 Tree (3) 5 Tin (3) 6 Purchaser (5) 10 Snare (4) 11 Given (7) 12 Hand-bomb (7) 13 Presage (7) 14 Facility (7) 16 Subject (5) 17 Windy (5) 18 Existed (3) 21 Attempt (3) 24 Only (4) 26 Dullard (5) 29 Angry (5) 32 Sphere (3) 33 Border (3) 34 Tune (3) 35 Strike (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Scrape 5, Stem 8, Tower 9, Fad 10, Ruin 11, Dart 12, Essay 13, Rector 16, Tern 18, Edam 20, Old 222, Tot 23, Dip 24, Free 25, Item 28, Demure 30, Diver 32, Loud 33, Nude 34, Got 35, Peace 36, Need 37, Stodgy.

DOWN: 1, Safari 2, Ridicule 3, Parrot 4, Consented 5, Sedated 6, Tray 7, Mate 8, Tie 14, Reticence 15, Rap 17, Rot 19, Divulged 20, Orb 21, Decided 26, Merest 27, Gently 29, Clan 30, Dupe 31, Rue.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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